When many Americans think of Asian-American cuisine, it is often synonymous with Chinese American cuisine. Asian cuisine encompasses an ever-growing myriad of dishes, but various regional dishes are often pigeon-holed into heavily Westernized American dishes like crab rangoon. Before you log on to Seamless to order another delivery of General Tso’s chicken with extra duck sauce, think again. Hunger Pang is forcing us to reexamine Asian-American cuisine, and they are doing it well.
Hunger Pang has an extensive dinner menu, featuring shareable small plate starters, larger mains and a steady stream of specials. Speaking of specials, let’s talk about the Orange Chicken Confit we stumbled upon last week. The chicken skin was crispy, contrasting against the roasted kabocha squash and the delightful coating of orange ginger jus throughout the dish. As pictured below, the plate spilled over with tantalizing delights.
After washing down an order of handmade, pan-fried pork and chive dumplings with a creamy milk stout, I enjoyed a perfectly medium-rare duck breast beautifully plated along side pistachio fried rice and a balsamic soy reduction. To be honest, I was really wary about pistachios in my fried rice. Boy, I was surprised! This uncanny pairing reminded me to keep pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone no matter how adventurous I may think I am with food. Very well done.
When you go to Hunger Pang, do not hesitate to venture to order out-of-the-box combinations like the Chicken Liver Pate Crositini with plum wine mission figs or the savory HP Poutine for brunch. Whatever you do order, please make sure you bless your plate with their stellar house-made hot sauce.
Even though I couldn’t squeeze out the secret ingredients of this house gem, the hot sauce seems to have hints of sriracha, fish sauce, a bit of acid and the vinegary kick of any good tabasco. It’s just the right amount of heat and subtle sweetness. Trust me – you won’t regret it!
BrklynHospitality’s Quick & Dirty: 4/5. Hunger Pang is not afraid to play with unique flavor profiles. Some diners may be a little thrown off by these playful combinations (e.g., pistachios in your fried rice). They’re closed on Mondays, but I urge you to take a chance on Hunger Pang any other day of the week.
Hunger Pang
1021 Church Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11218
