This Shun Lee Dynasty box does not belong to just any Chinese restaurant. It belongs to the first Chinese restaurant in New York to receive four stars from the New York Times, this recognition given in 1967 helped to forever change the perception of Chinese cuisine in the United States. Currently, it still exists at a new address under the name Shun Lee Palace.

The soul of the kitchen was Wang Ching-Ting, a chef who caught the attention of a Chinese ambassador and ended up traveling to the United States to work at the Chinese Embassy in Washington. Years later, he would bring the flavors of Yangzhou, Shanghai, and Sichuan to New York at the Shun Lee Dynasty restaurant.

Another very interesting thing I discovered about this place is that it was designed by Russel Wright. I found some pages from Interior Design magazine (1966) where the restaurant's dining room appears and later a color photo showing the very sixties colors of the place. And the coolest thing of all, Russel Wright even designed the ceramic dishes, the collection was called Polynessian by Sterling China. The truth is, as an interior designer, a project like this is one I've always dreamed of doing.

I hope you enjoy the story of this very special restaurant as much as I do. And if you go to New York, stop by Shun Lee Palace and have an orange beef in my honor.