Cuba Coming Soon

I spent a life-changing seven days in Havana (la Habana) Cuba with a very special group of researchers studying dance, music and culture. Everything was superb, including the food that’s made with no preservatives, fresh fruit juices and vegetables, and more.

Social Eating

 

You’re usually social (but maybe some times not if you’re typing away on your smartphone) when you’re eating and socialness is exactly the premise of this place.  I’m talking about Top Chef hottie Angelo Sosa’s restaurant, Social Eatz at 232 East 53rd Street. The restaurant opened in March so it’s still gaining a following, and if you catch it at the right time, you can still get a choice seat before it completely fills up. Since this restaurant practices what it preaches and is so socially connected on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and with Scoutmob, which offers “mobile deals fo the local curious,” upon my check-in here on Foursquare, I was able to get 50% off my entire bill thanks to them.

Described as American-Asian (very different than Asian-American) offering comfort foods with an Asian kick, the restaurant prides itself on offering a social experience and ”food values” by crafting its unique, yummy dishes with the highest quality ingredients – think certified organic vegetables and humane fish and meats, as well as the fact that most will appreciate everything on the menu is $15 or less – definitely something to cheers to.

To kick off the meal, I enjoyed a White Sangria made with mango, mango seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and pear. It’s a very unique take on a typical sangria, and the different flavors explode to create a drinking sensation as you’re taking each sip. However, what’s also cool about this place is that they offer seasonal sangria and a variety of seasonal drafts beer including their own Social Eatz brew.

To whet our appetite, we chose the Toga Rings which are crispy sweet onion rings sprinkled with the restaurant’s togarshi spiced salt and served with a side of spicy mayonnaise.  We also enjoyed the Edamame Fritters which feature ginger and citrus and served with a side of garlic mayonnaise (think mini falafels with an edamame flavor – yum!)

 

For the main course, I couldn’t pass up the Bibimbap Burger, Korean for “mixed meal” which is served with a slow cooked egg, lettuce and pickled carrot and cucumber (very spicy, but delightful). This burger has also been rated the “Greatest Burger in America” by Eater, so I couldn’t pass it up. I also enjoyed a side of the crispy fries and longevity sauce – cool!

If you like American and Asian, you’re in for a real treat. I’m still hankering to try so many things on the menu including their Crispy Spring Rolls, Mac & Cheese, Kung Pao Wow Sandwich, Korean Beef Tacos and maybe dessert if I can ever save room. Bring a friend and get social here!

“Forbidden” Japanese

Seriously, this should be forbidden it’s so good.  I’m talking about Koi at the Bryant Park Hotel at 40 W. 40th Street where I had the opportunity to eat with a friend this week.

Koi New York

Billed as “Japanese-inspired cuisine with California accents,” this takes the cake when it comes to Asian cuisine as it’s inventive, has a unique flair, and everything is downright yummy.

We started off with the Seaweed Medley Salad with cucumber in sweet vinegar, followed by the Koi Crispy Rice (a true signature) featuring spicy tuna and yellowtail tartare (yes, admittedly I got seconds), the Tuna Tartare with crispy wontons, and the Creamy Rock Shrimp.  

Seaweed Medley

 

Koi Crispy Rice

 

Tuna Tartare

 

As if that weren’t enough, the food kept coming with the main courses including the Seared Golden Tilefish featuring Black “Forbidden Rice” and garnished with a Sesame Tomato Relish. Fun fact: The “forbidden rice” gets its name as during the Ting Dynasty, only the king was allowed to eat it.  The color makes it rich in antioxidants so it’s not only tasty, but good for you.  Following the Tilefish, we received a new dish, the Peppercorn Filet Mignon topped with truffled mashed potatoes (at which point I could only take a small slice and long for a nap asap)!

Seared Golden Tilefish with Forbidden Rice

Peppercorn Filet with Truffled Mashed Potatoes

To complete the meal, we enjoyed a taste of the Banana Spring Rolls which oozed with chocolate sauce and are served with a creamy anglaise for dipping.  Can it really get any better? 

Milk Chocolate Banana Spring Rolls

Now you know what I’m talking about when I say “forbidden,” but you should really try it for yourself – if you dare.  Bon appetit!

2011 New York City Wine & Food Festival

It’s a foodies’ dream to have the opportunity to attend one of the biggest food landmarks of the year – the New York City Wine &  Food Festival.  Fortunately, I had just that opportunity working with one of my food clients, Welch’s, over the weekend.

New York City Wine & Food Festival

My, oh my, especially at the Grand Tasting Pavilion do they offer row upon row of food, wine and spirits available for sampling.  Some of my favorites?

• American Express offered a VIP lounge catered by Tao and Lavo, with Tao offering a variety of selections including cucumber and spicy tuna sushi rolls, chicken satay with peanut sauce , a spicy thai dumpling soup and satay of chilean sea bass with wok roasted asparagus. Lavo provided infused cocktail selections with passion fruit and mango, among other flavors, as well as appetizers and signature sides such as its baked clams oreganato with toasted bread crumbs and butter and meatballs.

American Express VIP Lounge at the New York City Wine & Food Festival

•  Equinox offered coconut water in real coconuts!

Equinox at the New York City Wine & Food Festival

• Buitoni brought the spirit of Italy alive with its staged photo on their tricked out Vespa and also offered samples including their Chicken and Mushroom Ravioli and Wild Mushroom Agnolotti which you can buy in-store and prepare at home.

Buitoni at the New York City Wine & Food Festival

•  Anolon Gourmet Kitchenware always had a line as they served up crowd-favorite mini burgers topped with carmelized onions and basil mayo.

Anolon Cookware at the New York City Wine & Food Festival

• And Welch’s (whom I can’t fail to mention), had a photo booth vineyard, complete with fun props like purple boas, hats and purple mustaches, as well as copies of its new Taste the Harvest 2012 Guide with the good folks at Zagat, along with samples of its 100% White Grape Juice and 100% Grape Juice.  Alton Brown even paid a visit as the team coordinated media interviews with him prior.

Welch's Taste the Harvest Guide with Zagat 2012 at the New York City Wine & Food Festival

Welch's Taste the Harvest Photo Booth at the New York City Wine & Food Festival

Me with Alton Brown

• Curious to try your hand at hosting the Next Iron Chef? (Alton Brown, here I come!) Time Warner offered the opportunity to stand on stage and announce the show and sent participants their own personal video to share with friends. Here it is!

If your mouth is watering already, you can imagine how it felt navigating this place! One Twitter-er wrote that he was trying to keep it under 4,000 calories which sums it up pretty well.  For more on the festival, visit: www.nycwineandfoodfestival.com.

What’s up next? I think Napa is in the cards.

For the Greater Good

If you’ve seen the widget on the side of my blog, you know I’m a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher and while I rarely mention “promotions,” on my blog, this one is for the greater good, whether you’re a foodie or not.

On behalf of the Foodbuzz community, the good folks over at Yahoo! are donating $20,000 to Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit working to end childhood hunger in America. How does it work?  Just click here to make Yahoo! your homepage.  For all the people who make Yahoo! their homepage Yahoo! will make an additional donation. Yes, simple as that. If you feel so compelled, of course share this with your Facebook friends, Twitter tweeps, or just plain ol’ word of mouth. 

And don’t forget to check out all the cool ways Share Our Strength is working to improve help children in America and how you can make a difference, including opportunities to enjoy the finest foods and spirts from leading chefs and mixologists across the country! Yum!

Hamptons Part 2: B. Smith’s, Sen and Round Swamp Farm

If you read my part 1 Hamptons post, you know that going out to the Hamptons is a favorite pasttime of mine.  To continue my culinary adventures out East, last weekend I ventured to a few popular (and tasty) spots including B. Smith’s  and Sen in Sag Harbor (also the sister restauant to Phao Thai Kitchen in my part 1 post) and ended my journey at the renowned Round Swamp Farm in East Hampton.

B. Smith’s at Long Wharf at Bay Street in Sag Harbor is a long time favorite of mine, especially because the view is spectacular as it’s right by the water where the million dollar plus yachts dock.  My friend Kris and I enjoyed a lunch after the long traffic in, complete with some of the best East Coast oysters I’ve ever had (if you know me, West Coast Kumamotos are typically my first choice), grown right from the bay, along with a fresh watermelon margarita (super refreshing) and mussels.  If you’re in the mood for people watching, great views, and of course, some of the best seafood around, this is a must stop!

View from B. Smith's in Sag Harbor

Oysters at B. Smith's

Watermelon Margarita at B. Smith's

Mussels at B. Smith's

The second stop on our journey was dinner at Sen at 23 Main Street in Sag Harbor.  If you referenced my part 1 write up on its sister restaurant, Phao Thai Kitchen, you can imagine that the food here is just as much up to par. We enjoyed a starter course of Tuna Tartare with nori chips and sweet chili mayo to share and then moved to a collection of sushi rolls including the Rainbow Roll, Jalapeno Roll (warning: this one is very hot as expected) and the Garuda Roll (spicy tuna) which was a favorite among the table.

Cool tidbit: According to the site, Sen uses a Tensui Water Perfection System which means that all water used in food preparation, drinking and cleaning is filtered through a state-of-the art Tensui Water Perfection System to ensure the freshness and purity in everything that’s served.

Tuna Tartare at Sen

Sushi rolls at Sen

Rounding out our weekend, we made it just in time before the popular Round Swamp Farm market at 184 Three Mile Harbor Road in East Hampton. This market basically on the side of the road looks humble from the outside, but inside you can enjoy fresh, local produce, sauces, homemade pies and more.  It’s on the pricier side, but once you taste it, you can not only see the home grown love that goes into the food, but really the flavor of the ingredients grown right in their 20-acre backyard. And if the line is too long for you (or you’re trying to occupy the kiddies), you can say hi to the cute bunnies outside and the chickens running around. I enjoyed the guacamole and blue corn tortilla chips and sesame noodle salad.

Round Swamp Farm

Guacamole from Round Swamp Farm

Sesame Noodle Salad at Round Swamp Farm

Alas, another amazing weekend of eating out East.

Playing Chef & Mixologist

Last night I decided to hold an impromptu dinner party (also to help out some work colleagues) and was tasked with coming up with several recipes based on various flavor combinations including Fennel & Peri-Peri Sauce, Vermouth & Mustard Seed and Carmelized Honey & Adzuki Red Bean.  I was pretty amazed at what I was able to create on a whim and my friend who joined me for the dinner party said this is something I may want to consider doing more often. It was great feeling this inspired.  Cooking school in the future perhaps?

Below are the concotions I came up with for your viewing (and eating/drinking) pleasure. Enjoy!

Prepping

This Black Bean and Couscous Salad is reminiscent of a Moroccan restaurant I ate at a couple years ago and is really easy to create.  It’s also healthy and filling and one of the most important things to me is feeling satisfied after a meal. It’s important to me to eat slowly to savor all the flavors and enjoy my company:

Black Bean and Couscous Salad with Fennel & Peri-Peri  (Serves 8)*

Recipe:

• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Dash of Fennel & Peri-Peri sauce
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained

Directions:

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add the bell pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat.
3. Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Add a dash of the Fennel & Peri-Peri Sauce to taste.  Serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

*Some of this recipe content was taken from allrecipes.com.

Black Bean and Couscous Salad with Fennel & Peri-Peri

Vermouth Summer: 

I created this delightful summer cocktail with Vermouth & Mustard Seed. While most Vermouth drinks usually call for olives, I swapped this out with the ground mustard seed as it gives it a little lighter flavor while still giving it the salty taste usually indicative of the olive brine.  I topped off with Absolut Pears Vodka to make it a bit sweeter combination.  Enjoying drinks with friends is one of my favorite pastimes, and this cocktail reminds me of summer days sitting on a friend’s rooftop or laying back in a chair relaxing at the pool at my Hamptons summer share house:

Recipe:

• 1 ½ oz Dry Totsi Vermouth
• 1/8 teaspoon McCormick Ground Mustard
• 1 ½ oz. Absolut Pears Vodka

Directions:

• Pour Vermouth into glass over ice, add a pinch ground mustard and stir.
• Top glass with Absolut Pears Vodka and mix until light green.
• Enjoy!
  

  Vermouth Summer

Henny Honey Remixed:

This cocktail is a bit more for the fall, but is really nice with the touch of basil – try it out for your next nightcap.

• 1 ½ oz Hennessy Cognac
• 1 ½ oz. Grapefruit Jiuice
• ½ oz caramelized honey
• Adzuki red bean paste
• 6 basil leaves

Directions:

1. Bruise basil leaves in and shake.
2. Add ice and pour cognac, grapefruit juice and ½ oz. of the caramelized honey. Shake vigorously.
3. Garnish with Adzuki red bean paste on rim and a basil leaf for presentation.
4. Enjoy!
   

   Henny Honey Remixed

Hamptons Part 1: Phao Thai Kitchen

It’s a given that if you don’t find me in the city, I’ll likely be out in the Hamptons as it’s been an annual engagement each summer since I moved to New York.  Luckily, there are of course plenty of culinary options out East and no shortage of delicious.

This weekend I re-visited one of my favorites, Phao Thai Kitchen, at 29 Main Street in Sag Harbor. While we waited for our table, we had the opportunity to imbibe the concoctions including Devilish Romance that I ordered which includes champagne and St. Germain (elderflower); it was sweet and naughty, so very aptly named. My friend enjoyed the Midnight Lemonade:

Midnight Lemonade and Devilish Romance

To start, we ordered the Fresh Basil Rolls which included fresh-cut local vegetables with mint, Thai basil, fresh herbs, angel hair rice noodles and poached shrimp in a rice paper wrapper with Sriracha-honey dipping sauce. We also shared the Roti Paratha, crisp grilled Indian flatbread served with yellow curry dipping sauce (ask for more curry sauce, it’s addictive!). 

For my main, I chose the Green Curry Chicken which came with fresh green chili sautéed with garlic, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, sweet basil leaves, Thai coconut milk, red and green bell peppers, eggplant, golden squash and onion.  Phao indicates what dishes are spicy with a red pepper on the menu and this one was indeed hot (heed the warnings), but delicious!

Green Curry Chicken

The menu is great for vegetarians as well as my friend enjoyed the Roti Paratha to start and Summer Vegetable Prik Pao which includes golden squash, zucchini, onions, red and green bell peppers, eggplant bamboo shoots, cashews, fried tofu, and Thai basil in a garlic red chili sweet/sour sauce:

Summer Vegetable Prik Pao

Overall, the cocktails will keep you coming back for more, the food is excellent, there are great options to satisfy both the meat and non meat eaters, and the ambiance is perfect whether you’re on a date or just enjoying an intimate dinner with a group of friends.

If you go: Tell Tora I sent you.  Allow enough time for parking and relax and enjoy!

Brunching

I’m back!  I do apologize for the delay in postings, dear readers, as I failed to bring you any April content, despite my busy eating schedule. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my Mother’s Day eating adventures documented below.  Back on schedule and bon appetit!

Mom and dad came into town to support me as I sang in two concerts over the weekend. Of course the weekend wouldn’t be complete without celebratory eating occasions for and with mom.

Our first stop for Sunday brunch was a hidden gem, Dardanel, at 1071 First Avenue (between 58th and 59th Streets). While near the busy Queensboro Bridge, the airy ambiance of the restaurant transported me to an island in Greece. The booths are outfitted in white leather and the restaurant includes several murals reminiscent of the view by the strait that connects the Black and Mediterranean seas.  The decor is my favorite type of interior design – simple and clean.

Dardanel

Interestingly enough, Dardanel has been 2011 Zagat Rated as well as written up in the Daily News and The New York Times, so I was sincerely surprised that we were one of the only tables in the restaurant.  But the food certainly lived up to its merits.

We started off with appetizers of hummus, cheese rolls and the falafel, perfect for whetting our appetite for the main courses. We paired the starters with Angora, a Turkish white wine that’s clean and smooth. When I informed the waiter I’d never had Turkish wine he wasn’t too surprised as he said it’s popular in Europe, but for some reason has been picked up in the states. Consider it a treat when you see it on the menu!

Cheese rolls

Hummus

Falafel

For the main courses, Mom chose the Chicken Kebabs. I opted for the Chicken Adana which is pre-marinated hand-chopped chicken blended with cayenne pepper and East Antolian herbs, served with Turkish rice pilaf and mixed grilled vegetables. Dad chose the Pan Seared Tilapia. According to the website, Dardanel’s fish is imported daily from the Mediterranean region, so there’s no doubt you’re paying for quality.

Chicken Adana

Pan Seared Tilapia

For dessert, we enjoyed a traditional baklava and a milk custard.

While only a few hours went by, it was then time for dinner, and I chose a staple, Per Lei, at 1347 Second Avenue and 71st Street, also apropos for Mom as Per Lei means “for her” in Italian.  The service is always top-notch and the food is outstanding.  For mom’s day, they offered a special Lobster Linguine, so neither mom nor I could pass it up.

Lobster Linguine

And since we were still somewhat full from brunch earlier, we opted to split the Insalata di Spinaci Novelli all’ aceto, Gorgonzola, Macadamia, Lamponi e Pancetta (Baby Spinach, Macadamia nut, Gorgonzola, Raspberry and crispy Pancetta). Say that five times fast.

Insalata di Spinaci

While we didn’t save room for dessert, having dined here previously I can highly recommend the dark chocolate lava cake with coconut gelato.

Only in Manhattan can you experience Greece and Italy in the same day. Love you mom!

David Burke Kitchen

After enjoying one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten at David Burke Townhouse, I had to check out David’s newest venture, David Burke Kitchen in SoHo at the James Hotel – 23 Grand Street. (Added bonus: It’s two blocks from my office so no excuses).

When we arrived, we were greeted by familiar faces and the vibe was warm which carries throughout Townhouse as well – the staff really enjoys working here.  The ambiance is a bit different than Townhouse as it’s very “SoHo.”  According to the site, the design done by James Beard Award-winner Thomas Schlesser (also of DBGB fame), offers the ”industrial simplicity of an airy loft with the rustic warmth of a country barn.”  You can see the inspiration throughout the restaurant with the exposed wood beams and the wood tables (no tablecloths).

David Burke Kitchen

The kitchen in David Burke Kitchen

Being familiar with the menu at Townhouse, it was interesting to see how David weaved in his whimsical, innovative, kid-like touches and similar fare here, but also changed it up to give diners the more rustic cooking experience, which includes a carving station at the center of the restaurant where I’m told there are specialties including a whole carved chicken and a 42 oz. Porterhouse steak available.

Carving station

We started off with a couple of my familiar favorites including the Wedge with candied pecans, tomato viniagrette, dried fruit and blue cheese (a variation on the Wedge at Townhouse with russian dressing), the Pretzel Crab Cake (still to die for) with notes of tomato orange, green peppercorn and white beer, and a couple new choices including the Camembert Ravioli with lobster sausage and almond milk and some maple bacon dates stuffed with peanut butter from the chef (amazing!). One of the appetizers I’ll have to try next time are the Ants on a Log which I’m told is a popular choice – bone marrow, snails, parsley and garlic.

Wedge

Pretzel Crab Cake

Camembert Ravioli

Maple bacon dates with peanut butter

For dinner, I enjoyed the Friday evening special, the wild striped bass. Interestingly, each bass is specially prepared in a clear bag with a business card from the restaurant with the number of the fish that evening, denoting how many fish have been served to date. Mine was lucky number 016.  (Fun fact: David starting doing this with his swordfish preparation and has so far prepared 8,000 to date and counting). The protein changes each week and based on the feedback they’ll choose to either keep it going, try a new variation or introduce something new, so it’s likely you’ll never have the same dish twice.

Wild Striped Bass #016

Wild Striped Bass

For dessert, I couldn’t resist ordering David’s signature, the Cheesecake Lollipop Tree, which included a sampling of chocolate and strawberry cheesecake lollipops finished off with raspberries and passion fruit whipped cream. (While the passion fruit whipped cream was good, I still vote the bubble gum whipped cream served with the Lollipops at Townhouse is the best).  The staff also brought us the “Sweet Treats” which included mini donuts you can squeeze caramel, chocolate or raspberry sauce into and mini ice cream sandwiches. 

Cheesecake Lollipop Tree

Sweet Treats

David outdid himself again!

David Burke, me and Anthony