The first time we had dim sum was at Nom Wah on Doyers Street, at least 25 years ago, maybe 30. It was a dingy establishment with a tin roof that was rarely painted and a floor that sloped. Doyers was once where supposedly pitched battles occurred between the thinning Irish Gangs that were smaller from the Civil War and fighting each other and the growing Chinese gangs. It is a short one block long affair so twisted you cannot see from the Bowery or Pell Street at either end. It later became known as the Bloody Angle because of the Chinese Tong killings often with hatchets. Now Doyers has more barber shops than people have hair and with a few extra on Pell.

We returned to Nom Wah, due to a review in the NY Times that stated that it was taken over by the owners nephew. By all accounts it was the first dim sum parlor in NYC and was founded in 1920.

This is the best dim sum we have had in Manhattan. They have made some modern touches to the menu but the biggest change is there is no longer carts trailing around the tables, everything is made to order.

Our favorite was the turnip cakes which were garlicky and totally flavorful. They chicken legs were tangy black bean sauce and "The Original Egg Roll" had a batter crust rather than the standard rolled up envelope. The shrimp and snow pea dumplings were moist and you could actually taste the shrimp, while "House Special Pan Fried Dumplings" were perfectfully turned with a meat filling.

You must pay extra for the tea and Mrs. Adu had the chrysanthemum tea which when you opened the tea pot was a marsh of thick green leaves.

We briefly spoke to the young owner who told us there was a combination of "old school" like us and "new school" him. He said he was having a great time running the place and it showed.

We did not try the any sui mai which will have on the next visit.

Six dishes and the tea came to $22.
Nom Wah
13 Doyers Street
New York, NY 10013
212 962-6047

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/13/dining/reviews/13under.html