Thursday, March 20, 2014

Shanghai Cafe Deluxe

We've got great Indian food here here in New London. Wonderful Thai. Excellent sushi. Delicious seafood. And more molto bene Italian than you can shake a stick at.

But -- except for Chinese New Year at Hsinny's -- you just can't get good Chinese food in southeastern Connecticut.

No. For good Chinese, there's only one place to go.

Chinatown.

First stop: Grand Central Terminal. I took the train to Grand Central every work day of my life, for 12 years, and although I don't miss the commute -- or the corporate world -- I loved arriving in that grand old building every morning.

And running through it to catch a train every evening.

Mom, MB, Jacquie and I walked many blocks downtown, as one does when in New York . . .

. . . oohed and aahed at the buildings and people . . .

. . . then got right down to business at one of New York's most venerable old* Taverns.

*I think something can be old without being venerable, but I do not think something can be venerable without being old.

Next Stop:

Chinatown.

There is so much to look at and see and smell and hear in that city-within-a-City.

It's all so bright and alive and foreign.

The peeps went nuts for the oddly-shaped, prickly, um, things.

MB was convinced they were sea urchins but we got it on good authority they were pineapple-like fruit from a tree.

Perhaps.

And then . . .

Our destination: Shanghai Cafe Duluxe. 喬家珊 to those in the know.

Luncheon!

Pink Luncheon.

These right here? These soup dumplings? These are reason enough for a trip to NYC.

The eggplant . . .

. . . and chicken and broccoli were pretty great, too.

Oh, my peeps. What a lovely time we had when our baby sister graced our Coast with her warm, sunny, Southern California presence.

Alas, we went our separate ways in Chinatown. Mom and I got on an uptown bus headed back to Grand Central and MB put Jacquie in a car to the airport . . .

. . . but not before they sang showtunes in a gay bar with the bartender, as a final NYC-hurrah.

Harrumph. They clearly win the last best memory in New York prize.

But we contented ourselves dreaming about the memory of those fabulous soup dumplings . . .

They don't call it Shanghai Cafe Deluxe for nothing.

5 comments:

MB said...

Love it, El. That was SUCH a fun day! xo

mom said...

You really captured the day... I want some dumplings, NOW...
xoxo mom

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Love to my very core. That was such a great day, we had no plan to speak of when we met up on the train, and it turned out just perfect. I miss you people, this kind of lunch date should be a monthly excursion, right?

Xoxoxo, great one

Jacquie

Beth said...

I love this! China town IS a city within a city! And how impressive that you found the chinese charachters within the characters. Neat trick, El!

I loved getting a glimpse inside your lunch date, but am now ver curious about the showtune singing in the gay bar with the bartender......

Hopeing for details!

xoxo,
Beth

unmitigated me said...

Is that sea urchin thingy a durian fruit? I have read so much about them, I am dying to try one. I understand they smell just awful.