Best Scallion Pancake in Manhattan?

[adamclyde]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on where to get the best scallion pancake in the city. My benchmark are the ones you used to get at New Green Bo about 4-5 years ago. They were flaky, light, but with some chew and a complex flavor. Now I really don't like them much at all as they are usually too greasy and heavy to enjoy.

So I migrated across the street to Yeah Shanghai. Theirs are not greasy at all, not quite as flaky as I'd like (more crisp than flaky there) with an OK chew, but I find them lacking in flavor... a little too one dimensional. But definitely better overall than NGB.

After reading this post: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/40689... I realized that I haven't gotten the pancakes from the Deluxe market in a number of years. I remembered then that they were a little greasy, but a few years in chinatown is decades elsewhere. Sounds like they are good? I haven't tried the other places mentioned in that thread...

I also saw someone else mention that Joe's has good scallion pancakes? I have to confess I've never tried them there.

So what's your vote - where can I get the best scallion pancake in the city? If you could tell me what you like about them and about how much they cost, that would be really helpful. I hope to scout out some more this week.

- Adam

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New Yeah Shanghai Deluxe
65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

Nice Green Bo
66 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

Deluxe Food Market
79 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013

[NYChristopher]

There is a place in heaven for you simply for starting this thread.

My favorite in the city is at my go-to Chinese place, Home on 8th.

http://menupages.com/restaurantdetail...

$4 for thin, flaky goodness. Delivery is usually two 6" pancakes sliced into pie wedges. Sooooooooo much better than the leaden doorstops so many places serve you.

A little greasy, sure, but good chewiness. Could use a little more scallion ooomph though.

I'm also VERY fond of their Salt & Pepper Squid (aka Golden Squid) but serving size seems awfully small. When I really need it, and I need a good version of it, I throw cost and caution to the wind.

The good thing for you, adamclyde, is you can go here an then head over to Koreatown.

Or simply across the street to Molly Wee for a very good pint.

Or around the corner (29th & 9th) to the legendary Billymarks West ... owned by brothers Billy and Mark for Pabst and a game of pool.

[BackyardChef]

I really love the ones at New Yeah Shanghai Deluxe on Bayard. Crispy, hot, not too oily and with a good balance of the scallion to the 'layers' of dough....

[DarthEater]

I had the cravings after reading this thread, so I ran out to Deluxe on Elizabeth. Im really loving the Deluxe food market ones right now....Its greasy but its perfect. I requested for the darkest one. $1 !

[adamclyde]

nothing like a report fresh off the table. Thanks!

how do you like Deluxe's compared with some of the other places mentioned in this thread? Better, worse or just different? regardless, hard to go wrong for $1.

[DarthEater]

Perfect, It was flaky and crunchy to the bite. Personally, I always like to go for the well done. I've never tried the others in Moon House and Yeah Shanghai because I never order snacks with my meals and this is a snack whereas in a restaurant I would rather be full on soup dumplings and real hot food. But I've had some in dumpling shops and I prefer this one more.

[foodmonk]

I haven't tried them, but they have them at Taipan Bakery, in the back of the store, for some shockingly low price or another.

[ccexxp1]

I like the Peking Duck House pancakes on Mott and Sammy's on 6th Avenue.

[teresa]

I love scallion pancakes. For Manhattan, the best scallion pancakes I've had are from New Yeah Shanghai, New Green Bo and Congee Village. I prefer making them from scratch. They are the best that way. Also, a lot less greasy :)

[adamclyde]

is "New Yeah Shanghai" the same one as the one I mentioned above (65 Bayard) or a different yeah shanghai (I always get confused since half of the chinese restaurants in the city seem to have sister restaurants or non related off shoots...). Thanks for the help!

[teresa]

It's the same restaurant. I believe a new owner took over so maybe that's why their name changed. The menu has remained the same though! It's right next to Moonhouse & Chinatown Ice Cream Factory and across the street of New Green Bo on Bayard.

[Peter Cherches]

Actually, Congee Village is my current favorite, which is somewhat counter-intuitive since you'd expect to find the best at a Shanghai rather than a Cantonese place. The one time I was at Yeah Shanghai earlier this year their scallion pancakes were actually pretty bad--rather tasteless and really greasy. If it indeed changed ownership that might be why it wasn't as good as past reports had led me to believe.

Pa Jun is great, but a different animal.

http://petercherches.blogspot.com

[bullygirl]

Silk Road Palace - UWS

[wingman]

Fried Dumpling on Allan

[druz99]

To me, nothing is tastier than the Pa-Jeon in Won Jo's K-town. Then again, I am usually highly inebriated when consuming Pa-Jeon and my standards may waver a little...

-------------------------------
You like to eats?
http://www.gobbl.com

[MMRuth]

I am going to duck after I hit the "Post My Reply" button, but will caveat my recommendation with the fact that I've only had scallion pancakes from delivery places on the UES, and have not tried any Chinatown locales, but I really like the ones from Tang Tang (called A Thousand Noodles by my husband, for reasons known only to him - he's never had noodles there).

Ducking ....

[adamclyde]

where is tang tang? Is it on the UES?

How would you describe the scallion pancakes from there?

[MMRuth]

Yes - UES - Third Avenue in the high 70s - generally greasy but tasty cheap Chinese. The pancakes are a tad greasy, but great scallion flavor and the good balance between crispy outside and chewy inside (IMHO). Still ducking ....

[DarthEater]

Wow, Tang Tang?! Memories, I used to come in here for lunch hour when I went to junior high school around the neighborhood! It was good when I was sick of american food. Im glad they are still in business.

[MMRuth]

Still there - the one downtown in the 20s is gone though.

[Lau]

i generally like moon house and they do have pretty decent scallion pancakes. i think its the best shanghainese restaurant in manhattan (although none are great)

[adamclyde]

Is this the right place below? Looking at the address now... it's next door to yeah's? so is bayard street the shanghai central? I like not having to wander far. Especially since I always have a pancake with a "chaser" of mei lei wah roast buns...

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Moon House
67 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

[Lau]

yeah thats the place

[UES Mayor]

Korean style scallion pancake the best-called Pa Jun-served in any decent Korean place

[adamclyde]

I've never had a korean style scallion pancake...

so which korean place has what you'd consider the best or at least very good? If it's like chinese style, the quality varies drastically from wonderful to completely inedible.

[UES Mayor]

almost every Korean restaurant on 32nd has decent ones-BUT be warned-you might find the texture slightly chewier than what you anticipated-they normally bring it out sizzling hot on this skillet and cut at table for you-great as a first course. Try it at Wonjo-23 W 32nd Street-just order "Pa Jeon"http://www.menupages.com/restaurantde...

[adamclyde]

Perfect. If I can swing it, I'm heading over there tomorrow.

What else would you recommend there... following the scallion pancake starter, of course?

Oh, and this is the place, right - 23 W 32nd?

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Wonjo
23 W 32nd St, New York, NY 10001

[gramercyfoodie]

yep that's the place. enjoy!! it is SO good.

[UES Mayor]

What else?-My favorites there are: spicy squid (ogino bokum), prime kal bi( short rib bbq-no bone-cooked at table) chap chae (vermicelli -glass type noodle) and the bosam-pork belly served sliced w oysters, spicy radish, teeny salted baby shrimp which u wrap in provided nappa cabbage that is slightly wilted from being salted/soaked in brine-this u will think u went to heaven!!!

[adamclyde]

thanks for the recommendations. Looking forward to it (though can't make it today).

In looking at the menu, I noticed the scallion pancakes are around $16. So I'm assuming this is quite different in form than the $1 snack pancakes I get at chinese places. Can you describe more about the kind you get at Wonjo?

[UES Mayor]

Does the UES Mayor sound like he would eat something that cost a dollar? The Pa Jeon is a very large pancake-with whatever u choose on menu-perfect first course-or take leftover home-great for midnite snack!

[financialdistrictresident]

Agree UES Mayor. The best one I ever had was at a Korean barbecue place (don't remember the name).