Taiwanese Burger in Paradise

AC and I have discovered that a great meal isn’t necessarily measured by the experience of eating entrées. One can eat amply and, in some cases, more interestingly by sampling a variety of appetizers than just one seemingly adventurous entrée.

We had one such experience this past weekend at Bob’s Noodle 66 in Rockville during our daylong eatfest just north of the District. We had read that Rockville is now the official Chinatown of the DC area, offering an astounding variety of Asian restaurants in the city’s seemingly infinite stretch of Rockville Pike. And indeed, in every strip mall of every block there was an Asian food mart, noodle joint, or some other manner of Asian food purveyor.

At Bob’s, we sat down, completely famished after a 45-minute drive from Northern Virginia, and went straight for the appetizers menu, which featured a couple dozen of some of the strangest things we’ve seen on a Chinese menu (and we’ve certainly seen our share), including Spicy Pig Ear Slice and Five-flavor Squid. We weren’t up for the slice or the squid, but we did go for a couple things that seized our imaginations. We went for the Taiwanese Hamburger, the Rice Sausage, and on the rice/noodle list, the Taiwanese Dry Noodle (as opposed to noodle soups, of which there are at least 20).

The clear star of this production was the Taiwanese Hamburger. The “burger” portion was actually a slab of sweet, spicy marinated fatty pork. In fact, our waitress warned us before we committed to the item that the pork was indeed “fatty.” We nodded in agreement, affirming our choice. The meat, delicious and, of course, fatty, was housed in a fluffy steamed bun and accompanied by a sauce of chopped pickled mustard greens and cilantro—one of the most refreshing and delightful condiments in existence. It was somewhat sweet, extremely sour, and bursting with cool crispness, owing to the cilantro. And a dusting of peanut powder added a bit of sweetness and crunch.

The Taiwanese Dry Noodle was equally delicious. Linguine-style flat noodles were mixed with a spicy ground pork sauce, more fatty pork, bean sprouts, chives, and a “marinated egg,” which reminded us of the Thousand Year Old Egg we’ve had at other Chinese restaurants. The Thousand Year Old Egg is pickled and has a bit of tartness, while this egg tasted like a regular hard-boiled egg with only a hint of spice. The dish was a true original and, for me at least, is the chinese version of Bolognese—the ultimate comfort food.

The experiment for the day was the Rice Sausage, which is described in the menu as “pig intestine with sweet rice and peanuts. Special sauce on the side.” This was truly one of the weirdest things we’ve tried anywhere. The sausage came sliced in rounds. While the innards of the sausage were largely vegetarian, the plate came to us with a faint musk of the intestine, a bit disarming at first. The filling was a faintly sweet sushi-style rice (small grains, sticky, creamy, my favorite), flecked with boiled peanuts that we guess were probably marinated in the favored five-spice mixture often found in Chinese food. The “special sauce” was, in my view, nothing special; it tasted like a sweeter version of soy sauce, perhaps hoisin or a close relative.

AC and I were hard-pressed to come up with a conclusion as to how we felt about the dish. There was little taste overall, as the rice, peanuts and snap of the sausage casing contributed more to a textural experience than a flavorful adventure. Still, it was interesting, and for those of you who enjoy experiencing specialty items simply because of a strange name such as Rice Sausage (or Spicy Pig Ear Slice, if you will) or a singular ingredient that seems intriguing, you should most definitely try Rice Sausage.

Though it wasn’t the tastiest thing on earth, the papaya shake was a cold, refreshing palate cleanser that offered us a much-needed respite from the sweet marinades and salty sauces we were shoveling down our gullets. One important note: When ordering one of their shakes, the waiters will ask if you’d like “bubbles,” which are large tapioca balls often found in Japanese tea drinks. We suggest you steer clear of the bubbles, which, though wonderful in Asian milk tea drinks, are not conducive to the enjoyment of a thick yogurty fruit beverage.

All said, Bob’s Noodle 66 is tops on our list. Who knows, maybe our next adventure will include their celebrated Duck Tongue with Basil or one of the handful of dishes featuring dried bean curd. AC—you game?

Experiment at Bob’s Noodle 66 at:

305 N. Washington Street
Rockville, MD
(301) 315-6668

—AK