Once you find the place you will be in for a real treat of some great Asian tapas that are really well priced, with nothing above $12.50, making this a true great bang for your buck!
It's definitely better to go with more people so you can try more dishes, and another aspect to note it that it's BYOB which is not only awesome, but keeps your check low by the end of the meal! (Of course, when your mom pays for your meals, the check is always low--thanks mom!!)
My family likes to share (perfect for a tapas restaurant) and we got a bunch of great dishes.
A special of shrimp shumai was probably the best shumai I've ever had! I loved the chewy texture, the freshness of the shrimp, and the sauce.
Pan roasted ocean scallops with bacon, kalamansi and sake ($11) was absolutely delicious, and sat in very soothing sauce.
A special of calamari with a sesame sauce was really tasty and addictive.
Yellowfin tuna tartare with a rice noodle crisp ($10.50) was simple and refreshing.
Steamed P.E.I. mussels in kaffir lime coconut curry ($11) was also a very addictive dish. (I had the most empty shells on my plate!)
The Washington state, Willapa Bay oyster omelet ($9.50) I loved. It was unique and delicious!
We also got two sides of rice; the garlic rice ($2.50) and the coconut rice ($2.50), which were great, and I would recommend getting to complement the tapas.
Kuma Inn is one of the great hidden treasures in NYC. Not only is the food great, but the low prices will keep you wanting more. In this economy, sometimes it pays to search low and high for the perfect spot.
Kuma Inn
113 Ludlow St., 2nd Fl, (bet. Delance and Rivington)
New York, NY 10002
212-353-8866
www.kumainn.com
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( 3 / 289 )Friday night I grabbed a bite at the West Village hot spot L'Artusi. L'Artusi comes to us from the team behind dell'Anima (Chef Gabe Thompson and partner Joe Campanale). I had a nice meal at dell'Anima and have been wanting to check out their new spot.
I walked in at 10pm to a packed house. If there is a recession, there was no sign of it here. I was able to grab a seat at the bar overlooking an open kitchen where two chefs were making the crudo. I love dining at open kitchens because it's like dinner and a show!
I started with a dish from the "Crudo" section of the menu of Turbot with peas and yuzu ($14). The dish was light, simple, refreshing, and I loved it! It was basically "Spring in a bowl". There were some fried peas thrown in, which added a great little crunch too.
I also had a pasta dish of cavatelli with sausage, onion, radicchio, and pecorino. I thought the dish was very bland at first, so I asked for some Parmesan cheese. After adding the fresh Parmesan, the dish got better in flavor, but I still felt it was a boring, underseasoned dish.
I would still recommend L'Artusi as a good place to go in the West Village for a glass of wine, a bite, and to forget about the economy for a while. I definitely plan on going back to try some of their other dishes.
L'Artusi
228 W. 10th St. (bet. Hudson and Bleeker)
New York, NY 10014
212-255-5757
www.lartusinyc.com
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( 3 / 296 )I recently discovered an amazing combination: A Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie dipped in a cup of coffee. I have had this little snack multiple times in the last few weeks and each time it is orgasmic! Try it for yourself and thank me later!
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( 3 / 344 )Last week I grabbed dinner with my fam at the Hell's Kitchen Korean restaurant Bann. Bann is the sister restauarant to the more popular Soho Korean hot spot Woo Lae Oak.
I've been to Bann a bunch of times and have always enjoyed my meals here. It's a large space with a great Asian decor and vibe. Surprisingly, I've never seen Bann crowded, maybe because I've gone before the rush, but, it is definitely worth a trip if you are looking for satisfying gourmet Korean cuisine.
Our first appetizer was Dungeness crab and leek rolled in spinach crepes with a light mustard sauce ($14). This dish was representative of most of the dishes at Bann; beautiful to look at and delicious! The presentation really adds to the dishes at Bann, each dish is almost like a work of art.
We also got an appetizer of Jap Chae ($12), stir fried glass noodles with assorted vegetables. This is a popular Korean dish and Bann's did not disappoint. It was great.
Our third appetizer was minced sea scallops and Korean pine mushrooms baked in a shrimp mousse ($13). Again, the presentation was beautiful and I enjoyed the combination of the scallops and the shrimp mousse.
A special scallop entree with three plump and juicy scallops, in a orange sauce, was unique, beautiful, and very enjoyable.
A fish dish of red snapper in rice paper braised in a spicy black bean sauce with soy beans, Ginkgo, and bamboo shoots, was again, unique, and quite wonderful.
We also tried a made to order tofu dish with black sesames and a chili sauce, which was different, but you really need to be a lover of tofu to enjoy the dish.
Our Pear Crumble ($8) for dessert was the perfect finale for a satisfying and beautiful meal. It came with spiced asian pear topped with buttery crumble and vanilla ice cream. It was simple, yet great.
So for a unique and beautiful Korean inspired experience, Bann is a great spot!
Bann
350 W. 50th St. (bet. 8th and 9th Ave)
New York, NY 10019
212-582-4446
www.bannrestaurant.com
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( 3 / 360 )Last week I grabbed a quick lunch at the Dutch fast food spot Danku. For a nice change of pace from your typical American fast food joints there are some unique dishes worth trying.
Start with one of Danku's signature Krokets, a fried potato roll with different fillings. I enjoyed my breakfast Kroket ($2.45) filled with ham and egg.
For a little Indosian fix (a common cuisine in The Netherlands) try the Indonesian Spicy Beef with Basmati rice ($7.50). The beef is tender and the sauce has a nice spiciness and sweetness to it. My side of shrimp chips were a tasty complement to the beef as well.
If you have a little room for dessert, do not pass up the Acai flavored frozen yogurt ($3.50), an addictive ending to a unique lunch.
Danku gives the Midtown lunch crowd a different lunch option with some tasty treats. Hey, especially in this economy, sometimes it's nice to go Dutch!
Danku
47 W. 57th St. (bet. 5th and 6th Ave)
New York, NY 10019
212-888-3777
www.danku.com
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