the best unagi

Behind these doors lie the best unagi in the world.

This seemingly nondescript restaurant in Akasaka has been standing in this spot for almost a century, serving up the best unagi in the city. Even their pet fishies know how to eat. Apparently, the eel are kept alive until somebody orders unagi. So while they were making our unagi from scratch, they kept us busy with some delicious chicken yakitori. They make a mean chicken yakitori, this place. The outer crust is coated in sweet, delicious yakitori sauce, and the meat inside is incredibly tender, juicy and drenched in flavor. The chicken served in Japan is so fresh ... I can almost say that it barely resembles the roided up chicken that we get here in the US—oops I did say it. Afterward, a hot broth with the eel's liver. And finally, the piece de resistance, the unagi. The meat was so fresh that the texture was smooth and silky. There was no trace of fishiness in the taste, just delicious, flaky meat. Oh my stomach's growling just thinking about it.

Apparently, this restaurant delivers and when they do, the unagi comes in the same black lacquered containers, which they then pick up from your home after. Pretty cool stuff. Seriously the best unagi I've ever had. I may never be able to eat those microwaveable types I used to buy from the Japanese store. I'm ruined, yet again! But it was worth it.

tsukiji fish market

At the crack of dawn on Friday morning, we raced to the most popular sushi restaurant at the Tsukiji fish market. I can't really tell you what it's called because as you can see on the picture, the name is in Japanese. (Edit: The restaurant's name is Sushi-Dai.) But if you ever go to Tsukiji, it's the rightmost restaurant on sushi row. You'll know which one it is because there's always a line, with people waiting for up to two and half hours if you get there after dawn. We arrived in front of the store front at exactly 4:26AM and there were already two people waiting in line. Within the first two minutes that we were standing there, the line swelled to this size:

What a difference a few minutes made! The sushi restaurant only seats 12 people so we were soooo glad we made into the first seating. You do not want to be that guy who almost but didn't quite make it in, and therefore had to spend at least another hour staring into the window longingly at the people enjoying their ultra-fresh sushi. So glad we came early! Tsukiji has an electric atmosphere at the crack of dawn, with guys in small vehicles zipping around delivering cartons of ultra-fresh sushi to waiting trucks and restaurants. You gotta keep your wits about you if you don't want to end up getting sideswiped.

After what seemed like the longest 30 minutes ever, the doors finally swung open and we were seated. My eyes gaped and stomach grumbled at the sight of the piles and piles of otoro on the counter. This is the freshest and undoubtedly the best sushi you can get in Tokyo. I never used to give much thought to tamago, the Japanese omelette that's made into sushi and commonly served at restaurants. Everywhere I've been outside of Tokyo, it's pretty nondescript. But apparently, a sushi restaurant's expertise can be measured by how it makes its tamago. In fact, it's considered rude to order tamago first when you're at a sushi restaurant because it's like telling the sushi chef that you're measuring him up right away. It was just one more sign that we were in for a treat when we saw this massive slab of fresh, steaming tamago laid on the counter. Oh sweet Jesus ...

We ordered the Omakase, which mean's chef's choice. I strongly recommend you do the same. The first thing that landed in front of us were these slices of octopus. It was cleaned extremely well so that there isn't a trace of sliminess to it, and was so fresh that we just crunched through every bite. Next we were given this seemingly innocuous bowl that just blew our minds. I can't tell you exactly what this is (lost in translation as we are) but it sounded to me like this is called sharaku. In any case, our friend Mikki compared this to foie gras and that's a pretty close approximation of what it tastes like. The texture is creamy and silky, and the taste really quite similar to my favorite treat. Incredible. (Edit: This dish is called Shirako, which means white child, and is actually cod testis! Yes I am aware of how gross that sounds. Thank god I didn't know because I might not have tried it if I did and this was way too good to miss!)

Next, a succulent piece of oyster that has quite possibly ruined me forever. I may never enjoy another oyster again after having had this wonderfully juicy piece with scarcely the taste of brine. And then, the awaited tamago,which was of course hearty, pleasantly sweet, and completely comforting. After asserting their superiority with the fabulous tamago, the much awaited o-toro was laid in front of us.

Isn't that just a beauty? Otoro comes from the fattiest part of the tuna belly and is the most prized part of the tuna. The sushi chefs serve the otoro already seasoned with soy sauce and wasabi so that all you have to do is pop it into your mouth and marvel at how the beautifully marbled meat just melts in your mouth. We were in heaven after that piece.

This next plate was not part of the Omakase but we spied it at the party seated next to us and just had to give it a try. I'd hazard the guess that it's monkfish liver inside a sliver of hamachi. Whatever it was, it was just brilliant. I strongly recommend being a copycat at this joint. Then came some more excellent sushi: some ultra-fresh yellow tail and a truly satisfying piece of maguro.

After those two very yummy but staid pieces of sushi, the chef laid a shocker on us. This piece of squid was, I kid you not, still moving. Seriously. Mika was talking to his sushi, saying, "Hey, stop moving so I can eat you!" Mine literally squirmed in my mouth. Not for the faint of heart, but if you're an adventurous soul, it is delicious.

Next was a succulent piece of striped jack sushi. It was amazing. Mika was trying to convince me I didn't want it. Uh, yeah, in your dreams buddy. And then, a piece I had been waiting for with bated breath: the uni! It was velvety and succulent, so fresh and devoid of that fishy taste. Oh heaven ... Mika had one and declared that he still did not like uni. Blasphemy! Afterward, a piece of horse mackerel that rocked my world. I had eaten mackerel sushi before but it never tasted remotely close to this. It was so fresh that the flesh was still deliciously oily and tender. Mackerel tends to spoil quickly and so it is usually cured, and can have an off-putting fishy smell. But not this fresh-off-the-boat baby here. Oh it was just utter perfection.

Then some white shrimp sushi. Photogenic? No. Delicious? Hell yes. That was followed by what I guess was some hamachi, then some amazing salmon roe, and incredibly delicious fresh water eel. The mere thought of the sweet, meaty eel is making me salivate right now. At the end of the meal, the chef asks you what your favorite was and they'll give it to you to cap off the meal. We picked otoro of course. Oh it is just so good ...

While we were eating, our friend Mikki told the sushi chefs that Mika just won back-to-back US Open 9-ball tournaments and is in Japan to defend his Japan Open 9-ball championship from last year. They were quite impressed so before we left, Mika took the sponsor patches from his shirt and gave them to the chefs as souvenirs. By the time we got out it was around 6AM and the line was long. But if there's one meal worth waiting for, it is definitely this. Dreaming of my next visit to Tsukiji already!

teppanyaki

Last night, I had one of the best meals of my life. Our incredibly generous friends Mikki and his amazing wife, Murayama Yuka, who is a famous Japanese author, treated us to a truly amazing meal at the Imperial Hotel's Teppanyaki Kamon, which they deem the best teppanyaki spot in Tokyo. I'm not going to lie, that meal cost a nice chunk of change (21,000 yen or $210 per person), but I tell you, this is a life-changing meal truly worth saving up for.

The meal began with an amuse bouche of scallop paste on a thin crostini, then an appetizer with some savory flan, a sliver of yellow tail, and duck. Just a little something to whet the appetite.

And then they brought out the big guns. The lobsters were, I kid you not, still twitching in front of our very eyes. Kinda freaky yet awesome. On the right, some deliciously marbled sirloin to be cooked up for Mika and I, some beautiful filets for our hosts, and yes my friends, those are indeed heaps and heaps of foie gras just waiting to be seared. We could barely breathe from the anticipation ...

The chef seared the foie gras very quickly but it was almost torturous breathing in the delicious scent and waiting to descent on the goodness ... Those were quite possibly the longest 5 minutes of my life ...

And then, it landed in front of me. I almost swooned from joy.

I bit into the caramelized, lightly crunchy outer layer and into the creamy, succulent goodness and was in sheer bliss. There was a large cooked grape served with the foie gras that cut into the richness between bites and kept me coming back for more. These are the plates that make life worth living for. Next up, the chef works on the lobster ...

The last time I recall having good lobster was on a candlelit dinner on the beach at Amanpulo. The thing is, it was sensory overload then with the powder-fine white sand, sky exploding with stars, and the sound of waves crashing on the shore ... so I can't be entirely objective about how amazing the actual lobster was. So I think this lobster below is the best I have ever had, objectively speaking:

The meat was scrumptiously sweet and so perfectly cooked that it was tender, juicy and flaky. I completely ignored the tartar sauce made from scratch because I couldn't tear myself away from the more superior sauce concocted out of melted butter and lobster brain. Oh. My. God. Next up was a pretty breather of starches with colorful yams and potatoes. The Japanese are suckers for a nutritionally balanced meal, after all.

And finally, that beautiful sirloin. It was cooked a perfect medium rare, and was just exquisitely tender from all the delicious marbled fat. The meat was so excellent that it scarcely needed seasoning, just a hint of salt and pepper, a small smear of wasabi, and a little dip in soy sauce. To my amusement, the waitress asked, "You know wasabi right?" when she laid the dish beside me. I started laughing and answered, "Yes, don't worry, I won't put the whole thing in my mouth at once." Even the chef was laughing as we discussed moments when people have popped chunks of wasabi in their mouths, not knowing the extreme pain this would cause them. Apparently this has happened a few times in this place, thus the precautionary warnings. But moving along, yes, this steak was phenomenal.

And as if I wasn't already smiling ear to ear, the chef then cooked up some wonderful garlic rice. Oh this is a restaurant just after my little Filipina heart, I tell you ...

And to cap it all off, some creme brulee and chocolate ice cream. I don't even know how I managed to cram this in my stomach but I did.

A truly epic meal. I love this country.

My only beef with Japan is the jet lag. Now back to bed to try to squeeze in a nap before breakfast ...

a plate i would marry

Today I decided that I love this dish so much that I want to have it on my wedding day and on my deathbed:I apologize for being so morbid, but really, that's how much I love this dish. I still vividly recall the gaping mouths and salivating tastebuds that the mere description of this dish induced when Mika and I first read it on the tapas menu at Bar Carrera: "Smoked salmon, mascarpone & black caviar on a toasted mini brioche, drizzled with honey." (not as sexy but equally seductive was the price tag of $6) Since that first bite, I haven't been able to swill wine at Bar Carrera without ordering this alluring little snack. It's just perfect. There's that sweet and lightly toasted brioche smeared with creamy mascarpone, then topped with smoked salmon that brings substance, lovely pliant texture, and a complimentary mild salty taste. A sprinkling of caviar adds pleasant bursts of ocean flavors into every bite, and a drizzle of honey perfectly harnesses all these tastes into a pleasantly sweet whole. It's unexpected and yet just so right. Truly, I might marry this plate if I could.

Before I do, let's just put the tipsy woman to bed, shall we? Gnight dearies!

Bar Carrera is located at 175 Second Avenue, New York, New York 10003 and 146 West Houston Street, New York, New York 10012

bottega

Our dinner at Chef Michael Chiarello's Bottega in Yountville was one of those evenings where everything seemed magical. We arrived a few minutes late but our table was not yet ready, so we sat at the bar and ordered a couple of proseccos and cold glasses of water. Our bartender, who it turns out is a Brooklyn native, happily proclaimed that to him, Napa was the place to be as he served our drinks. Before we even had two sips of the prosecco, the floor manager showed us to our table and promptly comped our drinks because of the wait (it took all of 1 minute, I swear).

I had read up on Bottega before going so it was quick and easy to order the food. For the wine, our server helped us out. He picked out a crisp white (the name of which, I don't remember, so sorry) and a red which I recall was named Eileen, but I can't seem to find it on the menu ... We ordered the white by the glass, and it turns out Bottega gives you a quartino instead which means about 2 generous pours of the good stuff. We ended up making small talk with the two ladies seated next to us, who were enjoying a gorgeous bottle of Barolo. They were finishing up by then and we were floored when they said they couldn't finish their bottle anymore and would we like to enjoy the rest of the bottle for them? WOW. By the time our server came with our whites, we had more drinks than we could handle. See this row of lovelies below? All of that was just for ME.

No better way to start dinner than that right? We were absolutely famished, so we were practically drooling when they set down the Polenta Under Glass ($12) in front of us. I still dream about this soft and creamy polenta, topped with earthy caramelized wild mushrooms and drizzled with a rich balsamic game sauce. So good.
The second antipasti, the Burrata ($12), was equally unbelievable. God bless the Italians for coming up with this cheese made of mozzarella AND cream (as if those things by themselves are not already wonderful enough). It was absolutely fresh, and was paired perfectly with the artichokes that came in fried and lemon braised preparations. MMMM.
Next came the ricotta gnocchi in salsa di pomodoro della Nonna dusted with pecorino ($15). These were the softest, fluffiest pieces of gnocchi I've ever had in my life. Absolutely amazing.
For the secondi, we sank our teeth into Bottega's version of Bistecca alla Fiorentina (minimum 2 people for $36 per person): wood-grilled grass fed porterhouse, with a side of truffle-parmiggiano fries. The bistecca was excellent. Done the Florentine way, which is to start with great ingredients and cook simply but perfectly. It was nicely medium-rare, with a kick from the pepper and nice tang from the grilled lemon we squeezed over the meat. The pieces near the bone which were soft and entwined with juicy fat were to die for. I had to keep eating even if my stomach felt like it was going to explode.
The unfortunate victims of our overzealous ordering were the truffle-parmiggiano fries, which we simply had no more space from. They were really good though.

We had to give up the fries to leave room for dessert, which we picked out as our waiter was serving it to the adjacent table: the Chocolate-Almond Molten Cake ($9) which doused with hazelnut crème Anglaise at your table. By then, we were the only party left in the dining area, and our water STILL let us order this dessert which would take 20 minutes to make. That's service people!

Of course, the staff were extra wonderful to us because it turns out that the floor manager is a pool fanatic and he was very excited to have Mika in the restaurant (He was even more excited that night, our server claims, than when Michael Jordan was in there a few weeks prior! Imagine that!). They actually invited us to hang out with the staff at a local bar to see Napa's wonderful servers get smashed. Of course we couldn't miss that!

All in all, a memorable night in every way. I have to say that even with all the wonderful restaurants Napa and Yountville have to offer, I would go back to Bottega again and again.

Where: 6525 Washington Street, A9 Yountville, CA 94599. Tel. (707) 945-1050

the best thai food in the us. period.

When we got off the cab at a dodgy looking complex off the Vegas strip, I seriously thought we were having dinner at a dingey Asian takeout. Push open the doors to Lotus of Siam, though, and you're in for a wonderful surprise. It was 7PM on a Sunday and the restaurant and its waiting room were packed to the gills. We stood there reading the reviews that covered the walls proclaiming this little Thai joint as the restaurant where Vegas' star chefs come to eat, as the place where the best Thai food in the country is served. When we were told the wait would be an hour, we struck up a deal with the host to keep us on the list while we quickly got changed for our night out the hotel. We came back in 45 minutes and were promptly rewarded with our table for four. The waiter recommended a great dry Reisling sweet enough to stand up to the spiciness of the food (I don't recall the name, but just trust their recommendations, they know their stuff).

I was extremely excited to find crispy catfish salad ($13.95) on the menu. This salad was a staple at every Thai meal I've had in Asia, and I was always so sad that I couldn't seem to find it in New York. Lotus of Siam's version consisted of of deep fried catfish, fresh chili, lime juice, peanut, cashew nut, cilantro, and sliced green papaya. It wasn't as spicy as the best ever catfish salad I had (which was of course on the streets of Bangkok) but it was very refreshing next to the lip-numbingly hot dishes we'd ordered.
We ordered stuffed chicken wings ($8.95) as well, but the yummy crispy pieces disappeared way too fast for me to take a picture. I did get a chance to snap a photo of the deep fried bean curd ($6.95). So good with the sweet and sour sauce with chopped peanuts.
One of the stars of the meal was the steamed sea bass served atop a bed of drunk man noodles. The fish was soft and flaky, and the drunk man noodles so tasty. The dish was completely wiped out.
Another favorite was the spicy chicken green curry. I love how it isn't overwhelmingly spicy at first. It draws you in and lets you taste the flavors of coconut milk and kafir lime, and then wham! It hits you over the head with the spiciness. Mmmm.
The crispy duck rounded out the meal. I love duck in most shapes and forms, and this spicy concoction with crisp skin and flavorful meat was no exception.
We capped off the meal with dessert, of course (no pictures, sorry). Definitely leave room for the sticky rice topped with coconut ice cream, which is so refreshing and not sickly sweet. If you have any more space to spare, the banana fried roll is another good one to try.

Definitely a place I'll keep coming back to. I may never ever touch a slot machine in Vegas (I didn't at all during the trip), but I'll make sure my tastebuds get a whipping from Lotus of Siam every time.

Where: 953 E. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89104 (3/4 East of Sahara Hotel) Tel. (702)735-3033

froyo wars

People have been telling me for awhile now that Red Mango is soooo much better than Pinkberry, but I'd never really been inclined to investigate. Previously, I'd only had Red Mango once and the yogurt was pomegranate flavored so I couldn't really compare. Today though, with the sun out and shining, I couldn't resist getting a cup of froyo when I saw Red Mango right across the street from where I had lunch with my colleagues. With an already extremely full belly, I strode up to the counter and ordered a small original topped with blueberries and mochi. As soon as I took my first bite, I knew the empacho (loosely translates to being so full you feel sick) would be worth it. Red Mango's yogurt is so much more ... substantial, for lack of a better term. The addictively sweet and tangy yogurt is thick and creamy. The soft and fluffy mochi were bigger than what one gets at Pinkberry, and toppings were generously given. I inhaled the entire cup before I got back to the office. And yes, every bite was worth the dizziness I now feel from my gluttony.

chirashi

Feeling completely under the weather today, getting my ass kicked by what I hope is just a cold and not a flu. After having some breakfast, I decided to take a nap, thinking I'd order in lunch when I got up. Well, I woke up at 4:30PM, must've been completely wiped out. Still feel it. I comforted myself by ordering in my favorite chirashi from Oyogu, the amazing little Japanese restaurant just blocks from my apartment. Their fish is always incredibly fresh, and the servings very generous. The chirashi is a tad pricey at $18, but you get three pieces each of succulent salmon, tuna, yellowtail, hamachi, and mackarel. Definitely just what I needed.

Anyway, signing off to get some more rest. Hopefully when the jackhammer in my head stops, I'll be able to rejoin the world ...

Where: 1164 First Avenue between 63rd and 64th Streets. Tel. (212) 751-3316

Affogato

I have a love-hate relationship with affogato. Affogato literally means "choked" in Italian, but refers to a heavenly concoction where ice cream is coated in a deluge of strong espresso (I exaggerate, it's just a shot, but deluge sounded so good).

The thing is, I stopped drinking coffee last Spring, so any small bit of caffeine affects me in a major way. Last night, I had dinner with some friends at Nizza, an Italian restaurant in Hell's Kitchen. It was supposed to be an early night for me but I couldn't resist ordering the nutella ice cream affogato. How could I? It's just not fair to put the words "nutella", "ice cream" and "affogato" together. I am utterly defenseless against that.

I was rewarded with two scoops of creamy nutella ice cream topped with chocolate chips, a sliver of biscotti, and a strong dose of espresso. The dessert was absolutely fantastic and I was in heaven for the 10 minutes that I ate it. But this indulgence landed me squarely in hell for the next few hours, because I tossed and turned in my bed until about 4AM. Note to non-coffee-drinking self: nothing espresso infused after 3PM ever again, ok?

But nutella ice cream affogatos? Oh hell yeah.

Where: Nizza is located at 630 9th Avenue between 44th and 45th Streets

Gnudi

Last night, I lost my gnudi virginity. I have to say, my first time was beautiful.

I don't know how I ever lived without knowing it. Gnudi, the Italian word for "nude", is the moniker for ricotta dumplings. It is pretty much an undressed ravioli, and reminds one of gnocchi except it is lighter and fluffier because it is made of ricotta, not potato.

I had my first brush with gnudi at Mia Dona, which we have now declared one of our favorite restaurants after two amazing dinners there in a row. Mia Dona's gnudi has everything one could possibly want from a dish. The dumplings are as fluffy as pillows and coated in a heavenly truffle butter sauce. There was a good helping of crispy prosciutto, lots of earthy mushrooms, and fried sage leaves. It is rich, definitely, but I was never overwhelmed by taste and by the last bite, I could still eat more. The serving is quite generous and definitely worth $17 (a smaller portion is also available for $11).

They say you never forget your first. I definitely won't!

Where: 206 East 58th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Tel. (212) 750-8170

Top Ramen

At 10PM last night, Mika and I plus 3 Japanese friends walked out of Amsterdam Billiard Club absolutely starving. Instead of our usual sushi dinner at Shima, we decided that it was time, once and for all, to try the ramen at Ippudo just a block away. Mika and I have tried several times to come here for dinner, but every time we went we were told that the wait would be at least 45 minutes. Today we were told it would be 15 to 20 minutes (although it did end up being 45) so we patiently waited over mugs of Kirin draft.

When we finally sat, we were ready to eat the waiter's arm, we were so hungry. For starters we ordered crispy chicken karaage, crispy rock shrimp and an avocado-tofu tartare. The rock shrimp was fantastic. The shrimps were plump and juicy, and the batter crunchy and addictive. The avocado-tofu tartare was pleasantly sweet and refreshing. The karaage was good, I'm sure, but I was distracted because I tasted it just as a huge bowl of piping hot ramen was placed in front of me as I was chewing the deep fried chicken.

We ordered one bowl of the Shiomaru Moto Classic ramen and another of the Akamaru Modern just to compare tastes. Our Japanese friends all ordered the Akamaru Modern, and as soon as I took a slurp of soup, I understood why. The broth is deliciously creamy and thoroughly infused with the smoky flavor of Berkshire pork. The soup is laden with scallions, tender pork slices, al dente ramen, and sliced mushrooms. The classic version of the ramen was good, but our preference was for the stronger tasting broth.

Our server also brought a grinder filled with toasted sesame seeds, some sliced ginger, and some cloves of garlic with a garlic press. As our Japanese friends proceeded to liberally season their bowls with these spices, Mika whispered, "I think we're better off doing everything they do." So we did, and we were rewarded with ramen packed with a multitude of wonderful flavors.

Our friend Toyota opined that while Ippudo does serve very good, authentic ramen, it's expensive for what it is. I don't blame a Japanese guy who's used to slurping up delicious and oftentimes very inexpensive ramen at 3AM in Tokyo. For us New Yorkers who don't have the good fortune of making regular trips to Japan, however, I think $13 is a very reasonable price to pay for what is arguably the best ramen in the city.

Where: 65 Fourth Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets

The Ultimate Late Night Snack

Every now and then, I get these moments when I down a Patron shot and then think, "Oh crap. Not a good move." And then it seems like the only way I'll wake up and get through tomorrow is to fill my tummy up with some greasy food that'll soak up all that alcohol.

Today I had one of those moments, and I immediately ditched my BF and made a beeline to Yakitori Taisho. There are not too many things in this world that bring me as much joy as a plateful of yakitori and a grilled rice ball.

My favorite yakitori is the bara, otherwise known in the Philippines as liempo. It's a very thin slice of pork belly grilled until it's nice and tender. Heaven on a stick. My other favorite is the chicken gizzard. In all honesty I'm not sure what that is, but I like the gummy texture and the liver-like but milder taste. The essential part of the equation, of course, is the grilled rice ball. Toasted to a crisp outside and soft and tender on the inside, it brings me satisfaction like nothing else.

Heavily recommended for those on the verge of drunkenness like myself.