Cheap Eats - New York City Free and Dirt Cheap - page 35

Bánh Mì Saigon Bakery VIETNAMESE If you ask me, bánhmì sandwiches are up there with penicillin as far
as human achievements go. Layers of cilantro, carrot, cucumber, and a creamy dressing top a crusty baguette.
Beyond the bread, French influence can also be found in the thinly sliced pâté that accompanies crumbled pork
sausage in the classic version ($4.25 here). This purveyor's counter inside a jewelry shop reinforces the sense that
anything this delicious must be illegal.
198 Grand St., btw. Mulberry and Mott sts. 212/941-1541. www.banhmisaigonnyc.com . Daily 8am-6pm. Subway: B/D to Grand St.; J/Z to
Bowery.
Dragon Land Bakery BAKERY Bakeries litter the landscape in Chinatown, most offering up fresh goods at ri-
diculous prices. The differences between any two shops are subtle, but Dragon Land does a particularly good
job. In addition to baked goods, the mango- and green tea-flavored puddings are delicious. Prices range from $1
to $4.
125 Walker St., btw. Centre and Baxter sts. 212/219-2012. Daily 7:30am-8pm. Subway: J/N/Q/R/Z/6 to Canal St.
Hong Kong Station CHINESE DIY soup-designing saves you money! Less labor-intensive than shabu shabu,
Hong Kong Station does the work once you've selected a noodle, a broth, and fillings. Chinatown body parts
(pig's blood, beef shank, and chicken gizzards) can be found, along with less adventuresome greens, tofu,
and fish balls. Garlic and hot sauces top it all off, along with scallions and “parsley” (well, cilantro actu-
ally—somebody fire the translator). A noodle soup starts at $2, with toppings $1.45 each.
45 Bayard St., at Elizabeth St. 212/233-0288. www.hongkongstation.us. Sun-Thurs 7am-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 7am-11:30pm. Subway: J/N/R/Q/
Z/6 to Canal St. Other location: 45 Division St., btw. Market and Catherine sts. 212/966-9682. Subway: F to E. Broadway; J/N/R/Q/Z/6 to Canal
St.
Pho Grand VIETNAMESE Pho Grand is a contender for the best Vietnamese food in the city, and it's just a little
added bonus that it's also among the cheapest. Huge bowls of rich, complex pho (beef noodle soup) are only
$5.25. Vermicelli noodle and rice dishes come in under $6. Most entrees top out well before $10 and are routinely
delicious. A lodgelike interior with wooden panels underscores the homey quality of the food.
277C Grand St., btw. Forsyth and Eldridge sts. 212/965-5366. www.phograndny.com . Daily 10:30am-11pm. Subway: B/D to Grand St.
Shanghai Cafe CHINESE Soup dumplings are one of the top draws in Chinatown, combining supple skins and
a physics-defying broth. Shanghai Cafe makes a specialty of the dish. Bamboo baskets come full of addictive
steamed pork (eight for $4.95) or pork with crab (eight for $6.95) dumplings. The balance of the menu is tasty,
too, with most dishes coming in under $10.
100 Mott St., btw. Canal and Hester sts. 212/966-3988. www.shanghaicafenyc.com . Daily 11:30am-9pm. Subway: J/Z, N/Q, 6 to Canal St.
Some Deals on Dim Sum
A typical New York brunch is $20 to $30 per person, but you can feast like royalty for $10 to $15 a head at a Chinese
brunch, or dimsum —Cantonese for “touch the heart,” which refers to the small dishes that are usually pushed around on
carts. You point to the dishes you want, the waitstaff stamps your card, you eat entirely more than you planned, and then
marvel at how cheap the bill is. Fill up on everything from steamed pork buns, shrimp shumai, and fried taro balls (one of
my favorites) to chicken feet and jellied pig's blood.
For the full effect, you'll want a large dining hall with the carts, and JingFong, 20 Elizabeth St. ( 212/964-5256 ), is
always a winner with my friends and family. Just dining in the cacophonous football field-size space along with dozens
of Chinese families is an experience in itself. But the secret's out, and you may wait 30 minutes or more during weekend
brunch hours. You'll have a similarly grand experience at GoldenUnicorn (my Chinese friends prefer this place), 18 E.
Broadway, at Catherine Street ( 212/941-0911 ), though you'll pay a few bucks more per person. Prices hit rock bot-
tom at 88Palace, 88 East Broadway, second floor ( 212/941-8886 ), in the Chinese mall under the Manhattan Bridge.