Pok Pok NY 04-06-2014

Location: 117 Columbia Street BK
Time: 4pm
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: You can always expect a long line at culitish Thai empire, Pok Pok even after they moved to more spacious place. Now that they are open for weekend lunch, there should be less chance for a wait this summer--Most people will be at Smorgasburg at Pier 5 nearby instead. We really enjoyed Smorgasburg in DUMBO last year, but this year's Pier 5 version attracts monstrous crowds and becomes a bit difficult to navigate. (Ramen Burger is there..) So if you are defeated by the blistering sun and crowds, walk down on Columbia Street to Pok Pok instead for lunch.

Pok Pok has the pedigree and name recognition (Mr. Ricker) that attracts foodies and Manhattanites to this developing area of Brooklyn. Compared to other well known cult Thai restaurants in the city such as Sripraphai, Ayada and Zabb Elee, the menu is more difficult to navigate which creates the uncertainty of flavor and dish we are ordering. However, the drink menu is defined with a list of unique cocktails, whiskey, scotch and beer. For no-proof drinks, Thai favorite, drinking vinegars ($5) is highly recommended. The ginger drinking vinegar is refreshing and a great alternative to ginger-mint lemonade in summer. Also, the water here is flavored with pandanus leaf as it is done often in Northern Thailand. It tastes a lot like rice water, and it is supposed to have cooling and soothing effects.

The Phak Buung Fai Daeng ($10 "red fire water spinach") is excellent and fiercely garlic-y. The side of sticky rice ($3) truly balances out the strong flavors. If you are unable to finish the dish, I don't recommend you take it home. The take-out container leaked its tasty sauce filling all over the bag. By the time I got to Atlantic Avenue, I left a trail of stinky garlic smell.

Kaeng Hang Leh ($16 Northern Thai sweet pork belly and pork shoulder curry, RICE NOT INCLUDED!) was delicious and tender fatty pork belly. I do recommend you add a side of rice to soak up the delicious left over sauce.

With remarkable flavors and drinks, Pok Pok creates an interesting culinary experience. The dining experience seems somewhat similar to looking through your friend's trip to Northern Thailand on Facebook--and here, actually food comes along with it. As a restaurant, it lacks the thoughtfulness towards the customers as it is completely one way, but what they are sharing with us is a superb and delicious experience.

5 Burro Cafe Brooklyn 05-26-2011

Location: 127 Columbia St.

Time: 8pm

People: Mum, Dad, RB and myself

Feelings: RB's sister often raves about 5 Burro Cafe in Forest Hills, and she loves it so much that she drives in from Long Island. Although Forest Hills is one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city, it is difficult to find the time to get there. Conveniently, another location opened in our neighborhood.

Calling for a delivery is almost always RB's job. After over 18 years of living in the U.S., Japanese hospitality and politeness should not be my standard anymore, but to this day, I fear for the unexpected hostility and rudeness from businesses. I am usually too afraid to call for delivery because restaurants often have poor phone manners. I encounter enough shouting and appalling demeanor at work, and I don't think I can take it during my off time. As RB called for delivery, he was impressed how friendly and polite they were. Perhaps I can give them a call next time.

Calexico is our usual Mexican neighborhood favorite, but it could get a little heavy sometimes with all that cheese and tasty Crack Sauce. 5 Burro offers a little lighter and more simple flavor. At $14, it is quite a bit more than Calexico consisting of two burritos with your choice of chicken, beef, shrimp, vegetarian, or lobster ($2 extra). All entrées are served with rice, beans, salsa fresco, guacamole and sour cream, so the meal can get voluminous.

We all ordered the burritos with various protein of choice. The tomatoes from salsa fresco were sweet and fresh, and the soft corn tortillas were grilled to perfection and delightfully chewy. RB thought the chicken was little dry but the lobster was fresh. He fully enjoyed the creamy side of beans and Mexican rice. My dad could not get enough of the salsa fresco and sneakily even stole my portion.

I hear that their outdoor patio is excellent, and the restaurant is quite baby friendly. I can't wait to spend some nice Summer afternoon there.

Fultummy's 10-26-2010

Location: 221 Columbia St.

Feelings: After we both completely forgot our wedding anniversary, we celebrated it with rice burger take out five days later. The reason it is called rice burger is from the bun, which is made of -- well, rice and sometimes mixed with barley. Instead of mayo, oil or dressing, there is seaweed. This also prevents the rice from falling apart while keeping the fillings tightly inside. I grew up enjoying Kinpira Rice Burger from MOS Burger in Japan, so this was quite a treat for me.

My Kinpira Brown Rice Burger ($6.75, soy sauce sauteed shredded burdock and carrots, a sheet of dry seaweed, and lotus root chips on soy glazed sesame brown rice buns) was even better than how I remembered. I expected a Japanese place to serve small portions, but this was quite filling. The kinpira was subtly spicy, and the crunchy texture contrasted the soft texture of rice buns. I am sure that not only all the vegans out there but also carnivores would really enjoy this interesting mix of savory flavors.

My Tofu Salad ($7, red leaf lettuce, watercress, arugula, red turnip, crushed tofu, and bonito flakes with garlic sesame fultummy’s dressing) was also fresh with full of flavors and textures, and it is one of the best salad I have had this year. Who knew bonito flakes would go so perfectly in a salad! I would highly recommend trying this at home.

I thought RB would order their Pork Katsu Sandwich, but he ordered Teriyaki Tofu Sandwich ($6.50, homemade teriyaki sauce glazed fried tofu, lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced avocado on toasted ciabatta bread) instead. The sandwich had a nice flavor but unfortunately lacked a necessary crunch. He was sadly left with tasty bread with soggy fillings. Hopefully he will order katsu next time.

Especially after CK's arrival, it is nice to see a quality Japanese kid friendly sandwich shop accessible in our neighborhood. I can't wait for him to try all the food I grew up eating in Japan. As much as I would like Fultummy's to be our little hidden gem, it is time people find this amazing eatery.

Red Apple 02-20-2010

Location: 225 Columbia St. BK
Time: 2:30:pm
People: RB and myself

Feelings: We usually order Chinese take out from Great Wall in Brooklyn Heights, but I was deep in a noodle soup craving on a lazy Saturday afternoon. After some researching, RB decided to order from Red Apple on Columbia Street/Union, which has Cantonese style noodle soup.

I ordered Cantonese Wonton Noodle Soup with Cantonese egg noodle ($4.39), and RB had Roast Duck Noodle Soup with Cantonese egg noodle ($5.01), and we shared Steamed Shrimp Dumplings ($4.39 for 8). As soon as we opened the containers, I knew this place was legit from the fresh smell of the noodles, and the ingredients looked fresh. I liked that the broth and noodles came in separate containers, so the noodles would not get overcooked or soggy.

The noodles were well prepared al dente, and the wontons had shrimp in them, which was a nice surprise. The bok choy was not overcooked and had a nice crispy texture. RB thought his duck was very tender and flavorful but had too many bones. Despite the difficulty of trying devour all the duck meat, he thoroughly enjoyed the noodles. The dumplings were fresh, and the skin was perfectly thin and chewy. They went down my throat so smoothly like a good dumpling should.

Columbia Street Waterfront seems to be a bit of foodie heaven. They have Calexico and Dub Pies, and now this place, which looks like a regular Chinese take out joint with non nonchalant appearance. It seems people in this area really care about food, and I also enjoy their economical pricing.

Calexico 01-05-2010

Location: 122 Union St. BK
Time: 8pm
People: RB and myself

Feelings: "Hello, my name is Ramen and Friends, and I am a Calexico addict." That is all I have to say about this amazing taqueria in my neighborhood. I had heard all the raves about their cart and the restaurant, but I somehow never tried it until my coworker, RRowe brought me their delivery menu.

I have been on the exploratory adventure to find a decent Thai and Burrito joint in my neighborhood since last year. My burrito journey has now come to the end. Calexico is a little piece of burrito heaven, and I feel utterly foolish for ignoring this place for the past few months.

Calexico is not the most authentic taqueria. It has a rather hip, casual feel with some edge. What I most love about their food is their fresh ingredients and meticulous execution. My vegetarian burrito with black beans ($8) was full of addictive flavors and textures. The refreshing acidity from the lime, perfectly cooked rice and beans, delectably creamy guacamole and fresh roasted tomato salsa were all rolled up in a crispy yet soft flour tortilla. It was not soggy or mushy at all as most burritos can be. There was a definite bold flavor to it without being overbearing, and I kept wanting for more, especially with the additional the aptly named, "crack sauce"! This homemade chipotle sauce can make the burrito irresistible and better than any burrito I have ever tasted in New York.

We also shared tofu grits ($8 for large, stone-ground, hand-milled organic grits with cheddar, corn and jalapeno). It's not everyday you find grits at a taqueria, so I thoroughly enjoyed this interesting twist. It was incredibly creamy and cheesy (two Lactaid pills, por favor), and the corn was perfectly al dente and gave a nice texture to the soft grits. The crack sauce went quite well with the grits as well...Actually, the crack sauce would go well with anything, and they don't call it "crack" sauce for nothing. It is highly addictive.

The only thing I can think of right now is Calexico's burrito and crack sauce. I am not sure if I could ever eat burritos elsewhere in the city again. I am happy to find a great place, but I am not sure if I was ever ready for this burrito addiction.

DUB Pies 09-05-2009

Location: 193 Columbia St. BK
Time: 6pm
People: RB and myself

Feelings: As we were strolling along our new favorite area, Columbia Street Waterfront, we saw a sign that said, "Let Them Eat Pie, Authentic Australian & New Zealand-Style Gourmet Meat and Vegetarian Pies." My Scotsman, RB, cannot ignore a meat pie, so I knew I was going into this place, and I was happy to see that they had vegetarian pies available.

Their atmosphere reminded me of a stereotypical Brooklyn coffee shop with a very laid back attitude. I saw Milo drink on their menu, and I was reminiscence of my childhood in Japan. (We get a lot of Australian products.) This is indeed a New Zealand- Australian joint!

The pies were pre-made and sitting in their warmer. A very friendly and courteous lady took our order of one shepherd's pie ($5.75) and curry vegetarian pie ($5.50) and put them into thermo bags for take away. They seemed a bit pricy for the size. I did not order my childhood beloved Milo drink since it was already beyond our budget.

The meat of the shepherd's pie was flavorful, and the potatoes were crisp and buttery. My curry vegetarian pie tasted fresh and extremely buttery. It was on the heavy side, and one pie surely filled me up. The outside of the crust was very flakey, and inside was doughy and buttery. I am certain some sort of very unhealthy ingredients must have been in it to make this as heavy and delicious as possible. They have a lot of vegetarian options, but they surely have enough butter and milk to leave a cow dry.

The pies were extremely satisfying, and they were definitely nowhere near light. One was more than enought, so $5 for a small pie somewhat makes sense if you want to be full.