Manchu Food Store
If you're on the hunt for cheap Chinese street food, make your way to Manchu Food Store & Chinese Kitchen, a small, bright-purple cinderblock building under the bridge on Claiborne. It's serving up addictive chicken wings, scrumptious egg rolls, and the fan-favorite Ya-Ka-Mein (or, as it's known locally, "Old Sober" -- a nod to the dish's hangover-curing abilities), a beef noodle soup with a mix of hardboiled egg, soy sauce, creole spices, green bell pepper, onion, and celery. You'll only find this NOLA delicacy, which highlights both Chinese and African-American influences, at mom-and-pop shops like Manchu.
Featured In
Featured on an episode of PBS’ No Passport Required with famed chef Marcus Samuelsson, Manchu is truly the type of hole-in-the-wall, diamond-in-the-rough outpost hidden gem dreams are made of. They offer shrimp, fish, chicken, and pork plates, plus all kinds of award-winning chicken wings and fried seafood platters fit to feed a small army (or a sizable backyard cookout).
How to support: Stop by for counter service.