Showing posts with label dumplings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dumplings. Show all posts

Noodle & More (Toronto)


Walk around Toronto and you’ll find tons of small restaurants that aren’t opened by “celebrity” chefs or widely covered in mainstream and social media. I’m intrigued about these establishments. Often the owner is also the chef and generally this is where you can taste real authentic non-fussy cuisine.

Since the restaurant is called Noodle & More, it’d be unwise to visit and not order noodles. We’re advised their stewed beef hand-ripped noodles ($13.99) is one of the most popular dishes. The broth is beef and soy sauce based with a light spicy note in the background, flavourful enough that you didn’t need to add anything else. While the diced beef were rather small pieces, they were well braised and tender. Yet, the standout was the hand-ripped noodles arriving as thick ribbons, almost like knife cut noodles but longer and slightly thinner. Surprisingly, they could withstand sitting in the soup for a decent period of time without getting too soft and doughy.


Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same for the fried noodles with beef ($11.49), which was too soggy for me. The noodles were simply too thin compared to the sauce. Moreover, the dish needed something crunchier to contrast against the soft noodles; while there were bean sprouts and green onions, these were also cooked too long so didn’t add a textual contrast.


Combining the fried noodles with some of the stir fried vegetables with garlic ($9.99) helped. These were cooked nicely, the vegetables retaining a vibrant colour and crunch. It was also a surprisingly sizeable portion, which with all the other carbs helped balance the meal.

As the pan fried chicken, cabbage and mushroom dumplings ($10.49) arrived at the table, memories of making paper snowflakes in kindergarten flashed through my mind. Except, at Noodle & More the snowflake web is created from caramelized dumpling juices. By itself, the dumplings’ filling needed more seasoning, but once you dip them into the tableside condiments, it gets better.


Aside from the hand pulled noodles, the dumplings are also made in-house, which you can witness by the window. In fact, their sister restaurant (located on Dundas West) is known for these creations. It’s called … wait for it … Dumpling & More!


The savoury Chinese crepe ($6.50) needs to be eaten quickly or the crispy wonton cracker in the centre gets stale. From the areas that retained the crunch, it goes nicely against the thin egg omlette and lettuce, bits of green onion and cilantro add a freshness to the wrap. Hoisin sauce was smeared on the crepe for a bit of sweetness, but would be nice if more was provided on the side so eaters can add to taste.


For something really flavour, the malatang ($12.45) is great, if you’re in the mood for a spicy dish. A variety of vegetables are combined with tofu, black fungus and Spam in a bowl of chili laced broth. It’s not nearly as spicy as what you can find elsewhere, the heat mostly coming from chili oil rather than the Sichuan pepper that numbs and scorches. For me, it was the perfect level of spiciness as anything more would be inedible. The dish would be even better if there’s the option of adding noodles.


Truthfully, I’d probably never would have stopped by Noodle & More if it weren’t for the Eatibl app, which allows a user to book a reservation online. While this doesn’t sound revolutionary, but what makes an Eatibl reservation different is that depending on the time of the reservation, diners get a discount. For example, at Noodle & More, a 4pm seating means you’d benefit from a 20% discount, while other times 10-15% off the final bill. A great option for those who have non-standard routines (i.e. students) or are not picky about when they eat.


Otherwise, it’s just a great excuse to check out some of the little known Toronto restaurants. There’s tons to discover, some event at a steep discount.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
Disclaimer: The above meal was complimentary. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 402 Bloor Street West

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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


Xin Jiang Restaurant 西域食府.清真 (Markham)


Xinjiang is a region in northwest China that shares its borders with Tibet, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and India (amongst others) and after centuries of migration is now home to several ethnic groups. This multiculturalism makes its way into their cuisine, with a host of preparation methods and ingredients that’s unlike the food in other parts of China.

A common dish for the region is roasted kabab. At Xin Jiang Restaurant, the Xinjiang style BBQ lamb kabob ($2.49 each) is probably their most popular dish - every table seems to have a plate of gleaming metal skewers. It’s not something I normally gravitate towards but decided to try it anyways given Zomato/Yelp reviews say it’s one of the best in the city. The skewer was smaller than anticipated, but well prepared so the lamb was just cooked through and tender. Not surprisingly, there was a gamey taste, but it wasn’t overpowering given the meat was covered with enough slightly spicy and curried dry rub.


The wrapper on the steamed lamb and onion dumplings ($9.99) was too thick and  still cracked, allowing the juices to escape. For such a popular dish to Northern Chinese restaurants, it was poorly executed. Their menu had limited flavours to choose from; if I had a choice, I would have ordered something else. Aside from the onion, the filling could really benefit from other herbs or vegetables to compliment the lamb.


Xin Jiang’s menu is vague on what’s in the handmade noodle with beef ($12.99). An Uyghur dish, based on lamian, it uses a similar flour-based pulled noodle that tends to be thicker. The dish ended up consisting of boiled noodles tossed with a spicy soy meat broth and chunks of bell peppers, tomato, hard onions, and beef. The chewy noodles were enjoyable, I just wish there was more of it compared to all the other ingredients.


Seeing the spinach with firm tofu at a neighbouring table, it looked refreshing compared to the heavier dishes we ordered. Being a last-minute add on, I didn’t read the menu description and was greeted by a cold dish incorporating a tangy vinegar taste … sort of like spinach with pickled tofu. While refreshing, it’s best in smaller quantities, as like pickles it’s also very salty.


Given Xin Jiang is a smaller restaurant, all the aromatic smells co-mingle in the rectangular dining room - you will reek of food afterwards. However, they surprisingly have a lot of staff working, so customers are well attended to. My palette hasn’t quite developed for Xinjiang cuisine yet, but with a menu that rivals Pickle Barrel, maybe I’ll have to go back and explore more.

Overall mark - 6.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Markham, Canada
 Address: 3636 Steeles Avenue East (in Metro Square)

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Xin Jiang Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


Tim Ho Wan 添好運點心專門店 (Hong Kong)


How different could a har gow be? I wondered to myself after hearing about Tim Ho Wan, a dim sum specialist restaurant in Hong Kong, which has long held on to its one Michelin star. After all, in Toronto, most shrimp dumplings are similar, the wrapper sometimes stickier, but otherwise most are filled with crunchy shrimp that have little taste. They’ve become larger throughout my lifetime, some of them reaching golf ball status, but the bland crunchy shrimp has remained constant.

Therefore, to draw comparisons, we stuck with the basics at Tim Ho Wan; I wanted to see what these “specialists” could do! Getting back to the har gow ($28), they indeed differ - smaller in size, the steamed dumplings are delicate so you can taste the shrimp’s sweetness (these are also tinier) with the seafood not packed together. The wrapper is soft, but not gummy, and has an elasticity to its consistency allowing them to be easily picked up. So, I stand corrected, har gows can be different.


Their steamed pork dumpling with shrimp ($28) or sui mai follows a similar recipe for success: big chunks of pork (as opposed to being pulverized) and shrimp combined loosely so there’s a juicy succulence to the dumpling. Oh, how I want more. 


The wrapper for the vermicelli roll stuffed with BBQ pork ($25) is impossibly thin, yet withstands the large pieces of BBQ pork stuffed in it. Personally, I like the bigger pieces of meat and full springs of cilantro placed throughout - you can taste the ingredients.


Tim Ho Wan’s glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf is the old-school format arriving as one gigantic package: a thick layer of chewy sticky rice stuffed with chicken, Chinese sausage, and mushrooms. The longer cooking time helps the lotus leaf essence seep into the rice, but having this dish again makes me realize I prefer the new miniature versions. The rice is softer and overall the dish more flavourful because of the gravy minced meat mixture used. Of course, the traditional way of making the dish requires experience (as you need to ensure everything is cooked throughout) and there is more filling, but you end up with one or two pieces of protein and big hunks of rice. 


Forgetting we already ordered the glutinous rice, the steamed rice with spare rib and chicken feet ($27) was too much; sadly, the rice was wasted. Frankly, unless you’re with a large table, this is a forgettable dish, the spare ribs and chicken foot both fairly average.


A dish that graced every table was their signature baked bun with BBQ pork ($21). Fresh from the oven, they are piping hot and the thin bun containing a large piece of BBQ pork. There’s a sweetness from the sauce and pineapple crust you’d expect, but it’s well balanced with the meat’s savouriness. For those who like it sweeter, allow the bun to cool down and the flavours intensify.  


The pan-fried pork and chives dumplings were also delicious, the meat cut into pieces (rather than minced) with enough vegetables to create a lightness to the dim sum. It’s wonton wrapper was so thin that it’s barely there, merely forming a fantastic crispy crust over everything.  


With only four desserts to choose from, we decided against the signature tonic medlar & petal cake, instead going for the tried and true deep-fried sesame dumpling ($18). At Tim Ho Wan, aside from the red bean paste they also add a piece of banana, which when heated turns into a creamy consistency. 



In the end, what makes Tim Ho Wan so good? From my experience: thin wrappers, ingredients left in chunks, and well-balanced flavours. If you don’t want to wait, head their as soon as it opens on a weekday, you’ll walk right in and find a seat at a number of tables. It’s a quick meal with dim sum flying out of the kitchen, which runs like a tasty, dumpling-making, well-oiled machine.


Overall mark - 9 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: North Point, Hong Kong
 Address: 2 Wharf Rd (Seaview Building, GF)

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Yummy Dumpling House (Toronto)


After finding Sushi Bong was closed, I stumbled onto their neighbor, Yummy Dumpling House, located at the same North York condo building base. Yummy’s cozy dining room only holds fifteen at capacity, but this doesn’t seem to be a problem as the restaurant wasn’t overly busy during our Sunday lunch. It did have a steady stream of a couple tables coming and going, which is good as the kitchen is a one-woman operation (another wraps dumplings while a gentlemen greets and serves).

We’re given small dishes, which I assumed were for holding a dipping sauce, but turns out is also the plate for eating. As the steaming Chinese cabbage and pork dumplings ($8.50 for 15) arrives, the first dumpling, slippery with water, was a bit difficult to maneuver without any real dishware or spoon. Nevertheless, I was eventually successful and took a bite of the scalding dough.


Personally, I prefer dumplings steamed (the wrapper is thinner and hence results in more juices and flavour), but for being boiled these were decent – the wrapper still on the thick side but the filling incorporated enough ginger and spices to stand out.

Eat the pan-fried pork dumplings ($7.98 for 8) while they’re hot, as the thin layer of crispy caramelization on the wrapper is delicious. After a while, with the condensation and being piled onto a small plate, they start to get soggy. Some of the wrappers did break so the juices (one of the best parts of the dumpling) escaped. But, the couple of intact ones I had were tasty - Yummy Dumpling House really gets the seasoning right.


If you like Peking duck, give their flavoured pork wrap ($5.98) a try. The wrapper is thicker but has that same chewiness as the Peking duck counterpart. Lightly toasted with crispy edges, it holds thin slices of roasted pork covered with sweet hoisin sauce and fresh scallions. In the end, it has a Peking duck essence but isn’t oily and much heartier.


The experience reminds me of the need to just get out and explore restaurants. I’m guilty of it: relying on reviews or Instagram pictures to decide on where to eat. However, this limits the opportunities of stumbling across little hole-in-the-wall places where you can support mom-and-pop establishments that can’t afford media events. So set a date and grab someone to just take a stroll; find a small place that you’ve never heard of and just walk in. It may not be perfect, but at least you’ve supported a budding local entrepreneur.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 5 Northtown Way (Unit 16)

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


Yummy Dumpling House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

New Northern Dumplings 新北方餃子館 (Toronto)




Dumplings and pan fried onion pancakes make me nostalgic about my childhood, when my grandmother would prepare them while I eagerly awaited dinner. It was a long affair starting with prepping the dough for wrappers and allowing it to rise – not unlike an Italian nonna preparing pizza. So, when I find a restaurant that makes great versions of it, they’ll have a delighted customer. With tons of options around Toronto, New Northern Dumpling’s offerings stand out.

Their dumpling’s wrappers are ultra-thin yet has an elasticity that resists picking up. Each encapsulates a decent mound of filling and plenty of juices. If you like the Shanghainese soup dumplings, xiao long bao, these are very similar and much more budget friendly.


With twelve steamed varieties, New Northern offers a mixture of meats and even vegetarian choices. Although they all look alike from the outside, their fillings were indeed distinct. The three fresh delicacies ($5.99 for 15) were the most traditional with pork, shrimp and leek. There’s something about the combination of savoury meat, succulent seafood and vegetables that makes for the perfect filling.


The pork and leek ($4.99 to 15) were also delicious and likely a better choice for those who don’t like a seafood essence. Although the pork and pickled cabbage ($4.99 to 15) sounded delicious, the tang from the vegetable was a tad overpowering for me, but for diners who normally dip their dumplings into vinegar these may naturally have the acidity they’d enjoy.

Although it doesn’t come close to my grandmother’s version, New Northern’s green onion pancake ($2.25) is the best I’ve had at a restaurant. Folded into a doughnut format, there’s more surface area to develop a crusty exterior. The thin creased layers create fluffy air pockets filled with a respectable portion of fresh green onions and is nicely seasoned.


Their braised beef noodle soup ($5.99) has amazing chewy thick noodles and a decent tasting hot broth. However, the braised beef would be more aptly described as fat than meat. For those who like a well-marbled pork belly, you may enjoy this.


Despite looking as if it lacked sauce, the minced pork and soya paste noodle ($4.99) proved to be well flavoured as even with a thin coating, the noodles were salty enough. A dish generally eaten during warm weather, the julienned cucumbers add a cool juiciness and crunch.



If you’re budget conscious, I can’t think of a better place to go, as they have plenty of filling dishes for $5. And luckily, unlike the childhood me, I don’t need to wait all day before tucking in.

Overall mark - 9 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 633 Silverstar Boulevard

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:




CLOSED: Chinese Dumpling House 真東北餃子館 (Markham)

Location: Markham, Canada
Address: 3636 Steeles Avenue East
Type of Meal: Lunch



Although Chinese Dumpling House specializes in the doughy pockets of joy, they still have a pretty extensive menu of other Northern Chinese favourites. The ordering sheet is written in Chinese (without pictures) and on the side a printed menu with English translations and pictures is provided. Ordering can be somewhat difficult as it requires matching characters from the sheet to the menu and the menu doesn’t seem to encompass everything so certain dishes will remain a mystery if you can’t read Chinese.

With about a dozen varieties of dumplings to choose from I had originally wanted the leek, pork and shrimp version (found in the English menu).  Unfortunately, we could not find it on the order sheet so settled on the pork, chive and egg steamed dumplings ($4.99) instead. Fifteen of them were made to order by two ladies constantly wrapping at the store’s entrance and within 15 minutes arrives at our table steaming hot.





The wrapper was an ideal thickness - thick enough to have some elasticity to it but still thin enough to not overwhelm the filling.  Be careful when biting in as they’re quite juicy and the hot liquid could spray your companion!  The meat mixture was a bit bland so you’ll need to rely on the condiments left on the table to give it flavour (red vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce, salt and a small bottle of something that smells like wasabi).




Another Northern China dish I love are soy sauce braised brisket noodles ($5.99). Strangely, although the literal translation is “red roasted beef noodle” the dish isn’t red or roasted at all.  Apparently, anything cooked with soy sauce is often labelled as “red roasted”. Chinese Dumpling House’s noodles are also made in house and one of the better ones I’ve had.  There’s a nice bite to it and held up quite well despite having sat in the broth for a while waiting for us to finish up the dumplings - dumplings are best eaten hot or the wrapper starts to get hard.


The brisket itself was pretty dismal - not flavoured enough and extremely fatty so about a third was inedible. Like the dumplings, the soup was pretty bland when it’s supposed to be a fragrant and rich broth. Needless to say, I had to add quite a bit of hot sauce to the noodles to give it some oomph.  Chinese Dumpling House does have other soup based noodles which I’d suggest trying instead; the neighbouring table ordered pickled vegetable with slivers of pork which looked better than ours.  

The order of sautéed snow pea shoots with garlic ($6.99) was a reasonable price.  You may find these look different from the dark green leafy ones found in other restaurants as these are cultivated in a greenhouse (understandably since we visited in the winter). Personally, I find the leafier non-greenhouse variety tastier as they have a stronger pea taste, but if you want to eat this year round this is a good alternative.


We ended off with a pan fried red bean pancake ($2.99) which was brought out near the end of our meal - I was pleasantly surprised as sometimes Chinese restaurants don't bother timing dishes and bring dessert out early to just finish up an order. The dough was rolled thinly and cooked to a lovely golden brown with crispy air pockets throughout.  There was also a fair amount of red bean paste in it - which was thankfully sweet enough - and quite delicious.  For the low price the pancake was surprisingly big and we ended up taking half to go.


For my dumpling cravings I’ll still likely go to Dumpling Restaurant to satisfy myself on account of their easy to understand menus and somewhat improved eating conditions.  Nonetheless, Chinese Dumpling House is still a good alternative offering budget friendly prices and does have better noodle consistency.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10



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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Janet Lynn's Bistro (Kitchener)

Location: Kitchener, Canada
Address: 677 Belmont Avenue West
Website: http://www.janetlynnsbistro.com/
Type of Meal: Dinner



Janet Lynn has a long standing reputation in the KW area.  I’ve never eaten at their Waterloo location, but their new site in downtown Kitchener is great.   The restaurant is one large open concept room where you can look into the kitchen situated beside the bar area.  Exposed brick and white walls gives it a modern feel, but the white linen adorned tables adds some polish and comfort to the environment.


Chef and owner Kevin Wong offers a varying menu of Asian fusion and classic dishes.  I wanted to try a bit of each so opted for the dumplings to start and the summer salad as a main.  The pork and shrimp dumplings ($10.95) may not look very traditional, with its plain triangular shape, but still tasted great.  Large pieces of shrimp and ground pork were mixed together with ginger, chives, tamarind and flecks of chili then sandwiched in a thin wrapper and pan fried.  Instead of soy sauce, the dumplings were served with a balsamic aioli which added a nice sweet, sour and savoury taste.  The filling was very good; I actually prefer the roughly chopped filling that doesn’t entirely bind together. 

My husband’s sweet corn chowder ($12.50) was thick, sweet and decadently creamy.  The soup was made with quite a significant amount of corn so it was wonderfully flavourful.  Pieces of fried shrimp topped the soup to add a bit of savouriness and texture to the otherwise smooth chowder.
After such a heavy appetizer, I thought the summer salad ($23.95) would be a good contrast as a main.  Kale was the dominant green, but there were also grilled zucchini & eggplant, fresh corn and tomatoes to add some additional flavours and colour.  A cherry tomato dressing was used on the salad, which was simply too light and didn’t add much to the tasteless kale.  Thankfully, there was sufficient sweet corn, grilled vegetables and salmon to make up for the lack of dressing.  The salmon was a generous piece and cooked well, but I would have preferred if it was just a little less done as was starting to get a bit dry on the edges.

On the other hand, my husband’s JLB Burger ($13.95) was extremely juicy and is certainly not a dish to order if you don’t want your hands messy.  The patty was very tender given it was made from short ribs. With tons of vegetables and a soft egg bun Janet Lynn’s burger is about as melt in your mouth as you can get.  My husband added gorgonzola cheese ($3) to the burger which gave it even more creaminess.  The JLB Burger was delicious and one of the better ones I’ve had.  The fresh fries were enjoyable and went well with the roasted sweet pepper aioli.


Despite being stuffed, my husband ordered the flourless chocolate cake ($8.95).  I couldn’t help but sneak a couple of bites and it was very chocolaty and smooth.  Janet Lynn gave quite a large portion of this dense cake so this is a perfect sharing dessert.  A scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice cream accompanied the cake and it was good (not too sweet and full of vanilla flavor).  However, it had an interesting texture, hard to describe but sort of crumbled in your mouth despite being smooth.  It wasn’t unpleasant, just unexpected for ice cream.

Although I’m not in the Kitchener-Waterloo area very often, I was glad I had the opportunity to try out Janet Lynn’s Bistro; it’s definitely worth a try.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!