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9 Chatham Sq.,
New York, NY 10038
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This grubby Chinatown one-roomer has the markers of solid dim sum: a mostly Asian clientele willing to jostle on line for a weekend-morning fix, and shabby surroundings that seem to suggest that if so little effort has been spent on decor and there’s still a crowd, the food must be good. Sadly, the logic doesn’t follow: While passable (and quite affordable), a meal here presents little you can’t get better within a few blocks’ walk. An exception is the baked pork buns, nicely crusty and stuffed with roasted meat and the welcome addition of onion slivers. Har gow (shrimp dumplings) are generously filled, which is a liability in this case as the dense shrimp overwhelms the delicate, translucent rice-flour wrappers. Mounds of crustacean fare better in the fried shrimp balls, which have a pleasingly crunchy exterior. Service can be harried and spotty, but when you do flag down your waiter, you can order dim sum off the menu rather than wait for the steam carts, or opt for a full range of Chinese dishes, which also largely underwhelm. Salt-and-pepper seafood has great fried texture, but the crust comes off overly salty from bite-to-bite; sautéed Chinese broccoli is heavy on the stems; and curry-powdered Singapore noodles lack any hoped-for zing.
Recommended DishesBaked pork buns
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