Holy Mother of Pearl! Vegan Polynesian Cuisine Makes a Splash of Flavor in the East Village.
- platefulofgoodness
- Aug 12, 2018
- 2 min read
The term Polynesian cuisine and vegan are rarely said in the same sentence. Yet, NYC restaurant Mother of Pearl combines the two to create extrordinary flavors for your taste buds.
Perfect for sharing and a unique experience, the pupu platter is a great way to sample the menu. Plus the platter spins! Meant for two people, the pupu platter includes pickled vegetable spring rolls, char siu buns, blistered shisito peppers, plantain chips guacamole and mushroom potstickers. Everything was delectable but the char siu buns was incredibly delicious and did an amazing job simulating actual meat- both in taste and texture. The char siu buns are are comprised of roasted mushroom, roasted celery root, fresno chile and green goddess dipping sauce. The guacamole had a fun tropical feel with fresh pineapple chunks.
In the plates for sharing section of the menu, we tried the Tofu Pad Thai and the Sichuan Eggplant. There was a good kick of spice from the pad thai, which had rice noodles, bell pepper, carrot, bean sprouts, tamarind sauce and cilantro. The eggplant was sauteed well and the sticky rice cake had great taste. There was bell pepper, sticky rice cake, fried garlic & onion and cilantro in the Sichuan Eggplant dish.
The menu doesn't end with food. Mother of Pearl's extensive drink menu dazzles the customer with fun, colorful and quirky named drinks. From flowers to fun themed glasses, there are certainly numerous photo-worthy options, but the Shark Eye and Taste The Rainbow cocktails were the true showstoppers during our visit. The Shark Eye consisted of passion fruit, lemon, maraschino, dry curaçao, bourbon, rye and tiki bitters, and the Taste The Rainbow had kiwi, watermelon, pineapple, banana cognac, lemon, lime, pisco and overproof rum.
To top the experience off, Mother of Pearl's decor matched the tropical theme. Flamingos, plant prints and tiki decor adorned the restaurant. Vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters alike can enjoy the South Pacific atmosphere and offbeat dishes.
95 Ave A, New York, NY 10009