Top Chef Winner, Matcha Dessert, and Bites to Remember at the Annual Plate by Plate Tasting Fundraiser

It's not every day that you get to try food prepared by a Top Chef winner. But attendees at this year's Plate by Plate got to do just that when Chef Hung Huynh, the winner of Top Chef Season 3, served them an exclusive dish for the evening's tasting benefit. Hosted by Project by Project, a non-profit organization whose vision is to create an empowered Asian American community, the annual Plate by Plate takes place across the country in each of its chapter in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Each tasting event allows attendees to sample delicious food and drinks from top rated restaurants, mingle with the city's best chefs, and give back to the Project's charity partner. All net proceeds from this year's New York event benefitted Asian Americans for Equality. Hand-made Udon Noodles by Chef Hung Huynh Chef Hung Huynh created his hand-made udon noodles sautéed with Chinese sausages, bean sprouts, and scallions. He seasoned the dish with his new line of hot sauces, which the attendees had a chance to name for a chance to win a year's supply of them. The chewy, perfectly al dente hand-made udon noodles varied in thickness and width, while the flavors from the hot sauce highlighted, rather than overpower, the dish. I personally loved the passionfruit + habanero hot sauce - a great balance of fruity and spicy! Chef Hung Huynh also served crispy scallion pancakes topped with tender duck. Seafood Salad and Lavraki Tartare from Thalassa Another one of my favorites was from Thalassa, which served seafood salad atop a crispy pita bread, with a dollop of sweet potato puree and a drizzle of honey. The bite of this tantalizing dish showcased flavors of sweet and savory with a range of textures like smooth, creamy, and crispy. Additionally, I enjoyed Thalassa's Lavraki Tartare, made with well-seasoned Mediterranean sea bass tartare stuffed in phyllo cones with rich caviar mousse. Streen Corn from Gordo's Cantina Gordo's Cantina brought Mexico's favorite street food to the event. The grilled corn on a stick was rubbed with house-made crema and chili powder. It packed so much flavors - creamy, spicy, salty, and buttery. Squeeze some lime juice on top, and you got yourself the perfect street snack on a stick. Chilled Late Summer Ramen from the Sea Grill The Sea Grill served one of the most photogenic and intricate dishes of the evening. The brothless Chilled Late Summer Ramen had pieces of nori, chili flakes, and a beautiful poached quail egg. I loved when the yolk popped right over the noodles for that additional flavor. Vegan Sweets from Rawsome Treats I went back for second, third, and fourth (!) servings of the delicious raw and vegan sweets from Rawsome Treats. I absolutely loved the Matcha Misut, a combination of matcha and tiramisu. This vegan, raw dessert is a green tea lover's dream. The dessert is delectably smooth and fluffy with the earthy flavor of matcha green tea. Trisome, made with layers of smooth vanilla cream, mixed berry cream, and chocolate chip crust and all topped with a drizzle of dark chocolate sauce and tangy freeze-drized raspberries, was another dessert that tantalized my sweet tooth. Tofu Matcha Pudding from Kulu Desserts Kulu Dessert's Tofu Matcha Pudding consisted of creamy tofu infused with Japanese match and mixed with honey flavored red beans. The little cup packed all the sweet flavors I loved. It may require a couple spoonfuls to get used to the texture of the pudding, which tastes just like tofu. In addition to the food tasting, the fundraising event also featured silent auctions with items like gift certificates to top restaurants, SoulCycle passes, and a signed poster by Taylor Swift. In the spirit of Top Chef, there was a "Quickfire Challenge" competition, where the participants had to make the most creative, delicious grilled cheese in 10 minutes. Chef Hung Huynh came full circle - this time not as a competitor, but as a judge - to crown the best grilled cheese of the evening. Photo courtesy of Project by Project New York and Lucas Huang

Taste of Fall at Brooklyn Pour With My Favorite Pumpkin Beer

For someone who loves everything pumpkin (pumpkin pie, pumpkin risotto, pumpkin muffin, even plain pumpkin puree!), fall is my favorite season to attend beer festivals. After all, 'tis the season for pumpkin beer! This year's Brooklyn Pour certainly satisfied my craving for this autumnal flavor with plenty of craft breweries featuring their seasonal pumpkin brew. Smuttynose, a brewery in New Hampshire, served its Pumpkin Ale. Available only from late summer through Thanksgiving, this rich and slightly bitter beer is made with real pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for the perfectly spiced pumpkin flavor. Based on its name, you would think that the Leaf Pile Ale from Greenport Harbor has nothing to do with pumpkin. But don't judge a beer by its name! Leaf Pile Ale packs so much pumpkin flavor that your taste buds might mistake it for a piece of pumpkin pie in a glass. In addition to pumpkin, the Leaf Pile Ale has flavors of ginger, cinnamon, whole bean vanilla, all spice, and nutmeg to produce that aromatic autumnal taste. The drink selection at Brooklyn Pour was not limited to beer - we also got to try cider, cocktail, almond milk, and coffee. I especially enjoyed Ace Pumpkin Cider, which is made by adding cinnamon, cloves, and all spice to fermented apple juice. This seasonal cider is released after Labor Day and available through Thanksgiving. My only question is, "Why don't they make it year-round?" I guess the seasonality of pumpkin beer and cider make them that much more special. Organized by the Village Voice, Brooklyn Pour celebrated its fifth anniversary with over a hundred craft breweries from New York and beyond pouring glasses after glasses of their best seasonal, micro, and reserve brews to beer aficionados. This year's event was held in a new location at the Brooklyn Expo Center. In addition to beer tasting, the event featured other entertainment. My boyfriend and I battled it out against another couple on an intense round of corn hole (of course we came out victorious!), made funny faces at the photo booth, and also participated in a stein hoisting competition. I was so close to winning, but my muscle gave out with just a couple seconds to spare. Next time! Photo courtesy of Laura June Kirsch

Eating for a Cause: Delicious Bites From the Annual TASTE Williamsburg Greenpoint

Of all the food and drink events I have attended in the past year (see my list of top summer and fall events in NYC), my favorites have been those that serve a purpose (i.e. supporting a charity). The annual TASTE Williamsburg Greenpoint always tops that list, not only because all proceeds benefit the renovation of the Northside Town Hall Community and Cultural Center, but also because the food and drinks served here are absolutely delicious and the event is executed flawlessly every year.
TASTE Williamsburg Greenpoint is an annual block-party style tasting event that features sweet and savory bites and refreshing drinks from more than 50 restaurants, bars, breweries, and wineries in North Brooklyn. This outdoor event takes place by the waterfront at the East River State Park, where attendees can enjoy a stunning view of the Manhattan skyline while noshing on tasty food and listening to live music. Here are some of my favorite eats from this year's event!
Jane's Favorite Savory Bites Freekeh Bowl from Lighthouse Often times, the first bite is the most memorable. This healthy and hearty plate of grains mixed in with colorful and fresh tomatoes, grilled corn, scallion, and cilantro with a side of creamy eggplant yogurt was so delicious that I kept coming back for more. The chef told me that this particular item is not on the restaurant's menu, but I strongly suggest that they make this their signature dish!
Spicy Chilled Corn Soup from Anella There is nothing better than a cup of (or, in this case, a shot of) chilled soup on a hot day. While I could not taste much spiciness from the "spicy" chilled corn soup, the little shot of creamy soup contained so many natural ingredients like the corn, parsley, and crab meat that played well together.
Andouille Sausage from Rosamunde Sausage Grill Don't mistake this halved hot dog as something you would get at a ballpark or from a street cart. The andouille pork sausage packed so much flavor - spicy, juicy, and smokey, just to name a few. Blanketed by a lightly toasted French roll, this cajun sausage was topped with crunchy sauerkraut, sweet red peppers, curry ketchup, and wasabi mustard for additional flavor and texture profile.
Fried Chicken and Waffle from the Brooklyn Star The Brooklyn Star has reinvented this classic Southern favorite with boneless bites of fried chicken that resemble popcorn chicken and thin, crispy cheddar cheese waffle cone. The dish is garnished with colorful cole slaw, creamy mashed potatoes, and a drizzle of sriracha and honey.
Pulled Pork Chili and Ricotta Donut from Teddy's Bar & Grill Teddy's Bar & Grill was the only venue that paired its savory dish with a sweet bite. The tender pulled pork chili packed bold flavors, especially when accompanied by crunchy kale and cabbage slaw and jalapeno cheddar cornbread. The fluffy ricotta donut was topped with a dust of powdered sugar and a drizzle of praline sauce for that extra sweet kick. Speaking of sweets...it's time for dessert!
Jane's Favorite Sweet Treats Red Velvet Cupcake from Brooklyn Cupcake In the city full of little cupcake shops, what could be so special about Brooklyn Cupcake? The bold and unique flavors. The owners of Brooklyn Cupcake celebrate their cultural backgrounds by infusing the traditional flavors of Puerto Rico and Italy in their cupcakes. Although flavors like Tiramisu and Coquito are popular, I loved the bite-sized Red Velvet Cupcake made of moist buttermilk cake with a hint of cocoa, and then topped with a dollop of traditional vanilla cream cheese frosting.
Date Cake from Cafe Moto Warning: biting into this warm date cake will make the inside of your mouth explode with happiness. The dense date cake is topped with a generous pour of buttery toffee sauce and a side of fresh whipped cream, which help to moisten the cake. Don't be surprised if you find yourself licking that last bit of toffee sauce on the plate.
Coconut Macaron from Bakeri It's tea time at Bakeri! This three-tiered bakery goods featured coconut and chocolate macarons, shortbread, and cardamom cookies. The coconut macaron I tried was just sweet enough without giving me a sugar high, while the slightly toasted coconut flakes on top added a bit of crunchiness.
Assorted Ice Cream from OddFellows Ice Cream Co. OddFellows is not afraid of bold flavors...especially if it means churning in a bit of savoriness to a batch of ice cream. The Black Pepper Strawberry flavor - made of black pepper ice cream swirled with strawberry compote - was surprisingly addicting. The description of the ice cream flavors were also very accurate: the Caramelized White Chocolate had real, big chunks of white chocolate and almond pieces!
Berry & Balsam Misfit from Tea and Jam Not quite cupcake, not quite muffin...it must be a misfit! This delicious morsel of "misfit," which is also grain-free, low carb, and protein-dense, had everything you love about the muffin (i.e. the crispy muffin top) and the cupcake (i.e. moist inside and creamy frosting). The Berry & Balsam is made of strawberry flavored coconut flour batter with lemon and balsamic vinegar, and topped with vanilla bean frosting made of coconut milk, raw honey, and vanilla bean.

Savory and Sweet Bites From the Winners of Vendy Awards 2015, Plus a Few More of My Favorites

As someone who spent the majority of her senior year in college chasing after food trucks, I was extremely thrilled to attend this year's Vendy Awards - an annual street food competition that determines the "best of the best" food on wheels. You would think that writing a 140-page thesis on this topic would make me want to run away from food trucks, but who could resist an afternoon filled with delicious food, refreshing drinks, and, of course, a little friendly competition?
Known as the "Oscars of Street Food" that celebrates tasty roaming meals, desserts, and drinks in New York City, the Vendy Awards also doubles as a fundraiser for the Street Vendor Project, a non-profit organization that stands up for vendors' rights. This year's Vendy Awards featured 25 food trucks competing for five distinct awards: Vendy Cup, Rookie of the Year, Best of Market, Best of Dessert, and Best Street Drink. The 25 finalists were selected by public nominations prior to the event, while the winners were chosen by a panel of celebrity judges, including my personal favorite, the adorable and the ever-so-hungry @FoodBabyNY. And without a further ado, this year's Vendy Awards goes to...
Vendy Cup: Snowday Food Truck Last year's Rookie of the Year came back for the big win! The name "Snowday" is somewhat of a misnomer because there is no ice involved; instead, Snowday is the city's first farm-to-truck food truck that serves maple syrup-inspired foods made with ingredients sourced from local farms.
Snowday tantalized the attendees with its famous maple grilled cheese with a side of fried smoked pork rib. The plate was topped with a generous pour of maple syrup and maple chimichurri. Personally, the dish was a bit too heavy for my liking, but what really stood out to me about Snowday is that it is run by Drive Change, a New York-based organization that trains and employs formerly incarcerated youth in the hope of helping them access new opportunities and live bright futures.
Rookie of the Year: Coney Shack Boasting a five-star (out of five) average rating on Yelp, Coney Shack recently branched out to feed the hungry Manhattanites from its original location on Coney Island. Coney Shack fuses the flavors of Southeast Asian cuisine with favorite beach bites like tacos, hot dogs, grilled cheese, and quesadillas. The offering at the Vendy Awards included a trio of tacos: Vietnamese Beef Short Rib, Beer Battered Crunchy Fish, and Five-Spice Calamari. The tacos were topped with crunchy cabbage slaw, lemongrass aioli, pickled daikon, cilantro, and spicy mayo...just to name a few!
Best of Market: Home Frite Home Frite has mastered the art of perfect fries with its thick, hand-cut Russet potato fries that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The beauty of these frites is its simplicity. Seasoned with just kosher salt, you can go as simple or crazy as you want by topping them with unique dipping sauces like Herb Ocado, Lemon Garlic Aioli, or Curry Ketchup. Either way, you got yourself a satisfying snack served in a cone so that you can walk around while you eat.
Best of Dessert: Doughnuttery You often see people cutting a whole doughnuts into little pieces, either because they want to have the glazed, chocolate-covered, and rainbow sprinkle doughnuts all at once without feeling the guilt, or because they just crave that bite-sized portion. Doughnuttery has found the solution to this problem by producing small cake doughnuts that pack an incredible amount of flavor in its sugary toppings. These hot, fresh mini cake doughnuts are fried to golden brown, and then rolled and coated in unique sugar mixes like Paris Time (lavender, pistachio, vanilla) and Flower Power (hisbiscus, honey, rose petals), as well as classic favorites like cinnamon sugar.
Best Street Drink: Renegade Lemonade Say goodbye to your plain, boring lemonade! Renegade Lemonade specializes in this classic summer beverage packed with unique and creative flavors. Try flavors like strawberry basil, peach mint, and Thai chili tart cherry, which are all made with real fruit and herb. They are sure to quench your thirst, while giving a little kick to your taste bud.
----- While the judges voted on the above food vendors as the "best of the best," my personal favorite among the finalists were...
Savory Favorite: Shuka Truck Shuka Truck serves savory shakshuka, an Israeli dish made with poached eggs in tomato sauce, which is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This hearty bowl of red shakshuka included a perfectly poached egg in fresh tomato sauce with charred onions and roasted bell peppers, and topped with feta cheese, fresh parsley, harrisa, and a drizzle of sweet honey. You will be scraping the last bit of the sauce with the freshly baked pita bread on the side.
Sweet Favorite: Booqoo Beignets Just close your eyes and take a bite into this fluffy, powder-sugared beignet from Booqoo Beignets. You will hear the tunes of jazz music in your ears as though you have been teleported to New Orleans. These French-style fritters made from yeast dough are perfectly crispy on the outside, fluffy and chewy on the inside, and buttery all around. Even better, these beignets are made with unbleached flour, cage free eggs, organic dairy products, and all natural ingredients. You can dip them into unique caramel dipping sauces that highlight classic New Orleans and southern flavors, such as praline, chicory coffee, and creole vanilla.
Sweet Favorite: Squish Marshmallows Squish Marshmallows takes this campfire favorite to a whole new level. These small-batch, hand-cut marshmallows are made from scratch and infused with unique flavors to fulfill every palate from childhood favorite combinations to sophisticated, grown-up confections. When you bite into this Neapolitan Squish Kebab, you will taste the flavors of real s'mores, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and rocky road ice cream...minus the textures, of course! Each bite packs real ingredients that highlight the flavors, such as chocolate chunks, real strawberry, honey wheat pretzels, and cinnamon graham crackers.
Don't forget to add a torch of fire to roast the marshmallow for that perfect gooey taste...or you can do-it-yourself over this inflatable fire!

Delightful Japanese Dessert at Cha-An Teahouse in East Village

Of all the cute little Japanese/Asian-inspired dessert places in East Village (ChikaLicious, Spot, etc.), Cha-An is my favorite because of their presentation, interior (such a cute tea house decorated with wooden floors/tables/booths, bamboo room dividers, rice-paper shaded lamps, etc.), and - of course - taste!

Cha-An's chef Tomako Kato is actually trained in French pastry, having apprenticed at Bouley Bakery with Bill Yosses, the Obamas' White House pastry chef. She has worked at Russian Tea Room and Le Bernardin before opening her own restaurant in 2005.



Cha-An offers a savory menu, but specializes in afternoon tea and dessert. I visited Cha-An with a large group, and we ordered a bunch of desserts to share. The Green Tea Roll Cake came with a scoop of sake ice cream and sweet red beans, and topped with thin cookie. The green tea roll cake had plenty of smooth green tea cream inside with a thin layer of red beans, which helped to moisten the cake. I would have liked a bit more green tea flavor. I couldn't taste the sake in the ice cream at all, but maybe for the better :) 



An order of Homemade Mochi includes three pieces. You can mix & match different flavors like green tea, black sesame, and earl grey chocolate. We had two green tea and one black sesame, and these are served in the shape of a snowman - so adorable! 

The mochi is PACKED with ice cream inside. Usually the ratio between mochi and the ice cream is pretty high (as in a lot of mochi and very little ice cream), but it was the opposite at Cha-An. I would have almost liked a bit more chewy mochi. 



My favorite was the Black Sesame Creme Brulee. Served in a beautiful black ceramic cup, the soft creme brulee (with crackly top, of course), had an amazing black sesame flavor. The black sesame ice cream in the middle and the rolled-up black sesame wafer (studded with more black sesame) added to the intense flavor. 

The scoops of Jasmine and Green Tea Ice Cream was delicious as well, but given the variety of really unique desserts, there was nothing too special about these ice cream. Definitely skip and try other things!

Finally, the Deconstructed Strawberry Pie with sake ice cream (again...not much sake flavor) was beautifully presented. I didn't like the flaky layers of pie crust. They should have used fresh strawberries, not the ones drenched in sugar. 



This dessert was beautiful to the eyes, but not tasty to the mouth. Maybe I disliked it because it was the least Asian-inspired.

Nosh On Me is BACK and ready to devour NYC!

I have neglected this blog for far too long, but that's about to change! The Skinny Foodie is ready to devour NYC and welcome everyone to explore the culinary scene of this great city...one restaurant at a time!

Classy American Dinner at Upstairs on the Square

I have frequented Upstairs on the Square for recruiting events & a fancy brunch for a club that I am part of at Harvard, yet this was my first time going there for dinner. Upstairs on the Square has been a staple at the Square since it opened in 1982, but the restaurant recently announced that it will close its doors at the end of this year.

Like most fancy restaurants, Upstairs also changes its menu depending on what ingredients are fresh in the market. This appetizer of Fluke Ceviche was cooked Peruvian style with aji amarillo, lime, choclo, and conchita. When my Peruvian friend saw this photo, she immediately identified the dish as being Peruvian so I suppose it is quite authentic!

Three pieces of Mission Fig Ravioli was stuffed with smoked mozzarella and duck ragu. The ravioli was light on the sauce with a bit of grated cheese and herbs on top. The piece of fig is a nice touch, although the overall presentation could be improved.

I have a soft heart for gnocchi, so what I saw the Littleneck Clams Gnocchi on the menu, of course I ordered it. Unlike the mushy gnocchi that I get in the dining hall, this gnocchi had the perfect balance of soft and chewy. I just wished there were more gnocchi hidden beneath those littleneck clams, which surprisingly had similar texture to the gnocchi.

For my entree, I went with my safe fish choice: Silk Red Snapper. To be honest though, I was slightly disappointed when I got the dish because of the skin that came with it. I love fish, but the fish skin is something I absolutely cannot stand and I had unfortunately forgot to ask for it without the skin. Anyways, the snapper was garnished with roasted icicle radish , crispy yucca planks, and peppadew in red peppered brown butter. I really like peppadew because they have really sweet flavors. 

My friend ordered the Apple Grilled Quail. I was once again surprised that they served him the whole quail! Doesn't look too appetizing to see that quail with its legs split open like that ;) It was served with toasted farro with boudin blanc vignoles grapes.

The Lemon & 6-Spiced Crusted Monkfish was garnished with squid tangle on top and garbanzo beans at the bottom in monk's secret herb liquor. A boozy dinner? The waiter certainly didn't check your ID for this entree.

A restaurant's menu wouldn't be complete without a chicken entree. The Brick-Roasted Chicken Breast was served with grilled peach, yogurt, cucumber, and panner in spiced mustard oil. I thought the addition of paneer, or Indian cheese, to this classic American food was an interesting twist.

The final entree of the night was Archer Farm Grass Fed Beef Tenderloin with sherry-flamed cippolini onions and pickled chanterelles on a skewer atop a bed of spinach. Cippolini onions are my favorite because they have sweet and savory flavors.