New York! - Part One

Airport food. I can now get good food in just about any airport, but I have to eat it with a plastic fork, go figure.

That's what I was thinking on my way to Upstate New York. Specifically, I was going to Saratoga Springs, NY in late August for my very good friend Jim's 40th birthday party.

Now, I lived in that area for about 10 years, longer than I've lived anywhere else as an adult, so I may as well call it home. Alas, I'm a Native Texan, so I can't call anywhere outside of Texas "home". It's in the contract.

Regardless though, this is where I first learned that, just because I had left home, I hadn't left behind great food. I had mired myself in a world of fast food and junk in my Navy years kicking around Orlando, FL. I thought Bennigan's was great food for God's sake.

In and around Saratoga though, I re-found my appreciation for food you don't just enjoy, but for which you lust, and, I was going back.

Arriving two days before the party, I couldn't very well avoid Jim for two days (he didn't know I was coming), so his wife Rebecca (who set ALL of this up because she rocks) had the idea of meeting for dinner Thursday night, with me as the surprise guest. We decided on Tai Pan in Halfmoon, NY because you can never get too much Tai Pan.

Tai Pan is what a great asian fusion restaurant should look like. Natural wood finishes, accented with wood, in various asian influenced designs of wood. Oh, and there's a lot of wood.

The menu is a pleasant mix of chinese food, Thai food and the random Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese dish thrown in there. They aren't afraid to be adventurous either. Whereas you get one offering for duck in most places (Peking Duck....or Peking Duck), Tai Pan typically offers 3-5 different duck selections, for which Jim is eternally grateful...for all kinds of reasons *cough*inside-joke*cough*.

I went with the Curry Delight, a great blend of chicken, beef and vegetables in a Thai influenced red curry sauce prepared with coconut milk. It wasn't as floral as I would have liked (needed more fresh basil), but still had that very unique and pleasant aromatic quality that only Thai Curry has.

Rebecca decided on Sesame Chicken which left me thinking...hmm, but, that's so common. Only, I discover soon after that she had NEVER had sesame chicken. Unfortunately, now I think she's forever spoiled. The crispy outter texture of genuine lotus flower, preserving the moist, tender chicken within (resting on a bed of beautifully steamed and blanched bright green al dente broccoli) is what truly sets great sesame chicken apart from some mushy fried crap in a sugary sauce with sesame seeds sprinkled about the plate. They do it up right.

My friend Doug is the one who really ordered the dish that separates Tai Pan from so many other generic Asian restaurants. Or rather, it wasn't the specific dish he ordered, but just the fact that a dish of its style was on the menu.

Roast duck with plum sauce and steam buns. Props to anyone who can find me a chinese food restaurant with that on the menu. And yet, it's classic chinese food. Steam buns are about as authentic chinese as you can get.

I could spew thousands of words on just Tai Pan alone, each one making me miss the place that much more...and in fact, when I post Part Two, we will revist Tai Pan (Are you ready for some Dim Sum? *sings*) For now though, moving on...

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"Yes, I would like a table for six."

"Is your party all here."

"Five of us are."

"When the entire party arrives we will be happy to seat you."

"Hmm...can we get a table for 5, with 6 chairs?"

"Are you going to order."

"Lady, I'll order two entrees myself if it gets me a table now instead of 45 minutes from now."

"Right this way, sir."
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And, so went my conversation at the Olde Bryan Inn in Saratoga. OBI is a staple among Saratogians and visitors alike. Just that consumate "great" local restaurant that you always love. They are a bit insistent on their, No, we don't take reservations policy though.

It's a total package restaurant, you don't love it for the food. You don't love it for the service, the desserts, the drinks, the price, etc. You love it because of everything it is. You may even have complaints about one of those items, price, service, etc. But you love it anyway.

What's sad here, is that I have to go to New York to find a great Cajun inspired pasta dish. Their New Orleans Pasta is a thick combination of parmesan cream sauce over roasted red bell pepper, large grilled shrimp, marinated chunks of chicken, Andouille sausage (spicy!), and a myriad of vegetables all entertwined with thick fettucini. That along with the garlic bread just dripping butter, a "smoky" martini (Grey Goose martini with a touch of single malt Scotch) and some great friends, made for a great meal.

The spicy Andouille is the real winner in this dish. They so easily could have copped out with some mild-medium Chorizo and 90% of their patrons wouldn't have known the difference. But no. They went for true Andouille. Each bite is a spicy bit of heaven, which, when contrasted with the sweet red bell pepper makes for a very memorable pasta dish. That extra step that goes from ..."Hey, that's pretty good" to, "Hell yeah I travelled 1500 miles to eat this."

Somehow I squeezed in dessert, still managed to fit in the rental car (yay free SUV upgrade!) and made it to the nearest couch I had access too so I could collapse, reflect, digest and remember why I loved my friends and loved sharing great meals with my friends.

Tune in next time for Tales from the Dim Sum Trail and "I've had better Chicken Tikki Masala than you've had." Oh, and somewhere in there was a birthday party with great friends, good food and my quest for glassware for Single Malt Scotch that lead up to it. I'll cover that too...