Simon Dining out

Dinner at Cafe China

2012-05-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

Cafe China is a brand new Szechuan restaurant opened at 13 East 37th street..
It was reviewed by New York Time two weeks ago, and got two stars. I wanted to give it a try since, and finally went last nite. When I first walked in, the decor got my attention. It tried to capture the old Shanghai feel. It was unique in the neighborhood. The food itself is somewhat average, not as good as what I expected. And also, maybe due to the fact that the restaurant is new. The waiters seem a little slow, and unprepared. It usually took me a few minutes to get the waiters attention.

Szechuan pork dumpling in chili oil
Not spicy enough, not as good as
Szechuan Gourmet two blocks away.

2046
Grey Goose Pear Vodka, rosemary & juniper berry infused syrup,
lime juice. I love the drink, on the strong side. The drinks here
are tiny with a priced tag $12 each.
Most of the cocktails here are name after Wong Kar Wai's movies. Like 2046,
In the Mood for Love, Chungking Express etc.

Crispy Savory Fish

breaded sole with hot & sour sauce on the side

Mung bean jelly in garlic and roasted peppercorn chili oil
I like this dish, finally something that actually spicy
and was only $5.00

Sautéed String Beans

Tea smoked duck
The favor of the duck itself was tasteful. The only problem was there's no
meat. All I got was fat, and bone. Also, $19 for less then a quarter of duck seem overpriced.


		Soicy Baked Fish- whole tilapia with bamboo shoots, mushroom & cumin. Best dish of the evening, Sharp-tasting, spicy. Fish is tender, and fresh. Love it!!

Sweet Potato Cake
Too greasy

Wine Rice Balls with Sesame and red bean
I didn't taste the wine, and they were not much different than the frozen one
you can buy in Chinese super market. My friend Lynda suggested
perhaps it would have been better if there had been a bit of ginger to bring out the taste of the wine.

Dinner at New Budda Bodai

2012-04-22T08:38:00.001-07:00

New Budda Bodai has relocated at 59-08 Main St Flushing, NY 11355. My first impression was that it was much cleaner and more organized.
The reason I stopped going to the old location was that it kind of looked old and dirty. I am glad they moved.

Crispy Taro Veg Duck
. There's no need to worry about the extra oil
released from the duck meat or be afraid the dish would be too greasy. Because the meat was actually made from tofu skin, and taro. The texture was crispy, not oily. And, since it was lightly fried, it brought out the favor of the Taro. It was tasty enough that I forgot it's not actual meat.

Stir Fried Pea Pod Leaves
Fresh, and not overly salted.

Pan fried Lotus root Cake
Not bad, but a little too bland for me.

Veg Crab Meat with Egg White
This dish is the main reason I go. I simply
love it!!

Dinner at Fu Run Restaurant (Part I)

2012-04-22T07:46:00.001-07:00

I've been wanted to go to this restaurant for a very long time, and I am glad I finally went last night. Fu Run is a restaurant located at 40-09 Prince street, Flushing, NY. It specializes

in Northeast style Chinese food. The food was tasty, and favorable. It's so good that I might go back again in a few days.

Country Style Green Bean Sheet Jelly
A salad with sheets of green bean jelly, cucumbers, pork, carrots, cilantro, wood ear mushrooms. Wonderful appetizer to start with.

Yellow Fish w/ sweet & sour sauce
Love the sauce, not your typical Chinese take out
sauce.

Muslim Lamb Chop
The signature dish of the restaurant.The meat is marinated, braised,
deep-fried and coated in cumin seeds, crushed chilies and white and black sesame seeds. The lamb
is cooked to the point where it easily falls off the bone. Juicy, crunchy, tender, and fatty. Very satisfying. A must order dish in the restaurant.

Muslim Lamb Chop

Dinner at Antibes Bistro

2012-04-16T16:35:00.001-07:00

Back to Antibes Bistro again last week, but what a difference a month makes. I assumed

the restaurant had new management, or simply just a new owner. None of the old servers

were there, and the food was not as good as the last few times.

I had a perky girl as my waitress. She came over to ask how everything is

every five minutes. I believe there's a fine line between being caring and annoying.

Beet And Goat Cheese beet sauce, crushed walnuts, herb salad
This one still maintains the standard as before.

Country Duck Pate caramelized pear, port reduction, aged balsamic
I ended up having two orders of this, because the waitress insisted
she will remember all of the orders without writing it down.
Of course, she made a mistake.

Seared Foie Gras red wine onion marmalade, brioche, port syrup
This used to be my favorite dish, and the main reason for me to go there.
The size of the toast remained the same, but not the Foie Gras. It's smaller, and
was not as delectable as before.

Seared NY Strip potato puree, watercress, maitre d' butter

Chicken Under Brick truffle potato puree, haricots verts, chicken

Pan Seared Tuna saffron parsnip puree, artichoke hearts, caramelized leek
I ordered this medium rare, but it came well done.
Not sure if it was the chef, or the perky waitress's fault.

Australian Lamb Shank white corn polenta , cippolini onion

Dinner at Sapporo East

2012-04-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

Sapporo East is a fine Japanese Restaurant located at 245 East 10th street. This place is very solid, never disappointing me. The price is more than reasonable. In my opinion, it is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Manhattan.

Sashimi Salad tuna & salmon with avocado, lettuce & onion: served with soy onion dressing

Deep Fried Spicy Asparagus asparagus rolled in spicy mayo, crab stick & smelt roe: wrapped with seaweed outside and deep fried
This is a must order dish. Simply "scrumptious"!

Hamachi Kama broiled yellow tail neck

I don't like noodles, so I didn't taste this

Chicken Katsu japanese style chicken cutlet.
Wonderful dish. The outside was crispy but not overly so, and the
meat was still tender and juicy.

Sashimi Deluxe 3p tuna, 2p yellowtail, 2p octopus, 2p salmon, 2p whitefish, chopped white fish mixed with salmon roe
"FRESH"

Dinner at Dohyo

2012-04-15T14:48:00.001-07:00

Dohyo is an Asian tapas restaurant that serves pricey style dim sum. It is located at 570 10th Ave inside of Yotel.

White is the color of the restaurant and it certainly has a feel like dining in a cafeteria. The problem of the evening was the server was always missing in action, so most of the time, the food arrived at the table already cold.

Sake Sangria sangria, sake, fresh fruit
I didn't like it.

Spicy Tuna diver scallop, wasabi, cucumber, scallion
Tasted good, but I think it is hard to messed up this roll.

Grilled Asparagus/crispy poached eggs/xo sauce
My friend ordered this, because personally I never like to order grilled
asparagus when I dine out. Grilled asparagus just doesn't interest me.

But, the crispy poached eggs was dainty.

Shrimp Ceviche yuzu, melon, orange, cilantro, serrano chili
Recommended by the waiter, and I wish I didn't listen to him.
Very watery and shrimps are missing in action here.

Grilled Pork Spare Ribs hoisin plum sauce
Taste good, but in my opinion no different than the one you buy in Chinatown
except the price is three times higher.

Crispy Chicken Wings garlic, teriyaki, sambal
Definitely one of the best dishes of the evening, the meat is tender,
and the seasoning is flavorful.

Steamed Crab Dumplings Alaskan crab, shrimp, yuzu-sriracha sauce
It's ok, and that's all I have to say.

Pork & Foie Gras Gyoza black vinegar plum sauce
I love Foie Gras, therefore this is my favorite.

Pork Belly Bun achiote-hoisin, pineapple escabeche
The bun was cold when served, so I disliked it immediately.
It's an updated version of a roasted pork bun, and also overpriced.
Those two little buns cost around $9.00

Crunchy Wok Fried Okra spicy ponzu
Surprised to see this on the menu, and it didn't disappoint me.
I only wish the server could have brought this to my table a little sooner.

Key Lime Pie
I hated it. There's no pie. It basically was key lime mousse on top of pie crumbs. I had no idea how was I supposed to
spoon up the crumbs.

Dinner at Cafe Istanbul

2012-03-25T06:28:00.000-07:00

I went to a Turkish restaurant for the first time the other night. I was hesitant at first, as I didn't know what to expect. But, I am truly glad I went. The restaurant is called Istanbul located at

1715 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn. When I walked in, I immediately knew I was in the right place for the good Turkish food. The restaurant's family-style atmosphere is very authentic, and on the night I went (a Saturday), my party was the only non-Turkish group I could see. I can't wait to go back again

Menupages review

Yelp Review

Ahtapot Salatasi - Octopus Salad combination of grilled octopus, red onion, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil and dressing

Kalamar Tava - Fried Calamari calamari rings lightly pan-fried
Fried Calamari is a must order dish for me whenever I dine out.
Crispy outside, and the calamari is very fresh and tender. Not those frozen calamari
some other awful restaurants serve.

Karisik Izgara - Mix Grill combination of chicken kebab, shish kebab, meat ball and lamb chop
Love the authentic and the spice of this dish.

Karides Guvec - Shrimp Casserole large shrimp baked in a casserole with mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers, garlic and shredded cheese on top
Another great dish. The tomato sauce is luscious , but not overpowering the
flavorful of the shrimp.

Akdeniz Levregi - Imported Mediterranean Sea Bass exotic, tender and delicious white meat served whole, recommended char-grilled
The best dish of the everything. Simply one word "Excellent"

Dinner at Affaire

2012-03-18T07:45:00.001-07:00

Affaire is a restaurant located at 50 Ave B. It's a restaurant that I will be

sure to stay away from. I would only go again if I were held at gun point,

or I started to hate myself so badly.

The only positive aspect of the the restaurant was the exceptionally good service from the waiter. Perhaps he felt bad that I went there for dinner?

"Buffalo" Style Frog Legs crispy & spicy served with our crispy & spicy served with our two dipping sauces.
Please do yourself a favor, never order this. It's so deplorable that I felt bad for myself after I had a bite of it.

Onion Soup "au gratin" classic with crusty gruyere cheese

Grilled Salmon Dijonnaise served with sauteed spinach, toasted pistachios & dijon sauce.
Well, it did taste like Salmon.

Beef Bourguignon Bread Bowl braised short ribs in a red wine pearl onion ragout.

Lobster Risotto creamy risotto with chunks of lobster meat, aged parmesan & truffle oil.

Rotisserie Half Duck with cranberry sauce & pommes fries.
I am tired of writing how bad the food here.

Profiteroles chilled cream puffs drizzled with warm chocolate sauce and candied almonds.

Creme Brulée traditional vanilla crème brûlée.

Warm Chocolate Cake served with vanilla ice cream & chocolate sauce.

Dinner at ABC

2012-03-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

A.O.C. is a French Bistro located on 314 Bleecker Street New York.

I liked it the first time I dined there. I went back twice, and the charm was completely

gone. Actually, the word is awful.

The second time I arrived at 6:00pm in the evening, and they have already sold out the escargot,

and foie gras. It's totally unacceptable for a French restaurant.

Yelp Review

Friture De Calamars crispy fried calamari served with three sauces
The calamari were not fresh, and the sauce was so bland. BBQ sauce at
MacDonald is more piquant than here.

Assiette De Charcuterie platter of soppressata, sausage, duck pate, seasonal greens and cornichon
It's not bad, but it consists mostly of cold cuts after all. Hard to mess this one up.

Homemade foie gras with apple compote and tartine
I didn't like it, and it is $18. $6 more then Antibes Bistro.

Escargot snails cooked with pastis from marseille, fresh garlic and parsley
Only one word: "Acceptable".

Risotto Aux Legumes arborio rice, truffle oil, mushrooms, vegetables, parmesan cheese, walnuts, aged balsamic vinegar
Best dish of the night, rice is moist and the favor is right on the spot.

Pasta A Le Bretonne fresh tagliatelle with shrimp, clams, mussels, shallots, saffron sauce and organic baby spinach
I like it, although the favor is on the rich side.

Pasta Carbonara fresh tagliatelle, french bacon, ham and cream sauce.

Jarret D’Agneau tender colorado lamb shank cooked with rosemary, polenta and seasonal vegetables
I liked it so much the first time, but now just like everything else in this restaurant, going down hill faster
than a snow ball.

Moules Aux Safran steamed pei mussels in a creamy white saffron sauce

Creme brulee
"Atrocious"

ROSE HOUSE

2012-02-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

Rose House is an elegant place to go for tea in the heart of Flushing. It has a great selection of tea, although is a little on the expensive side. The great ambiance let you forget you actually in Flushing. It's not as tense and crowded as the surrounding.

Dinner at Saint Germain

2012-02-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

I had dinner with few friends last night over at Saint Germain located at 8303 3rd ave, Brooklyn. It's my first time dinning there, and probably my last. I strongly recommended not to go. The food is beyond mediocre, and the waiters all seem had better things to do somewhere than being there to serve. First of all, they only have two choices of appetizers. And they both basically taste the same, one word "Buttery".

Yelp Review

Waited twenty minutes for the appetizers to come, so we asked the waiter for some more bread.
Take a look at the difference, I felt like I have committed a crime by asking for more bread.

Ravioli Au Fromage De Chevre homemade goat cheese ravioli with a portobello mushroom and cognac cream sauce. always need to remember "homemade" not necessary mean good, cause we all know we all have some family members that cook bad.

If you like butter, then this is your idea of food. Kinda felt bad that the snails got drown by a gallon of butter.

Bouillabaisse seafood stew with shrimp, scallops, mussels, salmon, and crab meat in a vegetable saffron broth. Two of my friends got stomachache after. Need me to say more?

Halibut Meuniere sauteed halibut in a lemon butter sauce.
$21 for two slices of paper thin fillet. good when you on a diet, sauce no different than those pasta sauce that you can buy in the supermarket.

Coquilles L'Estragon sauteed scallops in a tarragon butter sauce. look so tasty, but inside is still raw. Although butter sauce all over, unfortunately there's no favor inside the scallops. I was thinking perhaps they just boiled it, and put sauce on top. O well!!

Pomme Frite
Compare to everything else, this is the best dish of the night,

Hotpot at Shell Cove

2012-02-15T16:36:00.000-08:00

Shell Cove is a new Hot Pot place opened in Elmhurst. It's one of my favorite place to eat in the winter time. First of all the restaurant is clean, and the food is fresh. I believe that's the most crucial part for a Hot Pot place. Second, the price is beyond reasonable. I can have a full belly for twenty dollars.

Dinner at Satay Malaysian Cuisine

2012-02-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

I went to Satay Malaysian Cuisine to celebrate the Chinese New Year with my friends. Malaysian have a traditionto 撈生 on the seventh day of the New Year.

Dinner at Lamarca

2012-01-29T05:48:00.000-08:00

I am a book lover so I do believer you can't judge a book by its cover. That can apply to the restaurant I went few days ago as well. It's an Italian restaurant called Lamarca Pasta cafe with no fancy decor. I had doubts when I sat down at the table, but it turned out to be a nice surprise.

The warm bread brought a
little homey feel when it arrived.
If the restaurant even put a little heart
into the free bread, then you know the rest of dinner
won't be that bad. The only thing is the butter was rock hard.
Sometimes I wonder why can't mos of the restaurant put it in microwave for three second before it serve.

House salad

Whole Wheat Fettucini with chicken
I had the Pasta of the day, and probably the simpler dish here.

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara fresh cream, onion, ham,
egg yolk and parmesan
My friend had this dish, and at first glance I though it was a plate
of Spaghetti soak in cheese.
She correct me quickly that's egg yolk, not cheese. I had a bite of it, it's very smooth and taste as rich as cheese, but slightly healthier.

Dinner at Antibes Bistro

2012-01-25T18:15:00.000-08:00

Foie Gras is only $12 here, I had three order that evening.
I will order two more if I don't have to worry about
cholesterol, and calories. Those two Cs are my enemies.

I took my family to Antibes Bistro for Chinese New Year celebration. It's a lovely French restaurant with minimalist decor. Price is very reasonable , and the Foie Gras along worth the trip.

Yelp Review

Menu Pages Review

Open Table - Reservation

It's fruity, my kind of taste.

Smoked Fish Platter assorted smoked fish,
creme fraiche, caviar, dill fron

Seared Foie Gras red wine onion marmalade,
brioche, port syrup. Thrums up, definitely one of the
best Foie Gras I've ever had.

Seared Foie Gras red wine onion marmalade,
brioche, port syrup.
(more and more )

Grilled Jumbo Shrimp avocado mousse,
tomato compote, paprika oil
I should have ordered another Foie Gras instead.

Pan Seared Tuna saffron parsnip puree,
artichoke hearts, caramelized leek
First time having tuna here, and love it. I think this gonna be
my favorite entree.

Chicken Under Brick truffle potato puree,
haricots verts, chicken jus
It's a good dish, tender and juicy. But I had it few times,
kinda tired of talking about it.

Seared NY Strip potato puree, watercress,
maitre d butter. i am not a steak person,
so cant really tell this is good or not.

Truffle Mashed Potatoes
Another favorite dish of mine, and it scream out
"Fat"

I have to say desserts is not their strongest suit
Personally, I don't like to order ice cream for
desserts. I always feel like I
can just get them from those fancy high class super market

Banana Bread pudding is the only "acceptable" dessert here.

Dinner at Sushi Yasu

2012-01-22T18:50:00.000-08:00

Rainbow Row
I don't even know what to say about this row. It's not bad
but it's not great. I guess Rainbow roll is just rainbow roll.

Dinner at Sushi Yasu
The restaurant recently moved from Yellowstone boulevard to Austin Street.
Tonight is my first try out at the new location. The place is a lot larger than the previous location, but that also mean it transfer itself from a cult favorite into the mainstream.

Yelp Review

Urban Spoon Review

Uni Sashimi, Marilyn Monroe Rolls
Marilyn Monroe Rolls is their signature dish, and probably the only roll I recommended here.

Sashimi Regular
Just like the title, it's only regular. I'm a little disappointed, remember it's better back in the Yellowstone location

Not sure the eggs have been frozen for a long time. There.re black spot at the edge of the eggs.

Green Tea Fan
I can taste the green tea flavor but not too over powering. I was going to order another one, but not sure I want to run extra 10 minutes on the treadmill tomorrow morning .