Pepper-smeared strips of beef jerky fueled countless late-night study sessions in my college dorm room. A bag of Trader Joe's turkey jerky keeps me satiated on long international flights in economy. But in all my decades as a beef jerky connoisseur, I'd never had jerky like the one at Sophy's: Cambodian Town Food & Music in Long Beach.
The beef is dried, vacuum-sealed and then fried before service, allowing for crusty edges you can peel away like string cheese. It eats like tender beef ribs, the meat saturated in a garlicky marinade heavy with ginger, black pepper, fish sauce and just a hint of sugar. A hush falls over the table as people gnaw on their sticks, their heads cocked and their mouths busy.
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