Chinese Carmelized Apple (or other fruit - ba si style)

[brucarious]

Does anyone know of a good chinese restaurant in the bay area that offers a good ba si ping guo (拔丝苹果) or other fruit? Sometimes it's called carmelized fried apple/banana/pineapple. I've eaten this dessert a lot in Beijing but haven't seen it in America.

[scoopG]

Any Dongbei or Shandong restaurants in the Bay area? This dish is served in all of the Dongbei (3) and Shandong (2) restaurants in Flushing, NY although usually with Taro, Sweet Potato, Purple Yams or more.

[Chandavkl]

Somebody posted that a "Northeastern" Chinese restaurant just opened up in Cupertino Village, so that might be a possibility. Shan Dong in Oakland doesn't seem to have it on their menu. Perhaps you can check Beijing Restaurant on Alemany which is much discussed on this board. Also, there are handful of Chinese Islamic restaurants in the Bay Area--might that be a possibility, too. Anyway, I'd be surprised if it didn't show up somewhere in the Bay Area.

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Shan Restaurant
5251 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95051

[brucarious]

Yeah, I've been to Shan Dong in Oakland without luck and I was reading about BJ Restaurant last night on the board. I'll have to get over there some time. Thanks for the other suggestions - I'm going to find it one of these days in the bay area. scoopG, your picture is making my mouth water already!

[K K]

Yes that was my mention, Nutrition Restaurant in Cupertino Village...although I only recall the banana version on the menu (I'm sure they can make apple upon request).

The other place that would have it is New Nutrition House in Milpitas, another semi Dongbei like place, although theirs is ba si di gua, using yams/sweet potato.

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Nutrition House
496 Barber Ln, Milpitas, CA 95035

[brucarious]

I finally made it down to Nutrition House in Milpitas at your recommendation, K K. As you mentioned, they only have banana & sweet potato versions on the menu, but they were happy to make the apple version. It wasn't quite as heavy of a caramel as the versions I've had in China, and the apple was a bit mushier, but it was still pretty good. As a side note, we also had the "Home Style Fish with Tofu" which is similar to the spicy fish soup at China Village, except tofu instead of the glass noodles. The portion is smaller, with less fish, but it was still tasty. The other dish that stood out was the "Northeast Style Eggplant". They removed the skin of the eggplant and then crisped it up a bit. Unlike any eggplant dish I've ever had. Excellent. Thanks again for the recommendation!

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Nutrition House
496 Barber Ln, Milpitas, CA 95035

[Melanie Wong]

Mrs. Yao offered this up as a surprise at China Village in Albany during the holidays a few years ago. She did the prep herself in the kitchen, but her staff messed up the tableside service, letting the ice melt, and the whole thing stuck together and wasn't crackly. Maybe you could talk her into doing it for you. The Yaos are Shandong ren via Korea.

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China Village
1335 Solano Ave, Albany, CA 94706

[brucarious]

Nutrition House in Milpitas, here I come! Thanks for the tip, K K. Oh man! I was just at China Village before I posted the question - we asked our waitress and she said they didn't make it. :-( I guess we asked the wrong person! Next time we're there, I'll be sure to ask Mrs. Yao. Thanks for the heads up, Melanie.

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Nutrition House
496 Barber Ln, Milpitas, CA 95035

[Melanie Wong]

At the time it was offered to me, it wasn't on the menu, and sounds like it's still the case. Now that I think about it, I think I went in for a quick lunch and to plan an upcoming special dinner banquet. Mrs. Yao asked me if I was familiar with this dessert and then offered to make it for the dinner. So you might need to give her some advance notice.