Gettin' Siggy Wit' It
...The abundance of slightly toasted sunflower seeds made for great textural contrasts, as well as adding very pleasant nutty and floral points in taste and aromatics, complimented expertly with rich, layered, spicy, acidic notes of a beet-horseradish mayo dipping sauce.... [Full Post]
Unexpected Gem
...The portion was more dinner sized, and, again, my skepticism was foiled by an ample amount of chicken meat, and scant traces of MSG or cornstarch. The dish, while delivering on its promise of spice, was refreshingly light, with the impressive rice noodles, rightfully gummier and spongier than regular noodles, making any residual cooking juices get absorbed into them while the flavored oils clung to them. Even being supportively optimistic, this lunch me surpassed my expectations at every turn.... [Full post]
L'Afrique? C'est Chic!
...A plentiful and aromatic dish, this was another tasty winner. You could really taste the melange of flavor influences, a hint of mustard in the marinade, some sweeter spices—nutmeg maybe—mixing with spicier ones, and the barely-on-the-bone lamb, with its deeper but not gamier flavor, possessing the quality of imparting its leaner meat's flavor, as well as its fatty flavors (most meats really heavily on its fat content alone for flavor).... [Full post]
Down For Chinatown
... With the unfortunate exception of the shrimp paste (better in idea than in execution), this dish was quite a winner. The pork and beef were nicely seasoned and tender, and were enjoyed more with wrapped in the lettuce with a leaf each of basil and mint, some rice noodles, and a drizzle of house-made vinegar dipping sauce. The springs deftly crispy and not greasy on the outside and chock full minced veggies and meat on the inside.... [Full post]
Yummy and Crumb-y
... So I purchased a S'mores cupcake and a day special Very Berry cupcake, and dropped them off at the restaurant for my co-worker and very good friend, Ali, to enjoy, which she very much did.... [Full Post]
Nice Choux's
...A very pretty woman was ordering a dozen of each flavor of their signature cream puffs, available in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. I asked her what her favorite was—fearing less initiating a conversation with her once I espied the lack of wedding or engagement ring! She said she preferred the chocolate, which I ordered only one of, accompanying it with the green tea latte.... [Full post]
