The Ride-Along Report: First Takes From Last Night’s Dinner

"What It Is: A fast-casual Chinese spot on the Upper West Side Perfect For: Quick Eats, Lunch, Serious Takeout Operation Lucky Pickle Dumpling Co. is a counter-service spot on the UWS with no actual counter in sight. Here, you order on a monitor fastened to a wall. It’s a little like checking into a flight at an airport kiosk, but with spicy dan dan noodles and shrimp dumplings instead of a printed boarding pass. Oh, and they also serve pickle-flavored soft serve (which tastes more lime-y than pickle-y). The rest of the food isn’t bad, but there are much better options for dan dan noodles nearby (like Han Dynasty). The Verdict: This place is only noteworthy if you’re on a mission to taste pickle soft serve. Having tried it, we wouldn’t recommend it." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg, chris stang, matt tervooren