China's American Outpost...
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History:
Many tourists come to Chinatown for knock-offs, but New York’s version of the ancient civilization great history beyond Canal Street. Chinese traders and sailors had begun trickling into America in the mid 18th-century, lured to the Pacific coast by the Gold Rush. Rampant discrimination in the West drove the Chinese East, where they could more easily blend. The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882-1943) kept many Chinese out until 1968, when Chinese flooded into the country from the mainland; New York’s Chinatown now holds the largest concentration of Chinese in the western hemisphere at around 150,000 people. Chinatown is also the favored destination point for Burmese, Vietnamese and Filipinos, among others.
From the J/M/Z or 6 train stop at Canal Street and Centre Street, all the sites of Chinatown are within a 10-minute walk.
To Eat:
Among the fake-goods and I Heart New York shops, the streets are lined with hundreds of authentic restaurants. Big Wong on Mott Street doesn’t look like much from the outside, but within the big yellow sign, there is a bustling, cash-only joint doling out congee, BBQ pork & other Cantonese food in a basic setting. For dumplings, Shanghai Asian Manor or Shanghai Cuisine on Mott are also no-frills, but come recommended by the locals. Dim-sum brunch is a Sunday ritual, Dim Sim Go Go down East Broadway and Jing Fong offer the best off the rolling carts!
To Drink:
Like many Asian neighborhoods, Karaoke looms large in Chinatown, and both Up Stairs and Inhabit Karaoke Lounge don’t disappoint in terms of colorful, contemporary spaces of many sizes. Another noted establishment is Apotheke, where mixologists in pharmacist-style garb whip up complex cocktails at this off-the-beaten path hideaway. The Clockwork Bar is a storied punk rock bar and music club replete with graffiti-covered backdrops and a jukebox.
To Do:
The Museum of the Chinese in America, which moved to a grand new location at 215 Centre Street is a national home for the precious narratives of diverse Chinese American communities, and brings to life 160 years of Chinese American history through innovative exhibitions and cultural programs. A trip to Chinatown would be incomplete without a visit to the majestic Mahayana Buddhist Temple, at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge, where, for a dollar donation, visitors can see the largest Buddha in the city: a behemoth, 16-foot gold statue resting on a lotus flower and with an ethereal blue halo around its head. A casual stroll around Columbus Park reveals the elder residents playing cards, competing in mahjong and exercising.
