Fage Mango and Guanabana 02-17-2011

Feelings: I eat Greek yogurt almost everyday. Since the bodega in my building at work sells a variety of Fage products, I have become quite addicted to Fage Total with honey. They recently started carrying Fage's new 0% with flavor line, and I had to try what mango and guanabana would taste like.

I cannot say I love it, but I find the texture of mango-guanabana to be very interesting and resembling lychee. I still prefer the honey flavor, but when I want a little bit of exotic South American treat, I know where I can grab it from.

Goat Town 02-19-2011

Location: 511 E. 5th St.
Time: 1pm
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: I planned on trying the new Japanese joint, Ichibantei in East Village, but upon arrival, I was disappointed to realized they had absolutely no vegetarian option. It was an especially windy and brisk afternoon, and the hungry family of three needed a brunch spot immediately. Then, I remember Sekita's post about the new American eatery, Goat Town conveniently nearby.

This cozy spot is modern and rustic with chic decor, and I especially enjoyed their tiled booth seats. The staff was cheery and attentive, and they were very kind to us who could easily be seen as annoying customers with a baby in a stroller. I appreciated that they were cool without a hint of pretentiousness, which is extremely difficult to find in Manhattan nowadays.

I ordered the Fried Egg Sandwich ($11, two organic eggs, shaved country ham, which I ordered without and Gruyere cheese on a buttered roll with fries and a salad), which was quite a great deal with a lot of food. The eggs were fresh and perfectly cooked, and as I bit into them, the yolks got harmoniously mixed with cheese that created a delicious texture. The fries were thickly cut and heavenly crispy without being overly greasy. I would highly recommend their fries.

RB's "Hungry Goat" ($18, two eggs any style, Yukon potato pancakes, toast and choice of two sides-sausage and salad) sounds like a lot of food, but from the look of it, my $11 dish came with more food. He enjoyed the flavorful dish, but he was slightly underwhelmed and said it was a bit unmemorable. (This could be because he had a heck of a sinus cold.) There are many restaurants such as Goat Town especially in Brooklyn, so he might have a hard time remembering this place. Perhaps he should check my blog more often.

Despite RB's food memory issue, I enjoyed their overall grown-up atmosphere and fresh ingredients. I am looking forward to having another brunch at their backyard space when the weather gets warmer.

Sayonara Flushing Mall Food Court 02-23-2011

Feelings: We have so many food related memories at the Flushing Mall. It is tragic that the food court will be demolished some time in 2012. Read more here. (Thanks AP for the link!)

Desi Food Truck 02-18-2011

Location: 50th St b/w 6th and 7th ave.
Time: 1pm

Feelings: The weather was just perfect at around 60, and people were lining up everywhere for food trucks last Friday. One such line was the Indian food vendor, Desi Truck. I usually avoid Indian food at work for two major reasons: 1) The smell 2) Indian food most definitely always most of the time gives me a stomachache. I am not sure which of the commonly used Indian ingredients give me stomach issues, but when SaSha mentioned about Desi Truck, I had to try it on this warm, food truck friendly day.

I ordered their Vegetarian Platter ($6), which consisted of dal, rice, vegetables, salad and garlic pickles. It was also supposed to come with dessert, but they somehow forgot it. Luckily, there was no need for dessert since the platter was enormous and quite a good deal despite its unappetizing appearance. It really looked like something Oscar the Grouch would take pleasure in eating, but it tasted delicious nonetheless. It was flavorful and mildly spiced, and the rice was cooked very well. If you are the type that eats with your eyes or do not want to be judged by your co-workers, I would recommend ordering Kati Rolls, which seemed to be the popular order. As I now see on Midtown Lunch, the Kati Rolls are much prettier and seem more office lunch friendly.

Needless to say, the aroma of Vegetarian Platter wafted throughout my cubical area, and my indigestion gave an unproductive afternoon. That day, I promised myself to only order kati rolls when it comes to Indian lunch.

Ippudo in Midtown!? 02-22-2011

Feelings: Ippudo is coming to Midtown!?? Check here. (Thanks SaSha!)

Il Cantuccio 02-17-2011

Location: 91 Christopher St.
Time: 12:30pm
People: SaSha and myself

Feelings: This is a quintessential New York moment. On our way to Marc Jacobs' "10 Yr Anniversary MbMJ Pop-up Shop," which was a bit of a disappointment, we came across a cute Italian bakery with a sign that says "Best Sandwich in NYC."

The decor is rustic and modern, and with amicable Italian service and the Italian speaking customers while sipping cappuccino, it truly made me feel like I was in Florence. There were too many delicious options to choose from, especially the pastries, and I appreciated that they listed all their detailed ingredients. I made sure I had Lactaid and ordered mozzarella, tomatoes and basil on focaccia bread ($8.50). Coming from a bakery, the bread was the star of this sandwich. It was crispy outside, and soft and delicate inside. As a overall sandwich, however, it was a bit too salty and underwhelming. Perhaps next time, I'll try their potato focaccia or brioche sandwiches.

We of course did not leave without picking up their cantucci, at the steep price of $7.45 per a quarter of pound (about 4-5 cookies). But it is worth every lira, euro, or penny. They were little scrumptious flavors of heaven, and Paula Deen would be pleasantly surprised that they do not contain any butter. I tried three different flavors: hazelnut, fig, and chocolate, and they all contained a nice, soft and chewy texture. The chocolate one was especially mouthwatering with a chunk of creamy dark chocolate at the center.

Save your airfare. There is already a tiny piece of Italy here. I would sit delightfully for hours at Il Cantuccio with a cup of coffee and cantucci. It is kids friendly as well, so I could bring CK here for a little taste of Italy.

Ramen Trip to Tokyo! 02-17-2011

Feelings: StevenC sent me this link about a Tokyo ramen tour organized by NYT Go group. Sounds fun!

Q&A with R&F: Exclusive One on One with StevenC

Feelings: It is yet time for another One on One with R&F. Previously, we interviewed ALev, MGru, RB, JLam, TrishP, BLee, GB, JBH, Jim, and most recently, JR from Rath & Co.

Today, we got a close up on StevenC, a LA native and quite a talented fashion photographer and creative branding guru. We are always exchanging info on sample sales, parties, and of course, food.

R&F: Who are you?
StevenC: I'm Steven C.
R&F: What do you do?
StevenC: Photographer & Creative Brand Consultant.
R&F: What do you do for fun?
StevenC: Explore the city - Ride my bike, go to films and art shows, find good food. Cut people's hair...
R&F: Where can we find you?
StevenC: Locked in my room, locked in my friend's gallery on Greene street, or locking eyes... with you! Sorry, I'm corny today.
R&F: Your blog or website?
StevenC: Photography: stevenchustudio.com
Web & Brand Consulting: web.stevenchustudio.com
R&F: Your favorite food?
StevenC: Chinese! The Meatball Shop, fried foods are a guilty pleasure.
R&F: Your favorite drink?
StevenC: It's between a chocolate milkshake, a mojito, or a taro milk tea.
R&F: Your favorite restaurant(s)?
StevenC: Vanessa's Dumplings in the LES, Pure Thai in HK, The Meatball Shop in LES, and my new discovery Cha Chan Tang in Manhattan Chinatown.
R&F: LA vs NY?
StevenC: Well... Chinese and Mexican and Korean is just so much better in LA.
R&F: Your most horrific food experience?
StevenC: Oh plenty - a bowl of barley goo (ie. "tsampa dessert" at Tsampa), allergic reactions again and again (until I finally learned my lesson) from cheap Chinatown food (not to be confused with the cheap Chinese food places outside of Chinatown). What are they putting in there! Some strange bulker. ick.
R&F: Your most memorable food outing?
StevenC: Taste Good in Elmhurst & Ocean Jewel Seafood Restaurant! Though Noodle Village had decent food too.
R&F: Do models really eat? What do they eat?
StevenC: Air molecules coming from my nice hot plate of food.
R&F: Tell me what you ate today.
StevenC: A 30 second spaghetti concoction I threw together in a Tupperware container as I ran out the door to work this morning. Hey now, I normally whip up a fancy tasting meal though.

R&F: Any message(s) for Ramen and Friends?
StevenC: Are there any amazing $15 and under buffets in this city? I grew up with like.. $5 endless bowl of tortilla soup, and endless bowl of fries from restaurant chains in Los Angeles. just wondering!
Oh ps. I do go for $3 frozen margaritas and pina coladas with free bean and cheese tortillas at Tequilas Mexican Grill in Chelsea!
Oh pps. Do you still remember how I have a food map plotted out of places to eat in NYC? Hahahah.
R&F: I'm still waiting for that food map.

Chocolove 02-14-2011

Feelings: I have always hated the Valentine's Day. In Japan, where women are expected to be reserved, Valentine's Day is the one day for women to express their love for men by giving them chocolates. Forget that. Every day should be the expression of love regardless of how many times Patti Stanger says women should not be "the hunter." Besides, CK has been sick since last week, and with an ER scare, RB and I have not been in the mood for such a silly holiday.

But on this Valentine's Day, RB brought home two hopelessly romantic and incredibly cheesy chocolate bars called "Chocolove" from Garden of Eden. There is even a nifty love poem inside! Delicious high quality dark chocolate, love poems, and a bit of a laugh? What else can a girl want?

Happy Valentine's Day from Ramen and Friends!

Noodle Village 02-08-2011

Location: 13 Mott St.
Time: 7:30pm
People: 20 Rabbity Ramen and Friends: ALev, MLev, MGru from Dessert Landscape, JLam from MeSoHungry, LauraE, TrishP, MGill, Jill, Sekita from KikaEats, Rich, JRath from Rath & Co., Mike, SaSha from Tea Happiness, MerryL, Yasmin, StevenC, PMont, BLee, Caylin and myself

Feelings: The festive Ramen and Friends crew celebrated the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit at Noodle Village in Chinatown. As an organizer, hosting a monthly outing could be overwhelming and tedious (Lotus of Siam was a nightmare.), but this was the easiest transaction of Ramen and Friends history. They were superbly accommodating to 20 of us, and they even called me to see what sort of table arrangement we wanted.

Many of us thought the service was attentive, and both SaSha and Jill mentioned that the servers kept filling their cups of hot tea. "Service was better than expected," MerryL added. "They were very nice and accommodating, especially since a group like ours is probably their biggest nightmare."

The fried pork dumplings and scallion pancakes were a big hit of the appetizers. They should really call the scallion pancakes "scallion donut" due to its interesting shape. The dough had a good chewy texture, and the filling was flavorful. I also enjoyed their homemade rice crepes that came with creamy sesame sauce. They were the Chinese equivalent of peanut butter sandwiches with delicious carb and filling nuttiness.

As MerryL pointed out, their non noodle dishes were ironically better than most noodle dishes. "Bland, bland, bland," MGru referred to her noodle dishes, but her curry and rice hot pot had more flavor. MGill also enjoyed the rice hot pot with pork and salted fish and eloquently explained,"The rice was just right- sticky, chewy, and on the edge of pot, crunchy without being dried out. The bits of salted fish were a smack of flavor, even more so than other places I've had." This guy should have his own food blog.

Sekita thought her curry dish, oxtail with curry sauce lo mein was "rich, slightly spicy and really flavorful." While everyone enjoyed their more bold flavored curry or meat based dishes, BLee's and my shrimp dumpling noodles were more sensible and mild. It is difficult to find gingerly flavored Chinese food in the U.S., so this was a welcoming surprise. The portion was small, and MGill agreed that overall, portions at this joint "were intended for solo orders, rather than family style."

As SaSha said, the food here was not as greasy or heavy, which I particularly enjoyed. No wonder this is one of RB's favorite lunch spots. This is the kind of Chinese food I could have everyday without feeling sick, but at the same time, it is a bit unmemorable. $13.50 per person for sharing quite a lot of dishes was such a great deal, and Noodle Village will definitely considered to be one of the better Ramen and Friends outings of this coming year.

Taco Truck vrs the City! 02-10-2011

Feelings: My co-worker just sent me this link about Paty's Taco Truck filing a lawsuit against the city. "This might be a ground-breaking lawsuite for food trucks, " she said, and I can't agree with her more.

Montreal Bagel Shop is coming... 02-09-2011

Feelings: I just saw that the new Montreal style bagel shop is opening up in my neighborhood, Atlantic Avenue and Clinton Street to be precise. I usually get my bagels from La Bagel on Court Street, but can Brooklyn bagels compete against the Montreal style bagels? Stay tuned!

Blue Fin 02-04-2011

Location: 1567 Broadway
Time: 12:30pm
People: FA and myself

Feelings: Fran Lebowitz once said, “If…you run into another New Yorker in Times Square, it’s like running into somebody in a gay bar in the 70’s.” She is right. With this in mind, I ran to Blue Fin. This seafood restaurant is possibly the only spot in the area without any theme, tacky decor or singing waiters, so I didn't feel embarrassed once I got there. Since it was restaurant week, I thought there might be more vast clientele besides tourists and entitled businessmen, but I was wrong. Don Draper of today would definitely choose to close a business deal here.

The service was on the slow side, but we thoroughly enjoyed the starters of Tuna Tartare (with wonton crackers, sesame, ginger, avocado and sriracha) and Warm Baked Goat Cheese (with beets, baby arugula, and balsamic vinaigrette). The baked goat cheese on the salad was a nice addition, and I appreciated the little twist of what would have been an ordinary beet salad with goat cheese.

My Crispy Skin Salmon (with maple roasted butternut squash, brussels sprouts, apple brown butter) was perfectly cooked, and rustic flavor of squash complimented the delicate salmon. FA also enjoyed his Crab Cakes (with sweet and sour cucumber salad, cilantro aioli, toasted peanuts), and they certainly were packed with big chunks of crab. For dessert, I would recommend Chocolate Graham Cracker S'Mores for a little dense chocolate heaven with gooey toasted marshmallow.

Both food and atmosphere are quite elegant here. I just wish the service was more attentive, but it is perfect if you like to be left alone when dining. So next time you run into someone in Times Square, don't be embarrassed. Just say, "I'm on my way to Blue Fin."

Mint Tea from Harney and Sons 02-05-2011

Location: 433 Broome St.

Feelings: I do something several times a everyday that would be frowned upon in Japan. I drink tea from tea bags. I am a busy fashion obsessed new mom with a full time job, and I just don't have time to enjoy tea properly. Actually, that's a lie. I've been using tea bags even before I became a mom. When I do want to enjoy the proper tea, I head over to Cha-An in East Village for some pu erh, but on daily basis, I enjoy my plebeian tea dust bag collection: ginger, mint, hojicha, raspberry leaf and oolong.

I have been meaning to try the new tea store in SoHo, Harney and Sons ever since I heard from SaSha and RB. Since there have been more sample sales in SoHo recently, it would be a good excuse to be down there during lunch break. But alas, I never make it there. Thankfully, RB works close to the store, and he surprised me with a box of Tilleul Mint tea bags. You can read more about the store on SaSha's tea blog here.

First of all, this is not a tea bag. It's a "whole leaf tea sachet." Tea bags have such a negative connotation nowadays, unfortunately linked to the unfortunate political movement. But this mint tea sachet has high quality loose tea inside without any bitter hint of Fox News. It has a refreshing yet not overpowering mint flavor, and it is overall quite light and soothing. Sashay away, tea bags. I can't wait to try more of these convenient yet delicious tea sachets from Harney and Sons.

$10 Open Bar at TriBeCafe! 02-02-2011

Feelings: The formerly occupied Tokyo Bar is now TriBeCafe, and they are celebrating its one year anniversary on February 9th. They will be having $10 open bar from 6pm to 1am that includes beer, wine and soft drinks. Check here for more details!

Happy Setsubun & the Year of Rabbit Tomorrow! 02-02-2011

Feelings: Don't forget, tomorrow is Setsubun! This year's "lucky direction" is Southeast. Get or make some uncut sushi roll, face the lucky direction, and eat it in silence for good luck. Also, it is only one day away from the Chinese New Year, the Year of Rabbit! Oh, so many festivities, so little time!