This time, I knew where to find the Hutang restaurant, whose address is on Lexington Avenue. Its entrance is in the alley off 58th Street, where Le Cirque had been, halfway between Lex and Third. Hutang, by the way, means alley.

We were there for the prix fixe $30 lunch offering a selection of appetizers, entrees and side dishes. Some sipped a glass of their one rosé selection, crisp and dry Chateau De Rouet, Reserve Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Cotes de Provence, France, 2023 ($22).

Some started with their hot and sour soup, others the king prawn salad. The soup was tasty—peppery and tangy—but I prefer my homemade better. I prepare it with lots more veggies (bamboo shoots, Chinese cabbage, black and wood-ear mushrooms) and tofu.

The flavorful King prawns came with cashews in a slightly fiery sauce, although not as the menu described. No complaints though, as they were abundant and perfectly cooked. The others had the mapo tofu, although the fresh and dried chiles made it a little too spicy for some. With those entrees, we each selected the chef’s fried vegetarian fried rice with finely diced pickled vegetables.

Mr. Alexander Wong, the captain, stopped by our table to offer us dragonfruit sorbet and regale us with tales of his past cooking and life. What a fun ending to an afternoon with a lady friends dining together.

I recommend Hutong’s prix-fixe lunch. Be sure to check a map to know exactly where to find this art-deco-style restaurant.

Hutong
Midtown
(At Beacon Court, off 58th Street)
731 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022
212-758-4800
hutong-nyc.com/