Reviews

NYC: Day 2

February 10, 2010June 30, 2010 The Culinary Chronicles4 Comments

Day 2 food-ventures in NYC started off REALLY early. How early? Let’s just say that it could be debated that it was still Day 1 as it was a direct necessity from Day 1 night activities 🙂

After a long night of taking in the city’s nightlife, we were in great need to fill our tummies with something delicious and darn right bad for you. Where to? No place better than the East Village’s Crif Dog. Our group joined the crowds of other late night/early morning Hot Dog goers and convened at this notable local spot. Arcade games decorate the side walls with small sitting tables and bar stools. We ordered the Good Morning (Dog wrapped in bacon, American Cheese and a Fried Egg), Spicy Red Neck (Dog wrapped in bacon, Jalapenos, chili, and Cole Slaw), and Chili Cheese Fries.

One word to describe our food: A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Quite arguably the best dog I’ve had in my life. Super hot, peppery, with that great “snap”when you bite into it. The jalapeno, chili and slaw were the perfect accoutrement. As for the Good Morning, well it’s our philosophy that the fried egg makes anything delish.

Sure, the hot dogs are pricier than the average stand where you can get the Dirty Water Dog fix….but I’m telling you, it’s SO worth it! Plus, what other hot dog spot do you know of that houses a secret bar via a telephone booth from the inside? Seriously, no joke. 🙂

Crif Dogs
113 Saint Marks Place
(212) 614-2728

What most “Manhattanites” know but may not admit is that one can find some wonderful eats in Jersey City for a fraction of the cost it would be in NYC. This held true as we crossed the water to New Jersey to have lunch with some old friends. Per their suggestion we headed over to Skinner’s Loft–a two story restaurant with absolute charming decor and friendly staff. We were promptly seated at an upstairs table in a cozy corner—which I appreciated as we had two little ones with us and needed the room. The menu was quite extensive with EXTREMELY reasonable prices. The BF and I split the Fresh Bacon Tartine and Eggs Benedict–and of course, two Bloody Marys.

The Fresh Bacon Tartine….where do I begin. They describe it to contain fried eggs, aged cheddar cheese, tomato, fresh bacon, aioli spread on a baguette. Unctuous-meaty goodness with a light acidity from the tomato. The Eggs Benedict were so delish on the fresh baked biscuit and the hollandaise—OH THE HOLLANDAISE!!!! Creamy but not overly creamy….perfect 🙂 They also served a delectable “pail” of their baked goods—-an assortment of mini-muffins, biscuits and rolls. So wonderful with their honey butter and a little bit of jam. As for their Bloody Marys….easily one of the best Bloody Marys I’ve had at a restaurant which is saying A LOT as a self proclaimed Bloody Mary snob. Spicy, savory, tangy…perfect.

On top of everything, I loved the little details and special attention they put on things—-from how the sugar was served in small milk bottles to chocolates placed in a bucket with the final bill. It’s all the little things that count and Skinner’s Loft does it well.

By the way….our dishes were only $10 and $12 for the bf and I. You just can’t beat that. That Jersey City has more to it than meets the eye.

Skinner’s Loft
146 Newark Avenue
(201) 915-0600

Our final meal was at a fabulous Super Bowl Party hosted by friends in their new fabulous digs in the Financial District. Great snackies, finger foods, and wonderful sammies made by the hosts. They also brought in some great Korean Wings and Drumsticks by BonChon–one of the new rages for delish eats in the area. And indeed, they were quite yummy! Surprised that Korean Fried Chicken can be ALL THAT? Don’t be, it really is THAT good.

BonChon
104 John Street
(646) 682-7747

And this was one of the ways we ended our night….with a breath taking view from the roof of our friends’ fab digs. Photo cred goes to my brother as I’m still trying to figure out the whole shutter-speed thing 🙂

Oh NYC….you are gorgeous.

Reviews

NYC: Day 1

February 8, 2010June 30, 2010 The Culinary Chronicles2 Comments

Our travels started off on a great note with a lovely little cocktail at the San Jose Minetta Airport. What did I enjoy? My signature Grey Goose Martini—EXTRA Dirty 🙂

A few hours later we arrived a bit weary yet very excited at the blustery JFK Airport. We settled into our digs at one of the fabulous units in Greenwich Village by Gotham Holidays (HIGHLY recommend it for folks looking for an alternative to Manhattan hotels) and were on the hunt to fill our tummies. My sis-in-law recommended a local spot to us, The Grey Dog’s so we walked a few blocks and found the small, but very cute little spot.

It appeared quite popular as the small little shop was filled to the brim with hungry brunch goers. We were lucky to snag a table for four and placed our order at the counter. I opted for a Croissant Breakfast Sandwich with Sausage and Eggs while the BF had the Breakfast Quesadilla.

My sammy was delish—light fluffy eggs covered with cheese and sausage. A batch of shoestring “fries” accompanied my plate. The coffee was strong but fresh and I loved the overall charm of the shop. Whimsical photos of frolicking pups surround the exposed brick walls while the waitstaff weave in and out of the crowds delivering plates. Yep, if I lived here, I, too would be a regular.

The Grey Dog’s Coffee
33 Carmine Street
212-462-0041

After hanging out with the brother and sis-in-law for a few hours at their sweet condo in the Lower East Side, we were in need for another snackie. Initially, we were going to go big and get a Pastrami sammy from Katz’s but upon arriving, we found it closed for a private event. BUMMER! But the beauty about a city like NYC is that there is always good eats around one corner or another.

We found ourselves at Yonah Schimmel’s Knishes Bakery for some good old knishes. Never had a knish? Well, they’re known to be a common snack amongst Jewish American immigrants. More often than not, it’s a mashed potato mixture that is covered in a light dough—and apparently, Yonah Schimmel’s is as good as it gets.

In an attempt to enjoy the knish in its purest form, I ordered the traditional Potato Knish (seen below):

Turns out knishes also can come be served in a sweet form. My brother ordered the Blueberry (as seen below):

Overall, as a lover of all things potato, I found the knishes to be enjoyable, particularly with the side accompaniment of the pickles. Service and staff were not exactly the best, but when they’ve been making knishes for 100 years, I guess the product can speak for itself 🙂

Yonah Schimmel’s Knishes Bakery
137 E Houston Street
(212) 477-2858

Our last stop of the night brought us to Keste Pizza and Vino. Per our familia’s suggestion, we arrived early enough just to beat the dinner rush and got the last available table. Good thing too because by the time we were done with our meal, the wait was out the door. SUPER charming restaurant with friendly and efficient staff and fabulous hosts with great Italian accents. 🙂

The four of us ordered two pizzas: The Special of the Evening and the Salsiccia.

The Salsiccia was delish–savory and slightly peppery. The Special was akin to a Margherita but without the tomato sauce. The cheese was so creamy and unctuous—divine. Both crusts were thin, slightly chewy and had the great taste that only wood ovens can produce. We also ordered the House Vino which was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Surprised? Believe me, I was too. 🙂

Keste Pizzeria….HIGHLY recommend it.

Keste Pizzeria and Vino
271 Bleecker Street
(212) 243-1500

12 hours and 3 great spots. Not a bad way to begin our vacay 🙂

Reviews

Ramen: A Hug for Your Soul

November 30, 2009June 30, 2010 The Culinary ChroniclesLeave a comment

Sometimes when the weather is chilly or I’m feeling a bit down–I find myself in the need for a little hug. And for me, that hug sometimes comes in the form of a piping hot bowl of Ramen.

No Dear Friends, not the “Top Ramen” that Americans have associated with poor college students since its mass distribution in the 1970’s. Although let’s be honest, many of us have come to love the highly salty-MSG packed instant noodles that can be literally whipped up into a 1,ooo ways. 🙂

Instant ramen is also more than just a quick meal. It’s a scientific phenomenon! Check out the following video:

Though, I digress….

What I’m talking about is good old, Japanese Ramen. For all intense purposes, Japanese Ramen consists of stock based broth, noodles, and various accouterments that can include meat, veggies, and eggs. It’s flavor from the rich broth coupled with the slightly chewy noodles adds to the distinction from my much beloved Vietnamese Pho or other Asian noodle soups. Four of the more popular based ramen broths include:

Shio – derived from a salt base
Tonkotsu – derived from pork bones
Shōyu -derived from soy sauce
Miso – derived from miso paste

Since my graduate school days in LA, I fell in love with quality ramen. The type from small Japanese restaurants where all they sell is ramen and the lines are outrageously long. After moving to San Jose, it took me some time to rekindle this ramen love. Luckily, the bf and I discovered Maru Ichi in Milpitas after a friend had referrred him. Instantly, we were hooked. With our addiction to watching ABC’s show, Wipeout, our weekly bowl of ramen from Maru Ichi was added to our Nihon Ritual. To be fair, we tried other ramen houses but none seemed to fit our liking.

That is, until we met Santouka Ramen in San Jose. It changed out lives.

Situated in the lobby of the Mitsuwa Marketplace, Santouka became a new addition to ramen lovers in the Bay Area in Fall 2009. The modest “counter style ordering” system allows for quick transactions. But don’t take that for granted. The crowds have flooded Santouka and folks have been known to wait over an hour for a bowl of ramen (this gal included).

We have pretty much ordered their entire menu (short their of the Nato Rice Bowl and Salmon Roe Rice Bowl). Of the list, we are quite partial to the Shoyu and Miso–although their Spicy Miso and Salt are great too! Noodles are perfectly al dente, miso broth is so wonderfully rich, and the pork is just darn luscious with a little bit of fat that makes it so unctuous! The Miso Ramen comes with fresh bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, slice of fish cake, and scallions. As for the hard-boiled eggs, it’s prepared on the sweeter side and reminds me a lot of the Vietnamese Braised Pork and Egg dish that I grew up eating. Their rice bowls are also enjoyable and are easy to manage if you order a small bowl of ramen to accompany it. Too carbo-licious? Perhaps. But after all, I did say my soul needed a hug! 🙂

Spicy Miso Ramen, Salt Ramen, Toroniku Pork, Pork over Rice, Boiled Egg

Shoyu Ramen, Miso Ramen, Leeks over Rice, Boiled Eggs

Lucky for you folks, Santouka can be found at the 6 other Mitsuwa Marketplace locations. This is a chain eatery that you’ll definitely want to check out 🙂

Santouka-San Jose
Mitsuwa Marketplace
675 Saratoga Ave
San Jose, CA 95129
(408) 255-6699
Mon-Sun: 11:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Average Price: $10