Category Archives: Food

April 11, 2012 · 1:21 am

Psycho Therapy

psychotherapy
Monday night my friend and I got to see Psycho Therapy at the Cherry Lane theater in West Village. I had heard about it previously and was somewhat interested before, so when the play came back and I had the opportunity to get free tickets I took it.

We decided to have a little picnic on the bench right in front of the theater before the show. My friend had picked up sandwiches and drinks from Bear Burger near her place at the Upper East Side. She had gotten me a panko-breaded chicken sandwich with onions, mushroom, bacon, mayo. It was the best chicken sandwich. I would make the trek there just to have another one.

Then we headed into the Cherry Lane theater lobby waiting area. It was nice and charming, with complimentary desserts of homemade chocolate chip cookies. After we had some of that, we were allowed into the theater which had a realistic set up of a therapist’s office with a white couch, a little table with a tissue box and candles, and a large black hanging on the wall.

Psycho Therapy takes place in Los Angeles, where Lily comes in for couples therapy. However, all is not as it seems and the person who arrives for the first session is not actually Lily’s current beau and fiance, which the therapist doesn’t know. That person is Lily’s hot, young, immature and highly sexual ex boyfriend, Dorian. Next came a scene between Lily and Dorian which gave background to their heated on-again, off-again relationship.

Lily’s fiance, Phillip finally comes into the mix at the next couples therapy, turning the session into couples therapy for three. Things get crazy intense between the characters and at times, quite humorous with the yelling, fighting and revelations.

I enjoyed the acting in this, but thought the plot could be a little stronger.

The characters were interesting: Lily, a model/actress type is beautiful and stylish but really doesn’t know what the hell she wants. Both Dorian and Phillip are good looking blonds but their personalities and what they want from life are miles apart. Then there’s the therapist herself who has a crazy life (or at least crazy friends) and some not so sane tendencies, but when dealing with her patients, appears insightful and together.

The ending is a breath of fresh air, yet exasperating at the same time and effectively turns the tables.

Below, the cast: Phillip (Laurence Lau), Lily (Gabrielle Miller), Nancy (Jan Leslie Harding), Dorian (Alexander Cendese).

psychotherapy cast

Location: Cherry Lane Theater at 38 Commerce St.

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March 30, 2012 · 6:21 pm

Ukrainian Dinner

A good friend and I enjoyed a delicious meal at Ukrainian East Village Restaurant the other day. The spot isn’t street level- You have to enter by walking through a small plaza area but that gave it an even more cozy atmosphere. We felt like we were inside a warm, inviting and spacious living room with wood floors and walls, accented with paintings and quite a few tables spaced perfectly, with white table cloth on top.


The menu was quite extensive and gave a wide variety of Ukrainian style cooking. I chose one of the combination specials, consisting of potato pancake, cheese blintz and meat pierogis.

I got to try my friend’s salad and Beef Goulash which also came with vegetables of your choice and baked potato. The beef was quite good, tender and full of flavor. We also shared one of the drinks: Compote fruit drink made with apples and cherries, which cane with actual fruit (pear). It was pretty good, not too sweet and having the fruit in there was a nice touch.

I was very happy with my own meal. It was a great assortment of Ukrainian goodies. Everything tasted wonderful and authentic. I felt like I was having a homemade meal. The potato pancake was large and thicker than ones I’ve had before but delightfully crispy. The blintz had a sweet soft white cheese inside, in a sort of crepe-like shell and very tasty. And the pierogis are kind of like dumplings and filled with meat.

Great almost hidden spot in the East Village. I would definitely return to try a different dish. Also, decent prices and attentive service.

 

Address: 140 2nd Ave

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March 26, 2012 · 12:44 am

The White House & Cherry Blossoms


I was approved to tour the White House in Washington D.C. this past weekend so made my way there after work on Friday. It was a gorgeous, balmy warm day on Friday so my friend took me to the waterfront to enjoy the view, breeze and some delicious seafood at a Chinese fusion restaurant.

Saturday dawned cool and rainy, but I was still looking forward to my White House tour. My friend and I enjoyed a homemade breakfast of pancakes, bacon, sausage, shredded potato, eggs and mango orange smoothie before heading out for the day.

The White House grounds were beautiful – truly magnificent, and immaculately maintained with perfectly cut grass, Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, a fountain, blooming flowers, and historic trees. The interior was also a sight to be seen with portraits of Presidents and First Ladies, as well as important moments in history, lining the corridors and hallways of the Ground and State floors.

I was able to tour the Vermeil Room, China Room, East Room, Library, Green Room, Blue Room, Red Room, State Dining Room, and Ground Floor Corridor.

I loved the Library, home to many books on history, biography, fiction and the sciences all by American authors. There was also a beautiful flower center piece, chandelier, fire place and seats all around, giving the room a warm, almost homey feel.


Another favorite was the State Dining Room where all the most important meals take place, seating up to 130 guests. It had painted English oak paneling, a fireplace mantel and a large stately table.


The Vermeil and China Rooms were also interesting. The Vermeil Room shows a collection of gilded silver and portraits of recent first lady, while the China Room displays pieces of china and glass used by different Presidents.


The East Room is the largest in the White House. It is used for important events, such as receptions, ceremonies, press conferences, and even weddings! Also, the body of 7 presidents have lain “in state” there after they had died during their term, such as John F. Kennedy.


After the White House tour, my friend took me to the Cherry Blossom Festival. The cherry blossoms were lovely white and pink in color; all lined up along the National Mall, water, bridges, and Memorials. We took the path by the water and through the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, which was made up of beautiful quotes and fountains of varying heights and stature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed a meal at Fuddruckers, a popular and popping burger joint downtown. I had the Caribbean Special Voodoo chicken in cajun spices with sauteed onions and a slew of free toppings and sauces: Hot melted cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, mayo. Quite a delicious combination, and also enjoyed some steak cut fries. I normally prefer skinny fries, but these fatter fries were done right- seasoned and crisp to perfection.


For dessert, I stopped by Red Velvet Cupcakery which is a cute little shop with irresistible-looking cupcakes. I, of course had to try its namesake: Red Velvet. This was so tasty with a moist cake and rich cream cheese frosting.  I also had cappuccino cupcake and a birthday cupcake made out of yellow cake and chocolate frosting. Both were unique and sweetly delectable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As always, I had a great time in DC and am looking forward to my next trip where I will be sure to find more new adventures and fun!

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March 16, 2012 · 2:19 am

Chinatown Night

I headed downtown to MOCA, the Museum of Chinese in America tonight to see FORMOSA by Kelly Tsai which was a real treat because it’s still in the development stage so I loved getting a special sneak peek. FORMOSA is a “solo show that through poetry, movement, dance and spectacle, pushes the questions of global capital, beauty, exploitation, and choice through a poetic narrative and counter-narrative contrasting the experiences of factory workers (in Barbie Doll manufacturing) with the material creation of the Western icon of beauty.”

FORMOSA takes place both in the far past and in the more recent present; it alludes to back in 1566, Portuguese sailors spotted the island of Taiwan and renamed it “La Ilha Formosa” (Beautiful Island).

It is a powerful portrayal of what it means to be Asian American and the issues we face, and Kelly realistically transforms herself into several different characters: The factory worker who immigrates to America and becomes a hip hop artist who conforms to the Western definition of beauty through skin whitening and extreme plastic surgery; the adopted Asian child; the Manhattan mothers.

The show really pulled viewers in and made us interested in what was to happen next, as well as had us in suspense during some moments. There were also some shock-value to the show that really made us think.

There is a lot to take in, but Kelly does a fantastic job with the writing, movement, and gives a heartfelt emotional performance. That being said, I would’ve liked to see more of a connection between the characters and I also felt that the ending was a little bleak and abrupt that doesn’t give much of a feeling of transcendence or hope. But it’s still a “Work in Progress” so there’s time to perfect and polish the piece.

After the show, I headed to Shanghai Café with some friends. This place had a great atmosphere, with lights of hot pink, blue and yellow on the ceiling with plenty of seating and an extensive menu, including soup dumplings, traditional Chinese specialties, desserts, bubble tea, and more.

We ordered family style, and started with a Shanghai Style Dim Sum: “Steamed Tiny Buns,” the famous Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao),  — Pork and Crab Meat/Pork and fried scallion pancake. I liked the pork soup dumplings better than the ones including crab meat, and they had the perfect amount of hot tasty soup inside. I also liked that they weren’t too delicate so it was easy to eat. The scallion pancake was a little too puffy than what I’m used to and quite oily but still delicious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next came lo mein with chicken, pork and shrimp which is made out of the thick, fat noodles that are always so tasty. We also had crispy pepper pork chop, mixed vegetables of broccoli, bamboo shoots, carrots, mushroom and snowpeas. The pork chop was very salty, but its charms were still irresistible and had the perfect texture of crisp crunchiness. The vegetable dish was an assortment of tasty delight in a yummy sauce. The vegetables themselves also tasted fresh and were bright in color.

I also tried the one of the bubble teas, choosing Coffee and Tea mix with tapioca pearls. It was decent, but the taste of the coffee overpowered the tea a little bit. I would’ve preferred the drink to have a little more of a milky tea flavor but all in all, pretty good.

The pricing at Shanghai Café was quite good and we only paid $14 for our food, including tax & tip. Keep in mind, like many restaurants in Chinatown, it is cash only.

 

Address: 100 Mott St.

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March 12, 2012 · 12:16 am

Cuban at Coppelia

At Coppelia

I had the chance to dine at Coppelia tonight with a group of great friends, old and new. This is an easy to find restaurant on W 14th St with its yellow and blue neon sign. The interior is charming, “done up in sun-faded pastel hues, with blue and white tiles on the floor, a sea-foam pressed ceiling and lovely teal shutters along the west wall that evoke images of old Havana.” There were also colorful artwork tiles in translucent light bordering the restaurant:

We were seated in a cozy booth. First thing, I had to try the Dulce de Leche milkshake.  It was quite good but a little bit too liquidy (I prefer thicker shakes) but I loved the taste of sweet caramel. So, we decided to order family style so that we could try a little bit of everything.

We started off with the following appetizers: Empanadas- beef, chicken, oxtail; yellow plantains; chips and guacamole, and mac and cheese with crispy pork belly and chicharron. All the starters were flavorful and delicious but the mac and cheese was the best out of all of them. The pork belly was perfectly crispy and there was just the right amount of cheese, garlic and seasoning.

Mac & Cheese

Plaintains/chips & guac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Onto the main courses, of which we ordered an abundance. There was the special grilled pork chop with spicy sauce, spinach and tomatoes. We also had the classic ropa vieja which is slow-cooked beef in tomato salsa, peppers and chiles. This was decent, full of flavor.

Porkchop

Ropa Vieja

Another dish was baby back ribs in a Mexican chocolate glaze and chipotle-cotija corn on the cob. The ribs were tender and wonderful, but I couldn’t detect the chocolate flavoring. I tried a bit of the corn- It wasn’t one of the highlights.

These were my favorites: Salmon (per my suggestion) in a puree with tomatilla salad and orange sauce. The salmon itself was divine- flaking beautifully and cooked just the right amount.  Saving one of my favorites for last was lomo saltado, which is Peruvian stir-fry of beef short ribs, red onions, tomatoes, french fries and light soy ginger, along with rice. This dish was a gorgeous display of bright colors, great flavors mingling together and you could even taste the freshness of the meat & vegetables.

Salmon

Lomo Saltado

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a treat to eat here, and I would definitely come back- Perhaps to try one of their desserts. We were all too full to order this time around. The prices were reasonable, and it is definitely best to share the meal as you will get more for your buck. Service was decent, though they cleared the table too fast and we were not finished with all the dishes.

The very cool thing about Coppelia: It is open 24/7 and breakfast is served all day, so if you’re craving some omelets, eggs, steak, pancakes, or waffles  in the wee hours after clubbing, this is a great spot!

 
Address: 207 W 14th St.

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March 7, 2012 · 1:23 am

Brunch at Barrel

Recently, I dined at The Barrel for brunch, a lovely restaurant serving European cuisines at the edge of St. Mark’s Place. The Barrel’s interior is a wonderful earthy experience. A copper paned window entrance accents the restaurant’s décor while shielding the street’s view,  leading to a dining area where there is barrel-inspired booth seating. The tables are made of beautiful polished-shiny wood. There is also a bar located further inside with drop lighting, a wine tree and other intricate details like white flowers and beautiful wine glasses which accents the entire restaurant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The brunch menu looked varied and delicious with great pricing: $11.95 for the meal including coffee, tea and a complimentary beverage (including alcoholic). It was a tough decision, but I finally settled on Steak & Eggs which came with home fries, creamed spinach, homemade bread, and  eggs (however style we wanted). Everything was prepared beautifully. The steak was cut into smaller pieces, making it easier on us and was simply delicious, especially covered in the sauce provided. Every part of the meal was delectable on its own, as well as together.

What I have to try next time: Grilled Chicken and Mushroom Fusseli Pasta “sauteed with herbs, garlic, white wine and butter finished in a parmesan cream sauce.”

Brunch at The Barrel was a truly delightful experience, complete with wonderful service- The waiters were attentive and accommodating.

Address: 10 Stuyvesant Street.

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March 1, 2012 · 10:37 pm

Safe House & Dinner


Safe House, starring Ryan Reynolds is about a young CIA agent who looks after a safe house. But when the safe house is attacked, he is finds himself on the run with the notorious fugitive. The movie is excitement filled,  intense fight scenes that show off both Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington skill and physical power in combat.

Ryan plays his role extremely well with sex appeal, and though doesn’t seem to be muscular and tough enough to go up against Denzel and countless others, he really holds his own. He makes you believe that he truly is that character. Denzel also gave a virtuoso performance as the ultimate bad guy.

This movie definitely captured my interest. I had to concentrate a little bit as the plot was a bit complex, but very engaging. I also enjoyed the more tender moments between Matt (Ryan Reynolds) and his girlfriend as well as the surprising tender moments between Matt and Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington).

Afterwards, my friend and I went to eat at City Crab. I’ve always passed by the restaurant but never been so finally had the chance to try it, and it did not disappoint. Our waiter, Jack was charming and cute, and was knowledgeable about the food. I chose the Steam Pot which was filled with lobster tail, crab legs, andouille sausage, shrimp, scallops, corn. It also came with mussels and clams which I couldn’t bring myself to eat. Everything else was delicious, flavored wonderfully and dipped in butter.


I also tried their Oreo ice cream cake which came with raspberry syrup. It was decent- I liked the ice cream part of it and it did taste like Oreos but I expected more. It just didn’t blow me away.

Overall, a very satisfying meal which I somehow got for less than the advertised price… Always a nice surprise.


Address: 235 Park Ave S (19/20th St)

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February 28, 2012 · 12:55 am

Enjoying Coffee & Tea Festival

This past weekend marked the 7th Annual Coffee & Tea Festival and it was a completely sold out weekend. Good thing I was a volunteer and was able to check it out for free!

I tried out many of the different types of tea from green tea, to fruity tea, to British tea, to iced and sweet teas. Some of my favorite exhibitors were Harney & Sons, Honest Tea, Green Cura, T Salon, Tavalon, and Fang Gourmet Tea. One of the most unique but delicious flavor was Matcha Cappuccino tea. I also enjoyed the little nibbles that went with the tea, from Walker’s Shortbread and gluten free cookies.

Harney & Sons

Green Cura

As for the coffee, I really liked Peet’s Coffee & Tea (which is based in California so I know it well), Teabean White Coffee was interesting and tasty, Think Coffee and European coffees- both hot and iced.

I also had the chance to sit in on a couple of demonstrations. The first was about creating coffee-and-tea infused desserts which was presented by celebrity chef Melody McGinley Whitelaw. She was sweet and charming, and let us try some of her creations: Brown rice with edamame & carrots made with tea; bread with coffee cream cheese but my favorites were  the chocolate bread pudding and amazingly delectable coffee-filled brownie.

The other demonstration was about making Tea Cocktails, with Tea Sommelier Chris Cason (co-founder of Tavalon). Chris was dynamic, fun and a great speaker. He showed us several different recipes for tea cocktails, using vodka, gin, brandy and other alcoholic beverages.


One tea cocktail that looked good was made with red tea, orange rind with cloves. Another one was a sweet iced tea and vodka drink. We actually got to try one of the tea cocktails: “SmarTEAni” which is a white mint tea steeped in vodka for 45 minutes with Korean plum sweet flavoring. It was truly delicious and didn’t taste of alcohol at all (a plus for me.)


I had a really good time trying new and unique flavors of teas and coffees, and the nibbles of cookies, cakes, cheese, more.  There were a couple of demonstrations I would’ve liked but missed: Green Teas of China, Korea & Japan; Artistry of Afternoon Tea and Coffee Cupping/Tasting. But the ones I did see were enjoyable: Interesting and fun. I would definitely make it a point to go again next time!

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February 23, 2012 · 12:53 am

Fun Day Out

I made the most of my day off on President’s Day, spending the time with some great friends. One of my girlfriends took me out to eat at Shalom Bombay, where they have a $12.95 lunch buffet. We enjoyed tandoori chicken, chicken curry, vegetable dishes, fresh salad, lentils, basmati rice, naan, breaded fried vegetables.

It was all delicious. Since my friend was treating me, she urged me to try dessert. I picked the chocolate chip cookie dough cake with warm molten chocolate inside and whipped cream all around it. It tasted of rich soft chocolate, and I savored every bite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After eating, we headed to the Central Park Zoo (my first time!) which small but filled with cute animals such as the polar bear, snow leopard, red panda, monkeys and a tropical forest with birds and other creatures.  There were even penguins, but I was disappointed when they didn’t follow my finger as I moved it along the glass- This is something that the penguins at the Monterey Bay Aquarium always do, and I’ve always found that to be fun and charming.





The rest of the night was spent at Pulse Karaoke with about 30 other people. Pulse is a gorgeous, spacious spot with purplish lighting and a sleek design of white couches and white tables. It is a trendy spot, complete with inexpensive drinks and appetizers of nachos, fried coconut shrimp, wings, and mozzarella sticks.

We basically had the whole place to ourselves, so got to sing to our heart’s content. Some of ones I did (with the help of others) were, “Rolling in the Deep,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” and “Holiday.” There was a great energy throughout the night and we all helped each other out by jumping on stage to sing or backup dance.

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February 10, 2012 · 1:30 am

Park Avenue Winter

Park Avenue Winter is unique and special because it changes its menu and interior decor each season. Currently, the design is an elegant interpretation of winter: Silver and white, lights, stark tree branches, and warm brown accents.

It is also one of the many restaurants that I’ve been dying to try and this Restaurant Week, they only participated for weekday lunches. I didn’t think I was going to be able to make it, but Friday is my half day and I managed to find someone who wanted to try it as well and we made it there on the very last day of Restaurant Week.

The waiter started us off with bread: Winter Brown Bread and Fresh Chive Brioche. Both were very different from one another, and very tasty. The Winter bread was filled with golden raisins, sunflower seeds, oats and walnuts. The flavors were a bit much, while the Chive Brioche was more salty and tasted strongly of onion. The only criticism is that we only received one piece of each bread.

For the appetizer I chose the soup which came with coconut-chicken dumplings which were served alone and the waiter poured the warm soup over it at the table. That was an interesting and engaging way of presenting the dish, but the soup was just okay. There were strong lime and Asian flavors but didn’t pleasure my taste buds as much as I hoped.

As for the main course, I was having trouble deciding between the pork chop, salmon or chicken. I finally decided on the salmon since I hadn’t had it in awhile. The salmon was beautifully presented but the Berkshire Pork Chop that my friend ordered was definitely the larger and more hearty meal. Thankfully, my friend let me try some of the pork chop which was delicious. The sauce of maple cider syrup was delightful.

My Organic Scottish Salmon was also made quite well, despite the disparity of size. In fact, I would say it was exquisite. It came with a maple brown butter that worked well with it and the salmon flaked off easily. Also with the salmon were sunchokes- it was my first time trying them and they are reminiscent of potatoes. The sunchokes tasted great with the salmon and they were perfectly crisped and slightly brown.

I was considering the ice cream and sorbets for dessert. The Chocolate-Tea, Brown Butter, Tangerine and Bartlett flavors looked enticing, but I decided on the Frozen Banana Parfait after I learned it was a special treat only for Restaurant Week. Though I was a little apprehensive about ordering something with banana, which is not my favorite fruit, I needn’t have worried. The chilled banana had an almost ice cream-like consistency and there were chocolate crumbs underneath, as well as creamy, sticky sweet butterscotch at the bottom. The parfait came with a chocolate-y biscuit as well and everything blended together sweetly and deliciously.

The Park Avenue experience was great, and I would definitely come back to try other seasons- Both to taste what new menu items they have cooked up in the kitchen and see how they have changed the interior to match the season.

Address: 100 East 63rd Street.

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