When I look at a place like Plum Tree on Kingston Pike in Bearden, two very separate but distinct thoughts go through my mind. One is that I am about to re-visit the early to mid-80's and the amazing Asian decor that was lost in that decade, and/or I am going to get food poisoning, lose 25 lbs. and never have to wear fat jeans again. Both wrong, again. You would think that I would get better at the pre-judgement thing as I go try more restaurants, but nope. Not.Even.Close. I always assume the food is going to be run of the mill, greasy and salty, just how I like it, but I was in for a real surprise.
I implore you to consider the ability of Plum Tree, which is the size of a shoe box from Coffin Shoes to be able to masterfully prepare a 4-6 page menu of 17 categories (yes, I counted), then believe when I say that after being a real fat fatty and picking 6 items from all different categories, and tasting the 4 other items my husband picked, each dish was so delicious it could hang in the ranks of food I have had at high-end Asian places in several major cities. I mean, this was light and fresh, belly warming, mouth-watering, non-oil slick covered, 'I can actually taste all the items in this dish' Chinese food. I had no idea this happens in nature. This is where I suggest that absurd idea that, "Maybe this is why the place has been around so long".
Okay, okay...onto the selections that are making my mouth water just thinking about re-consumption. (Please do not judge me, I was mildly to moderately hungover and STARVING!)
I started with a warm soft, doughy and steamy pork bun that was as good as any I have had in SF's Chinatown. The next three things I inhaled was a blur of egg roll, fried 5 spice "ming" wings and TomYum soup. Then came the Panang Curry with tofu and brown fried rice. I need to stop here and let you know this was by far, the hottest, creamiest, most flavorful Panang Curry I have ever ingested. I seriously love this shit and eat it all the time. It's NEVER ever going to be the same after Plum Tree's version. Okay, now that I got that out.....there was more. It was my husbands dinner, but I didn't care. It was the Mandarin Fried Rice and it had every meat and seafood known to man in it. By the look the hubby gave me when I asked for some of it, he felt the same way about it as I did. Actually, to quote my husband, "I bet this is what 'real' fried rice tastes like." So adorable.
Just go there! The food is going to blow your mind through the back of your head, and all over the wall, then leave you in a cozy sodium bliss. Plum Tree has it all figured out.! Must be 'ancient Chinese secret'. (No, i'm not talking about pee-pee in your Coke.)
Find them and their menu here.
You're welcome.
Colleen's yummy food rating: 450,000/5.
