vip in the city

A very good place to start

After that first visit to Amazing 66 on Mott, I could hardly wait a week before coming back to sample more of their $4.95 lunch menu.

But where to begin? With item #1: Pork Chop with Chili & Spiced Salt.

The dish was expertly prepared: half a dozen lightly battered pieces of pork on the bone, topped with crunchy fried bits of minced garlic, and slices of scallions and jalapeños. I ended up finishing only about half of this platter. As I was pondering whether to have the leftovers wrapped, the harried waiter swiftly spirited our plates away, rendering my decision moot. No matter, these fried dishes tend not to hold up so well over time anyway.

And, because my friend had a craving: a plate of fried dumplings. I didn’t even see these on the menu, but ask, and ye shall receive.

Tags: Amazing 66, Chinatown, dumplings, pork

An amazing preview

This morning I received an invitation to attend a Chinese New Year feast in about three weeks. New dishes, new friends… how could I say no?

Our group will be gathering at Amazing 66 – the warmly received venture by the chef of the former Danny Ng Restaurant (now ABC Chinese Restaurant). Chowhounds have been raving about this place since it opened a little over a year ago, but I’ve yet to make my way there. SL’s email put the restaurant back on my radar, so when it came time to pick a place for lunch, there we were.

The full dinner menu features some impressive items, which — dare I hope? — may be on the slate next month: an outrageous sounding pumpkin stuffed with short ribs, a house special crispy chicken stuffed with sticky rice… Midday, though, is a more scaled down affair.

The large dining room was packed this afternoon – always a good sign — so we were seated at a large communal table, which we shared with two other couples. Amidst the din of the lunch hour, we considered our options. Amazing 66’s single-sheet two-sided lunch menu is available Monday through Saturday from 11:00AM until 3:30PM; 70 items under headings of beef, chicken, pork, seafood, and bean curd & vegetable, served with white rice and choice of hot & sour or egg drop soup. For $4.95! The reverse side of the menu lists dozens of soups, congees, fried noodle and fried rice dishes.

Deciding from among the extensive list was not easy. Something about the chill of winter puts me in mind of my ongoing quest for the perfect roast chicken. Amazing 66 offers a Chinese version with preserved vegetable. Simple and comforting, I thought. What was placed before me minutes later far exceeded my expectations.

Wildly delicious!  Thin, crispy skin with juicy, tender meat, heaped with sweet and tangy shreds of vegetable… With the juices poured over a steaming bowl of white rice – just about as perfect a roast chicken as I’ve ever had, at any price.

If this is just a preview of the good eats to come, I wonder: how long will it take me to eat my way down Amazing 66’s lunch menu?

Tags: Amazing 66, Chinatown, roast chicken