Fun Playing With Issan/Esarn/ Northern-style Thai in NY

We spent last weekend making our final 2010 visit to family in the New York suburbs. While I might normally report chronologically on food fun of interest for the whole trip in one post, this restaurant was so amazing that it gets its own spotlight. Shortly before we departed, I read a Facebook post from Cleveland culinary media professional Heidi Robb about a Thai restaurant she had just visited in Woodside, Queens. Heidi had been living in New York City for several weeks, working on several television projects, including Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn. When she posted a mouthwatering photo of Thai Papaya Salad, I knew I had to have it - or something darn similar!

Since Heidi was unable to join us, we decided to drive through the City and dine at the North Williston (Nassau County) location of SriPraPhai. The menu was huge! How to choose from so many amazing-looking dishes? (And I do mean that the dishes looked amazing - for the menu includes photographs of most of the dishes.) Somehow, we narrowed it down to three items

We began with one of several available variations on the Papaya Salad listed under Appetizers. Note that there are some inconsistencies between the on-line menu and the restaurant menu, so the item numbers or descriptions may vary a little. The info below is from the restaurant menu.



Papaya Salad with Crispy Catfish Meat (A-3)



This plate packed powerful flavors and spices together with sweet papaya and catfish flavor - though there wasn't any catfish flesh to speak of. The catfish was completely crisped, offering a different type of crunch than the papaya noodles did, and they played well together. We asked for our food spicy and got it that way - and here the chili heat balanced out a strong presence of fish sauce, savory peanuts, and sweet grape tomatoes, together with tender haricot verts and carrot sticks. Lovely.


Thai noodles served w. northern style curry, herbs, ground pork and spare rib (N-11)

Heidi had noted now rarely northern style Thai dishes could be found in US restaurants, so I jumped at the chance to try it.



This bowl brimmed with goodness - two types of pork, tomato-based curry, peanuts, and spices (and yes, we asked for spicy and it arrived spicy).



The bowl was accompanied by crispy bean sprouts, sauteed dried chilies, and preserved vegetable. I'd never tasted the Thai version of the latter; it was cleaner in flavor than the more spicy Sichuan Preserved Vegetable I am more accustomed to, with a little kick of vinegar. There were also cucumbers on the plate, but somehow Bob got all of those.

I've eaten noodles in many forms in many places, but I wasn't sure what to make of this plate. The bowl was so full already. If it was intended to be eaten as a soup, wouldn't it all be in one  (larger) bowl? Should the noodles be dipped in the bowl, the way sticky rice is used as a utensil to eat other Thai dishes? Hmmm. Well, the fresh rice noodles were too hot to handle with fingers, so that wasn't the answer.



So, I used a fork to dip noodles in the sauce, then spooned some topping out onto them on my serving plate. It worked.



A few minutes later, when our server came to check on us, I asked her how this dish should be eaten. She said that the noodles should be put into the bowl, and the contents eaten from there. Ok, so I was close.



This dish was a true symphony of flavors - just enough heat to make me sweat, with tender meats that had sponged up intense flavors in the cooking process. The noodles maintained their toothiness even after bathing in the rich sauce.

Bob opted for a dish from the "A La Carte" section of the menu - larger portions than the dishes from the "over rice" section of the menu. Rice would thus also be a la carte.

First - the rice:


Coconut Rice (side order)

Is there a more perfect accompaniment to Thai spicy food than sticky rice that has been cooked with coconut milk?


Roasted duck in hot and spicy curry sauce w. Thai eggplant and bamboo shoot (C-18)

This photo does not do any justice at all to the complex flavors and textures in this dish. The duck meat was perfectly cooked and imbued with a spicy curry that was completely different from the flavor profile of the noodle dish. The eggplants still had a bit of texture, but had also absorbed the wonderful flavors from the sauce.

Though the price point for each dish was around $10 (plus $2 for the rice, and our beverages), the portions were more than ample. We were very hungry when we started, and stuffed when we finished, and we still took home a generous left-overs bag.

The contemporary space initially surprised me a little, but only added to our enjoyment of the meal. I'll leave you with this image - never seen a wineglass-storage chandelier before.



Thank you, Heidi, for recommending SriPraPhai. We'd never have found it without you, and we'd have missed all this fun playing with authentic Thai food!

Fun Playing with Real Chinese Food at Beijing Garden, Twinsburg-Hudson, Ohio

It has been too long since a post has made it out of my larder! I am currently cooking for the Cleveland Area Mensa Regional Gathering in September, trying to utilize the bounty of our garden, planning some trips, working on a new business idea, and, oh yes, working my day job as an attorney. Busy, busy, busy - but always delighted when fellow blogger Tom Noe, picking up on a comment someone left on one of my recent blog posts, suggested that we visit a relatively new Chinese restaurant sitting on the Twinsburg/Hudson border. And so, four of us descended upon Chef Shawn Chen and his lovely restaurant, Beijing Garden, this weekend.

Located in a small strip mall on Rt. 91 (Darrow Road), and easy to drive to, even in a monsoon-like rain that whetted our appetite for Sichuan flavors, all of us made it from different directions around Cleveland-Akron in less than thirty minutes. Bob and I arrived a bit early, and enjoyed a couple of Tshingtao beers (happy hour priced, even on Saturday, at $1.75 each until 8pm). The restaurant has two sides - the left side, with kitchen in full view, is the casual/take-out side, with a few tables for dining in. The dining room on the right is a freshly built-out, contemporary space offering tables and booths (including two large round tables with turntables on them, for traditional Chinese dining). The restrooms (at least the one  that I visited) are spotlessly clean and fully handicapped accessible - my mother and her scooter would be perfectly comfortable here.

Service was friendly and enthusiastic. Chef-owner Shawn Chen was everywhere - front of house, dining room and kitchen. He explained his menu, emphasizing Northern China and Sichuan cuisines. We couldn't wait to dig in!

Our sturdy plastic kuàizi (chopsticks) came in this wrapper, a celebration of Beijing. A nice touch.  

Since there were only four of us, we knew we'd need to exercise some restraint in the number of dishes we'd order. We settled on two appetizers and four entrees, which we knew would generate some leftovers, without overloading ourselves.

Dan Dan Mein 

Wikipedia tells us that the name of this dish "refers to a type of carrying pole (a dan dan) that was used by ambulatory vendors who sold the dish on the streets. Literally, the name translates as Peddler's noodles." I hadn't had it in years; the story I'd always heard was that the name derived from the slapping sound produced during the actual noodle making.

The tender noodles have a gentler texture than your standard Lo Mein noodle, though they are similar in size. These were very fresh.

 

I could have slurped a big bowl of these noodles for my meal! Pork, vegetables and seasonings were expertly proportioned, and we all got a bit of mouth numbing heat from the Sichuan peppercorn in the sauce.  Yum.

Chef's Special Dumplings Pork and Shrimp

Dipping Sauce

We loved these dumplings. Smaller than a potsticker, and not sauced, this little package offered great flavors and textures - a little crunch, a little chew, and savory filling that did not upstage the wrapper, but harmonized with it. The dipping sauce leaned a little to the vinegar side, which cut nicely through the richness.

We took our time and ordered our entrees after enjoying the appetizers. Our servers were impressed, as this is a very Chinese way to order and eat; many Americans are in a hurry when they dine out.

Ma La Eel 

Shredded eel strips were battered and fried with sweet onion, water chestnuts, and a Sichuan Ma La sauce. Wikipedia tells us that "[t]he term málà is a combination of two Chinese characters: "numbing" (麻) and "hot (piquant)" (辣), referring to the feeling in the mouth after eating the sauce." This sauce absolutely delivered. The eel - not so much. I had failed to communicate to my dining companions what Chef Shawn had told me before they arrived - most of his seafood is frozen (which, given his location and price points below $15/dish, is not at all surprising or even disappointing). Though the breading and frying solved any textural problems the eel might have suffered - like most frozen seafood, it just didn't have a lot of genuine flavor. 

Chicken with Eggplant in Garlic Sauce

This was Tom's entree selection. Chinese eggplant was stir fried with lots of garden-fresh zucchini, onions, green peppers, whole dried chilies (Stuart actually ate one - I was impressed), and chicken, in a light garlic sauce. The sauce was much gentler than the sweet-and-soy-heavy versions often seen on Americanized Chinese menus, and it really allowed all of the flavors of the ingredients to shine through. We all thoroughly enjoyed this dish.

Our next dish came out of the kitchen on a flat plate, with a bowl inverted over the food. I immediately recognized this technique from a Chinese cooking class as a molded presentation. The contents had probably been steamed in the bowl, which was topped with a plate. Now, plate on bottom, the server coaxed the steaming hot bowl off of the top of the dish with her bare hands:

Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetable

In contrast to the Ma La or chili heat of the previous dishes, this dish said "Beijing" loud and clear! The preserved vegetable had to have stewed for hours to reach this consistency, and it was very tasty. The pork could have used some additional braising time - the connective tissue was still a little tough. But the meat tasted clean and the meat, vegetables and rice came together as a nice dish. I got the impression that they don't serve it often, and that is a shame. This is a dish that demonstrates how much more there is to Chinese cuisine than stir-fry, by combining braising and steaming with a lovely presentation.

Ironically, the order for our last dish got confused somewhere between the server and the kitchen - after we waited quite a while (remembering that we were being served Chinese style, which means dishes are served as they are ready and not in pre-ordained courses), we asked where our Ziran Lamb was.  This is ironic because the pork dish above could have used that extra cooking time.

Ziran Lamb

Sliced marinated lamb and slices of sweet onion were cooked in "cumin flavor spicy sauce," a "signature dish," says the menu. I love Cumin Lamb, which is a classic Sichuan item, and this version had all of the elements for a wonderful dish - tender lamb, bold spicing and crunchy onions. Unfortunately, I think the kitchen may have rushed this plate a bit because of the ordering mix-up - it was a little over-seasoned for my palate. But don't let that comment deter you from trying this dish - if you like lamb and you like bold spice - you will probably love this dish. 

I was very happy to see two groups of Asian diners enjoy some traditional-looking treats during our visit. I was less happy to see that the restaurant wasn't well populated on a Saturday night. We left around 8pm, and I don't think they ever had more than 4 other tables occupied, in addition to ours, at the same time. So, I'm getting the word out! You'll find all of your Chinese-American favorites priced under $10 a plate (except seafood items, which average $12), and a lunch special ranging from $5.50-7.95.

Beijing Garden has a beer and wine license and happy hour is 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday and all day on Sunday. I didn't look at the wine list and I don't know what the happy hour discount is; the small beer list is light and lagery, which pairs well with spicy food, and is priced at Happy Hour at $1.75 for the imports and either $1.25 or $1.50 for domestic (sorry, I should have written that down). The restaurant offers four different varieties of tea. The menu has recently been revamped a bit, so the one you are handed may not entirely follow the on-line version, but the substance is the same.

If you enjoy Chinese food - whether authentic or Americanized, you will enjoy dining at Beijing Garden. Put yourself in Chef Shawn Chen's hands and be prepared, if you are willing, to journey to Northern China, Sichuan - or both! We had fun playing with Sichuan and Beijing food at Beijing Garden and look forward to returning.

Fun Playing with Many Chilies to Benefit the Autism Society of Greater Cleveland

In a gutsy move - forced by logistics to be scheduled one night before the larger and more star-studded Market Under Glass benefit for the Cleveland Food Bank - the Autism Society of Greater Cleveland ("ASGC") tonight held its fifth annual Greater Cleveland Chili Cook-Off for Autism at Progressive Field. Approximately twenty five amateur and professional cooks brought their chili and fixins to the Terrace Club on a gorgeously sunshiny evening to help the ASGC raise funds for its efforts to promote education and awareness about autism, and to offer resources to families coping with autism. Its mission statement is:

“To serve the autism community by providing information, coordinating support services, and facilitating communication for the benefit of those with Autism Spectrum Disorders from diagnosis through adulthood.”

Dining with some of those families tonight drove home for me, who has no children (because I find the husband quite sufficient), the importance of the work being done by the Society and the value of the participation of the many volunteers and donors who attended tonight. For those of you who could not attend  tonight - the Society continues to welcome tax-deductible contributions (their website indicates that they are a 501(c)(3)); please visit their website or call them at 216-556-4937 to donate.

The sun shone and Progressive Field dazzled from the Terrace Club vantage.

But I was not there to sight-see - I was there to taste and pass judgment on no less than eight of the 25 chilies being served. The task was a little harder than I expected. More than one chili really needed more than just a small taste to allow the nuances of seasonings and tastes in the bowl come through. And so . . . 

My favorite chili of the evening (it actually was "tied" for best, IMHO, with Blue Canyon's offering) came from a prior Chili Cook-Off winner in the amateur category. And while I didn't remember this while I was tasting and judging, I was reminded later, when discussing this fabulous dish with someone, that Rudy Newman  (pictured above with his dad) is autistic. And a very talented cook!

Rudy's Chili



Mamaliga

Rudy and his dad explained that this Romanian cross between polenta and porridge (this version rich with cheesy goodness) was drawn from Bram Stoker's Dracula, which inspired the dish. They were even prepared with copies of page 8 from the novel to explain the dish.



Mamaliga - Mama Mia was it delicious! The chili had a touch of sweetness, but definite pepper flavor balancing it off. Topped with a bit of sour cream - I'd hit chili Nirvana right out of the gate.





My next bowl came from Chef Charles Sanders and his crew at the Embassy Suites. They offered two chilies but I only got to taste one:






Smoked Pork and Beef Chili with House-made Cheese Straw

I liked this smokey chili - but the star of the bowl was the cheese straw! I especially loved the cracker in the chili - a sublime combination.


Smoked Apple Vegan Chili - Treehuggers Cafe

I approached this chili with a very open mind, and I really wanted to like it. I loved the concept of building the chili on smoked apples. It just didn't work for me. But that doesn't mean it wouldn't work for you!



Ken Kostal - Big Boppers Beef Chili





This was a "straight ahead" beef chili.  And most tasty, though it was one of the chilies that really needed to "build" a bit to be fully appreciated.




The Happy Dog Gang

Chef Eric Williams and his family were in the house - but his able assistants served up the goods! This chorizo sausage chili is the same served at The Happy Dog.


Habanaro Hot Sauce

This hot sauce is also on the regular Happy Dog Menu. Fortunately, I've tasted it before, so I knew to be very judicious in application (I needed to have working tastebuds for the rest of the evening).





Served steaming hot - this was a nice bowl 'o red.

But the Happy Dog gang was not satisfied with one entry - they also presented this vegetarian option:


Vegetarian Garbanzo Bean Chili

This chili is also available at Happy Dog (and can be paired with a vegetarian dog). I really, really liked it.







In addition to a genuine chili taste, this dish had great texture and body (I think there was some TVP or similar product bulking it up). I almost didn't miss the meat.


Linda and Randy Kelly, The Westside Market Cafe

Like Happy Dog, the Westside Market Cafe served the same chili that is served in their restaurant, which they explained is made exclusively from products available in the market. Fresh and flavorful.






The vividness of the vegetables really stood out in this chili.



My next taste came from George Soos and the Laurel Run Cooking School:


Beef-Pork-Roasted Poblano Chili with Habanero Corn Muffin 

This chili delivered a smokey taste without too much heat. The muffin proved irresistible (I was getting full and trying to not finish it) - I kept swirling it in the chili and munching until it was gone. Oh well.



This next chili tied for my favorite of the evening:


Blue Canyon - Urban Chili with Black Garlic Whipped Cream 

If there is such a thing as "chili crack" - this dish is it. An hallucinogenic form of cumin is the best I can do to explain it - the flavors in the chili itself, combined with the ethereal savory whipped cream (whipped cream - now why didn't I think of that when we cooked for the cook-off!) was an umami-bomb.



The dish simply exploded with flavor.

By the time I licked this bowl clean - I was pretty full. And aware, to my horror, that I hadn't even gotten to the second level of the Terrace Club yet. Heck, I hadn't tasted everything on the first level yet! I had fulfilled my judging obligations, and could have stopped there. But I summoned the intestinal fortitude to go on. Some of my favorite chefs were downstairs, and I had to have at least a taste.


Chef Jeff Jarrett - North End Wine Bar - Roast Pulled Pork Chili 

Chef Jeff told me what the greens were - but I apologize that the information didn't stick in my brain. It truly enhanced the chili, so it's bugging me that I can't remember what he told me, though the word "chive" is coming to mind. After all, pulled roasted pork doesn't need a whole lot of enhancement!

My next stop was with former-Cook-Off winner (amateur) and 20 Mule Team captain Bill Polewchak and his sous chef Fred Griffith:


Serrano Corn Pudding

This creamy lovely was the base for my taste of the 20 Mule Team Borracho:


20 Mule Team Borracho - Pork Cheeks, Chorizo, Belly, Pinto-Tequila Gravy; Cilantro Garlic Crema

A hit, as always! I was, unfortunately, single-digit calories away from "uncle" and therefore unable to fully appreciate it.


Pete Dressen - The Inn at Walden - Chili with lots of fixings - goat cheese, cilantro, creme fraiche, scallion, tortilla, sesame seed

The flavor that screamed out to me from this bowl was: Mole! And mole is a good thing. Especially as presented by Chef Dressen. But I could manage scarcely more than a bite.






I also loved the toppings, on their own with the chili, and together.

By this point, I was really done. But I had to taste one more bite - from Chef Kris Krieger of Chef's Choice Meats. I had loved his chili at the 2007 Chili Cook-Off, so I couldn't leave without a little taste.



This "straight ahead," un-adorned chili was the perfect bite to end with.



I could not even look at/photograph the dessert table (which appeared quite ample in size), though Bob grabbed a cookie before we went back upstairs.


We left before the winners were announced, and no amount of emailing, Facebooking or other social media is bringing me the names of the winners at this way-too-late hour. I'll update with that info later today.


We had a lot of fun playing with chili, while helping a worthy cause. You can also help make a difference for families learning about and dealing with autism by donating to the Society. Again, you can donate via their website or by calling 216-556-4937.

Looking forward to next year's event! Who knows - maybe the first winner in the amateur category (my husband) will be roused from retirement to spice and simmer again!

Edited to update you on the winners!

And the winners were:
Best Chili: Rudy Newman- Amateur (and my personal favorite of the ones I judged).

Peoples Choice: Ed Ripepi- Verso Restaurant - I didn't get to sample this one, darn!

Most Creative: Blue Canyon - also my choice, for that amazing chili with black garlic sour cream!