Lemongrass (Warwick, RI)

 

It's a testament to the connection between man and food, taste and sense, the human transcendence of the collective meal. When we eat dumplings, we are all one. And when we are all one, we eat dumplings.

Cut to Lemongrass, a small Asian cuisine gem with a supple raw bar and a wont for dumplings. The insider's tip to eating here is that the dim sum is not on the appetizer menu, and from there, the average dumpling adventurer might be discouraged. But fear not! You must ask for the fried pork dumplings behind closed doors and in a whisper, and they will provide you the spoils of good eating. Or, you could just ask them to deliver over the phone, which is what we did.

Only mere minutes later did these beautiful puppies show up at our doorstep, ready to be consumed by family. The dumplings were sweet and salty, cooked almost to perfection and with a dip of soy sauce they simply melted in your mouth. And I must admit that for several moments I was taken to another dimension.

What brought me back to earth was the small hints of unperfection - a stray herb in the presentation and a bite of one dumpling that resulted in a disappointing volume of pork and goodness.

And yet, we arrive at my recommendation: which is that while following E and I around the world on our Transcontinental Dumpling Adventure, you must stop in Warwick, Rhode Island, for the momentary bliss.

4 out of 5 stars.

Until next time,

Tyuck!

Sushi Ya (Sparta, NJ)

Sushi Ya isn't my go to sushi spot. That doesn't mean if I'm craving a little late night raw fish, I'm not not going to consider it. When I don't feel like driving to Mt. Arlington, it does the job. That being said I always go gyoza at sushi joints. Need a little land based animal appetizer to warm you up, to  remind you that fish ain't the only star of the show, especially if that pork is wrap in tasty crispy dough.

Gyoza is always a great option because its always crispy and light, Sushi Ya is no exception. They have a great filling, nice and crisp, and a good sauce. All around a quality dumpling, but even a grade A dumpling at a sushi place is still overshadowed. It's like finding the best hamburger in the world at a steakhouse, people will still only care about their porterhouse.

That being said,

3.7 out of 5

Not memorable, but a crucial component of any Sushi Ya meal, and if you're trying for a quick sush meal, its a requirement.

Eric

Izakaya Tairyo (Honolulu, HI)

Izakaya Tairyo has a deceiving exterior. From the outside, the restaurant might appear as a fish market, a bar, a grocery store, a black market auction house, or all of the above at once. Inside, it's got a local feel. All of the servers and staff wear black flip flops. They serve sake from an overflowing ceramic container and it catches in a wooden basin that you drink at the end. The food is of high quality, now let's get on to tbe reason we are all here, the dumplings. 

The dumplings were precision made. They arrived on a sizzling skillet with a small decanter of soy sauce. The presentation and service was excellent, and I can't say much more about it. The soy sauce was a fragrant dish with many extra herbs and greens added in that gave it an earthy but delicious flavor. It was somethijg Organic Jesus would certainly approve of. The dumplings were cooked just how I like them, quick and crispy on the outside to a nice golden brown. The dough was savory and the pork was mild but slightly spicy. They had not lost their juicy texture and I enjoyed thoroughly every bite. Though I can say that I was mostly all of the way through a tallboy of Ichiban Kirin, I can say with good reason that the dumplings deserve a solid 4.25 stars. Not quite perfection, but I can tell that as I near Asia in my travels, I am getting closer and closer to the perfect dumpling with every bite I take. That's all for now folks. Until next time

4.25 out of 5 stars.

Tyuck