The dim sum lunch, or yum cha (literally “drink tea”), is the Cantonese answer to Spanish tapas. It is as much a tradition in New York City's Chinatown as weekend brunch on The Lower East Side. The bustling scene is all too familiar: packed tables, servers pushing metal carts while hawking their selections, the din of impatient, hungry diners. They wait for shrimp dumplings, steamed pork spareribs, roast pork buns, pork and shrimp shu mai -- the seemingly endless variety goes on and on.
But for vegetarians, the choices can be few. When it comes to dim sum, seafood and meat dominate the menu. New York vegetarians need not despair, because there are two very appetizing dim sum havens for non-meat eaters, and they’re right in Chinatown.
Buddha Bodai on Mott Street serves a completely vegetarian and kosher menu of dim sum favorites, ranging from shrimp dumplings to beef rice rolls. The restaurant is usually packed on weekday lunch hours with City Hall municipal types, while the weekend clientele consists of tourists, locals and the environmentally conscientious. An all-day menu of vegetarian iterations of Chinese standards is also on offer, with creative takes on dishes like roast pork and sesame chicken. Using seitan, tofu and yam starch (among other vegetarian and kosher-friendly ingredients) as substitutes, many of these plates will fool even the committed carnivore in appearance and flavor.
The line outside the door on Sunday afternoons may be the best way to spot Vegetarian Dim Sum House on Pell Street. Crowds tend to gather on weekends, anxious for healthy vegetarian takes on traditional dim sum dishes. The array of vegetarian dumplings -- pan fried, watercress, snow pea leaf, monk dumplings -- draw in voracious vegetarians who want the variety of a full-scale dim sum restaurant without sacrificing their principles or lifestyle choices. The menu is comprehensive, full of inventive vegetarian fare using Eastern and Western-style vegetables, not to mention an exhaustive list of diced, sliced or sautéed mushroom dishes. At Vegetarian Dim Sum House, there’s no need to solely imitate meat dishes. Here, vegetables are allowed to take center stage.
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Property Location
When you stay at Tarrytown House Estate in Tarrytown, you'll be in the historical district and convenient to Washington Irving's Sunnyside and Lyndhurst Mansion. This hotel is within close proximity of Sunnyside and Tarrytown Music Hall.
Rooms
Make yourself at home in one of the 212 air-conditioned rooms featuring MP3 docking stations and LCD televisions. Windows open for fresh air and garden views. High-definition televisions with cable programming provide entertainment, while complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers.
Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities
Take advantage of recreational opportunities offered, including outdoor tennis courts, an outdoor pool, and an indoor pool. Additional features include complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and an arcade/game room.
Dining
Grab a bite to eat at the hotel's restaurant, which features a bar, or stay in and take advantage of room service (during limited hours). Relax with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge or a poolside bar. Buffet breakfasts are available daily for a fee.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include complimentary high-speed (wired) Internet access, a 24-hour business center, and an Internet point. Event facilities at this hotel consist of a conference center, conference/meeting rooms, and small meeting rooms. Free self parking is available onsite.
49 East Sunnyside Lane
Irvington,
NY
US
Kokum takes its name from a berry that's specific to South India, a nod to the regional cuisine that stands out as this restaurant's specialty. The recently opened space may be new, but the cooking traditions are time honored, drawing specific inspiration from India's Kerala region. Favorites include spicy chicken masala kalumbu and vegetarian-friendly theeyal, which features a mix of green bananas, yam, and coconut. Top off your meal with one of the bar's craft cocktails, which include the signature Kokum, a mingling of vermouth, pineapple juice, and lime. The dining room keeps things simple, with exposed light bulbs and natural wood accents alongside paintings of boats with hulls colorful enough to rival the stains on the sauce chef's apron. Kokum is a member of the Fine Indian Dining Group.
145 East Main Street
Elmsford,
NY
US
Raasa welcomes visitors with fluffy naan bread, zesty curries, and and wholesome basmati rice biryani. Like any Shakespearean blockbuster, the restaurant blends time-honored traditions and a modern setting, with classic Indian dishes of chicken tikka and lamb curry served amid brick walls, blonde-wood accents, copper light fixtures, and lofty ceilings. As guests dine on meals of clay-oven cooked tandoori chicken and creamy saag paneer, they can also enjoy tasty cocktails and beers from the full-service bar.
145 E Main St
Elmsford,
NY
US
Bangles and intricate love plots aside, Bollywood Beats instructors recreate the feeling of energetic Bollywood movies in their group dance classes. Students can learn traditional and modern Indian dance moves, all while building up a sweat to complex rhythms. Classes can also teach groups choreography for weddings or provide a troupe of professional dancers to distract event guests while you get the pyrotechnics ready.
81 Main St.
Elmford,
NY
US
The cooks at Shiraz Persian Restaurant bypass excessive garlic and oil in favor of grease-free dishes that The New York Times lauds as “simple and subtle, healthful and delectable,” and “beautifully presented.” Made with ingredients such as lamb shank and Cornish hen, kebabs compose the menu’s core, although chefs also bake naan in-house and mix their own yogurt dressings and dips, including one with Persian shallots that the Times cited as “particularly outstanding.”
Feasts unfold in a spacious dining room with exposed brick and a feeless BYOB policy. After meals, customers can stop by the Shiraz Mediterranean market next door, which stocks eastern delicacies and hard-to-find Middle Eastern spices.
83 E Main St
Elmsford,
NY
US
