Ganso, Ramen Bar - Brooklyn, NY

A good ramen shop is hard to find, let alone trying to find one in Brooklyn.

It was one of those nights where J was craving for ramen and I refuse to head out into the city, so we were left with limited options in Brooklyn. After minutes of deliberation, we chose Ganso. It was on my radar, but back like 2-3 years ago, and to be honest, I don't even remember why I wanted to go there.

The ramen shop was quite large, more spacious than your average traditional ramen joints. The place was very modern and chic, with random Japanese posters all over the walls. I chose to sit at the booth, nice secluded seats to be away from people and you don't have to worry about speaking over or under people's voices.

We ordered two appetizers and then our own bowl of noodles.
The Braised Short Rib Buns were served first. It felt very underwhelming when I bit into it, the bun was filled with shredded scallions to a point of which it should be just known as the scallion bun, the miso-mustard glaze was barely there, the taste of the beef short rib was bland, I couldn't find a thing about the bun that was good...maybe the bun itself?
The Japanese Fried Chicken on the other hand was a different story. When it was placed on our table, I literally just stared because it was the least eye-appealing fried chicken I've seen. The pieces were small and oddly shape. At first taste, the chicken were extremely over-seasoned and salty. But, dip it in the yuzu-mayo sauce and it turned into a perfect little morsel of goodness. That literally made me do a 360.

After finishing the appetizers, which I rather go on and on because I was enjoying the Japanese crafted beers with it. This is one of the few ramen shops that carry a variety of Japanese crafted beers. Their menu on it is quite descriptive, so you'll definitely be able to pick on to your liking; bottled or draft.

The ramen was bomb. I honestly wasn't expecting much but I was glad I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought. The Spicy Soboro Miso ramen had a kick-ass spicy miso broth which was addicting. The chili was ground and mixed in with the miso paste which gave the broth a really different and special taste. Noodles were bouncy, al dente and also a lot. J's Tori Shio ramen was good also, opposite spectrum from mine. His had a more clearer broth, very flavorful and oil-less; it's like a Japanese version of mom's chicken soup.

Verdict:
Food ~ 4 out of 5
Price ~ 3.5 out of 5
Service ~ 3.5 out of 5

Japanese Crafted Beers

Japanese Fried Chicken

Beef Short Ribs Bun

Spicy Saboro Miso Ramen

Tori Shio Ramen

Ganso Ramen
25 Bond St
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Hong Kong: roast pigeon, fish collar, and mystery part of chicken

Edit: After much research and with a fantastic memory, I found out the name of this restaurant. It's called Golden City Kitchen aka 金城小廚.

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This is what happens when I don't log what I ate when I'm on vacation. I have no idea what I ate and where I ate it. At least I can look back and pay myself on the back knowing I ate something so entirely delicious.

It was a long walk from the MTR (their version of our MTA), like a really long walk. When J said it was far, I was like brushing it off and thinking we can do this measly walking, but it was farrr.

But, it was worth it.

Been ordering bottles of beer everywhere we go for dinner. Blue Girl wasn't as great as YanJing but still good (it's because they didn't have YanJing here and Blue Girl sounded cool). Hong Kong's beer is pretty light, is this why I see them drinking a 6-pack in their dramas like it's nothing?

Ok, challenging part here. I know this is from a chicken, heck I'm sure you can tell that it's some part of a chicken. Thing is, J and I have no idea what part! But it was really tasty, served cold with cucumbers and had a wasabi flavored dipping sauce. So odd but yet so good. The mystery part of the chicken was chewy and had a bite to it, almost like chicken feet.

Speaking of chicken feet, here they are. We didn't order them but it came as an appetizer? I think I only had one, they were the same consistency as the mystery part above but require a lot more work to eat.

One of main reason to visit HK, and a must get/eat would be the Roast Pigeon. Small delectable bird, if made correctly would probably be the best bird you'll ever have. The skin is crispy with chunks of meat, flavored perfectly like any roast item. I can eat this all by myself and works great with beer. Only good when fresh, give it time and the skin starts getting wrinkly and chewy.

Last but not least and surprisingly good, salt and pepper fish collar. Packed with plenty of meat and the portions are huge. Our stomachs definitely shrank because we got extremely full after the meal. Good thing we decided to walk back to the MTR (tried getting a taxi but none were in sight and those that were, were already occupied, plus no bus).

I would come here again but the walking sort of puts it off. But if I'm ever in HK again, most likely come back because I need to get the name and address of this place...oh and the roast pigeon hehe.

Wild Edibles - An early affordable aphrodisiac coming my way

One of the best places for happy hour since it occurs everyday from 12-6pm. It's early but totally worth it.

J and I came for lunch around 1pm, good thing we were able to snatch seats at the bar because it was quite packed.

There was a small section of a fish market inside the restaurant. They sell their seafood by the pound there and during our lunch there, 2 people came for this...interesting.

I had a glass of Reisling White Wine ($9) while J had the Narrgansett Lager ($4) that came with 1/2 dozen of oysters. Quite a good deal for him.

We started off with a dozen of oysters, that day's special were Bluepoint ($.99 each). So delicious and succulent. For less than a dollar an oyster, we placed another order of a dozen oysters. They were so plump and meaty. Usually at happy hour, restaurants would give you the puny and meatless oysters because you're paying a cheaper price for it, but not here. Wild Edibles gives you quality even if the price they charge you is low.

For main, I got the Oyster Po'boy ($12.99). Going to avoid the next time I go there. The wrap was filled with cole slaw which made it taste like I was eating a plain lettuce wrap. I wasn't too impress with this. On the other hand, the fries were amazing...too bad I couldn't finish it.

A round of applause for J again for choosing the best dish (rolls eye). The Grilled Tuna Steak Club ($14.99) was the best fish sandwich I had ever devour. Hands down the best. The tuna was tender and grilled lightly so you can taste the fishy flesh within the sandwich. Tasted a bit like chicken if you ask me. I need to go back for this. I had to share half with J, at least he gave me half right?

I'm returning for sure, maybe some time soon since I can't stop thinking about the tuna club now.

Wild Edibles
535 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10016
(212) 213-8552

Biang! - The pleasure of burning

I don't remember how J and I came to agree at dining at Biang!, might've been the delicious description of the skewers on their website.

Biang! is like a chic-er version of Xi'An Famous Food, given a place to sit down and being waiter-ed. The waitress was really nice and didn't mind that we wanted to change tables.

They actually checked IDs for this, I'll just take it as they think I'm young looking.
One of the reason why I was interested in Biang! was because of the YangJing Beer ($5) that they carried. I had this when I was in Hong Kong and I really enjoyed it. Never would've thought I would have the chance to see it in NY. J had the KingFisher Beer ($5) from India, pretty good, it had that light  fruity-ness in the beginning.

Our noodles came out first, I ordered the Mt. Qi Pork Biang-Biang Noodles ($6.50) in medium spice and it still kicked my ass. I mean, it was definitely really good. I love the spicy and sour combo and it was really appetizing, but I'll just go with no spice next time...

J's Spicy Cumin Lamb Biang-Biang Noodles ($7.50) doesn't look spicy but it was, it got quite difficult to eat but it was too good to stop.

Starting off our skewer binge. Yes, we went crazy and ordered quite a lot, especially when one order consist of 3 skewers. The Spicy & Tingly Squid Skewers ($4.50) was the best. Cooked absolutely perfect and seasoned so well. Definitely wasn't spicy at all, kind of had a nice sweet glazed to it.

This was J's favorite. Spicy Cumin Pork Intestine Skewers ($3.75) was grilled to a crisp which is why he loved it. I was on the so-so side with this. But I do find it cute that they go from the big pieces to the smaller pieces in the front.

Why did we order this? Big disappointment for me, better off not ordering this because the Spicy & Tingly Boiled Beef Stomach Skewers ($3.75) wasn't anything special. Maybe if they didn't boil it, then it would be a bit more exciting.

Another one of our favorites, Spicy Cumin Chicken Heart Skewers ($3.75) was nicely cooked. Sad they only gave so little on a stick, I wanted more since these can get addicting.

Saving the best for last, Spicy Cumin Chicken Gizzard Skewers ($3.75) was great. Crunchy and gamey. I told J that if I have a whole bowl of this instead of popcorn when we watch a movie, I would totally be a happy camper.

Biang! has surpassed my expectation and I would love to return. They cook their skewers very well and none of them were under or overcooked. I really enjoyed the noodles, but next time I'm sure I'll be able to enjoy it even more without the crazy spiciness in the way. If you like Xi'An Famous Food then this is a must visit.

Biang!
41-10 Main St
Flushing, NY 11355

Whitman's - A suprise that will leave me speechless

I know J has been wanting a Juicy Lucy for the longest time. The idea of having melted cheese in a burger is just something we can't pass up on. Plus, I was totally in the mood for a burger and something fried...

J ordered a Negra Modelo ($7) beer. I'm not a big fan of beer so I just stuck with my water.

The Fried Pickles ($4) were alright. I didn't like them as much just because I thought they were too thin and weren't crunchy enough. The dipping sauce was delicious though, I'm sure it's not cheese but J keeps telling me otherwise. I prefer a thick and crunchier crust, but I still can down endless bowls of this.

I was the normal one that ordered the regular Juicy Lucy ($10). The patty might look small but it was a delicious ball of goodness. I was trying to flatten the burger but forgot about the cheese in the middle until J was like "omg it's squirting from the other side."

The cheese were actually all situated in the center, I wished it was more all over the patty. You can actually have your choice of cheese but I just went with the pimento cheese since that was the regular one on the menu. The pickle was ginormous though and spicy. So good and fulfilling.

J's crazy Juicy Lucy ($10) with bacon ($1) and fried egg ($2). I know he just had to do it. I have to say that it looks absolutely beautiful when it came out. The egg was so perfect and I wanted his greens! Anywho, his was less messy than mine. Odd, cause my plate was filled with meat juices...hahaha

Whitman's
406 E 9th St
New York, NY 10009
(212) 228-8011

Heidelberg Restaurant

After months and months of pushing this off, I finally gave in and agreed with J that we would go to Heidelberg. I don't know why I was so against it, maybe it was the photos I saw on Yelp that wasn't totally appealing, or maybe German food never crossed my mine, or because this place is located in the Upper East Side.

Met up with J on a Friday evening after work and walked up to Heidelberg. It was a beautiful day which made the walking a lot more enjoyable. We haven't walk around the city like this in a while.

Once I walked into the restaurant it was like I was warped to Germany. The decor and atmosphere made you feel as if you were actually in Germany and eating at a German restaurant. The staff was insanely friendly and kind.

J and I already know what we were going to order so we jumped right into it.

J and I usually don't drink beer much but he wanted to get the boot filled with liquor, so why not? It contains 2 liters of beer, insane much? Took us about 2 hours to finish...kind of pathetic haha

Sülze.
Headcheese in a vinegar sauce. So good. It taste so similar to pickled chicken feet which I love gnawing at. The headcheese was gelatinous with random bites of meat, cartilage and rubbery skin. Delightful.

Sausage Platter for One.
Three different kinds of sausage with potato salad, sauerkraut and red cabbage. Let's just say that all three sausages were excellent and had their own distinct taste. To me, it seems like the lighter the color of the sausage, the milder the taste.

Schweineshaxe.
A whole pork shank, boiled potato and sauerkraut. This dish can feed 2 people, no joke. The pork was big. There were so much meat on the shank that I was amazed. The skin was crispy and crunchy, J loved that part. The meat was tender and moist, the potato worked with the entire dish...surprisingly. At this point, I was totally convinced that German food is da bomb.

And after 2 hours later (literally), we finished it! It also took us 2 hours to finish our meal. I love how none of the staff came over and rushed us, they did not bother us throughout the entire meal unless we gesture them over. Time flies when you enjoy yourself with no interruptions. I appreciate this kind of service and it's one of the best way to keep your patrons happy and coming back.

Asbach Coffee.
I don't know what compelled J to order coffee because he never does after a meal, maybe it was the brandy that was in it...

...or perhaps it's the whipped cream with grated chocolate.

Homemade Apple Strudel.
I've gotten myself a true dessert. Slices of apple with cinnamon walnuts wrapped with a paper thin pastry crust topped with powdered sugar and a good generous dollop of whipped cream. I'm in total bliss. The strudel was perfect and the whipped cream was so light. I could eat another 2 plates of this stuff.

Absolutely beautiful. I would go back just for this...this.

I was so surprised how much I enjoyed my time at Heidelberg. The food was great and service was superb. This is one of the places in NYC I would recommend anyone to come eat. If you never had German food before, Heidelberg is the perfect place to start with. It's a bit of a travel if you live in Brooklyn but totally worth it. I definitely didn't regret the walk.

Heidelberg Restaurant
1648 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10028
(212) 628-2332