Piccola Italia Da Luigi

After some old posts, let's go back to Phnom Penh! I was a bit skeptical when I was told that the pizza was Luigi's was amazing but it really really is! The crust is so thin and crunchy and the toppings were also delicious and generous. The one tiny tiny complain was the middle got a little soggy but it was really not an issue at all. Only if I wanted to be super picky and I think this also had to do with the fact that mine was a pesto pizza and they were quite generous with that delicious sauce. The pizza was SO good, and not just for Cambodia standards, for any standard! I have only been once but I am already yearning to return. I got the pesto pizza and added italian sausage. My friends got the pizza with the fried eggplant and that was also super good! A medium pizza (which I ate for lunch, then dinner, and had some for breakfast also) costs around $7! I've also heard that their antipasto is really good so I will definitely try that next time! The next pizza that I have my eye on is one with cream sauce, bacon, and onions (oink oink).

Piccola Italia Da Luigi

Street 308

Phnom Penh

Cambodia

UPDATE: I went to Luigi's again and was disappointed to find that the crust was much softer than before. It was much more "typical asian pizza crust" if you know what I mean. It was definitely not baked enough and lacked that great crunch and lightness that I experienced the first time. I talked to my colleague and he said that he also noticed the lack of consistency at Luigi's. The toppings and service was still very good and this wouldn't make me cross off Luigi's from my list, but it is slightly disappointing!

Xian Famous Foods

Xian Famous Foods is one of my favorites in NYC! I was soooo happy when I found out that they were opening a branch 2 streets away from me. I even printed out this coupon and got a free noodle on that day (free food woohoo!).

I haven't tried a lot on their menu because all I do is munch on the oxtail noodle (extra spicy) but I really should push myself to try other items. I have also tried the spicy noodles in soup and the spicy cumin lamb burger but the oxtail noodle have been my ultimate favorite. I also went here with T when he visited and we had the lamb face salad. I did not like that at all, the pieces of the lamb face were too hard to chew for me and the greens also did not suit my tastebuds. They do advise against having it to go because the noodles really do get softer but I usually speed walk to my place and it takes literally less than 5 minutes. If you do plan to have it to go for longer distances you really should try to eat in at least once because it really is much better fresh as the noodles are much chewier. The staff is always friendly and this is a great place for a quick and delicious meal! The price is also unbeatable at around $6-8 a meal.

Remember that it is cash only!

Lots of yummy Chinese drinks! I love the soy milk

Spicy and Tingly Beef Hand-ripped Noodles in Soup
The noodles got a tiny bit soggy by the time I got home even though I was speed walking like a mad woman. This was really good but the extra spicy with the soup was a bit overwhelming and I much prefer it without the soup (like below). The beef was also good and was cut to a ideal thickness that could stand up to the noodles. This was good, but not as good as the oxtail noodles! 

Stewed Oxtail Hand-ripped Noodles
Ahhh my love. This is so so delicious. The noodles are so chewy and each noodle is different since it is hand-ripped. Some bits are thinner and some are thicker and wider. This makes each bite different and allows the noodles to maintain different textures and soaks up more or less of the amazing spicy sauce. The oxtail is slightly sweet and stewed to perfection. I only wish they gave me more of it! Just remember to pick up the nasty cilantro and celery bits! I am definitely missing this right now and can't wait to go back to NYC and eat it! 

Xian Famous Foods

Multiple Locations

New York

Kanpai

When we were deciding on how to strategically plan all the foodie adventures in LA, the one restaurant that KEPT coming up was Kanpai. I was not particularly keen on the idea because I felt that we are already so spoilt for choice with Japanese food in Hong Kong. I did not see the reason why so many of my friends who went to school in Cali wanted to come back here so badly. Thank god I decided to go though because it was THE BOMB. Now I am completely on team Kanpai and cannot wait to go back again to gorge my face with its goodies. Everything was super duper yummy and fresh and the MUST ORDER that we kept getting was the Phoenix Moon - toro, uni, and truffle. This is just out of the world amazing. I hope you enjoy this insane amount of sushi porn! Some are a little blurry because I tried to be super efficient in snapping my photos since many hungry people were ready to pounce on the food. This was one of those dining experiences where we started using the standard of "life changing" to compare other meals haha. It was everything you want from a sushi meal, but with just a little something something that makes it extra special!

TADAAA

Kanpai

8325 Lincoln Blvd

Los Angeles

CA 90045

Animal

Ok so this post is a year old.... but it was one of the most exciting dining experiences of 2013! I've been dyingggg to try this and I was so glad I could eat this before flying back to Hong Kong the next day. Animal is opened by the much buzzed about duo of Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, who also opened Son of a Gun (next time next time). Animal opened in 2008 to critical acclaim and are still delighting palates. The food is executed perfectly and the dishes are also super interesting and creative. Animal is known for serving various parts of animals so if you like eating innards and all that good stuff this is a MUST VISIT. Those who are a little more squeamish will still enjoy their meal as they have many other offerings.

I tried my best to look up the name of the dishes on the restaurant's menu but it changes all the time so I even went on Yelp to search up pictures, but unfortunately some *may* be incorrect :(

Spicy Beef Tendon Chip, Charred Onion Pho Dip
Such an interesting start to the dinner! The tendon chips were really crunchy and light. The onion pho dip had such immense flavor and its creaminess went really well with the chips. 

Yellow Nectarine, Radish, Agretti, Local Goat Cheese, Almond Vinaigrette
The veggie chips were cut to the perfect thickness and was not greasy at all. It was lovely and crunchy and the creamy dip at the bottom was tangy and delicious. The presentation was also super pretty and a feast for the eyes. 

Chicken Liver Toast 
The chicken liver was luscious and creamy and the flavor was very robust which I loved. The toast was also cut to just the right thickness. The liver mousse to toast ratio was just perfect! I forgot what the black condiment was but I thoroughly enjoyed this. Tiny toast = massive flavor. 

Shrimp and Rabbit Sausage Spring Roll, Mizuna, Green Curry
This was not the most memorable dish. It was was yummy spring roll, but not specifically worth ordering given the selection of other creative and interesting dishes. 

Veal Brains, Vadouvan, Apricot Puree, Carrot
Eeeee brains! This was actually not bad at all! The brains were a bit mushy and spongey but the crust was well flavored and crunchy. Ok I guess that does not make you really want to eat it but it was actually yummy! If you like sweetbreads then you would like this too. 

Mexican Street Corn, Epazote, Serrano, Parmesan 
I really loved how the corn was SMOTHERED with the sauce and cheese. The sauce was spicy, tangy, and creamy. The addition of scallions was also delicious! Serving could be a bit larger though.

Forgot the exact name but should be pork neck
The pork had a great meaty flavor and cooked perfectly. The insides were still slightly pink and the outside had the perfect charred surface. 

Barbeque Pork Belly Sandwiches - Slaw
Porky, fatty, melting GOODNESS. The buns itself were so good as they were a bit sweet and the pork belly was just sooo decadent. The slaw gave the bun the much needed crunch and freshness to offset the fattiness. Yum yum.

Blueberry, Frozen Brown Butter Crumble, Yogurt, Bay Leaf Ice Cream
The yogurt/ice cream ball was super creamy and smooth and the berry mixture was so delicious as you can tell that lots of berries were put in there and cooked down. The presentation was also SO pretty and just looked so cute. 

Cheesecake Pudding, Guava, Seascape Strawberries, Graham
This was a tropical paradise party in your mouth! The strawberries and guava went so amazingly together and there were so many different types of textures going on at the same time. A perfect end to an amazing meal. 

Animal was such a great dining experience! I would definitely return on my next visit to LA and also visit their sister restaurant Son of a Gun which focuses more on seafood. I left this dinner a very very happy girl. 

Animal

435 North Fairfax Avenue

Los Angeles

CA 90036

Hot Kitchen

Yay! I found a decent Szechuan restaurant in NYC! I must admit I have yet to visit Flushing which is a shame but I will definitely put that at the top of my priority list next semester. Hot Kitchen is located in the East Village and I heard from T that it opened in the east side in the 50s also! I first went for a group halloween dinner and went again with a smaller group because I really enjoyed it! The xiao long baos are no ding tai fung but they are still rather tasty and juicy. I always wanted to have the hotpot here but I did not know that you had to specify when you made the booking so I was quite disappointed when I arrived and they said I could not have my hot pot. T is going to try it out in the upcoming days so I hope that she will like it also :)

Xiao Long Bao with Crab Roe
The flavor of the crab roe is not what you would get in Hong Kong but you need to come here with certain expectations when you order crab roe items. The skin is also a little bit thick but not too bad at all. The meat is flavorful and juicy and overall this was yummy and I would order it again. 

Ox Tongue and Tripe with Spicy Peppery Sauce
This is a Szechuan classic and was made very well here. The tripe and pieces of tongue were cut to the just the right thickness and I loved the texture. The spicy sauce was also bursting with flavor and spicy enough. Would order again!  

Fresh Killed Fish in Spicy Broth
I actually ordered water cooked fish (水煮魚) and was given this. This was not what I ordered but it was actually really yummy so I did not really mind the mistake. The sauce was thick, spicy, and slightly sweet. The fish filets were also tender and thick enough to hold up to the robust sauce. This went so well with a bowl of white rice. The addition of scallions and garlic was also delicious! 

Sliced Beef in Spicy Broth 
This was quite well done but nothing out of the ordinary. I must prefer water cooked fish but this was certainly not bad either.

I will definitely be coming back to Hot Kitchen whenever I have a spicy craving and I will ensure that I try the hotpot next time! 

Hot Kitchen

104 2nd Avenue

Between 6th and 7th Street

New York

NY 10003