First Bite: Mission Chinese Food
Friday, June 1, 2012 at 2:58PM Welcome to First Bite, a new feature at Digest NY where we post about some of the city's most anticipated restaurants shortly after they open. We'll take some pics, eat some food, digest, and then report back to you. Afterall, everyone wants the first bite. This time around its Mission Chinese Food, Danny Bowien's San Fran import. On our recent visit, it was made clear why the hot spot is so... hot.
Mission Chinese Food opened on Tuesday, May 22nd, at 154 Orchard Street. Daniel Boulud was there. So was a keg of Narragansett, offered free of charge, to those waiting for tables. It's one way proprietor Danny Bowien shows his generosity. Another way is by donating 75 cents from every entree he sells to the Food Bank for NYC.
When you walk down the steps into the small room, you give your name and number in your party to the host. She then points you towards the keg and encourages you to enjoy the booze while you wait for your table. It's fun, it's new, people take turns at the keg pouring beer for eachother. The small room is filled with the same anticipation that hovers at house parties and you quickly get the idea that something fun is about to happen. And it does, but first you have to walk down a short hallway, push through a curtain, pass a couple bathrooms and a pseudo prep table, hike up a few oblong steps, and find the dining room.
A window allows a sneak into the kitchen while you enjoy your free booze in the front room.
Lamb cheek dumplings in red oil. The lamb is subtle here. It's the rich, black vinegar broth with rock sugar and peanuts that steals the show.
Thrice cooked bacon. Shanghainese rice cakes and tofu skin offer textural contrast to bacon that's smoked, steamed, and then wok-fried.
One or two flames are next to the spicy dishes, indicating how much water you're going to need and how many napkins you'll use to wipe the sweat off your face. A friend pointed out the icons look like a particular part of the body (south of the equator) with flames coming out of them.
Extra chairs hang in the rafters over the dining room. They go up and come down as they're needed. It's one way they take advantage of the small, odd layout.
A Chinese dragon hangs over the doorway in the dining room. The mythical creatures symbolize power, strength, and good luck.
Oh yea, one of the bathrooms is dedicated to Twin Peaks.
154 Orchard Street | www
Reader Comments (1)
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