an ode to ny noodletown

it's never the overdone frou-frou that gets me when i eat out. it's the simple basic things done well that are especially satisfying. especially when they're affordable.

this chinatown spot was a late night favorite when i first came to the city and i was gigging out at all hours. after my GERD was diagnosed and eating late at night became impossible (if i wanted to sing at all), it was a dinnertime must whenever the mood would hit me. nowadays, dating someone who actually lives in the heart of chinatown means that i get to have this way too often.



this is my favorite thing from ny noodletown -- duck rolls. and no, they're not on the menu. i can't even remember how i procured them from any of the waiters because they hardly speak english and i don't think i've ever gone in there with any chinese pals. but once i figured it out, i was hooked. i've never had them as good anywhere else. and believe me -- i've looked.



so crispy, so tasty, so greasy-yummy, with so much flavor -- i usually get two orders, with a nice green vegetable within easy reach. (seriously.)



and then there were three -- jewels, that is. soy chicken, roast duck and roast pork. this could very well be my favorite entree: all of them, such ample servings, hugging each other on this nice thin layer of oyster and soy sauce, with a green chimichurri sauce on the side. the whole thing changes from one bite to the next.

thank God i hardly ever eat alone. my friend is 6'6" and he's always got an appetite, so that usually means that i get to taste a lot.