I love to head downtown on days like this, slowly moving back in time as each step southward brings me closer to the initial Dutch settlements. Arriving at City Hall, I realize that I've once again lost myself in the downtown streets and completely overshot Chinatown. I ask directions of a security guard, something I hate to do in a city that I live in, and follow his advice to travel down Worth Street (also known as Avenue of the Strongest--"Strongest" refers to NYC Sanitation Workers, which is a bit strange).
My friend Meg and I move down the street (was it clean or dirty? I honestly don't remember). We reach Chinatown and in a moment of urban serendipity, stumble upon the only restaurant with which I'm familiar in the whole neighborhood, Joe's Shanghai.
Joe's Shanghai is one of most well-known restaurants in Chinatown, and is generally filled with Chinese people, which is always a positive omen. They are most famous for their "soup dumplings," which are delicious dumplings stuffed with crab meat, pork, and a savory broth. Best of all, they're not only delicious, but eating them is fun and slurping seems to be encouraged.
Beyond sucking down dumpling broth at Joe's, Chinatown is also a fantastic place to merely stroll around and check out the local produce and watch the buyers and sellers do their thing. It is also great fun to check out the names of restaurants and read the menus, which never fail to provide a source of amusement for even the most casual of readers.
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