Hong Kong: Ending Southeast Asia trip with one last dining escapade

We weren't even planning to visit Hong Kong. After all, our two-week Southeast Asian trip was already packed, with stops in Singapore, Saigon, Siem Reap, Bangkok and Bali. But since our Cathay Pacific flight back to LA had to stop in Hong Kong, we decided to spend a night with the only goal of eating our way through the city. We were staying in Causeway Bay, and it turned out that we didn't even have to leave the area for our culinary tour.

Our first stop was Tai Ping Koon whose chicken wings were recommended by my friend who grew up in Hong Kong.

Complimentary sweet roll was warm and buttery.

Their famous chicken wings are cooked in a sweet soy sauce. I really enjoyed the wings, the flavors were infused into the meat and skin. Finger lick'in good. I thought it was a bit pricey at US$20 until I realized that I was in Hong Kong, not other parts of Southeast Asia.

Our next stop was for the famous snake soup at Se Wong Yee which came recommended by a local. It was a tiny little cafe with all locals, but they had an English menu available.

Snake soup is supposed to be good for the health. The soup was a savory broth (the same consistency as soup that has been thickened with corn starch) with chicken, mushrooms, wood ear fungus, lemongrass and thin slices of snake that looked like eel. You probably would not even know it was snake in the soup because it was mixed in with other ingredients.

Pig's knuckle was not what I had expected. I was hoping for the stewed pork hock with fatty pieces of pigs feet and lots of skin and bones. This version was like a cold cut. It was still tasty with lots of cartilage, just not what I was hoping for.

After walking off some of our food, we stumbled upon a food stand that was cooking up skewers.

Intestines and fish ball skewers were served with a very spicy sauce that really packed a punch. I love just buying skewers and eating it right on the sidewalk, with the sauce still dripping off the meat.

Just down the street was Tai Woo Seafood Restaurant. We were drawn to it because of the fresh seafood in tanks right at the entrance.

We ordered crab and mantis, which the waiter brought live to our table. The mantis was interesting looking while it was squiggling in the bag.

The mantis is like a giant shrimp but the meat was almost similar to lobster. It was topped with some sort of salt and pepper breadcrumbs.

The crab was small and boiled, so it was rather plain. Would have liked some sauce on it, maybe a chili crab style or pepper sauce.

It took a lot of work to eat through it because it wasn't sufficiently cracked, but it did have lots of creamy mustard. Soooo good!

Next we headed to the famous Taiwanese soup dumpling joint, Din Tai Fung.

Here, we ordered the truffle and traditional dumplings. Can never get over how delicious these dumplings are. The truffle was a nice fragrant addition to the flavorful soup in the dumpling.

Our last stop was Ho Hung Kee, for wonton noodles. This is the most nondescript Michelin Star place I've ever been. Tiny hole in the wall restaurant that still had squatting toilets! And the food here is cheap.

A tiny bowl of noodle soup was topped with wonton. I liked the noodles and the flavorful broth. The wonton was plump and filled with shrimp and pork.

The pigs feet was exactly what I had been searching for. It was fatty and glutenous. I really enjoyed eating the skin and biting every piece of fat and meat off the many bones on the trotter. Lots of good salty flavoring too.

We managed to do quite a lot of damage in an afternoon. I don't think we needed more than a day in Hong Kong. If you do it right, you can eat through the city in just one night.

Marea, NYC: Uni and Crab Pasta will forever be ingrained in my mind

I ended my trip to New York with Sunday brunch at Two Michelin Star Italian restaurant Marea. I actually didn't know much about Marea (gasp) but it came highly recommended among friends and bloggers. Their seafood and pastas are not to be missed, so I've been told.

We were one of the first guests to arrive but the restaurant filled up quickly. I liked the upscale yet modern decor with leather chairs and a lovely view of Columbus Circle.

I don't ever take photos of bathrooms, but I loved their sinks.

Their brunch menu includes 2 courses for $42. First course includes a choice from their crudo or antipasti section, and second course allows a selection from their pastas and entrees. It was a pretty easy decision for me as I knew exactly what I was going to get and had been thinking about it for days - their sea urchin and crab spaghetti.

Bread selection was a seven-grain and olive foccacia.

Assaggio Di Tre ~ tasting of three crudo (additional $9)
This is the way to go if you can't decide between their 9 crudos. I chose the sepia, octopus and razor clams. The sepia (cuttlefish) was served with soffrito and bottarga. I really enjoyed the sharpness of the bottarga. The razor clams were nicely seasoned and served with fennel and peperoncino. It was supple with an oceanic flavor. I loved the texture of the octopus which was dressed with chili oil, lemon and parsley. The flavors of the crudo were really clean and fresh.

Moleche ~ crispy soft shell crab, charred radicchio, orange, pancetta vinaigrette
The soft shell crab was uniquely breaded with polenta which resulted in a grainy texture. It was nicely seasoned. The slightly bitter radicchio was dressed with fresh citrus dressing.

Fusilli ~ durum wheat pasta, red wine braised octopus, bone marrow
This is apparently one of their most popular dishes. The wheat pasta was toothsome and the crevices really held on to the sauce. The large octopus tentacles were cut to the same length as the pasta so they almost blended into the sauce. The pasta was cooked in a rich tomato sauce that was full of flavor. Huge chunks of fatty bone marrow were mixed in the sauce and really added richness to the dish.

Spaghetti ~ fresh cut Semonlina pasta, crab, Santa Barbara sea urchin, basil
This dish was absolutely glorious. The fresh pasta was cooked al dente and mixed in completely with the creamy bright orange uni sauce. I can never get enough of pasta with uni as it has the right balance of sweetness and oceanic flavor. The fresh crab was topped on the pasta for an additional seafood touch. Crumbled breadcrumbs were added for texture and saltiness. Such a standout dish that I hope to be able to make at home.

Ippoglosso ~ herb crusted east coast halibut, broccoli rabe, sopprasetta, royal trumpet mushroom, cipollini
The halibut was perfectly cooked with a crusty coating, and was quite a generous portion. The mushroom had an intense earthly flavor and the soprasetta was sweet with a nice spice. Although the halibut dish was tasty, I think the pasta dishes resonated more with my party.

Petit fours of Pistachio Madeline, espresso and gooey salted caramel were presented. Who needs to order dessert when you can get this for free?

Brunch at Marea was exquisite. I was really impressed with the freshness of the crudo. The pasta dishes were definitely standout, perfectly cooked with hearty and comforting flavors, yet cooked with such finesse. They were also surprisingly served in rather filling portions. My only critique was that our waiter was a bit snobby and rather curt. Understandably, this is an upscale restaurant, but it was also during Sunday brunch, not a weekend dinner reservation. Otherwise, an excellent last meal to round up my New York trip.

Hits: crudo, uni pasta, fusilli
Misses: waiter a bit snobby
Rating:***1/2

Marea
240 Central Park South,
New York, NY 10019
(212) 582-5100
www.marea-nyc.com

Gramercy Tavern, NYC (An American Classic)

I didn't realize that Gramercy Tavern was such a New York establishment. When you walk into the upscale restaurant or peruse the contemporary cuisine, you wouldn't realize that the Michelin One Star restaurant has been around for 17 years. You may not even recall that Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio was a previous co-owner and executive chef.

The restaurant is split into a bar area and a more formal dining room.

A prix fixe menu is offered in the dining room, three courses for $88. They also offer a six course tasting menu, including a vegetarian option.

Fresh bread with choice of plum ciabatta and sourdough.

Next, an amuse bouche of potato souffle with goat cheese and Parmesan. The souffle was airy and similar to a gougere with a pungent goat cheese essence.

Beef tartare with sorrel and farm egg
The delicate and fresh beef was nicely seasoned. After combining the poached yolk with the finely chopped meat, you get a lovely mixture that's rich and almost buttery. I liked that you could really taste the freshness of the meat, and that the tartare wasn't overpowered by capers and seasoning.

Duck fettucine with parsnips and brussel sprouts.
This was one of my favorite dishes of the night. The pulled duck confit was tender with pieces of fat attached. The sauce was slightly creamy, perhaps from the fat of the confit and the pasta combined. There was also a nice balance of sweetness and tang in the sauce. The leafy sprouts and parnips added crunch to the dish. Overall, a very hearty and comforting dish.

Rack and shoulder of lamb with hen of the woods mushrooms, sunchokes, hazelnut and collard greens
This dish is apparently a crowd favorite. The duo of lamb was perfectly cooked and not gamy. I really enjoyed the pairing of the chunks of sunchokes and earthy mushrooms. The lamb jus really combined with and flavored all the components on the plate.

Pork loin & belly with Heirloom beans and red rice
The pork loin was amazing, perhaps one of the juiciest piece of pork I've had. It was served with a smaller portion of pork belly that was was tender and fatty. I thought the red rice and beans were an interesting choice of sides which gave this dish a very Southern touch. The rice and beans were spicy and flavorful in a sauce that was infused with coriander and thyme. The dish was topped with emulsified pork skin which was a nice touch.

The last course is a dessert of your choice.

But first, a palate cleanser was brought over. Mandarin jelly, marscapone sauce and a meringue which was light and citrusy. It reminded me of a creamsicle. The sharp flavors really did a good job of cleansing the palate.

Sticky coffee fig cake and coffee ice cream
My favorite dessert of the night. The sticky coffee cake was gooey and sticky, with an intense caramel flavor. It was definitely very sweet and rich so a couple bites was more than enough.

Warm chocolate bread pudding with cacao nib ice cream
The chocolate pudding would be a chocolate-lover's dream. It was not super heavy or dense, and was moist in the center.

As if the meal wasn't filling enough, petit fours were presented with the check. Mint chocolate ganache, black sesame meringue and chocolate ganache tart.

I love when restaurants pack some fresh baked goods for breakfast the next day. We were given a homemade muffin which came in handy after the bars had closed.

The 3 course menu was more than sufficient food. Add on the amuse bouche, palate cleanser and petit fours and that's essentially six courses. I definitely walked away full and very satisfied. The food was spot on, flavorful and well executed. A truly lovely meal. After all these years, it seems that Gramercy Tavern hasn't missed a beat.

Hits: all the dishes, portions
Misses: get crowded, so make a reservation
Rating: ***1/2

Gramercy Tavern
42 E 20th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 477-0777
www.gramercytavern.com

dineLA: Joe's Restaurant

dineLA Restaurant Week started this week and runs for two weeks. Over the years, I've had some impressive meals (Spago, Michael's, RH at Andaz) and some very disappointing ones (Asia de Cuba, La Cachette Bistro, La Cachette (closed)). The thing about dineLA that I've come to realize is, you need to do some research. You have to review the online menus and do some back of the envelope math. Don't pick a restaurant if the dineLA menu offers dishes that aren't appealing to you - you might as well just order what you like from the regular menu. Do some quick math. Some places aren't really offering you a real deal (i.e. a couple bucks less than if you were to order each course separately).

To kick off dineLA week, we started off at Joe's Restaurant on Abbot Kinney in Venice. Joe's has been around for two decades and earned a Michelin Star, back in the days when LA was "worthy" of the guide. When I think of Joe's, I think California French cuisine, focusing on fresh, Farmer's Market and seasonal ingredients. They also offer a great $19 three course prix fixe lunch which I'm sure will be popular with the Google folks that will be moving into the area.

For a restaurant that's been around for a long time by restaurant standards, it still managed to feel very modern and classy. We were seated in the covered patio area.

Our waiter offered us the menu which had the dineLA menu on the left and the regular menu on the right. I like it when restaurants embrace the restaurant promotion instead of discouraging diners from participating. I've been to a few restaurants where the dineLA menu was only offered upon request and the waiters had not been apprised of the event (ahem La Cachette Restaurant back in the days).

The menu featured three courses for $44, and all items were offered on the regular menu. That's important because it means that they weren't trying to stick you with crappier dishes that they wouldn't normally offer to full price diners.

Warm bread was served with a choice of brioche, walnut and olive. The brioche bread was buttery and soft so you could eat it plain, without butter or olive tapenade.

Pear Salad, Spicy Greens, Pecorino Tuscano, Huckleberries, Pickled Red Onion, Walnut Vinaigrette
A very fresh and nice salad with a combination of sweetness from the huckleberries and tang from the pickled onions. The sharp pecorino was a well selected cheese for the salad. This is the type of dish that rings California cuisine.

Tuna Tartare & Smoked Salmon with Sliced Cucumbers Diced Tomatoes & Lemon Oil
The tuna was fresh and the tartare was well seasoned. Surprisingly, the crostinis were quite delicious. The bread was soft in the center with a nice toasted exterior.

Di Stefano Buratta Panna & Beet Salad, Jamon Iberico De Bellota Upland Cress, Aged Balsamic, Leek Vinaigrette
I don't usually order salad but this was a winner. The burrata was creamy and mild, and kind of melted with the beets. It paired well with the sweet beets and sauteed leeks. The latter added an onion flavor to the salad. The beets themselves were absolutely delicious, something you would expect had been freshly harvested. The salty crispy Jamon Iberico was well balanced with the rest of the components of the dish.

Grilled Fijiian Escolar, Local Squid, Crisp Pork Belly Parnip Puree, Fuyu Persimmon, Okinawan Potato, Citrus Vinaigrette
Whenever I see escolar on the menu, I have to order it. Just like a perfectly cooked cod, it was buttery and literally melt in my mouth. I was quite surprised with the very large portion of escolar. The citrus vinaigrette was light and didn't detract from the flavor of the fish. The escolar was served with pork belly and potatoes which seemed like hash (i.e. breakfast food, not drugs).

Prime Pork Tenderloin Crepinette with Wild Mushrooms, Roasted Garlic and Potato Puree, Roasted Garlic Jus
The beautifully cooked pork tenderloin was pink in the center and juicy. We all took a bite of the pork and were amazed at how tender it was. I also enjoyed the selection of earthy mushrooms that were sauteed to a point where they were soft and moist but not greasy. This was a well executed dish where every component of the dish left you wanting another bite.

Chocolate Crunch Cake, Hazelnut Praline, Coffee Crunch Ice Cream
A very rich dessert with flavors that were similar to the ferrero rocher candy. If you love chocolate, you'll find this dessert heavenly. A layer of ganache lined the bottom of the cake, then topped with smooth chocolate mousse, a layer of chocolate wafer that added a crunch, another layer of chocolate mousse and a final topping of chocolate ganache. The cake was also served with candied nuts and ice cream.

Salted Caramel Panna Cotta, Sticky Toffee Cake, Brown Butter Caramel, Whipped Cream
The panna cotta was silky and creamy, a tad lighter than the chocolate dessert. The toffee cake was a bit dry and should probably have been eaten in conjunction with a spoonful of panna cotta.

Joe's has restored my faith in dineLA. Service and quality of food at some restaurants have been known to suffer during dineLA Restaurant Week, but every aspect of our meal at Joe's was impressive. The dishes were executed perfectly and the flavors were clean and simple. Joe's has an air of refinement with its elegant dining space and exquisite menu, yet the service was very welcoming. Our waiter was attentive and even came back to confirm when I had ordered a different glass of wine from the first. This is exactly what dineLA is all about. The goal is to attract (or re-attract) diners to restaurants, with hopes of winning them over and drawing them back again. I know for sure that after this meal, I've rediscovered Joe's Restaurant and look forward to my next meal, most likely a post surf brunch.

Hits: beet & burrata salad, pork, escolar, chocolate cake, service, price
Misses: this great restaurant deal will end next week
Rating: ***1/2

Joe's Restaurant
1023 Abbot Kinney
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 399-5811
www.joesrestaurant.com