Tag Archives: BBQ Pork Bun

Koi Palace – Dim Sum at its best!

01 Friday Jan 2016

Posted by in Chinese dessert, Chinese food, Food, Lifestyle, Travel

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I was really looking forward to meeting a great friend of mine of whom I have not seen for so many years. I grew up in the Bay Area, and it is always such a warm feeling to go back there and visit and see old friends.

The last time I was at Koi Palace was at least 10 or more years ago. I know it is extremely popular, but I did not realize that it was going to be so busy on a Monday afternoon past 1 pm.  We must have waited ait least 50 minutes or more before we were seated, but it was all so worth the wait the moment I sat down with my dear friend.

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The attention to details in the restaurant is admirable. The tables have Chinese drawings and calligraphy laminated on top. The teapot sat atop a porcelain stand. There were koi swimming in a small pond next to our table.

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The colorful dim sum menu is quite extensive, and I must applaud my friend for picking some of the best  dim sum for me to try.

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The Whole Abalone Minced Chicken Tart stood out as the most outstanding –  there was a whole small abalone that was cooked just right atop a delicious pie crust with chunks of tender chicken inside – easily one of the best dim sum I have ever tried.

There is no doubt that the Xiao Long Bao here is the juiciest, tastiest, and best texture of all, and the presentation of the dumplings in a flower shaped tin made it so much more appetizing and appealing.

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The Shrimp Dumpling Topped with XO Sauce was another excellent selection – the topping must had been dried abalone with XO sauce, which blended well with the perfectly steamed dumpling.

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The Tofu Skin Roll that I chose came inside a soup that tasted like soy milk, of which I found comforting to eat. The Durian Roll had the most(quantity) and flavorful durian filling inside a crispy pastry shell.

The pork filling inside the BBQ pork buns were lean and delicious, unlike some places where the pork can be fatty and of inferior quality.

I had such a marvelous time with my friend and the food that I wish time would stand still for that afternoon. Afterwards, my friend invited me to her newly renovated house to look at the incredible transformation – the tiles and some of the materials used in the bathrooms and kitchen were undeniably some of the most artistically designed. I would love to take a shower there.

I was debating whether I should stay one more day in the bay area so that I could go back to Koi’s for another awesome meal. After much serious contemplation, I opted to leave with a good memory, but Koi will definitely be the top of my list next time I am up there.

Koi Palace: 365 Gellert Blvd. Daly City, CA 94015  Phone: 650-992-9000

 

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China Red – Yum Cha

24 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by in Chinese food, Food

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As the name of my blog suggests, “Yum Cha” – drink tea, also a term that we Cantonese people use when we go to a Teahouse to enjoy some Dim Sum, I am definitely one who revel in trying new and different Teahouses.

So when my friend mentioned that there is a new place that serves Dim Sum that had opened just weeks ago in Arcadia, I was listening. When he further commented that one of the chef there came from Shanghai No. 1 Seafood Village,  I became interested.

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The restaurant is not very large, unlike some of the Dim Sum Houses such as NBC Seafood Restaurant, or Atlantic Seafood in Monterey Park. I prefer the smaller size restaurant because the noise level is not as bad, one can actually carry on a decent conversation without having to speak so loud.

Being a fairly new place, it felt clean and comfortable. The staff was attentive and efficient. The various Dim Sum selections were all printed on a sheet of paper for me to choose from. Each Dim Sum restaurant usually carries a few items that are unique in order to attract customers, so naturally, I picked the ones that I have not tried before and ones that sounded like they could be good.

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The Vegetable Dumpling was probably my favorite. The mixture of various vegetables and bean thread combined in perfect harmony, with the skin being slightly chewy. The Pan Fried Shanghai Style Bun, a signature dish, was juicy and tasty.  I also enjoyed the Dumpling with diced cucumber, which was quite uncommon in texture and taste.

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My friend really liked the Steamed BBQ Pork Bun, the inside appeared to be lean and moist. I was slightly disappointed at the Scallop Rice Noodle with Green, the name suggested something green, but in actuality, there was no green, but just big chunks of tofu and some small scallops. WP_20140220_017WP_20140220_009

The Seaweed Sticky Rice Roll looked like a squarish sushi roll with sticky rice, with no filling inside. The Chinese Broccoli was fresh, with the color being a lighter green than most of the broccoli I have seen. WP_20140220_011 WP_20140220_014

As for the sweet dim sum, the Golden Lava Bun was luscious with a warm golden sweet filling oozing out as I bit into the soft bun. I ordered the Pan Fried Pancake w/Sweet Paste and Crushed Peanuts based on a photo I saw on YELP which looked very crispy and tempting. The actual pancake was on the soft side and there was too much sugar inside, a bit too sweet for my taste. WP_20140220_006WP_20140220_005

The tea that I ordered was Pu-erh Tea with Chrysanthemum, it was dark and potent, as opposed to other more diluted version. The overall experience was very pleasant and probably one of the more enjoyable one in a long time.

China Red Restaurant: 855 S. Baldwin Ave. Arcadia, CA 91007  Phone: 616-445-3700