Wow. First time checking out this place. Starting with a nice hot tea. And ended with a fortune cookies. Two dishes I ordered was amazing. The service was quick and nice. They take only cash. Whatever you order they will give you free rice too. I will definitely go again. Absolutely great spot!!!!!

Being Anthony Bourdain fans and knowing his down to earth love of all things food, we had to try one of his top five restaurants in New York, Hop-Kee. It’s located in a basement, and efficiently run by a crew of elderly Chinese gentleman. For years we have hungered for the Chinese food of our youth, as it disappeared under the wave of Kung pao this and Szechuan that. Well, it’s been here all along, carefully preserved by this wonderful Taiwanese restaurant! Taking his cues, we ordered from the dishes Anthony specifically mentioned. After all, we couldn’t disappoint him, because he was looking down on us from the 30 or 40 photos of his visits there.  Wonton egg drop soup to start, which was absolutely amazing with a semi gelatinous broth, bits of yummy veg, and a surprising amount of wontons. We followed this with egg rolls, which were the size of a small burritos and stuffed with pork, tiny shrimp,  cabbage, and yummy goodness that is imported from some mythical location, and probably kept in a safe in the back of the walk-in. For our main dish,  it was the sweet and pungent pork (in the 60s and 70s in California would’ve called it sweet and sour pork.) What a delight! The pork was tender and breaded then fried to perfection then slathered with that tangy sauce. Bits of pineapple and pickle slices added just the right amount of bite to the mix. Stunningly delicious!  The portion was so generous that we took leftovers with us, and had it for breakfast the next day. As our waiter brought us yet another pot of free tea, I shared with him that I felt like I was sitting in Pasadena with my grandmother and parents in 1969. It delighted him to no end 🙂 If you’re in New York and like old-school Chinese food, you absolutely have to go to this place.  It is a cash only place, our dinner with tip, was under $50.