Peanut Butter Belly Time

I like big pork butts and I cannot lie

2012-12-29T12:12:00.001-05:00

Momofuku Ssam Bar
207 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10003
www.momofuku.com

A few months ago, I made reservations here for a very special 30th birthday celebration dinner for Thompson and a few friends. T and I always wanted to try the pork butt from Momofuku, but never found a good opportunity to celebrate, or an awesome group to share with until now. Since I wanted to secure the time and date, I placed a special order for the Bo Ssam (which means pork wrap) a month in advance. Despite the name, pork butt doesn’t actually come from the rear end of the pig. It is one of the two cuts from the pork shoulder. Butt or not, we wanted it.

Maine Uni with heirloom tomato, cantaloupe and shiso (not included in Bo Ssam meal)

Seasonal pickles (not included in Bo Ssam meal)

Accompaniments: fresh crisp bibb lettuce to make wraps, white rice, 2 types of kimchi, ginger-scallion, and Korean BBQ sauce

1 dozen oysters to be eaten individually or with wraps

This 6-8 pound tendered pork butt is slow cooked for 8 long hours. The best part? The outer layer of charred pork skin lacquered with sweet brown sugar.

The delicious pork falls right off the bone, oozing sweet and savory juices.

Guests are encouraged to make wraps with pork and condiments as they please.

Oyster and Ssam sauce combo!

With flavorful ginger-scallion sauce. Now that's a wrap! :)

The skin of the pork butt was glazed in brown sugar and sweet deliciousness. The meat was mouthwateringly tender, moist, and drenched in absolute tastiness. To make the perfect wrap, you'll need a good ratio of everything. With the crisp and buttery lettuce leaves for wrapping, a good bite of rice, a generous spoon of the savory ginger sauce, a little bit of kimchi, and a slab of flavorful meat. And... voilà! The combination of all the ingredients created a great medley of sweet, savory, spicy, cold and hot! Everyone was able to eat about 4 -5 wraps, and it was enough for everyone to be full and extremely happy.

We couldn’t stop raving about how good the meal was. It was delicious, plentiful, and engages the entire table in conversation and interaction. For $200, the Bo Ssam fed all 10 of us, not including tax and tip. If you don’t mind losing a couple days of your lifespan to gastronomical delight, you should definitely try it with a party of 6-10 (10 guests maximum) who will appreciate all the porky goodness.

Mickey’s rating: 9/10
Price range: $$$

Enjoy an entire day of freebies on your birthday!

2012-08-27T09:05:00.001-04:00

I’m reposting Thompson’s awesome birthday experience from his blog from last year! I highly recommend doing this once for your birthday. I saved over $500 on food and entertainment, and Thompson was a happy camper. I think he wants to do this every year, and I'm totally fine with not spending a single dime. =]

Here’s what he says:

So with a little bit of planning, you REALLY CAN eat, drink and play for free on your birthday! You just have to do some early planning and sign up for all the loyalty programs below. On or around your birthday you will receive an email or postcard with instructions on how to redeem your gift. Here’s how my freebies birthday looked like.

10am - Free Starbucks drink of choice - I opted for the most expensive thing on the menu, a venti java chip frappacino! The cash register expressed a very emphatic happy birthday. :)

10:30am - Free admission to MOCA - This is a wonderful little museum tucked on the edge of Chinatown. They had a family day celebration yesterday and the sweet old lady made me a lucky origami crane that I wore on my shirt the rest of the day. I’m a museum worker so I have access to a majority of the museums in the city but most museums already have corporate partnerships that allow for free admission. No happy birthday from the cashier. :(

12pm - Free sandwich from Au Bon Pain - I went to the Rockefeller Center location where they did not offer the lobster salad sandwich but any of the signature sandwiches were fair game. I opted for the Roast Beef and Herb Cream Cheese sandwich. No happy birthday from the cashier, but the dude making the sandwich hooked it up with the herb cream cheese.

12:45pm - Free scoop of ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s - I ordered a scoop of the coconut 7 layer cake flavor. Yum!

1:15pm - Free gift from Sephora + splash of cologne + samples (if you ask for it) Located right on 5th Avenue; I stopped by the cashier to pick up my free 8oz bottle of birthday cake shampoo/body wash. My girlfriend made me pick this up, so if she doesn’t mind me smelling like “birthday cake” then why should I? Also took a walk around the store and sprayed myself down with “$1 million dollar cologne”, lol. The cashier gave me a big smile, joked about me smelling like birthday cake and wished me a very happy birthday.

2pm - Free cup of ice cream from Baskin Robbins - I'm starting to get a little full but I'm not even half way done with the day! I order the rainbow sherbet and share it with my girlfriend. Delish!

2:30pm - Free street art/performances at Union Square - I hung out in Union Square for a little bit before dinner. There was a great live jazz band playing and some hip break dancers. Was also able to catch Joe Mangrum in the middle of another 15 foot sand painting.

4:00pm - Free $40 entree from City Crab and Seafood - I made sure to come by during their Sunday happy hour (12-7pm). $1 raw oysters/clams. Half off drinks and appetizers. I order a dozen oysters, clams... an order of oyster Rockefeller and a pound of Alaskan King crab legs (on the house!). I ordered way too much food but slammin’ good deal! Our waiter Scott was very nice and kept coming back to wish me a happy birthday throughout my meal. Yay!

5:45pm - Free Au Bon Pain sandwich - Oh wait, I had made TWO copies of the Au Bon Pain coupon (accident I swear!). Tried to see if the Port Authority location would give me the lobster salad sandwich for free and they did! Mike, one of the managers there, even came down and made the sandwich himself! Small wink, happy birthday, sandwich in hand... happy customer I was!

6pm - Free Auntie Anne’s pretzel (BOGO) at Port Authority - I didn’t want it but the coupon was in my pocket. I was going to meet up with some friends later so thought I’d share my birthday goodies. 2 cinnamon pretzels and a lobster salad sandwich FROM the birthday boy = 2 happy girls. No birthday shout from the cashier though.

7pm - Free tickets to Million Dollar Quartet - You can score free tickets and discounted broadway show tickets @ Studentrush.org. I was lucky enough to get tickets to the Million Dollar Quartet on my birthday but there were plenty of $5 tickets available to other shows as well!

8:45pm - Free as you like it ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery - Completely unplanned, I find a Cold Stone Creamery right on 8th Avenue as I come out of the show. Not going to waste a coupon, I go in for my free ice cream. The guys behind the counter found it amusing that the coupon read “ONLY FOR TRINIDAD LOCATIONS”. Oops. We had a laugh about it and he made me sinless cake batter ice cream with cake topping. Probably not the best thing to eat before you grab drinks, but it’s my birthday... I do whatever I want!! The guys behind the counter were more excited about my birthday than I was (Hell’s Kitchen flair) and I was sent off with a big happy birthday shout out! =)

9pm - 3 free drinks at Bamboo 52 - What’s a birthday without grabbing some drinks? The hostess sat us at the bar and gave us 3 drink coupons after verifying my birthday. I ordered a volcano, lychee grapefruit martini and a blueberry bay breeze. No hassle at all, the bartender was very friendly and she didn’t skimp on the alcohol either. The volcano had 151 in it so I was getting tipsy! Gave the bartender a sweet tip and bounced out of there. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY, and with a big happy birthday as I walked out!

10:45pm - Free burger at Ruby Tuesday - I hustle back to Times Square, there’s only an hour left to fire my freebies bullets. I tell the waitress I have a bus to catch and she hustles to get us our food. All the gourmet burgers on the menu are fair game, each with 2 sides included. I order the bacon cheeseburger with a side of grilled zucchini and French fries (on the house!) and some guacamole & chips as a light sobering snack to go with my burger. In and out in 30 minutes. I was impressed that I was able to clean the house… the waitress was equally impressed and bid me a safe journey and a happy birthday. Yay!

11:30pm - Free $10 game coupon at Dave & Buster’s - 30 minutes to play $10 worth of video games! I squeeze in “Spin the Giant life sized wheel” and a few games of Trivia. 300 bonus tickets later… I redeemed the coupons for a free D&B shot glass! Lol, D&B closes at midnight so the lights go out as I walk out of the arcade.

All in all, a freakin’ fantastic birthday. Part Scavenger hunt, part foodie galore… a great couple’s event if you guys plan it correctly! I think I gained about 20 lbs but who cares… it was worth it!

Note: There were a slew of unused coupons including:
Buffalo Wild Wings - free dessert
Benihana - free $30 towards lunch/dinner. Only valid M-Th.
TCBY - free yogurt with loyalty card
Red Mango - free yogurt with loyalty card
and many more!

-T

Happy slurping!

2012-08-23T21:06:00.006-04:00

Ippudo NY
65 4th Ave
New York, NY 10003
http://www.ippudo.com/ny

Ippudo NY

Hirata pork buns - perfect steamed pillowy buns filled with tendered pork belly and cabbage served in a spicy mayo sauce

Here's another delicious view of the Hirata pork buns. Can I get like 10 orders please?

Garlic miso ramen with a poached egg - perfect al dente springy noodles swimming in fragrant garlic broth

Garlic miso ramen with a soft boiled egg - yum!

The famous Akamaru Modern ramen - this broth is magic! Filled with absolute buttery deliciousness. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

I don’t think I need to rave about how much I love Ippudo, because everyone knows about this hotspot. Happy waiting, and happy slurping!

Mickey’s rating: 9/10
Price range: $$

Will you be my bridesmaid?

2012-07-11T10:12:00.000-04:00

Georgetown Cupcake
111 Mercer Street
New York, NY 10012
www.georgetowncupcake.com

What’s a better way to ask your girls to be your bridesmaids and maids of honor, then to ask them with a pretty cupcake? I’m a huge cupcake lover, so this is probably not my most creative way to ask the girls, but definitely the most expected from me. :P

Strawberry and vanilla cupcakes

Georgetown Cupcake is a cute cupcake chain located in Soho, that recently opened early this year. These good-looking cupcakes are dressed to impress with their decorative fondant hearts, that comes inside GC's iconic pink boxes. It’s like getting a Tiffany box with a much sweeter surprise in it. The girl helping me at the shop was really sweet and nice, making my experience at the shop very pleasant. She even threw in a free cupcake congratulating me, after I bought six boxes of cupcakes. That totally made my day. These decadent cupcakes are the perfect combination of cute, girly, sweet and of course yummy! I'm so glad all my girls said yes. :)

Mickey’s rating: 8/10
Price range: $$

Zen

2012-06-27T08:47:00.000-04:00

Zen Fusion Cuisine
79-28 Parsons Blvd
Flushing, NY 11367

If you’re a fan of Kyoto Restaurant in Fresh Meadows, then you’ll definitely enjoy their newest competitor, Zen Fusion Cuisine. It’s the newest Asian fusion establishment in Queens and they’re only a block away from each other. Kyoto is one of my favorite local joint and has been around for years with plenty of loyal customers, so I like having another restaurant just like it. Both places carry a lengthy menu with similar dishes, serving Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine.

Garden salad served with ginger dressing

Spicy maki combo - spicy salmon, spicy yellowtail, and spicy tuna

Cooked maki combo - shrimp tempura, eel with cucumber, and Boston roll

Shrimp tempura

Fried calamari

Green curry - eggplant, zucchini, peppers, asparagus, onion and basil with beef

Masaman curry - potato, zucchini, peppers, asparagus, onion and basil with chicken

Bo Luc Lac - stir fried steak cubes

Ca Chien - crispy fried whole Sea Bass

Thai twin lobsters

Pineapple fried rice with chicken

Yaki stir fried noodle with shrimp

The interior is trendy with a nice vibe, comparable to restaurants located in the city. It’s always nice to have a few good options in the local area when I really need a quick sushi fix, some sizzling hot beef, or even some Thai ice tea; Zen is definitely a place with a good variety. The food was all presented beautifully and the service was excellent. This isn't the best fusion restaurant ever, but it would definitely be the go-to-spot, if and when you don’t feel like cooking dinner.

Mickey’s rating: 7/10
Price range: $$

Wooly's Ice is nice

2012-06-18T15:46:00.005-04:00

Wooly's Ice
79 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10013

Wooly’s Ice is a yummy collaboration between three cousins, established the summer of 2011. I’ve only managed to catch them twice since they opened. So when I finally bumped into Wooly’s Ice stand again at South Street Seaport, it was an unexpected yet delightful surprise because I’ve been craving Wooly's for months.

Meet one of Wooly's Co-Founder/Co-Owner, David Sat

This Hawaiian and Taiwanese inspired shaved ice is a healthier alternative to Pinkberry and Red Mango treats. The flavored ice comes in different flavors, such as mango, strawberry, green tea, or my favorite - condensed milk! The big block of flavored ice is shaved paper thin with a frozen cotton candy texture that’s fluffy and delicious. It’s like eating fresh powdered snow soaked up in sweet delectable flavors, laced with condensed milk, and topped with amazingly fresh fruits.

Berry delicious shaved ice is so refreshingly good

Mango madness with fresh mango and blueberry

Original condensed milk flavored shaved ice topped with fresh strawberry, kiwi, and a drizzle of condensed milk. So heavenly good!

Wooly’s is a great way to cool off during the summer heat, and to satiate your sweet tooth. They even won The Vendy Award for best dessert, so you know this place is legit. So capture this wonderful blizzard in your mouth and follow them here!

Mickey's rating: 9.5/10
Price range: $$

Reel engagement

2012-06-01T13:48:00.013-04:00

This is how he did it. :)

Reading the reel, Thompson starts off by listing all the places he tried to kiss me. Then, at the end he says, “But it’s my birthday, so here’s my wish... Will you marry me?!”

Thompson's story: “I’m turning 30 this year and I’ve always wanted to hike up Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Mickey was sweet enough to plan a trip for us and 4 other friends to camp and hike in the park for Memorial Day weekend. Half dome is about 8800 feet elevation so I wanted to use the Image3D viewer to replicate the touristy viewfinder experience you would get on the top of the Empire State Building. The hike was strenuous and took almost 7 hours to get to the top. When we got to the top she was already overwhelmed with emotions. We sat off to the side to enjoy the view and I presented her with the Image3D viewer as a reciprocal early birthday gift. She started laughing with every slide, completely unsuspecting of what was coming at the end. I counted each click.. 6 clicks in total before I bent down on one knee and asked her to marry me. She paused and asked “what are you doing?!” It took her a few seconds before she was able to process what was happening and realize that I was proposing. We cried a little together, laughed a little and she said yes.”

After asking many many times “what are you doing?!”... of course I said "YES!". Climbing Yosemite Half Dome was probably the scariest and most dangerous thing I've ever experienced and it took 14.5 hours to complete... but it also became the most amazing and memorable day ever! Thank you TBW for being there with us.

Our story is featured here.

It's not Bánh Mì, it's Num Pang

2012-05-21T19:41:00.007-04:00

Num Pang
21 E 12th Street
New York, NY 10003
www.numpangnyc.com

“Num pang” means “bread” or “sandwich” in Khmer, very similar to “bánh mì” which also means “bread” in Vietnamese. The difference between the two sandwiches? The spices used in the ingredients - but they are indeed very similar. Num Pang is an itsy-bitsy Cambodian sandwich shop in Greenwich Village. They have a variety of interesting and unique concoction of sandwiches made with coconut tiger shrimp, hoisin veal meatballs, peppercorn catfish, grilled skirt steak, roasted cauliflower, or their signature pulled duroc pork.

Five spiced glazed pork belly with pickled Asian pear

I opted for the five spice glazed pork belly with pickled Asian pear, served on a perfectly toasted and soft French mini-baguette with pickled carrots, fresh cilantro, sliced cucumbers, and creamy homemade chili-mayo. The sandwich was complete perfection, with juicy and tendered pork belly. The pickled Asian pear was an interesting twist that added depth to the tasty flavors. It was delicious, but I will need two of these bad boys to fill me up, cause the sandwiches are rather small and kind of pricey. I would still go back to try all the other sandwiches though. It's too yummy! Thanks Jason for the recommendation!

Mickey’s rating: 8.5/10
Price range: $$
Cash only

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts

2012-05-18T10:00:00.002-04:00

Dessert Club, ChikaLicious
204 E 10th Street
New York, NY 10003
www.dessertclubchikalicious.com

If you’re a sugarholic like me, your sweet tooth is going to totally appreciate this heavenly place called Chikalicious. I’ve been here several times, and I’m always amazed at how this tiny and cute dessert bar can have an endless amount of desserts to choose from… from cupcakes, to ice cream, cookies, pudding, and macarons.

Vanilla bean cupcake

Triple chocolate cupcake

Delicious!

S'mores cupcake

Mini banana Boston creme cupcake

Warm chocolate chip cookie

"Lin" spectacular sundae (Jeremy Lin inspired sundae) - maple pecan over banana bread pudding

Apple crisp a la mode

Éclair ice cream cone

The delectable cupcakes here aren't overwhelmingly sweet, and the frosting is light and airy, which I love. Most of the sweets that I’ve tried are unique and yummy, but part of the magic comes from warming it up in the microwave for a few seconds. I certainly recommend this place for a quick casual and delicious after-dinner treat. Enjoy the sugar rush!

Mickey's rating: 8/10
Price range: $$

Ain't nothing but a chicken wing

2012-05-15T10:01:00.002-04:00

Andy Ricker's deep-fried chicken wings dressed in fish sauce have been voted best wings in 2012 by NY Mag, and won the James Beard Award for his Thai cooking at his restaurant, Pok Pok. I finally had my first Pok Pok wings in Portland, Oregon a few months ago, and it was one of the tastiest chicken wings I’ve ever had. It was so good, that the following week I tried the newly opened Pok Pok location in LES, New York. The verdict? Portland location definitely tasted better.

But don’t flip, potato chip! It's ok that you don't have the time to fly to Portland and try these famous wings. Thanks to the internet and google, you could make your very own Pok Pok wings at home. These chicken wings are simple to make, and only requires a few ingredients that you might already have inside your kitchen. It's so good, you're going to want to make these tasty sweet & savory sticky wings for your next Super Bowl party. Enjoy!

Pok Pok Wings

Recipe from Food & Wine
Makes 5-6 servings
PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Asian fish sauce
1/2 cup sugar
4 garlic cloves, 2 crushed and 2 minced
3 pounds whole chicken wings
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
1 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 diced shallot

Directions:
In a bowl, whisk the fish sauce, sugar and crushed garlic. Add the wings and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 3 hours, tossing the wings occasionally.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a small skillet. Add the minced garlic; cook over moderate heat until golden, 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

In a large pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°. Pat the wings dry on paper towels; reserve the marinade. Put the cornstarch in a shallow bowl, add the wings and turn to coat. Fry the wings in batches until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a bowl.

In a small saucepan, simmer the marinade over moderately high heat until syrupy, 5 minutes. Strain over the wings and toss. Top with the cilantro, shallots, fried garlic and serve.

Mitsuwa

2012-05-11T11:44:00.000-04:00

Mitsuwa Marketplace
595 River Road
Edgewater, NJ 07020
www.mitsuwa.com/english

Plastic food displays gives me a good visual, since I can't decide what to eat.

Can I finish all this food? You betcha!

Is this what Disneyland in Japan feels like? Because Mitsuwa feels like a wonderland, featuring tons of Japanese items and food. This market is your one stop shop for Japanese groceries, stationeries, appliances, cosmetics, and a food court filled with exquisite Japanese dishes. Everything is imported, so everything is a little pricier compared to a regular supermarket. I love taking my time browsing through anything and everything, while working up an appetite.

Tonkatsu

Top left to bottom right: fresh tuna sushi, ramen, oyakodon, gyudon

Stuffed croquettes

Fried shrimp omelette

Katsudon

Unadon

Feel like beautifully marbled Berkshire pork katsu? A bowl of warm yummy ramen? Fresh sushi? A bowl of sweet and savory donburi? You can have all of that here at Mitsuwa. The food court in this market has lots of great options for everyone. Including my favorite tonkatsu spot (Katsuhana), ramen (Santouka), donburi (Kayaba), taiyaki (Oishinbo), and my favorite dessert place that serves great soft serve ice cream. Keep in mind that most of these vendors accept cash only.

Creamyaki - zodiac shaped hot cake filled with custard

Taiyaki - a Japanese fish shaped hot cake filled with red bean filling

Green tea soft serve ice cream

Parking here is a pain in the butt during the weekend, so avoid weekend peak hours. Better yet, take the free and convenient shuttle from the Port Authority bus terminal that goes back and forth the market daily. It’s only about a 30 minute ride. I also strongly advise against eating during peak hours because finding a table is a challenge, and the wait to order food can be quite long.

Mitsuwa has fun events and food festivals from time to time, so make sure to check out their calendar on their website. This place is da bomb diggity, offering a tiny glimpse of Japan tucked in New Jersey. So make sure to come here with a big appetite, so you could try everything!

Mickey's rating: 9/10
Price range: $$

All you need is a little sprinkle

2012-05-10T16:15:00.018-04:00

Sprinkles Cupcakes
780 Lexington Ave
New York, NY 10065
www.sprinkles.com

Mama said there’d be days like this…. when you just need a cupcake and forget about work. These delightful cupcakes are moist, fluffy, and orgasmic. They definitely make me smiley after a hard day at work. Thank you Beverly Hills for sharing this little piece of heaven with NYC. Some of us New Yawkers need that little bit of west coast sunshine.

Sprinkles Cupcakes: vanilla & chocolate sprinkles, red velvet, and pumpkin

Mickey's rating: 9/10
Price range: $$

Food for the soul

2012-05-04T08:56:00.002-04:00

Amy Ruth’s
113 West 116th Street
Harlem, NY 10026
www.amyruthsharlem.com

A beautiful mural in Harlem

So this past weekend, I was training for my Yosemite Half Dome hike by walking 280 blocks from downtown Chinatown all the way to uptown Harlem and New Jersey. It's inevitable that I would get tired, hungry, and super cranky. Thus, my boyfriend knew exactly what I needed to make things better… some soul food for his unsoulful girlfriend. So we stopped by Amy Ruth’s for some comforting, delicious and artery clogging worthy food to reward ourselves.

Corn bread on the house

Before we even placed our orders, we received a basket of complimentary corn bread, which was absolutely heaven at the moment since we were completely famished. It was warm, perfectly sweet with the right amount of cornmeal and we slathered it with butter and some maple syrup. Yum!

As I slowly regained my energy back, I studied the restaurant menu carefully, featuring every permutation of comfort food with famous African-American themed dishes. Amy Ruth’s is well known for their famous chicken and waffles... but we just didn’t feel like having any waffles for dinner.

The President Barack Obama fried chicken with collard greens and mac & cheese

So instead, we ordered the President Barack Obama entree. You have the option of choosing your chicken fried, smothered, baked, or BBQ, with two delicious sides of your choice. I stuck with the classic fried chicken since it's essential and vital to Southern cooking. The chicken was juicy, well seasoned, with just the right amount of crisp without being too greasy, and mmmm-mmm finger-lickin’ good. I merrily gobbled the tasty chicken, and washed it down with some good ol’ Kool-aid.

The Reggie Harris Southern honey-dipped fried chicken with fried okra and potato salad

Our side dishes were really good as well. The potato salad was good, with a nice touch of dill. The fried okra did not have that gooey slimy texture, and it tasted awesome in a deep fried batter. The leafy collard greens were excellent with just enough salt and flavor. Macaroni and cheese? Nummy in my tummy! I can't wait to try all the other sides next time.

Neal shoemaker's peach cobbler

We barely had room for dessert, but we managed to squeeze in a warm peach cobbler at the end. The atmosphere here was comfortable, with good hip hop music playing in the background. Despite the service being a little bit slow, the staff was friendly and accommodating.

Amy Ruth's was one of the most satisfying and hearty meals I ever had. Although my thighs felt guilty for enjoying soul food this good, it definitely satiated my hunger and my belly could not be happier. Going to Amy Ruth's is an experience. One that I recommend to all, for good quality southern comfort food where you eat with your soul, by keepin' it simple and real. Yes, I'd walk another 280 blocks for Amy Ruth's in a hearbeat.

Mickey’s rating: 9/10
Price range: $$

My favorite Malaysian restaurant in NY

2012-04-30T10:15:00.011-04:00

New Malaysia Restaurant
48 Bowery
New York, NY 10013
www.newmalaysiarestaurant.com

This delicious restaurant is tucked in a tunnel alley way between Bowery and Elizabeth Street, so finding this place is like finding a hidden treasure. I use to come here every weekend when I was young, since this was one of my mom’s favorite joint. The restaurant came a long way before it renovated, because I remember it looking a lot like a cafeteria with minimal décor and everything was served in cheap plastic utensils.

Hainese and curry chicken with fried egg on rice combo

Curry beef and fish balls noodle soup

For appetizer, I usually start off with the roti canai (not shown here), an Indian pancake dipped in curry. It’s always fun to peel away the flat flaky bread and soak it into that spicy curry before devouring it. Another favorite for most people is the Hainese chicken, served plain yet very moist with a side of mild chili and mashed ginger sauce that I can never get enough of. The real highlight for me however, is the rice. The Hainese rice is packed with yummy flavorful chicken goodness, because the rice is cooked in the same chicken broth that was used to cook the chicken. I think I could eat the rice all by itself because it’s that good.

Pearl fried noodles

Curry beef brisket with noodles

The pearl fried noodles and curry beef brisket are my favorite Malaysian dishes. The pearl noodles look like little mouse tails with a smooth and chewy texture fried with shrimp, pork, egg, mushrooms, scallions and bean sprouts. The curry beef brisket here is always sold out towards the end of day, so don’t come here too late if you want some. The meat is extremely tender and the aromatic curry broth is rich, filled with different spices and creamy coconut milk. I love this stuff!

Singapore ice

I always make room for dessert here. They have a variety of shaved ice, laced with sweet red syrup and condense milk, with choices of fruits, red bean or jelly. The shaved ice can be served as a drink or served in a bowl, so taking it to go is never a problem. This place inspired my mom to purchase a manual ice shaver... that continues to collect dust in my basement.

All in all, the food is always tasty and consistent here so I’m never disappointed. The restaurant can get crowded, and feel a little cramped but the turnover is super fast. New Malaysia is definitely one of my go to spots in Chinatown.

Mickey’s rating: 10/10
Price range: $$

Cheap Sushi

2012-04-26T09:12:00.001-04:00

Chikurin
2274 86th St
Brooklyn, NY 11214
www.chikurinsushi.com

If you crave sushi as often as I do, and you don’t want to spend too much money - this place is a good option for a quick sushi fix. Chikurin is a Japanese restaurant chain known for their 50% off sushi made by my Chinese homies. Of the 9 restaurants located here in New York, the 86th Street, Brooklyn location is my favorite. Their classic rolls are only $3.00, all sushi or sashimi pieces are $1.00, and they have 4 pages of special rolls to choose from their menu. The fish is decent and fresh every time I come, especially anything with salmon, and they have a good selection of cooked food as well.

The atmosphere here is a little noisy during dinner time, but for the price you pay, this place hits the spot. Good for my belly, great for my pocket! =]

Mickey’s ratings: 8/10
Price range: $

PPZ

2012-04-22T18:26:00.000-04:00

Prospect Park Zoo
450 Flatbush Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11225
www.prospectparkzoo.org

This zoo is awesome, perfect for kids and adults. Even thought it’s a small zoo, there are plenty of cool animals to see including curious Pallas cats, baboons making silly faces, weird looking emus, geese and ducks quacking, peacocks strutting by, a posse of turtles laying in the pond, golden lion tamarin with cool hairdos, saki monkeys playing, beautiful tufted deer and more. It’s intimate, well maintained and never crowded, so I got the best view for every exhibit and attraction.

As you walk into the zoo, you’ll be greeted by two bright and loveable sea lions. They have a short performance prepared for you, so make sure to watch them during feeding times. They’ll make you smile by showing off a few tricks up their sleeves.

The twitchy tail prairie dogs were laying out lazily sunbathing. A couple of them popped their heads out of the burrows, just like the game whac-a-mole. There are a few viewing bubbles that you can crawl up a tunnel to pop your head out too, perfect for photo ops!

I was so happy to see the red pandas up close and personal because I didn’t get to see them at The Central Park and The Bronx Zoo. They have beautiful red fur with a long furry tail, and a face that slightly resembles a raccoon. I was so fascinated by them… I want one.

Dingoes made their debut at the zoo recently, so I’m glad to welcome them with a visit. They look like domesticated dogs but are more closely related to wolves. These are also the first dingoes in a New York City zoo in 40 years. They are just adorable.

We nearly missed the Australian wallaby because it was so tiny. So glad I walked back looking for it because I would’ve been so upset to not have been able to say hello. I was surprised that there was no real fence around the area. The petite baby wallaby was just hanging out on the rock crevice munching on some veggies while we adore him.

My favorite part was the petting zoo with the barn animals. The babydoll sheep, goats, and alpacas were all very gentle and friendly. With two quarters you could purchase some pellets to feed them. They enjoyed eating off my hands with their wet tongues tickling me. The two funny looking alpacas have really big eyes hidden underneath their cute little hairdos. They brought a smile to my face.

I definitely prefer this zoo over The Bronx Zoo. I love that I don’t have to walk miles to get from one attraction to another. Everything was situated closely and the animals were practically right in front of me. It only takes about two hours to get through, so it’s a nice short trip before or after picnicking at Prospect Park. The Prospect Park Zoo may not have lions and tigers, but all the adorable lovable animals that they do have; you can’t help but fall in love with them too. I love this place!

Mickey’s rating: 10/10
Price range: $

Brunch at Westville

2012-04-19T08:56:00.001-04:00

Westville
210 W 10th St
New York, NY 10014
www.westvillenyc.com

This is a quaint little restaurant with outdoor seating, so it’s the perfect place to come here for brunch with your pup. I love brunching outside on a beautiful day in the city… I get to people watch and doggie watch. It’s also a vegan friendly place filled with a long list of fresh beautiful veggies to choose from. There’s about twenty plus items on the market menu and if you like, you could even pick four items as your meal. The market sides are so amazingly delicious! If I could have this every single day, I would swear off meat. My waistline would totally appreciate it.

Market sides - sauteed kale with shallots, honey dijon brussels sprouts, roasted beets with goat cheese, and fried plantains with cotija cheese. I love the vibrant colors. They were all so fresh and very delicious!

Breakfast burrito with a side of hash. The hash was a spicy creamy mash potato with a Mexican twist. It's not your typical hash and I loved it!

The inside of our breakfast burrito. Lots of diced chorizo tucked inside the fluffy scrambled eggs, topped with salsa and avocado.

Westville breakfast - poached eggs with Canadian bacon, and sauteed spinach on an English muffin. I didn't like this very much.

The breakfast burrito was large in portion and filling, however, it needed plenty of ketchup and Tabasco sauce to bring out the flavors. The side of hash on the other hand was quite tasty. It was a spicy creamy mash potato with a Mexican twist. I immediately wanted seconds. I also ordered the Westville breakfast because I enjoy a classic eggs benedict, but this one was just mediocre. Doh!

Saying hi to Teddy, who was brunching next to us. :)

The wait staff at Westville weren't very friendly and quite frankly not very attentive. They seemed frustrated when we asked that they change our drinks because two of our cups were dirty. But it’s ok… I forgive them for having fantastic veggies. I will definitely come back here for more market sides and try their famous mac and cheese. Just thinking about their veggies, is making me drool. The wait here can be a little crazy during the weekends, but there are a few things that make it worthwhile.

Mickey’s ratings: 7.5/10
Price range: $$

Not a fan of The Bar Room at The Modern

2012-04-16T09:42:00.008-04:00

The Bar Room at The Modern
9 W 53rd St
New York, NY 10019
www.themodernnyc.com

The Bar Room at The Modern

I’ve heard many great things about this restaurant for a long time, and I was intrigued so I finally came here for dinner on a Friday night. Well… I didn’t quite fall in love with The Bar Room at The Modern, even though I pass by this swanky restaurant every single day. The service was good but the ratio of wait staff was almost the same as patrons, so I expected excellent. The chairs were not comfortable and the tables were situated way too close together next to other people dining. The ambiance was pretentious, lively, and filled with snobby people by the bar. The bar was definitely bumpin', but it caused such a disruption that I didn’t quite enjoy my conversations nor my meal. Boo... this just proves that high expectations can lead to high levels of disappointment.

Tarte flambee, Alsatian thin crust tart with creme fraiche, onion and applewood smoked bacon - This was the only dish I liked. The dish was surprisingly huge and the creamy cheese and sweet onions were a perfect blend. This is my kind of pizza!

Upside down tuna tartare with fennel, Japanese cucumber and aioli - There was nothing special about this tuna tartare.

Grilled diver scallops with fried brussels sprouts, butternut squash puree, and citrus nage - I ordered this because I thought there would be brussels sprouts, but where were they?

Slow-poached farm egg, with Maine lobster, artichoke puree, crosnes and sea urchin froth - I couldn't taste the sea urchin because it was overpowered by the sourness of the artichoke puree, but the froth was very rich and foamy. The few pieces of lobster were a little overcooked and the soft poached egg just tasted odd with everything united.

Beer-braised pork belly with turnip choucroute and ginger jus - The pork belly was very tender but the pork skin was a tad too tough and chewy.

Roasted Long Island duck breast with peppercorn-crusted apples and toasted pistachio-truffle dipping sauce - The roast duck tasted like the roast duck I get at Chinese restaurants. It was good but with that price, I could’ve ordered a whole duck and more at a Chinese place. I didn't like the sliced peppercorn-crusted apples on the side at all, and I barely used my pistachio-truffle dipping sauce. I thought it was an odd combo and the flavors just didn’t mesh well.

The waiter advised us to order 3 items on the menu per person - categorized under ONE, TWO, and THREE, but I think 2 dishes should suffice. The portions are small, but I was actually full at the end of the meal and didn’t leave room for dessert. Each dish was beautifully presented, and even though they all have interesting and unique combinations of flavors, I was not blown away. Overall, I felt nothing amazing and the dishes did nothing for my not-too-hard-to-please palate. Sorry The Bar Room at The Modern for making you my first bad review. :(

Mickey’s ratings: 5/10
Price range: $$$$

Brooklyn's Best Sandwich

2012-04-13T10:44:00.007-04:00

Court Street Grocers
485 Court St
Brooklyn, NY 11231
www.courtstreetgrocers.com

This cute hipster place deserves to be on "Adam Richman’s America’s Best Sandwiches". My friend Richie raved about how superb their sandwiches are, so my boyfriend and I entrusted his taste buds and immediately flocked to this place. Court Street Grocers have an amazing selection of fresh sandwiches, cooked and baked goods, and unique grocery items. It is definitely a good place to stop by for lunch after a weekend stroll in Carroll Gardens. :)

Zapp's! And I LOVE blueberry sodas!

The Turkey Club

Most of the turkey clubs I’ve had in the past are usually dry and sort of bland. But the Court Street Grocers’ rendition piles high with succulent white and dark meat turkey, on a triple decker buttered toast, with delicious bacon, slices of fresh tomatoes and crisp iceberg lettuce. However, the second time I went back, the turkey was a tad bit too salty… but the minor inconsistency does not stop me from believing that this is probably one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had.

The Delight

If you’re in a beefy mood then you have to try The Delight. Holy moly! The Delight was just deeeeelightful. On toasted Orwasher’s pumpernickel bread, with heaping layers of juicy tender house corned short rib, melted muenster cheese, and a creamy homemade coleslaw with a thousand island dressing. Yum!

Court Street Grocers’ sandwiches reflect a combination of simplicity and creativity in making the perfect sandwich by contrasting texture and flavors. This neighborhood gem has successfully built a solid foundation for its delicious sandwiches that not many sandwich makers can achieve. Sandwich lovers need to come here, pronto. Thanks Richie! :)

Mickey’s ratings: 9/10
Price range: $$

I love hand-pulled noodles

2012-04-09T08:53:00.005-04:00

Tasty Hand-Pulled Noodles Inc.
1 Doyers Street
(between Bowery & Chatham Sq)
New York, NY 10013

There is something truly magical about hand-pulled noodles that I’m completely obsessed with. I would always crave that fresh, bouncy, chewy texture of handmade noodles whenever I want something warm in my belly. Tasty Hand-Pulled Noodles is a hole in the wall in Chinatown, that has been around for quite some time. This place definitely hits the spot with a good variety of noodles, delicious broth, and the perfect toppings. As I gawk at the noodle chef, I'm deeply enamored by the constant stretching and twirling in the art of hand-pulled noodles, while I slurp my noodles away.

Steamed pork and vegetable dumplings

Pan-fried pork and vegetable dumplings

House special knife peeled noodles in soup

Pan-fried regular hand-pulled noodles

You can order regular hand-pulled, fat hand-pulled, wide hand-pulled, knife peeled, and small or big rice noodles. I prefer the knife peeled noodles over the regular hand-pulled noodles. I love that irregular shaped sliced noodles that's a little more doughy and chewy at the same time. The juicy pork and vegetable dumplings are tasty appetizers whether it's pan-fried or steamed.

There is certainly nothing impressive about this place in terms of decor and service, but if you want the real Chinatown experience that's dingy, cheap, and delicious - Tasty Hand-Pulled Noodles is the perfect choice!

Mickey's rating: 9/10
Price range: $

A pinch of salt and a bunch of fatties

2012-04-01T22:54:00.006-04:00

Salt & Fat
41-16 Queens Blvd
Sunnyside, NY 11104
www.saltandfatny.com

Scoot over Manhattan restaurants, Salt and Fat is now quite the trendy spot in Sunnyside, Queens. This place serves Asian-fusion tapas with an American classic makeover. I came here with my sisters and our significant others prepared for a 45 minute wait on a Sunday night, since they don’t take reservations. But it’s ok - with a little patience, you will be rewarded with a bag of complimentary bacon fat popcorn (not greasy at all). I could totally swim inside a playpen filled with this bacon fat popcorn instead of colorful balls, because this stuff is awesome!

Free bacon fat popcorn!

Yellowtail tartare with scallions, yuzu gel, served with cassava chips

Korean BBQ wraps with hanger steak, pickled daikon and miso

Scallops with roasted carrot puree, truffled corn salsa and capers

Braised pork belly tacos with pickled onions, kimchi salsa and queso fresco

Hampshire pulled-pork sliders with sriracha BBQ sauce and pickles

Oxtail terrine with caramelized onion puree and roasted mushrooms

Fried chicken with pickled daikon

Crack and cheese made with fried potato gnocchi

I was a little disappointed that they didn’t have the fried brussel sprouts and short rib buns when we were there, but we thoroughly enjoyed almost everything that we ordered and their presentation was on par. At the end of the night, we were too full to even try their desserts, which I heard were absolutely delectable. If you live in the area, this would be a good alternative instead of Manhattan good eats, and it’s a cute spot for date night. Two thumbs up for being an innovative Queens’ restaurant and extra thumbs up for the complimentary tiny sweet yogurt drinks at the end of the meal!

Mickey's rating: 8/10
Price range: $$$

Cute food

2012-03-28T22:18:00.004-04:00

I think the hardest part about making cute food look cute visually, is making sure that the taste is just as appetizing. Nonetheless, these are still fun to make if you want to brighten up someone’s day! =] For unique ideas and inspirations, check out one of my favorite sites HERE.

Angry Birds bento box - with a little imagination, bento boxes are fun to make.

Candy sushi - made with rice krispies treats, fruit roll-ups, and swedish fish.

It's mango season!

2012-03-23T10:52:00.006-04:00

So I was watching this show called Neighborhood Gourmet a few weeks ago, about 2 people who travels all over Hong Kong to taste all kinds of different cuisines. When they did a segment on Hong Kong desserts, I couldn’t help but drool over the delicious varieties that they have. Mango sago was featured on the show, and it just brought back all the sweet memories I had at Hui Lau Shan and Honeymoon Dessert in Hong Kong. I love the creamy pudding-like texture filled with sago pearl goodness, and I love mangoes! Since it’s mango season right now, I decided to make some mango sago. Enjoy!

Mango Sago Pomelo

Makes about 3-4 servings
PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients:
1 big ripe mango
¼ cup sago (small)
½ cup condensed milk
½ cup milk
2-3 tsp sugar if needed (in case your mango isn’t ripe)
1 slice of pomelo (Chinese grapefruit) - optional

Directions:
Soak sago for an hour. Rinse it to remove excess starch before and after soaking process. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add sago and simmer until it’s soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Be careful to not overcook the sago or it will become a glob. Then drain water through a fine sieve, and rinse it under running water to wash out the excess starch so that the sago is not sticky.

Peel and chop mangoes. Reserve finely chopped mango pieces (1/4 of a mango) for garnish. Blend rest of the mango pieces with condensed milk, whole milk, and sugar if desired, to a smooth paste. Add more milk if you want to change the consistency. Transfer to a bowl and add cooked sago. Mix well.

Garnish with pomelo (peeled and sacs separated) and reserved mangoes. Serve chilled.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy, right? :)

A Taste of Northern Chinese Style Cuisine

2012-03-21T09:56:00.005-04:00

House of Orient
46-09 Kissena Blvd
Flushing, NY 11355

I’ve past by this restaurant many times without ever giving it a second glance. Perhaps it’s because BCD Tofu House was replaced by this place, and the bitterness just lingered on... but let me tell you, this place was uhhh-mazing! House of Orient serves Northern Chinese style cuisine, strongly influenced by Muslim cuisine. Evidently, lamb is their specialty, where cumin and hot peppers are used liberally in every dish. If you like spicy food packed with bold flavors, this place is it!

Fresh leek and pork pancake

Steamed lamb dumplings

Country style shredded pork with vegetables

Cumin lamb

Sauteed hot peppers with fried pig intestines

Stewed sour cabbage with pork belly and vermicelli in hotpot

Potato, eggplant and hot peppers

Fried pork with sweet and sour sauce

Mongolia style lamb chops

I highly recommend this restaurant for big groups since everything is family style. This is also a great place to bring your picky Asian parents for special occasions. They will love this place because it's quick, delicious, and reasonably cheap. We had 13 people, and the bill came out to $104. That’s less than $10 a person! I will definitely come back here more frequently to try all the other dishes on the menu. Thanks Tony for recommending this place! :)

Mickey's rating: 9/10
Price range: $

If I could rearrange the alphabet, I would put u n i together

2012-03-16T12:17:00.017-04:00

Soto
357 6th Avenue
New York, NY 10014
www.sotonyc.com

Last week was opening night for the movie Jiro Dreams of Sushi. It’s a documentary about a 85 year old sushi master Jiro, who’s lifelong passion revolves only around sushi. With all the amazing sushi visuals, it's inevitable that this movie would leave me mouthwatering and falling in love with sushi all over again.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi at the IFC Center.

Good thing I had one of the best sushi meals of my life at Soto, right before I went to see Jiro! With a full tummy, I controlled the sushi monster within me from unleashing inside the theater. If you're a sushi lover and haven't seen Jiro Dreams of Sushi yet, go see it! It's an inspiring story with beautiful cinematography. I truly enjoyed every moment of it - Jiro, you're my hero. :P

The facade of Soto.

Sushi Chef Kosugi prepares our sushi with a stern face.

Hands down, this place is amazingly good. Does it seem like I say that about every sushi restaurant? Well it's true... even though Soto received mixed reviews and I've heard stories about Chef Kosugi, whom many patrons called “crazy”. He's known for having a bad temper with his staff and I even witnessed it. But I think he's just a serious man, who’s serious about his craft and knows exactly what the foie gras of the sea is. This place was unilicious! Unicredible! Uniful! Unirrific! Uninomenal! You get the point right? I walked right into uni lover’s paradise, where all uni lovers should UNIte!

Uni tempura with uni powder

Uni tempura close up - apparently when you deep fry uni, the unique flavor of uni disappears. It tasted like sweet potato. I think I'll stick with uncooked uni.

Uni cocktail in a martini glass - it's indeed happy hour time.

Uni cocktail close up - sea urchin with soy reduction and fresh wasabi. This is my favorite uni dish. Make sure to get your own. I made the mistake of sharing one!

Uni and Yoba - black soy bean milk with uni served with shitake broth. I loved the depth of flavors and textures in this, and the cold broth was refreshing.

Uni Ika kelp roll - minty with good texture.

Steamed lobster with uni mousse

The steamed lobster with uni mousse was not only visually beautiful but tasted wonderful too. The lobster was cooked medium rare, full of flavor with a delicate sweetness that complemented well with uni, truffle oil, caviar and paper thin vegetables. Best lobster dish ever! This nearly stole uni's thunder.

Lobster sashimi

We didn't know about this dish, until we saw Chef Kosugi intricately composing 5 of these lobster sashimis at the sushi bar. We immediately ordered it without hesitating, knowing that we wanted to try it, just because everyone else was having it. The sweet lobster was perfect, covered in a ginger vinaigrette with seaweed salad underneath. Wow!

Fluke

Isaki

Salmon sake

Red snapper

Striped jack

Toro

We ordered the 8 piece omakase last, essentially letting the chef decide what to feed us. Sometimes I enjoy that surprise element, where each piece of fish is carefully and thoughtfully prepared by our chef. The best piece in the house was the toro. Oh... how I love thee! The toro was so heavenly, that it transmitted this indescribable euphoric feeling inside my body. I was giggling over the rich fatty flavor of the tuna belly melting in my mouth. It tasted like butter. We even skipped dessert and ordered one more toro sushi to cap off the evening. It's so gooooood.

So here are a few things to keep in mind, if you ever decide to dine here. Do not come here if you’re in a rush. Otherwise, you won't enjoy the full dining experience. The service is a little slow with only one sushi chef. The portions are small and the prices are expensive, but you're getting what you pay for - quality. Think about it, you get a taste of Japan without actually flying there. How awesome is that? I think Soto is one of the most inventive and most unique in flavors, in all of the sushi restaurants I've been to. I’ll never forget this incredible three hour meal.

3 things you must order here:
Uni cocktail – don't share this one!
Steamed lobster with uni mousse - so decadent and good!
Toro - this orgasmic piece of fish is kind of a big deal. Best toro I've ever eaten!

Mickey's rating: 10/10
Price range: $$$$