A-Wah Restaurant

Had the rice casseroles and congee. All were delicious! The only thing is that it’s not a huge place, it has several tables but that’s about it. I went here on a sunday with my family and we all had different casserole pots. Either way, would definitely come back again for a second try!

Good choice if you want some cheap and fast chinatown food!
There aren’t a lot of claypot rice places in NYC, so I was so happy when this opened a few years ago. The key to these claypot rices is the crispy rice that forms on the bottom (kind of like socarrat in a paella). My favorite is their House Special with Chinese Sauce and Mince Pork Rice Casserole — this one basically has a little bit of everything including really yummy sweet chinese sausage. The rice is jasmine rice, which I kind of hate, but if it’s crispy enough on the bottom, I’m all good. When you take it to go, they give you their special sauce in a little container — remember to drizzle this all over the rice before you dig in!
The other night, I tried the Minced Sausage with Taro Sticky Rice Casserole, and man, this sticky rice is 10 0000x better than the regular!!! Rice stays moist, and taro is amazingly fluffy.
*Tip: If you get take-​out, they used to give it to you in the actual claypot and kindly ask that you return it (though most people tend to keep them and they don’t do anything about it). They now don’t give them to you anymore, and empty the rice into a plastic take-​out container!!! Not as good, but if cooked long enough, you’ll still retain some crispyness!

Great Congee

We order casserole take out today, I feel like the food lack of consistency. They no longer deliver the casserole in the clay pot, instead, they scroll out the rice and meet and put them in a plastic container. The rice is cold by the time they get to our office. It’s simply not tasty as in the clay pot. Price went up a bit ($ 1/​$ 2 more) for the same amount of food.

This is what I think of when I think of old NY Chinatown.
We came here after I read about clay pot rice in grubstreet or one of those online blogs. it is pretty tasty stuff. It’s kinda like a Chinese version of a hot stone bibimbap except the bottom of the rice wasn’t as burnt since the pot the chinese use is glazed and not as sticky.
I also tried the thousand year old egg for the first time ever and it was pretty good. I was expecting something really horrible and disgusting, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Me and colleagues ordered lunch delivery over the phone to FiDi. Three of us ordered $ 33 worth of food and everything was very mediocre. The casserole rice is totally overpriced for how little meat you get in it. I will not order from this place. The only positive point is that Delivery was on time and the delivery man was courteous.

Everything we ordered was some of the best, authentic Chinese food ever! The clay pot bowl hit the spot, and the soy sauce put it over the top!

I had jury duty and decided to explore a bit of Chinatown at lunch.
First the staff is super friendly! They checked on me twice to see if I was enjoying my meal.
I got the house special. I thought it was yummy. When the server brought it out to me he put the sauce with the red cap in front of me and said mix this in. That and some hot oil, I found the dish to be flavorful. Essentially, you control the taste.
I wonder if the other reviews didn’t get that instruction and that’s why they are saying its bland.

Yes, this is definitely a no frills joint, where you can dine in (it probably seats about 20 people) or order to go.
We got the famous house special chinese sauce and minced pork claypot, which was ok. Yes, burnt rice is always good but there was such little meat, I felt like I was only eating rice, doh –_​-​.
We also got the thousand year old egg with sweet and sour ginger, which was ok… wonder if their other eggs would’ve been a better choice! I would skip on the veggie plate as well-​it was too soaked in sauce to feel healthy over!
It is cheap and quick here, and they do take ccs.

Food is «ok.» For Chinatown it’s pretty good that they deliver up to Soho area.
Why the 1 star? THE FREAKING DELIVERY MAN SHOOK ME DOWN FOR MORE TIPS!
I already gave him 25% tips on top of my order, and the guy wanted another $ 2-​$ 3 cause he came from Chinatown. Seriously? So i gave him another $ 1 (it was all i had, and he still wanted more?!) He asked me get him at least another dollar, but i all i had was $ 5 and he said give him that. Seriously my man? Your tip is almost more than my lunch order.
Here’s a tip to the establishment, IF YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO PAY YOUR DELIVERY MAN, LOWER YOUR DELIVERY RANGE OR GET OFF SEAMLESS!

Bao zai fan is probably one of my favorite Hong Kong foods of all time. This place should probably receive four or five stars just by virtue of having the one and only claypots I have ever been able to find outside of Mengkok but I feel like it is unfair to have given it such a high rating when in reality the food was just alright.
Good bao zai fan usually has a thick, golden/​brown crust of almost popcorn-​esque rice at the bottom. The word in mandarin we use to describe it is «xiang,» which translates directly as «fragrant» but is probably more accurately interpreted as «nutty.» Up top is usually something like mushrooms or preserved meats, the juices of which, in good examples, will have seeped into and flavored the rice, which up top is fluffy and steamed.
The version at A-​Wah is a little on the salty side without the flavor of the meats — I got duck and sausage — actually having seeped into the rice completely so somehow it was both salty as well as lacking in flavor. The bottom crust was also not nearly as thick as good bao zai fan normally is. But when your options are this or fly 20+ hours to HK, this is as good as it gets.

I never thought the day would come where I would be able to find a restaurant specializing in Bo Zai Fan without having to make the 19 hour flight out to Hong Kong.
For those of you who don’t know what Bo Zai Fan is, it’s basically a rice «casserole» where the rice is baked in a clay pot over the stove and served with a variety of toppings ranging from several meats, to spareribs, or chicken and mushrooms. And as if it couldn’t get any better, A-​Wah offers a whopping 25 different choices of Bo Zai Fan!!!
Wanting to try something a little different than my usual of minced pork and salted fish (I know this must sound repulsive to the American palette, but seriously, take my word), I ordered the Lobster Bo Zai Fan. It came steaming hot with several pieces of lobster – still in shell – which were stir-​fried with ginger and scallions. Holy Moly. My friend announced how there was no way she was going to finish hers as the portions were huge. I only laughed nervously, secretly knowing that I wouldn’t be having the same problem…
The only downside (which wasn’t really a downside) was that the dish was so hot that I couldn’t simply stuff my face into it and get down to business. Once I did manage to pig out though, the lobster meat was juicy, ginger and scallions fried to perfection, and the rice was full of lobster juice flavor. I loved how they had extra soy-​sauce to pour on your rice too! After finishing the lobster, it was on to the rice – the best part! Like a miner finding gold at the bottom of the mine, I revealed the glorious portions of crispy rice that lay at the bottom as a result of being baked in the clay pot. Add some more sweet soy-​sauce and I couldn’t get myself to put down my chopsticks. And this was long after my friend asked to box hers…
Seriously, A-​Wah gets an «A» in my book. Plus the prices are ridiculously cheap– $ 10.95 for lobster?! A-​Wah, you get me.

A-​Wah is a small, hole in the wall restaurant when you dine in but the taste is fantastic with a great price. It’s most famous dishes are the clay pot casserole dishes. I had the Chicken & Mushroom clay pot casserole and it was delicious. I also had the eggplant casserole and it was the best eggplant casserole I’ve ever had. Additionally, we had the sauteed Chinese spinach in fermented miso and spices and the spare ribs casserole. These were disappointing. The sauteed Chinese spinach in fermented miso and spices was missing an ingredient that I was looking for; perhaps, the spicy kick to it. The spare ribs casserole was chewy and tough. Overall, I would definitely recommend the clay pot casseroles and the eggplant casserole if you like eggplant that is.

Loved the clay pot rice! We each ordered a different one and they were all delicious! The rice came with soup and the portion was great. We had the House Special, Chicken & Mushroom and Minced Pork with Preserved Cabbage. Do put the special soy sauce in! It is not salty but adds a lot of flavor to the rice. Tastes like home!

I love this place, very flavorful comforting rice bowls. They are made in clay pots. Prices are very cheap. They deliver and takes about 30 mins depending on weather.
They even deliver them to you in the claypot they were made in. You can also return the claypot to the restaurant for $ 1 return.

What’s there to say that you don’t already know? This place is amazing and is reliable. You will get the same, great tasting food, every time you come, whether it’s sit in or delivery or take out.
The rice casseroles in the clay pot are the signature here and a must try. The crunchy rice on the bottom is the best part. If you like sticky rice, pay the extra and get sticky rice. So good and so worth it. I’ve had a few different casserole and they’re all amazing. You can’t go wrong with either.
Get in here and order yourself a no frills dinner. Best part, your wallet will thank you!

The main reason to come to A-​Wah Restaurant is for the Cantonese clay pot rice, otherwise known here as «World Famous Rice in Casserole» on their menu. It’s also know as «Bo-​Jai-​Fan» in Cantonese. A-​Wah is located on Catherine Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown, a stone’s throw away from Chatham Square. You can get here equidistantly from the F, 4, 5, and 6 trains (East Broadway and Brooklyn Bridge stops, respectively). After having tried A-​Wah twice, once eat-​in and the other time with a takeout order, I can strongly recommend this A-​Wah.
For those who are new to clay pot rice, it’s a deep clay pot which where long grain rice is cooked along with various meats and vegetables. I will narrow things down to what I consider are the «classics». The first is clay pot rice with Chinese sausage and preserved duck and the second is minced pork patty and salted fish. As for additional toppings, many customers ask for a fried egg — a dollar extra — to be placed on top of the casserole. As for veggies, the classic item is shitake mushrooms. The serving is big enough for two, but is also a good portion for one if you’re really hungry. Sweet soy sauce is placed on the dining tables and is intended to be added as soon as you receive your order. After mixing, you just dig right in. The favorite part of any clay pot is the crusty rice that forms on the bottom. Clay pot rice is traditional Cantonese comfort food at its best.
A-​Wah has an extensive variety of clay pots toppings, so try the ones that you like. As for the quality of the clay pots, A-​Wah, makes an excellent version on three points.
* Lots of meat. This restaurant does not skimp on portions.
* Oily rice. Now don’t take this as a negative. This is necessary for chewy texture for the grains of rice — superbly done here.
* Despite semi-​long wait for clay pot, it’s necessary to create the most delicious crusty rice bottom you’ve ever had. As far as I can identify, the rice is cooked from scratch in the pot.
The only negative to this A-​Wah location is the small dining room. There are only 4 or 5 small tables and if you have your heart set on eating in, there may be a good chance that it won’t happen if they are busy (i.e. lunchtime). I tried ordering clay pot takeout and predictably, things didn’t go as well there. The kitchen staff made a heroic job in scraping off the crusty rice from the bottom of the clay pot, but by the time I brought it home, there was a deadening of the crunch factor. I can’t blame them for that, but that’s the nature of the clay pot — this meal should be eaten in the restaurant.
I’ve personally tried the two clay pots above, which I listed as «classics» and I can say it is one of the best I’ve ever had in Chinatown. I can attribute to the fact that clay pot rice is the focus of this restaurant, whereas in other restaurants it’s only a small part of the menu.
In my final notes, I found that the service in the restaurant was decent. The only negative about A-​Wah is the dining room’s small size and that it’s dimly lit.
I can wholeheartedly recommend A-​Wah as the best example of clay pot rice in Manhattan’s Chinatown. You really should try it!

In my opinion this place is over rated. The food looks better than it actually tastes. I came here for a quick weekend lunch and I ordered the Chinese Sausage & Preserved Duck casserole dish. This dish was filled with tasty salty meat however the meat juices failed to season the rice at all. I needed to supplement soy sauce into the dish which was disappointingly bland. Also the crispy rice bits on the bottom were totally burnt. I think they overcooked it a bit leaving a burnt crust on the bottom. I won’t be returning anytime soon.

I came here for lunch with my girlfriend after hearing great reviews on the clay pot rice. I’m not sure how the inside looks since I got take out but their staff are really nice and quick with orders. I ordered a bitter melon with beef over rice and my girlfriend got the salty fish & meat patty clay pot rice.
The bitter melon and beef over rice was decent, the bitter melons were really well cooked along with the beef. However the salty fish & meat patty clay pot rice was really good. The rice had the taste of the salty fish & meat patty cooked right into it. The salty fish had a huge presence in the flavoring of the meat patty.
I will definitely come back here for lunch one day and many other days. Maybe to get the salty fish & meat patty clay pot rice or try other clay pot rices. If you were to pay a visit to this restaurant, don’t make the same mistake I did and order the clay pot rice. Definitely worth the wait and the money, very delicious.

Came here to the original location even though the newer restaurant was closer and bigger. This location is small. Probably have around 8 tables in total and the seating is a little tight, but the new location is just not the same. Everything from the taste of the rice casseroles, the atmosphere of the place and service of the restaurant was nothing compared with the original.
Ordered the minced pork with salted fish rice casserole. It came in a clay pot in about 15 minutes. Poured the soy sauce on top of it and mixed with the spoon and dug in but it was super hot so you got to be careful. The meat was good but I didn’t really taste the salted fish. After finishing majority of the rice you will have to scrape the bottom of the pot to get the crunchy rice which was delicious.
The service of this place is better than average compared to most chinatown restaurants. Our tea cups were continuously filled and everything came out pretty quickly.