Serendipity had a little help from New York Magazine's dining guide in finding this hidden gem of a restaurant. Hungry for Asian food and reasonable prices, my significant other and I decided not to leave our date-night dinner to the questionable judgement of a hungry belly and tired feet, so we checked out NY mag's extensive (and incredibly helpful) restaurant guide for a destination. After a few minutes of searching, I came across the unanimously recommended Mooncake Foods, an diner-style Asian fusion restaurant with reasonable prices ($4.25-$8.25).
After a twenty minute walk from the Union Square area, we were seated at the cozy table with a good view of the open kitchen, where the cooks expertly managed saute pans and seasonings. We ordered wine and sipped, as we perused the menu and planned our attack: crayfish and mushroom wonton soup and edamame to start, braised beef short ribs with white rice for Vince and a spicy Vietnamese steak salad for me with a side of sesame cucumbers to share. Every dish was perfectly cooked and bursting with flavor. The steak salad is a perfect blend of savory meat and crispy lettuce with pieces of raw jalapeno for spice. The short ribs were just sweet enough for Asian barbecue and came with plenty of sauce to spoon over the perfectly cooked white rice. The desserts looked delicious, but we were too stuffed with goodness to even think about it. The reviews did not exaggerate, each dish satisfied and burst with flavor.
Extra's: The wait staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about the food, and the casual relaxed atmosphere gets a boost from the unexpected music selection of Springsteen, U2, the Rolling Stones, R.E.M., and other classic rock favorites.
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