Friday, September 01, 2006

Cheap and Tasty: Unique Pasty

I have discovered a new cheap and tasty wonder in my neighborhood: Unique Pastry, just east of 6th Avenue. The restaurant specializes in food from the Fujian province of China. The highlight is Bing, sesame encrusted pockets of bread stuffed with anything from red beans to spicy meats. Now, I am a fan of just about all foods in which dough is wrapped around another food--ravioli, dumplings, pirogi, samosas, empanadas--and bing is an excellent addition to this category. The sesame seeds lend a crisp crunch to the bread, while the fillings are hearty and satisifying. The price can not be beat--each bing is under $2.00 and 2 is more than enough for a meal (for me at least). To sweeten the deal, the manager gave us 3 bing for free. I think this was because closing time was nearing, and she figured it was better to give them away than throw them out. Neilson and I enjoyed all of the varieties we tried--spicy pork, spicy beef, cabbage, and pork and chives--and I am sure the rest are just as good.

According the New York Times, the owner plans to spread Unique Pastry across the city. I wish her well.

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