Home Smoked Salmon
by Celia Cheng
February 19th, 2008
HOUSTON’S
153 E 53rd St
@ Lexington Ave
212-888-3828
$$$
Houston’s home smoked salmon is truly some kind of wonderful. Served with Melba toast and homemade tartar sauce, the salmon is meaty, silky smooth and so light on the palate that it reminds me of Kobe beef. We’re not talking thin slices of smoked salmon here but an actual large fillet of fish that you can really dig into. It’s cured for structure, but the smoked flavor is not overpowering. Even though it’s a starter, the portion is big enough to be a main, but it’s great to share as an appetizer while you wait for the rest of your meal.
Posted in American , Appetizer , Fish , Midtown East
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Renkon No Hasamiage (deep-fried stuffed lotus root w/ chopped shrimp & Japanese leek wrapped in shiso leaf)
by Celia Cheng
October 11th, 2007
TARO SUSHI
446 Dean St
(5th & 6th Ave)
Park Slope, Brooklyn
718-398-0872
$$
The renkon no hasamiage at Taro Sushi is quite a surprise. When it comes to pre-sushi appetizers, it’s best not to get anything too heavy so as not to ruin your palate for the purity of the fish to come, and the renkon no hasamiage is a perfect choice. While it’s deep-fried, the batter is thin and, like any good tempura, not greasy. The lotus root is light and refreshing in taste but hard and crunchy in texture, perfect for sandwiching the tender minced shrimp and leek filling. The shiso leaf wrapped around the sandwich emanates a pungent yet fresh scent that completes this delicious starter that’s light on the palate but fulfilling to the taste buds.
Posted in Appetizer , Japanese , Park Slope
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Khaum Jep (Thai shumai or dumplings)
by Celia Cheng
September 19th, 2007
ARHARN THAI
32-05 36th Ave
(32nd & 33rd St)
Astoria, Queens
718-728-5563
$
These Thai-style dumplings at Arharn Thai in Astoria are surprisingly the best tasting shumai I’ve had! With ground chicken, shrimp, crabmeat, water chestnut, bamboo shoot, scallion and mushroom wrapped in wonton skin and topped with grilled garlic, they’re refreshingly delicious! The water chestnut gives it a slight crunch softened by the mix of other ingredients. It’s not heavy or greasy but rather pure and fresh, and it’s the perfect bite-sized appetizer to start your meal on a great note!
Posted in Appetizer , Astoria , Thai
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Carciofo al Forno (wood oven-roasted artichoke heart with white bean purée and cremini mushrooms)
by Celia Cheng
September 13th, 2007
LAVAGNA
545 E 5th St
(Ave A & B)
212-979-1005
$$
When I think of carciofo, Italian for artichoke, an image of the whole deep-fried artichoke like a beautiful dried flower comes to mind. But at Lavanga, it’s the artichoke heart that’s served, wood oven-roasted not deep-fried, with white bean purée and cremini mushrooms on the side. The artichoke heart does not look as flamboyant as a whole artichoke, but what it may lack in appearance it certainly makes up for in its smooth, soft texture. The white bean purée is also subtle but flavorful. And finally, the slightly earthy taste of the mushrooms combines nicely with the other two players. None of the ingredients is overpowering; rather, all three are modest and work beautifully together to create an understated but elegant appetizer.
Posted in Alphabet City , Appetizer , Italian , Vegetables
Freshly Made Fish Cakes w/ homemade tartar sauce
by Celia Cheng
July 27th, 2007
SEA SALT
99 2nd Ave
(5th & 6th St)
212-979-5400
$$
Instead of Asian fish cakes that are usually fried pieces of sliced fish paste, Orhan Yegen’s latest seafood restaurant, Sea Salt, serves its own delectable variety. They look like long slender fish sticks but the inside tastes more like a fish croquette. The mix of potato purée and pieces of red snapper was a pleasant and welcome surprise, as opposed to the chewy, rubbery texture of Asian fish cakes. Topped with the homemade tartar sauce, I could eat these by the dozen as snacks.
Posted in Appetizer , East Village , Seafood , Turkish
