March was Yummy

In March Lilly went to SF and the two of us went to NYC. We ate so much food and looked at so much art we completely forgot to make a blog posting. So to get back in the game here is a photo essay of some of the culinary highlights.

General tsao's veal spare ribs.  Mission Chinese, SF

Bagel and Schmeer. Upper East Side, NYC.

BBQ Duck in Sesame Pancake. Venessa's Dumplings China Town, NYC.

Apple Strudel MIT SCHLOG!!!! Neue Gallerie, NYC.

Tempora Fiddlehead Ferns. Momo Sushi Shack Brooklyn, NYC.

Vegan Charcuterie. Gather, Berkeley SF.

Oyster Plate. Zuni Cafe, SF.

Crack Pie. Ma Peche, NYC.

Best sushi plate we've had in ever. Momo Sushi Shack Brooklyn, NYC.

Glass and Sable blog feature

I was featured as a home//closet//tool subject on this lovely blog . Now that it's up I'm feeling shy - it's funny seeing yourself through someone else's lens! I may be sporting the cheesiest and most lopsided grin ever. Follow the links to read it.

The Grit in Athens, GA

We finally got to Athens, GA for the first time on Saturday. It was a brief day-trip to interview someone for the podcast but while we were there we visited UGA campus and ate brunch at The Grit.  The Grit is a cozy vegetarian-friendly diner. Biscuits, gravy, eggs and grits made for a hearty lunch on a chilly day. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and can't wait to go back!

Atlanta Street Fashion

Another feature on Atlanta Street Fashion! A photo he took of me may end up in Atlanta's Jezebel magazine... I'll keep you updated!

traveling

I'm heading to San Francisco and New York City in March!  I'll be visiting friends, eating, and checking out art. Any recommendations? I'm so excited!

Year of the Dragon

This is a bit overdue but with New Years, as with wedding gifts, we have all year right? 

A few weekends ago my immediate family traveled from 3 Southern points (Raleigh, Asheville, and Atlanta) to converge at my brother's place in Charlotte, NC, the effective half-way point, to celebrate Chinese New Years!

The Lunar New Year has been a big deal for my family as long as I can remember. We're a family of many heritages, so the Lunar New Year gets as much attention as Christmas. 

The event is always supplemented with a feast cooked by Mom, which hasn't hurt its estimation within our family.

This year, she really outdid herself. 

The picture above is curried duck with kaffir leaves. Below, a roasted bass.

 Tempura shrimp.

 Barbecued pork.

 The chef herself.

 Calamari salad (a new addition to the table, and one we'll be looking forward to next year!).

 Dessert!

And a great time was had by all!  Happy Year of the Dragon!

Octopus Bar

We finally made it to Octopus Bar last week. Octopus Bar is a late-night concept in the porch of So Ba in East Atlanta Village. So Ba serves standard Vietnamese fare during the day but after 10pm Chef Angus Brown takes over.

The porch is barely enclosed with plastic and we had the misfortune of going on the coldest night Atlanta has seen in a while (24 degrees!). The few space heaters and mini-fireplaces didn't warm us as much as the hearty and flavorful dishes.

"Oyster Our Way" was a revelation. The bracing flavors of the uni and oyster were a perfect pairing with the freshness of the mint. The chicharonnes were just a hint of crunchy texture, balancing the other soft elements. 

We had heard great things about the salt and pepper shrimp and they did not disappoint. A crackly texture, bursting with flavorful juices, we ate these whole. I appreciated the spice from the jalapenos, though they gave Alex the hiccups.

Braised duck with home-made pasta was substantial and full of flavor, the perfect cold-night dish. The flavors of the duck didn't come through very strongly but its heat and richness were appreciated.

Uni carbonara with pancetta was not as interesting as the braised duck and pasta. The uni lost most of its flavor through being cooked and ended up being just creamy mush on the palate. The pasta was nice, but overall this dish was forgettable.

It was well past midnight by this time so we didn't make it to dessert.  Octopus Bar is definitely worth checking out whether you're waiting til 10pm to eat or looking for a more intentional late-night snack.