The service was cordial and somewhat friendly, not bad for Chinatown standards. We decided to order a steamed fish, deep-fried frog legs, salt roasted chicken, stir-fried Chinese vegetables, and Chinese-styled beef steaks. At the end of the meal, we had lotus-leaf wrapped rice, and dessert was complimentary, cold red bean soup.

The food was very good. The fish was steamed just right. The flesh fell right off the bones and remained soft and juicy. The deep-fried frog legs were delicately prepared, very light and not greasy at all. The salt roasted chicken was very crispy and flavorful, and the chicken did not dry out but remained tender. The skin was the best part. The rest of the meal was very good and our guests enjoyed the food very much. The noise level was very high, as typical of a Chinese restaurant. We had two large tables on each side of us, each with a birthday celebration with balloons, cake and lots of photo taking. The mood was very festive indeed.

I have been back for lunch on weekends for their dim sum. I was surprised at how good they were. The shrimp dumplings (ha gow) had thin translucent dough skin and the shrimps very fresh and large. The spring rolls were lightly fried, and the beef tripe was excellent. This is a dark stew of tripe and other internal organs. This is just a few of the selections available.

Seafood is another specialty at Ping’s Crab, shrimp, lobster, clams, scallops, fish, these are all well prepared. I would ask the captain or the waiter for help in ordering. There are many ways to prepare each variety of seafood and they can help you plan a meal without conflicting flavors.

Prices here are reasonable, leaning on the high side relative to Chinatown prices. I recommend making a reservation, especially with larger parties, which is the best way to enjoy a good meal.

Ping's has another location in Queens, at 83-02 Queens Blvd., Elmhurst, NY. Tel: (718) 396-1238.