The opening of Curry
Leaf (2335 Fourth St., Eureka) in the former location of Gonsea is happy news
for fans of noodles of many stripes but especially fried. There is more on the
menu — a lot more, in fact, as the pan-Asian offerings span from kimchi fried
rice to Malaysian curries to tempura and walnut shrimp, all before you read the
specials board — but even co-owner Joe Tan, when pressed, will steer you to the
fried noodles.
click to enlarge
Photo by Jennifer Fumiko Cahill
Classic beef chow fun from Curry Leaf.
Beef chow
fun stalwarts, I recognize your numbers and your loyalty to slippery, flat,
rice noodles fried with bean sprouts, green onions, beef and Cantonese magic. Your
reward arrives on a platter of gleaming noodles, browned by soy sauce and what
I imagine is a wok of supernatural heat. This kind of wok hei flavor, lighter
than a full char but imparted with more fire than can be summoned by any of the
home gas stoves for which some folks are evidently ready to water the tree of
liberty, enlivens the humble sprouts and scallions, too. Along with deft
seasoning and a generous helping of tenderized beef, it adds to a depth of
flavor often missed
click to enlarge
Photo by Jennifer Fumiko Cahill
Hearty Indian mee goreng from Curry Leaf.
The thick
Indian mee goreng noodles have that heat, too, along with a touch of
chili in their rich, tangy sauce. These pan-fried egg noodles, scrambled egg,
sprouts and onion topped with crushed peanuts and a squeeze of tart calamansi
(lime here) are a fragrant favorite in Malaysian markets, I’m told, having come
from Muslim Indian immigrants. They’ll stick to your ribs even without the
optional proteins (chicken, beef, tofu or shrimp).
click to enlarge
Photo by Jennifer Fumiko Cahill
Curry Leaf’s special spicy eggplant shines.
If spicy
eggplant shows up on the specials board, count yourself lucky. The fried purple
skins are lacquered with a sweet and pleasingly hot chili sauce, and the flesh
is custard-like as you hoped. The wok hei returns, bringing out the sugar in the
peppers and the flavor of the garlic suspended in the chili oil that haloes out
onto the plate. Lucky, indeed.
Bio:
Jennifer Fumiko Cahill is the arts and features editor of the North Coast Journal. She won the Association of Alternative Newsmedia’s 2020 Best Food Writing Award and the 2019 California News Publisher's Association award for Best Writing.