Kings Co Imperial In Williamsburg Delivers Delicious Homemade Dumplings And Chinese Dishes

Nestled in a hip neighborhood in East Williamsburg, Kings Co Imperial serves Modern Chinese cuisine with regional influence.

Soup Dumplings

The Soup Dumplings at Kings Co Imperial are so popular that it’s not even on the menu. You have to be “in-the-know” to order these limited quantity (only 30 servings each night!) menu item. The chewy dumpling skins are filled with juicy soup and pork meat.

Dan Dan Mian

The chewy egg noodles are mixed in spicy chili oil and topped with scallions, minced pork, ground peanuts, and Sichuan pepper. If you are a fan of spicy dishes, you will certainly love the Dan Dan Mian.

Crispy White Radish Cake

The radish cake, made with white radish, Lap Chong sausage, and rock shrimp, has perfectly crispy exterior. The cakes are topped with sweet soy glaze sauce and scallions.

Tea Smoked Mu Shu Duck

Served with warm homemade pancakes, the Tea-Smoked Mu Shu duck includes julienne vegetables like red pepper, onions, carrots, and scallions along with tofu, mushroom, and savory duck.                        

Experiencing The Culture And Taste Of Japan At Sumo Stew

Sumo Stew party at the Brooklyn Brewery featured streaming of live sumo matches from Japan, as well as tasty bento boxes and soup.

New Yorkers had an opportunity to experience Japanese culture while enjoying delicious food and drinks at last week’s Sumo Stew. The event – inspired by the founder of The Brooklyn Kitchen’s journey through Japan – pairs live streaming of professional sumo matches with drinks and bites from Japan.

The event took place at the Brooklyn Brewery in the heart of Williamsburg. Upon checking in, each guest received a bento box curated by some of the top local chefs at restaurants like Ramen Burger, EN Japanese Brasserie, Yakitori by Neal, and The Crimson Sparrow. In addition, they received tokens in exchange for sake, shochu, tea, and of course draft beer from Brooklyn Brewery.

The bento box truly highlighted the unique variety of Japanese cuisine. It featured cold, refreshing ramen noodles perfect for the hot weather, sun-dried daikon and Japanese mushrooms in chilled dashi, tender grilled chicken thigh, and spicy pork belly with garlic, ginger, and scallion.

As though the bento box wasn’t fulfilling enough, the guests were treated to chankonabe, or hearty soup with mixed vegetables, noodles, and meat. This dish is also known as sumo stew because it is commonly eaten in large quantity by sumo wrestlers as part of a weight-gain diet.

There were plenty of ways to quench your thirsts as well. In addition to Japanese spirits like shochu, sake, and whisky, guests enjoyed Japanese green tea from Ito En and a selection of seasonal and year-round beer on tap from Brooklyn Brewery. A portion of the proceeds was also donated towards relief efforts helping those affected by the recent Kumamoto earthquakes in Japan. Doing good while having fun!

Top 4 Brunch Dishes To Cure Your Hangover

Feeling groggy after a wild night out? Instead of staying home and suffering through the symptoms of hangover, come out to Brooklyn Kitchen - a family-owned cooking store that offers ingredient-driven groceries, quality tools and equipment, and technique-based recreational cooking classes - for a chance to make mouthwatering dishes that are not only delicious, but will also cure your worst hangover!

Don’t worry if you are a novice cook. Brooklyn’s Kitchen’s friendly staff and volunteers will guide you through every step to perfecting these sweet and savory brunch dishes.

1. Chicken and Ginger Spinach Soup

Nothing is more comforting than a bowl of warm chicken soup, which helps to restock sodium and water levels in the body. Chicken also contains cysteine, which gives the liver a much needed boost. Ginger works wonders for nausea relief and contains anti-inflammatory compounds. Finally, spinach is rich with potassium, an important electrolyte that is often depleted during alcohol intake.

2. Bloody Mary Egg Bake with Bacon Crumble

Inspired by everyone’s favorite brunch cocktail, the Bloody Mary Egg Bake with Bacon Crumble offers a kick of spiciness from the hot sauce to wake up your senses. Eggs pack a ton of cysteine, an amino acid that breaks down toxins in your body. Tomatoes help pack simple sugars to get your levels up and running again, and its inflammatory benefits don’t hurt either.

3. Everything Bagel Avocado Toast with Mascarpone and Red Onion Pickle

Avocado is everyone’s favorite new, trendy ingredient for brunch. The nutritional content of avocados can counteract dizziness and weakness that results from heavy drinking. Apple cider vinegar in the pickled onion can help dissolve foreign substances in your body, and also balance pH levels and increase deficient minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium and iron.

4. Lemon Thyme Bread

And after all the savory dishes, who can say “No” to a sweet treat? The Lemon Thyme Bread packs rich scent from fresh thyme and lemon peel. After baking in the oven for 40-50 minutes, the bread is crispy crust and dense yet moist inside that just melts in your mouth. Top it off with a dollop of creamy Greek yogurt and drizzle it with honey, and you’ve got yourself the perfect dish to end the brunch.

Restaurant Review: From Presentation To Flavor, Hakkasan Delivers Delicious Dining Experience

Hakkasan Group

Dining at Hakkasan in Manhattan’s Theater District is more than just an experience - it’s an exquisite culinary journey through the restaurant’s innovative dishes that showcase traditional Cantonese cuisine with a modern twist. This year, I got to partake in Hakkasan’s celebration of the Year of the Monkey by attending its Chinese New Year dinner, which featured a limited edition menu created by International Executive Chef Ho Chee Boon.

Double Boiled Fresh Ginseng and Chicken Soup

Designed with the hope of bringing joy, luck, and prosperity to the diners, the elaborate pre fixe dinner began with a bowl of Double Boiled Fresh Ginseng and Chicken Soup. The soup was an excellent start to the meal as the flavorful broth enriched with ginseng, tender chicken breasts, bamboo pith, and wolfberry warmed my soul.

Diced Wagyu Beef & Pine Nut Golden Cup

The next course of “Small Eat” included Diced Wagyu Beef & Pine Nut Golden Cupand a selection of Hakkasan’s signature Steamed Dim Sum Platter. The finely diced, juicy wagyu beef and pine nuts were piled on top of lightly fried, crispy cup. Beyond the complexity of flavor and texture in the dish, I was impressed with the beautiful plating that highlighted natural colors of pomegranate seeds, micro greens, and flower petals.

Steamed Dim Sum Platter

There were four different varieties of dim sum in the Steamed Dim Sum Platter. My favorite was the Scallop Shumai. Wrapped inside chewy dumpling skin was a plump piece of shrimp and scallop with a scoop of caviar roe on top. The only disappointment in the platter was the Duck & Yam Bean Dumpling; the gravy-like, thick sauce on top of the dim sum, as well as the combination of mushy yam and salty duck, was not pleasing to the mouth.

Pipa Duck and Roasted Chilean Sea Bass

The shareable “Main” course featured a generous portion of four dishes and fried rice. My favorite was a tie between the Pipa Duck and the Roasted Chilean Sea Bass. The Pipa Duck had beautifully crispy, golden skin with juicy, albeit fatty, meat. The hoisin sauce at the bottom added pleasantly sweet end note. The Chilean sea bass, glazed with Chinese honey, was so succulent that it just melted in my mouth. I particularly enjoyed the tempura battered mushroom on top of the sea bass.

Wok-Fry Lobster, Hericium Mushrooms, and Scallop & Crab Fried Rice

Other dishes in the “Main” course included Wok-Fry Lobster in spicy truffle sauce with asparagus, mushroom, and carrots, and the vegetarian Hericium Mushrooms stir fried with lotus root, asparagus, and lily bulb in black pepper sauce. The Scallop & Crab Meat fried rice was the perfect accompaniment to the generally salty main entrees.

Golden Halo

To sweeten the palate, the dinner concluded with Golden Halo, an intricate dessert of soy caramel, cubed banana with edible gold flakes, chocolate truffle, and candied peanuts. Oh, and don’t forget about the dust of gold on the plate! At the end of the dinner, I also got to write my wish on a gold ribbon to hang in the restaurant and received a farewell gift of Year of the Monkey gold coin as a sign of good fortune. I have a feeling 2016 will be a prosperous year after this delicious Chinese New Year meal at Hakkasan!

Big 4 Restaurant at The Scarlet Huntington Fuses Delicious Food with Unique California History

Named after four famous Pacific railroad tycoons of the 19th century - Charles Crocker, Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Leland Stanford - the Big 4 Restaurant at The Scarlet Huntington celebrates the bygone era of California's unique history with its classic American cuisine, an impressive decor of historical photographs and artifacts, and an elegant ambiance featuring live piano entertainment. 

First Course: Cauliflower Soup ($15) & 

Derby Cobb Salad ($18)

Start the meal with a warm bowl of Cauliflower Soup ($15) or the classic Brown Derby Cobb Salad ($18). The soup, topped with chopped chives and truffle oil, has the perfectly creamy texture that will warm your body and soul. The cobb salad has rows of rich roquefort cheese, creamy avocado, chopped tomato, roasted chicken, savory bacon, and sliced boiled eggs tossed in French dressing.

Second Course: Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast ($21) & Angus Burger ($19)

For entree, the Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast ($21) is accompanied by braised swiss chard and roasted herb potatoes. The chicken is extremely juicy and moist on the inside with crispy skin on the outside. Another highlight is the Angus Burger ($19) with crispy, thin-cut French fries. The juicy angus beef patty is topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions with the option of adding cheese (Swiss or Cheddar), avocado, or bacon for $2 additional. 

Third Course: Mascarpone Panna Cotta ($12)

To appease your sweet tooth, try the Mascarpone Panna Cotta ($12). The sweetened, gelatinous cream is complemented by blueberry compote and a piece of shortbread cookie for a sweet finish to a satisfying meal at the Big 4 Restaurant.

Fresh, Sustainable Seafood at Scoma's, a San Francisco Dining Landmark at Fisherman's Wharf

Down a nondescript alley in Fisherman's Wharf sits a famed San Francisco dining landmark that has been in operation for 50 years. Scoma's Restaurant - located at its own private dock on the water - specializes in fresh, sustainable seafood. This family-owned and operated restaurant compiles with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program, whose mission is to "empower consumers and businesses to make choices for a healthy ocean."

Butternut Squash Soup ($6/cup, $8/bowl)

While an unlikely start at a seafood restaurant, the Butternut Squash Soup is an absolute must. This healthy, vegan option is a creamy puree of butternut squash topped with fall vegetable, lemon zest, and crispy sage with a drizzle of olive oil on top. You will be licking the bowl to get the last bit of this amazing soup.

Spinach Salad ($11) and Beet Salad ($9)

The refreshing duo of the Blomsdale 'Curly' Spinach Salad and the Organic Roasted Beet Salad is the perfect way to ramp up your appetite. The fresh spinach is tossed in aged balsamic vinaigrette with warm, crispy polenta croutons, spring onion tops, garden herbs, and shaved parmesan, while the salt roasted red and golden beets are complemented by creamy avocado slices and orange with a drizzle of aged balsamic and fresh, grated horseradish.

Grilled Wild King Salmon ($34) and Seared Atlantic Cod ($32)

The entrees highlight fresh, local, and seasonal seafood. The Grilled Wild King Salmon is topped with lightly fried, julienne zucchini with sweet corn underneath. The Seared Atlantic Cod features beautiful golden beet salad and micro greens on top with savory wild mushroom reduction at the bottom. 

Authentic, Home-Style Chinese Cuisine At Fang Restaurant In San Francisco

Forget typical Chinese American entrees like General Tso’s chicken, Mongolian beef, or sweet and sour pork when you dine at Fang Restaurant. This eponymous, family-owned and operated restaurant highlights authentic yet experimental Chinese cuisine sourced from seasonal, local ingredients.

White River Soup

An interesting fusion of complexity and delicacy, the hearty White River Soup includes a whole fried fish simmered with aromatics, tofu puff, pork wontons, vermiciili, julienne scallions, and ginger. All the ingredients in the dish bring out the rich, intense flavors to the creamy, white broth. I would have personally preferred the fish to be steamed rather than fried. The big, chunky pieces of wontons have the perfectly chewy skin with juicy meat inside.

Fang’s Crispy Honey Chili Shortribs

One of Fang’s signature dish is the Crispy Honey Chili Shortrib. Served as a skewer, the tender, fall-off-the-bone shortrib is lightly fried on the outside with sprinkles of black sesame seeds and cilantro. Both the spicy chili oil and the sweet soy sauce accentuate the flavor of the dish.

Five Spice Whitefish

While the identify of the mysterious “whitefish” used in the Five Spice Whitefish remains a mystery (halibut? tilapia? cod?), this delectable dish of moist fish filet with caramelized red onions and spinach is a must. The tender fish seasoned with salt and pepper goes well with the vegetables, which provides a nice mix to the texture. dish heightens your senses with The dish is a bit salty so be sure to get a bowl of white rice on the side to balance out the palate.

Heaven in My Mouth: Delicious Christmas Dinner at Parker & Quinn in NYC

Midtown Manhattan is packed with restaurants that lure tourists into paying exorbitant prices for mediocre food. Luckily, there are some exceptions, among them Parker & Quinn at the Refinery Hotel. While I dined at Parker & Quinn for its special Christmas dinner, if the quality and the taste of the food is any indication of its normal service, I will gladly return at a heartbeat.

Appetizer: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

The prix fixe, 3-course Christmas dinner at Parker & Quinn featured a selection of holiday favorites using locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. To begin, I opted for the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. The brilliantly yellow, creamy butternut squash soup had deep, rich flavors that were enhanced by a drizzle of olive oil, pickled gala apple, and spiced pecans. I loved the crunchy texture of the pecans that balanced out the creaminess of the soup.

Entree: Slow Roasted Prime Rib

After much dilemma, I selected the Slow Roasted Prime Rib for my entree (other options included Pan-Roasted Wild Salmon and Farro and Wild Mushroom Risotto). The first bite of that tender, juicy prime rib was enough to confirm my satisfaction with the dish. The palm-sized, medium rare prime rib had just the right amount of fat to maintain its juiciness. The rich bordeaux reduction sauce on the side enhanced the flavor even more. The smooth, creamy potato puree, roasted carrots, and crispy brussels sprouts complemented the dish perfectly.

Dessert: Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Finally, the heavenly Salted Caramel Cheesecake was the perfect way to experience the magic of Parker & Quinn's talented kitchen staff. The fluffy cheesecake, topped with a dollop of caramel sauce and caramel-covered popcorn, had dense graham cracker crust at the bottom that paired well with the light cream cheese. The scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream and fig jam on the plate provided additional sweet sensation to the mouth.

An Exquisite Hotel Restaurant Experience at Rialto

I am usually not a fan of hotel restaurants just because the atmosphere tends to be touristy, but I really enjoyed my last dining experience at Rialto that I decided to check it out again.

Rialto has received quite a lot of recognition for its food. After being seated, we were served a basket full of different types of bread and rolls, including cheese & garlic sticks, focaccia lightly rubbed in herb and oil, sour dough baguette, and hearty craisin-filled dinner roll. 

Rialto's menu changes frequently by season because the restaurant's philosophy is serve food made with ingredients that are fresh at the time. This is a Rialto's take on charcuterie "plate" with parma prosciutto, fig, walnut pecorino bread, and a dollop of ricotta with olive oil.

The arugula pear salad had a spoonful of pomegranate seeds and crumbled bleu cheese. I love the bitter green taste of the arugula and the crunchiness of the pomegranate, but personally not a big fan of blue cheese (...or any cheese for that matter) because it stinks!

The Fisherman's Soup, which has rouille base (a sauce made of olive oil with breadcrumbs, garlic, saffron, and chili peppers) as well as Gruyere and basil oil. I didn't try it, but the person who ordered it only took a couple bites and that was it.

I decided to be adventurous and order something I have never had before: Crispy Sweetbreads. The name is definitely a misnomer because there is nothing "doughy" about sweetbreads. In fact, sweetbreads are the fatty pancreas of a calf. The fried sweetbreads were placed atop creamy parmesan risotto with raisins and pine nuts with sweet currants sauce at the bottom.

Had I not been concerned about my weight, I probably could have eaten this dish every single day. The arborio rice in the risotto was cooked perfectly--not too coarse or mushy--and the sweetness from the currant balanced the creamy risotto perfectly.

The highlight of the dish was definitely the sweetbreads. These glands were juicy in the inside, crispy on the outside. Whereas the meat of the fried chicken, for example, can sometimes taste a bit bland, the sweetbreads had so much flavor and texture.

The special of the day was the corn meal pasta with lamb. While I expected the dish to contain a rack of lamb on the side, the meat was actually chopped into pieces in the sauce.

The Whole Roasted Fish of the day was branzino, stuffed with wilted greens, local mushrooms, house-smoked bacon in mustard. I can never rack up enough courage to order a whole fish...how can you eat the poor thing when it's staring at you like that???

The next entree, Vermentino Chicken, had a HUGE serving! The dish had roasted breast and crispy confit thigh with pickled cherries and artichokes. They really should have a "warning sign" indicating that this dish can serve two people (especially since most people at Rialto enjoy a full 3- or 4-course meal)

For my main course, I decided to indulge myself with Colorado Lamb Two Ways. The entree had two racks of chestnut crusted lamb chops and apricot & rosemary stuffed leg with chanerelle mushrooms on the side. For someone who loves red meat, I asked for it to be cooked rare, of course.

I personally preferred the leg meat rather than the chop because it had more meat and less fat. I like steak when it's cooked rare, but next time I get lamb, perhaps I should ask for medium rare because it was a bit too red for my liking.

Underneath the lambs were medley of vegetables. Again, you can see how red the lamb chops are. Also the chops near the bones were very difficult to eat.

After a quite heavy meal of sweetbreads and lamb, we moved on to dessert. Given the fall season, a lot of selection had autumn favorites like apples and pumpkin. The Fried Apple Slices came with dulce de leche with spiced butternut squash gelato, cider sauce, and walnuts. Because I am not a fan of fried stuff, I didn't try this. Why would you ruin a perfectly delicious apples by frying them? Yikes.

I decided to opt for the "lightest" sounding entree--Saffron Pineapple Meringue with ginger ice cream and saffron gele. The freeze-dried pineapple was very sweet and crispy, while the meringue was light and airy. Given my love for butternut squash, I substituted the ginger ice cream for the squash gelato. It was a great decision indeed :)

This is the dessert I would have chosen if I could order it again. Visually, the Pistachio Pumpkin Semifreddo had an interesting shape. Inside the toasted meringue were pistachio cream and cake. The dish also came with spiced pumpkin shooter on the side (pictured above the plate).