Fun Playing With Lunar New Year Food at Siam Cafe, Cleveland Asiatown

The premise of Fun Playing With Food is to share, well, fun that I have playing with my food. When food is not fun, it generally does not get reported here. Bob and I last dined at Cleveland's Siam Cafe just over a year ago, with four friends. The meal disappointed, and none of us had been back. Other friends reported similar experiences, and we pretty much wrote them off. 

Recently, one of the couples we'd dined with last year related having two fabulous meals at Siam, and they really wanted us to meet them there. We set a date, but something came up and Bob and I wound up eating alone, but a week later, the four of us convened for a feast of dishes mostly from the special Lunar New Year Menu (though  I believe that all of the dishes other than the fried custard are available on the regular menu also). The food and service were so wonderful that I feel the need to share. Siam Cafe has redeemed itself, and regained it's place as a favorite place to play with Asian food in the Cleveland area.

Fish Maw and Crab Soup

We have enjoyed fish maw soup many times at Wonton Gourmet. Siam's version adds tender crab meat, and was most delicious, especially with the second incarnation of the Polar Vortex howling around the restaurant.

Assorted Meats and Stuffed Tofu with Soup in Pot: Stuffed Tofu, Shiitake Mushroom, Chinese Sausage with Chicken Broth in Pot

We chose a little poorly here - because the texture and mild flavor of this hot pot was so similar to the soup. And the shrimp mousse stuffed into the tofu squares had the smell and taste of sodium tripolyphosphate. But the lap cheong sausage compensated for all of the dish's sins, so we did enjoy it. These two dishes were more than enough for the two of us.

A week later, four of us convened around the Chinese New Year menu specials, and each dish was spectacular.

Minced Chicken in Lettuce Wrap

This dish was on the Chinese New Year Menu; I didn't see it on the regular menu. The combination of wok-hey chicken bits with lap cheong was positively irresistible!

A slightly blurry photo of the whole dish

Beef Rib with Black Pepper Sauce

This dish made for a very satisfying appetizer. The caramelized vegetables perfectly complimented the tender beef. 

Ningko (rice cakes) with two kinds of pork and vegetables

These rice cakes screamed "home made" - incredibly creamy and tender, with more of that fabulous lap cheong, bits of smoked pork, and lots of wok hey. The oval shape resembles coins, which explains why this delicacy is served at New Year.

Fried Custard with Shrimp, Cashews and Vegetables

Another Lunar New Year menu exclusive, this dish was the perfect contrast to the spicy fish dish you'll see below. Fried custard is a marvelous treat, and the food service shrimp held their own without being offensive. I wish that they used pea pods that didn't have strings, but that's a very small complaint when food tastes this good. Again, the oval shape reminiscent of coins, together with the greens (the color of money is universal) bring this to the New Year's menu.

Braised Pork Belly with Taro

This photo was taken after the first few slices were removed from the plate. A thick layer of skin and gelatinous goodness topped the meaty belly, and worked well against the creamy taro root. The menu calls this dish "pork side with taro" but it's belly, my friends - a beautiful thing.

Flounder in Spicy Broth - Chinese New Year Special

Sadly, my photo of this dish at the restaurant didn't come out well (new lens learning curve, oops). But you can see from this view of the leftovers how incendiary this dish was; take my word that the fish was fresh and tasty. A combination of Sichuan peppercorns and dried Sichuan red chilies made these leftovers a 9 Kleenex meal (served over noodles I picked up at Park to Shop last weekend, and it needed every one!).

I am so glad that Siam Cafe is back on it's game. Delicious food, prepared with skill and care, will bring me back to play at Siam even after Lunar New Year is over.

Gong Xi Fa Cai (Happy Lunar New Year!)

Fun Playing With Lunar New Year Food in Cleveland Asiatown

The Year of the Snake began on February 9, 2013, and in many Asian communities, people are still celebrating. We were fortunate to attend several events that fed our souls and our bellies in connection with Lunar New Year, beginning at the newest Asian shopping center in Cleveland - Asian Town Center. We visited the Center on the second of their two day New Year party. Arriving early and hungry, we began with some Vietnamese treats at Pho 99. All three of these dishes were new to us.

Banh Bot Loc (Vietnamese Ravioli, Pork/Shrimp), Dipping Sauce

There are few things in life that make me happier than chewy dumplings, and these steamed banh bot loc really delivered! The fried shallot garnish added just a bit of crunch, and the dipping sauce a hint of spice.

Banh Beo (Steamed Rice Cakes Topped With Egg and Scallion), with dipping sauce 

These little rice cakes are very similar to the Chinese ningko, but were a little softer. The topping tasted like scrambled egg yolks, with scallions and a slightly salty seasoning powder. The dipping sauce served on the side was very similar to the sauce served with the banh bot loc; indeed, all three cups of dipping sauce were very similar. 

Banh it Tran (Boiled Dumpling Stuffed with Shrimp and Pork) with Dipping Sauce

This dumpling was chewy, yet in a completely different way from the banh bot loc, which was a stiffer dough. Though the fillings were similar, the different skins made for a different tasting experience for each.

In addition to enjoying these delicious bites, we couldn't help but get suckered in by the cheesy kung fu comedy movie playing in the almost empty restaurant on the big screen TV. The film, in Mandarin (with English subtitles), was called Shaolin Soccer. I started paying attention when the plot turned to Mui (Vicki Zhao), a female baker with severe acne who uses T'ai chi to make mantou (dumplings). After watching her special-effect-aided dumpling prowess (think Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon-special effect martial arts, with dumpling dough), we couldn't wait to tuck into the above goodies. As much as Bob was getting lost in the film, though, it was almost time for the Kwan Family Lion Dance in the center of the plaza, so we missed the ending. I'm sure the good guys won. 

Heading to the performance area, we caught the end of the classical music presentation, followed by Japanese drumming by Mame Daiko, then finally the Kwan Family Lion Dance.

As always, the Kwan Family Lion Dance entranced the crowd; hopefully, it would usher in good luck for the New Year. Too busy feeding the lion to take pictures! We finished our celebration at Asia Town Center with a visit to Asia Food Company, to shop for produce and pantry staples.

Pho 99 is definitely worth a visit, whether to sample soup, sandwich (neither of which we got to try, but we'll be back!), dumplings, or full on entrees of Vietnamese specialties. Also of note is that they deliver to downtown with a $2 delivery charge and a minimum order, and have plenty of free parking at the Center, located at 3820 Superior Avenue, 44114, (216) 586-6969. Note that they are closed on Wednesday.

We had great fun playing with Asian New Year's treats at Pho 99 and dancing with the Kwan Lion! Gong Xi Fa Tsai (Happy New Year)!

Fun Playing With Asian New Year Food 2011 at Siam Cafe

Just before we left for Florida, we shared a delightful Chinese New Year Dinner and Lion Dance with friends at Cleveland Asiatown's Li Wah Restaurant. Upon returning from our Florida trip, we got to enjoy another take on playing with Asian New Year food with the Northern Ohio Chapter of Slow Food at Cleveland Asiatown's own Siam Cafe.

We've been to at least three of these dinners at Siam Cafe, perhaps four. Chef-owner Michael Hong reaches into his culinary bag of tricks for auspicious dishes every time and I'll happily eat his braised ham hock once a year every year if I can get it! This year, he and his friendly staff coped with our 40-some-odd banquet diners, two large parties celebrating birthdays (one American and one Asian) and a fully packed house on a Sunday evening. And they put out the most amazing, fresh, delicious spread I've ever tasted at Siam Cafe. 

Stuffed Crab Claws

Crab Claw stuffed with Shrimp Puree and Crispy Vermicelli. I really enjoyed this incarnation of a dish Chef Hong has served to us before.

Shanghai Xiao Long Bao

Traditional Soup Dumpling in Dipping Sauce. Chef Hong favors a more sturdy wrapper and less soup in the dumpling than some Chinese chefs - and the result is toothy and delicious. The presentation was also interesting - each diner got a bowl of dipping sauce and the servers placed a first dumpling in each bowl. The quantities were sufficient for each diner to enjoy a second dumpling, but we were on our own for landing them intact in the sauce bowl.

Scallion Pancake with Char-Sui Pork

Char-Sui Barbecued Pork Wrapped with Pancake. Served with Sweet Hoisin Sauce. Another dish we've enjoyed before - done to non-greasy, chewy perfection.

Wonton Dumplings in Thai Tom Yum Soup

Spicy Thai Soup with Two types of Mushrooms and Wonton Dumplings. Here is where the menu diverged from "Chinese" to "Asian." A light, spicy broth cuddled freshly made pork and shrimp wontons, mushrooms, and scallions. 

Lobster with Golden Garlic - Maine Lobsters Stir Fried with Minced Roasted Garlic, Green & Red Peppers

This might have been the best lobster I've ever eaten. First, it was served blazing hot from the wok, coated with chunky garlic and peppers that clung tenaciously to the shells instead of falling to the plate. Second, the  kitchen had expertly cracked the crustaceans such that the meat was easily extracted. Finally, and most important, the high quality lobster meat had been cooked to the exact right point such that it melted in the mouth.

Baby Abalone & Shitake Mushroom over Mustard Greens

A staple dish at Chinese New Year due to the round, coin like shapes of the abalone and mushrooms, together with the greens which are colored as money - this is always my least favorite because I favor neither mushrooms nor abalone. I did eat some of the greens, which are often tough and bitter. These were tender and sweet, and benefited from the mushroomy sauce.


Whole Crispy Roasted Duck

Roast duck is all about the skin - and this baby delivered! Tender meat, crisp skin and a very traditional preparation equaled a lovely dish.


Michael’s Fabled New Years Only Fried Custard with Shrimp, Snow Peas & Carrots



This unique dish was the only platter other than the lobster that our table consumed to the last morsel. The custard, which probably had some tapioca or wheat starch in the filling, was wrapped in delicate pastry and fried. It gently walked the line between sweet and savory, and provided a textural foil to the crunchy vegetables and nuts, while the shrimp offered brininess.


Pla Red Pik - Fillets of Victorian Perch with Spicy Thai Tamarind Sauce

Instead of the traditional whole steamed fish, Chef Hong fried the perch and paired it with a gently spicy sauce. The combination worked well and we all enjoyed it.


Braised Ham Hock

Another Michael Hong Chinese New Year signature dish: the most delicious and tender Ham Hock, which had been slow cooked for hours (I seem to recall one year he said it cooks low and slow overnight) and served with Baby Bok Choy that still had some body to it and actually lent flavor to the dish rather than just being a garnish.




As with the duck, the skin of the pig had been artfully prepared (though not quite as crispy). If you ever have the opportunity to enjoy this dish at Siam Cafe - make sure you avail yourself!


Very Beautiful & Delicious Fried Rice

And what makes this rice so beautiful and delicious? Pork fat! Yuppers - as is traditional, this festive rice bore the unmistakable flavor and texture that comes only from frying in lard.


Traditional Noodle with Chicken - Thin Egg Noodle Stir Fried in Soy Sauce with Chicken

My only complaint about this traditional noodle dish was that the noodles had been cut fairly short- bad luck for the New Year! Bad luck or not - I couldn't stop eating it.



This was the bounty remaining on the table when the last of us cried "Uncle!" We did box it all up and distribute it around the table. 

But wait - there was still one more dish to come:


Flaky Pastry Crust Baked with Egg Custard

While Koko Bakery makes my favorite Dan Tac in the world - these jewels were mighty fine renditions of the form. We took them home; too stuffed to even consider a bite.



It was a bite worth waiting for - fresh, eggy, creamy, flaky and chewy all at the same time.

If you've skipped going to this dinner because you've seen some of the dishes before, or perhaps there were some off notes in some of the shrimp one year - you are doing yourself a disservice! We had more fun playing with the food at this year's Slow Food Asian New Year Dinner than at any previous visit  I've made to Siam Cafe - make sure that you join us next year. And in the mean time, I saw some huge, feisty dungeness crabs in  Siam Cafe's seafood tank - I think there is one there with my name on it.

Also, please visit my last blog post and leave your comment there before 10am on Tuesday March 8, 2011 to be entered into the drawing for two tickets to The Culinary Vegetable Institute's Earth to Table Dinner featuring Chef Ellis Cooley of AMP 150 next Saturday, March 12

Fun Dancing With Lions and Playing with Chinese New Year Food

Yesterday was the first official day of Lunar New Year, which is celebrated throughout Asia. Despite Wednesday night's fuzzy weather, our group of 7 ventured to Cleveland's Li Wah Restaurant for a Chinese New Year Dinner and Lion Dance put on by the venerable Kwan family and martial arts troupe. 

Li Wah offered both "Americanized" special dishes and some a la carte items that were more authentic. We opted for the prix fix Chinese New Year Family Dinner Special for 6, and added one a la carte dish to it, since we were seven. Quantity was perfect even though we had a few power eaters at the table. And we got to feed Lucky Money to the Lion and ask for good luck and prosperity in the New Year. 

BBQ Combination

The first course, traditionally served cold, included crispy duck and BBQ pork over jellyfish, crispy pickled vegetables, cucumber and orange slices (the latter representing coins with their shape and money with their green and orange colors). An auspicious beginning.

Assorted Seafood, Bamboo & Shark's Fin Soup

Though fresh and tasty (and very gelatinous from the shark fins), the soup seemed a little bland. 

A splash of chili oil and flakes woke it up nicely - note the way the oil reacted with the surface of the soup - the mouthfeel was exquisitely soft.

Lobster with Ginger and Scallions

Fresh lobster cooked to perfection was shell-licking good.  The next course was our "add on" dish:

Beef with Pepper and Honey

Note the continuing "green" color theme with the tender asparagus and "coins" of zucchini.

Sauteed Assorted Seafood & House X.O. Sauce

X.O. Sauce is ubiquitous on the modern Chinese New Year menu (it is believed to have originated in Hong Kong in the 1980s). The sauce is named after XO Cognac to symbolize wealth and status - both themes central to the New Year celebration. This rich sauce masked well any hints of chemistry on the food service  grade seafood (which, given the price point under $25 per person for all of the prix fix dinner menus, is to be expected). The dish was most satisfying (though I skipped the shrimp), especially the squid. 

Shredded Dry Scallops & Pea Pod Leaves

Dry scallops, or conpoy, are very expensive, which is probably why they were sparingly used in this dish. Blazing hot, fresh from the wok and redolent with fresh garlic - this plate wowed the table.

Steamed Whole Fish

I was pleased to be served the traditional steamed whole fish - I recall a Chinese New Year meal at Li Wah a few years ago where our table was served a fillet instead of the whole beast. Steamed whole fish is another important Chinese New Year tradition, but one that Westerners often eschew. I made a point of telling our server that we didn't want any changes to the menu, but to tell the kitchen to serve us exactly what they'd serve Chinese customers (this was after the first course came out with the neon red cherry halves on it, though since red is an important New Year's color, I may have had nothing to worry about). After we thought we were done, our server scraped and served out all of the last bits from among the bones, and insisted that Bob eat it because he was "too skinny"!

Yeung Chow Fried Rice

Free of soy sauce or other cloying flavors, this dish is a traditional way to end a Chinese Banquet (our servers, probably weary of explaining to Western guests that white rice is not served at a Chinese Banquet, had also dropped a big bowl of the latter on the turntable earlier in the meal). I didn't notice the flavor and ethereal texture that lard - the most authentic frying medium for this dish - would have brought to the plate, but the clean, fresh flavors satisfied nonetheless.

Fried Half Chicken

Though not as lip-smackingly good as Wonton Gourmet's version - this dish also came to the table wok-hot, with crispy skin and tender meat. We enjoyed every bite.

As often happens at Chinese Banquets - dessert was simple. And sufficient. We were all full, but not stuffed, and having enjoyed a lovely meal, we next enjoyed the Lion Dance performance. I video-ed some of it, but am still on new-camera-learning-curve and haven't figured out how to transfer video off of the data card, which none of the three programs that came with the camera seem to do (anyone who knows how to work .mts files please feel free to pipe up in the comments or send me an email). Suffice it to say that we all played with great food and a festive Lion Dance to ring in the Year of the Rabbit in Cleveland Asiatown with the Hom family at Li Wah!

Items from the special menus will be offered throughout the two week New Year Celebration, and Lion Dances will be repeated this Saturday and Sunday at 11am during Dim Sum service. Gongxi gongxi!