Myers+Chang Review

Overall Rating: 89

Food rating: 86

Myers+Chang: Good food; fun place

I've been hearing about Myers+Chang for a while now, but hadn't gotten there. We had theater tickets last night and it seemed walkable from parking at the restaurant, so we gave it a try.

Myers+Chang is in the South End at the intersection of East Berkeley and Washington. They describe themselves as:

A funky indie diner setting offering Chef/Owner Joanne Chang and Executive Chef Karen Akunowicz's very personal interpretation of Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai, and Vietnamese specialties.

We walked in and were greeted with smiles and what felt like real welcomes from a waiter, the hostess, and a bartender and were taken quickly to our seats. The place does have a fun, happening feel to it, much like Towne seems to try for but without the fussiness and noise.

For drinks, we got a  blood orange margarita and a glass of wine, both good. We realized later on walking out how much alcohol was in the margarita.

The menu lists a fairly large number of items divided up into "dim sum", "...and then some", "dumplings", "noodles", and various other categories. We were told the food would come out as it was ready, in no particular order.

When we asked for advice, the waitress told us that she thought we should just go with our gut so that we had our own "Myers+Chang experience" rather than having someone else's. I don't personally worry a lot about having someone else's dining experience, but decided not to push the issue...

From the beginning part of the menu we ordered a carrot-ginger soup that was very good and pork and chive dumplings that were nice but nothing particularly special. From the rest of the menu we got the wok roasted mussels that were also very good but not unusual, a tasty tamarind-glazed hake, and grilled kalbi short ribs, that were wonderful. For dessert, we did get the waitress' help and she said that if we were chocolate lovers to get the flourless chocolate cake ("chocolate and cocoa nib terrine") that was excellent.

The above foods plus a glass of wine and two blood orange margaritas came to about $110 with tax.

I thought this was very good Chinese/Southern Asian food, but the tastes weren't particularly groundbreaking or amazing. Although the ingredients are better at Myers+Chang, the Asian tastes are more interesting at Strip T's. The price was quite reasonable for a restaurant you can eat at and walk to the theater district, but expensive if the comparison is to excellent Chinese food as you might get at Sichuan Gourmet in Framingham.

Overall, though, this is just a really fun restaurant. We enjoyed being there, and I would recommend it as a place for a group of friends or for a date. The food is fresh and well prepared and the atmosphere is great.