For the past year, I’ve corresponded with Danni on Instagram. We share similar tastes in food, and we’ve even been to the same restaurants at the same time, though we weren’t aware then. We decided to meet up officially. I invited my friend, the Olympian. Divine Offering isn’t accessible on Wednesdays so that she couldn’t make it. Lovegastrogirl was in Tokyo; otherwise, she would have also come along. Let’s listen to “New Attitude” by Patti LaBelle for this post.
We hemmed and hawed about where to go, and finally, I suggested Paper Lantern. It is a small world; as it turns out, Danni is the proud sister of the owner of Paper Lantern and Prosperity Bar. Her parents previously owned Orchid Room in Bankers Hall. I’ve never eaten there, but I heard the food was elevated Vietnamese cuisine and popular with the downtown crew. The Olympian and I asked her where she eats Vietnamese food, as we were curious where she would eat if it weren’t her family’s restaurant. She recommended Rau Bistro, Noodle World (#52 rice platter or coconut beef pho), Pho Uncle Ten, and Basil Ultimate.
I ordered the PL Daiquiri ($12), Danni ordered a Mai Tai, and Olympian picked a non-alcoholic pina colada. My cocktail was light and breezy, with a tart tropical zing from the pineapple. For food, Danni picked some appetizers for us to share. I appreciated the water pitcher on the table, as I was parched that night.
First up was the Sweet Nuoc Mam Chicken Wings ($12). Damn, the wings were saucy and crispy, the sauce was sticky and sweet. I was happy to see the wings and drums were five times the size of any pub wings. I want to try the shrimp salt and pepper version when I return.
There was a lot of beef in the carpaccio ($12). I liked how the peanuts and onions gave some textural contrast to the soft, raw meat. The beef itself had a nice flavour. I didn’t realize there was cilantro in this dish. Had I known, I would have omitted the herb, as I’m one of the unlucky ones with the soap gene.
The pork belly banh mi ($10) was a winner! The special sauce and house mayonnaise were savoury and rich. The braised pork belly was so soft and warm that it melted right into the light, crusty bread. The pickled vegetables added a lovely crunch to each bite. Danni recommended trying the chicken roti banh mi next time. Her eyes lit up as she described how the chicken was caramelized.
The Pineapple Stir fry ($12) was as good as I remembered it from my last visit. The rice bowl contained ample sweet pork belly, shrimp, and pineapple. If you are hungry, I recommend ordering a rice bowl, as it is filling.
My favourite dish was the Mango Salad ($14). It takes a lot for me to like a salad over wings, so the chef back there is performing a miracle. The mango and papaya strands were chilled, crunchy from the peanuts and herby from the fresh mint leaves. I liked scooping up the refreshing salad on top of the shrimp cracker.
When the bill came, I was surprised to see how affordable it was. My bill, including one cocktail, was only thirty dollars. In today’s economy, that’s incredible. I informed Danni I was bringing Chew Steel to Paper Lantern for our next date night. She suggested I try the Beef Stew ($14) and Crispy Crepes ($15). I already know what I want—a repeat of the mango salad, banh mi, and the shrimp salt wings.
We plan to do another girls’ outing, this time at Prosperity Bar, to try the Big Mac egg rolls, Philly Cheese Banh Mi, and some dumplings. Next time, we’ll be sure to include Lovegastrogirl and Divine Offering. Perhaps I’ll have to start my supper club again, No Man’s Dinner, with the president, Loaf2go.
Hitting the Sauce 