Nin Hao — Restaurant in New York

*debated giving this any words at all, but it would only behoof us who are active supporters of new Asian cuisine to know what they’re getting into before they do, and the restauranteurs to up their game and not hide behind the inflation excuse

As a new Asian restaurant in New York that’s aiming for dishes at a ‘certain price point’ (read: only “too pricey” if the food doesn’t live up to the hype). For now I’ll stick to the bullet points.

Two of the things we most looked forward to trying fumbled in execution - the salted egg yolk ribs, scrumptious until you get to the meat, even in dim sum short ribs fall off the bone, here the coating of SEY is no doubt delicious, but the meat lacks flavor and texturally difficult to eat, the meat stuck to the bone and definitely haven’t had such a “strange” meat in quite some time. Indeed a feat to achieve.

The other thing that saddened greatly was the pearl taro rice ball - warm at best, not sure if microwaved in basket or what since the rice had zero glutinous texture and the basket bone dry. How a dish come out lukewarm when we were sat at the communal table 5 steps away from the kitchen is technically a mindblown and not in the best way. I grew up eating this dish my mom loved making, I myself can make it as well, and know the process well, so the fact that the meat had zero flavor marinated into it, especial following the SEY ribs, says a lot about the kitchen’s (lack of) understanding of the dishes they’re serving - either serve the rice balls before the SEY ribs, knowing its lack in flavor, OR wait for the celtuse to come out, so the rice ball can be paired with it to have some flavor backup.

This leads to the mountain jelly salad (celtuse) - perhaps the only dish worthy of mentioning, the textural bite particular well-executed and hard to achieve the correct balance of, with the flavors hitting pungent enough but not overwhelming. this is a must order, in fact might be the only thing I’d return for, though I can likely replicate it at home easily enough.

Also tried beef + tendon cold noodle, the ban Dan Dan rice noodle (the wonton soup descriptor confused us all), all decent but nothing screaming to be written about.

atmosphere and service was okay for the type of building it is in, we chose the communal table because the side 4 seaters all had awkward library-style white strip lights that made dinner feel like a task. and when we asked for a candle or dimmable table light at the communal table, neither ever arrived, we had procure one from the table next to us ourselves. When it came to the wine, the server was under-informed, in fact, she was under-informed about quite a few things (the dessert, the wines, the dishes, the ingredients), a great mis-match to the price point the restaurant is set to attain.

all in all, a waste of time and effort, and certainly my pocket money, cheers to yet another new Asian restaurant for non-Asians to enjoy 🫠 sigh.

note to proprietors: the mini mahjong tiles fails to be adequate chopstick stands, and tbh too kitschy for this...

The food is decent, but overpriced. As a Chinese person who's family also owned a Chinese restaurant, half the price you're paying here is for the vibes and fancy decor. Nothing wrong with that, but just a little warning for the uninitiated.

The food (sorted from best to worst):

Steam Whole Fish: This was really really good, a classic Chinese dish. The fish was cooked perfectly. The tofu was a genius move by the chef, its texture paired great with the fish, and absorbed the delicious sweet sauce as well. This one is worth it. (beware of a few stray bones though).

Mountain Jelly Salad: This one is really good as well, definitely not a vegetable you would normally come across if you are not Chinese. The texture is so addicting, you get this satisfying crunch biting into it, think of it like the crispiest pickle you have ever had. I think this one is worth it solely for how uncommon this veggie is.

Drunken Pork Ribs: This was really yummy, very authentic Chinese flavors. Sweet, tangy, salty, it's just really good. The price is fair too. I would definitely recommend this.

Rouyan Spicy Wonton: This dish was yummy and reminded me of my grandma's cooking, and made me feel super nostalgic. Definitely very authentic flavors here. But it also reminded me that my Grandma could make a whole bowl of wonton soup for under $2, definitely not worth the price.

Crab Noodle: This one was actually pretty good, it also reminded me of nostalgic flavors. The crab was a little bland, but the flavors of the glass noodles were nice. I don't think it's worth $60 though, you can probably find this for $25 anywhere else.

Fujianese Seafood Pancake: Too greasy, don't know if this was deep fried or not, but tastes like it is. I ate one piece and was pretty much all set with it. Too heavy, and definitely not worth the price.

Dessert (they were both good):

Coconut Taro Pudding: Soft texture, with lightly sweetened Ube flavored cubes. The coconut shavings added a hint of sweetness, it was really good!

Fujianese Red Bean Mochi: This one was good as well. The cold and lighter flavored ice cream really enhanced the sweet and chewy mochi. It's like temperature and texture heaven, cold and chewy just pairs so so well in desserts.

The service was also a little disappointing. Our server was nice, but inattentive. They did not come around to ask us how we were doing or if we needed anything. I tried to grab their attention once, with just eye contact and a slightly raised hand, and they came over to us with a frown, as if calling them over was a rude gesture. Perhaps I misread their expressions, but it felt like asking for anything was us being a bother.

I know a lot of restaurants have started doing this, but don't love when places have the waiter hover in front of you to tap your card, and then hold the reader in front of you to tap how much you'd like to tip. Smells like guilt...

I recently organized a dinner at Nin Hao with a group of friends, and we had a wonderful dinner. The restaurant has a contemporary decor, occupying a large room with massive ceiling and concrete pillars on the ground floor of an otherwise non-descriptive building. There are some interesting touches, like mini mahjong tiles being used as chopstick holders, the large mural on the back wall showing green surgical masks alongside hands cupping a bunch of newborns and two owls riding a dragon, and the mesmerizing large aquarium behind the bar.

The menu is extensive. Best way to enjoy your experience at Nin Hao is to pick a lot of dishes to share. Come with friends[1] and order as much as you can; everything is delicious!

This is what we had:

Mountain Jelly Salad[2]: Refreshing and slightly spicy with a satisfying crunch. We all loved this dish.

Cold Noodle: Light, flavorful, and perfect for sharing. A nice balance of tang, heat, and umami.

Chicken Wonton Soup: The broth was clear and very tasty, with tender, plump, wontons that practically melted in my mouth.

Seafood Fried Rice: Great all-round dish with shrimp, scallop, crab, egg.

Coco Vancouver Crab Noodle: This dish was the star, with chunks of crab and slippery noodles. Indulgent yet delicate.

Braised Pork Belly: Melt-in-your-mouth tender, served with pickled greens and lotus-leaf-steamed buns. The glaze was slightly sweet and deeply savory, perfectly balanced. Another dish great for sharing.

Mapo Tofu: Bold and spicy, with that signature numbing Szechuan heat. It had the perfect level of spice that built gradually without overwhelming the dish

Ban Ban Rice Noodle: Fujianese version of Dan Dan noodle; we had the vegetarian version. Hearty and satisfying. The texture of the rice noodles was spot on, and the toppings brought it all together.

Starters are $12 to $18 while main dishes are in the $30 to $62 range. Extensive cocktail list too.

This place is fantastic. [1] Plenty of space for groups.

[2] Not actual jelly, but celtuce or...