Poutine x Meat Pie!?!

What’s in common between the Aussie & Quebecois? Nothing came to my mind but then I found the most significant Quebec Poutine (fries+gravy+cured cheese) in Sheep Station, an Australian restaurant. My standards for poutine are extremely high and after 5 years of poutine hunting in NYC, I’ve found it. One of the owners of this restaurant was originally from Quebec. Only quebecois knows the real taste of poutine. The Aussie meat pies were good as well, with a flaky pie crust that was perfectly baked and filled with mouth watering ground meat. Sheep Station mainly served pub food but their food is not that pubbie. 

Boreum Hill: 149 4th Ave, Brooklyn (x Douglass St)

Italian by the Flat-Fix

Bar Tano, a new Italian restaurant is located in the obscure neighborhood of brooklyn. Adjacent is the Flat-Fix, rental car lots, and car repair shops but nonetheless, the food is worth a stop. Italian meat balls served with broccoli rabe and polenta puree was surprisingly tasty. Thin crust pizza topped with italian sausage, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil was not as good as expected, but the amazing flaky pear tart with home-made fresh cream more than made up for that.

Gowanus: 457 Third Ave. Brooklyn (x 9th Street)

Bud Chicken

I heard about beer chicken but have never tried making one myself. The secret behind the chicken is the rub, beer, and of course a grill. You might not always have the ingredient or tools you need to make the perfect meal. Then you’ll need to be creative and adventurous enough to find alternative. My intent was to use a dark beer, like Guinness, but all i can find at the local bodega was Bud. Living in NYC, you rarely own a fancy grill unless you have a garden apartment, so my alternative is my electric oven/broiler. After 3 hours of baking and broiler, ta da.. juicy bud chicken with rosemary roasted potatoes.

Jamaican Patties

The Christie's Jamaican Patties is located on the busy strip of Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn. Pedestrian, stollers, bikes, and cars all trying to beat the streetlights. Without the help of Yelp! I wouldn't of known of this specialty pattie shop. The moist spicy beef inside the pattie didn't sog-up the flaky dough. Cheap Eat! Great snack! Worth a try!

Prospect Heights: 334 Flatbush Ave. Brooklyn

Specialty Pancake

Brunch is always a nice way to start the weekend but not necessary on a rainy saturday morning. To make my weekend start right, I've made a semi crepe-pancake Swedish Pancake topped with fresh blueberries. Swedish pancake is very similar to french crepe but more eggy, and lighter then the usual fluffy pancake. It's a great alternative to the typical pancake.

Tofu meatballs

Tofu is universally loved and loathed. Vegetarian tofu meatballs from Rice, is a must try. It's mashed and mixed with green & red peppers then lightly fried and served either sweet or spicy. Warning! Spicy, is real spicy. Sweet is semi-spicy. So try at your own risk!

Nolita - 292 Elizabeth St., NY

Dry Rubbed Ribs

Summer is always a great time to grill in your own backyard. This backyard rib was rubbed with sweet mesquite, grilled for 3 hours and finished with the Jack Daniel's bbq sauce. The outcome was fantastic. The meat was moist and it just falls right off the bone.

Happy J 4th

J 4th Day, was a good opportunity to go to Blue Ribbon Sushi. One of the "hard to get" table resto in nyc. I was overwhelmed by their long menu, just counting the appetizers, there were at least 30 dishes. Narrowed down to Negimaki - broiled beef with scallion & enoki mushroom. Tick tick tick... where is my negi....hope the sushi at the sushi bar is my mine, i'm not ready yet...tick tick tick. Finally ahh... the beef was so tender, it just melts in my mouth.

Next the Sushi-Sashimi combo arrived with very fresh fish even the nori around the sushi was tasty
We ended with a delicious creamy Green Tea Creme Brulee that was so good it was hard not to lick the bowl even in a fancy restaurant.
But anyhow,
Pros: fresh, fresh, fresh.
Cons: Menu doesn't have eye-catching exceptional dishes; Over-priced for what you get.

Park Slope: 278 5th Ave @Garfield, Brooklyn

LUNCH date

LUNCH date, yes, Lunch/Front Studio date. Food was what brought Michi, Yen, & Myself to Hoomoos Asli, a small middle eastern restaurant in Nolita. I haven't been to Hoomoos for almost a year, mainly because of their slow service. I spent more time waiting for the food then actually enjoying it. M+Y said they've changed owner a year ago and surprisingly the food was on the table in no time. Hummus, babaganush, & tabouli salad were freshly made daily, accompanied with a hot fluffy homemade pita is a great lite lunch on nice sunny thursday.

Hoomoos Asli: 100 Kenmore @ Center St. New York

Pizza - Tarte

My colleague told me about Grandaisy Bakery's pizza that I must try. It's very similar to the real Italian thin-crust pizza and it's even good when it's cold. Cold pizza? Really? Before heading there I did a quick research on the bakery. It's the remaining half of the popular Sullivan Street Bakery after the divorce. I could smell the fresh baked bread from 3 doors down. There are different variety of vegetarian pizza and assorted pastry goods. The pizza looks too good to have only 1 slice. Fungi pizza and Cauliflower w/ Gruyere Pizza were my pick of the day. Surprisingly, the strong gruyere cheese didn't over power the freshness of cauliflower. The fungi - mushroom pizza was served in room temperature and it still tastes great. You can taste the sea salt hidden under the mushrooms. The pie crust were perfectly baked with a touch of crunch. After 2 slices of pizza, I had to pass on the pastry but i know i'll be back. Tick tick tick....2 hours after, my sweet teeth is craving for pastry but I was still full from the pizza. I headed to Balthazar anyway for a coffee break. Brioche, cheese cake, chocolate croissant, passion fruit tarte,..... How can i say 'no' to the refreshing Passion Fruit Tart. The sweetness and tartless was well balanced and the graham tarte crust bottoms it off.
Grandaisy Bakery: 73 Sullivan St, New York
Balthazar: 80 Spring St., New York

Lemongrass - Spice - Vietnam

When i think of Viet food, Pho is what comes to my mind. I haven't come across any authentic Viet Restaurant yet, so i've decided to venture into my own kitchen to create an traditional viet dish.
Traditional Thit Bo Kho - Beef Stew with Star Anise & Basil. This spicy beef dish is very flavorful with a hidden kick at the end.


Spicy tofu with Lemongrass & Basil is definitely not a blah Tofu. Marinating the tofu with spice and lemongrass over night takes the tofu to a totally different level.