The former Pok Pok space in Chinatown’s Mandarin Plaza is now home to Firstborn, a modern Chinese American restaurant from chef Anthony Wang. Wang draws on his parents’ history in Beijing, summer trips across China, and his childhood in Georgia and Miami to serve chile-flecked fried chicken and barbecue cabbage that takes cues from twice-cooked pork. Pair dinner with cocktails from bar director Kenzo Han, who puts their own twist on classic drinks like a Negroni with baiju and pu’erh tea. Firstborn represents a changing Chinatown, led by a younger generation of restaurateurs who keep the neighborhood’s history alive while bringing it into the future.
A group dinner with friends at a photogenic Chinatown restaurant, or a solo meal of fried chicken and a martini at the bar.
A smaller bar-only menu features dishes like a miniature version of the barbecue cabbage, a duck fat scallion pancake, and “just a little” fried chicken with two pieces for $12. (The full menu is also available.)