Figure Eight: pushing the limits of Asian fusion
Figure Eight opened last year next door to its sister restaurant, Silver Apricot. Both restaurants seek to give traditional Chinese food an American spin, with Silver Apricot focusing more broadly on Chinese-American cuisine and Figure Eight seeking to work through a Southern lens. Having been impressed by Silver Apricot already and with both restaurants advertising teams made up of alumni of establishments like wd~50 and The NoMad, I had high expectations for Figure Eight. The restaurant instantly immerses the diner in the experience, with modern golden light fixtures casting a warm glow on deep but muted blue walls. The gold silverware follows the light fixtures and table lamps, with the tables themselves made of clean white marble with veins of gray.
I was instantly drawn to menu items such as the Mapo Buttered Grits and Hush Puppy HK Egg Waffle. The grits, a combination of two almost surefire hits in mapo tofu and buttery grits, did not disappoint. The grits are as comforting as you would expect, especially with the addition of soft eggplant pieces, and the subtle heat of the mapo flavor elevates an already creamy and delicious dish. The Hush Puppy Waffle was truly an unexpected sight, a sugar and salt-crusted hexagon full of little hush puppy pockets with a side dish of hot honey butter. The crispy edges of the waffle gave way to the soft, round pockets and paired well with the subtle sweetness of the hot honey butter.
Hush Puppy HK Egg Waffle
Creativity was a consistent theme throughout the meal, with the Shanghainese Smoked Fish Salad putting a Figure Eight twist on a deli classic. The salty-sweet balance is spot on, with fried saltines providing a sturdy base for the flavorful salad. The whitefish, a departure from the usual pike, adds a welcome change to the dish. Next were the Razor Clams, a set of four clams cleverly deconstructed into bite-sized, individually garnished pieces to be slid out of the shell. The clams were fresh and not briny at all, and the vegetable garnish added a satisfying crunch to the bite.
Clams also featured in Figure Eight’s Breakfast Clams, featuring a twisted sourdough youtiao to sop up a delicious soy milk sauce full of perfectly cooked clams with a punch of flavor from some choi poh (preserved radish). The Breakfast Clams were the epitome of Figure Eight’s goal of blending Southern and traditional Chinese fare. Next came Grilled Choy Sum and Brassicas along with Long Beans. The Choy Sum was not the most innovative dish, being for the most part a simple broccoli with tahini, but nevertheless was still tasty. The Long Beans came beautifully coiled in a both playful and practical presentation, with sprigs of mint adding a refreshing aspect and both fish sauce and chili crisp giving a good kick to the dish. The final main of the night was a set of pork ribs, predictably messy but utterly delicious. The sweet glaze had a hint of heat, and while the meat did not exactly fall off the bone, it was still extremely tender and flavorful.
Choy Sum and Long Beans
For dessert, two dishes both impressed on the creativity front once more. The Malted Yuenyeung was a delightful Chinese twist on tiramisu, served in a charming China teacup and exploding with flavor in every bite. The combination of tea mousse, coffee ganache, and milk cake all work together well, with a perfect sprinkling of crumble on top. The Taitan Apple Vinegar Ice Cream was one of the more surprising dishes of the night, with savory chili crisp poured unconventionally over sweet apple ice cream alongside a sesame florentine. The flavor combination might not be everyone’s favorite, but it was certainly interesting.
Figure Eight delivers an impressive dining experience that successfully marries traditional Chinese flavors with Southern culinary techniques. Figure Eight is a must-visit for those looking to explore innovation at its finest while also simply eating good food.
