My friend S is painting a mural for Baguette. It’s not even done, and it’s already gorgeous. One of the nice things about having your friend paint a mural is that you get to spend a lot of time with that friend. And, being us, some of that time is spent eating.
I’d heard good things about Mandarin Tiger, so we went for a late-ish lunch. It did not disappoint–the egg rolls were crispy and flavorful, the beef with broccoli was excellent, and the mu shu pork was terrific (although I do wish restaurants would stop serving it in the pancakes–they just about always wind up overstuffed and falling apart). It seemed like a natural for Sandwich Père’s birthday dinner the following week.
Alas, on that occasion, it did disappoint. We brought home a variety of dishes that also displayed a variety of quality. The braised string beans and lemon chicken were very good, but the fried shrimp were overcooked, dry, and tough. The chicken with cashews was mediocre, and the BBQ pork fried rice looked like a blend of fried rice and Spanish rice. And this was Saturday night, which I’d expect to be more of a standout than Sunday lunch.
I might go back for the mu shu and the string beans–particularly since they deliver. But on the whole, the restaurant was a bit of a let-down.