I have a Chow-crush...
Some of you may be familiar with the concept of the man-crush, when sports writers and commentators clearly have a crush on a male athlete, and openly gush about the merits of the aforementioned athlete. Well, I have a Chow-crush.
A friend brought Chinese take-out from a local joint to our place in the winter. It was pretty excellent take-out, nothing particularly adventurous, but everything was tasty. And super cheap - we ate for $8 a head and were stuffed. I thought, well, not bad, will have to check this place out the next time we are in his hood. The menu was somewhat cheesy - lots of <fill in name of meat> and macaroni dishes, egg foo yong (which I hadn't seen on a menu for years) and chop suey dishes. The standard General Tso chicken, beef and broccoli, nothing too authentic looking. But I had eaten the food, and was reasonably impressed.
Fast-forward to 11 days ago. We were in the neighbourhood and looking for food after our ultimate game, and I suddenly had a craving for Cantonese Chow Mein. We couldn't remember the name, but knew it was close to our friend's place (who was out of town and unreachable).We finally found it, and we ordered a bunch of dishes to take home. I was in heaven! Everything was so fresh and tasty. It really hit the spot. Simple well-prepared Chinese food, it was very comforting and delicious.
We mentioned to our friend we had returned to his favorite local joint, and he said they were planning to close soon. The two cooks were leaving for other places far away. Well, I panicked. We arranged to eat in a week later with our friend and another friend in tow. We feasted like it was the end of the world. Eating in revealed the artistry at work in this kitchen. This food had real Wok Hai!!! All the stirfries were perfectly cooked, the meat was tender, the vegetables had that crisp fresh flavour that you can only get with high temperature wok skills. We could hear the sizzle of the food, we saw the flames shoot up to the vent, watched food being flipped with the expertise that only years of experience and love of cooking can bring. The food would be plated and brought to us within seconds of leaving the wok.It was "only" beef with chinese broccoli, but it was unbelievably delicious. The perfect dish of beef chow fun, each noodle well-seasoned and with a firm texture, I could have finished the whole dish myself. The Fried rice, a dish which normally bores me to tears, was also perfect. The rice was not greasy, each grain was distinct and again had perfect flavour and texture. The pieces of vegetable and meat in the fried rice served as delicate foils of flavour for the rice, which was truly the star of the dish. One of the guys spoke broken english, but we had a lot of fun as he told us how to make some of his recipes. He also brought us out some boiled pork stomach (not on the menu needless to say) for us to try. The wok master, who spoke very little english, broke into a beautiful smile when he say we had finished every single bite of our large meal.
At the end of the night, the cook who spoke english mentioned they did a very special crispy duck. Well that sealed the deal. We told him we would return 2 days later (we had another ultimate game on the same fields), and he said he would prepare the duck for us.
So 2 days later, with another group of friends in hand, we returned. This guy is the real deal. He made a crispy duck dish that is completely different from any other duck dish I've eaten here in Montreal. He debones the duck, very lightly batters it (I suspect a dusting of cornstarch and spices, I detected a bit of I believe star anise) then deep fries it until the skin is crispy, serves it with baby bok choy, also beautifully cooked. This is like Southern Fried chicken, except it is duck and Asian! It is "da bomb". WE MUST SEARCH THIS MAN OUT AND GET THIS DISH AGAIN! He is an amazing frier. All the fried foods are perfectly fried, not at all greasy, just at that limit between perfectly crispy vs. burnt. He also deep-fried some pork spare ribs for us - he is a master frier. He also made us a lovely shrimp stirfry with snow peas, garlic shoots and bok choy. Very Fresh! Beef chow fun, perfect flavour and texture again.
At the end of the evening, we were all stuffed, and he offered us fried bananas. We thought he'd fry up a small plate, so we said yes. One person said she wouldn't have any. He comes out with a huge platter of fried banana with a sweet syrup spiked with chile flakes to give a slight spicy kick. I'm looking at this platter going, there is no way we are going to finish these. 10 minutes later, they were gone. Again, a perfect fry job - no grease anywhere. The batter was light, the bananas were soft sweet and creamy, they reminded me of banana flavoured donuts, and were so light and airy, they went down like buttuh...The syrup was also light, and the spicy kick was a lovely touch. These are by far the best fried banana I've had in a long time. It is so rare to find perfectly fried food.
We said our goodbyes, and I was able to determine that one man was going to a small town several hours away, but the wok master was going to start work at a restaurant in a relatively nearby suburb. I now have his name and a cell phone number, but no way to communicate with him if I phone him. But he gave us instructions on where the restaurant is, and our plan is to drive out there and ask for him and crispy duck.
It is like Romeo and Juliet - too fast, too young, ending all too soon. 3 visits in ten days, and I'm angling on how I can get there one more time before they leave for good. The place is a hole in the wall, the menu is dumbed down for a conservative local market, but all the food is made with love. The 2 cooks are friendly, wonderful people, and I am so sad my crush will end soon. Perhaps we'll be able to track down the wok master, but once never knows what happens in life. So for now, I'll try to get in one more visit, and I'll always have the memories.
So long-winded. But love stories often are.
How about the rest of you? Have you ever had a Chow-crush on a restaurant?
-
free sample addict aka Tracy L
Jan 3, 2009 07:47 PM
I have crush on the boy next store. For well over 8 years I have passed by the local bar a few blocks from my home. I knew they served food but I didn't realize it went beyond wings and nachos!! i had heard from only one person that the food was good there so I was leary of only one opinion. One night after all the other restaurants were closed I looked up their menu online and was impressed with their interpretation of 'pub grub'. I ordered a small magharita pizza to go and had their flash fired calamari w/ a beer while waiting for the pizza. I was not overly hungry that night but I was impressed with both of my choices. I am not a fan of sports bars but I was impressed that the open kitchen area had an equal amount of space compared to the bar and big screen TVs. It isn't a trendy bar either, so I was surprised to find an open kitchen in the first place (actually it is inclosed in plexiglass). I took a to go menu and look at it longingly in anticipation to my next visit. After my future encounters, I will definitely report on my local board.
-
linguafood
Dec 14, 2008 01:25 PM
Well, this certainly is my current one. I kid you not if I say that just thinking about their food makes me salivate. Literally, NOT figuratively!
-
Sometimes happy endings can occur!
I have managed to track down the wok master to his new resto in Mercier Quebec!
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/579962
This is like finding a long-lost love. Crispy duck, here I come....
I may also have an inside track on Pierre Hermes macarons. Not for sure, but a friend may be going to Paris and if he gets a chance to go, he has agreed to pick up a couple dozen. We shall see if it happens, but if it does, well, it'll be one happy little Moh bouncing around like Tigger.
›2 Replies-
re: moh
Catskillgirl
Dec 14, 2008 09:25 AM
Oh, how wonderful! I am really happy for you. And good luck with the macarons. I've never had one, but the pictures make me drool.
Enjoy your long-awaited crispy duck!
-
-
Catskillgirl
Sep 8, 2008 12:25 PM
I had a Chow-Crush on a pizza place in the Bronx back in the 80's. This tiny place made good pizza, but Mama made meat calzones that were like nothing I've ever experienced elsewhere. Chopped meat in a light tomato sauce with mozzarella melted inside a wonderful crust - I never had the nerve to ask how she made them, and bitterly regret it to this day. After a year of eating these gorgeous things at least weekly I moved away. To another borough. To Queens. From which it is difficult to travel by subway to Bedford Park Blvd near the Botanical Gardens, the site of the magical calzone.
Twice I made the trip back - ordered 2 dozen of these babies and carried them loaded into boxes from the Bronx to Manhattan to work, and then to Queens and my freezer. They were just as good as ever.
Then the place closed. And nobody in the neighborhood knew where Mama had gone, or if she was still concocting these calzoni elsewhere. I swear I can almost taste them to this day.
-
ajs228
Sep 3, 2008 10:08 AM
My current Chow-crush is a local Mexican place here in Phoenix. Carolina's. They make their tortillas about 20 seconds before wrapping up incredibly tasty ingredients inside them. The thing that originally won me over were the rice and refried beans. Normaly little more than filler on the plate, the beans were flavorful and not at all heavy, and the rice was light and fluffy. It only got better from there.
-
poptart
Sep 3, 2008 09:36 AM
I have had a chow-crush on onigiri served by a local japanese bakery for 2 years now.
My favorites were spicy tuna, kombu and ume. One day just tried them on a whim (my first onigiri experience) and became addicted. Have since had them at another place but they are just not as good...these are perfect, not dry, the right amount of rice (not too much, not too little...juuuuuuuust right!). Someday I will try to make my own but already know I could never match these.
The sad thing: I am rarely in that neighborhood and often by the time I get there they are sold out. Oh so disappointing when that happens!!! -
Firegoat
Sep 2, 2008 08:50 AM
I have had a chow crush since about 1985 on a hole in the wall pizza place/bar in Salina Kansas. My sister took me there for the first time when I was in high school. I fell in love. Possible the best pizza in the world. The best crust ever. Incredible sauce. I was smitten. And it was only open certain days of the week. And God forbid even trying to get in without reservations now.
I've lived out of state for some time now, but returned recently to visit my parents for a weekend. Figured there would be no way to fit in "The Scheme" to the visit... I mean I hadn't been home in 3 years, I can't really just take off to dinner one night. But, I did mention it kind of wistfully, and to my surprise my parents were up for it. (The restaurant is about 30 miles from their house, BUT, the county fair was the same night with the combine demolition derby.) Don't ask. If you don't know what that is, just go to you tube and put in combine demolition derby. So my mom (they are mid 60s) called and made us reservations, and we went... which was very cool of them.
And... even after 3 years... it was just as good as ever. The memorabilia on the wall, the writings in the bathrooms, the incredible crust and honey on the table. If we weren't heading on to the fair I would have ordered more and put them in a cooler to bring home.
I hope they never change. -
alkapal
Sep 2, 2008 08:20 AM
i had a chow crush on "pan-asian noodle house" in d.c. in the late 80's-early 90's. they made awesome thai drunken noodles with ground chicken and amazing wok hai (sp?) and fresh rice noodles charred on the edges with caramelization. the see-euw noodles were just as tasty. the branch near k& vermont closed first, then the one near dupont circle about three years later. i have been in mourning, and searching for a suitable substitute. nobody *ever* has come close. i've tried myself with fresh noodle sheets from china boy in chinatown, but my wok is a lame-o version of the real deal. that drunken noodles dish, in its totality, is quintessential umami.
and i want it now!! but my crush went out of business. darn landlords!
;-( -
Sam Fujisaka
Sep 1, 2008 03:41 PM
moh, moh, oh give us mo'
My chow-crushes, like my relationships, seem to be--outside of my control--more fleeting. On my work trips and where I'm somewhere for a few days to a few weeks, I usually find a favorite street-food or market stall where I get to know the cooks and eat at the same place until I leave, but sometimes to return later, sometimes years later, to re-establish good eating and friendships.
I have people who I seek out and who welcome me back after years.
›2 Replies-
re: Sam Fujisaka
"I usually find a favorite street-food or market stall where I get to know the cooks and eat at the same place until I leave, but sometimes to return later, sometimes years later, to re-establish good eating and friendships."
Sam, I was thinking about your post today, and I was wondering why it is so easy to bond with people over food. How is it possible to create that strong a bond over a few meals?
The more I thought, the more I came to believe that it comes down to being able to share a moment of joy. When I eat something wonderful, I experience joy. When you find a small stall or restaurant, and you get to know the cooks, you share that moment of joy with them. They can see how happy you are eating their food, and if they care about their food, they get joy from your joy.
How many people do we interact with every day? And how many of these people do you share joy with? Very few. You might share a smile, a laugh, a moment. Most people you barely interact with. It is so rare to share an emotion as blinding as joy. But eating is such an elemental act, if you love food, you are not just nourishing your body, you are also nourishing your soul. When you meet a kindred spirit and you share a moment of joyous eating with them, you are baring your soul in a way that people rarely do. This moment of trust and vulnerability has the power to create a deep bond that can be rekindled years later. With food, there is no need for words, no need for shared language. Everything can be understood with a lick of the lips, a breathless sigh of contentment.
-
re: moh
Sam Fujisaka
Sep 3, 2008 09:23 AM
Completely right!! I hadn't thought about it in these terms, but you're so right. I guess that one of the reasons I like street and market food so much is that one sits or stands eating in front of the person who makes and serves the food; and I always talk and laugh and joke with these--usually--women and girls--while obviously enjoying the food, asking for more chiles, asking about what's in the dish, sometimes getting a lesson in making things like hand formed tortillas, or stuffed bitter gourd or wrapping tamales, or forming dough and making dumplings or momos or tossing sheets of dough in the air.
-
-
-
-
I am loving the stories and comments here! After reading the first two responses from Nosh and ML8000, I initially thought this was a phenomenon centered around Chinese restaurants! I would agree with ML8000's comments:
"In my experience it's almost always humble mom and pop places. I think the corniness that they put love it the food might have some truth or they simply revere the simple dish and do it perfectly. There's few buzzes better then inexpensive food cooked to perfection. "
I was titillated by Miss Needle's post on Pierre Hermes, but had my hopes dashed when I realized it would take a trip to Europe to get my sticky little paws on these beauties. I am now desperately looking for an excuse to fly to Paris.
These stories of Chow-crush soothe my melancholy soul and empty stomach! Keep them coming!
›4 Replies-
re: moh
I've had chow crushes on Taquerias and mom and pop sandwich shops. One such crush was on a sandwich place that made the perfect club sandwich (with avocado) great bread, real turkey, fresh bacon and super reasonable price. I had to limit myself to one a week not to kill the buzz...but it was hard. They lost their lease. This was 8-9 years ago and I still remember it well.
Worse thing about the chow crush might be an early "break up". You know, you find a place and it's amazing the first couple of times and then...you get a bad meal or sick. This happened semi-recently and it was major buzz kill. Made me chow shy on new places for a while.
-
hill food
Aug 30, 2008 11:19 PM
well jeez moh, where did they move to? who should watch for their arrival?
chefbeth: Paris is milder than NYC if that's any pt. of reference, but with slightly shorter daylight in Fall/Winter. was there in late December and January twice and was fine with a heavy jacket and the long johns just in case - didn't really need them. just sweaters and good shoes. great outdoor market near Cardinal Lemoine year-round in the left bank not far from that cafe where Sartre hung out - name escapes me, trois something.
interesting little grocery where the Rivoli turns into Ste. Antoine on the right bank by the Marais (the freezer section is fascinating, but then I'm a grocery geek - I used to monitor stores for AC Nielsen in a previous life)
Chow-crush? the first (Fillmore street) Oritalia and Thai House #1 on Noe in SF (both gone); BeDuCi and Meyhane in DC (also gone); assorted strip mall Salvadoreno joints in LA.
never had a crabcake like that Oritalia's since and in DC that is significant.
›2 Replies-
re: hill food
Hill food, one of them is moving to a small town outside of Chicoutimi (also a small town, but bigger). That will be hard to get to. But the wok master is going to a small exburb of Montreal called Mercier, and he told us when he'd be starting. We have a quest ahead of us. If I am successful in finding him, there will surely be a detailed post on the Quebec board. But because they were in fact leaving the original place, I didn't think it would be fair to post details just to say "but they're closing". Hence the elegy here.
-
re: moh
hill food
Sep 1, 2008 05:20 PM
Moh: oh, I was hoping they were going farther afield and maybe into the lower 48.
chefbeth sorry: trois-nothing I was thinking of the area near Deux Magots. place itself is a bit precious for me. rather hit the alley joint behind the ELF station which I guess is a Total now.
-
-
-
-
maria lorraine
Aug 30, 2008 08:16 PM
Moh, what a good storyteller you are.
With such good specifics.
Call me a fan.
Of course, I've had Chow crushes. I don't think them much different from my Poet Crushes or Professor Crushes or Winemaker Crushes. And I've had all of those many times.
›2 Replies -
Miss Needle
Aug 30, 2008 01:59 PM
Moh, I can totally relate to your chow crush. Mine is Pierre Herme in Paris. It's great because even if you can't afford to go to all these three star restaurants there, you can probably afford a couple of bucks for one macaron. I love, love, LOVE his macarons! In fact I told DH the first time I had them to not be pissed off if I screamed "Pierre Herme!" in bed instead of his name. Now, this is a crush on the macarons and the other delectable offerings he has and not on the man. I've seen a pic of the man and physically he's just not my taste -- too "bear" for me. But I'm in love with his ingenuity, his precision, his creativity, his dedication, his passion. He pushes boundaries yet maintains his classical roots. His macarons are totally life-altering. With every bite, my purpose on this Earth totally makes sense -- I'm here to experience the wonderful pleasures in life like eating these macarons. They are that good! I've gotten a couple of his cookbooks and love to drool over the pictures. They are so inspirational that I'm thinking of attempting a photography project using macarons as my subject (sigh -- if only my photo skills were better) and hanging them above my couch. It's like how Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City said that Vogue feeds her -- I can be satisfied eating one Pierre Macaron (well, maybe not just one) because it nourishes me in so many ways aside from the physical.
Here's a beautiful tribute to Pierre Herme written by eggbeater. She sums Pierre Herme up really well.
›5 Replies-
re: Miss Needle
Ah, Miss N -- you have won me over with your description of this crush. I've read many of your posts and while I find that at times I disagree with your point of view, I have always respected it, and the way that you state your case. And now I find that I MUST have one of these macarons.
What is Paris like in early November, do you think? I've always gone during the summertime. ::please pardon me while I check out Travelocity::
Thanks again, Miss N.
-
re: chefbeth
Paris is wonderful in Autumn(as it is all the year long) a little cool, but less crowded and there's so much wonderful fall produce and game in the restos. the cafes light the overhead heateres and it's still delightful to sit and have a glass of pastis watching the throngs of Parisians bustle along the Bouls. St Germain or grab some roasted chestnuts from an Ivorian vendor or just walk around and look in store windows.
-
-
re: Miss Needle
maria lorraine
Aug 30, 2008 08:13 PM
My God, Miss Needle! That was just perfectly, deliciously written!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Pierre Herme!
I'm really rather stunned after reading this.
-
re: Miss Needle
Beach Chick
Aug 30, 2008 09:48 PM
Love your take on Pierre Herme..
I've been screaming out his name for years..hee hee -
re: Miss Needle
Miss Needle
Sep 2, 2008 10:53 AM
I hope all of you guys have an opportunity to sample his goods. Oh, what I wouldn't do for him to open up a place in my city.
chefbeth, I really do hope you get to go to Paris soon! Early November probably wouldn't be my first choice (as I'm a hot weather freak), but I think it would still be nice. The great thing about Paris is that there are so many activities you can enjoy indoors that it's a good destination to go all year round.
-
-
haha...nice terminology, chow crush...funny and so true.
I've had a few chow crushes and it's a funny thing, like puppy love, you anticipate the next time you'll go, get a bit in a tizzy thinking about it and you hope it never ends...but it does.
In my experience it's almost always humble mom and pop places. I think the corniness that they put love it the food might have some truth or they simply revere the simple dish and do it perfectly. There's few buzzes better then inexpensive food cooked to perfection. One crush was a small mom and pop Chinese American place called Valley Cafe in SF...long gone. UPS drivers swarmed there for lunch and after I got to know them just a little bit they'd offer me food they were cooking that wasn't on the menu. The owner/chef retired. He had a large family so I think he went off into the sunset happily.
ETA: The funny thing is, sometimes you get a food crush on a place that's basically indifferent or mean. I call it S&M/co-dependent weirdness...but the food is so good you don't care. Okay, that might not be a crush but it's something.
-
Funny, mine was also a Chinese restaurant. Small place just opened up 31 years ago next to the bus station off the mall in Santa Cruz, where I was beginning grad school. Very popular from the start -- the chef had cooked at another larger local place before getting into trouble for embezzlement or something. Our first visit was on Thanksgiving -- we were hosting some friends for dinner and my housemate went to the pier that morning for fresh fish and, of course, found everything closed. Well, on TurkeyDay it wasn't crowded and we had a superb time. Went back a week or two later on a weekend night around 8 and didn't get seated until after 10:30. I went solo several times during a school vacation, and the chef sent me some small tastes of other dishes along with my entree. Well, Chef Tong's got more popular, expanded, and within a few years Chef Tong was selling some Chinese stirfry sauces and was featured giving cooking lessons on a local TV show. Tragically, it all came to an end far too soon when he died, far too young, in an automobile accident. But he was a real salesman, big smile, rumor had it he had taken a Dale Carnegie course and he remembered customers' names and kept a guestbook. I still remember he'd send out the dishes in succession rather than all at once -- the mild dishes first, then the spicy, ending with the sweet. Great memories.
