an ode to brunch

To spend a month visiting friends in NY is to spend a month traipsing from brunch to brunch.  I have yet to have a bad meal, so here are some of the highlights from this month!

New Haven, CT: PANTRY

  

My dearest Sheela!  One freezing winter morning, Steph and I headed up to visit our missing link in New Haven.  Sheela took us to one of her favorite brunch places, Pantry, where we unfortunately had a 20 minute wait in the cold.  When we were finally allowed to step inside, it became clear that the restaurant was owned by jazz lovers.  A breezy melody played overhead while large posters from far ranging jazz shows hung casually around the restaurant.  Other than these details, the interior was similar to that of any other diner.  A nice perk of the menu is that you can build your own brunch by getting one pancake here, some sauteed spinach there, and playing with multiple food options to your heart's content.  I stuck with a spinach and feta omelet, pictured above, and watched bemusedly as Sheela buttered her giant pancake with great concentration.

West Village, NY: TARTINE

Juewon came to visit me last weekend, so I wanted to make sure I planned a great Sunday!  With a bottle of prosecco in hand, we headed to the West Village for a BYOB French brunch.  Though we headed the wrong way in the snow at first (and Juewon will insist it was wonderful to run into babbo and washington square park), we eventually righted ourselves and found this charming spot.  We arrived at the perfect time, 10:30 or so, and fortunately there was just one table left for two.  Smushed in the corner, with elbows and glasses everywhere, we placed our orders and asked the waiter to open our prosecco.  The brunch came with coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice, both of which were phenomenal.  I had multiple servings of the drip coffee with just a drop of milk, something I usually hesitate to endorse beyond a sips, and the orange juice went down just as smoothly.  My omelet was fantastic.  The cheese was a note more savory than at most restaurants, but I found the eggs with hollandaise sauce a tad dry.  Juewon would say the opposite about his croque monsier.  As we left, the bus boy noticed my Uniqlo bag and we shared a moment of excitement for the new 5th avenue location of this Japanese clothing store.  It was a delicious brunch, followed by a magical afternoon strolling through West Village shops.

Red Hook, BK: HOME/MADE

 I don't care if it turn out to be carcinogenic.  Truffle oil has a transfixing aroma that stunned Sheela, Steph, and me when we visited the Red Hook restaurant Home/Made.  We were seated at a couch by a long, rustic wooden table at this homey restaurant.  The juices were fresh and perfectly sated our lingering hangovers.  The roasted garlic chunks that accompanied the potatoes were also divine.  Stephanie will insist on returning for their wild mushroom lasagna, and I'm sure all three of us will start looking into truffle oil recipes now.

The waiting area outside Home/Made.  So charming!

Williamsburg, BK: FIORE

 

For the last meal of Sheela's visit, we headed to Fiore on Grand street for a brunch with 9 girls.  The space was charming and homey, and even at 12:30 it was spacious and non-crowded.  Their juices are unfortunately not fresh-squeezed, but that did not deter the many orange and grapefruit orders that went around.  I had the beef hash and thoroughly enjoyed it, though Steph had the same and lamented that it was too dry.  The parsley really stood out in the mix of beef and potato, and the egg on top helped bring a gooey texture to selected bites.  Many at the table ordered a "Fried Cheese Sandwich," which was exactly what it sounds like.  It ended up being too heavy for most, though everyone enjoyed their first few bites.  The side dishes of spinach and broccoli rabe were lackadaisical and were not finished.  The most amusing moment of the meal was when we inquired about an eggplant dish, to which the waitress replied, "It's like, an Italian thing."  Another highlight included complimentary cakes and doughnuts, of which I carefully scraped off delicious cream and berries.  Overall, a relaxing brunch at a lovely location with lovely friends!

 

Yale Law School

 

Guttenburg Bible

 

2011 Retrospective (Aug-Dec)

And now, the thrilling conclusion to memorable meals Juewon ate in 2011!!!

Best of Detroit, MI: Slows BBQ

Recently, I read an article in the New York Times about Cleveland's rejuvenation strategy. Supposedly, reconstruction will be centered around the "new urban market trends of the 21st century — health care, higher education, entertainment, good food, new housing and expanded mass transportation."

The idea of good food being an integral part of rebuilding a dying city is indeed interesting. And standing as poetic evidence of this theory is Slows BBQ (which conveniently enough has a NYT article that I found retrospectively.) It's located right across the street from Michigan Central Station, a gorgeous, enormous and abandoned train station that now serves mainly as a subject for hipsters to photograph as a sign of America's decline. Yet right next to this symbol of Detroit's decay sits a beacon of excellent, properly slow-cooked barbecue that draws people from near and far.

The barbecue was some of the best I had. Eating it outside in a wonderful, albeit hipster-y patio area, only enhanced the experience. Be sure to try the brisket, which is particularly good.

If in Detroit, also be sure to visit the Eastern Market, which would surprise and enthrall any food lover.

Best of Ann Arbor, MI: Zingerman's Deli

This one is perhaps a little too obvious. The Zingerman name is an Ann Arbor institution, and its deli is probably the most beloved of them all. For good reason. The Zingerman's reuben is absolutely worth the average 45 minute wait. Something about the confluence of rye, sauerkraut, corned beef, swiss cheese and Russian dressing, all made in house, makes for a perfect sandwich.

One tip you may not know: Zingerman's deli is also an insanely wonderful fine food stores with delicacies including jamon iberico de bellota (the fanciest ham in the world) in addition to all variety of cheeses, oils and other luxurious items. So bring a little extra cash for some rare wonders of the culinary world.

Best of Pittsburgh, PA: Salt of the Earth

Phrases such as "farm to table" and "serve what's fresh" are quite en vogue these days, and that's generally a good thing. People care more about what they eat and realize that what's good in April is not what's good in October. Yet, for all the talk, I've rarely seen a restaurant as committed to the concept of using what's local and fresh as Salt of the Earth in Pittsburgh.

The menu changes every day, based on what's good that day. There isn't even a printed menu. Instead, you read the giant chalk board taking up one side of the restaurant, or you look up a link on your smartphone to see that day's menu. The chef really showcases the ingredients with novel combinations. For example, my brother ordered chicken with popcorn, romaine, watermelon and huitlacoche (corn fungus AKA Mexican truffles.) Sounds weird? Tasted delicious!!!

Best of Tampa, FL:: Columbia Restaurant

Columbia Restaurant has been open since 1905, making it the oldest restaurant in Florida. You don't last that long without making some fantastic food. They make fantastic Spanish-Cuban food, served in a beautiful environment.

It's true that it skirts that line of being touristy to the point of kitsch... they certainly aren't ashamed to use their history to sell products including salad dressing and sangria pitchers. But it's hard to hold it against them when you're enjoying a tableside made mojito and some delicious ropa vieja.

Best of Chicago, IL: Ing

The grand finale of 2011 was a trip to Chicago. We ate at ing, the more casual restaurant run by renowned experimental chef Homaro Cantu. "Molecular gastronomy" is generally not very accessible, given its high prices or the high-minded attitudes of its practitioners. Cantu tries to change all this with his new restaurant, and indeed, among the many surprises of the evening was the fact that many families seemed to be bringing their children to this restaurant. It's still not cheap, but when you add in the fact that alcohol pairings are included in the prix fixe menu price, this is one of the more affordable chances at experimental dining that you can experience.

Onto the actual food. Cantu really likes to mess with your head. For example, the menu comes in the form of a origami cube housing edible packing peanuts that taste like BBQ potato chips.

Here are links of sweet potato surrounded by a variety of savory and sour accompaniments such as balsamic vinegar and goat cheese dumplings. The sour components were particularly important because, halfway through this dish, we were instructed to take these:

These pills, made from the so-called "miracle fruit," are an integral part of the prix fixe menu. Used for "flavor tripping," these pills make sour things such as lemons taste sweet like lemonade. Or in the case of the afore mentioned sweet potato dish, an overall savory dish suddenly tasted like sweet potato pie. The goat cheese dumplings, for example, tasted like marshmallows.

Breakfast for Dessert. Nothing here was as it seemed, but by far the most impressive was the fried egg, that was actually panna cotta with a spherified citrus "yolk" and black sesame crumbles. Perfect illusion, perfect taste.

Going into this meal, I expected to be amazed. Homaru Cantu is known for his ability to do that. But the biggest surprise for me was how familiar the flavors were. While the novelty of the preparations initially excited me, I always ended up comforted by the fact that ultimately, I was simply eating really delicious food.

And what more could you really ask for?

-JK

Shish Tawook

If I were to choose a food I'd love to eat daily, I think Lebanese would be high on the list. I love its Mediterranean flavors, that pack a punch without being overbearing like some other Middle Eastern cuisines. With its focus on olive oil and garlic, I think this is food that is heart-healthy, light and delicious.

Here is a one of my favorite recipes for Shish Tawook, a Middle Eastern marinated chicken. Included is a recipe for an insanely good (but spicy) garlic sauce that emulates that of Zankou Chicken, an LA institution.

Shish Tawook

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

1 tablespoon ketchup (weird, but it works)

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons ground allspice

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon curry powder

Salt, pepper

4-6 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces

Steps

1) Mix everything except the chicken in a non-reactive bowl. Once well mixed, smother chicken pieces with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least a day. This keeps a while, so you can cook chicken in small batches.

2) Heat up grill and grill chicken.

3) Warm up pitas and prepare condiments. I like to eat mine wrapped in a pita with arugula, a smear of hummus, a dollop of garlic sauce (recipe below), and chopped onions.

Garlic Sauce a la Zankou

Ingredients

1 head garlic

0.5 lemon

pinch of salt

0.5 cup olive oil

Thickener (mashed potatoes best, but mayo or yogurt work)

Steps

1) Crush and peel the entire head of garlic. Throw all of the cloves in a food processor with the juice of half a lemon, olive oil and salt. Process till smooth.

2) In small batches, add thickener. The thickener serves two purposes. One, it thickens the sauce (duh) to hopefully a yogurt like consistency. Two, it mellows out the very strong garlic flavor of the sauce.

3) Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Note: If you love garlic, I actually love eating the sauce without any thickener. It's healthier and packs a punch. But be careful to use only a little bit, which can go a long way.

Enjoy!

-JK

one if by land

 

Excitement abounds!  Steph and I headed to One if by Land, Two if by Sea in the West Village for a mid-week treat.  In college I had always come across the restaurant in my internet searchings, only to be dismayed by the numerous dollar signs that followed the reviews.  Thankfully, my stay in NY encompassed restaurant week/month, so we quickly made reservations at this notable NY place and debated their menu options. 

   

One of the biggest strengths of the restaurants certainly lies in its ambiance.  Juewon informed me it was "one of the most romantic restaurants in the city," and I assured him I would try not to leave him for Stephanie as we enjoyed this candlelit dinner.  The restaurant is on the unassuming Barrow Street, and upon entry you are greeted with the charming jazz of a baby grand piano player and his petite Asian trumpet counterpart.  The bar in front was bustling with friends and dates cozily enjoying plushy seats by the charming fireplace.  Our hostess lead us up the stairs, and we noted the multiple chandeliers with stained glass.  The hotel was the old carriage house of Aaron Burr, and the window next to me housed the pistols from his and Alexander Hamilton's duel!

The amuse bouche set up us for a much better dinner than we actually experienced.  It was some sort of celery root creme topped with a rice cracker-tasting bit, and it was absolutely delicious.  The creme was light and airy on top, with a rich but fresh taste of celery juice below.  For my starter I tasted the Roasted Bartlett pear accompanied with dried cherries, blue cheese, pistachios, and sliced endives.  The blue cheese and pistachios were salty and satisfying, and I'm glad I tried roasted pears, but the endive bits on the side were unnecessary and tasted like chopped raw celery.  Steph absolutely adored her chestnut tagliatelle cooked in venison ragout, which was "a good portion and incredibly satisfying.  The venison ragout was unexpected and delicious.  I would say it was a tad on the oily side, but that certainly didn't hurt my enjoyment of it"   

 

For our main courses, I had the mushroom risotto while Steph finally decided on the braised short rib ("Is it too Asian with the Korean glaze?  Would the Hake fillet be satisfying?).  Though the risotto was certainly tasty, it was on the dry side with only three mushroom bits scattered at the edges.  It was also slightly cool and didn't pack as much buttery goodness as I was expecting.  I also felt rather cheated that I had a better mushroom risotto at a pit stop in Richmond, Indiana.  

Steph was more disappointed in her short rib, which was "not as tender as one would expect, chewy, and stringy.  There were moments when I had a bite with the radish strips and sticky rice where I could understand what they were going for, but overall it was probably 15% of what I hoped it would be." 

 

Our meal concluded with an ice cream popcorn sundae and a fondant cake with cappucino ice cream.  Though my ice cream was, how do you say...half melted...the caramel popcorn bits were really tasty and overall, spoons of chocolately cream were not the worst way to end the meal.  Steph thoroughly enjoyed her cake and ice cream, and we received some blackberry pastry bites at the end!  

Despite the patchy quality of the meal, I'm still really glad I got to try this restaurant out.  I am exceedingly glad, however, that I went during restaurant week rather than for the normal prix fixe, as I do not believe it was worth anywhere near $80.  Perhaps stop by for a drink, a small plate, and enjoy the old school coziness of the jazz duo before stepping back out into a windy night some time!

Pumpkin Sunday

Stand up for your rights!

Happy MLK Day!

-JK

in which i break the cardinal rules of food photography

I would never dare to claim that I am even at an amateur level of food photography, but in my adventures I have happened to come across a tip or two.  Unfortunately, this week of eating brought circumstances that forced me to abandon the simplest of rules.  The meals were delicious, however, and I insist on chronicling them despite my glaring and harsh photos!

 Never, ever use flash!!!

 

 

Crispy Ipoh Squid

Basil Mango Beef

Late Wednesday night, Ana picked me up for a surprise "free bottle of wine with online reservation" dinner.  After I got in the car, we drove two blocks, parked, and entered Hachi Bistro.  Dark, red lighting and goldfish in porcelain vases greeted us at this Asian restaurant tucked at the edges of Williamsburg.  Given the sketchy details surrounding the reservation and the just-out-of-normal-people-reach location, I wasn't expecting much.  We ordered the crispy ipoh squid, a spicy salmon roll, basil mango beef, and pad thai.  

The highlight of the meal was definitely the squid.  It was battered in tempura, fried in butter, and sauteed with green peppers, onion, and fresh basil.  Knowing full well the gluten-y nausea that would follow, I still had my full share of the squid.  The rest of the meal was delicious, especially the smooth and flavorful basil mango beef.  I would definitely go back to try a few other dishes on their menu.

Don't photograph in a shadow!

Huevos Rancheros and Fried Yuca

There are few things greater on a Manhattan Sunday than a delicious prix-fixe brunch with little wait time at noon.  Despite the 13 degree windy weather,  Joanna and I met at Esperanto for huevos rancheros and fried yuca.  This brazilian spot had less obnoxious decor than I would think, just lively enough to be fun but clear that the staff was dedicated more to the quality of their food.  

Brunch came with mediocre drip coffee but a delightful mimosa, perhaps the grown-up version of a red bull vodka.  The huevos rancheros tortilla was exceptionally buttery, and the eggs were beautifully runny with a fresh heaping of tomatoes and red onion.  The potatoes were dusted with chile powder and accompanied with black beans.  Joanna and I caught up on work happenings, post-college gossip, and 2012 plans.  After wandering the east village and both being successful at finding heavy-duty scarves (Zara and Urban Outfitters win!), we parted to let Joanna get started on journaling for the Golden Globes.

Don't use artificial light, and do use props and styling!

It could have been the freezing weather or just my lingering cold, but I returned to Brooklyn with a cloud of dizziness and malaise.  After laying in a dark room for a few hours contemplating my frigid demise, I finally decided to get up and make myself something warming.  The following soup turned out super awesome and life-giving, such that I am now able to blog!  The next time you feel like you're in a stew of unending sickness, I hope this soup will calm your head and stomach!

1. Bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil.  
2. Tear up 1-2 cups of a rotisserie chicken with a mix of white meat, dark meat, and skin.
3. Chop up 1/2 cup of cilantro.
4. Combine chicken, cilantro, and a big handful of baby spinach leaves in the broth and continue to boil for 2 additional minute.
5. Sip slowly and feel the rejuvenation of chicken and spinach!!

<3

Jane

2011 Retrospective (Jan-July)

For me, January is a time of retrospection... I'm original like that.

In this time of clearing inboxes, I figured I'd also look through my pictures from 2011 and see if I could scrounge up a food blog article. Turns out I had quite a few things to work with...

Here follows some of the most memorable meals (not made by me or Jane) of the first half of 2011. Warning: these entries will be the opposite of haikus.

Best meal at West Side Market (Cleveland, OH): Steve's Gyros

This meal carries a lot of significance as it was pretty much a day before Jane and I started dating in January. We were shopping for ingredients to make David Chang's famous Bo Saam, which is one of my go-to recipes to impress people. I'll post that sometime.

We stopped by Steve's Gyros, which is mostly famous for cheap, bountiful gyros. It was featured on Man vs Food. Here's some tips:

Tip 1)Go early... Lines form fast and can get pretty long. When ordering, speak courteously and tip. They give you extra meat for that. And you should do it anyway.

Tip 2)Even the regular sized gyros are enormous... If feeding two, just go for 1 regular sized gyros with extra meat and an extra pita. It's a lot cheaper and there'll be an excess of delicious, crispy yet moist gyros goodness.

Tip 3)There's a semi-secret way to get to this balcony area overlooking the market that's the perfect place to eat your lunch. Just look up at the end of the market, find it, then ask someone how to get up there.

West Side Market is Cleveland's historical market located in Ohio City that's been running since 1840. Situated in a beautiful, spacious, train station-like space, it contains a wide variety of stalls selling every variety of meat, vegetable and cheese.

West Side Market-specific note: Stick to the main building with the meats, cheeses, breads, etc. The produce building is separate, filled with overly aggressive sellers and from my experience, the produce isn't very local or fresh.

Best of Columbus, OH: Schmidt's Sausage Haus und Restaurant

2011 was the year of American travels. From a quick survey, I visited 12 major US cities, mainly as a tourist. The fact that this was pulled off during 2nd/3rd year of medical school, I think, is pretty cool. No question one of the best parts of dating someone like my tastybutton is having a constant and willing travel companion.

Anyway, in Columbus, the most memorable meal was at Schmidt's Sausage Haus. A historical German restaurant, they're famous for their Autobaun buffet, featuring their homemade sausages (including their signature, decidedly non-Teutonically named, Bahama Mamas). You will get a sausage overdose.

Best of Cincinnati, OH: Take the Cake

Cincinnati will always have a special place in my heart, as it's the city where Jane and I welcomed the year 2011 as just friends. As the clock hit midnight, I made a move, infuriating her. We started dating 3 weeks later. Isn't that romantic?

Take the Cake is a very cute independent bakery that serves one of the best brunches I've ever had. The menu changes every day, based on what's fresh that day. That eggs benedict with smashed peas, heritage ham and fresh-baked biscuit was very memorable.

Best of Seattle, WA: Gourmet Dog Japon

Summer was wedding season, which also gives a perfect excuse to get some traveling done. Turned out I had a wedding in Seattle, and another in Maui within a week of one other. To my old college buddy Jon and I, this meant one thing: Road trips.

One interesting fact about Seattle: They're obsessed with teriyaki. It's everywhere.

Take this Japanese fusion hot dog, served at a stand located in a parking lot near Pike Place Market. The hot dog was glazed in teriyaki, grilled, then placed in a sesame bun. The toppings of kewpie mayo, nori strips, scallions, carrots, grilled onions and scallions worked surprisingly well. I always think it's really exciting to see authentic fusion in action, especially on the streets. After all, such iconic dishes as pho are the result of this kind of clash of cultures.

Portland, OR - Pok Pok

Next stop on our road trip was Portland, probably my favorite city in the United States. Its wide variety of authentic ethnic food, emphasis on farm-to-table fare, omnipresent food trucks, and largest breweries-per-capita in the world status makes Portland a town after my own heart.

Here we eat at the award winning Pok Pok, an ode to Thai street food that is as honest and flavorful as anything I've eaten in Thailand. Definitely try the Fish Sauce Wings, which are delicious as they are sticky.

As a wonderful symbol of Portland's overall attitude on culinary pretention, the chef's James Beard award is proudly displayed... in the mens' restroom.

Maui, Hawaii: Paia Fish Market

Spoiler alert: This was the best meal of 2011. Located at the start of the famous and gorgeous Hana Highway, Paia Fish Market has a fish burger that still haunts me in my dreams. Simply seeing the picture gives me flashbacks, and I begin to salivate. This fish is perfectly grilled, giving it a tantalizing moistness with no fishiness. The Cajun seasoning somehow doesn't mask the taste of the fish, yet exerts a beautiful heat. Bun, toppings, mayo, a spritz of lemon and a refreshing pint of beer go along perfectly with the main event. If you are in Maui, just do it. Go to this place, get the Cajun Mahi Burger. You can thank me later.

-JK

1.4 - 1.8

Hello!  It has been almost a week in NY and I have eaten many tasty things along the way.  The transition has been smoother than I expected, with only the occasional subway mishap and inappropriately unstifled smile.  The neighborhood I'm staying in with my best friend Steph has a large Mexican population, and thus I have tried the best corn tortillas of my life.  Thus far at home we've eaten refried bean tacos, chicken sausage tacos with yogurt lime dressing, brie on rice crackers, pan-fried tofu with oyster sauce, silken tofu with ginger syrup (so spicy!!), and endless pots of herbal tea.  Outside of the house, here are some of the tasties I have been trying!

Souen - Gluten Free Ramen in Miso Broth.

Steph speaks frequently of dinners at a "macrobiotic" restaurant in the East Village.  Though I'm not quite sure what the word means, I was intrigued by her descriptions of flavorful, clean-feeling foods.  Souen is a little spot with an extensively marked food allergy menu.  A year ago I would've judged those soy eating hipsters for speckling their menu with those details, but now I'm so appreciative of not having to endlessly ask about hidden soy sauce or added flour.  We started with an edamame guacamole, and they graciously swapped out half the seitan chips for daikon radish slices.  Steph's cold noodle salad in tahini dressing was deliciously seasoned, and though I felt my miso broth was a bit too sediment-y, I really enjoyed the consistency of their rice noodles.  

Congee Village - Pork and Preserved Duck Egg Congee

Cleveland really just has one food blog, so I had to search around a bit for a NY blog I liked.  Seriouseats.com ended up being spot on with this recommendation.  Though many NYU-ers have been to this staple Chinese restaurant, some may have overlooked their congee selection on the final page of the menu.  I never knew there was a name for this dish, as I had only had it sparingly as a child at my mother's friends' parties and once or twice at dim sum.  I'm glad that Juewon and I revisited it earlier last fall when I suddenly had a memory of porridgy rice and bits of preserved duck egg.  The preserved duck egg is SUCH a weird, distinctive taste, but somewhat like cottage cheese, it is a taste that leaves you wanting to explore it more hours after you've had it.  The congee at this restaurant was SO perfect on a crisp Saturday, and at $3.50 a bowl I was very pleased with my choice.

NY Photo Festival Food Photography Show

The day before I left for NY, my favorite food blogger posted that her work would be appearing in a Food Photography Show opening the Friday I would be in town.  Excited, I dragged Steph to see it after our congee adventure.  Unfortunately, the subways were all out of whack, so we were pretty frustrated when we arrived in DUMBO.  Instead of the open gallery space I was expecting, the photos were displayed on the wall of a publishing store.  Determined to make a good afternoon of it, Steph and I perused the interesting pieces on the wall and looked through the fun selections of books at the store.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick!  Made by Ali Diecke

Lazy Sunday!  I was glad to have a Sunday morning to mosy around, and made many cups of tea, a hot chocolate melted from a stick, and read various books.  Apparently, after the movie Sideways, the sales of Pinot Noir skyrocketed and wineries sold other varieties under the Pinot Noir label.  When lawsuits arose, the defense was that not a single American complained or likely knew of the difference.  Though I'm partial to the ceremony surrounding wine, I love reading about the blips that reveal we have absolutely no idea what taste is. 

 

Weekend Reading

Flor de Mayo

After watching Mission Impossible uptown, we headed to a popular Columbia spot I never got around to in undergrad.  Flor de Mayo is a Peruvian/Chinese fusion that is extremely homey.  Our group of 8 split several dishes and passed around pollo a la brasa, squid ink fried rice, and unidentified beef on french fry dish, pork chops, and plantains.  The chicken was fantastic, and Steph rated it as more flavorful than Pio Pio though not as tender.  The pork chops were way better than I expected, but the squid ink fried rice was more of a standard dish.  The sangria was cold and refreshing.  Tasty!

Squid Ink Fried Rice

 

After our delightful meaty meal, Steph humored me to stop by Whole Foods for my newest healthfood obsession, Kefir.  I read through a lot of scripts at work, and Kefir was featured for reducing anxiety and helping with sleep due to high tryptophan levels and helping digestion with probiotics.  All controversial and unsubstantiated claims, but I like feeling excited about the possible benefits from trying something odd.  I am now armed with two bottles of the soury stuff, and will report about its wonders and further adventures next week!

<3

Jane

Cannellini Beans

Something about cold weather makes me want beans. Even though this winter has been unseasonably mild for Cleveland standards, I've found myself wanting to partake of that magical fruit recently.

Today, I will be discussing my personal cannellini bean recipe. These marvelous white beans give a wonderful comforting feeling associated with long stewed bean dishes. Yet, despite the use of bacon as a key ingredient, this recipe still maintain a lighter, more Mediterranean flavor that is as appropriate in Tuscany as it is in Cleveland. They also keep relatively well in the fridge, so feel free to make a lot! The portions in the recipe below have provided me with at least 3 flavorful meals!

Tip: This is best done in a nice Dutch oven, preferably Le Creuset...

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cans of cannellini beans* (you can also use Great Northern beans)

1 stalk of celery (roughly chopped)

4-5 carrots (roughly chopped)

1 large onion (roughly chopped)

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 bundle thyme

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs of rosemary, chopped finely

1 cup chopped basil

4 slices of thick cut bacon (chopped roughly)

1 cup grated Parmesan

32 oz box of chicken stock

*You're welcome to use dried cannellini beans, but I find it to be troublesome preparing them for cooking (i.e. soaking for 12 hours, etc.)

1) Open cans of cannellini beans and drain them

2) Heat your Dutch oven high, then throw in bacon. You want to really brown the bacon, releasing all that delicious grease.

3) Remove bacon when they're brown and set aside, preferably on a paper towel

4) In Dutch oven, cook garlic, carrots, celery and onion for about 3 minutes, making sure to mix it well in the bacon grease to give them a nice quick stir-fry

5) Throw bacon back into the Dutch oven, as well as the beans, rosemary, bay leaves and thyme. At this point, it looks like this.

6) Add enough of the chicken stock to cover everything (I used the whole 32 oz box)

7) Bring to a boil, before turning down the heat to a simmer. Cook for 1.5 hours.

8) Taste a couple beans to ensure they are soft. If the stew is too liquidy, remove the lid and turn up heat to boil off liquid. Be sure to stir every now and then to avoid burning.

9) Once liquid is boiled off, add basil and Parmesan. Stew for another 10 minutes.

9) Be sure to remove thyme bundle and bay leaves prior to service. Serve garnished with basil and grated Parmesan.

Bon appetit!

-JK

Pumpkin Sunday

I've decided that on Sundays, I will post pics of my cat, Pumpkin. Just because.

This pic is in honor of my wonderful girlfriend, Jane, who is currently in NYC for a month working on the Dr Oz show.

Happy Pumpkin Sunday!

"But I wants to go to NYC too..."

-JK

Los Angeles Retrospective

I figured I did a cat post and an "eating-in" post, so it's now time for an "eating-out" post. Here follows pics of places I ate while home for the holidays in the city of angels. They will be accompanied by haikus, because I'm a freakin' haiku master.

Rubio's Mexican Grill

Fried, flaky, moist fish,

in burritos and tacos:

My favorite fast food.

Take a Bao

Fluffy bao, bao, baos!

Filled with hoisin steak, you are

Fancy food court snacks!

Father's Office

Crappy iPhone pics

Don't convey the wonder of

LA's best burger

Rivera

Truly beautiful

presentations of high class

Mexican cuisine

Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles

An unlikely pair

that harmonizes with a

symphonic beauty

Blockheads Shaving Co.

Delicious and light,

This has the potential to

be the Next Big Thing

Din Tai Fung

Delicate dumplings

Housing hot, savory soup

Worth the hour long wait.

-JK