TACOS for everyone

Growing up, I never had Mexican food of any sort unless you consider tacos made with ground beef seasoned with the "taco" seasoning packet that came in the box with the premade taco shells by Ortega from the supermarket to be Mexican. My mother would try her hand at Korean, Japanese and even Italian food however Mexican food was just never on the radar. It was probably because my father is not a huge fan of beans so I really had very little exposure to anything remotely authentic. The closest I had was Taco Bell's at the mall and even that stuff my father would refuse to eat. He would just wander over to the nearest Master Wok to get himself a plate of some good ole General Tso's chicken and fried rice rather than to be forced to eat beans.

Perhaps my under exposure to real authentic Mexican food in my youth is causing this unexplainable obsession in my old age. I seriously have a problem......I can't stop eating Mexican food. And I don't mean fancy Mexican ......you are much more likely to find me stuffing my face with a beef tongue taco at a dirty taqueria than eating at a fancy BYOB like Lolita's.

I have consistently managed to eat some sort of Mexican food at least once a week for the past 2 years. On Sundays, I can usually be found at Headhouse Squares farmers market standing in line either for the al pastor tacos or the haurauches or both if I'm feeling particularly gluttonous. I prefer the atmosphere and the food at the market rather than the actual restaurant which is located in the Italian market. I don't know what it is but everytime I get the tacos from this stand.....it's like I have a little piece of Mexican heaven. Even Miss HatT thinks it's weird how much I enjoy the tacos.

From food

La Lupe's over near the famous Pat's and Geno's has also become a regular haunt for me and Miss HatT.. She's really the only eating companion that I can drag consistently to these taquerias. Most of my other friends only indulge me a few times a year, Miss HatT will join me for my quest for the perfect taco almost all the time. I recently had the enchilada mole and beef tongue taco's at La Lupe and both were sooo good. Beef tongue tacos in general I find delicious. There's just something about the slightly gamey and rich yet beefy taste and springy texture of the tongue meat that just sends shivers of pleasure through my body when I eat these tacos. It's almost like a When Harry met Sally moment. I know it's strange and I really don't understand why I enjoy them that much..but I do.

Wicked Mama's

IMG_0179, originally uploaded by ptran215.

What's the next best thing to winning the Wicked Lottery? Mozzarepas! Don't know what a Mozzarepa is you say? Have you ever been to a street fair in NYC where they sell corn griddle cakes with cheese oozing out the middle? that's a mozzarepa.

I'm a big fan of corn and also a big fan of mozzarella cheese and when you put them together... it's good times all around. To be fair, the arepas that you can get from the street fairs all over NYC really do not compare to the golden crispy griddle cakes that Mama's serves.

Mama's is a Brazilian empanada place. They had all sorts of different empandas. Some were made from a wheat flour dough and there were a few made from cornmeal. We ordered both and had anticipated that the corn meal empanadas would taste better however the consistency of the cornmeal shell was off putting. It was just too thick and hard and tasted more like cardboard than corn. The flour shell was thinner and flakier.

IMG_0187, originally uploaded by ptran215.

We found Mama's purely by luck. Having just won the Wicked Lottery, we didn't want to wander too far from the theater and decided to try to find lunch on 9th Ave. Mama's caught our eye right away, it was cute and it looked clean, fast and affordable. Our goal, other than convenience, was to get as far away from the chain eateries that littered every corner near Times Square. I mean really! why would anyone choose to go to Red Lobster or Applebees when there are good joints like Mama's just a block or two away?

IMG_0189, originally uploaded by ptran215.

Tria - Sunday School

Once again I found myself parked inside Tria for a nice glass of wine and some yummy cheese and bread. I was shopping on Walnut Street with Miss HatT before we met up with some of our other Sunday School regulars.

After checking out the merchandise on Walnut Street, sitting down to a chilled glass of wine is a perfect ending to the afternoon. It also helps that the wine is half off and so is the cheese. I had a hotdog from a street vendor before heading into Tria as I had been craving a hot dog ever since the weather turned warmer. I don't know what it is about summer but it makes me want hambugers and hot dogs...perhaps I've watched way too many sitcoms in my youth?

My friend ordered a pine nut and blue cheese salad that was swimming in pine nuts just the way she likes it. She used to be a big fan of the Vintage house salad but recently they have been omitting the pine nuts which has negatively affected her opinion of their salad. However at Tria they have decided that being stingy with the pine nuts is not a necessity to stay afloat in this tough economy. A glass a wine, some cheese, a salad and an hour or two of swapping tales of shopping and we were each on our way. Tria's Sunday school really is one of the best excuses to grab a glass of wine with friends on the weekend.

Sakura - xiao long bao?

I've been on a personal quest to find a place in Philadelphia that makes really good soup dumplings. In the last year or so, there have been a few contenders that have popped up in Chinatown, one called Dim Sum Garden and there was another small place located on Race between 9th and 10th. I can't quite remember the name but I remember trying the dumplings multiple times at both these locations in a vain attempt to find a good soup dumpling. I got so dumpling crazy that I even ordered them at dimsum once at Ocean City. Now that really showed desperation, as all XLB experienced eaters know - you can't really make these beauties ahead of time and you sure as heck can't wheel them around the room for 20 minutes and expect them to stay plump and juicy. Instead of juicy dumplings, I got 3 dried and shriveled pork dumlings heavily flavored with ginger. And was once again convinced that my search would never be successful.

**Green Beans**

Dim Sum Garden on 11th Street makes a pretty good dumpling but I think the best part of my eating experience there has little to do with the dumpling itself and more to do with the sweet "dumpling" sauce that they have on each table. I like to mix the dumpling sauce with the chili oil and the vinegar to make my own concoction that I use to sauce my dumplings. I also typically really enjoy the napa cabbage that is usually steamed along side the dumplings on the bottom of the steamer and DSG does away with this vegetation. So although the dumplings were decent and juicy they don't compare to the dumplings that are served at Joe Shanghai's/Joe Ginger in NYC and it's these yummy juicy buns that are the gold standard for XLB's.

But sweet success was to be had! after being tipped off to XLB's on FooBooz I quickly made my way over to Chinatown to see if it was indeed true. Winner! Sakura, on the corner of 11th and Race (used to be Ong's) now serves XLBs. They posted little color prints of the yummy dumplings in their windows and Miss HatT and I decided to give it a try. Boy oh boy am I glad that we did. As soon as we sat down a waittress came over to see if we wanted to order dumplings. And this was literally minutes after we got to the table. They do this at almost all the good dumpling places because they steam the dumplings to order and it takes a good 15 minutes for the dumplings to be cooked so to get them to the table ASAP they need to put them in the steamer right away.

**Soup Dumpling on it's way to being devoured**



Miss HatT and I were actually starving having just come from the Art Star Craft Fair on Penns Landing and needed some serious refueling. I had read on the post that the scallion pancakes were yummy and the double cooked porked. So we ordered those dishes as well as string beans. I was so blown away by my dumplings and so happy to see my pork and green beans that I completely forgot about my scallion pancakes which never arrived. I can't even tell you if we ended up being charged for them as with many places in Chinatown, the bill was written in chinese and we just happily paid up and left the joint.

Let me get back to the dumplings, as they were certainly the highlight of the meal. We got 6 good sized dumplings. The skins were delicate and a little on the sticky side. I could literally see throught the skins, they were so delicate. We ordered the pork crab version which is my favorite and they did not dissappoint. One reviewer said that the soup was less salty than other places..but I found it to be well seasoned and full of flavor. The filling itself was meaty but not too dense and the crab flavor wasn't too seafood-y which showed that it was fresh. I would highly recommend that anyone looking for XLB in Philly to check this place out.

As for the rest of the meal, it did not live up to expectations. The double cooked pork had a combo of sliced pork belly, pressed tofu and cabbage swimming in a chili oil bean sauce. I found the dish edible but salty and not at all spicy..there was little to no heat. It wasn't off putting but just not something that I would order again. And the same for the green beans. The black bean sauce with pickled bits of turnip/radish just seemed salty more than anything else. Perhaps I'm used to the sweeter style of cantonese cooking and dirty chinese take out. Or perhaps the chef had an off day and double salted everthing. But after having the leftover green beans with rice today for lunch, it just reinforced my initial impression of the dish being oversalted. I have yet to try to finish off the left over double cooked pork. I'm considering eating it with plain congee as I usually like my congee with some sort of salty side dish.

**Double Cooked Pork**

Anyway, these were minor set backs as the dumplings were really very very very good. And although I have been called (by a good friend of mine), the ultimate hype man, I kid you not, these XLB are the real thing and definitely worth a try to all XLB devotees - newies and old heads alike.

Yakitori Boy/ JAPAS

There have been few bars/lounges/restaurants that I can say that I whole heartedly love however Yakitori Boy/Japas has won me over. When I first found out that there was going to be another karaoke bar opening in Chinatown, I didn't give it much thought. Being an ABC(American Born Chinese) in Philadelphia, I've had plenty of exposure to seedy smoke filled karaoke bars that have popped up and died out over the years. These places in the past have always seem to attract the "wrong" crowd. I don't know what it was about these old karaoke places but something in the atmosphere would remind me of the underground world of the triads and brothels that made me keep my distance.

As I got older, I was exposed to other types of karaoke places in NYC that didn't have the same seedy underground feel. Most notably, I was introduced to JAPAS by a good friend of mine that had moved to NYC during his senior year at PENN. So when I discovered that the new karaoke/japanese restaurant that was opening on 11th street happened to also be a JAPAS, I was practically buzzing with anticipation for the grand opening.

Now a full year after their grand opening, I can say it is one of my favorite places in Philadelphia to spend an evening with my friends. The song list has been expertly updated to include titles from *gasp* the year 2000 to the present. The atmosphere is fun and the food good. They serve japanese food on the first floor which is Yakitori Boy and the second floor is called Japas and that is all the magic happens. A little sushi, some squid balls and of course some yummy skewers and you're good to go. Oh and don't forget the house rules - "sake bombs" for everyone :)

In Chinatown, with the exception of Vietnam Restaurant, it is rare to find the mixed clientele that I always see at Japas. The owners got the combination just right in this case. The decor is stylish and still asain themed without feeling too contrived, the staff is attentive and friendly, the bartenders know how to push the sake bombs enough so that you loosen up but not so much that you feel pressured and someone behind that bar expertly works the laser lights and smoke machine so that you often feel like you're giving a concert in the main room. It is an awesome place to sing your heart out when you've had a bad day and let me just say nothing makes me feel better after a little boy trouble like belting out a heatfelt rendition of Sinead O'Connor's "nothing compares 2U."

For some people singing in front of an audience is akin to torture and for those folks I'd say get a private room. A few hours of practice and you'll love singing in the main room. If you are looking to spend an evening with your friends and are tired of the same old bar scene, you really should get yourself over to Japas. Try it on a Tuesday night, it's dollar skewer day and dollar coors lights night.

Ethiopian - Almaz Cafe

Recently, I discoverd Almaz Cafe located right in Rittenhouse. I had passed it plenty of times walking around or driving around that area as Miss HaTt recently moved to the neighborhood. I always thought it was some sort of internet cafe/coffee shop. It turns out that Almaz is indeed an internet cafe offering free wi-fi and the typical coffee drinks that a normal coffee shop would offer however it also has a selection of fresh fruit smoothies and authentic Ethiopian fare.

My first exposure to ethopian food was (like for most people I know) during my undergraduate years at UPENN. As an impressionable freshman, I was introduced to Ethiopian food by some upper classmen who had already wandered past the 40th street boundary into the badlands of West Philly. Baltimore Avenue was the heart and soul of what could be called "little ethiopia." And it was here that I ate my first meal of vegetarian fare at Dahlak. The lighting was dim, the location was exotic, slightly dingy yet oh-so-appealing to be off campus, I found the food to be decent. But it wasthe experience of eating from a communual platter using nothing more than my fingers and some spongy tangy flat bread, I discovered was called injera, that I loved and that lingered in my memories.

I recently dined at Almaz with Miss HatT after an exhausting evening of shopping in an attempt to single handedly boost the economy. Having run out of credit/cash and energy, we settled into this unassuming cafe with its bright green walls and ordered the vegetarian platter and at the suggestions of the woman behind the counter the chicken stew.

Let me just say, it was exactly what I needed. The service was warm and friendly and when the food arrived both orders plated on one large platter over a layer injera, I was delighted. The food looked and smelled amazing. The vegetable platter had a lentil dish, a cabage-carrot-potato stew, and some stewed kale or collard greens. THe chicken stew tasted earthy and satisfing. It came with a hard boiled egg and a little side of cottage cheese that surprising went well with everything. (it reminded me of the riata that is often served with indian food) Miss HaTt and I managed to devour the entire platter but were unable to finish the extra side of injera. I think we impressed the cafe owners. The food felt fresh and cooked with love and integrity.

It was refreshing to find a meal that cost us under $15 per person that tasted homecooked and had a good variety of vegetables and protein. It was hearty but felt healthy and not too heavy like a burger would have. If you find yourself in Rittenhouse and fancy an ethnic meal that taste good and is good for you...Almaz Cafe is definitely worth a try.

The W and NYC

In spite of the miserable weather predicted for the first weekend in May, 4 of my girl friends including miss HaTt decided to spend the weekend in NYC. We booked a room at the W and partied it up in the city.

Three of us started our weekend early and jumped on the chinatown bus on Friday morning. Since it is damn near impossible to find a good shanghai dumpling in Philly, our first stop was Joe's Ginger. It's the sister restaurant to Joe Shanghai and they pretty much serve the same menu with less of the hustle and bustle of Joe Shanghai. The dumplings came quickly as we were their first customers of the day. Two steamers full of dumplings and one order of scallion pancakes had the 3 of us more than satiated. The dumplings were presented on a layer of napa cabbage that become wonderfully sweet and soft when steamed under the dumplings. We ordered the crab and pork version. Joes Ginger offers some of the best soup dumplings in NYC.

After our quick lunch, the three of us walked to Bowery and jumped into a cab uptown to check in at the W. After all, lugging around an overnight bag tends to hamper ones shopping ability. After settling in at the W, we quickly ventured out again with umbrellas in tow. So far we were lucky. The predicted rain was nothing more than a few drops here and there and we decided to walk over to 5th Ave to check out some shops.

With all of our wallets collectively a little lighter we hoofed it back to the W to meet up with the last of our group and decided that it was time for meal #2. The weather had made a turn for the worst and this severely limited our food options. But being as we were in NYC Union Square....this just meant that instead of the thousands of restaurants in NYC we were limited to the few hundred within a 4 block radius. It really was nothing to complain about. We headed to Republic. A tried and true favorite of mine. I first came to this hip Asian fusion spot years and years ago. I think I was just 16 years old visiting a friend of my sister's who had just started at NYU. Republic was considered fancy dining to me back then. Now it's considered a "cheap" alternative to the high end restaurants. Funny how time changes everything.

Within my group of friends, only one was a newbie to this place and after our meal that consisted of beef sate, watercress salad, grilled eggplant and seafood pad thai .... we had a new convert. She too raved about the place. Of course, we washed it all down with some drinkie drinks which most likely colored her opinion. We were conservative and just got one pitcher of the sake sangria. Just a warning...the fruit in this sangria were more like pure shots of alcohol rather than refreshing treats but it still hit the spot.

After the light dinner at Republic we all went back to the W to prepare ourselves for late night shenanigans.

The reason for the light meal was that we had decided that we were all in dire need of some BonChon in our lives. And if you know miss HatT, then you know that she NEVER passes up fried chicken and will sell her soul to the devil for *Korean* fried chicken.

The meal at the hidden BonChon on 31st and 5th started out a little rocky. We were not proactive enough with our meal plans to make reservations ahead of time and were told upon arrival that our wait would be 45 minutes. Then our group grew from 5 to 7 and we were told that the wait for a 7 person table would be closer to an hr or more. Since we were all already at the restaurant (aside from the last minute addition of the 2 extra guests) we stuck around to wait for our table. This proved to be both the best and worst decision of the night.



I say the "best" because there were boys as far as the eye could see. I guess the combo of fried chicken and beer appeals more to the menfolk. As a single gal living in Philadelphia, I have to admit that the dating pool of eligible men seems to shrink with every passing year. Being Asian and having a penchance to date Asian men further minimizes the number of potential mates and the bar/club like scene at the hidden BonChon in NYC was quite a site for sore eyes. It was like *finally* a room full of guys that I don't know from grade/high school or who isn't somehow distantly related to me or *gasp* someone I already dated. My favorite character of the night was Ben Kim aka the best bartender in k-town. Thanks again for all the soju shots. And unfortunately I say the "worst" because the wait did indeed take forever and more than the 1hr that we were originally told. I don't think we got a table until after midnight and by that time after a few rounds with my favorite bartender my recollection of our actual dinner is a bit fuzzy. But nonetheless it was good times had by all :)



SATURDAY



Weeks, days and (to be honest) minutes before the trip I had been checking the weather somewhat excessively hoping that the dour forecast would miraculously change. Unfortunately the predictions of rain and precipitation were still coming hard and fast and Saturday was suppose to be a day of clouds and showers. However we lucked out. Spring time weather still seems to confound the most accurate weather forecasters and after a brief shower in the early morning hours the day pretty much cleared up.

I was lucky enough to win the lottery for some awesome front row Wicked seats with my best friend and I left the rest of the girls to their own devices. I heard after returning to them to get ready for dinner that they spent a lazy afternoon shopping and walking around Soho and the Union Square area. A meal was had at Gramercy Cafe that the girls all enjoyed and fro-yo was purchased at Flurt on 3rd Ave.

Dinner however was to be an all-out-affair with 10 of us in the private tatami room at Typhoon Lounge. We had reservations for 8:30PM at this well known St. Marks Japanese tapas destination. The waitress seemed a little surprised at the amount of food and drink that was ordered and kept wanting us to stop adding items to the list. However our one friend persisted and got everything that he wanted. The list of dishes that we ordered included sushi rolls, grilled egg plant, fried squid legs, cubed sirloin with ramen and vegetables, octopus balls, grilled mushrooms, grilled whole squid, beef curry over rice, and some other dishes that I can't even remember. The list of drinks included a pitcher of some sort of fruit juice soju concoction, a large carafe of some awful sake and a pitcher of Kirin. Suffice it to say that we were well fed and well boozed by the end of dinner. To top it all off, we then decided that we *must* try the bread pudding with the bacon creme anglaise from the famous "dessert truck". (OK only a *few* of us more adventurous eaters tried that dessert)

Having indulged more than expected we decided to call it an early night and walked off dinner as we headed back to the W for the night.



SUNDAY

The last day proved to be the absolute worst in terms of weather. All the dour predictions of rain came true and we woke up to a wet and cold NYC. As girly girls as we all are, we decided to cut our trip short and planned to jump on an early bus back to Philly. Of course, not before we squeezed in one last meal. I decided to take the girls to The Smith on 3rd and 10th located next to M2M. This place is typically packed for brunch and one usually sees a long line snaking out the door and down the block on a Sunday afternoon. But as we wanted to get back to Philly as early as possible in an attempt not to be too soaked by the rain, we were up and out of the hotel by 10:30AM. So when we arrived at the Smith for brunch we got a table with no wait..but also no access to alcohol. Apparently NYC will not allow liquor to be served before noon. No biggie as we all had a little too much the night before but just a cautionary note if you wanted to get your brunch time drink-on in NYC on a Sunday.



The brunch was fantastic. Huge portions, good food and great fun. By the time we left the restaurant the place was packed and the doorway jammed with people waiting for a seat. All in all the trip was a great success and we look forward to doing it again sometime.


http://www.joeginger.com/

http://www.thinknoodles.com/