New York Food Fest 2008

So once again I'm in the Big Apple soaking in the culture of the American City. Since this is my second trip in less than seven months, I was not as concerned with hitting a whirlwind of places. Instead, I took my time, tried to drop the tourist act and soaked up the city at my own pace.

Crif Dogs was one of the places I missed last time I was in town. I had meant to check it out upon recommendation by my New Yorker girlfriend, but I was so enthralled with Gray's that I just never made it out to St. Mark's.

Looking at the menu, I could easily tell what kind of crowd this place caters to. They feature four "Stoner Pack" meals "for those of you who practice the wake and bake theory of life." Well seeing as how I don't subscribe to that philosophy, I went for two original Crif Dogs, handmade and naturally smoked.

Since I wanted to get the full flavor of the frank, I had mine topped simply with sauerkraut and relish. The hot dog had a nice crispness to it, quite a bit different in texture from the wieners I'm used to. I also tried the tsunami dog, which was bacon wrapped and topped with pineapple, teriyaki sauce and green onions. The pineapples and green onions went great together, but the bacon might have been overkill. I'll have to say though, I still prefer Pink's in LA as the best hot dogs I've had.

Even though I spent a healthy afternoon playing Gears of War on Xbox (yes, I flew to NY to play video games), I coincidentally ended up in St. Mark's again that night for dinner. Originally, I planned to go to a Moroccan restaurant across the street; for the record, their menu did look quite appetizing. However, since they didn't seat my friends and I after waiting close to an hour, I'll give them enough of a demerit to not go back.

We crossed the street to Dumpling Man. Apparently Dumpling Man is also Zagat rated, and rated well too. It's a narrow counter restaurant with few frills. Customers can watch their dumplings being made fresh and either steamed or fried to order. Their seasonal specialty kim chee dumpling was a creative and delicious take on Chinese style dumplings. After ordering, I noticed that several reviews placed conveniently in the restaurant suggested the shrimp, so I ordered one of those also. Trying both dumplings with the green cilantro sauce, I'll have to give both originality and taste points to the Korean dumpling. Yes, that is my friend very excited for his dumpling.

The next morning, well more like afternoon considering I was still on Pacific time and I went back to the Xbox for several hours after dinner, I went out for some mac and cheese. Although I heard about S'mac through a friend's recommendation, I also found out that Oprah had endorsed this place. With an endorsement from her, how can you not win over everyone...oh wait.

Make sure you click on this image to get a close-up of that cheesy, melty goodness. Served in an individual skillet too? I felt like a king of macaroni, except I was sharing with someone else. This is the All-American Mac, a blend of American and cheddar cheese, browned to form a crunchy crust. As you might imagine, everything in this restaurant is intensely rich and salty. Luckily I shared this mac; I doubt I could've finished one on my own. Also, I believe they intentionally keep this place too hot to make you buy their overpriced drinks (mostly Jones sodas).

Alright, although I was eager to come back to NY to go to Crif Dogs, I mostly wanted to come to Sylvia's for their soul food. Located in Harlem, not far from the Apollo Theater, Sylvia's is a hot tourist spot. They try hard to shed their street reputation and strive for friendly service paired with mouthwatering, hearty dishes.

I came for an early lunch, early enough that they were still serving the biscuits from breakfast. Although they do serve some famous cornbread, as referenced on an episode of 30 Rock, their biscuits stole the show. I watched my friend's face melt as he bit into that fluffy, buttery pastry. Eagerly, I tried my own; instantly, neither one of us could get enough. The only thing that held us back was the promise of more food...much, much more food to come.

Where can you order BOTH fried chicken and ribs for lunch? Same place where you pay four dollars for Grandma Julia fruit punch, which tasted like Kool-Aid made with seltzer water. The drink was the only mediocre thing however, the rest of my lunch with sides of buttered corn and potato salad was heavenly. Tender chicken and ribs that fell off the bone made my knees buckle. Combined with Sylvia's house hot sauce, this lunch brought my understanding of soul food to a new level. My friend's collard greens cooked with turkey were also the best collard greens I've ever had. They managed maintain their structure and not become a soggy mess. I'm sure someone will argue with me that Sylvia's is too much of a tourist trap nowadays and not very authentic. I'd challenge anyone to try their food and not tell me it's worth a trip in itself.

Now I'll admit this picture does not look very appetizing at all. But sometimes good food is best tasted with eyes closed. I bought this gyros sandwich off a cart at 2 am on 52nd and 8th. It's so nice to be in the big city where I can just walk downstairs and get food in the middle of the night. But not just food, good food. There's a reason why there was a line for a push cart.

Now this gyros was far from traditional. I actually have no idea what he put inside it, but whatever sauce it was brought the whole thing together. It wasn't the usual tzatziki, it was spicy and red. The texture was slight mushy, but the flavor was all there.

Now I contrast the good street food with the bad fast food. Whereas I previously mentioned that not all good food looks appetizing, this is a case where you can judge the book by its cover. Does this look familiar? If you guessed McDonald's cheeseburger, you wouldn't be far from the truth as far as taste and appearance. This is a White Castle slider made famous by Harold & Kumar. It does taste remarkably like miniature McDonald's. I've even heard that theses aren't much better fresh than they are frozen and reheated. For my money, I'd rather opt for McDonald's double cheeseburger, which strangely enough, costs the same as a single.

One of my last nights in NY I had dinner at the first Jamaican restaurant I've ever seen. Negril, not Ne Grill as I initially thought, is a beach in Jamaica. This appetizer shown on the right is ackee bruscetta served on cassava toast. Ackee is a tropical fruit related to lychee supposedly of culinary importance to the island nation. Personally, I found it to be bland, but I probably didn't have the best representation of ackee. Also, this fruit is poisonous.

Although this is not actually my entree, I thought this oxtail stew looked better than my goat stew wrapped in burritoesque tortilla. Stew are a big part of Caribbean food, which doesn't surprise me. It is a hearty and makes the most use of scraps and bits of leftover meat as would be appropriate for slave food of the time. This is why there are few Jamaican restaurants; it just isn't very sophisticated in ingredients. That doesn't mean it can't be good, just suited for a different crowd.

Now for the last restaurant I am going to review, I only have a picture of the cotton candy machine outside of the restaurant. I didn't anticipate eating here, so I wasn't prepared with my camera. If you've walked down St. Mark's place, the saccharine smell of cotton candy would have pointed you to Kenka. This restaurant was lively, a popular hangout for NYU students. Apparently they banned sake bombing precisely because it was too popular. Oh plus the disruptive yelling and fist pounding didn't contribute to a dining environment. Kenka serves small Japanese plates in an izakaya style with a wide selection of sake and a few Japanese beers. I enjoyed the place and would love to come back again either for a late night meal or a happy hour.

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Nanban-kan

(310) 478-1591
11330 Santa Monica Blvd
West Los Angeles, CA 90189

Adequately Fed: $30
See Below
(Out of Five Stars)

Considering the Nanban-kan is a Japanese yakitori-ya serving grilled skewers in small portions, I am doing something different for this review. Each dish will be listed with a picture and described individually before I wrap it all up at the end.

We ordered the Nanban-kan complete dinner set which comes with eight dishes plus soup, pickles, rice and ice cream. On top of that, I ordered an additional seven dishes.

Mixed Mushrooms*****

First to arrive at our tables was the mixed mushrooms skillet of shimeji (oyster mushroom), enoki and shiitake sauteed in light butter with cherry tomatoes and scallions. I found this dish to be especially gratifying. The different mushrooms had different textures that complimented each other as well as flavors that are slightly different. The tomatoes were sweet and soft but still held their shape well.



Tan*****/Shiso Maki****/Ingen Maki****

The chewy tan is beef tongue. It was a little strange to be eating tongue, but the flavor was heavenly. It was smooth and buttery, a guilty indulgence. The tender pork tenderloin of the shiso maki combined with the delicate flavor of the shiso leaf made this skewer especially notable. The ingen maki was green beans with a side of pork. I thought the green beans were slightly tough



Soboro Dan***

Ground chicken cooked with soy sauce and mirin (sweet rice wine) topped this bowl of rice. The sweetness of the wine went well with the rice, giving the sensation of sushi rice. I was initially skeptical of the ground chicken because it looked plain, but found it delicious upon tasting. However, considering all the other dishes going on, I would have preferred that the rice be simpler and not detract from the other items.



Geso****/Tebasaki***

The squid legs and chicken wings carried much of the same grilled flavors. Although I must say that the squid was not over cooked so not too chewy. With a few drops from the accompanying wedge of lemon, it tasted even better. I don't know if I would completely forgo fried calamari for the geso, but I would feel much healthier with the latter. The chicken wings did not appeal much to me. They were solid, but not much better than the fried tebasaki at Fu Rai Bo.


Yaki-Onigiri**

This was my first time having a grilled rice ball. I found that the lack of nori took away much of the flavor of the rice. The grilled flavors were too heavy and made me anticipate a cancerous future. One of these were filled with dried bonito while the other one had ume (plum). I did not try the ume one because I personally find ume's flavors to be too sour and sweet. The grilling process makes the rice too hard and dry. I would rather have plain rice in this case.


Uzura***/Yasi Yaki****

These two skewer showed how Japanese food can capture simplicity in ingredients but complexity in flavor. The quail eggs had a much tougher texture than chicken eggs and the little bite sizes make them fun to eat. The yasi yaki is just a mushroom, cherry tomato and green bell pepper. Simple and straight-forward, but sure to make an impact in your mouth.



Shiromi*****

With the beef tongue, this Chilean sea bass was the best dish of the night. The green onions and sweet sauce combined with the delicate texture of the fish melted in my mouth. I have always been a fan of Chilean sea bass and am relatively certain its very difficult to cook badly. But this skewer was so memorable, my mouth is watering as I'm writing this description. This will definitely be on the reorder list on my next Nanban-kan trip.


Kaibashira*****

U-10 scallops mean that less than ten of these sea scallops fit in a pound. The grilling process dries up much of the weight in moisture so they are not quite as large as they are raw. However, this also concentrates the flavor. These scallops were cooked perfectly to the point of doneness resulting in just the teeth resistance.




Nanban Yaki**

Considering this is their signature skewer, I found this top sirloin to be plain and unimaginative. At this point, I was tired of the overused yaki sauce. Perhaps it would have been more impressive on the first run, but by the time this came out I had no more room for the sweet and savory sauce. I would've liked to see this cooked with better beef.




Tsukunne***/Negima**

After a blizzard of dishes, these next few plates did not come until we specifically asked them to check up on them. It turns out they left them out even though they were part of a set combo. The tskukunne was a chicken meatball that was fine but nothing outstanding. The negima was dark chicken meat sandwiched with scallions. It was also not very memorable



Ginnan**

I'll admit that I do not exactly know what gingko nuts are supposed to taste like so I could not evaluate how well they prepared the ginnan. But from my perspective, they were tough and did not have the weight to be served on their own. Perhaps accompanying something else, the gingko would be more delicious.




Lychee Ice Cream****

We ended the night with a small cup of lychee ice cream. While it was good, it didn't look special or taste homemade. I may be wrong, but it was just as good as ice cream scooped from a tub. Still, it was a good way to top off a lovely meal.

Besides the food, the atmosphere was conducive to a relaxing evening. Though the exterior was under construction, the interior felt warm with good lighting over each individual table. In fact, the layout was designed to give each table a sense of privacy and space. I'm glad they did not try to pack more people into such a small place. The center grill provided a view of your food being prepared as three chefs took turns over the fire armed with sauces and skewers.

Besides the hiccup of service when they forgot a few of our dishes, the manager and waitresses were helpful and friendly. When I had a problem, the manager made me feel at ease and personally took care of everything. This kind of service makes dining a true experience and not just eating out.

Recommendation: Remember what you ordered in case something doesn't come out.

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Pollo a la Brasa

(213) 382-4090
764 S Western Ave
Koreatown, CA 90005

Adequately Fed: $5
1/4 Rotisserie Chicken*****
Salad*
Fries*
(Out of Five Stars)

From a block away, you can smell the smoky stacks of the Pollo a la Brasa Peruvian chicken hut. It is among the least accommodating restaurants in Los Angels; it's even connected to a car wash. But beyond the decor and location (an island in between Western and 8th), the chicken is exemplary. The sides were terrible, but the chicken makes it all worth it.

Seeing the stacks of wood piled high against the side of the building, you know that Pollo a la Brasa actually uses a wood-fired rotisserie to cook their chicken. The wood gives the chicken a deep flavor that's juice and tender all the way through. My quarter chicken was the leg and thigh portion and none of it felt try or any less seasoned. The accompanying green sauce dared to be spicy. Considering the clientele are Latinos and Koreans, they know to make their sauce extra hot. It went well with the chicken, combining to make a flavor two-punch.

Unfortunately, the salad and french fries were dismal. The fries came out soggy and flaccid with no flavor or nutritional value. The salad was not fresh and the Italian dressing was disturbing. Of course, this isn't Ensalada or Papas a la Brasa so I won't complain.

If they cleaned up their restaurant a bit, they could give Zankou a run for their money as rotisserie top billing in LA. But I'd rather pay cheap for good chicken without all the thrills like clean tables and wall.

Recommendation: Because it's so cheap ($13), I'd consider just buying a few whole chickens to share with a group.

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Santouka

(310) 391-1101
3760 S. Centinela Avenue,
Los Angeles, CA 90066

Adequately Fed: $7
Shio Ramen*****
(Out of Five Stars)

Located in the Mitsuwa Japanese Market, Santouka is a food court ramen stand. Yet its humble surroundings belie the superb flavors of the ramen. I have never understood the fascination with these Japanese noodles until I had this bowl. Perhaps it is the American obsession with cup noodle and instant ramen that underlie this love, but either one of those do no justice to Santouka.

There's not much to say about the restaurant itself. It's much less a restaurant as it is a food court counter. Plastic bowls of noodles display your options. I've always wondered whether the plastic food makers base their models on the food or if the food is based on the plastic models.

The shio or salt ramen is their most popular bowl. I have yet to try to the shoyu or miso ramen, but the shio ramen is excellent in flavor and body. The broth is unctuous and hearty, leaving a smooth flavor coating on your tongue after each sip. Each noodle had the right amount of elasticity, the Asian equivalent to al dente. The fatty pork melts in your mouth. As the name suggests, this ramen is slightly on the salty side. It is best enjoyed with a few glasses of water. But as you quench your thirst hours after the meal, your tongue will reminisce about an unforgettable ramen experience.

Recommendation: Come for the ramen, but also check out the Japanese groceries in the supermarket.

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Clementine

(310) 552-1080
1751 Ensley Avenue,
Century City, CA 90024

Adequately Fed: $10
Rare Roast Beef Sandwich***
Chocolate Chip Cookies*****
(Out of Five Stars)

This charming cafe off Santa Monica is a little difficult to get to and even more difficult to park. There's a small lot behind the restaurant, but the popularity makes this place crowded even in the late afternoon on a Monday. Clementine does know how to market themselves with self-branded cups and buttons. They are even conducting a grilled cheese mock campaign parodying the election year. Their "heat-at-home" entrees and sides and curbside pick-up make them an excellent take-out place as well.

It's nice to see truly rare roast beef. All too commonly, roast beef is overcooked and lacks that chewy texture and complexity of flavor. The popular rare roast beef sandwich at Clementine combines this tasty beef with marinated onions, arugula, and horesradish mustard dressing between a crusty rustic bread. The bread was so crusty that it tore the top of my mouth a little. But the sandwich itself was well-crafted. Unfortunately, the horseradish was too subtle and not prominent enough to add to the meat. The accompanying sweet pickles were a treat in itself though.

I do not bake at home precisely for the reason why the cookies here are so delicious. The chocolate chip cookies are so thin that the chocolate spreads out moist and melty to the point where I would hesitate to call them chips at all. Just a bite of the $1.50 cookie and I know how much butter has gone into its preparation. If I baked these myself, I would not be able to eat them with as clean a conscience.

I had issues with the slow service during my trip. After ordering at the counter, it took quite awhile for the food to come to the table. It is a rare sandwich after all; it should not take that long to prepare.

Recommendation: I think it is busy all the time, but maybe the curbside take-out service.

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Eating Veal is NOT Eating Babies

Reading my last entry, a review of Mio Babbo's, I realize that I may not have as many veal fans among my cohorts as I might believe. Though I do not think I can bring over the moral objectors with words alone, it would take a delicate veal chop to do that, I want to lay the groundwork for their first foray into the tender meat of calves.

All meats bear their characteristic flavors due to the lifestyle and genetics of the animal. When we say meat, we generally refer to the skeletal muscle tissue of terrestrial animals. This muscle is made up of water mostly, protein, and fat. Though different muscles have slightly different muscle fibers, muscles themselves taste relatively similar. The difference in flavor between different animals comes primarily from the fat. Since fat cells store any fat-soluble material that comes through the body, an animal's diet heavily influences the flavor of its fat. In cows, the forage plants create the distinctive beef flavor. Also, the older an animal gets, the more pronounced the flavors and the tougher the meat. Therefore, these calves are slaughtered at 5 to 16 weeks while their flesh is still tender and delicate in flavor. In comparison, beef in the U.S. is typically slaughtered at 15 to 24 months. Consider, if the cows are raised for slaughter anyway, why prolong their suffering?

In the United States, veal production is tied directly to the dairy industry. Dairy cows must give birth yearly to maintain a steady supply of milk. The female calves are nursed till maturity to produce milk also. Male dairy calves on the other hand, were previously routinely killed because they were unsuitable to be raised as meat. The rise of the veal industry has given these calves a new avenue for life, albeit short and ultimately doomed.

Veal calves are kept away from an ordinary cow's life as much as possible to prevent the development of common beef flavors. They're confined to exercise that will not darken or toughen their muscles and fed a low-iron milk supplement diet. Although in the past there have been claims of poor raising conditions for veal, these outrages have forced industry changes for more humane environments. Nowadays, most veal are raised in well-ventilated, climate-controlled barns with enough room to stand, lie, and move around.

The flavor of veal has been described as subtle, buttery, aromatic and more. In my personal experience, I find the delicate flavor of veal as a counterpoint to a hearty Angus beef. What I appreciate in veal is similar to how I appreciate good sushi, the texture and the marbling. Granted, veal is more expensive than beef, chicken and pork, but the price should not stand in the way of a new flavor experience. So look past your own prejudice and give this humble meat a try. As any decent foodie, you owe it to yourself to indulge a little. Try a veal piccata at your next Italian restaurant or try the simple recipe I have provided below.

all purpose flour
veal chops
dry white wine
chicken stock
garlic , chopped
lemon juice
capers, drained
unsalted butter

1. Wrap the veal individually in plastic wrap and pound to as thin as you can without tearing.
2. Salt each chop and dredge in flour.
3. Heat a shallow pan and add a layer of frying oil (vegetable, corn, canola, peanut, NOT olive).
4. When a drop of water sizzles immediately upon contact with the oil, add the veal. Do not crowd the pan. Work in batches if necessary. Flip the chops when lightly browned on the contact side. It should be only a few minutes per side.
5. After all chops have been cooked, remove from pan and set aside. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Then bring up the heat and reduce the wine. Add chicken stock, garlic, lemon juice, and capers to taste.
6. Work in a pat of butter to thicken the sauce until it is nape (when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). Add the veal back to the pan to warm. Plate and serve.

Goes great on a bed of pasta.

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Mio Babbo's

(310) 208-5117
1076 Gayley Ave
Westwood, CA 90024

Adequately Fed: $15
House Salad with Italian Dressing**
Spaghetti Pomodoro***
Veal Piccata*****
(Out of Five Stars)

After reading the chapter on meat in Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking explaining the science of cooking, I felt compelled to order a veal entree. McGee writes that meat gains flavor from life, meaning older animals with exercise and varied diets produce more flavorful cuts. Veal is on the opposite end of this spectrum. Calves are deprived of movement, fed a fatty milk diet and slaughtered young to maintain supple flesh. I'm not going to enter into the morality of eating baby cows, but foodies should be able to appreciate an especially tender cut of veal.

A short walk from UCLA, Mio Babbo's is an unassuming restaurant small in size with a decor of simple elegance. The interior looks like a restaurant from the twenties. Private booths separate several tables in the small restaurant. My waiter and busboy were helpful and attentive, although the design of the tables allows for a great deal of intimacy with your dining mates.

Each entree comes with a salad or soup. My first course came quickly, dressing on the side, a delight compared to the soggy lettuce of some restaurant salads. The greens were topped with olives and chick peas, straightforward but a little different. Italian dressing was slightly bland for my tastes, but I like my sour foods on the tart side. Soon after the salads, the pasta and veal came. The simple tomato sauce over the spaghetti had a complexity that belied more complex herbs that I couldn't readily identify. Although it was tomato heavy, it was not overly acidic. While the pasta was decent, the veal really exemplified Mio Babbo's. Its lemon and white wine sauce enhanced the natural flavor of the meat and the layer of spaghetti below made a great companion.

Overall, I enjoyed this meal and rate this restaurant solidly. Every time I walk by, I take a glance at the daily special on the board in the window. Maybe next time, I'll have that instead.

Recommendation: I don't know if I would make it a point to visit, but I would come if I were in the mood for convenient, unassuming Italian.

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