Chinatown can be a tough place to crack for the non-Mandarin speaker. You never quite know if you’re getting a different menu than Chinese diners, and, well, certain restaurants are a little more accommodating (read: polite) and well maintained (read: clean) than others. But with the new year comes change, so we say it’s time to break out of your Wo Hop–Joe’s Shanghai–Dim Sum Go Go comfort zone. (Hey, maybe next year you can even make it out to Flushing’s Chinatown!)

There’s no better way to celebrate Chinese New Year than with a plate of hot dumplings, which symbolize prosperity. It would be tempting to go to the ever popular Dumpling House (118A Eldridge St., 212-625-8008), especially since the owners recently remodeled and added a much larger menu with dishes like succulent shrimp, pork and watercress wontons in a spicy chili oil sauce, in addition to old standbys like the pork-and-chive fried dumplings. Instead, venture down the street to Prosperity Dumpling (46 Eldridge St., 212-343-0683), which offers a similar menu of fried and boiled dumplings, but without the chaos of its neighbor.

Also check out North Dumpling (27A Essex St., 212-529-2760), whose toothsome fried pork dumplings have a sweeter filling than most, or the aptly named Good Dumpling House (214-216 Grand St., 212-219-9228), where the pork-and-cabbage dumplings have super-thin skins and are always moist, if slightly greasy.  

Farther south in Chinatown, you’ll find Chinese Food (25B Henry St., 212-608-8962), offering a good selection of vegetable-and-pork boiled dumplings. (The location has an added bonus of being across the street from the façade of the “Flight of the Conchords” apartment!). And in the bustle of it all you’ll find Fried Dumpling (100 Mosco St., 212-693-1060), an outpost of the Allen Street location whose juicy fried pork dumplings are far better than the original.  

Noodles are another important aspect of any Chinese New Year celebration, as they represent longevity. Yeah, you’ve already done Great N.Y. Noodletown (28 Bowery, 212-349-0923), so why not branch out with Super Taste Restaurant (26 Eldridge St., 212-625-1198), which specializes in Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles served in a rich, satisfying beef broth. Try the noodles with beef in spicy soup, or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can always opt for noodles with beef feet or oxtail.

For something a little more refined, check out the recently opened Noodle Village (13 Mott St., 212-233-0788) for Cantonese fare and Hong Kong–style lo mein, which is made with thinner yellow noodles (try the cuttlefish-ball noodle soup or the fish-ball lo mein). And for China’s answer to Chipotle, there’s the do-it-yourself Hong Kong Station (128 Hester St., 212-966-9382): Choose a noodle (thick, thin, udon, mai fun, etc.), pick a sauce (curry, garlic, or parsley and scallion), and finish with toppings ranging from fish balls to beef stew to pig’s blood.  

Of course, the New Year is a time to celebrate, and Chinatown is filled with many banquet-style restaurants, perfect for large groups. While Jing Fong (20 Elizabeth St., 212-964-5256) deserves the praise it gets, there's also Grand Harmony Restaurant (98 Mott St., 212-226-6603) for Cantonese cuisine and a dim sum menu featuring treats like shark’s fin dumplings and taro puffs, and Oriental Food Restaurant (103-105 Mott St., 212-219-8388) for great shrimp noodle wraps and barbecued pork buns.

That should sate you until next year.
 
Photo by Lauren Shockey