Order of Dumplings

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Obviously it would be the pork dumplings at Lily's 57. Oh my god, how much I've missed Chinese food since being diagnosed with celiac.

When people ask which gluten-free treats I miss, I usually keep it to three things: great naan, fresh New York pizza, and real New York bagels. I miss them for their convenience, their chewy deliciousness, their irreproducability.

But lurking behind that neat list is an entire category of delectable Chinese food, entirely off limits. Oh, delicious brown sauce, tempting fried items, greasy egg rolls, steamy dumplings, I admit it: I miss you. Even, you, slightly stale fortune cookies. I miss you, too.

Until now. Based on the Celiac Chicks review, I took my mom, aunt Sue, and Alexis to Lily's 57 after an off-Broadway show last weekend. With low expectations, I requested the gluten-free menu, and was immediately dazzled by the choices. It was like the first time I went to Tao Palate as a vegetarian: you mean I can have *any* of this? Really? In fact, I was so overwhelmed that the manager had to come over to assist me.

His enthusiasm was contagious: "all of the blogs" love the dumplings (one order, please!), the chicken satay is very good (sign me up) and apparently their gluten-free General Tso's is even better than their sister restaurant, Lily and Loo's (sold).

The satay was first, and while I loved not being anxious about whether the peanut sauce had soy sauce in it, the chicken was a little bland, and nothing to write home about. But then came the dumplings: OMG. First, they were filled with pork, which prompted a wonderful flashback to my pre-vegetarian days. Second, the dumpling itself was excellent. Doughy without being sticky, and with good mouth feel. Just thinking about them now, my mouth is watering.

Next time I try a new gluten-free restaurant, I'm making everyone order gluen-free to expand my options, like a real restaurant reviewer. At Lily's I made the mistake of letting everyone choose for herself. Never again.

Because my gluten-free General Tso's tofu (my former vegetarianism dies hard, apparently) was the best dish on the table. Lightly fried, in a spicy/sweet sauce. Perfectly nostalgic. I let everyone try it to determine that I had, in fact, gotten the best thing, and then had to slap their hands away so they wouldn't eat it all.

The owners even brought me out a piece of gluten-free layer cake, on the house, to end my meal. Apparently, it's a work in progress, and when I had it, it was a little... leaden. But I have no doubt that they will get it right by my next visit. Which is, hopefully, tomorrow?

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