NYC Guide: Blue Willow
Address | 40 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
For an elegant vibe and some great Szechuan and Hunan Chinese Cuisine head to Blue Willow NYC. Recently I was staying in the Central Park South area at 1 Hotel and wanted to go somewhere I hadn’t yet been in the city for dinner. After some research, the apothecary bar and promise of authentic Hunan and Szechuan cuisine lured me to making a reservation at Blue Willow.
What I ordered:
The apothecary bar at Blue Willow offers a lot of really interesting cocktail options. I ordered, 古典 The Remedy {Michter’s bourbon, chrysanthemum goji tea infused ice, ginger syrup, date, orange bitters} and tried some of my wife’s 武皇后 Empress Wu {Empress gin, lavender syrup, lemon juice, sparkling, dried flower}. Both were really fragrant and delicious.
Spicy pork spare ribs {tender meat with a nice spicy peanut topping, tastes great}
Blue Willow Chicken Wings {a must order for wing lovers. Crispy, and the spicy topping was really the winning element of this dish}
Salt and Pepper Calamari {unique presentation, very elegant, lightly scored with the perfect spice garnishes and dipping sauce}
Pork Soup Dumplings {these were my son’s personal favorite, he devoured them pipping hot in no time. A really nice soup dumpling}
Vegetarian Fried Rice {well made, great texture}
Seafood Rice Noodles {delicious and includes fish balls. Mild which was a nice reprieve from the Szechuan heat}
Mapo Tofu {my wife’s personal favorite and an all around favorite. Really tasty with that nice slow burn}
