My wife and I regularly eat at Mr. Tong's, a Shanghai and Mandarin-style restaurant situated next to the Rego Park Jewish Center . A lot of Chinese eat there, always a good sign. The food is very flavorful in comparison to Cantonese-style dishes. We like fresh seafood and always check with Mr. Tong to see what his specials are (the board is in Chinese) and get his off-menu suggestions. Shanghai wonton soup is a favorite appetizer. So are fresh steamed clams in black bean sauce. Soup buns are very good but make sure the steamer is fired up to avoid an extra long wait. Steamed carp belly with a fabulous sauce is. delicious. So are his fried battered soft-shelled crabs accompanied by a vinegar-soy-ginger-garlic dipping sauce. We always order them when in season. Chicken with string beans and Peking pork chops are excellent non fish dishes. Vegetable dishes we love include Chinese broccoli, string beans or egg plant with meat, and fresh sauteed mushrooms. Flavors and textures are so good.
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