Wooley Mooley

After months without seeing my hippest New York pal, Patricia, I finally braved it down to Chinatown, during lunch, for what I knew would be some delicious food.

Since Patricia is the smallest person I know (also the person most likely embarrassed by being mentioned in a blog post) I find it fun to see if I can eat only whatever she eats.  It's usually a difficult task.  For example, we went to an Italian restaurant and she ordered a side order of carrots and green beans.  (She claims she just likes green beans more than any other food.  Don't get her started on cabbage).

Today, she suggested we meet for lunch at Despaña on Broome st.  I told her I was having what she was having.  She protested, thinking that her simple egg and potato omelette sandwich might not be exactly what I wanted.  It was.  In fact, I have never had a better potato omelette sandwich in my life.


The really impressive part, however, was after we ate when she walked me through the streets of Chinatown, pointing out things they were selling on the street like grass jelly.  (grass jelly?  Why would you eat that?  I asked if it was sweet.  The answer was no.  gross).


We ended up at Wooly's Shave(d) Ice cart!  A shave ice cart in the middle of Manhattan!  I was overjoyed!  Usually when I have had shave ice on the mainland it has been disgusting.  First, they call it Shaved ice with a D.  How stupid is that?  When a "D" is added on the end of shave ice I know it's going to be something with large chunks of ice and sticky red syrup that tastes like cough medicine.  This truck, although it used a 'd,' looked authentic.  I found out that the ice maker actually was imported from Hawaii!  YIPPEE!  Everyone knows that the secret to good shave ice is in the thinness of the ice.  The "shave" if you will.


Then, I noticed there were no syrup topping choices.  The choices were for the type of ice - original or strawberry - and for actual toppings on the dessert.  It was as if pink berry met Waiolas.  Mochi, mango, blueberry, and strawberry were all topping choices.  Also, you could get condensed milk or chocolate sauce toppings.  I was skeptical, but I knew if Patricia liked it, I would too!

We both got original flavored ice with "leche" and mochi and mango toppings!

MMM!  Not quite Matsumoto's, but also nothing like any of the gross mainland shave ice I have had.  It's more than good enough to bring back all Hawaii people!