live octopus birthday dinner at sik gaek

When it’s your friend’s birthday and all he wants is a group outing to a Korean restaurant in Queens for some live octopus, you do it. Especially when he’s taunting you saying “C’mon, Tony did it!” – referring to a visit Anthony Bourdain paid to the restaurant as a part of a No Reservations episode back from 2009. Ok, fine. I decided if my friend was on it enough to coordinate “reserving” one of the only twenty-something octopuses being flown in from Korea that I would give it a try. When else would I have this opportunity?

I would list out exact menu items ordered, but I’ll be honest. I don’t know names for most of the dishes we had. The menu was mostly in Korean, and if you visit Sik Gaek’s website, it’ll appear all in Korean, even when you click for English. We started out with some beef fried dumplings, thick pork belly, and a soju watermelon.

When it came to the main course, we let the birthday boy order. We ended up with the seafood hot-pot, preceded by sashimi. There were others who ordered a variety of more standard Korean fare – beef and noodles and a massive shrimp dish of sorts (their shrimp was amazing). When it comes to the sashimi and the hot pot, perhaps it’s best I save my words and just share some videos of what our experience really was like.

 

The birthday boy makes this look easy.

 

The video here where I finally tried it? Decidedly less refined. I only had a small bite – which was all I ever intended to try. I’ll confess, it wasn’t my favorite. I far prefer charred octopus to the chewier variety, and this definitely didn’t have that char layer. And I was so paranoid about not chewing it enough for the wiggling business not to be an issue that I couldn’t really think too too much on the taste. It was definitely an adventure and I’m glad I joined in on the experience.

Following the sashimi, the giant hot pot with all sorts of seafood came out. There was lobster, more octopus, abalone, conch, shrimp … so many things. They claimed it served 3-4 people – a statement we’re still confused by. The pot was massive, and there were at least 6 of us picking away at it, with it seeming to go nowhere.

As if that wasn’t enough, once we decided we were mostly done with it, the workers pulled it off the flame and turned it into a big pot of fried rice. No additional charge. We weren’t too hungry, so we told them just 2 servings worth of rice. The result was way more than we were prepared to handle, all topped with cheese. It was definitely a unique dish. This was just overall a restaurant full of surprises. It was a fun change of pace to do for a birthday, for sure. Great outing for a group!

To finish of the celebrations, the birthday boy’s girlfriend had brought his favorite cake from Veniero’s – cannoli cake! Which we all ate with, what else – chopsticks!

Fun night in Woodside! Anyone else out there tried “live” octopus before? Thoughts?

Sik Gaek – 49-11 Roosevelt Avenue – Woodside, Queens – 718.205.4555
Reservations Recommended

 

tea cocktails with google local, david’s tea, and eflirt expert

Last week, I went to an event with Google Local at David’s Tea. The event was with Laurie Davis of EflirtExpert.com, and author of the recently released Love at First Click: The Ultimate Guide to Online Dating. The evening was simple – cocktails using David’s Tea, the location of which was where Laurie wrote the majority of her book. The sips were paired with a lovely spread from Murray’s Cheese.

I’d yet to try David’s Tea, and was completely overwhelmed by the options (in a good way). I fell in love with rooibos when I was in South Africa, and this spot? Has some 21 varieties of rooibos! Their tea of the month was red velvet cake, which tasted like it’s namesake. Red velvet cake has never been so ultimately and totally guilt-free. I walked out with 3 kinds of tea and these fabulous disposable tea filters (for someone like yours truly who wasn’t ready to commit to the fancy mug for loose tea).

They had one of their most popular flavors brewed up for sampling – forever nuts. Look at this. It looks more like granola, right? Turns out it’s amazing tea too! It’s a combo of almonds, apple bits, cinnamon, and beetroot. Not only was it really good, but you can also take the post-steep loose tea and put it to use. They said lots of people put it in their oatmeal, and I totally see why.

Of course, I got busy talking and forgot to snag a photo with Laurie, but so happy for her on the publication of her book. Check it out – I know it’s been on the shelves at Barnes & Noble here in NYC!

David’s Tea – Multiple locations throughout the city

 

restaurant week dinner at spice market

This year, Restaurant Week snuck up on me. I’m usually poring over the list, trying to identify spots to visit. This year, I wasn’t quite my normal self. Thankfully my friend M did her usual – selecting a good 4-5 restaurants, booking each for 4 people, and asking us all if we are interested in joining her. Spice Market had been on my “to try” list for a long time – a spot I usually forget since I’d say the Meatpacking District is one of the areas of town you’re least likely to find me.

When I walked in, I was intantly intrugued by the set-up. The upstairs bar area truly does look like a spice market and all of the workers are wearing uniforms in keeping with the theme. I can’t say I’ve been to another space with such a pronounced theme that didn’t feel awkwardly overdone or gimmicky. Nicely done. I suggest grabbing a drink at the bar before sitting down for dinner since it’s such a fun space. From their cocktail menu, I suggest their Whiskey Passion Fizz – which is George Dickel No.12, passion fruit, chili, and ginger ale. It has just a bit of heat to it and the passion fruit was such an unexpected yet amazing addition. And to boot, it’s only $10!

To start, I had to try their Soy Cured Salmon, which was served with a cilantro crème fraîche paired with Asian pear. The soy gave the salmon an almost smokey flavor to it. I can’t say I have ever had fruit mixed with salmon, but it worked well here. The pear added a crisp light layer to the dish.

When the server noted my choice for a main, the pork vindaloo, was spicy, I knew I was going to be pleased. It was prepared with crispy herbs and leeks. The dish in which it was served was deceptively small. At first, I was worried they hadn’t given us enough but I quickly realized just how much pork it really was. The flavor was great – nicely spicy but stopping well short of the threshold of losing true flavor in favor of heat. I could eat this dish every day. So good.

One friend ordered the wok fried rice noodles, which were quite good and served with mixed vegetables and a soy yuzu broth. The dish was great but it’s this unique broth that still stands out in my mind.

The degree of preference our server showed towards the Thai tea sundae over the other Restaurant Week dessert options made this choice super easy. The sundae was served with an Orange Blossom Whipped Cream, which added a slightly creamy layer that wasn’t too heavy and had the subtle orange blossom flavor. I understood instantly why this was the servers favorite. A must have!

Spice Market – 403 West 13th Street – 212.675.2322
Reservations Required / Bar Seating Available

 

foods from chile dinner with alejandra ramos

Last night, I happily traveled way uptown for a Foods from Chile Underground Dinner Party at Alejandra Ramos‘ apartment. The dinner featured a selection of foods and recipes from Chile. I loved the concept – a series of dinners were happening across the US in LA, Chicago, Miami and Washington DC. Throughout the day yesterday, I was already starting to have bloggers from other locations connect with me on Twitter – quite a fun, unifying event before I ever stepped foot in her apartment!

I’ll admit, I don’t know a ton about Chilean food, so I was not sure what to expect. When I think of Chile, I mostly think of wine and remember an ex-boyfriend mentioning he loved snowboarding there. That’s about it. I did not realize the crazy high percentage of fruit and fruit juices, for example, that we use regularly that actually come in from Chile. Something like 80% of cherries! We had three different wines throughout the course of the evening – two whites (a MontGras Reserve Savignon Blanc 2011 and a Ventisquero Quelat Sauvignon Blanc 2011) and a red (Toblano Pinot Noir 2009). I was particularly a fan of the MontGras – very flavorful for a white. I’ll be looking for this one in the future in my local store.

Chilean Goat Cheese with Blueberry Spread

When we arrived, we were greeted by an assortment of tasty things. This Chilean goat cheese and blueberry spread pictured above was a perfect balance of lighty salty and sweet. I was just sad that this magic spread was absent from my goody bag (though I’m looking forward to testing out the onion jam I received instead)! There was also a platter with more cheese, crackers, fresh fruits, nuts and, my favorite out of this plate – the fig spread.

Chorizo in a Chilean Wine Reduction

I was a big fan of the chorizo, which was served in a wine reduction – Chilean wine, of course. It was so flavorful. Today at lunch, I was wishing I could have more of this.

Endive Salad

The endive salad was a fun, creative way to make the salad course more party friendly. Much easier to move around and eat this versus your standard salad. The salad was endive leaves filled with goat cheese, Chilean raspberries and clementines, micro kale, all drizzled with Chilean olive oil and garnished with chopped cilantro.  The raspberries in particular were richer than I’ve ever had before. I will definitely keep an eye open for raspberries from Chile going forward.

Merken Spiced Almond Gazpacho

The next course was to have been a Chilean avocado soup, but as the avocados were not ripe, Alejandra ended up substituting this fabulous merken spiced almond gazpacho soup. It was a little bit creamy and it was at this point that I decided I needed my very own container of merken. So good.

Almond Crusted Chilean Salmon

The main course was an almond crusted Chilean salmon. It had been prepared with the Chilean merken spice, salt/pepper, Chilean olive oil all topped with Chilean almonds and a bread crumb and parsley mix. It was accompanied by a salsa made of Chilean raspberries, clementines, grapes, red onions, green peppers and cilantro, all topped with Chilean olive oil.

The salmon was served with a black rice with a “light squeeze”  of Chilean clementines and sea salt. The salmon – oh the salmon! I can’t say that I’ve had Chilean salmon before – though I think the lesson from last night was that you probably have had it more frequently than you realize. The flavor was fantastic – so fresh. I was glad to see the raspberries continue to be featured throughout the dinner. Each time, they were equally as impressive as the first bite in the endive salad. And the merken – well, you know how I feel there.

Cherry Berry Crisp

For dessert, we had a cherry berry crisp, which included Chilean blueberries, raspberries and cherries baked and topped with a cinnamon brown sugar crisp crumble accompanied by ice cream. We were treated to a bonus dessert – spicy brownies with mereken. I will definitely be on the lookout for the recipe Alejandra promised would follow shortly.

Our hostess serving dessert. Note the Chilean TV crew off to the right and left, who were interviewing attendees.

Special thanks to Alejandra for inviting me to join in on the evening (be sure to check out her blog, Always Order Dessert). I met so many wonderful new faces during the event, as well as was able to catch up with some familiar ones. Be sure to take a moment and check out these other great bloggers!

• Ambitious Deliciousness
• The Feisty Foodie
• Healthy Latin Food
• New Fork City NY
• Stuff I Ate

We left the evening with some fabulous Chilean products that I look forward to trying and reporting back on. Who knows – perhaps they’ll finally inspire me to get back into the kitchen (which I have to admit – it’s been a while since I’ve done much cooking… guilty).

 

city grit’s tour of the 5 boroughs

When T asked if I wanted to catch one of the two “Tour of the Five Boroughs” dinners City Grit was putting on, it was a quick yes from me. I knew after my first experience for their PDX Comes to NYC dinner that I wanted to come back – it was just a question of when. Last night’s dinner was the second of two dinners to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund to help fund the rebuilding of Staten Island (with 50% of profits for both nights going to the cause). Sarah Simmons explained that the menu had been used previously during the year, but that she thought it was appropriate to use again as they were just reoccupying the kitchen post-storm and because it highlighted the various elements of the city.

Our starter represented the Bronx and was a spicy sausage fondue served with pretzel roll crostini. When I saw pretzel roll crostini, I knew I was going to love this one. I’m a sucker for pretzel bread and this variation was a great start to the meal. It was a play on the various elements so prominent at baseball games – melted cheese (as in nachos), sausage, pretzels (slight variation from the big, soft form), and beer. The fondue was just a touch spicy. Having just come in from the chilly outside air, it was a nice way to settle into the meal.

Next, we had a spicy curry soup with soba noodles, representing Queens. It was topped with a kale salad and pickled vegetables. The curry soup was more of a nod to a recipe Sarah mentioned she’d learned to make in Africa, but the noodles were a nice nod to areas such as Flushing and to the diversity that one thinks of when thinking of Queens.

Then we were treated to a family style course – pesto lasagna with a shaved fennel salad, representing Staten Island. I’d never had a pesto lasagna -  but really enjoyed this version. It was on the lighter side for a lasagna (a compliement) with a very rich pesto flavor. The pasta was nicely balanced by the shaved fennel salad, which was very fresh and also light.

  

For our main course, we had Brooklyn Brewery chocolate stout short ribs with parmesean cream grits and braised collards. This dish was neither subtle or lacking in depth of flavors. The short ribs had a very smoky taste and the chocolate stout flavor was very prominent. The meat itself was fall of the bone tender and was flavorful throughout each bite. The grits were very different from any kind I have had before. I’m still doing a bit of research to try to figure out if it was perhaps a different type as it was slightly granier than any other grits I’ve ever had. They were definitely creamy and were a perfect contrast to the strong, bitter braised collards (so good).

Dessert was representative of Manhattan and was appropriately a complex assortment of fancy elements. It was a brown butter financier accompanied by a mango curd and streusel. There was also a thin chocolate bridge, representing the Brooklyn Bridge, topped by a truffle. I liked the presentation on the plate. The chocolate bridge was really a nice note to end on visually, and I liked being able to mix and match the various elements on the plate to try out the various flavor combinations. And the mango curd? I could eat this every day.

It was another perfect night tucked into the cozy 70-seat dining room in an old school house in Nolita. Can’t wait to see what else passes through the doors and into this space in the comming months.

City Grit – 38 Prince Street
Reservations Required -  see website for future events

 

new york doughnut map launch party

Last night, All You Can Eat Press held a launch party for their latest publication – the New York Doughnut Map! The event took place in the Project No. 8 space at the Ace Hotel.

The line wrapped around the corner on 6th Avenue well before the 6pm start time. Inside, you could puchase a copy of the map itself for $10. It’s also available online.

Doughnuts represented included Van Leeuwen, Doughnut Plant, Peter Pan and Dun-Well Doughnuts. There was also someone onhand making cocktails as well as serving coffee. Fun idea for an event for a Thursday night and a lovely finished product with the map itself!

 

pie face preview with google nyc

On Monday night, a small group of us with Google+ Local NYC had the opportunity to check out Pie Face’s newest location at 34th Street and 3rd Avenue in Murray Hill. Whereas their opening party at the Mondrian Hotel for the original location at 53rd Street and Broadway was a crowded event, this was a much more intimate setting in the actual new store itself. Neighborhood regulars will rejoice – this spot will be open 24 hours a day, with pies to fill your needs from breakfast through to dessert!

A wonderful bartender from Open Bar Hospitality was on-site preparing a couple of cocktails to accompany what would turn out to be a seemingly endless parade of meat pies (more there in a minute).

The staff at Pie Face was fabulous – warm and engaging. The owners had even come in from Australia just for the event! The store opened just after our preview event, so we had a sneak preview before they were officially even open. The first pies that came out were their savory pies – such as their mincemeat, chicken and mushroom, chunky steak (with a red wine sauce), Thai chicken curry, and a Tandoori vegetable. All of their pies have different faces, with letters to clue you in to what’s inside. Their special Mexican pie has an “X” for its mouth and the Tandoori veggie one has a “V”. Cute and clever.  My favorites were their bacon and egg pie, which is available at breakfast, and the Tandoori vegetable, which was just a little bit spicey.

They also brought out these special pies, which were mincemeat topped with mashed potatoes, peas, and gravy!

Then it was time for the sweets round! They included apple pies, cherry pies, key lime pies, blueberry pies, pecan pies… oh so many pies! I had to try the lemon one to try something a bit different. The filling was much more than some of their others – tart and tasty.

I only wished I had known what would come next… lamingtons. My oh my. If I though the lemon pie was a lot, it doesn’t even begin to compare with this guy. And no, the photo doesn’t make it look larger than it really was! Next time… next time.

Posing with my guest (in between pies)

With the Google+ Local NYC Team

Have any of you visited Pie Face yet? If so, what are some of your favorite pies?

Pie Face – 507 A 3rd Avenue (at 34 Street)

 

tom sellers’ pop-up dinner

Back in April, I was lucky enough to make it to the second evening of Chef Tom Sellers‘ two night event at Creative Edge NYC in the West Village. When my boyfriend asked me to go, it was a question that didn’t really require any consideration. Chef Sellars has a restaurant by the name of Story opening shortly in London. One of his staff members explained that he’d always known he wanted to name his restaurant Story since he was a small child.

The venue was decorated simply yet elegantly. Basic tables with center pieces with white candles. Flowers. Even simple wooden cutouts of kitchen utensils. Wine was present yet basic. It wasn’t paired with each course – just a solid red or white present throughout the meal. The dinner was comprised of seven courses in total, one being fish, one meat, and two dessert.

Course 1: Burnt pink onions with grape, gin & lemon thyme

Aside from onion rings, I can’t say I’ve ever had onions as a course on their own. I was pleasantly surprised just how good this dish was. The burnt onions were extremely burnt with a smoky charred quality go them. The lightness of the grapes, gin, and lemon lightened it up perfectly to balance to a perfect spring dish.

Course 2: Beetroot, sorrel, & horseradish

I was surprised how much I liked this dish. I’m not a fan of horseradish in the slightest, but the horseradish snow made for a fun, playful addition – adding a sharp contrast to the beetroot and sorrel.

Course 3: Pumpkin with goats butter and smoked honey & lovage

This course was a sweet deviation from its predecessors. The smoked honey was an actual honeycomb which I liked – both for the visual and for the flavor. Skip it though and the dish has a significantly less sweet taste to it. I really liked the combo of the goats milk and the pumpkin. Both were of a softer consistency but had distinctly different flavors – the pumpkin slightly sweet and the goats milk slightly salty.

Course 4: Scallops, cucumber, dill & cream

I can’t say I’ve ever had scallops sliced like this. The slices were not even half an inch in thickness. Very unique. The cucumber and dill were a nice pairing although I found the horseradish in this dish to be a bit overpowering, perhaps just based on enjoying it in conjunction with the second course.

Course 5: Lamb loin with rhubarb, lettuce & turnip

The lamb slices in the dish were very tender. The flavor was nicely accented by the strong flavors of the turnips and rhubarb. The sauce from the meat itself was so good I used it to accompany the bread, which says something.

Toasted wheat, milk and pomegranate

Course 6: Toasted wheat, milk & pomegranate

I really liked this one. It was light and not overly sweet. The toasted wheat made our table think of Frosted Mini-Wheats, albeit a less structured form. The base was almost mousse-like and I really liked the crunch of the wheat and the bursts of fruit flavor the pomegranate seeds provided in contrast to the base.

Course 7: Chocolate, yogurt & thyme

I didn’t love the addition of the thyme, but I wasn’t surprised as I’m not usually a fan of floral elements. The rest of the dish was great though. I liked the crispy texture of the yogurt which contrasted to the slightly bitter chocolate.

Here we are with Chef Sellars!

 The meal overall was excellent. Pity that Chef Sellars is opening his restaurant instead in London! I’ll have to make a point to check it out on my next visit or hope that he’ll come back over to our side of the pond for another event.

 

finding comfort in the uncomfortable at vinyl

There are a few restaurants in the city that are traditions. The go-to spot in a particular neighborhood for special occasions or maybe late night drinks or the all-important catch up with the ladies. Vynl’s been one of those spots for me – fabulous for catching up and I’ve even been known to drag wonderful friends there for a late night meal after my trapeze show – no better way to celebrate. The danger though of being one of those spots? People have their favorites and they cling to them fiercely.

My friend JB and I hadn’t been here in ages. This past Saturday seemed like a perfect time for a return. A lemongrass chicken wrap – cause I’ve yet to find it anywhere else – with a skinny margarita. And if we’re lucky, chocolate peanut butter pie. Oh yes. Doesn’t get any better than all of the above.

We arrived to find the menu hadn’t undergone a facelift. Oh no. They’d opted for Michael Jackson style reconstruction. The only thing that stayed the same seemed to be the restaurant’s name. When the server came over to ask how we were doing, neither of us were too good at hiding our displeasure. “Fair,” we responded, pointing to the menu and expressing our displeasure.

And here’s where Vinyl got it right.

“We’ve been closed the last week, perfecting the new menu items. We’ve tried them all as well. We’re trying to make the food here a little more upscale. I understand your frustration – I tell you what. I’ll send out a couple of my favorite starters for you to try so you can see yourself. And then take a look at the menu. I’ll be back to talk with you both and we’ll see what we can do there.”

Hard to argue with that, along with his willingness to make the drinks we were craving even though they were not on the menu.

Crispy Tofu & Little Madam Hens - Vynl

He brought me the Little Madam Hams – small toasted brioche squares with American ham, a gruyere bechamel sauce, topped with quail eggs. I’m not a huge fan of eggs with a runny center, but I found the quail eggs better. The flavor in the dish was amazing. I could eat the gruyere bechamel sauce every day and not grow tired of it. Since my friend doesn’t eat meat, they sent her the crispy tofu. I was intrigued to try it, seeing as our server said he traditionally hated tofu and this made him a believer. The tofu squares were lightly fried, paired with persimmons, radishes and a scallion chili dressing. It didn’t even taste like tofu. Delicious! And there was a nice kick to the scallion chili dressing that helped add a lot to the dish.

Kung Pao Shrimp Tacos - Vynl

We finally decided to go with an order of the Kung Pao shrimp tacos, which were served with a cabbage-bell pepper slaw, honey peanuts, and a spicy lime creme sauce. There was a pronounced spicy flavor to the tacos which worked well with the sauce for the tofu. We also got sides of brussels sprouts and green beans, which worked well for sharing.

You've Got the Munchies - Vynl

We were torn as to what to choose for dessert. Thankfully, we did not have to – as our server sent one out to us! He did tell us we could choose otherwise if we wanted, but I think we both agree that letting him choose worked out just fine. He sent us a dish they call “You Have the Munchies” – which is vanilla cake, chocolate frosting, potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn. It is fantastic – the perfect combination of salty and sweet. I joked it’s the perfect date dessert since it should please everyone! There are other things on the dessert menu I can’t wait to try – the Vynl ring dings (dark chocolate cake with vanilla butter cream) or the PBJ creme brulee with concord grape compote (so unique – I must try).

Overall, my hat’s off to the team at Vinyl. Way to be prepared for the situation and work with your customers. Refreshing to see, for sure. [And if you're wondering, why yes. The Elvis bathroom is still there, in all it's glory.]

Anyone else been since the big redesign?

Vinyl – 754 9th Avenue (at 51 Street) – 212.974.2003
No Reservations

 

peanut butter cookie cupcakes

Today’s the next 140Sweets event, benefiting the American Cancer Society’s DetermiNation Program. When I learned about the event, I started thumbing through all of my cupcake cookbooks for the “magic” cupcake. Lots of the ones I really wanted to make (why hello, spiced chai!) involved temperamental icing (something about a whipped cream style icing doesn’t work with making an interim stop at the office).

Peanut Butter Cookie Cupcakes - Before Icing

These peanut butter cookie cupcakes from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes cookbook (apparently, even available for ordering for your Kindle!) caught my attention. They were like a cupcake version of a standard peanut butter cookie. Yes. Just about perfect. Peanut butter in both the cupcake and icing portion (the icing also has cream cheese – so much cream cheese).

Iced and ready to go!

These were super easy to make. The recipe claimed a 30 cupcake yield, but I ended up with 26. Check out @140Sweets on Twitter if you’re interested in learning more about tonight’s event!