Secret Congee

It has been awhile since we've been out to Secret Congee located in the Ballard area of Seattle.  One look at the menu and you will immediately ascertain that this is no ordinary congee joint.  Rather, they take the traditional Chinese congee base and top it with mostly non-traditional components.  I've heard some criticisms that it isn't authentic, but c'mon, where does it state it is trying to be anyways?  Some of the best eats I've ever had was due to some place taking chances and doing things differently.  Besides, where do you think we got the Vietnamese cuisine we have now - fusion of French and Vietnamese cuisines...

Anyways, we headed out on a Saturday morning and yes, the place was hopping.  Congee is a great brunch item that is nourishing and comforting.  I personally like the congee base as it is velvety and mildly seasoned.  We skipped the chicken congee this time as we feel the meat is too dry.  So instead, we tried something quite different in the Mala Pork.  This featured a large serving of sliced pork shoulder that was dressed in a considerably spicy mala sauce that had numbing spice and lots of earthy elements.  Unlike the other bowls that included ginger and green onion, this one also had cilantro.

On the side, we needed to get the obligatory Yaoutiao or Fried Salty Doughnut.  This was pretty good being lightly crispy with a chewy interior.  It was nicely salted and could be eaten by itself, but c'mon, this was for dipping into the congee!  We liked how it wasn't overly greasy too.  Also, we had the side of Taro Chips.  Again, this was fine to eat as is, since they were crunchy and well-salted.  But, if you wanted a textural and aromatic component to your congee, you could crumble the chips and sprinkle it on top!

One of our favorites is the Shrimp Tom Yum and there was no doubt we would get it this time as well.  The fragrance of the tom yum was was full of lemongrass, tanginess, sharpness from the galangal and also the slightest bit of spice.  This really brought the mild congee base alive as every spoonful was now impactful and aromatic.  The large shrimp were meaty and had a sweet briny snap.

We had 2 versions of the Thai Meatball with one featuring the addition of century egg.  I've always loved this bowl of congee as the medium-sized meatballs provide plenty of body.  Other than the classic chicken (which we didn't order this time), this is the least expensive at $15.00.  Meaty with just enough fat, the meatballs were tender with a pleasant chew.  They were lightly seasoned and acted as a textural component rather than adding flavor.  With the supplement of century egg for $2.00, this provided the umaminess for the bowl of congee.  For the other bowl, we added a soft-boiled egg for also $2.00.

Heading to some more delicate creations, we had the Hokkaido Scallop.  Once again, this featured the same components as the other bowls of congee.  As expected, this was a subtle affair with the sweet scallops blending into the mild flavor of the congee.  This was more about texture as the buttery scallops still had the mantle, which added chewiness and even more scallop essence.  The same could be said about the the Barramundi Bass where the fish was delicate and slightly sweet.  We loved how they were able to keep the fish buttery soft while being cooked through.  For both of these, I added more white pepper for some kick.

Our last bowl of congee was also subtle in the Garlic Blue Crab.  Sure, it ain't cheap at $24.00, but looking at the picture, they did not skimp on the chunks of crab.  Furthermore, the crab was fluffy and fresh-tasting.  Plenty of sweetness to go with the brininess.  The addition of fried garlic provided aroma and texture to the congee.  So this was another delicious visit to Secret Congee.  I understand how some people would like this interpreation of congee.  However, modernizing it while keeping some traditional elements work for me.  I love their creative approach to their toppings and willingness to take a risk.  Yah, the prices are higher than typical Cantonese restaurants of this ilk, but they aren't serving up premium toppings either.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Velvety congee base

- Generous with the toppings

- Lots of choice

The Bad:

- Limited seating inside, and sitting outside is fine, if the weather cooperates

- Sure, it costs more (and it is valid for some people), but I personally think it is worth it