Lamb-ier Lee Hou

[Xiao Yang]

I've been lamb-happy since returning from Shanghai (mostly because I didn't find it as often as I craved it) and while cruising Clement Street I recalled that the new owners of Lee Hou had been pushing "Turufan Lamb Sticks" (skewers, or yang rou chuan). The sandwich board was still there, but I also noticed, from a window posting, that they had a lamb over rice special for $4.99. I went in to try out the special, a stewed lamb with doufu skin (of the stick variety). This was a generous amount of lamb, falling-off-the-bone tender but with little spicing, and may have been a holdover from the earlier regime, but the "New Specials" section of the colorful takeout menu lists additional lamb dishes. These include "Turufan Lamb Sticks," "Turufan Roasted Lamb" and Singapore Curry Lamb. Other "New Specials" included "Pig Feet in Clay Pot w Vinegar," "Gold Sand Pumpkin," "[Nan Yang] Chicken Wing House Special.' and "Singapore Curry Chicken." Other Items on the menu that didn't show up on the previous Lee Hou menus (at least the English menus) include some frog dishes (including a delicious sounding Bacon/Mushroom/Frog Clay Pot Rice and a "Chef's Recommendation" Frog W/Salted egg yolk and at least one snail dish. The menu alse lists "Best Takeout Choices" these being the (Singaporean) "Black Pepper Crab" and the "Turufan Lamb Sicks."

Turufan being a city in Xinjiang, and Gold Sand Pumpkin also being a northwest (or northern) dish, I wanted to ask the Maître de about a possible Xinjiang (and/or Singapore) connection in the kitchen, but he disappeared shortly after seating me. I think the "new" Lee Hou merits further checking out.

[Xiao Yang]

Link:

[rworange]

mmmm ... lamb. What is Gold Sand Pumpkin? Not coming up with anything on Google.

[Xiao Yang]

Try these search terms: 金沙南瓜

It's basically something like fried pumpkin strips dredged in crumbled cooked salty egg yolk. Here's a picture tutorial in Chinese -- just click on the numbers under the picture.

http://is.gd/6ZAg