Crack Chicken

I haven't written this review even though I've wanted to because I wanted the review to be fresh, I wanted the review to be close to when I actually went to the restaurant.  So prior to this visit it's been a few months since I've been there, which isn't that long considering it's in San Diego. 

Royal Mandarin
1132 E Plaza Blvd Ste 205
619-477-4151

The first time I went to this place was back in 1998 when I used to frequent San Diego.  It was instant love at first bite, the food there is like typical Chinese food ... for the most part.  I would write this review regarding the food that I've eaten there, but I'll only write about this one specific order since it's what makes me drive four+ hours back and forth for it.

The Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings is ridiculously insane.  It sounds like something so simple and something that just doesn't taste that great, but once you get a bite you ust can't stop. 

When I used to go there it was typical that I bought one or two orders of the chicken and left it at that.  That all changed when I found out that they had larger orders and when I started to take some chicken home, if possible. 

My trips to San Diego have come few and far between.  But when I do go there it's a must that Royal Mandarin must be visited.

The restaurant is ordinary from the outside, there are no specialty signs that make it stand out from the rest of the Chinese restaurants in the area, or anywhere.  Even when you get inside it's the typical setup for dinning in, but it's actually smaller than most places and quite intimate because of the proximity of the tables next to each other.  You can hear other people's conversations without even trying.  The menu is lined with typical Chinese food, but you'll notice that they have "Salt and Pepper" items on the menu, from chicken wings, squid, french fries and fish. 

It seems that I'm remembered when I go there now, I'm known as the "guy from New York."  The recent times that I've ordered there it's been two extra large trays of chicken, which have about 150 pieces each, and the owner/manager lady always gives me extra seasoning as she knows I'll be taking it back to NY.

When you receive the chicken you won't notice anything special on it, just chicken wings with seasoning, some red pepper flakes, scallion/green onions.  If you take a closer look you'll see something sprinkled on the wings that most Chinese food places have stopped using, MSG (betchin for the Filipino's).  Whatever the warnings and the "horrible" things about MSG, it's just good!  Maybe that's what sets Royal Mandarin apart from the rest of the Chinese food establishments because they continue to use MSG ... and they use it wonderfully!

The first bite into the chicken wings is full of crunchiness, but it's not the crunchiness that you might have experienced from other chicken.  I'm not sure if this is fried or baked, or even a combination of the two, but the crunch is wonderful, and the added bonus is that the crunch doesn't include oil dripping or oil on your fingers.  The only thing left on your fingers are the spices and seasoning that you will end up licking off sooner or later, it would be a waste to just wipe it on a napkin.

As your tongue gets it's tastes buds working with the flavors that come out of the chicken, you'll notice this explosion of taste in your mouth.  There is a little hotness to it, but just the right amount, the saltiness of it is also just perfect. After finishing and most of the time sucking on the ends of the bones clean, you'll pick up another one and repeat the process.  This will usually go on until there is no more left, and then you'll want to order some more.

This is the reason why it's dubbed "crack chicken" because once you taste it, you'll want some more and do anything to get some, even drive the four+ hours to get some.  I've introduced this chicken to some people from NY and when they know I'm going to Cali and possibly San Diego, they want me to bring them some chicken, you can see that look in their eyes that they'll do anything for it.

There have been attempts at other Chinese food places in San Diego to copy the Royal Mandarin recipe, but they have come up short.  A place across the street serves the "salt and pepper chicken wings" but it's just not the same, you need to hit the real and original source. 

WARNING: This chicken is addictive!

Do not think that you will be able to resist, perhaps it's the MSG, perhaps the taste, but once you have it, you will be hooked.  Some responses have gone from "it's ok" to "it's epic" in the matter of days.  There have been times when I packed it for check in at the airport, the agent that is checking it in gets a smell of the chicken which strikes up a conversation as to the origins and what kind of chicken it is.  She then proceeds to call her daughter in San Diego to tell her to bring her up some chicken from this place called Royal Mandarin next time she comes up to LA.  It's changed lives, it's brought together families, friends and it can change the world.

The lineup of food on their menu aside from the crack chicken isn't bad either.  While we were there eating in the restaurant, as the 150 piece tray lay in the middle with all other customers watching us eat, we ordered other menu items that added to the taste of the chicken and their fried rice.  We had about nine people there eating and the manager gave us a sample of the Salt and Pepper Fish which was amazing!  The only reason I can't order this is because it will not survive the trip back to LA then back to NY, fish is fish,  but maybe their salt and seasoning mix might preserve it???  Hmmm maybe we can test it out.  We ordered a good amount of food, from crispy beef, upside down crispy noodles, fried rice, and some other dish that escapes my memory, but food that was good enough to fill up the stomachs of nine hungry youth (including my dad) and have left overs only cost us $33 ... insane prices and great food.

I will definitely be back here soon, and this is the type of food where I will take a trip to San Diego just for this chicken.  I've tried to find a partner who is willing to export the chicken for me, us at a profit to them, but I haven't had any serious parties.  So if anyone in SD is reading this and would like to make some extra money just by boxing up and shipping the chicken, let me know ASAP.

Taste : 10+
Price : $ out of $$$
Restaurant : 9 (small and homey, they remember you once you're a regular)

+ mon

Adjusted Diet

I saw something last week that shows how people are trying to cope with the changing lifestyles that people want to lead.  It seems that everyone wants to be "healthy" and people are trying their best to be that way, they even have all the calories listed on the menu's at a lot of fast food places now. 

For me, I've never been able to jump onto that "healthy" bandwagon, I can eat some of the healthy food out there, but add some bacon strips to that instead of the bacon bits, then we can make it work.

Even the Chinese food places are getting into the healthy diets, I've seen some that have "special diet" menu's where everything is steamed, but this was a first for me, and I've been in many Chinese food places! 

Who can blame them??!  They are taking what they know and love to do ... and mixing it to make it "healthy" for those people who want to go that route.  Four wings with salad, not too bad and considering it's only $4.75, if you tried to get that in the city you'd get half a wing if you were lucky.

This sounds like you're getting more with the half fried chicken salad ... but in actually if you think about it, "more is less."  If you got the four piece chicken salad instead, there's more skin to eat than just eating the skin of the half chicken!

Of course I didn't get this, but I'm glad that they do present the option.  I mean, how could you not have rice with the fried chicken!?  It's just unconceivable!  Props to Jade Garden for TRYING to be healthy, or having the appearance of it.

Now I want some wings ...

+ mon

Salt 'N' Pepper Chicken Wings (sort of)

One of the things that I normally do when I go to places that serve things that are of the "Salt 'n' Pepper" type are ask them if they can make it with chicken wings instead of the often seen salt n pepper pork chops or squid.  The answer I've gotten time and time again is no.  I never understood that.  

It's not like they are marinating the pork or squid in something before they cook it ... or are they??? Hmmmm.  But I don't see what the issue is with them throwing some chicken wings into the wok and stir frying it with the salt n pepper as if it was the pork chop or squid???

Yesterday I had this garlic chicken from Nanking and saw on their menu that they had salt n pepper food too.  They also have these Drums of Heaven which are chicken wings marinated with herbs, chilies and garlic then wok fried.  

Nanking - Chinese and Thai
1643 Broadway (between 50st and 51th streets)
212-586-3100 www.nankingrestaurants.com

I went in there today with little expectations of getting that mix of the salt n pepper with the chicken wings, but just wanted to go to try this Drums of Heaven.  They had given me the lunch menu and I asked for the full menu instead ... OoooooOOO I know big shot huh!  I asked the manger (I think he was the manager?) if they would be able to mix the salt n pepper they used for the fish or squid with chicken wings instead.  He spent a few seconds staring at the ceiling and thinking if they could ... and he said yes they can!  I got so excited that I ordered some chicken satay too ... wish I didn't though it was too much food already and not that good.  

They serve the food pretty quickly and everything came out at once.  The manager told me that they had never mixed the chicken wings with the salt n pepper so he hopes they are good.  Well I tasted them and they are good, not as good as Royal Mandarin and not even in the same taste level, but they are good.  It was actually the Drums of Heaven with the salt n pepper mix on top, so it was double the taste which made it interesting and I liked it.  The chicken satay was alright but the peanut sauce they had with it didn't taste all that great.

One thing about this place that I did like was that it was a default of them having lemon in the water when they poured it out of the pitchers.  Another thing was that there were little cups of the sauce, one of chilli sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar with small peppers - yeah you know the last one made your eyes open a bit since Filipino's do like the suka (vinegar) with peppers!

I think I might have put too much of that vinegar + peppers on the salt n pepper chicken mix I ordered because it was a little spicey that my nose started to drip.  

Overall the place has a nice atmosphere, but the music is ... eh.  It didn't add to the feel of the thainess ... it made it like a weird club almost.  The food was good, and I liked the combination for me, I'll probably be asking for it again.  Their service was great too considering that they made what I specifically wanted.  

The total damage was $17+ ... the salt n pepper chicken mix I ordered was $6, the rice $4 and the chicken satay was $6.  Their lunch specials there are $10 ... so they are a little pricey, I think they might cater to tourists since they are in the theater district.

Good stuff and next time I'm just going to order my salt n pepper chicken mix, oh how I can't wait for the real thing!!!

Taste : 7.5 
Price : $$ out of $$$ 
Restaurant : 8 (good atmosphere, except for the music) 

+ mon

Tebaya - Chicken Wings!

I've decided to add a "food review" category on my blog since I do eat a lot!  So the first review will go to:

Tebaya - Japanese Style Chicken
144 West 19th Street (between 6th and 7th ave)
212-924-3335 www.goojapan.com

After finding this place from www.cheapassfood.com and reading reviews on www.yelp.com about this place I decided to take a little trip down to 19th street and give it a shot.  Yeah I know, for those of you who have read my entries from today ... so much for healthier eating huh!?  So hard to detox from the delicious calories and cholesterol when you're surrounded by it and it's just soooooooooo good!  Give me some credit, I didn't go off an eat a burger from good ol' McDee's did I?!

Tebaya says they have a special sauce that they use for their wings, and when they said "wings" I thought it would be wings and drumsticks ... but they are just the wings.  So for you drumstick lovers out there (like me!  You might want to go elsewhere or adjust your habits).  

The place is a small little hole in the wall place but as soon as you walk in you can smell the wings.  I've read the reviews and people were raving and ranting about the wings and the rest of the things on their menu was just "regular" so I skipped everything else and went for the wings. 

I got the 8 piece wings with rice, salad and soda combo for $6.95 lunch special.  The wings are small, but for me it did a good job of "filling me up."  They make their own dressing for the salad, it's not the regular orange dressing that you might be used to seeing, it's good and when some flavors combine it's even better - I'll get into that later.

The taste of the wings have a garlic, salt, pepper and a sweet taste to them.  So it's pretty much a party in your mouth and all the flavors are invited.  They are covered in sesame seeds and deep dried twice to make them nice and crispy on the outside and on the inside soft and juicy.  

In a matter of minutes the combo meal was finished and I was left sucking on my fingers for the remainder of the sauce that was left over.  The salad was the first thing to go and it left a little puddle of dressing.  For those who know me, I'm not an expert with chop sticks so here I was trying to eat the rice with the chop sticks ... needless to say this was quite a task.  The rice kept on falling into the left over dressing which was a good touch to the flavor.  One of the wings accidently fell into the puddle as well while I was scooping out rice from under it, this was a good thing!  I like the taste of the wings moreso with the dressing on it, it adds a little something to it, or maybe I just can't taste things like I used to since my tongue has been soaked in soy sauce for about 29 years!

Everything went down quick and I sat there wondering if these were as good as everyone had been saying.  The only thing that came to mind was the salt & pepper chicken wings from Royal Mandarin ... for as long as I can remember all the chicken wings post snpcw have been compared and have never won.  This was no different, I compared the taste to that of what I remember the snpcw taste and again Royal Mandarin wins.  But if I were to judge it without comparison, this is definitely a good chicken wing!  There's this flavor with the wings that I like, and after downing the entire meal, I wanted more.  So here I sat with the box that was only left with chicken bones trying to calculate which selection would be most economical.  I think it calculated out to being $0.68 a wing to the cheapest benig $0.65 ... the more you bought the cheaper it was per wing.  

I sat for a good 5 minutes trying to figure out if I should buy some more wings, I tried everything to resist but the smell and taste overcame me and I ended up ordering another 23 pieces ($16.50) with two extra salad dressings on the side.  Hey when you find a good combination, you gotta stick with it right??

I'll definitely go back here to get my chicken wing fix, but this isn't the crack chicken that's being served at Royal Mandarin.  Sorry, I can't stop comparing and I guess I'm just looking forward to having some in about two weeks!  

Taste : 8.5
Price : $ out of $$$
Restaurant : 6 (since it was quite small, good for max 10 people) 

 

+ mon