The MasalaWala

I love Indian food yet I find myself ordering take out rather than going to restaurants. So when I was invited to a press dinner at The MasalaWala, I was thrilled! The restaurant is understated and seats less than 30. The cuisine focuses on Indian street food. My mouth immediately started watering when we received the menu. The Kolkata Gobi Manchurian immediately stole the show.

I don't know why I've never experienced such deliciousness in my life. The cauliflower was crispy and to some extent it was difficult to tell it was cauliflower. The blend of Indo-Chinese spices made this reminiscent of a high class general tso dish.  I was also a big fan of the Lamb Kakori Kebab.

In the last year lamb has reappeared in my diet and this was probably the best I've eaten. The lamb is imported from Australia, home of the world's best lamb. It is triple ground so it's incredibly tender then grilled in the Tandoori. Simply to die for! The Chicken Tikka was a close second.

The small chunks of chicken were marinated overnight which definitely showed in the depth of the flavor. They were then grilled in the Tandoori which cooked them to perfection. The samosas were standard fare.

Definitely well seasoned and thankfully not overstuffed but with so many other interesting dishes on the table it was not the star. When the entrees started arriving my nose was having a party thanks to all the amazing aromas. I absolutely loved the Nawabi Lamb Biryani (bottom left).

The lamb was just as tender as the Kebab. The rice was also cooked to perfection. The blend of flavors was what made it so amazing. I definitely had dreams about the biryani the following night and fully intend on calling in an order whenever I'm in the neighborhood.  The Chicken Kali Mirch was another great dish.

It had a unique flavor unlike anything I've tried before. The black pepper chicken was blended with a variety of spices reminiscent of curries I've tried before but with an extra kick.  The Lamb Pasanda was spectacular.

I really tasted the difference in Australian lamb than what I've eaten elsewhere. I had high hopes for the Shrimp Malabar. The flavors were right but the shrimp was slightly overcooked, almost tough.  The coconut curry was mild with slight tamarind undertones.

Overall, I was quite pleased with the selection at The MasalaWala. The mix of new dishes and familiar staples was refreshing. I had to leave before dessert so I will definitely be back to try it out!

Hungry yet?

El Toro Blanco

I haven't seen Z in for-ev-er!! I think the last time we hung out was post Vendy's!! Crazy right? I've noticed that we end up at Mexican spots frequently, but I'm a fan. So when we were deciding between two places, it was pretty easy to pick El Toro Blanco.  The space is well designed with a simple and clean look. It was pretty lively in there and had good energy but it's definitely not a space for quiet intimate dinners. Thankfully we were definitely more on the lively end that night. We of course started our meal with guacamole.

It was creamy delicious avocado with the right blend of spices. But the true winner in the starter column is the spicy habenero salsa in the trio that accompanied the guacamole.

We loved it so much we ended up asking for more to kick things up later in our meal. Although the menu had lots of terrific options, we both decided on the tacos. Z ordered the Baja  Swordfish.

The meaty taco included avocado, roasted jalapeño aioli and citrus slaw. She added some spice to kick it up but definitely enjoyed the tacos. I went with the Camarones en Barbacoa.

It was a good looking taco and definitely lived up to expectations. The roasted tomatoes were not as flavorful as I expected so I also spiced it up with the salsa. There was nothing left on my plate. Of course we had to try something else so we went with a side of poblano rice.

Although it looks tasty it was definitely the most disappointing part of our meal. The rice was undercooked and boring! We mixed in the queso fresca but still got nothing out of it. There was no kick or flavor. Overall a very disappointing side. I had to make up for it with dessert.

The Mexican Chocolate Cake was a notch above what I usually expect. The matchstick churros and dulce de leche ice cream definitely brought this dessert together. The rich chocolate was completed by the ice cream and churros. I was quite pleased and this was the perfect end to the meal.

Our service was definitely subpar but it didn't take away from the meal. I was a huge fan of the variety on the menu and loved the tacos as guacamole. The rice was a low point, but the cake was a fantastic end. I'll definitely be back to more thoroughly explore the variety of the menu!

Hungry yet?

Lucky Cheng's

My guest blogger got hitched to one of my best friends last year. Since she had to celebrate her impending nuptials in style, she decided to make it happen in NYC. It was a ridiculously fun weekend and I wish we could do it all again!  The weekend started with a fabulous  dinner and show at Lucky Cheng's.  We ordered the family style dinner so a lot of delicious items started arriving on the table. Since we were famished, I had to dive in as soon a something landed on the table or risk it disappearing.  The Fried Veggie Spring Rolls were the first to arrive.

I wasn't particularly impressed.  They looked crispy but the inside was filled with mushy vegetables.  I was much happier with the Glazed Chili Lime Chicken Wings.

They were packed with flavor and definitely a table favorite. The Chicken and Mushroom Dumplings also got some love.

The dipping sauce was a simple sesame but really helped pull together the flavors.  As they started giving us previews of the show, our entrees made their way onto the table.  The Five Spice BBQ Chicken was an instant hit.

The rich tangy flavor was exactly as I imagined it.  It tasted even better when mixed with the Lucky Cheng's Veggie Fried Rice.

The rice was perfect for carb lovers like me, but also loaded with vegetables which tasted as though they were seasoned and cooked with the rice...not just thrown in as an afterthought.   I was not nearly as impressed with the Wok Seared Coconut Chicken.

It lacked flavor and chewing it was not worth the effort. Overall it was surprising to get a decent meal when that was definitely not the highlight of the place.  By no stretch of the imagination would I call this gourmet dining, but I'm glad they didn't let the food fall by the waist side.  They recently moved to near my office which is an odd location but could make for some interesting summer associate events....

Hungry yet?

Mo-CHiCa Los Angeles

This summer has flown by. I've spent almost as much time on the road as I've spent in NY.  My last trip was a two week stretch in Los Angeles.  I was not that impressed with most of what I ate out there but I did encounter a few gems.  The lovely Peruvian restaurant Mo-CHiCa was a pleasant surprise after days of bland eats.  Mrs. C and I met up after work and decided to wander 7th street until we came across something desirable. The menu looked promising so we took a chance. The restaurant was well decorated and had a laid back breezy feel.  We were famished so we quickly decided what we wanted to try.  We started with the Causa de Cangrejo.

A refreshing blend of aji amarillo mashed potatoes, fresh crab and avocado.  Although the flavors were lively and bold, I was disappointed the the mashed potatoes were cold.  The Ceviche Carretillero was fantastic!

The fresh slices of sea bass were swirled with leche de tigre, red onion and yuzo.  As our meal went on, each dish was better than the last.  When the Arroz con mariscos arrived, the aroma alone made me salivate.

The Peruvian seafood paella was flavorful, spicy and pretty much perfect.  The rice was cooked just right and although it looked soggy, I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted even better when you mixed in the red onions.  Our last dish was the Paiche.

This Amazonian fish from Peru is served on top of a bed of ajiaco de arroz and cherry tomato escabeche. It had a lot more spice than the paella. The fish was firm so it didn't crumble but it was still tender.  The rice tasted different than the paella, it was more like a spicy stewed rice.  Although we were truly satisfied with everything we ate, we couldn't resist dessert.

The Alfajores were fantastic!  These Peruvian cookies are shortbread cookies sandwiched around dulce de leche.  The other sandwich was made of chocolate ganache. They were dusted with powdered sugar.  Amazing!! The cookies were rich and just what we needed to end the meal.

Mo-Chica was a delicious experience. Each dish was perfectly flavored and they built on each other as each dish arrived.  I wish I could have gone back again to try some of the other dishes that caught my eye.  No worries, I'll be back in LA soon enough.

Hungry yet?

Muriel's Jackson Square

After spending several months looking forward to my escape from NY, I was psyched when Ms. O and I finally made it to New Orleans. It is definitely one of my favorite cities in the US. As Tennessee Williams said, "There are three great cities in the US, New York, San Francisco and New Orleans...everywhere else is just Cleveland."

We started with a tour that helped us get acquainted with some of the sites we would return to later during our trip. For dinner our first night, we decided to dine at Muriel's Jackson Square. We were greeted by the hostess and immediately escorted to our table. We had two servers. One person for drinks and another for our food. They take their drinks very seriously in NoLa!

We immediately encountered a problem because the menu had too many great choices!! We decided to order as much as we thought was reasonable. Our first dish was the Creole Tomato and Crab.

The display was enough to make me melt a little bit. We were there during the height of the Creole Tomato festival. These were some special tomatoes. It was like heirloom infused with an extra level of sweetness and freshness. The jumbo crabmeat was mixed with avocado and tossed in a tarragon tartar sauce. The tartar sauce initially threw me off because it was creamy and reminded me of mayonnaise.  The dish was well balanced but definitely a little rich, which isn't surprising when you mix crab with avocado.  Of course Ms. O ordered a salad.

The romaine lettuce tossed with a roasted garlic and Parmesan dressing with shaved red onions and herb croutons was inoffensive. It looked good but I refuse to acknowledge salad as a part of my meal, especially when Escargot is an option.

The Escargots Orleans was phenomenal.  The tender escargot with fennel, leeks, and oyster mushrooms simmered in a roasted garlic butter were served in a flaky vol-au-vent shell. Definitely melt in your mouth goodness. The contrast of the buttery snail and the flaky crust made every bite perfect.  As though the appetizers were not rich enough, we went for the gold with our entrées.  Ms. O ordered the pan seared maple leaf duck breast. 

Any one who has read my duck related entries knows how weak my knees get when duck lands on the table. This dish was a double dose because it was served with duck confit dirty rice, leeks and baby carrots with a blackberry gastrique. Holy Moley!! 

The duck confit dirty rice was the most spectacular rice I have ever eaten. I fully intend on recreating this masterpiece.  I had a little bit of food envy but that was quickly dismissed when my Blackened Redfish arrived. 

The large filet of fish was a bit intimidating.  It was perfectly seasoned but I especially loved the peppery Louisiana Crab stuffing. The stuffing was moist but not watery. The best bite was the combination of the fish and stuffing swirled in the accompanying Blue Crab butter sauce.

Muriel's you wowed me in a way that I will never forget. I genuinely enjoyed every bite on every plate. My only regret was my inability to finish my entrée.  I will definitely be back next time I'm in New Orleans!!

Hungry yet?

Gazala's

It’s hard to break out of habits. I try to make sure I sample a new cuisine every now and then, but I don’t always do it.  Thankfully I was invited to dinner at Gazala, an Israeli Druze restaurant.  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I kept an open mind.  The menu offered familiar items, but with interesting ingredient combinations.  We were told that a pie was a must have.  We ordered the Mankosha Pie.

It was a thin circle of pita dough topped with oregano, olive oil, and toasted sesame seeds.  It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting when I saw pie on the menu.  It was well seasoned but not a taste I expected. There was a dryness to the seasonings, but the olive oil prevented it from actually being dry.  When it came time to select an entrée, I attempted to order the Sautéed Shrimp.  Our waitress told me it wasn’t very good and was namely for tourists. It’s not an authentic dish.  I was taken aback by her commentary, but decided to heed her warning.  We both ordered the Whole Fish Platter.  He ordered the Branzino.

What a site to behold. Mine was about a 2 – 3 pound snapper topped with onions and parsley it had a tangy taste with higher levels of acidity than I’m used to. 

The rice was a great neutralizer.

The meal was also served with a side of salad. 

This is not your typical salad. It was a mix of corn and lettuce. It tasted fine, but was not exactly a good compliment to the other items on the table.  I wasn’t particularly interested in dessert, but given the opportunity to try something new, I figured why not.  We ordered the Osh Al-Saria.

It is described as creamy yogurt pudding prepared with oranges and rosewater.  It tasted like sweet custard.  It was good, but tasted extremely rich and sweet.  The balance was best achieved when each bite included a bit of the crumbled pistachio.

Gazala’s was a great experience. It’s always nice to try something new. The fish was well seasoned and delicious and I really enjoyed the rice.  I’m not sure what else I would order from the menu considering the waitress steered us clear of one of the items that looked good.  I encourage you to check it out yourself, after all how many Druze restaurants have you come across?

Hungry yet?

Thai Glazed Salmon with Baby Bok Choy

I have a new obsession.  I cannot stop eating Baby Bok Choy! I’ve bought it several times in the past week and added it as a side to way too many things.  I decided to take advantage of the salmon sale at Whole Foods and act like I was dining at a restaurant.

I mixed this one up impromptu so the quantities are guesstimates.

Ingredients

2 Salmon fillets

1 tbs wok oil

1 tbs chopped ginger

4 tbs soy sauce

3 tbs Sriracha

2 heads baby bok choy

Salt and pepper to season

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Salt and pepper both sides of the salmon filet and put aside.  Heat 1 tbs wok oil in a sauté pan and add chopped ginger.  Once the ginger starts to sizzle, add Sriracha and 3 tbs soy sauce.  

Once the sauce has heated up, add the salmon skin side down.  

Cook for 3 minutes while spreading with sauce.  

Transfer salmon to an oven safe pan and cook in the oven for 6 minutes.

While your salmon is cooking, return the sauté pan to the heat and add 1 tbs soy sauce.  Place bok choy in the pan flat side down and stir.  

The leaves will wilt within a couple of minutes so keep an eye on it and keep stirring.  

The salmon and bok choy will be ready around the same time.  Remove the salmon from the oven and plate with your bok choy.  Being the Nigerian that I am, I couldn’t help myself and I added rice. Stop judging!

I absolutely LOVED this dish. It made me wonder what I’ve been doing going to restaurants for such simple dishes.  I’m still on a hunt for Thai basil. Once I find that, I’ll be golden.

Hungry yet?

Friendsgiving 2011

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The Super Bowl of cooking is here! Thanksgiving is the BEST holiday EVER! I love my family and spending Thanksgiving with them is fantastic.  But, I also love my friends. So this year, I decided to get the best of both worlds by hosting a Friendsgiving a few weeks before Thanksgiving.  It was an awesome treat for me because I love cooking, eating, and hosting.  I tried a couple of new recipes, but also had many oldies but goodies in the mix.  I think there was something wrong with my camera, or perhaps I just got too excited about the food that I didn't get a chance to take a picture of certain dishes.  The recipe posts will hopefully come later, although last year I never got around to posting the recipes.  Without further ado, below are some of the delicious treats that were part of the feast.

The appetizer selection included two types of wings. Spicy BBQ on the right and Jerk Wings on the left.

Mr. N got quite the shock when he took a bite of the Jerk Wings without realizing what he was getting himself into.  I was patting myself on the back for the quality of these Crab Cakes.

I must have been patting with both hands, because I didn't remember to take a photo after they were plated.  le sigh. I will say the Marylanders approved so I must have done something right :) The Shrimp Dumplings were also a hit.

Ms. O was kind enough to construct and fry these crispy delicious bites. She also mixed the accompanying sauce which was terrific.  After the appetizers, the many parts of the main course were served. It's not Friendsgiving without the Turkey!

This one was Honey Brined and fall off the bone good. Cooking turkey in a bag is really the way to go. I also served Drumsticks with peppers and onions.

Ms. H was convinced this was sausage....I guess the peppers threw her for a loop.  To compete with the poultry, I also served Salmon.

Whole Foods was having a sale on Coho Salmon that week, so once Mr. M mentioned it, I decided to incorporate it into the menu.  I think most will agree that the sides are truly the stars of Thanksgiving. This was definitely the case at Friendsgiving.  By far the most popular was the Sweet Potato.

I served one with marshmallow topping and the other with streusel. I didn't get a chance to photograph the streusel so I'm using a photo from last year.

There were plenty of debates through the night about which was best.  I think a little bit of both is the way to go.  For those who only enjoy the classics, I also served Mashed Potatoes.

I was afraid I wouldn't have enough carbs so I made two pastas.  The Baked Mac and Cheese was a hit, primarily because of the potato bread crumbled on top.

The lasagna also got a lot of love, but unfortunately none from the camera.  Here's a picture from last year.

I can't make pasta without also including rice, so of course some Jollof Rice was absolutely necessary.

And by some, I mean 8 cups of rice.  We also had quite the bounty of vegetables.  Two types of spinach. Creamed and Sauteed.

The Sauteed Spinach was one of the last items to come out so unfortunately no photograph.  Similarly the Broccoli and Cheese was still in the oven when I put my camera down. I did capture the Collard Greens which were slow cooked for about 6 hours.

I'm definitely using that recipe again!  As though those weren't enough greens, Ms. O also fixed a delicious salad!

All that food took a lot more time than I anticipated so I could only offer one homemade dessert.  Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake! This year, it didn't crack.

Thankfully my guests brought plenty of dessert...

Seriously a lot of dessert...

I'm not kidding when I say a lot...

It really was a lot!

This Friendsgiving day feast was everything I hoped for and more. Ms. O was an amazingly awesome sous chef in so many ways. I am incredibly blessed to have such great people in my life and I hope this Thanksgiving you also Count Your Blessings...

Hungry yet?