Guang Ming Cun

I rarely get the chance to experience the same restaurants that my parents visit when they were kids, but Guang Ming Cun is a wonderful exception. Nestled on the busy Huai Hai Middle Road, it is one of the few restaurants that has endured throughout the times. Breakfast is an epic treat. For under $2USD, you're able to buy a massive steaming bowl of freshly-pulled, perfectly al dente noodles in a savory broth topped with caramelized green onions, generous slabs of marbled pork, and sprouts. There's also an extensive menu of favorite Shanghai treats such as wonton soup, chicken feet, crystal shrimp dumplings, and stinky tofu. With the reasonable prices and quick service, it's no wonder that they've been open for over half a century.

Men Kui Tei

Men Kui Tei in Midtown West is still my favorite ramen shop in NYC for a few reasons:

1. Its cheap: $7 to $9 on average gets you a huge bowl of ramen with broth (compared to the more expensive $12-15 options such as Totto Ramen and Ippudo. 
2. It's quick: the food comes out in minutes, which is a plus when you're starvin'! 
3. It's no-frills: If you just want a bowl of ramen, get in and get out, this place is ideal. No need to look chic (I doubt most ramen houses have a dress code, but NYC tends to do things up a bit) and the customers don't linger. During rush hour, the wait is still tolerable.

Shown above is the Menkui Ramen. A hearty bowl of seaweed-flavored broth with three pieces of char siu pork, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and scallions. The bamboo shoots provide a great crunch, while the pork adds a savory dimension. We also ordered the Curry Ramen to explore, but concluded that it is not to be recommended. The Wonton Ramen is not bad either.

Morakote Siam

M and I have walked passed Morakote Siam on Carmine countless times and we've never thought to try it... that is, until now. Their lunch menu had a variety of Thai classics, including my favorite: Pad See Ew. While it wasn't as good as my go-to Pad See Ew source (Land Thai Kitchen), it wasn't bad! The salad and spring rolls included in the lunch special were also tasty. For $8 or so, it was a pretty solid working lunch find.

Pork Bun Crawl

On Sunday I ventured down to Chinatown to partake in the February Pork Bun Crawl, organized by NYC Food Crawl. It was a ton of fun! I got to enjoy a variety of pork buns (a.k.a. Cha Siu Bao) from five different venues. For the record, my foursquare-addicted group and I went to all crawl six locations, but the first location sold out of pork buns before we even got there. Lame. Fortunately, I found my favorite joint (find out after the jump) among the five and was able to bring home a few (ahem... five) for B to eat (ahem again... for me too). Beyond the bun, M and I also made some new foursquare-food-friends and scored the "Overshare" badge. Couldn't have asked for a better afternoon.

Rheon Cafe

This is the amazingly delicious roast duck sandwich with romaine lettuce, cucumber and a sweet-spicy miso sauce from Rheon Cafe in SoHo. At $8.75 for a whole sandwich (or $4.75 for a half), which includes a piece of fruit (apple or banana), I don't know why I don't come here more often! I need to try their Ciabatta "Wagyu" Beef Burger sometime... More pics can be found here.

Lamn/n Zhou's Hand-Pulled Noodles

There's nothing quite like a steamy bowl of noodle soup with your choice of meat and fixings on a frigid New York afternoon. After some target practice at the West Side Rifle & Pistol Range, we (B, S^2) decided to hit up Lam/n Zhou Hand Pulled Noodles & Dumplings in East Chinatown.

Out of the Kitchen

The Chicken Tangine and Cous Cous from Out of the Kitchen was surprisingly delicious. The meat was tender and packed with great Moroccan spices. I love the texture of Cous Cous in my mouth. It's like eating soft Pop Rocks to me. For about $12, it was enough food to have two filling lunches with.

Lam/n Zhou Dumplings

Whenever I'm craving for dumplings, but not in the mood to make my own, I turn to my trusty supply of frozen Vanessa's Dumplings (50 for $9). However, I recently discovered another dumpling paradise on the east side of Chinatown that sells a bag of 50 frozen ones for $8! This magical place is called Lan Zhou (or maybe Lam Zhou in Engrish) Hand Made Noodles & Dumpling and it's located on East Broadway. It is the quintessential hole-in-the-wall eatery: a shabby little joint that sells remarkably delicious food. I think at least one of the storekeepers there speaks English, so you won't need to pull out your Mandarin skills like I did. I also wouldn't have discovered the place if it hadn't been for my Chinatown-savvy friend A.

Bento Box Battles: Koo Sushi

Contestant: Koo Sushi

Location: 142 W Houston St,West Village

Order: Salmon Teriyaki Bento Box

Ramen at Men Kui Tei

The hearty and generously large bowl of ramen at Men Kui Tei is worth waiting 20-30 minutes for. Even if you have to stand outside in the freezing cold for part of the time.

Rickshaw Dumplings

Normally I enjoy making my own dumplings at home. I usually buy packs of 50 frozen dumplings from Vanessa's Dumpling House on the Lower East Side for $9. Today, I decided to try some "trendy" dumplings from the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck on 75th and Broadway. After seeing Anita Lo on Top Chef Masters, I was very excited to discover that her dumpling truck regularly goes to the Upper West Side.

Bring Schnitzel & Things to Hudson Square!

It is time to bring Schnitzel & Things to Hudson Square! (Hudson Square = Ideally at or very near the intersection of Hudson St and King St.) I've stood by, hungry and yearning, for too long. I no longer want to read about other people's Schnitzel-satiated tweets and blog entries. I want to experience it! In fact, I don't think I'm alone either (@michellebaik, back me up here). There are many foodies who work (like me) in this area that desperate for something new. So if you'd like to support me in this (un)official petition, please leave a comment below about what you'd have for lunch if Schnitzel & Things were to come down here.

As an added incentive, I will buy your lunch (up to $10) if and when they come to Hudson Square! I'll draw the lucky winner from the comment pool, so start wishing! (Don't forget to let me know what you'd like to have!) Menu can be found here. Or below...

Ben's Chili Bowl

After a night out on U Street in DC, we satisfied everyone's munchies with a trip to the famous Ben's Chili Bowl. This old-school joint is known locally for its chili dogs, half-smokes, and milk shakes. It was frequented by both police and protesters during the 1968 Washington, D.C. riots, and is regularly visited by celebrities such as Bill Cosby and Chris Tucker (via Wikipedia). One of the order-takers behind the bar suggested to try the chili dog. I also ordered a side of chili fries for B and everyone else. Each bite of the chili dog was delicious and comforted my soul. I was able to understand how this place withstood the test of time and was madly crowded well past 2 AM.

Healdsburg

Before hitting up the wineries in Sonoma Valley, we decided to grab some lunch from a charming little town called Healdsburg. We were lucky enough to catch an arts and crafts fair, where they also served deliciously smokey BBQ oysters. They're lightly grilled and topped with a secret cocktail sauce. Then, I had an uber fresh avocado and turkey sandwich at a cute diner in the same area.

Salumeria Rosi

I found a hidden gem on the Upper West Side with my good friend C this weekend. Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto has a great assortment of meats. Top to bottom: Buttery Mortadella with pistachio that brings back enhanced childhood memories. Assortment of meats to taste including prosciutto, soppresatta, capicola, and more!