Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
This is a street snack that originated in Taiwan and youʼll see them at Taiwanese night markets. Itʼs tossed in salt, pepper, chili powder, five spice and lighty fried
basil. We paired it with a sriaracha mayo to add some tang.
Ingredients: chicken, soy sauce, cooking wine, ginger, garlic, salt, white pepper, five spice, sugar, garlic powder, mayo, lime, sriracha, Thai basil.
Allergens: soy, egg (wheat contamination in the fryer)
GF but shares fryer with gluten things, sriracha mayo on side is mild spicy.
Smashed Cucumber Salad
A classic refreshing and light appetizer! The cucumbers are smashed so they pick up extra sauce and salted before hand for an extra crisp crunch.
Ingredients: cucumber, garlic, cilantro, scallions, gluten-free soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, salt (may add fruit depending on what is in season), marigold (from Cadillac urban garden)
Allergens: soy, sesame
Vegan, Gluten-Free, little spice, but can do without chili oil
Chii Oil Wontons
These delectable wontons are made with juicy shrimp and pork, and swimming in house-made chili oil. We crack fermented white peppercorn on top.
Ingredients: wonton skin (wheat), egg, pork, onions, shrimp, pepper, salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, scallions, cilantro
Allergens: egg, shrimp, soy, sesame, wheat Mild/Med Spice with Chili oil
Veggie Potstickers
Angelaʼs dad is from northern China and they eat lots of wheat-based mains including dumplings. At her grandparents home, they would often boil the dumplings, any that were left over, they would pan-fry. These veggie postickers are pan-fried fresh! The filling is hand chopped, sauteed ahead of time, and has pan-fried tofu giving it a much more complex texture and interesting flavor though much more time consuming to make.
Ingredients: napa cabbage, carrots, onions, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, vegan oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt
Allergens: wheat, soy, sesame Vegan, Mild/Med Spice Chili oil on top
Pork & Zucchini Potsticker
This was always my personal favorite filling. The most classic meat dumpling filling in China is pork and cabbage, but when I was growing up in the US, it was often times hard to find napa cabbage at the grocery store. So, my mom got creative! Zucchini could be found all year round and it was a delicious replacement. There is a little juice in these dumplings!
Ingredients: dumpling skin (wheat), pork, zucchini, vegetable oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, black pepper, white pepper, scallions, garlic
Allergens: wheat, sesame Mild/Med Spice from chili oil
Mama’s Chicken Broth
This is made with really nice whole free-range chicken, specifically
(translates directly to three yellow chicken or san huang ji). Whenever I was sick, my mom put together this really nourishing broth. Now, whenever Iʼm seeking comfort or something nourishing, I crave this broth. Itʼs slow cooked with ginger and scallions. This bowl can be shared with two people. Noodles can be added. I like to personally have a bowl of broth and rice, take a spoon of rice and immerse the rice in the soup and eat it together.
Ingredients: chicken, scallions, ginger, salt Gluten-Free, but noodles are not Gluten-Free
Wuxi Spareribs
Wuxi is where my momʼ hometown. Itʼs a city in China known for having food that is on the sweeter side. This was one of my personal favorite dishes growing up. The ribs are fried/pan-fried and then braised in a bunch of aromatics and sauces. The sauce taste amazing with white rice.
Ingredients: pork, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, black vinegar, hoison, star anise, cinnamon, scallion, garlic, ginger
Allergens: wheat (form soy sauces/black vinegar), sprinkled sesame, soy
Dan Dan Noodles
It was first created in 1841 by a street vendor named Chen Baobao in Zigong, and it later spread to Chengdu Sichuan region). Initially, it gained its name because vendors used to sell it while carrying it on shoulder poles. These poles were divided into two ends: one end held a coal stove for heating water in a pot to cook the noodles, and the other end cooking pork bone broth/chicken broth. This dish has a lot of components and I recommend mixing it all up, and getting a little bit of everything in one bite.
Ingredients: wheat (noodles), egg, pork, garlic, pickled yacai, sesame paste, sesame oil, scallions, peanuts, soy sauce, black vinegar
Allergens: egg, soy, sesame, wheat, peanuts
Can be made Vegetarian (please note), Mild/Med Spice
Xin Jiang Lamb Skewers
Xinjiang is located in the northwest of China, home to a large muslim population. One of my favorite things to do when I visited/lived in china was getting lamb skewers either on a street stall or at Xinjiang restaurants. They are loaded up with cumin and red chili pepper. We lay it on a bed of lettuce and include a side of carrots + daikon (to brighten up the dish with acidity).
Ingredients: lamb, cumin, salt, chili pepper, corn starch, egg, lettuce, carrots, daikon, garlic, vinegar, sugar, sichuan peppercorn, black peppercorn.
Allergens: egg Halal, Gluten-Free
Yuzu Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients: shrimp, yuzu marmalade, honey, chinkiang vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, white pepper, lettuce
Allergens: shrimp (shellfish), gluten (soy sauce + vinegar), soy
Black Pepper Beef
This is one of my favorite foods to get when I go to Chinese restaurants. We used Tellicherry black pepper for extra zesty flavor. Also another favorite food to eat with rice.
Ingredients: beef, green + red pepper, onions, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sometimes (microgreen purple basil from White Lotus farms)
Allergens: shellfish, wheat
Boba Creme Brulee
Iʼm not a huge dessert person (more of a fruit person), but definitely have a soft spot for some creme brulee. As a kid, getting bubble tea after Saturday school was always such a treat. We used Osmanthus as a garnish itʼs beautiful fragrance perfumes the air during this time (Sept) in Wuxi (where my mom is from) until and surrounding areas
Ingredients: heavy cream, sugar, egg yolk, black tea, osmanthus, brown sugar, boba, blueberry, dried mandarin peel, orange
Allergens: dairy, egg Gluten-Free