A perennial favorite of the Tenement Museum's staff, caterer to our art openings and an all around genuine New York City find, the Dumpling House on Eldridge is well worth a visit after a tour of the Tenement Museum.

Opened five years ago by Vanessa Weng, this Beijing style dumpling house serves the dumplings that Ms. Weng remembers her mother making at home.

Although there is no decor to speak of, a handful of stools in the back and despite (or perhaps because of) the huge cooking range that takes up more than half of the front of the store - there is always a crowd of hungry Lower East Side and Chinatown denizens queuing up for the most economical meal in town - dumplings ( five for a dollar).

And what dumplings they are! Fried to perfection in giant cast-iron skillets, their charred, crispy bottoms and perfectly cooked tops yield a treasure trove of succulent pork and scallions within. A smattering of soy sauce and a dash of hot sauce and a perfect snack awaits your gullet.

If dumplings are not your preferred snack, order one of the sesame pancakes with beef. A sandwich made of the bread like sesame pancake, anise flavored beef, cilantro, carrots and various sauces, the taste is unlike anything you've ever tried- unless you've been to Beijing.