Peter D.
Yelp
I'm so excited. I'm so excited...and I'm only a little scared. Here's why:
1. Anything new that opens on Smith Street gets me going. It's my backyard, and I love new places that will serve me food.
2. Anything new that opens on Smith Street that isn't Thai or sushi is to be celebrated. It's not that I'm opposed to Thai or sushi, the market is just oversaturated and we need variety.
3. I've been hearing about East Wind Snack Shop's delicious dumplings for years, but for some reason I haven't made the arduous trek...like a mile away.
4. The rumors are true. East Wind Snack Shop serves delicious dumplings.
I walked in on Friday evening after my fair share of happy hour beverages (and my wife's share as well, seeing as how she wasn't drinking). As I went over the (nice and tight) menu, I asked when they opened. The dude behind the counter told me it was just a few hours ago. I knew I wouldn't have let something like this slip by me for long.
The shop is small, with just a counter where you order, and a few tables (although there is a backyard, and it is backyard season) to post up and eat if you're sticking around.
We ordered the original Juicy Pork Dumplings, the Dry-Aged Beef Potstickers, the Incredible Har Gow Shrimp Dumplings, and the Housemade Chow Fun Noodles w/beef. Just a taste.
There was a slight hiccup as they initially gave us the Double Happiness Fried Rice (with pork belly AND Chinese sausage) instead of the chow fun, but I think we can cut them some slack when they are hours old. In actuality, I wanted to order the rice anyway (so maybe the guy at the counter is telepathic), but my wife was all about the chow fun and she doesn't care about anyone's happiness being doubled, least of all mine.
We brought our food home, and I must say...these are very, very tasty dumplings.
They are clearly high quality, made with care, and I have no doubt that I will be eating them on a regular basis. I'm normally a classic pork guy, but the dry aged beef were the winner for me. All were excellent though, and I love that each dumpling is completely unique, with the delicate har gow differing drastically from the other two. If I could change anything,I'd just ask for the addition of a dumpling sauce instead of just straight soy and sriracha. I love the vinegary kick of a classic ginger/scallion dumpling sauce.
The chow fun wasn't exactly what I was expecting either. The housemade noodles were indeed the wide, flat ones reminiscent of a pad kee mao, and in actuality it resembled a Thai dish in a lot of ways (topped with bean sprouts, chilis, and more). The portion of noodles was actually smaller than I would've guessed, but there was plenty of the tender beef included, and the overall effect was definitely tasty.
All in all, I'm looking forward to working through the short menu (should only take another visit or two), and finding out what Hong Kong Hotcakes are, and whether or not they're as tasty as they sound.