A NIBBLING.

I was gone for only 8 days and there have been so many culinary developments within 10 blocks of my apartment. 10 appetizing blocks of Hells Kitchen. There are so many new restaurants that I need to try: namely Xie Xie (I have been waiting for this damn place to open up since NOVEMBER when I heard whispers of an Asian lobster roll on their menu), Agua Dulce (I am going to try my best to become a "regular" here - as it is diagonal from my apartment and serves a variety of delicious Latin American dishes and hope that in the near future I will be immediately comped mini grilled cheese and shrimp skewers upon entering said restaurant), and also the limited time offering of Cosi's lobster salad sandwich AND lobster MELT sandwich...THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH AVAILABLE MEAL TIMES OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS FOR ME TO EAT ALL THE THINGS THAT I WANT!!!!!!!!! ARGHHHH, the things that plague my mind.

So while we are on the subject of food, I might as well regale you with a few highlights and points of interest from my recent fooding adventures abroad.


This is salmorejo - a soup originating from southern Spain that can kind of be described as a creamy, thickened gazpacho. It is actually a puree of tomatoes, bread, garlic, and vinegar topped with ham and egg whites (obviously we scooped the ham bits out before spooning up the cold mixture). A little on the heavy side for me, I got bored of the taste and texture quickly.


A soup that I did very much enjoy, however, was Sopa de Ajo - a Castillian garlic soup that is now associated with the Easter holiday. Eggs are cooked inside this garlicky broth and the soup is topped with fried bread crumbs. It reminded me of Chinese egg drop soup!! Absolutely delicious!!!!! Officially one of my favorite soups. (Restaurant Cunini)


We ate a variety of tapas while we were in Seville. One of my favorites was made of grilled eggplant topped with bechamel sauce and a side of tomato and red pepper ratatouille. You know how I feel about mushy things. Very indulgent and satisfying. (Cerveceria Giralda tapas restaurant)


Another mushy thing I very much enjoyed was the sweet tomato chutney (on the right) that we were served at our riad in Marrakesh. It is almost like a jam and is topped with a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Very delicious.


The chutney is just one of the ingredients that we plopped together onto a plate in order to form our Moroccan salad of cooked lentils, eggplants, cucumbers, and carrots.


Although not specifically Spanish or Moroccan, I enjoyed this crab and avocado mille-feuille that we ordered from Le Foundouk in Marrakesh. Break through the delicate crisp shell and scoop up a layer of guacamole, crab meat, and salsa. A French twist on some Mexican staples.


Another crispy layer we encountered was on this Moroccan shrimp briwat, which reminded me of a Chinese spring roll!!! The filling consisted of vermecilli glass noodles, tiny shrimps, mussel meat, cilantro, parsley, and other herbs and seasonings. Very tasty!!


And how could I not mention tagine, a classic dish from North Africa. These mixtures are slow-cooked in a special tagine clay pot. We had our fair share of fish and vegetable tagines throughout our stay in Morocco. But despite my love of mushy vegetables, there was only so much of this dish that I could tolerate. Make sure to eat this with a side of cous-cous!!


I end my brief posting with my favorite beverage from the entire trip - the mint tea!!!! Here we are in a typical tea room found in Granada.


There I ordered a limonada, which is a traditional Arabic drink of lemon with mint and yogurt. The sour lemon and sour taste of natural yogurt were a perfect match.

Cool mint tea.

Moroccan mint tea has a thicker consistency than normal teas. I think it is because of the sugars that it is steeped with. So delicious and comforting - we ordered this tea from our riad every day.

How long do you think it will be until Starbucks scoops this recipe up and serves it up in Venti cups with sugar-free syrups??

MAROC.

WORLD, I am back. I have survived an excess of tapas and tagine, brutal rays from the sun, and harsh desert climates. Traveling through quaint Seville was lovely (beautiful cathedrals, overflowing glasses of sangria and tinto de verano, and lush gardens). I felt that Granada served as a perfect segue between Andalusia and Morocco - the Moorish architecture of the Alhambra, the tea rooms and Souk-like markets, all mixed with a flavor of Spain. In retrospect, the real gem of this trip was Marrakesh. If you had asked me while I was on the trip - you probably would have gotten a heat-induced answer of "I AM NEVER COMING BACK." But after looking through my pictures, I realized that Morocco has been unlike any place I have ever experienced. It was an unforgettable and moving adventure that makes one really appreciate the comforts and equalities of living in America. And now...a glimpse of Northern Africa:


Beautiful bright colors of Marrakesh on the square by the souks.


The vegetable and fruit markets of Marrakesh.


We took a caleche (horse-drawn carriage) out to the Majorelle gardens. They are not nearly as expensive as the carriages in Central Park and quite comparable in price to a taxi ride.


The beautiful greens, yellows, and blues of the Majorelle garden -- also home to the Yves Saint Laurent memorial.


On the way back, our driver decided to stop off at the repair shop and fix his carriage.


The alleys of Marrakesh.


Bees/flies surrounding a freshly cut piece of watermelon at a fruit stand...delectable.


A mosque. Heard the Muslim call to prayer every few hours..quite enchanting.


The crazy night markets that occur every evening at the Place Jemma el Fnaa. Entertainers, monkey trainers, snake charmers, music, story tellers, and lots of food.


Stunning, intricate architecture from the Palais Bahia.


The Saadian tombs.


The bright colors from the port of Essouira, a beach town.


A camel we saw on our drive from Essouira back to Marrakesh.


Our amazing riad - the Riad Karmela. Tasteful interior decorations with a truly Middle Eastern flair. 3 beautifully decorated floors with a casually luxurious courtyard, fountains, pools, rooftop terraces, the works. A wonderful place to return after a tiring day in the maze of Marrakesh.


The turtle that also lived at our riad. He is in the computer room right now.

Coming soon: an examination of my culinary experiences in Morocco and Southern Spain.

A POSITIVE MOMENT.

I begin my post by stating that there is no better place for a farewell dinner with your rice-loving big Asian sister than Yakitori Totto. I have always been a fan of simple and, most importantly, MUSHY foods. When I was younger, dinners would consist of rice sprinkled with furikake and mixed with broth or rice mashed with some soft tofu, cooked salmon, or steamed egg. Onigiri rice balls were one of my most favorite treats and all my mother could do was laugh at me and call me "fan tong" aka rice bucket. Back then, and until today, I had no idea that the meals that I ate daily were actually the cuisine of the WORKING CLASS in Japan!!! How exotic and romanticized!


Being as we had just come from work, we found it only proper that we begin our meal with the traditional working class fare of grilled food on sticks - most commonly known as yakitori (chicken skewers) or kushiyaki. It is very common for Japanese workers to grab a yakitori and a beer on their way home from work. I opted for the Nagaimo Japanese sticky yam skewers and sister ordered the asparagus skewers wrapped with bacon. This was honestly my most unfavorite part of the meal - mostly because I expected the yam to have a more starchy, soft texture (like that of a sweet potato). The pieces, however, were very crunchy and crisp - much like that of radish.


Next up was the Dashi Maki Tamago, which is a delicious soft rolled Japanese omelet. It seems like a painstaking process to create this dish, but the end result is absolutely phenomenal. A simple swiss roll of soft, cooked egg flavored lightly with dashi and shoyu. Ahh, I could eat this everyday and am really inspired to name my child Tamago (egg).


The onigiri arrived soon afterwards. I had one where the rice was mixed with sesame seeds and dried bonito flakes and then grilled with soysauce. Sister opted for a rather delicious onigiri that was stuffed with cheese!!! I haven't seen a cheese and rice combination since my dining experience at Hamasaku in LA!


Our bowl of Daiginjyo Tofu then arrived. Make sure you order this early on because it takes about 20 minutes to prepare!! It is a premium pure tofu that has been prepared in a hot pot. It reminded me of the Yose Tofu dish from Morimoto, which is tofu that is prepared table side. They provide only a small mound of special salt in order to flavor the dish. It was extremely silky and I enjoyed the delicate, bland flavors of this simple dish. Just a pinch of salt was enough for flavor.


And finally the dish that I thought I had once invented as a young chef, the Ocha Zuke, arrived!!! A bowl of rice was topped with cooked salmon and a healthy mound of dried kelp and other seasonings (like that of furikake). Hot broth steeping in a little tea kettle is poured into your bowl atop the rice mixture. There is something so comforting and familiar about rice in hot broth - this bowl transported me right back to my youth!!!! Also great for people who don't like the chew, don't like to digest food, or are feeling sick.

I absolutely adored Yakitori Totto and will pine it until next time.

I also wanted to give a quick shout-out to Mercadito in the West Village!!! I have been to the East Village location before and thought I had blogged about it...but I guess my experience was not whelming enough for me to virtually write out my thoughts about the restaurant. Well this time, they gave me something worth talking about. First of all - if you ever feel like eating all-you-can-eat-tacos, come here. I didn't do it, but I should have. A single order of tacos is around $14 while the all-you-can-eat-taco special is only $23. Not only is it a great deal (considering $20 can get you all of a burrito bowl and a large soda at Chipotle) but you can order all different varieties of tacos so you are not tied down to one filling. Try them all!


My pescado tacos were DELICIOUS. I love that the tilapia was grilled and not battered and fried like most of the other tacos de pescados that I have eaten. A light dusting of cheese and a small dollop of tomatilla salsa mixed with huitlacoche and corn - done. Not covered up by mounds of lettuce or really strong sauces. Hands down, my favorite fish taco in the city.


Not only that, but the management was kind enough to give AM the plate that he ate off of and fell in love with. Now that's gratuitous service!!!!!

I am off to Spain and Morocco for the next few days...may try to discover a way to blog via my new phone. Adios amigos!!!!

COMFORT FOOD FOR < $15.

Even in the dead of summer, sometimes a nice warm-ish meal is still necessary on a depressing day. Below are two really great options for a summer comfort meal that won't heat up your body temperature but still warms the belly and the heart, both for under $15!!


The grilled cheese sandwiches from Artisanal are phenomenal! The bread is crispy and the cheese is gooey. If you are ordering at a table, make sure you request a bar menu so you can order these bad boys for dinner. I opted for the 18 month Comte Reserve with white truffle honey. A perfect grown-up twist on a childhood favorite.


Next up are the dosas from Hampton Chutney. I have been here twice within the past 7 days and I cannot get enough. Those of you who are dosa snobs and only eat dosas from Curry Hill, Jackson Heights, or Edison, NJ can calm down, take a breath, open your mind, and embrace the concept of cheese being on dosas. It's good, I promise. I ordered the Breakfast Dosa (pictured above) which is filled with two eggs, spinach, roasted tomato, jack cheese, and avocado. The second dosa I ordered a few days later was the Masala Deluxe which has the traditional Indian potato filling with spinach, Jack Cheese, and Roasted Tomatoes. What great meals - the crispy (yet soft???) texture of the dosa and the mushy, flavorful filling are perfect for chasing away the summer doldrums.

Best of all, both of these meals cost less than $15 each (grilled cheese is $14.50, dosa is $11) so you won't have to be depressed about your bank account (on top of all other matters) after the meal!

GIGANTE STUPIDO.

Today we headed to East Rutherford, New Jersey to attend a NY Red Bulls vs LA Galaxy MLS match. East Rutherford is home to my now most hated stadium in the entire world - Giants Stadium. Whoever made up that "No Backpack" rule for the stadium is an idiot and whoever enforces that rule is an even bigger idiot.

We walk to the security entrance as a group of four people - one male with no bag, two women with large handbags, and one male with a backpack. A security guard informs us that no backpacks are allowed and that no lockers are provided on the premises to store backpacks. They suggested we leave the backpack in our car. Well we had arrived via an NJ Transit train and then a charter bus from Secaucus train station. There was no car for us to store our backpack in. I argued that my Speedy could hold just as many contents as his backpack - yet why was I allowed in and my male friend not??? Security guard retorted "Because women are SUPPOSED to carry bags. Men are not." OH WOW!!!!!! So now we believe that all women were made to carry bags!??!!? And that men aren't allowed to do the same!??!!?? Now we are just bordering on gender discrimination. No, we haven't bordered it. WE WENT THERE.

So by now I am internally flipping out and we decide to try another gate. This time, we figured it might be best if one of the females carry the backpack. Because women were created to do this. We try to argue our way through, but apparently backpacks are just not allowed. We see some man walk in with TWO backpacks and we start flipping out. How come he got to enter and we didn't!?!?!??! We were asked, "Well, where's your passport??" EXCUSE ME? "Your passport." NOW WHY THE HELL WOULD I CARRY A PASSPORT. "Because only foreign bags are allowed. I can only allow you to enter the premises with a backpack if you are a foreigner." OHHHHHH WOWWWWWWWWWWWW. So this is like BEYOND racial discrimination. This is NATIONALITY DISCRIMINATION. Apparently anyone holding a U.S. passport is NOT ALLOWED TO BRING A FUCKING BACKPACK INTO GIANTS STADIUM!?!?!?!?

So then we argue that the backpack is this female's handbag - and it's not fair that she cannot bring HER handbag in because it is not a conventional shape of a handbag. I ask what constitutes a "backpack" and a security guard replies, "Anything that you strap onto your back." WHAT IF I CUT THE HANDLES OFF. DOES IT STILL COUNT??? "Yes." IDIOT.


We walk away to plot our next step, and we then see all these stupid women carrying these dumbass MINI BACKPACKS walking in. I thought a bag was considered a backpack if you strapped it on your back!?!??!? So of course I come running up and pointing out all the backpacks I can identify - THERE'S A BACKPACK. OH, AND THERE - THAT WOMAN - BACKPACK. SPORTY BACKPACK HERE. THAT LOOKS LIKE ITS A STRAP ON A SHOULDER. ETC. Needless to say, everyone with a mini backpack or stupid nylon SACKPACK was able to enter the stadium and my point was being taken less and less seriously by the sentence.



OH and BTW, I totally just tried to go to the Dick's Sporting Goods website to try to find the above picture of a SACKPACK for you but accidentally went to www.dicks.com and found out that that is the COMPLETELY incorrect URL. WHOOPS. And FOR THE RECORD, the sackpacks are listed under BACKPACKS in the menu drop down of their online shop. SO A SACKPACK IS A BACKPACK!!!!nsjegnlsegnARHGHGHGHGHGHGHGH, the insanity.

Sadly, I didn't win the fight and we even came across the same problem later on in the evening with a BRIEFCASE - which, in my mind, is certainly not within the same classification as a BACKPACK. Tonight, Giants Stadium has proven itself discriminatory against FEMALES and also males that wish to wear bags, AMERICANS, and also people with a FASHION SENSE. Is there someone I can talk to about a lawsuit!?!?! REALLY!!?!??!


After the backpack fiasco was behind us, we were finally able to sit down and enjoy the game. My senses returned and once again my muscles remembered how to smile. Despite David Beckham's LA Galaxy team beating the NY Red Bulls 3-1, the sport was still very much fun to watch and at least we scored one goal so our side could scream GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLL once throughout the evening. Very important in a soccer match.


Here we all are - sans backpacks and suitcases - after the game. What is a night without verbal assault and throwing down for your friends????

NO SUCH THING AS A FREE EVENT.

OK so you know how everyone is always like "OMG, I adoreeeeeee New York in the summer time!!!! There are all these amazing free events in the parks and there is something new to do every day of my life and I love ittttt!!!!" Being that it is now nearing the end of July, I couldn't help but feel a little bit upset as I have been away from from the city for a good majority of the summer thus far and I felt I was missing out on my share of the typically New York summer. So this week, I happened to jam pack my schedule with some conventional New York summer activities.

Well, I now officially hate free events in New York!! You are just SETTING yourself up for disaster and the possibility of being touched by strangers. As if New York is already not annoying enough with its small sidewalks that are entirely overcrowded - you are just putting yourself into an even smaller space with even MORE people. That's so funny, THANKS NEW YORK CITY!! Pick the tiniest crevice in the city, offer free popcorn, and laugh from atop the Empire State building as you observe hundreds/thousands of people trailing over like ants and spilling atop each other like the sprinkles in that Verizon commerical.


For example, last night I arrived at the Great Lawn in Central Park for the New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Park series and was faced with this MOB upon arrival. OK, so this picture isn't really doing the whole situation any justice. Basically every square inch of this 13-acre area was completely SATURATED with New Yorkers, their dirty blankets, and their cheap bottles of vino. It was literally a lawn made of people. Doesn't that seem like some kind of sick joke??? A great location for anyone conjuring up a terrorist attack??? My group smartly opted for a spot on the outer ring of the perimeter (slightly less crowded), could barely hear the symphony orchestra, and also happened to sit in a location where the fireworks were blocked by a large row of trees - AWESOME. Furthermore, when you go to events like this be prepared to feel the need to GAG yourself because everyone thinks this is a really great "DATE IDEA" - so ingenious and romantic - and makes out all over the grassy fields.


So at least sound waves travel and eventually and to some extent we were able to "enjoy" music. When it comes to watching free movies in NYC, be prepared to get nasty, cut people, and leave your conscience at home. Hudson River Park projects several movies throughout the summer at Pier 54 - which happens to be a FLAT piece of CONCRETE. The movies begin at dusk...and we arrived around 8pm (a little late) and not surprisingly faced feet upon feet of massive, tightly spaced crowds leading up to a tiny projection screen. The screen is entirely too small to see if you set up shop anywhere from the middle to the back of the pier, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and just started walking towards the front. Aimlessly.


Well we made it to the "front" - at least until we hit this strange area in the front with rows of chairs. I am assuming these seats are for people that arrived at 8pm the night before.


The massive blob of people that we screwed over, who have probably been waiting there since 5pm.


But in the end no one won because this was my view of Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona once I sat down. Heck yea, I got the sweetest view of the top left corner of the screen the whole night. Coming to these types of events are great practice for your IMAGINATION as you will need to VISUALIZE the entire movie in your head. OK so can we all agree that free events in New York are a no-win situation?? And that they are a waste of time??? For everybody???

Well at least we got to stop by Co afterwards for pizza. I have been meaning to try this place for the longest time!!


We opted for the Popeye pizza - with pecorino, gruyere, mozzarella, spinach, black pepper, and garlic. A little too salty and a little too heavy on the spinach. This pizza was screaming for better balance - in both taste and ingredient ratios.


But the Bird's Nest pizza was a winner - with raschera, parmesan, shaved asparagus, quail eggs, and shaved black truffle. This pizza was indulgent!! There was a great balance between the crispness of the asparagus, the strong earthy flavors of the truffle, mixed with the delicious cheese, and I loved spreading the runny yolk over my slice for a little extra richness. If this pizza didn't exist, I would have had nothing nice to say about Co. And it just so happens it was the most expensive pizza on the menu. Which teaches everyone a lesson - sometimes it is worth it to pay for happiness and the good things in life.