Another recommendation right around the corner from Wonton Garden on Bayard Street is the Mei Lai Wah coffee shop (pretty much across the street from the Ice Cream Factory). If you haven't been here, it's quite the experience.... It's a hole in the wall, and the average age of the staff seems to be 65+, but they have really great pork buns and other baked goods. There is also a menu of noodle soups and other things that I haven't tried yet.

On the weekends, the place is packed with Filipino ladies each trying to buy 3 dozen pork buns, they run out of everything, the staff is surly.... but I love it! I recommend going on a weekday, and sitting down and having a cup of tea and a bun or two. It can be a total scrum waiting for takeout, and this way you can sit and enjoy the show.

Pork buns (steamed or baked) are 60 cents each, coconut buns are 50 cents, and special steamed buns (which have ground pork, roast pork, sausage, chicken, egg, and shiitake mushroom all in one bun--yum) are all of $1.30 or so. Your final bill is calculated by the number and color of the empty plates in front of you.