Otafuku

This place is for someone who's from Japan or for someone who's been to Japan. The taste of takoyaki, yaki soba, or okonominaki brings you right back to the street of Tokyo.

Otafuku

236 E. 9th Street

New York, NY 10003

(212) 353 8503

Combination of Tokoyaki & Yakisoba at USD8. They only have a bench outside, so be prepared to eat it on their trash can (as seen above) or on the curb. If you are thinking of taking it home... don't do it. Takoyaki is not good unless it's eaten right after it's made.

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/32895095/new_york_ny/otafuku.html

Finally... Ramen

Yes, we finally found it. Best ramen in town! Come on in... you are going to feel as if you were in a little ramen shop in Tokyo!

Rai Rai Ken
214 E. 10th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 477-7030

CASH ONLY

It looks like they just got a slice of Tokyo and dropped it off in Manhattan.

The Best ramen broth in the New York City... Get we get the whole pot to go, please???

Fried rice is not recommended... but their ramen has to be the best Japanese style ramen in town.

Asian Shrimp & Sugar Snap Peas Stir Fry

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon peeled and minced gingerroot

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 pound sugar snap peas, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Combine chicken stock, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch and sesame oil in small bowl; mix well and set aside.

2. In large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat; add garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3. Add shrimp and sauté until pink, about 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add sugar snap peas; sauté 3 minutes.

5. Add stock mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until liquid has thickened and is no longer cloudy, about 3 more minutes.

6. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Makes 4 servings.

Pork Chop with Grilled Peach & Scallion Rice

Use 3-4 peaches for four servings, cut them in half and drizzle 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
Grill cut side down first.

Marinate 4 pieces of boneless porkchops in for an hour or two:

• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of lime juice
• 3 teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme
• salt & pepper

reserve 1 tablespoon of mix - later drizzle arugula with the mix before serving

Porkchops are supposed to be grilled 3 minutes on each side but I put them in the oven and finished in the broiller.

Serve porkchop on arugula with peaches

Green Onion Rice
In medium heat, with 1 tablespoon of oil, add 4 thinly sliced green onion for 3 minutes
Add 1 & 1/2 long-grain rice / 1 can of chicken broth / 1cup of water
Season with salt & pepper
Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer

Cook until rice is tender and liquid is gone (about 15 minutes)
Remove from heat covered for 10 minutes, add chopped cilantro.

Pork with Basil & Thai Sausage

Thai sausages can be purchased at any Thai grocery market. These were purchased at Sripraphai Thai Restaurant:
6413 39th Avenue, Woodside, NY.
These were fried for about 3 minutes. Squeeze a little bit of lime juice...

Start stir frying Shallots and garlic then put ground pork, string beans, & basil, stir fry for 10 minutes. Then add a table spoon of fish sauce, a teaspoon of sugar, salt & pepper, stir fry for another 2 minutes & add tomatoes.
Serve over rice...

Di Palo's

If you are looking for fine Italian Cheeses, meats, olive oil, and coffee, this is the place.
The store also makes their own Mozzarella.

Di Palo's
200 Grand Streeat @ Mott
New York, NY 10013
(212)226-1033

Hours
Mon-Sat 9AM-6:30PM
Sun 9AM - 3:30PM

Jing Fong

Best Dim Sum in Mahattan!

Jing Fong Restaurant

18 Elizabeth Street @ Canal

New York, NY 10013

(212)964-5256

Hours

Mon-Sun 10AM - 10PM

Dim Sum

Mon-Sun 9:30AM - 3:30PM

Payment

American Express

MasterCard

Visa

You can spend $10 per person and be absolutely full!

Nha Trang Centre

This is not our favorite Vietnamese affair in Manhattan but food is acceptable.
A big plus is that they are able to accomodate large groups and accept reservations.

Nha Trang Centre
148 Centre Street
New York, NY 10013
(212)941-9292

Hours
Daily 10AM-10PM
(they close promtly)

Payment
American Express
MasterCard
Visa

Brunch at Home

Open Sandwich with Prosciutto, Tomatoe, Egg, Red Onion, and grated Edam

Pio Pio

Our regular take out restaurant...

Order whole or half chicken with beans & rice.
Their secret sauce will never let you eat chicken without it again...
(full chicken with combo of rice & beans - $13.00: feeds two people plus leftover)

Pio Pio

1746 1st Avenue
New York, NY 10128
(212)426-5800

8415 Northern Blvd
Flushing, NY 11372
(718)426-1010

Ox Tail

Ox Tail with greenbean casserole & rice

Ox tail is stewed in water, beef broth, garlic, onions, & oregano for 3 hours.

Taste of Singapore

Chili Crab at Annual Chili Crab Festival turned out to be horrible, so we were headed to Chinatown back in Mahattan.

Singapore Cafe always takes us back to Singapore...
Order Chili Crab, Hainanese Chicken with Chicken Rice, & Kueh Teow

Desserts are very refreshing as well.
Coconut pudding & Singaporean Ice are recommended.

Singapore Cafe Incorporated
69 Mott Street @ Canal
New York, NY 10013
(212)964-0003

Pot Bing Soo (Shaved Ice with Red Beans)

Korean bakery sells shaved ice with red beans
You can either eat there or get it as take out (take out is much cheaper, $5.99)

Koryodang

31 W. 32nd Street @ Broadway
New York, NY 10001
(212) 967-9661


39-02 Union Street
Flushing, NY 11354
(718) 762-0369


156-19 Northern Blvd
Flushing, NY 11354
(718) 762-0104

Specialty Sandwich with Caprese Salad

Summer meal by Christoff Frazier

Sandwich's ingredients
French baguette
Tomatoe
Red Onion
Dijon Mastard
Watercress
Rosmary Prosciutto

Caprese Salad
Tomato
Basil
Fresh Mozzarella

Once the assemble is done, season with salt & pepper and drizzle olive oil & balsamic vinegar

Nepal

Nepal was one of the most beautiful countries that we have ever been to, and people that we met were just amazing.
Nepal has changed our life forever and we'll try to stay true to what we learned in Nepal.

The below link is the daily journal:
http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/Kathmandu/blog-54508.html

Airplane meal... Beer or water (nothing else)

Our first meal in Nepal - no menu...

Hanging out with locals at a Momo restaurant

Momo's saved us from hunger...

Momo - Tibetan dumpling
It was our daily meal...

The color of spices was 10 times brighter than what we are used to...

Finally... a restaurant with a menu (momo again)

Incredible India

On our way to Nepal, we had to spend a night in New Delhi.
It was the best layover we have ever had.
Food was incredible and we promised each other that we would come back...

Dinner - Egg Curry & Mutton Curry

Briani Rice with Rotti

Fried Rotti (breakfast #3)

You know you are in India when you could get Samosas at the airport

Menchanko-Tei

If you have been to Japan, you know what I am talking about!
No restaurant outside Japan can replicate the taste of ramen in Japan.

But Menchanko-Tei tries...

Menchanko-Tei Midtown East
131 E. 45th St
New York, NY 10017
(212)986-6805

Hours
Mon-Sat 11:30AM-12:30AM
Sun 11:30AM-11:30PM

Payment
American Express
(I am sure they take other cards as well)


Menchanko-Tei Midtown West
43-45 W. 55th Street @5th Ave
New York, NY 10019

Hours (Same as Midtown East Location)

Payment
American Express

The Land of Angkor Wat

After 4 days in Bangkok, we were off to Cambodia.
We simply went to Cambodia to Angkor Wat; however, Cambodia changed us forever...Our trip to Cambodia opened our eyes...

A market in Siem Reap

Vegetable dumplings (don't ask where the dishes were being washed)

Thailand - Sawadee Ka

We are in Bangkok to celebrate New Year's with Michelle & Darren.
Our mission in Bangkok was to eat, eat, and eat some more!!!

First meal in Bangkok - Papaya salad, Thai Green Curry, Tom Yum Kung, Phad Thai, and much more!

Everything comes in a bag... even Tom Yum Kung...

Mid-day snack... eating 5 meals a day was our goal...

Usual fruit and unusual fruit... welcome to Southeast Asia!

Crepes, Thai Style!

Khao San Road, even though it's still filled with backpackers, it's a good place for late night snacks. Now, it's becoming a local people's hangout spot.
Street food vendors are everywhere and it's easy to be full with very little money!