Dragon Phoenix Palace (Dim Sum Series) - Westminster, CA [Eating]

(Pictures for this review taken with my Canon PowerShot SD100 and Canon PowerShot SD800is.

The first two introductory paragraphs are the same in all articles in my Dim Sum Series. Feel free to skip down to the first picture if you've already read them.)

Dim sum restaurants are a hotly contested topic amongst Orange County foodies. Every person has their favorite, and defends it with an almost rabid intensity on the message boards. Read any thread and you'll find that Seafood World, Seafood Paradise, and Dragon Phoenix Palace in Little Saigon will have invariably emerged as top contenders. It's a certainty that someone will mention China Garden in Irvine as an acceptable alternative, and bash other restaurants like Furiwa. If it's a slow day on the Net, you might even see armed encampments form, arguing vociferously as to whether or not Dragon Phoenix has fallen from grace and been surpassed by Seafood World, or if new dim sum restaurant X holds a candle to any of the perennial favorites. The answer is invariably "no".

The most passionate flamers are locals who grew up eating at a particular restaurant, delivering their judgments about all of the others as if their opinions carry the weight of the ages, and launching verbal tirades against those of different dim sum faiths. It's difficult, then, for a dim sum newcomer in Orange County to gauge the veracity of any of the statements and decide which dim sum restaurant to visit. This is why I chose to start my Dim Sum Series. As a relatively recent arrival to Orange County, I'm impartial when it comes to local dim sum restaurants. I don't have any favorites. I just want to give my readers enough information to make an informed decision when choosing a dim sum dining location. Take everything I say with a dab of chili oil. I'm just a guy who likes food. Ultimately, the best way to decide if a restaurant is worth eating at is to try it yourself.



Once the reigning king of Orange County dim sum restaurants, Dragon Phoenix Palace in Little Saigon has suffered from online detractors in recent years. Comments about it on restaurant review forums are far from glowing, with particularly venomous jabs being delivered by longtime regulars. The food, like so many other things, just isn't as good as they remember from their childhood. Determined to get to the truth of the matter, Alphanarf (my Cantonese dim sum buddy), Cat, and I made several review visits to Dragon Phoenix Palace over the course of a year.



Our first visit was part of an OC Food Blogs meet up organized by Wandering Chopsticks. The sparsely populated dining area during what should have been the weekend dim sum rush showed a restaurant in decline. However, the food seemed decent and the selection was more varied than what was offered by its competitors.


(Shrimp & Green Onion Dumplings)

The second time Alphanarf, Cat, and I visited Dragon Phoenix Palace, several months later, the food quality was shockingly bad. The wrappers for our steamed items were swollen and pasty, yet the inner fillings were undercooked. It was obvious that many of the dishes had spent too much time in the steam carts before being served to us. In one notable instance, the dumplings were so waterlogged that my chopsticks passed right through them when I tried to pick them up.


(Shrimp & Chive Dumplings)

The final visit occurred at the beginning of this year. I wanted to give Dragon Phoenix Palace the opportunity to redeem itself. However, our prior experience had been so disappointing that it took me months to talk Alphanarf and Cat into giving it one more go. While the food wasn't as bad as it had been the last time, the pasty wrapper problem persisted. We departed the restaurant without any intention of returning.


(Shrimp Dumplings)

It seems its detractors were correct. Whatever its former glories, the dim sum at Dragon Phoenix Palace is now mediocre at best. The food is passable, but it's certainly not worth braving the weekend traffic in Little Saigon and the horrific parking situation.



If you do find yourself at Dragon Phoenix Palace, there are a number of reasonably bulletproof dishes that you can order. The Shao Mai (Meatball Dumplings) are usually pretty good. Since they don't rely on their wrappers for structural integrity, they're much better at withstanding over-steaming.



The thickness of the Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Buns) make them harder to over-steam. While the bread portions end up a bit gluey, the pork ratio is good and flavoring is strong. This is usually a favorite with kids.



Similarly, the steamed glutinous rice dishes also come off pretty well. Their size and the fact they tend to be encased by leaves or plastic wrap lend them extra protection. This one was filled with minced BBQ pork, and was quite good.



The He Fen (Filled Rice Noodle Sheets) are always winners. They're not kept warm in steam carts after being prepared in the kitchen, which means they're usually not over-steamed. The rice noodle sheets are gently resilient, and the shrimp or beef fillings add a nice accent.


(Potstickers.)

However, and it's rare that I make this sort of recommendation about a dim sum place, I'd advise most diners to stick with the fried items and avoid the steamed ones. Fried items in dim sum are often day old leftovers crisped in a pan before serving. Although, this treatment can actually make over-steamed wrappers more palatable, it does little to improve the uninspired seasoning.



A fried item that tends to be OK is the Luo Buo Gao (Turnip Cake), fried in an egg coating. I found this to be sort of blah. The egg coating didn't develop the same sort of crispy texture you get from just frying the turnip cake plain. It was also pretty bland. But, with a little soy sauce and chili oil, it was passable.



The Special Tofu, on the other hand, is awesome. Tofu cubes are battered in rice flour paste, deep fried, and them stir fried with green onions and some sort of sweet, garlicky sauce. They're addicting.



The Hao You Jie Lan (Steamed Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce) is also quite tasty. The Chinese broccoli is fresh and crunchy, and most vegetables are great with a little oyster sauce drizzled over the top. It's a good way to cut the grease from the fried items.



Occasionally, waiters will circulate through the dining area with trays of piping hot "specials". It's sometimes worth taking a chance on these offers. I really enjoyed these Deep Fried Gravid Prawns, which I ate whole. The shells had been fried so that they broke apart in my mouth like chitonous potato chips. While each prawn was packed full of delicious eggs, it was the MSG and salt mix that they'd been coated in that made the prawns extra good.



(Baked BBQ Pork Buns0

Dragon Phoenix Palace - When you go to a dim sum restaurant, you don't want to have to guess at which items will taste all right. You want mediocrity to be the exception, not the rule. You want a pleasant, fun, and delicious meal with family and friends. Sadly, Dragon Phoenix Palace no longer seems able to deliver that experience. I hope it manages to rise again someday.


Bill (just dim sum ranges)

A Items - 1.95
B Items - 3.15
C Items - 3.80
D Items - 4.60
F Items - 6.50


Flavor: C (averaged over three visits)
Ambience: B
Service: C
ROI: B-

Overall: C+


Dragon Phoenix Palace
9211 Bolsa Ave., #106
Westminster, CA 92683
1-714-893-3682


Read a different review of Dragon Phoenix Palace with this article by friend and fellow OC Food Blogs contributor, Wandering Chopsticks.

China Garden (Dim Sum Series) - Irvine, CA [Eating]

(Pictures for this review taken with my Canon PowerShot SD100, Canon PowerShot SD800is, and Canon Rebel XTi.

The first two introductory paragraphs are the same in all articles in my Dim Sum Series. Feel free to skip down to the first picture if you've already read them.)

Dim sum restaurants are a hotly contested topic amongst Orange County foodies. Every person has their favorite, and defends it with an almost rabid intensity on the message boards. Read any thread and you'll find that Seafood World, Seafood Paradise, and Dragon Phoenix Palace in Little Saigon will have invariably emerged as top contenders. It's a certainty that someone will mention China Garden in Irvine as an acceptable alternative, and bash other restaurants like Furiwa. If it's a slow day on the Net, you might even see armed encampments form, arguing vociferously as to whether or not Dragon Phoenix has fallen from grace and been surpassed by Seafood World, or if new dim sum restaurant X holds a candle to any of the perennial favorites. The answer is invariably "no".

The most passionate flamers are locals who grew up eating at a particular restaurant, delivering their judgments about all of the others as if their opinions carry the weight of the ages, and launching verbal tirades against those of different dim sum faiths. It's difficult, then, for a dim sum newcomer in Orange County to gauge the veracity of any of the statements and decide which dim sum restaurant to visit. This is why I chose to start my Dim Sum Series. As a relatively recent arrival to Orange County, I'm impartial when it comes to local dim sum restaurants. I don't have any favorites. I just want to give my readers enough information to make an informed decision when choosing a dim sum dining location. Take everything I say with a dab of chili oil. I'm just a guy who likes food. Ultimately, the best way to decide if a restaurant is worth eating at is to try it yourself.



The reigning king of Irvine's dim sum establishments, China Garden is an iconic building that exudes a sense of permanence in the otherwise transitory restaurant world. For over ten years, it has survived rising gas prices, seasonal and economic slumps, and even a fire that closed the restaurant down for a time.



Despite these hardships, China Garden has continued to serve authentic and delicious Cantonese cuisine at highly competitive prices. In any discussion about Orange County dim sum, China Garden will inevitably be mentioned as a must-try. It's no wonder, then, that this Irvine eatery is beloved by locals and local food bloggers alike, including Professor Salt, Rasa Malaysia, and Elmomonster.



On weekends, the dining area resembles a battlefield, as crowds fill the restaurant to capacity and spill out onto the front lawn. Families just out from church or Chinese school, bleary eyed college students looking for something to take the edge off of their hangovers, and the occasional bemused Westerner, all gather seeking their dim sum fix. Although wait times for a table can exceed an hour, China Garden's popularity is unaffected.


La You (Chili Oil, Chinese red gold.)

During my three visits for this review, I discovered that the best time to go for weekend dim sum is at 10:00am, when the restaurant opens. With luck, you'll beat the after church/Chinese school rush. Even then, you may find yourself waiting if there are enough early birds ahead of you.



The service at China Garden is brusque, but efficient. Flagging down a waiter is easy. They usually respond to requests with alacrity. The numerous dim sum carts make complete circuits of the dining area frequently, although the cart ladies are often gruff and intimidating, and will try to sell you everything they're carrying. There are worse fates than a table full of dim sum, I suppose.



Unlike many of the dim sum restaurants I've sampled during this series, the fried items at China Garden are surprisingly good. Take this Jiao Yen You Yu (Fried Pepper Squid), for example. While the batter was a little thick for my taste, none of the pieces felt soaked in grease. The squid was tender and well seasoned with the peppers and salt. The browned garlic bits were so addictive they should have been banned. Each one was a tiny explosion of caramelized flavor that made my taste buds shimmy like the grass skirt on a Hawaiian hula girl's hips. All I wanted was a bowl of rice and a big spoon.



The Yu Jue (Fried Taro Cakes) were excellent. The honeycombed taro batter was light and airy, melting away on my tongue.



The scallop embedded in each piece was perfectly cooked, while the minced pork filling added the right amount of saltiness to season the otherwise bland ingredients.



However, the real draws of any dim sum establishment are its steamed items. Here, China Garden really shines, flawlessly executing the complex flavors of traditional Cantonese dim sum. Take the always popular Xia Jiao (Shrimp Dumplings). With their resilient skins and juicy shrimp fillings, China Garden's Xia Jiao are chewy parcels of crustacean delight. Bubba Gump, eat your heart out.



For those looking for a different take on an old favorite, the Jiu Huang Xia Jiao (Shrimp and Green Onion Dumplings) kick it up a notch with the pungent aroma of sautéed green onions and a phalanx of shrimp soldiers ready to stop up your mouth and turn back the Persian army. Ho!



Then there are the Yu Zi Shao Mai (Roe-topped Meatball Dumplings), the yang to the Xia Jiao's yin. Dense, meaty, and speckled with fish eggs, each pork and mushroom meatball is a hefty mouthful of bold flavor.



The god-king of the steamed dumplings are the Xiao Long Bao (Little Steamer Dumplings); each with a meaty nucleus bobbing in rich gelatin, barely restrained by a thin membrane.



Where the dim sum really gets interesting is with the specialty items. China Garden has a large and varied menu containing a number of popular favorites, like this Luo Buo Gao (Savory Turnip Cake). Slices of steamed rice flour cake containing shredded turnip and dried shrimp are pan fried to a crispy finish for a wonderful combination of textures and flavors.



You can't have dim sum without ordering Cha Shao Bao (Baked BBQ Pork Buns) at least once. With their sweet pork filling encased in an airy, brioche-like bread, these sticky buns are popular with diners of all ages.



The He Fen (Rice Noodle Sheets) are a familiar comfort food in both Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine. Rice flour batter is spread over a heated metal plate and steamed into thin sheets, then used to wrap either shrimp or thinly sliced beef and betal leaves. This version contains beef and is served with a sweetened soy sauce.



Pi Dan Shou Rou Zhou (Rice Porridge with Preserved Egg and Pork) is a taste I acquired from my mother. A gently stewed porridge made with chicken stock is seasoned with shreds of lean pork, cilantro, and minced pieces of "Thousand year egg". The black, earthy eggs aren't really from a thousand years ago. Rather, they're preserved in clay, which is spiked with lime, salt, and ash. The corrosive minerals "cook" the egg and give it its unique flavor. The subtle rice porridge is the perfect vehicle for spreading the unique flavor of the egg, punctuated by pork and cilantro, throughout your mouth.



My frequent accomplice in food adventuring, Elonweis, is the one who got me addicted to Xian Zhu Juan (Bean Curd Skin Roll). Seasoned pork, shrimp, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots are rolled up in bean curd skin, deep fried, and then steamed with a savory brown sauce. While Elonweis's mother makes the best Xian Zhu Juan I've ever tried, her brother, Alphanarf, and I both find China Garden's an acceptable substitute, much like the sickly sweet rush of methadone is an acceptable substitute for crack. It stops the cravings, if only for a little while. Thank you, Trainspotting.



The Stewed Tripe is a revelation. A cow has four different stomachs, each with its own unique texture. This dish lets you enjoy every type, all enveloped in a sweet and complex red sauce. Try as we might, Alphanarf and I weren't able to decipher all of the ingredients. I'd bet money Chinese red vinegar was involved, though.


China Garden - A sure-fire crowd pleaser. Their flavors are consistent and authentic. Definitely a must-try place for dim sum.


Bill (just dim sum ranges)

A Items - 2.25
B Items - 3.25
C Items - 4.24
D Items - 5.25
E Items - 6.25


Flavor: A+ (averaged over three visits)
Ambience: B
Service: B
ROI: A+

Overall: A-


Irvine China Garden
14825 Jeffrey Rd
Irvine, CA 92618
1-949-653-9988


Read more China Garden reviews from my food blogger friends.

• Garden of Eating by Professor Salt.


• China Garden, Irvine by Rasa Malaysia.


• China Garden Dim Sum - Irvine by Elmomonster.

Seafood World (Dim Sum Series) - Westminster, CA [Eating]

Seafood World (Dim Sum Series) - Westminster, CA [Eating]

(Pictures taken with my Canon PowerShot SD100.

As promised, here's the next review in my Dim Sum Series. Given the length of this puppy, you can see why writing it was such a difficult birth.

The first two introductory paragraphs are the same in all articles in this series. Feel free to skip down to the first picture if you've already read them.)

Dim sum restaurants are a hotly contested topic amongst Orange County foodies. Every person has their favorite, and defends it with an almost rabid intensity on the message boards. Read any thread and you'll find that Seafood World, Seafood Paradise, and Dragon Phoenix Palace in Little Saigon will have invariably emerged as top contenders. It's a certainty that someone will mention China Garden in Irvine as an acceptable alternative, and bash other restaurants like Furiwa. If it's a slow day on the Net, you might even see armed encampments form, arguing vociferously as to whether or not Dragon Phoenix has fallen from grace and been surpassed by Seafood World, or if new dim sum restaurant X holds a candle to any of the perennial favorites. The answer is invariably "no".

The most passionate flamers are locals who grew up eating at a particular restaurant, delivering their judgments about all of the others as if their opinions carry the weight of the ages, and launching verbal tirades against those of different dim sum faiths. It's difficult, then, for a dim sum newcomer in Orange County to gauge the veracity of any of the statements and decide which dim sum restaurant to visit. This is why I chose to start my Dim Sum Series. As a relatively recent arrival to Orange County, I'm impartial when it comes to local dim sum restaurants. I don't have any favorites. I just want to give my readers enough information to make an informed decision when choosing a dim sum dining location. Take everything I say with a dab of chili oil. I'm just a guy who likes food. Ultimately, the best way to decide if a restaurant is worth eating at is to try it yourself.


(Really really white.)

Located in a sterile shopping center at the corner of Brookhurst and McFadden, Seafood World is a Little Saigon institution, and consistently touted as one of the top three dim sum restaurants in Orange County. Discussion boards are abuzz with comments about this restaurant, and about how the dim sum has gotten even better in recent years. In order to properly assail this purported palace of gastronomic delight, I assembled a party of doughty dim sum devotees.

• elonweis - Cantonese cuisine aficionado, dear friend, and my girl Friday, her dim sum expertise is invaluable. If I was an effete hobbit with an evil ring and a death wish, she'd be my faithful gardener.


• Alphanarf - Elonweis's younger brother, who happens to be cursed with a deathly shellfish allergies. If it's good enough for him to risk anaphylactic shock, it's got to be pretty damn good. Wants the dim sum, he does. Wants it, precious.


• Prinny - Elonweis's pet elf and significant other. His eating philosophy focuses on quantity over quality and value for money. Prinny is very handy when calculating ROI.


• Jpathomas (a.k.a. Stitch) - Our grumpy Gandalf with a heart of gold, Stitch is the biggest fan of small plates I know. His gastric bypass several years back means his ideal meal is one with tiny portions and endless variety. Dim sum is practically tailor-made for him.


• Angel - Stitch's heavenly wife has the patience of a saint. She also has the convenient habit of rolling her eyes and making rapturous noises when she eats something particularly good. I never have to ask her if she likes a dish.

(Seen better days.)

Angel and Stitch have been regulars at Seafood World for years. Since we'd chosen to go on a Sunday, they recommended showing up right when the restaurant opened to beat the after church rush. It was a good thought. We were able to get in without any wait whatsoever, a fact I became thankful for as the restaurant filled up around us.


(Not fooling around.)

The dim sum selection was disappointing. After all the posts I'd read online about Seafood World's recent renaissance, I was expecting to be wowed by a glittering array of innovative eats. Instead, I found a small set of classic steamed and fried dim sum dishes; familiar and definitely not exciting.


Shao Mai (Pork Meatball Dumplings)

On the up side, most of the items that I sampled at Seafood World were well made, demonstrating a consistent level of quality. I was particularly fond of the steamed items, all of which arrived perfectly cooked. The resilient, yet delicate, texture of the dumpling wrappers was quite impressive.


Xia Jiao (Shrimp Dumplings)

On the down side, nothing stood out for me flavor-wise. While I didn't taste anything that was obviously past its expiration date, I also didn't get a sense of freshness in any of the items. Everything was just slightly shy of being bland. What I really detected was an overwhelming greasiness in all of the dishes, even the steamed items.


Yu Jue (Fried Taro Cake)

The fried items were particularly bad. I had a very hard time finishing them. Everything I tried seemed soaked in cooking oil, which is how I felt after I'd eaten them; soaked in oil. I’m surprised I didn't break out with the world's worst acne attack afterwards or need a triple bypass.

Both Elonweis and Alphanarf advanced the theory that the frying oil Seafood World was using wasn't hot enough. Those two would know. The dim sum their mother makes are so perfect that I'd apprentice myself to her if I could. I've never been able to find a taste in any restaurant comparable to what she produces in her kitchen.


Hun Dun (Steamed Wontons)

Seafood World's service was pretty good. Flagging down passing carts wasn't an issue, and getting drink refills was surprisingly easy for a dim sum restaurant, although anyone used to the more solicitous, Western style of service might not be as satisfied. One touch that gained Seafood World high marks was the regular changing of dirty dishes. Periodically, a server would come by and replace our plates with fresh ones. It was a nice touch.

We were eating family style, so everyone got a little bit of everything on the table. Here's a breakdown of what crossed my plate. Since I wasn't able to score a menu, I can't give you the fancy name Seafood World uses for each item. Instead, I'm using the common name for each dim sum. For example, many dim sum restaurants call their shrimp dumplings Shui Jing Xia Jiao Huang (Crystal Shrimp Treasures). I, and most normal people, just ask for Xia Jiao (Shrimp Dumplings). You're getting the un-glossy version of the names today.


Cha Shao Bao (Steamed BBQ Pork Bun)

There was a nice balance between savory and sweet in the BBQ pork. The bun was a bit drier than I was expecting, but the ratio between meat and starch was spot on. However, I know of several mass market brands available in the frozen food aisles of most large Asian groceries that offer a comparable product when microwaved, so I probably wouldn't order this again.


Sin Jok Guen (Bean Curd Skin Roll)

That's the Cantonese name for this dish since I actually don't know the Mandarin. But, the English name for it should probably be "Horrible". Traditionally, Sin Jok Guen are made by wrapping a mixture of seasoned ground pork, shrimp, and mushrooms in a resilient bean curd skins, deep frying them, then braising or steaming them in Chinese brown sauce. The resulting dish is a magnificent symphony of contrasting textures and flavors. It's one of my favorite dishes.

Seafood World's Sin Jok Guen stood out as the most poorly made dish on the entire table. A properly made Sin Jok Guen should not fall apart when picked up. It should neither be practically tasteless, nor should it leave a visible laver of oil in its serving dish. It was very disappointing.


Feng Jua (lit. Phoenix Claw but really Chicken Foot)

On the other hand, the Feng Jua, which undergoes roughly the same cooking process as the Sin Jok Guen, was excellent. The skin and tendons had been carefully rendered to a jelly-like consistency, allowing them to be sucked right off of the bone. It was like drinking a rich, unctuous gravy. They're not for the faint of heart. Stitch tried one like a trooper, but ended up passing it on to me after his first bite.


Shao Mai (Pork Meatball Dumpling)

The Shao Mai were thick and meaty with a pleasant mouth-feel. I found them a little bland. However, they seemed to go over well with everyone else.


Guo Tie (Potsticker)

The Guo Tie were juicy, but also bland. I enjoyed the thick, chewy skin and crunchy, pan-fried bits. But, I was a little turned off by the mild sourness I detected in the ground pork filling. Normally, that sourness is provided by Chinese black vinegar, which is used to counteract the richness of the seasoned pork and fried wrapper. However, when the sourness is practically the only flavor I can taste other than the pork, it becomes a distraction.


Hun Dun (Steamed Wonton)

I've always been a big fan of Cantonese-style wontons in wonton soup, where ground pork and green onions are used to accent the flavors of a large, juicy shrimp encased in a tender wrapper. The Chinese cook who came up with the idea of using meat to season meat was a genius. My problem has always been not enough wontons and too much cabbage in the soup. So, a basket of Seafood World's steamed wontons is exactly what I've been looking for. I have no complaints with their rendition.


Zha Hun Dun (Deep Fried Wontons)

However, the deep fried version of the same wonton is a culinary abomination that qualifies as a crime against humanity. One bite and my mouth was practically filled with cooking oil. The sugary mayonnaise sauce made the dish even heavier and added a cloying sweetness that nauseated me.


Pi Dan Shou Rou Zhou (Rice Porridge with Preserved Egg and Pork)

To clear my palate after those ghastly, fried wontons, I got a single serving of Pi Dan Shou Rou Zhou for myself. A light, creamy porridge made from rice and chicken broth flavored with salt, bits of preserved duck egg, pork shreds, and green onions, it was just what I needed to wash away the grease coating my tongue. I acquired a taste for this dish from my mother, and I daresay she would have approved of Seafood World's version. She would not have approved of the fried wontons.


Xia Jiao (Shrimp Dumpling)

The Xia Jiao were the real stars of the table. The skins had just the right amount of chew, and the shrimp were large, plump, and flavorful. After Angel did her eye-rolling moan thing, which I've frankly always found a little naughty, we ordered several baskets. They had to be good, right? Right.


Jiu Cai Xia Jiao (Shrimp and Chinese Chive Dumpling)

The regular shrimp dumplings were so good that we also snagged a few baskets of Jiu Cai Xia Jiao. The mild bitterness of the Chinese chives really brought out the natural sweetness of the shrimp. While both the Xia Jiao and Jiu Cai Xia Jiao were similar in construction, they each had a very distinctive taste.


Jiu Huang Xia Jiao (Shrimp and Chinese Leek Dumpling)

We also scored a few baskets of Jiu Huang Xia Jiao. Here, the Chinese leeks added to the richness of the shrimp the salty seasoning. This was probably my favorite out of the three shrimp dumpling variations we tried. They all elicited moans from of pleasure from Angel, who was in dim sum heaven.


Zhu Rou Yuan (Pork Meatball)

For fun, and because we thought they're be easier for Stitch to digest, we ordered two different kinds of steamed Chinese meatballs. The pork meatball was made with roughly chopped pork and seasoned with soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, ginger, and sesame oil. It was pretty dense, with a fair number of gristly bits. I thought it tasted a lot like Shao Mai filling.


Xia Yuan (Shrimp Meatball)

The second meatball was made from shrimp pounded into a fine paste and seasoned. It had a soft, spongy texture and a mild flavor. I grew up eating these types of meatballs. I liked sticking a chopstick into them and eating them like meat lollipops. Stitch wasn't impressed with either.


Yu Jue (Fried Taro Cake)

I wanted to give the fried items at Seafood World one more chance. This time, I selected the Yu Jue, another of my favorite dishes, and was pleasantly surprised. The surface was light and crispy, containing a strongly seasoned paste of taro root, dried shrimp, and ground pork surrounding a large shrimp. However, the greasiness of the dish was enough to make what would have been a good item mediocre. After this experience, I washed my hands of anything fried at Seafood World.


Pai Gu (Pork Chops in Black Bean Sauce)

We weren't quite done yet, though. Someone else had snagged a plate of Pai Gu, deep fried pork chops steamed in a sauce made from chilies and fermented soy beans. I'm not fond of this dish, but I did my part. The pork was tender and the seasoning was spicy and complex. I'm just not a fan of all the little bone bits.


Dan Ta (Egg Tart)

For my grand finale, I got a pair of Dan Ta, one of my childhood favorites. Small pie shells are filled with an egg custard and baked. I really love the contrast between the buttery, flaky pie crust and smooth, sweet filling. It reminds me of weekend dim sum meals with my family after Chinese school.


(Yay! Lion statues!)


Seafood World - A solid contender. Reliable, but not inspired, and a little too greasy. Get there when they open on the weekends to avoid the after church or Chinese school crowds. Avoid all of the deep fried items. Stick to the steamed items, particularly those involving shrimp, and you won't be disappointed.


Bill (split amongst six people)

Per person with tax and tip ~ $24.00


Flavor: B
Ambience: B
Service: B-
ROI: B

Overall: B


Seafood World
15351 Brookhurst St, Suite 101-106
Westminster, CA 92683
1-714-531-5330



(I miss my mom in NorCal.)

When I was a child in Taiwan, my mother would let me climb all over the large lion statues in front of the construction company my grandfather owned. She used to tell me that the stone balls in their mouths were their tongues. Later on, I learned that the balls were supposed to represent pearls. But, whenever I see one of these statues, I still put my hand into its mouth to play with the "tongues", just as I did when I was little.

Russell's Seafood Palace (Dim Sum Series) - Irvine, CA [Eating]

(Pictures taken with my Canon PowerShot SD100 during my first visit.

Edit 10/16/2007: Russell's Seafood Palace has closed.)

Dim sum restaurants are a hotly contested topic amongst Orange County foodies. Every person has their favorite, and defends it with an almost rabid intensity on the message boards. Read any thread and you'll find that Seafood World, Seafood Paradise, and Dragon Phoenix Palace in Little Saigon will have invariably emerged as top contenders. It's a certainty that someone will mention China Garden in Irvine as an acceptable alternative, and bash other restaurants like Furiwa. If it's a slow day on the Net, you might even see armed encampments form, arguing vociferously as to whether or not Dragon Phoenix has fallen from grace and been surpassed by Seafood World, or if new dim sum restaurant X holds a candle to any of the perennial favorites. The answer is invariably "no".

The most passionate flamers are locals who grew up eating at a particular restaurant, delivering their judgments about all of the others as if their opinions carry the weight of the ages, and launching verbal tirades against those of different dim sum faiths. It's difficult, then, for a dim sum newcomer in Orange County to gauge the veracity of any of the statements and decide which dim sum restaurant to visit. This is why I chose to start my Dim Sum Series. As a relatively recent arrival to Orange County, I'm impartial when it comes to local dim sum restaurants. I don't have any favorites. I just want to give my readers enough information to make an informed decision when choosing a dim sum dining location. Take everything I say with a dab of chili oil. I'm just a guy who likes food. Ultimately, the best way to decide if a restaurant is worth eating at is to try it yourself.


(View from the street.)

Russell's Seafood Palace can be a little difficult to find. Located in Irvine, right next door to the legendary Agora Churrascaria at the intersection of MacArthur and Main, it's clearly visible from both streets. However, actually getting to the restaurant requires you to drive a good block past it on Main, make a left turn into an office complex, and thread your way through several parking lots. Think of it as a driving adventure, which is what Cat always says when I get lost.


(Owner Russell Tsai making sure his customers are happy.)

The decor at Russell's Seafood Palace is both charming and amusing. The restaurant inhabits a building previously occupied by a Western seafood establishment and a pub. It still retains the deep booths and polished wood trimming of its predecessors. Mixed in are a number of tasteful Chinese decorations, as well as the requisite shimmering disco ball used for getting jiggy at Asian wedding parties. There's also a definite Roaring Twenties feel that gives the finished product a sort of Joy Luck Club meets the Great Gatsby flair.


(Straight from the old country.)

On the other hand, the service and presentation are refreshingly authentic. The chairs and table settings are exactly as they would be at an upscale restaurant in Hong Kong, Shanghai, or Hangzhou. The servers, in their starched dress shirts and neatly pressed slacks, are courteous and deferential. For those of you used to earthier dim sum establishments in the San Gabriel Valley, the service here is stellar. Simply raise a hand and one of the floor managers will send a waiter or busboy scurrying serve your table. It's a refreshing change from the standard "eat and get out" feel of most dim sum restaurants.


(Dollar a person, but all you can drink and you get to pick the tea.)

The dim sum service does have its dark side, though. If you choose sit by the bar, you'll get a menu on which to mark down selections that a waiter will then bring to you. However, all of your selections come in a big wave, and negotiating a second order can sometimes be hindered by the language barrier.


Shui Jing Xia Jiao Huang (Crystal Shrimp Dumpling)

If you choose to sit in the dining area, you'll quickly realize that while attractive, the converted space isn't large enough to permit more than two dim sum carts from circulating at a time. Their pace through the small aisles is practically glacial. This means your initial dim sum selections will be limited, and you'll most likely still have to place any additional orders with your server.


Yu Zi Shao Mai Huang (Fish Egg Sil Myi) - Meatball dumplings topped with fish roe

The dim sum quality at Russell's Seafood Palace is also a hit or miss proposition. For this review, I visited a total of three times, always on Sunday and always between the hours of 11am and 12noon. The first two times, the dim sum ranged from passable to excellent, cooked to perfection with bright flavors and balanced seasonings.


Xian Xia Jiu Cai Jiao (Steam Shrimp and Goy Choy Dumpling) - Goy Choy are Chinese chives.

The steamed dumplings had resilient, chewy skins and moist, flavorful centers. The fried items were light and crispy without being oily. I was particularly taken by the Feng Chao Yu Jue (Fried Taro Cake) and the Xin Gang Can Bao Huang. The fried taro cake was flakey, filled with a savory mixture of taro paste, ground pork, and dried and fresh shrimp. Unlike most fried taro cakes, I didn't feel saturated with grease after eating one. The BBQ pork bun was so airy, I thought it might blow away if I breathed too deeply. Each bite melted in my mouth, caressing my tongue with sweetly seasoned pork.


Steamed spareribs in chili black bean sauce.

On my third visit, however, the dim sum started at mediocre and degenerated into some truly awful selections. The steamed items were overcooked, with mushy wrappers that disintegrated. I also thought I tasted hints that some of the dumplings were past their prime. The fried items were soggy and dripping with oil, a disappointment given the stellar food served during my first two visits.


Feng Chao Yu Jue (Fried Taro Cake) - This one had fresh shrimp embedded in it, in addition to the usual mushroom, dried shrimp and pork filling.

The real advantage to having dim sum at Russell's Seafood Palace is the complete lack of a waiting period. Since the restaurant is still relatively unknown, it's usually only two-thirds full during the weekends. Seating is instantaneous, which immediately makes Russell's a contender. Most other dim sum restaurants in the area have weekend waits of at least twenty minutes. The very popular ones have been known to have waits of up to an hour. I don't know about you, but I have better things to do during my weekends off.


Dai Zi Bai Yu Zhu (Steamed Scallops with Tofu)

However, fewer customers does mean slower turnover of dim sum items. Since most dim sum is prepared in advance and cooked to order, certain dishes might not be as fresh as desired, depending on their popularity. Out of my three visits, I only noticed one or two selections which tasted as it they might be heading south. These tended to be more adventurous, and thus, less ordered.


Xin Gang Can Bao Huang (Russell's BBQ Pork Bun)

As a general rule of thumb, I'd stick with classic dim sum at Russell's, such as shrimp dumplings, shumai, and BBQ pork buns. There seems to be greater consistency with the quality of these items, and they almost always taste fresh.


(Deep fried silken tofu with shrimp paste and fish roe.)

Occasionally, the kitchen will send out an item not included on the regular menu. These specials should be snapped up whenever possible. They're usually freshly made, and there's no guarantee as to when, or if, you might see them again.


(Shrimp and Green Onion Dumplings)

Elonweis, who's Cantonese and from a large family of Cantonese foodies, loves this place. When I mentioned my last experience at Russell's to her, she recommended showing up after 1pm. Since they serve dim sum from 11am to 3pm daily, Elonweis claims that arriving later means you get fresher dim sum that are better prepared. I think I'll try that next time.


Russell's Seafood Palace - Fairly solid when it comes to generic, classic dim sum. Some of their new inventions show real potential. However, they've had issues keeping their dim sum quality consistent. A real contender if you're looking for good service and reasonably priced dim sum without a wait, and are willing to take the chance that you might be there during an off day.


Bill (just dim sum ranges)

A Items (small) - 2.28
B Items (medium) - 3.29
C Items (large) - 4.18
D Items (luxury) - 5.18
E Items (veggies) - 7.95
F Items (noodles) - 7.75


Flavor: B- (averaged over all three visits)
Ambience: A
Service: B-
ROI: C

Overall: B


Russell's Seafood Palace
1818 Main St.
Irvine, CA 92614
1-949-476-1818
http://www.russellsseafoodpalace.com