Most of you would rather review the Pasta Station at Commons than a place called Kingdom of Vegetarians, but for a veg-head, it is a pleasure. (And for all those kosher kids who weren't exactly sated by the offerings of Irv's Place, Kingdom of Vegetarians boasts a ton of kosher-friendly plates as well.)
A little hole in the wall in Chinatown, Kingdom of Vegetarians quickly surprises even the most skeptical of diners. The menu itself is huge, but you can skip the hassle of decisions, decisions, decisions. The real deal is the $10 all-you-can-eat dim sum "buffet." It's not exactly a buffet, insofar as there is no buffet table; what it actually is, is a non-stop, 10+ course, table service dinner.
The meal begins with hot tea and a plate of cold sesame noodles to share, both of which are delicious. Next come a barrage of Chinese dishes, including some vegetarian staples (fried vegetable spring rolls and scallion pancakes) and some more adventurous faux-meat delights, such as sesame "chicken' (a favorite of the evening) and "pork' rolls. After 10 courses, you may be ready to pack it in, but for those with a stomach that just won't quit, keep ordering ... indefinitely. This dinner is truly all-you-can-eat -- the staff will bring out any and all of the dim sum plates off the menu until you reach your mock-meat maximum. Needless to say, you definitely won't leave on an empty stomach.
Yes, the name is laughable, but this vegetarian bang-for-your-buck cannot be ignored. Still, a word to the wise: bring a good pal, some beer (it's a BYO), 10 bucks and a healthy sense of tofu lovin' adventure -- chances are, unless you're a seasoned vegetarian, you will have little to no idea what you are about to consume.
