Philadelphia Dim Sum

[shacke]

Back today and, in addition to the soup dumplings, we ordered the beef brisket on noodles. That dish is already calling me back - and that right soon.

[Andrew Fenton]

Back today and, in addition to the soup dumplings, we ordered the beef brisket on noodles.  That dish is already calling me back -  and that right soon.

Yeah, what he said- the noodles are really terrific. In the past, I've always gotten them as soup, which was a mistake (the broth is only so-so). But as straight noodles and sauce, they're great.

[jm chen]

Good news/bad news defined: LaBan finds Dim Sum Garden.

[rlibkind]

I walked by on my way to the RTM early Sunday afternoon, and they got slammed. But have no fear, in another week or two the crowds will move on. And it's a good thing, in the long-run: some who visit just because of the review will return, contributing to the foundation of the business.

[philadining]

Yeah, it's funny, we stopped-in about 1:30 on sunday, and sure enough, we spotted at least one customer with the Inquirer review in-hand. It seemed like a few tables were filled with likely Laban followers, but they weren't completely inundated, at least at that hour. I'm not sure how it was earlier. We did see a couple of groups that certainly appeared to be first-timers look in the door and give up when they saw no open tables. I suppose that's strong evidence that they were newbies: if they'd been there before they would have felt compelled to stick around, ensnared by the lure of steamed juicy buns.

The food was excellent: XLB, pork/napa dumplings, vegetable buns, meatballs, chicken on a stick, pork chops on noodles. Even the mundane stuff is very satisfying and well-executed. For instance, you can't get much more basic that grilled chicken on a skewer, but it was tender, juicy and flavorful. I'd get it again. The meatballs are great. I think my favorite thing was the pork chops on noodles. The meat was tender and tasty, and there was a thick sauce that soaked the noodles nicely.

Of course the XLB were great, although we were having some problems with them sticking to the mat on the bottom of the steamer, resulting in some tragic soup leaks. We'd eaten some XLB at another place a few blocks away a little earlier in the day, and although they weren't nearly as delicate, they solved this problem by having some cabbage on the bottom of the steamer, so we had no sticking or ripping.

Despite any bun-removal trauma, it was a great batch of dim sum.

Edited April 21, 2008 by philadining (log)

[KatieLoeb]

...we spotted at least one customer with the Inquirer review in-hand...

I call these the "review lemmings." You see them everywhere, tattered review clutched in their sweaty little fists. It's kind of amusing.

[I_call_the_duck]

^^hee. But yeah, darn those LaBan lemmings.

Too bad DSG doesn't line their steamers with cabbage. The cabbage is pretty tasty, especially if it's the beneficiary of an unfortunate dumpling accident.

Sorry I missed it. I was still hungry, too.

[philadining]

We'd spotted Xiao Long Bao at another place in Chinatown, so made an exploratory run.

As it turns out, the restaurant is in transition: they're new, but already changing the menu around, and so things were still a bit unsettled. They were out of many of the things on the menu, and we just barely scored the last basket of XLB. But from a conversation with the manager(?) later that evening, we're confident that this is a place to keep an eye on and try again soon.

Xiao Long Bao

These tasted pretty good, but the wrappers are a bit too thick and dense. Not bad, better than not having any XLB, but the ones at Dim Sum Garden are much more delicate and tasty.

Pan fried Pork Dumplings

I thought these were excellent. Not everyone agrees with me, but I prefer this pot-sticker style, fried on one side, steamed on the other.

Pig's Feet

These don't look all that attractive, but they were delicious! Very tender meat and a bit of fat, braised in a way similar to the classic "red-cooked" technique, the intense sauce carrying a strong star-anise kick.

Chicken Feet

These were not a big hit at the table, a little too plain. I noticed on the menu that there are two versions of chicken feet, one appears to be cooked in a similar way to the pig's feet, so we'll have to try that after they get things settled.

Traffic driving in was bad enough that I was too late for the spare ribs and shu mai, so I'll let someone else describe those.

Again, it's too early to say for sure, but I suspect this will be an interesting spot.

Zhi Wei Guan: 900-block of Race, I don't recall the exact address...

[I_call_the_duck]

I think it was 925 Race.

I happened to like the chicken feet, but then again, I had the advantage of seeing and enjoying them in that state since I was a wee lass.

The XLB weren't as good as those at Dim Sum Garden. The skin was a little thicker, the broth not as rich.

The spare ribs and the shui mai (which were overstuffed with pork and then topped with shrimp) were tasty, but not stellar.

Those trotters rocked!!

I think philadining missed the scallion pancake and a bun. Good, but not memorable.

Oh, and service was very nice, but on the slow side.

[Tim Dolan]

...we spotted at least one customer with the Inquirer review in-hand...

I call these the "review lemmings." You see them everywhere, tattered review clutched in their sweaty little fists. It's kind of amusing.

←

I'm not a LaBan lemming, but I'm absolutely an EG lemming . After seeing those picutres Philadining posted, my brother and I ran down down to see if we could get some of that goodness. The word is most definitely out, because they were all out of XLB, sui mai dumplings and something else that my brother wanted. Boooooooooo. Walked around to the Terminal instead...

[philadining]

I think philadining missed the scallion pancake and a bun.  Good, but not memorable.

←

Oh, right, I kind of remember those... right - OK, but no big thrill.

[philadining]

Tim, you should have made your brother get some meatballs, or something on noodles...

But thanks for the report, it's interesting that they were running out of stuff. XLB take some time to make, and the filling especially is time-consuming, so this might be a problem for a while.

[chowfun]

We had lunch at Dim Sum Garden today. This was the 5th or 6th time we ate there and the first time we took our kids. They proclaimed it not only the best dumplings they had ever had but also the best lunch they had ever had, which is quite an honor given the places these two have eaten. We had a cold spicy tripe and ox tongue appetizer, enjoyed by all. The two types of soup dumplings, steamed triple buns which looked like standard dim sum steamed buns with a clear noodle, green vegetable and dried shrimp filling, different and good. The shiu mai which are filled with a peppery, mushroomy sticky rice are quite good. The leek and pork dumplings and the excellent baby bok choy. We also had brisket over noodles. Everything fresh and delicious and so reasonable. It is hard to believe that this place is not overrun with people. Maybe in a better location they would be. The bus station ambience is strange as always, with an interesting and culturally diverse parade of clientele with suitcases in hand traipsing in and out.

We have found it is an excellent place for a late night snack after the orchestra.

They had new take out menus on the counter for a new branch of Dim Sum Garden in Northeast Philadelphia Frankford near Cottman. The menu was much larger with a wider variety of Chinese dishes. If we get up there to check it out, I will report back. However, when we find ourselves in that neighborhood we are almost always going to the Grey Lodge Pub.

[Pan]

Hi, everyone. I'm going to be in Philadelphia this coming Saturday and will be hanging out with a fishetarian (still trying to find out whether she eats seafood or only fish and vegetables). I'm taking the Chinatown bus that arrives just before noon (by the way, do you think I should buy a ticket in advance?) and was leaning toward Dim Sum Garden. Do they have good fish dishes, or would you recommend some other place as better for us? Knowing Shanghainese food, might I be able to construct a good meal around things like Spicy Cabbage, Kao Fu, Seaweed, and an eel or other fish dish?

[Andrew Fenton]

DSG has a very limited menu; I'm not even sure whether they have fish on the menu, so it's probably not a good bet.

For seafood, maybe Ken's Seafood on Race St.? I haven't been yet, but all the cool kids say it's great; I'll let one of them respond...

[philadining]

Hi, everyone. I'm going to be in Philadelphia this coming Saturday and will be hanging out with a fishetarian (still trying to find out whether she eats seafood or only fish and vegetables). I'm taking the Chinatown bus that arrives just before noon (by the way, do you think I should buy a ticket in advance?) and was leaning toward Dim Sum Garden. Do they have good fish dishes, or would you recommend some other place as better for us? Knowing Shanghainese food, might I be able to construct a good meal around things like Spicy Cabbage, Kao Fu, Seaweed, and an eel or other fish dish?

←

Hey Pan,

The Dim Sum Garden selection is fairly small, it's not really a comprehensive Shanghainese menu. I like their food, but there's a limited number of things to choose from. They do have good seaweed, a stewed eel, (huge) steamed vegetable buns, scallion pancake, etc, you could definitely construct something for a fishetarian.

But the best stuff there is more meaty: soup dumplings, meatballs, pork chop rice, etc. Given your dining constraint, unless you're totally fixated on Shangainese, or dim-sum, I'd strongly recommend checking out Ken's Seafood at 1004 Race. It's not a dim sum place, and it's stylistically straight-up Cantonese, but it's got absolutely stellar seafood.

Their Eel with XO sauce is one of the best things I've eaten in years. They do great basic steamed or fried fish from the tanks at the front of the store. My dining companions rave about the salt-baked shrimp (be sure to ask for the live ones). They usually have fresh scallops that are out of this world, served with garlic, or XO, or black beans. On the vegetable side, the Ong Choi with bean paste is crazy good. Most of this isn't on the menu, just ask for Ken, and he can hook you up. Just be sure to tell him about any dietary restrictions, and have him recommend some fish and the best preparation.

But if you're really feeling like Shaghainese, or dumplings, you'll find enough to make a meal at Dim Sum Garden, even staying within the fishetarian realm.

If you or your friend can speak or read Chinese, there's also Shanghainse food to be found at Empress Garden on 10th street, near Arch. You wouldn't know it, the regular menu looks like just plain old Chinatown standards, but there are Shanghai specialties on the Chinese menu. So it's a little hard to get-at, but that food's well-done if you can convince them to give it to you!

If you have any further thoughts about what you;ll feel like eating, feel free to ask for refinements in our advice, I'm confident we can steer you somewhere good.

You in particular might be interested to know that there's a good Burmese restaurant called Rangoon right in Chinatown. And if you're Jonesing for Malaysian, there's also an outpost of Penang that's really quite good (I hear there's a lot of variation between the branches) and a spin-off called Banana Leaf that's almost identical.

(ETA: Andrew is stealing my thoughts again...)

Edited August 20, 2008 by philadining (log)

[I_call_the_duck]

Yeah, I second philadining's recommendations. I haven't explored Ken's Seafood as extensively as philadining has, but I did try the salt-baked shrimp and scallops. Both were excellent. The only thing is, I don't think they're open for lunch.

And no, you don't need to buy a ticket for the Chinatown bus in advance.

[philadining]

Jeeze, you're totally right Karen, I don't think Ken's does lunch, they're probably not open until 3 or 4.

Good catch! So, umm, nevermind, unless you'll still be around for dinner!

But Dim Sum Garden, Rangoon and Penang should all be open for lunch.

Edited August 20, 2008 by philadining (log)

[Pan]

Thanks for the quick responses, folks! By the way, she does eat seafood as well as fish and vegetables. I really like good Burmese food, so I'll look into Rangoon.

I will still be in Philly for dinner, but it's a huge get-together (50 or so), and the venue (D'Angelos Ristorante Italiano) was probably picked more for size and inoffensiveness to a mostly non-foodie crowd than for any great quality.

[KatieLoeb]

Michael:

If you get out of your other obligations early enough, please stop at Chick's and say hello and have a drink. I'd love to see you!

I hope you find things to eat. I have no doubt you will be able to. A brief stroll through Chinatown ought to turn up something you can both eat.

[Capaneus]

Thanks for the quick responses, folks! By the way, she does eat seafood as well as fish and vegetables. I really like good Burmese food, so I'll look into Rangoon.

I will still be in Philly for dinner, but it's a huge get-together (50 or so), and the venue (D'Angelos Ristorante Italiano) was probably picked more for size and inoffensiveness to a mostly non-foodie crowd than for any great quality.

←

D'Angelo's has a decent reputation, actually. You're right that it caters more to a traditional clientele than a hip one, but it's reputed to be solid. It was once said to be a Mob hangout, which I'd think would be a spur to excellence.

And it's just a quick stroll down 20th Street to Capogiro, so it's got excellent CPF.

[Pan]

D'Angelo's has a decent reputation, actually. You're right that it caters more to a traditional clientele than a hip one, but it's reputed to be solid. It was once said to be a Mob hangout, which I'd think would be a spur to excellence.

And it's just a quick stroll down 20th Street to Capogiro, so it's got excellent CPF.

←

It was actually fine. The stuffed canneloni were actually pretty tasty, and the desserts were also good, those the salad was overdressed and too vinegary. I was shocked that the peperoncini antipasti were exceedingly hot - in fact, way too hot for even ME to finish!

Katie, I'm sorry I was occupied all day and night with a date and then a party. I would love to see you.

Rangoon was very good, and both my date and I liked it. I over-ordered, which was OK because my date had a full-sized refrigerator in her hotel room.

We had the appetizer combo (crispy onions, golden triangle, spring roll), thousand layer bread with vatana dip, tea leaf salad, and curry shrimp.

The golden triangle was excellent. The crispy onions were something like very good onion rings but better, because of the besan flour they were battered with. The spring roll was just an ordinary spring roll. The thousand layer bread with vatana dip was very good, though a little salty (which really didn't bother us). The tea leaf salad was a pretty strong taste and pleased both of us. The curry shrimp were very flavorful.

All in all, it was a better Burmese meal than I've ever had in New York, though I have yet to check out the Burmese place(s) in Queens that some folks have touted on Chowhound.

And we did go to Capogiro after lunch. It was just as great as you all have been saying for years. I had a sugar cone of Bacio and Fior di Latte, both great, and my date had a wonderful Peach flavor. Their cones were also delicious, and they told me they fly them in from France every day (seems excessive, but they are great).

Thanks for your help, Philadelphians!

[lfabio2007]

And we were back at Dim Sum Garden today: still no gas lines that I could see, the menu seems to have shrunk a little if anything... but the dumplings are still among the best I have ever eaten.

[KatieLoeb]

Late lunch at Dim Sum Garden today after stopping at the Convention Center for the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft show (lovely, but like visiting a museum with price tags, not the sort of craft shows I usually enjoy where I find tons of unusual gifts for my hard to shop for friends...):

Soup dumplings, aka Shanghai Dumplings, or #1. As tasty as ever.

Beef Brisket Noodle with Soup. I spiced this up with a bit of the chile oil on the table. Really delicious and filling. I had to run to work for a few hours and they were able to bring me a container to save the rest in a doggie bag. I had it for dinner when I got home tonight and it was still delicious, even reheated in the microwave. The hand drawn noodles still had their texture, much to my surprise.

That's my check for all of $12 off to the left of my soup bowl. A bargain for enough food to fill me up for lunch and dinner.

[Andrew Fenton]

How funny- that's exactly the same lunch I had at DSG on Friday (only minus the soup, which underwhelms me; I got the dry noodles)!

I think the soup dumplings may have improved, if anything: there seems to be more soup in them, the texture is a little finer, and I haven't gotten a broken one in a while. So it's all good.