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.