Cha Cha Tang Leads A Revival Of Cantonese Cuisine
John Mariani shares his take on Wilson Tang and Doron Wong's new Chinese restaurant + The RESY Rundown on Bar Mercer + BMC Female Winemaker Series
The revival of interest in Cantonese cuisine, which was once Chinatown’s staple before Sichuan, Hunan and other regional food cultures became more popular, has brought freshness and creativity to this more delicate style of cooking that emphasizes delicacy and subtlety over heat and spice. The Cantonese favor steaming and roasting along with quick stir-frying, and, of course, they are the masters of dim sum.
That this shift is occurring outside of Chinatown is encouraging, and Wilson Tang, who had previously brought back to life Chinatown’s oldest restaurant, Nom Wah Tea Parlor, has brought the cuisine to SoHo as Cha Cha Tang, beginning as a pop-up last year then replacing a very fine American restaurant named Hancock.
The name Cha Cha Tang is a pun on cha chaan teng (“tea restaurant”), a kind of Hong Kong diner. But the premises of this New York space will remind you not at all of a diner but of a sophisticated but unpretentious dining room done all in red with pink and red tablecloths.
You may begin with any of 13 dim sum, including, pork potstickers with tangy-sweet pineapple salsa, and pineapple chips;. Sweet and sour sui mai and excellent crystal shrimp dumplings hot with chili oil are both recommended. The most exciting was a caviar canapé crispy scallion pancake with crème fraîche and Black Diamond osetra caviar from Louisiana.
I don’t know the last time I actually enjoyed wonton soup outside of its coming as an option with a take-out order, because it’s usually so bland, but Wong’s had a delicious broth, its flavors boosted by delicate lobster wontons, ham and peas and a shot of chili oil.
One of the specialties here is whole Cantonese roasted duck, which differs from Peking duck by being marinated in five-spice powder, licorice root and ginger, and given a glaze of red vinegar that lessens to sweetness. I was amazed that the wrapping pancakes were so thin they were translucent. They only make so many ducks each evening, so call ahead to reserve. It easily serves four, and, by the way, the duck is $115 during the week, but as part of a “Sunday Family Roast,” it’s only $88. »Full Review appeared in Forbes.
»And in other news:
If you do not read the RESY blog, well, you should. Diana Hubbell filed her Rundown on our latest Bar Mercer, and says it, "Already Feels Like a Longtime Soho Staple.” Onward to full article here.
Bar Mercer is currently open for dinner only Tuesday thru Sunday 5pm and on Saturday and Sunday we open 3pm for those roaming the streets of Soho. Chef Preston has daily blackboard specials and our wine director is always doing some fun wine specials. For reservations click here.
»And in (more) other news over at Bowery Meat Company:
Join us Monday evenings for the month of March as we celebrate Women's History Month. Enjoy our five course wine dinner series comprised of carefully curated wines produced by female winemakers.
Reservations are open. Featured winemakers, @corisonwinery @merryedwardswinery @hallwines, Scarecrow, @farnientewinery