Now that I live in Philadelphia, I am a line cook at Bistrot La Minette, making A LOT less money than I used to. Even with the diminished income, I am enjoying life more than ever, but fancy meals are becoming few and far between. I will certainly have my share of celebratory dinners and occasional culinary splurges, but more than likely will be on the prowl for cheaper eats.
The key to cheap eats, in my opinion, is not about finding the best of the greasy spoons, which lots of people focus on. My idea of what makes for a great, pocket friendly option is authenticity, quality and portioning. The perfect way to explain this concept is to tell you about my newest cheap eats find, in the middle of Philadelphia's Chinatown, Nanzhou Hand Drawn Noodle House.
Authenticity is important in any restaurant, but especially in an ethnic restaurant. Which is better, a taco from Taco Bell or a great authentic taco from your best local taqueria? Not many people are lucky enough to taste authentic Chinese cuisine, like someone's Chinese grandmother might make? At Nanzhou, the art of noodle making is at its most authentic and best. As my friend Mike and I were waiting to be seated, I saw a man in the back of the kitchen. A great man indeed, he was nonchalantly stringing noodles by hand, waving them back and forth in the air, pounding them onto the counter, building the delicate texture of these noodles, making sure to knead them just enough to give them a nice chewy bite.
Quality is always a necessity in a good restaurant. Why would anyone want a burger from McDonald's when they can have a juicy home made burger from any number of gastro pubs in their neighborhood? The quality of all the ingredients was very obvious from the start at Nanzhou. Our food came to us as it was ready. This is always a sign of a place that wants to make sure that you get your food as fresh and hot as possible. The roasted duck noodle soup that I ordered was piled high with fresh Peking Duck, so fresh that the piece on top still had crispy skin. Topped with fresh cilantro, the light yet flavorful broth accentuated the silky texture of the noodles. In a surprising twist, the vegetables, celery and cabbage, were slightly pickled, adding a nice acidic note to the soup. While the soup did not need it, I added some red chili sesame oil to mine, giving it a little earthiness and kick.
Mike decided to have the Pork Soy Sauce Noodles. This dish was not soup, but more of a spaghetti- style dish, with the noodles covered in a sauce. The noodles were tossed in a flavorful mix of ground pork, with a black bean sauce/soy sauce combination and just a slight hint of five spice. Topped with a tad of cilantro and scallions, it was served over a small bed of lettuce. This move was genius, as the lettuce collected all of the delicious juices from the noodles, creating a little treat at the bottom of the plate. Unfortunately for Mike, he did not get to enjoy this treat, because the helpings at Nanzhou are overflowing. I took home half of my soup, with a big chunk of duck and plenty of noodles, enough to make for a great late night snack. Mike was ravenous, but still did not manage to clear his plate.
Nanzhou's noodles are so good that I would recommend any noodle lover to make a trip to this little restaurant as soon as possible. But even if you are just looking for a cheap eats place, Nanzhou mets my criteria, giving every customer an overflowing plate, full of authentic chinese noodles, and at a quality level that is unheard of. Not to mention a small check, only twelve dollars for both Mike and I. Thanks Philly, I think I might stay a while.
Who's blog is this?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Bourbon for one last brunch in D.C.
My farewell to D.C. has been filled with meal after meal with friends. My last was brunch in Adams Morgan with my best friends Morgan and Aunnalea. Looking for a quick brunch option close to my house, Bourbon seemed like a great bet. They are one of the few bars in Adams Morgan that has reliable food during the daytime.
We decided to order chicken nuggets to share before the meal came out. The chicken nuggets here are a hidden gem. Not many people would order a nugget at a restaurant like this, especially considering that McDonald's and Wendy's does them so well. The Bourbon nuggets are homemade chunks of white meat, fried light and crispy. I have no idea what their secret is, but the meat retains full flavor and moisture. These juicy morsels come with a trio of dipping sauces, honey mustard, buffalo sauce, and the bourbon barbecue sauce, which is featured on many parts of their menu. This appetizer is a must have any time you go there.
For my lunch entree I got the BLT. Not exactly the most original of orders, but delicious none the less. Crispy bacon piled on juicy tomatoes, with lettuce and just enough mayonnaise to fight off the dryness of white toast. There was really only one bit of confusion about the sandwich. It was made as triple decker sandwich, with the vegetable portion of the sandwich separated from the bacon. This choice made little sense to me, but was easily remedied by removing the extra bread. The sandwich is served with a side of baked beans, one of my favorite things on the bourbon menu. The beans are cooked with their barbecue sauce and sprinkled with a bit of cheddar cheese. They always hit the spot.
Morgan got their veggie burger, another homemade item. Topped with barbecue sauce and smoked gouda, the burger was a nicely seasoned blend of grains, beans and vegetables. A good veggie burger needs to be just dry enough to hold, but moist enough to not be the texture of chalk. This is a feat that many eateries do not accomplish, but Bourbon gladly has mastered.
Aunnalea got a Bourbon specialty, the Kentucky Hot Brown. A hot, melted open faced sandwich, this offering was served over white toast, with chopped turkey, bacon, potatoes, tomatoes, onions and cheese, and smothered with white gravy. This hangover cure tasted great, in the way that most sloppy, comfort food items often do, but from a culinary standpoint the dish was a disaster. Chopping all of the items and tossing them on the bread did not serve to make the dish appetizing visually. There was no doubt that it was flavorful, but no amount of flavor can make up for a plate that comes out looking like slop. A simply sliced turkey, with slices of tomatoes, arranged nicely over the bread, with the cheese and gravy smothering the sandwich, possibly even cut and arranged, would have delivered the same flavor without all of the visual confusion. The dish was also notably missing a side, and came to the table on a too large a plate, making it look half empty.
Overall this was a good meal. With the exception of the Hot Brown, everything came out looking great. What more can you ask for out of a final brunch? Good friends, good food and great memories. Goodbye D.C.
We decided to order chicken nuggets to share before the meal came out. The chicken nuggets here are a hidden gem. Not many people would order a nugget at a restaurant like this, especially considering that McDonald's and Wendy's does them so well. The Bourbon nuggets are homemade chunks of white meat, fried light and crispy. I have no idea what their secret is, but the meat retains full flavor and moisture. These juicy morsels come with a trio of dipping sauces, honey mustard, buffalo sauce, and the bourbon barbecue sauce, which is featured on many parts of their menu. This appetizer is a must have any time you go there.
For my lunch entree I got the BLT. Not exactly the most original of orders, but delicious none the less. Crispy bacon piled on juicy tomatoes, with lettuce and just enough mayonnaise to fight off the dryness of white toast. There was really only one bit of confusion about the sandwich. It was made as triple decker sandwich, with the vegetable portion of the sandwich separated from the bacon. This choice made little sense to me, but was easily remedied by removing the extra bread. The sandwich is served with a side of baked beans, one of my favorite things on the bourbon menu. The beans are cooked with their barbecue sauce and sprinkled with a bit of cheddar cheese. They always hit the spot.
Morgan got their veggie burger, another homemade item. Topped with barbecue sauce and smoked gouda, the burger was a nicely seasoned blend of grains, beans and vegetables. A good veggie burger needs to be just dry enough to hold, but moist enough to not be the texture of chalk. This is a feat that many eateries do not accomplish, but Bourbon gladly has mastered.
Aunnalea got a Bourbon specialty, the Kentucky Hot Brown. A hot, melted open faced sandwich, this offering was served over white toast, with chopped turkey, bacon, potatoes, tomatoes, onions and cheese, and smothered with white gravy. This hangover cure tasted great, in the way that most sloppy, comfort food items often do, but from a culinary standpoint the dish was a disaster. Chopping all of the items and tossing them on the bread did not serve to make the dish appetizing visually. There was no doubt that it was flavorful, but no amount of flavor can make up for a plate that comes out looking like slop. A simply sliced turkey, with slices of tomatoes, arranged nicely over the bread, with the cheese and gravy smothering the sandwich, possibly even cut and arranged, would have delivered the same flavor without all of the visual confusion. The dish was also notably missing a side, and came to the table on a too large a plate, making it look half empty.
Overall this was a good meal. With the exception of the Hot Brown, everything came out looking great. What more can you ask for out of a final brunch? Good friends, good food and great memories. Goodbye D.C.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Quack Quack goes the Blue Duck.
Second time seems to be the charm at Blue Duck Tavern. I went to Blue Duck Tavern in February of this year with a very dear friend. While the meal was good, there was something left to be desired. It just did not seem to live up to the hype, especially as compared to some of my favorite restaurants. I always recommend that my friends go there, but have always said "it's really good, just nothing special." I think I was wrong.
Thursday's lunch at Blue Duck was unbelievable. Our server, Zac, was a great help. I ask a lot of questions when I dine, and he went above and beyond to make sure that all my inquiries were met with great information. Zac's attention to detail was amazing, swapping out used silverware whenever needed, exchanging dirty share plates for clean ones, and always keeping our iced teas refilled. This level of attention is often missing at even the best of restaurants, but was ever present this afternoon.
I cannot even begin to explain how good the food was that afternoon. Everything was perfectly portioned, well prepared, seasoned exactly as needed, and looked beautiful. The menu is set up with various appetizers, salads, and entrees have accompaniments but no sides. Sides are available a la carte. We decided to order a salad, appetizer, entree, and two side, plenty of food for a relaxing lunch.
We started with the young lettuce salad with caramelized onion vinaigrette and parmesan crisp. Quick question; Have you ever tasted heaven? The sweet onion harmonized perfectly with the tartness of the vinegar, creating a tastefully mellow dressing. The parmesan crisp played the roll of both cheese and crouton, lending a crispy, lactic edge that we often crave with our greens. The crispy fried artichoke flakes, an unlisted addition, rounded out the dish.
Next up was the young pork terrine. Sliced ultra-thin a la a NYC deli, this exquisitely arranged charcuterie came plated with pickled chantrelle mushrooms, farm fresh corn, crispy pork skin (also unlisted) and gribiche. Gribiche is a mayonnaise-style sauce with egg yolks, egg whites, capers and various herbs. The pork terrine was very delicate, with a textured country mouth-feel made smooth by the thin slicing of the product. The condiments paired nicely with the pork, not to mention their bread is fantastic.
Our entree selection, the braised "wreckfish" with peppers and onions, was a big hit. The wreckfish had a large flake, similar to grouper, and was just fatty enough to braise without breaking apart. The sauce pairing for the fish was "mojo" sauce, an olive oil, garlic, paprika and bread sauce. This rich addition to the dish played well with the fish, giving a full, rich flavor to the simple preparation. To cut some of the fatty richness of the fish and sauce, a cucumber and gherkin reduction was poured table side. This sauce was clean and slightly acidic, a great pairing idea. The pepper and onion saute, in my opinion, stood alone on the plate, especially considering that tucked beneath this neat stack of vegetables were two blue prawns, simply sauteed.
Our sides were the farmhouse cheddar grits and roasted mushrooms. The grits were rich and creamy, and coming from a very anti-grits minded Northerner, were outstandingly tasty. Blue Duck has changed my opinion of grits forever. The cheddar flavor grabbed hold of my palate in a way that is indescribable. The texture of the grits were a perfect combination of coarse and smooth. The roasted mushrooms were perfectly seasoned, salty, peppery, and well herbed. The mushrooms were roasted slightly more than is usually found, giving them a deep aromatic flavor. The essence of mushrooms was the focal point of the dish.
Everything about this meal was special, from the perfectly detailed service all the way down to the cherry flavored green tea. This was one of my best meals to date. I went into this meal thinking "Good but nothing great", and left feeling "Always expect perfection from Blue Duck Tavern."
Thursday's lunch at Blue Duck was unbelievable. Our server, Zac, was a great help. I ask a lot of questions when I dine, and he went above and beyond to make sure that all my inquiries were met with great information. Zac's attention to detail was amazing, swapping out used silverware whenever needed, exchanging dirty share plates for clean ones, and always keeping our iced teas refilled. This level of attention is often missing at even the best of restaurants, but was ever present this afternoon.
I cannot even begin to explain how good the food was that afternoon. Everything was perfectly portioned, well prepared, seasoned exactly as needed, and looked beautiful. The menu is set up with various appetizers, salads, and entrees have accompaniments but no sides. Sides are available a la carte. We decided to order a salad, appetizer, entree, and two side, plenty of food for a relaxing lunch.
We started with the young lettuce salad with caramelized onion vinaigrette and parmesan crisp. Quick question; Have you ever tasted heaven? The sweet onion harmonized perfectly with the tartness of the vinegar, creating a tastefully mellow dressing. The parmesan crisp played the roll of both cheese and crouton, lending a crispy, lactic edge that we often crave with our greens. The crispy fried artichoke flakes, an unlisted addition, rounded out the dish.
Next up was the young pork terrine. Sliced ultra-thin a la a NYC deli, this exquisitely arranged charcuterie came plated with pickled chantrelle mushrooms, farm fresh corn, crispy pork skin (also unlisted) and gribiche. Gribiche is a mayonnaise-style sauce with egg yolks, egg whites, capers and various herbs. The pork terrine was very delicate, with a textured country mouth-feel made smooth by the thin slicing of the product. The condiments paired nicely with the pork, not to mention their bread is fantastic.
Our entree selection, the braised "wreckfish" with peppers and onions, was a big hit. The wreckfish had a large flake, similar to grouper, and was just fatty enough to braise without breaking apart. The sauce pairing for the fish was "mojo" sauce, an olive oil, garlic, paprika and bread sauce. This rich addition to the dish played well with the fish, giving a full, rich flavor to the simple preparation. To cut some of the fatty richness of the fish and sauce, a cucumber and gherkin reduction was poured table side. This sauce was clean and slightly acidic, a great pairing idea. The pepper and onion saute, in my opinion, stood alone on the plate, especially considering that tucked beneath this neat stack of vegetables were two blue prawns, simply sauteed.
Our sides were the farmhouse cheddar grits and roasted mushrooms. The grits were rich and creamy, and coming from a very anti-grits minded Northerner, were outstandingly tasty. Blue Duck has changed my opinion of grits forever. The cheddar flavor grabbed hold of my palate in a way that is indescribable. The texture of the grits were a perfect combination of coarse and smooth. The roasted mushrooms were perfectly seasoned, salty, peppery, and well herbed. The mushrooms were roasted slightly more than is usually found, giving them a deep aromatic flavor. The essence of mushrooms was the focal point of the dish.
Everything about this meal was special, from the perfectly detailed service all the way down to the cherry flavored green tea. This was one of my best meals to date. I went into this meal thinking "Good but nothing great", and left feeling "Always expect perfection from Blue Duck Tavern."
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