Year of the Dragon

This is a bit overdue but with New Years, as with wedding gifts, we have all year right? 

A few weekends ago my immediate family traveled from 3 Southern points (Raleigh, Asheville, and Atlanta) to converge at my brother's place in Charlotte, NC, the effective half-way point, to celebrate Chinese New Years!

The Lunar New Year has been a big deal for my family as long as I can remember. We're a family of many heritages, so the Lunar New Year gets as much attention as Christmas. 

The event is always supplemented with a feast cooked by Mom, which hasn't hurt its estimation within our family.

This year, she really outdid herself. 

The picture above is curried duck with kaffir leaves. Below, a roasted bass.

 Tempura shrimp.

 Barbecued pork.

 The chef herself.

 Calamari salad (a new addition to the table, and one we'll be looking forward to next year!).

 Dessert!

And a great time was had by all!  Happy Year of the Dragon!

Peter Chang///"Disappearing Chef" Found

hot and sour soup

We haven't wasted any time since returning to Atlanta.  Last week we made the trek to Sandy Springs to eat at Tasty China.  Tasty China is the temporary posting of Peter Chang, famously dubbed "the Disappearing Chef" by the New Yorker.  Cheng used to cook at the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. but for whatever reason decided to leave this prestigious position to roam the greater U.S., stopping and cooking in his distinctive Szechuan style along the way.  And now, lucky for us, he's in Atlanta!

egg drop soup

fish and coriander rolls

extra spicy duck soup in a hot stone bowl

This was by far the best Chinese food I've had outside of Asia.  Nothing else even comes close.  Not only is the food incredibly delicious, its a rare piece of excellence in a severely under-served category in American dining.  Peter Chang's Tasty China is a must-eat for anyone in the area, and well worth the trip.