Here is an interesting article. Wolfgang Puck, one of the most famous chefs, reiterates what the Dudes On Foods have mentioned before: quality produce and animals produce quality food. A quote:
"from the time I was a young boy in Unterbergen, Austria. We never stocked cans in our pantry. Instead, we ate summer fruit in the summer and winter vegetables when the weather turned cold, just as nature intended. Our chickens were raised to run about the property, and were fed a wholesome diet. Our cows didn't know a thing about bovine growth hormones. And the food tasted better."
Monday, April 30, 2007
No-Booooooooo
Just had dinner at Nobu (Tribeca) last night and thought it was terrible...
Where do I begin...? I guess it doesn't matter really since every part of the meal was disaster.
Service, Food, Bill... Absolutely nothing made sense and can convince me to go back to Nobu (Tribeca). Well, maybe if Nicole Kidman personally called me and asked me out on a date...then maybe...
Sorry, I digress... Onto my rant.
First of all, let me give you a little quick Nobu 101 lesson. Nobu Matsuhisa founded Matsuhisa in LA a few decades ago and through the constant urging of actor Robert DeNiro, they opened Nobu in NY with the famous restauranteur Drew Nierporent.
They hit critical acclaim when their then Executive Chef, Morimoto was the Japanese Iron Chef on the Japanese Iron Chef Television Program. It was the talk of the town. No, it was the talk of the world. Global fusion at it's best. The restaurant boomed with popularity and it spread through out the globe like wildfire. Mr. Nobu himself probably owns a private jet by now and sips Dom Perignon out of the Holy Grail.
Now fast forward a few more years to today. Morimoto has graduated from the Nobu camp to now serve patrons really poor food at his tourist trap Morimoto, misrepresenting cultural flavors with hollywood bravado.
And it's like a never ending domino effect because everywhere you go, you see a bizillion unimaginative chefs replicating black cod miso, spicy tuna rolls, and toro tartare.... Please stop! It's so overkill.
And finally, did I mention the service was terrible and the bill was over 1G for the 6 of us?
I am so pissed and am at a lost for words. I feel like I can't fully articulate my displeasure.
If actions could take the part of words, I probably would do what Anakin Skywalker did in Starwars III and slaughter little babies from an unprotected village late at night when no body was looking. Well, maybe not.. But I just wanted you to know how deeply disturbed I was while sitting at that table eating really expensive garbage.
Where do I begin...? I guess it doesn't matter really since every part of the meal was disaster.
Service, Food, Bill... Absolutely nothing made sense and can convince me to go back to Nobu (Tribeca). Well, maybe if Nicole Kidman personally called me and asked me out on a date...then maybe...
Sorry, I digress... Onto my rant.
First of all, let me give you a little quick Nobu 101 lesson. Nobu Matsuhisa founded Matsuhisa in LA a few decades ago and through the constant urging of actor Robert DeNiro, they opened Nobu in NY with the famous restauranteur Drew Nierporent.
They hit critical acclaim when their then Executive Chef, Morimoto was the Japanese Iron Chef on the Japanese Iron Chef Television Program. It was the talk of the town. No, it was the talk of the world. Global fusion at it's best. The restaurant boomed with popularity and it spread through out the globe like wildfire. Mr. Nobu himself probably owns a private jet by now and sips Dom Perignon out of the Holy Grail.
Now fast forward a few more years to today. Morimoto has graduated from the Nobu camp to now serve patrons really poor food at his tourist trap Morimoto, misrepresenting cultural flavors with hollywood bravado.
And it's like a never ending domino effect because everywhere you go, you see a bizillion unimaginative chefs replicating black cod miso, spicy tuna rolls, and toro tartare.... Please stop! It's so overkill.
And finally, did I mention the service was terrible and the bill was over 1G for the 6 of us?
I am so pissed and am at a lost for words. I feel like I can't fully articulate my displeasure.
If actions could take the part of words, I probably would do what Anakin Skywalker did in Starwars III and slaughter little babies from an unprotected village late at night when no body was looking. Well, maybe not.. But I just wanted you to know how deeply disturbed I was while sitting at that table eating really expensive garbage.
Back to Colombia
Los Arrieros Restaurant
7926 Georgia Ave.
Silver Spring, MD
20910
301-495-9459
Subway – Silver Spring is the closest, but it’s still not close
Parking – easy street parking
When I was in Colombia, South America, my taste buds weren’t as mature as they are today, so I had to rely on the meals served to me at Colombian households, festivals, and the several Colombian restaurants I’ve been to around the country alongside other Colombians. As I studied the food, I learned what was good and bad. Last weekend I had a craving for Colombian food and remembered one place I went to last summer when a couple Colombians visiting me from Phoenix, Arizona helped me find online. Obviously the food was good enough that it made me return. The place I am referring to is called Los Arrieros Restaurant. It’s actually a Colombian, Mexican, and Dominican restaurant, but the menu is dominated by more Colombian dishes.
The restaurant is located just outside of trendy downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, which is just over the border of Washington, D.C. It’s inconspicuous, so you need to look a little closely for the address. Next door to it is a tattoo shop, and then one more address down is a Colombian grocery store/bakery. If you like what you eat at Los Arrieros, perhaps you can walk down two doors and pick up a few things to prepare at home along with some tasty pastries.
The restaurant is typical of several Colombian eating establishments where it’s part restaurant and part nightclub. You walk into the restaurant where there are murals of scenes of Colombia on the right, a large dancefloor in the middle, and a stage/DJ booth on the left.
7926 Georgia Ave.
Silver Spring, MD
20910
301-495-9459
Subway – Silver Spring is the closest, but it’s still not close
Parking – easy street parking
When I was in Colombia, South America, my taste buds weren’t as mature as they are today, so I had to rely on the meals served to me at Colombian households, festivals, and the several Colombian restaurants I’ve been to around the country alongside other Colombians. As I studied the food, I learned what was good and bad. Last weekend I had a craving for Colombian food and remembered one place I went to last summer when a couple Colombians visiting me from Phoenix, Arizona helped me find online. Obviously the food was good enough that it made me return. The place I am referring to is called Los Arrieros Restaurant. It’s actually a Colombian, Mexican, and Dominican restaurant, but the menu is dominated by more Colombian dishes.
The restaurant is located just outside of trendy downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, which is just over the border of Washington, D.C. It’s inconspicuous, so you need to look a little closely for the address. Next door to it is a tattoo shop, and then one more address down is a Colombian grocery store/bakery. If you like what you eat at Los Arrieros, perhaps you can walk down two doors and pick up a few things to prepare at home along with some tasty pastries.
The restaurant is typical of several Colombian eating establishments where it’s part restaurant and part nightclub. You walk into the restaurant where there are murals of scenes of Colombia on the right, a large dancefloor in the middle, and a stage/DJ booth on the left.
Further back is a bar and even farther is an extra section where a few more tables and another bar reside. Even with the music playing loudly in the main area, the rear section is almost like a separate area with its own music. You can imagine the location filling with people as the night ends, and the wee hours of the morning arrive. This last evening we were there, two bands and a DJ were scheduled. Several patrons would get up from their tables to dance on and off throughout dinner. Although I walked in for dinner, they asked if I would stay for “the show,” so they could collect an additional $10 if I were. I didn’t mind, since it’s normal, but the way they did it was left me wondering if they have been duped before. There is Colombian music playing all the time: from musica de recuerdos (old music) to modern day salsa. As I dined, I took photographs of the place, as I usually do, but this must have piqued the curiosity of some, because the owner, Mercedes, came to my table. I chose to tell her what I was doing, and then she became extremely pleasant to us. She recommended some dishes, but I told her I already started. She offered to cook it herself and to call her beforehand the next time I go and assured me that’s she doesn’t live far away. She highly suggested some Dominican dishes, but I told her tonight was reserved for Colombian food, and that I would return, since I can’t remember having authentic Dominican food before. After that meeting, I noticed the waitress was a bit more attentive, but not for long. She must have been having a bad night, since her attitude wasn’t too pleasant, and then she returned to that unpleasantness after a couple smiles. The biggest turnoff of the evening, however, was the bouncer/doorman who came to me again and asked me if I would stay for the show “because if you do, then you pay me $10 for person.” I had to tell him I heard him just fine the first time I walked in, and I am finishing up my dinner. My dinner ran into the beginning of “the show,” which consisted of the DJ playing a song, and a girl dancing. Her dancing was one of something I would see at a nightclub but nothing worthy of paying for, no less calling a show. Because she was dancing on the dancefloor, I couldn’t leave until the dance was over, because the front door was on the opposite side from where my table was located. Before I exited the building, I had to tell the doorman my suggestion of not looking too greedy, to calm down, and it was not very inviting to ask for the coverage charge as much as he did and the way he did it.
Now then, the food…
Both times I walked in to a relatively empty restaurant, and both times I was hesitant to stay, since these were prime times (Friday and Saturday evenings), and I was thinking the food wouldn’t be that good. Each time I was wrong. The food is not the best Colombian food, but it’s definitely far from the worst. Being 20 minutes from downtown D.C. and from my residence, I’m more than happy to attend a table to fill my craving. For appetizers, I had an order of arepa y chorizo (sausage), an order of arepa y morcilla (blood sausage), and an order of arepa y queso (cheese). It seems that many countries have their bread: Mexico has tortilla, Ethiopia has injera, Italia has Italian bread, France has the French bread, and so on; Colombia has arepa. It’s made with corn meal, typically about the size of your hand, and about a ½ inch thick. The chorizo has a very rich flavor, and is much more different than a breakfast pork sausage or an Italian sausage. It has its own flavor where the closest I’ve compared it to was the sausage served at Jaleo, a Spanish tapas restaurant. The morcilla is made with cow’s blood and stuffed with rice. The casing provides a crisp texture but still somewhat messy when slicing. My recommendation is to simply put it in your arepa, and bite it – like a hot dog. The cheese is queso fresco, which is fresh cheese from the farm. I was disappointed with this, because the description states it’s arepa with cheese, which is typical, but also typical is to make the arepa with the cheese as part of the mix. It was good, but the latter is how it was served, so there’s no cheese to accompany it but already in it. Since my expectations were different, I was somewhat let down.
Now then, the food…
Both times I walked in to a relatively empty restaurant, and both times I was hesitant to stay, since these were prime times (Friday and Saturday evenings), and I was thinking the food wouldn’t be that good. Each time I was wrong. The food is not the best Colombian food, but it’s definitely far from the worst. Being 20 minutes from downtown D.C. and from my residence, I’m more than happy to attend a table to fill my craving. For appetizers, I had an order of arepa y chorizo (sausage), an order of arepa y morcilla (blood sausage), and an order of arepa y queso (cheese). It seems that many countries have their bread: Mexico has tortilla, Ethiopia has injera, Italia has Italian bread, France has the French bread, and so on; Colombia has arepa. It’s made with corn meal, typically about the size of your hand, and about a ½ inch thick. The chorizo has a very rich flavor, and is much more different than a breakfast pork sausage or an Italian sausage. It has its own flavor where the closest I’ve compared it to was the sausage served at Jaleo, a Spanish tapas restaurant. The morcilla is made with cow’s blood and stuffed with rice. The casing provides a crisp texture but still somewhat messy when slicing. My recommendation is to simply put it in your arepa, and bite it – like a hot dog. The cheese is queso fresco, which is fresh cheese from the farm. I was disappointed with this, because the description states it’s arepa with cheese, which is typical, but also typical is to make the arepa with the cheese as part of the mix. It was good, but the latter is how it was served, so there’s no cheese to accompany it but already in it. Since my expectations were different, I was somewhat let down.
For dinner, I had the Bandeja Colombiana. It’s essentially a rancher’s meal, where it consists of plantains, beans, rice, churrasco (steak), chicharron (fried pork), arepa, and avocado. I have never seen Colombian food as something elegant, but the flavors area almost always wonderful. Here was another example. Everything was placed on the plate, running into each other, but delicious. Ah yes, just like you would see in a house i.e. authentic. (I think plating technique is the last thing on a grandmother’s mind when making and serving the food.) The plantains, well… it’s one of the rare foods that I don’t like. I tried a corner but was reminded why I don’t eat them, and immediately transferred the two long pieces to another plate. There was enough rice on the plate to make any Asian person satisfied. Although Asians are known for eating rice, it is very much a staple of Latino food. The beans were just beans, which means they were good. The avocado was simply a piece of garnish, but I definitely enjoy that much more than parsley. The two highlights of this plate are the chicharron and the churrasco. The chicharron wasn’t as good as I’m used to, but it was still tasty. It’s like pork rinds where it’s fried pork skin, but there’s meat on it. You can eat it whole, but then you feel guilty, since the top layer is fat. But oh, it’s so good. Yours truly left most of it behind, though. But my favorite part of the dish was the churrasco, which was flank steak with a wonderful flavor and cooked just right. It was not charred, and it was juicy. The portion was well-sized and even to the point that it hung over the edge of the large plate.
Another dish I had a lot of was the Sopa de Marisco (seafood soup). Ever have seafood soup where you wonder where all the seafood was after you only finished a few spoonfuls with some bits you were unsure of? This is not the case. It comes in a large bowl, and just looking at it makes you think you’re going to be full. You want to doublecheck the menu to ensure this isn’t a dish made for two people, but rest assured, it’s all yours. There are scallions, decent-sized pieces of cod fish (I think), vegetables, clams in their shells, and more. The soup was white, but not creamy. The texture of the soup, however, did feel somewhat creamy. The flavor was splendid, and almost every spoonful gives you a gift of a piece of seafood.
The last time I was at this place, I thoroughly enjoyed the beef tongue in a red sauce. I don’t remember what it’s called, but it was something like Lengua en Salsa. Delicious.
For drinks, you can’t go wrong with a licuado. It’s simply milk or water with fruit. (You tell them with agua (water) or milk (leche) – I highly suggest milk). There are many fruits to choose from, whether it’s blueberry, mango, passionfruit, and more. Try mango!
For dessert, I had an order of Brevas (dates) y Arequipe (dulce de leche) and an order of Guayaba (guava paste) y Queso. The Brevas y Arequipe is really good if you like dates filled with dulce de leche. Dulce de leche (translated: sweet milk) is a brown, thick sauce made with caramel. It has bits of a crunchy texture that makes it very enjoyable, but one may feel guilty eating this wonderful sweetness. Guayaba y Queso may sound strange (it did to me for many years), but the saltiness of the farmer’s fresh cheese goes so well with the sweet guava paste. It’s a combination that I normally do not like, but this is different. They work so well with each other. I look forward to finishing my meal for this.
In conclusion, the staff could have been better, the owner was delightful, and the meal was well done. The entire dinner was around $35, so it’s well-priced. It would be a good place to go with friends to eat, drink, and salsa/meringue/cumbia the night away. Just remember to bring your money for the cover charge, because the bouncer/doorman may remind you if you don’t pay it.
Overall: B-
Food: B
Service: C-
Atmosphere: B
Price: B
The last time I was at this place, I thoroughly enjoyed the beef tongue in a red sauce. I don’t remember what it’s called, but it was something like Lengua en Salsa. Delicious.
For drinks, you can’t go wrong with a licuado. It’s simply milk or water with fruit. (You tell them with agua (water) or milk (leche) – I highly suggest milk). There are many fruits to choose from, whether it’s blueberry, mango, passionfruit, and more. Try mango!
For dessert, I had an order of Brevas (dates) y Arequipe (dulce de leche) and an order of Guayaba (guava paste) y Queso. The Brevas y Arequipe is really good if you like dates filled with dulce de leche. Dulce de leche (translated: sweet milk) is a brown, thick sauce made with caramel. It has bits of a crunchy texture that makes it very enjoyable, but one may feel guilty eating this wonderful sweetness. Guayaba y Queso may sound strange (it did to me for many years), but the saltiness of the farmer’s fresh cheese goes so well with the sweet guava paste. It’s a combination that I normally do not like, but this is different. They work so well with each other. I look forward to finishing my meal for this.
In conclusion, the staff could have been better, the owner was delightful, and the meal was well done. The entire dinner was around $35, so it’s well-priced. It would be a good place to go with friends to eat, drink, and salsa/meringue/cumbia the night away. Just remember to bring your money for the cover charge, because the bouncer/doorman may remind you if you don’t pay it.
Overall: B-
Food: B
Service: C-
Atmosphere: B
Price: B
Sunday, April 29, 2007
La Nacional - Review
IntroLa Nacional - Highly Recommended
239 W 14th St, New York 10011
Btwn 7th & 8th Ave
Phone: 212-243-9308
I was craving some authentic paella after watching America's Test Kitchen, but I realized I didn't know where to go in the city. Sure, there's plenty of tapas restaurants (Tia Pol, Casa Mono, Bolo, etc.), but I had no idea where to go for authentic Paella. Luckily, chowhound is a wonderful resource to ask all the foodies where to go. I ended up finding La Nacionale and to my surprise the place was a hit. The food is great home cooking. No fancy presentations, no fancy sauces - just food that makes you happy with a great atomsphere. Overall, I give the restaurant an 86/100.
My Menu
1) Paella De La Casa - Highly Recommended
2) Campero - Highly Recommended
3) Champinones - Recommended
4) Gambas al ajillo - Recommended
5) Flan - Recommended
Dish Comments
1) Saturday's Paella of the day was seafood paella and it was spectacular. The flavor of the rice was so rich with seafood (squid, mussels, clams, shrimp, and chicken). The seafood was perfectly cooked and absorbed the flavors of all the other ingredients. The calamari was so ridiculously tender. After watching Paella made many of times on TV, I know the key to a great paella is socarrat or the crispy bottom, but I've never experienced this before. This Paella had the socarrat and it really makes a difference in texture. You know when a dish is great, when you want to recreate the dish...I'll let you know how it goes in another post.
2) Cured Chorizo, Manchego cheese, and Serrano Ham. Ridiculously good. Chorizo was so intensely flavorful. The serrano ham really is the prosciutto of Spain. I would say this is definitely some of the best that I've had - better than Mario Batali's Bar Jamon by leaps and bounds.
3) Sauteed mushrooms were great. Basically sauteed button mushrooms that are super rich in flavor. It's not like I haven't had this before, but it still made me very happy.
4) Shrimps in a rich, red garlic broth. Shrimps were OK, wish it could have been more tender but the garlic broth was so rich I didn't care. Combination of both were amazing.
5) I'm a huge flan of Flan, but I prefer the Cuban style which is usually more dense and flavorful. This was lighter like the creme caramel, which was nice. The strawberry sauce was the most ridiculous strawberry sauce I've ever had. Explosion of real strawberry flavors, which went well with the flan.
Overall Restaurant Experience (86/100)
- Food 8.5/10 - Food is great home cooking. Makes you feel very happy.
- Service 7.8/10 - Nice wait staff, but not very efficient. When we did order, food came out relatively quick. They didn't speak English so well, but that's a good sign when they primarily speak Spanish at a Spanish restaurant.
- Atmosphere 10/10 - Love the atmosphere here. It's like a Spanish social club, where old guys hang out to eat - in fact there were old Spanish guys just hanging out in front of the place. Restaurant is in a basement with wooden tables, wooden chairs - feels like you could be in Spain. This is a great place to go with friends that want to have some Spanish wine, share a lot of great food, and have a great time. It's also a good sign when the website is basically in Spanish and a lot of the patrons are speaking Spanish. It was busy, but since the place was big, we got in at 7:30 with no reservation and had no problem.
- Price 10/10 - Paella's are $16, some of the tapas are around $6-8. Great food for the price.
Closing Comments
After spending $100+ at Oceana with nice presentation, its good to see that there are restaurants in NYC at the opposite end of the spectrum. Solid home cooking at a decent price. Tia Pol which I love seems to have more intense flavors, but La Nacional's dishes just feels right even if it is not as powerful as Tia Pols. I would rate them even in terms of food, but overall I would rate La Nacional higher due to the atmosphere. I can't wait to go back with a lot of people to try everything on the menu.
Tori-shin - Review
Tori Shin - Recommended (w/reservation)Japanese, Yakitori
1193 1st Ave,
New York 10021
Btwn 64th & 65th St
Phone: 212-988-8408
I've been itching to go to a Yakitori joint for some time now. So we made reservations and went. Yakitori is simply skewered food cooked over a blazing pit of charcoal. The better the charcoal, the better the results. Take for instance a chicken skewer. A strong heat source will seal all the natural juices of the bird and lock in flavor and moisture.
And when I mean "strong" heat, I'm talking 1800 degrees F.
The type of charcoal most high end Yakitori restaurants use (and brag about) is called "BinChoTan". It's pretty much the Cadillac of charcoal.
Not only is it made of a special type of wood, but the shape, and size are regulated so that the chef can manipulate the layering of the wood properly and achieve even heat distribution, or heat pockets through out the charcoal pit.
The meal was just OK. I would recommend it only if you have never had a skewers grilled with binchotan. There is nothing exceptional about this place.
They could definitely source better chicken from some other poultry farms. My guess, they are using Eberly chickens from Pennsylvania. I would rather see them try a Poulet Rouge from North Carolina, or even a Giannone chicken from Canada.
But all in all, it was satisfying.
I'm looking to try Totto and Torys next. I wouldn't bother with Taisho.
Tasting: Chef's Omakase
Taste/Texture 30/40 What you can expect in Japan.
Presentation 15/20 Simplicity
Aroma 8/10 Smokey, Smokey, Smokey!
Price 10/20 A bit on the pricey side for "Yakitori".
X-Factor 10/10 Atmosphere is authentic. Walk through the doors and you are in Japan.
Total 73/100
Overall Experience:
Food 40/50
Service 25/30
Atmosphere 10/10
Price 5/10
Total 80/100
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Oceana Review
IntroOceana - Recommended
55 E 54th St, New York 10022
Btwn Madison & Park Ave
Phone: 212-759-5941
I really haven't been to any high-end seafood restaurants in NY, so I've always wanted to see how different seafood should be in the hands of a top-notch chef. I've been to Daniel and I still say that the Paupiette of Black Sea Bass is my favorite dish of all time, but I wanted to go to a 3+ star seafood restaurant. I've also been to Pearl Oyster bar (great) and Mermaid Inn (terrible), but those places are not exactly high-end. So, my search for phenomenal seafood led me to Oceana based on the Daniel Boulud show and Michael Colameco's show as well. The chef that both were raving about was Cornelius Gallagher, supposedly an up and coming young chef. Unfortunately, I didn't realize he left late last year for to be head of a catering company. Good thing, the new chef Ben Pollinger has phenomenal credentials - La Côte Basque, Lespinasse. Overall, I was pretty happy with the restaurant. Solid food, but just not mind blowing like Daniel. Overall, I give the restaurant an 83/100.
My Menu
1) Amuse Bouche - Yellow Tail wrapped in rice paper?
2) Florida Stone Crab Claws Salad - Recommended
3) Pan Roasted Chatam Cod - Highly Recommended
4) Oceana's Cheese Plate - Recommended
Dish Comments
1) Got the palate going, but really nothing special. Kinda difficult to compare any crudo type seafood, when I've had the best in Sushi Yasuda.
2) First time trying stone crabs and it was sweet and better than the average blue crab, but I expected it to be ethereal which it was not. I'm assuming if I go to Miami (Joe's Stone Crabs) I'd find out what real stone crabs should taste like. A nice dish though with interesting flavors.
3) Very happy with the sauce and the fish. Sauce composed of Manilla Clams, Fingerling Potatoes, and Linguica Sausage. This was one of those dishes where I needed bread to sop up all the liquid because none of the sauce should go to waste. Fish was great, but I felt it could have been a bit more moist.
4) Sold cheese plate that had around 9 different cheeses. Nothing spectacular on the plate, but every cheese was very tasty.
Overall Restaurant Experience (83/100)
- Food 8.3/10 - Very happy with the food, with one dish being great. The rest were good.
- Service 7.9/10 - Nice staff. Unfortunately food took a while. We were 5 dudes last night ordering the 3 course tasting, however it still took about 2 hours to serve. Didn't notice that much since we had 2 phenomenal bottles of wine.
- Atmosphere 8/10 - Inside the restaurant looks like the inside of a ship, which I thought was funny. Customers were mainly corporate - lots of suits or guys in jackets. Half full for a Thursday, which I'm assuming is not a good sign for the restaurant. We were a little loud and felt very comfortable.
- Price 7.5/10 - Relatively pricey - $78 for 3 courses. I was still happy to pay though.
Closing Comments
I thought this was a very good restaurant, but nothing really exceptional. This maybe a curse, but after going to plenty of spectacular restaurants I always have a point of comparison how something should be. Since I have not been to many high-end seafood only restaurants, it's tough for a comparison. I was happier with this experience over my experience at Veritas. Definitely would go back, but not before my trip to Le Bernardin...
Friday, April 27, 2007
Pardon my absence
Sorry for the lack of posts recently. It's been an interesting week in Porthos's world.
I was up in Boston earlier in the week promoting Japanese Sake.
For those of you who don't know, I represent probably the largest premium sake distributor in the nation. We carry over 110 sake labels and about 30 varieties of shochu as well.
While in Bean-town we must have tried 20 different types and also conducted a workshop with a Q&A session to some of the key Sommeliers, Bev Directors, and Retail Purchasers in Boston. Needless to say, it's been a rough week, with too much drinking. Some may say I have the perfect job, but try drinking 8 glasses of wine every day, Monday thru Friday. (It's problematic because I don't believe in the "spit bucket...")
I will post a Sake 101 tutorial shortly.
I have a feeling Sake is about to ease into mainstream America just like how Sushi has arrived to the average American's dinner table.
I was up in Boston earlier in the week promoting Japanese Sake.
For those of you who don't know, I represent probably the largest premium sake distributor in the nation. We carry over 110 sake labels and about 30 varieties of shochu as well.
While in Bean-town we must have tried 20 different types and also conducted a workshop with a Q&A session to some of the key Sommeliers, Bev Directors, and Retail Purchasers in Boston. Needless to say, it's been a rough week, with too much drinking. Some may say I have the perfect job, but try drinking 8 glasses of wine every day, Monday thru Friday. (It's problematic because I don't believe in the "spit bucket...")
I will post a Sake 101 tutorial shortly.
I have a feeling Sake is about to ease into mainstream America just like how Sushi has arrived to the average American's dinner table.
Dassai Niwari Sanbu
Brewery : Asahi ShuzoSake Name : Dassai Niwari Sanbu
Prefecture : Yamaguchi
Quality : Junmai Daiginjo
Founded : Consolidation of 4 Breweries in 1948
Rating : A+
Because the individual rice kernels are refined down to an eye popping 23% (by law, they are regulated to only mill down to 50%), Dassai Niwari Sanbu is amazingly delicate and fruity in flavor. A great sake to enjoy as is.
I found this Sake exceptionally wonderful to drink. Perhaps as an aperitif before a flight of sushi or sashimi.
You can find more information of this saké here:
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
The Matrix
When I saw The Matrix the first time, I didn’t really like it that much, except for the special effects. But after I left the theatre, it stayed with me and kept burrowing itself deeper into my thoughts. I watched the movie again, and I was a fan. I appreciate the message it conveys, and that is people have their own “matrix.” In other words, you are molded into a certain way of thinking whether it’s because of your culture, surroundings, society’s view, and/or other aspects of life that influence your mind. It’s a movie that properly describes the “sheeple.” For those people who are like sheep and follow everyone else, it’s what The Matrix describes. For those who can’t think for themselves, you live in your own matrix/box and are closed-minded and miss out on many pleasures in life. One of those wonderful pleasures is food.I’ve been to Hawai’i where the cuisine is different than other places I’ve visited. The Kalua pig that’s cooked in an underground oven called an imu is heavenly yet McDonald’s always seemed to have most of the tourists. I experienced the same thing in Miami where there is an i
nflux of 27 Latin American countries and the Caribbean islands and cultures where Colombian empanadas, Cuban pork, and Jamaican beef patties are everywhere. And the tourists are eating… McDonald’s. I was on the other side of earth, in China, where the cuisine is like none other that I’ve remotely had. You guessed it – McDonald’s and KFC is where I found a lot of the “foreigners.” I’ll admit that I did venture into both places, but that was merely to see what the difference is. There is. In fact, there was a difference in the Hawaiian location as well.
I feel sorry for those people who are stuck in their own matrix and do not explore. I try to break them out of it, but I often give up when they tell me “I don’t eat it, because I don’t like it.” When I ask them if they’ve EVER tried it, it’s almost always “no.” So how do they know they don’t like it? Here’s an argument that I like to use:
How would you like to eat this?
Take hot water and combine with different types of fungus that helps fermentation. It has a horrible smell, but bake it in an oven anyway. Next, mash tomatoes, and mix in the liquids of other vegetables, melted fat from animals, and add spice. Put this on top of what you took out of the oven. Next, get warm milk from a mammal, add bacteria, and let it sit with acid until it curdles, which means it clumps together. Can you imagine the smell? Add it to the top of the pile you already have. Finally, get some pieces of organs from animals, blood, fat from different animals, and other non-appealing parts from those same animals. Blend everything together and encase it in the intestines of an animal or plastic. Cut it up in pieces, and top off the mess you have sitting aside. Bake at a high temperature, and voila - the result doesn’t sound too tasty. In fact, it sounds like something a satanic cult would use to haze someone into their club. But if I tell you that your matrix finds this an acceptable form of food, and even a favorite treat to many people, you may wonder what country I’m writing this article from. Believe me, I am in the USA. The capital, actually. I just described dough, cheese, sauce, and sausage i.e. pizza. “Ooooh yeeeeaah,” is usually the response I get, followed by a “well, that’s different.” Why is that different? This is just one example. And people will say other things, for example, like people from India are strange that they do not eat beef, because it comes from cows. Indians are weird, because they don’t eat burgers, steak, meatloaf, shish-ka-bob, etc. Asians are strange, because they don’t eat cheese, milk, and other dairy. Well, why are you not abnormal if you don’t eat fried ants, raw seal, or squirrel? It’s my opinion that one should not deem something bad unless they try it first. Of course, morale does play a role, and I wouldn’t contribute in the hunting of a near extinct animal, and I would not eat human. But as far as anything else goes, I’m game. (I try to stay away from penis, too, but admittedly, I tasted one from a bull unbeknownst to me at the time.) I challenge everyone to break the “norm,” venture outside the box, and escape the matrix you’re molded to think is “normal.” Like this:
How would you like to eat this?
Take hot water and combine with different types of fungus that helps fermentation. It has a horrible smell, but bake it in an oven anyway. Next, mash tomatoes, and mix in the liquids of other vegetables, melted fat from animals, and add spice. Put this on top of what you took out of the oven. Next, get warm milk from a mammal, add bacteria, and let it sit with acid until it curdles, which means it clumps together. Can you imagine the smell? Add it to the top of the pile you already have. Finally, get some pieces of organs from animals, blood, fat from different animals, and other non-appealing parts from those same animals. Blend everything together and encase it in the intestines of an animal or plastic. Cut it up in pieces, and top off the mess you have sitting aside. Bake at a high temperature, and voila - the result doesn’t sound too tasty. In fact, it sounds like something a satanic cult would use to haze someone into their club. But if I tell you that your matrix finds this an acceptable form of food, and even a favorite treat to many people, you may wonder what country I’m writing this article from. Believe me, I am in the USA. The capital, actually. I just described dough, cheese, sauce, and sausage i.e. pizza. “Ooooh yeeeeaah,” is usually the response I get, followed by a “well, that’s different.” Why is that different? This is just one example. And people will say other things, for example, like people from India are strange that they do not eat beef, because it comes from cows. Indians are weird, because they don’t eat burgers, steak, meatloaf, shish-ka-bob, etc. Asians are strange, because they don’t eat cheese, milk, and other dairy. Well, why are you not abnormal if you don’t eat fried ants, raw seal, or squirrel? It’s my opinion that one should not deem something bad unless they try it first. Of course, morale does play a role, and I wouldn’t contribute in the hunting of a near extinct animal, and I would not eat human. But as far as anything else goes, I’m game. (I try to stay away from penis, too, but admittedly, I tasted one from a bull unbeknownst to me at the time.) I challenge everyone to break the “norm,” venture outside the box, and escape the matrix you’re molded to think is “normal.” Like this:
I am quite adventurous when I eat. If I say I don’t like something, I can honestly say that I’ve tasted it already. I know I do not like cilantro, thousand-year-old egg, pig brains, and a few 
more. I’ve tried all these. A few times, since I don’t give up on one taste. One thing that I’d like to share that I did enjoy is dog. No, it did not taste like chicken. It did, however, remind me of lamb in both taste and texture. I had it in different forms, and I ate different parts. I had dog ribs, dog feet, and other parts of the dog that I’m unsure of. I cooked it in Asian hot pot style, ate it roasted, with different sauces, spices, combined with vegetables, and alone. I liked it all.
more. I’ve tried all these. A few times, since I don’t give up on one taste. One thing that I’d like to share that I did enjoy is dog. No, it did not taste like chicken. It did, however, remind me of lamb in both taste and texture. I had it in different forms, and I ate different parts. I had dog ribs, dog feet, and other parts of the dog that I’m unsure of. I cooked it in Asian hot pot style, ate it roasted, with different sauces, spices, combined with vegetables, and alone. I liked it all.
As you can imagine, I ate this on my last trip to China. Before you start to think this is a normal Chinese dish, I need to inform you that it is not. It took about an hour driving around Tianjin before we found a Korean restaurant that served it. I can almost compare it to eating locusts or muskrat in the US; it’s there, but you need to look for it but definitely not “typical American food.” The name of the restaurant I went to is roughly translated to “Korean Dogwood Dog Meat Restaurant” in Chinese (the top part of the sign) and "Korea Plum Dog Meat Restaurant" in Korean (the bottom part). Would I eat it again? Most certainly.
As I type this, my TV is broadcasting The Travel Channel, and one of my favorite shows is on called “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.” Andrew Zimmern is a chef, dining critic, food writer, and more. In his show, he goes to different places around the US and the world and, you guessed it, eats bizarre food. (But remember… bizarre in whose matrix?) In this particular episode, he’s in the Philippines. They just showed “butt and balls soup.” Yes, I would try it. Now why didn’t I start a show like this??? If you haven’t, watch this show Monday nights at midnight EST; it may help you tear down your walls.
Bon appétit
Bon appétit
Monday, April 23, 2007
p*ong - Review
Introp*ong - Recommended with reservations
150 W 10th St, New York 10011
Btwn Waverly Pl & Greenwich Ave
Phone: 212-929-0898
Not sure, if there's a concept of a dessert bar in many other towns, but in NY they're popping up all over the place. Basically, it's a place that serves fancy desserts only or desserts with a very limited menu - p*ong also serves light salads. I've been looking forward to the opening of this place forever (it was supposed to open last fall), so finally we made it here opening night last Friday. The chef here is Pichet Ong who has gotten rave reviews as Jean-Georges' pastry chef at 66 and Spice Market. I'll have to admit I was a little disappointed with the desserts after all the acclaim, but they definitely had potential. Since it was the first night, I will give it a mulligan and will try again. Overall, I give the restaurant a 70/100.
My Menu
1) Creme Caramel - Not Recommended
2) Vietnamese Coffee Chocolate Molten Tart with Thai Iced Tea Ice Cream - Recommended
3) Thai Margarita - Highly Recommended
4) Bliss (a drink) - Recommended
Dish Comments
Not sure if these are the real names, since there is no real website but I think it's pretty close.
1) So, I usually love all forms of creme caramel - a rich thick flan or a nice light creme caramel. The flavor of the caramel was very muted and the texture was OK. Add the rhubarb ice and a bunch of other things and the flavor of the creme caramel was completely overtaken.
2) It is exactly what the menu says. Super rich Vietnamese coffee flavor that is molten. Matches perfectly with the sweet thai iced tea ice cream. Insanely powerful flavors here.
3) Probably the best girlie drink that I've had (at least since I remember). I'm never a fan of girlie drinks, but I thought it was appropriate at this place. The flavors were intense. Sour from fresh lime juice and lime zest, a little sweet, and spicy. They grated fresh peppers on top. Spectacular drink.
4) Decent drink that had a whole bunch of stuff. Lychees, blackberries, and panna cotta. The panna cotta was spectacular and should have been on the menu.
Overall Restaurant Experience (70/100)
- Food 7.3/10 - I'm including in the drinks here, since I feel this is part of the draw. Everything was decent, but had more potential. Drinks in my opinion were better than the desserts.
- Service 10/10 - We sat at the bar and the bartenders were incredibly nice and engaging. This probably is because this is the first day, so no guarantees this will always be the case.
- Atmosphere 8/10 - Trendy restaurant with very bright colors. You can sit at the bar and see people preparing desserts and your drink. Crowd is mixed with a young hip crowd as well as a little older as well.
- Price 7/10 - Price was on bar with desserts from a nice restaurant and fancy drink places. Creme caramel was $12.
Closing Comments
A fun place to take people in the area if you want desserts and girlie drinks. However, for my buck, I would prefer to go to chikalicious any day of the week. Chikalicious has more subtle flavors, better presentation, and more bang for the buck (3 tiny tastings for $12). With that said, I am still willing to go back and check p*ong out again after he irons out the kinks.
EN Japanese Brasserie - Review
IntroEN Japanese Brasserie - Recommended
435 Hudson St, New York 10014
Btwn Leroy & Morton St
Phone: 212-647-9196
Decided to check this place out over the weekend, since I was looking for some light Asian food in the West Village. To my surprise, it was a pretty solid restaurant. The unique thing about this Japanese restaurant is that it serves tapas like dishes. Lots of small dishes to sample for a reasonable price. The place is not blow you away good, but just a pretty decent restaurant. Overall, I give the restaurant an 79/100.
My Menu
1) Freshly Made Scooped Tofu - Recommended
2) Sea Bass Kara Age - Highly Recommended
3) Grilled Squid with Uni Miso - Recommended
4) EN Garlic Shiso Fried Rice - Recommended
5) Spicy Chu Toro Roll - Not Recommended
Dish Comments
1) Expecting a nice soft tofu texture, but instead it was relatively firm. Still a great texture and good flavor with the salt and soy mixture added
2) Great dish here. Sea bass was super flavorful and moist and lightly crispy, not oily.
3) Good, but nothing special
4) Fried rice is very fun. Simple flavors of just garlic, a little oil, and they added seaweed which gave it a nice contrast of flavor and texture
5) When one mentions chu toro, I expect a relatively fatty piece of tuna with some good tuna flavor. This was fatty, but had absolutely no flavor. It was Ok, when dipping into the spicy mayo, but you could have put canned tuna fish instead...also this was $19.
Overall Restaurant Experience (79/100)
- Food 7.7/10 - Everything is pretty good here, nothing great though
- Service 8.5/10 - Japanese place. See my other comments...nuff said.
- Atmosphere 8/10 - Nice decor - asian motif. High ceilings. Interesting mix of young couples (asian and non-asian), group of guys, as well as younger parents with kids.
- Price 8/10 - I think definitely worth the price. Fun food, good atmosphere, good service.
Closing Comments
Overall, a definite go to place for going with a large group to sample many dishes. Great price and solid Japanese food. A lot of the sake was average though. Stay from the expensive sushi and sake and it should be a good experience.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Crazy Sunday
The Dudes on Foods are at it again.
It's noon on Sunday and Porthos gives Aramis and D'Artagnan a call asking if they had any plans. The boyz were free so a cooking fiesta was organized.
Foods prepared and eaten:
Pan Seared Magret - D'Artagnan
Roasted Lamb Chops - D'Artagnan
Vegetable Bayaldi - D'Artagnan
Artichokes with Balsamic Sauce - D'Artagnan
Chocolate and White Truffled Rice Krispie Treats - D'Artagnan Specialty
Fresh Pasta in Basil Pomodoro Sauce - Aramis Specialty
HotDogs - Porthos
Sangria and Wines : 9 bottles of Red and White - Porthos
All in all, we must have ingested 5000 calories each. But it was a heck of a meeting.
A lot of laughing and joking around. What a great day.
It's noon on Sunday and Porthos gives Aramis and D'Artagnan a call asking if they had any plans. The boyz were free so a cooking fiesta was organized.
Foods prepared and eaten:
Pan Seared Magret - D'Artagnan
Roasted Lamb Chops - D'Artagnan
Vegetable Bayaldi - D'Artagnan
Artichokes with Balsamic Sauce - D'Artagnan
Chocolate and White Truffled Rice Krispie Treats - D'Artagnan Specialty
Fresh Pasta in Basil Pomodoro Sauce - Aramis Specialty
HotDogs - Porthos
Sangria and Wines : 9 bottles of Red and White - Porthos
All in all, we must have ingested 5000 calories each. But it was a heck of a meeting.
A lot of laughing and joking around. What a great day.
Vegetable Bayaldi
Toasted sourdough bread with a layer of sauteed onions, roasted zucchini, tomato and yellow squash, tapenade and goat cheese. Warmed in the oven and served hot.
Pasta from Scratch
We had the urge to make some fresh pasta. Aramis is quite the pasta aficionado so he led the charge today. Working that gluten can be tough work, but it was well worth the effort.
Collective effort by Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan.
Nathan's vs Kobe Beef Dogs
It seems to me that the whole "Kobe Beef" hotdog is a gimic and has no merit to being a true hotdog.
Nathans clearly had better texture and flavor when tasted side by side.
Sometimes bigger isn't better...
L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (NYC) - Review
L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon - Recommended (w/reservation)Four Seasons Hotel
French, Wild Game
57 E 57th St, New York 10022
Btwn Madison & Park Ave
Phone: 212-350-6658
So what else is there to say about Joel Robuchon that hasn't been said already?
He is the best. Every dish in his place is inspected and given the OK by the executive chef before it leaves the kitchen. Every little detail is covered and nothing but perfection is accepted.
My experience with cuisine by Robuchon is unfortunately limited to just two of his L'Ateliers.
The one in Tokyo, and in NY. Both demonstrated a different level of cooking from many "fine dining" experiences, but I must say I preferred the Tokyo experience more. I'm not quite sure how to pinpoint the differences but it's there. At that level, there is a certain uniqueness to every kitchen brigade. Kind of like a fingerprint. When dishes of this caliber are to replicated with this much precision over and over again, there are hints of American-ness and Japanese-ness.
Regardless of my fussiness, I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Enough said.Dishes Tastes:
-Asparagus Soup
-King Crab Salad
-Foie Gras Ravioli in Chicken Consomme with shiso and ginger essence
-Pan Fried Cod with Balsamic Vinegar
-Piece de Beouf
-Grapefruit Mint Sorbet
-Chocolate Tart
-Keylime Tart
Tasting:
Taste/Texture 40/40 Excellent. As good as it gets.
Presentation 20/20 Elegantly Beautiful.
Aroma 8/10
Price 5/20 You might find it a bargain if you are those who tip valet parkers $50 bills.
X-Factor 10/10 My Idol Chef. I'm just so happy to eat there.
Total 83/100
Overall Experience:
Food 45/50
Service 30/30
Atmosphere 10/10
Price 2/10
Total 87/100
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Nouvelle Cuisine (Chinois?)
I just got back from L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon with the wife and another couple. It was a nice relaxing meal but it left me a bit confused. Has "Haute French Cuisine" going Chinese? Japanese flavors were the rage 5 years ago, but it's clear this chef is focussing on Chinese flavors to meld with his French foundation. Chinese 5 spice dusted fish, curry infused crab, chicken stock with shiitake essence and chinese parsley. It's palatable, but I'm just not sure it deserves that much "oo-ing and aw-ing".As you may know, ever since entering the food world, I have idolized Joel Robuchon like a GreenBay Packer fan idolizes Bret Favre. But today's meal left doubts in my head whether he has spread himself too thin or just gone bonkers with defining what's good.
After retiring at the top of his game, Robuchon returned back to the kitchen with a different wind in his sails.
Following a few consulting gigs and a top notch restaurant in Japan, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon was born. The concept was derived from the sushi bar. The interaction between a chef and his patron caught the heart of Chef Robuchon and now he has L'Atelier Restaurants in Paris, Tokyo, Macau, Las Vegas and New York.
That's a lot of places to manage, and you can't be everywhere at once.
Perhaps I should not expect the world everytime I eat at a Robuchon joint... but I want to.
But in all fairness, I can definitely brag about their steak. The steak was probably one of the best I've ever had. I've noticed many times that a steak is often cursed because of the natural anatomy of the dish. Because it's basically a hunk of meat that must be consumed with the same utensils, and accompaniments leaving little excitement after the third bite. It's an inevitable marginal diminishing return if you will.But this cut of beef was so perfectly done. The quality of beef was superb, and the cooking was done just right, that every bite from the first to the last was mind bogglingly delicious. No drop in the flavor meter at all. I have never had a steak that showcased such consistancy. I urge every steak lover to give this a try.
I am totally a steak-guy and this made me smile all day.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Condolences to VA Tech victims from the Dudes On Foods
We always think “it can’t happen to me,” but Monday proved again that it can. The bloody rampage that this loser went on saddens us. Being in D.C., this is especially hitting close to home. When I personally know people that know some of the victims who were killed, it’s quite an eye opener. You're in our prayers.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Jaleo, D.C. Review - Athos
jaleo.com480 7th St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
202-628-7949
Subway – Gallery Place/ChinaTown Metro is nearby
Parking – Street/nearby garages
I caught the ending of Iron Chef America a few weeks ago, and Chef Jose Andres just finished beating Bobby Flay. The other Dudes On Foods suggested coming down to D.C. and attending one of Andres’ restaurants. Porthos made his way this past weekend, and we dined at Jaleo, the downtown D.C. location. The website states the address is 480 7th St., NW, so I knew where the place was. Or so I thought. I remember driving by a Latin place several times, and it looked very appealing from outside. When we arrived at Jaleo, I was very confused, since it looked completely different. Quite the opposite, actually; almost run down with a lot of scaffolding surrounding it. We went in, gave them our name for a table due to an hour wait, and we explored D.C. nearby at Gallery Place. During this time, I discovered the place I thought we were going to was down the street called Rosa Mexicano. So an hour later when we returned, I admit, I was kind of let down. Since his other restaurant, Zaytinya, didn’t impress me with his food, I was waiting for another bad experience. While we were waiting, I had to go to the bathroom. Even the bathroom gave me a worse taste in my mouth, since it was kind of dank. The hostess was very friendly, so she helped the situation. We finally sat down, started perusing the many items on the menu, and decided to let Porthos order, since he has read a book related to this chef's mentor. I threw in an order of chorizo (sausage), and drank sangria as I waited for the dishes to arrive to the table.
It’s a Spanish restaurant, and a type of Spanish style of serving food is called tapas. Tapas, directly translated to English, means “lids.” There are conflicting reasons how the name came about. Since tapas is essentially many appetizer-sized plates served for tasting, most of the time at prices of what I don’t even spend for lunch, when the bill comes along afterwards, usually people want to put a tapa/lid on top of it! I’ve had tapas a few times prior, and I have to say that I would not mind paying the bill at Jaleo. The food was damn good. Was it good because I had such low expectation? Not really, it was just good all around. Whether it was squid in its black ink or the blood sausage, everything put in front of me was good to delicious. There were even some moments where we had to sit back, close our eyes, and just take it all in and really appreciate it. Since it wasn’t an elegant place, the plating wasn’t overly done, so it matched nicely. The smells, texture, flavor, and environment were all wonderful.Overall: A-
Food: A
Service: B
Atmosphere: B+
Price: B
The deco was nice and Spanish including murals on the walls, pottery, candles, and dimmed lighting creating a dark and intimate feeling. I guess I was expecting more, so I lowered the rating down slightly, but that’s my own fault. It’s not fair, but that’s how I felt at the time.
The service was normal, nothing above and beyond, but it wasn’t bad, either. The hostess was helpful and helped raise my rating, though. 
Now, the food... I loved it. I want everyone to experience it. Do yourself a favor, and go there. If you don't like it, I will pay for your dinner. But before I do, I will pay for a taste bud operation for you, because that's nonsense. If you're not adventurous to get the squid in black ink, which was quite delightful, get the sausage, which is my favorite dish. Extremely flavorful and a shame that only one is served. Note to self – order more next time! Hell, bring extra for home!! Lots of times, quail can be very dry. This was not the case. It was cooked well. Although it’s a Spanish establishment, the pork belly brought me back to China in the way it was prepared. This is a good thing, since it’s done almost perfectly. The flan was, well… flan. It’s rare that a flan stands out as better than another. I had a very good flan once, but it was not here. The chocolate mouse torte was decent, but nothing spectacular. But face it, tapas does not concentrate on that, so what they do is done well. I won’t review the other tapas I sampled, since there are too may, and I’ll ruin your keyboard from your drool spilling onto it. Go to Jaleo, and post a comment here if you liked it or not.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Sushi Madness
The other night (last wednesday), the boys got together and were looking for good 'ol burgers. Greasy, juicy burgers to satisfy our natural craving for carnage.After work, we got together at a watering hole before heading to JG Melon. Loaded up on some beers and walked over ready for the fun. But to our dismay, when we got to JG Melon, we got the bad news... it was an hour wait.
One of the guys mentioned there was an all-you-can-eat sushi place 4 blocks away so we jumped ship and trekked over like we were soldiers on a mission.
Sushi Yuki charges 20 bucks a person for all you can eat sushi.
We ordered and FINISHED the following. Mind you there were only 5 of us (and 1 left midway through the meal).
Sushi
15 Tuna
4 Tuna Roll
25 Hamachi
4 Hamachi Roll
35 Salmon
4 Salmon Roll
10 Salmon Roe
10 Mackerel
10 Eel
5 Tamago (Egg)
5 Surf Clam
10 Scallop
5 Hamachi Hand Roll
5 Spicy Tuna Hand Roll
2 California Roll
125 Nigiri Sushi
14 Rolls
10 Hand Rolls
Sake
2 Kurosawa (300ml)
2 Pure (300ml)
The funny thing was when we were going home. None of us really could stand up straight. It was too painful. I thought I didn't want anymore sushi for a long long time, but I was wrong. You can never have enough sushi.
Pio Maya
***CLOSEDIntro
Pio Maya - Highly Recommended
40 W. 8th St, New York 10011
bet 6th Ave & MacDougal St
Phone: 212-254-2277
After traveling to Durango, Mexico for a friend's wedding, my eyes were opened to how good Mexican food can be. The richness of the meats, the freshness of the ingredients - just spectacular stuff. I still think the pork taco I had at the wedding was by far the best pork dish I've ever had. Coming back to the states, I wanted to satisfy my Mexican food fix. Unfortunately, a lot of Mexican restaurants are Americanized. You know what I mean - the abundance of cheese and sour cream on the tacos, the 5 day old head of lettuce. To my surprise, we stumbled upon Pio Maya, which in my opinion recreates the flavors of Mexican cooking. Fresh ingredients and rich flavors. I go here about once a month and highly recommend it. Overall, I give the restaurant a 90/100.
My Menu
Pork Burrito - Highly Recommended
Chicken Taco - Highly Recommended
Rice and Beans - Highly Recommended
Tortilla Soup - Not Recommended
Other Dishes I've had
Half Roasted Chicken - Highly Recommended
Beef Taco - Recommended
Mole Con Polo Tamale - Highly Recommended
Dish
The key to this place is all the ingredients are very fresh. All dishes have a nice contrast of really rich meat flavor with the bright freshness of the lettuce, onion, and jalapeños (fresh, not jarred). The pork dish is spectacular and exhibits all of the qualities that I mentioned above. Pork meat is so rich and flavorful without being dried out. The tacos use double fresh tortillas (I think corn) which add tremendous flavor to the meats, lettuce, pico de gallo. Rice and beans are also phenomenal here. Rice is flavored with what I'm assuming is pork fat. These were the dishes I had last night. Other dishes I've had (within the last month or two) are the half roasted chicken which is ridiculously good - super flavorful and moist. Beef taco which is good, but not as good as the others. And the Mole Con Polo Tamale which again is ridiculous.
Overall Restaurant Experience (95/100)
- Food 9.8/10 - Great Mexican flavors
- Service N/A - You pay for the food and pick it up yourself. However, the people behind the counter are insanely nice.
- Atmosphere 8/10 - Tiny hole in the wall. Not dirty by any means, but not nice either. People behind the counter are Mexican, which is a good sign at a Mexican restaurant, and you can see their tiny kids every once in a while.
- Price 10/10 - Way cheap for the quality. A burrito is $6.75 that is super high quality. Tacos are $2.25
This place, along with Mamoun's, proves you can have amazing food in NYC without paying a lot of money. Mamoun's used to be my go to place for cheap eats, but this has definitely taken it's place. It's like having really good Mexican home cooking available to the masses. Go now - it's that good.
Cooking out of the comfort zone
So, I was cooking for my step-father for his birthday last Saturday and I had the grandiose idea of some type of surf and turf - preferably some type of lamb and fish (or scallop) dish. I went to the grocery store back home and I found a rack of lamb, but no fish really looked that great. What did catch my eye was some lobster tails, which I decided to get. Now, I've never cooked lobster tails or rack of lamb before, but I decided why not.
Menu:
Lobster tails with a corn puree
Rack of lamb with a rich tomato sauce over quinoa
Papaya gelato
Unfortunately, only the rack of lamb was a winner. Lesson learned, research and practice dishes first before serving to people other than yourself/your significant other.
Lobster
I cut the lobster shells down the center to expose the skin and broiled the lobster tails for 5 minutes with some butter and a little salt, but something wasn't right. I had to broil it again for another 7 minutes, since it was still raw on the inside. When I was finished, it was overly salty and the lobster just didn't taste right. It wasn't overcooked, but something was wrong. The corn puree was great and it made the dish OK - I gave it a 6/10. Need to do more research - maybe boiling next time? I served roasted Chinese mushrooms as a side dish - this was very flavorful.
Lamb
This was also a challenge for me, since if I cook meat - it's usually in a braise or just smaller portions (like a steak). Luckily, this came out great and I applied the same base for my braising liquid as a sauce. Tender flavorful lamb accompanied by a rich sauce. I gave this an 8/10.
Papaya Gelato
Was going for a papaya gelato, but since I was in a rush with everything else, this was messed up to. A gelato base I use is 1 quart milk, 1.5-2 cups sugar and heat on the stove to dissolve the sugar. Unfortunately, I added the papaya in the beginning which made the taste slightly bitter. Another lesson learned, papaya should not be heated through, since it will become bitter. Fortunately, before I boiled the mixture down I saved a glass of the "papaya milk" which was wonderful. From a disaster, I may have found a great amuse bouche to serve :)
Now the wonderful thing about cooking is that there's is always something new to learn. Now that I f'd up lobster, I will be even more determined to cook it better. Time to ask and document some correspondents to the dudes on foods for some recipes and techniques.
Menu:
Lobster tails with a corn puree
Rack of lamb with a rich tomato sauce over quinoa
Papaya gelato
Unfortunately, only the rack of lamb was a winner. Lesson learned, research and practice dishes first before serving to people other than yourself/your significant other.
Lobster
I cut the lobster shells down the center to expose the skin and broiled the lobster tails for 5 minutes with some butter and a little salt, but something wasn't right. I had to broil it again for another 7 minutes, since it was still raw on the inside. When I was finished, it was overly salty and the lobster just didn't taste right. It wasn't overcooked, but something was wrong. The corn puree was great and it made the dish OK - I gave it a 6/10. Need to do more research - maybe boiling next time? I served roasted Chinese mushrooms as a side dish - this was very flavorful.
Lamb
This was also a challenge for me, since if I cook meat - it's usually in a braise or just smaller portions (like a steak). Luckily, this came out great and I applied the same base for my braising liquid as a sauce. Tender flavorful lamb accompanied by a rich sauce. I gave this an 8/10.
Papaya Gelato
Was going for a papaya gelato, but since I was in a rush with everything else, this was messed up to. A gelato base I use is 1 quart milk, 1.5-2 cups sugar and heat on the stove to dissolve the sugar. Unfortunately, I added the papaya in the beginning which made the taste slightly bitter. Another lesson learned, papaya should not be heated through, since it will become bitter. Fortunately, before I boiled the mixture down I saved a glass of the "papaya milk" which was wonderful. From a disaster, I may have found a great amuse bouche to serve :)
Now the wonderful thing about cooking is that there's is always something new to learn. Now that I f'd up lobster, I will be even more determined to cook it better. Time to ask and document some correspondents to the dudes on foods for some recipes and techniques.
Jaleo - Review
Jaleo - Highly RecommendedSpanish, Tapas
480 7th Street,
NW Washington, DC 20004
Tel (202) 628-7949
Fax (202) 628-7952
Met up Athos and his wife over the weekend and had an eating extravaganza in DC.
And naturally, the highlight was Jaleo.
So, after weeks of e-mails with little commitment to head down to DC, my wife and I decided last thursday night to make the 4 hour car ride down to visit our friends.
When we got to Athos's place, we were greeted with appetizers.
Shortly after, we took a ride down to the fishmarket and had some freshly shucked oysters and steamed crab.
We then went to an event at the Verizon Center in downtown DC. Athos hooked us up with an Executive Suite. Skybox baby! There, we devoured more food, chips, salad, nachos, wings, ribs, hot dogs, and chicken bbq.
After the event, we made our way over to Jaleo and I was thinking, "how on earth are we going to eat anything else...?" but luckily (and I never say this) we had an hour wait. They are BUSY! and don't take reservations at this location. We walked around the block till our stomachs settled and then were seated in a corner table.
Haha, now onto the food at Jaleo. Typical Catalan tapas.
I had previously studied the Chef's cookbooks and pretty much knew what he had to offer.
Chef José Andrés is a desciple of the famed Chef, Ferran Adrià at El Buli in Spain. But at Jaleo, his food is very straight forward. Nothing "progressive" or "nuevo", just classic Spanish Tapas.
List and pictures of dishes ordered for the table.
-Pitcher of Sangria
-Mojama (cured tuna), Romesco, Hard Boiled Egg on Toast
-Anchovies on sliced sourdough
-Roasted Portabello with Garlic and Parsley Oil
-Sauteed Wild Mushrooms with Raisins and Walnuts
-Grilled Asparagus
-Sauteed Spinach with Pinenuts
-Squid with Squid Ink Sauce and Rice Pilaf
-Rabbit Confit with Garlic Mashed Potatoes
-Blood Sausage
-Homemade Chorizo with Garlic Mashed Potatoes
-Pork Belly with Pimiento Peppers
-Duck Confit
-Roasted Quail with Honey Aoili and Rosemary Sauce
-Flan
-Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse Tort
Tapas:
Taste/Texture 40/40 Everything was great. Pork Belly, Artisinal Chorizo and Blood Sausage were outstanding.
Presentation 10/20 A little on the rough side.
Aroma 10/10
Price 20/20 I couldn't believe the bill... It's usually the other way around, with the bill being a little higher than expected. Perhaps NY is just overly priced.
X-Factor 10/10 Dishes were well flavored and clear. You knew what you were eating every bite.
Total 90/100
Overall Experience:
Food 48/50 Fantastic. Everything was great.
Service 28/30 Seemed like an all Gay waitstaff... Happy Happy Happy!
Atmosphere 5/10 Very "Touristy" Layout. But everyone was very friendly.
Price 10/10 Happy to pay it.
Total 91/100
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Wu Liang Ye - Review
IntroWu Liang Ye - Recommended
36 W 48th St, New York 10036
Btwn 5th & 6th Ave
Phone: 212-398-2308
Surprisingly, it's actually pretty hard to find a decent Chinese restaurant in NYC. Even if you trek into Chinatown, it may only be a 50% success rate of finding a solid Chinese restaurant. Sure, you may find some cheap hole in the wall that's OK, but that's not what I'm usually looking for when I'm sober. Wu Liang Ye is a Chinese restaurant that serves great food. It specializes in Szechuan food, but I always pictured Szechuan food to be insanely spicy (at least the Szechuan dishes I had in Taiwan were). Although it may not be authentic Szechuan, the restaurant is still very good. Overall, I give the restaurant an 78/100.
My Menu
Dan Dan Noodles - Highly Recommended
Poached Chicken - Recommended
Camphor Tea Smoked Duck - Highly Recommended
Sauteed Spinach - Recommended
Steamed fish with bean paste (special) - Highly Recommended
Dish
Dan dan noodles were spectacular. These noodles were definitely handmade and had an unbelievable texture and flavor - kinda reminiscent of spectacular pasta. Poached chicken had the perfect texture with a good sweet/spicy thing going. Tea smoked duck was perfect. The smokiness of the camphor cut the richness of the meat perfectly. The sauteed spinach was good, but it was just that - sauteed spinach. No idea what the fish was and I don't even think it was on the menu. We asked the waiter about the fish dishes and he recommended the dish we had. Steamed whole fish (I think sea bass) with a phenomenal bean paste sauce. Like all the other dishes, there was a nice balance between sweet and spicy - I think catering to the American palate. The fish had the perfect soft texture and the sauce was insane.
Overall Restaurant Experience (78/100)
- Food 8.5/10 - Great Chinese food in Midtown of all places.
- Service 6.0/10 - Waiter was an ass, but it's expected at most Chinese restaurants. When we asked for recommendations, he was very reluctant and had an attitude of "just order already." Funny how the attitude is completely different at Japanese restaurants. They do get 1 bonus point for seating us without reservations, since someone else was late for their reservation.
- Atmosphere 7/10 - Decor is very interesting. Almost old french or english like with the trimmings on the wall. Place was packed for a Friday night and I would say 75% asian, 25% non-asian.
- Price 7/10 - Food was very pricey for Chinese food - about $20 average per dish, but in my opinion, it was still worth it
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Why Organic is Better
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/114202162
Above is a link to an article that further explains my views and position on organic peaches.
(previous article)
Buckingham
Above is a link to an article that further explains my views and position on organic peaches.
(previous article)
Buckingham
Friday, April 13, 2007
Roast Chicken
I had a chicken roaster just sitting there in my fridge so I decided to do something with it.
I saw some chef on the Japanese Iron Chef years ago roast a bird in a clay pot. Kinda half roast, half steamed so I came up with my own way to copy the method. On the TV show, the chef used some straw-hay to add to the flavoring of the bird. Unfortunately I don't have any clean straw-hay but I know that that was a source of moisture so I thought to add some cauliflower and potatoes instead.
I tucked some butter under the chicken's skin, garlic and thyme in the cavity and did a no string truss. Salt and peppered the vegetables and placed them around the bird.
375 degrees for 20 minutes uncovered, then an additional 1 hour covered.
10 additional minutes uncovered and remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
Carve and serve hot. Voila.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
You are what you eat
Growing up as a kid I pretty much ate what ever I wanted to, when I wanted to. I ate my fruits and veggies like anyone else, but I also ate my share of junk food as well. As I got older and into high school and started to compete at higher levels I started to take notice to what I ate, especially as a wrestler, I needed to watch my weight. So I would count calories, watch my fat and carb intake, etc... basically starving myself. I did fine with this method and thought I was healthy, even though I got sick ALL of the time. Then I got to college and that level of competition was a whole new ball game. I really had to watch what I ate and drank, but it was just too much, school and sports, so I stopped playing sports and focused on school. Now I figured, hell, I don't have to watch what I eat as much because there is nothing at stake, so I would eat pizza, chicken wings, beer and chips, etc... I was your typical college kid.
Then the real world came, I graduated and got a job and noticed that I started to plump up, but also still kept getting sick all of the time (like gotta go to the hospital sick). So I started to read and research about the way we process our foods and how we grow them and started to research organic foods. I have to admit that my wife's mother got me interested in ORGANIC food. I kept asking myself, "what's so special about organic food? It looks the same but it sure is more expensive." Long story short, I eat 98% all organic now. Many people don't believe in "organic", but let's go back just 50-60 years and what we consider organic now was conventional back then. Farmers didn't use chemicals or pesticides. People grew their own food on their own land and that is what sustained them.
The saying" You are what you eat" is so true.
Let me explain. I eat organic because it tastes better and it IS healthier. Why is an organic peach healthier than a covnentional one? And why does it taste better? It tastes better because it doesn't have chemicals sprayed on it, altering the taste and most organic foods like fruits and veggies are grown for a longer period of time, the way mother nature intended. If I gave you an organic peach and a conventional peach and you took a bite out of each, you could definately taste the difference.
Further more, if I went into your garage and sprayed one of the peach with an insect control spray that you picked up at the store, and then asked you to eat it, would you? No, of course not!!!!!! You would look at me like I am crazy. Well guess what? That's the way our mass produced supermarket foods are grown, plus a ton of other growth accelerators. Did you know just only 50 years ago, our grandmothers could eat one peach a day and get their daily supply of vitamin A. Today, we would have to eat 50! Ridiculous isn't it? And it has to do with the way foods are grown, harvested and chemically engineered.
What about organic meats v.s. conventional protein? Well unless you want your sons or daughters at age 8 to look like Governor Arnold or Pam Anderson, you might want to pass on the hormone and antibiotic pumped animals. Ask yourself why cows can grow so quickly and bigger than ever? It's because of all the hormones and steroids we feed the animals. Well if the animals are fed that, and we eat the animals, you finish the sentence.
Did you ever eat at good ol' KFC and wonder why the bone of the chicken is black? They are kept in dark cages, constantly fed and given all sorts of growth hormones. Well, all of that is transfered to our bodies. Some gets released through our waste and makes it into our waterways. Just like the pharmaceutical drugs we take, they gotta go somewhere. Luckily there are some good people out there who think about these issues and conduct studies. Some scientists have been examining the fish in Lake Mead and have noticied that the male fish are laying eggs. How on earth is that possible? Well like I said, our waste makes it's way back into our water system and then it gets absorbed by nature. Well if that stuff is coming out of us and getting into fish (and that's just one area under examination), what do you think stays in our bodies? The human body can only handle so much. Remember how I said I always used to get sick? I don't anymore, not so much as seasonal allergies or the sniffles and I'm convinced it has to do with the quality of foods I eat.
So take it from me, don't believe everything you read, especially about how "safe" conventional food is because the FDA says it is. Do the research and come to your own conclusions like I did, and trust me, you'll thank yourself for it later on and so will your kids.
Buckingham
p.s. If you don't have kids yet, remember they are what you eat now. If you eat poorly, your kids won't have a choice and will naturally inherit complications, such as an unhealthy immune system.
Then the real world came, I graduated and got a job and noticed that I started to plump up, but also still kept getting sick all of the time (like gotta go to the hospital sick). So I started to read and research about the way we process our foods and how we grow them and started to research organic foods. I have to admit that my wife's mother got me interested in ORGANIC food. I kept asking myself, "what's so special about organic food? It looks the same but it sure is more expensive." Long story short, I eat 98% all organic now. Many people don't believe in "organic", but let's go back just 50-60 years and what we consider organic now was conventional back then. Farmers didn't use chemicals or pesticides. People grew their own food on their own land and that is what sustained them.
The saying" You are what you eat" is so true.
Let me explain. I eat organic because it tastes better and it IS healthier. Why is an organic peach healthier than a covnentional one? And why does it taste better? It tastes better because it doesn't have chemicals sprayed on it, altering the taste and most organic foods like fruits and veggies are grown for a longer period of time, the way mother nature intended. If I gave you an organic peach and a conventional peach and you took a bite out of each, you could definately taste the difference.
Further more, if I went into your garage and sprayed one of the peach with an insect control spray that you picked up at the store, and then asked you to eat it, would you? No, of course not!!!!!! You would look at me like I am crazy. Well guess what? That's the way our mass produced supermarket foods are grown, plus a ton of other growth accelerators. Did you know just only 50 years ago, our grandmothers could eat one peach a day and get their daily supply of vitamin A. Today, we would have to eat 50! Ridiculous isn't it? And it has to do with the way foods are grown, harvested and chemically engineered.
What about organic meats v.s. conventional protein? Well unless you want your sons or daughters at age 8 to look like Governor Arnold or Pam Anderson, you might want to pass on the hormone and antibiotic pumped animals. Ask yourself why cows can grow so quickly and bigger than ever? It's because of all the hormones and steroids we feed the animals. Well if the animals are fed that, and we eat the animals, you finish the sentence.
Did you ever eat at good ol' KFC and wonder why the bone of the chicken is black? They are kept in dark cages, constantly fed and given all sorts of growth hormones. Well, all of that is transfered to our bodies. Some gets released through our waste and makes it into our waterways. Just like the pharmaceutical drugs we take, they gotta go somewhere. Luckily there are some good people out there who think about these issues and conduct studies. Some scientists have been examining the fish in Lake Mead and have noticied that the male fish are laying eggs. How on earth is that possible? Well like I said, our waste makes it's way back into our water system and then it gets absorbed by nature. Well if that stuff is coming out of us and getting into fish (and that's just one area under examination), what do you think stays in our bodies? The human body can only handle so much. Remember how I said I always used to get sick? I don't anymore, not so much as seasonal allergies or the sniffles and I'm convinced it has to do with the quality of foods I eat.
So take it from me, don't believe everything you read, especially about how "safe" conventional food is because the FDA says it is. Do the research and come to your own conclusions like I did, and trust me, you'll thank yourself for it later on and so will your kids.
Buckingham
p.s. If you don't have kids yet, remember they are what you eat now. If you eat poorly, your kids won't have a choice and will naturally inherit complications, such as an unhealthy immune system.
Athos' Health Freak Muffins
I'm on a health kick, and it's not as bad for a foodie as one would think. It's painful sometimes, but it's really not that bad. Here's a recipe I thought I'd share for others to enjoy.
-------
Disclaimer - Although the taste isn’t bad, these are not for you if you’re looking for the sweet muffins you find at Starbucks.
Ingredients:
Dry –
2 cups oatmeal (you can use instant, steel-cut, rolled, etc.)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon baking powder
Wet –
2 mashed bananas (brown, ripe bananas work best (the kind you normally throw out) - I mash them in baggies and squeeze them out)
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons olive oil (canola can substitute)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Lightly spray muffin pan with olive oil cooking spray. Pour mix into muffin pan, and bake at 425 degrees for 18 – 20 minutes.
Notes –
I use a mini-Bundt pan to make four large muffins.
If you’re like me and can’t follow a recipe without making changes, experiment with the ingredients by doing things like adding or removing spice, fruits, nuts, etc. For example, sometimes I’ll mince an apple or add flax seed to the mix. To make it sweeter, add Splenda. Just be sure to send the royalty check to me if people pay you for the muffins.
Store uneaten muffins in a covered container, and eat soon; these are made with fresh fruit with no preservatives added.
Ingredients:
Dry –
2 cups oatmeal (you can use instant, steel-cut, rolled, etc.)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon baking powder
Wet –
2 mashed bananas (brown, ripe bananas work best (the kind you normally throw out) - I mash them in baggies and squeeze them out)
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons olive oil (canola can substitute)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Lightly spray muffin pan with olive oil cooking spray. Pour mix into muffin pan, and bake at 425 degrees for 18 – 20 minutes.
Notes –
I use a mini-Bundt pan to make four large muffins.
If you’re like me and can’t follow a recipe without making changes, experiment with the ingredients by doing things like adding or removing spice, fruits, nuts, etc. For example, sometimes I’ll mince an apple or add flax seed to the mix. To make it sweeter, add Splenda. Just be sure to send the royalty check to me if people pay you for the muffins.
Store uneaten muffins in a covered container, and eat soon; these are made with fresh fruit with no preservatives added.
Killer Brownie Recipe
Posted by Special Correspondent : Madame de CoquenardIngredients:
1/2 cup butter
7 oz white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line 8x8 pan with parchment paper, and lightly grease with oil.
In a microwave, melt 1/2 cup butter.
Pour in a large bowl, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1tsp vanilla extract.
Beat in cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder.
Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
Do not over cook.
Notes:
- I would cut down the sugar. If you want the chocolate to stand out even more.
Maybe 5 oz (2/3 cups).
- It's quite fudgy, but if you want fudgier, decrease the flour. Increase flour for cakeyer.
- I added 1/2cup semisweet callebaut chocolate chips. Stir in right before putting batter into pan. It will melt when baked, but after brownie cools, it will turn crunchy.
- Check after 25 minutes; stick a toothpick in. I took it out at 28 minutes, where end of toothpick was still slightly moist. - Cool completely before cutting.
Meskerem Ethiopian Restaurant Review – Athos
MeskeremOnline.com (under construction)2434 18th St. NW
Washington, D.C.
20009-2004
202-462-4100
Subway – Adams Morgan (red line – about ½ mile away)
Parking – Street (very difficult, since it’s in the heart of Adams Morgan). Pay garage down the street and across.
I love traveling. I know I won’t be able to go everywhere I want to in my lifetime, so I try doing it vicariously in other ways. This time, I went to Ethiopia. Meskerem is in a prime location, since it’s in the center of Adams Morgan, an area of D.C. that is full of places to eat, drink, dance, and more. I’ve been there several times, and I recommend you going there, too. Enjoy my review, but I apologize in advance for the blurry pictures. I have a new camera that I am still on a learning curve.Overall: B
Food: B-
Ethiopian Honey Wine - Axusm Tej Glass - $10: B-
Zilzil Tibbs - $11.95: B-
Meskerem Messob – $12.95/$24.95 (2 people): B-
Service: B-
Atmosphere: B+
Price: B+
The thing that attracts me the most to Meskerem is place itself. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but upon entering, you notice the restaurant opens to three floors. You walk in on the middle floor. It looks okay with some African art on the walls, and you can tell the building has been there for some time, like many places in D.C. The tables are small causing for an intimate feeling with your guests. I can’t comment on the bottom floor, since I’ve never been.
Food: B-
Ethiopian Honey Wine - Axusm Tej Glass - $10: B-
Zilzil Tibbs - $11.95: B-
Meskerem Messob – $12.95/$24.95 (2 people): B-
Service: B-
Atmosphere: B+
Price: B+
The thing that attracts me the most to Meskerem is place itself. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but upon entering, you notice the restaurant opens to three floors. You walk in on the middle floor. It looks okay with some African art on the walls, and you can tell the building has been there for some time, like many places in D.C. The tables are small causing for an intimate feeling with your guests. I can’t comment on the bottom floor, since I’ve never been.
The top/third floor, however, is where the charm of Meskerem stands out. Like the middle floor, the tables are small, but rather than sitting in chairs, there are, what resembles, footstools.
You crowd around a small table where the food is placed. The place can get busy, so you’ll probably make friends with your neighbors at the next table. Hungry people will say they’re so hungry they can eat the table. That is sort of the concept when eating in Ethiopia. Rather than eating the table, you eat the tablecloth. The table is covered with injera, which is a type of cold, spongy unleavened bread. Whether it’s stew (wat), vegetables, salad, meat, or what have you, it’s placed on the tablecloth/injera. You tear off a piece of injera with your right hand, and pick up the food with it, thus there are no utensils. Meskerem tries to share that experience with you. They also give you extra injera on the side.
The wait staff are wearing African garb for lack of a better term. Our waitress was sort of helpful, so I ordered what she suggested: Zilzil Tibbs, and also chose the Meskerem Messob. To accompany the food, there was a glass of Ethiopian honey wine called Axusm Tej. I do drink wine, but I’m not a wine drinker, if that makes sense. To clarify, I’ll drink it if it’s available, and if I’m curious, I’ll try it, as was the case here, but I am not a wine drinker per se, since I don’t feel it a necessity. I did enjoy the wine for a non-wine drinker, but I didn’t order a second glass and stuck with refills of water. It had a nice color to it, smelled delightful, and the taste wasn’t bad. (Again, I’m not a wine drinker.)
The Zilzil Tibbs were not bad. Tibbs are grilled meat covered with sauce and spices. The sauce was good, but the beef was off this visit. They were tender, but they were dry. They really needed the sauce. The tibbs are in the middle of the dish in the (blurry) picture. (The picture looked great in the viewfinder of the camera! Much to my chagrin, they were THAT blurry when I looked at them on the computer screen.) 
The Meskerem Messob is like a sampler. Sort of. There are too many things in Ethiopian cuisine, and this just scratches the surface. There were different “salads,” including one made with potatoes, another with sauce and meat, one with a two chicken legs, one with a hard boiled egg, and then a yellow sauce that I wasn’t sure what it was made of except that it was good. Apologies for the little detail of what the dish was composed of, but when you eat with your hand, I stopped taking notes, and my memory is that of a child (or the elderly?).My favorite part of eating Ethiopian food is tearing the injera from underneath the food, since it acts as a sponge and absorbs the flavor in full. And if you’re at an Ethiopian place, or talking to an Ethiopian, ask them about a dish called kikil. You want them to say it. The first “kik” in “kikil” is pronounced with the sound of an aluminum can being crushed, and the “il” part resembles a slight gulping sound. You really need to hear someone pronounce it properly.
Although I enjoy going to Meskerem, it’s more for the location and the ambience. The food is good, but I know there’s another Ethiopian place in Arlington, Virginia that’s not too far from there by car where parking is free and easily accessible, and the food is better. There’s also a bar and a bakery attached to it and newly remodeled. Some day I’ll go there to create a proper review. But I still recommend Meskerem. This is why I keep going back and bring friends. The low price helps my review as well.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Cocaine - Energy Drink
What?!This new "energy" drink that debuted during last year's NYC fashion week was concocted in a lab in Las Vegas (red flags should appear right here).
Made up of all the good stuff: Caffeine, Guarana, Taurine, Dextrose, Vitamin C, Inositol, Vitamin B6 & B12 but no real cocaine....
Ok, I'm no scientist or statistician, but I'm not convinced club goers need any more help staying up all night. Aren't there enough funny stuff out there than does the trick already?
What's next? Metha-Cola?
-
excerpt from article (here)
"It's just a bad idea and has all the same downsides of too much caffeine plus a very bad name," says Dr. Charles O'Brien a professor and vice chairman of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.
Mussels from Brussels
There are a million Belgian mussels recipes out there, so as long as you get the basic technique down, you are pretty much free to create what ever variation your heart desires.
ingredients: (used today)
PEI Mussels - 2#
garlic - 3 heads
onion - 1 medium
thyme - 8 sprigs
Ricard - 2 shots
Sake (in lieu of dry white wine) - 2/3 cup
olive oil
butter
red potatoes - 3
bacon - 1#
I first take the red potatoes and slice them 1/2 inch thick. Boil them in water with thick bacon strips laid on top. This will take 30 minutes.
In the mean time, prep your onions, garlic and thyme.
Vigorously saute (in a pot that will hold all the mussels) the onions and garlic in olive oil and butter on high heat.
As the aroma fills the kitchen, add the thyme and unload all the rinsed mussels into your large pot and let it continue to saute for about 45 seconds.
At this time, you may add the Ricard. I would add 1 shot of Ricard to every pound of Mussels. Let the alcohol evaporate and then add in the Sake (or white wine).
Cover and let the residual steam build up and cook the mussels further.
Cut heat after 20 seconds and let stand for another 2 minutes.
Check your potatoes if they are fork tender. If so, plate potatoes and bacon slabs on the bottom of your plates. The potatoes will act as a sponge when the "jus" from the mussels are poured over the dish.
Now check on the mussels. They should all be opened and looking plump.
Discard any that are not opened.
Scoop out about 15 mussels per plate and ladel over the sauce.
Serve hot.
The Belgians usually serve their "Mules" with fries and mayonnaise.
But in this case, we have some boiled potatoes already so I think a warmed sourdough with a side of truffle butter would go great.
Brushing up on Brownies
Today in the NY Times... "Brownie" article that is quite informative.
excerpt-
[The ideal modern brownie is simple and unadorned, but rigorously designed (like a Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress). Whether the brownie sits on the fudgy or the cakey side of the aisle, its character should come from the underlying structure of flour, sugar, butter, eggs and chocolate, not from shoveling in more fillings, or from deliberate underbaking. (Many recipes recommend this for a fudgy texture, but fudgy and wet are not the same thing.)]
Ain't that the Truth?!
link to full article
excerpt-[The ideal modern brownie is simple and unadorned, but rigorously designed (like a Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress). Whether the brownie sits on the fudgy or the cakey side of the aisle, its character should come from the underlying structure of flour, sugar, butter, eggs and chocolate, not from shoveling in more fillings, or from deliberate underbaking. (Many recipes recommend this for a fudgy texture, but fudgy and wet are not the same thing.)]
Ain't that the Truth?!
link to full article
Food Evolution : Part VI
Salmon : is the common name for several species of fish of the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the family are called trout. Salmon live in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Great Lakes and other land locked lakes.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Shake Shack - Review
Shake Shack - Highly Recommended
Burgers, Hot Dogs, Desserts & Bakeries
Madison Square Park,
New York 10010
At 23rd St & Madison Ave
Phone: 212-889-6600
It's a triple decker made up of a mushroom burger patty, a cheeseburger patty and a shake burger.
Burgers, Hot Dogs, Desserts & Bakeries
Madison Square Park,
New York 10010
At 23rd St & Madison Ave
Phone: 212-889-6600
So basically everybody within 5 blocks of this place raves about their burgers. I had to make the trip to see for myself what all the buzz was. It's just not my nature to listen to what "everybody" else says.
I say, "You gotta eat it, to believe it".
OK, It's AWESOME guys!!!
Like any themed eatery, you need a gimic. This shack, located on the southeast corner of Madison Square Park plays a humble food kiosk from the outside, but don't let that fool you. Danny Meyer (he owns the place) is probably one of the most astute restauranteurs in the city and he simply kicks ass and takes names. It's a well oiled machine, cranking out burger after burger a la minute.
I had the Shake Stack. For those of you who aren't familiar...
It's a triple decker made up of a mushroom burger patty, a cheeseburger patty and a shake burger. A "Trilogy" of sorts if you will.
Oh, and the buns. They are a bit sweeter than your usual breading... tantilizing your tastebuds even more.
In addition to the burger, I also ordered cheese fries.
Perfectly crispy fries with cheese wiz oozed all over it.
This is America! A ginormous (pronounced: jai-nor-mus) burger, fries with mysterious yellow cheesy ooze, and a root beer soda. All they needed was Neil Diamond's "America" blasting on the speakers and you'd have a presidential campaign rally. Oh, and maybe a little baby to kiss.
"Shack Stack", Cheese Fries and a Root Beer.
Taste/Texture 35/40 Positively all chuck meat. But it's extremely fresh.
Presentation 15/20 Messy as hell. But that's how it should be.
Aroma 10/10
Price 20/20 Happy to pay it ($8.75 - shack stack burger)
X-Factor 10/10 It was just so "Masculine" in design. It'll put some hair on your chest.
"Shack Stack", Cheese Fries and a Root Beer.
Taste/Texture 35/40 Positively all chuck meat. But it's extremely fresh.
Presentation 15/20 Messy as hell. But that's how it should be.
Aroma 10/10
Price 20/20 Happy to pay it ($8.75 - shack stack burger)
X-Factor 10/10 It was just so "Masculine" in design. It'll put some hair on your chest.
Total 90/100
Overall Experience
Food 45/50 Fantastic. Everything was great
Service 20/30 You place the order and wait for your buzzer to alert you when to pick it up.
Overall Experience
Food 45/50 Fantastic. Everything was great
Service 20/30 You place the order and wait for your buzzer to alert you when to pick it up.
Atmosphere 10/10 It's in a park man. It doesn't get any better than that.
Price 10/10 Happy to pay it
Total 85/100
Price 10/10 Happy to pay it
Total 85/100
Fresh Direct
Expecting my first ever Fresh Direct delivery Tuesday.
Not sure what to make of this Cyber-Age we're living in right now.
Shopping for goods done by a mouse and keyboard just doesn't seem right.
With this example, I'm not 100% convinced technology has really benefitted us.
But then, if it weren't for "the internets", this blog wouldn't exist.
We will see how it fairs with shopping at the super-market.
Not sure what to make of this Cyber-Age we're living in right now.
Shopping for goods done by a mouse and keyboard just doesn't seem right.
With this example, I'm not 100% convinced technology has really benefitted us.
But then, if it weren't for "the internets", this blog wouldn't exist.
We will see how it fairs with shopping at the super-market.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Cavatappi with Spinach and Ricotta
Had some pizza today and I passed on my usual white slice - I can never resist a buffalo chicken slice (yes, it is exactly what you think - buffalo chicken and blue cheese dressing on a pizza). So, I was thinking about ricotta today and decided to cook some more pasta. Hope you enjoy!
Ingredients
1/2 box De Cecco Cavatappi
1 bunch fresh Spinach (cleansed and cut into 4)
8 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
3 anchovy fillets
Organic Whole Milk Ricotta
1/3 cup Pine Nuts
Red Pepper Flakes
Parmigiano reggiano
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
(serves 6)
1) Fill a large pot with water, handful of salt, and set to high heat. When the water rapidly boils, drop the pasta and set the timer to 5 minutes.
2) Place a wok on medium heat - I like using woks for cooking vegetables, since it gives you more room. Place pine nuts in the wok for about a minute. The pine nuts will slightly brown and the room will fill with the smell of pine nuts.
3) Add anchovy fillets and olive oil. Cook until disintegrated - you will need to stir it and make sure nothing burns. Add garlic for about 30 seconds to a minute (make sure to not brown the garlic).
4) Add spinach, salt and pepper, and cook until just wilted. Be careful not to add too much salt, since the anchovies add plenty of salt. If the spinach is done before the pasta, remove the wok from the heat.
5) Taste pasta and remove from the water when it is almost al dente about 7 minutes. Add water to pasta bowls to warm. Drain pasta, reserving about a 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add pasta to the wok and cook over high heat for about 30 seconds to a minute.
6) If the pasta is dry, add some of the pasta water to loosen. Taste and adjust seasoning. If pasta is too hard, cook the pasta some more.
7) Empty the pasta bowls, cut the heat, and grate Parmigiano reggiano over dish. Add a couple of spoonfuls of ricotta to the dish. Serve pasta in the bowls. Top with red pepper flakes, olive oil, and more parmigiano.
This dish is very fun to eat - chewy pasta, creamy ricotta, and salty sauce from anchovies makes for great textures and flavors - trust me, anchovies are a must here and you won't be able to tell the anchovies are in the dish. Buono appetito!
Btw - The De Cecco pasta yields perfectly chewy pasta - I think it's well worth the extra price. Barilla is an OK substitute though.
Ingredients
1/2 box De Cecco Cavatappi
1 bunch fresh Spinach (cleansed and cut into 4)
8 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
3 anchovy fillets
Organic Whole Milk Ricotta
1/3 cup Pine Nuts
Red Pepper Flakes
Parmigiano reggiano
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
(serves 6)
1) Fill a large pot with water, handful of salt, and set to high heat. When the water rapidly boils, drop the pasta and set the timer to 5 minutes.
2) Place a wok on medium heat - I like using woks for cooking vegetables, since it gives you more room. Place pine nuts in the wok for about a minute. The pine nuts will slightly brown and the room will fill with the smell of pine nuts.
3) Add anchovy fillets and olive oil. Cook until disintegrated - you will need to stir it and make sure nothing burns. Add garlic for about 30 seconds to a minute (make sure to not brown the garlic).
4) Add spinach, salt and pepper, and cook until just wilted. Be careful not to add too much salt, since the anchovies add plenty of salt. If the spinach is done before the pasta, remove the wok from the heat.
5) Taste pasta and remove from the water when it is almost al dente about 7 minutes. Add water to pasta bowls to warm. Drain pasta, reserving about a 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add pasta to the wok and cook over high heat for about 30 seconds to a minute.
6) If the pasta is dry, add some of the pasta water to loosen. Taste and adjust seasoning. If pasta is too hard, cook the pasta some more.
7) Empty the pasta bowls, cut the heat, and grate Parmigiano reggiano over dish. Add a couple of spoonfuls of ricotta to the dish. Serve pasta in the bowls. Top with red pepper flakes, olive oil, and more parmigiano.
This dish is very fun to eat - chewy pasta, creamy ricotta, and salty sauce from anchovies makes for great textures and flavors - trust me, anchovies are a must here and you won't be able to tell the anchovies are in the dish. Buono appetito!
Btw - The De Cecco pasta yields perfectly chewy pasta - I think it's well worth the extra price. Barilla is an OK substitute though.
A Good Wife
Action speaks louder than words.
And in this case, nothing says "I love you" more than a wife playing to her husband's nerdiness.
Congrats to the happy couple and also to the team of pastry chefs at Gateaux Inc. who I'm sure have increased their business 10 fold from their great work.
original link: here
more pics here: flickr
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Dandelion Greens
I have never cooked dandelion greens before, but I saw Michael Colameco cook them on his show. It was the first time that I saw them at the local grocery store and they looked good, so I said why not. The greens are extremely bitter, so I was thinking a lot of leeks and carrots would help balance it out. They came out great. Dandelions are kinda like watercress but with a crunchier texture. The leeks and carrots added sweetness and texture which perfectly contrasted the bitter dandelions.
Ingredients
1 bunch Dandelion Greens (cleansed and cut into thirds)
2 carrots (peeled, 3/4 inch dice)
3 leeks (only white parts, cleansed, and sliced)
8 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
(serves 6 people)
1) Set large pan (I used a wok) over medium high heat. Add extra virgin olive oil.
2) Add carrots and saute until a little softened (still should be crunchy). Pinch of salt and pepper to carrots to speed up the time to soften. About 8 minutes.
3) Sautee leeks until it starts getting a little translucent. Maybe about 4 minutes.
4) Add garlic. Saute for 1 minute.
5) Add dandelions. Add salt and pepper. (Remember to thoroughly wash these, since they're very dirty. I rinsed them about 4 times.) Turn dandelions and make sure carrot, leek mixture coats the greens well. Saute until the greens are just wilting. Add extra virgin olive oil. Taste and readjust any seasonings. Carrots should be soft, but not mushy. Greens should be crunchy. Buono appetito!
Ingredients
1 bunch Dandelion Greens (cleansed and cut into thirds)
2 carrots (peeled, 3/4 inch dice)
3 leeks (only white parts, cleansed, and sliced)
8 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
(serves 6 people)
1) Set large pan (I used a wok) over medium high heat. Add extra virgin olive oil.
2) Add carrots and saute until a little softened (still should be crunchy). Pinch of salt and pepper to carrots to speed up the time to soften. About 8 minutes.
3) Sautee leeks until it starts getting a little translucent. Maybe about 4 minutes.
4) Add garlic. Saute for 1 minute.
5) Add dandelions. Add salt and pepper. (Remember to thoroughly wash these, since they're very dirty. I rinsed them about 4 times.) Turn dandelions and make sure carrot, leek mixture coats the greens well. Saute until the greens are just wilting. Add extra virgin olive oil. Taste and readjust any seasonings. Carrots should be soft, but not mushy. Greens should be crunchy. Buono appetito!
Linguine with tomatoes, corn, and egg
So, I ordered some pasta from the local pizzeria last night expecting it to be OK. What I found was bland and over cooked pasta. Why is it so hard to make decent pasta. As long as you season the boiling water and follow the time of cooking on the pasta box, you're 3/4 of the way there. For some reason, even supposedly "top-notch" Italian restaurants in the city should be charged with this crime.
I decided I needed to have some decent pasta, so I went to the local grocery store to find some ingredients. Below is what I made:
Ingredients
De Cecco Linguine
2 bags of vine ripened cherry tomatoes (tomatoes halved)
3 ears of corn (shucked and kernels removed)
2 eggs
Gruyere Cheese
1/2 Leek (only white parts, cleansed, and sliced)
1/4 cup of chives finally minced
8 cloves Garlic (thinly sliced)
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Pepper
(serves 6 people)
1) Fill a large pot with hot water and put it on the stove at high heat. Salt water heavily - I use one handful. When the water boils rapidly add the pasta. (A trick is to twist the linguine in the center so when you drop the pasta in, it distributes evenly in the water.) Set a timer for 3 minute less than directed in the box. I set mine for 8 minutes, since the box said cooking time takes 11 minutes. I like setting the timer this way, so I prevent overcooking of the pasta (which I hate) - sometimes the pasta finishes earlier than the time on the box.
2) Saute leeks in extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent - maybe about 6 minutes. Pinch of salt and pepper on leeks at the beginning to help soften the leeks. Add garlic and sautee for 1 minute.
3) Add 3/4 of the corn and 3/4 of the tomatoes and sautee for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper everything. I would say two pinches of salt. The tomatoes will start to break down a lot and create a sauce. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Cut the heat if the pasta is not ready. Add about 1 1/2 cups of shredded gruyere.
4) Start tasting the pasta. If the pasta is chalky in the center, give it more time. Keep tasting every 30 seconds until the pasta is just about done, barely chalky in the center. Usually 1 minute before the time on the box. If you get good at this, you can actually start to feel if the pasta is ready just by moving the tongs in the water.
5) Right before the pasta is done add the rest of the corn and the tomatoes to the sauce. By doing this, you will have a contrast of textures and flavors between the fresh and the cooked. Turn on the heat again to medium to warm up the sauce. Add boiling pasta water to some pasta bowls. This is a trick to keep the bowls warm.
6) Start another non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Add eggs and do not touch. Once the whites start forming (center can still be clear, but that's ok), use spatula to pry the edges gently.
Add water to the pan, turn off the heat and cover. This should steam the eggs, ensuring a tender white and perfect yolk. Check after 1 minute. Egg whites should be barely set. Make sure to serve the egg right away. The timing of the egg and pasta have to be finished at the same time. Add pinch of salt when finished.
7) Add all of the linguine in the sauce pan. Cook for 1 minute until the pasta starts absorbing the sauce. Taste. If the linguine is undercooked, cook it some more. If you need seasoning, add some more.
8) Empty pasta water from bowls. Add pasta in bowl. Add small chunks of gruyere (1/4 inch cubes?) to the pasta. Make sure to get enough corn, tomato, and sauce equally distributed throughout the pasta. Add extra virgin olive oil to the top.
9) Add fried egg on top. Garnish with chives. Add more extra virgin olive oil to the top.
Be sure to break the yolk, which forms a wonderful sauce. The gruyere should form long gooey strands. Buono appetito!
I decided I needed to have some decent pasta, so I went to the local grocery store to find some ingredients. Below is what I made:
Ingredients
De Cecco Linguine
2 bags of vine ripened cherry tomatoes (tomatoes halved)
3 ears of corn (shucked and kernels removed)
2 eggs
Gruyere Cheese
1/2 Leek (only white parts, cleansed, and sliced)
1/4 cup of chives finally minced
8 cloves Garlic (thinly sliced)
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Pepper
(serves 6 people)
1) Fill a large pot with hot water and put it on the stove at high heat. Salt water heavily - I use one handful. When the water boils rapidly add the pasta. (A trick is to twist the linguine in the center so when you drop the pasta in, it distributes evenly in the water.) Set a timer for 3 minute less than directed in the box. I set mine for 8 minutes, since the box said cooking time takes 11 minutes. I like setting the timer this way, so I prevent overcooking of the pasta (which I hate) - sometimes the pasta finishes earlier than the time on the box.2) Saute leeks in extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent - maybe about 6 minutes. Pinch of salt and pepper on leeks at the beginning to help soften the leeks. Add garlic and sautee for 1 minute.
3) Add 3/4 of the corn and 3/4 of the tomatoes and sautee for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper everything. I would say two pinches of salt. The tomatoes will start to break down a lot and create a sauce. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Cut the heat if the pasta is not ready. Add about 1 1/2 cups of shredded gruyere.
4) Start tasting the pasta. If the pasta is chalky in the center, give it more time. Keep tasting every 30 seconds until the pasta is just about done, barely chalky in the center. Usually 1 minute before the time on the box. If you get good at this, you can actually start to feel if the pasta is ready just by moving the tongs in the water.
5) Right before the pasta is done add the rest of the corn and the tomatoes to the sauce. By doing this, you will have a contrast of textures and flavors between the fresh and the cooked. Turn on the heat again to medium to warm up the sauce. Add boiling pasta water to some pasta bowls. This is a trick to keep the bowls warm.
6) Start another non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Add eggs and do not touch. Once the whites start forming (center can still be clear, but that's ok), use spatula to pry the edges gently.
Add water to the pan, turn off the heat and cover. This should steam the eggs, ensuring a tender white and perfect yolk. Check after 1 minute. Egg whites should be barely set. Make sure to serve the egg right away. The timing of the egg and pasta have to be finished at the same time. Add pinch of salt when finished.
7) Add all of the linguine in the sauce pan. Cook for 1 minute until the pasta starts absorbing the sauce. Taste. If the linguine is undercooked, cook it some more. If you need seasoning, add some more.
8) Empty pasta water from bowls. Add pasta in bowl. Add small chunks of gruyere (1/4 inch cubes?) to the pasta. Make sure to get enough corn, tomato, and sauce equally distributed throughout the pasta. Add extra virgin olive oil to the top.
9) Add fried egg on top. Garnish with chives. Add more extra virgin olive oil to the top.
Be sure to break the yolk, which forms a wonderful sauce. The gruyere should form long gooey strands. Buono appetito!
Traci Bingham for (peta)
It's not like I'm a proponent of PETA. That couldn't be farther from the truth.
But this was a well circulated promo a few years ago that I dug up through my files and thought would be worth mentioning (posting).
Personally, this makes me think how much I'd like to eat (that) meat.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
So Kong Dong - Review
IntroSo Kong Dong Restaurant - Recommended
130 Main St
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Phone: 201-242-0026
I haven't had Korean food in a while, so we headed to a pretty solid place in Fort Lee, NJ. So Kong Dong is a Korean restaurant that specializes in soft tofu soup. In fact, the only thing on the menu is soft tofu soup and Korean ribs - both are really good. I'm not sure if they make their tofu from scratch, but the texture is soft and ethereal. For me, it was one of those eye opening moments that made me say - wow, so that's what tofu is supposed to be like. Similar to the experiences with pasta in Italy and Daniel's Paupiette of Black Sea Bass. Btw - this is the same place that Anthony Bourdain went to on his No Reservations TV show. Overall, I give the restaurant a 77/100.
My Menu
Korean BBQ Ribs
Kimchee Beef, Tofu Soup
Other dishes I tasted
Mushroom Tofu Soup - Recommended
Dish
Tofu is phenomenal in texture. Since this is a Korean restaurant, beware of asking for spicy food. I love spicy food (bit of a chili head) and ordering medium hot is the perfect amount of spiciness. My girlfriend ordered the soup not spicy which makes you appreciate the flavor of the soup and enjoy the texture of the tofu more. Korean BBQ Ribs were standard and very good. Sweet and tender ribs - can't ever complain about that.
Overall Restaurant Experience (77/100)
- Food 7.8/10 - Phenomenal tofu and solid ribs.
- Service 6.0/10 - Big time attitude here, but for the price of the food it's definitely worth it.
- Atmosphere 7/10 - Interesting crowd comprised mainly of Koreans, but there is Japanese and Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese speaking) representation as well. Be prepared to be sitting next to random people, since there are not that many individual tables. Also, this place is always packed, so prepare for waits.
- Price 7.5/10 - I think it's a pretty good deal. $8 for soup, $12 for a lot of ribs. Plus you get the standard free Korean side dishes (banchan).
Friday, April 6, 2007
Steak Langue (de boeuf)
This is my variation of a beef tongue steak.
ingredients:
beef tongue (whole)
beef stock
shallots
demi glace
syrah wine (1 bottle)
wondra
cauliflower
young potatoes
olive oil
butter
Take a whole tongue and simmer in a beef stock for 3 to 4 hours. You can add a bouquet garni and mirepoix for further flavor if you like.
When done, carefully remove from stock (because it's super tender) and let cool for 10 minutes. The skin on the tongue will now come right off.
While the tongue is simmering, you can work on the sauce.
Saute finely chopped shallots in a sauce pan and add a bottle of syrah (or anything with body)wine once shallots are translucent. Let simmer until 1/3 is left.
Add some demi glace into the pan and lightly simmer letting this reduce another 20%. Taste and season to liking.
To test when sauce is done, dip spoon into pan and remove. A well done sauce will coat the back of the spoon like a layer of paint.
Mix in 2T of butter into the sauce and remove from direct heat.
Slice the cooled tongue into 3/4 inch medallions and lightly salt and pepper on each side. Then apply a light coating of wondra on each side. Sear on both sides in a hot pan with olive oil and butter. When nicely browned on both sides, remove and plate.
Side of cauliflower boiled in the beef stock is great.
Accompanied potato souffles. (pomme puree or even celeriac puree are also ideas)
Sauce the rich wine reduction sauce over the tongue steak and serve.
ingredients:
beef tongue (whole)
beef stock
shallots
demi glace
syrah wine (1 bottle)
wondra
cauliflower
young potatoes
olive oil
butter
Take a whole tongue and simmer in a beef stock for 3 to 4 hours. You can add a bouquet garni and mirepoix for further flavor if you like.
When done, carefully remove from stock (because it's super tender) and let cool for 10 minutes. The skin on the tongue will now come right off.
While the tongue is simmering, you can work on the sauce.
Saute finely chopped shallots in a sauce pan and add a bottle of syrah (or anything with body)wine once shallots are translucent. Let simmer until 1/3 is left.
Add some demi glace into the pan and lightly simmer letting this reduce another 20%. Taste and season to liking.
To test when sauce is done, dip spoon into pan and remove. A well done sauce will coat the back of the spoon like a layer of paint.
Mix in 2T of butter into the sauce and remove from direct heat.
Slice the cooled tongue into 3/4 inch medallions and lightly salt and pepper on each side. Then apply a light coating of wondra on each side. Sear on both sides in a hot pan with olive oil and butter. When nicely browned on both sides, remove and plate.
Side of cauliflower boiled in the beef stock is great.
Accompanied potato souffles. (pomme puree or even celeriac puree are also ideas)
Sauce the rich wine reduction sauce over the tongue steak and serve.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Pan Seared Salmon with Cream Dill Sauce
ingredients :
400g salmon filet,
1 large onion,
1 red pepper,
dill,
chives(garnish),
1cup cream,
1/2 stick butter,
4T olive oil,
flour (to pat over the filet),
1/2 cup white wine.
salt and pepper salmon filet, place dill on meat side of salmon generously and drizzle with olive oil. marinade for 1-2 hours.
start to make sauce. chop onions and red peppers(save some for garnish) and saute with olive oil and butter in a pan. add some white wine and simmer until onion is transparent. remove the ingredients and press though a strainer and save the liquids. discard the rest. pour white wine and generous portion of finely chopped dill into sauce pan. let the dill flavors penetrate the wine. add in the sauce you saved earlier, then add in the cream and under med. low heat, reduce half way. add in butter and season with salt to liking. if it is still too runny, you can toss in flour slowly and stir rapidly. if you like cheesier sauces, paramasan regiano or pecorino romano would be nice.(about one Tablespoon)
take your salmon filet and remove the dill. cut the salmon in half so that you get two evenly wide pieces.(about 4 cm wide is what i do) pat them with flour evenly and place in hot pan with olive oil skin down first. let it cook for 1min (on all sides). you want to get nice color on all sides. if you notice that the salmon filet might be rather thick, you can cover it and add a splash of white wine to steam it a bit. this is a good way to keep the fish moist. once cooked, remove it and place on the chopping board. cut it in half and plate it a little jagged. if you like, you can squeeze some lemon juice if you enjoy a little acidic flavor. spoon over the salmon the cream sauce and garnish with some chopped red peppers on top and lean some chives onto the fish as a garnish. voila...
400g salmon filet,
1 large onion,
1 red pepper,
dill,
chives(garnish),
1cup cream,
1/2 stick butter,
4T olive oil,
flour (to pat over the filet),
1/2 cup white wine.
salt and pepper salmon filet, place dill on meat side of salmon generously and drizzle with olive oil. marinade for 1-2 hours.
start to make sauce. chop onions and red peppers(save some for garnish) and saute with olive oil and butter in a pan. add some white wine and simmer until onion is transparent. remove the ingredients and press though a strainer and save the liquids. discard the rest. pour white wine and generous portion of finely chopped dill into sauce pan. let the dill flavors penetrate the wine. add in the sauce you saved earlier, then add in the cream and under med. low heat, reduce half way. add in butter and season with salt to liking. if it is still too runny, you can toss in flour slowly and stir rapidly. if you like cheesier sauces, paramasan regiano or pecorino romano would be nice.(about one Tablespoon)
take your salmon filet and remove the dill. cut the salmon in half so that you get two evenly wide pieces.(about 4 cm wide is what i do) pat them with flour evenly and place in hot pan with olive oil skin down first. let it cook for 1min (on all sides). you want to get nice color on all sides. if you notice that the salmon filet might be rather thick, you can cover it and add a splash of white wine to steam it a bit. this is a good way to keep the fish moist. once cooked, remove it and place on the chopping board. cut it in half and plate it a little jagged. if you like, you can squeeze some lemon juice if you enjoy a little acidic flavor. spoon over the salmon the cream sauce and garnish with some chopped red peppers on top and lean some chives onto the fish as a garnish. voila...
Mapo Tofu
Szechuan Dish in origin. But because of it's popularity, now everyone has a variation.(serves 4)
ingredients:
200g ground pork,
700g tofu,
1t ginger,
1 clove garlic,
1 spring onion,
2T onions,
3T soy sauce,
3T shao shin wine,
1t do ban jang,
1t hoisin sauce,
1t chili sauce,
150ml chicken broth,
1t sesame oil,
1t corn starch.
Marinade 10min. with pork with 2Tsoy 2Tshao shin wine, garlic, ginger both finely chopped.
Finely chop onion and sweat in fry pan (wok). Start to lightly boil cubed tofu in hot water (this will help open up pores in the tofu and therefore absorb more of the mabo flavor when added back into the mix). Now add the pork into the frypan and break up well. once the pork is browned, add the do ban, hoisin, and chili sauces.
ingredients:
200g ground pork,
700g tofu,
1t ginger,
1 clove garlic,
1 spring onion,
2T onions,
3T soy sauce,
3T shao shin wine,
1t do ban jang,
1t hoisin sauce,
1t chili sauce,
150ml chicken broth,
1t sesame oil,
1t corn starch.
Marinade 10min. with pork with 2Tsoy 2Tshao shin wine, garlic, ginger both finely chopped.
Finely chop onion and sweat in fry pan (wok). Start to lightly boil cubed tofu in hot water (this will help open up pores in the tofu and therefore absorb more of the mabo flavor when added back into the mix). Now add the pork into the frypan and break up well. once the pork is browned, add the do ban, hoisin, and chili sauces.
Throw in the remaining soy and shao shin as well. stir well. add the chicken broth and then add in the drained tofu. reduce heat and let simmer for a minute or so. add finely cut spring onions but save some for garnish. cut the heat and add in starch(always mix with a bit of water so that it will not clump up while cooking) add sesame oil and mix well. garnish with the remaining spring onions. voila!
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Dim Sum
Dim Sum, Yum Cha, Dien Xin, what ever you call, we're all talking about the same thing.Those delicious little treats carted around the restaurant by a self sustaining steamer on wheels. Different carts, not to mention different restaurants will carry different dishes but you can almost bet the ranch HaGao, Shumai, PaiGwat, and FongTzao, will be served anywhere you go.
The best place to have Dim Sum is usually at your closest Chinatown.
For "foreigners", it's that part of the city where you get that "we're not in Kansas anymore" feeling. ([wink] you know what I mean)
Chinatowns in the States are predominanty made up of Cantonese decent.
Hence, Dim Sum. It's food from Canton (aka Guangdong). Remember 101?
So if you don't speak the jive, no worries. Just point to what you fancy and follow that up by a finger gesture signifying the quantity you wish and you're set. (i know, you're mom told you to never point... but you're an adult now, and you know what that means... you can have ice cream for breakfast and nobody can stop you) Continue this until you and your guests are full.
And finally. There are a few pet peeves I need to address about when enjoying Dim Sum.
First, this is Cantonese cuisine. So it boggles my mind when people order Shao Long Bao. Yes, I know these little soup filled dumplings that Din Tai Fung made famous, are F'n Awesome! But you wouldn't order a New England Clam Chowder in Texas would you? Same principle here. Shao Long Bao is a Shanghai dish.
fyi...
[Northern China's terrain is conducive to growing flour
and wheat therefore dishes are often complimented
with Noodles and Mien Bao Buns while in Southern China,
you mostly have a side of white rice with a huge helping
of Wing Chun Kung-Fu]
And Two. Please don't add sugar to the hot tea served with the meal. Yes, I've seen it done numberous times and my eyes come close to popping out of their sockets every time.
Dim Sum is considered a snack to be enjoyed with chinese tea. Because of some of the oily dishes, tea really helps in the digestion of heavy foods. The slightly bitter (hence no sugar)properties are thought to "flush" away the oils during digestion and keep our bodies clean.
Dim Sum is considered a snack to be enjoyed with chinese tea. Because of some of the oily dishes, tea really helps in the digestion of heavy foods. The slightly bitter (hence no sugar)properties are thought to "flush" away the oils during digestion and keep our bodies clean.
There is great emphasis placed on Ying and Yang in everything Chinese...
The ideal of living a balanced life is a great philosophy don't you think?
Dining in D.C.
I’m originally from Chicago, and I am spoiled. I didn’t realize how good the food was until I started traveling. Simple things like hot dogs and pizza were unmatched unless in places like NYC or LA. Now that I’m in D.C., I crave things like a decent Italian dish or authentic Mexican food. The restaurants here are… pretty. When you walk in, you want to shake the hand of the person who designed the aesthetics and invite them to design your home. When the wait staff walks past you with a load of dishes, it makes your mouth water. When you finally put the food in your mouth, you wonder what the heck happened! I’ve only been here a couple years, but I’ve noticed this phenomenon many times. So, like a chameleon, I adapt. I took a step back, and noticed what D.C. has the most of compared to other cities – diversity. I’ve been to LA, San Francisco, NYC, Miami, Chicago, and more (including internationally), but I must say that D.C. is the most diverse in terms of culture and ethnicity in comparison to anywhere I’ve been to on earth. So what do they eat? Food from their countries, I assume. So I began asking almost any person I meet (and feel comfortable enough) if they recommend a decent place to eat. I’ve found it in different forms: from a normal restaurant, to someone bringing food to me at the office leftover from their spouse’s cooking for a party over the weekend, to an eatery inside a grocery store. Now I found D.C.’s niche! Now I like to dine in D.C.!! (Actually, it’s more the D.C. area. Most of these places I’ve found are around D.C. and not so much in D.C.) And let me tell you, it’s endless here. I am someone who enjoys learning other cultures, and I’ve learned that one way of doing that is through food. Music, language, customs, history, and so much more are ways to do so, of course, but at least the food is something you can do now and really be one with it. When I was in Chicago, and I saw a Latino, most of the time that person was Mexican. If I spoke to someone who was black, they were American. Here, the Latinos can be from Argentina, España, Brasilia, and anywhere from the 27 Latin American countries. And black people? England, Jamaica, Egypt, Liberia, etc. And speaking of Liberia, here’s a story from a coworker from my first job in D.C.:
He is Liberian. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone from Liberia. Heck, I was embarrassed that I didn’t even know what part of Africa Liberia is. But my curiosity about his country, culture, food, and more develops into a long conversation, and from that, we became friends. (Another wonderful thing about food!) So, of course, I asked him if he knew of any Liberian restaurants thinking he will reply with a quick “no.” Well, he did know of such a place. Not only that, but he told me that he had food there that he didn’t even have in Liberia. He did confirm that it is Liberian indeed, and when I asked him what, my man, what is the food??? It is the leaf off of a rubber tree. “Interesting! Now then… where can I taste that myself???” He said it wasn’t so much that it was from that restaurant but from a Liberian festival the place was sponsoring. But this is the kind of stuff I love!
But don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy sampling the “normal” places, too. Most of the time, I am met with the same experience: they just try too hard. Not all the time, but many times. I will say that I’ve had the best lobster bisque in my life in D.C. I am a proponent of the new Jimmy’s on K St. because of that. If I could go there and order 3 bowls without raising the brows of others, damnit, I would. If I could lick the bowl with nobody looking, then turn off the lights, man. I’ve also experienced the best seafood salad at Spezie Ristorante where there was actually more seafood than there was lettuce.
I recently caught the end of Iron Chef America where Bobby Flay lost to Chef Jose Andres, and Aramis pointed out that he has restaurants in D.C. I’ve been eyeing Jaleo, and that may be the place where we will meet. So I started reading more about Andres. He’s from Spain, is opening up a hotel with adventurous eating throughout, has several restaurants, and oh, look at this… he even owns Zaytinya. I’ve been there before. Twice, in fact. Again, one of those places where it’s uber-trendy, with the prices to go along with the dishes, equipped with a wonderful buzz, and garnished with belly-dancers. How cool is that? But then again, the food came, and I was impressed only slightly more than average for a place like this. Both times. The second time was with a crowd of almost 10 people, so I tasted several dishes. We’ll see what Jaleo brings us. Some day.
Today, my coworker referred me to a food critic for the Washington Post whose column is called Ask Tom. One can even join a discussion with him on Wednesday mornings. As I read his latest column from today, I was really enthusiastic on trying many places he mentions. Until I see that he recommend going to Zatinya. Not only that, he recommended a Vietnamese place called Four Sisters. It was there that I wasn’t sure if I could trust his critiques any more. Here’s why –
There’s an area in Arlington, Virginia called Seven Corners. This is, essentially, Little Vietnam. There’s a strip shopping center called Eden Center with the arch and everything. Everything is Pho, nails, and little symbols above letters. The first time I ventured there, I went to the biggest restaurant in the strip mall called Four Sisters. (They're big, so they have to be good, right?) I noticed the only Vietnamese people were the ones walking around OUTSIDE of the restaurant. I ordered whatever the waitress recommended, and both dishes were basically Americanized Chinese food. Huge disappointment. I mentioned this to the people who cut my hair, because they’re from Vietnam. They laughed and told me to go a couple doors down to a hole in the wall place called Huong Viet. (Something about ethnic places and “hole in the wall” is usually a good sign.) I try it again, and I fall in love. Ever hear the expression “nothing to write home about?” Well, I called my Mother back in Chicago and told her about the seafood soup I was eating, since I know she would like it. Delicious! And you know what else? We were the only non-Vietnamese people in there. (Of course, we felt like celebrities, since everyone was staring!) Not to mention the manager who attended us showed us how to eat the food properly, but I leave that for a proper review.
So this is why I am skeptical of Ask Tom’s column. I will refer to it, since it is, after all, one of the best food critique columns regarding dining in D.C.
Until this blog. =]
He is Liberian. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone from Liberia. Heck, I was embarrassed that I didn’t even know what part of Africa Liberia is. But my curiosity about his country, culture, food, and more develops into a long conversation, and from that, we became friends. (Another wonderful thing about food!) So, of course, I asked him if he knew of any Liberian restaurants thinking he will reply with a quick “no.” Well, he did know of such a place. Not only that, but he told me that he had food there that he didn’t even have in Liberia. He did confirm that it is Liberian indeed, and when I asked him what, my man, what is the food??? It is the leaf off of a rubber tree. “Interesting! Now then… where can I taste that myself???” He said it wasn’t so much that it was from that restaurant but from a Liberian festival the place was sponsoring. But this is the kind of stuff I love!
But don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy sampling the “normal” places, too. Most of the time, I am met with the same experience: they just try too hard. Not all the time, but many times. I will say that I’ve had the best lobster bisque in my life in D.C. I am a proponent of the new Jimmy’s on K St. because of that. If I could go there and order 3 bowls without raising the brows of others, damnit, I would. If I could lick the bowl with nobody looking, then turn off the lights, man. I’ve also experienced the best seafood salad at Spezie Ristorante where there was actually more seafood than there was lettuce.
I recently caught the end of Iron Chef America where Bobby Flay lost to Chef Jose Andres, and Aramis pointed out that he has restaurants in D.C. I’ve been eyeing Jaleo, and that may be the place where we will meet. So I started reading more about Andres. He’s from Spain, is opening up a hotel with adventurous eating throughout, has several restaurants, and oh, look at this… he even owns Zaytinya. I’ve been there before. Twice, in fact. Again, one of those places where it’s uber-trendy, with the prices to go along with the dishes, equipped with a wonderful buzz, and garnished with belly-dancers. How cool is that? But then again, the food came, and I was impressed only slightly more than average for a place like this. Both times. The second time was with a crowd of almost 10 people, so I tasted several dishes. We’ll see what Jaleo brings us. Some day.
Today, my coworker referred me to a food critic for the Washington Post whose column is called Ask Tom. One can even join a discussion with him on Wednesday mornings. As I read his latest column from today, I was really enthusiastic on trying many places he mentions. Until I see that he recommend going to Zatinya. Not only that, he recommended a Vietnamese place called Four Sisters. It was there that I wasn’t sure if I could trust his critiques any more. Here’s why –
There’s an area in Arlington, Virginia called Seven Corners. This is, essentially, Little Vietnam. There’s a strip shopping center called Eden Center with the arch and everything. Everything is Pho, nails, and little symbols above letters. The first time I ventured there, I went to the biggest restaurant in the strip mall called Four Sisters. (They're big, so they have to be good, right?) I noticed the only Vietnamese people were the ones walking around OUTSIDE of the restaurant. I ordered whatever the waitress recommended, and both dishes were basically Americanized Chinese food. Huge disappointment. I mentioned this to the people who cut my hair, because they’re from Vietnam. They laughed and told me to go a couple doors down to a hole in the wall place called Huong Viet. (Something about ethnic places and “hole in the wall” is usually a good sign.) I try it again, and I fall in love. Ever hear the expression “nothing to write home about?” Well, I called my Mother back in Chicago and told her about the seafood soup I was eating, since I know she would like it. Delicious! And you know what else? We were the only non-Vietnamese people in there. (Of course, we felt like celebrities, since everyone was staring!) Not to mention the manager who attended us showed us how to eat the food properly, but I leave that for a proper review.
So this is why I am skeptical of Ask Tom’s column. I will refer to it, since it is, after all, one of the best food critique columns regarding dining in D.C.
Until this blog. =]
Nooshi Oodles Noodles & Sushi Review – Athos
NooshiDC.com
1120 19th St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-293-3138
Subway – Dupont Circle is closest, but Faragut North is not too much farther
Parking - Street
It’s Saturday afternoon, and D.C. is packed due to the cherry blossoms blossoming. I am hungry and head over to M St. where there are many restaurants, bars, strip clubs, businesses, and more. I’m in the mood for sitting outside due to the nice weather and for noodles. Spicy noodles. I spot Nooshi Oodles Noodles & Sushi. I had a bad Drunken Noodles experience there before, but I thought I’d give it another chance. I’m glad I did. Here’s my review (alongside grainy phone-camera pictures).
Overall: C+
Food: B-
Rainbow Roll - $10: B
Mee Goreng - $8.95: C
Curry Laksa - $8.95: B
Service: C
Atmosphere: C+
Price: B+
The restaurant is trendy in terms of deco, and it’s a decent place to bring a date, friends, or even just to go by yourself. On the sidewalk, in front of the restaurant, are several tables, some with umbrellas, where you can choose to sit outside.
When you walk in, you notice the sushi bar to the right. It’s modern, equipped with a Corian-type counter, and nicely done and with the Asian flair one would expect but tastefully so. The sushi area has what looks like a bamboo floor, but you can’t help but to notice the large pieces of duct tape holding some of it together. When you pass the sushi bar, the restaurant opens up, and there are steps to the left where there are tables and booths and then more tables to the right on the bottom floor. Again, the interior designer did a fairly nice job in here, and it’s not overdone with the predictable Asian garnishings. The first time I was there a year ago, it was incredibly hot. It was too hot to sit outside, and the A/C was broken, so there was a large fan. This time, I sat in a booth that had duct tape holding the cushion together. Those couple of things reduced my “atmosphere” rating.
I started out with and appetizer called the Rainbow Roll. This is sushi that consists of salmon, tuna, red snapper, BBQ eel, avocado, and cucumber. It is served in a ceramic crescent-shaped bowl that looks wooden or bamboo upon quick glance. It’s accompanied by the typical wasabi and gari (pickled ginger). The presentation is nice in that it does look like a rainbow. As far as taste, well, I’ll admit that I am not a sushi expert. Yet. I know I like it, but I know I’ve had better. Considering that I’ve paid more for sushi (this was $10), the taste wasn’t much different, but I had so much less at other places, then I’ll give this a higher rating than average.
I told the waitress what I wanted: long noodles with pork but spicy. She started telling me about the Phuket Noodles, but when I asked her “which noodles?” to hear her say “phucket” a couple times, she moved onto Mee Goreng. Well, it had the long noodles, and it had the pork… but where was the spice? Luckily the food was right from the kitchen, because there was no heat in my mouth from the dish. It tasted good – almost exact to Pad Thai. But when you’re looking for spice, you’re specific that you want spice, and you don’t get it, your feeling goes limp like a noodle. The menu actually has it listed as follows: Mee Goreng (spicy)The description says:A marriage of Malaysian & Indian-style stir fried egg noodles with a choice of chicken, beef, or pork.The presentation was decent; it was served in a stainless steel curved bowl. What helped the rating is the low price for an entrée.
I also tasted their Curry Laksa. “A spicy noodle soup with blended spice paste and coconut milk-creamy, rich & aromatic. Served with egg noodles, and rice vermicelli.” This one delivered much better than the Mee Goreng. It was very Thai, since it had that familiar coconut milk. It felt creamy in my mouth although it was soup. The taste and smell both made a strong impression and worked with each other – what I smelled is what I got. The presentation wasn’t bad: the soup arrived in a large bowl atop a bamboo “coaster” accompanied with the typical Asian soup spoon. If I return to this establishment, I will definitely get this one next time.
In the end, would I go back? Sure – if I was in the neighborhood. I would never take someone there if they’re in the mood for Asian food, and I’m more than walking distance away. But it is in a hotspot of DC, and I had clients that are in that area, so I may be back.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Cooking and Video Games?
Wii has recently released a cooking game called Cooking Mama. For those who do not know, Wii is a video game system that allows someone to use controllers that have motion sensors to mimic everyday movements. The premise of Cooking Mama allows you to wield your controller to mimic the actions of mashing, slicing, chopping, stirring, and even breaking an egg. There are over 300 recipes to try, which should help with the replay value. A lot of the gaming websites are bashing the game, but most of these reviewers probably don't cook ever. I think this game definitely has the potential to be fun for the foodies out there.
Food Evolution : Part V
Foie Gras : pronounced [fwa grah]
fattened liver of a duck or goose. silky and rich, this is considered a delicacy to many
(illustrated : moulard duck [foie gras])
Monday, April 2, 2007
Food Network Bake Sale
It is not surprising the Food Network airs fewer and fewer quality shows (from a foodie's standpoint). This is the typical saga of a channel hitting their key demographic and viewing numbers.
It's popularity has grown tremendously in the past 10 years.
Accordingly to Nielson Media Research, the network is now viewed in 86.3 million homes.
This some how gives them the right to dump their original broadcasting mission statement for a cookie cutter formula that is designed to attract more Americans to tune in and be mind numbingly entertained.
(list of shows)
In short, the Food Network is now a bimbo fest with a line-up of junk that has no real culinary substance.
A Sell Out! An Outrage! A Joke!
So unless you are extremely eager to learn how to make a really bad meal for your loved ones, or mimic poor knife skills, tune out these bozos.
Here are some networks that have some quality programming in my opinion.
Fine Living, NJN, KQED, Discovery Home, INHD
It's popularity has grown tremendously in the past 10 years.
Accordingly to Nielson Media Research, the network is now viewed in 86.3 million homes.
This some how gives them the right to dump their original broadcasting mission statement for a cookie cutter formula that is designed to attract more Americans to tune in and be mind numbingly entertained.
(list of shows)
In short, the Food Network is now a bimbo fest with a line-up of junk that has no real culinary substance.
A Sell Out! An Outrage! A Joke!
So unless you are extremely eager to learn how to make a really bad meal for your loved ones, or mimic poor knife skills, tune out these bozos.
Here are some networks that have some quality programming in my opinion.
Fine Living, NJN, KQED, Discovery Home, INHD
My Favorite Food Show on TV
Unsurprisingly, my favorite food show is not on the Food Network. There's a great food related TV show called After Hours with Daniel on the InHD channel. Basically the premise of the show is chef Daniel Boulud goes to a great restaurant in NYC and invites fellow chefs and people from Hollywood, the literary, and sports world to eat with him and share stories. Kind of like a Dinner For Five concept, but for food...Dinner for Five is all people in the movie business eating food - great show also.The last show of the season had the following guest list:
- Eric Ripert (chef of 4 star Le Bernardin - making the most ridiculous paella on that episode by the way)
- Jacques Pepin (former chef to Charles De Gaulle and my fave TV chef)
- Dan Barber (chef of Blue Hill)
- Lee Hanson (chef of Balthazar - i think it was him?)
- Ariane Daguine (owner of D'Artagnan - gourmet food purveyor)
- Drew Nieporent (owner of Nobu, Tribeca Grill - basically all restaurants in Tribeca)
- Ruth Reichl (former food reviewer of the NY Times)
- Jeffrey Steingarten (food writer for Vogue)
- Rocco Dispirito (former respected chef at Union Pacific, now the butt of Anthony Bourdain's jokes)
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Food Evolution : Part IV
Food Evolution : Part II
Food Evolution : Part I
Kitchen 22 Review
****CLOSED****
Intro
Kitchen 22 - Highly Recommended
36 E 22nd St, New York 10010
Btwn Bway & Park Ave S
Phone: 212-228-4399
My parents took me out to Kitchen 22 for my birthday. I almost feel like Paris Hilton with 3 birthday dinners this month. Any who, I picked Kitchen 22 for two reasons. 1) I wanted to pick a relatively inexpensive place that served good food 2) I respect Charlie Palmer a lot - Aureole is my #2 favorite restaurant in the city (my #1 is Daniel at this point). The food here is amazing for the price. For $29.95, you get a really solid 3 course menu that will impress. My parents were commenting they paid $29.95 for a chilean sea bass at a NJ restaurant that wasn't as good as their salmon entree at Kitchen 22. Overall, I give the restaurant an 82/100.
My Menu
Iceberg Wedge Salad - Not Recommended
Grilled Pork - Recommended
Triple Chocolate Mousse with Vanilla Cream - Recommended
Other dishes I tasted
Caramelized Pear Salad - Recommended
Crisp-Skinned Salmon - Recommended
Roasted Chicken - Highly Recommended
Steamed Mussels - Highly Recommended
Upside Down Pineapple Cake Recommended
Dish
Iceberg Wedge Salad was good, but nothing really special. Supposed to have chipotle blue cheese dressing, but the chipotle and blue cheese were really muted. I was still happy with it though. However, I wish I ordered the steamed mussels or caramelized pear salad. I had mussels the night before which were tasty, but the mussels at kitchen 22 was so much better. Mussels were nice and sweet and the broth was super intense spiked with chorizo. Pear salad was a great salad. Sweet pears contrasting the bitter greens. The grilled pork was pretty solid. Wish it could have been juicier, but it was still a great dish. Accompanying collard greens were so good. I would have preferred to order the roasted chicken. A mark of a good restaurant is to serve proper chicken that has juicy meat, crispy skin, and tastes like a proper piece of chicken. Kitchen 22 does roasted chicken properly. The accompanying eggplant caponata was so tasty. Smoky eggplant and sweet raisins complemented the chicken perfectly. Salmon dish was perfectly cooked as well. Crispy skin and perfectly moist salmon. Desserts were solid, but nothing worth writing about.
Overall Restaurant Experience (82/100)
I have read reviews about the long waits, terrible host, and crowded/rushed experience. I did not see any of that, but my reservation was for 5:30pm. From my experience, it seems that everything at this restaurant was done very well. When you visit Kitchen 22, you will experience a restaurant that serves food with very proper technique. I wouldn't call any of the food mind-blowing, but everything we had was pretty solid. And for the price, I think the food is great.
IntroKitchen 22 - Highly Recommended
36 E 22nd St, New York 10010
Btwn Bway & Park Ave S
Phone: 212-228-4399
My parents took me out to Kitchen 22 for my birthday. I almost feel like Paris Hilton with 3 birthday dinners this month. Any who, I picked Kitchen 22 for two reasons. 1) I wanted to pick a relatively inexpensive place that served good food 2) I respect Charlie Palmer a lot - Aureole is my #2 favorite restaurant in the city (my #1 is Daniel at this point). The food here is amazing for the price. For $29.95, you get a really solid 3 course menu that will impress. My parents were commenting they paid $29.95 for a chilean sea bass at a NJ restaurant that wasn't as good as their salmon entree at Kitchen 22. Overall, I give the restaurant an 82/100.
My Menu
Iceberg Wedge Salad - Not Recommended
Grilled Pork - Recommended
Triple Chocolate Mousse with Vanilla Cream - Recommended
Other dishes I tasted
Caramelized Pear Salad - Recommended
Crisp-Skinned Salmon - Recommended
Roasted Chicken - Highly Recommended
Steamed Mussels - Highly Recommended
Upside Down Pineapple Cake Recommended
Dish
Iceberg Wedge Salad was good, but nothing really special. Supposed to have chipotle blue cheese dressing, but the chipotle and blue cheese were really muted. I was still happy with it though. However, I wish I ordered the steamed mussels or caramelized pear salad. I had mussels the night before which were tasty, but the mussels at kitchen 22 was so much better. Mussels were nice and sweet and the broth was super intense spiked with chorizo. Pear salad was a great salad. Sweet pears contrasting the bitter greens. The grilled pork was pretty solid. Wish it could have been juicier, but it was still a great dish. Accompanying collard greens were so good. I would have preferred to order the roasted chicken. A mark of a good restaurant is to serve proper chicken that has juicy meat, crispy skin, and tastes like a proper piece of chicken. Kitchen 22 does roasted chicken properly. The accompanying eggplant caponata was so tasty. Smoky eggplant and sweet raisins complemented the chicken perfectly. Salmon dish was perfectly cooked as well. Crispy skin and perfectly moist salmon. Desserts were solid, but nothing worth writing about.
Overall Restaurant Experience (82/100)
- Food 8.2/10 - Everything is done very well and for the price, it's a great deal.
- Service 7.5/10 - Main waitress was very nice with a great attitude. The secondary waitress that helped cleanup the table was terrible. No smiles. Just attitude.
- Atmosphere 8/10 - Fun atmosphere and nice decor. Tinier place than I thought it would be.
- Price 10/10 - For the quality of the overall experience, you cannot beat this price.
I have read reviews about the long waits, terrible host, and crowded/rushed experience. I did not see any of that, but my reservation was for 5:30pm. From my experience, it seems that everything at this restaurant was done very well. When you visit Kitchen 22, you will experience a restaurant that serves food with very proper technique. I wouldn't call any of the food mind-blowing, but everything we had was pretty solid. And for the price, I think the food is great.
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