Crispy Pork With Chinese Broccoli at President Thai - Rowland Heights

The first time I had this dish, we were at some random food court in Sydney. I remember it was cooked to order in a wok, and that among the ingredients the young Thai lady tossed into it was a flurry of white pepper from a shaker. The rest of the seasonings remain a mystery. But the three main components are self evident: fried shards of fatty pork, verdant Chinese broccoli, and fistfuls of chopped garlic.

As simple as it was, it remains one of the best meals I had Down Under. I'm reminded of it now every time I see it on a menu here in The States. And whenever I do, I order it.

So far only one place has come close: President Thai in Rowland Heights. Their pork has been deep fried and rendered to a texture somewhere between pork rinds and bacon, exhibiting the addictive qualities of both. The crispy hog scraps slowly absorb the savory/salty/sweet brown sauce and gets even better when it does.

I ate it as I considered how the snappy, slightly bitter stalks of Chinese broccoli brought balance to a dish that would've been way too much pork to take otherwise. Then I wondered whether I could ever find that random food court stall again if I should return to Sydney.

President Thai
1390 Fullerton Rd. Ste. 105
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 839-3340
http://president-thai.com

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