RedFarm Upper West Side 02-07-2014

Location: 2170 Broadway
Time: 12:30pm
People: EE, AP and myself

Feelings: Popular Chinese fusion hit, RedFarm, has a new uptown outpost that is absolutely well worth visiting Upper West Side for. With the lost edge of old glory and arty flair, the UWS is now mostly occupied by Duane Reade, banks and cafes with millions of toddlers and their nannies on the phones. The late Nora Ephron must have been really disappointed by what this area has become. But in this neighborhood of chains and financial institutions, RedFarm 2.0 is possibly that most exciting thing that has happened since the late 90's.

Designed by Williamsburg-based Creme design team, the space is kitschy and looks similar its West Village counterpart. They do not take reservations and will not seat you unless all party is present. With a large group, this can be more annoying than shopping at Zabar's during the holiday season.

The food is served family style. If you decide not to share, each main course is large in portion. For dim sum, "Pac Man shrimp dumplings" ($12.5 for 4) are a must for a crowd pleasing effect. How can you resist these cute pac man faced dumplings, each with different shellfish related ingredients like lobster and snow crab? A tad gimmicky, but they are awfully cute.

The vegetable casserole with red curry sauce ($20) is a perfect winter dish with a kick. AP ordered, "Korean Rice Cake BBQ'd Pork Belly and Chinese Sausage," ($25) which he could barely finish due to the sizable portion. According to him, the leftovers were even better the next day.

Verdict:

• If you are an uptown resident who never dares to go to Flushing or Elmhurst: You will find RedFarm clean, safe yet exciting.
• If you are a foodie who knows how to get to Golden Mall or New World Mall: You will find this extremely overpriced but hopefully understand that this is a modern version in uptown..right next to a hip boutique hotel.