Daniel Boulud at Daniel

Matsugen (Jean Georges)

Matsugen - Recommended with reservation
241 Church Street
New York, NY 10013
Phone 212-925-0202

Boy is this place pricey.
But if you are looking for quality Soba... there's really no other place that does it this well.
Chef Kawada (formerly of Kai, now at Donguri) was the only other chef in the city that made Soba at this caliber.
"His soba was #1, he turned in his wings, Matsugen is now #1. They are going to Top Gun!"

In all seriousness, Matsugen, hands down, takes top honors.
Honmura An was another respectable soba joint. But if they were still in business, they would still play second to Matsugen.
And for those of you who are wondering about Sobaya, located in the east village... there's no comparison.
Different league all together.
Sobaya is great for the price, but really doesn't compare.
The boys at Matsugen make a superior buckwheat noodle. Extremely chewy and very distinct.
Add on to it some toppings and it just blows your socks off.

I had :
Drinks
Echigo Koshihikari Beer **

Soba Course
Uni Bukkake Soba **

Sushi Course
Maguro Zuke *
Maguro Akami *
Chuutoro **
Mirugai *
ShimaAji *
Tai *
Negi Toro Maki ***

Dessert Course
Matsugen Parfait *

Slow Food Rising?

Last week, I attended a lecture on the slow food movement (motto: good, clean, fair food) at Sophia University in Tokyo. The speaker was Stephanie Assmann of Tohoku University in Japan. It was organized and moderated by my friend James Farrer, who directs Sophia's Institute of Comparative Culture. Here are Assmann's introductory remarks on the issue from a conference last year in Boston:

The Slow Food Movement originated in Italy in 1986 and became a non-profit organization in 1989 which is presently active in 45 countries. Its members meet in so-called convivia to cook and enjoy culinary specialties together. The aims of the movement are to preserve local foods and wines, to ensure a high quality of food, and to rediscover a refined sense of taste. Slow Food Japan was founded in 1998, and articles about slow food are featured in the magazine Sotokoto, the Japanese version of the Italian Slow Food magazine.

As a backlash against the homogenization of food, slow food is not merely the opposite of fast food. Moreover, slow food has been associated with slow life: The movement articulates a need to reduce the pace of life, and to improve the quality of life through an increased awareness of food.

But one of the points she emphasized at her talk in Tokyo was that she found the slow food movement to be explicitly against globalization, bringing about some serious paradoxes, that seemed to leave Assmann critical of the movement. First, the movement is a global initiative with chapters around the world, using the Internet and branding to connect various communities--the essence of a globalized entity. In other words the movement is at the same time against and reliant upon globalization.

Moreover, it is not clear whether the movement is only against imports or against exports, too. But both imports and exports would help its cause of preserving diversity of food, which is a good goal in itself. But let's remember that many of the famous dishes that are familiar today are combinations of products and influences from many places. As for exports, one could argue that if these local products that the movement seeks to protect were viable exports, the market could ensure their survival.

Finally, it is unclear that the average person benefits from these rarefied and usually expensive products. Which brings about a curious question: Given that the movement in Japan has been supported and initiated by restaurants and purveyors of food, is there an ulterior motive for the movement? As one professor said during the conference, is the slow food movement just a clever marketing scheme?

(Reposted from Fairer Globalization)

Cordless Extension Cord

Last week was China Week on several channels, especially the Travel Channel. Obviously this is due to the Olympics that begin tomorrow. They replayed Anthony Bourdain’s visit there. Ever since I saw Anthony Bourdain in Shanghai eating xiao long bao (soup dumplings) a month ago, I have been jonesing for some hardcore.




At about the 6 minute mark is when I began the craving. I began searching online for places where I can eat or buy XLB. I mentioned my sensation to the Dudes, and in my face, I had to vicariously enjoy them through Porthos.

Unfortunately, searching the Web says there aren’t too many places in the DC area. A friend told me about a place called A&J that had them, and we met for lunch. It was about a 35 mile ride out to this place, which means a round trip racks up the miles, but I’m this close to heading out to Shanghai Café in NYC’s ChinaTown where I had them twice and thoroughly enjoyed them. I am not an expert on these delicious morsels, especially since those two times I had them at Shanghai Café were the only times I’ve ever had them, but I do know that I loved what I ate.

Well Readers, I just experienced the soupless soup dumpling. An order of 4 came out, and the 3 that I had were damaged, ripped apart, Swiss-cheesed with holes. (No, it wasn't my lack of skill with chopsticks, since I looked underneath before picking up the other two.) Of course, my friend picks one up that gushed out into her plate of vinegar. Well, I gave them a second chance and ordered more. I asked the waitress to please be careful and bring them out full, not the diet/lite version. Well, she returns with some more dishes that we ordered but no XLB. We eat, but we have this in the back of our minds. Finally I flag down the waitress, and she told me she forgot to put the order in. Forget it. I’ll just continue my hunt for some XLB. What a disappointment.
As far as the other food, however, the guava-flavored bubble tea was mad-delicious. Although it wasn’t the milky drink that you normally see, it was still very, very good. The chong yiu bing (scallion pancakes) were highly recommended several times online, and they were decent, but thinner with some more crisp, would have made it better for me. Fried chicken is always good. The guo tie (pot stickers) were decent, but the filling was more central and could have filled it towards the edges some more. The spicy wontons were typical, but could have been spicier since I didn't feel any heat at all. The bean curd skin and soybean salad with mustard greens really brought me back to China. I definitely enjoyed the snap the beans gave me, but the drawback on this dish was the amount of oil used to cook them since they were wilting in it. It still tasted and felt nice. The hot sauce that's part of the condiments on the table was so good. The total bill was $29.03.

I would go again, but I would ensure the XLB were the way they are supposed to be. Normally I would have said something, but I didn’t want to cause a scene in front of my friend or the quiet (at that time, at least) restaurant. If anything, if I’m in that hood and thirsty, I would go back for that guave boba tea. In fact, I’d love to have some right now. This is really what saved my disappointment. And good company.

Wake N' Bacon

Maximus Edicus forwarded us this link about the Wake N' Bacon. Basically, an alarm clock that wakes you up with the heavenly aromas of bacon - and yes you can eat it when you wake up. Spectacular idea...now if these dudes can invent an alarm clock that wakes you up with the an bacon, egg, and cheese croissant. And maybe foie gras....

Dog Eat Dog - Double-Edged Sword

“8” is a lucky number in China, so the Olympics start in 2 days (Chinese time – 12 hours ahead from EST) on 8/8/08. At 8:08PM, of course. People from around the globe will be there, so China is going through massive changes to show their face to the world, which has been closed off for so long. This is a terrific opportunity for them, but it is also hurting them tremendously at the same time. For example, China is banning dog meat from their menus. (There’s the food reference for this food blog!) “The measure has been implemented to ‘respect the habits of many countries and nationalities,’ the Beijing News quoted the municipal food department as saying.” This is ludicrous, in my opinion. This is China. This is Chinese culture. China is the host. If you come to my house, sure I will straighten up, but I will not change my way of being to suit you. In fact, part of why people come to my house is to see how I live, to experience my home, and so on. When I go to another country, I am not looking for America elsewhere. When I ate dog in China, it was for curiosity’s sake, but also as the expression goes: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Well, while I have my soapbox, I can express some more experiences. Because of the Olympics, there have been drastic improvements. I was talking to someone who will take the new train to Beijing in the morning. This is the fastest train in the world now with speeds upwards of around 220MPH regularly! Of course, when they were taking the shuttle bus from Beijing’s new International Airport to Tianjin yesterday, they were stopped so many times at security checkpoints. There were sighs and groans on the bus. People began to revolt a little, mentioning that they are not pleased with the Olympics. They were calling it “a show, not Olympics.” This was happening on the Beijing-Tianjin highway that is packed with vehicles but was now an almost-vacant road. This, with colorful flags every 5 meters on both sides of the road saying “2008 Beijing Olympics.” It should make the Chinese happy and want to celebrate, but it was doing just the opposite.

Anyway, off my soapbox (for now). Enjoy the pictures I took of some changes I saw in China including some shots of Olympic stadiums.

Braised Ox-tail with Cauliflower Puree

I was having some friends over for lunch the other day and had the urge to try cooking something new. So I took a ride to my local Shoprite and strolled the aisles for inspiration.
I saw some pretty nice pieces of oxtail and decided that would be it.

I didn't have the time to braise it in wine, then reduce the wine to make a nice thick wine reduction sauce, so I did the pot-au-feu method where you poach the meats in a beef stock until tender.
The other component to the dish was a cauliflower puree.
Cauliflower boiled in chicken stock, then pulverized with a stick blender till smooth. I added some cream and butter to it till it became nappe.

After everything was said and done, I give it an 8 out of 10. I can definitely refine it to make it pop more. But pretty happy with the result.
(The Oxtail was fork tender with pronounced beef flavor. Cauliflower puree held it's texture but could have been sweeter and more flavorful.)

Chain Restaurants - Which Are Healthy...

Men's Health gave out grades to chain restaurants across America based on how healthy they were. Suprisingly, Chick-Fil-A got an A boasting the country's healthiest chicken nugget (need to test that later). And, Chipotle got a D; showing that fresh products and humane practices does not make for healthy eats. Interesting reading, but if you've read our blog before healthy eating is at the bottom of our priority...

Thomas Keller at PerSe

Bennigans and Steak and Ale - no more???

Looks like the mortgage crisis has affected the restaurant biz as well. S&A Restaurant Corp filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Not sure if this means the franchises of Bennigans and Steak and Ale will be gone forever.

Kinda sad, since my mom used to treat me to Steak and Ale as a wee lad...always fun, since this was the first time I would create my own dish at the salad bar. Oh well, all good things come to an end...I wonder if Butters would flip out about Bennigans closing?

Ruth Chris Deal...

Looks like Bennigans and Steak and Ale aren't the only ones struggling for customers. Ruth's Chris is offering a 3 course meal for 2 for $89 - great value considering a steak there usually runs $40. Just to let you know, I've been there twice and the steak was decent, but way overpriced imho. However, this deal seems to good to pass up. Not sure the exact details, but I believe this deal is available till the end of the summer at select Ruth's Chris locations, so call before you go...

Ginga Kougen

Ginga Kougen Silver Bottle*
by Ginga Kougen

5% ABV
40 IBU (speculation)

I stumbled upon this beer Saturday on my way to a friend's house for dinner.
We were asked to bring some ingredients vital to the meal so we stopped by at Sunrise Market in the East Village.
This might be the most pleasant Hefe Weizen Beer I've had in recent memory.
There were a variety of imported beers from Japan and this unfiltered wheat beer bottle caught my eye.
It seems these guys adhere to the strict German beer laws and the malts and hops are all imported from Germany.
Head - Super White Head
Body - Medium Tan, Slightly Muddy Brown

Nose - Very Pleasant
Taste - Surprisingly flavorful with great balance. Makes for easy drinking.
Finish - 5 second finish
Recommended Pairing - Probably great with sushi.

Star Ratings
*** Out of this world
** Very very good. Order it when available
* Solid / Great beer

Breville Juice Plus

Received the Breville Juice Plus as a great wedding present. The first juice I made was fresh apple juice. It is unbelievable in flavor, unlike anything you'll ever have. The sweetness and the flavor of the juice will have your guests thinking you've added sugar or artificial flavor...it really is that sweet and amazing. Also, incredibly easy to use. Just drop halved apples in the shoot and watch the juice pour out.

Definitely a fun toy, but here are some issues that I have.

• Cost to make juice - Although the apple juice was phenomenal, it takes a ridiculous amount of apples to make apple juice. I used 10 apples which equated to about $15 to make 2 quarts of juice - hella expensive.
  
• Frothiness - there's a froth remover, but it looks like it leaves half the juice content behind. The froth is different from the pulp...the pulp is strained out in a different container.
  
• False advertising - The juicer advertises that it can fit whole apples without peeling or coring the apple. It definitely does not fit whole apples...had to always cut my apples in two.

With that said, I do love the juicer and I think I need to include things like watermelon or oranges to get more juice per dollar. My main use of the juicer will be some fruits that I can't finish...you know, just check your fridge out. There's probably some apple or orange that's been there for a week or more. Good way to prevent waste.

Bluefin - Extinction?

Looks like the sushi craze is spreading to China. Big problem according to this article from AFP. I guess when the most populous country in the world starts consuming sushi, there is a big concern on the extinction of bluefin tuna. The problem still lies with Japan as they consume 85% of the tuna in the world. Curious to see if consumption of salmon sushi would affect the salmon population as well...usually when I think of sushi in the US it's always tuna or salmon...

Hop Devil

Hop Devil
by Victory Brewing Company

6.7% ABV
90 IBU

High bitters. As suggested, the 90 IBUs is quite overwhelming. Hoppy nose and initial flavor is pleasant. But the bitters are one dimensional and doesn’t harmonize with the malts very well.
Head - Medium White Head
Body - Brown

Nose - Hoppy. Piney and Citric
Taste - Strong bitters with very little balance with malts. Not very impressed.
Finish - 3 seconds
Recommended Pairing

Star Ratings
*** Out of this world
** Very very good. Order it when available
* Solid / Great beer

Light Summer Time Cooking 2008

Went back to visit the parents and decided to make them a nice light summer dinner. I wanted to do some Indian spices offset by some sweet fruits. The meal came out great - nice and light, but very flavorful. Great eating outdoors on a breezy summer day.

Waldorf Salad
I love a waldorf salad, which is perfect for the summer time. When you have fresh ripe fruits, you get this combination of awesome textures and flavors - creamy, juicy, crispy, and sweet. Traditionally, I believe the Waldorf Salad is apples, grapes, and walnuts only. Use whatever fruits you like - just make sure you get some crispy and juicy fruits. I like adding the arugula since it's a little crispy, but very peppery which plays a nice contrast to the sweet fruits. One of the rare recipes that does not require additional salt.

Ingredients
2 Ripe Peaches cut in 1 inch cubes
3 Fuji Apples cut in 1 inch cubes
3/4 cup red seedless grapes halved
3/4 cup toasted walnuts broken into smaller pieces
1 lime
1 cup Arugula
1 cup Kefer (yogurt with some fiz going on)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1) Whisk together Kefer and mayonnaise in a bowl - make sure to taste and adjust. Kefer will add the tang/pop and the mayo will add the fat. The dressing should be runny.
2) Add peaches, apples, grapes, and walnuts to the dressing. Squeeze half lime juice over the fruit to prevent browning and to waken up the flavors. Combine thoroughly for even coating.
3) Add arugula and stir together gently to not crush the arugula. Should still be crispy and hold it's shape. Like all salads make sure that it's not drowning in dressing. Everything should just be coated enough without sitting in a pool of dressing. Serve immediately otherwise the arugula will be soggy.


Salmon Tikka with Moroccan Cous Cous
Been wanting to cook a tikka dish for a while and figured the summer would be a great time for it. This dish is jam packed with flavors. Complex spices cut through the fatty salmon, which is very refreshing when eaten with the waldorf salad. The cous cous also has this complex flavor with the cinnamon and cumin. The juicy raisins and crunchy walnuts adds a nice textural contrast and balances the complex spiced fish. Light, refreshing and more importantly flavorful and satisfying.

Ingredients
1/2 cup garlic minced
1/2 cup ginger minced
1 bunch cilantro
1 cup whole fat yogurt
1 1/2 pounds salmon pin bones removed, skin on
1/2 onion thinly sliced
1 lemon
1 package shan chicken tikka bbq spices (I find Shan to be the best in Indian/Pakistani spices)
1 cup golden raisins sitting in 1 cup of white wine for 1 hour
1/2 cup toasted walnuts broken into smaller pieces
1 cup cous cous
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt

1) Add 3/4 cup spice mix and completely cover the salmon. Make sure to pat the spice in.
2) Combine garlic, ginger, 1/2 the cilantro, and yogurt in a large zip lock bag. Add the salmon in and massage yogurt mix into the salmon. Seal up the bag and let sit for 4 hours in the fridge.
3) Pre-heat oven to 375F and put a baking try inside. After 4 hours, remove the salmon from the fridge and let it sit for 15 minutes. Remove the salmon from the bag and remove the excess mix. Add to the tray and let it cook for 8-12 minutes until medium rare. Remove, sprinkle the rest of the spice mix on and let sit for 10 minutes tented in aluminum foil.
4) Add the cous cous, 1 cup of water, cinnamon, cumin, and white wine from the raisins to a small pot. Cook over medium low heat until cooked completely - 5 minutes. When finished, add the raisins, walnuts, and most of the remaining cilantro leaves - mix well.
5) To plate, add the cous cous to a plate, top with slices of the salmon. Drizzle the lemon juice on top, and top with clinantro leaves and onions to garnish. Buono appetito!



Here's a picture of a beef short rib dish my mom made from the Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way book. Not sure how she cooked it exactly, but I think it was sear the beef in a pressure cooker then add the potatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic; cover with wine and cook in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes. It was incredibly tender and flavorful...fast and flavorful!

Brad Farmerie at Public

Racer 5

Racer 5 **
by Bear Republic Brewing Company

7% ABV
70 IBU

The hops blew me away. The moment I stuck my nose in the beer, it was all HOPS. Love it. Beautiful white fluffy head with great lacing. Light amber body and goes down your throat perfectly.
Enjoy this great Californian IPA chilled. Our summers are better with Racer 5 IPA.
Head - Bright White Head
Body - Light Amber

Nose - Big Hops.
Taste - Great flavors. Hoppy (Columbus and Cascade)!
Finish - 10 seconds of bitter, followed by mild malts.
Recommended Pairing -

Star Ratings
*** Out of this world
** Very very good. Order it when available
* Solid / Great beer

Cheese Steak in Burlington, VT

It is currently 11:58pm Wednesday the 23rd.

Just wolfed down a cheesesteak from Kounty Kart Deli on Main St.
It was pretty f'n good.
No joke. Top 3 all time.
The beef was flavorful and stuck to the cheese very well. The bread had this day old flavor to it that some how made the beef and melted cheese taste that much better.
Solid food!
What a way to end the night.

As for Burlington...
Everyone here is very friendly, and the majority of the population are girls. 5 to 2 ratio it seems.
The locals tell me this place is nicknamed "Girlington".

The local karaoke scene is pretty intense as well. People were belting out good 'ol rock tunes like Billy Idol, Black Sabbath, and even our beloved BonJovi. And doing it well.

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Paulaner - Hefeweizen

Paulaner Hefe-Weizen
by Paulaner Bauerei (Munich, Germany)

5.6% ABV
20 IBU

Cloudy orange, with big fluffy off-white head.
A great thing about hefeweizens are that you get to really practice your pour.
Pretty refreshing beer. Has great citrusy flavors. Some say they detect spices and herbs. I guess I will just have to taste more.
Head - Big and fluffy
Body - Cloudy orange

Nose - Citric and viscous
Taste - Quite refreshing
Finish - 5 seconds
Recommended Pairing - ?

Star Ratings
*** Out of this world
** Very very good. Order it when available
* Solid / Great beer