Since moving to Asia, we haven’t found the “itch” or strong need to eat Asian food when we travel in the US. Food in Hong Kong is so international and so good, there really isn’t a strong need to seek Asian food in the West.

Having said that, during our last trip to New York Bryan sought out MULTIPLE Asian restaurants for us to try. Two of these, Kochi and Mari, came from the same chef: Chef Sungchul Shim, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.

We tried Kochi first.

Chef Sungchul Shim

Chef Shim comes with an impressive high-dining pedigree, having built up his skills in some of New York City's most legendary kitchens, including Per Se, Le Bernardin, and Neta. After achieving 2 Michelin stars as executive chef at Neta, Chef Shim began his first solo venture in 2019, opening up Kochi, a Korean "skewers" restaurant inspired by the Korean royal court.

The Vision Behind Kochi: Street Food Meets Royal Court

Kochi (which means "skewer" in Korean) incorporates the casual, vibrant energy of Korean street food with the refined depths of traditional Korean royal court cuisine. Shin applies his French and Japanese technical training to seasonal local ingredients, crafting a unique, skewer-centric tasting menu that quickly earned the restaurant it first Michelin star.

Here’s more about the food!

Kochi's Chef's Signature Tasting Menu ($145)

The Skewers Begin . . .

Dessert

General Thoughts - Kochi New York

At $145 for the signature tasting menu, Kochi offers incredible value for an elevated New York City dining experience. The ambiance is vibrant yet welcoming, and it was conveniently located just a short walk from our Times Square hotel (yes there is good food around Times Square, you just need to know where to look!).

Overall, the food feels elegant and light. At the same time, the flavors are very creative and flavorful. We really enjoyed it, and I can see why it received a Michelin Star.

Kochi New York
652 10th Ave,
New York, NY

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The people of Taiwan are night owls, and I think Taiwan has THE LIVELIEST night culture out of any place around (including Hong Kong). Eating that “midnight snack” is such a part of Taiwanese culture, and the streets are full of people out at night (and they aren’t going to bars; just going out to eat!). 

Our hotel was just a few minute walk from the night market, and I loved being able to just step out for a bite, even at 11PM.

Minglun Egg Pancake 明倫蛋餅

Made to order, this is a classic Taiwanese breakfast item consisting of a thin pancake cooked with an egg and possibly other fillings. I like the simple one with just egg and scallions, together with their special sauce. I guess you could sort of say it’s like a savory crepe, wrapped up to hold like a burrito.

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Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken “Yan su Ji” 鹽酥雞

There’s something about the spices that they use for Taiwanese popcorn chicken that I just find so addictive. Of course this night market had it, as well as other deep fried foods made using a similar flavor, e.g,, mixed mushrooms 鹽酥菇(YUM!) and pork. I really liked the mushroom option.

Stinky Tofu 二山水泉臭豆腐

I had very fond memories of trying the stinky tofu here during my last visit to Taichung. The classic is the best, deep fried until golden crisply. Even tofu block has a hole in the middle which holds a special flavorful sauce and TONS of minced garlic. It is so flavorful, so, so good.

We also tried the Sichuang “numbing” (Mala) version, which was boiled (instead of deep fried), and had a much stronger, “stinkier” flavor, standing up well to the mala spice. Some members in our group refused to eat the boiled stinky tofu (which usually tends to be much stinkier - not for beginners!). I tried both and thought they were both good, though I prefer the deep fried super garlicky version.

Bitter Melon Juice 苦瓜汁

Taiwan is such a bountiful place for produce. The outdoor markets are second to none, and there are fruit juice/smoothie stands EVERYWHERE. And they are really cheap (consider what you get!). I had a white bitter melon + pineapple + lemon juice, which was great for reducing the “heat” of eating so many friend foods. (Chinese medicine concept). My sister got a watermelon juice (a super generous portion of fresh juice for only about USD$1.25), $2.50 if you add boba (which she did). I commented under my breath that such a drink would cost $8-12 in Boston. I also got a blended papaya milk (one of my favorites!) which was so refreshing.

Sweet Potato Puffs 地瓜球

These deep fried chewy yet crispy doughnut-like spheres  are made from sweet potato flour. They sort of remind me of mochi (but not exactly). It’s quite tasty - dense and chewy on the side, a bit crispy on the outside. My uncle said usually there’s a long line, but because we were there on a “school night”, the line wasn’t bad.

Scallion Pancakes蔥油餅

This was one of the most popular stands in the market (technically right outside the market), and there were lines there even at 11PM. You can get a whole pancake (it’s HUGE, like a pizza), half a pancake, or just a single person’s portion (which is already pretty good). In the market itself there was another stand selling DEEP fried scallion pancakes served with egg. It looked good, but I was too full to try it.

Taiwanese Grilled Corn

I have a confession to make: I don’t think I’ve ever had Taiwanese grilled corn at the night market, even though I’ve made it NUMEROUS times at home. Up until last time, I had only had my mom’s version, which (by the way) is delicious (recipe on the blog). This time, I finally bought one on the street and enjoyed it in my room. It was very tasty, a bit sweeter and “crunchier” than the version my mom makes, but still very satisfying,

Handmade mochi balls

It was mesmerizing to watch the guy continually wrap mochi balls around a peanut filing before dusting it in peanut powder. I guess night markets are not good for those with allergies!

Snacks

Snacks in Taiwanese are so creative, I love it. Can you believe some of these unusual snacks, such as dragon fruit flavored Kuai Kuai, Doraemon shaped cakes, and pork sung roll cake??

I guess sweet & savory must taste good together.

Bryan LOVES cilantro, so I had to get these (available only in Taiwan) cilantro flavored snacks.

Wheel Pies （”車輪餅“ ”紅豆餅“ ）

These wheel pies originally came from Japan and traditionally is made with red bean. In fact, my mom told me that they used to call these “red bean cakes” 紅豆餅 in Chinese. But now, since newer “modern” creative versions can be filled with all sorts of stuff, at least this shop calls it a “Wheel cake.”

I had just gotten off the plane at Taichung International Airport and I was feeling a bit hungry. Intrigued by this stand called 馬祖新村 Mazu New Village, I decided to get something. I didn’t feel like something sweet, so I ordered the Sichuan “Mala” spicy preserved radish 菜餔, which was really delicious! It was slightly spicy, which I loved. Overall I enjoyed this savory filling, especially paired with the *slightly* sweet pancake-like exterior. 

Just for fun, here's a video of our visit there two years ago. I didn't make a video this time, this photos!

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The post Whirlwind 48 Hours in Taichung Taiwan: Fengchia Night Market appeared first on Tiny Urban Kitchen.

Stop 3: 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan

On September 21, 1999, one of the biggest earthquakes this century to hit Taiwan struck in the middle of the night. My mom just happened to be visiting Taiwan during that time. She was in Taichung at home when the violent shaking began. She quickly ran to hide under a doorframe. Suddenly, a violent rumble caused the electricity to go out. Their front gate, which was operated by electricity, was closed. She braced herself under the doorframe. The earthquake went on for 45 minutes before it finally quieted down.

And then . . . The aftershocks began. My mom was stuck indoors that entire night. It wasn't until morning, when a relative came by, that they were able to open the gate and let her out.

In 1999 I had just started working as a research chemist. I distinctly remember hearing the news and being worried sick about my mom. I was so relieved to find out that my relatives were all OK. Not everyone was.

During this trip, my uncle took me to the 921 Earthquake Museum in Taichung. It’s located at a school that had collapsed during the earthquake. My uncle said it was a good thing that the earthquake happened at night when none of the kids were in school. Otherwise, it may have been much, much worse. 

“God really cares about Taiwan” said my Uncle.

The government decided to keep the collapsed school as is, and build a museum around it. To this day, you can still see the remains of the school.

It's a bit unbelievable to see how much the ground rose up in certain places, like the school track in the below photo.

I learned a lot about earthquakes, and it’s a bit crazy to see how an earthquake can really violently change the landscape so quickly in such a short amount of time. The land cracked open in some places, rose up about a meter in others. Bridges broke in half, weaker buildings collapsed, and neatly planted rows of tea leaves became zig zag rows after the plates underneath permanently shifted . . . .

At the end, we experienced an earthquake simulation that emulated what the 921 (September 21) earthquake may have felt like. For me, the simulation brought me back to 1999 as I imagined my mom bracing herself under the doorframe, just waiting for the shakes to stop.

Stop 4: Guang Fu New Village 光復新站

The 921 Museum is located pretty close to Guang Fu New Village, so a lot of people will visit both on the same day. Guang Fu Village was the first new village created in Taiwan after World War II. This particular area was built for families of civil servants.

Now it's a creative arts and cultural hub, filled with boutiques and small businesses selling handcrafted goods, artisanal foods, coffee, and more.

We met an Aboriginal guy named Chamak who is a singer, artist, and coffee shop owner! He was so kind, giving us free samples of his housemade lemonade ("lemons were picked from my backyard!") and trying to speak multiple languages with us.

We also visited a shop called Maluda Awi 余美玲 selling a particular type of woven fabric made from the Seediq Aboriginal Tribe (賽德克族). We met Maluda Awi herself, who left her career in the city after the 9/21 earthquake to re-invest in her roots, learning the craft of the Seediq people. There are fewer and fewer people who have the patience to learn the craft, yet Maluda continues to spend her time teaching the next generation this difficult, painstaking craft. She established the Taiwan Indigenous Weaving Development Association in 2008 and regularly holds workshops and teaches classes.

The fabrics are gorgeous, and I bought a small woven bag as a memento of our visit.

Toujiang Fan 頭獎飯

We randomly found this “hole-in-the-wall” traditional Taiwanese eatery because we were hungry. Turns out the food was quite nice (and very, very reasonably priced). The braised pork hoc was amazing, as was the braised pork over rice (滷肉飯）. The side dishes (USD$1 each) were fine, and the soups were simple yet heartwarming and “hit the spot” satisfying.

Dinner

For dinner, we explored Fengchia Night Market, which deserves a post of its own! Coming up next! For a teaser, below is a video I made of our visit there two years ago.

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Up next, dinner Fengchia Night Market!

The post Whirlwind 48 Hours in Taichung Taiwan (Day 2) appeared first on Tiny Urban Kitchen.

This is part 1 of a 3-part series on my 48 hour trip to Taichung, Taiwan, my mom's hometown.

“I’m going to be in Taiwan in mid-April. Do you want to join me in Taichung for a few days?” My sister messaged in about a month ago.

To be honest, the timing wasn’t great. I had just traveled to New York City, returning to Hong Kong the first week of April. I had another trip to the US (Boston), at the end of April. As such, I only had 2 precious weeks in Hong Kong in between.

But it’s my sister. She lives in Boston. It’s not every day I have a chance to hang out with her in Asia.

So, I did it. I took a few days out of my precious 2 weeks and flew to our mom’s hometown of Taichung. We spent the entire two days with our Taiwanese uncle and his wife. I loved the language immersion, especially having ample opportunities to practice my (very bad) Taiwanese dialect. (My sister and I grew up listening to it at home, so we can understand it, but we never spoke it, so we sound laughably terrible). 

We also packed in A LOT in 2 days, visiting some top sites in Taichung while enjoying many local foods. The Night Market is especially fun! (separate post on that!)

Here’s a summary of our trip!

Stop 1: Chingshui Tzu Yun Yen 清水紫雲巖 and Wang Ta “Bi-guh” (王塔米糕店）

A very classic Taiwanese dish that reminds me of an inverted “zongzi” (rice dumpling): It consists of glutinous rice topped with a flavorful mixture of pork belly and other spices, topped off with a flavorful (secret?) brown sauce. Wang Ta, a small eatery located within walking distance of the temple, is famous for bi-guh and has selling this dish since 1946.

Stop 2: GaoMei Turbine Avenue and Wetlands

Located on the coast of Taichung's Qingshui District, Gaomei Wetlands is an ecological conservation area known for its expansive tidal mudflats and a long wooden boardwalk. Running directly alongside the area is Gaomei "Windmill Avenue", a 1.5-kilometer stretch of coastal road lined with giant, active windmills.

What a hidden gem! This place is popular with influencers because you can take some pretty dramatic reflection shots, especially during sunset. During low tide, the thin layer of water over the mudflats creates a perfect reflection of the sky and the wind turbines.

My uncle and aunt, despite being locals, admitted that they had never been here during sunset. "Too crowded". We similarly left right as the sun was starting to come down and the tour buses began arriving in droves.

Diversity of Wildlife

Not only are the views really pretty, the diversity of wildlife is really amazing too. The boardwalk allows you to walk right above the tidal flats, where you can see migratory birds, mudskippers, and fiddler crabs.

I'd never seen this cute one-clawed tiny crab before. Some of them are "right clawed" and some of them are "left clawed". Apparently they are called "fiddler crabs" because the big claw together with the small claw looks a bit like a violin (fiddle). Only the males have the over-sized single claw!

So interesting!

It's amazing how many thousands of these little crabs you can see in this conservation area. It's really quite fascinating, and a bit therapeutic to just walk along this long boardwalk, exploring nature at your leisure.

During sunset the light becomes quite golden, and the whole place takes on a warmer vibe. During low tide (which is typically in the afternoon between 2PM and 8PM), you can even walk out onto the water. It looks like you are walking on water, but the water is only about 1 inch, so you really won't get wet at all.

It was so peaceful to walk out onto the water during low tide.

I can see my uncle's wisdom in taking me here during the early afternoon (on a weekday) when it was quiet. When the school buses and large tours started arriving close to sunset, we quietly slipped away back to our car and left with our own memories of that beautiful place.

Stop 2: 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan

On September 21, 1999, one of the biggest earthquakes this century to hit Taiwan struck in the middle of the night. My mom just happened to be visiting Taiwan during that time. She was in Taichung at home when the violent shaking began. She quickly ran to hide under a doorframe. Suddenly, a violent rumble caused the electricity to go out. Their front gate, which was operated by electricity, was closed. She braced herself under the doorframe. The earthquake went on for 45 minutes before it finally quieted down. And then . . . The aftershocks began.

I had just started working as a research chemist. I distinctly remember hearing the news and being worried sick about my mom. It was SUCH a relief to find out that my relatives were all OK. Not everyone was.

During this trip, my uncle took me to the 921 Earthquake Museum in Taichung. It’s located at a school that had collapsed during the earthquake. My uncle said it was a good thing that the earthquake happened at night when none of the kids were in school. Otherwise, it may have been much, much worse. 

“God really cares about Taiwan” said my Uncle.

I learned a lot about earthquakes, and it’s a bit crazy to see how an earthquake can really violently change the landscape so quickly in such a short amount of time. The land cracked open in some places, rose up about a meter in others. Bridges broke in half, weaker buildings collapsed . . . .

At the end, we experienced an earthquake simulation that emulated what the 921 (September 21) earthquake may have felt like. For me, the simulation brought me back to 1999 as I imagined my mom bracing herself under the doorframe, just waiting for the shakes to stop.

GuanoFu New Village

This cute shopping area is filled with artsy boutiques selling things like handcrafted goods, artisanal foods,  coffee, and more!

We met an Aboriginal guy named Chamak who is a singer, artist, and coffee shop owner! He was so kind, giving us free samples of his housemade lemonade ("lemons were picked from my backyard!") and trying to speak multiple languages with us.

We also visited a shop selling a particular type of woven fabric made from one particular Aboriginal tribe. There were fewer and fewer people who had the patience to learn the craft, and we met a woman from the older generation who was trying her best to teach the next generation.

I bought a small woven bag as a memento of our visit.

Toujiang Fan

We randomly found this “hole-in-the-wall” traditional Taiwanese eatery because we were hungry. Turns out the food was quite nice (and very, very reasonably priced). The braised pork hoc was amazing, as was the braised pork over rice (滷肉飯）. The side dishes (USD$1 each) were fine, and the soups were simple yet heartwarming and “hit the spot” satisfying.

Up next, Day 2 of our whirlwind tour!

The post Whirlwind 48 Hours in Taichung Taiwan (Day 1) appeared first on Tiny Urban Kitchen.

In the small town of Modena, about an hour’s train ride from Milan, sits Osteria Francescana. This not-so-humble "osteria" has won World’s Best Restaurant twice (in 2016 and 2018) and holds three Michelin stars.

We started our day early, catching the 8:00 AM train from Milan and arriving in Modena by 9:15 AM, giving us just enough time to walk through the quiet streets before our reservation.

Was it a detour? Or a "special trip"? In either event, we made a special point to visit Modena in order to experience this 3-Michelin star restaurant ("worthy of a special trip").

We were surprised at how humble and modest this little town was . . .

We wandered around the central market, popped in a church, and warmed up over a cup of coffee while trying to fight jetlag.

Modena is also famous for balsamic vinegar, so we had a little tasting (so interesting!) and bought some souvenirs to bring back home.

The word "Osteria" usually refers to a humble, simple eatery. Therein lies the irony with Chef Massimo Bottura's Osteria. His philosophy is more about "bringing the best of the past into the future." He does this by taking traditional Italian flavors and reimagining them through a modern, often whimsical lens.

The Opening Bites

The meal began with a series of creative snacks:

The Garden and the Sea

Pasta Reimagined

Where is this pasta e fagioli going? featured pasta shaped like beans (using three different types of dough) served in a rich, salty Parmesan broth with drops of red cabbage and olive oil.

This dish really blew our minds. You almost couldn't tell which one was a real bean and which one was pasta, until you bit into it. It looked so humble and simple, yet took so much technique to achieve.

We also had the Passatello, a traditional way to reuse stale bread. This version was seasonal, featuring corn, black truffle, radicchio, and tomato in a comforting chicken broth.

Jazz Duck: An Exploration of Sustainability

Chef Massimo spoke to us about his passion for sustainability and using every part of the animal. He showcased this concept in a multi-part course called Jazz Duck, which felt like a culinary improvisation:

Sweets

And we got to talk to the chef!

It was SUCH a honor to be able to speak briefly with Chef Massimo. He is indeed very, very passionate about many things, especially social causes. Massimo and his wife, Lara Gilmore, have a foundation, Food for Soul, which is dedicated to fighting food waste by creating "Refettorios" (12 and counting!) that turn rescued food into high-quality meals for those facing social vulnerability.

He also supports Il Tortellante, a project that teaches autistic young people how to make handmade pasta.

Here's a video I made of our dining experience!

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A Meal to Remember

Looking back, this was my favorite high-end meal of our trip. I loved how each dish told a story. Not only was the food exquisite, each course was part of a bigger story that reflected Chef Massimo's values and passion.

Definitely worth the visit!

Osteria Francescana Modena
Via Stella, 22 41121 Modena Italy

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