Chanoodle (CLOSED)

The only nod to ambience here is a tangle of fake green ivy clinging to the ceiling vents. But thoughtful details—exceptional house tea, colorful ceramic dishware—compensate for the dowdy interior. The Cantonese kitchen is even more redemptive. Fried clams are a delicious, garlicky compound of minced fried pork, briny bivalves steamed in their shells, crunchy garlic chips and sautéed scallions. More adventurous diners can devour sliced pork knuckles and sesame-flavored jellyfish—both house specialties.