Alice Huang 1/21/21 Alice Huang 1/21/21

LA Archives: Tsujita LA & Annex — Best Noodles in the World

First visit: July 2016
Price: Affordable
Cuisine: Japanese
Vibe: Cozy with bar-style seating and upbeat, instrumental music
Addresses: 2057 Sawtelle Blvd (Tsujita LA) and 2050 Sawtelle Blvd (Tsujita Annex), Los Angeles, CA
Veg options: There are two vegan ramen options!
COVID-19 delivery: Yes! Order through their website

Over the holidays, I finally had a chance to dig through my archives and draft up some posts about my favorite places on the West Coast. Even though I didn’t formally publish my first post until last year, I’ve been building the foundation for my blog for the past few years. During my senior year of college and throughout my subsequent two years working in Los Angeles, I kept track of all the new restaurants I visited and would take pictures of every new dish I tried. Granted, most of my photos from back then were either taken with Snapchat / Instagram Stories and the quality isn’t the best, so please don’t judge me for the grainy pictures that will be prevalent throughout this series!

I’ve loved food ever since starting university (I never ate at restaurants before that!), but LA is where my passion really blossomed. For those of you who don’t know, I did investment banking for two years after graduating college. Eating with friends on weekends was one of the few opportunities I had to disconnect from the stresses of my job. There’s a saying that food is the simplest form of travel, and I totally concur. Living in the middle of the melting pot that is LA, I was able to immerse myself in cultures from all over the world without wandering out of the ten-mile radius in which I lived and worked. Trying new restaurants was a welcome distraction from my work, but also an opportunity to learn about foods and cuisines I’d never heard of before. It was in LA that I discovered what is probably my favorite restaurant duo in the whole world: Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle and its across-the-street sister restaurant, Tsujita Annex.

*Pictured here is ramen, tsukemen, and rice bowls from the original Tsujita (PC: The Tsujita Team)*

Towards the end of my junior year summer internship, Chris, one of my best friends and former Sheng Kee coworkers (yes, I used to work at an Asian bakery!), introduced me to Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle, a Japanese noodle shop on Sawtelle Blvd that specializes in tsukemen.

Tsukemen — a.k.a “dipping noodle” — is a sub-genre of ramen that consists of thick, cold noodles served with a rich, hot dipping broth. Not to be confused with the noodles used for dipping soba, tsukemen noodles are made with wheat flour rather than buckwheat flour and are much thicker and chewier. If the broth is what makes ramen, then the noodles are what make tsukemen.

I’d never heard of tsukemen until trying Tsujita, but it instantly became my favorite type of noodle dish after I took my first bite. I was half delirious from sleeping only two to three hours a day for the past few weeks (this was during my banking internship when I worked 100+ hours a week), but the springy texture of the noodles and the rich umami of the broth woke up my senses in a way I’d never experienced before.

*Really blurry Snapchat lol, circa summer 2017*

When I flew back to LA to start my full time job after graduating college, Tsujita was the first restaurant I visited. The day I moved into my apartment, I landed at LAX pretty late at night. My roommate was already asleep, so I let myself in with a key that she had left for me under the mat. I was moving into a fully furnished room, so I didn’t have much tidying up to do before passing out. The next morning, I immediately took an Uber to Tsujita to relive my summer internship experience. I got there just as they opened, so I didn’t have to wait in the line, which can be up to two hours long on busy days. Everything — from the instrumental drumming music that played in the store, to the warm “Irasshaimase!” that the staff would shout out every time someone walked into the restaurant, to the irresistible smell of the dipping broth — was exactly as I'd remembered.

During my first year, I didn’t know a soul in the part of LA where I lived, so having a familiar restaurant so close to me brought me great comfort. I visited Tsujita once a month, if not once a week (my metabolism was significantly better back then… if I did that today, I would look like a potato in no time). I introduced every person I knew to Tsujita. I started by converting my roommates, then my coworkers, then Patrick (we were long distance at the time, so it was a while before he came to LA to visit for the first time), and then any of my friends who happened to be visiting LA. Over time, Tsujita became more than a noodle shop to me; it became a collection of memories and a place of comfort.

I thought that I had experienced the best that the noodle kingdom had to offer — until I tried Tsujita Annex. I know this may be a controversial opinion, but I like Tsujita Annex even more than I like the original Tsujita. Chris, the friend who first introduced me to the Tsujita franchise, does not agree, but hey, this blog isn’t about him (Chris, if you’re reading this, you are wrong). Luckily, Patrick does agree with me! The rest of this post is a detailed breakdown of why Tsujita (both the original location and Annex) are so damn good, followed by a guide for what to order when you go to either location and a recommendation for a similar tsukemen shop in NYC.

The Broth (and Condiments)

The main difference between Tsujita and Tsujita Annex is the broth. The original Tsujita uses a thicker, richer broth that has a prominent seafood flavor and the consistency of heavy whipping cream. Because of its richness, the broth is served in a smaller bowl than the bowl used for the noodles. I personally love the taste of the broth, but some people, like Patrick, don’t like the fishiness as much. They give you some lime to squeeze over your noodles to prevent sticking and to temper the richness of the broth. You can also add a special spicy pickled condiment (I recently found out that it’s called spicy takana) that they have at all the tables to reduce the seafood-y taste, but be aware that whatever they use for the condiment is extremely spicy, which I personally really like. At the end of your meal, you have the option to add a light, dashi broth to your leftover dipping broth in order to make it drinkable (they call it “Soup Wari”). I personally skip this step because I try to watch my sodium intake, but I know a lot of people who really enjoy drinking the broth as a way to wash down the meal.

*The broth at Annex topped with a generous helping of onikasu (PC: The Tsujita Team)*

Tsujita Annex, on the other hand, utilizes a lighter broth that has a vinegar base. The broth has the consistency of chicken soup and is served in a large bowl filled to the brim with beansprouts. To counter the lightness of the broth, there is a layer of oil and chunks of pork fat floating on top that provide a delectable creaminess when mixed in with the soup base. However, the best part of Tsujita Annex isn’t the broth itself-- it’s the toppings that you can add for free. At every table and section of the counter, there is a condiment stand that provides a free supply of two of my favorite ingredients in the world: raw garlic and a homemade spicy powder called onikasu. I’ve only ever seen this powder at Tsujita Annex, and I’ve never tasted anything like it. If they sold this stuff separately, I would buy it in bulk because it is just THAT good. It’s not particularly spicy, but it has such a depth of flavor that it completely transforms the bowl of soup. Pair that with a few cloves of crushed raw garlic, and you’ve got a killer combo that will leave you crying but wanting more.

Now, a warning: Some people may not be able to handle the oiliness of the Tsujita Annex broth. I know a few people who didn’t have a great time the night of their first time having the Annex tsukemen but, even then, they still said it was worth the experience. Being Chinese, I grew up eating pork fat my whole life, so I have no issues whatsoever with this kind of stuff, but consider yourself forewarned! If anything, you just have to build up your tolerance. ;)

The Noods

The noodles at both the original Tsujita and Tsujita Annex are hands down THE BEST noodles I’ve ever had in my life (both locations use the same noodles), and I’ve had a LOT of noodles over the years. They have the perfect QQ texture and, despite being thicc af, are able to grab the perfect amount of broth each time. If you just gave me those noodles and a bowl of soy sauce, I’d be a happy camper. There’s really not much else to say about the noodles besides the fact that you’re missing out on what are probably the best noodles in the whole freaking world if you don’t get in a plane, train, or car right this very second to go try them out.

The Eggs

Both the original Tsujita and Tsujita Annex use the same eggs (I’ve seen staff members run across the street between the two locations with containers full of marinated eggs), and the eggs are always PERFECT. They’re probably the best soft-boiled eggs I’ve ever had, including all the ones I had in Japan. The yolk is always a rich, chrysanthemum gold, and the consistency is unlike anything I’ve ever had — it’s custardy, runny, and firm all at the same time, which creates an indescribable sensation when you bite into it. The yolk also tastes subtly sweet, likely from the soy sauce marinade that they soak the eggs in prior to serving. The contrast between the sweet yolk and umami outer layer is the definition of happiness in one bite.

The Chashu and Toppings

*Thick slices of chashu from the original Tsujita — you can get this for a little extra! (PC: The Tsujita Team)*

You know something is good when the meat is just a side character. Although the chashu (braised pork belly) is delicious, it isn’t a necessary part of the tsukemen experience. The standard orders at the original Tsujita and Tsujita Annex both come with small bits of chashu in the broth, so I never add chashu to my order. However, if you’re a huge meat lover with a big appetite, both locations have a version of the tsukemen with extra slices of chashu that is sure to delight any pork lover.

The portion sizes at both locations are HUGE (the portions at Annex are even bigger than the portions at the original Tsujita), so I rarely get any additional toppings. However, on days that I’m feeling particularly spendy, I might indulge in some extra green onions or menma (fermented bamboo shoots) to add a little extra crunch to my meal. I have a friend who really loves the bean sprouts at Annex, so he always gets extra bean sprouts when he’s there. When I’m REALLY hungry, I’ll sometimes order an extra serving of noodles to share with a friend, but I’ve only done that a handful of times and was out of commission for the rest of the day each time.

What to Order

*Annex — onikasu and garlic in jars on the left*

The below are what I recommend ordering for your first time at either location. I ONLY ever order the tsukemen. I know people who’ve tried the ramen and have been disappointed, so I would urge you to not be basic and to steer away from the familiar option. Trust in the process. If you end up ordering the ramen and don’t like it, I don’t even want to hear about it.

Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles — Order the Ajitama Tsukemen (tsukemen with egg). Add a little bit of the spicy takana that they have on the tables (it’s a dark brown / black color). Squeeze the lime over your noodles (ask for extra lime if needed). Order extra noodles if you’re hungry. Ask for the “Soup Wari” after you’re done with the noodles.

Tsujita Annex — Ajitama Tsukemen (tsukemen with egg). Add a big mound of onikasu to the broth (as much as you can handle). Crush in a few cloves of garlic (the more the better!). Order extra noodles if you’re hungry.

After your meal, head to B Sweet Dessert Bar down the street to detox with some insane desserts, such as hot ube bread pudding with vanilla ice cream (my favorite), their famous halo halo, or the sluttiest brownie (per their website: “made with 5 layers of sin: chocolate chip cookie, Oreo cookie, graham cracker, marshmallow and yup... brownie”).

Note: If you tried Tsujita or Annex for the first time during COVID via delivery, you have to go back after on-premise dining opens back up again. It’s just not the same delivered.

Tsukemen in NYC?

When I moved to New York, I was desperate to find a place that could satisfy my constant Tsujita cravings. Luckily for me, an alumni of Tsujita LA started his own tsukemen restaurant, Tabetomo, in the East Village. Tabetomo is more like Annex than the original Tsujita, and they fancify their tsukemen by giving you a hot stone to put in your broth whenever you want to get it warmed up. They also have a sister stall called Tomotomo in the Urbanspace on W 52nd Street, but that one has a completely different style of soup and is currently closed due to COVID. I could write an entire post about Tabetomo but, long story short, it’s very, very good — just not as good as either of the Tsujitas in LA. However, if tsukemen is what you’re craving and you don’t want to fork over hundreds of dollars for a flight to LA, Tabetomo will do the trick.

Soon after this pandemic is over, I’ll be on a flight to LA so that I can reunite with my favorite restaurant(s) in the world. Until then, I’ll keep writing about places I want to visit again while sitting on my bed in my sweatsuit.

In Summary:

Hangry Alice rating: 5/5
Must-get dish: Ajitama Tsukemen (tsukemen with egg)
Skip: The ramen — I’ve never had it, but they’re most well-known for the tsukemen, so definitely get that if it’s your first time

Alice Huang 1/17/21 Alice Huang 1/17/21

Ben Meat Market — Chinese Barbeque for all Generations

Alice and George manning the shop at night (PC: Fuxuan Xin) — *Alice and George manning the shop at night (PC:* *Fuxuan Xin*)

From the name of this post, you’re probably wondering why I’m writing about a meat market on this blog. Well, I’m here to tell you that Ben Meat Market is so much more than just a market. In fact, it’s one of the oldest Chinese barbeque shops in town! Think Wah Fung No. 1 Fast Food, except older and very much under the radar. Ben Meat Market may not be a formal restaurant, but it’s a great place to grab a delicious, hearty bite for when you’re on the go. As you may know, I don’t eat meat very often, but hearing Alice, the store manager, talk about their customer-favorite roast duck made me drool.

I interviewed Alice last week for Welcome to Chinatown’s Business Spotlight series, and I’m super excited to share her story with all of you!

Alice opened the store with her husband, George, in 1995. For the past 25 years, Ben Meat Market has been serving juicy roast meat and supplying pantry staples to the Chinatown community from its storefront at 288 Grand Street. Read on to learn more about how the business has been faring during COVID and why Alice decided to apply to the Longevity Fund.

Tell us about your business and who you are! How long have you been open? What do you sell at your store?

Hi! My name is Alice, and I am the manager of Ben Meat Market. I started the business in 1995 with my husband, George. When we first opened, we named our store AA Meat Market. Around 2005, we renamed the store to George Meat Market after my husband’s name. Our eldest son, Benson, is the current owner, and we renamed the store once again to Ben Meat Market when he took over the business in 2018, after my husband decided to retire.

Ben Meat Market is a combination of a mini grocery store and a Chinese deli. We sell all sorts of things: from 25lb bags of rice to noodles, fruit, soda, flour, and everything in between. However, we are the most well-known for our meats, hence our name. We sell both raw and cooked meat, but most of our customers come for our barbequed meats that we roast ourselves in the basement of our store. Our best-seller is our Chinese roast duck. We also sell lunch sets consisting of barbequed meat and rice for around $5, which is $1 - $2 cheaper than most places around Chinatown.

*George holding a juicy roast duck in 2003*

*A throwback of Alice standing in front of freshly baked buns*

Could you tell us a little bit about your family and what inspired you to start your business?

My husband is from China, and I am from Hong Kong. My husband had been living in America for seven years before a mutual friend introduced us to each other. After that, my husband came to Hong Kong to meet me, and we were married there. After we married, we came to New York together and worked in the restaurant industry for about ten years. Over the years, we gained many new skills and ultimately decided to start our own business. We wanted to stay in the food industry because eating is essential and fundamental. It’s not like opening a clothing store where your customers’ spending is purely discretional. Everyone has to eat!

We decided to specialize in roast meats for two reasons: one, because there weren’t many places to buy good, authentic Chinese barbeque in Chinatown at the time and two, because the Chinese village that my father is from, Xinhui, is famous for its roast meat. In particular, Xinhui is famous for roast goose (if you don’t believe me, you can look up videos of Xinhui roast goose on YouTube!). However, since we’re not allowed to roast geese in the states, we decided to roast duck instead. Traditionally, you would roast the duck / goose over a fire using wood from lychee trees but, since that’s not allowed in the states, we had to adapt and learn how to roast meat using a gas fire.

*Two of George and Alice’s children in the store*

Who are your customers / what demographic do you cater to? Do most of your customers live in Chinatown, or do they come from other parts of the city?

The majority of our customers are Chinatown locals, though there are some people who come all the way from Brooklyn and Queens to get our roast meat. We also get a small number of restaurants that come to us for roast meat, since it’s not worth it for smaller restaurants to roast meat in-house.

We have customers who have been coming to us for a long time. I even recognize the children of some of the customers who used to come. Let me tell you a funny story: In 1995, there was a school nearby, and sometimes the teachers would bring all the kids to our meat market for lunch, since our lunch sets were only $1 - $2 at the time. As with all schools, there were some nice students and some naughty students. In particular, there was one student who was so naughty that I never forgot about him. Many years later, he came back to our store with his wife and a stroller and asked, “Do you remember me?” I laughed and said, “Of course, you were the naughty one!”

When COVID first hit NYC, what kinds of thoughts were running through your head?

I was very scared. I was scared because our business is our livelihood. I was also scared of getting the virus myself and putting my family in danger. I didn’t know how to protect my family because there were initially confusing messages about the masks, and the masks were very expensive. You had to walk very far to even find a box of masks.

Also, when the pandemic first hit, all 1,000 bags of rice that we had in stock were sold out. There were all kinds of supply chain issues, and we were worried that we wouldn’t be able to get enough inventory to satisfy our customers.

Alice hanging roast duck in the window display (PC: Fuxuan Xin) — *Alice hanging roast duck in the window display (PC:* *Fuxuan Xin*)

How have you been faring with the impact of COVID? What are some things that you have been doing to stay open?

Before the pandemic, we were open seven days a week from 8:30am to 8:30pm. We never really took breaks because our inventory is perishable, and there is a certain window of time during which you need to roast meat before it goes bad. Now, we are operating with reduced hours and are only open from 9:30am to 6:30pm. This new pandemic schedule has been an adjustment for us, as we were so used to working all the time.

Luckily, we were able to continue operating throughout the pandemic because we are classified as a supermarket. However, we had to let go of all our workers, as we couldn’t afford to pay them anymore.

In terms of operations, not much else has changed. The main difference is that all our groceries are now sold at a lower price to ensure that our community can still enjoy delicious food despite the pandemic. As an ancient Chinese motto goes, “Many a little makes a mickle, like water dripping into a river.” We’d rather work more to make our customers happier. What we earn is not important; our customers’ happiness is the most important.

Due to the pandemic, the economy has become weaker than ever, and we were hit as well. Customers now prefer to shop online rather than visit stores in person. Like many other small businesses, our market struggled to stay open, and we had to reduce the variety of our offerings in order to stay alive. We also began selling ginseng products to try and attract more customers.

Ultimately, our meat market is very dependent on demand. The small restaurants that used to buy from us don’t come as often anymore, and there are fewer people who are willing to buy our meal sets and eat outside. We’re just trying to stay afloat and get all the business we can get.

How has Welcome to Chinatown helped your business? How are you planning on using the Longevity Fund grant?

The reason why we applied for the grant is because we didn’t want the store to close during my son’s generation. The store is our livelihood and our legacy.

We are planning on using the grant to help with our utility bills. Our biggest expense each month is electricity, which can be between $2,000 - $3,000 a month. Our gas bill is also very high. Our utility bills are so high because we’re a meat market, so we need to keep the electricity and gas running at all times in order to roast our meats. We are very grateful that this grant can help us with some of these expenses.

Current price list as of January 2021 (PC: Fuxuan Xin) — *Current price list as of January 2021 (PC:* *Fuxuan Xin*)

George smiling next to bags of rice (PC: Fuxuan Xin) — *George smiling next to bags of rice (PC:* *Fuxuan Xin*)

Any advice you would like to give to other small business owners trying to survive during COVID?

I have two pieces of advice: One, be patient. Two, persevere and don’t give up. It’s so easy to give up right now, since it seems like COVID is not going to end anytime soon. 2021 will probably be a difficult year as well. During these times, it’s more important than ever to show your customers that you’re there for them and that you can provide for them. That way, once this is all over, your customers will keep coming back. You need to build trust with your customers. As long as you are not starving to death, everything will be okay. Be optimistic that this too shall pass.

What has been your greatest accomplishment or proudest moment as a business owner? What has been your biggest challenge?

I’m proud that we are open every day and that we happily service our customers. In Chinese culture, it’s difficult to talk about what you’re the most proud of, but I can confidently say that we have good relationships with our customers. We’ve never been accused of cheating our customers. Our goal is always to do good, honest business.

Our biggest challenge is probably happening right now, during COVID. We’re struggling to stay afloat with reduced hours and fewer customers.

Alice and George bagging orders for customers (PC: Fuxuan Xin) — *Alice and George bagging orders for customers (PC:* *Fuxuan Xin*)

Any plans for the future? Both amidst and beyond the pandemic?

We would like to open a second store someday. We would probably do something similar because we would want to leverage our reputation and customer relationships.

My hope is that Ben Meat Market will still be around years from now to offer Chinese barbequed meat to future generations. Unfortunately, the demand for roast meat is starting to wane. In Chinese culture, the older generation would typically order a whole roast pig or some other animal (like duck or chicken) to celebrate holidays and special events. But that sort of culture and thinking is disappearing with the younger generation.

How can people support your business?

Come stop by if you can! We understand that people’s disposable incomes have gone down significantly due to the pandemic. Some customers used to come in and buy a whole pound of roast pork, but now they are only buying half a pound. However, if you are around the neighborhood and want to try some yummy roast meat, please stop by for a visit!

***

Note: This interview was conducted in Cantonese with the help of a translator. Photos c/o Ben Meat Market and Fuxuan Xin.

Chinatown establishments like Ben Meat Market are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support — now more than ever before — to keep that spirit alive. Please consider making a donation to our small business relief fund, The Longevity Fund, or help us spread the word of what’s at stake. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help say “Chinatown will always be open for business.”

Alice Huang 12/21/20 Alice Huang 12/21/20

Hop Shing — Closed, but not Gone

Hop Shing storefront in 2017 (PC: Rick L. from Yelp) — *Hop Shing storefront in 2017 (PC:* *Rick L.* *from Yelp)*

If you were ever in Chinatown before the pandemic, you’ve probably walked by Hop Shing. Founded in 1973, Hop Shing was one of Chinatown’s most iconic restaurants, doling out cheap Guangdong-style dim sum to lines of hungry workers every day for nearly fifty years. Sadly, Hop Shing is one of the many victims of COVID-19 and served its last plate of dim sum on March 20th, 2020.

More than just an eatery, Hop Shing was a neighborhood mainstay and meeting place for the young and the old. Even though the restaurant has closed, its legacy lives on in the hearts of generations of customers who have walked through its doors to exchange stories over coffee and the restaurant’s famous baked and roast pork buns.

Through my role at Welcome to Chinatown, I had the rare opportunity to interview Mr. Cao, who was a waiter at Hop Shing for the past ten years. In this interview, Mr. Cao reminisced about what it was like working at the popular dim sum joint and explained why the owners of Hop Shing decided to permanently close the restaurant.

Stories about establishments like Hop Shing are so important because they remind us about the fragility of the restaurant ecosystem and how important it is to support local, family-owned businesses. As you read this interview, please take a moment to appreciate the legacies that restaurants like Hop Shing have left behind so that their stories are not forgotten in the wake of this terrifying pandemic.

Trays of buns behind the counter (PC: Luna C. from Yelp) — *Trays of buns behind the counter (PC:* *Luna C.* *from Yelp)*

Tell us about Hop Shing and about yourself. How long were you open?

Hello, I’m Mr. Cao, and I was a waiter at Hop Shing for ten years. I immigrated from China twelve years ago and have been living in Manhattan’s Chinatown ever since. Before moving to New York, I worked factory jobs in Taishan, China. Once I moved to the U.S., I began working in the restaurant industry. Everything I know about NYC I have learned from working at Hop Shing.

Hop Shing was around for almost fifty years. My cousin, the owner and operator, first opened Hop Shing in 1973 after moving to New York from Hong Kong, where he had prior restaurant industry experience. When he arrived in NYC, the owner of the dim sum restaurant that was Hop Shing’s predecessor at 9 Chatham Square offered him a position there. After the old restaurant closed, my cousin opened his own dim sum shop and called it Hop Shing. The rest is history.

What kind of food did you serve?

Hop Shing specialized in Guangdong-style dim sum. Fun fact: Hong Kong-style dim sum is actually derived from Guangdong-style dim sum. Hong Kong-style dim sum is more modern and is more well-known around the world, but there are a lot of commonalities between the two styles.

We were the most well-known for our baked pork buns, roast pork buns, and baked coconut custard buns. People would come from all over the world to line up for our buns!

Shrimp dumplings, shumai, turnip cake, and spareribs (PC: Montana L. from Yelp) — *Shrimp dumplings, shumai, turnip cake, and spareribs (PC:* *Montana L.* *from Yelp)*

Who were your customers / what demographic did you cater to?

Our customer base was very diverse. After we were featured on the New York Daily News, a lot of tourists began coming to try our baked and roast pork buns. We became popular very quickly because our prices were low, and our customers were happy that they were getting a good bargain. Our regulars were old-school New Yorkers who had frequented Hop Shing for decades. Those customers oftentimes brought their children and grandchildren to the restaurant, and it was common to see multiple generations of family members at one table.

What were some of your favorite dishes from the menu?

My favorites were the baked and roast pork buns and the beef balls. The pork buns were so soft and sweet, and the beef balls were tender, juicy, and delicious.

Inside the roast pork bun (PC: Angela W. of bopomofoodie) — *Inside the roast pork bun (PC: Angela W. of* *bopomofoodie*)

Beef balls (PC: Jeannie T. from Yelp) — *Beef balls (PC:* *Jeannie T.* *from Yelp)*

When COVID first hit NYC, what kinds of thoughts were running through your head? What were some of the things you tried to do in the beginning?

To be honest, we really didn’t have many thoughts in the beginning. We all assumed it was going to be a temporary thing and that we could just survive off our takeout business for a few weeks until things returned to normal. After a couple days of just doing takeout, New York issued the state-wide stay-at-home order, and our business basically came to a standstill. We didn’t even have time to come up with a plan; we just started running out of cash, and the owners ultimately decided to permanently shutter the restaurant. Our last day open was March 20th, 2020.

Why did the owners of Hop Shing ultimately decide to close the restaurant?

Our lease was set to expire at the end of the year anyways, and the owners didn't think the pandemic was going to let up any time soon (they don’t think things will return to normal for at least another year or two). They decided to just close the restaurant rather than to continue operating halfheartedly.

There may be a chance that Hop Shing will open back up in the future once the pandemic is 100% behind us; however, it’s too early to say for sure at this time.

Counter with hot drinks (PC: Jeannie T. from Yelp) — *Counter with hot drinks (PC:* *Jeannie T.* *from Yelp)*

Hop Shing price list from 2019 (PC: Tom C. from Yelp) — *Hop Shing price list from 2019 (PC:* *Tom C.* *from Yelp)*

What was your greatest accomplishment or proudest moment at Hop Shing?

I’m not the owner, so I can’t speak from the owner’s perspective, but as a waiter who interacted with customers every day, my proudest accomplishments were the relationships I was able to form with our customers. I felt proud whenever I saw our customers enjoying our food, and I felt happy when I saw how well our customers were doing every time they came back.

What is your favorite memory of Hop Shing?

I don’t have an exact memory, but my favorite part about working at Hop Shing was being able to work alongside people I love and getting to see all the customers that I care so much about every day.

When I initially started working at Hop Shing, the first thing I noticed was that the boss worked alongside all the cooks and waiters and would eat alongside them as well. I loved the familial atmosphere of the restaurant. Every day, I felt like I was in the trenches alongside everyone, and I truly enjoyed my job.

Buns on a cart (PC: Sandy C. from Yelp) — *Buns on a cart (PC:* *Sandy C.* *from Yelp)*

Box of roast pork buns (PC: Kevin K. from Yelp) — *Box of roast pork buns (PC:* *Kevin K.* *from Yelp)*

What is one fun fact or something interesting that most people don’t know about Hop Shing?

Jeremy Lin once came to eat at Hop Shing. The minute he walked in, everyone at the restaurant started bombarding him because he was so well loved by the Chinatown community. He was getting so much attention that we were worried he was going to get scared and run away!

Anything else you would like people to know or talk about?

I just want the pandemic to be over. I want the economy to recover so that everyone can go back to work and make a living. Most of all, I hope that everyone can stay healthy and make it through this difficult time.

*****

Note: This interview was conducted in Cantonese with the help of a translator.

Chinatown establishments like Hop Shing are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support — now more than ever before — to keep that spirit alive. Please consider making a donation to our small business relief fund, The Longevity Fund, or help us spread the word of what’s at stake. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help say “Chinatown will always be open for business.”

Closed (PC: Tsz-Cheong C. from Yelp) — *Closed (PC:* *Tsz-Cheong C.* *from Yelp)*

Alice Huang 12/5/20 Alice Huang 12/5/20

New York Bo Ky — A Celebration of Teochew Cuisine

*Pork chop with chow mein (flat egg noodle)*

Back in September, I got a chance to talk to Mr. Ngo, owner of New York Bo Ky, and his son James for a piece that I wrote for Welcome to Chinatown. I’d never heard of Teochew food before speaking to Mr. Ngo, and I’m so excited to share what I learned about this fascinating and delicious cuisine!

Open since December 2019, New York Bo Ky on Baxter Street is a spin-off of Chinatown’s most well-known Teochew eatery, Bo Ky Restaurant, which has been serving steaming bowls of noodle soup on Bayard Street since 1986. Read on to learn more about what makes Teochew cuisine so unique and what you should definitely order the next time you visit New York Bo Ky!

Tell us about your business and who you are! How long have you been open? What kind of food do you serve? What inspired you to start your restaurant?

Hi! I’m Mr. Ngo, the founder and manager of New York Bo Ky, which is located on Baxter Street. I operated the original Bo Ky Restaurant on Bayard street for a while (after my father passed away) before opening New York Bo Ky as an independent restaurant in December 2019.

My father started the original Bo Ky Restaurant in 1986. While working for other restaurants in New York, after our family first moved here from Thailand, my father noticed that none of the other restaurants in Chinatown offered noodles soups that were unique to Teochew cuisine, so he decided to open his own noodle shop. Teochew, or Chaozhou, is a prefecture in the eastern Guangdong province of China. Over the years, many Teochew people, such as my family, migrated to Southeast Asia, which is where I was born and raised before moving to New York. Though we are ethnically Chinese, our last name, Ngo, is a common Vietnamese surname.

New York Bo Ky primarily serves noodle soup. Our chicken broth is a favorite among customers, though our pork broth is very popular as well. Our dishes are the result of a blending of many different cultures: Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, and some Thai as well. Generations of customers — many of whom have become dear friends — have been enjoying our family’s noodle soups over the past three decades.

What is Teochew cuisine?

Teochew cuisine, also known as “Chaozhou cuisine”, is a very unique cuisine that is known for being very expensive. As such, it is a common cuisine for banquets and special gatherings. Some examples of distinctive Teochew banquet foods include shark fin soup, sea cucumber, birds nest soup, etc. At the end of a Teochew banquet, it’s common to eat a fancy dessert made out of taro paste.

Here, at New York Bo Ky, we do a street food version of Teochew cuisine. You can liken the food that we serve to the burger and hot dogs of American cuisine.

Could you provide a little bit of history about the Teochew people and your family’s immigration story?

The Teochew are people who originated from a prefecture in the eastern Guangdong province of China. Throughout the years and for various reasons, including to escape from civil war, the Teochew migrated to nearby areas such as Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. There is a large population of Teochews all over the world but, whenever we see each other, we all greet each other like family.

As for myself, I am the third generation of ethnically Chinese Teochew born and raised in Vietnam. There were many Teochew in Vietnam when I was growing up, and most were very poor. The majority of them had migrated to the region in search of a better life.

During the Vietnam War, my family and I were part of a group of people known as the Boat People — refugees who escaped from Vietnam to Thailand by boat in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. After the war ended in 1975, we actually stayed in Vietnam for three more years, but it became too difficult for us to make a living. In 1978, we finally left Vietnam by boat and became refugees in Thailand. A few years after that, we came to New York and began working in Chinatown restaurants.

What are some of your favorite dishes to make from your menu? What were your inspirations behind these dishes?

Our beef stew dish is one of our most popular and unique dishes— we stew beef with tomato sauce, which is a combination of French and Vietnamese cooking techniques.

James, my son, loves seafood and is a huge fan of our seafood noodle soup with egg noodles. He says that the dish is so healthy and hearty that it gives him instant energy and helps him get through long days.

Another one of our specialties is our “Country Style Duck”, which is a marinated duck served with vinegar and garlic at room temperature.

Besides those dishes, we are also well known for our cuttlefish balls, beef balls and fish balls, which are handmade here in the restaurant. We also have some unique dishes such as pork tripe, kidney, liver and stomach. Don’t be afraid to give them a try! We cook these using a traditional family recipe, and they are delicious as noodle toppings.

What is it that sets your restaurant apart from others?

We make “commoner food” that is fast and easy to make. Back before COVID hit, even though we were at full capacity with both indoor dining and takeout, customers didn’t have to wait more than five to ten minutes for their orders. People would come in, eat, and be on their merry way. We were so fast because our food was easy to make, and we had two to three chefs making the noodles at any given time. Almost everything was made fresh in the restaurant every single morning. We even cooked our own chicken and duck!

Unfortunately, right now, since it’s just my family (mostly me and my son, James) working in the kitchen, we don’t have the capacity to make everything by ourselves, but we are still trying our best to serve you the best food possible!

How have you been faring with the impact of COVID? What are some things that you have been doing to stay open?

Things have been difficult, but we are managing. During the first wave, we were forced to shut down the restaurant in compliance with the mandatory stay-at-home orders. We didn’t have enough money to pay our workers, so we had to let go of many of our staff members.

Currently, we are doing outdoor dining and takeout. We also recently brought back indoor dining, but we’re unsure how long that will last given that cases are rising again in NYC and there are rumors that another lockdown is coming. We don’t do any delivery, since most of our customers live around Chinatown and like to stop by in person; we only do a little bit of local delivery by ourselves for some of our closest customers and family friends. It’s those customers and friends who helped spread the word of our grand opening last December and subsequent re-opening after the COVID shut-downs.

We’ve also worked with local grassroots organizations like Welcome to Chinatown to help spread the word that our restaurant is back open for business. The other day, the Fung Bros came in and interviewed us to help us spread the word on social media. We also worked with an organization called Lions Club a couple months ago, and we used our kitchen to help them prepare meals for essential workers for a few weeks.

What is one fun fact or something interesting that most people don’t know about you?

I was interviewed by NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai, a.k.a. Japan Broadcasting Corporation) back in 1999. They followed me around for two days and put me on national Japanese TV! After the segment aired, even more people were able to learn about our unique food and culture.

How can people support your business?

Come stop by and try some unique Teochew dishes!

*****

Chinatown establishments like New York Bo Ky are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support — now more than ever before — to keep that spirit alive. Please consider making a donation to our small business relief fund, The Longevity Fund, or help us spread the word of what’s at stake. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help say “Chinatown will always be open for business.”

Alice Huang 11/10/20 Alice Huang 11/10/20

Tonii’s — A Mother’s Love, A Brother’s Legacy

Back in September, I got a chance to talk to Liz Yee, owner of Tonii’s Fresh Rice Noodle and grant recipient of The Longevity Fund, for a piece that I wrote for Welcome to Chinatown. I’m so excited to be sharing the full post with all of you on my blog! Liz’s story is incredibly touching, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t shed a few tears during the interview.

Liz started Tonii’s in October 2019 out of love for her family and her children. As the name suggests, Tonii’s serves fresh rice rolls with a variety of toppings along with their famous Kam Hing sponge cakes. Read on to learn more about how the name Tonii’s came to be and how Liz hopes to see the business grow over the years.

Liz and her husband, Brian in front of Tonii’s (PC: Kevin Xiao) — *Liz and her husband, Brian in front of Tonii’s (PC:* *Kevin Xiao*)

Tonii's Special Rice Roll with Fishballs and Kam Hing sponge cake (PC: Kevin Xiao) — *Tonii's Special Rice Roll with Fishballs and Kam Hing sponge cake (PC:* *Kevin Xiao*)

Tell us about your business and who you are. What kind of food do you serve?

Hey! I’m Liz, and I am the owner of Tonii’s Fresh Rice Noodle located at 83 Bayard St. in Chinatown, New York. We’ve been open since October 2019, so about a year now. Our business is a branch of our mother shop, New Kam Hing, located at 118 Baxter St., which is also owned by my family. At Tonii’s, we serve our famous Kam Hing sponge cakes and our fresh assorted topping rice rolls (also known as rice noodles).

What inspired you to start your restaurant?

My family is what inspired me to open Tonii’s. Growing up with my siblings, we always had New Kam Hing as our home base. I would hang out there with my friends after school, and I would work there on the weekends with my brother. We would have family BBQs and holiday parties there as well. Having the store play such a central role in my life when I was growing up made me realize that if I opened a shop of my own, my kids would have a chance to make the same childhood memories I have. Thus, I opened Tonii’s for my kids’ future— so that I could give my kids a home base and, to let them know that no matter what happens, their family is right there.

How did you come up with the name “Tonii’s”?

What most people don’t know is that Tonii’s is named after my daughter; who is named after her uncle (my brother), Tony. Tony passed away in a fire with his girlfriend, Anna, in February 2009. The two i’s in Tonii resemble people figures and are supposed to represent Tony and Anna. I wanted to pay my respects to Tony because he was like a second father figure to me; he was always there for me and my siblings, and he was also always there for my parents. He was a chef, and he had this way with food such that, when you saw him cooking, you could see his passion and see how much time he spent trying to perfect his recipes. By memorializing his legacy in the name “Tonii’s”, I want my kids to know who Tony was, how important he was to our family and how much my siblings and I still try to follow in his footsteps every day.

Tony was the embodiment of family. He taught us that family is everything and that your family will always stand by you. Having Tonii’s as the name of the store gives me the strength to keep it going for my kids’ futures and for Tony himself. Hopefully, he’s watching over the store and looking out for us up there.

Could you tell us about the history behind rice noodles? Where do they come from and why did you choose rice noodles over any other dish?

Rice noodles originated in China and are made by grinding up rice and adding various flours to create a velvet consistency. You then cook the dish by steaming it up, and you can add all kinds of toppings to please everyone in the household.

I chose to focus on rice rolls because my daughter loves them. I remember lining up in front of the food carts in the morning before school and buying them for her for breakfast every day. At one point, she became so picky about food that all she wanted to eat was rice noodles all day, every day. It made me want to share her love of rice noodles with everyone and show people how such a simple dish can create such wonderful memories. I want my customers to be able to say, “I remember that time when I was a kid, my momma used to buy me these rice noodles for me”, so that they can pass their memories along to the next generation.

What are some of your favorite dishes to make from your menu? What were your inspirations behind these dishes?

My favorite dish would have to be the rice roll, of course! It was definitely fun learning how to make it in the beginning, and it was exciting to see all the different choices of toppings.

I also really love our spammiches (spam & egg sandwiches) because they remind me of when my parents used to make them for me and my siblings. Separately, my father loves corn beef— hence why we have the corn beef and egg sandwich on our menu.

When COVID first hit NYC, what kinds of thoughts were running through your head?

When COVID first hit NYC, it made me wonder whether the store was going to survive and how I could keep my family safe. We had first opened only a couple months prior to the pandemic. The only thing I knew was that I was willing to do anything and everything in order to keep this store running because I started it for the sake of my kids.

How have you been faring with the impact of COVID? What are some things that you have been doing to stay open?

We have been doing okay. Most of my staff quit at the beginning of March, so overhead hasn’t been that high since it was mainly just my husband and brother working with me at the time. We did everything in-house, meaning my dad would cut and prep vegetables and meat, and my brother would cook the curry, beef tripe, tea eggs, etc. My husband and I would alternate shifts with our remaining workers to serve customers and make rice noodles and sponge cakes. Between the three of us (my husband, brother and myself), we were at the store every day from 7am - 10pm. In order to increase the flow of business, we extended our open hours and tried to introduce new food options, such as fried rice (we no longer serve fried rice; that was just a temporary thing that we did during the pandemic).

During COVID, we also had the chance to work with Vic and Jen from Welcome to Chinatown to help frontline workers through their Feed Our Heroes initiative, and more recently, by partnering with Feed the Frontlines. The initiative was able to help us get our name out there and brought us some new business. As a result, we were able to keep the remaining staff that we had, and we began to believe that we could overcome this slump.

Tonii’s outdoor dining (PC: Kevin Xiao) — *Tonii’s outdoor dining (PC:* *Kevin Xiao*)

How has the move away from in-person dining towards takeout / delivery impacted your business?

It gave us a chance to step into the digital world. Before COVID, we were only doing in-person dining. We didn’t do any type of delivery. Now, we are on Grubhub, Postmates, DoorDash, Uber Eats and Hungry Panda. These delivery services have helped a lot because we can now serve customers that we would never have been able to reach before.

Any advice you would like to give to other restaurants / small business owners trying to survive during COVID?

My advice to other owners is to not give up and to bring in friends and family to help. Keep trying to push forward. I know that it’s been hard and believe me, I understand completely how exhausted and tiring it is for the mind, body and soul.

I understand that most Chinese people don’t like asking for help, but this is the time to throw that pride away for the sake of saving your legacy. Take it day by day and just try to keep going. We’re at rock bottom already, so the only way to go now is up.

What has been your greatest accomplishment or proudest moment as a restaurant owner? What has been your biggest challenge?

The thing that I’m the most proud of is the fact that everything can be made right inside Tonii’s. In the beginning, I didn’t even know how to make half of the dishes on our menu. I had to rely solely on my staff to keep the restaurant going at one point. Today, we can make everything ourselves! I am proud to say that if anything were to happen again (hopefully not), Tonii’s will definitely stay open.

My biggest challenge has been trying to find the time to spend with my family and balancing my roles as a business owner and a mom. It’s hard because my kids, Tonii (7 year old), Lucas (4 years old) and baby Jaden (16 months old), have to stay in the bakery when I’m at the store due to schools being closed. I’ve had to bring them in as early as seven in the morning and basically leave them there until whatever time we close. They’re essentially stuck in the basement all day— taking naps on a camping cot and doing their remote learning— all while I am around but unable to give them the attention that they want and deserve.

It has also been a struggle trying to find new ways to keep them busy. There have been times when I’ve asked my eldest daughter to stock drinks in the fridge and times when I’ve tasked my son with making sauce cups— just to keep them busy and prevent them from pulling me away from what I had to focus on.

In summary, I feel like I’ve excelled at being a great business owner during this time, but I’ve also been dealing with the mom guilt of putting the store first before my kids.

Tonii’s storefront (PC: Kevin Xiao) — *Tonii’s storefront (PC:* *Kevin Xiao*)

Liz and her husband, Brian (PC: Kevin Xiao) — *Liz and her husband, Brian (PC:* *Kevin Xiao*)

How has the lack of tourism in the pandemic affected Tonii’s and Chinatown as a whole? Do you believe the challenges of the pandemic caused restaurant and business owners in Chinatown to come together as a community?

The lack of tourism has forced a lot of shops to close due to a decrease in the number of customers and has made Chinatown feel like a ghost town. Canal Street was bursting with thousands of people one day, and then the blocks were suddenly empty the next day. This was surprising for me to see because I grew up right on Canal Street and was used to the hustle and bustle of life in Chinatown.

I do believe that the challenges of the pandemic did help bring restaurants and business owners together, as I wouldn’t have the same relationship with the other owners as I do now had the pandemic never happened. When I met with other restaurant owners during the pandemic, we formed an immediate bond because we all had one mission: to keep Chinatown going. We looked out for each other, and we helped each other. To be honest, the pandemic helped me form some new, lasting friendships in the business world of Chinatown.

One terrible side effect of the pandemic has been a resurgence of xenophobia toward people of Asian descent. How has this changed Tonii’s relationship with your community and city?

Not much has changed; we looked out for our community before, and we still do now. If any problems arise, we’re always ready to step in. We aren’t afraid because we’ve always been proud to be Chinese. We have a great relationship with our Guardian Angels, and we support them and thank them for fully defending our community.

*Poster on Tonii’s window (Photo courtesy of Tonii’s)*

Any plans for the future? Both amidst and beyond the pandemic?

Hopefully, we can open our mother store, New Kam Hing, on 118 Baxter St. back up! We’re in the midst of reconstructing that bakery to sell some of the same items that we sell at Tonii’s.

What do you hope your legacy will be? I.e., 50 years from now when people think back and remember Tonii’s, what do you want them to remember?

I want people to remember the memories they made when they came to eat at our shop with their families. I want our customers to be able to pass along their memories from generation to generation. I hope that grandparents bring their sons and daughters and that those kids will in turn bring their kids and so on. I want everyone to feel a sense of warmth and happiness when they remember Tonii’s.

How can people support your business?

Come to Chinatown and shop in our shops! Spread the word that Chinatown is coming back to life and help bring hope to other Chinatown businesses.

Anything else you would like people to know or talk about?

For me, Chinatown is home. I will do all that I can during this time to keep Tonii’s going. I want to be able to come to Tonii’s with grandkids of my own 30 years down the line. I want everyone to know that Tonii’s is here to stay. Tonii’s is about family and, by walking through the doors of Tonii’s, you are considered family to me.

*****

Chinatown establishments like Tonii’s are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support — now more than ever before — to keep that spirit alive. Please consider making a donation to our small business relief fund, The Longevity Fund, or help us spread the word of what’s at stake. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help say “Chinatown will always be open for business.”

Alice Huang 10/21/20 Alice Huang 10/21/20

Hop Kee — A Slice of History in Modern Manhattan

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to interview Peter Lee, the owner and operator of Hop Kee, one of the oldest restaurants in Manhattan’s Chinatown. This post is in a slightly different format from that of my typical posts (more of a Q&A format rather than a narrative), as I originally wrote this post for Welcome to Chinatown. However, I think the interview format captures Peter’s voice perfectly, and I’m excited to share this piece with all of you! :)

Open since 1968, Hop Kee serves up traditional Chinese Cantonese style comfort food late into the night in a no-frills, basement location on a historic corner of Mott Street. Read on to learn more about how Peter, a grant recipient of The Longevity Fund, has seen Chinatown change over the decades and how he’s been fighting to keep his restaurant alive during COVID-19.

Peter Lee in front of Hop Kee’s entrance (PC: Steven Yen) — *Peter Lee in front of Hop Kee’s entrance (PC:* *Steven Yen*)

Tell us about your business and who you are. What kind of food do you serve?

My name is Peter Lee, and I am the current owner and operator of Hop Kee Restaurant. We serve Chinese Cantonese style food.

My family (my father, mom, younger brother, and myself) immigrated from Hong Kong to New York in 1965. I was only two years old when we made the move, and my younger brother was only one at the time. My grandfather on my father’s side had served in the US Army for WWII and did all the paperwork for my family to move to the US. In 1968, my father started Hop Kee.

What inspired you to start your restaurant?

Back in Hong Kong, my father worked in the auto industry. His first job after immigrating to the US was working as a chef at Wo Hop, another Cantonese style restaurant right next to Hop Kee. After working at Wo Hop for a few years, my father and his partners had gained enough experience working in the restaurant industry to open their own restaurant. At the time, the restaurant in Hop Kee’s current location was run by my father’s cousins, so my father took over the business from them, and the rest is history.

What are some of the most popular dishes from your menu?

Crabs Cantonese style with black bean sauce, snails, all the salt and pepper dishes, pan fried flounder, and spring chicken.

The crab is unique. My dad came up with it himself. Not many places do it like we do.

Typical spread from Hop Kee (PC: Vekthurr T. on Yelp) — *Typical spread from Hop Kee (PC:* *Vekthurr T. on Yelp*)

Crabs Cantonese Style (PC: Joanna L. on Yelp) — *Crabs Cantonese Style (PC:* *Joanna L. on Yelp*)

Who are your customers / what demographic do you cater to?

We have a large and diverse customer base that includes people of all backgrounds & ethnicities. We actually have many regulars who have been coming to Hop Kee for decades! Some people were kids when their parents first brought them to Hop Kee, and now they bring their own kids. In total, three generations of customers have been coming here.

Although most of our regular customers are from the Tri-State area, we have customers come from all across the U.S. Most of them hear about us from word-of-mouth and just decide to stop by on a visit to New York. One time, we actually had some tourists from Germany who somehow knew about Hop Kee. When I asked them how they knew about us, they said that they had heard about us from a friend.

Your restaurant has been open since 1968. Could you please talk about how the restaurant has changed over the years?

Even after all these years, Hop Kee hasn't changed much at all with regards to our day to day operations. The only difference is that we used to be open 24 hours a day. By the late 1980's, we began closing at 4am. Then after 2000, we began closing at 1am. We’ve had to move up our closing times because the times have changed— the night scene in Chinatown is not as lively as it used to be. Nowadays, people prefer to go to Lower East Side or a fancy rooftop bar. Before, people loved to hang out in Chinatown.

Since taking over the restaurant from my father, I’ve added a few new items to the menu that cater to a younger crowd: Peking style pork chops, salt and pepper flavored entrees (squid, pork chops, shrimp), etc. People are not as into the old-style chow mein anymore– now, they’re into things like pan fried noodles.

However, other than these menu additions, I’ve made very few changes to the restaurant. I’m just trying to preserve what’s been working for us for all these years.

The register area. You can see Anthony Bourdain in the pictures on the wall! (PC: Steven Yen) — *The register area. You can see Anthony Bourdain in the pictures on the wall! (PC:* *Steven Yen*)

You have been featured by Anthony Bourdain on his show No Reservations! Did you get a chance to meet him? If so, what was that like?

Yes! I am very fortunate to have met him. He came to Hop Kee a total of three times. All three times, he stayed for a good few hours after the shooting. We would just drink whiskey and talk about food and life. The guy really knew his whiskey. I came to learn that he was a very straightforward person & that he would tell it to you up front, but I appreciated his directness and honestly. He was a very nice & well-mannered man, and I have some great memories of good, fun times with him that I will cherish. I was deeply saddened by his passing.

When customers see pictures of him on the wall at Hop Kee, they tell me that they are really happy that he was able to try Hop Kee’s food and that they feel a sense of connection with him through our cooking.

How have you been faring with the impact of COVID? What are some things that you have been doing to stay open?

I closed Hop Kee on March 15th — one day before the executive order to shut down all restaurants. I had actually been thinking about closing for a while because it had been really slow since the Chinese New Year (January 22nd). In the six to eight weeks between then and March 15th, business was already down 50%. When we opened back up on May 2nd, the business was down by 80% as we had to rely purely on takeout, which is normally only 10% of our total sales. We kept only 1/3 of our staff, and it’s been a very rough few months.

The dining area during COVID (PC: Micah Cash) — *The dining area during COVID (PC:* *Micah Cash*)

When we re-opened, I started using social media apps to connect with my customers. Before the pandemic, I wasn’t really active on social media at all. However, I would still rather have the customer walk in and meet them in person so that I can get to know them. Social media feels a bit distant to me. I really want to get to know my customers. I want to make my customers feel like I really care when I ask them how they are doing. I want to build that family environment and sense of community. It’s just so hard with COVID-19.

Today, we’re just trying to hang in there and take things one day at a time. We’re trying to stay strong and have confidence that things will get better, as it feels like it can't get any worse. We’re currently primarily doing takeout orders, though we do also have limited outdoor dining available.

How has the move away from in person dining towards delivery impacted your business?

We’re not doing any delivery. I want to preserve a sense of belonging and community, and I don’t think that is possible if we transition to delivery. Our customers are willing to come and pick up our food, so we’ve only been doing takeout. Some of our customers even drive all the way from New Jersey and Connecticut to pick up our food! That just goes to show how strong of a connection we’ve built with some of our customers throughout the decades.

Any advice you would like to give to other restaurants / small business owners trying to survive during COVID?

Just try hang on & stay strong. Be confident that eventually, things will get better.

What has been your greatest accomplishment or proudest moment as a restaurant owner? What has been your biggest challenge?

My greatest accomplishment was reaching our 50th anniversary in 2018.

My proudest moment is probably meeting & getting to know Anthony Bourdain.

My biggest challenge to date has to be the COVID-19 virus along with all the uncertainty that it brings.

Any plans for the future? Both amidst and beyond the pandemic?

No plans to change. No plans to expand. We just want to keep the old traditions alive and see how long we can go on. Hopefully, all this will be over soon.

Some of my staff members have been with me for over 20 years. My staff members are getting up there in age. As for myself, I turn 57 this year, and I’m one of the youngest guys on rotation. I have no kids, and my two younger brothers and sister don’t really have an interest in taking over the restaurant. I probably won’t retire for another 10 years at least, so I’ll just have to think about what to do when that time comes!

What do you hope your legacy will be? I.e., 50 years from now when people think back and remember Hop Kee, what do you want them to remember?

I want people to look back and have fond memories of eating and enjoying good old-style Chinese Cantonese food here at Hop Kee. I want Hop Kee to be remembered as more than just a restaurant, but as a place that was able to create a feeling of family and belonging. Personally, I want to be remembered as someone who genuinely cared for my customers.

A chef in the kitchen next to a vat of chicken soup (PC: Micah Cash) — *A chef in the kitchen next to a vat of chicken soup (PC:* *Micah Cash*)

How can people support your business?

Continue to stop by for a visit!

*****

You can also support Hop Kee through our exclusive Hop Kee merchandise collection with Pearl River Mart. Profits from sales will go directly to Hop Kee to help alleviate the burden of added costs from COVID’s impact.

Chinatown establishments like Hop Kee are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support — now more than ever before — to keep that spirit alive. Please consider making a donation to our small business relief fund, The Longevity Fund, or help us spread the word of what’s at stake. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help say “Chinatown will always be open for business.”

The kitchen / prep area (PC: Micah Cash) — *The kitchen / prep area (PC:* *Micah Cash*)

Alice Huang 10/12/20 Alice Huang 10/12/20

Spicy Moon — Defining Hospitality Amidst Adversity

*Spicy Moon’s new location in West Village*

A few months ago, after I had published my first post about Spicy Moon, the chef / owner of the restaurant, Nick, messaged me on Instagram to tell me that he had enjoyed reading my post. This came as a complete shock to me, as I didn’t think anyone besides Patrick and a few of my coworkers were reading my blog, let alone the owners of the places that I was writing about. It was right around this time that I was thinking about starting my “COVID Anthologies” series, where I would tell the stories of extraordinary restaurants in this unordinary, new world. In my response to Nick, I decided to shoot my shot and ask if he would be willing to let me interview him for this series. To my delight, he agreed enthusiastically!

A few weeks later, I made my way down to Spicy Moon’s new West Village location for a weekend al fresco lunch and to meet Nick in person. I went with Patrick and one of our close friends and old roommates, Stu, who had never been to Spicy Moon before. We ordered our usual favorites (dan dan noodles, pea leaves with garlic) as well as a few new dishes. Of the new dishes that we tried, our favorite was the salt and pepper eggplant, which was piping hot, delicately crispy and packed full of umami. Ever since we tried that dish for the first time, Patrick and I have been ordering it every single time we get Spicy Moon. Unsurprisingly, Stu absolutely loved the food and agreed with me that Spicy Moon has the best dan dan noodles he’s ever had. Side note: Stu is allergic to both dairy and nuts, so the dan dan noodles at Spicy Moon were perfect for him because they are both dairy free (by default, since they are vegan) and nut free (they use sesame paste instead of peanut sauce).

After we finished eating, I sat down with Nick at a table outside and got my pen and notebook ready. Being the procrastinator that I am and a newbie to this whole interview thing, I had frantically come up with a rough outline of the questions I wanted to ask Nick while on the subway ride to Spicy Moon. I was super nervous in the moments leading up to the interview but, luckily, Nick is a very friendly person, and our conversation flowed naturally without much effort on my part.

The Early Days

Nick opened Spicy Moon with his wife, who became vegan after finishing college in Chengdu and immigrating to the US. Nick and his wife met while they were both working in a traditional Sichuan restaurant in NYC. Back then, most Chinese restaurants either didn’t understand veganism or didn’t have respect for true veganism. To this day, most Chinese restaurants cook vegetables in the same pots, sauces, and oils that they use to cook meat. Oftentimes, veggies are fried in lard, and homemade chili oil is sometimes made using animal fat. When vegans frequent these restaurants, they are often just told, “This dish is vegan,” even if there are animal ingredients present. Most of the time, this isn’t because of any desire to deceive but, rather, the result of a genuine lack of understanding of what veganism entails. In the minds of many Chinese restaurant owners and employees, vegan simply means any vegetable dish, regardless of the ingredients used.

Due to this dynamic, Nick’s wife would always bring her own food into the restaurant for meals rather than eat the dishes made at the restaurant where they both worked. When she floated the idea of starting a vegan Sichuan restaurant with Nick, Nick thought she was crazy. What dishes would they make? Who would come? How would they get Sichuan chefs who were willing to cook vegan? After all, in Chinese culture, and particularly in Sichuan culture, meat is associated with health, wealth and prosperity. In a sense, eating meat is seen as a prerequisite for sustaining life. Unless you are a Buddhist monk, vegetarianism and veganism are extremely rare in China due to the overwhelmingly connotations associated with a carnivorous diet. However, Nick eventually gave in and together, he and his wife opened their first location in East Village.

As you can probably imagine, opening a vegan Sichuan restaurant came with a host of challenges. For one, adapting traditional Sichuan recipes to utilize solely vegan ingredients took a ton of work. Everything— from the types of seasoning to the ratios of the ingredients— had to be adjusted, as veggies have a different absorption rate than meat. However, after much trial and error, Nick and his wife were able to recreate some of the most beloved Sichuan dishes such as dan dan noodles and wontons in chili oil, without sacrificing taste or tradition. In additional to serving up a host of traditional Sichuan dishes such as double cooked beyond sausage and mápó tofu, Nick has taken advantage of the creative freedom that operating his own restaurant has afforded him and has created a few Chinese fusion dishes, such as mountain yam (known as shānyào in Chinese) vegan cheese puffs, Sichuan guacamole, “honey” walnut edamame nuggets and peppercorn brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts are very rare in Asian cuisine, but are very trendy in the U.S., so Nick wanted to create a dish that highlighted flavors of Sichuan cuisine while taking advantage of trendy ingredients.

To Nick’s surprise, people loved Spicy Moon! Most restaurants bleed cash the first two years and grow slowly, but Spicy Moon started gaining good momentum after only six to eight months. Most of this momentum was driven by word-of-mouth and by the NYC influencer community, which Nick has a very good relationship with. Fun fact: I actually first heard about Spicy Moon from an influencer named Crystal Pang who goes by the Instagram handle @veganeatsnyc.

Demonstrating Hospitality during COVID-19

Over time, Nick and his wife started coming up with more and more menu items, and Spicy Moon blossomed in popularity. In February 2020, a few weeks before the state-mandated restaurant closures, they opened their second location in the West Village. Unfortunately, by the time the pandemic was tearing through NYC in full force, they were already locked into their lease and had no alternative but to continue operating as much as the city would allow. Eventually, they were forced to close down both locations towards the end of March and weren’t able to reopen until the end of May.

“It was horrible, and we had no other choice,” Nick stated as he recalled the first few weeks of the shut-downs. He paused, leaned back in his chair, and told me, “When we were signing our lease in the fall last year, we went to a Chinese fortune teller. She warned us that this was coming. She told us that the first half of 2020 would be full of bad luck, since the year of the rat signifies the start of a new Chinese zodiac cycle, but that things would improve in the second half of the year. I don’t usually believe in fortune telling and all this zodiac stuff, but I find it interesting that, so far, things have been playing out exactly as she had predicted.”

However, despite the seemingly insurmountable challenge that the pandemic had presented, Nick and his wife found ways to continue serving their community. For 10 weeks while the restaurant was closed, the couple donated over 1,000 meals to people in need and frontline workers by partnering with community organizations. One notable organization that Spicy Moon partnered with is Chilis on Wheels, a non-profit that aims to make veganism accessible to all by providing hot, vegan meals to individuals and families in need. In addition to cooking and packaging ready-to-eat meals, Spicy Moon also donated fresh produce to local agencies and pantries in order to support their meal preparation efforts.

When I asked Nick why he participated in all these food donation programs, he told me that, in his view, food donation should be a requirement for restaurants, as the essence of any foodservice business is hospitality. “When you think of hospitality,” Nick pondered, “you think of the weary traveler knocking at your front door in search of warm food and shelter.” His eyes wandered off into the distance. “To me, that’s what you’re signing up for when you open a restaurant. By hanging up the “open” sign, you promise to never turn anyone away and to be a provider of warmth and comfort in times of need.” I sat in silence for a few moments while jotting this down. Wow, what a powerful image. No wonder why Nick greeted me like family when I first walked up to Spicy Moon, despite never having met me before.

Chive and JUST Egg dumplings ($11.95) — *Chive and* *JUST Egg* *dumplings ($11.95)*

Challenges and Legacy

As Nick reflected on how far Spicy Moon has come over the years, he concluded that their biggest challenge, aside from COVID, has been finding and retaining Chinese chefs who are willing to cook vegan Chinese food. Most Chinese chefs in NYC are on the older side and are very loyal to traditional methods of Chinese cooking (this is especially true of Sichuanese chefs). As a result, they tend to have a difficult time accepting changes to recipes that they grew up with. There were a few Chinese chefs who straight up quit because they felt uncomfortable working in Spicy Moon’s all-vegan kitchen. Although there are many younger vegan Asian chefs out there these days (for example, I follow a young, Taiwanese chef who’s an undergrad at UC Berkeley and goes by the handle @chez.jorge on Instagram)— especially in vegan-friendly countries like Taiwan and Singapore— there aren’t that many in NYC, and it’s difficult to attract the few who do live in the city.

Towards the end of our chat, I asked Nick one final question: 50 years from now, when people think about Spicy Moon (crossing my fingers that it will still be around then), what do you want them to remember? Without hesitation, Nick replied, “Our fair labor practices and how much we valued our customers.”

Fair labor practices are an interesting point. The restaurant industry in American is notorious for underpaying workers and other questionable labor practices, such as refusing to grant overtime. In fact, the entire tradition of tipping in the United States has a troubling history and arose from a desire to pay workers the bare minimum in order to maximize profits. In some places, foodservice workers live entirely off tips and are forced to take on multiple jobs in order to even begin making a living⁽¹⁾. At Spicy Moon, Nick and his wife have made it their mission to ensure that all of their employees are able to make a living wage and readily offer overtime opportunities to their chefs. After all, hospitality runs in the couples’ blood, and how can you claim to be a business in the hospitality industry if you don’t treat your employees with kindness?

As I was leaving, I remarked to Nick that the funky neon tape decorating both Spicy Moon locations was an interesting touch. “Ah yes,” Nick explained as he pressed down the corner of a piece of tape that had begun peeling due to sun exposure, “This was done by a local tape artist. He comes back to change up the designs once in a while.” I don’t know why, but the thought of a local artist beautifying a local business made me smile (I later found out that the name of the artist is Kuki Gomez). I lingered for a second more to take in vibrant colors of the tape, the cute neon sign that spells out Spicy Moon in Chinese (Málà Yuè), and the black and white mural next to the entrance before telling Nick that I would be back soon.

Notes:

It is important to note that, in many instances, the restaurant owners themselves are not the only ones at fault, as they need to achieve certain profit margins in order to keep the restaurant open at all. This is especially true of mom-and-pop shops. Oftentimes, there are a multitude of external factors, from unfavorable laws to sky-high third-party fees, that make it difficult to operate a restaurant profitably.

Alice Huang 8/8/20 Alice Huang 8/8/20

Vegan Bibimbap - A Recipe and Mini History Lesson

I never planned on sharing any recipes on my blog, but COVID-19 has forced us all to change our plans, amirite?

Anyways, I gotta say that I was super proud of how pretty (and yummy) this bibimbap turned out to be, so I thought I’d share how I made this with all of you. I’m no chef (I literally only started cooking out of absolute necessity during quarantine so that I wouldn’t starve to death), and I don’t really know how to share recipes “the proper way” with fancy checklists and step by step instructions, so this post will be more like a stream of consciousness.

Before we get into the whole thing, I just want to put out a disclaimer that I am very “flexible” when it comes to cooking in that I don’t typically follow precise measurements. I have two reasons for this: One, I hate washing dishes, and dirty measuring spoons / cups are a pain to clean. Two, I grew up in a very traditional Chinese household where measuring instruments weren’t even part of the kitchen vocabulary (if you know, you know). Therefore, I typically just “cook to taste” and adjust the recipe as I go. That’s why, for the most part, you won’t see me giving out precise measurements for anything. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that I literally don’t even know what the “right” measurement for any of the ingredients actually is, haha.

History of Bibimbap

***Disclaimer: I am not a historian, so please forgive me and let me know if I’m butchering any aspects of the history behind this dish.

Alright, let’s talk about bibimbap. I LOVE bibimbap for a variety of reasons: it’s warm, it’s nourishing, it contains so many different vegetables, and it can easily be made vegetarian or vegan! As I was researching the origins of bibimbap, I came across a few articles that explain the humble origins of the dish; apparently, bibimbap originated in rural Korea and was invented as a convenient way for working class mothers and wives to quickly whip up a nutritious, tasty meal when there wasn’t enough time or space for a traditional meal complete with banchan (small Korean side dishes that are served with almost every meal) while doubling as a way to utilize leftovers and kitchen scraps. One of the papers that I read suggests that bibimbap was also popular with the rich and among high ranking government officials.

TLDR; anyone can eat it, and it’s just so damn delicious. If you want to learn more about the history and origins of bibimbap, I’ve linked a few informative papers and posts that I found helpful during my research in the notes section at the bottom of this post.

The Recipe

This particular bibimbap that I made (the one pictured) is 100% vegan and 200% yummy. The one I made separately for Patrick has a fried egg on top for extra protein, but the yuba noodles in my bowl were enough protein for me.

This dish might look hard to make, but it’s actually incredibly easy! In fact, I’m typically able to make it in under an hour (which is good for me, since I’m clumsy and slow AF in the kitchen). It’s so filling and nourishing — the perfect, guilt-free way to replenish your body after a long, hard day of work. It’s also pretty to look at, which definitely doesn’t hurt.

Instead of laying out the recipe step by step (since there’s really no “order” that you need to follow), I’m just going to go over each component of the bowl in order of appearance. Keep in mind that, depending on how long it takes you to cook every item, some of the things you cooked and set aside in the beginning might get cold, and you might have to reheat your bowl before you eat it. Maybe I’m just super slow at cooking, but I always have to pop the bowl into the microwave for a minute or two before serving. If you’re able to find a good workaround for this, let me know!

Clockwise, starting from the top:

Carrots - I just grated some raw carrots and set them aside. Super simple, nothing fancy here. Some people like to cook their carrots, but I prefer the crunch from raw carrots, and they’re more nutritious this way anyways!
Rice - I cooked some medium-grain white Japanese rice in the rice cooker and sprinkled on some black sesame seeds (Patrick scooped it into a cute little ball for me hehehe).
Seaweed - I took some dried wakame seaweed that I got my the local Japanese market downstairs, cooked it in boiling water for about 3 minutes, strained it and dressed it with a mix of sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin and monk fruit sweetener (you can use any sweetener of choice). I topped the resulting seaweed salad with white sesame seeds for funsies (sort of a yin / yang situation going on with the black and white sesame seeds, haha).
Zucchini - I chopped the zucchini into thin strips and cooked it lightly with sesame oil and a tiny bit of salt. You can add some crushed garlic if you’d like, but I skipped it this time around because I didn’t want to have to wash the garlic crusher, lol.
Mushrooms - I like using shiitake mushrooms because they give off an amazing umami flavor, though you can use almost any kind of mushroom you’d like (enoki and oyster mushroom would work great as well). I just chopped them up and cooked them in a little bit of sesame oil, soy sauce and hoisin sauce. I added a touch of salt towards the end to bring out the umami flavor a bit more, but you can totally skip this step if you’re watching your sodium intake.
Kimchi - From Whole Foods. I had originally been using the big jar of kimchi that you can get at Costco, but I later realized that the Costco one isn’t 100% vegan because it contains anchovies, so I’ve since switched to a vegan brand. I’m currently using one by Mama O’s, which you can find at Whole Foods, but there are a ton of vegan kimchi brands out there; just make sure to read the label and make sure that there are no fish products on the ingredients list!
Spinach - Blanched and drained (I don’t usually put any seasoning on this, since the gochujang will flavor everything in the bowl and you don’t want your bowl to become too salty)

Center:

Yuba Noodles - Packaged and precooked by Hodo Foods (available at Whole Foods). I just heated them up a bit in the pan before serving. I got the spicy flavor, but they have a sesame flavor as well that I want to try.
Dumpling - Leftover veggie dumpling pan fried with the little bit of residual sesame oil from cooking all of the veggies earlier
Microgreens - Got these at Whole Foods as well (seeing a trend?)
Gochujang - Vegan gochujang by Mother-in-Law’s (available at Whole Foods)

Some tips:

For the raw veggies and anything that can be served cold, make sure to prepare them ahead of time so that your hot items don’t get cold
Cook the veggies one by one if you want to be able to plate them / make them look pretty, but it’s totally fine to just cook everything together if you’re short on time and don’t care about taking pictures for the gram
To make the pretty lines with the gochujang, I spooned some into a plastic baggie, cut off one of the corners, and used it as a makeshift squeezy tube
Sesame oil burns at high temperatures, so make sure to cook everything using medium / low heat
The gochujang will flavor everything in the bowl, so don’t worry if some of your veggies don’t taste salty enough on their own

Notes:

Here’s a well-written research paper all about the history, origins and different types of bibimbap
Here’s a more casual fun post that’s easy and fun to read

Alice Huang 7/25/20 Alice Huang 7/25/20

Spicy Moon — Shattering the Oxymoron of “Vegan Chinese Food” while Celebrating Sichuan Cuisine

First visit: February 2020
Price: Affordable
Cuisine: Chinese, Sichuan
Vibe: Eclectic, hip, cozy
Address: 328 E 6th St, New York, NY (East Village)
Veg options: Everything is vegan!
COVID-19 delivery: Yes!

“Vegan Chinese food” is an oxymoron. “Vegan Sichuanese food” sounds like a typo. Since I was born in Chongqing, which was part of the Sichuan province until 1997, I grew up on a predominantly carnivorous diet. All of my favorite hometown dishes, including huíguō ròu (twice-cooked pork), yúxiāng ròusī (literally translates to fish-flavored shredded pork, but is essentially shredded pork in garlic sauce) and làzǐjī (commonly known as Chongqing chicken in American restaurants) were meat-based. Even vegetable dishes, such as stir-fried bok choy and wok-tossed string beans, were frequently enhanced with minced pork or leftover chicken broth. My parents and grandparents, who grew up in poverty during the Cultural Revolution with limited access to animal products, hammered into me the belief that eating meat at every meal was the key to a long, healthy life. “Aiya, look at wài pó,” my grandma would always lament, “bad health today because meat too expensive when me and wàigōng were young.” I was raised to believe that meat is to health the same way that the sun is to light and oxygen is to life. In my mind, vegetarian food was reserved for monks and angsty, rebellious teenagers, with no place in the life of the average person.

My aunt’s homemade yúxiāng ròusī — My aunt’s homemade *yúxiāng ròusī*

Eventually, after educating myself and reading countless books and articles on the merits of a plant-forward diet, I came to the conclusion that “everything in moderation” is probably the right mantra to follow, and that incorporating more plant-based foods into my diet would probably do me some good. As much as I loved (and still love) meat, I loved my body more, and I was prepared to sacrifice a steak or two if it meant waking up feeling better every day and leading a healthier, more balanced life. Thus, I decided to begin eating more plant-based meals and to significantly decrease my consumption of animal products. I don’t want to get into a debate about whether eating meat is actually bad for you, but I think we can all agree that eating more fruits and veggies is something your doctor wouldn’t frown upon. Plus, eating plants is better for the environment than eating meat, which to me was the convincing cherry on top of an already compelling sundae. PSA: As I’ve stated in my bio, I am not vegan nor am I vegetarian. Your girl’s just trying to do better for herself and eat her greens.

To be honest, adopting a plant-forward diet has been much easier than I thought it would be. Most restaurants will let you sub out animal-based ingredients for plant-based alternatives such as tofu, beans or mushroom. Being Chinese, I grew up eating tofu pretty regularly (shoutout to mápó dòufu and dòuhuā⁽¹⁾, both Chongqing specialities) , so it wasn’t really a huge step to start replacing animal products with soy and other plant-based products. This was the easiest to do at health-conscious, fast-casual chains (e.g. Sweetgreen, Cava, Dig Inn, etc.), where you can simply omit meat and cheese from your salad or superfood bowl, followed by Thai restaurants, where fried tofu can easily take the place of animal protein in pad thai or pad see ew without significantly altering the flavor profile of the dishes, and the most difficult to do at authentic Chinese restaurants, where the meat itself is often memorialized in the name of the dish (think: twice-cooked pork, peking duck), and substituting chicken for tofu in your kung pao chicken (yes, contrary to popular belief, kung pao chicken, known as gōng bào jī in my province, is an authentic Sichuanese food) would almost certainly get you a death glare from the auntie refilling your lukewarm water⁽²⁾.

Some dòuhuā that we had when we were in Chongqing — Some *dòuhuā* that we had when we were in Chongqing

That’s why I was so excited when I learned that there was a 100% vegan Sichuan restaurant in the city that was actually good! I first heard about Spicy Moon from a NYC-based vegan influencer who goes by the handle @veganeatsNYC on Instagram. To my surprise, even a few of my carnivorous friends had been there before and had genuinely enjoyed the food. That was more than enough to convince me to drag Patrick and my lazy ass down to East Village on a dreary Sunday morning in the dead of winter.

As we approached the restaurant, my eyes were immediately drawn to the neon appliques that made up the psychedelic, web-like pattern on the store’s floor-to-ceiling window. My first thought upon seeing this was: “there’s no way this place is authentic! It’s trying way too hard to be another one of those edgy but underwhelming East Village eateries”. As I opened the door, I was shocked to see how small the restaurant was. There were a total of 25 - 30 seats crammed closely together in a long, rectangular space no larger than our tiny studio apartment. This was quite surprising, as I’m used to frequenting cavernous Chinese restaurants built to accommodate hundreds of guests, most of them multigenerational families, directed by the uniformed wait staff to squeeze around round tables topped with red tablecloths and lazy Susans. Spicy Moon is definitely a more intimate restaurant -- good for dates and small get-togethers, but not for annual family reunions. It was a good thing that Patrick and I had made a Yelp reservation in advance, or else we likely would have had to wait for a table.

As soon as we entered the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by the staff and directed to a table for two towards the back (thank goodness because it was cold as f*ck that day). After we had settled in, our waitress brought over a glass pitcher full of room temperature water and gave us a few minutes to peruse the menu. The menu was printed double-sided on a 4” x 5” sheet of disposable paper and was accompanied by a pencil that you’re supposed to use to check off the dishes that you want to order. After a typical period of indecisiveness and me trying to convince Patrick that we needed to try everything on the menu because my eyes are bigger than my stomach, we decided to go with the mountain yam puff appetizer, followed by dan dan noodles, snow pea leaves with garlic and a tofu dry pot with jasmine rice.

After we handed our order slip to our waitress, I left the table for a hot second to use the bathroom, and the food was already on the table by the time I got back. At that point, Patrick had already previewed the dan dan noodles and informed me that they were possibly the best Chinese-style dry noodles that he’s ever had outside of China (when we were in China last summer, we ate noods every day and had zero regrets). With my hopes elevated and stomach screaming from hanger, I immediately stuffed some noodles into my mouth before Patrick could finish the entire bowl, and I was not the least bit disappointed.

These dan dan freakin’ noodles were 100% the best dan dan noodles I’ve ever had— even without the additional brownie points that they get for being vegan! The noodles themselves had the perfect amount of firm chewiness (believe it or not, it’s a herculean feat to be able to find noodles with a QQ⁽²⁾ texture outside of Asia; they’re more often than not sad and soggy), and the sesame-based sauce was deliciously fragrant and juuust spicy enough to provide a pleasant kick without sending you running for tissues and milk. A lot of so-called dan dan noodles that I’ve had in the States taste one-dimensional, with sesame paste and store-bought chili oil being the only identifiable ingredients. Spicy Moon’s version, on the other hand, was complex: I could taste the sesame and chili oil, but I could also taste garlic, vinegar and the Sichuan peppercorns that gave the dish its quintessential málà flavor. The best part is that Spicy Moon was somehow able to deliver an authentic tasting Sichuan noodle dish without the pool of excess oil that typically sits waiting for you at the bottom of most Chinese noodle dishes. My only regret with this dish is that we didn’t order more.

The rest of our dishes were all very delightful, albeit nothing could measure up to the elite status of the dan dan noodles. The mountain yam puffs were essentially fried potato balls that came with a side of vegan queso. Not “authentic” in the traditional sense, but delicious nevertheless. The stir-fried snow pea leaves (my favorite vegetable!) were cooked just right, and the tofu dry pot had just the right amount of málà spice. I’ll be honest though, maybe it’s because I’ve had phenomenal lamb and beef dry pots that have made me biased towards meat-based versions of the dish, but the tofu dry pot didn’t blow me away. Next time, I would try a different tofu dish; perhaps the mápó tofu or the cumin style tofu. (Note: After I had initially written this review, I ordered the mápó tofu for delivery at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. I don’t want to exaggerate, but it was definitely one of the best mápó tofus I’ve ever had. Even Patrick liked it, and he doesn’t usually like tofu! The sauce was spicy and wasn’t too numbing like a lot of mápó tofu dishes are, and the tofu was super soft and had a delicate, silken texture. It was definitely super oily, I’ll admit, but the flavors of the oil paired perfectly with the jasmine rice that came with the dish.)

Mountain yam puffs with vegan cheese ($6.95)

One interesting thing I noticed is that I didn’t feel nearly as bloated as I usually do coming out of a Chinese restaurant. Maybe it was because I felt good about myself since my meal was comprised entirely of greens and grains, or maybe it was because the magical dan dan noodles had cast a spell on me. Whatever it was, I definitely felt lighter and healthier than I had ever felt after a carb-heavy Asian meal. TL;DR, if you typically avoid going to Chinese restaurants because you hate that uncomfortable, greasy feeling that you get in your gut afterwards, fear not. Spicy Moon will leave you feeling satiated without putting you in a food coma.

Tips:

Make a Yelp reservation if you can, especially if you have a group of three or more.
Get the dan dan noodles. Just do it!!
The prices can add up if you order a bunch of appetizers, but you could easily make this an affordable meal by just getting a bowl of noodles. The dan dan noodles that Patrick and I shared would probably have been enough for one person.

In summary:

Hangry Alice rating: 5/5
Must get dishes: Dan dan noodles, mápó tofu
Skip: None— everything tastes great!

Notes:

Dòuhuā translates literally to bean flower, but the dish itself is essentially a tofu pudding that is typically eaten with chili oil and rice in my province.
In China, warm or room temperature water is the preferred way of drinking water, as it is commonly believed that cold water upsets the body’s natural chemistry and can cause indigestion and cramping.
According to the Michelin Guide, QQ is the bounciness associated with fresh handmade fish balls, glutinous rice balls, and certain types of noodles. The term originated from Taiwan, where Q sounds similar to the local word for “chewy”, but it’s evolved to mean a little more than that. The Asian version of al-dente, QQ foods are soft but not mushy - they must offer some resistance to the bite. Read more here.

The Broth (and Condiments)

The Noods

The Eggs

The Chashu and Toppings

What to Order

Tsukemen in NYC?

In Summary:

Tell us about your business and who you are! How long have you been open? What do you sell at your store?

Could you tell us a little bit about your family and what inspired you to start your business?

Who are your customers / what demographic do you cater to? Do most of your customers live in Chinatown, or do they come from other parts of the city?

When COVID first hit NYC, what kinds of thoughts were running through your head?

How have you been faring with the impact of COVID? What are some things that you have been doing to stay open?

How has Welcome to Chinatown helped your business? How are you planning on using the Longevity Fund grant?

Any advice you would like to give to other small business owners trying to survive during COVID?

What has been your greatest accomplishment or proudest moment as a business owner? What has been your biggest challenge?

Any plans for the future? Both amidst and beyond the pandemic?

How can people support your business?

Tell us about Hop Shing and about yourself. How long were you open?

What kind of food did you serve?

Who were your customers / what demographic did you cater to?

What were some of your favorite dishes from the menu?

When COVID first hit NYC, what kinds of thoughts were running through your head? What were some of the things you tried to do in the beginning?

Why did the owners of Hop Shing ultimately decide to close the restaurant?

What was your greatest accomplishment or proudest moment at Hop Shing?

What is your favorite memory of Hop Shing?

What is one fun fact or something interesting that most people don’t know about Hop Shing?

Anything else you would like people to know or talk about?

Tell us about your business and who you are! How long have you been open? What kind of food do you serve? What inspired you to start your restaurant?

What is Teochew cuisine?

Could you provide a little bit of history about the Teochew people and your family’s immigration story?

What are some of your favorite dishes to make from your menu? What were your inspirations behind these dishes?

What is it that sets your restaurant apart from others?

How have you been faring with the impact of COVID? What are some things that you have been doing to stay open?

What is one fun fact or something interesting that most people don’t know about you?

How can people support your business?

Tell us about your business and who you are. What kind of food do you serve?

What inspired you to start your restaurant?

How did you come up with the name “Tonii’s”?

Could you tell us about the history behind rice noodles? Where do they come from and why did you choose rice noodles over any other dish?

What are some of your favorite dishes to make from your menu? What were your inspirations behind these dishes?

When COVID first hit NYC, what kinds of thoughts were running through your head?

How have you been faring with the impact of COVID? What are some things that you have been doing to stay open?

How has the move away from in-person dining towards takeout / delivery impacted your business?

Any advice you would like to give to other restaurants / small business owners trying to survive during COVID?

What has been your greatest accomplishment or proudest moment as a restaurant owner? What has been your biggest challenge?

How has the lack of tourism in the pandemic affected Tonii’s and Chinatown as a whole? Do you believe the challenges of the pandemic caused restaurant and business owners in Chinatown to come together as a community?

One terrible side effect of the pandemic has been a resurgence of xenophobia toward people of Asian descent. How has this changed Tonii’s relationship with your community and city?

Any plans for the future? Both amidst and beyond the pandemic?

What do you hope your legacy will be? I.e., 50 years from now when people think back and remember Tonii’s, what do you want them to remember?

How can people support your business?

Anything else you would like people to know or talk about?

Tell us about your business and who you are. What kind of food do you serve?

What inspired you to start your restaurant?

What are some of the most popular dishes from your menu?

Who are your customers / what demographic do you cater to?

Your restaurant has been open since 1968. Could you please talk about how the restaurant has changed over the years?

You have been featured by Anthony Bourdain on his show No Reservations! Did you get a chance to meet him? If so, what was that like?

How have you been faring with the impact of COVID? What are some things that you have been doing to stay open?

How has the move away from in person dining towards delivery impacted your business?

Any advice you would like to give to other restaurants / small business owners trying to survive during COVID?

What has been your greatest accomplishment or proudest moment as a restaurant owner? What has been your biggest challenge?

Any plans for the future? Both amidst and beyond the pandemic?

What do you hope your legacy will be? I.e., 50 years from now when people think back and remember Hop Kee, what do you want them to remember?

How can people support your business?

The Early Days

Demonstrating Hospitality during COVID-19

Challenges and Legacy

Notes:

History of Bibimbap

The Recipe

Notes:

Tips:

In summary:

Notes:

Hangry Alice

Shop • COVID Anthologies • Blog • About • Review Guide • Contact Me