2017 Restaurant Week at M.Y. China

Update 2022: a casualty of the pandemic M.Y. China is closed. https://sf.eater.com/2020/9/2/21417565/fall-winter-restaurant-bar-closings-san-francisco-bay-area-2020

**November 23

SAN FRANCISCO — MY China, a Michelin-recommended, luxurious and expensive restaurant from TV personality, restaurateur, and occasional Iron Chef judge Martin Yan and partners Ronny and Willy Ng (Koi Palace), has closed for good, a spokesperson for the Westfield San Francisco Centre confirms to Eater SF. The spot, which was located on the fourth floor of the downtown mall, had closed at the onset of the pandemic, saying at the time that the shuttering was only temporary. But according to Westfield spokesperson Christina Mendez, “Unfortunately MY China will not be returning to the center” once the pandemic ends. Efforts to reach MY China management were not successful as of publication time.**

J.K. was walking the Fancy Food Show, and Angela was working the day job, so we had time for only one Restaurant Week lunch. We chose to return to M.Y. China, because we had such a good time there last year.

  

Sparkling wine is always a great treat and Angela chose to splurge at this lunch!

 Our entrees arrived first, but that wasn't a problem. J.K. ordered the wok-seared beef filet, while Angela chose the rice cake with wild boar. M. Y. China always gives a generous portion. We forwent the rice and simply mixed and matched tastes and textures. As it was there was still a doggie bag at the end of the meal.

Wok-Seared Beef Filet
sichuan peppercorns, arugula with jasmine or brown rice

Rice Cake with Wild Boar
cabbage, edamame, green onions

Mr. Zheng Dumpling
pork, shrimp, shitake, sesame oil, green onion

Close-Up of Dumpling

Veggie Spring Rolls
Toasted Taro, Wild Seasonal Mushrooms

 We usually  show you as many dishes as possible, but the the Sugar Puff Ice Cream Sandwich was too good to substitute sorbet for one of them. It's really more of a profiterole, but we weren't quibbling. 

M. Y. China is a delightful place to try out some delicious dishes. If you're on a tight budget, Restaurant week is the perfect way to splurge!

Monday BunDay--Asian Dumplings

This month's cookbook is Asian Dumplings by Andrea Nguyen. Tea Time was very excited about making our own bao. We coerced our friend Stephanie to help us and took over at J.K.'s house to take advantage of her gadget and appliance collections. After measuring the ingredients for the dough for our bao, we poured them all into her bread machine so we could concentrate on the fillings.

The scale! A most important part of the dough equation.

Bread machine all loaded up and ready to start.

After the kneading cycle, we placed the dough in a clear glass bowl so we could watch it rise.

Make sure you choose the correct recipe, there are two: Steamed Dough (p95) or Baked Dough (p97).

Now we're ready to mix the stuffings and sauces. We decided to make both a meaty filling (Char Siu Pork p100) and the veggie filling (Vegetable and Tofu p101). There are also other options that had shrimp or chicken! Each recipe came with its own sauce and thickener (cornstarch based) which Stephanie was in charge of mixing up. Angela sauteed the various ingredients on the stovetop and then we played the waiting game while they cooled and the dough rose. Full Disclosure: We ate Dim Sum while we waited.... Angela had also got some combo steamed buns, shrimp pai gau and a few other choice morsels when she picked up the pork. Who can resist??

Char Siu Pork from (one of) the Chinese spot(s) by Angela's house. 

Sauce mixin's.

Pork and scallions, FTW.

Veggies, ready, set cook!

The cabbage all cooked down. Next time we'd cut the veg smaller.

Pork on right, Veggie stuffing on left.

Dough cut into (more or less) even pieces.

We didn't have mini rolling pins, so Angela cut up a dowel and we treated it with 'wood butter' before rolling out our "egg" shaped dough cradles. We made sure to follow directions and leave the 'pillow' in the middle.

This is our interpretation of the "fired egg" shape you need to make dumplings.

Pork filling before being closed for baking/steaming.

Edges pinched together and tucked under.

We didn't have a proper steamer, so we used J.K.'s spaghetti pot.

Pork steamed bun.

Veggie baked bun.

We all enjoyed our bun making. Plans are in the works for a 'soup' dumpling Monday, and Tea Time is ready to master (??) the art of getting their buns sealed. This cookbook is a bible if you'd like to become a Dim Sum Savant, however Angela and JK are content to spend $3 around the corner and get what we need without a lot of planning. If ever we move away from easy to find, easy to buy Chinese goodies this cookbook will jump to the top of our list. It's definitely boosted our respect for the men and women who make those perfect packages that we see baked, steamed and fried behind the Chinese bakery/Dim Sum counter. In fact, a new spot has opened on Clement that lets you stand outside and watch the 'bakers' working their dim sum magic by wrapping the fillings up in dough. Professionals!! We bao to you and your experience and love to eat the fruit of your labors. Thanks! If you aren't lucky enough to live in SF (or any city with a Chinatown) grab and 'cook the book' Asian Dumplings. You'll be very popular, we promise.

They may not be so pretty, but they were a labor of love.