NYC: Mixed Platter and Rice @ The Halal Guys, Mid Town.

Good food does not always have to come with a large price tag.  Hidden amongst the ritz and glitz of the Manhattan borough is a story about a food cart phenomenon.  Started by a Egyptian migrant in 1992 who belittled the boring hot dog stands, he started a stall serving halal Egyptian fare on the streets.  Hence the name, the Halal Guys.  His first stall  located between the 53rd Street and 6th Avenue opposite Hilton Hotel still serves up generous portions of meat (chicken or lamb) on rice and flat bread topped with delicious lashings of yoghurt based sauce.  Since then, he has inspired many imitations but none is a good according to biased fans.   

The original store operates between 7pm-4am, 7 days a week(apparently).  When I was there at 10pm, there was a long queue which cleared very quickly but be mindful of the service which deteriorates significantly between busy and calmer nights.

During my stay I could not help but come here twice for a quick takeaway that was surely to satisfy.  My choice here would be the mix platter as it gets you the best of both worlds.  For $6 with no tax/tips, you get a serve of nuclear red rice topped with tender pulled chicken and superbly flavoursome lamb mince as well as a serve of bread and  chopped lettuce.  Once you get your food, move out of the way and start pouring the sauce you like.  First up is a white sauce that resembles a creamy-tasty yoghurt-like sauce.  Then comes the party crasher, a bottle of barbecue sauce.  That was lame.  In the last bottle was a fiery chill sauce that I guarantee will have you tear and shit lava.  Not joke lol. My preferred mix would be a 5 portion of white sauce to 1 red sauce.  It was just right for my Malaysian taste buds.

Nuclear red rice @@!  Not sure what was in it but the right was tasty just by itself!

I really do not think there is much to say.  I would like to call it a Briyani but in no way did this famous rice platter have the same spices like a Briyani.  Yet, it was still every bit tasty.  At the Halal Guys, the food skips all the complexities and dives straight into the comfort food category.  Carbs, meat and delicious sauces.  After two meals here, I was completely satisfied.  Surely this had no Michelin grades or professional recognition.  But to establish a culture that sir, is a class act.  With up to 3 carts and an intent to take the States by storm with a chain-like store, the Halal Guys will not disappoint.   From the hundred dollar meals to the penny pinchers I had in NYC, the Halal Guys will always be something to remember.  No it is no molecular gastronomy but rather a simple pleasure.  Spending 8 days in this big city was definitely insufficient to enjoy all the goodies the city had to offer.  But if you are filled to the brim but still want a midnight supper to conclude, the Halal Guys will be there waiting.

WenY  

NYC: Yakitori @ Tori Shin, Upper East Side

Recommended by friends and seconded by the sushi masters at Sushi Azabu,  Tori Shin the one-Michelin star Yakitoriya in the bustling Manhattan became host to my dinner on a rainy night.   Equipped with a charcoal grill fuelled by imported oak-tree charcoal, Tori Shin remains true to the Yakitori practice.  In here, be prepared for a predominantly chicken based menu which the chefs lovingly hand-grill each and every skewer.   I can already imagine people frowning at the word “chicken” but how can I blame you after having so many bad experiences myself.   Chicken is a common protein which means many people tend to abuse the convenience of it.  But after a long time comes something special like Tori Shin.

A moment at Tori Shin with Head Chef and Manager, Atsushi Kono.

As per usual, when at a restaurant like this I decided to go with the Omakase.  After all, if you are a newcomer and want to know what to eat, why not try the best the restaurant has to offer?

Pickled cucumber and radish

The first course of the night was a seasonal course of prawns, mozzarella, bean mix and a tomato like chutney.  It was nowhere near the conventional Japanese I was expecting, yet every bit was more-ish.  Fresh, and appetising with an intention to make one feel like eating more.  Reminds me a little of the pickled vermicelli at Kanta!

Then came the grilled Leba, or Chicken Liver.  Perfectly charred on the outside, creamy on the inside.  Imagine Foie Gras like consistency in the middle serenaded by a woody smokiness.  At the very last piece I added the recommended lemongrass salt which really elevated the flavours beyond the norm.

If you do not do organs, the salt will help a lot! 

The palate cleanser. A small bowl of grated radish with a drizzling of soy. 

Harami, chicken ribs.

Nankotsu, cartilage. Not a big fan of this as it is something I discard from my chicken every single time.  To some though, it is a delicacy.  A true example of the idiom "one man's rubbish is another man's treasure".

Pork Belly with Garlic Miso. Need I say more? Lovely crust on the pork with a garlicky miso to pair. Sweet!

Shiitake. I always knew this little fungus was magical beyond the large red toadstool in children storybooks.  Juicy, earth and with a drizzling of lemon, simple but yummy.

Onions.  You might think I am getting scammed at this point. Michelin dollar for chicken portions that no one really eats, shrooms and now onions.  Do not be fooled.  Even the Koreans put this little lovely herb on their barbecue.  When slowly charred over charcoal, these little beauties caramelises and becomes amazingly sweet.

Soriresu, or chicken oyster.  The most tender part of the chicken.  Juicier than the tenderloin or the thigh, inexperience chefs often discard this section with the carcass after carving the chicken.  At Tori Shin, a crisp and salty skin cover hide a tender chicken pieces that is simply juicy. Mind bogglingly good.

Thigh meat with yuzukosho.

Duck with asparagus.  Thinly sliced duck flesh could easily be mistaken by a high grade beef cooked to perfection.  But its mild gaminess was the giveaway.

The next summer dish.  A dish consisting of marinated diced tomatoes.  Felt like a Japanese bruschetta but with a much cleaner, and crisp finish.  Refreshing :)

Breast meat with Yuan Sauce & Moromiso & Shiso.  A chef specialty and favourite.  Tender chicken pieces marinated in a trio of soy, sake and mirin before being grilled on a skewer.  Topped with sliced shiso and Moromiso.  An explosion of flavours.  The chicken itself had layer of saltiness, sweetness and fragrance from the marinade.  Topped with miso and shiso it was a very nice bite!

Special meatball which consisted of two different mince; chicken and duck.  This was my request for my final piece.  It was simply wow.  Tender and juicy on the inside with rich flavours from the countless basting done.   Nom nom nom!

The last course was a rice dish.  My choice was the Oyako-don.  Chicken, eggs, scallion, onions and rice.  Whilst I found the over marinate was a little under and could do with more mirin/soy, I was absolutely pleased with the silkiness of the egg.  It was just so more-ish.  I added my own soy and made the dish a little saltier and was super happy.  After finishing, I had a bowl of chicken broth to wash it all down.  This definitely had my approval.  Good stuff!

The dessert was a Shiso sorbet.  Could not have had anything more refreshing to end the night with.   This leaf has a beautiful sweetness and fragrant to it.   Never knew it could be turned into something sweet as my meals on Seoul and now the States had taught me that Shiso was frequently used in savoury dishes.  To see it used as a dessert, was an eye opener.

Everyone has a different experience when it comes to eating.  One thing for sure is that the balance between good or bad never comes close.  For every exceptional restaurant come 3 or 4 bad experiences whilst most sit in the middle.   Then we have grilled chicken. Talk dry, sometimes undercooked flesh with the outer bit charred. God must be a very busy man listening to the number of complains from below.  But when done right, it become an impressionist.  A subject so capable almost like an art movement.  Tori Shin does exactly that.  Food is after all art no?  The one good Tori Shin does at this exclusive yakitoriya might be enough to make all wrongs done by other chef become right.  Faith in grilled chicken restored?  100%.  The good dinner tonight goes beyond the 1 star rating under the Michelin system.  Tori Shin has  got to be one of the most underrated restaurants in town!

WenY

NYC: Artichoke Slice @ Artichoke Basille’s Pizza, Gramercy

I was chatting to a couple of newly met friends when I asked "What would you recommend a tourist to eat in New York?", the prompt answer “Pizza” came first.  Without a doubt I enjoy crusty slices of pizza with generous toppings.  But with a city so bold so as to name a style of pizza after itself, it was clear that everyone will be calling their pie the best in town.  Online searches never quite worked either.  Too many haters out there.  So I fell back to a couple of Facebook schoolmates and the name Artichoke Basille’s Pizza came tops. 

They now have three branches and since I was about to dine at Gramercy Tavern, I decided to drop by for a slice of pizza at the Gramercy district branch. At 10.30am, there was absolutely no queue besides a granny.  Walking in I heard heard an old lady said, "I need this packed I cannot finish."  I was puzzled.  But not so after I ordered a slice of the infamous Artichoke slice @ $4.50.  

Stretched over two party plates.. wtfk was this monster?  American slice for the win.  It had a pretty good pastry that was cooked just nice.  Sadly though it did not sport the fragrance of a well-oiled pizza tray.  But I loved their tasty cream based sauce.  Very, very tasty.  It carried the hints of garlic, parsley and onions.  The stringy cheese topped the slices perfectly.  In other words, generous !  Then there were the little slices of translucent artichoke hidden the underneath but it was barely seen.  Weird to call this an Artichoke Slice. Could have had more artichokes :)! Toward the end I sprinkled some chilli flakes and really liked how it tasted.  Sprinkled more and more and more.  Oops.  Burnt tongue (and an ulcer soon followed =.=!)

Reading several reviews about Artichoke Basille's in the night got me annoyed when I found that many comments about this pizza place such as burnt crust, hyped for its hipster vibe, ridiculous queues and that sort of shit people make claims of were utterly untrue.  Coming in to see a granny at 10.30am, with no queues to eat a delicious slice of pizza reflected the credibility of the internet at times.  At Artichoke Basille's it was simple and tasty!  The only true part was the lack of artichokes which I was not really bothered by anyway :)!    Great stuff if you ask me!

WenY