This Sunday we will celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival (aka Mooncake Festival). I remember celebrating this yearly event as a young child in Malaysia, walking around our yard at night with brightly lit paper lanterns, and gorging on delicious mooncakes. In Australia, we would still indulge in the mooncakes (which we could buy from oriental grocery stores), but it wasn't wise to play with candlelit lanterns in the bushfire-prone country. When I was a poor university student, I would wait until after the festival to buy the expensive mooncakes at half-price, and then satiate my mooncake cravings. There are so many types of mooncakes out there with various crusts and countless fillings (including ice cream and chocolate mooncakes, but my favourite type remains the most traditional kind with the plain lotus seed paste filling. One of the contemporary types of mooncake is the non-baked variety known as "snowskin", "ice-skin" or "snowy" mooncakes, which are made with glutinous rice flour and are served chilled. Our residence's clubhouse recently held a workshop to make some snowy mooncakes, and I signed hubby and myself up. Our boy didn't meet the minimum age requirement, but he accompanied us and had a load of fun making and eating the ingredients. It was a very simple recipe using pre-made store-bought ingredients - simple enough for little 6-year-old girls to execute - and the end result was quite tasty!
Our place on the table with the ingredients and tools needed:
The recipe sheet detailing what to do:
Snowy Mooncake Recipe
Makes about 10 pieces
Ingredients
200g snowy mooncake mix powder
300g green bean paste
25g fried glutinous rice flour
80mL warm water at around 80°C
Method
1. Add warm water into the snowy mooncake mix powder and mix well until smooth
2. Divide mixture into ten pieces, roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a disc. This will be the mooncake 'crust' (or wrapper).
3. Divide the green bean paste into small equal portions (slightly smaller than the wrapper mixture), place on a disc dough and fold the dough to surround the bean paste filling.
4. Apply a little fried glutinous rice flour into the moon cake mold (to prevent the dough from sticking), and then put the ball of dough into the mold.
5. Press down on the mold to produce the mooncake shape.
6. Unmold the mooncake, and freeze for about 30 minutes. Serve chilled.
There were four cute character molds - (clockwise from top left) Hello Kitty, Doraemon, Pooh Bear and Garfield:
Here is a couple we made earlier:
Friday 28 September 2012
Thursday 27 September 2012
Chelsea Market, NYC: The Lobster Place and Amy's Bread
One of my favourite foodie places in New York City has to be Chelsea Market. We only had a brief browse through here during our first trip in 2007, and I made sure to go back for a revisit on our most recent trip to NYC. After a lovely morning stroll through the High Line, my son and I headed to Chelsea Market for lunch.
The Lobster Place
I knew what I wanted for lunch, so we made a beeline for The Lobster Place. This is a popular spot not only for the prepared foods, but also buying fresh fish and seafood to bring home to cook. There is also a little grocery section to buy drinks, condiments and other various items to accompany your seafood purchase, and there's a large section devoted to sushi-making.
A sushi chef busy at work filling catering requests:
Some lobsters for sale:
The Shack in the Back menu board:
I initially wanted the lobster roll, but then changed my mind in favour of variety. The Slider Sampler (US$15.95 excluding tax) included three types of sliders (lobster roll, tarragon shrimp and crab club) and some chips. I didn't care much for the chips, but my boy sure couldn't wait to get his hands on the salty crispy stuff!
The Slider Sampler featuring (from left to right) Crab Club Slider, Lobster Roll Slider and Tarragon Shrimp Slider, all on mini-brioche buns. They were all delicious, and I almost didn't want to share any with the boy. I liked that the slider fillings were minimally dressed so that you can still taste the seafood:
For my "veges", I got a container of Japanese Seaweed Salad with Sesame, which was crunchy, salty and very tasty. This one was all for me, since my boy has quite a nasty allergic reaction to sesame seeds:
I wanted to share some of this lobster goodness with hubby, so I got a take-away Lobster Roll ($16.95 excluding tax). I explained to the girl behind the counter that it was for much later, and she packed everything separately with a lot of ice.
The takeaway container of the fresh lobster meat from the claw and tail, with celery, scallions, lemon pepper and mayo. I really liked that the lobster meat wasn't drowned in mayonnaise like the first lobster roll we had at another place a few years ago:
Please excuse the presentation - assembling the lobster roll was more difficult that I thought. Hubby enjoyed it, and I think we have found our favourite place for lobster rolls (though I'm up for trying out more lobster rolls!):
Amy's Bread
If you like bread, you'll love Amy's bread. There are a few Amy's Bread bakeries around NYC, but I've only ever been to the one inside Chelsea Market. Everything looked so good that I wanted to get one of everything, but I showed restraint and only bought three items.
Bread! There were hard crusty rustic loaves and soft dinner rolls, cheesy types and fruity ones:
There's even a refrigerated cabinet with salads and sandwiches for a more complete meal, and of course danishes, cookies and biscuits/scones for the something sweet afterwards:
(Clockwise from top) My loot consisted of a chocolate twisty bread, cheese scone (or was it called cheese biscuit?) and a delicious cinnamon challah. Our favourite was the challah, which was quite indulgent for a bread:
Chelsea Market is definitely worth a visit for any foodies in NYC!
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
United States
(Meatpacking District)
The Lobster Place
I knew what I wanted for lunch, so we made a beeline for The Lobster Place. This is a popular spot not only for the prepared foods, but also buying fresh fish and seafood to bring home to cook. There is also a little grocery section to buy drinks, condiments and other various items to accompany your seafood purchase, and there's a large section devoted to sushi-making.
A sushi chef busy at work filling catering requests:
Some lobsters for sale:
The Shack in the Back menu board:
I initially wanted the lobster roll, but then changed my mind in favour of variety. The Slider Sampler (US$15.95 excluding tax) included three types of sliders (lobster roll, tarragon shrimp and crab club) and some chips. I didn't care much for the chips, but my boy sure couldn't wait to get his hands on the salty crispy stuff!
The Slider Sampler featuring (from left to right) Crab Club Slider, Lobster Roll Slider and Tarragon Shrimp Slider, all on mini-brioche buns. They were all delicious, and I almost didn't want to share any with the boy. I liked that the slider fillings were minimally dressed so that you can still taste the seafood:
For my "veges", I got a container of Japanese Seaweed Salad with Sesame, which was crunchy, salty and very tasty. This one was all for me, since my boy has quite a nasty allergic reaction to sesame seeds:
I wanted to share some of this lobster goodness with hubby, so I got a take-away Lobster Roll ($16.95 excluding tax). I explained to the girl behind the counter that it was for much later, and she packed everything separately with a lot of ice.
The takeaway container of the fresh lobster meat from the claw and tail, with celery, scallions, lemon pepper and mayo. I really liked that the lobster meat wasn't drowned in mayonnaise like the first lobster roll we had at another place a few years ago:
Please excuse the presentation - assembling the lobster roll was more difficult that I thought. Hubby enjoyed it, and I think we have found our favourite place for lobster rolls (though I'm up for trying out more lobster rolls!):
Amy's Bread
If you like bread, you'll love Amy's bread. There are a few Amy's Bread bakeries around NYC, but I've only ever been to the one inside Chelsea Market. Everything looked so good that I wanted to get one of everything, but I showed restraint and only bought three items.
Bread! There were hard crusty rustic loaves and soft dinner rolls, cheesy types and fruity ones:
There's even a refrigerated cabinet with salads and sandwiches for a more complete meal, and of course danishes, cookies and biscuits/scones for the something sweet afterwards:
(Clockwise from top) My loot consisted of a chocolate twisty bread, cheese scone (or was it called cheese biscuit?) and a delicious cinnamon challah. Our favourite was the challah, which was quite indulgent for a bread:
Chelsea Market is definitely worth a visit for any foodies in NYC!
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
United States
(Meatpacking District)
Monday 24 September 2012
Japanese noodles @ Inaniwa Udon·Nabe, Hong Kong
One of the great things about living abroad is the vast opportunities for making new friends. I am normally quite a shy person, but ever since we moved overseas more than six years ago, I've found it pretty easy to strike up a conversation with someone else in the same room. There are so many expats living in HK, and it's not difficult to find some common ground to chat about. Although we moved from Japan two years ago, I am still making friends with Japanese people; in fact most of my friends in HK are Japanese! I miss Japan sorely, and hanging out with Japanese friends is one way to ease that soreness a little. A nice benefit is that I get recommendations on good Japanese eats, and last week I met up with a new Japanese friend for lunch at an excellent udon restaurant in the mall downstairs. Inaniwa Udon·Nabe was a convenient meeting point for us since we both lived in the same residential building above the mall, and I know for a fact that this shop is very popular with the Japanese residents in the area. And for good reason. The namesake noodles are handmade by Japanese suppliers in its seventh generation in Akita prefecture, and I consider myself fortunate to get a taste of it outside of Japan. Inaniwa udon has a good reputation and is considered one of the best noodles in Japan - and I like it! Udon is not usually my choice of noodles, along with other thick noodles, but the Inaniwa noodle is quite unlike the more well-known (and well-liked) udon.
The entrance to Inaniwa Udon·Nabe restaurant:
The restaurant has a traditional Japanese-style interior, and it is surprisingly spacious. I liked that the tables are spaced at a good distance to allow some privacy between tables. Service was attentive but not intrusive. At lunch time, both the lunch menu and the a-la-carte are available, and although the lunch sets were more affordably-priced, I was in the mood for the cold noodles that I'd read about prior to this visit. There were several cold noodle dishes with various dressings and/or toppings, and they all sounded really yummy.
I ordered the Cold Inaniwa Udon with Three Kinds of Dressings - onsen tamago (hot spring egg) dressing, yam dressing and duck dressing (HK$128). I enjoyed the slippery and silky thin noodles which had a good bite and bounce. All three dressings were great with the noodles, but I particularly enjoyed the yam dressing that had a strong sesame flavour too:
I really enjoyed my cold Inaniwa udon, and I can't wait to bring hubby back there to try this special udon.
[Price quoted above are exclusive of the 10% service charge.]
Inaniwa Udon·Nabe
Shop 2002, 2nd Floor, Elements
1 Austin Road West
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Hong Kong
Tel. +85 2 2196 8989
The entrance to Inaniwa Udon·Nabe restaurant:
The restaurant has a traditional Japanese-style interior, and it is surprisingly spacious. I liked that the tables are spaced at a good distance to allow some privacy between tables. Service was attentive but not intrusive. At lunch time, both the lunch menu and the a-la-carte are available, and although the lunch sets were more affordably-priced, I was in the mood for the cold noodles that I'd read about prior to this visit. There were several cold noodle dishes with various dressings and/or toppings, and they all sounded really yummy.
I ordered the Cold Inaniwa Udon with Three Kinds of Dressings - onsen tamago (hot spring egg) dressing, yam dressing and duck dressing (HK$128). I enjoyed the slippery and silky thin noodles which had a good bite and bounce. All three dressings were great with the noodles, but I particularly enjoyed the yam dressing that had a strong sesame flavour too:
I really enjoyed my cold Inaniwa udon, and I can't wait to bring hubby back there to try this special udon.
[Price quoted above are exclusive of the 10% service charge.]
Inaniwa Udon·Nabe
Shop 2002, 2nd Floor, Elements
1 Austin Road West
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Hong Kong
Tel. +85 2 2196 8989
Friday 21 September 2012
New York City: A Child's Playground
It's a well-known and loved fact that there are lots to do and see in New York City, but what if you have little ones tagging along? In fact, there are so many things to do in NYC with children - be it playing at the parks, visiting museums or having fun in the playground. I didn't know that there are so many playgrounds in NYC; in fact, I had actually dismissed the thought of finding even one in the Financial District, where we always stay. One would think that most people in the Financial District are there for work and not play, yet I found three within easy distance from our hotel (discovered mostly during our daily walks).
Here is a photo summary of the places in NYC that my son enjoyed the most.
Playgrounds
The best things in life are free, including playgrounds. There are so many playgrounds around in NYC that we were coming across a new one on every new route we took. If you want to find a playground in a specific area, the City of New York Parks and Recreation website is pretty handy.
A playground on Catherine Slip near Water Street, just east of the Financial District and south of Chinatown and very close to the East River Bikeway and South Street. Across the road is another playground, and one block north on Catherine Slip is another playground. Discovered these playgrounds during our walk on the first day:
Playground at West Thames Park. Accessible from the Financial District via an overhead pedestrian bridge on West Street near Rector Street. A fun playground for sand and water play:
At Central Park, home to 21 playgrounds! After posing for the camera at this bridge, my son played at the nearby Heckscher Playground, located in the southern section of Central Park. Apparently it's the oldest playground in Central Park. Large area with a huge water feature with slides, tunnels and ramps - perfect for the hot muggy summer weather:
A small neighbourhood playground on Riverside Boulevard near West 68th Street. We took a short break here after exiting the Hudson River Greenway for Central Park during our bike ride around the city:
The flagship Imagination Playground at Burling Slip (flanked by John Street, Front Street and South Street) was the closest playground to our hotel. Kids can play in the sand on one side, with the distinctive blue foam blocks in the middle...
... and splash in the water on the other end. You can see the South Street Seaport just over yonder. The Imagination Playground is the only playground I know with on-site trained staff (called 'playworkers') to facilitate activities and provide added safety. Free to public:
Museums
It's no secret that NYC is museums galore. There are a few children-oriented museums around, and many museums have children's programs - even the MoMA! I must admit that I am more an outdoorsy person and not so much a museum-goer, but we did check out two museums.
All hands on deck! Entrance tickets to the South Street Seaport Museum includes entry on the Lightship Ambrose. Kids under 9 years old go in free, and join the mailing list at the website to receive two free tickets:
The American Museum of Natural History is a must for kiddies over 3 years old! Then go share a stack of pancakes for lunch at Sarabeth's a block away (it is possible to leave and re-enter the museum - just be sure to keep the entrance tickets):
My son absolutely loved the dinosaur exhibits at the Museum of Natural History:
High Line Park
We had a couple of people recommend that we visit the High Line, and I was puzzled as to why I had never heard of it before. The puzzle was solved when I did a little research and discovered that the first section of the High Line was opened in June 2009, shortly after we'd left NYC in 2009. It was suggested that we start at the north end and work our way southwards, and then head to Chelsea Market which is conveniently located close to the W 16th Street exit. It was a nice stroll through, and I appreciated the innovative idea of making use of a historic but disused freight rail line while preserving its heritage. It's also a pretty cool concept walking along an elevated rail-trail.
The stairway access into the High Line at West 23rd Street, where we started. The northernmost access point is on West 30th Street:
Near the start of our walk southwards along the High Line. That building up ahead had an unusual design, and there were a few tourists taking photos of it. It looked like a residential building with tall windows, and most of its occupants were sensible enough to have their shutters drawn:
There were more foliage further south, and the rail tracks are visible here. Oh, and that's my boy with his teddy-blankie (that transforms him into a super-hero):
There is even a sundeck and water feature between the West 16th Street and West 14th Street access points. Nearby are some food stalls set up selling drinks and coffee, snacks, ice cream and sandwiches:
We then exited the High Line at the W 14th Street access point, and headed to Chelsea Market for lunch. I was in foodie heaven in Chelsea Market, and I will write about what I ate in due time. Stay tuned!
Here is a photo summary of the places in NYC that my son enjoyed the most.
Playgrounds
The best things in life are free, including playgrounds. There are so many playgrounds around in NYC that we were coming across a new one on every new route we took. If you want to find a playground in a specific area, the City of New York Parks and Recreation website is pretty handy.
A playground on Catherine Slip near Water Street, just east of the Financial District and south of Chinatown and very close to the East River Bikeway and South Street. Across the road is another playground, and one block north on Catherine Slip is another playground. Discovered these playgrounds during our walk on the first day:
Playground at West Thames Park. Accessible from the Financial District via an overhead pedestrian bridge on West Street near Rector Street. A fun playground for sand and water play:
At Central Park, home to 21 playgrounds! After posing for the camera at this bridge, my son played at the nearby Heckscher Playground, located in the southern section of Central Park. Apparently it's the oldest playground in Central Park. Large area with a huge water feature with slides, tunnels and ramps - perfect for the hot muggy summer weather:
A small neighbourhood playground on Riverside Boulevard near West 68th Street. We took a short break here after exiting the Hudson River Greenway for Central Park during our bike ride around the city:
The flagship Imagination Playground at Burling Slip (flanked by John Street, Front Street and South Street) was the closest playground to our hotel. Kids can play in the sand on one side, with the distinctive blue foam blocks in the middle...
... and splash in the water on the other end. You can see the South Street Seaport just over yonder. The Imagination Playground is the only playground I know with on-site trained staff (called 'playworkers') to facilitate activities and provide added safety. Free to public:
Museums
It's no secret that NYC is museums galore. There are a few children-oriented museums around, and many museums have children's programs - even the MoMA! I must admit that I am more an outdoorsy person and not so much a museum-goer, but we did check out two museums.
All hands on deck! Entrance tickets to the South Street Seaport Museum includes entry on the Lightship Ambrose. Kids under 9 years old go in free, and join the mailing list at the website to receive two free tickets:
The American Museum of Natural History is a must for kiddies over 3 years old! Then go share a stack of pancakes for lunch at Sarabeth's a block away (it is possible to leave and re-enter the museum - just be sure to keep the entrance tickets):
My son absolutely loved the dinosaur exhibits at the Museum of Natural History:
High Line Park
We had a couple of people recommend that we visit the High Line, and I was puzzled as to why I had never heard of it before. The puzzle was solved when I did a little research and discovered that the first section of the High Line was opened in June 2009, shortly after we'd left NYC in 2009. It was suggested that we start at the north end and work our way southwards, and then head to Chelsea Market which is conveniently located close to the W 16th Street exit. It was a nice stroll through, and I appreciated the innovative idea of making use of a historic but disused freight rail line while preserving its heritage. It's also a pretty cool concept walking along an elevated rail-trail.
The stairway access into the High Line at West 23rd Street, where we started. The northernmost access point is on West 30th Street:
Near the start of our walk southwards along the High Line. That building up ahead had an unusual design, and there were a few tourists taking photos of it. It looked like a residential building with tall windows, and most of its occupants were sensible enough to have their shutters drawn:
There were more foliage further south, and the rail tracks are visible here. Oh, and that's my boy with his teddy-blankie (that transforms him into a super-hero):
There is even a sundeck and water feature between the West 16th Street and West 14th Street access points. Nearby are some food stalls set up selling drinks and coffee, snacks, ice cream and sandwiches:
We then exited the High Line at the W 14th Street access point, and headed to Chelsea Market for lunch. I was in foodie heaven in Chelsea Market, and I will write about what I ate in due time. Stay tuned!
Tuesday 18 September 2012
Revisit: Lunch @ Café Landmark, Hong Kong
I dislike it when hubby has to work on Sundays (though not as much as he himself). Thankfully it doesn't happen very often, and when it does, it gives us a reason to have a meal in Central. The Sunday before last was such a day, and the boy and I found ourselves in Central, uncertain of whether hubby would be able to finish his work and join us for lunch before I had to head off for an appointment. I booked us a table at Café Landmark anyway, and we waited for hubby in relative comfort there (he joined us about 20 minutes later). We'd been to Café Landmark before earlier this year, and we were keen to try out the creamy lobster linguine (I'd gotten the tomato-sauce version previously). The restaurant wasn't too full, so we could have enjoyed our meal at a more leisurely pace if I didn't have an appointment to make.
Complimentary bread basket, containing standard-quality bread:
Lobster Linguine - roasted lobster in a creamy sauce (HK$250). Perfectly enjoyable and very flavourful, but I prefer the tomato-based sauce. Not a dish to order if you don't like messing up your fingers:
Parma Ham Pizza (HK$140). We were surprised when this was served, because we'd expected a pizza, not toasted pita! This took awhile to be served after ordering (perhaps 30 minutes), although it looked like it would have only taken a few minutes to put together. The parma ham was salty so it could have really used a more substantial and thicker base. The ham was also drowning in olive oil:
One thing I noticed about this restaurant on our two visits is the pace at which the food was served. For example, on this visit, we'd ordered the 'pizza' at least ten minutes before the linguine (so that my son could get started on eating), yet it didn't arrive until at least ten minutes after the linguine was served. The pizza seemed quite simple to compose, so we're not sure why it took so long. The desserts also took a long time to prepare, and we had to enquire twice to different staff before the first dessert was served (each time the waitstaff would disappear into the kitchen to check, but we would get no word back). The desserts were delicious, although we are left wondering as to whether the mango soufflé was a rushed job as it didn't seem quite cooked inside.
Mango Soufflé with mango ice cream (HK$70). Beautifully airy with a nice top crust and great mango flavour. However, the middle was still quite wet, much like eating warm mousse:
Dark Chocolate Pudding - freshly baked, served warm with melting chocolate filling and vanilla gelato (HK$80). Nice presentation:
The perfect chocolate molten cake:
All in all it was an enjoyable lunch. I do feel that Café Landmark needs to brush up on its customer service to match the quality of the food and not-so-modest prices. Perhaps next time we will go when we don't have any time constraints.
[Prices quoted above are exclusive of the 10% service charge.]
Café Landmark
1/F, The Landmark
16 Des Voeux Road Central
Central
Tel. +85 2 2526 4200
Complimentary bread basket, containing standard-quality bread:
Lobster Linguine - roasted lobster in a creamy sauce (HK$250). Perfectly enjoyable and very flavourful, but I prefer the tomato-based sauce. Not a dish to order if you don't like messing up your fingers:
Parma Ham Pizza (HK$140). We were surprised when this was served, because we'd expected a pizza, not toasted pita! This took awhile to be served after ordering (perhaps 30 minutes), although it looked like it would have only taken a few minutes to put together. The parma ham was salty so it could have really used a more substantial and thicker base. The ham was also drowning in olive oil:
One thing I noticed about this restaurant on our two visits is the pace at which the food was served. For example, on this visit, we'd ordered the 'pizza' at least ten minutes before the linguine (so that my son could get started on eating), yet it didn't arrive until at least ten minutes after the linguine was served. The pizza seemed quite simple to compose, so we're not sure why it took so long. The desserts also took a long time to prepare, and we had to enquire twice to different staff before the first dessert was served (each time the waitstaff would disappear into the kitchen to check, but we would get no word back). The desserts were delicious, although we are left wondering as to whether the mango soufflé was a rushed job as it didn't seem quite cooked inside.
Mango Soufflé with mango ice cream (HK$70). Beautifully airy with a nice top crust and great mango flavour. However, the middle was still quite wet, much like eating warm mousse:
Dark Chocolate Pudding - freshly baked, served warm with melting chocolate filling and vanilla gelato (HK$80). Nice presentation:
The perfect chocolate molten cake:
All in all it was an enjoyable lunch. I do feel that Café Landmark needs to brush up on its customer service to match the quality of the food and not-so-modest prices. Perhaps next time we will go when we don't have any time constraints.
[Prices quoted above are exclusive of the 10% service charge.]
Café Landmark
1/F, The Landmark
16 Des Voeux Road Central
Central
Tel. +85 2 2526 4200
Friday 14 September 2012
Pancakes @ Sarabeth's (Upper West Side), New York
During our final week in New York last month, I brought my son to the American Museum of Natural History - a fantastic place for kids and adults alike. The visit brought out the science geek in me, and the boy loved the dinosaur exhibits. We left the museum briefly to have lunch at Sarabeth's, which is located only a block away from the museum. There are several branches around NYC, and I'd read online that Sarabeth's is enormously popular for brunch on weekends at all locations and that there is usually a wait for a table. It was just as well that we went there on a weekday, and we were whisked to a table without having to wait (it was still a pretty full house).
The entrance to Sarabeth's, with a few outside tables for al-fresco dining:
Stepping into Sarabeth's was like stepping inside a large home with lots of tables and chairs. The atmosphere was relaxed and casual, and the staff were cheerful and friendly. The boy and I were sat near the back, but we were not neglected as our table was next to the hallway to the kitchen, and the cash register was nearby. We were given the Breakfast/Lunch Menu and a Kid's Menu, but I was keen for only one item that I'd read was good at Sarabeth's: Lemon and Ricotta Pancakes with fresh blackberries and strawberries. I ordered a plate for the boy and I to share, and it was plenty for our tummies.
Lemon & Ricotta Pancakes with fresh berries, maple syrup and whipped butter. These were the fluffiest pancakes I've ever had. It was simply divine with maple syrup drizzled over it:
I would love to bring hubby to Sarabeth's next time we're in NYC. For now, I'll have to keep dreaming about those fluffy lemon and ricotta pancakes.
Sarabeth's West
423 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10024
United States
(Upper West Side)
Tel. +1 212 496 6280
The entrance to Sarabeth's, with a few outside tables for al-fresco dining:
Stepping into Sarabeth's was like stepping inside a large home with lots of tables and chairs. The atmosphere was relaxed and casual, and the staff were cheerful and friendly. The boy and I were sat near the back, but we were not neglected as our table was next to the hallway to the kitchen, and the cash register was nearby. We were given the Breakfast/Lunch Menu and a Kid's Menu, but I was keen for only one item that I'd read was good at Sarabeth's: Lemon and Ricotta Pancakes with fresh blackberries and strawberries. I ordered a plate for the boy and I to share, and it was plenty for our tummies.
Lemon & Ricotta Pancakes with fresh berries, maple syrup and whipped butter. These were the fluffiest pancakes I've ever had. It was simply divine with maple syrup drizzled over it:
I would love to bring hubby to Sarabeth's next time we're in NYC. For now, I'll have to keep dreaming about those fluffy lemon and ricotta pancakes.
Sarabeth's West
423 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10024
United States
(Upper West Side)
Tel. +1 212 496 6280
Thursday 13 September 2012
Walking the Brooklyn Bridge
On our trip to New York last month, I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge with my son (in his stroller). This was my third trip to NYC, yet my first walk across the famed bridge. It was only during this third trip that I realised it may be possible to cross the bridge on foot, and after clarifying that fact, I knew I couldn't leave NYC without first doing it. This realisation only hit me at the end of our only weekend in the city, so I had to do the bridge crossing without hubby, not able to share the load of pushing a stroller with a not-so-light child in it. That was one of the many times during our trip that I was grateful we hadn't left the stroller behind at home in Hong Kong, because although our almost-4-years-old kid loves to run, he most definitely wouldn't have been able to make it across the whole 1.8km length on foot (and then back again), and I wasn't going to try walking that length carrying a 16kg load - plus all the other kiddy baggage that comes with him - on my arms. It took me 45 minutes to reach Brooklyn, stopping many times for photo-taking. We were blessed with glorious weather that Monday, and there weren't many tourists, pedestrians and cyclists on the bridge. If I were to do it one-way only, I would take the Metro subway into Brooklyn, walk the bridgetowards Manhattan and enjoy the city skyline along the way.
Brooklyn-bound on the Brooklyn Bridge (click image for larger view):
Clearly marked lanes for pedestrians and cyclists:
Looking south-west towards Governors Island. The Statue of Liberty is also visible from this viewpoint (click image for larger view):
An acquaintance had suggested having an ice cream once we got to the Brooklyn end of the bridge, and that idea stuck with me. At the end of the Brooklyn Bridge, there is a diner across the road by the traffic light, called Celeste Diner. The diner wasn't really anything special, but it sure was nice sitting down in air-conditioned comfort after walking for the past hour in the sun from our downtown hotel. The ice cream also wasn't anything special with only three basic flavours to choose from, but it was a yummy cool treat.
Inside Celeste Diner:
Our mid-morning snack - a scoop of chocolate ice cream. We ordered a strawberry-flavoured one shortly after:
I leave you with a panoramic shot of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge. It really was a beautiful day that day.
Click image for a larger view:
Brooklyn-bound on the Brooklyn Bridge (click image for larger view):
Clearly marked lanes for pedestrians and cyclists:
Looking south-west towards Governors Island. The Statue of Liberty is also visible from this viewpoint (click image for larger view):
An acquaintance had suggested having an ice cream once we got to the Brooklyn end of the bridge, and that idea stuck with me. At the end of the Brooklyn Bridge, there is a diner across the road by the traffic light, called Celeste Diner. The diner wasn't really anything special, but it sure was nice sitting down in air-conditioned comfort after walking for the past hour in the sun from our downtown hotel. The ice cream also wasn't anything special with only three basic flavours to choose from, but it was a yummy cool treat.
Inside Celeste Diner:
Our mid-morning snack - a scoop of chocolate ice cream. We ordered a strawberry-flavoured one shortly after:
I leave you with a panoramic shot of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge. It really was a beautiful day that day.
Click image for a larger view:
Tuesday 11 September 2012
Kiwi food @ Kiwiana, New York
Less than three hours after we finished our late lunch feast, we ate a fabulous dinner at Kiwiana in Brooklyn. Hubby's excuse for the gluttony within such short span of time was that we'd spent half the day cycling all over New York City, and he could still eat more. I didn't protest even though I was exhausted and still full from our 3pm lunch, because we only had one weekend in NYC, and this was our only chance to head out to Brooklyn. Kiwiana was on our must-eat list for our NYC trip because one of hubby's colleagues in Hong Kong co-owns this restaurant, and hubby had promised we would check it out. Plus Kiwi food piqued our foodie interest. I'm glad we went because the food was good! Chef Mark Simmons hails from New Zealand, trained in Australia and Japan, and was a former Top Chef contestant. We met the guy, and he was super-friendly and down-to-earth.
The cozy little restaurant:
Kiwiana is small and cozy, in a simple and homely setting. The staff was enthusiastic and friendly, and I felt right at home. The menu wasn't big, which I appreciate as it meant that Chef Simmons can maintain good quality control of the food going out from the kitchen. You can tell with every bite that the ingredients were of top notch quality, and the dishes were executed well. Kiwiana was worth the trip to Brooklyn (which was only a short subway ride from downtown).
To start our meal, we shared the Foie Gras Torchon with kumquat marmalade, bitter greens and toast. The torchon was smooth and extremely flavourful, and the kumquat marmalade was simply delicious!
One of the specials of the day was the Kiwi Burger going for US$10 (normal menu price US$15). We'd ordered one for the boy, who unfortunately was too tired to eat. Which meant more for mummy and daddy:
The Kiwi Burger - ground lamb, fried egg, cheddar and beetroot with hand-cut fries. This was very good as far as burgers go. The lamb patty was moist and cooked perfectly, and hubby was thrilled to see beetroot:
For mains, hubby chose Seared Diver Scallops with cauliflower and bacon ragout, and passion fruit sauce (US$24). The scallops were big, plump and sweet, cooked just right with a lovely char. I was in love with the cauliflower and bacon ragout, which was a tasty substitute for mashed potatoes:
I got the NZ Snapper with saffron and chorizo risotto (US$26). I never knew snapper could be so juicy and moist, and the crispy skin was the epitome of the Maillard reaction goodness. The saffron and chorizo risotto was lovely and would have been great on its own too:
For dessert, we chose Lemon Poppy Seed Panna Cotta with raspberry gazpacho (US$8). You can't go wrong with lemon and poppy seed, and the raspberry gazpacho gave a bright burst of colour to the dessert:
Pecan Bread Pudding with tangerine marmalade and whisky caramel (US$8), which came compliments of Chef Simmons. And we were glad for it because the bread pudding trumped the panna cotta! Unlike the soggy bread versions I've had, this was sumptuous and delicious, interspersed with crunchy pecans and moistened with marmalade and caramel. I'm not usually a fan of bread pudding, but this was delectable, and a meal on its own:
We had a great dinner at Kiwiana. The staff are some of the friendliest waitstaff we met on the east coast, and the food was excellent.
Kiwiana
847 Union Street
Brooklyn NY 11215
United States
Tel. +1 718 230-3682
The cozy little restaurant:
Kiwiana is small and cozy, in a simple and homely setting. The staff was enthusiastic and friendly, and I felt right at home. The menu wasn't big, which I appreciate as it meant that Chef Simmons can maintain good quality control of the food going out from the kitchen. You can tell with every bite that the ingredients were of top notch quality, and the dishes were executed well. Kiwiana was worth the trip to Brooklyn (which was only a short subway ride from downtown).
To start our meal, we shared the Foie Gras Torchon with kumquat marmalade, bitter greens and toast. The torchon was smooth and extremely flavourful, and the kumquat marmalade was simply delicious!
One of the specials of the day was the Kiwi Burger going for US$10 (normal menu price US$15). We'd ordered one for the boy, who unfortunately was too tired to eat. Which meant more for mummy and daddy:
The Kiwi Burger - ground lamb, fried egg, cheddar and beetroot with hand-cut fries. This was very good as far as burgers go. The lamb patty was moist and cooked perfectly, and hubby was thrilled to see beetroot:
For mains, hubby chose Seared Diver Scallops with cauliflower and bacon ragout, and passion fruit sauce (US$24). The scallops were big, plump and sweet, cooked just right with a lovely char. I was in love with the cauliflower and bacon ragout, which was a tasty substitute for mashed potatoes:
I got the NZ Snapper with saffron and chorizo risotto (US$26). I never knew snapper could be so juicy and moist, and the crispy skin was the epitome of the Maillard reaction goodness. The saffron and chorizo risotto was lovely and would have been great on its own too:
For dessert, we chose Lemon Poppy Seed Panna Cotta with raspberry gazpacho (US$8). You can't go wrong with lemon and poppy seed, and the raspberry gazpacho gave a bright burst of colour to the dessert:
Pecan Bread Pudding with tangerine marmalade and whisky caramel (US$8), which came compliments of Chef Simmons. And we were glad for it because the bread pudding trumped the panna cotta! Unlike the soggy bread versions I've had, this was sumptuous and delicious, interspersed with crunchy pecans and moistened with marmalade and caramel. I'm not usually a fan of bread pudding, but this was delectable, and a meal on its own:
We had a great dinner at Kiwiana. The staff are some of the friendliest waitstaff we met on the east coast, and the food was excellent.
Kiwiana
847 Union Street
Brooklyn NY 11215
United States
Tel. +1 718 230-3682
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