Kent Wang

Haha, I always use feng shui as an excuse to sit wherever I want. Being Chinese, people tend to believe my bullshit.

Perhaps if you consider volume of all beer sold, twist-off is more popular as all the macrobreweries use them. The tampering issue does not seem to be the case in Texas at least as Shiner, Bud, etc. are often sold in open six-pack cases. Also, it seems like a rather strange rationale; can a twisted-off cap really be replaced on top of the bottle without easily arousing the suspicion of the customer once he attempts to remove it? Microbreweries tend to use crown and that is what frustrates me. Perhaps the equipment for twist-off is more difficult for them to acquire, e.g. more expensive or requires more volume.

I can see some parallels with the cork vs screw top debate with wine but there is a much smaller element of tradition with bottle caps. If you're really attached to your bottle-opener then you can certainly still use it on the twist-off caps. Is it an issue of cost?

I went to Metropole for dim sum with my parents on the advice of the Shanghai and Hong Kong thread. It is the largest single floor restaurant I've ever seen. I'm guessing 750-1000 seats. Although it was the Good Friday holiday it didn't seem too busy. Bean curd sheet roll. Fried taro ball. Shrimp har gaw, phoenix claw. Dumpling in broth, ground pork in tofu. Pig ear, jellyfish. The pig ears were pressed together and braised for a long time to soften the cartilage. Difficult to chew cartilage has always been my complaint with pig ear dishes but this was much softer and a pleasure to eat. Youtiao wrapped in rice flour sheets. Unique but strange-tasting. The dessert case. Check out the whipped cream bunnies in the lower right. Rice flour and tapioca dessert. The yellow dot is a single kernel of corn. Unwrapped so you can see the green tapioca pearls. I was rather disappointed with the meal. On the one hand it was definitely the best dim sum I've had in the past year -- each dish was perfected to a degree unparalleled in the U.S. -- but I was really expecting to be blown away with tons of original dishes that I've never seen before, and other than the pig ear all the dishes I saw were just the classics. Maybe I had unrealistic expectations but was I really so wrong to expect a lot from a highly recommended restaurant in Hong Kong, the dim sum capital of the world?

I am giving up Shiner for Ziegenbock. It's much more "Texas", is not being exported and most importantly is darker, tastier and a true bock. Next time y'all stop in Texas give it a try.

Ah, this must have been the place we had the mantis prawn. What seafood is actually native (or relatively close) to the area? I doubt the lobster.

Growing up in China we often had social gatherings where everyone -- even the men who don't usually cook -- got together and made dumplings or zhongzi. They were then cooked and everyone ate together. A few years ago I was invited to a tamale-making gathering which struck me as a Mexican version of the wonton-making events. What other cultures have a similar kind of activity?

Instead of feeding it into the disposal, toss it in a blender and make a fruit shake or cocktail.

Lamma is a small island about a twenty minute ferry ride from Central. The island is not yet very well developed and most of its natural beauty is still preserved. There aren't even any roads that can accomodate automobiles; everyone rides around on bikes and golf cart-sized trucks. My parents and I stayed there for two nights and I highly recommend lodging on the island over the mainland as it is affordable, quiet and rustic while still only a short distance from downtown Hong Kong. There a number of seafood restaurants scattered along Main St each with large tanks of live seafood in front to entice the customer. Those are cuttlefish in the middle tank. We avoided the two biggest restaurants nearest the ferry dock as they seemed overpriced. Upon the recommendation of our innkeep we went to Lancombe Restaurant a bit further down on Main St. for lunch. There is both inside and outside seating. We took a spot with a view of the docks. After taking our drink orders the waiter invited us to go to the fish tanks to pick out our meal. The spotted fish in the middle goes by the name of "Gold Coin Grouper" as its spots resemble coins. We'll meet him again very soon. A myriad of molluscs. The kitchen. Check out all the steaming racks and the wok burners. Razor clams in szechuan sauce. Lobster on ramen-like noodles. Sea snails. A bit tough, but that seems to be inevitable the bigger they are. Crab. All the shellfish seemed to be of different variety than what I have seen in America; this crab is spotted and the lobster had a striped shell. We meet our Gold Coin grouper again, now steamed with ginger and scallions. We should've asked that all the dishes be prepared with just ginger and scallions. Although the sauces were all fine it would've been to best to experience the fresh seafood with as few seasonings as possible. I liked the razor clams the most though it's always hard to beat lobster. Lunch for three came to HKD 1000 (USD ~130), expensive by Mainland China standards but I think average for Hong Kong. I don't think this meal could've been had in the U.S. for below USD 250 though it's an unfair comparison as I don't think it's possible to have such fresh seafood outside of coastal areas. We liked the restaurant so much we came back the next day for a light dinner. We had our eye on the petit abalone and scallops last time. This time we asked that both dishes be prepared with just ginger and scallions. Having finally eaten fresh abalone I'd have to say the meat is a bit tough and the flavor disappointing, but the real star of the show is the broth produced. No wonder abalone is so often used in soups and sauces. Question: You're not supposed to eat this part of the abalone, right? Steamed scallops with cellophane noodles. This was our last night on the island so I had to try mantis prawn before we departed. Lancombe was out of stock so we went to one of the big restaurants near the docks -- I don't recall the name. Fried mantis prawn. It was rather disappointing as there was very little meat.

What happens if your dining partner wishes to do the same?

If anything, the review may alert adventurous but out-of-the-loop foodies to the existence of the restaurant. I'm gonna go one of these days.

Where do you sit in these scenarios: 1) Two diners, square four-person table with a seat on each side. Adjacent sides or face to face across the table? Adjacent sides seems more common, especially in situations that invite more intimacy between the diners, e.g. a date, but I do not enjoy tilting my head at a 45 degree angle. If you're interested in below the table hanky-panky, although adjacent sides allows more with the hands, face to face allows more footsies -- you know, if you're into that. 2) Two diners, four-person table with two seats and a bench, no seats on two sides of the table. Usually this is face to face but I have seen a few couples that sit side to side on the bench. This is much much worse than the adjacent sides scenario as you have to turn your head a full 90 degrees but I suppose it allows for maximum hanky-panky. The awkwardness of the sitting position, though, would seem to broadcast your intentions to anyone who glances in your direction. 3) Three diners, six seats, round table. All on one half side or one seat in between each diner? I prefer the latter, especially if there is a lazy susan involved, which is always fun to use.

You may want to try the Chinese supermarkets like Hong Kong and Welcome. Although I don't ever recall seeing turtle there they might be able to get it for you.

Admin: Threads merged. So what is the cause of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome? Or is it too complex to devise accurate scientific studies for?

The same day that I went to Pure Lotus for lunch a friend and I had dinner at CourtYard (yes, that's how it's capitalized). The restaurant is situated right on the moat that surrounds the Forbidden City and we got a window seat that looked across the water. The Forbidden City walls are lit up at night so it was quite the sight. The main courses looked intensely boring to me and there was only a portobello mushroom dish available for my (mostly) vegetarian dining partner, so we just ordered a number of appetizers. Arugula salad, artichoke hearts, anchovy parmesan dressing (RMB 65). The greens were of the utmost freshness, the dressing refreshingly original and equally delicious. Moutai-Sauternes infused foie gras brulee, pineapple confit, glass of sweet white wine from Cotes de Bergerac (RMB 120). Foie gras brulee sounded like one of those cases of combining two great things that ends in disaster, but I was glad to be proven wrong; the result rivalled even the classic seared preparation! Not depicted: Coconut shrimps, green tomato, bell pepper and pineapple salsa (RMB 85) included four small mediocre shrimp. The salsa, made with the freshest ingredients, really stole the show but the portions were miniscule as I think it was intended as just a garnish. If I had my way, I gladly would've replaced the shrimp with a more generous quantity of the salsa. The salmon and tuna sashimi tartare (RMB 95) was ruined by the miso cream sauce. The miso was too grainy -- i.e. not smoothly blended and strained -- and really, there was no need for such a heavy sauce for a sushi tartare unless they had something to hide, namely, the quality of the fish. To accompany the appetizers we had a bottle of Shingle Peak sauvignon blanc which we both enjoyed greatly. Perhaps too greatly as I was too caught up in the wine and the conversation to accurately judge the desserts. I certainly enjoyed them but did not pay sufficient attention to notice the subtle flavors of the jasmine tea and ginger lemongrass infusions. Coconut taro custard, pandan cream. RMB 65. Jasmine tea chocolate ganache tart. RMB 65. Ginger lemongrass soy creme brulee. RMB 65. As much as some of the dishes attempt to use Asian ingredients such as Moutai, miso, lemongrass, etc. make no mistake: this is a Western restaurant. Many of the fusion ingredients were of token quantities, which is really a shame since they looked to be good ideas on paper. Unlike many fusion restaurants who try too hard to fuse cuisines and end up turning out disasters, CourtYard fails by not trying hard enough. That said, the arugula salad and foie gras brulee were both well executed, totally original dishes that hint at the restaurant's potential. The check came to RMB 1500 (USD ~185) which is about what I would have expected to pay in the United States. The bill included a mandatory 15% service charge.

I think it varies greatly from temple to temple, sect to sect. My father told me that the famed Shaolin monks received an imperial grant to eat meat so that they could have the necessary protein to practice their martial arts. That may be legend but it does illustrate the lack of uniformity in Buddhist practices. Even the prohibition of scallions and garlic varies. Why did the Buddhists invent the mock meats in the first place? Surely they're "true" vegetarians. I think only the most fundamentalist vegetarians could argue that mock meats are un-vegetarian. As long as it's not actually meat it should be OK. If you think of making food as analagous to painting, then any source of inspiration that the artist draws from is valid. The chef can make foods that do not mock meats (like the taro root soup) in the same way that a painter can choose to paint abstract colors and shapes. But it is just as valid for the chef to make foods that imitate meats in the same way that a painter can choose to imitate humans by painting portraits.

My guess is as good as yours. I'm pretty sure that the duck and chicken skin are gluten but the shark really puzzles me.

A few weekends ago I went to Pure Lotus with my friends Tavey and Melissa. Melissa is an American who has been studying in Beijing for the past year. She's mostly a vegetarian and considers this place to be her favorite restaurant in the city. There are three locations, I can't remember which one we went to. Pure Lotus serves Buddhist cuisine, so not only is it vegetarian but they also do not use any "potent" ingredients like scallions or garlic. I'm a huge fan of Buddhist vegetarian cuisine -- though I'm a proud omnivore -- so I was very eager to dine there, especially since this particular subset of Chinese cuisine is nigh impossible to find in the United States. My previous experience with Buddhist cuisine was in 2000 at a restaurant in Xi'an inside a Buddhist temple, so I was expecting something similarly rustic and traditional. To my (welcome) surprise Pure Lotus puts a decidedly modern twist on this ancient culinary tradition. This "modern-ness" can be seen not only in the food but also in its decor... Main dining room. The beads may look a little tacky by Western standards but I think work well here. The artwork is changed on a regular basis. Private dining room. Pretty, but the acoustics are terrible. Even the dinnerware is avant garde. I didn't get a chance to photograph the menu but the names for dishes are even longer and more poetic than Chinese dishes already are. I'm talking like eight characters long, e.g. "The chicken that drowns in sorrow receives mercy from heaven." I made that one up but they're all something along those lines. Therapeutic fruit drinks. The white is coconut milk, the red is I think radish, the orange is carrot. Shark. But remember everything here is vegetarian so it's an imitation. A bite taken out of the shark so you can see that the texture is nearly identical to the real thing. Also, sausage. Roasted duck. Notice how the skin even has "goosebumps" from where the feathers would've been plucked. Pork short-ribs, the bones are made of sugar cane. To the side, water chestnuts. Steamed chicken. Braised pork stew. Taro root and tapioca soup. This is a sweet dessert item. Fried coconut milk. I'm not sure how this is made but I'm guessing the coconut milk is frozen, breaded and then fried. Watermelon cubes on dry ice. The watermelon was not very fresh but it was complimentary and the dry ice was quite impressive. To those vegetarians not familiar with Buddhist imitation cuisine, To-furkey and Boca Burgers probably come to mind, but this is worlds better. To me, To-furkey is nearly inedible while I actually prefer some of these Buddhist imitation dishes to the real thing: that's how much better the Buddhist dishes are to the vegetarian imitation foods that are available in the West. The dishes at Pure Lotus were all superb, the shark being my favorite. Some, like the roasted duck and steamed chicken, were not as well executed as I've had in Xi'an. Others, such as the pork short-ribs and shark, were very innovative and one would not expect to find those dishes in more traditional restaurants. The bill came to RMB 175 (USD 22) per person, which is quite expensive for Beijing but an absolute steal by US standards. I haven't dined at El Bulli or anything of that caliber but short of that, this dinner at Pure Lotus I must say was the most innovative meal I've had in at least a year. It is very heartening to see something as traditional and unique to China as Buddhist cuisine to be updated to modern standards. Pure Lotus is evidence that the future of Chinese cuisine in the face of increasing Westernization is bright indeed.

How does the retail section compare to Central Market's, e.g. charcuterie, pasta items?

I recently had an exchange over email that, with the writer's permission, I am sharing here: I actually think Pao's is slightly better than China Palace. Pao's is Mandarin, which approximates what the imperials ate in Beijing, it is northern-style with a lot of roasted items but also incorporating a lot of styles from all over the country as all the best regional chefs gathered in the capital. China Palace is distinctly Cantonese. Best dish is the pork intestine in the house special sauce. Everything else is fine, just use your intuition. If you look Chinese they should automatically hand you the Chinese menu, but double-check if the menu you get is all sweet & sour pork etc. You mentioned that you were going for a weekend lunch so perhaps dim sum might be more up your alley? In that case, you should only consider Pao's or T&S Seafood. China Palace does not serve dim sum. T&S is often too crowded during dim sum and the service can be atrocious. I actually prefer the dim sum dishes at Pao's though since T&S is Cantonese it is more "authentic" dim sum. Pao's also does not push a cart around and has you order from a menu; it's dishes are also bigger by about 50% and has less steamed items. Service and decor at Pao's and China Palace are similar, fairly nice. T&S is several levels below in both respects; it's much more of a "hole in the wall" type place. I think Pao's will be your best choice, dim sum or otherwise. The only reason that may dissuade you is that it's located in Lakeway, about a 20-minute drive from downtown Austin. Depending on your situation, that may actually be preferred as the drive there through the Texas Hill Country is quite scenic.

Chinese, communal style. Not necessarily all at once but like five and then stagger in some of the hot dishes and the bread pudding at the very end. There is a small 8 sq ft table that I can work with. I can probably drag is some more tables, but it will definitely be a sub-optimal environment. I think like a third of the dishes I can make the previous day and refrigerate. Another third I can cook or par-cook a few hours before. Only one or two dishes will I make right before service. The way I have this planned so far is that I can even pull off the entire dinner by myself with no help since I can stagger the prep for most of the dishes -- though of course I won't do it solo as there is just too much tedious prep to do. Plans are still rough; I'm currently sightseeing in Yunan. I'll get back in Shanghai in a few days, start helping my aunt (who is the chef in my Grandma's household) cook Chinese dishes to get back in the swing of cooking and start finalizing recipes and prep plans.

Update: I'm currently traveling around other parts of China. I'm due to cook the meal towards the end of the month. Here's what I'm working with: Stove with two (weak) burners, no oven. Microwave, electric steamer, rice cooker. One thing I desperately need: pre-picked crab meat. I'm not keen on doing all that work myself. Please let me know where I can find this in Shanghai.

What did you order? I will echo Austin Chronicle: anything "salt and pepper" is great. It's not a very informative name but it means deep fried and dipped in salt and chile oil. My favorite is the salt and pepper soft-shell crab. The double lobster is also a great deal, especially if they have it on special for $29.95. That's two lobsters and you choose which style to cook it in. I think the scallion and ?garlic? style is the best. Shrimp with walnuts is a bit Americanized but also damn good. Roasted quail in salt is also pretty unique; what other Chinese restaurants serve quail?

I totally agree. Magnolia is only worth considering at 3am when all the other restaurants are closed, and even then I prefer Starseeds. I'm also not really sure how they capture Austin-ness. They're only institutions because they've been around a long time. Go to El Chile instead of Chuy's, Artz or Sam's BBQ instead of Stubb's, etc. and you'll have just as good of an "Austin experience" while having much better food. Hmm, while we're on the subject, one restaurant that actually deserves the Austin Institution hype: Casino El Camino. Great burgers, total Austin vibe. Other than the lack of live music I think no other restaurant captures the "Keep Austin Weird" vibe more than Casino, regardless of quality of food.

For chicken fried steak, I am digging RO's Outpost in Spicewood. It's rather different, very fluffy, not really a traditional CFS but I think much much better than Hoover's. They tenderize it and cook it once you order so it takes about 40 minutes. Spicewood is about an hour away from downtown Austin and the drive through the Hill Country is always worth it.