"Winterized" Chinese Restaurants Near Matawan/Old Bridge

[eleeper]

Well, it's that season again, when it seems impossible to go out for Chinese food without having to eat with one's coat on. All the restaurants seem to be very cold, probably because they are mostly take-out, so they don't bother to heat the eating area.

Can anyone recommend any Chinese restaurants in the Matawan/Old Bridge are that have good food and where you don't feel like you're eating in a refrigerator? (The only one I can think of off-hand is Shanghai Bun.)

[sockster]

What happened to Shanghai Bun in Matawan. Warm, and made warmer by spicy beef noodle soup, and sublime Xio Long Bao....and everything else on their fantastic menu....And by the way, their tea is HOT and free!!

[equal_Mark]

SB was the only place mentioned in the OP...

[sockster]

Oops, missed that!

[angelo04]

I second Westlake.

Sunny Palace on Rt 18 around the East Brunswick Old Bridge Border. Can't speak to their American Chinese food, but I like the Dim Sum on Saturday and Sunday and it isn't cold and drafty.

[joestein]

GREAT Dim Sum. Their regular menu food stinks though!

[Tapas52]

Not to far away......Far East Taste in Eatontown rt 35...one of my favorites..

[jrvedivici]

I wouldn't categorize Far East as a Chinese Restaurant I would say it's more Thai.......not to be splitting hairs with you. There is a place on Rt. 34 in Matawan I believe called Kiki's near the corner of 34 and Loyd Rd. but I didn't mention it because I think it is more Thai food than traditional Chinese...but it is excellent.

[eleeper]

We crossed Kiki's off our list when Mark ordered a dish marked spicy and re-iterated to the waiter that he wanted it spicy. When the bill came, it included a 50-cent charge for "extra-spicy"! That, on top of the fact they charge for tea, just reminds me of the Thenardiers in LES MIZ and annoys the heck out of me.

The rest of the suggestions are good, and some we even go to a lot. They just didn't come to mind when I tried to think of Chinese restaurants around here. (Ruby Palace is convenient to the Hazlet cinemas, the Marlboro Crown Palace to AFM (though I think of Crown Palace mostly for dim sum). In fact, the market next to the Middletown one is also an AFM.

"American Chinese" for Sunny Palace sounds like a real turn-off.

[jrvedivici]

Crown Palace up the road from Matawan in Marlboro on 79, well worth the 10 minute drive.

[corvette johnny]

Jr, there is a crown palace in Middletown too. They do have good food. I think they are the same owners/family.

[jrvedivici]

Yes they are the same owners/family. The Middletown location has an excellent Asian/Chinese market attached to it. Both have liquor licenses which is nice for a Chinese restaurant as most obviously do not.

[seal]

Right up the road, in the next plaza on Rt. 34 is Westlake Seafood. Double doors keep out the cold and the food has always been very good.

[corvette johnny]

Well its a little bit of a drive but I am a big fan of Ruby palace in holmdel, about ten to 20 minutes from Matawan I would say depending on where you are. I would recommend the short trip to get good food. It is always filled with Asian customers so I take that as a good sign.

They don't really advertise it much anymore but ask them for the "2 person special" and you will get a truck load of food and one alcoholic drink per person for like 28 dollars. I am serious that you will have food for about 3 days after getting this special LOL

I think they did away with it but if you ask them they will think you are an old customer and make it for you.

PS, lunch specials are killer there too...tons of food and cheap.

[eleeper]

I did like Ruby Palace, but last time we drove by it looked closed. Does anyone know what's going on?

[cantkick]

Last time we drove by a month or so ago it looked closed, but it was a weekday. RP used to be our go to Chinese place, but the last couple of times it was not that good. Plus they stopped throwing in the extras that made it a better value. We now go to Eastern Empire, which is better and closer for us.