Sorry for the hiatus guys –things have been a’brewing! Been getting See Panda Cook up and running –culinary school blog –but we plan on completing our Taiwan+Malaysia trip posts before the end of 2011!
This was our only sit-down dim sum (yum cha) meal and we were happily satisfied with the quality of the dim sum here. We went with family so we ordered the basic fare of dumplings,noodles,congee,and fried things. Nothing too eccentric since our tummies were still grumbling from last night’s night market eats.
Their Luo Bu Go (fried radish cake) had a slight crust but not too greasy or mushy. A good start!
Jing Dui (sweet sesame balls with red bean paste) were the perfect size for one person. I always feel self-conscious eating one the size of a softball.
These fried shrimp cakes were not what we’d typically order at dim sum but they were still tasty. I think it was ground shrimp,formed into nuggets then breaded and fried. Can’t really go wrong with that.
Our first ever Har Cheung with Chicken. Usually it’s with shrimp or beef but this chicken version was light and delicate. This went fast.
Just look at that cuuute little yolk peeking out of the congee. The beef is hiding at the bottom of the bowl. Crispy wonton skins on top add a nice crunch.
These Har Gao (crystal shrimp dumpling) were jumbo-sized with plump juicy shrimp and a smidge of water chestnut. No wonder they only put three in there.
A well-executed Beef Chow Fun. This dish is very hard to make without drowning the whole thing with oil. If you don’t,you’re vulnerable to mushy overcooked noodles (or whatever’s left of them after sticking to your wok). The one here at CityStar wasn’t greasy at all,noodles were cooked through,and the sauce wasn’t overpowering.
Rob has an affinity for chives because they remind him of home. These chive dumplings were good but if you ask him,he’ll probably say he likes his Mother’s Pork and Chive dumplings better 
We love eating dim sum with fam because we always order plenty of feng zhao (chicken feet) 
This was a little less spicy and garlic-y than we would have liked but still cooked perfectly. Side note:one time I had Feng Zhao in Philly Chinatown and there was orange peel in the sauce! It cuts the richness of the dish with a touch of acidity –really harmonious combo.
Impossibly light sauce on crunchy noodles. This was one of the best seafood chow mein I’ve ever had. The noodles were uniformly crunchy (no brown spots indicating the noodles were fried too long). The sauce wasn’t overpowering in flavor and the right consistency:not too gooey but nappant (french term for “thick enough to coat the back of a spoon”). Someone in the back is a noodle genius.
The aftermath of our dim sum feast. Notice how our plates are clean and our tea cups emtpy?
See all photos:
This all looks so good I literally cried.
Except the chicken feet