DC.NYC 2

Continuing the gastronomic tour to New York City is an easy task, as there is obviously no shortage of great eateries here. The main limitation, in addition to time and money, is gastric capacity.

The first stop is Gabriel Kreuther's eponymous restaurant in Midtown. Chef Kreuther, originally from the Alsace region of France, made a name for himself at the Modern within MOMA. (I originally planned to patronize Del Posto as Mario Batali joined many chefs who spoke out politically, but decided not to after learning their head chef Mark Landner was supposed to leave.)

Bryant Park: this is one of the scattered islands of tranquility in this hyper-energetic town. The lunch spot, Gabriel Kreuther, is in Grace Building on right.

Gabriel Kreuther: airy and stylish interior 

Gabriel Kreuther: Alsatian bread, Kouglof, or its savory version. The crust tastes interesting. After a few slices are removed, what's left looks like a giant molar tooth!

Gabriel Kreuther: foie gras terrine in a bed of granola. The smooth and the crunchy - a great idea. 

Gabriel Kreuther: the two-course lunch option, which comes with extras, is a good deal. They make their own chocolate, also sold in a store next door.

Ivan Orkin has a compelling life story. After bumming around a bit, he found his calling in ramen making in Japan. He ran a successful ramen shop in Tokyo, which is no mean feat for a gaijin, and subsequently opened a restaurant in Lower East Side.

Kossaly's: a stop at this bagel shop while we are in Lower East Side for dinner. The ones without holes are bialys. Tried onion, garlic, and sesame seed varieties. Bialys were not warm and pretty chewy.  

Ivan Ramen: ordered one shio and one shoyu. Simple. Good noodles. Pretty authentic, whatever that means.

We pass by a NYC icon, Katz's Deli, which is where Harry met Sally. Too bad, the pastrami sandwich here will have to wait. Cold! Winter is back.

Lincoln Center, NYC: It's hard to say David Geffen Hall. (Barely getting used to the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA). To me, it may always be Avery Fisher Hall.

David Geffen Hall: lucky to catch New York Philharmonic playing Mahler Symphony No. 4. Actually my first time watching Maestro Alan Gilbert, who will be leaving the post soon.

Momofuku Ko, the flagship restaurant for the David Chang empire, has been on my radar for some time. They moved to the current location a few years ago - the reservations are easier and the space much more inviting.

Momofuku Ko: no, it's not the Apple Computer symbol in front of the flame, but the peach (momo in Japanese). These counter seats around an open kitchen are very comfortable and the spacing between the seats is the most generous I have seen anywhere. 

Momofuku Ko: a little Korean touch - the dish next to the bread has kimchi in it, in sort of a banchan arrangement. Oh, BTW, the soft boiled egg with caviar is excellent.

Momofuku Ko: I commented to the manager that this mural showing the Korean alphabet is an indication that David Chang was scarred for life having to sit through weekend Korean classes as a child trying to learn Korean...

Momofuku Ko: this uni-chickpea combo was among the top 21 dishes of 2015 in NYC selected by Eater.com.

Momofuku Ko: razor clam with basil oil has amazing taste.

Momofuku Ko: after skate is served in a "katsu" preparation, the skin is saved to make a roll.

Momofuku Ko: an excellent butternut squash dish.  Oh, and the accompanying duck preparation is not bad.

Momofuku Ko: aerated cheese in the style of Japanese Castella, topped with black truffle

Metropolitan Museum of Art: just part of an extensive Egyptian collection, this Temple of Dendur was saved from being submerged upon the construction of Aswan High Dam. I remember the big fanfare years ago when it was finally installed here. The project was originally sponsored and overseen by the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. No way something like this is going to happen in the current environment.

Guggenheim Museum: a long line to take advantage of Saturday evening discount. No way are we going to wait in line in the 20-degree weather! But I am encouraged see a lot of young people here.

Post museum visits, a late evening snack is about what we can handle after a big lunch. Baohaus in Lower East Side by Eddie Huang of "Fresh off the Boat" fame might be worth a subway ride from uptown. He is nowhere to be seen of course, probably busy with his other outpost in LA or making food travel show segments for Viceland, or ... maybe opposing the travel ban.

Baohaus: This spot is the only oasis in the otherwise tight, packed, noisy place. On the other wall hangs proudly the New York Law Journal article listing the bar exam results for Eddie Huang. After getting rid of the pure fat, the Taiwanese bun ("Chairman Bao") is actually quite good.

Another unseasonably cold day. We head down to Gramercy Tavern for lunch with a friend's son attending NYU. This is a well-known restaurant owned by Danny Meyer of Shake Shack fame. With so many interesting places within walking distance from the campus, many more affordable than here, no wonder NYU is a popular college choice.

Gramercy Tavern: What I like about Danny Meyer is not only his innovative pricing inclusive of gratuity but also his political stance in response to recent developments.

Gramercy Tavern: elegant and lively. The apple cider, thick and fragrant, is a perfect way to start on a cold day. 

Gramercy Tavern: poppy seed cake with meyer lemon sherbet

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum: no lines today. The first level has a Kandinski collection.

Guggenheim: the first painting that greets you is Kandinski's "Black Lines."

Guggenheim: van Gogh's letter written in English

Guggenheim: it's hard to imagine there was early criticism of the building design regarding lack of rectilinear forms. You sit in one spot and feel you have access to many of the galleries, which serve basically as circular corridors.

Guggenheim: a trio of Chagall

Fifth Ave and 57th St: there isn't as much police presence as we expected around the building which will remain nameless. It's a good thing, because it means less taxpayers' money is wasted. There are of course Chinese tourists taking selfies in front of the building, but we are not stooping that low.

Oiji: a tiny Korean restaurant in the East Village. You know it is upscale when it charges for a kimchi set (in the middle) and rice, which would be a no-no at most Korean places on West 32nd St. The Jangjorim with buttered rice and soft-boiled egg (left) was also on the NYC top dishes of 2015 list by Eater.com. Although it bears little resemblance to the classic form of Jangjorim, it is very well done and deserves the accolade.

Oiji: this seafood broth dish, with sizzling rice and bokchoy, is more Chinese than Korean, but at a place with a name that sounds like Ouija, I would allow some confusion or a poetic license.

DC.NYC 1

Washington, DC and New York City for eight days, unashamedly focused on gastronomy. Short and sweet. And savory, too.

Food mixes well with... politics. Why not? This is DC after all, where the bizarre seem to occur daily these days. So the first lunch is with an old friend David at Busboys and Poets, a unique community-minded restaurant chain named after a black busboy poet, which made its political stance well known recently.

Busboys and Poets: the flagship location at 14th and K. More than an eatery, it hosts events and more recently political rallies. The "Tribal Statement" seems appropriately dwarfing the TV coverage of an upcoming presidential speech.

Busboys and Poets: we are not here for food, but of the vast eclectic menu on offer, we order a mezze plate in appreciation of the Iraqi-Iranian owner couple.

It may be too early for cherry blossoms, but magnolias are in full bloom near the National Archive.

National Gallery of Arts: East Wing. I.M. Pei and Alexander Calder make the atrium look as contemporary as I remembered from the 80's. 

National Gallery of Arts: No lines. Free admission with an excellent audio guide thrown in for no charge. And a nice collection including this early Picasso group. Is this the most underrated museum in America?

National Gallery of Art: in celebration of ... the New Year? Tottenham Spurs?

National Gallery of Art: a conduit connecting East and West Wings - fancy!

Dinner is at PnP, no, not policies and procedures. Pineapples and Pearls has rapidly gained esteem as a luxurious version of the ever popular Rose's Luxury next door. I love the fact that everything is pre-paid here, including beverages, tax and tip.

Pineapples and Pearls, DC: a beet drink in a crooked cup. Nothing crooked about counter seats right in front of the kitchen, which for some reason were selling less fast than tables (but fast enough to be snatched within a few minutes of being available on line) - this probably wouldn't be the case at most restaurants in California or Asia. 

Pineapples and Pearls: snacks includes Perigord black truffle hoecake presented in the style of takoyaki on an anime plate. The server adds how much Chef Silverman admires Japanese cuisine. Who doesn't, among top chefs around the world?

Pineapples and Pearls: can't pass up this add-on. The potato "ice cream" ringed with ossetra caviar tastes as delicious as it sounds unusual. 

Pineapples and Pearls: charcoals are lit for the cheese course... in the lower right (blurred) is "persimmon butter."

Pineapples and Pearls: mignardise includes their version of fortune cookies. This dinner which also featured excellent versions of tortilla with Oaxacan white mole and a Middle Eastern lamb course, comes to an end..

On the metro back to the hotel, a military veteran comes aboard at the Capitol South station, possibly having attended the presidential speech at the Congress or a related event. I am glad we were at dinner and avoided the garbage.

Another day. Another lunch.

Sushi Taro: fne chirashi at probably the highest rated Japanese restaurant in DC

The Smithsonian area is ablaze with magnolias. Part of the "Castle" in view.

Freer Museum: closed for renovation but Winter Hazel is free to bloom!

Paper Bush blooming in front of Sackler Gallery. Through the Moon Gate seen again is the explosion of magnolias.

Sackler Gallery: multi-level "Monkeys Grasp for the Moon" chain. Will the moral of this story - reality is just an illusion - be used by current practitioners of alternative facts? 

Sacker Gallery: Special Exhibit of the Turquoise Mountain, an art organization in Afghanistan.

Le Diplomate: picked by my cousin Donny, a local resident, for our dinner. A large place packed with people, offering decent food. While I am taking this picture, a loud presidential motorcade zips by right in front of us on 14th St. So much for my daily attempt to avoid anything that has to so with my nemesis! I rather prefer running into Rick Steves! 

Another day starts with a metro ride to Bethesda, no, not to visit the NIH, but to have lunch at Community Restaurant and Lounge, which gained notoriety by offering a "Golden Shower Burger" during the inauguration week. Before I get too nostalgic about living here during residency in the 80's (Grosvenor is just two stops ahead of Bethesda on the red line), it is time to get off the metro. How efficient. 

Community Restaurant and Lounge, Bethesda: chicken and waffles for brunch, but we are not here primarily for food but yo psy homage to their political will.  An ironic image of "I am not a crook" Nixon.

Comet Ping Pong, Chevy Chase: the ground zero for Pizzagate! It's closed for lunch, but I had to come here, taking a 15 minute walk in the wind from the Tenleytown metro station, to personally investigate the Michael Flynn and Son accusation of Hillary's child trafficking. Verdict: erm, no! Thank God I did not get shot while snooping around!  

A coffee break at Corner Bakery Cafe: this company has contributed toward ending childhood hunger. At this location at National Press club, there are pictures of people like Helen Thomas, Dan Rather, Wolf Blitzer ... who have produced fake news!

Memorial to the 56 Cosigners of Declaration of Independence

It's always a delight to visit this monument but seems even more meaningful in these turbulent times. On the right wall, opposite the Gettysburg Address is his second inauguration address, which ends, "With malice toward none, with charity for all..."

A Korean tour group at the Korean War Memorial.

A brief visit to National African Art Museum

The sun sets in the Mall. Must be time for dinner.

This meal at Minibar by Jose Andres is going to be the highlight of our DC visit. I have developed admiration for not only his political stance but also the courage he has displayed for standing up for his belief despite possible impact on his business.  The warm welcome and the nice seating around the luxury counter bode well for the evening.

Minibar, DC: The set of amuse bouche announces the evening is gong to be very molecular! Apple hot toddy, and in the second row, pizza margherita (their version of course), shiso, and hibiscus.

Minibar, DC: Hokkaido uni ceviche presented within a hollowed out rambutan

Minibar, DC: molecular pasta carbonara (Unagi replaces bacon, and I can't even begin to describe the duck egg.)

Minibar, DC: every step of plating in most courses right in front of you makes this quite a unique place.

Minibar, DC: after a few sweets courses to finish the meal at the main counter, we are moved to the bar next door, "barmini." These pretty cotton candies were presented to birthday boys and girls in our group (we did get our own smaller version without a candle - discrimination! But by then everyone was giddy with the prior course which was a meringue that sublimates in the mouth producing smoke that comes out of the nostrils...)

Minibar, DC: last piece and another interactive example. Upon breaking the chocolate eggshell and opening the golden shell inside, even I, Lego-challenged, could assemble the chef quickly. 

We got to talk to the head chef Josh Hermias quite a bit, not just about food but his selection of the Rumi quote written on the wall. The boyish looking former economics major even gave us a recommendation for an Istanbul restaurant - while he may have a Turkish sounding last name, he is actually half-Filipino, and we share our appreciation for Istanbul.

We did see Jose through the window but did not get a chance to meet him. But I made sure the staff relayed my message that 1) we enjoyed the experience even more than at the molecular mecca of Mugaritz and 2) he has won new customers partly by speaking his conscience publicly.