Rickshaw Truck Can’t Make Enough of Their New Duck Dumplings
If it wasn’t clear before, the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck (which parks in Midtown, and Downtown, a few days a week) has become quite the love ’em or hate ’em kind of vendor. We’ve read the hate, and seen the love. I fall somewhere in the middle. I love me some Chinatown dumplings, and don’t think that Rickshaw comes even close to being what I’d consider a “great dumpling” (and they’re shockingly overpriced to boot.) There’s not enough filling, and the wrapper doesn’t stick together. They’re also steamed, so you don’t get that delicious crisp of the far superior pan fried dumpling. If you think the dumplings are terrible, I can’t really say that you’re wrong. Did I mention that they are freakin’ expensive? And most Midtown Lunch commenters hate them. I get it.
But here’s their one saving grace (and it’s probably why they are starting to build up a Midtown following among those who don’t frequent Chinatown.) They don’t taste terrible. For all their faults, the dumplings use quality ingredients, and have a decent flavor. (Unlike, say, the NYC Cravings vegan dumplings.) Plus you can’t argue with their dipping sauces. Would I pay for Rickshaw Dumplings? No. But a lot of people do. So in the spirit of the +/-, I went to check out their newest special: the peking duck dumplings.
If you don’t like Rickshaw Dumplings, you’re probably not going to be converted by these. The same complaints listed above are still valid, and they’ve even gone so far as to raise the price 50 cents (these are $6.50!!!) But if you’re on the fence, or you actually enjoy the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck, you will most likely love their new duck dumplings. Great duck flavor, that’s only made better by the sweet hoisin dipping sauce. It’s like a peking duck bun in dumpling form. Think of it this way, if I was at a Bar Mitzvah and these dumplings were being passed around on trays I would probably position myself near the door where they came out and eat 20. Not because they’re amazing, but because they’re tasty enough– and, most importantly, free. (That’s how I do it.)
Of course after spending the $6.50, my belly wasn’t even remotely satisfied (which is the real crime of the Rickshaw Truck). But they tasted good. And if spending this kind of money, for these kind of dumplings doesn’t send shooting pains through your body, you’ll be into the new duck dumplings. One final warning: they have become pretty popular pretty quickly, so they don’t really have enough duck to offer them every day. And on the days that they do, they go pretty quick. Today they are on 45th btw. 6+7th and we’re hearing that they’ve got ’em. To find out in the future if and when they’re offering the special, you can follow them on twitter. (Or not.)
Related:
A Proper +/- of the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck
Rickshaw Dumpling Responds to the Haters
Posted by Zach Brooks at 11:30 am, June 19th, 2009 under Cart, Rickshaw Dumpling Cart.
16 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
interesting… you know, even though I’m not into expensive dumplings, it’s good to see that in Midtown, there’s something for everyone.