Ethnic.city: Chef Liu
A dumpling revival in the old Asam House location
Mention Shanghai soup buns (or Xiao long bao) to hardcore chowhounds and watch as their faces contort into a mixed expression of passion and longing. There's something about these juicy soup-filled pork dumplings that makes everyone just a little weak in the knees – when they're done right, that is. Chef Liu (5221 Buford Highway, 770-936-0532) was once the only place to get a decent version in Atlanta. But then Chef Liu's soup buns fell on hard times. They were tough, mournfully soupless, and many diners reported seeing them come out of a freezer bag. The restaurant recently moved from the tiny shack that made it famous to the old Asam House location in the same shopping center, and the relocation seems to have resolved the dumpling problem. The delicate skins of the dumplings now bulge with juices, tender pork and subtle hints of green onion. A splash of tangy soy dipping sauce counteracts the inherent richness of the dish. They are better than they've ever been.
The menu has grown to a full four pages of specialties built on a foundation of core dishes that made the former location a hot spot. The little shack had personality but regulars agreed that the sticky tabletops and ramshackle furniture made you want to flee immediately after that last dumpling or noodle went down your gullet. The new space is relatively larger and has a partitioned-off dining room for special events. There's not much in the way of decor, but the ambiance is much more inviting.
Other dumpling fillings, such as plump, fresh shrimp or earthy lamb, are packed into homemade dumpling skins until they burst. Pan-fried pork dumplings are crisp on the bottom and a bite into the doughy bun releases a flood of concentrated pork-y juiciness. The leek pie – a flaky pastry shell filled with clear noodles, egg and loads of leeks – is just crisp enough to hold the entire thing together bite after bite. The crust of the Mandarin pork pancake is at once light and dense. And the pork filling is fragrant with a mysterious blend of spices and strong notes of cinnamon.
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(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)