American Chinese is not a “cool” cuisine. For decades, it’s been relegated to the home dinner table, fast food intended to fill up, not delight. But that’s beginning to change.
First, there was Lucky Danger in Arlington, with its slogan, “American Chinese by a Chinese American.” Now there is Songbird in Fairfax, a modern restaurant and bar that similarly celebrates the all-American traditions of tiki drinks and dishes like crab rangoon and sesame chicken, with sushi thrown in for good measure.
I couldn’t resist sampling Songbird’s take on dan dan noodles, one of my favorite dishes at more traditional Chinese restaurants. With its mala covering of ground pork, I usually refer to the dish as being similar to a Szechuan Bolognese. The atypical version at Songbird is served chilled, and meat-free. Once I got over the surprise of its unusual personality, I very much enjoyed what was essentially al dente, cold sesame noodles with cucumber matchsticks and the numbing heat of Szechuan peppercorn.
It’s hard to choose from among the many small plates on Songbird’s menu. I bit into the five-spice chicken wings, but the spice blend, as well as the cumin mentioned on the menu, were difficult to detect. The wings are well-fried and go well with their dip of not-too-sweet duck sauce. The crispy pork dumplings are a similarly mixed success with a likable wrapper and bland filling.
There’s no skipping a dish with a name like “Our Famous General Tso’s Chicken.” The all-white-meat fried nuggets are almost worthy of their moniker. While I appreciated the burn of chiles in the sauce, I still wished it were a little less syrupy. I ended up diluting it with dips in the dumpling sauce.
There are three cakes available for dessert, as well as green tea ice cream. I selected the Double Chocolate Cake, which is even more chocolaty than advertised. With fudgy frosting, a moist layer of cake, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce, I would argue that it’s really triple chocolate. As I finished the last bites of the homey confection, the disco ball began spinning, illuminating the crowd that had gathered at the bar on a Saturday night.
The cuisine is a step up from Chinese takeout, but the experience at Songbird is what’s attracting a fan base.
10940 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax
See this: A disco ball spins, illuminating a blend of chinoiserie and tiki trappings.
Eat this: Dan dan noodles, Our Famous General Tso’s Chicken, Double Chocolate Cake
Feature image of dan dan noodles by Alice Levitt
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