Looking for a one-stop shop for all your Asian cooking needs? Head down to Hong Kong Supermarket on Hester Street. Hong Kong Supermarket opened at its current location in 2008. The supermarket sells everything from Filipino banana ketchup to green tea-flavored soy milk. There are sauces, condiments and candy from all over Asia. Most items have English language labels so it is a lot easier to shop here than at the little stands in Chinatown.

There are two levels to the store. On the ground floor, where the entrance is, you’ll see fresh produce and sushi. Further in the store, aisles are neatly categorized by the food products’ country of origin. There is a Southeast Asian aisle where you can get jars of spicy sambal oelek (chilli sauce) and tubs of authentic curry pastes. On the Japanese/Korean aisle there is a wide selection of teriyaki and soy sauces. You’ll find mainstream Asian staples like soy sauce far cheaper here than at regular supermarkets! Downstairs, there is an amazing array of dried noodles in every flavor, shape and form. Just think of all the exotic dishes you can prepare after a shopping trip here!

For the really adventurous, there are sometimes whole durians sold at $1.29 a pound and durian popsicles in the back freezer section at $4.67 for a box of four. The pungent fruit, which is creamy and rich, is an acquired taste. But it is definitely worth trying!

There are so many fascinating Asian foods that without guidance, it can be overwhelming. That’s where New York Food Tours comes in. We’re here to help. You can choose the Freakiest and Funniest Food Tour that includes tastes of unusual foods like the durian. But we also have the Tastes of Chinatown Tour, the Exotic Southeast Asian and Chinese Food Tour and the Asian Vegetarian Food and Culture Tour. No matter what you pick, you’ll leave confident and able to enjoy all Chinatown has to offer!

Guess what? It’s that time of the year again: New York City Restaurant Week, one of the city’s most anticipated attractions. Why? Because you get to eat and enjoy luxurious, costly meals at high-ended restaurants that may normally be out of your budget.

During Restaurant Week, New York City collaborates with some of the highest-rated, most popular, and priciest establishments to provide amazing lunch and dinner pre-fixe deals to the public. For the price of $24.07 (lunch) or $35 (dinner), you can eat a three-course meal—normally which would cost far more than that. More than 250 restaurants participate in this event, giving people the chance to taste new meals and explore new cuisines.

Some great restaurants that we’ll be checking out this week are:

• Barbounia on 250 Park Ave. South.
• The Breslin Bar and Dining Room on 16 W. 29th St. between Broadway & 5th Ave.
• The Modern–Bar Room on 9 W. 53rd St. between 5th & 6th Ave.

However, we can only visit so many. Please share your adventures and enlighten us! Do you know which restaurants you’ll be checking out? Here is the list of restaurants participating in Restaurant Week?

On another note, while Restaurant Week is a wonderful way to splurge on great food, when there are so many choices, how can you ever decide? A great way to really taste the cuisines of New York City and still save money is to check out one of our food tours. We offer tours in the East Village, West Village, Chelsea Market and Meatpacking District, and Chinatown.

All our tours not only include great tastings of foods from different countries, but also provide historical and cultural insight of the neighborhoods. Moreover, we feature special tours like our “Freakiest and Funniest Food Tour,” “The First Multicultural Bar Hopping Tour,” and “Everything Chocolate.”

Become our fan on Facebook, and you may win a free ticket to any one of our tours! Check out our tours today to join us for some fun-filled and tasty times!

Since summer officially began last Monday, the weather has been nothing been hot, hot, hot! With the humidity so high that it leaves us feeling uncomfortably warm and sticky, and with only occasional wafts of fresh, cool air, it’s no wonder that everybody wants to stay still and limit as much movement as they can.

Still, how can we let a day go to waste? After all, summer means longer days. The sun is like a temptress, enchanting us with its bright rays to play with her. We want to resist, but we can’t, and somehow we find ourselves outside, sweating like we’ve never sweat before. We’re doomed before the day even begins.

(Source: gothamist.com)

Luckily, to counter the effects of the hot and humid air, there is an excellent solution: ICE CREAM. Yes, with the weather we’ve been having, it is definitely appropriate to scream for ice cream. And where else to get the best ice cream than Sundaes and Cones on E. 10^th St. between 3^rd and 4^th Avenue?

Sundaes and Cones is a local ice cream shop in the East Village that is known for its premium quality ice cream. Rich and creamy, the ice cream from “SuCo”—as the locals call it—beats any other ice cream you have tried. In fact, SuCo is even more popular because it features unusual yet distinct flavors like Wasabi, Corn, Ginger, and even Sesame!

(Source: yelp.com)

For a wafer/sugar cone or a cup, SuCo charges $3 for 1 scoop; $4.29 for 2 scoops; and $5.54 for 3 scoops. For a waffle cone/bowl, it is $4.01 for 1 scoop; $5.31 for 2 scoops; and $6.55 for 3 scoops. While the ice cream tends to be pricier at this local parlor, it surely makes up for the cost with its high quality ingredients. Once you go “SuCo,” you can’t go back!

Just like this store, the East Village is filled with other restaurants, cafes, and dessert shops that can amaze your taste buds. Did you know that you can find takoyakis, rice balls, falafels, cannolis, Belgium fries, etc. all in the East Village? There are so many eateries featuring different cultures in this area that make it impossible for you to try all cuisines in a limited time.

That is why New York Food Tours is a great way to experience the gastronomic aspect of the East Village. We make sure we take you to all the best spots and have tastings of all the best “good eats” so that you leave feeling satisfied and more knowledgeable about the East Village. You don’t know what takoyakis are? You’ll try them on this tour. Never tried a falafel? Don’t worry! Join our tour so that next time, you can be just like a local and wow your friends!

Photo Taken By Thegirlwiththecamera

Known to be a bohemian capital in the 19th and 20th centuries, Greenwich Village has become an area that embodies a fully gentrified neighborhood of New York City. Nowadays “The Village” encompasses college kids and upper middle class families, but still has a small performing arts scene that keeps to its artsy roots. The area spans from Broadway to the Hudson River and above Houston and under 14th Street. Along with all its culture and history, the Village also has plenty of worthwhile eats to satiate any hungry person.

Photo Taken By Dennis Tang

Pizza, hot dogs, gelato, hummus are just a few foods that can be found in this area. Many famous pizza parlors such as John’s Pizzeria and Famous Joe’s Pizza where New York style, thin-crust pizza pies and slices are oven baked and topped with fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce. Also, there are many Italian bakeries like Bruno Bakery, which holds many pastry awards, who have established themselves and continue to serve traditional Italian butter cookies and cakes. Cupcakes have also made a mark here with places like Sweet Revenge, where they have wine and beer pairings with these sweet treats.

Photo Taken By Kathylchan

Of course other cultures’ foods have sprouted in this area providing cheap and tasty alternatives for everyone to enjoy. There is Sammy’s Halal that cooks marinated meats chopped on a grill and serves with rice and salad on the side. The Hummus Place features hummus, a spread of mashed chickpeas, with various vegetables and uses pita for dipping into the sauce.

As culturally diverse this area has become, it still rests its roots in American arts and history as seen in its various shops and theaters. The Village will always be a place where any student, young professional, or adult can find something to do and to eat. You can explore this area and all its food and culture while learning about its historical development with the Ultimate New York Food Tour with New York Food Tours.

The East Village is an area that spans east of Bowery from Houston Street to 14th Street, and it represents a multi-cultural and dynamic neighborhood in New York City.  It has been home to numerous immigrant populations creating a diverse area that includes Ukrainian, Polish, Irish, Jewish, Japanese, and Indian cultures.  Additionally, the East Village has been home to artists, writers, and musicians. Currently it has a significant student population due to its proximity to NYU, the New School, and Cooper Union.

To experience the East Village’s cultures and history, you can taste your way through the many different cuisines to be found in this multi-cultural epicenter.  New York Food Tours leads walking culinary tours through this neighborhood, highlighting important architectural sites including St. Mark’s-in-the-Bowery Church (the second oldest church in Manhattan), Cooper Union (a free college established by inventor and philanthropist Peter Cooper), and McSorely’s Ale House (the oldest bar in Manhattan). It also takes you through the vibrant St. Mark’s Place, with its culturally diverse shops, coffee shops, bars, and restaurants.

Known as the East Village Food Tour, this educational and delicious tour includes tastings of many of the neighborhoods delectable treasures: Belgian fries, falafel, Italian pastries, and Japanese takoyaki, and Taiwanese bubble teas. Afterwards you will feel like you went through several different countries in a matter of a few hours!

It can be difficult to comprehend the “New York lifestyle” just by standing in Times Square, seeing the Statue of Liberty, and walking down 5^th Avenue. Here at New York Food Tours, we believe that the best way to understand the history and culture of any place is by eating! Known to be a culinary center and melting pot, New York is comprised of numerous cultures that range from American to Vietnamese to Ukrainian. Since there are so many restaurants and food stands to choose from, New York Food Tours is here to show you where to go and what fun, interesting, and tasty things there are to eat around this marvelous city.

There are a number of different tours we provide such as:

• The Ultimate New York Food & Culture Tour
• The Original East Village Food Tasting and Cultural Tour
• Everything Chocolate!
• Exotic Southeast Asian
• The First Multicultural Wine & Beer Tour
• Healthy Asian Food Tasting and Cultural Tour

And many more! Visit and explore our website for more details and listings of the food walking tours we provide: http://foodtoursofny.com. You can also check out our Facebook and Twitter page for updates and current events.

If you want to read more about a particular food or restaurant, feel free to send an email to info@foodtoursofny.com and title your email – Blog Idea.  Also, leave a comment if you have something to say or just want to say hi. We are happy to start conversations and learn more about this food-centric city together.

We hope to hear from our readers and fans in the future. Happy Eating!

Times Square Photo Courtesy of d.dawg