[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm interested to know what your opinion of a superb xiao long bao is. Like you, I'm pedantic about how it should be.

authentic Xiao Long Bao (小笼包) besides the points you had already mentioned must:

1. have the right taste; its a special flavor that unless you had it once you wouldn't know what to look for.

2. the skin of the Xiao Long Bao (小笼包) must have enough elasticity that even if you pull the Xiao Long Bao (小笼包) straight up from the steamer (and no cabbage please), the skin will stretch out but will never break.

3. the juice of Xiao Long Bao (小笼包) must be by itself and integrated with the rest of the meat, in addition to impart some of its flavor on the skin, so that even when you suck the juice first before you take the bite (proper way to eat), there should be additional juice retained in the pork mix.

 

[milkpowder]

Good to know that we're on the same page.

The worst and perhaps the most commonly found are the ones where the skin is thick, unelastic; the pork solid and dry; and the soup dried up or altogether non existent.

This chain of restaurants in Hong Kong can do quite a decent crab roe xiao long bao (蟹粉小籠包) using roe from a 大閘蟹 - 东海-海都酒家

 

[fureshi]

wow, the crab roe xiao long bao sounds crazy. i'll have to look for that the next time i'm in HK.

as for a good xiao long bao, the best i've ever had is at din tai fung in taipei. some criticize it for not being authentic enough but i don't care. i really can't say that i've had anything else better in china or HK. it combines everything that cheesebert mentioned, elastic skin, soupy and juicy at the same time. unfortunately din tai fung is only good in taipei. their LA, Shanghai and Tokyo branches don't compare.

 

[F155mph]

Food.......I love FOOOOD

 

[ttettette]

Din Tai Fen, not a Sichuan restaurant but would be one of the best chinese restaurant overall. of course, a lit bit expensive.

 

[shiosai]

I love Sichuan food, if you can, try order:
水煮牛肉 (I order this ever time I visit the restaurant, sliced beef and vegetables in red hot chilli oil. Besides beef, you can also have mutton, or fish)
孜然羊肉 (this is not sichuan style but from Xinjiang, 孜然is a spice and very nice taste)
夫妻肺片 (direct translation: spicy husband & wife's lung slices, but this is not really "lung" slices, but beef)
回锅肉 (double-cooked pork slices)
蒜泥白肉 (shredded pork with garlic sauce, every time I ate this, I would avoid talking due to the garlic)

Sorry I can't help, all meat

水煮牛肉

孜然羊肉

夫妻肺片

回锅肉

蒜泥白肉

 

[milkpowder]

Sounds and looks very tasty! I love spicy food!

 

[shiosai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sounds and looks very tasty! I love spicy food!

Hey, I also love Hong Kong seafood!

 

[XGJFilmsX]

i love china town in boston
always a nice little trip

 

[Singapura]

Reading all this I feel so lucky! My wife is Chinese and was trained as a chef. I live in Singapore where almost all Chinese dishes and, more importantly, ingredients are available and for the Real real stuff I can just fly out to Hong Kong or Beijing.

 

[K2Grey]

For some reason the only xiaolongbao I've ever really liked were those ones where there is broth inside the thing. Those were quite spectacular. I can't remember the name of the place in Taiwan that sold those though.

 

[crazyface]

Wow, thanks for all the GREAT replies! I've TONS of stuff to try now!

Just one quick question for now:

When you refer to "salted fish", are you talking about, "鱼香茄子"?

Would a typical Chinese restaurant have them?

Oh, also, what is the etiquette for eating chickens feet? I had some (steamed, not fried) yesterday, and I did not know how to go about getting the edible segments off of the inedible bone. Are you expected to bite through the bone, and then seperate bone from skin/flesh inside of your mouth, then spit out the bones pieces -- or do you eat it like "corn on the cob," leaving the bones whole?



Ok, thanks, bye!
Okay, thanks, bye!

 

[slwiser]

There was a great article in last months Readers Digest concerning the originals of American Chinese food. I thought it interesting that the writer considered Chinese food more American than Apple Pie since when was the last time you eat an Apple Pie compared with Chinese Food?

 

[Mr. Tadashi]

Regarding the eating of the chicken feet, I don't know which one would be considered the proper method but, I use the first method you had described as does the rest of my family.

 

[fureshi]

I would say the Chinese etiquette for eating food is quite lax with a few rules like not sticking the chopsticks in the rice when you're not eating it or no slurping of noodles. For meats with bones, such as chicken feet, you can eat it almost any way that you want. Most people just bite off a piece(digit) and spit out the bones.

By the way, the Forum program on NPR (KQED) had a great show on Chinese food last week. The guest was Jennifer 8. Lee, who wrote a book called The Fortune Cookie Chronicles. Pretty interesting stuff on the history of Chinese and Americanized Chinese food outside of China.