The Best Thing I Ever Ate

This is The Best Thing I Ever Ate

I understand that by saying that something is the best I risk the inevitable situation that someone will beg to differ. Yet I can proudly say that the best thing I ever ate is at one of my favorite restaurants, Momofuku Noodle Bar. At this point I’ve lost track of how many times I have been there, but each and every time is as amazing as the first. While many people swear by the steamed pork buns, I myself favor their incredibly savory, succulent, sweet, mesmerizing, amazing, scrumdeliocious (can I think of any other way to describe it?) Shiitake Mushroom Steamed Buns. These babies are on the top of my list of “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”. The steamed buns are filled with thinly sliced shiitake mushroom that are lightly fried with a sweet sauce that reminds of hoisin, and fresh cucumbers to add a crisp bite. The combination is simply something I can’t describe in words. Of course, their classic Momofuku Ramen is also the best ramen I have ever had (even Ippudo was completely lackluster in comparison). However, there is one thing that I am still waiting for at Momofuku: to finally have their Fried Chicken dinner (but that will be a whole nother post). 

Always a crowd (even at lunch)

Inside pure perfection

Ramen bowls waiting to get filled. Sitting at the bar watching the line cooks work is my favorite place to eat inside

Momofuku Ramen

Happy Birthday Valentine

Every February the days surrounding Valentine’s Day are always exciting and full of events due to the consecutive birthdays of my friends Sukhie and Alyssa. This year we celebrated with a party for our closest friends at a bar in the West Village. The following day we kept a low key evening with dinner at Buddakan in the meatpacking district and some dancing afterwards. The exciting thing about MPD is that you are always bound to see some form of celebrity (this Saturday brought out Kellan Lutz). On top of this, since Valentine’s Day fell on a Monday and I could not spend it with my boyfriend Alex, he left me a box of truffles from Godiva which (unsurprisingly) is already half empty.

Arabian Nights

Instead of a Magic Genie, I carried my favorite new accessory

Over the weekend I attended the engagement party for my boyfriend Alex’s sister and her fiancé. Festivities were held at a Moroccan restaurant Casablanca, and between all the food, the belly dancing and toasts to the happy couple, I managed to snap a few photos for the debut of my new ASOS feather clutch. I’ve had my eye on one of these ever since Sarah Jessica Parker strutted her stuff with one in the first "Sex & the City" movie, and as soon as I saw it mentioned on my favorite blog, I ordered one immediately. By the end of the night I was down a few feathers, but filled with baklava.

Alex, a fan of my clutch

"Bye Bye Birdie"

The original

A delicious cake for the couple

                                                       Leather and Feathers

Kiss the Chef (Gladly)

The proper way to crack open Lobster

My boyfriend Alex is a world-renowned chef making exquisite culinary concoctions solely in the comfort of his kitchen with a very VIP guest list consisting of family and friends. I am his Sous-chef but sometimes I am also called, “Please just stand over there so I can finish this” (also a very prominent and well-respected position to hold in any fine kitchen, where do you think Bobby Flay got his start?)

The following is a compilation of our Top Chef moments, Padma Lakshmi not included.

The first time Alex cooked for me: Scallops

Typical scene of my confusion and Alex's expertise

Inspiration

Notice the smile on Alex's face and the look of exhaust on mine

One of Alex's greatest creations: Braised short-ribs

100 Miles to Philly, Then Back to New York

Flatiron

Having grown up in Philadelphia I always loved my wonderful city of “Brotherly Love”. The historical aspect of Philadelphia has kept it booming with tourists, night life, and culinary excellence, although the high rate of violence is something not worth mentioning.

I don’t know exactly when it happened, but at some point in high school I decided that I should move on to a bigger and better city life, so I was set on New York. I wanted to become a city sage.

Having lived in Manhattan for a couple years now, many times I feel a great divide. When I’m home, I’m longing for the streets of New York and the hustle and bustle that drove me there. Yet sometimes, when I’m walking down those very same streets there is a part of me that is homesick for the simplicity of my suburban dwellings in the outskirts of Philadelphia. While in New York I can get up close and personal with Diane von Furstenberg, but only back home can I peek out my window to see my dad lounging in our pool. Sometimes home is simply where the heart is.

A View From a Window

A View From a Patio

My Dad vs. DVF, who is truly haute couture?

Cornelliana

Last summer I finally made it out to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY with my friend Sukhie to visit our good friend Jimmy. We stayed for the weekend and spent our days exploring the college campus, the local town, and the infamous gorges. While the scenery was undeniably beautiful and the air was fresh and crisp, I couldn’t help but start longing for city life after a few days.

Something Old, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

A t-cup to match my t-shirt

I recently came across this blue sparkly sweater that my mom was planning on throwing out. It was hers from years ago (perhaps even decades) and I always loved the crisp blue color and the sheen from the interwoven sparkly thread. I decided to salvage the sweater and had my mom wash it in hot water and dry it in the hopes that it would shrink.

I love the look of the sweater, how it is both casual since it is a bit loose and baggy, but also a little dressed up from the sparkle. I wore this to my first day back to class after winter break and paired it with jeans and a comfy white cardigan on top. On a cold Manhattan day that had a low of 7° I needed to keep warm but also stand out on my first day back.  

New Kid On The Block, Barbuzzo

Bringing to life a Valentino silk scarf for the night

Last weekend Alex and I drove into Philadelphia to try the new restaurant Barbuzzo. Craig LaBan’s review did us in, and the mouthwatering pictures kept us there. Do not venture into this restaurant without a reservation. We walked into heaps of people waiting for a table or bar space and I immediately noted how narrow, yet cozy, the restaurant was. Luckily (since Alex takes his culinary adventures seriously) we had reservations and were quickly seated. We barely looked at the menu because we knew exactly what we wanted.

Barbuzzo serves Mediterranean cuisine, and they serve it well. Besides being well reviewed, Barbuzzo is extremely well priced for the city (the most expensive item is $19). We had:

Cured Meat Board with Mediterranean olive tapenade and homemade apricot mustard, caperberries, cornichons & baguette. We both enjoyed this charcuterie, but agreed that it could not beat the amazing one we had at Parc.

Grilled Spanish Rock Octopus with housemade chorizo, potato confit, lemon and pimeton. The flavors were amazing and I loved the charcoal taste of grilled octopus, but I found it a little too dry and it did not compare to the one at Marea.

Uovo pizza with brussel leaves, guanicale, caciocavallo, house stretched fior di latte, truffle & farm egg. This was one of the best pizzas I ever ate. The truffle and the egg had a rich taste and brought pizza to a whole new level.

Salted Caramel Budino with dark chocolate crust, vanilla bean caramel & sea salt. If you go to Barbuzzo and this is the only thing you get, you will not be disappointed (who doesn't appreciate fresh caramel?).

After our dining experience at Barbuzzo we walked over to APO (Apothecary) Bar (it says online that it closed, but as of last weekend it was open for business). The lounge has a cool feel with old style vials on the bar to give a prohibition-era feel. We toasted to the night and to our next return to Barbuzzo (I already have my eye on the roasted bone marrow). 

Inside Barbuzzo, think contemporary Mediterranean farmhouse

Grilled Spanish Rock Octopus

Cured Meat Board

Uovo Pizza

APO, think Now and Then....

Blowing out the candle goodnight