Points for karaoke.

Gold Flower (Chinatown NYC) Points: 3 Date: 12/15/00	I went to a Chinatown (NYC) karaoke bar on Friday night and found it a decent alternative to Sushi Desse.  In place of the flourescent lights of Sushi Desse, Gold Flower's lighting consists only of candles (+1), refilled nightly with homemade, lard-based wax (+1) from the back room (see separate review for Back Room).  Seats 60 or so people at tables with banquet chairs (0, no better or worse than booth seating but I just want to note that club chairs would be an improvement and merit a point or two). Most of playlist is Chinese, but they do have about 150 English songs, including "Cartoon Heroes" by Aqua (+1) and an awesome pop lovesong (can't remember which one) video in which a chic gropes on her boyfriend's teeters with reckless abandon (+1).  They keep the music cued up efficiently (+1) and they've got a small stage with stool(s) and monitor for the performer(s) (+1).  Only negative (and a major one at that) is they have no hard alcohol (-1) or sake (-1) or food (-1).  Refreshments are limited to beer and wine (-1).  I still favor Sushi Desse on weekdays, based on the hard alcohol, the food and the cute Japanese waitstaff (-1 for Gold Flower by comparison, since cute Japanese waitstaff is standard fare for karaoke bars),  but would opt for Gold Flower on weekends based on the lack of a cover (+1) and the good Vietnamese food next door (+1) at "Vietnam". -David Mewsum