598343 Sun Feb 22 11:03:21 -0800 2009 64 11 South 0 4441503 Birmingham's Chinese food scene took a turn for the better with the recent opening of the restaurant, Mr. Chen's Authentic Chinese Cooking, in Hoover. Mr. Chen and his wife have been in the Birmingham area for more than two decades. They ran the Red Pearl Restaurant in its heyday and more recently had a place in Center Point, according to The Birmingham News. My wife and I went Saturday evening before the Loudon Wainwright III concert. The place was packed early. About two-thirds of tables were three-generation Asian families, while the rest were curious Westerners. This is not your typical Chinese menu. No Moo Goo Gai Pan and electric-red sweet-and-sour dishes (although there are kung pao chicken and sesame chicken). Instead think Basil Squid, Ginger and Onion Crab, Spare ribs wrapped in Lotus Leaf, Braised Beef Belly in hot pot. For starters, you have a choice of cold plates(braised beef shanks, pig ears, smoked duck -- each $6.95), steamed pork buns ($3.95), dumplings ($3.05), Za-jiang Bean Sauce noodles ($5.95) or Sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf, $3.95 (A typical dim sum dish with meats and vegetables mixed with the rice, then steamed in the lotus leaf). They also have some soups. For vegetarians (like my wife), entrees include a variety of tofu dishes as well as all-vegetable dishes like string bean, pea leaves and lilly flower and vegetable combination. Prices for almost everything, including most seafood dishes, is under $10. It would be fun to go with a group, order half the menu and graze family style. Portions are generous. The three clay pot dishes are all under $15.00. I had the smoked pork with garlic shoots. Delicious -- salty and not too smoky. It's very similar to tofu with baked bean curd and bamboo shoots. My wife had ma po tofu, which came in a small braisier and was delicious. No alcohol, and it's unlikely they're in a hurry to get any. They serve a variety of teas and what they bill as "milk teas." It's a storefront operation in "old" Hoover, but they have done a nice job of decorating all things considered. Limited number of tables. Mr/ Chen's is in the plaza with Hoover Drugs, next to the new Publix on U.S. 31 in Hoover (not far from I-65 and the Vestavia Hills line) and behind the Region's bank. It's open six days for lunch and dinner (9 p.m. close). Closed Mondays. Sun Feb 22 11:03:21 -0800 2009 117892 Big Daddy 1 4449415 I stopped in around 6 tonight to a mostly packed house that was standing room only by the time I left. The steamed mini buns are xiao long bao (soup dumplings), or their version of them anyway. While smaller with a little less soup content (aspic) than I am used to, I couldn't be happier to find them on a menu in town. They are supposedly made in house. More meat, less soup, thick(er) skins. 10 to an order and I ate 9 before one of the skins broke, spilling the soup out in the bamboo steamer. They did not serve them with the soup spoons, making them a little harder to pickup without tearing the skin, but not impossible (see 9 above). I also ordered the beef with bean curd and cilantro. This was good, although I had hoped it would be a little spicier and I think bean curd is lost on me. Very generous portions, so much so that the sweet older woman (perhaps Mrs. Chen?) shook her head like I was crazy when I ordered two entrees to go with my XLBs. Good Asian leftovers are about the only leftovers I eat, half the time never taking the time to reheat. So yeah, I also ordered the s&p ("crispy salted") oysters. Either the oil was a little off (although the actual batter/fry job was excellent), they were too oystery (?) or, maybe I just love raw oysters and only tolerate fried ones. Ehh. Service only suffered a little when it got packed. For example, I ordered a coke with my meal and when I had almost finished it, asked for water so the guy took my partially empty glass away and filled with water, resulting in a fairly gross lukewarm colawater mixture. I also had to wait a bit for the food and checks. I don't really fault them for this, just noting because like Red pearl they are not serving in any sort of Westernized manner. There were maybe about 4 parties of 3-4 Caucasians eating while I was there and they all seemed to order individually, which meant some had food at times while others didn't, not getting the concept or not caring. I want to go back and try lots more. Like big daddy said, family style calls for multiple diners so I will try to organize a group to return soon. The seafood hot pot looked delicious and I'll return to try that because a) I love seafood, b) I love soup too and c) hell yeah glass noodles. Thanks for the heads up Big Daddy! Oh yeah, some of the "ice flavored milk teas" at the next table looked like boba teas to me, so I can't wait to get back to try those too. I'll scan the menu tomorrow if I remember, drop me a line if you want a copy. Tue Feb 24 18:22:32 -0800 2009 4441503 10283 Dax 2 4452082 Soup dumplings! Heck yeah. Can't wait to try them when the extended family goes on Sunday. I'm also looking forward to the seafood hot pot and the squid dishes. I'm game for some spicy pig ear. Sorry the tofu doesn't make it for you, Dax. I've always loved it (even before I met my vegetarian wife), especially in Chinese dishes. I'm up for a Chen Chowdown. Wed Feb 25 15:39:39 -0800 2009 4449415 117892 Big Daddy 3 4452463 I like tofu in things like ma pao because it's more silky and a little less bland or fried with sesame, or "blackened" like in the bottletree tacos, just not in slivers of curd Wed Feb 25 18:08:18 -0800 2009 4452082 10283 Dax 4 4454485 My wife had the ma po there (I also am a fan of the dish). Can't remember if they don't include pork (most ma po does) or if they made it vegegarian for her. But it was very good. They serve it in a little hot pot (with a heat source underneath). Thu Feb 26 10:45:24 -0800 2009 4452463 117892 Big Daddy 1 4452832 Mmm...my mouth is watering lol. Can't wait to try this place. I'm hoping it's not too far from where I'm at. Super excited that they have a few dim sum items. One thing i miss about living up north is getting my dim sum fix. Wed Feb 25 20:06:39 -0800 2009 4441503 244965 Msviolatordm 2 4484904 I stopped in yesterday to sample the dumplings. I ordered both the fried dumplings and what they call "steamed buns," the soup dumplings. The pot stickers ($3.95) were above average, although there was some filler in the meat. Still, they get points for making them in-house. The dipping sauce for the dumplings, however, was sublime. Chinese black vinegar with a touch of soy, some minced garlic and slivers of green chili. The soup dumplings had me wiggling my "good food dance" in my seat. With the shot of hot broth as you bite in, followed by the meat, it's like a meatball-and-dumplings soup, with a Chinese twist. Be sure to ask for a spoon (the fried dumplings came with a tablespoon, which I pressed into service for the soup dumplings). The spoon helps ensure you don't lose too much broth. Don't delay too much in eating the soup dumplings. As they cool, they tend to stick to the lotus leaf in the steamer. I also had the passion fruit hot tea, which was intensely flavored. I got a generous serving for $2.25. Sun Mar 08 13:58:48 -0700 2009 4452832 117892 Big Daddy 3 4486134 OK now Im sold...I first saw the sign, and was interested...then it truly sounded a bit TOO authentic for my taste by your first post...with the posts since then, and now yourr new post., I think now I am ready... Ill take the plunge this week one day for lunch...I work pretty close to Mr Chens. The dim sum type dishes sound very tempting...the entrees a bit scarry, but Im down with some potstickers, dumplings, and steamed buns etc...MMMM! Sun Mar 08 21:55:02 -0700 2009 4484904 35115 birminghamvisitor 4 4487115 If you go at lunch, order off the dinner menu (most everything's under $10 anyway). Their lunch menu is pedestrian Chino-American. And don't worry, you'll find plenty there to like without going too hardcore. Mon Mar 09 09:15:24 -0700 2009 4486134 117892 Big Daddy 5 4505094 I sit enraptured, basking in the glow of the cold basil squid from Mr. Chen's. I got it as part of a to-go order last night, knowing that I had to work tonight. Perfectly cooked squid, sweet and only slightly chewy, in a sweet-hot sauce flavored with basil and cilantro and a touch of vinegar. It hits all the highlights of the Chinese five-flavor concept: sweet, hot, bitter, sour and salty. The menu offers a version on its cold plates, which it marks as spicy. It's also listed under the seafood entrees, with no indicator that it is spicy. Confusingly enough, mine came out of the kitchen hot (in temperature) and spicy. I'm eating it cold and it's unbelievable. People, if you like good, authentic Chinese food or if you want to break out of the same-ol same-ol for Chinese food around here, you need to go to Mr. Chen's. Support this place. Sat Mar 14 15:25:24 -0700 2009 4487115 117892 Big Daddy 1 4506371 My buddy from work went for lunch, and had Mongolian Beef, an it was not typical by any means, and most importantly delicious...he is tyicially pretty critical, and kind of picky IMO. They aslo had a few apps, spare ribs and what not...also very good. He called me from the table to ask if I like strawberries...to which I reply of course...and he says cool I am gonna bring you this drink. So he shows back up with this clear cup with a sealed lid, and a thick straw shoved in it...It was a strawberry slush with tapioca. Sweet and delicious...didn't love the tapioca, but they were interesting...tasted like a round unsweetened gummy bear, but balanced with the sweetness of the strawberry drink. Anyway I will eat lunch from there this week...probably after payday :-) Thanks for starting the thread BigDaddy...on a side note many of my friendly women at work call me big daddy or big pappa...due to both my size and demeanor! lol Sun Mar 15 07:36:39 -0700 2009 4441503 35115 birminghamvisitor 2 4507182 The latest: Sticky rice in lotus leaf. Standard dim sum item. Filled with shrimp, ground pork and reconstituted dried mushroom in a brown salty-sweet sauce; the rice gets flavor from that and the lotus leaf as it steams. Sticky rice offers a great medium for novice chopstick users to hone their skills. Stir-fried anchovy and peanuts: Unbelievable. Fresh anchovy fry (baby ones), battered and deep fried, then stir fried with green onion, green chile and peanuts. The fish is crunchy and has a pleasant anchovy saltiness without being as overpowering like salt-cured anchovy. Some bites are hot from the chile, others salty or savory from the onion. It's great with steamed rice. Sun Mar 15 13:37:48 -0700 2009 4506371 117892 Big Daddy 1 4516001 My wife and I visited for lunch last week. Having had "real" Chinese only once, while in NY, I was excited to try something new. I think I've found my new favorite ethnic restaurant (sorry, Gordo's). We ordered the steamed buns to begin. Careful! The hot liquid burst into my mouth. The cold tapioca milk tea rescued my tongue from certain blisters. I ordered the shredded pork with bean curd and bamboo shoot, while my wife had the Taiwanese stir-fried rice noodles. Pretty tame choices. Both dishes were large, so much so that my wife and children had leftovers for dinner that night. The vegetables screamed of freshness. (So bamboo shoots aren't really perfectly rectangular? :) If conversation with the proprietor is what you wish, leave that desire at home. Mr. Chen (?) wants to take your order and anwer your questions, but won't banter. The woman helping with the refills (Mrs. Chen ?) on the other hand was very sweet and armed with a smile. She was impessed (whether mock or not) by the fact that my wife and I used choptsticks which, by the way, were the very cheap kind that splinter easily. My only warning would be for those who may be watching their sodium. I'm sure that the kitchen can accommodate. We returned with our young daughters on Monday to order the basil squid, per Bid Daddy's suggestion. Nooooooo! They are closed on Mondays, as are many Asian restaurants. I can't stop thinking of Mr. Chen's. I brought home a to go menu so that I can methodically mark off each item until I've tried everything. Spicy sliced pork ears, anyone? Wed Mar 18 08:03:03 -0700 2009 4441503 155294 G200 2 4516697 I had to laugh reading how you've taken home a menu to plot future meals. That's what I've been doing, too. And yes, spicy pig ears are high on that list. The ladies there really like it when Westerners order the more authentic dishes. I've raved about the soup dumplings so much, they want to automatically bring some out for me now. When I ordered the anchovies with peanuts my last visit, they double-checked to make sure that's what I really wanted. Then they took turns coming by and watching me plow into the food. Wed Mar 18 11:17:29 -0700 2009 4516001 117892 Big Daddy 3 4517173 I need to get back for more xlbs and that seafood hot pot. Wed Mar 18 13:18:25 -0700 2009 4516697 10283 Dax 4 4517965 One word describes the spicy pork ear at Mr. Chen's: Bacon. The generous portion has the same kind of intense pork flavor as bacon. And both are crunchy. But the pork ear has a different kind of crunch and a softer texture than fried bacon. Oh man, it is good, especially with a leaf of the cilantro that comes with it. I got a to-go order of the pork in black bean sauce (one of the ladies who worked there recommended it). Although it's a dish commonly found on Chinese menus around town, this one is a cut above. The pork, I believe, was shaved off the leg (it reminds me of the thin-sliced pork I've bought at the butcher counter in El Mercado). The sauce had a nice balance of salt, sweet and heat, and it was not overpowering. I could have lived without the green bell peppers among the vegetables, but otherwise it was decent enough, especially if you're looking for a safe dish among the pork-intestine offerings. Wed Mar 18 18:05:13 -0700 2009 4517173 117892 Big Daddy 5 4525543 Had the spicy pork ear and the basil squid last night. I had to laugh when Mrs. Chen (??) asked "Are you sure? You know this is pig ear, right?" Absolutely, I told her. She then told me that someone (I believe she meant someone non-Asian and perhaps not acccustomed to eating something other than sweet and sour chicken) ordered the same thing and that she had to also make sure with him that he knew what he was getting. Big Daddy perhaps? I found the ears to be a good medium for the mildly spicy sauce, which was delicious. Lots of great sesame flavor. The ears themselves were sliced very thinly. In the center of each was a tendon-like material that gives each piece its snap. I foolishly ate over half until I remembered someones words of wisdom - eat a leaf of cilantro with each bite. My 7 yo daughter and I just finished the small box of leftovers. Her twin sister couldn't get past the fact that she was eating pig ears, but did try it twice. The basil squid was also good, although it did have a sort of medicinal quality to the taste. I convinced my wife to order it, but I ended up eating the bulk of it. This is not rings of squid (calamari) we're talking about here. It is whole small squid, cut into a few pieces. Be prepared to pull out a quill or two. I'm glad I can put a check next to it on my takeout menu, but I won't order it again. I can't wait to go back, though. I'm hoping to get another couple together to have the combination dinner for 4. Great place. Sat Mar 21 13:03:41 -0700 2009 4517965 155294 G200 6 4541304 Yes, that must have been me. She asked the same question about the pig ears. They were good. After subsequent visits I also can recommend the squid and pork (slightly spicy, wonderful sauce) and the salt chicken (basically fried (cornstarch "breading"?) nuggets of chicken thigh with a salty seasoning. One warning: If you order the ma po, make sure you specify whether you want meatless or with meat. It's listed under the vegetables portion of the menu. But if you don't specify vegetarian, they make it the traditional way with minced pork. My kids went nuts for the mango slush and the strawberry slush. Thu Mar 26 13:24:08 -0700 2009 4525543 117892 Big Daddy 1 4555565 I'm so excited to try this place! Going right now - will post a report later tonight. Tue Mar 31 15:56:03 -0700 2009 4441503 45844 bryantuga 2 4556079 Well, it was great. I had the steamed soup dumplings (mini buns), which were a little thicker than I'm used to but with an intensely flavored broth and large balls of meat. I also had the pork in black bean sauce, which was intensely flavored, although not as spicy as I would have liked. I can't wait to go back with a group and sample many more dishes. I've been waiting for this place since moving here 8 months ago and I'm so happy with the food, the service, and the prices. Now...if only the damned Senate would let me drink good beer! Tue Mar 31 18:27:52 -0700 2009 4555565 45844 bryantuga 1 4623402 So I finally got around to trying Mr Chen's...and I was not dissapointed by any means...I had the steamed pork buns (mmm, I think I can still taste the spices from the pork) and the Pork with black bean sauce, and both were delicious! Thanks again for the recomendation Big Daddy! Thu Apr 23 16:56:04 -0700 2009 4441503 35115 birminghamvisitor 2 4632248 We got a big ol' order on Friday at Mr. Chen's, with mixed results. The vegetarian ma po tofu remains one of my wife's favorites (and my 6-year-old boy digs it if it doesn't have too many red pepper flakes on it. The seafood and tofu hot pot was great: A very intense seafood broth, thickened, with shrimp, squid, crab sticks (not sure if it was surimi or actual frozen crab sticks, but I think it's the latter), a couple of kinds of sausages, oysters and other ingredients. Very rich. Very good. Makes me want to try to seafood clay pot, as well. We also ordered the spareribs wrapped in lotus leaf. Maybe it was too "authentic" for me. Maybe I was expecting something completely different. Not much meat on the rib. The coating didn't do too well after steaming in the lotus leaf; I couldn't tell if it was breading or a bit of sticky rice. Like I said, it wasn't bad. It just didn't appeal to me. (Their sticky rice in lotus leaf is a must-order, especially for dim sum fans). I also ordered the pork meatballs, hoping they would appeal to my young children. I liked them much better than the kids. Huge meatballs (3) with onions braised in a broth that also tasted good poured over rice. One thing I'm discovering is kids don't like big meatballs; if you have to cut the meatball it no longer appeals to the kiddies. This is another very Chinese dish, best approached with no preconceptions despite the familiar-sounding ingredients. Soup dumplings continue to please. Another thing I want to try soon: One of the whole fish dishes. Mon Apr 27 09:13:06 -0700 2009 4623402 117892 Big Daddy 3 4632358 Oooh are those Lion's head meatballs? Nice! I stopped in Saturday for a late lunch. Since I don't have the menu, my order basically was the shredded pork with cabbage, fermented black beans and cilantro as well as an order of xlbs. Last time I was there the waitress looked at me like I had two heads when I requested xiao long bao; this time (another waitress) just nodded, said "xiao long bao" to the proprietress, then off they went. I order them as soon as I walk in because they take a while (at every place I have eaten them). The pork dish is on the regular rotation now. I also got take out ... something like meat & noodle soup/stew on the menu (cabbage, broth, chunk stewy-looking meat, separate container of white flat noodles) - well I ordered it with my meal and xlbs and they looked at me like I was crazy and ended up bringing it out at the end of the meal all packaged up to go. That's dinner tonight. Mon Apr 27 09:37:16 -0700 2009 4632248 10283 Dax 4 4633366 Apparently they are Lion's head meatballs, Dax. I looked it up after your post, and those seem to be it. They've gotten accustomed to my ordering the xiao long bao soup dumplings to enjoy while I wait for a to-go order. Mon Apr 27 13:53:27 -0700 2009 4632358 117892 Big Daddy 5 4652247 You know you're in a restaurant with a bunch of serious food freaks when the place is 3/4 full while a tornado is cruising through about a mile or so away. That was the case Sunday at Mr. Chen's, when few of the customers even were tracking the storm on the television. I was curious about the "crunchy bean" sauce, so I ordered squid with crunchy bean sauce. The squid was lightly battered and perfectly cooked -- they have a deft hand with squid at that place. The crunchy bean was descriptive: fried (black?) beans and cilantro stems. Nice dish, that I lingered over, waiting for the storm to pass and the tornado sirens to blow "all clear." Mon May 04 07:54:51 -0700 2009 4633366 117892 Big Daddy 6 4691647 Ginger crab: About 7-8 crab leg pieces, battered and deep fried, then stir-fried with julienned ginger and green onion. It was great. Generous portions of sweet crab, and much of the legs were edible, sell and all (with that same sort of crunch as deep-fried ama ebi heads and salt-and-pepper shrimp in shell). The claws and adjoining joint gave up surprising little meat, just enough to scrape into my rice to eat with the onions and ginger. At $8.95, the ginger crab also would make a great appetizer to be shared by 3-4 people, or a dish among many for a fuller table. Sun May 17 11:51:21 -0700 2009 4652247 117892 Big Daddy 7 4756949 Mr. Chen's has added a few dishes, mostly those you won't find on other menus around town. The other day I had the crispy salted spare ribs and the spicy clams. The former ($8.95) was tender and tasty, although lacking in that pronounced salt flavor I like in dishes like this. It made decent leftovers, which were spicier than when the dish was fresh. The clams were unbelievably good. Generous portion ($8.95), with black bean sauce, some spice and cilantro. Every single one of those clammies were open, and they were wonderful. The place, once again, was packed -- and it was 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon. The new menu items are listed on a card in a holder on the table (and not in the regular menu). Tue Jun 09 11:47:06 -0700 2009 4691647 117892 Big Daddy 8 4849394 thanks big daddy for the suggestions you posted, i took your opinions and decided to try the place out myself. incredible! the best chinese ive had since moving back from LA. the beef noodle soup whichwas pretty good compared to other places i have dined in, but the basil clams was the dish i had for the night and MAN....... was it GOOD! just right with steamed rice. will definitely return and try new items on the menu....... Sat Jul 11 12:52:19 -0700 2009 4756949 1092774 food fanatic 1 4854364 Finally went with hubby and daughter and was very impressed. We're not quite as adventurous as some of our fellow hounds here (sorry, couldn't quite handle the texture of the spicy pig ears), but found plenty to love. Definitely had the steam buns after reading the comments here, and they were delicious as promised. The pan-fried dumplings/pot stickers were great, too -- really homemade taste. The Kung Pao Chicken was a very good rendition, and I liked the eggplant with pork and basil hot pot, although that's a LOT of eggplant! I took about half of it home. Read our review at http://www.bhamdining.com/mr-chens/. Mon Jul 13 12:33:06 -0700 2009 4441503 106441 bhamdining 2 4854455 With the exception of Mr. Chen's, every place I have had xlbs served them with a soup spoon which makes them a lot easier to eat. There is a short window of time for when they are best eaten. When popping a whole XLB in my mouth, I want them hot enough that the melted aspic does not scald but not room temp as the aspic starts congealing again. Mon Jul 13 13:00:02 -0700 2009 4854364 10283 Dax 3 4857733 Ever since my first trip (when I had to ask), a soup spoon has been included every time I order the xao long bun. Bhamdining: I read your review. Glad you did it. Best way to eat the soup dumplings is to get the spoon, dip some of the vinegar sauce in it, use your chopsticks to gently turn a dumpling over onto the spoon and eat it whole, bracing yourself for steaming hot soup if the order has just arrived. Dax is right: eat 'em quick, before they cool. Glad you tried to pig's ear (even if it didn't work). But next time, go for something adventurous. To me, the whole point of Mr. Chen's is being able to eat food you can't get anywhere else in town. At least try what foodfanatic did: the basil clams. If you like squid, they do it consistently well there -- stir fried or deep fried. Tue Jul 14 11:16:21 -0700 2009 4854455 117892 Big Daddy 4 5006491 My husband and I finally got over to try out Mr. Chen's tonight. It was everything the folks here have raved about and then some! The hostess was very nice and sweet, food absolutely fantastic, and the drinks (I had the black tea, my husband had the passion fruit slush) were outstanding. We went for the soup dumplings, sticky rice in lotus leaf, pork meatballs, and pork and squid. The soup dumplings were heavenly. Next time, we're getting two orders of the soup dumplings. The sticky rice in lotus leaf was flavorful and rustic tasting. I enjoyed the texture and the hearty flavors. The meatballs were really good, and nicely seasoned. The sauce they were served in was fantastic on the rice. The pork and squid was good. The squid was not overdone, and is a nice complement to the pork and spices. It seems the menu has expanded a bit since some of the earlier postings for Mr. Chen's. I didn't see the pig's ears on the menu, a disappointment, as I did want to give that a go. The waitress brought our attention to the drinks toward the back of the menu, and then pointed out some of the more typical dishes that Western tastes may like such as sesame chicken. She asked us if we were sure on the sticky rice, and the pork and squid selections. And when we nodded our heads, she gave a broad smile and went off to pur our order in. I can't wait to go back. There's so many interesting things on the menu I want to try. Like the others said above, it'd be great to get a group up to go and sample some of the dishes. Since it's all served family style, that would be a great way to try some of the more exotic sounding dishes. Fri Sep 04 20:23:16 -0700 2009 4857733 1107001 Jannae 5 5010019 There's so many interesting things on the menu I want to try. Like the others said above, it'd be great to get a group up to go and sample some of the dishes. Check out this google group for this purpose: http://groups.google.com/group/birmin... Sun Sep 06 19:12:54 -0700 2009 5006491 117892 Big Daddy 6 5010691 For some reason that link didn't work for me. This one works for me: http://groups.google.com/group/birmingham-chowhounds Mon Sep 07 07:57:10 -0700 2009 5010019 10283 Dax 7 5010800 Thanks for posting the announcement, too. Mon Sep 07 08:42:10 -0700 2009 5010691 117892 Big Daddy 1 5044189 Stopped into Chen's today for a late lunch around 2:30. XLBs good as usual as was the pork with black beans (ordered extra spicy, but still not spicy, but then again my experience has been that Taiwanese is not especially hot), plus the sticky rice in lotus leaf (ehhh) and the chilled beef tendons. The tendons were more of the usual thicker prep and they were fine, but not half as good as the dish at Red Pearl. I noticed, after I had already ordered, the new (to me) side/specials menu. I definitely wants to go back and try a few of those items which include (their translations), among others, fried taro cake, garlic spiced bacon meat, boiled beef in hot oil. shredded pork in garlic sauce. ginger and onion squid, basil clam, & taiwanese-style braised pork. My order was fine, but I wish I noticed that little menu before I ordered. Sounds like an excuse for another Hound group outing. Sun Sep 20 13:53:50 -0700 2009 4441503 10283 Dax 2 5045683 Yes it does sound like a good excuse; we'll address that on our Google group. (If others are curious: http://groups.google.com/group/birmingham-chowhounds?hl=en I've tried several of the items on the new Chen's menu. The garlic spiced bacon meat is a cold dish, not bad, but I was expecting more. Another good family-style dish. Ginger and onion squid is sublime (in fact I like all of their ginger and onion dishes, although the crab is a lot of work). They really do a great job with squid there, both stir-fried and deep fried. Basil clams is one of my new favorite dishes there (I try to limit myself to a half-dozen or so "favorites" at Chen's) The braised pork is on my to-eat list because I am a big pig fan. I was in on Saturday and had the "spicy" beef with tofu and cilantro. An incredible dish (OK, I know some of you aren't fond of tofu; this is the baked kind which has a more firm texture), but as you noted Dax, not at all spicy. Taiwanese also like their food salty. I was forced to drink plenty of beer that afternoon and evening while eating the to-go dishes I ordered, both cold plates: the abovementioned beef tendon (Dax, I agree 100%) and the spicy basil squid. My goodness the latter was so good -- drowning in what reminded me of a Southern-style sweet-pickle relish only with lots of chili sauce. The point you made at Red Pearl about the difference in how the two restaurants prepare tendonous meats (beef, pig ear) is right on, and demonstrated in the two restaurants' beef tendon dishes. Mon Sep 21 07:50:39 -0700 2009 5044189 117892 Big Daddy 3 5045693 I just wanted to note I liked the tendon from Chen's a lot more after I let the leftovers sit out to come to room temperature at home. Much better and less chewy. Mon Sep 21 07:55:03 -0700 2009 5045683 10283 Dax 4 5046653 I'll try that with my leftovers. I ate 'em right out of the 'fridge Saturday. I like the gelatinous chewiness in the Red Pearl version of tendons (as well as in pho in Vietnamese places). Mon Sep 21 12:37:04 -0700 2009 5045693 117892 Big Daddy 5 5058489 I tried a new dish today that rocketed into my Mr. Chen's Top 5: Taiwanese Braised Pork. I was more intrigued than scared when Mrs. Chen laughed after I ordered it. She was tentative when she delivered the dish, but smiled broadly when I said "Pork belly. I love it. Cook it at home." This was an incredible dish. The sweetness and richness of the pork belly was beautifully balanced by the picked cabbage that was cooked with it, and both combined to make a wonderful broth that was great with the rice. It was topped off with some cilantro, which also went well with the pork belly. This is a dish for sharing -- or, as I did, taking home to serve over rice for lunch tomorrow. This is an item from the new addition to the menu, which is on the placard on the tabletop, not in the menu they bring when you sit down. Fri Sep 25 13:05:14 -0700 2009 5046653 117892 Big Daddy 6 5062340 Very rich dish. I liked it but the soy was a little overpowering. Similarly, the garlic pork from the specials menu had so much garlic in it (chunks!) that it was too garlicy to eat. I like garlic, but apparently I have a limit and that dish exceeded it. Sun Sep 27 14:46:36 -0700 2009 5058489 10283 Dax 7 5142671 Did anyone see the review of Mr. Chen's in The Birmingham News today? The reviewer,frankly one of the better ones and the person most familiar with Asian food, properly gave it four stars out of five. He noted it was not your father's Chinese restaurant, but don't let that scare you. And he tried some interesting soups (Bitter melon and the seafood hot pot). For all that I give credit. But what I find disappointing about reviews like this one is when the reviewer recognizes the restaurant is different (and more authentic) than most in the same genre, then samples only or mostly the most pedestrian and common (and often inauthentic) dishes on the menu. That's definitely the case in this review: Kung Pao, Sesame Chicken, and the like can be found everywhere. Can't they just try one of those for the less-adventurous, then discuss the merits and flavors of some of the more exotic dishes that aren't found everywhere? It doesn't have to be out there, like pig ear or intestine. But there's plenty on that menu that is different and worth checking out. He strayed at one point into one of those special items, but apparently didn't recognize what he had in front of him: the steamed "bun," xao long bao or soup dumplings. Surely he noticed something was different when he bit in and got a mouthful of hot soup to go with the more traditional dumpling filling. Too bad that didn't spur him to ask some questions of the Chen's folks. BTW: Chen's has beer now. Chowdown? Fri Oct 30 07:55:28 -0700 2009 5062340 117892 Big Daddy 8 5145855 Guess the BN review explains the MOB SCENE there at lunch today. Food was great as usual. Tsingtao was a welcome addition to the menu/my meal. The staff were coping pretty well, although obviously stressed. I'd hate to see success kill Mr. Chen's (like it did Mr. P's Oriental Gourmet a few years back). I freakin love xao long bao, by the way, thanks to you all. I might not have ever tried them if I hadn't read about them here. My wife is ambivalent about them, as she can't/won't pop them in her mouth for the burst of flavor. Cuts them first. What a waste! Oh well, one big mouth in the family is enough. Great place. I'm so happy they're here. I gotta tell you, though, I'm still not sure about pork intestines or tendon....You all sure about that? Sat Oct 31 17:37:21 -0700 2009 5142671 285641 curej 9 5146818 For my taste, I like the tendon at Red Pearl, although Dax prefers it at Chen's. But, no, I have't had the guts to eat the intestines (sorry about the pun), although I do like tripe tacos (and had one at Taqueria Mi Casita Fridaynight). I suspect that the paper's reviewer treated the XLB the same way as your wife, and therefore the reviewer didn't even realize they were soup-filled ("Man, these sure are juicy dumplings! Look at all that juice in my plate!"). I have mourned the loss of Mr. P's ever since it closed. Yes, it was in a lousy location. And I'm sure Birmingham simply wasn't ready for real dim sum. If only I'd known of Chowhound back then, because I talked up that place as best I could to anyone who would sit still long enough to listen. They did all kinds of great Hong Kong-style dishes, and their seafood was XO sauce was unbelievable. Sun Nov 01 09:33:17 -0800 2009 5145855 117892 Big Daddy 10 5146832 No, I prefer the shaved tendon prep at Red Pearl, with the crab or shrimp paste. I do like the prep at Chen's but they're a little too chewy when served so chilled. Once they come to room them, they are much more manageable. Tendon isn't for everyone by any means/ Sun Nov 01 09:39:55 -0800 2009 5146818 10283 Dax 8 5147876 Hey BD, I did notice the reviewer sampled some of the more American dishes and was disappointed in that regard. I hoped also that he would point out the availability of the separate "American Chinese" menu. I'm glad to hear though that the place is packed. I'm celebrating a birthday Tuesday night there. I may try the bitter melon soup. Any other suggestions? I have my favorite 6 or 7 items, but want to try something new. I'm feeling bold. A CD sounds great. Sun Nov 01 17:56:05 -0800 2009 5142671 155294 G200 9 5149028 If you like clams, try the basil clams. If you like pork belly, try either of the Taiwanese braised pork dishes. I've been wanting to try the steamed whole fish, and if we do CD, that will be one of my recommendations. Mon Nov 02 09:08:54 -0800 2009 5147876 117892 Big Daddy 10 5149388 Ahhh. Pork belly it will be. One can never have enough. Matter of fact I have a 5 lb piece curing in my warm fridge. Hoping to have pancetta in another 2 weeks. Mon Nov 02 10:49:08 -0800 2009 5149028 155294 G200 9 5154455 I know you can't have everything, but I wish Mr. Chen's or someone in Bham would do some Sichuan dishes. My internalized concepts of these dishes may be inauthentic, but are based on a restaurant we went to in our past in Massachusetts. The way I remember them seems much like the recipes in my copy of Fuchsia Dunlop's Sichuan cookbook. I'm just too busy to make 'em myself!. Does anyone know of an excellent Sichuan restaurant within a reasonable driving distance (like Huntsville or Atlanta)? Wed Nov 04 05:50:43 -0800 2009 5147876 285641 curej 10 5155034 There sure is nothing like Sichuan Gourmet here, unfortunately. That twice cooked bacon was awesome. I miss Sichuan too, which is why I recently bought a wok and have been reading through land of plenty looking for fun (and easy recipes). If look through the home cooking board, is was a cookbook of the month at one time so there are some suggestions there. I plan to try dan dan noodles soon. Luckily you can get most of the ingredients at Red Pearl's Oriental Mkt or at that place on the corner of 7th and ... 23? For some reason I thought I saw tea smoked duck on a menu here recently. Wed Nov 04 08:53:46 -0800 2009 5154455 10283 Dax 11 5155534 Also, Penzy's in downtown Homewood is selling Sichuan pepper corns. I also wish we had a good Sichuan restaurant (and a good Hong Kong style one, too). Frankly, given the other options that seem to satisfy the masses here, I'm thrilled that Chen's and Red Pearl continue to survive and thrive. Chai's is at the corner of 7th and 22nd., the one-way headed out of Birmingham's downtown. Wed Nov 04 11:05:38 -0800 2009 5155034 117892 Big Daddy 12 5155886 Penzey's moved from way out 280? Joy! I love Penzey's but hated going way out to Valleydale. Chai's has Sichuan peppercorns too, but those cheap bags are none too fresh and are 1/2 husks. I hear the ones at Penzey's are great and will be checking it out soon. Wed Nov 04 12:43:47 -0800 2009 5155534 10283 Dax 13 5158453 Yes, they are fresh. I have some at home. They're in towntown Homeood in the shops closest to Oxmoor Road, on the right as you're heading away from Oxmoor and toward B'ham. Thu Nov 05 10:55:56 -0800 2009 5155886 117892 Big Daddy 13 5163237 The peppercorns I bought at Red Pearl were very fresh, at the time. It's been awhile ago, though, and I had to buy a head-sized bag. Sat Nov 07 08:48:56 -0800 2009 5155886 285641 curej 14 5166872 When it comes to naming (and therefore describing) dishes at ethnic restaurants, translations can be a problem. Although Mr. Chen's is better than most, I came across an example on Saturday when I ordered the Basil Pig Leg, expecting meat carved off the part of the leg that, when cured, we know as ham. It's not what you think, warned the Chen's order-taker: It's pig's feet. The trotters were good, more gelatinous than meaty. But I don't expect to add them to my usual repertoire there. Mon Nov 09 08:04:08 -0800 2009 5163237 117892 Big Daddy 15 5166958 I was there yesterday. Went with the XLBs as usual, along with the pork meatball soup, the ginger & scallion, salt and pepper squid and beef with fried taiwanese noodles. The squid was pretty good, thickly cut. The beef was actually beef, pork (?), and shrimp over somewhat crispy fried noodles that got a little less crunchy as they soaked up the sauces/juices. I'd order it again. The soup - it was a mostly clear broth with rather grey looking but otherwise non-descript and somewhat bland meatballs. Eh. Those meatballs remind me of the fish balls in the seafood hot pot and just are not my thing. Mon Nov 09 08:36:12 -0800 2009 5166872 10283 Dax 16 5167256 Yeah I got XLB to go with my pork "leg" and spicy basil squid to accompany football watching at home. I don't think the XLB even made it as far as the Hoover city limit. On the squid front, I thought I was ordering the cold dish, which is one of my favorites and has in the past been made with squid bodies, sliced and scored before cooking. Instead, I wound up with a warm dish of whole squid bodies and separated tentacle ends, without the sweet/hot/pickle sauce that I've come to expect with the cold dish. It was good (I finished it Sunday by making squid fried rice out of it). But I don't like it when the bodies aren't completely cleaned out and they get that gunk inside that makes me think of toe jam. Mon Nov 09 10:03:38 -0800 2009 5166958 117892 Big Daddy 10 5164940 Tasty China, just off 285 and 75 in Marietta, GA. Absolutely authentic, we understand, and mind-blowing good. Sun Nov 08 08:36:01 -0800 2009 5154455 35409 uptown jimmy 11 5175338 Making a trip to Atlanta this weekend just to go to Tasty China and with a side trip to Wild Wing Cafe, our most favorite chicken wing joint in the world. (We're previously from Charleston, SC, which is where the latter came from....Hilton Head, technically). Any other suggestions...maybe for lunch spots in SE Atlanta on Saturday? Thu Nov 12 07:29:46 -0800 2009 5164940 285641 curej 12 5184475 We went to Tasty China in Atlanta twice this past weekend. Wish I could say I loved it, but I didn't. I realize that my experience of "Sichuan" Chinese food in the past may be inauthentic, but I just didn't love the dishes we had at Tasty China. We tried the Dan Dan Noodles, Potstickers, Orange Beef, Fish Filets with Black Bean Sauce, Chicken and Cashews, Kung Pao Chicken, and Chicken with Three Kind of mushrooms". I'd say that the Fish with Black Beans was the winner. The other dishes just didn't do it for me. They didn't have Ma Po with pork, only meatless, or pork with deep fried tofu. I've had it many times with silky unfried tofu and shredded or ground pork, and that's what I was hoping for. Ah well. Don't think it would be worth the trip to try more dishes. Mr Chen's right here in Bham satisfies my need for Chinese until we get a really good Sichuan Restaurant here. Sun Nov 15 20:18:29 -0800 2009 5175338 285641 curej 13 5185282 Chen's fans, check this out: http://groups.google.com/group/birmingham-chowhounds/browse_thread/thread/e047a97bdd4482?hl=en Mon Nov 16 08:16:53 -0800 2009 5184475 117892 Big Daddy 13 5191475 Tasty China is widely considered one of the best Chinese restaurants in the country. Our experiences there have been nothing short of revelatory, the food so good as to completely blow our minds. Having said that, authentic Chinese restaurants in this country seem to go through chefs faster than most other sorts of restaurants, for whatever reason, and they may be on to new chefs and inferior food these days, I don't know. But if the folks in charge are still the same as earlier this year, it is certainly worth a very long drive for a visit. A VERY long drive.... Wed Nov 18 09:11:26 -0800 2009 5184475 35409 uptown jimmy 14 5195346 I've heard that the renowned chef who "made" Tasty China so great is now in Knoxville....How far is that? ;) Thu Nov 19 19:04:53 -0800 2009 5191475 285641 curej 15 5195477 That guy left years ago, and the food has been just as good ever since, FYI. Thu Nov 19 20:08:32 -0800 2009 5195346 35409 uptown jimmy 16 5196174 Well we'll have to try to lure him to Birmingham! UJ, I honestly wish I could agree with your sentiments about Tasty China. We made the trip, staying overnight in a hotel in Marietta, just so we could enjoy two meals there. We returned to Bham with pretty mixed feelings. Maybe you could recommend some specific dishes there so that if/when we return we won't be as disappointed as we were this time. I talked to the folks at Chen's about my craving for Sichuan dishes, the post-review collapse of Mr. P's, and about all of their fans on Chowhound. Surprisingly, they (specifically, the 30-ish bespectacled guy that usually mans the cash register) were unaware of their Chowhound fans. They had plenty of wait staff on hand (last night, 11/19/09) so I think they are doing their best in the dining room to meet the challenge of their burgeoning popularity. I'm not sure if they've made similar staffing adjustments in the kitchen. Last night's food was good. We had Kung Pao fish (filets of fish with Kung Pao Sauce) which I would have liked a little less sweet and a little more hot, and the eggplant/basil/pork dish, which was delicious, but a little light on pork for my (American fat guy) taste. They were out of soup dumplings. We went for the potstickers (fried pork dumplings). Minor complaints. I'm ready to go back already. Fri Nov 20 07:36:44 -0800 2009 5195477 285641 curej