Boston: Myers + Chang
It's on One for the TableLet's Eat by Kitty Kaufman, photos by Julie Moffatt
We're at the popular "funky indie diner with interpretations of Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai and Vietnamese specialties." It's Myers + Chang in Boston's South End, a place we've been wanting to try. Friendly help seat us at a sunny table overlooking Washington Street. It's cozy, evoking a nice diner, and we like the zippy tunes. The bar shows lots of sake and Asian teas.I'm up for Chinese chicken salad which now makes all other salads with mayo ho-hum. Who doesn't love cashews, orange and crispy wontons piled high with citrus vinaigrette? It's nuo'c cha'm sauce with heat. Our wait person is pointing out which items are three star, meaning really hot. The health coach wants Thai chicken salad with lemongrass, mint, cilantro and rice noodles tossed in fish sauce and lime dressing. This one has toasted rice, nothing like breakfast cereal because it's very crunchy. Both salads carry one-star heat and they're just hot enough to be fun.
Another visit it's weekend dim sum and we opt for the bar. Dandan noodles, slippery with spicy peanut sauce and tossed with pickles, play nice with everything. Fried tofu squares, crisp and low-heat, come with fiery garlic aioli. Peppery Brussels sprouts steal our hearts and we agree charred bok choy in ginger is a keeper. Tightly wound rice paper rolls are a good counterpart to everything hot and spicy. It's heat we can live with although there is some discussion about calling the fire department.
Dim sum starts with Asian pickles and sweet potato chips. There's green papaya slaw, fried egg bánh mì, two-star crisp calamari, and three-star spicy tofu. Small bites: chicken congee, chicken wings, carrot ginger soup, egg custard with mushrooms, fried eggs with genmai (brown rice), nasi goreng (fried rice) and spring rolls. Dumplings come with edamame and mustard greens, shrimp or Mama Chang's pork (it's sad I didn't see this until now).
On the way out the manager stops us since we're the only ones taking pictures. He says independent, locally-owned shops are choice after you've "trained" in a chain setting.
Myers + Chang
1145 Washington St (South End)
Boston MA 02118
617. 542. 5200
© May 28, 2013 for One for the Table
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Kitty@corp-edge.com
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Kitty@corp-edge.com
Share it on X Twitter:
Tweet
See Boston restaurant stories via One for the Table on Zomato
Locanda Del Lago in Santa Monica
Italian Western
Santa Monica Seafood Cafe
Fine kettle of fish
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Food, and art
Ming's Blue Ginger Wellesley
Red hot and blue
Deli after Dark Dedham
Yes, we have no meatballs
Sophia's Grotto
Meatballs and calamari in Roslindale
Pon Thai Bistro
Pon cooks with fire
Island Creek Oyster Bar
Happy, happy new year
Amelia's Trattoria in Cambridge
New York state of mind
Cafe Sushi in Cambridge
Industry standard
Black Trumpet in Portsmouth
Ta dah
Flour Bakery
Eat dessert first