A favorite choice for Chinese-food-loving New Yorkers who want something a little more refined than some of the places in Chinatown, Shun Lee specializes in Hunan, Cantonese and Szechuan classics. Its following is not unfounded: The food here is flavorful and light, with many authentic, time-intensive dishes you won’t find at neighborhood Chinese spots. The Beggar’s Chicken, for example, is a vegetable-, pork- and seafood-stuffed chicken wrapped in lotus leaves and packed in clay soil before baking for several hours. Shun Lee’s sister restaurant, Shun Lee on the Upper West Side (43 W. 65th St., 212-595-8895), serves similar food and is a popular choice with the Lincoln Center crowd.

Shun Lee Palace Information:

• Chinese menu. Lunch, dinner.