Myers and Chang Chowdown UPDATE – Boston

Like all relationships, my relationship with Myers & Chang was in desperate need of rekindling after a dry year. Even Joanne Chang and Chris Myers probably have a non-culinary date night once in a while.

So I had a date night…with Myers & Chang. Before you snicker at my willingness to third wheel, remember that third wheels are necessary on several vital contraptions…like cars…and tricycles…although I think tricycles are now antiques. Shut up, I’m not that old…

My night at Myers & Chang started with the easy familiarity that comes with knowing who you’re dealing with. The Taiwanese-Style Dan Dan Noodles were predictably sweet with peanuts and chili sambai. No surprises, but why stray when you know what you have is good?

The date night hit a minor hiccup with the Wok-Roasted Mussels. A heavier hand on the lemongrass makes swallowing these juicy, flavorful, fully-saturated mussels a tad bit painful. Plenty of people prefer their mussels drenched so take my opinion with a grain of salt…of which this sauce had one too many.

The Black Pepper Shanghai Noodles were comfort with a kick. The tofu and portabella are old comforts you get to know over the years, and the black pepper kicks you awake with the novelty of an occasional moment of feistiness, an unexpected laugh, or a new inside joke.

The Corn with Sriracha Butter is the shocking burn when a little unexpected spice pops up after years of sweet predictability. Corn is tasty, especially at places like Toro, but once in a while you just need the spark of Myers & Chang.

I tried a lot of new things with Myers & Chang that night, but my relationship with them may never change. There is the constant companionship of the 5-spice Tofu Buns and the chocolate mousse with legendary meringue, but just when I think I’ve been through it all, they throw a some hot sriracha butter and a kick of black pepper into the flame. Myers & Chang may be what I like to call a faithful old favorite, and some nights, they’re all I crave.

Myers & Chang Chowdown - Boston

Afraid your dietary restrictions will keep you from eating here? No way. There’s  a vegetarian menu and a nut-free menu. There’s a gluten-free menu so even Celiac’s won’t stop you. And seriously, you should eat here. Just be careful what you actually order.

Lingering question: how many different people decorated this place? The outside is looks hipster-modern with the artsy red pattern, but the inside has padded minimalist in-my-dining-room chairs and newspaper place mats. Not understanding how any of this goes together. But no worries – the service is excellent and the food is good.

For the food, I think I’ll create a domestic disturbance by pitting Myers and Chang against each other to see whose culinary inspirations ranked supreme. It looks like I credit Chang with all the good things and blame Myers for all the mistakes…

Myers:

Minus 1: Kimchee Pancake: Ummm….did you forget to add the kimchee? It doesn’t even taste like kimchee. Just two layers of flat fried dough with a sparse soggy layer of cabbage in between. And the dipping sauce? Which isn’t even spicy? Isn’t that the point of kimchee? Thanks for ruining a perfectly good Asian tradition, white boy.

Minus 10: Fried Oysters w/fermented black beans: Ummm…did you forget to add the oyster? Did you think that you could up your profit margin if you put balls of fried dough in oyster shells instead of actual oyster?

Plus 1: Short rib taco: Juicy, nicely braised meat. Hated the chili-sesame salsa, which was way too salty, a bit too mushy, and not a compliment to the meat (Minus 1 for Chang!). But the corn soft taco shells are amazing. Cleverly, each taco has two wrappers so they don’t get soggy or fall apart in your hand.

Chang:

Plus 1: Tea Smoked Ribs: I didn’t expect them to be sweet but they were wonderfully sweet and the smoky tea flavor is definitely in there. The ribs are savory to the bone, literally, and the meat just falls right off. Yummmm

Plus 1: Crispy spring rolls: Admirably ballsy trailblazing (and authentically delicious!) filling. I bow to any Asian chef bold enough to feed chives to Western palates. 

Plus 1: 5-spice tofu buns: I am a die-hard fan of pork buns made with braised pork belly. I feared disappointment, but I’m literally eating my words! Firm, perfectly spiced tofu balanced with hoisin sauce and impossibly thin pickles for a crisp hint of tanginess.

Plus 1: Pork Bao: This was a tough one…After Momofuku (my fave NYC restaurant), no pork boa actually tastes good in comparison but to be fair, this was flavorful goodness.

Neutral: Wok-charred Udon Noodles (veggie):  The sauce is good, and the stirfry is as it should be. No complaints but I could have made this myself if I ever dared to use as much oil as they do.

Plus 5: “Ancient Chinese secret” chocolate mousse: Best dessert I’ve had all year. It’s impossibly rich so I recommend splitting. Caution: don’t let the sheer power of the mousse overshadow your appreciation for the meringues sticking in it. The meringues melt in your mouth and simply disappear, leaving the lingering taste of sweet perfection. The sole reason I’ll be returning.

Points Tally:

Myers: -10

Chang: 8

Conclusion: Joanne Chang is clearly standing by her man…even if it means pulling dead weight.

But no worries. I will be back to eat HER food. Please have my chocolate mousse ready.