Hong Kong Dim Sum House, Bopomofo, Mensho Tokyo

Hong Kong Dim Sum House

plus Bopomofo and Mensho Tokyo

Menu at Hong Kong Dim Sum House.

They are a hole in the wall.

Display case.

Shu mai not bad.

Almost right amount of folds, but skins too thick.

Har cheung fun (shrimp rice noodle roll) skins way too thick as well.

Gai lan was about right.

Lo bac go were a bit plain.

Steamed mala cake.

Egg yolk buns.

Baked pineapple custard bun.

Deep fried shrimp ball. Not sure why the sugar cane stick is so wilted here.

Pai gut was fine.

Beef ball, like so much else, pretty average.

Gow choy gow were excellent.

Bopomofo, right in the same plaza.

Crowd inside looked to be mostly our age.

Menu. Lots of food.

Orange Wang! (I think)

The spread, part 1.

The spread, part 2.

Not sure-- BA-LA matcha, maybe? Chewie.

Chewie.

Such big ears.

Dune: Imperium.

Dune: Imperium. Sue wins, but made it closer than usual.

Almost the worst draw in Flip7?

Mensho Tokyo in Culver City.

Menu. Lots of food.

Inside. Feels like a living room.

Grilled corn "wings." Clever.

Daikon salad is exactly what you'd expect. Definitely needs dressing.

Signature toripaitan.

Signature toripaitan close-up.

Noodle pull.

Inside. Busy.

Hong Kong Dim Sum House has gotten some crazy attention lately for a total hole in the wall. The menu covers the basics but not much else, inside is tiny, and as of late, there is always a wait. Glad they are so busy, their har chueng fun skins are much too thick, the har gow skins have the same issue, but the rest of the food holds up.

Bopomofo Cafe is in the same parking lot, and unlike Hong Kong Dim Sum House, their hype has largely died away, leaving a cafe with an older crowd, a substantial food menu for a boba shop, and a solid to excellent selection of milk teas. Quite good, even if they have more modern and fashionable competition.

Did the usual board games after, with a solid session of Dune: Imperium that ended with a decisive Sue victory, although in terms of total score I was able to get very, very close.

Wrapped up the night with ramen at Mensho Tokyo's Culver City location. Corn "wings" are a fun take on corn on the cob (almost), daikon salad was pretty much exactly as you'd expect, and the signature toripaitan was pretty good. Nice harmony of flavors, quality noodles, and just a few slices of beef to go with the pork and duck. Did not have stomach space to try anything else-- even this meal was pushing it.