Giant Jellies and Delicate Dumplings

I like Jellies and I love diving. Still, there's something quite unsettling about this photo, non? It seems the currents have been affected by global warming and the waters around Japan are now filled with these enormous jellies.

They are ruining Japanese fishermen's nets, they're poisoning or killing the catch. They're getting tracking devices attached to them by divers....

So what's the solution?
My Asian brothers and sisters out there, you know what the answer is, right? All together now.....

"EAT THEM!"

That's right...like any enterprising Asian, a Japanese man by the name of Kaneo Fukuda decided to turn lemons into lemonade. For rising to the challenge he's been featured on NPR, and elsewhere. He even made a beverage out of them. It's just too weird, if you ask me.

A little closer to home...
that would be Boston, we took a break from celebrating our most excellent Red Sox, Patriots (and dare we hope, Celtics???? ) to get out of the house and breathe fresh air. It also gave us a chance to sport our new Red Sox AL Champions shirts.

Buried in deadlines at the same time the Sox are moving into the World Series is a nice problem to have. I'm not complaining. But, one really does need to feel fresh air on one's face now and again. Thanks for the reminder, Linda!

A Great New Find In Chinatown
Welcome to the neighborhood, Gourmet Dumpling House! This shop has been open about two weeks according to the woman up front. It offers "A Taste of Northern and Southern Chinese Cuisine." We were on our way to our favorite noodle shop, and saw this sign and made a beeline for their door.

The menu is extensive. It includes over 50 "Lunch Specials" (served 11-4 M-F); nearly 40 "Appetizers Dumplings/Buns All Kinds", over 50 "Lunch Box, Rice & Noodles" dishes. (For Noodles there are choices of Shanghai, Taiwan, Rice, Flat, Rice Cake, Yee Mein, and Udon.)

Fourteen different Soups; two dozen+ Entrees including "Braised and Sweet and Sour" selections. In fine Chinese diner fashion, the "Vegetables" selections include many dishes that contain eggs, pork or shrimp along with the vegetables.

There are set meals and Chef's specials, too. There's also a "Special Weever Set Meal." All I can think of is the Anthony Bourdain show where an Asian host is asked what animal chef Tony is consuming. He answers: "I think you call it a Squeezel." We asked about a couple of the dishes and didn't get around to the Weever question.

Our Meal
Tonight we ordered four "Appetizer" dishes. Though the menu says "All Kinds" there were a few that were not available tonight. That either means they're still ramping up or they don't serve what isn't fresh. Either way, it's okay.

We had:

• Pork and Leeks dumplings - "leeks" in Chinatown usually means garlic chives and this was the case here.
• Taiwanese Style Pan Fried Dumplings - similar to gyoza but bigger and meatier with more garlic; pan-fried then steamed.
  
• Scallion Pancake - not too heavy; had the desired layers achieved through multiple foldings of good dough (think puff pastry)
  
• Mini steamed buns with Pork and Crabmeat - xiao lung bao or soup dumplings; delicious.
  

As you can see, there is quite a selection of styles from North and South. We'd considered getting another dish to share but after seeing the sizes of the first couple dishes held back. Good thing. A couple near by made the "mistake" we almost did and wound up with too many dishes for their table to hold. Been there. Done That.

One of the best things tonight was the first batch of dumplings the (Pork and Leeks). While the menu says 8 to a serving, we counted 12. They were reminiscent of the terrific dumplings we had in Toronto. This plate of dumplings made us miss that terrific place, the terrific city of Toronto and our good friends there: Mary Luz and Mario.

Can't wait to go back. The fish tanks were small but very clean. Tables all full. Counting me there were maybe 5.5 Caucasians but language wasn't a big problem ordering. We watched all the food coming out and the dishes included deep/flash fried salt and pepper style squid, braised casserole style dishes, whole fried fish, noodles, pork and bitter melon.

We'll be heading back soon! Anyone who finds out what a "Weever" is gets a plate of dumplings on me.


Gourmet Dumpling House
52 Beach Street
617-338-6222
Visa/MC accepted 20 min.
Appears to beer/wine license

Photo credit: Yomiuri Shimbun/AFP/Getty Images