Cantonese Butterfly shrimp
Looking for good, old time Cantonese butterfly shrimp with bacon
butterfly shrimp in my mind should be: a jumbo butterflied shrimp topped with a partially cooked piece of bacon lightly which is then coated with egg. The shrimp is fried and served in a sweet sauce with sliced onions. Thre is a current trend to add orange sauce, chopped nuts or a myriad of veggies to the dish. Some restaurants overcoat the shrimp and bacon with egg. Does anyone know what I am talking about? And, if you do, please let me know where I can find it in the tri state area...preferable Manhatta or Queens
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JJ Garden in Jackson Heights -- in the shopping center w the waldbaums, so purists may say East Elmhurst -- does a really good version. the portion is large, the egg coating nicely applied and the onion sauce is ace. they do a few good shrimp preps, including a crispy w. walnuts that's really a guilty pleasure.
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I came across this again because I'm working on a piece about King Yum. In general the food at King Yum was dreadful, but the butterfly shrimp wasn't so bad. It's more like I remember than the version at Golden Gate in Riverdale, which almost makes it like a big omelet, with lots of egg, but Golden Gate's version is much tastier (as is most of their old-school food--and the spare ribs are great while King Yum's are lousy).
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re: Peter Cherches
Here are a couple of suggestions you may want to try. Nowadays, I get my food from Peking House on the other side of Union Turnpike, at the corner of 186th. Much better quality. The owner couple run a good ship there. But, I don't think they are Cantonese, so I'm not sure if they would do this dish well, or at all. But they have very good service there in a nice atmosphere. It may be worth a trip even if you don't find the dish you want. Another place I've found through a friend is a Chinese restaurant that's in the Bay Bridge Shopping Center, off the Cross Island Parkway, on Willets Pt. Blvd., and near 212th Street. The couple that runs that restaurant also run a very good ship. But, again, I don't know that they have that dish there.
I am really surprised and dumbfounded at how bad the food at King Yum is. I just don't get it. It's one of those old-school Chinese American places that should serve the best fried rice, wonton soup, BBQ spare-ribs, etc. But blech. Now, I was not a long time fan by any stretch. But a friend had introduced me to the place when he was having a celebration while he was attending St. John's and that was my first time there. I didn't remember the food then, but I became aware of King Yum. Some years later, I had a craving so I paid it a visit. Suffice it to say, I never went back.
There used to be a restaurant called Kam Ying that was on Northern Blvd., near 162nd Street. They were old school too. It's too bad one or a couple of the brothers aged and were in ill health. They closed a few years back. I really missed them.
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re: d18black
King Yum is on Union Tpk. in Fresh Meadows near 185th street.
While it is the most traditionally Cantonese Restaurant in the area, there are better choices foodwise. There's a new take out place with decent seating on 188th Street & 73rd Ave called Peking. Their butterfly shrimp with bacon was good but not great.
ART
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ltlevy
Dec 31, 2006 03:54 PM
While I haven't had the dish there, King Yum would probably have what you are remembering. They are a very old school American/Cantonese Chinese restaurant. The owner has had the restaurant for over 40 years.
I was there once and had other dishes of my childhood, and was very pleased with the trip down memory lane.
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I've actually had the same craving. I've been thinking of trying Jade Mountain, that ancient old-style place in the East Village. The owner was killed in a traffic accident recently, so I'm not sure how long the place will remain open, or if the next generation is keeping it going.
Here's their description:
Butterfly Shrimp Fresh Jumbo Shrimp, Split Open, Dipped In Egg and Flour Batter and Crispy Sauteed In Oil, Each Luscious Piece Enfolded In Bacon and Onions and a Special Sauce to Top of a Real Taste Thrill.
