vip in the city

New Year’s dinner at ABC

FMBJ and HS had flown into New York for just 36 hours — White Plains, to be exact — so how could we not seize upon the opportunity to meet them on New Year’s Day?

We piled into the car to fetch them from Westchester, and then back down to Manhattan for dinner. On the drive in, HS peppered us with questions about NYC pizza, bagels and Jewish delis; I wondered if she was ever-so-slightly disappointed when we ended up in Chinatown on her one night in the city.

The restaurant at 34 Pell Street was known as Danny Ng Restaurant until late 2006 when the chef and several members of the serving staff moved on to open Amazing 66 at 66 Mott, where they’ve since generated lots of good word of mouth. 34 Pell’s post-renovation incarnation was redubbed ABC Chinese Restaurant, which seemed somehow apropos for tonight’s gathering.

It’s been ages since we ordered an entire peking duck. These days, I get my fix from the occasional buffet visit or from Corner 28 on Flushing’s Main Street, where individual roast duck — not true Peking duck — sandwiches are sold out of a sidewalk window for 75 cents apiece, which inevitably lacks the pageantry of tableside carving and assembly.

This dish wasn’t even on the menu; we asked the waiter for a recommendation. He described it as “Chinese Prime Rib.”

Lobster with Ginger and Scallions — second time in one week:

Chinese Garlic Fried Chicken:

Not pictured: a not very politically correct (and somewhat oversteamed) Chilean sea bass, a delicately flavored silken tofu and shrimp dish, sauteed pea shoots, and a house special fried rice. Eight dishes in total: an auspicious number for an auspicious new year.

Tags: ABC Chinese Restaurant, Chinatown, Peking duck