Amazing 66 Restaurant Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 66 Mott Street (212) 334-0099
Great place to order you favorite chinese or american-chinese dishes. Opened in Spring of 2007, the atmosphere is bright and pleasant, service is friendly. It's a good place to bring your friends or family who are touring Chinatown. Location is conveniently a block below Canal St. on Mott St.
Cantoon Garden Restaurant Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 22 Elizabeth Street (212) 946-2229
Authentic Cantonese cooking and flavors are to hard to find sometimes. This place offers just that, it is popular among residents of Chinatown. The taste, preparation, textures, smells and ingredients are classic. If you can't read the names of dishes (in Chinese characters) on the wall, just look onto what people are having around you, point and ask. Seafood is fresh, steamed fish, Salt and Pepper Crab are favorites, Lobster cooked in Malay seasoning has just the right spice , Walnut Shrimp is scrumptious, Oysters in ginger scallion is a superb choice. Oh, the crispy garlic chicken is of the finger licking sort. Oh, the Salt and Pepper Chilean Sea Bass is sweet and melts in your mouth. Oh, the list goes on…..
Fried Dumpling Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 106 Mosco Street (212) 693-1060
Pork and vegetable dumplings wrapped and pan fried right before your eyes. The four ladies running the show work quickly, minutes to assemble & cook thru. For $1, you get five dumplings. Also, if they haven't run out, you can get little round pork filled buns, steamed & pan fried at once. There is also very good hot and sour soup and sometimes hot soy milk. There's no big sign, set in the alley way called Mosco Street, might be a line of customers waiting. There are only a few stools to sit on, so think takeout.
Great NY Noodletown Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 28 Bowery Street
This is place opens late into the middle of the night. They are known for their soft shell crab, a bit greasy. A good place for roast duck on rice at 2am.
Jing Fong Restaurant Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 20 Elizabeth Street 2nd floor (212) 964-5256
One of thee most popular dim sum spots. The huge banquet room can accommodate large parties and the weekend crowd. As you reach the top of the escalator, you'll see how expansive the dinning area is. Typical old favorites will be carted by as you make your selections. Steamed dumplings of various ingredients are good choices, so you don't get filled up on the fried items too quickly.
New Malaysia Restaurant Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 46-48 Bowrey Street (212) 964-0284
Traditional Southeast Asian flavors that are true. It's fresh, tasty and it reminds me of home. Newly renovated, it's modern and sleek, with textured surfaces now instead of the crafty batik look preivously. You can order a rice dish for $5.25. Crispy fish fillet w/ fried rice or honey glazed steak w/ fried rice are recommended rice dishes. But the entrees are the real deal, great for sharing. The seafood menu is an endless list of incredible choices, crab in hot & spicy sauce, deep fried red snapper, sting ray, satay prawns ... you get the picture. I never have room left for the shakes or shaved iced desserts. Its location is also hidden in the tunnel that connects the Bowery and Elizabeth Street.
Nha Trang Restaurant Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 87 Baxter Street (212) 233-5948
Everyone knows the vietnamese restaurants on Baxter Street. This is my old favorite of the three, Nha Trang is in the middle. Their chicken pho soup uses shredded tender white chicken instead of the grilled chicken in all other restaurants, this is much better tasting for a light soup. Their seafood dishes are my next choice on the menu, as well as the grilled pork dishes. always, very knowledgeable and friendly service.
Peking Duck House Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 28 Mott Street (212) 227-1810 http://www.pekingduckhousenyc.com/
Have you ever had Peking duck? Well, it's juicy inside with a tasty crisp skin on the outside. The whole duck is presented on a silver platter and expertly craved near your table. You then take a pancake like tortilla, spread on some 'hoisin' sauce, add shredded cucumber and green onions, place your sliced duck on top and fold your pancake. The taste is exquisite. Here is a modern setting for a traditional favorite. The dinner specials lets you choose other entrees to accompany your Peking duck.
Sanur Indonesian and Malaysian Restaurant Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 18B Doyers (212) 267-0088
My secret hideaway, literally you might miss it because it's tucked into a seemingly small storefront..at Doyers, at the start of an alley street-historical. The dining room is down the stairway in the back. Food is delicious and authentic. The lunch buffet items are a good start in discovering the taste of this Indo Malaysian Restaurant.
Silkroad Place Chinatown (Tea house/Cafe) 30 Mott Street (212) 566-3738
The are a few tea cafes in Chinatown, but this is my favorite because they use true brewed tea instead of powder & flavored tea to make their beverages. Green tea milk tea is my favorite, without the tapioca balls that will get stuck on one's teeth. Internet access available.
Singapore Cafe Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 69 Mott Street (212) 964-0003
Just a quarter block south on Mott from Canal, is this metal and neon restaurant, it reminds me of an South East Asian diner. Baby Oyster Omelette and Charcoal Grilled Calamari for starters. Curry Mee w. Stuffed Goodies in a milky coconut curry soup….yum! Peppercorn Porkchop and Green Curry Seafood Casserole….there are so many unique dishes that you can forget to include Pad Thai. But if you are in mood for noodles, such as Singapore Mi Fen, that's what you should order.
Wonton Garden Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 56 Mott Street (212) 966-4886
For a late night snack, New Wonton Garden is opened till 2am. I end up ordering my old favorites: Cantonese Shrimp Dumplings, Pan Fried Noodles, Wonton in Soup and #R29 in the rice dish section, Deep Fried Fish Fillet on Rice. Lightly battered fish fillets that is stir fried with vegetables in a yummy sauce. Service is straight forward and quick. Both the fried rice and stir fried noodles dishes are just delicious.
Yello Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 32 Mulberry Street (212) 964-3410
This is the only bar I know of in Chinatown. It's hidden away on the south end of Mott, with karaoke in the basement. Plenty of room for a gathering of friends.
Yummy Noodles Chinatown (Dining/Nightlife) 44 Bowery Street (212) 374-1327
Noodle soups, Hong Kong Style Lo Mein, Pan-fried noodles is what the place is named after. Also known for their rice casseroles, this tight little restaurant is always crowded. Customers like the smoky taste of the almost burnt rice when they get to the bottom of the casserole pot. Try spare ribs with black bean sauce or eel or squab with rice casserole. They also serve BBQ, salted chicken, soy sauce chicken or roast pork, a full menu.
