Chinatowns all over the world have long functioned for outsiders as pockets of Chinese culture -- adored by gourmands and aficionados of Asian culture alike. The open-air markets, mahjong parlors, restaurant window dressings and tucked-away Buddhist shrines add color and mystery to any big city lucky enough to have a vibrant Chinese population. These neighborhoods will be the center of New Year's celebrations beginning in late February as the year of the dog gives way to the year of the boar.
New York's Chinatown (www.chinatown-online.com is saddled between Little Italy and City Hall. For sightseeing purposes or lunches while touring New York's hip and commercial downtown, you can hit Chinatown by either walking south from Soho or north from Wall Street. While New York souvenirs and small gifts like Asian fans, toys for kids, and plates and tea sets dominate the retail environment, the neighborhood's real draw is the food. Despite the name, there's more than just noodles at New York Noodletown(28 1/2 Bowery; tel. 212/349-0923), where the lack of ambience is made up for by very late hours (it's open until 3:30am). For dim sum, get a group of friends together (sampling courses is no fun with just two of you) and head to Jing Fong (20 Elizabeth St.; tel. 212/964-5256) and await the fleet of treat-laden carts. The Peking Duck House (tel. 212/ 227-1810) on Mott Street in the heart of Chinatown is a New York institution visited by Chinese natives, foreign tourists and savvy New Yorkers. The house specialty Peking Duck runs about $27 but can feed four. The feast-like atmospheres inside the restaurant where chefs in white aprons and hats carve the ducks tableside makes any night there special.
Just to the south, Philadelphia has a small and manageable Chinatown (www.phillychinatown.com located near the Convention Center and the famous Reading Terminal Market (tel. 215/922-2317; www.readingterminalmarket.org). A foodie delight of its own, the Reading Market is two-blocks of restaurants and merchants from around the region, including Amish country. Taiwanese soups and rice, as well as stuffed dumplings, are on the menu at Ray's Café & Tea House (141 N. 9th St.;tel. 215/922-5122), but the unique draw here is the coffee: Each order is custom-made in one of more than half a dozen old-school glass and flame brew pots. The neighborhood has more than its share of vegetarian spots, each one surprisingly good Â? Singapore Kosher (1006 Race St.; 215/922-3288), Cherry Street Chinese (1010 Cherry St.; 215/923-3663) and Kingdom of Vegetarians (129 N. 11th St.).
San Francisco's Chinatown (www.sanfranciscochinatown.com, which dates back to the 1850s, is the United State's largest and oldest Chinatown and has the largest Chinese New Year's celebration and parade outside of China. This year's Chinese New Year Parade (tel. 415/982-3071; www.chineseparade.com, sponsored by Southwest Airlines, falls on March 3, 2007 beginning at 5:30pm. Celebrating the Year of the Boar, this year's festivities include over 100 floats or marching orders (bands, dance groups, children's organizations, dragons, etc.). General viewing of the annually televised event is free. You can purchase "bleacher seats" (www.chineseparade.com/tickets.asp) for $30. The parade lasts two and half hours and it goes on rain or shine.
On the international scene, Paris' Chinatown is characterized by a mix of Asian ethnic groups, including a sizable Vietnamese population. Quartier Chinois is located in the 13th Arrondisement in the southwest section of the city. It grew rapidly in the last half of the last century as Asian's displaced a largely Arab population. Now, it's the largest Chinatown in Europe, with over 150 restaurants and the largest Asian food market in Europe. Tang Freres (tel. +33-1/45-70-80-00) at the Porte D'Ivry Metro stop, was started by the Tang brothers and has quickly evolved into an essential stop for any tourist on the city's gourmet trail. The restaurants in Paris's first Chinatown are small and quaint and you'll often have to wait for a table. The prices, however, are cheap and offer a respite from the lackluster Asian joints that dot the rest of the city. The restaurants and shops of Chinatown, like Paris's museums, stay closed on Mondays.
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