Anyone who avoids dairy, knows how great Asian cuisines are. Because cows (and their milk) were not prevalent in Asia, Asians never fully developed the enzymes necessary to break down dairy products. This lack of enzymes led to a high rate of lactose intolerance, and therefore, very little dairy (if any at all) in Asian foods.
That being said, not all people are willing to eat “authentic” Asian cuisine, even to avoid dairy. For those who are not afraid, you need to check out our Chinatown walking dumpling tour.
Naturally there are plenty of places to eat dumplings in Chinatown… and almost all of them are very cheap too (bonus). But for this walk, we are going to take a walk down Eldgridge street.
I always start at the corner of Eldridge and Broome at a place called Fu Zhou Cuisine. There is not much English spoken here, so make sure you know you want steamed dumplings (you can buy frozen or raw/uncooked dumplings, but you can’t get them fried).
Fu Zhou Dumpling
Make sure to eat these dumplings with their signature chili infused soy sauce. And don’t be afraid to try their other cheap dishes (noodles with peanut butter sauce), because they are great (and dairy free) too.
From there, its’ literally two doors down to Vanessa’s dumplings. This is not as authentic, so it’s probably better for the less adventurous. There are plenty of good things here, almost all dairy free (and very cheap), but make sure you try the sesame pancake. You can get it filled with veggies, beef, duck, etc., but just make sure you try it.
Vanessa's Dumplings
From Vanessa’s, we head over to Prosperity Dumpling. There are 4 stools at most, and this is not a sit down place. Get your dumplings or noodle soup, and take it to go. Great dumplings, and cheap as any others.
Fried dumplings from Prosperity Dumpling
If you are still hungry after this walking tour, check out our post on Nice Green Bo… it’s a great Chinese place right around the corner.
