Adventures in Asia - Part VI

My final night of the journey; back in Hong Kong
Felt a little homey towards the end of my trip, but always felt that there was never truly any good quality, hearty, flavorful steaks in Asia. American beef, in this respect, is unrivaled anywhere else on this planet. So the next best thing was BLT Steak, at Ocean Terminal. Dining al fresco by the water with a stunning view of the harbor, and the skyline of Hong Kong Island was serene, a nice way to say until next time.
Complements from the chef, salmon sashimi on the house - fresh, simple, and oh so delish! Also, their signature giant Popovers were hot, buttery, and bubbly with melted Gruyere bursting from the center. Flaky and crispy on the outside, steamy and heavenly on the inside.

The Maitake Mushrooms came out sizzling on a cast iron skillet, as did the 14oz American USDA Rib Eye, broiled at 1700 degrees and finished with a herb butter. You just can't emulate such intensity on your home oven broiler. The center was perfect, pink, done just right. The tenderness and flavor was good, expected from well aged beef. A good steak does not need any extra salt, pepper, or sauce. The juices ran out along the strips of fat that encircled the meat. A satisfying and gratifying meal indeed.

Adventures in Asia - Part V

Decided to stay in for the night at the Pullman Dongguan and try one of their own, Sakura Japanese Restaurant. This evening I was in good company with two coworkers from my U.S. office. It was especially a treat, as I had the pleasure to introduce them to the fine art of teppanyaki.
The 10 course meal over the next 3 hours was meticulously prepared and executed by our master chef, artistically rendered and presented before our eyes, and most importantly, each dish was fresh and delicious. Here were two of the appetizers we had to kick off the night with. That wasabi was unlike any I've had before. It was about 10x as potent as any other I have tried and went right to the brain!
For the main courses, there was lobster (still wriggling), shrimp, scallop, fish fillet, and kobe beef. Our chef took her time with each preparation, as this meal was all about sight, sound, smell, texture and taste. I must say the kobe beef did live up to it's tenderness, and was quite flavorful.
The fried rice was kicked up a notch making good use of the night's main ingredient. As a final course, a sculpted seasonal fruit dish was a nice way to end the show.

Adventures in Asia - Part IV

Into the heart of Dongguan, China.

A co-worker recommended a restaurant sporting authentic Sichuan cuisine. What a true treat! But only those who can handle the heat need to show up. Just about every dish is liberally scattered with red hot chili peppers, herbs and spices. The sesame seed crusted shrimp with macadamia nuts delineated this, as a sea of spicy chilies engulfed the shrimps. It was the hottest and most fiery dish of the evening for sure. The giant whole rack of pork ribs was as much of a sight as it was scrumptious.

Eight Treasures tea is a legendary component in Sichuan tea drinking culture. There are 8 key ingredients which form this rosebud herbal tea, creating a balanced sweet blend that is especially fitting for drinking alongside hot and spicy Sichuan food. The tea is traditionally served in lidded cups and constantly refilled by skilled servers wielding meter long neck pots of boiling water while putting on a show of dangerous dancing and courage. Check out this video.

Eight Treasures tea pouring from nola on Vimeo.

The spicy braised fish in soup broth also held true to the style and upheld intensively fragrant and bold flavors on our already numbed tongues.

"Pigs made of blanket" piqued my interests as a very creative steamed dumpling. One of the few dishes, not percolating in spiciness. Finally, we had a chicken Sichuan hotpot boiling over an open flame vessel. The pungency of Sichuan peppercorns proffered citrus-like flavors and induced a tingly-numbing sensation in the mouth as a ultimate send-off for the remaining few who haven't already broken down from the piquant and zesty dishes prior.

Adventures in Asia - Part III

2nd night in Hong Kong
With limited nights to spare, I set out for the world famous award winning Taiwanese dumpling house, Din Tai Fung, in Tsim Sha Tsui. A must stop dining venue, as the only one in the U.S. is in Los Angeles. As usual, the wait to be seated is a minimum half hour. However it's well worth it, as the food does not disappoint! Wetting your palate to start is a refreshing, moist and tender, perfectly deboned Drunken Chicken, served cold. Hints of Chinese wine tickle the taste buds and alter the senses of those with lesser tolerances. Then moving onward, the main star of the evening makes it's entrance in a hot bamboo basket, the treasured crab-filled steamed pork soup dumplings. Each one, bursting with a rich essence of the sea uniquely of the crab, and pockets of a soupy broth explode into your mouth, as the delicate thin skin attempts to cradle the balance of goodness remaining from the bun. Then there was a Chinese meat sauce with noodles dish, which would be most similar to a pasta with Bolognese sauce. Always interesting to see how each restaurant individualizes their version based on ingredients, spiciness and heat, and noodle type. The edamame beans were an added plus, and again, well balanced and proportioned for a delicious savory treat.

Adventures in Asia - Part II

Day 2 in Hong Kong
After a morning of apparel shopping in the incessant wind-swept rains, I took refuge in yet another gigantic 14 story shopping complex, Langham Place. For lunch, I stumbled upon a prominent, and well-regarded noodle shop on the food court level, Chee Kei. Famous for wonton noodles, and congee, I had to follow suit. Their braised beef belly noodle soup was divine. The broth, ultra-rich and flavorful, a level unlike that of any found back in NY. The meat and ligament ever so tender, even the toothless could gobble it up. An added bonus was the chinese turnip, which lended an extra sweetness to the picture, also carefully braised at length. Their crab congee is also a well known dish, as well as a best seller. There is a fresh, whole crab within each order. The aroma and sweetness that the crab and it's roe lends to the congee only enhanced the perfect consistency of porridge. Hot and steaming, thick but just viscous enough to be smooth, a hearty, somewhat salty and fragrant rice "soup", melded with hints of poignant yet complementary flavors from the julienned scallions and ginger dispersed throughout. A rewarding dish for those with patience.

Adventures in Asia - Part I

First stop: Hong Kong, a.k.a. "Gourmet's Paradise" or "World's Fair of Food"
Made it into HK right before the typhoon hit, so quite fortunate there. I have always found HK seafood to be of the freshest and highest caliber, and immediately decided on Miso, a Japanese sushi bar, located at the Gateway Arcade, at Harbor City. Aside from their modern and immaculate flair, this place truly understands the art of presentation which is only underscored by their perseverance to bring the most liveliest (in some cases, legs still wriggling on your dish) and freshest food straight from out of the tank. I prefer some items more thoroughly cooked. Lobster was the special of the evening, and I had mine grilled. Also had crab claw/leg, which had an interesting infused charcoal scent imparted by the grill. With a front row seat, I find the most amusement in watching the master sushi chefs arranging their bowls and platters behind the counter, order after order.

Finally, to top it off for dessert, I indulged in a cool almond tofu, shape in a ring, suspended in a moat of melted green tea ice cream, topped with a scoop of black sesame seed ice cream and a crispy, nutty wafer for contrasting texture. It was simply irresistible!

Return of the King

Spent an evening revisiting an old friend over the long holiday weekend. By that I mean, the one and only, The Waterfront Crabhouse, which just reopened it's doors less than a month ago. Definitely a favorite restaurant on my list, this venerable, and quirky place is situated right along the edge of the East River, yep, you guessed it, by the waterfront, in charming Long Island City. Upon entering, there is still an air of charred smokiness, no doubt remnants of the fire that had shut it down in the first place. The integrity of it's menu however, was not blemished nor were it's dishes, which remained intact and enticing as ever. Going with their King Crab Legs, scampi style, I knew they did not miss a beat. Steamed then broiled, it's simply delicious. The generous portions and mouth-wateringly fresh, meaty yet delicate textured protein held within a spiny case, yielded a subtle unmistakable aroma, screaming fresh from Alaska.

There's always something serene and pacifying about the waterfront. It is quite mezmorizing especially as the sun sets and the azure skies give way to crimson pillowed clouds. And for a moment, you forget about the chaotic, hurried pace of city life.

Summer BBQ's & Grilling

It would be sacrilege to pass through summer without making it to at least one BBQ. Of course any long weekend is excuse enough to throw one. Grilling meat over an open flame has always been a pastime dating back to our primal ancestors, Mr. Caveman. After urging my dad to fire up his behemoth shiny stainless steel gas grill, which has sorely been underused over the past few years, just take a look at these perfectly seared chicken wings - the texture of the skin is exquiste, crispy, rich in tone, and doneness, complete with the requiste grill marks. The interior flesh, most importantly, cooked through, succulent, moist, and abundantly bursting with flavors of a garlicky soy marinade.
Not to be outdone, these Bone-In Rib Eye Steaks were amazingly tender, with a signature pinkness in the middle, done medium rare, left to continue to cook in it's own copious jus. This is the ultimate steak for grilling - juicy, and well-marbled. Remember, fat is your friend when it comes to great grilling!

Happy 4th of July

Independence Day. We celebrate with a pyrotechnics show of our own. A nice refreshing Tropical Sunrise, for a beautiful sun set.

Appetizing Appetizers

Always a crowd pleaser at any brunch or dinner party, you cannot go wrong with Spicy Crabcakes and a Chipotle Mayo dip. Here, it was garnished with oven roasted asparagus as a first dish. Crispy yet delicate panko encrusted, double sided, pan-seared, lump crab meat melded with minced jalepenos offering a nice hot kick to tingle the tongue and senses. Anyone up for seconds?

Pass the wasabi please

For friendly, fun-loving, fresh fish fans/fanatics finding a feast...look no further than Ginza. A favorite frequented by foodies for fluke to fatty tuna, and a hidden gem in Queens, arguably the most delicious sushi around. They literally have over a hundred different specialty rolls. A personal favorite is their "Where is Charmine?" roll - eel, soft shell crab, spicy mayo, top with crab meat.

Just out of the oven

You simply can't beat a hot, fresh Cholocate Chunk Walnut Banana Loaf direct from the oven. As an added bonus, your house will maintain an aroma worth salivating over for the next few hours. Baked to perfection, the natural unmistakable sweetness emanates from the over ripened mashed fruit as you slice into the semi-moist steaming center. The chunks and nuts dispersed throughout and atop offer a beautiful, substantive, chewier texture to balance it out.

The familiar and the unfamiliar

The joys of experimentation in the kitchen (when things turn out well!) Taking something common and recognizable and fusing it with ingredients underused in everyday cooking and voila!, we have a savory Dill and Fava Bean Risotto. This starchy dish has a nice buttery texture, and its nutty, grassy aromatic flavors meld into the creaminess and richness of the risotto, impregnated with a chicken stock made from scratch, adds depth and multiple layers of taste. We simply top it off with a shot of parmigiano-reggiano on top. Bon appetit!

Looking for an Eatery on the Whym

It was Father's Day and plans were set to try out Eatery, in the Hell's Kitchen scene on the West side. Unfortunately, a place that didn't take reservations, and a table of 7 was doomed for failure. As it turns out, they recommended we stroll several blocks north to their sister restaurant, Whym, just reopened and renovated, with similar style new American fusion flavors, and more stylish decor, in a less boisterous and chaotic space.


Appetizing appetizers - the Calamari with a sweet chili sauce had a nice zip not overly spicy and somehow, it maintained a nice crispy texture. A Grilled Flatbread with cambezola cheese, gaeta olives, grilled zucchini, charred tomatoes had a slightly subdued blue flavor, tart and salty. Perfect for snacking on!


With our group, we basically ordered one of every entree on the menu, and they delivered with a speedy turn-time to boot! This was a Chipotle Spiked Meatloaf with sautéed spinach, vermont cheddar mashed potatoes, double smoked bacon-mushroom gravy. The subtle smokiness and heat rises from the back of your throat, while the decadent gravy cohesively ties the package together. Comfort at its best. There was also Barbequed Short Ribs with caramelized baby carrots, sweet potato mash. Now that was the epitome of very tender, fall-off-the-bone, braised beef.

"There's always room for dessert." A Banana Cream Pie with caramelized banana, chocolate, caramel, toasted coconut. Pillowy and airy on the top, more fragrant, creamier and resolute in between, and a firm, substantive and hearty crust at the base, entangled by drizzles of sweet deliciousness.

In between breakfast and lunch

Nothing says weekend like waking up and going out for brunch in the city. My sister and I love getting brunch at Norma's, at Le Parker Meridien. We recently introduced my mom to this delicious feast! The wait is normally long on the weekend but luckily we made reservations and were seated promptly.

The portions are huge so we split two entrees and a side between the three of us, which was still too much food. We ordered "Irresistible Banana-Macadamia Nut Flap Jacks" served with Whipped Banana Brown Sugar Butter and "Scrambled Eggs and Bacon Breakfast Quesadilla" with Monterey Jack Cheese, Guacamole and Salsa. The banana flap jacks came with 3 large pancakes filled with fresh banana. I didn't even need to use any syrup. I can't wait to go back!

Hot, fresh baked goods

Ahhh, the anticipation of delicious, sugary sweetness rising in the oven. This night, there is a homemade Strawberry cake. Hot, steamy, irresistible. Plump on the outside, velvety goodness on the inside.

Big Apple BBQ in NYC

Attended this festival for the second year in a row today. The weather really turned out great, as droves of people showed up. My advice, buy the Fast Pass and go with a group of friends, it'll definitely save you countless wait time on those long lines for food. For pulled pork shoulder sandwiches, look no further than Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q. The meat was flavorful, succulent and tender. Just a dab of tangy BBQ sauce, and a side of spicy Southern mustard coleslaw to hit the spot.

Ain't nothing like homemade cooking

Dining in...Success on my first try at Grilled Skirt Steak w/Chimichurri Sauce and Sauteed Brandy Mushrooms


Perfectly seared, done medium-rare, mouth-wateringly juicy and as tender as it looks. This definitely holds it's own against any Argentinian steak house versions I've had.

TGIF!

Just what I need to start the weekend -- the perfect pina colada.