Thank you Midtown Lunch! 04-30-2010

Feelings: Thank you Midtown Lunch for linking our Otarian post!

Otarian 04-29-2010

Location: 947 8th Ave.
Time: 12:30pm

Feelings: I could not tell you how excited I was about the lacto-vegetarian sustainable fast food chain, Otarian's opening today in Midtown. It is incredibly difficult to find vegetarian cheap food in midtown, so any new veg places excites my emotions, and if it's sustainable, that's even better.

Vegetarian fast food joints have hurt me in the past. Remember Danku? I never want to think of that name again. Australian Otarian is almost identical to Danku, including the distinctly airplane food flavor.

The place was very cute and clean, and the service was superb. The menu looked quite creative from South Asian inspired dishes like Vegetable Biryani and Tandoori Mushroom O Paneer Wrap to more American dishes like Vegetable Lasagna and Tex Mex Veggie Burgers. I ordered Red Curry Noodles ($8.95, "Otarian Carbon Saving 1.05kg"), and less than a minute later, my order arrived in an adorably sustainable container. The 'noodles' were disappointingly similar to spaghetti. Fortunately it was not too mushy, but with a bland flavor of curry, this was at the same level as Danku's airplane food. It takes a lot of effort to make bland curry.

I may consider trying other dishes here, but it is about $2-$3 more overpriced than it should, and I would much rather go to a regular deli and order a veggie sandwich. It is sad to see another conceptually wonderful vegetarian restaurant failing during its execution. Can anyone please get this right? We really need a good vegetarian fast food restaurant in Midtown.

GustOrganics 04-24-2010

Location: 519 Ave. of the Americas
Time: 6pm
People: RB and myself

Feelings: GustOrganics is an organic, green establishment that serves vegetarian, vegan and gluten free friendly dishes as well as several meat options. The theme reminded me a little bit of Siggy's Good Food in Brooklyn Heights, but GustOrganic is much pricier and much larger.

The service at this place is similar to many other vegan or organic restaurants: pleasant enough, but almost nonexistent. We waited for our food for nearly 30 minutes, and I noticed everyone else at the restaurant was waiting too. They of course completely ignored us when it was time to pay the bill. What is it with a lot of vegan restaurants with their aloofness? Do we need animal protein to function as a part of society? Or since we vegetarians have such limited choices, we wouldn't mind poor service so much? Whatever the reason is, it is irritating to have to wait for mediocre food for 30 minutes.

Beer connoisseur RB eagerly anticipated their organic beer selection, but he was disappointed to see they only offered Peek Organic. Beer lovers shouldn't have to suffer at organic restaurants. Souen has a terrific selection of organic beer.

My Lentil Stew ($15, French lentils, tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions) was tasty but nothing spectacular. The portion was large, and I could barely finish half of the bowl. It came with a side of my choice, the whole wheat spaghetti, which was oily and bland. I probably should have ordered quinoa instead.

RB's Chicken Stew ($18, slow-cooked chicken in tomato broth) looked more like five small chunks of dry chicken with tomato sauce with a large, large side of steamed kale. The chef may have had a grudge against carnivores because the chicken was bland and superdry, and there was nothing stewed or slow-cooked about this dish.

I am a big fan of the concept of this restaurant, but its execution leaves something to be desired. This place may give a bad reputation to organic vegetarian food.

Pam Real Thai 04-23-2010

Location: 404 West 49th St.
Time: 12:30pm
People: Showtime Ops! (PeeWee, Erik, AP, RRo, MKang, BeBe and myself)

Feelings: Today we almost ended our wondrous Midtown Thai venture that began in 2008. We were going to try the new vegetarian spot, Otarian, but they were not able to open their new location due to some gas problems. (Mercury Retrograde!) I am not sure if some mystical noodle goddess was trying to make us stay the course, but we had no choice but to continue with our Thai journey. It is a bit bizarre that we have not yet run out of Thai restaurants to try in Hell's Kitchen area.

Pam Real did not seem to be as modern as other Thai restaurants in the area such as Q2 or Chai Thai. The atmosphere reminded me of Wondee Siam. I was not particularly fond of their school cafeteria utensils, and I was disappointed by the lack of lunch specials, but the staff was attentive and they had a plenty of space for a large group during lunch hour.

My most favorite Thai dish of all, Stir Fry Pumpkin with Eggs was full of fish sauce and delicious albeit salty and overpoweringly garlicy. Fortunately the rice cut down the saltiness, so I was able to fully enjoy the earthy pumpkin flavor. Thanks to its large portion, I was able to save money and enjoy the pumpkin leftovers for the next two days.

RRo also ordered a pumpkin dish. His Pumpkin Curry with Beef had a lot of flavor and the right amount of spice, and the beef was nicely tender and not chewy.

MKang enjoyed her red curry with chicken although it was spicier than she had anticipated. The chicken was unfortunately on the dry side, and she wished she ordered shrimp instead. BeBe's Pad Se Ew was delicious and on the sweet side. The noodles had a nice consistency of chewy and soft, and she was quite pleased with what she had.

Both AP and PeeWee had Mixed Vegetables with Soy Sauce, which was cooked perfectly. Since both of their dishes and Erik's broccoli dish, which was literally just broccoli and nothing else, lacked some flair of protein, they shared a plate of fried tofu. The Tofu had a nice consistency and not too oily.

Pam Real is a solid choice for Thai food in Hell's Kitchen especially if you enjoy no frills, simple Thai cuisine. It is reasonable and perfect for large groups. If you are vegetarian or vegan, however, make sure to order tofu or protein of your choice with your vegetable dish since they literally give you just vegetables à la veggie dishes at a steakhouse. We vegetarians always get conned, don't we?

Empanada Mama 04-21-2010

Location: 763 9th Ave.
Time: 1pm
People: Laura and myself

Feelings: I have done several take outs from this empanada joint in the past, but I somehow never bothered to stay for the table service. It is quite cramped and especially crowded during lunch, but we managed to get the last available table. I was also always curious about their relation to Mama's Empanadas in Queens since they both have similar name and distinctive menu. Upon a quick Google search, always dependable New York Times said they are owned by the same people. There is also Papa's Empanadas if you want to try the whole family.

The service is definitely not fast or attentive by any means here, which explains why it's always crowded. If you are thinking of getting some quick empanada, think again and make sure you have definitely more than an hour to dine here. In fact, if you have an hour, you might want to go to Queens to pick up cheaper empanadas at their other locations and still manage to come back to work in time. Fortunately, we had a lot of catching up to do, so I felt that the time passed rather quickly. If this was a business lunch with a boss, I would have shot myself in the head.

We initially ordered two small green salads ($4.95), but the waitstaff recommended to share one large avocado salad ($8.45, avocado, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, cilantro with cumin dressing), which was a wise choice. The veggies were not the freshest I have had, but the dressing was tangy and tasty and made the overall salad experience better.

My corn empanadas, Rice and Beans ($2.35) and Vegetable ($2.35, steamed potatoes, lima beans and carrots) were a bit of the dry side but still flavorful, and I always enjoy the texture of their corn crust. What I enjoyed the most was their famous dessert empanada that we shared, "Elvis" ($2.65, peanut butter and mashed bananas). It was creamy and highly addictive, and it was surprisingly not overly sweet. They already have a large, creative and enthusiastic selections of empanadas, but I am hoping they will add Nutella empanada someday.

This place does more modern take on traditional empanadas, and service is a bit on the slow side, but I always enjoy looking through their fun menu and trying out different empanada flavor combinations.

Bento Nouveau 04-17-2010

Location: 173 Broadway
Time: 5pm
People: RB and myself

Feelings: After a quick trip to Century 21 for discount baby clothes, we headed to Baoguette to pick up some banh mi. Unfortunately, they were closed on weekends, so we instead picked up some noodle soup from Bento Nouveau and rushed home to watch the NBA playoffs.

Our expectation was not too high. But surprisingly, my veggie curry soba ($6.35) exceeded any prejudgment towards American-Japanese style (in this case, Canadian-Japanese) deli. The tasty curry broth had just the right amount of soupy consistency, and the onions were well cooked and absorbed all the flavor. My friend JV, who works nearby, also tried this dish a few days later. "Curry soba was so good! I would have liked to have seen more veggies, but that's my only issue," she added. RB's beef udon ($6.35) was flavorful and yummy, and the udon had very nice chewy texture that you seldom find in Deli style udon.

Noodle dishes at Bento Nouveau are not at by any means Sobakoh or Onya level, but they are quite decent deli noodles. If there was one by my work, I would definitely get their curry soba at least once a week for lunch.

Counter 04-21-2010

Location: 105 1st Ave.
Time: 7pm
People: MA and myself

Feelings: It is rather difficult for us busy gals to take a break and enjoy a relaxing dinner nowadays, but I managed to catch up with my friend MA at my favorite vegetarian bistro & wine bar in East Village, Counter. Since we are both vegetarians and tend to have the similar taste for restaurants (and movies!), picking Counter was no brainer. I'd never tried their dinner menu before, but I knew I could count on them for their seasonal and organic ingredients and vast drink menu.

While MA enjoyed her glass of wine, I tried a preggers friendly cocktail, Cranberry Slush ($8, cranberry, ginger, lime, agave nectar, and soda float), which was extremely refreshing, and the citrus flavor was exactly what I needed. It was pretty to look at, and I could only taste the sweetness from the fruit.

They have "small plates"and "large plates" to choose from, so if you want to have a tapas style dinner, you can order several small plates to nibble and share over your organic wine. We shared Brussels Sprout salad from the small plate menu as an appetizer. It had a full of lemon flavor without too much salt, which was a nice change. Many vegetarian restaurants tend to oversalt their salad dishes, and I am glad to see Counter is not one of them.

For entree, I ordered East Side Burger ($14, house-made mushroom seitan burger on potato buns, fresh herbs, and pomme frites) from the large plate. The mushroom seitan burger was flavorful and well cooked without excessive grease or salt. The bun was a little on the dry side, but the delicious pomme frites compensated the carb balance on the plate. They were fresh and well seasoned without a hint of sogginess.

While I enjoyed my burger, I regretted not ordering MA's Seitan with Polenta! The seitan was incredibly juicy with a hint of smokiness. The mixture of the seitan and the creamy polenta created a bold flavor while maintaining a sensible and delicate look. This dish was the definitely winner of the night.

MA mentioned that she liked their food better than Gobo, and I have to agree with her. It is a bit more reasonable than Gobo, and I prefer their cozy atmosphere. It is a perfect place for a date or outing with the girls when you actually want to hear what they are saying. Gobo tends to be loud with all the open space with high ceilings, but Counter is dimly lit and perfect for more intimate conversations.

Flavored Paper Chips!? 04-22-2010

Feelings: I just found out about this new obscure food item called "Flavored Paper Chips." Yes, these are indeed flavored paper snacks. Believe it or not, I actually used to eat tissues when I was little. My parents never found out, but as a little girl, I always thought paper tasted delicious..., especially the pink ones. I can't wait to try these chips. The time has finally come for me to openly eat paper!

Yatsuhashi from Dainobu 04-10-2010

Location:129 East 47th St.
Time: 8pm
People: RB and myself

Feelings: Of course, after I left my old job on 47th Street about two years ago, they opened up a Japanese deli/convenience store called Dainobu half a block away. Dainobu reminds me of JAS Mart on 23rd Street (R.I.P.) with more wide variety of prepared food available.

While we were shopping for some Japanese groceries, I found Yatsuhashi and screamed with joy.

Months ago, JLam from MeSoHungry mentioned that his friend was looking for a specific Japanese crepe shaped confectionery he had in Kyoto. As soon as he mentioned the words, 'crepe' and 'Kyoto,' I knew that he was talking about my favorite Japanese dessert, Yatsuhashi. Since it is a regional product, I mentioned to him that it would probably be quite difficult to find in New York.

The Yatsuhashi I came across at Dainobu was nothing like Kyoto's famous Otabe brand, but it still satisfied my Yatsuhashi cravings. The chewy mochi like dough had a full of cinnamon flavor, and the red bean paste inside was very thin compared to other famous brands but still tasty. The prominent cinnamon flavor really took me back to the days when I was little when my grandfather and I used to visit temple in Kyoto region. He would always buy me a box of Yatsuhashi for the train back to Osaka. As coming from the strict household of manners and etiquette, I was never allowed to eat on the train, but he always allowed me to have a little bit of these snacks.

As I finished my Yatsuhashi, I rubbed my baby bump and wondered if my son will have the similar memories some day.

Thank you Serious Eats & Midtown Lunch! 04-20-2010

Feelings: Thank you Serious Eats and Midtown Lunch for linking our plum udon post!

Sanur 04-13-2010

Location: 18 Doyers St.
Time: 7:30pm
People: 10 Ramen and Friends: JBH, PMont, Laura, GiselaM, Rich, BLee, PunJ, StevenC, RB and myself

Feelings: Friends of Ramen and Friends met up at the basement of Sanur, Indonesian and Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown. It is not only a little difficult to find this place but the upstairs take out portion of the restaurant looks cramped and intimidating, and you would never know that there is a basement dining area. The stairs are really steep and narrow and not preggers friendly, but once you arrive at the basement, it is spacious, and the service is quite friendly and attentive.

The menu included both Malaysian and Indonesian specialties at a very reasonable price. We usually end up paying at least $12-20 per person at our monthly outings, but we only paid $10, including tax and 20% tip! They probably have the cheapest Roti Canai around at the price of $2.25. It did not have chicken in the curry sauce as many places do, but vegetarians such as myself appreciated the lack of meat. JBH, Rich, Laura and StevenC all enjoyed these Roti Canai, but Rich and I did not feel it was as good as the ones of Taste Good in Elmhurst. JBH added that it was a bit sweeter than Taste Good. We also enjoyed the roti with eggs called Roti Telur, which is popular for breakfast but also perfect little snacks.

After ordering several dishes off the menu, it was difficult to distinguish Malaysian and Indonesian, but the Hokkien Noodles with brown sauce was the most popular and disappeared from the table the quickest. As StevenC mentioned, it was more of Southern Chinese flavor rather than Malaysian, but it was well executed. Salted Fish with Eggplant Casserole was also popular for those who enjoy the salty flavor and are used to the idea of preserved fish in a dish.

My Pearl Noodles was well cooked, but it tasted more Chinese than Malaysian. I loved the texture of pearl noodles, but I wish it had more flavor and spices. For taste and authenticity, Sanur did not come close to Taste Good. The flavor at Sanur tends to be a bit one note and not as bold as I'd want it to be. I'd have to agree with what Rich said: It's worth a visit, but you have to order carefully or you can end up with a lot of things that taste the same. But if you prefer Chinese style Malaysian, you would enjoy the flavor of this place. And who can go all the way to Elmhurst every time you crave Malaysian food anyway? It is good to have a backup locale in Manhattan, and when it's actually cheaper, that's even better.

Bann Next Door 04-14-2010

Location: Next door of Bann, 350 West 50th Street
Time: 12pm

Feelings: Bann is my favorite, rather, only Korean restaurant in my work area unless I decide to take the train 20 blocks down to K-Town. It is a bit pricey for daily lunch, so when I saw the cheaper version called "Bann Next Door" open up, I headed over as soon as possible.

"Bann Next Door" is more of a take out friendly spot although there were a few out and indoor tables. On a nice sunny day, it'd be perfect to sit outside and enjoy some nice quick Korean food. The menu was coded in Midtown friendly way without any signs of Korean. I'm not a big fan when restaurants translate their menu to Midtownese. Can you imagine if some Italian restaurant suddenly listed lasagna as "layers of thin and flat wheat noodles with cheese and tomato sauce"? But I suppose they have to to cater to a lot of K-food first timers considering this area is packed with commuters and tourists who would usually dine at Chili's.

I picked up "Vegetarian Bowl" ($5.95, 5 grain jasmine rice topped with zucchini, shiitake, beansprouts, and spinach), which was pretty decent for a $6 lunch. The rice was well cooked and delicious, and the side of gochujang complimented the fresh veggies.

As far as quick Bibimbap fusion take outs go, I still prefer B-Bap in the area, but Bann Next Door does have Korean fried chicken and pork spare ribs under $7, for those of you who are craving some Korean style meat.

Mimi's Hummus 04-11-2010

Location: 1209 Cortelyou Road, Ditmas Park
Time: 11:30am
People: PMont, The Boss, RB and myself

Feelings: Everyone raves about Mimi's Hummus in Ditmas, so when PMont suggested to have brunch there and also offered he would pick us up in his car, I could not say yes with any more enthusiasm. Is anything better than hummus brunch on a Sunday afternoon with a ride?

Mimi's is an adorable little restaurant with open kitchen and is a quintessential Contelyou hip joint. First thing I noticed was how warm and friendly the staff was. They were attentive yet laid back, and I truly felt comfortable being there. Despite its posh ambiance and wooden decor, the clientele included everyone from young professionals, bohemians and standard locals. If I lived closer, I would probably visit every weekend for a little relaxing brunch and sip on their delicious freshly squeezed lemonade.

We shared some Tahini Hummus ($8) with whole wheat pita, Stuffed Grape Leaves ($6, with rice and veggies) homemade pickles and Israeli salad. I often find most hummus to be too oily and found myself with a bit of stomach issues later on, but this was more than perfect. It was smooth, fresh, and very flavorful without excessive salt. I realized this was a work of culinary art at its finest. I witnessed one older gentleman sitting alone quietly and really enjoying the hummus, as if he were eating his mother's old hummus recipe again. His expressive eyes conveyed everything he loved from the flavor of this hummus.

I ordered Shakshuka Eggs ($9.50, Moroccan style tomato stew with sunny side eggs), which was perhaps one of the best brunch dishes of my life. The tangy and slightly sweet tomato stew with well cooked eggs on top was to die for. I have always liked tomato omelets except for their tendency to be a little bland. This Shakshuka Eggs is the answer that I've been searching for! It is the much sexier version of tomato omelet. There is nothing bland about this dish, and I forgot where I was for about 10 minutes. The dish took over all my senses, and I had a really hard time concentrating on our conversation.

RB also thoroughly enjoyed his Shakshuka Margez ($11, with spicy lamb sausage), and he kept talking about the lamb sausage late into the night. The subtle heat of the sausage with the nice texture mixed extremely well with the Shaksuka dish.

After the brunch, we stopped next door at Mimi's Market and picked us up some delicious pickles we had at Mimi's Hummus. RB kept snacking on them as we got home, prompting me to wonder who exactly is the pregnant one here?

Plum Udon from Onya 04-10-2010

Location: 143 East 47th St.
Time: 7pm
People: RB and myself

Feelings: We went back to our favorite udon shop, Onya, in Midtown East after the J-Cation event. It is always nice to hear Osakan dialects from both customers and staff at this joint. That somehow always makes my food taste better.

I was excited to try their limited edition plum cold udon that is only available in Spring. The noodles were a lovely plum pink color and came with plum topping. I can see a lot of girls being a fan of this dish: it is very cute to look at, sensible, and healthy. I didn't actually taste any plum from the noodles, but the cuteness compensated the flavor. The udon was chewy and perfectly al dente as it should be for the cold udon dish. Although I wish they added some ginger for a little kick of flavor, this cheery dish was a great way to welcome the Spring.

RB ordered curry udon with beef steak, quite contrary to the plum cold udon. It is a mean, manly, alpha male dish with delicious curry broth and plenty of sirloin beef on top. If the plum udon represented Carroll Gardens, this dish was definitely Staten Island. The udon kept cooking in the hot broth, and it was significantly less chewy than the cold udon, and the steak was too well done and tough, however, it did manage to soak up all the curry flavor and became even more flavorful.

Whether you prefer Carroll Gardens or Staten Island, Onya seems always ready for some serious udon customers in Midtown East.

Kumquat Cupcakery 04-10-2010

Location: 139 Atlantic Ave. (at Crop to Cup Cafe)
Time: 10am

Feelings: When RB said one day, "I bought some kumquats," I cannot tell you how excited I was. It was only because I thought he brought me mini cupcakes from Kumquat Cupcakery. What was in the bag turned out to be the actual kumquats, and I could not show him any more disappointment on my face that day. I did not care for the taste of these tiny and super sour oranges if you must know. RB is known to be able to telepathically sense what I'm craving, but sometimes the message gets a bit fuzzy.

On early Saturday morning when he said again, "I bought some kumquats," I had a tiny bit of hope. Perhaps this time, he brought me those delicious nibbly goodness. In his hand, he carried what I longed for -- mini blueberry cupcakes!

These "Chocolate Blueberry" mini cupcakes, which only sold from April to August, were moist and full of dark chocolate flavor and real blueberries. The blue-purple frosting was creamy and not overly sugary at all. It sure was very small with one bite size, but it was the most dense and satisfactory bite of all cupcake experiences. If this cupcake was a normal size, I might have some serious upset stomach along with guilty feelings, but this sensible size let me enjoy the luscious texture and flavor.

Thank You Midtown Lunch! 04-12-2010

Feelings: Thank you Midtown Lunch for linking our Green Symphony post!

J-Cation Taste Japan 04-10-2010

Location: Japan Society, 333 East 47th St.
Time: 6pm
People: A lot of people

Feelings: JLam from MeSoHungry told me about the Japan food festival at Japan Society that was happening all day from 1pm to 1am. With a suggested donation of $5, you could experience various events such as a lecture with a competitive eater, Takeru Kobayashi to a Asobi Seksu's live show. There was a long line outside of Japan Society, proving that these Japan cultural related events have become quite popular in the city. I can't imagine how crowded Sakura Matsuri at Brooklyn Botanical Garden or Japan Day at Central Park will be this year. It is nice to see that Japanese culture has become mainstream culture.

At 6pm, there were not many food vendors as we expected. In fact, there were only two or three: creme puffs from Choux Factory and some Kushi and Takoyaki vendor. So much for Japan food festival. Disappointed, we walked around and found ourselves at the fascinating exhibition of ukiyo-e by Utagawa Kuniyoshi instead.

I wish they had more food related vendors, but Japan Society is a lovely spot to stop by. I had always thought Japan Society to be a bit of intimidating place, but this J-Cation gave me a warm introduction to this organization.

Green Symphony 04-06-2010

Location: 255 West 43rd St.
Time: 1pm

Feelings: A long while ago, my coworkers FF and JS told me I should try Green Symphony in Times Square for lunch, but I had been hesitant to walk seven blocks in the cold weather. Now that the spring has arrived, I finally made it to this Korean health food deli. I didn't know what I was missing all these months! It seems the seven blocks is worth the risk.

My favorite foods in no necessary order are: noodles, dumplings, mixed greens, nuts, sesame, and ginger. At Green Symphony, it is possible to get all my favorite foods in one dish by the name of "Nude Noodle." ($7.50, mixed greens, soba noodles, soybeans sprouts, pumpkin seeds, vegetarian homemade dumplings with sesame- ginger dressing) The veggies were fresh, and the Korean style dumplings were smooth and tasty. The tangy sesame ginger dressing complimented the noodles without overpowering the dish.

They also have an array of vegetarian and vegan friendly hot/cold salad bar as well as sandwiches, soup, smoothies, and plenty of vegan baked goods. I never thought I would find vegan cheesecake in Times Square. If you like your meats, they have plenty of items with free-range chicken available.

It is a very cramped space, especially by the salad bar area, but they do have a small seating area available. Unlike other Midtown delis such as Duke, I felt comfortable being here. There were no irritable men with blue button-down shirts and Blackberry in hand. The clientele is mainly health conscious dashing fashionistas or men in casual attire. It sure is a little health food sanctuary in ever so depressing Times Square.

Diner 04-03-2010

Location: 85 Broadway
Time: 12:30pm, plus 40 min-wait
People: ALev, MGru, StevenC, JLam from MeSoHungry, RB and myself

Feelings: With StevenC's request, we met up at Diner in Williamsburg for Saturday brunch. The weather was just perfect, so the 40 minute wait did not bother us at all. We used our wait time pleasantly at their outside benches while sipping some drinks and taking maternity photos. The atmosphere of this place is really fantastic, and nothing beats dining inside an old diner car. I am sure my Americana obsessed mother will have a field day at this location. It is strange that Brooklyn hipsters and my mother have so many things in common. One finds the irony of Americana to be cool, and the other finds Americana exotic and interesting and tries to absorb it.

As we were seated, our friendly waitstaff explained the menu and even wrote down today's special on the table à la Macaroni Grill. All the specials involved meat, so I ordered the omelette ($10, with roasted potatoes) from the regular brunch menu. It was a beautifully assembled and folded omelette, but unfortunately it was over-salted. The potatoes were also well cooked and tasty but again, it was too salty. Why is most of "New American" restaurants serve sodium induced dishes? Is that what New American food is all about?

MGru did not particularly enjoy her French Toast ($10, with Bourbon and toffee sauce) either. She said it was not very sweet, so perhaps I might have enjoyed her dish. StevenC's burger with fries ($12) was just average, but he emphasized that he really enjoyed the atmosphere of this restaurant.

ALev, JLam and RB, the three pork musketeers ordered from the special, Pork Belly with scrambled baguette and eggs. ALev skipped the baguette and got the potatoes instead due to Passover observation. They thought the dish would be more extravagant, but it seemed more like thick bacon with eggs. The pork belly was delicious, but the eggs were runny (scrambled eggs should be solid) and again and again, over-salted.

The food here might be salty and overpriced, but it is a fun place to have brunch, especially on a nice day. I am not sure if I want to go back there, but I am certain your new Manhattanite friends who say, "I've always wanted to explore Williamsburg,"would really appreciate this place.

RB's Favorite Thing: Calbee Seaweed Chips

Feelings: I have no idea why, but Calbee's Seaweed Chips are always on sale at Jas Mart. This is great for RB since he is truly obsessed with these Japanese potato chips. These light and crispy snacks are much thinner and less saltier than American chips. They are lightly salted with the subtle flavor of seaweed without saltiness or greasiness. One major problem with these chips is that tiny green seaweed flakes stick to your teeth, resulting in one's smile to be somewhat of an embarrassment. I recommend eating these at home by yourself or with your partner- never at work or parties.

Olieng 03-31-2010

Location: 644 10th Ave.

Time: 12:30pm

People: Showtime Ops!

Feelings: The Showtime Ops ventured out to another Thai joint in Hell's Kichen, Olieng all the way out on 10th Avenue. I believe it is our mission to try every Thai place around our work area. 10th Avenue is quite an interesting area, still holding onto the old Manhattan feel, and I love the vibe of the neighborhood. Olieng is perhaps the smallest Thai place around, and it was difficult for five of us to fit in one table. But a cramped and clean restaurant usually means it is a hidden gem, and Olieng did not let us down from this expectation.

We each ordered one the lunch specials, which are between $7 to $9, and they all came with small salad with peanut sauce. The waitstaff was friendly and funny, throwing some jokes here and there. The vegan of the group, PeeWee, especially appreciated that the waitstaff's understanding nature of veganism when he requested no fish sauce or eggs for his Pad Thai. "That's always reassuring that when they know what vegan means, and also when they can easily accommodate my request," he added. When I requested veggie Pad See Ew, he asked me if I wanted vegan as well, so it is nice to see the service going the extra miles for us vegans and vegetarians. Not only that, he even came back to ask if KarO wanted white rice or brown rice for her Panang Curry. I wish every restaurant had an understanding waitstaff like him. Unfortunately he forgot AP's tea order, but I will have to cut him some slack since we were a big table with plenty of side requests.

The dishes were quite large, and the each came with plenty of fresh veggies, which is rare for Thai restaurants in this area. KarO's curry was actually spicy and not too watered down with coconut milk. Both PeeWee and I thought our noodles were a bit greasy but tasty nonetheless.

If you feel like walking extra block to enjoy cheap and fresh Thai with big portions, I would highly recommend Olieng. And you can always stop by at Amy's Bread or Kyotofu on 9th Avenue for some dessert before heading back to work.

Tu-Lu's Gluten-Free Bakery 03-20-2010

Location: 338 E. 11th St.
Time: 7:30pm
People: RB and myself

Feelings: I usually go to Babycakes for vegan and gluten free baked goods, but I always welcome new vegan bakeries, especially tasty ones like Tu-Lu's in East Village. They serve both vegan and non vegan, but every offering is gluten free.

I have been seeing a lot of bite size "mini cupcakes" around the city nowadays, and Tu-Lu's is no stranger to this economical trend. We tried their Mini Chocolate Cup Cake with peanut butter icing ($1.25, 3 for $3.50), which was so dainty and divine. The icing was fluffy and creamy without being sugary. I absolutely hate icing more than anything, but I was able to enjoy this particular icing due to the light texture and subtle sweetness. The cake was so moist I couldn't believe it did not have any gluten. If your cupcake palate is directed more towards Crumbs, you may think their cupcakes are bland, but this is just perfect for my taste.

The vegan agave brownie ($2.75) we tried was deliciously chocolaty and full of cinnamon. I would really love to try their dairy-free pumpkin bread next time at this delightful bakery. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this sparingly clean spot. It has a really nice, cheery and warm presence, and it just made me want to go back as soon as I left. (Also it was very cold outside!) Babycakes, you've got some serious competition!