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