I’m visiting my brother in Brockville this week. Tonight he had a craving for Chinese food. He loves buffets, but we couldn’t find one, so we wandered into The New York Restaurant. The name doesn’t conjure up images of Chinese cuisine, but we knew that we would find just that because we’d both eaten there many times while we were growing up in Brockville. It was our parents’ favourite place for dining out on special occasions, or for ordering Chow Mein Buns to take home for a Saturday night dinner.

The New York Restaurant is as classy as the name implies, with white table cloths and red and white accents. It remains as tidy and clean as I remembered it. Notice the banner that declares that it’s celebrating 89 years of being in business. Obviously it’s changed hands a few times,  being passed onto various Chinese families over the years. We arrived before 5:00 pm and had the dining room to ourselves, but take out orders were being picked up often.

It took me only five minutes of scanning the menu before I knew just what I wanted. Special #3 consisted of one delicious dish I hadn’t had in a very long time and the other two items were just what would go with it.

When the egg rolls arrived we were surprised to see that they filled our plates. After years of eating Chinese mostly at inexpensive buffets, I’d forgotten how delicious fresh-made tasted!

Then the main course plates arrived! Everything was hot and fragrant.

My brother doesn’t eat like he used to so he was almost full after the egg roll. He had enough to bring home to last a few meals. Mine was so delicious that I kept eating until I could hold no more. I’ll enjoy the rest for lunch tomorrow.