We have not had a dinner at Duong Son for quite awhile. With the holidays and other activites interfering it was nice to get back to the "traditional".
8 of us gathered tonight to take in some of the festivities of the Chinese New Year. The streets had been blocked off earlier in the day so that the parade could take place. During our dinner the owner came up to our table to let us know that there would be firecrackers going off and he did not want us to be alarmed. When the crackers went off it wasn't just a few, it was a long string that they hung from the second floor railing. There was so much smoke that it looked like fog from inside the restaurant. Shooting off the firecrackers is supposed to keep the "bad" away. This is the year of "The Rat" which means a prosperous year.
I also found out that the "lazy susan" in the middle of our table was given to the restaurant by one of our group. Henry brought the turntable back from a trip to Hong Kong many years ago for use in his home. When the family grew and moved out it was too big for Henry and his wife so he gave it to "Duong Son". It has a gold trim on in and the restaurant only brings it out for Henry during the New Year festivities. Henry was dining four days in a row at Doung Son during the New Year celebration. Lucky fellow.
We started off with a favorite, "Salt & Pepper Calamari", so much better that the Chinese chain restaurant and followed it with another favorite " Garlic Green beans with Sea Bass".
The next two dishes they only make at "New Years" because they take a long time to prepare. One dish was a marinated chicken that had been pan roasted at a very high temperature and the other was a tofu with a dry scallop sauce and choy sum. (a Chinese green vegetable). I'm not a big fan of tofu, but here they do wonders with it. It is always creamy and very tasty. Some of the others places that serve tofu, overcook it and it seems dry and tasteless.
Following that we were served beef & Chinese broccoli and shrimp with soft fat noodles. These noodles soak up the juice and they are devine.
By this time I was starting to reach my "Full" level. Then they bring out the duck. Need I say more. Then it was the "cooked oysters with ginger and chives". I was beyond full now.
Chinese culture is not big into heavy desserts like my German ancestors. We were served a platter with fresh orange slices, pears, mango and a gelatin made with aloe. Next came a warm liquid with white fungus, lotus seed and red dates.
I have never had a dish at Duong Son that I did not like. The food is fresh, well prepared and and always top quality and fantastic taste.
The wines brought tonight were all good. There was not a "dog" in the bunch. Sometimes at these dinners there are people that bring mediocre wines. Tonight was an expection.
2006 Pine Ridge Clarksburg, Chenin Blanc/Voignier
2005 Seresin Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Husch, Anderson Valley, Chardonnay
2001 Meeker Four Kings, (blend)
2001 McKeon Phillips BPR Cabernet Sauvignon
2003 Roth Estate, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon
2003 Liparita, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Earthquake, Lodi, Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 Alma Rosa La Encantada Pinot Noir
Alvear Solera 1927 Pedro Jiminez
No comments:
Post a Comment