Mini Express - well worthy breakfast

I find myself struggling to think of what to eat on a Sunday mornings. I usually pick up my breakfast on my way to work and sometimes it's just the regular Chinese pastry with a small coffee, cost me $1.70 total, can't beat that price.

But there are times where I want something different and maybe a bit more extravagant.

And this was definitely something I was looking for in a gourmet breakfast (as least to me). I like the whole Cantonese-style breakfast thing, where I can just choose a letter on the menu and the staffs would know exactly what I want. There are a lot of options but I went for the Sauteed Ramen Noodles in Soy Sauce, all came with toast and coffee. The best part is the price, total was just $3.25. Yes a little more than what I usually spend but I get noodles with meat and vegetables, have to treat myself sometimes.

You might think it's a heavy and oily breakfast but after nights of drinking, this is probably the best Asian hangover breakfast. I also like how their "buttered" toast are made, with sweetened condense milk, score! The place is small so if you can help it, order it to go as service is quite fast. They also have some really great items for lunch and dinner.

Mini Express
14-18 Elizabeth St, Ste 32-33
New York, NY 10013
(212) 267-0888

Karczma

Random Saturday, random place, random dinner. It was a last minute pick for J and he wanted to try this Polish restaurant in Brooklyn. I had to take the train there after work, the only train that was in the area was the G train, literally less than half a block away. But J had picked me up with his car somewhere around the area of Williamsburg, right off the bridge (yes, I'm spoiled).

It was a full house, so we ordered some drinks to let the time go by faster.

J had a Czech Lager, pretty smooth and not a bad beer at all. I would have no idea how beer is suppose to taste cause I don't exactly like beer much, correction - I don't drink beer much.

I like something more like a Mark and Ginger, easy but you taste the liquor. The price for this drink here was quite the band for you buck, and there were a lot of Mark in there, I saw her pour it. J and I already like the place.

We finally were seated in the corner of the restaurant, nestled in the side with wooden seats and table. The dimness of the restaurant really sets the mood.

Started off with some bread and butter along with some olive oil and...soy sauce. It definitely was soy sauce, I assume it was suppose to be balsamic but it wasn't! We stuck to the butter.

This was interesting, I wasn't surprise that J wanted the Peasant Style Lard. It was so oily and fatty but yet so good at the same time. Fat people galore here!

I wanted the Steak Tartare and at this moment, I realized we ordered too much food again even though J denies it. The tartare came out very unappetizing, like something I just bought in the meat section at a supermarket. It did look fresh but I was full of skepticism. But, we ordered it and we might as well eat it.

Mixing up everything; there were capers, diced onions, pickles and that thing on the upper left hand corner which I have no idea what it was. Altogether, it was interesting and tasty. Needed a bit of salt and that's what we did. It tasted really healthy, even with the small egg yolk. We actually paired it with the lard which balances everything out. The tartare acted as a palette cleanser for us...haha.

The entree was crazy, it was a Grilled Platter for 2, it might as well be a platter for 3 or 4...just not 2. There was an insane amount of meat; bacon, chicken, salmon, kielbasa, white sausage, blood sausage and I'm probably missing something but it was massive!

As if the entree wasn't enough, it came with potatoes and mushroom cabbage. Oh lord, I felt the food coma creeping up on me. It was obvious we couldn't finish everything, so we bagged up the meats.

I wanted to order dessert but I didn't think our stomach allowed it so I stuck with coffee.

The Karczma House Press Coffee was strong and intense, this yield 2 cups of coffee which was well worth the price. It was delicious and I love how I can just pour it into my cup, actually J poured it for me but you know what I mean.

I really think we'll be back because we really enjoyed the atmosphere and food, oh and of course - the drinks.

Karczma
136 Greenpoint Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 349-1744

Anatolian Gyro

J and I haven't been going to new restaurants lately because we haven't really made the effort to. As of late, we've actually been visiting old places and just grabbing quick bites. Revisiting a familiar cuisine was definitely one in our books. Anatolian serves up Turkish food, and we been craving for hummus.

We both thought this place was more of a cafeteria style, you order at the counter and bring your food to the table but apparently not. We were told to have a seat and they'll serve us...haha we were such fools. For some reason, it was majoring hot that day. Weatherman said it was going to be cold, so I wore a thick long sleeve which was definitely not a smart move. There also wasn't much air circulation in the restaurant...

The waiters were extremely friendly, like big-smile friendly. I like that.

J ordered a Russian soft drink, I didn't notice it on the menu but it didn't surprise me since he's always up for trying something new. It was pear flavored and tasted good, refreshingly good. I can always count on J to order something different and good.

What we literally have been waiting for. The Hummus was served with fresh Home Bread; the waiter made sure to tell us that part. The bread was so soft and fluffy, spreading the hummus on top made it heaven!

The hummus quickly disappeared since J and I use a thick amount of spread on each piece of bread.

Another dish we have been ordering at Turkish restaurants are Fried Liver Cubes. Some might like the liver-y and iron-y taste of it but J and I love it. I mean, it's fried! Anything fried taste good, right? We squeeze the lemon all over and eat it with the raw onions they give and it's quite delicious. Great appetizer.

At this time, you might think that's all but we did order a sandwich each. We both had it on pita bread, I had the Shish Kebab while J had the Gyro. The sandwich came in similar form, meat on the bottom with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cucumbers on top. They also provide you with white and hot sauce so you can put as much as you desire.

I wasn't able to finish my sandwich so I started picking at the meat. There was a lot! I eventually gave up because I was so full. It was a really satisfying meal. Anatolian is moving soon but just around the corner for a more spacious area. Can't wait until they open up the new place!

Anatolian Gyro Restaurant
1605 Sheepshead Bay Rd
Brooklyn, NY 11235
(718) 769-4754

Vietnam: Unique Snacks

During my stay in Vietnam, I had a lot of snacks here and there. They're not sufficiently meals, though they could've been, but they are something to pass the time with when you have nothing to do...

Some may seem different and strange while others are just regular snacks that you've seen and ate before. Each one made the trip that much more memorable.

I wish I took a photo of how it looks inside because the Banh Chuoi Dua Nuong which is basically grilled coconut banana sandwich. The inside was a whole banana being wrapped with sticky rice that was cooked in an aromatic coconut milk, grill the sucker up and there you have a great sweet snack.



I have no name for this because I just took it from the living room and went into another room and silently ate it in happiness. Another sweet type of snack, this one had a mochi exterior with an ultra sweet filling. I tasted a lot of sugar, along with shredded coconut, red bean and more sugar. I would be happy with just the chewy mochi on the outside.

Whenever I think/see/taste Cha Lua, it brings me back to Vietnam. One of the first official food I associate with my country was this. Cha lua aka Vietnamese ham or sausage is essentially pounded pork with spices and then steamed in banana leaves. Pretty much has the consistency of your bologna.

On a late hot night, my cousin-in-law took me for some dessert. They also have savory desserts (if you know what I mean). She ordered the Xoi Thap Cam (top) which has sticky rice, pork, cha lua, fried shrimp, and a side of pickled daikon and carrots. I had a sweeter dessert of Che Thai (bottom), it included jelly, beans, corn, durian in coconut milk. As for the drink, it was a simple red and mung bean in coconut milk. See what I mean when I say this can be a meal!

This was one of my favorite snacks in Vietnam. I've had Dau Fu Fa in the states before but for some reason it just taste extra great here. The tofu was really soft and silky, the person added some mochi balls and slices of jackfruit, the best part was the gingerly syrup. Usually I eat this cold, but this warm version is absolutely unforgettable.

Got these mini cakes in the streets while walking in the market with my mom and aunt. It looked so welcoming and fresh that I just had to get it. It's on the sweeter side than I'm use to but it was insanely fluffy and airy.

All the 3 goodies where bought from the same vendor. They fried the dough on the spot which yield ultra freshness. The round one (my all-time favorite) is Banh Tieu, hollow center with a slight sweetness and covered in sesame seeds. The long looking one is Yau Ja Gwai or as we Americans call it Fried Cruller, no taste to it, so you're just eating a long oily fried dough.

The white looking cake is Banh Bo, it has a bouncy texture to it and it's either already sweetened or you can eat it with thickened coconut milk. It's similar to a sponge cake but has these honeycomb-like holes in it, so it's great have it with the coconut milk since it can soak up all the goodness.

Last but certainly not least, this might be the most bizarre yet. Hot Vit Lon, fertilized duck embryo aka Balut in Cambodia, tasted just like chicken! I've had this before but not fried and it's certainly something new to me since I usually eat it hard-boiled. It might be mind-boggling and disturbing but hey, you only live once so why not?

And you thought duck eggs were weird, what about quail eggs? This was definitely new to me and even my parents. What I did like about it was how easy it was to eat, and small so I can just pop it in my mouth. I know I probably sound really evil, but it was gooood.

A lot of these snacks were really cheap, probably less than $1USD and they're assessible also.

Vietnam: Pho Le

I never considered going to get Pho for breakfast because it's usually a lunch or dinner meal for me in the states. Pho Le, a quite spacious restaurant was packed in the morning around 8am. My family ended up coming here another time because it was that good.

The first time, we sat on the ground floor with just fans blowing at us. The second time around we venture up the stairs where the air conditioners were - heaven.

Pho Le specializes in pho and just pho. I find that a lot of restaurants/shops in Vietnam specializes in one particular item rather than your typical Vietnamese restaurants in the states where they sell a heck of different items.

I had the Pho Thap Cam aka combination bowl with everything, your equivalent to a #1 or Pho Xe Lua in the states. It was the best pho I've had in my life.

I can't get over the fact that there's a big plate of bean sprouts and herbs on the table. I absolutely love adding those veggies to my bowl.

The soup was a lot clearer in taste (if you know what I mean), it doesn't have that msg taste. Instead it has a fresh and heavy beef flavor which felt so pure to the taste buds. The noodles were a bit on the soft side but I can drink the soup all day long. Pho will never taste the same again after Vietnam...

And if you're curious as to where this shop is, I did take a photo of the wet-nap with the address at the bottom. These wet-naps cost 1,000VND, even though it doesn't cost much, roughly 5 cents in the states, I learned to just bring my own tissues/napkins (it's a lot more convenient since most places don't even have wet-naps).

Vietnam: Fruits

The one thing that stood out most was the different kinds of fruits I saw in Vietnam. Some I've never seen in my life and when I asked how do I eat it, I get teased for it. All the fruits were fresh and picked on the day of, there's no refrigeration therefore you don't have to worry about it being rotten or a even a day old.

These are Langsat, Bon Bon for Vietnamese speakers. The name is funny and it looks just like Logan from the outside.

And the inside looks like it also, but it sort of "precut" for whatever reason I have no clue. The smaller the fruit, the better because then you won't have to deal with the bitter seed in the center. This is one of the fruits where bigger isn't better unless you like spitting seeds out.

The taste is quite similar to logan and lychee but with a softer texture.

One of my cousins went out and got us fresh Jackfruit, Mit. Usually the person in the street that sells the jackfruit would peel the fruit out of the vines that intertwines it but my cousin was impatient and he wanted it fresh fresh and also wanted me to see how it looks as is.

Jackfruit is one of those strong aromatic fruits, usually on the sweet side. You can find these in a can in your supermarket swimming in sugared juices. The real thing is definitely a lot better, so clean-teasting!

Another crazy looking fruit. A cross between a pear and an apple. Known as Waterapple, Man. My least favorite of them all, also has a lot of other different names like rose apple, mountain apple, cloud apple and the list goes on. It's actually a berry which is even weirder than I thought. The waterapple gives you a tangy, pucker-up kind of taste which I don't like. For a fruit that's called waterapple, there isn't much water in it.

We have Mangosteen, Mang Cut in the states but it's always so expensive. I can have tons of this without feeling the guilt in my wallet. The outer shell, as you can see, is pretty thick so you gotta somehow push and crush the fruit gently so you can get to the center without a knife. If you do have a knife on hand, then go ahead and cut the sucker up. The white flesh is soft and silky.

Last but not least, the Sweet Sop, Mang Cau was ridiculously ugly. I had this when I went to Canada because they carried some of Vietnam fruits. It was a lot smaller in Canada so when I saw this, it took my by surprise. The exterior shell needed to be peeled off one by one, hideous! The inside, as shown above, looks pillowy soft. The taste - creamy and rich in flavor. Each bite yields about 2-3 seeds which is annoying but not as annoying as watermelons! Because the flavor is so rich, one fruit is good enough for me until I need to reach for some water.

Some of the fruits were a revisit while others I've tried for the first time. I'm sure there was a lot more other fruits but that's all I can digest for now.

Vietnam: Sugar Cane Juice

I love sugar cane for the longest time, especially when I can have a whole cup to myself.

Finding a place to whip up some sugar cane juice in Vietnam wasn't easy, good thing my mom had a family friend that took us around and I specifically asked if there was any sugar cane drinks around. The friend found us a vendor in no time.

Why is Vietnam so friggin hot?!
I was even more depress when I couldn't have ice with mine because mom is afraid of the bacteria lingering in the ice aka water.

That's ok because you know, I really really really enjoyed it a lot. I love sugar cane juice, especially when it's from the village my parents once lived in.

Sugar cane has a distinct taste, it's not just sugar-y liquid. The one I had was a bit on the thicker side, not too thick where it's like a milkshake but it's definitely not water-y either. Personally, sugar cane juice with the color above suits to be a good sugar cane drink.

San Soo Kap San

I was craving for some Korean BBQ and after my coworker told me how good this place was, I knew I had to go. J and I arrived at SSKS on a Tuesday night around 8:30pm. The restaurant was pretty empty but I definitely didn't mind it.

We got down to business and ordered asap.

There was a wide selection of banchan and every single one of them tasted excellent. I loved the kimchi the best, they even refill your banchan. Beside the banchan, there's also complimentary miso soup, grilled mackerel and steamed egg. My favorite part is definitely the sauces, love me some miso paste dip.

First up, is the Sam Geup Sal ($20.95). They give you 3 strips here instead of 2, so the awesomeness of this place just went up because we get an extra piece. It also tasted a lot better here for some reason, must be the freshness or the cut of the meat.

I mainly wanted to come here for their Angus Kalbi ($29.95).
We also ordered the Haemool Pajun ($15.95), you can probably see that in the photo below...

The beauty of BBQ-ing. The kalbi was extremely tender and flavorful, no need for sauces here.

The way I eat the pork belly. Lettuce, kimchi, pork belly, miso paste - put into mouth. Heaven!

Our meat piled on the side of the grill. So friggin delicious!

I'm definitely returning. Everything about this place was pretty dam amazing.
The waitress helps you cook tableside so you literally don't have to do anything. There's a free salad bar with unlimited amount of yummy oranges for after the meal. They even have a TV screen that was displaying soccer, win!

Probably the best thing would be how laid back it was. No one rushed us and I truly appreciate that. I rather go on a weekday when it's not busy at all rather than the weekends when you're literally fighting at the salad bar. This place closes at 2am so plenty of time for some great late night grilling.

San Soo Kap San
17110 Northern Blvd
Flushing, NY 11358
(718) 445-4850

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