Kenneth D.
Yelp
There's something about the name Chang Wang that brings out my juvenile side. It sounds made up, or like the punch line to a ten year-old's bad joke. It dares you to have fun at its expense, as you might have in the time before you were aware of other cultures, perceptions of racism, or were truly cognisant of other people's feelings. It reminds one of sing-song rhymes involving urination in soft cola beverages. Even knowing better, I can still barely resist. I admit it. I'm silly. When people ask, "Hey, where'd you go for Chinese?", I want to jump up and shout "Chang to the muthafuckin' Wang! Wuuuuuuahhh!", as I execute two karate chops and a high kick, or perhaps to sing "Chang chicka Wang wang..." in the style of 70's porno music. That's not cool, but accepting and understanding your failures as a person are the keys to overcoming them, and I'm getting better every day. Nevertheless, the name is good branding - I can't get it out of my head once it's in there.
But enough about how much of an immature idiot I am. The last time I ordered here, I didn't get sauce for my dumplings, crunchy noodles, a menu, or a fortune cookie. Today, I got sauce for my dumplings; it is very understated, slightly sweet, and it trails a tiny bit of heat that comes on after you've swallowed your bite of food, giving it a pleasant finish. I also got crunchy noodles. They came in a pre-packaged plastic bag like oyster crackers. I'd rather I hadn't.
I ordered the Hunan Chicken as the main dish. When I opened the lid, all I could smell was green bell pepper, and I thought, "Oh no, this is going to taste like those crappy Pepper Steak Benihana frozen dinners from back in the day," but it did not, at all. It wasn't quite as spicy as I would have preferred, but like with the dumpling sauce, there was some heat; it was just a little late in arriving to the party. This is not a restaurant whose dishes hit you over the head with strong flavor profiles. I have never before experienced such delicately flavored Americanized Chinese food; the chicken actually tasted like chicken. I can't say either that I have ever actually tasted chicken in a take-out Chinese dish; it's more typically just a neutral protein matrix upon which to suspend sauce, while offering a contrasting texture to the vegetables. I was taken by surprise.
Usually, I stuff myself like a pig on Chinese food, feel slightly ill for a while thereafter from all the grease and salt, and am overcome by the urge to sleep it off. I really packed it in today, and I felt great afterward. I still didn't get a menu, nor did I get a fortune cookie, but I suspect those things mostly go in the garbage, so kudos to them for curbing waste. I am giving Chang Wang a two star bump for today's offerings; I really think they're on to something here.