Since this was pre-Miss Menu, we wandered over to Union Square and looked around for a restaurant, and ended up at Republic. Right then and there, I declared to MP that a tradition should be started of returning to Republic every June 1st to celebrate our anniversary. It seemed really cheesy at the time, but 6 years later, I always look forward to this dinner!

Although I'm usually not one to order the same dish every time I go to a restaurant, I do so at Republic. Guess it's part of the tradition! As usual, I got #31 - Pad Thai, with rice noodles, chicken, bean sprouts, egg strips, garlic,carrots, scallions...hold the peanuts. The menu has some interesting appetizers and salads, but I love their pad thai, so there was no messin' around.

The flavor was great, with just the right amount of heat. On some occasions, the chicken has been somewhat overcooked and flavorless, but this year, it was moist and flavorful. They always go a little overboard with the bean sprouts, but it adds such a nice crunch to the dish. The portion was huge, but it was hard for me to put the chopsticks down!
MP changed it up this year and went with #21 - Chicken broth noodles, with glass noodles, shredded chicken, watercress, bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, and shallots. She thought it was a great flavor, but heavy on the salt...and that the watercress was a little too bitter.
If you are looking for super-authentic noodle bowls, Republic is not for you. It's more of a trendy take on a classic. Apparently the restaurant has caught wind of that and hiked its prices since last year. A bowl of pad thai for $13 is no bargain. It was definitely more like $8 when we started going there. But, I guess that's the price you pay for livin' in the big city!
We weren't sure if it was because the waitress was so crazed, or if it's just more relaxed dining al fresco, but we weren't rushed out at all. Usually they will drop the check off before you ask for it and hover waiting for you to get up from your table. But, we were able to enjoy the nice weather and reminisce about all the crazy adventures we've each had and those we've shared in the past 6 years. It's been a wild, fantastic ride, and I can't wait to see what else is in store for me, for us, and for Miss Menu!
Republic
37 Union Square West
b/t 16th & 17th Streets
website
Menu Pages listing
1 comment:
i cannot wait to celebrate 6 more years with you!!!
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