China 46

[SobaAddict70]

...and he hasn't even had the amazing soupy shrimp balls.

What are these? Xiao long bao on steroids?

Soba

[Jason Perlow]

...and he hasn't even had the amazing soupy shrimp balls.

What are these? Xiao long bao on steroids?

Soba

Think shrimp toasts, firmer consistency, almost springy, rolled into a racquetball-sized sphere, coated with sesame breading, deep fried, with a hollowed out center containing savory seafood broth.

[SobaAddict70]

Dude!!!!

We have to get some the next time we're there. :drool emoticon:

Soba

[Rachel Perlow]

Hate to correct Jason, but the coating was itty bitty bread cubes, just like a traditional dim sum shrimp paste ball. The soupy part was obviously a cube of aspic when the ball was formed, as when you bit into them and drank the soup, it left a cube shaped impression. I asked Cecil for them when we were there, but he said they are too busy to make them at brunch time. I think the one time we've had them, he wanted us to sample them so we'd order them at dinner time. Next time, I'm going to request them when I call ahead for a table, and offer to pay separately for them.

[Rachel Perlow]

We finally remembered to take a picture of the Soup-filled Fried Shrimp Balls available at China 46. Thanks go to one of our Sunday brunch party who was too full to eat hers, so we were able to take one home to photograph it. BTW - it reheated perfectly well. Mmm.

Whole Soup-filled Fried Shrimp Ball

and Cut Open.

Notice the square shaped depression where a cube of cold stock was enclosed in the shrimp paste. When you bite into it, fresh at the restaurant, you have to be careful not to burn your tongue on the hot stock. At home, I cut it in half to show off the cavity. The soup rushed out all over the plate. I sacrificed for you, dear friends.

[Laksa]

I was there for Sunday brunch two weeks ago but didn't see these shrimp balls. Are they something you have to special order?

[Jason Perlow]

We had to call ahead for them. I think they are normally a dinner item.

[Curlz]

Finally got to C46 for 'brunch,' as they call it there. As has been reported elsewhere in this thread and others, this may well be the best Sunday brunch deal in the state! Even my non-foodie friends enjoyed it and said we need to come back with a bigger group so we can 'justify' ordering a few additional items.

For $11.95pp, I think they may have lost money on my friend Adam this morning--that boy sure did his share! This is buffet brunch--not carts coming around while you spend $ by the plate. We started with (room temp) pickled items, a tofu dish, and sliced beef...there were only a few hot items at the beginning, but wow, did they keep coming out once they got started! In the end, we probably had 5 or 6 different kinds of dumplings and buns (including the plate of sticky rice shumai that they dropped off at the table), great scallion pancakes, spicy beef (probably our favorite), spicy chicken, salt and pepper shrimp, fried fish, baby bok choy with shitakes, chicken, ribs (Jason--can you i.d. the caraway flavor in those?), crabs, veg lo mein and both chicken w/vegs and tofu w/vegs for those less adventurous. There were also two soups--a beef curry that I never got to taste, and what looked like rice and beans--very sweet. I'm sure I'm forgetting other dishes. Suffice it to say, I'm STILL full! The service is attentive, with water and tea replenished frequently, and Cecil was friendly, as usual.

The only disappointment was that when we arrived at Noon, there were only two other tables occupied. By the time we left (1:30ish), there were three more in our section, plus a big group of 10-12 who were in the other dining room.

If you haven't been, I highly recommend it--you don't have to get dressed up, they're kid-friendly (if you have 'em) and it's REALLY easy to get to off of 80, the Turnpike or off of the GWB.

Edit: Forgot to mention the 'dessert' item that my friend the picky eater (as in, "I can't eat those shrimp now that I've seen the 'legs' on them) LOVED--small fried balls rolled in sugar and coconut. Heretofore known as sweetballs.

Edited October 24, 2004 by Curlz (log)

[snausages2000]

Made a return trip to China 46 this last Friday night.

Another really good meal, though not quite the knockout experience of my first time there. Granted a sub-par China 46 meal still ranks it in the top percentile of NY Metro Chinese.

I took a white Chinese speaking friend of mine with me who noted, as we were driving up, that the Chinese characters on the big sign out front say "9 Fish", which apparently is a play on words in the Chinese language - 9 Fish sounds similar to Good Fortune, or something to that effect.

Cold Beef Slices - About 20 slices of cold beef with I think 5 spice flavoring. Simple, nice, but probably wouldn't order again.

Aromatic Gluten Puffs - Served cold. Really good.

The Braised Pork Dish They Serve When They Don't Have Ruby Pork - Hey, braised pork is delicious. But I can get the same thing at Joe's Shanghai. It's no Ruby Pork. Guess I should have called ahead to check.

Whole Flounder In Cilantro Sauce - Drowning in not so flavorful oil. Not big on this one. My friend who'd spent time in China was like, 'yeah, this is authentic Shanghainese - bland and oily.'

Soupy Shrimp Balls - The group thought they were too greasy, but I thought they were really good. What's not to like? Crispy and soupy at the same time!

Capsicum Noodles - Always good, though not much sichuan peppercorn taste.

Watercress Steamed With Garlic - Fresh and crunchy. Very nice.

Ma Po Tofu - Solid, but a little bit one-dimensionally sweet. The smoky, rich Grand Sichuan St. Mark's version blows this one away.

A big, viscous soup with weeds and tofu in it. Oh, and little bugs. Really good soup, but here's the question I have about this soup and about similar findings in lots of Chinese places:

Where do the tiny bugs that show up dead in Chinese dishes come from? I see them mostly in white rice, but could they be from fresh vegetables that aren't cleaned thorougly? They look like fleas basically. I ate the soup undisturbed, but I'm curious...what's the story with these little insects?

Note - Anyone reading this post who hasn't been to China 46 and would think twice about not going based on this comment, would be totally misguided. This is a great restaurant and I'm not questioning their sanitary quality.

Edited November 1, 2004 by snausages2000 (log)

[Jason Perlow]

That bugs in the soup thing has to be a total aberration, Snausages. I've never seen anything like that happen at the restaurant before.

[Rachel Perlow]

Chinese Food for Christmas

Last night, Taipai Noodle House in Teaneck.

Today, brunch at China 46. Yum.

[jo-mel]

DH and I went last night and was delighted to see it crowded at C46. The staff was working like crazy, but was as attentive as usual, and Cecil was as nice as can be.

We had Shanghai noodles (I could live on that dish), Twice cooked pork with pork belly and nice big slices of fresh green chili, and their House Special Saute -- diced pork/tofu/garlic sprouts in a sesame bun. (one of my fav dishes)

I had to laugh! When we were seated, Cecil came over and said a few words in Chinese, then instructed a waiter to bring chopsticks -----as he swept the table clear of all knives and forks. Welllllllll -- DH is a fork user, and he didn't dare ask for one back!!! LOL! He did quite nicely using his chopsticks!

Any thoughts on a get-together at C46 for Chinese New Year? I believe it is early in Feb. The 9th?

[Rachel Perlow]

Any thoughts on a get-together at C46 for Chinese New Year?  I believe it is early in Feb. The 9th?

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Thanks for reminding me. See other thread.

[Rachel Perlow]

Another great brunch at China 46 yesterday. In addition to many regular favorites there were several standouts, especially the steamed vegetable dumplings, scallion pancake with egg, and this new baked scallion studded bread that Cecil called "pizza bread." The crab made a reappearance after not being available the last few times we were there. Also, we sampled a dish that Cecil recommended for the New Year's banquet that we hadn't had before, Shrimp Wou-ba -- we all enjoyed it and it is on the menu for New Years. Speaking of, we hammered out the last details for the menu, that will be posted soon in the Chinese New Year banquet thread.

[birder53]

First dinner at China 46 last night! I didn't expect to end up there so I hadn't "prepped" for my menu selections. I tried to explain to the waiter that I had learned about them via the internet, mentioned Jason & Rachel's names and he knew who I was talking about. I wanted to be adventurous, but my 83 year old parents were with us. Spicy was off limits. We asked our waiter to order for us.

Appetizers included Bean Curd with Parsley, Crab & Pork Dumplings and Scallion Pancakes. The Bean Curd and dumplings were wonderful! The Scallion Pancakes were okay, but that's how I feel about them anywhere I've ever had them. I mentioned Ruby Pork to the waiter, being the only thing I could recall from reading posts here, and he said they had another pork shoulder dish that night. We had Shrimp Balls and the pork shoulder. The pork shoulder was disappointing. It looked glorious on the plate, but it was very bland. The meat next to the bone was very tender, but the rest was surprisingly tough. The sauce and greens in the dish had no discernible flavors. A little ginger or scallions or even soy sauce would have been a nice addition. The Shrimp Balls were interesting but also bland.

I think we would have fared better without Mom & Dad. I think our waiter got a little gun shy when Dad almost sent back a plate he thought contained a spicy dish. (It didn't!) We don't usually end up in Bergen county, so I don't see another trip very soon in our future, but I'll have to re-read this thread so I can be better prepared the next time we're in town.

I asked our waiter if he was Cecil (he wasn't) so he brought Cecil by when he arrived. Again, and I hope I'm not violating any egullet rules here, I mentioned Jason & Rachel as a point of reference. I just wanted to communicate my desire to try something new and completely different, which they already know is Jason & Rachel's MO!

[jo-mel]

I wonder if the "Monday-- Chef's day off" rule is in effect at C46? That may have been the reason the food was on the bland side.

Also, the waiter may have relayed the 'no spicy' to the waiter.

Did the Pork Shoulder dish come with those fantabulous sesame buns? I like the Ruby Pork, but I've always LOVED the House Special Saute -- small diced pork/tofu/garlic sprouts stuffed in those buns!

[Rachel Perlow]

The menu for the upcoming Chinese New Year dinner at China 46 has been posted.

[birder53]

I wonder if the "Monday-- Chef's day off" rule is in effect at C46?  That may have been the reason the food was on the bland side.

Also, the waiter may have relayed the 'no spicy' to the waiter.

Did the Pork Shoulder dish come with those fantabulous sesame buns? I like the Ruby Pork, but I've always LOVED the House Special Saute -- small diced pork/tofu/garlic sprouts stuffed in those buns!

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It was served with toasted sesame buns.

[Curlz]

Hit C46 last night for the final night of the New Year celebration. Although we were to have been a bigger group, kids and flu brought us down to two. Two who overordered, so I have lots of leftovers! The place was packed as this was the final chance to see the lion dance and the drummers---who started their performance with a different costume (a snake, maybe?), a dance and showers of confetti out in the parking lot!

My foodie pal hadn't been to C46 before and he agreed that the food was great. We had the soup dumplings, ruby pork, Seaweed Dipped Flounder (flounder breaded with seaweed powder, then fried) and b/c I insisted we needed long noodles for the New Year, mei fun with pork. I told you we over-ordered! The soup dumplings didn't disappoint...I don't think I can go there without ordering them. The ruby pork was terrific as well, but I was a bit annoyed by the fact that they didn't come with the sesame buns. When I asked the waiter about them, he snapped "You had to order them," which I then proceeded to do; we got them a short time later, fresh and hot. We ordered the seaweed flounder because a platter was delivered to the table behind us and we thought it looked great. Warning--the JUNIOR platter is enormous; I think I brought home 6 pieces, even though we ate more than our share!

My only complaint is about the service...we had to seek out waiters/busboys for everything--to open the Tsing Tao (numerous times), to get the special New Year's menu, and to get the check. While I realize that it was one of their busiest nights of the year, we were definitely a bit neglected--partially because of the location of our table, but mostly (I think) because we were a small party.

Overall, a great meal, and the New Year's celebration makes it a lot of fun--there were probably kids at 9 out of 10 tables, and it's fun to watch them get so excited by the dancers and the costumes. The parking lot was full of confetti when we left; I hope it's a signal that the Year of the Rooster will be a good one for Cecil and crew!

[jhlurie]

The place arguably does ideally need at least one more wait-person on duty during the holidays and weekends. The problem for Cecil is probably that during the rest of the year (especially the dead middle of the week) he doesn't get enough business to warrant it. The solution is obvious--we need to make sure he has more business year 'round.

[ejebud]

The solution is obvious--we need to make sure he has more business year 'round.

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OK where do I sign up? The Egullet dinner was so good I swear I could have gon back the next night!!

[Curlz]

I've certainly done my share of supporting C46 this week! Having been there last Sunday night for Chinese New Year, I was back today for brunch.

I swear, we must have had at least 6 different kinds of dumplings, but the absolute favorites were the pea shoot+pork ones and the soup dumplings. With as much Chinese food as my family has eaten, nobody had ever had the soup dumplings before, and they agreed that they're terrific. In addition to the buffet for the six of us, my dad and brother ordered the squid and turnip (?) with peppers...VERY spicy, but very good. I ate one piece of squid, but they were busily scarfing down the whole dish and (happily) sweating. Along with many of the regular brunch dishes, there was a cold salad of julienned turnip with carrots and a spicy sauce that was great, as well as what I can only describe as a Chinese focaccia with scallions. Anyone know what that is? We also enjoyed the (small) ribs, and while my dad said they were too sweet for him, the rest of us thought they were a good balance to the spicy stuff.

I'm happy to say that there were 5-6 tables occupied while we were there, and more people arriving as we left around 1:15. I hope that everyone is helping to put spread the word...it's always a nice alternative to the traditional brunch!

[Cook456]

"as well as what I can only describe as a Chinese focaccia with scallions"

They are Scallion Pancakes, and they are addictive..

[waves2ya]

I've certainly done my share of supporting C46 this week!  Having been there last Sunday night for Chinese New Year, I was back today for brunch.... 

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How 'bout that Curlz - right there w/ ya!

China 46 has lived up to the hoopla for my family; festive lion dance (Bergen Co. Lion Dance Assoc?) and a wonderful menu. Ding-Poo pork was a special for eG, we had the Ruby Pork (a shoulder slo' cooked with sesame biscuts), the tofu flounder, soup dumplings, etc - all very good.

Lunch yest'rdy was just out of bounds; a buffet and the owner (don't know names yet) kept plying us with goodies - just how many kinds of dumplings do they make? All nuanced and different, sticky rice, soup dumpling, chive... And do they know tofu, or what?!?

I'm impressed - and thankful. C46 is the real deal & Chinatown is so hard to get to these days (parking has become impossible)...

[Curlz]

"as well as what I can only describe as a Chinese focaccia with scallions"

They are Scallion Pancakes, and they are addictive..

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LOL! Sorry...should have made this clear...they ALSO had scallion pancakes out, and I know those (too well). This was more of a bread, about 2-3" tall, and cut in big squares, with sesame seeds on top--hence the comment that it looked like Chinese foccacia!! So I'm still wondering... Cecil? Jason? Anyone?

And I forgot to mention one funny yesterday; I went back up to the buffet and found a brand new dish up there that I couldn't i.d., but it looked like it had slices of bacon laid on top of a pile of carmelized onions. I asked one of the women who works at the front of C46 what it was, and she said "Pork." Then she proceeded to tell me what it was IN CHINESE. All I could do was smile and laugh!!