We just had an excellent quick early meal at Darling, the newish restaurant in the hallowed Mary Chung’s spot on Mass Ave in Central. I can’t believe there isn’t a thread devoted to Darling yet, so although my review will be brief and there are no photos, I’ll throw it out there to get the ball rolling.
Coming from the emotional rollercoaster that was the No Kings rally on Boston Common, we needed somewhere off the red line to eat and warm up. With no reservations, walking in right at 5, the owner who was at the host stand had to make some rearrangements and put some time constraints on us, but was able to get us seats at the bar, as long as we promised them back in about 45 minutes. With other commitments later, that worked for us, so we ordered up a bunch of the small plates and demolished every morsel. Service was super quick and attentive, and the owner checked in twice and visibly did not stop moving, cleaning, bussing, and generally working his butt off the whole time we were there.
A mocktail was amazing, with beautiful thin glassware and a giant block of hand-made ice. Bang bang chicken was a generous portion, crisp and spicy. Chinese broccoli had great wok hei. Jumbo shrimp with kim chi butter were unctuous and savory, and a side of rice was needed to mop up every last bit of sauce.
But I know what you really all are wondering is “ what about the suan la chow show??!” It was good- very good, even. That black vinegar tang is unmistakeable. But, it wasn’t Mary Chung’s. Not quite. That dish lives only in memory.
We finished with a mango coconut lime pudding, which was called a sago pudding on the menu and which I had to look up, as I’d never known the sago palm could produce a starch which can be made into tapioca-like pearls. Delicious.
Overall, this was a quick scouting mission and we didn’t have time or inclination to enjoy the cocktail menu fully, and there are many more dishes I’d like to try. We’ll definitely be back. Unlike some other nearby restaurants we’ve tried, Darling is being run by adults and firing on all cylinders.
