"What we didn't expect was the response - customers were coming by, messaging us, and sharing stories about what the restaurant meant to them. It made us realize this wasn't just a place to eat - it had become part of people's routines and memories."
The Crispy Potato Corn Dogs contain bonus ingredients folded into the batter, which means each bite is speckled with cubed potatoes. This is the kind of snack that delivers both flavor and texture.
"THE BEST pierogi me and my fiancé have tried ever in NY. Me and him are both Ukrainian and have lived in Poland, and out of all the places we have tried, these taste exactly like homemade traditional Polish pierogis."
Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings is known for its handmade soup dumplings, made in an open kitchen where diners can observe the preparation process. The menu features traditional dim sum and noodle dishes, including Shanghai Siu Mai and pan-fried crispy noodles.
The barbecue shrimp arrive swimming in Cajun-spiced butter, with slivered shallots for gentle sweetness and sliced radishes for necessary sharpness. It calls to mind a seafood boil, without as much work.
It is a side dish that has main-character energy. Think about it. You put bacon in ice-cream and it is the bacon that sings. You use candied bacon as a cocktail garnish, and suddenly that is all anyone's talking about. But, while all bacon is great, some bacon is just greater than others. If you disagree, try some Chinese-style bacon called Lap Yuk or La Rou.
Christmas is lovely, but my kids think Chinese new year is by far the best holiday. I might be biased, but, unusually, I am inclined to agree with them. As my eldest puts it, New clothes, cash, booze and food what's not to love? There's the added bonus that cash is absolutely more than acceptable in fact, it's de rigueur, so there's no shopping for mundane socks and smelly candles. Chinese new year is full of rituals and, just as at Christmas, every family has its own, but they are all variations on a theme. Symbolism looms large in Chinese culture, and at new year it centres around messages of prosperity, luck and family.
Clear counter or table space for everyone to cook together, and be sure to get enough ingredients for each person to eat at least a dozen dumplings. Then, set up your assembly line in a circle: Place a bowl of filling in the middle of every three to five cooks, along with wrappers and a floured sheet tray or plate. (Cooks can chat more easily if they face one another when wrapping dumplings.)
Each month, our staff shares unfussy recipe ideas that you can call upon any day of the week. Because yes, our editors love to cook, but sometimes we need to get dinner on the table 12 minutes ago. That's when we look to kitchen helpers, humble ingredients that can quickly turn into delicious meals. This month, it's all about store-bought dumplings.
This spicy wonton soup recipe, developed with Michelle McGlinn, uses just five ingredients you likely have lying around already, especially if you frequently make Asian-inspired cuisines. Inspired by the spicy, silky wontons at Chinese dim sum restaurants, this soup is the perfect combination of fiery heat and meaty savoriness, complete with crunchy green scallions. A warming soup that is even better (and cheaper) than takeout, this wonton soup makes even the busiest weeknights feel like a breeze.
Despite one or two less than stellar Trader Joe's frozen dumpling flavors, the grocery giant really hit its stride with its pork gyoza potstickers. Easily earning the top spot in our ranking of the chain's dumplings, the pork potstickers provide savory goodness in each bite. Filled with pork, cabbage, green onions, and a touch of garlic and ginger, the potstickers don't skimp on the meat. From the first taste, pork is clearly the main character, with the veggies adding an herbaceous balance.
Stir-frying is all about wok hei, or wok's air' in English, which you can think of as the height of fire', or the level of heat. It's said that Chinese cooks have good wok hei if they have a true understanding of the heat of their wok and how to handle it in all situations, and a stir-fry's success is based on the quality of the cook's wok hei.