July 7, 2011

  • Return to Sherwood’s Fine Foods

    Sherwood Fine Foods (On/Off)
    PH: 212-751-3601

    684 Lexington Avenue between 56th & 57th Street
    New York, NY 10022

    sher1.jpg

    Well its been a while since i’ve ordered from this place, as when the ownership changed hands the food/quality seemed to take a nose dive…as did my ordering from this place. However, a co-worker recently started to order from them again and said they were good again…so why not?

    sher2

    a smoothie and a gyro.

    sher3

    Gyro on a Pita: This came nice and hot $5.75

    sher4

    they use that frozen gyro meat, which was pretty good, lots of chopped lettuce…too many onions though…extra yogurt sauce…

    sher5 Summation: The gyro was really good. I liked it. if i’m ever craving a Gyro when i’m in the office late night i wouldn’t mind getting it again. it definitely hit the spot.

    The Banana, Mango, and Peach Smoothie was really good too. It totally hit the spot and complimented my salty gyro (love how they wrap it up so it don’t spill) $4.25.

    they charged me 50 cents for the extra gyro sauce…which was kind of lame…but whatever.

    all in all it was pretty good, and i think i’ll attempt to re-order some of the previous things i use to order from sherwoods…WOOT!

June 30, 2011

  • Rafiqi’s: Lamb Gyro in your mouth

    Rafiqi’s

    54th Street and Madison Avenue
    New York, NY 10022

    raf1

    the lamb/chicken on rice didn’t really impress me, but i wanted to try the gyro to see how it would fend…seeing as it was so close to the office and great access for needing a quick bite instead of eating just wheat thins….

    rafq1

    so…supposedly up top is what you can order as different toppings for your meals…but oddly enough i don’t think they have black beans or peppers….cause all i ever got was olives and chickpeas…maybe different days? (i’ll ask next time.)

    also the prices for the over rice dishes are wrong, check below for the correct prices.

    raf2

    rafq2

    Lamb Gyro: got it to go, looks kinda small but for $3.99 it was just the right size.

    rafq3

    still hot inside and lots of white sauce. the veggies were really fresh, and the lettuce still crunchy.

    rafq4

    the lamb actually tasted alot better this time, and lookie here…its all chopped up this time….

    rafq5

    Summation: Do not go to this specific Rafiqi’s when only the skinny dude is inside. he’s lazy. When the big dude is in there also, they actually chop up all the meat (if you recall in my last review none of the meat was chopped up and i was left to deal with huge chunks.)

    because of this, i am going to go back and try the lamb and chicken on rice when both guys are in the cart. so i can get it chopped up…cause the lamb tasted A WHOLE lot better in the gyro than on the rice…*shrug.

    ultimately the gyro hit the spot, perfect amount of food, and since i was in a rush, i was in no-nonsense mode and just got it with lettuce and tomaters. woot!

    CHEERS!

June 27, 2011

  • Zaitzeff: 82 Burger Challenging still going on!

    Zaitzeff
    PH: 212-867-3471

    711 2nd Avenue (between 38th and 39th streets)
    New York, NY 10018
    zz1 zz2

    zz3
    zz4
    Swamped at work, and shtarving…fiending for a burger…Zaitzeff was next on the list and they were available on seamlessweb…kobe burger….SO WHY NOT?!

    *note: i did not take these first pics of the outside and inside of Zaitzeff, thanks goes to Osmundaregalis for finding these pics on the interweb for me. woot!

    zz5 zz6
    food came surprisingly fast and HOT!

    zz7

    Kobe Burger (1/2lb edition; Lettuce, tomoato and Sautéed Onions, i added aged cheddar and bacon):  $15.50 +4.75(aged cheddar and bacon)

    zz8

    The burger was hot, but because it was delivery the bottom bun absorbed alot of the oil and ‘condensation’ but not  too soggy that i couldn’t enjoy the burger. (mind you the buns are actually on the sweeter side as they make their own buns and make it a little sweet…which is a really nice accent to the burger.)

    zz9

    Medium Rare, came perfect. The salty crunchy/chewie bacon, the distinct gooey aged cheddar melded so well with the kobe slab.

    zz10

    This becomes the best burger out of the 82 so far…which i think will probably/most likely be trumped by the DB Moderne burger with the shortrip and foie gras inside….shit i just drooled typing all that…

    zz11

    Idaho Potato Fries: were nice and crispy on the outside, and warm and moist on the inside. really good fries, and they give you alot, that brown paper bag was filled to the brim with fries, i had to give half away and this is still half on the foil! $5.00

    Summation: the kobe burger is really really well done. I’ve had it three times already, and each time my partner in crime said it was an amazing burger. granted it is on the pricier side, but its not the most expensive burger on the 82 burger challenge….so i look forward making more headway through this challenge….

    i highly recommend this burger.

    I’m chasing after you M.

    CHEERS!

June 23, 2011

  • Rafiqi’s: Halal cart in your mouth

    Rafiqi’s

    54th Street and Madison Avenue
    New York, NY 10022

    raf1

    There’s a pretty decent halal cart near my office that usually serves as my quick fix when i’m fiending for it. But the other day my supe told me that the cart has changed hands AND it was better. So i had to try it, since my supe is quite the foodie too.

    raf2

    there was only one part of the menu i was interested in, GYRO AND CHICKEN ON RICE! i love me some lamb.

    raf3

    Chicken and Gyro (gee-row) on rice: the guy makes it fast, and asks you what kind of salad you’d like as there are eight different ingredients to choose from. $5.75

    raf4

    raf5

    since it was my first time, i decided to get everything in the salad; lettuce, tomato, corn, onion, olives, shredded cheddar, shredded parm, and chick peas. The salad was good, but i think i’ll do without the onions and olives next time…for my co-workers sake…

    raf6

    the chicken and lamb was aite. nothing to wow about, love me some extra yogurt sauce and a little spicy.

    raf7

    mix it all up and this is what ya get…my only complaint maybe is that they don’t chop the lamb/chicken into small enough pieces to consume properly with just those tiny plastic spoon/fork/sporks that they supply you with. (i also don’t like the rice or how they cook the rice either.)

    raf8

    I love just mixing it all together, including the salad all into one sloppy mess and consuming it. yum!

    Summation: Ok, Rafiqi’s is definitely better than the previous cart that was there…alot better actually. which is nice.

    But it doesn’t even hold a candle to the Halal Guys on 53rd and 6th Ave.

    but for a quick bite/quick fix, it will definitely do…it is not a ‘MUST GO TO’ if you visit my city.

    But i’m definitely looking forward to trying their Gyro, italian sausage, and philly cheese steak. mmmmm Gero.

    CHEERS!

    Thursday, June 30, 2011

    Rafiqi’s: Lamb Gyro in your mouth

    Rafiqi’s

    54th Street and Madison Avenue
    New York, NY 10022

    raf1

    the lamb/chicken on rice didn’t really impress me, but i wanted to try the gyro to see how it would fend…seeing as it was so close to the office and great access for needing a quick bite instead of eating just wheat thins….

    rafq1

    so…supposedly up top is what you can order as different toppings for your meals…but oddly enough i don’t think they have black beans or peppers….cause all i ever got was olives and chickpeas…maybe different days? (i’ll ask next time.)

    also the prices for the over rice dishes are wrong, check below for the correct prices.

    raf2

    rafq2

    Lamb Gyro: got it to go, looks kinda small but for $3.99 it was just the right size.

    rafq3

    still hot inside and lots of white sauce. the veggies were really fresh, and the lettuce still crunchy.

    rafq4

    the lamb actually tasted alot better this time, and lookie here…its all chopped up this time….

    rafq5

    Summation: Do not go to this specific Rafiqi’s when only the skinny dude is inside. he’s lazy. When the big dude is in there also, they actually chop up all the meat (if you recall in my last review none of the meat was chopped up and i was left to deal with huge chunks.)

    because of this, i am going to go back and try the lamb and chicken on rice when both guys are in the cart. so i can get it chopped up…cause the lamb tasted A WHOLE lot better in the gyro than on the rice…*shrug.

    ultimately the gyro hit the spot, perfect amount of food, and since i was in a rush, i was in no-nonsense mode and just got it with lettuce and tomaters. woot!

    CHEERS!

    June 20, 2011

    • Obao: the hunt for good Pho in midtown.

      Obao
      PH: 212-308-5588

      222 East 53rd Street (between 2nd and 3rd Ave)
      New York, NY 10022

      obao1

      In the daily grind at the office, i’m not always able to go out and get food. So it’s important that when i order take out the food has to be good…cause sometimes its the only thing to look forward to in that day. So i’ve been kind of on the hunt for a good pho place in midtown. And i think i might have found the joint that does it right.

      *note i did not take either exterior or interior pics of restaurant.

      Décor:

      obao2

      i think the interior is really nice and interesting.

      Phoooooood:

      obao3

      food came fast, and piping super duper hot! which is important….cause we’re talking pho here.

      obao4

      Thai Iced Tea: They have really good thai iced tea. Admittedly i think alot of people will find it overly sweet, but i like my thai iced tea on the sweeter side. $3.00

      obao5

      They package everything separately, which is always a plus. Bean sprouts, lime, and chopped chilies.

      obao6

      I’m not at the level where i actually use the lime and chilies yet, but i’m sure when i get ‘tired’ of the reg flavs i’ll probably move onto using these items.

      obao7

      Pho Bo (Lunch Special: Thin sliced rare beef, braised brisket and rice noodles in ginger anise beef broth with Meatballs added): Man the broth is brutally hot which is a plus! $8.00 + $2.00 (meatballs)

      obao8

      I always add my bean sprouts and push it to the bottom so it cooks it. which isn’t a problem at all since the broth is so hot.

      obao9

      of course some might complain that the beef gets a tad over cooked, which is understandable since its delivery. But the brisket is still quite moist and tasty. Both the meat types are still quite flavorful.

      obao10

      Then you take the noodles and add them to the broth.

      obao11

      mix it up, and try not to break up the noodles too badly.

      obao12

      the noodles are suppose to be heated up right before serving, so its understandable that by the time i get it when it’s delivered it clumps up. but that doesn’t take away from the flavor.

      Summation: the thai iced tea and pho are really good. The soup isn’t overly salty and i don’t get a headache from it. I think for take out it’s really really well done. I am definitely looking forward to actually sitting down and eating at the restaurant if the opportunity arises.

      I’m definitely looking forward to trying other items at this restaurant.

      CHEERS!

    Monday, July 04, 2011

    Obao – time for some vietnamese porkchops

    Obao
    PH: 212-308-5588

    222 East 53rd Street (between 2nd and 3rd Ave)
    New York, NY 10022

    obao1

    Fiending for some viet porkchops, and Obao was new to the SeamlessWeb Menu and came highly rated, so why not?

    *note i did not take either exterior or interior pics of restaurant.

    Décor:

    obao2

    looking forward to actually having time to sit down and eat in this joint…but that will have to wait.

    Phoooooood:

    ob1

    food usually comes quick and super hot to the touch.

    ob2

    Viet Porkchops, Viet Sprint Rolls, and Thai Iced tea.

    ob3

    ob4

    Crispy Spring Roll Lettuce Wraps: loved the plethora of pickled veggies they give. $7.00

    ob5

    I liked the crispy thick skinned Viet spring rolls….they were really good.

    ob6

    the supplied fish sauce was good with it, i like drowning them in this, and then dipping in the sweet oyster sauce (not pictured; it comes in a tiny cup with some hot sauce too).

    ob7

    Thinly Cut Vietnamese Pork Chop: nice and hot and juicy. $13.00

    ob8

    the pork chops were very well marinated and the smoky-ness was very apparent and welcomed.

    ob9

    the sweet spicy sauce supplied with the pork chops, was really good, but the pork chops were definitely flavorful enough to hold their own with the rice.

    ob10
    not broken rice, but will suffice.
    		 ob11
    Thai Iced Tea: hit the spot $3.00

    Summation: I actually had this before i had the Pho in a previous entry, but wanted to post the pho first. The Viet Pork Chops are really good, and i recommend them. The rest of the food was good too. I like the viet spring rolls here, and the thai iced tea was good too.

    I will definitely have this place on speed dial for whenever i need a viet pork chop fix in the office.

    Woot!

    Monday, July 18, 2011

    Obao’s Pad Thai

    Obao
    PH: 212-308-5588

    222 East 53rd Street (between 2nd and 3rd Ave)
    New York, NY 10022

    obao1

    A little tired of my regular stomping ground for pad thai, i decided to give Obao a try. Definitely on the pricier side, but pretty much the same price everywhere in midtown for pad thai. oh well, here goes nothing.

    *note i did not take either exterior or interior pics of restaurant.

    Décor:

    obao2

    I’ve sat down and eaten here. review to come in the future.

    Food, sentenced to death:

    ob1

    food came fast and hot. YUM! and Thai iced tea was put in a separate bag so the hot items and cold items wouldn’t affect each other.

    opow2

    Pricey Shrimp Pad Thai ($11.00), Pricey Vietnamese Spring Rolls, i’m starting to think they’re the best viet springs in midtown ($7.00), and pricey Thai Iced tea, YUM! ($3.00)

    opow3

    since i’ve already reviewed the other two items, let’s go straight for the pad thai…presentation was nice and they give you alot.

    opow4

    shrimp still has tails on them and they were perfectly cooked, not overcooked/chewy, but very flavorful and firm.

    opow5

    pleasant surprise was the poached egg…which really gave a nice spin to the pad thai…like, bourdain, i too am an egg slut…and this poachery was really to my liking.

    opow6

    opow7

    Summation: Squeezing the lime and mixing the poached egg into the pad thai really made it a different experience for me than other pad thai’s i’ve had. It was really freaking good. yes yes it is on the expensive side, but the best bang for buck pad thai is still $9, so two dollars shy of this…and this has A POACHED EGG! sorry, but the egg slut in me totally wins and this will now be my pad thai go to place for work.

    Having had a chance to sit down at the joint and eat, the decor is really nice, and on the not so hot summer days, its really nice when they open the windows/screens to be opened up. The dishes i tried were quite delicious, and i hope to picture and share them with you all soon enough.

    CHEERS!

    June 16, 2011

    • Winnipeg Day 7: Sun Fortune Restaurant

      Sun Fortune Restaurant
      PH: 204-269-6868

      2077 Pembina Highway
      Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

      sunf1

      Sadly this was my last day in winnipeg and it was gonna go out with a bang! Our final stop was something i had seen on Osmunderwear’s site and IMMEDIATELY knew i wanted to try it! cause there’s no such thing here in nyc….CHAMPAGNE PORKCHOPS!!! Surprisingly alot of people know about this restaurant! interesting….very interesting…LET THE FEASTING BEGIN!!!!

      Décor:
      sunf2 sunf3 sunf4
      it’s really not that big of a place, but it had a nice feel to it.

      Chon Pai:
      sunf5 sunf6 sunf7
      click till you’re blue in the face, no menu enlargement sucka.

      Sustenance:

      sunf8

      we got cold yin yeung…which is a mix of coffee and milk tea…one of my favorite drinks…but i make it better. the best in the world might i add. *coughcoughstrokeegocough

      sunf9

      Spicy Fried Shrimp with Ground Pork: C$14.95 ($15.27 USD)

      sunf10

      This dish was really good, and just the right amount of spicy. The ground pork “sauce” was really good with hot white rice.

      sunf11

      my only complaint is that the shells were still on the shrimp, and though that didn’t stop me from peeling some shrimp for myself and Osmunderwear , i still prefer my shrimp without shell. (not that i didn’t suck on them before deshelling them…well except for the ones that i peeled for Osmunderwear….i think… )

      side note: i know you can eat the fried shell with the shrimp, but i never feel good after eating shelled shrimp…no matter how well fried or how fresh the shrimp. so i must always peel the shrimp. It’s really weird though, as i can eat soft shell crabs just fine. *shrug. 

      sunf12

      There was lots of hot dried chili’s in it….REALLY GOOD…Osmunderwear dared me to eat one.

      sunf13

      Spicy Szechuan style four season beans: this was really good too, and i don’t even like string beans. the flavor was a nice saltiness with some really good flavored ground pork. ultimately, really good with the supplied white rice. C$10.95 ($11.17 USD)

      sunf14

      sunf15

      Champagne Pork chops (Pork Chop with White Wine and Miracle Whip Sauce): These were heavenly with white rice.  C$11.95 ($12.20 USD)

      sunf16

      it kinda reminded me of walnut shrimp, except with really good porkchops. man this dish was really good.

      sunf17

      there was sprinkles of fried basil throughout the dish, but i felt this was really more of a garnish/for aesthetics since it didn’t seem to impact flavor or texture much.

      sunf18

      all of the dishes were really really good. we were totally stuffed afterwards.

      sunf19 Summation: This definitely becomes a must go to restaurant whenever i visit Winnipeg in the future. The food was ridiculously good and far surpassed my expectations.

      the champagne pork chops were really good and i’m happy that they were so good.

      The shrimp was really good, and even though i don’t like shell on my shrimp, i wouldn’t mind ordering that again…wonder if you can get a version without the shell on the shrimp.

      I can’t wait to go back and try other dishes. WOOT!

      THANKS GO TO OSMUNDAREGALIS for showing me around Winni and making it such a great getaway! CHEERS!

    June 14, 2011

    • Winnipeg Day 6: Kum Koon Garden

      Kum Koon Garden
      PH: 204-943-4655

      257 King Street
      Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

      kumk1

      i was craving dimsum and osmunderwear had a place picked out already that had the best dimsum in winnipeg…so WHY NOT?!!?? But it was pretty packed inside…so we decided to “cut the line” by ordering on the phone and taking it back to her place. hee hee hee.

      kumk2

      kumk3

      we ordered alot. cause the queen was hungry. lol

      kumk4

      siu mai, sharks fin dumplings, and Ha Gow.

      kumk5

      fried dough in rice rolls.

      kumk6

      Sing Juke Gune.

      kumk7

      meat balls.

      kumk8

      law bok go.

      kumk9

      roast pork in rice rolls.

      kumk10

      shrimp in rice rolls.

      kumk11

      And if you don’t know what this is, please leave my site.

      Summation: we had a bunch of other shtuff but got hungry and didn’t photo the rest…the dimsum was good, but nothing to wow about. it filled our palates, and we were happy. But i must say, the best food up in Winnipeg was definitely the viet food so far.

    June 13, 2011

    • Winnipeg Day 5: Maxim Bakery

      Maxim Bakery
      PH: 204-774-8452

      285 Alexander Avenue
      Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

      maxi1

      So Osmunderwear took me to this bakery that was like in the middle of nowhere…which was kind of creepy. cause i thought she was bringing me somewhere to chop me up and make me into roast pork buns (wonder if anyone knows the reference). it was weird…going into this bakery that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere…but whatever, she says the shtuff was good…and when we got in, we found out a fresh batch of DON TOT JUST CAME OUT!!!

      maxi2

      This is us in my rental car. with the box of goodies we just got. unfortunately we got the last of the roast pork buns…which we should have waited cause another fresh batch was coming out….as you can see from the floor of the car, we just picked up a ton of dimsum….but… WE COULDN’T WAIT AND WANTED TO DIG INTO THE FRESH DONTOT!

      maxi3

      maxi4

      Roast Pork Bun…it was ok…nothing to wow about. C$1.25 ($1.28 USD)

      maxi5

      Egg Custard Tart: these are not the best i had. but these were really fucking good…and they JUST came out of the oven, so they were hot and gooey and tasty…and we both burned our mouths…but it was WORTH IT!!! C$0.85 ($0.87 USD)

      maxi6

      Summation: this place would be even more awesome if they had bubble tea too.. the bao was aite…there were some other baos i wanted to try but refrained from getting cause we had a ton of dimsum on us. lol. Man hot out of the oven don tot is sooooo goooooood

      I really think that this place would do alot better if they offered hot beverages like milk tea and coffee too. but *shrug…

      i love the fact its owned by a mom and pop…they add a nice touch to the joint, and they do cakes too. it was cool seeing the ‘pop’ come out with the fresh don tots all covered with flour. hahhaha it made me smile cause ya knew it was authentic old school style made. woot.

    June 9, 2011

    • Winnipeg Day 4: Com Tam Thuan Kieu

      Com Tam Thuan Kieu
      PH: 204-949-9081

      661 Ellice Avenue
      Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

      Thuk1

      While driving around Winnipeg after a really good first meal with Osmunderwear, i had noticed this vietnamese joint…and for some reason i was drawn to it. Os told me that there’s no banh mi in Winnipeg, and i wanted some banh mi…as there was such a large viet community here…and i took a gamble as my instincts pointed me in this direction. I stopped outside, and she ran inside and picked up a menu…and low and behold…THEY HAD BANH MI ON THE MENU! of course we were too stuffed….but we called in an order the next day and went questing!

      Com Tam:

      thuk2

      so this isn’t banh mi….but i wanted to try their meat pie’s…

      thuk3

      Charbroiled pork chop, pork skin & meat pie on broken rice: this was really good…loved every part of it, i just poured the fish sauce on top and started to hack away. loved the pickled veggies!!! C$6.99 ($7.15 USD)

      thuk4

      the meat pie was sooooo freaking good, and the porkskin was great with the added fish sauce.

      thuk5

      at first i thought it was kinda skimpy on the porkchop, but it was soooo flavorful it was the perfect amount for the rice…as it was accompanied by meat pie and pork skin….*drool…just thinking about this makes me want to eat this again…right now!

      thuk6

      Charbroiled beef and egg omelet on broken rice: INGENIOUS! OS IS SO SMART!!! i should have gotten a fried egg in mine too…doh. C$7.50 ($7.67 USD)

      thuk7

      i did not have any of this, but from what i remember, and how fast she was eating it…it was good.

      thuk8

      she’s gonna kick me arse when she reads this. lolololol

      Banh Mi:

      thuk9

      so….we also got banh mi…yeah yeah yeah…we worked out alot too…so whatevers….worked out meaning…lots of lifting….fork…lifting…anyway, back to banh mi! mmmm blurry banh mi so tasty….

      thuk10

      Vietnamese bun with charbroiled pork: C$2.99 ($3.06 USD)

      thuk11

      Vietnamese bun with char broiledbeef: C$2.99 ($3.06 USD)

      thuk12

      Vietnamese bun with charbroiled chicken: C$2.99 ($3.06 USD)

      thuk13

      Summation: YAY! PARKING!! i love it when they have parking lots…though its not that big of a lot, still cool to have one.

      the rice boxes were awesome, very flavorful, and very well done. no skimping, and nothing bland. lots of great flavors.

      the Blurry Banh Mi….ok this is not really banh mi…they had pickled veggies…but no cilantro, no lard, no pate, no fish salami, and the cucumbers were too thin…BUT….these sandwiches/subs were really fucking good. I would totally buy these to eat again cause they are really good sandwiches…the tasty charbroiled salty meats worked really well with the pickled veggies and mayo…REALLY GOOD…especially since the meats were hot, and the bread was fresh…(only sucky thing was there were other banh mi on the menu like a curry one and one with a fried egg in it that they ran out of or wasn’t making anymore…hot damn, the fried egg one would have been gooooood!!!)

      In closing, i totally recommend this place, nice environment inside…don’t remember why we didn’t just eat inside…or was it closing soon…don’t remember…but i definitely look forward to trying the pho out there next time!!! woot!

      CHEERS!

    June 8, 2011

    • Winnipeg Day 3: The Fantastic House

      The Fantastic House
      PH: 204-888-8899

      18-2077 Pembina Highway
      Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
      fanh1 fanh2
      We were just driving around looking at different supermarkets, since i wanted to see what kind of items they had in their ‘chinese supermarkets’. Next to one of the locations was a bubble tea joint that sold Egglette cakes (i’ve heard so many different names for these, that i’ll just let Osmunderwear win this argument and call it Egglette cakes). Oddly enough they also sell bubble tea.

      fanh3

      it was nice eating these hot/warm and freshly made..however, these are not the best i’ve ever had…the best i’ve ever had are still in NYC chinatown. woot. but regardless, almost any rendition that’s hot and fresh still hits the spot.

      Summation: definitely a nice hang out place. I also got a cold taro drink (without tea) that was really good. I definitely recommend this place to chill and have some egglette cakes, and a bubble tea…why not?

      they also do that whole stamping card thing…so you can get your card stamped and shtuff with each purchase. woot. ten stamps means 1 free drink any size!