Chinese soup dumplings are bit perplexing to the newbie — how do you eat them without ending up with a lapful of broth? But the pork xiaolongbao at Steamed, 77 Whitney Ave., are an introduction to the South China specialty, and only one of the new eatery’s many authentic dishes.
Steamed open in late summer in a multi-level storefront most recently home to Xi’an Cuisine, a short-lived purveyor of western Chinese specialties. Before that it was Chao Restaurant, which served Taiwanese fare, after years as a spot for Vietnamese pho.
Steamed offers a range of dishes from airy scallion pancakes ($6) to a selection of dim sum dumplings and buns. Main dishes are mostly noodle soups, like the fiery sweet potato noodle soup ($9, $10 if you want it with pig intestines). The most expensive item is a Nanjing salted duck appetizer at $12; most dishes are under $10. Several types of tea are served.
As for the soup dumplings, first transfer them from the bamboo steamer to a spoon with a splash of black vinegar and ginger slivers. Then pierce the bun with your chopsticks over a bowl and enjoy the savory broth and pork meatball inside.
Qǐng màn yòng! (Bon appetit!)
Olmo-st Ready
The custom tile floor has been installed, the menu finalized and the walls freshly painted. Pending a few more inspections, the long-awaited new eatery Olmo at 93 Whitney Ave. is now slated to open in early December.
The latest venture of Caseus colleagues Jason Sobocinski, Craig Hutchinson and Alex Lishchynsky, Olmo has been under construction near the corner of Whitney Avenue and Trumbull Street since the summer, and several announced opening dates have come and gone.
Olmo’s menu is a high-low mix, with house-made bagels and sandwiches earlier in the day and dinner entrees like pasta with green crab and shrimp in fra diavolo sauce ($31), rotisserie porchetta ($24) and monkfish fish and chips ($21).
For updates on Olmo, click here.
Thanksgiving Options
If you’re not up for hours in the kitchen or hours of socializing this Thanksgiving, several local restaurants are open for festive dining.
Shell and Bones at 100 S. Water St. in New Haven offers the celebrated cuisine of New Haven veteran Chef Arturo Franco Camacho for a special Thanksgiving feast. Menu items include a cider-brined turkey with fixings ($32), pomegranate rack of lamb ($38) and baked stuffed pumpkin with wild rice and cauliflower gravy ($28). For reservations, visit its website here.
Or, you may get lucky and make it off the waiting list to savor the renowned Thanksgiving buffet at the Wharf at the Madison Beach Hotel, at 94 W. Wharf Road in Madison. More than 500 people have already booked spots for the $54 feast, which features all the classics plus a raw bar and other high-end touches. Call 203-245-1404 to join the waiting list.
A vegetarian Harvest Feast awaits patrons at Bridgeport’s Bloodroot Restaurant, a progressive eatery and feminist bookstore. A few reservations were still available as of earlier this week; call 203-572-9168 for more information.
And if you are cooking and forgot to buy enough sweet potatoes, Elm City Market at 777 Chapel St. is open until 4 p.m. on Turkey Day, and the Stop & Shop at 150 Whalley Ave. in New Haven is open until 5 p.m.
Contact Liese Klein at lklein@newhavenbiz.com
