ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
D1 August 14–20, 2015
One Night in
Rum Chocolate Ganache.
Koreatown
D8
Liquid “Klondike” Bar.
Devil’s Food Cake.
www.EpochTaste.com
Roasted White Chocolate Ice Cream.
Brownie.
Thiago Silva, Cake Magician
Watch this dessert explode on D6
The “Hit Me” Chocolate Cake.
By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
astry chef Thiago Silva’s cakes have wowed celebrities. He’s baked, for example, a piano cake for John Legend, and a champagne bottle cake, complete with bucket and ice cubes (all edible!) for Sofia Vergara. “She told everybody at the party that she spent all night making it so they better like it.” They’re not ordinary cakes, either. Sometimes, they’re rigged up with spinning motors, spotlights, or projectors. And surprise! They’re delicious, too.
See Cake Magician on D5
Silva hasn’t attended pastry school, but that doesn’t stop him from making awesome desserts.
Thiago Silva is executive pastry chef at the EMM Group, which includes restaurants CATCH and Lexington Brass.
EXCLUSIVE Come and dine at Sushi Zen as Chef Takashi Yamamoto takes over the kitchen with a special 2-week Kaiseki menu.* Chef Yamamoto is the former head chef at the Japanese Consulate in New York.
108 West 44th Street, New York (212) 302-0707
YAMAMOTO Aug. 24 through Sept. 4 Lunch $45 set menu Dinner $110 Kaiseki style menu
Limited seating available. For reservations please email us at events@sushizen-ny.com or call us on 212-302-0707 and mention “special event.” *Chef Suzuki and the sushi chefs will not be present during the event.
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August 14–20, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF MAPLE
Delivery Gets Fancy Fast, Fresh Food in a New York Minute
By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
Elevating Delivery Food Manhattan-based Savory started in 2011, after partner Dhruv Singh spent many late nights at his consulting job ordering takeout and being sorely disappointed by its quality. Back then, ordering food online was still a novel idea that restaurants were just beginning to adopt. Even excellent dine-in restaurants didn’t design their dishes to be delivered, so they could arrive at your table in a less-thandesirable state. The partners at Savory decided to start with making delicious food, then streamline every step from preparing the dish to delivering it to your door, so that fully appetizing orders arrive within 45 minutes. As one partner, Andrew Kloch, explained during a recent interview, “People don’t want fast food, but they don’t have the time to go eat at a restaurant. The space in the middle—that’s our sweet spot. “We want to bring the hospitality experience to delivery. That’s an important part of our philosophy,” said Kloch, who has studied at the Culinary Institute of America and worked at acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s eponymous restaurant. Similarly, Munchery was started in San Francisco in 2010 by two engineer-dads who struggled to find enough time and resolve to cook dinner for their families after a long day at work. They decided to put their computer science backgrounds to use in the food business. To make delicious meals, you have to start with the ingredients. These companies cook with produce sourced from local farms whenever possible. Maple, which just launched in April, sources its vegetables from Satur Farms on Long Island; its meats from an organic farm in New Jersey, Fossil Farms; and its seafood
There’s no silver bullet to making good delivery food. It’s a thousand lead bullets. Andrew Kloch, partner, Savory
SCREENSHOT VIA MUNCHERY
or New Yorkers, convenience is key. Our busy work schedules leave little time for cooking meals, or even finding a decent restaurant to dine at. In recent months, meal delivery startups have cropped up one after another, proclaiming to solve our problems by delivering delicious meals straight to our doorsteps. These companies deliver food that’s been made from scratch in their own kitchens, which makes them stand apart from apps like Seamless and GrubHub that deliver food from restaurants, or brands like Blue Apron that send customers prepackaged ingredients to cook at home. The idea is that if the company cooks and operates everything themselves, they can guarantee that their food is high quality, while offering the ultimate convenience. These startups, like Savory, Munchery, and Maple, operate at the intersection between fine dining and high tech. Using sleek mobile apps, mapping logistics, and special cooking techniques, they are each trying to perfect the science of serving fresh delivery food in the shortest time possible. No more greasy, sodium-laden, soggy takeout—now is the time for delivery food as good as meals served at restaurants, available in just a few clicks.
Munchery’s mobile app has helpful nutritional information and customer reviews, so health-conscious and picky eaters can choose wisely.
We were impressed by each company’s commitment to locally sourced ingredients.
COURTESY OF SAVORY
from Browne Trading Company, a purveyor in Maine known to supply seafood to the country’s most acclaimed chefs. It also gets produce from Hudson Valley growers during the summer. Next comes the chefs. All three companies have hired talent from popular and celebrated restaurants in New York City. Savory’s executive chef was formerly sous chef at Má Pêche, one of the restaurants in David Chang’s Momofuku empire. Maple, meanwhile, boasts Chang as its “culinary chief officer.” Their executive chef is Soa Davies, who helped develop the menu at the three-Michelin-starred Le Bernardin. Munchery has a whole team of chefs from Daniel, Blue Smoke, Dovetail, and Aureole cooking its dishes, covering a broad range of cuisines, from French to American South. Why do these chefs want to cook for a model so far from a traditional dining room? Like most people working for a startup, they want to experience the challenge of realizing a new idea: cooking food that’s meant to travel at least several blocks away and be consumed later at peak deliciousness. “At first I was hesitant to be a part of a delivery-only kitchen, but when I realized that I’d have an even greater opportunity to be creative without being boxed into a specific food concept, I was in,” Eddie Montsalvo said via email. Now a chef at Munchery, Montsalvo was most recently the chef de cuisine for Blue Smoke. A lot of consideration goes into preparing a dish specifically for delivery. After three years of constant experimenting, Kloch of Savory said they’ve figured out a lot of the science behind cooking food that stays fresh and hot even after transportation. Their methods are like trade secrets, closely guarded lest their competitors catch any wind of them. But Kloch did divulge some of the things they’ve learned. It turns out Japanese-style breadcrumbs are not as crisp after traveling on delivery bikes. And there are ways to prepare dishes so that the food finishes cooking while it’s on the way, arriving at the customer’s table without getting overcooked. “There’s no silver bullet to making good delivery food. It’s a thousand lead bullets,” said Kloch. He and his partners are always looking to shave seconds or minutes off their operations, from the couriers’ delivery routes to the way their bikes are arranged, so they can take off as quickly as possible. Delivering Top Notch Meals Savory’s key feature is its extensive menu of over 50 dishes, including a wide range of entrees, served with a side of vegetables and grains. It’s clear that Savory takes its dedication to making hot and fresh delivery food seriously: When I ordered two of its popular options— Peachy King Chicken, a roasted chicken dish, and the Genghis Salmon—the food was still warm when it arrived a little over half an hour later. The string beans were nice and crisp, not soggy or undercooked, while the wild rice was mildly sweet and well-cooked.
Map le
Maple’s Pepper Crusted Pork Loin with mashed potatoes and greens.
www.maple.com COURTESY OF MAPLE
Maple’s Lamb Ragout Lasagna. SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Maple’s Vietnamese Beef Salad and Feta, Cucumber, and Orzo Salad.
We ordered this Maple meal and then enjoyed it under the sun at City Hall Park!
COURTESY OF SAVORY
Savory
www.savory.com
Savory’s Shortrib and Kimchee Sandwich.
Savory’s Kale Green Goddess Salad.
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August 14–20, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com PETR SVAB/EPOCH TIMES
COURTESY OF MUNCHERY
Munchery’s meals usually come in compostable containers, but here is what a little creative plating can do!
Munchery’s Summer Penne Pesto (front) and Summer Seared Salmon. The chicken was juicy and tender, deliciously seasoned with orange rind, scallions, shallots, and herbs, and topped with a white peach glaze. Even the breast meat, which can easily be too dry, was kept moist in its jus. We tend to avoid getting seafood dishes delivered, because they can become mushy or musty after getting enclosed and transported. But the Genghis Salmon was grilled just right, dressed in a light sauce, and tasted remarkably fresh. Together with the tart flavor of the pickled carrots and yams, the entree made for a hearty meal. Savory said its food is all made to order, aside from certain elements that can be prepared ahead of time without sacrificing taste, such as the sauces. It’s impressive that its hot entrees can taste so good, despite spending considerable time outside the kitchen. The only downside is they are more expensive than your average delivery meal, at $14 to $20 before tax and tip. Munchery, on the other hand, promises to maintain the taste and quality of its dishes by chilling them right after they prepare them. The food is then delivered to your door with specific reheating instructions. “The food is fresher. You can taste it when you reheat it. Because of our model, we can deliver the food at a much lower price point than if it was delivered hot,” said Munchery’s New York City general manager Mike Blank. Indeed, entrees are reasonably priced, between $9 to $14 before tax and tip. Munchery, which expanded to New York in March, also operates in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Blank said the company uses commercialtype ovens to cook lots of food simultaneously, and then chill it quickly as a way to seal in the flavors. But Blank said dishes don’t stay in their storage for long; oftentimes, dishes are sold out before the day’s end. “We strategically plan how much is available, and balance the desire to meet demand with avoiding waste.” Does the chilling method really work? When we tried Munchery’s Summer Penne Pesto and Summer Seared Salmon, and reheated the boxes according to the instructions, we found that the flavors were indeed preserved well. The pesto tasted of fresh basil and wasn’t too oily. However, the pasta came out a tad rubbery and hard to chew. It’s possible that if we cooked the pasta a little less (the recommendation was one to two minutes, and we went for the longer time), or used an oven instead, the pasta could’ve been cooked al dente. The salmon, on the other hand, was near perfect: the meat was soft, succulent, and lightly salted to really bring out the flavors. The dish came with a side of sautéed onions and squash, and boiled potatoes, drizzled with verjus. The sweetness of the vegetables, with the sour kick from the verjus, balanced off the more oily taste of the fish. Maple’s menu is much simpler compared to the former two companies. It offers only three options for lunch and dinner, but the dishes change daily so customers get a wider variety. A glance at its menu shows that the chefs take care to use produce that’s in season. Like Savory, the Maple team runs tests on how well its dishes withstand travel, and “how different ingredients interact and change with temperature over time,” said Maple CEO and founder Caleb Merkl via email. Merkl also explained that the company examined 200 different types of packaging to find the best kind that would maintain the “resilience” of the dish. When I ordered two of its recent lunch offerings—the Vietnamese Beef Salad and the Feta, Cucumber, and Orzo Salad—both arrived at room temperature. It could be that the dishes were intentionally kept cool for summer eating. Although I didn’t get the chance to evaluate its hot food, the two salads I did try were very satisfying. The beef salad incorporated the tangy and spicy flavors commonly found in
Munchery’s salmon. COURTESY OF MUNCHERY
COURTESY OF MUNCHERY
A spread of Munchery’s offerings, from donuts to ramen.
Mu ncher y www.munchery.com
Munchery’s strawberry cake. Vietnamese cooking, without being too strong: the lemongrass vinaigrette, mint leaves, pickled daikon, and jalapeño peppers created a refreshing, flavorful combination that excited the palate. The orzo salad similarly incorporated the tastes of summer, with arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and a lemon-caper vinaigrette. The bitterness of arugula was balanced with the saltiness of feta, the acidic kick from red onions, and the mild taste of the orzo. At just $12 for each lunch dish, including tax and tip, Maple is the most affordable of the three services, and is an excellent choice for a filling, good-tasting meal when you’re not in the mood for cooking yourself. “We feel strongly that it shouldn’t be difficult to have a well-balanced meal made from high quality ingredients at an accessible price. We want Maple to be the place you can turn to eat every day,” said Merkl. It’s a goal that Savory and Munchery also pursue: to make high-quality food for the masses. Sadly, Maple is only delivering in the Financial District at the moment. But it promises that once it’s ready to grow the business model, it will deliver to more locations. Tech Is the Future Aside from cooking delicious food, these companies are also constantly working with the latest technology to make ordering and delivering a smooth experience for the customer. All three spoke of a special logistics and communication system that allows them to map out their couriers’ routes to reach their destinations in the quickest way possible (and once again, details were kept secret). These companies’ apps are simple to use, with appealing, high-quality photos of their dishes to lure your appetite. Munchery’s app is by far the most informative, with the names of the chefs, descriptions of the dishes, nutritional information listing everything from calories to sugar content, and easily viewed customer reviews once you click on the dish. Both Munchery’s and Maple’s apps will send your phone notifications to alert you when your order is about to arrive. Meanwhile, Savory is working on a new version of its app that will show users customized menus based on their preferences—for example, meals under 600 calories, or dishes that don’t contain pork. While these innovations make these services highly efficient and speedy in their delivery, their real success is in the freshness of their reliably tasty offerings. We think New Yorkers will find it hard to resist trying them out. Perhaps the delivery food revolution will kick off here in the capital of living on the go.
PRIME STEAKS. LEGENDARY SERVICE. Fine Wine • Private Dining • Exceptional Menu
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
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August 14–20, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF ZEPPELIN HALL
LOCAL, SEASONAL, MARKET FRESH FARE stuff to eat and drink around town
ZEPPELIN HALL’S SUMMER BACON FESTIVAL
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
34 East 20th Street Located in Flatiron New York City
Aug. 13–23. 88 Liberty View Dr., Jersey City. ZeppelinHall.com
212.677.7771
COURTESY OF ZEPPELIN HALL
CountyNyc.com
(btwn Park and Broadway)
Whether you like your bacon crispy, salty, sweet, or wrapped around beef, there is something for everyone’s palate at the annual summer bacon festival hosted by Zeppelin Hall. Executive chef Franco Robazietti has created 14 decadent offerings, like Bacon Bacon BBQ Nachos with pulled pork and pickled onions, Bacon Oysters Rockafeller, and the giant Bacon Pretzilla served with three dipping sauces. There will also be a bacon-laced dessert to top off your meal, along with 50+ European and American craft brews on tap.
Zeppelin Hall's Bacon Bouquet.
The Bacon Tomahawk Ribeye—three pounds of ribeye steak wrapped in two pounds of smoked bacon—at Zeppelin Hall’s Bacon Fest. COURTESY OF ALTA LINEA
Miyazaki Super Prime Wagyu Beef $120.00
Authentic Japanese food served with a touch of class
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!
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
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
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
Ask about our sake tastings.
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.) —
LUNCH SPECIAL STARTS FROM
New Gluten Free Choices
641 10TH AVENUE (BTWN. 45TH ST. & 46TH ST.)
Tuesday, Aug. 18, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. Brooklyn Grange Flagship Farm, 37-18 Northern Blvd., Long Island City. Tickets: $35. BrooklynGrangeFarm.com
BRUNCH AT ALTA LINEA
OYSTER BAR AT SURF CITY Surf City has just debuted its Oyster Bar, featuring ceviche, clams, oysters on the half shell, lobster guacamole, and more from executive chef Franco Robazetti. Surf City has three indoor and three outdoor bars with city views and a sandy beach, serving wine and 75 beers on tap. On top of that, they have a dedicated tropical frozen drink bar to keep the festivities going long into your summer evenings. This weekend (Aug. 14–16) and next (Aug. 21–23), Surf City will hold a Shrimp Tsunami event with 12 types of shrimp dishes, from Buffalo Shrimp to Shrimp Chili. Weekdays: Opens at 4 p.m. Weekends: Opens at noon 1 Marin Blvd., Jersey City. SurfCityBar.com
This could be your brunch as you dine al fresco at the High Line—breakfast paninis, yogurt and cherry-cashew granola, seasonal summer squash and sweet corn frittata, and more! Alta Linea, the seasonal, outdoor restaurant at The High Line Hotel, has debuted a modern Italian menu for your next brunch meetup. Guests will enjoy dining alongside a bubbling fountain while sampling classic cocktails like spritzes and negronis. COURTESY OF ALTA LINEA
Every Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The High Line Hotel Garden, 180 10th Ave. (at 20th Street). AltaLineaNYC.com
Corn Frittata.
HUDSON RIVER PARK’S BLUES BBQ Enjoy a warm summer evening with some of New York City’s best BBQ restaurants, including Butcher Bar, Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque, Brother Jimmy’s BBQ, and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, as they pair up with some of America’s best blues and roots musicians at the Hudson River Park’s Blues BBQ Festival. Artists include Otis Taylor Band, Jarekus Singleton, and more! Saturday, Aug. 22, 2 p.m.–9 p.m. Pier 26, Tribeca. Free admission. HudsonRiverPark.org COURTESY OF HUDSON RIVER PARK'S BLUES BBQ
The #1 Korean Fried Chicken in Hell’s Kitchen
Hot sauce enthusiasts, don’t miss this workshop with Brooklyn Grange’s head farmer Ben Flanner, who will teach you all the tricks of the hot sauce trade. Every year thousands of bottles of hot sauce are churned from Brooklyn Grange’s farm fresh peppers. During the workshop you will get an overview of what goes into each batch, from the quick harvest to determining heat levels to making a shelf-stable sauce with minimal processing. Have you ever wondered about the differences between green and red sauce? Here’s your chance to learn all.
COURTESY OF REVOLVING DANSK
$8
HOT-SAUCE-MAKING WORKSHOP
HOT DOG AND WHISKEY TASTING Did you know there’s a whiskey distillery in the Navy Yards, close to the heart of DUMBO? Revolving Dansk will show you around for a whiskey tasting, paired with its signature polse—all natural Danish dogs that are to your average hot dog what prosciutto is to bacon. There will be bourbon, chocolate whiskey, moonshine, and many more whiskeys to try as you search for your favorite drink n’ dog combination. Saturday, Aug. 15, 1 p.m.–10 p.m. Kings County Distillery, 63 Flushing Ave., Brooklyn. Free Admission. CopenhagenStreetDog.com
ALL FOOD MADE TO ORDER • CALL NOW FOR FREE DELIVERY!
Tel. 212.757.1120 • HellsChickenNYC.com
Compiled by Daksha Devnani/Epoch Times Staff
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August 14–20, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Cake Magician We’re talking with: Thiago Silva About: Confetti cannons, celebrity cakes, and family Occupations: Executive pastry chef for the EMM Group (CATCH, Lexington Brass), one of Dessert Professional Magazine’s 2015 Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America, maker of fabulous cakes Lives in: Jackson Heights, Queens
Electricity? Lights? No problem for Thiago Silva. Some of his cakes light up, spin, or project videos.
Tres leches cake and pistachio cream give a twist to this summer favorite.
COURTESY OF EMM GROUP
COURTESY OF EMM GROUP
Cake Magician continued from D1 Epoch Times: Some of your cakes have electrical elements. How did it start? Thiago Silva: There are a lot of cake artists now. Cakes are a big deal, like designer cakes, and a lot of people are doing it. I always wanted to try to do it in a way that’s different and that not many people can do it. So I started to see, what can I add to this? How can I make it different? How can I make it more unique? Most of the time people get cakes it’s an experience. There’s something going on. They’re not getting the cake for just anything, so I wanted to make it even more memorable. How many times do you see a projector on a cake or a confetti cannon blowing [confetti out of] a cake? Epoch Times: Tell us about that one, with the confetti cannon. Mr. Silva: I remember “tripsy, neon, crazy circus cake”—that’s what they asked me for. It was a circus-themed Sweet 16 in the Hamptons. It was a massive cake. There was a spinning element to it. There were lights and there was a fog machine and then a confetti cannon … All that you have to do is turn it on and you press the button from 100 feet away and it goes off. So as soon they sang “Happy Birthday,” I pressed the button: confetti everywhere. [People] went nuts. I actually scared the birthday girl because it was a surprise. It was a pretty loud bang, and then there was a shower of confetti. She got a little scared but she loved it. That was the first time trying those elements—that was too much. I do all the electrical, all the carving, all the woodwork on my own, so it’s a lot to take in.
Mr. Silva: Like blow up?
My sister’s wedding cake collapsed. She didn’t even see it, it was during her ceremony. I was probably 18. Thiago Silva, executive pastry chef, EMM Group
Epoch Times: Where did you learn all the carpentry and electrical work? Mr. Silva: Still learning! The carpentry, I wouldn’t it call carpentry, I’d call it wood hacking if anything. But you get better as you go. You mess up a few times. You learn as you go. It’s like the cakes. I made plenty of ugly cakes before they got nice. Epoch Times: Did any of the cakes ever bomb?
COURTESY OF EMM GROUP
Epoch Times: Blow up or collapse. Mr. Silva: Collapse—yes, unfortunately. My sister’s wedding cake collapsed. She didn’t even see it, it was during her ceremony. I was probably 18. This is way before I started doing anything, and I was helping with so much of the wedding that I forgot about some things for the structure and I thought it’d be ok, and it wasn’t. It was big. It was five tiers, and four fell and one stayed behind, so we just grabbed the big one, and we just put a lot of flowers on top of it. I felt horrible. But she’s my sister. She still loves me. Epoch Times: What cake are you proudest of making? Mr. Silva: The John Legend one just because of the time frame I had—less than a day. They called me the night before. I had just gotten home. The cake store was closed. I had no cake made, I had nothing. I just said, no, there’s no way I can do this. I’ve made a piano cake before, it took me two weeks. And then they’re like, “Send us the pictures so we can see.” I’m like, “I’m not sending you a picture because I’m not making it. There’s no way.” Then I’m sitting at home. It’s John Legend, I have to at least try. I’m a fan. Actually this one came out better than the one that took me two weeks.
“Deconstructed” Strawberry Shortcake.
Apple Pie Donut. COURTESY OF EMM GROUP
For his son’s first birthday, Silva made a plane cake, complete with spinning propellers. COURTESY OF EMM GROUP
Epoch Times: Do you get to see people’s reactions? Mr. Silva: Usually I like to. I wanted to stay and meet him. But that day my son was sick so I ran home.
When Silva first started making cakes in 1998, he told himself that one day he would make a cake for Derek Jeter. His dream was realized on the day Jeter retired.
Epoch Times: How much do the cakes go for? Mr. Silva: It varies usually. They start at $1,200. They can go up to $4,500. Epoch Times: Cakes that look beautiful can have a reputation for being ... Mr. Silva: … disgusting.
See Cake Magician on D6 A piano cake for musician John Legend.
We cook Spain’s traditional dish to perfection! Bring your friends and family and share in our ancient heritage. Plus, over 50 authentic Spanish tapas. Come in and pick your favorites tonight!
Meson Sevilla Restaurant 344 WEST 46TH ST. (BTW 8TH & 9TH AVE.) MESONSEVILLA.COM 212-262-5890
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August 14–20, 2015 www.EpochTaste.com SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Fabulous conversations with fabulous people
HAPPY HOUR Mon & Tues 4-8 pm
2 for1
Beer or Wine
BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER
At Joy Burger Bar, we are all about customizing your burger experience. With 3 burger sizes to choose from and 9 sauces to complement your toppings, you will always get what you want.
Craft Beer 2 Wine 2 Fresh Salads 2 Hand Cut Fries Catch the game on our 40� TVs 1567 Lexington Ave, New York (212) 289-6222 JoyBurgerBar.com
We are proud to have been voted
BEST DINER IN NYC
Cake Magician We’re talking with: Thiago Silva
by residents and businesses in lower east manhattan
% %
! COURTESY OF EMM GROUP
COURTESY OF EMM GROUP
% ! ! " % $ %
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Remedy Diner
Thiago Silva at CATCH in the Meatpacking District.
Open 24 Hours
$10 Beer & Burger Monday to Friday Special 3-7pm.
245 East Houston Street New York (212) 677-5110 RemedyDinerNyc.com
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
This carousel cake spins!
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE
COURTESY OF EMM GROUP COURTESY OF EMM GROUP
POW!
OK, OK, no fires or flames in this explosion. But the crackly chocolate shell shatters in all directions, and a liquid white chocolate ganache gushes forth.
at el Pote
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria Rich Paella Valenciana
Champagne bottle cake for Sofia Vergara.
Fresh Lobster Bisque
Cake Magician continued from D5
Juicy Lamb Chops
Epoch Times: So, how do you balance taste and looks? Mr. Silva: For me it’s a positive thing because everyone looks at my cakes and they’ll be like, “There’s no way that tastes good because I’ve had this from—I’m not going to name names— from here, from there. I see it, it’s amazing.� Then they eat it. They’re like, “It’s really good!� For me, it was just about finding good recipes that work with the structure. The reason they are bad is because there’s some crazy structures and you don’t want it to collapse, but still you don’t want to jeopardize the experience of eating cake. People always post it [online]—“It looks amazing, but you won’t believe it, it was delicious.� For me it has to taste good. I keep it simple, like chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream. When somebody wants to add too many things I don’t want to do it because you’re jeopardizing the structure, and then I have to mess with the flavor. It’s not going to be right. Most recipes I keep very basic but good.
718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680
Katsu & Sake
Signature dishes you won’t find in other Japanese restaurants
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!
Pork Katsu
“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
Tonkatsu Ramen
Epoch Times: How is making cakes for individuals dierent from creating desserts for the EMM Group restaurants? Mr. Silva: It is very dierent than what you do in the restaurant. On the menu I get to create what I want, and obviously it’s something that fits the restaurant, the owners are happy, I’m happy my sta is happy, the guests are happy. But with the cake it is more personal. You deal with somebody who might have a crazy idea; You might have to collaborate. Sometimes they say something, I’m like, no, but I want to do it just because it sounds crazy. Epoch Times: You’re from Brazil. How much do you incorporate Brazilian ingredients into your desserts? Mr. Silva: I use a fair amount. I like to use mango, passion fruit, coconut. There’s something we use in every single Brazilian dessert recipe, which is sweet condensed milk. I have not found one without it. So I use a lot of that in a lot of recipes—be it ice creams, be it custards. It does add a certain type of richness to the flavor profile, not just using sugar. You’re using a dierent form of sugar. I used to keep a can in the freezer. It gets fudgy. [It doesn’t freeze] because there’s so much sugar. Epoch Times: What has been the hardest thing in your career? Mr. Silva: The hardest thing was not going to [culinary or pastry] school. I always wondered, “What if?â€? But I see a lot of people, students that come in, and they’re mentally blocked a little bit, because in school they tell you a lot
I still wonder if I went to school, where would I be? But I think it helped me in the long run because I always want to learn, push myself to learn a little bit more. Thiago Silva, executive pastry chef, EMM Group
COURTESY OF EMM GROUP
DKNY’s 25th anniversary cake in 2013.
of things you can’t do. They tell you how to do a lot of things, but they also tell you, “This is how you do this, that is it.â€? There’s is no such thing. There’re dierent routes to get to the same results. I’m very open-minded when it comes to trying new things and making something dierent, and if it doesn’t work, let me find out. Let me try, and then I’ll see. I still wonder if I went to school, where would I be? But I think it helped me in the long run, because I always want to learn, to push myself to learn a little bit more. It’s been the hardest thing, but it’s also been a positive thing. Epoch Times: You’re from Queens, which is a hot travel destination these days. What are your go-to places? Mr. Silva: In Jackson Heights, right by my house, there’s Peruvian food at this place called Urubamba that I really enjoy. Then there’s Casa del Pollo, which has the best fried rice. I went to a barbecue spot that was pretty good in Long Island City, John Brown [Smokehouse]. The cornbread is really good so I’ve been there a lot. The burnt ends of the cornbread are really good. My son loves it. Sometimes there’s little band there, and he dances. Epoch Times: Family is big for you. What are some values they’ve imparted to you? Mr. Silva: Everything my mom did was always for us. I always saw her work hard. Same thing with my dad. That’s the one thing I’ve always noticed. They worked hard but still made time for us. Everything they did, you can tell they were doing it for us. My mom would work, work, work, and then I would go to the store, and say “I want the Jordans.â€? [She’d say] “I can’t aord this.â€? She would take another job, and then she would come home with the Jordans. I don’t make any decisions without thinking if they will approve it or not. In our family, we’re always thinking about each other’s opinions. What’s my little brother going to think, what’s my big brother going to think? What’s my mom going to think? Are they going to approve? Am I going to disappoint them? Hard work pretty much sums up my family, my mom, my dad. My dad works six days a week in a restaurant. He’s almost 60. Epoch Times: What are your dreams for the future? Mr. Silva: The dream’s always to start your own thing eventually. [For me,] it’s also to help my mom and dad get rid of that busy work lifestyle that they have. So hopefully sooner or later, I’ll figure something out.
D7 August 14–20, 2015 www.TasteAsia.org ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Vermilion
480 Lexington Ave. (between 46th & 47th streets) 212-871-6600 TheVermilion Restaurant.com Hours Lunch: Monday–Friday 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Dinner: Monday–Saturday 5 p.m.–10 p.m.
Win Dinner at Laut
Lounge: Monday–Friday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Saturday 5 p.m.–10 p.m.
Laut is Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai food, located at 15 E. 17th St.
The Caldeirada de Peixe (front)—a Brazilian seafood stew—and the Smoked Nicaraguan Tamale. Both dishes have Indian touches.
Vermilion’s Culinary Reboot By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff Trade, conquest, and travel carve out a culinary roadmap that leaves very obvious cues behind. Follow potatoes or chilies from the New World and you’ll end up in the Old World, then riding the current of oceangoing explorers you will get to Asia. At Vermilion, restaurateur Rohini Dey found these culinary crosscurrents of history and geography so fascinating that she created a restaurant that fuses the flavors of her native India to those of Latin America. Separated though they may be by ocean, similar ingredients tie the two subcontinents together: lychee, guava, tamarind, and chilies, to name but a few. There are two Vermilion restaurants, the original in Chicago, which has fared well since its inception, and the other, with ample elbow room, in Manhattan’s Midtown East, which has been received less kindly. Fusion is a risky proposition. It’s sometimes mystifying, sometimes maddening, and often complicated. You can’t quite put your finger on where the flavors are from: maybe here, maybe there. The truth is somewhere in between. In traditional cuisines, centuries or millennia have shaped expectations. But with fusion, there are no expectations, or rather; you might have as many expectations as there are different customers. That could go a long way to explain the vitriol that the New York Vermilion has received on Yelp in the last few years. (But given it’s Yelp, who knows what else is going on.) A former employee of the World Bank and former McKinsey consultant, Dey set to work to revamp the menu this spring, to the tune of about 25 new dishes, created by co-executive chef Anup Patwal and sous-chef Javier Alvarez. Patwal first worked in five-star hotels in India before working in Miami, where in his off-time, he would hang out at barbecues with his Cuban or Peruvian friends and learn—from them and their mothers—to cook their dishes. New Dishes Where is kale not to be found these days? With the Crisp Kale Bhel ($9), the cruciferous gets battered and fried, and remodeled with the flavors of Indian street food. Its crispy brooms sweep up the different sauces—one with a tamarind base, the other a lemony yogurt base—and lastly pick up bits of gunpowder. Not the combustible stuff, but the Indian spice powder mix. It’s not all finely ground up here; white and yellow lentils give the whole delicious mess some crunch. My eating companions and I kept reaching again and again for this dish until we had polished it off. I also tried a quartet of kebabs from the tandoor section ($24). The presentation is dramatic, with four metal skewers hanging down from a metal contraption. Of all four variations offered the Anardana Murgh, chicken in a pomegranate base, stood out the most, but for the most
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Vermilion Hedonism chocolate cake. part, there are better tandoor dishes to be had about 20 blocks south in Curry Hill. The menu is long, between the Indian street foods, Latin American small plates, Indian entrees, and not least fusion entrees. Among the new entrees is the Smoked Nicaraguan Tamale ($24), based on a recipe from Alvarez’s grandmother, who grew up in Nicaragua. Made with fresh corn, the dish has a homey comforting sweetness to it. It gets “Indianized” with the addition of tandoor chicken, though the corn is really what makes the dish. It doesn’t even need the protein hit. Another fusion entree is the Brazilian seafood stew, Caldeirada de Peixe ($25), where a house blend of garam masala, fenugreek, coconut milk, tomatoes, and clam juice come together to create a harmonious balancing act. Patwal experimented with a number of spice combinations: curry powder, cumin and coriander, turmeric—that were too overwhelming or didn’t work—before discovering the present incarnation. Sweet Endings The desserts are classics with unexpected twists of spice, and worth saving room for. The Vermilion Hedonism is a flourless chocolate cake ($10) that aims to impress. Sitting on top of the cake is a pink cloud of cotton candy with a faint dusting of spices—chili powder when I was there but can sometimes be clove or star anise. Pour the spicy chocolate ganache over it all to watch the cotton candy disintegrate into veritable nothingness. But warning: the chili is still very much there—you can taste its spicy kick with each bite. I enjoyed the sweet-meets-spicy dessert, though my friend preferred the star anise inflected Tres Leches Jar ($10), topped with burned marshmallows. The star anise imbues the dessert with a licorice-like scent but the marshmallows and the presentation—served in a jar—retain the comfort factor. Whether Vermilion in New York will experience its own sweet ending with this do-or-die culinary relaunch is yet to be seen. LUNCH BAR On the casual side, Vermilion offers a lunch bar, where customers can mix and match Indian and Latin American flavors as they wish. Decide if you want a lettuce wrap, sandwich, greens, spinach, or quinoa salad; then pick your filling (skirt steak, tamarind ribs, grilled chicken kebabs, grilled coriander salmon, or grilled shrimp); pick your veggie side; and the fun part, the kind of sauce you want (chimichurri, mint-cilantro chutney, mango-chipotle salsa, or sundried tomato chimichurri). Prices range $20–$22.
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
THAI
INDIAN
KOREAN
CHINESE
JAPANESE
SOUTHEAST ASIAN
Sachi Asian Bistro Featured Dish: Oink Oink Oink Fried Rice 713 2nd Ave. (btw. 38th & 39th streets) 929-256-5167 sachinyc.com 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 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
VIETNAMESE
SRI LANKAN
ASIAN FUSION
MALAYSIAN
Niu Noodle House Featured Dish: Pork Soup Dumplings 15 Greenwich Ave. (btw. 10th & Christopher streets) 212-488-9888 | niunoodleny.com
GREENWICH VILLAGE Uncle Ted’s 163 Bleecker St. (btw. Thompson & Sullivan streets) 212-777-1395 | uncletedsnyc.com
EAST VILLAGE SenYa Featured Dishes: SenYa Chirashi; Simmered Pork Belly Bun; Foie Gras Sushi 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
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
QUEENS Leng Thai 33-09 Broadway Astoria 718-956-7117 | lengthai.com Spicy Lanka 159-23 Hillside Ave. Jamaica 718-487-4499
D8 August 14–20, 2015 www.TasteAsia.org ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
thai
the modern experience THE BEST NORTHERN THAI IN THE CITY! 4 STARS ON YELP! & GOOGLE
The night is always young in K-Town.
One Night in
FREE DELIVERY
Koreatown
10 BLOCK RADIUS
By Daksha Devnani | Epoch Times Staff
ALL YOUR FAVORITE Thai classics, plus a few unique V{iv} style twists NEW SAT & SUN BRUNCH at V{iv} Hell’s Kitchen location! 12 - 4 pm. Includes free soft drinks, coee/Thai Ice Tea ALL DAY HAPPY HOUR on Mon & Tues, 12-8 pm on Wed - Sun AMAZING PARTY EVENT SPACE, great place for a date or a fun night
v{iv} Bar & Restaurant
HELL’S KITCHEN .( /' $.0+ .( .( . 3 /)/+2% %,* MIDTOWN EAST .( $.0+ '1 -& 3 /)/.(#) %,*
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鍔銗文人墨厢的 čŠŠćƒ…é›…ć„? ( äşŒć¨“ )
瞎
ĺ“ ĺ‘łćœ?鎎王ćœ?çš„ 瞎味佳餚(三樓)
Saturday evening in Koreatown: so many places to eat and drink! We headed over to the bustling block on 32nd Street on a recent Saturday night to find out where revelers were going. With so many spots so close to each other, each known for its own specialties, it’s easy to hit several spots in the course of one evening.
Tea & Farewells
Experience Firsthand the Romantic Life of Korean Dynasty (L–R) Anna Takaoka, Maria Zyablitskaya, and Suyouyang Kim sip bubble tea from Gong Cha.
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.
212-594-4963 10 W 32 St, New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreabbq.com Open 24 Hours
Who: A group of 4 friends. Special Occasion: Kim is leaving for Korea; another friend (not pictured) is o to medical school. The Crawl: 1. Early dinner at HanGawi, an upscale vegetarian restaurant where diners take o their shoes and are seated at the restaurant’s low tables. The report back: The crispy mushrooms, stued eggplant, and hot pots come highly recommended. (12 E. 32nd. St.) 2. Next is a stopover at French-Asian bakery Tous Les Jours for a sweet icy treat. Their recommendation: green tea shaved ice cream. (31 W. 32nd St.) 3. Parting glass: a calm evening drink at Gong Cha, with flavors such as Earl Grey milk tea. (12 W. 32nd St.)
Barbecue, Drinks, & Karaoke Who: Miriam Tai and 15 friends. Special Occasion: Tai’s birthday. Tai, who is from Hong Kong, admits to eating Korean food more often than Chinese. The Crawl: 1. The party starts with drinks at Soju Haus with “baekseju� (a Korean rice wine made with corn, rice, and herbs), Kirin frozen beer, and some Seaweed Rice Balls. (315 Fifth Ave. at 32nd Street.) 2. Barbecue at Jongro BBQ, a popular Korean chain. Seafood pancakes, pork belly, and short ribs get ordered. Tai’s friend, Jean Lee, shows to eat these by making “ssam� (literally, “wrapped�). Pick your meat, wrap in lettuce, and top with kimchi or any of the sauces on hand. (22 W. 32nd St.) 3. What’s K-Town without karaoke? The group heads to nearby Chorus Karaoke, which has private rooms and serves “anju� (small plates) to go with drinks. The group opts for something simple: a fresh and healthy fruit platter cleanses the palate after all the eating. (25. W. 32nd St.) 4. The group heads a few short blocks north for cocktails at Rooftop Refinery, atop the Refinery Hotel. If you’re going to be out on a hot and humid night, you might as well make sure it’s among the cosmopolitan set and with spectacular views of Manhattan. (63 W. 38th St.)
Jean Lee (L) and Miriam Tai at Jongro BBQ.
Grilled meat at Jongro BBQ.