Wikipages Blog

Last night, I tried a place I’d often passed, but never sampled: Dumpling Man. Located in the East Village, this place has always intrigued me with its eye-catching, adorable dumpling icon. On our way to the Public Theater to see King Lear, we wanted a quick bite to eat and Dumpling Man was perfect.

The menu is not terribly extensive. They serve veggie, pork, chicken, and pumpkin dumplings, steamed or seared. We got veggie for me, pork for Ben, and pumpkin to share. When I first took a bite of the veggie dumplings, I thought they had given me beef. I spit it out and Ben asked if they had confused our order. It turns out it was “wheat protein”. Good for you, I suppose, though I was not a huge fan. Just not what I was expecting.

The pumpkin dumplings were covered in honey and very sweet and delicious. Although it was all so filling, it was up to Ben to finish most of it.

We watched one of the women working with the dough to make the dumplings, all done in view of the diners. Very cool. Definitely a fun place for a quick bite!

We had a big night out in the East Village. After dinner at the Yaffa Cafe, we pondered where to go. For drinks, I suggested Simone’s, a chic wine bar type place. But this was turned down by those in favor of a rowdier night. We opted for Grassroots.

With a similar feel to the Peculier Pub, Grassroots is a bar bar. It’s dirty, it’s loud, and it’s a good time. It’s not the sort of place I’d order a Cosmo (not that their cosmos are particularly bad; it just doesn’t seem to fit). I ordered a vodka tonic and found seats for our crowd at one of the wooden tables.

I’d had my share of drinks at the Yaffa Cafe. So I was feeling good. Some more friends met up with us and the party got even more merry.

Ben, who isn’t much of a drinker, opted for a chemistry experiment with a couple of his friends. They gathered various discarded beverages (and a cake) from nearby tables and combined them into one super drink. The result was a strange-looking, layered substance. A frat-rat type girl who’d been flirting with the three boys wandered over and asked, “Are you going to drink that?” To which they laughed in response. We probably could have convinced her to drink it, in her state, but resisted the temptation.

The night proved a good time. So if you’re nostalgic for sticky beer floors and a good old bar, Grassroots is your spot.

I was exploring the East Village with a friend from out of town. I love this part of the city. Awesome vintage shops, some great jazz venues, fun bars. After trying on a wide selection of hats at one shop, and purchasing some beautiful vintage threads at another, we decided to look for a place to eat. As my friends know, when I get hungry, it’s not a pretty sight. And I got hungry. So we went to the first place we saw, a tiny place that we had no clue about, but the door was open and there was an empty table.

The place was one simple room, tinted in red. As soon as we entered, the owner approached us with a wide, friendly smile. He was a beautiful black young man who charmingly informed us in a Caribbean accent that we were in a vegan, Haitian restaurant. I didn’t even know such a thing existed. There was no menu, only items listed on a blackboard on the wall. But all the items on the wall seemed delicious. I chose advocado roasted with mushroom mousse inside.

The owner took our orders, with his dashing smile, and introduced us to his partner, his beautiful red-haired American wife. The two of them made such a stunning couple, I kept thinking how gorgeous their children would be. Both in their twenties, they told us that they had started this restaurant a couple years ago and had also started a similar place up in Harlem which had a music venue. The place was BYO, but as we had brought none, the owners offered a bottle that had been unfinished by former customers and we accepted.

The food was amazingly delicious. Unlike anything I have had before or since. Such an amazing combination of advocado and mushroom! We left the restaurant with our appetites sated and a feeling that we had made friends with this fascinating couple.

Unfortunately, we did not leave with the name of the restaurant, nor the address. I have searched for this place since and failed. It is an utter tragedy. Please, if you know this establishment, tell me! And I’ll add it to Wikipages so others can find it.

I just horrified a couple of baseball fans by telling them that I had no idea what “Game 7″ is today. Well, I never pretended to be a sports expert. But I do know a few good sports bars.

I recently went to Central Bar in the East Village for my friend Phil’s birthday. Phil is a baseball fan, a Mets fan, to be exact, and chose the place based on the ample number of big tv screens. I personally find TV screens in bars very distracting. They draw you away from socializing.

We snagged a bunch of seats around a table. (I sat facing away from the TV). The decor is a bit interesting, since it’s almost dark and gothicky. Then it has these big tv screens for watching sports, which don’t exactly seem to go together. The kitchen menu is decent (though a bit pricey), with all the usual suspects (mozzarrella sticks, buffalo wings, etc.). We got some appetizers and I got a vodka tonic. Tasty.

Phil enjoyed his birthday outing. The bar proved a fun place for sports fans and non-fans alike. Though I really don’t even know if the Mets won. Oh, well. I know they’re in Game 7 tonight. Go, Mets!