Season's Greetings

I was actually quite touched when a few friends emailed me recently asking what happened to the blog and how i have been. I am ecstatic you are out there reading this and checking up on me periodically.

I have actually been super busy at work. Companies have been "doing more with less", mine is no exception. I guess it is a good thing to be busy these days. I am disgusted with the market condition and where the economy is going. It really hit home when some close friends and relatives got hit by this crisis. Some in financial field and some not. If you ask my pessimist cousin HJ, this will last 5-10 years. But I sincerely hope this is over in a year or two.

On the other hand, US $ is getting stronger, so maybe I will get to continue my Grand Slam tour next year in London or Paris. It is tough to plan these trips when UK Pound is almost 2-1 and Euros are 1.6 to 1.

I hope every one have a great holiday season ( I will get to see some of you) and may this economy pick up soon.

1492 in LES

Connie took me to this nice little tapas place on the lower east side for my Birthday. Yes, i am old. LES has come a long way as far as 'gentrification' is concerned, some parts of Clinton st is still a little ghetto. With so many nice restaurants around, (WD-50, Falai to name a few) it bothers me that it still feels unsafe.

Nice cozy place for some Rioja or Sangria and just keep ordering the small plates. Tapas portion is fair and the entree portions are fairly small. We got 5 tapas and a Black Paella (cooked in squid ink). Highly recommend the Chorizo and cheese lollipop, Dates wrapped in Bacon on a bed of almond and endives, Croquette with Jamon and Sliced Skirt steak with garlic olive oil over creamiest mash potatoe. Paella de Arroz Negro was just the right portion after all that and it was very tasty.

All in all, a rather repeatable place. Like most tapas places, best to keep the group to 3-4, so you get to sample more items and have just the right amount to share.

6/10 in my book.

Top Chef New York!!!

Top Chef season 5 is in NYC. They must've filmed in the summer and I didnt stake out at the Houston Street Whole Foods enough. Premiere on Nov 12 seems ok. Some characters seems interesting enough to follow. Two European additions are cocky enough spice up the chemistry among the Cheftestants.

Wednesdays 10pm on Bravo! If you are not watching it, do check it out. It is probably the best Food related reality show on TV right now,

Knife and Fork on 4th

We had walked by this place numerous times when hanging out in the east village thinking it looks rather chic but intimate and worth a try sometime. Then a week or two ago, I received an email from Zagat about Knife and Fork chef Damien Brassel, former Bobby Flay sous chef, is hosting a food and wine tasting event at his place; I decided to read about his restaurant and got a table for Friday night prime time with relative ease.

One thing that stands out about this place is their six course tasting menu that has been priced @ $45 since inception. At this day and age, this sounds too good to be true. After getting our usual white/red wine split, we went for the tasting menu. Then it came an almost 3 hour dining experience that dragged a bit too long for my liking. If we were vacationing in Italy or Spain, I totally wouldn't mind it, but in NYC on a Friday night it is a bit much? Food were pretty solid, but uninspiring. A lot of different puree, creme fraiche, foam appears on white C&B plates (which Connie really likes). Service was attentive and the fact that this 35 seat place is served by Damien himself plus 1 assistant, they run this place pretty well. Not really many memorable dishes from the tasting menu, except house cured salmon with lime creme fraiche and seaweed salad and tea smoke chicken risotto.

Coming in thinking the $45 menu is a real steal, it turns out about right for the price. This place has a good ambiance and a good wine list. I would return to try the regular menu to give it another shot. 6/10 in my book.

108 East 4th Street, NYC
212-228-4885

Luger-ese steak place in Manhattan, no cash needed either

So my cousin and I both had our wedding reception hosted at Jimmy Sung's on 44th. When it shut its doors a couple of years ago, it was pretty sad for both of us. But then it was replaced by Ben and Jack's Steakhouse, featuring Peter Luger style steaks with out the trek to Williamsburg AND they take credit cards too.

My friend HC is moving to India for work and he had a sudden craving for beef since it would be hard pressed to find a steak house in India, let alone a good one. We decided to check out this Luger spin off. (one of a few in the city) The decor was almost the same when it was that upscale Chinese place, down to the private rooms, huge mirrors and even the painting up front. It sure brings back memories of my wedding reception. Menu is pretty much the same as Luger, but without the attitude. Porterhouse was as good, greasy and tasty and my bone in rib eye was top notch. The German potato and creamy spinach sides are as good as any steak places. I always wonder how anyone can have dessert at this place when you had just devour a month worth allowance of red meat in one setting. But people around us were having desserts and they are not shy about piling on the whipped cream.

This meal definitely reminded me how great a good steak tastes, as I have not been eating much red meat since my biggest loser competition. 8 out of 10 in my book for a steakhouse. This is definitely a macho place and carnivore's pleasure den.

Thou Shall Not Move

or at least minimize the time you move.
Having recently sold our apt and got a house, Connie and I had the 'joy' of going through packing, moving and unpacking (which we are still in process of). Please refer to title of the blog to see how I feel about the whole process. The only semi-pleasant part of the move was the professional movers we hired. (OZ Moving) Having decent furniture to move for the first time in my life, I didn't want to mess it up with a U Haul truck and test my friendship by asking for moving help. They were fast, efficient and very courteous. But the process of sorting through and pack for even a 2BR worth of stuff is overwhelming. Neither of us took time off, so we had to use evening hours and weekends to pack. It is amazing how much junk one can accumulate over a short four year period at my apt.

Still going through finding different pieces from different boxes these days, I will probably be box free by Christmas time.

Restaurant Week et al

Restaurant week is here again. Friends and coworkers are all getting excited and booking places. I, on the other hand, am done with RW. It doesn't appeal to me as much anymore. It is a good concept to begin with back in 1992 or 1993 whenever they started it. Most time you get a reso at a nice place, the RW menu is crappy and you end up getting things off the regular menu anyways. So the illusion of getting a top notch $35/pp dinner just doesn't exist.

I am sure the restaurant workers, both the kitchen and front staff doesn't really like it, cuz they get tons more volume then they are used to and much smaller checks. Kitchen staff has to put out a lot more meals than any average week. So no one should expect 100% effort from the restaurant staff during RW week. The argument that this will remind the city what a great culinary treasure NYC is doesn't really stand either. Everyone knows NYC is the best foodie town, bar none.

So may I suggest everyone save the headache of securing a table during RW and let the tourists and newbie foodies rush to the RW and avoid the crowd.
*** ***

Some random thoughts. I saw a news report on high gas prices and how it can do us good. It has some valid points which is interesting.

1. Makes you drive less and causes less pollution.
2. Less accidents cuz of less cars on the street.
3. Makes you walk more and be healthier.
4. Leaves you with less money, so you eat out less and eat healthier.

Interesting perspective, ain't it?

Wimbledon wrap up

Wimbledon ended yesterday (7/6), and it almost didn't.

It was a great two weeks of tennis, almost rain delay free, punctuated by one of the greatest matches I had ever seen. Yes, the Rafa vs Federer match that sets all kinds of duration record and had Federer won, would've set all sorts of other record too. In the end, the younger Rafa prevailed in 5 super tight sets. The match had gone through 2 rain delays, lasted almost 7 hours into 9:15 pm. If either one insisted on leaving the court, we might have to determine the champ on Monday. Actual match time was 4:48 which is a Wimbledon Finals record.

Rafa was up two sets quickly on 2 loose games by Fed. The King looks flustered and I genuinely start to worry about him. Then came the rain delay when Fed was leading 5-4. he came back and won the next two sets in tie-breakers flashing his usual brilliance, except he couldn't convert on many of the break chances that Rafa gave him during those two sets. The futility on break chances continues for Fed into 5th set, they both held serve until the end where Rafa muscled his way to a 9-7 win the the 5th. I felt horrible for R Fed as this is his house, it is his crown to lose at Wimbledon, just as Roland Garros is Rafa's house and he defended his fort beautifully just last month (beating R Fed 1-3-Love). Rafa not only come into Fed's house and beat him, he might even take over his #1 ranking sometime this summer, since Fed has a lot of points to defend and Rafa can only improve on his tepid Hard court season last year.

Does this mark the end of Fed's reign? I don't think so, but i do think his unbelievable dominance that was exhibited last 4-5 years is coming to an end. He wont win 2-3 slams a year, but still has 3-4 slams left in him. He WILL be one of the greatest player ever played, whether he passed Sampras' slam record or not. He will be the most gracious champion ever and i am glad i lived in an era when he played. Rafa was a precious star for our era too. Hard to find a young man so intense, yet so humble and classy in handling himself. Well done, Federer and Nadal family!


Honorable mention for Zheng Jie, who became the story of the tournament when she broke through he bracket as a wild card and went all the way to final four before succumbing to Serena in 2 tough sets. She also announced that she is donating most of her prize money to earthquake relief fun in Cheng Du, her hometown. Chinese Tennis association was so touched, they adjusted the ratio they are taking from Zheng to maximize her winnings. Way to go Zheng Jie!

Top Chef 4 - Tepid season finally over

I started watching Top Chef on Bravo since last season and got hooked on ever since. The drama among the cheftestants, the appearance of guest judges (usually celeb chefs) are very entertaining. When technically strong Hung won the whole thing last year, I was pretty excited about an AZN brotha representin'.

So I watched this season religiously and cannot say I got the same satisfaction as last year. There were little dramas, cursing fest, blowups here and there, but all seems quite staged. No major characters stands out and has a personality that hooks you to come back and see what outrageous thing he/she will say this week! Dale has the talent to take the path of Hung to repeat as a 2nd AZN Top Chef, but he fizzled out during restaurant war in the hands of the perpetually pissed off Lisa. It was Richard Blais's season to lose, and he did just that. Choking on the final episode and lost out to Top Chef Stephanie, who also won fan favorite chef. I am sure she will do well in her Chicago restaurant as with Harold's Perilla.

Overall, I find season 4 lackluster but still entertaining enough for me to tune in. Rumor has it season 5 will be based in NYC. This will be awesome! Hopefully during the next year or so, I will bump into some taping of the show! Just need to watch out a motorcade of Toyota 4X4's parked in front.

Tenya - Japanese place in Shanghai

So I was in Shanghai for 11 days visiting my parents. Most of the meals were Shanghainese food which I missed very much. The heavy sauce, sweet flavor and the various cold dishes were very satisfactory.

One of the more memorable meals, however, was at a cool Japanese restaurant called Tenya. My friend PL brought Connie and I there. It was a place that specialize in Tuna and Snow crabs. I heard it was run by Japanese tuna importers. When I called for direction, the manager, who is Japanese, speaks decent albeit accented Chinese. Later I found out he speaks English too. The set menu is of fantastic value. For RMB250, you start with different types of toro sashimi and steamed king crab legs After this, you enjoy a hotpot with more tuna, some smaller crab legs, and loads of fresh vegetables. Towards the end of the hotpot portion of the meal, you can get udon or congee dump into the soup. After ALL that, you get a mini size, but filling bowl of negitoro-don. (chopped toro with scallion over sushi rice). Lastly, you get a scoop of coffee ice cream with coffee chips. We also got the RMB200 plate of mixed toro sushi to share. It takes you from Maguro, to medium Toro, then to fatty Toro. It was an amazing meal and I highly recommend it to all my friends who frequent Shanghai.

8 out of 10 in my book. I am sure they have a similar one in NYC and I am determined to find it.

Mary's Fish Camp

We walked by Mary's fish camp in the west village quite a few times, always saw people lining up outside this tiny West village seafood place. Chef/Owner Mary Redding was a split fom the famed Pearl Oyster Bar. This inconspicuous place on the corner of 4th and Charles doesnt take reservations. I am starting to like these walk-in only places, at least everyone gets a chance to get in.

It only took about 15 minutes wait for us to get in and sit at the counter. The tables are so cramped, I thought the counter seats were a better choice. Wine and beer selection were limited but decent for a tiny place. Connie got a glass of Spanish Rose and I went for a Brooklyn Pilsner. The seafood-centric menu makes you feel like you are in a small cottage in New England, of course the open kitchen right behind the counter helped with sweet smell of steamed/fried/grilled seafood. I started with a light and delish New Zealand Cockle with Garlic wine sauce and white beans. I would never imagine putting white bean with any shell fish, but it worked well. Connie got the fried oyster and clams. It was light and tasty but nothing spectacular.

Lobster roll was what this place was known for, but after watching Chef Mary makes it right in front of my eyes, i decided not to get it. It is basically a bun, with a scoop of pre-mixed lobster salad (from a large jar) she took out from the fridge. Piled with a large side of shoe string fries. M.P was $35 the night we were there. Thanks, but no thanks. I stuck with bouillabaise and Connie got the whole grilled Dorade. Being a shell fish lover, I enjoyed the bouillabaise very much and Connie thought the fish was done well, but nothing to write home about. We didnt stay for dessert since Magnolia was close by.

All in all, it resembles a good seafood shack in New England, but with a NYC price tag. I would do it again when I crave for N.E style seafood. 6.5 out of 10 in my book.

PIGGING OUT at Momofuku Ssam Bar

David Chang is probably the hottest new star on the NYC culinary scene. His Momofuku noodle bar, Ssam bar and latest addition Ko are all doing extremely well. NY Times' Frank Bruni swears by him. Any foodies I talk to have nothing but thumbs up for it. Ko, with only 12 seats, is so hard to get in. The only way to book your table is on line starting at 10AM each day and you can only book it for that day. Obviously they are gone in seconds. It was said that a food critic was so desperate, he had a few interns hired just to stay on line @ 10am to click on the reservation button.

Ssam Bar doesn't take reservations, unless you reserve a $200 Bo Ssam meal served family style. It is a whole roasted pork shoulder, served with lettuce, dozen oysters, rice and 4 different types of sauce, ginger scallion, kimchee puree, kimchee and Spicy soybean paste, meant to serve 6-8 people. Bo Ssam is only served at 5pm and 10pm each day.

With only 6 in our group, we were concerned that we cannot finish the Bo Ssam meal, so we only ordered the seasonal pickles to start. It was wonderfully light and tasty. Then after a few beers, the Bo Ssam meal started to arrive. First came the lettuce and the sauces, A dozen oyster came on an ice tray. Then, there it is. The Bo Ssam.

A nice hunk of brownish roasted pork came on a 10" plate. One guy in our group commented, " Oh we can do this". We were concerned about 6 of us finishing the meal, hence the comment. But the waiter told us that 4 average build guys finished the meal just the other night. The roasted aroma of pork goodness fill the air. Each of us gets a mini tong to pull the pork off.

What you were suppose to do is to take a piece of lettuce, put in your choice of sauce, a piece of oyster, and pull some pork and put in the lettuce, fold it up and eat it like a wrap. The first pull off the Bo Ssam, I know I am in for a treat. The mini tong pierced the pork shoulder with no effort, the meat is so tender, they come off the bone so easily. I tried some without any sauce, and it was dreamy. I declared at that moment, this is the best pork dish I had ever had. It is moist, tender, flavorful. It is liquid pork. The 'mmm' and 'aah' goes around the table and everyone is happy with my choice of this place. The shoulder is slow roasted for 6-8 hours and all the fat and skin seem to just melt away and whats left on the lean meat is a layer of gelatinous texture. When wrapped in lettuce with some rice, oyster and some sauce, it is just pure downright pork goodness that is hard to resist. Lettuce baskets were refilled, the Bo Ssam is still barely 1/3 done. We started to realize it is going to a a challenge for us to finish this whole meal.

After quite a few lettuce wrapped pork 'sandwiched' we were all stuffed and couldn't go further. It is becoming a bit 'one-dimensional' meal, although a wonderfully rich and delicious one. Best approach is probably come with 8-10 people, so you can finish the Bo Ssam comfortably and try out some other dishes on the menu.

I highly recommend this place and would give it a 8.5/10 in my book!

Alex Urena's Pamplona

One of Ferran Adria's apprentice, Alex Urena, converted his up-scale Spanish place Urena and degustation menu to a Tapas place in 07' and it was regarded as one of the 10 best new restaurants of 07 by NY Times. With tapas places in the city popping up like mushrooms, we figure this would a a good place to check out.

The location in Murray Hill on 28th is a little strange, the quiet block isn't exactly hopping with restaurants and bars. It seems to be just on the outskirt of the hot zone in Gramercy. I got there early, so I got a passion fruit mojito and sat at the bar. Interesting twist on Mojito. There were many people just hanging at the bar area and getting a few tapas. I was just about to try the house specialty Calimocho (Half Rioja half Coke), when Connie got in. We were seated right away with the reso I made 2 days prior.

The one page menu is of pleasant simplicity. We got the Manchego cheese Bunuelos(above), Bacon wrapped Dates(above), Bacalao Croquettes and Chickpea frite. Cheese Bunuelos and Dates were really tasty. Bacalao was just ok and Chickpea frite is dressed up with diced tomatoes and Spanish peppers and drizzled with emulsion of peppers. With our pitcher of Sangria half way gone, we move on to the second round of our orders. A Bocadillo de Jamon, a simple tasty affair of Serrano ham and buttery Iberico cheese on a pressed grilled sandwich cut into bite sizes. Next came the disappoint of the night, the main dish Conchinillo (Confit of suckling pig, above right). I read about it and had high expectations coming in, but it turned out just ok. Skin was crispy, pork was tender but it didn't stand out at all. $35 for a main at a tapas place, it better impress. I would stick with the small dishes in the future.

We went for the chocolate Bunuelos for dessert on the waiter's recommendation and it was very satisfying. Fried balls of chocolate dough, sprinkled with sugar and filled with hot, thick chocolate sauce, what's not to love?

Overall, this is a fairly good tapas place. 6 out of 10 in my book. But with so many tapas place in the city, it would be a while till I circle back to Pamplona again. Definitely stick with the small plates and have some fun drinks while you are at it.

NetJet Showdown at the Garden

Ok Ok, call me a hypocrite. I blogged about how athletes from different eras should not be brought together in a match or even be compared, but when I was offered a ticket to catch the Sampras/Federer match at MSG, I jumped on it. AND it did not disappoint.

First of all, this is the first time I watched tennis at the Garden. My seat was in the 300 levels and it wasn't bad at all. It is comparable to Loge seating at Ashe during the open. So for the usual upper tier box Ashe seat holder like me, this is pretty sweet.

The match was much more entertaining than I expected. The crowd was mostly pro Pete. (of course, we love to root for the underdogs) But when Pete went up 5-2 in the 3rd and deciding set, the crowd turned towards rooting for Roger. Both guys are obviously having fun. But i would imagine if it was Agassi vs Roddick, the players would have a lot more fun with the crowd and crack a lot more jokes. For two guys who had been labeled "boring" by the tennis media, they did their part to get the crowd into it. One point during the match at a critical point, Pete handed the racket to Tiger Wood, who is sitting right behind the baseline. After Tiger touched the racket, Pete won the next point and proceed to do a 'Tiger-esque" fist pumping. Roger stood on the other side of the court laughing. Tiger was obviously guest of Roger's and sat with his wife, along with Roger's parents and his gf Mirka.

Ivan Lendl actually was the guy that put this show together, Johnny and Pat Mac, Billy Jean King, Roy Emerson were all on hand for the festivity. I also spotted Alfred Portale right behind the baseline. Who is manning the Gotham kitchen tonight? :)

I enjoyed the evening and marveled at the level of tennis Pete is still capable of. But at times, I thought maybe Roger is just toying with him, because there was one game, Roger held at love with four Aces. The debate will go on forever, who is the best in their prime. This Sampras Federer saga has gone 3-1 in Federer's favor. They were talking about another one in London. I maintain my position that legends should be left alone and not be compared. But if a match of this magnitude comes to my backyard again, I will be there again :)

Texas two stepping in Chelsea - Hill Country

Food critics like Frank Bruni and Ruth Reichl doesn't write a review for a restaurant until after 4-5 trips, in or out of disguise. So I waited until I tried Hill Country twice before writing this.

It is one of many BBQ joints that has been popping up in the city lately. It boast Texas style BBQ in a canteen like setting. Both times we were seated fairly quickly and reminded of the meal ticket system, a la Katz Deli. Basically each one gets a meal ticket and you order drinks with your waitress and then wait in line at the meat counter, the sides counter and dessert counter to pick out what you want. Essentially it is a buffet for your eyes, but you pay for everything you get, as oppose to paying one fixed price. It gets dangerous for a guy like me who orders a half pound of moist brisket(Must have!!!), 2 pork rib, 2 beef rib and a jalapeno cheese sausage. I bet most people order more than they can actually eat. Sides were interesting, but go for the medium or small size, the big side is deceiving huge and costs around $10.

The meat gets put on to a piece butcher paper and the guy skillfully wraps it into a boat shape and hand it to me. When I got it from him, I knew I had over ordered and I saw the back of my meal ticket 2/3 full with bar codes from the scale.

Did I mention the moist beef brisket and the beef ribs are out of this world? I would just come in here and get those next time. Sausages are good, but not great. Pork ribs are not the best I have had, but hey, it is Texas beef country!

Overall, it is a fun place, good food, quite repeatable. 6/10 in my book.

Stop wasting my tax money on Clemens!

Roger Clemens saga is becoming more and more ridiculous by the minute. Now there are reports that there are pictures that indicate him at a particular party hosted by Jose Canseco, which Clemens denied under oath at a recent congressional hearing. So House of Representatives have asked Dept of Justice to step in to investigate if this warrants a perjury charge.

I had always wondered why Clemens keeps denying using steroid, when public polls had shown that it wont affect his chance of getting into Hall of Fame. By going in front of Congress under oath, he has everything to lose, but very little to gain. His once close friend Andy Pettitte admitted to using HGH twice and also indicated that Clemens had told him he used it. Pettitte has no reason to make it up; nor does the trainer McNamee, whom I think it is scumbag in his own way. Who keeps syringe from years ago when he injected Clemens and others and keep it for DNA verification, if you don’t foresee this type of hearing? How calculating/paranoid do you have to be to pull something like this?

I never liked Clemens, as a Red Sucks, Jays or Yanks. He always seem distant, not genuine and arrogant. So this circus was quite annoying to me. But the main point of this post is: Don’t our congressmen and women have better things to do than holding hearings about steroids use in a game? Don’t we have more pressing issues? Weakening dollar, credit crisis, impending recession, war in Iraq? Puhlease…House of Rep should come up with some act/law that can address something a little more important and Dept of Justice should be keeping us safe from the next terror attack.

Stop wasting anymore of my tax money!!!

Alfred Portale's Gotham

Alfred Portale's Gotham has been a NYC staple since the 80s. Already a legend in the culiary world, he won the James Beard award for Outstanding Chef in 06' and the calibre of chef that has worked under him over years @ Gotham are equally impressive, Tom Valenti(Cesca, Ouest), Scott Bryan(Veritas) and Tom Colicchio(Gramercy Tavern, Craft Empire) to name a few. I decided to book it for our V day dinner, only a day early. Valentine's Day is a bittersweet, love-hate kind of holiday for restaurants. They are almost sure to be packed and people buy lots of champagne/wine and don't mind paying the "special" prix fixe menu. But it takes some wrangling to convert the entire restaurant into a room full of deuces ('table for two') and keep to the reservations time-table as lovebirds tend to linger. So to avoid the crowd and sometimes unreasonable Valentine's day prix fixe menu, we celebrated on the 13th and I will cook on the 14th.

Gotham has the look of a power dining scene, high ceilings, open space and dozens of attentive staff. Service is impeccable from the moment you walked in. There is always someone pulling your chair, folding your napkin, pouring your wine and refilling your bread plate. There is no tasting menu for dinner, so we went for a seafood-centric dinner. Sommelier recommended a fruity German Riesling which was a tad too sweet for me, but it is about pleasing my Valentine today aint it? :)

I started with the Yellowfin Tuna tartar (my weekly mercury intake :P) and Connie the Black Bass ceviche. Portale, lives up to his "vertical food" name as most of his dishes are stacked high and beautifully presented. Two very good, even great starters. I followed with a secondo of Alaskan crab risotto, Connie a Curried pumpkin bisque. My risotto is top notch. Mixed in with huge lumps of crab meat are prosiutto di Parma, butternut squash and some citris slices. This lead to Connie's comment, " Why do you always order the better dishes?" followed by obligatory switching of our plates, although reluctantly on my end. By the time entree comes, we were well on our way to being full, maybe it was also because of the bread guy keep circling and make sure our bread plate is not empty. Connie's Miso Glazed Cod trumped my Porcini crusted Halibut. My halibut was really good, with porcini, caramelized cauliflower in a white verjus emulsion. Very creamy and tasty. But the Miso glazed Cod was a notch above, even better than the Nobu and Morimoto version.

Dessert was not the first thing on my mind after our third course, but I was told to not miss the Gotham Chocolate Cake. It was indeed quite amazing. Flourless, served with some Banana Sorbet. Later with the check, came a flyer kindly suggests that the whole Gotham Chocolate cake can be ordered for $82 each. Whoa?!

Overall, the food was great, everything was done exquisitely, but nothing out of ordinary. Service is top notch. Decor is very NY power dining like, little outdated, but has its romantic touches. 8.5/10 in my book! Oh, and bring your platinum card. The bill is as grand as the food and decor.

Davis Cup time again?

It seems like only a few weeks ago, when Andy Roddick, James Blake and the Bryan Brothers defeated the Russians to reclaim the Davis Cup for US in Portland, Oregon. Their first since 1995. First on home turf since the 80s. Last weekend, I turned on Tennis Channel and saw live tennis with Roddick/Blake and Bryans again, playing Austria. Apparently the Davis Cup qtrs had started already. IMO, it is way too soon and by having it annually, it takes away the glory of winning the cup a bit. Davis Cup is a team sport and it requires dedication of professional players to take time out of their schedule and play for their country. Roddick, Blake and Bryans are all top notch world class players who have consistently commits to play the Davis Cup. They get some measly money from USTA for playing it, but mostly they play it out of patriotism. If tennis wants more fans, Davis Cup should held once every four years, or at least once every 2 years. World Cup Soccer, anyone? This makes the tournament a lot more special and appealing to an average fan, and it makes the victory even sweeter!

Speaking of Davis Cup, one of the Saturdays in late Oct last year, I was wrapping up my cardio tennis at USTA NTC. Three guys walks on to my court and 'kicked' us off. It was Andy Roddick, Justin Gimelstob and Patrick McEnroe. Everyone in my class were shocked. I actually asked Patty Mac if this is Davis Cup practice. "Yup, Davis Cup, right here baby!" was his response. Andy was standoffish and Justin seems barely awake. Connie and I stayed and watched them practice for a while and left. Watching 150mph serve this close is a pretty rare thing.

No more Toro?

Tuna has high amount of mercury is no mystery to many foodies and sushi fiends. But exactly how high has been reiterated by a NY Times article last week. The study sampled 20 top sushi restaurants in the city, including some big names like Nobu, Blue Ribbon and Sushi of Gari, and found all of their tuna has mercury level higher than EPA recommended level. 5 out of the 20 are so high that they could be legally regulated to take them off the market. The article says that more than 6 pieces of tuna sushi for an adult is over the EPA recommended limit.

It is ironic that the higher the price of the tuna, the likelihood of it containing more mercury, because they are likely to come from bigger species that are high on the fish foodchain and mercury from the pollution accumulates from the amount of the fish they had eaten in their life time. On the contrary, the canned tuna in the supermarket has much lower level of mercury since they are made from tuna that are smaller and lower on the food chain.

I was never that much a tuna fan, until I had some toro sashimi quite a while back. The look is not very appetizing (it looks like raw pork), but the texture and flavor just knocks you off your feet. It literally melts in your mouth. Now that this issue was again in the spotlight, I wonder if tuna price will drop dramtically. More importantly, does it mean no more Toro for me?

Aussie Open wrap-up

First Slam of the year is over. Young'uns ruled the Aussie Open. A pair of 20 year olds won the singles title. No one over 23 was in the Singles finals as a matter of fact. Here are a few random thoughts.

- Novak Djokovic looked very impressive through the tournament. Only dropping one set in the final and dispatched King Federer in the semis with such precision, it is hard not to ask yourself if Federer's reign on men's tennis is starting to get shaky. I think R Fed will still rule the grass courts at Wimbledon. But Aussie Open and US Open are not so much of a sure thing anymore. French will be even harder to get now that Novak is added to the obstacle course along with Nadal and a whole slew of South Americans including Nalbandian and Canas who has given Federer trouble in the past.

- “Tsonga is Stronga” is obviously the story of the tournament. The young Mohammed Ali look-alike won the crowd’s heart by winning 6 matches in emphatic fashion, as an unseeded player, dispatching a few top 15 players along the way. He has tremendous talent, but I am not getting on his bandwagons yet. He could be a one slam wonder. Or he could be the next Safin, who also has immense talent, won 2 slams, but never gets mentioned in the same breath among the top echelon of players.

- Sharapova stormed through the women’s draw with a vengeance trying to repair her image due to her poor showing last year in the Finals against Serena. Her dad Yuri grabbed the attention yet again, causing a lot of negative press by showing up in an army fatigue print over-coat and doing a throat slashing motion after Sharapova beat Henin in straight sets. (2nd was a bagel set) Sharapova improved on her serve, the weakest part of her game, and looks to be back in to form again. Connie hates her guts, mainly due to her arrogance and the classless acts by her dad. I wonder if it is too late to salvage her image with some fans?

- Chinese girls failed to break through again at a Slam. Only bright spot was Tian Tian Sun winning the mix doubles title. Li Na, Peng Shuai, Yan Zi and Zheng Jie all fizzed out early in singles and Yan and Zheng made it to semis as the highest seed left, but lost in the semis.

- Ram/Erlich combo won the men’s doubles. First Slam for the Israeli pair who hovers around #7 or 8 in the world rankings. They became the hero for their country and kudos to them!

- Aussie Open was coined the “Happy Slam” this year by Federer. I hope USTA is taking notice and give it a good run by making US OPEN more fun and fan friendly.

Spring is coming and outdoor tennis is around the corner. I am psyched.

Gabrielle Hamilton's Prune

Ever since I watched Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert (Le Bernardin) and Scott Bryan (Formerly of Veritas) sucking on roasted marrow bones and eating heads on Shrimp with Anchovy butter @ Gabrielle Hamilton's Prune on "No Reservations", I knew I had to go there.

Called for a prime time Friday reservation for two about 4 days ahead. It is close to the "Nexus of the Universe" 1st Street and 1st Ave, on the same block as my past favorites like Elephant, and new ones like Tasting Room wine bar that I havent tried yet. First impression when I walked in was "Wow, this place is tiny!". It is advertised to seat 30, but those gotta be razor thin 30 people. The Host is busy pulling out the tables and letting people out from their banquette seats. You know everything your neighbouring table orders and many intimate details about their life, if you care to listen. But hey, I am here for the marrowed bones and sweet breads, a little crampedness wont bother me.

Generous pour from the bartender gets me a really nice glass of Syrah from Kunin vineyards in Central California. Connie got a glass of Godello from A Coroa, still not drinking Reds much, but at least she is deviating from the Rieslings and Gewurztraminers. She started with Fried oysters from the bar menu (It tasted nice and light, but nothing to write home about) and I went with the Marrow Bones with sea salt, parsley Salad and toasted baguette. My 3 months of diet seem well worth it when I scoop out the marrow, put it on a piece of toast, sprinkle on a little sea salt and parsley. It is out of this world! I guess it is no coincidence I booked Prune 2 days after the Biggest loser competition ended. Things only got better from there. Connie got the grilled whole Branzino. It is stuffed with Fennel, drizzled with fennel oil and served with sea salt and half lemon. Connie skillfully work around the head, fins and bones (us Asians are used to having fish served whole) while the lady next to us requested the wait staff to de-bone her fish for her and remove the head. Perhaps she should go back to Upper East side?! I had Stewed pork shoulder with Salsa Verde. It was so tasty, I had to ask the waitress for some bread to soak up all the wonderful sauce and scoop up the tender pork bits. The side of Stewed chestnut with fresh Ricotta is not to be missed. Dessert was less than stellar, but it was my own fault for not willing to walk a few blocks to Venieros. Check comes with a nice chunk of dark chocolate for each. Nice touch I thought.

All in all, a great repeatable neighborhood place with awesome homey food. 7.5/10 in my book!

P.S. Connie tasted my Syrah and liked it. There is hope yet:)

I am the "Biggest Loser"

I am the biggest loser, after 3 months of caring about everything that I eat and maintain my exercise level, I won the Biggest Loser competition, by losing 13.81% of my body weight. Back in Oct, a few coworkers, friends and I started this “Biggest Loser competition”. Each put in $200 into the pot and sees who can lose the most weight as a percentage to their starting body weight in three months, winner takes all. End result was nice, but this wasn't really about the money. Every one in the contest won. JS who came in last, lost 10+ lbs. There is no loser in this!

A few rules that I followed:
1. Eat less processed food and more food in its natural state.
2. Eat less refined grain products. No White rice, white bread etc.
3. Limit sugar and salt intake.
4. Eat food from every group, including fat and carb. (good fat like from fish and avocado, carb from wheat bread and brown rice)
5. Maintain excercise level.

This competition coincides with my reading of a book recommended by a coworker SL, ‘Omnivore’s Dilemma” written by Michael Pollan. It came with a disclaimer from him, “I am not responsible if you turn into a vegetarian after you read this.” The book took the approach of tracing four meals to the original source: Industrial meal, Organic Food, Alternative food and Food we forage ourselves. It changed my view of food forever and makes me think, every time I put food in my mouth, about where is had actually come from and what exactly is in it. It made me a more responsible eater and I highly recommend this life-changing book.

Professing my love for Anthony Bourdain, his job rather

Anthony Bourdain’s new season of “No reservations” started last week on Travel Channel. First episode was Singapore. The material wasn’t exactly new, since the ‘die die must try’ Singaporean Makan was already covered in his book “Nasty Bits”.

I absolutely dig Anthony Bourdain. He is raw, in-your-face and has no tolerance for BS. Other TV food personnel are often the butt of his jokes, Rachel Ray, Bobby Flay, Emeril Lagasse to name a few. I started watching Bourdain’s show when he was still with Food Network and doing an half hour show called “A Cook’s Tour”. I read some of his books (the non-fiction ones), Kitchen Confidential, A Cooks Tour and Nasty Bits. Some fascinating stories were told and it was an eye opening experience into the ‘underbelly’ of the culinary world and different cultures around the world. Bourdain is a CIA graduate and has bounced around NY restaurant scene for many years before he was made head chef, and later executive chef of Les Halles in Manhattan. Sometime after he realize his age and mental state is no longer fit for the daily grind in the kitchen, he started doing shows for Food Network and later for Discovery/Travel Channel. He travels around the world with a TV crew and make a show out of his travel log and him trying local delicacies as well as some not so appetizing stuff. Traveling, exploring different cuisines and get paid? Wow, where do I send my job application? I might just pull a Radical Sabbatical!

Note on the Singapore episode: Bourdain declared Singapore his favorite place to Makan, due to the nice mix of Indian, Chinese, Malaysian and Indonesian cuisine. But how could he, a native Newyawker, say that when NYC is the biggest melting pot of all cuisines from all over the world, done by the people from those region???

Sampras vs Federer coming to MSG

I got a email from USTA about advance purchase of Sampras vs Federer match @ MSG on March 10th, 2008. When I first heard about the three exhibition match swing in Asia, I was upset that it is not anywhere close to home. As a tennis fan, I should be ecstatic that the game is happening in my city and be rushing to get tickets, right?

Not so fast. I am starting to see it as more of a marketing scheme rather than a true gem of a match. March is a vacuum month for tennis. Aussie Open is wrapped up by the end of Jan. French Open doesn't start till late May. It definitely make sense for Federer to schedule a match in to play with Sampras who still has a lot of game left. But what about the quality of the match? Federer is in his prime, Sampras is past his. I love Petey, rooted for his low profile image, superb game since I moved to this country in the early 90s. Federer came to form in the early 21st century and has been dominant since. It is never fair to compare player from different eras. Let alone have them compete against each other. Pete is 36, it is a dinosaur age in tennis. Would any one pay to see Nolan Ryan pitch against Barry Bonds? or Kobe posting up against Magic? These type of exhibition are unthinkable in other sports, so why in tennis?

Lets leave the athletes be in their eras and lets remember how dominant they are in their prime, shall we?

With that off my chest, here are my pick for the Aussie Open. ( I haven't seen the draw yet though). Federer, Djokovic, Murray and F Gonzo in men. Henin, William sisters and Li Na in women. Yes, i said it. Li Na from China, baby!

1st Degree of Encounter with Cesare Casella - Maremma

Bitter cold day in December. Connie had just got back from an overseas business trip and I was exhausted from Xmas shopping on line without spousal help. Authentic Tuscan fare feels like a distant memory from our trip back in Oct to Italy. We were in need of some good comfort food and decided to try out Maremma. I had not been big on Italian, the Italy trip changed me. Pasta cooked to perfection and divine but simple Ragu that are to die for and many other simple & slow food totally changed my view on real Italian food.

Chef Cesare Casella is the dean of Italian studies at the FCI. He is the Italian version of Andre Soltner or Jacques Pepin as they are to French. After a successful Beppe, he started Maremma in Greenwich village, paying homage to his town in Tuscany. With today's celebrity chef craze, I was surprised to find Chef Casella, who was dressed in an ironchef-esque outfit with a big batch of fresh rosemary sticking out of his chest pocket, greet us by the front desk and seated us to a cozy table in the back corner. Apparently he still cooks in his own kitchen and deals with day to day business.
While sipping a nice bottle of 04' Morellino di Scansano, we started with Pontormo and Sloppy Giuseppe. Pontormo was a house specialty, a warm mixed green salad tossed with pancetta and scrambled eggs. It was tasty, but probably not a repeat item for us. Sloppy Giuseppe, on the other hand, was out of this world. Braised oxtail off the bone, served on toasted crusty Italian bread. We then split a Pappardelle with chocolate Cinghiale (wild boar) ragu. It definitely reminded us of the same dish we had in Florence, except the pasta is not as 'al dente' as the Italian one. Wild Boar Ragu was to die for in the winter time. These Tuscans just know how to do their meat right! Connie had the short rib afterwards and my Tuscan Steak is no Biscetta ala Fiorentina, but it was quite good. We finished with a light Panna Cotta that really hit the spot.

Reliable Italian, but nothing spectacular. One thing worth noting was that Chef Casella came out of the kitchen and check on us between the pasta course and the main courses. I thought that was nice touch. (he didn't check on other tables near us)



6.5/10 in my book.

2nd Degree of Encounter with Molto Mario - Casa Mono

So I heard about this Spanish place that Andrew Nusser (former sous chef at Babbo) opened with Mario Batali’s partnership for a while. Mario apparently never cooks there, but rumor has it he would be sitting at a corner table with a (or nth) bottle of wine and devouring stuff from the kitchen. That’s enough of an endorsement for me! But it wasn’t until the week after this Thanksgiving, a few wine heads and foodies from work gathered at Casa Mono for, what turned out to be, a great night.

The place was tiny, or cozy depending on who you ask. It is a little square room with an open kitchen, bar and dining room all folded into this corner space on Irving place and 17th. Well stocked wine lined the back of the bar, while a young female sommelier roam around the room and helps the patrons. A one page menu is not overwhelming but seems to menu indicates reds would pair better than most whites.



We started off with a plate of delightful Jamon Serrano, Iberico ham that was cured to perfection. A good start to a slew of tasty tapas yet to come. Bacalao Croquettes, pumpkin and goat cheese croquettes, razor clams a la plancha. And then, came the highlight of the evening: Duck egg with Mojama. Duck Egg, you ask? yes, it is a duck egg sunny side up, over a bed of steak fry potato wedges mixed with pieces of black truffle and cured tuna (Mojama), drizzled generously with truffle oil. We went through not one, not two, but four orders of it before we moved on!


You know you are dining with foodies when likes of Cock's Comb and Fried Sweetbread started showing up on the table. Cock's comb has interesting texture and that's all i gotta say about it, but the sweetbread was very flavorful and 'light' tasting. Pork cheek was very tender and the quince paste that accompanies it works very well. Huge advantage of doing tapas with half a dozen guys is you get to try more dishes. Lamb chops, Skirt steaks and Venison shanks were all great. Waitress was friendly, Sommelier was a little unsure of herself, but the wine choices were very solid.

Overall, it is a great place for meat dishes, tasty tapas, Spanish wine and spend time with friends. I would definitely come back. A four top would be a perfect size to sample diff dishes and share 2 bottle of wine. Our group though, went thru 5 bottles and they are listed below.

8/10 in my book.



Guitian Godello Valdeorras, 2004
Bodegas La Tapada, has applied the latest technology in order to introduce a unique white wine that reflects the seductive and impressive character of the Godello grape. It is 100% Godello. Bright golden yellow color. Scented with floral and herbaceous fragrances. Tangy with lively acidity. A crisp and refreshing wine with an abundance of fruit

Abadia Retuerta Viño de la Tierra de Castilla y León Selección Especial 2003 WS 88
This generous red shows ripe plum and currant fruit, with accents of toast, light earth and licorice. Well-integrated tannins provide good structure, and the finish is spicy and clean. Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot. Drink now through 2011. 2,100 cases imported. –TM

Pardevalles Carroleon Prieto Picudo 2004
I’ve found very little info on this one but if you liked it there is 2005 available from different vineyard ( Gamonal) though

Pardevalles Gamonal Prieto Picudo 2005 WA 90
The Pardevalles winery, located in the new D.O. of Tierras de Leon (created in 2005), works exclusively with the indigenous Prieto Picudo grape. The 2005 Gamonal, which was aged for 6 months in a mixture of new and used French and American oak, is purple-colored with an excellent nose of vanilla, blueberry and blackberry. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied, elegant wine with ripe, sweet fruit and enough structure for 2-3 years of further evolution. Should you see the 2004, don't hesitate; it is nearly as good as the 2005."

Comenge Ribera Del Duero 2004
Wine has a the rich network of aromas, including Bing cherries, violets and sandalwood. On the palate the wine is very well structured with mature tannins and elegant notes of forest fruit, dark chocolate and a dash of nutmeg, followed by a very long and and expressive finish.

Alvear Pedro Ximenez Solera 1927 WA 96
"The impressive 1927 Pedro Ximenez Solera, from a Solera begun nearly 80 years ago, boasts a dark amber color as well as an extraordinary nose of creme brulee, liquefied nuts, marmalade, and maple syrup. Huge and viscous, yet neither cloyingly sweet nor heavy, it is a profound effort priced unbelievably low. It is meant to be drunk alone at the end of a meal...

Pilot episode

I read it in a magazine somewhere a while back that if you don't have a blog or a web page, you don't belong in this era. I like to think of myself as a tech savvy guy. I am into gadgets, works in IT/software and 'should' be in the top tier of "People most likely to have a personal web page or blog". But I do not. Never had one and never had the urge.

So why now all of a sudden? I wouldn't attempt to look for an exact reason. Wifey thinks I have an early stage of mid-life crisis and wanted to catch up with the times. I never win any argument with her anyway, so let this be my desperate attempt to feel 'I belong to the era'.