I’ve waited a long time to write about Talde, mostly because I’m spoiled: I live across the street. For anyone who believes that restaurants belonging to celebrity chefs are shams, I recommend you bee line it to Talde, where Dale Talde is doing wonderful things for Asian cuisine. Time after time after time, the food here delivers, proving that there’s a reason the wait is 45 minutes for a table on a Wednesday. It’s just that good. While I’ve never had a bad thing here, the below are my favorites.
Pretzel Pork & Chive Dumplings
Do you need me to tell you to order this? What are you even doing here? 🙂
Yuzu Guacamole
This dish is quite playful in that the guac arrives slathered on top of crispy rice. The yuzu gives it this wonderful umami flavor, and the option to add speck is one worth capitalizing on.
Wonton Noodle Soup
A far cry from the wonton soup in questionable Chinese take-out containers, if you like pork dumplings, you’ll love this comforting bowl of broth complete with pork shoulder and a six minute egg.
Beef Short Rib Kare Kare
Kare Kare is a Filipino stew cooked in a thick, savory peanut sauce. It’s also really fun to say. The thin Lo Mein-esque noodles soak up all that delicious sauce while the short ribs, melt in your mouth tender, provide that stick-to-your ribs decadence.
Acorn Squash Randang
One of the best veggie dishes around, the grits in this dish make it insanely filling, and the squash adds color and zest. It’s a winning combination.
Korean Fried Chicken
Do you like fried chicken? Do you like when it’s spicy? Or with a little touch of sweetness? Talde is here to remind you that you can have it all. Flanked by spicy kimchi yogurt and grapes, this poultry is a force to be reckoned with.
Whole Branzino
Having been to Talde enough times, I’ve had everything on the menu at this point, and nine times out of ten this dish is on my table. Wrapped in a banana leaf and stuffed with turmeric, herbs, mustard greens, and tomatoes, this delectable sea creature is served with tiny tacos, allowing you to eat and be merry any which way you like.
Lemongrass Pork Shoulder
In a world of over-tweezed garnishes and fancy molecular gastronomical methods of cooking, it’s nice to know that sometimes you can just get exactly what you asked for. In this case, it’s a simple, well braised piece of pork, tender and absolutely delicious
