Central Grand – Dim Sum

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My brother Narc was in town! My mother, Boss Lady, immediately called for a family reunion over dim sum. I remembered Judith, one of the owners at Sukiyaki House, once mentioning she dines often at Central Grand. What is good enough for Judith is more than good enough for me! Let’s listen to Kiss by Prince for this post.

We arrived around 10:30 a.m. and snagged one of the last big tables. The moment we sat down, I could feel my anxiety rise. Customers at the table next to us stood to get to their seats, pressing in so close to my nephew, Roblox, that I felt my nerves tighten. I hadn’t even poured the tea yet when my mother rattled off five orders in less than a minute, filling up our table in frightening speeed.

Two minutes in, as I was pouring tea, Boss Lady was already dropping siu mai into Roblox’s dish, which he doesn’t like, while urging us to eat quickly before the food got cold. Narc gently reminded Boss Lady that there’s no need to put food on their plate, the kids will get it themselves.

I have a recent condition that makes it hard for me to eat, so I asked Roblox and Jellybean to help me describe the food I couldn’t try. My niece observed that the rice crepe doughnut wasn’t as fluffy as she was used to, saying it could be more voluminous, but still thought it tasted perfect with the sauce.

Jellybean softly prodded her brother to describe the soup dumplings, to which he responded: “It’s just… soup and dumplings. What is there to say about soup dumplings?” I foresee engineering as a possibility in Roblox’s future.

With that description and hearing everyone around the table devour the dishes, I thought: to hell with it. One siu mai won’t kill me. My first bite filled my mouth with hot juices and large, crunchy goodness. Damn, this was one damn good dumpling!

Jellybean enjoyed the coconut buns, which looked to me like they were baked in-house. She loved the fluffiness of the bun and noted the sweetness of the coconut filling. Roblox noticed a hair in the remaining bun—or a hair bun, if you will. These things happen. I flagged down a server. He offered to get me a new one, but the place was so busy he must have forgotten. It was fine as we were already getting too full.

Boss Lady selected more dishes, and then she began her shuffle of food onto plates to make room for even more food. She then asked Roblox if he wanted lobster or crab. Roblox’s eyes lit up. Narc interrupted their conversation and stated that dim sum was enough, then encouraged me to try the beef tripe, which he said had good seasoning. He would have preferred a slightly chewier texture, but was happy with it overall.

We tried two types of squid. Everyone preferred the tentacle version over the sweet, battered strips. The tentacle version was served hot, and the coating was crispier. This was Narc’s favourite dish.

I loved my mother’s go-to dish, a meat and vegetable steamed dumpling. The saucy filling was steaming hot and generously portioned, punctuated with crunchy peanuts. Best of all, the wrapping was chewy and tender, not oversteamed. I’d get this again.

Another winner was the rice noodles with soy sauce. It didn’t look like much, but once you picked one up, you could dig into these big, thin rice sheets.

Ludwig’s favourite dish was the gai lan, which had to be ordered from the kitchen. Boss Lady critically gazed at the gai lan and announced that we got premium pieces. I could smell the garlic. Ludwig and Boss Lady both agreed the gai lan was perfectly crunchy—better, they said, than the one at U and Me.

The price for all this food was more than reasonable, at around $20 per person. Central Grand is also one of the few places that still offers cart service. I have to give props to the staff. They worked hard and were always around to help with any requests. And despite the lineups outside, we got plenty of tea refills and all the side sauces without even asking. Hitting the Sauce gives Central Grand two phat thumbs up.

Banh Mi · Chinatown · Vietnamese

Banh Mi Date #15: Paper Lantern

April 25, 2024 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

For the past year, I’ve corresponded with Danni on Instagram. We share similar tastes in food, and we’ve even been to the same restaurants at the same time, though we weren’t aware then. We decided to meet up officially. I invited my friend, the Olympian. Divine Offering isn’t accessible on Wednesdays so that she couldn’t make it. Lovegastrogirl was in Tokyo; otherwise, she would have also come along. Let’s listen to “New Attitude” by Patti LaBelle for this post.

We hemmed and hawed about where to go, and finally, I suggested Paper Lantern. It is a small world; as it turns out, Danni is the proud sister of the owner of Paper Lantern and Prosperity Bar. Her parents previously owned Orchid Room in Bankers Hall. I’ve never eaten there, but I heard the food was elevated Vietnamese cuisine and popular with the downtown crew. The Olympian and I asked her where she eats Vietnamese food, as we were curious where she would eat if it weren’t her family’s restaurant. She recommended Rau Bistro, Noodle World (#52 rice platter or coconut beef pho), Pho Uncle Ten, and Basil Ultimate.

I ordered the PL Daiquiri ($12), Danni ordered a Mai Tai, and Olympian picked a non-alcoholic pina colada. My cocktail was light and breezy, with a tart tropical zing from the pineapple. For food, Danni picked some appetizers for us to share. I appreciated the water pitcher on the table, as I was parched that night.

First up was the Sweet Nuoc Mam Chicken Wings ($12). Damn, the wings were saucy and crispy, the sauce was sticky and sweet. I was happy to see the wings and drums were five times the size of any pub wings. I want to try the shrimp salt and pepper version when I return.

There was a lot of beef in the carpaccio ($12). I liked how the peanuts and onions gave some textural contrast to the soft, raw meat. The beef itself had a nice flavour. I didn’t realize there was cilantro in this dish. Had I known, I would have omitted the herb, as I’m one of the unlucky ones with the soap gene.

The pork belly banh mi ($10) was a winner! The special sauce and house mayonnaise were savoury and rich. The braised pork belly was so soft and warm that it melted right into the light, crusty bread. The pickled vegetables added a lovely crunch to each bite. Danni recommended trying the chicken roti banh mi next time. Her eyes lit up as she described how the chicken was caramelized.

The Pineapple Stir fry ($12) was as good as I remembered it from my last visit. The rice bowl contained ample sweet pork belly, shrimp, and pineapple. If you are hungry, I recommend ordering a rice bowl, as it is filling.

My favourite dish was the Mango Salad ($14). It takes a lot for me to like a salad over wings, so the chef back there is performing a miracle. The mango and papaya strands were chilled, crunchy from the peanuts and herby from the fresh mint leaves. I liked scooping up the refreshing salad on top of the shrimp cracker.

When the bill came, I was surprised to see how affordable it was. My bill, including one cocktail, was only thirty dollars. In today’s economy, that’s incredible. I informed Danni I was bringing Chew Steel to Paper Lantern for our next date night. She suggested I try the Beef Stew ($14) and Crispy Crepes ($15). I already know what I want—a repeat of the mango salad, banh mi, and the shrimp salt wings.

We plan to do another girls’ outing, this time at Prosperity Bar, to try the Big Mac egg rolls, Philly Cheese Banh Mi, and some dumplings. Next time, we’ll be sure to include Lovegastrogirl and Divine Offering. Perhaps I’ll have to start my supper club again, No Man’s Dinner, with the president, Loaf2go.

Boston · Chinatown · Chinese · Seafood

Peach Farm

August 16, 2023 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

I booked a Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour when L returned to the hotel. I knew this would be a silly excursion, but I was curious about the small cemeteries scattered throughout the downtown core. For this post, let’s listen to “Smokin” by Boston.

The tour was corny, and the stories were grossly exaggerated (and historically inaccurate). Still, we had fun jumping on and off the bus and stopping by the Granary Burying Ground and King’s Chapel Burying Ground. Walking through the grounds, we learned a little about the American patriots who died in the battle of Bunker Hill. We stopped by the graves of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Robert Treat Paine. The latter three were signers of the Declaration of Independence. The tour would have been more fun in October, with a cooler temperature and the smell of autumn in the air.

As it was late when we finished our tour, I suggested we try Peach Farm, located in Chinatown. All the employees were friendly, welcoming and attentive. We ordered Lobster with Green Scallion and Ginger ($60), Clams in Black Bean Sauce ($23), Shrimp Chowmein ($16), Steamed Rice ($2) and two beers ($12).

The clams arrived quickly. I liked eating the saucy clams with steamed rice, as the simplicity of hot white rice accents the meatiness of the clams and the saltiness of the black bean sauce. I enjoyed the clams but was annoyed to find a bit of sand in a couple, as the grating texture was off-putting.

The lobster was so hot the shells blistered my fingers. The meat popped out easily from its red claws. The lobster meat was fresh tasting, with a pleasing toothsome crunch. The ginger and scallion sauce was buttery, luscious, and so messy our server dropped off some extra napkins. I couldn’t help but think of my family when I ate my lobster, as my mom always ordered both king crab and lobster at our monthly dinners. Back then, the rationale for ordering such extravagant seafood dishes was simply because we were out. My mother, Boss Lady, has an extreme personality. For her, it’s go big or don’t go out at all.

I was content with supping on the clams and lobster with rice, but L was channeling Boss Lady and wanted another dish. I found the chow mein lacklustre. The shrimp was rubbery and tasteless. The sauce itself was void of seasoning or wok hey. This dish was crying out for some MSG! I felt like David, the friendly regular from Neptune Oyster, in that I wanted to tell L that I make a better chow mein at home.

Overall, I enjoyed my meal. Service was warm and sincere, which made up for the chow mein. Judging from the crowd, Peach Farm is a popular restaurant for everyone, from families, dates, regulars to tourists. I left stuffed and not crabby, as I was full of lobster.

Chinatown · Chinese · Seafood

Chinese Culture Centre Cuisine – Surf and Turf

January 14, 2022January 14, 2022 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Before Fougui left for Mexico, we went out to reminisce about the old days when we used to work together. I also invited Office Dad to our dinner at the Chinese Cultural Centre Cuisine (CCCC) because it wouldn’t be a party without him. For this post, let’s listen to “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett.

I didn’t tell Fougui that Office Dad was coming, because I wanted it to be a surprise. Office Dad wore sunglasses and hid behind a newspaper at an adjacent table. After we sat down, he walked behind Fougui and called him on his phone. I didn’t have the heart to tell Office Dad that we recognized him a mile away and he wasn’t tricking anyone. After we finished feigning an appropriate amount of awe and shock, I ordered Peking duck (three courses, $48) and Steamed Crab on Sticky Rice ($40). Instead of the standard first course of duck soup, I requested noodles.

First to arrive was the Peking duck with crepes. The skin was dry and toasty. When I bite into the crepe, you could hear the crackling snap of the skin. The duck meat was flavourful and not overly fatty. I liked how the crepe was papery thin and steaming hot. CCCC is not skimpy with the portions. I noticed a generous amount of duck, cucumber, green onion and crepes.

The temperature of the ground duck mixture was still blistering when I scooped some into a lettuce cup. I enjoyed the wraps, but I focused more of my appetite on the duck chow mein. I mentioned to Office Dad that the food was so good, I plan to blog about this meal. He nodded in agreement and asked if I would change his name to “Cool Office Dad”.

Most restaurants give you a thick Shanghai noodle dish with the Peking duck course. I was excited to see CCCC uses the thin Cantonese chow mein noodles. This is a simple dish, but so comforting. The wok hei in the sauce was on point. Each bite was a saucy mess of smoking hot gravy, brittle noodles and crunchy bean sprouts.

I saw Lovegastrogirl raving about the steamed crab before on Instagram, so I knew I had to order it. The crab is a winner. The meat was flaky and sweet. The rice was fresh and soft, seasoned from the pops of tobiko, egg and fluffy crab meat.

When we left the restaurant, we each took turns complaining about how full we were. Cool Office Dad let out a big burp to show how satisfied he was with the feast. Not so cool, Daddio! Good thing he still had his mask on.

If you are looking for a place that isn’t teeming with customers, I’d recommend eating at the CCCC. The restaurant was quiet. There were only four parties scattered throughout the spacious room. The service was friendly and attentive. You won’t go wrong ordering the fresh steamed crab and Peking duck.

Chinatown · Korean

Sso Yummy

August 9, 2021August 10, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

After my appointment in Inglewood, I planned to order lunch from Xich Lo in Eau Claire. However, I remembered L was craving kimbap (Korean sushi) all week. I heard good things about the food at Sso Yummy in Chinatown, so I selflessly forwent my banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) for his kimbap. For this post, let’s listen to “Butter” by BTS.

I ordered the Yummy Combo ($11) and Spam Kimbap ($7.50). The combo comes with a soup, tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes) and two mini boong uh bbang (Korean fish shaped pastry). There was so much food in the combo that next time I pick up lunch, I’ll just order two kimbaps for us to share.

Sso Yummy does an excellent job packing up takeout orders – each dish was neatly wrapped. The soup was basic – clear, hot and salty. I like the flavouring from the fish cakes and the simplicity of the broth because the soup help to cleanse my palate in between bites of kimbap and tteokbokki.

This was my first time trying tteokbokki. The texture of the rice cake was chewy, squishy and a little gummy. The red gochujang sauce was spicy. I enjoyed the addition of the greens and bits of fish cake in the sauce.

The kimbap is delicious. The spam and crab added a savoury saltiness to each bite. The rice, fluffy egg omelette and tofu were soft and so tasty. The rice was still warm and perfectly cooked. The daikon and pickled carrots added a pleasant sweet and tart crunch. Even the seaweed tasted extra fresh. Of the two kimbaps, I prefer the stronger flavour in the spam roll over the ham version. On our next visit, L wants to try the spicy pork kimbap.

The boong uh bbang was a nice finish to our meal. I enjoyed the subtle flavour in the creamy custard filling. The pastry reminded me of a waffle – spongy and sweet.

We found the food fresh, inexpensive and a healthier alternative than some of our usual takeout choices. Our meal was cheaper than any fast food restaurant and infinitely better quality. Hitting the Sauce gives Sso Yummy two phat thumbs up.

Banh Mi · Cheap Eats · Chinatown · Vietnamese

Trung Nguyen – Banh Mi

April 27, 2021June 8, 2021 Hitting the Sauce1 Comment

I found out Banh Mi Girl’s aunt owns Trung Nguyen in Chinatown. I used to eat here all the time, but for some reason (Thi Thi), I had forgotten about it. On Sunday, L and I were picking up frozen dim sum from Chuen May, so I stopped by next door to pick up some banh mi. Since I’m feeling celebratory, let’s listen to “Party Up” by DMX.

Trung Nguyen is cash only. Trung Nguyen is on DoorDash and Skip the Dishes, but if you can, come by to pick it up. Better yet, call ahead of time so you don’t have to wait around.

Trung Nguyen offers non-traditional subs, such as the Buffalo Chicken ($8), Curry Chicken ($8), Pork Riblet ($9) and Ginger Beef ($9). L ordered the Beef Sate ($9) and I stuck with my usual – the Cold Cut Combo ($6.50).

When I unwrapped my sub, I immediately noticed the bread was different from other banh mi shops. Trung Nguyen’s bread actually tastes like a French baguette. The exterior of the baguette has a dark gloss to it and crackles when you bite into it. Out of all the banh mi shops, Trung Nguyen is my favourite for the bread.

The sate beef is a light brown colour. L noted the peanut flavour was prominent. He thought his sub was really good. When I took a bite of his sub, the flavour of cilantro overwhelmed my tastebuds.

I like the proportions in my cold cut. All the ingredients blended in to create the perfect explosion of flavour. There was no dominant ingredient that stood out. For me, pate in a banh mi a must. I’m a fan of Trung Nguyen’s pate – it was saucy with enough earthiness to satiate my tastebuds.

The vegetables are perfect. The cucumbers were so fresh. I loved the tang of the pickled carrots. The rawness of the onions and jalapeño peppers gave the sub texture and a pungent bite.

Size wise, Trung Nguyen subs are smaller than Thi Thi, Saigon Deli, Banh Mi Y and especially My Tho BBQ. However, the perfectly balanced flavours and proportions makes up for what it lacks in size. The portion is ideal for a light lunch or a heavy snack.

The female owner is a real sweetheart. When I asked if they still sold their duck banh mi, she gave me her business card and told me to call her beforehand. She makes the duck herself, but it takes considerable prep time for her to prepare. I’ve tried the duck banh mi before – it is delicious and worth requesting.

If you are a die-hard Thi Thi fan like me, you can get around being disloyal. It’s not cheating if you visit Trung Nguyen on a Sunday because Thi Thi is only open Monday to Saturday. If you haven’t been, check them out.

Chinatown · Korean · Restaurants

No Man’s Dinner – Moon Korean BBQ

February 16, 2020March 14, 2020 Hitting the Sauce1 Comment

On Thursday, @loaf2go and I hosted our third No Man’s Dinner at Moon Korean BBQ. We named this dinner “Lovers’ Feast” because the event was the night before Valentine’s Day and we wanted to order from the all-you-can-eat menu. For this post, let’s listen to “Love Machine” by The Miracles.

Originally, our reservation was for 12 guests. By noon that day, one member said she was sick. A couple of hours later, another member said something came up. Loaf2go, T, YYCFoodiePak and Mr. YYCFoodie arrived early at Moon Korean BBQ. I arrived two minutes before 6:30 p.m. Pink Baller arrived exactly on time. True to her name, Pink Baller brought a cake from Wow Bakery.

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Loaf2go, YYCFoodiePak and I were excited to finally meet Pink Baller. We all follow her on Instagram and I’m intrigued with her travel posts. I like to be frugal when I travel, so I enjoy living vicariously through her. In her last trip, I followed her fancy footsteps to top restaurants, helicopter excursions, and a Vegas Knights hockey game.

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By 7:00 p.m., I made the executive decision to order our food, even though Seashell and her guest were absent. We ordered from the basic all-you-can-eat menu ($24.50): fried chili tofu; Korean vegetarian pancake; braised pork side ribs; sweet and sour pork; spicy pork bulgogi; spicy beef bulgogi; pork ribs; spicy pork bulgogi; spicy chicken; kimchi; bean sprouts; sweet potatoes; lettuce; beef udon soup; vegetarian japchae; and cold buckwheat noodles.

Our server told us to order some dishes in smaller quantities as he thought we ordered too much. I’m glad we listened to him because it was a lot of food. Below are pictures I stole from Pink Baller and Loaf2go’s Instagram accounts. All the photos under NoMansDinner are Loaf2go’s photos.

tofu

The fried chili tofu wasn’t that spicy. The exterior was crispy and the tofu on the inside was light with an airy texture. I thought the tofu could have used a little salt.

pancake

The vegetarian pancake was cooked well – each side was nicely crisp. I would have liked it with some seafood or more sauce as I found the flavours muted.

nood pull

Pink Baller and I thought the vegetarian japae noodles were delicious. The noodles were soft and pliable with a sweet, salty, savoury seasoning. The medley of onions and greens were cooked so that it still had a bite to it. Loaf2go noted there was too much white pepper in the noodles.

ribs

The Korean BBQ meats were the best thing on the menu. All the meats arrived hot and freshly cooked. Our group’s favourite was the pork ribs. The pork was tender and juicy. I’d order the pork ribs and spicy chicken again.

pork

The pork side ribs reminded me of pi gwat – a Chinese dim sum dish of steamed pork ribs with black beans sauce. The ribs were meaty and soft. We were given one condiment to use for our BBQ meats – a reddish sauce that reminded me of Chinese mustard. The meats weren’t heavily seasoned. Loaf2go said for Korean food, she is used to more potency and individual flavour notes within a dish as opposed to one sauce.

pork bones

YYCFoodiePak enjoyed the cold buckwheat noodles. I found the coldness of the buckwheat noodles jarring. I preferred the beef udon. The broth was flavourful and the beef itself was very tasty. The noodles were hot and slippery.

tofu bite

I thought the sweet and sour pork was similar to ginger beef. The pork was cut into strips and battered. The sauce was light and syrupy.

sweet and sour

We were so full, we didn’t order a second round. At this time, we began to play the guilt trip game because no one wanted to eat more but we were worried we would get charged for the leftover food.

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Loaf2go took on the beef udon and complained that she was doing all the eating. I rolled my eyes and said I came on hot and heavy in the beginning of the meal and I ate more than anyone. I could see Pink Baller was tactful and she politely picked at the sweet and sour pork and a pork side rib. T finished up the japae noodles and ate more of the BBQ meats. YYCFoodiePak said she was going to order strawberry ice-cream. She’s not a team player. Mr. YYCFoodie ate more meats and reassured us we wouldn’t get charged for the little amount left on the plates. I could tell he’s done the all-you-can-eat before.

ake

Pink Baller was so sweet to bring a cake to her first No Man’s Dinner. I love combination of the fresh strawberries with whip cream and vanilla sponge cake. Strawberry cake is simplicity at its best. I told Pink Baller she’s invited to my upcoming fried chicken party, an off-the-record No Man’s Dinner event.

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For all-you-can-eat, Moon Korean BBQ doesn’t disappoint. Unlike other similar venues, all the hot food tasted freshly prepared. Stay tuned for the next No Man’s Dinner at Sukiyaki House. However, we are going to have to enforce our house rules. Bring out the Chinese feather duster!

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For those of you who didn’t grow up in a Chinese household, the chicken feather duster is used to discipline children for the slightest infraction. Before my father would use this atrocious device to “clean house” he would solemnly say, “This is going to hurt me more than you.” Based on the expression on his face as he levied the feather duster on our tiny, outstretched hands, he didn’t look like he was suffering.

Brunch · Chinatown · Chinese · New York · Patio · Restaurants · Special Occasion

New York – Bar 54, Ellen’s Stardust Diner and Cheong Fun Cart

April 3, 2019October 10, 2019 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Beep Beep wanted to have a drink at Bar 54. She mentioned the bar was overpriced and touristy, but she wanted to see the rooftop view of Chrysler Building and of lower Manhattan. We toasted to her birthday with an Aperol Spritzer ($26) and a Rosolio Spritz ($26). The spritzer tasted gross and reminded me of cough medicine. Pro-tip – stick to wine. We much preferred our glass of Rodney Strong Knights Valley ($19) over the cocktails. After midnight, we decided to call it a night.

We were about to enter the subway when a dirty looking man peeped through the gate and started babbling in a high-pitched baby voice: “Nooo? Yesss! Nooo? Yesss!” Before I could stop myself, I responded “Noooo.” Subway Guy looked excited and repeated “Yesss?” I sternly shook my head and said firmly “No!” Since we hadn’t entered through the gate, he assumed we were looking for another train. He said if we went up the stairs and to the left, the other train would be there. I didn’t like his eagerness and the fact he wanted to continue our ‘conversation’ so we pretended to exit. When I heard him take off, we returned to wait for our train. There was another guy there who there who half-heartedly muttered, “Noooo? Yesss!” We ignored him. For this post, let’s listen to Trouble by Pink.

A minute before our train arrived, Subway Guy came back and told his friend he couldn’t find us. I pulled my large black hood over my head. Beep Beep whispered, “Your disguise sucks. You are not fooling anyone.” She was right because Subway Guy spotted me and said something that is so obscene, I will not repeat it. I’ve already said too much. My father reads my blog. Knowing Ludwig, he will tell on me to my mother. I know I’m going to get a flurry of emails from Boss Lady telling me to quit creating drama and getting into trouble. Sorry ma, old habits die hard.

On the way home, Beep Beep really had to pee. She ran ahead and then would stop, crouch down with her knees pressed together and bellow “Nooo?” Then she turned around to face me and coo, “Yesss!” I doubled over with laughter and couldn’t breathe or walk until she stopped mimicking the Subway Guy. Omigod, we are so immature.

The next morning, Beep Beep woke me up at 6:30 a.m. so we would to make it to Ellen’s Stardust Diner by 7:00 a.m. Ellen’s is known for its singing wait staff. Beep Beep ordered the Smoked Salmon Plate ($20). The cook forgot to put the cream cheese on the bagel. Our server was absent so she ate her bagel without any cream cheese.

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I wasn’t feeling well, so I ordered a ginger ale and a Fresh Fruit Cup ($9). I found the assortment of cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes and pineapple incredibly fresh and sweet. Beep Beep took a bite and said it was normal fruit, I was just hung over. I ordered a latte ($6.50) that tasted like it come out of a vending machine from the 90s. Beep Beep said I should have just drank her latte, because she didn’t like it either.

I enjoyed the confetti that fluttered down from the ceiling. Some of the wait staff differed in charisma, but I enjoyed listening to them sing. A staffer came come out and gave a long story about how hard the staff worked to both sing and bring your food, so donations for their singing classes would be appreciated. The suggested additional tip was $20 bucks.

Before we left for the airport, we stopped by Union Square Farmer’s Market, Little Italy and Chinatown. Beep Beep wanted us to try the Cheong Fun Cart. After using Google maps, I found it. Beep Beep asked a waiting customer if this was the famous Cheong Fun Cart. I knew the lady Beep Beep asked had no clue. I looked up the cart on Yelp to confirm the pictures of the cart and location. The lady said no, we needed to go to a cart that was ten minutes away. I told Beep Beep this was the right cart and showed her the matching pictures I found.

Beep Beep freaked out because there was only a small slit through the metal cart where the vendor’s face would pop out to ask you what you wanted. The elderly woman working there was tiny, and it looked like there was enough room for her and her husband. I requested two small cheong funs ($1.50), one with pork and the other with chicken and an egg (50 cents). I added green onions and requested no cilantro.

Oh my goodness. If you are into the texture and subtle flavours of Chinese dim sum, you’ll love these silky pools of noodles. The noodles are made fresh for you, and it was everything I was craving. Steaming hot, soft with little specks of meat and sauce to give it the right amount of savoury, salty flavour. Next time I’d omit the egg as I found texture of the yolk too dry. I would also add hot sauce. Since Beep Beep and I were sharing, I didn’t add any.

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Cheong Fun Cart was one of our favourite eats in New York. When Beep Beep complained again about the work conditions, I informed her that the woman working in the cart was the owner, so it was her decision. If she wanted to unionize, she could. Besides, after only three days in the Big Apple, I too would want to be enclosed in a metal container to protect me from being spat on, hustled or spoken to in an indecent manner.

Before we left for the airport, Beep Beep found me a Trader’s Joe store so I could stock up Everything But the Bagel seasoning and Mushroom & Company Multi-Purpose Umami Seasoning Blend . Happy 40th birthday Beep Beep! I had an amazing time with you.

Cheap Eats · Chinatown · Chinese · Restaurants

Ho Won – Lobster and Wine

February 2, 2019October 17, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

It’s a small world. It turns out Bottlenick knows the daughter of the chef at Ho Won, aka the flash-fried squid magician. If you don’t recall my fake news blunder on Reddit, you can read it here.

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Bottlenick, L and I decided to visit for dinner when the Magician was working. Pro tip – you can bring your own wine for a small corkage fee. Bottlenick said he would bring a bottle of bubbly. For this post, let’s listen to Amy Winehouse’s song, “Fuck Me Pumps”.

I asked my friend the Wine Wizard what sort of wine pairs best with fried squid. He recommended something that has great acidity like a Riesling or an Austrian white called Gruner Veltliner. I went to Highlander Liquor store to shop for something that fit that description. An employee recommended Weingut Robert Weil – Klosterberg Klosterberg ($48).

I thought I was quite clever to wrap a wet tea towel around my bottle and then to freeze it so that the icy cloth would keep the wine cold. However, when I arrived at the restaurant, my dripping brown bag alarmed the servers. Pro-tip – get a reusable cold bottle sleeve like Bottlenick.

Bottlenick popped open his bottle first. Got to say, I preferred his pick over mine. I thought the dryness of his sparkling wine worked better with the squid than my Riesling, which was a tad sweet and I thought for the price, wasn’t anything special.

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We ordered pea tips, lobster with fried noodles and salt and pepper squid. The first to arrive at our table were the pea tips. Bottlenick was expecting a more dainty dish – not the luscious, vibrant greens that we received. Pea tips taste like a hybrid mix of peas, spinach and gai lan (Chinese broccoli). I love the delicate crunch of the stems. I’m not sure how much the lobster or pea tips cost, because L didn’t take the receipt and couldn’t remember how much they cost. Pea tips normally average around $23 dollars a dish.

The fried squid ($13.99) arrived so blistering hot I could feel the heat steam in my mouth. The squid itself was toothsome and not chewy. The batter was stellar – thin, brittle and broke apart when you bit into it. I usually eat fried squid with plain white rice and hot chili sauce. However, I passed on ordering rice because I thought the noodles would be enough.

I haven’t had lobster in a long time. Usually, I’ll wait till I visit my family back in Richmond. The lobster was cracked in such a way that made it easy to remove the sweet meat. The lobster dish with noodles is a must order at Ho Won. The noodles retained its crunch despite the white sauce, which tasted like Alfredo without the cheese.

I prefer the ginger and green onion version as its more fragrant and flavourful. I told Office Dad I never tried the white sauce before and I thought all Cantonese style lobster and crabs were served with the green onion and ginger sauce. He said the white sauce is automatically given to non-Asian customers unless specified. Dammit L and Bottlenick – you got me the wrong sauce.

I remember as a kid, when we went to a Chinese restaurant for a banquet, lobster would be a messier affair. We would use slippery metal lobster crackers to get to the meat. There would be bowls of hot lemon water to wash our fingers afterwards.

At the end of our meal, we received fortune cookies. Bottlenick viciously crushed his cookie and then left it on the table. I don’t think he likes fortune cookies.

At 7:00 pm on a Saturday night, Ho Won was packed. I noticed the majority of the clientele are Asian, which is a good sign that the food is good. The Magician does indeed have special powers. This visit was far superior to the lunches I’ve enjoyed in the past. I’d love to return again, particularly when he is working. Hitting the Sauce gives the Magician two fat thumbs up.

Cheap Eats · Chinatown · Chinese · Comfort food · Restaurants

Ho Won – Ho No!

August 15, 2018May 20, 2021 Hitting the Sauce1 Comment

I started eating at Ho Won since I was hired for my current position, back in November, 2013. I’m a fan of the salt and pepper squid, pork dumplings, ginger beef and pea tips. For this post, let’s listen to “Gossip Folks” by Missy Elliott.

Office Dad came back from the long weekend and told me Ho Won was shutting down. I was sad to hear this unfortunate news and immediately went to Reddit to voice my despair.

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Reddit is a powerful medium to spread information or in my case, misinformation. As you can see, the “news” spread fast.

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When I read that staff confirmed that the restaurant was not closing, I called Office Dad in a panic. Of course he didn’t pick up or text me back. The next day he came over to my pod, scratched his head and asked me why I posted the info on Reddit. I responded that Ho Won is an institution and customers would miss it and want to go back before it closed. I asked him to stop redirecting the conversation and to answer me. He exercised his right to remain silent.

I rounded up the troop: Asian Persuasion, Lil Strawberry, Lam Jam, Legal and Aye Caramba. Office Dad couldn’t go. He acted all mysterious but I found out later it was because he wanted to leave early. Deeclan bailed after promising she would go. She said she forgot she had a coffee date with a friend.

Initially, I ordered a medium bowl of Fish Maw Soup ($10), Chicken Chow Mein ($9.99), Ginger Beef ($12.99) and Salt and Pepper Squid ($13.99). Our server told me that I had to more one more dish. I said “What? But I ordered a total of four dishes.” She looked at me and shook her head. “You got six here. You need to order at least one more dish.” Okay boss! I added the Special Fried Rice ($9.99).

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The fish soup was served nice and hot. The bowl was filled with fish maw, egg whites, and little pieces of crab. Everyone at the table except for me added soy sauce. This was a real Joy Luck Club moment. You know, the scene when the Rich puts soy sauce all over the Waverly mother’s famous steamed fish dish. Jesus Rich. You’ve got terrible manners. I thought the fish maw soup was great on its own, with just a little white pepper to accent the delicate flavours.

The squid at Ho Won is legendary. This time around, I noticed the batter wasn’t as light and crispy. I could also taste a little uncooked batter. I’ve eaten squid here at least 15 times, and this was a first. Maybe the chef knew I was the person on Reddit that started the rumour. I’m paranoid.

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Asian Persuasian enjoyed the fried rice. I thought the rice was a tad overcooked, but it was tasty. There was lots of chopped and whole shrimp, peas and egg whites. We wanted hot sauce to liven up the dish, but we couldn’t get the attention of our server. We gave up after ten minutes. If you haven’t already noticed, the portions are huge.

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The table’s favourite dish was the ginger beef. The platter was piled high with tender, generously sized pieces of beef. Aye Caramba and Legal mentioned that they could actually taste the ginger in it. Too often, ginger beef tastes like candied meat. The batter was light and retained it’s crunch up to the very end. The sweetness of the sauce reminded me of honey.

Ginger Beef

The chicken chow mein was also a big portion of food. There was ample sauce to soften the noodles and a generous amount of chicken, sprouts and mushrooms. I would pass on the noodles in the future.

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For five dishes and a 20% tip, we paid $12.00 per person. I’m glad Ho Won is still around and the information I received was just gossip. Looking forward to organizing the next food adventure with my office mates.