My mom took us to try Guang Zhou Restaurant Guang Zhou Restaurant, a pretty new place, for their Dim Sum. Most notable is their translucent dumpling skins. No matter which one we tried, we marveled over how perfectly bouncy yet delicate they were, certainly the best we’ve ever had. The Crystal Shrimp dumplings were just a tad salty but still good.
The Chinese Chive Dumplings and the Watercress Dumplings were actually so full of shrimp and not enough veggies. I know some might prefer that but if you want shrimp, get the shrimp ones. I wanted the flavor of the veggies for the veggie ones. Still, they were superb because of the skins.
My mom had eaten at Guang Zhou with friends and wanted me to try the Taro and Pork Dumpling, since it’s unique to this restaurant. We didn’t see it as the carts circled so we requested it and the staff was very accommodating (rare for a Chinese restaurant). They went to ask the kitchen to make whichever ones you wanted. It came out nice and hot, and it was so interesting. Unlike most dumplings, the filling is not stuck together like a meatball. The perfect cubes of taro, pieces of pork, and finely chopped celery leaves were loose, like a stir fry dish inside dumpling skins. The use of cinnamon is also pretty unusual and with the fabulous skins, it ended with mixed reviews at our table.
On to non-dumplings…my mom and Lon always get the Fish Balls. They were fresh, hot, and fluffy, with a really nice white pepper.
Guang Zhou also seems to make their own hot sauce, which is nice, a lot smokier with real chili flavor.
When we saw Durian Pastry, we wanted to try it. (Lon really likes durian and I have never tried it.) Unfortunately, the filling was more like sweet potato with a mild odor, not really showcasing durian flavor. The pastry was good though.
The Curry Beef Pastries had the same flaky pastry, made very pretty, but the filling was mediocre.
Lon thought the roast pork buns were chinsy on the filling but I actually really liked them. They were delicate and less filling than usual, better for dim sum, since you will be eating so much other stuff. The filling was also tastier and less sugary than usual.
Unfortunately, the Shrimp in Rice Noodle (my favorite dish) was just average.
The Steamed Daikon Cake, a variation on the common Pan-Fried Turnip Cake, is SO SO good. It’s lighter, fluffier, and delicate. It makes me think of that Top Chef challenge to make junk food elegant.
Pork Ribs is a classic Dim Sum dish that is always too oily (literally sits in a pool of oil) but these had pieces of pumpkin in it. I didn’t like eating the pieces of pumpkin but it added a nice subtle sweetness to the meat.
At regular dim sum prices, this was a great meal and I can’t wait to go back and try more dishes. Not only were dishes fresh and hot, there were unique items to try, and even presentation seems a step up. Gather some friends and go enjoy!
Whee…another promising dim sum place! And for durian pastry, try them at Jade Asian, they were pretty unique.
Looks delicious! I love dim sum.
steamed daikon looks so delish!
Soopling, I’ve been to Jade so many times and never saw it. =( Will have to ask for it next time.
what is daikon?
I love dim sum looks good
you should try the deserts too
they usually aren’t good but i would
like to hear your critisms 🙂
Eatingfoodboy, daikon is a type of Asian radish. I don’t often get desserts at dim sum (as you said, it’s not too good) except for egg tarts (love those) and Justin does likes those Coconut Squares.