Henry's Hollow Leg

My blogging about our trip to California to see Kate's family has run into some difficulty in formatting. So these posts aren't in the intended order but, whatever, maybe i'm just trying to be postmodern (or maybe i'm just technically challenged). Regardless, when last we looked in upon young Henry, he was with his Mama and Mommy visiting Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Tim in southern California.
If you know me or any of the Young kin, then you know we like to eat. And when we travel we like to eat every meal like it is our last.
Obviously, Henry is a Young.
Here is a snapshot of Henry's cullinary journey in Southern California.

We begin in the San Gabriel Valley at a dim sum place called 888 Seafood. Henry loves dim sum but his favorite item is humbao which are baked buns filled with bbq pork. He ate three in one sitting.

Then he named himself "Henry HumBao Face". And did humbao cheers with Uncle Tim.

And Mama.

When your belly is filled with salty, savory foods like dim sum, you must follow up with something sweet. Luckily, Alhambra is home to a handmade ice cream place named Fosselman's. They have been supplying restaurants, and hungry kids, with ice cream since the 1930s.

Henry is all about supporting local businesses. Especially when they serve mango ice cream.

This is your toddler. This is your toddler on pork buns and an adult sized scoop of ice cream. Be very afraid.

Claremont is a very cute college town (home to the Claremont Colleges). We always stop at Some Crust Bakery during our visit. This was the first time Henry picked his own treat.
Of course it was the largest, most frosting-est cookie in the joint.
Happy Valentine's Day Henry!

But he let Mommy have a bite. Just a tiny bite mind you.

A little known fact about the area known as the San Gabriel Valley (which stretches from east of LA to west of Claremont): There are more Chinese people per capita in the SGV than anywhere outside of China. Thus this is one of the best places for Chinese food in the US.
This makes Jessica very excited but also a little stressed. If you only get one or two meals out in the SGV during a visit, you need to make them count. So I spend hours interacting with other foodies on chowhound.com in prep for a visit. My goal is to find one new place to try that will blow me away.
This trips visit was to the "something, something, something (in Chinese) Noodle House." They have a very small menu but are known for two things: their dumplings and steamed buns (bao) that are made entirely to order. You place your order and the folks behind the counter press the dough, fill them, steam them and bring them to your table. So i dragged the Kinney family along on my quest for the perfect dumpling.

We were the only white folks in the place which was a good sign. And the place (by the time we left) was PACKED. Another good sign.

Of course, I ordered WAAAYYY too much food for four adults and one toddler. But at $4 a plate, i think i could splurge.

Here are the noodle soups and scallion pancakes.

And here are the buns and dumplings.

Henry LOVED the noodles and our new game "noodle race". It's kind of a Chinese noodle adaptation of the spaghetti scene in Lady and the Tramp. But instead of kissing, you try to slurp more of the noodle, thus besting your contender. Henry is the King of the Noodle Race.

He beat Mama.

And he beat Mommy (but mainly because i couldn't stop laughing). Seriously, I schooled that boy on slurping. Ain't no toddler gonna slurp faster than the Mommy.

Henry loved the noodles so much that he was still trying to shove them in his mouth as we left. Much to the amusement of the other patrons.

We don't have pictures of all the raspberry sorbet Henry ate at Grandma and Grandpa's or the mexican feast we had at Uncle Tim's. Needless to say the diet began the minute we returned to Seattle.