Tucker H.
Yelp
Counter service is definitely different than his other places, but the food is still absolutely top notch. Highly recommended!
Location is super convenient to the Johns Hopkins medical campus, which is helpful. There is some street parking around, but also a parking garage directly across Ashland St if needed. The space itself is nicely re-done, and I like the counter-service style as a change of pace from his usual sit down. Obviously that means les service required, but the order takers and food delivery folks all seemed cheerful enough.
Food, as to be expected from Peter Chang, was 2-3 steps above what you'd expect from counter service Chinese. Dan Dan Noodles remain a top tier choice, spicy but not brutal, and the szechuan peppers give it a that slightly different pepper flavor than normal spicy peppers. If you're looking for a more mild entree, the curry chicken is a good choice. We mostly stuck to sampling the dim sum menu though, and had a lot of wins there as well. Pork Gyoza were excellent; tender, flavorful, and moist, but with a good crisp on the bottom from the pan frying. The Honey Pork BBQ Bao were outstanding: the bar itself was perfectly fluffy, moist, and tender, and there was just the right amount of filling for my taste. Cumin Lamb Skewers were tasty, but you definitely better like cumin! Shanghai Style Pork Sticky Rice was the thing I least knew what to expect, and really enjoyed! Served wrapped in bamboo leaf, it's super flavorful sticky rice with enough pork for flavor without being a massive portion of meat..
If you're looking for something sweet, the Tao Sesame Balls are a nice touch. Sweet but not too much, and with that mochi-style chewiness.
Boba tea options were good as well: I'm always partial to Brown Sugar Milk Tea, but the Earl Grey Milk Tea was also pretty excellent.
All in all, highly recommended, and if we're back in the area we'll absolutely be back to keep trying even more!