Nom Wah Tea Parlor, on tiny Doyers street in Chinatown, looks from the outside like a Wes Anderson movie set with its faded red sign with yellow letters and it did not disappoint inside either, full of old knickknacks and signs. And the dim sum was delicious. After a short wait in line outside in light drizzle at 2 pm on a Sunday, we got in and quickly got oolong tea, sautéed greens with oyster sauce (I think) scallion pancakes, shrimp and chive potstickers and pork shu mai. Delicous, hot, fresh. The place was packed but service was swift. Maybe that’s why it’s been around since 1920.
For dinner, we went to a good Mediterranean/greek place called Elea on 85th street near Amsterdam. And today, after going to the Henry Taylor show at the Whitney with my dear friend Myra (Myra Monday!) we picked perhaps the most unassuming place in the meat packing district, a diner called Hectors cafe that serves breakfast all day and has a perfect tuna sandwich. And they let us hang out for hours, which was great. We walked on the high line and then across town in the 30s to Grand Central where we lingered in the basement, first at a cheerful place for smoothies and drinks then at the Oyster Bar, for some fried oysters. Good hot tea too, which is what I needed for laryngitis.
