Dumpling Soup House@The Holiday Shops 11-15-2011

Location: The Holiday Shop at Bryant Park

Time: 12pm

Feelings: I have to embarrassingly admit that I never visited the free ice skating rink in Bryant Park, partially due to my uncomfortableness with sharing shoes with strangers. I don't intend to ice skate this year either, but I do not want to miss this year's The Holiday Shop, which has all sorts of food vendors available to Midtown workers and tourists alike.

Daisy's Grits, Aroma Espresso Bar, Crepe Cafe, TopArepa, Pickle me Pete--There are plenty of snack and lunch options available. Dumpling Soup House of course caught my eyes. I waited in line, but I seemed to be the only Asian person. Not a good sign. Would I be committing the sin of eating strip mall-esque Asian food like P.F. Chang's or Ruby Foo's? I saw on the menu "Teriyaki Italian Sausage Noodle," and my expectation went down even more. It is never a good sign when you see "teriyaki" at an Asian joint.

I ordered Japanese curry potato noodle soup ($6.50). Yes, I managed to order no dumplings at a place called Dumpling Soup House. The broth was slightly bland with a hint of curry, and there were not enough vegetables in the soup and only two sad pieces of potatoes. However, the noodles were chewy and quite tasty. I'm glad that the curry flavor was so subtle that it did not overpower the noodles. As I worked my way toward the very bottom of the container, the flavor got stronger, so I'd urge you to stir vigorously before you dig in. At the price of $6.50 in Midtown, this is a great deal, but I just wish they would add more potatoes if you call the dish "Japanese curry potato noodle soup."

I heard some great things about Vegetarian Oasis last year, so I will definitely need to go back to Bryant Park soon. But absolutely without ice skating.