Features

Inside New York City Neighbourhoods: Shades of the apple

16 Nov 2017 by Business Traveller India

Expats here have found a home away from home. From the narrow alleyways of Chinatown to the aromatic Curry Hill of Lexington Avenue, the Big Apple has room for everyone. It has opened its doors to immigrants from the world over, thus giving a glimpse into cultures of various countries through its themed neighbourhoods that are spread across its map. Such is its magnetism that I’m drawn to it stronger with each visit. My agenda has differed on every trip to New York City, ranging from an indulgent meal at a fine dining restaurant to retail debauchery on Fifth Avenue. This time, I decided to explore the city’s neighbourhoods.

Chinatown

Chinatown is situated in lower Manhattan, bordering Little Italy, another neighbourhood of the city. Walking around its bustling streets, I felt teleported to a tiny corner of Beijing. Columbus Park, located on Bayard Street bustles with the banter of elderly gentlemen enjoying rounds of mahjong. You can also spot quirky street bands singing traditional Chinese songs. I’ve been told that free tai chi lessons are held in the neighbourhood park on several mornings of the week.

My leisurely jaunt through this picturesque area brought me to Mott Street. It is regarded as Chinatown’s unofficial main street, where you will often find hordes of people bargaining for meat and vegetables at its open markets. Simply watching them negotiate is entertaining, but from a safe distance — it’s advisable not to interrupt a heated vendor and a shopper. Negotiation here requires concentration and any disturbance is not taken too kindly. I made my way deeper into the market. The air was infused with the smells of meat and raw seafood including Chinese specialities like dried scallop, abalone and the controversial shark fin.

On my exit, I spotted a vibrant store called Aji Ichiban (153A Centre Street; open daily 10am-8pm), selling authentic Asian candies including sugar-coated dried fruits, nuts and other crystallised sugar items. A friend had recommended a visit to the popular Nom Wah Tea Parlour (nomwah.com; open daily 10:30am-10pm) to sample some traditional grub. It is a vintage dim sum cafe that was founded in 1920, and its specialities include mooncakes and various types of dim sum such as pork siu mai and minced beef dumplings in soup.

Shortly after, I found myself on Chinatown’s Pell Street. As I walked through the lane, I came across shops with colourful window displays drawing in tourists. Sold at these stores are Chinese pottery, tea ware, Buddha statues and other ethnic goods. After struggling to communicate with a Chinese salesman, I bought myself a little Buddha souvenir that’s reminiscent of my adventure in Chinatown.

Di Palo’s Fine Foods

Little Italy

Little Italy, but naturally, houses the best Italian restaurants of the city. It was fondly named by the Italian immigrants who marched their way into New York City in the 1800s.

My detour through Chinatown had worked up quite an appetite (despite the snacking) by the time I reached Di Palo’s Fine Foods (facebook.com/dipalofinefoods; open daily 9am-6:30pm, Sunday until 4pm), a grocery store known for really good Italian cheese. Luckily for me, it encourages tastings. I sampled free cubes of various cheese offered to visitors, including Parmesan and Burrata. Meat lovers must also take back Di Palo’s Porchetta, a savoury, fatty, and moist boneless pork roast.

As I ventured further into the neighbourhood, I found quaint lanes decorated in colours of Italy’s flag. By now, a ravenous appetite had built up, taking me to the first eatery I saw here — a lucky find. The charming Rubirosa (rubirosanyc.com; open daily 11:30am-11pm, Thursday-Saturday until midnight) is located in NoLita or “North of Little Italy”, where I gorged on handmade spaghetti alla chitarra with meatballs that complemented my glass of Chardonnay from Silica. To please my sweet tooth, I skipped next door to the over 44-year-old Caffe Palermo (caffepalermo.com; open daily 10:30am-23:30pm, Friday-Saturday until 12:30am), a little coffee shop on Mulberry Street. Its famous cannoli (a proud part of its logo) simply dissolved into my mouth on first bite; the cream filling oozed out of its fried tube shells and became one with my taste buds.

It isn’t all about food in Little Italy though. A leisurely stroll through the mural district (in an attempt to burn off the calories) was next on my list. Many street artists like Tristan Eaton, Blek Le Rat and Ron English have used Mulberry Street as their canvas to paint evocative graffiti. Look out for the well known artist Ron English’s green baby hulk, also known as “Temper Tot” — one of the highlights of Little Italy. Posing for a picture with this angry one, is a popular check-in to Little Italy on social media.

Dishes at Muk Eun Ji restaurant

Korean Town

Korean Town is located in the heart of Manhattan. From here, you can walk to Empire State Building, Herald Square, Pennsylvania Station and Madison Square Garden. Because of its central location, Korean immigrants have found exponential growth and success in businesses that they set-up here. From spas to edgy Korean BBQ joints, New York City’s K-Town is one of its own. A friend recommended the kimchi at Muk Eun Ji (mukeunjikimchi.com; open daily 10:30am-6pm, Thursday-Saturday until midnight), a Korean eatery that’s known for its progressive “kimchi-focused” menu. The interiors reflect Korean heritage with artefacts from the iconic Choson Dynasty (1392-1897) of Korea. It is worth a visit.

While browsing through an interesting collection of books by Korean authors at a bookstore called Koryo (koryobooks.com; open daily 9:30am-9:30pm, Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 11am-8pm), I overheard  a conversation about the annual Korean Day parade that takes place here. The day-long parade organised by Korean committees begins at 32nd Street in Korean Town. A marching band that includes Korean immigrants walks through K-Town, playing traditional folk music and modern pop songs of its home country. It is usually conducted any time between late-September and early October.

Aside from bakeries, grocery stores, supermarkets, and bookstores, K-Town’s must-visit locales include its snazzy karaoke bars. One such bar I visited was Karaoke City and Sports Bar (karaokecitynyc.com; open daily 1pm-4am). A thrilling venue, it was packed with urbane Koreans singing along to the latest “K-Pop” hits. There is also a separate bar counter, which serves speciality Asian spirits and cocktails. I would highly recommend this neighbourhood for a night of Korean-style fun.

Kailash Parbat

Curry Hill

Formerly known as Murray Hill, Curry Hill is tucked into the neighbourhood of Rose Hill running from here until 40th Street on Lexington Avenue. Apart from Jackson Heights, Curry Hill is another “little India” that’s home to a lot of Southeast Asians. The entire stretch houses popular Indian restaurants and shops. If you’re craving Indian flavours, you’ll have a hard time deciding from Mumbai’s fast food franchisee Kailash Parbat to Chennai’s iconic South Indian restaurant Saravaana Bhavan. And for a taste of New Delhi, pick between Chote Nawab or Bhatti Indian Grill for scrumptious homemade butter chicken alongside butter naan. All located on Lexington Avenue, this area can be a quick cure for homesick Indians.

Next I entered a spice shop called Kalustyan’s (kalustyans.com; open daily 10am-8pm, Sundays 11am-7pm), simply because I was drawn in by the aromas while walking past it. Judging from the crowds here, it is an easy guess that this store has been popular amongst the people of Curry Hill since 1944. Apart from offering a variety of Indian spices, the shop retails condiments, readymade Indian snacks as well as spices from countries like Armenia, Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Guatemala, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan and Morocco.

Curry Hill is definitely a debauched visit for the hungry soul.

Grey Art Gallery

Greenwich Village

It was at one time a rural colony, not considered part of New York City. Today, this area located on the west of lower Manhattan is recognised as the city’s Bohemian neighbourhood. It has played a huge role in initiating and modernising New York’s LGBT movement, and has been home to famous personalities like Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. The ’60s counterculture movement also originated from here.

If you’re visiting in the evening, stroll through Greenwich Village’s Washington Square Park where musicians and street performers entertain you. The iconic Washington Arch is the preferred spot of locals and college students for picnicking. The nearby New York University and the culturally rich art galleries such as Grey Art Gallery have contributed to the antiquity that this place exudes, juxtaposed with pop culture. One of the highlights from my visit here was the food tour organised by Food of New York Tours (foodsofny.com). This three-hour Italian themed tour costs US$54/3,500 and includes six on-the-go and two-seating tastings, so make sure you begin the tour with an empty stomach. Our stops covered some of the most sought after eateries including Joe’s Pizza, Faicco’s Italian Specialities, The Doughnut Project and Rocco’s Pasticceria. If you’re in this area and are not up for an indulgent food tour, grab a slice of the traditional New York pizza or the pesca pasta from any of the neighbourhood eateries to get a feel of New York City.

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