Kum Kau Chinese Food Take Out

Elite '08

41

388

Daryll H.

New York, NY

I can't imagine ever giving more than 3 stars for filthy chinese takeout, so this is probably as good as it gets.  Late night drunken eating adventures, this place seems to hit the spot.  Especially because, for some unknown freaking reason, all of the pizza places anywhere near Pratt close at 11.  !?

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

 

74

55

Julie F.

Brooklyn, NY

I admit that Seattle lowered my Chinese food expectations exponentially. Really. But for takeout, which is all I've had from Kum Kau, it's pretty good. The flavor for everything I've tried has been solid. The options are extensive, and the meat is meaty versus tendony, cartilagey or fatty. My ultimate test is fried rice. Not everyone agrees about the importance of fried rice, but it's important nonetheless. It's good here, and there's a lot.

I wish they still took credit cards for takeout, but they seemed to grow tired of dealing with them a few months ago. Last takeout point, if you're going to do it, order ahead and pick it up. That goes ten times faster than ordering and waiting there. For reals, and not just "a watched pot of water never boils" for reals.

*Accessibility note: yes.

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

 

15

141

Sara C.

Brooklyn, NY

Don't let the slightly embarrassing name fool you; this is one of the best Chinese takeout joints in the city.

This is not one of those sad formica-covered $3.99 Lunch Special gut-wrenching WTF-Was-I-Thinking Chinese takeouts.  This, my friends, is some of the best classic New York Chinese-American food I've ever had.  

You can eat in, which I have never done (if I'm going to go out for a casual dinner in the neighborhood, it's going to be either Chez Lola or Myrtle/Manee Thai, sorry, that's just how I roll).  Or you can pick up, which is my usual plan.  

They've got all the typical stuff, but kicked up just enough of a notch so that you remember why on earth anybody ever bothered to eat Chinese food.  

They lose a star for not having delivery.  What's that about?  Half the reason I opt for Chinese is that I don't feel like bothering with anything else, and if I'm willing to walk over there and pick up, I might as well just go another half a block and get groceries or some sort of semi-prepared thing at that little market across from Ass-Gross-iated.  

Due to the lack of delivery, I don't go there often.  But when I do, they manage to restore my faith in Chinese food.  Which is pretty impressive, no?

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

Elite '08

111

304

Arthur O.

Brooklyn, NY

Slightly upscale than its competitor down the street (New Grace) and others in the area, Chung Chun features an actual dining area that looks like your non-fast-food Chinese restaurant - they also have a take-out area that's separate.  

I've only eaten there once and have never tried take-out, so this review is strictly about the dining-in experience there, and there really isn't much to write about.  I mean, it's like Chinese fast food take-out presented on plastic dishes rather than in Styrofoam, you get reusable chopsticks as opposed to wood, etc.  

I was hoping that this place would be something like Red Hot in the Slope, but it clearly wasn't.

--- --- ---

Update: Went back again.  Why?  Because I wanted some sit-down Chinese Food Experience.  So, I'm upping the grade to 3-Stars from 2 because I think I was a bit harsh on it the first time around.  I guess my standards have gone down.  No.  It's just that given the other options in the neighborhood, Kum Kau is pretty good.

Their BBQ Pork Ribs were rather tasty and I just didn't want to be overly mean.

They started using disposable wooden chopsticks, though.  I want metal chopsticks!

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review