Ajisen is one of the few "chain" restaurants in Chinatown, but that doesn't stop us from drooling over their hearty, savory ramen dishes. The spicy shredded beef ramen sits at the top of our list. Read more.
A NYC tradition since 1938 and always full of characters day or night, we recommend the delicious duck lo mein or anything from the 'oriental specialities' menu
As well as selling every gummy flavor imaginable, this candy shop stocks savory tidbits of dried fish and seaweed.
The beauty of this dish lies in the diversity of textures, rich loamy flavors, and abundance of broken rice. Squirt on the sriracha!
Looking for a bit of heat? Don't leave before ordering a bowl of Laksa Noodle Soup. Dark meat chicken and thick noodles swim in a peppery chili broth with just the right amount of coconut milk. Read more.
Step into Chinatown, a world of its own, where more than 2 million NYC residents live. There is great authentic Chinese food here and street vendors are all over.
End a gluttonous Chinatown dinner with a fantastic assortment of freshly made ice cream – the flavors change, but we like the Blueberry Cheesecake or the Wasabi.
$4 for a ginormous bowl of shaved ice with 3 toppings of your choice. Condensed milk, red beans, and pudding or grass jelly are the best. I'm replacing my meals with this crack.
A perpetual favorite with the weekend brunch crowds, go before 11 to get the best of the dim sum and avoid painful waits. - Inspector
Great dim sum. Supplement with an order of baby clams in black bean sauce off the menu.
You can customize how many bubbles, how much sugar and how much ice you want. Try their specialty teas!
They make handmade onigiri on the spot for $2.25 to $3 and freshly brew tea hot or cold from $3 to 3.50!
Reasonably priced international bubble tea chain. Be sure to show your student ID or join their loyalty card program. You get 20% off for life after completing a card.
Here for pho? You'll want to order the Pho Dac Biet (L1), a bowl of tender beef brisket and juicy eyeround paired with chewy tendon. Be sure to applaud the cow who gave so much of himself to the dish. Read more.
Thinking about trying some real, authentic Chinese while you're in town? You're a fool! Pair some chicken mcnuggets with some sweet n' sour sauce straight from Hunan province (well, probably not). Read more.
If you're up for a bit of rewarding work, don't hesitate to order the aromatic crab ($14.95). The melt-in-your-mouth, tender white meat you'll extract from the deliciously seasoned shells is heavenly. Read more.
Come here for ultra-cheap Chinese cuisine. Huge portions of hand-pulled noodle soups range from $4 - $6.50. Try fish ball or beef for $5. Read more.
Possibly the most valuable Chinese restaurant in NY, acceptable price, tasty food. Beware: cash only
Yeah, everyone says to get the taro root bubble tea. And they only say that because it's A-W-E-S-O-M-E! And you know you want to feel awesome.
Go here for deliciously cheap fried pork & chive dumplings - 5 for $1. Buy a frozen bag to take home – 50 dumplings for $8. Cash only.
Try the xiao long bao (soup dumplings). "At just the right thickness, the soup dumplings’ skins ensure that both beginner and expert can pluck them effortlessly from the steamer." Read more.
Deeeeelicious pho! On a rainy day, split a pot of tea and the grilled pork chops with a friend. Then go nap. Or go back to the courtroom.
The setting is dropped-ceiling bland, but real pleasures await: outstanding soup dumplings, fried fish, cold noodles and stir-fries.
Try to go during the weekends if you can. There's a larger selection of food and more lunch specials. This holds true for most Cantonese dim sum places as well.
One of the squeeze bottles at your table is the fish sauce 'nước mắm', a Vietnamese flavor staple. You don't see this lesser pho joints in America. Your soup will benefit from a squirt or two. Read more.
The best pho is *eaten in* instead of taken out, when the pho soup is steaming hot and you throw in raw meat, pho noodles, and bean sprouts. Pho #7, #8, #9 are great (semi-raw beef and tendon).
The hot deli section offers one of the best values in manhattan. Roast duck and bbq pork combo over rice for only $7.50. Enough portion for two meals and super delish. For to go only though.
The food may not blow you away, but dining on dim sun in Jing Fong's cavernous hall will make you feel like a king.
The urban legend of the phantom menu turns out to be true. - Anthony Bourdain, host of No Reservations
Show up before 11am to get the breakfast deal! Set A is two of three dishes with a beverage for $3.75. I didn't finish mine...
Affordable dim sum, a picture menu for newbies and they close at 9 at night - what's not to like?
Anthony Bourdain's first love, the Spicy Cumin Lamb Burger, is amazing, but don't hesitate to explore the rest of the menu. The stewed pork noodles are superb. Read more at http://bit.ly/UntappedXian.
Small, medium and large dim sum plates are all the same low price of $2.00 each from Monday - Friday!
The prepared foods are incredible- greasy, delicious and so cheap! You can buy a meal for 2 ppl including sodas for $4-$8 depending on what you get. Read more.
Try Spicy Hot Oil Seared Hand-Ripped Noodles. "A hefty plate of hand-torn carbs stir-fried in red-hot chili oil, scallions, cumin and spices until every inch is coated in a thin film of liquid heat." Read more.
Here, you can get 12 pork & chive dumplings for $3. "Thin skins, fried perfectly crisp, yield to your bite to reveal juicy nuggets of pork and chives so flavorful that no sauce is necessary." Read more.
In the unassuming bottle at the end of the table is a magnificent house made soy sauce. Don't skip. It's better than the standard.
The Sha Tin Chicken Congee, of which the chef only makes 10 bowls daily, is the best congee I have had this side of the Pacific. Dopple in some red wine vinegar and you're all set.
Try the sheng jian bao ("fried tiny buns"). "A ball of savory minced pork and broth are encased in a bready shell, then fried to a crisp on the bottom and sprinkled with sesame seeds on the top." Read more.
This place offers the best bang for your buck lunch in the area. 5 dumplings for $1 served by the famous "Angry Dumpling Lady"
Delicious hand pulled noodles for dirt cheap. Get the oxtail. $5
Noodles with ginger and scallion, roast pig or duck, shrimp wontons, flowering chives. Cheap, fast, actually great — and open till 4 a.m.
This little place packs a punch with large dumplings that have a great dough thickness and tons of pork and chives along with an even fry on all the dumplings for a great taste. Five for $1.25.
One of the only two Chinatown places serving Chiu Chow food (潮州, Chao Zhou, Teo Chew). Chiu Chow is a city in Eastern Guang Dong. Great writeup by by Randy Lau after the jump. Read more.
For $5 or less, fill up on some of NYC’s greatest cheap dumplings. Try the sesame pancakes for $.50 each and get 3 pork fried buns for $1. Read more.
