Alex Gonzalez C City of Ate from p15 ▼ FIRST LOOK EAT THE RAINBOW K THURS OCT. 27 DICKIES ARENA, FORT WORTH WIN TICKETS! A PAIR OF DALLASOBSERVER.COM/ FREE/CHRISSTAPLETON 16 16 HONG DUMPLING HOUSE IS A NEW SPOT THAT OFFERS FRESH, MADE-TO-ORDER KOREAN DUMPLINGS THAT ARE BOTH COLORFUL AND FLAVORFUL. BY HANK VAUGHN P Hong opened Hong Dumpling House on Royal Lane near Inter- state 35 about three months ago, serving fresh, made-to-order Korean dumplings in a rainbow of colors called mandu. Almost every ancient civilization has its version of dumplings, and Korea is no exception, though there are conflicting origin stories. The most popular theory is that mandu were brought to Korea by the Mongols, not the Chinese, in the 14th century. Others be- lieve that they were brought by the Turks much earlier via the Silk Road in the 7th century, an offspring of Turkish manti. All this is very interesting, sure, but we wanted a tasty meal, not a history lesson, and Hong provided it. The menu is uncomplicated, consisting of six types of dumplings — all served six to an order and all under $10, along with a couple of special dishes for a bit more. Be- cause the dumplings are made to order, it’s best to call in advance to avoid any wait time. We arrived early during lunch service and learned that only the first three dump- lings on the menu were being served that day, so we ordered a plate of each. Each type of dumpling is created using wrappers of different colors, and Hong showed us the various powders he uses to create these colors: for purple, sweet potato powder is added; for fuchsia, hibiscus; yel- low is created using mango powder; and for green, it’s matcha powder. Our first selection was called simply mandu. These dumplings were made with a purple wrapper and were stuffed with pork and vegetables; one could taste ginger as well, along with green onions or chives. Next up, an order of kimchi mandu, which arrived in a yellow wrapper and were filled with chopped kimchi, ground pork, tofu and vegetables. These were a bit more piquant and vinegary, of course, thanks to the flavors that kimchi brings. Finally, we had an order of shrimp mandu. These little lovelies were served in a green dumpling and had an opening at one end from which the shrimp tail protruded. The tails had been removed for us, but based on some Yelp photos it appears that this is not always the case. A couple of bowls of seasoned soy sauce were also provided for dunking, or in our case, splashing, when one of our dumplings fell out of the grasp of our chopsticks and tumbled into the bowl. Clearly more prac- tice is needed, and we are up for the chal- lenge, because these dumplings had a wonderful texture: not too thick, not too thin and steamed just the right amount with delicious flavors. They were the pot of gold at the end of the dumpling wrapper rainbow, as it were. One of the specials, squid mandu, at about $20, consists of a full squid filled with ground pork and vegetables. There were no more squid the day we went, but one imag- ines that the squid fills in for the dumpling wrapper. All well and good, but what of the rainbow colors? Clearly, more research is needed (wink, wink). 1901 Royal Lane, No. 105, Dallas. Open 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday - Saturday. ▼ FIRST LOOK TAKE A DIVE L THE OLD CEDARS-AREA DIVE BAR, LEE HARVEY’S, HAS A NEW PUBLIC POOL. WE RECENTLY CHECKED IT OUT AND WE’RE ALL IN. BY ALEX GONZALEZ ee Harvey’s is taking the phrase “dive bar” to another level. This past May, The Cedars’ favorite announced the opening of a new pool, and for the past few months, it’s been one of the buzziest places to swim in Dallas. Given this summer’s re- cord-breaking heat and the fact that the Lee Harvey's opened a pool this season. weather isn’t getting any cooler anytime soon, Lee Harvey’s Dive In is the bar we all need. Lee Harvey’s is known for its grungy in- door aesthetic and its large outdoor patio, but at this point during the summer, the lat- ter sounds miserable. Across the street from the bar, Lee Harvey’s Dive In also at- tracts folks from all walks of life, maintain- ing the diverse, welcoming spirit of the original bar. For $16, you can swim for the whole day, or you can purchase a single or family sea- son pass for $350–$500. It should be noted this pool does seem to be more geared to- ward adults than families. Season pass holders can also reserve cabanas. Non-sea- son pass holders who wish to hold a cabana for the day can rent only what’s available on the day of. Perhaps Lee Harvey’s Dive In is most similar to the Fraternal Order of Eagles in East Dallas, albeit slightly more updated and modernized, with a more minimalist aesthetic. The pool is only 5 feet deep (as opposed to FOE’s 9), which is ideal, given the freely flowing drinks here. Kids 12 and under are allowed at the Dive In only until 5 p.m., so adults can look forward to festive evenings without loud children running around. On any given day or night, Lee Harvey’s attracts a generally older crowd of boom- ers as well as hipsters in their 20s or 30s. But the pool also lures those who might regularly frequent bougie hotel pools like The Statler or The Adolphus. During our visit, a DJ was cranking out a mix of pop and hip-hop tunes, many of which were millennial favorites from the mid-to-late aughts. At the bar, guests can order traditional drinks, like vodka crans and gin and tonics, as well as margaritas, bloody Marys, mimo- sas and white wine spritzes. Poolside snacks such as truffle popcorn, hummus dip, char- cuterie plates, Caprese salad, a chicken club wrap and a madras curry chicken wrap are also available for purchase. JULY 28–AUGUST 3, 2022 DALLAS OBSERVER CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS dallasobserver.com MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2014 DALLAS OBSERVER | CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | MOVIES | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | SCHUTZE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS | dallasobserver.com
