A Wah: 5 Catherine Street. The place that many publications (now including this lil one) have insisted is the place to visit in NYC for superior bo zai fan, a Chinese rice-casserole with a multiplicity of protein possibilities. You may wait and you will be overwhelmed but the ensuing pleasure will outweigh everything.
But before the rice, there is no viable option beyond crispy skin duck in a soft bun.
'Perfect' comes to mind with little hesitation, even in this distant recollection of the pleasure I enjoyed this summer when I ate here. Crispy skin meets tender meat in one square inch. A few vegs for balance and a thick sauce so unite each bite. Those pillowy buns are just as soft as they look (trust me, I rubbed one on my cheek).
Next, the bo zai fan. To paraphrase my close friends at the Village Voice, 'bo zai fan are made by depositing cooked rice in a porous and lidded clay pot that's been pre-soaked in water, then dumping two or three ingredients on top, from a catalog that favors frog, pork, preserved vegetables, duck, chicken legs, and aromatics such as scallions and ginger. The pot is then heated on the brazier for 15 minutes, so the flavors fully penetrate the rice.'
Once it arrives at the table, it is up to you to dress it up with thick, house-made soy sauce, a dense, pink vinegar, or spicy, pastey oil. Each layer is a different experience; the softest rice at the top is most imbued with the flavor of the add in, the middle layer is a mushy delight, and the bottom is a cripsy and burnt reward for stretching your stomach.
No matter how full you are, there is always room for an egg white & ginger custard. I'll leave that gelatinous wonder up to the imagination.
But before the rice, there is no viable option beyond crispy skin duck in a soft bun.
'Perfect' comes to mind with little hesitation, even in this distant recollection of the pleasure I enjoyed this summer when I ate here. Crispy skin meets tender meat in one square inch. A few vegs for balance and a thick sauce so unite each bite. Those pillowy buns are just as soft as they look (trust me, I rubbed one on my cheek).
Next, the bo zai fan. To paraphrase my close friends at the Village Voice, 'bo zai fan are made by depositing cooked rice in a porous and lidded clay pot that's been pre-soaked in water, then dumping two or three ingredients on top, from a catalog that favors frog, pork, preserved vegetables, duck, chicken legs, and aromatics such as scallions and ginger. The pot is then heated on the brazier for 15 minutes, so the flavors fully penetrate the rice.'
Once it arrives at the table, it is up to you to dress it up with thick, house-made soy sauce, a dense, pink vinegar, or spicy, pastey oil. Each layer is a different experience; the softest rice at the top is most imbued with the flavor of the add in, the middle layer is a mushy delight, and the bottom is a cripsy and burnt reward for stretching your stomach.
No matter how full you are, there is always room for an egg white & ginger custard. I'll leave that gelatinous wonder up to the imagination.
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