Lychees in Season

June and July are a perfect time to buy lychees!   They are in season and at their most sweet and  juicy!  They usually start being sold in late spring and they are very hard to find in the autumn and winter.  As you walk around Chinatown you will undoubtedly see these golf- ball sized, red, spikyish grape-like fruits being sold in bundles on the streets and in the vegetable markets. Once you peel off the red skin, be ready to put this extremely juicy fruit in your mouth.

Most vendors sell them by the pound.  It ranges from $3.00/lb – $10.oo/lb.  Based on my experience, the more expensive they are, the more ripe and sweet they are. When you buy the cheaper ones, they tend to be less ripe- which means a less tender fruit that may not come off the pit as easily.  Sometimes they may not be as translucent. They also tend to be less sweet, but usually still pretty juicy. 

I like my lychees cold and I’ll put them in the fridge before eating them. Some of the shops in Chinatown sell lychee icees. Now that it’s in season, some places offer fresh lychees in their icees.  The icees are basically lychees topped with shaved ice and syrup and sometimes evaporated milk.  The New Pho Tu Do- (this Vietnamese place – review to come) on Bowery St (cross st Grand St)  offers it fresh.  At all other times of the year, they used canned lychees.

Manhattan Bridge Orthodontics (212) 274-0477

Manhattan Bridge Orthodontics
145 Canal St, 2nd Floor (On the corner of Bowery and Canal – Located right in front of the bridge – on the street with the temple- look for the sign with the gold bridge)
New York, NY 10002
(212) 274-0477
www.manhattanbridgeortho.com

My smile was always something I was self concious about- until  I had it corrected, I had no idea how much I used to hide it. Now I smile so much!  I am so lucky to have found an incredible orthodontist- Dr. Jenny Zhu.  From the moment I made my appointment with Alice, I knew I had a good feeling about her office. Dr. Zhu is thorough, articulate, professional and compassionate. I felt confidant in her treatment throughout the entire time. Dr Zhu is without a doubt an incredible orthodontist and an amazing practitioner in general.  Her staff is also incredible. I can tell she instills in all her assistants that patience and quality that she expects from her own work. And I can honestly say that at the end of it, they changed my life.

 

Manhattan Bridge Orthodontics is THE place to go to get your orthodontics done, whether you’re in Chinatown or anywhere in Manhattan- or the Tri-State area for that matter. I would recommend anyone to travel to see her.  I had done my research and gone to quite a few consultations before I made my decision.  I realize now I was waiting for the right office. The quality of service here is unbeatable. The office is immaculately clean. The front desk is always polite and welcoming. And… wait for this….. the price was the lowest for an orthodontist (even compared to NJ- I compared a lot!) and they accepted my insurance. This is hands down Chinatown’s secret gem. Go here and save yourself the time and travel wasted on the overpriced tiny Uptown/ Midtown offices or the dingy, overcrowded Downtown offices.

 

Update 3/22/09

I had my retainer check appointment this Sunday. (I’m so thankful that they are open evenings, Saturdays and Sundays.)  And Dr. Zhu replaced my retainer No Charge!  I had walked in expecting to pay hundreds of dollars because that was what my friend said she had been charged recently at her orthodontist.  I am so lucky I chose the right orthodontist from the start.  I’m going in for another retainer check appointment in 3 months and I can honestly say I am looking forward to it! I love going to Manhattan Bridge Orthodontics! — I talked to a mother that was hanging out in the waiting room and she said both her and her son love it there too.

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Hot Mini Cakes aka Hong Kong Cakes, Pancake Balls

Hot mini cakes, also known as pancake balls or Hong Kong cakes to some, have been a staple of Chinatown street treats for as long as I can remember.  They are bite sized, round, fluffy, light, and extremely fun to eat.  It is made to order using an ancient secret Chinese pancake batter poured over a hot steel griddle.

A little bit of historical fact: the first mini cake shop was located on the corner of Mosco and Mott Street in a bright red shack.  As a child, I remember my grandfather taking me there as a reward for doing well in school.  Although that shop is no longer around, there are several street vendors that still make this delicious treat.

There’s a mini cake vendor on Bowery and Pell Street, another one down on Canal and Mulberry Streets, and possibly one on Bowery and Hester Street.  However, the best (when I say best, I mean cheapest) mini cake vendor can be found on Grand and Bowery Street.  While others sell them for 15 pieces for $1, this guy sells you 20 for $1 – what a bargain!

Tags: cheap eats, chinatown, hong kong cakes, hot mini cakes, nyc, pancake balls, street treats