Family tradition

Ah, my all time favorite family tradition- Dim Sum on Sundays! It has been a long standing tradition with my family that every Sunday we go out and have some Dim Sum and do a little shopping in the markets nearby. Living in Pittsburgh for the past 5 years of my life, I have truly missed out on this great tradition and am so glad to be back in the city! Granted there is Dim Sum in Pittsburgh, I have yet to find a place that is as tasty (and authentic) as the places you find in New York!- the Dim Sum places in Pittsburgh are awful by the way.

What's dim sum you ask? You can think of it as a Chinese take on Spanish tapas- small appetizer-like dishes perfect for sharing and sampling a number of different types of things!

I took this picture while out with Risa for some dimsum (she has rarely ever had it!) and her favorite by far was the chicken buns (white buns on the top right)

I was a bit surprised when I found out that a number of my friends (asians included) didn't even know what dimsum was!! What a shame- they have truly been missing out on something truly unique. Little asian ladies pushing carts of food around persistently trying to sell you their dishes is a special experience that everyone must at least experience once! Not only is it a fun environment, the food is so tasty (and perfect for a hangover, might I add)!

My family and I usually go to Jade Asian restaurant located in Flushing right on 39th avenue. We've been to other restaurants such as Gala Manor located on 37th avenue but we find that (although a bit more pricey) Jade Asian is a lot more tasty!

I didn't get to take too many pictures as it was very busy and my camera is slowly dying but the dishes at dim sum places are usually the same in all restaurants and they rarely ever vary.

My favorite dim sum dishes are:

Turnip cakes- rectangular white doughy "cakes" that have shredded turnips mixed in, fried and served with some tangy hoisin sauce.

Shrimp Chee Cheong Fun- I remember a few friends in the past describing this dish as 'slippery noodle' which is pretty funny but also pretty accurate. Shrimp wrapped in a long, flat white noodle drenched in soy sauce is my absolute favorite dish- they also have it in beef which is good as well.

Har Gow - The traditional shrimp dumpling- is just shrimp (with a bit of bamboo) wrapped in a clear dough is steamed and so yummy!

Shu Mai- The traditional pork dumpling- is a good amount of pork and mushroom wrapped in a yellow dough steamed and served (usually) with a bit of caviar on top- yum!

Those are just a few of my favorite- but i'm pretty sure you can't go wrong with any dish. There are so many dishes and I haven't tried them all but I am always trying something new every week!

If you don't know Chinese- don't worry, many of them know a bit of English and really all you need to do is look at the dish and point to what you want- pretty simple.

Dim sum is served usually as a brunch meal (10:30am-2pm)and doesn't usually go into the night- so make sure to drag your hungover butt out of bed for this great meal! Starting from $2.00 a dish and up, dim sum is also a cheap brunch!

If you are worried about not knowing what to get and not having the motivation to get up out of bed- just set up a date with me and I will for sure be happy to help you out ;)

Price: $

Ambiance: B-

Service: B

Food: A-

TLAM

What kind of key spends most of it's time eating bananas?? A Monkey!

So this past Friday a few monkies decided to have a get together to eat some yummy korean food! My little (Steph) and Pama decided to venture into Flushing, Queens to explore Kum GangSan- a Korean restaurant right off of Northern Blvd!

Now Flushing is really unique- not only do they have great restaurants- it's basically a Chinatown- located in Queens! If you don't have the time to push yourselves through the crowd in Manhattan, definitely stop by Flushing to get your fix of Asian markets and delicacies! Some may even say it's getting better than Chinatown!

Another great thing about Flushing is that it doesn't only have Chinese food- you can find cuisine from all over Asia in this small little area- Korean food included (in fact, there is a number of Korean restaurants all in a smaller korean town area) yum!

Kum GangSan is a great restaurant that is easily accessible and actually has a free parking lot! We all know how hard it is to find parking in Flushing, so I was very grateful when I found out that I didn't have to worry about the treacherous feat.

Entering through the parking lot, you instantly smell the delicious Korean barbecue being cooked up. As I sat down and got my cup of hot tea, I quickly browsed the menu- but it didn't take too long to find what I wanted.

*thank you pama for the pictures

As you know from my previous post on Korean food- I always get Bibimbap- it's my favorite! Hot steamy rice with a bunch of vegetables (they claim 26 different types) and a half cooked egg on top, all in a sizzling stone pot may be the best thing in the world! Mix in the sauce they give you on the side- and you're golden. And like I said before- the hot sizzling stone pot (compared to the cold stainless steel pot) makes a HUGE difference- I can't resist!

Pama and Steph also got the same thing (since we knew how great it was) and we all were very excited for our small dishes that were to come before our main entree!

Again, my most favorite thing about Korean restaurants is the abundance of food they give you. These small dishes are complimentary and filled us up before we even got the entrees! From an assortment of different kimchees and vegetables to fish and various tofus, the dishes are fresh and delicious!

We then of course got our Bibimbap, had a great meal and spent maybe 3 hours chatting it up about jobs, boys and more boys. What a great traditional family dinner!

Kum GangSan also has a location in Manhattan (which I have also been to) and so for those of you who live in the city- this is the perfect place if you want to avoid the train ride.

I had a great time with these Theta monkeys- even though our server was quite rude (and didn't deserve the tip we gave him). I hope that we can have more of these- and more importantly have more of our family there!

Oh- and another good thing about coming to Queens and not staying in Manhattan- you can come back to my place and visit Zeus (cough cough Shaman and Sundar cough cough)

TLAM

Price: $$

Ambiance: B

Service: B

Food: A-

I have a job!

I have a job! Ok, I already have a job but I got a new job offer, and will be starting in January! woot! This calls for a celebration!

What's even better is that my roommate also got a job- so we thought it would be the perfect time to celebrate and stuff our faces with delicious food! My roommate and I were really excited- as we made promises to do weekly roomie dinners (even though this only happened to be our second one out of the 10 weeks we have lived together-oops). Nevertheless, we had a great time! (and most definitely left full and satisfied)

We decided to go to Mediterra, a Mediterranean restaurant located on Hulfish Street in Princeton. We've heard good things, and I (of course), had already picked out what I wanted days in advance!

We had a bit of trouble with parking-it was freezing out and so all the parking lots nearby were full and we had to park in a lot a few blocks away. Boo. Apparently, Mediterra has FREE parking- just park in the parking lot on Hulfish (to the right of the restaurant) and they'll validate your parking ticket! Too bad I didn't ask that ahead of time- I will most definitely be doing that next time!

We were a bit late thanks to our parking ordeal but it didn't seem to be a big deal and we were seated immediately. Upon entering, there is a giant bread station where fresh bread (baked by their sister company) is layed out and servers are slicing them for their tables!

We were starving and couldn't wait to order and try the breads. My roommate got the Pumpkin Ravioli while I got the Fusili with Mushrooms as well as Fried Calamari as an appetizer. Now, I usually don't like Mediterranean food too much- but the menu was great enough to satisfy any palette-everything was so delicious!

Now, I couldn't take pictures of my dishes- and not because I didn't remember, but because the lighting was so low and dim that I couldn't take a picture of a dish without blinding my neighboring tables with my flash- sadface. I guess you'll just have to leave it up to your imagination (or go there yourself!).

There were an assortment of breads- and really I would have been happy just snacking on that for the night. Although a bit hard and tough and not as fresh as I would have liked it to be- it was still very tasty. The calamari appetizer was huge- nothing too special I guess, I mean, you can't go wrong with fried calamari. My pasta was great! The fusili was perfectly cooked while there was an abundance of different types of mushrooms mixed with spinach and pancetta. Yum! The sauce was great, but then again, 200 melted sticks of butter mixed with cream would of course be great. This dish is obviously not for the health conscious- but who cares- I have a job! :)

My roommate's pumpkin ravioli was also surprisingly good. You would think that the ravioli filling would be orange but on the contrary it was white and creamy and had such a great pumpkin flavor! Sweet yet savory from the sage and butter- this dish was amazing :)

At the end of the night, we left a little bit poorer (who cares we have jobs!-haha) but also completely satisfied. What a great roomie dinner! I will definitely be coming back and trying other dishes off the menu- everything around us looked so delicious! Did I mention, I have a job? :)

Price: $$$

Ambiance: A

Service: A

Food: B+

Oh. My. God.

Alright. This is it. The BEST meal I have ever had. (Ok, second best- first best was at Le Cirque in Bellagio, but thats another story)


So as you know, I went back to Pittsburgh this past weekend and I knew that I had to visit Umi again. The last time I went, it was some sort of anniversay celebration with Eric but it has been a while and I wanted to confirm the fact that the best sushi I HAVE EVER HAD was indeed, at Umi, located on Ellsworth Avenue.


It surprises me that Umi is a Big Burrito chain restaurant because, Umi is on another level on its own. Mr. Shu is a genius and doesn't need a big corporation backing up his creativity and skillz, and yes, Umi is in fact the best sushi I have ever had.


Now, thats a pretty big statement, as I've tried a lot of different sushi all over the country, and it's hard to say that a Big Burrito restaurant (the same corporation that owns Mad Mex) owns this unique establishment. But Oh. My. God. it was amazing.


So Eric and I decided to go to Umi without a reservation- how stupid of us. Luckily, upon arriving, we were able to get two seats at the sushi bar. After looking at the menu for a while, it was obvious that we had to get the omakase- which is what we got last time. The omakase is an 8 course meal that is an absolute must. In fact, after looking at the pricey menu, the omakase actually is a pretty good deal.


I can't even start talking about this great meal- it just makes me crave it even more. Alright, here it goes....


We started off with some white fish with some ponzu sauce:


Ah-mazing. The fish is fresh and delicate while the sauce is a bit tangy- it was so good.

The second course was spanish mackerel seared with hot sesame oil:

This was the best thing I have ever eaten. EVER. The fish is amazing, but the sesame oil really kicks it up a notch. The fish is buttery and melts in your mouth, while the sesame gives it a smooth, decadent feeling as it hits your tongue. I could have eaten 100 plates of these- seriously. The best dish of the night.

The third course was some toro tartare:


Now, you can't go wrong with toro tartare. Although I feel like, the last time I had it, it was a bit better, it was still delicious and the fish, again, is amazing.


We then followed with the Black Cod Miso:


Alright, second best dish of the night. Marinated in miso, and then broiled, the cod is not what you expect it to be- it doesn't even remind you of cod! Warm and juicy, this dish is amazing and again, melts in your mouth. Although, again, it was better the first time I had it (it was a bit too moist for me) the taste is incredbile- far better than the black cod miso we had at Morimoto.


Then followed our fifth course, white fish with mint:

This was my least favorite course- not because it wasn't good, but because I hate mint. Basil and mint leaves are just not my thing. But i'll tell you this- I finished all of it, which tells you how good it is.

Sixth course: Shrimp tempura with mushroom sauce and truffle oil (?):

Ok, so I heard and tasted truffle oil, but i'm not really sure if it had it or not- because Mr. Shu described it so quickly. But this was also amazing. My obsession with truffles/mushroom was completely satisfied with the delicious sauce! The shrimp were a bit soggy (thanks to the sauce drizzled on top), but one of the best shrimp tempura I've had! Again, far better than Morimoto.


So I forgot to take a picture of the seventh course (oops), but luckily it was a simple (ok, not so simple) nigiri dish. The small bites of nigiri are about half the size of traditional nigiri sushi, which is a perfect, bite sized portion! There were 5 pieces of nigiri: Salmon with cream cheese and tomato, Yellowtail with yuzu jalapeno sauce, White fish with mint and a berry sauce, Spanish Mackerel (with a sauce I can't rememver-my apologies) and Tuna with a tofu sauce. The flavors are great- the combinations of the unique toppings were perfect. Small bite-sized nigiri pieces are ingenius!


And last, our eighth course, is of course, dessert:

I know I've said this a few times in this post- but this is the best dessert I've ever had, hands down. So this may look like ice cream, but it is actually frozen chocolate ganache with a cashew interior drizzled with some raspberry and mango puree. I've had this dessert twice already, and I can say that it is amazing- cold with a unique texture thanks to the bits of grounded cashews it's indescribable!


Wow. I am so hungry. I may fly back to Pittsburgh (and not take the Megabus) just for this meal. We got this 8 course meal for $75 a person, which is a bit pricey- but believe me, it is worth it.


What was interesting was that, we saw that the frequent fans of Mr. Shu didn't sit at the table, but at the sushi bar- so they could converse and watch Mr.Shu do his magic. Warning, there is a $50/person minimum at the sushi bar- but you're going to get the omakase so it doesn't matter right???


I will most definitely be returning to Umi- and perhaps getting the more expensive omakases (it starts at $75 and goes up). The dishes our neighbors were getting looked amazing, and their faces after one bite of their dish tells it all.


One complaint that I had? The actual presentation of the dishes and the actual dishes themselves were a bit lackluster. A few of the dishes (which you can see in the pictures) seemed dirty and old- it really took away from the experience, but good thing the food was just that good. Presentation is everything, and I am sure that if it was placed on cleaner and newer plates, the meal would have been that much better.


This is not the place to get run of the mill, plain sushi- if you're looking for some sushi dishes that are inventive and different, Umi is the place to go, otherwise stick to Chaya for your more simple (and cheaper) sushi. Although a bit pricey, every penny is worth it. Again, Oh. My. God.

Price: $$$$
Ambiance: A
Service: A
Food: A+

"Eh"

Alright, I officially have a massive headache from work (really from my new headband that I bought) and have decided that I should take a well needed break.

I can't believe it's already Monday! After a great (and short) weekend in Pittsburgh, it's hard to say hello to this cold and dreary Monday. The only thing I'm looking forward to is exploring new restaurants (and getting manis and facials) with Risa Masuda this coming weekend! I can't wait!

But before I jump too far ahead, I can't leave this weekend unnoticed. Eric and I went to a number of places, some old and some new, but we definitely left every place with a comment (good and bad).

This past Sunday (wait, was it really just yesterday??), Theta had their initiation. 32 new sisters!!! Without giving too much away, I was able to be part of initiation this year and I was so happy to see all the faces of my new sisters!

Before I headed off to Theta, Eric and I decided to grab some quick breakfast at Bagel Factory in Squirrel Hill- or what we thought would be quick.

Bagel Factory holds a special place in my heart, I don't exactly know why I like this place, as I've had some pretty awful experiences here, but I guess I never learn and I always go back.

One time I went with my mom and they messed up a simple order, charged us incorrectly and then refused to give us the money back for the correct order because I "should have noticed the mistake earlier". Sorry for expecting my cashiers to be competent at pushing the buttons on that complicated machine, you're right, I guess it was my fault.

The interesting thing about Bagel Factory is that there is a separate line to place your order and then a separate line to actually pay for the food you've just ordered. I guess this could work out to their benefit- but not yesterday- it took over 30 minutes to get through this system. How awful. Eric even noticed some individuals getting their food before reaching the cashier, and so they just left. Good planning Bagel Factory!

Yesterday Eric and I waited 15 minutes to place our simple orders of bacon egg and cheese and oatmeal. Pretty impatient due to the fact that I had intiation in an hour, I was even more anxious than normal to stuff my face with some food. After finally placing the order, Eric had to wait another 15 minutes in line to pay for our food. What a joke!

I got the food before Eric even got done with the line (and I eat slow) and we didn't get to really spend anytime together in the morning since I was sitting at a table eating and he was in line for 30 minutes, waiting.

Is the food worth it, you ask?

As in the famous words of Mr.Bruner: "eh". I dont really find that there is anything special about this place, I just think that people are intrigued by the variety of bagels and decent food this early in the morning that they are willing to put up with the incompetent staff.

All in all, Bagel Factory is a good place to grab some decent food in the morning- but there are some incompetent people working back there which really kills the experience. But I guess there is something about that place that makes me forget, and I always end up going back! I guess it's my fault for putting myself through all this misery and I shouldn't complain huh? :)

And now my headache is back, thank you again Bagel Factory.

Price: $

Ambiance: B

Service: C

Food: B+

My uncle has been coming here for years!

So it's official, I suck at taking pictures. I always do have the intention to take pictures of my meals upon entering the restaurant, but once my food hits that table, it's game over. My mind goes a bit fuzzy, the room starts to spin and all I want is a bite of my food, and then another, and then another? I have been blaming it on the fact that my food always turns out to be really good and irresistable, but really, I suck at taking pictures.

Oh well.

This weekend, my aunt decided to spend some 'quality time' with me aka- have me help her with her wedding pictures. Funny, as I was helping her sort through her digital pictures on her webpage, I saw a few pictures of Raceday 2010 mixed in-why is that you ask? Well being that I had to miss Day 2 for my aunts wedding, you can be sure that I was watching the entire time as I was getting my maid of honor speech down! As people were taking pictures of the 'before'- I obviously was glued to the live feed from my laptop, with half of my dress on. Oops.

After showing her the picture, she thought it would be nice to treat me dinner for all that she has put me through (let's face it- she saved me from not racing that day- but we're not going to tell her that). We decided to go to Takara, a Japanese Restaurant located on 14th Avenue in Whitestone, NY.

Upon arriving, I was surprised to see that I have already been here before! A few years ago during winter break, I was craving sushi and decided to read some reviews on the best sushi in Queens- Takara was the obvious choice. I got take-out my first time there, and I still remember how surprised I was at the deliciousness of my spicy scallop handroll! The scallops were fresh and the texture and flavors were complimenting. I made a note to go back there- but never had a chance to.

So boy was I happy when my aunt brought me there this weekend! Looking at the menu, the special rolls seemed especially appetizing. I ended up getting a spider roll (you're welcome Eric) and a Red Dragon Roll. The Spider Roll was ok- but the Red Dragon Roll was great! A perfect shrimp tempura roll topped with mounds of spicy tuna, the Red Dragon Roll was absolutely delicious! My aunt got the seafood teriyaki, and the seafood in the dish, were plentiful and fresh as well.

Apparently, my uncle (my aunt's new husband) has been coming here for over 20 years! Wow! He loves sushi and he tells me that this place started out as a small joint, but quickly expanded due to its great food! It is now 3 times the size it originally was!

The service wasn't anything too special, but the servers did try to be attentive as much as possible. I also saw that there were private rooms in the back, perfect for a private, secluded dinner!

What a great find. Granted, this place doesn't have a parking lot and you do need to venture out into the streets to look for some meter parking, make sure to stop by this precious gem of a restaurant if you live in the area and are sick of going to Flushing!

Price: $$
Ambiance: B+
Service: B+
Food: A