MIA

I know I haven't been updating at all in the month of December. Ever since I came back from my trip to Montreal, I have been really slacking off. There's only another week left of 2011 so I want to enjoy the rest of it. Hopefully 2012 will be full of posts!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all =]

Weekday Lunch: Oms/b

The day right before Thanksgiving and I was feeling for some rice balls. I'm starting to appreciate rainy days since it means less people which means little to no lines when I go out for lunch. I heard Oms/b had a variety of rice balls and after glancing at their menu, I was intrigued.

I ordered the Special Set which varies each day - I'm assuming. I didn't get to choose which rice balls but I did get to choose the soup. The set includes, 3 rice balls, appetizer and any soup. 

Miso Soup

Great Miso Soup, it even has cabbage. As long as it had tofu, I'm a happy camper.

Wasabi Shrimp

I was afraid to eat this one since it contained wasabi. I'm not a huge wasabi fan and by the look of it, looks like there was a lot of wasabi smeared into the rice ball. I finally got the courage to bite down (yes, I sound like a wuss) and it wasn't overwhelming at all. They had decent pieces of shrimp inside, not bad.

Spicy Tuna

I'm more of a spicy salmon kinda gal but I have nothing against spicy tuna. Tasted like regular tuna but with rice. This wasn't so great but it was good.

Miso Sesame Rice Croquette

Surprisingly my favorite and it just so happened to be fried also. A nicely intact rice ball that was fried to perfection. Crispy on the outside and just fluffy on the inside, you get a bit of miso sesame paste on top which is technically all you need to make this rice ball amazing.

I'm definitely a fan now. I can't wait for my next visit to try out more of the other rice balls.

Oms/b
156 E 45th St
New York, NY 10017
(212) 922-9788

BaoHaus

J had been wanting to try this place out for the longest time but for some reason I always seem to push it back. They formerly opened in the Lower East Side and later opened another shop on 14 Street, but decided to close their first shop.

On our way to the hospital to visit a friend, we figured we would get some baos since it was along the way. And because it was along the way that J finally convinced me that we should try it. It was definitely a small shop but seems clean enough. The girl behind the register was pretty cool also. We only ordered 3 different baos, probably should've ordered more but I guess that just gives us a reason to come back.

Cute wall frames. You have any idea how many tries J and I have to take of this to not get anyone's head in the way. This is the best that I got. Although, you can still see the little shadow on the lower left corner, but you wouldn't know that if I didn't point it out... right???

The cute cartoon on the back of the menu. Well, at least it makes looking at a short menu more enjoyable.

We did only order 3 because we actually had some snack beforehand and didn't know how big or small each bao were. If we knew it was this tiny, we most likely would've ordered more.

We tried the Chairman Bao, Haus Bao, and Adobo Bao. To me, none of them really stood out. Maybe I was already upset about how small the bao were but the flavors just didn't do it for me. If I really had to choose, then the Chairman Bao would've taken the crown because of the succulent juicy fat pork meat that was nestled between the buns. The Haus Bao, which was of beef cheek tasted a bit awkward. Don't get me wrong, I love beef cheek but the flavoring tasted so odd like it doesn't belong. As for the Adobo Bao, I thought it was taste fresh and exotic since cilantro usually perks up any food, this one seems to disappoint because there wasn't much cilantro to begin with. What was in there was a big spoonful of hot sauce which I think overpowered the entire bao.

Yea, I was disappointed. I expected something along the lines of ManTao that closed up like last year or something but their bao was like palm size big and filled with the right fillings and sauces. I'll admit, I would be hesitant to head back to BaoHaus but just to cure my curiosity about the other baos, I have no choice.

BaoHaus
238 E 14th St
(between 2nd Ave & 3rd Ave)
New York, NY 10003
(646) 669-8889 

Bubble Me: Kung Fu Tea

I'll be starting a series of entries, definitely not consecutively, which will be revolving around Bubble Tea. There's a bunch of places in NYC that sells Bubble Tea and I'm interested in trying all there is.

If you haven't know what Bubble Tea is, it's basically you're average tea with bites of tapioca pearl balls that are chewy in texture. It's quite the "thing" here since they target youngsters and the idea of flavored tea with chewy add-ons.

I'll be focusing mainly on the classic, Bubble Milk Tea. Ordering that from each store I can't get my fingers on and rating them on a scale of 1-5, with one being the poorest and 5 being the highest. I'll be rating the service, atmosphere/cleanliness, and taste of the drink.

Bubble Milk Tea, usually made with black tea, sugar, milk and tapioca pearls. Although, there can be infinite variation of it doesn't mean it tastes good.

So, enough babbling and for our first look -- Kung Fu Tea.

Cute name indeed.
This branch located in Chinatown in Manhattan NYC opened not too long ago. I gave it shot because the name was just so intriguing. I liked how the place was clean and the girls behind the counter was freakishly friendly. I don't usually get that kind of service in Chinatown, let alone in a bubble tea store. This Bubble Milk Tea was definitely different than the others I've had before. This BMT was a lot more frothy and sweet. I mean, really sweet. If they cut back on the sugar, I would've gave it a perfect score. Other than that, I really adore the black and white vibe from this shop. All the straws were black which makes it so much easier to not stand there and choose which color straw I would choose.

Overall --
Service 4.5/5
Atmosphere 3.5/5
Taste 3/5
Likelihood to return is 75%

Kung Fu Tea
234 Canal St, Suite 107
New York, NY 10013
(212) 334-3536  

The Palm Restuarant

I've heard good things about The Palm, probably not around New York. I first heard about The Palm on a television show and it was said to be pretty popular in California. Being the greedy person that I am, I searched to see if there's any around here in NYC... and there was a ton of them.

It just so happened that The Palm was having their 85th anniversary. They offered a Surf and Turf with 2 appetizers and 2 sides for just $85, total deal. I love lobster so 2 lobster tails and an 18 ounce steak was enough to make me happy.

How can one forget about bread bowls and butter? I love their butter because it's whipped, so soft and just the right amount of salt. I just couldn't stop with the butter.

A delicious cocktail that consist of pineapple, orange juice, and whiskey. Totally forgot the name.

J's margarita on the rocks with salted rim. Gosh so salty!

Autumn Salad

J chose this for me, now I wished he chose the Caesar Salad since I know I'll definitely eat that. This tasted interesting, so many elements within the salad. I guess it just didn't work for me, arugula, pears, walnuts, blue cheese in a balsamic vinaigrette.

Lobster Bisque

Ok, J chose the better appetizer. :le sigh: This was just so rich and yummy with chunks of lobster meat. I can also taste the heaviness of the cream that was added to the soup.

Half and Half

Fried onion strips and potato slices. I really like the potato cause it tasted just like potato chips, but a lot more healthier. I passed on the onions, never really an onion kind of gal.

Green Beans

I was so happy when I finally chose something food for the night! Although they might look oily but tasted so good. Sauteed with panchetta and pine nuts, definitely one of the best side dishes I ever had.

Surf and Turf

The star of the night. I loved the beef steak tomatoes on the side, goes extremely well with the steak. We had the steak cooked medium rare, was told by the boyfriend since he seems to know his steaks better than I. Surely, he was right. The steak came out tender and just right. The lobster was good also, can't really mess up a lobster tail unless you over or under cook it but then with a place like The Palm I'm sure they can master just a tiny lobster tail.

The meal sure didn't disappoint. J and I were both stuffed and definitely a satisfying meal. A dinner that can easily cost around $200 came out to less than $60 a person which was such a bargain.

The Palm Restaurant
Various Locations

The one I went to....
837 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10017
(212) 687-2953

EN Japanese Brasserie

I've been wanting to try this restaurant out for the longest time but never really got the chance. Finally, J and I made reservation to try this out. Why? Because I got another voucher to redeem. I'm on a roll with these vouchers this month!

The restaurant was nice and dim, perfect atmosphere for a couple. The staffs were trained well which provided a superb experience. J and I had the Aozora which is a 7-course tasting meal.

We ordered a drink for ourselves but I totally forgot what the names of each are but they were just on the OK-side.

Freshly-made Scooped Tofu

Their in-house made tofu which is made each 1.5 hours on the hour. It sure was silky and full of soy bean flavor. I really like the sweet and salty sauce that was given to pair with the tofu. Extremely different from the Chinese version where we eat it cold with sweetened syrup.

Appetizer Trio

Seared Tuna with Ponzu Sauce

My favorite of the night. I think J is right, I like anything with ponzu sauce and the tuna was seared perfectly. Mix with all the other herbs and greens with the tuna and it was just amazing.

Brussel Sprouts in broth jelly

So, after this dish I know that I don't like brussel sprouts. It just has a crunchy and weird bitter taste to it. I'll pass.

Oyster

So excited to see I get an oyster! J and I have been going on an oyster frenzy and we just love eating it. Even though it was just one, it was enough to satisfy us.

Sashimi

Very fresh. I love the white soy sauce that was given with it. Extremely light and worked quite well with the sashimi.

Lobster in miso sauce

Disappointments started rolling in now. I thought I was getting half a lobster not just lobster meat. I like to dig and work for my seafood. Plus, the sauce was too overwhelming in this dish. It just doesn't work.

Black Truffle Egg Custard

I like egg custard because they're so soft and light just like tofu but you can taste the creaminess of the egg. But this dish, too much truffle oil. Too much truffle taste, I couldn't even eat half of it.

 Foie Gras and Filet Mignon

Another "no beuno" dish. Why is everything getting so salty? I love how they're cooked. The filet mignon is soft and tender and even the foie gras is lightly seared with a crisp (even though I really don't like foie gras). They drizzle, well more like poured, too much sauce. The sauce was already salty to begin with, it would've been a wiser idea to just lightly season it rather than doused the dish with the sauce.

Spherical Sushi

I thought these balls of sushi are just so darn cute. I like the idea of it being round than the usual presentation of the sushi.

Chestnut Panna Cotta & Sesame Cookie

The dessert was alright. I like the panna cotta but not the chestnut that was squeezed on top. I also enjoyed the cookie also. Oh, and the tea that came after the meal. Definitely refreshing and a great way to end the meal. People say that what happens in the beginning and end is the most memorable but apparently to me that's not the case. I remember everything from the meal, from the enjoyable to the not-so-great dishes.

I would like to come back to order off their A La Carte menu. Going to be looking forward to that.

En Japanese Brasserie
435 Hudson St
New York, NY 10014
(212) 647-9196

Bon Chon Chicken

Bon Chon is like a fast food chain, they're literally everywhere. But one can't be compared to all others since they're all under different chefs, managers, and has a different atmosphere.

J and I had a voucher to redeem at one of the Bon Chon. I wanted to go ASAP since I've been craving for Korean fried chicken. Korean fried chicken is definitely the good stuff, double fried and drenched in the sauce of your choice - either soy garlic or spicy. Since I need to spend X amount of money, we also ordered lychee soju and deuk boki.

Deuk boki (might be spelling it wrong), is a Korea rice cake in their spicy sauce. This version however has fish cake, cabbage, and cheese. It goes great if you want something to fill you up besides the chicken. We couldn't resist the lychee soju, the scent of lychee with a hint of taste and then you get the full blast of soju. I love how this Bon Chon makes their soju, 80% soju and just 20% lychee... just how it's suppose to be.

We ordered the 20-piece wing of soy-garlic. We nearly got sick of it afterward but it just tasted so good. Everything was cleared out because we were that hungry.

Might I add this happened before 12 p.m., that's right, we drank in the morning. Definitely a great way to start the day.

This location has made it to my top list of Bon Chons. The restaurant is spacious, good service and the background music selection is great. They even have a huge projector displaying the MV on the walls, the songs are of the 90s which is perfect. They even have some Korean music thrown in there. This place is looove... at least for me.

Bon Chon Chicken
325 5th Ave
New York, NY 10016
(212) 686-8282

Dessert Works: Sprinkles Cupcake

I'm not a fan of sweets much, especially when it comes to cupcakes. I rather have the cake less the frosting. But hearing that Sprinkles makes really good cupcakes, I just had to try it for myself. I need to be my own judge.

The staffs behind the counter were extremely friendly. The cupcakes were a decent size and they were priced at $3.50 each. If you follow them on twitter, they have a word-of-the-day daily and if you go in there with the word, you can get a free cupcake!

I saw the frosting on the cupcake and I was already afraid. I know how sweet and sugary frostings can be, but I was hoping this wouldn't be overly sweet. I was wrong...

Ginger Lemon Cupcake

Red Velvet Cupcake

Pumpkin Cupcake

The cupcakes were incredibly sweet. I mean, if you have a sweet tooth and love sweets, then Sprinkles would totally be for you. I have to say, the cake is really good. Nice and soft, just the way I love my cakes. So far, they make the best Velvet. I usually avoid Velvets because of the cream cheese frosting but Sprinkles works for me. I hate the overwhelming taste of cream cheese in my frosting, good thing Sprinkles made it more sweet than anything else. By the way, you can totally see the inch thick layer of frosting on top of the cake in the photos above.

Sprinkles Cupcake
780 Lexington Ave
New York, NY 10065
(212) 207-8375

Weekday Lunch: Urban Lobster Shack

I love lobster. So when I found out there was a lobster shack near my workplace, I was ecstatic. The only place I ever a lobster roll before was Luke's and I fell in love instantly.

I placed my order with the girl behind the counter and waited about 5-7 minutes for my order. I was thinking, ooo taking a while so it must be fresh. I saw they also had fish and chips, even fried clam strips so I know next time I'll go back for those.

Lobster BLT

I ordered the Lobster BLT. I thought it was interesting so I gave it a shot, plus it was the special of the day. Oh, how easily I give into things.

Definitely looks appetizing but the taste speaks otherwise. Even the bacon looks dried like it's been sitting there for days...

I like the idea of parsley on the lobster roll but it doesn't enhance anything at all. There was a lot of lobster meat, to a point where I couldn't stuff the lettuce, tomato and bacon. But it's just too bad that the lobster meat was extremely bland. The lobster is mixed with mayo and celery, pretty much like a lobster salad. I was greatly disappointed. I know I won't be getting another lobster roll from them, but as for the other fried goodies I will definitely give it a go.

Urban Lobster Shack
805 Third Ave
Manhattan, NY 10022

Dessert Works: Wafels & Dinges

This past Friday morning, I heard my co-workers talk about waffles on a truck and I just had to ask if they were talking about Wafels & Dinges. They were like yea, they're usually around here on Fridays. I knew then and there that I wanted to try it. I've heard many good things about Wafels & Dinges and here's my chance to finally try it since it's only a block away from my building.

When lunchtime came, I zoomed out of my office and went to get lunch and then swing by the truck to get my waffle which will serve as my dessert.

When I got there, there was already a line. I should've expect it. But the line moved quickly and I was so excited when it was time for me to order.

The lid cover for my waffle. The guy on the truck said if I bring the lid back, it'll score me a free topping. Awesome!

Brussels Wafel w/ dulce de leche, nutella, strawberries, walnuts, and whipped cream

Are you salivating?
I love how ginormous the waffle was and all the toppings were so generous also. The waffle was extremely crisp on the outside and soft like a pillow in the inside. Tasted like how a real waffle should be.

If I ever see Wafels & Dinges on the street, I'm definitely not going to pass away the chance to get a waffle. It tasted so heavenly.

Wafels & Dinges
Food Truck has various location, please check website.
(866) 429-7329