Instead of making a resolution I know I can't keep (resolution being posting frequently), I'll just post as many photos as I possibly can of places we've been, and foods we've eaten now. So in my mind, the next several posts will be out of order, but to you, it will just seem as if I've been eating. A lot.
This one is of New Capital Seafood Restaurant (NCSR), located on the second floor of the bustling Diamond Plaza Shopping Center in Rowland Heights. By "bustling," I mean it's super hard to find parking, especially during the busy hours. During the day, they serve dim sum, the Chinese version of tapas. Dim sum is typically served in small metal containers from carts wheeled around by the ladies who work at the restaurant. If you make eye contact with them, they'll usually stop at your table, offering you a plethora of dishes. Here's a sampling of the stuff we got.
Shu mai - pork dumplings. A dim sum staple, and NCSR knows how to make them well. It's perfect with a little hot sauce.
Braised pork spareribs, simmered in their own juices, making them tender and flavorful.
Cha siu bao, BBQ pork bun - not my favorite (I may have eaten one too many as a child), but it's definitely a dim sum favorite for many, including Boogs. What's not to like? There's bits of flavorful BBQ pork encased in doughy goodness.
Sesame balls - for a lack of better descriptors, it's usually lotus paste inside of a glutinous ball rolled in sesame seeds. It's sweet, so it's usually a dessert item, but the rule of dim sum is, if you see something you like, get it then, because it may not come around again later.
Fried shrimp dumplings - one of my favorites because it's fried and served with mayonnaise as a dipping sauce. How good is that?
Fried shrimp balls - using a piece of sugar cane as a skewer, this dish is sure to please. It comes with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Did I mention that it's fried?
Turnip cake - I know it may sounds a little gross to those not familiar with dim sum, but I assure you, these are so good. It's one of my favorite dim sum dishes. It's par cooked, and then pan fried to order. The only problem with these at NCSR is, it's super hard to flag down the lady with the this cart.
Taro (wu) gok - also known as taro dumplings. Inside is a tasty mixture of minced pork, shrimp and mushroom. Outside is a crispy, flaky, almost fluffy taro batter that is deep fried to golden brown.
A few words to the wise: It's best to go early, either before or around 10:00 am. Otherwise, you will be stuck outside inhaling second hand smoke, waiting for your number to be called. In fact, by 10:00 am on weekends, the San Gabriel location is virtually packed. Also, no matter how good the lady says the dish is, if it doesn't look good, it probably isn't. If you're not into eating "unusual" meats, it's usually best to ask someone what it is before ordering it.
New Capital Seafood Restaurant, 1330 S. Fullerton Road, Rowland Heights
