Moons Over My Spare Ribs

I went to college in mid-state Maine. It was the kind of place where you prayed that the snow would be melted for spring graduation, on Memorial Day weekend. Needless to say, we were far enough north that the selection of restaurants was limited at best. High-class dining was the Red Lobster and, if you wanted late-night diner food, you headed for Denny's. No matter the hour, one of my buddies always, always ordered Moons Over My Hammy. He just liked saying the name.

Since moving to Boston eleven years ago, I've wondered dozens of times what it would have been like to go to college here instead of the frozen tundra I called home for four years. I loved going to school in Maine, but there's no question that I would have eaten better here. I'll tell you one thing, if I needed some post-drinking diner grub as a Boston co-ed, I would not have had to be satisfied with rubbery scrambled eggs on toast - and that's because I would have had Myers+Chang.

I knew exactly two things about Myers+Chang before eating there. I knew that it served Chinese cuisine and I knew that it had some extra impressive owners - Christopher Myers, co-owner of Radius, Via Matta, and Great Bay, and Joanne Chang, of Flour bakery fame. While I didn't really have any expectations of the restaurant - aside from the fact that, with parents like that, it was bound to be good - it wasn't quite what I anticipated. The decor is urban and sleek, with maple-colored wood, earth-toned tiles, and mirrored walls, but it's irreverent too. The mirrored walls have grease paint graffiti all over them, the tables are unadorned with white Formica tops, the plush seats are covered in 70s-style vinyl, tea canisters on each table hold small paper menus and utensils (chopsticks only - so do your finger workout on the drive over), and kitschy Chinese decor cover every nook and cranny. The whole vibe is chic Asian diner. I love it.

The staff is pretty much exactly who you would imagine working at a hip SoWa restaurant - young, alternative, artsy. They help keep the casual, but stylish atmosphere going. Their one failing - though to no fault of their own - is that they are all wearing second-hand ("vintage") vests that have been hand-painted with Chinese characters. Maybe I am scarred from my evening at La Voile and the goofy busboy costumes, but I find that I am now vehemently opposed to putting waitstaff into outfits. It made them look ridiculous and it made the very cool Myers+Chang just a little less cool.

I think I might have been especially sensitive to the silly vests because they were so contrary to the demeanor of our waiter, who was funny, sarcastic, direct, and insightful. All of which was terrific, since we needed some heavy guidance on the menu. The menu at Myers+Chang is set up in a tapas-type style, with dim sum starters, dumpling plates, small plates, noodle bowls, and vegetable sides - all intended to be shared and all very reasonably priced at about $5-15 each. Our waiter recommended that we order between three and six items for the two of us - we could always get more as the plates came out. He also offered some input on the specialties of the house, how certain foods were prepared and meant to be eaten, as well as the finer differences between the noodle dishes. We ordered five different items and some cocktails - for me, a sake gimlet, which was delicious. It was dry and slightly sweet with a punch of lime.

The first dish out was the crispy spring rolls, which came to the table still sizzling from the oil. The tender-crisp wantons were wrapped around an abundance of scallions, mushrooms, carrots, and tofu pieces. The rolls were incredibly fresh and tangy, but the pungent vinegar sauce that accompanied them was overwhelming - I skipped it after the first try. The next dish served was one of the true highlights on the meal - braised pork belly buns. If you consider Myers+Chang to be a diner, this would certainly be their version of a burger. The tender, salty pork bellies were served on a traditional sweet Chinese bun (bao), smeared with hoisin sauce, with a slice of tangy and slightly spicy watermelon radish and lettuce. The combination of flavors and textures was outstanding.

Next up was the grilled prawns - whole shrimp on skewers with the head and shell still attached. Having eaten something similar at the China Pearl, I was not surprised by this serving method, plus the waiter had warned us when we ordered it. The entire shrimp is edible, though I do remove the heads. This method also makes the shrimp fairly "fishy" (much in the same way that serving meat on the bone can make it more "meaty"). The shrimp were coated in a tamarind-lime sauce, making them sugary and a little sticky. While good, they were somewhat unremarkable, making it the weakest dish of the night. It is worth mentioning that they were served with fresh, crispy fish chips sprinkled with hot red pepper which were delicious. If you've ever had the fish chips in a standard Chinese restaurant and wondered how exactly they were different from Styrofoam peanuts, having the fresh ones will make you realize what you were missing.

Unbelievably, two of the best courses were still to come. First, the tea-smoked pork spare ribs. From what I've read about Myers+Chang, this is truly its signature dish - a fact that was reemphasized by our waiter's enthusiasm when we ordered them. They lived up to their reputation - smoky and sweet, with meat so tender that it just falls right off the bone. The ribs aren't saucy - the earthy flavor was imbued in the cooking process and is enhanced by a light crust of peppercorns and tea leaves, which gives the dish a little bite of spice, as well as a nice textural contrast. We end on a bowl of beef and broccoli chow fun. I was more tempted to order the wok-charred udon noodles, but as soon as the waiter described the chow fun as "Chinese comfort food," I knew the battle would be lost to Paul (who began drooling at this description). I can't say what we might have missed with the udon, but the chow fun was spectacular. The thin strips of meat were nicely grilled, served in a deep bowl of wide rice noodles and long strings of broccolini, drenched in a salty, spicy brown sauce that gave great depth of flavor without being overpowering.

There is no dessert menu at the restaurant, which is just fine... the small plates are so tasty, you are better off just ordering more of them if your appetite is still lingering at the end of the meal. Plus, all diners are served a sweet treat from Flour just before the check is delivered. The night that we were there, it was a dense lemon mousse, sprinkled with coarse sugar and candied ginger. It was like licking the frosting off of a cupcake - creamy and delicious.

I'd give Myers+Chang, at 1145 Washington Street in Boston, an A-. Next time you are out on the town - behaving more like you are 20-something than 30-something - and you need something of substance, don't settle for a place that names it's eggs after old movies. Tuck into some bao and noodles at Myers+Chang and you'll recognize what you missed by not going to college in Boston. Your order is up.