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| - People have a tendency to lean toward food trends. Bacon is a prime example, with recent reports of an imminent bacon shortage in the coming years due to worldwide excessive consumption... that, or we can just blame Randolph and Mortimer Duke for their shady dealings in pork bellies. So for now, while the supply is still here, I highly recommend the pork belly steam buns. Simple in nature, complex in flavor. A crispy exterior with a slightly caramelized Thai glaze gives way to the delicate, rich fattiness of the interior complimented by thinly sliced pickled cucumbers and a sprig of cilantro - all of this wrapped in the warm embrace of a pillowy handmade steam bun. Imagine if you could eat a warm nap on a crisp autumn night (no really, imagine it)... this is what should pop into your mind.
What people fail to realize is that there are many parts of the pig that can lend that same salty, succulent, tender pork fat that the human mind/body ultimately crave. Trotters, shoulders, tongue, jowl (which yields a personal favorite, guanciale)... it's gold, Jerry, GOLD! For those of us that are well aware of these parts, we can only hope that there is no bacon shortage... because if there is, the wannabe food lovers will start coming after the real tasty bits, and that just spells disaster for those that can appreciate the intricacies of flavor and texture spread across the landscape of a freshly slaughtered hog. For those that want to preserve the porkfat, so to speak, one of the great alternatives is the "pig wing." The item is not new, but the description is something that caters to that of the typical food illiterate. It is nothing more than the shank - a simple and widely used item in cuisines around the world... but when prepared correctly, it is transformed into a tender, hot pork popsicle with a built in stick. The glaze is reminiscent of the aforementioned pork belly, crisp on the outside and lending a higher meat ratio, yet still interlaced with just enough gelatinized fat to leave that little bit of tackiness on the inside of your mouth - something dentists should find a way to harness, because let's face it... it'd be a lot more enjoyable if you have a sticky, slimy coating of pork flavor rather than the grittiness from fluoride covering your tongue when you're walking out of his office.
The Street Noodle #2 features fresh shrimp cooked to just beyond the point of translucency to maintain its natural texture and sweet flavor, accentuated by a light tempura batter that provided a blanket around each shrimp so to absorb the sweet and (mildly) spicy sauce. Lightly sautéed bok choy was able to maintain a pleasant crunch, while still lending a bit of bitterness to create a harmonious flavor with the sauce.
As with most Thai places, I was excited to see an incremental chart describing the varying heat one may choose. Unfortunately, my expectations were not met. The level 4 was described as "thai hot", so naturally, I ordered a level 5 "crazy hot". If going by a 5 point scale, my level 5 should have been in the 1.5 - 2 range. I can understand not many people can tolerate extreme heat, but if you're going to have a chart, make it valid. I want tear inducing, sinus clearing, face in a bucket of hot tar kind of heat... not a few chili flakes that would make your grandmother tear up.
Service was what it should have been, and I can appreciate the "no substitutions" on the menu. Every now and then you have to trust the chef. It's the only way to experience other people's passion for food.
First impressions are the ones that stick, and Noodlehead stamped a respectable one in the bottom of my stomach.
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