Cheong Fun Cart

Every morning on the corner of Hester and Elizabeth, you’ll find a quick-moving line in front of a big silver box on wheels containing two friendly ladies. The ladies make simple, springy, and pleasantly chewy meat-filled rice rolls, and orders start at $1.50.

Here’s what you need to know before heading over: 

• They only take cash, and the most expensive thing costs $6.

• It’s unclear when this place closes, but it’s probably whenever they sell out of everything. To be safe, come before 10am.

• You can scarf down your food right there on the sidewalk, but Sara D. Roosevelt Park is only two blocks away.

• The cart is parked right in front of Hong Kong Supermarket, so pick up some frozen scallion pancakes, chocolate Pocky, and a jar of chili crisp while you’re there.

photo credit: Kenny Yang

The rice rolls don’t come with a lot of bells and whistles, and it’s nice to not have to think about which combination of 15 different ingredients you want to toss in. You choose a protein, specify small or large, and decide if you want to add extra meat for $0.50 or an egg for $0.75. (Always add an egg.) Every order automatically comes with a soy-based sauce, scallions, cilantro, and hot sauce—and that’s it. Our favorites are the fresh shrimp and the ham (i.e., Spam) varieties, with the dried shrimp coming in a close third because of the subtle crunch it provides.

The next time you’re too lazy to fix breakfast for yourself, skip that $14 avocado toast and head to this rice roll cart. It’s fast, easy, and inexpensive, and as a bonus, you’ll get to eat outside. If you’re feeling fancy, splurge on a large $3 order. You’ll probably have enough leftovers for lunch.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Kenny Yang

Fresh Shrimp

A rice roll with plump, chopped shrimp is a classic, and it’s our go-to order here. This is the only variety for which you should consider adding extra filling. They give you plenty, but can you ever have too much shrimp?

photo credit: Kenny Yang

Ham

The salty, fatty, and processed taste of Spam goes really well with rice rolls, which are such a blank slate on their own.

photo credit: Kenny Yang

Dried Shrimp

If you want a bit of textural contrast, this is a good option. The dried shrimp are relatively large, so they’re still a little meaty, but they also have some subtle crunch. You’ll get a nice concentrated shrimp flavor too.

photo credit: Kenny Yang

Roast Pork

The cha siu is chopped into small pieces, kind of like bacon bits. It’s pretty salty, so be sure to ask for the soy-based sauce on the side. As long as you drizzle only a small amount on top, every bite will be balanced and taste great.

photo credit: Kenny Yang

Pork/Beef/Chicken

We group these three varieties together because, to be honest, when you look at all three side by side, you can’t really tell which is which. Taste-wise, we like the ground pork option the best because it’s the most fatty. The beef comes in second, and the chicken is a distant third. We wouldn’t recommend ordering the chicken unless it’s the only type of meat you eat.