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photo credit: Isabelle N.
Jade Wok
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This small restaurant is located off the main streets of Chinatown, so it doesn’t get as much traffic as it really deserves even though it’s one of Chinatown’s best. Jade Wok has that typically large menu found at many older Chinese restaurants, but what keeps us coming back here is the house special tofu, a silky slab of lightly fried, homemade tofu that’s submerged in a mushroom and pork sauce–it's labeled on the menu simply as “homemade bean curd (best tofu in town).” To balance things out, we also like the tea-smoked duck and bite-sized Shanghai spare ribs, glazed with a sweet and sour sauce, which are good to share with the whole table. On top of the good food, most of Jade Wok’s dishes are under $10, meaning you can try a lot without spending a ton. The modest dining room can fill up at lunchtime, so just make sure to plan ahead if you come by in the afternoon.