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“Restaurant 2-months”
Fail. Why do you call it restaurant week if it last for 2 months?! Thats like half the summer!
I know it seems weird that I’m the one complaining about it. That’s because today I took off my clothes and the mirror showed me something absolutely disgusting. This was after seeing the kickass body of that korean “situation” from the upcoming “jerseyshorish” K-Town. Fail. Not to mention we are planning to go to the beach in 2 weeks. A gay beach. Not that I’m looking to be picked up. I’m just being a considerate citizen. I don’t want to destroy the beautiful beach scene with my ridiculously out of shape body.
Mikey will not approve. In fact, if he saw me, he would shout at me and whip me into shape. I think I should get a gym membership. Or the PX90 or whatever its called. My bike is not helping. In fact, I think its making me walk less hence i work out less. And i thought i could get away with exercise with my bike. So wrong.
Alright. Time to add workout times into my schedule. It’s getting way out of control. Not to mention with the extended restaurant week, people will probably be asking me to join them for a meal or something. Good, but not good at the same time. Sigh.
Nameeta, we need to do a restaurant together.
Anyone interested in doing aquavit or craft bar with me?
Sigh I really need to start working out.
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My Spicy Sausage Ragu Pasta
Titi's Gnocchi with tomatoes
The famous roasted chicken
The Jiangster smiling!
Shake my head.
Barbuto
When other chefs look up to you and call you “Chef Obiwan Kenobi”, you got to be good. Either that or you are tall and old looking. But for Jonathan Waxman, we know he has to be good. He went far on Top Chef Master, and is known for being one of the first few celebrity chefs. So when we saw him on Top Chef Master and the word “Barbuto” that kept appearing under his name, we knew we had to visit that restaurant.
So as part of our room mate bonding Friday, we met at the nice casual open style restaurant for dinner before we started our Dark Knight movie night. David Jiang and Jenny stayed safe with the JW Famous roasted chicken, while me and Titi opted for pasta. We also got a bruschetta to get started.
The bruschetta was really not fantastic. The bread was burnt too much, hence i couldnt taste the olive oil. Or maybe there wasn’t enough olive oil. The roasted egg plant on it was alright. Not mindblowing.
Our entrees came and we were excited to dig in. My pasta didn’t look that appealing. They mixed everything for me so it looked like a mess. Perhaps i had too high an expectation… but to be honest, I could have recreated that dish. The pasta was slightly undercooked. Slightly. Like 20 seconds more in the hot sauce would have done the trick. The sausage was too overpowering to be able to taste the great tomatoes that are in season.
Titi’s Gnocchi however was fantastic. The butter rich potato gnocchi were absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, the serving was ridiculously small. I could eat a whole bucket of that. The tomatoes that came with it were gorgeous sweet cherry heirlooms. And the reduction sauce was flavorful yet refreshing. Perfect Italian dish.
The famous chicken was… obviously good. I mean its famous. And 19 bucks for a half chicken. It better be good. I was very impressed with how well seasoned the chicken was. It may seem to salty to some, but to be honest, it was perfect. The saltiness really brought out the flavor of the chicken and made it addictive. What really gave it the kick was that parsley and olive oil topping. Perfect. Coursely chopped parsley that has flavors infused into the oils was just filled with the right flavors to go perfectly with the chicken. I couldn’t get enough of that. Simple yet fresh great flavors.
It was a good meal. Not the best. Alright. To be honest, I expected much more. Much much more from obiwan. Especially when he himself was in the kitchen the day we were there. Unfortunately he wasn’t cooking. It was his army of Ecuadorians working their magic in his kitchen. I was expecting to give this restaurant a 4.5. A 4 at the lowest. However, I am forced to give Barbuto 3.5 stars. It would have been lower if it wasn’t for Titi’s perfect Gnocchi.
After the not so amazing meal, we decided to walk home despite of the heat to enjoy the sights and sounds of west village. However, after 10 minutes, we started seeing flashes. We looked up to see large black clouds moving quickly from uptown. It was like from one of those movie scenes when the end of the world is coming, or aliens are attacking us. And then it started to pour. And guess what. We all split up. Shake my head. I got on my bike and dashed home in the pouring rain. Titi apparently ran as fast as she could to the subway station and left Jenny and David behind.
We all got back to the apartment at different times.
Conclusion: If there was ever a zombie infestation, we would all die. Because as much as we constantly talk about how stupid the people in movies are for not sticking together when zombies attack them, apparently we are that stupid as well. I shake my head at us…
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@ Po with some of the best people in the world
Po is an italian restaurant in the west village. Mario Batali was one of the people that opened it a few years back. Since it’s restaurant week, I thought I will bring my team out to a fancy lunch to reward them for all their hard work.
The restaurant is small. Like most italian places. Very very small. There was probably only like 10 tables in there. A little dark. Nothing I didn’t expect of a good classic italian place.
The restaurant week menu looked great. 4 options for antipasti, 4 for secondi and 3 for desserts. Since we had 4 people, we could order every dish but we didn’t. But we covered most.
For starters, I was going to get the white bean ravioli but the table beside us were one course ahead of us so when I saw how delicious the spinach tagliatelle looked, I changed my mind.
All i can say is wow… a pretty large portion of pasta for a starter, it was absolutely delicious. I believed they used fresh pasta because the texture tasted so different from dried pasta. Either that or I have been cooking my pasta wrong all this time. The sauce was rich with flavor. Best bolognese I ever had. But then again I never had bolognese when i do fine dining.
The white bean ravioli was good too. The sauce they used was this interesting brown butter balsamic vinegar reduction. A little too much for me. Perhaps i prefer my brown butter in sweet dishes. But the ravioli was very tasty.
Entree. I got the grilled lamb that was topped with a whole bunch of stuff. The cumin yogurt mint pesto topping add layers of flavor to the lamb. I felt like i was travelling around the world in that one dish, as layers unfold one after another with the lamb, red onions, the cherry tomatoes, the sauces. Great.
I thought this was amazing, until I tried my friend’s skirt steak. Oh wow i am so order skirt steak the next time i do a fancy restaurant. It was bursting with flavor. So so delicious. Perfectly cooked steak. It must have been the gorgonzola butter that gave it the extra kick. Perfect. Best dish on the table.
My friend Will got the grilled hen with roasted corn and something that tasted like barley to me. It is fregula or saba or something. Anyway it was good. The hen was seasoned very well with a little bit of sweetness, savoriness, burntness. Yum. I thought it was a little tough for a dark meat but it was still very flavorful.
As for dessert, I got the ricotta cheesecake with vermont maple syrup. Light and fluffy with a nice caramelized burnt top, the way it melts in the mouth is interesting. Not too cheesy, not too sweet, not too salty, a good play of texture. I wish the texture was slightly more fluffy and solid. Still good.
The panna cotta was very light with a nice zestiness to it with the sweet sour cherry reduction. A great way to end off a heavy meal.
I however absolutely loved the Dark Chocolate Terrine, Amaretti Sorrano, Vin Santo & espresso caramel sauce. When i saw it was a block of chocolate, i thought it was going to be dry and boring. But i was soooo wrong. It was sooooo good. Extremely heavy but bursting with layers of flavor. First thing you taste is the caramel which quickly blends with the chocolate. Then the almond paste taste comes in and mixes around with the chocolate. yum… and oh what is that? Alcohol flavors seeping in? How can i say no to that? And the party in the mouth begins. These layerings are just amazing.
Hopefully I can cook like that… Layers of flavors and texture is what distinguish pedestrian food to fine dining. The ability to sneak in flavors that reveal themselves as you chew on them in your mouth is an art. An experience. Perhaps growing up in Asia has created this fascination with layers as we don’t really get this often. We tend to mix our food to create different flavors, rather than create layers.
It was I have to say the best restaurant week meal I had so far and somewhat restored my faith in restaurant week. But what made this meal more amazing than the food was the company. I was with 3 of the most amazing young people I have ever met in my life. Filled with humility, joy, compassion, passion, Jon, Will and Nicky have been working with me the past three weeks to get the bakery running. They have been such a great joy to work with that I knew I had to treat them to a meal. And what a great meal.
The best part of it all was when Will who is apparently a “fine dining virgin” started freaking out. He was saying how this was the most amazing meal in his life. He never knew food can taste this good. He declared that all the food he ever had growing up were junk. I personally love the part when he said now he understands why people choose quality over quantity and how all his life he thought chipotle was the pinnacle of how food should taste.
That made my day. Someone has crossed the line of food salvation. Chefs around the world rejoice. For their work has been recognized. As Will sit in silence allowing the experience of a food orgasm overwhelm him, I can only smile at niki ( a culinary student at johnson and wales) and fist pump each other.
This is why we love food and love cooking. We want to bring the same joy to the people around us. This is why we talk about food all the time. Because food is something that brings people of all culture together. A universal pleasure. And nothing makes us more happy than seeing someone finally understand that food is more than just sustenance. It’s a pleasure. It’s an experience. It’s the life.
Thank you guys for your hard work. To Will, Jon and Niki.
4.5 stars. Great food, even for restaurant week. Will definitely come back here if Im looking for a reliable restaurant in the West Village.
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Some thoughts about Restaurant Week
To be honest, my opinion doesn’t mean much here since I havent been to enough restaurants during restaurant week to pass judgement on restaurant week. So you don’t have to agree with me. In fact, if you think I am wrong, feel free to prove me wrong.
I personally think restaurant week is a scam. Restaurants that usually serve amazing food ditch their best ingredients and throw forth a subpar 3 couse meal to satisfy people who usually dont do fine dining to know how their good food is suppose to taste. Which is why restaurant week dont really excite me anymore. Especially when so many great restaurants like Jean Georges and Daniel Boulud having prix fixe meal throughout the year.
But hey if you find a place that has a great menu for restaurant week and you think its extremely worth it, do tell me about it. I will definitely check it out. At least for now, of the restaurant week stuff I have tried, none have blown me away.
On that note, Im heading to Po on wednesday. Batali, don’t disappoint me again. I will keep pretending I didn’t have that forgetful meal at Otto.
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Starters
Heirloom tomato salad
Grilled Prawns
Blackened Sea Bream
Mushroom Raviollini
Mocha Tart
Panna Cotta
Fresh Madeleine
As an introduction to fine dining and the world of celebrity chefs to my friend Shaun who was in town to visit me, I brought him to Cafe Boulud. Was my first time there too. Was pretty excited. Made the reservation weeks in advance. :P
So the best part about cafe boulud is that they have a prix fixe menu. That’s right, people. You dont have to wait till restaurant week to try these amazing restaurants. Many restaurants around the city have prix fixe menu throughout the year with great quality food.
And Daniel Boulud’s cafe boulud is no exception. I was sad I wasn’t allowed to sit inside because I was wearing shorts but seriously… it was so freaking hot outside. Wearing pants would have killed me. Especially since i rode my bike there.
The menu looked so amazing, I wanted everything. Too bad there was only 2 of us. 3 would have been a perfect number to try everything on the menu.
Alright starters. I got the heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozzarella. The best part. The arugula pesto. Oh my… the flavor… with the fresh sweet firm tomatoes… Apparently Shaun never had tomatoes in his life. I was like YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS. and he was like “but tomatoes are disgusting!”. And im like nothing in this restaurant is disgusting. They could serve us mud and it would be the best tasting mud in the world. As long as it was sanitary. So he tried it. And he converted. Amen.
He got grilled prawns. Obviously good. I wish there was more charred flavor. But it will still cook. Perfectly cooked.
So the main course. This was a dilemma because I seriously wanted everything on the menu. There was the mushroom raviolini. Im a sucker for ravioli. Ever since Mario Batali got me hooked on his butternut squash ravioli, I have been an addict of those things. I would buy packets of them at trader joes.
There was the duck sausage. Every time i do fine dining and see the word duck, I usually dont even bother considering the other dishes and just get that. The french are well known for creating amazing dishes with duck. Its the way they make love with that bird that turns it into yumalicious divine experience.
But… I ended up getting the blackened sea bream. I thought I ever had fish for some time and wasn’t really feeling like eating meat, especially after our peter luger meal. So I was like let’s see how it goes. Man oh man I did not regret it at all. Surprisingly, Boulud brought in some south east asian influence into this dish. The blackened sea bream was bursting with flavors and the rice went so damn well with it. The intense spicy seasoning with the fresh mild flavor of the fish was a perfect combination and I dont think I ever had fish cooked so well in my life in terms of texture. I have to say this beat Emeril’s fish in his NOLA restaurant hands down. Cheaper too. :P
Raviolini was not too bad. I would say its not mind blowing. I mean its pasta. Don’t expect the french to do a kickass job at it I guess. :P
Then dessert! I got the mocha tart which wasn’t too bad. Not a big fan. Was kinda meh to me. Good chocolate coffee flavor with the raspberries but i think overall, It was just too meh. Perhaps its the texture of the pastry. I thought it didn’t feel right. Shaun got the panna cotta which was absolutely delightful and delicious. (Ok i forgot how to spell delicious for a while..) Light, fruity, creamy, fulfilling. and the gelato. Yum.
To end off the meal, they even gave us a basket of mini madeleine which are one of my favorite baked goods and they were awesome! Just the right amount of sweetness with a hint of lemon. Just the way i like it. Highly approve.
I have to say Boulud might have overtaken Jean George as my favorite fine dining without blowing your wallet spot. I didn’t even have to open a bottle of wine to enjoy my meal here. I can only imagine if I did. Will I be back here? Definitely. Once Boulud changes the prix fixe menu. Be sure that i will have a reservation on opentable.
Did I mention they have really good host and hostess as well? Very well trained. French speaking. Very polite. Made the atmosphere casual yet professional at the same time. Highly approve.
Cafe Boulud gets 4.5 stars for missing the mark on dessert for me. But everything else was perfect and an experience. A close 5 stars to be honest. But im trying to be more strict with my stars. :P
Cafe Boulud
20 E 76th St (Between 5th and Madison Ave)
(212) 772-2600
www.danielnyc.com/cafebouludnyc.html -
Steak for 2
Medium Rare: Perfect
Peter Luger
Did not realize I haven’t blogged for a while. Guess I have been too busy doing other stuff like watching top chef and the next foodnetwork star. And since I am on the bus to Boston right now, I figured i will do some blogging.
Actually before I start, let’s talk about the next food network star. If anyone is watching this season, you should know what I am talking about. SERIOUSLY?! HOW DID THESE PEOPLE GET IN?! None of them are good! All of them freeze in front of camera, don’t even have their unique point of view. They are all not ready to have their own show. And even if they do, they are going to flop like melissa from the previous season. I mean I hate Guy Fieri but at least he is entertaining to some and looks like a watermelon. I guess they all can “somewhat” cook. But this isn’t really about cooking. It’s about being able to present yourself and your food well in front of the camera. We all know how bad Sandra Lee’s cooking probably is, but we can’t really tell because all we can do is SEE and not taste when watching the food network.
All I can say is that the foodnetwork should learn from Bravo and put better reality TV shows and contestant on like top chef and top chef master. And talking about Top Chef Master, guess who is interviewing at Marcus Samuelsson group on monday!!! So if i do get in there and somehow become friends with Marcus Samuelsson (let’s just use our imagination), there will only be two degrees of separation between me and people like Rick Monnen, Susur Lee and Jonathan Waxman. Whoot! And maybe even Anthony Bourdain!
Alright enough of my stupid talking. Time for serious business. Today I am going to talk about the best steak you will ever get in your life. Period. For a steak to be done right, it should be eaten medium rare. I prefer my steaks medium because the people in the kitchen always screws up the order and cook it for too short a time, hoping that the resting time would cook my steak to medium rare but it reaches me rare. So to prevent that, I order medium. But at places where steaks is their life and business, I order medium rare. I got to thank Anthony Bourdain and Les Halles for teaching me this lesson.
Also I want to thank Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential for telling me that steaks that are cooked well done are disgusting and are usually the worst cuts because when its cooked well done, no one can really tell whether the meat is suppose to be tender or what not. In fact, they sometimes over do it because it doesn’t even matter. Basically chefs have a love hate relationship with people who order well done steaks. Hate because it insults their ability to cook and for ruining a perfectly good steak. Love because they dont have to put much effort into preparing it and can usually give the cheapest and worst cuts and get the most profit.
So when you go to a place like Peter Luger, well known for its steak throughout the country, you should be order medium rare. Because these people know what they are doing. And they know what’s best for you. And medium rare is best.
So after two years in New York City and hearing rave reviews about Peter Luger, I finally went there with my friend Shaun from Singapore. When I asked him what he wanted to eat in New York City during his short vacation here, his immediately reply was steak. My immediate reply to that was Peter Luger.
So on one hot monday afternoon, we took the subway to Brooklyn to try the famous steak for two at peter luger. It came SIZZLING, with juices all over. It looked GLORIOUS. I couldn’t wait to dig into it. I went for a piece that has been nicely cut for us. I put it into my mouth and just start groaning. Oh My God. Can a steak taste so good? Everything about it was perfect.
First, the charred layer. Omg. It was full of flavor and tasted like it just got off the grill. It was smoky and burnt yet not cancer tasting. The best part about the char is that although it looks way burnt, the inside in still nice, tender and pink.
Now the pink layer. Wow. I felt like I was eating a fresh cow with its full glory. Except it tasted better than how I imagined it would be like. For some weird reason, i keep picturing myself eating a live cow like Im like hyena or something. It’s not like Kobe where it melts in your mouth. There is still some sort of chewy texture. Not chewy but solid. And you feel like you are eating a good piece of meat.
80 bucks for a steak for two. Totally worth it. I was beyond full after the meal but I couldnt stop thinking about it. If i could have that everyday, life would be perfect. Like how if i could have an in-n-out burger every night before i sleep. Lol. I would be a watermelon like guy fieri if i did that.
We had a side of cream spinach too. The steak comes alone so if you want any sides, its an extra. The cream spinach was fantastic. Not too creamy and full of goody spinachy yumminess. I hate the too creamy ones which is why Im always wearing of ordering cream spinach but this was perfectly seasoned and tasted absolutely delicious.
A friend of mine, Daphne, asked me whether this is the mother of all steaks. I actually believe this to be the Godfather of all steaks. The crispy and flavorful charred layer blending with the meaty fresh perfectly done medium rare layer is a combination of flavors that makes beef, beef and not chicken.
So if any of you never had beef before like my brown friend Nameeta, and someday wish to try beef like how Padma Lashmire quit her vegetarian ways, try Peter Luger. If you don’t convert and become a carnivore for the next 2 weeks, I don’t think any other steak can do the trick. Definitely not a Carls Jr’s burger. I am so making a reservation at Peter Luger for a post final meal.
I see stars for this place! A perfect 5 stars! With a steak this good, it deserves nothing less.
Peter Luger
178 Broadway
Brooklyn
(718) 387-7400
www.peterluger.com -
Jacques Torres and Me!
Sugar Butterfly
All made of sugar
Top Chef Master Marcus Samuelsson!
Marcus Samuelsson offering tips
Marcus' Foie Gras Ganache
Marcus' Poke
My Caramel topped custard
My Cream Puffs
My garden salad
Life in the French Culinary Institute so far
If you don’t already know, I am having a blast this summer. And one of the biggest reasons is because i started taking classes as the french culinary institute. Cooking has always been a passion of mine. I guess it runs in my blood since my family is also in the food industry. I see myself having my own restaurant in the future, so I wanted to prepare for that by learning some classical french techniques.
Omg I love being able to say I have been trained classically. Sounds so… professional! hehe. Better than “Yeah i got a finance degree from Stern.” Ok maybe not to most people, but it sure does sound a lot cooler to me.
The FCI charges hell alot for their classes. I guess Im just lucky that my family is semi-rich and I am a spoilt brat who knows that my family is not going to go bankrupt any time soon, especially since my sister decided to buy herself a BMW 6 series, a car we have been ogling for the past 5 years. So I thought, psh. It’s an investment. Being able to cook at such a standard would probably increase my “market value” (in the words of my friend, Matthew Yong) among girls. Get a better girl in the process. Couple of grand is worth a better girl. :P
Anyway, I posted some pictures of what I made in class recently. We got the salad, the cream puffs and the caramel topped custard. Yup I made that! And for those of you who haven’t had the chance to try my eggs benedict, make a reservation and see me make the perfect poached egg that even my chef instructors were jumping to claim credit for.
But what makes the FCI experience super worth it? Being able to meet star chefs!!! I got to meet Jacques Torres last week. The man behind the famous chocolate chip cookie and all the yummy chocolate recipes he has come up with. I got to see him work his magic on sugar, and it was just absolutely breathtaking. I could not believe how he managed to create such beautiful pieces with just boring sugar. Just amazing.
And today, Marcus Samuelsson came. The Marcus Samuelsson. The Top Chef Master. The guy who beat Susur Lee and Rick Monnen and Jonathan Waxman. The man. Period. He demonstated 3 dishes: a hawaiian poke, a panko-crusted fried chicken and his famous foie gras ganache. His poke was super flavorful and his chicken was alright.
But Im not going to talk about those 2 dishes. I am going to talk about the foie gras ganache. Ok let me take some time to compose myself. Ok. Im ready. This dish basically got him the win for top chef master. For those of you who saw the finale, he made this and all the judges went “WHAT IS THIS?! HOW ON EARTH DO YOU MAKE THIS!?” Everyone, EVERYONE was impressed with this dish. That includes the guy who ate everything, Rick Bayless (Top Chef Master Season 1 Winner) etc. And today, I got to see how to make it.
He worked his wonder, put them in cute 2 ounce metal cups and put them in the oven for 4 minutes at 350 degrees. And plated these cute things on the table. And said “Who wants to try this while its still warm?”
Before you know it, there was a mad rush. Everyone was carrying their forks, trying to get a bite of it. I managed to try some of it. It was… indescribable. I have never tasted anything quite like it. It was mindblowing. It was rich. It was full of flavor. It hit all the right spots. I swear my heart stopped for a second from that food orgasm. And then it started pounding excitedly. And I don’t know why, but my eyes started tearing. I kid you not. There has only been a few times when this happened to me. I say about 3 times. My eyes starts to tear when i reach the highest level of food orgasm. And I say a prayer, thank god for blessing the hands of this man, for allowing me to be in that moment. It was nothing short of a divine experience.
I wish I could explain how it tasted like. But I really don’t know how to. It is out of the world. It goes beyond human comprehension. It goes beyond any words that has been used to describe food. All I can say that if you judge food according to its flavor, texture and layering, it has a perfect score for every single one. It was just… im speechless.
So I just want to take a few seconds to declare today a sacred day in my life. On June 29th, I got the great pleasure to not only meet Top Chef Master Marcus Samuelsson, but I got to eat the food created by his hands. Not his executive or sous chef at his restaurants. His very own hands. The same hands that fed President Obama and the many leaders at President Obama’s first official state dinner. And for experiencing a mild heart attack and coming back to life from tasting one of the most amazing dish ever made by mankind. Period.
Yeah FCI’s tuition is expensive. But after today, it is definitely, definitely, definitely worth it. Every single penny.
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Momofuku Milk Bar
I hate to say this, but I am a hypocrite. I listen to reviews too much, and sometimes give recommendations based on others. And today, I was brought down to my knees at Momofuku Milk Bar.
There is nothing new about people raving about momofuku. And also nothing new about people thrashing it. After having their cakes from the milk bar, which I thought tasted weird, Momofuku dropped drastically in my priority list. I knew they had good food at the restaurant, but I thought, psh it’s probably fake chinese food made for the americans. Can’t be that great.
So my friends were in town and I thought, why not try the freaking expensive pork bun that he has at the milk bar. I mean, its just a pork bun. I have had many in Singapore and China, and what not. We even have it at home. It can’t be that great. I mean it’s just a pork bun. How good can it be??? Not to mention it cost 9 bucks for 2! Thats $4.50 for 1! That can get you 5 in Chinatown!
So we ordered it. It came pretty fast. Simple white chinese bun with 2 modest looking fatty pork slices, some cucumber and green onions and a drizzle of some slack sauce. It was kinda unique because the meat wasn’t colored. I am used to pork being braised in black sauce till its black in color.
And so there it was. That $4.50 pork bun that got Momofuku famous. In my head, I was like crazy americans for spending so much on one of the simplest street food you can get from the chinese. Seriously? How good can it be? I mean even I can make this. Just buy some buns and pork from chinatown. Braise the pork. Steam the buns. Cut some cucumbers and green onions. And there you go!
Went for the bite. My oh my… the bun was mildy sweet and fluffy. Exactly the way it should be. But lets move to the pork. This pork was O M G fantastic. I couldn’t believe how it melt in my mouth. The fat was extremely tasty and did not at all feel jellyish. It went so well with the sauce that was drizzled on top. It was a heavenly combination of sweet and saltiness that brought the juices of the cucumber and the freshness and brightness of the green onions together with the yummy savoriness of the pork slices, all in one soft fluffy asian bun. The flavors blend so well in the mouth, I had to go silent for a while as I allowed the orgasm to pass before I could open my mouth and tell my friends how amazing this pork bun is.
Again, wow. I have always been fascinated with how people take the simplest food and make it their own. Make it phenomenal. Something totally unexpected. David Chang. I saw you at your book signing at Barnes and Noble. And I dismissed you because I thought you were an Asian chef cooking to the likings of the Americans and exploiting simple asian cuisine to impress white people. And also because I was there to see Anthony Bourdain…
So I’m humbly admit I was wrong. And that I now bow down to you. For you are now known as the king of pork buns to me, or more affectionately known as Kong Ba Pao in Asia. Yesterday, I would not have believed anyone who told me that I will have the best pork bun in the US. In fact, I will probably judge them. But today, I stand corrected. David Chang, you are the man. I have no idea how you did it, but you are ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. And if your offer still stands as you mentioned during your book signing, I will gladly work for you for free. In fact, Im begging you to hire me…
So to everyone who reads this blog, I just want to say… walk to the milk bar right now if you haven’t tried the pork bun, get it and have the experience of your life for just $9. Seriously. $9?! It’s totally worth it. I would pay more.
Food Orgasm material. 5 stars.
Amazing photo taken by my wonderful friend, Chloe Chu.
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Katz's Deli's Pastrami Sandwich
Russ & Daughter's Classic Bagel
Gray's Papaya
Jacque Torres Chocolate Chip Cookie
Levain Bakery Choc Chip Walnut Cookie
Momofuku Pork Bun
Artichoke's Artichoke & Spinach Slice
Super Food Day in New York City
I love catching up with old friends. And relive all those wonderful moments we had together. Chloe is a good friend of mine from high school. We haven’t seen/talk to each other for about 3 years I would say. And then one day, she dropped me a facebook msg telling me she is heading to New York City for a week vacation and she would love to meet me. I was so freaking excited. Chloe is just one of the most amazing and fun and hilarious people to hang out with in the world. And she brought some friends along.
I figured since I was free on Monday, I will bring them around the city on my kind of tour. A tour of New York’s finest foods, without entering a fancy restaurant. And they were up for it. In fact, all she wanted was to visit the guggenheim museum. And by visit, I mean walk in to talk a picture of the spiral building and walk out. I shake my head at this girl. But that means I have more time to put in more food locations in that short 6 hours we had to complete this tour before they head out of the city.
And then begin one of the most amazing days of my life. It was a super day of food. Everything was the best you can find in NYC, or not the world.
We started off at Katz’s Deli for the world’s best pastrami sandwich and some cheesecake before walking over to Russ & Daughter’s for their famous classic bagel. These 2 locations are on the list of Anthony Bourdain’s 13 must eat places before you die. Check. Check. We got an onion bagel on scallion cream cheese and scottish smoked salmon. Let’s just say we were groaning as we ate the bagel. mmmm still can remember the nice smoky lingering flavor… We continued walking to il Laboratorio for the finest gelato in the city. So fine, top restaurants around the city order from them.
Then we took a break from food. Took the subway down to wall street to visit the mecca of business school students, also known as the Goldman Sacs building. Then we walked over to worship the wallstreet golden bull, praying to it, asking for its blessing and to make us rich.
Next stop, NYU. Washington Square Park. Laugh at the kids swimming in the pee filled fountain before touring around Stern Business School.
Back to food. Gray’s papaya. New York’s famous hot dogs. Got 2 franks and a papaya drink. Nice and refreshing.
We then took the subway up to the upper west side for a cookie showdown. 2 of the best chocolate chip cookies in New York City. Jacque Torres and Levain Bakery. One was crispy and extremely chocolatey, the other warm, gooey and absolutely yummy.
Took the cross town bus over to the Guggenheim. Imagined the gun scene from “The International”. Then hurried back because we were running out of time.
Quickly walked over to Momofuku Milk bar to try his famous pork bun and crack pie. All I can say is OMG. Full review for that is coming up.
And before we run back to our apartment, I knew we had to get an artichoke slice and thank God there was no line, so we hurried in, got a slice of freshly made artichoke and spinach slice.
What a day. I am sooo exhausted, I slept at 12 and woke up at 10. Wow… What a great day is the fine city of New York.
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I was hungry. I had a craving. Mac n Cheese. Thought I will try to make it from scratch. Without a recipe. Never tried it before. Guess what? It turned out pretty good… like really good. :D
