Chef Zhao Kitchen--Palo Alto, CA (Shanghainese cuisine)

Being originally from Shanghai, I'm always looking for good Shanghainese food that I grew up eating. I tend to have a hard time making these myself because a lot of these items require practiced technique and honed skill, which I have not yet achieved. I'm happy to have discovered this place located at 2180 W. Bayshore Road, Suite 120, where they serve everything I like, without the MSG, and even everything my mother likes. A situation which always garners four thumbs up.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

http://www.chefzhaokitchen.com/


Xiao Long Bao. Filled with pork and that wonderful pork broth, these soup dumplings were seasoned well (without MSG) and filled with porky goodness that satisfied my craving.

Shen Jian Bao. These pan-fried, pork-filled dumplings are crispy on the bottom and chewy on the top with juicy meaty goodness inside. They are so juicy, one has to be careful not to squirt the table next door when taking a bite.

Shanghai-Style Thick Noodles. One of my childhood favorites, these were hand-made noodles that had the perfect chew, were well proportioned with meat and veggies and tasted salty, sweet and savory all at once. Delicious.

Dong Po Pork. One of the Chef's specialties, this pork belly is one large piece that is slow braised for many hours until jiggling, falling apart tender and the soy sauce-based braising liquid has infused the meat with savory flavor. This pairs very well with rice.

I was not able to fit any more food into my stomach after this happy visit. I look forward to trying their other items next time.