Hong Cheong Kitchen — Restaurant in New York

For context, this is my first visit ordering one item. Casual restaurants, especially one with such generous hours, are subject to at least a little variance with the quality of their service. I ordered at 11 pm on a Saturday night.

warning: this place only accepts cash

First things first, the restaurant is quite bare. It's a small space that seems to still be setup for the pandemic. There's no seating or chairs, and there's a big acrylic panel separating customers from the employees. Going in I felt a bit apprehensive as it seemed a bit unwelcoming, but it was nice inside. It was rather quiet with only the chatter of some of the people at the back, typical Chinese takeout stuff. Also, it's a small business, and we should be supporting more of those :D

I ordered Hunan style chicken for takeout.

pros: There's a decent portion of rice. I'm still left wanting a bit more, but I also understand that I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to my rice portions I like how it's seasoned, well salted, not too sweet. I'm enjoying the amount of veggies in here Everything is the expected size, the cuts are consistent enough, things are cooked to the right degree, and the chicken is nice and soft they were generous with the sauce cons: Upon arriving home, I found that some of the sauce had leaked. It was a bit of a mess but it was manageable. Take extra care if you're eating outside. The utensils and napkins were not wrapped, so they got some sauce on them. the rice tasted a bit old which is to be expected, I don't mind that, but it's been oiled to keep it fluffy. I would've preferred a mushy lump honestly speaking. (extra note at the end about this) this isn't as spicy as I would have expected, especially for Hunan style chicken. I know we're in the states but I've had other takeout places give it much more spice. I can feel this at the back of my throat, but I have to actively look for it. it's lacking complexity, but the sauce hits the right spots. I would like to see more prominent use of aromatics like garlic, ginger, and scallion, but I could also see how a simpler profile would cater more to a wider audience.

Overall, I enjoyed the meal! Was it worth $16 after tax for two portions (only one portion was showed in the photo)? I'm unsure on that front given the location and hours, so I'll leave that for you to judge. The oiled rice honestly wasn't as big of a problem as I expected. There's enough sauce and freshness from the stir fry that the grease on the rice is honestly unnoticeable had I not inspected it beforehand. Just for some peace of mind I would suggest making your own rice, but again, it was fine. There's no need to toss their rice. The food was good enough, I like having a late night spot to eat, and I can look past the container leaking. I often see reviews complaining about the atmosphere or the service but I'm just here for the food. Even looking from the perspective of service, it was a quaint spot and if anything the person at the counter was just short with conversation. I speculate that complaints come from the language barrier or the short/to-the-point style of conversation, but that's most takeout places. It's a small business. As such, the people working the counter are the same people making the food. This isn't going to be your typical "How can I help you?" type of service. They take your order, they make it, the food comes out, and I'm content with what I got. I'll be visiting this...

Oohh man! The guy is simply a hard racist/abuser. He charged me an extra .50 cents for a $9.50 meal. He was indifferent to me and I could tell easily it was because he was simply stereo typing me and retaliating against me for the actions of other minorities. Further, this place has no where to sit. No chairs at all. Even when I asked for a menu. He denied me that. Not going...

The worst customer service, I have ever received. I can’t believe they treat innocent customers like this. I have never felt so disrespected. Do your self a favor and don’t support them. There are so many other Chinese food options. I will also be calling the health department. I am disgusted in all areas of the business....