Photos: A Night out in Chinatown

A night out in Chinatown must start with a walk through the Friendship Gate at 10th and Arch Streets.

We ate at Sang Kee Peking Duck House at 238 North 9th Street. Say hello to the dragon on your way in (not really, he is Photoshop'd in... part of a grad school project I took these photos for.)

Watch the chefs at work while waiting for a spot among Sang Kee’s two floors of coveted tables.

Choose from an extensive menu of appetizers, meat and vegetarian options, stir fry, noodle soups, and smoothies. Craig Le Ban picked Sang Kee out as a top spot for noodle soups.

Enjoy a complimentary cup of Chinese tea before dinner.

Mmmmm dumplings and egg rolls. Always a favorite. Add a very generous pour of house red wine, check your blackberry, and dinner is off to a great start.

My friend Laurel tried Sang Kee’s signature dish, peking duck – available in soup, with noodles, without noodles, with rice, or on its own. I believe she got it with noodles in soup.

For something different, sample Sang Kee’s stir fry noodle dishes. I had Pork and Shrimp Needle Noodle, seen here. It was very good - a hearty portion of meat/fish, plus more noodles and veggies than I could finish. Texture was a little funny though, kind of like gummy worms.

Sang Kee is an ideal place to share a variety of new dishes with friends – such as Beef & Pickle Mustard Green Stir Fried Rice Noodle – or satisfy a craving for traditional favorites, like General Tso’s Chicken.

Say goodbye on your way out of Chinatown. Come back for a Fresh Coconut Drink.