sceNYC Sunday - Destination: Chinatown

 

Chinatown NYC



When the temperature drops, I'm typically hard-pressed to venture off the couch without some serious coercion.  But today, following the promise of a delicious meal, my friends and I made the chilly trek to China Town, NYC.

I've lived in Manhattan nearly five years now, and this is one neighborhood dining experience I've yet to check off my bucket list.  It has always seemed a bit intimidating to choose the right spot.  When I saw this restaurant featured on Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate", however, I knew where I had to go.

 Tasty Hand Pulled Noodles, located at 1 Doyers St. (between Bowery & Chatham Sq)



Jackpot!!  I'm clearly excited to put these noodles to the test.



Most people seemed to be eating a soupy bowl of these noodles, but I couldn't find a solid match on the menu (read: I was afraid of inadvertently ordering something strange).  I decided to err on the side of caution, and ordered the "pan fried" variety, adding shrimp and beef to the mix.  Make no mistake however: the noodles are the stars of the show in this meal!  Carnivores beware!!

My Order - Pan Fried Hand Pulled Noodles w/beef & shrimp

Our server quickly welcomed us with a few cups of hot tea.  These hit the spot after our wintry trek, and got our palates warmed up for the meal.  We were also able to catch a few glimpses of the noodles being made in the kitchen.  The dough being stretched and pulled like a giant slab of taffy made for an exciting pre-meal show. 

When we were finally able to taste the finished product, it became clear that these were no ordinary noodles.  Delicate, fresh, and flavorful.  This was some of the best pasta I've ever tasted! 

I must also give credit to the AMAZING steamed pork dumplings that we also ordered.  I've never had anything quite so delicious, and they served to satisfy the meat eater in our group.  Though you may be feeling carb overload at this point, I insist you give the dumplings a try!

After dinner, we continued our adventure with a little walk around Chinatown.  No other neighborhood I've experienced comes close in terms of total immersion in the culture.  I felt slightly out of my element, but totally enamored with all the unique foods, fruits, and products available.  What better place to explore on a sceNYC Sunday!?

I'll leave you with a few of the characters we happened across on our walk.  :)


A few of the residents of Chinatown's store fronts