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May 19, 2007
Cuisine: Chinese, Noodle Shops

138 N 10th St, Philadelphia 19107
At Arch St

Phone: 215-928-1883
Website: http://www.phillychinatown.com/tingwong.htm

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Buddha’s Delight Pan Fried Noodles ($6.50)

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Luscious and I first discovered Ting Wong’s after a night of drinking in Old City. We weren’t 21 yet, but no one was checking IDs at the door or at the bar so we were in luck. I had my first “real” (i.e. made by a bartender rather than a fraternity brother) drink that night; a very pink Cosmopolitan. We lounged, we sipped, we forgot about our awkward institution of higher learning—it was grand.

Eventually the fun had to end so we headed back toward Market East Station to catch the R3. The thought of returning to our books and homework was very unattractive so we stumbled into Ting Wong’s to prolong the magic. Neither of us had eaten here before, but the barbecued ducks hanging in the front window and steaming vats of broth signaled that this place was going to be good.

Since my introduction to Ting Wong’s years ago, I’ve returned numerous times with both friends and family. My grandparents, who are the harshest critics when it comes to noodles, adored Ting Wong’s immensely. As did my mother, brother, and cousin Phil. If my family approves, it says a lot! Trust me.

After a movie at the Ritz last weekend, The Astronomer and I swung by Ting Wong’s for a light lunch. We ordered the Buddha’s Delight Pan Fried Noodles because it’s my all-time favorite dish. A hearty helping of deep fried mee pok (egg noodles) is topped with a smooth vegetarian oyster sauce and vegetables including napa cabbage, carrots, broccoli, straw mushrooms, peas, sugar snap peas, and bok choy. Glass noodles, bean curd, and tofu are mixed in as well. The stir fried sauce upon the crisp noodles creates a wonderful texture of both crunch and yielding that truly makes pan fried noodles delicious.

Other notable dishes include the wonton noodle soup and congee. By the way, there is a Ting Wong offshoot in New York City called Tan Wong located at 103 East Broadway between Allen and Forsyth Street. I’ve frequented that location and it’s just as good and even slightly cheaper.

March 3, 2007
Cuisine: Chinese Bakery

145 N. 11th St.
Philadelphia, PA

Phone: 215-351-1177
Website: none

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Curry Beef Puff ($1)

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When I’m short on dried mushrooms, oyster sauce, or mock meet, I head to the “Asia Supermarket” in Chinatown to refresh my supplies. While I’m buying groceries, The Astronomer always picks up a treat at K.C.’s Pastries next door. The “corn fritter” has always been his favorite, but on our visit they were fresh out. In a savory mood, The Astronomer chose the Curry Beef Puff.

The puff was almost identical in composition to Vietnamese Bánh Pâté Chaud, but with a curry twist. The pastry shell was buttery and flaky and the beef was slightly spicy, but not plentiful. I’ve tried a number of baked goods at K.C.’s over the years and they’ve always hit the spot whether sweet, savory, or somewhere in between.

January 13, 2007
Cuisine: Chinese

3709 Convoy St # 101
San Diego, CA 92111

Phone: 858-565-6888
Website: www.emeraldrestaurant.com

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Course I: Vietnamese Appetizers: Cha, Shrimp, Octopus, Century Eggs, Jellyfish

Course II: Crispy Quail

Course III: Shrimp and Scallops with Broccoli

Course IV: Seafood Soup

Course V: Abalone with Shitake Mushrooms and Broccolini

Course VI: Lobster with Butter Sauce

Course VII: Steamed Whole Red Snapper with Ginger and Onions

Course VIII: Crispy Garlic Chicken

Course IX: Soft Noodles w/Mushroom & Yellow Leek

Course X: Shrimp and BBQ Pork Fried Rice

Course XI: Lingyoong Bau (Lotus Seed Buns)

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Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant was the site of my Grandpa’s 80th birthday soiree. The guest list numbered close to 100 and the food courses seemed endless. While there are definitely tastier options for Chinese food in San Diego, my family chose Emerald for its classy ambiance. Emerald was also the site of my aunt’s pre-wedding fete and my Grandma’s 70th birthday party.

Our feast began with some cold appetizers. I especially liked the octopus, century eggs, and jellyfish. It was my first time eating the blackened eggs and I liked them quite a bit, but I admit that the color is a bit off-putting.

I did not try the second course because friends of chicken rarely pique my interest. The third course, shrimp and scallops with broccoli, were very mild in flavor which is very uncharacteristic of Chinese food. I skipped the fourth course as well because I am not a big fan of seafood soup. My family loves this soup; hence we eat it every Christmas.

The fifth course of abalone was one of my favorites! It was my first time trying abalone, I thought it had a very pleasant taste and texture. The accompanying shitake mushrooms were also outstanding.

The lobster was also a standout. The meat was succulent and flavorful. I especially liked how the labor of eating lobster was non-existent because the lobster was disassembled in the kitchen.

The whole red snapper with ginger and onions was great too, but brother thought that it was overcooked. The taste of ginger was prominent throughout the dish and the soy based sauce flavored the fish well.

I didn’t have any of the crispy chicken during the actual dinner, but enjoyed some leftovers. While I am generally not a fan of chicken, these preparations were outstanding. I don’t know how the chefs did it, but the meat was very flavorful (and not just the skin). Well done.

The noodles and rice were very good as well, but I wish they were brought out first rather than last. Carbs and meat go hand in hand in Chinese food.

Our dessert was a type of baozi filled with sweetened Lotus seed paste and it was delicious. The dough was fluffy and the paste was just sweet enough. Most people passed on the baozi because we also had an amazing tiramisu. I had both.

December 21, 2006
Cuisine: Chinese, Dim Sum

4609 Convoy St, Suite A
San Diego, CA 92111

Phone: (85 268-0888
Website: http://www.jasmineseafoodrestaurant.com/

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Beef Rice Rolls ($4.30) 

 Shrimp Siu Mai ($4)

Salt and Pepper Calamari ($7.95)

Stewed Beef Tripe with Turnip ($5.60)

 Deep Fried Sugarcane Shrimp ($4)

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I came to Jasmine Seafood Restaurant straight from the airport on my recent holiday in San Diego. I’m generally not a fan of dim sum because eating greasy meat in the morning feels so wrong. Thankfully on this occasion I was still on East Coast time (12 PM PST/3 PM EST), so I was totally game.

Jasmine was packed at lunch time even though it was a Thursday. Ladies pushing carts circled the noisy banquet room. Oh, how I love chaotic dim sum experiences!

I was dining with ten or so family members so we ordered a lot of food (see above). Our first order was the fried octopus, which was SO tasty. The fruits of the sea have such great texture! The rest of the ordering was a bit of a blur. I especially enjoyed the beef rice rolls, which is my all-time favorite dim sum dish. I also thought the pot stickers and stuffed tofu skins were exceptional.

I think I need to get over my “meat in the morning” complex because dim sum at Jasmine was delicious!

Continue reading ‘Jasmine Seafood Restaurant’

September 14, 2006
Cuisine: Chinese

941 Race Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107-1805

Phone: 215-928-8822
Website: none

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Entree I: Cashew chicken

Entree II: Beef noodles prepared “Hong Kong” style

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I do not care much for Chinese-Americana fare, but the Astronomer loves it very much. Every so often I indulge the Astronomer and we go out for Chinese food. I had a meeting last night near Chinatown so we hit up Wong Wong afterwards. We had not read anything about this restaurant beforehand and chose it on impulse. My rationale is that one can’t go too wrong picking a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, especially a restaurant of the “non-banquet” variety; they are more or less all the same. Although I must admit that the barbecued roasted ducks flanked on the outside window of the restaurant helped to draw me in.

It was late in the evening so we each only ordered an entree. The Astronomer had the cashew chicken with white rice while I had the beef noodles. We shared each dish. The cashew chicken was tasty and mild, nowhere near as spicy as a Kung Pao preparation. The chicken was good quality white meat stir fried with peas, carrots, water chestnuts, straw mushrooms, celery and topped with toasted cashews. All winners but the celery. The sauce seemed a bit too light in color, but was satisfying in flavor which is what really matters. The beef noodles were not exactly what I had anticipated. I wanted a thin pan fried egg noodle, but instead I got a thicker more chow mein like noodle. Nevertheless, it was still quite good. My only complaint were the bean sprouts. I’ve disliked bean sprouts since my youth. The beef was very tender and really hit the red meat spot.

All in all this was your average Chinese establishment. I enjoyed the food for what it was–cheap, warm, and salty. The noodles were priced at $6 and the chicken was $8. Fair enough.