A Good Sign: Jade Mountain

Jade Mountain may be the last Chop Suey palace left in Manhattan, a relic from the days when hip New Yorkers knew but one form of Chinese cusine, and ate a lot of Moo Shoo Pork, Egg Foo Young and Beef Chow Fun. It's been there on Second Avenue near 12th Street since 1931 and who knows how it has hung on. But, for the neon sign outside along, it deserves landmark status. I knew the place when every letter was lit in beautifu, vibrant pink-red. But now the front sign proclaims only "Jade Tain," while the two-sided sign hung above it does a neater trick: the south side says only "Mein" and the north side tempts you with "Chow."

For more on Jade Mountain, read the next post...