foodstuffs

Cannon's To Close

I would be remiss if I did not mention that on Thursday, July 15, Cannon's Pub will close its doors for the last time.

Without going into too many details about my undergraduate hijinx, I will say that more than several evenings in the late '90s were spent at this Morningside Heights institution. For Steve, Moses, and all the people and dogs that ever set food inside this sticky goodtimes pub -- Cannon's will be remembered by this gal.

More info on the closing of Cannon's:
>> Gothamist
>> Verbose Coma

Cannon's Pub
Broadway @ 108th Street (and hurry!)
1/9 to 110th Street

One for Mickey

Despite a meager supply of charcoal briquets, Mickey and I grilled yesterday. Instead of our usual marinade, we opted for barbecue sauce for the chickens. Mickey was Head BBQ Sauce Chef, and concocted a potion from ketchup, Sriracha hot sauce, hoisin sauce, brown mustard, soy sauce, brown sugar, and probably a few other things he found in my fridge.

Upon sampling the slow-roasted bird, Roommate EAK exclaimed "Oooh, this is delicious!" Mickey may have found a new calling.

I am really going to miss my patio and grill when I move out of this apartment.

More Cupcakes

I'll let my politics show a little bit -- the photo above is of some patriotic chocolate cupcakes I baked yesterday for a stoop sale, organized byBrenna and her cronies. All proceeds went to the Kerry-Edwards campaign. I heard they raised almost $900!

Nothing like cupcakes for a cause!

Vanderbilt Avenue, I Hardly Know Ye

Two weeks after I graduated college in 2000, I moved in to a cramped 3BR on Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights with two friends from school. Though a short walk from the hustle of Seventh Avenue in the Slope, Vanderbilt Ave, the first major avenue one crosses in Prospect Heights, left a lot to desired.

It seemed, my roommates and I agreed, to have a lot of potential to grow, with its many vacant store fronts and the statuesque brownstones on its sidestreets. But at the time, about 30% of the storefronts on Vanderbilt were unwelcoming barber shops and hair salons.

Our limited food options on Vanderbilt were a source of endless frustration for me. They consisted of two bullet-proof window Chinese takeaways, a sad-looking pizzeria that closed at 7pm, a desolate, undecorated Carribbean takeaway named "Krispy Kreme Quisine" that offered soggy patties, Mitchell's, a soul food restaurant open only on Wednesdays and Sundays for about six hours, and a scruffy diner named "George's Donuts and Restaurant" open only until 4 pm. Garden Cafe, a tiny bistro that regularly received high Zagat ratings, huddled on one corner, shielding visiting Slopers from the neighborhood's grit and local residents from its high prices. The lone hangout, Muddy Waters, a coffee shop, was reviled for its snide service and over-priced burnt coffee. We lived and died by the offerings of the local Met supermarket (thankfully open until 9pm most days).

We stayed on Vanderbilt for two years, relishing excursions to neighborhoods with better restaurants, and praying for a bakery to open down the block (at least I did). When the time came for a larger space, greener pastures and Rite Aid, we departed for the Slope. But as we packed our boxes, I noticed that the avenue had indeed begun to change. Across the way from our apartment Soda had opened, a pub from the folks who brought us the popular Great Lakes.

Since Mickey Rooney still lives in the neighborhood, I have had the opportunity to watch Vanderbilt expand and gentrify. Since I left Vanderbilt, a slow-food Italian restaurant called Aliseo opened between Park and Prospect to controversy, fanfare and a front-page article in the NYTimes Metro Section. Across the street, cool and elegant Half Wine Bar replaced the downtrodden Krispy Kreme Quisine. Down the block, the affable French-Canadian owners of George's Donuts and Restaurant gambled on a renovation, resulting in "The Usual", a proper diner open through dinner time and packed on Saturday mornings. Hibiscus, a cute plant shop at the intersection of Bergen, expanded next door and opened a juice bar and cafe. Rumors that an Indian restaurant was arriving were confirmed last month when a dark maroon awning marked with "India Palace" showed up two doors down from Aliseo.

And now we have entered a new era on Vanderbilt Avenue.

Witness my Saturday morning breakfast at Le Gamin's newest location -- Vanderbilt Avenue between Bergen and Dean Street. In the foreground is my L'ouef Gamin, which is poached eggs atop a crispy potato pancake that features a layer of goat cheese. Both are served on a bed of sweet, unctuous ratatouille ($8.75). In the background is Mickey Rooney's goat cheese red pepper omelette, served with generous helping of salad and savory potatoes ($9). We each splurged on cafe au lait ($3.50 a bowl), and sat in the clean, gravelled outdoor patio. When a thirty-something white couple wheeled in a double Maclaren stroller sporting twins and SUV-sized tires, we exchanged glances. Vanderbilt Avenue has arrived.

A French cafe, open nightly till 10 pm? All the time that I lived there, I could never have dreamed that such an establishment would open a block away from my apartment. And what's this?

Why, it's the beginnings of a brick oven pizza parlor planned by the proprietors of Aliseo. I barely recognized this as the storefront that used to contain Jim Jim's Four Seasons, the aforementioned sleepy slice place. In fact, I am beginning to barely recognize this avenue at all. Though I am happy that the neighborhood continues to blossom with the growth of small businesses, it barely resembles the grimy strip of shuttered storefronts, swirling trash, and stoops littered with smashed Hennessy bottles that I inhabited just two years ago. Funny what we get nostalgic for, huh?

>> A review of Aliseo
>> My friend E wrote this article for the Brooklyn Rail on this very subject back in 2002.

VANDERBILT AVENUE
Q to Seventh Avenue or 2/3 to Grand Army Plaza

A Small Slice of Flushing

Today I rode the 7 train to the end of line, disembarking at Main Street/Flushing. My goal was to take a look around. My only previous experiences in Flushing had been one dreadful Mets game some three years ago, and a grandma-sponsored trip to famed East Buffet, AKA the place with 100 buffet dishes, some five years ago.

Since I'm going to China soon, my goal for the day was not Chinese food. Rather, the trip was inspired by this post on Chowhound, describing Max and Mina's, a Kew Gardens Hills-based kosher ice-cream shop. The deal with this place? In addition to the two founders having been named to People Magazine's Top 50 Bachelors list at one time, this place specializes in bizarro-flavors, including lox, sweet corn, pizza, and jalapeno ice cream.

Before hitting up Max & Mina's, I took a tip from Salli Vates and ducked in to Shimon's, a kosher dairy fast food place of sorts located next door.

Inside, Shimon's had all the charm of a Roy Rogers in Utah, with an ancient menu board hovering over the take-out counter. Around 2pm, just a few local families were spread out around the the linoleum-paneled booths, munching on Israeli salads and veggie pizza slices.

I wasn't starving, and I knew I had to save room for the ice cream, but I did manage to sample something I had wanted to try for awhile -- a bureka.

A bureka is a filo pastry the size of a pizza slice that is stuffed with a filling (Shimon's offers cheese, eggplant and psinach), and baked until golden brown. I opted for the farmer's cheese-stuffed version, which broke into flaky pieces. The cheese filling was tangy and pasty, allowing stray filo flakes to adhere to it. I liked my bureka, but found it no more enjoyable than the filo pastries at Sahadi's in Brooklyn.

I then went next door to Max and Mina's. Every inch of this narrow storefront is plastered with something -- ancient magazine clippings, retro Hershey's signs, and framed newspaper clippings of the eatery's successes. The overall effect was cheery and haphazard, reminiscent of similar decor in Ben & Jerry's franchises. Sure enough, the counterhelp was clad in tie-dyed Max & Mina t-shirts. But on to the flavors:

I scrutinized the flavor list (there were actually three boards on the wall, so this photo only captures a third of the offerings). Choices on the other boards of note include "Sprite" and "Babka."

I was disappointed to learn that sweet corn, the flavor that had enticed me to M&M, was not being offered (it's seasonal, according from the wall clippings). I didn't see "Pizza" offered, either. I grilled the counter guy about the available flavors, including "Birthday Bash", which contains "french toast, pancakes and waffles," and also about "Frosted Flakes", which he said has "Frosted Flakes" in it. "Elephant's Dream" was a fancy term for peanut butter, and "Spicy Chummus" indeed contains hummos.

I wasn't feeling super, so I limited my tasting of the "unorthodox" flavors to "Its-A Garlic." This was probably a weak choice on my part, since I have actually already tasted garlic ice cream. During a college road trip, friends and I paid a visit to LA's branch of The Stinking Rose, a restaurant devoted entirely to garlic. I remember finding TSR's version to be surprisingly mellow, tasting of slow-roasted garlic. M&M's version -- however -- was much stronger, as if they had used RAW garlic. I made a face, and quickly handed my tasting spoon back to the counter guy. "What's good?" I managed to ask. He said their version of Cookie Dough was really good, and so that's what I ordered (Small $2.25).

And it was one of the best cups of Cookie Dough ice cream that I have ever tasted. The ice cream itself was incredibly smooth and creamy, in a way that makes you feel like a lucky kid instead of a guilty, indulgent adult. The chunks of cookie dough tasted exactly like something you'd scoop out of your mother's bowl of Toll House-in-progress, which is a nice contrast to the rock-hard pebbles of freezer burn that usually show up in this flavor. I'd give it an A-, and I'd love to try M&M's other "regular" flavors. I'd still like to try the corn too, when it's in season.

Max & Mina apparently sells pints, but you'd have to call to get retail locations. They apparently also create custom flavors for corporate clients.

Funky ice cream flavors are in vogue now:
>> Tien on Mary's Dairy which offers halvah-flavored ice-cream and "Hawaii 5-0", among other flavors.
>> Salli Vates on Chaa-Chaa and its offerings which include black bean coconut and black sticky rice flavors.
>> Sall also reports that Vosges Haut-Chocolate will soon offer flavors such as coconut white chocolate with curry and wattleseed

Max & Mina's
71-26 Main Street
Shimon's Pizza Falafel Dairy Restaurant
71-24 Main Street
Flushing, NY 11367
7 Train to Main Street/Flushing, Q20A/B Bus down Main Street (about 1.5 miles)

Bliss

This is my yuzu. It was given to me by Masato Shimizu, the sushi chef at Jewel Bako last evening. It was shaved over a piece of sushi, one of many pieces of sushi presented to B. and me during our omakase dinner.

My yuzu is delicate and smaller than its customary size -- epicurious.com says that they are typically the size of a tangerine. This was a fitting gift from Jewel Bako, itself a tinier-than-expected establishment nestled on E. 5th Street. The sushi bar is neatly fitted into the corner, and seats just six.

Omakase means "chef's choice", which means that the sushi that B. and I consumed was based on sushi chef Shimizu's opinion of what was freshest that day. I had done omakase before at Blue Ribbon Sushi Brooklyn, but not at the sushi bar, which meant that my sushi arrived pre-selected on a platter, which provided no hint at the chef's selection process. At Jewel Bako, we had a front row seat. Shimizu, his assistant and host Jack Lamb were gracious, friendly, accommodating, and generous, answering all of our inquiries and patiently describing the fish, sake and appetizers. At one point, my continued questioning about the different ingredients prompted Jack to hand me his thick "Food's Food" catalog of Japanese food so I could peruse it myself.

I didn't take any pictures -- I was enjoying myself too much. I don't think it's a dining experience that my hack writing and a couple of awkward photos could do justice. I'm not going to write any more about this meal, except to say that it was one of the finest meals I have ever eaten, and that I am so thankful to B. for taking me to Jewel Bako. I shall return the favor soon!

"To Eat" List

I am leaving NYC for a spell in late August -- I will be teaching English in Jiujiang City in China for several months. I am very excited for this adventure, and hope to blog about it if time, technology and Chinese government controls permit.

Before I leave however, there are a number of "eats" I am going to try to get under my belt. Since I am not working, I have the time and patience to seek out these destinations located in the far reaches of the outer boroughs. Some are old favorites, and others I have never tried. Let me know if you'd like to join me!

>>Sriphriphai, Jackson Heights, Queens -- this bare-bones Thai establishment is legendary and lauded as the MOST authentic Thai restaurant in all of New York. U. and I tried to eat here last summer, but lo-and-behold, it is closed on Wednesdays, of all days. It's BYOB.

>>Elias Corner, Astoria, Queens - K&J took me here when they lived in Astoria. It's a smallish Greek restaurant across the street from the Bohemian Beer Hall that serves fresh fish, grilled outside on their patio. You walk in, inspect the wares in front case, and indicate which fish you would like to have grilled for you. Served with potatoes.

>>Di Fara Pizzeria, Midwood, Brooklyn -- Mickey Rooney and I ventured to this ramshackle storefront last summer. You've all read the accolades, and may have even tasted it yourself, but I welcome you to accompany with me as I sample it one last time before five pizzaless months.

>>La Flor, Sunnyside, Queens -- this gem of a Spanish restaurant is tucked literally right beneath the 7 Train. I came here with J&S almost three years ago, and still have fond memories of the meal.

>>L&B Spumoni Gardens, Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn -- I'm not sure exactly how we'll get to this family-owned sicilian-slice-and-spumoni institution, but in the name of an outdoor patio, I'm willing to figure it out.

For the Manhattan-based and outer borough-phobic, I would also be up for the following, more splurgerific dining establishments (though probably not ALL of them):

- Sushi of Gari on the Upper East Side
- Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar in the East Village
- Max or Perbacco in the East Village
- Kana in Soho, Sevilla in the West Village, or even Pipa in ABC Carpet and Home -- love those tapas.
- Esperanto in the East Village
- Mary's Fish Camp (always always always) in the West Village

I am SO lucky -- B. is already granting my wish to try Jewel Bako. Blog report to follow.

Seafood and Beer - A Perfect Summer Combination

In the summertime, I crave seafood. All the time. This past warm Friday was no exception, and with the lure of Coney Island's Friday night fireworks display (another summer institution), I convinced Bca to board the F Train with me. Instead of fried "clams strips" on the famed Coney boardwalk, we were headed to Gambrinus, located at the border of where Coney Island becomes Brighton Beach.

Gambrinus was a recommendation from a former co-worker, himself a native of Russia and a resident of Brighton Beach. "Good beers, good fresh seafood," he said. "You will like it -- check it out." I had walked by it several times on my adventures in Brighton Beach, but I had never wandered in. Friday was the perfect time to check it out.

When we walked in, Bca and I were greeted by brusque teenage waiters dressed in sailor costumes, who pointed us blithely to the spacious patio, which faces the butt end of Ocean Parkway. The restaurant itself is located about a block from the boardwalk, and trumpets its proximity to the sea with nautical decorations. The patio is draped in fisherman's nets, christmas lights and beer paraphenalia, creating an informal atmosphere. On Friday, the patio was about 1/3 full of groups, consisting mostly of locals feasting on shared platters of smoked fish or lobsters.
Since we were indeed there for the beer and seafood, we wasted no time placing an order for fried calamari and a 1/2 litre mug each of Weihenstephaner ($5), which our waiter assured us was a wheat beer. It is worth noting that Gambrinus also offers 1 litre beers for $9.

The beers were cold and hearty. I could barely finish mine. The calamari ($10) arrived, and its portion size was shockingly large -- it could have fed five. The batter was a bit mundane -- no fancy spicing in this coating -- but it betrayed no time spent frying in old oil. The calamari itself was noticeably fresh -- chewy, pliant, and crisp. The accompanying sauce was your standard-issue marinara sauce, which was unremarkable but serviceable. Bca and I made a dent, but did not come close to finishing this dish.

For our main courses, we had both gone straight for the fish. Bca orderd the broiled red snapper ($14.50), which is also available pan-fried, and I opted for the broiled sea bass ($22). Glancing up from our calamari consumption, we saw the waiter struggling to deliver our orders, each of which arrived displayed on an enormous 16" serving platter. Each fish was accompanied by a small pitcher of a creamy sauce, and two sizeable dollops of garlicky mashed potatoes, cradling a pool of olive oil and tufted like a turret. My fish, served boneless, also received a side of a sweet, tomato-based ratatoiulle-esque mix of squash, carrots and onions, while Bca's, which was served with the bones, had a side of sweet cabbage.

My fish was perfectly cooked, and flaked off in moist white chunks. The top was also pan-fried, resulting in a delicate, oily crunch. I used only about half of my cream sauce atop the fish -- it seemed to add silky texture but not much flavor. The vegetables were sweet and appreciably not over-cooked. They provided a nice un-oily contrast to the fish and potatoes.

Despite the serving size, Bca and I did admirable jobs finishing our meals, with yours truly coming quite close to cleaning hers. I was absolutely stuffed and turned aside with ease thoughts of ordering a hot fudge sundae, which were being ordered by all the surrounding patrons. Given the quality of the seafood, Gambrinus struck me as a bargain with a relaxed, chill environment. I could imagine many a summer evening spent here by the ocean with friends. Bca thought as much too.

It should be noted that Gambrinus is a Russian restuarant -- the menu is printed in both English and Russian, and features a number of Russian dishes including various smoked fishes and borscht. I'd be game to tackle those on another trip. I definitely plan to come back before I leave for China.

We peeked inside the main dining room, where the nautical theme had been taken to a new level. Every inch the main dining room is paneled with laquered wood, like the inside of a ship. We paused to pose with life-size wooden pirate at the entrance before departing in to the warm summer night for Coney's boardwalk.

GAMBRINUS
3100 Ocean Parkway@ W. Brighton Avenue
718-265-1009
F to W.8th Street, Brooklyn

A Sweet Goodbye

So tomorrow is actually my last day at ISE, and B. and JK surprised me with in a goodbye party in the office today. The party featured a sweet card from many of my co-workers, and a ton of SWEETS! The spread include a Haagen Dazs ice cream cake, cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery, and a host of Chinese pastries, fetched especially for the occasion from another co-worker's father in Chinatown. It was an another unexpected show of appreciation from my co-workers which made me feel quite lucky.

I told B. that she throws the best parties. I was touched and impressed by the presence of Magnolia cupcakes, as they demonstrated not only her insistence on the finest product available, but also how much she cares. How I will miss B. and JK when I am in China!

Umm... I ate two cupcakes and am taking home the leftovers. Please come over and eat them!

Goodbye, ISE

I have three days left at my job at ISE. It's been three years, and I have learned a lot. But it's time to go. I have to say I was really surprised when I received this giant beautiful bouquet of callalilles from my office, and this thoughtful gift basket of goodies from Phoenix Concepts, my favorite vendor. I will miss them.

What's in the basket? Various tins of cookies, cheese straws, granola bars, and Vitamin Water. Kinda random, but I love Vitamin Water.

It's nice to feel appreciated when you go.