SETH: Rou Jia Mo, that's new for me.

What is that?

SETH: The Chinese burger?

All right.

HUA: Yeah.

SETH: Well, I love any kind of burger.

So it looks like this is going to be the meat.

Is this going to be the buns right here?

SETH: And what goes into the dough?

SETH: So you make a little tower?

HUA: Like the tower, yeah.

SETH: It's like pottery.

It's like little cups.

HUA: Yeah.

SETH: And how many of these burgers are you making every day?

SETH: Oh, wow.

HUA: Yeah.

SETH: Popular item.

HUA: Yeah, very popular.

SETH: And this is something that you're really only going to find in the northwest part of China?

HUA: Yeah.

Yeah.

SETH: Oh, the signature.

SETH: All right, so this machine looks like it means business.

HUA: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SETH: It looks hot.

SETH: You're looking for tiger color?

HUA: Yeah, tiger color.

SETH: All right.

HUA: So you must do that.

SETH: Can't be scared of the heat.

HUA: Yeah.

It's very hot.

SETH: Oh, of course, of course.

HUA: Okay.

Yeah, yeah.

SETH: All right.

So many beautiful uh, colors and ingredients here.

HUA: Yeah, exactly, everything.

SETH: Spicy oil?

Okay.

Of course.

SETH: So how do you put this part together?

SETH: This is beef, correct?

SETH: And how long has this meat been cooking for?

HUA: This... SETH: Just falling apart, I love that.

HUA: Yeah.

And then I cut, chop this.

SETH: My mouth is watering, just looking at this.

SETH: Oh, wow.

SETH: The buns are ready?

Okay.

Oh, nice color on the top.

HUA: Smell this.

SETH: Oh, wow.

Yeah.

There is just nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread.

HUA: See?

Look.

SETH: Almost looks like a pita.

SETH: Also beautiful color on that oil.

HUA: Beautiful.

Yeah.

SETH: That is beautiful.

Northwest Chinese actually offers up eight different versions of the Rou Jia Mo.

So before we sit down to eat, Hua prepares two more for me to sample.

All right, Chef, my first Chinese burger.

I'm excited to try this.

SETH: I am very hungry.

Wow.

HUA: How you feel?

SETH: Oh, absolutely.

HUA: Yeah.

SETH: But the way it contrasts with how tender the meat is, how nicely stewed it is, that's great.

I love the addition of the onions and the jalapeños because it gives you the extra little sort of vibrant crunch along with that stewed meat.

I've got to go in for another bite of that.

Well, I had to go back and get a little more chili oil too on that bite.

And you have a couple other types of the burger as well?

HUA: Uh-huh, yes.

SETH: Oh, nice.

SETH: Yeah, no spice on that but so many other good textures happening there.

HUA: Yeah.

SETH: And Hua, tell me about these other beautiful dishes on the table, as well.

SETH: Oh, wow.

Oh, yeah, there is definitely, definitely a nice sour flavor to that... HUA: Yeah.

SETH: Along with the heat.

SETH: All right.

My chopstick skills need a little bit of work.

It's a lifelong journey for me.

Everything, you know, from the cold noodles, the hot, the spicy, the sour, this dynamite burger, there's so many different flavors at play here.

HUA: Yeah, yeah.

SETH: It feels like this restaurant is just a really personal expression for you.

HUA: Yeah, yeah.

SETH: Love that.