Chinatown this weekend - Chinese New Year

[villager21]

Hey Everyone,

With the Chinese New Year tomorrow, what is going on in Chinatown? Is it worth exploring? Are the celebrations just tomorrow or also today.

Any specific food to check out while there?

[2slices]

I just ate at Cantoon Garden, it was packed but we were only 2 and they sat us within 5 minutes. We went by AMazing 66 first and they weren't even putting names on the list.,

1st time at Cantoon Garden and it was absolutelu fantastic. This was one of the best meals I had in NY in a long time, ok since Minetta Tavern last week. Here's what we had

Steamed Dungeoness Crab w/ Garlic
Salt baked squid
Steamed carp with ginger and scallions
Eggplant w/ ground pork casserole.

Everything was fantastic, I dont have a single comlpaint. We got the crab cuz they were out of lobster, but I'm so glad we got it. I could go on and on but there's no point. This was the best Chinese meal I've had outside of China in a very long tome and it rivals plenty of the good meals I've had in China.

I must note that I've never been to Guangdong or Hong Kong, Wenzhou is the farthest south I go so I can only compare it to their food which is heavy seafood.

Oh god that crab.

[buttertart]

I love Cantoon Garden and agree with you 100% on its quality. Must try the crab next time, we're fixated on the lobster.

[small h]

We also ended up at South China Garden (fka Cantoon Garden) last night. And we contributed to the lobster sell-out - sorry! I couldn't remember whether I liked the seafood with bean curd casserole or the seafood with tofu casserole, and I ended up ordering the wrong one. It was still pretty good, but it didn't have that awesome sauce, which may be fermented shrimp or something similar. I love this restaurant. I have enough leftover pea shoots for three more meals.

[scoopG]

Even though the MOCA website shows the parade next Sunday, there is one today as evidenced yesterday by all the barricades being put up and the DSNY crews removing snow and putting down salt. Be prepared for large crowds and limited mobility. Here's a start:

Amazing 66:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/340879

Cantoon Garden:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/589457?tag=search_results;results_list

East Corner Wonton:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/611302?tag=boards;topic-611302

Great New York Noodletown:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/678367

Shanghai Café:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/583263

Fujian Noodle Shops:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/492376
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/504362

DIM SUM

Red Egg:
http://www.chow.com/manhattan_digest/6625?tag=search_results;results_list
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/610102?tag=main_body;topic-610102
http://www.redeggnyc.com/

or Chinatown Brassiere:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/482497

More Dim Sum threads:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/481518?tag=search_results;results_list
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/592222?tag=search_results;results_list
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/596924?tag=search_results;results_list
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/509122
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/545785
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/502934

[small h]

I posted a similar query specifically seeking restaurant advice...

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/685349

and got zero responses (sad face). Polecat's link doesn't have any restaurant-related info, either. And I've had no luck searching online. But I'm still hopeful that someone, somewhere, will offer guidance. If that doesn't happen, we'll wander aimlessly and see what we find.

[Polecat]

http://www.mocanyc.org/about/news/lun...
p.