Taiwanese Restaurant Debuts In Midtown Food Hall

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — A Taiwanese restaurant is opening its second permanent location Friday in a Midtown Manhattan food hall, and it's giving away $2 meals to celebrate its debut.

Zai Lai is bringing its menu of Taiwanese comfort food such as pork buns, rice bowls and noodle dishes to the Urbanspace at 570 Lex food hall located in the General Electric Building on Lexington Avenue and East 51st Street. The restaurant's original location is just south of Columbus Circle.

This won't be Zai Lai's first time partnering with Urbanspace. The business has previously operated on a pop-up basis at the company's Garment District food hall and its seasonal Madison Square Eats outdoor food market, an Urbanspace spokesperson said.

Zai Lai will serve its rice bowl dishes for $2 on Friday to celebrate its grand opening. The dishes normally go for $9 or $12 depending on portion size.

Check out the restaurant's full menu:

Rice Bowls: $9 for a petite size, $12 for a regular size

Ama’s Five Spice Pork: Heritage pork, shallots, tofu, mushrooms and quail eggs;

Mama’s Special Chicken: Antibiotic-free chicken, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, eggplant and sesame seeds.

Noodle Dishes: $13

Cousin’s Beef Noodle Soup: Slow-braised local beef shank, mustard greens and wheat noodles;

Uncle’s Dan Dan Noodles: Heritage pork, homemade chile oil, mustard greens and peanut powder.

Street Eats: $4

• Auntie’s Steamed Pork Bun;
• Peter’s Taiwanese Sausage.

Beverages:

• Taro Milk Tea: $4.00
• Sarsaparilla (Taiwanese root beer): $2.50.

Photos courtesy Zai Lai