Chinese on Christmas Day, during 5-hour JFK Layover

[HawaiiFoodGuy]

Aloha Friends!

Wanting to keep the Chinese Food for Christmas tradition alive, I am querying my foodie friends here on Chow.

We'll be flying into JFK from Paris on Christmas day. We'll have at least 5 hours in-between flights and want to get suggestions on the most efficient way to get from JFK to awesome Chinese food, and back, during that layover time window.

Your ideas, tips & suggestions are welcome.

Thanking you in advance...

MG

[von_levi]

Agree with others about staying in Queens.

Without any traffic it will take you 30 minutes to get in/out of Manhattan -- at minimum you're going to lose at least an hour to the commute.

[SMILEYJOHN]

Hello all! Previous Lurker here that has always been able to get answers here when planing travel. Until today.

This time, I only found the OP's question. I am jumping in and hijacking his post because HawaiiFoodGuy might have read my mind (thank you sir).

We're headed east for Christmas in Manhattan this year to tie the knot after 30 years. We arrive 25th and depart 28th. We've both been to NYC on business multiple times, but this is the 1st trip together and not on the company dime.

Our hotel is at Wall and Water Streets near city hall, but we can head anywhere on the island that you send us. We'd love to hear your favorite places to get your Christmas Chinese fix in Manhattan. Cantonese or Schezwan are our favs. Clean dives are a-ok. We'd love to be able to make a reservation wherever we're going.

As long as I'm here... On the 26th we're catching the Book of Mormon matinee. If you'd share any place you have eaten a great but not too expensive dinner within walking distance of the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street), we'd be much obliged. Anything but Chinese since I'm assuming we'll get our fix the night before.

Thanks for taking time to read and respond:)

[scoopG]

Here are some threads to get you started:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/340879

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/611302?tag=boards;topic-611302

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/816585

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/678367

Sichuan:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/753398

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/742493?tag=search_results;results_list#6143259
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/753976

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/459240
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/591930
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/631403

http://events.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/dining/reviews/23rest.html?scp=1&sq=szechuan%20gourmet&st=cse

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/736719

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/673788

[arepo]

Shun Lee at 65th & Broadway for Chinese
At 51st bet 8 & 9 is Vice Versa for fine Italian.
Enjoy and bon appetit.

[Pan]

I was never impressed with Shun Lee West. Has it drastically improved in the last x-number of years?

[SMILEYJOHN]

Thanks arepo for both recommendations!

[SMILEYJOHN]

I also received a suggestion to eat at China Chalet at 47 Broadway. It is within 10 minutes walking distance of our hotel. A search here for "China Chalet" didn't turn up anything current, but maybe I'm not proficient yet with the search function. Any opinions on China Chalet would be appreciated! Thanks!

[AubWah]

post on outer boroughs, you'll want to go to flushing queens

[kathryn]

Since JFK is in Queens, you might want to also post this to the Outer Boroughs board.

A cab to and from Flushing, Queens (15 min from JFK) will probably work best:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/740703

Note also that trains like the LIRR and the MTA (subway) will be on a holiday schedule, most likely.

Time of day and budget would help as well.

Christmas Day is an extremely popular day to eat out in Manhattan Chinatown, for example, and you probably don't want to get stuck in a bunch of long lines.