5-Combinations Restaurants in NYC New York - Cheap & Good Authentic Chinese Home Cooked Dishes

In Singapore and Malaysia, there is a class of eateries that serve home cooked style dishes described as "economic rice" 經濟飯. "Economic rice" is popular among working people because it is comfort food, a balanced affordable meal and it provides energy for a day at work.

There are also eateries in New York City that run along the same lines as Singapore and Malaysia's "economic rice" shops/ stalls.


Lunch Box Buffet 5-combinations, 15 Division Street

There is no specific category for such eateries in New York City and they are often simply referred to as "5-combinations" restaurants.


Golden Bowl, 51 Division Street

Most such eateries have a buffet of about 30-40 freshly prepared dishes in stainless steel warming trays. Typically, a set meal consists of your pick of 4 choices of dishes, rice and a soup costing between USD4 to USD5 nett. Hence the name, "5-combinations".


Lunch Box Buffet 5-combinations, 15 Division Street

The small shops serving such meals are often cramped, dingy, spartanly furnished, often without heat or air conditioning, and barely comfortable. The clients are almost all locals with no very few tourists.


5-combinations Restaurant, 195 Center Street

Nevertheless, if you are game to try it, these shops are the closest one can get to a Chinese home cooked meal in Manhattan's Chinatown.


Lunch Box Buffet 5-combinations, 15 Division Street


Yi Mei Gourmet Food, 51 Division Street

These "5-combinations" shops serve everyday dishes one would find in Chinese homes in China and around the world (i.e. not restaurant style dishes).


The view of Division Street from the Confucius Plaza along Bowery Street


Division Street looking south with One World Trade Center in the background   

If you like to try this, there are three shops serving such economic meals along Division Street, namely, "Lunch Box Buffet 5-Combinations", "Golden Bowl" and "Yi Mei Gourmet Food". Along Center Street there is "5-Combinations Restaurant".

Date visited: Nov 2014 to Jan 2015

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