Chicken, shiitake & scallion pan-roasted

by Celia Cheng
February 27th, 2007

OMEN
113 Thompson St
(Prince & Spring Sts)
212-925-8923
$$$

The English menu description for this dish doesn’t do it justice. While, the main ingredients are listed, chicken with shiitake and scallion, the herb sansho is actually what completes it. I refer to it as sansho chicken, which is a more appropriate name. Sansho is a dry earthy-tasting spice that is commonly topped on eel (most commonly in unaju, eel topped on rice) and used to counter its fatty taste. Sansho has a subdued kick to it. Though it is not hot like a pepper, after a while it numbs the mouth. Omen’s chicken is flavorful and juicy, and the sansho pairing is a surprising treat. Sansho has the effect of an addictive drug, making you want to consume more and more, but by the time you realize it, your mouth is already numb.

Also in Chicken, Japanese, SoHo