Provoking the Palate

Life got Busy...but...Coming Back Soon!

2012-08-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

My "real life job" kind of took over every sphere of life. I also started taking Deutsch lessons so that has been taking up a lot of time as well--but I am going to try and keep this up as, "Ich liebe Essen!" Even though it will be in a more limited capacity, it will at least be something! I shall be aiming to post at least one a month. Welcome back, me!

8th Annual Chef One Dumpling Eating Contest

2011-10-01T16:08:00.079-04:00

My trek to Sarah D. Roosevelt Park in (Bowery and Chinatown) was SO worth it. I’ve been to a few festivals before—much larger ones like the Bite of Seattle and Taste of Tacoma—yes, Pacific Northwest in the housssseeee (yell it like Oprah would).

As it happens—3^rd place winner in the Women’s Division Chau Bui (a very vivacious and smart chica attending grad school at NYU) is also originally from the same area! Go us! It was great talking to her. Her introduction to herself was a hoot as well—“I won a pie eating contest when I was 7—I ate half a pie”. It might have been half a slice. My memory has never been the best!

I got to talk to 3^rd place winner Will Millender for a bit as well. His advice for future competitive eaters? “Don’t. I don’t want more competition. But if you are interested—there’s a website you can go to”. The guy was a hoot. For more information about competitive eating visit Eat Feats. Among the interesting things to come out of his mouth—“water training”. I had to ask what that was. Apparently—it’s when you try and drink as much water as you can in 1 or 2 minutes—as in the gallons. Yeah. If you end up trying it—try it near a bucket and a bathroom!

For more information about the 3^rd Annual Tang’s Natural Dumpling Festival itself, please visit my article on the Bromography site 2011 3rd Annual Tang's Natural Dumpling Festival.

Complete List of Winners:

Newly minted Guinness Book of World Records Holder: Seth Gruberg, 18 dumplings in 2 minutes. Before you go thinking wait, what? Here’s the deal—the rules are much stricter for that title. First—NO WATER. That’s right—no water allowed during those 2 minutes. Also—after every dumpling, you must show your mouth to a judge. There’s even an official Guinness TIMER.

8^th Annual Chef One Dumpling Eating Contest Winners:

Men’s Division:

Joseph Menchetti – 69 (7 time winner—aka “Gentleman Joe”)

David Brunelli – 60 (aka “Tiger Wings and Things”)

Will Millender – 45

Women’s Division:

Floria Lee – 37 (6 time winner)

Olga Zaitsev – 33 (1 time winner)

Chau Bui – 23

I actually took a video of the eating contest but for some reason it refuses to load. If I ever figure this out--I'll put it up! Sorry! Here are some photos instead!

Coming Soon--3rd Annual Dumpling Festival

2011-09-24T16:32:00.002-04:00

A few articles will be up on the Bromography site about the 2011 3rd Annual Tang's Natural Dumpling Festival and 8th Annual Chef One eating contest.

I have had a crazy few weeks with work and bronchitis and asthma so that's my only excuse to offer!

In the meantime--please visit the announcement article here titled, Daring Dumplings!.

Thanks Everyone!

The Spotted Pig: Fun folks with a Salty Twist

2011-09-09T09:40:00.003-04:00

The Reviewed: The Spotted Pig

Location: 314 W. 11th Street @Greenwich St.
New York, NY 10014
212.620.0393

Overall Rating: 3/5
Service Rating: 4.5/5
Food Rating: 3/5

Impressions: Seasonal British and Italian, sourcing local ingredients when possible. Chef/Owner April Bloomfield. West Village. Cozy, playful and fun décor with a very quirky arrangement. Small bar. Don’t be fooled by your first walk-in impressions—there’s a 2nd floor.

The Service: We were a walk-in (for some reason I am not much of a planner when it comes to eating out—which can make for a late meal!). Before I was even able to open the door I had to plow my way (not literally) through about 20 hangers-on waiting outside to be seated. I put my name in and was told it would be about an hour—which I was more than willing to wait for—it’s Friday night in the West Village of NYC…plus, my friend was running late.

After we were seated the parade of waiters began. The waiters were wonderfully attentive—some might say overly—however, they were so quick in their deliveries (both food/drink/and spoken word) that it was not annoying in the least. In fact, when my friend accidentally grabbed one of the waiters’ buttocks (he was pretty cute so I wouldn’t put it past her to have tried that one on purpose) he grinned and made light of a situation that could have been potentially embarrassing. I honestly can’t say enough about the service here. Not only were they professional—they did it in a very comfortable, social and friendly manner. No stiff pretension here! I heart that. I would definitely rank it up there as one of the best I’ve ever had. They weren’t perfect but they more than made up for it.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted the notes I wrote down in my phone—and the website does NOT list the dishes or drinks I ordered. They must’ve changed menus for the fall season. So the names will be approximate guesses at best and not official ones! My sincere apologies.

Ordered Dishes:

Sunrise Cocktail: I think that was the name. It could have been “sunset” or maybe neither. Whatever it was—it was INCREDIBLE. Does it matter—I think I’m a sunset person though—mornings and I are bitter enemies (and for some reason, morning ALWAYS wins). Anyhow it was one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had—absolutely inspired. I ordered 3 before the night was done. Basil Bush, Pomegranate Grenadine, and Cava. I love the inclusion of herbs into cocktails. It really adds a complexity and depth that, unless one is drinking to get drunk…is truly appreciated. And this not drunk chick appreciated it.

Pot Of Pickles: Yes, yes…I know, it’s pickles—but I assure you, if you’ve had this hint of garlic hotness with the perfect amount of vinegary saltiness—you’d put it in here for a review too! The light and layered brine was spot on. The heat was just enough to add the last lilting hit to my surprised tongue. And the veggies—crispy as if they were fresh picked from the garden. The pickled medley consisted of Cornichon, cauliflower, haricot vert, carrot…and SHALLOT. Let me tell you something—pickled shallots will blow your mind. The thing I find interesting here is—it was perfect—not overly salty or vinegary or anything—just pickled perfection.

Roasted Bone Marrow: I’m not sure I had any. I saw the bones. You see the picture and there was the bread…but the bone marrow? Missing in Action. I’m not sure what went wrong here. But there was none in my friend’s bone and there certainly was none in mine. For $16—they should have done some quality checking there. I’ve made bone marrow before—I’ve never lost 97% of my marrow. Course, if I had made bone marrow—97% would have been lost…in my belly—so I almost can’t blame them for eating it and serving me the leftovers. The 3% that was left in the bone for me—was a stringy mess. If you take a look at the plate, you’ll see that there is some sea salt and a little green salad topper. The little salad was a little too strong on the parsley and very strong on salt. With such a salty little salad—I had to question why the tablespoon of salt was heaped on the plate as well. Alas…salt would come back to haunt us again…

Pork Belly with Cannellini and Green Kale Ragout: The Cannellini Ragout was good—nothing incredibly special—but good nonetheless. I wouldn’t have minded having more of it. After Spice Market…I HAD to order this when I saw it on the menu. It was just a must. It was the perfect place to do a comparison analysis. The prices, location, hype—they all match up evenly. I wanted to like it. The pork belly, while cooked technically perfectly and was tender—was just not nearly as tender as the one at Spice Market. And the seasoning was simple—which I don’t mind—but the old food adage holds true here—if you’re going to make something simple—it better rock it out of the ballpark. Sadly, due to the lack of restraint in salt usage—it did not. We were already thirsty from the humidity in NYC’s normal summer weather—so this did not make matters any better. Adding the over-salted parsley salad and this was just the last straw in our losing war with sodium. In both the parsley salad and the pork belly—it wasn’t that it was crazily over-salted—it was that it was that one to two steps too far. What it lacked was restraint.

Blueberry Pie with Lemon Verbena Ice Cream: I’ll say the nice thing first—I love blueberries. I love that the pie wasn’t too sweet—in fact, it was just a nice hint. I also adore that they thought outside the box for an ice cream flavor. I’ve been told by numerous people; if you don’t have anything nice to say—don’t say it. Being a slight rebel—I won’t say too much. It wasn’t a typical pie—the blueberries were mixed with the batter (I refuse to say crust since there was barely any, and what was there was soft). The lemon verbena ice cream tasted old with a hint of freezer burn crystals. You know what I’m talking about. I’ve actually made lemon verbena ice cream—so maybe I’m biased—but this wasn’t good. And if you’re going to call something a pie—give me my crust. I think most people that order pie—are looking for that carb-filled crust.

Overall Assessment: Would I go back? Yes. That menu had some interesting and creative twists in a restrained manner (which is why the unrestrained use of salt kind of blindsides you). I also really wanted to order the corn soup but with the heat…well—not happening! Plus—I’ve heard great things about their burger and shoestring fries. Besides, the service was so alert and friendly I just felt like beaming the entire time at them. Hell, I might have! While I was a little underwhelmed by the food—I loved everything else. That’s enough to get me to go back at some point. I’m a tough critic maybe—but a whore for hope when something catches my fancy. The next time The Spotted Pig calls “Suey” I’ll come running.

Author’s Note: I will be putting up an “Evoking the Essence” post about my trip here soon. Stay tuned!

Labor Day Weekend = Staycation: Food Edition!

2011-08-31T18:16:00.000-04:00

So it's been awhile that I wrote something of substance! I can only say--I have been CRAZY BUSY at work/with work/traveling for work...you name it--just add the word "work" in there somewhere!

That said...this weekend, to celebrate the Labor Day holiday I will make sure that I have plenty of time to devote to my food blogs!

History of Labor Day:

Labor Day is when Americans celebrate....LABOR...by NOT doing any. It's an actual federal holiday--something we don't get enough of, if you ask me! Thank you President Grover Cleveland--I don't remember much else that you may have accomplished, but I remember this. Is that telling? Oh, well! It also traditionally marks the very sad end of summer. Kids go back to school, homemakers go back to bonbons after scurrying around trying to ensure their kids stay busy throughout the summer, football (American football, that is) season starts so that all the working out that guys may have partaken in can be undone with beer on Mondays…and working people? Well...working people everywhere except those poor folks in the service industry (much love to you, I remember!) get 1 day off to commemorate their countless hours of work for the year.

And, of course, the big one--if you're a traditional fashionista--it will no longer be OK for you to wear white...bridezillas notwithstanding.

Possible Labor Day Weekend Festivities:

The Spotted Pig (I am lately obsessed with Chef April Bloomfield after reading/seeing interviews/etc.)
Union Square Green Market
August
BBQ in the backyard!
Anything else I can think of to take advantage of this weekend!

Come back next week for the first of many updates! Thanks for your support!

Back Soon!!!

2011-08-23T18:52:00.000-04:00

Just an FYI--a VERY busy few weeks getting ready for some large/important meetings at work. But I promise when things calm down in September I'll be back for more! Hang tight, folks! I appreciate all your support. Thanks!

Evoking the Essence...Raspberry Cava Kick

2011-08-15T18:50:00.000-04:00

My second installation for the Bromography site is up! If you love raspberries and/or alcohol--go take a look! Heck--it's great to just go gaze at some pictures of some gorgeous raspberries too! The best part is--the cava I used--was the top pick for "Wine and Spirit" Magazine...all for such a great value too at only $9.99.

You've seen my review here and...if you happen to try out my recipe--let me know what you think. Thanks!

Evoking the Essence...Raspberry Cava Kick

Evoking the Essence...is up at Bromography!

2011-08-08T19:38:00.002-04:00

As promised--my post is up at the Bromography site! You've seen my review here--now go and check out the dish I believe inspired Spice Market's dish, that in turn, inspired me to write the recipe for you!

This is my own recipe for one of my favorite Lao dishes--and I think B's favorite overall. He's had a lot of Lao food now, too, so he can be counted on to at least know something about our cuisine! Funny--but, now when I think of this dish, I remember his first encounter with it. It was at my girlfriend's wedding last Labor Day weekend--and he just stood there at the buffet table chowing down on this dish with one of my friend's.

If you happen to try out my recipe--let me know what you think. Thanks!

Evoking the Essence...Spice Market

Coming Soon--On Bromography!

2011-08-07T13:30:00.001-04:00

My first post for Bromography looms--as in hitting the ground tomorrow! Below is a description of what the postings on that site will be about. Check it out!

Evoking the Essence…is about the flavors that inspire me after visiting a restaurant. Usually, there is at least one dish that is smashingly successful…and on the flip side, another that is a foul flop. Here you will find a collaboration of recipes I’ve put together inspired by the best and/or worst dish from restaurants I’ve visited. After visiting a restaurant I write a review here (on this site) and then choose 1-2 dishes that inspired me to cook. It pays to go check out my other page since you will see what dish I came up with! More importantly--you get a new recipe for your arsenal to wow friends and family with (at least that is the hope)! The most important thing to remember is—ETE’s recipes are NOT meant to be recreations and/or replications. They are just another vision of the main ingredients used in the dish represented for the respective restaurant.

The Garden and the Farmers' Market

2011-08-02T14:32:00.001-04:00

During my growing years my parents owned a family run restaurant called “XoakXai Restaurant” (translated means Good Luck)—a Lao-Thai Restaurant. My mom was the chef, my dad brought the greens from our backyard garden, and at one time or another—most of us kids worked there as servers, preppers, errand runners, or managers (there was no such thing as idle hands in my household--child labor is normal and expected!). Starting around my junior year…I did all of those things and actually kept the books (an Asian that is good with numbers, fairly difficult to imagine, right).

All our herbs and vegetables came from our organic garden and whatever produce we didn’t grow ourselves we purchased at the Farmers' Market. Back then, I didn’t understand the important role such decisions made in my life and in my health—but I know that given the opportunity to go back and change things, my father would not have changed how he made things grow--his methods were the same methods he and his forebears have used for centuries back in the homeland. Lao soil or American soil--it doesn't matter too much when you need to grow food to feed 8 kids, the various people we welcomed our humble home to, and for a business! There are so many studies out there that have shown the link between fertilizers and health defects. Sure—some might just be theoretical…but it’s important to be educated about as many aspects as possible. In the end, the choices we make are limited to the amount of knowledge we have at our disposal—some require more digging and some are spitting in our faces. For some straight comparison purposes...take a regular, fertilized fruit--apple or kiwi and then take an organic one of the same variety--if you have any taste buds at all--you won't fail to notice the difference in flavor and potency. It just tastes better. Period. Regardless of any of that…some of my best memories come from being in that garden with my dad.

One such memory was when I asked my father how I was created. Being the daddy’s little girl that I was—I never questioned the validity of his explanation—just nodded in my very serious way (I was always a pretty practical child, though full of dreams of dancing with dinosaurs) and was happy at his very matter-of-fact answer. To his credit, my father never got anxious, nervous or flustered. He didn’t even wave me off. My father—ever the cool man gardening in a 3 piece suit and a beaver hat. In fact, I believed it for years…until sometime in college when I took the time to think about his words and realized that it was all just a euphemism. You see, my father told me that whenever he wanted to have children, he’d come out and he’d plant a seed in his garden, just like he did when he wanted to grow spearmint or cucumbers. He’d weed around it and he’d water it just like "right now"—and before long, after some time had passed and we were ready, he’d come and dig us out. On a side note: I also remember asking him if he had perhaps lost focus a few times and forgot to weed around one of my older brothers and forgot to water my oldest sister and he laughed and bopped me on the head.

My memories of family and home and childhood are all wrapped around one single concept—yes…we didn’t have much…but no matter how hard-working and how busy my parents were…somehow…they always found a way to create these little memories for me. I had 7 older bullies, oops, I mean siblings…but I can honestly say I had the best childhood ever, because all of them, each in their own way, enriched my life and created very specific memories for me as well.

In truth, this post is inspired by my sister’s incredibly poignant post and vibrantly vivid photos from her most recent trip to an old childhood haunt—the Pasco Farmers' Market. Plus, she wrote the nicest things about me--a far cry from our once contentious relationship (we were always at odds growing up--we were just so different). Oh, how times have changed--and I'm glad they have. While she may have lamented about missing some genes...the photos below are all her--I can't take a decent picture to save my life. Besides, she has a much better ability than all that. I remember I used to joke with her daughter, my niece, about making "something out of nothing" (referring to cooking)...but her mother is the epitome of this sentiment, because I have never met anyone else with the eerie ability to will her dreams into reality. In my estimation--it's much more valuable when something is worked for rather than given. One of these days instead of traipsing around to different countries for vacation—I will make a nice swing through my old life and see the different changes time has wrought. For more on this—please check out her blog here.

Cranberry Vanilla Sparkler

2011-07-31T22:24:00.004-04:00

During the summer, I am always concocting some effervescent drink that's "semi-healthy" yet...tasty. This is one that I do a lot of throughout the year when watermelons aren't in season. Below is both an adult version and a child-friendly one. Let me know your thoughts!

Recipe:

1 shot of Chopin or Ketel One Vodka
1/2 cup Adam & Eve Cranberry juice (no-added sugar version that also doesn't add a sweetener)
1 cup San Pellegrino or Perrier Sparkling h20
1 tbs. Monin or Torani Vanilla syrup
1/4 Wedge of Lime or Lemon
Sprig of Spearmint or Genovese Basil
Ice

Directions:

Mix the vanilla syrup, vodka, and cranberry juice first. Squeeze the lime juice into the mixture. Then, add the sparkling water to the glass. Stir. Add ice and top with the mint or basil. Let sit for 5 minutes so the herb can release its essence into the drink. Add ice and enjoy!

For a kid-friendly version, just leave out the vodka--it's like healthy soda!

Spice Market: A One Trick Pony...

2011-07-26T23:59:00.008-04:00

The Reviewed: Spice Market

Location: 403 West 13^th Street

New York, NY 10014

                            212.675.2322

Overall Rating: 3/5
Service Rating:    1/5
Food Rating:    3/5

Impressions:       Southeast Asian Cuisine. Meatpacking District. Gorgeous and opulent decor. Outside seating available. Private rooms available. Round tables far too small to accommodate their toted "family-style dining" concept.

The Service: After walking in, we were seated much sooner than the 30 minutes we were told we'd have to wait--a great beginning. Prior to being seated we managed to get a seat at the extremely small bar where, after consulting the cocktails menu--I ended up asking for a concoction of my own--a twist on one of their signature creations. The bartender seemed disgruntled that I'd make my own up but conceded. As he handed my drink to me, he said, "I'm not sure this will taste that great..." He wasn't sure--but I was, and that made me question the palate/experience of my bartender. Not something one ought to wonder about at an establishment by the very famous owner/chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at one of his outposts...The drink was the "Lychee Raspberry Bellini" and if you want to see the cocktail I requested, please check the end of this post.

The service went further downhill after this. The wait staff walked around with tunnel vision, not wanting to look at anyone lest they be asked for service. There were at least 5 times that we waited around to wave someone down. If you can get hold of them they weren't too bad--but "not too bad" is just not a good enough phrase for an establishment that has an appetizer priced at $16.50. I asked for a second helping of my drink--and they brought me their "Lychee Raspberry Bellini" instead. I waited around for a while before capturing the attention of the server and asked him to remake it the way I asked. Lychee, while not a particularly strong flavor, is a very recognizable flavor once you've tasted it. I am Asian--I have most definitely tasted it, and I tasted it in my drink.

We finished our meal and waited around for 10 minutes before someone came to offer us a dessert menu. No joke. I had planned to order dessert but at this point all my limbs were tapping away in the insane dance of someone whose patience has definitely worn thin through neglect. I asked for our leftovers to be wrapped up and was greeted with stunned and/or sullen silence. I repeated myself. Yes, some people might think it isn't proper, but as someone in the customer service sector--you aren't doing your job if you try and make someone feel bad for asking for a doggie bag. As it is, I didn't feel bad. I never do. I paid for it, after all. Besides, 99% of the time, my leftovers doesn't make it home. I'm in NYC--there is always someone along the way to the subway that would appreciate a good meal. In fact, I urge everyone that has leftovers to ask for it. I might have been dissatisfied with what I ate--but if I was the guy that asked the people ahead of me for $0.80 so he could afford to buy a hotdog, I am willing to bet I wouldn't be so picky. He was, of course, the lucky recipient of my left over Spice Market meal.

Complimentary Hors D'Oeuvres: At the bar, placed in front of us were peanuts inside a thin round cracker cover (rather popular Asian-style snack)--one lightly dusted with wasabi and the other doused in a chewy Chinese 5 spice blend. Unfortunately, this would not be the last I smelled and tasted of this extremely pungent and aggressive flavor--rendered even angrier by its wanton use here. Make no mistake--this is a flavor I actually love--but the heavy-handed use all but killed my palate. Once seated, we were given a nice, light and crisp papadam served with a semi-thick cold curry as a dip. Here again, the star anise's powerful presence was on display, albeit to a much lesser degree than in the peanuts. I would not have minded its presence as much here if I wasn't already overloaded on the spice earlier. Usually, its fragrant and refreshing qualities play off nicely against papadam, which as light and crispy as it is--has a somewhat bitter hit to it.

Ordered Dishes:

Mussels Steamed w/Lemongrass, Thai Basil, Dried Chili and Coconut Juice -- The broth was nice and light and the overall flavor was nice, but there was definitely something lacking in the dish. After taking my spoon and sipping the broth by itself, I realized what it was--potency. The broth was lovely enough on its own, but when eaten with mussels that were not that fresh and served with a side of rice--a rather forgettable and lackluster letdown.

Ginger Fried Rice -- I was told by the waiter that this was the dish they were known for. It slightly scares me that an upscale restaurant would claim their best dish is fried rice. However, because of his claim, we ordered it. I honestly wasn't expecting too much, just something relatively normal--it's fried rice for goodness's sake. If you can't make fried rice at this level I honestly don't know what to say. The fried egg on top was lovely and done well (but really, it's a fried egg). The flavor of the dish itself was bland and the ginger was barely present. None of these things bothered me too much, but something did. What, you ask? It was the heavy taste of oil bordering on Crisco feel that drenched my rice and plate. It was the greasiest fried rice that ever sunk itself onto my tongue. When I moved the rice to the sides of the plate--I was greeted by a glistening layer of oil about 1-2 centimeters thick. No joke.

Crispy Pork Belly w/Tamarind Nouc Cham -- The two hardest cuts of pork--the belly and the cheeks. That said, I fell in love with this dish. It is single-handedly the best done pork dish I've ever had at a restaurant. You would think pork was a terrible piece of meat if not in the form of a slab of bacon or minced to pieces as sausage the way you receive it at most restaurants. My thoughts? If you can't serve it well like this--you should just forego having a pork dish at your restaurant. This pork stole my heart and saved the entire experience. The pork was meltingly tender--and I'm not just talking about the fatty layer--the meat itself just pulled apart deliciously on my fork. And then--my mouth met the perfectly crispy skin, not too crisp with just a hint of chew. Don't even get me started on the melt-in-your-mouth feel of the fat underneath. I nearly swooned in relief that I didn't just waste a ton of money on a terrible meal. I very nearly forgot the terrible service. Here the star anise came into play as well, but this time--it scented and perfumed the pork. It played in tandem to the textures of the pork, and mostly, it didn't kill off any other flavors the pork had seasoning it. You didn't even need the rather weak and watery nouc cham with the missing tamarind flavor to enjoy the pork, and indeed, I didn't bother after tasting it. I will say it again--this was the best done pork I've ever had at any restaurant.

Grilled Strip Steak w/Garlic, Coriander and Sesame -- The worst dish of the night by far (though my companion thought it was better than the pork, but he has something against the star anise flavor), which was a shame since the combination should have rendered the flavor sublime. The steak was cooked perfectly medium-rare, so it wasn't for lack of execution and it was tender enough. One of the problems was the generously slathered on green sauce...a sauce that was far too salty to be so liberally pasted on. It was also in a fight to the death with the overpowering bitter char on the steak (garlic by itself when overcooked will turn bitter, add sesame to it and you have 2 elements that produce the same bile effect).

Overall Assessment: As anyone that has read the "About Me" link knows--I am constantly looking out for great Southeast Asian cuisine. So, when I had heard about the fabled and gloried Spice Market I was pretty excited, if tentative (because of numerous terrible experiences in NYC). An outpost of the famous Jean-Georges Vongerichten--how can I go wrong?

I grew up with parents that both excelled in the culinary arts. My dad’s food was regional and limited to the cuisine of Southern Laos, but it was still spectacularly done. My mother was, and is, a phenomenal chef—specializing in Southeast Asian and French cuisine. From a very young age I was exposed to quality food, both traditional and fusion. Some years I went without new shoes—but I certainly never lacked for incredible and varied food. Yes, Southeast Asian food is potent and strong and robust--but it is certainly more than the star anise flavor Spice Market would have you believe.

Plus, you can bet I've never seen these prices at those street vendors in Asia--even without taking into account the currency exchange! Service was terrible and most of the dishes were just "ok"--definitely not worth the price. For a restaurant that says it was inspired by the street food offered in Southeast Asia it even failed in that. That said...I'd brave the terrible service and overpriced menu for the "Crispy Pork Belly w/Tamarind Nouc Cham" alone, skipping their nouc cham. It was seriously that good. That pork belly gives me hope that maybe...just maybe; there might be other gems to warrant me giving them a solid 3 stars...

Author's Note: Coming soon! After each trip to a restaurant and the subsequent review you see here please visit my blog titled, "Evoking the Essence of..." at the Bromography site. There, you will see recipes inspired by the flavors used at whatever restaurant I reviewed. The good and/or the bad! If you don't live in NYC you can bring a taste of what you read to your dinner table! The recipes created are not meant to be replications/recreations of the dishes reviewed. They are inspired by the best and/or worst of what went in my mouth. In the case of the best--you will see a recipe that was inspired by the very best of what captured my focus and flooded my mouth. In the case of the worst--you will see a dish I would have rather eaten made with the same overlying ingredients. The two sites work together--this site to entertain you with unbiased reviews and the other to impart some recipe inspired by my experience at that particular institution. Remember to check both sites--you will not see a repeat on either! Also, at some point, I will have some good old-fashioned giveaways! Enjoy!

Photo credits:
--Grilled Strip Steak taken from the official site of Spice Market
--All other photos taken by Sai Sisavatdy

Bromography

2011-07-22T11:38:00.012-04:00

The Beginning of This Particular Journey:

A few months ago while surfing a few volunteer sites, I came upon an opportunity that meshed a few of my many interests together--my insane love for food, my quiet and underutilized passion to pen, and the desire to make a difference...

The opportunity that presented itself came in the form of Bromography. How is this food blog different from others? Well--for one--the net proceeds go to support the wonderful business-minded, non-profit organization Kiva. Kiva is an organization that empowers people. It allows people a real chance at making a direct difference in their lives by lending them money for their business. What's more--100% of that loan goes directly to the person you choose to lend your money to! To learn more about Kiva or Bromography please click the links provided.

The Unfolding:

After signing on with Bromography, my sister (subsequently an incredibly talented artist/photographer) inquired whether or not I'd also have my own site. I shied away from that originally, but realized the double exposure would benefit Bromography's ability to help Kiva even more, so I agreed (also helps that she did the leg work while I described what I was looking for--I won't front that I'm a complete saint!). What you see here is our combined efforts--her with her mastery of images and artistry--mine with my love of food and words!

The Request:

As this is for a wonderful cause--please do check out both my blog here and the one at Bromography--and don't forget to spread the word along!

The Future of This Blog:

Don't despair--yes, this is a food blog and in the future, it will all be about food! This site will have reviews of restaurants (mainly NYC Metro area based unless I travel), blurbs on food events, recipes, interviews with folks involved in the culinary field and the occasional shout-outs to any of the aforementioned organizations.

I hope you'll enjoy this journey as much as I will producing it!