Mama Maria

Graduation was nearing so my parents came all the way from Beijing to attend my commencement. I thought it would be a good idea to bring them to the North End to get a taste of the Italian cuisine here in Boston. I made a reservation for Mama Maria after reading many excellent reviews on Yelp. The menu is seasonally inspired to ensure that the freshest ingredients are used yet are still heavily focused on traditional Italian dishes and cooking. After walking up a small flight of steps up to the restaurant we were greeted by a very gracious hostess who informed us that our table would be ready soon. Our table took longer than expected yet the hostess and the other waitstaff were very polite and apologetic which eased the displeasure greatly. We were led into a small room filled with three other tables, the decor of the restaurant was very elegant with pastel colors, delicate light fixtures, and dim lighting. Although classy, the restaurant did not feel overly stuffy or pretentious.

Beef Carpaccio with shaved truffle, arugula, capers, and parmesan cheese 
Amazing. Each bite of the carpaccio was a burst of perfect seasoning and texture. The dish was not merely drizzled with truffle oil but was generously flecked with large bits of shaved truffle. The truffle flavor was immense and heavenly. The nutty flavor of the arugula and the tangy saltiness of the capers all added to the perfect harmony of flavors of this excellent first course. 

Cape Bretin New Brunswick Oysters baked with Prosecco Zabaglione
The oysters were fat and juicy and although slightly heavy, was a delicious and hearty dish. The juiciness of the oysters were furthermore enhanced by the creamy texture of the sauce ladened on top of them and the baking of the dish resulted in a delicious cheesy crust on top. I usually prefer my oysters raw and fresh yet this preparation was still very enjoyable. The deep fried garnish on the top was very delicious although I failed to find out what it was. 

Lobster Pasta, Silky Agnolotti filled with Fresh Maine Lobster, Pan Roasted Mushrooms, and Crumbled Guancale
Once I bit into the pasta I could instantly tell that it was freshly made. The texture and flavor of the pasta was impeccable and could only be made from the freshest and highest quality ingredients. The pan roasted mushrooms had a lovely nutty flavor and also added a great textural aspect to the dish. The  delicious hearty chunks of lobster was fresh and contrasted with the silky texture of the pasta which wrapped around it. 

Pan Seared Canadian Halibut with Maine Fiddleheads, Oregon Morels, Fresh Herb Salsa Verde, and Creamy Parsnips
The fish was cooked perfectly and was tender and full of flavor. The fiddleheads were very curious to me for it is not something I eat often, this may be due to personal preference but I was not particularly enthralled by their taste or their appearance. The fresh herb salsa verde added a nice kick to the dish. A light and nicely made dish. 

Overall the experience at Mama Maria was excellent and I would love to return again to feast on such high quality Italian cooking.

Mama Maria
3 North Square 

Boston
MA

02113

La Toque

After graduation I went to Napa Valley with my parents for my graduation trip. Unfortunately we were unable to get a reservation at French Laundry which was rather devastating to me but luckily there were many other delicious places in Napa for good food. La Toque by Ken Frank in the Westin Hotel received many positive reviews on yelp therefore I made a reservation there for our first dinner at Napa. The menu changes periodically to showcase the freshest seasonal ingredients. There are 3 options, one where you pick your own courses, the Chef's tasting menu, and a vegetable tasting menu. There is also the option of wine pairings with each course which my father and I opted for.

Maine Lobster Salad with Manila Mango and Lemongrass
The lobster salad was a dance of fresh and exotic flavors in ones mouth. There were hearty pieces of lobster in the salad and the sweetness of the mango along with other garnishes resulted in a refreshing and delectable starter. 

Seared Artison Foie Gras with Peppered Compressed Pineapple, Apricot, and Spiced Rum Gastrique
As always, anything with foie is instantly on the top of my list. This foie was rich and seared perfectly. Still not as amazing as the foie gras from L'espalier in Boston which I will blog about soon. The foie gras was paired with a sweet wine which was an absolutely perfect combination. 

Alaskan Halibut with Saffron Cream Sauce
I am not completely sure of the full name of this dish. I took a small bite of this and it was thoroughly enjoyable. The fish was battered lightly and deep fried but was not overly greasy or healthy and maintained the freshness and texture of the fish.

Soft shell crab Once again I am unsure of the entire title of this dish. The presentation was a bit awkward in my opinion with the entire crab on the plate. The taste was decent but not something I would order again. The crab was not as crunchy and I would hope and all the textures just did not harmonize together too well.  

Boneless Lamb Loin with Cumin Scented Carrot Puree and Chickpea Fries
The lamb was extremely tender and the entire dish had very strong and robust flavors. The carrot puree complimented the lamb very well and the sauces were also perfect. The presentation of the dish was also lovely. I did not care for the chickpea fries, they were slightly soggy and lacking in any special flavor. 

Wild Pacific Salmon with Red Wine Vermicelli and Oyster Mushrooms
The salmon was sliced very thinly and cooked very well, resulting in very juicy meat. Although cooked well, it was not anything incredibly outstanding. 

Overall the meal was very enjoyable yet it was not mind-blowing. Good quality food but not somewhere I would be specifically keen on returning to.

La Toque 

1314 Mckinstry Street 

Napa 

CA 94558

Balthazar

I've wanted to try Balthazar since the very first time I visited New York. Yet it was also so busy that I never got the chance to go. I have been to Pastis which is also opened by Keith McNally and serves similar french bistro food yet did not get to try Balthazar until recently. If you are unable to get a spot in the restaurant they have the bakery right next to the restaurant where you can get pastries, sandwiches, and coffee.

 

Alaskan King Crab Legs
The crab legs were incredibly fresh and had a lot of meat. Each leg was cracked at all the right places for easy access to the succulent crab meat. 

Steak Tartare
As you may be able to tell from all my previous posts, I am a steak tartare lover. We got the larger serving to share among 4 people and it was still a rather large portion and we had leftovers. The steak tartare was seasoned very well and the bread was perfectly crunchy and contrasted nicely with the tartare. The greens were a tad bitter for my tastes but added an interesting kick to the dish overall.

Seafood Curry Soup
This is a soup that my friend ordered but I did not try any. I am not completely sure of the actual name of the dish. Apologies

Warm Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion Tart 
I absolutely adore cheeses and goat cheese is one of my favorites. The taste can be quite strong for some but I love it. Caramelized onions is another one of my favorite things and therefore this tart is just made in heaven for me. The tart was very rich and heavy and full of strong flavors. The salad on the side helped balance out this robust flavors. The tart shell was buttery and fluffy. A must try for those who like goat cheese and quiche like pastries. 

Salmon Coulibiac with Mushroom and Dill Cream Sauce
Coulibiac is salmon wrapped in pastry and baked with various vegetables and other fillings. The salmon was cooked to absolute perfection, it was incredibly succulent and not overcooked at all. The cream sauce was rich and delicious. The puff pastry maintained its crunchiness on the outside while still being fluffy and soft on the inside, creating a perfect blend of textures with the salmon. An excellent dish. 

Duck Confit with Crispy Potatoes, Wild Mushrooms, and Frisee Salad
The duck confit was seasoned very well and the meat was tender while the skin was crispy. The wild mushrooms were also cooked very well and the crispy potato chips added a nice textural element to the entire dish. 

 All in all the meal was incredibly enjoyable. Make sure to make reservations because it fills up very quickly!

Balthazar 

80 Spring Street 

New York

NY 10012-3907

Totto Ramen

Many people see ramen as something that is a fast food and a classic college meal when one is too lazy to cook anything more substantial. This is completely false and it saddens me when people think that something so amazing is generalized in such a way. Good ramen actually takes a lot of effort to make and the end result is absolutely phenomenal. My absolute favorite place to eat ramen is Ichiran in Tokyo and I still fantasize from time to time about that steaming bowl of goodness. There have been many ramen shops popping up all over New York and the latest hype has been about Totto Ramen. The shop is tiny and reminds one of a rustic casual ramen shop in Japan. The wait was very long but I would wait longer just to have that delicious bowl of noodles.

We sat at the bar facing the kitchen where chefs sweated and toiled over gigantic pots of rich creamy broth and noodle stations. It was nice to be able to watch the chefs perform their magic but it was also a little bit too hot 

Totto Spicy Ramen
Totto is known for using a chicken based broth instead of the more common tonkatsu (pork) broth. I initially thought that the broth would not be as tasty but I was completely wrong. The soup was extremely flavorful and creamy, one could tell that it is the result of hours upon hours of condensing quality ingredients over low heat. The noodles were chewy and of perfect texture. I love spicy food so the spicy sesame oil totally hit the spot. The cha siu pork was fatty and melted in my mouth. I also got the seasoned avocado which was passionately recommended by a dear friend and that was absolutely phenomenal. Everything in this bowl blended together to create a bowl of heaven. I am hungry just thinking about it. 

Totto Ramen

366 W 52nd Street 

New York

NY 10019

Butterlane Cupcakes

Ever since the explosion of cupcake stores everywhere, many cupcake shops have gotten a lot of hype and I have tried many of them such as Magnolia Bakery, Baked by Melissa, Crumbs, and Sprinkles. I personally think Crumbs is disgusting and too excessive, a cupcake to me is suppose to be a small delicate bite of sweetness, not a huge cake smothered with globs and globs of frosting to the point of drowning (Crumbs). Butterlane Cupcakes got very good reviews from my friends so I went after my lovely dinner at Scarpetta. The store was very small and decorated in a charming childish manner. There is a blackboard on one side of the wall with all the different cake and frosting combinations.

Banana cupcake with strawberry frosting
The cupcake was moist and sweet. The frosting had actual strawberry bits in it that have been smashed up. I really liked how the frosting actually had the fruit in it, much better than artificial strawberry flavorings. The cupcake was decorated rather rustically but I found this to be very down to earth and echoed the way the cupcake tasted, simple and deliciously made with fresh quality ingredients.

Perfect with a cup of hot green tea 

Butterlane Cupcakes 

123 East 7th Street

New York, NY 10009

Scarpetta

Scarpetta was one of the best meals I had during my stay in NYC and that is saying a lot because I was lucky enough to indulge in many delicious meals. I've heard many great reviews about this place and my expectations were definitely met. I must not be the only one to want to head to Scarpetta because even on a Thursday night the only dinner reservation we could get was at 6 pm. The restaurant entrance is very subdued and one would not notice the sign unless you knew where to look. There was a small outdoor area but it was a bit too windy that night to dine outdoors. The restaurant is decorated in a chic and elegant manner. We got a lovely seat right by the window where we could people watch and catch a glimpse of the street.

The bread basket was glorious. It had focaccia along with a bread with cheese, ham, and vegetables wrapped inside. The bread was warm and fluffy. I love bread that is crusty outside and soft and warm on the inside. 

Creamy Polenta with Fricassee of Truffled Mushrooms
I absolutely adore eating polenta. It is so creamy and comforting and goes amazingly well with mushrooms, and obviously, truffles. Mushrooms and truffle are a match made in heaven and the addition of polenta just blew my mind. The polenta was rich, creamy, and smooth. The truffle flavor was strong and the mushrooms were cooked perfectly, not too soft. The texture of the mushrooms complimented the creaminess of the polenta perfectly. This is a dish I would hope to someday recreate.

Braised Short Rib of Beef with Vegetables and Farro Risotto 
The first thing that struck me with this dish was its beautiful presentation. The short ribs themselves melted in my mouth and the creamy risotto clung on to each bite. The sauce ladled on top of the dish was of perfect consistency and flavor. The fresh salad greens on the top completed the dish with a nice refreshing crunch. 

Short Rib and Bone Marrow Agnolotti with Garlic Chips and Fresh Horseradish
The pasta shell was extremely thin and wrapped around a small bite of flavorful meat filling. I felt that it may have lacked a bit of sauce but the dish was prepared exquisitely. One other thing that I felt this dish was lacking was the richness of the bone marrow. I am used to eating bone marrow from the bone with toasted bread and condiments, therefore I was expecting the incredibly rich and fatty texture of the bone marrow to be evident in the agnolotti yet I felt that I was unable to taste that. 

Duck and Foie Gras Ravioli with Marsala Reduction
I have the same complaint about this dish as I did for the short rib agnolotti. The pasta itself was made beautifully, the ravioli skin was delicate and thin and the filling was flavorful and meaty. Yet I did not taste the foie gras flavor and that was a disappointment for me. If it were just a duck ravioli it would have been a perfect dish, yet when the foie gras was mentioned I expected that rich foie flavor to be very evident in the pasta. Still an enjoyable dish though none the less.

Formaggi, choice of 3 cheese with crispy taralle 

Robiola Bosina with stewed figs, camomile, and honey
I love creamy cheese and the sweetness of the figs were even more concentrated by being roasted. Fruits and cheese are another divine combination. This cheese was creamy but still had a level of solidity. It had a mild flavor and the sweetness of the figs, camomile, and honey all danced together for a delicious symphony of flavors. 

Ricotta di Bufala with truffled honey
I am a total truffle junkie. Anything with truffle, truffle oil, truffle honey, you name it, I love it. The consistency of the ricotta cheese was not my favorite yet I had to order it since it had truffle honey on it. The flavor of the cheese was a little musky and salty but this was balanced by the decadent sweetness of the truffle honey. 

Quadrello di Bufala with beet compote
This plate was simple and delicious. The beet compote was not too sweet and maintained the fresh taste of beets, simple yet delicious. The color of beets are also very beautiful and this dark red contrasted with the creamy whiteness of the cheese resulted in a lovely presentation. 

Coconut Panna Cotta, guava soup, and caramelized pineapple
Panna Cotta is one of my favorite desserts (can you tell how many of my favorites I got to eat at this restaurant?). I love the creamy soft texture of the dessert and how a relatively simple dish can encompass the richness and flavor of cream and milk so perfectly. This one had a dash of coconut flavor which was refreshing. The guava soup on top gave the entire dish another exotic flavor. Each bite was a fruity and creamy explosion.

Scarpetta 

355 West 14th Street 

New York, NY 10014 

Korilla Food Truck

I have loved the idea of food trucks since I've heard about them. I think it is such a innovative and exciting idea to have unique speciality foods served in a truck that is always moving to different locations. The entire notion of needing to follow your favorite food trucks via Twitter is a little bit daunting as its a little inconvenient to not always know where to find them, yet this also makes you anticipate obtaining the food more. This is my first food truck experience and I can't wait to try more! Korilla Food Truck was conveniently parked outside my friend's dorm so I didn't have to search around for long. The truck was blasting house music which was another huge plus in my book.

T

The menu: HOW FUN 

Ribeye of the Tiger Burrito with Kimchi, Rice, and Korilla Sauce
Korean bbq has always been a love of mine so wrapping it into a burrito was just genius to me. I am not a huge fan of beans so I have always not been the biggest lover of mexican style burritos. This on the other hand was glorious. The ribeye was seasoned perfectly and every bite was filled with beefy goodness and the spiciness and crunch of the kimchi. 

Korilla BBQ Food Truck 

www.korillabbq.com