Walking into Chinatown, the blocks are suddenly less rectangular and the streets are more short, crooked, and narrow, much like the streets in China. Many signs and store names are written in both Chinese and English because English is a second language to many of the residents. This fact is also reflected in the language you hear walking through Chinatown streets. Mandarin is the primary dialect spoken by the majority of Chinatown’s residents, but many also speak Cantonese or Fujianese.
Hong Kong Supermarket
Many grocery stores such as the Hong Kong Supermarket have an extra emphasis on variety of seafood and snacks compared to grocery stores in other neighborhoods.
Nom Wah Tea Parlor
Dim sum is a popular breakfast food comprising of steamed or fried dumplings with a variety of fillings. It is served at many places in Chinatown such as Nom Wah Tea Parlor.
Vanessa’s Dumplings
Vanessa’s Dumplings is a popular restaurant located at 118 Eldridge St. It opened in 1999 with a focus on dumplings and has since added noodles, pancakes, sushi teriyaki, and soups to the menu. Vanessa’s Dumplings has also been featured in various newspapers including The New York Times.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi, a form of gentle exercise and martial art, is often practiced in parks for maintaining health.
Gambling
Gambling is a popular pastime among the elderly in Chinatown. Sometimes, people bet on card games in parks which can draw crowds, however lookouts are put in place to make sure no one is caught.
