Tag Archives: egg rolls

Smart Cook, Thai Cookery School, Chiang Mai

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Smart Cook, Thai Cookery School was an interactive, informative class which we highly suggest to any visitor of Chiang Mai, especially the short express class. Even with an abridged version of the class, we were overly stuffed by all our dishes and sampling our classmates dishes. From papaya salad, pad thai, chicken coconut soup, spring rolls, curry to banana egg rolls.

Our friendly instructor spoke fluent English, was very patient and explained the origins of ingredients and the Thai cooking philosophy. We selected which multi-course dishes we wanted to make and enjoy for lunch and dessert.  We prepped all the ingredients from fish sauce, coconut milk to papaya to curry paste, in an outdoor area, before we went to our woks and the outdoor kitchen area.

As we learned about how to make our own dishes, the other classmates dishes were explained so we learned the basics of every dish in the recipe book. This made the experience more fun to see what other items could be made with similar ingredients.  Participants receive a recipe book, which was a nice way to practice back home. After experiencing Smart Cook, we realized how fresh and easy it is to prepare Thai dishes and that we shouldn’t be ordering from restaurants when we can make all the delicious food at home.











Dumpling Cafe, Chinatown, Boston

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Dumpling Cafe, located next to Penang (BMH’s review of Penang), is famous for its dumplings, especially its xiao long bao or soupy dumplings and is a contender for the best soupy dumplings in Boston in our book. The restaurant relaunched a few years ago and has been very busy since.

In fact, Dumpling Cafe is owned by the same management as one of our other favorites, Taiwan Cafe (BMH review’s of Taiwan Cafe first dinner and revisited).

Dumpling Cafe is clean and pleasant inside. There are several long communal tables and large tables suited for groups.

The menu is filled with authentic Taiwanese and greater Chinese noodle dishes, fish, oyster pancakes and fried stinky tofu. Another time. To start, we ordered two orders of Spring Roll ($2.50 for two rolls). The rolls were nicely fried, and filled with a nice balance of cabbage, carrots and vegetables.

Dumping Cafe’s scallion pancake was one of the best eaten in Boston ($4.25). Full of green onion scent and flavor, lightly crisp on the exterior and tender on the inside. The thickness was just right and we had to order a second order shortly thereafter.

The Fried Pork and Leek Dumplings ($5.96 steamed and an additional $0.25 for fried) and a tender pork nugget inside with a light onion flavor. The dumplings had a nice crust as well, but we think GDH has better ones.

The fried chicken dumplings ($5.95+$0.25) was also lovely. Great skin, full of flavor and each bite made you want more.

Some of the best soupy dumplings or mini juicy buns with pork ($5.95) are here at Dumpling Cafe. The bamboo steamer carried six generous sized juicy buns.

Nestled in the soup spoon, we punctured the dumpling with a small bite and the intense flavor of pork broth filled the remaining space in the well of the spoon. The soft dumpling wrapper was a nice balance to the pork meat waiting inside.

Our other all time favorite of the evening was the pan fried wonton for $4.25 each. These were just unreal and as a result we ordered a second helping. A must try. Usually we have steamed wontons or in a soup, but these had a nice texture because the wonton skins are much thinner and as a result crispier. The memorable meat and onion flavor were mouthwatering.

The Taiwan Style Wonton Soup ($2.50) was very warming and filling. The same lovely center was enhanced by the broth and bitter greens. The soup would be perfect in the winter and a small serving is very inexpensive.

The denouement was not fortune cookies, but complimentary sections of slices oranges. That’s the way we like to end the meal, with a refreshing cut of acidity and sweetness. These oranges were some of the sweetest and juiciest oranges eaten. A nice ending to our meal.

Next time, we plan on enjoying more soupy dumplings, scallion pancakes, fried wontons, as well as sampling the hot pots and noodles. Dumpling Cafe is a fantastic place for authentic Taiwanese cuisine. The restaurant deserves its popularity because of its flavorful cuisine and solid execution.

Dumpling Cafe on Urbanspoon

Tu Lan, SOMA, San Francisco (Temporarily Closed)

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Tu Lan is a must visit every time we are in the SOMA vicinity (however temporarily closed until March 2013). Although it is in one of the most precarious and unsavory area of 6th and Market, it is worth the extra precaution and time. The Vietnamese food here is impeccable here, cash only and relatively inexpensive. If it is good enough for Julia Child, it is good enough for us.

Fun trinkets in the entryway

There is some bar style seating, mostly for solo diners to watch the kitchen chaos. Patrons are of all shapes and sizes stop by for eat in or take out. The waitress is pretty efficient and no nonsense, but gets the job done.

We decided on a takeout order of the Gòi Cuon Thit Nuóng bbq pork salad roll ($4.75). Two rolls were filled with nicely flavored bbq pork and lettuce, sprouts and wrapped in thin rice paper. We happily dipped the rolls in the nước chấm. We wish our mother made this version growing up. We have not seek the bbq pork in a gòi cuon at home BMH’s mom’s Vietnamese Fresh Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn Chay)) or in other Vietnamese restaurants.

The imperial rolls (Cha Gió)  had a different egg roll skin than our mother utilizes (BMH’s Egg Rolls with Nuoc Cham). They were thicker, nice and crispy and had a nice balance of meat and vermicelli noodles on the interior.

Another shot of the bbq pork salad roll, but dining in. The rolls are served with a peanut sauce and offers a nutty kick and sweetness to the rolls.  

The Bún Thit Nuóng pork and rice noodle for $5.50 was a steal. The thick bbq pork was perfectly charred and marinated. The bits of oily scallions contrasted the fresh vegetables served with the vermicelli. It is definitely a filling plate and could serve two or would be another meal for later.

Yes, Tu Lan it is isn’t the cleanest restaurant, it’s a mom and pop shop, but boy is it good. Make the visit when it reopens. We’ll be there for the pork fresh rolls and try Tu Lan’s pho, combination plates and fried rice.

Tu Lan on Urbanspoon

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life and Chua Vietnam, Roslindale

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Every week, we would go to Chua Vietnam for Vietnamese lessons. As children, we would take our shoes off, hang up our coats and enter the main Buddha hall of Chua Vietnam, the Buddhist Association of Massachusetts’s Buddhist temple, in Roslindale.

Over time, we have attended less frequently, but still do attend services for the Lunar New Year, holidays and important family occasions. Currently, there is a youthful monk visiting from Central Vietnam. He is humorous and very relatable.

After meditation, reflection and community, we are reminded how important it is to renew and explore our spiritual roots and understanding absolute and relative happiness. After services, we have a sense of calmness and internal peace.

One of the most momentous events in the Chua Vietnam’s services was when Zen master, Thay Thich Nhat Hanh visited the Buddhist chua. More recently, the New York Times featured a brief video of Thich Nhat Hanh’s visit to the Google campus (On Google’s Lunch Menu: Mindful Eating), as well a thoughtful article on mindful eating, Mindful Eating as a Way as Food for Thought.

Dr. Lilian Cheung and Thich Nhat Hanh co-authored Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life and we highly suggest to pick this up for an informed view on eating. Dr. Cheung espouses the seven practices of mindful eating and describes each concepts such as the importance of honoring the food, engaging all senses, mindfulness of portion size, chewing, eating slowly, not skipping meals and eating a plant-based diet.

We are not vegetarians (one of us is a former vegetarian), but do strive to eat more veggies. Kathy Freston’s Veganist offers tangible examples and explanations of the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle.

Every Sunday, the Chua Vietnam community invites participants to enjoy a banquet of vegetarian dishes after services (L), including vegetarian noodles (R).

Our mother’s Vietnamese Fresh Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn Chay) and the community’s stir fry noodles, egg rolls, fried rice and marinated green beans.

Every item on our plate had a nice balance with each other and each grain of rice was eaten. The fresh spring rolls had a nice texture from the vermicelli noodles, carrot and cucumber. The tofu absorbed the peanut flavor and the fresh herbs offer a vibrant flavor.

The vegetarian egg roll has a nice crunch and was filled with savory carrots and yellow mung beans. The green beans had a good snap, light sauce and fragrant sesame flavor.