Year of the Takeout Day 58: Hawkers

OK, so we've been a little obsessive at Year of the Takeout lately -- we have been repeatedly drawn to fusion restaurants be they Chinese-Latin or simply pan-Asian.

Fourteenth Street is a veritable cornucopia of these eateries -- from Red House to Riceton to Vanessa's Dumpling House .

And today we present Hawkers, which claims to be Southeast Asian -- specifically Thai and Malaysian -- but nevertheless serves up several Chinese specialties, including a full-on dim sum menu.

Indeed YotT was intrigued by the dumplings -- we kinda have a thing for overstuffed morsels of meat-filled dough. (What kind of self-respecting human being wouldn't? Come on!)

Anyway, the watercress variety comes four to a $5 order.

The apparent rice dough has a toothsome chewiness, and the filling feels virtually paste-like, a formed, plump portion of shellfish and bitter vegetable emboldened by garlic.

YotT generally enjoyed this dish, but must comment on the logistics of eating these things: It's almost impossible to do so gracefully.

Maybe the steaming time wasn't exactly right, but a bit too much space (or moisture?) between the interior and noodle exterior made the meat go slipping and sliding (and sometimes, flying!) with each bite.

Follow Victoria Bekiempis @vicbekiempis.