Chowdown II at Chen's was an unbelievable experience. I think most of
the dozen or so folks who came liked most of what they tried, and many
discovered one or two new things to try.
We had 16 dishes in all: four appetizers (Steamed bun, or soup
dumplings; braised beef shanks; taro cake and wine chicken), one soup
(Winter Melon Clam Soup), two vegetable dishes (sauteed sweet pea
leaves and sauteed string bean), four seafood dishes (ginger onion
squid, basil clam, anchovies with peanuts, fish fillets with king po
sauce), and five meat/tofu dishes (Tainwanese braised pork, beef bean
curd with cilantro, garlic spiced bacon meat, eggplant with pork
basil, and ma po tofu with pork).
The least-favorite dish was a substitute for the salted duck we
ordered (they were out). Most diners voted the wine chicken the worst
dish we tried. Cold, firm boiled chicken in wine sauce with cilantro
and strange neon-red currant-like things.
The steamed bun, xiao long bao, rocked as always. It was a discovery
for many diners once they were clued in to the soup inside the
dumpling.
The beef shanks were enjoyable. The soup was sublime -- nice big broth
enhanced by fresh clams cooked in it, and soft winter melon.
Garlic spiced bacon meat was very nice. But it's one of those dishes
best shared or eaten piecemeal. Boiled pork belly, sliced thin, with a
very nice sauce that cut through the richness of the meat.
Speaking of sauces, the spicy-relishy sauce with the taro cake brought
together the different tastes and textures of the seared exterior and
soft interior.
One of the universal second-favorites was ginger onion squid.
Perfectly fried, perfectly cooked squid with green onions and lots of
ginger. This dish also would make a good starter for a group.
Another popular seafood dish was the fried fish fillet with kung po
sauce. Nice blend of sweet and heat (although nothing is
overpoweringly spicy at Chen's).
My suggestion of anchovies with peanuts was a dud. Whole baby
anchovies were about 1 inch long and the size of a toothpick. I liked
the salty, crunchy fishiness. But this is another dish in which a
little goes a long way (and is best not ordered alone). There wasn't
much left, but this was one of three dishes (including wine chicken)
with any leftovers.
The other was ma po tofu with pork, which divided folks. People either
liked it a lot or put it as one of their least-liked dishes, if they
were that polite. In my house, we're big fans of the vegetarian
version.
Basil clam had several fans. Most found the beef bean curd with
cilantro to be salty, although enjoyable. Both vegetable dishes were
great. Vegetarians beware: Order the string beans without meat. Meat
lovers: the pork provides a nice compliment to the crispy green beans.
Perhaps the biggest surprise for some, and the second most-popular
dish, was eggplant pork basil. Unbelievable contrast of flavors: rich
eggplant, salty pork and fragrant basil.
But No. 1 -- almost universally -- was Taiwanese braised pork. This is
pork belly braised in a sweet and savory sauce. Rich, porky lip-
smackin good. Don't let the fat scare you: Mama, that's where the fun
is.
One guy at my end politely declined the braised pork at first, then
became so curious by the orgasmic responses around the table, he tried
a bit that was making a second round. He was hooked.
All this food, and most got out for under $15 with one drink. The
folks at Chen's got into the spirit of the whole thing and we all
enjoyed ourselves. A very successful Chowdown.
Big Daddy