Mission Chinese

Kung Pao pastrami (front) and pork jowl with radishes

Eating at Mission Chinese, the hottest new restaurant in the hood, is like going to a hipster house party. With really good food. Upon arrival for dinner, you're asked to help yourself to the beer keg while you wait. And there will be a wait, spilling onto Orchard St. That gesture in itself sets the tone for the place. They care.

Sichuan pickled vegetables

It's a good time to take a peek into the open kitchen, where you may catch a glimpse of chef Danny Bowein, creating his magical thrice cooked bacon ($11.50). Chunky belly is steamed, smoked and then stir fried with chewy rice cakes, tofu skin and a little bitter melon. The spicy dish is a must for bacon lovers.

When your table is ready, you'll follow a long hallway into a ramshackle dining room, buzzing with diners. Plates are generous, made for sharing. Start with pickles. Both the turnips and long bean pickles with cumin ($4), and Sichuan pickled veggies ($4) are zesty and refreshing - and spicy.

Many of the dishes are fired up with Sichuan peppercorn. Be forewarned. If you haven't tasted this spice before, be ready for a heat that sneaks up on you, numbs your tongue and doesn't let go. The signature Kung Pao pastrami ($11), with meat smoked for 12 hours, sets your mouth ablaze. That didn't stop me from taking home the leftovers and whipping up an omelet the next day.

Thrice cooked bacon

Other standouts include the non-spicy stir fried pork jowl and radishes, topped with fresh mint ($11), and the broccoli beef cheek ($13), whose tender meat sits in a pool of smoked oyster sauce.

Charity also plays a role for the New York outpost of this San Francisco cult favorite. A portion of sales goes to the Food Bank for New York City.

While Mission Chinese is eyeing Brooklyn for a second location, enjoy it now.

154 Orchard Street (at Rivington)
212 529 8800
Lunch 12pm -3pm
Dinner 5:30pm - 12am
Closed Wednesdays

Savoring NYC's Oldest Dim Sum Parlor

Feasting at Nom Wah Tea Parlor

Entering Nom Wah Tea Parlor in the heart of Chinatown is an unforgettable walk back in time.

It's the city's oldest dim sum parlor dating back to the 1920s. You almost feel like you're on a classic movie set. And indeed it has made its way on to the silver screen. All of this ambiance just makes for a richer dining experience.

Plump fried dumplings

Even without the old world charm, the fresh and fabulous dim sum alone is well worth a visit. And you will eat like a king for under $20.

On a recent Sunday brunch visit, two of us gorged on a selection of dim sum, dumplings, and chef's specials.

The requisite pan fried pork and chive dumplings were among the best I've tasted. The plump, juicy mince bursts with each bite.The mountain of Chinese greens ($7.95) is bright and delicious, as is the generous mound of salt and pepper shrimp ($7.95).

More stuffed eggplant, please

But the real standout (and bargain) was the stuffed Japanese eggplant ($3.50). Sandwiched between the thick purple slices is a deep fried briny mixture of fresh and dried shrimp and a hint of squid. The plate rests in a pool of black bean sauce and every last bite is creamy, salty and delicious.

Wilson Tang is the latest generation to take over the family restaurant. His uncle Wally Tang had been at Nom Wah for the past 60 years. Wilson has recently ugraded the kitchen and spruced up the dining room with bright checked tablecloths, but otherwise has retained the classic vintage feel. He keeps a warm, efficient staff serving a busy dining room.

A slice of disappearing Chinatown

While you're waiting for your food to arrive, impress your friends with some fascinating history trivia.

Nom Wah is located on Doyers Street, a tiny elbow shaped speck on the map, named after Hendrick Doyer, an 18th-century Dutch immigrant. Doyer owned a distillery which now houses the drab post office on the block. But what really shocks is the street's ominous former nickname: the Bloody Angle. At the turn of the century, this corner saw vicious violence from Chinatown's gang warfare. Hatchets were the weapon of choice, inspiring the term 'hatchet man.'

Good thing all you have to worry about today is pacing yourself from exploding.

13 Doyers Street
Sun - Thurs 10:30 am - 9 pm
Fri - Sat 10:30 - 10 pm
212 962 6047

Hungry for Hung Ry

Winning veal cheek, liver and marrow soup 

Hung Ry takes the humble noodle shop and elevates it to a sophisticated level without a hint of too-cool-for-school attitude.

In fact, the first thing that struck me by this new addition to the Bowery's string of vibrant eateries was the warm, friendly greeting. The next was a packed dining room of eaters young and old - all in a chic industrial space softened by candlelight. I love that.

Hearty oxtail soup

The modest menu of organic hand pulled noodles shines with inventive flavor combos. It changes nearly daily with such striking ingredients as quince, hen of the woods mushrooms and charred tamarind. Can they really make a soup of oxtail, brisket, rutabaga and sour cherries work? You betcha. Generous hunks of tender oxtail taste delicious with cherries plumped by a rich, complex broth.

Delicate lobster soup

The veal cheek, liver and marrow medley is perfectly cooked, mellow marrow balanced by fresh and firm offal, with a surprise crunch of whole macadamia nuts. Again, it all works!

The beautiful lobster comes in a delicate broth and gets its pleasant bite from sunchokes and hen of the woods. Don't miss the fried squid with guajillo and pumpkin seeds to start. You can probably skip the starter combo of monkfish liver with logan berry and hen of the woods. It was fishy, sweet and odd.

At the end of your meal, if there is room for something sweet, the pink grapefruit sorbet is light and refreshing.

On a bitter winter night, Hung Ry offers a warm bowlful of happiness.

55 Bond St (Bowery + Lafayette)

Tues - Sun 12-3 pm and 6-11 pm, closed Mondays

212 677 4864

Reservations accepted

Noodle soups range from $12-19

My (Current) Fave Cheap Eat in the EV

After having just inhaled my first bowl of savory cumin lamb hand-pulled noodles ($6) at the newly opened East Village branch of Xi’an (pron “she-an”) Famous Foods, I am now dreaming about how long it will take to eat my way through the heavenly menu. Come to me Liang Pi "cold skin" noodles ($6), savory cumin lamb burger ($2.50), and tiger vegetable salad ($4.50). And with prices so good, there’s nothing getting in the way.

The savory cumin lamb noodle dish is such a winner – spicy lamb in a rich cumin chili sauce. The dish is big enough for two meals, but I polished it off in one sitting. The noodles are incredibly delicious – chewy, homey comfort. Service is clean, friendly and speedy. And two monitors cleverly play a looped video of Anthony Bourdain raving about the noodles in a "No Reservations" episode. So your mouth is watering before you even order.

This week's New York Mag named the lamb noodle dish a top cheap eat, so go now. Right now. I'm not kidding.