Achai

Hi, Ore, Thank you so much for your wonderful blog. This fall we (I & husband) will set our first baby steps in Italy with almost zero knowledge about Italian food & wine. But I did learn (& enjoy)a lot from this section and your blog. Congratulations! Achai

Sorry! I mean 4+ stars!

This morning around 10:30am got a call from Per Se people asked do we like to have a table for 12:45pm spot, though we are on waiting list but 2 hours before the meal that was bit rush. Anyway we like Per Se so much so... This is the 2nd meal we had at Per Se. We ordered chef's tasting menu and vegetable tasting menu(my good man). Except pork shoulder I love everything. Compared with what we experienced at JG 2 weeks ago, I think Per Se deserves 3+ stars( I am no foodie person though ). Funny,Last time we did extened menu and we were pretty full, this time only 9 courses and I almost could not stomatch all of them( too much those wonderful breads maybe )! When mentioned to our service lady that we are kind of crazy about their bread,she told us that Per Se is going to open a store down stair in fall. The store will carry all those wonderful breads and chocolates ...ect,. Exact opening time is uncertain yet but they are working on it. People no longer have to wait 2 months to have a taste of Per Se in very near future.

Anyone crazy about "soup dumplings"? A special "soup dumpling(bun)" event will be held at Yuan Garden by Ding Tai Fong(means wok bountiful) a famed Taiwanese soup dumpling resturant. Date : 03/03~03/07& 03/11~03/14 Location: Yuan Garden at Sheraton LaGuardia East, Flushing (718)460-6666 ext. 3025 Famed dishes: crabmeat soup dumpling,soup dumpling, steam veg. dumpling, stickyrice dumpling,clear chicken broth, clear beef soup, steam buns(meat,veg., sesame, red bean paste) Warning: I had been this event last year and year before, very disappointed. They sold out almost everything within 2 hours. Not only quality of food were poor but also very pricing. If you really crazy about soup dumplings and really really want to try it , please try to book a early hour reservation. I will pass this year. Achai(a person who brought 50 steam pork and veg. buns back to NYC form Ding Tai Fong L.A. branch and finished they in a week) **Some people say L.A. branch actually is not genuine, but it's good enough for me.

Dear Marco-Polo, "like milk from mother's breast", no wonder my search never will be ended. There is just no "Granny" brand soy souce for me any more. BTW, long long time ago, one of my dad's Japanese friend who was the branch manager of Kikkoman in Taiwan told him that all the Kikkoman soy souces produced in N. America are naturally brewed. Don't know about current situation but I think they only get better not worse. As long as they are naturally brewed, it is no problem for me to drip. Enjoy! Achai

Hi! I like to stick to the products that are naturally brewed. Most of the mass-producted soy sauces from Taiwan are nonnaturally brewed and contain preservatives, chemicals ect.,... things that you don't want in your body. Those really good ones are impossible to be found in US. Japanese naturally brewed soy sauces become my savers here. And I like to try any kind of them. Recently I bought a bottle called "Sai-Shikomi Shodoshima Shoyu" produced by Marushima Shoyu Co in Japan from Mizuwa market, NJ. Description says: it is blended soybeans, wheat, natural salt and clear mountain water. Fermented for 3 years in cedar barrels then are added the same amount of Kouji prepared of soybeans and wheat, and fermented for another year. Good for seasoning and sahimi. It costs a fortune but I liket to give it a try. Has anyone ever taste it before? I would like to post a photo of this bottle but do not know how. Could anyone kindly teach me how to do it? Thank you very much! Achai (spoiled by 98 year-old grandmother who used to brew soy souce for our family till her seventies.)

March 6th reversation is off! Just received a very nice call from them. Stupid me, forgot to ask how will they reschedule my future reservation. But I make sure they got my number (home, cell,office)correct, just in case.

Redialed all afternoon. Just got through! 03/06 11:30pm for lunch. Quite early but we won't complain.

Oh, yes, these are the "green garlic" that people called in Taiwan. It's a winter vegetable there and usually more expensive than regular "green onion" and garlic. They are not only for cooking but also for eating raw. **Thinly sliced raw white part can be paired with roated Chinese sausages or a kind of precious cured fish roe(I don't think it can be found in US). **When prepare dipping souce for winter hot pot or dumplings, finely chop some then mix with other ingredents. Just like Fiore said they are supposed be used to cook in many Sichaunese dishes instead of "green onion". I use them to cook Ma-Po Tofu all winter whenever I can find them. Thinly sliced these "green garlic" stir fry with Chinese version cured meat (if you like them) is a typical winter dish. When spring come, there is yet another vegetable(garlic flower-stem) from garlic family will appear to confuse people. You will find them in Chinese and Korean market.