Review of Myers & Chang, nouvelle dimsum

Somewhere in Boston's South End, Myers & Chang is the hipster take on dimsum and pan-Asian food. Don't expect a vast white plate with drizzles of sauce and a pile of microgreens. You'll get small plates, with small tastes; the idea is that you order multiple small plates and share with your group. You'll have a choice of cheap steel cutlery, disposable wooden chopsticks, or plastic chopsticks, all loaded in colorful lychee or coconut milk canisters on each table. Placemats are sheets of Chinese newspapers cut to size. Chairs are surprisingly comfortable - cushy white pleather, perhaps?

Myers & Chang offer many alternative menus for the dietarily restricted crowd: vegetarian, vegan, shellfish-free, nut-free, gluten-free, or any combination of these. There are also various "Cheap Date" bargain tasting menus for all sorts:

The Hot Date-
Green Papaya Salad
Mu La Lat Lettuce Wraps
M+C Fried Chicken
Bok Choy and rice

The Healthy Date-
Thai Ginger Chicken Noodle Salad
Lemony Shrimp Dumplings
Green Papaya Salad
Crispy Tofu Steak w/Soba Noodles
Market Greens and rice
Pot of Green Tea

The Pig Out Date-
Pork Belly Buns
Chive and Chinese Sausage Pancake
Tea Smoked Spare Ribs
Pork Stirfry
Gai Lan and rice

The Veggie Date-
Red Kuri Squash Soup
Crispy Spring Rolls
Edamame and Celery Slaw
Vegetarian Chow Fun
Market Greens and rice

(taken from the Myers & Chang restaurant blog, 1/14/09)

The restaurant is somewhat louder than might be desired, with music blaring throughout. But the food - the gf and I tried the Veggie Date - was excellent. Edamame and celery slaw was crisp and scented with sesame oil, rather rapturous. Vegetarian Chow Fun was delectably pan-fried, slightly charred tofu chunks and gailan "Chinese Broccoli" greens and all. Almost everything benefited from a toothsome carbonaceous-grilled flavor that I'll call "wokky".

I loved the Kuri squash soup with coconut milk and lemongrass. I loved the pork buns with their fluffy squishy exteriors and amazing house-made pink root vegetable pickles...though the actual pork belly was too gelatinous/fatty for my leaner tastes. I enjoyed the hot and sour soup ordered by friends: thick with mushrooms and flavored with lemongrass, chili, and tiny pork meatballs. I feel tenderly towards the chive and shitake pan-seared dumplings with their crispy exteriors and juicy contents.

O, memories, how you provoke salivation. Even the leftovers did not disappoint me, so if you've got some money to spend - or a friend to share a "Cheap Date" menu - and you don't mind the loud music, Myers & Chang may give you a thrill or three.