Chocolate Rugelach

Chocolate rugelach from Junior's (taken on lined paper at my office)

Super-soft sponge cake

I stopped by Chinatown last week and remembered to make a slight left onto Baxter St. in search for the hole-in-the-wall sponge cake shop. Hing Win Coffee Shop (got to double check on the name) the sign probably said in red letters above Chinese characters on a gaudy yellow plastic board.

When I stepped into the shop, it was tiny. There was just one glass display case with a few shelves that could have at one time featured eye-glasses or jade jewelry. Whatever it used to hold or could have held, now it encases Asian and American baked goods wrapped in clear plastic bags. If you were to wander into the store, none of these would really appear to be appetizing. There weren't beautifully decorated layer cakes, loaves of fluffy butter bread or even egg custard tarts when I went in. I think I was disappointed for the first 5 seconds of stepping into the shop. Dare I ask about a possibly non-existent spongecake? YES!

"Hi, do you guys sell spongecake?" I asked the man behind the extremely old-fashioned cash register. In fact, everything in that store looked like it had stayed the way it had been for over 50 years. While it was clearly an Asian bakery, there was no sign of any Asian workers. Was this the right place? I couldn't help asking myself this ever since I came in to survey the offerings.

"Yes, we do. How many?" he replies. "Oh, um 4. Wait, no. Two. Yes, two," I say with my usual indecisiveness when it comes to ordering food. An elderly Asian woman walks in through the entrance and she says "two dozen" to the man and he automatically hands her a white plastic bag full of what looks like the delicious sponge cakes I am about to tell you about.

I bought my two cakes, each only 60 cents, which is a bargain considering these days the major bakeries sell bland-tasting sponge cakes for 85 cents or more. But not only were they a great value, they were probably the best sponge cakes I have had to date. Now, it seems you can practically get them anywhere so how special could these be, but I ripped a piece off the golden, oval cake and immediately fell in love with its ultra-soft texture. It reminded me of a bath loofah, the kind that's gentle on your skin with very few holes. It was literally sponge-y, but equally fluffy (think a wad of cotton candy before it melts into sugary bits on your tongue) and light with a hint of egg-like sweetness. There was no sign of any oily residue, something I often find at chain bakeries or markets where the plastic bags themselves are smeared with grease from whatever they used to bake the cakes with.

Lately I've been trying to figure out why strawberry shortcakes are usually a disappointment, even at high-end restaurants and it dawned on me that it may be the lack of a euphoric cake base. But this was it! I could already see macerated strawberries sitting atop the ever-so-elegant, oval sponge cake topped with some lightly-sweetened, fresh whipped cream. The next time I go back to this shop, I'm going to do as that woman did and ask for two dozen.

Lesson of that day: When in doubt, just ask!

Fleur de Sel

A chocolate cake with cherries, blackberries and crushed pistachios. It was accompanied by...
...cherry sorbet that sat atop chocolate cookie crumbs, vanilla sauce and white pepper gelee from the French restaurant Fleur de Sel.

Birthday beauty

A gorgeous Almond Apricot Cake that Hy bought me from Black Hound New York for my birthday last year. It was one lovely sweet surprise.

Province

It's still a battle trying to get through the streets of Chinatown, even on a gloomy, wet day. But I finally fought my way down to Province Chinese Canteen at Church and Walker St. the other day. How I did so this week I'm still confused about because it has felt like a long one with things scheduled almost back-to-back. I really wanted to check the place out because they specialize in "mantou" sandwiches...the steamed white bun bread normally served with Peking Duck, hoisin sauce and scallions. I think the most well-known one to New Yorkers is the Berkshire Pork Buns at Momofuku Noodle Bar (at right), which I might add are amazing and a happy meal in of itself. It will have to be another day when I gush about how delicious the sauce and fat combine with the juicy pork.

At Province, they make a variety of versions with a larger bun studded with toasted sesame seeds. These almost look like hamburger buns, but are pure white and more the size of an English muffin with extra puff. Listed under "sandwiches," the meat options are Grilled chicken, Braised pork shoulder, Spicy pork, or Short Rib & kimchi (at left). I was surprised by how fast I was able to place my order for the Braised pork and Short rib & kimchi sandwich. It wasn't my usual 10 minutes of indecisiveness though I was tempted to order them all to try.

I took a seat in the rather empty place. And when they say "canteen," they surely mean it...it's a no-frills place with wooden benches and wooden dividers with holes scattered in the boards. It isn't an ugly joint but slightly bare and cold. The only warmth that can be found is probably from the white xmas lights dangling from the ceiling or being able to look out into the street and people-watch through the huge glass windows.

Anyhow, my sandwiches came on a blue food tray with a wax-paper bag of what seemed like freshly made shrimp chips-the kind you sometimes can see crowning a plate of Peking Duck and mantou. I tried the Short rib & kimchi one first and had to think for a while whether or not I liked it. It was not that it was bad, but I think that sort of slightly fatty and sinewy meat is too difficult to eat as a sandwich. It felt like I needed a toothpick after each bite or I had to bite down hard and yank the sandwich away from my mouth so as not to pull out the entire sandwich filling. I'd individually everything was tasty. I like the meat because it was well...your basic marinated Korean short ribs and the kimchi wasn't too sour or funky. For some reason, I couldn't really taste much of the mantou...it was just sort of a tasteless bread, but the toasted sesame seeds gave the whole sandwich a nice touch texture-wise. Next, I tried the Braised Pork version and it was better because most of the pork was tender and slightly fatty. The flavor somewhat reminded me of the addicting pig trotters my mom makes: the fatty meat slow-cooked in a slightly sweet soy sauce with chunks of soft, Chinese white turnip. But it wasn't addicting here. There didn't seem to be much personality in the taste...not even the comfort I usually feel when I have my mom's dish. I guess in general there's nothing to be ecstatic over, but I'd say that it's a decent place to hit up if you're in the mood for the mantou sandwiches.

Overall? I probably won't trek all the way down to Church St. again for the sandwiches. The shrimp chips were fun but I'm not a fan of them in general. I may go down for their cold noodle salad though.

Lesson of the day: There's always time for food.

Province Chinese Canteen
305 Church Street (at Walker St.)

Boston binge eating

A posting I had been waiting to put up until after I had gotten a good photo of Cocoa Pudding Ice Cream With Ginger Snaps. However, up it goes today!

Written 10/4/07:
I was in Boston for a couple days and it's like a nice, mini vacation. Far enough from NYC, but close enough where going home doesn't mean having to go to a horrible airport and wait 4 plus hours for who knows what.

I got off work on Sunday morning around 2 a.m. Went home to shower and pack a bit...slept a good 45 minutes and decided to just head down to the Lucky Star bus stop in Chinatown around 5:30 a.m. to catch the 7 a.m. ride to Boston. It was weird being out in my neighborhood while there was almost light coming out. Eery is the best word to describe it. Some bakeries and coffee shops are already bustling with workers but at some streets the absolute silence was deafening. I made it the stop 30 minutes ahead of departure. A real rarity for me as I have ALWAYS made a mad dash to the stop 2 minutes before departure time or 2 minutes after the scheduled time. I slept the entire bus ride through rather uncomfortably with my neck strained on both sides. Ugh. However, to my surprise, one jolt on the bus made me wake suddenly and pull out my earphones to find that we had arrived...20 minutes early. Nice! I'm no newbie to Boston as I've visited on countless occasions so I took the T to Central to meet Dan for lunch. Wow, it was early enough to get lunch. We went to Daedalus in Harvard Square and it was so-so. Nice ambiance but to my great sadness, his poached eggs in the Eggs Benedict were mostly cooked through...really the utmost worst you could do to Eggs Benedict. I got the crab sandwich which was ok, seeing as it was fried so you could barely taste much of anything. Blahblahblah. Don't want to waste space rambling even more...

We ended up at Toscanini's, the famous ice cream place in Boston, where it took us both a long while to decide what to get. The board had like 15-20 flavors that had the classics and the creative. So we asked the woman behind the counter, who ended up giving us a sample of like 6 flavors she liked most. We tried the Mint Chip, which we both muttered "toothpaste" under our breaths. Had the "hazelnut" but it just taste like sweet cream colored brown. BlahBlahBlah...other flavors. And then we hit upon Cocoa Pudding with Ginger Snap Cookies. Let me tell you it was like winning Bingo! It was fabulous! Tons of cocoa flavor as if you were running your tongue over the smooth, silkiness of real, rich chocolate pudding. The Ginger Snaps were such a pleasant surprise. Large chunks of what tasted like gingerbread soaked in a bit of chocolate paired so well with the cocoa ice cream. The next time I go I will do as I always do: order the same flavor that I know I will like. Why try the other 15 when you know which one you really like already? Many would disagree with me but sorry, this is non-negotiable. In fact, I could just inhale that flavor! Anyhow, sadly no picture as I did not have my camera with me. Perhaps my next visit I'll make another post on the ice cream with photo included. We also opted for a Cappuccino and a Vanilla Hot Chocolate. I'd say the drinks were tasty, but don't go to Toscanini's without the intent of ordering ice cream even if you think it's much too cold out...their ice cream really hits the spot when you find your true flavor. Yes, it's almost like finding the love of your life.

I can't possibly write EVERYTHING I ate in Boston. This one entry would be even more tiresome to read. However, after Toscanini's, I met Jan at her lab at the Charles MGH stop. My favorite ride is from I believe Kendall to Charles MGH where you can see the water and sailboats. We walked to North End for Mike's Pastry, a place really well-known for their cannolis. They are quite delicious as I had them I believe earlier this year, but the crowds at this place are a little intimidating. Instead of stopping here again, we went into an adorable cafe called Vittoria Cafe for coffee gelato and a sfogliatele, an Italian pastry that translates to "many leaves/layers" because well, it's made of many flaky layers that enrobed a cake-like center. The "cake" center was almost like a the soft part of a crumpet that taste like it was flavored with almond paste and hints of orange. Eh, sorry no photo but it did almost fly off the plate because of my extremely unskilled eating techniques. Gelato: Kind of tasted like brown-colored sweet cream like the hazelnut ice cream at Toscanini's. But it kind of grew on us so we continued to eat it. The sfogliatelle...it was nice. Authentic to me probably because I'd never had one in or from Italy.

Ok, blahblahblah...had dinner. Make it quick! Make it quick, you say? Ok...

For my last meal before heading back to NYC, Dan took me to a place called Miracle of Science. Ah, what a totally appropriate restaurant name for the area! The geekyness of it makes me smile! Anyhow, it wasn't that the food was amazing, but rather how simple the menu was AND it was written like a periodic table. I ordered the Cs...for Chicken Sandwich and Dan got the Ms (I think) for the Mesclun Salad (but added chicken to it as you can see above). The food was straightforward. You got what you ordered. The chicken in my sandwich was juicy, thin and tasty (at left) and it came with a spicy mango chipotle sauce that gave it a nice extra kick. The homefries were addicting and I'd go back just for those as they were perfectly cooked chunky, red-skin potatoes with just the right amount of seasoning. I'd say the word "minimalist" best describes the place. But that in no way means the decor was ugly. Everything was unpretentious...something quite lovely when many places these days go all out to impress diners with crazy things like life-size plants, giant Buddhas or indoor waterfalls.

Lesson of the day: Boston is definitely a place to be!

Hungry for home-style

This is a very long-overdue entry that I've been meaning to post and decided today was the day to do it without anymore excuses.

So Eric and I went to Pistahan back in September, a place you probably would just walk right by without a glance because it looks almost like a fast food/take-out joint. With bright-orange painted walls and a glass window fridge that allows you to pick desserts to-go (and some random perishable items), the place was dimly lit and rather empty.

But I had read about this place in New York magazine and was curious to know what they called a culinary hodgepodge of Asian cuisines was like. I ordered the Chicken Adobo while Eric asked the waiter whether he should get the "Grilled Pork Belly with vinegar and soy sauce" or the "Deep-fried Pork Belly with special liver sauce." She stood there rather indecisive herself. "Um, they are kind of the same," she says. Now Eric was set on getting something deep-fried that night because well chances are that usually translates to: "You're gonna LOOOOOVE it no matter how bad the meat really tastes," even though he told me after dinner that he was hoping to be "less squishy again." Yeah, fat chance if you're dining with me. And guess what, he got the deep-fried pork belly. He was also smart to get us a plate the garlic rice.

The chicken adobo arrived at the table first. While not a dish to marvel at over the presentation, we both thought the adobo sauce was really fabulous. It wasn't inundated with vinegar; in fact it was almost sweet and broth-like, soaking in the natural flavors of chicken. While the meat didn't slip off the bone as I have had at other places, it was still a hearty dish with a simple, home-style character to it. But there were two things we had wished for for this dish: 1) The chicken could have been marinated in the sauce much longer. The meat closer to the bone had very little flavor, while the exterior was enveloped very well with the adobo sauce (While it is normally made with garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, chilies, tomatoes and onions, this one was simply vinegar, soy sauce and onions). 2) There was more bone than meat to be had. Lots of time was spent getting the meat off that for the most part I was worried I'd be flinging the rest of my food at Eric. While I wouldn't have minded that the food hit him, it would have a been a great loss to not have eaten the flying pieces. However, only one chunk managed to fly off the plate and unfortunately it was in my lap. Thankfully the chicken wasn't too oily. I think my clothes will not suffer greatly. But the flavors were nonetheless delicious, simple with nothing so heavy to throw your digestive system in a funk.


The garlic rice was a bit of a revelation because it was fragrant, bold and even had pieces of grilled garlic in it, yet was safe enough to eat without having to worry about breathing garlic on everybody for the rest of the night. Ew. But the rice was cooked perfectly, each grain glistening with some sort of oil to keep the rice moist and appetizing. It was such a complement to our two dishes that I'm guessing any entree in the house could use the rice as a side (except for the desserts).

The Deep-fried Pork Belly came at last and you could tell immediately it was going to rock. How? Because the rind looked crispy, there was a thin layer of fat between the fried skin and the very tender, juicy pork. The rind was a bit difficult to chew as it was semi-thick and hard, but combined with the fat and the meat, the trio is a must for a fried-food lover because you get the crunch but you also get forward-flavor pork and smoothness from the fat...ending your bite with plenty of textures and pure pork bliss. The special liver sauce reminded me of the sweet-sour sauce normally served with Peking Duck, which I never use anyways. I wasn't a fan of it though I wouldn't say it was bad. Eric and I naturally dunked our pork in the left-over adobo sauce instead. Yum.

We finished everything except the extra bowl of white rice we had ordered. Probably because we devoured the dishes so there was none left to accompany the lonesome rice. In fact, if my memory serves me well, I think Eric almost licked clean the bowl with the adobo sauce in it. That good you say? Yeah, it was but don't expect a mind-blowing experience. Sometimes simple is just plain satisfying and I'd say the adobo sauce is tasty enough to convert almost any dish into comfort food.

We considered dessert, but decided against it and instead went to Something Sweet, a place that has the best Truffle Buttons (almond macaroons with chocolate ganache and dipped in Belgium chocolate) I've had so far. That entry will be for another day. Today its Pistahan...and I pat myself on the back for finally getting this account up on here. Oh and the photos are courtesy of Eric's phone camera...quite clear, eh? Please take special care in noticing how well-fried/crisp the pork is, how shiny the rice granules are and how succulent the chicken chunks look.

Lesson of the day: I take it out of a line from this above entry..."Sometimes simple is just plain satisfying."

Pistahan
229 First Ave. (between 13th and 14th Sts.)
212-228-9000

Time for TKettle and tapioca

I was going to meet Beth at Mariebelle for hot chocolate tonight but it was a bit hot and humid so we decided to do it next week instead in hopes that some of the heat will pass. I gave myself the excuse to head down to the East Village to relieve the urge I've been having the past few days to try a new milk tea place that Rebecca mentioned that her friends said was better than Saint's Alp and other teahouses in Chinatown. "Better, huh?" I remember saying and thinking to myself that I could not wait to try it because I am a huge milk tea fanatic. Authentically-brewed teas excite me too but I haven't had my tapioca tea fix for like a week now. I always seem to end up at Teariffic on Mott St. and while I can never manage to not order my usual Almond Milk Tea (usually cold with pearls) I was starting to get a tad tired of the place. I've burned through so many frequent-buyer cards that I think they at least owe me 10 more free drinks (I bet many regulars think this too) for going in almost every week.

I found TKettle on St. Marks Place-you can't really miss it with their bright lights bouncing off their orange and white interior. It looks like any other milk tea shop: the fat straws neatly held in containers, drink displays on the counter and a menu offering everything from flavored teas and slushies to Asian snacks like toast and a variety of "dan ta" (egg tarts...one in Portuguese-style too)!

It looks to be a shop owned and run by a husband and wife. But I could be wrong. The reason I say this is because I walked in and an Asian woman behind the counter smiled at me sweetly and asked me what I'd like to have, while an Asian man behind her shook up beverages for other customers. I ordered the Original Milk Tea with Pearls but then asked the woman how the Almond one was because I ALWAYS order that kind. But before she could answer I said: "May I switch it? Oh no, nevermind, I'll stick with the Original. Sorry!" I hate my indecisiveness when at the cash register, but this stems from fear of choosing an item I will regret having. Anyhow, the woman told me they opened just a month ago and perhaps since it's so new, not many people have wandered into this tea store just yet. While my drink was mixed in one of those cocktail shakers, the man told me that there was more seating in the back (there were two tables outside in the front). This place is larger than the eye can see at first glance! I walked straight back and sure enough, there were more seats. And at left was exactly what I saw: a room full of cushy seats for me to choose from! But the ambiance took some time to grow on me because I was trying to decide if I liked how narrow the room was. I took a sip of my drink and was pleasantly surprised that it was well... good. It reminded of tapioca milk tea in California, where these shops are almost as prevalent in Asian communities as Starbuck's are um, on every street corner... all over the world. You could taste the tea for sure, but it was shaken with the right amount of milk so that it wasn't like drinking milk colored brown or drinking watered-down tea with a murky white cast (think mud puddles on a rainy day). It was sweetened of course and something I can definitely see myself getting on a regular basis if it weren't a tad far for me to get to. But I am pleased to say it's $3.96 for a real 16 ounce cup with pearls. Lots of places charge that price for a 12 ounce cup. I can't believe I'm saying that because if you think about it, it's 4 bucks for a cup of tea with tapioca! I have been New Yorkified!

Well, going back to the drink-I liked the pearls a lot because (and this may be different for others if they go there at the wrong time) they were the chewy I prefer: not too stiff like overchewed bubble gum but they also didn't dissolve in goopy bits in my mouth like at some places when the pearls have been left out uneaten and soaking in sugar syrup for too long. Slightly sweet, the tapioca balls were the regular size, not the baby ones that got popular over the years, and there was a generous amount but not so much that you're overwhelmed.

The more I sat there, the more I liked the place because I can see it as a great teahouse to meet a friend for tea and as word continues to get out, it could become a popular late-night hang-out. The orange seats are cushioned with a backing, something really more comfortable than the wooden, Asian-style stools at lots of other places. I can only sit on those for 10 minutes before slumping over and propping my arms on the table. But at TKettle you can sit and chat for a good amount of time because the seats are not only comfy, but the place looks very clean and lively, and there's enjoyable radio music playing through a relatively clear sound system. All it needs are more people to make the place cozier. Some electrical outlets would be nice too for people who want to do a little writing there. Overall, I'm happy to say I will be a returning drinker.

Lesson of the day: There is hope for milk tea in N.Y.C.!

TKettle
26 St. Marks Place (between 2nd and 3rd Ave.)

Gray's Papaya Plan

Patrick, Jorge and I went in search for dinner while at work last night. I suggested we try a new place since we always order from the same 4 places, so we trekked over to 39th St. and 8th Ave. for a joint called Mandler's Sausage Co. On the way there, we passed by Gray's Papaya and were tempted by the recession special. But we moved on, declaring that if all else fails, Gray's will be our backup plan. And it was a good thing we had a plan B because when we got to Mandler's, the shop was dark, dirty and well...absolutely deserted. There were a few photos of sausages and plate specials posted on the glass windows, but you could tell that the place had been shut down for whatever reasons why some places don't survive in the city. Anyhow, to Gray's we went without too much disappointment. Here we have it, two delicious hot dogs smothered in their onion sauce and topped with sauerkraut. I don't think I can ever get sick of these unless they tell me what they put in the dogs. However, Patrick did find a sign that said "100% beef" and the drink I always opt for is the Pina Colada, which they say is "all-natural." Whether or not these signs tell the truth, sometimes it's just better to not know what's in the food we sometimes love so dearly even if isn't gourmet or the latest trend.

Lesson of the day: Backup plans are the best.

Grom gelato

I didn't try a new place today because it was gloomy, rainy and I had too much work to do and lots of sleep to catch up on. But on Wednesday I stopped by Grom gelato because I've been asked 4 times in the past month if I had gone yet. I was in a bit of a rush on Wednesday because I had to be somewhere by 4:30 p.m. but I decided to go because I really felt like gelato and I didn't want to be trying it later this week since the forecast predicted rain (my guess was correct because it has been rainy and rather dark). Anyhow, there hardly was a wait when I got to the shop, which was a big surprise since I saw pictures online of massive lines that reminded me of Disneyland rides. What can I say. I'm an impatient person. I can't stand waiting in lines that are so far back that you can't even see your original destination. However, the ridiculous lines may have been because Grom was offering free gelato on the day of its opening to get people hooked on their stuff. Sure, I like free food but I also like using my time wisely. I'd more likely spend a mere 5 bucks to save a 2 hour wait. Come to think of it, I don't ever recall waiting for free food when there are promotional events like free scoop day at Ben & Jerry's.

Anyhow, the place looked like a tiny scoop shop at the front, but if you walk further in, you have about a whopping 15 seats to choose from if you're lucky they aren't all full of kids and their parents (at least on a Wed. afternoon). And if you get a seat, your view is a bunch of industrial machines (probably the gelato-makers) behind a glass window. Yay. I'd say takeout is your best bet so don't count on eating very good gelato on rainy days.

I never know what flavor to get when I'm at a scoop shop so I normally get one of my two favorite flavors: coffee or mint chocolate chip. So I was torn betweening trying something different like stracciatella or a classic like coffee or chocolate. I was tempted to sample all the flavors but decided against it because that's just plain annoying so I tried Tiramisu and Dark Chocolate. I went for the chocolate because while the Tiramisu tasted good with chunks of cookie and lots of interesting textures and colors, it didn't taste quite like the Tiramisu I was looking for. Anyhow, my small cup of Dark Chocolate gelato was $5.14 including tax. Talk about ouch because a small was small, but I guess it's justified since they say they use some of the best and freshest ingredients and good chocolate, like Valrhona, means you're going to have to pay for it. I overheard a woman telling her son "They said they didn't squeeze enough limes today to make that delicious lime sorbet we had last time. Well maybe next time."

The gelato looked really unappetizing because it wasn't cold enough, the goop slid down the sides of the cup making my table a huge mess. In fact, it reminded me of doggy diarrhea (see photo). Does it not? I took a few bites and was actually conflicted. Was it really good? Or was it too intensely chocolate for me to enjoy? Or did I not like it because I was in a bit of a rush and wanted to get it over with? I concluded that it was good because I ordered chocolate gelato and got chocolate gelato. What I realized was that the amount was enough because oftentimes when things are rich and tasty, you don't need a lot to satisfy your palate. And this was rich and tasty.

The Dark Chocolate gelato had bits of dark chocolate evenly scattered about so in every bite you'll have tiny pieces that add a bit of extra texture to the airy gelato, making it that much more elegant. By airy gelato I mean that it almost felt like it was whipped, hence the somewhat gooey look. And speaking of whipped, I was asked at the counter whether I wanted a dollop of whipped cream to accompany my sweet treat. I said no because I didn't want whipped cream anymore after my Strawberry Shortcake Sadness. Going back to the chocolate... I really did like that they weren't the typical huge chunks of chocolate pieces because those always get stuck in the roof of my mouth and are tasteless anyways. I only ate about half the cup when I felt like it was a chocolate overload. I had wished I was there with someone else because then we could have shared two flavors and alternated. I was sad I didn't try a sorbet. But this experience led me to believe that with all their flavors, may it be sorbet or gelato, they will taste true to their flavor profiles. If you get raspberry sorbet, you better like raspberries because that's the flavor it's going to taste exactly like.

Lesson of the day: A little goes a long way.

Grom Gelato
2165 Broadway (between 76th and 77th Sts.)
646-290-7233

Turnip cake cooked

I just fried the turnip cake and it was pleasantly flavorful. I have no oyster sauce or hot sauce to pair with it, which is sad because it probably would make it ten times better. However, I have 4 more pieces to cook so perhaps I will get some sauce before having them. I used very little olive oil to fry the single rectangular piece but I realize that at restaurants, they must use more oil and fry it for much longer to get the nice, crisp outer layer (a dark golden brown) I normally am accustomed to seeing. I left each side to cook for about 6-7 minutes but I think I was much too impatient to let it sizzle long enough to achieve restaurant-fried results. Anyhow, it had small chunks of white radish here and there and the "cake" itself was a good "mushy"...kind of gelatinous but firm. I can't think of a common food it can be compared with because the texture is really one of a kind...possibly like a polenta cake without any grainy-ness. The two core ingredients are usually rice flour and white radish, but I've had fancier versions made with scallions, mushrooms, dried shrimp, or sausage bits. It's normally eaten during Chinese New Years, yet I always have it at dim sum restaurants all year round. In fact, it's a must-order dish everytime. While I won't gush about the outcome of this luo bo gao "experiment," it's safe to say it wasn't a disaster. It wasn't complex in ingredients or cooking so I think I'd get it again! For that, I am grateful.

Lesson of the day: Simple can be equally as delicious as complex. Sometimes better.

Turnip cake to cook

I bought "luo bo gao" (turnip cake usually served at dim sum) when I was in Chinatown the night I met Rebecca for the beef noodles. The store itself is quite ugly, more like a storage facility than anything else, but the place serves its purpose for selling cheap, fresh Chinese foods to be taken home to prepare. So I have yet to pan-fry my turnip cake because they are currently white, uncooked blocks with chunks of pre-cooked white turnip. I forget the name of the shop but they also offer taro cakes, sesame seed balls (yay!), dumplings, egg noodles, and other popular items like "zong zi" (the savory sticky rice with meat and mushrooms wrapped in bamboo leaves). The list continues but I can't remember them after surveying the haphazard inventory and everything on the menu was scrawled on a red plastic board in Chinese Characters that looked like they had been written a very long time ago. Be it the passing years from the sweat, grease or water coming from god knows what, it's a sign legible by people who really know how to read Chinese even if a slash is missing. Anyhow...hopefully the "luo bo gao" is really good. Two bad things in one week is unbearable. Three? I'll be in tears.

Lesson of the day: Strawberry Shortcake is currently something nobody really knows how to make well (I am not the only who says this). Don't judge a shop by how it looks ...yet. Some ugly, tacky Chinese restaurants serve the most delicious foods ever. Food so good that bad service can be tolerated.

Pizza without pizazz & knife-shaved noodles

Went to Luzzo's on First Ave. for pizza last night with Hy. It's a cozy place, a nice ambiance to get together with friends when you just don't have the energy to trek far for the best pizza in New York. I'd say at best it's a great local pizza joint when you're short on time and low on ideas.

A ton of reviews said it was one of the best places to eat pizza in NYC. It was awarded Best of City Search 2007, but I have to disagree. I apologize for saying this but I wonder if they gave this place an award because Grimaldi's, DiFara's, Lombardi's (the most over-rated of the list), John's on Bleecker and other famous NYC pizza places have just been over-reviewed. It wasn't gross, but it just seemed like it was lacking the "oh my goodness, this is soooooo good" feeling I normally get when I have pizza (even some local places are just plain good when the cheese is chewy and the bread is perfectly thin and crusty).

We ordered the 16" "4 Stagioni"...thin-crust pizza with olives, ham, artichokes, buffalo mozzarella, and mushrooms. While the ingredients tasted fresh and the cheese was melted, it was disappointing that the center of the pie had a very mushy crust. In other words, the pizza was uneven...the center was soaking in all the water from either the tomato sauce, cheese oil and toppings. At the same time, it wasn't as if the ingredient combination was out of this world, but perhaps the goopy parts threw me off? So this made me sad because I had been craving pizza for weeks but this didn't do it for me. The only thing I could do was eat from the outer crust inwards so as to avoid the mush as long as possible. Even then, it wasn't pizza I wanted to inhale like I normally do when the pizza is that delicious.

My top pizza places that have not let me down: John's on Bleecker, Grimaldi's in Brooklyn, Patsy's on 3rd Ave. and 99 Cents Fresh Pizza in Midtown East. Why? The crusts are ALWAYS CHEWY, CRUSTY, but SUPER THIN...AND the ingredients (don't know about the 99 Cent place since I only had plain cheese) are fresh, generous and have their own vibrant personalities.

As sad as I was about the crust, I did manage to eat my 4 slices...in fact, we both finished the entire pie. I do believe Hy said: "It's really growing on me." I think after 3 slices, she started to believe it was really good pizza. She isn't wrong. I haven't had all the best pizzas in the world or even in NYC, but I do know what I like and don't like. And now you do too.

SKIP FORWARD TO TONIGHT

I've temporarily put my "anxiety" over Luzzo's pizza crust on hold. Perhaps it was just a one-time incident. Anyhow, tonight I went to Marco Polo Noodle Shop in Chinatown with Rebecca because she said she saw a sign on their awning that said they had "dao xiao mein"..."They do!?!" I remember shrieking. The literal translation is "knife-shaved noodles," which are my favorite and something I haven't had since I've left California. In fact, it has been a mission for me to find the best beef knife-shaved noodle soup in New York. The kind with chunks of tender beef swimming in an aromatic, dark-colored, hearty beef broth accompanied by long, wide, hand-shaved noodles that are perfectly cooked. The last time I've had such a delicious bowl? A&J in Irvine, California...a small shop with very good "jiao yen pai gu" ("salt pepper pork") with "suan tsai" ("sour vegetables") and rice.

The place most likely to rival A&J's beef noodle soup is the $4.50 bowl at Super Taste, a VERY much hole-in-the-wall shop where you can see the chefs yanking on the noodles by hand. You can practically taste the labor-intensive work in those thick, chewy noodles that somehow have the ability to soak in the meat broth and the savory spices. Maybe I should just stop writing now because I really could use a bowl right now. Well, the point of this "short" entry is to mention that we had a different beef noodle soup tonight that was quite delicious. The same kind I dream about from A&J? No, but still a place I'd hit up when in need of a steaming bowl of noodle soup.

"Oh, this wasn't what I was imagining. The broth is so....um, clear," Rebecca said. I laughed because she summed up the very thought I had been thinking when the bowls were set on the table. She ordered the thin noodles, which are also hand-pulled and I asked for the knife-shaved one. The broth was "qing dan"...a phrase I always remembered because I was careful not to order this version which pretty much means "clear broth" or something along the lines of "lighter" or "mild." But we sipped the soup and were pleasantly surprised: Even without the usual dark-brown colored broth, the soup was flavorful, meaty and full-bodied. In fact, it was nice to know that maybe even fewer ingredients were put in but still yielded a soup so tasty.

Rebecca's noodles were al dente...the kind of noodles you want: "que que"..."chewy" and far from mushy but still soft enough without it being dough-y. Mine however were slightly over-cooked. Why I didn't freak out, especially since I did at Luzzo's crust? Because Rebecca had an ideal bowl of noodles so it was safe to say this time, my noodles had been sitting in broth for too long. But I still enjoyed it because the noodles were thin, and well-flavored in the broth it was bathed in. I just thought of them as open wonton skins.

Normally, I hate the beef in the noodle soups because they are tough, having been cooked in the soup for much too long. But the large, fragrant pieces that came with our bowls were super tender, and if there were bones, which there were not, the meat would have gladly slid off. I'd say that if you could think about the ideal way the beef should taste in noodle soups, this really hit the mark. Best part: Nothing was overly salty and we weren't dying to chug a gallon of water after eating. Yay! No MSG detected at the time! It was such a "comfort" meal in the sense that I've always had a soft spot for noodle soup since I used to have it/crave it all the time when I was at home. We chatted for a good 3 hours...well, long enough where all the cooks were having their dinner and we were the only customers. But not once did they try to kick us out. They waited until we finished and asked for the check. How nice! And so unusual for a Chinese restaurant!

As for tomorrow, the much-talked-about Grom gelato or a Strawberry Shortcake from Anneliese. (And maybe another trip back to F&B for beignets or another pumpkin muffin from Le Pain Quotidien. AHHH! So much to eat, so little time and money!)

Lesson of the day: Keep trying new things!

Chikalicious creations

I decided to make a few posts with less text. What a relief, huh? Anyhow, a few selections from the dessert bar Chikalicious in NYC back in early September.

Green grape petit four with meringue cookie
Spiced cherries with pound cake and cracked pepper gelato
Roasted peach half with vanilla sauce and basil sorbet
Coconut marshmallows... I used to hate marshmallows...
now I don't because of these!

A day of pumpkin and plenty more

I've had a sugar-filled day today. I haven't had anything salty except pretzels. This can't be good. Why I did this I do not know.

But I started off my morning with Le Pain Quotidien's Limited Edition Pumpkin Muffin. I normally get their Belgium Brownie or Pain Au Chocolat, but today my eyes fell upon something labeled "Pumpkin" and not even reading fully what it was, I ordered it. This muffin, as they call it, really hit the spot because it was dense but perfectly moist, making it much more like a pumpkin pound cake. This is not the airy, fluffy muffins you get at the store or at Dunkin Donuts (though I do like those very much too!) laden with conspicuous remnants of butter/fat/oil/something-bad-for-your-body. In fact, it was almost on the brink of chewy. Toasted pumpkin seeds studded the top, adding a nice roasted flavor to the muffin as well as a light crunchy texture to the softness of the cake. Its got a spot-on pumpkin-ness to it: There's no overly fake tasting pumpkin flavor but it's not so bland as if it were just a plain muffin dyed orange. I will definitely be going back for another one soon! I am officially pumpkin crazy seeing as it is THAT time of the month where pumpkin sprouts up on all the menus.

It didn't take me long to eat it of course and while I cannot remember what I did after I finished the muffin, I do remember that my next pumpkin encounter was the Pumpkin Bisque from Hale & Hearty Soup. It's actually quite good, though I think that if I ever step into the place for soup, I have to get my usual: Chicken & Sweet Corn Bisque. The Pumpkin Bisque was slightly sweet as if there were nutmeg, cardamom or cinnamon flung in but it was followed by a kick of spiciness. In essence, the first taste is sweet pumpkin flavor, but it ends in a semi-fiery savory note. It can be quite addicting, but I think more often than not I like my pumpkin for dessert rather than a meal (though pumpkin ravioli can be greatly appreciated).

Anyhow, done with that. Moving on: I went to 3 Tarts, a Chelsea gift boutique/bakery, today to shoot some photos for an article I'm writing about the place and their pastry chefs. It can be a wonderland in there for people who live for bite-sized desserts and love giving gifts. When the article gets published, I'll be sure to post the link to the article here so there's more info and descriptions of what they have and why it's good. However, I'd like to highlight the Pumpkin Parfait here because it stood out from the wide selection there. For one, it came in a very simple, mini plastic "flute" and two, because ... it was pumpkin. See ugly photo at left. To be as brief as possible, I'd say that the most enjoyable part was the multiplicity of textures. You start off with a firm crunchiness from the pumpkin seed toffee-brittle, going on to the dissolve-in-your-mouth-like-air molasses whipped cream, coming to the soft, chunky pumpkin pieces with bits of dried apricot, followed by the creamy sweet pumpkin pastry cream, then ending with crushed chocolate cookies. Or, if you're lucky, you're able to get all of the wonderful textures in one bite and enjoy the inspiring flavor combinations. I love pumpkin pie, but if given the choice between having a big slice of this layered loveliness, I'd have to say farewell to the classic Thanksgiving dessert. If you can't quite imagine the flavors, here's what it made me feel like I was eating: A pie made of a crust of crumbled chocolate cookies filled with elegant mashed candied yams (not too sweet or consumed by the sugar syrup) topped with generous dollops of maple syrup whipped cream. What a treat I tell you.

Anyhow, got to keep going since there's more.

Yeah, I know lots of food already but I didn't go to Chelsea unprepared. Knowing I rarely ever hit up the neighborhood I had two more places to swing by. I first went to Chelsea Market to get some coffee from Ninth Street Espresso. I've been to the lower east side location, but have never gotten coffee there. The cafe is cozy, inviting and smells of a coffee that non-coffee drinkers would fall in love with. So I was a tad surprised to find that the Ninth Street Espresso at Chelsea Market had no seats. It had a stone counter top where people could stand and chat while drinking from big ceramic mugs.

I was debating whether or not to order decaf or to be strong and go with caffeinated (do I really want to be talking at warp-speed and feeling my heart race as if it was ready to jump out of my body?). "Excuse me, I know this may be a stupid question, or sacrilegious for that matter at such a place for real coffee drinkers, but do you serve decaf?" I ask the barista. "Yes, we do!" he says with a big smile. Whew. Relief. And he didn't even roll his eyes. So I order a decaf cappuccino and stand back to observe the scene. Each cup is made-to-order so it meant that the guy had taken a generous scoop of decaf coffee and was using some sort of gadget to hand-press the coffee into the espresso machine just for my cup of coffee. My favorite part? I'm guessing they do this as the last touch of charm for each cup of joe: The steamed milk was poured into the coffee at an angle to form a beaming heart as you can see at the right. Love it! Originally, I attempted to take a photo of my drink at the counter but much to my dismay, I was much too short to get a proper shot. What did I do? I found a spot near the floor with a concrete lining that was about 5 inches off the ground and shot a few quick photos. And what embarrassing thing did I do next? I went in search for sugar. When I did find the milk and sugar corner (the sugar practically hidden from sight and I guess for good reason), and reached over for a few packets of sugar, I was waiting for people to stop talking in awe of what I was about to do to my coffee. I was practically committing a crime I thought. Well that's too bad. I dumped 3 packets in. I was bold, wasn't I? Thankfully, not a word was uttered. I was home-free with coffee that survived a photo shoot on the ground and it was decaf with sugar too! So how'd it taste? I'm not a real coffee-drinker but if there was one word to describe it, I'd say it was "masculine." It was rich, deep, dark and almost mysterious...on the brink of bitterness but pulls you back to a slight sweetness when you think it's going to turn you away. I'd say there were even hints of a toffee flavor but perhaps it was the sugar doing its magic. In any case, it was one good cup of sweetened cappuccino!

And what better food to accompany my coffee than beignets? I walked to F&B gudtfood, a German street food joint, and bought 3 huge nuggets of fried dough. Dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with a sticky raspberry sauce (photo below and left), these have got to be my favorite kinds of donuts. It's probably why I LOVE the donuts from Donut Planet because they have a nice chew to them and the glazes are customarily true to their flavor profiles (a raspberry donut tastes like fresh raspberries are studded on the donut) without killing your taste buds with sugar or leaving an oily residue in your mouth.

The breaded part of the beignet from F&B was not sweet. In fact, it probably can be dipped into a cheese sauce for a different kind of snack. Whether or not the lack of oiliness or sugar overload makes these donuts more "healthy" than donuts from Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts, it is a mystery that I'd rather not solve. I am DEFINITELY going back for more of these lovely golden pieces of goodness. They have chocolate or caramel versions as well. Perhaps I'll try them all. Oh and maybe get a bratwurst or two. I hear those are delish.

Ah, another day means...well, 3 or more meals to come.

Lesson of the day: Eat dessert first and last!

More mini than monster

I have to make a rather quick, "short" entry tonight since I actually have work to do. Today, I had a lovely interview with the pastry chefs and the owner of this charming gift boutique/bakery in Chelsea called 3 Tarts. I'll be throwing together an article on them for Asiance soon and will be posting a write-up here about their adorable desserts. Checking out the place and talking to them was a great start to the day because I left feeling inspired and rather happy. Perhaps it was all the sweetness inside the shop that had a positive effect over me. I truly believe desserts are the way to my heart. I hope the sweets taste as wonderful as they look because everything in the glass fridge looked gorgeous...even the twist on the classics, like yuzu marshmallows, molasses cookies and jeweled hibiscus gelee panna cotta, were edible works of art.

After the meeting, I met Tony for lunch today near Times Square at Monster Sushi. I had been planning on taking photos there because according to reviews, the sushi was supposed to be "gargantuan" in size. However, my camera's battery was dead and I had known this but done nothing about it when I first knew this: I didn't listen to Stu the day of the web department potluck when he said that my battery was low and that I needed to charge it. I was furious for a good 20 minutes after I left the bakery and even considered buying another battery or instant camera. That's why I unfortunately have no photos from 3 Tarts yet either, but I'll be back there next week with my camera's battery fully charged and ready to shoot to my delight. Anyhow, there was no need for the camera at Monster Sushi. It was a disappointment. My first one in several weeks!

We ordered the shrimp Gyoza for an appetizer, which was acceptable since they were fried to a crisp but they were tiny and the shrimp was almost undetected. We might as well just have ordered Crispy Gyoza Shells. The frozen dumplings at the Asian supermarkets are cheaper for like 32 pieces, more filling and much tastier. Oh well. We also shared the Dragon Roll (avocado, eel, red roe) and the New York Roll (salmon, shrimp tempera, crab, avocado), both of which were normal sizes with 6 pieces each. They weren't even pretty since they looked a bit smushed! I guess the best part was the red roe...they were really red.

Another disappointment was that reviews not only boasted that the size of the sushi was enormous, but that the rolls were very fresh. While I didn't have any stomach problems after eating, the ingredients tasted rather plain and lacking in body. Nothing exciting. Sadness. I'd much rather have spent 20 bucks for an amazing meal at Mishima (31st St. and Lexington). They have a Maki Combination made with extremely fresh ingredients, where the fish is velvety, not gummy and the cucumber bits are crispy, not on the brink of chewy-ness. I remember the plate to be only $13 for a reasonable number of sushi pieces. I wish I could have some right NOW. Come to think of it, I am HUNGRY.

Lessons of the day: When there's good, there sure as heck will be bad. And that's ok because when the good comes around, you're going to know why it's GOOD! Charge any of your batteries asap when it's low and when someone even tells you to do so.

Backtracking to blueberries

My account of Pistahan will have to wait. I wrote a novel on it of course in a Word document and the past week I have had no internet. That means that I cannot post that novel to this site. In any case, I thought I'd make a quick entry about Clinton St. Baking Co. since I took Tim and some of his friends there last week. The location is rather far and not exactly close to the subway from my memory, but this was the only brunch place I could think of when Tim texted me and said he was in NYC and ready to party at 11 a.m.

It's a rather cute place, almost like a diner but much more cozy with a warm glow to the entire restaurant. A glass window stood at the front entrance displaying tiers of scones, muffins and other pastries I'm sure I could not live without if I had the time to taste them. There were 5 of us then. Tim and I split the Wild Maine Blueberry Pancakes with Warm Maple Butter and the Grilled Chicken Sandwich. I only had the pancakes the first time I went to Clinton St., and I am happy to say that our order decision was a success, credit to both of us.

The pancakes came to the table first: four, neatly-stacked fluffy cakes that at first worried me because there were no distinct signs of the blueberries to be seen. But the dangerously indulgent maple sauce sat in a cup on the plate, ready to be lathered over those golden brown flapjacks. I couldn't decide how to split them as we had no extra plate yet. Tim said: "I'll just try a bite first. I'm really not into pancakes. (I think this is what he said)" But whatever he said ended up being interpreted as: "I'm willing to share whatever I got but I won't eat any of yours because I'm not into sweets." My eyes widened (no joke), my mouth fell open and I proceeded to explain to him that sharing the pancakes was non-negotiable and that we could never be friends or talk again if he refused to have his half. I wasn't all mean...I did say that if he hated them, I'd eat the rest and not have to share his sandwich. To my relief, and possibly his, he said he liked the pancakes and was able to eat about 1.5? And here's why I think he liked them and why I finished my 2 pancakes and what he didn't eat: The pancakes weren't dense and too cake-like; they were airy and springy in texture (something all pancakes should be like!). With every bite there was surely a mouthful of blueberries to please the palate. To me, they didn't taste frozen-it was if the chef literally took generous handfuls of blueberries, threw them in the batter and, well, stuck them on a hot griddle. If there wasn't enough blueberries, rest assured, loose, fresh blueberries were sprinkled on the sides of plate. Don't like blueberries? Don't get the pancakes because when they say "Wild Main Blueberry Pancakes," they mean you're going to get your pancakes and blueberries too. Without the warm maple butter, the pancakes were like a porche but without the paint job-something completely necessary to spice things up. You can bet on it that you can taste the butter, but its forefront flavor taste like a rich caramel with a silky, smooth consistency. The maple essence is much lighter and really an after-thought, but really...whether you dunk your pieces in or pour it over the cakes, it is very likely to tranform a non-breakfast person into a breakfast person (I am an example).

Tim's sandwich came and one look at the gorgeous stack could make you drool. It was simple, nothing dramatic, but that's the best part because sometimes the classics beat out those New American or fusion takes on the traditional. The thinly-sliced sourdough rye bread was perfectly toasted with some grilled marks. Two pieces held together tender chicken meat, avocado, romaine lettuce, bacon (yay!), slices of beefsteak tomato and a chipotle mayo that made the sandwich a real star. Everything tasted fresh, and parts that needed to be crisp, like the bacon, lettuce and the tomato (maybe more like firm and robust), could be expected. If you've ever had a Club Sandwich, this was the queen of them all. I think there was Cole Slaw and some chips on the side but I was much too preoccupied eating the pancakes and the sandwich.

Midway into the meal Tim decided to order a root beer float. Why I declined to try some I do not know because I, as I always do, regret that I didn't! Perhaps it was because I was worried I'd drink it all without a second thought, leaving none for him. Especially since I was capabable of doing that when I used to live by an A&W shop and had $1.50 root beer floats with Lisa and dad almost every week.

I was the last to finish because I just could not stop eating as always when things are tasty. No disappointment for my second visit here. I'd definitely recommend it for a brunch place if I ever find myself up in the morning/afternoon with out-of-town visitors.

Lesson of the day: When you're offered to try something someone else has ordered, just try it.

Forgotten but still absolutely fabulous

Before I fell asleep last night I realized that I hadn't mentioned the Green Tea Macaroon from Cha-An. I could probably write one entry a day for every dessert or dish I love from that teahouse, but I will not to vary the reading a bit. But I can't believe I forgot to describe how something so small can deliver such great happiness. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You think this is a joke because it's just food. But it is not. I normally don't like macaroons because most of the time they are dry or too sweet. And I am also very wary of trying something flavored with "Green Tea" because that normally means it's just the color green with no real green tea essence at all. In other words, they are usually a huge disappointment (e.g. the Green Tea cookies from Kyotofu in Midtown West). I'd say these green tea sweets are about 1.5 inches in diameter. Perhaps one-third inch thick? Two coin-like pieces, both a deep, dark Matcha green, sandwich a dense red bean paste. Sugar is not the forefront of flavor for this button; there's no sweetness that makes your teeth ache. The best part of all is that the green tea flavor is prominent even if you take a tiny bite. The exterior shell is thin, almost like it's candy-coated (think M&Ms but much more elegant), but then you reach a soft, lava-cake-like texture (like those flourless chocolate cakes but without the gooey lava) that...tastes like...SURPRISE...green tea! This made me estatic. As if the green tea macaroon wasn't enough to fill me with joy, the red bean paste added just the right touch of sweetness with the addition of a smooth paste-like consistency (from the grounded red beans). The time before this, I had a Green Tea Macaroon with Red Bean Butter. A bite-sized dessert worth getting more than one of. The Red Bean is whipped so the macaroon filling is airy, smooth and melts in your mouth.

Something similar to this bite of heaven? The Truffle Button from Something Sweet (11th St. and First Ave.), which I will write about AFTER my dinner at Pistahan.

Lesson of the day: Eat every macaroon you comeby because it can be REALLY good. Not all things labeled "Green Tea" are disappointing.

Another lovely time at Cha-An

I went down to meet Tiff and Eric (who wishes he could marry Superman) for tea at my favorite "restaurant" in NYC...Cha-an Japanese Teahouse. We managed to sit in the warm, cozy little teahouse for three and a half hours telling really ridiculous stories, talking about quarter-life crises and analyzing how much it sucks to be a lawyer making enough to supplement an apartment with a monthly rent of $3,200. Without a doubt, I come to this place at least once a month. This was the second time since last week I took Dan for the elaborate tea set. For only $19, you get a chef-chosen appetizer (usually scallops or shrimp), a soy milk mushroom quiche, tea-smoked salmon, multi-grain rice, a vegetable of the day, a bowl of soup, a hot or cold fresh-brewed tea, and one of their fabulous desserts.

Before Tiff arrived, Eric had ordered Matcha (green tea powder carefully whisked with hot water until frothy peaks form) with sweets, while I had the Jasmine Pearls green tea. I wish I could have taken a photo of the "sweets," which came as two Milk Dud-sized pieces of mochi. And Eric put it perfectly: "Eat it! It's the best mochi I've ever had." After much hesitation on my part since there were only two small pieces and insistence on his part, I accepted and thankfully I did! I hate to say he was right but it was really the most superior mochi I've had to this date! It was tender, chewy, almost satin-y and if mochi could melt in the mouth, this one would be close to doing so. Each piece was generously coated in finely ground peanut powder, which added a nutty, slightly sweet flavor to the bite-sized snacks. Sitting like two peas in a pod, they were served in a leaf with the ends sealed together at the top with a short, thin bamboo pick. This was a prime example of where quality trumped quantity. So it goes without having to say much that his Matcha was equally as impressive with an intense earthy profile and hints of grassy sweetness. And all the while of enjoying these amazing delicacies, we were discussing how we could be "barfing buddies" with the lack of tolerance for alcohol that God has bestowed on both of us.

And then Tiff graced us with her presence. Now, I'm normally someone who finds reasons to laugh about things and am easily amused, but tonight I have to say that my jaws hurt from laughing with and AT these two fun freaks (I say this with affection). About what I cannot write about or better yet I cannot remember all that clearly. So I'll continue to say that I do recall that Eric made another fabulous order by getting the Azuki Toast, which I am TOTALLY going to go back for either this week or the next. Toast you say? How good can it be? Let me tell you it was the most heavenly piece of toast that I've ever ever had. If there's a heaven, it would be on some menu there. So just imagine a generous-sized, fluffy, 2-inch thick slab of Taiwanese butter bread that's lightly toasted. The next layer boasted an addicting azuki bean paste mixture with some whole beans still intact; then a dollop of FRESH, made-at-the-teahouse whipped cream crowned the top. This was no Reddi-Whip or Cool Whip crap...these were lightly beaten peaks of thick, white cream. And Eric, as generous as the size of the piece of toast, cut it up to share. At first bite, the toast offered a nice, crusty consistency but was immediately met with a soft, springy center. The bread's slightly savory butter flavor matched so well with the sweetness of the red bean paste. As if it couldn't get any better, the addicting sweet-savory combination was taken to a new level as the whipped white peaks added a refreshing, creamy character to the whole dessert. I have to say that having come to Cha-An almost 10 times, I have never been disappointed with a dessert here.

The water for my teapot was refilled repeatedly, maybe about 6-7 times and the waitresses never ever made us feel rushed, uncomfortable or in need of us to scoot out of there. They smiled and happily refilled waters, took away used dishes and re-took our orders. While I'm sure it's obvious how much I love the food at Cha-An, the service here is top-notch and a big reason the whole dining experience is so pleasant. It's probably why it's so easy to spend an entire afternoon or evening there enjoying the food, the quaint ambiance and good company if you're lucky to have some. Eric tipped very well; in fact, he treated us to this very fine evening at Cha-An. I only wish we had taken photos of the food here.

Lessons of the day: Eat at Cha-An whenever you can. Good company is a third of an awesome food experience. Dessert can be eaten first (next entry will be the dinner following Cha-An at Pistahan).