Orchid: Not Your Average Chinese Food

For 24 years Jimmy Ng has owned and operated Franklin Avenue's Chinese restaurant Orchid. A subterranean eatery, many celebrities have dined there through the decades. 

Garden City resident Susan Lucci and Bert Young have patronized Ng's large restaurant as well as former county executive Tom Gullota. Long Island's high profile lawyer Dominick Barbara, who has represented many controversial cases and clients, has also been known to pop in for a meal. 

Chinese movie star Chow Yun Fat of Crouching Tiger fame has also dined at Orchid. Our equivalent to Tom Cruise, Ng said Fat is considered best actor in China. "He came to my house for dinner, our wives became very good friends," said Ng. Ng's wife is going to be godmother to their first child. 

Owner of Computer Associates Charles Wang has been seen at this Garden City eatery several times as well as the owner of the famed Italian restaurant Rao's of Manhattan (opened in 1896). Sports figures, like former Mets player Darryl Strawberry, have also popped in with friends.

Ng was head chef for many years but can now be found about the restaurant on a busy night. Prior to Orchid, Ng co-owned an Asian restaurant on 25A in Centerport for four years.

Ng's restaurant seats well over 50 diners and has a classic New York American Chinese menu, including Moo Shu, Pu Pu platter, Orange Beef, Lo Mein and Chow Mein. What sets his eatery apart is the quality of ingredients used (see Patch's restaurant review). The décor might be as old as the place, it's kitchie and quasi corny but definitely colorful.

Ng was born in China but moved to Hong Kong when he was only just a baby.  Hong Kong is a  metropolitan city, similar in gastronomic complexity to New York City. You can find food from around the globe in Hong Kong – Ng's menu reflects his muti-cultural culinary experience. He has veal, shell steak and apples on his Chinese menu – he said French cooking is influential in Hong Kong.

Orchid honors health requests of customers and uses no MSG, corn starch, sugar or salt. They encourage customers to request something customized.

Ng gave generously of his time to Patch, explaining each dish he served and how other Chinese restaurants make the dish. "The difference is quality once you come to know food – you will realize the quality," says Ng. "Sometimes people think of Chinese food as fattening – they (the dishes) are not fattening here, I sauté, I use all white meat chicken, for many dishes, the best part of the chicken breast – the tenders."   

Some of his dishes might bear the same name but are not what you get at your neighborhood Chinese take-out. Some of Orchid's dinner specials include Candy Walnut Chicken ($15.75), Veal Hunan ($18.50), Shell Steak with Garlic Sauce (the priciest dish at $23.50) and Shrimp with Apples ($19.50).

Orchid, located at 730 Franklin Avenue, is open Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, noon to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 1-10 p.m. Call 516-742-1116 for reservations.