tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196316362024-03-16T11:52:15.218-07:00The Hungry HedonistA Chronicle of EatsHungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-59168992569475383492010-03-29T09:30:00.000-07:002010-03-29T09:54:05.928-07:00Café Sabarsky - New York, NY
Kaiser Mélange und Apfelstrudel
Per Colonel Landa, one must wait for the cream.
Neue Galerie
1048 5th Avenue,
New York, NY 10028Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-2878770101147852872010-03-24T22:49:00.000-07:002010-03-24T23:24:01.803-07:00Spago Beverly Hills - Los Angeles, CAWhen someone mentions Wolfgang Puck, I usually think of his casual airport chain, which, admittedly I am usually not in much of a hurry for. His flagship Spago Beverly Hills, on the other hand, is a pretty serious restaurant in Los Angeles with two Michelin stars (hm..) and a loyal following. So, when I was in LA, I was curious to check out Spago and form my own opinion. We enjoyedHungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-56567486554181600662010-03-08T14:08:00.000-08:002010-03-18T21:23:31.939-07:00Soto - New York, NYNew York has a good number of great sushi restaurants, and Soto occupies an attractive niche: excellent uni and its frequent usage in inventive small plates. Some flavor themes are consistent throughout the menu - shroomy broths, miso, truffle salt, an abundance of ponzu - but done thoughtfully and with high quality fish.
Ainame ponzu - thinly sliced Japanese greenling fish with chive, Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-30429264112681187032010-02-16T16:32:00.000-08:002010-02-16T16:32:35.054-08:00Dōtonbori - Osaka, JapanOsaka is the second largest city in Japan and is referred to by some as the "nation's kitchen". A major attraction for visitors and locals is Dōtonbori, a single street that features the regional cuisine of Osaka - takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and fugu - sold in outdoor stalls or small shops.
Kani Doraku - The famous moving mechanical crab
Grilled snow crab legs - you can smell the aroma a block Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-28911284797805846392010-02-15T01:27:00.000-08:002010-02-15T01:27:06.958-08:00Momofuku Ssäm Bar - New York, NYIt seems that David Chang can do no wrong. He's won over publication critics, bloggers, and pretty much every hipster in Manhattan (a formidable army of people that does not embrace its label). Who hasn't eaten at a Momofuku? It's the rite of passage on becoming a well-informed citizen with uber swagger. So, given I did not think much of his noodle bar and I was never quite in vogue with the porkHungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-9973596603718513342010-02-12T02:51:00.000-08:002010-02-12T03:02:14.029-08:00Tsukiji Market (築地市場) and Daiwa (大和) - TokyoEveryone says to get to Tsukiji early to see the action, as the market opens around 5am. It's also convenient if you're jetlagged to get up early anyway for a breakfast of champions. We planned to get there around 6, but per usual, I took the lead to ensure our fashionably late arrival. It worked out well, since we got there around 10 and the crowds had already started to dissipate. Some scenes Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-21690001988656697642010-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:002010-02-10T03:42:06.909-08:00Scenes from TokyoExpanded posts to come:
A morning at Tsukiji
The Tokyo incarnation of L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon: a grandiose Western chateau in Ebisu
The original Ippudo
The famous ramen man outside Tsukiji
My favorite department store 0101
The Japanese love their prized fruits - like these rose-hued strawberries. They also like melons with exquisitely manicured stems.
I took this picture Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-80701605862995343032010-02-09T03:07:00.000-08:002010-02-09T03:52:52.046-08:00Bar Pinotxo and El Quim - Barcelona, SpainBeen pretty busy with travel, life, and whatnot; this post will be the last of Barcelona. Anyway - markets are all good, but what happens if you don't cook? Eat someone else's cooking (story of my life). Bar Pinotxo and El Quim are the most well-known of the tapas bars in La Boqueria. Juanito Bayen is the owner of Bar Pinotxo, which occupies some precious real estate near the main entrance of theHungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-75982959539194833352010-02-02T02:27:00.000-08:002010-02-02T02:28:28.384-08:00Mercat de la Boqueria - Barcelona, Spain
La Boqueria is one of the world's most iconic food markets - a huge, bustling public bazaar featuring a wide variety of very fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, meats, and dairy products. The selection is diverse enough to make even the most decisive of shoppers fall victim to paralysis of choice. Though it is located right on La Rambla, the market is still very much frequented by locals. The Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-57812619466674250142010-01-30T08:11:00.000-08:002010-01-30T19:28:45.439-08:00Restaurante Moo - Barcelona, Spain
In the lobby of the chic Hotel Omm in Barcelona is one-star Restaurante Moo, overseen by the Roca brothers - the three chef/owners of the much celebrated three-star El Celler De Can Roca in Girona. Can Roca is one of the restaurants on the forefront of avant-garde Catalan cuisine; having read the two reviews from Chuck, it had been one of my to-visits ever since. Unfortunately, we did not have Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-1541727311293064712010-01-28T00:43:00.000-08:002010-01-28T02:33:54.130-08:00Tapaç 24 - Barcelona, SpainEl Bulli announced today that it is serving no meals in 2012 and 2013 but will instead refocus and noodle on new ideas. Unfortunately, it's one less reason to hop a plane to Spain; though, who really needed a reason to begin with?
So, if you find yourself sans EB reservations in Barcelona, you can count on one of the restaurants of Carles Abellan, best known for his acclaimed Comerç 24 and for Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-66896568810689439792010-01-25T00:44:00.000-08:002010-01-25T01:11:39.747-08:00Ad Hoc - Yountville, CA
Ad Hoc sure comes off as one flaky restaurant. Back in 2006, Thomas Keller opened shop and intended for it to be short-lived, aiming to eventually open a burger place or something similar. At the time, I was still in college on the other side of the country and remember feeling distinctly disappointed that I would miss out on Keller's second aptly-named-common-Latin-phrase restaurant. You see, IHungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-48148767492941842462010-01-23T11:45:00.000-08:002010-01-23T11:45:58.469-08:00Shake Shack : Taylor's :: NY : SF
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At any given point in time, Americans are debating. Not only over bank regulation or healthcare policy, but also over burgers, burritos, and other Bs. Debating about burgers is as much of a staple of American culture as the sandwich itself. Five Guys vs. In-N-Out vs. Shake Shack vs. Taylor's is a fray on which I will resign from taking any side. Along the same vein, one can Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-67006427329520769182010-01-20T17:51:00.000-08:002010-01-22T04:03:21.804-08:00Coi - San Francisco, CALet me start out by saying that I did not enjoy my meal at Coi. And as such, I am a barbarian. If you do not like reading words from a Neanderthal, it would behoove you to stop reading, NOW!
Good, you're still here. I enjoy experimental cuisine, and understand that, although not mutually exclusive, tastiness and interestingness are often a tradeoff. But while not everything strikes me as Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-44971073580065151502010-01-19T13:54:00.000-08:002010-03-27T10:44:42.262-07:00Providence - Los Angeles, CAFor those of you who don't know me in real life, my exasperated companions can tell you that I sometimes fall privy to a gripping obsession of cities. It's quite rational, really: I like new experiences, and exploring / living in new places is what I consider to be one of the greatest joys of life. Well, here is the seemingly irrational part: I have recently have become obsessed with Los Angeles Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com96tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-20096559352317727982010-01-15T01:17:00.000-08:002010-01-15T02:46:29.375-08:00Pintxos Bar Hopping - San Sebastián, Spain
Crushin' it at Bar Ganbara
Basque Country is a magical land where one's capricious tendencies can be well rewarded; it really pays to be restless and indecisive, and to want everything (I can really do well in this town!). During our brief stay we got to experience a cornerstone of the social scene that is the pintxos bar hop. Here, making the rounds means popping into a bar and grabbing a Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-49038474488080991492010-01-13T02:32:00.000-08:002010-02-02T22:31:09.638-08:00Arzak Restaurante - San Sebastián, SpainNow, onto some posts from my trip to Spain in September 2009. We started out in Madrid with the requisite day trip to Toledo; headed north to San Sebastián and Bilbao; and wrapped up the trip in Barcelona. I will start out with several meals in Basque country before recapping Madrid and Barcelona.
One of the places that I had been wanting to try for some time now was Arzak, the longest runningHungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-64511946046464019622010-01-12T22:40:00.000-08:002010-01-26T04:17:35.838-08:00Further Elsewhere in Peru: Puno, Lake Titicaca
Last post about Peru before I move on to Spain. As if we weren't nature'd out enough, here we are taking a boat trip around the floating islands of Lake Titicaca, only the highest commercially navigable lake in the world (didn't you pay attention in 2nd grade?). They recommend sunglasses and a lot of sunscreen because the waters are super clear and reflective.
On one of the floating islands ofHungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-38734811712367848332010-01-11T21:57:00.000-08:002010-01-26T04:16:23.615-08:00Elsewhere in Peru: Cusco, Machu PicchuThe stars were aligned such that we would be in Cusco just in time for the Inti Raymi, the Incan Sun Festival. We arrived at the Cusco airport and were immediately greeted with shops selling oxygen tanks, and for good reason, we'd soon come to discover.
The arduous trail (of Hungry Hedonist's tears) up to Sacsayhuaman. Really should have bought those oxygen tanks.
Front row seats at the Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-4307645699813640642010-01-07T23:56:00.000-08:002010-01-12T03:26:02.947-08:00Segundo Muelle - Lima, PeruBecause I'm really following through with this blogging discipline thing, I will set out to finish my Peru coverage. The day before N and I were to leave Lima, we wanted to leave town thoroughly satiated by ceviche. We found our way to Segundo Muelle in the beachy San Isidro part of town. Having won the prize for best ceviche in Lima, it is acclaimed by some to be one of the best cevicherias in Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-87966219565303586682010-01-07T03:44:00.000-08:002010-01-11T22:32:28.947-08:00I eat at Plant Cafe because I'm Gen YI really like Plant Cafe and eat there quite often. I'd eat there even more if it were closer to my office and if my immediate coworkers shared my affinity for lighter takeout fare. When the collective decision is Patxi's or CPK for the 3rd night in a row, I choose to Go Rogue.
- This point appeals to all generations: the food is consistent and actually very good. The Plant Burger (patty made Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-57557955106668112782010-01-06T04:14:00.000-08:002010-01-15T02:06:40.851-08:00The Wordy Obligatory Revival PostWell, it's certainly been a while. A year and a half to be precise. I have written many a mental draft of this obligatory revival post, but could not bring myself to actually sit at my desk, type it out, and hit publish. I would duly explain my absence, recap the past year, and promise some sort of preview for posts going forward. Easier said than done. Much of the hesitation has simply been the Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-64715257107107328542008-07-11T14:11:00.000-07:002010-01-11T22:33:01.138-08:00Peru Pt 1 - Lima, Restaurant Huaca PucllanaMy apologies for the delay in blogging. My break before work has passed quickly; reality has caught up to me and I will be beginning work on Monday. I am glad, though, that I got a bit of traveling out of my system and will be updating about all that soon.Plaza MayorPizarro's TombPlaza MayorPlaza Mayor in Lima is the "old town" of Lima, a testament to the colonialism of the Spanish conquistadors.Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-82387298937951961102008-07-03T02:37:00.000-07:002010-01-15T02:06:40.852-08:00Back from PeruJust got back from an amazing time in Peru. Impressive ruins, great food, including a meal at my favorite cevicheria in the world.Hungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19631636.post-66802044695041446972008-06-01T23:26:00.001-07:002010-01-23T05:58:14.376-08:00Per Se - New York11:20
A: Hey HH, I'm in New York this weekend, and I know this is pretty last minute, but would you like to have lunch at per se?
hh: Hey A! Wow, I'd love to, but I might have to go into the office today. What time is the reservation? Is this for real? I'd been working 90+ hours, are my wits failing me?
A: 1:15. I'm leaving New York in the afternoon, and they just called me about a table openingHungry Hedonisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823263192723750182noreply@blogger.com2