NYC Tastes

NYC has seen a serious influx of new Chinese spots in recent years. Restaurants once confined to Chinatown have been popping up in all new neighborhoods like Jing Fong in the Upper West Side, Tim Ho Wan in Union Square and my new favorite, Pinch Chinese in SOHO.  This sleek spot on Prince Street is run by a former chef from  Din Tai Fung , a Taiwan based restaurant that earned Michelin stars across the globe for its addictive Xiao Long Bao. These soup dumplings are much smaller than most, almost bite sized with a thin exterior of dough that somehow manages to stay perfectly intact.  Inside a mix of pork and seafood soup that's rich and satisfying without that fatty shine of most soup dumplings. These were absolute perfection; I've never enjoyed xio long bao as much as these little pouches of goodness. In addition to traditional dishes like cold Sichuan Chicken and Pan Fried Beef Dumplings Pinch also has more whimsical menu items like...

Rainy days like today call for some serious lunch time comfort eats; which in Downtown Brooklyn means a bee-line to Yasa Tangbao and their incredible Shanghai Street food.  The specialty of the house are dumplings, handmade and filled with plump crab meat, veggies, pork and broth. But recently they added a new dish, the Chili Oil Wontons that I absolutely dream about. Tight little purses of pasta stuffed with ground pork and drizzled in a sweet and savory sauce of vinegar, chili oil and garlic. There's no filler or grease here- just spicy, Sichuan style wontons light as air and deeply satisfying. In addition to dumplings a variety of rice and noodles dishes are served with the famous Shanghai lion-head; a large meatball made from pork and cabbage in a rich, dark brown sauce.  It's the perfect place to warm up on a rainy Monday! Yaso Tangbao 148 Lawrence Street Brooklyn, NY 11201