I recently got back in touch with two friends from high school at a reunion (which one I won’t say) and suggested meeting up for drinks at a tiki bar that had piqued my interest, Mother of Pearl, which has been serving Polynesian-themed drinks and vegetarian food for the past few years in the East Village. It looked absolutely kitschy and I had to check it out.
When I arrived, my friends were at the bar with their cocktails but we quickly moved to a booth in the corner to catch up. We decided to order the pupu platter to try a few different appetizers, and another round of cocktails. I had the Sugar Cane Magik cocktail, which contains coconut cream, pineapple, lime, almond, and Ron Zacapa solera. It was served in a brandy glass with lots of ice, and the rum on top, with a beautiful flower and two decorative paper straws.
The pupu platter arrived and we dug in! The plantain chips and guacamole in the middle were crunchy and tasty. Everything was delicious and vegetarian: char siu buns, edamame and pea dumplings, mushroom potstickers, and pickled vegetable spring rolls.
The servers were very attentive and checked on us multiple times without being pushy. We loved the presentation and the over-the-top tiki decor.
Overall the three of us enjoyed the experience! Since we shared the appetizer platter, our bill was as pricey as you’d expect for New York City! It was, however a fun experience with tasty vegetarian food, so it’s definitely an interesting place to check out if you’re in the neighborhood.
Mother of Pearl, 95 Avenue A, at East 6th Street
Lens by Sarah 