West Place Chinese Restaurant
1288 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
http://www.west-place-indy.com/
Telephone: (212) 932-9390 and 9376
Open: Sunday-Saturday 11:00am-11:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
(*Blogger wants to note that the prices have gone up over the years.)
West Place Chinese Restaurant at 1288 Amsterdam Avenue
I came across West Place Chinese Restaurant when I was walking the neighborhood in Morningside Heights (MywalkinManhattan: Day Sixty-Nine Visiting SoHA, Morningside Heights last March). It was packed with Columbia students during the lunch hour and when I returned, people from the housing the complexes that surround it replaced them.
The inside of West Place Chinese Restaurant.
One afternoon towards my walk of the neighborhood, I went in for lunch and they have the nicest selection of lunch specials that are each priced at $10.00 (prices have changed over the years). This runs from 11:00am-3:00pm and the entree is served with Pork Fried Rice and a choice of either Wonton, Egg Drop, Chicken Noodle or Rice Soups. There is a dish from all over their menu and the few times I have eaten there, they have been excellent (see reviews on TripAdvisor).
The Wonton Soup is excellent
On the first trip there, I tried the General Tso’s Chicken, a combination of fried chicken pieces served in a tangy sweet/sour sauce served with a large portion of fried rice. The serving size was large enough for two people to easily share. The sauce coated a sizable portion of chicken that was perfectly cut and fried. There is a lot of flavor to their sauce and has a nice tartness to it. The fried rice is pretty standard but still tastes good. Not much as way of ingredients except bean sprouts.
The General Tso’s Chicken with Fried Rice is excellent
It was on this trip I noticed that at lunch they also have a small lunch buffet that is priced at $6.95. That is a combination of popular dishes and rice and noodle dishes as well. It seems to very popular with the locals and students alike. You might want to call the restaurant to ask what the hours of this buffet and if it is offered on the weekends.
The Roast Pork Lo Mein here is excellent!
The second time I ate here, I came for dinner on a rather cold night and the meal warmed me right up. At night, the restaurant offers a Special Combination Platter, a choice of sixteen popular dishes served with Pork Fried Rice or White Rice with an egg roll.
I tried the Chicken with String Beans with fried rice and an egg roll. The portion size of chicken with string beans was very large and even myself who has a large appetite could just about finish it. The string beans were fresh with a crisp snap and cooked perfectly with just the right amount of chicken where one did not dominate the other. It was served in a spicy garlic sauce that mixed well with the rice.
The Chicken and String Beans is really good
Their egg rolls are filled with roast pork and vegetables and were perfectly fried out. With a little sweet sauce, made a nice accompaniment to the dish.
The service here is very friendly and helpful and they get the food out quickly.
On a recent trip uptown, I stopped in for dinner and this time I tried the Boneless Spareribs with Fried Rice and an Egg Roll combination platter and the meal was excellent as usual. I had not eaten here in months and the food is consistently excellent. The portion size was larger than I remember from the last time. They really piled the food into the container.
The Boneless Spareribs with Fried Rice and an Egg Roll.
The Boneless Ribs were overflowing on the platter.
These sweet and juicy bites are full of flavor and piled into this small dish. There was enough food for two people.
The Egg Rolls are amazing.
When I revisited Harlem again to explore changes in the neighborhood, I stopped in for a late night dinner and had the Beef and Broccoli with Pork Fried Rice and an Egg Roll.
The Beef and Broccoli Combination meal
I had forgotten how good the food was here. The meal was excellent. The beef was so tender and the brown sauce had such a rich flavor to it. The Pork Fried Rice has lots of ingredients including nice sized pieces of roast pork.
The Beef and Broccoli was delicious
Their egg rolls are some of the best in the City with slices of cabbage and roast pork and fried to perfection.
The egg rolls were cooked to perfection
The dinner was delicious and hit the spot. If you are on the Columbia campus and have a yearning for good Chinese-American cooking, this is the perfect place for you.
Please call the above number for delivery. It is free in the area with the minimum of $8.00.
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