Archive for the 'Chinese' Category

Page 2 of 14

Omar’s Xinjiang Halal Restaurant – San Gabriel

Published by Gastronomer on February 11, 2013 in Chinese, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review and San Gabriel. 4 Comments

One of my favorite close-to-home discoveries while researching the Food Lovers’ Guide to Los Angeles was Omar’s Xinjiang Halal Restaurant in San Gabriel. The Islamic Uyghur cooking found here was seriously musky, a touch greasy, and undoubtedly satisfying. Jonathan Gold’s 2010 write up, “You’d Better Like Lamb,” informed our fantastic feast.

The food of Northwest China, which is predominantly Halal due to the Islamic population, draws influences from neighboring cuisines in every direction. Nearly half of the 22 items on the menu boasted lamb, so yes, you’d better like lamb if you’re knocking on Omar’s door. The Astronomer and I dined here with our friend Diep and proceeded to order up a musky storm.

We began with the “Xinjiang Homemade Yogurt” ($3), which is listed under the beverages section of the menu. The yogurt’s luscious texture and tangy profile was most excellent, but more fitting of a light dessert than an actual drink.

Continue reading ‘Omar’s Xinjiang Halal Restaurant – San Gabriel’

Mission Chinese Food – New York City

Published by Gastronomer on February 8, 2013 in Asian Fusion, Chinese, New York City and Restaurant Review. 5 Comments

This is the story about the Saturday night back in mid-December when my brother shut down Mission Chinese Food to celebrate his 35th birthday.

After pre-gaming at Katz’s Deli and sneaking in some sweets at Dessert Club Chikalicious, The Astronomer and I made our way down to the Lower East Side for a feast like no other. We’re certainly no strangers to multi-course Chinese banquets, but this one was wildly different with twelve tongue-numbing Sichuan delights masterminded by Chef Danny Bowien.

Mission Chinese Food arrived in New York City last summer from the shores of San Francisco. The subterranean restaurant, which is dimly lit in a pinkish hue and seats just three dozen diners, serves “whimsical Chinese” prepared by a Korean-born chef reared in Oklahoma City.

It’s not fine dining. It’s not authentic. It’s not from one region. We’re just trying to do everything backwards. – Chef Danny Bowien

The menu was curated beforehand by my bro and his lovely wife, so all that was left to do was to sit back, sip a cocktail, and settle in for the fireworks.

Continue reading ‘Mission Chinese Food – New York City’

{swoon} Wonton Noodle Soup at Noodle Boy

Published by Gastronomer on November 2, 2012 in Chinese, Los Angeles, Rosemead and {swoon}. 5 Comments

Here at this modern and brightly-lit restaurant in the same strip mall complex as Tip Top’s Sandwiches and Shaanxi Gourmet, Hong Kong-style wonton noodle soups are dished up from morning until night. The chef honed his craft in Hong Kong before opening Noodle Boy in 2010. From the bounce of the noodles to the spring of the wontons, it’s clear that there is an expert behind the stoves.

Continue reading ‘{swoon} Wonton Noodle Soup at Noodle Boy’

Hot Pot, Hot Pot – Monterey Park

Published by Gastronomer on October 24, 2012 in Chinese, Los Angeles, Monterey Park and Restaurant Review. 4 Comments

While it’s usually best to leave the cooking to trained professionals when dining out, Mongolian hot pot is so drop dead easy that even a careful, chopstick-wielding toddler could handle it. Hot Pot, Hot Pot, a brightly-lit and well-serviced communal soup hall in Monterey Park, is the kind of place that’s perfect for small and large groups in the mood for a tummy-warming and interactive feast. The Astronomer and I headed here late one Friday night with our friends Diep and Alice.

We began by selecting a broth. Hot Pot, Hot Pot offers three bases including a mildly flavored “House Original,” a sweat-inducing “House Spicy,” and a medicinally tinged “Rejuvenation Broth.”

We chose the “Half & Half” option that allowed for two different varieties—on the left is the “House Spicy” dialed up to a seven and on the right is the “House Original.”

Once the broths were settled on, we were provided with a form listing all manner of proteins, vegetables, dumplings, and noodles to jazz up our hot pots. We may have gone overboard with over a dozen tick marks, but it was all in the name of research (and gluttony). We chose a mix of hearty ingredients that were suited for the spicy broth, as well as more delicate ones that benefited from the milder broth.

Continue reading ‘Hot Pot, Hot Pot – Monterey Park’

Dai Ho Restaurant – Temple City

Published by Gastronomer on October 12, 2012 in Chinese, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review, Taiwanese and Temple City. 10 Comments

With its signature beef noodle soup ringing in at a whopping $9 a bowl, Dai Ho may be the most expensive noodle hawker in the San Gabriel Valley. While sticker shock might keep some penny pinching noodle soup devotees away, those who take a chance are handsomely rewarded with one of the best renditions of Taiwan’s national dish.

Each bowl is packed with bouncy egg noodles that are the very definition of “Q,” a chewy texture prized by connoisseurs. The broth is deep, dark, and unabashedly beefy, while the chunks of stewed meat collapse with the gentlest of bites.