Yakitori Totto, NYC – Food Porn with Diversity

A change of pace… throwing in some diversified food porn! I’m going to go all Disney up in ‘ere. Hahahahaha. Erm… Okay… I’ll stop.

 

While browsing through Cat’s photos this morning, I remembered that I hadn’t posted much of my NYC eats. Here’s one of a few to start us off: Yakitori Totto. I ran away from work to grab lunch up on 55th Street. There’s also a Totto Ramen – next time (as in… next time I’m in NYC, I’ll have to go, not… next time I post, sorry)!

Michael (who else?) and I sat at the bar to see all the action up close!

Salads first with miso, of course. I love that light, refreshing dressing on Japanese salads.

I got the Totto Don: Negima (minced chicken with negi), Wings and Meatballs on a stick with very lightly poached egg over rice.

And he – the Karubi Don: Galbi, or uh カルビ (Korean-style short rib) on three sticks with very lightly poached egg over rice.

I also had a drink – Fresh Shochu Cocktail, orange, if I remember correctly. Yep, went right back to work after this lunch – walked in the rain, went down through the subway and everything.

Oy vey! I need to stop doing these food porn posts so late at night. I’m hungry. And there’s nothing like this in Utah, crap, dammit.

American Eats Tavern in DC – Limited Edition Food Porn

Little did I know that American Eats Tavern was a limited experience from chef José Andrés. Luckily! I was able to grab some eats there during my May trip to DC. Thanks Michael!

The Okonomiyaki Experience – Gaja in Lomita, CA

Last month when I was in LA, I went with an old high school friend and her husband to gorge on KBBQ. And about 8 hours later, an old friend from college took me to gorge on okonomiyaki (some call it a healthy Japanese cabbage pancake, er… yeah) and beer at Gaja. This is that latter pig-out in photos. Ugh, I must’ve gained 30 pounds that day but I want to go back immediately! Aiyah.

Torihei Yakitori Robata-Ya – Another (Sorta) Izakaya Food Porn Quicky

Okay, I love izakayas and wish we had one in Salt Lake. Yes, I know. I will keep dreaming. Anyway, on a recent trip to LA, where else would I go but to a recommended izakaya? Ahh, okay, Torihei is labeled a yakitori robata-ya, but it has some izakaya feel? Ugh, I loved that yaki-onigiri. So good. And the yogurt shochu!! Dammit, Salt Lake City! Drool on.

Before Once on Broadway is a Kyotofu Dinner – Food Porn Quicky

For my trip to NYC, my friend grabbed tickets for us ahead of time to see Once (um, Tony award-winning musical this year!!). It was New York! I had to see a show (or two or three or four, as it turned out). She also recommended Kyotofu for dinner – I didn’t argue.

Curry Rice

Cha Soba Noodles

Yuzu Citrus Tofu Cheesecake

Um, as you can tell, there’s a lot of food there for three people. Let me explain how this dinner went… Our server was fucking awesome. Why? Well, he was also our bartender and catered drinks based on our likes – a virgin margarita (on the house because it was his first virgin creation) and two recommended sake cocktails (I forget what they were…). Oh, it was also happy hour. He also gave us all the kitchen and bar mistakes. This meant – three shots of different sakes, onigiri and the cheesecake. Yeah, definitely going back next time in NYC.

Best first night in NYC dinner ever. And the show? It was good too; it definitely made more sense after I saw the movie though. WAHOOO first night in NYC; what a way to start it off.

NYC East Village Food Binge – Food Porn (Not So) Quicky

Anyone that vacations with me knows that I try to pack as many food highlights as possible… New York City was definitely no exception.

After watching Fuerzabruta at the Daryl Roth Theatre near Union Square, we begun Melani’s downward food spiral. She was eating healthy, proportionate meals at regular times of the day until I came to stay with her in NYC. Muwahahaha.

Steamed and (Pan)Fried… Pork Buns – aka Bao.tzi

A couple of weeks ago, I traded Matt food for knowledge. After a cram session at Salt Lake Roasting Company, we walked over to Everest Tibetan Restaurant for a late dinner. It was good. Don’t get me wrong. But the cheap frugal person that I am, I balked at the $10.99 price for seven pan-fried momos. Momos = just like Chinese bao or a variation of the Japanese nikuman.

And plus, c’mon! Chinese food should not be that expensive (and hey, you can get delicious nikuman at a Japanese 7-Eleven for ~100 yen).

So, just the tiniest bit enraged (and very, very full from the still delicious dinner), I decided to make my own bao-tzi/bao-zi over the weekend.

Forage – Salt Lake City, Utah

Okay, try as I might to come up with a clever title for this blog… I just couldn’t think of anything witty enough. At least… nothing to do Forage any justice with the ample amount of respect attached.

Chefs Viet Pham and Bowman Brown have recently been acclaimed one of Food and Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs 2011. It’s rare we ever see this sort of national praise from a Utah establishment. So, well… we had to try.

A Whiff of Taiwan: Almond Tofu Flavored Kit Kat

Almond Tofu Flavored Kit Kat… smells and tastes oh, so grand. A white chocolate Kit Kat that wafers with a slight almond scent.

Walking about the streets in Taiwan, you occasionally come across the almond tofu vendor (annin tofu for those of you familiar with the Japanese term, which also sounds very similar to the Chinese term). It’s one of my favorite scents in the world, a light airy touch of almond dessert.

I can’t say that I’ve ever gained a sense of almond nut smell… I don’t believe it smells like anything, actually. However, in a dessert, or the almond extracts… it’s unmistakable. This Kit Kat definitely has that scent along with the slight flavor of almond tofu. I’d say a good solid 7/10 on my taste scale. Yum.

Read about my other Kit Kat post: Soy Sauce Flavored Kit Kat

Tokyo Roots: Soy Sauce Flavored Kit Kat

Soy Sauce Flavored Kit Kat… sort of delicious. It’s a white chocolate Kit Kat that has a sweet aromatic flavor to it. Why is it white? Ashley says perhaps because of the way soy milk is white? Makes sense… although soy sauce is fermented beans… hence, the dark color, right? I don’t know!

I can’t say that it’s quite the taste of soy sauce, but I can see why it’s labeled that way. That’s all I can say! I’m not sure how else to describe it. Try one and tell me how you’d describe it?

I want to try them all!! Kyushu Yuzu Pepper Flavored Kit Kat | Kyoto Houji Tea Flavored Kit Kat | Shinshu Apple Flavored Kit Kat | Okinawa/Kyushu Purple Yam Flavored Kit Kat | Kyoto Uzi Green Tea Flavored Kit Kat | Yokohama Strawberry Cheesecake Flavored Kit Kat | Yokohama Almond Tofu Flavored Kit Kat | Kawagoe Sweet Potato Flavored Kit Kat | Tokai Hokuriku Miso Flavored Kit Kat | Shizuoka Kantou Wasabi Flavored Kit Kat | Koushin Blueberry Cheesecake Flavored Kit Kat | China and Shikoku Citrus Blend Flavored Kit Kat