272480 Wed May 24 21:05:14 -0700 2006 3 17 What's My Craving? 0 1434100 My wife and I are leaving in the morning for our first trip to New York. We're active Chicago Chowhounds, and have had the best our Chinatown offers(mainly Szechuan and Singapore style), but it's pretty small. We're adventurous and like to try different and unusual menu items. Any suggestions for the best authentic Chinese that New York can offer? We're staying on 23rd St., if that helps narrow the area down. We sincerely appreciate any suggestions you may offer. Wed May 24 21:05:14 -0700 2006 0 Chris 1 1434105 go downtown to Chinatown have breakfast in a chinese coffee shop/bakery and take it from there you'll get plenty of opinions,and people will of course disagree I use to look in windows for where the Chinese ate,or where Wall streeters took their lunches.Anyway have fun and enjoy.P.S you may want,while you're down there stop into Vincent's Clam Bar on Mott and Hester for Scungilli and Calimari it's not Chinese but relatively unique (Scungilli and hot sauce,especially)to New York,maybe Joisey maybe Thu May 25 08:59:46 -0700 2006 1434100 0 scunge 2 1434117 Lately, my usual meal in Chinatown is eat Yeah Shanghai Deluxe (I prefer their juicy/soup dumplings to Joe's) on Bayard St and then go next door to the Chinatown Ice-Cream Factory for what is quite possibly the world's best chocolate ice-cream. Now I've been to Italy and had gelato, France & Belgium's chocolate shops, but this is really good stuff. If you're on a tighter budget and/or pressed for time, then I suggest Big Wong on Mott St (not to be confused with New Big Wong). Entrees go for like $5 and the roast pork is fabulous. Fri May 26 23:59:41 -0700 2006 1434105 0 Cindy 3 1434119 Ok, let me preface this by saying I think I have experienced the best Chinese restaurants in the city b/c I adore Chinese food and try to seek it out whenver I have time. The best soup dumplings are on the corner of Bayard and Mulberry --Shanghai Cuisine. I have been there a million times. I have not had better soup dumplings anywhere, including the other chinatown in Flushing, Queens. For dim sum, there are a few choices. Avoid Dim Sum a Go Go! There is Ping's on Mott for standard dim sum on a weekend. Then there is the temple of dim sum- Jing Fong- up an escalator between Bayard and Canal on Elizabeth st. Probably the most authentic dim sum, and I've been there at 10 am on a weeday to see it packed with ethnic Chinese families. It's also the cheapest and freshest, and serves dim sum all day. If you want something more relaxed, next door is Oriental Garden, a more refined atmosphere, with delicious pea shoots, but not as "hot and noisy," or as cheap, as the others. The Flushing, Queens chinatown is quite interesting. Recent immigrants tend to move there, rather than to the Chinatown in Manhattan, so it has a more vibrant feel. There are lots of great, large supermarkets on Main St. My favorite restaurant, which is always packed, is chen gen (or something similar, please excuse this) two or three blocks south of the 7 train stop on Main st. It's the only Chinese restaurant right on Main on the west side of the street in that direction, preceded by KFC and some other chains. There are the ubiquitous ducks in the window, and it is always crowded, again with ethnic Chinese. Great whole fried fish, great fried rice, I'm not sure what region of China the restaurant falls into, but it is very good and it is open till at least 1 am. For Sichuanese, try Wu Liang Ye in Manhattan on 48th between 5th and 6th. Great cold noodles and dan dan noodles and a relatively refined atmosphere. For Southeast Asian that is NOT Chinese influenced, as so many Southeast Asian places can be, can I throw in Jaya for Malaysian food, on Baxter between Bayard and Mott in Manhattan. And Pam Real Thai on 49th st between 9th and 10th ave. Let us know how it turns out! Sat May 27 11:17:49 -0700 2006 1434117 0 fara