New York City 3rd Day
Highlights: Katz Deli + Chinatown+ Soho Shopping
Meals: Katz Deli + Menkui Tei + Joe Shanghai + Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
Timeline: 2pm till 2am

Rayfil Wong and Ippudo Chefs

I am a ramen whore.
I run toward ramen as my choice for comfort food especially during these long winter days.

Starting my day off, I ran into the master chefs at New York’s best ramen house, Ippudo.

These are trained ninja chefs that treat every bowl of ramen with artistry.

Starting my food porn trek, I tried Menkui-Tei. Okay, I see Japanese workers and thought, lets give it a try.

Boy, I was wrong and this was my first date with my first bad meal in New York City.

If I could, I wanted a refund.

The tonkatsu ramen broth just was too salty and lack a milky texture. Two slices of pork that lack careful attention and just tasted flat.
The noodles lacked the egg notes that make noodles worth slurping.

Tip, save your money and time and run away from this place.

But thank God, Katz Deli saved my day.
Known for the fake Meg Ryan orgasm scene from when Harry Met Sally, Katz Deli is an icon.
But many iconic restaurants don’t deliver.

Katz clear delivers.

Sampling a few slices of the corn beef, I confirmed that is was too salty.

The pastrami sandwich ($~16) was on par. Soft rye bread huge tender slices of meat that is perfectly seasoned. Slight lather of mustard provides spice and tartness. Be sure to ask for a plate of sweet and sour pickles, they are fresh tasting and awesome.

Charming notes are the famous photos of celebrities along with workers with the New York attitude or you can otherwise consider charming.

Attempting to burn off my calories, I journey to ground zero.
Frankly, seeing the site makes me sad.

It reminds me that life is short and we simply can not predict the future.

A few blocks away, Wall Street featured business man and woman scurrying around to the subway.

Talking to a retired police man, he mentioned that he was just across the river when 911 hit.

Next, I visited my people, Chinatown.
Like every other Chinatown in the world, they are consistent features.

These include street vendors selling veggies, t shirt shops, and great Chinese food, so I thought.

Avoid Joe’s Shanghai, a tourist trap. But try it so that you can say I’m right.

Deemed as the king of Shanghai Dumpling, I avoided the crowds and ordered the crab and Shanghai dumpling ($7.25) to go.

Yes, there is plenty of soup in each dumpling but the soup lacks sweat and vibrant flavors. Instead, the soup is bland and flat.
The meat has an uninviting texture.

When Shanghai dumpling is done right, the meat is so and tender and the soup is vibrant.

http://www.campusfork.com/index.php/food_items/item_details/shanghai-pork-crab-dumpling_new-york-ny-joes-shanghai-chinese-food-restaurant

Thumbs down.

Surprisingly, another tourist landmark saved the day.

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory has an interior that is chaotic and lack design consistency but the ice cream delivers.

The chocolate and leeches hit every right note. The texture is inviting to the palate featuring creamy texture and notes that highlight each ingredient.

Two thumbs up.

Next, I walked briefly around Little Italy and then in SOHO.

That is where I discovered Manhattan Industries, an apparel store that started with awesome bags.
Started by a husband and wife team, the staff is friendly and the designer backpacks and messenger bags are good looking.

So, I got myself a few back packs.

Brooklyn Industries

Ending the night perfectly, my UC Berkeley buddy Joe Yang took me to Angel Share, a speakeasy located inside a Japanese restaurant. Push through a secretive door and Asian bartenders dressed charmingly in black vest serves up New York’s best cocktails.