oodles of NOODLES: Ippudo

RER 12.8.12

It was part two of a birthday surprise. It was supposed to be part one, but it became part two because there was a three-hour wait. At first part one was going to be Momofuku, another trending spot, but the venue changed to Ippudo because of familiarity.

I am not sure when noodles became so hot, but they really are. Both of these restaurants, Momofuku, created by the now famous chef David Chang, and Ippudo, boasting traditional Japanese ramen, had incredibly long wait and were filled with passionate eaters.

Ippudo was a maze, dancing with lights and hot bowls, sprawling counters with low seats, and funky music of so many different genres, from elevator to the infamous MJ. Like a hipster paradise. Both light and dark; at first austere, but then really welcoming, as Japanese greetings were called all across the room as new guests entered.

The menu is an amazing list of appetizers with succinct descriptions, just enough to maintain mystery. There were combinations that us foreigners could hardly dream of and traditional items that bring them foreigners closer to home. Trendy.

And then, at the top of the last page, is a list of 6 different Japanese ramen bases, along with 7 different  toppings. It does not sound like a lot but the possibilities are endless. Essentially, each ramen is just a base, a broth comprised of different ingredients (vegetarian or meatarian), along with other floating elements, to add flavors and different textures. Each ramen come with topping suggestions ranging from pork belly to soft-boiled eggs.

I forgot it was ramen, and what ramen entailed; broth, ingredients and a bunch of noodles. Basically soup. They were able to pack some flavor into the broth and even the noodles, that looked pale and non descript. There were different flavors dancing on the top of the bowl, just waiting to be stirred. A dollop of some mystery special sauce that comes with the Modern Ramen, a small heap of scallions, swirling black liquid, a few pieces of soft pork, and then that special topping from the side list.

I am not a soup person, so this was stepping out of my comfort zone. My mouth was looking for crunch, and refuge from the saltiness that it encountered. I was longing for more scallions to breathe freshness and contrast into the broth and the thin noodles. I enjoyed my extra topping of a soft-boiled egg, though it was not the most aesthetic of things. The chalky creaminess of the almost cooked yolk really added some smoothness and balanced some of the salt levels. To me it got really boring, slurping the same feeling over and over. There was little variety, not allowing me to forget that it was soup.

Our waiter pushed the authentic angle. So authentic, they do not offer take away or doggie bags, since it is not done in Japan. But that does not mean I have to be a fan. I repeat, I am not a soup person. I knew that walking into the place, but I went for my time with my friends, a birthday and the experience, not necessarily for broth and a pile of noodles. It was deffo a fun place and a fun night, an adventure of ambiance and conversation, and oodles of Japanese noodles.

 RER

12.9.12

RER 12.8.12

MangiaMore: CHOCOLATE cake

RER 12.3.12

I love birthdays. Not just my own. I just love birthdays, and you can probably guess why (hinthint: it can’t be presents because I love all birthdays)…It’s the cake!

Cake has always been a fixture in the birthday celebration in my family. Shoot, cake is sometimes a fixture in our house. But cake tends to make the birthday brighter and fuller.

RER 12.5.12

When I was young, I was the cake lady. I would make cakes from scratch for birthdays, until it became a request for other occasions. I loved it too. Baking is definitely anxiety inducing for me, but at the same time cathartic and rewarding.

Another birthday came up earlier this month. The idea of getting a store cake was thrown around, but, on a whim, I suggested “What if I made a cake?” Quick discussion led to flavors and ingredients. It was on. I was going to make a birthday cake!

RER 12.3.12

A Chocolate on Chocolate cake…

I used this recipe from allrecipes.com, though it was also on the can of my Hershey's Cocoa (after scavenging the internet, and trolling the cookbooks).

This was my first chocolate cake. Sure, I have made Red Velvet, but it is just not the same. It is not a full chocolate cake, so of course I was mildly intimidated, and exhibited all the signs of my baking anxiety.

RER 12.3.12

I called it “chocolate disaster cake,” because I ran into all kinds of problems; the batter seemed so thin (even though the reviews for the recipe warned that, I was not ready for the soupy liquidy consistency that it was going to be), cooking the cake (it would just not cook all the way through, each time I put in a tooth pick it was raw in the middle), getting the cakes out of the pan (the cake just did not want to come out, which resulted in a pretty fragmented base), and frosting the crummy layers.

RER 12.3.12

 I deffo used half as much cocoa than recommended in the frosting, because every time I tasted it, I twinged (I am not the biggest chocolate fan out there). Too much chocolate would ruin it for me (even though this was not my birthday cake), and I planned to be a major participator (as usual) in the cake eating.

I think the ratios of chocolate and even cake to frosting turned out well. It even looked pretty considering the condition it was in leaving the pan.

But in the end it turned out great, as most simple recipes do. I even made it a four layer cake, splitting the cakes from the two pans (whoa, I know, ambitious for the humble baker I am).

RER 12.3.12

 I know I need not be intimidated by recipes or nervous about the outcome, because they are just learning experiences.  And if you don’t succeed, try try again. And practice makes perfect. And Rome wasn’t built in a day… you know.  The lesson is, it’s fun and exhilarating to try new recipes and do not be afraid, it will turn out great (it's the thought that counts).

 RER

12.3.12

RER 12.3.12

 

sugar & SPICE: Spice Thai Restaurant

RER 12.8.12

They only went because they were waiting for a table at another restaurant. It was one of the girls's usual strategy; put your name down, and then go to Spice for appetizers and drinks while waiting. Foolproof. And that is exactly what they did.

The girls almost shrieked from shock, disappointment, hunger and mild sadness, when they heard that the wait for the popular, in an ever more popular trend, noodle spot was three hours. Yes, three hours. Their faces fell, but this was a birthday surprise for the last girl on her way. This was going to be a good night of food and girl talk. So they did not let the news of the three-hour wait discourage them, but it inspired them to implement the strategy, go to Spice.

They walked across the street, to find Spice almost empty. It is one of many, a chain and a trend, spreading across Manhattan. The Thai restaurant chain is partaking in the food trend of noodles and ramen, comfort food from our Asian friends. The décor was definitely hip, minimalist, with holiday touches, like gaudy bows, and large plastic candy canes. But they paid no mind to it all. It was a birthday.

The menu felt short and sweet, and all they really wanted was to start the night off right, taking the pang of hunger out of their bellies and indulging in something to drink.

They each ordered a drink, (two ginger mojitos and a peach bellini) while discussing the potential reaction of their friend they were waiting to surprise and give in to a belated celebration. Their eyes scanned the menu, reading every other word, but not focused on the food, but their excitement.

The drinks came quickly and colorful. The bellini in a delicate glass, a pretty peach color, sweet and decadent. And the ginger mojitos, stood like tall twins, dense with mint and cubes of spicy ginger.

The birthday girl arrived just in time, a quick surprise and warm greetings, and then the topic of food came up, and the appetizers were decided. Quickly and succinctly. For the four of them, all ranging in levels of hunger, they ordered five appetizers. There were moments of indecisiveness, but in the end, the decisions were clear.

RER 12.8.12

Seafood dumplings

Each tidy morsel of shrimp and crab filling was wrapped in delicate green dough. They were steamed to perfection, set on a pool of pale orange sauce. This sauce was a sweet and spicy curry, creamy. It warmed the tongue and added a great kick to the seafood stuffed dumplings. The insides had a kind of sweetness that seafood, especially crab has, and was balanced well with the heat of the sauce. There was even a garnish of purple crunchy rice noodles, adding that crispness lacking in the soft middle and doughy outer layer. The colors were gorgeous and warm, luring them in to more dumplings and embellished girl talk.

RER 12.8.12

Vegetable dumplings

The vegetable dumplings had the same jade hue as the seafood dumplings, only inside and out. The filling was a dark hunter green, haunting and memorable. The mashed up broccoli and spinach tasted smooth and disguised, uniform. The flavor was so foreign to the vegetables they represented, but delicious and delicate. They were topped with the questionable looking toasted garlic, for a pop and a crunch. The way they swirled on the plate hypnotized them.

RER 12.8.12

Potstickers

Potsickers are a favorite, generally and in this party. These were just addictive as most, masked in a plain doughy exterior. The filling of these steamed dumplings, were a riot of flavor, a little spicy and meaty. They were heavy and rewarding. The texture was less smooth as the other dumpling friends, but its dissonance created a harmony in the mouth. The accompanying sauce was sweet and sour, adding another layer to the flavor profile, a zip.

RER 12.8.12

Puffy duck

They chose the puffy duck on a whim, curious and fascinated. This appetizer added a different texture and component to their list, an element of mystery. These little morsels were like puff pastry, doughy and almost fried, filled with a smooth pate like combination of duck and potato. The inner texture felt like the other dumplings they tried, smooth, consistent and delicious. The puffy duck brought something more substantial to their table, other than their conversation of categories and life as it passes.

Fried calamari

The fried calamari was an afterthought to their waitress; she forgot it, but they didn’t. It came after all the other goodies were demolished, and they still looked on the little bowl of calamari and the sweet thai chili sauce with ravenous eyes. It was crunchy on the outside, salty, and textured. The batter was not bland or forgettable, but very present. And the octopus under the batter shell, was tender and felt fresh. They eyed it and snuck rings while reminiscing and updating, snatching the bites in between words.

The delicious food and the just right ambiance, were the perfect start to their birthday celebration. Full enough bellies and laughter were a great prelude and distraction from the wait for the next stage of their adventure. The strategy worked and everything was sugar and spice and everything nice...

RER

12.8.12

RER 12.8.12