J. zhou oriental cuisine - Dim sum

They just opened this restaurant at The District In Tustin, and it should be a must-try Chinese restaurant in Orange county. I'd rather come here instead of driving half hour to Roland Height for dim sum. The restaurant is clean, staffs are super friendly and helpful, and the food: FRESH (especially seafood) and TASTY!

Though the price is quite high (almost the most expensive dim sum in the area) but the quantity and quality of the materials they use is worth for that. I highly recommend you this restaurant, in case you want to invite someones for Chinese food. They have private room for group. 

They open from 9.30 am, a good time for Hongkong style breakfast!!!

Steamed rice paper with pork

 egg custard bun (you should try this one )

milk pudding and ginger sauce

Deep fried pork dumpling

lobster congee

Fried radish cake

And when you are waiting for the check, they give you newspaper 

This coupon can be used multiple times 

Tasty noodle house

15333 Culver Dr
Ste 320
Irvine, CA 92604

We came here round 2 pm but still have to wait for 10 minutes. The restaurant is clean and all staffs are friendly.

This hot-sour soup is awesome!

Yellow eel stir-fried with mush room and yellow chive

Stingy tofu

And their best dish: Shanghai grill pork bun. These are the best grill bun I've ever tried in USA

101 NOODLE EXPRESS

If you are looking for Chinese food (not what you can eat from Panda Express~~), this is the best restaurant I can find Irvine: 101 NOODLE EXPRESS at 5408 Walnut Ave. The restaurant is quite clean (compare to other Chinese restaurant). The dumpling is delicious, it has almost the flavor as in China, said Chinese friend.

- "three fresh ingredients" dumpling

- baked leek pocket

- Goat meat soup: amazingly great for dinner in a cold day (you should have 2 friends eat with you this soup, otherwise, you have to bring home some)

Stew lamb for a winter day

The winter is coming, it's time for a lamb dish. It will warm you up in a windy and rainy day (like today). I use Asian style to cook with help from my best slow cooker: Breville Risotto Plus

1. Ingredients

- Lamb: 1-2 pounds, cut into stew size. 

- Spices: 

      + Rock sugar: several piece

      + Black pepper

      + 1 spoon Cumin powder (or roasted cumin seeds, I prefer the powder because it's easy to eat)

      + Chinese cheese (red fermented rice/tofu) (it's very salty, put 1 spoon is enough, then you don't have to use salt)

      + Chili powder (you can't it spicy, don't use it)

      + 1 tea spoon ground nutmeg

- Vege: Chop all these vege: 1/2 onion, 2 green onions, 1 piece ginger, 5 gloves of garlic, 1 shallot

      

2.Method

 - Use saute setting
- Preheat for 2 minutes
- Add 1 spoon oil and wait 1 minute
- Add all chopped vegetables, stir frequently for 2 minutes

- Add all spices and stir well for another two minutes

- Add lamb and stir well until all the meat outside change to bright colour.

- Add water to cover the meat. Wait until it's broiled for 10 minutes, then change to slow cook mode (I prefer slow cook high, faster).
- Wait for 3 hours, or just 2 hours if you cook for 15 mins before change to slow cook mode.

Guang dong food

You can feel what you expect to eat here: Capital Seafood Restaurant in Diamond plaza. It looks elegant from the front door.

This is the Beijing roasted duck. You should go on weekday, it has half price only $12.

 The roasted duck meat comes with steam bun, sliced green onion and special sauce. Just make it like we often do with burger. My husband said, use the skin of duck instead of meat, but I prefer to put them together, yummy!

Here's the seafood dish, $22. It's worth the price. You can enjoin shrimp, squid, scallop, fish, mix with green vegetables and shitake mushroom together. All the ingredients are very fresh and juicy.

You also should order this one: pineapple fried rice. It really comes in a pineapple!

After half hour, now I have the pineapple haha

At the end of the meal, they will serve the warm sweet soup (free) in light coconut milk.

 All makes my busy day becomes simple and easier!