Chop Shop II

41 West 24th Street

(between Broadway and Sixth Avenue)

After having eaten in their location near the Highline, I had to try their sister location near the Flatiron.

As opposed to the hole-in-the-wall setup of their other location, Chop Shop II’s space is long and narrow reminding me of a railroad apartment.

Décor is more fitting to my style and preference especially when considering the menu pricing.

As I arrived earlier than my dinner companion, I ordered a glass of San Giovese rosé ($10) from Umbria. It has a nice, light floral taste, which makes it a great wine to start off a meal.

Hint: Our waitress was very kind to offer tastings of the wine before I made a final choice. And I have to comment on her patience and good humor in regards to the number of tastings she provided!

For our appetizer, we started off with the steamed lamb dumplings topped with chili oil and sesame peanut paste and scallion ($12). It was delicious. The chili oil gave an especially tasty kick.

For our main entrée, we ordered the drunken noodle with shrimp ($15). Very flavorful.

And we also ordered a side of sautéed Chinese broccoli ($7). In spite of the garlic, chili, and chicken stock, it still tasted a bit bland.

A great pairing for the meal was a glass of the Ventozela Vale de Ave Vinho Verde ($9), an excellent full-bodied white wine from Portugal.

For dessert, we went for their black-sesame-flavored gelato. If you like the taste of black sesame, it’s a must order!

Pros:

Friendly service (especially in regards to wine recommendations!).

Diverse age of customers (from casual twentysomethings to hip seniors).

Cons:

Only one unisex bathroom.

Would like a greater offering of desserts.

Final Thoughts

Will definitely return if I’m in the neighborhood.