AlwaysInvestigating: Frying Fowl
The Gluttoness — October 08, 2009
Devi’s Masala Fried Quail with Spicy Indian Slaw and Calcutta Mustard Potato Salad.
The round-ups have been done and The Times did their fried chicken cover, so the trend is officially over. We still love large format fried chicken dinners at Locanda Verde and Momofuku Noodle Bar, and believe that new birds deserve recognition, but since we reported on Momofuku’s Ko-style chicken dinner reservation system and how delicious a deal it is, we haven’t seen any green checkmarks. So it’s time to focus on restaurants like Devi (view) and Park Avenue Autumn (view), which have turned fried chicken preparations to a different fowl: quail. While small, these birds fry up with lots of flavor.
FirstLook: Aamchi Pao
Arthur Bovino — June 17, 2009
“There’s always a right time to reinvent yourself,” Chef Surbhi Sahni, told us recently at Aamchi Pao.
No, Chef Sahni isn’t leaving her post as Devi’s pastry chef. But she has joined Nandini Mukherjee as co-owner at the reincarnation of Mukherjee’s West Village restaurant of almost six years, the Indian Bread Co. As previously reported, the Stuffed Parathas and Naanwhichs (grilled Indian “panini”) are gone. There are still Kathi Rolls, but the Naan sandwiches have been replaced by “Pao,” renditions of Pav Bhaji, a Mumbai street food that is essentially an Indian Slider. The word “Pav,” in Marathi (the language of southwestern India), is said to come from Pão, the Portuguese word for bread.
Click here to read more about Aamchi Pao's Mumbai Sliders >>
HungryChefs: Chefs Love Lupa, Mixed on Hot Dogs
The Gluttoness — June 11, 2009
Roasted Pork Shoulder “Gyro” with Pickled Cucumber & Yogurt from Anthos at Street & Savory
Some of the country’s best chefs attended Citymeals-on-Wheels’ Street & Savory Tasting Event. We’ve already brought you pictures of all the dishes and rounded up our favorite plates, but we were also able to speak with the chefs.
Our questions were obvious: What are you AlwaysHungry for? Which New York City restaurant do you crave? And in keeping with the night’s theme: what would you serve if you opened your own street cart? Some chefs took the easy route, promoting dishes they had prepared for the evening, others were quite creative with their responses.
AlwaysPartying: Top 5 Sweet & Savory at Street & Savory
The Gluttoness — June 10, 2009
“Street and Savory— A Global Street Food Festival for the Benefit of Citymeals-on-Wheels” was one of the most successful tasting events I’ve ever attended, and not because Kelly Choi was hosting. Rather than trying to outdo the next guy with fancier foie gras, the mission at Street & Savory was much simpler: a legion of legendary chefs set out to creatively interpret their favorite street foods. While the dishes weren’t necessarily low-brow, the majority of them kept with the theme, and the most delicious bites were those which could easily be served on the street.
Street cart veterans, like Roy Choi of the famed Los Angeles Kogi BBQ Truck, served Kimchi Quesadillas alongside Jean Georges, Daniel Boulud and Charlie Palmer, who took on the format with impressive results. With a little under forty booths, there was much to be eaten. Our award for creativity goes to Park Avenue Summer’s “3-Minute Picnic.” Of course, this wasn’t a contest, and ultimately, the real winner was Citymeals-on-Wheels, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help feed the homeless, but of course we had our favorites among the many stands.
A quick round-up of the best of the bunch follows.
AlwaysPartying: James Beard Chefs & Champagne
The Gluttoness — August 28, 2008
There is nothing better than an occasion that brings together a slew of talented chefs, a couple hundred bottles of champagne and a beautiful summer night. And this years James Beard Chefs & Champagne was just that kind of event—as the Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, NY was transformed into a classy culinary mecca with all the tasty trimmings.
The evening was centered around honoree Wolfgang Puck, who addressed the crowd with a near-perfect tan. Most revelers spent their time balancing a wine glass against a wobbly plastic plate—but I dropped my drink in lieu of multiple plates, unable to decide what to eat first. Don’t feel bad, I got my fill on the first lap around, while I carefully sipped my bubbly and scoped the serious selection of dishes before indulging. Funny how the dishes I devoured with my eyes weren’t as pleasing to the palate.
There was plenty to see in the crowd alone, it is the Hamptons after all, but those intently mastering their craft dwarfed the beautiful people. Tim Love of the deceased Lonesome Dove was smoking Wild Boar Chops in a separate tent while Cesare Casella showcased his 24-Month-Aged Prosciutto di Parma. As I passed by Kerry Simon, Fabio Trabocchi, Anne Burrell, and their respective dishes, I noticed a pattern.
The chefs clearly considered the warm-weathered season when deciding their offerings. Lighter fare was all the rage, and more than a few gazpachos found themselves at home under the glowing white tent. I’m assuming there wasn’t much discussion amongst the presenters, as three gazpachos is just as bad as showing up in the same prom dress as two of your closest friends. And you know what happens next—everyone starts talking about who wears it best and it’s all downhill from there. In this situation, they all could have chosen better outfits.
Click Here to read about the event highlights >>
<< Back to Thought For Food
"Unleash Your Inner Fat Kid."
Whet your appetite with a daily dose of AlwaysHungry's Thought for Food. We provide content that will improve your knowledge of food, and that will enhance your experiences with food. We do not write industry gossip.
Always Hungry Newsletter
