All Reviews
Jeffrey Lam
2 months agoCame here on a company dinner as a party of 13. The food was great and I enjoyed grilling the skewers. I probably wouldn’t come here again for any other situations, considering the cuisine is niche and dishes are portioned family style. A great first experience overall.
Kimberly Lim Legaspi
2 months agoWent for an outing at Jin Da Lai, a Korean Chinese restaurant that focuses on charcoal grilled skewers and classic dishes tied to Northeast Chinese food culture. The skewers were the main reason we came and they were the strongest part of the meal. We ordered lamb, beef, and shrimp, all grilled over real charcoal. Charcoal grilling is central to northern Chinese skewer culture because it cooks the meat slowly and evenly while allowing the fat to render and drip onto the coals. That process creates the smoky aroma that comes back into the food. The skewers are served unseasoned on purpose, which is traditional. This style lets the quality of the meat stand on its own, and diners season afterward using cumin, chili flakes, salt, or sesame based spices. Lamb skewers in particular are closely associated with northern China and Muslim influenced cuisines, where cumin and chili highlight the natural richness of the meat. The lamb here was juicy and fragrant, the beef stayed tender, and the shrimp picked up a clean char that enhanced its natural sweetness. The lamb hotpot came with hearty pieces of lamb and tofu in a clear, savory broth. Lamb soups are common in northern China, especially in colder regions, where lamb is valued for warmth and nourishment. Cutting the meat into chunks rather than thin slices allows the lamb to slowly soften while flavoring the broth. The soup was comforting and balanced, with tofu absorbing the broth and adding softness to each bite. The 东北大拉皮 is a classic Dongbei cold dish. It is traditionally made with wide starch noodles, usually from mung bean or potato starch, and served chilled to contrast heavier dishes. Here, the noodles were mixed with cucumber, wood ear fungus, bean curd, carrots, and cilantro. Wood ear fungus adds crunch, bean curd adds softness, and the vegetables keep the dish refreshing. The dressing of garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil gave it a light tang that helped cut through the richness of the grilled items. We also got 锅包肉, one of the most iconic dishes from Northeast China. Unlike heavier sweet and sour pork styles, 锅包肉 is known for its thin, crisp coating and bright, tangy flavor. The version here stayed crispy and light, with a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. The 三鲜锅巴 is another traditional banquet style dish. It features crispy scorched rice topped with a hot seafood sauce made with shrimp, squid, and vegetables. When the sauce hits the rice, part of it softens while other sections stay crisp, creating that signature contrast in texture that this dish is known for. Other dishes filled out the table nicely. The dry fried string beans were cooked in a northern style with garlic and aromatics, staying crisp and savory. The spicy squid had a steady heat without overwhelming the seafood itself. The kimchi fried rice topped with an egg leaned more comforting and savory than aggressively spicy, making it easy to share. The sugar coated sweet potato is a classic Chinese dessert where fried sweet potato is coated in molten sugar that hardens into a shell. This is a dish meant to be eaten quickly. When fresh, the sugar coating is thin and crisp, but as it sits, the sugar continues to harden and becomes much tougher to eat. Since it was Chinese New Year, the owner brought out a complimentary plate of dumplings, which was a thoughtful gesture. Dumplings are traditionally eaten during the holiday because their shape resembles ancient gold ingots and symbolizes wealth and good fortune. The food overall tasted very good and felt rooted in tradition, though the service was slower than ideal. Dishes came out at a relaxed pace, and being seated on the second floor, it sometimes felt like our table was not getting much attention. For a large group, water refills were also slow and noticeable. Overall it is a solid spot for charcoal grilled skewers and Northeast Chinese style comfort dishes. The food carries strong flavor and cultural grounding, and with more attentive service and pacing, especially upstairs, the experience could be even better.
Kay N
4 months agoHave been there three times and will still come back again. I love the food, especially the sweet potato, lamb rack, skewers, corn fritters, soup, etc. They are getting busier these days.
John Li (The Traveling Panda)
2 years agoThe server told us we had to order 20 skewers in order to grill at the table. Sure, but when we ordered 20, he said it wasn't enough. Ok. We order another 5. He was rushing us for the order (had an attitude) and didn't write anything down. 10 mins later, he came back to ask us what we had ordered. Good lord! Of all the dishes, the beef skewers were the only items that were good. Everything else was subpar.
Amanda Wang
4 years agoOur experience was kind of awkward because we walked in and the only table of six that was there got mad quiet and turned to look at us, like walking into a classroom late hahaha... We thought there would be a grill your own skewer experience, but we were all too awkward out to ask and gave up. So no grill your own, but it was quite nice the food itself. Corn Pancake is a 10, crispy pork is 8. Everything got cold fast tho. The skewer of hot dog was such a childhood nostalgic throwback, bc it tasted just like those sausage snacks(火腿肠 huo tui chang) Server was stone cold, but he did what he needed to do: bring us food, prep our table for chopsticks and napkins, and got us hot rice tea. I think downstairs would be grill your own, maybe next time! :)
perle75nyc
Edited 9 months agoBest lamb skewers and Chinese food for beer! Never disappointed. Trust the staffs. They always offer tasty food. ================================ Since 2024, the place has been run by a new owner, and it’s been renovated and become much cleaner. The food is still as delicious as ever. You absolutely have to try the lamb skewers, mashed cucumbers (拍黃瓜, paihuanggua), and sweet & sour pork (锅包肉, Guōbāoròu). Spicy stir fried scallops were amazing also!!
K TO THE E TO THE KE
6 years agoEvery dish tastes so good! Been there many many times and it doesnt change. But their service level needs to upgrade cuz they dont fill water until we asked several times and took our water away when we were still eating, it makes me wonder if we should tip them. You can tell their waitress is very lazy when we legit sitting right next to the cashier counter.
Mark Leong
7 years agoGreat place for skewers. The beef is very tender and soft. Very tasty. Chicken was juicy. Love the concept of cooking it yourself. Especially for the beef. You can have it the way you want it. Also got a spicy pork dish that was very good. Everything is in chinese but the staff does speak english. It seems there's 2 entrances to this place. We went down towards the basement which seems to be where the grilling tables are. The upstairs is where they serve you only cooked food. Overall I would come back. The rice was different and perfect pairing with the meats.