Looking for take-out Bao or Dumplings or whatever similarly designed food, which travels well, between Diamond Bar and Culver City.

[Mattapoisett in LA]

I am off Monday to Diamond Dar and Dommy has insisted that I bring her Dumplings, Bao or some such on my way back. Our first thought was to get the Hui Tou at Xiang Noodles House recently reviewed by Mr Gold but on reflection thought they would not survive the trip back to Culver City Intact. Next we thought of Earthen but they are closed on Mondays so we're SOL. Could anything else fit the bill?

Please no suggestions of Yum Cha, They will be politely declined.

Take Care

- P.

[Dommy]

Thanks so much everyone for your invite. It's not like I 'insisted' that P. go get me dumplings... it's just that he was headed out to Diamond Bar already and well... gotta make your gas money pay off! Now you got both sides of the story! ;)

I totally agree with the recs for Dean Sin World and Mama Lu's... they are my favorites. As always through, I wanted to try something new and P. did not disappoint!

From Earthen, we'e been wanting to go for ever, so he decided to stick some classics and picked up:

Pork Potstickers: I'm usually not a fan of overly herbal pot sticker filling, but Earthen had just enough herbs to match with a well spiced ground pork.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dommichu/7878093338

Scallion Pancakes: 101 Noodle house is our torch bearer, but these were quite good. Not as flakey, but with a nice smooth dough (more like filo instead of pate chox) and not greasy at all...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dommichu/7878092400

He also hit up one to one noodle house! A place in Chino Hills we've been meaning to try! Although it gets mixed reviews, we were very pleased with what we got:

Beef Buns: Perhaps my favorite dumpling of the night. Mini beef buns that were so juicy inside!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dommichu/7878092908

Boiled Chicken Dumplings: We were impressed on how well these traveled (From Chino Hills, then to Earthen, then to Culver City). Boilled dumplings can one of the hardest to pull off because they can become so sodden. These we nice and tender, not flabby or mush, when we got them. Perfect for a good douse of sambal!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dommichu...

The verdict... we'll be back to try more from both places! Thanks for the recs again!

--Dommy!

[PeterCC]

Wow, P. is an awesome husband(?)! Thanks for letting us know what he ended up getting you! Everything looked delicious.

[ipsedixit]

SinBaLa in Rowland Heights

A&J in Diamond Bar

And what's wrong with Yum Cha Cafe? No, seriously, what's wrong with it?

[Mattapoisett in LA]

Yum Cha for me only scratches an itch but doesn't satisfy. The bao has a minimal about of filling. I'm almost prepared to say that i prefer the Famima Steamy Buns to the Bao at Yum Cha. The Hom Sui Gok are always flabby and cold. The shu mai and har gow are decent but those are not what i prefer.

[Servorg]

You'll be going right by Kuan's in Montebello. Not sure about their days/hours but it might be a solution.

Kuan's
2809 Via Campo Montebello, CA 90640
Phone: [phone]

[Galen]

Yum Cha's baos are like the Superdome with low attendance.

[Dommy]

While Yum Cha is GREAT for when we have bring a mass of dumplings for the fam, when it's just the two of us, we perfer just to get one, or two, or three of dumplings from elsewhere. I do however LOVE their fried chicken...

--Dommy!

[Chandavkl]

Isn't Earthen closed on Tuesday, not Monday? I thought the Earthen branch in Rowland Heights was the one that closes Monday. In any event, at least one of them is open on Monday.

[Mattapoisett in LA]

Thank you very much.David I didn't realize there were two. That puts them in the mix though they close from 2:30 -4:30 so I will have to hang a round a little longer than I was hoping but this may be it.

Take care

- P.

[PeterCC]

Can you bring a cooler (or one of those insulated grocery bags) with you to DB? On the way back you can stop at Dean Sin World or Mama Lu and pick up frozen dumplings or XLB for cheap (like a bag of 50 for less than $15) and a bag of ice from a grocery store to keep them frozen in the cooler for the ride back to CC. Of course you'd have to cook them at home, but it's worth it! :-)

When my parents visited a few months ago, they did this, sans the cooler, and made it back to the Westside with the goods still mostly frozen. It probably helped that the thermal mass was increased by them buying three bags' worth dumplings and baos. I got a nice couple of weeks out of the stuff, steaming (or throwing into soups and ramen I was making) for myself and my wife and kids.

[Tripeler]

Even the really cheap dumplings in most Chinese markets are surprisingly good, particularly considering the cost. However, I don't have any experience with XLB.

[PeterCC]

The frozen XLB from Dean Sin World were great. I had worried that the skin might not hold up after being frozen, but when steamed, only one or two leaked, the rest stayed plump and juicy to the first bite.

[Mattapoisett in LA]

Peter. We tried to do this at one of the XLB restaurants and were turned away since they only made them frozen by special order. I can't remember which one. I'll have to look into DSW and Mama Lu's

Take care

- P.

[PeterCC]

AFAIK both Dean Sin World and Mama Lu have them generally available, no special order needed.

[bulavinaka]

We've enjoyed Dean Sin World's frozen xlb. I've personally had problems getting what I want from Mama Lu - they were always out of the pork dumplings and xlb, and I didn't care for what I ended up with - I think veggie and veggie/shrimp. The texture of these dumplings' skins were kinda rough - almost like a whole grain version of dumpling skin.

JTYH's frozen pork w/ leek or pork w/ nappa are very good, but we don't care for their fish dumplings.

[JThur01]

I'll second Peter's recommendation of Dean Sin World. Both Dean Sin World and Qingdao Bread Food (across the street) sell 50 frozen xlb. Qingdao was $5 more than DSW, at least the last time I bought frozen xlb ($15 at DSW, $20 at Qingdao). Just put 'em in a cooler, get home and put them in a steamer.

[carter]

Had some very tasty dumplings at the Shanghai restaurant at San Gabriel Square this past weekend, and the bao were not bad either, but generally not my thing.
2nd floor at 140 W. Valley Blvd.(#212)

[Dommy]

It was DTF.... So I forgave them... ;)

--Dommy!

[js76wisco]

The frozen dumplings in the restaurant right next to Malan on Hacienda Heights are fantastic. They are $15 per bag and you get about 50 or so dumplings in each bag. We steam them up and enjoy them often. Sorry but I don't know the name but you will see a big freezer and refrigerator case on the left hand side when you go inside.