Yuji Ramen - hidden inside Whole Foods

J and I read about Yuji Ramen around the web and saw that it was a different take on your typical ramen. On the day of our scavenger hunt, we literally gave up towards the end and was only thinking about food. To reward our hard work of running around NYC (haha -  total fail actually), we went and treated ourselves to some delicious ramen.

Yuji is located on the second floor of Whole Foods, the Houston location of Whole Foods. J, our friend, and I came around 3pm and good thing it was pretty empty. There's only seats by the bar so try and get comfortable. They're well-known for their mazeman which is dry ramen that's been mixed with sauces and seasoning. The overall experience was quite phenomenal.

It was a hot day in NYC that day, and this Cold Barley Tea was very much needed. It was plain yet refreshing and tasted really healthy, felt like I just detoxed myself.

J ordered the meal which came with the tea and also this Seasonal Vegetable dish. The appearance made me thought it was pickled but it wasn't, it was very crunchy and also act as a nice palate cleansing dish to prepare your taste buds for the ramen.

J has the Salmon and Cheese Mazeman. Definitely funky but the flavors actually works. Salmon was very fresh and the cheese was minimal so it didn't overpower anything else in the dish.

Our friend and I had the Bacon and Egg Mazeman. Oh lord, it was fan-freakin-tastic. No joke, it was really good. Every strand of noodle was covered in a savory tasting soy coating and then when you break the pouched egg, it was like I was in a different realm, a realm where I can swim in yolk and soy sauce along with ramen (ok, I know I'm getting a bit weird now so back to reality). The noodles are a bit tougher than al-dente but I didn't mind it. I liked the chewiness that it gave off. The kale was great, made me felt less guilty with the bacon (it was amazing!) and pouched egg (the yolk was unforgettable).

I would just come here for a quick afternoon snack because it's that good and I know I would be able to get myself a seat. The dishes are small so coming here for dinner might be a bit of a disappointment since you'll most likely have to order something more or go elsewhere and get more food. But for a snack, it's so perfect!

Yuji Ramen
95 E Houston St - 2nd Fl
New York, NY 10002
(646) 262-1358

Dudley's - LES brunch

J and I along with a friend had a NYC scavenger hunt last Saturday and was in desperate need of food. Actually, it was only me that was in desperately need of food since the previous night was a bit wild. Originally wanted to go to the Classic Coffee Shop, but we all fail to realize it was closed on weekends! So, we just walked around until we found a place that caught our eyes and stomach.

Dudley's caught our eyes and looked very modern and welcoming. We sat at the bar, took a while for a staff to realize we were there to give us the menu and also took a while to flag down one to take our order. Pretty poor service. What's even worse is that this couple next to us got their utensils before we did and we came and ordered before them...I'm starting to sense some discrimination here...

Anyways, enough of the service, let's move onto the food.

J ordered the Cortado, pretty bitter which I didn't like. I would need to add more milk and lots of sugar.

I had the Flat White which I wasn't too thrilled about. It wasn't as great was I hoped it to be. It tasted a bit bland and didn't give me that velvet-y texture, also got cold really quick (no beuno).

So, I still had a light "hangover" from the previous night which usually means I don't want other people's food but my own which also means I didn't get to try the other two dishes. I was cradling my plate which was the Fried Egg Sandwich. It was good, but I just couldn't finish it. The sandwich felt like a fancy version of a breakfast sandwich, I can totally deal with this.

The other two dishes looked really appetizing but I didn't really hear J or our friend rave about it... The Wild Mushroom Eggs Benedict and Avocado Toast were a lot smaller than expected. Overall, not too bad but the whole experience was just average, or maybe even below average. Very mediocre.

Dudley's
85 Orchard St
New York, NY 10002
(212) 925-7355

Jadis

After The Ten Bells, J and I headed over to Jadis - the second place of the night we went to. It was fairly close to The Ten Bells, within walking distance that enable you to digest your previous meal or should I say snack.

Jadis wasn't too hard to track down. This restaurant requires you to take a small flight of stairs down to reach it. The restuarant was spacious with tables and seats by the bar and also more seats in the backroom. J and I sat by the bar where all the meals were literally prepared.

We ordered a carafe of red wine and 3 dishes to snack on since we were that hungry.

Duck Rilettes.
Sort of bummed out that J didn't get a chance to try it at The Ten Bells so we ordered it here and wondered what it was. Duck meat and fat that was so gamey it was good. Pair it with some bread and it's practically the best French appetizer out there. As you slowly work your way into the third piece, the fat that incased the duck meat together starts to melt yielding a glistening duck meat.

Country Pate.
One of my personal favorite, I like pate in general. Not to mushy but just the right amount of texture to be able to lift it up with my fork. I like the touch of gherkins and salad on the side.

Escargot.
We cannot neglect to order escargot when the restaurant offers it. Plus, it was only $8 which was a pretty good deal. The escargot were all juicy and plump which made J and I extremely happy. Happy to a point where we ordered another one. Had we not eaten before Jadis, we would've had about 3 for each of us. We just love escargot, and the excess butter with bread is just amazing.

The food was good at Jadis, definitely memorable. Although the service was on the iffy side. Seems like the waitress which I'm sure is also the manager/co-owner, is rushing us out when we were done eating. But she wasn't to the point of rudeness so it was tolerable. I would like to come back to try the sandwiches and more escargot... yes!

Jadis
42 Rivington St
New York, NY 10002
(212) 254-1675

The Ten Bells

J and I have been feeling for wine lately and we're been looking for places that offer something like a wine bar. Since most wine bar offers tapas style food, we plan on visiting 2 places for a night because we're just greedy.

The Ten Bells has no recognizable sign outside of the restaurant. Either you know it or just happen to spot the little address number on the side.

J and I were one of the first to step in the wine bar and it felt really earthy and free spirit.

The menu rested on the side of the wall that enclosed the bar in the center. Which leaves 2 entrances which you can enter from. The breeze that flows from both side was perfect for a hot day. It was also hard to read the menu from your seat, which I think is a given that you would need to get up and walk around to read it.

I only had a glass of white while J went through 3 glasses of red/rose. The sommelier or wine steward would ask what kind of taste you want in the wine and he would try to match it to the best he can.

Naked Cowboy Oysters.
One of the specials of the night. They have happy hour from 5-7pm and their oysters are just $1.25.

St. Simon Oysters.
Our favorite of the night. They don't have any fishy smell at all and the size and shape was just perfect. Small yet plump which gave it a fun pop in the mouth.

Meat and Cheese Platter.
We finished off with a platter and told ourselves not to order anymore food. But, the aroma of the flaky pastries and mac and cheese were so intoxicating. We shall return next time.

Lovely place to relax after a stressful week. Definitely a place I would recommend if you're trying out wine for the first time or want to jump on the bandwagon.

The Ten Bells
247 Broome St
New York, NY 10002
(212) 228-4450

Ed's Lobster Bar

I finally have the time to catch up on my post now since work is slowing down. Tax season was a pain and definitely tough but it's finally over, for now.

J and I went to Ed's Lobster Bar Annex near the Lower East Side. We were hoping there wouldn't be as much people at this location since the other one was at Lafayette Street, a total tourist trap.

We sat in the back where we were able to sit oustide and get some fresh air. Mind you, this was still in March so as the night got darker it starting getting a bit chilly.

We started with a selection of oysters. I don't think I ever know what kind of oysters I eat, west or east coast, I just eat them. I like that briny and fishy-ness from the oysters, pity how fast they go though.

Crudo Selection - Tuna

I don't think I really had crudo before, J explained it to me and it's such a simple process. Crudo means olive oil and sea salt with the cut of fish or meat being sliced thinly. Can't get any simpler than that, plus it was actually good. Simplicity is the key.


Mussels in Lobster Broth and Fennel

I find that whenever we head to a restaurant, if there's mussel, we're getting it. I know J loves mussels and the fact that it was in lobster broth totally got me sold. I like how big the portion is for this and it was only $10. And you get bread that was soaked in butter to dip into the broth. That is just amazing and genius.


Seared Day Boat Scallop



Special of the Night - 3 sliders (lobster burger, skate, fried oyster)

I had the scallops while J had the special. For once, I think I got the better end of the bargain here. I love scallops and pairing it with sauteed spinach and mashed potato was perfect. The scallops were just slightly overcooked, just slighty. But the overall dish was definitely good.

J's sliders were a hit and miss. The best was the fried oyster, the other two lack susbtance and/or flavor. Oh, if you love fries then you're in for a treat here, they give a shit-load of fries with your order.

I like Ed's Lobster Bar, but I also know that it could've been better. I think there's 3 locations and each location has a different menu, I'm determined to head over to the Lafayette one and try it out. Their menu was actually more appealing to me but hey... no complaints since it was a nice meal either way.

Ed's Lobster Bar
25 Clinton St
Manhattan, NY 10002
(212) 777-7370