dumplings - the pianissimo and the forte

Well, after seeing the recommendations on Chowhound, I decided to try two of the three places for myself.
It's always fun to find then try different places to eat!

The first place was labeled "Luscious Dumping" on Chowhound by one of the contributors. When I got there, it turned out the name was M-X Eatery or something to that effect. Located on the southwest corner of Las Tunas and San Gabriel, this restaurant is tucked into a mini-strip-mall that also included a Taiwanese bakery and a Red Ant Cafe (significance of Red Ants for Chinese people? seen a lot of cafes with this name recently).
After parking in a predictably small parking lot, I got out and found the restaurant between the bakery and Red Ant. The lights weren't on. The place felt like a cave. I have to admit, I hesitated. But I came out to try this place so try I did. Come to find out it was cold as well. I ended up returning to the car and grabbing my sweatshirt. It was quite obvious that the owner wasn't expecting very many customers. The restaurant was staffed by two people, presumably husband and wife. They were huddled over in a far corner poring over a newspaper and looking at their computer. I later found out from the waiter/owner, that business had been bad since August of last year! Later, despite compliments about the food, he said that's nice but it won't help his business. Sadly, it looks like they're soon going be a victim of the current recession. (Hope this wasn't a matter of mainland vs island as I think the owner/waiter was from China (the special was Beijing something or other). He was sandwiched between two presumably Taiwanese stores.)

Anyways, on to the food. After sitting down, waiter/owner hustled over to hand me a menu and a pot of tea. This place really was focused on dumplings. The menu was divided into about three sections: soup noodles/noodles, steamed dumplings, and pan fried dumplings. Most of items were around six dollars. I wanted to try something I've never tried before, so I ordered the steamed pork and lotus (root) dumplings. While waiting, I checked out the hot sauce container...this is key for me. Despite the dreary setting, the level of sauce in the hot sauce container and the type of sauce (chili oil, chili sauce (seeds or no seeds) to me says something about the quality of the restaurant. It was almost empty, just vacant oil and very little chili flakes/seeds. Pretty much reflects the mood of the place!

The dumplings arrived in a metal container. There about 8-10 - I don't remember the exact number. They tasted good, very meaty, but I found the meat a bit dry. The skin was a little on the thick side though not enough to take away from the meal.

I thanked the owner/waiter for the meal and left a small tip. The service was adequate and friendly if you engaged him in conversation. But, overall, despite the OK taste and texture of the dumplings, it was a rather dreary experience.
Maybe business will pick up...most likely not.

The second business was on Garvey just west of Del Mar, after the Hilton hotel. This also happened to be the location of the third dumpling restaurant. The one I labeled second is called Jin Jiang Eatery. This is one of numerous Taiwanese delis in the area and it was packed! What a difference from the first! Waitresses were in a whirlwind of activity shouting orders, bringing out orders and clearing tables. It is a small place and there was a nice line stretching out the door. Bright yellow walls surrounded the diners and a refrigerator full of Taiwanese cold cuts stood in the corner next to the kitchen entrance. I ended up waiting next to the fridge for my order and I could smell the wine coming off the chicken cold plates. Platters of steaming xiao lung bao (forgive the poor pin-yin - my Chinese is a product of a Beijing lao-shi in univerity, oh...many years ago :) ) Xiao lung bao is for those not-yet-in-the-know, is a steamed pork dumpling that retains a mouth watering amount of meat juice while being cooked. Because the place was so full, I decided to order some to go. I needed a potluck offering for a gathering later, anyways. When I received them, the dumplings looked plump and the steam was rising off of them sensuously! Sadly, I didn't try one right away...I should of. By the time I brought them to the potluck, they were somewhat dried. (Though not as dried as they could of been. I reheated them in the oven with three foil trays. The bottom tray had a small amount of water on the bottom, the second containing the bao was placed right in the first and the third was placed convexly to cover the second. This stayed in the oven at 175 F for about 30-40 minutes.)

So, between the two, pick your poison. Dreary, quiet, decent food vs bustling, crowded, and, despite not tasting the fresh product, better food.

Though, soon, I don't think you'll have the luxury of a choice between the two.

The third is Mei Long Village, as mentioned just before located in the same complex two restaurants down from Jin Jiang eatery. That review will have to come later...

What do you guys think? Has anyone been to either of these two restaurants?

Looking forward to...

This weekend, going to do some table gaming again.
Also, dineLA is here! Planning to go to Ford's Filling Station in Culver City for some new eats. Good deals during that time too!
US vs Sweden, then US vs Mexico coming up.


Getting some good tips on some new Jazz musicians from cable TV. Going to be looking into some new CDs soon.

It's freaking 80 degrees in January. Awesome, strange, sad...you don't get too see green down here in SoCal very often.

The horizon has arrived

So, the loan is just about payed off. I was planning to have this all paid off in 3 years. Now...what do I do. In some ways, this is the day I hoped for. Do I learn acupunture? Go back to school? Change jobs? Part-time med with focus on music/travel? Move to where it's cheaper? Ughhh....no way, that means the south/midwest. I can't stay in the Inland Empire, though. It's slowly squeezing the life out of me. This is just a feeling, obviously, but...maybe, I can sell the place, take the loss, pay it off (because no loans, now) and move on. That actually feels pretty good to say that. Hmm, these are just initial thoughts. More to come.

conundrums

In the midst of the recent push to make medicine more 'effective', HMOs have begun keeping statistics about how well some doctors can meet certain benchmark for patients. Otherwise known as "P for P" or "pay for performance". The thought is that the better numbers doctors achieve for their patients, the better the doctor, the more attractive the doctor, the more healthy the patient, the more the doctor attracts business and money...everyone wins. How about a robot doctor who threatens to choke the patient unless they comply with treatment so that numbers can be met? After all, it's for the patient's well-being, right? How dare they keep me from my numbers and good standing in the company!

A complete absurd situation, to be sure, however, it is at least one possible scenario in this strange, counter-intuitive, bizarre business of medicine many of us doctors find ourselves in now or soon.

Many of my patients have expressed the desire for doctors that listen and take time. If the patient is rushed, they may not express themselves in a way that is understood. I think most people can understand this problem. Who hasn't wished a boss or parent had just spent the time in listening? True, doctors are not parents or bosses. But patients want relationships, not just a robot dispensing advice or pills. Many patients would just as soon slouch on their health if the doctor is cold or has a poor bedside manner. True, there are some people who are extremely motivated to care for their own health. To them, the doctor is a convenient and usable means to an end. A rah-rah guy who gives them kudos for another goal met.
However, many patients are not this way. Some need a fair amount of convincing.
Many respond to emotional stimuli. "I like this guy. He listens. I trust him. Therefore, I will do what he asks." It's not even about whether it's 'good' for him!

By going to a pay-for-performance, the golden 15 minutes that most of us in primary care have with a patient becomes even more crowded. A man who is losing his wife to cancer, just lost a job and can't sleep could care less if his blood pressure is 160/95 instead of 120/80. But screw him! Get him to blood pressure goal, bankrupt him and tell him I hope his wife gets better! This man will remember if I listened to him and helped him ease his emotional burden if even for a few minutes. When (or if in this case) things get better, he may return ready to listen or refer others to me.

If however, the goal is purely get the patient's numbers to goal. Then it doesn't pay to listen to talk to the patient. It is more convenient to get the motivated patients and ignore the unmotivated until they leave your office.

You want to try and effect change in a person's life? (Change in behavior not motivation, only the Holy Spirit can truly change the reason for behavior into the right reason: thanksgiving to Christ for what He has done...does this mean working on one's own health? Maybe: a conversation for another time.) Then establish a good relationship. That means a whole lot more than, "You need to get your blood pressure down. Here take this and don't eat this. Exercise. See you in 3 months."

In effect, by trying to care for the patient, we will end up caring nothing for them. Just numbers. Just money. And just like anything else in the business world, we will have given up any sense of humanity for the veil of helping another just along as they help me.

So screw the poor in motivation, the poor in spirit, the poor in health, the monetarily poor and bring in P for P. After all, isn't this good for the patient? I want to care for my patients by not caring for them at all. It would certainly be easier.

One who realizes his need

Boozing, cheating on his wife, indulging in porn...this could be about any number of men. He is near tears as he tells the story of his family. For many people, he is the scum of the earth. He is just the man Christ came to save.
It is not that the man is deserving because he is indulging in these sins. It is that he is broken and realizes he needs to stop. He needs someone to tell him that he can have forgiveness. He needs someone to tell him to repent. He needs someone to tell him that Christ is who he needs forgiveness from and needs to repent to.
May the Lord bless him and all like him.
May we all learn to take satisfaction in Christ, what He has done, and what He promises to do.

wundergoal

Not your most celebrated decision

Here's an interesting story you don't always see.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=555353&sec=mls&cc=3888