New York City
Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Lunch at the Pearl Oyster Bar

Hubba hubba. I’m so in love with the Pearl Oyster Bar. Who knew that it only took clam chowder, 12 oysters, and a lobster roll to make me weak?
We followed the advice of a friend to this place, which is located in the heart of Greenwich Village. After a long walk in the bitterly cold NY wind, we stopped in the restaurant and were greeted by tantalizing smells of grilled rolls, buttery cooked seafood, and bacon topped clam chowder soup. Inspired by the scents, we ordered:
12 fresh oysters: These were hands-down the best oysters Dave and I had ever had. They were plump and juicy, clear and fresh tasting (without the usually present "sea smell"), and incredibly flavorful with a kick of lemon juice and hot sauce. That’s all I can say about that–you just have to try them yourselves to get the full experience!
Bacon Clam Chowder: MMMM! Usually, I don’t crave clam chowder all that often because it’s too heavy with dairy. However, this one was truly the exception. It wasn’t overwhelmingly creamy, and instead, the clams and bacon really stood out as the foundations of the soup. The clams were tender and chewy, cooked with hints of broth and garlic, and the bacon was peppery with more herbs than salt in its overall taste. The soup base itself was very balanced in the broth and the cream and I loved the extra parsley and ground pepper that just added to the soup’s freshness. Again, this one is a must-try.
Lobster Roll: Tender, juicy, HUGE chunks of lobster mixed in with the right amount of mayo, ground pepper, and lemon juice and layered into a toasted and buttered sandwich roll=the perfect end to the meal. This one was so good that I seriously cannot rave about it in words any longer. Does "OH HELL YES!" convey just how good this one was?
Pearl Oyster Bar-a true thumbs up :)

Dinner at Morimoto

Dave and I decided to wrap up our NY trip and celebrate our 2 year anniversary early by having dinner at a very hip, trendy, and hard-to-get-into restaurant: Morimoto. If that name sounds familiar, you’re not crazy. This, my friends, is the brainchild of the Iron Chef Morimoto.
And, wow–Iron Chef certainly did a fantastic job in creating this place. The decor was nothing short of amazing–I am not good at writing enough to accurately and artistically encapsulate the impressive aesthetics of this place, so I encourage you to look it up online. However, I am not lying that the place really just blew me away and left me imagining how fun it’d be to have all my friends there for a party of some sort. It’s perfect for a 20 something crowd.
On to the food. I still shudder with delight just thinking about how great the food made Dave and me feel on our special night together. Here goes:
Kobe beef carpaccio: If you have not had carpaccio, it’s basically a raw meat prepared in sauce that’s a mixture of oils, vinegars, and green onion. This one was no exception, but at the same time, it was THE exception. Kobe beef carpaccio is a stand alone winner–the taste of the meat had a buttery, heavy depth to it that sets it apart from the rest, and with the truffle oil, salt, and green onions layered upon it, the buttery taste of the meat was enhanced to a level that brought Dave and I to a place of sheer bliss. We both literally sighed, closed our eyes, and let out a big "MMMMMM" after this dish. It was really that good and special.
Whitefish carpaccio: So, we ordered this one thinking it’d be different from the Kobe, but it was essentially the same because the sauce wasn’t different. We still enjoyed it, though. The fish was very fresh with also buttery accents.
Sashimi (fatty tuna, hamachi, salmon): All were just like the whitefish in their tenderness and fresh taste. The fatty tuna was fatty buttery, but what stood out more was the hamachi, which was scored for flavor release. The hamachi (and the salmon) tasted very nutty, kind of like pine nuts, and had a nice, plump bite to it. Very refreshing.
Sea bass: This dish was out of this world. The sea bass was not dry and flaky, but rather, tender, juicy, and came off of thick, plump slivers. It honestly didn’t need sauce to taste good, but since it was there, it was extra good with gingery, brothy accents and a slight miso aftertaste. I’d have to say that this is the best sea bass I’ve ever had.
Maki rolls: Just your typical maki roll–but it was good in that the rice they used was not vinegary or sweet and the sesame seed they rolled the rice in were nicely toasted and nutty. The fish had good bite, and was of course, fresh. What else can I say?
I know I didn’t write much, but I loved this place so much that my words just don’t do it justice. Plus, the best part of this restaurant was sharing it with Dave in celebration of our relationship. Being able to hold the hand of the guy I love, share food, and not be bothered while do all of that was just amazing. I love you with all my heart, Dave–thanks for being you and praise God for all He’s done for us.

Monday, March 5, 2007

Lunch at Landmarc

After no breakfast and a morning full of meetings, I was starving, as was Dave, who kindly accompanied me as I ran all over town from one office to another. We rewarded ourselves with a meal at Landmarc, and boy, it was a treat–for the most part.
Nestled on a busy street in Tribeca, Landmarc was also another one of those restaurants that looks like it was converted from a warehouse–with its metallic beams and grayish overtones, the exterior stands out very simply on the street. Yet, when you enter, you’re enveloped in warmth. With soft brown wood floors, flowers, and earth tone wall fixtures, it’s like you’re walking into your own home, which adds an interesting dimension to what is typically a modern place.
We went crazy with the food and ordered:
Goat Cheese Profiteroles with Frise Salad: Basically, it was puff pastry stuffed with a goat cheese cream and accompanied by a light salad in vinaigrette. I think Dave thought these were pretty good and I’ve had to agree–to a certain extent. After one puff pastry, it got a little overwhelming because there was just too much goat cheese. For me, goat cheese is to be enjoyed in small portions with a bread or vegetable, but a tablespoon of it in a small piece of pastry is a bit too salty and tangy for an appetizer. But, for extreme cheese fans, this is for you–it was definitely well prepared in that the goat cheese was served firm and cool against a puff pastry that was light, crispy, and not too crumbly.
Caesar Salad with Ahi Seared Tuna: It’s hard for me to be write prolifically about a caesar salad and ahi tuna, except to say that a) the caesar dressing was flavorful, yet not overwhelming, and used in moderate amounts on the salad (earning it a gold star from me–I hate more than 2 tablespoons of dressing on a salad); b) the ahi tuna was seared just right as its texture was soft, buttery, and tender. The portion was huge for an appetizer, though.
Moules Frites with White Wine and Shallot Cream Sauce: HUGE PORTION. I was expecting a little dish of mussels to come out, but instead, the waiter plopped a huge bucket full of them on our table. The fries were shoestring style served with a side of garlic aioli. The fries were buttery and garlicky, fried to a crisp, yet tender texture, but the aioli did not taste very appealing. It was oil layered on mayonnaise, if you ask me, and made for a bland, synthetic tasting sauce that didn’t do anything to add to the already flavorful fries. As for the mussels, they were just okay in that they were overcooked. The meat was slightly dehydrated, taking away from the plump, juicy appearance and taste that they could have taken on, and unfortunately, the sauce that the mussels were drenched in was diluted towards the bottom. This made for dry mussels on the top and oversoaked mussels on the bottom, so the flavor was not evenly distributed throughout the dish. However, I’m not disappointed I got them, though. I need me some mussels!
Ribeye Steak with Butter Sauce: When the steak was delivered to us, I think we about fainted. The cut of meat was bigger than our heads (not combined, but bigger than our individual heads, nonetheless) and steam was radiating off the plate, indicating that it had just come off the stove. Props for freshness and timely delivery! Upon first bite, my mouth went from a big smile to just a flat line–the smile was for the fact that the stead was cooked to perfection in terms of its texture. It was tender, medium well, and full of flavorful juices from the meat itself and the seasoning. But, the disappointing aspect of the dish is that the flavor was not maintained throughout. Each bite would start out with flavor from the exterior, but as you bit deeper, it turned into tastes of pure fat. It was a slight miss. Yet, for what we paid and the quality of meat that sat before us, it was not a lost cause by any means.
Overall impressions: This is worth a go. True, I sorta nit picked at minor things, but the dishes were quality and good overall, plus you can’t beat the warm ambience on a cold NY day.

Dinner at Xunta

We met up at this joint with Zach, Amy, and Cindy for tapas and I have to say that it was difficult for me to enjoy this place because a) I was still incredibly full from Landmarc and b) the cold weather dampered my appetite. But, I trudged on for the sake of having good times with friends and adding another restaurant to my list.
Honestly, I can’t remember all that we had because I ate only a small plate’s worth of food out of the many tapas I ordered, plus the three glasses of sangria that I had probably contributed to the lapse of memory that night. I do remember, though, that I didn’t particularly enjoy the tapas, even though they were supposedly authentic. Why the sad face? Again, I don’t remember..
But the sangria was very sweet, refreshing, and obviously like juice if I was able to stomach three glasses :P
Dave, how about you write the review for Xunta? :)

New York City
Sunday, March 4, 2007

Lunch at Lombardi’s Pizza

Our original plan was to travel over to Brooklyn to grab some slices at Grimaldi’s, known for their fresh mozzarella and garlic pizzas, but we were both too tired to make the trek over. So, we headed to another NY favorite: Lombardi’s. It was not a disappointment, and was in fact, quite a treat. We ordered a full pie with fresh parmesan and ricotta cheeses, kalamata olives, shitake mushrooms, spinach, roasted red onions, sausages, and coal oven roasted tomatoes–HEAVENLY. The pie just melts in your mouth, and the best thing about it is that it just appeals to your senses. The ingredients awakened my nose, not just because they were coming from a coal oven, but because the freshness of the vegetables was evident by the poignant, garden-y aromas they emanated. Another thing that stood out was the texture of the dough. Often, regular ol’ pizzas have dough that is too overcooked that the dough is dry and sloughs its way through your throat or that is too undercooked that you can tell exactly what type of flour was used. This dough was different–it was cooked enough to capture that "oven taste", but it was so soft and chewy that you could taste the garlic weaved throughout. It was because of this that I was able to chow down 2 pieces.
Overall impressions: A must-eat in NY. It’s a legendary restaurant with a reputation well-deserved.

Dessert at Pinkberry

I had first heard about this place from my friends who live in LA (since Pinkberry opened a store there) and rode it off as another Asian popular phenomenon. Non-fat frozen yogurt with toppings? Whoo-flippin’-whoo. But, the minute I saw the pink and green sign while walking in Koreatown in NY, I felt inclined to stop in to see what the hype was all about.
This time around, hype is not such a bad thing since it’s backed by a legitimately good and unique product. I ordered a green tea non-fat frozen whipped yogurt with fresh blueberries, kiwi, mango, and yogurt chips and was blown away by how something so healthy could be so incredibly satisfying, refreshing, and satiating. The yogurt was like no other frozen yogurt–the texture was creamy with milky, buttery accents laced with a subtle hint of green tea and just melted on the tongue. Paired with the fresh fruits and delightfully crunchy and sweet yogurt chips, the yogurt tasted like a cool parfait on a sunny day. I was in love.
The only sour thing about this place was the Sang Mi, the girl who worked the cashier and barked at the servers. On the outside, this girl looked like another cute and innocent Hello Kitty loving teenager with her hair in a ponytail, beautiful porcelain skin, and eclectic (if not a tad fobby) wardrobe ensemble. However, the minute she opened her mouth to speak, it was if Hell rose up and slapped me a few times across the face and then some. Talk about a rebellious, aggressive customer service rep–apparently, in her world, it’s okay to throw change at customers, to yell when someone asks if there’s a bathroom, and to cluck the tongue and mutter phrases under the breath if a customer dare asks for extra toppings FOR WHICH THEY PAY FOR. Aiya. Just thinking about that chick makes me all livid..and ready to move on to dinner!

Dinner at Basta Pasta

Dave’s sister, Effie, recommended this Japanese-Italian fusion place to us, and because Effie is a former New Yorker and has impeccable taste, we prioritized this place pretty highly in our travel plan.
Tucked away in a corner in the Union Square district, Basta Pasta is a small, cozy modern set up with your typical Asian flare to it with the simple wood and bamboo furnishings and modernistic Asian paintings. But, what wasn’t so typical was the food. Have a craving for oxtail pasta or miso pasta noodles? You can find them here. What’s even neater about this place is that the concoctions, if a little strange, are prepared very skillfully so that you get the fine-tuned, delectable simplicity and sophistication that you get with Japanese cuisine and the robust, colorful complexity of Italian cooking.
I ordered a simple cream sauce pasta with salmon and bowties (not very Japanese, obviously) and Dave had the oxtail meat sauce pasta. My pasta was very well prepared–the noodles were perfectly al dente, which I haven’t experienced at any restaurant in the last year or so, and the cream sauce was very lightly infused with a bit of lemon peel, garlic, and white wine, giving the pasta a very digestible nature. The salmon was lightly cooked, if not a little raw, which gave the pasta its Japanese side. As for Dave’s pasta, I’ll let him comment as a guest on his dish–but I have to say that it was very unique..
The service was impeccable and the ambience was light and cheerful. I especially loved how, for someone’s birthday, they all gathered to sing a fun song. You never get that these days.
This place is a must-go. Enough said.

New York City
Saturday, March 3, 2007

Lunch at Roti Roll

This joint, located conveniently by the Columbia University campus, was recommended to me by Sarah, who I would say is a trustworthy source when it comes to nailing down the good eats in hip cities. After settling in to the city for a few hours, we headed down to Roti Roll, which is easily identifiable from the street by its colorful (if not slightly cheesy looking) sign. Upon entering, we were blasted with strong aromas of simmered chicken, fried calamari, garlicky cheesy naan, and curry. With an awakened nose and an appealing menu before me, I knew I was in for a treat.
Dave and I opted for spicy Indian calamari with cilantro yogurt dipping sauce , a potato-spinach-green pea curry wrapped in garlic roti, and a tea--for less than $10! That alone earned a gold star for me, a working professional who’s kinda stingy with the money. As for the taste, here goes:
Calamari: Simply disappointing. Although the calamari was bright red, indicating that it had been spiced, it tasted boiled and flavorless. The texture was soggy and the cilantro yogurt sauce was overwhelmingly creamy. I felt like I was eating half and half straight out of the carton and wondered if the cook used green food coloring to help with the "cilantro" designation.
the Roll: Delicious, especially for a sunny, breezy day in Central Park. The veggies still had a bit of bite in them, which was great because it prevented the Roll from tasting like a curry mashed potato. The curry flavor was subtle, but poignant, and the garlic roti was fried to a crisp perfection. It was also very easy to handle since it resembled a burrito. Brilliant!
Tea: It was a Peach Snapple. What else can I say?
Overall impressions: Good, especially if you're a student on the run for class. Don't come in expecting to find tables to sit down and chat at, though, because we're talking about a small-diner like Indian joint here.

Dinner at Spice Market

At first glance, the restaurant looks like a hole in the wall because the exterior is very warehouse-like with steel beams and dim shades of gray and black. But, first impressions, as we know, don't always reveal true character. The minute I walked in the door, I was overwhelmed with feelings of "Oh, shit". To the left were beautiful women decked in Miu Miu and Prada, all leggy and fabulous, and to the right were Adonises sporting splashes of Dior. My contribution? A dry-fit track jacket from the Gap, jeans, and Aldo track flats. Oh, and a ponytail whipped around my face by the NY wind. Fabulous, just fabulous. I had just learned my introduction to "Stumbling upon a Trendy NY Resto with Hiking Gear and Feeling Like an Ass: How to Dust Them Shoulders Off".
I dusted my shoulders off, alright, and got down and dirty with the grub. Dave, myself, and our two friends indulged in some Asian Fusion through:
Chicken with Chutney Samosas paired with Cilantro Yogurt Dip: Delicious. The chicken, perfectly seasoned and grilled, had hints of cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise layered throughout, and each spice had its own moment to shine through. Nonoverlapping spices=perfection.The pastry was crisp, although a little too bready, but good nevertheless.
Shanghai Noodles with Silken Tofu and Bok Choy: *Snore*. It tasted just fine, but for $10, I expected the world since you can get noodles of equal (or probably better) caliber up in Chinatown for less than $5. I have to give them props on the tofu, though--they skillfully were able to fry it in without dismantling its structure, which was great for me since I like melting whole silky tofu in my mouth.
Spicy shortribs: The ribs were richly, but not overly, seasoned with Hoisin and star anise and cooked until the meat fell right off the bone. Combined with al dente flat rice noodles in a hearty, yet juicy beef broth, the dish made for a comforting, simplistic, and inviting addition to the meal on what was an extremely cold day in New York. I slurped about 2.5 mini bowls of this dish alone.
Garlic Ginger Rice: This was by far the most interesting dish on our table. The rice was a short grain and cooked to the consistency of rice that you would find in a "dol sot bop" at a Korean restaurant. Infused with peas and ginger, the rice sat under a sunny side up egg, which combined with the rice, tasted like a gravy, gingery porridge. We all reached for this dish repeatedly.
Sea Bass: Thumbs down. The meat was crumbly, dry, and mixed with a sauce that tasted like a tangy, salty concoction of Sriracha sauce and vinegar. Surrounding the fish was KIM CHEE. Why was I distressed? It's like they piled salt upon salt.
Overall impressions: This is a great restaurant to go to if you're dolled up and ready to party in the town. The ambience is mysterious and exciting with its Asian trance beats, bamboo structures, and orangey red dim lighting. Intrusive service is to be expected, though. A waiter is guaranteed to be hanging around every few minutes with new questions.
Dessert: "Milk and Cookies"
How fun! The inside of the store is decorated like a little girl's kitchen with low stools and tables, puppets, cabinets filled with cookie tins and milk glasses, and books. But, the desserts are for all ages. This place has a great variety of your favorite childhood cookies, as well as some interesting flavors (of which I already forget), and a wide selection of hot cocoas that include toffee almond, Andes mint, etc. Dave and I shared a double chocolate chip cookie and an oatmeal cinnamon cookie with a toffee almond hot cocoa. The cookies were delicious! Small and niblet size, they melted in our mouths and tasted so freshly baked, PLUS, they were not overly sweet. The hot cocoa, however, was another story. It tasted like we got a bunch of heated powdery mixture. :(
But, we had fun. We had a nice time recapping our first day in NY over a TOASTY warm treat and just being together in a quiet, non-hectic place after being apart for two months. The only qualm I have about this place is the service. The girl manning the store was as accommodating as a woman having labor pains. Her response to my walking up to the register to order was "What do you want?". I want a cookie, girlfriend.

Dessert #2: Magnolia Bakery

We visited this famous-for-their-cupcakes bakery earlier in the day, but given that there was a line wrapped around the store and down the city block, we opted to visit later. We got in within five minutes, and upon entry, I was mesmerized by the cupcakes. As I had gotten to know through my old roommate's replications of their cupcakes, the frosting was creamy, not pasty dry, and so vibrantly colorful with shades of blues, greens, pinks, and purples. The cakes, which come in chocolate and vanilla, looked moist, fresh, and firm. I couldn't wait to place one in my mouth, because from what I knew about Magnolia, the frosting was supposed to be creamy, buttery, and soft.
Dave and I ran off with four so we could share them with our friends. When the knife hit the cupcake, I bolted in for a piece..and then I sank to the floor in utter disbelief. The cupcakes were your classic overrated case! The frosting tasted like powdered sugar out of the bag with no hint of the butter or cream that people rave about. Each bite was nauseating as the sugar permeated my gums and swirled in my stomach. The cakes themselves were moist, but were also a tad too sweet/artificial tasting. As the rest of the crew indulged, I sat there with a sad look on my face, determined to find another "best"cupcake in NY.
I’ll give them credit, though. It must be difficult to whip up something like you intend to in mass bunches and the cupcakes are still better than the ones you buy from Safeway. Hope is not lost.