Joe’s Shanghai Restaurant ….. “not your average Joe”
The name ‘Joe’s Shagnhai’ gives off the vibe of another average restaurant packed into the small streets of
Joe’s does what I like to refer to as, “community dining”; they seat parties together at the same table. Once you get past the initial awkward stare and the dumplings arrive, you don’t even notice the three random people at your table.
Appetizers:
This was a no brainer. The waiter actually did the ordering for us. One order of crab soup dumpling and one order of pork soup dumplings. A common misconception is to assume that it is like a dumpling soup, with broth and a few floaters, but it is much more than that. The soup is actually inside of the dumpling along with crab or pork meat. Tightly wrapped on the outside, this doughy purse is about to burst at any moment, so be careful when biting into it, because the soup is boiling hot. The broth inside the dumpling was phenomenal, with consistent flavors throughout, very similar to the broth of a wonton soup. Personally, I prefer the pork to the crab, because it’s a flavor I’m used to when eating steamed dumplings; however, I highly recommend ordering both so you can compare on your own. They provide very sour vinegar as a dipping sauce which only enhances the flavors. I could go on and on about how interesting and amazing a dish this was, but I think Joe’s is the kind of place everyone should try on they’re own at least once.
SIDENOTE:
How do they get the soup inside those dumplings? Easy: They thicken it with gelatin and put it in solid. Then, when the dumplings are steamed, voila: soup!
Entrees:
After we downed the dumplings, we were immediately regretting ordering two entrees. The first is a staple in my mind, and always reminds me of Seinfeld.
Kung Pao Chicken…. “George likes his chicken spicy!”
Packed with peanuts and cashews, this dish did not disappoint. Small chunks of spicy chicken filled the plate, along with big slices of fresh red and green peppers. A consistent dark red shade was present throughout the dish, showing the beautiful colors of the burnt flavors from the bottom of the wok it came from. The amount of kick was just right, not too mild, and not too spicy. Nice job chef.
Crispy Whole Yellow Fish
The dish was exactly how it sounds. An entire fish (eyes still on) meaty, white fish fried to a crisp and smothered in a homemade sticky teriyaki sauce. White rice is included with any entrée so I would suggest laying some rice down on the plate and then covering it with the special sauce. It is a very exciting dish to order and perfect for sharing because everyone can pick and choose which pieces they want. Be daring and try the cheek muscles, or even the eyeballs.
Overall, Joe’s is a fine dining establishment and I would go back again. Well, I have to go back again because I already promised my girlfriend, who I ditched to go to Joe’s with my co-workers. Nevertheless, even with all the tourists and their maps and NYC T-shirts, Joe’s is worth the wait and is deserving of the hype.
| Restaurant Review Rating Scale | ||||
| Total Points Available | ||||
| Food | 9 | 10 | ||
| Service | 10 | 10 | ||
| Ambiance | 8 | 10 | ||
| Bang for the Buck | 8 | 10 | ||
| Overall | 9 | 10 | ||
| 44 | 50 | |||
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