@yogachik Ushuaia might be my favorite too. It’s odd that the Argentinean restaurants aren’t called-out as great steak places. That cuisine is all about the beef.
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I may need to give it another try. I went a few yrs ago (my only visit), and the server recommended the special seafood (!) instead of the steak special. Food was good but not amazing. But it’s so close, and the price (IIRC) was not bad…
Well, lunch isn’t all that different than dinner (unless by “lunch” you mean dim sum).
But be that as it may, some of my favorite dishes, famous or not, and must-try or otherwise, include the following:
- Live steamed fish (ask what’s available, and exactly how much per pound)
- Live poached/steamed giant shrimp (or prawn); reserve the head to be deep-fried
- Bamboo pith with ong choy
- Deep fried squab (advanced notice req’d)
- Geoduck sashimi/ceviche (advance notice sometimes req’d)
- Fish maw and crab soup
- House special poached chicken (advanced notice req’d)
- Sea cucumber and goose web casserole
- Frog in abalone sauce
Of course you can also do the live king crab thing-a-ma-jig, but that’s like picking the low-hanging fruit. Nothing wrong with it, of course, but you can get that anywhere.
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Great, thank you–I did mean dim sum.
When you order the live/steamed fish, do you have a preferred prep there?
Hmm, not to be glib, but my preferred prep for steamed fish is steamed.
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Sure. So last time I went to Elite, I got steamed fish served in a black bean sauce and it was very good. I guess the latter is what I’m getting at–is all steamed seafood served with the same sauce? I am not talking about the actual cooking of the fish methodology.
Ginger, scallions, soy sauce is probably the most basic sauce (and I would say the best).
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Then I’m afraid you did not get steamed live fish.
The only way to enjoy steamed live fish (esp. at times when it can be $40-50/lbs or more) is splashed with some wok-fried soy sauce, and then garnished with a handful of scallions (aka green onions) and/or cilantro and/or ginger.
Anything else (esp. something heavy like black bean sauce) is a disservice to the fish, and more importantly, to you qua diner.
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I have seen some of the cheaper Chinese/Chinese-Vietnamese places use live carp, catfish, or tilapia for non steamed preps like Sichuan water boiled or some version of chafing dish with black bean sauce.
But at Elite they don’t carry carp or tilapia so you are probably correct (unless they specifically asked for it black bean sauce style).
Next time anyone is at Elite and gets the red rock fish, ask for it 2 ways. The body is steamed as Ipse described but the head is fried and done clay pot style with garlic and celery. Really tasty.
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@ipsedixit @Porthos @TonyC and all the experts: I don’t get out to Asian supermarkets that much, but attempting to steam fish at home to recreate this awesome steamed live fish dish at HK restaurants…
Is that really just plain old Soy Sauce splashed on the fish? It always tastes so much BETTER than Soy Sauce when I’ve had it at Sea Harbour, Elite and all those places, LOL. 
Or is there a special type / brand?
The Soy Sauce used is seasoned. Regular bottled Soy Sauce is not a substitute.
I’ve used the Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood made by Lee Kum Kee and Pearl River Bridge. Both are available at 99 Ranch. I recall preferring the Pearl River Bridge a little over the Lee Kum Kee, but I also recall that the Pearl River Bridge was a little richer and stronger in flavor so that less needs to be used.
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It’s just regular soy sauce. No special type or brand.
But the soy sauce, as regular as it may be, is adulterated.
Need to dissolve some rock sugar, and a bit of salt, to add to the soy sauce.
But first you need to get out your wok (or sauce pan), heat up some oil (corn or canola are fine) so that it’s crackling or will bubble when a chopstick is plunged into it, then toss in your julienned ginger and scallions, mix for like 2 seconds (and no more), then pour in your soy sauce mixture, and immediately remove from heat.
Now, pour the whole thing over your steamed fish, and then garnish with a bit more (non-cooked) scallions and/or cilantro.
Eat immediately.
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iunno, but I had this last week at home, with some steamed pompano (though not live – but I prefer wild caught flash frozen over bottom dwelling “live” tilapia/carp/insert-fish-that-tastes-like-fish-ate-shit any day) under some woked soy.
it was mildly delicious, and it wasn’t $40/lb.
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A nice coincidence this sub-thread came up b/c I was telling my partner yesterday about how much I like the simple sauce that usually accompanies live fish dishes at Chinese restaurants…
I’ve seen steamed fish done differently at some of the very good seafood restaurants in Taiwan and Hong Kong. This is what I saw and how I learned to cook steamed fish.
A whole fish (personally, I like 1.5 lb to 2 lb fish) is gutted, scaled and laid on it’s side on a platter, covered with some slivered green onions and julienned ginger. Note - there are two blood vessels along each side of the spine facing the stomach cavity need to be cleaned out. Put the platter on a steamer and cook over slowly boiling water.
Heat about a 1/4 cup of peanut or vegetable oil until just about smoking as you get close to cooking the fish through. (I don’t use Canola because it can have an off smell when heated close to its smoking point and it polymerizes easily.)
When the fish is just cooked through, it’s taken off the heat, most of the juice on the platter is poured off. (I like to reserve some of the extra liquid to add back at the end.) The wilted ginger and green onions on top are discarded. Cover the fish with fresh slivered green onions (and ginger if you like) and pour enough of the hot oil over the entire fish and make sure you get all of the green onions and exposed skin. The hot oil slightly crisps the skin and green onions and makes the skin firm, otherwise, the skin can be flabby.
Drain off some of the excess oil. Add as much cilantro as you like. Pour some of the reserved steamed fish liquid and whatever seasoned Soy Sauce you use over the fish.
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I have see a mixture of soy sauce and fish stock heated and poured on at the last step. Supposedly the juice from steaming adds a heavy fishy flavor which is why they discard the juices from the platter. Also, I like to use whole green onions underneath the fish to prop the fish up when steaming on a platter to keep the consistency of the bottom side and then discard along with the steaming ginger.
Other than that, your method is exactly how i like it prepared.
I just use Chin He-Huang’s steamed fish recipe & adjust it slightly to be less salty for smaller fish/filets. Soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, cooking wine. Comes out great. Top with scallions, eat. Quick, simple, easy.
What I wrote is what I was taught and learned. I make a few changes.
- I put green onions and ginger underneath the fish and discard after steaming. It requires lifting the fish to remove, but I think it perfumes the fish nicely.
- I agree that some of the fish steaming liquid can be strong. That’s why I taste it before deciding to add it back. Some places discard it entirely. However, that’s why I would steam over a slow boil and using smaller fish - cooking certain fish on the bone, especially certain varieties of Rock Cod, a long time or over high heat can result in some off flavored liquid. It’s something I recall being told years ago and verified when I sold fish - Rock Cod bones simmered over 30 minutes can give off some strong, off flavors.