Epoch Taste 3-4-2016

ALL PHOTOS BY EVAN SUNG

D1 March 4–10, 2016 Málà Project

Hurts So Good on

D3

www.EpochTaste.com

(Above) Sheep’s Milk Cheese Agnolotti with saffron, dried tomato, and honey; and (below) Ricotta Gnocchi with broccoli pesto.

The Lighter Side of Italian Chef Missy Robbins is back with Lilia, her new restaurant in Williamsburg

W Lilia recently opened an adjoining cafe, serving Italian pastries in the morning and cookies in the afternoon.

Lilia

567 Union Ave. (at North 10th Street) Williamsburg, Brooklyn 718-576-3095 lilianewyork.com Hours Monday–Sunday 5:30 p.m.–11 p.m.

Cafe Hours: Daily from 7 a.m.

(Lunch and brunch service to come)

By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff

ith Italian cooking, as in many others, you can go heavier or you can go lighter—a hearty, braised cut of meat or a delicate grilled fish.

At her new Williamsburg restaurant Lilia, chef Missy Robbins has gone for the dishes she loves most: the simplest, lightest ones.

See Lilia on D2

Olive Oil Cake with persimmon, grappa, and whipped cream.

D2

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March 4–10, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY EVAN SUNG

We merge traditional Italian recipes with dishes that take a playful approach to authenticity

Grilled Branzino with salsa verde and coal-roasted Yukon Gold potatoes.

The Lighter Side of Italian Chef Missy Robbins is back with Lilia, her new restaurant in Williamsburg

NOW SERVING WEEKDAY LUNCH!

Lilia continued from D1

Full Hours MON–SAT 12pm–4pm; 5pm–12am SUN 12pm–4pm; 5pm–11pm 129 W. 29th St. (btw. 6th & 7th avenues)

(212) 239-4199

'

WineDisciplesEnoteca.com

春の会席メニュー

CHEF’S SPRING TASTING MENU Ontama, Uni, Ikura with “Uma-Dashi” Clear Soup with Top Neck Clam, Broccoli Rabe Assortment of Sushi Seared Wagyu Steak Grilled Eggplant with Red Miso Sauce Vinegared Grilled Saltwater Eel & Cucumber Chef’s Selection of Whitefish Tempura Magret Duck Breast & Japanese Taro “Jibun” “Takikomi Gohan” Fruit

Donguri Located on the Upper East Side, the 24-seat intimate Japanese restaurant Donguri offers an extensive menu with items from land and sea. Chef Yamasaki's Omakase (tasting menu) is a must-try.

RESERVATIONS (212) 737-5656 309 E.83rd Street, New York, NY. (Btw 1st and 2nd Ave)

Chef Yamasaki

Those who knew her cooking when she was at A Voce will find the same flavors, but “more comforting—food I want to eat,” she said.

Everything about it says light: the space, which was converted from an auto body shop, has huge windows, a soaring ceiling, skylights—it’s an artist’s dream of a studio space— and tons and tons of room. As she points out, it’s the kind of space you just can’t get in Manhattan.

In the center, in the open kitchen and at the very heart of the restaurant, is a custom-made wood-fire grill. Ingenious crankwheels allow for the grilling surface to be adjusted, closer or further from the coals, as needed. Squid, for example, is grilled very close to the coals; chicken is cooked at a higher level, said Robbins.

The dishes are light, but they are full of flavor, partly because of the ingredients and partly because of the transformation by fire they undergo.

Grilled Squid, ($12), for example, is delicate with a nice hint of bite, but that smoky char— especially on the legs—makes for really satisfying and addicting eating. Some preserved Corbari tomatoes, sweet and tangy, add an intense pop reminiscent of summer.

Scallops ($15) also get the grilling treatment, and are served over yogurt with walnuts. Here the predominant note comes from fresh, sweet marjoram.

In the vegetable department, fennel also takes a trip through the wood fire grill, making it both satisfying as well as refreshing with slices of blood orange and marinated capers ($12).

A branzino fillet ($26) comes with crispy skin and salsa verde, over buttery melt-in-yourmouth potatoes that are cooked for up to 2 hours over hot coals. The salsa verde provides an herbal punch, with a delicious injection of parsley, tarragon, and chives.

All in all, eating at Lilia, if you closed your eyes, could make you feel like you’re eating by the sea, in the middle of an Italian summer.

And that’s not at all a bad place to be.

Pasta, all made in-house, is a shining part of the menu. It’s the one thing Robbins would make in the kitchen all day, if she had to pick.

There’s an extruder out back that cranks out pastas like rigatoni and “mafaldini.”

Also known as “reginette” (or little queens), mafaldini ($18) has wavy edges that bear a resemblance to the scalloped crowns worn by princesses and queens or, some say, to intricate lace dresses. Either way, those edges are great for sauce and cheese to cling to, and make for a texture that’s playful and fun to eat. Here, Robbins pairs the pasta with Parmigiano-Reggiano and pink peppercorns.

On the other side of the shape spectrum, the rectangular and squat agnolotti are filled with sheep’s milk cheese just waiting to explode at a bite’s notice, complemented by touches of saffron and honey ($22), a combination Robbins said hails from Sardinia.

For dessert, a soft-serve gelato machine makes vanilla and chocolate gelato, served with your choice of toppings. For the chocolate gelato, you can choose from expresso-choco-

late powder, salted hazelnuts, or candied citrus (my advice would be to get all three); and for the vanilla, there are lemony walnuts, amaretti cookies, and sprinkles ($8).

A light dessert option is the Olive Oil Cakewith persimmon, grappa, and whipped cream; other options, especially if you have more room, would be the apple crostata or the double chocolate torta ($8).

The vibe on a weeknight at Lilia is buzzing.

Though Robbins might not have envisioned herself in Brooklyn—she said she didn’t know much about Williamsburg when she was approached by her current partners—she is enjoying the crowd: where A Voce by nature of its Midtown location saw its share of diners out on business, here it’s neighbors who clearly come for pleasure.

There is an adjoining cafe that opened recently, all set to provide the neighborhood with caffeine fuel and offering a morning repast that can easily be taken on the go, like a rustic, sublime grape focaccia or a light maritozzi, a light brioche cut on the side and filled with orange-infused cream. The cafe evolves throughout the day, transitioning from breakfast to pastries, cookies, sandwiches, and softserve gelato in the afternoon, until 5 p.m. when it becomes a cocktail bar.

Chef-partner Missy Robbins.

Grilled Squid, with preserved Corbari tomato and fennel pollen.

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March 4–10, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

AN EMPIRE STEAK OF MIND

HURTS SO GOOD Savoring MáLà Project’s Potent Spices

By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff As people who love spicy food already know, a little pain is a small price to pay for something delicious.

The “málà” in MáLà Project’s name refers to the numbing, spicy flavor that overcomes your senses after eating food seasoned with Sichuan peppercorns. Your lips pulsate with heat, your tongue tingles, and your nose starts to burn.

At MáLà Project, located in the East Village, Sichuan peppercorns are not the only ingredients that make the restaurant’s signature dish, the dry pot, so potent. First invented in Chongqing, China (a southwestern city neighboring Sichuan Province), the dry pot is a fiery stirfry of whatever meats, vegetables, and seafood items you fancy; and whatever you choose is only a vehicle for soaking up the great mixture of herbs and spices thrown into the dish.

Probably anything would taste good in that toss-up of chili oil and pepper, cilantro, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, bay leaves, and other herbs—it’s fragrant, peppery, and herbal simultaneously. I chose pillowy pieces of fish filet, glass noodles, lotus root, Chinese cabbage, and sliced lamb for a variety of textures to absorb the fragrant chili oil.

But MáLà Project also offers more adventurous options, like chicken gizzard, pig intestines, and lamb kidney. For dinner, you can pick however many you want, sold à la carte; for lunch, you can choose three, four, or five items for $9, $11, and $14, respectively.

Some of the herbs you’ll dig out may be entirely unfamiliar: tiny white pods and pointy seeds resembling dates. It turns out they are variants of cardamom native to southwestern China. MáLà Project owner Amelie Kang gets these prized ingredients from friends and family who bring them back from China.

Authentic flavors are important for Kang, who recently graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and opened MáLà Project in January. She grew up in Beijing, where she learned to love the dry pot dish; she ate it at least once a week.

“There’s nowhere that treats this dish correctly in New York and I miss the flavor too much,” Kang said in an email. So she opened her own dry pot-focused restaurant, with the intent to introduce New Yorkers to real Chinese flavors, while “bringing back a lot of the dishes that are forgotten even by Chinese people, to awaken some memory and association with home and childhood,” she said.

One such nostalgic dish is the Liangfen of Happy Tears—mung bean jelly (or “liangfen”) dressed in housemade chili sauce and aged vinegar. Kang explains that the Chinese name for the dish translates to “liangfen for the heartbroken,” because people who ate this dish would tear up from the spiciness. She aptly named it “happy tears” instead. The intense sour of the vinegar, mixed with the garlicky notes in the chili sauce, creates a fantastic synergy of flavor. The slippery threads of jelly will be gone before you know it, even if eating it involves some sniffling and tearing up ($7).

For a milder dish to cool down your palate, try the Spinach Salad With Chili Sesame Paste, a dish originally from the Zhejiang region near Shanghai. Crunchy spinach is dressed with a nutty sauce of peanuts and sesame, and garnished with strawberry Pocky sticks for a touch of whimsy ($8).

Prime NY Sirloin

Filet Mignon served with steak fries

Chilean Sea Bass with choice of sides

Come for the impeccable service and supreme cuisine—from our family to your table. Beyond the dry-aged USDA Prime steak, we have wonderful seafood, including the buttery Chilean Sea Bass with its golden exterior and equally beautiful taste. Private dining rooms available for 200+ guests.

New Location

151 E. 50th St. (btw. Lexington & 3rd avenues) (212) 582-6900

237 W. 54th St. (btw. 7th & 8th avenues) (212) 586-9700

EmpireSteakhousenyc.com MáLà Project

122 First Ave. (between East Seventh Street & St. Mark’s Place) 212-353-8880 malaproject.nyc Hours Sunday–Wednesday Noon–4 p.m., 5 p.m.–11 p.m.

Thursday–Saturday Noon–4 p.m., 5 p.m.–midnight

(Top) Spinach Salad With Chili Sesame Paste, garnished with whimsical strawberry Pocky.

(Bottom) MáLà Dry Pot with lamb, glass noodles, lotus root, Chinese cabbage, and fish filet.

SET SAIL TO SAGAPONACK

Warning: Tear-inducing spices ahead!

The shrimp are plump and juicy, the clams have that justbeen-picked out of the ocean brininess, and the scallops boast a lovely sweetness. Many dishes at Sagaponack are perfect vehicles to showcase quality Long Island seafood.

Liangfen of Happy Tears: Mung bean jelly pieces in chili oil.

The Sou ffle Fell In the article “No Shortcuts at Sagaponack, Where Seafood Rules,” printed on Feb. 19, the hours were incorrectly stated. Sagaponack Bar & Grill is open for lunch Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Epoch Times regrets the error.

4 W. 22nd St. (btw. 5th & 6th avenues) 212-229-2226

sagaponacknyc.com

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March 4–10, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com

DANIEL BOULUD’S BENEFIT SUPPER FOR CITYMEALS ON WHEELS

The New Umami Experience

stuff to eat and drink around town COURTESY OF SWEET CHICK

Bara is an attempt to find common ground in tavern culture through the east and west by combining the wine bar tradition of Paris with the Japanese izakaya. The word bara has many meanings, as the restaurant Bara has many faces.

Chef Daniel Boulud is hosting Sunday supper at his Michelinstarred restaurant, Daniel, to benefit Citymeals On Wheels.

The nonprofit’s mission is to provide meals to homebound elderly throughout New York City. This year, the theme is Black Tie and Blue Jeans, so attendees are encouraged to wear the quirky combination.

Dinner will be paired with wines selected by Raj Vaidya, head sommelier at Daniel, and Daniel Johnnes, wine director for Dinex Group, Boulud’s restaurant group. $1,500 per person ($3,000 for VIP tickets).

Sunday, March 13 5:30 p.m. for cocktail reception 6:30 p.m. for dinner Daniel 60 E. 65th St. danielnyc.com For tickets, email events@citymeals.org

Our sensibilities are wild, with a passion for unsulphered wines, spontaneously fermented beers, sour doughs and kimchi, but are also restrained with clean presentations and an attempt to always make clarity of flavor our number one priority.

COSTATA’S DELIVERY-ONLY KITCHEN NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN AT SWEET CHICK 58 E. 1st St. (btw. 1st & 2nd avenues) 917-639-3197 - bararestaurantnyc.com

Southern comfort food restaurant Sweet Chick is now serving a new Nashville specialty—spicy fried chicken. The hot chicken, served with milk jam waffles, is available for lunch and dinner.

Sweet Chick 178 Ludlow St. 164 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn sweetchicknyc.com

CLASSICS with

FLAIR

Chef Michael White’s Italian steakhouse Costata closed in December, but has been revived as a delivery-only kitchen.

Through the Caviar app, hungry New Yorkers can order Costata’s popular dishes like the Garganelli with pasta quills, cream, radicchio, truffle butter, and prosciutto; and the Costata for two—a dry-aged, 40-ounce tomahawk rib-eye served with bordelaise, horseradish sauce, and truffle butter. trycaviar.com/manhattan/costata-301

COURTESY OF DANIEL KRIEGER

NATIONAL MEATBALL DAY AT ‘NICKY MEATBALLS’ RESTAURANTS The Upper West Side restauranteur Nick ‘Nicky Meatballs’ Mormando is celebrating National Meatball Day (March 9) with special deals at his restaurants, Polpette and Bello Giardino. All dishes featuring Mormando’s award-winning meatballs will be half price.

Wines will also be offered at half price.

Wednesday, March 9 Polpette, 483 Amsterdam Ave. polpetteny.com Bello Giardino, 71 W. 71st St. bellogiardino.com

Fine French cuisine in a romantic and elegant setting.

Visit Madison Bistro in Murray Hill and enjoy Master Chef Claude Godard’s updated traditional bistro fare.

BRISKET KING 2016 COURTESY OF ROOST BOOKS

MADISON BISTRO 238 Madison Ave. (at 37th Street) madisonbistro.com

"The Farmette Cookbook" by Imen McDonnell, to be released this month.

Local meat-loving chefs will go head to head in this annual festival to determine who makes the best brisket. Over 20 chefs, restaurants, and butchers will participate this year, including Jake Dickson of Dickson’s Farmstand Meats, Hill Country Barbecue, Marlow and Daughters, The Cannibal, and Robert Austin Cho of Kimchi Smoke.

Tickets include all you can eat and drink (craft beer, wine, and spirits). $90 per person.

Wednesday, March 16 6 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

Sanders Studio 525 Waverly Ave., Brooklyn brisketkingnyc.com

FAREPLATE: CELEBRATION OF IRISH FOOD AND DRINK

COURTESY OF MOTHER OF PEARL

At this tasting event celebrating the food and drink of the Emerald Isle, attendees will get to sample dishes and beverages made with Irish products, such as Coole Swan Irish Cream Liqueur, Teeling Whiskey, Ballymaloe Relish, OhArtagáin Handcrafted (artisanal soda bread), and Kerrygold (butter and cheese). Food writer Imen McDonnell will also talk about her new cookbook of Irish recipes, “The Farmette Cookbook.” $40 to $90 per person.

Colin Hagendorf, a New York native, sampled every slice of pizza in Manhattan for his blog.

All 375 of them.

Pizza Suprema was voted the best. *

AS SEEN ON: The Rachael Ray Show, The Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, and Daily News.

Come and try for yourself.

We are just beside Madison Square Garden. Since 1964.

Pizza Suprema 413 8th Ave. New York, NY 10001 (212) 594-8939

Awarded

Saturday, March 12 4 p.m.–8 p.m.

Refinery Rooftop, 63 W. 38th St. eventbrite.com (search “FarePlate”)

Mother of Pearl’s Green Mango Poke.

JUST FOOD CONFERENCE 2016 The annual Just Food Conference on food policy and agriculture is back. Just Food is a nonprofit that seeks to increase access to healthy, locally grown food in underserved neighborhoods. This year, it has gathered over 800 community organizers, advocates, and farmers together to host workshops and discuss local and national food policy issues. The keynote speakers are six farmers from the Rise & Root cooperative farm in Orange County, New York.

One of the 10

BEST PIZZAS IN NYC

Diagonally across from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. *Slice Harvester 2011, selected for the plain slice.

Sunday, March 13 9 a.m.–6:30 p.m.

Teachers College at Columbia University 525 W. 120th St. jfc2016.topi.com

MOTHER OF PEARL GOES VEGAN This East Village tiki bar and restaurant is now serving a mostly vegan menu. Owner Ravi DeRossi is a lifelong animal lover and plans to eventually convert all of his restaurants to vegan venues. At Mother of Pearl, executive chef Daphne Cheng is serving Polynesian-inspired dishes like Green Mango Poke with tomato, jicama, crispy rice, and macadamia; Rum Fried Rice with dragon fruit, orange edamame, and pineapple rum; and Lychee Potstickers with black vinegar sauce and Thai basil.

Mother of Pearl 95 Avenue A motherofpearlnyc.com

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March 4–10, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF L’AMICO

THE CRAFTSMAN SERIES AT L’AMICO L’Amico, the Italian restaurant by chef Laurent Tourondel, is hosting a biweekly series of tasting events with the people behind artisanal food and drink. Tourondel will serve savory bites to pair with different craft beverages. Founder of Black Hog Brewing Co. Tom Sobocinski and Mystic Cheese Co.’s Jason Sobocinski will be featured on Monday, March 14. $15 per person.

Mondays, 6 p.m.–8 p.m.

Hidden Bar at L’Amico (enter the restaurant to access) 849 Avenue of the Americas lamico.nyc

The TheMust-Try Must-TryDish: Dish: AABronx BronxTail Tail Lobster Lobstertail tailwith withclams, clams, mussels, mussels,shrimp, shrimp,over overchopped chopped leeks leeksand andpeppers peppersserved served with withaawhite whitewine winesaffron saffronsauce sauce

Il Tonic di Primavera with gin, tonic, and hibiscus simple syrup.

COURTESY OF PEARL’S

PEARL’S BRUNCH MENU Pearl’s, the Caribbean restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is now serving brunch. In keeping with the cuisine, the menu features seafood and tropical fruits, with options like Eggs Benedict on butter bread with crab cake, sea urchin hollandaise, and Caribbean hash; French Toast with caramelized bananas, guava, and mango maple syrup; and Jerk Shrimp Frittata.

Actor Chazz Palminteri brings the best of his Sicilian heritage and the finest Italian cuisine to Midtown. This upscale Italian eatery features classic Italian meat, seafood, and pasta dishes, as well as antipasto and traditional Italian desserts. Private dining is available.

178 N. Eighth St., Brooklyn pearlsbakeandshark.com

The Geera Pork Hash from Pearl’s.

11TH ANNUAL COFFEE AND TEA FESTIVAL Over 60 exhibitors from around the world will present their unique and award-winning coffees and teas at the Coffee and Tea Festival. The two-day festival also includes seminars on all things concerning brewing coffee and tea, and the Latte Art Throwdown. Sweet and savory bites are available to pair with the beverages. $10 to $35 per person.

Saturday, March 19, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Sunday, March 20, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

Brooklyn EXPO Center 72 Noble St., Brooklyn coffeeandteafestival.com/nyc

KEN GOODMAN

890 2nd Ave. (btw. 47th & 48th streets)

“It’s only the best if my name’s on it.”

212-355-5540 chazzpalminterinyc.com

thai

the modern experience

Last year’s James Beard Foundation Sunday Supper.

PHIL GROSS

SUNDAY SUPPER AT CHELSEA MARKET For the annual Friends of James Beard benefit dinner, chefs behind some of the city’s most popular eateries will come together to cook a familystyle feast. Participating chefs include Eijiro Kaga of Morimoto, Amy Scherber of Amy’s Bread, Jessi Singh of Babu Ji, Eli Kulp of High Street on Hudson, Sarabeth Levine of Sarabeth’s, and Ryan Bartlow of Quality Eats. Proceeds go to the James Beard Foundation and the Jamestown Charitable Foundation. $240 per person.

Sunday, March 20 5 p.m.

75 Ninth Ave. jamesbeard.org/chelseamarket

Happy Hour Monday & Tuesday All day, from 12pm–10:45pm Wednesday–Sunday: 12pm–8pm

Dark Chocolate Pavé with puffed barley, candied tangerine, and chilies, prepared by chef Daniel Skurnick of Buddakan.

Happy hour specials include our house drinks, martinis, margaritas, beer, and wine for $5.

Our martini and margarita flavors include lychee, peach, strawberry, apple, orange, and pineapple.

And of course we always have dirty martinis.

HUDSON VALLEY RESTAURANT WEEK

v{iv} Bar & Restaurant

This year is the 10th anniversary of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, when diners can enjoy threecourse meals at discounted prices, at more than 200 restaurants. The eateries range from New American to Mediterranean, with over 70 that have been Zagat-rated. Many are also close to MetroNorth train stations, making for an easy weekend getaway. $20.95 for lunch, $29.95 for dinner.

Monday, March 7–Sunday, March 20 Participating restaurants valleytable.com/hvrw

HELL’S KITCHEN 717 9th Ave. (btwn 48th-49th St.) 212-581-5999 MIDTOWN EAST 38 E. 34th (btwn Lex & 3rd) 212-213-3317 Follow us @vivthainyc

Compiled by Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff

Like us v{iv} Bar and Restaurant

Visit us at vivthainyc.com

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March 4–10, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com

By Verena Dobnik s warning labels go, the small salt shaker emblems that began showing up on some New York City restaurant menus recently are fairly unobtrusive, but each is supposed to carry a powerful message. If the black and white logo appears next to a dish, it means it contains more salt, by itself, than doctors recommend that a person ingest in an entire day.

Getting diners to pay attention to the logos, though, is another matter.

“I haven’t had health problems, other than I’m a little overweight, so I feel I should eat what I want until I have a problem,” said Madi Boggs, of New York, as she tucked into a plate of crispy chicken fingers at a TGI Friday’s in Manhattan.

The city began requiring chain restaurants to post the warnings in December. Hundreds have voluntarily complied, even as the industry has continued to delay enforcement of the rules through a court challenge.

But customers interviewed on March 1 at several city restaurants said the labels were unlikely to change what they ordered.

“For someone that’s young, it really doesn’t matter, because they’re still healthy,” said Maite Acosta, a 20-year-old nurse from Birmingham, Alabama, as she dined at an Applebee’s just off Times Square.

The hostess at the restaurant, Ashley Hurtado, said she thought the labeling was “a good idea,” but also said it wouldn’t change the way she ate.

“I’ll eat anything, whatever I want. That’s just how I am,” she said.

New York City’s regulation applies to restaurants and fast-food places with more than 15 outlets nationwide. It requires eateries to post the salt shaker emblem next to menu items that contain more than the daily recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams of salt, or about the amount found in a teaspoon. Health experts said too much salt intake over time can lead to high blood pressure and other problems.

The National Restaurant Association went to

CHANNALY PHILIPP/EPOCH TIMES

SUNG ANDERSEN

A

ANTONIO D’ANGELO/NEW YORK CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT VIA AP, FILE

New York Restaurants Post Salt Warnings, and Diners Shrug court to challenge fines of up to $600 for noncompliance that were to kick in on March 1.

On Feb. 29, an appellate judge issued a temporary stay of enforcement while the appeal is underway.

City health officials are optimistic that the new salt labels, if they survive the court challenge, will make a difference.

“We are certain it will have an effect. It’s just too early to tell what that will be,” said Christopher Miller, a spokesman for the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.

In some ways, it has already had a limited effect. Panera Bread changed some ingredients in three sandwiches to lower the salt content, including its signature bread bowl.

Still, at a Subway sandwich shop in Midtown Manhattan, employees interviewed on March 1 said only two or three people had inquired about the salt icons after they began appearing in December—a sign of the challenge ahead in changing public opinion.

A black and white graphic, released by the New York City Health Department, warning consumers of high salt content. If it appears next to a dish, it means it contains more salt than doctors recommend that a person ingest in an entire day.

From The Associated Press

Openings around town

Indian Accent

(Above) Cured meats from Mangalitsa

by Mosefund.

(Left) Jonel Picioane, the second-generation owner of Ridgewood European Pork Store in Queens.

Charcuterie Masters Crowns Champion of Cured Meats

By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff It was a meat lover’s paradise. On Saturday, Feb. 27, NY Epicurean Events organized its first Charcuterie Masters competition, where charcutiers from around the country vied for the grand champion title.

There was every sort of cured meat in sight, from Heather Ridge Farm’s pâté de campagne made with walnut-infused wine and saltcured clementines from the Catskills, to Dickson’s Farmstand Meats’ head cheese, a gelatinous slice of pork head meat.

Oui Charcuterie, based in Woodbridge, Connecticut, wowed with its deliciously peppery, piquant salamis, made from hogs that were fed a final diet of barley hops for more cleantasting fatty bits, while Ribs Within grilled up some of the best bacon I’ve ever had: delicately sweet, unsalted, applewood-smoked, and made with Amish-country pigs.

In the end, the panel of expert judges (with chef Cesare Casella, butcher Jocelyn Guest of Salvation Burger, and food historian Francine Segan among them) crowned Nduja Artisans as the winner. The Chicago-based company makes nduja, or spreadable salami, with Calabrian peppers and 100 percent Berkshire pork.

Here is the full list of winners:

Grand Champion

Antonio Tony Fiasche, Nduja Artisans

Second Place

Fred Maurer, Dickson’s Farmstand Meats

Third Place

Michael Clampffer, Mangalitsa by Mosefund

Best Amateur Steven Jagoda

Indian Accent, whose Delhi location was featured on the 2015 San Pellegrino list of 100 Best Restaurants in the World, has opened its first international location—in Midtown Manhattan.

Rohit Khattar, chair of parent group Old World Hospitality, said in a press release, “We have been evaluating multiple opportunities to open another Indian Accent, but none have been as exciting and promising as New York City. We hope that the immensely discerning diners here embrace us as much as those in New Delhi have.”

Chef Manish Mehrotra’s contemporary Indian menu combines modern techniques and traditional flavors. The menu includes Baby Squid with crispy rice and everything chutney; Pepper Roast Dosa with wild mushrooms, black truffles and water chestnuts; and Pork Belly Vindaloo with Goan red rice.

Diners pick out two, three, or four courses, or choose the chef’s tasting menu comprising seven dishes.

COURTESY OF INDIAN ACCENT

Silken tofu kofta, quinoa pulao, bottle gourd curry.

The wine list counts 300 bottles, and cocktails as well as a large selection of nonalcoholic drinks are available.

Open for dinner Monday to Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Lunch service is forthcoming.

At Le Parker Meridien 123 W. 56th St. 212-842-8070 indianaccent.com/nyc

Sushi Ganso Harris Salat and Tadashi Ono, who are behind izakaya Ganso Yaki in Brooklyn, opened Sushi Ganso this week. Sushi chef Tomo Hayashi, who used to work at Sushi Azabu and Matsuri, holds court with classic Tokyo-style sushi and sashimi.

Small dishes include kinpira (burdock and carrot sautéed with sake, soy sauce, and sesame oil); Ankimo, steamed monkfish liver in yuzu ponzu; and Uzaku, broiled freshwater eel rolled in cucumber. A daily omakase set is offered, with the chef’s picks.

Sushi Ganso has 36 seats, including 12 at the sushi bar, and is connected by an interior door to Ganso Yaki—where patrons can also order sushi.

Open daily for dinner from 5 p.m., and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.

31 Third Ave. (between State Street & Atlantic Avenue) Brooklyn 646-927-1776 gansonyc.com

Traditional and modern, combined.

A new standard for Thai food.

The Nuaa

❧

1122 1st Ave. (btw 61st and 62nd streets) 212-888-2899 • thenuaa.com

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March 4–10, 2016

Almost SPRINGTIME

www.EpochTaste.com

COCKTAILS

From Upstate New York

By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff

C

ould it be almost spring? The first snowdrops, harbingers of spring, have deigned to make an appearance in Central Park in the last few days.

Meanwhile, mixologists in the Hudson Valley are probably trying to conjure up Mother Nature’s warmer graces with their oerings of springtime-inspired cocktails. These

cocktails were crafted for the 10th anniversary of the Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, which runs from March 7 to March 20. More than 220 restaurants are participating; 80 are within walking distance of a Metro-North railroad station.

Should you want to try your hand at bringing springtime at home (in a cocktail glass), here’s a selection.

Authentic Japanese

FREE

When you taste the Japanese food at Momokawa you will know it is the real thing. Each ingredient and every detail ensures the most authentic experience.

Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu

COURTESY OF TUTHILL HOUSE

Small Course (service for two or more)

RECIPE

6 Appetizer 6 2 kinds of Sashimi 6 Choice of Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu (SautĂŠ meals cooked at the table)

BLACKBERRY & PLUM GIN GIMLET • 2 ounces Tuthilltown Spirits Half Moon Orchard Gin • 1 dash plum bitters • 1–2 blackberries • 1 egg white • 1 ounce lime juice • 1 ounce demerara syrup

6 %00%/1

$48/per person A L SO AVA IL A BLE:

Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | (212) 684-7830 | momokawanyc.com

DIRECTIONS Muddle blackberries in a shaker tin. Add all ingredients into your shaker tin without ice. Dry shake ingredients for 12 seconds. Add ice & shake for 12 more seconds. Double strain ingredients into a large coupe glass.

Recipe courtesy of Tuthill House at the Mill, Gardiner, N.Y. COURTESY OF THE VALLEY AT THE GARRISON

RECIPE CORNELIUS PEACH APPLY BRANDY • 2 ounces Cornelius Peach • 1 ounce Cranberry Spice Amore • 1 fresh lime

DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into chilled martini cocktail glass.

Recipe courtesy of Valley at the Garrison, Garrison, N.Y. COURTESY OF MADISON KITCHEN

Redefining Traditional Spanish Cuisine • Fine dining experience inspired by the distinctive culinary-rich regions of Spain. • Top-quality ingredients expanding on the rich, healthy profiles of the Mediterranean diet. • Seasonal menu reflecting the bounty of fresh, local ingredients. • Exciting selection of Spanish wines, cavas, and cocktails.

COURTESY OF TAVERN AT DIAMOND MILLS

246 E. 44th Street AlcalaRestaurant.com • (212) 370-1866

Sevens’ Mixed Grill

A Turkish Feast

you’ll always remember

RECIPE

RECIPE

WESTCHESTER WHISKEY SOUR

BLACKBERRY JALAPENO COCKTAIL

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary • 3 ounces 287 Whiskey • 3/4 ounce White Oak Farm maple syrup (Yorktown Heights) • 1/4 ounce rosemary simple syrup • 1 ounce lemon juice • 1 ounce Triple Sec

DIRECTIONS Crush large sprig of rosemary by hand and add to shaker. Add all ingredients and ice to shaker. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain mixture into martini glass and garnish with remaining rosemary sprigs and orange slice.

Recipe courtesy of Madison Kitchen, Larchmont, N.Y.

• Authentic Mediterranean Turkish cuisine • Delicious Specialty Kebabs & Pides • Zucchini Pancakes • Decadent Homemade Specialties and Desserts • Catering Available

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• 4 blackberries, muddled • 3 basil leaves, muddled • 2 ounces Catskill Distilling Company’s Peace Vodka • 1 full pressed lime • 2 slices jalapeùos • 1/2 ounce simple syrup

DIRECTIONS Toss in a shaker. Pour in a highball. Glass and rim with crystallized basil. Garnish with a lime twist, basil sprig, and a jalapeĂąo.

Recipe courtesy of The Tavern at Diamond Mills, Saugerties, N.Y.

4 1/2 star rating on Trip Advisor & 4 star rating on Open Table!

MEDITERRANEAN TURKISH GRILL

158 West 72nd St. NY • (212) 724-4700

www.seventurkishgrillnyc.com *valid for dinner 5 pm - 11 pm

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@EpochTaste

March 4–10, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com

ROASTED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH CARAMELIZED FENNEL with oil. Roast for 10 minutes.

Turn them over and continue roasting until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings Portobello mushrooms are the steaks of the edible fungus world, with a meaty texture and earthy flavor. Serve these as a side dish to roast pork, or even as a lunch or supper with crusty bread. , 4 large Portobello mushroom caps , 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing the mushrooms , Salt and freshly ground black pepper , 1 medium fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb cored and cut crosswise into thin half-moons , 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil , 1/2 cup chicken stock, reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable stock 1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet.

3. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the stock and basil and bring to a boil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Transfer the mushrooms to a carving board and cut on a slight diagonal into 1/2inch thick slices. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with the fennel sauce. Cut each mushroom diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices. Pour fennel sauce over the slices and serve hot.

This recipe can be found on page 137 of my new cookbook “Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook.”

2. Place the mushroom caps on the baking sheet and brush

Recipe from

Patsy’s Italian Restaurant.

236 W. 56th St. 212-247-3491 www.patsys.com

✁

Our only location A big, warm, beautiful Italian cookbook with full color throughout, Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook is a great book for those who know the restaurant and love classic Italian dishes.

DRINK TO YOUR

HEALTH (HAS A NEW MEANING!)

Review

Meal Kits’ Price and Quality Can Vary a Lot

By Bree Fowler Meal delivery kits can save you time, spare you stress, and might even cut your food bill if you’re eating out a lot. But which ones are actually worth it?

I spent a month cooking dinners using ingredients packaged and shipped by Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, Purple Carrot, Plated, and Marley Spoon. Each box contained the makings for three dinners for two. The Associated Press picked up the tab and the companies weren’t aware that I was doing reviews.

We’ve listed the weekly cost for each service, along with what I actually paid as a result of first-week promotions.

Blue Apron ($60 weekly, $40 for the first week with an online promotion) This is probably the best known meal-kit delivery service in America. It’s also the least expensive. But I don’t think it’s the best.

Nothing was bad, but nothing really wowed me either. Some of the entrees tasted generic, like something you’d get at a chain restaurant, including things like unlabeled rolls and premade sauces with no ingredients listed. (Blue Apron will send you the ingredient lists if you request them.) Even though I made the meals myself, they seemed more institutional than ones made from scratch. On the upside, the meats were of good quality and the shrimp came from the United States.

But if you’re counting your calories, watch out. Two of the three dishes I made were actually supposed to serve three, instead of two, boosting the calorie count if you finish the whole thing the way I did with my husband.

The good news is that Blue Apron offers six meals to choose from each week, and there’s lots of variety. But this was the only service I tried that blacked out certain choices if you selected others. Blue Apron said it does that for internal efficiency, but said it’s working on giving its customers more choices.

Plated ($72 weekly, $48 with a first-week promotion) Plated stands out because it gives you the option to pay extra for more upscale Chef’s Table entrees. I paid an extra $12 for a twoperson meal of wild Pacific salmon with long beans and potatoes. Even though I overcooked the fish, this was a favorite and worth the extra cash.

The regular dishes were also a step up from Blue Apron’s. A pasta dish contained a generous amount of tasty, but funky-looking mushrooms I’d never tried before. A quick chicken stew was nicely spiced.

You can also pay an extra $4 per person to add dessert. This sounded like fun, but the whole wheat dark chocolate cookies with cranberries I made were disappointing. The six tiny cookies the mix yielded looked like something out of my daughter’s Easy-Bake Oven. And even in New York, $8 can buy you a few large, topquality cookies from a bakery.

Purple Carrot ($68 weekly, $38 with a first-week promotion) The fact that these exclusively vegan meals

Mild Seafood Stew with Nurungji

Pomegranate Soju

were able to feed my meat-loving husband with minimal whining says a lot.

Backed by food writer Mark Bittman, the meals are designed to help people cut back on their meat and dairy intake, benefiting both their personal health and that of the Earth.

The meals were fun and creative. The company’s Korean veggie pancakes were a hit, as was a broccoli-and-butter bean pasta.

On the flip side, these also were the most time-consuming meals to make, requiring me to do things like wash, peel, and grate multiple carrots. Some recipes even ask you to pull out your blender or food processor.

But the best thing about Purple Carrot is its customer service. I had my subscription paused, but there was a mix up and the company sent me a box anyway. In a panic, I emailed them. Not only did I get a quick and friendly reply, they also refunded my money and told me to keep the box, which was way more than I expected.

Hello Fresh ($69 weekly for a classic box, $59 for the vegetarian box; $34 for a classic box with a first-week promotion) While customer service may have been Purple Carrot’s best quality, it was Hello Fresh’s worst.

I never received a reminder email or shipping info for my delivery, so I emailed the company.

It took them two days to answer. While my box did arrive as scheduled, the uncertainty had me scrambling to buy groceries just in case.

The food itself was fine. Dishes were creative but not too weird, and came together fairly quickly. But some of the ingredients seemed cheap. Little packets of hoisin sauce included artificial red food coloring, while a tube of sour cream included preservatives. And a shrimp dish labeled “make me first,” came with a rockhard avocado, resulting in a last-minute trip to the store.

Hello Fresh supplies complete nutritional information, useful if you’re watching your sodium or sugar intake.

Marley Spoon ($61.50 weekly, $21.50 with a first week promotion) Hands down, this was our favorite. Of all the companies, it offers the best bang for your buck, with great food at reasonable prices.

The company, which is based both in New York and Berlin, sources many items from high-end New York providers, such as meats from Pat LaFrieda and cheese from Murray’s. Seafood comes from Sea to Table, which partners with small-scale sustainable wild fisheries.

A strip steak dinner, which I somehow managed to not overcook despite setting off my smoke alarm, included a generously sized piece of meat that was deliciously seasoned with just salt and pepper and served alongside mashed celery root and roasted Brussels sprouts. A vegan dish of crispy tofu and peanut noodles was also excellent.

The company, launched in April 2015, currently serves the East Coast and several Midwestern states, but plans to expand to the Atlanta area and the West Coast by spring.

From The Associated Press ALL PHOTOS BY BREE FOWLER/AP

Made with Red Vinegar, a popular health drink in many Asian countries.

Sizzling Bulgogi

SOJU HAUS offers traditional, healthy (no msg!) Korean food, and an ambiance that inspires good company and great conversations.

While traditional cocktails often deplete the body of nutrients, SOJU HAUS mindfully pairs food and drink for a more balanced effect on your body.

Hello Fresh’s Shrimp Taco Lettuce Wraps.

Three-meal box from Marley Spoon.

Three-meal box from Purple Carrot.

Three-meal Blue Apron box.

Coconut Soju

What to Try Tonight...

Mild Seafood Stew with Nurungji

Pairs well with Cucumber Soju

212-213-2177 315 5th Ave. 2nd Fl, NY NY

SOJUHAUS.COM

Bossam (Braised Pork Belly)

Try it with the Lemon Soju Seafood Pancake

Amazing with Unfiltered Rice Wine

Sunday – Wednesday 5:00 pm – 2:00 am Thursday 5:00 pm – 3:00 am Friday – Saturday 5:00 pm – 4:00 am

D9

@EpochTaste

March 4–10, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MONICA STOLBACH

Dessert Hacks

All the flavors of Asia, under one roof

HOW TO GET A HEALTHY SUGAR FIX

Arbor Bistro • 226 W. Houston St. (btw. Varick & Bedford) 212-255-7888 • arborbistronyc.com

We Deliver ( Ramen Okonomiyaki ( Obento-box ( Japanese sweets Obanyaki (

(subject to availability)

Winter Special

Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites.

By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff

T

wo months have come and gone since New Year’s Day. Maybe your will to keep clean-eating resolutions has started to dwindle. Well, if you have a diehard sweet tooth, fear not.

Here are some dessert hacking tips—healthy ways to get your sugar fix—from Monica Stolbach, pastry chef at Foragers Table, a seasonal American restaurant in Chelsea.

First, she suggests using in-season, raw fruit when making baked goods. Ripe, local fruits have complex sweetness and robust flavors that can enhance any dessert—without adding extra sugar. For some fun texture, add healthy nuts like hazelnuts, pistachios, or almonds.

Stolbach also likes to use gluten-free alternatives like

The Okonomiyaki almond and buckwheat flour for her creations at Foragers Table. “The earthiness that buckwheat flour lends to desserts is mild and pleasing,� said Stolbach in an email interview.

For a quick dessert fix, the pastry team at Foragers Table suggests making an elegant plate out of simple ingredients: a fan of apples against a wedge of cheese, or thinly sliced blood oranges tossed with nuts and a splash of Campari.

Baked goods can still taste delicious without a lot of added sugar. Julie Ross of “The Healthy Home Cook� blog replaces the butter in chocolate brownies with chickpeas, turning the brownie bites into protein-laden goodies.

For her cookie dough bites, Ross achieves the same creamy dough consistency by blending oats and cashews. Natural honey and maple syrup add sweetness without getting too decadent.

Makes: 12 Can anyone honestly say they didn’t hover in the kitchen while their parents baked cookies, just to lick the batter out of the bowl? I used to love chocolate chip cookie dough. But now that I think about it, eating raw cookie dough is not the best idea in the world. Raw eggs, refined sugar. ‼ Talk about unhealthy for a child to eat. But these eggless, flourless, and refined sugar-free cookie dough bites are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth. I am a firm believer that you can live a healthy lifestyle and still enjoy a little bit of heaven every once in a while.

My version of raw cookie dough is made healthy with simple ingredients. There is no need to include too many products when the ones you have are wonderful as is. The combination of oats and cashews create a rich, creamy dough consistency, while the addition of natural honey and maple syrup give you just the perfect amount of sweetness. What’s even better is that there is no cooking or baking necessary for this

MOCU-MOCU

Our original “Wafu Dashi�, and MOCU’s original blend of 746 Tenth Ave. (between 50th and 51st Streets) Okonomi-yaki sauce.

212-765-0197 Mocu-Mocu.com

CASUAL DINING CAFÉ & SHOP

CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE at el Pote

Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain

Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria

RECIPE CLEAN EATING CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH BITES

We are the only restaurant in the city that delivers Ramen to you!

amazing dessert.

• • • • • •

One 5-ounce can roasted/salted cashews 2/3 cup oats 4 tablespoons honey or agave nectar 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup chocolate chips or carob chips

Rich Paella Valenciana Fresh Lobster Bisque Juicy Lamb Chops

DIRECTIONS In a blender, combine oats and cashews. Pulse slowly, so that you do not over mix the ingredients. You do not want to end up with a creamy nut butter; we are striving for a powder-like consistency.

Transfer mixture into a large bowl, then add honey, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir well.

Lastly, mix in chocolate chips.

Form approximately 12 cookie dough balls on parchment paper or a plate, and place in your freezer. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.

718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680

Recipe courtesy of Julie Ross, thehealthyhomecook.com

RECIPE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Celebrate with Us May Wah Vegetarian Market 21st Anniversary

Makes: 12 How is it possible to create a fluffy brownie without flour, sugar, and butter, you ask? Well, be prepared to be pleasantly surprised! With a base of chickpeas— that’s right, chickpeas—unsweetened cocoa powder, and maple syrup, you won’t believe how tasty these brownies are. They are packed with both protein and fiber, and just sweet enough to feed your craving for an indulgent dessert. This is another great example of how you can make a healthy, restrictive diet into something enjoyable!

• • • • • • • • •

One 15-ounce can chickpeas 3 eggs 1/3 cup maple syrup 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 tablespoon coconut oil (room temperature) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract Dark chocolate chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS Heat oven to 350 degrees. Drain and rinse chickpeas.

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients except for the dark chocolate chips. Mix well until you have a smooth batter. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins.

If desired, place 2 to 3 dark chocolate chips on top of each brownie. Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a brownie comes out clean.

Recipe courtesy of Julie Ross, thehealthyhomecook.com

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D10

@EpochTaste

March 4–10, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD

ASIAN RESTAURANT LISTINGS UPPER WEST SIDE

Sachi Asian Bistro Thai Featured Dish: Oink Oink Oink Fried Rice 713 2nd Ave. (btw. 38th & 39th streets) 929-256-5167 | sachinyc.com

Raku—It’s Japanese II Japanese Featured Dishes: Sushi; Sashimi; Brussels Sprouts

57 W. 76th St. (btw. Central Park West & Columbus Ave.) 212-873-1220 | rakuupperwest.com

UPPER EAST SIDE

Ruay Thai Restaurant Thai Featured Dishes: Pad Thai; Pad See Yew 625 2nd Ave. (btw. 34th & 35th streets) 212-545-7829 | ruaythai.com

KOREATOWN

Cafe Evergreen Chinese 1367 1st Ave. (btw. 73rd & 74th streets) 212-744-3266 cafeevergreenchinese.com The Nuaa Thai Featured dishes: Purple Blossom Dumpling; Short Ribs Massaman Curry 1122 1st Ave. (btw. 61st & 62nd streets) 212-888-2899 | thenuaa.com

HELL’S KITCHEN/ MIDTOWN WEST Noodies Thai 830 9th Ave. (btw. 54th & 55th streets) 646-669-7828 noodiesnyc.com Vi{v} Bar & Restaurant Thai Featured Dishes: Kanom Jean Nam Ngeow; CM Sausage 717 9th Ave. (btw. 48th & 49th streets) 212-581-5999 | vivnyc.com Hell’s Chicken Korean Featured Dish: Korean Fried Chicken 641 10th Ave. (btw. 45th & 46th streets) 212-757-1120 | hellschickennyc.com

Soju Haus Korean 315 5th Ave., 2nd Fl. (btw. 31st & 32nd streets) 212-213-2177 | sojuhaus.com

15 Greenwich Ave. (btw. 10th & Christopher streets) 212-488-9888 | niunoodleny.com

GREENWICH VILLAGE Uncle Ted’s Chinese Featured Dish: Uncle Ted’s fried rice with Chinese sausages; braised duck dumpling; crispy duck with chow fun in hoisin sauce

163 Bleecker St. (btw. Thompson & Sullivan streets) 212-777-1395 | uncletedsnyc.com

EAST VILLAGE SenYa Japanese Featured Dishes: Smoked Hamachi / Hamachi Kama; Uni Scrambled Egg with Sturgeon Caviar; Smoked Katsuo Tataki

GRAMERCY/FLATIRON/ UNION SQUARE Junoon Indian Featured Dishes: Mirchi Pakora; Hara Paneer Kofta; Meen Manga Curry 27 W. 24th St. (btw. 5th & 6th avenues) 212-490-2100 | junoonnyc.com

109 1st Ave. (btw. 7th & 6th streets) 212-995-5278 | senyanyc.com Sigiri Sri Lankan 91 1st Ave. (btw. E. 5th & E. 6th streets) 212-614-9333 | sigirinyc.com

BATTERY PARK

Laut Southeast Asian 15 E. 17th St. (btw. W. Union Sq. & Broadway) 212-206-8989 | lautnyc.com

Malaysian Kitchen USA Malaysian Featured Dish: Hainanese Chicken 21 South End Ave. (btw. W. Thames St. and the Esplanade) | 212-786-1888 malaysiakitchenusa.com

KIPS BAY Momokawa Japanese Featured Dishes: Kaiseki menu; Beef Sukiyaki; Fried Chicken 157 E. 28th St. (btw. Lexington & 3rd avenues) 212-684-7830 momokawanyc.com

BROOKLYN Pasar Malam Southeast Asian Featured specials: Malaysian food and roti station 208 Grand St. (btw. Bedford & Driggs avenues)

WEST VILLAGE

Williamsburg 929-267-4404 | pasarmalamny.com

Spice Market Asian Fusion

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MIDTOWN EAST

Shochu and Tapas - AYA Japanese 247 E. 50th St. (btw. 2nd & 3rd avenues) 212-715-0770 aya-nyc.com

QUEENS

Featured Special: $27 for a 3-course lunch prix-fixe menu.

403 W. 13th St. (btw. Washington St. & 9th Ave.) 212-675-2322 | spicemarketnewyork.com

Leng Thai Thai 33-09 Broadway | Astoria 718-956-7117 | lengthai.com

Niu Noodle House Chinese Featured Dish: Pork Soup Dumplings

Spicy Lanka Sri Lankan 159-23 Hillside Ave. Jamaica 718-487-4499

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Laut is Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai food, located at 15 E. 17th St.

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A New Cut of Meat You Need to Know: Petite Beef Sirloin

By Katie Workman Petite beef sirloin is a great cut of meat to get to know. It is usually less expensive than the larger filet mignon cuts—sometimes significantly—and it cooks up quite quickly. That’s a lot to love!

The cut comes from the top sirloin, but these smaller pieces are flavorful and juicy, yet still lean. They usually are cut into 1 1/2- to 2 1/2pound portions. Once you get them home, they can be left whole or cut into smaller—but still substantial—filets. And even though this cut of beef is fairly tender to start with, a few hours in a grapefruit juice-based marinade

Grapefruit juice marinade makes sirloin super tender.

makes it even more so.

Red grapefruits usually have more sweetness than the yellow varieties, and that’s underscored by the honey in this recipe. A bit of ginger and garlic provide some heat, and soy sauce gives it a light salty kick. The result is a recipe with a great balance of flavors, and that is extremely simple to throw together.

You can leave the filets in the marinade for up to eight hours, but no longer or the citrus in the marinade will tenderize the meat too much.

Serve this with some rice or couscous and a salad or maybe some sautéed broccoli rabe.

From The Associated Press

RECIPE GRAPEFRUIT PETITE SIRLOIN Prep & Cooking Time: 20 minutes, plus marinating Serves: 6 • • • • • • • •

Juice of 1 ruby red grapefruit 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 1/2 pounds petite sirloin, cut into 6 pieces • 1 tablespoon olive oil

In a quart-sized zip-close plastic bag, combine the grapefruit juice, soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the beef and seal the bag, turn to coat, then marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 but no more than 8 hours.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and turn the pan so the oil coats the bottom of the pan. Remove the beef from the marinade and sear on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes in all, watching to make sure they don’t get too brown from the sugar in the honey, or until the center reaches 130 F for medium done. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice each serving into medallions.

Low and Slow Is the Way to Go With This Greek Chicken Dinner

By Sara Moulton This toothsome chicken dish makes its way into the world via a slow cooker, a kitchen device I’ve grown to love.

There are several reasons to like slow cookers, even beyond the wonderfulness of being able to toss ingredients into it, head to work, and return to a fully cooked dinner in the evening.

Thanks to that long, low-temp cooking, slow cookers are also great at reducing tougher cuts of meat to tender goodness. And because they are covered during cooking, moisture doesn’t escape and the food stays particularly moist.

The utensil’s one drawback (assuming you’re using a traditional model) is that you can’t brown your meat or vegetables in it. Newer models often have a sauté mode, which is handy. But this isn’t a deal breaker if you’re making a dish that doesn’t require browning, such as chicken soup or beans or fish stew. But it’d be nice to have that option when you’re making a recipe that depends on browning to build flavor, such as a pot roast or braised lamb shanks.

The first time I prepared this Greek chicken dish, I hoped it would turn out to be one of those throw-the-ingredients-in-the-pot-andwalk-away-from-it-without-a-care-in-theworld miracles. Following the advice of several slow cooker cookbooks, I removed and discarded the chicken skin before cooking it.

The theory was that it would end up rubbery and add too much fat to the dish as it cooked. I also added the onions raw, the garlic smashed, and the rosemary in stalks.

But that approach didn’t work out as planned. The finished dish was lackluster and the chicken was dry.

So, back to the drawing board. This time I browned the key components—chicken, onions, and garlic—in a skillet before adding them to the slow cooker. I also opted not to remove the skin from the chicken and to dip the chicken in flour before sautéing it. I discarded most of the fat that came out of the skin as it browned, but kept some of it because fat is a conductor of flavor. I reckoned that these two steps would do double-duty: amp the flavor and protect the chicken from drying out.

It worked!

It’s worth noting, by the way, that the skin never became rubbery. It helped that it stuck up above the liquid as it cooked. Also, the chicken’s flour coating helped to lightly thicken the sauce. Of course, if you’re so inclined, you’re welcome to remove the skin just before serving; it will have already done its job.

In the end, the first and final versions of this recipe were as different as night and day. As ever, it’s all in the details.

From The Associated Press

D11

@EpochTaste

March 4–10, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com

Mix Up Your Hummus Game With Carrot Purée Topped With Lamb

By J.M. Hirsch Entertaining should not be about fuss or pomp.

I want my focus to be on my company. And on making sure the food packs tons of big, satisfying flavor. Not much beyond that matters.

Which is why I tend to gravitate to a particular version of family-style dining when I have guests. My approach is more about how the food is presented and consumed, delivering the message that this meal is about comfort and friendship.

Here’s how it works. I start with a base, spread thick over a large serving platter.

The base should be something easily spread, like hummus or savory yogurt dips. Many salads and roasted vegetables work, too.

Next, you decide what to top that with. I love roasted or seared meats that have been cut into bite-size por-

RECIPE CARROT HUMMUS WITH CUMIN LAMB AND GOAT CHEESE Prep & Cooking Time: 45 minutes Serves: 6 • 2 pounds carrots, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks • 1 cup water • 5 tablespoons tahini • 4 cloves garlic • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 2 tablespoons olive oil • Kosher salt and ground black pepper • 1 1/2-pound boneless leg of lamb • 1 tablespoon canola oil • 1 large yellow onion, diced • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds • 1/2 cup white wine • 2 ounces crumbled soft goat cheese • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint • Pita bread, warmed, to serve

DIRECTIONS In a medium saucepan, combine the carrots and water. Bring to a simmer over mediumhigh. Cook until the carrots are very tender and there are only a couple tablespoons of water remaining in the pan. Transfer the carrots and

tions. Roasted vegetables, or beans and cheese, would be a great vegetarian version. Heap it on top of the base layer, then finish with a sprinkle of something that ties everything together, such as chopped fresh herbs or crumbled goat cheese.

Now set the platter in the center of the table and give your guests something to scoop with.

Could be flatbread. Could be lettuce leaves.

Could be tortilla chips. And that’s it. Get everyone to dig in, quite literally.

Lately, I’ve been making this version with carrot and lamb, which is both unusual, yet familiar and comforting.

From The Associated Press

TH TO/MAT AP PHO

EW MEA

D

liquid in the pan to a food processor. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Process until smooth, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Trim as much fat as possible from the lamb, then cut it into 1-inch cubes. Season the cubes with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the canola oil. Add the lamb cubes and sear on all sides until nicely browned but not quite cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. You may need to do this in batches, adding a bit more oil with each batch. Transfer the cooked lamb to a plate.

Return the skillet to the heat and add the onion and cumin seeds. Saute for 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender.

Add the wine to the skillet and bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom to deglaze the pan. After 1 minute, return the lamb and any juices on the plate to the skillet, stir well and heat for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Experience Firsthand the Romance of the Korean Dynasty South Korean top chef Sunkyu Lee cooks authentic Korean royal court cuisine Totally different and distinctive cuisines and interior designs on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors.

To assemble, use a large spoon to spread the carrot hummus over a serving platter, creating a slight depression at the center. Spoon the lamb and onions over the hummus. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese and mint. Serve with pita bread.

RECIPE ALL PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MEAD/AP

SLOW COOKER GREEK CHICKEN Prep & Cooking Time: 5 1/2 hours (1 hour active) Serves: 6 • 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided • Kosher salt • 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs • Ground black pepper • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion • 1 tablespoon minced garlic • 1/4 cup dry white wine • 1 cup chopped pepperoncini (Italian pickled peppers) • 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives • 1 whole lemon, cut into 8 wedges • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth or stock

DIRECTIONS In a large (6-quart) slow cooker, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Dip half the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess, and add the pieces to the skillet, skin side down.

Cook until nicely browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker, placing it on top of the potatoes, skin side up. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken and flour.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of any fat left in the skillet, then return it to medium heat.

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally,

until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker. Return the skillet to high heat and add the wine, stirring and scraping to deglaze the pan and loosen any stuck bits. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half, then add to the slow cooker.

Add the remaining ingredients, tucking them among the chicken thighs. Cover and cook on low for 4 1/2 hours or high for 2 1/2 hours.

Transfer the chicken and potatoes to serving plates, making sure each portion includes olives, a lemon wedge, and sauce.

212-594-4963 10 W. 32 St., New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreaBBQ.com Open 24 hours

D12

@EpochTaste

March 4–10, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com

An Extra Healthy Take on Roasted Broccoli

By Melissa d’Arabian Of all the trendy/healthy/unusual ingredients I use regularly in my cooking, the one I get questions about most is nutritional yeast (which tastes way better than it sounds).

Nutritional yeast—not the same as baking yeast—is a golden, flaky powder typically sold in natural foods stores (usually in the bulk section). It doesn’t look like much, but boy does it pack some flavor!

I love nutritional yeast because it has a cheesy, nutty, savory flavor and can be sprinkled liberally on just about any vegetable or savory snack. Freshly popped popcorn or homemade baked kale chips with a bunch of this yeasty, cheesy goodness all over is, quite frankly, snacking perfection.

Nutritional yeast is also my weeknight dinner go-to seasoning for roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes. And in the mornings, it gets sprinkled on just about every egg white I cook.

Did I mention it’s incredibly healthy, too? Every 2 table-

Nutritional yeast adds nutty, cheesy flavor to savory dishes.

spoons of this stuff adds 9 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber to whatever you’re making, and only 1 gram of fat and 60 calories. Most nutritional yeasts are fortified with B vitamins, making it even better. Plus, nutritional yeast is a naturally good source of iron and selenium.

Please ignore the unfortunate name and try nutritional yeast next time you roast some veggies.

From The Associated Press AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD

RECIPE STOVETOP-ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH NUTRITIONAL YEAST until very hot.

Prep & Cooking Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4 • • • • •

3/4 pound broccoli florets 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed Pinch red pepper flakes 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock or broth (or water) • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS Heat a large, heavy saute pan or Dutch oven over high

The Secret to the Richest Chocolate Cake Ever?

Think Irish!

By Elizabeth Karmel

Venture Into Thailand’s

Spicy Northeast

at

ESANATION Authentic Thai cuisine sure to delight your adventurous senses!

• 14 types of unbelievable Som Tum (papaya salad).

• Gang Om soup that pulls a straight punch to the throat.

• Whole Cornish hen, fried to a golden crispiness, with the most addictive dipping sauce.

• Yentafo Noodle soup, an authentic standout.

Chef Wanlapha Techama was the sous chef responsible for Esan specialties at Queens restaurant Zabb Elee when it received a Michelin star last year.

ESANATION 750 9th Avenue # New York, NY 10019 (btw. 50th & 51st streets) 212-315-0555 # esanation.com

For me, St. Patrick’s Day isn’t just an excuse to drink Irish whiskey and Guinness. It’s also an excuse to bake with them!

Not too long ago, I had an idea to bake a chocolate cake spiked with Guinness. The affinity between the chocolate and the Guinness was amazing.

When I created the recipe, I started with my aunt’s chocolate pound cake, which my mother had remembered as spectacular. My aunt’s basic cake was good, but I wanted this cake to be luscious and moist and very chocolatey! So I increased the cocoa to a whole cup, substituting an additional 1/2 cup of cocoa for an equal amount of the flour.

For additional richness, I mixed Guinness with an equal amount of half-and-half. And to tie all the flavors together— a hint of freshly grated nutmeg. You don’t really taste it, but it highlights all the other flavors.

The glaze is an essential part of the recipe, as you poke holes in the cake when it is still warm and slowly spoon the glaze over until the holes are filled with it. That way, once the cake is cooled and sliced, each piece has rivets of deep chocolate glaze set into it.

You can buy a single can of Guinness in almost every grocery store, so having Guinness in both the cake and the glaze is not only delicious but economical, as well.

For anyone who is nervous that the cake will taste like beer. ... It does not. The Guinness adds a stouty richness that makes the cake the best chocolate cake you have ever eaten. It is so good that I had to make it three times when I visited my sister and her large family because each time I made it, it was gone before everyone could have a slice. This is the best way I know to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day, the Ides of March, or anytime you want a great piece of chocolate cake.

From The Associated Press AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD

While the pan heats, in a medium bowl, toss the broccoli with the olive oil until well coated. Place the florets in the hot pan, in a single layer, lightly pressing with a spatula to maximize contact with the hot surface (you should hear sizzling). Cover and cook for 1 1/2 minutes, or until the bottoms of the broccoli have some browning and char.

Uncover and flip the broccoli with the spatula, then press gently again. Cover and cook for another 1 1/2 minutes.

Uncover and stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Once fragrant (about 1 minute), add the stock and cover, allowing the broccoli to steam for 1 minute. Uncover and sprinkle on the nutritional yeast and vinegar, then stir. Let cook until all the liquid evaporates. Season with salt.

RECIPE CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GUINNESS GLAZE Prep & Baking Time: 2 hours (15 minutes active) Serves: 12 For the Cake • 1 cup cocoa powder, plus extra for the pan • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar • 4 large eggs • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract • 1/2 cup half-and-half • 1/2 cup Guinness, room temperature For the Glaze • 2 cups powdered sugar • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder • 6 tablespoons Guinness • 2 tablespoons half-and-half or heavy cream • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • Pinch of kosher salt

DIRECTIONS Heat the oven to 325 F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan very well with cooking spray. Sprinkle in a bit of cocoa powder, turning to coat evening, then overturning to discard any excess.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 cup of cocoa powder, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, stir together the vanilla, halfand-half and Guinness.

With the mixer running on low, alternate adding the liquid and dry ingredients to the sugar-butter mixture, mixing just until everything is mixed and smooth. Transfer to the prepared Bundt pan, tapping it gently on the counter to release air bubbles. Smooth the top, then bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

When the cake is done, let it cool in the pan for 25 minutes.

Set a wire cooling rack over the pan, then invert it so the cake stands on the rack. For ease of cleanup, set the rack over a rimmed baking sheet or a sheet of kitchen parchment. Use a tooth pick to poke deep holes all over the top of the cake.

Spoon glaze over the top of the cake and wait until it seeps into the holes. Spoon more glaze into the holes, then wait 10 minutes. Spoon the remaining glaze all over the top so it covers the holes and drizzles down the sides.