As the old saying (or something like it) goes: “When Upper East Side Chinese takeout staple Charley Mom closes, something is bound to take over its prime Yorkville location.”
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Well, another eatery has opened at 1580 York Ave., between 83rd and 84th streets. It’s called BaiWei – or, per its signage and website, Bestway Kitchen – and it’s looking to make its mark on the neighborhood with Chinese takeout staples, sushi and more.
The sudden closure of Charley Mom – a family-owned business established in 1988 which became known for its lightning-fast delivery and wonton and hot and sour soups, among other Chinese-American go-tos – left an unexpected Chinese delivery-shaped hole in the Yorkville neighborhood. Its eye-catching green awning emblazoned with its unique name was hard to miss if you happened to be traversing the streets of the mid-80s on York Avenue.
But in seemingly no time at all, a new restaurant has appeared under the ownership of a man who only identified himself to us as Lu.
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Speaking on Wednesday evening, Lu, a trained chef and native of northern China (‘very close to Beijing’), told East Side Feed that he leapt at the opportunity to take over the space once he’d heard that Charley Mom had shuttered for good.
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Lu says he’s been in New York for three years, having worked the previous 15 as a chef in his native China. And even though he’s in charge, Lu’s commitment to his chef’s roots is unmistakable; He actually cut our interview short with an apology, insisting that ‘food needs to be cooked!’
As the rest of the staff was gearing up to prepare for the dinner rush, Yulong, a former teacher who’s working the phones and doing other jobs around the new restaurant, expressed excitement about the opportunity.
More Upper East Side Openings, Here
“We have been here for three days only, and we’ve had [a lot of people] coming in our restaurant,” he told East Side Feed. “I think this neighborhood is very good.”
Moiufoen (left) and Yulong (right)
When asked if they had any recommendations for first time patrons (here’s the full menu), staffers dutifully stated that everything was worth trying at least once.
Looks clean, with most prices not out of sight for these days.