40 replies to this topic

[Daniel]

As SethG said, scouring the world for the freshest ingredients, I find myself in China.. Really, I have been here for like 4 days or maybe 6.. I have a bunch of meals, but I will go in no particular order..

Staying at the Crowne Plaza in Shenzhen I had dinner by myself one night.. Really nice place called Marco Polo in the hotel..

Started with two cold dishes.. Cold pork tripe with bitter melon and sesame and spinach and ginger.. I use a proper amount of Chinese Vinegar..



Next up was beautifully BBQ'd pork.. The Chinese do oink better then no other..

Beautiful pieces of crispy skin sliced perfectly and place on top of juicy pork..



Plum dipping sauce of course..



Pulled right from the tank. Salted shrimp with garlic... Head on, shell on.. I have learned to deshell them in my mouth..



Finally a crab noodle with enoki mushrooms.. Forgot the name.. But it was great...



I think dinner was like 25 bucks.. An expensive dinner for the area considering it was in the Crowne Plaza hotel in gorgeous surroundings..

[hollywood]

Great photos. I'm jealous and you are only on day one.

[Daniel]

This was from lunch yesterday... We stopped by this huge restaurant about an hour outside of Shenzhen... I am traveling with local business associates so all of the ordering is done with out my input.. Its hard for me to take photos with out interupting business..

Chicken feet in light ginger and garlic sauce..



This is goose and pork.. There is this thick kind of yellow sauce that I have been seeing pork served with.. I had this same dish at a different restaurant last night for dinner... Fantastic..The goose had bones and its a little tricky but once you get the hang of it, it is easy to debone meat in your mouth..



Bean curd and scallions:



Greens.. On the bottom right of the photo you can see the pork dipping sauce..



Interesting.. Since baked bread is not something found in China there are all sorts of fried and steamed breads.. This reminds me of an Indian Dish.. Fried with scallions in it..



Beef cooked on sizzling hot lava stone: I must also say the peanuts are different in China.. They are so tight and crunchy.. You can actually feel the crunch of that little stem thing on the inside...




Corn soup:




Fruit plate:

Notice the hot peppers.. They know I like Sichuan Food so they brought out these peppers..



Lunch was less the 20 bucks...

[The Scream]

They are so tight and crunchy.. You can actually feel the crunch of that little stem thing on the inside...

My new sig line.

[Daniel]

Just found out I will be going to the father of my driver's 80th birthday party tonight.. Sounds like it will be a very fun time.. Will post photos...

[Daniel]

My camera did not have a charge while in Hong Kong but will be going back there so I can show you my favorite breakfast there.. Its this spicy beef broth and noodles with some sort of curry sauce... But this is what the hotel breakfast looks like..This is a travelers hotel obviously so, there are all sorts of interesting foods made to make people feel less homesick.. When in China or anywhere, I stick with the local favorites.. I dont need to have a cream filled dessert thats been sitting out in 80 degree weather for g-d knows how long...


The donut gondola..




Assorted congee.. Regular, miso soup seafood, beef, and I forget.. I had the beef...



Beef: Not photgraphed but, today,I had some really interesting birds nest soup for breakfast.. It was awesome, can someone explain what birds nest is.. Is it an egg soup and then something else poured into that?



String beans and ham:Hey, it works...



Ugly look plate.. Its early morning.. I eat breakfast around 6am.. I love noodles for breakfast.. Nothing better.. Some dumplings, I think spinach, there is some kimchee, why not!, string beans, and some English Sausage.. This was probably plate three or four or something...

[akiko]

Next up was beautifully BBQ'd pork.. The Chinese do oink better then no other..

Beautiful pieces of crispy skin sliced perfectly and place on top of juicy pork..



Plum dipping sauce of course..

Daniel, do you have any idea how they achieve this crisp skin? I've seen this at a lot of Chinese restaurants in the UK and am always amazed when I crunch down into it. So different from crackling you get or make at home when you roast pork. Its like they flatten it somehow and then that texture can't be beat.

[Suzanne F]

According to Linda Bladholm in The Asian Grocery Store Demystified,

This is one of the more sought after and expensive delicacies in Asia. . . . it is the regurgitated spittle of a tropic swift, collect from large mountainside caves throughout Southeast Asia. Climbers risk their lives scaling bamboo scaffolding to retrieve the nests. The dried, hand-cleaned, teacup-shaped nests are very costly, and they are believed by Asiams to be good for the complexion and for curing various illnesses. The best grades are "white" nests and pink, or "blood," nests. Birds' nest is coveted mainly for its texture, which is a bland, soft, crunchy jelly.[sic] The nests must be soaked before using in special broths and to flavor sauces or soups. Definitely an acquired and expensive taste.

Well, you asked.

I too am in awe of that pork. And pretty much everything else, too.

[hollywood]

My camera did not have a charge while in Hong Kong but will be going back there so I can show you my favorite breakfast there.. Its this spicy beef broth and noodles with some sort of curry sauce... But this is what the hotel breakfast looks like..This is a travelers hotel obviously so, there are all sorts of interesting foods made to make people feel less homesick.. When in China or anywhere, I stick with the local favorites.. I dont need to have a cream filled dessert thats been sitting out in 80 degree weather for g-d knows how long...


The donut gondola..

How could you resist a ride in the donut gondola?

[g.johnson]

I beleive that, like shark's fin, the bird's nest adds a gelatinous texture rather than flavour. We had quite a lot of shark's fin soup in Hong Kong but were too squeamish to tackle the bird's nest.

[scamhi]

Next up was beautifully BBQ'd pork.. The Chinese do oink better then no other..

Beautiful pieces of crispy skin sliced perfectly and place on top of juicy pork..



Plum dipping sauce of course..

Daniel, do you have any idea how they achieve this crisp skin? I've seen this at a lot of Chinese restaurants in the UK and am always amazed when I crunch down into it. So different from crackling you get or make at home when you roast pork. Its like they flatten it somehow and then that texture can't be beat.

The skin is made crisp from fying the whole pig in a fryer the size of an oil drum. Great pictures Daniel thanks.

[johnnyd]

Damn,
That is some exciting looking plates Daniel.
Is it customary or better manners, to de-bone in your mouth rather than gnaw on things like chicken feet? Is that a stupid question? Anyway, sensational pics, dude.
More, please

[Daniel]

According to Linda Bladholm in The Asian Grocery Store Demystified,

This is one of the more sought after and expensive delicacies in Asia. . . . it is the regurgitated spittle of a tropic swift, collect from large mountainside caves throughout Southeast Asia. Climbers risk their lives scaling bamboo scaffolding to retrieve the nests. The dried, hand-cleaned, teacup-shaped nests are very costly, and they are believed by Asiams to be good for the complexion and for curing various illnesses. The best grades are "white" nests and pink, or "blood," nests. Birds' nest is coveted mainly for its texture, which is a bland, soft, crunchy jelly.[sic] The nests must be soaked before using in special broths and to flavor sauces or soups. Definitely an acquired and expensive taste.

Well, you asked.

I too am in awe of that pork. And pretty much everything else, too.

Yikes.. Somethings are better left a mystery... Either way, fantastic!

[Daniel]

Johnny D, the CHinese are expert deboners.. The foot is held in the chopsticks and a bite is taken.. They then debone the meat and spit the bones in a little bowl next to the plate.. Most things are like this.. The shrimp is deshelled in a swirling motion in the mouth.. Its cool to see because all the meat has bones in it.. It also helps when you have an army of workers being payed zero dollars to stand around you and remove your plate every 5 minutes.. No French cuts or countless hours removing little bones, the meat looks a lot like where it came from..

for example/

[flyfish]

According to Linda Bladholm in The Asian Grocery Store Demystified,

This is one of the more sought after and expensive delicacies in Asia. . . . it is the regurgitated spittle of a tropic swift, collect from large mountainside caves throughout Southeast Asia. Climbers risk their lives scaling bamboo scaffolding to retrieve the nests.

You just have to wonder who originated this idea... and why.