$$$$Price: Moderate • Chinese • West Village
Always looking for new NY food adventures and this was extraordinary! From the moment you enter the vibe is relaxed, cool, friendly, romantic. Softly lit with cozy booths, mirrors and red accents--it has a speakeasy feel. Every dish we tried was flavorful, and a new take on an old favorite. Dumplings were delish, the turnip pancake was light yet with wonderful crunch. They were out of the signature Peking duck (bummer) but the duck sliders were extraordinary, moist with pillowy yet crunchy buns filled with flavor. One thing the CCT gets right is the combo of texture, heat and subtle favor. The vegetable fried rice is not your grandma's, it has crunch from jicama, daikon, crispy puff rice, shallots and garlic. And the bacon and egg pearl noodles were a revelation—chunks of bacon and creamy egg yolk slathering silky rice noodles. French toast dessert with taro cream was unique. The service had personality; staff were busy with a full room and founders Wilson Tang and John McDonald mingled among guests on a packed Monday night. Uber struggles to find the place (put in 257 Ave. of the Americas or Hancock St.) The understated signage doesn’t help you find it but it’s a sure sign Cha Cha Tang is a best kept secret soon to blow up. Can’t wait to go back!