Clay pot Kind of Night

So my parents and my aunt tell me of this place on Irving that has some of the great claypot dishes and, well, you guessed it, we had to go so that I could see for myself. We ordered a LOT of food, and when they said clay pot dinner...they weren't kidding. Soup, roast duck, and five clay pot dishes. One by one the waiter brought out our clay pot dishes; unveiling them as the steam wafted into the air carrying each dish's unique aromas with it. Around the table all of our eyes twinkled and mouths watered as a symphony of, "mmmmMMmmM's" were heard. But the awe-stricken looks quickly ceased as we all dove in for a taste.

The verdict's out, I think we're going to keep going back until we've tried 'em all!

Duck feet and Mushrooms

Incredibly bold in flavor. The duck feet were cooked the way I like them, crunchy and full of anise and soy flavor.

Shrimp and Vermicelli

Vermicelli in a shrimp stock means that you can't go wrong. The vermicelli quickly soaked up all the stock as soon as it arrived at the table. Bad news for some because, well, there's no more stock. But good news for others because the vermicelli soaked up all the flavor with the stock.

This was probably my favorite of the night, pumpkin and clams.

The sweetness from both the pumpkin and the clams cooked in the savory base of the sauce, made for a great combination of flavors. I could pour that sauce over every thing!

Lamb and bean curd skin

I love lamb cooked this way because it doesn't taste gamey! The sauce was a little too salty for my taste, but flavorwise, it was incredibly bold and meaty.

Rice clay pots (one with chicken and one with Chinese sausage)

The winning points of this dish is that when cooked properly, a crust of rice forms at the bottom and the sides of the clay pot, leaving nothing but a nutty and crunchy surprise at the end.

What we did was take off all the toppings and pour a soy sauce mixture over the rice and mix (Carefully! As to not disturb the crust forming at the bottom)

Each of these rice clay pots is really a meal on its own--a vegetable, rice, a meat, and lots of deliciousness all mixed together.