Modern Chinese Cuisine Steeped in Tradition, but Accessible to a Wider Audience and New Generation – Succulent Roasted Pork Shoulder Char Siu, Supple Hainan Chicken Rice, Outrageous Pork Chop Buns and More! – Needle and Pearl River Deli [Thoughts + Pics]

I love salt and pepper tofu so this seems right up my alley. Although, what are the small crunchy-looking brown pieces mixed in with the tofu? (Just want to make sure it’s actually vegetarian and not tiny pieces of pork or something). Thank you for the great report and photos!

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I could be wrong, but they look like fried 蝦米 (dried tiny shrimp)…

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Looks like xia mi to me as well

(Which goes great with some Napa cabbage very Taiwanese!)

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Hi @hanhgry,

Thanks. :blush: You can rest assured the Salt & Pepper Tofu is 100% Vegetarian. :slight_smile: The little fried bits are battered up bits of Garlic or Shallots. I also double checked to make sure for you and all our vegetarian FTC’ers. Enjoy!

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Wow, thanks for the great writeup and pics. I’m truly humbled to be compared to Wes Avila whom I’ve looked up to since I was a young chef, funnily enough back when I was getting ready to help open Sticky Rice at Grand Central Market, my friend/coworker (whom we run the Gatsu Gatsu popups together) use to work with him at Gary Menes’ Le Comptoir popups and he was telling me about the sous chef who was Wes Avila at the time. He told me he was gonna do a taco cart popup and got me excited for it so we went over on one of the first popups outside (at the time) Handsome Coffee Roasters. I’ve always been inspired by his food so I’m happy to hear that it feels like I am channeling him.

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Hi Chef @JLee,

Thank you for making so many great dishes. :slight_smile:

You have a passion for cooking, and for wanting to bring some great Chinese (and Japanese and Thai) recipes to the forefront of the culinary landscape here in L.A., and it shows in your dishes.

Truly, your Macau Pork Chop Bun is outstanding. Your Hainan Chicken Rice / Soy Sauce Chicken Rice are more examples of your skills and passion. Those are unrivaled around town right now.

You care and that appears in all of those wonderful dishes on your menu.

I selfishly hope you bring back the Beef & Tendon (over Rice or Noodles) and have the Gyudon be regular menu items one day.

I think you’re doing some amazing things at Pearl River Deli, so please keep up the great work!

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Thank you kindly for thinking of us veggie FTCers! I love fried garlic and shallots so that makes this salt & pepper tofu even more enticing :blush:

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You’re welcome! :slight_smile: Hope you get a chance to try it soon, it was one of the highlights of the meal!

Chinese with Filipino heritage. My all time comfort food is saucy dish with rice and fried egg, sunny side up for plenty of yolk. It doesn’t get saucier than that.

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Pork Neck Char Siu - a bit dry to be honest

Pork Jowl Char Siu - luscious and fatty reminiscent of fat char siu

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No, it doesn’t! When I was kid, I was like, “This lettuce [didn’t know lettuce from cabbage] would be fine w/o these weird shrimp thingies.” :wink:

Glad the dish is veg friendly.

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Lol I don’t think any kid likes small dried shrimp

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Re: Needle’s char siu

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High levels of self awareness

Thanks for the update @JeetKuneBao. I respect Needle for not wanting to put something on the menu they couldn’t execute properly during the pandemic with no staff, but it is unfortunate. :frowning: Their Char Siu was the cornerstone, their best dish on the menu by far. Hopefully it comes back one day soon.

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I already love Needle for almond jello alone.

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Beef and daikon stew is here (with tendon I believe)

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Beaches are closed and parties are probably not a good idea but having this cha chaan teng classic would make your 4th better!

French toast with peanut butter on the inside drizzled with maple syrup and condense milk!!! Come on now!

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Yum! Though one of you should try to request this FTC a la mode variant to make it even more festive (and perhaps will sell even more).

Replace peanut butter with satay beef

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I didn’t know this was a thing!

Do cha chaan tengs typically let you remix things up if you ask nicely?