Photolicious

$4.50 for 10

According to a report on Chowhound.com, this place was claimed to be the BEST xiao long bao's available in North America.

Well, not by a long shot.

These are more like the Nanxiang Mantou Dian dumplings (as covered in Yusheng's shanghai dumpling survey, ie, skin was too thick.

The flavor was alright, and they were soupy enough, but definitely not in the same league as Shanghai River just a few blocks down. (Granted that Shanghai River is more expensive, but it is still cheaper then an airline ticket back to asia)

Glocester Cafe, on Cambie and 18th, Vancouver, Canada

Standard CCT, chinese'afied western food.

TIP: Use the zoom in feature by clicking on the "menu" button on the picture, and marvel at the delicious marbling.

Get some high quality steaks. Grind on some salt and pepper, coat it with a dab of oil. Sear both sides on high heat and finish in a 500° oven until medium rare. And you'll be in beef heaven, all for less than 10 minutes of cooking effort.

NT$85/US$2.58.

I've been looking for a good Taiwanese-style pork chop over rice ever since I moved back here last summer. I've tried countless shops and while most of them were decent, none of them rocked my world

That is, until now.

This is the original shop of NYC's Mei Wah (on Hester Street in Chinatown). Mei Wah is the only place in Manhattan that I could get a little taste of home when I lived in New York. I've been going there since the late 80s and even though it's gotten a little worse every year, I still went at least once a month. That was how desperate I was for Taiwanese food

Continue reading "Pork Chop Over Rice" »

Bubble Zone - 1115 Clement St, San Francisco

$6.50

Tasty, though a touch too oily. This would have benefited greatly by some paper toweling and draining before serving. The oil also tasted a tad old.

But other then that, this non-battered, pre-marinated, and pepper based seasoning is my prefered kind of fried pork chop. Even if the execution isn't perfect, I am happy to find it prepared in this fashion.

There is enough pork chops on this plate to feed two of me, and come with rice, pickled veggies, pickled mustard and mince pork sauce.

Thumbs up.

Tea Garden - 515 Mission Street, San Francisco

It's nice to have passable and authentic Taiwanese fare in downtown SF.

It's hilariously large, but flat like a pancake. I tried a Quarter Pounder and it was the same way: large and flat. Do Egyptians judge value based on surface area???

In Egypt.

£E10.45/US$1.83.

It comes with the same Big Mac sauce, just with breaded and fried chicken patties (as in their Chicken Sandwiches) instead of beef.

Continue reading "McNuggets Cheeseburger @ McDonald's" »