Spice, Crisp and Friend
Posted on 21. Jan, 2010 by Reinar in Dinner, Lunch, Restaurant
I suppose you could consider this a follow-up to Tim’s post. I could not let him hog the joy of presenting to you a review of what is was our current favourite dish: the Crispy Chicken Ribs from Rose Garden (aka Rosey-G). I introduced him to it after all.
Spicy-Crisp-Groovy
Tim and I are in a quandary. We eat the dish often, but until now are not sure of its real name: Spicy Chicken Ribs or Crispy Chicken Ribs? Either way the dish is a good mix of both. It is not a very spicy dish, but spiced enough for you to feel some heat. And the crispiness, well, allow me to devote a small paragraph to it.
One of my fondest memeries as a child was stepping on dried leaves. Crunch. The perfect aural, visual and tactile experience. Needless to say, I love crispy fried chicken, perfect french fries and crackling pork skin… Crispy Chicken Ribs by Rosey-G brings me back right there. To those sweet memories. The chicken is flavourful, wonderful and sounds chunchy-great. The crispiness is deeply addictive.
And meet its friend
I normally like having the crispy chicken on plain steamed rice with a small side of fresh steamed broccoli. But there are days (like today) where I feel just that bit more hungry. On days like these I call on Mapo Tofu (just a small order, without rice) to accompany my main meal. They simply compliment each other. Let me explain.
Mapo Tofu is a very common dish. Each Chinese restaurant would have a variation of it. Essentially it is fresh beancurd, sliced to small cubes, cooked with minced chicken or beef (I prefer chicken) presented in a thick and spicy sauce. Rose Garden’s variation is a lighter flavoured dish that leaves you with a wholesome feeling. I feel as though it balances out the spice-salt-crisp assault of the chicken with a gentle goodness—the soft tofu being something like an antithesis to the crunch.
A bite of crispy chicken followed by a spoonful of Mapo Tofu and I am content. The lunch time rush subsides and I will happily consume my meal at such a pace that surely raises the ire of those waiting for a seat. And so they must wait. For here is a man savouring a portion of bliss.
Waxing lyrical you think? Well, let me challenge you to try the dish on a grey Melbourne winter day and see if the sun will not, for at least a while, shine warmly on your face.
Verdict
The Crispy Chicken Ribs and Mapo Tofu duet is a winner. Aim for a late lunch (maybe around 1.30 to 2). Expect to pay about $14 for the two dishes. And as you pay, please tell Helen that Reinar, Tim, Jaye and Pam say hello.
Rose Garden: Chinese and Malaysian BBQ Cuisine
435 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne (between A’Beckett and Franklin Sts)
Phone: 03 9329 1560
Where am I? Why am I not saying hello to Helen?!