NYC’s Chinatown is as authentic as it gets, and you can have all sorts of fun spending an afternoon here soaking in the local flavor.
If you’re planning on having lunch don’t miss out on Prosperity Dumpling [46 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002], a true hole in the wall.
If there isn’t a line out the door, you can walk in to the tiny space and figure out what you want. I knew I wanted pork and chive dumplings, this is why you come here, and you can see/smell them being made.
It was chilly out so we got some vegetable dumplings in soup, and then impulse pushed us to get a sesame pancake, which was fresh, and being cut like a pizza on the counter. For less than $20 we were eating like kings, this dive has seriously delicious cheap eats. Plan on taking this to go unless the couple of stools are occupied and you feel like eating in this congested space. There is a small park nearby where everyone seemed to be taking their food to, so we joined them, the kids, and all of the pigeons to begin our feast. A bite of that huge sesame pancake was like opening your eyes in heaven for the first time, wow, wow, wow.
Fresh, salty, and buttery dough was filled with fresh sweet veggies in the most utterly divine coupling. Fold it up like a slice of pizza and cram this down your throat, this is a treat I will continue to dream about! The whole adventure was worth it for this alone. Next we sipped on the broth from our soup which was beautiful warm and salty.
We plucked out the bok choy and noodles, at some veggie dumplings, and enjoyed it all. Lastly those pork and chive dumplings were calling to us. These bady boys were hot, moist and chewy, all sorts of flavorful.
Grab this food for a picnic and you will be happily fueled for your afternoon in Chinatown. With full bellies we walked about taking in the sights and sounds, and stumbled upon the Mahayana Buddhist Temple [133 Canal St # 1, New York, NY 10002] where the bright doors beckoned us in.
It is free to enter and you are welcome to look about. We lit some incense,
Picked a fortune,
And said a prayer for a giant Buddha to hear.
This was a beautiful and spiritual place to visit, remember to be respectful of those coming here to worship. We continued on our way down Canal Street, people watching and popping into storefronts to see what kind of cheap goods they had to offer.
Lots of shopping for knock off items, but also a great place for buying jewelry. Lots of stores had many jade pieces, so my Mom and I were happy to find two perfect pieces for ourselves to remember our fun day.
Continue onto crowded Mott Street to find buckets full of frogs and all sorts of interesting exotic items that you will only find in Chinatown.