NYC: Momofuku Noodle Bar...Why the Hype?

I've made it pretty clear that my favorite ramen noodle joint in NYC is Ippudo.  The biggest contender in the city seems to be Momofuku Noodle Bar, but with all the hype, I've been resistent to go check it out.

I ate at Momofuku Ssam Bar over a year ago (pre-blog) and with much anticipation. I was sadly disappointed - probably the reason why I didn't feel the urgent need to try another David Chang restaurant.  At Ssam Bar, we tried their pork buns but they just didn't hold up to Ippudo's.  I do like that David Chang uses thinly sliced cucumber in his buns which makes it a bit lighter and refreshing along with extra thick cut pork belly. Still, I prefer Ippudo's with its spicy mayo flavor.

I guess I came to Momofuku ready to be disappointed, but I was in some ways hoping to be pleasantly surprised.  Let me start off by saying that I was really impressed that David Chang orders so much (if not all) his ingredients from local farmers.  One of the chalk menus on the wall included a pretty long list of the local farms - kuddos to him on that front.

While we were waiting for Yumi, Ethan and I tried their frozen soju cocktails. They had four flavors: flor de jamaica, yuzu palmer, lychee, and limeade and we tried all four of them.  My favorites were flor de jamaica (mild and floral) and limeade (very strong and it'll make your mouth pucker up).

Frozen Flor de Jamaica Soju

Frozen Yuzu Palmer

Frozen Lychee Soju

Frozen Limeade Soju (with a mint sprig)

Appetizers:  Yumi and I ordered the pork buns (2 per order) and Ethan ordered the tamale trio (chicken mole, pork kimchi, jalepeno queso).  Let me start with the pork buns.  They looked gorgeous and just looking at the photos again makes me salivate and want to stuff my face... but then again it wasn't that great the first time around. It wasn't bad, I just think when up against Ippudo, I'd rather have an Ippudo pork bun.  I wasn't that excited about the tamales either.  They all tasted very similar for some reason and  were a bit dry.

The Noodles:  The three of us ordered the same momofuku ramen (pork belly, pork shoulder, poached egg).  I'm not saying it was bad, it was fine, but even after the first couple bites, I knew Ippudo remains #1.  I did like the big fatty chunks of pork belly but the broth didn't seem as complex in flavor as Ippudo's and the consistency of the noodles was more al dente than I care for.

Conclusion:  I don't think I'll be coming back, but I'm glad I tried it.

Momofuku Noodle Bar (map)
171 1st Avenue (between 10th & 11th)
New York, NY 10003

NYC: Han Bat Korean Restaurant

This is my favorite Korean go-to restaurant in all of Manhattan.  It might've been my cousin Ester who introduced me to this restaurant years ago when I first moved to New York City, and what a find.  My two favorite dishes here are Pajun (seafood pancake) and Gop Dol Bi Bim Bap.  I always leave here painfully full.  It's just too hard to stop eating even when you think your last bite will be your last...it never is.

Here's why these are my favorite dishes...the Pajun is perfectly crispy on the outside and chock full of seafood and scallions on the inside without being greasy.  What a wonderful combination of flavors and textures.  The Gop Dol Bi Bim Bap is the BEST in all of New York.  Bi Bim Bap is a bowl of rice, assorted vegetables, beef and a fried egg on top.  You mix in some guchujang (hot chili paste) and  you mix it all up.  Gop Dol or Dol Sot, is a stone bowl used to serve your bi bim bap extra hot.  This is my favorite Korean dish, and since it's something you can't really replicate at home unless you have a stone bowl, this is the place where I go when I have this special craving.  No other Korean restaurant makes their stone bowl as hot as Hanbat.  The best part of this dish is scrapping the bottom to get the crunchy burnt rice.  After eating here a few dozen times, I've finally mastered the mixing technique to maximize the surface of burnt rice in my bowl...my mouth is watering right now just thinking about eating here again.

Ban chan

Pajun

Bul Go Gi

Gop Dol Bi Bim Bap

All mixed up

Han Bat (map)

53 W. 35th Street (near 6th Avenue)

New York, NY 10018

NYC: Sundaes and Cones

Sundaes and Cones, what a great little homemade ice cream shop on a beautiful tree lined street in the East Village.  It's also right around the corner from Ippudo, so it's perfect for getting dessert right after dinner.  I got a scoop of Taro Root.  They do have other standard flavors too, but their unique flavors, such as Lychee, sesame, wasabi, etc add a bit of twist to this place.

I love this little secret ice cream shop. There aren't a lot of seats inside, but there's a couple benches outside where you can sit if it's a nice day. I can't wait to go back here again!

They also take custom cake orders as well.

Sundaes and Cones (map)
95 East 10th Street (bet. 3rd and 4th Ave)
New York, NY 10003

NYC: Frankies 457 (Brooklyn)

I came here this past weekend to meet a friend for dinner.  Scott lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn so we decided to go to Frankies 457.  They have another location in Manhattan but any excuse to come to my former borough makes me happy.  Coming down to Brooklyn really made me miss my old neighborhood (Brooklyn Heights).  On our way to dinner we picked up some bagels at Montague Bagels (aka, "Hot Bagels"), the very best bagels in world...yes, the best in the WORLD!

We decided to go out for Italian since Ethan and I are planning a trip to Italy in June.  Scott's been to Italy several times, and we thought coming to Frankies would get us in the mood and he can share some of his secret places we have to check out.  I've actually been wanting to come here to Frankies for some time now, but never quite made until now.  The restaurant is in a beautiful, intimate space that really makes you want to kick back and enjoy dinner and conversation with great friends.  It does get pretty crowded but we never felt rushed.  We ended up sitting at the bar, which was perfectly comfortable for the three of us.

We started off with three orders of the Crostini: Lardo, Guanciale, and mushroom:

Antipasti

It took me a little while to figure out what I wanted.  The menu isn't very big at all, which is always a good sign.  You hope that with such a small menu, whatever you end up ordering it's going to be good.  Scott ordered the Gnocchi, I ordered the meatballs and Ethan ordered the Cavatelli.  The winner of the night was hands down the Cavatelli.  The pasta looked like little worms, but oh my gosh, they tasted so good.  The gnocchi was good, but it didn't really stand out in flavor.  My meatballs were a bit disappointing.  They weren't bad, but I was hoping for more flavor especially since it included pine nuts and raisins.  There weren't many raisins (very tiny little bit)...plus, I should've known better.  Ethan makes a amazing meatballs with pine nuts and currants - his are definitely better.

House-made Gnocchi Marinara and Fresh Ricotta

Meatballs with pine nuts and raisins

House-made Cavatelli with Faiccos Hot Sausage & Browned Sage Butter

For dessert, Scott and Ethan both ordered the Ricotta Cheese Cake and I ordered the Tiramisu.  The cheese cake was a bit dry and cake-y but the Tiramisu was delicious!  The next time I come back, I know what I would order.  Maybe next time I'll have to come for brunch.


Frankies 457 (map)
457 Court Street (bet. Luquer & 4th Place)
Brooklyn, NY 11231

NYC: Cachapas Y Mas - Venezuelan Sandwiches

Since I moved to Inwood last July, I really haven't explored many of the restaurants in the neighborhood.  It was Friday and I was craving something local, so Ethan suggested Cachapas Y Mas - our first time here.

We both ordered the patacones, which is fried green plantain smashed into a tortilla shape and used as the bread.  Ethan ordered the Chicharron (fried pork) and I ordered the Pernil (roasted pork).  Both were good...I wouldn't say great, but I really have to give this place one more chance.  Maybe next time I'll have to try the Cachapas (baby corn cakes), or the Arepas.

The space is really small, only two booths and four stools facing the front window.  There was a constant flow of people coming in and out, most people were taking their food to go.  I really had high hopes for falling in love this this fried plantain sandwich - everything about this included something I would love.  The only problem was that it really did feel quite heavy and greasy - not that that's bad, but as much sauce I would put on it, it just tasted kind of bland.  I will definitely be coming back to check out more items on their menu.

Patacones Chicharron (fried pork)

Patacones (fried green plantain)

Cachapas Y Mas (map)

107 Dyckman Street (bet. Nagle & Post Ave)

New York, NY 10040

NYC: Barney Greengrass

After my last post on Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, I thought it would be only fitting to do a post on Barney Greengrass - The Sturgeon King, my favorite New York City deli. My husband Ethan and I have been going here for a while now and we always take our out-of-town guests here. Of course there's 2nd Avenue Deli, Katz's Deli, Carnegie Deli, etc...the list goes on.

A few things to know when you come here to eat. Be prepared to order quickly. Save the conversation until after you've given your order. My favorite is the hot pastrami with coleslaw on rye. Unlike other deli's oversized sandwiches, Barney Greengrass sandwiches are reasonably sized for an average American (wink to Lexanonymous). If you come on a weekend, you definitely have to order the latkes since it's only available on the weekends. The Latkes come with sour cream and apple sauce - a true taste of heaven. Ethan often orders one of the triple decker sandwiches. On this day, he ordered the pastrami and tongue with coleslaw on rye. The sturgeon is also great, a bit expensive, but something really good to try while you're here...I mean, he is the "King". On this visit, Cecilia (Ethan's sister) ordered the cheese blintze with jam. I had a little taste and it was great.

Latkes with a dolup of applesauce and sour cream

Hot Pastrami with Coleslaw

Triple Decker: Pastrami and Tongue with Coleslaw

Cheese Blintz with Jam

Pick up a black and white cookie before you leave!  It's not the oversized ones you usually see, but a great little sweetness to linger in you mouth as you walk out the door.  

Barney Greengrass (map)

541 Amsterdam Ave (bet. 86th & 87th)

New York, NY 10024

NYC: Bar Breton

It was a Thursday night when we went to Bar Breton.  The chef, Cyril Renaud, previously opened a restaurant called Fleur de Sel which received a star from Michelin three years in a row.  When he closed Fleur de Sel in 2008/2009, he opened up Bar Breton, a brasserie style restaurant.  With such a stellar resume and reviews, why was I so disappointed?  Maybe the word disappointed is a bit too strong.  I had pretty high hopes, and it's not that the food was bad, it just wasn't amazing.

I ordered the Cauliflower Gratin to start - good, but nothing really special.  In fact, it didn't have much flavor.  For my entree, I had my eye on the Salmon with Lentils, but once I heard the special, I ordered the Black Sea Bass.

Ethan ordered the House Smoked Salmon with horseradish creme, shallots, chives, and radish.  It was quite good and the flavors really complimented each other.  The only downside was the portion--more along the lines of an appetizer rather than an entree...I noticed Ethan eating slower than he normally does just to keep pace with the rest of us.

For dessert, we shared the Nutella Galette.  It was good, but the Chocolate Mousse ordered by our friends is better if you are in the mood for something more rich and chocolaty.  Since I didn't order a savory galette (they're known for their galettes), I thought we should get one for dessert.

Nutella Galette

One thing I was quite impressed with was the selection of gluten free dishes which was a majority of the items on the menu.  I think I would like to try the brunch menu sometime.

Bar Breton
254 5th Avenue (map)
New York, NY 10001-6406
(212) 213-4999

NYC: Ippudo -Japanese Noodles and Pork Buns

Ippudo is by far my favorite ramen noodle joint and pork buns in all of NYC. I started going here when they first opened--back when they used huge chunks of flavorful pork belly in the pork buns and when you order a bowl of ramen noodles you could order extra pork belly which would also be a huge chunk.  But times are tough and the pork belly has gotten a bit thinner, still it's still awfully good!  Keep an eye out for a future Momofuku posting.

Keep in mind that you'll likely have to wait for a table for at least an hour.  We went on a Friday at about 6:30pm.  If you go between Monday and Thursday, they have beer specials: 2 for 1 until a certain time - maybe until 7pm.  If you go early enough when dinner first opens, you might get lucky and get seated right away (if you have only a couple people in your party).  Otherwise, just lean up against the bar and have a drink.  I unfortunately had two Kirin's at the bar, so by the time we sat down to eat, I was already a bit tipsy.

We ordered a couple Hirata Pork Buns at the bar, so we ordered the "Tofu Hot Pot" (I can't find their Japanese name from their menu online) when we sat down at our table - this is so amazingly awesome!  I haven't ordered this in a while, b/c we usually order the pork buns for our appetizer instead, but I guess that's another good thing for the wait...eating pork buns and overhearing a first date next to us ; )

We've been to Ippudo many times and Ethan and our friends often try all different kinds of ramen noodles, but from our experience and opinion, the Akamaru Modern Ramen Noodles are the BEST.  Akamaru Modern is described as "'the original tonkotsu' soup noodles with Ippudo's special sauce, miso paste and fragrant garlic oil, slices of simmered berkshire pork, cabbage, onions, kikurage & scallions".

I love how the bar countertops are made up of square bunches of ramen...very creative.

A bite out of my pork bun

Tofu Hot Pot in action

Akamaru Modern Ramen

Ippudo

65 4th Avenue (between 9th & 10th Street) (map)

New York, NY 10003

(212) 388-0088

NYC: Shake Shack (Upper West Side)

I've been dying to try Shake Shack for  years!  I have no idea what's taken me so long to go, I mean, the main midtown location isn't too far away from my office...maybe it's the wait, maybe the hype.  Well, I have to say that it is definitely worth all the hype.  Ethan and I finally checked it out tonight for dinner and I was in heaven!  I can't wait to go back again.

Let me start with what makes this place so good...to me.  I'm obsessed with burgers.  It's my biggest weakness and if there's only one thing I could eat for the rest of my life, it would be a bacon cheeseburger.  Anyway, the Shake Shack burger not only uses really good quality ingredients but it has the perfect bun to meat ratio.  I was pretty happy that they use American cheese for their burger - it's my favorite choice of cheese for burgers.  It's not overpowering, or greasy, but creamy and melts just perfectly.  I (being the piggy that I am) ordered the Double ShackBurger (American cheese, lettuce, tomato and Shack sauce).  Ethan ordered the same thing but with a single patty.  I think the next time I go, and I'm starving, I'll get two Singles.  The fries come separately, but what's a burger without fries?  And what's a burger and fries without a shake?  I ordered a strawberry shake and Ethan ordered a chocolate malt.  He wasn't that impressed with the malt since he said he couldn't taste much of the malt powder.  Mine was excellent, no complaints from me.

This past Summer when we were in Colorado, we went to a burger joint called Lark Burger which was also really good.  They were actually comparable tasting burgers.  The size is a bit deceiving (both the LarkBurger and the ShakeBurger), but with the fries AND shake, it's quite filling.  A great recommendation from my brother.  The next time we're out there, I MUST get another LarkBurger.

Single ShackBurger on the Left and Double on the Right

ShackBurger - Double

Yummmm...mmmm...mmmm

Strawberry Milkshake

Shake Shack (map)

366 Columbus Avenue (at 77th Street)
646-747-8770

NYC: New Leaf Cafe

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and I had to get out of the apartment.  Ethan (husband) and I went for a walk to the Cloisters, then grabbed brunch at the New Leaf Cafe.  I've been here once before with a couple friends and the only thing I remember was that it took way too long for us to get our food.  This time around the service was very fast and I was quite pleased with the food (at least my food), maybe because it was just the two of us.  There is an outdoor area which is a great place to sit on warmer days.

Brunch came with a complimentary glass of fresh squeezed orange juice or grapefruit juice.  I ordered the Croque Monsieur smoked ham, gruyere, brioche, bechamel sauce with two eggs sunnyside up.  It was good and filling...I probably didn't need to get the two eggs since I'm sure the sandwich alone would have been more than enough.  Ethan ordered the German Style Baked Apple Pancake with Vermont Maple Syrup. The pancake looked pretty but didn't really have much umph.  It looked like they forgot to fill in the pancake with....food.  For $18, it's definitely not something to get again.  Luckily I was feeling generous, so I shared my sandwich.

Aside from the food, I really enjoyed the photographs of squash all over the restaurant.  It wasn't until we were walking out, that I noticed they displayed the book which all of the photos were based.  The book is called "The Compleat Squash: The Passionate Growers Guide to Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourds".

The New Leaf Cafe

German Style Baked Apple Pancake

Croque Monsieur with two eggs sunnyside up

The New Leaf Cafe (map)

1 Margaret Corbin Drive

212-568-5323 

NYC: Obao Noodles & Grill

We tried Obao on a Thursday night and it was in general pretty good and as to be expected. I wasn't feeling overly ambitious today, but something asiany sounded perfect. A definite good place to go if you're in midtown, but I wasn't crazy for it.

For our appetizer, we ordered the pork belly skewer. This was pretty tasty with a nice sweet taste. I'd order this again if I wasn't on a diet.

For dinner, I ordered the grilled pork & shrimp cucumber salad, herbs and lime dressing with a fried spring roll. This was just what I wanted and I was really happy with this dish. The Laksa was a disappointment. One of my favorite Singaporean dishes and it was totally NOT even close to authentic. I would try something different next time, if there is a next time...

Grilled pork & shrimp left and Singapore Laksa on the right

Obao (map)
222 East 53rd Street (between 2nd & 3rd Ave)