Best cheap chinese food are around nyc chinatown. BIg Wong on Mott and Chinatown Noodle House at Bowery and Bayard. Then, there's always that JOe Shanghai's at Pell.
The original Joe's Shanghai in Flushing is far better than the one in C-Town. The best, most reasonably priced Chinese food is in Flushing Chinatown, not Manhattan.
I agree Shun Lee Palace is excellent, but expensive.
Chinatown quick in & out.
- May wah (known for the best pork chop w/rice) on hester
- Wing Wong on Mott (best roast pork, chicken, duck)
- 69 on mott, yes the name of the restaurant is 69 (my favorite place to hit at 2-3am after AMP workout)
If thats the one on the corner of Essex on that tri-corner with Canal.... Great place for the dim-sum dollar a plate specials (actually 1.75-2.50 a plate). It was closed for a bit for construction but I passed by in jan and it was open again.
They make great Chasuba (sp?).... pork buns. Steamed and baked.
Goodies in C-Town is still there, but the "soupy buns"/ soup dumpling aren't as good as they once were. Niether is the Shrimp in Balck Pepper. But if you go, you still have to get teh Braised Pork Shoulder.
I think Joe's Shanghai started the soup dumplings craze in NYC. They also have a branch right off the Municipal Parking lot in Flushing.