By David Monforton

It's 11 a.m. on a Saturday morning, and the streets are packed with people. I wonder where everyone is going; they all seem to be headed in opposite directions. As I go with the flow of foot traffic, I pass a fish market, the unmistakable scent of hundreds of fresh fish wafting past me, followed by a small grocery store, then a gift shop with dozens of child-sized cheongsams (Chinese dresses) hanging from its canopy.

Welcome to Canal Street in New York City's Chinatown.

So why are all of these people here? That's easy. They're here for the food. And for the shopping. And for the atmosphere.

Although Chinatown only covers roughly two square miles in Manhattan's Lower East Side, on a day like today it seems like half the city is here. In fact, New York City's Chinatown is the biggest in the United States, and its Chinese population is the largest concentration in the Western Hemisphere. And that's quite an accomplishment, given their history in this country.

Like other minority groups in the United States, Chinese-Americans endured more than a century of intolerance and overcame numerous hurdles to survive and, finally, prosper. The first Chinese immigrants came to New York City in the mid-1800s from the West Coast, setting up a community in Manhattan's Lower East Side. But in 1882, Congress passed the first of the Chinese Exclusion Acts, effectively prohibiting Chinese laborers and their families from entering the U.S. Those acts were repealed in 1943, but even then there were severe limitations on the number of Chinese who could immigrate to this country. Finally, in the mid-1960s these limits were lifted, and a large influx of Chinese immigrants began moving to Chinatown.

So how did Chinatown survive through 80 years of exclusionism? Prevented from getting work outside of Chinatown because of citizenship restrictions, residents in this community decided to turn to tourism and bring outsiders in, and the area's restaurant and shopping industry was born. Throughout the period of population growth restrictions, though, Chinatown's garment industry thrived, ensuring it was a viable (and valuable) community.

That community has certainly laid an indelible stamp on this part of Manhattan, as many of the buildings feature Asian facades, and most of the signs on stores and restaurants are in both English and Chinese, including American icons such as national banks and fast food restaurants.

Did I mention that it seems like half the people in New York City are here this morning?

Actually, besides it being a normal crowded Saturday morning, part of the reason the streets are packed is that I'm visiting during Chinatown's annual Autumn Moon Festival, which takes place every September during the month's full moon. While the actual celebration takes place the following day, everyone is preparing today, picking up their mooncakes (the traditional culinary centerpiece of the festival and comparable in texture and reputation to Christmas fruitcakes) and enjoying a dim sum meal while in this part of town.

Chinatown is known for its grand celebrations at different times of the year, none more famous than the Lunar New Year celebration held over a two-week span each winter. The 2006 festivities will kick off with a Flower Market on Jan. 27 and 28, followed by a Firecracker Ceremony and Culture Festival on the actual Lunar New Year Day, Jan. 29, concluding with the Lunar New Year Parade and Festival on Feb. 5. (By the way, 2006 is the Year of the Dog and will be Year 4704 in the Chinese calendar.) For a complete list of activities surrounding the Lunar New Year, visit www.explorechinatown.com.

Of course, you don't need a celebration to have a reason to come to Chinatown. If you only come for a meal, though, you've missed out on the outstanding bargains in the stores. And if you only come for the shopping, you've missed out on the delectable authentic Asian cuisine. So be sure to do both.

Chinatown's restaurants are mostly small, family run affairs. And in many cases, their menus and the way they prepare the food has been handed down for generations, differing greatly from one restaurant to the next despite the dish bearing the same name. One restaurant's steamed shrimp roll is likely to be far different from the restaurant a block away. Several restaurants, though, stand out in their presentation and atmosphere, tempting more of your senses than simply taste.

Dim Sum Go Go on East Broadway features a bright, modern setting. As with most restaurants in Chinatown, the menu is several pages long with small print offering a wide variety of meats, fish and vegetarian options. As its name implies, dim sum is the specialty of the house, and each selection has its own distinctive flavor. Dim sum (meaning "a little bit of heart") is a traditional Chinese dumpling that can be filled with hundreds of combinations of meats and vegetables, then steamed or fried. It is commonly eaten at breakfast or lunch.

Sweet-n-Tart Restaurant, on Mott Street, occupies a unique presence in Chinatown, upscale by Chinatown's mom and pop standards. The restaurant stands out even more with its decidedly untraditional nouveau Asian fusion cuisine, boasting unique sauces and a wide assortment of fresh fruit juices, the specialty of the house.

On the subject of food, a stop in one of Chinatown's numerous tea houses, cafes and shops is a must during any visit. There, you can explore a wide range of tea options, from traditional green tea to trendy and fun-to-drink tapioca bubble tea (a cool tea and milk mixture with wide straws for sipping up the chewy tapioca bubbles from the bottom of the cup). And a close kin to the tea establishments are the Chinese herb shops, promoting good health through traditional Chinese medicine.

The produce stands and fish markets in Chinatown are renowned for their selection of exotic foods, from the wide variety of Asian fruits such as lychee, durians and persimmons at the produce markets, to the live seafood showcased in tanks in the fish markets, including lobsters, crabs and even sea cucumbers. And the grocery stores make you feel like you've stepped through a porthole to the other side of the world, carrying everything you would need for a home-cooked Asian meal, including dried squid, jellyfish and stingray, all staples in Asian soups, sauces and stews.

Gift shops in Chinatown have a widely known reputation for carrying unique Chinese items not easily found in the U.S. Electronics, art, jewelry, Asian fashions and traditional Chinese gifts are available at many locations throughout Chinatown and worth perusing for outstanding bargains.

So never mind all the people walking around. They only serve to confirm that you've found a great place to treat yourself to authentic Asian cuisine and shop for the unique and extraordinary at a value.

Forget about the crowds. It's Chinatown.

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