CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Non-Audio Stuff => Food and Drink => Topic started by: Marvey on February 02, 2015, 10:09:05 PM
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For those of you not familiar with xiao long bao (xlb)- look up the Internets.
Din Tai Fung (DTF) is pretty special in terms of xiao long bao. There are only a handful of DTF places in the USA. There are a few places here and there that might make better xiao long bao than the DTFs in the USA. The DTFs in Asia are supposed to be the best. I've eaten xlb at the Xinyi location in Taipei. I believe Xinyi is the "original" location before they expanded - it's considered better than the Taipei 101 location. The Arcadia location makes good xlb, but the Taiwan location is a notable step up. The Arcadia location at least seems consistent in quality. I've looked through the window and seen the Mexicans rolling the wrappers. On one occasion, the Glendale location was actually better. Glendale seems less consistent. I see a combination of white people and Mexicans (lighter skinned) behind the window at the rolling stations there at Glendale. They don't seem to work as hard as the guys I see at the Arcadia location. The dough / wrapper rolling guys in Taipei look like maestros compared to their USA counterparts. They've probably been doing for most of their life and were apprenticed at a young age. The problem in the USA seems to be poor technique and insufficient diligence (time constraints to do it properly.)
The wrapper or "skin" is what makes xlb. It must be sufficiently thin, but also strong enough so that the meat filling and juices does not fall out when you lift it up with chopsticks. There is a certain quality of the dough which in Taiwanese is pronounced something like "quew". It means a balance of rubberiness / elasticity and softness. Too rubbery, and it's too much like squid. Too soft, and the dumping falls apart. If the wrapper is too thick, it will not steam correctly and not be moist. The filling (pork + cabbage + other stuff depending upon recipe) must be moist and produce a lot of juice. A properly made xlb would have a skin that is consistently moist - not too soft - not too rubbery. The pouch should be slightly expanded because of the juices from the filling / steaming process.
Are there better places for xlb than DTF? Yes there are. Unfortunately, I currently don't know of any as of this minute. The problem with Chinese restaurants is that once ownership changes, the food quality also changes. The Taipei place is better than the LA places for xlb. Still, The SoCal DTFs have been better than the few other Shanghainese places I have tried in the Bay Area and San Gabriel / Monterey Park. (Irvine does not count - Irvine Chinese food is generally shitty - although a one or two places have opened up which are good).
Finally DTF seems to only do xlb well. For shui jiao (boiled Chinese dumpings), Tasty Noodle (any of the SoCal locations) is better. I like to equate DTF with Apple. Generally good and consistent quality and experience with a marquee product. Expensive doggy bags. You can't go wrong. You can find better (if you look really hard), but you can certainly do much worse.
This is how I eat the xlb. I grab one with chopsticks, put it on a Chinese soup spoon. Put a few slivers of ginger and pour a little black vinegar on top. It is then slurped up. This way, the juices are not wasted.
Last pic is the black sesame bun. They suck in the USA when compared to Taipei. The mantou (dough) element in the Socal DTFs is drier and not as puffy as in Taipei. Also, the quality of the black sesame filling seems more fresh in Taipei. But they are still good though - not too many other places you can get that in the USA.
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I've only had the xiaolongbao in China Shanghai and zhejiang province and some shitty ones in San Francisco (they were mediocre at best). there's no DTF up here in the Bay Area.
Marv you know any good xiaolongbao places in SF?
the shoutbox mentioned Shengjianbao, I actually like those better, but the best are the guolao from the north of China, they are like pot stickers but in my opinion much better than the pot stickers you get here in the US.
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Any recommendations around Orange County or vecinity? (somewhat closer to Irvine, since Irvine is not go)
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Get shengjianbao at Shanghai Flavor Shop in Sunnyvale. It's dirty as hell in there, but I've enjoyed them. I want to hear from more pirates who are picky to see if I just have bad taste or if it's legit :)
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I recommend pyrates try Crystal Jade when you visit Asia. The restaurants are all over hub locations in the cities. Reliable xlbs, and more consistent than DTFs.
http://www.crystaljade.com/find-a-store-3/?locale=en_US
e.g.
Crystal Jade Jiang Nan
United States
Four Embarcadero Center, Suite One, Lobby Level, San Francisco, CA 94111
Tel: 415 399 1200
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Any recommendations around Orange County or vecinity? (somewhat closer to Irvine, since Irvine is not go)
Hey Gil. They just opened a Din Tai Fung at South Coast Plaza a few months ago. I think the food is just as decent as the one in Arcadia, but the line wait is just as long as Arcadia's. People had been waiting a while for this one to open after the Rainforest Cafe cleared out.
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Any recommendations around Orange County or vecinity? (somewhat closer to Irvine, since Irvine is not go)
Tasty Noodle in Irvine (around from Sam Woo). xlb is not as good as DTF's (USA), but shui jaio (dumplings) and almost everything else like braised beef noodle soup or even stir-fried spinach with garlic is better. San Gabriel location is slightly better, but for Irvine, it's really good. Small tiny crowded place. Always busy. Limited seating. Get there before they open.
Also as i-meme said above. DTF is now open in SoCoast. Might be better than Glendale because they will have real hard working Mexicans from Costa Mesa / Santa Ana working there.
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This is officially my favorite Chang thread of all time. <3 you folks.
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Thanks guys! Will check Din Tai Fung and Tasty Noodle!
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I recommend pyrates try Crystal Jade when you visit Asia. The restaurants are all over hub locations in the cities. Reliable xlbs, and more consistent than DTFs.
Wow, Massdrop HQ is literally less than a half mile from the one in SF. Going to check it out this week, thanks for the recommendation!
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WOW, looks delicious, althought I just looked on the websites of most chinese restaurants near here and none of them list it :'(
And they look hard to make >:(
Anyways, thanks for sharing, will keep an eye looking for it.
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I just had the best xlb of my life in Singapore a week ago in a Shanghainese joint. I'm so ruined now for OC. The juices jiggle around and bell the bottom of the dumpling like a dress. So tasty. I actually prefer the the savory purity of the soup on its own for its unctuous porky deliciousness, then I hit the dumpling with soy, ginger and vinegar.
Hong Kong also wrecked me for Har Gow. Cali chinks just can't do dumpling skins right. Think they are just lazy. Takes time to make them right by hand.
They also made the best bun bao I ever had. The dough was so light and fluffy, not a thick and heavy gluten nightmare. They like to pan fry the bottoms for texture and flavor too which was awesome.
BTW, I tend to find most of the Chinese food in China to suck even compared to California. The only exception is Hunan and Szechuan cuisine. Mainland China (not HK) seems to have lost most of its artistic and culinary expertise over the years. Just look at the screens, rugs and furniture they make now. Look like blind 10 year olds crafted them.
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Never liked XLB in my life.
Never really liked any cuisine from that part of China anyway, tried a few restaurants in my hometown.
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eddypoon: we've got both Crystal Jade and Din Tai Fung here in Singapore. I actually like DTF's xiao long bao better--the skin is thinner, so there's less of a dough-y taste to the dish.
Anax: you were in Singapore?? Don't leave me hanging here--what's the name of that Shanghainese joint?
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For New Yorkers, Flushing is supposed to have some good places for soup dumplings. In Manhattan, Shanghai Cuisine on Mulberry and Bayard is where it's at.
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What a coincidence, I had xiao long bao at Din Tai Fung in Gangnam, Seoul just last week. I go there 3-4 times a year.
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Ill have to hit up that Din Tai Fung in Gangnam up as well, Ive never had xiao long bao before, but I do love me some dumplings...
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eddypoon: we've got both Crystal Jade and Din Tai Fung here in Singapore. I actually like DTF's xiao long bao better--the skin is thinner, so there's less of a dough-y taste to the dish.
Anax: you were in Singapore?? Don't leave me hanging here--what's the name of that Shanghainese joint?
Paradise Dynasty
http://www.yelp.com.sg/biz/paradise-dynasty-singapore
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Paradise Dynasty
http://www.yelp.com.sg/biz/paradise-dynasty-singapore
Yeahhhhh that's the ticket! I like it over Din Tai Fung and Crystal Jade too.
Did you try the fancy (multicoloured) xlb, or just the regular ones?
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Funny since I went to Paradise Dynasty just a couple weeks back but did not try their xlb. Overall in the Singapore context, Paradise Dynasty to me ranks above DTF which is kinda above Crystal Jade in overall food standards/quality. Might be different once we talk about Taiwan/Hong Kong though.
The best Hargao I had was in Guangzhou, unfortunately all I remember was the taste. Fresh succulent prawns. Actually I like siew mai better, especially one with a fresh shrimp on top.
I thought that China was a pretty good place for street snack cultures though I love Taiwan's night market culture the most along with our hawker centers.
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Yeahhhhh that's the ticket! I like it over Din Tai Fung and Crystal Jade too.
Did you try the fancy (multicoloured) xlb, or just the regular ones?
Just the regular ones. I figured that would tell me all I needed to know about their skills. I'd probably go back and get a sampler as well next time to try the truffle, Sichuan, and foie gras. Honestly their noodles, wontons and pan fried steamed bun are great too. Nom nom nom!
(https://sindyssaturdaysatsang.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/laughing_buddha_by_carolafunder.jpg)
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xiao long bao
I just had the best xlb of my life in Singapore a week ago in a Shanghainese joint. I'm so ruined now for OC. The juices jiggle around and bell the bottom of the dumpling like a dress. So tasty. I actually prefer the the savory purity of the soup on its own for its unctuous porky deliciousness, then I hit the dumpling with soy, ginger and vinegar.
Nice! I've got a "secret" spot in a basement joint in Singapore that blows my xlb socks off!
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Reporting from Crystal Jade in SF.
Originally planned for a small party of 4. Word spread and we walked in with a sizable group of 20. The XLB were very good, the best I've had in the San Fran area. The Peking duck was well suited to American pallets and the orange (pumpkin?) buns were a crowd pleaser as well. Around $35/head with fantastic service.
Thanks for the recommendation, was definitely worth the visit.
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I just had the best xlb of my life in Singapore a week ago in a Shanghainese joint. I'm so ruined now for OC. The juices jiggle around and bell the bottom of the dumpling like a dress. So tasty. I actually prefer the the savory purity of the soup on its own for its unctuous porky deliciousness, then I hit the dumpling with soy, ginger and vinegar.
Hong Kong also wrecked me for Har Gow. Cali chinks just can't do dumpling skins right. Think they are just lazy. Takes time to make them right by hand.
They also made the best bun bao I ever had. The dough was so light and fluffy, not a thick and heavy gluten nightmare. They like to pan fry the bottoms for texture and flavor too which was awesome.
BTW, I tend to find most of the Chinese food in China to suck even compared to California. The only exception is Hunan and Szechuan cuisine. Mainland China (not HK) seems to have lost most of its artistic and culinary expertise over the years. Just look at the screens, rugs and furniture they make now. Look like blind 10 year olds crafted them.
You didn't eat at the right place.
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Huh, if it's that good maybe I should finally go to the dtf in Seattle before I leave town! :D
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You didn't eat at the right place.
That's what I said. Maybe make a list? Point is there's a lot of bad Chinese food in China. Maybe that shouldn't have surprised me with 2 billion mouths to feed.
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They are westernising most of the traditional food so now most of it tastes like shit. The best places are usually the smaller places, fresh made, not too expensive and not too cheap.
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They are westernising most of the traditional food so now most of it tastes like shit. The best places are usually the smaller places, fresh made, not too expensive and not too cheap.
So all meals end up with a fortune cookie now?
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1) Why is this on the front page when the last post was over a month ago?
2) Dough Zone in the Seattle area makes comparable XLBs to Din Tai Fung. They don't have as much soup in them though. DTF's XLBs basically explode in your mouth, hahaha.
3) I agree on the Western dominance thing with regards to foods. Seattle used to be really rich in terms of traditional Cantonese cuisine because of all of the immigrants from southern China and Hong Kong. Nowadays you get all the rich teeny boppers from modern areas of China where expensive cuisine is dominant and all of these expensive, fancy, hip restaurants are taking over the older businesses. It's really sad to see all of this happen when you've grown up with the traditional stuff. I haven't been to Richmond Canada in a while, but the last time I went they still had a good amount of the old school restaurants.
Actually I still find it weird to say xiao long bao. I grew up with the Cantonese pronunciation of siu lung bao.
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Can you make this stuff without meat? Im guessing you can? Just asking cause I don't eat meat.
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Can you make this stuff without meat? Im guessing you can? Just asking cause I don't eat meat.
Yes, but probably not as a xiao long bao. The point of it is to condense the meaty juices within the bao, so a vegetarian "bao" would just be a leek (or other veggie) dumpling, but steamed (i.e. zheng jiao). The shape would be more long than spherical, but they can probably make it round too. And, more importantly, they can still be very tasty.
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Relevant for those who live in the Bay Area:
Din Tai Fung is finally coming to the South Bay!
http://sf.eater.com/2015/3/16/8225249/din-tai-fung-westfield-valley-fair-san-jose (http://sf.eater.com/2015/3/16/8225249/din-tai-fung-westfield-valley-fair-san-jose)
As if Valley Fair didn't need to be any more crowded...
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For New Yorkers, Flushing is supposed to have some good places for soup dumplings. In Manhattan, Shanghai Cuisine on Mulberry and Bayard is where it's at.
Shanghai Cafe @ 100 Mott st is my usual XLB spot. Only place I've been to in Flushing with XLB is Joe's Shanghai, but that just probably means I haven't explored Flushing enough yet. Will check out this Shanghai Cuisine you speak of.
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a vegetarian "bao" would just be a leek (or other veggie) dumpling, but steamed (i.e. zheng jiao).
You can make a cabbage, mushroom, and chive dumpling too (add in some water chestnuts for texture); just add a block of gelatinous or frozen soup broth and you can probably get a similar soup dumpling. : )
Homemade XLBs are tricky though since the dumpling has to be completely sealed or else you lose all of the broth. Finding a thin enough, but not too thin, skin is also a bit of a pain.
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Homemade XLBs are tricky though since the dumpling has to be completely sealed or else you lose all of the broth. Finding a thin enough, but not too thin, skin is also a bit of a pain.
The secret is to hire Mexicans to do the wrapper rolling.
Anyways, my last experience at DTF in Glendale: They fucked up the shuijiao (dumplings). Dough ended up dried at the top. Disappointing. I should have complained considering their prices.
I imagine that as DTF opens more and more restaurants in the USA, the quality will get lower. USA doesn't allow the owner of DTF to cane of store managers who fuck up the food. We'll see if the DTF at Valley Fair in San Jose survives. Asians in the Bay Area are notoriously picky and finicky about quality of food.
Do you guys remember when Todai (buffet) used to be good?
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Oh god, Todai. Many moons ago prior to the Salmonella.
For propr XLB, you really need to make the dough fresh yourself. I don't think a prepackaged wrapper will be possible to get the right quality and texture.
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Oh wow, I haven't heard someone mention Todai in ages, hahaha. The family only went there a few times because when I used to be a young'un, buffets were awesome. Generally we don't like buffets nowadays, and Asian buffets at that.
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Although I also personally don't like buffets, I'd say that Asian ones are the only ones worth going to nowadays. Some of the seafood or sushi ones aren't half bad, and even the generic ones have a few half-decent options. I've never seen or been to a buffet that serves Western food with even one half-decent dish.
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I remember Todai very well. We used to go to the one in San Diego I think by the I-8 and I-5. Then the one that got canned in Irvine by the I-5 and Culver.
Things went down eventually.
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My first post. Can't believe it's about 鼎泰豐 dumplings :P
I live in Taipei, not really a dumpling expert, but there are lots of places that have better dumplings. DTF has a consistently high standard, but it's pricey and you have to get in line with all the tourists. The atmosphere at the original Hsinyi Rd. branch is the most authentic, but the food is consistent at all the branches I've been to. The one in Taipei 101 is closest to where I usually hang out, so I often go there with my wife. Good service, good food, a bit $$$.
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My first post. Can't believe it's about 鼎泰豐 dumplings :P I live in Taipei, not really a dumpling expert, but there are lots of places that have better dumplings. DTF has a consistently high standard, but it's pricey and you have to get in line with all the tourists. The atmosphere at the original Hsinyi Rd. branch is the most authentic, but the food is consistent at all the branches I've been to. The one in Taipei 101 is closest to where I usually hang out, so I often go there with my wife. Good service, good food, a bit $$$.
There are a few other xiao long bao places on Yongkang Street, right around the corner from the original Din Tai Fung. While ultimately, Din Tai Fung's food is a little better, the other places come pretty close in quality and are a fair bit cheaper. Din Tai Fung's service is near unbeatable, however. If you drop a pair of chopsticks or spoon, someone usually comes along in a few seconds with a new pair. The narrow layout of the original store helps, I guess. They usually have someone patrolling each strip of tables.
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Dumpling-Fi. NorCal represents.
http://sf.eater.com/2015/3/16/8225249/din-tai-fung-westfield-valley-fair-san-jose
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DTF is also popular in Shanghai but as a special treat for anyone but the wealthy. They are charging high-end Chinese food prices for what is essentially street dim sum. There is no denying the quality though. Xiaolongbao is originally from the Shanghai/Jiangsu area but the Taiwanese make it very very well, as they do almost all Chinese food. This is in no small part attributable to the exodus of culture and wealth with the Guomindang when they fled to Taiwan following the loss to the Communists.
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Honolulu chiming in
(http://i.imgur.com/7i5oyxWh.jpg)
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uncola, you inspired me. Well, you made me hungry.
So in Shanghai, if Ding Tai Fung is the pricey Taiwan invader, Fuchun is the hometown hero. This is probably the most famous local restaurant for Xiaolongbao. A basket of 6 dumplings is $1.30 (RMB 8 ). These house specialty crab meat xiaolongbao which I just had for dinner (actually a mix of crab meat and pork, I believe) are an exorbitant $2.90 (RMB 18).
(http://i.imgur.com/uaxO535.jpg)
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That one in the upper right hand corner seems to have squeaked through QC somehow. Do they offer a replacement warranty? :D
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I think that they sincerely try to keep Listeria and Ecoli within spec. It is not the cleanest restaurant but I have actually never had a problem there :vomit:. I don't think that they warrant much beyond that. :P
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Fair point! :)p13
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Had the XLB at DTF today in Costa Mesa. Wow....rather disappointing for all the hype it gets. Let me be clear though, the shrimp and pork potstickers and shrimp and pork wontons in spicy sauce were good. Definitely above average. The XLB itself was a let down. The wrapper was thinner than most around here but still doughy with chew, nowhere near Paradise Dynasty in the soft pillowiness department. The pork stuffing was the worst part. Overcooked, small and crumbling portions with little flavor or presence. Forget the soup part of the dumpling too. Just relatively bland broth light on texture or flavor.
I have no doubt the one in Taiwan is better, but I won't be having XLB at DTF in Costa Mesa again. Overall, a 3.5/5 dinner with the other dishes trying hard to make up for the XLB here.
I miss Singapore. :'(
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Thanks for tempering expectations, Anax. An ex-GF was also disappointed in Shanghai, said that Mountain View was better and wanted to go as soon as she got back...
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I think the XLB from Elite (dim sum place) in Monterey Park is better than DTF. It doesn't even specialize in it and the broth and meat is much better. The skin isn't as good as DTF, but it's a lot better than other places that have XLB as their specialty.
Also possible that it fits my Cantonese palette better plus bao is for breakfast/brunch, not dinner.
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I've only been to the Din Tai Fung in Arcadia, the original Din Tai Fung by the Dongmen MRT Station in Taipei, and the Fuxing SOGO basement one.
It's been nearly a decade since I went to the one in Arcadia, so I can't comment. The original one is as you can expect --- pretty darn good. The SOGO one comes close, but I prefer the old-timey atmosphere of the old one.
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The original DTF has the best atmosphere, but the one in Taipei 101 has just as good food. I thought the one in the Fuxing SOGO basement wasn't as tasty.. but that could have been due to the fact that I was already stuffed when I ate there. The Arcadia location is a pretty good representation, the skin is good, but I felt the meat/soup inside wasn't as good as any of the Taiwan locations.
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Had the XLB at DTF today in Costa Mesa. Wow....rather disappointing for all the hype it gets. Let me be clear though, the shrimp and pork potstickers and shrimp and pork wontons in spicy sauce were good. Definitely above average. The XLB itself was a let down. The wrapper was thinner than most around here but still doughy with chew, nowhere near Paradise Dynasty in the soft pillowiness department. The pork stuffing was the worst part. Overcooked, small and crumbling portions with little flavor or presence. Forget the soup part of the dumpling too. Just relatively bland broth light on texture or flavor.
I have no doubt the one in Taiwan is better, but I won't be having XLB at DTF in Costa Mesa again. Overall, a 3.5/5 dinner with the other dishes trying hard to make up for the XLB here.
I miss Singapore. :'(
Yah, Din Tai Fung is known for its high-end delicate Xiaolongbao. I think that it is pretty good but I am happier with a more full-flavoured version. I want that drippy tangy pork. Tang Palace in Shanghai does a a good basket that is more in your face. A lot of dim sum places do good Xiaolongbao there.
(Visiting family in Toronto - not sure what is to be had here. I'm too busy eating steak anyway. Carpe Diem!)
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Went to Tasty Noodle in Irvine and tasted the Xiaolongbao (pork inside I think). Pretty good. Me likes :)
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Hit the Glendale DTF for lunch today after many demands for xlb by my five year old daughter. Best experience yet, as between the Glendale and Arcadia locations. The pork and pork & crab xlb were as good as I've had them, and the green beans and spicy shrimp and pork wantons were also amazing. Seasoning on the fried rice cakes with shrimp was lacking compared to past trips, but on the whole, it was totally worth braving the Americana with a five year old and six month old. The latter did his best throughout the meal to jab himself in the eye with a straw, but thankfully isn't yet coordinated enough to succeed. Good times!
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That's cute. Good to see that you've trained your kids to like decent food. My last experience at Glendale was below expectations. Dried and crusty top of wrappers.
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Went to Tasty Noodle in Irvine and tasted the Xiaolongbao (pork inside I think). Pretty good. Me likes :)
If you're in that zip code, you should try the new Din Tai Fung in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa (where it displaced a large McDonalds...), it's mo' better than Tasty Noodle IMHO. It's perhaps not always up to the standard of the Arcadia branch in the Valley, but it's usually very good, unless they are having a chaotic day. The lines aren't as long as they were a few months ago, and it's always fun to watch the XLB "surgeons" in their "operating theater" - like watching a culinary ER.
I have eaten at Din Tai Fung in Taipei (both the old, slim, pile-em-high store and the one in 101), in Shanghai and Beijing, and even had some on an airplane... I think I can assert that the ones at SCP are up to snuff.
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I have eaten at Din Tai Fung in Taipei (both the old, slim, pile-em-high store and the one in 101), in Shanghai and Beijing, and even had some on an airplane... I think I can assert that the ones at SCP are up to snuff.
Eww....
http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,2101.msg63943.html#msg63943
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Eww....
http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,2101.msg63943.html#msg63943
sorry - you might have been there on an off day. I've been there five times, and only once (of course when my parents were in town) was I disappointed (but certainly not eww). even the red bean ones were not as good as expected. not sure what explains it, other than overwhelming demand at certain times, which might influence the skins if they're in a rush.
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sorry - you might have been there on an off day. I've been there five times, and only once (of course when my parents were in town) was I disappointed (but certainly not eww). even the red bean ones were not as good as expected. not sure what explains it, other than overwhelming demand at certain times, which might influence the skins if they're in a rush.
Skins I understand, to a point, but the pork filling is horrific. Probably the worst filling I've ever had in a dumpling anywhere. I've had others who have tried other DTF's around the world tell me the filling is nothing special as well. It's all about the skins. Which to my mind are done better with better pork and soup filling in Singapore anyway. Heck, even the Sam Woo in Irvine has actual pork flavor in their XLB despite being thick and gummy. Probably need to find a mom and pop shop somewhere around here.
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Skins I understand, to a point, but the pork filling is horrific. Probably the worst filling I've ever had in a dumpling anywhere. I've had others who have tried other DTF's around the world tell me the filling is nothing special as well. It's all about the skins. Which to my mind are done better with better pork and soup filling in Singapore anyway. Heck, even the Sam Woo in Irvine has actual pork flavor in their XLB despite being thick and gummy. Probably need to find a mom and pop shop somewhere around here.
You need to go to Elite in Monterey Park.
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I'll have to remember next time I'm up there. Seems if the XLB aren't up to snuff, the egg tarts are universally lauded. I also have yet to find anyplace in the US that can do a proper Har Gow. Those skins are even harder to do properly than XLB it seems to me. At least material wise. Shaping the XLB is definitely harder. I can tell by just looking at the pics, the skins are too thick.
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I'll have to remember next time I'm up there. Seems if the XLB aren't up to snuff, the egg tarts are universally lauded. I also have yet to find anyplace in the US that can do a proper Har Gow. Those skins are even harder to do properly than XLB it seems to me. At least material wise. Shaping the XLB is definitely harder. I can tell by just looking at the pics, the skins are too thick.
Har Gow at Elite is very good. XLB skin at Elite is kinda thick but the filling is very porky. The filling is much better than DTF's. Yes their Portugese egg tart is quite amazing. To me it's the best dim sum place in SoCal.
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A&J in Irvine is popular too: 14805 Jeffrey Rd, Ste D, Irvine, (949) 786-3585; facebook.com/ajrestaurant
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A&J is OK. I used to frequent there a lot only because they were one of few places in OC that had Chinese donuts, sweet soy milk, and other Shanghainese / Taiwanese style dim sum. The items on the menu are hit or miss. Mostly miss, but beggars (Irvine) cannot afford to be choosers. The Yi Mei chains (Rosemead, Arcadia) provide an experience much closer to street food or dim sum in Taiwan.
For Cantonese dim sum, Elite in Monterey Park is good. NBC Seafood down the street is good too. For downtown / Chinatown, CBS Seafood is good. There are no ABC or FOX Seafood restaurants though.
Seafood Harbor in Rosemead is the best I've had so far for Cantonese dim sum. They take a very traditional approach (very basic menu, straightforward style - none of those oddball fried thingies), but they master what they make.
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A&J is OK. I used to frequent there a lot only because they were one of few places in OC that had Chinese donuts, sweet soy milk, and other Shanghainese / Taiwanese style dim sum. The items on the menu are hit or miss. Mostly miss, but beggars (Irvine) cannot afford to be choosers. The Yi Mei chains (Rosemead, Arcadia) provide an experience much closer to street food or dim sum in Taiwan.
For Cantonese dim sum, Elite in Monterey Park is good. NBC Seafood down the street is good too. For downtown / Chinatown, CBS Seafood is good. There are no ABC or FOX Seafood restaurants though.
Seafood Harbor in Rosemead is the best I've had so far for Cantonese dim sum. They take a very traditional approach (very basic menu, straightforward style - none of those oddball fried thingies), but they master what they make.
I rank Sea Habor last for the "fancy" dim sum places. Elite definitely comes first, then Shanghai #1, King Hua, Lunasia (never tried, but looks very good), then Sea Habor. NBC's dinner food is quite bad, so I expect their Dim Sum to be similar.
If anyone is in the mood for a roasted baby pig, Atlantic Seafood (Atlantic Time Square plaza) makes it the best.
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If anyone is in the mood for a roasted baby pig, Atlantic Seafood (Atlantic Time Square plaza) makes it the best.
Do tell more! Monterey Park?
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Do tell more! Monterey Park?
Yup, in Monterey Park. They actually use a real baby pig instead of other restaurants which use an older larger pig. That means the mean is very very tender. The small plate order is not worth it (~$35) and are shitty cuts. Must call in advice to order it. If it's a gathering of ~6 people, order the half pig (~$95). Order 3 dishes and get a Peking duck for $10. That duck is very good too.
Overall, the food caters towards Cantonese from KaiPing and TaiShan. Same thing with Dim Sum at Elite. Both are very good with not reusing their oil.
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NBC's dinner food is quite bad, so I expect their Dim Sum to be similar.
Their dinner sucks, but this is not uncommon for many dim sum places.
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I hear empress pavilion has reopened and am supposed to be eating there before a dodger game in a couple of weeks. Has anyone eaten there since it closed?
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I hear empress pavilion has reopened and am supposed to be eating there before a dodger game in a couple of weeks. Has anyone eaten there since it closed?
Haven't eaten there in years and it was always meh. Unless they got new cooks, I don't see the taste changing.
I wonder if it has a new owner. I think the "previous" one went broke and couldn't pay employees for months.
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only chinese resto I keep hoping will reopen is the muslim chinese one in pasadena that burned. lamb, shao bing, dumplings - plus uighur food - I think it was called Tung Lai Shun (and I recall there is one with the same name in Hong Kong, though not that authentic). anyway, all worth driving an hour for, or more cross-town if in greater LA ;-)
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There's this Uighur restaurant I keep meaning to try, hear good things about it. Keeps slipping my mind as I'm rarely in the area.
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Haven't eaten there in years and it was always meh. Unless they got new cooks, I don't see the taste changing.
I wonder if it has a new owner. I think the "previous" one went broke and couldn't pay employees for months.
I ended up visiting the resurrected Empress a couple of days ago with some colleagues. It was pretty good but certainly no where near the level of DTF. They do serve XLB now, and I don't think they used to, so the ownership and/or chef must be different. I'd say it was better than my most recent visit to Atlantic Seafood (where the shrimp were a major let down), but the prices at Empress are also a lot higher. Interior and bathrooms have been redone and are nice and clean, but it was only about 30% occupied at lunch time. I suppose we shall see if they can keep it afloat this time. Supposed to go back with family in early August, so I'll report back on consistency.
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Found a place here in Houston that serves xiao long bao, E-Tao in the Galleria, and it's within walking distance of the office, as luck would have it. Took a couple of vendors there today for lunch, and the one fellow was surprised to see it on the menu, since he told us that he and his wife (who is Vietnamese) had been looking everywhere for it and had come to the conclusion that it was not to be had anywhere in the Houston metropolitan area. He said that he was going to bring his wife back tomorrow. He'd had it previously only in Shanghai. Houston representing!
The waiter said that it was their most popular item, which explained the almost exclusive Chinese clientele.
That shit has become almost additive in no time at all. Thank you for this thread, guys.
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Good XLB is freaking addictive! This is what happens when I go with friends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ca_UOvFQY0
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LOL!
But I am pretty sure what they are "training" with are baoze - bigger, heftier and doughy
Also, Shifu means Master. So "Master Shifu" is redundant.
There - my moment of pedantry came and went...
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LOL!
But I am pretty sure what they are "training" with are baoze - bigger, heftier and doughy
Also, Shifu means Master. So "Master Shifu" is redundant.
There - my moment of pedantry came and went...
Actually don't think so. They are just small animals and I don't think they draw cartoons to scale. In the film they call them dumplings if I recall. Boaze are definitely not like XLB or dumplings at all. And you cannot eat a char-siu baoze in one bite let alone put 10 of them in your mouth if you are small rodent or even human sized.
Yeah, like THE Alhambra which is like saying The The Hambra. Look at what white people did to maps and city names. No surprise.
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Good XLB is freaking addictive! This is what happens when I go with friends.
Ha! You're not too far wrong. We had to order up 3 steam baskets full before we stopped casting covetous glances at each other.