I'm Moving Blogs to NJ STILL EATS: Are You In or Are You In??

 

I have officially exceeded my image capacity for this domain so am launching the sequel to my original blog as njstilleats.blogspot.com beginning TONIGHT at 6pm PST with a whole new look thanks to the new blogspot features that gave it a nice makeover!

I have a ton of food stories to tell from my Korea trip and beyond so stay tuned my friends and don't forget to follow me and bookmark me (Boy, I don't think I"ve ever said that before -- bookmark me. Oh, and please add me as a favorite or should I say "please favorite me"?) again! And tell me what you think of the site's new look. I tried to modernize it and make it more visual with EXTRA LARGE images as a nod to the art of food porn. The above image is a teaser of one of the top three things I had while in Korea. Can you guess what it is? You're just going to have to go here to find out.

Korea Roundup I: Noodles with Ice Floating and the Best Soju Pairing

 

 

I know that for those who don't live in Korea or LA, complaining that there's no good nengmyun, or cold buckwheat noodles to be found in LA gets me no sympathy. But just like my rant on a lack of decent ttukbokki a while back, there are plenty of things that LA doesn't do well or doesn't do at all. And nengmyun is one of them. So it was with great satisfaction that within a few hours of my arrival into Korea, I got to have excellent nengmyun at Hanilkwan, an old school restaurant with tons of history that since expanded into three locations. I went to the one near Korea's "Times Square" in Youngdeungpo that is nothing like NY's Times Square but is a huge mall that has everything.


I was happy as the bowl of nengmyun was placed before me and I saw delightful pieces of frozen broth floating around the cold soup, not to mention the neatly stacked radishes, cucumbers and pear daintily topped with half a hard boiled egg. The broth was so refreshing and spot on. I could taste the meatiness of the broth that was like 50 times more complex than the ones I've had in LA. Ok, I'll stop the hating. But I can't help but gush at this seemingly simple but very complicated dish.

The side dishes were also fresh and not overly salted. The bindaettuk, or mung bean pancakes actually imparted the mung bean flavor instead of the doughy tasting ones that have added too much flour to the mix. It hadn't been reheated 20 times and smelling like old oil. It was crispy and browned just right.


On a totally different note, I enjoyed the food at an event we had at Raum in Seoul. It's not a restaurant but the lobster starter and the lime sorbet were highlights.

From riches to rags, I also loved Saemaeul Shikdang, which plays to our nostalgic love of old pots and rustic hole in the wall-type atmosphere and takes it corporate. I was somewhat surprised and disheartened to learn that it's actually a chain restaurant with multiple locations. Not that chains can't be good but I'm wondering whether I was influenced by this atmosphere to love the food. Still, I loved it.

The best dishes are chadol (thinly sliced beef) smothered in spicy marinade and cooked tableside, along with kimchi jjigae, served in those yellow pots you see people eat instant ramyun in Korean dramas. The marinade was like the spicy pork bulgoki, only this was for beef. It came with shredded Korean green onions seasoned with some more spicy sauce because there can never be too much spice.

The kimchi stew with pork pieces was spicy, flavorful and perfect with a cold glass of soju. Now I don't normally crave soju or even like the taste of it, especially not the plain stuff. But the kimchi jjigae was so delicious and the garlicky, spicy meat was so juicy and perfectly marinated that washing it down with soju seemed like the most natural thing to do. I also consumed a lot of rice to temper the strong flavors.







I mean look at that pot. Doesn't it remind you of those drinking scenes in dramas? "아줌마, 여기 소주 한병 더요!" ("One more bottle of soju please!") I was tempted but got an extra  공기밥 (bowl of rice) instead. Stay tuned for second entry next week.

Mexico Roundup III: Veggie Ceviche and Fusion Pastas at Onix in Huatulco

I wasn't sure what to expect food-wise in a beach town like Huatulco, but my party and I were pleasantly surprised when we ran into Onix right off the main plaza.

We liked it so much we went two nights in a row (ok, and there was a dearth of good places).

The first night we got complimentary veggie ceviche, which were surprisingly very good. I never thought I'd like vegetarian ceviche. I mean, should those even be called ceviche?!  But the mix of crunchy raw vegetables that included tomatoes, cauliflower and onions were just what we needed in the hot and humid tropical weather.

Then the oyster tostadas topped with some melted cheese surprised us once again. I don't even like oysters unless consumed super fresh and raw. These were cooked and I had never had anything like that before. Thumbs up.

I reluctantly ordered the chicken flautas and was worried they'd be too greasy and dry like most places in LA serve them. 

How ethereal were these lightly fried flautas stuffed with miraculously moist chicken meat inside?

Also adding to this place's brownie points was the side of pickled vegetables to accompany our meal. The plate included carrots, cauliflower and zucchini pickled to perfection with just the right amount of bite to them.

After days of eating nothing but Mexican food, even the biggest Mexican food enthusiast like me gets a bit Mexican food-ed out. So I couldn't help but try some of the more fusion pasta dishes offered.

I tried a spaghetti dish that had chile, cilantro, tomato, onion and topped with some quesillo. Ah! my least favorite cheese.

I adroitly set aside the big lump of cheese atop my pasta and enjoyed the pasta underneath. It was fresh and light -- just what I wanted.

The other pasta with squid ink, squid and pine nuts served with fusilli was also very good. I was impressed at the mix of modern and traditional ingredients.

I also tried the soup donaji, which is a Oaxacan delicacy and yes, you guessed it, I wasn't a big fan. It was a shrimp-based broth with dried shrimp and chick peas that was a bit on the fishy side for me. But interesting nonetheless.

The plantain chips were always a welcome appetizer. The steak I got the second night first came too undercooked and then overcooked, and then they redid it from scratch for me and it was cooked right -- just too much meat for one person to finish, even me.

The side vegetables had too much butter on them and not good quality butter so I couldn't eat them.

I liked the habanero salsa this place gave us upon request for some hot sauce. That thing is crazy spicy so beware spice fiends.

Mexico Roundup II: Nab an Elote on the Street and Keep the Mole Red in Oaxaca

Another revelation while traveling in Oaxaca was the versatility of squash blossoms and nopales. I want to add them to everything now, just like they do -- in quesadillas, soups and salads. I'll probably get flamed for saying this but I was generally disappointed with the food in Oaxaca. Sure, I could have gone to the wrong places and ordered the wrong things or gone on an off-day. But I concluded I'm likely just not a Oaxacan cuisine-kind of person.

For example, I didn't care for memelitas, a local delicacy of tiny tortillas topped with a bean spread, meat or veggies and sprinkled with some fresh cheese.

I also didn't like the tetelas at Itanoni that got rave reviews on message boards. These are corn masa triangles filled with beans, cream, queso fresco and salsa. Finally, I didn't like quesillo, the stringy, super heavy cheese they add in virtually everything.


Having said that, I did have some awesome things. Some of my fave dishes in Oaxaca were from Oscar Carrizosa, the chef at Casa Crespo who shared his kitchen with a group of us (although not cheap, I highly recommend his cooking class) and showed us how to make a multitude of dishes like mole Coloradito (red mole) with chicken thighs, squash blossom quesadillas, potato and cheese croquette and mezcal (a regional spirit similar to tequila but with a worm inside the bottle) sorbet to finish off the very full meal. After having such excellent tortillas, I was inspired to buy a tortilla press and make my own. I just can't go back. He took us shopping at the market beforehand, which added to the experience.

I should add that I also didn't care for tlayuda, that ubiquitous street food revered by all, apparently except for me.

It's a large, thin tortilla topped with bean spread, shredded lettuce, quesillo, avocado chunks, tomatoes and any kind of protein that floats your boat. I got ambitious when visiting the 20 de Noviembre Market in Oaxaca and got the one with chorizo, beef and al pastor. I didn't care for it. The meats were far too salty and I didn't love the combo with the other components. I also didn't like the way the tortilla shell tasted.

I did love the elote, or Mexican-style corn on the cob sold on the streets. I got it "con todo," of course, which included salt, butter, chili powder, cheese and lemon juice.

One of the biggest disappointments was La Biznaga, which got rave reviews and boasts a beautiful, artsy and inviting space but seems like a tourist trap serving diluted, overrated and overpriced food.

The only thing worth mentioning was the chile relleno that came in a mild green sauce but everything else was outright bad. The al pastor fish I had was completely lacking in flavor.

At Itanoni, I thought the use of hierba santa, a local herb, in a tortilla rolled up with some beans would be good but I didn't think the flavors gelled very well. And the tetelas mentioned above, well, the cream was too strong and ruined it for me. I just didn't care for the tortillas to begin with, despite wanting to like them after seeing how they were hand-made right before me. I liked the drink infused with herbs.

I had another unremarkable meal at Los Danzantes, which I was glad had a location in Oaxaca as the wait in its Coyoacan location in Mexico City was too long so we went to Corazon de Maguey. In retrospect, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I liked Corazon a lot better than Danzantes, or at least the Oaxacan location didn't impress. Interesting because Corazon and Danzantes are owned by the same group.

I had chile en nogada again but this version wasn't nearly as good as that of Corazon. Could it be that things are never as good as the first time? Nah. I'm convinced the restaurant wasn't as good as Corazon. Even the drinks weren't as good.

Mexico Roundup I: Chile en Nogada Rules in Mexico City

There are far too many places I went to on my Mexico trip to review them all, and not all of them I liked anyway. So I'm just going to mention the highlights. The best thing about eating Mexican in Mexico is its sheer variety -- so much more varied than Mexican food in LA. I know that's obvious and true for any cuisine but it just hits you when you travel.

My favorite food moment was at Corazon de Maguey in the Coyoacan area of Mexico City of Frieda Kahlo fame (the area not the restaurant). I loved the tamarind Margarita made with mezcal even though I don't usually like tamarind as a solo drink. Mix in some alcohol and frappe it and I suddenly loved it. I also discovered mezcal, which I hadn't tried before, and bought four small bottles at the El Rey distilling plant in Oaxaca days later.

The top dish on this trip was chile en nogada, which fortunately was in season. My friend I was eating with told me it is a very labor intensive dish and worth trying. What's not to like about a poblano chile stuffed with a mix of ground meat, onion and pineapple, topped with a nutty walnut sauce and sprinkled with beautiful pomegranate seeds? It's from Puebla and associated with the country's independence, which explains the ode to the Mexican flag with its corresponding colors of green, red and white.

All patriotism aside, I fell in love with this dish. I've never been a big fan of chile relleno as I found it too heavy with the stuffed cheese and deep fried aspect. But this dish stuffs the chile with ground meat, which I love, and mixes savory and sweet with the pineapple in the filling. The walnut sauce looks creamy but isn't in the least heavy. The pomegranate jewels give the dish a tangy and refreshing bite. Just perfect.

I also loved the chocolate cake that had a surprise center oozing with 80% Oaxaca chocolate and came with a side of cotija cheese sorbet. See what I mean? You can't find this kind of creativity in any of the Mexican joints stateside. Ok, the flavor of the sorbet was a bit pungent for my taste but it was still a welcome take on traditional flavors and textures.

The venue was also gorgeous, as were the restrooms. They're important! Service was also solid. I'd definitely recommend this spot, although I was initially skeptical due to its central location lining the plaza.

We went to a neighborhood taco joint, El Farolito, which was also a revelation. It didn't just offer carne asada tacos. It offered skirt steak or rib meat. I learned that arrachera meant flank steak. Did I want that with cheese? Sure. It turned out it wasn't any shredded cheese or even queso fresco. It was manchego cheese, melted on the grill over the meat. Wonderful.

I couldn't get enough of the salsas either. Instead of the watery guacamole sauce or a chunky order of guacamole found here, our server gave us wedges of fresh avocado, just like that.

I like roasted salsas so it was nice having several to choose from. The salsa verde that I usually don't like was super fresh and concentrated in flavor.

I also liked the flan, which wasn't too sweet and had just the right consistency.

I had two things at Merotoro that I had never tried before and therefore will mention. I'm not sure how much I liked the flavors but I always like to try new ingredients and mix them with familiar ones.

First was salicornia, a green that was very mild in flavor but was an interesting accompaniment to the raw clams and cucumbers.

The second was barnacle topped with sea urchin on a bed of cherry tomatoes, avocados and red radishes dotted with greens.

The flavor was also mild but the texture was a bit odd, on the gooey side and chewy. It was definitely a type of dish not easily found out here and a great summer dish for its crunch and refreshing mix.

One other cool thing I had in Mexico City was fried parsley that came with a dollop of cream cheese in the middle at La Tecla, a trendy spot in the posh Colonia Roma neighborhood. Such an odd idea but somehow it worked.

Another dish that was just as novel but didn't work quite as well was the ancho chile stuffed with mashed plantain. I noticed the balance of sweet and savory was a big theme in Mexico and this place was no exception. It came with a side of bean sauce but it didn't do it for me. But glad I tried it!

Best of 2011: Burgers, Marinated Raw Crab and Everything In Between

It's that time of the year again, the roundups, the best of's. Ok, it's a day late, but let's kick off the new year with a summary of highlights from 2010.


1) Best New Burger: Burger Kitchen

Yes, it was a great burger that cost me an arm and a leg -- that $26 Black Label burger from famed butchers La Frieda in New York. But no, it didn't replace Houston's California burger as my favorite burger just yet. While the patty was fantastic, there's something about the combination of the patty with the avocado, arugula and red onions that this Burger Kitchen didn't have. Wouldn't hurt to up the ante on the works on the burger. I also love the trend of new serious burger joints popping up. Other honorable mentions include Rustic Canyon, Village Idiot and Bowery.


2) Best New Italian Find in LA: Girasole

I was elated to discover this hidden gem smack in the middle of one of my least favorite areas, Larchmont. After I returned from a trip to Italy this summer, I was searching for a place serving food that reminded of my amazing eats there. Well, this joint came close. The pumpkin sage ravioli was to die for, as was the mushroom ravioli -- which gave off this wonderful mushroom aromas and flavor where I could really taste the earthiness of the mushrooms in a creamy sauce that wasn't too heavy. It also serves addictive carbonara, which isn't on the menu but they will make it for you upon request. I felt the non-pasta entrees weren't as excellent but still pretty up there. The BYOB option is an unbeatable deal. A great value alternative to places like Osteria Mozza, which I also love but is more of a special occasion place than this. Granted, this is no everyday joint either, but I mean relatively speaking. A must try for Italian food-lovers.

3) Best New Sushi: Sushi Zo

It doesn't get any more food porn than this number to the left. The sushi was fantastic. I was most blown away by a squid sashimi the chef made where he cut the squid into thin strips like noodles and smothered them with uni, or sea urchin. Wow. The shrimp sushi was also excellent, although I don't usually go for shellfish. In short, a true gem but only thing was I was turned off by the rude chef, which seems to be a mandatory trait for some sushi chefs to be taken seriously. Shame. A close second and a neighborhood joint is Jinpachi, which also had first-rate quality fish. Warning: neither of these is particularly cheap, so save them for a special occasion and make sure you do omakase, or chef's choice, if you go since they know best what's fresh.

4) Most Luxurious Meal: Don Alfonso near Sorrento, Italy

This was by far the most elaborate and luxurious meal I've had this year (thanks "mj"!). It was while traveling in the southern part of Italy, near the coastal city of Sorrento, known for its delicious lemon liqueur lemoncello. This meal had like gazillion courses, each with a description spanning like five lines of adjectives and such -- and all fantastically delicious. The wines that were all local wines were also fantastic, as was the impeccable service. The cold cuts, cheeses, meats and fish were all amazing, as were the combination of the dishes, which were innovative and traditional the same time. A great place for a special occasion trip and meal!

5) Best French Toast: Amandine Cafe

I'm biased about best brunch places because I love French Toast more than I do pancakes or omelets. But Amandine Cafe serves up some mean French Toast, with tons of fresh fruit on top. Gotta love that. Plus, the coffee (cappuccino in my case) was pretty good. The only downside is that it's cramped. But go early and you can avoid the crowds. At least there's no line waiting outside like the ones I see in overrated joints across LA.

6) Best Italian Meal in Italy: Tie between Da Michele in Naples and my friend's home-made dinner in Bologna

You can't beat the value and sheer simplicity of a beautiful pizza Margherita at the humble Da Michele, located a 10-minute walk from the train station in Naples. It's tomato-y and cheesy without being too heavy. The fresh basil is perfect and the crust, oh the crust -- Crispy but chewy and thin as ice.

Then the home-made dinner my friend EB made me in Bologna was also priceless. She made us spaghetti a la carbonara and served us an assortment of cheeses and cold cuts that were out of this world that gave me a newfound appreciation for real ricotta cheese that I had never had and I also developed a grumpiness about the US not importing enough goodies from that side of the world. I want good, smoked provolone, darn it!

7) Best New Cuisine Discovery: Greek, from Meal with a View in Santorini, Greece

It's not that I've never had Greek before. It turns out I'd never had real Greek before. What a revelation. I was never big on the go-to items for Greek cuisine, like gyro or feta cheese and flavor-less black olives.

But this place, which had an amazing view to boot, Archipelago, served up some amazingly fresh and flavorful dishes that blew out of the water (pun intended) any misperceptions I had about Greek food. I could taste the great quality olive oil in this grilled octopus dish and the lamb wrapped in grape leaves came stuffed with other goodies that made me want to wish there were some good Greek eateries right here in Los Angeles. Oh why oh why can't we find such good Greek here? Oh, and the cheeses were entirely different. They weren't as one-dimensionally salty as the feta found here. It actually had layers of flavor and different textures. I'd definitely like to return to Greece to experience the real deal again.

8) Best New Korean Find in Korea: Pro-Kanjang Kyejang

This was a tough one. I picked this kyejang place because marinated raw crab isn't something that's easy to get here -- at least not first-rate crab. This crab was meaty, wonderfully garlicky and just salty enough.

I just don't know what people are smoking when they say that LA's Koreatown has better Korean food than in Korea. Something about better quality meat? Seriously, as much as I love Ktown, it has nothing on the OG back in the homeland. I had some incredible Kwangyang bulgoki, sweet potatoes in the eastern coastal region, amazingly fresh fish by the sea and so much more. Ah, time to go back.


9) Best New Korean Find in Ktown: Don Dae Gam

This outpost of a Korean chain, Park Dae Gam (aka Park's BBQ), that specializes in pork (case in point of my previous entry about Korean food in Korea) serves up fresh pork every way. It's cooked table-side and comes in different cuts. There's the rice fried on the grill at the end and the delicious spicy green onion salad that you can add to your meat wrapped goodness. It's much like Honey Pig but I thought the quality was a tad better. They're almost comparable, I'd say.

10) Most Intrigue-filled Blogger Moments: Starry Kitchen and Shady Offer from Gourmet Sandwich Man

Last but not least, I found it amusing to have an unexpected and extremely lengthy exchange with the owner of Starry Kitchen, which started when I reported extremely rude and inappropriate service from the owner on my second visit after I wrote a negative review. He responded by saying he doesn't know what I look like, and it wasn't rudeness. It was his sense of humor, he insisted. All I have to say is, I'm not the only person who's experienced odd behavior by the owner. But that's ok. I didn't like the food but it seems to be doing well with good reviews so more power to them.

Coincidentally, I got a strange offer from the alleged owner of a gourmet sandwich shop chain that will remain unnamed to serve as his "advisor" and give an honest opinion on his restaurant empire. Laughable, truly. I thought it was weird that he insisted on "having lunch" and showering me with compliments on my reviews. Not surprisingly, after I asked him for details on this "admittedly unusual" arrangement, I never heard from him again. I should out him, but let this be a warning to other food bloggers who write anonymously. When a restaurant owner suddenly asks you to lunch and offers you a job as an advisor, ask for details. If s/he responds and confirms the arrangements in writing, then maybe will it be truly legit. Thanks mj, for your advice!

Nice try Mr. Sandwich. Oh, and in case you're wondering, I don't think much of his sandwich shop. It's plenty popular in the office areas of downtown, but I always found them far too bland. I've never reviewed the shop but I have reviewed another downtown restaurant he owns, which was awful and I made my opinion known.

I can't wait to devour all that 2011 has to offer. Happy 2011, everybody, keep eating well and thanks for reading!