Eat Drink Style Dumpling 10053, El Monte, CA - Creative Dumplings Un-creative Restaurant Name

Nostradamus left out a very important prediction in his book. Amidst all things alluding to armageddon and absolute chaos, such as earthquakes, terrorist attacks, celebrity infidelity, Paris, Lindsay and Hillary, etc.... how about things we as foodbloggers actually care about... like where's the next breeding ground for good Asian food in the SGV? Well to answer that, Nostradamus appeared in my dreams last night. But he wasn't European; he was actually an old Chinese man with ashy gray hair, with one of those very attractive moles that had 3-4 strands of 5" hair growing out of it... like vines in the Amazon. The moles that are supposed to give people good luck, when in fact it's just something you tell people so they don't feel so bad about it. With lighting and thunder floating above his head, he told me. "Ooooooohhhhhhh.... (whatever scary sound scary spirits tend to make).... I think it's not in the Alhambra/San Gabriel/Rosemead side of Valley Blvd.... it's actually moved east on Valley Blvd towards El Monte. And it's because of a quaint restaurant by the name of Dumpling 10053. And I am getting sick of the huge Banh Mi Battles on Valley Blvd.... what the hell is that about??? It's just a sandwich! And what about those Monterey Park mommies with those face visors....oh the... " Before he continued ranting on, I went back to sleep. Thanks for the tip - I'm checking it out.

My family and I headed east on Valley Blvd. which was weird for a change. We were so used to going west on Valley to the land of good food. We found Dumpling 10053 in a tiny strip mall, well, by the address of 10053 Valley Blvd.... just a few yards east of Baldwin Avenue. We parked and found ourselves dealing with a good 15 people in front of us. Yes, a very good sign. I put my name down, actually my chinese last name. 10053 is the first place to ever ask me for my last name... "Ni gway shing?" (meaning: your family name please?) How fancylicious. Where was the heavily-needed valet guy? Compact parking spots and Chinese drivers do not meld well. We were seated about 20 minutes later.

About 2 months earlier, I had sent my new foodie scout, Jéan Downs, out to Dumpling 10053 since he was in the area. Jéan Downs accompanied me for a dinner at WD-50 in New York and tried a lot of things for the first time. He has proven to many that he is an enthusiast of good food. He doesn't like to reminisce about the days when he used to eat at Chipotle, El Torito (only with coupons), Baja Fresh (because Santa Ana is too far) and fine Italian meats from Albertson's Deli. He came back to me with a two thumbs up review.

10053 Interior
The restaurant holds about 15 tables; not very big. This place is certainly big enough for people to do the 'Hurry up and f&!!ing Eat Staredown' though. For those unfamiliar with this. It originates in Asia, where restaurants are super small. And if it's cold outside, people waiting to eat will literally stand inside the restaurant next to you while you enjoy your meal. They may even STARE at you so that you hurry up and eat. Screw them, take your time. Maybe even offer them some tea. There are hungry onlookers here though.

Cold Cucumbers (Xiao Huang Gua)
This is a must in any dumpling/noodle shop. Some places will let you walk up to the counter and pick out your own side dishes; most keep their side dishes in a separate drink fridge. These cucumbers however, were bland. In need of extra flavoring, we added our own salt and dollop of chili bean paste. Much better. $2.25

Shredded Bean Curd 'Noodles' (Gan Sih)
These are my favorite and 10053 makes them delicious. I can definitely taste the addition of chicken bouillon which contains MSG and chicken broth flavoring. The sesame oil is nicely glazed on.... making this one of the best 'gan sih' I've eaten in SGV. $2.25

The Dumpling Master Sauce
Everyone has his own 'sauce' for dipping dumplings or scallion pancakes in. Here's a quick guide for the sauce I make. Just don't dip dumplings in soy sauce straight - it's like the white guy from Joy Luck Club juicing the perfectly steamed fish with soy sauce. In your little dish provided, add 1/2 a seconds worth of soy sauce, 1 second of vinegar, 1/2 or 1 teaspoon of chili bean paste depending on your threshold for spiciness and 6-7 drops of sesame oil. Mix well and enjoy. This is not the same sauce for soupy dumplings (xiao long bao)! This is $free.99.

Three-Flavored Dumplings (San Shen Sway Jiao)
People on Chowhound lit up this dish like crazy. And I must join the campaign. These are truly good. Using pork, imitation crab and sea cucumber, a juicy dumpling is made and full of flavor. You almost don't need to use the master sauce. This combination of ingredients is very unique, yet you can still taste all the different textures. You won't find this at many Chinese restaurants. 10 for $6.50.

Centerfold Portrait of the Three-Flavored Dumpling

Shrimp & Leek Dumplings (Sha Joe Tsai Sway Jiao)
These are my favorite and what everyone gets with the Three Flavor dumplings. I've already been to 10053 four times in the last 1.5 months. I can't get enough of these. These are basically like dim sum ha gow's. The shrimp is bound together by egg whites, corn starch with a few slivers of chinese leeks - and it's very juicy. Mmmm. 10 for $6.50.

Centerfold Portrait of the Three-Flavored Dumpling
All I have to say is... 36-24-36 for only 6-50.

Pork Chops with Soup Noodles (Pai Gu Mian)
This is another favorite here at 10053. I usually never get this, but after being here four times and eyeing what the waitresses bring out... it was time to try. And they are beautiful. Perfectly fried, these pork chops have a nice rice wine, white pepper and five-spice taste to them. Sh*t! My stomach just growled. $5.95 with soup noodles. $4.75 for 2 pieces... might as well order the whole set.

Noodle Soup (Part of Pai Gu Mian Combo)
This broth is cooked beautifully. It was a bit salty and cloudy from the noodle washoff. I tasted a lot of MSG in this. But overall, a nice accompaniment to the pork chops.

Beef Stew & Tendon Noodle Soup (Nu Ro Gun Mian)
I have eaten a lot of beef noodle soup in SGV, and so far, this place has moved up to my top 3 rank. The cuts of beef given are soooo nice. The broth has a nice red/brown color to it with virtually no oil and lingering tastes of chili bean paste; has a nice subtle star anise essence to it. This is one fine bowl of NRM.

The ugly-moled Nostradamus was right. In fact, I am thinking about eating there again this weekend. I am determined to try everything on the menu and I can't say that about a lot of Chinese dumpling/noodle shops. Another one of 10053's trademark dishes is the cold sesame chicken noodles. Good for about the first few bites, the sesame paste starts to get sickening. Try sharing this with your friends. I've also tried the rock cod fishball soup and it's just not what I was expecting. Although very clean and fresh, the fishballs lack the Chiu-Chow style of 'bouncey' fish meat. I'd refrain from the Salmon dumplings - cooked salmon is just too dry. Finally, as good as the potstickers look, I'd say no. The filling is 90% vegetable, 10% pork and VERY DRY. By the way, the chinese name for 10053 is 'Yuan Bao Xiao Guan', meaning Gold Ingot Restaurant. This is a Chinese gold ingot. Thanks for reading.

Dumpling 10053
10053 Valley Blvd Suite #2
El Monte, CA 91731
(626) 350-0188

Eat Drink Style New York: A Weekend of Fusion

Last weekend, I went to New York for a short weekend trip... and it was a shock to the system. The weather was 15 degrees, and 0 degrees by night time. I've been to NY a good 6 times, but this was nuts. Anyway, I was originally going for a college friend's wedding in Long Island, but work came down the pipe... also in New York! My agency asked me to attend a photoshoot for a client at New York's electronic club, Crobar. I took the red eye Thursday, and after a few drinks at dinner with J at Terried Sake House and drinks at the airport, I ended up passing out on my flight and waking up at 6 am... with only 1.5 hours till arrival. There's nothing better than sleeping the majority of your flight away. From JFK, I took a $45 flat fee taxi ride into Manhattan, an hour away. New York is not cheap! I was so tired from the binge drinking and flying, that I had to pass out at the hotel... the beautiful, Hudson Hotel. Designed by Ian Schrager, this boutique hotel is one that exhibits a very interesting concept... dark wood, bricks, ivy and taxidermy. Snazzy. A little bit of modernism and wilderness meshed together. The Hudson brings out the nature boy in everyone.

Be My Guest
Definitely check out Flickr's images of the Hudson Hotel and you'll know what I was googling at.

One Horny Lamp
This is a must for any pornstar in the Valley. These go well with polar bear rugs if you can afford one. They'd all go very well with my leopard-skin speedos and sheets. A perfect way to light up my room filled with the music of Kenny G and Yanni. Nice visual I know.

Chandelier
This was truly a work of art, although I didn't understand the neon lenticulars.

Billy Boy
This billy goat reminded me of the delicious birria (goat) taco that J and I had at El Parian in the Pico-Union area. Poor, delicious goat - good thing our friends at El Parian didn't see him - he'd be dinner. At least he's dying with style in the Hudson Hotel.

After a nice 3 hour nap in my $300 room that I wasn't paying for, I headed over to the Chelsea area to work. I was done within a few hours, and finally, my stomach started to talk to me. Yes, my fat one, I know... it's time to eat. I called upon my foodie friend DY, who took me to great places when she lived in SF, to show me around. We were also joined by my friend John Downs, who is a foodie in the making. His goal was to try out things he's never had and my goal was to convert him from John Downs to... Jéan Downs. Which pretty much meant food other than McD's, Souplantation, Musha and any Korean BBQ joint haha. DY recommended one of NY's top restaurants, WD-50, run by Chef Wylie Dufresne. You might have seen him in the Iron Chef America competition against Mario Batali (Battle Tilapia) and most recently, as a judge in Bravo's Top Chef series. Chef Dufresne is known for his molecular-gastronomic cooking techniques, in which he uses scientific methods to prepare food. Nice... I never thought beakers and Bunsen burners would be hip again. FYI, I was once a Chemistry major but that didn't last more than a quarter haha.

We trucked down to the Lower East Side of Manhattan towards WD-50 in 15 degree weather. With the wind freezing every part of my face, including my nosehairs, I thought about nothing else but the warm, delicious food I was about to eat. If Mt. Everest were laid flat, this would be the same type of expedition. I expected to see frozen carcasses of cat-sized NY rats along the curb. They too had heard about WD-50 and gone on the mission through the cold. After 20 minutes of walking, we reached our goal. Because NY restaurants don't really close till 2 or 3 am, a 10:30 reservation was quite normal. The restaurant was full and we quickly sat at the watering hole to get the stomach warmed-up. Within a few minutes we were seated. DY and I decided to split a few appetizers and main courses, versus ordering separate tasting menus priced at $115 per person. Quite hefty for me.

Hamachi in Oatmeal Consomme
Oh yes, a treat from the tasting menu, sent by the chef to all tables. I love receiving small culinary gifts. The hamachi was super fresh and was well balanced with a sour granny smith apple, candied celery in the warm oatmeal broth.

Jéan Downs: "Sushi. Facking delicious."


Hangar Tartare with Pickled Asian Pear, Amaro and Bernáise Ice Cream
This was beautifully plated and my first time pretty much eating raw beef. The beef was super fresh and well complimented by the pickled asian pear and Bernáise ice cream. My favorite appetizer of the night.

Jéan Downs: "Nice, raw beef. I liked the ice cream but not the sweet sauce. Still, facking delicious."

Corned Duck on Rye Crisp with Purple Mustard and Horseradish Cream
This was beautifully plated. We didn't understand the usage of both mustard and horseradish. DY and I felt it was too strong and wished we could taste the duck more. Still a very nice appetizer.

Jéan Downs: "Facking delicious."

Foie Gras with Mole "Lentils" and Quince Yogurt
This was absolutely amazing. The foie gras beautifully cooked and the "lentils" and quince yogurt perfectly countered the rich taste of foie gras. I love foie gras, but too much of it can be overwhelming. The reason I put lentils in quotation because they are not lentils. Our knowledgeable and friendly waiter, Evan, explained the process used in cooking the "lentils". Using hot water, the mole is dropped from a certain height into the water pot. The splashing process breaks the mole into perfect "lentil" shapes. We felt like we were being lectured by Alton Brown. This was my favorite appetizer of the night! I was worried Jéan Downs wouldn't like this dish because it was somewhat bloody and possibly too rich for a palate too used to fried Costco food haha.

Jéan Downs: "Bloody. Facking delicious."

Duck Breast with Soy Spaetzle, Jicama and Pickled Ramp
Duck was cooked to a perfect medium doneness. What really brought this dish alive was the sauce. Acidic, spicy and rich - excellent.

Jéan Downs: "Duck was somewhat chewy, but yet, facking delicious."

Lamb Ribs with Chinese Broccoli in Banana Cónsomme
Banana consomme?! Yes, I want to try that. This is the first time I've ever seen banana flavored broth/consomme. The lamb tasted nice and tender... but the bitterness of the Chinese broccoli (gai-lan) went very well with the banana cónsomme. My friend had this and I kept drinking the cónsomme.

Jéan Downs: "I like the broth. Facking delicious."


Pork Belly with Smoked Yucca, Romaine and Papaya
Perfectly cooked pork belly. What looks like fried tofu is actually fried yucca.

Jéan Downs: "It's like bacon. Facking delicious."

Beef Shortrib with Brussel Sprouds, Cheddar Sauce and Pink Lady Apple
This dish was really good. The cheese sauce and beef reminded me of a fancy burger. The shortrib was so tender and fatty - so good!

Jéan Downs: "I didn't try, but I'm sure it was facking delicious."

Turbot with Smoked Bulgur and Coffee-Saffron Sauce
This got the gold medal tonight from me. I've never had turbot and fell in love with it immediately. Chef WD poaches the fish in olive oil and the result is a perfectly buttery/moist piece of fish. I couldn't believe how tasty it was. I put this fish right below Chilean Seabass and Blackcod in the cooked fish category. The Coffee-saffron sauce was simply amazing. And I finally found a dish that caused food-envy...

Jéan Downs: "This is SUPER-facking delicious."

DY, Jéan Downs and I freaking ate a lot. If you couldn't tell, Jéan Downs is a man of few words and limited culinary vocabulary. But I admired his open-mindedness in trying háute cuisine. There's nothing more ignorant and annoying then ppl that say 'eew' even before trying. Just ask Eddie. Jéan Downs later on went to eat escargot, fried oysters, and bone marrow. Good boy. Anyway, at the end of the meal, I snapped my final shots and looked over to the kitchen. There I saw WD glancing at me as I took photos. I whispered to DY, shoot, he saw us! He started walking through the restaurant towards us and I could feel sweat starting to build up. I hope he didn't grab the camera from me and throw it in his banana cónsomme pot to braise. I bet it would taste good though. Instead of putting my head down, I said "hello" to him. We talked to him about his cooking techniques and asked if he minded the photos - not at all. He was supercool and superintelligent! Check out WD-50 if you get a chance, it's definitely an interesting experience for those interested in trying an up and coming style of cooking. Go molecules!

The next day, I was headed to Long Island for a beautiful wedding. It was so nice to get out of the compact city. No taxis to fight over, no humid subway stations to breathe in. Just beautiful towns covered in February snow. The train ride lasted no longer than an hour each way. I was able to get back to Manhattan by 11 pm at night and of course, my stomach was knocking on the door. Ok ok, let's go.

I met up with DY and her friend and we headed over to another New York hotspot. A place where chefs go to dine after their long nightshifts: Momofuku SSäm Bar. They also have a noodle bar that specializes in various pork ramen dishes.

SSäm Bar is really dim and cool inside. I like restaurants where I can see the kitchen activity. This place was pretty full even at midnight. DY said we had to try the Berkshire pork buns and Asian burritos.

Berkshire Pork Buns
Tender pork belly smacked between a bun with cold cucumbers and what tasted like hoisin sauce. Nice, but not worth the $8-9 for two.

Asian Burrito
Like it's relative, the Kalbi taco, this contained tender pork, rice, edamame beans and KIMCHI! I loved this. I'm going to try and make my own version at home. Seems easy enough.

The next day, I joined 12 of my other friends (also attending the wedding), including Le Culinary Food Critic, known for his explicit responses to food, Jéan Downs, for a Sunday brunch. New York is the Big city of Big dreams.... and also Big Xiao Long Baos. I'm talking BIG.

We were so excited to head down to the popular Joe's Shanghais but found ourselves caught in the eye of the storm. We had forgotten that it was Chinese New Year. Oh, lord. The constant banging of unrhythmic cymbals got to our nerves quite quickly. We dodged the parade and headed down small streets to our destination.

Oh great, there were nearly 30 people waiting outside for a table. After an hour long of enduring near-death experiences from the cold, we were shown our table.

And this is what we were coveting. (The people in the photo above are actually frozen. )


Xiao Long Bao (Mammoth Size)
I think these were as wide as 2". They weren't tall but you could just tell they were filled with delicious pork gelatin cubes... mmm. There I said it, it's pork fat you are drinking. I wonder if the customers at Din Tai Fung know that. Oh well. Anyway, one of our rookie friends went for the first grab with the tongs provided. Instead of grabbing by the head of the XLB and supporting the weight with a soup spoon, he grabbed it by the side. Lost cause. It was a bloody massacre, like an Italian mafia-whacking out in the public. He was consequently boo'd by everyone at the table which caught everyone in the restaurant's attention. They too, knew the travesty that had occurred.

Before I knew it, I was back on the plane to LA. I was overjoyed to hear the pilot announce "We are preparing to land in LAX now. The current temperature at our destination is 75 degrees." I wore the biggest smile and remembered that LA is definitely a great place to live and eat in. Thanks for reading.

Eat Drink Style Hai-ya Hong Kong!

For this year’s holiday season, I took my normal pattern of excessive eating and partying to another level – by doing the same exact thing in another country. Yes, in Hong Kong! I’ve already done the New York new year’s eve thing and it was lame. I love Asia and every time I watch the global countdowns on TV, Asia really puts on a good show.

Hong Kong literally means ‘fragrant harbor’, but one look at that green-colored water, you’d think otherwise. It’s like calling the waters off Venice Beach clean and fresh. But it’s ok, I’m not there to frolic in the waters of Hong Kong with those arm floaties and my 7 dolphin friends. I’m there to consume the eccentric city life. I had already gone to HK last year and thought every day about the fabulous food I ate. Being a noodle whore, I had many noodle dishes lined up at the eating range. Attack!

Wonton Noodle Soup (Wonton Mein)
I have dreamt of these every day since last summer. If I knew how to compose a song, I would chant about these beautiful medallions of goodness. The same way Michael Bolton sings so
passionately about women. I don’t know how HK does it but I think the hand mixing of the pork really adds bite to wontons. There is actually a nice ‘crunch’ to it. Maybe they use a grade of MSG that is as highly-coveted as the truffle. I consider Wonton Time in Alhambra to be one of the better wonton restaurants but compared to HK’s, it’s night and day. The heavily-flavored pork/chicken/fish broth, chewy noodles and the addition of red vinegar and chili oil make this one of HK’s most famous dishes. When I hear the words ‘hong kong’, I think of these. And the green sea water.

Beef Brisket Noodle Soup (Ngau Nam Mien)
China and Taiwan have their beef noodle soup, Vietnamese have pho and we have these. The meat is braised in a broth using soy sauce, dried orange peel and of course, star anise. The soup used is the same as wonton mein but a scoop of the braised beef sauce is added for flavoring. Man, it was like eating Kobe beef over noodles… so tender it broke when I picked it up with my chopsticks. At this particular restaurant called Chi Kei, it was packed. I had walked to their other location but got rejected because they had sold out of their noodles. I luckily found another chain across the street (like Starbucks) and ended up sitting with an old couple who slurped and splattered all over the table. They were so into the soup and probably would have enjoyed a bath in the stock pot.

Fish Ball Soup Noodles (Yu Dan Mein or Fun)
Oh man, these are disgusting in a good way. This dish is a product of the wonderful people of Chiu Chow province. When asked what kind of fish they use for this, my mom explained that these are basically the Spam of fish. Since the Chiu Chow province is near the ocean, they have access to a plethora of fish. The fish is robbed of its fillets and whatever is not used becomes a fish ball. That sucks… I’d hate to be resurrected as a delicious beef ball. Again, the hand mixing of these fish balls adds bite and ‘bounce’. So good.

Beef Ball Noodle Soup (Ngau Yuk Yuen Fun)
This is also from the Chiu Chow province. Amazing thing about these is that they are juicy inside. It’s almost like a Chinese soupy dumpling… one bite and there’s an explosion of juices. Anything served with a spoonful of scallions and fried shallots is my pal.

Fish Dumpling Noodle Soup (Yu Pei Gow)
Another delectable product from Chiu Chow. Here, the skin of the dumpling is made out of pureed fish, and so is the filling! It’s like bacon-wrapped bacon. Imagine the life cycle of this fish. He’s swimming one day. Gets caught and is then butchered into pieces. He is then rolled into a ball and then wrapped again by his own flesh. RIP Little Nemo.

Preserved Duck Egg and Pork Congee (Pei Dan Sow Yuk Jook)
This is like Chinese oatmeal minus the creepy old guy with the fake curls and pilgrim hat. Many Asian people devour this for breakfast because it’s light and not at all greasy. Of the many varieties of porridge to choose from, I love the combination of ground pork and preserved duck egg. No, it isn’t like the Filipino duck embryo. They actually have instant porridge out in the markets. Imagine seeing these packaged boxes out on the shelves of the market. Each one containing a random Asian prize like a face visor or dashboard decoration.

Chinese Donut (Yau Za Gwai)
There’s nothing like starting out your morning with a bowl of hot porridge and tetanus-laden Chinese donuts. Porridge and donuts go together like peanut butter and jelly. I was about to order a pair of these before I saw these rusty scissors on top of them. I then remembered that I took my tetanus shots recently and went ahead and spoiled myself. Heavy metal!

BBQ Pork Steamed Rice Noodles (Cha Siu Cheung Fun)
These are an absolute must when I eat dim sum. These beautiful crepes are made a few minutes before and when cooked right, appear translucent and thin. You can choose between fillings of minced beef, shrimp or bbq pork, which is my favorite. The best way to eat these is to let them sit for 30 seconds on each side and marinate. Flip each crepe over and make sure they have some frolicking time in the soy/sugar/sesame oil sauce. Weeeee!

BBQ Pork, Roasted Goose and Roasted Chicken (Cha Siu, Siu Ngoh, Siu Gai)
Ah yes, the standard window decoration in the majority of Chinese restaurants. This is the type of scenery that makes PETA activists hot and bothered. I call it the Chinese Zoo… where animals aren’t incarcerated within iron bars but are rather granted the freedom to roam… within your stomach. Freedom is tasty!


Mong Kok (Miu Gai Street)
Ever see people wearing clothing with logos that say…

“Deisel”
“DKNYC”
“Guccci”
“Seventy Jeans”

Well you can find them all on this street. This narrow path leads you through vendors selling all kinds of cheap stuff. On the outside, it appears to be a swap meet, but it’s also home to some very expensive fabricated goods. Many women come here to shop for fake purses, but you’ll be surprised as to how similar they are to the originals. Vendors will put out the really crappy fake goods but if they see that you’re interested in the higher end fake goods, they’ll bring you up to their office, which is tucked inside shady alleys. I got J’s fake purse which she thinks is real, here in ‘Miu Gai’.

You know you’re in a good place when you’ve got streets named ‘Soy Sauce Street’. Not far from ‘Miu Gai’ is this avenue of good street vendor food. I really think they should reconsider naming this street to Deep Fry Drive. Here’s why – the main ingredient is oil and the word of the day is ‘fried’.






Just looking at the previous photos has increased your cholesterol level. Sorry about that.

After a few hours of eating oily food, you get thirsty. Which is why there’s ‘Lan Kwai Fong’, HK’s version of Sunset Blvd. There are about 30 clubs and bars here ready to quench your thirst. This particular night was fun. It was Christmas Eve and a few hours later, barricades were setup to allow the thousands of party people to parade through the streets. By 11 pm, it was nearly impossible to walk around without being sandwiched on this small stretch of concrete. About a decade ago, 100 people were crushed to death during a holiday celebration.

‘Lan Kwai Fong’ actually has its own beer. I hope it’s not made with the green harbor water.

For those that haven’t been to Hong Kong, it’s awesome. There’s good food everywhere you go and nice fake clothing to sport. But if you don’t like to eat or shop, you’re better off in something more tropical because the water is uninviting. There are not too many historical places to check out. At night, the skyline is simply amazing. I took this shot from the $0.35 ferry ride across from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central Hong Kong. HK is very westernized and it is not hard to get directions if needed. The subway system is laid out in a user-friendly manner. Come to think of it, HK is truly a foodies paradise because it is basically an island food-court. Taiwan is next. Thanks for reading.