Prosperity Dumpling in Chinatown (Eldridge & Hester)

      Among the hundreds of hole-in-the-walls located in and around Chinatown, Prosperity Dumpling is one of the few that's actually worth trying. The 'Open' sign is upside down and its tiny interior is often overcrowded with a line spilling onto the sidewalk, but the dumplings are far too delicious to pass up. 
 For just $1, you can get 5 huge dumplings, fried or steamed, with pork and chives or vegetable filling. As you can see in the picture, these dumplings aren't the small, overpriced ones you'll find at most restaurants. They're enormous with a juicy filling and tender shell that has just the right amount of crisp, and they're served very hot and fresh. Want some dumpling soup? You can get that too, with 8 dumplings, for only $2. And if you want to bring some home in bulk, which I did, you can get 50 frozen dumplings for only $8. To add some tanginess, you must douse the dumplings in Sriracha and their house dumpling sauce; the two condiments incorporate another layer of flavor that makes the dumplings even better than they are naked. 
     Since you probably won't be full after just one order of dumplings (though I'm biased because I'm never full), be sure to take a look at the other winners on the menu. Their fried pork buns, just $1 for 3, are fried to perfection with a great Asian barbeque flavor. Sesame pancakes are also a very popular item: for .50 cents you get a plain one, and for $1.25 it comes stuffed with beef, pork, or vegetables. The sesame bread is thick, salty, and about 3 times the size of a regular pancake, yet it is not overbearingly heavy. 
    Make it to Prosperity and you'll have a satisfying and amazing meal for $2-3. Try it, and I promise you'll be returning to Chinatown sooner than you thought.  

Fish in the West Village

image from nymag

        For all of my seafood fanatics and/or New Englanders craving a delicious meal, this one is for you. Fish is a small, always-packed restaurant on Bleecker between Jones and 7th Ave, whose catchy slogan is "Sex, Drugs, and Lobster Roll." Through the small window, you'll see a mini fish market complete with fresh fish laid upon ice, which is available for purchase. Further inside this 'sea-shack,' there is a raw bar whose chef enthusiastically shucks oysters day and night. Creating a maritime ambiance, the walls are covered with buoys and seaside photos; each tiny table has massive cans of Old Bay Seasoning, coarse sea salt, and Tobasco sauce, adding to the nautical vibe.

image from yelp

       If you're able to drop some cash on this delectable seafood, I recommend the widely popular Chilean sea bass, lobster macaroni and cheese, and fried oysters. However, I'm concerned with the amazing bargain you'll find nowhere else in New York City: the Down East Lobster Feast. The price of this succulent dinner varies depending on the day, but it ranges from $18-21 dollars per feast. If that doesn't impress you, the second feast is priced at only $12-15. Sounds a bit expensive, but for what you get, it's definitely worth it. Each feast consists of a whole lobster (1 1/4 lbs.) fresh from Maine, fries, corn on the cob, and 4-5 steamer clams. For just $30 dollars, you and a friend can fine dine for about half the usual price. The lobsters are huge and undeniably fresh, the steamers are juicy and tender, and if you're a fan of cocktail sauce, you must request a side of it because it is spicy and tangy with the perfect amount of lemon and horseradish. Just remember to take your lobster bib off after your meal, or suffer the consequences of strange looks (like I did).
    

Ray's Candy Store

        Ray's Candy Store is a hidden gem located right across from Tompkins Square Park in Alphabet city. The size of a hallway with no sign outside, this place is easy to overlook, but for decades, many New Yorkers have frequented this small, preserved piece of Lower Manhattan. 
       Owned and run by an 80-year-old Turkish man named Ray, who happens to be one of the most charming, kindhearted, and generous people I've ever met, this hole in the wall serves up mouthwatering beignets ($3 for half a dozen, but he gives everyone about three extra), $2 hot dogs with two free toppings, and Belgian fries ($4.50). Although candy isn't on the menu, these fried goodies make you forget Ray's is supposed to be a candy shop. Each item on the menu is cooked to order by Ray himself and handed to you with a smile. The fries are hand-cut and covered with ketchup, cheese, chili, or honey dijon; the beignets are crispy on the outside, doughy on the inside, and smothered in powdered sugar; the hot dogs are made of a somewhat spicy sausage with a nice bite. 

      To top off the fried fun, you must order what is widely known as the best egg cream in Manhattan ($2 for a medium). Ray's offers 13 different flavors of egg creams, but the most popular is vanilla and when you take that first sip, you'll feel like you're back in the '50s. Ray's is reminiscent of old New York when food was cheap and simple. If you're not a fan of egg cream, get gelato, frozen yogurt, or a milkshake, all of which they make in-house and all of which can satisfy even the most demanding sweet tooth.
     Ray's is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, and no matter what time you go, it will make your day, guaranteed. You'll enjoy fresh, fast, and delicious food and you'll probably even make a friend. If you're lucky, Ray might take you back to the kitchen to show you how to make beignets and may even pick up the tab. However, pay and tip well because Ray deserves it. Remember, cash only!

MARK on St. Mark's

image from alwayshungryny.com

Everyone knows St. Marks is an overwhelmingly cramped street with too many Asian restaurants, tattoo parlors, and knockoff Ray-Bans, but in the midst of this chaos lies a perfect, little burger joint named MARK. MARK's sliders, $2 each, are 2 ounces of greasy, beefy goodness made of fresh meat (a mix of sirloin, chuck, and short rib) that is ground in-house. The beef sliders are served with sliced sweet onions, which are fried with the meat, and topped with melted American cheese. Tomatoes and lettuce are not an option at MARK because according to the owner, they simply take away from the flavor of the meat. Their in-house sauces, however, are highly recommended, such as the jalapeño-honey, chipotle ketchup, and barbeque sauces. If you can't already tell from the picture and description of these heavenly sliders, let me tell you, they're AMAZING (especially after a night of pure revelry) and you can't beat the price. Aside from the sliders, a must-try is the Guinness milkshake whose flavor consists of a syrupy reduction from the beer. 

Its atmosphere, like the menu, is fun, casual, and everything you're looking for at 2 AM (MARK is open from 12 PM- 3 AM everyday). The front, exterior wall is graffitied by the tattoo artist who lives upstairs (what else would you expect from St. Marks?), and the inside is a dimly lit, chicer version of a hole in the wall that always has a good crowd and lively music.  

http://www.stmarksburger.com/

Sea King Sushi (Umi No Aji)--23rd & 3rd

image from hopstop.com

What makes this sushi spot unique is it offers both a Japanese and Chinese menu. If you’ve got a feeling for Japanese, they have standard rolls and Chef Specialty Rolls such as the New Millennium Roll. This favorite consists of eel, crab, avocado, and cucumber topped with a slice of mango. Another favorite is the Be-My-Guest-Maki Roll, which allows you to create your own roll. They also offer 'Special Maki Combinations', which is by far the best deal on the Japanese menu, and maybe even in NYC: three standard rolls served with either salad or miso soup costs just $9.95. Having ordered this combo with shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, a California roll, and the miso soup, I was surprised by the size of the servings, and especially by the quality of the food. It wasn’t the best sushi that I've ever eaten but the price more than made up for it.

Although in 2009 the restaurant was named one of the Top-100 Chinese Restaurants in NYC, I found that the Chinese food left something to be desired. My second trip there, I ordered the chicken with garlic sauce ($6.95) hoping that I would be just as satisfied as I was with the Special Maki Combo, but the dish was excessively oily, the sauce congealed, and the chicken very chewy. I also tried the Ten Ingredients Fruit Juice Beef ($12.95), but this too was nothing to write home about. Untrue to its name, the sauce was boring if you’re looking for well balanced flavor profiles. However, if you enjoy the mix of sweet and savory, you might appreciate the combination of green apple, pineapple, scallions, and salt. After trying both menus I would definitely say that the Japanese menu by far outperforms its Chinese counterpart in both price, and the quality of the food.

The Kati Roll Company

Image from midtownlunch.com

Located at 99 MacDougal Street between Bleecker and West 3rd, Kati Roll is a late-night Indian joint that specializes in the fast and greasy food that NYU students crave after a night out. Open till 5 am, this small establishment serves up freshly skewered and grilled spiced meats, vegetables, and cheeses, which are then wrapped in a buttered paratha, or Indian flatbread.

Diners can choose from simple rolls--chicken, beef, aloo (potato), paneer (cheese)--or choose to add unda (egg) to any roll. Each wrap is topped off with raw onions and a dollop of chutney. The menu is simple, but the flavors are bold, spicy, and extremely satisfying, and for 4.75 a roll, it is definitely worth a try, especially if you find yourself craving a midnight snack. You can check out their menu on their website (below) or just stop in for a cheap and tasty meal that will have you coming back for more. One thing to keep in mind: there is 20-dollar minimum for credit cards, so unless you’re planning on really chowing down, make sure you bring cash.

http://www.thekatirollcompany.com/index.html