So this place is one of my old standbys; I discovered it while living in Chinatown and always thought it was a gem amongst its competitors Yung Kee, Fortune and the Silver Dragon. Quite frankly, after a while, I left Yung Kee behind and the others followed as I began to uncover the extensive translated menu and secret menus in Chinese at New Gold Medal.
I know not everyone likes Chinese food and most Americans prefer dim sum on the high end and sweet and sour chicken on the low end; but give it a chance before you dismiss it entirely.
I often times go to New Gold Medal after a Beach run in Alameda because it sits right outside the Webster Tube; and yesterday was no exception. My FAV dining companion and I arrived in Chinatown and found parking with ease (who knew?); and within moments of getting through a one block trek through the crowded market sidewalks, found ourselves entering a rather stinky, tiled floor restaurant, where we were seated on the west wing in plain view of the four huge fish tanks that they keep all of their divine crustaceans and fresh fish live until preparation.
This was a first for my foodie pal so I ordered for the both of us; a few of my favorite dishes. The minced chicken lettuce wraps with water chestnuts, cellophane noodle, fresh herbs, tender chicken bits and shitake mushrooms was quite riveting; of course the hoi sin sauce does add certain je ne sais quoi and a dab of hot chili sauce doesn’t hurt either!
The house fried rice was great and is always a favorite as they add sweet pieces of chicken and shrimp with scrambled egg, green onion and paper thinly sliced slivers of Napa cabbage. It is the freshest fried rice one could have with very little seasoning, letting the ingredients speak for themselves.
The butcher’s station yields some incredible eats as well, with BBQ pork as sweet as it looks; roasted suckling ducks and steamed chickens cured with tea as tender as the tasty Chinese greens sold in the market next door. They also hand make all of their wontons and dumplings right at the back table to be dumped into a large bat and boiled in a delectable broth for the variety of soups offered here—as hot and sour soup is not the only hen in the hen-house.
Though we didn’t order it this time; I must point out that I’ve never had a more delicious salt and pepper crab ANYWHERE (this includes Thang Long-SF); and the salt and pepper lobster is even better. They charge seasonally so it will be cheapest in the winter months starting November; not that it matters when you have a midnight craving for one of these tasty treats. Did I mention that they were open until 2-3AM—Oh yeah, they’re the “ish”!
Go see them when you have the chance! http://tinyurl.com/cwmqct
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