The Steamy Paella

My fellow foodie friend and ex co-worker, Kimberly, once told me about the ever-so-famed Mexicue food truck. As interested as I was, the thought of finding the food truck seemed fleeting, and I put it on my laundry list of “eat here.” Then Jasmine and I attended the Grub Street Food Festival, which proved to be a complete failure (imagine having to elbow your way in a crowd of 200-300 people, just to see where each stand was, let alone figure where the lines began and ended), except for the glorious Mexicue truck parked outside, a rainbow in my gloomy day of disappointment, a joy in a sea of lines and hungry/angry people (trust me, the worst combination of all). Yes, we had to wait on line for, hm, 30 minutes? But I figured the truck was there, and I didn’t want to chase it down another day, so we waited.

All I have to say is, “wait and you shall receive.”

A small glimpse into the unpleasant Saturday of disappointment. But behold the majesty which is… MEXICUE

I got the BBQ brisket slider ($3) and the oak smoked short rib taco ($4). 

Jasmine got the pulled pork slider ($3) and the chorizo slider ($4).

What do you get when you combine perfectly spiced rubs with fresh toppings in joyful handheld wrapping? A 30 minute wait well-worth it. Topped off with a chilled mint tea, I finally found something worth the chaos and waiting. Well done Mexicue, well done.

One caveat of the Momofuku Noodle Bar is that it belongs in the Momofuku family of restaurants, which means you’re in for a wait, and yes, that wait will be brutal. When you combine somewhat reasonably priced food with a desired name in the restaurant business, you get an unebbing line of patiently waiting customers and tourists. 

Is the wait worth it? Still deciding. Read on.

My usual partner in crime, Jasmine and I found ourselves waiting for a table, and since it wasn’t unreasonably cold, the wait was bearable. We finally got called, and hurried through the packed dining area. We finally stopped and were seated at a bar, which directly faced the cooks. This was a playful and fun idea, but I found myself staring at the staff pounding ramen after ramen, much like I’d find myself staring at a caged bear at the zoo. I somehow felt guilty, even though I found it very interesting, and couldn’t look away (although hopefully they’d be used to spaced out faces with hungry stomachs drooling in their directions). I think it proved to diminish conversation because I’d catch myself dozed off watching the line cook with poached eggs, rather than talking to Jasmine who was a few inches from me.

Note how hot and steamy it was from sitting so close to boiling pots of water. 

We ordered one of the specials from the blackboard, the kimchi pork tamale, which should have been somewhat of an appetizer, but arrived after our ramen at which point we were too full to really appreciate it. 

From what I remember, the tamale was actually somewhat bland (not that I think I’ve ever had an especially tasty tamale). It would have been nice if we had gotten it before I main course.

I ordered the “ginger scallion noodles – pickled shiitakes, cucumber, menma.” Unfortunately my biggest critique is that it was so salty that my mouth and tongue actually felt that brininess, and that’s what I mostly remember from my meal.

I am generally a fan of fresh scallions and mushrooms so I enjoyed my meal, however it got a little difficult to finish towards the bottom because of the salt content.

Jasmine got the “chilled spicy noodles – sichuan spiced sausage, spinach, cashews.” I have to say it had a lot more flavor than my dish, which I think can be attributed to the sausage. I tend to stay away from cold noodles as my entrée, but if I could have chosen her dish instead of mine, I would have. The candied walnuts were a nice touch, but as the sausage was a bit on the sweet side as well, I don’t know how it would have been after first few mouthfulls. 

Overall, we both weren’t that impressed. I might go back again just to try something else, but I’m not hurrying anytime soon.

So, let me talk about a satisfying food adventure, since those are the ones that most spark my interest in blogging. Jasmine and I found ourselves wondering what to eat next, and the prospect of hot ramen on a chilly fall day won our hearts over. And with good reason! Ippudo was worth the looming warning of an hour or more wait. In the end we ended up only waiting like 20 minutes, which was enjoyed in the company of a Sapporo (2 for 1 Sapporo or Kirin draft from 5-8pm at the bar for Happy Hour, $6 each) at a bar filled with ramen noodles!

I should warn you that we did make a 5:30pm date, and when we were leaving around 6:30pm, the waiting area was packed. Show up early and with an empty stomach!

Anyway, I ordered the Shiromaru Hakata Classic, which turned out wonderful. Well seasoned, a little creamy, full of sodium like I enjoy in my ramen. Jasmine got the Akamaru Modern, which actually had more flavor and I would probably order next time. I think their “special” sauce and the miso paste really add something extra. Also her pork belly had more flavor than my pork loin pieces. Here’s my dish though!

Not only is the food great, but the decor is pretty striking, with a lot of mirrors everywhere, adding that extra “imaginary” space. The staff shouts welcoming phrases in Japanese when you walk in, and when orders come up. The atmosphere is bustling and alive while you sip on your soupy goodness. Definitely recommended!

So I used to walk by Artichoke very often, and I’d constantly be amazed by the line of people waiting to order. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever walked passed this place without at least a line of 10-20 people outside. Yelp even provided a picture of the same exact line at 3am, which is baffling (but understandable, read on!).

So with an empty stomach and high expectations, I met up with Jasmine and indulged on a seriously tasty pizza experience. Unfortunately the pizza place is tiny (which makes me wonder how it is a “bar” considering you actually cannot consume the alcohol indoors because of the lack of space, tables, and chairs), so we had to order to go and took it to Union Square. We sat on a bench on a warm summer evening, amongst skateboarders and presumably some drug addicts, and started eating. 

So this may look like a greasy mess, but in fact it was a delicious greasy mess. You’re looking at artichoke and spinach, margarita, crab, and a Sicilian slice. The margarita slice was the least exciting, and I’m still trying to choose a favorite from the remaining three. The artichoke and spinach slice was creamy, cheesy, and smooth. The Sicilian slice was the greasiest, but for some reason not in that “school cafeteria” sort of way. Think olive oil greasy, not deep fryer greasy. And the crab slice made me wonder how the sea and a pizza slice would meet, but in the end, I was pleasantly surprised. The crab was not at all intrusive (and “fishy”) and blended extremely well with the ricotta cheese.

Each slice is about $4 to $4.50, which is pricey, but for the quality and the size of your slice, you won’t be disappointed. 

And what’s that, dessert you say? Well, for another $2.50 and a 3 feet walk towards 1st Ave, you’ll find yourself at Led Zeppole (pun intended), holding a warm bag of dough and sugar. This little zeppole place cranks out other goodies like fried oreos, funnel cake, and more! Think favorite carnival foods (even waffles and ice cream!) made fresh to order (I had to wait 5 minutes for my 3 zeppoles). As a side note, Led Zeppole is also owned by the guys behind Artichoke, and apparently has a “Coney Island” theme, which makes perfect sense.

So, all in all, pizza and zeppoles on a summer night in Union Square is something I recommend to everyone. 

So my friend Jasmine told me about this place for a few months. She worked nearby, and often touted with statements such as “I’ve been here every day this week,” and “if I could have a Cambodian sandwich for a child, I would so that I can eat its delicious meatball fillings.” Okay, so she didn’t say the second one, but she does love the place. Anyway, recently my friend Katie took me there, and something strange happened; I fell in love with a skirt steak sandwich. 

Okay, so let me get real for a second. Numpang is downright awesome. I haven’t had anything but the skirt steak sandwich (it’s too delicious to take a gamble on anything else… for now). I hear the veal meatball sandwich and catfish sandwich are both crave-able too. Well, one day we shall see. Until then… SKIRT STEAK SANDWICH (see below)

So what makes it special? The chili mayo sauce, the veggies (cucumber and pickled carrot), and most of all, the crushed coriander marinated tender skirt steak. Oh, and I’m a huge fan of crispy white bread, which is what this whole operation is held together by. Plus, cilantro has lately been on top of my list of favorite herbs. Can’t go wrong with any of these combined food items. 

And here is the quaint upstairs dining area. The downstairs may appear like a hole in the wall, but follow the winding iron stairs, and you can enjoy your sandwich with all the Sriracha hot sauce you want.

Or grab your sandwich and eat in Union Square Park. Whatever you choose, your stomach will not regret it.

Yes, there are a lot of top-notch fast food burgers in NYC, but this burger has to be in the top 3 (in the $8 burger category anyway). Burger Joint may be a less interesting review/find, but it’s a damn good one. How do you find Burger Joint? Well, when you’re walking down 56th Street, you enter a busy hotel (Le Parker Meridian), and after turning around and scratching your head for a little bit, you notice an odd looking line leading into a curtained section of the lobby. It really looks like a bathroom line, but actually once you inch up a few spaces, you begin to smell the mouth-watering grill surrounded by a well oiled staff cranking out burger after burger after burger. This may sound like a Burger King conveyor belt of burgers, but when you finally make it up to the register, you can see the fresh ground beef molded into perfection slowly sizzling on the grill. 

The only way to know you’re in the right place is from the neon glow of this unlabeled burger sign.

The inside is packed with happy customers. I happened to go on a weekend afternoon, but apparently on a weekday lunch hour the line winds through the lobby into forever…

My favorite part of the inside (which happens to the opposite of the swank hotel it resides in, no wonder they hide it behind a curtain), is that the menu is written on cardboard and taped by the register. Also, they have pieces of paper to fill out in different languages for tourists. I wish all foreign eateries were as kind when I’m travelling. 

Okay okay, so where is the best part, you ask. Well here you go, let this burger speak for itself. Feel free to ogle and drool.

Oh and crispy, thin fries? My favorite. Yes please.

Oh, and if you happen to be getting your burger for takeout, hold it extra tight as you pass the ever-growing line of hungry impatient people on the way out. The line probably grew by 10 people since you first got there…

So Jasmine and I visited Mantao Chinese Sandwiches on 53rd St. (between 2nd and 3rd Ave). We both ordered the $10 combo box which comes with two sandwiches, slaw, and shrimp chips.

It arrives neatly wrapped, in a little bamboo steamer, which is a pretty adorable presentation for technically being “fast food.” The shrimp chips are nothing really special. Somewhat flavorless, light, crunchy chips. Still I would place my money on the fact they’re healthier than your average french fries, the staple at other fast food joints. So, that’s a small win in my book.

The sandwiches were pretty tasty. A little too much bread in my opinion, although the steamed sesame buns they put them in are kind of awesome. The meat flavor gets a little lost in them though. You also definitely need two sandwiches to get full, because they’re pretty small. I ordered the “Angus Beef Burger with Spicy Sambal Sauce” and spicy pork (I think, it was so long ago!). I’m not sure why I went for the beef burger one considering that’s pretty plain and typical. I did enjoy the pork one better, especially for the sauce.

I also ordered the coconut pudding, which was a little too non-creamy and gelatinous for my liking, and the plain sugar flavor prevailed over the coconut flavor.

Overall, I’d go back again. For being “fast food,” I’d definitely rank it above a lot of other staple joints in NYC. They seem to use fresher ingredients than your average deli/burger place would.

This weekend Tony and I visited Mad For Chicken on 5th Ave between 31st and 32nd St. It’s a Korean restaurant and their claim is to make a healthier and less greasy fried chicken, at which I think they do an excellent job. We ordered the large portion and shared it. (All my photos are pretty dark because the place is so dimly lit!) It was kind of funny to find the place, because there is no sign for it and it is up a flight of stairs. You somewhat feel like you’re going to someone’s apartment, and then it expands into this somewhat atmospheric lounge-like restaurant. It must be pretty fun for birthdays, because you can get your own private little section to sit in.

Anyway, here is our order of chicken, the main event of the evening!

                                                                            (photo credit: Tony T)

The chicken’s skin really is paper thin and SUPER crispy. They come in two flavors; soy garlic and hot and spicy. We got a mixed plate of 18 pieces. I enjoyed the hot and spicy flavor a little more, because the soy garlic was a little on the sweet side. I did crave blue cheese dressing (if I could drink that stuff in a glass I probably would, sad I know). Unfortunately these wings and drumsticks come sauce-less, but they are quite awesome on their own. But according to their website, 3 drumsticks have 310 calories and 20g of fat, which compared to Hooters (5 wings = 866 calories, 63g of fat not counting the blue cheese) is significantly better. I was super impressed when seeing the wax paper under the chicken, because it was hardly even greasy (well compared to what it would have looked like in other restaurants)!

[Note: my co-workers told me on Monday that they do serve a blue cheese/ranch dressing, but we just didn’t get it at my table. Had I been not a Mad For Chicken newbie, I would have requested something to drench my chicken in (sorry, straying from Korean style or not, I love dressing).]

But of course we had to pig out, so don’t worry, we ordered other stuff to rack up the calories. We ordered rosemary french fries which were pretty standard but pretty good. I did end up craving salad after our meal because we ate everything fried or filled with cheese, so it was an unsettling feeling.

Tony wanted to order the dduck bok gi, which is some sort of rice cake casserole with a tomato paste and cheese. It was way too big of a portion to be considered a “side” (as they labeled it). I have to say, pretty interesting. The sauce was somewhat sweet, and the rice cakes were long slimy noodle things. I wasn’t a fan of the triangular fish cake pieces randomly found throughout. I just stuck to the rice cakes.

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This is one of the rice cake pieces.

It reminded me of a thicker and more dense udon noodle. Overall, I don’t think I’d order it again, but it was a nice new try.

And in spirit of Korean food, I just returned from another trip to H Mart (Korean grocery store) and I had to mention my favorite baked good from there. I tried to Google the name of this sweet bread and I couldn’t find it, but it is SO good and addictive. I almost finished the whole loaf with my mom within minutes of getting home.

It has this sugary puffy topping on top and is filled with raisins on the inside. They split it in half and smear some sort of yogurt/cream cheese filling inside.

It’s $6 a loaf which is pricey because it is pretty small, but I regret not taking the 2 for $10 deal considering I have only a small stump of it left. A+ Korea. Seriously.