What is your favorite Chinatown restaurant?

[Butter88]

I want to go out tonight to some place new in Chinatown. I don't have any favorite spot here. I tried tasty hand pulled noodle - great cheap place, didn't like Joe"s Shanghai, and liked some Vietnamese places. Any recommendation?

[jen223]

no mention of Big Wong on mott, south of canal? i may be biased as i think my family's been going there for 20 years now, but i always enjoy their duck, pork, congee, and beef chow fun, among other dishes.

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Big Wong
67 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

[diprey11]

Ah, Big Wong! Absolutely love their lou mein, IMHO second only to Noodle Village and costs less. Love their jook too: even though the toppings choices look somewhat limited, there is nothing that asking (and an extra dollar) can't do.

An absolute winner is steamed rice dough wrapped around a breadstick (sorry for not knowing the English name of this HK breakfast staple). I am pretty sure they use a thinner bread out of economy, but it happens to be the right thickness for a superior texture (like 9 out of 10) And of course, their roast pork is superb.

If that's of any importance, I do believe they have the best table service in the neighborhood.

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Noodle Village
13 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

[Lau]

South china garden: depends what you want, but my favorite place in chinatown is South China Garden (formerly Cantoon Garden): http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/750220

however, i think you need at least 4 people in order to go

old sichuan: i did have a pretty good meal at old sichuan http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/753976

noodle village: pretty good http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/760185

hsin wong: good cantonese bbq http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/765892

NY noodletown: usually a good choice for cantonese bbq, wonton noodle soup, any of the flowering chive dishes, congee and salt baked squid (or soft shell crab

)

Xi'an famous foods: i think this is a great place, but its really take out only, so id go to the east village branch if you want to sit

scoopG has some interesting picks as well

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South China Garden
22 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013

Great New York Noodletown
28 Bowery, New York, NY 10013

Noodle Village
13 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

[buttertart]

We frequent South China Garden which is really my favorite as well, and Old Sichuan and Old Shanghai most often.
We're usually 2 at SCG (lobster, lobster) and order like mad and take stuff home.

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South China Garden
22 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013

Old Sichuan
65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

[AubWah]

Me too in regards to Cantoon. Always a party of 2 and lobster and crispy garlic chicken are usually on our table

[Lau]

u can def do it with 2 people, but i think when you have 4+ people its alot better b/c you can get a more full range of dishes and i think cantonese meals like this are best when you can do family style (i.e. a little bit of alot of dishes)

[buttertart]

Yes of course, but one does what one must.

[huiray]

Well, what about solo diners (like me)? I don't mind "taking home" lots of food... Yes, I can't order 6 or 7 or 8 dishes all at the same time but 4 dishes - that's surely doable?

[Lau]

haha 4 dishes for one person is a tall order although you can take it home i guess

[huiray]

Well, I do order 3-4 dishes not infrequently at other Chinese restaurants elsewhere and eat through at least half of each, "taking the rest home". Sometimes there isn't even much to "take home". I guess the question really is better phrased as to how large the portions are in actual terms even though I have seen photo reviews of stuff you folks have posted of feasts at SCG. (I have not eaten at SCG/Cantoon before, in fact, and would want to sample it the next time I am in NYC, although then I could drag a couple of friends to it...)

[Lau]

the dishes are reasonable large, i guess you could finish half of each and that would be a total of 2 dishes although you'd probably be really full

[buttertart]

They are quite big, but if you go at lunch you can get lunch portions of a lot of them (not that we ever do). We were served a lunch portion of the crispy chicken once by mistake and our waiter was v apologetic (it didn't include the "elbow" cut of the wing, my favorite piece, snif snif).

[huiray]

@ Lau & buttertart: I see. Thanks.

[coasts]

Congee Bowery is consistently good. really enjoy their sticky pork chops and black bean chicken.

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Congee Bowery
207 Bowery, New York, NY 10002

[sagetom]

Famous Szechuan on Pell directly across from Joe's Shanghai--Chendu double cooked pork: Yummy Noodle on Bowery ---Roast Pork Chow Fun Wonton Soup with Chili Oil.

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Yummy Noodles
48 Bowery, New York, NY 10013

[Delucacheesemonger]

Amazing 66 for their roast chicken, New Yeah Shanghai for their honeyed pork shoulder.

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Amazing 66
66 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

[scoopG]

New Yeah Shanghai closed over 13 months ago...

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/687233

[Delucacheesemonger]

Not closed, but moved

[Chandavkl]

And changed their name, too.

[Lau]

its called old shanghai now

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Old Shanghai Deluxe
50 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

[Chandavkl]

But the giant New Yeah Shanghai Deluxe poster is in the window at Old Sichuan Restaurant.

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Old Sichuan
65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

[diprey11]

If I may suggest, please try Cantoon Garden for their crispy roast chicken with garlic, just be careful (if ordering in English) not to get chicken in garlic sauce instead ;-)
I would agree with he previous poster that BoZaiFun (casserole rice), meats (pork, beef), and soups are often better at Amazing 66, because they have a wider focus.

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Amazing 66
66 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

[Simon]

Amazing 66 for Cantonese casserole dishes

South China Garden for lobster, seafood, and soup

Old Sichuan...only went once for lunch and it was good, but am planning a return trip after the good words here...

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South China Garden
22 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013

Amazing 66
66 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

[AubWah]

the places i frequent are poon kee, henan, jm family noodle...shanghai cafe....famous sichuan

[ChiefHDB]

Right now if I had to choose one spot, it would be Henan Flavor. Favorites include: Amazing 66, Xi'an and Old Sichuan. For hand-pulled noodles I've been digging Sheng Wang lately (their dumplings are awesome too).

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Amazing 66
66 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

Sheng Wang
27 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002

Xi'an Famous Foods
88 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002

Old Sichuan
65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

He Nan Flavor
68 Forsyth St, New York, NY 10002

[AubWah]

what do you order at henan

[ChiefHDB]

Absolutely get the big tray of chicken-- and have them add their hand-pulled noodles. (Is there a specific name for this type of noodle?) That's way more than enough food if it's just you. Would probably get a pork pancake too regardless. If you've got someone else with you get a noodle dish. I posted about it on my blog (thanks again to Scoop): http://lawandfood.blogspot.com/2011/0...

[sgordon]

For Cantonese: Oriental Garden (best for fresh seafood), South China Garden (a little cheaper, good for land critters), Fuleen (solid sea & land fare - great preserved duck & taro soup, geoduck two ways)

For Vietnamese: Cong Ly (specifically for the Pho) or Xe Lua (shrimp & grapefruit salad is excellent)

For Sichuan: Old Sichuan

For Fuzhou: Ah Ping Snack Bar (for pork, lamb, and rabbit - also the razor clam omelette is very good) or Best Fuzhou (for a more fish-centric meal)

For a recently revamped and hip Dim Sum place: Nom Wah Tea Parlor

For something brand new to Manhattan: He Nan Flavor

For something a little different: Myanmar Fish Broth Soup at Lee Chung Cafe

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South China Garden
22 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013

Cong Ly
124 Hester St, New York, NY 10002

Fuleen
11 Division St, New York, NY 10002

Xe Lua
86 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013

Oriental Garden
14 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013

Nom Wah Tea Parlor
13 Doyers St, New York, NY 10013

Ah Ping Snack Bar
2 E Broadway, New York, NY 10038

Old Sichuan
65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

He Nan Flavor
68 Forsyth St, New York, NY 10002

Lee Chung Cafe
82 Madison St, New York, NY 10002

[buttertart]

South China Garden is also good for seafood.

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South China Garden
22 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013

[Butter88]

Thank you!!

[Daniel76]

Whats up with the new location of the East Boat Lobster Place? How is that place...

I really like Great NY Noodletown as it's been a favorite of my family for years.. The salt baked soft shell crabs are very nice.. I also like, their ginger scallions sauce, the duck egg rolls, the baby pig, and the little one loves the snails.. But, that is like my diner and wouldnt say much anything besides the salt baked crabs is extraordinary...

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Lobster Boat
11 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

[squid kun]

Tell me more about Lee Chung; haven't heard much about it around here.

At least one credible source, Dave "Eating in Translation" Cook, didn't find the Burmese stuff especially Burmese (see link from the Chow place record).

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Lee Chung Cafe
82 Madison St, New York, NY 10002

[sgordon]

Well, given that there's only one Burmese restaurant in all of Manhattan that I know of - or for that matter in all of NYC - I haven't had much prior experience with Burmese cuisine. Actually, none, since I haven't been to that place.

For all I know Lee Chung Cafe is "authentic" and the place uptown (Mingala or something?) is Americanized - or maybe they're both "authentic" but simply represent different styles from within the country - after all, Myanmar has Chinese, Indian, and Thai cuisines, and someone from the North might make a soup differently than someone from the South would make a soup with the very same name. A person from Chinese ancestry might make it different than one of Thai ancestry, because of whatever spices they were used to using growing up. As with Pho, there's no such thing as "authenticity" whatsoever.

Not that it matters one whit. All that matters is if it's a good bowl of soup.

In this case, the Mohinga was decent. I enjoyed it. A little spice, nice hint of lemongrass. I wasn't like, blown away by some exciting new taste sensation - but it was different enough from other SE Asian fish soups I've had to warrant adding it to my local noodles-&-broth rotation. Would I make a special trip / go out of my way for it? No. But I live in the area.

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Cafe Mingala
1393 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10021

Lee Chung Cafe
82 Madison St, New York, NY 10002

[Chandavkl]

Will combine this and another thread shortly dealing with Lee Chung Cafe when I get a chance.

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Lee Chung Cafe
82 Madison St, New York, NY 10002

[Lau]

this is interesting....i noticed this place before b/c its by poon kee and i actually saw them advertising it in the window and it just seemed out of place, ill have to try it out

[squid kun]

Thanks - that's helpful.

[NancyC]

Intriguing. It definitely doesn't sound like normal mohinga. I've never had a bowl that actually had pieces of piece in it, more just a fish-paste infused broth. Lemongrass doesn't usually have a strong presence either. There are varieties of course, but this doesn't sound right. Will have to get there to give it a try...where I live, I normally eat mohinga at least once a week so I am pretty familiar.

I've never heard anything about mohinga made by people with Chinese or Thai ancestry (and Thais have their own version anyway), usually the style differences are between Myanmar's ethnic groups.

I haven't been to Cafe Mingala but from looking at their menu, what they serve is definitely not Americanized. Now, whether or not their RENDITIONS are Americanized, I can't say. It's a bit out of the way for me to try just for the sake of it...maybe if I start missing Burmese food too much in the next couple months that I'm back in New York though...

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Cafe Mingala
1393 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10021

[i8NYC]

Myanmar Fish Broth Soup - aka Mohinga

[scoopG]

Hi Butter 88. There are so many places to choose from. Why not consider one of these two recently reviewed places?

Henan Flavor:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/774685

Hsin Wong:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/765892

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Hsin Wong
72 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

He Nan Flavor
68 Forsyth St, New York, NY 10002

[Butter88]

Thanks!