Being on a kitchen crew is hard work. Sometimes the hours suck. Ahem, my wake up call usually results in a few choice curse words when Rihanna's "Live Your Life" blares in my ear at the dark hour of 330am. The pay is a joke. (I don't have a quip for that, it really is a joke.) And the physical injuries are a daily joy.
Before you start hating on this profession, let me tell you that one of the best parts of being a chef is knowing other chefs. The restaurant industry is a bit what we would call a transient industry. The guy you are working with one week is gone and working at a new restaurant the next week. And now you have a friend in a different restaurant. Score!
My friend, Miss M, and I have recently made a few trips to the new restaurant, Nine|05, where we both know some of the chefs. I had gone one to Nine|05 under the previous management and was very unimpressed. It was expensive and the food was terrible. The turn around is amazing.
Matt Carter and Jay Bogsinske have done a fantastic job of remodeling the physical restaurant but also the menu. Open kitchen, exposed brick and modern furniture…can I live in the restaurant? It reminds me of a chic little Manhattan restaurant. Tucked away in a converted house on North 4th, you may very well drive right by.
I am in love with the pork belly crepes with a hoisin glaze and the rice cakes with the cilantro-lime, coconut yogurt. Miss M, is head over heels for the pork belly rice with bursts of sweet, caramelized pineapple and the korean chicken wings.
Shrimp and pork pot stickers were tasty. Fried heirloom tomatoes with a thai basil and soy aioli, were good, though I don't think I would order them again, since I've had them once.
Pretty much anything with pork, I'm there. The fact that pork belly plays a prominent roll on this menu, is why I keep going back.
I'm not a chicken wing fan, but the Korean chicken wings were spicy and slightly crisp, plus they weren't overly messy and gloopy/drippy, like other wings. Some wet towels are served on the side for hand clean-up.
I honestly didn't think that these rice cakes were going to be good. I hear rice cake and can't stop myself from thinking of the "healthy" cardboard snacks. But these were insanely good. The rice is hot, sticky and slightly salted. The outside is crisp. Paired with the cilantro-lime, coconut yogurt? You will be surprised at how amazing something so simple as rice can be.
Kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage, for those who aren't in the know) is one of my favorite things. Nine|05 makes their own kimchi and I have to say it's a tasty little bowl of pickled goodness.
The dishes kept pouring out of the kitchen. We could barely keep up, but damn did we try!
And now to my favorite part of the meal, dessert! There are only three desserts on the menu, but considering how small the place is and that their main focus are the amazing savory dishes, I can forgive this pastry atrocity.
The coffee & chocolate torte was ok. It was rich, dense and more like a mousse than cake. I could only eat a few bites before hitting chocolate overload. The chai ice cream was good. I wasn't blown over by it, by any means. Caramel sauce was your average caramel sauce.
I was not excited about the coconut tapioca. I mean, it's tapioca, I can make that at home anytime I want. My colleague came back and told me I had to order this. He loved it and he does not like tapioca. So, on our next visit, we ordered it.
It's not overly sweet, which I would have liked a touch more sweetness (but I like my desserts on the sweeter side anyway). Drizzled with a guava sauce, fresh strawberries and toasted coconut, it was perfect for the 110+ heat that was swelling outside. Light and refreshing with a little crunch from the toasted coconut, I highly recommend it.
If you are looking for authentic Asian cuisine, I don't know if this restaurant will be the right place for you. They are doing some modern takes on Asian cuisine and I think they are doing a great job. My stomach is grumbling right now as I'm writing this, daydreaming about the pork belly crepes.
So now, a quick step-up on my soap box before I swan dive into my bed. Please support local restaurants right now. We need great places to eat in Phoenix and Nine|05 is creating some delicious dishes. They didn't pay me to say that, though, they did send me pork belly crepes. And that is very much the way to my heart.
Song of the Day: "Caught Up In You" by: .38 Special
