Isa

My boyfriend came here for Dine About Town (San Francisco's Restaurant Week), and I've been dreaming about coming here since he told me about it. Isa is described as "Cal French" and is served tapas-style, which is a great excuse to order many, many courses.

Our first course was the yellowtail tuna with avocado and seaweed. The tuna is incredibly fresh--pretty comparable to Sushi Sams's--and the seaweed (with white sesame, vinegar, and some soy sauce) and the avocado (just a simple guacamole, really) complement it really well. 

Next was seared scallops with corn, sugar snap peas, orzo (rice-shaped pasta), and truffle sauce. The scallops were just perfect; great sear and slightly translucent center. However, I would've liked both sides to be seared (only the top/presentation side is), just so it has more of that slight "crust" and caramelized flavor. The orzo was a great choice--it gives the dish really nice texture--but I think the sugar snap peas were a little too much; they were just barely blanched, so their fresh, "green" flavor overpowered the truffle aroma of the sauce.

My favorite dish of the night was the mushroom and truffle risotto. The risotto itself wasn't as al dente as I would've liked, but it wasn't mushy. I love that it was almost equal parts rice and mushrooms--I find that a lot of restaurants often will only add a little bit of whatever featured ingredient is supposed to be the highlight of the risotto. However, I do not like the big clump of cheese as garnish--by the time we got it, it was somewhat melted and very hard to mix into the risotto, and lucky me, I got the big mouthful of cheese. I think they definitely could've grated it a little finer or at least just spread it out a little more!

Next, we got the flank steak with zucchini and yucca. Although we asked for medium rare, the steak was definitely a medium, bordering on medium well, which was really disappointing. However, the center was still quite moist--it was just the edges that were dry and really tough to bite into. The zucchini was, like most vegetables served with steak are, steamed and not seasoned, but the edges were still crunchy and and not overcooked at all. I loved the yucca fries; I find that a lot of yucca fries can be dry and starchy and have a really mealy mouth feel  but these were nice and flavorful and moist. They aren't particularly crisp though, because they're kind of swimming in the steak's sauce/juice.

We got two desserts, the grapefruit granita (although it says granite on the menu) and amaretto semifreddo. The grapefruit granite had a great, true grapefruit flavor, with bitterness and all (which I actually like). The ice chunks were a bit too large for my taste; I would've liked it to be a slightly finer texture, so you don't actually have to chew through it. And check out that big sprig of mint! Mint and grapefruit go together so well, I don't know why they wouldn't chop up the mint and incorporate it into the ice.

The amaretto semifreddo, I think, was a glorified cookies and cream ice cream. The amaretto flavor is not for everyone; it's a really pungent almond milk-type flavor that people either hate or are neutral toward. The amaretto cookies on the side are nice--they're a hard, hard biscotti kind of texture, and the same almond milky flavor. The flavor is definitely not as strong as that of the "semifreddo," but if you have a strong aversion to that kind of almond essence, do not get this.

I think I would've liked Isa a lot better if I hadn't built it up so much in my head. Of course there were great dishes--the risotto and scallops--but I was quite disappointed with the steak and desserts. Come here for a fancy date with someone who will pay for you!

Isa
http://www.isarestaurant.com/
3324 Steiner Street

Sushi Sam's Edomata

I don't have a lot to say about Sushi Sam's, other than that it is amazing and definitely the freshest sushi I've had in America. On a college budget, it's not cheap, but if you love fancy sushi, then you're going to love that it's a bargain.

We got the eight-piece sushi omakase (they also have a sashimi omakase), which is the chef's selection of nigiri (a small lump of rice with a topping). Ours included shrimp, salmon, lobster, and fatty tuna. For $40, you get eight pieces of expensive cuts of fish on rice and a dessert, which is really an amazing deal, considering bad sweet shrimp can go for $8 a piece on the east coast (boo). The way omakase works is that they do everything for you--they season it where it's necessary--so all you have to do is take pictures and eat. I love that they do everything for you, so you don't run the risk of ruining a quality piece of fish with too much wasabi or soy sauce. Depending on the fish, they'll also put extra toppings and flavorings; for example, the fatty fish go with yuzu sushi rice, which really cuts greasiness, which can be really noticeable when you eat it on rice. They're all great combinations and super fresh, so it's really just a matter of preference. But you'll most likely love all of them.

For dessert, we got the green tea tiramisu and the sakura panna cotta and rice ball (the latter is a daily special, so ask if they have it). The tiramisu was so good--the cake part was moist but not soggy, which is the case with a lot of tiramisus that sit around for a long time. On top they have frozen raspberries (real unsweetened frozen raspberries, not the horrible grocery store kind), which is so good. They add a bit of sweetness and freshness to an otherwise creamy dessert. The sakura rice ball (not mochi) is a glob of sakura-flavored glutinous rice with red bean paste in the middle. It's also wrapped with a sakura leaf, which your server will tell you to eat. It sounds a bit off-putting, the leaf adds a nice woodsy flavor and depth. The panna cotta is nice and milky, just a really basic panna cotta. With both of these desserts, I love how subtle and true the flavorings are. A lot of time, green tea is enhanced to be too bitter, and sakura too sweet. These desserts are as mild and fragrant as green tea and cherry blossoms really are.

There's really not much to say about Sushi Sam's. It's great and fresh and everyone should try it.

218 E 3rd Ave.
http://www.sushisams.com/index.html

Sweet Maple

This week I'm in San Francisco for spring break! Well, technically Foster City, but no one knows where that is. Hence a review of a restaurant in California.

My boyfriend and I each got eggs Benedict, and fried French toast to share. I was pretty disappointed that they don't make their own English muffins (the menu says they use Thomas' English muffins), so thumbs down for that. I got the Asparagus Blackstone Benedict, with asparagus (obvi), tomato, candied bacon, and Meyer hollandaise. I was overly happy with the asparagus and tomato, because they are so fresh and I haven't had really nice fresh produce in months, thanks to East Coast weather. The candied bacon had a nice texture--it had enough bite without being crunchy or hard, but it can be a bit tricky to cut into. It's sticky and sweet and savory, but it can be quite heavy, especially next to all the lighter components of the dish (it reminds me of bakkwa, which is Chinese jerky). The hollandaise sauce was just fine; it's mildly citrusy without being acidic, but it's not as rich or flavorful as I would've liked.

My boyfriend got the Southern Benedict, with chorizo, cherry peppers, tomato, and chipotle hollandaise. Well, I've given up on asking him for descriptions of food, because asking him to elaborate on "good" will only illicit "It's good. That's it." Anyway, this dish is very, very hot, since they don't deseed the raw cherry peppers. I wish they would've deseeded them or blanched them, so it would take away some of the heat while preserving the flavor. The chipotle hollandaise, on the other hand, is so incredibly heavy and savory. It didn't really have that smokey chipotle flavor, but it's a nice twist to a classic sauce. The eggs on both our plates were perfectly poached--firm whites and runny yolks--without being sour like the ones at Peels in New York. The fried potatoes were just okay--nothing special, really nothing to say about them.

The best part of the meal was definitely the fried French toast (called the "Big Hip" on the menu). It's fried so golden and crunchy, and the inside was moist without being goopy or overly doughy, the way some restaurants seem to like to make their French toast. I love how they give a tiny amount of fruit, almost as a consolation for eating a day's worth of calories in ten minutes ("You can eat fried French toast and still be healthy, because you get five blueberries too"). However, the garnish really, really annoyed me--again, nonfunctional garnish. A branch of curly parsley on French toast? Really? And that stick lying across the middle? It's a very long fried wonton wrapper--weird.

Sweet Maple offers some really great food, but the wait is so incredibly long--we waited a good half hour for our meal. They are also the king of nonfunctional garnish. The table next to us was a family with two kids, and three of their plates had the fried wonton wrapper stuck into their food, towering a full six inches above the edible part of their dishes.

I love Line Camera. Check out the wonton wrapper stuck
into those pancakes. Also, I'm embarrassing.

Sweet Maple
2101 Sutter Street
www.sweetmaplesf.com

Shilla

I have a rule against eating Asian food in America, because I can get it so much better back home, but I'm willing to break my rule at Shilla. This place has three floors, so you literally never have to wait for more than five minutes. It also helps that the other Korean places on West 32nd are overrated, so everyone in K-Town crowds in Woorijip or Gallery 32.

You know it's a legit Korean restaurant when they have terrifying, threatening signs like these:

"Shilla is NOT a playground or daycare. Please watch your children.
We check ID from EVERYONE. It's the LAW!"

They're very generous with the variety of small dishes, but whether the wait staff is willing to refill them, really depends on their mood.

We got the house special marinated beef ribs--kalbi or galbi, I can never tell the difference. Anyway, the beef is so juicy and flavorful, but a little on the salty side, so I eat it over rice (I never trust NYC restaurants' raw lettuce, and Shilla's looks a little limp and brown). It is quite a pricy item--about $30 for one portion that can feed two skinny Asian girls--but it is worth the occasional splurge.

My main dish was duenjangjigae--soybean paste stew--the pronunciation of which I've perfected, thanks to having ordered this a million times. This version is one of the better ones I've tried; it's very, very savory and not too thick, so you can drink it as soup. The ingredients are also a lot more appealing than some other ones I've had, with zucchini, potatoes, and tofu. There's also onions and some questionable shreds of beef in it, but I'm guessing they're only in there for flavor, because they're cooked to death and don't taste great on their own.

Overall, Shilla is kind of a pricy place, so come with a large group if you plan on getting barbecue. It does have great, authentic Korean food and fun drinks (yogurt soju, anyone?) so it can be worth the occasional fun night. The best part about Shilla, though, is that it is one of the few Asian restaurants in Manhattan where the waiters will not ask you for additional tip, which is really tacky. Two years ago some friends and I went to a different Korean place on the block, and we were literally chased out after leaving only 12% tip. I doubt they serve Chinese people anymore.

Shilla Restaurant
37 W 32nd St.

Cha-An Japanese Tea House

Cha-An is an occasional indulgence for me for afternoon tea. I would usually only get one item each trip, but for blogging's sake, I got two.

My first dessert was the scones. Each plate comes with one earl grey-flavored scone, one chocolate scone, sake-chantilly cream, and blueberry compote. The scones are very different from what you would expect from a regular, English scone. They're not flaky or buttery, but rather moist and crumbly, kind of like a dense cake. I prefer the earl grey scone; the chocolate is just a bit too sweet, while the earl grey is aromatic and has a mild, slightly woody flavor. The sake-chantilly cream is amazing--really light and airy, and just sweet enough to add flavor to the scones. The blueberry compote, on the other hand, is just fine. It has a nice, smooth texture and a warm, sweet flavor, but it's nothing special.

My second "dessert" was the smoked salmon toast. It's a thick toast with smoked salmon and watercress, and the sauce is mayo, mustard seeds, and lemon. It's one of the more expensive items on the menu--$12--but well worth it. The smoked salmon was perfectly fatty, and the bread was fluffy and moist and had an incredible buttery flavor. The dish was also nicely balanced--the sauce added an acidic kick, and the watercress added lightness and crunch.

Overall, Cha-An is not the most necessary place to go eat (you don't have to have dessert or afternoon tea) but it's well worth a trip and the price.

Cha-An Japanese Tea House
230 E 9th St, between 2nd and 3rd Ave.
http://www.chaanteahouse.com/

Peels

I've had my eye on this place for months; every weekend, I see hoards of people lining up outside for brunch. I knew I had to try it when, a few weeks ago, the same number of people were waiting outside when there was supposed to be a blizzard that day.

Whenever I eat brunch with my boyfriend, I always get biscuits with gravy, because it is delicious. But then by the third bite I always make him promise to never let me get it again, because it's so heavy and rich that I will never finish it. The version at Peels, however, is much, much lighter--biscuits with sausage gravy for skinny girls, if you will. The biscuits weren't too special; not buttery or flaky, just kind of beginner's biscuits. The gravy wasn't as thick or flavorful as I would've liked, but it was light enough that I could finish the whole plate (but judging from the gummy, sticky texture, the thickness comes from cornstarch, rather than from fat). The dish also comes with poached eggs, which were perfectly done--firm whites and runny yolks. However, the egg whites were a bit sour; you can put a capful of vinegar in your poaching water to help the egg white set, but any more and you can taste it.

For dessert, I got the chocolate hazelnut pudding. The pudding itself was smooth and creamy, and not too sweet. The hazelnuts were so nicely toasted that it left a nice roasty aftertaste. However, you will almost definitely feel gross and greasy and fat after you've eaten half of it--after all, a good two-thirds of it is whipped cream. There are not nearly enough hazelnuts to balance the creaminess of the large amounts of fat. My suggestion is, take off the whipped cream on top, and add another tablespoon of hazelnuts.

I'm not sure if Peels is worth the brunch hype or an hour-long wait, but it is the place you imagine yourself in when you think of lunch in East Village. It's the perfect place to go for a lazy-afternoon lunch.

Peels
http://peelsnyc.com/
325 Bowery, at 2nd St.

Blue Water Grill

First of all, I need to apologize for the food pictures taken with flash--Blue Water Grill is one of those pretentious NYC restaurants that is too cool for proper lighting. However, this restaurant would make for a really great romantic date spot, since all your flaws are hidden in the dark.

Our appetizer was the fried calamari with zucchini and chilis, which was my favorite part of the meal. The calamari was perfect--so tender and not greasy at all. The batter was a little less crispy than I would've liked it, but the texture of the calamari itself makes up for it. If you can take spicy food, try the fried red chili! They deseed it anyway, so it's not really that spicy.

In general, I would call Blue Water Grill inconsistent. Just on one plate, you get a mix of good and mediocre elements. I got the scallops, shrimp, and gnocchi. The scallops were nicely seared (a bit too opaque in the center, though), the gnocchi had a great fluffy texture, but the shrimp were rocks--literally rock shrimp. I mean, it was just cooked to death and hard and crunchy.

The lobster mashed potatoes were, again, mixed. The potatoes were so nice--perfectly smooth and buttery--but the lobster, which sat on top of the potato, was cold by the time we got it. I was also really confused by the single cilantro and tarragon leaves just floating on top; nothing agitates me more than nonfunctional garnish. I understand that color and presentation are important factors in a dish, but they could've used a garnish that both looks good and makes sense, flavor-wise. I expect a lot more from a BR Guest restaurant, especially when I'm paying $12 for a tiny plate.

I didn't even bother taking a picture of the profiteroles I got for dessert, because they were covered in chocolate, and under flash they would've just looked like mounds of poo. So basically you get three cream puffs without the cream, with vanilla ice cream, strawberry compote, and chocolate. The profiteroles were really, really not good--the puffs themselves were dense and dry, the ice cream was crunchy and grainy from all the ice crystals, and the strawberry compote had a strange, bitter aftertaste. I'm usually never this disappointed with dessert. When I think of profiteroles, I think of moist, airy puffs, and I got the opposite. I would be a lot more forgiving if Blue Water Grill just called it brioche with ice cream.

I'm not sure if the chef just had an "off" night, because BR Guest restaurants have a really good reputation; however, for the price point, this was really a disappointment, and I would have to think long and hard before coming back.

Blue Water Grill
http://www.bluewatergrillnyc.com/
31 Union Square West, at 16th St.

Luke's Lobster

My friend and I have been talking about eating here for over a semester, and we finally came on a less-cold day.

We each got a lobster roll and I got a clam chowder as well. It's a standard, simple lobster roll; really fresh lobster with butter, mayo, salt, and pepper. But even better than the lobster, I think, is the bread. It's so nice, buttery and toasted. I just wish that they would toast both sides, though (they only toast the outside), because if you don't eat it fast enough the inside can get a bit soggy.

The clam chowder was pretty nice--not the best one I've ever had, but it's good (my trip to Boston last year really ruined a lot of seafood for me). It's not too overly thick or salty, and the clams don't have that "fishy" taste. I did bite into a few grains of sand, though.

I don't know about the other stores, but the one in East Village is really, really tiny. It has nine seats, but because some seats are awkwardly cramped into corners, it can only really seat five or six people. It's a great place for two or three friends to come during the week (on weekends, people really cram in there and will eat standing).

Luke's Lobster
http://lukeslobster.com/
Various locations