When Chang and company were working on new dishes for Noodle Bar, they were concerned that they would transition into cooking the dreaded
fusion food. They didn't want to be like all the other restaurants that were serving food that combined Vietnamese/Chinese/Japanese/French/etc techniques and flavors just for the sake of doing what was popular. The Momofuku kitchen wanted to give their customers food that went beyond someone's idea of modern/traditional and to create something that was unique and based entirely on their own tastes. Through trial and error, the classic southern dish, shrimp and grits evolved into this version that Chang says "allowed us - or me, certainly- to really look outward and onward." (Chang, pg 110, 2009) It marks the time when he began to venture into a new and uncharted territory of foodland where, as long as he stayed true to his own self, anything was possible.
If Shrimp & Grits was groundbreaking it would only be because it was first served in a noodle bar. A little soy sauce and dashi do not signal anything new. It's the scrumptious combination of bacon, grits, shrimp, onions, and egg that have earned it a place on the Momofuku menu. Plus, making it gave me the chance to use some of the most delicious eggs I've ever eaten. They are from the Giammona chickens that live in nearby Inverness Park and are available at Perry's Deli on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. As you can see, the color of the yolks are rich, deep, and dark. It's ridiculous to say it after all the stuff I've been eating but I will: "If I'm going to break my
no cholesterol rules, a Giammona egg is one good reason".
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