Location: Elizabeth (below Canal)   ~   Chinatown (Manhattan)

The Lowdown: I had a good feeling about this place from the moment I first saw it. It's clean and nice looking, without being fussy or too fancy - and with nice looking color photos of the food on the window, the emphasis is squarely on the food. The photo that called to me the most was of Lo Mein w/Seafood and Pork. The service was extremely friendly, and the noodles were among the best I've had. The quality of everything was above average for the neighborhood, and for the cheap prices. I would eat here, even if it were a dump. Thankfully, while it is small, the atmosphere is upbeat and charming. I even ended up chatting with some strangers about the food at a nearby table. Highly recommended!

Location: Grand (between Mott & Elizabeth)   ~   Chinatown (Manhattan)

The Lowdown: This is another branch of the Manna Bakery chain. They have the usual assortment of Chinese pastries, as well as some dim sum items. As with the other locations, everything here is cheap and pretty good.

Location: Grand & Elizabeth   ~   Chinatown (Manhattan)

The Lowdown: This place is really like two different restaurants. One sells dumplings at a window, and you have access to 3 small, dirty tables - and the other is a slightly pricier menu of Chinese dishes with a nicer dining room and waitstaff. I just got some dumplings and ate them at a table near a man selling Chinese DVDs. They dumplings are a little pricier than dumpling shops on Eldridge or East Broadway and they aren't as tasty. However, they're still quite good, and worth putting in your dumpling rotation if you're in the area.

Location: Grand & Eldridge   ~   Chinatown (Manhattan)

The Lowdown: This is just a nice and simple Chinese restaurant. I got a lunch special of greens & garlic and it was pretty good. Nothing here blew my mind, but it was on the good side of things, and it may be worth further investigation.

Location: Broome & Mott   ~   Chinatown (Manhattan)

The Lowdown: This is one of the most popular Banh Mi shops in Manhattan for several reasons... it's pretty good, there are vegetarian options, it's the closest one to SoHo. In fact, this is the first one I tried in Manhattan, several years ago. It's a good place to go if you have vegetarian friends or if you don't feel like walking all the way into Chinatown. Their sandwiches are on the big side for sure, but the balance of ingredients is nice. The bread is a little too substantial, and you may end up tearing off the ends, so that you don't get a mouthful of bread on your first bite. Overall, this is a solid choice for your Vietnamese sandwich needs.