Digest

Just around the corner from the famed Daikokuya is another purveyor of worthy ramen, Tokyo Caf

Chinese-challenged Cliffside Park now has the real deal in Petite Soo Chow, reports marachino. Shanghai specialties like xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and fish head clay pot are “easily the kind of stuff that would warrant a trip to Chinatown or Flushing.” Wu Xi spare ribs and red-cooked fish are also worth a try, says kNOwTASTE, who finds the food “a bit better than your average Chinese restaurants in Flushing or Chinatown, which makes it excellent in Bergen County.”

Service is cordial and attentive, and on weekends there’s northern-style Chinese breakfast–shaobing, steamed buns, soy milk and crullers, and the like.

Petite Soo Chow [Bergen County]
607 Gorge Rd., near Lincoln Ave., Cliffside Park, NJ
201-313-1666
Map

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Pettie (sic) Soo Chow in Cliffside Park–authentic Chinese

Sprinkles opened a spinoff of its Beverly Hills cupcake shop in Newport Beach. It’s all about the rich, tangy cream cheese frosting here, says Emily. While vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting is plain, dry and boring (and other flavors are bland), banana cake is moist and assertively banana-y under a layer of cream-cheesey goodness. Red velvet is the other winner, says Pei–it’s incredibly moist, not too sweet, and topped with the same frosting.

Sprinkles Cupcakes [OC Beaches]
in Corona del Mar Plaza
944 Avocado Ave., at MacArthur, Newport Beach
949-760-0003
Map

Sprinkles [Beverly Hills]
9635 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills
310-274-8765
Map

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Sprinkles in Newport Beach
Buttercake vs. Sprinkles

Hounds have had little to say about Cafe Riazor, a downstairs Spanish hideaway that’s been around since the ‘70s, and jungirl thinks it deserves better. She reports a satisfying spread of tapas–stuffed piquillo peppers, chorizo asado (grilled sausage), patatas bravas (fried potatoes in tomato sauce), pulpo a la gallega (octopus in olive oil and paprika)–plus paella negra (with squid ink) and a couple pitchers of sangria. “I don’t think they’ve renovated in ages, but I like the old-school charm,” she adds. “I honestly don’t know why this place is so overlooked.”

Cafe Riazor [Chelsea]
245 W. 16th St. #1, between 7th and 8th Aves., Manhattan
212-727-2132
Locater

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where is LA NACIONAL, the great tapas restaurant everyone speaks of?

Chowhounds weigh in on their favorite moderately-priced lamb dishes in town.

david kaplan likes the lamb burger at Bocadillos; two of them with a garnish salad are only $8. The cumin lamb at Old Mandarin Islamic, peppery and strongly cumin-y, is also recommended.

Another option is Woodward’s Garden. The braised lamb shank with melted gypsy peppers, braised endive, couscous, and cilantro oil tastes amazing and is a great value at about $20, says chefinthecity.

Chez Nous, a small plates place on Fillmore, serves simply-prepared lamb chops served with rosemary salt, perfectly cooked, says laaronson.

Helmand has one of the best racks of lamb in the city for only about $18, says Joan Kureczka; stonefruit also likes their seekh kabab, cubes of lamb not served on skewers.

Morton the Mousse loves the stewed lamb with charred eggplant at Aziza for $19.

The barbacoa at La Gran Chiquita is very tasty if you’re a lamb fan, says jmarek.

Bocadillos [Financial District]
710 Montgomery St., Washington, San Francisco
415-982-2622
Locater

Taqueria La Gran Chiquita [Fruitvale]
3503 International Blvd., Oakland
510-533-6484
Locater

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Best place to have some Lamb in SF, non-curry, non-expensive? POSSIBLE?

Rajjot Sweet & Snacks in Sunnyvale makes its own jalebi, a super-sweet Indian confection. They’re so fresh that they’re still crunchy, and the rosewater-perfumed soaking syrup is still liquid. Melanie Wong likes them very much. They also have a full chaat and snacks menu.

This place is Bengali, says howler, so try for Bengali specialties, like ras malai.

Rajjot Sweet & Snacks [South Bay]
1234 S Wolfe Rd., El Camino, Sunnyvale
408-730-5510
Locater

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Jalebi from Rajjot Sweet & Snacks in Sunnyvale

Smoked sea salt is a delicious condiment, and it’s super-easy to make your own if you have a smoker. When you’re firing up your smoker for a long session, just pour sea salt into a foil pan and put it on a high rack, above any meat you’re smoking. You definitely don’t want any meat drippage in your salt. The longer you smoke it, the better, says ricepad. Six hours at minimum; ten hours is even better.

Here’s a money-saving tip from Pei: Korean markets sell 2.5-lb. bags of sea salt for just a few bucks, and it tastes just as good as pricier stuff.

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Smoked Sea Salt

Chowhounds share some novel ideas for using Moroccan-style preserved lemons:

Add preserved lemons to ceviche and similar seafood dishes. Mince and add to aioli. Add a little to hummus. Or, stuff large olives with a strip of preserved lemon peel each–this is particularly fabulous as a Martini garnish.

Mince preserved lemons with parsley and oil-cured black olives and sprinkle on anything fried (potatoes, fish, shrimp, etc.). Combine chopped preserved lemons, chopped red onion, and mayonnaise, and use to top fish.

La Dolce Vita makes preserved lemon relish that’s good with roast chicken, grilled fish, and vegetables: Finely chop the equivalent of one whole preserved lemon; add about 1/3 cup total of finely chopped parsley, cilantro, dill, and green onion in whatever proportion you prefer. Add 1-2 Tbs. of good olive oil and 1/4 tsp. each of sweet paprika and toasted ground cumin. Let sit for about 15 minutes to give the flavors a chance to blend before using.

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Creative used for Preserved Lemons?

While there’s still good corn to be had this summer, here are some hounds’ methods for getting it shucked cleanly.

JoanN suggests: pull back all the husk and snap off at the base. Rub the ear in a circular motion under cold running water to remove the silk.

SarahEats’s method: after the husk has been removed, use a soft vegetable brush to get rid of the silk.

Candy says: cut the tip of the ear and the bottom off with a sharp knife, before shucking. Remove the husk, and there’ll be very little silk left. A quick brushing will remove the rest.

Lstaff says: rub the cob with a paper towel to remove any leftover silk.

Grilling corn provides its own solution, says CovertOps. Soak the unhusked corn in water. Cook the corn over high heat on a grill. The heat will dry out the silk, which will comes off easily when you peel off the husks.

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Corn shucking

It’s pretty hard to find bone marrow that’s already been removed from the bone, but if you want to poach it, sear it, or use it in a confit, you need to get it on its own.

Luckily, Niman Ranch sells it online. It comes frozen, in 2-lb. bags.

Scroll down to code 95-1 in the Beef Offal section of their product list.

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Bone Marrow