Blossoming Chinese At Sakura

David Snyder says skip the Japanese food at Sakura and focus on the Chinese portion of the menu for some winning fare.

Sakura’s authentic regional Chinese cuisine — spanning Shanghai, Szechuan and Mandarin traditions — is already a winner. The ginger and plum I detected in a secret sauce granted a cold Shanghai marinated duck appetizer a deep, resonant intensity. Elemental sweet and tangy flavors helped rice wine chicken shine. It took only a few seconds for the moist, buttery pork of the “Lion’s Head” meatballs to melt on my tongue. Thick, chewy, pan-fried udon noodles swam in a simple yet comforting brown sauce.

Temple of Bloom [City Paper]