Xlb Kitchen

Their XLB beats DTF! Why wait in a long line at the mall when you can enjoy this cozy neighborhood cafe? XLB=soup filled dumplings DTF=Ding Tai Fung There are several dishes my family enjoys: Braised tofu with assorted seasonal mushrooms Braised pork belly in a bamboo section Free range chicken in scallion sauce Shanghai style noodle soup Pan fried pork buns If you have been scorched by the hot juice that bursts out of an XLB or pan fried bun, you probably did it wrong. The correct way to eat it: 1. Poke a hole with a chopstick 2. Drain the hot soup into a spoon 3. Carefully take a small bite into the bun 4. Take small sips of the soup from your spoon I hope this is helpful and enjoyable! less

We came here on a Tuesday night at 6pm and there was no wait. The inside of the restaurant is quite small so we chose to sit in the outdoor patio. The patio is nicely shaded with umbrellas and decorated with lights. I'd recommend making a reservation here if you're coming with a large party because I can see this place filling up quite easily. The owner and servers are so sweet here. Our favorite dishes were the chicken wings, glutinous rice with bamboo, sautéed green beans, xlb, and lion head meatball soup. None of the dishes were overly salty or oily. The only dish we probably wouldn't order again are the pan fried buns with pork. The bun had way too much breading and the pork was mushy. The XLB was good though. There was a sag to the dumpling and the juice was flavorful. This is a great spot for a homey and casual dinner. less

The food here was pretty good. The amount of food is worth it for the price. My favorite was the XLB. The service was quick and the staff was nice. There is indoor and outdoor seating and they ask for your preference. It was nice sitting outside and it was also shaded. less

We came here soon after its grand opening, disappointed, and never again till now. Must say they have greatly improved. That said, I did not order XLB. Really, that first bad impression was hard to shake. The patio seatings were a big plus. It was a walled garden well-shaded either artificially or naturally. I just don't know what would it like when weather is bad. The star was the tea-smoked duck 樟茶鸭 -- good smoking aroma, well cooked duck, balanced flavors. The bamboo rice is really a fancy container that locked the juices (mostly fat) into the rice-bed. There was no fresh bamboo flavors. The pork-belly was excellently cooked, albeit on the fatty side. DanDan Noodles 擔擔麵 was authentically Sichuan, I enjoyed the little bit I ate, since it has peanuts that I am slightly allergic to. Pan-fried buns 生煎包 were disappointing. Dough too thick, filling lacks juice and sweet. I will come again and, strangely, not for their namesake flares. less

Easy to miss spot when driving by, but you don't want to miss it if you like XLBs! The XLB was big and the soup was so... thick? Not literally thick, but it was so flavorful and hearty. Awesome The chongqing chicken was plenty but not as spicy as what I've usually had (pro or con depending on who you ask). The sautéed string beans were kind of addicting because it also had pieces of pork and must've been cooked with some pork-ness. I only do not recommend glutenous rice pork bamboo thing. It's gimmicky and tastes way too porky. The pork itself was almost as mushy as the rice so I didn't really like that. I searched for every green onion I could find to cut through the mushy and monotone taste. less

Came by for lunch the other day and it was a decent experience. XLB Kitchen took over Erik's Delicafe and their menu seems to be remarkably similar to another Shanghainese shop in Mountain View years ago... Parking is available on the street or in their private strip mall lot. Dining is available indoors or in their patio. Started off with their smoked duck and it was quite tasty. Smoky, fragrant, and flavorful. The duck was quite meaty too. The beef noodle soup was huge. Plenty of noodles along with tender chunks of beef. The xlb were decent and seemed homemade. Service was quick and efficient by the staff. ~$33/head after tax and gratuity for lunch with plenty of leftovers for at least another meal! less