Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
SADLY, MEDAN PASAR IS NOW CLOSED.
My expectations are happiest when they are completely destroyed. Having eaten at so many restaurants. I might have an idea of what something will look like when I order it and when it’s something else completely, those can be the best experiences for me. Helps when they taste great too!
I’ve had Malaysian food a number of times before and really love dishes like rendang and nasi lemak. It’s a cuisine I have not fully experienced and so I was eager to try something brand new at the recently opened Medan Pasar in the East Village.
I was looking for something on the smaller side and thought the prawn fritters might hit the spot. But I was not expecting what I got.
It’s my mistake to assume a fritter would look like a ball of fried dough. And if it’s good, there’d be large chunks of chopped up protein inside and some flavorful spices.
That is not exactly what you get with Cucur Udang, a common Malay street food. These prawn fritters show you exactly what you’re getting. The fritter is a thin puck of batter that traps and encompasses shell-on prawns. Looks a bit like Han Solo frozen in carbonite.
And boy were these special. Despite the batter, they were as light as could be. The meaty prawn were enhanced by the addition of their crisp chewy shells. And throughout, the fritters contained herbal ingredients with a hint of spice. The two dipping sauces were great too!
After my experience at Medan Pasar, I promise to never look at a menu again and assume I know what a fritter is. Expectations be damned! Price: $6
| MEDAN PASAR |
| 102 East 7th Street (between First Avenue and Avenue A), East Village (646) 756-4006 |
| medanpasar.com |
