$10 NYC Chinatown Cheap Eats Challenge, Take 2

If you’re looking for cheap eats in NYC, there’s no better place than Chinatown. The 55 block area is home to hundreds of small restaurants that have some serious eats that won’t break the bank.

I had a crumpled $10 bill and a growling stomach. So I headed downtown for a $10 NYC Chinatown cheap eats lunch challenge.

Let’s dive in!

Stop 1: Yi Ji Shi Mo Noodle Corp, Roasted Pork Steam Rice Roll, $3.50

Yi Shi Mo Noodle Corp is a literal hole in the wall spot on Elizabeth St that serves up epic made to order steamed rice noodle rolls. The noodles have a slightly chewy, bust mostly melt in your mouth texture, and the roasted pork added a subtle sweetness that complimented the dousing of soy sauce and sriracha to perfection.

Stop 2: Golden Steamer, Chinese Sausage Roll, $1.25

Golden Steamer is a NYC Chinatown cheap eats institution that’s famous for its huge, fluffy (and frugal) steamed buns. The only steamed buns they had left were Chinese sausage roll. What’s that?! Well… I got one to find out.

The steamed bun itself was warm and fluffy with a perfect sweetness that hugged the entire inside of my mouth. The small link of sausage didn’t have much flavor and felt out of place. However, I scarfed it all down because the bun was just so darn delicious.

Stop 3: New Kamboat Bakery and Cafe Inc, Custard Egg Tart for $1.50 and a Egg Custard Bun for $1.75

New Kamboat Bakery and Cafe Inc. is a local hot spot that serves up all types of baked buns, rice noodles, and classic Chinese treats that I’ve never seen before. Choosing from all the tasty looking items felt like mission impossible. But don’t worry…. I persevered.

The custard egg tart is hailed by fellow foodies for its creamy texture and flakey crust. I, however, found it to taste too eggy. (The irony of finding a custard egg tart to be too eggy isn’t lost on me.)

The custard egg bun, however, spun me into pure euphoria. The bun had a crunchy, sugar-coated outside and a fluffy inside, and the custard egg custard filling was elite.