The Wandering Eater

This is arguably the most expensive lunch I ever had. Period. I had lunches from pricey restaurants (e.g. Le Bernardin a few years ago and recently Eleven Madison Park) by trying their prix fixe or tasting menu but it never come to the total that I have paid just a few days ago. You’ll understand as I will explain my one time whim and chance to go to The Modern’s Bar Room on Tuesday, April 24th.

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I’m becoming a familiar face for Landmarc. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing that I actually spend my time at Time Warner Center so often. Anyways, I went to Landmarc three times (including the earlier post when it opened on the second day) and counting now.

The second time I went to Landmarc was the day after I wrote about Landmarc the first time. In other words I went there the third day of their opening. I went there for breakfast but I ended up ordering from their lunch menu (which is available during the morning) and have the “Grilled eggplant & tomato tartine, goat cheese & black olive tapenade” ($10) and a cup of coffee ($4).

Tartine

Coffee

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Ever since Saturday, I’ve been having some morning noshings at Bouchon Bakery. I know…you all hate me writing about Thomas Keller’s cafe but really, where can I go that has tasty pastries that doesn’t look and taste like crap and it’s really close to my campus?

Just to blab all about it in one shot instead of breaking it down so much, for Saturday and Monday I had their Chocolate Cherry Scone ($3.25), Caramel Nut Tart ($7.25), and a Chocolate Praline Pound Cake ($4.75). Yeah…it’s all sugary, buttery, carby goodness here.

Chocolate Cherry Scone…glossy (more…)

There’s been a lot of places opening this week that actually strikes my interest, such as Landmarc in the Time Warner Building and where I visited yesterday afternoon, Roasting Plant, that I’ve read from Grub Street earlier in this week.

To those of you who’ve read my blog for a while, I’m a java junkie. I live for good coffee (and chocolate but that’s a whole ‘nother subject). Heck, where I attend to school in the Upper West Side Starbucks is EVERYWHERE that I could only live off of Bouchon Bakery’s coffee when I’m in dire need of caffeine. I don’t really like Starbucks coffee because it tastes a bit too burnt and their latte is too milky. I’m all for the independent coffeehouses like Joe (for their house drip) or Ninth Street Espresso (for their delicious latte). Sure I like the aforementioned places but I’m always up for a better cup of coffee. Here’s the interior photos…

Interior view (more…)

I know my long absence from this blog might have let a few of you readers wondering what the heck is going on? Well, as you have noticed since last week I have been complaining about school work, e.g. papers and tests, it’s making my fooding life has practically rendered to nothing. The only thing that is keeping me sane these days is blasting my iPod with Linkin Park’s songs. I’m feeling a bit burnt out but I’m bearing it…barely.

Anyways, as some or few of you might have known Landmarc has opened its doors in the Time Warner Building from various reports from Grub Street, Eater and Restaurant Girl on Monday. I went there today just because I heard their food’s good (the original establishment in TriBeca) and I need to treat myself with food (it’s a tough week).

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This is to back track everything that has happened the entire week or so. Starting with some homemade bread.

I made this bread before I actually ate out with my aunt (the one who’s visiting from Hong Kong) from my earlier post, at Chung Moo Roo but since I don’t really have a real recipe for you to write about except that it’s a very close derivative of Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Cinnamon Raisin Bread from The Bread Bible except that I used whole wheat flour (about 15 - 20% total) to make it healthy.

My aunt is somewhat of a health conscious person, so that’s why I did that. However, I did make it a bit “bad” by making a barely sweetened chocolate paste for the swirl portion of the bread. All I did was use about 1/2 cup of unsweetened Valhrona cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons of melted butter and mix it up to a paste and let it solidify to a paste.

Here’s the before and after baking photos:
Unbaked loaf

Unbaked bread in a cake pan (more…)

I have about an hour to write this post for you before I go to class. Since this lunch I’m writing about now took place last Friday, I might as well tell you about this meal in K-town that I had with my aunt and her son who are visiting from Hong Kong.

The reason why I’m in the city on a Friday afternoon, which normally never happens since I don’t have classes on Friday and it’s my (so called) Spring Break, it’s because my aunt wanted to see the Macy’s Flower Show in Herald Square. No, I’m not going to put up anymore flower pictures, since most of them didn’t come out too well so you’re not going to suffer anymore of that.

Back to the food. My cousin was dying for some food since it’s 1:30. My mother also accompanied us and wanted to get some decent food around here since it’s cold that Friday afternoon. I suggested if they wanted Korean food since I don’t like any sandwiches around here and I’m not in a sandwich mood. My aunt agreed with that suggestion and I took all of them over to K-town which is just three blocks away.

Here’s the rice portion of the lunch menu:

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I’m sorry that I haven’t written in a LONG time. I’m just writing this mostly non-food post for the sake of letting you know I’m still alive (and possibly bordering insanity; it’s explained as you read on).

It’s just because my aunt and her bratty 8 year-old son visited over my remaining half of my so-called spring break. My family and my aunt and her child went down to Washington D.C. for the sake of the cherry blossoms and everything else that is aesthetically appealing…which mostly was flowers or sparkly jewelry from the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.

The food scene was so disappointing for the budgeted! The French bistro I wanted to go doesn’t have enough tables for a group of six people. The even more sadder thing was that I went there twice on different times and they still don’t have a table for six. I had to suffer disgusting food from D.C.’s Chinatown on the first night and eaten a mediocre lunch. Ehh… at least I survived. Here’s a photo of one of my favorite flowers, the orchid, from this trip that somewhat justifies me being down there.

The other reasons why I haven’t written in a while is because the Monday after my Easter weekend from D.C., I had an hour and a half interview for my hope-to-be summer internship at an enormous law office in Times Square. The location is not my desirable place to be but I don’t care, as long I have a darn internship! And I felt drained from that lengthy interview. Then I have to write two final papers for my classes, which takes out even more of my food blogging time. Oy, I’m really busy. I hope I can write a real in-depth food entry for everyone soon. Probably around early next week. But I will leave you with this something food related for this post to look at (or possibly lick your screen…?). It’s a chocolate cupcake from Almondine Bakery in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

You may leave any food related comments…I miss talking/writing to you people.