Category Archive for ‘Chinese’ at gas•tron•o•my

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Dumpling House

Published

Gastronomer

on June 4, 2007

in Chinese, New York City and Restaurant Review

. 6 Comments

May 27 and 28, 2007
Cuisine: Chinese

118 Eldridge St, New York 10002
Btwn Grand & Broome St

Phone: 212-625-8008
Website: none

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Chives and Pork Boiled Dumpling (10/$2.00)

Chives and Pork Fried Dumplings (5/$1.00)

Sesame Pancake with Beef ($1.50)

Sesame Pancake with Tuna Fish ($1.50)

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Gastronomer: This past Memorial Day weekend, The Astronomer and I headed to New York City for a 36 hour food tour. The only items on our agenda were breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which kept us busy and well-fueled. Prior to embarking upon the city, I meticulously researched and composed an ambitious list of eateries I wanted to try or revisit:

Babycakes NYC: 248 Broome St New York, NY 10002 (212) 677-5047
Billy’s Bakery: 184 9th Ave New York, NY 10011 (212) 647-9956
~~Bouchon Bakery: 10 Columbus Cir. New York, NY 10019 (212) 823-9366~~
~~Doughnut Plant: 379 Grand St New York, NY 10002 (212) 505-3700~~
Dumpling House: 118 Eldridge St New York, NY 10002 (212) 625-8008
Magnolia Bakery: 401 Bleecker St New York, NY 10014 (212) 462-2572
~~Momofuku Ssam Bar: 207 2nd New York, NY 10003 (212) 254-3500~~
Momofuku: 163 1st Ave # 2 New York, NY 10003 (212) 475-7899
~~N.Y. Dosas: W. 4th St. at Sullivan St New York, NY 10014 (917) 710-2092~~
Peter Luger Steak House: 178 Broadway Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718) 387-7400
Shake Shack: 11 Madison Ave New York, NY 10010 (212) 889-6600

Due to a combination of time and stomach constraints, we didn’t make it to all the places listed above. But seven unique delights in 36 hours isn’t too shabby! Our first and last meal was at Dumpling House located in my brother’s ‘hood—the Lower East Side.

Astronomer: Dumpling House was an amazing find—delicious northern Chinese cuisine at truly incredible prices. With my friend Miho in tow, the total dinner bill for three came out to a mere $8 for twenty pork and chive dumplings, two large stuffed sesame pancakes, and a bottle of water. Placing our order in the chaos of the crowded, tiny restaurant was not easy, but we eventually managed to communicate with the staff and received our food.

Gastronomer: While the wait at Dumpling House can be long due to its immense popularity and limited staff, the open kitchen provides great entertainment. There are a handful of stools located in the back of the restaurant for in-house diners, but the restaurant’s cramped space isn’t the most inviting. We took our dumplings and sesame pancakes to Roosevelt Park two blocks away to enjoy.

Astronomer: Both varieties of dumpling were flavorful and juicy; so juicy in fact that we were forced to eat standing up to save our clothes. I preferred the boiled dumplings, while the Gastronomer liked the pan-fried ones. We all agreed that both types were irresistible.

Gastronomer: The fried dumplings had the most wonderful texture that was both soft and chewy, especially along the crisped edges. The boiled dumplings’ exterior was delicate and subtle. The pork and chive interiors were seasoned fantastically; definitely no soy sauce required.

The sesame pancakes were an interesting creation—giant spheres of dough are deep fried and cut into triangular wedges. The wedges can either be eaten plain or sliced down the middle and stuffed with tuna, beef, or vegetables. Each sandwich is garnished with pickled carrots and cilantro, which reminded The Astronomer and I of bánh mì. The tuna filling was spicy, while the beef was smoky in flavor. I highly recommend the tuna sesame pancake.

Astronomer: We liked everything so much that we gave Dumpling House the honor of being the only place that we visited twice on our tour, returning the next evening after our plans to eat at N.Y. Dosas fell through.

Ting Wong

Published

Gastronomer

on May 24, 2007

in Chinese, Philadelphia and Restaurant Review

. 2 Comments

May 19, 2007
Cuisine: Chinese, Noodle Shops

138 N 10th St, Philadelphia 19107
At Arch St

Phone: 215-928-1883
Website: http://www.phillychinatown.com/tingwong.htm

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Buddha’s Delight Pan Fried Noodles ($6.50)

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Luscious and I first discovered Ting Wong’s after a night of drinking in Old City. We weren’t 21 yet, but no one was checking IDs at the door or at the bar so we were in luck. I had my first “real” (i.e. made by a bartender rather than a fraternity brother) drink that night; a very pink Cosmopolitan. We lounged, we sipped, we forgot about our awkward institution of higher learning—it was grand.

Eventually the fun had to end so we headed back toward Market East Station to catch the R3. The thought of returning to our books and homework was very unattractive so we stumbled into Ting Wong’s to prolong the magic. Neither of us had eaten here before, but the barbecued ducks hanging in the front window and steaming vats of broth signaled that this place was going to be good.

Since my introduction to Ting Wong’s years ago, I’ve returned numerous times with both friends and family. My grandparents, who are the harshest critics when it comes to noodles, adored Ting Wong’s immensely. As did my mother, brother, and cousin Phil. If my family approves, it says a lot! Trust me.

After a movie at the Ritz last weekend, The Astronomer and I swung by Ting Wong’s for a light lunch. We ordered the Buddha’s Delight Pan Fried Noodles because it’s my all-time favorite dish. A hearty helping of deep fried mee pok (egg noodles) is topped with a smooth vegetarian oyster sauce and vegetables including napa cabbage, carrots, broccoli, straw mushrooms, peas, sugar snap peas, and bok choy. Glass noodles, bean curd, and tofu are mixed in as well. The stir fried sauce upon the crisp noodles creates a wonderful texture of both crunch and yielding that truly makes pan fried noodles delicious.

Other notable dishes include the wonton noodle soup and congee. By the way, there is a Ting Wong offshoot in New York City called Tan Wong located at 103 East Broadway between Allen and Forsyth Street. I’ve frequented that location and it’s just as good and even slightly cheaper.

K.C.’s Pastries

Published

Gastronomer

on March 20, 2007

in Bakery, Chinese, Philadelphia and Restaurant Review

. 1 Comment

March 3, 2007
Cuisine: Chinese Bakery

145 N. 11th St.
Philadelphia, PA

Phone: 215-351-1177
Website: none

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Curry Beef Puff ($1)

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When I’m short on dried mushrooms, oyster sauce, or mock meet, I head to the “Asia Supermarket” in Chinatown to refresh my supplies. While I’m buying groceries, The Astronomer always picks up a treat at K.C.’s Pastries next door. The “corn fritter” has always been his favorite, but on our visit they were fresh out. In a savory mood, The Astronomer chose the Curry Beef Puff.

The puff was almost identical in composition to Vietnamese Bánh Pâté Chaud, but with a curry twist. The pastry shell was buttery and flaky and the beef was slightly spicy, but not plentiful. I’ve tried a number of baked goods at K.C.’s over the years and they’ve always hit the spot whether sweet, savory, or somewhere in between.

Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant

Published

Gastronomer

on January 18, 2007

in Chinese, Restaurant Review and San Diego

. 0 Comments

January 13, 2007
Cuisine: Chinese

3709 Convoy St # 101
San Diego, CA 92111

Phone: 858-565-6888
Website: www.emeraldrestaurant.com

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Course I: Vietnamese Appetizers: Cha, Shrimp, Octopus, Century Eggs, Jellyfish

Course II: Crispy Quail

Course III: Shrimp and Scallops with Broccoli

Course IV: Seafood Soup

Course V: Abalone with Shitake Mushrooms and Broccolini

Course VI: Lobster with Butter Sauce

Course VII: Steamed Whole Red Snapper with Ginger and Onions

Course VIII: Crispy Garlic Chicken

Course IX: Soft Noodles w/Mushroom & Yellow Leek

Course X: Shrimp and BBQ Pork Fried Rice

Course XI: Lingyoong Bau (Lotus Seed Buns)

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Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant was the site of my Grandpa’s 80th birthday soiree. The guest list numbered close to 100 and the food courses seemed endless. While there are definitely tastier options for Chinese food in San Diego, my family chose Emerald for its classy ambiance. Emerald was also the site of my aunt’s pre-wedding fete and my Grandma’s 70th birthday party.

Our feast began with some cold appetizers. I especially liked the octopus, century eggs, and jellyfish. It was my first time eating the blackened eggs and I liked them quite a bit, but I admit that the color is a bit off-putting.

I did not try the second course because friends of chicken rarely pique my interest. The third course, shrimp and scallops with broccoli, were very mild in flavor which is very uncharacteristic of Chinese food. I skipped the fourth course as well because I am not a big fan of seafood soup. My family loves this soup; hence we eat it every Christmas.

The fifth course of abalone was one of my favorites! It was my first time trying abalone, I thought it had a very pleasant taste and texture. The accompanying shitake mushrooms were also outstanding.

The lobster was also a standout. The meat was succulent and flavorful. I especially liked how the labor of eating lobster was non-existent because the lobster was disassembled in the kitchen.

The whole red snapper with ginger and onions was great too, but brother thought that it was overcooked. The taste of ginger was prominent throughout the dish and the soy based sauce flavored the fish well.

I didn’t have any of the crispy chicken during the actual dinner, but enjoyed some leftovers. While I am generally not a fan of chicken, these preparations were outstanding. I don’t know how the chefs did it, but the meat was very flavorful (and not just the skin). Well done.

The noodles and rice were very good as well, but I wish they were brought out first rather than last. Carbs and meat go hand in hand in Chinese food.

Our dessert was a type of baozi filled with sweetened Lotus seed paste and it was delicious. The dough was fluffy and the paste was just sweet enough. Most people passed on the baozi because we also had an amazing tiramisu. I had both.

Jasmine Seafood Restaurant

Published

Gastronomer

on January 2, 2007

in Chinese, Dim Sum, Restaurant Review and San Diego

. 1 Comment

December 21, 2006
Cuisine: Chinese, Dim Sum

4609 Convoy St, Suite A
San Diego, CA 92111

Phone: (858) 268-0888
Website: http://www.jasmineseafoodrestaurant.com/

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Beef Rice Rolls ($4.30)

Shrimp Siu Mai ($4)

Salt and Pepper Calamari ($7.95)

Stewed Beef Tripe with Turnip ($5.60)

Deep Fried Sugarcane Shrimp ($4)

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I came to Jasmine Seafood Restaurant straight from the airport on my recent holiday in San Diego. I’m generally not a fan of dim sum because eating greasy meat in the morning feels so wrong. Thankfully on this occasion I was still on East Coast time (12 PM PST/3 PM EST), so I was totally game.

Jasmine was packed at lunch time even though it was a Thursday. Ladies pushing carts circled the noisy banquet room. Oh, how I love chaotic dim sum experiences!

I was dining with ten or so family members so we ordered a lot of food (see above). Our first order was the fried octopus, which was SO tasty. The fruits of the sea have such great texture! The rest of the ordering was a bit of a blur. I especially enjoyed the beef rice rolls, which is my all-time favorite dim sum dish. I also thought the pot stickers and stuffed tofu skins were exceptional.

I think I need to get over my “meat in the morning” complex because dim sum at Jasmine was delicious!

Continue reading ‘Jasmine Seafood Restaurant’