Noodle City (garvey Ave)

Noodle House? Just in the name of myself, as I never guessed, that was a disgusting place. I first read about this place in my group and was intrigued to see her bao zi right there at the counter for everyone. You can order the dumped water cooked or steamed. Everything we ate was incredibly fresh and hot. We were served within the first five minutes of the order, so we were at a good start. My favorite steamed rolls are the double mushroom with pork and the pig with spring onions. They were the first to arrive as they were wonderfully hot. With a simple touch they were ready to explode. I knew at the time and there that if I dared to put it in my mouth, it would certainly burn, so that I stab a hole with my hop sticks and it was like an erupting volcano ready as the beautiful juicy pork snap simply failed. Your Bao zi is a perfect ratio of 75% filling to 25% dough. Next, I had the steamed dumplings. The ones I support are the steamed pig dumplings with licks and the pumpkin/shrimp dumpling. Oh, yes, not even the trouble to ask her to freeze your dumplings because they won't. Please note that the order of the damped emptying of the skin is somewhat thinner. Why? As a result, the steam can penetrate and the emptying can boil through the entire path.

The dumplings are all freshly made and very tasty. Unfortunately I was somewhat disappointed as I had expected Shanghai dumplings. Also, I think we ordered too much food and ended up stuffing ourselves silly.

Of course, locals from Tianjin might argue that nothing compares to the baozhi back home. In fact, they might say that boiled buns from Tianjin, a bit drier, are different from the Shanghai-style dumplings that have a chewy outer skin. Just as it’s difficult to recreate a genuine pizza crust, the essence of baozhi and dumplings is rooted in their origins. The quality of the water used in the dough is crucial to achieving the right texture and mouthfeel, making it challenging to find an authentic New York-style pizza in Hong Kong or true Tianjin baozi in Los Angeles. We also tried the wine-infused hard-boiled eggs, which are similar to tea eggs but prepared with wine. Served cold, they offered a refreshing contrast to the hot baozi. Tianjin is also famous for its water dumplings—one of my favorite dishes. While Mr. B suggested trying the fish water dumplings, I was initially reluctant but gave them a chance. They were okay, but nothing remarkable; I would have preferred a pork filling or something similar. The fish filling had a pasty texture that didn’t appeal to me. On a brighter note, we enjoyed some of the best scallion pancakes I’ve ever had. Typically, scallion pancakes are thicker and greasier, but at Noodle House, they were thinner and less oily. I would have preferred a flakier version, but I found these to be quite enjoyable. Overall, the Tianjin baozi here surpasses those I've had at Shaomai, making for a delightful dining experience.

Noodle House is one of the many small restaurants in Monterey Park. It has a decent reputation. The dumplings and steamed rolls were definitely fresh and tasty, though I wouldn’t say they were outstanding. That said, for the price (around $6 to $8 each), you really can't complain. Our total bill came to just $8.50 per person, including tip. The noodles were somewhat disappointing, so if I return, I would stick to ordering the rolls and dumplings.

As for the double mushroom pork steamed dumplings, I took a bite and found them completely tasteless. I tried another bite, hoping for something more, but it was still bland. Just in case I had ruined my taste buds, I drank some tea. On the third bite, still nothing. I added some vinegar, and that was the only flavor I could find. At that point, the food became more about sustenance than enjoyment. For half the price, I could have had some of the best beef sauce noodle soup and dumplings in Kingburg. I left feeling utterly let down. Is it worth trying other dishes here? Absolutely not.