Well, it finally happened. At 5:29pm on March 19, 2015 baby Lillian Rose entered this world! It was a long day. I sat there waiting with anticipation knowing that my patience will soon be rewarded, anxiously looking around at the staff bustling around, looking for the slightest indication if something is going wrong. Then finally it I saw it. The delivery came and the attendant handed me my precious package. My Cy’s Asian Bistro takeout order had arrived!
I had spent the preceding hours of the day cooped up in a hospital room. After 10 hours of labor my wife gave me the greatest blessing anyone could ever ask for, a healthy baby girl. Words cannot express how thankful I am for my daughter’s birth. Though, after a long day of labor, the hospital’s kitchen was closed and my wife and I were starving. I figured since she did just push a 20 ½”, 7lb 3oz living being out of her body, she probably earned the right to pick what we were going to eat for dinner that day.
Her choice was Oriental food. I was only too happy to get a chance to leave the hospital 14 hours after we first arrived, so I jumped in my car to seek out Cy’s Asian Bistro since I remembered it was nearby. This was not the first time I have been able to enjoy Cy’s Asian Bistro, but since I rarely get downtown Neenah I didn’t want to pass up this opportunity.
I arrived to find a quiet restaurant. A few businessmen sitting at the bar talking about banking, while another couple dined quietly in a corner. The dimly lit atmosphere seemed inviting yet intimate. I made a mental note that this would be an ideal place for a date.
The gentleman running the bar appeared to have the double task of greeting and seating guests as he quickly came over to welcome me. He was exceptionally pleasant and I got the impression he was sincerely interested in hearing about the preceding events of my day. He was also equally knowledgeable about the menu. I had mentioned to him that my wife loves Orange Chicken and he was quick to recommend their Hawaiian Chicken offering for her. I was also too tired to spend any more energy selecting my own menu item than was necessary so when I mentioned my own personal taste preferences he was quick to recommend the Red Curry for me and I was only too eager to agree.
I felt a little bad doing a restaurant review on their food in a takeout style since their restaurant is so beautiful and I know they take care not to just schlep food on a plate, but to my delight when I got back to the hospital I opened the containers of food to find the Hawaiian Chicken was thoughtfully plated as well, even if a little shaken up from the car ride.
If I had to describe their food in one phrase it would be this: “Everything’s in its place.” After taking our first bites I told my wife the flavors in our food reminded me of a well put together room where everything was perfectly in its place. It tasted exceptionally refined. The food didn’t just look better than your traditional Chinese takeout, it tasted substantially better too.
My wife’s Hawaiian Chicken was perfectly tender, bathed in a rich fruity sauce that was sweet yet robust. The vegetables accompanying the dish were hot yet still crisp which added a nice contrast to every bite.
When opening my Red Curry my first thought was that it lacked much of a visual pop of color in the dish. However, whatever it lacked in color it sure made up for in taste. I became mesmerized by the perfect contrast of spiciness and sweetness in the curry. The coconut cream was in perfect balance to the dish’s level of heat. Once again the vegetables in the dish were perfectly cooked yet still lending a nice crunch to the meal.
It was readily apparent that Cy’s Asian Bistro puts the same concern and pride into their work as the doctor and nurses who helped deliver my daughter a few hours earlier. Though perhaps executing a menu item isn’t life and death in the manner that hospital work is, it is still great to see people take pride in their craft regardless of the career field. Cy’s Asian Bistro offered the perfect meals to cap an already perfect day. I look forward to eating there again soon.
To stay on top of all the latest Fox Valley Foodie posts be sure to follow me on Facebook! Oh yeah, and here is one more baby picture!
Michelle
Congratulations! She is so beautiful - and very alert! Enjoy every moment...they become teenagers before you know it 😉