Southern Fried Wontons - Chow

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I don't want to get too serious.  So I am doing another food post, before I consider sprinkling in something else that isn't particularly funny or light.  But, today, Chow.

You can learn a fair amount about Chow on its website.  Those facts are available, but let me tell you my facts (which may not all be true).  

Chow's chef is Natalie Young.  She has a personality.  I've never formally met her, but I've seen her and, obviously, I've eaten her food.  My first experience with Chef Young came with another restaurant (and another beneficiary of the Tony Hse downtown revitalization plan), was with Eat.  I was an early adopter of Eat.  I evangelized it and succeeded in convincing those who I know that like good food to like it as well.  From what I can see, Eat continues to do quite well, as it should.

I bring up Eat, because that was where I got the first inkling of Chef Young's personality.  There was a start up called Local Motors (it may still exist).  They had, via crowd sourced design, created a cool rally car.  You can see a picture of it here.  It is badass.  One day, I was at Eat, waiting for it to open (gotta beat the lines), when one of those rally fighters came tearing up the street.  It peeled out, did a donut, and generally was a real show off.  It was cool.  It was loud.  Then, Chef Young hopped out of the passenger seat, kind of giggling.  I knew then that Chef Young was a cool cat.

So, she apparently decided not to retire after the success of Eat.  I am glad of that, because now we have Chow.  Chow is a chinese/southern food fusion restaurant.  It has a cool aestehetic.  It is in the nasty downtown area (which is fitting).  Every time I've gone, I've seen Chef Young there.  Smiling and supervising.  Let's get to the food:

 

Sorry folks,  I have horrible impulse control when it comes to delicious food.  Thus, I frequently start to eat (and often completely devour) the best food before I remember to photograph it for you.  I love the crab rangoon.  At Chow, they've been deconstructed.  You are given the filling in that ceramic bowl and some ponzu sauce.  The first few times I ate there, the server mixed the two for me.  This last time, they told me I could mix it in, or keep it separate.  I mixed it in.  Then I dipped these in there:

 

Instead of a wonton wrapper filled and fried, you get a wonton wrapper fried that you fill (or dip, as it were).  They put spices on them.  They don't give you enough, but you can ask for more.  It is so dang good.  The dip is creamy, zesty and so nice.  Speaking of impulse control, when I order this appetizer, social courtesy requires I eat in moderation, to allow the others at the table to all get a fair share of the food.  I can keep that up for about 15 minutes, then I just hope that everyone else keeps talking (and not eating) while I eat all that I can before the main dish arrives.  I just cannot stop.

Wanna see what I didn't eat?

 

I didn't get a salad.  Someone else did.  This photo was taken after a mishap - someone from my party was handing it to another person from my party for the picture and parts of the salad were disturbed and made less pretty.  The chicken was freshly fried and a spicy sauce was given (on the side if you are a friggin' wimp) and there is non-spicy dressing if you want it.  I was given one of those pieces of chicken.  It was still warm, crispy and tasty.  The sauce was great.

 

Here's another thing I didn't eat.  The chicken sandwich.  I was told those pickles were super spicy.  I am certain it was good, Chow (and Chef Young) know how to fry some chicken.  I tried some of those fries.  My dining companion said they were too salty.  I said he was un-American.  They were delicious.  

 

When I went last week, there was a new item - the Moco Loco.  A hawaiian dish (I think).  A beef patty on rice and gravy.  This one was stacked into a cool tower with some fried onions and some not fried green onions.  Man, this was good.  My heart was not happy with me, but my soul super stoked.  Hawaii has some horrible eating habits but they, like the Canadians, know the power of gravy on starch.

What I don't have a picture of is the fried chicken.  No need.  It looks like other fried chickens.  It does not, however, taste like other fried chickens.  It is amazing.  I've sampled their fried rice.  Amazing.  I've had the kung pao chicken.  Awesome.  You must try their sriracha macaroni and cheese.  I've also had their banana pudding dessert.  Also great.  I have been so dedicated to fully experiencing this restaurant that I even have had their Kool Aid (purple).  It was Kool Aid!  And I was 40!

Listen, this is a great place.  Not only is the food good, but the vibe is good.  Why is the vibe so good?  Because the Chef has an excellent vision, creative ideas and you feel a bit of love with every bite.  This is a fusion place with some serious food, but the vibe is not too serious.  I so appreciate it.  Chef Young could be a hyper serious and pretentious mad scientist chef, and we would put up with it for the food.  Instead, she puts out a pleasant, mischievous persona that makes us all feel like this food was meant for us, not the eurotrash that made Homer Simpson's outsider art a thing.  We need some more of that in our lives.  The good news is, it's open, its available and you can have some of this in your life.  Get to it, folks.