Despite persistent rumors, lollipop kale was not the food of choice for Munchkins on “The Wizard of Oz” set. Instead, the diminutive vegetable is apparently a hybrid of red kale and Brussels sprouts, and in the hands of Michael Voltaggio and his crew at ink., the leafy varietal with crunchy stalks gets a serious boost. He starts by frying the finger-sized vegetables and plating the crisp-leaved results with tangy crème fraiche and a dusting of shichimi togorashi, a popular Japanese seven-spice blend that delivers subtle heat. My server poured kale juice tableside, which lends a deceptively healthy element to the mix. And the dish could probably qualify as spa food, if not for the fantastic addition up top: crispy fried pig ears. Team ink. cuts their ears razor thin, so when they’re deep fried, the cartilage isn’t especially chewy, more like crunchy chips. United, Lollipop Kale ($14) is a great vegetarian dish with porcine flair.

Dose of Vitamin P spotlights my favorite pork dish from the previous week.