Featured Dessert: Kyotofu’s Sweet Potato Cake

The Gluttoness — November 05, 2009

Warm Sweet Potato Cake w/Satsumaimo, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Sweet Potato Caramel & Pecan Tuile.

Slashfood recently penned a piece about the obscurity of Sweet Potato Cake. They’re right, sweet potato pie is probably the first dessert to come to mind when people think about sweet applications of this ingredient, but the creative minds at Kyotofu (view) are doing something to throw the spotlight on this lesser-known sweet potato treat. Kyotofu’s tofu-centric dessert bar is known for delicately blending eclectic Asian ingredients with classic French pastry techniques, and their Warm Sweet Potato Cake ($10.00) follows suit.

This stylized interpretation features two different textural implementations of sweet potato. The cake is moist and spongy. Warm slices are presented on a creamy purée of satsumaimo (a purple-skinned, Japanese sweet potato) and topped with a sticky, sweet potato-infused caramel. A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream offers a cool contrast and pecan tuile brings a nutty crunch.

AlwaysPartying: Fatty Football Feast

The Gluttoness — October 05, 2009

The Gluttoness’ heaping helping.

I’m used to enjoying hanging with the guys for marathon Sunday football sessions, but this past Sunday was really special. As I embarked up the stairwell at 844 Broadway for Epicurious.com’s “Fatty Sunday,” the scent of smoked meat was almost palpable. On the third floor, the always awesome Fatty team was offering a sneak-peek at the Southeast Asian Barbeque that’s going to be served at their long-awaited Brooklyn outpost, Fatty ‘Cue.

Left, Robbie Richter and Corwin Kave. Right, Zak Pelaccio.

The event was dubbed, “A Zak Pelaccio Lunchtime Feast,” and the buffet-style spread fit the bill. The room was outfitted like a cafeteria, with room-length tables flanked by flat-screens (on which the Giants showed Kansas City who was really chief). The food was showcased in the demonstration kitchen, where Zak Pelaccio, Corwin Kave and Andrew Pressler worked the burners, while Robbie Richter sliced Smoked BBQ Lamb Shoulder. It was topped with a Goat Yogurt Chili Sauce and the first bite had my nose running in no time. Since the Fatty crew intends to focus on local, sustainable products, all of Sunday’s dishes won’t necessarily be available when Fatty Cue opens, but they hope to keep a lamb and/or goat dish on the menu.

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AlwaysLearning: Umeboshi

The Gluttoness — September 16, 2009

Umeboshi at Soba-Ya. Pickled Sour Plum ($6.75).

Intensely tart and salty fruits, Umeboshi aren’t your average pickles.

What it is: Umeboshi are pickled ume fruits. While they are closer in relation to apricots, ume fruits are typically referred to as Japanese plums. Once pickled, the round, wrinkled fruits are both sour and salty. They can be eaten alone as a side dish, but are more commonly enjoyed in small quantities with rice or stuffed inside of rice balls (onigiri) or sushi. Umeboshi is most commonly puréed (bainiku) and served as a paste to be used as seasoning.

How it’s made: Ume fruits are picked before they are ripe, and then soaked in brine. Red shiso leaves are used in the pickling process to impart a pink coloration. The resulting pickled fruit is extremely sour and salty due to a high quantity of citric acid, which is believed to fight bacteria, aid digestion and ward off fatigue.

Where it’s from: Umeboshi is most common in Japan. The town of Minabe, in Japan’s Wakayama region, in particular, supposedly grows and produces more ume and umeboshi than any other town in Japan. Manufactured umeboshi can be found in Asian (and some gourmet) markets and on Japanese menus around the world. Because of its perceived health benefits, umeboshi is said to be the standard Japanese folk remedy for colds and flus (it’s also said to be a good cure for hangovers).

Where to get it in New York: We found umeboshi on the menu at Sakagura and Soba-ya. Soba-ya serves it as an appetizer, Pickled Sour Plum ($6.75). The three wrinkly plums were more orange than pink and their soft skin gave way to moist, juicy fruit that had a stewed texture. As soon as the fruit hits your tongue, the intense flavors immediately cloud the palate. It’s as salty as seawater, with an immensely sour aftertaste that makes your mouth salivate like a Warhead Sour Candy with a subtle fruitiness coming through in the aftertaste. It makes you understand why this Japanese specialty is best accompanied with rice. Not only does the starch help soften the insane tang, but the grittier texture would compliment the mushiness of the pickled flesh.

Featured Dish: Da Andrea’s “Le Tigelle”

The Gluttoness — September 10, 2009

“Le Tigelle,” Composed Flat Bun with ‘Parma’ Imported Prosciutto at Da Andrea off Union Square.

When you think pork buns, it’s the Asian version, Char Siu Bao, which most likely comes to mind. But the next time you’re craving a swine sandwich there’s a decidedly Italian option at Da Andrea (restaurant page). Forced to relocate from Hudson to 13th Street, their signature baked-to-order Flat Buns with ‘Parma’ Imported Prosciutto ($11.00) have found a larger audience in their new digs.

Da Andrea’s chef-owner, Gian Pietro Branchi, modeled this dish on “Le Tigelle Modenesi,” an appetizer he said you will typically find in Modena, Italy, the region of Emilia-Romagna which inspires much of his restaurant’s cuisine. In Modena, he said, the buns are usually served with a variety of cold cuts like Salami, Coppa and Mortadella (similar to the accompaniments in Via Emilia’s Gnocco Fritto). But the chef chose to serve just prosciutto (give the customer too many options and things get complicated). Each order is displayed on a wooden tray covered with a generous layer of “prosciutto crudo di parma,” a stack of seven piping hot buns and a small ramekin of grated Parmesan. All are combined to create the ultimate Italian-style pork bun.

The flat buns resemble silver dollar flapjacks, although their crisp, browned exteriors are nothing like the outside of a pancake. Once sliced open, fragrant steam emerges from the soft doughy insides— the perfect melting ground for a spoonful of Parmesan cheese. The marbled fat of the thinly sliced prosciutto also benefits from the warmth— the natural oils infuse the thin buns with robust flavor. The saltiness of the cheese and cured meat provide ample seasoning and with a little applied pressure you can create an instant prosciutto panino.

Whether you’re looking to savor a quick bite with a glass of wine or use these buns as the ultimate bread basket, this simple, do-it-yourself dish is a delicious, addictive experience. The only place you’re likely to find a better bite is in Modena, where it’s usually served with rosemary and garlic lardo.

AlwaysInvestigating: New Buns on the Block

The Gluttoness — September 09, 2009

Until now, your best bet for pork buns (not counting Chinatown) was below 14th Street, the Goliaths being, Momofuku Ssäm and Noodle Bar. During the past few months Midtown has sprouted new restaurants that serve Chinese steamed pork buns (char siu bao).

Mantou Chinese Sandwiches, on the East Side (view site), is a sliver of a restaurant specializing in sandwiches on “sesame seed-studded, steamed mantou—a traditional Chinese steamed bread …a staple of Northern Chinese cuisine.” On the West Side is Xie Xie (restaurant page), which is Mandarin for “Thank you.” Xie Xie’s five-item Asian sandwich concept is helmed by Chef Angelo Sosa, who was executive sous-chef at Jean Georges for four years. Both places have a counter for ordering and seating, but these interpretations showcase two styles.

Mantou serves two buns, Spicy Pork or Braised Pork (each costs $3.95). Instead of buying them individually you can opt for the $9.95 Combo Box which includes any two sandwiches with a side salad and shrimp chips. The buns look like Big Mac’s but are soft and luscious like fluffy English muffins.

Mantou’s Braised Pork Bun.

Mantou’s spongy bun envelops thick, tender slices of braised fatty pork. It’s dressed with crunchy slivers of cucumber, cilantro, and hoisin, which ensure fresh well-rounded flavors and juicy sweetness that balance the rich flavor of the salty pork. The first taste (with a little Sambal) was the best. Unfortunately, the next bite included the chewy end of the roast.

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AlwaysInformed: Sake, The Scent

The Gluttoness — June 15, 2009

Now you can drink your sake and smell like it too! One of the parting gifts from last week’s Street & Savory event (6/9) was a bottle of Sake Eau De Parfum. Fresh, the company responsible for the new fragrance, has created a line of sake-infused products that includes candles and bath oils. The perfume ($75.00 for a 100ml bottle) is advertised online as a “sensual, velvety blend of langsat fruit, ginger, white peach and sandlewood with subtle floral undertones.”

One spritz and AlwaysHungryNY.com headquarters was blanketed by the fruity fragrance. While the beverage is known for its crisp, refreshing quality and fruity undertones, the sweetness of the perfume is anything but an afterthought. The woodsy essence of the sandlewood is overwhelmed by the fruitiness of the white peach and langsat, a tropical fruit from Southeast Asia. While the effect is a very clean smell, its intensity is unpalatable. So, either use it with discretion or continue smelling like sake the old-fashioned way, by spilling your masu.

FirstLook: SHO Shaun Hergatt

The Gluttoness — June 08, 2009

It’s rare that I’m speechless, but last Thursday night’s preview dinner at SHO Shaun Hergatt stunned me into my first satisfied oblivion of 2009. Executive Chef Sean Hergatt has spent two years turning the concrete canvas within The Setai New York into a modern Asian masterpiece with simple elegance and ruby red accents. An expansive glass wall separates diners from the theatrics of the grand kitchen and many of the tables face Hergatt’s “stage” where he commands his dutiful “players.” You witness meticulousness then taste it.

The striking décor is matched by the drama of SHO’s impeccable food, which the chef described as “Asian-accented, modern French cuisine.” Hergatt is a brawny Australian with a sweet smile—the unexpected artist behind brilliantly feminine dishes that are as artistically inclined as they are sophisticated in flavor. There’s a continual dance between delicacy and decadence. Riveting taste always wins, but it’s the manner in which it’s achieved that is so interesting.

Duo of Canapes: Crêpe w/ Tobiko & Sour Cream over Lime & Sesame Seed Tuille w/ Whitefish Tartare

Two velvety crêpes were filled with tobiko and sour cream, then tied in purses, served over thin slices of lime and topped with gold leaf. Two sesame seed tuilles were rolled like cigars and stuffed with whitefish tartare. There was an impressive equilibrium between the rich insides and the subtle exteriors.

Click here for AlwaysHungry's full First Look at Sho Shaun Hergatt >>

DishDoppelgängers: Cal Pep and Rhong-Tiam

The Gluttoness — June 08, 2009

You know you’ve been caught looking at celebrity look-alike features in tabloids on the supermarket line or when surfing online. Well, we’re applying the concept to well-known dishes and others that resemble them. And why not, for those of us interested in food, Thomas Keller’s Oysters and Pearls dish is just as iconic as Jay Leno’s chin. As soon as a dopplegänger dish emerges, you better believe we’ll spot it.

Cal Pep’s Tortilla Española is reason alone to endure the line (if you didn’t line up fifteen minutes before as advised). This creamy potato and egg omelette is speckled with onion and spicy bits of chorizo and served slightly unset. While the caramelized crust is crisp and golden, the inside is a creamy mixture of cooked and undercooked egg. As if it wasn’t rich enough, a generous coating of garlic aïoli raises the unctuousness to insane levels once unknown to the average egg.

It doesn’t have the height of the Cal Pep’s tortilla, but the gilded coloring, heavily lacquered surface, and pizza-like slices of Rhong Tiam’s Roti with Condensed Milk could cause you to easily confuse them at first glance. Of course, taste is the ultimate distinction, and Rhong Tiam’s dessert is sweet. The crisped Asian roti is a warm, blank canvas for a luscious layer of gooey, condensed milk. Flavor-wise it doesn’t hold a candle to Cal Pep’s tortilla, but it definitely warrants a double-take in the looks department.

SEARCH: Good, Downtown Ramen for a Rainy Night

June 05, 2009

It’s miserable outside— perfect soup weather. A bowl of Ramen should do the trick. Just select, cuisine type: Ramen, neighborhood: Downtown, and Grade: B+ or above in our Very Advanced Search and you’ll be warming up your belly with AlwaysHungry approved noodle goodness in no time.

1. Ramen Setagaya 141 1st Avenue

Recommended Dishes: Shiso Ramen, Salt Eggs

2. Ippudo NY 65 4th Avenue

Recommended Dishes: Akamaru Modern Ramen (pictured), Chicken Wings, Pork Buns

3. Men Kui Tei 63 Cooper Square

Recommended Dishes: Gyoza, Edamame, Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen

4. Momofuku Noodle Bar 171 1st Avenue

Recommended Dishes: Pork Buns, Momofuku Ramen, Smoked Chicken Wings, Rice Cakes

5. Rai Rai Ken 214 E. 10th Street

Recommended Dishes: Gyoza, Pork Fried Rice, Roast Pork with Scallions, Miso Ramen with Pork

AlwaysInvestigating: About Giada’s Meatball Madness…

GutterGourmet — May 21, 2009

Now that Dish du Jour’s “Meatball Melée of the Boroughs” is behind us, and Nicky’s Famous Meatballs, a dark horse, deep-fried meatball by Bello Giardino’s, has taken the title, Best Meatballs in the Borough, it’s time to look forward to the next great meatball competition. This fall’s return of the Food Network’s New York City Wine and Food Festival (presented October 8-11 by Food&Wine and Travel+Leisure) is rumored to be featuring an entirely new event hosted by Giada De Laurentiis: Meatball Madness. It would have been a close call to choose between getting up close to Giada or the city’s best meatballs, thankfully we won’t have to. And who better than Giada to judge the best balls?

The event has inspired some intense thought about the competition’s potential participants and possible categories. For the approval of the powers that be, we submit the following:

The Traditional Italian/American Category
1) Lazzara’s gargantuan Meatball Parmigiana Hero (now at 2 locations: 38th Street and the new offshoot in Hell’s Kitchen on 9th Ave.).
2) Papa Perrone’s (best Midtown pizza truck) for meatball sandwiches and meatball pizza.
3) Manganaro’s Grosseria (no, not their archrival relatives next door, Manganaro’s Hero Boy).
4) John’s of 12th Street for spaghetti and meatballs in a Tony Soprano atmosphere circa 1908.

Click here for more suggested "Meatball Madness" categories >>

Dish by Dish: L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

Jeff Zalaznick — May 18, 2009

Les Burgers
Beef & Foie Gras Burgers with Caramelized Bell Peppers

It seemed as if I had missed the work of Chef Joël Robuchon when he closed, Jamin, his small, three Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. I had never been. The food became something that I dreamed about, his famous mashed potatoes, purée de pommes de terre, haunted me in my sleep. Lucky enough, my prayers were answered, and six years after retiring, Robuchon’s L’Ateliers began popping up. First in Tokyo, then Paris, Las Vegas, and finally at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York City.

They could not have found a better home for L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. The bar at the Four Seasons has always been a power drinking scene, but it had never really had the food to go with it. A Michelin-rated restaurant where one can order Asian and French influenced cuisine from one of the world’s most renowned French chefs seemed to fit the bill. As the location will reinforce though, this restaurant blurs the distinction between bar and restaurant, just as it does between bar food and fancy french. Over half of the menu is offered as small plates, including a game-changing rendition of sliders topped with seared foie gras (pictured above). This dish could be interpreted as a symbol for the restaurant as a whole.

The remarkable presentations, ingredients and flavors of Chef Joël Robuchon’s cuisine consistently impress, and since they opened in 2006, there is no question that L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is one of New York’s best restaurants. It is what it’s supposed to be—excellent— and it does what it’s supposed to do: fine dining with out the fancy. It could be that you can sit at one of the twenty bar seats and watch Robuchon-protegé and genius in his own right, Yosuke Suga at work, or it might be that you can order an entire meal as tapas, but either way it is incredibly successful at making you feel comfortable eating foie gras in your jeans. And everyone is served a dish of mashed potatoes alongside the meal.

The world has gained more Ateliers (London and Hong Kong) since, and there is another one planned to open in Philadelphia in 2010. If you have one in your city, and enough money in your wallet, go there now.

Signature Small Plates: Les Burgers (Sliders), L’Anguille (Caramelized Eel Layered with Smoked Foie Gras), Le Calamar (Sautéed Squid with Violet Artichokes & Chorizo in Tomato Water)

Click for the photos Dish by Dish >>

AlwaysHungryNY: Kurve & Basta Pasta Asian Pastas

The Hungry Goat — May 18, 2009

Drawing inspiration from foreign cuisines and cooking techniques is part of what chefs do. But what to make of Basta Pasta, a Japanese-run Italian restaurant serving Spaghetti with Tobiko, and Kurve, a contemporary Thai restaurant, dishing up an Asian spin on Carbonara?

Basta Pasta
Spaghetti con Uova di Pesce (Spaghetti with Tobiko & Shiso, $15)

This dish arrives steaming with the smell of the sea. Its clean, focused flavors and simple presentation is the first indicator of classic Japanese technique. The spaghetti was cooked the way it’s supposed to be cooked— just a touch past al dente. These silky threads were dressed in a light oil-based sauce, which made them very slurpable. The dish was covered with Shiso leaf chiffonade and was abound with Tobiko. The jewel-toned orange roe pop all over your mouth with each bite, releasing tiny bursts of sea essence that aren’t fishy in the least. This is a great sushi-lover’s pasta.

Kurve
Spaghetti Carbonara with Bacon & Thai Basil ($12)

Save the presence of pork (in the form of bacon) and pasta, there’s nothing really Carbonara-ish about this pasta. Rather than being smooth, the sauce was mealy, like a pesto. And indeed, there is something nutty about the flavor, but it’s derived from the overall texture created by a combination of all ingredients. Large pieces of salty bacon added crunch, and fiery, dried chilis provided texture and a powerful spicy kick. The result is odd in a way only Kurve knows how to be—odd because somehow, it works. You spend the first four bites figuring it out, then suddenly, you’re picking at stray pieces of bacon and pepper, wondering what just happened and craving more. Sure, the pasta is slightly overcooked, and the sauce is puzzling, but for spice lovers, it has an inescapable pull.

After tasting these dishes we’re not exactly sure anymore who’s making what with which influences, but with such successful executions, being confused is an acceptable state of existence.

AlwaysInvestigating: Hot Mini Cakes

The Gluttoness — April 28, 2009

On a weekend afternoon, it is not uncommon to find a long line forming behind a tiny street cart labeled Hot Mini Cakes at the southeast corner of Bowery and Grand. The aroma alone could stop you in your tracks. The recession-proof menu clearly helps this crowd-pleaser. Twenty of these pop-able pancakes only sets you back one dollar. Mini cakes can be found all over Hong Kong, but New York City was first introduced to these Asian sweets by a stand aptly titled “Hong Kong Cakes.” Since it closed, Shao Chen has taken to the streets to satiate Chinatown locals, tourists and mini cake addicts alike, with his own heavily populated outpost. Chen worked in Hong Kong for many years, where he honed his secret mini cake recipe and fortified the perfect technique.

On this particular day, the cart was manned by David Chen, an adorable elderly Asian man who is not a direct relative of Shao, even though they share a last name (apparently, it’s a “very big family in China”). David Chen, like Shao, is in his late 70s. He operates the cart three to four times a week, weather permitting, and has been doing so for the past five years. The all-natural mini cakes are made with flour, sugar, eggs and water, but only Shao knows the exact proportions of ingredients. The batter is even delivered premade so you can’t watch him and try to figure it out either. Shao’s double-sided griddle is heated over an open flame until all thirty holes are piping hot, then both surfaces are brushed with butter. Once the batter is added, it takes about 1-2 minutes for the mini cakes to be ready. The griddle is flipped repeatedly so that the cakes cook on both sides.

The results are bite-sized morsels: crisp and golden on the outside, sweet and airy on the inside. When ready, they’re dispensed into a metal bowl, quickly separated (some stick together) and packaged in little wax paper bags. Before these steaming packages can even be closed, customers are eagerly waiting, dollar in hand. Or in my case, $5 for a quickly consumed 100.

Location: Corner of Bowery & Grand (view map)

Menus Made Simple: Bar Bao

March 11, 2009

To truly be AlwaysHungry, one must fluently speak food in at least five languages, but, as you journey towards enlightenment, there will be times when a menu presents too many obstacles. Enter Menus Made Simple: our way of making sure that you are properly prepared before you go to a restaurant. There is nothing more annoying than asking the waiter a thousand questions. Save yourself the embarrassment.

Rau Ram (aka Vietnamese Coriander or Mint): An herb with narrow, dark green leaves similar in smell to cilantro, with a bitter, peppery flavor and slight essence of mint. It is the essential ingredient in Singapore or Malaysian Laksa.
Spicy Beef Salad with Pomelo, Pineapple, Chilies & Rau Ram Herbs

Ginkgo Nut: The hard-shell kernel from the fruit of the Maidenhair Tree. A persimmon-type fruit surrounds the nuts, which must be removed, and often imparts a disagreeable smell on the nuts. The nuts are then dried, cracked and boiled so the flesh of the nut falls away from the core. Considered a delicacy in China, these ovular, pale yellow nuts are used in both sweet and savory dishes. Their texture is that of a soybean and they have a slightly sweet flavor.

Pandan: Long, bright green leaves from the Pandanus Plant that grows in tropical areas of Asia and the Pacific Islands. They have a sweet taste and nutty aroma and are often pounded, ground or steeped in liquid like coconut milk to best extract the flavors. The leaves are used in both sweet and savory cooking like vanilla flavoring. Pandan can also be purchased as a ready-to-use paste in Asian specialty stores.
Sweet Soup with Gingko Nut, Lotus Seed, Yucca, Coconut & Seaweed Pandan Coconut Broth

Nuoc Cham: Vietnamese dipping sauce with a watery consistency and orangey-brown hue that is often served as a condiment. The basic ingredients include 1 part lemon/lime juice, 1 part fish sauce, 1 part sugar and 2 parts water, and the sauce is prepared hot on a stove so that the sugar can melt. The resulting flavor is sweet and sour but this can change depending upon proportions and additional flavoring additives like soy sauce, chili oil, and/or vinegar.
Crab Spring Rolls with Pork, Shrimp & Jicama & Nuoc Cham Sauce

See More Ingredients >>

AlwaysInformed: Socarrat’s Maiden Voyage

The Gluttoness — March 05, 2009

The AlwaysHungry Council of Eaters were perfectly poised to test drive Socarrat’s brand new delivery feature. Eager to see how the actual socarrat would hold up in a delivery container (Philippe Express’ Crispy Beef is rarely crispy), we made it our business to be the first to find out if their normally delicious paella was indeed delivery-friendly. As many of our staff were out on assignment, our first order was a modest one—two orders of Paella de Carne and a single Fideua.

As we hoped, AlwaysHungry’s order was the first, it arrived today at 1:00pm, hand-delivered by Socarrat’s manager, Grant Nathan. When asked if he was nervous about the paella holding up en route—he confidently replied, “We are blessed with a wonderful chef, he knows what to do.”

The Crispy Fideua (pictured left), topped with an ample amount of seafood, unfortunately fell victim to a cardboard like consistency. Although unpleasant, it was unclear whether this was delivery related or not. Conversely, the Paella de Carne (pictured right), chock full of pork, chicken, duck and chorizo, was absolutely delicious. A mushroom soffrito packed it full of flavor, and the varied, well-cooked meats kept this taste train going. The texture of the bomba rice was dead on, but the dish was totally void of the prized socarrat from which they took their name. The sacrifices we make for delivery…

While tasty, the paella was missing its distinct flavor. Maybe it was lacking in saffron, maybe something else, but the taste caused confusion. Jeff thought it tasted like the love child of fried rice and risotto, while I felt it was more like a mixed meat version of Arroz con Pollo. A blind taste test by our next door neighbor yielded “Chicken Tikka Masala,” further demonstrating the collective confusion over the origin of this paella’s indistinguishable taste. Also, at $20 a pop, the portions were very small. The small aluminum containers were quickly devoured in only a few minutes time.

At the end of the day, the maiden voyage of Socarrat’s Paella was not what we expected. The flavor profile threw us off and the bottom could have definitely been crisper, but that being said, it was a very enoyable eating experience that I am sure we will have again. Next time, we will just have to order six of them.