Gotham Gal

Scallion Pancakes

What was I thinking?  Let's see how much of a mess I can make with flour because that is exactly what I did.  It was definitely an ambitious project for just one piece of an entire meal.  Yet they were really yummy and I learned how to make them right the next time.  So here is what I would next do for next time around.

2 cups flour

1 tsp yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup very warm water and 1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

ample vegetable oil

1 cup chopped scallions

Sift one cup of flour in one bowl and one cup of flour in another bowl.  Mix the yeast with the warm water and sugar until it has dissolved. 

Slowly add the yeast mixture to one of the flour bowls using a spatula to create a dough. If this is too wet, add a little more flour and don't be scared to do it.  Wet is not good.  Mine was way too wet and that was one of the things I learned as I added more flour later on in the process. 

In the other bowl prepare 1/2 cup boiling water.  Sprinkle 1 tsp of salt over the top of the flour and slowly add the boiling water mixing with a spatula until completely combined to make a dough.  If this is too wet then add a little more flour as I stated above.  Then add in 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil to complete the dough. 

On a heavily floured surface roll out both doughs separately and then knead together.  Now take that ball, put it in a bowl and cover with a wet towel.  This should rise for about 30-40 minutes. 

After the alloted time to rise is over take the ball and roll it out over a heavily floured surface.  Then form it into a 1' rolled log.  Cut into 1 1/2 - 2 " pieces. 

Roll each individual piece out and brush with vegetable oil  Sprinkle enough chopped scallions on top to just cover the surface.  Then roll this back up and then form a coiled ball like you are making a ruggelah.  Flatten this down with the rolling pin again and make into another pancake, not too thin. Now the scallions are totally incorporated in the dough. 

Continue until all the cut pieces have formed a pancake.  In a flat bottomed frying pan pour just enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  Get it really hot and then bring the temperature down to medium high.  You can cook either one or two at a time depending on the size of your frying pan.  They should get browned on each side.  It takes about 2-3 minutes per side.  Continue to add vegetable oil as it is absorbed by the pancake and you will need more.

Once you finish each one lay it on brown paper ( like a brown paper bag or even paper towels to sop up the oil ).  Continue until each pancake is cooked.  I kept them warm in a warming drawer until they were all done.  Serve warm. 

Quite an ordeal and quite a mess but they were really quite delicious. 

 

The Art of Farming, the event

Besides the fact that all the proceeds from The Art of Farming event goes to GrowNYC's New Farmer Development Project and the Sylvia Center at Katchkie Farm that both serve and educate the community on the benefits of eating local and sustainable food...the event was great. 

An interesting group of people and seriously amazing food.  You rarely get to go to a benefit and eat food as good as this.  There were passed canapes from the chef Jeremy Bearman at Rouge Tomate.  Really creative.  I wanted to take pictures but I held myself back so my memory recall of each different piece of the individual mouth pops would not get the justice they deserve in my description but they were each delicious. 

We began with a small plate with a few starters...aka Amuse Bouche.  Zucchini and Jerusalem Artichoke Falafel Waffles by Chef Sosie Hulitz of Watty and Meg.  Shrimp with German Giant Radish, Amaranth and Smoked Mustard Seeds by Chef Ralf Kuettel of Trestle of Tenth.  Heirloom Radish and Carrot Terrine with Roasted Radish Soup, Radish Gelee and Carrot Sabayon by Chef Ryan Jaronik of Benchmark.  This was in a small glass cup that was thicker than a soup and quite creamy.  It was awesome and everyone was talking about how amazing it was. 

Each table had a lazy Susan in the middle so although the food was really beautiful the idea was to be communal as it should be as we support the farm to table movement.  There was also a collaborative discussion led by Chef Dan Kluger of ABC Kitchen to create the menu. 

First round of appetizers were a Roasted Radish and Buttermilk Tart from Chef Ryan Angulo of Buttermilk Channel.  This was so beautiful that I was tempted to just stare.  Farmers Market Vegetable Salad with Almond Cheese from Chef Angel Ramos of Candle 79.  Just simple and delicious.  Zucchini and Pistachio Pesto Toast from Chef Jim Lahey of Co. (Pizza).  Chilled Beets and Orange Anchovies from Chef Alex Guarnaschelli of The Darby.  Corn Spoon filled with Light Corn Pudding from Chef Nina Kaufelt.  This was a huge hit and a bit decadent.  Raw Fluke, Sugar Baby Watermelon and Black Radish Salad from Chef Shisa Ortuzar from Riverpark.  The picture came late but you get the idea. 

Entrees next.  Steamed Halibut with Goldbar Zucchini and Nasturtium Vinaigrette from Chef Dan Kluger at ABC Kitchen.  I loved this.  Light and that vinegar taste just really hit the high notes.  Twelve Hour Red Wine Braised Beef Shanks, Sweet Corn and Hubbard Square Pudding with a Sun Gold Tomato Gremolata from Chef Marc Meyer of Cookshop.  Herb Roasted Bobo Farms Chicken with Kaleidoscope Carrots and Summer Savory Jus by Chef Robb Garceau of Great Performances.  Smoked Pork Belly with Paisley Farm Squash and Cayuga Pure Organic's White Beans from Jimmy Carbone of Jimmy's 43.  Those beans were not your store bought beans.  Someone gave me some Cayuga beans and I have to break them out soon.  Roasted Heirloom Squash, Puffed Rice and Herbs from James McDuffee of Joseph Leoanrd.  A really nice addition to the entrees.  Chayote Gratin, Thin Sliced Chayote, Cream and Nutmet from Chef Jacques Gautier of Palo Santo and least and certainly not least was Sockeye Salmon with Green Tomato, Lemon-Thyme Compte and Squash-Stuffed Zucchini Flowers from Chef Bill Telepan of Telepan.

I just tried a little of each but loved the communal share and was amazed that at an event like this with this many people that the food could be so delicious.  After dinner ended, there was a dessert table which I liked.  After sitting through dinner it was nice to walk around and chat with more people and look at the desserts. 

Desserts.  Yogurt Parfait with Fresh Cranberries from Chef Robb Garceau of Great Performances.  Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery Cremont with Cherry, Blackberry, Sage and Clove Anytime Spreadable Fruit and 5 Spoke Creamery Tumbleweed with Bardshar Apple and Peach Chutney including Twin Mappy Hudson Red with Squadrilla Orange and Chili Chutney from Murrays Cheese of SchoolHouse Kitchen.  You have to love a good cheese plate.  Mini Challah with Darkened Golden Raisins, Candied Orange, Brown Sugar Toasted Walnuts from Orwashers.  Carrot Halwa with Date Cream and Almond Coriander Brittle from Chef Heather Calucci-Rodriguez Print.  Beautiful presentations from all.

Oh yes, I took a yummy gift bag home too.  Pumpkin Spice Yogurt Muffin from Clinton St. Bakery Company, Harvest Cake with Apples from Magnolia Bakery and a Mini Challah with Darkened Golden Raisins, Candied Orange, Brown Sugar Tasted Walnuts from Orwasher's. 

Wines from the evening were 2009 Treleaven Dry Riesling from King Ferry Winery, 2010 Seyval Blanc from Clinton Vineyards and 2008 Musee Bedell. 

A totally wonderful evening.  I really love what LIz Neumark has done with the organizations she has created and involved with...and this event pulled it all together including her touch for good food.

 

 

Junk Food vs. Cooking?

My Mom was a really good cook, my Grandmother was an amazing baker and my Dads Mom was quite the cook herself.  Cooking was just part of our life.  My parents threw dinner parties, my Mom had cookbooks and was definitely creative in terms of the day to day meal.  Not that we didn't have our basics like broiled chicken, rice and a vegetable but we weren't picking up a bucket KFC for dinner. 

Josh and I were talking about the costs of junk food vs real food this past weekend.  He told me that you can actually buy a 20 piece bucket at KFC for $10.  $10 can also buy you a whole chicken, a box of rice and a stalk of broccoli.  Hmmm, which is healthier? 

I have been reading Kathleen Flinn's latest book, The Kitchen Counter Cooking School.  The book will be released 9/29.  She writes about nine culinary novices and how she turned them into fearless cooks.  She became obsessed with helping these people improve the way they eat after literally following a woman in the grocery store with a cart filled with bad food for her and her family.  She convices this particular woman to swap out the processed food for healthy food that she can make at a lower cost but soon realizes that this woman has no idea how to cook. 

Mark Bittman wrote an article in the NYTimes about pretty much the same issue called Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?  The answer is no.  The core problem is that not only is cooking is work, I am not sure that many people really know how to cook healthy.  I also believe that the biggest problem lies with low-income families who can't afford to go to a high-end store and buy prepared food.  BTW, that food isn't so good either but at least it is healthier.  The good news is that there are a variety of organizations trying to help change that by teaching young people to cook and understand where their food comes from.  It has to come from within to change the culture.  

The other good news is that food has become a big part of our economy.  The DIY generation is very interested in where their food is coming from as the farm to table revolution is underway.  They are also taking that piece from the 50's where people, friends and family sit down to have a meal together vs grabbing something on the go.  

Many years back I had two friends who wanted to cook but always felt that they would somehow fail in the kitchen.  They didn't enjoy the process and one of them was seriously concerned if she didn't make it right that she would make someone sick.  One of my friends really for the sake of her children and family got into cooking and figured out to make a meal quickly.   She is not only a good cook at this pont she actually enjoys the process and is definitely proud of the outcome.  For my other friend, for her birthday many years back, I went to her house with a box of spices from Penzeys and gave her a list of basics to have when I got there.  I taught her how to roast a chicken, roast vegetables and a few simple tricks on how to take those basics and mix it up.  

She threw a luncheon for a bunch of people last spring and sent me her pictures.  They were amazing.  She has turned into a pretty damn good cook and for her family it has been a joy.  It doesn't take much to whip up some eggs, mix together some vegetables and olive oil and roast in the oven or roast chicken.  After you do that you generally become a little more adventurous once you see how easy it really is.  The question is, how do we teach as many people as possible to feel comfortable cooking in the kitchen even if it is only a few times a week.   

 

Walk thru Chelsea

I love walking up the Highline en route to Chelsea.  We got our fix of art in this afternoon at a few of the galleries around Chelsea. 

Our first stop was Harris-Lieberman gallery that has a video installation up.  A variety of men on the reel asking questions such as...have you ever smoked pot, have you ever punched someone, have you ever cheated on your lover, etc.  It was actually quite cool.  The next stop was N. Dash At Nicole Klagsbrun and although when I read about artist I was intriqued by the work, it did absolutely nothing for me.  It is called Commuter Works.  The works on paper were all doe between the artists commute home and her studio.  Folded and refolding pieces of work (top left).

We then walked down to Gaggosian.  Gaggosian has become more like a museum than a gallery which is impressive that he has been able to build that type of empire.  Richard Sera is the artist right now at his 24th street gallery.  I am a huge fan.  Those extraordinary overpowering pieces of steel that are manipulated to create a maze are just so cool.  The little kids in the gallery were loving it.

Mary Boone is literally next door with a show of Nick Caves work.  Where The Wild Things are on crack.  Pretty wild stuff. 

We strolled down 9th and walked into Jim Kempner Fine Art.  He carries an array of big names.  This piece is what pulled me in.  I saw this artist, Carol Fuereman a few years back and wanted to buy a piece but never did.  This one is huge.  I am just totally drawn to it. 

Last street we hit up was 21st Street.  Matthew Barney at Barbara Gladstone.  Didn't do it for me.  I felt very pedestrian walking through there.  Large industrial type sculptures on the floor and small framed pieces on the wall.  Not sure what the connection was although this exhibit has been given high kudos.  I guess that is what makes horse races. 

Last was Peter Funch at VI Gallery.  I liked these.  Photographs of NY streetscapes that have been photoshopped into one photo.  He took pictures of the same location of people doing the same thing and then put all those people into the picture that is represented here.  For instance, all these people are talking on the phone, there is another where everyone is yawning and another where everyone is wearing hats and another where everyone is smoking.  Very clever.

We walked home along the HIghline and at the end back on the street was a Yogo truck.  It is ridiculously sticky and humid here and a vanilla yogurt to split just sounded right. 

Then caught a pop-up gallery on the corner with an installation of mirrors by Moza Saracho. 

We had enough.  We should really do this more often. 

Joanne Lang, About One, Woman Entrepreneur

How can you not be blown away when you speak to a woman who has four boys under seven years old who has set out to create a company around cloud technology for families and moms?  Having four kids under seven years old is an enormous task in itself but creating a start-up among the chaos is not only impressive it is inspiring.  I literally did a little diligence to make sure that Joanne was the real deal but rest assured...she is.  But lets go back to the start.

Joanne grew up in Manchester, north of London England.  She studied at New Castle University and after graduating got a job as a computer programmer at a start-up company.  If you have the right DNA, there is something about a start-up that gets in your blood and never leaves.  She ended up moving to SAP to be one of the early employees in their London office.  At SAP she found herself moving all the time for different jobs that she was sent to.  It got to the point that she was always calling her Mom for information that she forgot.  At one point she actually had to get someone to break into her house to get her information she needed because it wasn't on her laptop.  Although she didn't start her company right then, the idea of having access to all the data was certainly churning around in her head.

While at SAP, she was in a group that was supposed to launch new businesses and then they moved Joanne into a clandestine group that spent four years working on cloud technology.  They spent millions of dollars on training for cloud technology and then a bunch of things happened to her.  Joanne sold a house in the US where she had done a variety of home improvements.  The tax gain is less when you take home improvement loans and she couldn't find any of the paperwork and she forgot her anniversary.  It was an accident to her child that really made her decide to follow her idea for About One. 

A doctor called her and said you have to come now.  She got in her car and started frantically driving up the hill where she spotted an ambulance in the distance.  The entire time she was praying that the ambulance was not for her one of her children but it was.  The paramedics needed a bunch of information that she couldn't get to because she was so frazzled.  It wasn't that she isn't organized but everything is all over the place.  The good news is her son ended up being fine but that event changed her career direction and she became an entrepreneur. 

From all of Joanne's understanding of cloud technology she knew she could build a system where she could access everything she needed from anywhere.  She created an alpha product first to see if anyone would be interested in her idea and low and behold, for $20 a year, 62 people signed up.  About One was born. 

About One is geared towards the Mom demographics, 95% of the people who use her service are women.  About One lets you take everything you have and put it in the cloud.  For instance, you bought a crib and and you can scan in your receipt for your records so if there is ever a recall, you have the information.  If there is a doctors appointment for the kids, if there are photos you want to keep, Xmas card info, school events info, you name it.  Joanne built a platform that is fun.  Once you enter one thing, the system asks you questions for more information to create worthwhile files.  It is simple to use.  No surprises that most people use it for medical information.  It is the family cloud system and running a family can be an organizational nightmare. 

It was a big leap to start her own company but Joanne is seriously scrappy.  She went to Venture Beat who was involved with a movie company that was filming a movie on what it was like to be an entrepreneur and they picked her. She got Microsoft to sponsor her as they were paying for the movie.  When they saw the final movie product they asked Joanne if if she would be interested in their incubator fund.  That helped her roll out her company to more customers because she took a marketing agreement with Microsoft and they paid for her tech for a year and gave her money towards development of the company, assigned her to work with Atomic PR and gave her a security person.  Microsoft doesn't own a piece of her company but they do this so that companies use their products, in essence betting on Joanne becoming a big company that will use Microsoft forever.  Microsoft's goal is to ramp About One up to a million users quickly commissioning this as a case study to talk about at tech events around the world.  Microsoft chose 5 companies in the group Joanne is in. 

Although Joanne lives in Pennsylvania, she put her main development office in Utah and the sales are in Philadelphia.  She works really hard at hiring what she calls come-back Moms.  Moms that got off the train to raise their kids and are now looking to return to work.  She gives them an opportunity to hone their work skills again.  It is that gap in their resume that makes it hard to return to work ( which is utterly ridiculous but that is another conversation ).  She allows these women to have flexibility around their new jobs and children. Joanne was also awarded a small loan from the Benjamin Franklin Group to make sure she hired women in the region. 

Their customers are giving feedback constantly.  That gives Joanne daily validation that she is on to something.  They had a growth of over 350% in June.  The 2.0 version launched in October.  Mom bloggers, no surprises there, have been a key to their customer acquisition.  Seeing other Moms use the product, for Joanne, is the most thrilling.  She is also working to provide a non-profit angle so people can give back to social causes too.

I was seriously blown away by Joanne.  She is a power house.  I seriously wonder if she ever sleeps but then again that is what makes a great entrepreneur who has that singular laser focus to build something from the ground up. About One is impressive.

 

 

Hammers and Claws

Between the ages of 10 - 17 I lived in Potomac, MD.  The funny thing about it is that even though I spent seven years of my life growing up there I do not feel like I am from Maryland at all.  Maybe I came out of the womb as NYer but happened to land in Los Angeles slowly having to make my way east until I found my destination.  I think there are a variety of reasons while I don't feel connected to the area. Probably being an unhappy participant watching the demise of my parents marriage is number one on the list.  Regardless, I do have a few fond memories and one of them is an annual crabfest.

Josh Morgan put on an event at the Tunnel In Chelsea called Hammer & Claws Blue Crab Festival this weekend.  Just the smell of Old Bay seasoning when I walked into the room sent me back to my youth.  Sailing on the Chesapeake and stopping somewhere for a bushel of crabs one evening. The event had multiple seatings and for one price you could basically eat as many crabs as you want, drink as much beer, get some cole slaw, corn and a few desserts and listen to music on long communal tables.  People were really having a great time.

There are a few things about a crabfest.  You need a bib and you need wet-ones.  That wasn't provided so I'd keep that in mind for next year.  If you have never done the crab thing keep this in mind too, lots of effort for very little food but it sure is fun. 

Duck is cooking at Momofuku

Here is the question I asked when leaving the restaurant....does anybody ever have a bad meal at a David Chang restaurant because the answer is obviously no.  The food is just always amazing, unique, creative and just down right wow.  Now that I have that out there one of the latest additions to the menu is the duck.  Just like the bo ssam that must be reserved in advance, the same goes for the duck.  Note to self...do it. 

You can go there and seriously walk out full for days.  I asked how many other dishes we should order based on the size of the duck before we began.  There were five of us and we ordered a few others to begin and split.  We started with the uni.  If you love uni, you will love this.  Santa Barbara uni with sliced cherry tomatoes, mustard oil and what seemed to be tiny pieces of shrimp toast and an egg custard.  The combo was amazing particularly with the mixture of textures.

Next out was the Striped Bass.  Medium slices of raw striped bass mixed together with tiny pieces of plum, green peppercorns and a few leaves of a green herb.  A nice light tasty dish.

Our friend had never been to Momofuku so we had to get the pork bun.  A house specialty.  How can you beat a light and airy steamed bun stuffed with a slice of pork belly that has been topped off with hoisin sauce, sliced cucumbers and scallions?  You basically can't.

We tried the new bun that they added to the menu too.  One large bun stuffed with a crispy pork belly, sliced heirloom tomatoes and a spicy mayonnaise.  A different twist on a pork sandwich.

This was unbelievable.  Thinly sliced ham from Edwards Wigam farm in Surry, VA served with a dense spicy mustard sauce and a piece of bread on the side.  A different take on prosciutto.  I also like how restaurants are starting to tell us who the purveyors are. 

Chanterelles with pickled quail eggs, bone marrow and green juniper.  I would have liked to see the eggs a bit more runny to make the dish a bit messy but those chanterelles were divine. 

Here is the piece de resistance.  Juicy slices of duck with a crispy skin and a bit of duck confit was in there somewhere.  The pancakes were hard to resist.  They were just so flavorful that I ate one of them plain. 

The sauces were spicy, gingery and crispy.  You could use them all or try different ones for each wrap.  Love the lettuce.  This is similar to the bo ssam sides.

The two side dishes that came with that duck was is a cold broccoli dish that had little crumbly pieces that weren't bacon but had a similar consistency and there were also slices of something that tasted fishy.  I couldn't get enough of this dish.

These potatoes are made like the potatoes in Paris that sit underneath the chickens rotisseries just soaking in the drippings all day long.  The only difference is these potatoes sit in the rotisseries where the duck is made so they are coated with duck drippings and are just outrageous. 

Dessert didn't happen for us, we were done, although we could have walked over to Milkbar across the street.  We all rolled home but I'm coming back soon to Momofuku.  A serious WOW. 

Learning from the Boss

I had breakfast with someone this morning and it made me think about work environments.  Then later in the day I met with someone who is of the same generation and we talked about collaboration among non-profits in Africa.  That collaboration is better for everyone.  When we share resources and ideas the outcome is better for everyone from the top down.  I am a big believer in collaboration but many people of older generations, particularly women, were always of mindset of having sharp elbows to hold down their territory probably because they weren't always embraced to be part of the team. 

When I worked at Macy's, fresh out of college,  I found that there was definitely a group of women who screamed louder, back stabbed better and worked four times as hard as any of the men who were at the same level.  As a young aggressive bull in a China shop, I found that behavior concerning that women didn't seem to be treated as equals and wondered if I should sharpen my elbows too. 

I was in my third job at Macy's which was an assistant store manager of the New Rochelle store.  I loved that job.  I was responsible for 1/3 of the store and I over saw cosmetics and all of womens ready-to-wear.  I loved helping each person who worked for me grow in their career and teach them the business.  Being able to make daily changes that would directly effect the numbers of each individual business was rewarding. 

I learned so much in that job.  I happened to work for an amazing woman who was all about collaboration.  After working for one woman who created the fear of god in everyone and wasn't very warm to a woman who was dumb as a post and just fed on her power over me to a woman that created a cult like atmosphere, the store manager of New Rochelle was so refreshing. 

She taught me about the power of being a woman and using it.  Every 6-8 weeks the men (literally) who were the top brass at Macys at the time would come visit the store.  It gave the store an opportunity to basically clean house prior to the visit.  Every store room would be cleaned, every floor would be organized and the place would shine.  The men would walk through each department and the sales managers would come out to shake hands and introduce themselves and answer a few questions.  As the assistant store manager, I would walk them through my areas and recite data that they wanted to hear and answer questions. 

Every morning, the store manager would always ring me.  Every been in a store and hear those bells.  Every person at a certain level has a certain bell.   I'd hear my bell and I'd call a number which was the store managers to find out what was up.  She would come in the morning and sometimes ask me to come upstairs to give her a fb (french braid).  You spent so many hours there it was like a family and she was wonderful. 

The day of the visit I got there early and as usual heard my bell.  I called and she asked me to come upstairs to prep for the day.  I was wearing my black suit.  I walk upstairs and see that she is wearing a tight black leather mini skirt with a tight red sweater and 4" heels.  She had an incredible figure.  When I saw her my mouth dropped.  I said "did you forget who is coming today?"  She just smiled and said, "I know exactly who is coming today and I believe you should use everything that you got." 

She was incredibly smart saavy and chic.  She taught me an invaluable lesson too.  Be yourself and if that means standing in 4" shoes then do it. 

 

Crane Crest salad dressing

This summer I was at our friends house for dinner and I loved the salad dressing.  These particular friends are the gurus of artisinal products across the globe.  If there is every a nuclear holocaust, I am going to head to their basement and buckle down.  Their basement is the garden of fantastic food.

The salad dressing is from a Crane Crest.  Talk about old school.  I looked up the phone number online and called them and left a very detailed message.  My name, my phone number and address and what I wanted to order which was the six pack. 

I never heard back from them.  About 5 days later this box shows up.

Inside the box was the six pack and a bill.  They asked me to send them a check.  I put the check in the mail, old school with a stamp (gasp!) and our transaction was over.  Complete trust. 

Great product, kind of like the old school concept.  Makes me feel like I am doing business at the general store. 

back to Red Farm

I blogged about Red Farm not so long ago.  I didn't give it a rave review but I didn't trash it either. There is a reason that serious restaurant reviewers go back to eat at least three times because it depends on your mood, the day and just a variety of factors.  I admit that I usually write something after the first shot but do return if I liked it. 

Ed Schoenfeld read my post and then reached out to me.  He was determined that I had an all out amazing experience where I could walk away wowed.  And so, we went...Josh, Fred and me.  Not only did we have an incredible meal, I got to talk to Ed.  Ed has been in the food industry for over 40 years running 4 star restaurants spending most of his career in the Chinese food sector.  He even brought Hunan cuisine to NYC in the 70's.  He is one of those unique amazing NYers who has been mostly part of the downtown/Brooklyn scene where he raised his family.  An old time liberal who probably has more than a handful of fascinating stories.  His two sons still live in NYC and you can tell how proud he is of both of them when he speaks.  They sound like they have each found interesting careers as well.  Bottom line, Ed is a serious foodie who is a trendsetter.  If you take a look at his career, he is a man who paved the way for the "food" world we all live in today.

So to the food.  We began with the smoked salmon eggplant bruschetta.  Chopped salmon mixed with vegetables sitting on a warm piece of toast.  I am not doing a great job of describing this dish but we each took our piece and dropped in our mouth and everyone just looked at each other with that "oh wow" look. 

A juicy piece of steak perched on a tiny tart with slices of asparagus on the sides.  Really good and I love just popping the whole thing in my mouth otherwise it would have dripped straight down my chin.  At this point Josh said to me, this place is awesome. 

This is Red Farm's version of the pupu platter.  A few things on here.  Crispy Beef which I had last time and really liked, Curry Tofu which I have to say I am partial to curry, smoked cucumber slices, tiny peppers stuffed with a singular shrimp and a heirloom tomato salad with sauce.  A nice mixture of tastes.

These are almost too beautiful to eat.  You can't really go wrong with deep fried crispy noodles.  Attached to the top is a mushroom vegetable spring roll with your classic dipping sauce on the side.  Have to say the presentation of creating a hole inside the cucumber and sticking the spring roll in it to stand up is clever.  Nice.

Pac-Man shrimp dumplings.  Each dumpling was different and the only constant was there was shrimp in each.  I particularly loved the Pac-Man piece which was a sweet potato deep fried with panko over a dollop of guacamole.

Shu Mai Shooters.  Mushroom shu mai that you pop in your mouth and chase down with a ginger drink.  The ginger drink changed the entire experience.

Soup dumplings are classic in NYC.  These are stuffed with pork and crab.  Be careful, it is a one bite dumpling and you need to let them cool just a bit before making the move.

Diced lamb mixed with Chinese broccoli and pieces of white asparagus.  I really liked this.  A nice balance of flavors and a light sauce.

BBQ'd pork belly.  This has the smoky taste of the usually overdone red pork pieces you get in most Chinese restaurants.  This was a clever way of a standard dish on most Chinese menus around town.

Fried rice mixed together with a variety of vegetables.  I love fried rice...one of those dishes that I keep just having a little bit more.  Really delicious and we even brought the leftovers here home.

Last dish was the lobster.  Big chunky pieces of lobster mixed together with an egg, scallion, rice dish.  I was quite stuffed at this point but I did dig in.  Yum.

We couldn't do dessert, we all hit the wall.  Dinner was great.  I do still hate the communal tables but the space wasn't originally supposed to be what it is.  There are other ideas coming down the pipeline.  I also wish the restaurant was bigger.  Chinese food is something I just don't do that often unless I make it at home.  The local take out places have just turned me off.  I grew up going on most Sunday evenings for Chinese food like most Jews in the suburbs growin gup maybe we will bring back the tradition.  Best part of the evening...getting to talk with Ed.  The man is a NY institution.