bokkyo's Profile
where to buy goya parchment paper in NYC?
A friend's wife in Germany is looking specifically for this brand to make Honduran Tamales. Any tips on where to find in NYC? Thanks!
Good Chinese in Chelsea/Union Square?
Just got back from Home's Kitchen and I think they're the most promising Chinese restaurant in Chelsea! The $6.75 lunch specials were good sized and, at first, I was sceptical when I ordered the Twice Cooked Pork (other places might call this Double Cooked pork/Hui Guo Rou). Forgetting the use of cabbage (I wish they used leeks), it tasted authentic and at least on the same level as Grand Sichuan Chelsea. I've been trying my hand at cooking Sichuan dishes for the past few months and have done this dish several times (quite easy, I might add) and Homes balances the ingredients-- dou chi/fermented black beans and chili oil/bean paste just right (except of course for that darn cabbage). My lunch buddy had the Shredded Beef with Dry Bean Curd and that was very flavorful as well, far from the usually tasteless, stringy beef I expected.
Considering there's a large selection of Sichuan dishes on the menu, I think we have to add Homes Kitchen to the list of Sichuan restaurants in Midtown. Watch out Szechuan Gourmet! :)
Grand Sichuan 9th Ave -- what to order?
My favorites from the 9th Ave/24th St location:
Dan Dan Mien (noodles/spicy mala), G1 (pork/spicy mala), Ma Po Tofu (spicy mala), Aui Zhou Chicken (spicy), Chang Cha Ya (tea smoked duck) and Pork with Chestnut.If you want authentic Sichuan, stay away from their Chinese-american menu, you know, General Tso and all ;)
New Filipino restaurant: Pistahan
During the past few months, I've gone back to Pistahan a few times but every time was a disappointment. I've held back writing about this because the first few occasions I dined there, it was always a great experience. By now, I know what makes the restaurant such a letdown. In short-- if Rodil (the owner, see picture above) isn't cooking, fuggedaboudit.
Here's what happened to me twice, with that favorite dish, Tilapia wrapped in banana leaf (and both times Rodil wasn't there): one time the fish came wrapped in cabbage! I looked at the waitress to see if this was some kinda joke, then pointed it out to her. Her reply, sorry, we ran out of banana leaves. I said, "you should've mentioned that before I ordered." She gave a couldn't care less kinda shrug.
A few weeks later, I ordered the same thing-- this time the Tilapia came wrapped with banana leaves but it was wrapped the same way you'd wrap a piece of spam with a slice of bread, in other words, the cook (who was the same from last time and is, I believe, a partner in the restaurant), has absolutely no idea why the fish has to be wrapped completely in the first place. My heart sunk. This was truly low and I must say, it pains me the same way it used to hurt whenever I visited the (now closed) Krystal's in the same street and see Christmas decorations hanging from the ceiling all year round. C'mon folks, get your act together. You're not in that shabby carinderia in Paco for Christ's sake. End of rant.
Well almost. Last week I returned yet again to give Pistahan a last chance. Went with a couple lunch buddies, I had "bulalo" (or osso buco, if you will), my buddies had cardboard cut into swordfish shapes. So consider this a goodbye, Pistahan, I had high hopes for you.
And for the record, I am Filipino.
Ramen Setagaya (らーめん せたが屋) 1st Ave (btw 8 & 9)
Gave the Charshu Tsuke-men another shot yesterday and must say my previous experience was a fluke-- this was a much better dish and, honestly, I'd take it over the Shio. When I had first tried the Tsuke-men, they mentioned they had ran out of the thicker ramen and were gonna substitute with the regular-- and they overcompensated, but then the accompanying broth then was neither rich nor complex, just overly salty with not enough chunks of Charshu. Setagaya was also very crowded then.
Yesterday, I went early and got the same dish and it was excellent-- Charshu Tsuke-men is Setagaya's "yang" to the Shio Ramen's "yin". Broth was rich and complex, there was a distinctive scallopy flavor, salty, but far from overwhelming. Although I still don't think it's the type of broth you drink down. Lots of diced Charshu chunks. Must try again very soon to see if they can maintain consistency ;)
http://tinyurl.com/37sxbp
Ramen Setagaya (らーめん せたが屋) 1st Ave (btw 8 & 9)
Had my 2nd lunch at Setagaya today and must say the experience was much different. I wanted to try Tsuke-men so ordered the Charshu deluxe but was told they had ran out of that noodle so were substituting regular ramen instead. Should've taken that as a sign... because there was simply too much ramen (although I liked these better than the first time I went there) and the separate broth was way too salty. I checked the kitchen and it's the same crew... I never imagined I'd say the infamous chowish "eh" (imagine Larry David saying it ;) but that's what lunch was like today.
Ramen Setagaya (らーめん せたが屋) 1st Ave (btw 8 & 9)
Silverjay, the group beside were having separate noodles/broth (probably Tsuke-men?) and the noodles were noticeably thicker.
Ramen Setagaya (らーめん せたが屋) 1st Ave (btw 8 & 9)
Finally Setagaya has opened. My lunch buddy and I went there before 12:30 pm and got seated immediately although a few minutes later there was a line out the door. Since this was our first time, I wanted to try their signature dish so we both ordered Shio ramen, a side of Shio Tama (egg) and Oshinko (pickled veggies). I took a few pictures of the lunch crowd, the kitchen and in less than 10 minutes we were served.
First, the broth. Silverjay went into this in great detail so I won't repeat except to say it's perhaps the best ramen broth I've had, "complex in its simplicity," as Silverjay put it. What makes it happen is really the salt, the salt that transports :)
Then I had some of the oshinko and a salty half-egg and note the attention to detail, there is a good degree of gastronomic gestalt here, the side dishes not only complementing the main dish but, like a good supporting cast in a movie, makes the main actor a better performer. Again, the salt.
Then the slice of pork. If you check the pictures you'll see what it goes through to provide that delightful tension, but if this ingredient were the antagonist in our movie, it still maintains a delicate balance. In other words, you're not overwhelmed by it.
Finally, the ramen. Here I'll hold back the badge of perfection. I'm sure this particular style (slightly thicker than capellini, not too al dente) is what the chef intended but it's not what I expected. A touch on the bland side, it derives its flavor from the broth's salty sheen and leaves the impression that the broth, actually, is the main character.
Even so, please don't let that opinion spoil your fun. There is too much attention to detail here that if I'm not "getting it," it's simply my ignorance. Finishing, I thought that even the bowls which I took to be smaller than expected turned out to be *just* the right size. That was a hot dish to eat on a warm day but stepping out of Setagaya, strangely enough, I felt blisfully cool.
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Uploading pictures are temporarily disabled so until that gets fixed, here's an external page with a few pictures: http://tinyurl.com/37sxbp
New York Noodle Town - What to order?
There are two other restaurants very close to Noodledown that imo does crispy pig better-- Yummy Noodles in the arcade along the Bowery and Big Wang's @ corner Elizabeth/Bayard. Also try the Cantonese Chicken at BW.
The problem with crispy pig is if you takeout the skin won't be as good when you get home. Which begs the question-- how could one proclaim that those two nearby restaurants does a better crispy pig than Noodletown??? ;)
Ramen Setagaya (らーめん せたが屋) 1st Ave (btw 8 & 9)
Thanks for the link, that was an enlightening read!
Btw, called Setagaya a couple hours earlier and got an answering machine. We might have to rely on intelligence on the ground (chowint?) to know what's what.
Ramen Setagaya (らーめん せたが屋) 1st Ave (btw 8 & 9)
Holy cow looks like we're having a Ramenaissance!
Ramen Setagaya (らーめん せたが屋) 1st Ave (btw 8 & 9)
Went yesterday and some guy behind the counter said it's still closed and they'll open today. But today they're still closed! They said they don't know when they'll open as they'll still awaiting inspection. Sure enough, as we're talking the inspector arrives.
Weird thing-- yesterday while I was there there was a group of Japanese guys who came by the place. Today was the same, a mixed group of Japanese youngsters came by and were disappointed as well. But then they all seem to know what they're missing and I hate being the one in the dark.
Should've done this before-- call @ tel# 212-529-2740 before going. But here's the deal-- just don't call too often it affects the quality of their cooking okay? ;)
Setagaya?
I went there a couple hours ago and it was closed. Guy behind counter says it'll be open tomorrow. While I was taking pictures of the menu taped near the glass door, a group of five Japanese guys walk in and were told the place isn't serving. Sighing heavily, one of them blurts-- "but we took a cab!"
My expectations get raised a notch, hype factor is high here but I'm hoping this place turns out to have the best ramen in Manhattan... heck, make it New York!
What a chowhanger.
New York Noodle Town - What to order?
My memory might be playing tricks but doesn't Noodletown have two kinds of shrimp dumplings? Once I had ordered the shrimp dumplings in soup and another time, shrimp dumpling noodle soup and iirc, the dumplings were different. Unfortunately, I don't remember which was better but if I had to guess it's just plain-- shrimp dumplings in soup.
Ramen Setagaya (らーめん せたが屋) 1st Ave (btw 8 & 9)
Excellent review! I'm setting my expectations Santouka-high for lunch tomorrow.
Cold Summetime Ramen
Attaching pic of Rai Rai Ken's version which is quite flavorful but my after meal impression is as if I've just eaten half a ramen dish and half a salad.
But that's just me, I prefer a simpler, less complex dish where the ramen is the highlight. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with RRK's hiyashi chuka, you get that same refreshing experience, just a different route ;)
Cold Summetime Ramen
I think Sapporo's Hiyashi Chuka had changed over the past few years, then it was more "purist," i.e. less meats but I think about a couple years ago they started to add chicken and their version had become noticeably "sweeter."
Why don't you eat in Chinatown?
fdr, Cantoon Garden should be safe, arguably one of the best cantonese in Chinatown. Not too "gweilo" friendly but check out Brian S' review:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/372516
Oh and as for thousand year eggs, Goody's has appetizer #28:
http://www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com/bigmap/manhattan/menus/goodys.htm
and they deliver ;)
Why don't you eat in Chinatown?
Thanks bigjeff! In fact, it happened today-- I finally convinced my Hunanese lunch buddy to try triple 88 dimsum/88 palace inside the East Broadway mall. Although he did agree, on the way there there was some chowdrama and eventually we ended up in his favorite, Golden Unicorn. I guess he's just retaliating because yesterday I did the same last minute and switched to Vegetarian Dimsum instead of House of Vegetarian. :D
Why don't you eat in Chinatown?
I'm not sure I'd like to eat in a Chinatown restaurant that shoots for "broader appeal". I eat there at least 3 times a week and never in the same place twice in a row. I also read a few 'hounds who try most every place, identify the cuisine by region, then I'll follow up on their recommendations. And since I live within walking distance, I almost never visit to Joe's Shanghai or Noodletown or any of the more popular joints, unless it's to accompany a friend with a specific craving (after all, Goodies delivers xiao lung bao and soft shell crabs ;)
The question is-- are there any restaurant's that you never get to visit because you get "intercepted" by another on the way there? Lol.
Persian in the City?
Tried out Pars for lunch last week, I've been to this venue a few times when it was Cafe Buon Gusto. The food was okay, the bread and mashed eggplant were good. I used to eat at Ravagh @ 30th and usually ordered the Kobideh whereas my buddy prefers the Barg. While slightly more expensive, I think Ravagh's Kobideh are better (and you get two skewers not one), my buddy thought the Barg at Pars edges out Ravagh's version (softer meat, more flavorful). We also agreed the rice was better at Ravagh.
In the same general vicinity, I've yet to try Colbeh but, for now, Ravagh gets my vote.
Best Argentinian?
Wanted to take an group to Buenos Aires but turns out they're not open for lunch. So we settled for Novecento instead. It was okay, we didn't feel ripped off but flavors were a bit held back. The best entree was their seared tuna, the steak was a bit bland, the empanadas were eh and what made the whole experience passable for me was satisfying a craving for morcilla. As long as you don't set your expectations too high, you'll be okay ;)
Callos a la Madrilena
I've been looking for this dish as well. Here's a possibility-- Cafe Riazor but only during Saturdays (see menupages). Btw, where in Queens?
New Filipino restaurant: Pistahan
After this meat-heavy weekend, I dragged my office chow-buddy Xianjin to Pistahan for a fish-only lunch today. We had the Inihaw na Bangus (grilled boneless Milkfish with tomatoes) and Inihaw na Tilapia (grilled Tilapia) both wrapped in banana leaves.
The milkfish was excellent but the Tilapia, wow, this was a dish to transport its eater. Buttery fresh, the banana leaf does a great job to keep the flesh from drying out and retains its flavor. Highly recommended!
New Filipino restaurant: Pistahan
Thanks Uptownflavor! According to menupages their business hours are:
Monday-Sunday: 11am-10pm.
New Filipino restaurant: Pistahan
Visiting Pistahan for lunch yesterday, I was greeted by the owner (seated below right, second picture) and we spoke a bit about Filipino restaurants in the area. Although the NYT review mentioned a counter with prepared dishes, it appears that's been removed and food is now cooked to order.
For some chowfolk, their "reference" Filipino dish might be Pork or Chicken Adobo but, for me, it's Dinuguan (pork blood stew, see third picture), i.e. I think if a restaurant can get it right, then most other dishes should be okay. Pistahan's version is very good-- you can "shred" that pepper to taste and the dish is good for two. The owner explained that it's difficult to please everyone with this dish depending mostly, he says, on the amount of vinegar. That said I've had this dish on most Filipino restaurants (except Bayan Cafe and Cendrillon) and think it's proabably the best version, at least, in Manhattan.
A couple in the table beside me were having Crispy Pata. I asked if I could take a picture before they dug in and they agreed (picture 4).
Thumbs up for Pistahan!
New Filipino restaurant: Pistahan
Turns out they don't have "lechon" but "lechon kawali,' i.e. deep fried pork belly.
New Filipino restaurant: Pistahan
Just got back from Pistahan, I'll post a report tonight... I just forgot to bring my camera's USB cable so can't upload pics until later.
il brigante - raising the bar in South St Seaport/Financial District
Which pizza did you have, Nikki?
(Oh and perhaps next time I eat there I'll make sure to point out the dirty shelf :)
