The World of Suzie Wong's on Madison

There's nothing mysterious 

about this straightforward Asian cuisine

      We didn't see Nancy Kwan (Suzie Wong in the movie) posing at the bar as we met the Food Hussy and husband Larry for dinner.  We chose Suzie Wong's after some back and forth suggestions, landing on one that we had not reviewed and Heather had not reviewed since its opening in 2009.  Heather recalled a couple of memorable dishes, which made
a good basis for us to begin our dual review. You can read her dual review at thefoodhussy.com.

Fire Cracker Calamari

      We started with the Fire Cracker Crispy Calamari, which is a good choice to share with its Thai pomegranate dipping sauce.  All was good until I ran across a couple of rubbery pieces.  Entrées were next and I was going to go with one of Heather's suggestions, the Malaysian Chicken in a Claypot.  She couldn't remember the spiciness as she only had a bite of it so when I quizzed the waiter, I passed my choice on to Eric.

Honey Garlic Chicken

Pineapple Chicken

Instead, I went for the moderate Honey Garlic Chicken.  The menu said it was stir fried, but I thought it tasted and looked like it had a batter on it.  Not bad, but a little on the heavy and sweet side with minimal garlic oomph. Larry ordered the Pineapple Chicken presented in a quarter pineapple wedge with what tasted like a newer take on sweet and sour chicken.

Malaysian Chicken in a Claypot

Eric went for the Malaysian Claypot, which he found had a pressing bitterness to it and put him of more than the heat of the dish.  The hit of the evening was Heather's Bi Bim Bap, and isn't that how it should be for the Food Hussy?  It was a winner on all accords from presentation to taste.  A signature Korean dish, it was served in a clay pot of crispy warm rice layered with sautéed vegetables and Gochuchang (chili pepper paste) over sliced beef, all topped with a fried egg that serves to fuse the elements together.

Bi Bim Bap

      Suzie Wong's occupies an elegant space in one of the most architecturally inspired areas of the city.  It fits in nicely, but sometimes dining out is more about the company than the meal and that was the case for us that evening.  The conversation was more exciting than the overall meal experience.  If only we could have fallen for Suzie like William Holden did in the movie.

suziewongs.com