Tag Archives: restaurants

Kam Lai Chinese Restaurant-94th Street 708 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10025

Chinese Restaurants for the budget minded, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New York City, Exploring Manhattan, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Historic New York City neighborhoods, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Uncategorized, Walking around Manhattan, Walking on the Upper West Side, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kam Lai Chinese Restaurant-94th Street

708 Amsterdam Avenue

New York, NY 10025

(212) 749-8990/(212) 749-2098/Fax (212) 749-8991

https://www.kamlai94.com/

Open: Sunday 11:00am-11:00pm/Monday Closed/Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d5052084-Reviews-New_Kam_Lai-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

The front of Kam Lai at 708 Amsterdam Avenue

The inside of the restaurant

There are times you are walking around a neighborhood and there are restaurants that just stick out to you. It might be the number of people waiting to eat there, it may be the smell of the food cooking that drives you in or just maybe you are hungry.

The afternoon I passed Kam Lai 94 Restaurant, it was all of those things and I am glad that I stopped for a late lunch. The food and the service were wonderful in this tiny take out restaurant with just a few tables.

The delicious Beef and Broccoli with Pork Fried Rice with an Egg Roll

I ordered the Beef and Broccoli combination based on seeing another customer eating it at another table. It was excellent! The rich brown sauce of Soy and Hunan sauce really brought the flavor of the beef out.

The tender beef and the well cooked broccoli was a nice combination in a dish that will sometimes not work if either is not cooked right.

The Beef and Broccoli was delicious

The Egg Rolls were wonderful

The Egg Rolls were delicious. They were filled with lots of chopped roast pork and shredded cabbage and spiced perfectly. With a little Duck Sauce it made the perfect addition to this combination lunch special.

The egg rolls here are amazing

I recently came for a late lunch after visiting a museum on the Upper West Side and ordered the General Tso’s Chicken combination platter with an Egg Roll and it was delicious. The food came out steaming hot and wafted the smell of honey, hot peppers and soy sauce.

The General Tso’s Chicken combination platter with a Coke.

The chicken was steaming hot when it came to the table

The General Tso’s Chicken was a wonderful combination of sweet and savory with hints of ginger, honey, hot peppers and Hunan and Soy sauces. It was crisp and crunchy and had nice pieces of tender broccoli.

The pieces were lacquered with sauce

I love the Egg Rolls here. They are fried to a crispness and are a bit greasy but crunchy and flavorful.

The Egg Rolls are so good

They are filled with chopped cabbage and nice sized pieces of roast pork. They are really good and the perfect accompaniment.

Yum!

Don’t let the appearance of this little hole in the wall restaurant fool you. The food is excellent and the family running it is really nice. You will have a good meal here.

Pancake Cafe (formerly known as the Country Pancake House and Restaurant) 140 East Ridgewood Avenue Ridgewood, NJ 07450

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Breakfast Restaurants for the Budget Minded in NJ, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New Jersey, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New Jersey, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring Ridgewood, NJ, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Smile! Your Visiting New Jersey!, Uncategorized, Walking Downtown Ridgewood NJ, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pancake Cafe (Formerly known as the Country Pancake House and Restaurant) 

140 East Ridgewood Avenue

Ridgewood, NJ  07450

(201) 444-8395

http://countrypancakehouse.net/

http://countrypancakehouse.net/nj-menu/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:30am-8:45pm

My review on TripAdvisor (Country Pancake House & Restaurant):

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46772-d458379-Reviews-Country_Pancake_House-Ridgewood_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

Review on TripAdvisor: (Pancake Cafe):

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46772-d26969984-Reviews-Le_Pancake_Cafe_and_Brasserie-Ridgewood_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The Pancake Cafe at 140 East Ridgewood Avenue

I love coming to the Pancake Cafe (formerly the Country Pancake House & Restaurant) when visiting Ridgewood, NJ. The portion sizes are huge, the dishes are creative and the food is delicious. The service is really nice and very patient when you come in with a big group and the prices are fair.

I have been here several times over the years and the food has always been consistent and the quality is excellent. The one thing that does stand out with them is that their prices are very fair for the amount of food you are served. The breakfasts I have had here have lasted at least two other meals.

The inside of the restaurant at Sunday breakfast

The first two times I had eaten here, I had ordered the over-sized pancakes. I thought they were kidding when people who had eaten here before had commented that they are the size of large plates. They are larger than that as they fall off the plate. One of these large pancakes is more than enough for one meal.

The “Do it Again” Blueberry pancakes are excellent

The first time visit I ordered the ‘Do it again’ pancakes with pancakes and blueberries. I could barely finish one of these huge pancakes! They were fluffy, well-caramelized on the outside with the rich flavor of butter and loaded with fresh fruit.

The corn bread that comes with the meal.

The second time I visited, kept the complimentary chocolate chunk and plain cornbread that they bring to the table at a minimum so that I could enjoy the meal. I had the ‘Apple Cinnamon Pancakes’ ($9.95) with a side of sausage.

The Chocolate Chip and Corn bread is irresistible

This even was too much. The pancakes were light and fluffy  with a rich cinnamon flavor accented by the mashed apple in the pancake batter. It tasted almost like a turnover. The sausage was a pork sausage with the nice flavor of sage. These were over-sized and reminded me of the sausage we used to get from the Amish markets.

The most recent time I visited I had a Meat Lovers Omelet with sausage with cheese, which came with a side of hash browns and a side of pancakes. The omelet contained six eggs and was loaded with grilled sausage, bacon, ham and cheese. It also came with one pancake and I ordered the blueberry one again.

It was fluffy and well seasoned. It filled most of the plate and I could barely finish it. I ended up bringing part of the omelet home which was finished when I got home.

The Meat Lovers Omelet with a side of Hash browns and a Blueberry Pancake

The pancakes were breakfast the next morning. Just 250 degrees for five minutes on each side and they were just as good the next day. The restaurant gives you two nicely sized buttermilk pancakes on the side and the platter is enough to feed two people comfortably for breakfast.

Everything I have tried here has been delicious. The omelets you can barely finish and they even come with a side of Hash Browns that are a meal in itself

The service is always been very friendly and welcoming every time I have visited here. The breakfast menu also includes selections of waffles and French Toast and egg Frittatas.

Yum!

The selection of dishes for both lunch and dinner are extensive. The menu is loaded with gourmet salads, crepes, over-stuffed country sandwiches, steaks and chops and chicken dishes. The portion sizes are really large and can feed two people comfortably. The best part is most entrees are not priced over $20.00. This is a nice deal for an excellent meal.

The extensive breakfast and lunch menu

Author’s note: The long time owner of the Country Pancake House just passed away.

Ridgewood Icon ,Milan Pavlovic Owner of Country Pancake House Passed Away March 4th

North Dumpling 21 Division Street New York, NY 10002

Chinese Restaurants for the budget minded, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New York City, Exploring Chinatown in Manhattan, Exploring Lower Manhattan, Exploring Manhattan, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Historic New York City neighborhoods, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), MywalkinManhattan.com at Chinese New Year, Uncategorized, Walking in Chinatown in Manhattan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

North Dumpling

21 Division Street

New York, NY 10002

212-347-0558

https://www.instagram.com/northdumplingny/?hl=en

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d33013722-Reviews-North_Dumplings-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

The inside of North Dumpling on a late night

I was searching for someplace to eat in Chinatown after touring a few museums in Brooklyn. It was cold that night and I was in the mood for soup and dumplings. The place I wanted to go to was closed and as I walked around Division Street, I came across a restaurant that was having their grand opening (I would find out later it had opened in the summer).

The owner waved me in on a very cold and welcomed me inside to a warm restaurant where homemade dumplings are made right in front of you. The best part is that there is a lot to order under $10.00. There were so many choices from the menu with dumplings, pancakes and soups and everything was so reasonable.

The Chive Pancake

I started my meal with the Chive Pancakes. These were being made by the women working the counter behind the register. These golden cakes were rather large and were panned fried. With a little soy sauce, what a way to start the meal.

The Chive Pancakes

The were filled with rice noodles, eggs and chives

Then I needed to warm myself up and had the Wonton Noodle Soup with bok choy. The long noodles and the dumplings are made fresh right in front of you. The dumplings go right from the counter where the women just folded them into the soup or into the pan for an order of ten.

The Wonton Noodle Soup with Dumplings

The food and the service were wonderful and the owner could not have been nicer and more welcoming. She pulled me off a cold street and welcomed me into the restaurant. In a time of rising prices and small portions, North Dumpling is that wonderful exception with reasonable prices and excellent food.

What I found out from the manager after dinner was this is the sister restaurant to China North Dumpling, a tiny restaurant on Essex Street which literally has no seating and this is her new, bigger version of that very successful restaurant.

My reviews on China North Dumpling at 23 Essex Street:

http://www.china-north-dumpling.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d7608410-Reviews-China_North_Dumpling-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

China North Dumpling 27A Essex Street New York, NY 10002

Dumplings Chinese Restaurant 202-204 Boulevard Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Chinese Restaurants for the budget minded, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New Jersey, Exploring Hasbrouck Heights NJ, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New Jersey, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Smile! Your Visiting New Jersey!, Uncategorized, Walking Downtown Hasbrouck Heights, Walking in Hasbrouck Heights NJ, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dumplings Chinese Restaurant

202-204 Boulevard

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

(201) 288-5885/(201) 426-0620

http://www.dumplingchinesecuisine.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46497-d23037500-Reviews-Dumpling_Chinese_Food-Hasbrouck_Heights_New_Jersey.html?m=69573

The front of Dumpling Chinese Restaurant at 202-204 Boulevard

Sometimes reasonable restaurants are right in your own neighborhood and you don’t notice. I have been coming to Dumpling Chinese Restaurant, a small take out place in the Hasbrouck Heights, NJ downtown, since it opened. The restaurant offers wonderful food, friendly service and pre-COVID prices which makes it a great place for lunch and dinner that won’t put a family out.

Their lunch specials are so reasonable priced between $8.50 to $8.95 for a small entree with Roast Pork Fried Rice with either a soda, egg roll or soup. This is a very fair meal.

I have been eating more recently with my schedule being so busy and not having enough time to cook. I have the meals to be enjoyable and it is nice to have a place to sit down without looking at things like bicycles and boxes like I do at some of the take out places in the City.

One of the dishes I really enjoy here is the Sweet & Sour Pork with Pork Fried Rice. The pork is so well fried and the sweet and sour sauce is served on the side so you can put on as much or as little as you want. The complexity of the tastes really made the dish.

The Sweet & Sour Pork Combination Platter

The General Tso’s Chicken with Fried Rice and an Egg Roll

One time when I ate in, I was a little shocked that the restaurant put my combination platter on a dish and not in plastic container. They made it look like a regular restaurant which made the dining experience so much nicer.

The General Tso’s Chicken is fried with a different batter than the Sweet & Sour Pork and its sauce has a more spicy sweet taste to it with a fruity taste. It was fried perfectly and the broccoli was perfectly cooked and steamed perfectly.

Dumpling’s Egg Rolls are really good. They are the big, fat Chinese-American Egg Rolls with lots of well spiced cabbage mixed in with chopped sweet roast pork and fried perfectly. They taste so good with a combination of duck sauce and hot mustard.

I recently stopped in for lunch and the Chicken Lo Mein with a side of Pork Fried Rice and a bowl of Hot & Sour Soup ( I needed the Hot & Sour Soup because I felt a cold coming on).

I like the Hot & Sour Soup with its rich dark soy sauce flavor and loaded with slivers of fresh veggies, tofu and roast pork. It is the perfect cure all when you have a cold.

The Chicken Lo Mein has a lot of slivers of fresh veggies, chicken and well cooked Lo Mein noodles in a nice soy sauce based sauce. Between the soup and this hot dish, I felt so much better when I left the restaurant.

I have found the family that runs the restaurant takes a lot of pride in their food and service. They are always so welcoming to me and to other customers.

It’s always nice to have a restaurant like this under the radar right in your own community.

Asia Bakery 115 North 10th Street Philadelphia, PA 19107

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Bakeries for the budget minded, Chinese Restaurants for the budget minded, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String in Philadelphia, Exploring Historic Towns of Pennsylvania, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring Pennsylvania, Exploring Philadelphia block by block, Exploring Philadelphia, PA, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Historic Neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Interesting Bakeries, Little Shop on Main Street in Philadelphia, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Uncategorized, Walking Downtown Philadelphia, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Asia Bakery

115 North 10th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107

https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/260736841/asia-bakery-inc/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 7:00am-7:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60795-d23743874-Reviews-Asian_Bakery-Philadelphia_Pennsylvania.html?m=69573

Asia Bakery at 115 North 10th Street

When I am visiting Philadelphia, I am always in search of reasonable places to eat and find snacks after a long day of touring. I came across Asia Bakery at 115 North 10th Street last year when I came in for the Flower Shos and it has been one of my go to places ever since.

The inside of Asia Bakery and their selection of baked goods to choose from

Their buns and rolls are very reasonable and if you get there earlier in the day, there is also a nice selection of baked goods to choose from. On my first trip there, I stopped for a late afternoon snack and one of their Roast Pork buns and a Cream bun.

I loved the sweetness of the topping and the rich barbecue taste of the chopped pork inside the bun. It is part lunch and part dessert. They are one of my favorite Chinese buns.

The Roast Pork bun

The filling is so good

The Cream buns are wonderful too. Filled with a sweet vanilla cream, they make the perfect dessert after a meal in Chinatown.

On my recent trip, I stopped in to have some dessert after dinner eating elsewhere. There were so many choices but I decided on the Pineapple Cream bun. These sweet soft buns are topped with a sugary crust and filled with a sweet vanilla cream. The perfect pocket dessert.

The Pineapple Cream bun

The filling is delicious

Everything I have tried here is delicious and there are so many choices that it is hard to choose what you want to try. Don’t miss this small hole in the wall bakery in Philadelphia’s Chinatown for a meal on the go or just a quick snack.