Year of the Takeout Day 178: East Williamsburg Dumplings

Within a single, half-mile square of East Williamsburg, there are three eateries doing dumplings very well and pretty creatively.

Though Dumpling Cafe serves up more traditional Chinese options, the other two establishments -- Broken Rice and Brooklyn Seoul -- are Vietnamese and Korean, respectively.

But their pasta pouches are undeniably influenced by Chinese cookery and represent what can be right about fusion cuisine -- which is often (and accurately) derided for homogenizing countries' rich kitchen cultures.

First up is Broken Rice's pork puffs.

At four for $5, they're hardly the cheapest around town -- even in Williamsburg, you can hit up Vanessa's on Bedford for less costly fare.

They are well worth the price, though: similar in texture, size, and shape to Dumpling Man's northern Chinese shang-jian style, they come cooked in broth -- then get briefly pan-friend -- making them exceedingly moist without being soggy.

And the porcine filing has a bit more punch than most similar dishes -- we're going to attribute that to plentiful green onion and garlic.