When I wrote about the Main Noodle House’s Roast Pork Wonton soup the inevitable question came up: was it better that the same soup at ML standby and perpetual Reader’s Poll Chinese Food winner Hing Won (on 48th btw. 5+6th)? Clearly this had to be put to the test. Read more »
Posted by Brownie at 11:45 am, January 26th, 2012 under Hing Won, Main Noodle House.
For any long time Midtown Lunch reader, you probably know that Hing Won (48th btw. 5+6th) is one of our favorite cheap Chinese places (maybe even THE favorite?) You may also know that the roast pig over rice is probably the best pork dish in Midtown. And if you’re like me and can never decide between pig or pork you can always get their “Any Two Roast Meats Over Rice” for about 20cents more. But what do you do when you’re craving for more than two types of meat?
Posted by Donny T. at 11:30 am, April 27th, 2011 under Hing Won.
I was dismayed to learn in the forums that Hing Won (48th btw. 5+6th) was closed on Weds. and Thurs. last week (with a yellow DOH sticker behind the half shut gate). Whatever closed them down must have been an easy fix, because when I stopped in on Friday they were open and everything appeared to be back to normal. And their latest inspection is downright shocking…
The sign at Kar Won (on 60th btw. Park+Lex)
Great news for those pig lovers who work too far North or East to take advantage of the new “roast pig over rice” from Hing Won (on 48th btw. 5+6th) that I raved about yesterday. Both Kar Won (on 60th btw. Park+Lex) and Hop Won (on 45th btw. Lex+3rd), which are owned by the same company as Hing Won, are also serving the roast pig over rice for $6.
Thanks to Lunch’er “Dylan” for passing along the tip in the comments. He hit up Kar Won for the special and had this to say:
“My container looked almost identical to Zach’s, but it came with a heaping portion of garlicky sauteed bok choy/cabbage. While the belly was great, and the skin crispy, there were a few pieces that had a bit too much inedible bone or cartilage. That said, still awesome.”
But is the pork all I made it out to be? Some say no.
I’ve always been a huge fan of the roast pork over rice at Hing Won (on 48th btw. 5+6th.) Beautiful strips of Chinatown style red roast pork, laid over rice and bok choy, and topped with their sweet soy sauce, it’s probably one of the most popular dishes served from the right hand side of the counter. (Hing Won has two sides, the left is a steam table of Americanized Chinese food, the right, a bilingual menu of Chinatown style specialities that are made to order.)
But last Friday I noticed a new sign hanging on their already jam packed wall of signs. I don’t know what it said in Chinese, but the English surely got my attention: “Roast Pig over Rice”. Wha!?! Isn’t it funny how changing one word from pork to pig can have such a big impact. Some would probably consider pork and pig the same thing, but those familiar with pork in all its forms know the subtle menu nuances. Deep down in my heart (which is already dangerously clogged with pork fat, I’m sure) I innately knew this was something completely different than the standard roast pork over rice. (And I was hoping it would involve something crispy.)
Despite my hopes and dreams for the dish, I didn’t actually know what the distinction between pork and pig was going to be, but there was only one way to find out.
Just when you thought the whole banh mi craze couldn’t get any crazier, Hing Won (on 48th btw. 5+6th) has added banh mi to their menu. Yes, my favorite fast food Chinese place, known for their Chinatown style meats, soups, and noodle dishes is now serving Vietnamese sandwiches. W…T…F? My gut instinct is to laugh this one off and- in what should be a surprise to no one- it’s not a completely “authentic” banh mi, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.
Check out what they’re serving, after the jump…
Posted by Zach Brooks at 11:45 am, June 15th, 2009 under Chinese, Hing Won, Sandwiches, Vietnamese.
Last week, before I hit up the OTB I slipped into Hing Won (on 48th btw. 5+6th) for a bowl of their “famous” shredded pork and Chinese pickle noodle soup. I’m a huge fan of Hing Won, and have been there a ton of times (it was the very first post on Midtown Lunch almost 3 years ago), but this was actually the first time I had tried the soup that the New York Times highly praised years and years ago (the article still hangs in the window.) When I recommended it to yesterday’s profiled luncher, Lunch’er Dan L. had this to say in the comments:
Hing Won’s pickle noodle soup is overrated. It’s good, but almost everything at Hing Won is pretty good, and the pickle noodle soup doesn’t really stand out to me.
This is probably as good a day as any to go to the readers’ choice for “Best Fast Food Chinese” two years running. How could I not, right? According to commenter Yvo, you’re supposed to eat vegetarian on Chinese New Years Day as some sort of cleanse (???), but I didn’t get the memo before leaving for lunch. I almost always order the same thing at Hing Won (sauteed udon with pork) but today I mixed it up! House Special Lo Mein, with shrimp, chicken, and ground pork (substitute in roast pork, please.) Uh… yeah. Pretty much the exact same dish as the sauteed udon, just with a different kind of noodle. Oh well. I couldn’t help it! (As it was, it took a lot of will power not to do their newish by the lb. buffet… which always looks good, but then kills me when I weigh my lunch.)
Lucky for me, I had my wife along with me- who is always much better at mixing it up. Her lunch (which I ate a third of) is after the jump…
Posted by Zach Brooks at 1:50 pm, January 26th, 2009 under Hing Won.
Speaking of buffets, if you were wondering what the answer to yesterday’s pop quiz was- it was most definitely the rice. And not only did I take too much, I took two different kinds! A shameful rookie mistake when you are going to have pay for what it weighs.
Posted by Zach Brooks at 5:30 pm, November 11th, 2008 under Buffet by lb., Hing Won.
I hit up the new by the lb. buffet at Hing Won (on 48th btw. 5+6th) for the first time on Friday, and here’s the damage. It was a little over $6. Not too bad, but not great either- and I think Sun Yip/Ho Yip on 45th btw. 5+6th is probably better (plus they have the price drop at 2:15, which can’t be beat.) I think I’ll probably stick with the right side of the counter when I go to Hing Won, and order things off of their more authentic menu.
I did, however, break one of my cardinal rules of by-the-lb. buffet eating. Can you spot it? What’s wrong with this picture? (If you want to cheat, you can look at my rules for by the lb. buffet eating.)
Posted by Zach Brooks at 8:32 am, November 10th, 2008 under 48th btw 5+6th, Buffet by lb., Chinese, Hing Won.
