Japanese & Italian fusion: Dieci

So, I've been introducing restaurants that serve authentic Japanese food, but today, I want to let  you know about a category that exists in Japan called Japanese-Italian. People call it "itameshi (ita= italian and meshi= meal), and there are numerous "itameshi" places in Japan. I don't know why but Japanese people just LOVE italian. So then, the question is what kind of food is "itameshi?" Well, to give you an example, a spagetti topped with tuna and seaweed in a soy sauce, or pizza topped with teriyaki chicken and mayo sauce. People who are reading this right now may not be able to imagine what it's like, but it's pretty good. The funny thing is that at a pasta restaurant called "Goemon", you eat spaghetti with chopsticks rather than forks.

So, with the concept of "itameshi" in mind, there is a restaurant in Manhattan where you can try this Japanese- Italian food. The place is called Dieci, located in East Village. It's a small cozy place with a couple of tables and a bar counter. The place can get really crowded on weekends with people enjoying the taste of Japanese- Italian dishes.

             (Filet Mignon Tataki)                                                 (Uni scrambled egg)

When I went there, it was pretty late at night, maybe around 10pm, but they took our food orders and we were able to taste some delicious dishes. One of the dishes that I really liked was the chawanmushi (egg custard), filet minion tataki, and the fettucine. The chawanmush (egg custard) melted in your mouth, and the filet mignon tataki was topped with  parmesan chips, which was also delicious. The fettucine was sea urchin cream sauce with calamari, which was the best!

                    (Chawanmushi)                                                             (Fettucine)

I would definitely recommend this place when you want a fancy dinner because the dishes are expensive. However, it's worth a try to taste the dishes!

                                                             (Pan roasted lamb chops)


Information on Dieci
Location: 228 East 10th Street (btw 1st & 2nd ave)
Phone: (212) 387- 9454
Hours: Sun - Thur: 6pm- 11pm
            Fri - Sat : 6pm- 11:30 pm

After drink food: Terakawa

After a couple of drinks with my friends, it's a Japanese tradition to go have a bite of ramen. It's similar to craving for hot dog or pizza after a night out with your friends. Well, I carry out this Japanese tradition, where I go to a ramen place after drinks. It's one of those things you can't resist even though in you mind you know eating ramen at 11pm is NOT goo for your body...

Anyways,  I usually have a place I go to, Terakawa. This place is cheap, good, and the plates are huge. You will be stuffed for sure. 

The great thing about this place is that their ramen is good, but their fried rice is phenomenal! I don't know how they can make this fried rice. The tase is the same as the one you can get at a local ramen place in Japan, which means Terakawa does a good job of keeping the authentic Japanese taste.

                                                                   (pictures by google images)

Another wonderful thing about this place is that they have a happy hour where you can get a draft & edamame for $2.50. The Happy hours are from 5pm to 7pm everyday so if you want drinks and dinner,  I recommend you go here during the happy hour!

Information on Terakawa

Location: 18 Lexington Ave. (btw 22md & 23rd st)

Phone: (212) 777-2932

Hours: Mon - Sun 11:30am - 10pm

  

Brooklyn Smorgasburg is back!!!!

With the Spring weather finally on it's way (I was waiting for this!!!), once again Smorgasburg is back in Brooklyn. A food lover will definitely enjoy the venders that serves all kinds of foods. It's also a flea market too so people who like to shop around can also have fun. Food + flea market = Smorgasburg.

So, why choose this topic? Well, as I was looking at the list of participating venders, I found a couple of Japanese foods which looks really interesting. Plus, all the places were the ones I haven't heard of before, so that really caught my attention.

For example, Rice and Miso Everyday sells grilled riceballs with sweet soy sauce. Yuji Ramen is serving sea urchin noodles that sold out within minutes. Mimi & Coco are the takoyaki makers, but their takoyaki is different from the original one with three kids of flavors ; sausage, shrimp, and potato. Takumi Taco is serving Japanese inspired Mexican tacos such as the Yakitori tacos and the spicy tuna tacos.

                           

Some of the venders focus on serving authentic Japanese food, while the takoyaki and the tacos are spiced up a little bit. The one I really want to try is the Yuji Ramen, because his ramen is not a usual ramen. His rame is called "mazemen" which literally means to mix the sauce and toppings with the noodles. As I never had mazemen in my entire life, I wonder how it tastes like!

                                                                                (Pictures taken from Google images)                  


Information on Smorgasburg:
Date: Every Weekend
Location: Saturdays- East River State Park (Kent Ave. & N. 7 ST/ on the Willamsburg waterfront)
                Sundays- DUMBO waterfront at the historic Tabacco Warehouse in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Time: 11am- 6pm

Care for some Japanese Tea? Cha-An.

I know in the U.K. there is this lovely ritual in the afternoon where people enjoy a cup of tea with some sandwiches and scones which is referred to as the famous "afternoon tea." As an afternoon tea lover myself, I LOVE teas, and it's not just one kind of teas, I love all kinds of teas, from England to China, India, Taiwan, but among the teas that I love the most is the matcha green tea from Japan.

Japan has it's own unique ritual like England, but instead of eating sandwiches, we have a tea ceremony where we have matcha green tea with traditional Japanese sweets. Usually, a tea ceremony is held at a special tea room (chashitsu), but it can be held anywhere as long as you have the utensils to make the tea.

Well, in Manhattan, there is a place where you can actually try the tea at a chashitsu. In East Village, there is a place called Cha-An, where they serve various types of tea and Japanese inspired desserts. The include items like green teal roll cake with sake ice cream, or the black sesame cream brûlée. The tea selections is huge, but I would recommend to try the traditional Matcha, just because it's the specialty. There are regular tables but if you are there for a really special occasion, you can reserve the tea house too.

                                                                   
                                                                               (pictures taken by google images)

Just one note, Match tea is VERY VERY VERY bitter, so you would want to consider about ordering it if you are not a big fan of bitter tea. Also, this place is cash only so remember to bring some cash with you! 

Information on Cha-An
Location: 230 East 9th ST, 2nd floor (btw Stuyvesant & 3rd Ave)
Phone: (212) 228- 8030
Hours: Mon - Thu 2pm - 11 pm/ Fri- Sat 12pm- 12 am/ Sun 12pm- 10pm

Did you know that curry is a comfort food for Japanese people?

Where do you go when you want to have some curry? Let me tell you one thing, Japanese people love curry! It's become a comfort food in Japan, and I can ensure you that it's rare to find a Japanese person who has never eaten a curry before in their whole entire life. The NY Yankees player Ichiro Suzuki is famous for eating curry everyday for lunch! I've been eating curry since I was 3 years old. My mom made me sweet curry by mixing applesauce and honey, which was delicious! I've grown old enough to make curry by myself, and I mix apple sauce sometimes when I want to make it a little sweet.

So, can you get Japanese style curry in NYC? YES! There are a few places where you can enjoy Japanese curry, but I like the one called Curry-ya in East Village. This place is a tiny restaurant with only twenty seats at the counter table. The owner/ chef makes the curry paste from scratch. There are varieties of curry that you can choose, but the one I recommend is the Berskhire pork katsu curry (deep-fried pork cutlet curry). On top of the original curry sauce, comes a pork cutlet that is fried at the just right softness, and is crunchy on the outside soft on the inside which makes the perfect pork cutlet. You can dip it into the curry sauce, which makes it even better.

The dry curry is also another special at this place. What is "dry" curry? Well, dry means that there's no curry sauce. It's similar to fried rice but with a curry taste. If you don't like curry sauce that much, than I would prefer the dry curry more.

                                                                                      (Pictures taken by google images)

Information on Curry- Ya
Location: 214 E 10th ST (Btw 2nd Ave & 1st Ave)
Phone: (866) 602- 8779
Hours: Mon- Sun 12 pm - 11 pm

My Favorite Rame Place in the city: Ramen Misoya

I've introduced the most popular ramen place in NYC, Ippudo, in my blog before, but today I want to tell you my favorite ramen place. It's called Ramen Misoya in East Village. Why is it my favorite? Well, I love the texture of their noddles and the soup that goes together.

Misoya's basic soup is miso, but they offer three kinds of miso broth. The first one is the kome miso, which is the regular miso made out of rice. Then there's the mame miso which is made out of beans. The soup has more richness compared to the kome miso. The last one is the shiro miso which is a little lighter than the previous two misos.

I like the kome miso because it has that richness of the miso but not too much, and is not too light compared to the shiro miso. The noodles are think and a little crinkly, which allows the soup to cling onto the noodle, allowing you to really taste the soup while you enjoy the chewiness of the noodle.

The funny part of the ramens here are that they put french fries on toppings, which is very rare in ramen. I guess that's Misoya's originality, which seemed funny at first, but once you have that bowl of ramen, you will be surprised how miso soup and noodles and french fries go really well together. Also, if you are a fan of thick noodles, this is the place for you.

                                                                           (pictures taken by google images)

Information on Ramen Misoya
Location: 129 Second Avenue
Phone: (212) 677- 4825
Hours: Mon- Sat 12pm - 12 am
            Sun 12pm- 11 pm

Street vendor food: Otafuku

Street Vendors have become the sensation in NYC, where you can get the classic hot dogs to artisan waffles to famous coffee. It's quick, cheap, and satisfies your stomach when you want a little bite of something. Well, of course, Japan has some vendor foods too, and you can get a taste of that at Otafuku in East Village.

This is small stand sells three major street vendor food, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and yakisoba. Takoyaki is ball shaped made out of flour & egg batter. Inside the ball usually has a minced octopus, pickled ginger, and and scallions. The balls are made in a specially designed takoyaki grill, and topped over with worcestershire sauce, dried bonito, and green laver. I also love to put mayo on top of the sauce, which makes it a richer taste. Normally, a dish includes six takoyaki balls, and you eat it with a toothpick.
Okonimiyaki is scallion pancakes also topped with the same sauce, and yakisoba is panfried noodles cooked in the same sauce.

Out of the three, I would recommend the takoyaki, because it's easier to share it with another person, and it's just the right size to pop it into your mouth. But you have to be careful when you eat because the batter inside the ball is really hot so you can easily burn you tongue. Whenever I have takoyaki, it always brings back the childhood memories of eating the food with friends after school.

                                                                    (pictures taken from google images)

Information on Otafuku
Location: 236 E 9th Street
Phone: (212) 353- 8503
Hours: Mon-Thu 1pm - 10 pm
            Fri- Sat 12pm - 11pm
            Sun 12pm - 10pm

Experiencing traditional country style cooking: Robataya NY

One of the fascinating things about NYC is how the level of Japanese restaurants are really high quality compared to other states in America. I think it's the number one city that serves so many different types of Japanese food, from comfort to authentic food, and it's usually VERY good.

Well, Robataya is a place that blows Japanese- New Yorker's minds away. Everything is just perfect in this restaurant, and you can't ask for more. The food quality, the service, the ambiance, the way they present their food, it's just an experience that you will never forget.

Of course, it's a high end restaurant so the price is on the expensive side, but it's worth paying for. Once you enter the restaurant, you will be greeted by a large robata grill, where two chefs sit behind the grill. The customers will be sitting in front of the grill, getting the experience to see the chefs cook up authentic Japanese food. The way they serve the food to the customers is something you will not be experiencing at other restaurants so I highly recommend you sit at the grill instead of the tables in the back.

                                                                       (pictures taken from google images)

As for the food, they will grill vegetables, fish, meat, and even onigiri (rice balls) so take a look at what is displayed and choose your favorites. The one dish you CANNOT miss is the Kamameshi (rice cooked & served in a earthenware pot), which you will want to order fist because it'll take about 30 minutes to cook. My favorite is the salmon one, but if you do not like fish, than go for the chicken or the mushroom. They also have a variety of sake so ask some recommendations from the server.

Information on Robataya
Location: 231 E 9th Street (btw Stuyvesant St & 2nd Ave)
Phone: (212) 979-9674
Hours: Mon - Thur, Sun 6pm - 11pm
            Wed- Fri 12pm - 2:30pm
            Fri - Sat 6pm - 12 am
            Sat- Sun 12pm - 3pm

Up for some chicken skewers? Yakitori Totto is the place.

So, what is Yakitori? It's basically chicken skewers but grilled one by one by the chef using white charcoal, which makes the chicken tender and delicious. Yakitori Totto is the place to go if you want some really good chicken and other skewers.


Yakitori is popular among Japanese people, especially for business men who goes out for an after work drink. Draft beer in one hand and Yakitori in the other hand is the way to enjoy this food. Usually, the chicken comes in bite size with 4 to 5 pieces on one skewer. You can either have it with a special Yakitori sauce, or dip a pinch of sea salt. I love eating yakitori with beer because it also serves as a good appetizer too.

Yakitori Totto not only offers chicken, but also serves various kinds of vegetable skewers, beef, and fish. Ordering one is not enough, so plan to get at least four skewers of your choice. I always order Negima (chicken & scallions) and tsukune (chicken meatball) because these two are the basics. Finish off with Tokusen oyako don (chicken & eggs over rice) or Negi tori don (scallions, chicken & eggs over rice) to complete your meal. Oh, yeah, and don't forget the beer!

                                                                      (pictures taken from google images)

Information on Yakitori Totto
Location: 251 W 55th Street, 2nd floor (btw Broadway & 8th Ave)
Phone: (212) 245-4555
Hours: Mon - Fri 11:30am - 2 pm
            Mon - Thur 5:30pm - 12 am
            Fri - Sat 5:30pm - 1 am
            Sun 5:30pm - 11pm

Tofu turns into desserts at Kyotofu!

Have you ever imagined tofu cheesecake? Tofu ice cream? Miso chocolate cake and brownies?
Well, if the desserts caught your heart, than you must try this dessert bar called Kyotofu, which is located in Hell's Kitchen.

This place is inspired by the soy beans that is used to make tofu, miso paste (for miso soup), soy milk, and other soy based products. In an area called Kyoto, which is the traditional (or historical) area in Japan, there are many tofu artisans who make soy- based food. Bringing the tofu idea and adding a touch of American taste, this place is not just an ordinary dessert place. It's a place where you feel like you are eating cheesecake, but it's tofu. I know it sounds weird, but I can assure you it's really good. When I go to Kyoto, I always get the tofu ice cream which is sold in stores, and I love it!

They change their menues each season, but they usually have the signature sweet tofu, which melts in your mouth. Tofu cheesecake, anmitsu, and tofu ice cream sundae are other delicious dishes that you may want to try. It's not just the taste, but also the visual that makes this place special. All the desserts are beautifully presented, and you just have to take a picture before you start eating!

                                                                (pictures taken from google images)

The restaurant also has food dishes, but I recommend you just go for desserts here.

Information on Kyotofu
Location: 709 9th Ave (btw 48th St & 49th St)
Phone: (212) 974- 6012
Hours: Mon 5pm - 11pm
            Tues - Thur, Sun 11am - 12:30 am
            Fri - Sat 11am - 1:30 am

Moderate Price but Good Nigiri Sushi: Mishima

Walk around NYC for 10 minutes and you will see at least 3 signs that will say SUSHI.

Sushi has become such common food in NYC that I feel it's become one of those "on the go" type food. I know, it's just me thinking this way. 

Well, out of hundreds sushi places in NYC, the place I go to when I don't want to pay too much but want real nigiri (hand-formed by the chef) sushi (not those California or Boston or Philly Rolls), I go to Mishima, which is located in Midtown East. 

(pictures taken from google images)

 
I always order their "Sushi for two" which is $50 ($25/ 1person). The sushi they serve depends on the seasonal fish they have that day, so it's fresh. The dish comes with 20 sushi, 18 assorted sushi and two types of rolls to share, so your stomach will be pretty satisfied by the last piece. You can always ask the server about the types of fish they will be serving so that incase if there's a piece you don't like, they will exchange it with another one.

So, if you're desperate for a sushi that's not the one's you can get at Whole Foods, go to Mishima. Get a bottle of sake and sushi, and you will be able to experience how Japanese people enjoy sushi.

Information on Mishima
Location: 164 Lexington Ave (btw 30th St & 31st St)
Phone: (212) 532-9596
Hours: Mon - Fri 12pm - 2:30 pm
            Mon - Fri 5:30pm - 10:30pm
            Sat - Sun 5pm - 10:30pm

The Most Popular ramen bar in the city: IPPUDO

If you're a big Japanese noodle (which is called ramen in Japanese) fan, I'm sure you have already heard of the name; IPPUDO.
This ramen place is one of those so called "HIP" noodle restaurant in East Village, with a full bar, modern design, tons of people waiting in line, and of course celebrities like Anne Hathaway swallowing those noodles.
Well, even the website says "JAPANESE RAMEN NOODLE BRASSERIE", so it should be different than other places, right?

After opening its doors in 2008, this place has changed the perception of Japanese noodles for New Yorkers, bringing the ramen culture into the city. With it's innovative ideas, Ippudo has enthralled people with the mouthwatering ramen, and the traditional yet innovative side dishes. It's become an expensive dish, $15 for a bowl of noodle, which is just a crazy price if you have been to the one in Japan ($7/ bowl).

I admit that it tastes just the same as the one in Japan, which I think they do a good job, because lots of Japanese restaurants tend to be a little different from the REAL Japanese taste. However, it's interesting to see the way Ippudo marketed the NYC restaurant.

First of all, ramen is usually considered a cheap comfort food in Japan, where the price range is around $5- $6 a bowl. So, $15/ bowl is SUPER expensive for people like me.
Second, Ippudo is a chain restaurant, so the restaurant is not fancy, no bars, no designer-like atmosphere, and definitely no waiting for 2 hours to get seated (which I think is ridiculous!).
Third, the menu is slightly different, where in NYC, they have lots of appetizers but in Japan, it's just noodles and a few appetizers.

Enough with my criticism, which I just HAD to say it because when I think of Ippudo, this just comes up to my mind. I still hesitate to go to this place (only went here once) because I don't have the courage to pay $15 for a bowl.

                                                                   (pictures taken from google images)

So what is good here?
Well, of course get their original ramen, either the Shiomaru or the Akamaru. The Akamaru is a little spicier than the Shiromaru, so if you like spicy go with the Akamaru. Add the Nitamago if you like boiled eggs.
In addition to the ramen, you should get the Yamitsuki Goma Kyuri, because it is really YAMITSUKI (meaning 'addictive'). The sesame sauce is very tasty and goes really well with the cucumber.

Again, the taste is the SAME as the one in Japan so if you want to get the REAL ramen, go to this place!

Information on Ippudo
Location: 65 4th Ave (btw 9th St & 10th St)
Phone: (212) 388-0088
Hours: Mon - Sat 11am - 3:30pm
            Mon - Thurs 5pm - 11:30pm
            Fri - Sat 5pm - 12:30am
            Sun 11am - 10:30pm