A while back, I stopped by Mr. Chow in TriBeCa with an eating buddy. I’ve walked by Mr. Chow many times before, as it’s right in my neighborhood. A quick peek in suggested a clientele that was way more cool and hip than I was. (Case in point, I use the word “hip”). However, I heard the food was quite good AND I had a Gilt City voucher, so I figured – why not? The voucher was good for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, rice, seasonal vegetables and champagne – a hearty meal for two people!
For our first appy, we ordered…
the signature Mr. Chow Noodles. Namesake noodles – how could we resist? Described as “the classic handmade Beijing noodles Mr. Chow introduced to the West in 1968 “, the description was quite intriguing. I guess they could be the first “Mr. Chow” noodles introduced, but I’m guessing noodles of a similar type were in the West before 1968! In any case, these were quite good:
Featuring a sweet and spicy minced pork sauce, the Mr. Chow noodles reminded me of one of my other favorite noodle dishes – spicy dan dan mien. Yum! Of course the dan dan mien were a little less painful on the wallet, but these noodles were deeelish as well. 😉
We ordered the Squab with Lettuce for our second appetizer:
So the squab was actually chicken, which was not bad (though I would have appreciated squab!). Prepared in a tangy sauce with water chestnuts and seasonings, it provided a meaty filling contrasted by the refreshing lettuce wrapper.
For our firs entree, we ordered the crispy beef (first photo). We weren’t exactly sure what to expect but were pleasantly surprised by these super crispy morsels adorned in a sweet and spicy sauce. Scrumptious!
Our second entree was the Drunken Fish – fresh sole poached in rice wine:
Sole is my favorite fish – super tender, mild, buttery, and receptive to the most delicate of sauces. The rice wine provided a subtle sweet aroma, while the clouds ear mushrooms gave the dish a crunchy kick.
Our dishes were accompanied by a nicely done, none-greasy fried rice:
and spicy veggies:
While I was a little disarmed by the small portions (really enough for an average person but small by ginormous American serving size standards!), eating buddy and I were pretty stuffed by the end of the meal. The dishes were prepared with care and the flavors were intense and enjoyable. While dinner at Mr. Chow is on the more expensive side of normal, if you’re looking to spoil yourself (or have a voucher, ha!), I’d definitely recommend it!
Not for everyday, but a delicious meal.
121 Hudson St. (@ N. Moore)
212.965.9500
What pricier meals have you had, that were totally worth it?
