The Bottom Line
Pros
- Great soup dumplings
- Open late
- Fast, efficient service
- Affordable, freshly prepared food
Cons
- Spartan decor
- Not a place to linger
- Popular choice, can be crowded
Description
- Green Bo Restaurant is located at 66 Bayard (Chinatown Map)
- Closest subway to Green Bo Restaurant: 6, N/R/W to Canal Street
- Green Bo Restaurant Cross Streets: Mott & Elizabeth
- Green Bo Restaurant Phone: 212-625-2359
- Green Bo Restaurant Payment: Cash only
- Green Bo Restaurant Prices: $3-14 for most entrees
Guide Review - Green Bo: Chinatown Shanghai Restaurant
After a short wait for a seat, hot tea arrived quickly and my companions each ordered a typical Chinese beer, Tsing Tao($4). We ordered a scallion pancake($1.50) and steamed crab and pork dumplings($6.25) for appetizers -- though they actually arrived with the other food. The scallion pancakes were the typical, greasy rendition. Personally, I'd skip them in favor of the soup dumplings which had a flavorful, if slightly oily, filling.On guidance from other diners, we stuck with the Shanghai dishes on the menu. We ordered stewed pork ball casserole($10.95), pork rice cake($4.50) and yellow fish with dried seaweed($12.95). The pork ball casserole, often called Lions Head, featured eight large, tender, cinnamon-scented pork meatballs served atop crisp bok choy. Yellow fish with dried seaweed consisted of a huge pile of "fish-sticks" -- moist, flaky fish encased in a greaseless beer batter-like coating with a small pile of salt for dipping. Discs of rice cake, small pieces of pork and bright greens created an addictive combination of saltiness and chewiness. Fearing that we had ordered far too much meat, we added an order of sauteed spinach($6.25) to our meal, which was bright green, loaded with chunks of garlic and perfectly prepared.
Despite plenty of free seats when we left, we were given a clear signal to leave when the check was brought and all our dishes were removed from our table. We didn't mind though, as the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is just across the street.
