Chili, Chinese restaurant in NYC
Chili vs Cafe China seems to have been a story for some time, people confusing sometimes the two places. In fact, Chili is located where Cafe China used to be before deciding in 2021 to move two blocks away to a bigger location. Soon after, several former employees opened Chili and there has been a bit of a dispute as Cafe China accused Chili to copy their menu. I admit that when I saw the menu at Chili, I saw few similar items like the tea smoked duck, that made me think that it was owned by the same people.
We started our meal at Chili with drinks: sparkling peach water for Jodi and a cocktail for me called “Drinking Alone by Moonlight”, made with Mint River baijiu, freshly squeezed lemon juice, coconut syrup, dry tangerine peel. Baiju is a Chinese liquor with a taste that some describe as “funky, with a rotting, sweet fruit flavor and a touch of nuttiness”. It definitely has a weird fermented taste but I would not go as far as saying it is rotten!
Sparkling white peach water at Chili, Chinese restaurant in NYC
Drinking Alone by Moonlight cocktail at Chili, Chinese restaurant in NYC
We then got small plates. Vegetarian ones like the savory tofu and celery shoots that was a bit bland or the vegetable pot stickers that were pretty good. Of course, we had to get scallion pancakes and they were deliciously crispy and slightly greasy as expected.
Savory tofu with celery shoots at Chili, Chinese restaurant in NYC
Vegetable pot stickers at Chili, Chinese restaurant in NYC
Scallion pancakes at Chili, Chinese restaurant in NYC
For non-vegetarian dishes, I admit that their menu was a bit overwhelming. So I went for their dan dan noodles that were good, and not that spicy, as well as their mouth watering chicken that is made with poached chicken with house special sauce, sesame, and peanuts. The poached chicken is a bit bland by itself, but covered with that sauce that had some heat was amazing and I loved the fact that there was peanuts so it would give a bit of texture to the entire dish. And for sure, I had to get their crystal shrimp dumplings that were perfectly made.
Dan dan noodles at Chili, Chinese restaurant in NYC
Mouth watering chicken at Chili, Chinese restaurant in NYC
Crystal shrimp dumplings at Chili, Chinese restaurant in NYC
We were too full for dessert and left glad that we tried this place. Chili is a very good place and I would definitely go back there.
Enjoy (I did)!
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Chili - 13 E 37th St, New York, NY 10016
