summer night out
I am in wrap up mode. Getting ready to go away. Packing a 3 week bag for Josh and a 5 week bag for me. The girls took off for the Hamptons with friends in tow leaving the rest of us in the city preparing to leave. Weather wise, they couldn't be luckier.
Last night, Fred Josh and I went to the Noodle Bar for dinner and then went to see Toy Story. It might be fourth of July weekend but the Noodle Bar is still packed and there is a line at 6pm. Not a light meal. Always feel too full when I leave there.
We got to sit at the bar. It is so much fun to watch how everything is prepared. Certainly plenty is made earlier in the day so to watch how they get the entree to your table by reheating, seasoning etc., is really interesting.
We started off with the pork bun. It is a must. There is nothing else quite like it. The pork melts in your mouth. So good.
I remember loving the roasted rice cakes with roasted onion red chili pepper and sesame so we had an order of that. Not as good as I remember. After watching the young guy prep this in front of us, I know why. The long strips of roasted rice is rewarmed on the grill. He didn't make them crispy enough so there wasn't a bite. Just goes to show that one night a restaurant can be fantastic and another night not so good based on who is prepping not necessarily the actual recipe.
Josh had the soup which for $16 is a great deal. Roasted pork, broth, poached egg, noodles and more. So filling that this is enough for two meals maybe three.
We tried the corn that is pan fried with miso butter and roasted potatoes. Very buttery and good.
The brisket was killer. Not sure how long it had been roasted but there was a pickle element to it. It looked and tasted almost like corned beef. Browned on the edges over rice and pickled carrots, radishes and daikons on the side. This is what separates Chang from the rest. I have never seen brisket made like this or served like this. A wow.
Watching the huge plates of fried chicken coming out of the kitchen was entertaining too. The tables that had pre-ordered that were so excited. I want to go do that this fall with a group.
The movie pickings are slim this summer except for a few indie films that Josh has no desire to see. Instead, we went to see Toy Story. Funny, clever and so well done. Smart writers and great animation. Really enjoyed it.
Today…a wrap up. Tomorrow…on the plane and away we go.
