After Mardi Gras I was lucky enough to take a few days off and enjoy a busy trip to New York City. Among all the things I did the eating was the best.

My father had read in the New York Times a week before we left about a small tour of Chinatown, limited to eight people, that provided not only a history and perspective of the area, but sampling of nine dishes from some of the best restaurants.

Called the Chinatown Food Tasting Tour (www.nycchinatowntours.com), first we went to the Shanghai Café and ate Shanghai Soup Dumplings – furtive, soft dumplings are filled with pork and a hot broth and cooked. You have to eat them almost immediately, they are hot and can only be eaten in one bite. Otherwise, broth gets all over you.

These are oft sought after and while many claim to be the best, what is great about this tour is that you only eat things that are truly great. You wonder how the broth actually stays inside the dumpling until you are told they put some sort of gelatin inside that allows the broth to melt once heated.

Next up was the Deluxe Food Market, a narrow, teeming spot filled with New Yorkers and Chinese purchasing freshly prepared Peking duck, pastries and a whole host of prepared foods. This is not your China Super Buffet, but the real deal. We tasted Sheng Jian Bao, pork buns, eaten for breakfast.

A doughy outer shell encases spiced-yet-slightly-sweet seasoned pork. At this point I had to stop myself from seconds, knowing that there was plenty of food left to sample. You will not want for food or go hungry on this tour.

Along the way we learned about how the Chinese first came to this country, their struggles then, and now. Chinatown, like much of New York, is in danger of gentrification. The Chinese make very little as wages are low in the competitive food economy of the area. Chinese are being driven out of low rent apartments that are quickly being razed or redone as luxury condos.

We toured both the “old” and “new” areas of Chinatown. I had no idea that Chinatown as we know it was only established in the mid-’60s. The area of the lower east side was traditionally Jewish, but as the second generation of Jews prospered, many began a swift exit to other parts of the city and New Jersey.

The “new” Chinatown has taken hold in the last 20 years and the area still receives a high influx of native Chinese, Korean and other Asian cultures. Those that do immigrate, mostly illegally, typically have no more than a high school education. They do not have the opportunity to participate in the explosion of the Chinese economy.

My favorite dish, if I had to pick one, was found at Yogee Restaurant, where we were presented with a steaming hot pan of Shredded Pork Pan Fried Noodles. What you learn about true Chinese food is that vegetables are the mainstay and meat is more of an accompaniment. This dish had small, delicate fried noodles, almost like angel hair, on the bottom and was topped with shredded cabbage, carrots and other vegetables with a minimal amount of tasty, tender cuts of pork.

There were many ladies on the tour who did not eat a great deal and that left plenty for my chopsticks. It is interesting to note that everyone on the tour, other than my parents and me, lived in the city. They were anxious to learn of the best in Chinatown. All were engaging and friendly and had interesting lives to share. I could go on and on, but this gives you a good idea of what the tour is all about.

While in New York I had a fairly good meal at Balthazar, an unbelievable experience at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon located in the Four Seasons. Named one of New York’s best restaurants, the I.M Pei architecture is stunning and the dark woods and deep red décor is dazzling. The food is similar to the style True practices here in Mobile. We also ate at a great place in Midtown, Il Nido, an Italian place located in the basement. White tablecloths, old-style waiters and fantastic food.

Inge finds spot

After a bit of a search, Corte Inge has landed in a building. He will open up a pizza place, The Ashland Pub with seating for 25 and a bar for 15. Food will be available for eat-in and take-out in the former Memories location on Old Shell Road next door to the ABC store just east of Florida Street. He will be up and running in about a month and is making some improvements and rearrangements to the space at the moment.

Artful eats

The ladies who lunch in Spring Hill, I understand, are flocking to a new café, The Palette Café, located at the Museum of Art in Langan Park. Run by Susan Carley, it is said to have light fare and I hear they are giving the Chat-Away Café a run for their money. They are open Tuesday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lunch plans?

Bivona’s is now open for lunch and doing a brisk business then and at dinner. It is the place to be seen by the Ashland Place set and others living in MiMo. The bar is doing a brisk business and I have eaten there a few times and have had some good meals.

Wintzell’s now has $3 dozen raw oysters and $1 draft in the afternoons during their happy hour.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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