想飛 I WANT TO FLY

這幾天在網路上看了舒國治的台北小吃札記內容連載，看得我心神嚮往，恨不得馬上飛奔回台北按圖索驥一家一家吃到底。想想紐約好吃的東西也很多，不如我也來記載我在紐約吃到的好吃的東西吧。以前一直想當美食家，大學時還差點應徵民生報的美食特派員，現在在自己blog上能對餐廳品頭論足一番，也算是半圓了當美食家的夢吧。


好吃的拉麵店
1. Ippudo (一風堂) (65 4th Ave., NY)
推薦赤丸拉麵，以豬骨頭為底的湯頭，再加上一小坨紅味噌，第一次讓我把碗裡的湯全部喝乾。這是我在紐約吃到最好吃的拉麵，剛開張的時候沒有排隊等個一小時是不會有位子的，連老外都很愛。

開心程度：4.5

前天傑克小弟從Maryland來紐約拜訪，並帶來了六隻龍蝦當伴手禮(還是活的，真感動）。記得以前住在波士頓時只要有朋友來訪，我一定會去超市買龍蝦招待朋友，請魚販幫我蒸熟，帶回家後只要拿菜刀拆解龍蝦，並備好醬油加蒜頭，就是美味的龍蝦大餐了，比較起在大餐廳裡吃奶油龍蝦，自是經濟又實惠。離開波士頓後，就再也沒有去超市買龍蝦犒賞自己或朋友了。雖說以前由於招待龍蝦太多次，幫大家支解龍蝦的重責大任總是落在我身上，因此我拿起菜刀支解龍蝦的手法也算是利落。但在傑克面前完全是小巫見大巫。傑克在餐廳工作，據說每天要砍殺五百隻以上的龍蝦，所以看到他指揮室友準備大鍋蒸龍蝦，並且還親自為我跟室友操刀把龍蝦的身體肉大腿肉取出，自是感動異常。

outcome：我與室友各豪爽地嗑掉兩隻半龍蝦（哎哎，想當初以前我的最高紀錄是一隻半），還喝光了龍蝦腦髓，膽固醇指數升高百分之兩百。

第二天，我們三人去了每次傑克來一定會去朝聖的蕎麥屋（Sobaya）。我們每人各點了蕎麥屋的lunch set，我吃完主食seared tuna再加上蕎麥麵已經很飽了。但我們的午餐沒有就這樣結束。因為室友從來沒有去過今年開張的日本拉麵店一風堂（Ippudo），所以我們三人又決定續攤。

It's good not to have to work during the NYC's winter restaurant week, and it is also good to have a friend who knows where to eat. This new friend that I've just met seems to know every restaurant in New York and can immediately analyze the goods and bads of each and every restaurant which we passed by. We ended up with having food at this restaurant:

Perry St
176 Perry Street, NY

This is one of the restaurants opened by Jean-George, one of the world's famous chefs. It is located in West Village and is rated one star from Michelin Guide. Though fancy and modern from the outside, the price isn't too crazy. It is said that Perry St serves "contemporary American food", but I still have trouble understanding what that means. Anyway this is really a nice experience. They have good cocktail too.

Here is what I had:

Finally I had the chance to revisit one of my favorite dessert shops Chikalicious in Manhattan. The shop was closed on my last night before I flew back to Taiwan 2 years ago, and I had to go back to Taiwan with regret. So this place is definitely a must go for me.

Chikalicious is a small dessert bar which features a prix fixe 3 course dessert that comes with Amuse (similar to the appetizer in a formal meal, it is usually gelato), a choice of menu (the main dessert), and Petite Fours (the last dessert) for US$12. By sitting at the bar you can see how the dessert chefs prepare our dessert, and it is quite a performance. You won't be having the same thing because from time to time the chefs try to change the dessert menu, so it is also quite an adventure for you don't usually know what you will get. Expect to have a 30 min wait because the shop is really popular!

The Amuse: vanilla sorbet and pumpkin cubes