The Dishes You’ll Want to Order at Cha Cha Tang
Hong Kong’s culinary legacy looms large. Many regard it as the capital of dumplings, and most definitely dim sum. And where else could you possibly want to go if you’re craving a flaky pineapple bun? And then, there are the cha chaan tengs, affordable tea houses where you can pop in for a quick lunch and discover one of the region’s most interesting epicurean expressions. While there are a few to be found in New York City, you likely wouldn’t find one in the West Village, until now. That’s because the former Hancock Street space is now Cha Cha Tang, led by restaurateurs Wilson Tang (Nom Wah) and John McDonald (Lure Fishbar, Bar Tulix, and Bowery Meat Company).
“Cha chaan tengs are essentially Hong Kong diners,” co-chef Doron Wong says. “Historically, they served westernized Chinese food that locals thought would appeal to the British palate. So, one classic cha chaan teng dish was spaghetti and meatballs, but no one knew how to make the sauce, so they used ketchup.”
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1. OG Egg Roll
Pork, shrimp, Taiwanese cabbage
“Wilson wanted us to recreate one of the classics at Nom Wah,” Wong says. “And it’s the O.G., because every Chinese restaurant in America has it.” A filling of pork, shrimp, and Taiwanese cabbage is wrapped three times: with an egg crêpe, then with an egg-wheat wrapper, and then a batter to make it crispy all the time. And no egg roll is complete without something to dip it into: here, it’s a plum-based duck sauce that’s a little sweet and a little sour. “When people think of Chinese food, you know they’re thinking they want an egg roll with duck sauce,” Wong adds. “And we wanted to recreate that familiar feeling.”
2. Hong Kong French Toast
Japanese milk bread, ube, lemon zest
In cha chaan tengs, you may find a piece of bread dipped in egg wash and then either cooked in a griddle or fried. A layer of peanut butter is slathered between each slice before the whole thing is topped with a pat of butter and drizzled with condensed milk or maple syrup. “You can get this at any time of the day, like breakfast for dinner,” Wong explains. At Cha Cha Tang, the Hong Kong French toast takes a few different twists and turns thanks to Thurnauer’s creativity.
“I wanted something bolder and more distinctive,” Thurnauer says. For her French toast, she stuffs a thick cut of fluffy milk bread with taro-ube pastry cream, to give it a richer, nuttier flavor, then soaks it in a batter of egg, vanilla, and heavy cream. And instead of pan-frying the bread, she quickly deep fries it for a more indulgent texture. When you cut it open, all that deep, purple filling will ooze out like a molten lava cake.
“We sell a lot. And I was surprised to see it selling in the evenings, too,” Thurnauer adds. “It makes for a great dessert.”
3. Bacon and Egg Pearl Noodles
Smoked bacon, egg noodles, onsen egg
Given the ubiquity of classic beef chow fun in Chinese cooking, Wong wanted to take a stab at an update that subs out the traditional, wider chow fun noodles, which he says can be challenging to work with. (They sometimes stick to your wok!) Pearl noodles, on the other hand, aren’t just less fussy to cook with, they’re also easy to eat because of their chewy texture.
Wong’s version doesn’t stop there, however. He wanted to give this Cantonese staple an American twist, so he took the concept of bacon and egg (a combo he’s had a lot of) and tried to develop a noodle dish out of it. Wong’s recipe dry stir-fries pearl noodles, smoked bacon, garlic, chives, and bean sprouts, in both regular soy sauce and dark soy sauce plus a bit of sugar. This gives the noodles a slightly caramelized finish. And then a whole egg (steamed low to create a custard-like texture) tops the plate.
To no one’s surprise, it’s become one of the most popular orders at Cha Cha Tang. And it’s Thurnauer’s personal favorite: “I love carbohydrates and eggs! I could eat this every day.”
4. Macao Curry Chicken
Chicken thighs, olive, peanut butter
Like Hong Kong, Macau was once colonized by a European nation. This time, by the Portuguese, whose involvement with India inspired this fusion platter that has since become one of Macau’s most iconic dishes.
Thurnauer says that for the restaurant, she tweaked the recipe, so that it may better suit the American palate. “Originally, it’s much spicier,” she explains. “So, I toned it down a little bit.” She stews different cuts of chicken (thighs, airline, or boneless chicken breast with the drummette attached) as well as olives in Madras curry and coconut milk to get that classic curry profile, but uses less paprika to temper the heat.
It’s a hearty, saucy dish that you want to eat with white rice. Thurnauer likens it to the Philippines’ kare-kare because of the inclusion of peanut butter to add richness.
5. Taro-Crusted Turnip Cake
Daikon, rice flour, taro
This might seem like a straight-forward take on a beloved dim sum classic, but Wong says that the medley of starches he uses for this cake is unique to the restaurant. “In Cantonese cuisine, there’s a taro cake and there’s a turnip cake. One day, it dawned on me to put them together,” he explains.
Daikon is set with water chestnut flour and rice flour to create the proper density. The water chestnut flour, which acts as an unexpected thickening agent, defines the unique texture. Wong says the cake actually resembles polenta. To finish, a crust of shredded taro crowns every piece before it’s seared. A hoisin mayonnaise, instead of the traditional oyster sauce (which Wong thinks would make this too salty), accompanies the dish.
Since opening, this has been one of Cha Cha Tang’s greatest hits and sells like hot (turnip) cakes.
