It’s easy to fall in love with New York. Starting with the streets, a walk around Soho is like an adventure. Riding a car was not necessarily needed. Weather during fall was perfect, as long as I wear my coat. The food, we’ll get there later on. Why? There’s too much to share about that! 🙂 It’s already February but I’m still on a high if we talk about my trip to New York last year.

 After we finished our bagels, mom and I didn’t have any agenda for the day but to explore Lower Manhattan. From Tribeca, we crossed the street to Soho and window shopped all the way to Broadway. My classes at International Culinary Center will start the following day, which is why mom wanted to check on the neighborhood as I walk alone back and forth.

To avoid traffic, it is favorable to use Citi Bikes. I wanted to rent one though. But I thought, walking is more exercise for me.

After we finished strolling and shopping, our not-so tired feet brought us to Chinatown. Anywhere we go, Chinese food is staple to mom’s cravings bank. Knowing her, she wouldn’t refuse Chinese food. Haha! :p

As New York City’s largest community, Chinatown is one of the oldest and largest Chinatowns outside Asia. To those who have visited a Chinatown in other countries, the one in New York portrays a similar feel and ambiance. Busy as expected, it is surrounded by Chinese restaurants, street market and shops. If you can’t stand noisy streets, then you are not for Chinatown. Haha!

Packed at around 1 in the afternoon, August Gatherings Restaurant is an ideal lunch break place. With its big round tables, customers don’t mind sharing tables with strangers. The price is reasonable where they offer rice plates at USD7 and below. If you care about the service, they may not have the  best one but the staff move quick and serve food quick. Mom and I were assigned to sit near at a rectangular table near the corner. I’m not sure if we looked snobs but there were 2 more vacant seats available and the waiters didn’t let anyone sit with us. Haha!

The bread of Steamed Roast Pork Bun is pillowy soft with generous pork inside. Comparing this Steamed Roast Pork Bun to Tim Ho Wan’s Pork Buns, I’d still root for Tim Ho Wan’s version because of its flaky and crispy bun.

Sticking to our Chinese food must-order, we couldn’t miss a serving of Steamed Shrimp Dumpling or Hakaw.

Boneless deep-fried chicken with sweet and spicy sauce. General Tso’s Chicken enticed us to finish up our rice, considering our stomachs were already full. Served with broccoli, it filled my need for greens on my plate.

The restaurant was not too friendly when it came to taking photos. Since it was dim in yellow lights, I needed to use my flash. I think two customers complained that the flash was irritating them. To avoid any conflict with the Chinese, I just turned it off. :-

We continued our walking adventure around Lower Manhattan, while burning calories. Haha!

Chinatown in New York, a town rich in culture, history, food and shopping, is proof that all Chinatowns all over the world are not different from each other.

Stay tuned for more of my travel posts! 🙂

Cheers,