The NYC Dim Sum Spot That I'll Visit Over And Over Again

Of all of the dining styles available to me in New York City, dim sum most appeals to my proclivities. The variety of petite plates you can mix, match, and multiply into pretty much whatever configuration and quantity you please just piques my interest and my appetite. Having been on the food and drink beat for many of my nearly 20 years as a journalist, I've had plenty of opportunities to visit many excellent dim sum destinations around town. Golden Unicorn in Manhattan's Chinatown shines brightest among them.

Golden Unicorn first opened in 1989. Its signature gold-and-red dining room is still in peak form today, but you need to get past a dated, office building-style lobby to glimpse it. Seriously, every time I enter the ground floor, I feel like I should be wearing shoulder pads and stilettos while rocking feathered hair and a briefcase. You just can't get that time capsule quality with the competition.

Here, you're given a number, and you wait for the elevators to take you up to the main event on the third floor. The throwback vibes further abound as you meander toward the back of the space, where framed, weathered press clips tout the spot's excellence over the years to form a gallery of accolades. Groups (which Golden Unicorn is great for) take longer to be called, but I don't think I've ever lingered longer than 20 minutes for a two-top. It's worth the wait — even if you only have 24 hours to eat in NYC.

The elevator doors open into a bright, bustling banquet hall with big windows and abundant drapery. Between those textiles, the tablecloths, and chair covers (there's a lot of fabric everywhere), the place has a warm, swaddled kind of feeling. Pots of hot tea are quick to land as carts swirl, and these dumpling-, bun-, and roll-packed carts are one of Golden Unicorn's best features. One might be forgiven for assuming it's everywhere, but cart service is increasingly uncommon at New York City dim sum, particularly among newer operations.

It's tempting to load up on everything at once, but it's better to take a slower approach for a chance to sample as much of what's to come as possible. Yes, the shrimp dumplings are great, but so are the pork buns that might follow, and you don't want to collect too many bamboo steamers too soon. It's also tempting to snap up the cute little piglet buns, but know that they have tasty egg inside rather than the expected swine.

I typically stick to the dim sum, but there's also a longer menu with favorites such as half or whole Peking duck, beef ribs, and jumbo shrimp. I also try to grab the custardy durian pastry for dessert, which should change your mind about the fruit that's so divisive it's actually banned in some places. Golden Unicorn also has to-go boxes, should your eyes prove bigger than your stomach.

Golden Unicorn is located at 18 E Broadway, New York, New York 10002.