Palmyra 10-24-2010

Location: 316 Court St. BK

Feelings: I am slowly overcoming my fear of pizza. That does not mean I will start eating the cause of my pancreatitis that is Domino's, but I recently started enjoying middle eastern pizza. It is usually less greasy with an option of goat cheese, and more interesting vegetarian selections are available.

Palmyra on Court Street has individual pizzas with options of whole wheat and feta. My Goat Cheese Pizza ($9, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, fresh basil, sautéed onions and herbs) was so voluminous that I wasn't sure this was actually individually sized. The sweet flavors of whole wheat and red peppers mixed with the creamy goat cheese created a charming flavor that is usually not available for Italian style veggie pizzas.

RB enjoyed his Vegetable Pizza ($9, fresh tomato, green pepper, black olives, thyme, and fresh mozzarella cheese), which was heavily seasoned with thyme and tasted similar to zaater bread.

I am indeed making a slow transition to the world of pizza. Who knew there is a pizza for everyone--even a lactose intolerant vegetarian whose pancreas can't accept too much grease.

Happy Halloween! 10-29-2010

Feelings: Happy Halloween! You don't have any plans yet? How about celebrating with TJ's Pumpkin Ice Cream? It is so creamy and tastes just like a nice piece of pumpkin pie with a big ol' dollop of whip cream.

Chanpen 10-21-2010

Location: 761 9th Ave
Time: 1:30pm
People: Laura and myself

Feelings: I go out to restaurants for the purpose of trying out good flavors and usually nothing more. But sometimes, especially when I'm catching up with my dear friends, food itself does not really matter although as a food blogger that is difficult to say. I almost don't want to taste the spectacular. I would rather concentrate on the conversation, and the good, complex flavor would really distract my attention. Laura and I often meet for weekday lunch and catch up on whatever that is going on in our lives. Today, we met up at one of many Thai restaurants on bustling 9th Avenue, Chanpen.

They have excellent lunch specials, mostly around $7-$9, that come with delicious appetizers. Our vegetarian spring rolls were crispy and tasty, but our Pad See Ew and Pad Khi Mao were excessively salty. I make it a rule to never leave noodles on a plate, but I had to leave some this time.

The great thing about this place is their bottomless Thai tea, which is the hot version of ever popular Thai iced tea (sans cream). They would run up and refill this delightful tea after every sip. The service at many Thai places on 9th Avenue tend to be non-existent, but the waitstaff at Chanpen are extremely courteous and friendly. The dining area is also quite spacious and clean, and I felt comfortable and luxurious throughout the meal.

Although the food might not be exceptional, it is a great place to catch up with your girl friends while sipping some warm Thai tea. Great conversations, tea, and fantastic service-when all these elements come together, you sometimes cannot ask for more.

Cafe Luluc: The Best Pancakes in the City 10-23-2010

Location: 214 Smith St. BK
Time: 1:30pm
People: MA, ES and myself

Feelings: Every time I mentioned to the BoCoCa locals about a somewhat mediocre brunch experience at Bar Tabac, they would cringe and tell me to go to Luluc instead. It seems Luluc has been overshadowed by the atmosphere of Tabac. After this particular brunch experience at Luluc, I will admit that the locals know what they are talking about.

There are three words to describe about Luluc: Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes ($8). If you love pancakes so much that you are considering starting a blog called, "Pancake Porno" or "Pancakes & Plebeians," you must run to Cafe Luluc. I foolishly did not order their famous pancakes, but ES did along with a side of bacon. I used to think Clinton Street Baking Co had the best pancakes in the city, but I completely changed my mind after having a bite of these flavorful flapjacks. The edges of the cakes were crispy while inside was quite warm and fluffy. They were sweet and moist, and they really tasted like a dream full of buttery happiness. These utterly decadent pancakes should really be considered as a dessert or anti-depressant. I also liked that they were very circular with the perfect thickness, which satisfied my OCD tendencies.

My Goat Cheese and Spinach Omelet ($8) was also well prepared, and I enjoyed the extra creaminess of the goat cheese. MA also enjoyed her Pressed Vegetable Sandwich ($9), but let's be honest. We both wanted to gorge on the pancakes.

The service was also courteous without any attitude or aloofness, and the coffee was somewhat decent as well. I wish they would accept credit cards, but that is the price you would have to pay for the best pancakes in the city.

Totto Ramen Lunch 10-12-2010

Location: 366 West 52nd St.
Time: 12:30pm
People: PMont, JR and myself

Feelings: After an extremely high stressful yet delicious experience at Totto Ramen back in June, I went back for lunch with friends. I still believe that they have the best veggie ramen in the city, and I was hoping I would be able to experience it with a slightly more relaxed atmosphere this time around. Four months after opening, there was still a line out the door, which means we of course could not get seated unless all guests were present. I was lucky to have reliable and punctual friends, but if you are meeting with flakey friends here, good luck getting a seat. This is also not a good place for group outings such as our monthly Ramen and Friends meetings since it is quite cramped in there.

As we were seated, I still felt rushed to order and eat as before, which is the nature of an authentic ramen joint. However, thanks to PMont's charismatic charm, we were able to chat quite a bit with the enthusiastic ramen chefs and were not rushed out of the restaurant.

JR and I enjoyed our Organic Vegetable Ramen ($11). Although the flavor was as good as I remembered, I felt the noodles were slightly undercooked and bitter this time. PMont thoroughly enjoyed his pork-tastic Spicy Ramen ($10.25).

If you work in Midtown and crave ramen, and all your colleagues are on diet, Totto is the perfect place for you. Either ditch those co-workers and eat your favorite pork ramen solo at the counter, or bring your health conscious friends and have them try the amazing salad-esque veggie ramen.

Malaysia Kitchen Food Truck! 10-25-2010

Feelings: BLee mentioned that Malaysia Kitchen Food Truck is making its rounds in Manhattan every day through November 19th, giving out FREE samples of delicious Malaysian food during lunchtime. "The curry chicken from Nyonya was wonderfully seasoned, really tender and came right off the bone, served with white rice and fresh cucumber slices," she said.
Check here for food truck locations. Thanks BLee!

Great Thai News 10-22-2010

Feelings: SaSha not only informs me about all the sample sales but also restaurant openings.

Today, she had some great Thai restaurant news:

1) Pure Thai Shophouse is now open (51st/9th Avenue, a.k.a. Thai restaurant row) and serving hand made noodles. Sold!
2) The very famous Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas is coming to NYC! According to their Twitter page, it will open the first week of November at 24 5th Avenue.

Thanks SaSha!

Bai Cha 10-21-2010

Location: 710 9th Ave.
Time: 12:30pm

Feelings: While I was away on maternity leave, a Banh Mi shop opened up a few blocks from my work. It is about time the banh mi invasion appears in Hell's Kitchen. The businessmen of Midtown love their sandwiches, casually saying, "I'm just going to run out and get some sammich." It is almost as if they try to prove their masculinity by this statement and food choice. They devour meat and bread with their hands. They love sandwiches and can be quite particular about them. A banh mi shop is destined to succeed in this atmosphere.

Bai Cha is a take out friendly joint that serves not only banh mi but also South Asian street food such as roti and papaya salad. As I suspected, I was the only female among businessmen ready for their sammich. I ordered today's special, which was Tofu with Lemongrass ($5.50).

I understand that the meat is the star of banh mi, and I probably have no place critiquing this when I don't eat meat. But my tofu version was not something I would call banh mi. The carrots were not pickled, and there was not enough fish sauce. However, the lack of vinegar and fish sauce is probably a good thing for midtown workers who often eat their lunch at the cubes. You would not want to be that guy who stinks up the office with the fish and vinegar smell. I am not sure if this was their intention, but their version of banh mi would suffice while letting me maintain a good lunch etiquette at work.

Ayada Thai 10-12-2010

Location: 7708 Woodside Ave. Elmhurst
Time: 7:30pm
People: 10 Ramen and Friends: MGru, ALev, Rich, JLam from MeSoHungry, Punj, MKang, MLev, StevenC, Eimmy, and myself

Feelings: AP once said, "There are so many Thai restaurants nowadays that it's hard to find a good Chinese take out." I cannot agree with him more. It seems mediocre Thai restaurants, the ones that cater to American's tastes, have usurped Chinese food as NYC's take out of choice. Thai cuisine is no longer exotic to New Yorkers, and it has become one of our staples such as pizza, sushi, falafel and Chinese. This means it is even harder to find the more authentic Thai, especially in Manhattan or Brooklyn. There is always Sripraphai in Queens, but can we let one restaurant monopolize the entire Thai cuisine in the city? As a food enthusiast, shouldn't we at least have one back up?

We headed over to Ayada Thai in Elmhurst in hopes that we would find something as equally as authentic and satisfying as Sripraphai, and perhaps better. StevenC liked the decor describing, "It's what more of the Thai restaurants on the west coast look like, simple, nice and not overdone." Some of us were intrigued by beautiful Marion Cotillard-esque waitstaff and their attentiveness. There was some miscommunication with our orders, but it was understandable due to the large group as we always experience at Ramen and Friends events.

Ayada's menu was not as extensive as Sripraphai, but ALev and MGru managed to order interesting dishes. Their papaya salad was flavorful and refreshing although ALev thought the one at Sriphrapai is better due to their fried watercress. The crispy pork and Chinese broccoli smelled amazing with fish sauce. Overall, they thought Sriphrapai was better, but there were some things they had never had before such as Sataw beans a.k.a "stinky beans." Why called "stinky beans," you may wonder? MGru answered that question the following day when she emailed me saying their pee has been "smelling like skunk."

Perhaps the best dish was JLam's Kang Som Sour Curry with omelet and shrimp. This protein packed dish had a nice seafood flavor, which was all absorbed into the omelet. We all highly encourage you to order this hearty dish as JLam did.

I enjoyed the sweet and tangy flavor of Yen Ta For (seafood noodle with red sauce), but I found the portion to be small. All the dishes I saw and tasted reminded me of Thai food in Japan with their delicate presentation and authentic yet restricted flavor. If Manhattan Thai caters to American's taste, Ayada surely caters to the Japanese.

If you are making a trip to Queens for the authentic flavor of Thai, I would recommend Sripraphai for its extensive menu. But if you don't want to wait in their long line or already live in the area, Ayada is a definite winner. Just be careful with the stinky beans!

Happy Birthday Ike 10-09-2010

Location: South Park Slope
Time: 3:30pm
People: Lots of Ike's Friends

Feelings: As an only child from a small family, I have never been around babies growing up. Ike was the first baby I have ever held, and today was his birthday party to celebrate the big year two. This was my first kid's party experience, so I did not know what to expect. But it turned out it was just like a grown up party with adorable little kids running around. CK surely enjoyed his first balloon as well as all the attention he received.

There were home made vegan tamales and butternut squash tamales, which were smooth and delicious. We washed down the flavorful tamales with the local beer from Carroll Gardens. Ike's home made birthday cakes were all vegan and shaped into an adorable multi-car train. The carrot cake and chocolate cake were both subtly sweet and quite sophisticated. What a lucky boy! Most kids will get one mediocre cake with disgusting icing from the supermarket, but his flavor palate is already getting quite a workout at his young age. Bravo to his parents!

Although we don't really cook or bake, I would hope CK can experience many flavors as Ike does. After all, I believe receptivity and open mindedness start with one's palate. If you eat the same chicken sandwich everyday, your mind will also be sheltered. If you mask your palate with sugary sodas, your palate will be shielded off from all the delicious food out there. Food is the major representation of the culture, so if you would not even try Japanese food for example, how can you even begin to understand Japanese culture? I can't wait for CK to be exposed to all the food and different culture in the world. Luckily, we live in NYC--we can just travel to different boroughs and experience many different food instead of flying all over.

Balthazar Bakery news 10-15-2010

Feelings: MerryL told me that if you go to Balthazar Bakery at 7pm, everything is half off. Lovely!

Despana 10-08-2010

Location: 408 Broome St.
Time: 12:30pm
People: SaSha and myself

Feelings: Downtown workers, ALev and RB have told me several times about Despana, allegedly one of the most amazing places for SoHo lunch. Since SaSha and I were in the area, we decided to stop by and pick up some bocadillos. As I mentioned in the past, I don't usually do sandwiches. Noodle is my #1 carb of choice, and I don't care much for eating with my hands. However, after one amazing bocadillo at Despana, I might be a sandwich convert.

I had my bocadillo with Tortilla Tradicional ($8.50, classic Spanish style omelet of potatoes, eggs and onions). It was the heaviest sandwich I have ever carried - about the weight of a pair of five inch stiletto heels. It was not only dense but also large in portion, and I could barely finish half. For $8.50, this was quite a deal. The bread was perfectly crispy outside and warm and fluffy inside, and it supported all the delicious flavors of the tortilla.

SaSha's Quijote ($8.50, dry cured pork loin, sheep's milk cheese, a light spread of sweet quince cream) was "just perfect!" It was a larger sandwich than she would have expected. She also had the croqueta with Serrano Ham fried with creamy cheese, which she summed up as, "How can you go wrong?"

Since I work far from Despana, I will remain as a noodle gal for now. But if I found an equally amazing bocadillo in Midtown, I would be eating this at least twice a week, just like RB does.

Okuizome 10-04-2010

Location: Somewhere in BK
Time: 8pm
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: As a child, my mind was far too occupied with Def Leppard and Duran Duran's fascinating fashion and music to be concerned with Japanese tradition and custom. But since CK's arrival, I feel somewhat pressured to teach him all the Japanese customs I know. Now I understand the struggles immigrant families go through with keeping the tradition.

Today was his 100th day after he was born. On this day in Japan, people celebrate by the ceremony called Okuizome, in hopes that the child will never have to suffer from the lack of food for the rest of his life. Okuizome means "first meal," and the baby would pretend to eat food at this ceremony. People usually prepare a traditional regional Japanese meal and serve in a special place setting made for Okuizome. From chopsticks to bowls, everything is made smaller for the babies. Unfortunately, RB and I work full time, and we don't have time to cook, but I had to do something on this celebratory day.

I would probably get yelled at by all the Japanese mothers (who are probably stay at home moms since they get one year maternity leaves), but I bought microwavable sekihan, sticky rice with azuki beans for this day. I microwaved this quite conveniently made rice for two minutes, and it was ready. RB and I held CK and pretended to feed him using our chopsticks.

We might not have had time to make an extravagant meal or afford expensive baby chopsticks, but our hearts were there. We just wanted him to experience a bit of Japanese tradition and welcome him to a world of delicious food.

Bobble Water 10-06-2010

Feelings: I take the 2 train from Brooklyn to go to work every morning. My favorite time of the morning is when the train makes a stop at Wall Street station. I see a flock of the most beautifully dressed women get on the train, and I have a chance to observe their gorgeous yet functional bags, Louboutins, and impeccable jewelry. They are not too trendy or disheveled like Williamsburg hipsters or too conservative like Madison Avenue ladies. They are calm and collected with pure New York sophistication, and I have a pleasure of enjoying this daily transit fashion show.

Recently, I noticed that they are carrying some obscure clear water bottles. Upon researching, I found out that this bottle is called Bobble Water, which is pretty much a clear water bottle with a portable Brita-esque filter attached. What a brilliant concept! A water bottle that filters your tap water as you sip? I want this NOW. We can stop buying overpriced water bottles from bodegas and avoid awkward water cooler conversations at work all together.

Atlantic Antic 09-26-2010

Location: Atlantic Ave. BK
Time: 1pm
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: It is that time of the year again. The time for the largest street fair in the city, Atlantic Antic. As soon as I was woken up by the street noise instead of a crying baby early in the morning, I knew the day had come. RB noticed that there was more presence from Red Hook this year, especially around Hicks and Henry streets. Since it is a trek to head down to Red Hook, it is a welcoming addition to this ever crowded street fair. I do not recommend the food from the stereotypical street fair vendors here (sausage and peppers truck I'm looking at you), but it is the best way to try out new flavors from local restaurants for under $10.

We tried the fish chowder and fish taco from Kevin's in Red Hook. The chowder was not overly creamy and just the right consistency with a nice depth of flavor. The taco was incredibly fresh and had a sophisticated flavor. They sold me with these two items, and I am now ready to visit their restaurant.

Since Steve's AUTHENTIC Key Lime Pies from Red Hook also had their tent, we treated ourselves with our favorite, Swingle, a chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick. The combination of tartness from the key lime filling and bitter sweet chocolate was irresistible.

Many of us Brookynites are quite skeptical about Atlantic Antic due to the crowds and noise, but it might not be so bad after all. In the end, I was able to experience Red Hook without the 61 bus.

Ramen from Mai 10-04-2010

Location: 16 E. 41st St.
Time: 12:30pm

Feelings: I just had the most bizarre and random meal for lunch. I was going to pick up some soba at my favorite Japanese deli, Chiyoda, but to my surprise, it was now known as "Mai." Fortunately, it seemed very similar to Chiyoda, but Mai had something very interesting. I found "Shrimp Tempura Ramen" ($4.75) served in a plastic parfait cup. If I was not an author for a blog named Ramen and Friends, I would not dare pick up this dish for my Monday lunch.

The basic concept of dish was Hiyashi Chuka in a cup, except it had green curly noodles at the bottom and fried shrimp on top. I am not certain what these mysterious green noodles were, but they were much lighter than conventional ramen noodles. It also came with Thai chili sauce, which complimented the shrimp very well. The thinly sliced cucumbers and radish were fresh, and the crunchy texture contrasted the soft noodles.

The concept of ramen in a cup is nothing new. After all, Cup Noodles have been around since the 70s in the U.S. But fresh ramen with salad in a parfait cup? It might just be a perfect lunch for those who crave ramen on the go.