Shun Lee West

This Lincoln Center outpost of midtown’s venerable Shun Lee has become a classic in its own right, drawing precurtain regulars since its 1981 opening. The expansive, opulent restaurant is dramatically outfitted in black banquettes, white-clothed tables and illuminated, golden dragons that wrap around the perimeter of the dining room. Chef Michael Tong’s menu offers signature wonders such as Lily in the Woods (Chinese cabbage hearts simmered in broth and served with black wood mushrooms); Beijing duck (a young duckling roasted until crispy and golden and sliced tableside); and Neptune’s Net, a potato nest bursting with scallops, shrimp, lobster and sea bass. Just as much attention is paid to each table’s centerpiece, which is fashioned from vegetables artfully carved into animals and flowers. The experience doesn’t come cheap, but for top-notch regional cuisine and gracious service, it can’t be beat.