Xi'an Famous Foods, part II

Occasion: More food court explorations with Mom
Location: Xi'an Famous Foods, also in the Flushing Mall food court - 39th Ave off Main St in Flushing, Queens
Edibles: lamb (or possibly goat - it's the same word in Chinese) offal soup; noodles with braised pork and cabbage

Musings: If you're wondering why I'd order such a crazy-sounding soup, let me state for the record that I've had it in Asia and, when done right, it can be awesomely tasty. The key qualifier, however, is "when done right." As it certainly was not, here.

I had one spoonful and that was plenty. All the unpleasant tastes that offal can impart were all there in that one soup - the bitter chemical taste of digestive organs, the iron-blood taste of liver, the general gaminess of lamb. Ugh. My mom had a little more than I did, but eventually even she had to concede that it was just awful. After a few minutes, I actually had to get up and throw it out - even the smell was making me a bit queasy. Epic fail.

The hand-cut noodles with braised pork were better, but also a bit lacking in technique. Some of the noodles were really thin while others were really thick and doughy, and almost all of them were too long to eat in a single bite. The braised pork was yummy, though.

[Note: As unlikely a dish as it is to order in a food court, the steak may be the way to go. A couple sitting nearby had one and it looked great.]

Ay Chung

Occasion: Lunch with my mom
Location: Ay Chung, in the Flushing Mall food court - 39th Ave off Main St in Flushing, Queens
Edibles: cuttlefish soup

Musings: Too hungry to wait patiently for a table at the always-crowded Asian Jewels, we popped across the street to the Flushing Mall food court.

We started with Ay Chung's cuttlefish soup. It's actually pretty good - a cornstarch-thickened bonito broth, lots of cuttlefish dumplings and lots of fresh cilantro. A nice little snack for around $3.

OBao

Occasion: Lunch with my mom before some furniture shopping
Location: Obao on 53rd between 2nd and 3rd (obaonyc.com)
Edibles: fried tofu app to share; I had the pho and Mom had the Singapore-style laksa with spicy coconut broth

Musings: My mom loves Ariyoshi, and that's where we had planned to go, but it turns out they're not open for lunch on weekends. Boo. We walked in to OBao, a new place in the old work 'hood.

First thing I noticed was that the restaurant is very dim, so if your seat faces the windows, the light will hurt your eyes. You will not want to linger. (Which I guess works in the restaurant's favor.)

As for the food, the fried tofu app was a nice big portion, about 15 cubes piled into a little wok. Good to share. Unfortunately, both noodle dishes were mediocre at best. The broth on the pho tasted like it came from a can and was loaded with MSG. The noodles in my mom's laksa were mushy.

Finally, an Asian restaurant charging $4 for tea is nothing short of highway robbery. Just ridiculous.

If I still worked at the Death Star, I'd probably find myself eating lunch here occasionally, if only for variety's sake. But OBao is certainly nothing to go out of your way for.

Burger Joint

Occasion: Dinner with Josh before the Phil (harmonic, that is)
Location: Burger Joint, behind a velvet curtain in the lobby of the Parker Meridien. No joke. Hotel's on 57th between 6th and 7th. (parkermeridien.com/eat4.php)
Edibles: burger and fries, chocolate milkshake

Musings: For its bizarre location and retro ambiance, A+ for sure. For the burgers, B. They don't season their patties, and the bun is generic grocery store stuff. Not as good as my beloved Shake Shack.

Kang Suh

Occasion: Pre-Knicks dinner with Robert, Nimish and Jenny
Location: Kang Suh on 32nd and B'way (kangsuh32.com)
Edibles: japchae (stir-fried glass noodles); seafood scallion pancake; kalbi (bbq short rib); ddeokbokki (cylindrical rice cakes in spicy sauce); bibim bop (rice with fixins'); plus lots of little dishes (complimentary; chef's choice but always includes kimchi)

Musings: I've been coming to Kang Suh for over ten years now. To be brutally honest, the food is solid but the décor is perfunctory, the service is brusque at best, and it's not particularly easy on the wallet.

So what keeps bringing me back? First, consistency. The prices have inched up over the years, but the food still tastes exactly the same as it did when I first ate here. And they never waver - the food just *always* tastes that way, no better and no worse. Given all the staff and supplier changes they must go through, that's pretty amazing.

Its location also works in its favor - just off Herald Square, it's a block away from MSG and surrounded by karaoke places.

You never need reservations. They can get you in and out quickly. My mom loves their spicy tofu pot. And they're open 24 hours a day. That's right - you can get Korean bbq at Kang Suh at 4:00 a.m. if you want.

So while Kang Suh will never make any "best of" lists, I've eaten here an awful lot and will undoubtedly continue to do so as long as I'm in the city.

Oh, and Melo? Welcome home, dude!!

Hatsuhana Park

Occasion: Dinner with Jon
Location: Hatsuhana Park, in the little passageway between Park and Lex, 45th and 46th (hatsuhana.com)
Edibles: Jon got the sushi dinner; I got the Ladies' Set

Musings: It was pretty empty for dinner, but I bet this place is hopping at lunch. (Not that I'm complaining - it was nice to be able to chat without having to shout over ambient noise.)

I got the intriguingly named Ladies' Set. Upon seeing it, I was immediately curious if they would actually refuse to serve a man who ordered this, but Jon didn't put them to the test.

The first course was a trio of pickled okra, a bite of egg omelet and tempura salmon with pickled carrots and daikon. All very nice. Next, I got some broth noodles, and a little sushi plate with four pieces of nigiri and a roll (diner's choice). There was also a little scoop of vanilla ice-cream for dessert. Good value at $18.

While it's nothing spectacular, Hatsuhana serves a nice dinner set - for women, at least. The restaurant and sushi counter were scrupulously clean and the fish was of a decent quality. Our waiter was also funny and personable. All in all, a solid option for a quiet weekday dinner in midtown.

Café Sabarsky

Occasion: Pre-Met (the museum one) brunch
Location: Café Sabarsky, inside the Neue Gallery on 5th and 86th (kg-ny.com)
Edibles: weiner schnitzel, followed by lemon mousse cake for me; goulash and chocolate marzipan cake for Josh

Musings: A restaurant in an art gallery? Love it! How did I not hear about this place until now?!

As you might expect from a restaurant located in the former residence of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, it's a fancy, formal place with professional waiters in vests, ties and full-length white aprons. But the prices are not too crazy, considering. My dish was $20, and included a massive, perfectly golden weiner schnitzel, lingonberry preserve and a scoop of tangy German-style potato salad. Yum. I had a bite of the goulash and it was pretty tasty too - great depth of flavor.

By the way, I'd skip the wursts if you go - they come from Schaller & Weber (says so right there on the menu) and you can therefore get them yourself direct from the source.

The desserts, displayed pretty much everywhere you look, were too beautiful to pass up. Mine was inexplicably called a lemon biscuit but was really more of a mousse cake. What I liked about it was that they weren't afraid to let the mousse was be really tart and lemony. I think it's a European thing - their desserts generally aren't laden with sugar like American ones. Josh's cake was okay, if a touch dry. I think he liked it better than I did; I'm not a huge fan of marzipan in general.

Food get an A-; décor gets an A+. I'll be back for sure.

[Note: There was a whole episode of "How I Met Your Mother" about how hard it is for single hetero guys to do fun things like have brunch or go to a Broadway musical. One of the reasons it's nice to be a girl.]

Ben & Jack's Steakhouse

Occasion: Dinner with Josh, after a NYCB Gilbert and Sullivan recital
Location: Ben and Jack's Steakhouse on 44th between 2nd and 3rd (benandjackssteakhouse.com)
Edibles: steak (natch), a side of creamed spinach, and a hot fudge sundae for dessert

Musings: Doofus that I am, I invite a boy out for a casual night of Victorian-era operetta... and then realize after hitting 'send' that it's on Valentine's Day. Josh was a good sport about the awkward date and not only found a found a last-minute reservation, but one involving giant slabs of red meat! Yay! (Hey, I offered to foodcart it, but he insisted.)

As soon as I walked into the place, I knew I was in for a good meal. Ben and Jack's smells like a steakhouse should smell - liked seared cow and high cholesterol. The décor is pretty stodgy and Republican; if you like the look of Sparks or Ivy League alumni clubs, you'll be more than comfortable here.

The steak is presented starkly on a huge plate with no garnishes whatsoever. Doesn't need it, though. The chef got the doneness on mine - the rare side of medium rare - spot on. The beef was juicy and tender and robust. Pure heaven.

The creamed spinach was a nice side; a single order was plenty to share. I think they must make it with chicken broth or bacon or something - it tasted too savoury for a purely vegetarian dish.

The finale was a decadent hot fudge sundae. They'd run out of their famous schlag (whipped cream) by then, but I didn't think the sundae was in any way diminished.

What a meal! Thanks, Josh!

[Postscript: Just so you know, I picked up the check on the next dinner. I'm a modern girl and all.]

Le Grainne Cafe

Occasion: Brunch with Morgan (former Death Star co-worker)

Location: Le Grainne Cafe on 21st and 9th (legrainnecafe.com)
Edibles: I had the croque-madame; Morgan had some poached eggs with a side of fruit salad

Musings: I often find myself meeting people in Chelsea; for my UWS-dwelling friends, it's a nice locational compromise. (Just one direction of travel for each of us - south for them and west for me.) But I'm usually hard-pressed to suggest a place to eat, other than Tia Pol. So Le Grainne is a nice discovery. The brunch was casual and cosy, with solid, comforting food at a decent price. I'd guess they serve a decent dinner too.

Morgan, great catching up! Don't be a stranger.

[Postscript: Went to Billy's after for some yummy baked goods - it's conveniently right across the street.]

Bubby's

Occasion: Dinner with Yining before Nerd Nite
Location: Bubby's on Main Street in Brooklyn, tucked under the Manhattan Bridge (bubbys.com)
Edibles: pulled pork tacos and a milkshake for me; a burger for Yining, with a side of collard greens

Musings: Tonight was actually my second time in this place, the first occasion being Rachel W. and Simon's wedding. The space is actually perfect for a smallish wedding - there's a raised area that works great as dance floor and a nice long bar that wraps around behind it. Tables can be set up alongside the ground floor windows (stunning view!!) and the menu makes for a nice, casual event.

For dinner, Bubby's is a bit of a bust. It's never a good sign when you walk into a place on Friday night and it's pretty much empty. I was psyched to try the fried chicken.... before being told that it would take 35 minutes. Why would it take 35 min to make fried chicken? I mean, don't you have a deep fryer up to temp for fries and stuff?

Yining's burger was average; I note that the collard greens were nicely done (I thought I could taste apple cider vinegar). My tacos were okay, but both Móle and the Endless Summer foodtruck are vastly superior.

Oh, and yeah - when your milkshake costs $7? It shouldn't taste like it was made from a powder. Shake Shack's kicks your ass.

Very disappointing, Bubby's.

Pio Pio

Occasion: Strategy session at Kathy's, with special consultants Atticus and Yining
Location: takeout from Pio Pio on 34th between 2nd and 3rd (piopionyc.com)
Edibles: rotisserie chicken, avocado salad and saffron rice

Musings: Pio Pio roasts a kick-ass chicken, full stop. It's seriously some finger-lickin' good stuff. My brother gets takeout from them all the time, and I can always smell those spices as soon as I walk in the door. (Whereupon I follow my nose and confiscate a piece or two. Older sister's prerogative.)

An entire chicken will run you $10, just slightly more than a grocery store rotisserie chicken and leagues better. With two of their generously portioned sides, a meal for four comes in at around $5 a head - which is cheaper than McDonald's. Can't beat that.

Great Jones Cafe

Occasion: Dinner with Sheila, Rachel W. and Simon
Location: Great Jones Cafe on (duh) Great Jones between Lafayette and Bowery (greatjones.com)
Edibles: we shared a plate of creole chicken wings to start; I had the jambalaya, Sheila had the roast chicken, Rachel had the pulled pork sandwich and Simon had the catfish po'boy

Musings: A tiny little place - only about ten tables. Add the fact that the food is good and cheap, and you better believe it fills up fast.

There was something intriguingly zingy about their chicken wings. They were sloppy and greasy, but in a good way. I could've easily eaten an entire order by myself.

Of the mains, I thought Rachel's was the standout. Really succulent and flavorful pork, of the same calibre as Wilfie & Nell's amazing sliders. Very jealous that it wasn't my order. My jambalaya looked quite homely and unappetizing, but after chatting and eating for a while, I looked down at my plate with some amazement to see that I had pretty much hoovered the whole thing without noticing. Very hearty and filling for sure. A lady at a neighboring table had the gumbo, and that looked really good too.

Big thumbs up.

Craftbar

Occasion: Dinner with Rachel W.
Location: Craftbar on Broadway at 20th (craftrestaurant.com)
Edibles: I had hanger steak and brown sugar cake for dessert; Rachel had the sweet potato agnolotti with brussels sprout leaves, bacon and hazelnut butter sauce, and the ricotta fritters for dessert; we also shared two cheeses

Musings: The wines by the glass are pretty expensive, and pretty crappy. I ordered one of the cheapest glasses of red ($11) and it was sour and puckery and awful. However, I will give major props to this place for service. A dude checked in on us about halfway into our meal, and I mentioned the crappy wine (which I had tasted before it was poured, and was fully prepared to finish). He was quick to swap out my wine for another and also silently took it off the bill. Unfortunately, the second wine was no better. Really smoky and charcoal-y, which was pretty much all I could taste. They really need to revisit their wine selections.

Long story short, get a cocktail and avoid the wine, unless you're getting a full bottle.

The food. My steak was a tad chewy, but the potato gratin and the caramelized onions on the side were perfect. Rachel's pasta dish was a work of art. Really luscious, pillowy pasta, perfectly balanced, and so appropriate for the season. (It was so good, in fact, that I had to talk her out of ordering a second one to take home. That kind of dish never travels well, so it's better not to ruin the memory of the original experience.)

Our desserts were both pretty average, lacking in creativity and delicacy. E.g. the poached pear that garnished my cake was still pretty hard and uncooked. I think a little cheese plate and a cup of coffee are the way to go here.

Thanks again for the birthday dinner, Rachel!