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

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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.

Cute Lunch

OMS/B (156 E. 45th St @ Lexington Ave.)

Omusubi (aka rice balls) is a popular Japanese snack food which is both portable and adorable. At Oms/B you can pick from a multitude of pre-made toppings that come in a variety of colourful wrappers and shapes for a pretty, delicious lunch. Although most people seem to get them to go as the shop is quite small, they have some limited seating at tiny tables. I had Set A which consisted of any 3 Rice Balls and a soup at $8.25. They were a wee bit cold, which makes sense as they pre-make them to cater to the fast moving lunch crowd, but I think it would be nice to have the option of getting freshly fried tempura on your rice ball if you wanted the extra hot crisp.


Shrip Tempura w/ Green Tea Salt, Shrimp Pop Corn, Spicy Tuna

Crisis Relief

Hello again. So much for that thought. A gigantic backlog of mouth-watering food postings have been accumulating in my 6 month absence. Again, I am aiming to make a comeback. Although, no promises this time :)

In our dire financial situation, the bang-for-your-buck motto has reluctantly taken hold. As we pinch our wallets a little tighter, we become choosier, and maybe even a little wiser in our choices. Not only are we limited in the number of meals we can enjoy in a lifetime, the increasing risk of diminishing funds makes it our responsibility to eat out in places that guarantee awesomeness. For help check out Open Table's "Stimulus Plan".
And here's one of my recommendations:

KUTA (65 Rivington St, btwn Allen/Eldrige St.)

Named after a beachy town in Bali, Indonesia, KUTA is that ideal getaway to forget your financial woes. The prix fixe four course dinner includes 1 satay + 1 starter + 1 entree + 1 dessert - all for $25, you can feast like a king without feeling guilty.

Indonesian Madura

(sweet soy brushed flank steak + peanut sauce + crispy shallots)

Somay "Bandung"

(steamed fish shumai + tofu + potato + spicy peanut sauce)

"Manado" Spicy Duck Curry

(crispy duck + seasonal vegetables + cherry tomato + pineapple basil red curry sauce)

Sorbetto/Gelatto
(sicilian pistachio + lime cilantro)

My favorite item was the satay, which neatly exemplified the flavor explosions in Indonesian cuisine in a couple of bites. The appetizer and entree were more ordinary, but pleasant fillers. The dessert was a more memorable experience - the pistachio gelato was not the best I've had but tasted classic and done right; the lime cilantro sorbet was both sweet and salty, the combination resulted in a new, fresh tasting flavor I've never had before - a perfect ending to the heavily spiced meal. They also had a "Crusted Coconut Fried Ice Cream" option but ran out when we ordered. I may have to come back just for this.

The Definition of Charming

BELCOURT (84 E. 4th St @ 2nd Ave.)

Living practically across the street from this gem of an establishment, I've seen it evolve from a mere green awning behind a construction site, to serving dinner, to expanding to a breakfast/lunch menu - and now in the heat of this delectable summer, to happily bustling away with its outdoor seating. Disregarding the proximity convinience for me, I find this to be a perfect spot for French-mediterranean fair in a wholly rustic and charming environment. Antique fixtures are everywhere from the chairs to the tiled floor - authentic enough without seeming to try too hard. The Belcourt has served me well the four times I've been. I avidly recommend coming here for brunch!

(Grilled cheese and sage sandwich with tomato soup - perfectly grilled with incredibly fresh and rich soup; their housemade pork sausage (there in the backround) although more like thick fat patties than sausage-sausages were just as tasty - faintly sweet with a mustardy dressing on the side)

(Baked eggs with toast - no longer on their menu)

(Vanilla and bourbon French toast with fresh ricotta and and Cook's maple syrup - loved how the ricotta had a hint of lemon to it and that the whole effect was not too overwhelmingly sweet)

(English breakfast with housemade baked beans, black pudding and grilled tomato; they've also got the best freshly squeezed OJ I've come across during brunch)

(Roasted butternut squash and apple raviolo, wild mushrooms with brown butter and sage - as good as it sounds!)

Fact: I learnt that Raviolo is Ravioli singular ... in this case the Raviolo is much larger than the average Americanized Ravioli.

(Bourride of monkfish with brandade dumplings, baby fennel, manila clams and sauce vert)

Fact: Bourride is fish soup similar to bouillabaisse but without saffron, flavoured with aïoli (garlic mayonnaise).

Man-made Natural

The secrets are out for Pinkberry.

Read this:
The All-Natural Taste that Wasn't
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/dining/23yogurt.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Out for Tea

I recall coming back from a 4-month stint in London a couple years ago and enduring the most painful withdrawal symptoms from my tea, scones and clotted cream ritual. If you ever feel that kind of pain; or just in want of some scrumptious activity in the afternoon; or even to break up the monotony of brunch here are some darling shoppes that will provide you with some solace in those areas.

TEA & SYMPATHY
(108 Greenwich Avenue, btwn 12th/13th St.)


Located in Nyc's 'Little Britain' (did you even know we had one, cuz I didn't, probably because it's about as big as half a block), this charming little tea spot has a solid selection of not just tea but other lovely British dishes and goodies. Prepare yourself to be placed into some very cramped quarters though.

Traditional Scones
(Served with clotted cream and strawberry or raspberry jam)





PODUNK (231 E 5th St, btwn 2nd/3rd Ave.)


Slightly less crowded than "Tea & Sympathy". However, they do not speak with a British accent here. Instead you will meet a portly grandmother figure taking the orders and working the cash register (complete with those perfectly round, black framed glasses, apron and shower-cap looking head-wear).
In terms of food and presentation, I find it more put-together here. The multitude of tea cups, saucers and tea-related things on colourful rustic trays make me feel kind of giddy; and the selection of appetizing tea sets offer a divine selection of memorable flavors.

Nibbler Tea
(Cayenne Cheddar Biscuits, Baby Scones, Gorgonzola-stuffed Apricots, Almond Tea Cakes, Jam, Cream, Herb Truffle; paired with Apricot tea)

Blunt & Savory
(Mini Tea Pies, Savory filled Scones, Cheddar Biscuits, Focaccia and Goat's Cheese; paired with Oolong tea)




Cream Tea
(Scones, Cream, Jam, a Medley of Fresh Berries; paired with Ceylon tea)

Just in case ...

... you didn't know, you can click on the photos for the original full resolution versions.

The High Italian Style

INSIEME (777 7th Ave @ 51st St.)


After reading NYMag's "Best of New York" issue I had to see for myself if this place really was one of the best new restaurants/best lasagna in town. Located mid-town, the restaurant is super stylish and sleek, and full of the older-business-crowd types. I can see this being a great choice for a formal/business meal.
Mastermind chefs Marco Canora and Paul Grieco came up with a philosophy of bringing together the "old world and the new world" at Insieme, evident in the menu itself, which has a 'traditional' side and then a 'contemporary' one.
I ordered the lasagna (of course!). Surprisingly light and airy for a dish that is known to be heavy. The spinach pasta in the lasagna is made fresh everyday, pretty damn kool.
This was one of the best lasagnas I've had, although not the best. I think that title varies according to a person's preference and mood for either an intense cheesy lasagna or a more delicate version such as this (and for that side of the lasagna scale, this is definitely the winner). So Garfield of me, but c'mon, lasagna's a serious topic.

Amuse bouche

Lasagna Verde alla Bolognese
(spinach pasta with bechamel and meat ragu)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9chamel_sauce



Gelato
(from top: vanilla, bourbon-chestnut, and gingerbread spice)

Craft-ing the Sandwich

'WICHCRAFT (60 8th St. @ Broadway)
The one I frequent is in the village by NYU but check the website for their other locations throughout Manhattan. This delish sandwich shoppe focuses on bringing together fresh ingredients and the expertise knowledge of gourmet food. Part of the extended 'Craft' restaurant family by chef Tom Colicchio, 'wichcraft is the quick-fix, affordable child of the bunch.

Love the free wi-fi access. Despite the minimalist appearance, you can get quite cosy at a booth in the back spending hours without feeling the pressure to leave.
Don't forget to pick up a sandwich card after your first sandwich so you can collect stamps with each purchase and get a free one when your card's filled up.
(Random: This one girl working the cashier saw that I had stamps on different ends of the card, and proceeded to stamp all the empty boxes in between due to some OCD complex. Hah, ok then, I was kool with that.)

After trying almost all the 'warm sandwiches' I think my favorite is the "roasted turkey" (w/ avocado, bacon, onion relish and aioli on a ciabatta roll)

Meatloaf With Cheddar (w/ bacon & tomato relish on ciabatta roll)

Slow Roasted Pork (w/ red cabbage, jalepenos, & mustard on ciabatta roll)