park avenue cafe

In another of my birthday dinners, I went with Chris, Kim, and Elaine to Park Avenue Cafe to catch the pay-your-age special. Basically, you get a three course meal with the freedom to choose any item on the menu for the price of your age (but you pay $25 if you're under 25 and $65 for those over 65). It basically started as a marketing scheme to attract a younger crowd to the restaurant.

With regards to the food, it had some pretty solid selections, though I wasn't too fond of the ones I chose. Pictured above is I believe a Filet Mignon of Beef paired with a Veal Shank - regardless, it was very decadent and cooked very nicely; the meat was moist and juicy. I had the Salmon, which was filled with chives and a salty sauce, but didn't wow me at all. From the choices of the table, I'd have to say they prepare their meat dishes better than their fish. But the star of the night was definitely dessert. Presentation was unique and polished, and taste was out of this world. I highly recommend The Chocolate Cube. It is like candy for your eyes and your mouth. Deeeericious.

I'd say it's worth the trip if you're into gourmet dessert or want a fine dining experience that isn't too rough on the wallet. Menus change seasonally so there's always a reason to go back!

momofuku noodle bar

For my official birthday dinner with the family, I wanted some xiao long bao but unfortunately there was absolutely no parking anywhere in Chinatown. =( Instead, we ended up at Momofuku Noodle Bar, a place I've been meaning to try out for a while after reading about it in the Times. We lucked out since we arrived right when they were reopening from their afternoon break and there were just the right amount of seats to fit everyone that pushed their way in. ^_^

The cool thing about this place is how it models its layout after a typical Japanese ramen shop (only a bit more East Village-y). The noodle bar set up is conducive to a quick meal and keeps turnover high. Unfortunately, prices aren't reflective of their Japanese counterpart; the Momofuku Ramen pictured above put a $14 dent in my wallet (or better said, my brother's wallet, haha). For a very salty broth and mushy noodles, I can't say it's really worth the deal. Well, with my dad bickering away in the background every couple bites, complaining about the hipster feel and outrageous prices for about the entire duration of dinner, it probably took away from the overall experience.

Would I go back? Eh, probably not. I've had better bowls of ramen (though they were actually soba noodles) than this place. But it still looks pretty cool.

pinkberry.

Pinkberry, a hip, new non-fat yogurt shop in K-Town. The line pours out of the store at all hours of the day, especially late night and weekends. It's pretty ridiculous considering it's so expensive (a little less than 6 dollars for a medium with three toppings). But, the taste is quite delicious in my opinion. It is very light and refreshing, and the best part, not too creamy; it really is just like frozen yogurt, frozen and fluffy with a tart taste.

I'm not sure exactly how health conscious it is, but I like it more than Tasty D-Lite. I'd go again, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. I say, it's a nice dessert after a heavy meal in K-Town.

mussel mania!

In an impromptu pre-birthday celebration dinner, YuShin, Matt, and I headed downtown to a great little bar/restaurant called Essex. They have a couple of specials, most noteable is the Tuesday all-you-can-eat mussel and fries special for $14. Oh man, did we do it up. The mussels were cooked in a tasty and well-seasoned sauce, the fries are crisp and de-li-cious (i loveee fries). We all went through three rounds before declaring K-O. It really hit the spot since I've been craving mussels for about half a year now =P Yummy.

The restaurant also had a bar area, though it was rather cumbersome since it blocked the entrance and path to the bathroom. But, for a Tuesday night, it was pretty packed (probably due to the half off all drinks special). I'd really want to try this place for a Sunday brunch.

Sammy's Halal?

Street food has always been a neglected culinary art in my book. Many people prefer the sit-down experience, but there's nothing I love more than to pick up some food from a sketchy street cart and enjoy the inexpensive goodness. I'm all about variety, not quantity, which is why I love Taiwan night markets so much. Though the nature of American street carts is different, especially when it comes to quantity given, there are still many jewels on the streets of Manhattan.

Other than my journey for the perfect burger, another fun adventure I'm embarking on is: the quest for the most drool-worthy chicken and rice. Though the city is littered with many many halal stands, quality among stands definitely varies tremendously. Whether it's the chicken, rice, sauce, condiments, etc., every chicken and rice is different. Since it's close to campus, I usually go to Sammy's Halal, on Broadway and West 4th Street. Now, apparently, this cart was the winner of the 2006 Vendy Award. But, after checking the website, the Sammy's Halal that won is actually located in Queens, on 73rd Street and Broadway. Unless they've moved from Queens, it makes me wonder, is this stand a fraud?? o_O! I mean, this is the "best" chicken and rice in the walkable area that I've tried so far. But, it definitely does not beat the well-known late night chicken and rice joint on 53rd Street and 6th Ave. The chicken just kind of falls apart in your mouth, lacking texture or impact. The rice is, mushy. Meh.

It seems like most of the good carts are midtown. Hmmmmm, I feel a late night adventure coming along.

S'Mac That.

Now, I'm not that big a fan of cheese, but it's slowly growing on me. After a rather lazy Friday some time ago, Matt and I finally decided to get off our lazy butts and get some fresh air. What better destination then S'Mac, a little place in the East Village specializing in mac and cheese. I've been meaning to go for quite some time, especially after reading about it in the Times.

Naturally, looking at the expansive menu, we had to do at least three "nosh" orders (mind you, one order is more than enough for a single serving). Hey, we were hungry for some mac n' cheese. We ordered the Mozzarella, Cajun, and Gruyere. My personal favorite was the Cajun - spicy, meaty, with just the right kick of Pepper Jack. I only think adding the breadcrumbs made it a bit too salty. But it was still oh so cheeeeese-ily yummy.A cute little shop that hits the spot on a cold winter's day (or a late night...excursion). Hehehe.

I'm itching for some Chicken and Rice. Any takers?

Stand Up!

I had a life changing revelation today. I am going to embark on a grand quest for -drumroll- the perfect burger.

Today, Matt and I finally went to Stand, a new burger joint on 12th Street between University and 5th Ave. I haven't had many "gourmet" or specialty burgers in my day - I usually hit up diner burgers - but this was a delicious popping my gourmet burger cherry first time kind of burger (try to say that three times fast). The meat was moist and juicy; the fat oozing from each bite managed to dribble down my hands or spatter onto the plate (great image, I know). The sauces were homemade and complemented the burger well. They even have Japanese mayo (ooooo). Fries weren't anything unique but at least well made. Overall, a pretty tasty experience.

With Shake Shack opened again for the season, I think the next few weeks will be filled with many more adventures.