She's the Mistress of Cake, supplying sugar junkies with their pastry fix out of a clandestine location in a Chinatown walk-up. Just like any underground deal, you must first earn her trust - an email usually does it. The location is sent to you via text. A man greets you at the door, takes your twenty dollars, and the indulgence begins.

Once a month, pastry chef Victoria Howe hosts the Chinatown Cake Club in the living room of her own apartment. Ten desserts are offered, ranging from traditional (dark chocolate fudge cake) to more exotic (durian poundcake, banana leaf sticky rice, soy sauce ice cream) and one devoted to a famous artist (Gerhard Richter, Cindy Sherman, Notorious B.I.G.). Within an hour, you should easily slip into a deep, happy sugar coma.

To find out how to get into the Chinatown Cake Club, read our Q & A with Victoria.

Victoria shares her favorite local Chinatown haunts, from noodles to tofu to late night cocktails:

MEE SUM CAFE

I get coffee and cheong fun [rice noodle rolls] here in the morning sometimes. At 8am, I might be the only sober person in here. It's straight out of Twin Peaks, but totally Chinese. Just an old funky diner doing what it does well.

SUN HING LUNG HO FUN TOFU MARKET

Best Chinese tofu I have ever had. The texture is buttery smooth, it's very fresh, and it's about $1 for a big tub. This place has great cheong fun made to order while you wait, too.

SKYWAY MALAYSIAN

I eat the Nasi Lemak here so much it's kind of embarrassing. But it's really great, and the people that work here are very sweet.

XI'AN FAMOUS FOODS

Preserved veggies with noodles is my usual. Greasy, but so good!

BACARO

I like to drink scotch here late at night with friends. Downstairs feels like a medieval dungeon, but the kind that I wouldn't mind getting locked up in.

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Check out more of Victoria's recommendations.

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