20 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – Sick of the Ramen Hype but Not of the Soft Serve at Momofuku

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  Don’t waste your time or money, unless it’s for their soft serve.

For five years, I lived really close to Momofuku, and in those five years, I had only eaten there twice.  “Momofuku” apparently means “lucky peach,” but the three times I’ve been there, I have never left feeling lucky, peachy, or like a lucky peach.

The first time was clearly to try the special Momofuku Ramen which was and has been all the rave.  I didn’t like it.  Paying $16 for that made me even grouchier.

The second time was in the cold of winter.  I know you’re asking what kind of person goes there again – waiting at least an hour while standing shoulder to shoulder with other customers and being pushed around by waiters – when she wasn’t impressed the first time?  The generous kind.  Like me.  I ordered the Momofuku Ramen again.  And, again, I was extremely disappointed.  Ok, maybe stupid people like me give second chances with food.

The third and last time was just a couple weeks ago when I had to go there because it was on New York magazine’s soup list.  Yes, I had to.  Yes, sometimes this adventure is no fun.  The third time was surely not going to be a charm.  Since I wasn’t about to waste another $16 just so I could reaffirm to you that the Momofuku Ramen isn’t all that, I went against my very structured, do-everything-by-the-books nature and ordered the three-course prix fixe lunch for $20.  I’m such a rebel!  A rebel with a cause, that is.  Now I can tell you that it’s not just the magazine-featured ramen that’s all hype; the restaurant in general is overrated, especially for the price.

Amuse Bouche

Amuse Bouche – Smoked Duck with Lemon Puree & Pickled Mustard Seeds
The mustard seeds gave the bite a nice crunch, but the lemon overpowered the duck which became an aftertaste.

1st Course - Steak Tartare

1st Course – Steak Tartare with Chili Flakes, Sesame and Quail Egg
A perfect-looking round of chopped raw meat was drenched in chili oil, sprinkled with sesame seeds, topped with a raw quail egg, and served with a side of greens that looked like butter lettuce.  When the dish arrived, I just stared.  I had no idea how to eat it, and no one bothered to explain it to me.  I’ve had steak tartare before, but the meat and sauce were prepared and mixed in front of me.  I had to flag a waitress down who then confirmed that I was supposed to mix the egg with the meat myself.  Pretty unappetizing, if you ask me, especially when I couldn’t mix the egg well enough.

I took a bite anyway, and was surprised that, even with all the red oil, it lacked any flavor.  Salt – where’s the salt?!  Other seasoning would’ve been nice, too.  The meat was also tough to chew, and made the experience even worse.  If you want a great steak tartare, head over to EO (Employees Only).

2nd Course - Corn Ramen

2nd Course – Corn Ramen with Hand-Cut Noodles, Smoked Ham & Delfino
Thick and wide noodles sat in a small bowl with clear brownish broth and were accented with a square of dry seaweed, a few kernels of fresh-roasted corn, roasted pork chunks, scallions, and delfino (think awesome Cilantro).  The noodles were cooked al dente, erring on the side of a touch too firm.  But I did like them.

The broth had a good smokiness, but it was too salty, just like the Momofuku ramen broth.  They could afford to use some of the salt in their broths in their tartare instead.

The pork was a tad on the dry side and was more like a tough Chinese roasted pork instead of the melt-in-your-mouth thin style one usually gets with ramen.

While the fresh roasted corn was extremely sweet and crunchy, I don’t understand why only a few kernels were included in the bowl.  Seems a bit absurd to call it a “Corn Ramen” and then only use the kernels as an accessory and not the main feature.  Even if they included an ample amount, they should’ve served the bowl with thin, delicate noodles instead.   The thick noodles didn’t lend themselves to being eaten with the little round yellow pearls, unless I fished them out with the spoon and then put a tiny piece of noodle on top.

Let’s go back to the delfino, though.  FABULOUS.  I’d like to grow me some of this stuff.  The rest of the Corn Ramen can remain a memory.

3rd Course - Spring Pea and Strawberry Soft Serve Twist

3rd Course – Cousin Leroy and Arlo’s Soft Serve – Spring Pea and Strawberry Twist
Imagine me happily running through a strawberry field in the spring.  Sounds totally wrong since strawberry season is in the summer, right?  Well this is how Momofuku’s soft serve made me feel.  Spring pea flavor?  What?  Twisted with strawberry flavor?  No way!  Yes way!  It was so crazily divine…

I happen to be a green pea fan, so this was a treat to get it in ice cream form.  It tasted just like fresh sweet peas.  MmmmMMmM.  The strawberry flavor was also made with fresh strawberries – you could see flecks of the real thing.  And, while the first few bites already made up for the previous two courses, I was later surprised with something even more heavenly.  As I got closer to the center and the bottom of the tiny teacup, I discovered a mix of crunchy dried peas (think wasabi peas without the wasabi), salt and crumbled graham cracker or pie crust.  These toppings may have been at the bottom, but they remained a top highlight of the dessert.  I ate this last course so fast that I felt sick.  If feeling sick feels this good, then I always want to be sick.

Momofuku
171 1st Avenue (between 10th and 11th Streets)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 777-7773
momofuku.com

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Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.

$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.

Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!

19 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – Oyster Pan Roast at Oyster Bar: A Hot Mess

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  One of the grossest things I’ve had to eat in my life.

I went to Grand Central’s Oyster Bar for lunch with C at the end of June, and the Oyster Pan Roast that I had to try has stuck in my memory ever since…because it was that disgusting.  I generally stay away from heavy cream-based soups since I try to eat as healthy as possible, so I wasn’t looking forward to this pan roast at all.

I did some quick research just now on the recipe, and apparently, Oyster Bar has been famous for this soup since the early 1900s.  From one blog, I discovered how the recipe has changed over the years from 1949 to 1999.  The ingredients have pretty much remained the same, but the preparation instructions seem to have gotten longer.  You can check it out for yourself on the blog.

Then, I found yet another blog called Seduction Meals which featured the pan roast on September 29, 2009 and included a photo and recipe from Oyster Bar’s cookbook.  Here are the ingredients for one serving since the restaurant makes each order individually:

8 freshly opened oysters
2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) of sweet butter
1 Tbsp chili sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup oyster liquor, also called liquid (the juice inside the oyster)
1/2 tsp paprika
dash celery salt
1 oz of clam juice
1/2 cup cream
1 slice of dry toast (I used peasant bread)

Can you feel a heart attack coming on yet?  Well, I knew if I finished the entire bowl I would’ve had a heart attack right then and there.  Luckily for me, I was so grossed out from the taste (of mostly Worcestershire sauce) and the presentation that I only had two little sips of the soup and then wasted the rest of my $10.75.  Although maybe I didn’t really waste my money since the cost of this atrocity probably came from the eight fresh oysters that died in the bowl of fat, and I did manage to eat all of the oysters.

Let’s go back to the presentation for a second.  Here’s the photo from the cookbook (or at least from the Seduction Meals blog):

Grand Central Oyster Bar's Oyster Pan Roast from Their Cookbook

Here’s what I got at the actual restaurant:

The Oyster Pan Roast I received at Grand Central's Oyster Bar

Where’s the piece of toast, you ask?  And where are all the other tiny oysters?  Oh, they’re down there somewhere…drowning in this hot mess.  Have you ever lost the words to describe how you’re feeling?   Well this image describes how I was feeling this past week – sad, disgusted and heavy-hearted that a friend of mine passed away.

Are you so depressed and turned off now that you’ll never go to Oyster Bar for some pan roast?  Well, good, that means I’ve done my job.  Now cheer up because this experience shouldn’t prevent us from trying more soups and sharing good conversation and a few laughs over a heart-warming bowl of something better.  That’s what my friend would’ve wanted – for us to keep laughing and living.  RIP Dan Cho.

Grand Central Oyster Bar
Grand Central Terminal
New York, NY 10017
(212) 490-6650
www.oysterbarny.com

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Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.

$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.

Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!

18 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – Yun Nan Flavour Snack Shop: A Home Away from Home

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  If I lived in the neighborhood, I’d be eating here every day.

Finding authentic Chinese food that reminds me of home is really tough.  Even Manhattan’s Chinatown doesn’t live up to expectations.  But for Chinese New Year’s, my family and I added East Harbor Seafood Palace in Brooklyn (Dyker Heights) to our “Best Chinese Food in NYC” list, and I’m now happy to add Yun Nan Flavour Snack Shop.  Moving to Brooklyn was definitely a great idea!

T was craving Chinese food or ramen for lunch, so I thought this was a great opportunity to take her with me on this particular soup adventure.  It was a hot, hot day, but we made the trek out there (it’s a bit of a walk from the subway) and were happy that we did.

When we walked into the tiny storefront, we were greeted by the friendly owner (the husband of the husband-wife team) who recommended the cold noodles* (#6) which T ordered.  Since I was here to try New York Magazine‘s recommendation, I ordered the Hot and Sour Soup with Dumplings which was actually “#27 – Dumpling with Hot and Sour Sauce” ($4.25) on the menu.  Soup and sauce are two totally different things, so I’m not sure why the owners used the word “sauce” when it was actually soup.  I suppose I can forgive the bad English, especially when they were telling me my Mandarin was very good, even though I know it was very bad.

Dumpling in Hot and Sour Sauce

In any case, what did I get exactly?  A big plastic white tupperware bowl filled with nine to ten freshly-made, meaty wontons which were floating in some spicy, vinegary reddish-brown clear broth with cilantro, chili and scallions.

The wontons – the “dumplings” – were the real deal.  Not from a frozen bag.  You could taste the love and care that went into making them, and I felt at home.  I envisioned my mom and grandmother at the dinner table making tray after tray of them.

The broth, on the other hand, didn’t blow me away, but it was still really good.  Something was missing for me, and I still can’t pinpoint what it was.  It lacked a bit of flavor, so, at times, I felt I was drinking something that was really watered down.  I’m not sure what they use to make the broth, but, if they use meat or meat bones as a base, perhaps they should simmer it longer.  Or perhaps the vinegar just threw off the taste.  Or maybe that’s how it’s supposed to taste, and I just don’t know what I’m talking about.  Whatever it was, I’m unhappily reporting that I could’ve done without the broth.  I would’ve been perfectly happy just eating the dumplings with some actual sauce.

And, for those of you who like it spicy, even though New York Magazine declared that the soup could “clear a sinus at 60 paces,” it really is no replacement for Sudafed or wasabi.  Spicy is not my friend, but I could handle this with no problem.  All the soup did was make my nose run because the temperature was so hot.  So leave the Pepcid at home, but make sure to bring lots of tissues with you.

Would I go back for more?  Absolutely.  It’s the closest thing to home right now.  And, since home wouldn’t be the same without my actual family, I hope I can take them with me at some point to have a feast!

*Read more about the Shop in general and the cold noodles from my Yelp review!  T and I both took a container of the noodles home for dinner!

Yun Nan Flavour Snack Shop
774 49th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues)
Brooklyn, NY 11220
(718) 633-3090

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Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.

$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.

Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!

16 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – If I could just Photoshop Tarallucci e Vino’s Scrippelle ‘Mbusse…

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  I’d rather spend $8 on some fresh chicken and other ingredients and make chicken soup at home.

I’m not sure if it was an off day for the chefs at Tarallucci e Vino, but I wasn’t impressed with the Scrippelle ‘Mbusse at all.  It’s an Italian chicken soup in which the carbs come in the form of crepes.  And, at $8 a bowl, it just wasn’t worth it.  Don’t get me wrong, though – it didn’t taste bad.  It just wasn’t anything special and was pretty bland.

According to New York Magazine, scrippelle ‘mbusse is from Italy’s Abruzzo region and translates into “wet crepes.”  The crepe, made from flour, egg and water, looks like a super thin sheet of egg.  You know when you’re making an omelette and some of the egg gets swirled and cooked on the side of the pan?  It’s sort of like that.  It’s reminiscent of the French crepe most of us know and love, but different in that the French version is thicker and includes sugar, butter and milk.

Taralluci e Vino’s menu describes their scrippelle ‘mbusse as a “hen broth with crepes filled with Parmesan cheese.”  So, I was expecting a decadently rich broth that would be complemented by the sharp and salty cheese.  Instead, what I received was what seemed to be a watered-down broth, very light in color, with three crepes and a tiny morsel of Parmesan thrown in.  The one time (literally) that I was able to get some cheese while biting into the crepe was a pleasant experience.  Too bad the pleasantries ended there.  And, since the soup was not close to being filling enough as a meal, I had to order a $10 beet salad to go with it.  Even more reason for the cafe/restaurant to lower the price of the soup.

What further confounded me, after I did some research at home, was that I found an old article, again in New York Magazine, featuring the same soup as their 2006 “Best Chicken Soup” pick.  Do they really think this soup is that good making it worthy of being featured again three years later as one of the best soups in NYC?  Or were they just lazy this time around and didn’t want to search for something new and possibly way more exciting?  Perhaps they were just going for the uniqueness factor since I’m not sure if any other restaurant makes scrippelle ‘mbusse.  If that’s the case, though, it should be under the “Unique but Tastes Only Ok” soup list.

Aside from that, take a look at the photos below.  The left is from New York Magazine‘s feature in 2006, and the right is the one I took during my recent experience a week ago.  Let’s go back to our Highlights days and please spot the differences.

(Left) New York Magazine's photo from 2006 "Best Chicken Soup" feature; (Right) Photo from my recent experience

Which would you rather eat?  I know you’re all smart enough to see what I see, so I won’t go through each observation.  And I know that, just like models get their “fat” and wrinkles Photoshopped out of their photos, food items get arranged and “colored” on set to make them prettier and more appealing for a photo shoot.  Not only that, I’m sure that more processing gets done to the actual photos later on.  But who knows what the real story is in this case.

Whether or not the old photo was a specially-crafted version of the scrippelle ‘mbusse or the real thing back then, I wish that I could’ve Photoshopped my 2010 version to that one instead.  It looks like it would’ve been much tastier.

Tarallucci e Vino
15 E. 18th Street (near Broadway)
New York, NY
212.228.5400
http://taralluccievino.net/

—-

Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.

$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.

Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!

15 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – Laut’s Asam Laksa: Big on Ingredients, Not on Taste

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  I ate it, but I didn’t like it.  But I also didn’t spit it out or puke it up.

I’ve walked by Laut many times before since it’s right next to one of my favorite bars in the city (Lillie’s).  It wasn’t until recently that I realized it was on my soup list.  I’ve been excited to try the traditional Malaysian Asam Laksa since, for some reason, I just thought I’d like every type of laksa out there, especially after LOVING the one at Taste Good.  I suppose that’s me falling into something like the All-Asians-Look-Alike stupidity.

There were a few differences from what New York Magazine wrote and what the actual menu indicated.  Here’s a lovely chart to compare:

Maybe the “fish flakes” were actually flakes of anchovies and sardines, and maybe the magazine just didn’t feel like listing all of the ingredients.  Or maybe Laut changed their recipe after the article was published and decided to charge $2 extra for their new claim to fame.  Who knows.  What I do know is that I wouldn’t pay another $13 to eat this particular Asam Laksa again.

Laut's Asam Laksa

The laifun noodles (short, thick Chinese rice noodles), which were firm and chewy, and the few chunks of sweet, fresh pineapple were the only two things I liked about this dish.  The pineapple helped cut the strange sour/fishy taste, and I wish they included lots more of it.  A whole pineapple would’ve been welcome.

The shrimp paste comes in a separate little dish so that you can add however much you want.  Even though I taste-tested the paste and winced at the not-so-pleasant plasticky, fishy flavor, I added half of it into the soup, thinking it might be good all mixed in with the other flavors.  Definitely not the best decision I made that night.  I also made the mistake of not tasting the soup in its pure state first, so I’ll never know if I’d be able to tolerate it more sans paste.

Aside from not liking the shrimp paste itself, the amalgam of ingredients just seemed like a big mess.  As you see in my oh-so-helpful chart above, there were a variety of different things added in, but just not enough of each to go around.  Not enough sweet pineapple, fresh mint, spicy raw onion and clean cucumber taste in every bite.

Last thing – the soup.  It had a very mild kick to it probably from the few big slices of chili pepper.  And while that was thankfully nowhere near intolerable, the thick, grainy and fibrous texture was most certainly intolerable to me.  I’m all for different textures, but this scared me a little, especially since I had no idea what it was.  I kept thinking that I could be eating a bunch of hair and not even know it.  Maybe we could all use some more fiber in our diets, but I’ll stick to getting it other ways.  I didn’t drink the soup separately like I usually do.  It remained in the bowl while I ate everything else.  So unlike me.  And it speaks volumes.

Laut
15 East 17th Street (near Broadway)
New York, NY
212-206-8989

—-

Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.

$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.

Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!

14 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – Ippudo Ramen with My T

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  I’ve tried a lot of ramen in Manhattan, and Ippudo’s still remains my favorite.

Whoah am I lagging behind on this soup journey.  Illness has plagued me yet again for three weeks so far, but it’s time to finally tell you about Ippudo’s Akamaru Modern Ramen ($14).

Ippudo's Akamaru Modern Ramen

According to the menu, the ingredients are: “the original tonkotsu” (pork) soup noodle with Ippudo’s special sauce, miso paste, fragrant garlic oil, pork chashu, 1/2 seasoned boiled egg, beansprouts, kikurage (black ear wood mushrooms) & scallions.  I added menma (braised bamboo shoots) for an extra $2.

I ordered this big bowl despite my lack of appetite.  When I texted my go-to gal, T, to keep me company after waking up in the dark of day, I didn’t think she would suggest getting ramen, let alone Ippudo ramen.  It was 4pm, and she wasn’t anywhere near the area.  When I agreed to go, I didn’t think I’d order anything to eat, even though I knew I had to blog about this at some point.  But it was too hard to resist when I sat down and looked at the menu and other people’s bowls.

The following review is based mostly on my fond memories of past experiences since I ate this recent bowl too fast and totally forgot to pay attention to what I was eating.  That’s how good it was.  It disappeared before I could remember that I didn’t feel like eating and had to take notes.

The broth is rich and porky, just the way I like it.  If you didn’t know better, you’d think their secret ingredient was milk.  And it blends nicely with the secret sauce and miso paste.  The noodles are cooked relatively al dente, although I like mine a tad firmer.  The optional menma adds a nice crunch to each bite, and I have no recollection of the wood ear mushrooms.  They’re usually tasteless anyway.  The one thing I do remember about this experience is that the garlic oil was too much for me.  I could smell it right when the bowl was put in front of me.  I even made a comment to T that it smelled like a lot of garlic, and she said there was no garlic.  Just goes to show how sensitive I am to it.  Garlic lovers will probably barely notice its existence.  Finally, the pork chashu – I do remember the pork, so succulent that it just melts in your mouth.

So, while I woke up feeling alone and miserably sick, Ippudo’s Akamaru Modern Ramen and T made me feel a lot better.  I hope Ippudo will continue to be there for me in my worst moments just like T has since the first time I met her.  I really had the best of the best with me that day.

Ippudo NY
65 4th Avenue (btwn 9th and 10th Sts.)
New York, NY
(212) 388-0088
http://www.ippudo.com/ny/

—-

Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.

$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.

Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!

13 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – Triple the Comfort, Triple the Pleasure

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  It sounds gross, but it tastes so good.  Try it!!

Sip Sak's Hot Yogurt Soup

The Man was in town this weekend, so I had to take him with me to try another soup.  I took him to Sip Sak, a Turkish restaurant in midtown east, since it was right across the street from the bday bash we had to be at later on.  I was really, really, really, really, really not looking forward to trying this Hot Yogurt Soup ($6).  Hot and yogurt just didn’t seem to go together.

The Man was going to order a bowl for himself, but I told him that I probably wouldn’t like it and would just give him the rest of mine.  Oh boy, was I wrong!

Before I tried it, my nose caught wind of the delicious mac and cheese scent, which made my eyes perk in excitement, which made me eager to dig in.  Ladies first, so I got the first taste.  Ummm, I need to go heat up some yogurt now and add a bit of mint and butter.  Somehow the three ingredients gave it a hint of citrus flavor.  Refreshing creaminess, could it be?  I’m sure I ingested a whole vat of fat, but that’s what I’m guessing makes it tasty.  Here’s what I recommend:  If you get your wisdom teeth pulled out and have an annoying craving for mac and cheese, then have some of this.  You won’t get the nice pasta chewiness, but I’m pretty sure it’ll hold you off until you can chew.  Maybe this could also compare to a light, watered down cheese fondue.  I mean, we did dip our bread into the bowl a few times.  Gotta soak up every last drop!

Being the generous girlfriend I am, I gave the Man the last few bits, even though I really wanted the rest of it.  It was the least I could do since I already lied to him about only taking a couple spoonfuls.  I think we both wanted to order a second bowl that we could enjoy alone, especially when our entrees weren’t satisfying.  Sometimes, things just aren’t meant for sharing, and we all need a little independence. 🙂

Needless to say, this was a shockingly lovely experience.  It’s hard not to feel incredibly satisfied and happy when you have the comforts of “mac and cheese,” soup and your Man by your side.

Sip Sak
928 Second Avenue
New York, NY
(212) 583-1900

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Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.

$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.

Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!

11 & 12 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – The Power of One, The Generosity of Many: Kicking Things Into Gear

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  If you’re looking for plentiful, cheap and pretty decent soup, then try both of these.

Monday and Tuesday night were probably not the best nights to have slightly spicy soup.  Stomach issues for the past week and a half have really put a damper on my appetite.  But that’s really never stopped me from at least attempting to eat.  My dad always said, “As long as you know you’ve tried your best…”  I think he’d be proud of me right about now.

I went to Cascabel Taqueria on the Upper East Side on Monday night, alone, for some Sopa De Tortilla ($5) with chicken, queso fresco (fresh cheese), Mexican oregano, fried pasilla (big-ass, blackish-brown, medium-hot chile, aka “chile negro”) and tortilla.  Then, Tuesday night, I met T and M at Galanga in the West Village for some $9.50 “Khao Soi” (according to New York Magazine) – aka “Chiangmai Curry Noodle” (according to the actual menu at the restaurant) – with tofu (or chicken, if you wish), mild yellow curry sauce, egg noodle, pickled cabbage (mmm!), crispy shallots, scallion, and red onions.

Got all those ingredients in your head?  Good.

Cascabel Churros and Luchadores

Eating by yourself at a public space is always interesting.  A couple of years ago I wouldn’t have been able to brave it alone.  But, in a city that never sleeps, any time you can take for yourself is precious – time to breathe, read a book or magazine, reflect about your career and relationships and figure out how you want to change the world…if you want to change the world.

Normally, a time of reflection would go well with a hot bowl of good soup, but I just wasn’t hungry at the time.  I only went to Cascabel because I had a meeting in the area, and I wasn’t sure when I’d be back.  With about 30 minutes to spare, I stood in line by the cashier for a few minutes before realizing I should just take a seat at the bar.  The space was small, but it still had a lot of character with all the luchadores (think Nacho Libre) throughout, and it still felt comfortable and airy.

The bowl of Sopa de Tortilla came out in a simple, sleek, silver tray with two small lime wedges on

Cascabel's Sopa De Tortilla

the side.  The presentation excited me.  So much going on in the bowl.  The 6-inch long fried pasilla resting on top made me stop and say “whoah” before putting it aside.  The abundance of light pink-ish/ivory chicken, fresh green cilantro, fried brown oregano, and red tomato made for a colorful palette to mix with the creamy white melted chunks of fresh cheese hiding at the bottom.  The tortilla chips added some texture, providing a soft crunch to every bite, and the medium heat from the chile pieces gave me a slight wake-up call.  But, unfortunately, I had to give myself a rest after only three spoonfuls and asked for the rest of it to go.  I tried to eat more when I got home a few hours later, but, by that time, the tortilla chips had selfishly soaked up most of the liquid.  I’ll beat them to it next time!

*     *     *     *     *

Tuesday night, the Chiangmai Curry Noodle Soup at Galanga had some relatively high expectations to meet:  T is Thai, but that’s exactly why I told her she had to come with me.  Interestingly enough, when we were chatting about this a few days before, she said she had never actually eaten this dish since it was from a different region of Thailand.  She was still Thai, though, and would know much more than I would.

I took a look at the menu and almost had a heart attack since I couldn’t find “Khao Soi” anywhere.  I looked through a second time, and finally noticed that the restaurant called it something else entirely.  Phew!  My noodle soup ended up being pretty darn big, and I, surprisingly, ate the whole darn thing, leaving only a few spoonfuls of broth.

Galanga's Chiangmai Curry Noodle Soup

Does that mean I thought it was the best bowl of noodle soup I’ve ever had?  Definitely not.  The small, extra firm, medium-sized chunks of tofu somehow didn’t fit in.  They should maybe think about cutting them into much smaller slices, like the rest of the ingredients.  Or maybe that’s my OCD-ness talkin’.  I took out most of the raw red onions since my stomach yells at me every time I eat too much.  The pickled cabbage, however, made me smile.  The vinegary sourness contrasted well with everything else.  The broth was not overwhelmingly creamy from the coconut milk, but it definitely needed an extra kick of something to save it from a slight blandness, as T mentioned.  We also agreed that the noodles were overcooked for our tastes.  More al dente, please!  Perhaps a texture between the soft, main noodles and the fried, crispy birds nest sitting on top.  But, overall, it obviously satisfied me since there was barely anything left.  I’d probably have it again if I was in the area and craved something like this.

During dinner, and well after our dishes were removed, T, M and I had a pretty lively night just chatting and laughing away.  It was a nice change from the quiet night before.  This is the second time it was just the three of us hanging out, and there was no shortage of new stories, revelations and observations about each other.  These are two generous women who give a lot to their friends and who have a much higher tolerance than I do for those that have “unique” personalities.  I feel lucky that they put up with my low tolerance, and they can feel lucky that my low tolerance has welcomed them into my world. ;p

What I’ve learned from these friendships and from two books I’ve recently read* is that one person alone has the ability to begin the process for extraordinary change.  But it’s the generosity of many along the way who help kick you into gear, keep you going and fulfill your dreams.

*Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time, and The Blue Sweater:  Bridging the Gap Between the Rich and the Poor in an Interconnected World

Cascabel Taqueria
1542 Second Avenue (at 80th St.)
New York, NY
212.717.7800

Galanga
148 W. 4th Street (at 6th Ave.)
New York, NY
212.228.4267

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Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.

$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.

Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!

10 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – Trying to Overlook the Negatives: Má Pêche’s Hue-Style Chicken Soup

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  If you’re going to try this, for every spoonful of soup you should have a gulp of water.

It’s Easter Sunday, and I’m staring out my dirty windows trying to write this post before I get started on more work.  Three months after moving into this brand new building, I still have to look past the grime covering the windows to get a glimpse of the beautiful sun shining through.  This is what I had to do with Momofuku Má Pêche’s Hue-Style Chicken Soup.

I almost didn’t get to try it on Friday because, after arriving, we were told by the host standing outside that there was a private party going on and the restaurant wasn’t even officially opened yet.  She said the Chambers Hotel was still serving a limited lunch menu on the Mezzanine level, but she didn’t know if they were serving the soup.  We walked upstairs to look at the menu, and, hallelujah, the soup was there!

As the host took us to our seats, I started sweating because it was so damn hot and humid inside.  This was going to be a not-so-great experience if I had to eat hot soup in a hot environment.  But ask and you shall receive, and the cool air

Má Pêche’s Arnold Palmer

was finally turned on.  Supplementing the cool air were a bottle of beer and a special Arnold Palmer ($5) made from Má Pêche’s calamansi lemonade (calamansi*, lemon juice, simple syrup, mint) and jasmine iced tea, which had a refreshingly delicate citrus flavor.

I was both expecting and not expecting a mind-blowing soup because the Momofuku name was behind it.  I had Momofuku ramen a few times (and it still needs a review on this blog), as well as dinner at Momofuku Ssäm Bar, and each time I’ve left unimpressed and annoyed that I spent a lot of money.  However, Momofuku still has an incredible reputation, so this was me hoping that I could see past my bad experiences and finally enjoy something I would rejoice about.

Má Pêche’s Hue-Style Chicken Soup

To my dismay, that didn’t really happen with their Hue-Style Chicken Soup.  I enjoyed the mix of ingredients that were in plain sight – fresh slices of mushrooms, real tender pieces of chicken, fresh cilantro, fried shallot flakes and Asian rice noodles.  The more hidden ingredients that my palate could figure out – star anise, lemongrass and fish sauce – provided some pleasant company.  But, at $12 a bowl, I wondered if they used about $9 worth of salt.  In fact, all of their dishes had salt dumped into them.  Maybe it wouldn’t have been as noticeable in the soup if I wasn’t eating the sodium-ridden side dish, too.  At this point, I was thankful for my many drinks so I could wash it down.

Why didn’t I just stop eating?  Well, I was investing $12 just for the bowl of soup, and wasn’t about to waste my money and spend more money to fill up my stomach.  So I forced myself to get over the saltiness, delight in the parts that I liked, and finish it.

This is similar to how I handle my personal relationships.  As I invest more of myself into a relationship, my expectations increase.  I expect the same that I give.  Over the years, however, I’ve realized, after a number of disappointments, that the only way I could lessen these disappointments was if I changed my own expectations and, from that, changed how I interacted with certain friends.  For example, flakers get invited less and less, but I’ll still be able to have a good time with them whenever we happen to see each other.  They’re still fun people, after all.

I’ve been a work in progress, trying to look past the rough spots and enjoy the shining moments underneath.  This doesn’t mean I never feel let down anymore, but it does mean that I feel happier overall.  If you rub enough salt on the wounds, though, and don’t provide me with an ounce of happiness, then my investment ends there.

So, Má Pêche, I think you’ve filled me with enough salt for a lifetime, and I won’t be coming back.

*Calamansi is popular in Southeast Asia, especially the Philippines, and is also called “lemoncito.”  It is often described as a cross between a tangerine/mandarin orange and a kumquat.

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Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.

$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.

Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!

9 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – Castration Makes It All Better: Teodora’s Cappalletti In Brodo Di Cappone…and a bit about myself

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  Need something to calm you down?  Drink/Eat this.  It’s not your grandmother’s chicken soup.  It’s better.

Last Thursday, my daily lunch partner in crime, C, had to run errands, so I decided to take the opportunity to go to Teodora to try their Cappalletti In Brodo Di Cappone ($13.50).  What is this you ask?  Teodora’s menu says, “homemade dumplings, filled with veal and parmesan cheese, in capon broth.”  Not knowing what capon broth was, I googled it before going.  I feel like there needs to be a pause here ’cause it’s rather interesting…

…it’s broth.  made from meat.  from castrated roosters!  Yes, CASTRATED roosters.  Why?  I have no clue.  But it was kind of the perfect thing for me that day because that morning I really wanted to castrate a friend for seemingly cracking some joke, a bit out of nowhere, about my name.  I’ll bop his head when I see him, but he hit a nerve and I didn’t get it at all.  More on that later.  Right now, let’s talk about the soup.

I walked into Teodora, a super cute, very homey restaurant.  I sat down at the bar and ordered the soup with a glass of wine.

Teodora's Cappelletti In Brodo Di Cappone

The broth was a beautiful, rich, golden hue.  The mini dumplings floated inside, and freshly-grated parmesan cheese and fresh-cracked black pepper topped it all.  The bowl looked so simple that you could only assume the flavors were simple, too.  But, instead, the broth was joyously intense and the meatiness from the veal burst into your mouth with every bite of an al-dente dumpling.  Whatever it is about castrating a rooster that produces a much better broth, I’m all for it.  I could’ve eaten three bowls.  It soothed me…for various reasons.  I mean, I wanted to castrate someone, and then I ate a soup made from a castrated animal.  You feel me?  Maybe not.

Teodora Logo

Before I left, I picked up a business card and noticed that their

logo is a crown with dashes around it like a sunburst to give it that “brilliant” look.  It made me wonder why they used that since I didn’t think it was a translation of “Teodora.”  The only thing I could come up with was that the logo represented their prized soup since it was created by cutting off the crown jewels of the main ingredient. 🙂

*     *     *     *     *

A Bit About Myself

Back to my story from that morning.  It got me thinking about my name again, especially since I came across this quote from a book I’m reading: “Only by knowing ourselves can we truly understand others–and knowing from where you come is an important part of knowing who you are.”*

I’m Chinese-American.  My English name was derived from my Chinese name.  My parents decided to do that for both me and my brother when we were born.  “Ja-Shin” means happy, beautiful, Spring-like.

When I was in third or fourth grade, I remember sitting with my mom on a small chair, looking through the newspaper together.  She came across the name “Josephine,” and asked if I wanted to change my name to something more “American.”  I thought it was the oddest question because “Ja-Shin” had already become my identity.  But I know that my mom only wanted to make sure that I felt like I fit in…so I could have an easier life.  I didn’t even think about it when she asked, and answered, “No.”  She said I could think about it some more, but I never got back to her with a different answer.

My mom was right, though.  I’ve been made fun of before, whether it had to do with my name or the way I look.  I look and “sound” foreign, but I’m American and speak perfect English (unless I’ve had too much to drink or something).  For some strange reason, people still think that it gives them the right to make nasty remarks.  “Chink!”

It also makes employers think twice about my candidacy for a job.  I did a little experiment a few years ago where I changed the name on my resume and in my email: I included just my first initial, plus my last name, instead of my full name.  The response level from potential employers increased immediately – I actually received responses.  You’d think that I’d keep it that way, but I changed it back right after I came to that realization.  If someone was going to deny me because of the way my name looked, then it was someone I’d never want to work for.

So, who am I and where did I come from?

I was born and raised in New Jersey (South Jersey), graduated Cum Laude from UPenn ten years ago and am currently an Events Director.  Without going into the details, my upbringing has most definitely shaped a lot of who I am today.  It’s given me both the right tools and ambition that have made me successful.  Even with the occasional self-doubt, I’m still somehow capable of putting myself out there.  Whatever the reason, it’s helped build solid relationships and opened interesting doors, and I really am living out a super journey.  When I’m happy, I’m really happy.  When I’m sad, I’m really sad.  I might be petite, Asian and female, but I’m not afraid to speak up and stand up for myself.  It took a while before I found my voice, but I eventually found it.  And now you might not be able to shut me up.  (Good luck!)  I can say with confidence that I’m probably one of the more thoughtful and loyal people you’ll meet, and that’s partially because I’m extremely passionate about the people I’m close to.  But I also like to treat people the way that I’d want to be treated, so I try to be thoughtful in my actions…no matter whom I’m dealing with.  I’m an analytical person and very introspective, so, for the most part, I know exactly what my faults are.  And I do have them – many of them.  (But why would I tell you what those are?)  The challenge might be whether or not I want to change those faults.  A lot of times, I analyze others, too, and I’m usually spot-on.  (There’s proof!)  At the end of the day, I will do anything for my family and friends, but my closest friends also know that, if you f— up, I will castrate you on the spot.  Maybe if you give me some of Teodora’s capon broth, I’ll forget about it. 😉

*From The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World by Jacqueline Novogratz

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Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.

$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.

Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!