If you go to Chatham Restaurant on Sunday morning you will see some macho elderly getting drunk with cheap generic brandy, faces all super red and grab whatever dim sum they want from the cart ladies. We later found out they have reserved bottles in the fridge at the restaurant. A major old timers hangout, Chatham Restaurant is one of those nostalgic places that freeze in time. Every time I walked in I feel like stepping into Wong Kar Wai’s movie Days Of Being Wild, except lotta time I am the youngest person around beside toddlers. Be prepared to share a big round table with 8 other old timers and receive the warmest smiles of the day.

Chatham Restaurant is all about QUANTITY. They serve great H.U.G.E. dim sum in really low prices. Their Big Bun (大包 Dai Bau) is legendary. Their Lotus leaf rice (糯米雞 no mai gai) is as big as my head. Their Beefballs is bigger than bull testicles.

Here are the dishes we love:

Big Bun (大包 Dai Bau)
Description: A steamed rice bun with lots of goodies inside- chicken, black mushroom, pork, egg, shrimp, Chinese sausage.
Comments: GET IT! My favorite thing to eat in the entire universe! This bun will fill you up just like that and totally put McDonald’s and Burger King to shame.
Cost: $1.20

Pan Fried Dumpling with Chives and Shrimp (韭菜餃 gau choi kau)
Description: Pan Fried Dumpling stuffed with chopped Chives and Shrimp
Comments: The bottom skin is cooked perfectly, with a texture of crunchiness and chewy-ness.
Cost: $1.70

Lotus Leaf Rice (糯米雞 no mai gai)
Description: Steamed glutinous rice is wrapped in a lotus leaf into a rectangular shape. Inside contains egg yolk, dried shrimp, mushroom, water chestnut and pork.
Comments: HUGEGIENORMOUSMONGUS! As big as a brick. Chances are you will not be able to finish because its bigger than your stomach so pack it to go. Taste good when microwaves with wet paper towel again.
Cost: $1.70

Pork Siu Maai (燒賣 siu maai)
Description: Steamed dumplings with pork inside a thin wheat flour wrapper with black mushroom inside.
Comments: Juicy, tasty and MSG-ly.

Fresh Shrimp Chiu-Chao Style Dumpling (鮮蝦粉果 sin har fun guo)
Description: It contains peanuts, garlic chives, pork, shrimp, Chinese mushrooms in a thick dumpling wrapper made from glutinous rice flour.
Comments: Lots of flavors go around your mouth; the peanuts add an interesting touch. Eat it in one bite.

Tips: If you are vegetarian you might be hard to survive in this restaurant since everything is quite meaty. Our favorite tea is Puer tea with Chrysanthemum flowers to effectively wash down those big dim sums. Keep your eyes open for the fresh dishes carting out from the kitchen cause drunken elders might swipe all of them. Chatham restaurant also have to go service, but try not to do it on weekend morning unless you are ready to wait for at least 20 minutes with no actual formation of a line. You have to elbow in and fight your orders with 65 years old Grandmas.

Again, as I mentioned above, this place is about QUANTITY. Their Shrimp dumplings and meatballs might not be the best thing you have ever tasted but it’s definitely the LIGHTEST for your wallet. If you want more selection and delicate dim sums go to Dim Sum A Go Go (we saw Terry Richardson there the other day) across the street that everything is 1/3 of the size and double the price than here plus you won’t find much Chinese there.

New York Chinatown Chinese Dim Sum CHEAP ASS PICK!