Marcdavid C.
Yelp
So, it's no secret that I have a love/hate relationship with Tai's Asian Bistro. Love some of their dishes, not so much for others. Mind you I haven't tried every dish. But lunch today was a good example.
On the left, Korean Sweet & Sour Pork. What makes this dish Korean compared to their other sweet/sour dishes I have no idea. But it was probably one of the best iterations of SSP I've found so far in Cbus. Lean strips of pork meat in a very crispy deep-fried batter, onion, carrot, green pepper - the only MIA was pineapple. Sauce wasn't heavy and thick and fake red like most Chinese takeaways, it was just sweet enough and had just the right consistency. GOAL!
On the right, Peapod Chicken. Essentially their version of Moo Goo Gai Pan. Visually speaking, amazing. Tons of white meat bird, crispy peapods, water chestnuts, bamboo, carrot, mushrooms in a basic white sauce. But alas - nearly zero flavor.
Blandness is something that plagues Tai's in my opinion. Ingredients are generally fresh, portion sizes are positively elephantine, service is friendly and efficient most days, not to mention a freaking immense menu. But the chefs somehow seem afraid or unwilling to use seasonings adequately in some dishes. I've got 60 year old tastebuds and need more oomph, people!
My plan? Wok hei this dish with some added soy sauce, MSG, garlic, shaoxing wine, white pepper and chicken powder to kick it up a notch. Then maybe it too will be amazing.