D1 May 20–26, 2016 When in Rome
Do as Romans Do on D10
1.
www.EpochTaste.com
INDY 2.
d o b e s id e s t h e I nd y 5 0 0
3.
charm and plen Hoosier t y t o ffers lis o apo ian Ind
Destination
4.
5.
A 1. Biking along the Monon Trail. 2. Downtown Indy lit up during the Christmas holiday season. 3. Tinker Street’s S’more Pot de Crème with marshmallow and hickory ash. 4. Ruby grapefruit salad with Asian lettuces and candied grapefruit zest at Tinker Street. 5. Chef Jonathan Brooks whips up inventive breakfasts at Milktooth. (1.–5.) JASON LAVENGOOD/VISITINDY.COM; CARL VAN ROOY PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF TINKER STREET; COURTESY OF TINKER STREET; COURTESY OF MILKTOOTH
By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
modern city is often thought of as a place of strangers, its denizens too absorbed in their hectic lives to connect with one another. But that isn’t the case with Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana. It’s a city of about 850,000 people—for comparison, about the same population as San Francisco—but still possesses the charm of a small town. See Indianapolis on D2
D2
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF BLUEBEARD
Bluebeard serves modern American updates on Italian cuisine.
COURTESY OF VISITINDY.COM
Locally Grown Gardens in Broad Ripple is a chef-owned and -operated farmers market. It is famous for its delicious homemade pies.
Destination
CARL VAN ROOY PHOTOGRAPHY
INDY
Indianapolis continued from D1 Ask Joanna Taft, an Indy resident for over 20 years. She moved here from the suburbs of Washington, where she said families drive their cars into the garage, then enter their houses straight through the back door. When she moved to Indy, she wanted to make use of her spacious front porch—a fixture of the neighborhood’s historic late-19th century houses— to interact with neighbors. She’d bring out some snacks and drinks, invite people from her block, and wave hello to anyone who passed by. “Porching” is now a Sunday afternoon routine during warm weather days. On a Sunday in late April, acquaintances young and old gathered on the Taft family porch, chatting about topics like their latest dining out adventures, the ways couple-riding on tandem bikes can test a marriage, and the upcoming Indianapolis 500 race on May 29. “Indianapolis is a place where you can plug into a community easily,” remarked a young couple. They had just moved from Pennsylvania, and worried that the transition to a new city would be difficult. But it was clear they had found their home. That same sense of community has inspired many in the Indianapolis hospitality industry to contribute back to the city. Sun King Brewery is an award-winning craft brewery and Indiana’s second-largest beer brewer, but the founders don’t wish to expand. Co-founder Clay Robinson, an Indiana native, said he wants the jobs to stay in his home state. The company regularly partners with local charitable organizations for benefit events, where a portion of the total beer purchases goes toward the cause. Martha Hoover, a transplant from New York, runs a nonprofit restaurant, Public Greens, where all profits go toward feeding disadvantaged children in Indianapolis public schools.
When you experience the city, you’ll begin to understand why natives and transplants alike love Indy so much.
PLACES TO VISIT Indianapolis Museum of Art and 100 Acres There’s plenty to see at this beautiful art museum—from paintings by American artist J.M.W. Turner to 17th century Chinese porcelains—but the grounds next to it, known as 100 Acres, might just rival the artwork inside. The wondrous landscape of woodlands and gardens will whisk you away to another world. On a sunny day, grab a blanket and have a picnic on the grassy lawn. Make sure to also check out the gorgeous Oldfields-Lilly House, once the home of local philanthropist J.K. Lilly Jr. imamuseum.org White River State Park The sprawling 250-acre park is home to many attractions, including the Indianapolis Zoo, NCAA Hall of Champions, and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, so it’s worth exploring for a whole day. But if you’re strapped for time, take a Segway tour, which takes you along a water canal (where you can paddleboat or ride in a gondola), to sites like the 9/11 Memorial, and outdoor art installations. inwhiteriver.com Indiana War Memorial Museum/Plaza After Washington, Indianapolis has the second highest number of memorials devoted to
LAVENGOOD PHOTOGRAPHY
The historic City Market near downtown.
For her efforts to provide healthy, farm-fresh meals to food desert communities, she was recently nominated for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur. When you experience the city—how easy it is to strike up conversations with strangers, how the streets hum with quiet energy without overwhelming the senses—you’ll begin to understand why natives and transplants alike love Indy so much.
veterans— perhaps owing to Indiana’s high conscription rate. The museum contains artifacts from every conflict the United States has ever been involved in. It also has a solemn Shrine Room dedicated to world peace. in.gov/iwm
The Indianapolis skyline, seen from the canal in White River State Park.
Fountain Square Theater Building In 1993, Linton Calvert bought this vacant building and turned it into a restaurant/bowling alley/private theater space filled with memorabilia and decor from the 1950s. Try your hand at duckpin bowling (small balls with no holes), or take a swing dance class on a Friday night. Afterward, hop across the street to New Day Craft, where you can try a flight of refreshing house-brewed meads for $6. fountainsquareindy.com newdaycraft.com EATING AND DRINKING YOUR WAY AROUND INDY Downtown After you stroll past the majestic Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument (a tribute to Indiana veterans) in downtown Indy, head to City Market, an indoor food hall with vendors ranging from fancy grilled cheese sandwiches to Mexican tamales. On Wednesdays, one of the country’s longest running farmers markets (since 1821) sets up shop along the whole block. indycm.com Fletcher Place After the 2013 construction of the Cultural Trail, an 8-mile biking and walking path connecting the city’s six major cultural districts,
COURTESY OF MILKTOOTH
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Milktooth takes that to a whole other level.
D3
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF TINKER STREET
FLAVORS UNDER THE SALERNO SUN San Pietro Presents SPRING/SUMMER PRIX FIXE MENU Dishes include:
Appetizer Zuppa del giorno (Soup of the day) Calamari in guazzetto e fagioli bianchi (Calamari in a light tomato sauce, white beans and aromatic herbs) Tinker Street’s Pork Belly with kimchee, forbidden rice, sorghum glaze, and farm egg. COURTESY OF GOOSE THE MARKET
Main Course Spaghetti al filetto di pomodoro, piselli e basilico (Spaghetti with fresh tomatoes, peas, and basil) Fettuccine alla bolognese con funghi (Fettuccine with meat sauce, mushrooms, and parmesan cheese)
Our very own extra-virgin olive oil produced by Nicolina Bruno, on the Bruno family farm in the hills of Salerno.
Dessert Tiramisu Chocolate Cake Sorbet or Gelato (a trio combination) Lunch $38, Dinner $48 Patio Seating Only, Menu available until September 20
18 E. 54th St., New York, NY (Between 5th Ave. & Madison Ave.) sanpietroristorantenyc.com
Make a stop at Goose the Market to stock up on local artisanal products and fantastic sandwiches like the Batali (above), a moreish combination of spicy salami meats, bright pickled onions, and provolone. Fletcher Place has turned into a trendy spot. Chef Jonathan Brooks’ breakfast-and-brunchonly restaurant, Milktooth, reimagines what the first meal of the day can be, with dishes like the sweet-savory chorizo and manchego Dutch baby pancake, peppered with dates and sunflower shoots; or espresso spiked with all sorts of goodies: sage, caramel sauce, Mexican Coke, even absinthe wash—a rinse of spirit to coat the cup with flavor. Across the street, Bluebeard (named after Indy native Kurt Vonnegut’s novel) delivers modern twists on Italian cuisine, like spaghetti with crème fraîche, gremolata, and Parmesan. Amelia’s Bread next door supplies fresh loaves and treats like delightfully fudgy buckwheat flour chocolate cookies. milktoothindy.com bluebeardindy.com ameliasbread.com Mass Ave This once down-and-out neighborhood has become a hub of restaurants, shops, and art galleries, thanks to the artists who moved in. On the first Friday of every month, the public can explore art galleries there for free. For dinner, Union 50 does new American cuisine with great finesse, including a bright pickled beet salad with shiitake “bacon,” and a buttery, meaty slab of Pacific swordfish
cooked in pork belly dashi. union-50.com Broad Ripple This area is known for its bar scene, boutique shops, and spacious restaurants. Grab a vegetable-laden meal at Public Greens (with produce grown in the garden outside), then get a dessert of sugar cream pie (Indiana’s state pie) at Locally Grown Gardens, featuring a light custard-like filling. publicgreensurbankitchen.com
PRIME STEAKS. LEGENDARY SERVICE. Fine Wine • Private Dining • Exceptional Menu
Herron-Morton/Old Northside Sandwiched between two historic districts with beautiful Victorian-era homes, a strip of East 16th Street is now home to eateries like Tinker Street, where Culinary Institute of America-trained chef Braedon Kellner serves up a satisfying medley of flavors that capture the season, like crisp sugar snap peas with garlic Rice Krispies and spicy-sweet togarashi-seasoning sauce. For a caffeine fix, Tinker Coffee is a local roaster that specializes in single-origin coffee and offers cupping classes for coffee appreciation. tinkerstreetindy.com tinkercoffee.com This visit was arranged by Visit Indy. For more information, see visitindy.com COURTESY OF VISIT INDY
Morton’s World Trade Center
Midtown 551 Fifth Avenue 212-972-3315
World Trade Center 136 Washington Street 212-608-0171
Great Neck 777 Northern Boulevard 516-498-2950
White Plains 9 Maple Avenue 914-683-6101
mortons.com Robert Indiana’s original “LOVE Sculpture,” located on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Hackensack One Riverside Square 201-487-1303
D4
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com WALTER WLODARCZYK
COOKOUT NYC Celebrate Memorial Day weekend at this grand food party by the East River. There will be live music, outdoor grilling with celebrity chefs, and classic American food like lobster rolls, hot dogs, fish fry, grilled cheese, and burgers, served by vendors like Luke’s Lobster, Jimmy’s No. 43, Harry Hawk Schnack Burgers, and more. For drinks, there will be craft beer and hard cider. $10 to $75 per person.
stuff to eat and drink around nyc COURTESY OF ARK
Saturday, May 28 & Sunday, May 29 Noon–9 p.m. Stuyvesant Cove Park (at 23rd Street) cookoutnyc.com/memorialday
COURTESY OF (RED)
(RED) SUPPER (RED) is raising awareness and money to fight AIDS with a monthlong series of food events. There will be ticketed dinners, as well as special one-day deals at participating restaurants. The highlight event is the (RED) Supper, featuring top chefs who will prepare a multicourse meal. Among the chefs are Mario Batali, Anthony Bourdain, Dominique Ansel, and Angela Dimayuga. $100 per person.
Co-founder of Advancement for Rural Kids (ARK) Ayesha Vera-Yu.
CELEBRATING AN EVENING IN MANILA A black-tie evening of Filipino cuisine will benefit Advancement for Rural Kids (ARK), an organization that helps children in underdeveloped countries get access to food and education. The Million Lunches campaign raises money for school lunch programs in the rural Philippines, where many farmers’ children struggle to stay in school due to hunger and poverty. Over the course of three years, parents and teachers will partner to turn idle land into organic gardens that will provide food to schools. Restaurateur Nicole Ponseca (Maharlika Filipino Moderno, Jeepney) organized the Evening in Manila event to raise awareness for the cause and promote Filipino cuisine and culture. Chefs from Maharlika, Aquavit, Untitled, Locanda Verde, and more, will serve a Filipino-inspired menu, while Lumpia Shack and Noreetuh will provide reinvented Filipino hors d’oeuvres. Cocktails will be stirred or shaken by Gramercy Tavern and Jeepney. A dance party and auction will conclude the evening. $250 per person; $95 for dance party only. Friday, May 20 6:45 p.m.–11:45 p.m. The Harold Pratt House 58 E. 68th St. eventbee.com/v/eim
Wednesday, June 1–Friday, June 10 Supper: Thursday, June 2 6 p.m.–10 p.m. Brookfield Place, Floor 43 230 Vesey St. red.org
Chefs who participated in the (RED) Supper event last year.
COURTESY OF KOA
KOA WAGYU RAMEN The Japanese-Chinese noodle restaurant KOA is now serving the fanciest ramen dish in town. The dish features imported Japanese charcoal-grilled Kobe Wagyu steak, topped with truffle and 24-karat gold leaf, Shantan broth (made with chicken and pork), seasonal greens, and white asparagus. It will set you back $180. KOA 12 W. 21st St. koanyc.com
TOCQUEVILLE WINE DINNER French restaurant Tocqueville is hosting a dinner featuring local wines from Red Hook Winery. Chef Julien Wargnies will serve four courses made with local summer produce, to pair with each wine. Pairings include Cold Smoked Trout with Red Hook chardonnay; Violet Hill Farm chicken with Red Hook merlot; and Green Tomato Tart with Cato Corner Farms blue cheese ice cream with a Red Hook Late Harvest riesling. $135 per person. Wednesday, June 1 Tocqueville 1 E. 15th St. tocquevillerestaurant.com
COURTESY OF CITYMEALS ON WHEELS
We, at Hatsuhana, realize that it is rare to find a “no gimmicks, no frills” approach to sushi. Sushi is a conceptually simple cuisine. Ironically, its simplicity also makes it complicated. Hatsuhana salutes the centuries-old methods used by prominent sushi restaurants and chefs in Japan. P H O T O S : E DWA R D D A I
Obsessive Attention to Detail T
he single inspiration that lead to the establishment of Hatsuhana was nothing more than the desire to introduce unsurpassed sushi and sashimi to New Yorkers. Since the first day we opened our doors in 1976, we have been a sushi specialty restaurant. This has helped us maintain our focus exclusively on sushi cuisine.
212.355.3345 www.hatsuhana.com 17 East 48th St, New York (btwn. Madison & Fifth Ave.)
Nearly four decades later, our mission remains unchanged. Obsessive attention to detail should be the norm for sushi restaurants, not something to strive for. The complexity associated with creating the ideal sushi rice. The fragrance of freshly ground wasabi. The freshest fish from around the globe. Please come by for lunch or dinner and let us show you what real sushi is like!
Chefs who participated in the Citymeals on Wheels benefit last year.
CITYMEALS ON WHEELS BENEFIT The theme for this year’s Citymeals on Wheels (a nonprofit serving home-bound elderly) benefit is ¡Qué Rico! Celebrating Latino Cuisine and Culture. Participating chefs, including Carolina Bazán, Julian Medina, Alex Stupak, Daniel Boulud, Marc Forgione, Wolfgang Puck, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, will cook up a Latin-flavored feast. $600 to $2,500 per person. Monday, June 6 7:30 p.m. Rockefeller Center 45 Rockeller Center Plaza citymeals.org/querico
The Sou ffle Fell In “Dinner and a Show: Raising the Bar,” printed on May 13, an incorrect website was listed for Rider. The correct website is riderbklyn.com. Epoch Times regrets the error.
D5
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
HESTER STREET FAIR
PETALUMA
The Hester Street Fair on the Lower East Side is open for the 2016 season. Sixty vendors spanning food, fashion, art, and design will display their wares. There will be themed events like a tomato canning party, watermelon day, and an ice cream social, and hands-on workshops, like a class on fermentation with chef Laila Gohar. Food vendors this year include Scarr’s Pizza, EN Japanese Brasserie (Japanese fried chicken), and Spur Tree (Jamaican and Asian fusion cuisine). Saturday & Sunday, through Oct. 29 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Corner of Essex & Hester streets hesterstreetfair.com
Italian restaurant Petaluma will launch a Seafood Fridays series, featuring freshly caught local whole fish, and seafood towers of shrimp, lobster, clams, and oysters. If the weather is nice, you can enjoy the seafood dishes on the outdoor patio. Fridays Petaluma 1356 First Ave. petalumarestaurant.com
The New Umami Experience 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.
COURTESY OF SCHMACKARY’S
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.
SCHMACKARY’S ICE CREAM SANDWICH At the popular cookie shop, you can now choose any two of Schmackary’s creations to combine with a layer of vanilla bean gelato, for a DIY ice cream sandwich treat. Among the more than 60 different cookie flavors are Cookies and Cream, Lemon Poppy, Funfetti, and Peanut Butter Cup. $6.25 each. 362 W. 45th St. 193 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn schmackarys.com
We Now Deliver!
58 E. 1st St. (btw. 1st & 2nd avenues) 917-639-3197 - bararestaurantnyc.com
ZANDY MANGOLD
BURNSIDE BISCUITS This Astoria restaurant serving Southern cuisine has a whole new menu under the direction of a new executive chef, Jonathan Lemon. Highlights include Coffee and Molasses-Cured Baby Back Pork Ribs; biscuits made with duck fat, according to Lemon’s grandmother’s recipe; Crack Mac-n-Cheese with sharp cheddar, pimento, and cornbread crumbs; and Cider Braised Pork Shank with cheese grits. Along with the new menu, the restaurant is also launching specially themed evenings, with live music from Thursdays to Saturdays and a Chicken-n-Waffles and Champagne night on Wednesdays. Burnside Biscuits 32-07 30th Ave. burnsidebiscuits.com
Pimento Cheese Dip.
There are the restaurants you go to, and COURTESY OF SOLOMON & KUFF
The Restaurant You Go Back to.
COURTESY OF RICE CREAM SHOPPE
I
n 1944, Pasquale Scognamillo, known to all as Patsy, began serving the food-loving public earthy, authentic Neapolitan cuisine. Today his son Joe, and grandsons Sal and Frank continue the tradition for their regular long-time local guests, out-of-towners and the many
Patsy’s Italian Restaurant @PatsysItalRest @PatsysItalianRestaurant
Solomon Burger on Guyanese Tennis Roll with taro chips.
SOLOMON & KUFF BRUNCH The Harlem rum hall Solomon & Kuff is open for brunch, where a DJ will be spinning reggae music for a party atmosphere. Menu items include Porridge with rum raisins, banana, and coconut; Caribbean Shrimp Toast with scrambled eggs and chili pepper jam; and Portland Breaky with eggs and jerk chicken sausage. Brunch is served every third Sunday of the month, with a prix fixe menu and an option of bottomless rum punch or mimosas. Solomon & Kuff 2331 12th Ave. solomonandkuff.com
LUNCH MENU AT SUSHI SEKI
celebrities who consider Patsy’s Italian Restaurant their Manhattan dining room. Open seven days for lunch and dinner. Also available: pre-fixe luncheon menu noon-3:00pm ($35) and pre-theatre menu 3:00pm-7:00pm ($59).
236 West 56th Street Our Only (212) 247-3491 Location! www.patsys.com
Dark Chocolate gelato.
RICE MILK GELATO AT RICE CREAM SHOPPE The rice pudding shop Rice Cream Shoppe is now serving a gelato made from rice milk, a special vegan and glutenfree treat anyone can enjoy. It currently comes in Fior di Rosa (cream flavor) and Dark Chocolate with chocolate chip bits.
JAPANESE STYLE Karaoke Bar & Lounge
Rice Cream Shoppe 195 Bleecker St. ricecreamshoppe.com
COURTESY OF SUSHI SEKI
For Reservations and Information clubvoa@gmail.com
The sushi restaurant Sushi Seki has launched a lunch menu for Monday to Friday. The “teishoku” set meal includes a soup, a protein, rice, and housemade pickles. Entree options include Yuzu Miso Cod, Tonkatsu “Pork Cutlet,” and Assorted Vegetables with onigiri rice balls, fried bean curd, and konnyaku (yam cake).
✴ 3 VIP Karaoke Rooms
Sushi Seki Hell’s Kitchen location 365 W. 46th St. sushiseki.com
The lunch set menu with Tonkatsu “Pork Cutlet.”
Compiled by Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff
249 East 49th St., 2nd Fl. (btw. 2nd & 3rd avenues) CLUBVOA.NYC Hours: Mon–Sat 9pm–3am, Fri 9pm–4am, Sun (bar only) 8pm–2am
D6
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com Openings around NYC
Tapestry
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.
SAL D'ALIA
Chef Suvir Saran has opened the 70-seat Tapestry in the West Village, where he has created a menu that melds flavors from dierent world cuisines. On the menu, dishes include Mango, Pineapple, and Grapefruit Salad with honey-toasted sunflower seeds, lime, and chili; Masala Fried Chicken; and Harira Posole. Saran is the chair of Asian Culinary Studies at the Culinary Institute of America, has written three cookbooks, and has an organic farm in upstate New York, where he raises heritage breeds. Open daily from 6 p.m.
60 Greenwich Ave. 212-373-8900 tapestryrestaurant.com
Sea Bass Ceviche.
Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu Small Course (service for two or more) 6 Appetizer 6 2 kinds of Sashimi 6 Choice of Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu (SautĂŠ meals cooked at the table)
6 %00%/1
$48/per person A L SO AVA IL A BLE:
Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | (212) 684-7830 | momokawanyc.com
THE NEW AMERICAN TRADITION
The Norm
2nd City
The Norm, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Saul Bolton, has opened at the Brooklyn Museum. The menu highlights Brooklyn’s cultural diversity, from Curried Cauliflower, a take on a popular Indo-Chinese dish, to Tonkatsu Style Ramen, with a broth that’s been simmered for 48 hours. In the dining room, guests will be flanked on one side by a wall of paintings from the museum’s collection, and on the other by custom-made crates used to ship artwork around the world. The restaurant seats 80, and during warmer months another 55 on the outdoor terrace overlooking the sculpture garden. Open Thursday to Sunday, from 11 a.m., with extended days and hours planned for the future.
Chef Jordan Andino pays homage to his Filipino heritage with 2nd City, a Filipino-inspired taqueria. Among the menu options are Adobo Rito, soy-braised chicken burrito with kimchee fried rice and shredded romaine; PokĂŠ Me, a bowl with sushi grade tuna, coconut steamed rice, shredded carrots, beet pickled red onion, wonton strips, scallions, and miso dressing; and Pancit, a traditional Filipino noodle dish. These can be paired with cocktails such as Calamansi Margaritas. The restaurant seats 18. Open daily from 11 a.m for lunch and dinner.
525 Hudson St. 917-639-3262 2ndcityusa.com
664 Manhattan Ave., 718-389-3828 cherrypointnyc.com
NICK CALCOTT
Cherry Point Greenpoint’s newest restaurant is Cherry Point, opened by chef Julian Calcott (most recently of The Spotted Pig) with partners Garret Smith and Vincent Mazeau. Calcott has crafted a menu with global influences, with dishes including house-made charcuterie (Confit Pork Rillette; Guinea Hen and Mushroom Terrine); Seared Skate Wing with peas, fava beans, lamb bacon, and lemon; Melted Leeks with seared maitake mushroom and crispy breadcrumbs; and Sugar Snap Peas tossed with buttermilk and mint. The wine list highlights small producers. Examples of cocktails include the Soft Top Calais with aged rum, cognac, Carpano Antica, Benedictine, Peychaud’s and walnut bitters; and Rodeo Tropical with rhum agricole, mint, Velvet Felernum, fresh lime, and bitters. Open Monday to Saturday from 5:30 p.m.
Come try our creative approach to brunch, lunch, and dinner—on Murray Hill.
664 Manhattan Ave. 718-389-3828 cherrypointnyc.com 557 3rd Ave @ 37th Street New York, NY 10016 (212)686-8080 | www.hendriksnyc.com | Follow us
Charcuterie Board.
Compiled by Channaly Philipp/Epoch Times Sta
COURTESY OF BARNEY BROWN
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE at el Pote
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria Rich Paella Valenciana Fresh Lobster Bisque Juicy Lamb Chops
Barney Brown provides a platform for sandwich lovers to customize their own sandwiches.
Build-Your-Own Sandwich Online at Barney Brown By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680
Self-proclaimed “highly dysfunctional sandwich loversâ€? are behind the new online sandwich delivery service Barney Brown, which specializes in sandwich customization. The service, created by Baked by Melissa co-founder Matt Baer, allows users to visualize their orders by stacking on ingredients of their choice (including local breads from bakeries including Tom Cat Bakery, and for croissants, Ceci Cela Patisserie). The Barney Brown app can also save favorite sandwich creations, making for a two-tap reordering process. A user-generated gallery also provides inspiration, showing dierent sandwich combinations by dierent
sandwich enthusiasts. Epoch Times staers tried a few combinations. All of them were very fresh—including the breads—which isn’t always the case for sandwiches, with a common favorite being an Italian one with semolina bread, ham, salami, pepperoni, provolone, tomato, lettuce, onions, and a dash of oil and vinegar. Orders can be placed on the website or through the app. Delivery is available daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Manhattan, between 14th street and 42nd street and between the FDR and the West Side Highway. barneybrown.com
D7
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF WALLFLOWER
To recreate these cocktails at home, see the recipes on EpochTaste.com
New Cocktails to Celebrate Springtime By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
D
espite the weather’s vagaries, cocktails around town are embracing refreshing flavors and bright colors to say, “Enough already—spring’s here.” Here are six spring cocktails to get you into a warm weather mood.
BLUE NOTE Xavier Herit of Wallflower gives the Bramble a subtle tiki flair with this arresting electric pink cocktail. COURTESY OF THE LIQUOR CABINET
Experience Firsthand the Romance of the Korean Dynasty MILANO TORINO As part of its current Silk Road-themed cocktail menu, Pouring Ribbons is featuring the Milano Torino, which was created in the 1860s at Milan’s Caffe Camparino. The cocktail’s name refers to the origins of the ingredients—Milan for Campari and Turin for sweet vermouth—and was the antecedent to the Americano and Negroni.
South Korean top chef Sunkyu Lee cooks authentic Korean royal court cuisine
HUDSON SIDECAR The classic Sidecar gets a little twist at The Liquor Cabinet, with fresh lime juice and local New York bourbon.
PAUL WAGTOUICZ
Totally different and distinctive cuisines and interior designs on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors.
ERIN KESTENBAUM
MULE KICK If you’re looking for a spicy mule with the brightness of rhubarb, this cocktail, created by The Eddy’s head bartender Luis Hernandez, is for you. COURTESY OF BAGATELLE
COURTESY OF THE STANDARD HOTEL
BANJAN GROOVE
STRAWBERRY FIELDS
The team at Bagatelle keeps it cool and hydrating with coconut water, mint, basil, and cucumber, over a spicy-sweet base of pear vodka and Falernum.
Damiano Coren, bartender at The Standard Hotel’s Café Standard, elevates the taste of Italian liqueur Amaro Lucano with the flavors of strawberry and apple in this striking concoction.
212-594-4963 10 W. 32 St., New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreaBBQ.com Open 24 hours
D8
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
We Deliver ( Ramen Okonomiyaki ( Obento-box ( Japanese sweets Obanyaki (
(subject to availability)
Winter Special
The Okonomiyaki
We are the only restaurant in the city that delivers Ramen to you!
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
A Perfect Fusion of East & West
Our take on Southeast Asian inspired dishes, bursting with flavor. A perfect place to bring a date and try one of our boozy bubble teas!
Shangri La 208 7th Ave.
(btw. 7th & 8th avenues)
(212) 807-9872 • shangrilanyc.wix.com/the-lounge
TACOS All day, every day
A huge selection of Tacos, made the traditional way with authentic fillings and flavors such as: CARNITAS BISTEC OREJA LENGUA AND MORE!
We also serve torta sandwiches!
Did we mention they start at $3?
Taqueria Tehuitzingo
695 10th Ave (@ 48th St.) + 578 W. 9th. Ave (Btw 41st & 42nd St)
646-707-3916 + TaqueriaTehutzingo.com Hours Daily 11:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
Hotels Build Buzz for Eco-Efforts With Rooftop Beehives ALL PHOTOS BY ERIC RISBERG/AP
By Kristin J. Bender SAN FRANCISCO—At the Clift hotel in San Francisco, there are more than 370 rooms inside and hundreds of thousands of bees buzzing above in rooftop hives outside. Yes, honeybees. Aware of the well-publicized environmental threats to honeybees that have reduced numbers worldwide, seven San Francisco hotels have built hives on their rooftops. The sustainability effort also benefits the hotels as the bees produce honey for cocktails, food, and spa treatments. It’s the latest in a series of environmental programs at hotels that includes low-flow toilets and aggressive recycling programs. “This is not about making money, it’s really about raising awareness about sustainability,” said Melissa Farrar, spokeswoman at the Fairmont in San Francisco. “There’s not one solution so we wanted to do our part to help. It’s part of the bigger effort for helping the planet.” Farrar said the four hives in the rooftop garden support about 250,000 bees and produce about 1,000 pounds of honey each year. In this foodie city, the honey is used in such things as the Clift’s The Peerless Purple drink with gin-infused lavender, honey syrup, and lavender bitters, and its compressed watermelon salad with lavender-infused honey and goat cheese. Honey is used in beer at the Fairmont Hotel, and jars of the product are sold in the gift shop. At the W, they make honey ice cream. The beehives at hotels are not new, but the effort is growing every year. Fairmont’s first beehives were built in 2008 at the company’s hotels in Toronto and in Vancouver in an effort to help combat colony collapse disorder. Since then, dozens have been installed at Fairmonts from Seattle to China and Africa. At the Clift, high above the city in the rooftop garden, 10 hives are buzzing with activity. Most guests don’t even know they are there. But the fruits of their labors are evident in the cocktails and food. You won’t find the squeezable honey bear container in chef Thomas Weibull’s kitchen. “Since we are chefs in California, we like to use a lot of things that are local,” he said, talking about his pork adobo appetizer with a honey glaze. “Ninety-five percent of our products are local and sustainable.” The bees are on track to produce more than 70 pounds of honey per hive by this summer. The colony is expected to grow at least 800,000 by next year, said General Manager Michael Pace. His interest in bee hotels started last year when he took on the job of chairman of the Sustainability Committee for the Hotel Council of San Francisco. He spearheaded a larger effort among numerous local hotels to put bees on their rooftops as well. There are now seven hotels from Nob Hill to Fisherman’s Wharf with rooftop hives. At six of the hotels, the man who tends the hives is Roger Garrison, a waiter at the W San Francisco turned beekeeper. At the Clift, Garrison, who seems to like serving bees as much
Beekeeper Roger Garrison (L) and General Manager Michael Pace look over beehives on top of the Clift hotel in San Francisco on April 18.
This is not about making money, it’s really about raising awareness about sustainability. Melissa Farrar, spokeswoman, Fairmont San Francisco
Honey is used as an ingredient to make a 49er Tea Time cocktail at the Clift.
Just four hives can produce 1,000 pounds of honey each year, for use in everything from cocktails to salad dressing to ice cream.
Classic Margherita Pizza
“the pizza is super thin-crust, crispy and delicious. you can smell the wood burning stove a block away...” ZAGAT USER
Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini & Olives Pizza
“The wood fired oven along with the homemade cheese just can’t be beat. ” PM
“Love it. Thin crust, very good choice of topping. Unbeatable Beer pitcher price.” CB
PIZZA LOVE Cut fresh herbs onto your amazing wood fired oven pizza. Made in just 5–7 minutes.
800 6th Ave (btwn 27th & 28th St) (212) 213-5042
WaldysPizza.com
as people, configured the boxy hives like miniature skyscrapers to mimic the city grid below, with the gold dome of City Hall in the distance. Sometimes the job is painless. “Most of the time you just open the hives and everything is copasetic,” he said. Other times, it’s not. He gets stung almost daily. “It’s like taking a daily vitamin,” he said. But the payoff is big. Last year, the hotel produced 300 pounds of honey. Garrison cares for and tracks the bees. He said they have a natural GPS system that allows them to fly up from the 32nd floor up to two miles daily to forage for pollen and find their way back to the hive. “There’s a lot of gardens in San Francisco that aren’t visible to the eye but are visible to bees,” he said. From The Associated Press
Inaugural Hospitality Awards Honors Industry Winners By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
Arugula, Garlic & Sunny Side Eggs Pizza
Chef Thomas Weibull drizzles honey over a watermelon salad at the Clift.
The New York City Hospitality Alliance hosted its first inaugural awards last week. “We are a passionate industry and it’s important to recognize the hard work and dedication these individuals and businesses put into their craft. Hospitality is an art, and we are so proud to honor and celebrate their contributions,” said Andrew Rigie, executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, in a press release. The New York City Hospitality Alliance is a membershipbased trade association founded in 2012 that represents restaurants and nightlife establishments throughout the five boroughs.
THE WINNERS LIST
Big Apple Legacy Award (given to an individual whose success and influence will leave a lasting impact on the NYC hospitality industry): Jeffrey Bank, The Alicart Restaurant Group (Carmine’s & Virgil’s Real Barbecue) Philanthropy Served Here Award (given to a hospitality industry company and charitable organization that work together to make New York City neighborhoods a more hospitable place): fresh&co and the Food Education Fund Next Generation Award (given to an up-and-coming or established mover and shaker who is still early in its hospitality industry career): John Meadow (LDV Hospitality) The Determination Award (given to an individual who started at an entry-level job in the hospitality industry and is now in
a leadership role): Robert McGovern (The Refinery Hotel) Hearts of Hospitality Award (given to an individual who is recognized for excellence in the profession of human resources in hospitality): Angie Buonpane (Union Square Hospitality Group) I ❤ Hospitality Award (given to a favorite restaurant in each borough as chosen by hospitality industry professionals): I ❤ Brooklyn: Peter Luger I ❤ Bronx: Mike’s Deli I ❤ Manhattan: Gramercy Tavern I ❤ Queens: Taverna Kyclades I ❤ Staten Island: Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Bar & Cabaret True Taste of NYC Award (given for an iconic dish served at an iconic NYC restaurant): 2nd Ave Deli (Hot Pastrami Sandwich) Nightowl Club Award (given to the important and/or influential club and/or operator): Marquee New York Nightowl Bar Award (given to the important and/or influential bar and/or owner): Employees Only
#HospitalityGuruAward (given to the restaurant with the best food social media presence): Milk Bar
Hospitality Technology Award (given for a technology platform enhancing the way the hospitality industry operates): Harri
D9
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
THE HEALTHY BURGER That May Make Even Carnivores Opt for Veg By Melissa d’Arabian May shepherds in the season of the backyard barbecue, and for us that means one thing: burgers. Let me back up and say that just about anything I make on the grill in warmer months, I also make regularly inside on the stovetop. And while I do love a flat-top-smooshed burger with its crusty, dangly edges, the backyard barbecue burger remains in a league of its own. Our family’s burger bonanzas are a little legendary in our social circle (OK, so maybe with just my children, nieces, and nephews). The herby-garlicky sauce I make, called “magic” sauce by those in the know, is particularly popular. So when three of my extended family members went vegetarian, my burger-grilling game suffered. I did what any well-intentionedbut-misguided carnivore would do: I bought some frozen veggie burgers from the grocery store and called it a day. Now, to be fair, some of those veggie burgers are downright tasty. But, homemade-with-love-magic-sauce-worthy? Not so much. So, I upped my veggie burger game. While I do love the black-bean, quinoa, or legume-based versions I’ve created over the years, the simplest veggie burger of all remains a family favorite: the giant portobello mushroom cap. Bonus: This dish is low-calorie (leaving wiggle room for cheese, sauce, and a bun), and it’s nearly fool-proof—no falling apart and disappearing into the flames between the grill grates. I used cilantro in this version because it pairs nicely with the baked corn tortilla chips (just a few go a long way to add satisfying crunch), but feel free to experiment with other herbs, such as basil or mint. Even carnivores might be converted.
This dish is low-calorie —leaving wiggle room for cheese, sauce, and a bun—and nearly fool-proof.
• 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.
Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook “Supermarket Healthy.”
246 E. 44th Street AlcalaRestaurant.com • (212) 370-1866
From The Associated Press AP PHOTO/MELISSA D'ARABIAN
RECIPE GRILLED PORTOBELLO BURGERS WITH CILANTRO GARLIC SAUCE AND TORTILLA CHIPS Prep & Cooking Time: 25 minutes Serves: 4 For the Sauce • 1/3 cup low-fat Greek yogurt • 3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise • 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped • 1 scallion, roughly chopped • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce, if vegetarian) • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 1 tablespoon water, if needed • Black pepper For the Burger • 4 large portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and gills removed • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar • Olive oil, in a spray bottle • Salt and pepper • 4 slices gouda cheese (or other favorite melting cheese) • 4 large slices of tomato, or 8 small slices • 1 cup peppery greens, such as arugula • 12 baked tortilla chips • 4 whole-grain hamburger buns (not oversized)
DIRECTIONS To make the sauce, blend all the sauce ingredients in the blender until mixed, but with small flecks of green. Pour into a small bowl and chill, up to 3 days. Heat grill to medium high. Brush the mushroom caps with the balsamic vinegar, spray liberally with olive oil, and salt and pepper. Grill the mushroom caps for 3 minutes on the smooth side and then flip. Top with cheese and grill, covered, another 3 minutes, until mushroom is tender (but not floppy) and cheese is melted. Meanwhile, toast the buns for 1–2 minutes on the cut side, or until barely golden. Place peppery greens on bottom of bun and then tomato. Remove the mushroom caps from the grill and place directly on the tomato. Top the still-hot mushroom with a couple of tablespoons of the sauce. Top with 3 chips on each burger and then the bun. Recipe by Melissa d’Arabian
Redefining Traditional Spanish Cuisine
D10
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
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
W i Din n n at er
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
Lau t
ept
.ms /ta ste win
201
6
Fill out our 4-minute survey and be entered to win.
Laut is Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai food, located at 15 E. 17th St.
WHEN IN ROME Do as Romans Do
Make Epoch Taste Even Tastier
We want to get to know you and your taste buds better, so we can continue to delight your senses.
By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
W
hile Katie Parla is touring the United States to promote her book “Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors & Forgotten Recipes From an Ancient City” (Clarkson Potter, $30), she can’t help but miss one of Rome’s staple street foods—pizza by the slice. Cooked in oblong slats or on rectangular sheet pans, she calls it the “quintessential Roman fast food,” one rarely made in America. Parla, a New Jersey native came with the intention of studying art in Rome when, by her own admission, she became distracted by the local cuisine. The rest is history—with a master’s degree in Italian gastronomic culture, a sommelier certificate, and an archeology speleology certification, she now gives tours of Rome, ranging from Cucina Povera: Offal in the Roman Culinary Tradition to Underground Rome. Her latest book, “Tasting Rome,” is filled with recipes that don’t fail to evoke nostalgia or interest, from classic dishes like Cacio e Pepe to explorations of lesser known cuisines—such as “la cucina tripolina” prepared by Libyan Jews, with the flavors of North Africa and perfumed by spices like cinnamon and cumin. The photographs, shot by Kristina Gill, have a beautiful, timeless quality. The cookbook also contains a recipe for “vignarola,” a spring stew which has a short season of about a month, when the sun and soil line up just so to offer ingredients like artichoke, lettuce, fava beans, and peas. See below for the recipe for vignarola, and the classic Cacio e Pepe, as well as some tidbits from Parla about Rome. Epoch Times: You mention in “Tasting Rome” that certain foods are traditionally eaten on certain days. What if I’m visiting on a Thursday? What should I be eating? Katie Parla: I would insist that you eat potato gnocchi at L’Arcangelo. Every Thursday, Roman restaurants— whether they’re classic trattorias or fish restaurants— they’ll serve potato gnocchi. It’s a Roman Thursday tradition, and often they are made at pasta shops with dehydrated potato flakes and the result is really gummy and dense so it’s not nice to eat those. It’s very nice to eat Arcangelo Dandini’s version, which is made in-house, super light, unbelievably delicious. He serves his gnocchi all’Amatriciana, a really light tomato sauce with guanciale and Pecorino cheese. It’s so good.
Every Thursday, Roman restaurants— whether they’re classic trattorias or fish restaurants—they’ll serve potato gnocchi. Katie Parla, author, ‘Tasting Rome’
In spring, make the vignarola, a stew of artichoke, lettuce, fava beans, and peas.
Epoch Times: What’s becoming fashionable again in Roman food? Ms. Parla: There is a certain small revival in wine drinking. Just statistically speaking a lot of Italians don’t drink as much as they would have in the 1960s and 1970s, and wine consumption was down for a long time. What’s fashionable now are independent wine shops that, rather than going through big distributors, go through smaller distributors or directly to the vineyards to get really, really awesome artisanal wines—which wasn’t the case until quite recently, surprisingly. Epoch Times: What are the aspects of Roman food that are little known outside of Rome? Ms. Parla: I think that Roman food is perceived by visitors or outsiders as being super meaty but really there are a lot of vegetables in the cuisine. They’re not always very clear on the menus in restaurants because they are categorized in the “contorno” (vegetable sides) section, which usually just has a few things that are available year-round, so you’ll always find potatoes and dandelion greens and stuff like that. But the contorno is a very important feature of the meal. Not all the contorno is on the menu so you should know to ask what else is available because there are so many seasonal things. For more information about Katie Parla’s book or her tours, visit katieparla.com
Reprinted from Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City. Copyright © 2016 by Katie Parla and Kristina Gill. Photographs copyright © 2016 by Kristina Gill. Published by Clarkson Potter/ Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
D11
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
RECIPE CACIO E PEPE DI LEONARDO VIGNOLI (LEONARDO VIGNOLI’S CACIO E PEPE) Serves: 4 to 6 Cacio is the local Roman dialect word for Pecorino Romano, a sheep’s-milk cheese made in the region since ancient times. Like carbonara, cacio e pepe is a relative newcomer to the Roman repertoire, first appearing in the mid-twentieth century. Pasta is tossed with an emulsified sauce of Pecorino Romano and black pepper that is bound by starchy pasta cooking water. Depending on the cook, the results range from dry to juicy. We love Leonardo Vignoli’s saucy version at Cesae al Casaletto. He uses ice in a hot pan to obtain a creamy sauce, but we have adapted his recipe to obtain more consistent results in a home kitchen. Finely grated Pecorino Romano and very hot water are essential to a smooth sauce, while fresh, coarsely ground black pepper gives flavor and texture. The most important component of a flawless cacio e pepe, however, is speed. If the water cools before melting the cheese, the sauce will clump.
• • • •
Sea salt 1 pound spaghetti or tonnarelli 2 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
DIRECTIONS Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Salt the water. When the salt has dissolved, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the Pecorino Romano, the pepper, and a small ladle of pasta cooking water. Using the back of a large wooden spoon, mix vigorously and quickly to form a paste. When the pasta is cooked, use a large strainer to remove it from the cooking water and quickly add it to the sauce in the bowl, keeping the cooking water boiling on the stove. Toss vigorously, adjusting with additional hot water a tablespoon or two at a time as necessary to melt the cheese and to obtain a juicy sauce that completely coats the pasta. Plate and sprinkle each portion with some of the remaining Pecorino Romano and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
SO FRESH!
Authentic & Delicious Tacos Huaraches Chile Relleno Chilaquile Rojos Made to order
Come enjoy cuisine from the most savory region in Mexico...Puebla! 60 E. Third St. (between First & Second avenues)
#
ALL NATURAL ORGANIC YOUNG CHICKEN BROTH NO MSG•EVERYTHING HOMEMADE Hinata’s Special
Yuzu Shio Soba
100% VEGAN RAMEN
$14.50 Spring Special until end of May
Also Available
Mention EPOCH and Get One FREE Topping
&
Healthy Natural
OPEN 7 Days M-F 11:30am-11:30pm Sat 12:00pm-11:30pm Sun 4:00pm-11:30pm
HINATA RAMEN
HinataRamen.com 159 East 55th St. (b/w Lex. & 3rd ave) / 212.355.2974
RECIPE VIGNAROLA (ARTICHOKE, PEAS, FAVA, AND LETTUCE STEW) Serves: 4 to 6 as a starter or side dish • 1 1/2 cups shelled fava beans (from about 2 pounds in pods) • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed • 3 1/2 ounces Guanciale or pancetta, diced • 2 garlic cloves, smashed • 4 tender young globe artichokes, cleaned and quartered • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • 6 sprigs fresh mint • 1/2 cup dry white wine • Water or Vegetable Broth (recipe follows) • 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen shelled peas (from about 2 pounds in pods) • 4 spring onions or scallions (white parts only), thinly sliced • 1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (4 cups) • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon; optional)
DIRECTIONS Fill a medium bowl with ice and water. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Blanch the fava beans in the boiling water for 1 minute, in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding. Drain and immediately plunge them into the ice water bath. Remove and discard the bitter skins by squeezing each fava bean gently between your fingers. Small fava beans can be left whole. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the guanciale. Cook until the fat turns translucent, then add the garlic. Cook until just fragrant, then immediately drain the artichokes and add them to the pan along with a generous pinch of salt, pepper, and half the mint, stirring to coat. Increase the heat to high and add the wine. Simmer until the alcohol aroma dissipates, about a minute, then add enough water or broth to cover the artichokes halfway. Cook until the artichokes begin to soften, 10 to 12 minutes, then add the peas, fava beans, and spring onions. Season again with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the peas are soft, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, adding more vegetable broth or water as needed to keep the vegetables in a bit of simmering liquid. Add the lettuce, stir to combine, and cook for 5 minutes more, or until all the components are fully cooked and tender. Remove the pot from the heat, season the stew with lemon juice, if desired, and garnish with the remaining mint. Serve warm or room temperature, or even the following day.
Brodo Vegetale (Vegetable Broth) Makes: 1 quart • 2 cups empty pea pods • 4 artichoke stems • 4 spring onions or scallions (green parts only) Set aside the pea pods, artichoke stems, and the green stalks from the spring onions from the Vignarola. Place in a medium pot and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, then drain. No need to season with salt or pepper.
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 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.
D12
@EpochTaste
May 20–26, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Bring Eggplant Parmigiana Into Warm Weather With the Grill By Sara Moulton This little gem combines my love of grilling with my endless search for new summer vegetarian entrees. Turns out that eggplant parmigiana, that staple of Italian cuisine, is a wonderful candidate for the grill, cooking up quickly and cleanly. And— bonus!—grilling this dish not only requires less oil than the traditional recipe, it ends up imparting a smokiness it could never claim before. These days you can buy eggplants in any size, but for this recipe you want one of those big old-fashioned massive beauties. At the supermarket, make sure that your eggplant’s skin is smooth and its flesh is firm. That’s how you’ll know it’s fresh. An eggplant with bruised skin and soft flesh is an older eggplant, and probably bitter, too. You want to cut the eggplant into sturdy rounds about 3/4 inch thick. This allows each slice to hold its shape during the cooking process. A thinner slice would buckle under the weight of the tomatoes and the crumbs. The slices are also salted, which deeply seasons the eggplant and eliminates excess water, amping up the taste. The slices are grilled over direct heat so they pick up some of that lovely char. Once the other ingredients are added, you finish the cooking using indirect heat. Traditional eggplant parmigiana calls for tomato sauce, but here I went with fresh tomatoes to give the dish a fresher, more
summery taste. Like the eggplant, the tomatoes are pre-salted to make them less watery and more deeply flavored. Now, how to add the Parmesan to this grilled eggplant parmigiana? In the traditional recipe, the cheese is sprinkled onto the layered ingredients. But in this recipe there are no layers. Sometimes, however, the traditional recipe is breaded, and that opened up a door. I figured I could swap in panko crumbs for the breading, then add the Parmesan to the panko. Done! To finish the dish, I topped off my eggplant slices with mozzarella and fresh basil. Serving up traditional eggplant parmigiana requires digging each portion out of a casserole, which can be messy. Here, the presentation is nice and neat. And this time they get to eat the cold weather favorite in the backyard during the summer. Sara Moulton is the host of public television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals.” She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows, including “Cooking Live.” From The Associated Press AP PHOTO/ J. M
RECIPE
. HI
• • • • • • • • • •
1 large eggplant (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds) Kosher salt 3/4 pound plum or small round tomatoes 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing on the eggplant 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs 1 1/2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated Fresh basil, shredded, to garnish
DIRECTIONS Peel the eggplant, then slice it crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick rounds. Salt both sides of each slice, then set the slices aside for 45 minutes. Slice the tomatoes crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick rounds. Salt both sides of each slice and transfer the slices to a rack to drain until the eggplant is ready. Prepare a grill for medium heat, direct and indirect cooking. For a charcoal grill, this means banking the hot coals to one side of the
grill. For a gas grill, this means turning off one or more burners to create a cooler side.
CH
Prep & Cooking Time: 1 hour Serves: 4
RS
GRILLED EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-low, combine the 2 tablespoons of oil and garlic. Cook, stirring, until quite fragrant. Add the red pepper flakes, if using, and panko. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the crumbs turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the Parmesan cheese, then set aside. Pat the eggplant slices dry and brush one side of each slice with olive oil. Add to the grill and cook over the hotter side until the slices are nicely browned on the bottoms, 5 to 6 minutes. Brush the top sides with more oil, turn the slices over and grill until browned on the second side, about another 5 minutes. While the eggplant is grilling, pat dry the tomato slices. Transfer the eggplant slices to the cooler side of the grill, then top each slice with enough tomato slices to just cover the top. Top the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the panko mixture, then divide the cheese evenly among the slices. Cover the grill and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted. Transfer 2 slices to each of 4 plates and top each portion with some of the basil. Recipe by Sara Moulton
Restaurant Owner in Idaho Potato Country Writes Ode to Fries By Leanne Italie
Venture Into Thailand’s
Spicy Northeast
at
ESANATION Authentic Thai cuisine sure to delight your adventurous senses!
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
From The Associated Press
Belgium consumes more fries per capita than any other country.
JOE JASZEWSKI/PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS VIA AP
• 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.
Fried or baked, sprinkled with truffle oil or flavored with crumbled herbs, french fries are an enduring dish, fancied up or served the simple way around the globe. But what do we really know about the history of the lowly sliced potato, or in a broader sense, the lowly sliced yam, okra, or just about any vegetable that can be, well, sliced and fried, sautéed or roasted, coated or battered. Blogs, books, and recipes abound. Add to the record a kitschy, new book, “Fries! An Illustrated Guide to the World’s Favorite Food,” by a restaurateur from the heart of potato country, Boise, Idaho. Blake Lingle, co-founder and co-owner of the Boise Fry Company, with four locations there and one in Portland, Oregon, has some fun with his bite-size guide, written not for the hardcore foodie or food historian but the rest of us—just regular old potato lovers. Lingle makes clear that he’s no food scholar. To sum up the history of fries, he broadened the definition beyond sliced potatoes, to include yams, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables prepared in different ways. Some historians claim that Egyptians were frying foods as early as 2500 B.C. Lingle is betting that vegetables were among them. But the Romans wrote stuff down, including what is considered the world’s oldest cookbook, the “Apicius,” likely compiled between the late fourth and early fifth centuries A.D. It includes a recipe for fried chicken with fried vegetables. Lingle found no evidence, however, that vegetables were sliced. More to the point and elsewhere in the world, it’s probable that sliced potatoes were included in an Andean dish called Pachamanca during the Inca Empire. If so, the Andean fry predated the European fry by a few hundred years. The Spanish stole the potato, and possibly the sweet potato, from the Incas and brought it to Europe, Lingle said. But it was a Belgian journalist, Jo Gerard, who claimed sliced potatoes were being fried alongside fish in his country in the late 1600s, predating the same claim by the French by three-
quarters to a full century, Lingle said. The Belgians blame the Americans for mistakenly giving french fries the name when they confused French-speaking Belgian soldiers in possession of some sort of fried esculents with French-speaking French soldiers during World War I. Regardless, Belgium does appear to consume more fries per capita than any other country, Lingle said. “There seems to be a certain amount of conflicting information out there,” he added in a recent interview. “I don’t know what the true answer is.” Fries remain all over the map, as a default side in the Americas and Europe, and often considered among the national dishes of Britain and Belgium when served with fish and mussels, respectively, Lingle said. So where are most potatoes grown? Fifty years ago, China was the world’s fifthlargest producer behind the USSR, Germany, Poland, and the United States. Today, China is the largest producer, Lingle writes. But in per-capita terms, when it comes to potato and fry consumption, Americans eat twice as many potatoes as the Chinese. Next to no research exists on fry consumption by country, beyond the frozen-fry market, Lingle wrote. Most fries are initially cooked in factories and cooked again in homes, restaurants, and “friteries.” One thing is sure: chefs are having a fry field day, Lingle said. Many are hand-cutting, inventing signature coatings and dips and experimenting with techniques often reserved for other foods, such as dehydration and sous vide, the method of sealing food in plastic bags then placing them in water baths or steam. And then there’s the hash brown question. Are they fries? “Yeah I think hash browns are fries,” Lingle laughed. “If it’s been sliced and then cooked some way it’s, in my opinion, a fry.”
“Fries! An Illustrated Guide to the World's Favorite Food" by Blake Lingle (Princeton Architectural Press, April 2016, $16.95).