Happy new… Cravings!

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
January 29, 2007

I know, it’s a bit late to say happy new year, but I’ll say it anyway. Besides, Chinese New Year is right around the corner — February 18th this year.

Check out the new Cravings! My apologies for being delinquent with content but I have been completely consumed by this redesign. The site now has enhanced functionality — 4 realz — like printer-friendly formatting, email-a-friend, comments, menu and map links, and the biggest bonus of all… the search function actually works! ;) Check it out! Play around! And most of all, I hope you like it!

Apparently our obsession with food started at a very young age, as documented by our father in the above photograph. I’m the little one on the left and Cyn has a weird expression on her face, sitting to my right. I have no idea what we’re eating, but we both seem to be rather consumed by it.

While I’m on nostalgia lane, here’s another photo from our childhood. Indulge me!

Cravings features will be back in full swing next month, but for the time being, some quick thoughts to share:

• Stand: I went twice to try out the burgers. Within my neighborhood, I prefer Stand to BLT Burger — thank god! — but it’s not on my top burger list. Fortunately, I live two blocks away, so take out and delivery are very feasible. The quality of the meat and ingredients are great! I just haven’t found the exact burger on the menu that I like best. The hamburger with peppercorn sauce tastes like meatloaf, which is great when you are craving meatloaf, but I’m still looking to satiate that “burger” craving. Good news is: I will go back.
• Klee: The service was great, very attentive, and the food is good. Overall very pleasant, but there’s nothing to draw me back. The cuisine strikes me as more American than Austrian, but again, nothing wrong with it. Call me jaded, but perfectly nice restaurants like these are a dime a dozen in the City, so unless there’s something that will really jog my memory about it, I have nothing more to say.
• Il Buco: Just wanted to say that this classic favorite is just great! I hadn’t visited in several months but as always, from service to food and atmosphere, everything was perfect! I’m especially craving the huevos fritos a lo pobre (fried farm eggs with grated mullet bottarga, red onion, parsley, capers, and charred bruschetta) but you know I have a thing for anything with bottarga. ;)
• Omen: Much like Il Buco, Omen is another comfort restaurant for me. I know I can always count on getting good food, service and a relaxing atmosphere. On the coldest day of the year so far, an order of shiso rice with soup and sansho chicken warmed me up, inside and out!
• The Bar at The Modern: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: There’s nothing more pleasant than having a delicious meal at The Bar at The Modern, then hopping next door either for a movie or an exhibit. As always, the salad, duck confit, and egg in a jar was exquisite. For dessert, though I had wanted to deviate from the usual path of beignets, I was vetoed twice over, so we had the beignets, which were a perfect way to end the meal. I’ve been meaning to see the Manet and the Execution of Maximilian and I’m so glad that I caught it on the last day of the exhibit. The exhibit was more like a well-prepared thesis: informative, interesting and well-organized. Manet’s paintings were beautiful, particularly The Dead Man. But I stray from the topic of food…
• Zenkichi: Cyn swears that the food at Zenkichi, the new izakaya in Williamsburg is the best Izakaya food in New York. I trust her and will make my way over there so look out for a review in February.