COURTESY OF KRISTIN FREDERICK
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
D1 July 10–16, 2015
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Green Tomato Bloody Mary
CK
recipe.
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Check out Jody Williams’s
D5
Americans in Paris
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Make Epoch Taste
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ept.ms/TasteSurvey2015 URL IS CASE SENSITIVE SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
American chefs are breaking the rules and changing the landscape of dining in Paris By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
SA M
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Daniel Rose: Cooking With Joy One of hottest tickets in Paris is a reservation at Spring, run by Daniel Rose, an American chef as comfortable in the discourse of Aristotle and Lucretius as with the intricacies of cooking pigeon. In its first incarnation, Spring was a one-man show. Rose was doing everything himself: front of the house, back of the house—and on top of that, changing the menu every single night. No doubt he must have come across as some sort of maverick. “[Diners] thought it was very strange. They were like, ‘He cooks and he’s opening the wine and he’s writing you your check. It’s like being in somebody’s house,’” said Rose. And yet it also made diners giddy. “It was different—because it was delicious, and it touched on things that they liked the most, which was human interaction in a world that’s increasingly more and more—I don’t know—not human. Corporate or digital. Distant,” Rose said. If he broke some sacrosanct rules of formality, it was with one specific goal in mind: to create the same kind of experience that people got from going to “the great old-fashioned French restaurants in the old days, [and chefs] like Paul Bocuse, Vergé, Fernand Point, and Pic.” “All these great restaurants, they were linked by one thing—joy,” he said. “The word that comes to mind—it’s like you’re falling in love. It’s a heightened sense of—you wake up in the morning earlier, everything looks brighter. … A restaurant, when it’s good, is a kind of drug. But it has a healthy effect. Instead of bringing you farther away from reality, it puts you in a very particular reality where it’s kind of amplified. You’re not escaping. Tu t’échappes par un rapprochement—you escape by getting closer to something.” “And so to create the effect of a ‘grande maison’ but without resources I made it as simple as possible. And it was joyful. At its best it was joyful. At its worst it was probably épouvantable [horrible]. Because if I was in a bad mood … I’m sure there were days that people remember—what’s going on? I don’t want to make it sound like I got it right all the time.”
See Paris on D6
THE MOMENT WE PLACE THE SUSHI ON THE PLATE, IS THE MOMENT IN WHICH SUSHI CAN BE TRULY UNDERSTOOD. TOSHIO SUZUKI, SUSHI ZEN
108 West 44th Street, New York | (212) 302-0707
(Clockwise from top L) Chefs Kristin Frederick, Melodie Asseraf, Daniel Rose, and Jody Williams.
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July 10–16, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com
A Drop of Olive Oil in Every Dish By Nadia Ghattas | Epoch Times Staff Raised in the south of France, Fig & Olive founder Laurent Halasz drew inspiration for his menu from the Riviera and coastal regions of the south, and from Italy and Spain. His passion for using the best olive oils and the freshest ingredients available shines through every dish. Rather than use butter, Fig & Olive’s distinctive fare feature a variety of olive oils chosen to highlight the unique character of each dish, from a full-bodied Andalusian oil in the Paella Del Mar ($29), to a green fruit Provence variety served with the Green Apple Sorbet ($10). Indeed, each meal begins with a trio of olive oils served with crusty bread, a fitting introduction to a series of fabulous plates that can satisfy all the senses. My dining partner and I opted to try a number of the small plates and stick to only one entree, though main dishes like the Fig and Gorgonzola Risotto ($22) served with a fig balsamic glaze, and the Zucchini Blossom & Goat Cheese Ravioli ($26) are alluring options for another visit. My heart was pounding with excitement over the Burrata & Heirloom Tomato Caprese ($15) appetizer. I can never have enough of this creamy cheese encased in a delicate skin, and here it was perfectly presented, drizzled with an 18-year-old fig and basil balsamic vinegar, and basil green olive oil. The next standout dish was the very fresh seared Sea Scallops ($18), seasoned with l’orange spice and served with a carrot olive oil tapenade, orange segments, and micro greens. The citrus dressing made with picual olive oil had a gentle heat that was a happy surprise to the palate. I was also convinced to try the Eggplant Rolletini ($8) and did not regret it at all. Delicate sheets of eggplant were wrapped around goat cheese with ayala basil, and topped with tomato confit and cobrançosa olive oil. After these light but satisfying plates, I was caught between the Rosemary Lamb Chops ($26) and the Branzino a la Plancha ($26) for the main event. The branzino won. It was cooked perfectly with a crispy skin, and served over olive oil chive mashed potato and a teasing a
Fig & Olive’s distinctive fare features a variety of olive oils chosen to highlight the unique character of each dish.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF FIG & OLIVE
charmoula cilantro vierge with cobrançosa olive oil. Accompanied by the brilliant Sautéed Spinach with fig, garlic, and marcona almonds ($9), it was beyond fabulous. Fig & Olive’s diverse wine list includes varietals representing the distinctive terroir of the south of France, Italy, and Spain, alongside select California wines that complement the coastal Riviera profile. But one simply must start with its signature The Fig & Olive cocktail made with blood orange purée, lime juice, organic cucumber vodka, topped off with blood orange olive oil ($14). Desserts ($8–12) include specialties such as the Caramelized Cheesecake ($12) with olive oil crisp and caramelized peaches; the paperthin, warm Caramelized Apple Tart ($10), made from a family recipe handed down by Halasz’s mother; and a Chocolate Pot de Crème ($10) with crunchy praline financiers and vanilla cream. On a typical afternoon, the dining room is packed and the music is pumping, making for an energetic—if not at all peaceful—dining experience. The staff is courteous but busy, so expect a long meal spent enjoying fabulous food in a vibrant atmosphere.
Sea Scallops.
Wine and olive oils from around the Mediterranean line the walls at Fig & Olive.
Fig & Olive
Several locations in Manhattan Meatpacking District location: 420 W. 13th St. 212-924-1200 FigAndOlive.com
Branzino a la Plancha.
Hours Lunch: Monday–Friday noon–4 p.m. Dinner: Sunday & Monday 4 p.m–10 p.m. Tuesday–Thursday 4 p.m.–11 p.m. Friday & Saturday 4 p.m.–11:30 p.m. (bar open till 1 a.m.) Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 1 p.m.– 4 p.m.
Fig & Olive founder Laurent Halasz.
WE KNOW KOREAN FOOD
“AUTHENTIC TASTE, FRESHER LOOK, TRUSTED BRAND”
GOCHUJANG BROWN RICE RED PEPPER PASTE This red pepper paste is made with healthy brown rice, carefully selected red peppers, and sea salt for that unique savory, spicy flavor you love. It pairs well with any meal and is so easy to cook with!
SEASONED SEAWEED SNACK WITH OLIVE OIL Chung Jung One Seasoned Seaweed Snacks are roasted to perfection with olive oil to give you that savory flavor you crave! It’s the perfect treat to enjoy any time.
HONGCHO GOCHUJANG KOREAN CHILI SAUCE This unique chili sauce gives your favorite foods a savory, spicy flavor with a hint of sweetness. Add this delicious spice flavor to chicken wings, BBQ sauce, your favorite dips or marinades or simply use it as a hot sauce condiment. Satiate your need for spice!
HongCho is a fruity, tangy, refreshing multipurpose drink mix concentrate that has all the health benefits of pomegranate / blueberry / blackberry and vinegar in one refreshing bottle.
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July 10–16, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com Drinks, cocktails, the works I.FRANCHINI
PRIME STEAKS. LEGENDARY SERVICE. Fine Wine • Private Dining • Exceptional Menu
Enjoying
The Castello Banfi in Montalcino.
Super Tuscans in the
Meat-Grilling Season I have recently had a number of exceptional Super Tuscan wines, which pair beautifully with summertime grilled meats. What are Super Tuscan wines you might ask? The term was first coined in the 1980s to originally describe a red blend from Tuscany, which is not recognized within the strict Italian wine classification system. The wines tend to be modern, big, and rich, and many carry a rather hefty price tag of $75 and up per bottle. What makes “Super Tuscan” wine different from other high end Tuscan wines (like Chianti Classico) is the use of wine grapes that are not indigenous to Italy, like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or syrah. Some Super Tuscans do contain local sangiovese—even up to 100 percent— but most others are made from international grape blends, such as those from the famous Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia. Located in Tuscany’s tiny coastal region of Bolgheri is a unique area, in the Livorno Province, where the classic Bordeaux varieties thrive. Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia, one of the first wineries to plant vines in the area, produces three highly acclaimed wines: Ornellaia, a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc; Le Serre Nuove, the second wine of Ornellaia; and Le Volte, a blend of sangiovese, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon. Ornellaia’s clones of diverse origins yield a rich palette of bouquet and taste. The grapes are de-stemmed, gently pressed, and fermented in either wooden or stainless steel vats. Maceration takes place over a period of 25–32 days at a temperature not exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 F). The fermenting juice remains unblended until the wines have spent approximately one year in small French barriques (oak wine barrel). The final cuvée is assembled to evoke the ripe, aromatic notes of cabernet and merlot in an elegant style that balances fruit and acidLuce Della ity with a medium tannic Vite’s blends backbone. of sangiovese This spring, Ornellaia’s and merlot are winemaker Giovanni Gedexceptional des da Filicaja and estate with steak. director Axel Heinz were in New York City to launch their new 2012 “L’Incanto” vintage and they were kind enough to invite me and a few other prominent wine writers to join them for a vertical tasting of their flagship wine. The tasting involved a preview of the 2012 alongside the archival vintages 2007, 2004, and 2002, which have each been rated as one of the best wines to come out of Italy in the last 20 years by numerous wine critics from around the world. These were superb wines, including even the 2002, which was one of the worse vintages for other wineries in Tuscany. The very young 2012 “L’ Incanto” tasted expansive, remarkably appealing, and seductive. Another Super Tuscan I recently enjoyed very much with a thick Angus T-bone was Banfi’s 2004 SummuS Sant’Antimo. SummuS, produced in Tuscany’s Montalcino area, is an extraordinary blend of 40 percent sangiovese grosso, which contributes body; 40 percent cabernet sauvignon for fruit and structure; and 20 percent syrah, which contributes an elegant, slightly spicy and fruity bouquet. SummuS is produced only in exceptional vintages. The three varieties are vinified separately, with maceration from 10 to 18 days,
depending on the variety. After alcoholic fermentation, the individual wines are transferred to barriques where they age separate for 12 months before they’re blended. The wood aging then continues for an additional 8–10 months, followed by bottle aging for 6 months. Alongside my charcoal-grilled steak, the tannins in the SummuS melted away and the fruit became abundantly apparent. The third Super Tuscan I loved was Tenuta Luce Della Vite, in numerous vintages. The Montalcino winery was founded in 1995 as a joint project of the Frascobaldi and Mondavi families. I had a chance to taste numerous samples from double magnum bottles during a Christie’s auction of 20 lots to benefit the Baryshnikov Arts Center that was held at its Rockefeller Center offices. The lots were offered by Luce from its winery’s library and started with cases of six 750 ml bottles (vintages 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2005, and 2012) and finished with lot 20, a rare 18-liter (4.76 gallons) Melchior of Luce 2012. From the samples I tasted, I loved the 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2010. They were all exceptional blends of sangiovese and merlot. By comparison, the 1995 vintage was good, but it will probably only have another couple years of excellence before starting to fade. The 2002 was an interesting bottle, due to the fact that 2002 was a very poor year in Tuscany because of inclement weather. The sample I had started as an aromatic, full bodied expression, but after a considerable amount of swirling and aerating—the kind of torture a critic will give a wine to see how it holds up—the wine in the glass started falling apart. Other wine writers that were attending the event also mentioned the 2002 as a vintage to beware of. As one of them said, “This was like the picture in second grade that asks children to find out which item does not fit among the items depicted!” The 2011 and 2012 were just too young and—especially large bottles that age considerably more slowly—still need cellaring. The evening before the auction, I had opened a 750 ml bottle of the 2011 La Vite Lucente, the second wine of the Tenuta Della Vite, which is a big and bold blend of sangiovese, merlot and a small amount of cabernet sauvignon. Smooth, ripe accents of dried plum, bing cherries, and blackberries are easily discerned, along with pungent roasted espresso and a hint of green pepper. It is an excellent wine, and well priced for the quality represented, even though it felt considerably young and in need of a couple more years in cellar to mellow. There are numerous Super Tuscans on the U.S. market. They are worth exploring, especially while the summer meat-grilling period is on. To your health! Manos Angelakis is a well-known wine and food critic based in the New York City area. He is a certified Tuscan wine master and an expert on Greek, Chilean, and Catalan wines. He judges numerous wine competitions each year and is the senior food and wine writer for LuxuryWeb Magazine, LuxuryWeb.com
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
Hackensack One Riverside Square 201-487-1303
White Plains 9 Maple Avenue 914-683-6101
mortons.com
LINGUINE WITH LOBSTER SAUCE Makes 4 servings This is a good way to stretch a lobster to serve 4 people. If you don’t want to dispatch the lobster at home, buy a cooked one and use the shells to make the sauce. 7 One 1½-pound lobster 7 ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil 7 4 cups Tomato Sauce (or Patsy’s bottled Marinara sauce – available at better grocers) 7 ¼ cup dry white wine 7 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 7 ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 7 Salt 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Freeze the lobster for about 30 minutes to lull it. 2. Add the lobster to the boiling water and cover. Cook just until the lobster shell turns read, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool enough to handle. 3. On a carving board, using a sharp knife, cut the lobster at the seam behind its head into two pieces. With the back side down, cut the lobster tail in half lengthwise. Discard the dark vein from the tail. Cut off the claws and knuckles and crack them with a nutcracker. Remove the lobster meat from the tail, claws, and knuckles and cut into bite-sized pieces, saving the
shells from the tail and claws. Cut the lobster head in half lengthwise. If the lobster has red coral or green tomalley, reserve it with the lobster meat. Cover and refrigerate the lobster meat, coral, and tomalley. 4. Heat ¼ cup of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, wine, and red pepper flakes, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the reserved lobster shells and halved head. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 35 minutes. 5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well and return the linguine to its cooking pot. Toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cover to keep warm. 6. Using tongs, remove and discard the shells and head halves. Stir in the reserved lobster meat, with the red coral and green tomalley, if using, and cook just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add to the linguine and stir well. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve hot.
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.
ORDER FROM BN.COM AND SAVE 23% (FREE delivery in Manhattan)
✁
By Manos Angelakis
D4
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July 10–16, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF SASHA ARUTYUNOVA
BANGKOK
STREET FARE
Heaven for Food Lovers Yaowarat is one of Bangkok’s oldest neighborhoods, founded by East Asian traders in Siam over 200 years ago. It is a heaven for food lovers, blending the centuries old Thai and East Asian influences in an eclectic mix of street vendor cuisine. Experience the authentic taste of Bangkok street fare, at Sookk.
stuff to eat and drink around town
BASTILLE WEEK COURTESY OF SASHA ARUTYUNOVA
Try Our Affordable Daily Lunch Specials.
Bring Sookk to you! Catering and delivery available.
Celebrate all things French with Bastille Week, from pétanque tournaments to a Bastille Day Ball. Pétanque is similar to horseshoes except it is played with metal balls. There’s a target, and you have to get as close to it as possible. Bastille Day on 60th Street on Sunday, July 12, will feature food, champagne tastings, and activities for children and families (noon–5 p.m., on 60th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues). Tickets for champagne and chocolate tastings are $55. French Restaurant Week also returns on July 13–19, with prix-fixe menu options (at $17.89, $35.78, or $178.90 for two or four with a beverage). Participating restaurants include Orsay, Chez Lucienne, and La Sirène. For a complete list of restaurants, see FrenchRestaurantWeek.com
BastilleWeek.com
SOOKK
2686 Broadway (Broadway & 103rd St.) New York, NY 10025 (212) 870-0253
Miyazaki Super Prime Wagyu Beef $120.00
Enjoy outdoor tastings at the 11th annual summertime party featuring top restaurants and chefs from the Flatiron District and beyond. Chefs such as Daniel Humm and Mark Welker (Eleven Madison Park), Jaime Torres and Felipe Torres (Raymi), Marc Vidal (Boqueria), and many more, will present signature dishes to guests. Tuesday, July 14, 6.30 p.m. Madison Square Park. Tickets: $200. MadisonSquarePark.org
COURTESY OF MILE END
Authentic Japanese food served with a touch of class
MILE END DELI’S POUTINE WEEK
W
hen you taste the Japanese food at Momokawa you will know it is the real thing. Each single ingredient and each tiny detail ensures the most authentic experience. Momakawa—A genuine taste of Japan!
Apparently there is no one season for poutine. Mile End Deli will feature special versions of the Canadian fries and cheese curds dish from July 13 to July 19. Think Philly cheesesteak poutine, chicken fried poutine, and chilaquiles poutine.
Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu Small Course
(service for two or more) eti er kin s of ashimi hoi e of ukiyaki or ha u ha u aut meals ooke at the ta le essert
$45/per person
Available for brunch, lunch, and dinner. $18 each at the Manhattan (53 Bond St.) and Boerum Hill (97A Hoyt St.) locations. MileEndDeli.com
Awabi Shabu-shabu
tra itional a anese a eti ers kin s of ashimi rille ish an a simmere ish essert $60/per person
Sake and Wine
COURTESY OF BENJY SWETT
CELEBRATE FLATIRON CHEFS
Ask about our sake tastings.
Momokawa serves some of the finest quality sake and wine, paired especially for the dishes. Try our seasonal sake (draft), premium sake, all season sake (hot or cold) as well as
ROBERT COOMBS
white or red wines.
Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | (212) 684-7830 momokawanyc.com — ALSO AVAIL ABLE: DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS (12 P.M.-4 P.M.) —
Katsu & Sake
INSPIRED ASIAN FUSION CUISINE
PIT & WHISKEY AT THE FARM ON KENT
Signature dishes you won’t find in other Japanese restaurants
Enjoy an evening of comfort food with Food Karma Projects as it hosts award-winning chefs and produce from New York state farms, as part of their farm-to-table dining series. Pitmaster Robbie Richter (founding pitmaster at Hill Country BBQ and Fatty ‘Cue Brooklyn) will grill up a wide variety of locally sourced meats.
Discover the Hidden Gem in K-Town The most special dish, reserved for special occasions across Japan. Try this amazing Pork Katsu at HanaMichi. Our unique preparation not only highlights pork, but also chicken, beef and vegetables! A dish worth gathering for!
nique Try our U ils! ta ck o C every
Tonkatsu Ramen
“This is one of my favorite spots in K-town” – Zagat-
28 W 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001
212.736.5393 24 Hours Open www.hanamichinyc.com
You will enjoy an enticing mix of Thai, Malaysian, Chinese and Japanese cusine, perfected by us. Quality and service is our passion, let us take you on a culinary journey of South East Asia.
Thursday, July 16, 7 p.m.–10 p.m. 320 Kent Ave., Brooklyn. Tickets: $85. Includes all food, craft beer, wine, and spirits.
DUMPLINGS: A GLOBAL HISTORY
our is Happy H p.m. day, 5-7
Pork Katsu
North Brooklyn Farms.
Asian Cuisine & Cocktail Bar (212) 752-8883 | (212) 752-8012
FUSHANYC.COM 1065 First Avenue (Between 58th & 59th Street) New York, NY 10022
Fascinated by dumplings and their history? Don’t miss this talk by Barabara Gallani, director of food, safety, and science at the U.K. Food and Drink Federation. She will explain the differences and similarities between the ways dumplings are presented
in different cultures. Tasting included. Wednesday, July 15, 7 p.m. Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street. Tickets: $35.
Compiled by Daksha Devnani Epoch Times Staff
D5
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July 10–16, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com GENTL & HYERS
Green Tomato Bloody Marys.
RECIPE
Obsessive Attention to Detail
GREEN TOMATO BLOODY MARYS Makes: 4 drinks
INGREDIENTS
• 4 large green tomatoes, stemmed • 1 celery stalk, plus additional stalks (preferably from the inside of the celery), for serving • 2 scallions, root ends and dark green tops trimmed off and discarded • 1 small, unpeeled Persian cucumber, ends trimmed off and discarded • 2 large fresh basil leaves • 1 tablespoon Pickled Horseradish (page 263) or prepared horseradish (or substitute one-quarter of a fresh, seeded jalapeño) • 2 teaspoons coarse salt • Juice of 1 lemon • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper • 8 ounces (1 cup) vodka • Lemon or lime wedges, for serving • Mint leaves, for serving
DIRECTIONS Roughly dice the tomatoes, celery, scallions, and cucumber and place in a blender or
food processor along with the basil, horseradish, salt, lemon juice, and white pepper. Process until completely smooth. If you’d like a particularly refined drink, you can pass this mixture through a sieve, but this is by no means necessary. To serve, fill 4 glasses generously with ice and evenly divide the green tomato mixture among the glasses. Add 2 ounces vodka to each glass and either stir or roll the contents together. Garnish each drink with a lemon or lime wedge, a tender stalk of celery, and some mint leaves. Excerpted from the book “Buvette” by Jody Williams. © 2014 by Jody Williams. Reprinted by permission of Grand Central Publishing. All rights reserved.
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 on sushi and excel at the one thing that mattered most.
Over three 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.
212.355.3345 www.hatsuhana.com 17 East 48th St, New York (btw madison & 5th Ave.)
體驗文人墨客的 詩情雅意 ( 二樓 )
Asian Restaurant Listings UPPER WEST SIDE Raku—It’s Japanese II Featured Dishes: Sushi; Sashimi; Brussels Sprouts 57 W. 76th St. (btw. Central Park West & Columbus Ave.) 212-873-1220 rakuupperwest.com
UPPER EAST SIDE Cafe Evergreen 1367 1st Ave. (btw. 73rd & 74th streets) 212-744-3266 | cafeevergreenchinese.com The Nuaa 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 830 9th Ave. (btw. 54th & 55th streets) 646-669-7828 | noodiesnyc.com Vi{v} Bar & Restaurant Featured Dishes: Kanom Jean Nam Ngeow; CM Sausage 717 9th Ave. (btw. 48th & 49th streets) 212-581-5999 | vivnyc.com Hell’s Chicken Featured Dish: Korean Fried Chicken 641 10th Ave. (btw. 45th & 46th streets) 212-757-1120 hellschickennyc.com
MIDTOWN EAST Shochu and Tapas - AYA 247 E. 50th St. (btw. 2nd & 3rd avenues) 212-715-0770 aya-nyc.com Sachi Asian Bistro Featured Dish: Oink Oink Oink Fried Rice 713 2nd Ave. (btw. 38th & 39th streets) 929-256-5167 | sachinyc.com
THAI
INDIAN
KOREAN SOUTHEAST ASIAN
Ruay Thai Restaurant Featured Dishes: Pad Thai; Pad See Yew 625 2nd Ave. (btw. 34th & 35th streets) 212-545-7829 ruaythai.com
KOREATOWN Soju Haus 315 5th Ave., 2nd Fl. (btw. 31st & 32nd streets) 212-213-2177 sojuhaus.com
GRAMERCY/FLATIRON/ UNION SQUARE Junoon Featured Dish: Masaledar Lamb Chops 27 W. 24th St. (btw. 5th & 6th avenues) 212-490-2100 junoonnyc.com Laut 15 E. 17th St. (btw. W. Union Sq. & Broadway) 212-206-8989 | lautnyc.com
KIPS BAY Momokawa Featured Dishes: Kaiseki menu; Beef Sukiyaki; Fried Chicken 157 E. 28th St. (btw. Lexington & 3rd avenues) 212-684-7830 momokawanyc.com
WEST VILLAGE
VIETNAMESE
CHINESE
JAPANESE
SRI LANKAN
ASIAN FUSION
MALAYSIAN
品味朝鮮王朝的 美味佳餚(三樓)
GREENWICH VILLAGE Uncle Ted’s 163 Bleecker St. (btw. Thompson & Sullivan streets) 212-777-1395 uncletedsnyc.com
EAST VILLAGE SenYa Featured Dishes: Yuzu Hamachi; Rock Shrimp Tempura; SenYa Omakase 109 1st Ave. (btw. 7th & 6th streets) 212-995-5278 senyanyc.com Sigiri 91 1st Ave. (btw. E. 5th & E. 6th streets) 212-614-9333 sigirinyc.com
Experience Firsthand the Romantic Life of Korean Dynasty South Korea’s 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.
BATTERY PARK Malaysian Kitchen USA Featured Dish: Hainanese Chicken 21 South End Ave. (btw. W. Thames St. and the Esplanade) | 212-786-1888 alaysiakitchenusa.com
BROOKLYN Pasar Malam Featured specials: Malaysian food and roti station 208 Grand St. (btw. Bedford & Driggs avenues) Williamsburg 929-267-4404 pasarmalamny.com
Spice Market 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
QUEENS
Niu Noodle House Featured Dish: Pork Soup Dumplings 15 Greenwich Ave. (btw. 10th & Christopher streets) 212-488-9888 | niunoodleny.com
Spicy Lanka 159-23 Hillside Ave. Jamaica 718-487-4499
Leng Thai 33-09 Broadway Astoria 718-956-7117 lengthai.com
212-594-4963 10 W 32 St, New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreabbq.com Open 24 Hours
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July 10–16, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Better
Than Bagels Often called a “Turkish bagel,” Simit are softer and lighter on the inside and crunchier on the outside.
Daniel Rose (R) looks over the delivery of cockles at Spring in Paris. Each SIMIT + SMITH simit is hand-rolled at our local factory and always freshly baked with no preservatives. We also serve
Salads, Sandwiches, Turkish Tea and Coffee
124 W. 72nd St, New York
3 212-496-6605
111 Worth St, New York
3 212-374-1224
11 Waverly Place, New York 3 212-784-0657 1400 Broadway, New York 4 Convenient Locations!
3 212-398-0098
SIMITANDSMITH.com
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
718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680
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WE MAKE GREAT PIZZA YOU’LL MAKE GREAT FRIENDS We are the most social pizza place around, come hang out with us, we are open every day until 5 am! FOR MORE THAN 18 YEARS, East Village Pizza & Kebab has been serving the best Italian pizza, fine Italian dishes, remarkable kebabs and falafels in the East Village.
We make 40 different kind of pizza pies, you have to try them all!
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Americans in Paris Paris continued from D1 Spring, now in its second incarnation at 6 rue Bailleul, running parallel to rue de Rivoli in the 1st arrondissement, is no longer a oneman show. Early on he got some help, when a woman who had dined there one night came back the next day and told him she thought he needed some help. Rose told her, in his characteristic funny fashion, “Great, you’re a psychiatrist—or you’re a social worker.” She told him she was a cook and wanted to work with him, that what she ate was delicious and that she’d never seen anything like it. Marie-Aude was her name, and she later became Rose’s wife. There is no menu at Spring. At 84 euros, you get a classic French meal. The menu no longer changes every day but about once every 10 days. When speaking about French cuisine, Rose’s inner classicist comes out. “It’s about books and learning the same things over and over again with the belief that the wisdom is never “épuisé” [exhausted.]” “It’s like reading Aristotle again and again even though—how many commentaries have been written on it? You read the original to try to find out why it’s so important. That’s why we make classic French cooking, we try to figure out what’s important about it,” he said. By the time I have dinner at Spring, I know about some of the underpinnings of Rose’s thinking—from the rhythm that dishes are served with (a sort of contraction and expansion as Rose puts it) to some of the ingredients that came through the back door that day. I’ve opted not to know the menu, so each dish comes as a surprise. For the apéritif, there is the coolness of yogurt and cucumber—served with a lot of dill and lemon—juxtaposed with another little dish of watermelon and ham, and in another, a rosette of foie gras—smooth and silky. It’s almost as if my taste buds are awakened one by one. There are cockles, which arrived that very same morning from Brittany, served in a wonderful broth that tastes of the sea. It takes me back to somewhere, sometime in my childhood, although I can’t tell if it’s real or imagined. There is duck served with girolles mushrooms and figs. There are a number of desserts, most memorably the impossibly floral clafoutis with white peaches, served in a skillet. A clafoutis is a fruit dessert covered with a flanlike batter. In the open kitchen, directly across from me, I can hear everything. The sous-chef tells a cook in French, “This is the third time you’ve done it. When are you going to start listening to me! If it happens a fourth time, I’m going home.” Another time, Rose said quietly, “Please put out the fire. Don’t let it burn out.” There’s a frank honesty here—nowhere to hide, as Rose told me. “That’s one of the secrets: people who work here, they don’t turn [their emotions] on and off.” I had arrived for dinner a little scattered, my mind occupied by the minutiae of travel plans. But somewhere between the seafood and the duck, something happened. Suddenly everything felt right. When Rose talks about what goes on with human interaction, and with service, he truly believes that “deliciousness is augmented and magnified by those other things.” Stepping out of Spring, heading a block or two west, I chance into a side entrance to the Louvre. When I emerge from the arched doorway, it is into the red Parisian sunset, among sculptures of the Muses, to the sounds of an itinerant cellist. With beauty all around and a well-fed body and soul, it is the best of all earthly pleasures.
A restaurant, when it’s good, is a kind of drug. Daniel Rose, chefowner, Spring
Believe it or not, the best croque-monsieur in Paris is made by an American!
Cockles are smaller and arguably more flavorful than littlenecks clams.
Jody Williams: ‘Traditional Untraditional’ Buvette is the wildly popular gastrothèque in the West Village, where chef-owner Jody Williams has poured her ethos, a place where the pleasure of food and drink are at the center, period. All at once it’s a place for a cup of tea and a madeleine (or two), for a meeting, for an apéritif, for a party, for dinner, and definitely, as its name says, a place to nurse a glass of wine. “There are no rules,” Williams said. That is, order just side dishes if you fancy, with your glass of wine. That in France would get you a long side glance. And yet, that informal, warm approach is engaging. “French people come in here and say, ‘It’s great, we don’t have this.’” But in fact, they do. Williams opened a Buvette in the Paris neighborhood of Pigalle in 2013. “We were embarrassed. We had to show up at the awards ceremony with Gregory Marchand, everybody was there,” Williams said. “We were like—wallflowers! We were so new.” “The croque from Jody is really crazy!” said Victoire Louapre, Le Fooding’s media manager, with no lack of certainty. “Ex aequo with the one from Café Trama in the 6th arrondissement.” Getting Buvette in Paris on its feet was not an easy task. Williams started by “being pretty much shut out” when it came to finding suppliers. “It’s very different from New York. Here I know what I want. Send me this many, this day, boom, COD, you’re done, boom. The Parisians are much more … ‘Well I only sell wine to my friends.’” Williams also views each Buvette as a sort of mini-campus, where staff might go on exchange. During the summer, most of the Paris staff is in New York, for example. The pace is noticeably different. “In Paris it’s quaint. When I’m in Paris, [I say to the staff] you guys have to learn to move! You got to work like you’re making 20 cocktails—not two! One day you will make 20 cocktails. And over here in New York, I’m grabbing on: ‘Stop running! Slow down, breathe, slow, slow.’ It’s two different worlds, two different systems. That is so fascinating to me.”
See Paris on D8 SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Cockles, delivered from Brittany.
D7
@EpochTaste
July 10–16, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
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Jody Williams at the original Buvette, in the West Village. She opened another Buvette in Paris in 2013. DAVID BONNIER/TANA EDITIONS
WE WELCOME YOU TO RESTAURANT You will love our warm atmosphere and our expertly prepared menu. We pay the utmost attention to every detail of your visit. From the hand crafted cocktails and specialty wine list, to our thoughtfully planned, market fresh and in-season dishes. Every dish, every cocktail is prepared from scratch and every detail is carefully thought out. We are always happy to customize any of your dining requests. NEW! Chef ’s Seasonal Tasting Menu
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Le Camion Qui Fume’s Barbecue Burger.
(btwn Park and Broadway)
212.677.7771
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Melodie Asseraf at her store, Les Sucreries de Melodie, in Paris. SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
The freshest seafood, every day
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ALCALA
Asseraf’s baked mini-donuts.
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(212) 370-1866 246 E. 44th Street AlcalaRestaurant.com
D8
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July 10–16, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com
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Mild Seafood Stew with Nurungji
Paris continued from D6 “We try to really teach a dierent kind of service in Paris that we think is needed. You know like, attention—a basic skill,â€? she laughed. “I’m joking. But you go and there’s no contact. Do they know you’re here? They take the order and you never see them. And it’s good. There’s a balance. There’s wonderful things there. It’s not this hovering, controlling, selling.â€? She’s looking for real, warm service. “Intention counts for a lot,â€? she said. “Intention is particularly important when you’re serving food and when you’re going to eat something. You’re bringing energy to what you do.â€? “When I’m in a kitchen with 10, 15 cooks and dinner service begins boom, boom, boom, the stress is building the tickets are coming up. ‘Fire, go, four medium rare, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, no, 4 minutes. Take it back, no do it again.’ When all this is going on, I can see people starting to struggle. And then it’s not with love, it’s not with nurturing. “You can’t have gorgeous product—beautiful sardines on the table or scallops—and turn them over and be cooking in a bad mood or with a lack of respect. “I’ll be making dinner for 12 people here and you know I’m making the perfect roast chicken for them in my mind an I got my beautiful radishes and maybe my food is less than perfect but my intention to give them this moment they can remember.â€? Melodie Asseraf: Classics Revisited “I have people come in every day that have never seen a cupcake before,â€? said Melodie Asseraf of Les Sucrerie de MĂŠlodie. “Anything that’s typically American, they love it, but I rework it for the French palate so it’s a flavor they’re familiar with.â€? Nougat, classically made with hazelnuts and almonds, gets a chocolate and strawberry spin; popcorn is reimagined with white chocolate and ginger; and mini-donuts (baked, not fried) come in seasonal flavors. The best-sellers are cookies, popcorn, and cake pops. Asseraf moved from New York (where she was working with François Payard) to Paris to study under Pierre HermĂŠ. On the business side, there have been frustrations working with the French “even if you plan something perfectly,â€? she said. “The other day, the first day delivering to a new client, and DHL decides to go on strike. OK, so now what do you do?â€? “Everything is like that. There’s always a reason they’re not at the oďŹƒce, always a reason they’re not working, or a reason they take three weeks to answer an email. It’s really shocking. It makes it very diďŹƒcult to work with. I have the punch I guess you can say from New York. Time is money, right? Well apparently here it’s not. It doesn’t seem like it is at least.â€? What had attracted her to the French clientele was an appreciation for high quality
and the willingness to spend more for better quality. But she’s found that with the economy, customers are reluctant to spend more. She is planning to return to the United States at the end of the year. “I want to bring back to New Yorkers the little French twist and the good quality,â€? she said. Kristin Frederick: On Opening Paris’s First Food Truck “It’s very un-Paris to eat on the street,â€? said Kristin Frederick. The chef from California took up the challenge of opening the City of Light’s first food truck in 2011, after attending culinary school in Paris. “It was an administrative nightmare,â€? she added. But its time had come. Young people, Frederick said, are well-traveled, and wanted to be able to have a burger as they might in New York City. “French food in general has a very take-yourtime, eat-it, love-it two-hour lunches. But like any big city, they need faster lunch solutions. Two-hour lunches are over,â€? Frederick said. Her first food truck, Le Camion Qui Fume (the Smoking Truck in French), set o a burger mania. Prospective competitors contacted her suppliers, looking to use the same buns, or the same meat blend (to which her meat supplier responded, they couldn’t have it because it was her recipe). But the beginning was fraught with naysayers. “It was shocking. Every day until we opened, when we opened when I shared my ideas with people, the response was negative: It will never work, people will think it’s gross.â€? But she stuck with the idea, believing that if it was good, people would love it. She was right. She had to find the right meat blend at first. The French butchers had a high-quality cut they used for grinding but it was made for tartare and thus extremely lean. Restaurants were using this cut and cooking up very dry, flavorless burgers. Frederick added tastier cuts into her blend. Cheese was the easiest to procure. She uses Gruyère from the Alps, fourme d’Ambert, Etivaz, for example. As for the buns, she remembered asking her breadmaker if he could supply her 300–500 buns a week. He told her he couldn’t make that many. The bestseller these days is the Barbecue burger. Frederick’s favorite is the Campagne, with mushrooms sautĂŠed in butter. There are a few Le Camion Qui Fume trucks plying the streets every day these days while Frederick attends to her other projects: a popcorn bar in a movie theater (with real melted butter, and toppings like rose praline), Freddie’s (an American style sandwich shop, serving Philly cheesesteaks and pastrami made inhouse), and the latest, Huabu, which serves Americanized Chinese food. COURTESY OF VICTOIRE LOUAPRE
Pomegranate Soju
Made with Red Vinegar, a popular health drink in many Asian countries.
Victoire Louapre media manager Le Fooding guide
On restaurant trends in Paris
Sizzling Bulgogi
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What to Try Tonight... Mild Seafood Stew with Nurungji
Pairs well with Cucumber Soju
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Sunday – Wednesday 5:00 pm – 2:00 am Thursday 5:00 pm – 3:00 am Friday – Saturday 5:00 pm – 4:00 am
On American Chefs There’s a significant number of American chefs in Paris, as well as French chefs who moved to the U.S. and came back. There are also chefs who have never set foot in the U.S. but want to cook North American food. Jody Williams, Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian, Marc Grossman, Daniel Rose, and Gregory Marchand are standouts. Marchand is French, but worked in London and New York before opening his restaurant Frenchie. Despite the name, one can taste an incredibly Anglo-Saxon influence in his way of cooking and hosting. People love these chefs because they manage to show an American (or Americanized) cuisine that is very far from what French people expect. None of them serve burgers and fries; instead, they’ve all adopted the generosity and multi-cultural values they saw in
the U.S. and use these in their Parisian kitchens. On Service There is the very American “no reservations� trend. American service is also more casual, and that has caught on at a lot of restaurants. For example, at Septime, waiters crouch down at your level and make an effort to be super friendly. And Finally, on Brooklyn There is a strong influence of the “Brooklyn look� here in Parisian restaurants. The walls are “raw,� with old scratches of paint; there is very little lighting; there are big glass windows and tiles everywhere. Whereas the new food trends in Paris are influenced by Scandinavian food and/or South American food, the restaurants themselves have a certain “Brooklyn� touch.