What a brilliant move for Portland’s newest restaurant, Jing Yan, to begin serving on Thanksgiving Eve. There’s barely a home cook who is inclined to cook at home before the big feast, even it it’s pared down for the pandemic. Take out fits the bill.
It’s only one of three restaurants that operate atop Munjoy Hill, the city’s established luxury zip code for condos and homeowners, renters and AirBNB residents. And an Asian restaurant is just what the neighborhood wanted. Other would-be proprietors included a pizzeria, various Italian restaurants, Mexican, vying to fill the space.
Co-owners husband and wife Britt Lang and Leo Zhang took over the long-empty nest of the former Lolita. For now it’s take-out only for their highly inspired Asian-fusion fare. Eventually there will be seating with tables of four spaced at least 6 feet apart in the small dining room. Bar seating will probably not resume until it’s safe to do so, but Zhang’s expertise is his bar program learned at area restaurants as well as Bar 4 Nine in Beijing, where the couple met. Their chef is Chris Petrillo, who has cooked at many Portland restaurants.
90 Congress, the new Jing Yan restaurant
On Wednesday evening I ordered 4 dishes– 2 small plates and 2 larger dishes, more than enough for the two of us from our new neighborhood outpost. The cooking is both subtle in spicing and meticulously prepared to keep everything tasting very fresh. No sugar coated, heavily corn-starched cooking here. In other words, this is sophisticated fare with subtle intensities of flavor.
For starters the tiger slaw includes shredded cabbage, bell pepper, onion, leeks, carrots, peanuts and cilantro mixed together with a light spicy sauce (not hot or overwhelming in the heat) . The second starter was a well conceived mushroom stir fry. using shitake, oyster and wood ear mushrooms wok-fried with snow peas and yellow lotus flowers mixed together in a sweet-savory sauce.
For one of two main courses, we thoroughly enjoyed the sweet and sour shrimp and chicken. The chicken and shrimp were deep-fried and topped with steamed broccoli served over sticky rice. We loved this version of the American-Chinese mainstay
Top, left clockwise: Asian slaw, stir fry of mushrooms and Beijing lamb bowl
Our second dish was a bracing Beijing lamb bowl. This consisted of thinly sliced lamb leg and leeks stewed in cumin seasoned broth, served with rice.
Sweet and sour chicken and shrimp
It was the perfect dinner, light enough but filling to precede the richness of a turkey dinner the next day Ice cream and chocolate chip cookies awaited us at home for dessert.
Jing Yan (named after a species of Beijing swallow) is a great addition to the precious lineup of restaurants including the Blue Spoon on the opposite corner and the Front Room down the street.
Jing Yan, 90 Congress St., Portland, ME, www.jingyanrestaurant.com 207-835-0010; note for now there’s only one phone line so at busy times it might be hard to get through. Online ordering will follow soon.
Rating: For take-out this is a superb option, 4 stars all the way.
Parking: On street
$$$: Moderate. Entrees are $12 to 15; starters are $6 to $9 and there are sandwiches and bento boxes
Hours: Wednesday through Monday, 11 AM to 11 PM
