Where's Kal? Anyone know? Hmmm.....

Bill

hey bear.... have you seen Kal?

i'2 that is so funny. If it is at all possible to be in SF for our anniversary, which will have to be a last minute decision...

I was wondering what it would be like surrounded by the likes of Kal and bear9! They both have such a similar sense of humour and love of puns. I'm exhausted just thinking about being in the middle of their wild bantering.

I wonder who would win the best gams contest!!!

Hopeful but doubtful.
'lani

Hi guys! Sorry I haven't posted in a while-been traveling for business. I am still planning on coming to this GTG although after looking at the menu, I am beginning to wonder if I should!! LOL

Luckily for you all, I will eat almost everthing but I may have to draw the line on duck feet. Not real sure about pig knuckles either.

Melissa-I had asked you about the LA GTG because I thought I might be up there for work (I live closer to San Diego). So wasn't sure I wanted to drive to Farmers Market on a Saturday since I will meet you in SF on 4/23. However, I might still be up for LA on the 19th. Will have to see when the time gets a little closer.

Iceeu2:

Sorry bud, no Kal this far south. Ya think Kal fell?

Kealalani: Gams contest? …with Kal? My Gammy and his Gammy were sitting by the fire…. that one?

I quit wearing mini-skirts long ago.

Well hellooo! Or is it chee hooo?

Seems like every time I'm away, the wacko Fodorites are having WAAAY too much fun!

Back from Los Angeles and here's a mini restaurant report on - what else? - xiao long bao or XLB for short.

1. First off, choice of which XLB restaurant in LA?

The choice: Din Tai Fung (in San Gabriel)

This is an international chain with it's first location being in Taipei, Taiwan and billed by tne NY Times (no less) as one of the "top ten restaurants in the world". This chain was first taken internationally into Japan and now has at least five locations in Japan: Tokyo, Yokohama, etc. and also has locations in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

And now in the US! In Los Angeles! How can one not go to such a famous restaurant and sample its famous XLB?

2) The founder was from SHANXI.

This piece of news gave me mucho pause. Shanxi is a province way in the interior of China. It is nowhere near Shanghai. This is like having Texas barbeque made by someone from Alaska (who's probably never been to Texas). Wouldn't this make you pause too?

3. The dishes ordered at Din Tai Fung:

a. Shanghai Rice Cake ($7.00)
b. Juicy Pork Dumplings (10 ea) ($6.75)
c. Vegetarian Dumplings (10) ($6.75)
d. Juicy Pork/Crab Dumplings (10) ($8.50)
e. Shrimp & Pork Shiaomai (10) ($8.50)
f. Stir fry string beans ($8.50)

4. The Eating Experience

a. The Shanghai rice cake dish turned out way too salty. The rice cakes were bathed in soy sauce and my hair stood on end from the saltiness. I know Shanghai cooking can be salty, but to pour a whole ocean of salt into one dish? (And the rice cakes were a little too much on the limp side and not chewy enough for my personal taste)

b. Juicy pork dumplings (XLB) - the juice was superb, the filling totally tasteless, the skin was thin and didn't get in the way of tasting the rest of the package. On a scale of A to F, I'd rate this a C.

The dipping sauce of vinegar and shredded ginger was good. The vinegar was reddish-brown, not "black", so was not Chekiang vinegar.

c. Vegetarian dumplings - these turned out to be the worst vegetarian dumplings I have ever had. The inside was completely dry and tasted like sawdust. We each had one or a bite of one and left the rest in the steamer basket. The waiter wanted to know if we wanted to have the left overs as take home and we told him no and why not. He apologized profusely - not his fault.

d. Juicy pork/crab dumplings - these were better than the plain pork dumplings, but just a tad. The filling tasted a bit better, but the juice was less tasty. All in all, another wash - out.

e. Shrimp & Pork Shiaomai - on, my heavens! What a GREAT dish! The pork was on the bottom, and the shrimp on top, BUT right at the bottom of the filling was a small pocket of juice! This was the best juice by far of all the juices we tasted! Yes! This dish can be recommended!

f. String beans - this is a favorite order of ours and we like the beans to be bright and crunchy. These beans tasted old and tired, they were limp with fatigue. Way overcooked. Taste was OK if a bit soggy.

5. Summary

Would I recommend this restaurant? Probably not. At least not the LA branch.

This situation comes from having someone who is not from Shanghai do an almost purely Shanghai menu. Fame does not always guarantee excellence. The restaurant was packed and had waiting lines out the door. I almost felt sorry for these people who were not going to get an authentic Shanghai dining experience, but I'm just an outsider in LA.

So, the hunt is still on to find a good XLB restaurant in LA the next time I'm down that way.

Meanwhile, if you can make it, do come to Shanghai House! I hope their XLB remain as good as the day Shanghainese and I tried them! ><

ET:

ET: Hats off to you, you have become the ultimate XLB expert!

Once you go ducks feet, you won't retreat. ~gt;

Shainghainese, thanks for pointing me to this thread. Unlike most of you, I am very new to Fodorites, but enjoy reading and participating. Would love to meet all the local Fodorites at the GTG but unfortunately I am not available that day. Hopefully I can make the next GTG.

No worries, Paulchili, I am probably the newbie among all the veterans on this thread.

You guys are whacky

Feet, knuckles... are you ordering by body parts? No need to reply to this

Faina-Welcome back. How was Copper Canyon?

The views were great! I hope to get to the report this weekend. Maybe the photos are ready - will go after work. They should make a CD, I can e-mail them. Interesting trip, learned a lot about Mexico.

Now San Francisco and this food fight

Can't wait for the food fight although we may be throwing things that we don't even know what they are!! Or maybe, that would be a good way to get rid of these of these food items that we can't really identify.

AAACK. Easytraveler, can you email me again? I just changed computers and have misplaced your email address. I now have my hotel information.

BTW, everyone...no joke, I had chicken feet for lunch today. Deeeeeeelicious.

I haven't kept up with all of the banter on this 'thread' with (how many posts?). BUT I do want to let you know I am still in for the 23rd. When you do a final count, count me in. (I just can't keep up with all the back and forth banter

Faina: WELCOME BACK! It's good to have you back! Looking forward to another one of your wonderful trip reports!

Paula: So glad you are planning on coming! Another good Fodorite meeting like the last time!

Mels: I'll get you the email as soon as I can leave the Fodors forums (which probably wouldn't be any time too soon - LOL!)

Valerie: Say, that's GREAT news! We'll definitely save you a seat!

Shanghainese: You and I will have to go on an East Bay XLB hunt someday! We need your sophisticated, experienced tongue to tell us whether this is the genuine article or not. BTW: since Mels has already had her chicken feet fix, do you suppose we could eliminate that from our menu? *

Somebody please pass me a Tsingtao! (now that I am over them margaritas )

and start a new thread for headcount, this one is too long!

Signed: self-appointed hall monitor

Valerie: No worries, you ARE counted in.

Faina: People can keep bantering on this thread. I'll make a reservation next week with an approx. head count, and start a new thread around the middle of the month for headcount only (that's what the title will be)!

ET: I can't control Mels feet fetish, someone has to be appointed the food fight monitor!

Sadly shanghai restuarants are so few in the east bay, we might have to expand our hunt to the south bay.