Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
My life is pretty ridiculous. I took myself out to a trendy fancy dinner at The Tyger and agonized over what dish to order. I had a quick discussion with the server who recommended the Singaporean Chili Crab Fried Rice, but I ultimately decided on the Nasi Goreng with Squid Ink.
Well there was some misunderstanding because the waiter brought me the dish he recommended and not the one I thought I had ordered.
When I pointed out the mistake, they went to get me the right dish.
Here’s where things get crazy and kind of stupid. The waiter was right and I was wrong about what I should have ordered. And the dish he accidentally brought me was far superior. In fact, it was pretty amazing.
The Tyger opened early on in the pandemic and has slowly built up to be a fashionable Asian fusion eatery in the Soho/Chinatown/Little Italy border. I quite liked the vibe and really loved the rice dish.
Chili Crab is a common dish in Malaysia and Singapore and here they turned it into some of the best fried rice I’ve ever had.
The crab is plucked out and mixed into the rice. Rich meaty pieces of the crustacean linger among some slick flavorfully spiced rice studded with sweet peas and scallions. And then showered on top is this red crunchy magic. Not sure what it was exactly but it added so much wonderful texture and just a hint of heat to the dish. Perhaps it was there to emulate the shell that the Singaporean crab is usually served with.
If I had left The Tyger only tasting the Nasi Goreng that I had ordered, I might have enjoyed my experience, but not been blown away. Thankful for a happy accident. Price: $27
| THE TYGER |
| 1 Howard Street (at Centre Street), Soho (646) 476-7566 |
| thetygernyc.com |
