Food
Best Cheap Chinese Lunch
Fried Dumpling
99 Allen Street
212-941-9975

It's all about the Washingtons at this starchy storefront dumpling dive: Nearly every item on the short snacky menu is $1 or less. But come payday, do what we do: Slap a Lincoln on the counter and ask for five exquisitely fried and toothsome crescent-shaped dumplings, brown and crispy on the bottom and crimped on top, stuffed with a tasty pork-and-chive filling ($1); four chubby, equally good mini pork buns ($1); and a thick and starchy sesame pancake wedge split open and layered with a slightly chewy slice of beef ($1.50). Don't forget to douse it all with Sriracha hot sauce and wash it down with a $1 Snapple. Take your 50 cents' change and save it for a rainy-day phone call.