Northeast Chinese Restaurant II is one of my favorite local Chinese restaurants. All of my favs are…read morenorthern Chinese. That means they can serve up some deliciously spicy dishes. But if you're looking for something milder, they're great at that, too. I think the large menu has been updated since my last visit. The first few pages include dishes that I would describe as "soul food." There's frog, beef tripe and pork intestine-- you get the picture. I never really got into that. On this visit, my friend and I picked Stir Fried Spicy Squid, Crispy Chicken with Crunchy Red Pepper and Bok Choy with Garlic. We were hungry. The veggies came out of the kitchen almost immediately. Crazy fast. We were grateful. The other two dishes took a bit more time. When you see all of the ingredients in those dishes and how finely sliced they are, it's no wonder. I loved the chicken dish. The chicken was a little crunchy but the red peppers were super crunchy. It was a bit spicy but deliciously so. I liked the peanuts and what looked like slivers of jalapeño peppers, too. The squid was also great. Here, I think they used more jalapeño peppers and spices. There was more heat to this dish but it was deceptive. The more I ate, the more I could gradually feel the burn. By the time we were full, I could feel my face starting to sweat a little. That was fun. The restaurant is clean and attractive with a remarkable amount of seating. The back portion is reserved for hot pots which I have yet to try there. The staff is friendly, helpful and bilingual. They will make suggestions if you'd like. This restaurant generally gets a bit noisy because it's where large Chinese families gather when they want to go on the town. That's a good thing. There's also a large screen tv that plays cooking shows. With so much going on, the customers seemed pretty happy.

Been here a bunch of times now and they never disappoint…read more The review is really that simple. It's going to be really good every time. Order something spicy and get excited. Also get the ribs!!!

Went for lunch with my sister-in-law on a Wed. arriving at 12:15. Parking lot was almost full, and…read moreit had just opened at noon. Walked in and almost EVERY table had diners. By 12:30, every table was occupied. What? Great reputation! We were seated at a small but nice window table right away. Immediately, we received a pot of tea. We placed our order since I had to be home by 1:30. Turned out we were served quickly considering how busy the kitchen must have been. Our Hot and Sour Soups came within 7-10 min. followed by our lunch choices. Hot and Sour Soup was outstanding. My go to anytime it is on menu, so I compliment from experience. It had a flavorful base that was perfectly sweet and sour. The tofu was sliced small, and the mushrooms had a pleasant texture and taste. Delicious! Sesame Chicken was with a sweet and tangy sauce that hit all the right notes. It was made with nice size chunks of white meat. Broccoli was not over cooked. Pork with Garlic Sauce was a great choice. Tender strips of pork covered in a good sauce that was perfect on the rice. We each took a portion of our lunch home so we would have "room" for ice cream. Homemade Ice Cream! Two scoops for each of us: Too delicious to share plus a real treat! *Green Tea/Matcha was deep in color and the flavor--superb. *Red Bean was sweeter, and my taste buds enjoyed every spoonful. Enjoyable lunch at a restaurant where you can count on food being well prepared plus get experienced service. A true GEM.

For dim sum dining, this is the place to go in the Capital Region. For those of you who don't know,…read moredim sum is comprised of small plates of food perfect for sharing. It is mostly eaten for brunch and or lunch. I ordered many small plates but the ones that stood out most were the pork soup dumplings, crab and pork soup dumplings, seafood shumai (a traditional small cup shaped steamed dumpling) the wontons in spicy chili oil, and shrimp dumplings. Additionally I also enjoyed their General Tso's shrimp and Peking Duck. Service here is on point and the waitstaff is attentive. They checked on our table a number of times and the pot of hot tea and iced water with lime wedges did not go unnoticed. Also the ambiance here is nice and the interior space is well maintained and inviting. I highly recommend eating here as the food is authentic and delicious. An exceptional dining experience awaits you!

Excellent if you know what to order! It was hard to find on the menu but we tried to order what we…read morethought was authentic and what we typically order at Canton restaurants. Our server spoke some Cantonese which was awesome. We ordered a Tofu Fish Soup, Sauteed Eggplants, Fried Salt Pepper Squid, Peking Pork Chops, and Fried Tofu with Shrimp. The soup was delicious - savory and hearty with the cilantro flavor really shining through. The egg plant was so flavorful which made me eat more rice than I should have. The squid was on the tough side, but only took a few more chews to get through which wasn't a huge deal. It was still great. I wish the cuts of pork in the Peking Pork Chop was a bit fattier but that's just my personal preference. I know people who prefer it lean. And lastly, I never seen a restaurant that provided such large shrimp paste on top of the tofu. It's how I think the proportions should be everywhere! The tofu was very crispy. Overall, I had such a great experience here and would recommend to anyone looking for Chinese food. I'd imagine the Chinese take out here is decent too.

I ordered takeout so not sure about the inside ambience and facilities. Service was very fast but…read moreagain I ordered takeout out so not sure about wait staff. The food was ok, but not particularly more special than my local place I love. The egg drop soup was yummy and smooth. I thought the shrimp and broccoli would be a little more spicy than what I received, but it still tasted great.

I love getting the beef noodle soup. So good. Have eaten in the restaurant once and the restaurant…read moreis clean and the service is great.

The stewed beef chuck, which is really beef noodle soup, was ok. Good portion size, good amount of…read morebeef and bok choy. If you get it to go, they put the noodles and stuff on a tray that sits on top of the broth, which is really cool. The broth was lacking in flavor, very bland. Their lo mein looks like it would be good, but it tasted really strange. Broccoli and beef were good though. The beef was very tender and flavorful.

Owner was very kind and sweet with excellent service despite us coming in shortly before closing!…read moreGreat food and good service, Thank you!

On a cold, windy day there is nothing like a bowl of piping hot soup. Absolutely nothing. On this…read moreparticular day, the wind gusted nearly 20mph and the temps hovered above 30 degrees. It felt brutal as the wind pierced through my coat. Winter still had us in its icy grip even if the calendar said that Spring was only days away. I was alone and I was happy to take refuge in the warm restaurant with its welcoming decor. There are pretty Chinese lamps at each booth as you enter. In the back, the large round tables were filled with families who appeared to be throwing a party. The server told me I could sit wherever I'd like. I chose the first booth. I was only too happy to come in from the cold and sit. Oh, the bowl of soup that I ordered turned out to be a dream come true! It wasn't just any soup. It was the Wonton Noodle soup lunch special at Shining Rainbow on Central Ave. in Albany. The menu is in both English and Chinese. After looking at the description, I thought I had an option to add some meat to the soup. So I asked for some roast pork. After I placed the order, a young man from the kitchen staff actually came out to ask me what kind of noodles I wanted in my soup: skinny, medium or wide. He spoke to me in Chinese. I must have really confused the staff because a second staffer also followed him out and he asked me exactly the same question in English. I was really surprised. I said to them in (Mandarin) Chinese, " Don't you usually use the thin noodles for this soup? I'll take what's easiest for you to prepare." So I realized later--after they'd gone--that I didn't actually answer their questions. I must have added to their confusion but they were so very nice and polite. About 10 minutes later, a server returns with a huge steaming bowl of soup. I'm still so cold and when I see the steam rising in the distance from the soup bowl, I'm smiling. He places the soup in front of me. It's a thing of beauty. It also had vegetables that I didn't ask for, but that's not a bad thing. I took one look into the bowl and expressed my shock, "Wow. It's huge." The server looked satisfied and walked away. Underneath the roast pork and bright green veggies, there were thin noodles swimming in soup. It smelled divine. But there were no wontons. Should I say something? No. Because this meal looked perfect. Despite the confusion that I might have contributed to-- I wound up with what I really needed--a delicious and healthy hot meal. I almost finished it, too. The servers packed the rest up for me. When the bill came, I wondered what it would be. The lunch specials which are offered Monday- Saturday are just over $10. Almost $11. Sure enough, that's what they charged me. I gave them a large tip. I think $5 or $6. They were just so nice. Perhaps I looked so cold and pitiful. Whatever the reason, it was an awesome meal that didn't break the bank and I hope I can order it again sometime with or without wontons.

The Plum Blossom has been a Troy fixture for decades. Same owner and family since it opened…read more Had lunch here on an early Monday afternoon with my mom. We were given hot tea, water, crunchy noodles and dipping sauces to start. The lunch menu had a variety of choices, including vegan. I ordered a starter of Char Sui. For main entree platters, my mom ordered the pan fried tofu dish while I ordered the cod filet with Thai eggplant. I paid for a different side, thin rice noodles, since I didn't want the rice that came with the platter. Finished our meal with a pistachio layer cake and hand dripped coffee. Everything was enjoyable; well balanced and deliciously seasoned. A wonderful variety of Asian flavors in more traditional dishes. It is ornate, and brought me emotionally back in time. The service is more like the 70s and 80s, before food service became a rush for quick turnover. If you are looking for a spot where you can relax and not feel rushed, enjoy unique interior decor, and flavorful distinctive cuisine come here for lunch!

Fun meal with ambiance and fantastic service! Cant wait to go back and try something new.read more

Great selection. Asian food done WELL as it should be! Our wait person was very welcoming and…read morehelpful

Very delicious well prepared Szechuan as I was craving. Shrimp dumplings and Dan Dan noodles hit…read morethe spot. Ramen noodles in bowl filled with red oily liquid so you have to fish out. Service was lackadaisical but sufficient considering language barrier. I'll be back to explore menu further! Ambiance: not filthy

The good, the food was good and presented well. I should have taken a picture, it was Instagram…read moreworthy. The bad, the men's bathroom looked like it hasn't been cleaned in months. Not exaggerating, dust bunnies hanging from ceiling, a layer of something on porcelain. I would suggest takeout.

Got take out, so can't comment on ambiance or service. We're…read moregoing to try dining in some time soon and I'll update. The food was great! As other people have commented, the menu is not the same old Chinese-American in most places. The dry chicken with peppers and peanuts was great! I wrote "less hot" on the order form; not sure if that's what I got, but it was just right. It's going to be tough deciding whether to get that again or try something else. I also got sauteed bok choy that was perfectly cooked and had a nice light sauce on it. $12 is steep for that but there was quite a bit. Spicy squid kabob was way too spicy for me, though maybe if I ordered that less hot?