157 Mott Street between Broome and Grand Streets
212/966.3797
$20 for two, without drinks, without tip
One of the last Vietnamese restaurants in New York City that’s still not lazy about making pho that tastes like beef, Pho Bang always hits the spot. Even if I order a bowl of vermicelli noodles with beef or a rice plate with pork chops, I can still order a small bowl of pho as a dollar appetizer. Pho Bang also hasn’t lost its touch in making spring and summer rolls.
5 East Broadway between Catherine Street and Chatham Square
212/732.0797
about $60 for two, without drinks, without tip
Probably the funkiest decor in all of Chinatown–Funky Broome tried but they have since closed–Dim Sum GoGo is the brainchild of a French American food writer and a Hong Kong chef. The futuristic furniture and splashes of red are effective to the visitors afraid of the rest of Chinatown; not too ethnic and very modern. The dim sum platter is the safest bet if you’re one of them. On weekends, come before noon or else you’ll end up waiting in line behind tourists. Don’t try to get the table by the window on the second floor if your group is less than four. The surly old Chinese man will only grumble and insist on the table away from the window anyway. Some things you just can’t change.
73 Mulberry Street on Baxter
212/233.8988
about $25 for two, without drinks, without tip
Smaller bowls of pho and vermicelli noodles but still satisfying. The green papaya salad is one of my favorites even at $9.50. The service is quick and like the rest of Chinatown, impersonal. When all you want is a quick lunch, Nha Hang is a good pick.
Adapted from epicurious.com
Ingredients:
4 2-inch slices of beef bones
4 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
2 onions, unpeeled, quartered
1 carrot, peeled, quartered
2 celery ribs, quartered
salt
1. Preheat oven to 450º. While oven heats, tie parsley, thyme and bay leaf in a bundle with kitchen string to make a bouquet garni. Spread beef bones, onions and carrot in roasting pan, then brown well in oven, turning occasionally, about 1 hour.
2. Transfer meat and vegetables to a large stockpot. Add 2 cups water to roasting pan, then deglaze by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes.
3. Add deglazing liquid to stockpot along with 18 cups of water, celery, salt and the bouquet garni. Bring to a boil and skim froth. Add remaining 1/2 cup water, then bring mixture to a simmer and skim any froth. Simmer gently, uncovered, skimming froth occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 8 cups, about 4 hours.
4. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on and then discarding solids. If using stock right away, skim off and discard fat. If not, cool stock completely, uncovered, then chill, covered (it will be easier to remove fat when chilled).
57 Great Jones Street off Bowery
212/473.8458
$105 for two, with two drinks, with tip
Hideyuki Nakajima, or Hedeh as he is also known, had been a veteran of the Matsuhisa empire for several years before heading to New York to do his own thing. Minus all the hoopla Japanese restaurants now have to do to attract diners–giant Buddah, lotus pond–Hedeh keeps it simple and just focuses on the food.
Just pepper my lamb with lots of cumin!
Chicken tots with giant pepper
There are Brussels sprouts under all that cheese
They have since stopped their omakase offering because there are some great appetizers available a la carte. I couldn’t help but order the lamb chop in cumin served with potatoes and Brussels sprouts. The small breaded chicken was also a delight but not as much as the smoked mozarella cheese over sprouts and miso. And who can’t love bonito flakes sprinkled all over so that you can watch them “move” and sway?
The sushi and sashimi are as good as you can get in the city without breaking the bank. They certainly make up for the weak drinks from the bar.
All in all, I like Hedeh because it’s tucked away from the loud crowd of Bowery. Plus, I really needed an alternative to Blue Ribbon Sushi of the same caliber.
