BEST HOLE IN THE WALL JOINTS IN CHINATOWN, MANHATTAN, NEW YORK

Manhattan's Chinatown is a maze. There are what feels like an infinite number of restaurants in this area, and if you haven't explored it properly before, you're likely to be overwhelmed by the number of hole in the wall places. 

The question I get a lot is "which of the hole in the wall places are actually good?" in other words, "where can I get a cheap and tasty meal that won't leave me feeling terrible the next day?" Yelp is not your friend in this case, unless you want to be seated next to someone who is as confused as you about what to order.

I am by no means the expert on all the restaurants in Chinatown, but I have explored and eaten around enough to be able to point you to a few of my favourite hole in the wall cheap eats. 

Tiny window store selling the best rice rolls, Sung Hing Lung Co.

You'll notice that most of these are concentrated around Eldridge Street - this area of Chinatown is known as "Little Fuzhou" and named after the vast population of people from Fuzhou living and working in this area. There is a huge focus on "xiao chi" which literally translates to "little eats" (or less literally "street eats") from Fuzhou, hence the concentration of these hole in the wall joints. 

If you wanted to try all of these places in one go, you can get one thing from each place and cover it for less than $15 - you don't even need to worry about tax and tip. But likely, you'll find yourself at at most three places before you tap out in food coma. And remember to leave your credit cards at home - it's the real experience here, so bring your dollar bills.

Shu Jiao Fu Zhou

I was introduced to this place by my chef friend Dan at Daniel. (Enough said?) This not-so-3-star looking dining room does the best peanut sauce noodles and boiled pork and chive dumplings.

Must try: $2 Peanut sauce noodles (ask for the thick rice noodles over the egg noodles), boiled pork and chive dumplings

Address: 118 Eldridge Street

Peanut sauce noodles (ban mian) (photo credit)

Ting Jiang Fish Ball

I love it when I find a great place that isn't even listed on Yelp. Ting Jiang Fish Ball is one of those underground joints on Eldridge, on the other side of the road from Properity Dumpling. They have a pretty extensive menu for a hole in the wall joint, but I am a huge fan of their stir-fried rice cakes.

Must try: $3.75 Stir-fried rice cakes 

Address: 21A Eldridge Street

Stir fried rice cakes with pork and vegetables (chao shui jiao)

Prosperity Dumpling

You may have heard of this famous cheap as chips dumplings joint on Eldridge. It isn't one of those over-hyped places. They do the best fried pork and chive dumplings for a ridiculously good price. There is very limited seating and usually a long wait, so consider this as a take-out joint.

Must try: $1 for 4 fried pork and chive dumplings

Address: 46 Eldridge Street

Pork and chive fried dumplings

Vanessa's Dumpling House

Two doors down from Shu Jiao Fu Zhou is the very popular Vanessa's Dumpling House. If you're just passing by, you won't know that inside the tinted windows, there is almost always a queue for their dumplings, noodle soups, sesame pancakes etc etc. My favourite things to order from this menu are their peking duck sesame pancake, and the egg and chive pancake. Skip the boiled dumplings - Shu Jiao Fu Zhou does it far better, but try the fried dumplings if the queue at Prosperity Dumpling is too long.

Must try: $3 Peking duck sesame pancake, $1.50 egg and chive pancake

Address: 118A Eldridge Street

Egg and chive pancake

Fuzhou Wei Zhong Wei

Located in the basement of the East Broadway Mall, you know this is going to be as dingy as it gets, but trust me, the food is delicious and so so cheap. Any of the fried goods (eaten typically at breakfast) are good - my favourite would be the triangle (or sometimes rectangle) shaped deep-fried turnip cakes and wash it down with some Chinese soy milk (sweeter and thinner). Note: this place is so authentic that you're not going to see an English menu.

Must try: Deep-fried taro cakes (called yu tou gao), fried mini pork buns (called xiao long bao here too, but not to be confused with soup dumplings)

Address: 88 East Broadway (basement)

Front to back: deep-fried taro cake (yu tou gao), deep-fried oyster-filled donut (hai li jian bing), thin rice paper noodles in soup (guo bian)

Malaysia Beef Jerky

Some of the freshest tasting jerky in Chinatown - they have chicken, pork or beef, then you can choose spicy or non-spicy. It makes for a great snack as you walk around the Chinatown.

Must try: Spicy beef jerky 

Address: 85 Elizabeth Street

Spicy pork jerky

Sung Hing Lung Co.

Hands down best steamed rice noodle rolls I've ever had. You can choose from a number of flavours, then they make it for you FRESH from the liquid mixture, and you can mix your own sauces - I really like to overdose on everything (peanut sauce, soy sauce, sriracha).

Must try: Chinese sausage and mixed vegetable rice rolls, sweet silken tofu (not in English on the menu)

Address: 68 Henry Street

Chinese sausage and mixed vegetable rice rolls with sriracha, peanut sauce, and a special soy sauce mixture

BEST EATERIES IN AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Auckland is a budding culinary scene, with new restaurants popping up all over the city and plenty of hidden away secret gems, it's the city that turned me into the foodie that I am.

Inspired by having spent the week back in my home city Auckland, discovering new restaurants that have sprouted up all over the city, and revisiting some of my all time favourites, I thought I would put together a list of must-eat restaurants for travellers visiting, or Aucklanders who haven't given these a go.

There will be restaurants that are missing on this list, and I'd love to hear about them! These are just what I consider to be my 9/10 - 10/10 restaurants in Auckland. Here goes (in no particular order):

CIBO PARNELL
Hidden away in the depths of Parnell is a top-tier restaurant in an old chocolate factory. Put on your best shirt as you'll often find yourself rubbing elbows with celebrities and those in the know - I've once sat back-to-back with Rob Fyfe.
Must try: the lamb and the duck liver parfait
Price range: $$$$
Address: 91 St Georges Bay Road, Parnell, Auckland

THE FRENCH CAFE
Widely touted as Auckland's best fine dining restaurant, the tasting menu at The French Cafe is definitely an experience for a very special occasion.
Price range: $$$$
Address: 210 Symonds Street, Auckland

GOLDEN JADE RESTAURANT
I'd like to think I know a thing or two about Chinese food, since I am Chinese after all. Golden Jade is my family's most frequented Chinese restaurant, after years of experimenting at different Chinese restaurants. Be warned, it will be noisy like any other Chinese restaurant and the service will be completely rubbish, but I'm more than happy to sacrifice those for the best Chinese in Auckland.
Must try: salted egg prawns
Price range: $$-$$$
Address: 417 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland

PONSONBY CENTRAL
Yes, Ponsonby Central isn't exactly one restaurant - but that's what so great about it. It's a collection of eateries, homeware, clothing and other random knick knack stores all under one old warehouse. It's a recent addition to the restaurant and culture scene of Auckland, and it is still adding new stores and eateries monthly.
Must try: Bread & Butter Bakery
Price range: $-$$$
Address: 136-138 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland

CABLE BAY VINEYARDS
One of my favourite spots for a lazy special occasion Sunday. Take the ferry over to Waiheke and stay for an extended lunch with the most drinkable of wines from Cable Bay. The food is certainly comparable to the wines - and don't miss out on the dessert at the end either.
Must try: the lamb, the scallops, cheese plate
Price range: $$$$
Address: 12 Nick Johnstone Drive, Oneroa, Waiheke Island

BILL FISH CAFE
This is my best kept secret - one that I only ever took my bestest friends to, because it was much too serene to share. Overlooking the water at Westhaven, Bill Fish Cafe is the perfect way to spend a sunny day gazing at yachts that you wish you could sail and nibbling on a delightful platter of fish and chips.
Must try: fish and chips
Price range: $$
Address: Z-Pier, 31 Westhaven Drive, Westhaven, Auckland

 

CAFE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS
Easily the best Turkish/Middle Eastern cuisine in Auckland, just across the road from the bungy ball in the city. The intimate setting with Turkish lamps and the best hummus and dips makes it a fun first date restaurant. I've only ever gone there with the same friends, and we only ever get the set menu - you really can't go wrong with that combination.
Must try: set menu
Price range: $$-$$$
Address: 59 Victoria Street West, Auckland

EURO RESTAURANT & BAR
Euro is an oldie but a goodie. It's not uncommon to rub elbows with bankers and accountants here out for a post-work celebration. A colleague of mine liked this place for its steaks so much that he would often order two for his main course.
Must try: the rotisserie chicken or any of the steaks
Price range: $$$$
Address: Shed 22, Princes Wharf, 147 Quay Street, Auckland

THE FISH MONGER (REMUERA)
I'm a little bit biased here as one of my good friends from school worked here for years, and I got treated to still what I consider the best takeaway fish and chips I've ever had. It's a tiny little shop on the corner of Remuera Road and Upland Road, but they do the most delicious beer battered fries.
Must try: beer battered fries
Price range: $-$$
Address: 612 Remuera Road, Remuera, Auckland

DEPOT EATERY
A very popular spot for casual dining, attracting the masses even on a quiet Monday night. The oysters are delicious if you're into them, and the fish sliders are quite a crowd-pleaser to according to the waitstaff (although I can't say that I'm the biggest fan-girl of them).
Must try: oysters, roast chicken with cous cous
Price range: $$$
Address: 86 Federal Street, Auckland

   

FRASERS CAFE
This is one of my absolute favourite places to go after dinner for coffee and cake to catch up with friends. There is definitely a late-night coffee and cake culture missing in Sydney, and Frasers fills this gap perfectly whenever I'm in Auckland.
Must try: banoffee pie and chocolate mousse cake
Price range: $
Address: 434 Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden, Auckland

LA CIGALE FRENCH MARKETS
5 years ago, this was Auckland's best kept secret and it's no surprise as to why everyone has been sharing this sweet little spot with their friends and family since then. Perfect end to a morning walk in the weekend, the markets are packed with pastries, crepes, baked goods and coffee. You can also pick up fresh produce here too!
Must try: roll from the chorizo BBQ stall, freshly baked croissants, freshly squeezed juice
Price range: $-$$
Address: 69 St Georges Bay Road, Parnell, Auckland

HANSAN VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT
This is my absolute favourite cheap eat in Auckland. Not only can you get yourself a great big meal for under $15, there are also a million food and drink options on the menu. Despite the huge selection, my default is always C13 - panfried chicken with lemongrass on vermicelli.
Must try: C13, taro and sticky rice with coconut cream
Price range: $
Address: 55 Nuffield Street, Newmarket (and branches in Glenfield, City, and Panmure)

BROWNSTONE
You haven't had high tea, unless you've had this high tea. Previously known as the 1920s themed Prohibition, Brownstone is the second name change since I left 18 months ago. Despite its fickleness with its name, the high tea is still excellent, especially in the low light, plush chairs, prohibition-era setting.
Must try: high tea
Price range: $$$
Address: 108 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland

              

ANNABELLE'S
With a view overlooking St Heliers Bay (the far superior neighbour to Mission Bay), you would be a fool to sit inside the restaurant. Annabelle's has a very standard breakfast menu with all the items you'd expect to see, but they are known for their beef and lamb.
Must try: eggs benedict
Price range: $$-$$$
Address: 409 Tamaki Drive, St Heliers, Auckland

THE VILLAGE CO-OP
I think this is the best hand-made ice cream in all of Auckland. Better yet, you'll find it in this tiny little shop off the main strip. This is exactly what NZ ice cream is all about - definitely on par with Kapiti ice cream, if not, dare I say it, better. Pick up an ice cream and go for a stroll along the beach. Bliss.
Must try: butterscotch fudge
Price range: $
Address: 8 Maheke Street, St Heliers, Auckland

MEXICO FOOD & LIQUOR
It's probably the most hyped restaurant in Auckland in the past 18 months since I've left. For good reason too. They've opened up the same chain in Sydney in Surry Hills, and having tried both I can say that it is definitely done better in Auckland than in Sydney. The fried chicken is fun, and the tacos are pretty damn tasty. Wash it down with some margaritas and that's considered a cheap and fun meal.
Must try: fried chicken
Price range: $$
Address: 23 Britomart Place, Britomart, Auckland