Oysters, Burger, and Beer Combo at Maritime Parc!

I saw an article listing the best restaurants in Jersey City and it mentioned the oysters, burger, and beer combo at Maritime Parc.  On Thursdays, they have a $20 special that gets you half a dozen oysters, beer or wine, and a burger:

They had a choice of four beers (Founder Reds Rye, Six Point Sweet Action, Lagunitas IPA, DogFish Namaste). I tried the Namaste but wasn't really a fan.

Complimentary bread with pickled veg and cheese: nice to start with the veg and cheese (they also gave us butter with sea salt)

Fresh oysters: unfortunately, they were not cleaned well - there were bits of shell and the oyster wasn't separated from the bottom shell. These were served with cocktail sauce and a cucumber mignonette

Scallop Burger: Corn Mayo, Bacon, Marinated Tomato, served with duck fat fries - this burger was really good, one of the best burgers I've had recently. This really makes me want to try more burgers in NYC to see how it compares to this one, but flavor-wise this was excellent.  The fries were also amazing.

Hazelnut Honey Cake, Mission Fig Preserves, Brown Butter Ice Cream, Fig Brûlée: amazing dessert - this was really well balanced between sweet and tart

So even though the oysters weren't cleaned that well, this is one of the best deals I've come across - I'll definitely come back to try the other burgers that they have.

Maritime Parc
84 Audrey Zapp Dr
Jersey City, NJ 07305
http://www.maritimeparc.com/

Ramen Obsession #4: Jinya Ramen Bar!

Like Bassanova, Jinya Ramen is another Japanese franchise with locations in the US and Canada.  But the main reason I wanted to try this place was that they had Brussels sprouts yakitori AND Brussels sprouts tempura (I'm currently obsessed with Brussels sprouts and have been cooking with them for the past three years). hey also have fresh garlic as a ramen topping for free (and they supply you with a garlic press!)


Chashu Pork Bun: really good - nice pork to bun ratio, very flavorful

Enoki Mushroom and bacon yakitori: delicious (pretty much what you’d expect)

Brussels sprouts yakitori, served with miso: DISAPPOINTING - the sprouts themselves weren’t seasoned and were undercooked. This could’ve been so much better if it was more charred or if it was glazed with teriyaki while being grilled.

Brussels sprouts tempura, served with truffle salt: good thing I ordered this as well since this was great

Jinya Tonkotsu Black - pork broth, pork chashu, kikurage, green onion, nori, seasoned egg, garlic chips, garlic oil, fried onion: the broth had a lot of depth, melty style pork chashu, good toppings – really delicious, the only thing lacking was the noodles, which didn’t hold up to the rest of the bowl

I also ordered extra chicken chashu since I don’t see this that often at ramen places. It came out served on the side – even though you get a lot for $2, it’s fairly dry – not recommended, I’ll definitely get extra pork next time.

Spicy Miso Tonkotsu – pork broth, minced pork, chunked pork chashu, spinach, cabbage, spicy miso, bean sprouts, green onion: I tried a spoonful of the broth and it was fine

One of the coolest things about this place is that they give you free garlic as a ramen topping AND they supply you with a garlic press!

Green Tea Mille Crepe with Azuki Cream, served with vanilla ice cream: ordered this even though we were all full – no regrets, this was really good

Jinya Ramen Bar

24 Greenwich Ave

New York, NY 10011

http://www.jinya-ramenbar.com/

Ramen Obsession #3: Bassanova Ramen in Chinatown!

I was curious about this place since the original branch is located in Tokyo and the chef was the one who created the ramen burger. Normally I order tonkotsu shio as a measure for ramen quality but decided to try the green curry ramen since this was their best selling dish:

Tondaku Green Curry Ramen: Berkshire pig Tonkotsu soup & Green curry soup, topped with pork chasu, grilled okra, grilled red pepper, grilled shrimp, fried garlic, and mesclun greens (I also ordered extra chashu)

The noodles were really good – this is the first time (besides Yuji Ramen) where I saw a noticeable difference with the quality of the noodles. They were a bit chewy and toothsome and held up to the temperature of the broth, which was robust but not overly assertive. All the individual components were great on their own and also worked well together (except for the mesclun greens which were kinda just there). The bits of shrimp and garlic was reminiscent of a belecan or XO sauce condiment, so some spoonfuls would have an extra burst of umami flavor.

Compared to other ramen it’s a bit pricier at $15 (they also don't include an egg with the bowl) but the noodles and broth are worth it.

Bassnova Ramen
76 Mott St
New York, NY 10013

Ramen Obsession #2: Ramen-Ya!

Continuing the trend on ramen - I decided to check out Ramen-Ya in the West Village.  Reviews on Yelp looked promising and the weather is perfect for ramen right now:

Tonkotsu Shio Black - tonkotsu broth topped with chashu pork, kikurage mushrooms, nitamago (seasoned egg), scallions, and black garlic oil (I ordered extra pork as well): the black garlic oil is fantastic and the broth is really good. Even when you get towards the bottom the broth stays consistent (unlike other ramen spots where the flavor sometimes gets too concentrated/salty). My only complaint is that the chashu pork here is more of a grilled style - I personally prefer the melty kind

Ramen-Ya
181 W 4th St
New York, NY 10014

Ramen Obsession #1: Hinomaru Ramen in Astoria!

Ever since I watched David Chang's Mind of a Chef on Netflix, I've been OBSESSED with ramen.  My brother had recommended Hinomaru Ramen a while ago and now was the perfect time to try it.

Buta Kimchi - pork belly with sauteed kimchi, topped with bonito flakes - pretty simple dish but very good, this would be perfect over rice

Crispy Fried Pig Ears - we were deciding between this and the fried chicken cartilage - the pig ears were excellent, really crispy and spiced nicely

Rock shrimp tempura, spicy mayo and sweet corn - the shrimp was exactly what i wanted it to be, and the corn adds a nice touch

Hinomaru (New York Style) Ramen: Creamy pork broth w/chashu, kikurage, scallion, menma, bean sprouts, fish cake, nori, fire ball - the fire ball is their signature topping (miso paste with different hot spices)- personally, I wouldn't use all that they give you since the extra miso throws off the salt levels in the broth (which I liked as is)

Uni Ramen w/ Parmesan Cheese, topped with Shiso and Nori: this was definitely what I was looking forward to the most when I checked Hinomaru's menu online. I wouldn't really call this traditional ramen since the broth was used sparingly and seemed more of a dipping sauce (it sorta reminded me of a ramen broth based soupy alfredo sauce). Interesting dish, glad I ordered it

Chicken Ramen: chicken based broth with chicken meat ball and poached egg - the broth tasted really clean, this seems like something you'd get if you went to a Japanese family's house for a home cooked meal

HinoMaru Ramen
33-18 Ditmars Blvd
Astoria, NY 11105
http://hinomaruramen.com/

AWESOME Colombian Style Hot Dogs at Los Perros Locos!

Bought a groupon for Colombian style hot dogs at Los Perros Locos in LES – these are by far the best hot dogs I’ve had and one of the best groupon purchases I made.

Mas Perfecto: five different salsas, melted mozzarella, deep fried bacon cubes, apple chipotle slaw, crushed chips, and quail eggs

Amerro-Perro: Beer + cocoa infused beef chili, shredded Vermont cheddar, chipotle kraut, crushed Fritos, chipzana sauce (chipotle + apple)

Chimi-Churi-Chori: Chorizo, grilled provoleta, homemade chimichurri, aji panca aioli, crushed potato chips

Salchipapas Locas: waffle fries, hot dog, salsa rosada, salsa verde, with tricolor marble potatoes, chorizo, fried bacon, chipzana sauce

Los Perros Locos
201 Allen St
(between 1st Ave & Stanton St)
New York, NY 10002
www.losperroslocos.com/

Vegetarian Meal at Westville!

I've heard a lot of hype regarding Westville and stopped by for dinner since I was in the area.  Westville is supposed to have an amazing selection of market fresh vegetables so I was really looking forward to trying their Brussels sprouts.   For $15, you get to choose four of their vegetables:

Brussels sprouts w/ honey dijon, cauliflower dijonaise, grilled oyster mushrooms w/ chimichurri, and roasted fennel w/ parmesan - for $15 this is a huge amount of food.  The oyster mushrooms were the best thing on the plate - well seasoned, tasted delicious. The cauliflower was great as well, and the fennel was good for what it was. The sprouts, sadly, were incredibly under-cooked (it took a lot of effort to cut through with a knife) and under-seasoned (not a hint of honey dijon at all). I'm not sure if it was just an off night for them since all the other veg were good, but I was really disappointed (though the mushrooms made up for it).

I've heard too many recommendations for this place to not try the sprouts again, so hopefully the next time they'll be great.

Westville

246 W 18th St

New York, NY 10011

http://www.westvillenyc.com/

AMAZING Birthday Meal at Xixa!

Had an AMAZING birthday meal at Xixa, the new restaurant from the chef/owners of Traif (located a couple doors down).  I was really looking forward to Xixa since Traif is my favorite restaurant, and I’m really into small plates right since it gives you a chance to try more of the menu.  The food at Xixa is very much in line with Traif’s theme of global comfort food though it’s a bit more Mexican-inspired.

Amuse Bouche: String beans stuffed with cheese and chilies

Guacamole “Nam Prik Num” – Avocado, Roasted Tomato, Poblano, Puffed Rice, Jicama, Carrot, etc: I love guacamole and I thought this was really great, though I do wish there was a bit of heat to it

Fried Brussels Sprouts, Pork Belly Chicarones, Currants, Sunflower Seeds, Sweet-Spicy Vin:  Brussels sprouts are my favorite vegetable so I’ve always ordered it whenever I see it on the menu – the Sprouts were cooked perfectly and all the components complemented each other

Duck Lettuce Wraps, Mushrooms, Spiced Picadillo, Raisins, Peanuts, Roasted Banana: amazing dish – the duck and roasted banana is soooo good

Scallop Ceviche, Apple-Mint “Aguachile”, Pistachios, Cucumber, Avocado, Soy: not the best scallop ceviche I’ve had at Traif but still good in its own right, especially when you get a perfect bite of all the different components on the plate

Grilled Carrots “Elote,” Honey Butter, Lime Crema, Coriander, Feta, Dill: online reviews rave about this and our server also recommended it as a must order dish – this was really really good

“Steak Tacos:” Chilmole Tortillas, Roasted Bone Marrow, Steak Tartare, Pepper Marmalade: amazing – I love bone marrow and steak tartare, it’s brilliant serving it together with the pepper marmalade to cut through the richness

Charred Spring Onions, Yukon Potatoes, Ancho Romesco, White Anchovies, Almonds: I ordered this because romesco is one of my favorite sauces – great dish

Carnitas: Crispy Pork Belly & Cheeks, Brussels, Chorizo, Rhubarb, Pulque-Pasilla-Prune, Carrot Puree: another solid plate, good flavor combinations

“Tix N Xic:” Achiote-Grilled Hamachi Collar, Plantain Tortillas, Brussels, Pickled Onions: interesting take on fish tacos with a slaw of raw Brussels sprouts

Mel I Mato: Whipped Goat Ricotta, Mango, Kiwi, Grapes, Honey, Pistachios: decent cheese plate – the ricotta had some spice to it (maybe togarashi?)

Tres Leches en “Cappuccino”: Chocolates, Almond, Kahlua, Dulce: cool idea to add Kahlua and foam to tres leches cake – there’s also bits of chocolate and almonds mixed in – really delicious dessert

Bunuelo Sundae: Banana & Cajeta Ice Creams, Chocolate, Bunuelo Crumble, Black Sesame Mousse: this is one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long time – the black sesame mousse is so so good – I can’t wait to head back so I can order this just for myself

Petit Fours: Chocolate with Corn and Curry

I'm as impressed with this meal as I've ever been at Traif - definitely one of my favorite restaurants in  NYC.

Xixa
241 South 4 Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Dinosaur BBQ (Finally!)

Finally got a chance to Dinosaur BBQ - I've been wanting to try this place out for a long time to see how it compares to other NYC BBQ places like Fette Sau since I heard Dinosaur is supposed to be the best.

Beer Flight: Ape Hanger Ale, Dogfish 90 Minute IPA, Greenpoint Winter Lager, Wildcard - it's great that Dinosaur had flights available, and they even have their own beer (ape hanger).  Unfortunately, ape hanger was the worst of the ones I chose (I won't be getting it again).
 

Tres Hombres - ribs, bbq pork, and beef brisket, mac n cheese, and baked beans – all three proteins were awesome.  The sides were really good too, though I think the baked beans at Fette Sau are better.

Sampler Nuevo - chicken, ribs, beef brisket, cole slaw, and syracuse style salt potatoes – as good as the ribs, pork, and beef were, I was actually most impressed with the chicken – the apple brine made it really tender and juicy.

Chocolate Ice Box Pie – way too sweet – you really need ice cream to balance out the chocolate

Some misses with the beer and the dessert is not recommended - however, their BBQ is TOP NOTCH - I can't wait to go back.

Dinosaur BBQ
700 W 125th St
New York, NY 10027
http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com

Dinner at Ngam, Modern Thai Comfort Food!

I saw the head chef of Ngam competing on Iron Chef and her food seemed pretty good - I also saw that they have $1 oysters during happy hour so I had to give this place a try.

Thai Oyster Shot – Conn. Blue Point oyster, pomelo, Thai mignonette, kaffir lime, tobiko caviar – the dressing is very similar to nuoc cham (which I LOVE) but with the addition of Thai chilies to give it more heat.  The flavors balance out really nicely with the tobiko, though I do wish the pomelo was a little more prominent.  These oysters were delicious, we ended up getting 3 dozen (they were $.99 during happy hour)

"Peek Gai Tod” Brother Chai’s Chicken Wings – Ngam’s house marinade, tamarind chili sauce, freshly picked apple – pretty good wings, the tamarind sauce was very tasty

“Sai Oor Farang” Thai Burger – 7oz hormone free beef patty, homemade “sai oor” curry paste, cilantro lime mayo, green papaya kraut, Chiang Mai Fries – this is one of the best burgers I’ve had in a while – the flavors were really interesting and the patty itself was really juicy.  The Chiang Mai Fries were also really good - kabocha and sweet potato, served with homemade red curry mayo, and sweet and sour peanut relish.

Here’s a link to a burger piece that also has the recipe for Ngam’s burger:

http://bites.today.com/_news/2012/05/10/11639387-give-your-burger-international-flair-for-national-burger-month

Brussel Sprouts “Prik King” with Bacon – all the flavors were fine, but we both thought that the sprouts themselves weren’t cooked properly (texture seemed like it was overcooked, I’m not sure if they steamed/boiled a bunch before service and just added the other ingredients/sauce to order)

Overall, an excellent meal – I’ll definitely be back.

Ngam
99 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10003
http://www.ngamnyc.com/

Ceviche and Oyster Dinner at Desnuda, a Winebar & Cevicheria!

I’ve been meaning to check out Desnuda for a while because I love ceviche, and more recently I’ve developed a taste for oysters and saw that they had $1 oysters on Sunday and Monday.  I also know they do a tea smoked oyster dish and I was curious to see how that would be.  It was my friend’s birthday and she is obsessed with oysters, so I thought this place would be perfect for her birthday meal.

Complimentary popcorn with truffle oil and truffle salt – good start to the meal.

Two Dozen Oysters (from New Brunswick Canada) served with Three Sauces – chipotle mignonette, sweet and sour ginger shallot mignonette, and a chuka fu gelee.  All three sauces were amazing with the oysters, but my favorite was the chuka fu gelee.  Originally when I asked our server what it was, I thought he said tuzazu, which the head chef mentioned was a Japanese dressing.  I figured I would research the recipe later since I’ve never heard of a tuzazu dressing in Japanese cuisine.  The name is actually chuka fu, which is the Japanese name for a Chinese dressing made of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, which they made into a gelee.  These were the best sauces that I’ve had with oysters, and we were both so impressed that we ended up ordering two dozen more.

Sichuan Tea Smoked Oysters: they also smoke it tableside for you – it’s definitely cool to try, but fairly pricey at 4 oysters for $18

Not my video, but you get a better idea of it here:

Tiradito of Hamachi with Sechuan Peppercorn Infused Ponzu and Sechuan Peppercorn Dust and Thai Chili Oil: this was one of the specials for the day – really good, but verging on being over salty – the balance between the ponzu and chili oil was a bit off and the scallions didn’t have enough punch to cut through the salt.  For me this dish was fine since I really like salt, but my friend thought otherwise.

Seared Foie Gras with Seared Tuna with Warm Pear Chutney and Balsamic Reduction: this was another special of the day.  Really fantastic dish – everything on the plate complimented the perfectly seared foie gras.  However, it’s really expensive for what’s basically an appetizer version of foie gras.

Overall, really good but too expensive – I feel like at the price point we were at, there’s a lot of other places we could’ve gone to have a better meal (though I will definitely be back for the oysters).

Desnuda
122 E 7th St
New York, NY 10009
http://www.desnudany.com