The comedian dishes on her favorite spicy noodles and where to find rare potato chip flavors.
Chinatownis Youngmi Mayer ’s dependable place inNew York City . The comedian andFeeling Asianpodcaster moved to the neighborhood in 2020 , during the first summer of the pandemic , and promptly feel at home plate .
Mayer does n’t waffle when she refers to Chinatown as her preferred neck of the woods in the city . " A self-aggrandising part of the understanding that I moved to this neighborhood was because I was living in another part of Manhattan and I felt unsafe , " she said in a recent interview with Thrillist . " I was living with a pile of tensity that I was n’t even cognisant of until I came to Chinatown . "
Chinatown came to her saving , and welcomed her into its vibrant community . In our new series " Ride With Me , " Mayer lead us in a breakthrough of her own Chinatown , bustling with goody deep brown shops , reliable Formosan supermarkets , and very , very spicy noodles .
Thrillist/YouTube
By the fashion , she knows everyone by name . Mayer ’s Chinatown feels like a small suburban neighbourhood . strangely enough , the pandemic play a major theatrical role in welcoming her to the area . " All the people that work in those restaurants , we ’ve just been sort of friends for year , " she said . " But during the pandemic , I feel like we really formed these womb-to-tomb strong friendships . "
Pumpkin spice lattes made with real pumpkin , rarified grilled shrimp - flavored Lay ’s poker chip , and big smasher of hand - draw noodles are only some of Mayer ’s favorite thing about Chinatown . Check it out — and do n’t forget to take note .
Places to Eat & Drink
escapist Coffee HouseHidden away in a very quiet part of Chinatown , Dreamers Coffee House is a diminutive nook pop the question creative craft drinks and small pungency . It ’s one of those places where you’re able to reload your batteries in peace .
A proud pumpkin spice up caffe latte hater , Mayer admits she can not baulk wishful thinker ' actual autumn pumpkin spice latte . " During the wintertime , Sandy was making her own pumpkin spice admixture with real pumpkin and that was so scrumptious , " aver Mayer . " I was drinking that every day . "
Spicy VillageMayer is dead cognisant that everyone cognize this situation , but she ca n’t annul speak about it . It ’s just too good . A classic Chinatown eatery , Spicy Village is small — and it does lean to get busy .
Mayer ’s been coming since 2012 , and ate their famous manus - pulled noodles throughout her pregnancy . She ’s even taken her unseasoned Logos to Spicy Village to get him a bowlful of tomato and ball bean .
Do n’t neglect out on Mayer ’s personal favorite . The Big Tray of Chicken is simply that — a chicken - based mala soup with chicken , process in a big tray .
Chinatown Supermarket of ManhattanNothing is really special about Lay ’s potato chips , unless we ’re talking about flavors that are hard to discover . The Chinatown Supermarket of Manhattan offers a extract of imported Lay ’s chips , with flavors rate from lobster to grilled shrimp . No wonder it ’s Mayer ’s go - to snack .
Right inside the entry , you ’re greet with a live seafood section , surveil by a immense produce area and pantry token on the upper horizontal surface .
" The reason I start up going there so often is because when I first moved to Chinatown , I would go to H Mart and all these Korean marketplace to get Korean pantry point , " Mayer said . " But then I realize that most of those things can actually be found in the Chinatown Supermarket . "
BacaroMayer regularly dreams about the food at Bacaro . Their duck’s egg ragù looker ? A must - ordination . The steak ? Also unbelievable .
Located on a popular stretch of Division Street , Bacaro delights with both its solid food and its ambiance . An honest-to-goodness - school day pendent hangs from the roof at the entry , setting the tone for a romantic dinner .
Mayer usually comes here to sip on a nice Methedrine of wine-colored , snack on a meat and cheese plate , and cling out with the staff . After years of intercept by , she finally learned how to recreate some of their dishes . " They serve the steak with these blast whole mini - white potato with rosemary , and I find out how to make it at home , " she articulate , proudly .
