Amy Chu

Truffled lobster mac n cheese

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

one of the dishes you can get atop the Eiffel Tower at le Restaurant Jules Verne

Night Noshing at Jemaa el Fna square in Marrakech

2011-12-31T08:20:00.000-08:00

Paella!

2011-12-31T08:18:00.000-08:00

Look at this baby!

2011-12-31T08:17:00.000-08:00

Tapas Heaven in Madrid

2011-12-31T08:16:00.000-08:00

Baltimore Crabs: Before and After

2011-12-31T08:13:00.000-08:00

The most amazing thing in the world

2011-12-31T08:05:00.000-08:00

the white truffle macaron from Pierre Hermes. Orgasmic!

Poor Man's Breakfast

2011-10-31T08:06:00.000-07:00

I was intrigued by this item on menu of the nearby Amish Market cafeteria. It is, in fact, simply saltine crackers soaked in butter and milk. Not bad, but nothing to write home about.

San Diego: Super Cocina is Super Phenomenal

2011-08-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

Super Cocina is the superhero of restaurants for the masses. It was worth the short drive or taxi ride away from the Convention Center and sea of culinary mediocrity to experience possibly the most amazing lunch special I've ever had for under $8. It didn't hurt that the proprieter, sensing our newbieness, gave us small tastes of everything behind the glass counter to try. Frankly, the incredible range of flavors and subtlety behind each dish rivaled some of the most expensive restaurants I've tried. And you can tell from their expressions that they know their food is THAT good. Don't expect much from the decor, just focus on the enormous plate of eats in front of you.

3627 University Ave
(between 36th St & Cherokee Ave)
San Diego, CA 92104

(619) 584-6244

supercocinasd.com

San Diego: Cafe 222

2011-07-27T14:46:00.000-07:00

I am not averse to sitting by myself for a meal, especially when it's breakfast. The quandary at Cafe 222 is that everything looked good so I ordered TWO - the Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast (highly recommended by that guy Bobby Flay) and the Sweet Corn Waffle. Perhaps that warranted some extra looks from the Comic-Con passerby but I don't care. Both were delicious but yes, especially the French Toast which I expected to be too sweet but, well, at that moment, really hit the spot. Yes, it is gooey but the banana really does balance it well. The Corn Waffle is something I want to try playing with at home- kernels of corn mixed with a touch of cornmeal in the batter. It begged for a touch of something like jalapeno, but maybe that's just me. If you are going during that megafest San Diego Comic-con, arrive first thing in the morning or you will be standing outside watching people like me looking smug and wolfing down an incredible breakfast. And by the way, the service is so NICE. But that's San Diego for you.

Worth a Trip to Philly Alone

2010-06-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

I have had many cupcakes in my time, but nothing beats Brown Betty in Philadelphia. I don't know what they put in them but the result is heavy, addictive, and just yummy goodness. I am not a fan of Magnolia Bakery (too sweet), Cupcake Cafe (too pretty), or Crumbs (just average.) Somehow, Brown Betty combines some amazing icings with the right texture, amount of sweetness and density to provide a satisfying cupcake experience. The velvet cupcake from New York's Two Little Red Hens is the only close contender. More about THAT particular cupcake later.

Chicago's Yolk: All Day Breakfast Heaven

2010-05-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

Skip the boring hotel buffet and head to this amazingly cheerful breakfast outpost with a spectacular comfort food menu. Despite the large portions my girl friend and I powered through half the menu while our server looked on in amazement. The corned beef hash was fantastic and fried to perfection. For our final course we ordered the French Toast three ways, a nice sampler of their innovative takes on this breakfast staple. The peanut butter and banana was the most interesting and quite enjoyable.

Yolk - River North, 747 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL 312-787-2277

New York: Momofuku Bo Ssam

2010-01-04T08:08:00.000-08:00

This is the mighty Bo Ssam, a whole pork butt (shoulder), available by online reservation, at the wonderful Momofuku Bo Ssam in New York City's Lower East Side. It claims to feed up to 10 people but really we could have probably fed about 5 more. Extremely tender and flavorful. The raw oysters added a nice touch, wrapped with the lettuce leaves and the various sauces. The appetizers and sides were both creative and terrific- an apple kimchi. My favorite - the fried brussel sprouts with fish sauce.

Many of the recipes are included in David Chang's new cookbook, as well as those of the Noodle Bar, Ko and Milk Bar.

New York: Momofuku Fried Chicken

2010-01-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

If you want to eat at Momofuku Noodle Bar this is the way to go- scoring a fried chicken reservation online is the only way to get a reservation. Supposedly feeds up to 8, but we could have brought a few more people easily. The downside is the place gets packed with people willing to wait an hour or more and end up staring at our huge mound of chicken hungrily. The best was the triple fried Korean-style chicken (on the left). The huge Southern style white meat pieces liberally coated in Old Bay seasoning were frankly just OK.

Buenos Aires: La Brigada

2009-11-21T23:44:00.000-08:00

This is the real deal- a wonderfully down to earth and extremely popular parilla. Go for the huge slabs of Argentinean beef and amazing collection of soccer memorabilia from around the world. Nicely situated in the colorful neighborhood of San Telmo where you will want to walk off your ample meal by visiting the covered market full of antiques and tchotkes across the street and the many colorful boutiques.

Washington DC: Ben's Chili Bowl

2009-11-03T23:37:00.000-08:00

Don't order the regular dog- go for the chili smoke, a much better sausage. The chili is nothing to write home about, but the ambience is genuine. Order a slice of the cake by the register to complement your heart-stopping meal.

Damascus, Syria: A snack in the Old City

2009-09-03T22:59:00.000-07:00

a basic Hummus with meat washed down with a coke- delicious!

Istanbul's Spice Market

2009-08-31T14:59:00.000-07:00

Sure it can be touristy, but worth the stroll just to capture the sights and sounds. Ramadam it seems is a particularly busy time for locals to stock up on plentiful sweets and other gifties.

Eating Our Way Through Beirut

2009-08-31T14:53:00.000-07:00

It's Ramadan time and this is the mezze at Karam, a very popular local upscale restaurant in the newly reconstructed downtown Beirut. We were lucky to get a table - the place was festive and hopping, and the food absolutely delicious.

Adventures in Eating in Istanbul

2009-08-30T22:53:00.000-07:00

Iftar starters at the Four Seasons Bosphorous. Honeycomb is delicious, and seems to be very popular (as well as relatively expensive.) Olives are ubiquitous.

Tasty Tapas at Boqueria

2009-08-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

What to do after a hard night partying in Soho? a few tapas at Boqueria hit the spot. Quail eggs with chorizo on toast, wafer thin sheets of Iberico ham, and a pitcher of sour cherry sangria really hit the spot!

Haute Chinese: Shusur Lee's Shang

2009-08-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

A near empty dining room at the restaurant of a hipster hotel, I automatically think, "ugh- expensive, overrated". At Shang, I was pleasantly surprised - yes, my expectations were low, and I was already lubed up with a tasty gingery Pimm's Cup from the cute and friendly bartender. But the parade of gorgeous dishes from the kitchen were not only eye candy, but incredibly tasty as well. The hairy towering Dr. Seuss-like mess was the side order of fries- the tastiest part of the meal. Also the cheeseburger egg rolls tasted exactly as you would expect. Even the least favorite plate of the evening- the jerk chicken- was really very good. And the desserts mixed a terrific assortment of interesting and innovative flavors.

Awesome Dim Sum

2009-08-11T15:14:00.000-07:00

I was surprised to find this nondescript establishment called Wonder Seafood, in Edison, New Jersey (1/2 hr from NYC) offers fresh and extensive selection of terrific dimsum seven days a week. It's arguably better quality and better service than most places in New York Chinatown and no wait on weekdays. Lunch specials include $6.95 casseroles of salted fish and eggplant and the like. Post brunch you can trot over to the nearby Menlo Park Mall or do your grocery shopping at Kam Man supermarket on Route 1.

Woodman's of Essex: Fried Clam Heaven

2009-06-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

No trip to Massachusetts is complete without a visit to the home of the fried clam, Woodman's of Essex. They do a mean lobster too.

Dean & Deluca: Yuppie Grocery Heaven

2009-06-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

Mr. Bartley's Burgers of Harvard Square

2009-06-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

Not sure about "best burger in america" but Bartley's does a darn good bacon cheeseburger (pictured here) also known as the "Tom Werner". These are not the fancy schmancy burgers with exotic ingredients that have taken over Manhattan. We're talking good solid beef, good meat to bun ratio, and just nice heft overall. Just be forewarned- it's crowded, cash only, and no bathroom on premises. But what Bartley's lacks in amenities it makes up for with tons of visual personality and kitsch.

O Beautiful O Ya!

2009-06-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

Hailed by New York Times' Frank Bruni as the best new restaurant in the US, I felt compelled on my trip to Boston this past weekend to try it. Best? In Boston? This tiny unassuming eatery steps from Boston's South Station rocked my culinary world. Sorry Momofuku Ko, but O ya kicks your ass and I dare say, less expensive although certainly not cheap. If you follow the server's suggestion to pick six small dishes (each really one or two bites) expect to spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 without drinks) And you can actually get a reservation, through OpenTable no less.

My friend and I ignored his suggestions (we felt neither rich nor ravenous) and ordered eight small dishes to share. Here's the descriptions of what we ordered from the menu in the order they were served, and my notes:

MISO chanterelle and shiitake mushrooms, tofu - sounds prosaic but simply the best miso soup I've ever had, a good indicator of things ahead...

CLAM CHOWDER tempura bits, potato, kurobuta pork fat drizzle and cracklin's - also a great soup, but let's face it, lots of places make a good clam chowder. It was the little crunchy bits on top that were exciting.

WARM BRAISED SHIITAKE MUSHROOM nigiri with anise hysop, truffle honey sauce - this is when we both started getting excited. Theorginality of ingredients, complexity and balance of flavors were truly outstanding.

FRIED KUMAMOTO OYSTER yuzu kosho aioli, squid ink bubbles - normally I am not impressed by the preciousness of these kinds of dishes especially with a blackish foam bubble on top but again, brilliantly executed, perfectly fried.

GRILLED SASHIMI OF CHANTERELLE & SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS rosemary garlic oil, sesame froth, homemade soy - Normally I wouldn't have order this especially at $24, but Frank Bruni was particularly enamoured of this dish so I was willing to give it a go. Mushrooms are often treated as an afterthought or a side dish in most restaurants, but o ya really hit the nail on the head.

YUZU BRINED BALLOTINE OF CHICKEN WING napa cabbage & shiitake stuffing, homemade kimchee - terrific texture a little crunchy, offset nicely by the light kimchee underneath.

ONSEN EGG dashi sauce, truffle salt, homemade pickled garlic - my friend was so-so about this but I absolutely loved the freshness and simplicity of this dish, a perfectly soft poached egg with an original seasoning combination.

SHISO TEMPURA WITH GRILLED LOBSTER charred tomato, ponzu aioli - I was a little hesitant about shiso tempura- I mean a battered leaf? Again delicious.

As for beverages, this is the first time I have encountered sparkling sake. We ordered a delightful glass of Moon Rabbit, light, citrusy and refreshing. I would describe it as a cross between a dessert wine, champagne and vinho verde.

We rounded off our meal by sharing the raw chocolate gelato with caramel, sea salt and sesame seeds - a very nice combination with the sesame providing a slightly unique and not unpleasant twist.

We were surprised to learn the chef Tim Cushman never had formal culinary training (good for you Tim!) but instead worked in the kitchens of Nobu and all over Asia.