If you haven’t seen the best movie of 2018 yet, what are you doing? Where have you been? Warner Brothers put on this 3-day luxury eating event in celebration of Crazy Rich Asians being released on DVD and online. Each day a different menu was featured, designed by Asian-American chefs, Roy Choi, Andrew Le, and Eddie Huang in that order. When spoon got the opportunity to attend this meal of a lifetime, I hit RSVP faster than a private jet.
Unlimited cocktails. Lobster. Octopus. Pork Belly. I think I had every meat at Crazy Rich Eating. The dishes came out family style, so I got to sample a little bit of everything. Read Thursday’s menu and get as excited as I was.
Cocktails
We took the opportunity of an open bar to taste drinks out of our usual picks. We tried a dirty martini and a mojito with ginger beer, but our drink of the night was the lemon drop martini: lightly sweetened lemonade-y happy juice.
Amuse (Appetizer)
Baohaus Beijing Fish Bao
These bad baos were the perfect accompaniment to cocktail hour. The fried fish was crispy, the slaw and peanut topping were salty, and the drizzle brought sweetness and moisture. They were snack-able but substantial enough to hold you over until seating began.
1st Course
Warm Lobster Romanesco Salad
I’ve only had lobster once in my life. It was bisque in Cape Cod when I was 10, so this was my real first time. They really did not skimp on the lobster meat in this salad, so I would’ve definitely gotten my hypothetical money’s worth. This salad -light yet still meaty- left us hype for the next courses to come.
Hainan Chicken & Rice
This dish leaned more on the side of traditional comfort food than luxury, but it was still delicious nonetheless. The chicken was tender -both the dark AND white meat-, and the sauce added a subtle kick to my spoonfuls of white rice and chicken.
2nd Course
Kalbi Jjim
My personal favorite dish of the night, unsurprisingly stellar because according to Food Network Chef, Anne Burrell, “brown food is good food.” The beef, carrots, and potatoes were so tender, the broth was so deeply flavored, I was in saucy heaven. I sadly missed out on sopping up the sauciness in white rice because they moved it after the last course, rip.
Twice Cooked Pork
This dish was the one I was most excited to try because I’m a pork belly fanatic. It lived up to my expectations. The crunchy cabbage contrasted against the soft, slightly chewy fattiness of the pork belly. They brought more rice out after I asked, so my bliss was restored.
3rd Course
Baby Octopus Ceviche
The ceviche brought a light finish to the main courses, following the heavier meats we just ate. The cilantro, acidity of the lime, and spiciness from the chile or jalapeño brought a brightness to the octopus and cut right through any fishiness.
Cantonese Wedding Shrimp Tower
This shrimp and slaw dish was our table’s favorite for the night. The mayo-based slaw added a creaminess to balance the lightness of the sweet, crispy shrimp, and the toasted walnuts gave the textural element that brought the dish together. Sooooo good, I wish I wasn’t so full by this point.
Dessert
Bao Pudding
Before the dish came out, I thought it would be bao buns used in bread pudding like the name suggests, but the texture made me think it was brioche. The fruit cocktail topping helped alleviated some of the heaviness of the custardy bread. Overall though, we were pretty full by the end of the meal from all the meats, so the dessert could have been lighter like a soufflé or sorbet.
I walked out of that meal after an hour and a half full, buzzed, and happy. I got to experience a meal I won’t be able to afford until I’m well into my career, so it was fun to live in the moment as a jobless college student. Shoutout to Warner Brothers for making my new favorite movie come to life.
Wanna dine like Crazy Rich Asian at home? Check out Chef Eddie Huang’s Recipe for Beijing Fish Bao.
Crazy Rich Eating menu and recipe images courtesy of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.