2008 Woodie Awards
Tastes like chicken
Vegeterians and meat-eaters alike will enjoy a wide variety of foods at Red Bamboo
Jenny Wilkins, Entertainment Editor, Emiritus
Issue date: 4/16/08Section: Entertainment
One of the first things that will strike you as you are seated at Red Bamboo is the intriguing and positively intoxicating scent of barbecue sauce.
It isn't really that surprising, being that this West 4th eatery is a fusion of soul food and Asian cuisine. And really, in this zeitgeist of Asian-fusion restaurants, no ethnic combinations - no matter how far removed in hemispheres - appears to be untested.
Pan-Asian, Japanese and European, Chinese and French, Asian and Cuban, Hawaiian and Asian - it's all well and good on paper, it usually tastes exactly as you'd imagine it to, and the price is usually more than you expected.
But at Red Bamboo you can truly find the unexpected. Not only is it a fusion of soul food and Asian cuisine - it's a vegetarian haven.
None of these dishes are prepared with meat ingredients, be it mammal or fish, and if you are a well-disciplined vegan, there are plenty of non-dairy and non-animal products available.
Simply refer to their extensive list of appetizers. Among the diverse choices are edamame, fried soy fish sticks, "ocean flavored soy protein" otherwise known as vegan calamari - but for a true flavor shock, try the Caribbean Jerk Spiced Seitan. (Vegetarian vocabulary lesson: seitan is made from the gluten of wheat. Basically, it's wheat with all the starch washed out.)
Marinated in a spiced molasses and lime-papaya juice dressing, it comes on two skewers, and looks like chicken. It really tastes like chicken. In fact, seasoned carnivores may ask "Wait - so this isn't chicken?"
The entrees are just as assorted as the appetizers, with offerings of Unagi Don, Tandoori soy chicken, and with a slightly regionally-confusing soy Chicken Parmesan and soy beef or chicken quesadillas. But when in a supposed soul food spot, do as soul foodies do - try the Creole Soul Chicken.
Breaded with panko and seasoned to taste just like fried chicken, they appear to be simply upscale chicken nuggets.
It isn't really that surprising, being that this West 4th eatery is a fusion of soul food and Asian cuisine. And really, in this zeitgeist of Asian-fusion restaurants, no ethnic combinations - no matter how far removed in hemispheres - appears to be untested.
Pan-Asian, Japanese and European, Chinese and French, Asian and Cuban, Hawaiian and Asian - it's all well and good on paper, it usually tastes exactly as you'd imagine it to, and the price is usually more than you expected.
But at Red Bamboo you can truly find the unexpected. Not only is it a fusion of soul food and Asian cuisine - it's a vegetarian haven.
None of these dishes are prepared with meat ingredients, be it mammal or fish, and if you are a well-disciplined vegan, there are plenty of non-dairy and non-animal products available.
Simply refer to their extensive list of appetizers. Among the diverse choices are edamame, fried soy fish sticks, "ocean flavored soy protein" otherwise known as vegan calamari - but for a true flavor shock, try the Caribbean Jerk Spiced Seitan. (Vegetarian vocabulary lesson: seitan is made from the gluten of wheat. Basically, it's wheat with all the starch washed out.)
Marinated in a spiced molasses and lime-papaya juice dressing, it comes on two skewers, and looks like chicken. It really tastes like chicken. In fact, seasoned carnivores may ask "Wait - so this isn't chicken?"
The entrees are just as assorted as the appetizers, with offerings of Unagi Don, Tandoori soy chicken, and with a slightly regionally-confusing soy Chicken Parmesan and soy beef or chicken quesadillas. But when in a supposed soul food spot, do as soul foodies do - try the Creole Soul Chicken.
Breaded with panko and seasoned to taste just like fried chicken, they appear to be simply upscale chicken nuggets.
Be the first to comment on this story