Sunday, November 30, 2014

Fuji Huoshao Dumpling--San Jose, CA

We just ate at Fuji Huoshao Dumpling tonight. Though it was our first time there, my older son said it's now his favorite restaurant. He doesn't say that very often.
Shredded potato

Huoshao Dumpling did indeed do everything well and if you're looking for great dumplings (soupy, skin with just the right chewy consistency yet not too thick, filling with just the right texture, etc.) without much fuss, this is your spot.



The Huoshao Dumplings, a signature dish ordered by every table in the room, arrived hot and fresh with a flakey crust and a thin slab of ground beef made up the filling.


What made both of  my kids like this restaurant the most, though, was the Shiitake Mushroom Noodle Soup. They especially enjoyed the noodles--they were good, but the broth was better.


The parents' favorite was the squash with egg. Not only was it appealing to the eyes, but it offered a delicate crunch. Besides, how often do you see this combination in a dumpling?


This location used to be the home of another dumpling restaurant, Xie Dumpling, but the management changed about five months ago.



Credit cards are accepted.

Fuji Huoshao Dumpling
6184 Bollinger Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Lemon Roasted Cod from Hello Fresh


Delivered to our door: Produce that came with the lemon roasted cod from Hello Fresh
Last month I purchased a short-term subscription from Hello Fresh. With a coupon and $90, we got three meals advertised to serve two people each (or six meals total). So, as an average, the lemon roasted cod was about $30.


The food for all three meals were delivered in one big box stuffed with ice packs. The food arrived on time and I even got a call from Hello Fresh to tell me my box arrived at my home and to answer any questions I had.


The biggest surprise for me and Jenny was the amount of time it took to prepare the food--especially when preparing the ratatouille. Though Jenny's fairly well experienced at cutting vegetables, I'm definitely a novice. Still, it took both of us working for nearly an hour to get everything prepared even though the meal was advertised to take about 30 minutes for one person.

After cutting the veggies, they go on a sheet and into the oven

Also, the cod was average, but helped a lot with some butter. That said, I have to say the ratatouille was the best I've ever had. While we cooked the food from Hello Fresh, the whole house filled with a delicious aroma--so much so that I was downright giddy.

Lemon roasted cod with ratatouille

Although I'm definitely happy with the purchase from Hello Fresh, a subscription isn't for everyone. This service is definitely targeted towards those who don't have the time to go to the market and come up with a suitable recipe. This still doesn't get around time needed for food prep, though, and for us that was the difficult hurdle to overcome. I do give credit to Hello Fresh for their customer service. I appreciated the phone call and that they make it very easy for the subscriber to cancel.

Hello Fresh
www.hellofresh.com

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Stinky tofu from Mama Liu (food truck)

Last night we were introduced to both the Night Market at DeAnza College and stinky tofu. For all the talk about the fermented tofu and how delicious it can be, I have to say this one dish was not only a failure with us, but it pretty much ruined our Moveable Feast food truck experience.



I can't blame Mama Liu, who only served up what I ordered. The tofu cubes had the familiar hard shell and soft interior of fried tofu. Dominating the experience, though, was the odor. As such, I can't really tell you much about the flavor. Making matters far worse is the stink hangs around. It's in the aftertaste, it stays in your mouth seemingly forever and pervades through the house when you take it home (though I couldn't finish it at the market I took it home--I can never bring myself to throw food away).


At least I did better than Jenny, who couldn't bring herself to swallow the tofu. Afterwards we discussed what the stink was most similar to. We agreed it was a combination of smelly feet and rancid meat, but slightly closer to the latter.


As for the rest of the stinky tofu? I will finish this weekend what I started last night. But, for the first time in memory, I'm dreading an eating experience. Stinky tofu is that distinctive.

Mama Liu
www.mamaliu.com