Dean Sin World

What is it about steamed soup dumplings--otherwise known as xiao long baos--that makes them so desirable and delicious? Is it the incredible juiciness, the savory fillings, the soft skin wrapper which holds it all together as one? When I think an excellent dumpling, I think of the explosion of meaty, juicy flavors and textures as I devour one of these tasty treats. I was first introduced to authentic soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung, a mecca of sorts for soup dumplings in Arcadia, and I clearly remember having to be helped out of the restaurant after my meal because I was so ridiculously full from consuming one too many a xiao long bao. OK I'm being a little dramatic with that statement, but I was uncomfortably full and that is no overstatement.

On a recent shopping trip to the Cabazon outlets--where I dropped a pretty penny at the Nike, Cole Haan, and 7-For-All-Mankind outposts--Fonda and I decided to make a dinner stop in the San Gabriel Valley during our ride back home. In fact it's not often that we pass through this area without making a detour off highway 10 or 60 for some good Chinese grub. I suggested Dean Sin World to Fonda and made mention of their famed soup dumplings, and that was all the convincing my better half needed.


Dean Sin World is not a large place; the picture above depicts about a quarter of the dining area. You could probably fit the entire dining room in the waiting area at the enormous multi-building Din Tai Fung restaurant. With just four or five tables--two of which were occupied by the owner's family and another by a tray of baked goods--this place is obviously less of a sit-down place and more of a to-go one. The restaurant is well hidden, dimly lit at night, and boasts a cash-only policy; case in point: be prepared when you make your visit.

We grabbed one of two free tables, took our seats, and proceeded with the ordering. The menu has both Chinese and English wording, and there are also some pictures for those of you who, um, need assistance.



Our dinner starts with braised bamboo in special sauce:


Fonda was thrilled to see this on the menu and ordered it with no hesitation. Tender bamboo served with a slightly sweet sauce proved to be a delightful combination. A few pieces were a bit fibrous and made for tough chewing, but overall we enjoyed this little dish of goodness.


Won tons in soup:


Big and bursting at the seams (literally, right?) with juicy pork, these won tons were delicious and served very hot. The soup was equally as savory and made for the perfect, heart-warming dish on a chilly a.k.a 60-degree Saturday night.


Soup dumplings with pork:


These are the much-reviewed xiao long bao that ultimately drew us here, and they were well worth the wait. Served hotter than a McDonald's cup of coffee, you have to eat these carefully so that you don't burn yourself. The wrapper skin is slightly thicker than the paper-thin version at Din Tai Fung, and the overall size is larger. The pork meat within is very tender and full of flavor, and the soup is delicious. Eating one of these results in a one grand combustion of flavors and textures in your mouth. You might notice that there is one dumpling missing from the set of 10--and I can only say that someone couldn't wait to take a picture.

Beef noodle soup:


As good as the dumplings were, this hearty bowl of beef and noodles proved to be my favorite dish of the night. The meltingly tender chunks of beef and the thick, perfectly-cooked noodles swirling in a rich, meaty broth make for an excellent version of this popular Chinese dish.

At the end of our meal, the owner hands us a red-bean cake in a bag, which we ate later at home and found to be very tasty. The total for all this with tax and tip was about $25, which is a fantastic deal when compared to Din Tai Fung, whose dumplings are about twice the cost. Keep in mind though that Dean Sin World and Din Tai Fung are completely different experiences, with Din Tai Fung boasting a gleaming new dining room to go with those higher prices. So whose dumplings reign supreme? Well I still prefer the thin-skinned dumplings at Din Tai Fung, but for a quick meal at a substantially lower price, Dean Sin World is tough to beat. At the very least, you'll want to come here for the beef noodle soup and those incredible soup dumplings.

Final note: I asked for wine brew and ear-wax cake (which is not on the menu, so I pointed at my ear as suggested by another foodie), both of which are items that my Twitter pals recommended, but I never received them. I'm not sure why but I'm guessing I may need help with ordering for next time.


Dean Sin World
306 N Garfield Ave, #2
Monterey Park, CA