Fun Playing With Bubble Tea, Buns and Pork at Koko Bakery, Cleveland Asiatown

Last week, I was privileged to join the two gents behind the Cleveland-based food blog Eating Around Town for lunch at Koko Bakery in Cleveland Asiatown. I can't believe It's been almost a year since I last wrote about Koko Bakery (3710 Payne Ave, Cleveland, OH, (216) 881-7600, no website). 

As always, Koko Bakery presented too many choices - even with three of us eating! We began with Bubble Tea. I think Koko Bakery makes the best Bubble Tea in Cleveland - with about 20 flavors to choose from! Still, I always wind up with Taro flavor, because I love it so much. I adore their taro flavored desserts, as well.

Taro Bubble Tea

 

Bubble tea is flavored, sweetened, chilled tea that contains marble-size balls of tapioca. The tapioca is primarily a texture-enhancer, and allows one to drink and to eat their tea at the same time.  It also acts like tofu - absorbing whatever exotic flavors are in the beverage, and allowing you to play with it in your mouth. No wonder I love it so much! 

While waiting to order my entree at the counter, I noticed a tray of fresh buns, in the kitchen ready for the oven. The goods at Koko are baked fresh all day!

Chris and Joel picked out a tray full of buns for us to sample, as I pondered my lunch order. I'd never ordered an actual meal at Koko; I usually just load up on buns. It was not an easy decision, but I ordered the Pork Katsu Rice Plate. Chris ordered a Teriyaki Steak Sandwich for he and Joel to share. These items must have been made from scratch, because they took a while. Since we had our tray full of baked goodness to play with, however, we barely noticed.

Curry Beef Donut 

This was one I'd never seen before. Stuffed with curried beef (similar to the flaky pastry also available in the self-serve hot box), this Chinese Cruller dough was then deep fried and crunchy.

 

Yum.

My next taste was a Ham and Egg bun, which I'd never have selected for myself. Good call, Joel!

 

What really made this bun rock was the Kewpie Mayonnaise.  

Dan Tac (Egg Custard)

The dan tac were sublime - fresh, flaky pastry on the outside, boldly eggy filling inside.

Bacon Bun

This one never fails to please. Bacon, freshly made bun, creamy sauce, gooey cheese.

BBQ Pork Bun

The char siu went fast - I didn't even get a photo of the inside. 'Nuff said.

Teriyaki Steak Sandwich 

This was one sandwich for two growing boys - and for about $7, it fed them more than sufficiently.

They loved it. I would have skipped the cucumbers.

Tempura Vegetables

Every sandwich ($5-7) comes with one side, and the guys chose this. My taste was terrific - hot, crispy and fresh.

Pork Katsu Rice Bowl with Vegetables

  

I really liked this - though the pork was a tad dry and might have been a little overcooked. Still, the fresh factor stood out from both the meat and the crunchy coating, and the sauce drizzled over the pork strips was a gentle but tasty accompaniment. Though I should have told them I despise cukes in all forms when ordering, as my vegetables (which were fresh and not frozen or food service packed) were loaded with them. Oh well. It was such a generous portion that I actually left some of the rice over (as well as the cucumbers).

Chris and I announced our saiety - but Joel had his eye on one more goody:

Yep - this was your basic donut. Airy yet crispy, and redolent of lard, we all loved it. And the appropriateness of this as our final item was demonstrated as we left. I spent a couple of minutes getting organized in my car - I looked up and noticed a white and stenciled vehicle in the parking lot behind me. As I pulled out, the occupants of that car got out and headed into Koko Bakery. Even in Asiatown, the cops know where to get the best donuts!

Lunch at Koko Bakery is cheap, fresh, tasty and filling. If the above hasn't made you salivate, check out the photos and review by the EAT guys here. It was a shame that Koko was so poorly attended the day we visited - Cleveland needs to show Koko Bakery some love! I assure you, it is food and drink worth playing with.

Fun Playing with Korean Food at Ha Ahn, Cleveland, Ohio

Sometimes, things have a way of working themselves out. My friend and fellow food blogger, Tom, who writes "Exploring Food My Way", wanted to sample some of the steamy goodies I'd recently written about, at Superior Pho in Cleveland Asiatown. We made a date and my mouth was watering for some pho and banh mi! I arrived at 3030 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, and entered the back door - only to see that the gates were closed over Superior Pho. Horrors! A closer examination revealed that Superior Pho is always closed on Monday. Well, what to do? When life gives you steel gates - eat Korean food! Or something like that.

I'd heard about Ha Ahn (Golden Plaza, 3030 Superior Ave., #108, Cleveland, 216-664-1152, no website) from a few food people I trust, and the talk was all good. It certainly looked clean, though not well attended at 12:45pm on a Monday. When Tom arrived, we discussed our options, and decided to walk down the short hall and lunch at Ha Ahn. A wise choice it turned out to be!

As the photo above shows, Ha Ahn is a very simple, small place (housed in the former Golden Bakery). Open 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, the restaurant offers lunch specials (Monday-Friday), at $6.95-$7.95. Regular menu items top out around $15. Unfortunately, they didn't have a menu I could take, and the only one I found on-line is a bit truncated. As the photo above shows, Ha Ahn offers photos of most of its menu items on the walls, which is very helpful to the non-Korean diner. Tom did a much better job documenting the menu than I did; I refer you to his blog post if you'd like to see it.

 
Table condiments include rice wine vinegar (the clear liquid) and soy sauce (dark bottle).

All thoughts of Vietnamese food having vanished from our heads as we smelled the goodness in Ha Ahn's kitchen, we pondered the walls and the paper menu trying to decide what to eat. Everything looked good to us! We decided to start by sharing an order of dumplings.

 

Chili Dipping Sauce for Dumplings

 

Mulmandu (Steamed Beef, Tofu, Vegetable Dumplings)

These amazing dumplings are made in-house - the freshness of all of the ingredients, especially the wrappers, made them literally burst with flavor. Add a little of the chili sauce and, well, I could eat a plate of these for lunch and be very happy. The textural contrasts were simply amazing - creamy wrapper, unctuous fillings, crunch from the green vegetables and the cellophane noodles binding the whole package together.

But this was a Korean meal - so not only would we each enjoy an entree - but our dumplings would be followed by banchan, or little palate teasers. I again fell down on the job in photographing Ha Ahn's unique presentation of each diner's banchan in a bento box - but Tom came to my rescue here.

Kim Chee

This fermented cabbage is a staple of every Korean meal. For some reason, it is usually not a favorite of mine - probably the fermented taste. This version, however, was so clean and fresh that I loved it.

Chicken Salad

Yup, you read that correctly. A ubiquitously American-style, mayonaisey chicken salad. Tasty, but it seemed so out of place that we finally asked our server if we were served this in place of something else the restaurant thought we would not like (you'll understand why we thought that when I discuss the entrees) - but she insisted that this banchan was being served to everyone today. Ok.

 

Chili-Sesame Potato

 

 

Caramelized Goju Root (or Gobo)

This was very sweet, almost candied. A little like ginger, but different.

We were already a little full from the dumplings, so we tasted our banchan, but saved plenty to dip in the entrees. Everything but the chicken salad, which just didn't seem to go . . . .

Tom's order was straightforward and easy, once he confirmed that the egg would be runny.

Dolsot Bibimbap (mixed rice served in a hot stone bowl)

This "deluxe" version of Bibimbap is served in a sizzling hot stone bowl, which crisps the rice at the bottom. I had never seen nor tasted this version of the dish before. Tom chose well!

Dolsot Bibimbap With Chili Sauce 


As you can see, Tom did not spare the chili sauce. The chili sauce he received came in a squeeze bottle. I got something completely different with my entree. This was more sweet than hot.

Dolsot Bibimbap Stirred Together


Aha - the reason for wanting a runny egg - the yolk juice mixes into the sauce - heavenly (and yes, Tom let me have a taste).


The story behind my entree is a little more complex. After hemming and hawing over the many fantastic-looking choices - I was drawn to the one I'd never heard of or tasted before, and which didn't translate very well. When I told our server my choice, she tried to talk me out of it, saying that  she didn't think that a non-Korean would like it (that was what made us wonder about the chicken salad banchan). Anyone out there who knows me knows that this is the type of challenge I can seldom resist. I asked the server, do you know why Americans don't like it? She thought it was the texture. I assured her that I would eat the dish, and love it, no matter how unusual the texture. She didn't look convinced - but she took my order to the kitchen!

Kongbiji Jige (Bean-Curd Dregs with Pork and Kimchee in Broth)


What first attracted me to this dish was the name - "Bean-Curd Dregs" brought to my mind the New Orleans staple of "debris" - which are bits of meat that tenderize by long slow cooking in gravy, and are then ladled over a meat sandwich - a wonderful American comfort food. I wondered if the Bean-Curd Dregs were a by-product of making tofu - or similar to the New Orleans idea of letting tofu simmer in broth for a long, slow cook so that it would change it's character and texture to the delicious. I had to find out! And my taste of the Kimchee in the banchan assured me that I'd like the Kimchee as a main player in the dish.

Chili Sauce

It was deja vu all over again - the same sauce we'd been served with our dumplings re-appeared as an accompaniment to my dish.

Another reason I'd selected this dish was that I had primed my taste buds for a soup on this bitterly cold, winter day. This bowl did not disappoint - it came to the table bubbling like a mad scientist's test tubes. As you can see, the "dregs" seem to be bits of tofu (or bean curd) that are crumb-sized and probably take on this texture from being cooked in vigorously boiling soup. The broth, though very tofu-y, was not at all like Japanese Miso. It was a gentle, creamy, perfect accompaniment to the mild bean curd dregs and savory chunks of pork, and the Kimchee spiced things up a little. The dish was accompanied by a bowl of sticky rice. I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to mix the rice in or not, so I put some in. I liked it. I did ask the server about it when she next visited the table, and she said the rice is normally eaten on the side. Oops.

Here, the soup is spiced up a lot - I added the whole ramekin of chili sauce (it wasn't that spicy a chili sauce) and a little soy sauce. This was comfort food supreme. Hot and steamy, porky and creamy, with a little spice and sesame, and crunch from the raw scallions - I'd eat this again any time. Both our server, and the cook, came out to ask how I liked it. I told them the truth - I loved it!

The portions are very generous at Ha Ahn - Tom and I reached maximum capacity, so we each boxed up almost half of our entrees, plus a bunch of banchan. I think our hosts were pleased - I hope so. I should mention that notwithstanding our server's well-intentioned concern with my entree choice, she came to our table prepared to recommend items that are popular with American diners, and service itself was excellent throughout the meal.

And now, the toughest part - at which restaurant to dine when visiting the Golden Plaza? I may have an answer - Superior Pho is closed on Mondays but open on Sundays, and Ha Ahn is closed Sundays but open on Mondays. A solution??? We'll have to see how that works out - but it delights me to have so much fun playing with two very different Asian cuisines in the same building!

Fun Playing with Sichuan Food and Fish Heads at Wonton Gourmet

The Saturday after Thanksgiving found us once again visiting Wonton Gourmet, in Cleveland Asiatown. 3211 Payne Ave, Cleveland, OH 44114-4505, (216) 875-7000. After sampling the Hot & Spicy Szechuan Fish on our last visit, I was determined to try more of the new Szechuan/Sichuan items Chef/Owner Tom has put on his wall menu.

We succeeded in trying two "new" dishes, one old favorite, and one milder, more Cantonese style dish recommended by our wonderful server. Wonton Gourmet scores again - and Tom says that due to demand from his Chinese customers, there will be more Szechuan delights showing up on his menu soon!

Szechuan Eggplant

We've had this before, but one of our companions was hankering for it. Spicy, yet rich in flavors and textures - I dream of getting my eggplant like this in my home wok, but it isn't going to happen. Wok Heh demands many more BTUs than my current stove will ever know.

Hot & Spicy Beef

This dish more than lived up to its name. Though you see the red chilies - it is the numbing Szechuan peppercorn that makes the dish special.

The layer of cabbage underneath the beef also enhanced the dish with a crunchy texture, and a bland foil for the heat.

I expected this dish to be the same preparation as the fish dish I'd sampled earlier; the last 4 characters of each dish's name are the same. Looking at my photos of the menu signs, though,

 

I realize that the beef dish has 2 additional characters, and the fish dish 1 additional character. This might explain why the dishes looked so similar, and were "spelled" so similar - but yet tasted very different. Any character readers out there who care to shed some light on this??

Anyway - returning to our lunch:

Hot & Spicy Szechuan Pork with Noodles

The flavor profile here was also Szechuan, but distinctly different from the chili-centric beef dish. It was more of a hot-sour, with a distinct marine flavor that Tom identified as shrimp paste. Very tasty - but very Chinese. I found it a little strongly flavored for my palate, though I did enjoy it.

Our last selection was recommended by our server, who knows we love the "real" stuff, and who has never steered us wrong!

Braised Salmon Heads with Ginger and Scallions 

Ok, so the name of this dish may not make you hungry. Forget "heads" and think "cheeks" - halibut cheeks, beef cheeks, pork cheeks - some of the most succulent meat in the animal kingdom is found in the cheeks. And so, we practically leapt to try this dish, and we were well rewarded for navigating around and through the bones.

 

A hot wok had crisped the skin, and the light sauce melded with the ginger and onion flavors while allowing the salmon to remain the star. You really have to eat this dish with chopsticks to negotiate the many bones - but it is so worth the trouble!

There are two other Szechuan items - a pork chop dish and a cold beef with two flavors - that we did not get to sample (and also spicy pork maw, which is not one of my favorite things, though I will probably try it at some point) - guess it means I need to go back to Wonton Gourmet again soon, to continue playing with Szechuan flavors not heretofore seen in Cleveland!