79667 Wed Mar 15 03:03:16 -0800 2006 7 2 Los Angeles Area 0 440179 This Cantonese classic has been intriguing me lately. What are the best places to get good shark's fin soup? Also, when perusing the menus of several restaurants, I noticed many different "categories" or varieties of shark fin soup. "Braised Shark's Fin in Superior Broth" "Braised Superior Shark's Fin" "Shark's Fin Soup" What is this "superior" broth? And also, more of a personal question, is it really that tasty? I hear that the fins themselves have little taste, but the broth is great. Any info or thoughts on this interesting delicacy are much appreciated! Wed Mar 15 03:03:16 -0800 2006 0 Frederick 1 440181 Hm..I've actually never noticed they had different names for it. They taste the same to me, regardless of how they're described on the menu. Honestly, though, it may be the broth that makes it flavorful. Most Chinese restaurants end up putting a lot of MSG in their food. Then again, it's worth trying sometime! It's often treated as a delicacy and appetizer. You can pretty much get it at any large Chinese restaurant, like those in Monterey Park or San Gabriel Valley. Try Ocean Avenue, NBC Seafood, New Harbor, Sam Woo (not the BBQ, but the one on the third floor in Focus Plaza in SGV). hope this helps! cj Wed Mar 15 03:14:55 -0800 2006 440179 0 cj 1 440209 While I don't eat shark fin myself and don't want to encourage anyone to do so, there is a difference between shark fin soup and braised shark fin. Some soup has very little shark fin in it. Braised shark fin is where you want to go. You may want to try one of the high end seafood places such as Sea Harbor. Yes indeed shark fin is valued for its texture, not taste. You'll be paying a high ransom for a braised shark fin dish. Wed Mar 15 11:50:24 -0800 2006 440179 0 Peter 1 440228 We have had to remove some off topic posts from this thread. If you have any good suggestions for where to find delicious shark fin soup please feel free to respond here. Those who would like to discuss other aspects of the politics of shark fin soup will need to find some other forum to do so. Thanks for everyone's cooperation. Wed Mar 15 12:43:18 -0800 2006 440179 2 The Chowhound Team 1 440247 Goto Mission 261. They have, by far, the best Shark Fin's soup in the SGV. As to the menu descriptions, I wouldn't pay too much attention to them, as most are probably just bad (loose?) translations. Also, the soup itself is rather tasteless and bland, many people will add a dash of black vinegar or brown pepper (usually supplied when the soup is served) to enhance the flavor. And, sad to say, given the rather subtle taste of authentic shark fin, it is really rather difficult to discern the real from the fake stuff. Price can be a giveaway, but then there are those restauranteurs who can be really unscrupulous ... Wed Mar 15 13:37:24 -0800 2006 440179 0 ipse dixit 1 440253 I'm not sure if there is a specific definition of superior broth. At some restaurants all it means is that they've boiled it all day and all night with any kind of tasty bones they can find. Wed Mar 15 13:54:33 -0800 2006 440179 0 Chandavkl 1 440329 Usually, superior soup (i think shangtang) is a broth that mimics bone soup but is made by long cooking (10 hours or so) soy beans, chinese dates (jujube), dried mushrooms and a few other things that make a non-fatty but meaty tasting broth. It is clear enough and delicately flavored enough to use in braising other things without overpowering them. As for shark fin, like sea cucumber, the point isn't the strong or pronounced or even deep flavor, the point is the texture and the variety of textures in the dish. If you want to try some shark fin without going all the way, empress pavilion has a "Phoenix dumpling" soup at dimsum - the dumpling has shredded mushrooms, some other vegetables and shredded shark's fin (just a bit). the sharks fin is the clear tasting gelatinous ingredient in the dumpling. Wed Mar 15 17:02:33 -0800 2006 440179 0 Jerome 1 440354 I had an excellent bowl of Shark Fin's Soup at New Concept over the winter holidays when we threw my parent's a party there. Usually, the broth that (braised) Shark's Fin comes in is thick with cornstarch and oyster sauce. This was NOT the case at New Concept. Since shark's fin really doesn't have much taste (it's more about texture - the fin has a slight bite to it, sort of like jellyfish), it's important to have the soup be really good. Wed Mar 15 17:38:38 -0800 2006 440179 0 Macy U.