Denver’s Legendary "Jia Le" 🥢✨

There’s a legend in Denver about a Chinese restaurant called “Jia Le” — known for its tasty food, but no one seems to agree on its real name 🤷‍♂️. Some call it “Jia Le Brothers Kitchen,” others say “Jia Le Tea Cafe.” The more formal name appears to be Happy Cafe Chinese Restaurant. Yet, if you search for it on Google Maps, you’ll be directed to a place called Harbor Dim Sum & Cuisine 🗺️ — which goes by the Chinese name “Jia Le Xi Yan”... Confused yet? Anyway, following the digital breadcrumbs, your faithful blogger made it to “Jia Le” for a meal 🏁. The menu here is impressively diverse: dim sum, Cantonese dishes, Sichuan classics, live seafood 🦞, and homestyle plates — a little something for everyone. Classic Dim Sum Trio 🐮🐔🥧 Beef tripe, chicken feet, and egg tarts — pretty standard, nothing to write home about. Shrimp Bean Curd Roll 🍤 Unlike the usual steamed-after-frying version, this one was straight-up fried — I’d call it “Crispy Shrimp Rolls.” Crunchy on the outside, but the shrimp had gotten a bit firm from the oil. Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) Flavor was okay, but the wrappers were torn — not the prettiest sight 😅. Lobster with Typhoon Shelter Style 🦞 Sold as a dim sum special for $15. But… maybe don’t get your hopes up. It arrived cold, and the lobster didn’t taste fresh. Special Maoxuewang 🌶️ A Sichuan blood and innards stew — this version skipped the eel but added beef pancreas. Maybe a Cantonese twist? Smelled amazing and really whetted the appetite, but the tripe was overcooked and lost its bounce. Salt & Pepper Duck Tongues (with Jaw) 🦆 Recommended by the staff — and hey, each piece still had the tongue! Pretty generous. Taste-wise? A bit inconsistent. Some were crispy and fragrant, while others had a strong duck smell — maybe under-fried? Pea Shoots in Superior Broth 🥬 Another staff recommendation. The broth was flavorful, and the greens were tender. But traditionally, this dish should have salted egg and ham — tasted more like they used century egg and lean pork, like congee ingredients. Final Thoughts 💸 Came out to $53.8 per person after tax and tip for three people — though we took half the Maoxuewang home. Service was great 👍 — they kept our water filled and plates changed promptly. The food was decent, but not as mind-blowing as the legend suggested. Then again, since when have legends ever been completely true? 📖 #Denver #ChineseFood #Cantonese #DimSum #SichuanCuisine #FoodReview 🥢🔥