Cha Cha Tang Leads A Revival Of Cantonese Cuisine Outside Of New York’s Chinatown

The revival of interest in Cantonese cuisine, which was once Chinatown’s staple before Sichuan, Hunan and other regional food cultures became more popular, has brought freshness and creativity to this more delicate style of cooking that emphasizes delicacy and subtlety over heat and spice. The Cantonese favor steaming and roasting along with quick stir-frying, and, of course, they are the masters of dim sum.

That this shift is occurring outside of Chinatown is encouraging, and Wilson Tang, who had previously brought back to life Chinatown’s oldest restaurant, Nom Wah Tea Parlor, has brought the cuisine to SoHo as Cha Cha Tang, beginning as a pop-up last year then replacing a very fine American restaurant named Hancock. His partner was Hancock’s owner, John McDonald, who also runs Lure Fish Bar, Bowery Meat Co. and Bar Tulix.

The name Cha Cha Tang is a pun on cha chaan teng (“tea restaurant”), a kind of Hong Kong diner. But the premises of this New York space will remind you not at all of a diner but of a sophisticated but unpretentious dining room done all in red with pink and red tablecloths. Unfortunately the lighting is too low to see the beauty of Chef Donon Wong’s lovely food, and I’m heartbroken that they got rid of a marvelous painted mural that mirrored the dining room itself.

You may begin with any of 13 dim sum, including

pork potstickers with tangy-sweet pineapple salsa, and pineapple chips;. Sweet and sour sui mai and excellent crystal shrimp dumplings hot with chili oil are both recommended. The most exciting was a caviar canapé crispy scallion pancake with crème fraîche and Black Diamond osetra caviar from Louisiana. The “Original Egg Roll” (whatever that means) is an egg crêpe wrapped with Napa cabbage, pork, shrimp and carrots with a sweet-and-sour plum sauce.

I don’t know the last time I actually enjoyed wonton soup outside of its coming as an option with a take-out order, because it’s usually so bland, but Wong’s had a delicious broth, its flavors boosted by delicate lobster wontons, ham and peas and a shot of chili oil.

One of the specialties here is whole Cantonese roasted duck, which differs from Peking duck by being marinated in five-spice powder, licorice root and ginger, and given a glaze of red vinegar that lessens to sweetness. I was amazed that the wrapping pancakes were so thin they were translucent. They only make so many ducks each evening, so call ahead to reserve. It easily serves four, and, by the way, the duck is $115 during the week, but as part of a “Sunday Family Roast,” it’s only $88.

I can’t fault anything about the large, impeccably cooked filet mignon with an intense black pepper sauce, broccoli di rabe, blistered peppers except to say it was unexpected on a Chinese menu.

I am happy, though, that the desserts derive largely from the West. There are two sweets: a sumptuous French toast wit jube and yuzu lemon curd was called “Yin Yanh Hong Kong.” The other is a miso and caramel apple ice cream sundae with a walnut streusel and basil.

I was sorry to see Hancock go but am delighted that Cha Cha Tang has taken its place with such authority behind it, as I expected from McDonald and applaud from Tang and Wong.

Prices for dim sum $13-$22; small plates $13-$16; main dishes $35-$115.

CHA CHA TANG

257 Sixth Avenue

212-645-0193

Open for dinner nightly.