Just as Eskimos have several dozen words for snow, New Yorkers, who live in a crazy quilt of ethnic enclaves, have almost as many words for dumplings: Dim sum; gyoza; kibbeh; wonton; varenyky, pierogi, shumai—hey, ravioli are dumplings, as are gnocchi. And investigating the cultural variety of dumplings by bicycle is easy.
In fact, nothing better suits a winter ride—necessarily short, buttressed by bailouts, in which a carbo-loaded pit stop is embedded— than a ride in pursuit of some kind of dumpling. That was what Claire Mordas and Linda Wintner had in mind back in 2015 when they created their famous “Dumpling (Plus) Series,” of which this is one popular iteration:
The ride begins in Long Island City at Queensbridge Park and hops on and off the Brooklyn Queens Greenway for 35 miles, meandering through Forest Park, the Vanderbilt Parkway, Kissena Park—home of the Kissena Velodrome, New York City’s only surviving cycling track—and Corona Park, home of the Queens Museum, the Unisphere, and Queens Botanical gardens.
Did you have any idea Queens was so green?
There are a few pitstop possibilities, but no food and iffy tap water, so pack a snack, at least one bottle of water, and a bike lock. Lunch isn’t until mile 32.5, at Christina’s in Greenpoint, a traditional Polish restaurant that’s been a neighborhood favorite since before Greenpoint became hip, and that serves up a half dozen varieties of pierogi, the traditional Polish dumpling. You also should bring (traditional) cash for your meal.
JB - 12/13/21