rol san

where do you go when you have a craving for fried stuff, steamed stuff, spicy stuff and sweet stuff? it's your stomach telling you it's dim sum time. i grew up in windsor and have been eating the best dim sum at may wah inn. in toronto, i find Rol San somewhat competes with may wah inn. if you are ever in windsor, please have dim sum here, it's amazing. back at toronto, rol san is my favourite place for all day dim sum love. the exterior is typical chinese restaurant but the mid-section between the two dining rooms (where the washrooms are located) is decorated in totally different style (or is it just me?). somehow doesn't quite say chinese.

all time favourite for many dim sum lovers are pork siu mai and har gow. siu mai is topped with real fish roe (no shrimp though, some dim sum restaurants have shrimp on top), meaty but not too chewy. in my opinion, i like the pork siu mai better than the beef. har gow is filled with sweet shrimps which makes amazing combo with the hot sauce.

sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf is stuffed with juicy pork, chicken, mushrooms and that one piece of chinese sausage (which none of us likes). the rice is seasoned and steamed just the right amount for mouth watering pleasure.

the bbq pork bun is a little spicy but the soft bun counter balances the spiciness. the bun just melts in your mouth. the spring rolls are very crispy, not too greasy.

everything was good but the beef congee was salty. also, we decided to try something new and got this giant yellow dumpling in a soup. it had pork, crab meat, some veges, peas and ginger. it wasn't my choice of food but fellow purples seem to like the ambiguous harmony of sweet, salty and meaty flavour.

the wait staff were very attentive and the foods were served quickly. but depending on the time of the day, the service can be slow as rol san tend to be packed with hungry dim sum fans with a huge line up. it's a great place for some not-so-expensive (i won't say cheap because it is not really that cheap) dim sum.

the thing with dim sum is some dishes come in three pieces some come in fours. it is always a challenge who gets that last piece of har gow. apparently the deep fried squid in spicy salt is to die for at rol san. now i know what i am going to order next time.


Rol San
323 Spadina Avenue
416.977.1128

posted by rin

homemade pork dumplings

ingredients:
dumpling skin (can be store bought or homemade)
ground pork
chopped onions
chopped scallions
minced garlic
firm tofu
shredded napa cabbage
bean sprouts
eggs
salt
pepper
flour

1. parboil bean sprouts and drain.
2. in a large bowl, add the pork, onions, scallions, garlic, tofu, napa cabbage and bean sprouts. mix well.
(ratio of the mix: 2 pork, 1 onions, 1 scallions, 0.5 garlic, 2 tofu, 1 napa cabbage, 1 bean sprouts)
3. add one egg, if the mix is too dry, add one more egg. mix well.
4. sprinkle salt and pepper. i usually dip my dumplings in soy or other dipping sauce so i like the dumplings bit plain. add salt to your taste.
5. place 1 heaping teaspoon of the mix onto 1 dumpling skin. you can adjust the amount of the mix as you like. moisten the edges with water and fold the edges over to make a nice half circle. make sure the edges are sealed otherwise it will burst when cooking. too much stuffing can also cause the burst.
6. set the dumplings onto lightly floured surface so they don't stick.

cooking tips:
1. steam (in metal or bamboo steamer for about 15-20 minutes)
2. dumpling soup (make the broth and add dumplings)
3. pan fried (steam the dumplings first and then pan fry)
4. deep fried (375°F 2-4 minutes)

*if you made lots and want to save them for later, keep them in the freezer, tightly sealed in a ziplock bag. it's recommended that you freeze them on a tray first so they don't stick to each other and then transfer them into a bag.

dumpling soup is one of my favourite winter dishes♥

posted by rin

7 west cafe

when you are in a mood for cozy/romantic dining but want to keep it reasonably priced, 7 West Cafe is a great little place. the cozy little place is open 24/7 and serves breakfast all day. we were seated at the second floor (7 west has three floors) which was very square (the floor plan that is). the tables were crammed into a small dining space and seemed difficult to make ways around tight places for the wait staff. in winter with all that extra garment, getting into your seat can be a challenge.

7 west has wide selection of drinks. even creemore. it has become mimi's new favourite beer recently. i had the raspberry amaretto tea but didn't really like it. the gin&tonic was alright, nothing special.

the Pesto Pita Pizza ($10.95) comes with choice of salad or chips. the salad was fresh and lightly dressed. the pizza was little salty but plenty of chunky toppings (pesto, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, chicken, mozzarella) made the pizza enjoyable. Also the pita is thin, so you are not just chewing on fat dough.

if you are ordering Rosie Ravioli ($12.95), please ask for extra sauce. the flat ravioli is stuffed with ricotta and asparagus. the pasta is chewy and the creamy rosé sauce has stronger tomato taste. the two pieces of bread that comes with pasta dishes are soft and warm.

if the Virgin Pasta ($12.95) 7 west version of aglio olio, i am not too pleased. it does have 'medly of vegetables' but the dish lacks flavour. non-saucy pasta dishes should have the right amount of olive oil, garlic and salt for full flavour. the noodle was cooked al dente, only if it had more flavour!!!

there were about four wait staff working the floor but they weren't very attentive. they were kind but just weren't around much. the floor was quite full, but given the size of the space, they could have been around more. the prices are reasonable given it is open 24 hours but the food could have had more character. the portions were very generous but the presentation was disappointing. one of the rosie ravioli came out with sauce dripping on the side.

overall, this can be an amazing place for some i-am-so-hungry-at-3am or i-want-breakfast-at-10pm. i am a little disappointed the food wasn't as good as i thought it would be. perhaps we ordered the wrong things? let me know if 7 west has a specialty. i would like to give it another try just because i love how cozy it is (and the cakes were yummy).

lastly, they only accept cash. the wait staff directed me to the atm machine located on the first floor when i presented my debit card. so make sure you have cash when you visit 7 west cafe.



7 Charles Street West
Toronto, ON M4Y 1R4
416.928.9041
www.7westcafe.com


posted by rin