Please note: This article was first published on The Vegan Tourist and last updated August 29, 2011.
I read about this restaurant in The Vegan Guide to New York City, where it received a great review, and wasn’t disappointed. My experiences with Dim Sum dishes are limited, and I was excited to find a place that served vegan options.
The Vegetarian Dim Sum House is located in China Town, an area in Manhattan which I don’t particularly like. All the restaurants have dead animals hanging in their windows, and I always feel anxious and depressed whenever I walk through this neighbourhood; but I decided to seek out the restaurant anyway and am glad that I did.
The restaurant serves almost exclusively vegan food, and specializes in Dim Sum and mock-meat dishes. They have a huge menu; the variety of food on offer at this place is incredible.
I ordered Dim Sum: steamed Snow Peas Leaves Dumplings ($ 3.50) and fried Sesame Paste Buns ($ 2.95). I chose them as an appetizer, and fully intended to order more food later on, thinking that I would be served small, bite-sized pieces of Dim Sum. Imagine my surprise when I was served three huge pieces of dumplings and four medium-sized sesame buns. I barely managed to eat it all – but did, because the food was delicious.
The Snow Peas Leaves Dumplings tasted unlike anything I’d eaten before and I can’t really describe them (snow peas!); but I’m glad I tried them.
The fried sesame paste buns were sweet dumplings, which I didn’t know when I ordered them, and they made for a great dessert; also a good choice.
The waitress served free tea when I arrived, and I ordered a Pineapple Ice Tea ($ 2.95), which was very refreshing.
The restaurant itself has seen better days and is rather run down (May 2011); but don’t let that deter you from visiting. This is a simple place, where you can eat lots of good food at moderate prices. The Vegetarian Dim Sum House is cash only and doesn’t serve alcohol.
Address: 24 Pell Street, Manhattan
Opening hours: daily 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Phone: +1-212-577-7176
The restaurant doesn’t have a Website.