Hungry Hungry Asian

A year of food -- 2010

2010-01-12T09:18:00.000-08:00

As you may have heard, 2010 involved two resolutions: to take on more of the restaurants that NYC has to offer and to start actually making more recipes that I find. I have made a schedule of events, 1 new restaurant and 1 new dinner party per month, for the year.

Tentatively, the schedule looks as such (but are subject to change):

Restaurants
Ramen Shops (East Village) JAN 23
Seafood or Steakhouse FEB 20
Dumpling Houses (Chinatown) MAR 6
Greek (Astoria) APR 10
Sushi Ya (Chelsea) MAY 29
Pizza (maybe Sri Lankan) (Staten Island) JUN 12
Russian (maybe pizza) (Brighton Beach) JUL 10
Mexican/Latin (Bushwick) AUG 28
Soul Food (Harlem) SEP 4
BBQ (Dinosaur BBQ/Fette Sau) OCT 16
Korean BBQ/Hot Pot (K-Town) NOV 13
American Nouveau (Theater Dist) DEC 18

Dinner Parties
Brunch JAN 16
A relaxed affair with baked egg cups, monkey bread, and hash browns.
Craft Beer Night FEB 12
A party to celebrate the great American brewer. Guests are asked to bring a craft beer of their choice to share. Tapas to be determined.
Cook-Off MAR 20
Two chefs and two assistants prepare two different meals based on one theme ingredient -- to be determined -- which is revealed one week prior. I am hoping both Darrell and Josh participate in this event.
Around the world potluck APR 24
Food and drinks from around the world! Sign up for a country, bonus points if you come in costume!
'Mexi-Night' MAY 8
Officially planned as the third annual Cinco de Mayo inspired party -- count on everything from margaritas to s'macos. BYOS -- bring your own sombrero
Summertime BBQ picnic JUN 26
I believe East River park has picnic areas with grills available to the public. So come eat burgers and dogs, bring your bat and mitt and we'll play some home run derby.
Dessert Night JUL 24
"Life's too short, eat dessert first" dessert night will feature a full panel of sweets and quite possibly an attempt at recreating the childhood magic of the choco-taco.
Comfort Food AUG 14
Mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, biscuits and gravy; whatever you crave when all you want is a little security and nostalgia come share your memories and appetite.
Oriental Express SEP 18
Food the likes even Marco Polo never saw, the exotic cuisine of the far East.
Bad Pizza/Bad Movie Night OCT 2
A staple of high school weekends -- we'll all pile onto the couch and watch some bad movies with some bad pizza (and maybe awkwardly try and get to second base).
Seafood Night NOV 6
I don't have much to say except I've seen a few seafood recipes that I never bother to try.
Gingerbread house secret santa! DEC 11
My favorite event of the year just got a little better when I thought I would try and add gingerbread house building to the already amazing fun we have. I'm already excited guys, is it December yet?

Feedback and ideas are always welcome and I'll try and accommodate as best I can. Again, most parties I'd like to hold to 6 so RSVP sooner rather than later I suppose (I was surprised at the response for our upcoming first event).

Cookbooks of 2009

2009-12-01T19:20:00.000-08:00

Check out these best of 2009 books

2009-12-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

I have two questions for you:
1. What is your favorite place in the city to eat?
2. What is your favorite meal to order there?

2009-11-23T07:29:00.000-08:00

Not that it really matters (I guess this is more motivation for myself than notification for the two readers I have now) but I refuse to write about the food I eat until I buy a camera. And use it. I cannot blog about food adequately without it. I dunno why I pretended I could.

Until then, I don't know if this blog will be updated (oh no, how will you fill that 3 minutes every month without my one new post?) at all. I've become a fan of the convenience of twitter, linking to things without having to be wordy.

Maybe things will get more serious if I get into graduate school. And, at this point, that is a big if.

But the good thing about food is that there is always something about it everyday. It's not just part of our lives, for some us, it is who we are.

I drink, therefore I am?

2009-11-02T18:03:00.000-08:00

What does the beer you drink say about you?

In Defense of Dining Alone

2009-10-15T12:33:00.001-07:00

For some reason, I am in the minority when it comes to solo dining. Most find it awkward and avoid it like the plague, walking blocks in adverse weather carrying take out or eating spoonfuls of peanut butter instead of sitting alone in a restaurant.

And while I do believe many a meal, even the worst, can come out smelling like roses with the right company, sometimes I find that company to be only an empty chair. And since I've started working the regular 9-5 and the last person I really related to on a social level left, I've taken the occasional lunch out even more frequently. Because there's only so many work lunches I can take (Though I am definitely not one of those 'just learn how to cook' zealots, who has that kind of time?).

Granted, I should put this up front before I start getting into the zen of eating. I am not, nor have I ever really been, a very socially outgoing person. I am a common mix of being an introvert and shy. I can get lost in my thoughts. I was one of those people who sat by the windows between classes, pretending to study but just watched the people go by. It's actually one of my favorite hobbies (voyeuristic stereotypes be damned). I'm also closely guarded about certain things. And, in all honesty, I'm kind of an asshole. Which helps keep people a certain distance. It's also why I'm kind of a 'shitty friend,' at least to those who 'know' me.

So all that being said, I still think everyone should, at least occasionally, eat out by themselves. It's a specific experience that you cannot otherwise get. For one, while no one ever really calls me on it, I hate the fact that I am a slow eater. One of the slowest, if not the, in my group friends. So I awkwardly sometimes concentrate on chewing and swallowing, just so everyone else isn't just sitting there staring at my half eaten burger while they're flagging for the check. And the converse is true too, I've heard fast eaters feel quite self-conscious about it, when eating speeds are just completely out of sync. So there's a point for dining alone.

Related, I think it's easier to enjoy or explore the food without either the aforementioned worry of social conventions in eating rate, but also just sometimes savoring flavors. It's sometimes seen as awkward for groups of people to eat in silence. It's seen as perfectly normal for one guy to eat in silence (in fact, if he were talking, that'd probably be the most awkward situation, at least for the waitstaff).

But there is a certain tranquility in being able to enjoy a meal completely in your control and power. And that can be calming in an otherwise hectic and entropic life.

I usually also get to indulge in my people watching, and if not, I usually get a few good chapters read in my latest book.

Although it never really affects me, some people change their orders from what they truly want when in the company of others.

You may absolutely hate it, some say they just feel self-conscious. But if you can get through that, it may just bring a peace of mind.

I've got my eye on you

2009-10-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

I've always been a fan of off menu ordering; it makes you feel...special, like you're part of a secret society that only those in the know get to enjoy. And this website is sharing with its audience the chance to join those ranks. While meager offerings now, I hope it grows with time. And that cap'n crunch frappachino sounds kinda awesome.

I love the internet

2009-10-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

I used to complain that I wish more food came in edible containers.

My wishes have come true: http://www.crispycones.com/index.htm (warning super annoying music ahead).

It's like making a disgusting hot pocket with whatever crap you wanna throw in it!

Just What are We Buying Into?

2009-10-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

I am not nutritionist. This is not a blog about health, dieting, or nutrition. I often eat like I am still in college. Or may never see food again. Yes, sometimes I just get hungry looking at This is Why You're Fat.

But this article has sparked numerous responses from the world at large.

And then I found this.

So after fads of monitoring fats, meats, carbs, anything in our diet, are just being cognizant of calories helping? I'll throw my hat in the ring and say that yes, we are moving toward a more responsible dietary standard.

I don't know this from personal experience, because in my youthful hedonism I completely ignore those listings.

Let me rephrase. That's not, technically, true. Since even before they were printed right on that fast food menu staring you down, there were stacks of cards, usually by the bathroom or some out of the way place and I would scan them. I once tried, in junior high, to construct the most unhealthy possible single meal at a Carl's Junior.

But times have changed. We are entering an age of ever increasing understanding of how food affects us, and especially an age of information, traveling faster and further than ever before. And the ever present reminder of the obesity epidemic.

The combination of these things will, naturally result in a cultural shift in eating habits. Of this I am sure. How it will play out, I am not.

2009-10-06T07:09:00.001-07:00

And speak of the devil...

this may put some of you off of burgers for a while.

I told you it can be hard to go on after constantly reading about our flawed foodways.

In Defense of Food?

2009-10-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

Let's be honest, I am a bad foodie. As I mentioned before, I am an indiscriminate eater. I like food. Good food, bad food, whatever. And in this day and age of Michael Pollan and Mark Bittman, it's hard to make the right decisions.

I was never one of those vegans who felt the need to fight for the plight of the abused animal, but it is really getting harder and harder to eat the foods that I loved with a clean conscious. The reporting about the conditions of cattle and feed lots should be challenging the status quo more than Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. The argument to move from seed to leaf eating is convincing. And the industrialization of food should be cause for alarm to anyone with a sense of taste.

But civilization arose, developed, and modernized, through specialization. We no longer spend all of our resources simply trying to survive. And one of the prices we pay is to let others specialize in a food supply.

I don't smoke, I drink in moderation (well, I suppose that's debatable), I exercise, I take leisure time. But I don't eat well. Food will be the death of me. Yes, I'll have the bacon cheeseburger and fries. Yes I'll follow that with a red velvet cupcake. And what the hell, you convinced me to buy three donuts for a dollar (though I really don't need it).

Except what did I eat? Corn. It's cheap, it's everywhere, and it's rotting us inside and out. And yet I stand idly by as it continues to dominate my entire life. Because...damn if corn dogs aren't delicious, from the golden crispy corn bread coating to the corn fed meat dog on the stick (though, thinking of that visual, i'll admit, is a little offputting).

It's hard to be into food. The more I read and learn about any aspect of it, the less I should, on a conscious level, want to eat. What is a foodie supposed to do?

"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons"

Hodge Podge Mis Match

2009-09-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

Looking back on the blog, I feel bad that I have neglected a lot of food in my life.

The Smoke Joint - Ft. Greene's very own BBQ joint. Self-proclaimed as authentic NYC style, it doesn't pretend to be anything it's not.

The pulled pork was good but unremarkable. Tender but lacked any real bite. The corn on the cob was great, smothered in a great aioli and seasoned with 'jointrub'. And the cornbread was a generous hunk of crumbly goodness. I also thought the bourbon bar it is attached to is a nice little place with some amazing cocktails. All in all, though, it's not the greatest place in new york, but a handy point for those that don't want to go into Manhattan. Unremarkable but not disappointing.

Tiffin Wallah - Curry Hill Indian lunch buffet. My coworker swears it is the best joint in the area and I am inclined to agree with him. Oresti and I first tried it two years prior when it first opened and was featured in NY Mag's best of list that summer. When he suggested it for a summer intern good bye party, I whole heartedly agreed (granted, a free company lunch anywhere gets my vote).

It's entirely vegetarian and entirely buffet. I couldn't tell you, exactly, what I ate because I couldn't really recognize everything. But it doesn't matter because it's all good and it's all you could eat. It's vegetarian, it's kosher, it's delicious. 3 plates and 2 beers later and I was a happy, stuffed camper.

Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery - Read on Chowhound, I spent weeks considered the trek to the LES from my Kips Bay job and finally made the trek. And boy am I glad I did. My first delivery was a house warming gift to good friends Madelyn and Jill. The next day, I went back (since they were sold out of the Summer strawberry cupcake the day before) and had a sampling of my own. Let me tell you, get the strawberry cupcake before they stop selling them. They are amazing! They are falling apart with strawberry goodness permeating throughout the cake and a frosting that is amazing.

The pumpkin spice comes in a close second with a hearty, tasty cake that is complimented perfectly by the cream cheese frosting. It's like the pumpkin bread that I remember from my childhood. God I love autumn flavors.

The Sassy red velvet had a rich dense cocoa crumb, moreso than I am used to in a red velvet. And the buttercream frosting is satin smooth. It's a real winner.

The black and White (buttercream with a cocoa cake) was a little dry which was a minor stumble for them but when you put out specialty cakes like these, who can be disappointed?

Maybe I just fell in love with the backstory of Sugar Sweet Sunshine, but it's a favorite in my book.

I recently upgraded my Mac to Snow Leopard (all my PCs still run XP professional) and at our pseudo upgrade party, we tried to get food. We wanted to return to Tavern on Nostrand, right near where we lived. But they were shuttered. On a saturday evening. Way to suck guys.

So we headed into the city (ended up seeing Extract with them as well) for a bite to eat with Kyle and Satoko. I invited my childhood friend Josh, who recently graduated from UC Berkeley to attend NYU Law; someone I've known since I was 5. We went to El Cantinero, a classic hang out for a casual meal with friends as I grew up at NYU. Do you like cheesy tex-mex food with Sombreros for the birthday boy? So do I, that's why I eat here. This really epitomizes the joke that all Mexican food tastes the same, because everything here is basically just meat, beans, rice, and cheese in a tortilla. But the pitchers of margaritas are fun!

Finally Labor Day weekend involved a brunch meeting of epic proportions. Bottomless brunch at Bondi Road resulted in the lot of us, all 12, with endless mimosas, a few shots of tequila-passion fruit-strawberry concoctions on the house, and a hangar steak, topped with bacon, poached eggs, and hollandaise. The food was unremarkable but the early afternoon drunch with the gang made up for it with flying colors. If you want to have a fun, relaxed, booze fueled meal with friends, it no reason Bondi Road (and Sunburnt Cow) are staples of the LES. It's times like these that I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes:

We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink.

And while I am sorry for not updating, I promise to keep eating. See you later.

-Ryan

Raaaaaaarrrrrrrr

2009-08-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

So I forgot where I first heard about Dinosaur Bar B Que but it's been a point of interest for a while. Then Emily posted this article. And that was the straw that broke the camel's back. I had had enough. So I put into motion the plan for an outing. And my friends jumped on board.

Despite some severe 1 train troubles, we finally made it all the way up to Harlem on a Saturday night. And even though they wouldn't let me reserve a table, we were able to be put on the on time list. Thanks to Julia for being clever and taking the 2 right past all those pesky local stops.

But there is a reason this place was booked up for the night. The food is GOOD. Because I wanted to get a full range of flavor, I opted for the Brisket and Pork plate (I purposely saved the ribs because I owe someone a return trip)

The pork was sweet and tender, the taste of time and care. It had a rich smoke and a soft touch. The brisket, a normally tougher cut of meat, was also lovingly cared for, with extra time put in to bring out the best in the beef.

To accompany my big plate of animals, I chose the traditional potato (the Syracuse style salt potatoes) and the mac and cheese. The potatoes are bite size, fork tender morsels floating in a delicious butter pool. Nothing could be better. The mac and cheese had an admirable kick and sneaks up on you like a brick in your gut.

Finally, the cornbread was amazing. None too sweet, with a fine crumb. The only thing that made it better was to let it soak in the potatoes' pool.

What a fine meal.

Blogging for Beer

2009-08-07T06:32:00.000-07:00

What's a good meal without a good drink? And what's a good bar without good friend? That's why tonight, after work, my friends and I are hitting up Black Bear Lodge for happy hour!

And in honor of the birthday of the internet, all of us bloggers are being rewarded for our hard work! Or since I am doing this at the lab, lack thereof...

It's the little things in life that make everything work out.

Born but to banquet, and to drain the bowl

2009-07-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it, I do not think there is any chance that I will ever be a gourmet. I enjoy food a lot, for sure, and I think I even have a relatively aware sense of taste. The problem is that I am not nearly particular enough. I am too easy to please. A bad burger, is still a burger to me. I'll still eat it and be happy. I am not discriminatory in what I eat. I mean, one of my favorite meals is still corn dogs and french fries (or tater tots) (and covered in cheese). And while I am still weary of eating, say, ANYTHING listed here, doesn't mean I probably wouldn't try a bite or two. I'm a food slut, giving up taste space to anything that wants in. And I'll enjoy it.

And at the same time, as I am growing older, I find my fundamental preferences changing, in both broadening and narrowing aspects. I was quite particular about certain things, from hating mayonnaise on my sandwich to craving hot dogs. Now, if the waitress leaves a dab on my turkey club or only thai food is available, I just roll with it. At the same time, I can no longer eat an entire package of oreos in one sitting anymore nor do I quite enjoy pixie stix as much.

For the life of me, I still cannot appreciate a fine wine. But I can discern between at least 3 qualities of vodka. I prefer wheat beers and tend to avoid porters. But cannot enjoy a scotch older than me like I should.

We'll see where life takes me, but for now I think I am content enjoying the simple pleasures that foods give me, in any form.

Sorry Moliere, I live to eat.

2009-07-26T18:11:00.000-07:00

A summary of things I probably will never get around to mentioning:
Office Party at Amber
Brunch at Cafe Orlin
Brunch at Beast
Black Bean Taco pizza at Vinny's after Brooklyn Brewery(?)
Chavella's taco delivery
Boston Market Feast with Timbits
July 4th cookout
TNBC meeting at The Smith
Reliving freshman year, eating at Kimmel
and countless other events.

If all three of you readers have any interest in my insights into any of these things, leave a note and maybe I'll get around to it. Otherwise, I have a lot more food to eat.

A Bar of One's Own

2009-07-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Last night was a belated housewarming party of sorts for us here out in Crown Heights and I would venture to say that it was a successful event. We had a little pre party dinner, with dinner from Udom Thai, a thai delivery place I found using teh intarwebz. But that was really just a footnote (alongside deliveries of A Slice of Brooklyn and Dominoes).

The real gem of mention is Tavern on Nostrand, a bar around the corner from our little apartment. We stopped in on this place the morning (or afternoon) after, for a quaint little brunch.

I cannot help but feel that our delivery thai suffered from food not designed to travel that far from the restaurant. I had the Udom Basil Chicken and while it was fine, it came in a plastic container drowned in its own juices. Steaming and slightly limping. It did pack a reasonable spice and the prices were fair. The spring rolls did stay crisp which was clutch, and the sweet spicy dipping glaze they were packaged with was a pleasant treat. It is my opinion that I should probably visit, sit down, and dine in the actual restaurant to make a more informed opinion of the food overall. In retrospect, I also wish I had ordered a noodle dish (just because noodles are awesome).

But really why I wanted to write was because of Tavern on Nostrand. Having just moved from PCV, being near several Irish and Sports Bars (my favorites, obviously being MJ Armstrong's and Prof. Thom's) I was glad to see a bar nearby.

After talking about visiting it for several days, we finally made plans to visit it after the party and Kyle, Evan, Melanie, and I had a throughly enjoyable experience.

The dining area was surprisingly well set up, linen tableclothes and napkins, fresh salt and pepper grinders, and a quaint menu. I had a 3 egg omelet with tomatoes, onions, and cheddar, with bacon, home fries, toast, and a mimosa. A nice midday brunch, indeed. The waitress was kind, if a bit overworked (nearly forgot Evan's bacon), and even the owner introduced himself. He seems like a guy who likes running a bar. Anyways, they both made sure that we had everything we needed, from hot sauce to more coffee. They really wanted to promote a loyal clientele, and showed us a dinner menu and talked of the night's specials. And truly, it seemed like a place where I would feel welcome coming back to on a regular basis.

Indeed, I am excited to drink beers and eat burgers only just around the corner from my apartment. Crown Heights, in my opinion, just got a touch brighter.

Taste tripping party

2009-07-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

I know I have been slacking lately in my blogging duties, and all two of you readers have been missing out. It's no excuse, but I've been recently hired and been working for the NYU School of Medicine as a cardiothoracic surgeon. Just kidding, I'm a cardiothoracic research technician. It's less exciting than it sounds but it's good to know I have a job.

So I've been griping about waking up early and commuting and then just lazing about when not in actual work. But the other night I was invited by my good friend Madelyn a birthday party for her co-worker Betty, a sweet gal who has joined us before on a TNBC adventure or two. And one exciting thing? The theme of the party was a taste tripping food sampling!

So this fruit, the miracle berry, has the bizarre property of turning sour and acidic fruits to the sweetest taste experience. Though the science behind it is still less than perfectly understood, it has seen a recent revival since its introduction in the 70s. Through the power of the internet, freeze dried tablet forms of the berries can be ordered and delivered right to your door, so you can host your own party!

The pill itself is reddish pink and readily dissolves on your tongue. Make sure it coats as much of your taste buds as possible to ensure the best effects. After it's completely melted away, dig in and prepare for a crazy taste experience!

I started with a lime wedge. And let me tell you, miracle fruits make citrus AMAZING. It tasted like those sugar coated candies, except juicy and refreshing as well.

I had a sugar free goat cheese frosted cupcake and it tasted like cream cheese on shortbread.

Licorice vines became strangely tolerable.

Pickles were sweet, vibrant, and alltogether enjoyable.

Salt and Vinegar chips were puzzling. Not sure how to quite describe them. The salt was there...the vinegar wasn't...but it wasn't like a potato chips.

Guinness openned with a creamy note, broke upon the palette, and finished with chocolatey notes on the aftertaste. Kinda like an egg cream maybe.

Guacamole also took on a sweet flavor, but combined with it's creamy texture, it was reminiscent of ice cream or something. It was awesome. and confusing.

Another note, miracle fruit does not alter spicy flavors, so the onions in the dip and the jalapeno chips married their heat with a sugary sweetness, kinda like general tso's chicken except....not.

And be careful, the miracle fruit has the ability to completely nullify even the cheapest tasting of vodka, turning a vodka cranberry into fruit punch.

This was an amazing event and I am glad I had the chance to experience it. Having your perceptions of taste completely blown is something that mere words cannot adequately describe. Do yourself a favor and order some for yourself and friends and have your own taste tripping party. Believe me when I say it'll be worth it.

TNBC -- The Burger Joint

2009-06-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

Though hardly a secret anymore, The Burger Joint, hidden behind a dark curtain within the lobby of the fancy Le Parker Meridien Hotel, has become a sort of burger lovers clubhouse, with only a neon sign (and huge ass line) to indicate it's locale.

Madelyn and I met uptown on the streets, and though I had been to the burger joint once before, I was a little lost. Not my home turf, we wandered the block a bit (reminiscent of our wandering in the west village, god why am I so bad at navigating NY?)

The menu is concise, which is good because you need to be ready to order by the time you get up to the register (or, in soup nazi fashion, back of the line!). Simply tell them what you want on your burger (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, or mustard) and how you want it done (medium rare, as if it were a question), sodas, fries, beers, or milk shakes.

Our burgers have a flavor that reflect the method of cooking, over a real flame. The fries came in paper bags, hot to the touch. Just they way everything should be. The tiny space makes competing for a table a necessity (I had Mad snap one up while I placed our order), the bad wood paneling, the walls of autographs, and the movie posters make for a fun, kitschy environment. It certainly puts one at ease when compared tot he stuffy air of the hotel lobby. Fast food for the fancy I suppose. In fact, it was just like a high quality fast food burger (and makes me miss The Habit even more). No brioche bun or kobe beef, just an attention to how to prepare a tasty burger. Indeed, the style of presentation, the long lines, and the notoriety make it easy to draw parallels to Shake Shack (some would argue Burger Joint serving as Shake Shack's 'father') and that's not too unfair. And while Shake Shack still stands as the standard to compare everything else to, I will concede that I really (really) enjoyed everything about the fries at Burger Joint.

So yes, burgers still reign supreme in Madison Sq. Park, but don't count The Burger Joint out. It still has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it a worthy destination for anybody interested in eating their way through NYC.

That's just Ricest

2009-06-15T22:16:00.000-07:00

You may have heard, I recently moved out to Crown Heights in Brooklyn. I'm not sure it's fully set in, but it means drastic changes to my life. Gone are the old roomies (save one), missed but not forgotten, and reunited are the stars of my first two years of college.

And what does this mean for my diet? Well, it's a combination of the return of old habits, the continuance of certain traditions, and the emergence of what is sure to be new opportunities.

Basic groceries do not seem to have shifted too much, though purchases at Trader Joe's may become quite infrequent (though, located in Union Square, it's not out of the question) (I have yet to see the one in Brooklyn, though am considering venturing out there soon). But it seems like I am tempted to do the majority of my grocery shopping at Target, of all places. Surprisingly, it can compete in selection with even Gristedes and Morton Williams (though, I wonder who that reflects more upon) from my past two years in Kips Bay (Food Emporium in Union Square holds a weird affectionate spot in my heart though).

When I first moved in here, after narrowly avoiding a disaster that would make the nightly news and destroy a uhaul with all of my worldly possessions, we settled onto a heap of boxes and ate at one of first pizza joints we could find on Kyle's iPhone, A Slice of Brooklyn (not to be confused with the eating tour). A few six packs and pizzas later and we were completely happy. I need to reevaluate that place because the combination of exhaustion and hunger from moving and not eating all day and the relief of having all of my stuff finally in the building it is supposed to be made it the most satisfying meal I've had in a long while. Sure the pizza was hot, the cheese melty, and it beautifully right to our door, but there was a certain bias that shaded better judgment. Not that I can fault A Slice of Brooklyn for any of this, I just think I need another shot at it.

About a week ago, we finally got around to our Alien/Aliens double feature movie night. The first movie was surrounded with pizza, again; this time out near Mad's place, complete with garlic knots that looked more like...let's say snails. Anyways, we got off to a late start and decided to put the sequel on the queue for the next night. Our friends arrive and we of course want Chinese delivery. But being out in Crown Heights, the college haunt of Yummy House is far from accessible and we start scouring the internt for options. This is when the name No. 1 Chinese Restaurant comes up. With a name like that, how could it go wrong?

We ordered, as per Kyle's constant insistence General Tso's Chicken, Madelyn's usual delight Lo Mein, a few dumplings and springs rolls to round out the meal. Mad and I tacked on our usual diet coke and coke, respectively, at the end and were delightfully surprised to find an additional two sodas (two free with a purchase over 20 bucks) (30 bucks gets you free general tso's). And I will admit, this place, while not looking like much on the street, knows how to fry up some tasty Chinese-American food. It's a place I believe in. And, like seemingly everything in Brooklyn, is a few bucks cheaper than Manhattan. The Chicken was crisp and spicy, the noodles savory and tender, and the dumplings a delicate balance of sweet and savory.

Though it may take a while until I go back, if only because I want to try a few more places just to see how they measure up, this place is one to remember. And I like the name.

I certainly miss the city but still eat there often enough. And am excited at the prospect of entering a new culinary opportunity.

For want of a better life

2009-06-09T23:14:00.000-07:00

I realize if I wanted to make this blog better, I need to figure out how to get my hands on a digital camera. A picture is worth a thousand words so, in the long run, it's probably more efficient.

In other news, I just wanted to mention that I love corndogs. I bought some frozen ones at Target and they are perfect. Corn dogs are one of those foods, like tater tots, I assume I am supposed to outgrow but never will.

Shake Shack

2009-05-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

Why is Shake Shack so good? Can a hamburger be worth an hour standing in line? Throngs of New Yorkers say yes. I whole heartedly agree, but do not quite understand why.

When people mention that they have never been to Shake Shack, I always say I will take them. And I have never had a disappointed friend. If I may paraphrase someone, "Shake Shack was the first burger I've had in years and it simultaneously raised my quality of life and decreased my life span." Or something to that effect.

Indeed, it is glorious but for all its splendor, the presentation is humble. I mean, I had Sliders as appetizers that look bigger than this burger. I've ordered burgers in linen table-clothed restaurants that I don't care to remember how much I spent to add a slice of "Vermont aged organic sharp cheddar" to my half pound "Kobe Sirloin" patty. And yet, I'm never happier with a burger than sitting on a hard metal folding chair in the freezing cold or blistering heat, with this simple thing, adorned with only a leaf of green lettuce, a red tomato disc, and a few chopped onions. And I have never left unsatisfied or less than stuffed. If I lived any closer to Shake Shack, sometimes I think the walk wouldn't be long enough to recover from it.

How can something this unassuming be so...perfect?

Sometimes I think if I took the burger out of the shack, how I would feel about it. Would I be so attached? Would I wait anywhere else for this burger? It is hard to say. If this was some famous bar burger that had a similar line out the door, I might skip it and go elsewhere. Then again, I've waited more than a few minutes before for a booth at Corner Bistro (granted, I have usually just learned to avoid it at high traffic hours). Certainly though, never the proportions that I have for shake shack. In fact, the only place I have ever waited longer for food is Grimaldi's, and that is a similar legendary wait-experience. Maybe it's the distance, but even the quality of Grimaldi's pizza, though, does not have me running back as frequently as shake shack does.

I'm certain that my favorite part of any burger meal, the fries, are not the strongest at shake shack. Aside from obviously favoring the spuds at Pomme Frite, I think even places like The Sidewalk Cafe's cajun fries (certainly some frozen variety) are, objectively, tastier.

So, again, why am I constantly drawn back to Shake Shack? Why does everyone else perk up at the mention? Why does everyone love it so gosh darn much?

Perhaps there's some merit to the Gestalt principle, the whole is more than the sum of the parts.

As a side note, one day, to be adventurous, I got the hot dog instead of the burger. While not bad, just don't waste a trip in line on it. Not worth it. Unlike the burger.

"Put Some South in Yo' Mouth"

2009-05-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

I like meat. Ever since I was a kid, I have always been a steak and potatoes kind of guy. I have fond memories of eating at Woody's back home, they used to run an all you can eat ribs special and I remember wearing that bracelet proudly. Which explains why I am always game for Brother Jimmy's Monday night special: All You Can Eat Hot Wings, Rib Tips, and Bud Light.

While I am not from the South, nor claim to be well versed in Southern culture, I still enjoy delicious BBQ (not to be confused with Dallas BBQ). And while Brother Jimmy's may seem a little tacky, I still kinda like drinking out of mason jars. Baseball on a few screens around the room was also nice.

Was there ever a pair better suited together than beer and hot wings? They are the Bill and Ted of the gastronomic world, an excellent adventure. Throw in some ribs and it's like George Carlin telling them they are gonna save music. And Brother Jimmy's has only improved their hot wings since the last time I've been there, which is quite impressive. I'm not sure why, but I have really been coming around to Blue Cheese with wings. And the rib tips were well executed as per usual, fall off the bone tender. I recommend the Honey Mustard sauce or possibly the Chipotle, but all are pretty good. Well, except the Carolina. Trying for a vinegar based sauce, it just comes out watery and bland. Disappointing. But all in all, it's a pretty balanced meal: You have carbs (beer), protein (beef and chicken), and fats (blue cheese and buffalo sauce). Gotta have all of the food groups represented.

This time out, I do feel a little bad that I couldn't quite eat as much as I hoped. We didn't even quite clear 4 platters of food (between 5 of us) but at least we made it to the bottom of 6 pitchers. So that's something. And then there's always next Monday.

But it's night like these that make you realize just how good it is to eat with friends. You feel a little sick but know it's worth every little bit. Wouldn't trade moments like these for the world.

Do You Want Fries With That

2009-05-25T07:54:00.001-07:00

“Every country possesses, it seems, the sort of cuisine it deserves, which is to say the sort of cuisine it is appreciative enough to want.”
-- Waverley Root

The paper crinkled as I wadded the wrapper and threw it into the bottom of the empty and grease stained bag. Out of the countless times I had gone through this motion, I had never realized until now that it really was like unwrapping a present on Christmas day. I could feel the oily salt adhere to my fingers as I plucked clumps of French fries from their red cardboard sleeve. I unabashedly licked the savory residue off each digit before digging back into the cheeseburger, pillowy soft all the way through. This was the reassuring taste of nostalgia, of childhood and home, that I so desperately missed. Truly, eating under the glow of those golden arches is what it means to be an American. Which was a little jarring considering I was spending my summer on a foreign exchange program in Japan. The commercialization and industrialization of food, on a transnational scale, has drastically changed how people see food; that is, with an emerging homogenous world cuisine. And no other industry better exemplifies this concept of corporate globalization than fast food.
Americans spend an estimated 90 percent of their food budget on processed and packaged goods. We spend over 110 billion dollars annually on fast food; more money than movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and music – combined. It has penetrated so deep into our culture that it is no wonder that works like Fast Food Nation and Super Size Me grabbed national attention. When Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio went around the world looking at what families eat in a week, American families like the Revises of North Carolina seem prime examples of how pervasive the fast food industry has become.
Ron, a trim, fit man, works out mainly for the cardio benefits…But he eats fast food for lunch five days a week…The work outs were great, but there was an unintentional by-product: they had less time for home-cooked meals. “We would pick up fast food. It was the most convenient thing to do. That is not the result that we had in mind when we started this exercise program.”

Spending nearly 72 dollars every week on fast food, it makes up over 20 percent of their food expenditure. And they are hardly an outlier in this regard. As they said, fast food has simply become “the most convenient thing to do.” Indeed, as Michael Pollan points out, fast food is specifically designed for convenience (and unashamedly so, with a moniker such as ‘fast food’): from cup holders to support the quart of coke each passenger requires, the drive-thrus that eliminate the need to get out of the car, and the tailored concepts of foods like Chicken McNuggets that can be consumed one handed (without the pesky need for a plate or utensils), it is no wonder that up to 19 percent of American meals are eaten in the car. Through science and technology we have revolutionized both what and how we eat.
It was this very notion of modern worldliness that allowed McDonald’s and other fast food corporations to permeate throughout the rest of the world. Even political barriers such as the Soviet-American tensions could not prevent the golden arches from spanning into Russia
In 1995, my landlady Anya, a retired geologist, recalled that when McDonald’s and the pizza restaurants first opened in Moscow, it was precisely their foreignness that prompted long lines of curious customers.

Yet, as Caldwell soon discovered, though lines were out the door for the experience, many Muscovites, especially the older generation, could not quite understand the appeal of the actual taste of the food. Similarly in China, though families flocked to the eatery, adults generally avoided the food themselves, instead going for the experience—especially for the sake of their children.
Yan also discovered that working-class Beijing residents save up to take their kids to McDonald’s and hover over them as they munch. (Later the adults eat in a cheaper, Chinese-style restaurant.) Parents told Yan that they wanted their children to “connect” with the world outside China. To them, McDonald’s was an important stop on the way to Harvard Business School or the MIT labs.

To these people, McDonald’s is not necessarily the convenience that so many Americans like the Revis family use to make their daily routines easier. It is a gateway into a larger world scale society—especially for the sake of their children.
And it seems to be working; though their parents are still hesitant to eat a Big Mac, the kids have taken quite a liking to them. Just as Caldwell found adults questioning why anyone would be coming back for the food at McDonald’s, interviews with schoolchildren proved to show just the opposite: that McDonald’s has become so commonplace that the children readily identified it as Russian food. And when University of Hong Kong students complained of missing home-style cooking while in Taipei, all they said that they wanted was McDonald’s. From young girls in the Australian Outback considering Mackas (Aussie slang for McDonald’s) “their culinary mecca,” Samurai Colonial Sanders attracting children’s eyes in Tokyo, and college students in France compromising their culinary beliefs “when pressed for time…[ducking] into the nearest McDonald’s,” a new generation around the world is growing up accustomed to the fast food lifestyle.
But this childhood adoration of fast food may simply be that, childhood adoration. Not just foreign adults just now facing challenges to traditional home cooking, but even for the millions of American adults who grew up raised on a diet rich in fast food are starting to turn against it.
I ate a lot of McDonald’s as a kid…I loved everything about fast food…Whatever it is (surely food scientists know), for countless millions of people living now, this generic fast-food flavor is one of the unerasable smells and tastes of childhood – which makes it a kind of comfort food…but after a few bites I’m more inclined to think they’re selling something more schematic than that—something more like a signifier of comfort food…And so it goes, bite after bite, until you feel not satisfied exactly, but simply, regrettably, full.
A backlash is emerging; people are becoming more and more aware of the unsettling notion that their hamburger may be more than just beef and a bun. What is “grill seasoning”? Or even for that matter, what kind of cow is this beef coming from? What has it been eating? It is questions like these that have spurred on a counterculture, looking to revolutionize society and lifestyle, centered on changing what and how we eat. Or rather reverting back to what and how we ate.
A consumerist theme targeted foods to be avoided, especially chemicalized “plastic” foods. A therapeutic theme had to do with positive concerns for pleasure and identity, particularly a hunger for craftsmanship, leisure, and tradition. Concerned with the integration of self, nature and community, an organic motif addressed serious issues of production and distribution, that is, how to reconcile private consumption with wider planetary needs.

It was a movement in direct opposition to everything that seemed to make McDonald’s and fast food so appealing in the first place. Should the burger I ate in urban Japan taste exactly the same as ones from my California suburban childhood? What about the notion that “not only is it served in a flash, but more often than not it’s eaten that way too…”? Or that it is food that necessitates families “eating alone together”?
Part of the problem is that these values of the “old-fashioned, traditional, nostalgic” and being “more honest, simple, and virtuous” are an extreme to which one must fully commit both time and skill. And most people just cannot make those sacrifices, which is why, though criticism like Pollan’s and Schlosser’s makes us more aware of the problems, there needs to be alternatives to these two extremes. For all of their faults, industry, science, and technology have made food cheaper. And for a world with an ever growing population, that is a good thing. Some consider McDonald’s as a form of “cultural imperialism,” that “the rapid spread of McDonald’s and its fast-food rivals undermines indigenous cuisines and helps create a homogenous, global culture.”
In this time at the beginning of the new millennium it is not unusual to hear intelligent people say that the era of the nation state and national culture is ending and a brave new world of global consumer culture, multinational economies, and transnational migration is upon us.

But is this really true? Yes, the burgers taste the same everywhere but at the same time, each culture has taken this bland, amorphous thing, and domesticated it. Whether you call it “glocalization” or that McDonald’s has become “multilocal” it is obvious that it is too easy to see only the one dimension of imperialism with fast food. Things are not that black and white. The deeper we look at cultures, and people, the more complex things become. And what if things are becoming more transnational? Is it so bad for a guy in Boston to grow up with a similar food memory as a woman in Beijing? Food is a strong unifier, and as we become more and more removed from community in one sense, sometimes even the most tenuous tie can keep us bound together in another.

Too Young to Care

2009-05-24T20:08:00.000-07:00

I promised myself after finishing college that, amongst other things, I would start eating better. Coupled with the fact that I am broke, you'd think I simply would finish the 10 pounds of pasta sitting in the pantry before we move out of here. Instead, in true unemployed hedonism, I've been eating just as poorly.

I've written ad naseum about Professor Thom's before, but I really love this place to death. It's sorta one of my favorite bars. Also, thanks to Lost Night, I have a regular bartender! She was very happy to see me on Saturday and I dunno if I should feel like it's Cheers or time for AA. Either way, after a day at shopping in SOHO (I love Uni Qlo) with Kyle and Julia, I met Jill at the park, to enjoy the fountain slash grumble about not graduating there, then we headed to the bar to grab a drink and catch the Sox game. Though I no longer have team affiliations really (I used to support the Dodgers), I still love the game. And beer. And Fish and Chips. Though it was a Saturday Night, fleet week, and a beautiful day, the bar was busy but not packed and lively but not noisy. PT's is truly how I want my sports bar to be. Even if it is a Sox bar. It still feels like home. And as always, get the nachos, they feed an army.

And tonight, Julia, in her infinite kindness, called me up and told me she was near Boston Market and picking up dinner. Awesome. I rounded out the night with some Birra Moretti and pudding packs. And while chain food has a lot of flaws inherent in its very nature, I love the shit out of Boston Market (and Panda Express for that matter, someone needs to open a Panda Express in Manhattan. doooo it.).

Two nights ago, we drank Forties, Olde English, so Jules could knock that off the old to do list in her life, and I was instantly reminded of how old I am. Though it got better over the next hour or so, I forgot how bad it tastes. And how I'd rather drink beer from a glass with greasy food and friends than from a brown paper bag. Even if it costs me 5 times as much.

Stay tuned because someone is making one last run at Brother Jimmy's tomorrow, and it promises to be a good one.

Lists

2009-05-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

There's been a lot on my (figurative) plate these last few weeks, and though I've been eating I have not had a lot of time to write about it.

Things I have eaten recently:
Breakfast for family dinner (french toast, bacon, cheddar home fries, mimosa)
Brunch with the club at Virage
The worst pizza I have ever eaten
The saddest pizza I have ever made
Senior bar night
Freshman booze night
Sushi and Ice cream (and the idea of ice cream sushi)
Cinco de Mayo
Thai food with friends from Boston
Free food with the Star Trek experience
Free food at grad alley
Late night nosh with the parents
Graduation celebration with fish tacos and margaritas
Pine family hosted get together
3 course Thai meal parting gift
Chicken and rice part two
And it goes on and on and on and on

We Spent Warm Summer Days Wishing They Would Never End

2009-04-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

The temperatures are finally starting to rise here in NYC and that was ushered in with one thing: Fla-Vor-Ice.

I have had my fair share of Popsicles growing up but I never really had flavor ices until my friends moved into their first apartment on A and 10th. This place was amazing and I have a lot of fun memories associated with it. It was spacious, the floors were (slightly warped) hardwood, rooftop access, and no AC. At the top of a 5 story walk up. When it's like 190 degrees outside and you climb that many flights of stairs, you want something cold, sweet, and brightly colored. We spent late summer nights surrounded with discarded cellophane tubes and video game controllers. My favorite thing about flavor ice is that, like so many processed foods, they are just colors not flavors: "I want a blue one" never "I hate lime"

And while I always remember cold, clear winter nights and the walk to and fro their apartment listening to Band of Horses, Flavor Ice is still my first association with their old place. And summers in NYC. The first, but certainly not the last.

In the words of the greatest cartoon character to ever see print:
"It isn't summer if your tongue isn't purple"
--Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes

Fish Tacos. Alex Loves Them.

2009-04-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

This article was brought to my attention by my roommate Kyle. Ezra Klein was able to eloquently put forth my exact experiences in regards to food in a new urban environment (though, I am not nearly as opposed to NYC as he). I have often lamented the lack of 'authentic' (what that really means is a debate I don't want to get into right now) mexican cuisine (since I too grew up in southern California suburbs) but, he's right; in reality I miss the nostalgia of taco memories with friends, tastes linked strongly to emotions.

"But as a Californian, I can still diss on DC’s food scene. Ask me about tacos sometime. Ask me about fish tacos sometime. And breakfast burritos. And what food tastes like right after a surf. And the appropriate frequency with which avocado should appear on my plate. But my dear friends who spend their days complaining about DC’s relative inadequacy are suffering, I think, from a crucial misconception: Namely, DC is not supposed to taste like your childhood home."

And He's right. So what does my new 'home away from home' taste like?

Part of the problem here in NYC is the sheer number of restaurants. It's easy to eat at a new place every day if you wanted. And I mean of the year if not the rest of your life. But I still have a few places I frequent more than others. Part of it is that I've lived in four different apartments in four years. But I can walk to all 4 of my old buildings in a matter of minutes. Part of it is that I've known the people back home for years. But aside from the fact that I live with Alex, who I've known for over a decade (damn, we are OLD), my other roommates are more important to me than I sometimes care to admit, that others prove to be more than amazing, or that even my friends back home I knew for less than three years before leaving them behind.

So do I have a favorite place that's less about the food than it is the memories? It's hard to say because I'm hit with both what seems a resounding flood of affirmatives at onset and a deadening silence of negative at specificity.

And so I sit here, realizing that, more than anything, places and tastes seem indelibly linked to not senses of home but of senses of friends. Something I think I'll write about soon.

Home is where the heart is?

2009-04-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

I'm really sorry about these puns, titles lately have become harder to come up with than I am used to. Anyways, I think I have recently mentioned my love of bar dining culture: fried foods and booze. And I still dream of going back to Sunset in Boston. With that taste still lingering in my mind and on the tip of my tongue, I asked my friend Josh, visiting from UC Berkeley, to join us for dinner at Heartland Brewery.

Heartland brewery is everything one would expect from a gastropub: distinct beers and hot food.

I had a Buffalo Bock and a Pulled Pork Sandwich with cajun fries. The Bock was dense and cut and the Pork's tangy sweetness that accented well with the seasoning of the fries. It was a mess for sure, but all barbecue should be.

To be fair, this draft has been sitting half written for too long. And I just need to get this out of my system.
A little pricey, to be sure, and I could never afford to make it a local hang out (much as I wish I could) but worth it.

But looking back, I enjoyed my experience thoroughly. Maybe it was the company, but I now have a fond association of this place. I think it's the perfect place to meet with an old friend, have a solid beer and a good meal, and both catch up on new developments and reminisce of fond memories.

Family Dinner part deux

2009-04-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks, but I might as well post the dinner menu that I made. A butterflied and Broiled whole chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, and cornbread. A simple, comfort food dinner.

The corn bread was nothing special, from an instant mix I picked up at Trader Joe's. It was still delicious, and probably my favorite part of the meal.

The potatoes (for 4) were peeled and cubed and brought to a boil in a cold, salted pot of water.
While they cooked, a cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 3 cloves of garlic (crushed) were set to warm over a low heat.
About 30 minutes later, the cubes were easily pierced with a knife. The potatoes were drained, and returned to the pot to evaporate off excess water. The dairy mixture was strained and slowly added to the potatoes as I mashed them. I probably used about 2/3 of the liquid. I also threw in some grated cheddar for full effect.

The chicken was prepared in the same way as I learned from this episode of Good Eats.

Though cooking time proved to be a lot longer than I expected (and still came out a little wrong). So I obviously need to practice more, and maybe adjust my racks.
I also thickened the jus with a white roux to give it a little more body.

A little wine and ice cream sandwiches capped off the night. A solid B performance, good participation with a lack of attention to detail.

10 books that changed the world

2009-04-06T10:36:00.000-07:00

Perhaps that's a bit of hyperbole, but this list of books is the perfect foundation to any aspiring food scholar. I have chosen each book from first hand experience, reputation, and significance. Part of the reason why I love studying food is that I get a chance to use it as a lens to see everything else and with that in mind I made sure to cover the spectrum: science, art, history, politics, economics, anthropology, and of course how-to. All these aspects are covered in these 10 books, primed and vetted from both popular culture and peer review.

On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee
This is the classically essential book. If you ever wanted to learn anything about food and cooking this is it. It’s the book that my idol, Alton Brown, reads. It’s the one book that anybody who is serious about cooking needs to read. It's the alpha and omega. Start and end your library with this.

What Einstein Told His Cook by Robert Wolke
This lovely read addresses the everyday questions that pop into your head. He breaks down concepts and illustrates them with wonderful recipes. The perfect read for the amateur or casual chef who is curious about how things work.

Molecular Gastronomy by Herve This
The world’s only degree holding molecular gastronomist, Herve This has revolutionized the field of study. He explores the phenomena of taste, smell, and perception. He debunks the old myths about cooking. He beautifully blends science and cooking into an understandable art form.

The Oxford Companion to Food by Alan Davidson
No encyclopedia is as definitive or as entertaining as Davidson’s. A huge and authoritative dictionary of 2,650 entries on just about every conceivable foodstuff, seasoning, cuisine, cooking method, historical survey, significant personage, and explication of myth, it is supplemented by some 40 longer articles on key items. If you love reading wikipedia articles, getting side tracked into others again and again, this is the encyclopedia for you.

The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery by Escoffier
There is a reason that even today, every culinary student is given a copy of this at welcome week. It is still the authoritative manual for Haute Cuisine.

I’m Just Here For the Food vol. 1&2 by Alton Brown
I make no attempts to hide how much Alton Brown has influenced my cooking style. These two volumes teach everything the basic home chef needs to know to make both cook (vol. 1) and bake (vol. 2) a wide variety of dishes in a practical and timely manner. Clear, concise, and also complete. Recipes are amazing but also serve as spring boards of inspiration for the home chef to add their own touches.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Michael Pollan has become a sort of guru and his book The Omnivore’s Dilemma shows why. In it he scrutinizes the major foodways that we, as both a society and an individual, are obtaining our food. And shows us things we may not have wanted to know.

Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Marion Nestle provides insights like no other into the political machine that keeps driving the food industry. Where people like Pollan and Schlosser show how the food is made, Nestle shows why. It’s a disturbing awakening to understanding how we are affected without even necessarily being aware of it.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
The inspiration for people like Pollan and Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me. Schlosser shows every dirty speck in the prepackaged world of fast food.

Hungry Planet: What the World Eats by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio
An amazing look at how families across the world eat. It drives home not only concepts of abundance and poverty but of cross cultural exchange and international commercialization. Provocative and eye opening.

Super Heroes

2009-04-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

Forgive the pun of a title as I talk about Defonte's of Brooklyn, the Red Hook institution that, after over 85 years, has opened a Manhattan shop.

I first read about the opening of the shop in NY Mag, my first stop in reading about breaking local food news. And when my friend Tim wanted to meet me up here to grab a bite to eat, I ran through some options until I remembered that it was finally open and I wanted to check it out.

We met up and ventured in, around a line of people waiting for their lunchtime grub, looking up at the menu. He ordered the Hot Roast Beef (with the signature fried eggplant) and I the Sinatra Special (Steak pizzaiola with mozzarella). We would've taken a seat but were out of luck and carried them back to my place (fortunately, I heard through the grapevine that more seating space will open up soon).

I had also heard rumors that the gargantuan proportions to satisfy the longshoremen of Red Hook would be scaled down for the Manhattan crowd. So I can only imagine how big they are out in Brooklyn, because these sandwiches were beasts. Delicious beasts. Not a fan of eggplant, when I gave Tim's sandwich a taste, I was surprised at how amazing it was. And their Italian bread was superb, held up well against the jus and sauce covered behemoths.

I have always loved sandwiches (in my top 10) and I am glad to know that this place is so close.

To do too

2009-04-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

Nothing like puking bile for two days to cause an appetite to go disappearing, but I've almost completely bounced back and have a few before and after stories to tell (no durings, obviously).

There's the story of DeFonte's, the new Manhattan satellite of the Brooklyn staple.
Family Dinner night
Heartland Brewery
Thoughts on dining out alone and Cafetasia
Brunch Club outing to La Palapa

I'll try and bust them out quick as hare.

As American as Apple Pie

2009-03-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

"Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es." [Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are].
-- Brillat Savarin

Identity, the concept of how to define the self, is closely tied to one’s surroundings. Where we live, how we communicate, and most importantly, what we eat. In this sense, culture can be defined by cuisine. But since man first started to draw borders around nations, trying to define themselves, people have crossed those borders. And with them, they bring the culture, the cuisine, of nations outside those borders. This cross cultural exchange is paradoxically two-fold: on one front, it blurs cultural divides, creating a more global and interconnected society; and on the other hand it reinforces aspects of one’s own culture by taking something foreign and transforming it, domesticating it. This cross cultural interaction is clearly exemplified in the evolution of a nation’s cuisine; how it adopts new ingredients and techniques and makes them unique to its own culture. And no nation has had a bigger influence, both importing and exporting, in cuisine than the United States of America.
While making dinner one night, I asked my roommates to name some ‘American foods’ and while a few answers were expected (hamburgers, Coca-cola, etc.), one in particular stimulated further debate: burritos. Are burritos American cuisine? Growing up in Southern California, they were certainly a typical meal for me. The obvious argument is that burritos are Mexican (popular tradition asserts that it was invented in Northwestern Mexico in the mid 19th century , though definitive facts are hazy at best.) and therefore cannot be a part of ‘American cuisine.’ But like pizza’s relationship to Italy , the burrito’s relationship to Mexico seems to be one more for the sake of Americans than for natives of these countries. Americans have adopted, cultivated, and bred the burrito to fit domestic tastes, tastes that have become quite divergent from their Mexican roots. In “Comida Sin Par,” Sylvia Ferrero explores Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles with her Mexican friend Elia.
Of course [Elia] was aware that those restaurants were not for “real Mexican people” and that the food was either “Americanized,” as she kept saying, or “standardized”…Thus the menus of many Mexican restaurants in different areas of Los Angeles demonstrate that their customers are considered as tourist diners who lack the knowledge to demand authenticity of Mexican food.

So the burrito, and chances are most ‘Mexican food,’ that I recognize from my past (and still eat to this day) is too American to really be considered ‘authentic.’ This food was a concept that was carried over through the traditions of immigrants, eventually taken in by the community at large, and adapted to its new surroundings.
Indeed, that is a reasonable approximation of the history of the United States in general. At just over 200 years old, the United States is an infant of a nation, a mere seven generations, compared to the deep cultural tradition of the rest of the world. The United States is also the last bastion of immigrants, perpetually seeking to pick themselves up and improve their lot in life. And with them comes their traditions, brought into ours; a cultural melting pot as it were. This idea of a hodge podge of foods to make up a national cuisine is a notion that was brought to Sidney Mintz’s attention in a discussion about ‘American cuisine’ or lack thereof.
He talked happily about ‘eating Thai’ one night, and ‘eating Chinese’ the next, and asked rather plaintively whether that couldn’t be ‘our cuisine.’ He plainly felt that having access to a lot of different ‘cuisines’ was a wonderful idea—and certainly better than meatloaf.

This brings up the concepts of both commodification and simplifying nations to basic symbols.
In fact, this concept of making distinct cuisines aspects of the American culture is exactly how Belize started to form its own national culinary identity. Belize, like the United States, is a nation that was founded and shaped by colonists and immigrants. This explains why as Richard Wilk researched the history of Belizean food, its past is so brief.
The first published mention I have been able to find of national food is in the early 1960s, when an American expatriate called rice and beans the ‘national dish’ and noted that it was served with potato salad made with imported ingredients.

Not only does written record of any national cuisine go back barely 50 years, not even two generations, it is also made up of food with imported ingredients. How can a dish used to symbolize a nation rely on food from outside the nation? As Wilk goes on, he explains that not only is Belizean food imported, but even the concept of national cuisine had to be imported into the country.
In a similar way, the public, self conscious version of Belizean national food owes more to the Belizeans living in the United States than it does to Belize itself…the idea that [Belizean food] was unique, special, and part of a national identity was largely prompted by the processes of migration and tourism. Belizean restaurants in the United States were the first to portray their food as part of the national character. Migrants returned to Belize from the United States and carried the idea of a national cuisine home. In 1990 the first self-proclaimed Belizean restaurant in Belize was opened by a couple that had just returned from living in Los Angeles for twenty years.

Though it was food that the people of Belize had always been eating, the concept that it was authentically and uniquely theirs was one that had to come from the influence of the United States.
The United States has had, arguably, more influence in the global diet than any other nation. Nothing makes this more evident than the photo journalism of Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio’s Hungry Planet: What the World Eats.
Peter Menzel and I invited ourselves to dinner with 30 families in 24 countries to explore humankind’s oldest social activity: eating. Anyone who remembers grocery shopping 20 years ago knows that the U.S. diet has changed rapidly, but fewer people realize that this transformation is worldwide. Some dietary changes are due to globalization as largescale capitalism reaches new places…And some changes are due to the tides of migration, as travelers, immigrants, and refugees bring their own foods to new lands and acquire new tastes in return.

The photos of families, from around the globe, with a week’s worth of food before them speak volumes to this effect. From Australia to Greenland, China to Egypt, the familiar names of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Heinz’s Ketchup, and Kraft cheddar penetrate into the homes of families who have never set foot in the United States. Even if ‘American cuisine’ is still up for debate, at the very least these products represent ‘American food.’ And no product is as ubiquitous as the Atlanta based beverage Coca-cola.
Coca-cola not only serves as a symbol of the United States but also represents modernity, which partly explains why it has been so universally embraced as the beverage of choice in this increasingly interconnected globe. A classmate who grew up in Africa revealed the anecdote that while traveling, one always stopped at the gas stations and shops with neon Coke signs. They were shining beacons of not just soda, but of food, water, electricity, modernity. This imagery of coke as American modernity is furthered by how the people of Trinidad have fully adopted it into their culture.
For example, sweet drinks are never viewed as imported luxuries that the country or people cannot afford. On the contrary, they are viewed as Trinidadian, as basic necessities and as the common person’s drink…no one but the most destitute would request water per se while ordering a meal or snack.

Coca-cola has become so integral to life in Trinidad that it is considered a necessity of society: living without it is possible, but is a clear sign of poverty. Coca cola has been localized to such a degree in Trinidad that it defines what they drink, and therefore who they are. A black sweet drink from Atlanta, defining Trinidad.
Commercialization is a strong driving force behind globalization. It has touched cultures in ways that it never intended to. It has changed how we, not as nations, but as a world, eat.
In this time at the beginning of the new millennium it is not unusual to hear intelligent people ay that the era of the nation state and national culture is ending and a brave new world of global consumer culture, multinational economies, and transnational migration is upon us.

Are these people right? Are national cultures “withering away” or “on their last legs?” Certainly national cuisines are not as rigid and well defined as they once were and hybrid or fusion cuisine is emerging as a more popular force. But national identity is so closely tied to personal identity. And nobody wants to lose their sense of self. Time has proven that people seem fiercely determined not to let outside presence homogenize the world, but rather let it change and further personalize the individual. Kids in both China and France may wake up to a bowl of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes but those two cereals, despite corporate attempts, will never be eaten exactly the same. We take new things, we make them our own. It is just what we have always done. And what we always will.

A Meal fit for a Limey

2009-03-23T15:31:00.000-07:00

Spring Break has come to a close but as my friends came back home to roost, we went out for one last good night. Being the exact audience that I Love You, Man was catering to, we were excited to see it and of course made it a point to see it opening weekend. But inevitably, we were also hungry. So we pushed back to a later showing and decided to grab some dinner.

Because there was no real driving idea for what to eat, I suggested Waterfront Ale House because it was close to the theater, I love bar food, and I love a good draft beer. With no objections, we took a stroll up the street and get a table.

If you know me, you know my appetite is very impressionable. So for some reason a few days ago, I wanted the British culinary icon Fish and Chips. And so when I made that mention out loud, Madelyn, ever the best gastro-friend (my favorite eating partner, "We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink." - Epicurus) I've had (despite, strangely, all of her food hang ups), immediately jumped on the bandwagon with me. What a pal.

First and foremost, Waterfront treats their waiting patrons to never ending bowls of popcorn. This generous offering tempts the broke college student to bring a ziploc, fill it up, then continue on their way to the theater. Maybe next time we'll have the foresight to bring a bag. Either way, it's a good filler as I downed my Brooklyn Lager. Points for the consideration Waterfront.

When we walked in, we saw someone's burger and I was almost swayed (I am notorious about suffering from orderer's remorse) by it but mostly got excited when I saw their fries were of the waffle cut variety, one of my faves! God I want some right now...did I mention I am easily influenced in what I want to eat? Anyways, I was ALMOST swayed, but held my ground.

And I was glad I did. Though a tad pricey, they served up a HUGE ale battered, fried fish fillet. Obviously it was a nice whitefish, and though I didn't inquire, my guess based on texture would be cod (though I wouldn't be surprised if it were haddock). It was tender on the inside and crisp on the outside, without being greasy. A generous dousing in some malt vinegar completed the picture. Though I am not a fan of tarter sauce, I gave it a try (because sometimes tastes change) and reaffirmed my dislike for the white sauce. It was so good, but also a bit heavy. Though I was starved, after about 2/3rds of the way through, I was stuffed and struggled to try and finish it (and fail). Thankfully, Mad also failed, lest I hear the end of it from her. I guess we have a sort of eating rivalry...that she always wins. I just try not to embarrass myself. One last note: it was served piping HOT. Mad and I both took a bite and were immediately put in the position of trying not to burn our mouths. So you know the kitchen didn't let it sit around.

And speaking of hot, the Waterfront sports their own bottled hot sauce. And it is potent, to the point of being uncomfortable. Unlike many hot sauces that I've had, which I describe as a slow and building burn that hits you after you think it's past, this stuff is up front and in your face about it's heat. The second it touches your tongue, you know. No one at the table could take it. And I was a member of my high school Hot Sauce Club. I've had worse, sure, but why make yourself miserable? Because you think you're a man? Ketchup for the chips, lemon for the fish; it's all good.

I was a bit jealous of Julia's Texas Dip. Thick cuts of brisket served on a baguette with a tangy barbeque sauce to dip in did look amazing. And since I had a taste of those pulled pork sliders in Boston more bbq in my diet has been creeping into the queue (looks like Brother Jimmy's may come soon again.) Anyways, I didn't get a chance to try it so I am assuming it was amazing.

All in all, Waterfront is a promising bar that I wouldn't mind visiting on occasion. While, in general, the clientele was slightly older than I would've liked, the atmosphere was high spirited. The music was not too loud (as some of my other roommates often complain of places), the kitchen makes some serious eats, and the bar stocks a number of good taps. A little pricy, sure but you certainly get what you pay for.

The Impression That I Get

2009-03-19T16:38:00.001-07:00

It's Spring Break and some of the roommates and I were persuaded to make it into a roadtrip to visit some friends, celebrate a birthday, and of course, revel in St. Patrick's day. And the food was damn good too.

So I may love New York City, from expensive prices to dirty hipsters, but sometimes you just have to get away from it all, spice things up. So when we were offered a place to crash out in Boston, we agreed.

So Monday night, Alex and I pack our shit and wait for Kyle to come home so we can catch the sketchy (but less than Alex expected/hoped?) Chinatown Fung Wah bus. $15 to Boston, leaving hourly, no advance reservations required make it a staple of the college traveler. But before we left, because we're good roommates, we gave Alex his bday present a day early (Julia was with us in spirit): A monogrammed flask and personalized zippo lighter! The perfect kit for the traveling degenerate!

Anyways, Arvel bandmate and good friend Darrell met us at the bus stop (he happened to be joined by another friend, Danielle who coincidentally was meeting other friends up in Boston). So we all caught the 8pm bus heading into South Station, with a stop off at McDonald's halfway through (though we didn't actually eat anything).

Madelyn (TNBC member, Arvel bassist, and best friend) drove the 45 minutes from Franklin to come pick us up at South Station, THEN drive us BACK to her house. All at like 1am in the morning (redundant, but force of habit).

In the morning, though Mad had a few appointments in the morning, we awoke to the treats of a fresh pot of coffee and a loaf of Irish soda bread for breakfast (I did mention it was St. Patty's right?). We lounged about, cleaned ourselves up, and got decked out in the green. Upon her return, we were ushered into the car and off to her favorite brunch place: King Street Cafe. I can see why it's her favorite, with a menu carrying a deliciously genius item: Apple Crisp Waffles! Crisp waffles topped with sweet carmelized apples, brown sugar, and and whipped cream. It's like you're getting away with eating apple pie for breakfast. Actually, you are exactly getting away with eating apple pie for breakfast. Kyle's banana nut pancakes were similarly amazing, and the home fries were most savory and well seasoned potatoes I have had in some time. AND things are so much cheaper when you aren't in NYC!! This was truly the perfect way to start an amazing day.

We headed back to Mad's casa for a while, enjoying the warm weather and sunshine, throwing the football around, jumping on the trampoline, and being boys outdoors again. I just wish we were BBQing some dogs to finish this picture of Americana.

We hopped on the train into boston to meet up with Mad's friend Claire (who visited the week prior and graciously offered her floorspace to our soon to be drunkenly sleepy bodies). When I had mentioned a list of places I had read about as excellent burgers (it being Tuesday and all) in the area, everyone immediately recognized that I had said the magic words of Sunset Grill and Tap. Not only does this place have amazing burgers, ridiculously succulent pulled pork sandwiches, but carries over 100 beers on tap and 400 different bottles. You can't beat that. Anyways, my burger came topped with jack, avocado, and spicy refried beans. Even on the east coast I can't quite leave behind that southern california taste. It was delicious and the pulled pork and burger combination that night left me full late in the wee hours, even after lemon drops and glasses of Jameson. For the record, Mad (founding member of TNBC) did NOT have a burger that tuesday at it had been suggested to me that "she should be kicked out of the band" for such an infraction. This happens a lot.

I also had several delicious beers, many I had never heard of. Kyle had mead because he thinks he's a cool viking and has deluded himself into thinking it was good. It was not.

The morning after, we headed to Bagel Rising for a satiating and quick breakfast. Always love a good bacon egg cheese on a bagel. You have all your major food groups: bagels, grease and salt. Add an OJ to wash it down for some vitamins. We had to eat on the run though for all of us to catch our respective transports home. The T crawled into South Station, we said our goodbyes, and got back on the chinatown bus to go back to NYC. Mission accomplished.

Food for Thought

2009-03-10T21:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of some of the most important things I have learned through trial and error (mostly error) in the kitchen. From one aspiring chef to another, learn from my mistakes.

5. Do not open the oven just to monitor its cooking/baking. The temperature fluctuations not only slow cooking time but could deflate any baked good trying to rise. If your oven window is too dirty to see through, it's time to clean the oven.
4. Use down time when things are cooking, cooling, or resting, to start cleaning the kitchen. If you live in NYC like me, counter space is at a premium and besides, that dishwasher will fill up with pots and pans faster than you think.
3. No matter what, there will always be a last minute rush to finish everything slash keep everything warm to serve together. Don't worry about it, your guests will be patient.
2. When baking, 9 times out of 10 you'll overmix the batter if you're not careful. Resist the urge to always get a smooth homogeneous batter. Chances are good you'll just make the batter or dough too tough. Put the spatula down and just walk away.
1. A good sharp knife and the skills to properly use it are key to efficiency in the kitchen. From being able to chop, dice, and mince to quartering a chicken, knowing how to use a knife is useful and important.

Why the kitchen is the heart of the home

2009-03-09T20:14:00.000-07:00

So today, on a whim I decided to make family dinner for the roomies. And I had a good time. I think we should do it more often.

It all started out with Julia buying some buttermilk to make cupcakes last week (and I helped!), based on both Magnolia recipes and food photography from Hello Naomi.

Anyways, the buttermilk sitting in our fridge was just begging to be used so after a productive day (laundry, midterm paper writing, psych studying, people watching) I thought it'd be nice to bake some biscuits. My roommates and I fucking love biscuits. As I started to make them though, I thought what would go well with these and just decided what the hell, let's make a whole meal of it.

Lemon Chicken
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Mix these, pour into ziplock gallon bag
Add chicken breasts, let marinate in fridge. Sear in pan, finish in oven.

StoveTop stuffing.
Follow box directions. Eat.

Haricot Vert
Trim beans, cook in boiling water for 5 minutes, rinse in cool water.
Saute two cloves garlic, minced, in butter. Toss in beans. Add a splash of lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Biscuits
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Sift together
Freeze 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of unsalted butter, grate with a cheese grater. Work into flour(pea sized lumps). Add 1 tablespoon shortening. Put in freezer.

1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon yogurt
1 egg
whisk together then pour over flour.

Dough will be sticky and messy; be careful, work as little as possible. 'Cut' out rounds and bake in 450 for 15-18 minutes.

Wine
pour into glass. Drink.

Nilla Wafers
Open box, enjoy with TV.

All in all, a delicious affair.

2009-03-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

Madelyn and I met up Thursday in honor of TNBC (well at least the day starts with a T). Her unverified lead led us to a wild goose chase but concluded with a stop at Olive Tree Cafe.

I guess it's part of The Comedy Cellar, which explains why there were projections of Charlie Chaplin movies on the screens. It was fun though. And the tables were slate, designed for the patrons to draw with the house provided chalk. Mad sketched out her next painting design for me, a robot in space. It was pretty sweet. Our server was careful not to place our drinks over it as she worked. I wonder what he thought about that. I wonder what's the weirdest thing he's seen.

Obviously I had the cheeseburger. The fries were nothing spectacular; not bad just mediocre. The burger had a nice heft and came plated with plenty of lettuce, tomato, and onion to make a salad. And the brioche bun had a crusty exterior but was puffy held the juices well. It was also not split completely apart, making a nice pocket for my burger fillings, making sure things didn't slide around.

Ultimately, it was filling but forgettable (I feel like I say that a lot) It wasn't bad, and I'm sure the comedy is good here (My beer was certainly nice). But it's kitchen is altogether just another bar food kitchen (not that that is necessarily a bad thing).

The Brunch Club

2009-03-02T21:04:00.000-08:00

Like the breakfast club except we're not in high school. And actually we're eating brunch.

Anyways, my friends and I went to 7A for brunch on Sunday and from there good times were had and an idea was born.

I've said french fries were my favorite food (with cheeseburgers for the perfect meal) but brunch epitomizes everything I love about food: lazy weekend mornings that bleed into the afternoon, the company of good friends, a sparkling mimosa, a bottomless cup of hot coffee, and a plate of delicious food that's as flexible about the time as you are. We happily sat next to the windows, watching the snow fall again on the city streets while we were toasty warm inside. It's moments like these that are perfect. And you don't have a care in the world.

On the advice of our waiter (personally, I thought our service was pretty amazing, given how crowded the place was...our cups were never empty and when Alex asked Kyle if we had any hot sauce on the table, he brought it out without needing to be flagged down), I ordered the Huevos Rancheros, with my eggs over easy. Let me say I was not disappointed. The pico de gallo had an excellent flavor, a mild heat, and added a bright color. The mexican cheese lent a subtle creamy sweetness that could not be overlooked. And the eggs poured out a delicious river of golden goodness all over my plate. Sometimes I miss the slightly more 'authentic' mexican cuisine of the southern coast, but this was damn good.

Sometimes all it takes is the right mood and the right people to make the meal just right. And you don't brunch unhappy. And you shouldn't brunch alone.

I look forward to many more lazy sunday afternoons digging into a Belgian waffle and taking long drags off a cup of coffee idly chatting about the best things in life.

“It’s not quite breakfast, it’s not quite lunch, but it comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end. You don’t get completely what you would at breakfast, but you get a good meal.” -- Jacques of The Simpsons

By the Books

2009-02-17T19:43:00.000-08:00

Though I've said time and again that I like cooking and baking, and even recounted some of my forays into the kitchen, there seems something lackluster in my recipes. They're disorganized, unclear, and generally unhelpful.

I obviously look at recipes, I mean I own several cookbooks. Which I refer to often. But if you asked me, I think I don't like recipes. For one thing, I hate buying specific ingredients or tools. I'm poor. For another, sometimes my tastes don't align with others.

But honestly, part of me likes the guidelines and structure; it's sort of a safety net to make sure I don't make something completely foul. I think that's why I, and so many others, are initially drawn to baking first. It's a little more predictable I think. It reminds me a little of chemistry too (in a good way). Or something.

I WANT to believe I know enough about cooking and especially baking that I can do it, not from memory, but from intuition. I'm getting better at it, pairing spices and flavors, balancing the 5 tastes, etc. But I'm not there yet.

So I play fast and loose with the rules. Bend them to suit my situation. But rarely break them. So these "recipes" are notes. Things for me to look back on to learn from. Because I keep changing.

Apple of my Pie

2009-02-16T20:13:00.000-08:00

So this weekend, trying to put off doing real work, I thought about making a pie. Especially since I felt I flubbed my attempt at baked apples last week.

Except because it was procrastination, I didn't want to go through the motions of making a real pie crust (which I take way too seriously).

So I opted to make a graham cracker crust. And a crumble or streusel topping. So really it was basically just a crumble baked in a circular pan. Whatever.

2 cups graham crackers (about 8-10 of those sheets)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Crush crackers into a crumbly dust (I put them in a bag and then roll them with a rolling pin).
mix the butter and sugar in
form a 'crust' around the edge of a pie pan

4 medium apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup sugar

toss to combine the apples and sugar, then drain in a colander over a bowl
(let sit for about an hour or two) also save that liquid.

place the apples neatly in a fan pattern in the pan

1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter chilled
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger

mix all ingredients except butter. Rub in pats of butter until it's clumpy and loose.
Take the apple syrup and pour over the pie, then top with aforementioned butter/oat mixture.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, then let cool for at least an hour.

It's not complicated or sophisticated, but it's sweet.

Enthusiasm is the yeast that raises the dough

2009-02-15T22:39:00.000-08:00

If you haven't noticed, most of my posts are not really about food. I mean, superficially, they are but when you look at the content, it's really more about memories. My love of cuisine just happens to strongly associate what I eat with what I am doing, how I form memories one may say. It's this joy that I like to capture. It's like a scrapbook centered around my stomach (not literally, obviously).

Which is why, for example, that I am drawn to things like the previously mentioned Lost Nights at the bar. I am very influenced by the atmosphere that surrounds me. When people are excited, I get excited. But when they're not, why bother? It's a problem. I don't want to eat with people that can't match the enthusiasm I want. Because it is supposed to be about more than satiating hunger. It's supposed to be fun.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong. But it's why I love it.

2009-02-15T12:51:00.000-08:00

You may remember when I wrote about eating Chinese food with friends. Indeed, hanging out with them can in the old apartment can be just as exciting as going out sometimes. And last year my friends Tim, Yeison, Julia, and I started a tradition of ordering chinese food. And watching awesome action movies. Anything from Legend of Drunken Master to Crank.

And finally, we've gotten Madelyn 'Mad Dawg' Frascella and Kyel 'K-rotch' Daes into the mix.

The past two weekends have involved Imperial Gardens; the standard fair: general tso's/orange chicken, vegetable lo mein, pork fried dumplings, egg rolls, spring rolls, sweet and sour pork/chicken, beef with pea pods. You know, chinese-y food.

Last week we watched the world renowned Clive Owen save a baby and kill people with carrots in Shoot 'Em Up. And this week was a Statham marathon with the Transporter and The Transporter 2. In a word: AWESOME!

So weekly group meetings of Chinese Food and action movies is, tentatively, in effect. And I so happy that it's back. Because food and fun like this needs to be shared with friends.

THEY ARE LOST

2009-02-15T11:52:00.000-08:00

So if you were a follower of my old blog you are aware of my attempts at recapping Lost (amongst other tv). I eventually gave up because watching and rewatching those episodes got to be a little much. The series had all but completely fallen apart.

But I need closure, because that's the kind of guy I am. And instead of ditching the show, I just found a new way to make it fun: Lost Night at a local bar, Professor Thom's!

The upstairs bar is fully stocked, carrying Harpoon IPA and Magic Hat on tap, offering a rum based tropical cocktail special for lost, and a wide array of bar food, from mozzarella sticks, hot wings, to deep fried mac and cheese. They have several high def screens, plenty of chairs, and a few couches for those lucky few who come super early. But yeah, if you want to snag a seat for you and your buds, come early (no one begrudges the coat or bag seat saver). Everyone gets super into the show, cheering and laughing or gasping in shock. It really just heightens the experience, the whole group mentality, you know? But we're all respectful of the show too, when it comes back from commercial, we're all instantly silenced without argument or hesitation.

The bar graciously offers free jello shots every time a specific thing happens on screen, two of which on each night's list but constantly being changed up. But no one knows ahead of time, so sometimes it works out for the bar (Ben gets punched/slapped in the face) or sometimes the patrons (the losties "flash" and change time periods [I did a ridiculous 8 jello shots then]). It's a lot of fun.

Because we got there early for nice seats, and because it was Mad and I, we were hungry. So we used this opportunity to enjoy our weekly burger adventure (side note, because of fiscal reasons, certain funds have been diverted to a new project (don't worry, it adds a new layer to be written about here), so 'TNBC' may become biweekly). We each ordered the 'Hurley Burger', mine with cheddar and guacamole (Hurley would totally be into cheddar and guac on his burger). It was really good for a bar burger. And I loved the fries, seasoned waffle cut. It was pretty fuckin' awesome actually. The only mis-step on my part was ordering a Tommy Bahama tropical rum juice thing. Too strong and sweet for the burger. Magic Hat would've been better. But god those fries were good. And the guac was rich and spicy. So if you have a free Wednesday night, come on over to Prof Thom's, grab some dinner and enjoy Lost with a group of your New York peers.

As a second note, the next week, a group of us got the Prof Thom's Nachos, a favorite of ours. A huge platter of tortilla chips covered in melty cheese, sour cream, guac, salsa, jalapenos, and more is an easily splittable treat for a group of 3 or 4, only for like 8 bucks. It's a good deal and is great bar food. A little awkward to hold in your folding chair with the crowds moving but totally worth it.

A few years ago, I never would've thought I would be into bar culture. But I'm actually really getting into it. I mean, I always knew I loved crappy greasy food but I didn't think I would enjoy the company (and noise) of strangers with my friends too. Go figure.

And because we're talking about lost, here are some sweet vids. I know it doesn't really have to do with food, per se, but I don't want to write the same post on two blogs.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Superbowl Sunday

2009-02-14T12:41:00.000-08:00

So what do you on the biggest sports event of the year? Drink a bunch of beer, eat hot wings, and of course chips and dip.

For the classic super bowl food, we relied on our platter dealer of choice, Atomic Wings, which you may remember from the Secret Santa Party. So nothing new to report there.

But I did decide to make a mexican layered bean dip. I would call it a 7 layer dip...but really there were only 6. I made two trays, both were cleaned out phenomenally quickly. Good thing I staggered them. Anyways, here's my recipe, pieced together from memories of dips past and from wandering the grocery store slash cleaning the fridge.
32oz Refried Beans
20oz Sour Cream
24oz Guacamole
16oz Salsa
16oz Shredded Cheese (Kraft Mexican blend)
1 pack taco seasoning
1 Green bell pepper
(I would've added scallion and olive...but I didn't buy them)

Anyways, in an oven safe casserole dish, spread out the refried beans, mix in the taco seasoning (half).
Layer on the sour cream.
Then the guac.
now the salsa.
Drop in some diced bell pepper.
Top with cheese and some more taco seasoning.
Bake in a 300degree oven for 30-45 minutes, until warm and melty.
Dig in with tortilla chips or a spoon.
Splash with hot sauce if you want.
It's not hard but it is delicious, if not sophisticated.

I don't go into your house and steal your Hello Kitty backpack.

2009-02-14T12:08:00.000-08:00

So it was my birthday (the big 22) and I wanted to celebrate it right. The party bar had been set pretty high this past year with two great parties for two great roommates (All You Can Eat Hot Wings, Ribs, and Beer for this guy) (and laser tag adventures for this gal). So I had to take it to the next level. And then inspiration struck. What do we all love? The Office! And what was the best episode? A Benihana Christmas!

So the game plan was to go gather all of my friends for dinner at Benihana's and then go out to a private karaoke room afterwards!

The great thing about Benihana's is that it is both dinner and a show. Aside from the awesome onion volcano, there was shrimp tails a flying, some usuba (not nakiri) knife action, and plenty of fun food sights.

I had the Teriyaki steak (a little white wash, I know, but look where we were) and while the steak was a little closer to well done than medium rare, it was good. The sauce was thick and sweet, and made my friend Tim jealous enough to keep stealing it.

In general the food was hot and filling, but ultimately forgettable. I was there for a full sensory experience with friends, I wasn't expecting a gastronomical festival. It served its job beautifully.

The karaoke place, somewhere in K-town, was very nice. We had a large room accommodating of all 14 of us and it was BYOB, which meant we could totally save money and still get hammered. Though I warned people we didn't know liquor stores in the area (indeed there weren't really any) we went ahead with many cans and bottles of beer. And shots of shochu. We had a good time. There was Rihanna, Avril Lavigne, Journey, Kansas, Third Eye Blind, Jimmy Eat World, and of course to round out the night, Closing Time by Semisonic.

All in all, a very good night. You'd be lucky to have friends half as good as these guys.

to do list

2009-02-10T20:06:00.000-08:00

this (hopefully) will just be a place holder as a list of posts that have been stewing in my head. Unfortunately, I have not been working as hard as I could be here.
1. Benihana's
2. Super bowl sunday's (hot wings and) mexican chip dip
3. Prof. Thom's lost night and hurley burger
4. Burger Creations
5. Chinese food/Action movie night
6. The arts of cooking and baking
7. Posto
8. Haute Cuisine

here's to hoping I get back on this horse

The Science of Sweet

2009-01-28T21:27:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, as a college Sophomore, I was looking into any culinary arts classes that NYU offered. That was when, in the Steinhardt School, I found the Food Studies department. What follows is the term paper I wrote for my first class, 'Food and Society' on the subject of my choosing, artificial sweeteners (I felt the need to combine my love of food with my work as a chemist). It's the unannotated version (I dunno how to post the footnotes without making it more work than it's worth) and it could stand some revising, both in terms of current events/research and even my own point of view. Even if you'd disagree with me, I hope you'd find it interesting.

Ryan Harrington
Prof. Jennifer Berg
Food and Society
April 2007
The Science of Sweet
“After closing my eyes, I suddenly smelled a grilled hamburger. The aroma was uncanny, almost miraculous. It smelled like someone in the room was flipping burgers on a hot grill. But when I opened my eyes, there was just a narrow strip of white paper and a smiling flavorist.”
Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation, page 132.
For decades, science has played an integral role in the development of the food people eat. Genetic engineering has changed the corn (and its subsequent derivatives, chiefly corn syrup) grown around the world. Through analysis and replication of complex organic chemicals, flavorists have developed the fragrant “natural” fruit flavors that embody the taste of that bottle of Snapple. Anti mold and yeast reagents maintain the freshness preserved in the Twinkie. The harvesting of insects is used to color your child’s Gogurt. The engineering of the water gun knife revolutionized how to cut mass quantities of French fries. Every year, about 90 percent of the money spent on food in America goes to buy processed food. One of the most significant developments that science has contributed to what we, as a society, eat is in the form of sugar substitutes. It is through these sugar substitutes that we can examine not only how the quality of diet has degraded through advancements in science but also how, fundamentally, the quality of social character has degraded, coming to rely more on quick answers that ultimately distract from, but do not fix, the problems at hand. As a society, we are willing to lie to ourselves rather than deal with the consequences of the truth.
The oldest artificial sweetener is saccharin, accidentally developed in 1879. Chemists at Johns Hopkins University working with coal tar derivatives discovered it by accident. During dinner, the food they ate had a distinctly sweet taste followed by a bitter aftertaste; they realized this as the result of the residue left on their hands. An article detailing its production and applications was published a year later and quickly became a commercial success. Similarly, three of the other most prominent artificial sweeteners, cyclamate, aspartame, and sucralose were all also discovered by accident but have also proven to be commercially dominant forces.
Artificial sweeteners established themselves as a mainstay of popular diet by reaching a widespread audience during the sugar rationing of World War I. Artificial sweeteners also established themselves as a champion food additive of the diabetic. Not affecting their blood sugar levels, diabetics could increase the variety of their diets while still maintaining control. As calorie counting became more prominent and diet awareness more prevalent, artificial sweeteners became an even more integral part of societal eating habits. Today, diners and coffee shops around the country traditionally carry three colored packets of artificial sweeteners: Sweet ‘N Low (saccharine), Equal (aspartame), and Splenda (sucralose).
Reinventing the wheel has never proven such a lucrative opportunity as with the war of artificial sweeteners. Market analysts project annual growth of artificial sweeteners at 8.3%, reaching over $189 million by 2008. In a capitalistic market system, competition is actively encouraged to promote innovation. The key is marketing; make everything else look obsolete. Appearance versus reality. Sugar was once highly praised for both its sweetness and even for its dense food energy, able to best it former sweetener, honey, in several prevalent applications. It has been the backbone of the working class, forming one of several key “drug foods” to support long work days and strenuous work loads. Yet recently, through socially imposed standards and beliefs, sugar has been vilified. And between the counter-attacks of the sugar industry, and infighting with artificial sweeteners, the competition devolves very quickly into a popularity contest rather than advancing the human diet. The politics behind what goes into the food we eat is just as influential as the nutrition. When aspartame was in its earliest stages of approval, FDA Commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes approved aspartame as a food additive without the consensus of the Public Board of Inquiry designated to assess the risk of Aspartame. Hayes was closely associated with the artificial sweetener industry having several close friends, most notably Donald Rumsfeld, then the CEO of G.D. Searle. Still, all this politicking would be for naught if, ultimately, there was no popular appeal for artificial sweeteners.
The real driving force behind the mass appeal of artificial sweeteners has been the ever growing concern of weight gain. Body image has become an increasingly dominant influence in culture. We are taught that you have to look a certain way to be successful. But in this day and age, we look for convenience; getting desired results without the sacrifice. Because artificial sweeteners do not contain any food energy, it is a popular belief that replacing normal high energy foods with those using artificial sweeteners will assist in weight loss. No actual study has supported this theory. Rather, recent studies have shown that consuming artificial sweetener can actively be linked to weight gain. It cannot be determined, yet, that artificial sweeteners promoted weight gain or simply did not hinder it. There is a theory that artificial sweeteners stimulate appetite and the body’s craving for calories because of the very fact that they do not have any. Research is still ongoing. While part of the problem may be biological, there is a clear psychological component. It is important to remember that changing food energy intake from one source does not necessarily impact overall intake. Sometimes, it is this very illusion that facilitates the behavior one tries to avoid. In an “obesity epidemic,” it is easy to take control of one aspect and convince one’s self that the easy solution is one that will fix the problems. When confronted with prepackaged convenience foods at every corner, it is easy to justify one’s actions by believing the hyped image.
In no other industry has artificial sweeteners made such an impact as in the soft drink industry. Though “soft drinks” have been around for since the 17th century and carbonated beverages since the late 18th, it was not until the 1950s that “no-cal” or “diet” sodas and colas became available. Clearly through marketing and naming, the appearance of a more health conscious beverage is made without necessarily proving as any means to actually diet. Like so many trends, people want simple solutions to problems without sacrificing the luxury of their bad habits. Relaying vague implications and relying on the consumer to make the logical leap has always been a process that the food industries have utilized. SnackWell's, a line of low-fat snacks, were so popular in the early 1990s that ravenous consumers emptied entire stores of the cookies. In 1995, the brand's revenues hit $500 million, making it one of the most successful product launches in the history of the food industry. Consumers assumed “low fat” or “non fat” meant that they were healthy. In reality, because of the high amounts of sugar to make these treats, they are high in calories and still unhealthy. Similarly, and even more successfully, diet colas have been marketed as the health conscious alternative to the ever more prevalent soft drink market.
Field research into grocery, convenience, drug, and department stores as well as vending machines and restaurants reveal that in New York City, diet cola is one of the most available, also implying most demanded, sodas, trailing only behind regular cola. It is also important to note that for nigh every other soft drink available in grocery stores, its diet counterpart was also available, allocated the same space and quantity. In stores and restaurants with a limited selection of soft drinks available, cola and diet cola were the only two consistently available in every location. It is no hyperbole to claim that diet soda accounts for nearly 40% of the supply of soft drinks. And it is hard not to make the logical leap from a consistently supplied product as also representing a consistently purchased one. Americans love the taste of soda, hate the idea of calories, and love the images that diet sodas seem to be push.
Despite the success of artificial sweeteners, and in some part because of it, controversy over their safety has erupted in a widespread, heated debate. There is debate on every major sweetener, most often linked to their carcinogenic properties. Studies have indicated that continuous consumption of certain artificial sweeteners have increased the risk of cancerous growths in the laboratory rats. This does not necessarily translate to humans however; the mechanism that causes saccharin to induce bladder cancer in laboratory rats is not found in humans. Still, the threat has been enough for some countries to continue to ban saccharin. Aspartame is still debated by some to be linked to the rise in cases of brain tumors, though there is a distinct lack of conclusive evidence. And sucralose has garnered scrutiny for its classification as an organochlorine, many of which are highly toxic, including the pesticide DDT.
Several publications have come out, exploring and challenging the safety claims of artificial sweeteners, often urging their audiences to reconsider the consumption of said products. Like how a lot of the news in this country is presented, many of these books are pushing a strong sensationalist feel, relying on scare tactics and fear. Sweet Deception: Why Splenda, NutraSweet, and the FDA May be Hazardous to Your Health by Joseph Mercola, Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills by Russell Blaylock, and Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World by Cori Brackett. All of these titles are designed to draw an audience based on shock and fear. By putting its audience in a state of panic, they are guaranteeing a captive audience. Again, it is a delicate balance between appearances and reality.
People themselves seem quite divided on opinion of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners. Field research into the opinions of people shed some light into psychological aspects of these drinks. Of those that drink diet sodas, the overwhelming reason why was because of lower calories. This was often supplemented by statements that the taste was not that much different. When asked to elaborate, typical responses clarified the implied meaning that while of inferior taste, the lack of calories more than made up for its corn syrup sweetened counterpart. Meanwhile, those that drink regularly sweetened soda over diet soda typically responded that quality of taste was their main concern. Often found were reports of “unnatural” or “fake” taste which were undesirable. Many admitted that their consumption of soda was not that healthy and their diet may improve with a switch to diet sodas but were unwilling to sacrifice the taste. Nearly every participant reported hearing concerns over the safety of artificial sweeteners, either in general but especially specifically concerned with Equal (Aspartame). Several sought out beverages only sweetened with Splenda (Sucralose), claiming it, unlike the others, has been proven harmless. Clearly, the subjects seemed influenced as much by popular culture as by science. Outside studies have shown that upwards of two thirds of Americans are aware of the possible risk associated with artificial sweeteners but at the same time does not seem to hinder the sales of said products.
There is a lot to be said about artificial sweeteners. More importantly there is a lot more left unknown. Few things have been able to impact a culture so rapidly while their long term effects still remain to be decisively determined. It is a clear example of a society relying on science and technology to provide an easy solution to rectify or improve a bad situation. People expect an expedient solution, in the here and now. Consequences are left to be dealt with in the never approaching future. From the scientist that stumbled onto latest synthetic compound to “improve” the eating experience, the lobbyist that pushes it ahead through the red tape to reach market faster, the consumers who willingly lie to themselves that they are making positive choices, to the expert scaring a population into thinking they’ve just given themselves cancer. Whether you are just trying to allay the guilt of drinking that guilty pleasure or trying to increase net profits, there are a variety of ways in which artificial sweeteners have shaped society since its inception. And it is easy to see just how much of this food additive has nothing to do with food at all.
Some would have you believe that these sweeteners are as benign as table salt. Some claim that they are a tumor inducing blight on society. And there are those that are hesitant to make judgments and err on the side of caution. Look what happened to our environment after Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) became a dominant industrial component. Look at the aftermath of asbestos as the touted fireproof insulation. Science has done so much, so fast. And now the backlash is emerging; some people are becoming weary of the advances that scientists have brought. All natural. Organically grown. Hormone free. It is a return to basics, before things got complicated. It is a way to rationalize the safety of our food in an ever increasing fear inducing society. But what do these claims mean versus what they imply? So much of the food industry is designed to appease the guilty conscious of the consumer while not actually address the problem at hand. It is still a constant question of appearance versus reality. The dichotomy of “natural” and “processed” foods is slowly blurring more and more into a gradient. Like saccharine itself, we may be heading towards the sweet taste of the future only to be left with a bitter aftertaste.

Allez Cuisine

2009-01-27T18:51:00.000-08:00

So every year, NYU has been hosting 'Master Chef: NYU' (originally under the title Iron Chef NYU). And every year, I never seem to get my act together. I missed the deadline this year.

I suppose it's better than being rejected like last year (though I did serve as a judge). I guess I was never the most 'health conscious' cook (this is run by the Student Health Center). Plus the limited ingredient list hindered what I wanted to do.

Anyways, this is an altered breakfast menu based on what I came up with last year:
12 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 Hass avocados, diced, mashed, seasoned
1 cup shredded cheese (I recommend a blend of sharp cheddar, Monterrey Jack, and asiago)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa (prepared fresh or from your favorite shop)
1/2 cup bell pepper, diced, mixed color (cooked)
1/2 cup onion, diced (cooked)
Olive Oil
Salt

1. Heat a non stick pan (preferrably in a salamander) with a tablespoon of oil while you whisk together the milk and eggs.
2. Pour in 1/6th of the scrambled eggs into the skillet and leave under the broiler for 10 seconds. Remove from pan onto serving platter.
3. Add veggies.
4. Repeat, replacing step 3 with one of the other spreads as a layer between the eggs.

It's like a naked breakfast burrito tower.

Pair with Southwest Hash Browns:
Grate 4 large (clean) russet potatoes into a bowl of water.
Drain and Dry (as thoroughly as possible, some recommend a ricer)potatoes.
Toss with a blend of 3 parts paprika, 2 parts salt, 2 parts Cayenne, 1 part garlic powder, 1 part ground mustard, 1 part cumin, and/or any other spices that play nice.
Fry in a skillet of heated oil, turning halfway through.

Cut this Tex-Mex caliente with a tropical smoothie, sweet and refreshing.
In a blender combine:
6oz OJ
3oz Pineapple Juice
6oz Guava Juice
6oz Mango Juice
10oz Vanilla Yogurt
6oz frozen strawberries
6oz frozen peaches

(Originally I also had buttermilk biscuits with blueberry preserves, but looking back, I don't think, as a whole, they fit as well as I had assumed. I was just trying to do as much as possible to impress I guess)

This year, had I gotten my act together, I would've gone a little simpler.
In the spirit of the "local-vore" movement it would've been something like this.
I'd replace the honey with Maple Syrup. Also I'd put the apples in a baking dish, filled with an inch of apple cider. After they are removed from the oven, take the cider, reduce to half the volume and pour over the top. Serve with ice cream.

Yes, I realize this is now dessert. After I started on this apple dish I just couldn't help myself. Oops.

Realistically, I was thinking of trying for an italian inspired hash/quiche:
Potatoes, onions, peppers, and spices coarsely chopped and pan cooked (omitting the beef). Scrambled eggs poured in towards the end. I'd use tomato and basil for both flavor and color, and tie it all together with goat cheese.

Maybe one day I'll wake up early and surprise my roommates with this. Maybe one day I'll wake up early.

Brotherly Love

2009-01-26T18:29:00.000-08:00

Because I came back to New York a week before school started, I decided to take a little trip and see some out of state sights. By which, of course, I mean eat other foods. So I arranged to visit my friend Tim who lives just outside of Philadelphia and encounter what the city had to offer.

Do you remember how I said even though I've been in New York City for four years and I still cannot navigate the west village? Well apparently, this direction problem is more widespread than I thought. Tim offered to pick me up from the train station in Trenton, NJ and drive me the rest of the way to Philly. I still don't understand all these small states. It seems like more of a hassle than it is. Anyways, the plan was to drive into Philly and get his favorite cheesesteak, from Tony Luke's.

Obviously, we got lost on the way there. We could literally see it when we made a wrong turn and ended up on a highway going away from our destination.
While I don't claim to be a moron (others may, though I have a CA driver's license), I am not exactly the world's greatest driver. I've totaled my car before. I get confused when there are multiple freeways (or when there are toll booths) (these are things I never grew up with, ok?). So I was heavily relying on Tim getting us to where we needed to be. There was talk of a lot of numbers and directions, taking exits that just spit us onto other highways, and signs that were vague and confusing. It was mildly worrisome when we were passing signs indicating we were near Trenton (again).

After driving around in, essentially, a big circle, we got off the highway and risked the surface streets. Tim utilizing his excellent sense of what is near Tony Luke's drove on and we eventually found it. I obviously ordered and "whiz wit'" and a Pepsi. Though I am partial to Provolone (the original cheesesteak cheese of the 30s) I felt a certain iconic symbolism in the cheez whiz. Don't ask me why. The semi insulated dining area was all chrome business. Austere but fully functionally. Which, fittingly, describes the cheesesteak. It wasn't fancy or adorned with the unnecessary. It was a crusty, textured roll that gently cradled a warm and delicious heap of thinly sliced, tender steak, ripples of orange sauce with that creamy texture of cheese, and onions sweetly grilled to lend an edge to round out the flavor. This is what people talk about when they talk about cheesesteaks.

Though content to the point of bursting for hours, by late evening the hunger set in again. And of course this called for Tim's favorite place ever, or so it seems as I've heard him describe it so frequently. This, of course, is the Mid Atlantic sensation Wawa. Though vaguely described as 7-11 or other convenience chain, I like to think of Wawa as somehow combining the best aspects of 7-11, Subway, and Tokyo. 7-11 because obviously it's a convenience chain, you can buy your gas, your big gulp, bags of chips, or even have a milkshake blended for you automatically (!!!), all of this 24/7. Subway because you can order a variety fresh made delicious sandwiches. And Tokyo, only because they employ what seems an overly elaborate computer touch pad ordering system, the only other time I used for food was when I visited Japan. I got a toasted Italian sub, loaded with garden veggies and splashed with oil and vinegar. Of course I got the self blended chocolate shake with it too. I HAD to try it out. It was, all in all, an amazing experience. I would kill to have that back in Santa Barbara (though it's really hard to beat Freebird's for the late night glut attack).

Anyways after that, we done. Full well through the night. Our lunch plans the next morning traded for extra sleep. I guess we "ruined our appetites." Such is life. There's always another one right behind it.

It's good to be home

2009-01-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

Though I returned to the East Coast by Tuesday, I spent a few days visiting Philadelphia (not to mention not everyone came back by then either). So when I returned to my little Kips Bay apartment and my friend and cohort Madelyn had returned from her city reprieve in Boston, we rejoiced with the baking of brownies!

I grew up making this brownie recipe since I was maybe 13, still riding my bike to the store to pick up the missing ingredient. I believe it comes from the Mrs. Field's cookbook that mom had in the cookbook shelves of our bookcase. Anyways, as a budding baker, even then I found I could tinker with the parts and give it my own twist.

6oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp espresso grounds

1/2 cup AP flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a double boiler, gently melt the chocolate and butter together, then let cool to room temperature.

Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and espresso on low speed until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

Add the chocolate/butter mixture to the sugar mixture and combine thoroughly.

Add the flour and mix to combine, careful not to overbeat too much.

Pour batter into a greased baking pan (I like to save the butter wrappers from earlier for this exact purpose) and place into over for 45-55 minutes. A toothpick should insert easily and come out cleanly.

Let cool for at least 30 minutes (I know, brutal) and then enjoy! (we did with ice cream)

In full disclosure, I used to top these bad boys with homemade caramel:
Grr...I cannot seem to locate my original recipe (must be back in cali)
but this is a good approximation:

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Combine ingredients and stir until uniform. Heat until boiling (approx 3 minutes), continuously stirring. Immediately remove from heat, continue to stir. Pour over anything and everything.

The return and end (?) of TNBC

2009-01-23T22:40:00.000-08:00

Madelyn and I started the year off right, with the first 2009 meeting of the Tuesday Night Burger Club heading to world renowned Corner Bistro. But after shuffling around my schedule, will the TNBC cease to exist?

My first day of classes was a little rough. Two lectures (spread mercilessly throughout the day, from 9:30 until 4:45), mandatory participation in an experiment, Registrar hassles, the auditing of a class, gathering of textbooks, and trying to rectify the loss of the one class I looked forward to (Research in Food Studies). Plus I was starving. Researching Food History in Global Societies does not exactly ease that pain.

But the promise of one of the most famous burgers in America was incentive enough to pull through.

Though I have spent my entire college career here in New York City (has it really been four years already? yeesh), I admit, I am still unfamiliar with many areas. And even though I've been to Corner Bistro many a time over the years, I still get lost in the west village (why can't it just be a simple numbered grid? Jesus, is that too much to ask? no street have go from east/west to north/south, and intersections need a minimum of 8 streets pouring into it). With trusty companion Madelyn in tow, this week's adventure was no exception. Though I wandered on basically the right track, we went back and forth as I debated if I had passed it accidentally or not. But just like waiting in that epic Shake Shack line, when you have to work for your food, the reward is just that much better.

Finally I spotted that neon sign and knew we had arrived. Relatively empty on this late Tuesday afternoon, we easily found a booth. With a very straightforward menu mounted on the wall, it took all of 1 minute to finalize our orders: Bistro Burger (medium rare), an plate of fries, and 2.50 mug of McSorley's dark. Mmm...

Recently, I've heard people saying that Corner Bistro has been going downhill. And while I was hesitant to join the bandwagon (because the only cooler thing than joining the backlash against a popular thing, is the backlash against the backlash), I will have to admit that it was the worst Bistro Burger I had ever had there. No juice made a huge sopping mess everywhere like usual. That being said, saying it was the worst Bistro Burger I ever had is like saying it's the worst free yacht I have received. It's still a fucking yacht in an ocean of crappy rowboats. They still do their bacon to the perfect texture to accompany the patty. Corner Bistro stands as a symbol of one of the truly great burger profiles: a simple, decadent bar option to heartily pair well with a delicious beer after a long day. It's still a golden standard so many places try to measure up to.

Well, satiating our craving, we (miraculously) still had some room for dessert. After debating if we could find it (I told you, we're bad at navigating the west village), we made our way to also famous Magnolia bakery. Because I am an awesome roommate, I picked up a little first day of school treat for everyone back in the apartment (though, I did save the best, red velvet, for myself). Seriously, the red velvet cupcake is heavenly. It is worth the 20% price jump (a whopping 50 cents) for the moist crumb, sweet frosting, tender texture, and exotic color. A side note, their iced maple cookies (a measly 75 cents) is a nice addition if you want a little extra sweet treat (and variety) but doing the double cupcake (after a bacon cheeseburger) seems...excessive. I know, I am sucker to impulsively add on little extras like that.

Anyways, the perfect way to cap the last first day of a college semester. I'd do it all the time, if I could.

OH and before I forget! Yes, TNBC may come to a close, as I am no longer on campus with Madelyn on Tuesdays. But to keep the tradition alive, we are working to coordinate a new time/day for our weekly meetings. Rest assured dear reader(s?), that I will continue the NYC hunt for delicious burger.

Fish Tacos. Alex Loves Them.

2009-01-03T16:05:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry I don't have that much to provide in this update, since we last talked, I've fallen a touch ill. Not only has it left me exhausted all the time, I have had a distinct lack of appetite, so I've haven't taken advantage of revisiting my all of my favorite dining spots yet. I'll spare you the rest of the gory details.
I do have one thing to mention, an outing with friends to The Natural Cafe, mere days before I, gastronomically, came apart at the seams.

So I had yet to see my friends Dan DeMaria and Stuart, two of my oldest friends. We go all the way back to Elementary School together. MOUNTAIN VIEW CREW REPRESENT.

Anyways, we arranged to meet for lunch, Dan also getting the chance to introduce us to his girlfriend (who followed him here on break all the way from Toronto). We had originally planned to meet at our favorite place of all, The Habit, but because Dan's gal pal has certain dietary restrictions, we changed game plans. Don't worry though, I will certainly eat at my favorite burger place before I head back to NYC.

The Natural Cafe caters to the classic so cal-liberal stereotypes, the kinds of people Stuff White People Like makes fun of. There's plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, and everything has that fresh, healthy slant on it. And while it's typically not my scene, there is nothing inherently wrong with it.

I ordered the Cabo Fish Tacos, something I enjoy but rarely have in New York. While it was good here, the carrot adding a subtle sweetness that I was at first hesitant about, the fish lacked any pronounced flavor. At first I thought I was served the chicken by accident. A little disappointing, but the flavor and heat of the salsa made the meal palatable.

So maybe not the best place to eat but if avoiding red meat is your thing, it's worth a once over.

I think that it's brainless

2008-12-26T14:11:00.000-08:00

So happy holidays everyone! Even though I am temporarily across the country, visiting the folks in Santa Barbara, I still have a few things to talk about.
First up is an account of my last day in New York City 2008 and how it was spent in a beautiful way: holed up in the apartment with some beer and cheap pizza!

Of course my customary late night post airport burrito from Freebird's.

Then is the play by play of my christmas dinner for one.

So my flight out was relatively early Monday morning and Alex wanted to "bro it up" the day before. Unfortunately, it was freezing and we didn't have a solid plan aside from go to the neighborhood bar and have lunch. Instead we decided to avoid the outdoors as much as possible and be hermits. Because we were tired of wanting hot wings pizza and being disappointed when they say "[they] don't make that," we sorted through our pile of menus looking for a better pizza joint. Though Il Forno is usually our go to spot, when we saw what tony's was offering, it was too good to pass up: 1 Large Pie, 1 order of garlic knots, and 1 order of hot wings...all for just 15.00 dollars! We knew that that was the order for us. To settle the matter of beer, and who would make a dash across the street, we put on our gloves and booted up the classic Wii Boxing. Alex cleanly KO'd me in the second round and I snowsuited up! It was rough going but I made it out and back before the delivery guy. And when he arrived it was glorious (because we were starved). Alex and I settled on the couch to the first few episodes of Heroes while we ate ourselves sick. The pizza was hot and floppy, just as cheap pizza should be: you can fold it over itself many times over and make a sort of pizza stack. The garlic knots were greasy and rich. And the only problem were the disappointing hot wings. Not traditional, these more closely resembled the "sauceless hot wings" kfc tried to market as awesome when in reality was dumb. What can I say, I am a traditionalist. I mean they were still fried meat, so it was tasty, just not what one expects. And then we spent the rest of the day watching tv, playing starcraft, and continually eating/drinking.

A side note: the only thing worse than fast food is fast food in an airport. I was secretly disappointed when I couldn't find a burger king in LAX (it has become my traveling tradition to eat shitty burger king while in transit) but McDonald's sufficed. And certainly qualified in the shitty, overpriced area.

But when my plane landed, despite being delayed twice, losing my luggage, and being sicker than expected, it was all made better when my dear mother picked me up and took me for a delicious and hot midnight burrito. Freebird's, while tangentially related to the chain in Texas is unconnected in practice now. This place caters to the Isla Vista/UCSB crowd, knowing being open 24 hours is the best thing for business and serving up burritos bigger than expected. I forgot what it was like, after living in NYC, and even my regular burrito would put the nyc chipotles and qdobas to shame. This thing was a behemoth. Packed with seasoned rice, refried pinto beans (my favorite kind), grilled chicken, sour cream, fresh guac, pico de gallo, and tomatillo salsa, it was heavenly. I took that first bite and it felt like home. It was amazing.

Christmas was a lowkey event here. Because of the dietary restrictions of the folks (coupled with the different natural eating schedules) we parted ways over how to serve Christmas dinner and I was left to my own devices.
My Christmas menu:
Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops (I removed the fruits from the recipe and made it a little more savory, less sweet)
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas (I didn't follow a recipe but this is pretty close to what I did)
Grands Biscuits
IBC Soda (one of my all time favorite things)
Caramelized Apples over Vanilla ice cream (Again I didn't follow this recipe, it just seems an okay approximation of what I did)

How was it? Okay. Something about my kitchen here (maybe because it's all electric) that things never quite turn out how I expect them (mostly the potatoes and dessert). I guess a hot glass surface can never replace a true flame. Or something.

Even when it's bad, it's still pretty good

2008-12-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

So, Mad and I missed a TNBC meeting because someone (me) fell asleep and skipped his afternoon class and someone (her) had pinkeye. The following week, even though the semester was over, we were determined to keep the tradition. No amount of cold would stop us. Being out of place, up in Peter Cooper Village, by Grammercy, we adjusted our dining selections and settled on New York Burger Company.

The ambiance of the place reeks of the sterile, cookie cutter homogeneity of any fast food place: white walls, static booths, open soda fountain, etc. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing, but it puts one in a certain mindset.

I ordered a basic cheeseburger combo (I was tempted by the Dallas Burger but have started to watch how much I spend after Christmas shopping--ugh. The sauces are free so onion didn't really seem worth 1.25), medium rare. A place sporting such a chain atmosphere, how would they handle it?

In a word, poorly. My burger was a startling combination of bone dry and raw. I'm not sure how that was possible but all of the moisture left the meat without it seemingly cooking. I slathered on a sampling of their sauces to make up for it. The NY burger sauce (their self proclaimed 'steak sauce but better') and BBQ were essentially the same (though they tasted different there wasn't anything distinct about either of them that made them stand out as either type of sauce. A usual fan of mustard, I repeatedly tasted the maple dijon, which was disgusting. I really wanted to like a nice mustard but it was revolting. Mad loved the faces I was making. The Chipotle Honey was okay, as was the Chili Pepper Ketchup, neither too spicy though. The bun, much like the meat, was a little dried out and flavorless. To top it off, it was in my opinion too large for the burger it was accommodating.

The fries, while claiming to be fresh cut, were still reminiscent of freeze dried deep fried varieties. Not that it was bad, but it did not smack of the potato flavor I usually expect out of fresh cut versions.

Mad and I had a good time talking about radio music; New York Burger Company picked quite a good radio station. That is, if like me, you love to feel nostalgic and listen to the Matchbox 20, Fastball, and the ilk of your middle school years. So that was a plus.

So was New York Burger Company a failure? No; despite my harsh criticism, it was fine. It was certainly filling. It just seems, with the menu, to be reaching out for a status that both it's food and decor just don't understand. If you want fast food, it certainly can be out the chains. Which I guess is the market it needs to compete in since Shake Shack is a block away.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-14T10:08:00.000-08:00

Starting a couple years back, my friends and I started the tradition of doing a little holiday get together that many know as Secret Santa. I'm not gonna lie, it is one of my absolute favorite annual events of the year. We set it on that fateful day after classes end but before exams begin, to help alleviate some of the stress and to make sure everyone is still in town. And of course we have tons of treats to enjoy.

Starting with a joke from a party I was at my sophomore year, parties tend to include hot wings. And secret santa is no exception. For our 11 person gathering, we ordered the party platter (100 wings) from Atomic Wings to heat up our winter season. We stuck with the classic 'hot' designation of spiciness and I can say we were not disappointed. The wings were drenched in a generous pool of sauce that made sure you only ate these bad boys in the company of friends (because you're gonna look like a messy pig no matter how delicately you try). Thankfully though, Atomic not only packs with these plenty of napkins and plates but also many a wetnap to clean yourself up to open your pressies!

Of course that was not the only delicious treat on hand; though I don't particularly care for it, my roommate Alex made some homemade Egg Nog spiked with Captain Morgan's (instead of the traditional bourbon). It was a big hit and I am proud of him, because he tends to think he can't cook very well.

In this theme (of Egg Nog, not 'thinking I can't cook well'), my other roommate Julia decided to try her hand at Egg Nog Cupcakes. A nice seasonal touch on a classic party dessert. Again, these were a huge hit.

After some deliberation, I decided to try my hand at some Banana Chocolate Chip cookies. I altered the recipe a bit though. I replaced half of the white sugar with brown. After the first batch came out, I decided to add a hint of cinnamon to them. Also the bottoms tend to brown or burn fast so I dropped the oven temperature to 375 after the first batch and immediately moved them to cooling racks. The batch baked on my only air cushioned sheet fared much better and I heard parchment will also help prevent that. All in all though, people liked them; they came out VERY airy and cakelike which I especially enjoyed. Also, to maximize banana flavor, it bares repeating, use as brown as bananas you can find/get/wait for.

My friend Jill (who was the recipient of my gift: How to Survive a Horror Movie, an Insound gift pack, and little bottle of Jameson.) also made an amazing layered mexican bean dip. Though I don't have the recipe right now, I obviously will share it as soon as I get the opportunity. This thing is amazing. It's like bite size mexican food. Tortilla with cheese, meat, or vegetable. But seriously. It is really good.

Even Dunkin' Donuts got in the holiday spirit and gave my friend Tim huge discounts on the donuts and munchkins he brought to the party. That was nice.

For the record, my friend Elizabeth got me, and I received the coolest robot and monster plates and mac and cheese (kind of a thing with us). It was the best secret santa ever.

On line or In line?

2008-12-07T15:21:00.000-08:00

So there's a lot to mention in the past week or so, food-wise.
1. Thai food ala Lantern
2. Burgers courtesy of Paul's
3. Cool Kid Hot Dogs via Crif Dog

So I guess we should get started?

Lantern exudes that sort of typical New York milieu one imagines, if one is unfamiliar with the city. So it's rather fitting that when Julia's friends from home came for a visit, this is where we dined one night. The soft lighting and sophisticated-casual air of the night time crowd belies the simplicity and honesty of the food; it is easy to see that Lantern, with its tree arrangements and mirrored walls, is striving to go beyond a nice Thai place. With a well designed bar and snappy service, it certainly is getting there. The Lantern lemonade is a delightful Asian twist on a simple drink: the lychee pairs wonderfully with the triple sec in this vodka based cocktail, which isn't too cloyingly sweet.

I went with a simple wok-fried basil chili beef entree, hoping the spice would keep me warm in the middle of this dreaded east coast weather. And while I wasn't sweating bullets, it certainly brightened my palette. Delicious, yet unremarkable or forgettable. Lantern is an excellent way to seek out a taste of exotic, cultured, or chic without overwhelming oneself.

*As a side note: their bathroom is amazing. Check it out.

Tuesday came and marked another meeting of the TNBC (the week prior was cancelled due to the proximity of thanksgiving). Our destination of the evening was the East Village standby, Paul's. I had been here a number of times but my counterpart had not so we decided to pay a visit. Quaint and simple, its open kitchen, vinyl table cloth and (at heart) basic menu harkens back to greasy spoons. To ensure juiciness, Paul's is well known for using metal lids to steam their burgers on the cooktop, and while it doesn't promote the browning (due to the maillard reaction) it does seem to hold in the moisture (I put it to the test by ordering a medium-well burger versus my standby choice of medium rare). At 1/3lbs, it is certainly filling but when compared to the likes of Stand, seems dull. The Wonder Bread buns (of which I took notice a fresh delivery sitting on the counter) are another dull note. But at around $5.50, it's hard to challenge a better quality/quantity ratio (especially in these times of economic hardship).

Crif Dog conjurs everything I expected out of New York (in fact the whole night kind of did): you take a low class object, the hot dog, and hype it with style and hipster goodness. The place is filled with anti-establishment memorabilia, 70s arcade games, and used to carry cans of PBR (for that extra ironic hipster touch). The night began with seeing a movie with my friend Jill. After our plans of eating dinner beforehand were halted by time constraints, our tummies were rumbling even during the scenes of vampire feeding. We headed to late night East Village favorite, Crif Dog. I had my usual, a Chihuahua (bacon wrapped and topped with avocado and sour cream) and a Tsunami (also bacon wrapped, drowned in teriyaki sauce, and topped with pineapple and scallion) washed down with good ole root beer (the beer signs have been taped over, stating BYOB). Deep fried goodness. On reflection, though I love avocado, I think the bacon might be a bit overpowering on the chihuahua. However, on the Tsunami, its savory flavor plays wonderfully with the sweetness of both the teriyaki and the pineapple. Love them to death.

We also had the bonus of watching people watch other people go into PDT. Short for Please Don't Tell, PDT is a speakeasy-esque cocktail lounge that requires reservations which people fight to get into. Also super NYC-y. While I have never been, as I've been writing this, I've decided I really want to go to one of these places soon, just so I can know the experience (and sound way cooler to out of towners). Maybe impress a date there.

SO hey, if you have an at PDT (or Milk & Honey or Angel's Share or any of the other establishments I don't want to embarrass myself in) please take me along.

Turkey Day

2008-11-29T14:47:00.000-08:00

“I believe the most important tool you can have in the kitchen is a good table—a place to sit down around and talk and share as a family. Where you serve the food is as important as where you cook it—maybe more so. To me, eating is primarily a communal activity. There is no meal that can fix bad company, but I’ve seen great company fix meals.” -- Alton Brown

So how does one who loves cooking and dining (and also takes Alton Brown's word as gospel) survive a Thanksgiving for 14 in an apartment where the main dining space is about 6 inches from a computer monitor? Or why sometimes one misses spending Thursday with an empty dorm and a turkey sandwich.

I suppose it started last year, when my friends and I hosted the first of our self sufficient thanksgiving dinners. Like a minority of college students, I never returned home to see family for the holiday. As everyone grew older, it became a little more common and finally last year, a handful of my friends convened and celebrated the holiday ourselves. A small gathering of seven friends.

This year, in a new apartment, talk began as early as in the summer about the anticipation of our next thanksgiving meal together. So great was our enthusiasm that it finally persuaded our roommate to change her plans and stay with us, rather than return home. And our group adds a member.

Her excitement grew and she invited all of her old high school friends to join us, thinking that they'd already have plans of their own. To her surprise (and secretly to my chagrin) they all responded positively to the idea of seeing each other, being in NYC, and having a nice meal. And so the party grows by another five.

A few more names get tossed in and out and long story short, eventually the guest list gets finalized at 14.

In a feeble attempt to coordinate with people in several cities, I try to open an internet forum to discuss things. It more or less fails and raises my anxiety level just a hair. Repeated discussions with the roommates about seating, food, liquor, and lodging are repeatedly left for future discussions. I get secondhand accounts of who wants to try making what, maybe. Less than reassuring.

I go through old cookbooks and also review the most influential show not only for this meal, but for my cooking style in general: Good Eats. I start making shopping lists, compiling ingredients, make notes, and mentally visualize the timing and mise en place of the day. I have several restless nights, with the pressures of the day already weighing on my shoulders weeks in advance.

We get most of our supplies delivered the Sunday beforehand by Fresh Direct. With an internet coupon, not only did we save a lot of money, but we didn't need to carry an 18.5 lbs frozen bird back to our apartment. The funny thing is, after we got our delivery, we received another box, containing half of our order repeated. About an extra 40 dollars worth of free stuff, not bad at all.

The night before, with everyone out in their respective groups, I begin the most crucial step: brining the bird. Though it had been thawing for 4 days, including a two rush soak in water to help it along, when I opened the packaging, I was left with the last thing I wanted to see: a still partially frozen bird. Cursing my luck, I went ahead with the soak, hoping it would still pick up all the flavor as it finished defrost.

Day of, I was out of bed by 8am and in the kitchen with my trusty iPod by 8:30, bounds ahead of the others (I had already flipped the bird at around 4:30, when I awoke in the middle of the night). The morning began with a pot of coffee set to brew and 10lbs of potatoes washed and peeled. One by one, the others wandered in and out, to grab some toast or casually offer some help (though with little space in the kitchen, nor the adequate tools to share, I politely declined...besides they all had friends to play with). I rinsed the bird off, gave it a good dry, stuffed some aromatics into its cavity, and stabbed in my thermometer; it was ready to face the fire. It was in the oven by 11:30.

The Deas brothers went off to lend a hand at the satellite kitchen (where rumor had it sweet potatoes, apple pie, cheesy potato bake, and dinner rolls were to be made). Julia and her friends went out to see New York City, promising to be back in time to put on the final touches.

The beans were promptly washed, trimmed, and blanched (awaiting the final saute nearer to dinner). The garlic and onion were minced and diced in preparation for later. Used utensils were washed and dried. Furniture was rearranged to accommodate seating. Cornbread was mixed. Wine was uncorked.

Watching my thermometer, I realize the bird is cooking a little faster than I was anticipating. Knowing I might need an extra set of hands, I call Kyle and ask him to return by two. He obliges and shortly later, our friend Evan shows up. When the bird is done, we lift it out, move it and I begin the gravy. I turn on the stove and start cooking the potatoes as well. I prepare a roux to thicken the gravy. The cornbread starts to bake.

Julia and company return and the final table settings are made. I pop open the biscuits, start the stuffing, and sweat an onion for the green beans.

In the mashing process, I absent-mindedly grabbed a red hot bowl and have burned my hand (second degree). I almost smash the bathroom sink in pain as I desperately look for aloe vera. Most of the food was done by now though, so dishes were set out and I began the carving (though needed help as my right hand has become a sort of dead appendage at this point).

Food was plated up and glasses were filled with wine and/or southern comfort+cider.
The final menu looked as follows:

Whole Oven-Roasted Turkey
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Sweet Potatoes*
Sauteed Green Beans

Stove Top brand Stuffing
Vegetarian Stuffing*
Pillsbury brand Grands biscuits
Trader Joe's brand cornbread
Ocean Spray brand cranberry sauce

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie
Apple/Caramel Pie*
Trader Joe's Pecan Pie
Edy's Vanilla Ice Cream

Apple Cider spiked with Southern Comfort
14 bottles of wine
Egg Nog with Bourbon

The only recipe I can really point to from the Good Eats turkey episode, linked above. Everything else was a)store bought b) altered and refined at the last minute or c) made by Kimmy and Holly Fox (denoted with a *).

The turkey came out dry, the gravy ran thin, the mashed potatoes were dull, the biscuits burned, and the green beans bland. I was in enough pain though (from the burn), that I just proceeded to drink as much as I could and forget my troubles. And it's not like anyone else was gonna say anything disparaging. In a word, disappointing. And that's the end of my story.

"There is no meal that can fix bad company, but I’ve seen great company fix meals."

Indeed, indeed.

Hot & Crusty

2008-11-24T20:48:00.000-08:00

Not the most appetizing name right? Well, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet." And Hot & Crusty may not sound good but their buffalo chicken pizza is the stuff of dreams.

A combination of beer and friends and pizza and hot wings makes everything in the world fall away and be just happy, if only for a short time. And the effort it takes to get this pizza, the struggle, the confusion, the repeated arguing, makes everything doubly amazing. It's a feat in and of itself. Amazing.

heaven knows what you've got to prove...

2008-11-18T17:19:00.001-08:00

Tonight's Tuesday Night Burger Club convened at the delightful Stand, right near the heart of NYU.

To navigate a long day in the classrooms, the unwinding with a nice treat is the proverbial carrot at the end of the stick that gets me through the day. Couple that with Stand's 'Off Peak' deal combo of burger + draught beer, and it's something that not even a movie delving into the cannibalism that occurred during WWII could shatter my appetite.

The milieu of the restaurant was quite chic, indeed Jonathan Morr's influence (of Republic fame) is not unnoticed. Thankfully (perhaps because it was "off peak", being only 5pm), Stand was not nearly as crowded nor as noisy; Madelyn and I were able to lazily chat about James Bond and, when the right songs appeared, let Garbage bring us back to the 90s. But just as Republic took the concept of Noodle Bar and made it New York-trendy, so too does Stand elevate the burger.

I ordered the classic with cheddar, and just as the picture may show, was not disappointed. A personal favorite of mine is when places ask "how do you want your burger?" and because I love making a mess, I always say "medium rare." Some people tell me that I'm rolling the dice, that one of these days I'll get sick. But I've lived through food poisoning before, and enjoying a meal now seems a worthy return for possible trouble later.

When Stand first opened, it was criticized, basically, for a shitty bun. Since then, that problem has been wonderfully addressed. The brioche bun absorbs so much of juices that the patty drips, it's like a second slab of meat. Yet, it holds its integrity. Thick on all accounts, one may feel it's a little overwhelming to wrap one's mouth around (insert joke here). And while I wish, after last week, I could say I am a pickle convert, today I was left plucking them out. The onion, lettuce, and tomato, as per usual, partnered wonderfully. Their homemade ketchup was a surprising treat as well, full of tomato-y flavor (for the less inclined, the table keeps heinz, mayo, and mustard on hand as well), I was quite the fan, slathering on a second layer. And while I've had, heartier, tenderer, richer, or heavier patties, Stand has a unique seasoning and flavor that deserves mentioning. To get a better understanding of it, perhaps to try and unlock it for my own, I took long bites of just the meat, letting it wash over my taste buds. Indeed, I may try to recreate it one of these days.
*Side note: I was supposed to get my beer half off since it was happy hour and when I brought this to the attention of my waiter (the bill charged us full price) he didn't fix it, he dropped the beer from the bill completely. And that's how you earn an extra tip. And to think I usually only like to tip extra nice when my waitress is extra cute.

I paired my burger, as you may recall, with a regional draught beer. Though the menu was not up to date with what they had on tap, I enjoyed a Weyerbacher Hops Infusion, described as "big, hops, spice, citrus". It was quite good; as indicated it had hints of sweet fruit to it which made me think of summer days (a nice reprieve from the dreadful cold). I also just love that their draught beers are of these regional sorts, letting me try beer I normally don't encounter. I'd go back and keep pairing burgers and beers until I had exhausted my options, if I could.

Madelyn and I split both an order of shoestring fries and onion rings. The shoestring fries were definitely something to get if it's what you're into, crisp and salty. Similar in many regards to potato sticks, except these actually taste like potatoes. Personally, I enjoy an airier and fluffier texture inside so I'd probably go back to the regular french fries. The onion rings, after last week's discovery, were lighter and, ultimately, forgettable. A little too salty for my pallet and I was a little too underwhelming in flavor department (hardly tasting like the fried vegetable they're supposed to be). Their texture was divine, however; exactly how onion rings should come out: crisp, light, batter clinging to the onion for dear life. If I weren't worried the juice was sog everything it came in contact with (and that half of it wasn't gone in approximately 5 seconds), I probably would have considered placing a ring or two on my burger, for a little contrasting texture and added decadence. Live and learn.

Stand is a wonderfully upscale casual place that any burger connoisseur should check out. While I would not think of it as a first date place (again, a lot of dripping meat and fried sides), think of it like a place to take your girlfriend for a date, after dinner for two has kinda faded from the norm. It's nice, fun, and makes hamburgers feel like the grown up food they could be.

Eating with knitting needles

2008-11-14T22:02:00.000-08:00

"We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink, for dining alone is leading the life of a lion or wolf." -- Epicurus

Sometimes when life kicks you down, there are worse decisions than picking yourself up and walking away toward a pile of grease, salt, msg, and company.

Tonight, some people came over (Madelyn and my old roommate Yeison).

As soon as Madelyn came in, she said "I should have eaten something before I left!" I responded with "I knew you were gonna say that." Because she always does. The point I am trying to make is that I refrained from starting dinner because I knew she was coming over. Instead, I waited until she arrived and then we all ordered Chinese food, from my go-to place: Yummy House. While I have had food that has been better or cheaper, no place balances the two so well and to top it off, no place is quite as quick at delivery. Plus, I think I just have a soft spot for the place, since it was weekly ritual for me and my roommates during freshman year, as I may have mentioned.

I think the real importance here, as the quote mentions, that Madelyn brought up food and I had her in mind beforehand, so that we could all eat together. Food, especially dining out or ordering in, is not so much about the necessity to eat, but about sharing an experience, joy even. It's just something better that's done in good company. It can bring people together. Tuesday Night Burger Club, for example. And lately it's just nice to know, sometimes, that you've still got friends. What do they say? "No man is an island."?

Yes, while dining alone has other certain qualities that I enjoy (that'll be another post, I'm sure), it's not something I do often. And it's not something I often lseek out. At the very least, you should have someone nearby for the Heimlich maneuver.

Because of it being Madelyn's favorite, we shared an order of sesame chicken, joined with an order of beef lo mein, pan fried pork dumplings, and of course white rice. I am convinced that every chinese place in the city uses the same fried chicken pieces and sauce for all of their main dishes: sesame chicken, General Tso's chicken, and orange chicken. Sure there are minute flavor differences but it hardly makes a difference (which is why it's always kind of a headache because each of my roommates 'loves' only one of the three...plus no one ever wants to exclude it in favor of branching out and trying, say, the Mongolian Beef, the Kung Pao, or Sizzling Noodle Platter (my personal favorite, I mean food that makes noise is doubly delicious (see fajitas))). But, as always, Yummy House lived up to their name and served some yummy, greasy, sweet, fried chicken bits. If you like this kind of food, you'll love it, otherwise you won't.

The lo mein was good too, in that generic "this is what I was expecting and didn't disappoint" way. And even though it was beef, and not veggie, it was pretty light on all of those vegetables I have come to know and love: snap peas, scallion, bamboo. Save for a scant few shreds of carrot and a bean sprout or two, it was mostly noodle. At least there were no mushrooms (not a big mushroom fan, sorry folks). Another thing, lo mein, because it's mostly just delicious noodles, is probably the best bang for your buck as far as food goes. A heaping tray full is like $6.50 at most places in NYC (I know the city is expensive, I've gotten used to it) and when three people have each taken a large serving and the container looks like you could slap the lid back on and call it full, you know you've got a lot of food. I'm always a little excited to have reheated lo mein lunch day after. So if you have a lot of people to feed, lo mein is the way to stretch the side dishes.

The pan fried pork dumplings were nothing to write home about (for great dumplings, it's usually better to rely on actual dumpling houses...since you know, it's their specialty), the dough a little thick and tough and the dipping sauce, trying to be fancy and just coming out watery. I ate them anyways though. Of course.

And what ever happened to those old 80s stand up jokes? Eat chinese food and be hungry 30 minutes later. I ate dinner about 5 hours ago and still feel like a beached whale.

After tax and tip, this 30 dollar delivery could have easily covered 4 people, which is not a bad deal for not having to go outside. And, all in all, not a bad way to spend a Friday night, with some familiar faces. Beats the snot out of frozen pizza for one.

Tuesday Night Burger Club

2008-11-11T16:32:00.000-08:00

The other weekend, my friend Madelyn was hungry and wanted burgers, except that it was Halloween so all we ate was candy and booze. By Tuesday, she still had not filled her craving and left me a text while I was in class. From there, Tuesday Night Burger Club was born.

Our first official meeting convened at the ever classic Shake Shack. Since it was November 4th (I voted absentee), there was no line despite nice weather. My roommate and friend Julia joined us and we enjoyed Danny Meyer's best idea since opening a restaurant. Otherwise, it was pretty uneventful.

This past weekend, it also happened to be Julia's birthday. As we are all huge How I Met Your Mother fans, we went all the way out to Brooklyn for laser tag. It was amazing.

Anyways, Madelyn and I got a huge craving for onion rings (there's a quote from the show) and thus put next on TNBC's agenda some delicious onion rings with our meal. After some preliminary research I had a good idea for a few places to go.

We settled on SOHO Park, a charming little place with a simple menu. It came highly recommended, and the title alone, Herbed Buttermilk Red Onion Rings, made my mouth water. Though we were starving, I clearly remembered reading "this is the second time I’ve just had these onion rings as my dinner" and we decided to split one order with our burgers. Best idea ever, because even with the three of us devouring the flavorful goodness, we couldn't quite finish the last of the massive pile.

The burgers themselves were also delicious. A perfectly portioned patty in one of the best potato bread rolls, complete with the thinnest shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sweet pickles, and sauce. Though I am typically not a fan of pickles on my food, these accented all of the flavors with a delicate sweet and tangy flavor that was not as overwhelming as I am usually wont to find. I was quite pleased. The cheese was not amazing and at an extra dollar, if you can live without it go ahead (I, unfortunately, LOVE cheese on my burger and cannot).

Finally, though they had only one dessert on the menu, it's all they needed: a classic brownie sundae topped with your choice of ice cream. Presented with a chocolate ganache, a cherry, and a sprig of mint, this was the type of presentation I was always taught and could never master. Wish I had a picture to share. I'll try to start bringing a camera to these meetings.

So if you're in the east village and jonesing for some quality onion rings and a nice burger to keep them company, you could do worse than SOHO Park. Just bring a friend or two so not a morsel goes unsavored.

Have a place to recommend? Leave a comment! I am always up for a culinary adventure!

City Favorites

2008-11-09T20:17:00.000-08:00

While I love branching out and exploring new places, sometimes you just have to go to your old standby for the perfect fix. I make no claims that my tastes are anything new, 'indie', or otherwise noteworthy; they're just where I like to go, simple as that.

Burgers:
Shake Shack -- Madison Sq. Park.
Yes, everyone already knows about it. Yes, it's always packed. There's a reason, it's some damn good food.

Pizza:
Artichoke -- 14th St. between 1st and 2nd ave
Yes, everyone already knows about it. Yes, it's always packed. There's a reason, it's some damn good food.

Mexican:
El Cantinero -- University between 11th and 12th
No, it's not the best. But it's my favorite. The cheesy atmosphere, the bar upstairs, the garden, the all you can eat monday special. The college memories. No it's not for everyone, but if you want something a little better than chipotle (though, I'll be honest; I'm a sucker for chipotle too) have a margarita and some sizzling fajitas. Bring a few friends and tell the waiter it's someone's birthday...it's worth it to watch them wear the goofy sombrero.

Diner:
Cosmos Diner -- 2nd Ave at 23rd St.
Their pies need a little work but this place was the center for my reborn interest in diner fare this past year; like an episode of Seinfeld, we sat in our booth, ordered some food and talked the triviality of our days away. While kinda gruff, we totally became BFFs with the staff.

Chinese:
Yummy House -- 3rd Ave between 11th and 12th
I lived across this place for a year when I first moved here. Every weekend my roommates and I ordered take out from here and we've been fans ever since. A little nicer than some of the hole in the wall places found around the city, the you feel that they really are trying to be a restaurant and not a take out food service. And though I am 'Asian', I'm a huge sucker for the American-Chinese fare: Orange Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Lo Mein, Egg Rolls, etc.

So no, these are not the best places for food in New York City. But they are damn good, hold some precious memories associated with them, and won't break the bank. Here's to hoping I keep this project alive for a year and get to update this list with new places.

Informal Introductions

2008-11-09T20:01:00.000-08:00

Everybody eats. Almost everybody loves to eat; I know I do. And I hate work, so after I gave up on one blog, I'm starting another...you know instead of doing real work. I've spent over three years in New York City and still feel like a tiny speck in the sea of cuisine out here and I hope to change that.

Some things you should know about me:
1. I'm an NYU student (kinda broke) minoring in Food Studies (found it too late to make it my major [chemistry]).
2. I grew up in Southern California and have a soft spot for amazing Mexican cuisine.
3. My meal of choice is probably cheeseburger, curly fries, and a coke.
4. I'm easily pleased by even the cheapest, greasiest, or generic foods...as long as it's what I was supposed to expect.
5. Like most New Yorker, I believe waiting in line for an hour seems to make the food that much better.
6. I love potatoes, meat, cheese, breads, and spicy...in that order.
7. I'm mildly allergic to shellfish, so aside from a taste of my friend's entree, I rarely eat it.
8. I hate eggplant, am wary of vegetarian options disguising themselves as meat (tofurky comes to mind), and am often criticized for my dislike of "bits in my things" (for example: nuts in brownies, seeded baguettes, or chunky peanut butter).
9. Though I love breakfast, I am not a morning person...so unless it's like a 1pm brunch, chances are I won't be able to make it.
10. I used to be a distance runner (before my knee injury) but tend to still eat like it (aka, as much as I want without abandon). I'm trying to grow up a little...with little success.

So here's to what should hopefully be a good read. Or at least a fun distraction.