Lunch Specials: Pizza CS

It's time now for the next edition of Lunch Specials.

Today, it's pizza time.  Along with some ice cream.  And it's not just any pizza.  It's authentic Neapolitan pizza just like what you can find in Italy.

This restaurant is located in a somewhat dilapidated and depressing strip mall near the Twinbrook Metro Station.  However, the interior of the place is pretty quirky.  It's part restaurant, part mini art gallery.  There's also a foosball table to play on while you wait for your food.

What's so special about the lunch?  Well, they have a pizza magherita and ice cream scoop lunch combo for $11.  The ice cream comes from JJ Hoffman's creamery in Carroll County.  So you have a local business supporting another local business.

Now I know that pizza magherita is the original version of pizza as it reflects the colors of the Italian flag: red (tomato), white (cheese), and green (basil).  What I did not know is that there are specific standards set by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napolentana regarding (the True Neapolitan Pizza Association) regarding the size of the pie, the kind and amount of ingredients that can be used, and how it should be cooked.  

The first thing I notice is how the pizza is much soggier than the stuff you get at any old chain shop.  This is because the margherita uses mozzarella, which has a high water content.  This is going to take some getting used to as seen by the Yelp reviews saying that it is "undercooked".  Well, no silly, it's a different style.  

There are 8 flavors to choose from like strawberry cheesecake, mint, peanut butter, and butterscotch.  I decide to go with some Dutch chocolate.

Now is it the best pizza out there?  Probably not.  But it's certainly worth giving a try.

One more thing: I highly recommend not getting the pizza for takeout.  Due to the high water content from the mozzarella, there will some steaming action going on in the box, turing the whole pie into a soggy mess thus changing the taste and texture.  And nobody wants bad pizza, so do the right thing and enjoy the place.

The Black Hoof

Toronto.  Although I've heard that there are exciting things happening in town that are related to food.  It's not just from TV but also from a cousin who has lived in the Greater Toronto Area is whole life.

Now, when it comes to Canadian food, I have always thought of it as similar to what is available in America with some exceptions.  Toronto, like many major urban areas, is a melting pot of many of cultures and people, which is reflected on the food.  But there are some foods that Canada has and the US doesn't.  Some of these include poutine and horse meat.  Horse meat really piqued my curiosity and I sought this trip as an opportunity.

This restaurant is surprisingly small.  Only a handful of tables and a modest bar with an extremely tiny kitchen.  The kitchen was really unique it that it contained an old, cheap, and white stove that reminds me of the stove that was in the Queens house I lived in during the early 90s.  How they manage to make great food out of it is really miraculous.

Horse Tartare

It's made with shallots, black pepper, herbs, and topped with a chicken egg.  Bread is served on the side.  Even though, I sort of wanted to try horse just for the experience, I found it to be delicious.  It's got a much more bloodier and meatier taste than beef.

Since this is rare moment in my life, I wanted to savor every bit of it.  I wanted to get taste every aspect of this dish.  I started by eating the meat straight up.  After experiencing the meat, I then mixed it with the beautiful farm egg, mellowing the taste.  And lastly, I tasted it with the bread, experiencing the tartare at its mellowest.  Personally, the bread is not needed it.

Bone Marrow

It's roasted and served with grilled bread along with salt and chimichurri for dipping.  Unlike the tartare, a little bit of bread is good for this dish.  The marrow is like intensely flavored fat.  So eating it straight up isn't recommended unless you're the kind of person that gets turned on by a lingering intense and sticky aftertaste.  The salt brings the flavor forward while the chimicurri cuts into the oily intensity.

Even though I technically came here for dinner, this is more like the first course compared to what I'm used to eating. But it was all good.  At least I got to try horse meat and pure bone marrow for the first time.  It was short, sweet, and to the point when it comes to excitement and intensity.

928 Dundas St W
Toronto, ON M4Y 1Z2

Line Up: Toronto

I would like to introduce a series called: Line Up.  This series will cover one or more joints that seem to always have a line out the door but still manage to be under the radar.  The last part of the sentence is key because all kinds of places have long lines to get in and order.  We're not talking about the legendary institutions like Katz's or Carnegie Delis in New York or Neptune Oyster House in Boston.  After all, that would go against the whole purpose of this blog.

For the first edition, I head up to Toronto, the city that apparently likes to line up.  I've noticed that if there is a line somewhere, people become curious and head to the back.

I have and a lot of great food there, but I found these two dessert shops to really stand out during my stay.  I was introduced to these places by my cousin, who really gave me a great overview of the city for a weekend.  So let's satisfy that sweet tooth.

Uncle Tetsu's Japanese Cheesecake

What's the best way to define Downtown Toronto or the CBD?  Boring, dull, and best to avoid for tourists.  But now there seems to be something that is drawing a lot of attention around these parts.  And it isn't Rob Ford.  It's the Japanese, with cheesecake, now available at the corner of Bay and Dundas.

Opened recently, this place has already developed a cult following and is drawing the attention of those passing by.  Many people are drawn to the long lines that wait outside the small shop over an hour prior to its 11am opening, especially those getting at the bus stop at the corner of the block.  I wouldn't want to know how long the lines are later in the day.  Although I've been told that people have waited up to 2 hours.  And for good reason.  Once the door opens, a mesmerizing baked smell coming from the ovens permeated throughout the line, drawing the crowd in.

Since it has not opened for long, the full menu of sweets isn't available just yet.  Right now, only the cheesecake, Madelines, and cheese cookies.  Madelines are basically lemon and honey flavored muffins.

In keeping with the Japanese tradition of culinary excellence, attention to detail and quality is emphasized.  Right as you walk into the shop, you notice that everything here is made from scratch.  There is one lady in the front mixing the batter for the baked goods and another lady wearing a yellow dress taking the muffins in and out of the oven.

But the main event is in the back, the cheesecakes are being baked in an oven that can only fit 12 at a time.  That's right, only 12.  Everything is made to order, so there's no consistent movement in the line.  There are no heat lamps so everything is expected to sell out that day.  Once 12 people get their cakes, the rest have to wait until the next batch is ready.  Some people may look at this as a con, but I see at as a exceptional mark of quality.

Once the cakes are finished, they are branded with the Uncle Tetsu logo in the middle.  Once that's done, they are removed from their baking pans can wrapped in cheese cloth and placed in their beautifully designed red and white boxes.

Now its time for the prize.  After waiting for over an hour, I finally get mine.  The freshly baked smell was mesmerizing.  I had to take a bite or two.  So my cousin and I went to nearby Ryerson University to get the first bite.  As I open the red and white box and remove the cheese cloth.

Now, the treasure chest is opened, the cheese cloth removed, and there is the prize.

Since there were no utensils near me, fingers would do.  As I pinch the first piece, I notice that it's much lighter than the New York cheesecake.  The same would apply to the taste.  It's milder and has more of a cheese taste.  The taste and flavor is so distinct and unlike anything I have had before.

Having been open since March, they are still only serving a limited menu compared to their other locations.

598 Bay St
Toronto, ON M5G 1M5
Canada

Bang Bang Ice Cream and Bakery

It seems every major in the world has its pockets of hipsters and Toronto is no exception.  One of their enclaves here in the city that loves to line up is Little Portugal.

Like Uncle Tetsu's, this is a very tiny shop.  There's a little counter space, some refrigerators up front, and a mini kitchen in the back where they make the ice cream every day.

Although you can have your ice cream in a standard cone or cup, Bang Bang ups the ante quite a bit.  You can put it in a cream puff, between two cookies, or in a Hong Kong waffle cone.

This isn't your ordinary thin, bland, and crusty waffle cone.  The Hong Kong waffle is very similar to a Belgian waffle but with circles instead of squares.  Each cone is made to order and is dusted with powdered sugar on both sides before its folded into a cone.  How the hell did no one ever think of that?  It's so ingenious, it made me singlehandedly rethink about how truly great America is.

Now, onto the ice cream.  Knowing hipsters, they are not about doing the same old stuff.  They are rebellious, avant garde, and creative.  And when it comes to ice cream, this is a really good thing.  Quite frankly, it's also necessary to stay in business.

All the flavors they have for the day are listed on metal buckets on the shelves behind the counter.  The night I went there, they had flavors like avocado, orange cardamom, Bellwoods Stout (beer and brown bread), miso and cherry, corn, and even Fruity Loops.  Let's be honest: whoever thought of cereal flavored ice cream at the time was probably stoned.  But since 4/20 was coming up, I guess it's the perfect occasion.

I went hard and got the double smoked bacon ice cream in the Hong Kong waffle cone.  It was, to say the least, obscene.  I mean how else can I explain the combination of a warm, crisp waffle combined with the ice cream containing bacon bits and a hint of maple?

I didn't realize until after I got it, but the order came with two scoops.  If I had known earlier, I would have split the scoops between bacon and avocado.  Then I would have gotten a club sandwich of sorts.

Now, to find something like this in the states...

93 Ossington Ave
Toronto, ON M6J 2Z2
Canada

Keren Restaurant

I'm always up for trying something new.  That's just a part of my adventurous spirit.  But sadly, I haven't been doing much adventuring lately.  The harsh realities of a working professional seem to always hamper the way I want to live.  But now that I have returned, I think it's time to bring back that spirit.

I have always known that there is a large Ethiopian population in the DC area and plenty of restaurants to reflect it.  But for some reason, I have never been able to have the drive to do so.

Even though the restaurant is classified as an Eritrean restaurant, much of the menu is similar to classic Ethiopian fare.  There are also salads and some breakfast items that seem kind of Westernized.  There are also some Italian style entrees as well, harking to Eritrea's colonial past.  For those who aren't that adventurous, maybe a cotoletta or fried meat cutlet over pasta would be good.  

I ordered the Keren Special with my dining companion. This traditional spread is perfect for sharing with 2 or 3 people.

I like this style of food as it contains a plethora of vegetables and some meat placed in the middle of the injera bread.  There are lentils, house salad, cabbage, potato and carrot, spinach, and chickpeas.  And plopped in the middle is some tibs or meat stew cooked with spices and onions.  And from what I've heard, it can be really spicy especially when berbere is added.  This version however, is not the spicy kind.

It is served with more injera on a separate plate.  This flatbread is made of teff flour and has a slight sour taste.  The injera is the main utensil for this kind of meal.  You just rip a piece and pinching any variety of the stews and veggies into the bread and eat it.  Once you run out, you can start eating the injera soaked with the stew.

Even though it was one order, it is certainly enough for 2 people to share.  Hell, I nearly bursted at the seems near the end.  It was probably the bread because it makes you fat.  I feel much more satisfied now that I have been able to experience what I have been missing out for so long.  I'll be looking out for more food from the Horn of Africa region.

1780 Florida Ave NW
Washington, DC 20009

Raku

I love Japanese food.  Sadly, I almost never have the opportunity to have this since there are hardly any authentic Japanese restaurants near where I live.  What is amazing is that Las Vegas' Chinatown has a decent amount of these restaurants.  In one particular strip mall, there are 4 Japanese restaurants.

Raku is a small izakaya with a limited but exciting menu.  The small menu contains a variety of cold and hot small dishes along with a plethora of grilled items, an izakaya staple.  They also have a daily menu with sashimi of the freshest and most carefully sourced fish.  Not only are the fish carefully sourced, but so are the other offerings.  You know what that means?  It's gonna be a hella good meal.

Let's begin.

Poached Egg with Uni and Ikura

Farm egg, salmon roe, and sea urchin all in one bowl.  Mix that altogether with the mountain yam, and you got yourself a menage-a-trois of eggs.  

Raku Tofu

This is made in house and served with katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), green onions, and ginger.  Add a dash of the house brewed soy sauce, and there's no way you would ever want to go back to mass produced tofu.  This tofu has a fuller body, meaning a greater mouth feel and creamier taste.

Yes, I said Raku makes their own soy sauce.  This sauce is not as salty and has a fuller bodied taste.  There's a theme going on here.  

Kanpachi

Sashimi of the freshest Japanese amberjack belly and loin.  To cleanse the palate, there are pickled chrysanthemum flowers instead of ginger.  There's not much to say regarding the flavor, as it's a mild white fish.  But, where the quality and dedication comes in is the use of the pickled flowers.  Mild pickles paired with a mild fish; how did I not know that?

And now, some chargrilled skewers.

Kurobuta Pork Cheek

Kurobuta means black pig in Japanese.  These pigs are raised in Kagoshima prefecture in the Western part of the country.

The cheeks here have a very good fat to meat ratio.  The charcoal grill creates a nice crust on the outside, giving the pork a nice bite.

Duck with Balsamic Soy

The dark soy sauce and slightly sweet balsamic make a nice mellow sauce that doesn't overpower the duck.

Salmon with Ikura Oroshi

Despite it's complex name, it's a very simple dish of grilled salmon with grated radish topped with ikura.

To be honest, there isn't a whole to say about some tiny skewers as they are that simple.  But this next dish got me talking.

Juicy Deep Fried Ajitame Chicken

This is the highlight of the night.  Dark meat chicken is laid on a bed of spinach which is sauced with the chicken jus.  When they say juicy, it's more than true.  Never had I had fried chicken that is so succulent and moist.  I can't imagine what is was like when the chef cuts into the batter.  Must have been like a tidal wave of juice coming out of it.  

This meal is among of the greatest that I have had in Vegas.  Flawless ingredients and technique combined with simple end results make this place a true gem.  Compared to most places in Chinatown, this is on the higher end of the spectrum.  Even though I was treating my family, my dad somehow still ended hitting up the curry place next door for what he calls "real food".  He means stuff that fills you up, of course.  But I guess it's just a generational difference here.

Like many of the places in Chinatown, Raku is open late.  Like 2am late.  From what I heard, it's for this reason that it's popular with restaurant employees, especially the chefs.  And for good reason.  Even though, this is the kind of place that would be pretentious and trendy if on the Strip, it's quite casual.  Just look at the food.  It's simple.  The presentation is traditional and minimalistic. It's a great place to get away from all the intensity, complexity, and noise that define the restaurants that dot the Strip.  This is what food should be like in a more perfect world.

5030 Spring Mountain Road
Las Vegas, NV 89146