Recommendations

A good spot for an outdoor, boozy dim sum lunch or brunch.

Guide: Euro (Giancarlo)
Location: Noho

Strengths

• They have over 30 kinds of dim sum. They don't do the dim sum cart-thing, though frankly that's a bit overrated anyway, since I never really know what's inside them just from looking. I prefer the steamed variety here, which seem to have more delicate flavors and come in authentic bamboo steamers.
• I you prefer more robust flavor, try the garlic fried dumplings, which pack more of a punch and are surprisingly non-greasy.
• They have a good drinks menu, with solid "5 spice" bloody mary's (ask them to add olives), Dark and Stormy's, and frozen Mai Tai's.

Shortcomings

• I'm not into big, dramatic spaces, so it's not my cup of tea for dinner.
• I also wasn't very impressed by the entrees, though I'm a tough critic, having lived in Hong Kong.
• It's a bit pricey. You are paying in part to cover the cost of the opulent (i.e. gaudy) dining room decor, which I could live without anyway.
• Finally, how exactly is this place a "brasserie"?

Insider tips

• I like to sit outside and order the dim sum continuously, so I can keep trying new things, reorder my faves, eat everything when it's hot, and stop when I'm full, rather than filling up the table to start.

Anecdotes

• I needed a business lunch spot last Friday and chose Chinatown Brasserie. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we sat outside and tried to work our way through the dim sum menu. We started with diet cokes, but eventually broke down and had Bloody Mary's, which don't really go with dim sum, but were excellent. Dim sum lunch during the week was a nice change of pace, and since we stuck with mostly steamed dishes we didn't feel overly full afterwards.