Cheung Fun, which translates to steamed rice roll, is a classic Cantonese dish from the Guangdong Province in southern China. Traditionally, it’s eaten as a snack or part of a dim sum feast, and OH MAN is it delicious.
I first tried the dish in 2021, and I was filled with both jubilance and remorse. My mouth was doing backflips over the chewy texture and symphony of flavors. But I was grieving over the fact I had lived for 27 years without knowing the dish even existed. Before diving into where to get steamed rice rolls in Chinatown NYC….
What exactly are steamed rice rolls?!
The dish starts with rice noodle sheets, which are made from a mixture of rice flour and tapioca that is poured into a flat pan and steamed. Once the mixture is cooked and set, the chef can dress it up as much as they like! Roasted pork, dried shrimp, green onions, and beef are all common fillings. The final component is a generous dousing of sauces. Sweet soy sauce is non negotiable. Hoisin sauce, sriracha, chili oil, and peanut sauce are all great add-ons too.
THIS video shows how they are made!
Now, let’s dive into 3 Spots for Steamed Rice Rolls in Chinatown NYC
Tonii’s Fresh Rice Noodle
Tonii’s Fresh Rice Noodle serves up LOADED rice noodle rolls that have a solid thickness and tantalizing chew. If you’re feeling groovy, go with the Tonii’s Special Rice Noodle which has pork, chicken, dried shrimp, and scallions. You’ll get sriracha, soy sauce, and some type of peanut butter sauce on the side- throw them all on for a flavor experience that’s spicy, salty, and a tad sweet.
It’s the most expensive spot on this Steamed Rice Rolls in Chinatown list, and a roll will set you back around $7. But they are pretty darn delicious and worth the price tag.
Sun Hing Lung
This literal hole in the wall dishes out dirt cheap steamed rice rolls that all cost less than $3. HOLY FRUGAL! Don’t expect it to be laden with toppings and add ons — my roasted pork number hardly had any roasted pork. But the noodles are super thick and chewy (which I personally love). Add some sriracha and soy sauce and you’ve got a super filling lunch for under $3!
Yi Ji Shi Mo Noodle Corp
Yi Shi Mo Noodle Corp a small spot on Elizabeth St that serves up epic made to order steamed rice noodle rolls. While the steamed rice noodles from Tonii’s and Sun Hing Lung are thick and chewy, the ones from Yi JI Shi Mo Noodle corp are thinner, and have a melt in your mouth texture. I got the roasted pork, which added a nice subtle sweetness. (I went to this spot as part of a $10 Chinatown Lunch Challenge which you can check out HERE!)
