The Archives

Announcements, Midtown
Ying Du Closed by DOH - NYC
09.25.08 | Permalink | Comment?

Seems Ying Du has been closed by the DOH temporarily for a few infractions. Is that going to stop me from going back when they reopen? HELL NO! In fact, I’ll be the first one on line. I ate there once four times in one week, and I never saw anything to be worried about. In fact, I’m living proof Ying Du can’t be all that bad. Keep a stiff upper lip, Ying Du, I’ll be hungrily waiting. Damn, now what am I going to eat tomorrow?
DUMBO, Restaurants, Small Shops
Sweet & Savory in Dumbo - NYC
09.24.08 | Permalink | Comment?

On Sunday, David and I were walking around LES, when out of the blue, he suggested we go to the Brooklyn Bridge Park (technically the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park) in DUMBO rather than Tompkins or Washington Square Park, like we normally do on Sundays. The previous week the grass was pretty dismal and sparse at Washington Square, so we hopped on the F train and made our way to DUMBO, looking for greener pastures. MORE »
Chinatown, Small Shops
Rollerblading to Sheng Wang - NYC
09.20.08 | Permalink | 4 Comments

What do you do when your boyfriend forgets your bike at the office and then leaves for a company outing in the Hamptons? Well, first you bitch and moan, because, god damn it, it’s a nice day and you wanted to ride your bike! But then you get over it and rollerblade to Sheng Wang for some freshly hand-pulled noodles.

When you first get to Eldrige Street looking for Sheng Wang, you may initially be confused because it only says Sheng Wang in English at the very end of a awning mostly in Chinese. And if you aren’t Chinese, this will probably intimidate you. Two years ago, after the Sietsema article in the Village Voice about Sheng Wang came out, I decided to go try it out. However, after seeing the awning and the short, but dark steps, down into the subterranean restaurant, I decided to skip it, and went elsewhere. At the time, the fact the name of the restaurant in English was added seemingly as an after-thought, made me feel that they wouldn’t be very welcoming. This time I wanted noodles, and I didn’t care if I wasn’t welcome. MORE »
Announcements, Chinatown, Restaurants
New Posts Are a Comin….
09.18.08 | Permalink | 2 Comments

I have a big project at work these days so I haven’t had time to blog or even sit down to a meal for more than fifteen minutes. As a result, I’ve been eating a lot of Korean ramyun and Chinese lamian (hand-pulled noodles). Tonight I ate Hand-Pulled Noodles with Beef in Hot & Spicy Soup at Super Taste on the way home. It was spicier than usual today, which I don’t mind, but the broth was somewhat less meaty tasting; not as satisfying as usual. Also, they don’t have the little container of snow cabbage on the tables anymore!!! OH GOD, WHY??!!! OK, I think I need some sleep. I’ll have a real post up this weekend.

Super Taste
26N Eldridge St. (nr. Canal St.)
New York, NY 10002
Nolita, Restaurants
Brunch @ Jacques - NYC
09.12.08 | Permalink | Comment?

Croque Madame @ Jacques

Two weeks ago I had a very satisfying Croque Madame at Epicerie Cafe Charbon. (In case you don’t know, a Croque Madame is basically a glorified ham sandwich with a poached egg on top. A Croque Madame minus an egg is a Croque Monsieur.) Prior to that, I had been avoiding brunch places, just because I was sick of the same-ole same ole. I mean how many Eggs Benedicts can you eat in a lifetime? Also, David is now scared of hollandaise sauce after reading Kitchen Confidential. For those who haven’t read the book, Anthony Bourdain writes that hollandaise sauce is a “petri-dish of biohazards” since it needs to be kept at a low temperature (to prevent cooking the eggs in the sauce) and it is never made-to-order. So basically, at a restaurant, a vat of lukewarm hollandaise sauce sits in the back of the kitchen throughout brunch service, breeding germs and bacteria as the day progresses. Personally, this doesnt’t scare me that much. I mean, I’ve never gotten sick from an Eggs Benedict, and because of the high turn-around at New York restaurants, I feel most places will be making more than one batch of hollandaise sauce a day. Someone, correct me if I am wrong. Maybe I trust restaurants too much, but my feeling is, you can’t live your life in fear. I mean puh-leez, I have more things in life to be worried about.

In any case, the Croque Madame at Charbon was delicious and since then I’ve been constantly craving the cheesey ham goodness of a Croque Madame. So last Saturday, as soon as I woke up, I looked online to see where they have the best Croque Madame in NYC. The people over at CHOW recommended Bar Six and Pastis, but being the lazy bastard that I am on Saturday mornings, we made our way over to Jacques in NoLita instead. MORE »
Flushing, Restaurants, Small Shops, Whitestone
Labor Day Fun Outside of Manhattan - NYC
09.10.08 | Permalink | 2 Comments

I was never a big fan of kids until my brother had a baby three years ago. Little Adam was born exactly three years from yesterday, and since then I’ve been infatuated with him. Yes, I love him even though he tells me to go home when I go visit him. Once he even told me to get out of a moving vehicle on the way to the park. Nonetheless, I find him adorable. So when Labor Day weekend was approaching, I rented a Zipcar, and made plans with my bro and sister-in-law, Hannah, to take Adam to the beach. On the night before the day we were supposed to go, I called Hannah to confirm and she said no one wanted to go anymore because they thought there was going to be too much traffic. Can you believe it? I was stood up by a three-year-old! I guess I’m losing my touch with the boys. MORE »
Meme
The Omnivore’s Hundred
09.05.08 | Permalink | 2 Comments

Fried Calamari from Menorca

The Omnivore’s Hundred is the latest meme on the Internet. It was started by Andrew Wheeler of the food blog Very Good Taste. According to him, it’s a list of things “every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life.” By the way, he’s British, as you’ll be able to tell by some of the items on his list (clotted cream tea or black pudding anyone?).

As you’ll see in my version of the list below, surprisingly, I haven’t tried a good number of things, but then again, whole insects and kaolin never had any appeal to me. I think I still fared pretty well. I’m missing twenty-one items out of a hundred, but I’m sure I can get to those items within another month of blogging. By the way, take a look and let me know, by writing in the comments, if there is anything on the list you think should or shouldn’t be included? Personally, I would add xialongbao, chicken gizzards, Peking Duck, and porchetta. The Hostess Fruit Pie I would take off and kick out the door. Horridly crusted and filled with artificial sweetness, this is what gives American foods a bad name. Shame on you Hostess for perpetuating our bad reputation! MORE »