Before I get into details of my trip, I should mention a couple of more things that I forgot.
1. Before you go, check how much your credit cards charge for foreign transactions, and how much your bank cards charge for withdraws. If you decide that you'd rather take cash than paying those fees, make sure your large bills (I'm assuming $100 and larger) are "new bills". For US dollars, that means that the serial number in the top left corner of the bill does NOT start with 'A', 'B', 'C', and 'D' (as of October 2010). The Taiwan banks will charge an extra NT$0.30 per US$1 for the old bills, that means NT$30 for a US$100 bill.
2. Unless you are used to driving in Asia and probably Europe for that matter, I wouldn't rent a car in Taiwan. A lot of the side roads are really narrow. Many two way streets have cars parked on both sides that they are really one-lane alleys. The parking spots are tight too. I just know that I wouldn't be able to navigate around many of those parking lots.
| Tweet |
Friday, October 29, 2010
| I'm back! |
I'm back! I'm still exhausted from the trip. So this will be quick, but I promise to write more detailed recaps soon.
First of all - the good. Taipei people are really nice, especially the girls. Everyone is so polite, you hear "please", "excuse me", "thank you" ALL the time. This made quite an impression on me. As soon as you step into a shop, ANY shop, someone will smile at you, and say "welcome". Even if you don't buy anything, no one would show any impatience or annoyance. In this kind of surrounding, I felt much calmer, and became much more lady-like myself.
In Taipei, you can expect to walk around quite a bit, but you never have to worry about a wet umbrella. All the shops and restaurants have umbrella stands by the door. Department stores or touristy places such as the National Palace Museum have plastic umbrella covers at your disposal. These might seem like silly little things to some, but I find them intriuging because it shows that someone put thoughts into how to make customers at ease. Yes, Taipei is a city where customers always come first.
Taipei is also very convenient. I'm sure the fact that I speak and read Chinese contributed a lot, but it's super easy to get around. Taxis are everywhere. The metro system is great! You can either get a metro card, or buy a single trip chip from the vending machines. There are waiting lines drawn at an angle at every door, so that people getting off a train could just walk straight off without running into people waiting in line. I LOVE a great public transportation system.
Now, the "bad". If you travel to Taiwan, unless you are absolutely sure of the weather, try to be flexible. Statistically, October is a very good month to go - not too hot, not too cold, not much rain. However, I was unlucky. It rained almost every day I was there. I experienced my first typhoon the night I arrived. (Truth be told, it wasn't that bad. It just rained.) With all the rain, I didn't get to go to many outdoor places, including the night markets. I didn't go to Taroko either. I'm a little disappointed, but it's OK. I certainly don't want to risk getting drenched, or worse yet, getting lost like the Chinese tour bus. I'll definitely go back to Taiwan, so there are other opportunities.
I don't know about the prices at other cities in Taiwan, but Taipei is not cheap. Unless you are eating at food stands, or small Mom and Pop places, established restaurants would run at least US$10-$15 a person. You can find many American or European brands in Taipei at prices higher than the US. In department stores, the local brands are more expensive than things in the US as well.
Well, it's getting late. More to come...
First of all - the good. Taipei people are really nice, especially the girls. Everyone is so polite, you hear "please", "excuse me", "thank you" ALL the time. This made quite an impression on me. As soon as you step into a shop, ANY shop, someone will smile at you, and say "welcome". Even if you don't buy anything, no one would show any impatience or annoyance. In this kind of surrounding, I felt much calmer, and became much more lady-like myself.
In Taipei, you can expect to walk around quite a bit, but you never have to worry about a wet umbrella. All the shops and restaurants have umbrella stands by the door. Department stores or touristy places such as the National Palace Museum have plastic umbrella covers at your disposal. These might seem like silly little things to some, but I find them intriuging because it shows that someone put thoughts into how to make customers at ease. Yes, Taipei is a city where customers always come first.
Taipei is also very convenient. I'm sure the fact that I speak and read Chinese contributed a lot, but it's super easy to get around. Taxis are everywhere. The metro system is great! You can either get a metro card, or buy a single trip chip from the vending machines. There are waiting lines drawn at an angle at every door, so that people getting off a train could just walk straight off without running into people waiting in line. I LOVE a great public transportation system.
Now, the "bad". If you travel to Taiwan, unless you are absolutely sure of the weather, try to be flexible. Statistically, October is a very good month to go - not too hot, not too cold, not much rain. However, I was unlucky. It rained almost every day I was there. I experienced my first typhoon the night I arrived. (Truth be told, it wasn't that bad. It just rained.) With all the rain, I didn't get to go to many outdoor places, including the night markets. I didn't go to Taroko either. I'm a little disappointed, but it's OK. I certainly don't want to risk getting drenched, or worse yet, getting lost like the Chinese tour bus. I'll definitely go back to Taiwan, so there are other opportunities.
I don't know about the prices at other cities in Taiwan, but Taipei is not cheap. Unless you are eating at food stands, or small Mom and Pop places, established restaurants would run at least US$10-$15 a person. You can find many American or European brands in Taipei at prices higher than the US. In department stores, the local brands are more expensive than things in the US as well.
Well, it's getting late. More to come...
Sunday, October 17, 2010
| Sticky Rice in Bamboo Leaf |
I'm going to Taipei tomorrow, ALL BY MYSELF! This is my first trip to Taiwan, I'm so excited! Not to mention that I'd be seeing my friends A, J, their toddler N, and meeting their baby R for the first time! AND I will get to have some real Taiwanese food! (Can you tell that I’m excited with all those exclamation marks? =)
I'm a little worried about what hubby and the kids are going to eat though. So I've been planning their menu and making tons of red bean paste buns (my kids love them!), and sticky rice in bamboo leaf which can be frozen for months and eaten whenever they like.
Sticky rice in bamboo leaf are called Zongzi in Chinese. There are many different kinds of Zongzi throughout China. The most common variation that you can find in the US is the Cantonese/Hong Kong style dim sum sticky rice in lotus leaf (Lo Mai Gai). In Southern China/Taiwan, you will find lots of savory Zongzi with sausage, pork, and shrimp, etc. Many would also include boiled peanuts, chestnuts, and salted duck eggs, etc. In the North, most Zongzi are either plain or filled with red bean paste or green beans, eaten dipped in sugar as a dessert.
Hubby isn't a big fan of the Northern style, so I always make the savory meat ones. Growing up, I (and everyone I know) loved salted duck egg yolks. Even though, the salted duck eggs here don't taste nearly as good as the ones in my memory, I still think they are a treat. So the first time I made Zongzi, I also included a duck egg yolk in each. Unfortunately, the kids didn't like them; even hubby thought the yolks were an acquired taste. (I ended up eating one Zongzi and three egg yolks that time. All those cholesterol!) I no longer add the egg yolks, but if you share my love, by all means, add a yolk!
Sticky Rice in Bamboo Leaf (Zongzi)
Traditionally, Zongzi are made with reed leaves. My dad grew up with fields of bamboo trees near and behind his house. He told me that even full grown bamboos don't have leaves that big, what we bought as "bamboo leaves" are truly reed leaves. I don't know why they are labeled as "bamboo leaves". I will continue to refer to them as bamboo leaves so there is no confusion, but keep in mind that they are really reed leaves.
Makes 10
15 oz glutenous rice (sticky rice)
20 bamboo leaves, bottom 1/2 inch clipped
10 1 - 2 ft long twine
10 pieces of braised pork belly (such as the Taiwanese Style Spiced Pork), about 3/4 inch square cross section
10 pieces of Shiitake mushroom cooked with the pork belly
1/2 cup of meat sauce from the above braised pork belly
10 salted duck egg yolk (optional)
white pepper (optional)
boiled peanuts (optional)
12 roasted chestnuts (optional)
12 - 24 soaked dried shrimp (optional)
raisins (optional, about 5 per Zongzi)
Rinse the rice 2-3 times. Soak overnight.
Soak the bamboo leaves in warm water for at least an hour till they are pliable.
Steam the rice for 40 minutes till it’s cooked.
Mix the rice with the meat sauce. Mix in the white pepper if preferred.
Take 2 bamboo leaves, line up, bottoms facing out, overlapping about 3/4 way through. Fold at the middle to form a triangle at the bottom, and overlapping the leaves away from you. Fill with a scoop of rice, make a well in the middle. Sprinkle on a couple of raisins if using. Add one piece each of the pork belly, mushroom, and duck egg yolk, etc. Add another scoop of rice on top. Sprinkle on a few more raisins if preferred. Shape the rice to a tetrahedron shape. Fold the leaves over. Tie with twine.
Steam for 30 minutes.
Serve while hot.
(If frozen for later consumption, steaming is still the best way to reheat. If microwave is the only resort, heat in one minute intervals, and check and turn the direction in between.)
If your first attempt didn't resemble a tetrahedron shape, don't get discouraged. Practice makes perfect. My first dozen or so didn't look any good either. =)
I'm a little worried about what hubby and the kids are going to eat though. So I've been planning their menu and making tons of red bean paste buns (my kids love them!), and sticky rice in bamboo leaf which can be frozen for months and eaten whenever they like.
Sticky rice in bamboo leaf are called Zongzi in Chinese. There are many different kinds of Zongzi throughout China. The most common variation that you can find in the US is the Cantonese/Hong Kong style dim sum sticky rice in lotus leaf (Lo Mai Gai). In Southern China/Taiwan, you will find lots of savory Zongzi with sausage, pork, and shrimp, etc. Many would also include boiled peanuts, chestnuts, and salted duck eggs, etc. In the North, most Zongzi are either plain or filled with red bean paste or green beans, eaten dipped in sugar as a dessert.
Hubby isn't a big fan of the Northern style, so I always make the savory meat ones. Growing up, I (and everyone I know) loved salted duck egg yolks. Even though, the salted duck eggs here don't taste nearly as good as the ones in my memory, I still think they are a treat. So the first time I made Zongzi, I also included a duck egg yolk in each. Unfortunately, the kids didn't like them; even hubby thought the yolks were an acquired taste. (I ended up eating one Zongzi and three egg yolks that time. All those cholesterol!) I no longer add the egg yolks, but if you share my love, by all means, add a yolk!
Traditionally, Zongzi are made with reed leaves. My dad grew up with fields of bamboo trees near and behind his house. He told me that even full grown bamboos don't have leaves that big, what we bought as "bamboo leaves" are truly reed leaves. I don't know why they are labeled as "bamboo leaves". I will continue to refer to them as bamboo leaves so there is no confusion, but keep in mind that they are really reed leaves.
Makes 10
15 oz glutenous rice (sticky rice)
20 bamboo leaves, bottom 1/2 inch clipped
10 1 - 2 ft long twine
10 pieces of braised pork belly (such as the Taiwanese Style Spiced Pork), about 3/4 inch square cross section
10 pieces of Shiitake mushroom cooked with the pork belly
1/2 cup of meat sauce from the above braised pork belly
10 salted duck egg yolk (optional)
white pepper (optional)
boiled peanuts (optional)
12 roasted chestnuts (optional)
12 - 24 soaked dried shrimp (optional)
raisins (optional, about 5 per Zongzi)
Rinse the rice 2-3 times. Soak overnight.
Soak the bamboo leaves in warm water for at least an hour till they are pliable.
Steam the rice for 40 minutes till it’s cooked.
Mix the rice with the meat sauce. Mix in the white pepper if preferred.
Steam for 30 minutes.
Serve while hot.
(If frozen for later consumption, steaming is still the best way to reheat. If microwave is the only resort, heat in one minute intervals, and check and turn the direction in between.)
If your first attempt didn't resemble a tetrahedron shape, don't get discouraged. Practice makes perfect. My first dozen or so didn't look any good either. =)
Friday, October 15, 2010
| Pulled Steak? |
My obsessive tendency is acting up again - I busted out the slow cooker for the second time in two weeks! (Not that's a bad thing, or anything.) This time, I tried the Orange Chutney Steak from The Crockery Cook
. For the dried fruit, I mixed crasins, raisins, prunes, apricots, and pineapples. Even though the recipe didn't say so, I cut up the prunes, apricots, and pineapples to similar sizes as the (c)raisins. I never have Worcestershire sauce at home. (In fact, I can barely say it - it's such a tongue twister, don't you think?) I used BBQ sauce instead, teaspoon for teaspoon. Other than that, you'd be proud of me since I really followed the recipe to the dot. Well, OK, so my flank steak is almost 2 lbs instead of 1.5. Anyways, I thought this came out much better than the chicken drumsticks.
After stewing for 7 hours, I was expecting the beef to melt on your tongue. Well, it wasn't THAT tender, but it was falling apart good. The only problem that posed was that it was very difficult to cut the steak into strips. I ended up with bunch of small pieces that resembled pulled pork. (See that hacked up mess on top of the rice. Well, that was the steak. Not very photogenic, I know.) The dried fruit was sweet and savory. They soaked up the beer (No, I'm not kidding. There is a whole can of beer in there. =), got all plump. They were great!
The instructions were clear and easy. My only complaint would be that it took over 30 minutes for the sauce to thicken instead of 15-20. While the recipe is called Orange Chutney Steak, it only required 2 measly tablespoons of orange marmalade. I was doubtful that the orange flavor would be pronounced, and I was right. I couldn't taste the marmalade at all. I think next time, I will use more BBQ sauce or orange marmalade depending on my mood. =)
. For the dried fruit, I mixed crasins, raisins, prunes, apricots, and pineapples. Even though the recipe didn't say so, I cut up the prunes, apricots, and pineapples to similar sizes as the (c)raisins. I never have Worcestershire sauce at home. (In fact, I can barely say it - it's such a tongue twister, don't you think?) I used BBQ sauce instead, teaspoon for teaspoon. Other than that, you'd be proud of me since I really followed the recipe to the dot. Well, OK, so my flank steak is almost 2 lbs instead of 1.5. Anyways, I thought this came out much better than the chicken drumsticks.
The instructions were clear and easy. My only complaint would be that it took over 30 minutes for the sauce to thicken instead of 15-20. While the recipe is called Orange Chutney Steak, it only required 2 measly tablespoons of orange marmalade. I was doubtful that the orange flavor would be pronounced, and I was right. I couldn't taste the marmalade at all. I think next time, I will use more BBQ sauce or orange marmalade depending on my mood. =)
| Buns Buns Buns |
Everyone knows that Asians eat a lot of rice. In Chinese, "Let's eat." is the same as "eat rice" that's how fundamental rice is in Chinese cuisine. But in the north, we eat just as much flour-based food as rice, such as dumplings, wontons, noodles, pancakes, the list goes on. Of course, there are also buns, red bean paste buns, sesame paste buns, pork buns, and so on. Basically, the dough is the same, and you can fill with whatever you desire, be that pork and cabbage, or all veggie, or sweet bean paste. If you don't feel like adding anything to the dough, that's OK too, that's called Chinese bread (Mantou).
Red Bean Paste Buns
Makes 12
2 cup flour (240g) + more for dusting the working surface
pinch of salt
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dry active yeast
120g warm water (around 100F)
1 1/2 cup of red bean paste (recipe below, or whatever filling you'd like)
It's important that the water isn't above 110 degrees, or the yeast would die. Yeast loves sugar, so that helps to get things going.
Mix the flour, salt and 1 tbsp sugar in a large bowl, set aside.
Mix yeast with 1 tsp sugar. Add the warm water to the yeast, soak for 5-10 minutes, sprinkle over the flour mixture.
Knead the dough for a few minutes into a somewhat smooth ball, cover with a damp towel. Leave in a warm spot to rest till it doubles in size, may take 40-60 minutes depending on the temperature. Punch it down, knead a few more times, let it rest again for about 30 minutes till it's back to the double size.
Dust the working surface with some flour. Separate the dough into 12 equal size pieces. (Work a few at a time, put the unused ones back in the bowl under the damp towel.) Roll into circles about 1/8" thick, 3-4" in diameter. (Edges should be a little thinner, but not the center.) Fill with the about 2 tbsp of filling, pinch the edges together. Flip it over, so the folds are on the bottom, cup the bun at the bottom with the side of both hands, rotate the bun to make it perfect round. (Alternatively, pinch the edges a little at a time as you turn the bun to create a twisted look on top. This is often done for meat/veggie-filled buns, whereas the folds-on-the-bottom style is normally for sweet buns.) Let the buns rest for 15 minutes.
Steam for 15 minutes.
It's very important that the flour to water weight ratio is 2:1. If you use too much flour, the buns wouldn't be fluffy. If you use too much water that the dough is too sticky to handle, the buns will practically melt. (I'm not kidding!)
Adding a little bit of white vinegar or lemon juice to the steam water will make the buns whiter.
Red Bean Paste
Makes 2 and 1/2 cups
1 cup red beans
3/4 cup sugar
Soak the red beans overnight.
Cover with water by about an inch, bring to boil. Turn down the heat, and simmer for an hour.
Mash the beans to the texture you like. (If you like it super smooth and creamy, you can puree then strain it. I like them with some small bean bits, so mashing with a spoon for a few minutes is sufficient.)
Add the beans, along with water into a non stick pan over medium heat for 20-30 minutes till the water is mostly gone. Stirring frequently. Add the sugar, mix and stir for another 10 minutes or so.
I often found the store bought red bean paste too sweet. You can control the sweetness of this home made version. Yay!
Asian red beans are a bit smaller than the red beans you find at other grocery stores. (The ones on the right are the regular red beans.) Sure, you can make a red bean paste out of the other kind, it just tastes slightly different.
Makes 12
2 cup flour (240g) + more for dusting the working surface
pinch of salt
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dry active yeast
120g warm water (around 100F)
1 1/2 cup of red bean paste (recipe below, or whatever filling you'd like)
It's important that the water isn't above 110 degrees, or the yeast would die. Yeast loves sugar, so that helps to get things going.
Mix the flour, salt and 1 tbsp sugar in a large bowl, set aside.
Mix yeast with 1 tsp sugar. Add the warm water to the yeast, soak for 5-10 minutes, sprinkle over the flour mixture.
Knead the dough for a few minutes into a somewhat smooth ball, cover with a damp towel. Leave in a warm spot to rest till it doubles in size, may take 40-60 minutes depending on the temperature. Punch it down, knead a few more times, let it rest again for about 30 minutes till it's back to the double size.
Dust the working surface with some flour. Separate the dough into 12 equal size pieces. (Work a few at a time, put the unused ones back in the bowl under the damp towel.) Roll into circles about 1/8" thick, 3-4" in diameter. (Edges should be a little thinner, but not the center.) Fill with the about 2 tbsp of filling, pinch the edges together. Flip it over, so the folds are on the bottom, cup the bun at the bottom with the side of both hands, rotate the bun to make it perfect round. (Alternatively, pinch the edges a little at a time as you turn the bun to create a twisted look on top. This is often done for meat/veggie-filled buns, whereas the folds-on-the-bottom style is normally for sweet buns.) Let the buns rest for 15 minutes.
Steam for 15 minutes.
It's very important that the flour to water weight ratio is 2:1. If you use too much flour, the buns wouldn't be fluffy. If you use too much water that the dough is too sticky to handle, the buns will practically melt. (I'm not kidding!)
Adding a little bit of white vinegar or lemon juice to the steam water will make the buns whiter.
Red Bean Paste
Makes 2 and 1/2 cups
1 cup red beans
3/4 cup sugar
Soak the red beans overnight.
Cover with water by about an inch, bring to boil. Turn down the heat, and simmer for an hour.
Mash the beans to the texture you like. (If you like it super smooth and creamy, you can puree then strain it. I like them with some small bean bits, so mashing with a spoon for a few minutes is sufficient.)
Add the beans, along with water into a non stick pan over medium heat for 20-30 minutes till the water is mostly gone. Stirring frequently. Add the sugar, mix and stir for another 10 minutes or so.
I often found the store bought red bean paste too sweet. You can control the sweetness of this home made version. Yay!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
| Peach Cobbler |
I do buy fruit in season. I do, I do. I just often forget what I've bought, and ending buying more. To use up the peaches and nectarines that are piling up, I decided to make this peach cobbler sans the berries. (I added 1/4 cup of crasins in their place, does that count? =)
I cut down the recipe to fit in my 8" baking pan. To make it vegan, I used margarine instead of butter, and substituted almond milk with lemon juice for buttermilk.
The result? The dough on the bottom got a little soggy, especially after a day. (This is probably because I used a baking pan, instead of a cast iron pan. If so, I have no one to blame but myself.) But the nectarines were really good. Hubby complained that the individual components didn't enhance each other as he gobbled it down. The kids loved it. D first refused it, but once he had some, he asked for seconds, then thirds. No, I didn't give him thirds.
I will definitely make this again when I have berries. =)
I cut down the recipe to fit in my 8" baking pan. To make it vegan, I used margarine instead of butter, and substituted almond milk with lemon juice for buttermilk.
I will definitely make this again when I have berries. =)
Monday, October 11, 2010
| Portobello Prosciutto Burgers |
PS: Another added benefit for using the baby bellas is that the kids LOVE it! I don't know about you, but mine aren't so enthusiastic about large portobellos due to their distinct and strong aroma.
Friday, October 8, 2010
| Paupiette |
Hubby's favorite protein is chicken. To him, "chicken" and "meat" are interchangeable terms. Asking him what he'd like for dinner is completely useless, because the answer is always going to be "chicken".
Sometimes, it really gets difficult to think of a new chicken dish. Lucky for him, my repertoire had a new addition recently - Chicken Paupiettes with Lemon-Tarragon Sauce.
(OK, so the lazy me didn't make the sauce, but the paupiette itself is really good.) Just couple of notes:
1. It's VERY important to pound the chicken thinly and evenly, and take special care not to tear.
2. Be stingy with the salt when seasoning the chicken. The prosciutto brings additional salt, so you don't want to over-salt it.
3. I don't know what size spinach leaves the recipe testers were using, but 3 per chicken breast is DEFINITELY not enough. Try about 6-10 per chicken breast, depending on the size of the spinach and the meat.
Good luck, and enjoy! =)
Sometimes, it really gets difficult to think of a new chicken dish. Lucky for him, my repertoire had a new addition recently - Chicken Paupiettes with Lemon-Tarragon Sauce.
(OK, so the lazy me didn't make the sauce, but the paupiette itself is really good.) Just couple of notes:
1. It's VERY important to pound the chicken thinly and evenly, and take special care not to tear.
2. Be stingy with the salt when seasoning the chicken. The prosciutto brings additional salt, so you don't want to over-salt it.
3. I don't know what size spinach leaves the recipe testers were using, but 3 per chicken breast is DEFINITELY not enough. Try about 6-10 per chicken breast, depending on the size of the spinach and the meat.
Good luck, and enjoy! =)
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
| Wintermelon Meatball Soup |
1/4 wintermelon (Donqua/DongGua) about 3 1/2 pounds
2 bunches (2.6 oz / 75 g) bean thread noodles
3 qts water
2 tbsp chicken bouillon
salt
Meatballs:
8 oz ground pork
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp cooking wine
Soak the bean thread noodles in water for an hour.
Skin the wintermelon using a knife. Remove the seeds and the pulp. Cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes. Set aside.
Mix all the meatball ingredients. Form 1 inch balls, about 20.
Boil water. Add wintermelon and chicken bouillon, bring back to boil. Turn down the heat, and continue to boil till the wintermelon is tender. Add the meatballs, stir and boil for a few more minutes till meatballs are no longer pink. Add the drained bean thread noodles, boil for one more minute. Remove and serve.
You don't want to add the bean thread noodles too early, or they'd practically melt into the soup.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
| Slow Cooked Chicken Costco Style |
Over the years, I have collected a lot of recipes that I didn’t even look at, (That's bad, isn't it? =) which included the Costco Connection magazines. The latest issue did a section on slow cookers. This got my attention since I haven't busted out mine for over a year now. I love the idea of slow cooking, but in order to get all the ingredients ready and into the cooker I will need to plan one more day ahead which I rarely do. =) With a magazine flipped open to the page, there is no way I'd forget. *fingers crossed* Out of the handful of recipes, the Autumn Herbed Chicken with Fennel and Squash looked most interesting.
With the plan set, I went about making sure I had every ingredient, which is a VERY short list. However, I have been getting very forgetful the last couple of years. (It must be old age, or child baring. =) Not to my surprise, I forgot to get fennel. So I used an onion instead. (I also substituted drumsticks for thighs.)
After immersed in the stock simmering for over 6 hours, the chicken was falling off the bones tender. The kids loved it except for the fresh rosemary on top. I found the flavor a little lacking. What did I expect?! It hardly called for any seasoning. I don't think I'd be making this again. I’m sure there is a far more delectable slow-cooked drumstick recipe waiting for me somewhere.
With the plan set, I went about making sure I had every ingredient, which is a VERY short list. However, I have been getting very forgetful the last couple of years. (It must be old age, or child baring. =) Not to my surprise, I forgot to get fennel. So I used an onion instead. (I also substituted drumsticks for thighs.)
Monday, October 4, 2010
| Bin on the Lake Revisited |
Everyone with kids would know that eating out with those little munchkins can be quite an ordeal. For us with kids with allergies, it's even worse. On top of that, I enjoy cooking so much these days, I don't even notice when we haven't gone out for a long time. So from time to time, J would ask when we'd go out to eat. Since we enjoyed Bin on the Lake so much last time, we decided to pay another visit over the weekend.
We arrived early so there wasn't any other table occupied, but a few people enjoying the happy hour at the bar. We sat at the same table as last time. The most surprising thing is our waitress still remembers us, and what we ordered, etc. Talk about a good memory! That was 5 months ago!
I'm not sure if they changed utensils or that I simply didn't pay much attention last time, but Bin on the Lake is using Wedgewood silverware now. I suppose that contributes to the price tag too. =)
The Macrina potato rolls are just as fluffy as I remembered. The kids shared chicken fingers with fries ($8) and beef brisket sliders ($10). The chicken fingers and fries were crispy. The barbecue beef brisket was tender and sweet with crispy shallots served on mini brioche, they were good but I'm not sure if they were worth 5 bucks a pop.
This being hubby's duck destination, it's no surprise that the duck breast ($30) is what he got. The menu said that today's duck confit was accompanied by leeks, watercress, and cherry and sweet onion relish. I didn't see any sweet onion or even the relish for that matter. From the picture, it looked like the duck was topped with some string fries. (I didn't have any.) The kids and hubby devoured the duck as expected. I thought it was only mediocre. Being a sauce lover, I found this one very disappointing. The cherries were delicious though.
I went with the halibut ($29). (Hmm, this might be a new tradition now, duck for hubby, fish for me. =) The halibut steak was cooked to perfection - juicy and tender interior with a golden crispy crust. It sat on a large ravioli filled with salty pancetta and sweet caramelized onion, topped with a sunny side up egg. Individual component wise, the fish was too bland, and the ravioli filling was on the salty side. But if you take a bite with some runny egg yolk, a little fish, and a bit of ravioli, the total is definitely greater than the sum. It was smooth, tender and meaty all at the same time. Combined with the fish and egg, the saltiness and spiciness (see all those red chili oil on the ravioli and the pea vines) all mellowed down. As tasty as this was, I prefer the sea bass last time. If I could replace the celery root ravioli with today's pancetta, it would be perfect.
Overall, I think Bin on the Lake has great potential. While it's a little over priced, if you take into consideration of the beautiful view of Lake Washington, it's all justifiable.
Bin on the Lake
1270 Carillon Pt, Kirkland, WA 98033
(425) 803-5595
We arrived early so there wasn't any other table occupied, but a few people enjoying the happy hour at the bar. We sat at the same table as last time. The most surprising thing is our waitress still remembers us, and what we ordered, etc. Talk about a good memory! That was 5 months ago!
Overall, I think Bin on the Lake has great potential. While it's a little over priced, if you take into consideration of the beautiful view of Lake Washington, it's all justifiable.
Bin on the Lake
1270 Carillon Pt, Kirkland, WA 98033
(425) 803-5595
Friday, October 1, 2010
| Nijo, and Chanterelles |
I arrived just after 1 o'clock, the place still had quite a few tables occupied. I sat at the bar (so I could see what the sushi chefs were doing), and asked for tea and ordered chirashi as soon as the waitress came by. I like to order chirashi when trying out a sushi place since you get to sample a number of fish, check out their rice, AND it's normally a much better deal than ordering nigiri. Unfortunately, THIS chirashi was NOT one of those. For $17, you get only 7 pieces of fish, plus 1 piece of shrimp and 1 piece of tamago (I know it looked like 2 in the picture - it was cut in half). There was no ikura, nor tobiko. They didn't even sprinkle toasted seaweeds. While they were stingy with the fish, they weren't with the rice. So in theory, you can get filled up with this. *sigh* Luckily the fish tasted fresh, but the cut was very uneven, some super thin, and some even torn.
Nijo might be a place for drinks, but definitely not a place for authentic Japanese food. The whole time I was there, there was no Japanese people; other than me and a table of older Chinese women, there weren't even any other Asians. I also noticed that even though it was only lunch, most people were drinking. One table had so much to drink, they got quite rowdy.
To walk off my disappointment, I went up the back ally into Pike Place Market. I know absolutely nothing about gardening and planting that my herbs are barely alive. So obviously I had no clue about different mushroom seasons. When I saw the normally 20 some dollar a pound Chanterelles selling for $7.50, I thought I hit the jackpot, and had to ask for a bagful.
Nijo Sushi Bar and Grill
83 Spring St, Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 340-8880
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)