Here's a little tidbit about me: I love Oriental Food. I totally love it. I cannot possibly detach myself from it. Why? It's not because I can take it out anytime or it's some kind of glorified quick-mealer. It's because the sweet, Umami, salty, bitter, and sour really come together the best in this form of cuisine. There is one place I go to whenever I can get away from the office for at least an hour to get this kind of sensation: ZenYai Noodle House. This place is about a 15-minute drive from my office, but when I get there, it's so worth it!
The one dish that I keep coming back to is their Crispy Garlic Chicken. It is easily the most addictive plates of chicken I've ever had. The chicken (as titled appropriately) is crispy and cooked with lots of garlic (I love garlic). :) It is served on a bed of vegetables (shredded white cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, and a leaf of lettuce (I think it was iceberg) with a bowl of rice.
I'm not exactly sure of the chicken recipe, but I believe that if I were to cook it as closely as the noodle house does, I would use all dark meat for the pieces (more likely thigh meat) and cut the thighs into pieces. Then the chicken would be dredged in tempura batter before introducing it into a wok of oil. I would fry this twice to enhance the crunchy element of the chicken before making their addictive sauce. The sauce would consist of tamarind sauce, fish sauce, a sour sauce, and enough chili sauce to make a 5-star sauce. After making my sauce, I would mince four cloves of garlic and toss them in the wok first to let them crisp. When the garlic is browned lightly, I'll add the sauce to the wok, mix it together, then toss in my fried chicken to coat it before serving the chicken on a bed of vegetables.
The sensations I had at lunch (at 12:30 today) were nothing short of amazing. I got sweet, crunchy, hot, Umami, and sour from the chicken along with bitter from the vegetables. Whatever sauce that does not adhere completely to the chicken drips onto the vegetables the chicken rests on, making the vegetables even more edible. I love to mix this residual sauce with my rice, totally making the rest of my day.
Overall, I feel that the Crispy Garlic Chicken is a dish that cannot be missed, especially if you love Oriental food. When you can take time out of your lunch break, go on and check out the ZenYai Noodle House in Bellevue, WA. You won't regret it!
The one dish that I keep coming back to is their Crispy Garlic Chicken. It is easily the most addictive plates of chicken I've ever had. The chicken (as titled appropriately) is crispy and cooked with lots of garlic (I love garlic). :) It is served on a bed of vegetables (shredded white cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, and a leaf of lettuce (I think it was iceberg) with a bowl of rice.
I'm not exactly sure of the chicken recipe, but I believe that if I were to cook it as closely as the noodle house does, I would use all dark meat for the pieces (more likely thigh meat) and cut the thighs into pieces. Then the chicken would be dredged in tempura batter before introducing it into a wok of oil. I would fry this twice to enhance the crunchy element of the chicken before making their addictive sauce. The sauce would consist of tamarind sauce, fish sauce, a sour sauce, and enough chili sauce to make a 5-star sauce. After making my sauce, I would mince four cloves of garlic and toss them in the wok first to let them crisp. When the garlic is browned lightly, I'll add the sauce to the wok, mix it together, then toss in my fried chicken to coat it before serving the chicken on a bed of vegetables.
The sensations I had at lunch (at 12:30 today) were nothing short of amazing. I got sweet, crunchy, hot, Umami, and sour from the chicken along with bitter from the vegetables. Whatever sauce that does not adhere completely to the chicken drips onto the vegetables the chicken rests on, making the vegetables even more edible. I love to mix this residual sauce with my rice, totally making the rest of my day.
Overall, I feel that the Crispy Garlic Chicken is a dish that cannot be missed, especially if you love Oriental food. When you can take time out of your lunch break, go on and check out the ZenYai Noodle House in Bellevue, WA. You won't regret it!
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