Perfect Friday

The perfect Friday = Half day of work+ perfect weather + free foooood.

A few weeks back they announced a contest to win access to a one day food cart event by David Chang of Momofuku everything for NY locals. MUST WIN said the mind. So i did. =)

Aileen, my former coworker/food lover was my +1.

Secret location was revealed via email the morning of. At 1:29 PM, I shut down my computer, grabbed my bag and at 1:30PM I jet out of my office to find myself embraced by a GLORIOUS sunny Friday afternoon.

By the time Aileen and I arrived on the scene, the majority of the people had already come and gone. Good. I don't like big crowds.

The Cart

hehe, bouncers. My own secret code (the code i used to enter the contest) was "bread"

They ran out of most things on the menu by the time we got there. Aileen and I decided to share one pork and one chicken but...the lady told us because they had run out of the rice cakes that comes with the pork dish, it will be replaced with chicken wings. So ultimately, the chicken and pork dishes were exactly the same except for the buns. Fail.

Chicken wings, pork bun, shrimp chips.

I really wanted to love everything. But I didn't. The wings were so salty, I ate less than half. But it's ok...cause I saved my pork buns for last! right??

Kind of wrong. when i get pork buns at momofuku ssam/noodle bars, i groan in satisfaction. I expected the same "melt in your mouth" kind of butter pork but my pork bun was pretty tough and dry. Maybe I'm the one to blame for expecting the same quality from a food cart. but...c'mon. Aren't you David Chang??

What was the best part of the meal???

I thought this natural coke from pepsi was delicious. It wasn't syrupy and thick like regular pepsi but it didn't taste watered down or healthy like the fizzy lizzy izzy carbonated drinks out there. Win.

As much as i complained about the food, i thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the event. It was definitely fun and hey...it was free. And the weather was so flippin nice, nothing could ruin my mood. Got to talk to David (yea, we're on first name basis). I would post a picture of us together but damn, I look hideous. But here's the man having a jolly time

After walking Aileen to work, I was HUNGRY. I had some time to kill before meeting with another friend so I went to Madison Sq Park. New Yorkers love being outdoors. They also love shake shack. I do too but...I just refuse to pay full price for it when I work for the same company. I don't get employee discounts. Lame. i know.

Finally the friend came and we decided to walk to Baoguette. On the way I passed by this and got so excited for some reason. love it.




i was so tired from all the walking and the lack of food in my tummy.


$5 BAOGUETTE Pork Terine, Pate, Pulled Pork, Fresh Herbs. My fave. It's savory and although I dont like cilantro, i can appreciate it's "punch in the face"ness in bahn mis.




$7 CAT FISH Cucumber Relish, Pickled Red Onion, Honey Mustard Sauce: Also good. More on the sweeter side.



We got the "spicy" for both sandwiches and my mouth was on fire. I needed something...not water, not milk....YES. THIS.

perfect

adventure

Chinatown - it's a bittersweet place for me. Sweet because it's jam packed with delicious cheap eateries and I want to try every single one of them. Bitter because I'm not Chinese and I don't speak the ranguage. (AND I always get lost. Why did they just give up on the number system with their streets??)

But today I braved the streets of Chinatown (and the cold) with no assistance of a Chinese friend. I knew I'd face some challenges; a non engrish speaking server/not knowing what to order/speaking in all sorts of one word caveman sentences and body ranguage

Dim Sum - I put aside all my presumptions that big dim sum restaurants are run by the triads or that I can't go to a chinese restaurant without a chinese friend to help me order and decided to go with a few of my friends. You get to see your food before asking for it! what a great concept.

Minimal speaking is required (words needed - pork,tofu,shrimp,vegetable,yes,no). pointing/nodding/shaking head is sufficient. stamping of card is so cute.

Golden Bridge. Not the best "to die for" food but for a group of koreans just wanting the experience and to have some decent chinese food, it's a-okay! Big space, lots of variety, it's safe, every dish is pretty tasty but I dung lo if Chinese people will agree. Service was very good as well.



seafood dumplings.



Flavor was great but the peanuts weren't necessary. nonetheless, delish.

Taro and pork in a sweet and spicey sauce. Beware! lots of bones.

pork slices wrapped in chowfun like noodles with a sweet soy sauce.

up until this part of the meal, everything tasted as expected- like chinese food.

Then came the big guns.

Cha Siu Bao!!!! Pork anything is good. Pork in sweet hoisin sauce surrounded by soft, pillowy, slightly sweet steamed bun, China...we thank you. I've tried cha siu baos at almost every bakery in chinatown, looking for the perfect bao with pork to bun ratio. Golden Bridge was by far the best I've tried. They were delightfully exactly what cha siu bao's should be.





Same but with a flaky buttery crust. they seem to do this well =)

I was filled with food up to my throat but I didn't wake up early on a saturday morning, commute for over an hour and resist 4 women waiting for me by the subway staircase to sell me lewis vuitton bags just for one meal.

sesame paste dumplings at Green Tea Cafe

Rice cake/mochi like outer shell filled with black sesame seed concoction floating in a pool of sweet black tea with some ginger bits at the bottom. The dumplings are so sweet it feels like you're getting punched in the face by "sugar ninja" or something. After eating this, my bubbletea tasted like matzah. But nonetheless, the place is cozy, they don't try to rush you out even though it's packed, and I would definitely go back to try some other interesting things on the menu.

sharing my love for food, culture, new york city, entertainment,salty and sweet things, shops, fun, the funnies, living, life.
all sorts of this and thats.