Local Gem Named Best Chinese Restaurant In United States

(CBS) - There are nearly 47,000 Chinese restaurants in the United States, but a panel of experts singled out one and named it the top Chinese restaurant in the United States.

Main Line residents may not be surprised to learn that Yang Ming in Bryn Mawr is this year's top Chinese restaurant; it's a local gem.

Chef MuYang Shen runs the Chinese side of the fusion restaurant-- whipping up house favorite shrimp with honeyed walnuts -- while Vince Viola oversees Western menu items in an entirely separate kitchen.

Owner Michael Wei says, he took a huge gamble when he opened the restaurant 20 years ago, "At that time, people still expect Chop Suey in the Chinese restaurant and we don't serve Chop Suey at all."

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But Wei says diners quickly developed a taste for Peking Duck salad and gun powder shrimp, making it a local favorite. Now it's won a national honor from Chinese Restaurant News, which sends mystery diners to thousands of restaurants to find the best. Wei picked up the prize in San Francisco last week.

Pat Ciarrocchi reports...

Reported by Pat Loeb, KYW Newsradio