Chew Man Booed
Craig LaBan dismantles Chew Man Chu, leaving no question to his contempt for the “’50s-dull Chinese American fare” and contrary to our thought, you can really mess up dumplings.
The house-made dumplings, in general, were big disappointments. The unnaturally green chicken-spinach dumplings were doughy. The crispy pork pot-stickers were filled with errant gristle. And there was also something unexpectedly crunchy inside the rubbery pureed poultry centers of the crispy garlic chicken rolls. The oxtail dumplings were all pink and bouncy inside, with none of the tenderness I’d expect from a slow-braised meat. The deeply steeped dark gravy that pooled around them like deconstructed soup dumplings, meanwhile, was both intensely over-seasoned and jarringly sweet.
No Bells – Poor
Chew Man Chu [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Chew Man Chu [Official Site]
