Plenty of Fish In The Sea, But Sushi of Gari Has The Pretty Ones

If you don't appreciate the purity of traditional sushi, then you can skip this entry. If you're not into raw fish, then this sushi joint is not for you. If you're looking for some fancy hand rolls deep fried with tempura batter, then you wouldn't enjoy the food porn below.

But for the rest of you who just love some fine sushi, O-EM-GEE Sushi of Gari is like a grenade that will blow you taste buds away! When you came into Gari, no doubt you have to sit at the sushi bar and order the omakase. Once you decided to get the tasting menu, the waiter will kindly ask for any allergy and let you know that all the sushi prepared doesn't need wasabi nor soy sauce. The chef will hand you some magical nigiri pieces and until you say stop, the goods will keep on coming.

Let the dish out begin...

snow crab roll. subtle crab, perfect to tease our appetite.

 

toro with daikon radish. toro is undeniably amazing and the daikon is just an added touch of flavor kick.

 

red snapper with crispy lotus root. try to chow this thing in one bite. interesting and Ooh-daym.

 

seared salmon. when I expect this one to be unexceptional, I couldn't be more wrong.

 

japanese yellowtail with jalapeno. a little hint of spicy boost the freshness of the yellowtail.

 

tuna with tofu puree. an absolute crowd pleaser.

 

grilled black cod. a twist on a classic dish. LOVED it.

 

water shrimp ceviche. sweetness.

 

poached yellowtail with sesame sauce. besides for shabu dipping, I never knew that sesame sauce can work so well with raw fish.

 

golden snapper with crispy seaweed. hmmm.... I couldn't exactly remember this one. then it must be just so-so.

 

salmon with sauted tomato. we kept on starring this particular pieces prepared for people's order and waited our chef to make this for us, then finally...wow an awkward combination really taste well together. yummy...

 

uni. do I need to say more? thank heaven I patiently waited for this.

 

spanish mackerel with mushroom. it's gooood. 

Sushi of Gari
402 E. 78th Street
(between 1st Ave & York Ave)
New York, NY 10021
(212) 517-5340

Balthazar - Excuse This French For Not Having French Macaroons

It was raining and cold compared to my sunny California. We were running against the reservation time through the subway station just to get in time for some famously known French cuisines and bakery in Soho, better be worth it! After a good 30 minutes of hustle and bustle, we arrived and seated immediately. 

The scene was packed with tourists and locals, all the silverware noises "cling-clang" filled the entire room. The place reminded me of modern Moulin Rouge era where big rusty mirrors, white ceramic tiles, and giant red canopy can be found. 

french onion soup. perfect for the weather. the best I've ever had.

steak tuna tartare with mini baguettes. scrumptious and flavorful. ask for extra baguettes 'coz four surely wasn't enough.

beef stroganoff with buttered noodles. perfectly stewed to tenderness. simply amazing.

duck shepherd's pie. so rich and full of flavor. kinda too heavy for me.

steak frites. so disappointing, it was flavorless and so chewy. but the fries, SO good!

 ...then she brought us the wrong macaroons. french macaroon is light round thingy with creamy fillings, but what's up with this macaroon? not only ugly looking, it was painful to even take one bite out of it. 

Balthazar Restaurant and Bakery

80 Spring St
(between Broadway & Crosby St)
New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-1414 

www.balthazarny.com

Chikalicious - Chic + Delicious

I thought Chikalicious means chic and delicious, but apparently her name is Chika. She's the chef/owner of the innovative dessert bar which allows you to enjoy fabulous desserts while watching both their preparation and plating by Chika and Don. Feels like watching Top Chef live!

The menu rotates daily, so expect new surprises every time you drop by. Each of us got the prix fixe menu which consist of amuse, choice of dessert, and petit fours. Every dessert is light portioned and tasted as amazing as it sounds. Chic and delicious, no kidding.

amuse bouche: coffee sherbet and caramel gelee

banana salad with kumquats and roasted banana ice cream

I totally forgot the name of this one but it was the best outta the bunch

clementine sorbet with yogurt panna cotta and cointreau agar agar gelee

with wine pairings: moscato d'asti

poached pear with bourbon-molasses ice cream and crispy kataifi

warm chocolate cake with pink peppercorn ice cream and red wine sauce

petit fours

Chikalicious Dessert Bar

203 E 10th St
(between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 995-9511

www.chikalicious.com

Buddakan - Not Your Average Chinese Delivery

hoisin glazed pork belly. spicy shallots, cabbage, steam buns. succulent pork belly with sweet glazed flavor.
 

Wow. Stunning decor, beautiful people and delicious food are rare combination but plentifully exist in New York. Especially if you expect that fancy Chinese fusion will turn out to be such a disaster, Buddakan presents a chic way to enjoy everything Asian that actually taste unbelievably yummy.

The place is also featured in Sex and The City The Movie when Carrie had her rehearsal dinner before the wedding. I'm such a fan of the medieval Asian meets modern romantic interior. Between the ancient giant door and dangling chandelier at the big dinning room, this place swept me off my feet.

edamame dumpling, shallot-sauternes broth. let's start with my least favorite dish on the table. Taste like mochi gone wrong, despite the great reviews. 

sizzling short ribs. mushroom chow fun, Asian pear. this one is amazingly cooked to tenderness and flavorful.

glazed Alaskan black cod. chili egg plant, black bean relish. very soft and moist.

pepper steak chow fun. Chinese broccoli and garlic chives. surprisingly delicious and reminds me of Thai's pad see ew.

chili rock shrimp, toasted ginger. perfectly fried to crispiness, spicy sauce adds a kick to it. yumm...

chinese sausage fried rice. sunny side up egg. another favorite of mine, unexpectedly it taste so similar with Indonesian fried rice. two thumbs up!

Buddakan

Neighborhoods: Meatpacking District, Chelsea 

75 9th Ave 

(between 15th St & 16th St)  

New York, NY 10011 

(212) 989-6699

www.buddakannyc.com

Stanton Social - Tiny Miny Mo

After an amazing vacation from the big apple, now it's the time to share some of the food treasures. First stop, Stanton Social, tapas brunch style with minimalism concept, both ambiance and proportion. Sharing is greatly encouraged. In fact, it's recommended for each person to get at least two orders granted the portion is very small.

The overall experience was a hit and miss. I love some of the dishes but weren't blown away with couple of them. One biggest complain is how all of the unexceptional-tasting food are so overpriced. $12 for three bite size skewer? We better get used to 'coz this is New York.

 spicy lamb souvlakis. tzatziki, lime & harrisa aioli. the lamb is moist and tasty.

 french onion soup dumpling. not your regular french onion soup or dumpling. cheesy goodness.

 potato & goat cheese pierogies. caramelized onions and truffle creme fraiche. very delish!

 croque monsieur satays - mini brioche, country ham, gruyere & muenster. little bundles of heaven.

 spicy lobster benedict, spinach and chipotle hollandaise. the lobster is so chewy, I think I'll pass next time.

 Rhode Island lobster rolls. kobe beef philly sliders, truffle & goat cheese fondue. mediocre tasting... next!!

 banana caramelized pancakes. candied pecans, vanilla brown sugar & maple syrup. We got a winner, here! This pancakes reminds me of the uber awesome olive pancakes from The Bazaar. So mouth-watering and fluffy.

Stanton Social

Neighborhood: Lower East Side 

99 Stanton St 

(between Orchard St & Ludlow St)  

New York, NY 10002 

(212) 995-0099

www.thestantonsocial.com

Gjelina - 2nd Time Around

Not too long ago, I had an amazing lunch at Gjelina. I was all about spreading the words that this place rocks big time and invited my friends for another round of brunch. Though I order different meals than the last time, Gjelina consistently bring the best flavor to the plate. It's official, not only Abbot Kinney is my favorite neighborhood but also held my favorite brunch/lunch place. Even better, we got the the cozy patio seats.

There's no way I'm gonna skip this Grilled Bartlett Pears, Burrata, Prosciutto, Arugula & Radicchio. It's awesomeness!

Gnocchi with English Peas, Miatake Mushroom, White Wine & Creme Fraiche. creamy amazing.

PEI Mussels Chorizo, Tomato Confit, Garlic, White Wine & Grilled Bread. dipped the toasted bread to the tasty wine sauce.

uuhhh I forgot which pizza this one is, but it's good. the thin sliced pizza has crispy crust.

Strawberry/Rhubarb/Cornmeal Crisp with Toasted Almond Gelato. I didn't really expect this one to be good, since this particular dessert at Craft is my least favorite. Gjelina's definitely outbeat Craft's. 

Gjelina

1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 450-1429

www.gjelina.com

SanamLuang - Heavy Weight Supper

When the clock hits 2am, and that tummy of yours growl, you know SanamLuang Cafe is calling. Portion wise, this Thai joint is perfect your midnight heavy weight supper. Carbs lover, rejoice! The menu varies around rice elements: rice platter, fried rice, and rice noodles.

What not to love is all of their stuff are greasy, but you can request to be light on the oil and don't expect top notch ingredients, this place is cheap. After glasses of Patron, hittin' the floor and you crave for muchies, this place will take you 'til 4 am! You won't complain...

beef and chicken fried rice.

 pad see ew - fried flat rice noodles stirred with eggs and beef.

SanamLuang Cafe
5170 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 660-8006