A few weeks ago, I found myself in my kitchen devouring a heap of squishy chow claiming to be nothing less than Taste Sensations Sesame Chicken. Lean Cuisine claims it consists of \breaded chicken tenderloins in a tangy plum sauce topped with roasted sesame seeds."" The first few bites were not so bad, maybe because I wanted to believe the idealistic description of this frozen delicacy. Yet, three bites into it, I found myself wanting to rid my mouth of this overpowering tang flavor and run to a toilet to spew out its remains. So much for Stouffer's Asian Style Cuisine.
Days later, I regained my enthusiasm for Chinese food and decided to venture to other avenues of Asian cooking. I don't have a favorite Chinese place in Madison because everything I have tried seems sub-par compared to my all-time favorite, J's Peapod, located on the south side of Chicago, which has food to die for. As I was driving through Madison, I happened to stumble upon a place called Firefly. Peering through the stained glass windows that mimicked Cubist art, I noticed almost every table was empty. As I opened the door, I immersed myself into this ultra-trendy contemporary restaurant.
It was Crave gone Asian. Bright fuchsia lights beckoned me to the swanky bar, while bamboo shoot space dividers were scattered throughout the restaurant. I was seated in a booth across from hordes of empty-yet-elegantly set tables adorned with fancy chopsticks.
I glanced around the restaurant and realized there was not one Asian employee at this so-called Asian restaurant. This seemed odd. Then my waitress approached me with her Lisa Loeb glasses, dishing out fresh pea pods served with attitude on the side.
It seems over the years we have moved from cultured restaurants to haute couture, losing any sense of authenticity in our meals and the dining experience. What happened to the restaurants that are family-owned and family-run with food that tastes hearty and home-made?
Well, at least some have survived in Madison, and Viet Foods To Go is one of them. The building is small, simple and unassuming, yet the food is simply exquisite. A Vietnamese family runs the entire show, and quite successfully, might I add. There is no need for fancy stained glass windows and futile attempts to appear Asian. The food and the atmosphere speak for itself.
Yet, what's funny is that in order to attract more customers, they had to market themselves as a Chinese restaurant as opposed to serving Vietnamese cuisine. Every American is familiar with Chinese food, but who knows anything about Vietnamese cuisine?
Although there are a few Vietnamese dishes on their menu, it would be great if all their food was inspired by Vietnamese tradition, especially in a city like Madison that prides itself with a variety of cultural restaurants.
The sad truth is people like more of the same thing, evident in other food venues as well. On State Street we now have Qdoba, Chipotle and Moe's, all serving basically the same thing in the same kind of setting with the same kind of employees-college kids. State Street is also consumed by multitudes of sub shops all within a block or two of one another. We've got Subway, Potbelly's, Jimmy John's, Charlie's, Big Mike's and Cousin's. When are they going to put in a Quiznos to make the set complete?
I just wish more cultural dishes would replace the Potbelly's Train Wreck or the Big Mike's Pilgrim's Pride. I wish the food was actually prepared with pride by a family rich in culture and tradition.
But until then, I will have to continue eating the sumptuous shiitake pesto pasta or ginger crusted salmon.
That, or other delectable entrees made by Lean Cuisine.
