Great Escape! Brooklyn's Chinatown

When you’re in the mood for bau, shumai, congee or other dim sum, why travel into Manhattan’s crowded, touristy Canal Street, when Brooklyn’s Chinatown is just as close?

Hop on the R train at and transfer to the N about 15 minutes later at the 59th St. station in Sunset Park. Get off the N at the next stop, 8th Avenue. You’ll emerge to rows of dim sum restaurants, street food and grocery stores filled with live frogs, chicken feet and tanks of live fish or lobster.

But best of all, there’s nary a knockoff handbag or so-crowded-you-have-to-walk-in-the-street sidewalk to be seen.

For dim sum, our favorite is the sprawling Pacificana (813 55th St., at 8th Ave., 2nd floor, 718-871-2880.). If you drive, there’s a garage next door that is free during the day when you get the ticket validated.

Inside, the seating is family-style tables for about six - eight. So if you're with a small group, you'll probably share a table with another family. 

Choose your food by flagging down the women pushing carts around the restaurant and pointing to what you want (unless, of course, you speak the dialect). Try the various dumplings filled with shrimp, pork and the like, the fried eggplant stuffed with shrimp, clams with black bean sauce or steamed sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves. Just about everything is good.

If you don’t see what you want on one of the carts, ask for a menu. They’ll be happy to bring you something specially prepared, such as a plate of steamed bok choy or shredded jellyfish. The restaurant is also quite good for lunch and dinner.

Other good places to try are East Harbor Seafood Palace (714 65th St. bet. Seventh and Eighth aves., 718-765-0098) or another restaurant that keeps changing its name but is located on Eighth Avenue at the corner of 61st Street, directly opposite the Hong Kong supermarket.

Speaking of the Hong Kong Supermarket (6023 Eighth Ave between 60th St and 61st St., 718-438-2288), head there to check out delights like quail and quail eggs, frozen black chicken, chicken feet and frozen dumplings in just about every variety you can imagine.

Then, if you’re not too full, stop by a bakery or dim sum place to pick up some egg tarts or jin deui – a chewy fried dough filled with red bean paste – to go, and enjoy them on the short subway trip home.