A Return to the Temple: Joe's Shanghai

Restaurant	Joe's Shanghai
Address	136-21 37th St Flushing, NY 11354 718 539-3838 http://www.joeshanghairestaurants.com/
Hours	Mon-Thurs, Sun 11am-11pm Fri-Sat 11am-12 midnight
Cuisine	Shanghai
Scotch	Springbank 10

Joe's Shanghai in Flushing was the temple to which Wise Woman took Young CA Scotch Chick in order to teach her the craft. In those days, its Xie Fen Xiao Long Bao (Crab Meat with Pork Meat Steamed Buns) were the highest art, and their other dishes, such as Clams in Black Bean Sauce, Lion's Head Meatballs and Braised Pork Shoulder were superb. It was not uncommon for the instruction to reach such a level of intensity that the waiters had to open extra leaves on the table to accommodate all of the dishes. 

A visit to Joe's Shanghai before CA Scotch Chick caught the flight to California was not a given, however. Like many great restaurants Joe's Shanghai was a victim of its own success for awhile. With lines out the door at their Flushing branch, the owners decided to launch two new branches during the late 90's, one in Chinatown and one in Midtown. The quality of Joe's Shanghai cuisine immediately began to decline. The skins on the Xiao Long Bao no longer had the proper consistency, and the dumplings lacked the necessary soupiness. Moreover, dish after dish on the menu fell short, until Wise Woman had no other option but to declare Joe's Shanghai to be unworthy. 

The situation changed when Joe's Shanghai suffered a fire. Wise Woman decided to return on its reopening, and discovered the food to be much improved. While the Xiao Long Bao were not all the way back to their original glory, they had the proper skin consistency, and they were plump and flavorful. The other dishes seemed to have improved as well. This trip was the first time CA Scotch Chick had returned to Joe's Shanghai since it made its way back into Wise Woman's good graces.

The tables no long have leaves for opening, but this was to be a meal of small eats before the flight. Upon sitting down, Wise Woman ordered the Xie Fen Xiao Long Bao so that they could get started on it. She then perused the menu and chose for our tasting pleasure, Shredded Chicken with Vermicelli, Sliced Kidneys with Mixed Vegetables, Shanghai Fried Flat Noodles, and Dou Sha Guo Bing (Sweet Red Bean Pancake). Since this was a light meal, CA Scotch Chick would recommend Springbank 10 as the scotch. It is equally light and pleasant.

The Xie Fen Xiao Long Bao were delectable. The crab taste is much stronger than those at Nan Xian Dumpling House, making it almost a different dish. The skins were excellent, not too thick and not mealy, and the dumplings were brimming with soup. Moreover, Joe's Shanghai uses the larger bamboo steamers providing the necessary buffer between dumplings so that they will not stick together.

Xie Fen Xiao Long Bao

The Shredded Chicken with Vermicelli and the Sliced Kidneys were fine if one is a fan. CA Scotch Chick does not ordinarily care of kidneys but these were firm yet tender and flavorful. The Shredded Chicken was a sesame based nice light dish. Both were flavorful, but CA Scotch Chick would not go out of her way to seek them out.

Shredded Chicken on Left, Kidneys on Right

Joe's Shanghai used to have some of the best twice fried noodles around. Alas, Wise Woman reports that these are still not up to standard. Consequently, she ordered the Shanghai Fried Flat Noodles. These had an excellent chewy consistency and were very flavorful. 

The meal concluded with Dou Sha Guo Bing, (Sweet Red Bean Pancake). As indicated in the Nan Shian Dumpling House review (a.k.a. Noodle House), these are very difficult to do right. It is easy to create a dish that is crispy on the outside but undercooked in the inner layers. Joe's Shanghai used to produce consistently perfect Dou Sha Guo Bing. Their efforts this time were not up to their earlier standards, but they were better than most and much better than those at Nan Shian Dumpling House.

Dou Sha Guo Bing

Overall, Ca Scotch Chick would agree that Joe's Shanghai is once again worthy. Although she didn't partake in most of her earlier favorites, the food was consistently good and the Xiao Long Bao were fantastic. 

A Final Lesson: Tung Shing House

Restaurant: Tung Shing House

Address: 97-45 Queens Blvd

Rego Park, NY 11374

718 275-0038

www.tung-shing-house.com

Hours: Mon-Fri 12 noon - 10 pm

Sat - Sun 4 pm - 10 pm

Cuisine: Shanghai

Scotch:* The Glenlivet 12 and Glenfidditch 12

*available from the bar

After CA Scotch Chick's abominable ability to evaluate the Beijing Ya (Peking Duck) at Elite Chef, Wise Woman decided that our pupil needed a little Remedial Wise Woman Training. Consequently, the final dinner of the week was scheduled for Tung Shing House, a restaurant known for its Bejing Ya.

Tung Shing House is one of the few Chinese restaurants CA Scotch Chick has visited that has single malt whisky available. One can order both The Glenlivet 12 and Glenfidditch 12 from the bar. While these two are not on the list of the Scotch Chix favorite scotches, they are acceptable. The meal had some pretty powerful flavors, so CA Scotch Chick chose Glenfidditch 12 since it would be better suited to complement and not be overwhelmed by the food.

Wise Woman and her son were once again in charge of the menu. They ordered Sha Guo Yu Tou (fish head soup), Dan Dan Mian (spicy noodles), Hot and Spicy Prawn, Scallop with Black Pepper, Go Ba (sizzling rice), and, of course, Beijing Ya.

Beijing Ya should be the first main dish to arrive at the table, but the waiters indicated that there would be a slight delay and asked if it was permissible for it to conclude the meal with the dish. Wise Woman agreed and the meal was launched with the Fish Head Soup. This is one of CA Scotch Chick's favorite dishes. The head and shoulders of a large fish provide the foundation for broth, and the soup is filled with chunks of fish, mushrooms, veggies and rice noodles. This dense, slightly spicy soup is pure ambrosia. Tung Shing House's was excellent – not quite as spicy as CA Scotch Chick would have liked, but nevertheless rich and flavorful. It was a fantastic start to the meal.

Fish Head Soup

Things got a little interesting when the other dishes started arriving. Wise Woman's other son is a friend of the owner of Tung Shing House, and it is a restaurant Wise Woman and her family frequent. However, they had not been there in several weeks. Some time during that period, the management must have been feeling the economic pinch and decided that smaller serving sizes were the best way to compensate. With the exception of the Fish Head Soup and the Beijing Ya, the portions that arrived were either ridiculously small or contained laughable amounts of main ingredient. Although, the food was still excellent, this attempt to pinch pennies was unwise.

The Dan Dan Mian had gone from being a serving for four to one for two, so Wise Woman had to order two additional bowls for the table. Still, it was quite tasty - spicy without being overbearing. The Hot and Spicy Prawn was mostly sauce, with only half a dozen prawns sprinkled throughout. What were there were what CA Scotch Chick had been wishing for at Elite Chef. They were just a little bit sweet with rich spices as the prevalent flavors. The Scallop with Black Pepper was served in a small dish to make it look like there was more than there was. It was, nevertheless, flavorful and left the diner with a happy black pepper taste on the palate.

Dan Dan Mian and Prawns

The Go Ba, in particular, was a farce. Go Ba, Sizzling Rice, is made by frying several rice cakes until crispy, placing them on a hot metal serving dish, and pouring filling over them. The usual complaint with Go Ba is that the rice cakes are not crispy enough so they become soggy. The complaint at the table on Saturday night was that there were no rice cakes – at all. What arrived was simply a small amount of topping with a few rice crispy like crumbs sprinkled on top. This state of affairs necessitated a call for the owner, who was not on site. A conference was held with the manager instead. CA Scotch Chick was not privy to the discussion, so she does not know why such an important element of the dish was missing. However, the the Go Ba was removed from the table and from the bill.

The Go Ba Before it Was Removed

With the lead up to the Beijing Ya demonstrating such disappointing results, CA Scotch Chick feared the venerable dish would also show signs of difficulties in the kitchen. Her fears were not realized. The Beijing Ya that appeared really was a lesson in what a Peking Duck should be. The skin was so light and crispy that it actually made crackling noises in the pancake. The pancakes were the flat kind and while not the best CA Scotch Chick has had, at least were plentiful. The restaurant also provided the table with the appropriate Tianmian Jiang Sauce. Since the entire purpose of the trip was to educate CA Scotch Chick's palate, she studied diligently – taking part in lesson after lesson.

Beijing Ya with Flat Pancakes

Despite the success of the Beijing Ya and the Fish Head Soup, Wise Woman and her family indicated that they wouldn't be back any time soon. CA Scotch Chick expressed the opinion that if she lived in New York, she would return for the Fish Head Soup and the Beijing Ya. This opinion was met with shakes of the head – a restaurant that is not worthy, is simply not worthy. As the family filed to the car, Wise Woman gestured to a restaurant across the street and indicated that the chef from Tung Shing House had quit about a year ago and set up shop in direct competition. "We'll go there next time. You need to learn!" The tutelage continues!

Play Time Resumes: Nan Shian Dumpling House a.k.a. Noodle House

Restaurant	Nan Shian Dumpling House
Address	38-12 Prince St Flushing, NY 11354
Hours
Cuisine	Northern Breakfast
Scotch	Oban 14

With her pesky work responsibilities behind her, CA Scotch Chick was able to resume her play time with Wise Woman on Saturday morning. They began with a visit to Nan Shian Dumpling House.

Nan Shian Dumpling House serves traditional Northern Breakfast, some of the best Xie Fen Xiao Long Bao (Steamed Crab Pork Buns) in Flushing, and a surprisingly simple noodle that is out of this world – Cong Yo Ban Mian. For a scotch accompaniment, CA Scotch Chick would recommend Oban 14. It has the kind of body and rich flavor that is perfect for this carb rich food and the cold weather it originated from.

Northern Breakfast reflects its chilly origins. It is hearty fare, heavy on warm liquids and carbohydrates. One of the staples of this cuisine is warm soy milk. This lovely liquid is served in a bowl, either sweet or salty, and is traditionally accompanied by a long crueller shaped fried dough called You Tiao. One dips the dough in the soy milk in the manner in which one would dip a cookie in the United States. Nan Shian Dumpling House serves an excellent Northern Breakfast. The You Tiao comes fresh and not too greasy, and the soy milk is silky and flavorful. 

Soy Milk and You Tiao

Xiao Long Bao is a sublime dumpling brimming with meat and soup. One takes the dumpling, places it on one's spoon and carefully attempts to navigate the eating process without breaking the dumpling and spilling a drop of the precious liquid. This dish is extremely difficult to do well. The soup is key; it must be plentiful and flavorful to give the dumpling the appropriate juiciness. As well, a restaurant must be able to create a perfect skin to contain that soup without making it too thick. Cat fights have broken out on food forums over the relative merits of the Xiao Long Bao at different establishments, including those at Nan Shian Dumpling House and Joe's Shanghai. The crab version Xie Fen Xiao Long Bao is a true delicacy.

Xiao Long Bao

Nan Shian Dumpling House's Xie Fen Xiao Long Bao is definitely worthy. These dumplings are juicy and have an excellent skin. While the crab overtures are not very strong, the meat has a robust flavor. CA Scotch Chick's only complaint is that the restaurant used too small of a bamboo steamer. If Xiao Long Bao touch during the cooking process, it is extremely difficult to extricate them from their neighbors without breaking them. The key is to wet the conjoined sides by dribbling soy sauce  along the seam and to exercise extreme patience while gently pulling them apart. Almost all of the Xiao Long Bao at Nian Shin Dumpling House required careful removal.

As noteworthy as the Xiao Long Bao at Nian Shin Dumpling House is, their best dish is a seemingly nondescript offering, but what lurks below its mild manner surface is truly amazing. The dish is called Cong Yo Ban Mian (Noodle with Scallion Sauce), and it consists of noodles and a simple brown sauce with scallions fried in oil. When it arrives at the table it resembles spaghetti with soy sauce, but when one stirs it the oil from the scallions adheres to the noodles giving them a remarkable toothiness. The sauce is subtle and very tasty. This is a dish CA Scotch Chick has never found anywhere else, and it alone is worth the trip to Nian Shin Dumpling House.

Cong You Ban Mian in Rear

Dou Sha Guo Bing in Front

A perfect accompaniment for Cong You Ban Mian is Cong You Bing. Nian Shin Dumpling House does this multi- layer scallion pancake quite well. While CA Scotch Chick prefers it to be a bit saltier, it is airy and crispy - a perfect dipping companion for the Cong You Mian. 

Cong You Bing

Our heroines ended their meal with Dou Sha Guo Bing (Red Bean Pancake) a sweet desert that can be very good if done well but lends itself to a soggy center. Alas, Nan Shiang Dumpling House undercooked theirs. Overall, however, the trip to Nan Shiang Dumpling House was a very satisfying return to play time. It is definitely worthy of a trip to Flushing.

 

In Search of Tasty Treats: Bing

Upon returning to Flushing after a hard day's work, any thoughts of dinner sometimes seemed a little superfluous, particularly on the days when CA Scotch Chick had overindulged with Wise Woman before setting off to the city. Not one to miss an chance for Flushing food, however, CA Scotch Chick seized the evening opportunities to do a little Tasty Treat research. 

One of the primary meccas for Tasty Treats in Flushing is the Flushing Mall. Mall food has a very different connotation in Chinese countries than it does in the US. Rather than filling their food courts with ubiquitous greasy fast food establishments and chain restaurants, the food courts in Taiwan and China replicate markets, with small stands that serve up often excellent food. If one is stranded in a Chinese city with no local to provide inside information on decent eats, scoping out the nearest mall's food court is a pretty safe bet.

The Flushing Mall has adopted this approach to food courts. The stands that line its lower level are decent, and a couple reach the level of pretty darn good. For Tasty Treats they offer two of CA Scotch Chix favorites: Taiwanese Bao Bing (shaved ice) at Shui Ba (S&C Food and Beverage, Inc) and DeliManjoo cream buns.  CA Scotch Chick set off in pursuit of these goodies on Monday evening.

Sentosa, a Malaysian restaurant near the Flushing Mall on Prince street, provides some very real competition to the Taiwanese Bao Bing stand. Since Sentosa is a full blown restaurant, it offers an extensive menu. CA Scotch Chick was not in the mood for a great deal of food after the Cage Match on Tuesday, but she could not pass up Sentosa's Roti Canai (crispy style pancake with curry chicken and potato dipping sauce) appetizer.

For one's sipping pleasure, the Scotch Chix would pair bing with any of the Bruichladdich line. Their sweetness make them a perfect desert scotch. If one were only opting for Sentosa's Roti Canai, the Scotch Chix would fill their Trusty Hip Flasks with Caol Ila. Its light peat would make a perfect accompaniment.

Tasty Treats Part 1: DeliManjoo and Bao Bing

The Bing Stand

Restaurant	DeliManjoo and Shui Ba Bing Stand
Address	Flushing Mall 133-31 39th Ave Flushing, NY 11354
Hours
Cuisine	Tasty Treats
Scotch	Bruichladdich

The caramelized sugar odors of DeliManjoo's cream buns great visitors at the door of the Flushing mall. This little hot and yummy sponge cake has just a tad of creamy filling on the inside, making it moist but not mushy. They are served in bagfuls of twelve or twenty-four. Patience is the watchword when digging into this Tasty Treat because if one does not allow them to cool just a bit, one risks blistering portions of one's palate. CA Scotch Chick always stops by the DeliManjoo cart on her way to the pick up Taiwanese Bao Bing from Shui Ba (S&C Food and Beverage, Inc) so that they have an opportunity to cool.

DeliManjoo Cream Bun

Taiwanese Bao Bing is a snow cone on steroids without the artificial taste. Shaved ice with brown sugar syrup on top acts as the base, and toppings range from peanuts (either as they come or boiled), to sweetened condensed milk, to fruit, to red and green beans, to boba (little chewy balls), to various jellos and  jellys. 

Toppings at the Bing Stand

Shui Ba offers Taiwanese Bao Bing four ways, meaning one gets to chose four toppings. One pays at the little cash register in the middle of the food court then takes the slip over to the Bao Bing stand. On Monday, CA Scotch Chick topped her bing with sweetened condensed milk, boba, a multi-colored jello, and peanuts. As an aside, the Shui Ba offers a variety of other confections, such as soft serve ice cream, but CA Scotch Chick has always maintained her focus.

Taiwanese Bao Bing

The Bao Bing was good but not excellent. CA Scotch Chick likes just a tad more brown syrup, and she enjoys Bao Bing with hard peanuts rather than the boiled version. The DeliManjoo's cream buns were just the right temperature and texture, however, and the mixture of warm sponge cake and ice was quite satisfying.

Tasty Treats Part 2: Sentosa's Roti Canai and Ba Bao Bing

Restaurant	Sentosa
Address	39-07 Prince St. Flushing, NY 11354 718 886-6331
Hours
Cuisine	Malaysian
Scotch	Bruichladdich/Caol Ila

A trip to Sentosa absolutely must start with Roti Canai. This delectable dish consists of an airy nan bread-like pancake that one dips in a rich curry sauce filled with chicken and potatoes. While CA Scotch Chick is an avid believer in sharing, this is one dish that she hoards – her table mates can get their own.

Roti Canai

Sentosa's Ice Kacang ABC (Ba Bao Bing) is in a class by itself. The shaved ice is drenched with red rose syrup and coconut milk, then topped with red bean, corn (yes corn), palm seeds, and jelly. The red rose syrup and coconut milk give the bing a wonderful sweetness. The corn gives it a surprising nutty flavor, and the palm seeds are jelly bean in both shape and chewiness. This mound of icy goodness is the pinacle of the bing genre. It is worth running the gauntlet of Sentosa's indifferent service and slightly inflated bing prices. There is simply nothing like it.

Ba Bao Bing

Dim Sum Cage Match - In this Corner, Ocean Jewels Seafood Restaurant

Restaurant	Ocean Jewels Seafood Restaurant
Address	13330 30th Avenue Flushing, NY 718 359-8600 www.oceanjewelsrestaurant.com
Hours	Mon-Thurs 10 am - 12 am Fri 10 am - 1 am Sat 9 am - 1 am Sun 9 am - 12 am
Cuisine	Cantonese Dim Sum
Scotch	Highland Park

Up first is Ocean Jewels Seafood Restaurant, one of the reigning champions of the Flushing Dian Xin (Dim Sum) scene. It has an established reputation for excellent food and is usually packed by its many fans. It employs the traditional push cart method of presenting dishes. The servers were prompt and courteous and the carts came around quickly.

Round 1 (a Scotch Chick parades around the ring in red stiletto heels holding up a sign): Xian Shui Jiao (football shaped glutinous rice balls filled with pork), Cha Xiao Bao (bbq pork buns), Cha Xiao Su (bbq pork pastries), Chicken Feet, Spare Ribs, Dan-ta (egg custard), and Bitter Melon Glutinous Rice Balls. In addition, throughout the meal servers made the rounds with trays of specials. From these Green Peppers stuffed with Shrimp, Chicken Wings, and Chao Mi Fen (stir fried rice noodles) made the line-up.

Round 1: From Back Left

Back Row: Xian Shui Jiao, Bitter Melon Glutinous Rice Balls

Middle Row: Black Bean Spare Ribs, Chicken Feet, Cha Xiao Su

Front Row: Cha Xiao Bao, Dan-ta

Ocean Jewels came out swinging with their Cha Xiao Bao and Cha Xiao Su. These bbq pork goodies depend on the proper ratio of filling to outside in order to achieve perfection. Ocean Jewels' were small, very tasty and packed with filling: a direct hit.

Xian Shui Jiao is perhaps CA Scotch Chick's favorite Dian Xin treat (which is why it appears twice in the picture). It is soft and savory on the inside and sweet and crunchy on the outside. Ocean Jewels' version was a solid effort. While they skimped a bit on the filling, the outside was perfectly crisp.

Ocean Jewels began to lose some of their momentum with their Chicken Feet and Black Bean Spare Ribs. Because these steamed meats are both eaten by placing the morsel in ones mouth, removing the good parts, and delicately extracting the bones, they must be tender and saucy. The Chicken Feet were just a tad underdone and undersaucy, and the Spare Ribs lacked flavor.

Ocean Jewels made a solid showing in the desert category: Dan-ta and Bitter Melon Glutinous Rice Balls. Dan-ta is usually served in the oval "Portuguese" style or the smaller round style. Ocean Jewels serves the smaller round versions. Their crust was flaky but their custard appeared to lack vanilla. Their Bitter Melon Glutinous Rice Balls are amazing confections packed with black sesame paste and covered with pine nuts (they are anything but bitter). CA Scotch Chick has scoured other cities searching for this tasty treat but has only had them at our two contenders. Ocean Jewels scored a few points for the flaky crust of its Dan-ta but scored big in the Bitter Melon Glutinous Rice Balls division.

The results were mixed with regards to the special: the peppers with shrimp were nice and crisp while the chicken wings were on the limp side. The Chow Mi Fen was excellent, with chewy noodles, crunchy vegetables, and a smoky stir fry sauce.

Chow Mi Fen

Just as CA Scotch Chick was savoring the last Bitter Melon Ball, she noticed Wise Woman glancing with renewed interest at the carts. Because she had heard CA Scotch Chick wax poetically about the Cha Xiao Bao, she scooped up three more buns. She also added an order of bacon wrapped shrimp. Time for Round 2.

Round 2 (a Scotch Chick parades around the ring in red stiletto heels holding a up a sign): Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, a plain bun, Cha Xiao Bao with a custardy top, and steamed Cha Xiao Bao. The Bacon Wrapped Shrimp was scored no points. While it was somewhat flavorful, it lacked the necessary crispiness. One of the buns also gave a score of zero. It was just a plain bun, nothing inside and nothing special. The last two buns really racked up the points, however. They were both entries in the Cha Xiao Bao division. One was a version of Cha Xiao Bao with what CA Scotch Chick thinks to be a thin custard baked on the top. The combination of salt and sweet was fantastic. The other was the steamed version of Cha Xiao Bao. Big points for the filling to outside ratio.

Part of Round 2 From Back Left

Back Row: Green Peppers w/ Shrimp, Cha Xiao Bao w/ Custardy Top

Front Row: Nothing Special Buns, Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Steamed Version of Cha Xiao Bao

Before Wise Woman could renew her interest in the carts and launch Round 3, CA Scotch Chick decided to end this stage of the cage match. She signaled the waiter to tally the bill, snagged the check, and stumbled to the front to pay it. Ocean Jewels made a solid showing. Most of the dishes were quite good and some were excellent. It is going to take some doing to beat them in the Cha Xiao Bao division! Tomorrow, we'll see what the upstart can do.

Dim Sum Cage Match - In this Corner, Jade Asian Restaurant

Restaurant	Jade Asian Restaurant
Address	136-28 39th Avenue Flushing, NY 11354 718 762-8821
Hours
Cuisine	Cantonese Dim Sum
Scotch	Highland Park

The challenger in our Dian Xin (Dim Sum) Cage Match, Jade Asian Restaurant, is a real heavyweight. Pushcarts transverse a huge hall with countless tables, serving up tasty treats to hundreds during its lunch hour business. It burst on the highly competitive Flushing restaurant scene last year, and immediately began gathering a fan base. 

Just some quick notes, CA Scotch Chick was able to snag a copy of their Dian Xin menu, so any English reflects the name they use on their menu. Also our heriones had to share a table, so some of the pictures reflect a need for discretion with other diners present. For purposes of the cage match, food will be discussed not necessarily in the order it was presented, and finally servers came promptly but were not quite as friendly or attentive in the packed hall. 

And, so, Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado, "In this corner Jade Asian Restaurant!"

Round 1 (A Scotch Chick parades around the ring in red stiletto heels holding up a sign): Xian Shui Jiao (Glutinous Rice Dumpling), Cha Xiao Bao (Baked Roasted Pork Bun), Cha Xiao Su (Baked BBQ Pork Cake); Spareribs with Garlic Sauce, Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce, Dan-ta (Baked Egg Custard Tart), and Crispy Bitter Melon Flavor Dumplings Stuffed with Sesame. 

Part of Round 1: From Back Left

Back Row: Steamed Baby Chinese Broccoli

Middle Row: Chicken Feet, Xian Shui Jiao, Spareribs

Front Row: Bitter Melon Balls, Shrimp Dumplings with Pea Tips

The match started off with a flurry of action. CA Scotch Chick didn't think it possible, but the challenger met Ocean Jewels' Cha Xiao Bao and Cha Xiao Su blow for blow. Their bbq offerings were just as small and packed with filling as the champion's. These fighters have an true appreciation for the proper ratio!

It was also a draw in the Xian Shui Jiao (Glutinous Rice Dumpling) category, but not quite as exciting. While both contenders' crispy crusts scored high points, they lost points for a scarcity of filling.

Jade Asian Restaurant had Ocean Jewels reeling in the Sparerib and Chicken Feet category. Both dishes were tender, and the Chicken Feet's sauce was far superior to that of Ocean Jewels.

 

As they approached deserts, the contenders circled each other warily in the Dan-ta category. Both were nicely flaky, but both lacked something in the custard. However, in a surprising show of strength, our challenger slammed Ocean Jewels with their Crispy Bitter Melon Flavor Dumplings. While these plain looking tasty treats lacked the pine nuts, and were much bigger than Ocean Jewels' offerings, they were positively sublime.

On to Round 2 (A Scotch Chick parades around the ring in red stiletto heels holding up a sign): Steamed Cha Xiao Bao (Steamed Roasted Pork Bun), and what CA Scotch Chick believes was the Creamy Egg Yolk Bun.

Once again the competitors went blow to blow in the Cha Xiao Bao category. Jade Asian Restaurant's steamed version was excellent. 

The next part of the round was slightly skewed by a misjudgment on the part of the referee. When CA Scotch Chick saw what looked like the Cha Xiao Bao with custard on top coming by, she quickly flagged down the cart. However, while the buns looked the same, and the outsides were the same, the inside of the bun at Jade Asian Restaurant was custard rather than pork. While it scores points for yumminess, it didn't quite land the blow that the combination of salt and savory did at Ocean Jewels. Since the Cha Xiao Bao with the custard top does not appear to be on Jade Asian Restaurant's menu, Ocean Jewels gets the points for these similar buns.

Creamy Egg Yolk Bun

While no specials were carted around on trays, Wise Woman scooped up a variety of dishes from the carts that were not reviewed at Ocean Jewels: Baby Boiled Chinese Broccoli, Sharks Fin with Chicken Broth Dumpling, Minced Beef Ball, Steamed Rice Roll with Dried Scallops and Dried Shrimp, Shrimp Dumpling with Pea Tips, and Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice.

Some of the Other Offerings: From Back Left

Back Row: Minced Beef Ball, Steamed Rice-Roll

Front: Shark's Fin Dumpling, Baby Chinese Broccoli

In the other offerings category, the Baby Boiled Chinese Broccoli was crisp and tender. The Sharks Fin with Chicken Broth Dumpling was flavorful but not as special as the name would have one believe. The Minced Beef Ball was savory and satisfying. The Steamed Rice Roll was an excellent version of a traditional Dian Xin (Dim Sum) dish. The Shrimp Dumplings with Pea Tips were quite interesting and quite good, savory with a crunchiness gleaned from what looked to CA Scotch Chick's eye to be more like tiny string beans than snow pea tips. Finally, the Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice was an excellent offering. This dish was packed with chestnuts, meat, and pumpkin. Sugar and soy were both available for mixing. CA Scotch Chick sampled the dish both ways and found each variation to be quite good.

Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice

With the meal over and a full tummy, CA Scotch Chick sat back to contemplate the results of the cage match. While both restaurants are very worthy contenders, CA Scotch Chick thinks Jade Asian Restaurant won on points. It had a stronger showing in Sparerib and Chicken Feet category, and their Crispy Bitter Melon offering was almost a knock out in itself. It was a very close match, however. Ocean Jewels was the only contender to have the Cha Xiao Bao with a custardy top, giving it major points, and their offerings in the Cha Xiao Bao category were all that Jade Asian Restaurant's were. Of course, with such a close decision, there will have to be a rematch.