jonesing for some tropical vibes while on the island of Manhattan? We’ve got your fix. Eater Drinks editor, Kat Odell, is introducing our tastebuds to the vegan bao buns from new East Village eatery, Mother of Pearl, and we couldn’t be more grateful.  Their “Postmodern Polynesian” menu includes lychee potstickers, jackfruit and shiitake buns and these incredible miso and coconut slathered marvels…

What I Ate: Mother of Pearl’s fried steamed bao buns with coconut miso butter and black lava salt.

Why I Ate It: Because last February, Ravi DeRossi flipped his tropically dressed cocktail lounge over to a fully vegan menu. Why? Because we should all save the animals and go veg. Mother of Pearl is actually one of the prettiest odes to the exotic, and one from which I can’t stay away.

Why You Need It: Because that coconut miso sauce equals extreme bliss. Basically what’s going on here is traditional Chinese bao buns that are halved and fried, then chef Daphne Cheng dripped a totally addicting coconutty-caramelly slightly savory (hey there, miso!) sauce atop some toasted coconut flakes and a final pinch of jet black sea salt to make the dish pop.

See all our picks for NYC Bite of the Month here! From secret sushi to matcha desserts, goat milk lattes to grain bowl heaven, we’ve got you covered!