Hsin Wong

And with the lack of simple food over the many months, sometimes random conversations brings up a craving for simple chinese food.

Hsin Wong

And so I set off back to chinatown for a comforting meal. On one weeknight after work, it was definitely extremely empty. But having heard good things about this place, I'm sure it would be fine.

Roast Pork, Roast Duck and Fried Egg on Rice

Funnily enough, I never usually order rice dishes. But not having a rice cooker here... and not taking the effort to get or make rice, made for an exception. With the option of 2 meats, I went with roast duck and roast pork. It also came with a fried egg, and some cabbage on the side in addition to some simple vege soup. Given the craving I was having, it was actually pretty decent. Better than I expected.

For a very simple and cheap meal, I guess you can't go wrong here =) Next time I'll try for the soups and something fancier.

72 Bayard Street
(Near Mott Street)

Regional Thai

It's been a while since having thai food, and even so, it's only been to very few places. Regional thai was nothing fancy, but more of a nice casual and comforting restaurant to satisfy that craving.

Starters

A complimentary starter - which I do not know the name of... Essentially thin deep fried batter? but covered in some sweet sauce. With the sauce unevenly spread around, it was a little too much in certain areas but otherwise an interesting way to start the evening.

Sangria

Unfortunately it's been too long since I went to regional thai, and I don't exactly remember what I ordered to drink (I do think it was sangria...). I do remember that it was served up in an interesting mug (yes and this was just for 1 serving). What I also remember is how strong it was... but it was refreshing in a way.

Royal Mixed Satay

A starter of mixed satay consisting of shrimp, chicken and beef with classic peanut dipping sauce. Somehow the beef turned out to be the winner here. The chicken was just too dry, and shrimp was a little overcooked. The peanut sauce was good, but a little overpowering when too much is applied.

Assorted Dim Sums

An assorted sampler of appetisers. Definitely an interesting presentation of dim sums, especially not knowing what each of them were. I was definite that it wasn't going to be anything exotic, but it would have been nice to know what each of them were before eating.

Tropical Mango Spiced Noodles

I opted for the recommended special of tropical mango spiced noodles. King prawns and sea scallops over spiced angel hair, with thin slices of mango on the side. I was definitely impressed by this combination. The spicy noodles wasn't the highlight, and the spice provided a little bit of a weird flavour. The ripened mangoes were sweet, with the fresh seafood flavour to contrast the spicy noodles. I much enjoyed the sauce and seafood than the noodles, but it was a weird type of refreshingness to the meal.

Unfortunately (somehow it's always the case) that I missed happy hour... in which it serves unlimited drinks for a fixed price. I'm sure it would have been great if I was there for that (to a certain degree?). But it definitely provides a relaxing environment to sit and chill for the night. Food is more than reasonable, given the price and is worth visiting.

208 7th Avenue
(Between 21st and 22nd Street)

Gimme Coffee

So it seems (and it's true) that my coffee adventures have come to a grinding halt. I've actually lost count of how many weekends it has been since the last adventure in finding some good coffee. Never too late to get back on track, it was time to find these hidden coffee gems!

Gimme Coffee

Another little coffee place (as they all are), with nothing too flashy about the store front. Was hoping there'd be something screaming "gimme" given their name, but nothing like that to my disappointment.

Latte

With my typical latte, I was a little disappointed with the minimal coffee art compared to what I have been accustomed to. Presentation is one thing, it's the coffee flavour that matters most. Maybe it's that I haven't had decent coffee for a while or that starbucks and dunkin donuts have just corrupted my caffeine intake ability, I didn't find this coffee to be that great overall. Sure enough, it was nice, satisfying, but didn't give me a coffee hit like I was expecting. The coffee was a little hot, but otherwise ok. I liked the little touch on the coffee cup with their store name. I guess everything is always compared to my favourite la colombe with that unforgettable experience.

228 Mott Street
(Near Prince Street)

HK Wonton Garden

It's been a while since getting the chance to have some nice chinese food, especially just simple stuff like noodles. During my cravings, I was recommended to try this wonton place in chinatown - apparently the best in chinatown here.

Beef Tendons and Wontons

Upon arriving, it indeed is just a little place. With mainly 2 seaters and 4 seaters. At the front was some bbq pork and roast duck hanging on the shelves. It's been so long since wonton, and since this had the great option of beef tendons with wontons and noodles, of course that would be my first pick. To my surprise, I enjoyed the soup and beef tendons. There was also a generous servings of wontons. The issue I found was that the shrimp meat in the wontons were too salty (a hint that it wasn't too fresh??). The noodles were fine, not too soggy and no soap flavour! To top it off, I ordered a soy milk as well, but to my disappointment it was only pre-packaged ones. A nice little touch that I liked was that red vinegar was readily available to add to the soup =)

BBQ Pork, Roast Duck and Wontons

With my craving not settled, I decided to come back again the next day! This time I went a little overboard and went with bbq pork, roast duck and wontons with noodles. Probably a bit of an overkill, as they didn't cut down on the serving size. Although I still feel that the bbq pork and roast duck still isn't as good as what I've had back home, this was relatively satisfying =) Even better today was that the wontons actually tasted quite a lot better. None of that salty flavoured shrimp, and texture was indeed a lot better. I guess yesterday was just a bad batch...

Overall I can say that this is my new little found favourite noodle place. A cheap and quick meal that will always be satisfying. Next few times will be trying all the other combinations available =)

79 Mulberry Street
(Between Bayard and Walker Street)

Ippudo

And so after two previous failed attempts at going to try the famous ippudo ramen, I guess it was third time lucky? The wait this time was only a little over an hour, as opposed to two hours... Which still makes me wonder, is all this hype and wait actually worth it for a bowl of ramen.

Ippudo

Having finally gotten in and seated, it was quite nicely laid out. I didn't expect it to be just a basic place serving noodles, but appearance wise it did exceed what I was imagining. The cleanliness always makes things a little better.

Ippudo

I was given a spot at one of the middle tables, which had tree branches and logs, and candles set out like an open fireplace. It was actually much larger than I thought it would be, but I can see why there would be a long wait. The layout is actually designed to be more for single or couple seating at bar style tables.

Teba Gyoza

I wouldn't just be satisfied with having noodles, and of course given how hard it was for me to get in, I had to try some of their special starters. I went with their teba gyoza, their version of gyoza dumplings. Appearance wise, definitely impressive. Chicken wings stuffed with ground pork and vegetables. Deep fried and served with vinegar shoyu. The catch, there's only limited quantities available each day.

Pork Hirata Buns

Their famous hirata buns. I went with the steamed buns filled with pork, served with their spicy bun sauce. This is not your typical bbq pork bun, and a very different take. The flavours and texture are very different to the norm, and although appearance wise doesn't look anything flash, the taste is well worth it.

Shiromaru Hakata Classic Ramen

And the whole reason I came... shiromaru hakata classic ramen. The original tonkotsu noodle soup topped with pork loin chashu, kikurage, menma, red pickled ginger, sesame and ginger. Of course, that not being enough I added the optional nitamago. A seasoned soft boiled egg where the yolk is still runny. This was definitely good ramen. Actually more than just good. I could easily say this is the best ramen I've had.

But the issue comes down to, is it really worth that two hours of waiting just for an excellent bowl of ramen. Possibly... When you also factor in the cost, there's always a lot of considerations to make. If you're after one of the best ramen, then definitely this is the place to go. I would willingly come back, if the wait is going to be less than two hours.

65 Fourth Avenue
(Between 9th and 10th Street)

Pop Bar

A little bit of a corny name, but essentially popsicles. But to be exact, gelato on a stick. In fact, pretty good gelato on a stick as opposed to mass production ones.

Pop Bar

With a reasonable range of choices in this little bar, gelato, sorbet, yoghurt and even make it yourself, it does provide many options to suit your taste buds. The best thing, fresh natural ingredients made only in small batches at a time daily.

Pop Bar

Additional toppings can be added such as nuts, sprinkles or even dips. Cold, refreshing desserts are always great and satisfying on a hot day. And even on cold days, just means it won't melt.

Pop Bar

I opted for a selection of 6 in a little take away cooler bag. The cooler bag was pretty flimsy, and wasn't able to stop all of them from melting a bit before reaching home. Luckily I had some in store before leaving =)

A simple yet tasty form of gelato, sorbet, or yoghurt on a stick. It was definitely satisfying, but nonetheless, nothing spectacular or amazing. I had higher expectations from what I heard, and was expecting them to even look a lot more impressive. Given the costs, it's actually quite steep for a stick. Though you do pay for what you get, and the question is... is the fresh and natural ingredients all worth it.

5 Carmine Street
(Near 6th Avenue)

Kori

A quick after work dinner was required, and my colleague stumbled across kori. Hidden away in tribeca, this is chic and modern, and not what I had expected. Surprised and excited, I was really looking forward to the food upon entering.

Kori

Couldn't start the night without a quick refreshement - of soju =)

Starter Dishes

As with all korean places, compliment small dishes of cabbage, lettuce and cucumber served out in a cute triangular dish. Nothing fancy about these dishes, but light and refreshing.

Mandoo

Being unable to decide between the vegetable or shrimp dumplings, the waitress was nice enough to provide a half and half! Of course I had to go with fried... and the crispiness of the fried skin is always great. The fillings were not overpowered and simple to enjoy.

Korean style crispy pizza, also known as the seafood pancakes. As a starter, a nice decent serving over a hot plate sizzling to go. The sauce provides a bit of sour contrast to the pancakes. A nice serving, but definitely had some better ones elsewhere that are more memorable.

Spicy Baby Octopus Noodles

The spicy baby octopus noodles as my main. And this presentation was wow, and I definitely loved the spicy flavours. There was quite a lot of octopus available, and the noodles easily absorbed all the spices. So as you bite into the noodles and octopus, you get all the flavours. Served on an oversized bowl styled plate, I was really impressed with it.

From its chic design, this is definitely a hidden gem. Very reasonably priced food and drinks. The modern feel does take away the traditional korean feeling, and lacks a bit of the authentic korean flavours. But overall, a great choice when you're in this side of the town.

253 Church Street
(Corner of Leonard Street)

Pink Tea Cup

Came across here unexpectedly... and the pinkness definitely draws your attention. I'm definite that there's a few friends out there who'd love to come here, just because of the pink!

Pink Tea Cup

Napkins are pink, the flowers are pink... the walls are pink. If only every little thing was pink?

Biscuits

Surprisingly, the first time I've had biscuits that I've not wanted to throw up. I guess these are what biscuits are meant to be like... light, fluffy, warm... with a lot of butter =)

French Toast

French toast... with some icing. Two reasonably large servings for a late breakky. Nothing fancy about the presentation, nice and saimple. I liked the clean look and it tasted well enough.

French Toast

Looks and tastes even better once you start pouring the maple syrup all over it...

I didn't really know what I was in for, or what this place was serving - but it was definitely a nice looking and comforting cafe style place. With an outdoor seating, you can still view the non-stop life of the city on 7th ave. This area is the place to be, for soul food and music - worth coming back to try some heavy southern deep fried goodness over dinner.

88 7th Avenue South
(Between Grove and Barrow Street)

GustOrganics

There's always been some hype around organic food, and most of the ones available only serve vegetarian options. Gustorganics is the first and only certified organic restaurant in ny, and that alone was a reason to try. Most importantly, there are organic meat options!

GustOrganics

With a quite modern layout, wasn't what I was expecting in terms of decor. The skylights were a nice touch to keep to an organic theme.

Pura Vida

Along with the food, there's also the organic juices. The pura vida made with strawberries, bananas, orange juice, and agave ice. Was definitely refreshing and nice, but I'm not sure I would have been able to tell the difference between organic fruits or not.

Gluten Free Chicken Stew

With too many choices, I ended up taking the gluten free chicken stew. Slow cooked chicken simmered in tomato broth with carrots, onions, celery and spices. I was originally picturing the stew to be in a nice hot pot, and being served on a plate didn't look all that visually appearing. Flavour was all there, with the tender chicken falling apart, absorbing the tomato broth.

Cuerdas de Guitarra

My friend went with the angel hair pasta with spinach pesto and parmesan cheese. The presentation of this was quite wow... looked really large, but in fact it was only just really spread out. A very simplistic dish made to look a lot more sophisticated than it really is. Though I feel this dish doesn't really showcase or highlight much organic food.

A nice concept for those really into organic and green food. Taste wise, wasn't much I could tell with the difference. Presentation of the food was a little disappointing, and I would have hoped and expected more. Nonetheless, an organic restaurant that provides quite a few options.

519 6th Avenue
(Corner of 14th Street)

Hooters

It was a must... after all I am in the US. Hooters, originated in florida and based around sex appeal... nothing's really changed. The uniforms have stayed... along with the oldies jukebox music.

Hooters

 The famous hooters owl =)

Black Jack

Black jack... wasn't sure what it was meant to be, but jack daniels, coke and splashes of cranberry juice. Interesting combination I must say.

Cheese Fries

Cheese fries and jalapenos to start. Looks quite messy, but was fairly average. Junk food at its best.

Buffalo Wings

Couldn't say no to wings. It is what they're famous for after all... apart from the uniforms. With a range of hot sauce, opted for the 9 mile - which is their 2nd hottest on the menu. And it wasn't that bad, could have been hotter I thought. The wings were crispy, but didn't have much chicken flavour.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

And I went with their local special sandwich of buffalo chicken with mushroom. Went with the 9 mile sauce again too. Was only ok I felt, I didn't understand the hype or what's so good about it?

Hooters... actually disappointed me. Supposedly the food is meant to be good, but that's definitely not the case. The girls, well... just as disappointing if not more. Would of expected more from their services or actions, similar to the other chains. At least they danced or sang, but nothing here...

211 West 56th Street
(Between 7th Avenue and Broadway)

Nathan's Famous Frankfurters

Apparently one of the best hot dog joints across the US through tradition. Available across 50 states, it must be doing something right for it to keep going especially against the little carts in town.

Nathan's Famous Frankfurters

Yep, famous since 1916! Quite a bit of history... and nothing fancy about the logo or design.

Nathan's Famous Frankfurters

Sure enough, the place was packed. No sit down area either. Since the older days, it now also serves burgers and cheesesteaks. But I was only here for one thing... hotdogs =)

Hot Dog

And so I ordered an old fashioned lemonade to go with the dog. The looks very... simple and plain. Sauces is self-serve, and of course I smother it with ketchup and mustard. On the serious side, I couldn't really taste that much difference with this compared to other hot dogs I've had... The bun was a little bit nicer, being warm. The dog itself, relatively felt that it has less junk meat (even though I'm sure it all is). Just the texture was a bit nicer.

Nathan's famous hot dogs... did it live up to expectations? No... I don't think so. Really just tasted like a lot of most other hot dogs in town (apart from the street carts). And sizing is still really small. Makes me want to have the hot dogs back home when I do go back!

1310 Surf Avenue
Coney Island

Gigino Trattoria

A local place that I've ordered for delivery quite a few times, and it was about time that I pay a visit in person. What appears to be a little italian place is actually quite a bit bigger than what I imagined.

Gigino Trattoria

Quite nicely laid out table, making it feel a lot classier than it probably should. It still gives off the casual feel for all the locals.

Giallo Positano

To enjoy and indulge, I went with their giallo positano. A nice refreshing mixture of ketel vodka, limoncello, prosecco, orange and lemon sorbet. Frozen drinks are always good, especially when I love cold drinks. Also makes the alcohol hit quicker too, especially when there's quite a lot in here.

Quattro Stagioni

Can't go wrong with their pizzas. Not the best, but still great and what I believe is one of the best available given the proximity to home. On occasion they still taste good on delivery, so it had to be had here when visiting. What's even better, there's pizza's available on the menu here not available on delivery. This was the quattro stagioni. Tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, ham, artichokes and mozzarella.

A place that I should probably go to more often, but I just end up ordering take away. Given the nicer weather now, might be time to pay another visit for some pasta or pizza.

323 Greenwich Street
(Between Duane and Reade Street)

Robataya

Originating from tokyo, robataya is an traditional robatayaki style restaurant grilling food in an open hearth. This is meant to (and it does), fragrance the room with flavours enhancing the taste buds before enjoying the food.

Robataya

If fortunate enough to sit at the bar, you'd be able to watch the chefs grill the fresh ingredients right in front you, in a grill that's also right in front of you. The smell as the food slowly drifts towards you... makes you just wait in great anticipation.

Grilled Edamame

Not the typical edamame... but a grilled version. Definitely a twist to the norm, but provides a different flavour.

Hirame Carpaccio

Hirame carpaccio, thinly sliced fluke sashimi topped off with a bit of seaweed. It's always nice to start off with some refreshing appetisers before going into the flavoursome grills. Nothing really special about the fluke here, and I didn't expect it to be really tasty given I'm at a robatayaki.

Sashimi Platter

Of course, to continue... a selection of sashimi. Your standard salmon, tuna, yellowtail, kingfish and my favourite scallops. Scallops just always have this sweetness that puts a smile on your face.

Yuzu Sake

How can you not get some sake while you're there. A yuzu flavoured cold sake, and wow... served on the rocks, it was surprisingly good. So good that you couldn't taste the alcohol!

Kakuni

Kakuni. Robtaya styled stewed diced pork with mashed potatoes. When kakuni is done well, you just watch the meat fall apart, and the fat melts in your mouth. And this it did. I did wish it had a bit more flavour in the serving soup, or maybe a hint of mustard. Just lacked a little bite.

Yuba Gyoza

Yuba gyoza. Not your typical looking gyoza with bean curd sheet dumplings stuffed with minced chicken and shisho. But this was just, very different and a definite must. It's always great to have different interpretations and presentations of typical dishes, especially ones that stand out and are memorable.

Grilled Local Red Snapper

And to end it off, a grilled local red snapper. The only thing that's used is noto sea salt. The suzu salt provides a different type of saltiness, combined with a bit of acidity, sweetness and bitterness.

A lovely japanese style grill with nice service. A little on the pricey side, but that is expected and not out of the ordinary. Watching the art of cooking and grilling in front of you, and then to taste the deliciousness of such simple methods is definitely worth it. I do think that the tasting menu might be go the next time =)

231 East 9th Street
(Between 2nd and 3rd Avenue)