A new restaurant in Midtown is bringing a modern twist to Chinese cuisine.
Lunar, located at 12 East 37th St., takes traditional Szechuan cooking and takes it to a new level. Utilizing modern culinary techniques, the menu blends together Szechuan and Chongqing Jianghu cuisine.
“What we try to do here is give everything a contemporary twist. We bring a little bit of different flavors so that people who come in expecting something might not get exactly what they expect, but hopefully still something that they enjoy because they still try to keep close to the traditional methods for most of the dishes, but we try to make everything a little fresher, change up the taste a little bit,” said Lunar owner YangRong Guo.
“The owners wanted to create a traditional and contemporary mix,” said Lunar manager Tony Zheng. “When it comes to the dining experience, they wanted to bring an authentic Chinese dining experience into the USA for people here to experience, not only through the food but also service and presentation.”
Lunar first opened its doors in Midtown in December 2023. When fleshing out the menu, Zheng says that the owners and head chef went through over 300 dishes to figure out what would be the best possible offerings for their customers.
Those who love to feel the burn can expect a lot of that numbing Sichuan spice in a lot of the dishes, such as the sauteed bullfrog in chili sauce, stir-fried ginger duck, whole fish with fresh chili peppers, and spicy blue crab.
“Part of the reason the owners wanted to start a Szechuan restaurant was because they love spicy food,” said Zheng. “They love spicy Chinese cuisine and it was their desire to share that with the world.”
But it’s not all spice. The Lunar menu has a bunch of non-spicy options, including a variety of dumplings, their signature Truffle Fried Rice and noodle dishes. The menu also includes creative cocktails and tea options, plus light desserts to round out the meal.
The dishes are meant to be shared, adding to the experience of feeling like you have stepped into a Chinese home for a meal. Customer satisfaction is key for the Lunar team, to the point of taking feedback from customers to make the menu better.
“We see what is resonating with the customers and bring in different stuff so that customers come back and find something they weren’t expecting,” said Guo. “We’re also actively trying to improve service, communications with the kitchen, to make sure that operations are really smooth and that customers are getting their meals in a timely fashion.”
Lunar is constantly fine-tuning its menu, and Guo says that the menu offerings will likely see some seasonal and regular changes in the coming weeks and months.
“In the long run, the owners hope that more people come and enjoy eating here. They’re also thinking about potentially opening up more places and other areas,” said Zheng. “The owners are very positive about the future and they hope that they can just continue making food for everyone.”
For more information about Lunar, visit lunaruseinc.com.
