The Best of Casual Dining in Boston/NY Summer 2012

This past summer was all about the good food.  It's alwasy fun returning home for a visit, because it ends up being a marathon of binge eating at friends houses or out and about somewhere.  The first stop we made was at a new Asian food destination in Framingham called Tenichi a "Dynamic Food Kitchen"  Not sure about the "dynamic" part, but it was a decent meal.  For starters we had the lovely Salmon plate, garnished with micro greans and capers along with balsamic, I am not sure how this dish was asian, but it was an interesting take on asian fusion cuisine.  They were also running a lobster special that night, prepared in a traditional ginger and scallion sauce.  It wasn't the best I had ever had, but I knew I was in for more lobster, as there was an abundance on the east coast this summer and they were selling it like hot cakes all over town!

For those with a sweet tooth, and I can honestly say I am guilty, here are a couple of New England classics.  Below, my sister and I being silly at Ben & Jerry's as we all know, is a vermont original.  I passed on my usual my usual order to try Jimmy Fallon's "Late Night Snack" with chocolate covered potato chips and salted caramel, and I'm really glad I did! The perfect cure for a munchies craving....To the right a classic Tiramisu from Modern Bakery in the north end.  We enjoyed that after a long night of singing and dancing at the Coldplay concert at the TD Banknorth Gardens!  What a treat all aorund!

Next up was a little Italian joint my dad was dying to take me to called Linguine's in Marlborough, MA.  A casual dining spot with a substantial menu.  As I stepped into this quaint little suburban restaurant, I felt like I was in a time warp, but all that didn't matter when the food arrived.  Everything that came out of that tiny little kitchen was scrumptious from the cherry stone clam linguni to the chicken parm as well as the pizza!  My dad ordered the chicken marsala, but had already attacked it before I could take a proper photo, so it didn't make the cut here.  But this is a great place to come for a casual mid-week meal.  Great comfort food and portions are large enough to get two meals worth.

So, who doesn't love a good jewish deli?!  I for one have really missed them while living in Dubai.  There is something so homely about enjoying a bowl of Matzah Ball soup along side a big plate of sour and dill pickles, and how could you pass up those bagel chips!  Why have I been away for so long???Zaftig's is considered Brookline's finest, but if you ever try to go there on the weekends for brunch.....think again!  Luckily they opened one up right in Natick across from the mall, convenient and equally as delicious as the original.   The baked mac n' cheese my friend ordered was ooey and gooey, the Israeli cous cous salad with cranberries and fennel topped with grilled salmon was the healthier choice, but also packed full of flavor.  Because I went with the healthy lunch option, I thought it appropriate to splurge on dessert, Boston Creme Pie was the obvious choice....

The cuisine I miss the most while living abroad is Vietnamese.  One of my favorite Brighton spots during my University years was Pho Pasteur, currently known as L'es.  It's located on Brighton Ave and still produces top notch quality food for a reasonable price.  They are best known for the Pho pictured below left with a beautiful aromatic beef broth, fresh greens, and tender slices of beef brisket for USD $6.00, you won't find a better deal.  Amongst some of our other favorites is the quail, salt and pepper calamari and the shrimp summer rolls. 

Sticking to the Vietnamese theme was also Pho Real!  I quirky little concept located on Christopher street in Greenwich village (NYC).  They also do a mean Pho, but I really go there for the Bahn Mi.  A hearty sandwich traditionally filled with pulled pork, but I opt for the one with spicy fried catfish, layered with pickles and red onions all nestled in a crunchy baguette!  If I had the ability to teleport anything on earth, it would be one of these tasty delights! Pho Real also served these organic all natural sodas, I enjoyed the fresh ginger ale with pomegranit and hibiscus, it tantilized my taste buds and melded well with the sandwich.

Next stop on the casual dining train was a frozen yogurt joint recommended to me by a friend.  In fact, she was such a regular here, she received e-mails/text messages informaing here about specials and discounts.  The discount of the day was on  pomegranite flavored frozen yogurt.  I opted for the junky version with caramel sauce and crumbled oreos.  Not my usual choice, but hey, I was on holiday, so the calories don't count, right? Out of the hundreds of froyo concepts in the city, this one does not go high in the ranks for flavor, but the aesthetic was cool, and they get points for maintaining cleanliness dispute their busy 6th ave location.

This is the second to last on the casual dining post from this summer's culinary adventures.  Cafe Habana/Habana Outpost located in New York's Soho (Cafe Habana) as well as Brooklyn (Habana Outpost).  The vibe and food at this casual margarita/corn and cob spot was incredible. We strolled into the Outpost on a Friday evening during "happy hour" and there wasn't a seat in the house.  We ordered our corn covered in delicious cotija cheese and drinks, and waited around until we could claim a picnic table of our own.  Successful in hinting down a place to sit, we felt comfortable to order more snacks for the hungry campers.  The chicken and waffle on a stick was by far the most unique item I had seen yet.  The corn still one my vote for best "food on a stick" item, but the chicken definitely made an impression. 

Last post for New York casual dining is Berry Park in Williamsburg, this little gem overlooking the Manhattan skyline is the perfect place to be on a Sunday afternoon.  With giant Bavarian pretzels, duck fat fries, and Frickles (Deep Fried Pickes) I took comfort in all these delictable goodies after a busy weekend in the city.  I was trying to load up on as many fried items as possible, holidays are great to give into all those guilty pleasures.  My favorite of all these brooklyn style bar snacks were the Frickles, served with a spicy aioli, the unusual combination of flavors ad textures will be a fond food memory forever!     

Dadijaan's 78th Birthday Bash!

 My Dadijaan (Grandmother) has to be one of the most special ladies on earth.  Although she turned 78 today (August 11th 2012), her spirit and energy is that of  someone half her age.  Since I was home for the momentous event, my cousin Ameer Wahid (recent culinary graduate from Johnson and Wales), and I decided to cook a feast for the special lady plus some family and friends.  This meal will forever be part of our memories as well as Dadi's for many years to come.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADIJAN,

WE LOVE YOU!!!

 

 The menu consisted of 6 courses of an eclectic mix of foods from around the globe.  Ameer and I decided to utilize some of the best local produce plus some "preferred proteins" suggested by the birthday girl.  Below are some snaps of the prep starting with the striped bass.  We journeyed out to Wegman's in northborough, MA and grabbed the last fresh striped bass on the counter.  We took the whole thing, bones and all from which we made a delicious fish stock.

 To the left of that are the grilled shrimp (a favorite of Dadijaan). Marinated with some cumin, lime zest, olive oil,  sea salt, and fresh ground pepper theses tasty little bites were enjoyed by all.  

The second favorite protein were the goat legs pictured below on the left, which we decided to braise with some familiar spices plus much more! Slow cooked for almost 4 hours, the meat was so tender, it was falling of the bone, only to melt in your mouth.

Also from Wegman's are the gorgeous duck breasts to the right , seared to perfection, and resting crispy skin side up, before being assembled onto crostini baked with the extracted duck fat.  Now if that doesn't stimulate your appetite, then I don't know what does!? 

 Moving right along, below are the final display plates we created for each of the 6 courses. Prepare yourself for a culinary overload with the wild mix of flavors, ingredients and technique.  To begin the meal, we started out with a fun and fresh summer salad consisting of fresh sweet corn, red peppers, scallions, jalapenos, and avocado all tossed in a chipotle honey lime dressing and topped with the grilled shrimp. This salad was a hit and I can honestly say, the plates were wiped clean at the end. Not only is this healthy and nutritious but also extremely tasty like a lot of the food I cook.  If you're looking for the recipe e-mail me (info@sabawahid.com) and I would be happy to send it through.   

Next up, one of my specialties.....I have made them before, and since they were such a success, here they are again!  The (now) world famous Karhai Chicken Croquettes with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce.  The secret to these bad boys was milk poaching the chicken thighs, they were so tender, juicy, and flavorful. Another hit in my book, there was not even a panko bread crumb left on the plate. 

 The third course was this succulent duck breast, cooked to a perfect medium temperature, placed on a bed of baby arugula and topped with a bing cherry gastrique, can someone say YUM! The flavors were bold and ran deep with this starter.  The medley of sweet and tangy cherries married beautifully into the meaty richness of the duck meat.  The crunch of the duck fat roasted baguette really brought it all together for me.  

 At this point most of the guests were full.  We gave them a half an hour break and then resumed to the mains.  As I mentioned before, my dadijan LOVES goat, but she has never had goat prepared like this before.  I first took the enormous "Flintstone" style goat legs and seared them in a massive pan at a high temperature seasoned with just a little salt and pepper. Next was the preparation of the braising vegetables and liquids consisting of everything from the basic mirapoix to coconut milk, lemon grass, curry leaves, chillies, Siracha, lime juice, and a medley of spices, plus a homemade vegetable stock.  Next, it was brought to a boil with the mutton submerged, then placed in the oven for the slow cooking process. This was served on a bed of sauteed eggplant with yucca fries, and pickled peppers. Well balanced and gorgeous looking!

 The last main course was the beautiful striped bass.  This was served with the easy, healthy, and delicious fennel, saffron tomato quinoa.  Another one of my specialties, however we added the kale chips on top as the creative garnish element.  The kale chips were baked in a home-made garlic infused olive oil, chilli flakes and sea salt, and they sure were tasty!  I originally served this dish with seared scallops, but it can work with most light white fish or even chicken. You can find this recipe on my website under the recipe tab at: www.sabawahid.com

 The service plates minus the corn salad which was swiped off the table before we could grab a shot of it with the rest of the dishes. 

 Last but not least, since this was a birthday party, there had to be a cake! We decided to go against chocolate, mainly because the birthday girl is not a fan, but also because we wanted to go with something more fruit focused and seasonal.  The final outcome was this meyer lemon cake, with lemon icing, raspberry puree, and cardamom frozen yogurt.  I am still dreaming about this sweet treat! it totally hit the spot.....

 After three days of shopping, prepping, cooking, and eating, I think Ameer and I look pretty good!  It was an action packed few days, but we put a lot of smiles on a lot of faces and filled a lot of bellies with heaps of tasty food, and that's all that we cared about.  We especially made the birthday girl happy, overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude, this was a birthday she will never forget! 

 When I finally got a chance to sit down, I had to give my adorable dadijaan a hug.  Ameer and I did a lot of work, but it doesn't compare to the amount of time, effort, and dedication this woman puts into her family and friends.  The result is generations of people loyal to the one and only Salma Wahiduddin (my grandma)!  I love you with all my heart and soul Dadijaan.  It has been such a great summer, and I thoroughly enjoyed all our time together.  Looking forward to your visit and creating more wonderful memories together.....

Hakkasan Iftar menu, worth every Dirham

Hakkasan has just launched there Ramadan menu for summer 2012.  At AED 188 for 3 courses of these special Cantonese delicacies, you really can't go wrong.  The first course consists of a choice of four different tasty bites pictured below.

The Chilean Seabass Shumai with a black bean sauce was delicate and savory.  Encased in rice paper and complimented by glass noodles, these morsels were easy to enjoy and a light and healthy way to break your fast.

Now these Wagyu Beef and Mushroom Wraps were the perfect little parcels with punchy asian flavors. The tender  pieces of beef cooked with the hearty mushrooms produced a well rounded flavor for a satisfying Iftari.

The vibrant colors of this chicken and lotus root dumpling really got my appetite going.  The texture of the outer dumpling shell was chewy and warm with a crunchy lotus root and tender chicken filling inside, I couldn't help, but to go back for seconds.

 These Crispy Taro Rice Rolls seasoned with Chinese five spice were my absolute favorite! The texture of the puffed crispy rice paired with the soft taro root was enough to send my taste buds into a frenzy.  Not the healthiest choice, but worth every bite.

Onto the mains, we begin with my favorite, the Charcoal Grilled Black Cod with Chinese Chives.  The delicate fish paired with a sweet sauce and crispy mushroom is making my mouth water as I'm typing.  It's one of those items that you will think about and crave, and will go back for.....

 Stir-Fry Kung Pao Corn-Fed Chicken with cashew nuts and cloud ear, the ever so popular Chinese chicken dish, done Hakkasan style was nothing short of elegant.  The added cloud ears offered a little more soft texture to the nutty crunch of this dish.  Not my particular favorite, but nicely executed.

One thing I've noticed from my my past visits to this swanky establishment is that they do beef very well.  My all time favorite dish on the regular Hakkasan menu are the Tea Smoked Wagyu short ribs.  This Braised Wagyu Beef with Szechuan pepper and a sesame peanut sauce was a close second.  Sesame in any cuisine is usually a huge incentive for me to order, but the pairing with beef and peanut sauce, takes it one step further to a full on flavor explosion!

 Even in the dessert department Hakkasan brought out the big guns.  We began with a Warm Apple Tart with Green Apple Sorbet then onto a Hakkamisu with Coffee Ice Cream. All I have to say is Hakkamisu some MORE PLEASE!!!!  The playful plating and creative interpretation of Hakkasan's Tiramisu was heavenly.  It had the right proportions of coffee, cream, and crunch!  The Warm Apple Tart on the other hand was sub par, but the Green Apple Sorbet really brought it all together.  It would be great as a palette cleanser, and should be served in between the mains and dessert course.  

My overall experience at Hakkasan this time around was as good as my first.  With two locations in the UAE, you have an option to dine at the Emirates Palace  in Abu Dhabi, or at Emirates Towers in Dubai, where I enjoyed this lovely feast.  The cuisine, decor, and ambiance all make the environment a great evening out.  A meal at Hakkasan doesn't need to be reserved for a special occasion, with a menu as good as this, put this destination on regular rotation for your next iftar indulgence this Ramadan!   

A Pakistani Food Tour

Pearl Continental in Bhurban hosted a BBQ night, the chicken reshmi kebabs were on the list of my favorite grilled items. A delicious mince of chicken seasoned with fenugreek leaves, chillies, garam masala, ginger, garlic, and coriander leaves cooked on an open flame of char-coal, it's an irresistible treat.

 Chef Qamar showing off his skills with the liver delicacy referred to as "Taka Tak",  which describes the sound made by the chef while frying up these organs and hitting the pan with two sharp slicers in a captivating rhythm.

 Freshly made Jalebee, funnel cakes deep fried to perfection then soaked in a sugary syrup.

Paya, a hearty soup like breakfast food made with lamb feet usually eaten in the winter months with naan. The soup base is created by sauteed onions, tomatoes, and garlic to which a number of curry-based spices are added. The cooked dish is served with a garnish of fresh diced ginger and fresh cilantro leaves along with fresh sliced lemon.

 A Crab Feast at an underground Chinese restaurant in Islamabad  DELICIOUS

 Til Mil Jhinga, Pakistani Dosa and Seafood Grill at Dum Pukht the signature Mughlai restaurant at the Marriot in Islamabad.

 Chilman Biryani, a traditional and flavorful rice dish topped with a pastry shell

Murg Shalimar a beautiful blend of cashews and herbs in a flavorful sauce and Daal Makhni a rich lentil stew cooked with assorted spices and finihsed with a touch of cream.

Chocolate Chilli Mango Treats at the Islamabad Marriot and a delicious Fresh Mango Treat at Pearl Continental Rawal Pindi

Delicious home cooked Pakistani meal of fried okra and Bhangan ka Buhrtha at Sam and Adil's house in Islamabad

 A chocolate chess board welcomed me at Pearl Continental Lahore

 Kheer in a traditional Terra Cotta bowl and enjoying Gulab Jammun at Cooco's Den in Lahore

Carpaccio made with locally sourced beef at Okra restaurant in Karachi.  Okra has raised the bar on dining out in Pakistan. It's a quaint, simple yet stylish setting, an intimate space, with sublime food.  This combination gives diners a unique experience in the city.

 Figs with Goats Cheese and Peppered Honey

Saffron Cream Mussels

Locally sourced Beef a Fillet with Mango Salsa and burger with Foie Gras

Tart and Tangy Sorbet  made out of Falsa fruit which is a species of Grewia native to Pakistan.  It is extensively cultivated for its sweet and sour acidic taste, which are sold in the market during summer months