New York City's Chinatown Adventure

To continue the theme of ridiculously cheap food in New York City (See post on takoyaki Japanese snacks), my friend and I decided to go to the quintessential place for all things cheap: Chinatown. This was meant to be a culinary adventure through Chinatown, so instead of settling on one eatery/restaurant, we decided to hit a couple spots that are known for their Chinese delicacies.

The first spot we visited was Prosperity Dumpling, a tiny hole in the wall famous for its dumplings (as the name suggests). Most people had dumplings to-go because the place was tiny. There were about eight stools with a tiny table sticking out against the wall. My friend ordered Chives and Pork Fried Dumplings (5 for $1). The dumplings looked too greasy so I didn't try them.

She also ordered Chives and Pork Boiled Dumplings (10 for $2). The skin of the dumplings were a bit too thick, and I am not sure if the content inside was actually pork.

We split the Vegetable and Shrimp Dumplings (10 for $3.50), which were slightly more expensive. These dumplings may look small, but they are packed tightly so I got full really quickly.

The vegetable and shrimp dumplings surprisingly had a big shrimp inside. These weren't as juicy as the pork dumplings, but I much preferred them nonetheless.

I would say the ratio between the chive and the shrimp was 1:1. Quite impressed! I would definitely order this again. Also $3.50 for a filling meal in NYC is such a bargain.



After the dumpling appetizer from Prosperity, we walked a couple blocks to Joe's Shanghai, which is famous for its xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings. There was a long line of people waiting outside, so it took about 45 minutes to get a table for four. Joe's Shanghai has already established some fame in the city, having been recognized by New York Times Restaurant Guide, Gourmet Magazine, and Zagat Survey. Without hesitation, we ordered two orders of Pork Steamed Buns (8 for $4.95), which were served in a wooden bamboo steamer over a bed of cabbage.





This was actually my first time trying proper xiaolongbaos. The key to eating these are to place them on a soup spoon and make a small hole with your teeth to suck out the juices, and then eat the skin with the meat inside. You have to be careful not to burn your tongue. The dumplings were juicy and savory.

In addition to the soup dumplings, we ordered Fried Rice Cake with Beef ($7.95). I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered this dish, but it was very similar to the Korean glutinous rice cake and beef in slightly sweet soy sauce, sauteed with cabbages, onions, and spinach.

I would definitely order this dish again. In fact, I preferred the rice cake to the soup dumplings, the latter of which the restaurant is famous for. The rice cakes were chewy, while the beef was tender. My friends and I were quite stuffed after Joe's Shanghai that we decided to skip our third stop, a noodle place. Until next time!