ulterior epicure

For those of me who will be unable to attend the night you're hosting, would be so kind as to post the menu online somewhere - either here or on your website? u.e.

Dejah. Me??? I've got my bag of pennywort still sitting in my fridge. Let me know what your mom tells you to do with it!! u.e.

... and I just found out that I'll have to be out of town Tuesday through Saturday of that week! u.e.

I'll have to agree here with snekse... It's not that it's difficult, and it's not that it's not novel or innovative (?), rather, I just find it awkward. That's just me. u.e.

Yup, a few of the ones in my area are Vietnamese run. I haven't looked for the rau ma drink, though. u.e.

Hey folks, let's not forget - at the end of the day, it's just food. Suck my Artifact Stack!! u.e.

Gee, it looks like Hell... from what little can be seen in this video. This looks like some of the bootleg dvd's I watched in China!! u.e.

docsconz & lexy - yes, given the time and money, China is a worthy dining destination. shaya - thanks... yesterday, high fever and chills. i really hope it's not the onslaught of malaria honestly, i think its my body rejecting american food. today, much better, although i'm travelling again... oy... hate lay-overs. *hate* road construction and detours on turn-pikes!!! u.e.

We tried T-Rex two weeks ago on a Monday Night. They didn't say anything about waiting for a pager, but they did say the wait would be two hours. But there didn't seem to be a wait for the gift shop. ← What? Stegosaurus steaks, Archyop-teriyaki breasts, and Brontosaurus burgers? Seriously, what's on the menu? u.e.

You got the Mandarin version? u.e.

Good point and good question. I don't think my friends had any beer with them - at least not to my knowledge. I did notice at this restaurant that there was a good deal of bantering going on about it with the servers - perhaps the staff had to run out and get some for us? It was! I loved all the noodle dishes and soups I had in the Xi'an area. I had the same concerns, but ignored my worries. Not to get too personal here: while I didn't have any digestive problems in China, the aftermath state-side was a bit ugly... it's been nearly a week after my return and I'm still having difficulties... but I can't be sure it's food-related. It may just bee fatigue, heat stroke... I hope it's not the beginning stages of malaria... I was bitten by mosquitoes several times... u.e.

To be sure, I had some of the cold plates you mentioned. It must be the rural produce-focused areas, like the fields around the Qin mausoleum that accounts for these variations. I also noticed that the ones you mentioned seem more common to the Canton and southern parts of China... would your experiences happen to tend toward that/those regional cuisine(s)? u.e.

Day Five Dinner Back in Xi'an, my companions took me to a a Chinese kosher restaurant, Dong Lai Shuen. I was getting very fascinated about this Muslim-influenced part of Chinese culture and cuisine. I had mentioned that I had eaten at a Kosher restaurant in Beijing (See here). eGulleter Fengyi has provided a helpful explanation and background for the "lai shuen" cuisine here. Dong, in the restaurant's name, means "East" - so I wonder if this restaurant serves cuisine from the more eastern regions of the Muslim are of China. My companions started off with some light local beer, labeled in English as "Landmark" beer: *** Perhaps this area of China doesn't do the cold plates thing, because none were offered or appeared, nor ordered. As I was the happy and curious guest, I had literally no say in the ordering (Chinese people seem to highly value a hosts ability to pick for the guest). Dishes started to arrive. First: Chicken-potato noodle soup I was a little surprised to see a soup course arrive first. This was like a curried chicken soup - except the soup broth was thinner. I've had soups before with potatoes before - but never with potatoes and noodles. These noodles were soft, yet had a nice bouncy chew to them. We were told that they were "la mien" - a famous hand-stretched/pulled noodle that was famous to this area, and China, generally. *** Beef & bell pepper stir-fry Your standard beef and bell peppers (with onions). I don't know how they get the meat so tender - especially when the meat is sliced so thin. I suppose its a flash of very intense heat in a very hot wok that does it. *** Baozi Plain baozi. Amazingly fluffy and soft with a slight chew to it. Very good for sopping up all the sauces and sandwiching/pocketing meats. *** Tongcu yu (Sugar-vinegar fish) Here again we have a tongcu fish (sugar-vinegar). It is similar in style and preparation to the one we had at lunch earlier in the day. (See here). *** Lamb & leeks stir-fry This dish was very good. Leeks and onions sauteed with thin slices of lamb. The lamb meat was very musky - Middle Eastern in flavor, and very tender. The leeks and onions provided the perfect masking - the flavors complimented each other very well. One of my companions, a Chinese woman, avers musky-gamey flavors and didn't care for this dish. I loved it. The meat was amazingly tender - very thin slices. *** Ramen-egg drop soup This is not your out-of-the-dry-packed-package ramen noodles. This was fresh ramen - bouncy and wavy in a nice tomato-ey broth. THere's also some egg, greens (bok choy), tomatoes and woodear mushrooms. *** Bok choy Sauteed bok choy - love the intense green! The stems are still crisp while the leaves have become silky. *** Garlic chive & eggs Garlic chives stalks are wonderful - they're the stalks of the pungent garlicky Chinese chive when left to stem and bloom. Chinese people love to cook their eggs with chives. Here is a great example. Garlic chives (ie. Chinese chives) have a very garlicky-oniony flavor - with a grassy overtones. I loved this dish! *** Broccoli Wok-fired broccoli - with garlic. *** Scalloped potatoes with Anaheim chile This was amazing. The thinly sliced potatoes were barely cooked and had a slight crispness still. The spicy anaheim peppers had been pickled and added a wonderfully sour-salty heat to the dish. I don't know what I liked better - the peppers or the potatoes!! They worked very well together! I think this was my favorite dish. Who would think semi-raw potatoes would taste good? *** It seems that the Muslim Kosher way of cooking in China is very flavorful and spicy - with a lot of spices that are associated more with South Asian and the Middle East - curries, cumin and coriander. Also, the meats tend to focus on lamb and beef, as pork is not allowed. As always, soups are ubiquitous, as are noodles in the Xi'anese area. You can see all of these photos on my flickr account. Dong Lai Shuen Restaurant Xian, China

Day Five Lunch Off to Emperor Qin's famous mausoleum (with the terracotta soldiers and horses) I went this morning. It was miserable - hot, steamy, crowded... By the time we got out, it was way past lunch, but we were starving. The driver took us to some backwoods "restaurant" that he swore up and down was safe to eat at. He said we wouldn't get anything fancy, but that it would be passable. Apparently there isn't much going on in that area food-wise, and so a "peasant's/farmer's" lunch for us. The area around the tombs is mostly agricultural - so there's lots of produce. But, it's also poor, so there's not a lot of variety. Potatoes and chickens are big with the locals. So are easy-to-make starch products - like noodles (as I has stated above, the Xi'anese are known for the dough products - noodles and dumplings). I can't tell you the name of this restaurant, because I couldn't read, and it seemed to be more like a household than a restaurant proper. We started with cold plates: Cold dofu gan salad Cold smoked firm dofu, sliced, and dressed with sesame oil. *** Spicy pickled cabbage: This is what the Chinese call "pau tsai" - or "soaked vegetables." It's soaked - in sugar, vinegar and salt... so it's pickled. Usually, they add chile peppers to spice things up. The trick is to marinate the cabbage (the most commonly pickled vegetable) long enough where the cabbage becomes soft, but not mushy. The worst feeling is when the cabbage hasn't softened and biting/chewing the cabbage goes squeegy on your teeth. I. HATE. THAT. FEELING! *** Cold bean sprout salad Simply dressed with a little oil and tossed with celery and red pepper slivers. *** Ba se tu do This is a local peasant favorite. To du literally means "Dirt Bean" - or what we know as potato. It's also called "Yan Fan Su" in some parts of China - which literally translates to "Foreigner's potato." (Sweet potatoes, which are more familiar to locals, and probably indigenous, are called "hong fan su" - or "red potatoes"). Here, the potatoes have been cut and then pan roasted in honey and sugar until the coating becomes sticky and slightly carmelized. Pulling the potatoes apart yields long strands - not unlike pulling soft taffy apart. "Ba se" means "to pull." Thus, this dish literally means "pull apart potatoes." *** Flattened chicken (For lack of better description - I think it was just a "chicken" dish, with no particular name.) This was not an attractive dish at all. The chicken looked like it had been mauled by a dog and pulled apart. A few of the guests at the table refused to try any on sight. I found the chicken to taste alright, but not anything special. The meat, however, was tender and juicy, but lacked flavor. *** Stir-fried cucumber & eggs The Chinese eat some vegetables warm that Westerners don't seem to ever do - iceberg lettuce is one. The other is cucumbers. They seem to be eaten cold and warm. I can't think of one instance in Western culture where cucumbers are served hot/warm... I guess we value it for its crispness. The Chinese also value it for its flavor. Cooked, cucumbers soften a tad on the outside, but still retain a bit of snap in the middle. When they're completely submerged in soups and cooked, they do become very soft and even more transluscent than when fresh. *** Hwe guo rou Literally, this dish means "returned to pan meat" - or re-cooked pork. It's not an attractive sounding dish, but the cooking method yields an incredibly soft and tender, if not a tad dry, meat. The pork in this dish had been stir-fried with cabbage and spiked with chile oil. *** Dau Shui Tsao Mien This is hand-made broad flat flour noodles (like Italian "silk rags" or thin-version of papardelle) that have been stir-fried in a wok with vegetables. *** Chicken & celery stir-fry Nothing special - just (very tender) morsels of chicken stir-fried with celery and bell peppers. *** Bell pepper chicken stir-fry *** Tong Cu Yu (Sugar-vinegar Fish) This is the dish that we've been talking above upthread - tongcu yu - sugar-vinegar fish. This one was a cross-between the black tangy vinegar-leaning version down in Hangzhou, and the sweeter, "sweet and sour" versions in the far South. The flavor of this sauce was pretty balanced - equal parts sweet and sour. I liked it very much - the fish was very tender and soft. *** Stir-fry Chinese spinach Slightly bitter - like mustard greens. I don't know what exactly it's called. It also may just be a variety of bok choy *** Dau Shui Tong Mien ('Knife-cut noodles') This is a very rustic noodle dish. It's called "dau sui" because these thin broad sheets of noodles are made and cut by hand (almost like the Italian "torn silk rag" pasta) instead of by machine. The result of the handiwork is a firm, yet silky noodle with lots of texture. This soup is probably one of the most flavorful that I've tasted - using beef stock instead of the stuff I experienced in Beijing, which tasted more like salty dishwater. *** I was impressed by the variety of ways limited resources could be used to one's advantage. Here, the same ingredients showed up in different combinations for what seemed like a wide-range of choices. Chicken was used a number of times - but I never felt like there was a "repeat." The ba se tu do - sweet, sticky potato dish was really interesting - the crusty caramelized outside and the stringy sticky webs of sugary goo provided a surprisingly welcomed sweet element to the other savory courses. You can see all of these photos on my flickr account. u.e.

Oh thanks - how generous of you! I love the perks of being an eG member!

Thanks guys - I googled pennywort and I think you are certainly right! Hmmmm, pennywort smoothie - I'll have to try that! u.e.

I recently returned from my trip to China. Alas, I had one meal in Shanghai to myself - and so I went to the gilded storey that is 3 on the Bund to pay visit to one of my favorite chefs - Jean Georges. First, let me say that the interior design is drop-dead get-out sexy. It's very very very dark inside - like almost goth - with black hard wood-paneled floors and sumptuously thick dark velvet curtains. The design is a very modern take on early century Shanghai - a sleek mix between European and Chinese aesthetics. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. Helen, the manager is terribly hospitable and kind - and very good at what she does. She moves about, on the fringes keeping a studied watch over diners and their every need. The food: is almost exactly like JG Shanghai. In fact, the JG Tasting is identical to the NYC offering. The other tasting, the "Seasonal Tasting" is more individual to this location. What surprised me about the menu the most is that it hasn't changed - for nearly two years. I know this only because I dug up an article I had bookmarked in the February 2005 issue of Gourmet. There is a feature section all about the new restaurants in Shanghai - including the then-recently opened 3 on the Bund complex. In his article, published months after he had dined there, the writer mentions at least two dishes that are still on the menu today - the frog legs with spring garlic soup and also the scallops, from Dalian, which are still on the menu. I would think that JG would have changed the menu within these two years. I guess you don't fix what ain't broken. My two guests had the JG tasting (7-courses), and because I had already had that in New York, I went for the Seasonal Tasting (6-courses) and supplemented the Egg Caviar to stay on pace. Also, as I'm not a huge fan of warm preparations of foie, I asked to exchange the foie for the scallops. Everything was up to par, although personally, I though some of the plating and table-side saucing got a little sloppy. My only complaint on my dinner were my scallops, where were slightly more cooked than I would have liked - but certainly acceptable. I'm very finicky about scallops - I'll be the first to admit my obsession. I especially like the raisin-caper emulsion that the two ivory-coloured gems came with. My favorite course from the Seasonal Tasting was the the lump crab salad (which is also on the a la carte menu. A generous mound of lump crab topped with shaved asparagus sat in a shallow pool of slightly sweet melon broth kicked up ten notches with a bang of mustard. When I asked Chef Johnson what kind of mustard he used, he laughed and said, "Coleman's yellow." Hey, don't knock what works. It worked. Another highlight was my sea bass - perfectly crisped skin - elevated on a row of confit'ed golden squash sections nestled in a pool of spring garlic puree (if Chef Johnson's lurking on this site - I'd appreciate knowing what else, if anything, was in this puree). Basil broth was poured, at the table, round the fish to make a magnificent dark emerald-green moat. The fish was delicate, the sauce, saucy - the garlic and the basil broth playing together like a pestos of all pestos. This was great. For desserts: I had had the chocolate tasting, so I let one of my guests, who adores chocolate have at it. My other guest chose the "Summer" tasting, which left me with "Passionfruit." None of us were disappointed... least of which me, as my dining companions had gorged themselves full and I got half of each of their desserts. I loved every single iced treat that came - and interesting ones too: Sichuan pepper ice cream, white peach sorbet, cacao bean ice cream, and my favorite - a white pepper sorbet shocked with fragrant orange blossom. (But nothing beats my tried-true prune armanac ice cream at JG NYC). From my passionfruit tasting, my favorite was an unlikely banana flambe tart - I'm not a huge banana fan, unless, of course you pair it with chocolate and drizzle it with passionfruit. I also had no trouble helping my guest finish her Vietnamese coffee Liegeois - think Vientmanese coffee (essentially espresso with sweetened condensed milk) with chocolate cream hit with a shot of liquor (was that vodka? Borghetti? Ricardi? Kahlua?). Who needs a straw... let's do shots! I got a chance to chat with Chef Johnson before I left. He's a very humble man - and helpful too! He gave excellent suggestions (though I had no time to put them to good use) for local eats. He's trained all over the world at some of the finest kitchens - lucky guy. I hope him continued success at JG Shanghai, and wherever he might go in the future! The view was spectacular. SPECTACULAR. Diners who are lucky enough to get a window table have a breathtaking view overlooking the Bund out onto Pudong - the "pearl" tower and the Hyatt towering off to its right. The brighltly lit shoreline - agog with flashing neon billboards and larger-than-life adverts is just electrifying (no pun intended). I left walking on cloud nine. It was a far cry from some of the more rural meals I had on this trip - where, under oppressive heat and humidity, I was literally sweating into my food. One note: there is a large square oil painting of two elderly people sitting with rice bowls at the entrance of the Jean Georges Shanghai. One faces it when leaving or walking down the avenue-wide hallway between the bar and the lounge. I would appreciate knowing the artist, if anyone has a clue. What I would give for that painting!! You can see all of my food photos and read my commentary here on my flickr account. Click on the individual photos for a larger view and to see notes/comments. I will also be posting these pictures later when I get to the Shanghai portion of my trip on my thread about my trip to China, found here. u.e.

What cause would that be, monkfish?u.e.

Maybe it was some prized heirloom tomato - you know, the ones that fray stale-orange around the fringes and retain a hardy clover green in the middle? Oh, and they taste like wet styrofoam... maybe?

Now we're talkin'! Zesto, will have to remember that name! Do they make ice cream? Any special flavors? What's their specialty?u.e. ← No, I don't think they make their own ice cream-it is just soft serve but it has been around a long time. It kind of looks like a dump but you walk inside and order at the window. They have malts, shakes, other ice cream treats and also some sandwiches. It is a local tradition more than anything else. We used to have one in Columbia but ours closed maybe ten years ago--not sure on that. When we are very bored and just want a drive, we'll make the 30 minute drive to Zesto for a Burgers country ham sandwich and a vanilla milk shake. We are easily entertained I hope I'm explaining this well enough-it isn't gourmet high end ice cream but like the Dairy Maids that used to be all over the Midwest when I was a kid. ← Sounds like a ma and pa DQ... u.e.

Now we're talkin'! Zesto, will have to remember that name! Do they make ice cream? Any special flavors? What's their specialty?u.e.

Kent - I'm with you on that!! I've had it both ways and much prefer the mushi. The thick spongy mantou gets in the way of enjoying the crispy crackling skin. The mushi, on the otherhand, allows for a quick snap through the whole deal. ... and yes, as Kent pointed out, you can eat more duck with mushi than with mantou, which is another selling point for mushi.

I've been inspired by my recent trip to China. Eating my way through that amazing culture and country has prompted me to get cookin' Chinese. To get started, I went to the Asian market to gather somethings. I encountered a mystery herb - or greenleaf. What is this? At first glance, it looked like cilantro - but then the leaves weren't lobed and they were way too big and thick. Then, I thought it was small watercress - but that doesn't seem quite right either. The leaves are fanned out, like a gingko leaf. I didn't know how to cook it, so I stir-fried it in a wok with some oil and garlic and salt. It was BITTER. VERY BITTER. Can anyone name this green-leaf? P.S. The beef tendons and tripe are braising in the oven with Saoxing wine, soy, garlic and ginger as we speak!

You've passed the giggle torch - I look forward to hearing about who the next chef at Striped Bass will be. I'l be interested in how Starr selects this individual. Alas, I opted to go to Le Bec Fin instead of Striped Bass shortly after it opened and was all the rage. I've regretted that decision ever since. But, with a new chef coming in, I'll have a new reason to visit! Also, now that Lee has moved on to Gilt, it gives me one more reason to re-visit NYC soon! u.e.

Duh... I forgot which resto we were talking about. Sorry. Great, I love chewing to a beat! Good ole W! Not as bad as China!! u.e.