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Small Shops
Soondae at Hankuk Junyuk – Palisades Park
06.29.09 | Permalink | 4 Comments

There are some foods you’ve loved all your life, and some foods you came to appreciate as you got….ahem, older. Growing up, I always ate soondae (Korean blood sausage, 순대), but never with any relish. A bit bland and more loose than a regular German or Italian sausage, it was just one of those things I ate because it was around the house. I was always more fond of the cooked liver that usually comes with soondae. Now as an adult, for some reason, soondae appeals to me. I love the mild earthiness and the subtle richness. Perhaps I’m not only older, but wiser as well. MORE »
Restaurants, Upper West Side
Dinner at Jean Georges – NYC
05.11.09 | Permalink | 3 Comments

Last year, David and I went to Nougatine (Jean-Georges’ more budget-friendly restaurant) for lunch. The food was decent — except for a splodge of old micro basil gunk atop of my grilled squid — and affordable (3 course lunch prix fixe for $24.07), but the entire time I longed to be at Jean Georges next door. Sitting right by the entrance of Jean Georges, I felt like I was sitting at the uncool table while the cool table was just a few feet away. So this year, when the opportunity to take out-of-town guests to a nice restaurant presented itself (Gruezi Alvin and Alli!), I made reservations at Jean Georges. Unlike high school, coolness was just a click and $98 away. MORE »
Chinatown, Restaurants
Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich) at Pho So 1 – NYC
04.13.09 | Permalink | 3 Comments

My usual go-to banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) spot is Banh Mi Saigon on Mott Street. I used to prefer the other popular shop in Alphabet City, but then last summer, I got a severe case of food poisoning one day after eating a banh mi there. After that, I’ve been a bit wary of the place, and have been sticking to the Vietnamese sandwiches in Chinatown. Because trust me, if I got sick, something must have been terribly wrong.

Last week, I got off the N train on Canal Street with a craving for a banh mi, but for some reason, I didn’t want to go above Canal Street. Instead, I ended up wandering down Mott Street when I saw the grand opening sign for Pho So 1 advertising a ten percent discount off all of their Vietnamese sandwiches (take-out only). Banh mis, usually in the $3-$4 range, are cheap as is, but a ten percent discount on top of that was pretty ridiculous. So where some people would be scared of a discount on food in Chinatown, I readily descended into the depths of Pho So 1. MORE »
Small Shops
Jokbal (Pigs’ Feet) at Hankuk Jungyuk‎ – Palisades Park
03.12.09 | Permalink | 10 Comments

Yes, yes, y’all, it’s a post about jokbal (족발), pigs’ feet! If pigs’ feet make you squirm, get over it. It’s delicious. Fatty and gelatinous, it’s good eaten alone, wrapped up in a ssam, or eaten as a bar snack (anju, 안주) with some refreshing soju. Jokbal is made by boiling pigs’ feet in a stock of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and rice wine. It’s then sliced off the bone and served, along with the smaller joint pieces for the brave few to gnaw on. It’s quite a long and tedious process, and many people don’t make jokbal at home. In the US, it’s usually sold at Hmart or Korean butcher shops. When I was little, I remember Ellie‘s mom was one of the few who used to make jokbal. Not only would she make it, she would remove all the meat and roll it up and chill it, which we would then slice, dip in sehwoojut (tiny shrimp brine, 새우젓), and devour after school. No milk and cookies for us! It was good without the hassle of all the bones. Thanks Mrs. P for the tasty memories!

This weekend, I went to visit my parents in New Jersey, and I finally had some jokbal from Hankuk Jungyuk‎ (한국 정육). (Hankuk Jungyuk‎ is a butcher shop on Broad Avenue with lots of prepared foods. The space it’s in also houses Kyedong Chicken (계동치킨), which is similar, but according to my brother, inferior to Bon Chon Chicken. The front of the store actually has two signs in Korean, Kyedong Chicken on the left and Hankuk Jungyuk on the right. Since the same owner seems to own both, for all intents and purposes I’ll be referring to the place as Hankuk Jungyuk.) My mom has been talking about the jokbal there ever since they moved to Palisades Park four years ago, but I’d always been too full gorging on one thing or another to ever try it. This time though, I was ready. Bring on the feet! MORE »
Restaurants
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon – Las Vegas
12.30.08 | Permalink | Comment?

One great thing about traveling is having an excuse to go to a nice restaurant. It’s like, “Hey, we’re in ___________ (enter vacation destination here), we should go to at least one nice restaurant while we’re here.” Basically, it’s just an excuse to overeat. Vacations and holidays are great in that way. I love having a free fat bastard pass. So when David and I were planning for Vegas, I suggested L’atelier de Joël Robuchon. Yes, I know there is an L’atelier in New York, but when are we ever going to go? When we’re at home in New York, it seems too extravagant to go somewhere fancy unless we have a reason. I should really plan a “staycation,” and just enjoy New York one of these days. Perhaps when it’s warmer…

L’atelier offers “counter service” in that you sit at the counter and watch your food being created right in front of you in the open kitchen. This is restaurant theater at it’s best. Robuchon was probably the first to popularize this trend in fine-dining restaurants. Now, everyone does it. I love this concept because it’s fun to watch the dynamics of a kitchen. David likes it because he wants to make sure no one does anything gross to his food. Oh ye of little faith. MORE »
Hell's Kitchen, Midtown, Restaurants
Tacos at Las Poblanitas – NYC
11.10.08 | Permalink | 6 Comments

Las Poblanitas is a tiny hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant with an unbelievably small kitchen that’s usually filled with Mexican guys having a Negra Modelo at all times of the day. I found it last year on the way to Noodles 36 after seeing a man holding a sign for the place on the corner of 38th and 8th Avenue. Yes, show me a somewhat scary nondescript sign for tacos and I will follow.

Soon after, I was going to Las Poblanitas at least once a week for their delicious fried sopes and fresh tacos. Then one day after multiple visits, I got a bad sope that was reheated and served to me when it really should have been tossed out. I guess I should have forgiven then, since it was just one time, but instead, like a spurned lover, I cheated on Las Poblanitas not once but four times. Last week, after swinging by Ying Du to see if the ducks were back (they’re not and should be back next week according to Midtown Lunch), I found myself hungry and near Las Poblanitas and decided to give them another chance. Perhaps still remembering the bad sope from last year though, I decided to go the all taco route and ordered three tacos: Taco De Chorizo, Taco De Barbacoa De Chivo, and Taco De Lengua (3 for $7.50). MORE »
East Village, Restaurants
Halloween Madness at Momofuku Ko – NYC
11.03.08 | Permalink | Comment?

I wish I could share some photos of the gorgeous dishes prepared by the chefs at Momofuku Ko, but as you know, David Chang has banned all photography at Ko. Alas, all I have is a photo of this door, and from the looks of it online, it’s becoming the most famous door in America since Jim Morrison. However, before the ban, several bloggers posted their pics, so google away, or just look here or here. So in this post, instead of relying on photos, I’ll do my best to describe my meal at Momofuku Ko with the power of WORDS. Yes, I’ll be getting down and dirty with the alphabet. MORE »