LAReview
photo credit: ixlb Dim Sum
Ixlb DimSum Eats
After a long week, sometimes all we want is to swan dive into a large supply of dim sum while firming planted on the couch, without having to make the drive to the SGV. That’s when Ixlb DimSum Eats in Hollywood comes to the rescue. Everything here from har gow to siu mai is made fresh daily and satisfies any dim sum craving imaginable (though they sadly don’t serve chicken feet). The translucent har gow have a bouncy skin and are filled with plump shrimp while the egg tarts have a nice, flaky crust—for the most part, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. They primarily do takeout and delivery, but there is a tiny dining area with counter seating for those who can’t wait to get home to eat.
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Food Rundown
Har Gow
The har gow at Ixlb rival any San Gabriel Valley counterparts. These crystal shrimp dumplings come with a generous shrimp filling and a light crunch from the cornstarch, and the skin has a nice chewiness without being too thick or dry.
Shrimp Wonton With Chili Oil
There’s no such thing as too many shrimp dumplings, and the shrimp wontons at Ixlb are another hit, filled with plump shrimp. You can get them fried, though we prefer the traditional steamed version. Unlike many other places where the wontons are swimming in chili oil, here the wontons are topped with just enough for a little needed spice.
Xiao Long Bao
Although Ixlb is primarily a takeout place, the soup dumplings don’t survive the trip as well as the other dim sum items. But each one is served in its own tin so you can re-steam them at home, which makes for a better experience (or just eat them as soon as you get in your car). The XLBs here are lighter on the broth, but they’re still the best in Hollywood.
Seafood Pearl
This particular dim sum dish is less popular than har gow and siu mai, and in this case, we kind of get it. The seafood pearl is a ball of glutinous rice filled with shrimp, fish, and mushrooms that’s a bit on the denser side, so we’d stick to the dumplings.
