Needle - Silver Lake

TheCookie · September 9, 2021, 4:39pm

Popped over last week for the finale of a few favorites!

We were tempted to load up on more items (here’s looking at you spareribs) but decided to be kinda conservative.

No “Top Reheat” plating photos. After driving the 6+ miles home it was quickly shoot it, quickly plate it, enjoy eating it! Pro tip: preheated the plates in the toaster oven.

Char Siu - Pork Belly, Honey Glaze, Hot Mustard

This time they offered regular, fatty & extra fatty. Not remembering what we ordered previously we went with fatty. I’d maybe go for regular next time but it was still perfection. Perfectly cooked belly, caramelized honey glaze and the hot mustard as the perfect foil! Yes I used the word perfect 3 times!

Scrambled Eggs & Shrimp

If we lived in the ‘hood this would become a regular habit. Savory seasoning, buttery, soft, creamy curds & perfectly cooked, snappy shrimp.

Jasmine Rice

Love this fragrant, delicately flavored rice with the scrambled eggs & shrimp.

Eggplant, Bamboo, Wood Ear Shrooms, Red (Bell?) Peppers, Cilantro, Spicy Garlic Sauce

The beauty of this dish is the crispy outside, creamy inside. It doesn’t translate quite as well togo without a zap in the toaster oven. But the upside is we got more tasty, spicy garlic sauce then the dine-in version.

Shrimp Chips

I may have eaten half before photographing. Please never take these off the menu! I haven’t had a lot but these are the most shrimpy I’ve had. Love!

Almond Jello… but of course.

Yau Tiu (donuts), 8 Spice, Sugar, Condensed Milk

We’ll just call these the diet destroyer. Sooo good! They travel well too - warm & crispy.

We probably won’t do Siu Yeh because it’s for two and I struggle finishing big meals in one sitting. But! I’m anxious to read others’ reports, especially the infamous Pork Shoulder Char Siu.

I saved this prior menu for posterity.

Happy Needle Eating!

attran99 · September 9, 2021, 5:45pm

The pro-tip with the eggplant and spare ribs (a la @noddles) is to arrive before your pick-up time and to ask for your boxes not to be closed

Love that you warm the plates while you make the pick up!

CiaoBob · September 9, 2021, 5:46pm

The best!

TheCookie · September 9, 2021, 11:48pm

Thanks @attran99!

Haha, tricks I learned for making restaurant food at home more pleasurable during the lockdown. I put plates in the toaster oven on low with a timer.

robert · September 10, 2021, 12:36am

A quick way to get hot plates is to microwave a stack with damp cloths or paper towels between them.

TheCookie · September 10, 2021, 12:54am

I gave up the microwave and rarely miss it.

robert · September 10, 2021, 2:20am

Nothing compares for reheating coffee or making caramel and it’s handy for reheating leftovers.

T3t · September 11, 2021, 5:11am

Overall Siu Yeh is a great menu/experience. Highlights were the pickles, the allium condiment on the zucchini, and the pork jowl (but honestly every single skewer course was an absolute knockout, except the cherng fun, which I’m sure was well-executed but just not my thing). Minced pork rice bowl is skippable, particularly if you’re worried about not being able to eat that much food - it was good, just not outstanding. Almond jello is likewise not my thing but I’m not going to try to tell anyone here that it’s not the best thing since sliced bread

I do think I saw a fellow FTCer paying their compliments to the chef before leaving after their 6pm dinner

I am a bit worried about the sustainability; there were a couple empty bar spots for the 8pm seating and tomorrow’s meal still has seats available as well. I don’t mind paying $100+ a head for skewers but it did come to mind as something that might not see enough takers to fill up 20 seats a night. I hope it works out, though.

J_L · September 11, 2021, 5:25am

Agree that Needle’s Siu Yeh pop-up is a force of nature. Chef Ryan and Team Needle’s balanced pacing, cordial service and output of dishes were superb for our entire 6pm service. It is quite a bit of food. I am super glad I didn’t sit down (stood at the counter throughout): Being vertical the entire time really helped me eat more. Photos to follow.

T3t · September 11, 2021, 5:26am

Glad my eyes weren’t deceiving me!

J_L · September 11, 2021, 5:26am

Come say Hi next time!

T3t · September 11, 2021, 5:28am

I will next time!

moonboy403 · September 12, 2021, 8:32am

Ran into @noddles @PorkyBelly @NYCtoLA tonight.

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TheCookie · September 12, 2021, 5:37pm

That skewer!

PorkyBelly · September 12, 2021, 7:07pm

hi @moonboy403,
how was the pork shoulder compared to the belly? also what’s the mosquito sitch? thanks.

moonboy403 · September 12, 2021, 8:47pm

Same great flavor but the shoulder in these skewers has a more bouncy texture as opposed to the soft, fluffy, yet melty texture of the pork belly which I prefer.

I keep wearing shorts when I go to Needle. Got 3 bites this time. Rookie mistake.