One of the first things I noticed was the mix of languages, like a modern day Tower of Babel. English (of course) in many accents and rhythms, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, many African languages and yes, I heard Hebrew here and there as well. In the summer evenings, the sidewalks look like a “drive-in” or a public park – music, chairs, barbecue, kids running and mothers trying to get a little bit of the evening breeze.

I started to photograph. Through the photography I noticed more details and I got to know people. But I searched for a way to get deeper and explore the diversity of cultures in my neighborhood, so I decided to focus on photographing my building.

My building is huge! There are about 90 apartments that are occupied by people from all over the world–all ages, single tenants and families, old and new tenants. In Israel, when you move to a new place, one of the first things that you do is knock on your neighbor’s door and introduce yourself. In many cases your neighbor becomes your best friend, the closest substitute for family. An Israeli phrase says: “It is better to have a close neighbor than a distanced brother.” Since I didn’t know anyone in New York, it was the most natural thing to do–just knock on my neighbors’ doors and introduce myself.

But the experience was very different from what I imagined. Most of the doors stayed closed and the only door that opened, the lady didn’t understand why–why am I introducing myself? Why do I think she wants to know me? However, this only stimulated my imagination and curiosity. Who lived behind the doors? Were they young or old? What do their apartments look like? What does they have on the walls or in the kitchen?

In Israel we have people from all parts of the world, from every culture and religion. This curiosity about strangers and the unfamiliar has been a part of my life for many years. I used to live in a mixed neighborhood in the Arab part of Tel Aviv, I worked with the Ethiopian community, and I volunteered helping immigrants and refugees from Darfur and other communities.

The camera is not just a tool. It’s the photographers eyes and, in the words of photographer Diane Arbus, a “kind of license.” So, equipped with a camera I started knocking on my neighbor doors, introduced myself and asked to photograph them and their apartment. Some of the doors remained closed. Some of the conversations were made while the door was still locked. Some were over in a split second, with a cursory: “I am not interested.” In some cases I learned a lot about the neighbors themselves, the community, the building, and the neighborhood– but didn’t reach photography. But others not only opened their doors, but let me into their most private stories.

I met people who are so similar and so different at the same time. From babies to 70-year old ladies, people from all over the world: Irina from Russia, Donia from Iran/The Netherlands, people from south and central America, from Africa. And me – from Israel.

While photographing my building, I discovered that loneliness and the question of belonging are common themes. On one hand, older residents, who have lived here (sometimes in the same apartment) for more than 35 years, argue that the neighborhood has changed beyond recognition; hence they feel a sense of displacement. On the other hand, the new tenants, such as myself, do not feel part of the community and some argue that they do not want to become part of it.

To my surprise, the older neighbors held the most negative or pessimistic views about the neighborhood. This is one of the main reasons that this population would not open the doors to me. Some agreed and wanted to tell me about the neighborhood, especially how it used to be but based on previous experiences and the memory of danger, they refused to be photographed–them or their apartments. The young neighbors, age or seniority in the building, were more willing.

Photographing my neighbors, brought to light my own personal question about “home.” Is this my home? What makes your apartment to your home? And why is it so important for me to know the people who live next to me?

One of the first questions I am asked when people hear that I live in Harlem is, “Isn’t it dangerous?” No. it is not. When I started to photograph, I wanted to show that Harlem is not what you think. It’s not only about crime, drugs, gangs and poverty. It’s about ordinary people, like me, you, like our parents and our friends.

Follow Untapped Cities on Twitter and Facebook. This is an ongoing photographic project by Noit Zakay. For more of her work, go to noitzakay.com. 

Just a ferry (or bus ride) away is the Japanese food heaven that is Mitsuwa. It’s basically an enormous Japanese grocery store and food court on the waterfront in Edgewater, New Jersey. You’ll be instantly transported to Asia, from the plastic display food to the oh-so-familiar pastel packaging of Pocky and Shrimp Chips.

You can even buy Asian appliances ranging from rice cookers to vacuums (but not on Sunday because Bergen County’s Blue Law forbids the sale of electronics on Sundays for religious reasons). But ironically buying alcohol on Sunday is fine and there’s an aisle with more varieties of sake than I’ve ever seen. Many things in the store also come in cases.

The best part of this? It’s all so cheap. A typical meal in the food court costs between $6 to $8. Kastuhana specializes in udon noodle soup bowls, soba noodles and fried dishes, and all of the orders come with free hot tea. Check out Kayaba for grilled dishes. If you’re a fan of sushi, don’t fret, there’s a sushi bar. And for those with a sweet tooth, there’s a bakery and kiosks for desserts like green tea ice cream, black sesame fro-yo and red bean mochi.

Right now Mistuwa is celebrating its anniversary with food court specials, ranging from $5.00 for Sanuki Sando-Udon’s Tempura Udon and Inari Sushi Combo or Kayaba’s Katsu-don Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl which comes with soup and salad. For $6.00, you can get a Loin Katsu Set at Katushana or grab Kimchee Pasta (comes with salad, bread, drink and choice of dessert) at the Italian Tomato stand.

There’s always something to watch too. Once, a huge tuna was brought in, sliced and sold to eager customers in the middle of the food court. For less intense fare, watch them make your dessert–either red bean or vanilla-filled pastries at this shop:

Try to snag a seat by the window for a great view of Manhattan and the Hudson River. If you don’t live in the New York area, there’s good news–there are Mitsuwa locations in San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles and Chicago.

To get to Mitsuwa, you can take the Mitsuwa shuttle bus from the Port Authority ($3 for adults, $2 for children and seniors), public bus from the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, or the NY Waterway Ferry to Edgewater (a 20 minute walk after disembarking).

Mitsuwa
595 River Road
Edgewater, NJ 07020
Website 

Follow Untapped Cities on Twitter and Facebook. Get in touch with the author @untappedmich.

Long after most of Chinatown’s restaurants have retired their woks and set their tea pots out to dry overnight, Great N.Y. Noodletown’s chefs remain poised, carving up meat until the sun comes up… or just about. A mix of locals, foodies, hungry drunks and exhausted chefs fill the restaurant’s crowded tables, all aching for an the perfect late night meal. And all of them will find it.

N.Y Noodletown’s interior is tiny, and we suspect multiple fire codes are broken nearly every hour of the restaurant’s existence – expect to be packed into this place like, well, New Yorkers. The expansive menu is placed underneath your table’s plastic top, for your convenience, of course. Take our advice – don’t put anything on the table until you’ve fully explored all your options. Words With Friends can wait – this menu deserves to be studied long and hard.

Duck Roll, $4.50

Noodletown is famous for its barbecued meats and its noodles, among other things. In an effort to travel every avenue of this restaurant, we decided to try, well, just about every kind of meat they offered. We started with the duck roll, 2 for $4.50. Handfuls of chives are stuffed around a large, succulent piece of barbecued duck and fried just the way Chinese rolls should be.

Baby Pig on Rice, $8.50

Whether you care to admit it or not, everyone imagines what the baby version of an animal tastes like at one point or another. Lucky for us, Noodletown’s staple dish offers just that opportunity – barbecued baby pig on rice, $8.50. Deliciously seasoned baby pig skin clings onto one of the most tender bites of pig you’re like to have in your lifetime. If you can get past the inescapable thought of newborn baby pigs being led to Noodletown’s kitchen, it’s well worth the guilt trip.

Combination over rice, $6.75

If you’re having trouble deciding between two, or even three meats, Noodletown offers an escape – the ‘combination of any three items on rice’ – for just $6.75 Choose between pig, duck, pork, and chicken. A veritable pie chart of barbecued proteins will be hand delivered to you on a steaming bed of fresh rice. If you can’t tell which part of the pig (or duck… or chicken) you’re eating, don’t worry – it’s probably okay. The barbecued sauces and intense spices shine here.

Mushroom with E-Foo (Wide) Noodle, $9.50

And of course, no trip to Great N.Y. Noodletown is complete without sampling the noodles. Their true speciality are wide noodles, Cantonese style. Since you’ve eaten several pounds of meat at this point in the evening, why not take it easy for the noodle-laden portion of feast – try the mushroom with E-Foo noodle, just $9.50. The dish will easily serve your entire group, and the table next to you, if you feel like making some new friends. The “wide” noodles are exceptionally chewy, and the mushrooms perfectly cooked.

Anthony Bourdain spent a decent portion of his New York City-themed episode of “The Layover” championing the true beauty of a late-night trip to this dive-y food joint. A rule of thumb in Chinatown – never judge a restaurant by its Department of Health Rating, or the beauty of its interior. It’s never been easier to follow. Noodletown is as good a meal as you’ll find in this good city, and whether you remember the experience or not, trust us – you loved it.

Great N.Y. Noodletown [Map]
28 Bowery
New York, NY  10013
212.349.0923.

Follow Untapped Cities on Twitter and Facebook! Get in touch with the author @lukekingma.
Read more from the Sunday in Chinatown column.

On the border of Williamsburg and Greenpoint is The Yard, a co-working environment which serves as a home-base for a variety of New York start-ups. Business partners Morris Levy and Richard Beyda renovated a floor of a former warehouse with the intention of providing a creative space for entrepreneurs interested in planting seeds outside of Manhattan. Reminiscent of General Assembly in Flatiron, The Yard serves as a hub for 60 – 65 companies. The startups are involved in (among others) technology, gaming, publishing and film production. It houses Hype Machine, Wanderfly, GanderTV and Spotflux. Unlike General Assembly however, which wants to keep their space free of venture capital pressure, The Yard is seeking angel investors to move in. The Yard is also far less event and education-based than General Assembly, and Levy hopes to differentiate the two by being just more “comfortable and practical.”

“We don’t discourage companies that are not tech start-ups,” Levy tells Untapped. “As long so they are creative at what they do.” The 14,000 square foot establishment opened its doors on November 15th, 2011 and quickly gained clientele via word-to-mouth, grassroots advertising and flyers. Levy states, “We didn’t realize the type of talent that would be coming through the door.” As of February, The Yard has almost reached capacity in terms of rentable space.

Levy, born and raised in Brooklyn, specifically choose the site because of its locale and its potential to support creative growth. Employees of the respective companies enjoy the walkability to McCarren Park, nearby niche boutiques and unique coffee shops. The outside creativity is reflected inside. The bustling hallways and multi-media conference rooms filled with bright individuals convey a collaborative spirit as representatives from companies visit their next door office mates to share project ideas.

The space, designed by David Bers is light and airy with a modern industrial feel. They offer different packages of membership depending on your company type: “Solopreneurs,” “Partners,” “Three or more,” shared workspace in “The Lounge,” dedicated workspace in “The Library” and “Virtual Office,” if all you need is a business address and conference rooms.

Levy describes The Yard, and its location in Williamsburg, as being “another home for people” seeking an alternative to conducting business in the City. Many of the employees of businesses housed at The Yard cross-commute five days week from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Perhaps, it serves a testament to entrepreneurs interested in taking a departure from the downtown skyscrapers. According to the establishment’s saying, “If your business is evolving, it’s time to work in The Yard.”

For more information on The Yard, visit their website at www.workattheyard.com.

Follow Untapped Cities on Twitter and Facebook. Follow the author at @UntappedAlley.

“Some people become cops because they want to make the world a better place. Some people become vandals because they want to make the world a better looking place.” -Banksy

It’s no secret that I love everything that has to do with street art. Whether they are shaped stencils, massive murals, colored stickers or even the ceramic tiles of the Space Invader, they all create a beautiful urban art that matters and affects the environment. I often say that as much as New York is a home to a great amount of museums, the real museums are not among the four white walls but outside on the streets.

As a photographer based in New York, the streets of this city have always been a great inspiration for my photography. And Banksy, Shepard Fairey/OBEY Giant, Mr. Brainwash, JR, Know Hope, Klone, ElbowToe and Swoon are some of the names I like to follow. With time, my curiosity about street art has taken me beyond the streets of New York, to the streets of other major cities such as Berlin, Paris, London, Tel Aviv and one of the most surprising and inspiring cities; Buenos Aires.

Last February, I was invited by Graffiti Mundo to photograph one of their walking tours, a tour that followed the graffiti scene in the different neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Graffiti Mundo started in 2009 with the goal of connecting people with the art on their streets while connecting the artists with their audience. They created guided walking tours that explain the historical context of the art scene, as well as the cultural movement.

With time, the organization focused on promoting and representing the individual artists and set up virtual gallery, came up with street art workshops, started a blog and curated exhibitions of street art. Graffiti Mundo became the “go-to” with everything that has to do with street art and graffiti in Buenos Aires.

I was at awe while taking the tour. I learned so much about the street art culture and how influential it is in Buenos Aires. In fact, it is legal, like in Rio de Janeiro,  and supported. I’ve learned about the different and creative artists and heard some “Behind the scenes/behind the walls” sort of stories. Once the tour was over, I was able to recognize the unique style of every street artist in the tour and I was so anxious, in fact, to take the tour again in the next day.

Next time you are visiting Buenos Aires, don’t miss out on this cultural, colorful experience.

Abrazo.

To see more images of Buenos Aires Street Art, please visit my gallery.

Follow Untapped Cities on Twitter and Facebook! Get in touch with the author at sivanaskayo.com.

Use these apps to find an awesome food truck, know where NOT to eat, figure out how to get home with weekend subway delays, even find another player for tonight’s game. Many of the following applications were also developed by local companies.

• Tweat.it:  New York City is now home to several pop-up food trucks that serve many foods including sushi rolls, tacos and freshly made ice cream. Tweat.it helps the public find an alternative to the sit-down restaurant by finding the truck closest to them.

• Waze: Waze is a local driving community-based traffic and navigation app.  With Waze, drivers share real-time information about traffic, construction, and even police and speed trap locations.  Even if you don’t drive, we think the Waze map interface is more fun and intuitive than Google Maps.

• Foodspotting:  In a city as dense as New York, anything that helps you find the perfect food you’re craving is great in our book. Foodspotting allows users to find and recommend dishes rather than restaurants, so you can be on a street corner craving that Sunday Hangover Eggs Benedict cure and open up your app to see what other users “spotted” in the area rather than clicking through restaurant menus.

• Zaarly: We’ve probably heard of thousands times how hard Craigslist is to use. Enter Zaarly, a new mobile, location-based marketplace to buy & sell goods, services, and experiences. The app is insanely useful for anything from borrowing a bike from a neighbor to finding the right person to be a dealer for your poker night.

• Greplin: Grepli allows you to store important online information in one place, which may include taxi numbers, grocery delivery services and dog-walker numbers. Bloomberg Business Week and Time.com all recognized this application for being just so damn useful.

• NYC Media: With hundreds of videos at your fingertips, you will never be bored while awaiting a food order. NYC Media’s application compiles information on food, news, calendars and life in NYC. A neat feature is the GPS mapping tool which allows the user to watch video related a specific location in the city.

• Roadify: Roadify, along with DontEat.At, won the 2011 NYC Big Apps 2.0 Competition and was dubbed “genius” by TechCrunch. The application consolidates information from DOT, MTA and citizens on the street regarding local travel information. The app allows people give and receive information about what is happening on the ground.

• DontEat.at: DontEat.At is a Foursquare-based application created by Max Stroller, a student at New York University. It sends users an SMS message after “checking into” a food place. The shared message informs the user as to whether the establishment may be at risk of being closed due to health violations.

Take the #1 subway to 125th Street and Broadway. The old station is a historic landmark built in 1904. Once you cross under the station’s graceful steel arch and red canopied platforms begin walking north. It won’t be pretty at first but you will begin to see a side of the Big Apple that never makes the guidebooks. A bleak corridor of discount stores and rundown housing will make you wonder why you made the journey. Don’t be discouraged – look closely and let Upper Manhattan reveal itself to you at its own pace.

At the top of a gentle incline you reach 135th Street where the elevated trains that run along Broadway go underground. The vista opens up to something you rarely see in Manhattan – open sky. In this part of Manhattan few buildings rise as tall as 3333 Broadway, a complex of four buildings and one 35-story edifice.

Before you continue walking, stop and take a good look at the blighted valley you are leaving behind. The area, known as Manhattanville, was once a village dotted with farms before it became a bustling town crowded with sailors, merchants, shops and hotels. Beginning in 2015, Columbia University will expand toward this section of Broadway bringing new construction and vast change to the area.

Welcome to Hamilton Heights, named after Alexander Hamilton who lived in this section of New York City when it was still a sleepy rural outpost of fashionable Manhattan to the south. Today little evidence remains of Hamilton Height’s Colonial past. Instead the lively rhythms of reggaeton and salsa greet you as you meander from crowded discount stores and Latin bodegas to Dominican pastry shops. Look east and west off Broadway and you’ll find elegant brownstones and graceful, ornamented building lining quiet side streets. The availability of spacious apartments and reasonable rents has attracted actors, artists, teachers and professors to this section of Manhattan.

Look east and west off Broadway and you’ll find elegant brownstones and graceful, ornamented building lining quiet side streets. The availability of spacious apartments and reasonable rents has attracted actors, artists, teachers and professors to this section of Manhattan.

At 155th Street you will come upon one of the highest hills in Hamilton Heights as it rises from the Hudson River toward Broadway where Trinity Church Cemetery spans two sides of the avenue. Cross to the west side of Broadway to visit The Hispanic Society of America at 163 West 155th Street. Past the elegant sculpture garden you can gaze at a Goya and visit the museum’s hushed galleries before pressing on toward Washington Heights.

From 155th Street to 165th Street it’s more mom & pop shops than chain stores but the overall feeling is the same between the two types of businesses – faded, disarrayed and commercial. While the rest of Manhattan seems to be in a hurry to get places, this part of Uptown seems to have little reason to rush. At every corner men gather in groups to talk and watch the day go by. People stand outside of checks cashed locations and linger near storefronts occupied by doctors – specialists in diabetes and heart disease. Still there is much laughter, much music, shouted greetings between neighbors and everywhere people helping each other get by: a group of young men work together to repair an old car while nearby a woman teaches an old man in a wheel chair how to use an international calling card.

At 165th Street Uptown perks up. That’s where The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center and the Columbia University Medical Center flank Broadway, both standing proud, almost demanding that everyone nearby do the same – hurry, move, achieve. Suddenly a coffee house appears on the horizon, the first one in 40 blocks, and soon a Starbucks comes into view.

Veer off Broadway near 175th Street for a peek at the Hudson River and the George Washington River to the west. Spacious apartments along this stretch of Manhattan are accompanied by fabulous river views and still reasonable rents. Only 15 minutes by A train from Columbus Circle you can still find a one-bedroom apartment for $1,500 per month.

In a park along Wadsworth Avenue you’ll find a playful replica of the George Washington Bridge.

In the distance you’ll see the George Washington Bridge Bus Station, sister to the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 42nd Street. The station was built in 1963 and designed by renowned Italian engineer Pier Luigi Nervi.

Once back on Broadway at 175th Street you’ll be face-to-face with the Palace Cathedral, built in 1930 as one of a series theaters for Loews.

In this elaborate building topped by a cupola, New York’s famous Reverend Ike ruled the pulpit from the 1970s through 2009. On a recent visit, a farmers’ market nearby offered mostly discount cleaning products and medicines: $3 for Thera-Flu on a cold, rainy day.

Crowds of children pour onto the sidewalks after three o’clock, adding the music of their giggles to the rumble of traffic on Broadway. Little girls’ bright pink backpacks and purple overcoats compete with the bright signage that dominates St. Nicholas Avenue, a lively shopping and dining destination located one block east of Broadway.

After a bit more zigzag exploration near 181st Street and Broadway, continue north toward Inwood to visit Fort Tryon Park where you can visit The Cloisters Museum and Gardens or refuel with cocktails and an early dinner at Bette Midler’s Washington Heights venue, New Leaf Restaurant and Bar.

As an alternative, continue west on 181st Street instead where gaudy shops and discount stores give way to gentrified taste: gluten-free Italian dining, a sushi restaurant and a wine boutique.

Make a right onto Fort Washington Avenue to visit Bennet Park and travel through Manhattan bedrock toward the A train via elevators that have been in operation since 1932. On the other hand, you may want to see the George Washington Bridge from one of several overlooks near the Hudson River just one more time before you end your tour.

Back on Broadway and 181 Street, head down to the A train (the subway that can have you in Mid-town in 15 minutes) by riding down one of the longest escalators in the New York subway system. Emerge at Columbus Circle amazed that you’ve discovered another Manhattan, one that has been there all along.

Follow Untapped Cities on Twitter and Facebook! Get in touch with the author @citygirlwrites

Will you be my valentine… again?

Our love has been short but fierce. Even though I didn’t believe in it,  it was undeniably love at first sight.Your aren’t just the greatest city in the world. You are an organism in yourself. Living. Breathing. Existing.

I came to New York in 2003 in search of something. I didn’t know what it was then and I still don’t. Since then you have molded me into who I am today. You are the reason why I am who I am and why I act like I do. I think fast, walk fast and talk fast. I dream big and I believe anything is possible. You fill me with hope, inspire me, and spark my curiosity. You make me feel so small, so insignificant but at the same time like I am on top of the world. You have forever changed me and for that, I’m forever grateful.

I know I’m not the first one to fall in love with your diverse, loud and quirky people, your passionate fans and rattling subways. And I won’t be the last to love your grand museums full of treasures, tiny bodegas filled knick-knacks as well as your green parks smack dab in the middle of the bustling city.

Each part of the day casts new shadows and sheds light on what was once dark. I love the color of your fading daylight. There is constantly something new to discover in your wonderful city. It’s not just the light that brings changes. When it snows, it’s magical. Mother Nature dusts your every surface, nothing is safe. A white blanket covers all that is familiar, transforming it into something different and new to discover all over again.

I’m not going to lie. I’ve thought about breaking up with you. California keeps calling my name and taunting me with warm winters and a laid back attitude. But once I see the lights of Times Square and the towering skyscrapers I know there isn’t a place in the world quite like you. I could never leave.

So today, I ask you to be my Valentine. To inspire me for another year. To teach me new things. To forever give me a million reasons to keep coming back.

Love always and forever,

Follow Untapped Cities on Twitter and Facebook! Get in touch with the author @DowntownDoodler.

The Silent Strength of Liu Xia opened on February 9 at the Italian Academy at Columbia University to a crowd of over two hundred people. It it is the first and only exhibition of Chinese artist Liu Xia’s work in the United States. A poet and photographer, Liu was placed under house arrest after her husband Liu Xiabo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. At the opening reception, curator Guy Sorman, who smuggled the photos out of China and organized their first exhibition in Boulogne-Billancourt, France before bringing them to New York, spoke about the difficulties and dangers involved in organizing the exhibit. Addressing the crowd, he told everyone that they were there to honor Liu Xia, who agreed to have her work exhibited on the condition that she not find out where and when her work was being displayed. That way, if representatives of the Chinese government come to interrogate her about the exhibits, she can say she doesn’t know anything.

As Sorman explains in a video commenting on the exhibit, there are two different art scenes in China today. There are the government sanctioned artists whose work gets exported and there are the underground artists whose work we never hear about, often for political reasons. Liu Xia’s haunting photographs show dolls that she calls her “ugly babies” set in chiaroscuro tableaux symbolic of confinement and repression. Liu’s work focuses on the struggle for freedom of expression, sending an important message about contemporary China.

The exhibition was co-sponsored by The Alliance Program, Columbia University and the Ville de Boulogne-Billancourt, France. It continues until March 1, and will then travel to Madrid. Gallery hours are weekdays from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, Saturdays from 12:00 to 6:00 pm.

The Silent Strength of Liu Xia
Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America
1161 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
212.854.2306

Follow Untapped Cities on Twitter and Facebook! Get in touch with the author @LauraItzkowitz.

This week’s Sunday in Chinatown took us farther down Mott street than we’ve ever been. As was the case with many of our previous sessions, we chose Wo Hop after a period of aimless wandering because its name was simple, and a hell of a lot of fun to say (and write!) So, please try and disregard the blatant, obnoxious overuse of’ ‘Wo Hop’ that you’re like to experience in the coming paragraphs.

On a first glimpse, Wo Hop reminded us of Hop Kee Restaurant, a restaurant we profiled a few weeks ago. Like Hop Kee, its interior is never, ever going to win any design awards, but I never judge a book by its dated faux leather booths.

Fried Dumplings, $5.30 for a Half Dozen

Wo Hop’s Cantonese-inspired menu is cumbersome, almost overwhelmingly so. Take it one section at a time – you’re bound to find exactly what you want eventually. Any and all similarities between Wo Hop and any of our previous finds ended with its menu size.

In what has become a tradition in our Chinatown outings, we started with fried dumplings ($5.30). Our server brought us six monstrosities – truly the biggest dumplings we’ve ever seen, filled to capacity with delicious pork. While most dumplings in this neighborhood are pan fried, Wo Hop’s take a swim in a deep fryer. The result is incredible, if not unhealthy.

Egg Rolls, $4.00 for Two

The egg rolls followed suit, arriving perfectly fried and larger than my forearms. By this point, any chance at a nod to our health-conscious readers was out the window. Still, we pressed on. I poured over the ‘hot and spicy’ section of the menu, while the others explored the soups and noodle dishes.

Bean Curd w/ Minced Pork, $8.95

I landed on the Szechuan style Bean Curd w/ Minced Pork ($8.95), an endless sea of delicious sauces, vegetables and pork bits filled with plenty of bean curds, light as air. The casserole-sized dish more than earns its place on the hot and spicy menu, so be sure to order a bed of rice and a few extra glasses of water to keep things G-rated.

Beef Young Sing Chow Mein ($7.25)

If you didn’t have enough fun with the word ‘Wo Hop’ while you waited for your appetizers, try the Beef Young Sing Chow Mein. A wealth of vegetables and thin, savory slices of beef rest on top of a plate of partially crispy pan-fried noodles. At just $7.25, it’s perfect for the budget-minded gastro-tourist who refuses to sacrifice the idea of a high quality meal… and of course really, really fun to say.

Roast Duck Dumplings Soup, $5.95

Cheaper yet is the roast duck dumplings soup, just $5.95. The nearly overflowing bowl gives you the best of both worlds – fried dumplings and steamed dumplings, both stuffed with roast duck, in a light broth. Add a pot (or four) of fresh tea, and you’ll be as satisfied as anyone in town.

We’d love to recommend more to you, but Wo Hop left us with our stomachs fuller than they’ve ever been. The restaurant’s larger than life dishes may not be healthy, but they’re nearly everything else you’d want them to be – cheap, filling, and so, so good. And true to form, my fortune cookie predicted a future made possible only by our trip to Wo Hop.

I trust I’ll be protected for quite a while, at least until I’ve digested my mega meal… April, perhaps.

Wo Hop [Map]
15 Mott Street
New York, NY  10013
212.964.8365.

Follow Untapped Cities on Twitter and Facebook! Get in touch with the author @lukekingma.
Read more from the Sunday in Chinatown column.