Lunch Today: Roast Baby Pig at Great N.Y. Noodletown

Before our office moved to Chinatown, I'd only experienced Great New York Noodletown in the wee hours of the morning, on the far side of a few rounds of drinks, or as a comfort food congee-and-roast-meat stop on a cold winter night. But it's a great option for lunch, with lots of affordable picks (look to the Barbecued Items On Rice section and the Rice Plates section of the menu for a bevy of choices under 5 bucks.)

Splurge for the Roast Baby Pig ($7.95) if they haven't run out. The skin is the thing: remarkably crisp, layered with fat, dangerously snackable. "This is like pig candy," commented the Serious Eaters. It's served on rice with a bit of sweet cabbage; you could get two meals out of this if you stop yourself before devouring the whole thing.

The meat itself is moist and salty, a little bit smoky and plenty greasy—most of us find it a slightly better choice than the sweeter standard roast pork, though some were torn between the two. But why choose? Go with a friend and order both.

Great N.Y. Noodletown

28 Bowery, New York NY 10013 (near Bayard; map) 212-349-0923

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