New York City, USA - Day 5
Another very busy and fascinating place to go over the weekend is Chinatown and nearby Little Italy located in the southern end of Manhattan Island. Both are crammed with restaurants and interesting shops. There is even a gun shop that claims to be the oldest in USA – John Jovino Co Inc – although there are few guns on display and the owner seems pissed off that the only people that go into his shop are tourists!
The Chinatown neighbourhood of Manhattan is a district with a large population of Chinese immigrants. Manhattan’s Chinatown is one of the largest Chinese communities outside of Asia. After an enormous growth spurt during the 1990s, it has been declining in recent years apparently. However it is still vastly entertaining with small sweet shops and shops selling anything you could possibly wish for! Great for those cheap New York City tourtisty items like miniature glow in the dark figures of the Statue of Liberty! It may also be a good place to get a Chinese meal!
Nearby is Little Italy once known for its large population of Italia. Historically, Little Italy extend as far south as Bayard Street, as far north as Bleecker, as far west as Lafayette and as far east as the Bowery. Much of the neighborhood has been absorbed by Chinatown. The northern reaches of Little Italy, near Houston Street, ceased to be recognizably Italian, and eventually became the neighborhood known today as NoLIta, an abbreviation for North of Little Italy. Today, the section of Mulberry Street between Broome and Canal Streets, is all that is left of the old Italian neighborhood. The street is lined with some two-dozen Italian restaurants popular with tourists, and seemingly very few locals. Unlike Chinatown, which continues to expand in all directions with new immigrants, little remains of the original Little Italy. It is a shame because it obviously once had character!
A small walk and you could venture into 1st Avenue. I recommend you don’t. If you thought Chinatown was full of cheap rip offs and dodgy people soliciting all sorts, 1st Ave is an eye opener. It is completely different to New York as I knew it. Lots of very unusual things going on and I got the impression one could get anything they wanted in this part of the world. It also goes on for miles! Still worth a look to see though!
Dinner was spent in Yakitori – a Japanese restaurant in 248 East 52nd Street. It offers a great dish where you cook the food yourself on a mini hot stove! Entertaining but watch where you are putting your fingers! If you are feeling a little more adventurous you could try any number of the skewers that they serve of chicken liver/heart/in fact any organ I believe. Quite a range of avian oddities but having been to Japan it is quite a true representation o f what is eaten! Very good for a Japanese restaurant to actually offer something authentic other than just sushi – well worth a visit in my opinion.