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Northern Cafe Temple City

Jan26

Location: 9608 Las Tunas Dr, Temple City, CA 91780. (626) 286-5288

Date: May 5 & July 23, 2023

Cuisine: Northern Chinese

Rating: Great private room experience

Normal Northern Cafe is a solid but casual fast casual spot but…

Northern Cafe in Temple City sure is a bit different than the ones in Century City or West LA as we shall see in this special dinner organized by Eve and another I put together myself.

The normal dining room is fairly normal NC.

But they have 5 private rooms, a smaller one being shown here.

We set up in this larger one.

It’s pretty big.

It even has a bit of a lounge area, perfect for organizing our wines.

I think this is the “regular” menu.

And this epic tome is the special menu!

Spicy Cucumbers. Nice garlicky cucumber salad.

Cold Flavored Pork Head. Very chewy texture that was offputting to some with a lovely, but highly porcine, flavor.

Up first came this big installment of Geoduck sashimi. This is the body meat and it was served on ice with Astrea Caviar that Eve brought. Turns out geoduck is excellent with caviar! And this was some very fine geoduck with a very clean mild sea flavor and a nice chewy texture.

It was served with soy sauce and (faux) wasabi.

We had pre-ordered several large live lobsters and the tails were served as sashimi. Probably the best “Chinese” lobster sashimi I’ve had. Quite lovely and subtle.

Eve also brought her own King Crab! They sell it on the menu, but she BYOCed.

King Crab Salty Egg Yolk. The crab might have been a touch overcooked in this prep but the yolk batter, which is not normally my favorite, was quite good as it wasn’t too salty or too pasty.

Bamboo Shoot with Shredded Pork. I loved this dish. It was a pretty classic brown sauce, but very tasty, and the crunchy bamboo was delightful with that bit of porky flavor (classic Chinese velveted slivered pork).

Pork Spareribs with Garlic. Chewy, salty, and very tasty.

Pork and Scallion Pancake. This is a kind of classic Beijing meat pie with a filling that is probably the same as standard dumpling filling: pork, ginger, green onions. They were super greasy, but great.

House Special Smoked Duck. It was served with a bit of hoisin and some Northern style pancakes. The meat was really flavorful, but VERY salty, almost to the Smithfield ham level. Speaking of that, because it was salted, smoked, and cured, it tasted not unlike ham — just ducky ham.

This are the flaky pancakes for the duck.

Next they brought out this lovely Cloisonné hot pot.

This is the basic broth, but Eve ordered it as “mushroom chicken” and so…

They added a mess of mushrooms and…

Some raw chicken.

This mix was allowed to boil for 20-30 minutes (covered).

Here is the result.

First we were served cups. The broth was incredible, with a very deep woodsy and comforting chicken and mushroom flavor. The short boil had extracted a lot of flavor.

For extra things to add to our hot pot we kept it fairly simple, enjoying the legs of our crab. Boiled for 20-30 seconds they were incredibly sweet and succulent.

These lobster “bits” were chopped up and reason to be tossed into the pot.

Also some tofu.

And greens. We kept drinking this broth (with the stuff) throughout the evening as it was delicious.

As was this incredible delicious of live Grouper.

The grouper meat cooked in a bout 30 seconds and was subtle and delicious.

Rib Eye and Lamb Shoulder to boil in the pot. These meats, alone of what we had tonight, is better (IMHO) with the spicy broth served at various Sichuan hot pots.

Some extra fish was also fried up “salt and pepper” style — aka MSG style.

Clams with Basil. This is the classic Chiuchow dish that’s a bit Vietnamese/Cambodian. Some nice basil flavor and a good number of succulent clams. I enjoyed this, even if the clam meat was a bit evasive.

Sauteed Cabbage. I always love this classic and it didn’t dissapoint. This was a simple rendition with a lot of garlic and oil, but cooked perfectly. It didn’t have either the ham (and its nice lardy flavor) or dried shrimp or chilis that some versions of the dish have, so it wasn’t the most flavorful I’ve ever had, but the crunchy texture on the oily cabbage was lovely.

French Chopped Beef with snowflake. Chunks of filet with black bepper sauce. I don’t generally love this dish as I consider it a bit boring, but this one had a real black pepper kick which in combination with the onions was quite enjoyable.

The geoduck neck came back fried. Quite nice, but not nearly as delightful a fry as the Longo version.

Eve also brought not one but two Turbot!

Turbo steamed with ginger, garlic, spring onions, and soy. This fish is best done this way, simply, so that the soft mild flesh and generous cartilage can be enjoyed “as is.”

Crab Custard. This is the third dish from our King Crab.

The custard was a bit stiff, and while still delicious, didn’t have that silken texture I really love.

Yang Chow (or everything) fried rice. Absolutely awesome fried rice with big whole shrimp and chunks of fried pork.

Walnut Shrimp. Fu ordered this guilty pleasure classic, joking that it was for the white guys, but this was a first rate example. The shrimp were succulent and the fry nice and crispy, perfectly offset by the sweet mayo and walnuts.

Fried fish with green batter. This is a Hangzhou dish. There green tea is added to the batter. I’m not sure it was tea here or some other variant, but it was a nice tempura-style deep fried fish. Right out of the frier too as it was very hot and juicy.

House Special Smoked Duck. Very salty, but very good. With that smokey cured pastrami-like flavor. Lots of “flavor.”

Pea Tendrils with Garlic. Great version of this basic dish.

MaPo Tofu. Not a bad version at all. Some Ma and a bit of meat.

Beef & Scallion Roll. Awesome version of this with some hoisin and cilantro. Quite lovely.

Boiled dumplings. Probably pork. Delicious for sure. I didn’t (finally) manage to get some black vinegar for them. Really I like a proper dumpling sauce, but vinegar will do.
XLB. Solid versions.

Scallion pancake. Bready, but really tasty — particularly with some black vinegar.

Inside.

Pan fried dumplings. I’m not sure if this was the same filling. It was late, but they were also good. Skin was a little thick on these, not like the amazing You Kitchen variants, but like all decent dumplings they were hot and delicious.

Nocciola Crunch Gelato — Nocciola (hazelnut) base made with egg yolk and Pure PGI Piedmont hazelnut paste mixed with Nestle’s Buncha Crunch — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — new higher fat base formulation — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #hazelnut #nocciola #Chocolate #Nestle #crunch

Hojicha Latte NSA Gelato – Ceremonial Hojicha Roasted Green Tea base with No Sugar Added (Allulose) — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #matcha #Hojicha #GreenTea #Allulose #NSA

Cannoli and Baklava’s Evil American Lovechild — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Base crafted from Galbani Whole Milk Ricotta and Sicilian Toasted Noto Romano Almond Paste with a touch of the sugar subbed out for Sicilian Honey. Mixed in is Malibu Honey, California Pistachios, and house-made Gluten Free Honey Graham Crackers (almond flour and so good you can’t tell them from the wheat flour version)! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #dessertgasm #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #ricotta #almond #RicottaCheese #cheese #Sicily #honey #GrahamCracker #pistachio

Cap’N Crunch Gelato – Smooth Peanut Base with house-made White Chocolate Coated Crunch Berries! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — oh my! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #peanut #cereal #CrunchBerry #CapNCrunch

Fu makes off with a bit of booty for the family.

Meal 1 (May 2023), was a super fun night. Awesome wines — and only one red thank Dionysus (given the food). Company was amazing too and the food really stood out. I enjoyed this slightly northern twist and they seem to have an excellent and very flexible Chinese kitchen and great private rooms. Who would have thought at a Northern Cafe? Service was super friendly and excellent too. We did get too many dishes too fast because no one gave them the “one at a time” instructions and fast is the Chinese default. Still, an awesome time and awesome food. That broth was really amazing!

Meal 2 (July 2023).

For more dining reviews click here.

Just a bit of great wine!

And some fire water.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Babykillers, BYOG, Caviar, Chinese cuisine, Foodie, Foodie Club, Gelato, geoduck, hot pot, Seafood, SGV, Wine

Boston Lobster New Digs

Apr09

Restaurant: Boston Lobster Seafood Restaurant

Location: 4501 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770. (626) 288-4388

Date: September 4, 2022

Cuisine: Cambodian Cantonese Chinese

Rating: Huge, Great Deal, Solid

This Sunday’s Chinese is a return to Boston Lobster. It’s been awhile, like 7 years. They have new digs, having moved from a small shop on Valley Blvd to this huge location on Rosemead.

The new spot must have been some kind of “Seafood House” in the kitchy 50s style and it even includes an old (WWII?) antiaircraft gun.

The place is enormous with multiple wings and a very current (if a little cheesy by western standards) Chinese build out inside.

Lobster tanks.

And a big menu of southern Chinese and Cantonese Chinese dishes.

We had a jumbo — and I do mean jumbo — private room where our table took up just a corner.

Boston House Special Lobster with Garlic Noodles. We actually had two of these huge plates for our table of 14. Lobster itself was excellent. Not the best “house special lobster” I’ve ever had, and I didn’t see any roe (which I like), but good. And pretty well cooked and tender. Noodles were a touch bland.

Geoduck Clam Sashimi Style. Served with soy sauce and wasabi. Decent, but chewier and fishier than at Longo, and not in that same delicate awesome way.

Geoduck Clam Neck Fried Salt and Pepper Style. Tasty with a nice chew but not as awesome as at Longo.

Clam with Basil Sauce. Tender clams but the basil sauce (as usual) gives an interesting medicinal note to the dish.

Shrimp with Walnut. Middling version of the classic.

Steamed Whole Fish. This was basically soy sauce fish with scallions. Nicely cooked and tender, but not super exciting.

Kung Pao Pork Chop. I’m not sure I’ve had this (Cantonese) cut of meat as Kung Pao. It was a very Southern Kung Pao with no spice, no Szechuan Broad Bean Chili Paste. More a salty sour brown sauce, but pretty tasty regardless.

Special Off Menu Smoked Duck. Very interesting flavor and super tender. This was one of the best dishes.

It was served with a soy gravy.

And a And a sweet and sour sauce (which was better than the gravy). (which was better than the gravy).

Sliced Beef with Pea Sprouts. Beef was super tender and soft and packed with “flavor” (MSG). The pea sprouts were great too with that salt and garlic yum factor. I actually liked this dish a lot.

Chicken with Curry Sauce. Not very Chinese, but kinda delicious. Very tender and “flavorful” with a nice mild yellow curry.

One of the standard Chinese greens with garlic. Not bad at all.

Oyster on Hot Sizzling Plate. Very “fried” (not deep fried but cooked) oysters. Pretty good flavor but I don’t love my oysters cooked.

Yang Chow Fried Rice. Classic.

Oranges.

Double Mint Oreo — Base made with Fresh Spring Mint infused milk and then laced with Crushed Mint Oreo Thins and Chopped Valrhona 70% Chocolate! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — lovely strong mint flavor and color is all natural — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #dessertgasm #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #mint #valrhona #chocolate #oreo

The gang.

Overall, Boston Lobster was good but not great. It’s huge. And it’s well priced. And the lobster is good. Dishes are fairly typical for Southern/Cantonese Chinese. I actually think it’s quite a bit better than the way over-rated Newport Seafood. But there are plenty of “meh” dishes (still tasty, don’t get me wrong, this is solid Chinese) that aren’t nearly as good as at a better Cantonese restaurant. For example, Longo and Monterey Palace Geoduck is WAY better. But if you have a big party and/or want this kind of Chinese on a bit of a budget than there is certainly not much to complain about with Boston Lobster. It’s just not best in class.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

For more LA Chinese dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Boston Lobster, BYOG, Cambodian Cuisine, Cantonese Chinese, Gelato, geoduck, Lobster, Seafood

Best Geoduck Ever

Sep27

Restaurant: World Seafood Restaurant [1, 2]

Location: 1412 S Garfield Ave. Alhambra, CA 91801. (626) 282-3888

Date: August 13, 2017

Cuisine: Cantonese Chinese

Rating: Great Cantonese banquet

I last went to World Seafood almost 2 years ago (for dim sum) and being that Cantonese Restaurants are basically two in one (dim sum and dinner) I was psyched to try it with master orderer Tony Lao for dinner.

Typical big Cantonese house outside.
Inside a touch of new color encircles the giant Chinese-style banquet hall.

But tonight we had one of the private rooms — all the better.

There was a ton of wine, but I’m not cataloging it because I tragically had a weird camera malfunction and most of the photos are from Yarom’s phone — yes, these are not my photos, and so not as sharp — but they will do.

Boiled peanuts to start.

Fungus with chili oil. Super delicious and great texture.

The white boiled chicken feet. I never try these, too gelatinous.

Sautéed geoduck clam with snap peas and fungus.

And look, they individually plated it (like most of the dishes). Incredible. Tony gets that to happen fairly often but I’ve never had it with anyone else at the ordering helm. This was the best geoduck ever. Super tender, not over cooked, with a lovely chewy flavor.

Giant prawns. In a sort of sweet garlic sauce or something. Delicious too and you pretty much had to eat the shell.

Working the wine.

Fried geoduck. Like the best fried clams you’ve ever had. Seriously like New England clam strips. Fried with garlic.

Suckling pig. Excellent! Very tender and totally deboned.

Some of the extra (less attractive but just as tasty) meat came as a separate dish.

Some more something (more clam?) fried in the heavy egg yolk fry. I don’t love this salty rich type of batter.

Turtle soup. On request, even though it was summer, they served us up this delicious consommé of turtle.

I guess that is turtle meat.

Lettuce cups with chicken. Specially made with chicken on request. Might have had more flavor with pork, but the texture was excellent.

Individually plated again.

Special stuffed duck. Stuffed with rice and chestnuts and I don’t know what other goodies. Tasted very soft and delicious. A little like Budha’s chicken.

Special lamb chops. We almost didn’t get these but they were amazingly flavorful.

Close up, individually plated.

String beans and pork. Nice version of the dish.

Yin Yang fried rice. This is a great dish, although in this version the red porky side was a bit too sweet. The white side is shrimp.

In the bowl.

Walnut and black sesame mochi ball soup. Strange Chinese dessert.

John and I went out for some “coffee” — if you can call this boba cookies and cream ice blended coffee — more like a milk shake.

Overall, World Seafood served up some really excellent Chinese banquet fare, and service was fantastic. Individual plating! We had some different things and they were nearly all perfectly prepared. I love this kind of dinner.

For more LA Chinese dining reviews click here.