Dishing up Dumplings

Jill: Neil and I have currently been to 3 different places in NYC that specialize in their own take on the popular and ever-so-good dumpling.

1. Rickshaw Dumpling Bar
http://rickshawdumplings.com/
61 W 23rd St
New York, NY 10010
This is a hip take on the dumpling with a variety of pairings. They offer several varieties including duck, pork, chicken thai etc in either a grouping of 6 or 9 with the choice to have them plain, with salad or with/in soup. Each type of dumpling has a suggested pairing that goes well wih the fillings. I HIGHLY recommend the warm chocolate soup dumplings for dessert. Do exercise caution while consuming and wait until they have cooled before you have a hot chocolate (but delicious) mess. It will cost you a little more for two than the two following dumpling places coming in at about $25, although it is NYC afterall.

2. Prosperity Dumpling
46 eldridge st, Chinatown, New York City
For 5 dumplings for $1...thats right something for a single dollar in NYC, how can you possibly go wrong. they offer them fried as well as steamed and you really cant go wrong. Neil and I read about this place via blackberry when we found out another destination listed in a tourism book was closed because they didnt pay their rent...oh well. They have these AMAZING vegetable pancakes that are almost like an asian version of a stuffed pizza slice. The cooks make them in giant pizza pies and cut them up into individual portions. They are coated with sesame seeds on the outside, have spicy kimchee, cilantro, carrots and other fresh veggies in the middle. where else can two people get moosed on good food for $5? It is a tiny tiny place pretty much with enough room for two people to be eating on stools and standing room for 2. Often times the line goes outside with people waiting after placing their order at the window.

3. Dumpling Man
100 St. Mark's Place, NYC
http://www.dumplingman.com/
A few steps lower than sidewalk level lies this tasty delight. You get to sit and watch seasoned women craft dumplings behind glass while you eat. This is your typical bowling alley, narrow NYC configuration for a restaurant or store and not exactly too much to look at decor wise, but the dumplings are good. You can choose any configuration of dumplings you prefer, steamed or fried. They often offer "surprise" or limited time offerings of new flavors sometimes labeled as "dumpling A". They have great freshly made shave ice in the summer with either red beans or mango, syrup and condensed milk which is awesome on a hot day. While you are eating you can have your friends check you out there via their live webcam.

Happy Eating!

Which Cupcakes Reign Supreme?

Jill: After being a self-proclaimed cupcake addict, Neil and I decided to try out another bakery that some have said to have the best cupcakes in NYC. We just had to settle this debate for ourselves. And the contenders are:

Buttercup Bake shop
973 2nd Avenue
(Between 51st and 52nd Streets)
New York, NY 10022
www.buttercupbakeshop.com

VS.

Crumbs Bake Shop
Union Square
124 University Place
www.crumbs.com

Buttercup: Neil and I have been visiting this location on the East Side for about a year every once in a while sometimes on our way to get a gyro or some other snack. This place was opened by one of the owners of Magnolia Bakery and they specialize in the retro stylings of baked goods, something like Granny used to make. They have cupcakes a little on the smaller or average size as one would bake at home with pretty traditional but popular flavorings (chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, lady baltimore, devildog, apple spice) but consistently delicious, just enough frosting but not too much. Personally I feel as though too much frosting overpowers the flavor of the cake and leaves you reaching for a beverage to wash it down. Better off getting there early as sometimes there are less to choose from in the cases on the busy weekend nights and best eaten fresh before the icing has a chance to get dry. Bakery is pretty small with only about 2-3 tables so it is sometimes best just to get them to go. I do enjoy their cupcakes as a sweet treat once in a while but not necessarily worth a drive into the city just for these.

Crumbs:
I found this particular location just to be pleasing from the outside. Very modern design and furnishings on the inside that appeared more like espresso bar(which being an avid and addicted coffee drinker, I found very pleasing) than mom and pop bakery. I could hardly help myself from drooling while perousing the case with A LOT of varieties of cookies, cakes, muffins... and the beloved cupcake. Neil ordered the Pistachio Flavor while I got the Caramel Apple. They are larger than the average cupcake and have a very different domed shape to them than the average. They have some of the traditional flavorings, chocolate, vanilla etc but have ventured into the dressed up variety with ganache, white chocolate and even fondant toppings. I found out they actually started with just a vanilla and coconut as their first offering before expanding. I was plesantly surprised when cutting into the cupcake that they fill the centers! The caramel apple actually had apples on the inside and the pistachio had a green icing not to exclude the caramel drizzle on mine and the rimming of chopped pistachios on Neil's. I found there to be almost too much icing for me personally but hey I know there are some of you out there that have confessed to diving into the icing containers when there is some left over from icing cupcakes and having it straight up. I think they can do a little more to flavor the cake to match the name like in the case with the pistachio. It was lacking a bit in that flavor other than the rimming on the top, the icing was merely green and the inside just vanilla. I guess you wouldnt want to over do it. I do also like that the sale from their celebrity apprentice cupcake goes to helping the St. Jude's children's hospital. A great reasont to take a bite.

I think it is a tie for different reasons. I like the simplicity and the understated old-fashioned style bakery in Buttercup but the expansion for the palette's sake with Crumbs and the larger size.

Take the cupcake challenge and let us know what you think!

ZimZari California Coastal Grill

ZimZari
4964 Merrick Road, Massapequa Park, NY

Neil: When I pulled up, I was pleased to see that the doors were chocked open inviting me to come inside and experience some Left Coast Cuisine. The menu was comically over sized and in the shape of a surf board. We were seated promptly at a table for two which had a cool lamp emerging from plumbing supplies. I opted for the a dish called the Chicken Napa Bowl which came with organic soba noodles tossed with coconut peanut sauce, sesame seeds, carrots, red peppers, bean sprouts and snow peas. I was considering getting the edamame but then we got complimentary tortilla chips with salsa. Jill tried the Green Habanero sauce that was on the table, as did I, but I think I put too much on my chip. Needless to say, my first attempt at the Habanero sauce was my last. Our food emerged promptly from the kitchen which was in plain view from where we were seated. My dish was OK. I don't quite know why I ordered an Asian-inspired dish from a place that specializes in burritos and fajitas. Overall the dish tasted the way I expected it to from the menu description. However, the consistency was a bit gloppy and underneath it all was a sizable puddle of oil. Despite my setback, I would still recommend this restaurant but definitely something else on the menu such as the Sun Burned Steak Burrito that Jill ordered which I admired from across the table.


Jill: I was pleasantly surprised to find this restaurant located in a nearby strip mall in a predominantly residential area that was nicely furnished and not at all crowded. (It may have just been an "off" night, being during the week.) It seemed to have the flair for a place you might find along a boardwalk for surfers and such. The restaurant is not on the huge side but could accomodate a decent number of people dining with small parties and had a nice bar area. I liked the surf board menus from a honkin' piece of wood, despite them being slightly cumbersome to use without knocking out the person accross from you while turning over to see the back side and while seated at a small table for two. I ordered the Sun Burned Steak Burrito filled with cheddar and jack cheese, baby spinach, cilantro lime ranch dressing, ginger lime rice, chimichuri sauce wrapped in a smoked chipotle tomato tortilla. I opted for the Zimzari style with broiled cheese on top that had a beautiful bronze crust! The steak was a little more medium well, which is the way I prefer it normally but not at all too chewy for those prefering it on the rarer side. I thought it had a nice flavor and liked the change in rice from the kind you would find in a Mexican joint. I tried Neil's dish which I agree was OK but not something I could see myself ordering on a return trip. I think the sauce was a little too salty and soy based that conglomerated in the bottom of the bowl in the form of an orangy oil, which does happen when sauce separates but I expected more of a peanut sauce that you would find in a thai place on something like pahd thai. I would definitely visit again, perhaps it would not be a regularly frequented eatery but visited from time to time for something different.