Charlie is a Sinner

Charlie is a Sinner (131 S. 13th Street) is a vegan restaurant located in Center City. I would say the ambiance of the restaurant is somewhat romantic.  When you walk in, the host is behind a table and there are some seatings in front of the table. Then when you walk past the doorless opening, there is a classy looking bar to the left. Past the bar are more seating. The restaurant was basically narrow with little tables and chairs on one side and on the other side there are  more little tables, chairs, and a long bench along the wall. It was mostly dark inside with candles on each table and against the wall with the bench against it, there was a blue light projected halfway on the walls. The light projection and the darkness kind of reminded me of atmosphere of a theater for small productions. I kind of liked this unique atmosphere.

Another interesting about this place was that the water was poured from a glass jar with minted infused from it. I thought this was creative and acted as a decor for the table while also flavoring the water. See below.

Mint infused Water

Below are the foods we ordered. 

Avocado Toast

The Avocado Toast (habanero aioli, radish, tarragon, red onion) was delicious. The bread was toasted and somewhat crunchy. The sliced avocado was creamy and tasty. The chopped radish were sweet and sour (maybe pickled) and really added to the favor of the avocado toast. 

Artichoke Frites

Artichoke Frites (saffron aioli, red onion, lemon) were okay. The frites were crispy and not greasy as I expected it would be. They didn't really have any strong taste but that's how artichoke taste to me in general. The aioli, which kind of reminded me of mayonnaise, didn't really have any flavor to it. The fried red onion was actually surprising sour. I guess it was a fried pickled onion. Overall, I thought this deep fried dish a little too much for me.

Bucatini and 'Meatball'

Bucatini and 'meatball' (fra diavolo, basil) were delicious and my favorite. The 'meatballs' tasted like real meatballs. The texture and the flavors were very comparable to real meatballs. According to the waitress, she said it was just whey protein with some herbs like parsley. I definitely think there is more to it than the waitress led on. The pasta was chewy and good. It wasn't too soft or too hard. The tomato sauce was fresh. It was an excellent dish.

Tofu & Bean Sausage

The Tofu & Bean Sausage (smoked tofu, parsnip mash, leek pesto) was good but I can't say that for the componetns on the plate. The tofu and bean sausage have the texture that was comparable to real sausages. For the taste, it was smoky, had some sweetness to it, and somewhat spicy. The half round vegetable on the side which I thought was a mini brussel spout was an onion so I was alittle taken back when I ate it. The white mush that look like it was sprinkled with cinnamon was actually mashed parsnip. I thought it tasted like mashed potatoes with some cinnamon or some kind of powder herbs.  Regarding the clump of white sauce placed between mashed parsnip and sausage, I am not sure what it was. When I tried it, it was little balls (maybe tapicoa balls), not sure what it was but the texture made me uncomfortable and I had to spit it out. 

Trio Sorbet

Trio Sorbet dessert were the three daily selections. That day there was lemon ginger, strawberry, and some other flavor that I don't recall. The lemon one was sour and refreshing. The strawberry was lightly sweet and the best tasting out of the all of them. Also, the (cookie?) crumbs on the bottom really went well with the sorbet. It was a nice treat and good ending to the meal. 

Based on what I had, I would definitely consider coming back to this establishment. I would also highly recommended to the vegans and vegetarians out there.

Zahav- Modern Israeli Cuisine

Getting fancy at Zahav (237 St. James Pl, Philadelphia, PA 19106). Zahav is an Israeli restaurant in Philadelphia. When we visited Zahav, we did the taste of Zahav. With that you get a salatim (daily selection of salads) and hummus with laffa to share. The each person gets to choose 2 mezzes (appetizers), 1 al ha'esh (entree), and 1 dessert.  May I say this was actually quite alot of food. Below are some of the foods we got. The menu changes seasonally/ periodically so some of the things I ate might not be on the menu anymore. 

Salatim

For the salatim, it was interesting. It came in 6 small bowls. I was expecting more of a big bowl with lettuce and other mixed greens. However, the Israeli salad was more of pickled vegetables than fresh/raw veggies. Above is a picture of some of each salad placed neatly on my plate. From right to left, there was eggplant, string beans, red pepper with onions, carrots, cabbage, and beets. The eggplant was tendered and tasty. It tasted like eggplant spreads they are offered as appetizers at Mediterranean restaurants. The string beans and the carrots had a similar pickled favor and had some kind of red oil on it. They were tangy sour. The red pepper with onions has a nice sweetness to it. The cabbage was sour tangy, too. The beets which were actually my favorite were tangy and creamy. Not sure, if it was because I am not used to these tastes, but I could not eat too much of any of the salads.

Hummus with Laffa

The hummus with laffa was very fresh. How the hummus was plated gave an illusion that there was more than there actually was. They basically creativity swirl some of the hummus around a flat plate and pour some oil over it. The hummus was very creamy and delicious. The oil on top really complement it. The laffa was warm, soft, and chewy. There were dried herbs sprinkled in the laffa which definitely added favor to it.

Roasted Carrot

The Roasted Carrots were caramelized and sweet. It came with this lemony yogurt sauce and crushed pistachio. I actually prefer the carrots by itself. I didn't think the yogurt sauce or crush pistachio go well with the carrots. I thought the carrots were very good on its own.

Zucchini

The zucchini was breaded and fried. It came with spicy marinara sauce and shaved goat cheese. It was quite tasty. I think everything in the place went well with each other. We actually finished this dish quite fast but then again there was only four pieces. 

House Smoked Sable

For the House Smoked Sable, there were shredded sable topped on a toasted challah. Inside the challah was a runny fried egg. When the waitress delivered the dish, she cutted the challah in half and the egg yolk came running out. The toasted challah was somewhat crispy and greasy. The challah as well as the egg yolk complemented the well seasoned sable. I would definitely recommend this dish if you like fish.

Eggplants

The Grilled Eggplants came with capers sauce on the bottom as well as some kind of green sauce on top. I am actually not a fan of capers and thought the eggplants were way to salty for me. Also, I didn't think the green sauce, which might have been pureed cilantro or parsley, add value to the dish. However, the texture of the eggplant was nice and tender, but because of the salty capers I really couldn't finish the eggplants. I wish it was seasoned some other way. I would have actually been happy if it was just lightly salted and grilled. 

Pineapple Sorbet

The pineapple sorbet was refreshing and light. It reminded me of breakfast. The pineapple sorbet was rich in pineapple flavor. It tasted somewhat like a creamy pureed pineapple. It came with yogurt, blueberries, and toasted shredded coconut. Everything well together. I can definitely see myself eating something like this for breakfast.

Coffee Custard

I got to taste my friend's coffee custard. It tasted like a coffee mousse. The coffee tasted really strong which I liked. Also, the blueberries sauce tasted went surprisingly well with the coffee custard. I actually prefer this even more than my already delicious pineapple sorbet. I would gave this dessert an A+. 

Overall, I really like the customer service and ambiance of the place; however, I thought there food was okay.  Some things I thought were spectacular, but then there were some that I thought was okay or just not for me. 

Pitopia

We were making our way to the bus stop and thought we would pick something to eat for the journey back home. We came across Pitopia (369 W. 34th St, New York, NY 10001). They were handing out whole falafel with tahani and it tasted great so we decided to get falafel sandwiches. I thought this was cute establishment. There was actually a sink for you to wash your hands. This place was basically a self serve after you ordered your sandwich. There were white press down squeeze jars for sauces such as tahani and a salad bar (with pickles, etc.) that you can add to the falafel. The also had a self serve stack of brown paper for you in case you wanted to take out your food.

Falafel on Pita

I ordered an Israeli falafel (hummus, fried eggplants, Israeli salad, pickles). It came in a box that had perforation in the middle so you can remove the perforation and eat the sandwich with the bottom of the box supporting it. I thought the falafel tasted good. It was mildly flavorful and somewhat crispy; however, there was something about the falafel sandwich was not right or didn't taste spectacular. After much thought, I don't think I like the pita bread. It was thick and I thought it was more on the doughy side. I think it was the bread that reduced the experience. The tahani and hot sauce I added to the sandwich did make it taste better.

BCD Tofu House in Koreantown, New York

For dinner one day, we stop by BCD Tofu House (5W 32^nd St., New York, NY 10001). I think this a small chain Korean restaurant. When we got there, the place was crowded which was a great sign. That’s how you know it’s going to be good. The wait was about 10 minutes. The place was pretty big with two levels.

Deep Fried Fish

Side Dishes

Before our dishes came out, each of us got a mini deep-fried fish as well as some side dishes (bon chon) for the table to share. The fish was basically salted and deep fried. It was good and crispy on some parts. If you wanted to eat some of the bones you could. That’s how deep -fried it was.  For the side dishes, they were good. I tasted some of them. The kimchi was okay. I got to admit kimchi is an acquired taste. On the far right there was macaroni with some creamy dressing and raisins. I thought it was interesting. The pickled cucumber was good. The broccoli was flavorful and tender. I didn’t tasted the dried shrimp or what we presume is pickled radish but my friend said it was good.

Veggie Bi Bim Bap

For my main dish, I got the cold veggie bi bim bap. It came with an assortment of vegetables (carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, etc.), a fried egg, and tofu on top of the rice. The red bi bim bap sauce was premade and came in a big red squeeze bottle. The picture above is after I mixed everything together with the sauce (as you can probably see already I didn't go a good job).  The vegetables were tendered. The egg was well cooked. I actually would have prefer the egg to be a little bit runny. The sauce which is what I think really makes this dish was delicious. It was very mild spicy and had sweetness to it.  I enjoyed my meal very much. Also not pictured is that they provided a bowl of some hard burned rice soaked in hot water. So apparently, they make the rice in stone bowls and after the rice is cooked, there is some rice on the bottom that gets hard, crispy and somewhat burn. They scrape the rice on the bottom of the stone bowl and add water to it. Not sure, what is the purpose of this. Maybe it not to waste food or maybe it is supposed cleanse your palette after the meal. Whatever the reason it is, the bowl of rice in water was not tasty. Based on the fish, bonchon, and my dish, I would definitely consider visiting this restaurant chain again.

La Bergamote in Chelsea, New York

We decided to go French for brunch because there was a French place nearby and had good reviews. We went to La Bergamote (177 9^th Ave, New York, NY 10011).  When we walked into the restaurant we were bombarded with showcases of delicious baked goods behind the counter.  Just seeing the endless baked goods lighten me up. We were instructed we could seat anywhere so we chose a table in the quarter filled restaurant.

Coffee

I ordered regular coffee. They gave me a small cup of milk that was frothed. I added half of the milk as well as a packet of raw brown sugar in my coffee. Not sure if the it was the milk or the brand of coffee they used but the coffee tasted exceptionally good that day.

Chive Scrambled Eggs

For my meal, I got the Chive Scrambled Eggs (chives scrambled eggs, over toasted Brioche, side of mixed berries). The presentation was beautiful. It was so pretty that I thought if I added any condiments to it (eg ketchup), I would be ruining its beauty. I also thought it was fancy how the waitress asked me if I wanted ground pepper on your food and her grinded some on my food. The salad had a very light dressing. I could not tell it if it was a very light vinaigrette or maybe oil with some kind of flavoring. The fruits were very sweet and fresh.  The fruits were very sweet and fresh. I like it when the blueberries are somewhat plump. The bread was thick but my on the airy side. I never had brioche but I guess this how brioche bread is. It was okay. It was greasy and somewhat toasted on the outside. I would prefer a more dense and toasted bread (aka not a brioche).  The eggs were kind of bland so I did end up putting some ketchup on it. Overall the food was okay but I really like the ambiance of this place. I wouldn’t come back for something on the brunch menu but I might come back for coffee and to try their baked goods. 

Nyona Malaysian Food in New York City

We actually didn’t plan to eat at Nyona (199 Grand Street, New York, NY 10013) but while we were making our way to another place, we got tired and hungry. This place looked nice. It was rated A sanitation and had good reviews on yelp.  Also, the fact  that there were a lot of people  inside was a good sign. I am so glad we went in. The food was so flavorful, delicious, and surprisingly reasonably priced.

Curry Mee with Young Tau 

I got the Curry Mee with Young Tau (Egg noodles served in a spicy lemongrass coconut curry with tofu and vegetables stuffed with fish. Hot and spicy). The soup was mildy spicy and rich in coconut flavor which I love as well as many other delicious flavors. I think the whole dish was homemade. The noodles were thick, tendered, and somewhat chewy.  It was not too soft nor was it hard. The texture is how I like my noodles to be. The fish cake inside the bitter melon and green pepper were tender and flavorful. The fried tofu soaked the broth well and was very tasty. 

ABC Shaved Ice and Buboh Chacna

For dessert, we got the ABC Shaved ice with red bean, corn, palm seeds, jelly, and red rose syrup as well as the Buboh Chacna (sweet potato and yam with coconut milk). The shaved ice was good. It tasted like coffee flavored. The Buboh Chacna remind me of Cantonese Taro pudding. It was basically coconut milk with sweet with cooked pieces of soft sweet potatoes and yam. The Buboh Chacna was good but I was hoping for a flavor I never had before. Overall the desserts were good but not spectacular. 

Below are dishes that my friends got.

Java Mee

Java Mee (Egg noodles served in sweet and spicy dried squid gravy with shrimp, shrimp pancake, bean sprouts, potatoes and grounded peanut).  The noodles were the same noodles a got in the Curry Mee. This dish was more of a noodle and gravy combo. It reminded me of the spaghetti. The sauce is a little sweeter than spaghetti sauce. I tasted some potato and tofu with the sauce and I thought it was delicious. I would definitely consider ordering this the next time around.

Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak  (coconut rice flavored with cloves and screw-pine leaves. Served with chill, anchovy, pickles, curry chicken with bone and hard boiled egg).  According to my friend, the chicken was tasty and tender. The plate must of have been good because she finished it all.

Pad Thai

Pad thai (Stir-fried rice sticks with tofu, shrimp, egg, bean sprouts, onions, and string beans in a spicy Thai chilli sauce, sprinkled with ground peanuts. Hot and spicy). The pad thai looked good. It was also fully devoured by a friend. I did taste the tofu from the dish since my friend didn’t like tofu. The tofu was a too fried but the flavor of the sauce on it was delicious. The sweetness and sourness was not overly sweet or sour.

Prosperity Dumpling in New York City

I love dumplings so when I was staying in New York for a weekend, I had to try Prosperity Dumpling in Chinatown (46 Eldrige Street, New York, NY 10002). The place was basically a hole in the wall. It was very tiny and barely had any seating. There were just only two small tables in front of the store. The line went pretty fast and the wait for the food was not that long. It is comparable to waiting for fast foods such as McDonald.  While I was there, it was crowded with people waiting on their orders but then again the place was very small. I got 8 boiled vegetable dumpling for $3 and a vegetable sesame pancake for $1.50 to go. 

Boiled Vegetable Dumplings

The vegetable dumplings were delicious. It was definitely homemade. The skin was smooth and not too thick or thin. From the taste, the filling was mostly cabbage and shiitake mushroom. It was well flavored. It wasn’t salty nor was it bland. I know why this place has excellent reviews on yelp now. I would definitely come back for the dumplings.  I would say this is great delicious cheap eat in New York. 

Sesame Pancake with Vegetable

The sesame pancake stuffed with “vegetable” was good. The only vegetables inside were shredded carrots and parsley. The shredded carrots were kind of sweet and sour and reminded me of the shredded carrots in Banh mi. I actually didn’t eat this fresh so by the time I did it was greasy and soggy. The flavor was tasty but I think the sogginess and greasy texture just didn’t quite make it as appetizing. Maybe next time I will try it fresh and give a more fair assessment.

Stay tune for more reviews of New York Restaurants I tried during my stay.