After a few hours in Central Park, we hailed a cab, squeezed into the back seat as no one wanted to sit next to the stinky cab driver, and headed towards Grand Central Terminal.  We played tourist a bit and took pictures of the exterior architecture and made our way into the terminal.  We took pictures of the the four-faced clock above the information booth, took in the astronomical details in the ceiling, then made our way to the Dining Concourse for an afternoon snack.  After doing a quick tour of the numerous snack possibilities that range from cakes, pies and cookies to more savory food like Jamaican Patties or sushi (there are also a handful of fine dining restaurants, the most famous being the Oyster Bar and Grill), we decided to get some frozen novelties from Ciao Bella.

Gelato and Sorbet selections

After 10 minutes of sampling the different gelato flavors available, I opted for a refreshing strawberry sorbet, topped over an equally refreshing lemon sorbet.  Weak, I know, but trust me…. there is a reason for my madness and why I opted for sorbet instead of gelato.  (see post above)

Happy Spooning and Forking!

*****

Ciao Bella Gelateria

45 Grand Central Terminal
New York, NY 10001

Phone:  212.867.5311

Wonderful things always seem to come in little packages.  Such is the case with Men Kui Tei, a little hole in the wall ramen shop located in the Midtown East section of  New York City.  Reminiscent of the hole in the wall ramen shops that I went to as a kid, I was hit with nostalgia almost the instant I stepped into this place.

It was about lunch time on a week day and already a line had started to form along the wall opposite the open kitchen.  Men Kui Tei offers both table seating and counter seating that overlooks the open kitchen.  We waited a bit, but the turnover was quick and efficient, that within 10 minutes or so, we were seated at the counter, close enough to witness the chefs create wonderful dishes.

While Men Kui Tei also serves donburi dishes (Chuka Don, Mabo Don, Curry Rice, Oyako Don and Katsu Don) the star of the show here is their ramen.  Ramen noodles with close to perfect chewiness.  A savory broth that is not only comforting, but tasty.  Wonderful pieces of roasted pork that not only acts as a garnish, but is a perfect complement to the overall dish.  I wanted to drown myself in ramen, but because we had a long day ahead (and definitely more eating to do), I kept my order to my usual ramen (shoyu ramen) and side dishes (kim chee and gyoza) and was truly content by the end of the meal.

Shoyu Ramen

Kim Chee (which eventually ended up in my ramen – yumm yumm)

Gyoza

Tonkotsu Ramen (ordered by my other lunch buddies)

After this wonderful lunch, we walked a couple blocks north to Central Park to walk off the carbs we had just consumed.  The afternoon was spent strolling in the park.  I might have pushed my Canon Xsi to its limit by taking pictures of anything and everything.  We enjoyed a few moments at Bethesda Terrace, watching and listening to the water fall gracefully and hypnotically.  We also took in an impromtu gathering of local musicians at Strawberry Fields to honor John Lennon’s birthday.  And the entire time, I was totally content in probably my most favorite spot in all of New York City.

IT WAS A GOOD DAY!

Happy Spooning and Forking!

*****

Men Kui Tei

60 W. 56th Street (between 5th and 6th Ave.)

New York, New York 10019

Phone:  212.757.1642

Last month at the supermarket, while waiting in line to pay for my groceries, staring at me was one of the most unflattering pictures of Tyler Florence that I’ve ever seen. Tyler (who usually makes me *swoon*), along with the Butter Queen Paula Deen and the Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten, graced the cover of the premier (inaugural) issue of Food Network Magazine.

Despite the unflattering picture of my ultimate and favorite Food Network chef, I bought the magazine. And surprisingly, it’s a pretty good magazine. Lots of recipes and lots of food porn to go with the recipes – always a plus. I actually like it a lot better than that other magazine that features another Food Network personality.

So, in this issue, specifically on page 133, was a one-page (more like paragraph) article about M Street Bar & Grill in DC, that runs a “Presidential Burger Race” every four years. This year the two contenders were the John McCain Chicken Queso Burger (grilled chicken breast that’s been marinated in chili powder and citrus, topped with tomato salsa, pepper jack cheese and avocado, then sandwiched between a challah roll) and the Barack Obama Pizza Burger (Angus beef patty, smothered in marinara sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil and sandwiched between a grilled ciabatta roll smeared with roasted garlic butter).

Political views aside, I don’t know about you, but if I hear “burger”, visions of grilled chicken breast do not dance before my eyes. ME WANT BEEF!

So in honor of the inauguration of our 44^th President, I gave the Barack Obama Pizza Burger a try. And it was really good…

Barack Obama Pizza Burger

Recipe courtesy the M Street Bar & Grill, Washington, DC for Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

For the Garlic Butter:

1 head garlic

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon champagne vinegar * (see notes)

Kosher salt

For the Burgers:

6 8-ounce Angus beef patties **

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup marinara sauce, plus more for serving

12 thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)

6 crusty rolls, such as ciabatta, kaiser or Portuguese, halved ***

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350.

Make the butter:

Remove the papery outer layer from the head of garlic and slice off the top to expose the cloves slightly. Wrap the garlic in foil and roast in the oven until soft, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly, then squeeze the roasted pulp into a bowl. Whip with the butter, parsley, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.

Make the burgers:

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Season the beef patties generously with salt and pepper and grill, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, turning once.

Move the burgers to the cooler side of the grill (or reduce the heat on the stove) and top each with some marinara sauce and 2 slices cheese. Spread the cut sides of each roll with some of the garlic butter and place facedown on the grill. Cover and cook until the cheese melts and the buns are toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Place a burger on each roll bottom; add some chopped basil and the roll top. Serve with more marinara sauce, if desired.

Notes:

* I didn’t have any champagne vinegar on hand, nor did I have the urge to buy an entire bottle for this recipe, so I omitted this ingredient and the garlic butter turned out fine.  Not sure if the champagne vinegar would have made that big of a difference.

**I’m not a big fan of pre-made Angus beef patties, based on past experiences. I made my own beef patties using my basic burger recipe: 1 pound ground sirloin; ½ of a medium white onion, grated; 4 cloves of garlic, minced; 2 teaspoons of steak seasoning, 1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce; 2 Tablespoons of unseasoned bread crumbs and an egg. This makes four ¼ pound burgers.

*** I couldn’t find ciabatta rolls, so I used a ciabatta loaf and cut it into 4 separate servings.

Here’s the burger again, sliced in half so that you can see the cross section… Messy, I know, but delicious, just the same…

This past weekend, a local radio station here in Las Vegas did their part in honor of the new President too… by running a promotion for a local business that does body waxing. The tagline or slogan for this special was “Say Goodbye to Bush” – literally and figuratively. The weekend special – a free bikini wax. Catchy, huh? Come on… Say Goodbye to Bush…. Get it?!  You can’t help but giggle and applaud the brilliant minds that came up with the concept of the ad.

Happy Spooning and Forking!

Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

2008 was truly a challenging year, with many memorable moments, occasions and meals, and a few that we’d rather forget…  It was a year that tested our resilience, our perseverance and at times, our sanity.

I hope that the coming year brings us all a sense of peace in our world and in our selves.

I hope that the coming year fills our hearts with new hope.

I hope that the coming year will bring for us better tomorrows, fulfilled dreams, love and happiness.

And most of all, I hope that in the coming year, you enjoy more amazing meals with your friends and family.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy Spooning and Forking!

May the joy of the season remain in your hearts always!

Here’s wishing you and yours more than just snowman poop under the Christmas tree or in your stocking…

Happy Spooning and Forking….

A short cab ride from the Lower East Side to the Upper East Side brought us to Serendipity3 for some late night dessert.  Serendipity 3 is somewhat of a New York City landmark, frequented by locals, celebrities and tourists alike, on a daily basis.  And most of them flock here for Serendipity 3’s signature drink, the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate.

I first heard of Serendipity3 when the movie Serendipity, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, came out in 2001.  Then, a couple years later, Oprah mentioned that Serendipity3’s Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, was one of her “favorite things”.  Now, if The Oprah mentions it on her show, isn’t America supposed to listen?  Of course, we do!

Maybe it was the sappy chick flick that got Serendipity3 on my “things to do” list… Or maybe the thought that consuming the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate could possibly qualify me to be considered one of The Oprah’s best friends… Who knows?  All I know is that on one night, during my New York City trip, we ended up at Serendipity3 for dessert and I will regret it indefinitely.

Entering Serendipity3 was like stepping into a different time and place.  And personally, not in a good way.  Some may consider the place adorable, whimsical and quirky.  But to me, it seemed as if an antique shop threw up and the housekeeper quit 2 years ago and no one brought it upon themselves hire a replacement. It was tacky, old, musty, dingy, dusty and it made me wonder if we made the mistake of coming here for dessert in the first place. But I think that’s the look that they were going for, regardless of how unappealing it might be for some people.

We got there at 11:00pm on a Wednesday night and were greeted by an hospitable host, and that was one of the very few highlights of the evening. Within 5 minutes or so, we were ushered to our table in the upstairs dining room, even though there were many tables available in the main dining area downstairs.

We were then each handed an oversized menu that listed over a gazillion items available. We came for dessert and locating the desserts on their overly busy menu was truly a task. But we conquered, found where they were located, and decided on the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate and the Lemon Ice Box Pie.

Frrrozen Hot Chocolate

Of course we had to order this. It’s what brings all the boys to the yard. It’s their signature chocolate drink. Imagine a hot chocolate slushy and that’s what the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate basically is. A chocolate granita, so to speak. Why “hot chocolate”? Because that’s what it tastes like, hot chocolate, only it’s not hot, but frrrozen, sort of.

The Frrrozen Hot Chocolate is served in a huge goblet and topped with a mountain of whipped cream (which I enjoyed) and a light dusting of chocolate shavings. To consume this chocolate treat, they give you two straws and a spoon. I don’t know… Maybe it was meant to be shared, which is why they gave us two straws. Maybe it should be enjoyed with a spoon, which was odd because the thought of consuming this dessert like soup was just bizarre.

I expected this chocolate treat to literally oooooze greatness, but it was merely sublime. It’s totally overrated and something that can definitely be duplicated at home. Which I did. By accident. And without having to purchase the overpriced mix that they sell in their gift shop. And mine was better.

Lemon Ice Box pie

Sitting delicately on a light graham cracker crust was the most delicate of lemon or citrus pies that I have ever tasted. The lemon filling was light and creamy and quite refreshing. The lemon flavor was wonderfully balanced with the creaminess that it was not so overpowering or “hit you over the head and smack you between the eyes” pucker-inducing. It was fantastic! I could probably eat an entire pie of this and not even feel guilty.

This, I truly enjoyed and wished that I had ordered one for myself. I had a tiny forkful of this from my dining companion’s plate and if my manners didn’t take precedence, I would have graciously accepted his offer for me to take another bite. Then, I would have taken another and another, until there was nothing left for me to do but lick the plate, which I probably would have done, with no shame. But I didn’t, because graciously, I  declined a second bite, to my detriment. Tucking my tail between my legs, I finished my sorry ass excuse of a dessert, and internally sulked the rest of the time we were there.

Would I go here again? If I take the hospitable host and the Lemon Ice Box Pie out of the equation, ABSOULUTELY NOT. Their signature drink was overrated and sub-par and their bus staff sucks ass, which explains the “Help Wanted: Busser” sign that greeted us in the front window as we were entering the restaurant.

I hope that they find a busser that has a little more tact and customer service honed into him, unlike the one that attempted to clear our table before we were even done, then blatantly clicked his tongue at us and rolled his eyes as we told him that we were not done yet. This was brought up with the manager and our comments and concerns were merely brushed off, with the guilty busser standing there with his hand on his hip, waiting for us to leave.

We did and we won’t be back.

Happy Spooning and Forking….

*****

Serendipity 3

225 East 60th Street

New York, New York 10022

Phone:  212.838.3531

There are 4 basic tastes that we are all very aware of – sweet, sour, salty and bitter.  Then there’s the ever-elusive fifth basic taste, UMAMI (pronounced oo-ma-mee).  Attempt to have a chef, gourmand, food scientist or foodie explain umami to you will have them going into Alton Brown mode, with them using scientific words such as glutamate, inosinate, yada yada yada….

The best way that I can explain umami is:  savory – that taste or element that somehow rounds out all other flavors in a dish so that they all co-exist in perfect harmony.  Umami.

Umami is usually associated with Asian cuisine, especially those that use either soy sauce or fish sauce.  Umami may also be associated with Asian cuisine because of the often liberal use of MSG in food preparation.  Ever went to a Chinese restaurant, ordered the egg drop soup and noticed that something was definitely missing as the soup didn’t taste as good as it could be?  Drop a bit of soy sauce in your soup, stir it up a bit and all is well.  Umami.  I make won ton soup every now and again for my nagging friends that always seem to crave for this time consuming dish.  The preparation of the broth is never finished or complete without the addition of fish sauce to blend all the flavors together.  Umami.

Those who know me, know that I’m a sucker for Asian noodles and broth (ramen, soba, udon, saimin, pho, won ton min, kim chee ramyun, etc.).  It’s my go-to “Asian comfort food”, regardless of the time of year. And what better place to truly experience good Japanese comfort food and umami bliss, but at Soba-ya in the Lower East Side of New York City.  A true gem.  And the best place to stop by for a bite to eat either before or after drinks at Angel’s Share as the two are merely steps away from each other.

Here’s what contributed to our umami bliss…

Agedashi Tofu

Pillows of silky tofu, lightly dusted with either cornstarch or potato starch, then deep fried until golden.  It sits in a savory broth of dashi, sake or mirin and soy sauce, then garnished with green onions and grated daikon.  This one also had bits of tempura batter as part of the garnish.

Nabeyaki Udon Special

The house special udon, served in their signature broth with a plethora of garnishes (shrimp tempura, vegetable tempura, enoki mushrooms, bamboo shoots, fish cake, egg).

Soba

Homemade noodles made with buckwheat imported from Nagano, Japan.  Supreme quality noodles that emoted the perfect chewiness.  The broth was definitely soy sauce based with a hint of seaweed and possibly bonito.  It was smoky and earthy, with a slight hint of sweetness .  Definitely savory.

Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura

Crisp, light and not greasy at all.  The shrimp was still juicy and succulent under the fried batter. In the top picture, in the middle of the plate, is tempura shiso (an herb from the mint family, that was also used to make my cocktail at Angel’s Share).

Shrimp Shumai

Orb shaped shrimp dumplings that are densely packed with real shrimp and no extra filler.  The filling is wrapped in a thin rice paper wrapper, then rolled in rice paper “shavings”, then ultimately steamed.

Kampachi Sashimi

Butter-like kampachi, perfect with just a tiny dip in some soy and wasabi sauce.

Happy Spooning and Forking…

*****

Soba-Ya

229 East 9th Street

New York, NY 10003

Between 2nd and 3rd Avenues

Phone:  212.533.6966