“This hip and colorful is casual and caters. The portions here are MASSIVE, and the quality is phenomenal. The vegetables are vibrant and always fresh. It’s super clean; absolutely spotless. The meat dishes are flavorful and packed with protein. The Panang Shrimp Curry has just the right amount of spice, and Crab Rangoon is to die for.”
We have recently finished a 2 month renovation at our location at 2740 Hylan Blvd. Stop by and check out our new look!
Dear valued customers,
It has come to our attention that several other restaurants have begun using “Empire” as part of their name. We would like to use this opportunity to clarify that Empire East™ has only two locations on Staten Island, and any restaurant by a different “Empire” name has NO AFFILIATION with our brand.
Genuine Empire East Locations:
West Shore - 1445 Richmond Avenue. Staten Island, NY 10314 - (718) 983-1111
East Shore - 2740 Hylan Blvd. Staten Island, NY 10306 - (718) 987-1111
by Pamela Silvestri, September 5th 2013 | silvestri@siadvance.com
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- When it comes to dining out, eye appeal is buy appeal.
What makes Empire East of Bulls Head so immediately enticing — aside from efficient, pleasant service — are the blown up, vibrant still images of the restaurant’s food, not to mention the mouth-watering eats posted on rotating, digital menu boards.
Unfortunately, Empire East’s new location — its original, mother spot with the same moniker thrives at 2740 Hylan Blvd. in New Dorp — may well be in danger of getting lost in the shuffle of other large outfits like neighboring Stop ‘n’ Shop and Buffalo Wild Wings.
It’s worth making the effort to discover this 4-month-old eatery: Once inside, the decor pulsates with color, replete with morphing lights on the ceiling and the aforementioned illuminated menus.
Indeed, the pictures seal the deal on food, introducing patrons to items they might not otherwise have ordered.
Examples: The lovely Ja Jian Mein — pork kibbles over udon noodles in a slightly sweet brown sauce — and Green Papaya Salad with a haystack of finely julienned papaya (similar to daikon with a slight apple flavor), peanuts, fine sliced carrot sticks and pickled onion with spicy hot sauce.
Thai dishes also lure with basil-garnished beef bits in Green Curry sauce and a Thai Chicken Salad over mixed greens.
Signature Empire East items such as General Tso’s chicken and a combination thereof with Dragon and Phoenix — pan-fried shrimp separated from General Tso’s by orange segments — are classic good bets. Plus, the pan-Asian theme gets woven in heavily here: Pad Thai features bean spouts, scrambled egg and tofu bits served with a lime wedge.
Some very nice items in the way of to-go fare include dumplings formed into assorted shapes, depending on the filling. Chicken versions sport two doughy wings, pockets filled with pure white chicken colored and little Napa cabbage shreds.
Green-dyed veggie versions came filled with glassy vermicelli noodles and crunchy vegetable slivers, tasty with a hint of cilantro.
Spicy Sichuan are fairly tame on the heat, but shrimp dumplings can still be stellar, especially in an egg noodle soup with fresh baby bok choy and a separate soup made with sliced, roasted pork and tender ramen.
For a vegetarian looking for a hearty stew-like dish great for fall, Tofu with Mushrooms might fit the bill. Here, tofu is crisp-fried on the outside, slightly molten inside offered with copious slices of fresh silver dollar mushrooms in brown sauce.
Obviously, the world of Chinese restaurants is vast. But Empire East, on both the East and West shores, sells itself well via value meals served with a consistent hand.