EATS: Oyster Soondubu from BCD Tofu House

If you've been following my tweets, I have been tweeting about Korean Soft Tofu Soup or Soondubu and how delicious it is. I am seriously obsessed! I told one of my Korean co-workers that I'm sick and tired of always ordering the same thing when I eat at K-town. It's always Jap Chae, Bulgogi or Bibimbap. Give me something different already. So my coworkers brought me to BCD Tofu House and introduced me to this gnarly looking soup.


But before the entree, they serve you a tasty fried Croaker fish for appetizer and complimentary Korean Banchan!

Colorful Korean Banchan! I love the Kimchi and the Potato Salad. I was really looking forward to the Bean Sprouts but they didn't have it that day...

Ok so as they brought it out to the table, I didn't know how to react because it looks pretty crazy, Mr. Fox jokingly compared it to, a Witch's Brew when I showed him the picture. The rust colored soup is served in a scolding hot stone pot with floating oysters and an egg (that you must crack as soon as you get your bowl so the hot pot cooks it). Does it sound appetizing? No? Well don't knock it til you try it! It is soooo freaking good! The spicy warm soup is so comforting and the silky texture of the soft tofu and the added taste of the oysters from the sea is a magical combination. The Koreans also like to eat this stew with White Rice which makes it even more amazing (I love me some carbs!). I love it's spiciness too. I didn't think I would like this soup, but after my first taste- I was instantly converted! My friends Insik and Minjung said that there's different variations of this soup, ranging from Kimchi, Seafood, Oysters, Pork and Beef. Oh man, I can't wait to try it all! This soup has such a rich and unique taste that is quite comforting. You must try it!

BCD Tofu House
17 W. 32nd Street
New York, NY 10001
212.967.1900
www.bcdtofu.com




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

EATS: The Famous Pink Tea Cup

First, I didn't know how I would feel about the "NEW" Pink Tea Cup Restaurant. It's old location held a really sentimental place in my heart. My homegirl @LadyHood and I used to frequent that spot with our mutual friends and even befriended one of the employees named Virgil (hope he's doing ok!). I expected my old favorite, Fried Chicken and Pancakes to be on the menu- but it wasn't. :-(
Anyway, the new Pink Tea Cup basically had a major face lift as I would say. It has a totally new ambiance and the place looks totally hip! It's also located in a more commercial strip with a new and improved menu. I brought my brother and our visiting cousin, @miguelangelinos with me for some anticipated Soul Food eats and this is what we indulged in:


For starters, instead of bringing out complimentary plain old Corn Bread- they transformed it into a Corn Bread Waffle sprinkled with powdered sugar! How clever! It was delicious! The Waffle came out fresh, hot and buttery! Yum. I actually put a little bit of syrup on mine ;)


We also ordered Lobster Mac and Cheese as an appetizer to share. My brother remembered how yummy the Mac and Cheese was from the original restaurant. Well it's still the same- cheesy! But the star of the show was the fresh lobster. They added plump and juicy lobster pieces. The combination of cheese and seafood was amazing! Every bite was sooo good. They weren't cheap on the lobster either!


So I mentioned earlier that I wanted Fried Chicken and Pancakes... Well they didn't have it anymore but they did have Fried Chicken and Waffle! We all ordered this as our entree. How pretty is this dish?! Oh man this plate was definitely a lot of food! The chicken was delicious... Crunchy, not too oily, tender and even juicy! It kind of reminded me of Filipino Fried Chicken which is seasoned. Usually Regular Fried Chicken is just dipped in buttermilk then flour and deep-fried. This one had a hint of garlic powder and some salt. It was very tasty. The waffle was also great. I ordered plain but they do also come in Sweet Potato. I thought Sweet Potato would be too much sweetness if I add syrup so I decided plain would be good. It was freshly made and somewhat crunchy and soft which I liked. The sweet (Waffle) and salty (Fried Chicken) combo is perfect! I couldn't finish the entire meal but our cousin @miguelangelinos finished his plate with ease and went from this:


to this... Haha!


Overall the meal was excellent. We were so stuffed we didn't even get to order dessert. I wonder if they still serve the banana bread pudding (ungh! so heavenly!!). I enjoyed our foodventure very much. Even though I miss the old location, its friendly staff, and the brick wall covered with autographed celebrity photos- this revamped restaurant is still worth visiting. It is pretty pricey compared to the old spot but I guess it's because of where it's located now. I like the new and improved menu because it still has the old menu but remixed (in a good way too)! The place is also more fun to look at and they serve mix drinks so bringing a crowd to eat here would be fun. Not bad though :) because we all had happy bellies at the end of the meal!


The Famous Pink Tea Cup
88 7th Avenue
(@ the corner of Bleecker)
New York, NY 10014
212.255.2124
thepinkteacuprestaurant.com


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

TRAVEL: Philippine Eats

I know it's been over a month since I got back from the Philippines but don't think I wasn't going to share my culinary adventures, did you? My schedule was pretty hectic but I managed to snap some pictures of my blog worthy foodventures. So here you go, enjoy the mouth watering visuals:

Corned Beef Pan De Sal

Filipinos LOVE Corned Beef besides Spam. Found this at a Starbucks. The Corned Beef was baked on the inside of the bread. So good and savory!

Dalandan (left) and Calamansi (Right) Juice from Cafe Juanita 
Dalandan and Calamsi are citrus fruits native to the Philippines. Dalandan is more like an Orange while Calamansi is more like a Lemon Lime. So refreshing during hot Summer days!

Pinakbet w/ Bagoong (fermented shrimp) Dipping Sauce

Melange of fresh vegetables and shrimp. Great with white rice!

Pork Sisig

 The idea of eating Pig cheek and snout (that's what "Sisig" is) sounds really revolting but in a Third World country, nothing goes to waste! The cheek and snout are chopped up into small pieces and cooked until it is extremely crunchy. This dish is traditionally served as "pulutan" or bar food with a nice glass of cold beer (preferable San Miguel or Red Horse.. HA!) but can be also be enjoyed as an entree served with rice!

Halo-Halo (translated as "mix-mix" in English)

 This is a very traditional Filipino dessert. It's served in a tall glass (or bowl) with layers beginning with shaved ice, evaporated milk, beans (sounds gnarly but you'll be surprised!), fruit (sugar palm fruit, coconut, and caramelized plantain, gelatin, Ube (taro) ice cream, and sometimes topped off with flan! It's really yummy!

 Cafe Juanita Goodies Shelf

Home Made Shrimp and Fish Kebabs with Fresh Cherry Tomatoes, Green & Red Peppers

 Kuya (Big Brother) Paul cooked this light and tasty appetizer! It was cooked perfectly.

Pancit

 Traditional Filipino Rice noodles which usually has ground pork, red bell peppers and cabbage for texture. Most usually cook this dish with soy sauce and patis (fish sauce) and lemon for flavor. For special occasions, Chinese sausage can sometimes be added.

Home Made Lamb Kaldereta w/ Rice, Fish & Shrimp Kebabs & Pancit Plate

Chocolate Coffee Crunch Cake

 If you're one of my close friends or family, this cake might look familiar to you. My Mom is the only person I know that can bake her famous and amazing Coffee Crunch cake (w/ Vanilla Sponge Cake though)! Someone bought this cake during a family dinner in the Philippines. This one is the Chocolate version! It's Chocolate Sponge Cake with Coffee crunchies in the middle with a Whipped Cream Icing! So good!!

Crispy Pata (Deep-Fried Pork Leg) from Via Mare

 During our last day, we had our Family lunch at Tita Glenda Barretto's restaurant, Via Mare. I didn't eat this dish, but I wanted to share it with my readers. I needed to watch my cholesterol so I opted not to eat it.According to Tita G, the secret is to boil the Pork leg first so the meat is moist, then fry it in super hot oil. It sure looks crunchy!

Iced Dessert Trio

 (Left to Right): Ginumis (shaved ice w/ evaporated milk, pinipig, and tapioca), Mais Con Hielo (shaved ice, corn, milk and sugar), Halo-Halo (ingredients are above) from Via Mare

Bibinka from Via-Mare

It's basically a rice mochi with a salted egg baked in and topped off with Coconut shavings. It's best to eat after it's freshly baked. Some people like to smear some butter on top, kind of like eating a hot pancake! 

In  conclusion, Filipino food is for people with acquired taste buds. It might not be for everyone, but if you have an open palate it might be one of the most delicious and interesting food you will ever taste! We have a lot of weird ingredients but it makes sense to us. As mentioned above, because it's a Third World country, we make the best out of what we have so we learn to appreciate any and every part of an animal (sorry Vegans) as a means of survival. We also like to add the weirdest ingredients (like beans in a dessert) just because it makes sense to us! Just think of Remy the Rat from the movie Ratatouille. He learned to make additions to his recipes simply because the ingredients he put together made his food taste better! :) 

EATS: Doughnut Plant (Lower East Side)

After @JustineDori's Birthday Dim Sum today, we decided to head on over to Doughnut Plant in LES for the after party. Located on 379 Grand Street, this little doughnut haven was worth the walk for my sweet indulgence for the week. I've been craving a doughnut since I started my diet and this was a great place to "cheat".

They offer such a great variety of treats from the yeast-type, jam-filled to cake doughnuts at a very reasonable price.

@JustineDori had the Black Out Doughnut. I took a bite of course and it was chocolatey, moist and gooey. It melted in my mouth. Worth every bite!

I felt a little guilty going to this place but a little treat doesn't hurt sometimes. Since I tried to "control" myself, I got the smallest doughnut on the menu which was the Creme Brûlée.

Can you see the goodness?!? Every layer is heavenly. It had a crusty and crunchy caramelized top. The yeast dough itself was a nice soft texture. The party in the middle was a very creamy vanilla bean custard which oozes out in every bite! Then the bottom layer was sugar glazed! The ten seconds that it took to annihilate this donut was amazing! Perfect size packed with deliciousness for $2.50! You cannot go wrong!

Check out the display by the counter! *Homer Voice* "Mmm.. DOOOONUTS..* By the way, I'm not sure if the original word is spelled "Doughnut" or "Donut"? Does anyone know? Ah- po-tato... po-ta-to.. :P It's all the same right?

Doughnut Plant is AWESOME! I will definitely go back. Maybe I'll even have a huge doughnut next time. There's so many treats on the menu that I want to try. *Sigh* Oh, if LES seems out of the way, they're opening another location at the Chelsea Hotel on Valentine's Day! ;)

Doughnut Plant  (Lower East Side)

379 Grand Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 505-3700

www.doughnutplant.com

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

EATS: Hunter Dave's Venison Chili

First off, I hope everyone had a great Superbowl Sunday and Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers! My buddy Hunter Dave aka Fisherman Dave cooked Venison Chili yesterday as part of his Superbowl Feast. He used his crock pot to slow cook the amazing Chili and it simmered for hours so you know it had to be flavorful and it was indeed! I never tried "deer" before but I heard it's a very lean meat. So what does it taste like? It tasted like sausage and beef combined with a very crumbly texture. It was a little gamey tasting but not gross. It's definitely for people with acquired taste. As far as the Chili itself, it was delicious! It was mild and the tomato was chunky which is how I like it. I'm not a fan of saucy and watery Chili. The texture has to be chunky and hearty! Hunter Dave used cannellini beans and also added corn which I loved (good touch)! The Chili was delicious and eating venison meat was definitely an adventure! I enjoyed it very much. The Filipino girl in me would've liked rice with the dish, but I'm trying to cut down on carbs... LOL!


P.S. It's kind of funny and a little ironic that the same day Dave cooked his Chili, Mr. Fox and I watched Bambi earlier that day! Like the movie, sometimes "Man" gets in the way- but it's a cycle of life and I guess "deer" would be considered as part of the food chain. Sorry to all the animal lovers out there, but as I took a bite of the venison, I did keep Bambi in mind... :-X


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

EATS: Sushi Night With Fisherman Dave & Mr. Fox

It's cold and rainy outside so what better day to stay in and make some home made sushi? It's been awhile since I made sushi hand rolls. I was real rusty at first but after a few tries, I finally got it down perfect and started to make rolls like a mad woman! The best part is that we used the Tuna that my buddy Fisherman Dave caught at the end of the summer (it was freeze dried since then FYI.. haha). We ate Avocado Tuna Rolls, California Rolls and Avocado Maki for Mr. Fox (he doesn't eat fish). Sushi night was a great success! Thanks to Fisherman Dave for hanging out and sharing his Tuna. It was really fun and easy. Oh, and I'll promise to work on better presentation and better ingredients the next time around...

The Tuna that Fisherman Dave caught during the Summer... We ate the Toro (middle) or the belly for Sushi night!

My Sushi rolling area!

Our left-overs! I made the assorted giant rolls and Fisherman Dave made the Tuna Sushi Ngiri.

That's a pretty and colorful California Roll! Isn't it? ;) 

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

EATS: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in Binghamton, NY

My last gluttonous hurrah before the New Year was at Cracker Barrel in Binghamton. I first heard of this establishment through Tribble & Mancenido while they were working on their project, Hurry Up & Wait in which they were on the road photographing America's trucking culture for over a year. The couple said that a pit stop at any Cracker Barrel location during a cross country drive is a must. Cracker Barrel is renowned for serving old-fashioned home cooked meals. Who would want to eat at your average fast food joint after a long drive anyway? I know I don't. Stopping by was definitely a treat as it was an adventure in its own- beginning with shopping at the amazing General Store and then ending it with a delicious meal and a happy full belly!

The Store Front which is pretty much a standard look for all its branches throughout the U.S.

Upon entering its doors, you begin to experience that "country" feel and nostalgia.

You can purchase an old-school rocking chair for only $129!

Vintage Hershey's Chocolate Bar!

Do you remember thin sticks?

They offer an variety of vintage treats from gumballs, sodas and even Moon pies!

Baking Supplies and goodies. Do you see the huge country ham?

More Vintage candies!

Valomilk.. YUM! Anything with chocolate and marshmallows is good by me!

Sky Bar! Four different flavors in one yummy candy bar :)

Don't you just love Peanut Brittle?

Vintage toys for the kiddies! Love the wind up ones.. 

@KnownAsAdi about to experience her first Cracker Barrel experience just like me and Mr. Fox!

We didn't realize Macaroni 'n' Cheese was considered a "Vegetable" amongst many other choices from the list! Haha!

Complimentary corn muffins and biscuits :D

Frosty Beverages: Raspberry Lemonade and Apple Cider

Mr. Fox decided to get meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a double side of Macaroni 'n' Cheese which he enjoyed and was later on a food comatose shortly after.. haha

I ordered the Haddock Dinner with Macaroni 'n' Cheese and Sweet Potato Casserole w/ Pecans. The Haddock was pretty good- lightly fried and not that greasy. I had to sprinkle some lemon juice to enhance the flavor. The Mac 'n' Cheese was pretty good.. very cheesy! The macaroni was a little overcooked though. The best part was the Sweet Potato Casserole- sweet and velvety with little crunchy pecans in every bite! AMAZING!

My third side was Fried Okra which was ok. The Okra was too soft- I'm used to a firmer texture. The breading was too thick. 

We didn't eat dessert because after we devoured our food we were ready to take a nap! BUT how bizarre is this dessert option- a Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake??? I think I'll definitely pass on this one!

The decor was nostalgic- straight out of a old country home!

The old school paraphernalia especially the shot gun and taxidermy was pretty interesting...

The Huge billboard facing the highway.

I had a great time at the Cracker Barrel! They definitely know how to preserve that nostalgic feel. The food was definitely filling and a little bit overwhelming but I guess if you're hungry and have been sitting in a car all day long, going to a Cracker Barrel is something to look forward to.


Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
876 Front Street
Binghamton, NY 13905
607.722.5006
www.crackerbarrel.com