And for seafood lovers, soft pieces of sautéed white fish in the spicy seafood sauce known as XO should satisfy nicely.
But perhaps the form of cooking Jian Yu is the fussiest about (and the most adept at) is the clay pot. Sometimes labeled as "hot pot," this ancient technique prepares food in unglazed, water-soaked clay vessels that release steam during the cooking process. Yu insists on purchasing his clay pots in San Francisco and prizes them so highly that he washes them all himself.
2328 E. Indian School Road
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Category: Restaurant >
Region: East Phoenix
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They arrive at your table shaking and nearly boiling over, their lids removed to reveal a cloud of steam and the intoxicating aromas of the ingredients within: a mouthwatering magic act of — ta-da! — Chinese comfort food. There are chunks of tender beef brisket and large white pieces of radish-like daikon with bits of star anise and chunks of ginger; nuggets of strongly flavored bone-in mutton cut with flat yellow pieces of bean curd and fermented bean curd paste; and chewy spirals of pork stomach with scallions and peppercorns that, despite its offal-ness, was the clear winner at my table.
You should inquire about Jian Yu's sticky rice balls. They're not on the menu, but he sometimes has them left over from large parties or simply has made a batch of this beloved treat from his childhood. The size of baseballs, these orbs of fried sticky rice have a golden, crispy coating as delicate as spun silk and are filled with sweet, fatty Chinese bacon and sausage. As if they couldn't be made any more delectable, Yu serves them with a thick sauce made of dried sweet plums, which, naturally, he pits himself.
As painfully shy as he is picky, personally thanking Jian Yu for his one-man show is next to impossible. But something tells me coming back for another visit is thanks enough.
The interior is equally uninviting but the servers are friendly and the food good but I would take issue that it is great. Very timid on the seasoning even after asking to have it s"spiced up." Interesting options available but you can find those at other restaurants if you ask for "off the menu" suggestion.
I tried 6 dishes and none really excited me. Nice people, decent food but don't expect any revelations here.
It's the best place - I have been a regular for years - Once you get past the exterior, which is not inviting, and makes you want to second guess stopping in, you will fall in love with the food
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