Congee Bowery and being a baller
We set off to find some dinner. Eric and I had no idea where to go though, except that we wanted to eat in Chinatown. We settled on, "Let's go to that Congee place!" Of course I knew exactly what Eric was talking about. How could I not? I'm in Chinatown every other day and if he said Congee, then it must be the place called Congee. Right after we got out of the Grand St. subway station, he asked me, "Wait are you sure we're going the right way?" I reassured him. How silly of him to doubt me. We walked until we were maybe fifty away from Congee and Eric goes, "No man, I'm talking about the other place called congee. I think it's called Congee Bowery." Oh man, being wrong is fun.
We trekked up to Congee Bowery and had some egg tarts along the way. Congee Bowery is actually the sister restaurant of Congee Village. They have the same kind of food, but I think Congee Bowery is a little bit cleaner and newer looking. We both got some congee with thousand year eggs Mine came with some sliced fish as well. All of that in a clay pot for under five dollars. Pretty good deal if you ask me.
In addition to the congee in clay pots, we got some sauteed pea shoots, house special chicken (chicken with crispy skin and garlic), and some shrimp. None of the shrimp pictures turned out well... but if you've been to any higher-end Chinese restaurant, you would have had these shrimp before. They're these jumbo shrimps that's been fried and covered with mayo... It sounds weird but it's actually delicious.
So I saw this link on Fork in the Road blog about how Obama is planning to have a drink with Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and that police officer James Crowley. And the President is going to drink Bud! I think most foodies will say that Bud tastes like shit. The other night I drank some PBRs with friends. We extolled our low-brow value, because few things matter as much as drinkability. The Prez knows this as well it seems. It's not about the frou-frou microbrews featuring some hint of apricot undertones. Seriously, WTF is an undertone? I'm sure some other food blogs will all be like, "Yo Prez, open an organic microbrew in the Rose garden, don't support piss beer." or something. But everyone's missing the point. Obama is a baller. Quite literally. He balls, and he's the most powerful man in the world. So yea, Mister President, you drink that Bud. Don't worry about what food bloggers say.
Congee Village Bowery
207 Bowery st.
New York, NY 10002
212-766-2828
Real players drink Old E 800, son. Feel me?
FN
July 30, 2009 12:13 pm
@FN,
haha, you're right. Old E is the way to go. Nothing like malt liquor...
Danny
July 30, 2009 2:25 pm
I heard it's going to be Bud Lite. Even worse! It's ok for him to try to appeal to middle america. I know he's drinking the good stuff at home with Michelle (or at least was before the whole white house thing).
Danny, you'll have to educate me on what congee is. That looks like the innards of a chicken pot pie.
Janice
July 30, 2009 5:44 pm
@Janice,
Congee is just porridge. It's rice cooked down with water until it's thick and soupy. Sometimes they put stuff in it. And it's about drinkability! Bud lite has even more of it!
Danny
July 30, 2009 5:51 pm
I go to Congee Village, but I get the same exact things: house chicken, shrimp w/ walnuts, and congee with thousand year old egg. Only difference is I get the Chinese water spinach in bean paste instead of the pea shoots. We must think alike, or everyone always orders the same thing there.
bionicgrrrl
July 31, 2009 10:36 am
@bionicgrrl,
dude that's eerie. Although this was actually the first time I did this combo. It was alright. I'm down with the house special chicken though, good stuff.
Danny
August 3, 2009 1:12 am