LESTORYDEFOOD

MOVING

2010-06-29T18:40:00.002-04:00

Will be blogging from www.lestorydefood.wordpress.com temporarily! Gotta change the domain. What do you think?

Food Baby Fun

2010-06-28T21:45:00.001-04:00

Travel and Leisure compiled a list of the 100 Best City Restaurants in the world. I was eager to see what they listed for my "homes," New York, Paris, and Hong Kong.

Noteworthy in New York
Aldea: yummy tasting menu
Locanda Verde: why?
Má Pêche: if it's anything like Milk Bar...
Maialino: yessss!
Marea: on my to "eat" list for ages now
Torrisi: in my belly, now!

ALSO! Restaurant Week Summer 2010 is here. July 12 - 25. Make your reservations now!

BK DAY

2010-06-27T02:27:00.005-04:00

BK DAY aka Brooklyn Day aka Manhattanites-need-to-get-over-themselves Day. This day has long been in the works for Kevin and I. He is a devout Brooklyn lover, and I rarely go past 14th Street. Thus, we decided that my being an ignorant and snooty Manhattanite was no longer something either of us could overlook anymore. We planned a day for all of our mutual friends (aka the Lam fam) to become a little more Brooklyn-cultured. We didn't quite have the turnout we'd expected, but this made logistical coordination a little easier.

The verdict? One of the best days I've had all year. Friends. Gorgeous weather. Delicious food. Down-to-earth environment. Fun activities. Not one siren. Our original plan was Lucali (best pizza in Brooklyn?), Brooklyn Boulders (rock climbing warehouse with music and hot Colombian men), and finally, Coney Island. We deviated from our plan, but it ended up being a perfect day.

So here's the story...

Rich picks me up in his hard-top convertible (yummy). I jump in the backseat behind Todd alongside Teresa. We just cruise. By cruise, I mean stop at every other red light until we hit BK. Our first destination, Lucali, was closed at 1:30 PM on a Saturday! HUH? The ripped up sign hanging on the door said that they're only open after 6 PM Wednesday to Saturday, closed Tuesday. They must be really good if they can turn away business like that.

Oh well! We went to Café Luluc a few blocks away on Smith St., Carroll Gardens most lively street. I noticed that the restaurants and bars are relatively small and have a strong sense of community. Café Luluc was designed to be a typical French bistro with stained mirrors, French doors (duh), old pictures, wooden seats, and blackboard specials. Their brunch menu is pretty standard: omelets, eggs benedict, french toast, pancakes, yogurt, and fruit. Chicken paillard, croque monsieur, and pain au chocolat also grace the menu to give Café Luluc an authentic Frenchness. They also have some latin flavors in the form of pulled pork sandwiches and grilled mahi mahi with guacamole and salsa.

Our food took a long (bad word) time to prepare, but we were happy with everything once it reached our bellies. The food was good, but nothing to write home about. Todd's turkey burger was to blame for the delay, but I heard it was worth the wait. My eggs benedict and Rich's calamari salad were fine. Kevin's pulled pork sandwich and Teresa's steak sandwich were very good. The side of fries were thin, crispy, and salty...just the way I like them. We shared pancakes as a table, which reminded me of Café Centosette's in that they were almost muffin-like, extra toasty on the outside, and fluffy on the inside.

We went to the Zombie Hut, Brooklyn's most notorious tiki bar, after brunch to watch the rest of the US vs. Ghana game. What a heartbreaker, huh? Anyways, this bar is adorned with bamboo and colorful pictures. Most importantly, however, it is blessed with a strong A/C unit (unlike Painkiller). The bartenders are friendly for a change (*cough* Manhattan). There's a huge courtyard in the back perfect for large groups, summer weather, and fruity cocktails. I definitely need to go back, especially since it's only 4 stops from me on the F.

Kevin, Teresa, and I left Rich and Todd to their own devices and headed towards Brooklyn Boulders for an intense hour of rock climbing. Carlos, our Colombian rock climbing expert, was refreshingly charismatic and funny. Language barriers are always fun btw. We didn't sign up for the class, but instead decided to free climb without belays. All those years as a competitive swimmer? Hah, means nothing. Our arms felt like jelly within 10 minutes, and our hands are absolutely ruined for the next few days.

An hour-long session of beginner rock climbing equated to hunger. We returned to Smith St. and ate next door to Café Luluc at Verde. The restaurant is warm and intimate. The industrial look wasn't too overdone since the candles balanced everything out. However, our meal was disappointing. Ugh, Smith St, I expected more from you!

My seafood salad was a little under-seasoned but incredibly fresh. The calamari and shrimp were crisp. If only the cook squeeze one more lemon over my little sea creatures my dish would've been perfect. The pasta in Teresa's shrimp and scallop spaghetti was overcooked, and the cream sauce was not at all "light" as described on the menu. It just seemed messy to me. Kevin's orecchiette with chick peas and prosciutto in a garlic oil sauce was decent but nothing special. The "prosciutto" actually seemed to be pancetta, which is never a problem in my book.

The tiramisu I had been craving since we sat down was anticlimactic. The cream tasted a little sour and the coffee flavor was nonexistent. My accompanying espresso was also dinkier than usual. I literally had half a sip worth of espresso in my baby cup. Regardless of the food, our server was delightful and sweet. He knew how to make up for the lackluster grub. Verde looks the part, but there needs to be some drastic changes in the kitchen if the restaurant wants to make it.

Our last stop in BK was Blue Marble Ice Cream. What an adorable neighborhood ice cream parlor this is! My mini marble cup of vanilla ice cream was exactly what I needed to forget Verde's tiramisu. And mini means mini. My scoop was probably only 2 inches in diameter, but that's all I could eat. Mmm! I can attest to Blue Marble's success now. Their "farm fresh" organic ice cream is extremely creamy and smooth. The flavors are strong too. No cut-rate feebly flavored ice cream here! No sir! We ended up chatting in the shop for over an hour. That's the power of ice cream.

Sat in the kiddie section the entire time

So that was my perfect day BK Day. And yes, I think a little part of me has fallen in love with Brooklyn, particularly Carroll Gardens.

Are We In Puerto Rico?

2010-06-25T21:14:00.002-04:00

Haven't done a girl's night out/dinner in a long time. The ladies and I wanted to keep it very low key so we found ourselves at Casa Adela in Alphabet City yesterday. Bova, Christine, Daisy, and I were feeling the heat, so logically, we decided to go somewhere even hotter than the weather outside. Casa Adela is nothing too pretty, but you feel like you're in San Juan (never been). It's a whole-in-the-wall restaurant with employees lounging at the tables (literally taking a nap). The tables are covered with a clear plastic "tablecloth" and the banquest-style chairs make this place look authentically homey.

The menu is simple and cheap! All the entrées come with rice and beans OR salad and plantains. Each of us decided to go with the unbelievably fluffy yellow rice and delicious black beans.

Bova's roast pork was very juicy and savory. Christine's rotisserie chicken was a little too dry but very tasty. Love the skin! My cod...mmm...I understand fish is fishy, but this was fishy. This kind of fish was cooked from a dried fish, hence the extra salty and fishy flavor (had no idea). The menu definitely sold this dish by mentioning tomato sauce, onions, potatoes, olives, raisins, and garlic. Doesn't that sound amazing? Well...it wasn't.

Best part of the meal? Sweet plantains (maduros)! Paladar and Casa Adela have equally amazing plantains, both the best I've ever had (even considering Costa Rica). These glorious babies were completely melted to a golden hue. The bottom sides were a little crispy and the other sides were fluffy and silky.

The people working there are very polite and hospitable. All smiles and genuine interest in feeding their customers. We collectively decided that this place is our new go-to spot. SO good. SO cheap. SO relaxed.

5th and Avenue C (my new favorite street in NY).

Milk Bar, Get Over Yourself!

2010-06-24T01:58:00.002-04:00

I'm so tired of Milk Bar. Yes, I'll be the first to admit that I was completely consumed by the sheer novelty that Milk Bar virgins typically experience. I was brainwashed by the powers that be--David Chang and the Momofuku brand--to believe that their crazy pies, too-tall cakes, "compost" cookies, and rarely appealing soft serve flavors were futuristic; and therefore, delicious. This is no more the case. I'm a free woman!

Fine, there were some highlights in my romance with Milk Bar. There was that Horchata soft serve they had during the holidays, the chocolate malt cake, and the Salty Pistachio soft serve. But what else?

Crack Pie = nasty
Blueberry Cookie = tastes like vomit
Cereal Milk Milkshake = vomit, again
Cantaloupe Honey = decent vomit
Compost Cookie = what a nouveau cookie, but it's the chocolate that does anything

Last trip to Milk Bar with Chris on Wednesday, June 23, 2009

Everything is too heavy and too cool for its own good. I always make a trip to Mud afterwards for some cleansing green tea. And can your counterpeople smile for a change? ADIOS!

Brussels Sprout Pizza? Only at Motorino's

2010-06-24T01:42:00.005-04:00

Hola! Today I had dinner with Chris. This was unusual since we usually eat brunch together on the weekends. I decided to try Motorino's East Village location (the original is in Brooklyn). It's arguably the "Best Pizza on the East Coast" according to Rachael Ray.

Motorino's East Village location is tiny! I believe Chris counted approximately 38 seats, which might not be too measly compared to other restaurants in the area. The crowd is young, hip, and full of energy. The lights are very dim. The space is cozy and warm. The marble tables and wooden seats and benches are down-to-earth, yet mindful of New Yorkers' tastes. The servers are relaxed and dressed in black t-shirts. Essentially, it's an inviting restaurant.

Originally, I had only wanted to order 2 pizzas. Chris tricked me into ordering 3 pizzas by adding a 4th one to the mix to get me to "compromise." Tricky tricky. I'm sure half a pizza would have been enough to fill me up. Ugh Chris...

Firstly, let me just say that Motorino needs to get some new knives or change their pizza recipe (probably the former). I was having the hardest time cutting my slice into bite-size pieces with their dull knife. I also didn't want to be holding my slice up in the air aiming the melting cheese in my mouth like a freak. Oh the obstacles of life!

OKAY! Now that that's out in the open... Our first pizza was the Brussels Sprout pizza with pancetta, mozzarella, garlic, and pecorino. Chris was not loving the idea of brussels sprouts near any kind of pizza, but by the time it got to our table and into his mouth, he was sold (if only until the other 2 pizzas arrived). Thank goodness for pancetta, because that stuff makes everything taste great. It wasn't too fatty either! The brussels spouts were chopped up and thinly spread across the pizza giving every bite a little crunch (mmm). The cheese wasn't overwhelmingly thick or greasy, but it added to the gooeyness that was our undercooked crust. For some reason, the bottom of our pizza was mushy. I don't think that's how any pizza should be, but perhaps the pizza man was trying too hard to impress us with his thin pizzas. I just don't know. Regardless, taste-wise, Motorino rocked this pizza.

Our second pizza was the highly touted Sopressata Piccante. That was the first pizza every employee recommended. This was Motorino's version of a truly delicious and finger-licking amazing pepperoni pizza. As my favorite pizza, it warmed its way into my stomach by having an unbelievably perfect crust, fresh tomato sauce, fresh mozzarrella, and spicy sopressata (pepperoni). Unlike the Brussels Sprout pizza, this one was baked to perfection. The red sauce tasted so fresh and light. So tomatoey. The sopressata was the star of the show, because it packed a punch of strong savory flavors in a few slices.

Our last pizza was the White Pizza from the specials menu. This was Chris' favorite, but he has no idea what he's thinking. The crust was just as good as the Sopressata's. The few sprigs of basil and the delicate slices of prosciutto were yummy. But between the crust and the prosciutto, there wasn't much going on. The cheese was sparse if present at all. I just became very bored with this pizza, especially on the heels of a crunchtastic Brussel Sprout pizza and a spicy Sopressata pizza.

Based on this meal, I can't accurately claim Motorino as having the best pizza on this island (as if my words are worth gold), but I can vouch for it's very very good pizza.

Tishes Dishes

2010-06-22T01:21:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday was gorgeous. Hot, but gorgeous. After laying out in Central Park for a few hours with Rach, Kate, Jeff, Tishelman, and Greg, we decided to make dinner together. But nooooooo! Make no mistake. This was no ordinary dinner. We each went home after the park, showered, deeply contemplated our culinary endeavors, and executed them to the best of our abilities. Tishelman was in charge of the important stuff. He doesn't kid around. He made chicken fajitas and cheese nachos, which were so clearly "touched by Jesus aka Moses aka Allah aka Buddha." I made my world famous guacamole. Rach made some very light and delicious pasta salad. Pattycakes brought his mom's banana bread and sold it as his own.

We ate dinner outside on Jeff and Tishelman's luxury rooftop in Gramercy. B-A-L-L-E-R status.

New York summers are so much fun!

Portuguese Delight: Aldea

2010-06-22T00:50:00.006-04:00

Mes amours,

Happy Monday! Summer is supposed to be time for maxing and relaxing, but thus far, mine has been extremely eventful. I’ve been running from work to family dinners to World Cup parties to birthday dinners to New Jersey to NBA Playoffs failures to rooftop dinners (“Tishes Dishes”) to Central Park, and finally, home to sleep for a few minutes. You get the picture.

Last week was an incredible food week, keywords: Aldea, Paladar, Big Wong, Parigot, Thai Son, Brinkley’s (Working Girl Lunch Series 2), Lady Mendl’s, and Paris Sandwich. My favorite meal of last week was the 6-course tasting menu at Aldea. My brothers and I took our dad out for a belated birthday feast/Father’s Day. All three of us forgot his birthday again (an annual trend), so we had to make this meal special. FYI, the entire table has to order the tasting menu unless you’re ordering à la carte.

I’ve been dying to try Aldea for a while now, especially having worked next door for so long. However, my first impression of the restaurant was right when it opened last year. I was working at BLT Fish, and a couple ran to the bar looking famished and frustrated (yay! fun). They told me they had eaten next door and that the food was terrible (but it looks so pretty to eat). Fast forward a few months and I’m getting rave reviews for Aldea from all my trusty sources, including Andrew.

It’s Tuesday night. The wait staff is sharp. The room is gently lit and almost tranquil. No white tablecloths. No pretension.

Our first course comprised of two mini dishes, a Tomato-Cherry Gazpacho and an Oyster. I don't normally like gazpacho, or "cold soup" in any form, but this was so light that it didn't remind me of cold canned tomato soup for once. I actually enjoyed it. The gazpacho had an almost foamy consistency, which might off put some people (including me). The flavors were so delicate. The tomatoes were not very acidic and almost fruity (yes, I know it's a fruit but super confusing one).

The accompanying oyster was a complete 180 from the gazpacho. This was the oyster of all oysters. Originally, I thought I could only like West Coast/Gulf oysters, but this one changed my life. I wish I knew what type of oyster it was, but I'm guessing it was from the East Coast. It was briny and so delicious. It was smaller and less jiggly (for lack of a better word) than bigger oysters, which was perfect for the light gazpacho. So perfect. This amuse bouche REALLY amused my bouche (hah).

The Foie Gras "Mi-Cuit" was a real generous piece of foie gras with birch beer gelee (wtf?), peanuts, and cocoa nibs. I don't know what any of this stuff is either. You could definitely call it inventive and even experimental. The cool foie gras went perfectly with the buttered toast and cocoa nibs. Still not sure what purpose the birch beer gelee served, but it didn't make anything taste worse. The cocoa nibs gave the foie gras a dark, chocolatey element. And as you food babies know, I adore dark chocolate.

Our next course was Octopus "a la Plantxa," which was grilled octopus with a squid ink lemon purée and chickpeas. This octopus wasn't tough at all, but it wasn't the most tender grilled octopus I've ever had. The squid ink lemon purée was salty and tangy. Very delicious! I wouldn't go with the chickpeas though. Too thick and similar to octopus for its own good.

The Monkfish Cheek Stew was much better than I'd expected. I don't really like "poor man's lobster." It's too tough and doesn't compare at all with the taste of many fish and lobster. The stew consisted of littleneck clams, potato, fennel, and saffron. Personally, I don't really like fennel. It reminds me way too much of licorice. I definitely tasted a hint of it in this dish. The stew made the monkfish very moist and soft, which isn't how I typically eat monkfish. Saffron gave this dish its red hue and some subtle spice.

Here's a picture of a monkfish. Gross! Never eating it again.

My favorite dish of the night! Arroz de Pato! Rice with duck confit, chorizo, olive, and duck cracklings. Yes, yes, yes, and yes. If you cook anything in its own fat I guarantee I will like it. I called this dish Portuguese Fried Rice. The duck was cooked perfectly. So incredible. Medium-rare, juicy, mouthwatering. The epitome of duck. Look at it this arroz. It's definitely not some Chinese fried rice (which we love).

This icy treat tasted like a mojito. It's meant to cleanse the palette and prepare you for the next dish. I tIt did just that with a mini-scoop of lime-mint sorbet.

And last but not least, a Banana Custard Brûlée with caramelized rice, lemon, and chickory ice cream. This little fellah came out of nowhere. The banana custard really tasted like a creamier version of a real banana. The caramelized rice and lemon were definitely winners with me. And the chickory ice cream...well, what the hell is chickory? I still don't know even after a heavy session of Google. Doesn't matter. It was damn good. I'm craving it right now.

Every course was beautifully presented and very intricately prepared. Aldea is a simple looking restaurant with very sophisticated and complex flavors. The wine list looked great too, but you know me (ultimate lightweight). The chef's tasting menu wasn't too expensive either. $80/$120 (with wine) per person. Go eat go!

DELICIOUS ALERT! Ruby's Whalays Burger

2010-06-15T08:08:00.000-04:00

A burger with pineapple, beets, and a fried egg. Yes, I would be drooling in confusion now too. Soo (@sooeypooey) and I shared this wonderful burger last Friday at Ruby's, an Australian restaurant. This was my second time since Rich, Teresa, and Mel invited me to their f-work lunch date a few months ago. I love Nolita (btw).

On Ruby's website, they describe their service as "signature." HAHAHAHA! We had near terrible service, but it was worth the food!

I don't usually like ground beef, but I felt that Whalay's Burger would be very different. It was insanely delicious! Divine. The ground beef, pineapple, beets, fried egg, tomato, and panini/baguette come together beautifully in Ruby's creation. If this is Australian food, then I plan on finding myself an Australian husband. Perhaps Curtis Stone? Mmm, yummy.

Try it!

Side note: Check out Soo's beautiful, self-designed nail art.

Big Apple BBQ

2010-06-15T07:46:00.002-04:00

Last week, EVERYONE was hounding me about going to the Big Apple BBQ. Did you guys think there was any chance I wasn't going to be there? And if you weren't, here's a recap...

I wasn't one of the avid foodies that showed up at 10 am for the nationally renowned BBQ. I had lunch plans with my grandma and Jon at Amazing 66 Restaurant, so I showed up to the BBQ at 3 pm already full and smelling of wonderful Chinese food. There were so many people at the event, which I heard was much bigger than last year. I was so happy to see people outside on a beautiful day enjoying great American food. There was so much culinary love in the air!

I impeccably timed my arrival to coincide with where my friends were situated on the Mexican corn line in front of Tabla. I know that Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group organizes this event, but why did their Indian restaurant have to do an overly cheesy Mexican-type corn? The cheese tasted like parmesan and covered 99% of the kernels. This might have been fine had we not been under the sweltering sun sweating the hell out of our skin. The yellow corn was grilled nicely. But it wasn't exactly as sweet and crunchy as I like my corn to be, which is more characteristic in white corn. (Sorry, no picture. It was too hot!)

Emily and I did our rounds and decided to try Rack & Soul's Baby Back Ribs and Baked Beans. There were many vendor's selling St. Louis style ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, brisket, and beans beans beans, but we were in the mood for something succulent, yet not too rich. The ribs weren't mind-blowing by any means, but they were very smokey, sweet, and tangy. Texture-wise, not too great. The meat didn't melt off the bone into my mouth as I had imagined it would. I'm sure eating in the actual restaurant would have enhanced quality control. And remember, I had already eaten lunch with my grandma! Ohhh, the lengths I'll go for all my food babies. Obviously, I love doing this "research." Rack & Soul is located on the UWS, so it might actually be worth the trek up there one day.

While we were eating our ribs, we noticed the long line in front of the Stubbs BBQ caravan. We later found out that the people were lining up for free food. So what did we do? Yup. Stubbs BBQ was avidly promoting their line of sauces by giving out free sloppy joes. These weren't ordinary sloppy joes made with ground beef (you already know how I feel about that). The chunks of meat actually seemed like chopped steak. I'm not sure what kind of sauce they used, but it seemed like a honey BBQ sauce with an extra kick. The chopped sausage on the side was boring.

The Big Apple BBQ was a bustling heap of smoky fun. The food wasn't outstanding (at least the things I tried), but I hope next year I'll make better decisions. There will be no lunch with grandma (better luck next time, grandma).

Tartinery

2010-06-13T23:52:00.004-04:00

Yay!!! I can cross Tartinery off my "To Eat" list. See? I'm working hard out there for all my food babies.

Tartinery was splendid. I've walked by this restaurant many times during my lovely Nolita nighttime strolls, and I've always wondered what people could do with bread (i.e. croutons, soup bowl, french toast, tartines, dinner rolls). I loved tartines ever since I tried one in Paris last February and fell in love with the open sandwich concept. It's so genius to me! You save one piece of bread and enjoy the same flavors.

After some banter with my friendly French server, I decided on the highly recommended Minute Steak ("Steak Minute" in French) Tartine with caramelized onions and whole-grain mustard. It was phenomenal. The mini filets were incredibly juicy and tender. After my first bite I had to text several foodie friends of mine about my happiness. The whole-grain "old-style" mustard wasn't spicy. Rather, it was very tangy and sharp. The sweet and tangy mustard complimented the sweet onions, which highlighted the earthy micro greens and satisfied my mouth! Oh! And the bread is apparently flown in from somewhere exotic. I heard the people next to me talking about it. I thought it was a little overtoasted and more resembled grilled bruschetta bread. There are so many other kinds of tartines I want to try! Mmm, foie gras tartine.

Here it is! Look at this beauty.

And look at the advertising I did for LSDF! I got creative in Tartinery's blackboard-walled bathroom.

Locanda Verde... Missing: Ambiance, Service, Taste

2010-06-11T02:08:00.007-04:00

FINALLY ate at Locanda Verde for Emily's birthday. I've been trying for so long to either get a reservation, coordinate with friends, or actually get my bum to Tribeca for quite some time. First thing you notice about Locanda Verde is how busy it actually is. Our reservation for 6:15 pm (relatively early) saw a herd of humans at the sexy bar. I could hardly get past all the tall, preppy businessmen to go downstairs for the ladies room.

(Sorry for the terrible pictures. I didn't want to be rude in a place so busy!)

The restaurant is beautiful but not exactly warm and inviting. There's a lot of wood and metal going on everywhere. The mix of dark colors and indirect lighting gives the dining room a romantic-but-not-trying-too-hard kind of feeling, which is appropriate for dates, business dinners, and really, anything. I was surprised how cold the restaurant seemed, and I'm not talking about the temperature. I guess the light rain had something to do with my mood, but I didn't feel relaxed in this restaurant. And you know me, at a good restaurant, I'm in my prime.

It didn't help that our server was semi-blunt and didn't smile once. Even at McDonalds, I can usually get a smile with my happy meal. So if I'm paying $70+/person per meal, I better get some sort of delight, charm, or wit. To be fair, she answered all our question and took down our order correctly. However, she took forever to get my black coffee (just pour it into the cup), and I was three-quarters of the way through with my dessert by the time it got to our table. And NO ONE messes with me and my dessert...

Okay, let's get to the food. Emily and I ordered a lot of items on the menu, but it didn't turn out to be too filling. The restaurant is all about family style. So am I!

For appetizers, we ordered the Lamb Meatball Sliders (very popular). These meatballs were very cute. I can see why they would do well on the menu, especially with all the business-types at the restaurant. There really wasn't a distinct lamb taste (good thing) or any special flavors for that matter. The slider bread had a hint of sweetness, and the pickle really gave this slider any taste at all. The meatball was very greasy. I had oil running down my hands from holding the slider up to my mouth. Perhaps I had them on an off-night in the kitchen, but I wouldn't order them again.

We also shared the Burrata, my favorite dish of the night. Burrata is an Italian cheese that reminds me of watery poached eggs. It was very creamy and resembled mozzarella. The eggplant was cooked in a very flavorful mixture of tomatoes, garlic, onions, and olive oil. The incredibly soft cheese was both heavy in the creamy flavor and light in its chilled, egg white-like texture. Together, the burrata and eggplant "calabrese" was phenomenal: a little spicy, salty, peppery, olive-y, basil-y, and a lot more -y words. Think of eggplant Calabrese as Italian ratatouille.

We shared two pastas: My Grandmother's Ravioli and Slow-Braised Veal Pappardelle. My Grandmother's Ravioli was definitely not cooked by my grandmother. Because even being an ancient Chinese woman, my grandmother could probably make better ravioli than Andrew Carmellini, chef de cuisine at Locanda Verde. Emily and I couldn't understand why the ravioli filling was tasteless and dinky-sized. The sauce was quite obviously made from fresh tomatoes, but that couldn't take away from the fact that the ravioli was so bland and pathetic. To this day (it has only been one day...), Emily and I can't figure out what was in the ravioli. It could have been beef, pork, or frog for all we know! The most disappointing part about the ravioli is that it's supposed to be one of the best things on the menu. It really didn't live up to all or any of the hype.

We did better with the Slow-Braised Veal Pappardelle but not much. The meat was cooked perfectly minus one thing: taste. How could such delicious tender meat go to waste because the cook forgot to add something to give it flavor? The sauce was an indescribable plum brown color, thin, and a little gummy. I think the pasta wasn't cooked right, so the sauce congealed. The pappardelle (a flat and wide ribbon pasta) seemed homemade, but unfortunately, it was a little overcooked. Sad, sad day when people overboil fresh pasta.

Our contorni (side) was a Steamed or Boiled Spinach with Fried Chickpeas and Ricotta Salata. The Spinach wasn't properly drained, so the fried chickpeas became soggy very soon after the dish was served. The ricotta salata did nothing for me. I can appreciate lightly-flavored cheeses, but this shredded version didn't do anything for me but add some salty flavors to quell my taste buds. This side dish is so boring. I'm so confused right now.

Dessert was much butter than the entrées. Emily's Banana Walnut Brown Butter Cake was essentially a semi-warm piece of banana bread but a pretty good one at that. I think the cake was over-baked, because it seemed a little dry (especially along the edges). My Ricotta Cheesecake with fresh rhubarb and rhubarb sorbet was quite delicious. The cheesecake seemed to be made of gelatin, but maybe the cheese was just kind of jiggly. The chilled cake was very creamy and rich but no where near close to a Junior's cheesecake. I've never had fresh rhubarb before, but I wasn't very impressed with this fruit. It's kind of crunchy like sugar cane, but you can actually swallow it. The rhubarb sorbet and sauce were very nice. Not too sweet or tart. They complimented the cheesecake very well.

I'm done with Tribeca! Bubby's didn't do it for me, nor did Locanda Verde. Goodbye!!

Gay Ice Cream

2010-06-08T23:38:00.007-04:00

The first time I learned about The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck was when it was parked at 17th and Broadway a year ago. I passed by this innovative food truck hardly giving it a second glance. But the "big gay ice cream" really caught my attention. I was probably coming from a filling meal, which would be the only logical reason why I didn't try it that day. This wasn't the typical ice cream truck that plays annoyingly cheerful music around the 'hood and sells Good Humor ice cream bars, sandwiches, and cones. Although, maybe they should play some "gay" music. Lady Gaga?

I've been following @biggayicecream on Twitter for quite some time in the hopes of running into it at some point. Finally! Today was the magical day. I was coming back from dinner at Caracas and a relaxing East Village walk when I read my latest lestorydefood Tweets and saw that the truck was parked at 7th St and 1st Ave. Conveniently, I was in the mood for something chocolatey and cold.

There was a line already forming when I got there. At that point, the tweet was only out for 7 minutes! The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck is one of the cool kids in the food truck world, and the line was indicative of that. What I really like about this food truck in particular is that the ice cream experts (sounds better than "truck people") are super friendly, conversational, fun, and jovial. There are no angry and sweaty hipsters manning this truck; thus, I shall declare this truck HIPSTER-FREE. It's officially safe for all of you to enjoy a pleasant food truck experience.

I ordered the Salty Pimp. How can I resist something called the Salty Pimp? Here's the good stuff: Vanilla Ice Cream with Dulce de Leche and Sea Salt dipped in Warm Chocolate Sauce. I added some crushed peanuts to my Salty Pimp to bring out the sea salt and add a nutty flavor to the mix. The vanilla ice cream was very light and airy, but I couldn't very well distinguish any vanilla flavor from the soft serve. It's more of an icy base to highlight the chocolate, dulce de leche, sea salt, and peanuts. The Salty Pimp combination was perfection. The chocolate sauce wasn't very thick and overwhelming, but it was a little on the dark side! Yay! The peanuts really enhanced the sea salt and chocolate. LOVE sea salt and chocolate together. Please try the Salty Pimp! Do it for me.

Follow lestorydefood and biggayicecream on Twitter!

Roadfood

2010-06-08T10:58:00.001-04:00

Road trip this summer? Check out Roadfood for some "memorable local eateries along the highways and back roads of America." It doesn't have to be McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, KFC!

Working Girl Lunch Series 1: Nyonya

2010-06-07T00:06:00.003-04:00

This summer, I'm so fortunate to be working in the middle of Chinatown and SoHo. I get lunch time access to cheap Asian food and trendy SoHo spots. This will definitely give me a lot more value for my lunch money. No more subpar Europa sandwiches and soups. Thank goodness! Now I get an envy-worthy selection of Chinese (Cantonese and Shanghainese), Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Thai. Plus, I can pop into any SoHo café or hotspot if I'm on Asian overload.

Nyonya is my favorite Malaysian restaurant in the city. And conveniently, it's also one of the only ones I've been to.

I never eat here without getting the Roti Canai. I think that rule applies to everyone. I call it Asian pita bread. The bread was very thin and crispy. Of course, it wouldn't be right without the greasy outer sheen. The best part about roti canai, though, is the accompanying spicy curry dipping sauce. Not sure why there's always a piece of potato in the curry, but I like it!

I ordered the Chow Kueh Teow, basically stir fried rice noodles with shrimp and vegetables. This was a little disappointing, because I was expecting some pad thai type dish. There probably wasn't enough MSG in my noodles (hah). There was supposed to be some sort of hot chili paste involved, but my taste buds weren't too excited. I think the chow kueh teow was really flavored with nothing too special but soy sauce and oil. (Sorry, no picture.)

Where to next in our Working Girl Lunch Series?

Green Bean and Bruschetta Madness

2010-06-06T22:48:00.002-04:00

This post is a little outdated, but I really enjoyed this meal. So here we go!

Dinner with Soo-young on Wednesday at 'inoteca was filled with green bean madness! We ordered the "Fagiolini" with almonds and oranges with a black pepper vinaigrette. It was summer time perfection: light, refreshing, citrusy, and chilled. Overall, it was a very different kind of salad from what I'm used to. No leafy greens or shrimp in sight! I thought 'inoteca's beans were cooked, yet still crunchy enough to convince you that they were uncooked. The light black pepper balsamic vinaigrette and orange pulp gave the salad some acidity, which was brought down by some nutty almond slices. The salad looks very simple and boring, but the flavors are very appealing for the summer.

I tried to make my own version of the salad by steaming and chilling green beans and tossing it with fresh squeezed orange juice, balsamic vinegar, pear slices, and salted almonds. I definitely overcooked the beans, because they were very soft, but it didn't really destroy the dish. I watched the first NBA Playoff game while noshing on these fab beans. What do you think?

My favorite part of dinner was the gorgonzola and grape bruschetta. LOVE stinky cheese! The gorgonzola came in a creamy form with infused grapes. Thus, the "spread" was tinted green. The gorgonzola taste and smell was tamed by the grapes, so it might be fine for those of you scared of stinky cheese. This was the most inventive bruschetta I've ever had.

My other favorite bruschetta was topped with homemade almond butter. I thought Whole Foods had outstanding "gourmet" peanut butter, but 'inoteca wins hands down. This really was a fancy peanut butter sandwich, minus the peanut and Wonder Bread; plus the almond and baguette. The baguette slices were toasted perfectly. Soo-young and I couldn't get over this little bit of carb heaven: simultaneously crispy and chewy.

We also tried the Polenta and Eggplant Lasagna. Meh... Mediocre? But I remember the lasagna was amazing the first time I tried it 2 years ago! To 'inoteca's credit, the polenta had pancetta (yay). The lasagna was impossibly salty. Better luck next time!

Go to 'inoteca for some light snacks and wine! Relaxing, breezy open space! Perfect for the summer.

COPYCATS!

2010-06-05T12:39:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK MAGAZINE ONLINE COPIED MY "BEST" SIDE BAR SECTION!

Flattered/annoyed, but more flattered.

The Conch Life

2010-06-03T02:07:00.002-04:00

Conch salad. Conch chowder. Conch fritters. Conch curry. Scorched conch. Conch sashimi.

I'm all conched out. HAHA... So, why am I writing about conch? I barged in on a family vacation. The Lam family vacation to be exact. They plan an annual trip to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas (good life). This time, they were stuck with me (thanks Teresa). Back to conchland: their all time favorite culinary delight in the Bahamas is conch salad.

This salad is not your typical salad with leafy greens, nuts, cheese, vinaigrette, etc. The conch really takes over in this one. Consider it a conch ceviche if you will.

Here's how everything comes about:
1. McKenzie (aka Conch Guy) pulls a fresh conch from the seawater (below the shack)
2. McKenzie cracks the shell and pulls out the meat

3. McKenzie cuts off all cartilage and inedible parts

4. Onions, tomatoes, and green Peppers (HOT) are chopped up very well

5. Conch is sliced by "x" formation slashes and chopped up very well
6. Conch and vegetables are mixed up and separated into serving portions
7. Oranges and limes are squeezed over the mixture to cure the conch

8. Enjoy!

Conch is something you'll be hardpressed to find in New York City. The best conch preparation is definitely the conch salad, and the best place to have it is at McKenzie's. Most tourists to the Bahamas probably don't know about this place or have never heard of it, but luckily, I was traveling with some seasoned pros. Might as well call the Lam family half-bahamian.

I'm not sure how they found this place, but it's not on Paradise Island (Atlantis) which requires two bridges to reach (enter/exit). It's actually located right at the foot of the exit bridge, which made it easy for us to climb it without having to spend extra moolah on expensive cab fares (and boy were they expensive).

If you guys ever go to the Bahamas, GO TO MCKENZIE'S.

(Photo Credit: Melody)

Btw, conch is pronounced like "conk." Say that a few times very fast. It's fun (easily amused).

Fine Dining: Indian

2010-05-27T01:25:00.001-04:00

To me, Indian food has always been relatively cheap and traditional. My interest in Indian food started in middle school while I lived in Hong Kong. My best friend happened to be Indian and had a live-in Indian cook (good life). I spent many nights at her house just to be able to savor the wonderful and diverse flavors that her cook would drum up.

Now, Indian food really only exists on 6th St between 1st and 2nd Ave for me; "little India" as many call it. I've been to Raj Mahal and Taj Mahal, but I don't remember which is which. Several things about East Village Indian restaurants that I've noticed are that there are so many imitation restaurants, each with their own bright lights, live band (usually 2 old guys), and cheap prix fixe menus. I've heard rave reviews about Tabla, but thus far, I've been hesitant to try anything other than very affordable Indian food. For me, it has never felt right to spend a lot on gourmet Indian food (unless the ingredients warrant the price), because I've always regarded it as always affordable, accessible, and the same ol' thing every time. I've never had innovative and inventive Indian food before, let alone adding fine dining to the equation.

I completely rebuilt my entire perception of Indian food at Kiran's in Houston, TX (yes, I'm still here). Initially, I was going to take the Hawkins to a typical Indian restaurant (see above). John stepped in (fortunately) and recommended a fine dining establishment. At first, I was weary of how fine dining and Indian cuisine actually fit together. The restaurant very much embodies a classy steakhouse with white table clothes, penguin-suited servers, dark mahogany walls, expensive wine glasses, and an extended wine list. Yup, I checked the sign and we were in the right place.

Our servers, Marcus and Angie, were phenomenal and really constructed our positive experience. Marcus was particularly knowledgeable, anticipatory, helpful, and honest. Most of us were new to Indian cuisine and he guided us through the meal, from recommending to ordering to explaining.

Brooks and I started off our meals with lassi, a yogurt drink that is very helpful in cooling the palette when eating spicy foods. The mango lassi was perfection here, much better than its' 6th St counterparts. I love lassi, because it reminds me of yogurt drinks in China (not Yakult). It's not your typical Yoplait or Dannon. Think American yogurt sweetened and thinned out with whole milk. Perhaps a fro-yo milkshake?

Marcus recommended several appetizers, one of which was their samosas. 4 out of the 5 of us chose crab-stuffed samosas. They were fanciest and most sophisticated kind I've ever had. They were also the most delicious! The skin was extremely thin and fried at the perfect temperature. I kept mentally comparing them to the nasty oily ones I've had in the past stuffed with potatoes, beef, peas, etc. This samosa was stuffed with real crab meat and a good amount of it as well. This little Indian dumpling really threw me away.

As a table, we also shared the Mixed Tandoori Plate, which included a creamy chicken and a minced meat sausage-type thing. So many fabulous heated flavors and textures.

We decided to do our meal family style, so we shared four entrées and two sides.

The Rack of Lamb came out on a stone plate and was cooked very well. Super juicy and tender. The accompanying berry chutney was mildly sweet and tart making for a perfect pairing. The Seafood Curry was my favorite dish because of the creamy coconut-based curry. The shrimp and scallops were very fresh and greatly absorbed the smooth flavors in the curry (unlike a lot of seafood that is incapable of doing so). I particularly love seafood in curry for the sweet and subtle taste of the sea. The Chicken Tikka Masala came highly recommended by Marcus. I really enjoyed the heavily garlic laced sauce with tomatoes and cream. The chicken could have been more tender. However, soaked in a creamy sauce, the buttered chicken was delicious. Lastly, the Lamb Vindaloo we tried was incredibly spicy for my taste, but it was heavy in a hot chili and garlic. The thick brown sauce submerged the lamb pieces. It didn't make for a very visually appealing dish, but that's not a top priority for me.

Dessert was a little culturally anticlimactic, but that may have been due to our rigid decisions. Brooks had the Molten Chocolate Cake, which was was like any other cake of its kind. Unfortunately, the center of the cake was more cakey than molten. I'm always in search of an American version of moelleux au chocolat like those in France. I ordered the Gajar Halwa, an Indian version of carrot cake. However, this version was like a chopped up carrot cake soaked in an Indian spice mixture. It was served with homemade pistachio ice cream which gave the carrot "thing" a nutty component. The flavors were very unique and new to me, but I enjoyed it a lot. Graeme's dessert, Chocolate Samosas, was Kathy's favorite. The samosas were filled with a chocolate ganache and accompanied by a scoop of chai ice cream. I thought the skin could've been thinner like a wonton skin, but the rich chocolate filling was incredibly satisfying for any chocolate lover.

(half-eaten...couldn't wait)

Dinner at Kiran's with the Hawkins was simply the best Indian meal I've ever eaten. I'm very glad that I was able to expand my knowledge of Indian food after this meal. Hopefully none of us will experience Delhi belly!

All you need to make homemade mints: cardamom, crystallized sugar pieces, fennel, and Jelly Belly's

India 2011!

The Brunch We Never Had

2010-05-25T13:13:00.001-04:00

Fantastic Mr. B's Sunday Brunch by Kathy, Christine, and Graeme

Texas Meets Korea

2010-05-25T01:57:00.002-04:00

Who knew Koreans existed anywhere but Korea, New Jersey, New York, and California? Who knew?

My two new favorite people, Kathy and Graeme (Brooks' mom and brother), have never tried Korean food. Houston isn't exactly the epicenter of Korean cuisine either. They've been wanting to try it for a while but never had a semi-experienced Asian person to take them. Luckily, Christine and I found Seoul Garden Restaurant in Spring Branch, Houston, TX. I Googled "Korean BBQ restaurant in Houston," and Seoul Garden was one of the top restaurants that showed up.

Seoul Garden is one of those Asian restaurants in a suburb that is the biggest and the best Korean restaurant around. It's pretty traditionally decorated with a water mill, an artificial river with rocks, a mini bridge, and some oak paneling. It's safe to say that I didn't expect to find Seoul Garden in the suburbs of Houston.

Now, those that have eaten at Korean restaurants might agree that their hospitality is a little rough. I don't mean to generalize, but that has usually been my experience at most Korean restaurants. The servers--short, middle-aged Korean ladies--weren't the meanest bunch I've encountered, but they still might stun some inexperienced Korean eaters.

The banchan (complimentary side dishes) were pretty good, and they kept replenishing our empty dishes. I liked the kimchee, which actually tasted somewhat sweet. It wasn't too spicy or sour, although I wish it had been crunchier. The mung beans, my favorite side dish, were the most refreshing thing on the table. The bean sprouts were wilted (as they're supposed to be), but I like it like that.

Everyone really enjoyed the japchae (KK's favorite), but I thought it was more rubbery than usual. The pajeon (seafood pancake) was "exquisite." Love scallions. Love seafood. The exterior was just a little soft. Maybe another minute in the pan would've given it a more golden sheen.

All the Korean BBQ meat entrées were perfectly marinated and grilled. I was far beyond impressed with the tenderness of the galbi (beef short ribs), bulgogi (thinly sliced beef), and jumulleok (pork). Every piece of meat was marinated so well that you could taste it in the accompanying onions. The pork was surprisingly juicy, which wasn't at all what I had expected (ask Christine about my hesitation). The two beef entrées were my favorite. I like galbi better, because I feel like the hot stone plate will continue to grill the thin bulgogi, which will then overcook the beef as the meal goes on. So by my advice, eat the bulgogi as soon as it reaches your table! I don't know what it is with the meat down here in Texas, but why is it so good? Stop! My pants really don't fit anymore.

We also ordered soondubuchigae, a tofu soup. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it at the Soft Tofu Restaurant in Fort Lee. However, at Houston's Seoul Garden, the tofu was a little too firm. There also wasn't enough soup to go around. In terms of taste, this soondubuchigae was good. Not too spicy or sour (from the kimchee). But it wasn't anything that blew my taste buds away.

Lastly, our groups shared 2 bibimbaps with beef. I LOVE bibimbap, but who doesn't? I think we were all too busy with the dishes that arrived before; therefore, a lot of the rice lining the stone bowl got crunchy. For me, this is the best part, but we may have gone overboard due to the sheer amount of food we faced. By the time we got to mixing the raw egg (now cooked), vegetables, rice, and chili pepper paste, there wasn't too much steamed rice that still remained soft and chewy. Regardless, this bibimbap was very good, especially for first-timers like Kathy, KK, and Graeme.

One thing about Korean BBQ that you can't avoid is the incessant smell that lingers on your hair and clothing after a delicious meal. But that's the tradeoff that's absolutely worth any embarrassment that may ensue.

After dinner, we brought the whole gang to the neighboring H-Mart (Han Ah Reum) to buy some beef marinade (yes, they liked it that much). Kathy was excited to come back for all the fresh seafood and Asian specialty groceries. Graeme and Brooks... Well, I'm sure that they'll be eating Asian food for the rest of the summer. Thank me later!

Yee-Haw!

2010-05-22T05:26:00.006-04:00

Howdy y'all. This past week in Texas has been non-stop action, food, and sun. Our first stop was Brooks' lakehouse in Brookeland, TX. Then we went to San Antonio for the Riverwalk and nearby Schlitterbahn--a water park. Austin and the infamous Sixth St were our last stops before coming back to Houston. Lots of driving... thus, lots of fast food.

I'm eating VERY well in Texas. To summarize the last week, allow me to use some delicious words here: cajun, cornbread, crawfish, étouffée, oysters, Texas BBQ, baby back ribs, mashed potatoes, banana pancakes, fajitas, strawberry shortcake, queso, linguine pescatore, blackberry cobbler, The Breakfast Klub, sweet tea, bread pudding, calamari, gnocchi, and MUCH, MUCH more.

Huge updates coming soon! Some random pictures...

P.S. I'm getting so fat here! I stepped on the scale right when I arrived in Houston last week, and I weighed myself today (a week later). Scary stuff. You don't even want to know.

Home of the Fajita

2010-05-15T00:35:00.007-04:00

As some of you know, Emily, Christine, and I are visiting Brooks in Texas right now. We’ll be here for two weeks. My goals for this trip? Texas BBQ, Crawfish Boil, Gulf Oysters, Ragin’ Cajun, Texas Toast, Tex-Mex, and Sushi.

Last night, Brooks took us to her favorite restaurant in Houston, Ninfa’s. We ate with her parents and family friends. Their Tex-Mex was pretty amazing. I ate enough for a family of 6 last night. That takes skill, endurance, and stretchy pants.

Ninfa’s is actually a local chain restaurant. We went to the “original” Ninfa’s, which is the only one that still makes their tortillas by hand. Two ladies have a table at the restaurant entrance where they roll and press fresh tortillas. I’ve never actually considered non-packaged tortillas before. How jaded.

Kady, our server, has been taking care of Brooks and her family for almost 7 years. She knows exactly what everyone drinks and which appetizers and entrées everyone usually gets. She even has a business card. Legit!

Emily and I couldn’t get enough of their warm, homemade salsa chips with cream sauce and brown chili sauce. That’s basically half of what I ate last night. For some strange reason, the chip bowls were always magically full, and I was eating chips at a rate of 5 chips/minute. Yes, I’m a fatty. Great service!

Their guacamole was pretty good but was missing a little spice or salt or something. I tried to compensate with lime, but I still think my guacamole is the best. J

Our table of 9 shared some very special beef nachos. This isn’t your typical plate of nachos. The beef nachos consisted of fried flour tortillas and beef skirt steak. The thick and perfectly fried flour tortilla chips were covered in “queso.” The skirt steak was very tender and perfectly grilled! The guacamole, sour cream, and peppers were perfect compliments as well.

We also shared cheese nachos. The cheese was super hot and completely liquid right when it hit our table. There were small chunks of ground beef in the cheese. It was accompanied with fresh flour tortilla chips and chopped jalapenos. Is this a good example of Tex-Mex? Warm cheese and flour tortilla chips!

For our entrées, half of us shared beef and chicken fajitas. According to Brooks, Ninfa’s is the “Home of the Fajita”. We’re talking about high-quality fajitas over here. The skirt steak and chicken breast were grilled over onions with peppers, and the homemade soft tortillas were served on the side. The soft tortillas were simply amazing. Super warm and a little crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside.

Ninfa’s was very impressive. Good job Brooks. My first venture into Tex-Mex really set the bar high. I’m sure nothing in New York will ever match up.

Better Than Your Mama's

2010-05-14T01:12:00.000-04:00

Milk and Cookies from Jane

We came here after Tomoe. We're fatties and proud too.

For $7, you can have 3 huge, freshly-baked cookies with a glass of cold milk and vanilla gelato. One bad/mediocre cookie might cost you up to $3, and here, you're getting 3 freshly-baked ones with milk and gelato. OMG.

The best chocolate chip cookie in Manhattan. There, I said it!

Now, proceed to drool...

Tomoe Sushi

2010-05-14T01:07:00.000-04:00

Tomoe Sushi has possibly the best sashimi I've ever had. It's not cheap, but there's definitely value in the super fresh quality.

Firstly, you have to wait on line just to get a table, and there is almost always a line outside. The largest table they'll seat is for 5 persons (squishing). The interior seems very genuinely Japanese. It's a tiny space with various random posters and a sushi bar. Japanese service is typically very courteous and smiley, but here, it's rushed and to-the-point. They're definitely trying to accommodate everyone that's waiting on line outside.

This was my second visit to Tomoe Sushi, and I shared it with my favorite foodie friends: Brooks, James (eh), Jessica, and Christine. It was my last meal in the city for a while. Their sashimi is amazing! I hear from Brooks that the quality is comparable to that of Nobu's, though I've never been there. However, I'm sure there's a bit too much hype about it.

I ordered 2 pieces of salmon sashimi and 1 piece of uni (sea urchin) sashimi. Their serving is actually pretty reasonable. The salmon slices are pretty large. Almost double the size of an average slice. Their uni serving was also VERY reasonable. Typically, you would expect one tiny sliver of sea urchin, but we got 3 or 4 generous slivers per order. Those 3 things totaled approximately $17. Quality, just keep telling yourself that. It's really worth it; otherwise, I wouldn't go back!

(picture from first visit; uni sushi)

Brooks and I shared the Sea Bass Tsukeyaki. Amazing! I knew it would resemble the texture of black cod. It's so naturally fatty and juicy. The menu didn't mention any sauce, but I think it came with a tomato ceviche. It was light, yet acidic and didn't really compliment the fish, because the sea bass didn't need anything. It was perfect!

We also shared the Tempura Udon, which Christine said wasn't "the best [she's] ever had." That's fair. I really like Tomoe's soup base over Udon West's, because it was light and MSG-free. But some of you already know I'm not crazy about Udon West. There's something very strange about their udon. It's not just the fact that it's been packaged for months (or even years). It's unreasonably chewy and rubbery. At Tomoe, the noodles were more doughy and thick. The tempura shrimp and vegetables were good, but I still don't understand why tempura goes in the soup. That defeats the whole point of frying it, right? I'll never understand, but I'll always immediately salvage the shrimp whenever I order tempura udon.

Lastly, I had the Spider Roll. This is one of my favorites, because I love fried soft shell crab. There was way too much soft shell crab filling. I probably shouldn't be complaining about that, but I hate taking two bites per piece of sushi. It gets messy. You know.

(picture from first visit; check out the salmon skin roll, mmmmmm)

Very happy with Tomoe Sushi. I'm forever indebted to Brooks for introducing me to this place. However, I might need to file for bankruptcy just to satisfy my cravings!