Truffles that have no taste? The mushroom, I mean.

I am a chef in China. There are truffles that grow in Yunnan that look exactly like black truffles but they are a different species that has little to no taste and none of the aromatic qualities associated with European black truffles.

I know a few suppliers that sell tons, literally tons, to Europe which shady companies buy and either mix them with European black truffles or blatantly sell them as black truffles (Yes, they are black and yes they are truffles but they are not what everyone is looking for). I would never buy a black truffle in a can unless your supplier can guarantee that it is from Europe.

On the other hand, if you want to buy cheap black truffles for looks...China is the place. I can get decent sized ones for 220rmb/kg or in the range of 14usd/pound. Just don't expect anything much than the looks.

chinaboy in General Chowhounding Topics

Singapore - pretty LONG

Just got back from a few extended layovers in Singapore

Fattys at EAST COAST SEAFOOD CENTER - we were the first customers so we thought everything would be better than when there are 300 people there. Wrong. Had poached shrimps that were overdone as we had to fish them all out of the broth so they stopped cooking. My first time eating real Chili crab in Singapore so i was excited. The actual meat was good but I am not a big fan of the extremely sweet sauce at Fatty's. I do not know if all places do this but the sauce is all heavily cornstarched to which is not my favorite. The buns to go with it are also sweet. I must admit though it is fun to get all dirty and eat it. I have to imagine there are better Chili Crabs out there.

Maxwell Hawker Center in CHINATOWN - Tian Tian's Chicken Rice is very delicious. The chicken is just alright but that rice is so flavorful and aromatic. There is a banana fritter (basically just a deep fried small banana) place that is pretty good. Across from that the curry rice that I added on pork chop and belly (very tender) was good but not extraordinary. The Indian place that sells Roti Pratha, make sure that the Roti is fresh and crispy. The sauce that goes with it is very well balanced and tasty. Also try the Ginger Coffee or Tea. Interesting. Also there is a place that makes fresh soy milk up the way from the Indian spot that is pretty good but it is just soy milk.

Newton Hawker Center near ORCHARD/SCOTT STREET- Went for BBQ Stingray for memories sake as I ate it there 8 years ago. It was good but not quite the great experience I had the last time I was there. It was tender but a little on the dry side. We also had Durian there but if you are going to have Durian eat it at the fruit vendors in Geylong as I had a much better Malaysian Durian there.

Kamals Restaurant near CHINATOWN - We heard it was very good fried chicken. We went in the late afternoon and it kind of seemed like the chicken had been sitting around so was not that impressed with it. I would give it another try coming at that right time but this time was disappointing.

Long Beach Seafood Restaurant at EASTCOAST SEAFOOD CENTER - Came back to east coast seafood center to try Black Pepper Crab. First of all it was a Saturday at 8pm and the places were all packed. We waited 15min for a table. All these places are pretty touristy but still fun because of the hustle and the bustle. I am sure there are places that serve better but if you are up for the experience... Anyways, we had steamed razor clams covered in copious amounts of garlic and vermicelli. Very good and the sauce made a wonderful addition to steamed rice but not cheap, SING$10/clam. The Black Pepper Crab (SING$44) was slightly overcooked but I still thought it was excellent. The black pepper crab there is very dry without any sauce really. The black pepper gives it almost a BBQ'd taste with a constant tingling/burn. Combine that with the sweetest of the crab and I was quite happy. Once again, picking at a crab is fun along with 200 other people who are doing the same thing.

Food Court at WISMA ATRIA- Had to get out of the heat and it seems that what the malls are for. It was a good place to get some decently good mall food. Had grilled chicken wings which are a little expensive but have a nice grilled taste. The Beef Kway Teow at one the stalls is pretty good without the sauce being too gloopy from corn starch and the beef having a nice seared flavor. The juice bar doesn't strain their juices so you get little bits and there is no ice in their smoothies. The little steamed coconut cakes are good but not that memorable.

Ting Heng Seafood Restaurant near CHINATOWN - Went with a friend that had connections and thus were treated well, actually very well by the owner, Maggie. Had a cold steamed crab with creamy roe..so good. Then had drunken prawns that were expertly cooked. So tender and really fresh and delicious. Had a Freshwater fish, sweet and sour stle. The fish was fried so there were a lot of little crunchy little bits. The sauce was one of the best sweet and sour I have ever had as it was nice and balanced and not too thick. Had a noodle dish with sliced fish and bok choy. The sauce that everything was coated in was so savory and delicious. Then had a Black Pepper crab which was good but not quite as memorable as the one at Long Beach Seafood Restaurant but still very good.

Tekka Food Center - Had a nasi briyani at the busiest stall there. I order chicken. As a white guy there I think they instinctively give you breast meat. That is not my thing. Next time I will specify I want leg meat. The breast meat was good but only because the sauce was so good.
Fun to eat with just your hands, getting all messy with the local guys grubbing down.

Lor 9 Beef Kway Teow in GEYLONG - Had the Beef Kway Teow. The sauce is super cornstarched and gloopy. The flavor is good though. I just would prefer a lighter sauce. Also had stir fried morning glory (Ko Xin Cai, SP???), Malaysian style with shrimp paste and chilies that was good but damn spicy.

chinaboy in China & Southeast Asia

BALI - very Long Report

Just back from Bali, very tanned, and well fed.

General Impressions: Balinese/Indonesian food isn't quite on the same level as Thai or Vietnamese as far as flavor profiles/dishes. That is not to say that it is not good, it just doesn't have as much to offer as the two aforementioned cuisines. The other problem it suffers from is the influx of Foreigners wanting the same old thing i.e. mee goreng, nasi goreng such that it takes a little bit of searching to get the good stuff. I did also not put a ton of effort into looking for places as I usually do as I wanted a true beach vacation, not the usual trekking around all day looking for that special place that has some random dish you can't get anywhere else.

Also, I found Ubud to have much better/more interesting food than Seminyak/Legian area.

Jimbaran Beach - Seafood was alright. There are quite a few places. I do not remember the place we went to but it was in the middle of all of them. We had Barramundi and the flesh was mushy like it wasn't all that fresh. The tiger shrimp we had were good but even after we asked them to cook them to about medium rare they were still overcooked but I think 80 percent of people would say they were cooked pretty good. The BEST dish I had in Jimbaran and all of Bali was simple grilled corn. There is this guy that sets up a small cart on the beach (Look for him or ask one of the waiters) and he simple either steams corn in peanuts or grills it. We all got grilled and it was delicious. Make sure they are grilled from raw and they have not been sitting around. He slathers them with butter and spicy salt. Grilled, salty, spicy and sweet...man, I wish I could have another one right now.

Naughty Nuris in UBUD - Went there on Thursday which is Tuna Sashimi night. The tuna is very fresh with a nice texture. Highly recommended. Be sure to eat it when it comes out because if you leave it up it warms up quickly unless warm sushi is your thing. Then there are martinis. For me, Bali is not the place for martinis as they once again warm up to fast. If it was a small martini I would be down but these are big, I mean big as in you need to duck down to take your first sip as it is poured to the top. Oh yea, and they are Vodka martinis. They are 9,000rupiah (9usd). The margaritas are not bad either but a little unbalanced on the sweet side. Then there are the Ribs, 5,600rupiah (5.60USD). We were in a group of 12 so we had about 10 orders. There were some racks that were great and some that were a little tough. With such a big group though we were able to divide up and everybody walked away full and happy. It would be a bummer to come by yourself though and get a bad rack but it is a possibility. The ribs are not drenched in sauce which I like. The sauce is an asian sweet and spicy style sauce. They do not accept credit cards so be sure to bring a wad of cash especially if you are going to drink. Sides: French Fries were pretty decent for Bali and the mashed potatoes are garlicky. Overall I really had a good meal here and would highly recommend it. It does get busy around 8ish.

Bebek Bengali aka Dirty Duck Diner in UBUD - we had two half ducks, I believe each half was around 56,000 rupiah) one was good the other was not. Once again it depends on what you get. There is also the option to order a whole duck a day in advance which might produce a better duck. 10 or so of our friends went a few days later and they really liked it. One of the best things with the duck is the two sauces that come with it, a roasted spicy red pepper sauce and sambal matah which is a mix of sliced red onions, chili peppers, coconut oil, palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and some garlic. The sambal matah is delicious and the roasted red pepper sauce is not bad too. The ribs here have a little bit of char (not as much Naughty Nuri's) and are a covered with a tomato based sauce which is tasty. We also got Calamari which is pretty good and crunchy but you only get 8 pieces so it is pretty pricey, (49,000 rupiah) for what you get.

Mozaic in UBUD - Being in the cooking world and hearing recommendations from friends, I was interested in trying this restaurant but I cannot say that I was looking for it to really wow me. Thank god as I wasn't wowed. First of all it is pricey, 850,000 rupiah for a tasting menu in the context of Bali and what you get. Now I have spent a lot more on tasting menus elsewhere in the world but I always want at least one dish to really impress me or at least feel I got good value. I did not feel either of those. We had courses with Oysters (the garnishes overtook the taste of the oysters), Sweatbreads with Langoustine Ravioli with Truffle Foam (pretty boring) or Seared Cod with Fennel and a red wine sauce (Too heavy and syrupy for a second course IMO), Pork Belly and Foie Gras (Quite Good, probably one of my favorite courses), Lamb Chop (was nice enough, once again nothing special), Composed Cheese Course with Morbier AOC (which was a really bland Morbier), a pink grapefruit sorbet with cilantro custard, apples, and thyme (the cilantro custard was a weird texture, overall alright but not really that great). So overall, way too many foams an airs for my liking. But it also makes me think that the chef went to Bali when foams were big a few years back and hasn't really evolved as much as modern cooking is now in Spain, Bray or New York. Modern cooking is based upon the continuing evolution of scientific or traditional gastronomic findings to further the dining experience. I would also say that the Dessert courses are not quite up to snuff on a tasting menu charging 85,000 rupiah. The service is very warm and friendly and technically sufficient. We did have a bottle of Spanish Wine, Dragon Something or another (42,000 rupiah), that was not very good even though the restaurant has a Wine Spectator Award. I am not sure if there is a Sommelier but we did not see one and I would expect they have one if they have a wine spectator award. A lot of people really love this place on the Chowhound board so I do not know maybe I am a jaded cook but I only though it was alright especially given the price tag. IF you have a lot of money to blow, go for it. Otherwise think twice before spending.

Bali Sate in SEMINYAK - A smallish place on the street that parallels the beach that does offer cooking classes. The steamed duck in banana leaf had good flavor with lemongrass and a very nice texture but not too much of a really ducky flavor. The pork belly in sweet soy was tough and not too enjoyable. Beef tenderloin in Coconut cream was dry but tender. I would not recommend it. The mixed sate was good. Not mind blowing good but if I just came by myself and ordered one thing this is what I would order. They also give you this chips (fish chips which are not good and shrimp chips which are good) and three salsas (Two are similar to the ones given with Dirty Duck, and the other is a sweet soy) which is a fun way to start the meal. The service is good. The drinks are small. Overall I am not sure if I would go back there because of all the other places to eat.

Made Warung in SEMINYAK - A very popular place with tourists. The meal was nothing special. Had gado-gado, nasi padang, and a curry. They do have margaritas made with the local rice wine that was a nice transition from all the Bintang (Local beer that is really refreshing) I was drinking.

Ipu Okah in UBUD - This is one of the most roast suckling pig places in all of Bali. Ordered the special plate that comes with roasted pork meat (got long strands of meat that were chewy but covered in this spicy/sweet/tangy condiment that is delicious), a square of crispy skin (very good), a small piece of blood sausage, this seasoned fried meat puff (one of my favorite things), greens (very good with chilies, coriander stems, pickled greens, very complex and good as a foil to the meat) and some rice. Overall I liked it but the actual meat was a disappointment. If I went again I would try to ask to get shoulder meat as it should have better moisture content and maybe not as chewy but really in a pig it is a muscle by muscle kind of thing. Also, do not miss the pork rinds at 7,000 rupiah. A great snack. Also, make sure you go early 11am-12pm as the skin will sell out.

That's it for now. I will also post regarding Singapore.

chinaboy in China & Southeast Asia

Liquor Stores in HK for Modern Day Bootlegger from China

My liver is thirsty for the good drink.

I will be visiting Hong Kong and would like to buy some liquors/spirits there that I cannot get here in China. I have been looking online and it seems that Soho Wine and Spirits seems to be the most referenced. However, i am wondering if there are any other shops that I should visit. Think Absinthe, Maraschino, Rare Bourbons, Rye Whiskey, Mandarine Napoleon, etc. Thanks for your help...

Also, if you know any cool food shops that have things like spices, oils, etc. Would appreciate as well.

chinaboy in China & Southeast Asia

EATathon PART 2 - LA DESTRUCTION

Can anyone recommend a place for oyster? You think, China, yeah, near the Pacific..there should be oysters. But China is funny. There are crazy huge oysters that they BBQ but are not that great and then there are $7 kumamotos at nice western places...Where can I slurp down a ton of good oyster in LA?

chinaboy in Los Angeles Area

Where is the Best Sunday brunch in Shanghai?

a hint about the shangri-la pudong brunch. ask the guy at the sashimi stand for the specific cuts of fish you want and you will be in the fatty-belly cut secret fraternity. they will serve you endless large amaebi and any special (better) cuts if you ask them, though they do not offer it pre-cut on the dishes displayed. this is the highlight of the brunch if you ask me.

chinaboy in China & Southeast Asia

EATathon PART 2 - LA DESTRUCTION

One thing I forgot I want to eat is Pozole. Preferably Red Pozole. If anybody has the spot, let me know?

chinaboy in Los Angeles Area

Spice Store..Cookware Stores..Specialty Food Shops

Hey-

I'm a cook coming from China for a few days and when I go back to the States I always try to shop and stock up on anything I can't get back in Commie land. I just want to know if anyone has suggestions as far as shops to visit while I am back. Specifically I am looking for Esplette and specialty mexican products (dried chilies, spices, basically anything to produce a real Mexican meal) but if it is something good and something interesting I would defintely check out.
And of course cookware shops....anything that you would reccomend to a serious cook I would love to check out. Thank you.

chinaboy in Los Angeles Area

Screwed in Tokyo...Only can eat at Airport (or maybe around there)

I am flying from Shanghai to LA with a brief stopover in Tokyo. It is about three hours. Does anyone know the Tokyo airport and it's eating options? IS there a good place to eat? Also if anbody knows of a place close to the airport, let me know. I could try to push it and eat outside the airport. I wish I could spend more time in Tokyo..I (and my stomach) haven't been in 5 years......hopefully sooner than later.

chinaboy in Japan

Where to Find Brooklyn Beer?

That is so funny. I didn't believe LA did not have Brooklyn Brewery. But the look of my friend when he saw that they carry Brooklyn Lager in a cafe in Shanghai...yes, I can get Brooklyn lager here in Shanghai...it was amazing.

chinaboy in Los Angeles Area

EATathon PART 2 - LA DESTRUCTION

Thank you for the reccomendations....I forgot that I am also a chef and unfamiliar with Chef Supply stores in LA. Can anyone fill me in on where to go to get the good stuff....Like in NY they have JB Prince, Bridge Kitchenware, and Broadway Panhandler as well as Bowery Kitchen Supply.....Is there anything comparable in LA?

chinaboy in Los Angeles Area

EATathon PART 2 - LA DESTRUCTION

My girlfriend and I live in Shanghai. When we come back to the states we eat destructively trying to down anything in our path that we cannot get in China. A few months ago in NYC we managed 11 meals in 60 hours ranging from Banh Mi, Pizza, Oysters, BBQ, Sushi, Middle Eastern, Tapas, and a little fine dining thrown in (Madison Square Park). I am a cook and must eat everything and my girlfriend, well she just loves food.
Anyways, we are coming to LA in a few weeks for about the same time, and would pretty much like to do the same thing. I am open to all suggestions from anything from the low end (yes, taco trucks...actually please, taco trucks) to Banh Mi (my favorite sandwich in the world) to high end to best sushi to burgers to korean and on and on..My stomach awaits.

chinaboy in Los Angeles Area