EAT This Week: Sam Choy’s Ohana Diner’s Incline Noodle Mania
To try and decide each week where and what to eat in and around Truckee-Tahoe can be a challenge — there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.
Whenever you’re at a restaurant and an item is listed as one of the chef’s favorites — and in this instance a James Beard award-winning chef — you’re most likely in good hands. This week’s feature is indeed one of those menu items taken from the list of “Uncle Sam’s Island Favorites” at Ohana Diner.
The title role in the name of this dish is chow mein noodles. They are tossed with a mixture of sautéed onions, celery, carrots, Chinese (a.k.a. snow) peas, chicken, Chinese barbecue pork, and topped with fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. It also comes with house fried crispy tortilla chips for maximum scooping and eating effect.
Let’s start with the fantastic flavors of the dueling meats. The chicken is ultra moist and takes on the flavors of the sauce so well, that it simply compliments everything it touches. Chinese barbecue pork is meat that has been marinated in sweet barbecue sauce then roasted to perfection — which also gives it that distinct rosy-colored exterior. I could roll around in a bowl of just this pork so yes I’m a fan.
All of the veggies retain their crispness so you’d be hard-pressed to find a bite that doesn’t give you great contrasting textures with each spin of the fork. But, if you’re really looking for texture nirvana, take one of their crispy chips, and however you need to mix and match a bite of noodle, goodies and the chip, do it. That added crunch goes a long way against all the other ingredients.
The dish is a good sized portion, so if you wanted to share with your restaurant mate, you’d be able to do so. But, if you’re like me, you can also take this easy-eating dish down on your own. Before I knew it, it was gone. Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing … Definitely a good thing. We’ll go with that.
Sam Choy’s Ohana Diner is located inside Bowl Incline at 920 Southwood Boulevard in Incline Village. For menu, hours, or general information visit them online at bowlincline.com/ohana-diner or via phone at 775-831-1900.
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