Listen, everyone knows that Chinatown is perhaps the only place in Manhattan where you can get a decent meal without breaking the bank. But in the cramped, crowded, overstimulated neighborhood of Chinatown, there are as many misses as there are hits.

Shu Jiao Fu Zhou was one of the first places I ate at when I moved to the city in February 2020, and the first time I really was immersed in Manhattan Chinatown. Just a few days later, the neighborhood would empty out, and weeks after that, the city shut down entirely. Amidst all of the chaos, what could be more comforting than unfussy dumplings and noodles and soup? Shu Jiao Fu Zhou serves homey Fuzhou cuisine in an unassuming shop (they actually moved to a new location with moderately more seating, but still very no frills atmosphere), a gem hidden in plain sight, and well known enough to be always bustling. Service is fast, and their menu is straightforward: a few kinds of boiled dumplings, rice noodle soups, fish ball soup, the popular peanut butter dry wheat noodles and other Fuzhou classics, many things in two sizes so you can a la carte your ideal spread and even with inflation, pretty much everything under $5. Soy sauce and hot sauce are on the utilitarian tables for you to have at it yourself.

It’s a simple path to joy. Counter order, pay cash, wait for your number to be called to retrieve your tray, eat, leave happy and full without even needing to spend double digits. In a city full of competitive reservations and hard to get tables, there’s something extra special about unadorned tables bumping elbows with strangers as you scarf down a quick meal. Shu Jiao Fu Zhou is a reliable staple any day of the week.