Nancy’s Pig Heaven
1540 Second Avenue
(Between 80th and 81st Streets)
212-PIG IT UP / (212) 744-4887
Pricing: Not Cheap
Venue: Sit Down
Cuisine: Chinese, BBQ
Favorite Dish(es): BBQ Ribs, Crystal Shrimp Dumplings
Nancy’s Pig Heaven gets its name from specializing in pork dishes, and their menu is even broken down by whether the dishes have pork or not (Hot Pig, Hot No Pig). Their trademark pig dish is their BBQ Ribs. These aren’t American style ribs by any means (see Dinosaur BBQ), but rather a Chinese version marinated in various Asian spices and slow-cooked with a super sticky and sweet deep red glaze. You might see these on the menu at a typical Chinese takeout place, but it’s highly unlikely that theirs will be nearly as moist or flavorful as these. If you fancy sweet meats, this is the spot for sweet, sticky, and succulent ribs. Beyond the ribs, the menu is fairly comprehensive with a good variety of familiar Chinese restaurant dishes (mostly sauteed and not deep-fried), including an assortment of dim sum favorites. The interior is very clean and more upscale than your average sit-down Chinese restaurant, with a funky little pig shrine area and a Chinatown-style decorated open kitchen with BBQ’d meats hanging in the window. They’ve got great service, with attentive and friendly waitstaff (instead of the usual grumbly downtown attitude). Nancy’s truly is a little slice of Chinatown on the Upper East Side, the only drawback being the Upper East Side prices. If this is where pigs go to heaven, make sure they stop by your stomach on the way.
Sorry, no pics this time…!
Filed under: BBQ, Chinese, Dim Sum, Not Cheap, Sit Down, Upper East Side Tagged: | Chinese, chinese food, nancy's, nancys chinese, nancys pig heaven, Not Cheap, nyc chinatown, nyc restaurants, ribs, Sit Down, Upper East Side, upper east side restaurants
I used to live right by here…love this place although you’re right, a little pricey…
I went there for a banquet and the food was alright. Chinatown is better and cheaper. But they have great service !