Restaurants – Page 8

Bob’s Shanghai 66

No holds barred: I struggle with and shy away from Chinese food especially the insipid and bastardized versions served in this country. You may have read that I went back to my birth place for my parents 50th anniversary over last summer, and I took the opportunity to literally stuff my face with all the dishes holding childhood memories and gastronomic reveries. The highlight of this epicurean trip was visiting a number of fine-dining Chinese restaurants to remind myself of what veritable dishes of this grand cuisine taste like.

From aversion to affinity. Having returned from my Southeast Asian trip, my hunt for decent Chinese restaurants has been reinvigorated, and I quickly went back to an old haunt that had not seen my face for many moons (read Full Key). Shortly after such a memorable trip, my laptop screen flashed an online coupon offer for a restaurant offering cuisine from the mainland. With coupons in hand, I made a couple of trips to Bob’s Shanghai 66 located on the same location where Bob’s Noodle 66 (read blog) used to be located before moving itself merely across the street, once by myself, and the other with a friend from the mainland in tow.

Walking into the space, you are immediately impressed by the sheer busyness created by customers packing the restaurant sitting at the tables or standing in line, and the large glass-enclosed assembly line of workers producing (and overtly advertising) the restaurant’s signature dish – Xiao Long Bao or Soup Dumpling. So without any hesitation, we ordered a bamboo basket full of these small beauties from the section listed as Shanghainese Tapas. One bite into these Shanghai delicacies said it all. The dumpling skin was slightly firm but thin enough to be both completely cooked and able to hold the ingredients of a meat filling that was well-seasoned and tasted multi-dimensional, bursting with a rich soup produced by the pieces of gelatinized stock (I noticed the little glowing cubes imbedded in the meat mixture in the production line) melting during the cooking process. The secret is to place one dumpling in a spoon, piercing it to let the soup pour out, drink the rich liquor, and ingest the dumpling – instructions are not included there. The side sauce of ginger slivers in earthy Chinese black vinegar is the perfect acidic and flavor counterpoint to the mouth-sticking soup and the rich pork stuffing. These bites were worthy enough for my friend to state that he would bring his mother there just for this dish (Chinese love their mothers too). Another trip entailed an order made with pork and crab roe – the subtle crab flavor married well with the mild pork. The perfect palate cleanser was the hot tea with its bitter tannins to wash away all the good richness from each little purse. Being the only restaurant in the DMV area serving this dish, they have got their act right for this house speciality.

Another steamed item that I was curious to try was Sticky Rice Shiu Mai. The shrimp version was what I am accustomed to having had enough of it in Cantonese Dim Sum houses. But these Shanghai bites were not what I really expected. Thin egg pasta skin has been stuffed with cooked glutinous sticky rice and steamed to bring the elements together. The rice filling had bits of Shiitake mushroom imparting its oakey woodsiness into each grain, along with a faint fragrance of bamboo leaf which the rice was steamed in. But for me it was just starch on starch, and my interest in it quickly faded – my Southeast Asian conditioning was screaming for more salt and flavor interests. Maybe a side of soy sauce and more ingredients in the stuffing would have made them a success for me. However, my friend seemed to enjoy them, and I appreciated the dish’s veritability.

Another Shanghainese small bite that I had read about was Scallion Pancake, and an order made it to the table. Flat pieces of dough containing pieces of green onion have been fried crisp, filled with a mild pungency from bits of green onion in each bite. Again, my Southeast Asian sensibility was screaming for more in the areas of flavor, salt, and taste interest. After a few bites, I was beginning to appreciate this simple dish especially the light crispy texture.

Another fried small bite was Leek Fried Crescents. Semi-circular pastries made from glutinous rice flour arrived at the table looking a bit drab and lack luster. But one bite into it called my attention. The stuffing was a soft concoction of Chinese chives and soft fluffy scrambled eggs that exuded savoriness that belied the simple ingredients. As I was marvelling with each bite, my Chinese friend stated that sometimes bits of dried shrimp can be found in the stuffing. Sound the gong! Yes, the Umami-ness is from the use of finely shredded dried shrimp that brought each bite to another level – I could not get enough of these bites.

The last order from the “tapas” section was Spicy Wontons. I grew up on these Cantonese style dumplings either in a mild-sauced noodles or in a clear broth. In this case, these bites came swimming in a pool of redness, ringing out its fieriness with its Szechuan identity. Sure enough, each bite was spicy hot from the chili oil and made more incendiary by the use of Szechuan spicy bean sauce, Doubanjian, which added the necessary saltiness to a well-flavored meat filling that could have stood by itself. After a few bites, the chili heat was making my mouth slightly numb from its sting, but this salty meaty combination was completely irresistible for both of us, breaking my friend into a sweat which didn’t slow him down at all.

Having read online customer reviews, Ja Jiang Mien was mentioned a number of times, and I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to try it. My dining companion had mentioned that this Beijing dish is usually salty and plain. A bowl of thin wheat noodles arrived with a topping of minced pork seasoned with fermented beans sauce, soy, and garlic. Salty it was; plain it wasn’t. After giving the noodles a good mix, it tempered the salt content, and the meat sauce imparted its savoriness to the bland starch. The presence of couple of pieces of Edamame was a nice surprise. My friend further exclaimed that this version was a supped-up version of the original, which was to our benefit for this sitting – a slightly salty but savory slurp indeed. Hint: follow the advice of cyber critics.

Moving on to the main courses. I decided to taste their version of Ma Po Tofu. This ubiquitous dish can be found in most so-called Szechuan eateries but I have always longed for something that give me a good sense of the true dish. Well, this one did. A glass bowl arrived with silky smooth tofu cubes covered in a thin pool of fiery chili oil, furthered spiked by bits of dried red chili bits, and bits of fresh-shucked peas (judging from its granular texture and myriad of sizes) and carrot that provided textural and flavour contrast to the slipperiness. A good stock and some bean sauce provided the necessary body to what could have been a two-note dish, boosted by large slices of fresh garlic. What I thought was a sprinkling of white pepper on top totally misled me. It was the regional Szechuan peppercorn spice that added to the singe quality in my mouth with its lip and mouth-numbing effect, compounding the back throat burn from the chili oil. Having a penchant for gastronomic pain, I couldn’t put my spoon down, and I was enjoying every mouthful curiously waiting for the five-alarm bell to sound!

Being a bit of a masochist for chili heat, I also ordered another fiery dish at the same sitting (Yeah, I know) – Flounder Fillet in Hot Chili Sauce. Pieces of mild-tasting flounder have been battered in corn flour to produce a silky coating after being smothered by a stock-sauce filled with bits of pickled red chilies, which added some sourness, along with some scorch, and dried chilies. Like the above dish, I was enjoying the heat level that was just right, even with the mild tasting fish, and this was further aided by large slivers of pungent garlic. The mound of blanched broad bean sprouts and Napa cabbage not only provided textural counterpoint but also some necessary relief to the sweat-inducing notes. A tasty and satisfying fish dish indeed, but not for the faint of tongue.

Eating at Bob’s Shanghai 66 was like a study abroad lesson in Chinese culinary topography, from the rarely served and tasty Soup Dumpling, alongside a bit flavor-lacking but authentic small bites, to the fiery Szechuan tapas and main dishes that did a number on my taste buds that kept me coming back for more for its complexity and not-so-suble mouth-numbing flavors. This is what true Chinese cuisine is about – unadulterated, revelatory, and uncompromising. With a large Chinese population in the DMV, more restaurants are stepping up to the demand from customers and knowledge of the initiated. Places like this puts the cognoscenti like me many steps closer to attaining the Holy Grail of this grand Asian cuisine.

Addendum:

A recent visit to this place gave me a chance to try some new dishes. A Chinese “tapa” ordered was Beef Wrap with Scallions. It was like a burrito wrap with a strong wheat skin encasing thin slices of beef and lettuce leaves. The beef slices tasted seasoned, made even more savory by a copious amount of Hoisin sauce that made each bite delectable. The use of wheat and beef meat points toward the northern origin of this small bite, akin to the Southern Fujian version of Popiah (see blog). Unfortunately, I could not detect the use of scallions which would have added a slightly pungent note and more interest to these mild bites.

For a seafood dish, we honed in on Salt and Peppered Squid. I had tasted this dish before in another Chinese restaurant recently (see blog) that I have grown fond of. The pieces arrived battered and deep fried, with slices of green onion and red pepper softened by a short trip to the hot oil. However, this plate was quite lame compared to the aforementioned version. The batter was a bit too thick and not crisp enough due to either a lack of sufficient time in the oil or the oil not being hot enough. What a shame.

The last main dish was Shredded Pork and Bamboo Shoots. Slivers of young bamboo shoots are paired with slivers of pork, tofu and green onions, all brought together by a savory sauce made of oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil. I enjoyed the tenderness of the bamboo shoots, the mild moist slivers of pork, and the healthy mild tasting tofu that provided more soft texture to each spoonful. And that sauce – it was enough to whet the appetite and to beckon the mouth to get another mouthful. This was definitely a dish that is a vestige of its former identity as Bob’s Noodle 66 (see blog). A dish worth ordering, in my estimation.

El Chalan

Food, Restaurants

In my last blog (see Full Key), I lamented on how I had deserted a Cantonese restaurant that I patronized for many years, but was re-inspired by a recent visit through its doors. Well, El Chalan fits in this category too (I guess I must on a type of memory/nostalgia lane this last week). It is so tempting to go the route of the food blogger chasing the latest food fad, most hyped restaurant, or the swankiest looking dining room. But instinctively, I prefer to stay on the path of the true-and-tested and those establishments who have been around long enough to have survived due to good cooking and their respect for culinary tradition.

For this write-up, it took longer than usual to drive to downtown DC to reacquaint myself with this Peruvian establishment, perhaps due to an accident on the Beltway and the fact that I moved 30 miles away from this locale. Once there, I recognized the familiar unassuming front on a relatively quiet road (must be due to the holidays). Walking in, I was pleasantly surprised that the basement restaurant was packed with diners and buzzing with a festive mood. I quickly found my friends and settled in for dinner in the dimly lit space (Photographers: ISO 5000!).

Bucking my usual, I decided to order Chupe de Camarones. The bowl arrived filled with a creamy soup covering pieces of shrimp, corn, rice, potato, a boiled egg (Birdcage?), and topped with a sprinkling of cilantro. The sip was akin to clam chowder but different in its thickness since it was lacking the consistency made from a thickener. The spoonfuls tasted light and the starch and corn bits added textural and taste interest to the broth. The pieces of shrimp were sweet but a little tough for my liking. The addition of pieces of boiled egg white and whole egg yolk was an oddity here, but somehow it worked in a strange way.

Staying within the realm of seafood as the appetizer, my dining companion ordered Choros a la Chalaca. A ring of opened steamed mussels arrived topped by a salsa-like combination of sweet onions, tomato, corn, bits of jalapeño pepper, and cilantro, all doused with a good hit of lime juice. The mussel was fresh, plump, and mineral sweet, the salsa pungent, sweet, vegetal cruchy, and spicy, and the lime juice provided the strong citrus bite that made the seafood borderline cured by its acidity. Not quite the famous Ceviche, but a similar version.

The other dining companion’s appetizer was from the land – Papa Rellena. The dish arrived with a couple of croquette-looking pieces along with some pickled red onions. A bite into these fried balls revealed an outer layer of lightly-packed mashed potato with a stuffing of well-seasoned minced beef that was made exotic by a light touch of cumin. The coat of crunchy outerskin made them even more irresistible. The menu listed olives as part of the stuffing, and even though that was amiss in my bite, it was not missed due to the tasty meaty morsels.

It seems that the same diner was in a beefy mood – for his main course, he ordered Lomo Saltado. The dish arrived with a waft of its tempting beefiness, displaying a melange of cubes of stripped beef, slices of white onion, tomato, and peas, studded with pieces of fried potato. A taste of my friend’s meal revealed the tasty, tender, and well-seasoned beef, sweet strips of onion and tomato, and the potato tasting home-made and cooked to perfection. But what brought the quality elements together was a thin coating of savory sauce that hinted of a touch of soy, adding a Umami mouth-feel. This dish is listed as the house special, and judging by the number of orders in the dining room, I understand why.
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From land to sea, at least for me. Continuing my mood for seafood, I decided to order an appetizer of Ceviche Mixto as my main course. The beautiful dish was brimming with pieces of shrimp, squid, scallop, and a mussel, accompanied by a large chunk of sweet potato and a heap of corn kernels, topped with rings of red onion. One bite into the dish and I knew this was the veritable thing. The squid was a bit tough, as well as the scallop, which was an indication of its lengthy “cooking” by the lime juice. Pieces of mild-tasting fish (red snapper?) were still slightly opaque but “cooked” enough to give it some fairly firm texture. A hint of chili pepper hit permeated each acidic bite along with some fragrant cilantro bits. To balance out the acidic element that could have overwhelmed one’s palate, the sweet potato and corn kernels were necessary in adding the sweet element. This is definitely a good rendition of Peru’s national dish and it brought me to the seaside villages dotting its coastline.

We all are creatures of habit, and so is the other fellow diner at my table. His order without fail is Pollo al Vino. A piece of chicken breast has been slow cooked with some red wine and raisins, arriving with rounds of carrot and a boiled potato. From my tasting bite, the chicken was quite moist, the sauce tasty and hinted of a tinge of cumin, and slightly sweet from the raisins in it. This used to be my usual order and it was a nostalgic reminder of yesteryear. I must say that I can’t fault my friend for not being adventurous beyond this dish since it is still quite good and tasty after all these years.
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El Chalan has been around for 32 years in a prime downtown spot, and its survival all these years especially during the last economic meltdown is a testament to its reputation. The filled dining room during my last visit was a good indicator that diners still love this place, not for any novelty but for the very same dishes that they have been serving all these years. The kitchen has maintained its standards with its tasty traditional dishes executed well. Instead of chasing epicurian novelty, a sabbatical from very familiar dishes can inject a level of excitement back into the system and re-inspire the taster. El Chalan is definitely back on my list for more visits and reacquainting with its delectable menu.

Full Key

Food, Restaurants

Riddle: What do a Buddhist, a Jew, and a Muslim do to celebrate the most high of feast days in the Christian calendar, Christmas? They go to a Chinese restaurant for their yearly seasonal “celebration”. After all, where else would be open on this most anticipated winter holiday when most folks wake up to a shower of gifts and a large spread of home-cooked meals and sweet delights? Chinese eateries are very cognizant of the Asian population’s preference for feasting on their restaurant delights on such holidays, and they prepare themselves for such onslaught of customers. With my usual suspects in tow, along with a new friend who hails from Togo, we headed to Full Key, a regular Cantonese haunt located in Wheaton, MD, that I have not stepped into in many moons, which explains this much tardy write-up on this place.

Arriving at the right time with no waiting line and a recently abandoned table covered with its aftermath, it was not long before we settled into the well-worn booth. With a medium din level of diners and clinking bowls in the background, we quickly ordered our customary opener – Shrimp Dumpling Soup. The bowl arrived with some whitish dumplings visible through a clear broth, much like a Monet of submerged lilies in a lake. But one bite brought clarity with its tasty presence. Under the silky thin dough skin, a slightly firm stuffing of well-seasoned minced shrimp mixed with some minced pork excites the palate with its Umami savoriness, along with strands of wood fungus giving each mouthful a slight soft crunch to these slightly bouncy bites. The clear soup is the strong supporting actor to the dumplings, made from bonito flakes and meat stocks (I learned their secret recipe from a restauranter friend) , that adds just the right amount of additional Umami-ness to each sip. A great starter for a cold winter day that brings back memories of eating it in Southeast Asia.

This place is well-known for Hong Kong-style Noodle Soup dishes that are a main staple of the cuisine. My Muslim friend decided to order a bowl accompanied by pieces of roast duck, following his dietary restrictions. However, being a carnivore Buddhist, I prefer mine with wanton and a side of Chinese vegetables, Choy Sum. Back to the noodle – strand of alkaline noodles are slightly chewy and eggy with the perfect al dente bite. Again, the bonito-meat broth is the savory clean foil to the main ingredients. The wanton dumplings are just like the shrimp version above except for its firmer texture due to the inverse proportions of shrimp and pork, but not short of its rich flavors. A requested addition of greens makes the bowl a complete meal with most food groups included as well as a mouthful of textures and flavors. I mentally kick myself for not coming here more often for this bowlful of childhood memories of Sunday coffee shop breakfast that I missed dearly, especially given its so-goodness here.

Another staple made a la Hong Kong is the Congee dishes, or Rice Porridge. The plain starch is paired with different elements and I have a couple of favorites after having tasted many bowlfuls. A popular version is made with Beef, Squid and Peanuts. According to my Hong Kong-born friend, this is a popular dish with fisherman living in boats on the shores of Kowloon. I must say that this strange combo works with the pieces of minced beef, strands of tender squid and nutty toasted peanuts. Another combination is made with Pork and Preserved Egg. Slivers of boiled pork are paired with an egg that has been allowed to ferment in ash and straw. This is definitely not a dish for the non-initiated but it is totally up my alley with the mildness of the pork and the ashy bitterness and pungency (spell “stink”) of the fermented egg. A side of Chinese Breadstick is de rigueur for such a dish adding its slight saltiness and crunch to the thick gruel. Definitely The Breakfast of Champions for some, including me,

Any dish category that this eatery is known for is the Cantonese-styled roast meats. Unfortunately, when we arrived there, the Roast Pork was already gone – the waiter told us that customers were coming in with 5-lb orders for their family dinners – it must be that good. My African friend was stuck with a choice of Roast Duck and Roast Chicken. He told me he enjoyed the duck including the slightly fatty skin (not quite Peking Duck here) and the slightly dark gamey notes that this dark-meat poultry is known for. The chicken is roasted with a mild soy sauce on the skin which was lacking in flavor for my friend, despite the tasty marinade sauce served on the side. The mentioned fellow vowed to come back and get a taste of that ever-so-popular roast pork.

Another style of noodle dish served here comes not with soup but stir-fried. On this day, I was inspired by the sight of a familiar dish that I had not tasted for some time – Beef and Broccoli Chow Foon. Wide strands of rice noodles have been slightly wok-fried and covered with a thick brown sauce with slivers of beef, carrots, Chinese broccoli (Gailan), and straw mushrooms swimming in it. The noodles were bouncy fresh with a slight wok-char flavor, beef seasoned well and tender, vegetables still crunchy but not raw, and the mushrooms slightly woodsy, all disparate elements brought together by the tasty brown sauce tasting of oyster sauce and soy. Looks like the back kitchen is as skilful with the fried dishes as the front noodle and roast meat counter.

Equally deft in execution as with the above dish was an order of Deep Fried Shrimp, Scallops & Squid with Spicy Salt. Bits of seafood have been lightly battered and deep-fried until crispy, seasoned with salt and a topping of fried jalapeño slices and green onions. This dish hit the spot for my Jewish/Latino/Agnostic ex-roomie. The crispy batter coats morsels of fresh-tasting moist pieces of seafood, seasoned with a sprinkling of salt. The fried green pepper slices and green onions added the necessary spicy heat and slight sweet pungency. As my friend put it to my friend from Togo, it is not an everyday dish, but worth relishing every bit of the barely greasy, crispy and salty bites. Deep-fried and salty seafood – Yummm!

I sometimes wonder why I have deserted this Cantonese style eatery as of late after many years of patronizing it. I guess I can blame it on gastronomic wanderlust that is enabled by the myriad of cuisines that the DC area offers to its citizens. It could also be palate apathy that tends to set in after one has grown up eating certain cuisines his or her whole life. But this last visit only reminded me that yes, these familiar dishes are still worth raving about, especially when well-executed as in the case of Full Key. So instead of just a yearly visit, I will be back more often for more of the wonderful soup, noodle, rice, roast meat, and seafood dishes that hit both the gastronomic and nostalgic spots.

Curry Leaf

Food, Restaurants

I currently find myself in the throes of change, a period filled with stress, doubts, hope, excitement, and ultimately a need for relief. Yes, I am in the process of purchasing a new home that is just 6 miles down the road from my current abode. I have chosen to stay in Laurel, MD, as I find this township quaint with historic homes and accessible to both Washington DC and Baltimore. Furthermore, I have been mildly surprised by some real good eats located in this part of the suburbs which some may not expect to find in this rather quiet area. Recently, I have stumbled across one such Indian delight around the corner from me.

Curry Leaf has only been opened since the beginning of summer. It is located on busy Route 1, in a space once occupied by an all-you-can-eat Korean/Japanese restaurant that had a long stint in the area – I was getting slightly leery of its sushi offerings during its last few weeks. Not much has changed in the furniture setup but the space is warmer with some nature and spice colors along with some exotic prints on the wall, as well as the sushi bar that has taken on a transformation into a drink bar. Initially, I was quite leery of another Indian eatery in the neighborhood that has seen the demise of a couple of them. But a few visits to this new establishment has proven that it has injected an infusion of South Asia to the local eating scene. My visits were made during the lunch buffet and during dinner service.

For dinner, my BFF insisted that we tried the Vegetable Samosa which I was not keen on, having tried many versions of these greasy dough balls that have proven to be lackluster on most occasions. But this version did pique my interest. The pastry here was crispy, thin and light, speckled with whole cumin seeds that added interest to the outer shell, perhaps baked judging by no trace of oil on the finger or the serving plate. The stuffing was a tasty mixture of mash potato and whole peas, made fragrant with whole curry leaves, bits of cumin and coriander, and spiked with a tinge of spice heat. The accompanying sauces were the obligatory partners to these tasty bites: the tamarind sauce was tangy and slightly sweet with a faint hint of its clove-like aftertaste, and the coriander sauce was bright green, spicy and packed with the herbaceous coriander/cilantro, both tasting home-made and fresh. A fragrant and spicy start.

For my buffet visit, I sampled the Vegetable Pakoras. Pieces of zucchini, green pepper, and eggplant have been dipped in a yeasty dahl lentil batter and deep-fried, providing a more mealy dough made quite light with pockets of air from the fermentation, a far cry from the uninspired flour-water combination used by most establishments. But what really grabbed my attention were the delicate pieces of vegetable made puree-like by the frying and tasting vegetal sweet. The sides of lemon peel pickles and coconut chutney were well-made and worth sampling, tasting fresh and house-made.

Another starter served on the buffet line were some traditional soups. Rasam was a light soup, tasting a bit sour from tamarind, and spiced with whole mustard seeds and curry leaves with a nice backthroat bite from the chili. However, it tasted a little bit insipid compared to other versions that I have sipped before. In contrast, the Sambar was more satisfying for me, a soup that carried a similar flavor profile as the above soup, but made more substantial by the addition of bits of squash, and made creamy by lentils pureed into the soup. If weren’t for the main courses coming up, I would have gulped down a couple more steel cups full of this hot liquid.

On to the main courses. For my buffet visit, I decided to make a vegetarian/vegan plate. Spinach Kofta: The vegetable-ball consisted of slightly crunchy bits of carrots mixed with semolina-like starch coated with a creamy non-bitter spinach sauce that wowed me with its subtlety and a high level of satisfaction. Egg Curry: What I enjoyed about the dish was the light handedness in the spicing of the curry sauce that matched the mild egg whites yet creamy enough to pair with the yolk. Rajma Masala: Again, I appreciated the under spicing of this green bean and potato dish aided by a fairly subtle use of mustard seeds and cumin, enough to allow the green bean’s natural flavor shine through. Vegetable Korma: a medley of very tender peas, cauliflower, carrots and peas, brought together by cream and turmeric, with a hint of chili heat and fragrant spices. Aloo Beans: I marvelled at this simple yet savory dish with red beans cooked with the skin intact and starch cooked through with a hint of cinnamon wafting through each bite – who knew cinnamon worked with beans! Throughout my tasting of this plate, I kept going back to the spinach sauce which I couldn’t get enough of. The above dishes only reaffirmed my affinity for Indian vegetarian/vegan dishes that when prepared well, they are exciting and satisfying to the omnivore.

On to the meat dishes. Goat Curry: the gamey pieces of goat were moist and tender coated by a delectable slightly sweet sauce hinting of dark spices and rich without the use of cream. Tandoori Chicken: the piece of red-stained meat was slightly firm on the outside encasing a moist and tender interior, made tasty from some proper marination with yogurt and spices, and it was far flung from my expectation of a flavorless piece of dried out meat which I usually encounter on some buffet lines. Butter Chicken (mislabeled Chicken Tikka Masala): The pieces were moist and tender, paired with a creamy buttery sauce that was slightly tangy and sweet that give me an impression that the dish was prepared with care rather than throwing the elements together. Vegetable Biryani (ok, I had to balance the meat pieces out): What I truly enjoyed about this “simple” dish is that the pieces of peas and green beans felt integrated with the rice spiced with cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and bay leaves, further brought together by a faint hint of butteriness from the use of ghee (clarified butter). This reminded of my BFF’s order of Shrimp Biryani one night that had a similar profile but richer with more sinfully good buttery rice coating the tender plump shrimp – I was amazed by this seafood dish tasting like a unified dish without any element feeling out-of-place. No wonder it is BFF’s favorite.

Lamb Vindaloo was my dish on one night’s visit. Pieces of lamb were properly cooked to a very tender stage without falling apart and partnered with wedges of potato. But what brought the pieces of meat to another level is the sauce made fiery by dried chili evidenced by the chili seeds throughout the sauce. The chili heat was tempered with the use of fresh tomato cooked through leaving behind some of its skin. What was noticeable with this dish is that a skilful hand was behind the production of the balanced sauce, being not too salty, and the bare hint of oil. The accompanying Basmati rice was cooked to its perfect fluffy state with the random aroma-popping cumin seed running through the mound of grain. This dish, along with BFF’s Shrimp Biryani and Vegetable Samosa, made it an eventful night.

For my sweet craving, I helped myself to some Suji Halwa which was the only dessert offering on the buffet line. Initially, I thought that the pudding was too stiff when I cut into it along with the impression that there was too much of the pungent cardamom with the first spoonful. With subsequent mouthfuls, all the elements came together with the cream of wheat tasting slightly buttery, spicy from the cardamom, and sweet enough without being cloying. The pieces of ghee-soaked raisins (wow), pistachios and shards of almond slivers added interest to the sugar-laced starch. Somehow I made room for this sweet finale despite having ingested the above dishes.

In a short period of time, Curry Leaf has already made its presence known in the Laurel area, judging by the filled tables (a noticeable South Asian crowd) during the lunch and dinner services, even despite a torrential rain one night. In my estimation, what stands out in their offerings are dishes that taste freshly made, a judicious hand with the spices and seasoning, and a skilful and knowledgeable kitchen staff that cares about the final product. Yes, Indian cuisine can be tired-tasting and predictable. But I think I can count on this new establishment for something beyond the norm that is exciting and worth looking forward to.

P.S. I just read that the chef comes from the defunct yet successful vegetarian restaurant, Udupi, which was my favorite for a long time. Now this explains the exceptional quality in the food.

Montreal

Food, Restaurants

For the last few years, a good buddy and I have been travelling to Montreal, Canada, a city that we have fallen in love with for its walking neighborhoods, the quietness of a metropolis, the outdoor cafes and restaurants, the beautiful sights of cathedrals and wide esplanades, the carefree Jazz festival, the air of French sensibility without having to cross the Atlantic, and finally the wonderful cuisine that tantalized us during each visit. This francophone city boasts nearly as many restaurants as the top contender, New York City. Here is a list of eating establishments that we have visited and are worth mentioning.

On our last trip last week, after getting off the plane and dropping off our bags at the hotel, we immediately made a bee-line to the Le Plateau-Mont-Royal neighborhood, specifically to Rue Prince Arthur, a pedestrian street lined with open air eating establishments. Here you are able to find local Greek restaurants offering great lunch deals, four-course lunches for around $15. On one visit (usually more than one is paid), my starter was a generous piece of Spanakopita pie consisting of light and flaky filo dough interspersed with some crumbly feta cheese and spinach filling made savory from some enigmatic Greek spices; my friend’s lentil soup in another establishment was his favorite starter. My main course (not entrée – here it means appetizer) was a plate of well-seasoned rice, a tasty and well-dressed Greek salad, some crispy wedges of potato and finally the main star, a healthy piece of grilled salmon steak, moist and perfectly cooked. My friend’s portion of butterflied shrimp was tasty but the breading was off-putting to him; he prefers plain grilled shrimp which he has had before at another establishment that has, unfortunately, burned down. Usually a slice of moist cake and coffee or tea are the remaining courses to the long lunches that we relish in. I would recommend both La Caverne Grecque and La Casa Grecque. A walk to the close-by Square Saint-Louis to look at the quaint French-style homes is our digestif from such a satisfying meal.

A bit north of the same area, many Portuguese restaurants abound in this rather diverse neighborhood. We met up with a Haitian-American Facebook friend who lives in this city, and he was dismayed when I had told him I had eaten in a specific Portuguese chicken joint a few year ago, renown for large quantities but nothing else. So, on this trip, he promised that he would take me to another that he particularly enjoys. Rotisserie Portugalia is a small corner establishment with a faded obscure sign which makes it a bit difficult to find. Entering the establishment is deceiving since all you see is a grill and a bar counter; however, the small dining room is at the back. Since the chicken is what this place is known for, my travelling buddy and I both got an order that came with a side of salad, rice, and fries. The sides were decent and tasty, but the attention-grabber was definitely the moist and well-seasoned chicken that was slightly smoky from being properly grilled and spicy from some chili flakes; even the breast meat was flavorful and not dry. My newly-met friend’s ribs were quite good but he said he had better on other occasions – sucking those bones clean sure was not a good indicator of slight discontent! The perfect drink to wash all of this down was Sumol, a Portuguese fruity soda, of which the passion fruit version really hit the spot for all of us. Thanks for the recommendation, mon ami!

Everyone talks about this place – Schwartz’s Deli. It is located in the same neighborhood, and there seems to be a line of tourists waiting patiently to get in on any given day in the summer. I think the place garners more attention from the fact that Celine Dion’s husband bought this sandwich shop for $10m than the reviews of the sandwiches themselves. Since my buddy and I are not excited about Jewish deli food while in Montreal, we have never entered its doors; the long lines are not exactly enticing either. But all the guide books make mention of this place, hence my two cents worth. If anyone has gone in, please let me know!

On a recent trip, a long-time Salvadoran-Canadian friend took my travelling partner and me to a French-style restaurant around the Le Plateau-Mont-Royal neighborhood. Les Infideles is located off the main St. Denis Boulevard but according to my friend, it is a hidden treasure without the stuffiness of fine dining. The complementary Carrot Soup set the right tone for the rest of the evening with its rich flavors from a good amount of pureed carrot and a full soup body that made this bowl tempting to be licked clean. My friend and I decided to opt for a couple of appetizers since they appeared very appealing especially during the warm week that we had there. The Smoked Fish Plate featured pieces of Trout and Salmon smoked a la minute with Hickory wood that made each moist morsel delectable. The Snails in Blue Cheese Sauce with Puff Pastry was definitely a la francaise with plump snails matched with a perfectly balanced sauce that could have gone overboard. My appetizer of Wild Mushroom tart was bursting with the wild boschiness and the slices of blue cheese sending out its slightly bitter tones, all napped by a rich demi-glace sauce that made this vegetarian dish truly satisfying. My host’s main course of Sauteed Salmon with Garlic Flower Sauce created enough envy to this reviewer’s eyes with the moist piece of fish coated by a rich sauce, accompanied by a bouquet of plump vegetables including the dual-colored carrot that made the dish visually tentalizing. For my main, I choose the Pork Terrine and Peach Chutney which was completely up my alley with the mild and fresh-tasting chilled pressed meat well-matched by a fruity and sweet peach chutney and served with slices of rich Brioche bread. This place is well-worth the hike for its quality cooking, the value (especially for fine French cuisine), and the smart yet relaxed ambience (we complemented the waitress’s eclectic music selection). Another note: this place is BYOB, so stop for a bottle of your favorite vin on your way there.

Further up from Le Plateau-Mont Royal neighborhood is the Jean Talon neighborhood which is renown for its large open market. This is where we headed one early afternoon to have lunch. Around the food court you will find different vendors serving a wide variety of cuisines, an indication of the influx of immigration to this part of Canada. My friend had some Indian-styled lentil soup that was spiced by a touch of cumin, a rich buttery croissant, and a mango-orange juice smoothie to wash it all done. I had an Olive Ciabbata filled with roasted vegetables Blue and Goat cheeses that hit the right spots(when on a vegetarian mode) with the sweetness from the vegetables and the richness of the diary products (Brie is unpasteurized in Canada, compared to here, which tastes stronger and more bitter on the rind). For dessert, we walked around the fruits vendors and I sampled all the fruits a la Costco, enjoying all their fruity and sweet glory. We stopped by a vendor and ordered some rich Portuguese egg custard, Nata, and Macaroons that kept beckoning us to sample more unique flavors like Basil Lime. The Jean Talon Market is just off the Metro Jean Talon and worth an afternoon of gastronomic adventure.

One of our favorite sights is Old Montreal, by the St. Lawrence River, specifically the Notre-Dame Cathedral. After a couple of hours marveling at the beautiful color-stained windows and lights that barely light up the massive house of prayer, we stopped by Les Glaceurs, an ice-cream and cupcake store. Although it is a local chain, it does not have that commercial feel. The ice-creams are well-made without being too sweet, offering a wide selection including sorbets. The cupcakes look very tempting, but the ice-cream seems to always do its job of satisfying the craving for something sweet while cooling us down. Don’t miss out on this small place located on the side of the cathedral when down by the Notre Dame.

Not far from the Notre Dame is Chinatown located on the main Boulevard Saint Laurent. Many eating establishments in this area offer Vietnamese cuisine – some Vietnamese moved here due to their knowledge of French taught by their former colonialists. One simple eating establishment that we particularly enjoy is My Canh. My friend’s order of the Combo No. 1 (I’m always wary of anything combo) came with well-marinated grilled beef, chicken, grilled shrimp, along with Imperial roll, salad and rice, which he enjoyed tremendously. My order (Combo No. 2) was similar except mine consisted of lemongrass chicken filled with the root fragrance without being overwhelmed by it or too salty from fish sauce. The fish sauce dip to the tasty Imperial roll was the perfect balance of flavors. The opening clear pho soup was full of flavor and worth every sip. Note: only cash is accepted in this establishment.

Bistro 1272 is located in the gay-friendly part of town, Le Village, where the main Rue Sainte Catherine is closed to pedestrians decorated with overhanging pink balls in mid-air during the warm months. Bumping into some friends there, we decided to join them for dinner. After perusing the menu, I decided to go with the night’s special. The entrée was pita bread filled with flavorful Brie cheese (not the American pasteurized crap) paired with sweet dried cranberries and toasted walnuts, creating a tasty balancing act of flavors. The order of Grilled Chicken in Mushroom Sauce took this cut of poultry to a good place. Moist chicken slices are smothered with a rich and slightly woodsy brown sauce that made it worthwhile mopping up with some bread; the sides of Pommes Purée and vegetables were also well-executed. My friend’s order of Seafood in Beurre Blanc was a revelation for him. The pieces of shrimp, lobster, and scallop were bathed in a rich and flavorful shallot and lobster-infused butter sauce that made my friend effusive throughout his meal. You can find well-executed meals here at a very reasonable price, and it is worthwhile dining al fresco watching the pedestrians stroll by.

Ah, we can’t get enough of this charming city every time we visit it. Just when we thought we had calculated enough days for our trip, we always felt a few more would have made it perfect. With such great food, amiable friends and strangers, and wonderful street life and eating ambience, it is hard to press the stop button and come back to the daily grind. But such wonderful experiences only allow us to continue with our trying lives while looking forward to returning to this beautiful respite again and again. With such wonderful gastronomic offerings, Montreal seems to make that call continuously to us, louder each time. We’re coming back soon; don’t worry!

Peranakan/Nyonya Dinner 1

Food, Restaurants

In the last few blogs, I posted about traditional Chinese dinners and banquets, meals that exude a level of refinement and a level of cooking that is indicative of top-quality Far Eastern cuisine. However, in this blog, I will be writing about a Peranakan or Nyonya meal that my family members and I enjoyed during our brief reunion in Malaysia, while on a side trip to the beautiful northern island of Penang.

Penang was part of the Straits Settlement, a trio of port-cities that were run by the British for a couple centuries beginning in the late 18th century. One of the settlements is the port of Malacca, which my father hails from. In all three ports, Singapore being the last, Chinese immigrants moved to this part of Southeast Asia for commercial opportunities beginning in the early 15th. Before then, these men were transient and returned to China, but in time, Chinese traders decided to set up homes in the tropics and some married the local womenfolk, producing the germinal stage for the Peranakan or Baba/Nyonya culture. At a certain point in history, China issued edicts that prohibited the movement of traders between the two countries, thus forcing them to claim these Southeast Asian ports as their home. In my estimation, the Peranakan culture is probably the first hybrid cultures in the world, before the arrival of the Spaniards to the Americas and before the existence of the Mestizo culture. In this posting, I will be describing dishes from my subculture, eaten at Ivy’s Place, located in Georgetown, Penang, while pointing out its differences to pure Chinese cuisine, and the various influences to the cuisine derived from a new Southeast Asian environment.

1) Lo Bak: Very few dishes in the cuisine qualify as appetizers but only one in particular can claim such reputation, Kueh Pie Tee (see blog). However, Lo Bak is close to being called one since it is a light bite. Soybean skin have been stuffed with a minced pork mixture, mixed with crunchy water chestnuts, and seasoned with aromatic 5-spice powder (cinnamon, coriander seed, star-anise, bay leaf, and allspice). The side of sour chili sauce. a non-Chinese condiment, is the perfect accompaniment to these fragrant meaty bites. This dish brought back memories of enjoying these tasty morsels in local coffee shops for breakfast or lunch.

2) Otak-Otak: This quintessential Nyonya dish is found in all Peranakan communities. Minced Spanish Mackerel is mixed with rich coconut milk, aromatic root herbs like galangal, turmeric root, and lemongrass, and made fragrant with Kaffir lime leaves and turmeric leaves. This mixture is spooned into fresh banana leaves and steamed until slightly firm. Here we see the use of purely Southeast Asian ingredients and seasonings. This concoction was a favorite of ours made by my paternal grandmother, and eating it was definitely a trip down gastronomic memory lane. However, the kitchen ran out of these parcels and all we got was a small but delicious taste – what a pity.

3) Itek Tim: This is one of the few clear soups found in a cuisine which tends to have heavier sauces instead. Pieces of duck and Chinese Pickled Mustard Green have been boiled together to produce a slightly sour soup enriched by the strong-flavored poultry. I remember this dish being served on auspicious days like marriages and Lunar New Year. Unfortunately, this version was not as good as grandma’s (we compare dishes to the home version like Italians do) who used Tamarind slices to add more of a sour punch, a few chilis for some heat (Southeast Asian sensibility here), and a shot of brandy to counteract any strong fowl flavor (excuse the pun). No doubt, the latter version was a hit in our household. Note: Soups are not considered a separate course, thus it is savored continuously throughout the meal.

4) Inchi Kabin: The peculiar name of this dish is perhaps derived when the cook in the ships would call the sailor or Captain (Encik/Inchi) from the cabin (Kabin) down for the meal when the chicken was ready. It is basically a twice-fried chicken seasoned with mild aromatics and matched with a sauce that includes Worcestershire sauce. Its mild nature and the use of the English seasoning are telltale signs that this dish is an adaptation for the Western palate, most likely British since they ran Penang island for a long period of time.

5) Ayam Kapitan: This aromatic chicken stew is much milder than the local chicken curries, but not short in flavor. The interesting name (Kapitan meaning Captain) and its mild flavor again points to locals modifying the nature of typical dishes to suit the taste needs of Westerners that employed them in their households. Many Peranakan men and women worked for the British in their offices or as part of the house staff. This is more of a Penang Nyonya dish, thus a bit of a novelty for my family during the meal.

6) Sengkuang Goreng: Here we have Jicama stir-fried with dried shrimps and Chinese mushrooms, seasoned with some light soy and darkened with some dark soy. Jicama is indigenous to Mexico and it was brought to Southeast Asia by the Spanish conquistadores when they arrived in the Philippine islands. This northern dish was new for me, and I enjoyed savoring it as a wrap with lettuce leaves.

7) Asam Ikan: It would be amiss to savor Peranakan cuisine without ordering this quintessential dish. Fish steaks have been poached in a soup made aromatic from lemongrass and galangal, spicy from some chili, and sour from tamarind. The topping of fresh mint and torch ginger flower (Bunga Kantan) adds a level of herbaceousness that makes this fish stew completely irresistible. The pieces of fresh tomato added to the soup’s sour quality, and the al dente okra added some textural contrast. This stew brought back memories of home dinners when it was served weekly during the 8 to 10 dish dinners that we grew up on.

8) Asam Udang: Whole prawns have been marinated in tamarind paste and some sugar, providing a slightly sweet and sour element to the mild sweet shrimp meat. Although I am used to the stewed version that we grew up on, I enjoyed this grilled version that made the shells crispy and completely edible. Similar treatment to pork belly was also a favorite in our family meals while growing up.

9) Bubur Pulut Hitam: This rice pudding is made with purple glutinous rice cooked with Pandan leaf (“Asian Vanilla”) and topped with a tropical touch of salty coconut cream. This was always a favorite of my family, and it was eaten both hot or cold at anytime of the day or night. A great end to this meal.

The dishes in this meal represent the essence of the Peranakan culture pointing to the assimilation of Southeast Asian ingredients and seasonings with a Chinese taste palate. This is evident from the use of coconut milk, tropical root aromatics like lemongrass, galangal, and turmeric, the use of spicy chili peppers and sour tamarind, the use of herbs like mint, pandan leaf and torch ginger flower, the affinity for Jicama/Sengkuang (although originally from Mexico), and the balance of flavors mixing the sour, spicy, sweet, and salty. Yes, this food is indeed very complex in its flavor profile and equally time-consuming in cooking and realizing the final product; I know this too well since I used to watch both my grandmothers prepare the all-important large dinners starting in the wee hours of the morning. But this meal sitting was very rewarding on many levels, and we must have attacked the dishes like wandering gastronomes returning to something familiar and extremely soul-stirring. Despite all the culinary wanderlust within, this meal was the much needed homecoming for me and my family members, food wise and location. We just cannot get enough of this wonderful yet little-known cuisine. Hopefully, you will get to try some of its dishes, and then you will understand.

Watch a brief video on Peranakan Culture.

English Eats

Food, Restaurants

I recently returned from a week trip to London which gave me the opportunity to catch up with friends and relatives who reside in that part of the world. It also gave me the chance to catch up with some English eats, food that I grew up on during my high school days in a British all-boys boarding school. Most of us would turn our noses up when mentioning this Continental cuisine, and my classmates and I did stage a food strike in school, the only one in its history as a school (it has closed down not too long ago). However, there is a lot to redeem itself from such maligned status, and I indulged in some typical English food which most would take for granted. This was my culinary journey.

One single dish that definitely comes to mind when mentioning British food is Fish and Chips which I longed for during my visit. On a day trip to the enormous British Museum, I asked a London Underground employee where I could get some decent lunch. I knew he would lead me to a proper shop liken to asking a cop where to find some fresh donuts. Entering the shop, it was quite empty since it was still quite early for lunch at it was sweltering outside and inside (most establishments do not have AC). The cook assured me that he was going to make me a fresh batch of fried fish when I placed my order. The plate arrived with some lightly battered moist Cod accompanied with some chips (fries) and my perennial English favorite, Mashed Peas, which conjure up some vile thoughts among most Americans. The fresh tasting house tartar sauce was the perfect partner to the mild fish which was packed with fresh dill. The chips were proper and a heavy dousing of malt vinegar (a must!) hit the right spot for me. As for the mashed peas, I couldn’t get enough of it. This is definitely a must-have for those visiting across the waters. Just don’t be surprised that an immigrant is running the shop, as was the Albanian for my lunch. If you happen to be around the British Museum, check out Alen’s Fish & Chips.

For one of my lunches, I met up with an Aussie-Malaysian that has become an expat in this metropolis for the last year. Although we were still struggling with the heat, or the lack of cool places, we elected for a pie shop. Pieminister has one of their branches located in Farringdon, the heart of London’s Business District. Looking at the array of pies, I picked something I ate during a rugby trip more than 30 years ago – Steak and Kidney. Each order of pie came siting on a mound of mashed potato, topped with cheese curds, mashed peas and fried onions, swimming in a pool of savory sauce in a retro enameled metal plate. The pie was exactly what I expected, meaty with melting chunks of beef, a bit bitter from the organ meat, and savory from the rich thick gravy inside. The other sides were decent, but they brought this simple dish a bit over the top, especially in this heat. It would have been the right dish in the cold winter but I had to get this fix in on this trip.

Well, something lighter and more digestible for the summer heat is an English Sandwich. Yes, the simple bread and filling concoction that would make most roll their eyes. Well, the English are famous for making fantastic combinations of this light meal that are easily available everywhere during these hot months from the Public Houses (aka Pubs) to the grocery stores. A visit to a pub for a lighter fare after the monstrous pie meal was rewarded by a menu featuring some sandwiches. My order came with slices of hearty country white bread (not the spongy Wonderbread crap) filled with some quality Wiltshire ham, with a clean and barely salty flavor, and slices of ripe tomato. But what makes the sandwich British is the slathering of pungent British mustard that is biting enough to clear the sinuses. Other favorite combinations that I have savored in the past are the classic Buttered Cucumber Sandwich and the Cheese and Chutney version. Try these different light bites when visiting the Isles in the warmer months.

What’s is the next meal after lunch around these areas? No, it is not dinner but tea. When it was a bit cooler, my cousin treated me with some of her baking and she made some Scones for teatime. Round pillows of short and buttery dough have been baked with a firm outer crust but soft and light when split open. My cousin noted that the secret to making scrumptious ones is the use of a nutmeg in the mix. To top of this pastry, she added some clotted cream, much like a thick whipped cream akin to mascarpone cream, but more of a buttery flavor. To sweeten the deal, a huge dollop of fruity jam topped it off. A good cuppa (cup of tea), stronger than the American version, with a touch of milk makes the perfect drink to go with these tasty bites. Sorry, but I forgot to take a photo of the scones, but in lieu, I am posting a photo of some tea servers I came across at the British Museum.

On my last night, I met up with a former classmate that attended boarding school with me 30 years ago. He and his girlfriend met me up at the tourist-packed Piccadilly Square, and we walked to Chinatown looking for some quality Chinese food that it is known for. Looking at a throng of people waiting outside its doors, we decided to chance it and walk into Four Seasons on the busy Gerard Street. For our appetizer, we ordered the Peking Duck – the meat was flavorful and the lacquered skin, the most important part, well rendered and quite crispy, making the wraps delectable and irresistible. For the mains, part of the meal was a combination of Chinese Roast Pork and BBQ Pork. My friend and his gal were constantly reaching for this dish during the meal mainly due to the skillful seasoning and cooking of these cuts of meat. The BBQ version was glazed with a sweet and savory sauce, and the Roast Pork pieces were slightly salty and made crispy from perfectly cooked and crunchy crackling. The pool of addition sauce under the meaty mound was scooped up and poured over our bowls of rice until its last drop. These fine dishes took me back to my youthful trips to London in hunt for excellent Chinese food as a relief from the trying boarding school fare that were served (hint – hunger strike).

What comes after the mains around here? No, not necessarily sweet desserts but a Cheese Plate. A visit back to my high school brought back lots of memories, from the train station and little village that has not changed in 30 years, to the ride up the hill that I used to trek up with my luggage, to the school that housed a lot of my memories of my early teen years, and the wonderful monks who still remembered me after countless of students that walked through its hallways. One memory was having a Cheese Plate on special feast days for our lunches. Different cheeses were usually served with Cream Crackers and a vegetable pickle called Piccalilly, something that I had not touched in 30 years but was resuscitated in my memory bank on this trip. Somehow, I always manage to fit in a few slices of Stilton, Aged Cheddar, and Brie before dessert.

For the pudding or dessert lover, ok, here are a couple of them. The first is Trifle, a mixture of cut fruit, whipped cream and pastry cream or thick custard. This is a combination of the freshness of seasonal fruit, sweetness of the custard, and the richness of the cream, all brought together in one single bite. Not the most beautiful looking dessert but it is indeed satisfying. Another sweet ending at this time of the year is Summer Pudding, consisting of white bread that has been soaked by the juices from a compote of different berries. The bread will have taken the sweetness of the berry juices, holding together the fruit bits that can be topped with some sweetened whip cream or yogurt. You can get good renditions of these desserts in the local supermarkets if you are too bothered to make them.

Walking around London, I noticed people hanging around outside of pubs while holding a pint of their favorite beverage, trying to stay cool from the uncomfortable heat. On my few visits for a cool down, I ordered some Hard Cider, a drink that is not easily found on this end of the Atlantic Ocean. The American version of cider is a dealkalized version of the UK drink, much like unfiltered apple juice. But the Continental version has a bit of alcohol punch and it is served very cold, much to my relief on those warm days. These days, these apple brews come infused with different fruit flavors which I found revelatory on this trip. If cider is not your cup of tea, there is always the myriad of beers and ales that would satisfy the thirsty traveler.

My return to the UK was definitely a nostalgic journey, from visiting my old High School, to getting reacquainted with old friends, relatives, and teachers, and to catch up on some British foods that I grew to love. Yes, the food scene has changed considerably in the last 3o years, and various international influences have made roadways into the local eats. So, when you are in this part of the world, discard what you have heard about English eats, and be open-minded to some wonderful culinary creations that can even surprise anyone – you may find a favorite among the many dishes.

Le Channel

Food, Restaurants

During my recent visit to London, I stayed with my cousin who used to take care of my siblings and me when we had little weekend breaks during the school year in boarding school. She would spoil us with her wonderful cooking, from French crepes for breakfast to aromatic Malaysian curries for dinner, interspersed by a trip to a good Chinese restaurant. She is equally an avid foodie like I am, and our meeting-ups are filled with conversations constantly revolving around the topic of gastronomy, to which her sons are perplexed about. So, on this last trip to the UK, she asked me to reserve a day to make a day-trip to Calais, France.

Having driven with her and another couple for an hour-and-a-half to the white cliffs of Dover, we took a ferry that transported us smoothly across the English Channel sailing for around an hour (Hovercrafts are just too choppy of a ride, albeit faster). After getting off the boat, we immediately used GPS to search for Le Channel, a Michelin-worthy restaurant hugging the French coast not far away from the port that we disembarked from. Since we had arrived earlier than our reservation time, we walked around parts of the city while our anticipation for fine French cuisine was stirring in our minds and the increasingly hungry bellies. At 12:30 p.m., the time of our reservation, we walked into the restaurant and took our seats by the expansive window. I will write this review starting with the photos and the food description of the various diners’ dishes, followed by the review.

Amuse Bouche: Cantaloupe, Iberian Ham, Shrimp, and Russian Vegetable Salad.

First Course 1: Fruits de Mer – Crab, Shrimp, Scampi, Welts, Oysters, and Brown Shrimp.

First Course 2: Foie Gras with Black Salt and Armagnac, Eggplant and Buffalo Mozzarella Caviar, Tender Artichoke Hearts, Yellow Tomato Gelee, Brioche and Cooked Vegetables.

Second Course 1: Oven Roasted Red Mullet Fillet, Basque Red Pepper Sauce, Fried White Onions.

Second Course 2: Salted Cod Brandade, Sea Bass Beignets, Fresh Peas, Creamed Emulsion of Cooking Juices.

Second Course 3: Skillet Steak with Raw Butter, Smoked Eggplant Rounds, Parmesan Cone with Mushrooms, Avocado Sauce.

Second Course 4: Sole Murniere, Seasonal Vegetables.

Cheese and Dried Fruit Plate – the waiter’s recommendation of three of the strongest cheeses in the house.

Chariot de Dessert: Mille Feuille, Opera, Multi Fruits, Paris Brest, Iles Flottantes, French Trifles, Mousse de Chocolat, Mousse de Café.

Dessert Plate: Multi Fruits, Iles Flottantes, French Trifle.

As the saying goes, “A picture speaks a thousand words” or in this case, many photos. Looking at them, they represent what the true experience was about: top-quality fresh ingredients as in the huge starter of Fruits de Mer, exceptional cooking, creative pairing of ingredients as in the Avocado Sauce and Smoked Eggplant with the Steak, well-seasoned components as in the heavenly Potatoes cooked in stock with my Sole Murniere and the Basque Red Pepper Sauce with the Red Mullet, the eye-opening variety in the menu with the incredible array of Desserts and Cheeses, and the incredible value for this to-die-for meal at this high fine dining level (31 Euros and 39 Euros). The décor was impeccable yet not intimidating, service was efficient and a bit cheeky at times, and the ambience conducive to truly enjoying the experience and savoring the delectable dishes without being pressured or rushed – we took 3 hours (aren’t we supposed to, anyway?). All the diners at my table were constantly effusive about their own selections with the exception of a couple who found some of the cheeses way too strong in smell and flavor to be palatable. I enjoyed every crumble of strong cheese that I would not get to taste in the US due to pasteurization laws, and the dried fig and apricot were the perfect foil and palate relief to the assertive dairy.

Having lunch at Le Channel was truly a highlight for me and I am thankful to my cousin for organizing this wonderful gastronomic trip. Interestingly, we all walked away from the table well-sated on my levels, yet we were not waddling out of there despite the quantity of food we had ingested. I tagged along my cousin to the local Hypermarket where she stocked up on all the local produce to bring back to her home in London. Walking around, I couldn’t help but marvel at the quality and variety of ingredients that inspire the French to appreciate good cooking and make food an integral part of their culture. A simple meal on the trip back of French Baquette, Mushroom-scented Brie, and French Ham was a good end to this marvelous trip that is well-imbedded in this reviewer’s mind, and it will be replayed over and over again until the grove is worn down.

Aroy Thai

Food, Restaurants

With quite a few blogs on Thai cuisine on my site, it is hard to justify writing another one on this Southeast Asian cuisine. However, when I heard that there was a new restaurant not far from my neighborhood serving this Asian cuisine, I knew I had to check it out after getting over my initial surprise (“What? In Prince George’s county?”) Reading my previous blog on another Thai establishment (see blog), you sense my frustration that my county is not as “blessed” as the neighboring ones when it comes to international cuisine, especially Thai. Furthermore, it is located in the heart of College Park, MD (aka Party Town) which is known for mediocre cheap eats, drinking holes, and rambunctious fraternities – I graduated from there more than 20 years ago, so I know. With these thoughts in mind, I knew I had to check this new place out and see whether the positive online reviews (100% on one site) were written by reviewers in a sober state.

Located just off the main drag Route 1, Aroy is squeezed into a narrow building in a short block lined with metered parking on both sides of the street. The window is displayed with plastic rendition of their dishes that brings to mind Japanese sushi models popular in the 90’s. Walking into the narrow building, you notice that it is a small 7-table establishment with a counter separating the dining room from the kitchen. The bright orange walls and the long wood banquette makes the place welcoming and warm. Having a lifetime experience with this cuisine since I was a child, I recognized many dishes on the menu and I decided to check-out their offerings by ordering some standard dishes.

As part of their lunch menu, the main dishes come with Thai Spring Rolls or Tom Yum Chicken Soup. I must say I did not expect much from these appetizers since they were part of the lunch deal, but I was proven wrong. The spring rolls were crispy and nearly greaseless, light from the thin wrapper, and delicious from a filling made with bean thread noodle, fine cabbage, and a surprisingly flavorful ingredient, oaky shiitake mushrooms, which elevated these bites to another level beyond its pedestrian flavor. The soup was unexpected for me also. Instead of an insipid sip, it was flavor packed with aromatics like lemongrass, and balanced with enough chili heat, lime tartness, fish sauce saltiness, and sweet from a pinch of sugar. The bowl had a fair amount of mushrooms, tomatoes, and slivers of chicken breast to make it quite satisfying. A good start to the meal, indeed.

On a couple of occasions, I decided to try out their traditional salads. The first was Larb Gai. Pieces of minced chicken are paired with sweet onions, roasted chili powder, toasted rice powder, and moistened with lime juice, fish sauce, and a hint of sugar. This was a delicious spicy salad with the chili powder and rice powder adding a level of smokiness and heat to the sour, salty and sweet flavors of this warm bite. If it weren’t for a couple of sinewy pieces of chicken, this would have been flawless. The other salad was Som Tum, or Green Papaya Salad. Thin julienned strands of the young fruit are paired with carrot, tomato, and green beans, flavored by a sauce made of fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh chilies. What I enjoyed about the dish is the freshness of the ingredients and the balance of the bold flavors as well as the assertive spice heat – the kitchen is not holding back here. The whole peanuts in the dish added a rich nuttiness that balanced out some of the acidity in the dish. This was refreshing for me despite the fieriness of the chili heat – definitely, very close to Ped (Thai chili hot).

Another appetizer that is a good litmus test of a Thai kitchen is its rendition of Sate Chicken. This restaurant’s version was out of the ordinary and it definitely wowed me. Unlike many versions that I have eaten before, here the pieces of chicken were well marinated in turmeric and root aromatics like galangal making each moist piece full of flavor and aromatic, enough to stand by itself. The accompanying sauce was also revelatory. Most restaurants serve a bland version made with peanut butter but here, I tasted a version made with crushed peanuts, root aromatics, palm sugar as the sweetener, and tamarind juice as the sour element, an authentic sauce that I have tasted on the other side of the world. The toasted pieces of bread were the perfect vehicle to mop up the sauce to its last drop. The bowl of sweet pickles was probably a bit too fresh and they could have done with a longer pickling. But that was very minor compared to the main players of this opening dish. Yummm!

Noodle dishes seem to be calling my name every time I visit a Thai restaurant and I had to sample their offerings. A friend’s order of Pad See Euw was his lunch on one occasion. The wide pieces of rice noodles were slightly bouncy fresh and adequately sauced without being drowned by it, tasting savory from Thai soy and quite sweet that made each bite irresistible. The crunchy broccoli, moist chicken slices, and wispy clouds of egg added the necessary tasty elements to the dish, which made this version pleasurable for my friend. My order of Pad Kee Mao, or Drunken Noodle, was totally up my alley. The wide noodles were fresh and not oily, adequately covered by a savory sauce (which remains a secret enigma to me to this day), mixed with slightly crunchy sweet peppers and onion strips, fragrant fresh purple basil, biting fresh bird chilies, moist meat, and pieces of sweet tomato. This was an damn good version of my favorite Thai noodle dish, and it hit the right spots for me.

Very few fried rice dishes impress me these days but my friend’s order here was something else. The fresh tasting rice was cooked with bits of slightly crunchy carrot bits, sweet white onions, juicy tomato, topped with perfectly cooked shrimp, pungent green onions, bits of scrambled eggs, and served with fresh cucumber slices. But what ties these disparate elements together is the flavoring added to the mixture, made from Thai soy sauce, containing a je-ne-sai-quoi added to regular soy, and a hint of fish sauce. Despite being engrossed in my delicious noodle dish I couldn’t help but spoon from his rice place and enjoy the flavor profile of this dish. When it is done right, this dish sings in the mouth, and it did in this case.

No meal in a Thai restaurant would be complete without ordering a curry dish, or a couple of them. On one visit, I ordered the Green Curry. My bowl arrived with lean pork, Thai eggplant, bamboo shoots, sweet peppers, and purple basil. Being a curry dish, the main player is the curry sauce, and this version was outstanding for me. It had a slight peppery quality with a vegetal green chili fragrance, made more aromatic with root herbs and the basil. But the cooking of the curry paste with fresh tasting coconut milk resulted in a well amalgamated mixture that stands out from other versions. It was slightly sweet which points to the Thai sensibility for this seasoning as integral to the authentic palate. Another visit’s order of the Red Curry was equally superb with the same ingredients as the above dish with exception of the curry paste. The sauce was a bit more fiery with the use of red chilies in the paste with a darker leaf aroma from the use of Kaffir lime leaf – the evidence of a soften leaf points to adequate cooking to render all its flavor into the sauce. I was again impressed by the skillful cooking that gave the curry a magical quality that I have not experienced often with this dish.

Although the sweet offerings here are sparse, I had to give them a try since they were some of my favorites. The Fried Bananas came as mini spring rolls stuffed with pieces of banana, and topped with some honey and toasted sesame seeds. The dough was fried crispy and nearly greaseless, encasing a filling of soft sweet banana, made even sweeter by the honey and fragrant from the sesame seeds. An order of Mango and Sticky Rice was a special on another visit. After getting a confirmation from the cook that the mangoes were prime and sweet, I received a plate with pieces in such heavenly state. The side of sticky glutinous rice topped with coconut cream was an equal partner to the ripe fruit. It had enough saltiness to match the sweet fruit and rich from some quality coconut crème made nutty from a topping of fried mung beans, an addition that wavers from the usual sesame seeds. What impressed me the most of this dish was the rice, which was perfectly cooked and matched in seasoning and creaminess. I know how tricky it is to cook this grain well, and that is why most restaurants can’t get it right. However, this is the best rendition (yes!) of this dessert I have ever tasted, and its delicious ghost aftertaste still haunts my taste buds.

Something good is going on here, especially in that small kitchen: woodsy shiitake mushrooms in perfectly wrapped spring rolls, well-seasoned Tom Yum soup, fiery and smoky chicken salad, spicy and nutty papaya salad, the well-marinated Sate chicken and irresistible sauce, perfectly seasoned noodles with barely a trace of oil, savory fried rice that puts all others to shame, curries with an aromatic sauce perfectly balanced with quality coconut milk and paired with fragrant jasmine rice, the best sticky rice ever tasted along with sweet ripe mangoes, and sweet soft bananas encased in sticky crispy dough. Looking at the photos that I took, you see an undivided attention given to each dish even in the simple garnishes on the plate. In Korean, this is called “hand flavor” which is indescribable but only can be felt or tasted. Well, this place sure has it, and when I am this inspired, I want to get a glimpse of Mrs. Chef in the kitchen. One day I hope to personally thank her for such skillful cooking. This place is most definitely Aroy! (Tasty!)

Mannequin Pis

Food, Restaurants

It has been a year since I paid a visit to a Belgian eatery in the Palisades neighborhood that served decent food, but, however, it left me uninspired to write a blog about their offerings. As I was about to scratch this cuisine off my to-eat-list, someone mentioned to me about another restaurant in the Maryland suburbs way up north of town which he raved about for its dishes and he insisted that I paid it a visit.

Mannequin Pis is located in the northern suburb of Olney, about 30 minutes north in Montgomery County, in a short nondescript strip mall that does not quite inspire much hope for fine dining. Located behind a larger strip mall and sandwiched other establishments serving fast and cheap eats, the establishment stands out with its patio furniture and the heavily decorated window front plastered with numerous dining awards. However, it is easily missed from the main road, but GPS is one’s best friend in this circumstance.

With an online coupon in hand that spurred me to make a spontaneous visit, I walked in on a rather late hour on a quiet Monday night, hoping to avoid a large crowd (no walk-ins on the weekends) and to get a choice seat to take some decent photos for the blog. The place was only filled with a handful of people with French/Belgian music piping in the background. The dining room exudes some character with neatly set white paper and clothed tables filling the room without being packed like sardines. Upon taking my seat, I was served some fresh slices of baguette and butter. The quality of bread signaled what was to come for the rest of the evening. It was crusty and crunchy on the outside while spongy and light on the inside, exuding a homely baked aroma and tasting slightly sour from proper fermentation. This simple gesture was indicative of the attentiveness of this establishment, and anticipation was already stirring up in me.

Perusing the menu, I was not sure where to start for an appetizer. Fortunately with the knowledgeable assistance of my Francophone waiter, he suggested that I order the Mussel Saffron Soup. When it arrived, I marveled at the bowl and its ingredients. A pool of deep yellow soup arrived brimming with whole mussels topped with some chopped tomato, chives, leeks, and the unmistakable strands of saffron. But it was the flavor profile of the soup that really impressed me the most: the soup was slightly floral from the saffron threads, savory from a good seafood stock, made rich from the use of crème fraiche, and slightly tangy from a hint of cider vinegar (my suspicion was confirmed by my waiter). The mussels were plump and slightly briny, cooked to perfection while maintaining its fresh quality and plumpness without any granular texture (a telltale sign of inferior quality or overcooking). With this delicious soup being surprisingly light and so flavorful, I could not put my spoon down until every drop had been ingested and all the mussels consumed. It did not matter that summer has already arrived and this was a creamy soup – this could be a year-round order in my books.

Recalling my previous experience in the other Belgian restaurant, it appears that one of the strong suits of this European cuisine is the sausages, and this restaurant offers a wide variety of these meaty morsels. Although my waiter recommended the Merguez sausage (made with spicy Moroccan lamb), I elected for something closer to its home and flavor – Wild Boar. The encased pressed meat arrived grilled, judging by the burnt marks, perched on a bed of White Wine braised Sauerkraut. Biting in the meat, I detected its mild gaminess paired with a tinge of sweetness and clove aroma, studded with pieces of moist sweet raisins. What I liked about this bite was the freshness of the meat, the unique flavors of wild boar, and the gentle seasonings that elevated the meat mixture beyond its humble state. The pickled cabbage under was the perfect foil for the slightly rich meat flavors with its sour elements made complex with the slightly fruity wine notes and some salty smoked bacon goodness imparted into the pickle. This was definitely a good pairing for this tasty sausage.

It would be amiss to take a trip to a Belgian restaurant without ordering what this Continental cuisine is known for – Mussels. I chose my mollusks paired with a weird sounding sauce – Snob. A mini cauldron pot arrived with a kilo load (more than 2 pounds) of the seafood, piping hot with the sauce made with celery, onions, leeks, lobster bisque, garlic and brandy. The liquid was rather rich and packed with flavor, made aromatic from the use of fresh thyme and fresh bay leaves (milder than the dry version) imparting their slight mint-woodsy and faint eucalyptus-like oils. The mussels were as fresh they come – plump, briny, juicy, and not granular which is indicative of their freshness and proper cooking. The side of Frites was decent and proper, served the continental way with a tangy mayonnaise as the dip. For the seafood lover, especially mussels, this is a must-order with a wide choice of 17 tasty sauces to delight each bite and the individual’s taste.

Just when I thought I was sated from the delectable offerings, I was tempted by my waiter to look at the dessert menu. He suggested that I order Chocolate Terrine and I took it up on his advice. My plate arrived beautifully decorated with two thick slices of the terrine sitting on a zigzag pool of raspberry coulis. The chocolate wedges hit the right spot for this chocoholic – it was made with good quality Belgian dark chocolate (I was shown the 20-pound bar) that exuded its bitter-sour qualities of its high cocoa content. Beyond this flavor profile, hints of a slight Amaretto booziness came through along with crunchy shards of toasted almonds that added a counter texture to the smooth rich terrine. The sweet fruity raspberry sauce was the classic complement to the rich dessert providing more sweetness and fruity acidity to balance the chocolate. Again, we see the skillful cooking/preparation of the kitchen in this simple yet well-constructed dessert. It was definitely difficult putting my fork down with this decadent delight, but I managed to save the other half for another occasion.

Three things come to mind: never write a cuisine off just because of one lackluster experience; do not judge the book by its cover, or a restaurant by its location or storefront; and listen to what people say and recommend for the word of mouth is a powerful tool. With these pointers in mind, I am glad that I have stumbled across this unassuming delightful restaurant that offers wonderful veritable Belgian cooking that can impress the skeptic. On my next trip, I will probably imbibe in the various Belgian beer offerings especially the raspberry one that my charming waiter recommended to go with my dessert. The good thing is that I won’t have to write a blog, hence I can put my brain cells on vacation for the next visit and let the alcohol do its giddy work on them!