Sometimes in order to find the best dishes, you need come back with friends. Not only you can try more, but you can finally order some of the larger dishes, like the chicken for 2 to 6. Such was the case the other day when we introduced our friends to one of our Soho faves, Pinch Chinese. An invitation that became a little suspicious when I walked in three hours prior to our reservations to reserve the bird while friends waited outside. I should have played it more subtle. As in “Hey, you guys want to try the chicken? I hear its fantastic!”
The Wind Sand Chicken is a Hong Kong classic. It doesnt look whole and not particularly large, but the 4 of us couldnt finish the $51 dish. By trying to leave the best for last (dark meat) we left it on the table. When you taste the flash you taste the labor. The bird is cooked like Peking duck. Two days of Marinating (cinnamon, star anise, other herbs and spices), drying, spanking, repeating. The skin gets thin and crispy, and the flesh redefines moist. Garnished with fried garlic, like sand that the wind brought (Ahhhhh!). Maybe if they closed the door, they wouldnt have this problem
Oh and there were pork soup dumplings of course and terrific spicy Wontons (new to us). And the “Snow Crab in a Chinese Restaurant” with fermented black bean and glass noodles we order each time. And there was a side of porky Sichuan String Beans that is now our favorite side. Not to mention those sick Cumin Pork Ribs. If there was a Fantasy Niman Ranch Pork league, Pinch Chinese would win by three snouts.
More on Pinch Chinese here
Eating With Ziggy 