NYC Rocks. Reason #17

One of my favorite things on earth. FOODTRUCKS.
Click here for the NYmag rundown.

The Eloquent Chef

Check out Fresh Off the Boat blog - where Eddie Huang, creator of "Baohaus", details the trials and tribulations of the food industry and his own restaurant(s).
He just released the final menu of his new joint "Xiao Ye". Can't wait to order [everything] off of this and say things like "poo poo greens" and "bootycake" out-loud.

Be my friend Eddie!

(Click to enlarge)



Hat tip to Caleb!

People Like Me

Hey look, an article about us!
Thought I'd post this considering it was brought to my attention multiple times -_-

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/dining/07camera.html?emc=eta1

Hot & Crispy

THE TAIYAKI (83 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay)

A couple years ago this pheonomenon took over the "Gindaco" takoyaki joint right next to Times Square that I so adored. But I'm ok with that, this is pretty damn good too. Wouldn't quite call this a "sandwich" as the sign says, but it sure is "hot and crispy". Not actually made from fish, these are just fish-shaped waffles with a variety of fillings. The fun component (other than the AWESOME SHAPE!) is that each combination hails from a different nation. Such as (my fav) the "Italian" - cheese, onion, tomato sauce, sausage and tuna; the "German" - sausage, potato, onion and bacon; the "French" - cinnamon, apple and custard; the classic "Japanese" - red bean paste. One of these babies only costs $15 (approx $1.90USD). Clearly, they need to open a nyc branch.


Italian fish

Metal fish molds

The 3 Tenets of Macau

Imho, and feel free to disagree, the 3 best food items of the Macanese culture are the milk teas, pork buns and pastéis de nata (aka Portuguese egg tarts). One of the most satisfying meals you can have is created when all elements are combined.

MACAU RESTAURANT (Shop 270-275, Shun Tak Centre, Central and multiple locations)

Located in the Shun Tak Centre where the Macau ferry picks up and drops off (how appropriate) is one of my favorite 'cha chaan tengs' - like a Cantonese equivalent of an American diner. The Macanese cuisine here is simple, unfussy, just as good as, and dare I say, better than anything I ate in Macau itself. This particular location is usually teeming with people who are catching a bite right before their departure or chomping down after a weary ride. But then there are people like me who come here because this is cheap, 'fast food' done right.

The succulent (and 'boneless' - as my bf happily pointed out) pork chops came sandwiched in a freshly baked bun - the kind that can tear the roof of your mouth if you're not careful but ends up being worth it. My dish also unexpectedly came with fluffy scrambled eggs just the way I like them. The most memorable item hands down is the egg tarts - Portuguese style with their slightly charred filling, more custardy texture, lighter and flakier crust when compared to regular HK 'dan tats'. Macau Restaurant offers both the standard version and one made with just the egg whites. Now that's pretty 'unbeatable' ... hehe.

"6 dan tats to go pls"

Modern Chinese

Quite a few of my friends have been reminding me about the existence of this blog. Ok, yes, I've been egregious about updating even though I said I would multiple times (see here and here). So here goes my 3rd attempt. Welcome 2010 guys (61 days late)!
I just came back from a Hong Kong/Beijing trip so I thought it be most appropriate to start off with some of that. This post is dedicated to Rach as she set up this little lunch gathering below.

BO INNOVATIONS (Private lift entrance on 18 Ship Street, Wan Chai)

I have wanted to come here ever since watching it featured on a segment of "No Reservations: Hong Kong". Everything Anthony Bourdain eats I want to eat too, except for the items with animal excrement still inside...

The genius behind Bo Innovations is the "Demon Chef" (aka Alvin) and his penchant for 'updating' classic Chinese food for the modern palate. Among many options, this 2 Michelin star restaurant offers a $198 HKD lunch prix fixe ($25.50 USD) which is a superb deal for 2 small dishes, an entree, dessert and starch du jour. Set atop a second floor terrace above the busy streets of Wan Chai, we were treated to a memorable meal with a view of the Demon Chef himself at work!

Fun Fact: We were pleasantly surprised to find one of our old highschool classmates working here! What a small world. He was kind enough to send over a few extra plates to try :)


Serenity above the hustle bustle


Place-setting


Little details


Wagyu cheeks "xiao lung bao" avruga caviar


"Har gau" truffle XO


Foie gras breadpudding


Foie gras potsticker


Deep fried scallop balls, kaffir lime sauce


Black truffle "cheung fun"


24hrs. cooked pork lasagna in chinese vinegar, egg


Starch du jour


Desset du jour

One of my favorite dishes was the entree - the pork was perfectly tender and flavorful with a tangy, sweet and salty vinegar sauce; the egg yolk was so fun to eat, enclosed in a clear soft shell (gastronomy magic clearly happened here). When dining out I always find appetizers a wee more well done so I was happy to see this change. My other definite favorite was the dessert - a divine rich chocolate and banana concoction soaked in a Chinese liquor; towards the end of eating it the flavor of the chocolate melts into the liquid so that you can drink every last bit of it.

Must say, one thing I noticed for a place that puts so much emphasis on modern technique was that there was not as much molecular-gastronomy-flair as I expected. Although this might have just been the things I ordered since one friend got something that came in 'snow' form. Also, at certain points I couldn't taste the gourmet ingredients listed, such as the foie gras in the potsticker. Other than these small details, I have no complaints.

It's great to see a actually 'good' remake of classic Chinese fare - not the generic asian fusion stupidity that I cannot differentiate but actual thought out combinations that taste as good as they look. Personally, I've always thought that the simple, original recipes are usually better, but after eating here I'm open to the idea of merging forms into something, possibly, greater. Menu's change monthly, so I'm certainly planning on going back.

Sweet Tooth

Within walking distance of each other, these two LES spots are my fav cupcake shops in the City thus far. Despite creating the same delectable sweet treats they are as different as can be with their ingredient choices.

SUGAR SWEET SUNSHINE (126 Rivington St, btwn Essex/Norfolk St.)

The more traditional of the two, you can get a divinely flavored cupcake for only $1.50. This little indulgence would satisfy any craving with its buttery cake and smooth icing. The cafe itself is super cute with sunk in chairs perfect for a relaxing moment - the idea is unpretentious with a retro 70s vibe.


Lemon cake with lemon buttercream

BABYCAKES (248 Broome St, btwn Orchard/Ludlow St.)

I never thought I would like something vegan this much. Surprised to say it, but this has to be my all time favorite cupcake - I think it's because I'm in love with their unique spelt wheat batter which gives the cake a flavor reminiscent of malt digestive cookies. The icing veers on the lighter, airier side which means I could eat these babies all day without feeling too guilty or sickly. These baked goodies are Refined Sugar Free, Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Soy Free, and the list goes on to cater to every specific health need. It's on the pricier end at $3.25 each but they are worth it. I feel like the cat's meow whenever I carry these cupcakes home in their ridiculously cute pink boxes with a see-through cutout showing off my treasures to the world. The seating unlike Sugar Sweet Sunshine is minimal. It's like stepping into a shoebox that belongs to fairies. Magical baker fairies.


Vanilla cake with zesty lemon icing

Mo Momo

Read my original post on Momofuku Bakery & Bar here :)

Ever since Momo opened their bakery end of last year I've been making a trip about once every two months to indulge in the decadence. They've definitely ramped up their production levels and adapted to their consistent popularity; I can usually get the first thing I want on their menu unlike when they first opened. From the pimple looking volcano to the thick chewy cookies every single item is bombarded with flavor; what's offered here is not for the faint of heart nor the weak of heart. Seriously, I've often left with my throat clogged in layers of pork fat, sugar and butter -- but in the good way of course. If you can't imagine how that's possible then this is not the destination for you. I've also noticed that every time I'm there they tweak the menu a bit, which is nice as there's always something new to try but it's a pity when anything has to be rotated out.


Chocolate Cake - yellow cake icing, yellow cake crumbs, fudge


The Volcano - potato gratin, gruyere cheese, benton's bacon


Carrot Cake - no longer on the menu :(


Arnold Palmer Cake - iced tea jelly, lemon mascarpone cream, almond tea crunch

Ultimate Shelf Life Guide

Still Tasty is here to be your new mom. This is your information destination for anything regarding shelf life on different foods, tips on how to best store it, etc. I wish I could absorb all this via a single knowledge pill.

Shrimptacular

BROOKLYN FISH CAMP (162 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn)

In this era of recession friendly prix-fixes and all-you-can-eat-deals, we have been quite spoilt with choice. This February it was the draw of seafood that brought me to a part of Brooklyn that I've only been once before - the stroller heavy Park Slope. The deal was $16 for all-you-can-eat shrimps every Tuesday with two for one drink specials on top of that.
Note: Just checked the website and it's no longer listed :( however they do mention to "stay tuned for the next round of recession specials" - I'm be excited to see what they come up with.

The bf and I each had 3 full bowls of shrimp, totaling about 60 shrimps each. Our waitress called us "crazy" - I think that was a compliment. I'm not saying you should OD on protein like we did but they are damn good so it would be easy to do so. Each bowl came with cocktial sauce dip and a slice of lemon. Being the fat ass I am I asked for drawn butter also. Honestly, they were not the best shrimps I've had, but at the rate of only $16 they were better than "good enough". The other goodies on the menu looked great as we witnessed on the tables next to us. Sounds like I'll be coming back Park Slope, I'll eventually learn to embrace the babies.


Entrance/bar area


Bowl 1 of 3

Eating In (VDay Edition)

This Valentine's day we decided keep it relaxed and economical with some dining in. The bf offered to cook me a delicious meal and I made surprise cookies!

The boy spent the day gathering ingredients at Chelsea Market and came out with a seafood theme. For our side we had lobster bisque w/ bread rolls; and for the main he re-created "Scallops and Cauliflower with Caper-Raisin Sauce" by the ingenius Jean-Georges. The creamy, sweet, tangy, and yet salty sauce paired with fresh scallops is a fulfulling combo of flavors. You can find the recipe here.



On the other side of town, I had made "Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies". (Note: the pudding gives it extra chew). I had altered this recipe to the following:

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth.
3. Blend in instant pudding, cinnamon and vanilla extract.
4. Then beat in eggs until the batter is light and fluffy.
5. Combine flour and baking soda; mix into the batter.
6. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Dough will be stiff.
7. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto the cookie sheets. (Serves 48)
8. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm.
9. Cool.

Pretty simple right? I thought so. But being the overly-zealous-never-have-I-ever-baked-cookies-from-scratch-by-myself-individual I had accidentally added one whole extra cup of white sugar into by batter. --Le sigh-- I went ahead and finished making them anyway. Fortunately, they came out deliciously big, flat and chewy (although definitely on the sweeter side). Whew!



I remade the cookies for my coworkers the following week (using the correct amount of sugar this time). The shape was completely different! Startling what a cup of sugar can do - without it this batch was definitely smaller and thicker in height. After taste tests by brave persons they concluded that this batch was better. I agree, although I do have a fondness for bigger, flatter looking cookies. Need to go work on finding the perfect medium between the two batches ...



(Still at it ... still cooking ... whoo, this is pretty amazing for my lazy ass).

For Your Reading Pleasure

50 of the world's best food blogs

News

Winter NYC Restaurant Week has now been extended through Feb 27! Check out the selection here.

Birthday Present

JEWEL BAKO (239 E. 5th St, btwn 2nd/3rd Ave.)

Ever since randomly peeking into a tiny inconspicuous window-in-the-wall on 5th St. a couple years back this has been on my to-eat list. The enchanting view of the interior was enticing enough for a visit, but what sealed the deal was finding out this was the famed Jewel Bako - known for it's fresh fish and the "Bizarre Eats" episode where they featured live, moving lobster sashimi (sadly, I did not see that on the menu). Finally last Dec. the bf and I came here for my birthday. Glad to say it did not disappoint - it was the perfect balance of fish to rice, which I think is one of the key elements to great sushi and a rare thing to find in the superfluous number of sushi restaurants in ny.



The decor is like being inside a chic version of a whale, a wooden ribcage lined from wall to ceiling. How funny that we are eating fish inside this - although I'm not sure if the architects fashioned it to be morbidly amusing like that.


Trio of Tartares - Blue Fin Tuna, Salmon and Yellowtail served with lotus root chips


Makimono Omakase - a tasting of all nine large makimono rolls

Omakase - Chef's selection of sushi or sashimi

It was nice of the waitress to ask me if I had any preferences for my omakase, not sure if that made a difference on the chef's final picks, but it was thoughtful to ask. Needless to say, everything was deliciously fresh and beautifully presented.

Eating In

One of my new years resolution is to cook more. As all resolutions are destined to fail this will probably not happen, but I can pretend for a while. So, as I was craving a mouth-watering chunk of red meat and not wanting to part with 40+ dollars for a proper steak the obvious solution was to break out the pots and pans. Luckily, the bf knows how to grill. Behold a simple, legit meal at home for once.


(Grilled rib-eye steak, Cream potatoes mixed w/ sour cream, butter and chives, Sauteed swiss chard)

Pretty Much Perfect

Ever since moving to Brooklyn (abt half a year ago now...) I have not posted anything from my new location. My bad >.<

ZENKICHI (77 N 6th St @ Wythe Ave.)

I have found one of my favorite restaurants in Williamsburg - Zenkichi is a rare jem that excels in every facet including food, a reasonable price range, decor and service. Specializing in small dishes, the super zen atmosphere (think sleek minimalist black, with bamboo separations, and pebbled floors) leaves you in a perfect state to enjoy the freshness of the season's best offerings. This place is serious about letting you concentrate on food in comfort and privacy - each table is like its own room separated by bamboo curtains that your waiter draws up each time you summon him with a buzzer. I'm not a sucker for romantic locations, but this one is a perfect date spot - the minimalism is broken only slightly by accents of red roses. And I love the fact that it veers more on the quiet side of the scale in its non-pretentious non-scenester way. They also specialize in pairing their food with sake which I have yet to try.

The focus here is definitely on the Omakase (chef's tasting menu), which changes frequently to cater to the best of the season. I've been lucky enough to try two of them - last year's Valentines menu and October's Early Autumn menu. Below is the menu for the latter copied verbatim.


Miso Soup

White Tiny Shrimp - luscious creamy shrimp from Toyama, Japan lightly boiled and served as sashimi: light dashi soy sauce

Sanma Namerou - w/ myoga Japanese ginger in miso marinade;

(The appearance of Sanma saury fish on a table denotes the arrival of aurumn in Japanese homes: Typically grilled, but this super-fresh fish from northern Japan is best enjoyed raw)

Maguro Carpaccio - medium tuna sashimi with sesame oil, white soy sauce, green yuzu pepper, grated onions

Early Autumn Salad - crispy lotus roots and Satsumaimo golden sweet potato on a bed of baby spinach & baby arugula: onion soy sauce dressing

Amadai Tempura - Amadai sweet butterfish is said to have been a favorite tempura fish of the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu. Served with kabocha pumpkin

Saiko Miso Cod - grilled black cod in Kyoto miso marinade

Grilled Lobster & Green Asparagus - topped with lobster-based butter cream sauce


Yaki Saba Bo-Sushi - Seared saba mackerel from Kyushu, Japan as pressed sushi: Yuzu pepper gomuku rice

Homemade Chestnut Ice Cream, Sudachi & Lime Tart - Japanese version of key lime pie w/ Sudachi citrus custard

Recent Zenkichi news:

- Opened an enclosed winter garden in November

- Potential relocation into Manhattan (I'd say get here before it starts getting packed and pricey)

MOMO

MOMOFUKU BAKERY & BAR (207 2nd Ave, 13th St. entrance)

He did it again! Damn that David Chang and his ever expanding Momofuku empire is making me fat. Yes, I know that this hot new joint has already been reviewed by every foodist and their mother - lemme just quickly throw some more praise at his feet.

My visit took place on a cold Tuesday night. Despite a less busy day of the week they had already run out of pretty much all cakes and breads (note: go earlier?). That's ok, some of our other top pre-selected choices were present.

We walked into Ssam Bar all confused as it had the same street address number; missed the bit about some 13th St. entrance. Be prepared that it is standing space only. Not to worry, lots of table space is provided. You can also watch the two pasty chefs at work with the open kitchen.

salty pistachio caramel soft serve

pork buns - pork belly, cucumber, hoisin, scallions

blondie pumpkin pie

I recall one reviewer saying that eating the salty pistachio is like cheating on your wife. Although I have no wife, I whole-heartedly agree - anything that's both sweet and salty gets my heart racing. The pork belly was pure throat clogging fatty goodness; a signature Momofuku dish. And the blondie pumpkin pie was like eating gourmet candy. Do not underestimate the smallish slice; it is packed with flavour and enough sugar to keep you trampolining for another couple hours. I need to come back and try everything else on the menu - each item seems delightfully different.