YunNan Flavor Snack

The weather has been crazy freaky here the past few weeks. From a hybrid hurricane superstorm to an early nor'easter, this area has been dumped on by mother nature. We have continued to be very lucky; having heat and electricity is half the battle. The other half... is finding something really warm to eat!

One of my favorite places in the neighborhood is a tiny dumpy hole in the wall. There's about 12 different menu items, none over $5. The cuisine is from Yunnan (雲南), near the southwest corner of China. Although definitely Chinese, the food has a distinctly Southeastern Asian flavor to it. My favorite item on the menu is simply called "Dumplings in Hot and Sour Sauce" in English.

This bowl holds such a wealth of incredible flavors. There's a vinegary tang to the soup base, and spiked with a generous amount of chili peppers. The dumplings are very thin-skinned like a wonton, filled with pork. Combined together, the savory-sour-spicy combo hits you full in the taste buds, wakening your senses and clearing your sinuses. A light scattering of scallions and cilantro offers up a light herb-y freshness to the party.

To my knowledge, this is the only Yunnan eatery in all of NYC. Unique and packed with flavor, it is the perfect meal to warm you up on a cold, blustery, miserable day!