Ice Cream Nice Dreams
CHINATOWN ICE CREAM FACTORY | 65 Bayard St. | 212.608.4170 | chinatownicecreamfactory.com
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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]
"Chip" On The Ol' Block
...And it was quite good! Lots of flavor, great textures, juicy pork, toothsome black beans, crisp lettuce; it all worked together surprisingly well—and not just for fast food—and was plentiful enough to excuse the $8 price tag (over $10 with the addition of guacamole).... [Full Post]
Like A Good Neighbor
...The side salad of arugula, fresh basil, cherry tomatoes and shaved parmesan was a perfect compliment to the dish, as was the wonderful glass of white wine, an Argentinian torrontés of bright, subtle citrus, apricot, and peach, with herbal hints, a nice "weight" (it doesn't "coat" the inside of your mouth), and finishing clean enough that you can still enjoy the flavors of whatever you're eating.... [Full post]
Conflicts Happily Resolved
...This sandwich was, to use a New York-ism, off the hook! Flaky, firm fish, marinated in a slightly salty, rich, sweet sauce, complimented by bright, earthy cilantro, fragrant dill, punchy onion jam, and kicky sriracha. Everything a love about tastes, temperatures and textures was outstandingly present in each bite.... [Full post]
Letters From Home
...The chopped lettuce with carrots then got mixed with a teaspoon of mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and honey. Two slices of toasted cornbread slices got smeared with mayo with cider vinegar stirred in, the slices of tomatillas sautéed in butter, the BBQ bacon slices, and slaw, with the pea salad spooned on the side.... [Full post]
With A Little Help From My Friends
...This dish appeared and tasted pleasantly bright and rustic. The pasta—thicker-than-most "thread" pasta—supported and hugged all the flavors of the rendered pork fat, garlic, lemon, and butter extremely well, while starting and ending each bite with, first, the aroma of truffles in the cheese on top, then, lastly, the flavor of truffle.... [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]
Back In Black
...Earthy and having both bitter and sweet notes, the Guinness was amped up by the salty sweetness of the soy sauce, the subtle richness of flavors in the fish sauce, and the woodsy bursts of the bites of olive, all of them together working magic with the mussels without the risk of overwhelming them.... [Full post]
Quick Post | Rush Hour
... it was a whole new new surreality to watch pre-cooked egg "rounds"—available in "white" or "yellow", as my sandwich artist called them (?!)—being layered into the bread as I ordered a Black Forest ham, egg and cheese on a (pre-toasted but likewise not baked on premise) English muffin, and—to make good use of the toppings station that is made fully available for breakfast!... [Full post...]
To Curry Flavor
...I decided I would spice them up a little. Usually I do that by just adding some tabasco, but I decided to take the extra step. I diluted some hot Madras powder and red curry powder in a little cider vinegar. I then stirred in some spicy brown mustard, sour cream, salt, pepper, a dash of lemon juice, and, eventually, the set yolks of the boiled eggs, using a spatula to smooth the lumps out of the mixture... [Full post...]
Quick Post | He's Got Legs
...Later, I placed the legs in a large casserole, spooning the remaining sauce on top, and placed them in a preheated oven. Meanwhile, I emptied a can of black beans into a small pot, adding some liquid smoke (available in most supermarkets), worchestshire sauce, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, brown sugar, salt and pepper, stirring them on low heat while preparing white rice.... [cont.]
No. 7 Serves Shipshape Subs
...I didn't just love my sandwich; I adored it. It was "cute", playful with its flavors and textures yet serious about being a fully realized, filling meal. The lamb was extremely tender, not too gamey, and nicely spiced. The Texas Caviar had a smooth and light firmness and added its innate savory charms.... [Full post]
Quick Post | First Meal of the New Year...
...Lucky enough, I made enough to enjoy for the whole day, since I don't see myself leaving my apartment—or my bed—for the next 24 hours... [cont.]
Best of Both Worlds, Twice
...The great thing about chili is that you always have to make them in large batches, as I did. And, now I still have a whole bunch left over. Something to look forward to now, the following morning—this Christmas morning!—as I remember how chili improves over a couple of days in its chilled container.... [cont.]
From Gray Bars to Black Iron
....I don't mind busy weeks, especially ones like this week when clients actually pay, and pay on time. And after subsisting on my own cooking, leftovers, and food deliveries the whole week, I pursued the sole yet perfect opportunity to try out another well-received and well-reviewed new food place. Plus, the place is in my new favorite, up-and-coming food neighborhood: the Lower East Side of Manhattan.... [Full Post]
