Friday, October 24, 2014

Brilliantshine (Santa Monica, CA)

Brilliant Shine Restaurant
522 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.451.0045
www.thebrilliantshine.com
Fri 10/24/2014, 08:00p-01:10a




Brilliantshine Exterior

One of the Southland's most anticipated bars debuts of 2014 bowed on August 19th. Brilliantshine is the work of Julian Cox and Josh Goldman, the duo behind hospitality consulting firm Soigné Group (Acabar, Circa). Created in concert with Tinga partners Jerry Baker and Michael Lafetra, the place serves as Soigné's flagship property as well as its R&D center. To pair eats with the drinks, Cox and Goldman have brought on Chef Richie Lopez. A Lima native, Lopez relocated to Los Angeles a decade ago, and eventually met Ricardo Zarate in 2009 at the original Mo-Chica. This led to stints at Test Kitchen, Sotto, and finally Paiche, where he served as CdC and later Executive Chef before joining the team at Brilliantshine.

Brilliantshine Menu Brilliantshine Wine List Brilliantshine Cocktail List Brilliantshine Beverage List
As for Brilliantshine's menu, you get about a dozen cocktails, heavily whiskey-based and ostensibly inspired by Cox's time spent traveling the globe. There's also a surprisingly complete wine list (or perhaps not so surprising given Goldman's tenure as a top notch sommelier), six beers on tap and a few in the bottle, as well as coffee from Counter Culture. Designed to complement the drinks, the food menu, meanwhile, is unexpectedly lengthy, but expectedly Peruvian-tinged, and reads well. There's even a brunch option. Click for larger versions.

Autumn Sour No 2
Autumn Sour No 2 [$13.00] | Laird's Apple Brandy, Massenez Peche, lime, cinnamon, egg white
The night got off to a very strong start with one of my favorites cocktails, apropos for the season. I loved its intoxicating aroma of juicy peach, while on the palate, I got more of the fruit, joined by frothy egg, sweet spice, and a backbone of booziness. Delish.

Quinoa
Quinoa [$8.00] | baby oak lettuce, melon, lemon vinaigrette, watermelon radish
Our first dish brought out a light, bright salad. You had your tangy vinaigrette and sugary melon with the lettuce, but the crux was that quinoa, which added a nutty, wonderfully crunchy component to the course.

Miss Edna Krabappel
Miss Edna Krabappel [$11.00] | Auchentoshan scotch, crab apple, apple shrub, lemon juice, crushed ice
Being a Simpsons fan, this was a natural choice for me, and another highlight. The key here was the sweet-sour interplay at first, leading to a round booziness and a finish redolent of smoke. Yum.

Rye 'n Goslings
Rye 'n Goslings [$12.00] | Rittenhouse 100 rye, El Dorado 12yr, demerara, Goslings 151, mint, apricot
The next drink pretty much takes the cake for having the best cocktail name ever. It was indeed as toothsome as its namesake, a thick, full-bodied concoction that showed off a noticeable heat up front while the back end was all about the sweetness of sugar and apricot.

Bok Choy
Bok Choy [$11.00] | rainbow baby carrots, tomato, purple cauliflower, hoisin sauce
One of the standout dishes for me brought together a hearty mélange of vegetables, a medley of disparate textures and tastes tied together by the fantastically deep, rich, umami-laden flavors of the hoisin.

Kampachi Crudo
Kampachi Crudo [$16.00] | tamari, rocoto, miso, pears, marigolds
Following was probably the most artfully plated crudo dish I'd ever seen. The fish itself was light and delicate, pairing gracefully with the savory richness of the tamari soy and sweet-ish miso while herbs added just the right amount of zippiness to the mix.

The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead [$14.00] | (Limit 2 Per Person) Jamaican rum, Puerto Rican rum, 151 proof rum, fresh lime, Don's mix, clove
I first tried Soigné's take on the Zombie at Acabar, and the version tonight seemed to be a slightly modified version of that drink. It was still pretty damn tasty though, boozy sure, but also balanced by sweet, sour, and spice. Super long, lingering finish on the cocktail, too.

Brilliantshine Creole
Brilliantshine Creole [$14.00] | McKenna Bonded bourbon, Benedictine, China-China, orange bitters, lemon twist
The Creole was unabashedly citrus-y on the nose, while the palate was thick and viscous, loaded with boozy, bittersweet, and vegetal nuances lightened by a bit of lemon.

Agnolotti
Agnolotti [$14.00] | kabocha squash, shimeji mushrooms, choclo, pumpkin, roasted pistachios
An autumnal agnolotti went overly saccharine for my tastes, though my dining companions seemed to enjoy it. I did appreciate the weight of the shimeji here though, and was a big fan of the choclo's texture and tempering effect.

Japanese Scallops & Santa Barbara Uni
Japanese Scallops & Santa Barbara Uni [$21.00] | mirin, lime juice, uni oil, uni snow
A combination of sea urchin and scallop made an impression with its bright, herby flavors up front and lush, creamy notes of uni, moderated by the brine of the large slices of scallop present. We had quite the temperature contrast here as well, thanks to the use of the urchin "snow." The most contemplative dish on the menu.

Shrimp Ceviche
Shrimp Ceviche [$11.00] | citrus sauce, cancha, sweet potato chips
Given the Chef's Peruvian background, it's not surprising that he turned out one of the best ceviches I'd had in a long while. The shrimp here were bright, fresh, and perfectly textured, a fitting stage on which the zest of citrus and herbs could sing. Big fan of that cancha too, which added both crunch and saltiness to the fray.

Fly By Night
Fly By Night [$14.00] | Sheep Dip scotch, Salers Gentiane, King's Ginger, Angostura & Peychaud's
This next cocktail came out boozy, bittersweet, and botanical, with just an overarching whisper of ginger-y goodness and countering citrus to go along with the heady aromatics at play. Interestingly, I'd had this before both at PettyCash (where it was only $8 on draft) and Sotto.

Fish House Punch
Fish House Punch [$13.00] | Park Cognac, Jamaican Rum, lemon, peach, club soda
Brilliantshine's ode to the Fish House Punch was tasty and effervescent, conveying the heft of the cognac and rum combo at first, while the tail end was imbued with juicy notes of peach.

A Diving Bell
A Diving Bell [$12.00] | Mezcal, gin, caramelized pineapple, lime, cayenne pepper
Given my penchant for mezcal, I wasn't surprised that I enjoyed this next cocktail. You had the in-your-face fruitiness from the pineapple, joined by a touch of spice, while the mezcal provided a smokiness that pervaded and balanced the drink.

Smoked Atlantic Salmon
Smoked Atlantic Salmon [$16.00] | flatbread, pickled onions, cherry tomatoes, aji amarillo remoulade
A salmon pizzetta of sorts was quite lovely, showing off a sweet-tart quality paired with the fatty fish initially, while the spice of the aji amarillo came through on the back end. Nice crispness on the flatbread here, too.

Mary's Chicken Wings
Mary's Chicken Wings [$12.00] | kale, gochujang, aji amarillo, honey
Chicken wings were sticky and succulent, dripping with loads of sweet spice to go along with the bird's inherent savoriness.

The Obligatory Vodka Drink
The Obligatory Vodka Drink [$11.00] | Vodka, fresh grapefruit, lemon, Peychaud's
Vodka has gone out of fashion in cocktail circles, but Brilliantshine's requisite concoction was still rather delicious, showing off plenty of tart lemon and grapefruit notes cut by the bitters. Not much booziness going on here at all.

Hotel Nacional Special
Hotel Nacional Special [$14.00] | Ron del Barralito 2-star rum, lime juice, fresh pineapple, apricot brandy
This one was heftier, with a strong pineapple quality to it countervailed by a palpable sweet spice and tartness, the rum adding an alcohol undercurrent to the entire cocktail.

Crispy Duck Leg Lettuce Wraps
Crispy Duck Leg Lettuce Wraps [$14.00] | butter lettuce, braising sauce, pickled daikon, chicharrón
The duck leg was indeed wonderfully "ducky," showing off loads of deep flavors that paired beautifully with the richness of the braising liquid, all while the daikon and lettuce imparted a much needed levity to things. Really tasty.

Sweetbread Toast
Sweetbread Toast [$12.00] | brioche, olive tapenade, smoked tomato jam
The earthiness of sweetbread was forcefully conveyed here, paired with the buttery brioche, but the dish veered sweet. I would've liked more brightness, more acidity, though the herbs up top did help.

Stone Pot Shrimp Fried Rice
Stone Pot Shrimp Fried Rice [$18.00] | duck egg, sambal-uni aioli, pickled daikon
You can't go too wrong with fried rice, and indeed, the dolsot-style dish delivered. The shrimp were pretty spot on, snappily-texture and still briny, and went swimmingly with the tangy crunch of the daikon. I was also a fan of the crispy bits of rice here (the nurungji), and the lushness of the egg, joined by the sambal-uni aioli, really tied everything together.

Alaska
Alaska [$12.00] | London dry gin, Yellow Chartreuse, orange bitters
Here, the bittersweet, medicinal character of the Chartreuse seemed to amplify the inherently botanical nature of the gin, all while the lemon served as a sort of counterpoint in the drink.

Georgia Julep
Georgia Julep [$14.00] | High-proof bourbon, cognac, crème de peche, mint, crushed ice
This version of the Mint Julep was a laudable variation on the classic, with the addition of crème de peche adding a great fruity component to pair with the traditional interplay of whiskey and mint.

Veal Liver
Veal Liver [$18.00] | tagliatelle, onions, Korean pickled spinach, ocopa sauce
Liver was earthy and expectedly rich, with a deep savoriness to it that was moderated in part by the swathes of pasta here. The crux, though, was the combo of pickled spinach and ocopa, which added a much needed piquancy that really set off the offal.

The Alchemist Heady Topper
I had two four-packs of The Alchemist Heady Topper that I'd traded for just earlier in the day and opened a can for the steak. It was my first time having Heady, and I gotta say that it's pretty damn good. What struck me first was the nose (defying instructions, we drank it out of glasses for the most part), which was dripping with aromas of tropical fruit, citrus, and grapefruit. Taste-wise, I got more of that, but accompanied by pine, malt, and bitter hops--very balanced overall, with a smoothness and easy-drinking character. I can see what all the fuss is about.

35oz Dry-Aged Bone-In Rib Eye
35oz Dry-Aged Bone-In Rib Eye
35oz Dry-Aged Bone-In Rib Eye [$75.00] | baby rainbow carrots, double cooked potatoes, kale
The evening's pièce de résistance was this fairly massive rib eye. It was actually one of the better preparations I'd had in recent times, the steak coming out rich, buttery, and teeming with bovine goodness. The kitchen did a commendable job on the veggies here as well, a hearty mix that really evened out the potency of the meat.

2014 The Bruery White Chocolate
For dessert, I opened a bottle of the 2014 The Bruery White Chocolate that I'd brought. The beer was quite something, and I was pretty amazed at how much this actually smelled and tasted of its namesake, showing off delectable notes of vanilla, cacao, and caramel over a base of bourbon-tinged alcoholic heat. Very good.

S'more
S'more [$8.00] | house-made graham crackers, chocolate, marshmallow
There were two desserts on the menu, and naturally we ordered both. The first was a pretty classic take on the smore, with all your expected flavors and a even a bit of campfire smoke from the smoldering wood underneath...

S'more on fire
...Which did eventually turn into a nice little fire at the table. I don't think this is what the kitchen intended.

Chicha Morada Granita
Chicha Morada Granita [$7.00] | coconut, roasted pistachios, lemon zest
With the fire quenched, up next was a dessert based on the popular Peruvian beverage chicha morada, one that gave up a base of sweet corn flavors to pair with its toppings of pistachio and coconut.

Paper Plane
Paper Plane [$11.00] | Bourbon, lemon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino
We closed with the last two remaining cocktails on the menu, starting with this Sam Ross creation. Think bittersweet, tangy, but not particularly boozy, with a bright lemon-y tone to it.

Improved Whiskey Cocktail
Improved Whiskey Cocktail [$12.00] | Rye, maraschino, Peychaud's, lemon twist, absinthe
Last up was an improved version of the Old Fashioned, one made with the addition of maraschino and absinthe. One can argue whether or not the original drink even needs improving, but the variant here was certainly more multifaceted, with the sweetness of maraschino and the zestiness of absinthe shining through.

I don't doubt that Brilliantshine's one of the most exciting things to hit Santa Monica since Jeremy Fox took over at Rustic Canyon. With Cox and Goldman on board, you'd expect the beverages to be on point, and they were, with the cocktails coming out classic in essence, but with a modern edge to them as well. What was a bit surprising was how promising the food program was. Lopez's cooking showcases his time with Ricardo, and his Peruvian-slash-Asian stylings definitely seem to jive with the drinks for the most part. A big win for the area.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Old Country Cafe (Alhambra, CA)

Old Country Cafe
2 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801
626.284.4610
Sun 10/12/2014, 03:55p-05:00p




After our meal at Shi Hai was unexpectedly cut short by the kitchen closing, we moseyed on over next door to Old Country Cafe, a longstanding Taiwanese eatery that's apparently occupied this same location since debuting back in 1985 (there's also an outpost in Temple City).

Old Country Cafe Menu Old Country Cafe Drink/Dessert Menu
The menu at Old Country comprises a selection of your typical Taiwanese favorites, including a "dim sun snack" section that's more street food-focused. There's also a long list of tea and juices, as well as desserts and shaved ice. Click for larger versions.

2012 Cascade Blueberry Ale
We popped a few bottles left over from Shi Hai, starting with the 2012 Cascade Blueberry Ale, a sour wheat/blonde aged for a year in oak and three months with fresh blueberries. It drank expectedly tart, with notes of berry fruit intermingled with a musty, funky, oaky character. Pretty refreshing.

fried pork chop rice
fried pork chop rice [$6.50]
Naturally, we had to start with Old Country's signature pork chop rice. Presented thin and delightfully crisp, the bone-in chop was spot on, still juicy and loaded with a straightforward porky goodness accented by just enough peppery spice. Accompaniments were much appreciated as well, and included an excellent half soy egg, rice with minced meat, steamed cabbage, mustard greens, and suan cai. Very possibly the best version of pai gu fan I've had.

2014 Mikkeller Invasion Farmhouse IPA
Next to drink was the 2014 Mikkeller Invasion Farmhouse IPA, a Brettanomyces-infused IPA created in collaboration with Anchorage Brewing. It was a tasty beer, with its barnyard-y funk well presented against a citric, bitter, hoppy backdrop.

mince meat rice
mince meat rice [$4.20]
Old Country's lu rou fan was also a winner, the deep, savory, slightly sweet weight of the soy-marinated ground pork coming out utterly satisfying, especially when taken with the rice. Lovely pickles here as well, and another one of those great soy eggs.

2014 Deschutes Black Butte XXVI
Moving into something heavier now, the 2014 Deschutes Black Butte XXVI was an imperial porter brewed with pomegranate molasses, cranberry, and cacao nibs, with 50% aged in bourbon barrels. I found it roasty and malty on the nose, and slightly sweet, while taste-wise, you got notes of chocolate, vanilla, roast, malt, and bourbon augmented by a palpable fruity character. We drank this earlier than recommended ("best after 6/13/15" on the bottle), so I'll be curious to see how this progresses with some age.

stinky tofu
stinky tofu [$5.95]
The polarizing chou doufu followed, and indeed, was appropriately putrid, even driving away one of my dining companions from the table. In terms of flavor though, the tofu was noticeably milder, and paired swimmingly with a dab of the included condiment and some shards of pickled veggie, both of which effectively moderated its funk.

2014 Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop Ale
The classic 2014 Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop Ale followed, showcasing a balanced mix of sweet malt, juicy grapefruit, and hop bitterness. Very easy drinking.

mango shave ice
mango shave ice [$4.50]
To close: not the prettiest mango-flavored baobing.

2014 Hardywood Bourbon Sidamo Coffee Stout
Our final beer veered dessert-y: the 2014 Hardywood Bourbon Sidamo Coffee Stout, aged for three months in bourbon barrels with Ethiopian Sidamo beans. Aroma-wise, you got your usual stout characteristics, though not too much coffee. The Sidamo was somewhat more apparent on the palate, making for an overall bittersweet-fruity experience joined by chocolate, roasty malt, and some bourbon barrel richness.

Old Country was a comfortable conclusion to our multi-stop lunch, serving simple-but-satisfying, home-y type fare that I quite enjoyed. I guess there's a reason why this place has been going strong for 29 years.

Shi Hai (Alhambra, CA)

Shi Hai Restaurant
1412 S Garfield Ave, Alhambra, CA 91801
626.282.3888
Sun 10/12/2014, 02:00p-03:50p




Shi Hai Exterior

The dim sum place du jour these days seems to be Shi Hai ("Sea World"), largely thanks to Jonathan Gold's recent write-up of it in the LAT I'm guessing. The restaurant debuted in July, and is a Hong Kong-style seafooder from Haiping "Jeff" Huang. Basically a new construction, it occupies the shell of the old Blue Ocean Seafood (MPV Seafood until 2008), which burned nearly to the ground in May 2011, as well as D&F BBQ next door (which holds most of Shi Hai's private dining rooms).

Shi Hai Dim Sum Menu: Steamed Shi Hai Dim Sum Menu: Baked and Fried
Shi Hai Dim Sum Menu: Rice Noodle Roll, Sweet, Congee, Cold Dish, BBQ Shi Hai Dim Sum Menu: House Special
Above, we see Shi Hai's dim sum menu, which covers most of the typical bases. In addition to all this, you also have the option of ordering off the dinner menu (not pictured), which is a thick, glossy, well-photographed affair that may just be the physically fanciest menu I'd ever seen. Click for larger versions.

2014 Widmer Brothers Saison À Fleurs
Given the limited alcohol situation here, we rolled in BYOB style. Our first beer was the 2014 Widmer Brothers Saison À Fleurs, which seemed very apropos for the surroundings given the brew's incorporation of chrysanthemum, jasmine, and Sichuan peppercorn. I took a liking to this one, finding it a good mix of classic saison character intertwined with spicy, fruity, flowery nuances.

Crispy Cruller Rice Noodle Roll
Crispy Cruller Rice Noodle Roll (M) [$3.88]
We began with much bandied about zhaliang rice noodle rolls, which were admittedly rather tasty. The wrappers were slick and gelatinous, a fitting foil to the crispness of their sweet-n-savory youtiao-slash-shrimp mousse stuffing. You should probably get this.

Baked Chicken Bun
Baked Chicken Bun (M) [$3.88]
The baked chicken bun isn't something that I have all that often, but was pretty serviceable, with a slight sweetness to the bao to go along with the bird.

2014 The Bruery Golden Orchard
The 2014 The Bruery Golden Orchard is a new release from the brewery, a Belgian-style golden ale fermented with Brettanomyces. It really was quite delicious, delivering a blast of crisp, malty, subtly funky flavors accented by a fresh, fruity (apples?) quality and just a touch of bitterness.

Shrimp and Asparagus Rice Noodle Roll
Shrimp and Asparagus Rice Noodle Roll (L) [$4.88]
Xia chang was a laudable version of the classic noodle roll, the shrimp arriving snappy and nicely brined, though I wanted to taste more from the asparagus.

Shi Hai Baked BBQ Pork Bun
Shi Hai Baked BBQ Pork Bun (M) [$3.88]
The classic cha siu bao seemed to be quite good judging from my dining companions' reactions. I didn't get to taste it though, as the kitchen somehow managed to run out of the buns, which perplexes me (they gave us the chicken buns above as a substitute).

Pork and Crab Egg Dumpling
Pork and Crab Egg Dumpling (L) [$4.88]
Siu mai were on point however, plump and springy and brimming with porky goodness offset by just a smidge of brine.

2014 Deschutes Cultivateur
The 2014 Deschutes Cultivateur is a limited-edition, brewery-only Pub Reserve Series release that comprises four different batches of Pinot and oak cask-aged saison, aged for three, four, and 13 months with a mixture of Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Brettanomyces lambicus, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. The resultant beer was delicious, with plenty of barnyard and stonefruit on the nose and a taste that veered crisp, tangy, and funky, with a nice touch of hoppiness to it all.

Shrimp Dumpling
Shrimp Dumpling (L) [$4.88]
Har gow were pretty tasty, perhaps a touch gummy with regard to the skin, but stuffed with a thoroughly enjoyable filling of well-cooked shrimp.

Pork Sparerib with Pepper Sauce
Pork Sparerib with Pepper Sauce (L) [$4.88]
I liked the paigu here more than I thought I would, the ribs conveying a pleasant bit of porkiness enhanced by the depth of the accompanying sauce.

Evil Twin Justin Blåbaer
Next up was the Evil Twin Justin Blåbaer, quite possibly the best-monikered beer since Beachwood's Jean-Quad Van Damme. A blueberry Berliner Weisse, this one was to my liking, showing off some tart berry goodness on the nose and more on the palate, where it was joined by a palpable citric character and a touch of wheatiness.

Shanghai Juicy Pork Bun
Shanghai Juicy Pork Bun (L) [$4.88]
Xiaolongbao were a pleasant surprise, arriving appropriately juicy and teeming with porcine goodness.

Chicken Feet with Spicy Salt
Chicken Feet with Spicy Salt [$6.99]
This preparation of chicken feet didn't do much for me--cold, bonier than usual, a bit bland--but then again, I'm not a fan of feng zhua in the first place.

New Glarus Raspberry Tart
Sticking with the fruit theme, our next bottle was the spontaneously fermented New Glarus Raspberry Tart from Wisconsin. The beer was positively jammy in terms of aroma, while taste-wise you got more of that in-your-face fruitiness, but cut by a marked tartness and oaky tinge.

BBQ Duck (Half)
BBQ Duck (Half) [$15.99]
The barbeque duck made a nice showing for itself, displaying a depth of "ducky" flavors accompanied by nuances of sweet spice. Good crispness on the skin, too.

Deep Fried Taro Dumpling
Deep Fried Taro Dumpling (M) [$3.88]
The yutou jiao were another standout for me: light, fluffy, and wonderfully crisp, with a great bit of delicate savoriness to them.

Steamed BBQ Pork Bun
Steamed BBQ Pork Bun (S) [$2.88]
Though I missed out on the baked chashao bao above, I did try the steamed version, and enjoyed it, the soft, airy, yet dense bun really soaking up the sweet-salty nuances of the pork.

2013 Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA
The lone India Pale Ale of the group was the 2013 Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA, a blend of 60 and 90 Minute IPAs that's dry-hopped with Cascade, then doused with maple syrup and cask-conditioned. The beer was a treat, sweet yet hoppy on the nose, with a great interaction between the hops and malt on the tongue, all joined by an undercurrent of sugary maple, especially toward the finish.

Chicken Feet with Brown Sauce
Chicken Feet with Brown Sauce (M) [$3.88]
We only ordered one round of the standard feng zhua as well, so I didn't end up partaking. The others seemed to enjoy it, however.

Deep Fried Pork Dumpling
Deep Fried Pork Dumpling (S) [$2.88]
Another favorite was the xian shuijiao, which I affectionately refer to as the "footballs." The key was the interplay between the sweet, sticky, substantial skin and the salty meat within. Yum.

2014 Rogue Farms Marionberry Braggot
Here we had the 2014 Rogue Farms Marionberry Braggot, a style that I'd actually never tasted before, in essence a mead (honey wine) with malts, hops, and blackberries. I found it intriguing, but enjoyable, smelling of sweet, honeyed spice and berry fruit and tasting much of the same, but with the addition of maltiness, hop bitterness, and a touch of herbiness.

Roasted Suckling Pigeon
Roasted Suckling Pigeon [$15.99]
Another one of Shi Hai's oft talked about dishes is the baby pigeon. It definitely showed off the deep, earthy, intense flavors that you'd expect with squab, all evened out by the sweet, crisp skin and what I believe were Pringles.

Sticky Rice w/ Lotus Leaf Wrapped
Sticky Rice w/ Lotus Leaf Wrapped (L) [$4.88]
I enjoyed the lo mai gai as well, a lotus leaf-wrapped contraption hiding a stuffing of glutinous rice and other savory fillings (mushrooms and chicken I'm guessing). Mouseover for a secondary photo.

Pan Fried Dry Scallop and Taro Cake
Pan Fried Dry Scallop and Taro Cake (M) [$3.88]
A scallop-fied version of yutou gao was a rarity for me, but also one of my favorites here, with the salinity of the bivalve doing an admirable job in setting off the mild, dense taro cake. Lovely textures, too: crisp on the outside, but soft and yielding on the inside.

2014 Firestone Walker Ol' Leghorn
My last beer brought out the 2014 Firestone Walker Ol' Leghorn, a collaborative brew with Three Floyds first concocted during last year's FW Invitational Beer Fest. Done in the blonde barleywine style, this was aged in both new American oak and bourbon barrels, then blended with a freshly dry-hopped version of the same beer. The end result was a bit unexpected, with the caramel-y, barrel-y, malty qualities of the beer dominated by a bright, hoppy, citric character.

Surf Clam and Crab Egg Shrimp Dumpling
Surf Clam and Crab Egg Shrimp Dumpling (S) [$2.88]
Our penultimate dish combined shrimp, surf clam, and crab roe in dumpling form. I'd never seen anything quite like this before at dim sum, but it worked out swimmingly, a real celebration of ocean-y goodness tempered only just by the presence of the wrappers.

Steamed Turnip Cake
Steamed Turnip Cake (M) [$3.88]
Finally, though Shi Hai somehow lacked pan-fried luobo gao, we did get the steamed version, a pretty spot on rendition of the dish showcasing the mild, gelatinous radish against the savory sprinklings on top.

Despite the meal being cut short due to the kitchen closing (there were a number of additional items we wanted to try), we all left Shi Hai pleasantly surprised. I'd rank it as one of the better dim sum experiences I've had, above my recent experience at Lunasia in fact. It wasn't particularly expensive either, coming in at $20.49 a head (pre-tip) inclusive of the pricier non-dim sum items such as that squab. The place is certainly worth a try for all you yum cha fiends out there (and I know there are a lot of you).