Thursday, June 16, 2005

Notes off the Lao Sze Chuan menu

Crenellated bittermelon hardened to a straightedged rectangle, each furrow a striated plane from a bird's eye view lands ever so softly on the abstracted tarmac. Architecturally related, intersticed strip malls of triple-hued firm tofu stand at ease, lounging around a five-city-block radius, arousing the ire of female passersby indignant of the nonstop catcalls in salute. At the end of the street sits a multidecked eggplant, gracefully violent as it backs against the wall.

An imaginary peppery smell wafts sideways through the oyster sauce drizzled atop gai lan stalks. Two hours before rush hour, Chef Tony is overcome, overpowered by licoriced peppers that numbs tongues and reddens faces.

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