Crying Tiger
4.7/5
I went into this one expecting it to be half hype, and half great food, but was set right pretty quickly. I get why this place has the hype it has, the entire experience is great from the moment you walk through the door. The mood lighting is just moody enough to make your table private, but not so much that you need a flashlight to read the menu. While it feels trendy, at no point did we have to yell across the table to have a conversation. The service was friendly and attentive, and the food... well the food was exceptionally delicious. Sadly, this is not receiving a perfect score because of the drinks, and you know that if I tried it, I'm reviewing it. So let's get to it!
Cocktails: 4/5 - Tequila with pickled plum: a confusingly savory cocktail, this is the reason that the cocktail section gets docked. Even our vegetal cocktail lover took a sip and said "not for me girl." Vodka Salty Dog: refreshing, tart, basically a giant cup of shaved citrus ice, definitely try it. Whole Young Coconut: if you're a coconut lover, then this is the holy grail of coconut cocktails. Tropical beach in a drink right here. Milk Punch: warm, cozy, this one is like a hug for your insides. Thai Coconut Colada: just when you thought tequila and coconut together sounded a little odd, this drink comes along to prove they're actually delicious together.
Pork Belly: 5/5 - There is no crispier pork belly in the land! I said what I said. If you are looking for soft, tender, deeply flavorful pork belly with a crispy crust so crunchy you can hear it from two tables over, then this is it. As a non pork lover, I still think about this dish.
Chicken Satay: 5/5 - Not gonna lie, it's the spicy peanut sauce doing all the heavy lifting here. However, the chicken was juicy, tender, well seasoned and the perfect vessel for the sauce. If you like spicy and peanut sauce then do not skip this one.
Tuna Tartare: 5/5 - There's tuna tartare, and then there's this tuna tartare. Don't ask me what all they seasoned it with because "sorcery" is the only word that comes to mind. Te texture of the tuna is perfection on your tongue, the flavor simple yet complex. I ended up almost fighting someone for the last bite.
Shrimp & Pork Dumplings: 5/5 - I've never met a dumpling I didn't like... these however, officially became dumplings I LOVE. Beautifully steamed, just the right amount of filling so it doesn't feel like you're going to choke on it, a soft texture contrasted by the crispy shallots. The sauce is the perfect, sharp flavor contrast that brings it all together. I could live on these.
Clay Pot Lobster Pad Thai: 5/5 - Few things can make pad thai better, lobster is definitely one of them. All the cozy, comfort of pad Thai, throw in some tamarind and half a lobster and you've got yourself a dish your tastebuds will be loving!
H.K. Fried Rice: 5/5 - This is not your 2 am drunk night out fried rice. This is the fried rice all other fried rices can only dream of aspiring to. If that's not enough to entice you try this I'm not sure what else I can say here. Aside from the flavor being an absolute knock out, the texture is perfect. The rice had equal parts soft and crispy bits, with the shrimp bringing that specific firm texture that only perfectly cooked shellfish can provide. If this place were open at 2 am on Saturday nights you can bet I'd be Door Dashing it frequently (I'm promise I'm not always drunk on Saturday nights).
Khao Soi Curry: 5/5 - Let it be known that I will eat soup and curry on the hottest day of the year and be happy as a clam. If you, however, are a soup only during winter kind of person (I question our friendship but whatever), then feel free to skip this one this time around (but definitely go during winter you'll thank me for it). The wagyu is soft, buttery, the curry is velvety and lush, with enough heat to counteract the rich mouthfeel you get in every bite. The crispy noodles come in and provide a good textural contrast that makes this the best curry I've had this side of the Atlantic (curries in London don't count they're on a different playing field).
Branzino: 5/5 - OK I know I said that Rose Mary's grilled branzino was the one that put all others to shame, but this one is right up there with it, albeit for completely different reasons. Where Rose Mary's was the taste of summer by the Mediterranean Sea, Crying Tiger's takes us to summer in the Southeast Asian tropics. Incredibly crispy skin, tender meat falling right off the bone, and a lemongrass sauce that brings forth the flavors of Thai basil and red peppers, this branzino is sure to hit completely different taste receptors. If you're a seafood lover, then this one is definitely going up there in your ranking.
Crying Tiger: 5/5 - Bananas Foster but make it fashion. That's it, that's the review. Not only is it presented in a way that is making Cartier weep, it's just that good. A chocolate shell to provide good crunch, the best banana flavor you can think of, and a foster sauce that is impeccable. Give me 12 and leave me be.
Toasted Coconut Sundae: 5/5 - This is a BEAST of a dessert. A coconut lover's dream, the ice cream is basically coconut in it's absolute best format while the salted peanuts add crunch, and saltiness to prevent this from tipping over into the saccharine sweet levels. Throw in the caramel and you've got a treat good for any season, for any person (unless you hate coconut, then don't order this).
Espresso Martini: 2.5/5 - Aaaaaand here it is friends... the main reason this review is not a perfect score. I don't even know where to begin. I've had bad espresso martinis, but at least they still tasted vaguely of espresso. This was essentially a chai latte with an espresso shot poured somewhere in the vicinity of the same bar, then shaken up with alcohol and poured into a coupe glass. Had I asked for a chai martini, then perhaps this would have scratched the itch, but I didn't order that did I? The only thing about this drink that was good was the velvety smooth texture. Spare yourself this one, unless you really want to be disappointed.
