Flying Pan Bistro

Each dish is a gem of flavor. Small plates to delight your palate: excellent 5-​spice beef is a cold appetizer $ 6, refreshingly crisp cucumber salad $ 3, sweet and sour lotus root salad $ 3, pumpkin and pork steamed dumplings $ 6.50, Zha Jiang Mian minced pork and spicy bean sauce on noodles $ 6.50. Take the time to savor every bite.
Lunch only.

Oh no! Please don’t let this place be closed! It was too good, but I had a bad feeling because there hardly ever seemed to be any business. It was too far from Chinatown for tourists and too far from the FD for most people to trek for lunch. But it was well worth it. They had really good vegetarian hot and sour soup — even the small size was in a big bowl and a meal to its self. The portions of the lunch specials weren’t huge, but they were certainly big enough. And I loved some of the side dishes like the honey-​tinged paper-​thin lotus roots. It was about $ 3 and quite a treat. I went on what I think was the last day, and nobody gave me any hint. When I went back the next Monday, there was a sign up that it was being remodeled and would reopen in mid-​August, but I had a bad feeling. I mean, it hadn’t been open for that long in the first place, so why remodel? I walked by last night, and even that sign is gone now. All the chairs are stacked up on the tables and there doesn’t appear to be any sign of remodeling. :(Unfortunately, I fear it may be a victim of its location. The street is just scuzzy enough to keep people away and devoid of many other businesses too. I hope I’m wrong and that it reopens soon!
P. S. — website says it will reopen 20 August 2007. Keep your fingers crossed!
update 9÷24÷07: see review for the «new flying pan bistro.»

Did this place close or what? This place is just a few steps from my front door and every time I walk by it’s gated up and never open… It makes me sad, because it seemed like a decent place. It’s spacious, clean, has nice presentation on the dishes, and very good prices, although I can’t say that I enjoyed the food as much as I would have liked to. I do have to say that their wonton soup is chock full o’ veggies and tastes pretty good, though! I wish their food could have been better, but if it was then I guess I would be even more sad at the fact that they’re never open anymore…

Tasty traditional Chinese cuisine! Its a great place in the Financial District to grab lunch. It opens at 11am and offers a huge a la carte menu for those of us who are apt to order everything on the menu. Damn my indecisive nature!
I’m down with their black pepper beef as it adds a bit of spice to my otherwise mundane office existence. The noodle dishes like the classic chow mein are also quite yummy. Beer and wine are available though I can only vouch for the Tsing Tao.
**Happy Hour** 5−7pm — Most apps are $ 2.50– 3.50 and the beer is a mere $ 2.50. Score!