Tu quieres Taco Bell? When younger, I had always associated Mexican food with fast food chains and school cafeteria tacos stuffed with ground beef, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce and cheese. I came to New York and was further exposed to the magic of overstuffed Chipotle burritos and small Tex-Mex takeout restaurants. Mexican food was never considered an exquisite cuisine until a friend suggested lunch at La Palapa.

The restaurant has a lunch pre fixe special Monday-Friday for only $12.95! Unable to resist such a good deal, I chose menu #1 and eagerly awaited my 3 course meal.

First came the Sopa De La Casa – Pozole Rojo, a zesty hominy corn chicken soup called Pozole Rojo.

Dressing up the soup with avocado and radishes definitely added the necessary color and texture. The radishes did nothing for me (I ended up leaving most of them uneaten), but the avocado incorporated a rich smoothness with every bite of warm soup.

The main entree boasted of Taco de Tinga de Pollo and Quesadilla Sencilla. I greatly enjoyed wrapping the chipotle barbecued chicken with the soft corn tortillas, washing down my tacos with bites of grilled flour tortillas stuffed with melted anejo, monterrey jack, and queso fresco cheeses. I’ve always had a soft spot for stretchy, chewy wraps, which probably explains my love affair with Chipotle burritos.

The Flan de Kahlua bounced back when I prodded the dessert with my spoon, earning my seal of approval.

This meal was no Taco Bell, but I like to think that it represented more authentic Mexican food. Prices are steeper during dinner, but the appetizers are easily shareable as tapas.

77 Saint Marks Pl
New York, NY 10003
(212) 777-2537

It was a funny feeling walking down St Marks street on a Monday night, purse in one hand, gym bag in other. A street synonymous with Asian restaurants, tattoo parlors, and late night college binge drinking, I was there that night neither for alcohol nor Asian food. We passed all my favorite restaurants – Pho 32, Klong, Boka, Je’Bon, Kenka, Zen, and turned the corner to find a tiny Kosher deli tucked away on 2nd avenue next to Pomme Frites and a newly renovated falafel stand.

I had actually checked out B & H Vegetarian Restaurant a little under a year ago when I used to live within walking distance, and I was comfortably welcomed back by the seemingly unchanged deli. The same weathered “Specials” signs hung on the cabinets behind the counter, and the clientele hungrily ate dinner while hunched over at the counter or seated at the tiny square tables lined up in the narrow hallway. We took the table closest to the door, and the platinum blonde waitress leaned over the counter to pass us our menus.

I already knew what I wanted – red borscht soup. Hot, of course. There are very few foods I’m unable to tolerate, and neon pink cold borscht one late night last summer happened to make that list. The piping hot soup was brought over almost immediately, but I was saddened that the thick slices of challah bread had to be ordered separately.

My friend and I dug into the soup, every spoonful laden with thick cuts of beets, cabbage, and potatoes. A particular type of beetroot is used for the soup, which gives it that rich red-purple color. We agreed that the soup was excellent and would have been perfect if we had some challah bread to soak up the broth. Then again, I didn’t want something too heavy after my gym workout. Who knew beets could be so good!

The white fish overstuffed sandwich came out next, and of course I had to try it. You really have to work to get your mouth around these sandwiches to get a little bit of everything in the first bite, but this one was manageable. An excellent alternative to tuna, the mixed in celery provided an additional crunch to every bite.

While the Jewish deli now seems out of place amidst the expanding food and entertainment empire that is Asia, it is a charming reminder of times gone by. A great place to dine if you suddenly get the strong urge for some good ol’ potato knish or pierogis. The deli also delivers if you’re too lazy to travel ;) ($10 minimum)

I wonder what the B & H stands for…

127 2nd Ave
(between 7th St & St Marks Pl)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 505-8065

Ramen here, ramen there, ramen shops everywhere. I’ll truly miss all the amazing ethnic cuisines available within walking distance when I move out of the East Village come July 31. Ramen Setagaya was actually my first experience in a ramen shop, introducing me to the world of non-fried, non-instant ramen I had known my entire life. I returned to the 1st Ave location a few weeks ago when I craved something warm, soupy, and filling for lunch. The restaurant was surprisingly quiet on the Sunday afternoon, and we were cheerfully greeted by the cooks behind the counter when we stepped in.

We split a side order of Oyako-Don to start, which was minced chicken with rice, pickled vegetables, and a soft cooked egg. The egg cooked itself after being mixed into the rice, much like Dolsot Bibimbap. I ordered the Shio Ramen, which came adorned with slices of pork, bamboo-shoot, salt taste egg, seaweed, and scallions. The noodles were cooked al dente and the pork had a yummy proportion of fat to meat.

While the broth at Ramen Setagaya is definitely not as rich and flavorful as the one Ippudo boasts, presentation gets an A! (Probably because they use a smaller bowl so the ramen keeps the egg and pork afloat, but still, I remember my disappointment when my Ippudo ramen was brought out) I had to refrain from drinking all the salt-infused soup, since, well you know, I can’t help picking at food left in front of me. =/

Carson ordered the Shio Ramen Tsukemen, and he had his ramen brought out on the side to dip into his (more concentrated) broth. I actually liked his noodles more – they were firmer with a springy texture, and they absorbed more flavor after dipping into the broth.

Go to Ramen Setagaya if you don’t want to wait in a long line for Ippudo (though it can get crowded in the evenings). There are also chain locations in St Marks and University Place. The ramen is cheaper and fills you up more, and it isn’t half bad either. However, if delicious broth is a must, wait it out at Ippudo. Or be smart and get there earlier in the evening to minimize the wait.

My ultimate goal? Go to Japan and order a huge bowl of piping hot ramen with a big fat crab smack dab in the center. Just like the ramen in animes. :)

Ramen Setagaya
141 First Ave
New York, NY 10003
212-529-2740

Hello world! I returned from spring break in Dominican Republic about two weeks ago, and I finally found time to start writing again. While it was nice to be back in the city, I would be lying if I said that I enjoyed the cold weather and homework assignments waiting for me upon my return. I definitely have a lot more self control in what I eat in NYC though since food here isn’t all-inclusive. (But then there is still the ever-present issue of my binge eating while studying…)

Before I had set flight for the DR, we had Jihyun’s birthday celebration at NY Kom Tang Soot Bul Kal Bi in Koreatown. This Korean restaurant was one I had passed numerous times but never really noticed. The place is known for its old-fashioned charcoal grilling, with the meat grilled right at your table if you order two portions or more. There are two floors to the restaurant, and the staff politely greeted and seated us upstairs before our entire party arrived. The prices were on par, if not a dollar or two cheaper, with other restaurants in Koreatown.

The key to being treated well in Koreatown (which I will refer to as Ktown from now on) is to go with Koreans. There was a good variety in the ban chan served (the complimentary small side dishes of food that out before your meal), and with Ji on our side, we managed to get seconds (and even thirds of that cold crab!).

The pickled julienne daikon and seaweed are always crowd pleasers, and the egg/mayonaise/apple dish also offered a surprising blend of yolky texture and sweet flavor. Erring on the fiscally conservative side for the night, I went for the Gobdol Bibimbab as my main entree, which is beef, egg, vegetables with rice in a hot stone pot.

Birthday girl ordered Kalbi Gui, prime short ribs marinated in Korean barbecue sauce, and Naeng Myun, ice cooked vermicelli noodles in soup with thin slices of beef with cucumbers, pears, and radish.

I tried some of the Naeng Myun after Ji mixed in some vinegar – not the biggest fan of the dish, though it was probably because I dislike vinegar in my noodles or soup.

Always the meat lover, Carson chose the Lajoki, fried sesame chicken and assorted vegetables served with sauce. He ordered the dish just in time, because for some reason the restaurant stops making it after 10pm. The dish reminded me of sesame chicken from a Chinese restaurant, tasty but nothing too remarkable.

Iris ordered the Kimchi Chigae vegetarian-style, a kimchi and sliced tofu casserole served with rice.

My Gobdol Bibimbab came with a raw egg on top, which I always enjoy mixing with the piping hot rice and then scraping the slightly burned crispy rice off the bottom of the stone pot. The spicy/sweet red sauce is a must-add for flavor, but for some reason, my dish just didn’t taste as appetizing as I had envisioned despite the amount of sauce stirred in. While no one at our table had meat grilled at the table, smoke entwined with the essence of beef and game constantly billowed over from the adjacent tables.

I ended up leaving the restaurant with my little doggy bag of half-eaten bibimbab, full from ban chan and infused with smoke. Overall a decent experience, though I think I’m going to lay off the bibimbab for a while.

32 W 32nd St
(between 5th Ave & Broadway)
New York, NY 10001
(212) 947-8482

I finally had the chance to eat at the much anticipated, much hyped up noodle bar that is Ippudo. From the 400+ mostly positive reviews on Yelp to personal recommendations from friends, Ippudo had been on my list of restaurants to try for months now.

A group of us (friends from freshman year of college) decided to meet at the restaurant at 5:30 on a Friday evening for some ramen. I knew beforehand of the long lines that this place was infamous for, but fortunately for us we were seated as soon as our entire party arrived. I was greeted by a loud “Irasshaimase!” when I first entered into the restaurant bar area, and once again when we entered the main dining area. I loved the enthusiastic authentic Japanese welcome and the decor of the restaurant, especially intrigued by the ramen squares underneath the glass surface at the bar and the bowls stuck to the wall. I also discovered a tiny room in the basement on my way to the bathroom where a man was working at a machine thinning and slicing the flat sheets of ramen noodles. Awesome! :D

As with any restaurant I try for the first time, I decided to go with what the place was known for – ramen! I chose the Shiromaru Hakata Classic, which was “the original tonkotsu” soup noodles with sliced bamboo, simmered berkshire pork, kikurage, red pickled ginger, hard boiled egg, sesame, and scallions. The steaming bowls of ramen were brought out one by one by our waitress. At first glance, I was shocked and disappointed at the presentation of my bowl of ramen (since my expectations had become quite inflated). Everything from the pork to the egg and even the red pickled ginger were submerged in the soup, and I had to push all the ingredients to the surface for the photo. I had seen much better presentation at competing noodle joints Ramen Setagaya and Kambi. Despite my initial disappointment, I was still eager to eat.

I ate my meal with chopsticks, using a huge ceramic spoon to catch any falling pieces of noodle and ladle up the broth. The waitress looked extremely confused when we asked for a fork (and then later sugar for tea) for one of our party members. The thin ramen noodles were cooked al dente, just the way I like my noodles. The pork-based broth was rich and delicious as promised, definitely the part of the dish that differentiated this bowl of ramen from others I’ve had in the past. I finished my ramen quickly though, and was left wanting for more as I slowly sipped my soup. I tried some of the Akamaru Modern ramen too, which is the original tonkotsu soup noodles with Ippudo special sauce, miso paste, and fragrant garlic. I enjoyed that one a teensy bit more than the ramen I had. We ended our meal with a complimentary cup of hot tea as we divided up the check. We left the restaurant around 6:45PM, and there was already a long line of people waiting to take our seats.

Do I recommend Ippudo? Yes, for first-timers just for the Ippudo experience. Will I be coming back soon? Probably not, because $13 is a bit high for a bowl of ramen noodles that still left me a little hungry, as delicious as the soup tasted.

Ippudo
65 4th Ave
New York, NY

We knew it was over the moment we made eye contact with the two Indian men standing at the top of the metal stairs. They started waving and yelling passionately at us to come into their respective restaurants the instant they realized our intentions to venture in for some Indian. The Panna II guy caught me off guard as he rushed forward to give me a hug and say, “Welcome back miss!” Was this deja vu? Had I been here before to warrant such a warm welcome from the host? I played along, smiling and being led into the restaurant like I had been there countless times in the past.

The eclectic display of fire hazardous Christmas lights dangling precariously close to your head as you eat is definitely one of the unique draws of this restaurant.

A lot of the entrees, including our tikka masala, was in the $7-9 range. We even got complimentary mango ice cream at the end of our meal. We went pretty early in the evening (weekday), so the restaurant wasn’t as crowded and our waiters were quite attentive. We had the opportunity to witness their infamous birthday celebrations when the waiters presented this little girl with mango ice cream topped with a glowing candle in the middle, the restaurant’s crazy Christmas lights flickering to the beat of this funky Indian birthday tune. If you are coming to 1st ave and 6th st area for some Indian food, you must try this place out at least once. Don’t let the forward Indian waiters scare you off. :)

You know a Chinese restaurant is good when you see a lot of Chinese folk eating there. Like many other Chinese restaurants in NYC, they try to overwhelm you with the extensive menu plopped down on your table as soon as you take a seat. There must have been at least 100 dishes to choose from, but my eyes immediately zoomed in on the congee and dim sum section. I never had a craving for congee while living at home with the parents, but once I had been weaned from the Chinese food I had been brought up on to journey forth into my first summer living alone in the city, I began to miss the traditional home comforts. Congee is usually served during the cold winter days, but there’s nothing wrong with some good congee in the summertime either.

The dim sum we ordered was quickly whisked out from the kitchen, and we snacked on xiao long bao and scallion pancakes as we waited for our congee.

Pork & preserved egg is a very traditional congee dish and definitely recommended, as is the crab. (Though for some reason we felt like they mixed the order up and put other seafood into the congee besides crab). Only qualm about our meal was that our waiter forgot to pick up the sad lonely glass of lychee martini that I had ordered. Oh yeah, try to eat here on the weekdays, because weekends generally mean a longer wait to endure before being seated.

Address:

100 Allen St
New York, NY 10002

I really like pho. In fact, I’m craving it right now and hopefully I’ll be eating a big bowl of pho for dinner in Chinatown this Friday :D. It’s been one hectic month, but I am back (again) to work on this baby. And oh so many food adventures to catch up on.

When in Chinatown and not craving, well, Chinese, my next favorite comfort food to turn to is this very popular Vietnamese dish. There are several Vietnamese restaurant options on Baxter St, but I tend to frequent Nha Trang for their pho. I’ve had their spring rolls too, but no matter how often i try them, I’m just not a fan. But hello pho dac biet. The waiter is always quick to bring out the big bowl of piping hot soup filled with rice noodles, beef eye round, tendon, and thin slivers of pink beef brisket that slowly cooks and browns in the soup. (I suspect they have everything prepared already and just throw them into the big bowl of hot broth).

The bowl of noodles comes with bean sprouts and lie on the side, and I like to put in the bean sprouts immediately to soften them up a little. Squeezing the lime juice into the broth adds the perfect hint of sourness. One big bowl usually fills me right up, but you can always order a bigger bowl or more meat on the side. You can adjust the tenderness of your beef brisket by taking them out of the hot soup to stop the cooking process. Pho is a quick, casual, delicious meal, and the best part? It doesn’t break the bank. My bowl of pho dac biet is currently $5.75. I really can’t wait for Friday to come. :3

A friend of mine, who also happens to be a fellow foodie, had long ago suggested this casual Italian restaurant. It took a full year before I actually had the opportunity and (memory) to check Paprika out, and I was not disappointed for the most part. Unfortunately, we just missed the early bird special, which ended at 7pm, but the regular dinner prices were fairly reasonable. I refrained from getting an appetizer, but others at the table did. And of course I had to try some. =3

Yes, even after spending a semester abroad in Florence, my first time trying Prosciutto e Melone was at Paprika. It was an interesting blend of sweet and salty – not quite my cup of tea, but a good appetizer to try nonetheless. I cut off pieces of the cantaloupe and then wrapped the prosciutto around it before eating the combination. Haha please let me know if this is the correct way to eat this! For those unfamiliar with prosciutto, it is dry-cured spiced Italian ham that is usually sliced thin and served without cooking.

I was very happy with my choice of entree, having chosen the roasted salmon with sautéed spinach, sweet onions, orange and lemon (Trancio Di Salmone Con Spinaci E Cipolline, Salsa Di Arance E Limone). Beautifully laid out with an excellent contrast of salmon pink and spinach green, it tasted just as good as it looked.

The bright light from outside made the dish look even more appetizing, and it sure tasted better than the spaghetti with chopped up zucchini I tried from Carson’s plate. That pasta dish was quite unimpressive, tasting exactly like something I could have thrown together with leftover spaghetti sauce and vegetables from my kitchen. Needless to say, I was quick to return to my happy plate of fish. (Of course I shared :))

Wai opted for the steak with mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes I tried were nicely whipped and served as a natural compliment to the big hunk of meat resting on top. All in all, a good meal in the East Village, though I would probably just order the salmon again if I returned.

Paprika
110 Saint Marks Pl
Btwn 1st Ave & Ave A

Alas, my school/work/social life schedule has finally caught up to me, and I have abandoned this blog temporarily. =( Rest assured, my love for food can never die out, and I have been eating and cooking well these past two weeks.  I hope to get a real food post up by this weekend, but for now, here is some more eye candy, featuring food from Buenos Aires. Can you say meat? And lots of it?

I thought I had landed in heaven when I arrived in Buenos Aires. Warm weather, exchange rate of 3 pesos to 1 U.S. dollar (sure beat the Euro I had to survive on Fall Semester 07), and STEAK. I’m pretty sure I ate different forms of steak at least four times that week. Our undergraduate business school sends every Junior on a one week trip to one of three locations every spring break to study a company based in that foreign country. They usually feature a city each from Asia, Europe, and South America. Buenos Aires had been top of my choices for a long time. I reasoned to myself that I could go to Asia more easily because of my ethnic background, and I had already globe-trotted Europe during my semester abroad in Florence. The week was a whirlwind of eating, partying, not getting enough sleep, and the occasional academic lectures and school-hosted events we were required to attend. One of the best spent weeks of my Junior college career.

Couldn’t resist the meats…

I did try to incorporate other food items into my diet…

The more I look at these pictures the more I realize just how unhealthy and sinful the week was…haha.