Made our second visit to J’s Asian Street Food on Friday. We both had had a long week and wanted something simple and relaxing. We sat in a booth in the main room this time instead of in the bar. Both of the rooms are laid back and comfortable. We got there about five, so we were in time for happy hour. They serve Kirin lager on draft, so we decided to have that again.
We were not in the mood for anything heavy, so we decided to share several small dishes. Our server Will made some great recommendations. We ordered three dishes to start and then ordered a fourth one because we were still a bit hungry.
Act One: Banana Roti Prata
This is a great starter dish. It is a Malaysian flatbread that is very crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The dish is served with a spicy curry sauce that is really delicious. The banana is there, but not overpowering.
Act Two: J’s Bao
You get two of these with an order. These are served “open style” in fluffy homemade buns and filled with cilantro, cucumber, carrots, and the protein of your choice. We had these with pork belly during our first visit. Those were good. Will recommended the mongolian beef and we decided to try. It was even better than the pork.
Act Three: J’s Dumplings
This was the highlight of the meal for me. You get six fresh pork and shrimp dumplings. They are really “stuffed” (no exaggeration!). The sauce is a great compliment. They are too big for most folks to eat in in a single bite. I bit off a small piece, soaked in the sauce, and then popped the rest in my mouth. It was a really great bite with lots of flavor.
Epilogue: Pan-Fried Bao
These are the “classic” Bao (rolls filled with pork). J’s offers them steamed and pan-fried. You get four of them with an order. We enjoyed these, but think we would do the steamed version if we ordered them again.
Satiated and Relaxed
This was another delicious meal at J’s Asian Street Food. We had some interesting new dishes. Service was attentive. We left satiated and relaxed.