Emerald Zhang
SerpAPI
If you are up for authentic Chinese (Fujianese) food, this is the place. Yuan Bao used to be our go-to place when my husband and I lived close by. This restaurant is very well-known among Chinese immigrant community. They started off as a street vendor in the 90s, then they opened up this restaurant and another location on 55th street and 8th Ave.
- Authentic yummy Chinese food. The owner is from Fujian, a coastal province in southeastern China, which is famous for their seafood and soy sauce braised meats. Bian Rou (Fujianese Wonton soup) and Ban Bian (Peanut Noodles) are the signatures here. The wonton soup is light and delicious. The peanut noodles has a large portion and fill you up quickly. The soy sauce braised duck with rice is a must. It's very flavorful and has a decent portion. Rice cake can be stirred fried with any ingredients. We usually have it with squid. If you love their soy sauce braised meat selection, you can get the pre-packed ones. Freshly made and ready to go.
- Very affordable price. CASH ONLY. We did notice the portion for each dish is reduced a little but the price stays the same. The pre-packed soy sauce braised meat is $9 per box, which is $1 or $2 up from before. However considering the overall inflation on everything, this is not too bad at all.
- Tips are not required, which is why most of their returning customers are Chinese immigrants who work close by. Customers dinning in usually put the dishes in the garbage can themselves before they pay the bill. So don't expect the service to be the best, after all, you don't pay any tips. The lady at the front usually don't have any facial expressions even if you speak Chinese so don't think too much if you are not getting the super friendly and welcoming vibe from her.
*For non-Chinese speakers, make sure to ask them for a physical menu, which has English translation for all the dishes. Menus on the wall are all written in Chinese.
