I almost never order boring old chicken at a restaurant but I had a hunch about the menu offering at Stone Park Cafe: roasted farm chicken with homemade tagliatelle, chanterelles, and garlic jus. Oh my, if all chicken tasted like this, I'd never order anything else. It was really just perfect. Warm sourdough bread and an inviting, dimly lit, bustling environment was equally nice and I can understand why this place is a staple for my friends that just moved to the area.

They enjoyed a fresh heirloom tomato salad and Jim's cod special was also yummy. The menu is updated frequently based on what ingredients are in season. It was pretty busy the night we ate there and I do recommend reservations, but I've heard it's easy to get a seated on off hours. The two owners, Josh Foster and Josh Grinker who grew up in the neighborhood, have previously worked at Tribeca Grill and Le Bec Fin.

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Posted on September 21, 2009

I've really been making the rounds on the Flushing eating scene lately! I finally made it out for early Saturday morning dim sum at the renowned banquet hallesque Jade Asian. We had no problem getting a table for four at ten, but I've heard the wait can get crazy after noon time.

Not entirely knowing what to expect, I was struck by he whirlwind speed at which the dishes came at us. The staff speaks little English, but there's no language barrier issues when pointing, nodding, thumbs up and smiling do the trick. We said yes to lots of things right off the bat – several dumplings, wide noodles as well as crispy taro thingies.

I fell head over heels for the scallion dumplings and flagged down one of the waitresses for about three orders. My second favorite dish was a bit more daring: a custardy scallop mixture served on the half shell. Another favorite were dumplings – presumably filled shrimp and pork – and topped with a dollop of mayo and roe. The only dish I didn't care for was the expectedly heavy deep-fried bacon wrapped shrimp, but Jim was happy to eat mine, so it didn't go to waste.

We finished the meal with a sweet fried dough treat filled with sweet black bean paste. They were delicious and can be recognized by a sprinkle of black sesame seeds. Here's a whole bunch of pics I posted on RC.

I'd love to return again, because on the way out I noticed mussels, pancakes, and asparagus that we missed out on during this first go-round.

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Posted on September 7, 2009

A trip to Flushing for real Chinese food has long been on my list of to-dos and just the other week, it finally happened. Spicy and Tasty is a Schezwan spot highly recommended by foodies who debate over whether it's as good as it used to be on Chowhound. Nestled in a neon-lit side street off one of the most transporting areas of the city, where nary an English word is muttered and enticing Peking ducks hang from all the windows, the no frills restaurant boasts a no frills staff that was patient enough to inform us that we were accidentally ordering dessert as entrees and that what we thought was pork was chicken, what we thought was beef was pork, etc. Not, mind you, that the menu is terribly confusing, but we managed to make it that way.

Oh, and that dessert we ordered was a wonderful mistake: four little dumplings with a sweet peanut sauce filled with a sugar black sesame ooze. I almost never care for Asian desserts, I think my palette is too fat-American based in unnatural processed sugars (I still ate pop rocks in between classes in college), but this was great.

Acting on internet recommendations we tried the dan dan noodles, which we were instructed to “please stir”. They were delicious with a strong flavor and spice, a definite must for return visits. Also highly recommended was twice cooked pork – a frightening mound of glistening pork slices that were most akin to fatty strips of bacon. A delicious one bite to be sure but, as my co-eaters can attest (who did not stop at one strip), not the wisest thing to make a giant meal of, I did, however, savor the accompanying scallions. Speaking of scallions, the beef and scallions was good, like excellent delivery-caliber Chinese, but not quite worth writing home about.

The real gem of the night was the Mild Spicy Chicken Schezwan Style. Hands down, this bold, crispy, intricate dish was the best Chinese food I've ever had and I can't recommend that you order it enough. It delivered exactly what I was hoping for: the kind of meal that makes you rethink a national cuisine that has simply been butchered by too many poor renditions.

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Posted on August 24, 2009

Thank goodness for summer Fridays. Al Di La, one of Brooklyn's most beloved and highly praised restaurants has always been on my list, but with reported epic (as in up to over two hours) waits for dinner, it never seemed like a culinary outing that was going to happen for me and my impatience. During a weekday lunchtime, however,?the antiquey, sunshiny corner spot is pretty quite and the food is still noteworthy.

I loved my mushrooms with polenta and a poached egg (pictured) and my companions' grilled cheese and short rib sandwiches were so tasty we all barreled through our dishes without thinking to offer each other a taste. We did split the irresistible fig and ricotta gelato though, a heavenly little sweet to cap off a great meal.

The beer list is short, but the choices (both from an obscure Italian brewery) were good and the wine list is long. Thankfully the kindly and cute waitress was able to help me pick a dry rose.

The atmosphere was beautiful for a lazy afternoon meal and catching up with an old friend. If the buzz of more popular dining hours leaves you spinning, stop by at an off hour to enjoy the excellent menu in peace.

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Posted on August 10, 2009

Aside from Santa Monica, whose cuisine I praised last week, we had several note worthy meals in LA proper. The shining star would have to be Little Door, a semi al fresco paradise of antique mirrors, intertwining trees, vibrant flowers, impeccable service, and wonderful food. It's a special occasion place with a memorable Mediterranean menu. I had a great Braised Alaskan Halibut with Bouillabaisse Broth and Aioli Sauce.

We were also quite impressed with breakfast at Toast, a restaurant we had read mixed reviews and complaints about “sceneiness” but found the ten minute wait to be completely worth it. The menu is vast and diverse and we all had trouble deciding between several yummy sounding options. I landed on a mild shakshuka that was served with fresh flour tortillas and a refreshing glass of fresh grapefruit juice.

This week's drink pick, our lovely Avalon hotel also offered many quick, easy and tasty meals throughout our trip. I highly recommend the mushroom omelet and the smoked salmon, though service can be a bit spotty depending on the day and time. Still, there's little to complain about when you can grab convenient and good food in the setting of a pool side cabana.

For my Mexican fix, I went to Casita del Campo a relaxed favorite of my friend who is now an LA local. It's a dark, old school kind of place and while their appetizers (flimsy salads and weird meatball soups) are not the grandest, their entrees – a garlic grilled shrimp in particular are more impressive.

See photos here.

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Posted on July 27, 2009