Catch A Falling Star - Help Save Poleng Lounge!

Go to Poleng Lounge. Go there often. And go there soon. Word on the street is that they may soon meet the fate of many small restaurant startups here in San Francisco. I’m not worried though. Even if Poleng Lounge does close, 2007 Rising Star Chef Tim Luym’s anti-fusion menu is so relevant that I’m sure it will immediately reincarnate itself somewhere else here in the Bay.

Integrity of color on the local Half Moon Ahi Poke tells you that its fresh, but if you’re only going to get one raw fish plate then go for the Butterfish Kinilaw instead. This spicy, coconut-scented ceviche is true indigenous islander eating, born of a tradition of immediacy and locality. An order of this alongside a glass of Anchor Steam and I am content.

The Beef Tenderloin Salpicao is always a must-order. Think “shaking beef” topped with taro crisps, served alongside a poached leg bone, stack of coconut toasts, and a fresh pineapple/cilantro salsa. The toasts are cut to a size that’s perfect for dipping into the leg bone. Be prepared to fight over the marrow. If you’re like me you’ll struggle to negotiate every last bit of the unctuous beef butter out of the bone. Just make sure it lands on the plate and not on the floor. I accidentally got some into the tread of my sneakers once and was stuck with slick shoes for the rest of night.

The Dungeness Garlic Crab Butter Noodles are worth any season’s price, carry just the right amount of heat, and are even better with a squeeze of kalamansi. It’s the Thanh Long experience at a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the calories. The recipe is posted on my blog if you want it. (www.UltimateBites.com)

The Golden Gindara was the very first black cod dish I’ve had anywhere outside of my own home that actually did the fish justice. They must have noticed our reaction because the manager brought us a second serving of the succulently steamed fish free of charge.

One of my favorite dishes is no longer on the menu. The Pineapple & Pork Butubara Yakitori, used to come on actual flat yakitori skewers, and it’s a good thing too because the pre-braised pork belly would have melted right off of regular skewers. Bring it back! Replacement menu items include fragrant Pandan Chicken Pouches, and Curried Corn Fritters.

Everyone seems to love the Crispy Adobo Wings, which are indeed wings but are decidely not adobo. The side of Achara is a nice accompaniment, but people say my achara is better (It’s the one thing I can claim I do better than the Poleng kitchen).

On my first visit the Salt & Pepper Drunken Shrimp must have left all their shrimpiness in their rice wine bath, and were not crispy enough to eat confidently knowing that you are not going to choke on shrimp shell. The lack of a crispy shell on the shrimp, and the dryness of the meat on the adobo wings both tell me that their fry temperature, on that day anyway, was too low. Adobo wings on all subsequent visits were excellent, but I have not yet worked up enough courage to order the shrimp again.

The tea menu is worth checking out even if you don’t think you’re a tea drinker. For us newbies to tea culture each pot comes with its own timer so we know exactly when it’s ready to drink. Try pomegranate oolong.

If you’re feeling adventurous ask for the “Secret Menu”, and your server will whisper an exclusive ever-changing menu that on any given night might include street food offerings such as pork sisig, braised lengua, fried chicken oysters, grilled gizzard skewers, etc.

Now that there’s air conditioning in the back room I’ll be giving the nightlife here another chance. They usually play great music here, but it used to be hard to enjoy yourself when the humidity level was as Southeast Asian as the food.

Many Filipino diners will have to adjust to the toned down seasoning on most dishes. Just remember that these dishes are small plates meant to be snacked on with a glass of beer or wine while enjoying the company of your friends. The food is neither salty nor rich enough to warrant steamed rice to balance it out. Your palette does not need the rice. Your body mass index does not need it either.

Dungeness Garlic Crab Butter Noodles

Serves 4

From Tim Luym of Poleng Lounge in San Francisco. If you're starting with a whole crab, you can use the "butter," or tomalley, to boost the crab flavor. Maine Rock or peekytoe crab can be used instead of Dungeness. At the restaurant, Luym serves the noodles in the crab shell.

INGREDIENTS:

For the sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons fish sauce (see note)

2 teaspoons sriracha (see note)

2 tablespoons michiu (rice cooking wine, see note)

3 tablespoons kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce, see Note)

2 tablespoons mirin (see note)

For the noodles

1 pound fresh egg noodles, chow mein thickness

3 ounces unsalted butter

4 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 pound meat from a 1 1/2- to 2-pound Dungeness crab

Reserved crab "butter" (optional, see Note)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

Instructions: Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Boil 3 quarts of water, and cook egg noodles to al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse in cold water and set aside.

Combine butter and garlic in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Once butter begins to brown and garlic gets fragrant (about 1 minute), add the egg noodles and stir until butter coats them evenly.

Turn heat to high. Continue to saute for 3 minutes, adding the sauce mixture and combining evenly with the noodles. Once noodles have been cooked through (2 minutes), add the crabmeat and "butter" (tomalley), if using, and cook for an additional 1 minute.

Stir in lemon juice. Serve noodles on a plate, top with cilantro.

Note: Fish sauce, sriracha, michiu, kecap manis and mirin can be found at Asian markets. To extract "butter" or tomalley from a crab, lift off top shell and spoon out the thick yellow substance.

Per serving: 700 calories, 24 g protein, 91 g carbohydrate, 22 g fat (12 g saturated), 183 mg cholesterol, 2,377 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.