Golden Unicorn

Dim Sum Without the Script

3.5 of 5

A banquet hall on East Broadway is nobody's idea of a typical New York brunch spot, and that is why it belongs on this list. Golden Unicorn is a Chinatown dim sum house, with the noise, the round tables and the steam you would expect. If you want a mimosa and a quiet corner, wrong address.

The restaurant says its chefs begin at eight each morning making handmade dim sum from fresh local ingredients. It has long been known for the cart service, so listen for the wheels and point at what looks good. Bring a crowd, because dim sum is a team sport and a table of two will be bored by the fourth dish. Tea gets poured, plates get stacked, and the bill makes the whole thing feel like a favor.

It opens at nine on weekends and ten on weekdays, and the staff do not need your life story to seat you. There is a bar menu and BYOB with a corkage fee, for people who have opinions about what goes with shumai. Go early with friends you like and a plan to order too much. Ask for a table near the action if you like watching the carts roll by. Skip the idea of a quiet meal and enjoy the noise, because the noise is half the meal.

Order this: Whatever the cart is pushing past you, Shrimp dumplings, Anything steamed in a basket, Tea, kept full
The damage: $$
Go: Weekend morning, early, with four people
Find it: 18 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002