Dumplings and more at ROC Kitchen

Xiao long bao (fish)

Xiao long bao up close (fish) {a must have!}

Scallion pancakes with a ginger-soy sauce [you need to try these!]

Sautéed shrimp with shishito peppers

Glass noodles with crab 

Red Bean Dumplings (a must have...if you like red bean)

Place: ROC Kitchen (Republic of China aka Taiwan)

           2049 Sawtelle Blvd.

           Los Angeles, CA 90025

Genre: Chinese food - Dim Sum

$$

Hit or a Miss? Hit!

My opinion:

I'm pretty picky about Chinese food. It's actually quite difficult to find on the westside, well at least good authentic Chinese/Dim sum. There's Din Tai Fung, but that's all the way out in Arcadia! Look no further; you can now get your xiao-long-bao fix on Sawtelle. Quite frankly, I liked ROC more that I liked DTF. Why? Well to start they have a lot more pescetarian options. I had never seen the fish xiao long bao at DTF. They have the shrimp and melon one, but the fish xlb at ROC was way better. I mean the shrimp and melon one is fine, but you don't get to experience the broth explosion that's traditionally associated with xiao long bao. You get it all at ROC. The broth is perhaps the best part. The "skin" is a bit different form that at DTF. It's only slightly thicker, but not enough to make it too tough to eat. It actually locks in the broth and flavor, which makes the initial bite even better. Sometimes I feel deprived at DTF, meaning that I don't get the same xiao long bao experience that I used to have and that all of my "carnivorous" friends have, but that's no longer the case! The sautéed shrimp with shishito peppers dish is another great option; however, my only issue is that it's on the salty side. If you decide to get it, I'd definitely eat it over rice so that you dilute the saltiness. Another reason why I loved ROC...they had scallion pancakes! They aren't the most "well known" Chinese dish, but delicious nonetheless. It's pretty hard to find "the perfect scallion pancake" or come anywhere near it, but I may have found it at ROC. The slightly crispy outside with the soft, layered inside dipped in the ginger-soy sauce was just superb. The key to a killer scallion pancake is the perfect combination of the crispy outside and soft/chewy inside. Often times I get ones that are either too crispy, too soft or just don't have enough green onion. They're almost better than homemade ones... The glass noodles were also really well executed. Chinese food can turn out too salty or oily at times, but I didn't run into that a ROC. Let's see...they also have a great selection of sautéed vegetables (not pictured). The sautéed kale, sautéed green beans and sautéed broccoli are probably the top three on the menu. Last but not least, and this was probably my FAVORITE part about ROC, the red bean dumplings (a desert) were the perfect way to finish the meal! I absolutely love red bean buns, dumplings, pastries, you name it. It's definitely an acquired taste, same with taro. The paste was just perfect. Heads up, it's a dense dumpling, but what can you expect from a red bean paste? You can't miss out on these! I've said this before and I'll say it again because it's probably the most important tip you can get when you're going out for authentic ethnic cuisine: go with someone who truly knows the cuisine/grew up with it at home OR ask the owner (if they're there) what's traditional/their favorite. That's when you'll find the good stuff.

Amazing food is one thing, but equally good service is what makes the experience all the more memorable. The owner was so gracious and gave the best advice. So there you have it, a xiao long bao house in the heart of Los Angeles. You can't miss it!

[Note, there's no sign on the front, but it's in-between the pizzeria and SushiStop on Sawtelle]