Soup Dumplings Come To Hartsdale At Fantasy Cuisine

Bringing up the rear at #3, Crispy Rice Style presents those vegetables in a sweet and sour sauce, served on what the menu describes as “pillows of sizzling crispy rice”—square rice cakes that add textural interest to a blander dish. As this one is offered with tofu as a main ingredient choice, it’s a good option for vegetarians looking for something unique.

The vegetarian at our table also ordered a cold appetizer of tree ear mushrooms, redolent with sesame oil and mixed with onions, cilantro, and slivers of red pepper. As it happened, all the mains we chose were also heaped with tree ear (including one of the $8.95 lunch specials, black tree mushroom with fish fillet). If you’re a fan of these dark, delicate, slightly gelatinous ruffles, you will certainly find them growing on trees here. And if finding anything dim-sum-like around here gets you excited, you’ll be happy to see the “steamed” and “flaky” (read: fried) buns offered for dessert. The red-bean-filled flaky pastries have the delightful advantage of being shaped like flowers or stars but are almost too greasy for my taste. Go for the steamed custard buns, which I reveled in briefly before my daughter appropriated them.

Fantasy Cuisine
20 N Central Ave
Hartsdale
(914) 358-9046; fantasycuisine.com