I am clueless in Short Pump.
So when I set out at 5:35 to get to the new Peter Chang's in the Far West End, I anticipate being on time for a 6:00 dinner.
How naive of me.
First there was the stopped traffic waiting to get off on the Short Pump exit.
Then there was the slow merge as we all tried to get off the ramp and on to Broad Street while others did the reverse.
Already behind schedule by then, I was now faced with finding a storefront in a sea of strip malls.
Let's just say I finally found it in the last strip center I intended to look.
Which is a roundabout way of saying that I got there at 6:20.
Another fifteen minutes and I could have been at the Peter Chang's in Charlottesville.
After a minute or two of mingling (well, I was late), we were asked to take seats and the parade of food began.
Dumplings, duck soup, rice cakes, lamb chops, chicken, noodles, eggplant. And so much more.
All Sichuan spicy, all perfectly executed.
All washed down with Jefferson Cab Franc, which made for a fine pairing.
Next to me I had the eighth grade-daughter of a local chef, so we talked about books ("The Hunger Games"), her musical faves (Queen, the Beatles and Coldplay, in that order) and food (Dad said she was a natural cook).
I advised her to avoid boys who didn't eat everything. We agreed that life without meat was unthinkable.
The vegan restaurant owner to my right begged to differ.
Mrs. Lee (Chang's partner's wife), beautifully resplendent in a black dress and hot pink shawl (and delicate ankle bracelet), did the introductions and translated for her the Chef.
When the meal was finished, I agreed to fetch one friend to meet another and her date at Secco.
He wasn't so much her date as someone she met in the 90s and recently reconnected with (that's apparently what we're calling it these days).
Who knew those things really happened?
During a discussion of being given a hard time by one's date, one member of the party noted, "Sadly, I like it."
And aren't those the best relationships?
All that spicy Chinese food had left some people wanting dessert to accompany the jammy Cantina del Pino Dolcotto d'Alba we ordered.
Pistachio cannoli was a worthy match for the fragrant wine while the others enjoyed the bread pudding with sea salt and caramel.
It was pretty obvious we weren't in Short Pump anymore.
Never let it be said that I don't leave the city to eat. I did just that for Peter Chang's food.
There, I've done my Short Pump for 2012.
Showing posts with label peter chang's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peter chang's. Show all posts
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Monday, May 2, 2011
Chang Redux
I could look at it as a double couple date or as being a fifth wheel. The former has a much nicer ring, I think.
Despite it only having been a week since my last trip to Peter Chang's in Charlottesville, I was more than happy to be driven out there again for another heated meal.
With a table of five instead of two, there were even more opportunities to taste around the menu. There were some repeats from my last week's dinner (scallion bubble pancakes, dry-fried eggplant) and some new options to consider.
The funniest moment came when we were ordering our first course and my friend asked for the crispy fried pork belly. Like a movie character in a slow-motion scene, I looked up from my menu and said "Nooooooooooooooooooooo!" more forcefully than I should have. He canceled the order.
After our affable server left, I explained that I'd had it last week and that there was no fat to it, just crispy bits deep-fried. Laughing, he said, "Well then, I don't want it but it was totally worth it to see that look on your face and hear you react like that."
I'd been told that now that Mrs. Chang has arrived that the steamed pork buns were stellar (she's a pastry chef) so we got them. The fat little dumplings were nicely done, but nothing unusual.
The special of spicy deep-fried assorted mushrooms was similar to the eggplant but earthier tasting because of the mushrooms. The Sichuan bang bang shrimp had all the overt and subtle heat you'd expect and a wholly different flavor when eaten with a piece of cilantro.
And then the hot, hot heat arrived.
The one repeated entree was the Jing Jiang shredded duck with pancakes, which I recommended to my mixologist friend who was seeking a duck dish. He loved it and I felt relieved to have steered him well.
One of the spicy food lovers got another special, the duck consomme in (enormous) ceramic pot, a combination of duck, pork meatballs, fresh mushrooms and clear noodles.
Although she knew it was non-spicy, she wanted more heat and added a good amount of chili sauce to it to raise the heat index. The tiny little meatballs and generous pieces of duck, not to mention duck broth, made it heartier than your average soup.
The closest thing to a disappointment was the shredded pork with hot peppers which, while quite tasty, wasn't the least spicy despite the menu indicating differently. He made sure to add some chili oil before having the rest boxed up to take home.
My beef tendon and tripe in chili sauce, the only room temperature dish, was very spicy with the thin slices of tendon and tripe soaking up all that chili oil.
And before the squeamish types react, had you tasted it and not known, the tripe would have been just another interesting bite.
The heat seeker took the prize with her braised fish with chili peppers in hot pot dish. Arriving in a metal bowl over a flame, the heat from this one was the spiciness, not the temperature.
She took one bite, turned bright red and reacted open-mouthed to the heat. Her jean jacket was soon removed. Turning to her non-spicy loving beau, she insisted he try it, knowing if it challenged her, he would be dead meat.
He soldiered on, acknowledging its tastiness but sweating profusely, and after we all tasted it, we agreed that while it did pack a wallop, it was mainly on the finish and that dissipated shortly thereafter. Nonetheless, beers were soon ordered.
Consensus was that this was the knockout dish, flavorful and dramatic.
Not a one of us finished our second course, despite much sharing and tasting. "Bring us fifty to-go boxes," our ringleader said; the duck consomme alone took two containers.
The three of us who had been to Chang's before agreed that this visit delivered far better across the board than either of our previous visits. With such an extensive menu, perhaps knowing what not to order is paramount.
But that said, with the wide array of food on our table, there were clear and distinct flavors in every dish. This is not a one sauce/preparation fits all kind of place.
The most challenging part is the hour-ride home whilst in a food coma. But as we all know, Peter Chang never sticks around anyplace for long, so we may as well enjoy his cooking while we can.
Or at least that's how I'll justify it the next time a couple or two invites me to head to the mountains for another heated dinner with them.
Color me a well-satisfied fifth wheel.
Despite it only having been a week since my last trip to Peter Chang's in Charlottesville, I was more than happy to be driven out there again for another heated meal.
With a table of five instead of two, there were even more opportunities to taste around the menu. There were some repeats from my last week's dinner (scallion bubble pancakes, dry-fried eggplant) and some new options to consider.
The funniest moment came when we were ordering our first course and my friend asked for the crispy fried pork belly. Like a movie character in a slow-motion scene, I looked up from my menu and said "Nooooooooooooooooooooo!" more forcefully than I should have. He canceled the order.
After our affable server left, I explained that I'd had it last week and that there was no fat to it, just crispy bits deep-fried. Laughing, he said, "Well then, I don't want it but it was totally worth it to see that look on your face and hear you react like that."
I'd been told that now that Mrs. Chang has arrived that the steamed pork buns were stellar (she's a pastry chef) so we got them. The fat little dumplings were nicely done, but nothing unusual.
The special of spicy deep-fried assorted mushrooms was similar to the eggplant but earthier tasting because of the mushrooms. The Sichuan bang bang shrimp had all the overt and subtle heat you'd expect and a wholly different flavor when eaten with a piece of cilantro.
And then the hot, hot heat arrived.
The one repeated entree was the Jing Jiang shredded duck with pancakes, which I recommended to my mixologist friend who was seeking a duck dish. He loved it and I felt relieved to have steered him well.
One of the spicy food lovers got another special, the duck consomme in (enormous) ceramic pot, a combination of duck, pork meatballs, fresh mushrooms and clear noodles.
Although she knew it was non-spicy, she wanted more heat and added a good amount of chili sauce to it to raise the heat index. The tiny little meatballs and generous pieces of duck, not to mention duck broth, made it heartier than your average soup.
The closest thing to a disappointment was the shredded pork with hot peppers which, while quite tasty, wasn't the least spicy despite the menu indicating differently. He made sure to add some chili oil before having the rest boxed up to take home.
My beef tendon and tripe in chili sauce, the only room temperature dish, was very spicy with the thin slices of tendon and tripe soaking up all that chili oil.
And before the squeamish types react, had you tasted it and not known, the tripe would have been just another interesting bite.
The heat seeker took the prize with her braised fish with chili peppers in hot pot dish. Arriving in a metal bowl over a flame, the heat from this one was the spiciness, not the temperature.
She took one bite, turned bright red and reacted open-mouthed to the heat. Her jean jacket was soon removed. Turning to her non-spicy loving beau, she insisted he try it, knowing if it challenged her, he would be dead meat.
He soldiered on, acknowledging its tastiness but sweating profusely, and after we all tasted it, we agreed that while it did pack a wallop, it was mainly on the finish and that dissipated shortly thereafter. Nonetheless, beers were soon ordered.
Consensus was that this was the knockout dish, flavorful and dramatic.
Not a one of us finished our second course, despite much sharing and tasting. "Bring us fifty to-go boxes," our ringleader said; the duck consomme alone took two containers.
The three of us who had been to Chang's before agreed that this visit delivered far better across the board than either of our previous visits. With such an extensive menu, perhaps knowing what not to order is paramount.
But that said, with the wide array of food on our table, there were clear and distinct flavors in every dish. This is not a one sauce/preparation fits all kind of place.
The most challenging part is the hour-ride home whilst in a food coma. But as we all know, Peter Chang never sticks around anyplace for long, so we may as well enjoy his cooking while we can.
Or at least that's how I'll justify it the next time a couple or two invites me to head to the mountains for another heated dinner with them.
Color me a well-satisfied fifth wheel.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Pigging Out at Peter Chang's
When out of the blue the person sitting on your couch suggests dinner at Peter Chang's, there's only one question that needs to be asked.
Is Peter Chang cooking tonight?
A quick phone call (no, of course not by me) revealed that he was and that was all the motivation we needed to hop in the car and go to Charlottesville on a beautiful late Easter afternoon.
And although the parade of food is all kind of a blur now, it's the very best kind of blur.
So many great dishes and not nearly big enough a stomach to consume it all.
But you don't drive an hour for dinner if you're not going to taste everything that hits the table and, for two people, we did a damn fine job if I do say so myself.
Our server was sweet but warned us when we ordered the High Desert Sparkling Malbec that he routinely has a tough time opening these bottles.
We assured him that he could just bring the bottle to the table and we could take it from there.
After watching the process, he said, "Oh, so you screw and turn? I get it."
Yes, Grasshopper, learn these lessons and use them as you go forward.
I also discovered he's in a reggae rock band and that their CD release show is coming up in Richmond, to which he offered up an invitation.
Music, it's always there just under the surface.
Because of the extensive menu, we ordered a few things just to buy some time.
The dry-fried eggplant with chiles in the breading was exquisitely light without any sort of wetness or greasiness; it was definitely the best-tasting eggplant I have ever eaten.
And the Dan-Dan noodles with pork had a deep rich flavor tasting of Sichuan peppercorns.
The crispy pork belly wasn't at all what we expected, fried up crispy with no trace of the soft fattiness that usually defines pork belly;as a result, it was our least favorite.
We want fat!
The large group at the next table was quieting the kid contingent with what looked like bread balloons, so we ordered what turned out to be scallion bubble pancakes.
I actually burned my knuckles punching the heat out of a pancake, but it was well worth it.
With the accompanying Chinese curry dipping sauce, they were downright addictive.
My knuckles will heal.
Next came the boneless whole fish with pine nuts, which we figured was a Chang thing despite it being tilapia.
The scored and fried head-on fish sat on a delicate orange sauce that didn't have the cloying sweetness we expected given the color.
The sauteed baby lamb with red peppers was our half-hearted nod to today's holiday, but way more interesting.
The medallions of lamb were succulent without an overbearing heat.
The Jing Jiang shredded duck with onions, water chestnuts and carrots was served with pancakes for the best roll ups imaginable.
The crispy freshness of the onions worked beautifully with the richness of the duck
Four appetizers, three entrees, two people.
You do the math.
We had boxes and boxes to take with us when we finally called it quits.
Eight hours later, I'm back on my couch and wondering, what just happened?
Is Peter Chang cooking tonight?
A quick phone call (no, of course not by me) revealed that he was and that was all the motivation we needed to hop in the car and go to Charlottesville on a beautiful late Easter afternoon.
And although the parade of food is all kind of a blur now, it's the very best kind of blur.
So many great dishes and not nearly big enough a stomach to consume it all.
But you don't drive an hour for dinner if you're not going to taste everything that hits the table and, for two people, we did a damn fine job if I do say so myself.
Our server was sweet but warned us when we ordered the High Desert Sparkling Malbec that he routinely has a tough time opening these bottles.
We assured him that he could just bring the bottle to the table and we could take it from there.
After watching the process, he said, "Oh, so you screw and turn? I get it."
Yes, Grasshopper, learn these lessons and use them as you go forward.
I also discovered he's in a reggae rock band and that their CD release show is coming up in Richmond, to which he offered up an invitation.
Music, it's always there just under the surface.
Because of the extensive menu, we ordered a few things just to buy some time.
The dry-fried eggplant with chiles in the breading was exquisitely light without any sort of wetness or greasiness; it was definitely the best-tasting eggplant I have ever eaten.
And the Dan-Dan noodles with pork had a deep rich flavor tasting of Sichuan peppercorns.
The crispy pork belly wasn't at all what we expected, fried up crispy with no trace of the soft fattiness that usually defines pork belly;as a result, it was our least favorite.
We want fat!
The large group at the next table was quieting the kid contingent with what looked like bread balloons, so we ordered what turned out to be scallion bubble pancakes.
I actually burned my knuckles punching the heat out of a pancake, but it was well worth it.
With the accompanying Chinese curry dipping sauce, they were downright addictive.
My knuckles will heal.
Next came the boneless whole fish with pine nuts, which we figured was a Chang thing despite it being tilapia.
The scored and fried head-on fish sat on a delicate orange sauce that didn't have the cloying sweetness we expected given the color.
The sauteed baby lamb with red peppers was our half-hearted nod to today's holiday, but way more interesting.
The medallions of lamb were succulent without an overbearing heat.
The Jing Jiang shredded duck with onions, water chestnuts and carrots was served with pancakes for the best roll ups imaginable.
The crispy freshness of the onions worked beautifully with the richness of the duck
Four appetizers, three entrees, two people.
You do the math.
We had boxes and boxes to take with us when we finally called it quits.
Eight hours later, I'm back on my couch and wondering, what just happened?
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