1. Cafe Noodle Zen
Nestled in between an Irish Pub and a tattoo parlor (just a few doors down from St. Marks Burgers) this is the cute, little, neon green Japanese place on St. Marks that offers 50% off ALL Sushi and basically has Happy Hour whenever you want it. We went here the other day with a mutual friend and ordered an appetizer, least 5 different kinds of sushi, 2 very strong drinks, AND (new addition to the menu) a Ramen Burger all for $60! (Added a 20% tip on top because the staff are also ridiculously nice.)
Located at 31 St. Mark’s Place, New York, NY 10003

2. Jeepney
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WORTH NOTING ABOUT JEEPNEY IS KAMAYAN NIGHT. Kamayan Night. Every Wednesday and Thursday (make sure you make a reservation) you get the opportunity to properly eat like a Filipino.The word kamayan refers to shaking hands but is simultaneously used to describe eating with your hands - a Philippine tradition.  For $40, a huge plank the size of two 2-tops covered in palm leaves is served with… well, we don’t think we can describe it all, so we’ve borrowed this description from NYC Food Guy: “Our server carefully placed a whole fried fish in the center of the long white mound of coconut milk-flavored rice. Spreading out from both sides of the fish, he symmetrically placed chicken, smoked soft boiled eggs, two kinds of pork (one in a coconut milk gravy, one marinated in Coca-Cola), sweet longanisa sausage, sauteed bok choy, bitter melon salad, piles of fried tripe and fried bread, and grilled green onions...It was at this point that I snapped a few quick photos because as soon as I put that iPhone down, it was time to eat. With only my hands.  For about 30 minutes straight.” See above for pictures from NYC Food Guy and his full review here.
Located at 201 1st. Ave. New York, NY 10003

3. Maharlika
Next door to Jeepney is its sister restaurant, Maharlika, another gem of the East Village. Maharlika’s Dinner Menu is to die for with Filipino Favorites such as Pancit Bihon, Sinigang, and Kare-Kare (it even has balut for those of you who love it or dare to try it), and the Brunch Menu full of hearty and delicious items such as Longanisa, Tocino, and the Dasilog, but what is definitely worth mentioning is the Flip’d Chicken and Waffle on the Brunch Menu! Batterless fried chicken served on top of a purple yam waffle, with anchovy-bagoong sauce and macapuno syrup to start your Saturday morning off right. Affordable and delicious.
Located at 111 1st. Ave. New York, NY 10003

4. Grill 21
Just found this fun little place on 21st between 1st and 2nd Avenue just North of Stuytown. This Filipino restaurant boasts of fresh bitter melons, juicy adobo, and refreshing halo-halo! Everything on the menu is easily affordable (nothing on the menu is more than $17) and there’s outdoor seating for the summer! Also, they cater. Because they know how Filipinos love to eat and share.
Located at 346 E. 21st St. New York. NY 10010

5. Pig & Khao
Amazing Asian Fusion gem on the Lower East Side that offers primarily Thai and Filipino food options. What first caught Kelly’s eye was that they offer chicharron as the first item for appetizers (and really, is there anything better than fried pork rinds and vinegar on the side to start off a meal?) There’s also pork belly adobo - perfectly crispy on the outside and deliciously juicy on the inside. It is a Lower East Side restaurant with great food, a small space, and loud customers - so expect a wait. But you won’t be disappointed!
Located at 68 Clinton St. New York, NY 10002

6.  Vanessa’s Dumplings
This Union Square staple is home to one of the best deals in town: $1 for four dumplings.  Other highlights include $3 Peking Duck-stuffed sesame pancakes, bubble tea, and a small assortment of sushi.  Vanessa’s also sells frozen dumplings so you can eat these in the comfort of your own home!  
Located at 220 E 14th St, New York, NY 10003.  

7.  Congee Village
There’s nothing that says home to Kaela like a warm bowl of zhook, also known as congee or rice porridge.  This comfort food is showcased at Congee Village on the Lower East Side-- along with youtiao (Chinese donuts) and amazing Chinese-American-restaurant style decor (indoor trees! weird lighting! neon!)
Located at 100 Allen Street New York, NY 10002.



8.  Pho Bang
Craving Vietnamese noodle soup? There are few better places than Pho Bang, a little Vietnamese hole-in-the wall in Little Italy.  You can buy a huge bowl of pho for $6.50 ($7.50 if you upgrade to the large size!), and they also have good Vietnamese coffee.
Located at 157 Mott St New York, NY 10013  

9. Central Buffet
We won’t lie; we had to Google search real hard for the name on this one: Central Buffet is a hidden Chinatown gem that will give you five delicious selections of dishes to go, including rice, for four dollars.  $4.25 will get you the same amount of food to eat in.  The rotating selection features tea eggs, whole fish, bean curd dishes, an assortment of vegetables, and even dessert.  Kaela has been frequenting for five years, so she’s a more than little sad to divulge this information to the public.  
Located at 195 Centre St New York, NY 10013

10.  Fay Da Bakery
This Chinese bakery, featured in Episode 3: “Eviction,” is one of Kaela’s favorite places to get cha siu bao, or barbecue pork buns.  In fact, Fay Da carries all kinds of baked goods, from coconut cream buns to hot dog buns and back-- and with most of them priced at under one dollar, you can’t lose. 
Located at 191 Centre St New York, NY 10013 (right next to Central Buffet, above!).  Other locations throughout Chinatown, SoHo and Queens. 

A few weeks ago, we shared our ten favorite female hapa celebs with you. In the spirit of gender equity and equal objectification, we now present to you our ten favorite male hapa celebs!

Adrian is a three-time Olympic gold medalist who first debuted his banging body and 6’6’’ frame at the 2008 Summer Olympics. With abs like that and those beautiful Asian eyes... How can we resist? And who ever heard of an Asian taller than 5'7''? (jk jk jk jk..... not jk.)

Criss is one of our favorite Hollywood heartthrobs who first graced us with his presence to international acclaim starring as Harry Potter in A Very Potter Musical. But more likely, you know him from Glee.

Daniel Henney is an actor/model-- you may recognize him from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Last Stand, or your dreams. 

We love Keanu!  From Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures to The Matrix to his standout turn in Emma Thompson+Kenneth Branaugh’s Much Ado About Nothing, Keanu can do no wrong.  And just look at that face.  

What do we admire more in Mark Dacasacos: his martial arts film career (including a movie literally titled Dim Sum) or his stint as the Chairman on Iron Chef?  Whatever, we’re not choosing.

~*~*Omg wHo kNeW ZaCk MoRrIs WaS AzN!?*~*~

Eight-time Olympic medalist Apollo Ohno is a national treasure, both in speed skating and in looks. And Kaela once saw a segment where he did yoga with Gracie Gold and he was good at that too.  #Sochi2014

The director of HBO's True Detective, Carey Fukunaga has both brains and beauty. 

We'll just leave this picture of Jamaican-Panamanian-Chinese model Tyson Beckford using chopsticks here. Don't bite your lip at us in that seductive way, Tyson! Ok. Do.

Here's a recipe from the Garvin/Young kitchen for Foodie Friday!  

Chicken with Snow Peas
ingredients:
1 lb. snow peas (stem & string); parboiled 2 minutes
1 c. chicken breast meat-slivered
2 tsp. cooking wine
salt to taste
oil
marinade: (for chicken)
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 T. egg white-slightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. oil

Gravy mixture:
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/3 cup chicken broth

Method:
1.  Marinate chicken.  Place in fridge for 30 minutes
2.  Heat frying pan over high heat.  Put some oil in.  Stir fry chicken.  Wait til meat turns white.  Remove.
3.  Sizzle in wine.  Add snow peas. Stir well, add salt to taste.
4.  Add gravy mixture and cook til thickened.  
5.  Serve with rice and enjoy! 

This breakout star started out with Disney but has since moved on to networks like the CW and ABC Family, starring as Kristin Kreuk's younger sister on Beauty and the Beast and as an orphan trying to find her family in a mysterious town on Ravenswood, respectively. She's adorbz and hard-working.

Gawd do we love her! This Hapa-Gal was on the CW before it was the CW (we called it the WB back in those days) starring as Lana Lang on Smallville and more recently as Detective Catherine Chandler on Beauty and the Beast. She's super pretty, seems super nice, dresses really well... I mean... We hate (slash LOVE) her to death.

Miss Q is what over here at 2G1A like to call a "bad ass b!tch." She moved to Tokyo and Hong Kong to pursue a modeling career, not knowing the language, and was picked up by Jackie Chan's management company to train as an action star. Since then, Magz has had starring roles in numerous films. You probably know her best from the hit television spy thriller, Nikita. Aside from being a BAAB (Bad Ass Asian Biotch), she is a fierce advocate for PETA and rescues dogs.

This Hapa was raised predominately in Tokyo but managed to finagle a Journalism major and minors in Japanese and dramatic arts from the University of Oklahoma before landing a gig with Fox Sports Network as a sideline reporter. Since then she has pursued acting in film and TV. We recently saw her as Nick's stripper girlfriend in New Girl and as Chess Roberts in Iron Man 2. She currently stars as Sloan Sibbith on HBO's The Newsroom. Oh, she also was a model for a hot second. Is there anything she can't do?

Lead Vocalist of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's and punk rock goddess Karen O is practically a household name, but if you don't know her from her general bad-assery, she was recently nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song for the movie Her, "The Moon Song".

Professional dancer and model Cheryl Burke's claim to celebrity fame began when she and partner Drew Lachey won the second season of Dancing with the Stars making her the first female professional to win. Since then, Burke has participated in seventeen seasons of DWTS, taking home the mirror ball trophy twice consecutively. In her autobiography, Dancing Lessons, Cheryl reveals her past as a victim of child abuse and abusive relationships and her desire to help others who are in similar situations. A beautiful do-gooder. We like her.

17-year old Kyla Ross was one of the "Fierce Five" at the London Olympics, the name dubbed to the American Gymnastics team. At just 15 years old, this little "Mighty Mouse" qualified as second reserve in her Uneven Bars routine eventually helping the Americans go gold FTW. She's fierce, she's mighty, she's seventeen. We hate her mostly because she's so awesome at a young age... which is exactly why we love her. Be our lil sis? PLZ.

Truly a triple (or maybe quintiple threat), Nicole Sherz started her career as a member of the early y2k girl band, Eden's Crush, before joining the Pussycat Dolls as their lead singer in 2003. Cultivating her skills as a musician and showbiz personality, our girl Scherz is still a singer and songwriter but donates much of her time and charity as an ambassador to the Special Olympics. Plus, have you seen her sing "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina?"  Named as one of VH1's "100 Greatest Women in Music", we can't help but wonder if she might just be "Greatest Person of All Time"... Thoughts?

This singer/songwriter hails from Brooklyn where she grew up in a musically oriented family (her Dad is sitar legend Ravi Shankar and Mom is American concert producer Sue Jones). She rose to fame in the early 2000's with her country-folk-pop-haunting hit "Don't Know Why" and has continued to make music ever since. In addition to the band that backs her on tour, she is also part of a female country trio, Puss N' Boots and a country cover band, The Little Willies.

At 52, singer and actress Nia Peeples is proving daily that age ain't nothing but a number. In her younger years, she played Nicole Chapman in the original Fame, Karen Taylor Winters on The Young and the Restless, and Sydney Cooke on Walker, Texas Ranger. She currently stars on the hit ABC Family show Pretty Little Liars. In addition to being a wonderful actress and singer, she is also a health and fitness guru who runs an organization called Elements of Life, which promotes fitness, well being, and healthy lifestyle choices.