How Diners Pressured NYC’s Restaurateurs to Be More ‘Ethical’
Among the New York City bars and restaurants that draw a crowd rain or shine, no matter what day of the week, is Mother of Pearl. Diners in the tropical, palm-printed bar cozy up on floral-patterned banquettes and tuck into whimsical pan-Asian plates like sweet-and-sour bao buns and a hefty slab of milk bread topped with a crispy katsu-style protein.
The gambit: Everything is vegan. Those bao buns contain a rich, cauliflower-based filling. The milk bread topping? A toothsome panko-crusted cut of seitan. The animal-free ethos carries over to the cocktail program too, which eschews common animal-based ingredients like honey syrup and egg whites.