More 樂趣演奏用食物 Chinese Style!

The reason I was forced into enjoying my Mister Brisket turkey breast for breakfast was that Monday and Tuesday, I had lunch dates. As fate would have it, both meals were at Chinese Restaurants.

Monday's lunch at Hunan of Lyndhurst was lovely. I don't why it has been so long since I've been there (it is right down the street from my office), because the food and service are always delightful. Since their website appears to be "under construction" - they are in the Greens of Lyndhurst, 5670 Mayfield Road (440) 646-9100.


Chicken with Cashews


Beef with Garlic Sauce

Bob and Bernie each enjoyed their lunches. Lunch specials are served with the diner's choice of white rice or fried rice (except for noodle dishes).


Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce

Anna and I ordered the same (except that mine was la, or spicy). This is my "go to" dish at this restaurant. Black pepper sauce isnt offered at many Chinese Restaurants, and Hunan of Lyndhurst does a nice job with it. And when I asked for la - I got la - it was fabulously spicy, but the spice did not overwhelm the other flavors in the dish.



On Tuesday, I met my photographer friend at The Happy Buddha Cafe. I have written and posted photos from this wonderful place a few times before: first visit, second visit. She wanted to try the authentic Asian Noodle Soups and I was ready to tackle the Chinese menu posted on the restaurant website.

This is a simple, tiny place - about 5 tables in all. Shirley, who hails from Hong Kong but does not read characters, explained that her husband, Chef Gordon Liu, had written and posted this menu (which, to be fair, says it is "under construction") without her knowledge. With a little help from Chef, however, I decided to try the Tomato Niu Fan (Tomato, Eggs, Rice).


Vegetable Noodle Soup with Tofu and Mai Fun (Thin Rice Noodles)

Chris's soup was served with an extra bowl of broth, because the bowl was packed with so much goodness that Shirley was concerned there wouldn't be enough broth!





Chris enjoyed this immensely, and had quite a bit left to take home for dinner.


Tomato Niu Fan

This simple yet complex-tasting sauce was thick with, well, thickener (I don't know if it was cornstarch or another starch) - while normally this might lead to gloppiness - here it was a perfect vehicle for the delicate flavors of fresh tomato and gently cooked eggs, which infused the sauce with goodness. There was a little sweetness, balanced with a hearty dose of garlic and the sweet sharpness of fresh scallion, and accented by the tasty strips of stir-fried beef.







Chef Chiu will make any dish to order. While I was happy that all of the tables were full of customers, it was disappointing (to me) that every plate I saw come out of the kitchen was typical Chinese Lunch Special - the menu has plenty of options for those willing to try something new. Our food was simply fantastic - I can't wait to eat here again!

The next time someone at the office says "lets go out for Chinese Food" - be a little daring. Look for something on the menu you've never had before, or ask the server - "what is especially good today" - you may be pleasantly surprised. Even if you aren't wowed - it won't set you back a lot to play with some new food at your local Chinese Restaurant - and here in Cleveland, we are lucky to have so many places that will be delighted to help you play more with your Chinese Food!

More Fun Playing with Cantonese Food at Wonton Gourmet

June 15 was Fathers' Day. For Bob, whose dad passed away many years ago, it was a day for gardening. My Dad is in New York, nearly 500 miles away. So, Father's Day wasn't even on my radar when I selected the date for a lunch at Wonton Gourmet. Though we started out with nearly a dozen people planning to join us - once the reality of the day set in, they started to drop out (understandably). By the time we got to the appointed day and time (Sunday at 1:30pm), our group was down to four people. But that was probably a good thing, considering that the place was packed when I arrived, and that they didn't want to reserve a big table for us because of the holiday.

Wonton Gourment has become my favorite Cleveland Asiatown restaurant. I knew it was a good sign, the first time I ventured here, that I observed Michael Hong, Chef of the wonderful Siam Cafe (3951 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, OH, (216) 361-2323) dining at a nearby table! Wonton Gourmet is located at 3211 Payne Avenue, Cleveland (no website, (216) 875-7000).

Some of the servers remembered us from previous visits, and the owner, Thomas, stopped by every table to ask how things were; he seemed genuinely delighted that we enjoyed the food so much. We dug into the menus, and decided to order one course at a time, so that our small table wouldn't be buried in plates! We started with a selection of Dim Sum items. Though the selection is small, Wonton Gourmet does them extremely well.


Chive Pot Stickers





These fried pockets were stuffed with fresh Chinese chives, shrimp and just a little pork. They were served wok-hot and had a bit of a stiff texture from the shrimp. Yum!


Turnip Cake



I've had Dim Sum in NYC, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, New Jersey, Guangsho (China), Hong Kong and Cleveland. This is, bar none, the most exquisite turnip cake I've ever experienced. As I wrote about it here, it is crispy on the outside, and incredibly creamy on the inside - more like a pudding than anything else. It does not need any condiments (turnip cake is usually served with Hoisen sauce - but Wonton Gourmet wisely serves it just as it is).


Steamed Cilantro & Scallion Rice Roll



This ubiquitous delicacy is usually presented (and is available at Wonton Gourmet) stuffed with shrimp or beef. The rice noodle is rolled around the filling and served over a slightly sweet, soy-based sauce. Something just told me we needed to try it without the filling - and that something was right. The taste of the fresh herbs and the chewy noodles was accented by the sauce - and each mouthful was a delight.


Sui Mai (Steamed Pork and Shrimp Dumpling)

Sui Mai is another of those ubiquitous Dim Sum items served by any restaurant that serves Dim Sum. I usually don't care for them - too much frozen shrimp for my palate, and not usually at the freshest. We were determined to order them - as happened last time, the server warned that they take 15-20 minutes - but we were not in a hurry!



This version was topped with a bit of roe (not sure what kind). It had a firm texture - probably from the mushrooms that seemed to replace a lot of the shrimp. I actually liked it better than most Sui Mai, despite the mushrooms, because of that firm texture, deep pork flavor, and, especially - it was so amazingly fresh!



We followed our Dim Sum with a soup course.


Chinese Chive Dumplings in Soup







The pristinely clear pork-infused broth contained little to distract - the toothsome dumplings (amazingly similar to the Chive Potstickers - it wouldn't surprise me if they were the same dumpling), Gailan (Chinese Broccoli) and scallions. A simple, brilliant dish.

We decided that two entrees would be plenty for the four of us, considering the volume of food that we had just consumed.


Wet Black Pepper Beef & Spaghetti





No kidding - the menu has a whole section of dishes "Over Rice or Spaghetti," though this dish came from a wall menu (thank you Stuart for the translations)! Stuart had warned us to expect a very wet dish over rather mushy spaghetti. But this dish was sublime! An unidentifiable, Western-seeming pasta cooked al dente, tossed with tender beef, chunks of onion, scallion, bean sprouts and coated with a brisk Hong Hong-style black pepper sauce that moistened, but did not drown the dish.



In order to get the full effect of the pepper, you really have to eat this dish the Chinese way - out of a small bowl, which concentrated the aromas and flavors, and with a fairly large bite at a time (everyone at the table finally got the pepper rush - it just took the others a little longer because they ate it from a flat plate in daintier fashion). Black Pepper Sauce is one of those Chinese foods I crave, because few places make it (or make it well).


Oil Fried (or Wok Tossed) Grouper Balls



I was expecting something more dumpling-like - but this dish did not disappoint on flavor, texture or freshness. Chunks of fresh fish were battered and deep fried, then wok-tossed with crisp vegetables, a light "velvety" sauce, and lots of garlic. This was a perfect contrast to the spicy noodle dish!



This meal delighted all four of us, and we agreed to return for more soon! It is a real treat to be able to play with authentic Hong Kong style food right here in Cleveland, in a clean and friendly restaurant.

Three of us visited Koko Bakery (3710 Payne Ave, Cleveland, OH, (216) 881-7600, link to menu here) after, since Tom and Kay had never been there before. I left my camera in the car, but wished I hadn't - the joint was rocking! Koko is a Shanghai-style bakery - to the left, a wall of traditional (and not so traditional) Chinese baked and fried buns, stuffed with everything from Char Sui pork to Ham & Eggs. Then, a cooler with steam buns, for take out. The front counter cases carried elaborate Western-looking pastries, and a few Eastern surprises (pork bread?). The menu includes a selection of rice plates, sandwiches and salads, and Taiwanese and Korean desserts. There is a large selection of Bubble Tea and Shaved Ice. I was pleased to see them so busy; Cleveland has lost a couple of Asian bakeries in the past few years, and this one is locally owned and operated. Koko deserves our support.

I picked up a package of Cranberry Cookies for after dinner and wished I could think enough about food to get something else - but Wonton Gourmet had filled me up with goodness and there was no room left, even to think about food. I'll need a return trip to play with the food at Koko's!

Fun Playing with Authentic Chinese Food in Cleveland's Asiatown

Cleveland's Asiatown continues to grow and thrive. One of the newest arrivals, taking the space formerly occupied by New Wong's at 3211 Payne Avenue, is Wonton Gourmet & BBQ (no website, (216) 875-7000). New Wong's had been an Asiatown staple for BBQ, Noodles, and Seafood, but the space had gotten old and worn. Last year, the owners relocated to the far East Side.

The new owners have transformed the space into a bright, clean, friendly place. The kitchens are sparkling new, as are the restrooms. The parking lot has been expanded - and they needed it last night! The restaurant was fully packed by 7pm - the only open tables were reserved for a large birthday party that didn't get started until we left (too bad - I wanted to see what they were going to eat).

In addition to two printed menus containing a fabulous selection of small plates, Congee, Noodles, Rice Plates, Hong Kong Style Noodle Soups, Casseroles, Fresh Fish and Seafood, traditional Chinese dishes and a full "American style Chinese" section - daily specials hang from the walls on neatly calligraphied yellow banners.

Our friend Stuart - who is an amazing food photographer - photographed all of the banners, and then found some people who read characters to translate most of them. So, when we met last night for dinner, we were able to go beyond the printed menus. I think our hosts were impressed with our selections, and how much we enjoyed them!

We started with one of my favorite things: Fish Maw and Conpoy Soup. I wish there was a sexier translation for the first ingredient (the second ingredient, Conpoy, is dried scallop), because it sounds icky to the Western ear. But trust me - this delicate soup packs delicious taste!







The perfectly clear broth was gently seasoned, so it was easy to taste all of the ingredients - the finely chopped scallops, the fish maw (which had been lightly fried before being added to the soup) and the egg white ribbons.

Before we could finish a small cup of soup - dishes began appearing at the table, to the point that our little four top was completely overwhelmed (especially with three people photographing the food at the same time). I was pleased that they served us Chinese style - no standing on ceremonies or courses - each plate came out hot as soon as it was ready.


Salt & Pepper Squid



Squid is one of those tricky-to-prepare foods - cook too long or too short and it becomes rubber. This plate was perfect in taste and texture, and accented with mouth-numbing slivers of chile.


Minced Garlic Snowpea Sprouts

This dish is ubiquitous in Chinese cuisine - yet this version was the best we ever tasted. Exquisitely fresh vegetable, cooked perfectly, with lots of garlic and just a kiss of gentle sauce.


Beef Ribs in Black Pepper Sauce

I love black pepper sauce - and this dish delivered lip smacking flavor.





Who'd have known that flanken could taste this good?


Pork Belly Braised with Pickles

This was hands down the table favorite. It took a few moments for us to get the server to understand that yes, we understood this dish has a lot of fat and yes - we like that!! He was delighted!

The "pickles" are various Chinese pickled vegetables that soak up fat from the braise. The perfume of star anise permeated the dish, and the meat and fat melted on the lips.




Dry Fried E-Fu Noodles

This was very tasty, but didn't amaze as much as the other dishes.



Of course, we barely scratched the surface of the offerings at Wonton Gourmet, so we'll have to return - a few dozen times, I think. The stir fried crabs served at the table across from us looked fantastic, as did the clams with black bean sauce served to another table. If you enjoy playing with authentic Chinese food, and you are in Cleveland, this is a must-stop.