Lobster Place - Chelsea Market

Today was such a lovely day! I've decided that I need to only go out once a week and not waste away my weekend by going out too much and being hungover the next day. I realized that while going out with friends can be a lot of fun, the weekends that I've enjoyed the most while being back in New York (or even in Hong Kong) has been the ones with daytime activities where I can enjoy the weather. The weather today was absolutely perfection, a tad cold at times but just lovely under the sun since my favorite weather is sunny and brisk. Today I went to Soulcycle with F and then we went to Chelsea Market to enjoy some delicious seafood. I initially wanted to try out Mokbar as well but we were having such a good time at The Lobster Place that we ended up getting stuffed. The lobster was AMAZING as usually. I loveeee that butter and the lobster roe was divine. The oysters were also super sweet and fresh. The sushi bar was also on point (toro was a bitttt chewy but everything else was just bomb.com). It was absolute perfect meal after our great workout and I can't wait to come again.

The Lobster Place 

Chelsea Market 

75 9th Avenue 

Chelsea 

New York 

NY10011

Smorgasburg

Smorgasburg is a food and flee market that happens in Brooklyn over the weekend. According to the website:

"Smorgasburg happens in two locations every weekend: Saturdays at East River State Park—Kent Ave. and N. 7 St.—on the Williamsburg waterfront; and Sundays at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5. Both locations are open from 11am to 6pm, and feature packaged and prepared foods, beverages, and more from purveyors from New York City and across the region, for a total of 75-100 vendors. The markets are always open rain or shine."

This is also the place where the infamous Ramen Burger was debuted. We did not get to eat that but we did have a lot of other yummy food. T and I decided to check it out when he visited and we had such a great time. Overall, there wasn't any dish that I was completely blown away by (just being picky), I did not have any life changing moments, but I really loved the atmosphere and the food was delicious. We also didn't try too many different things as we got full but we had oysters (fresh and tasty), Mighty Quinn's BBQ (they ran out of something :( but what we got was quite yummy, some bits were a little dry though!), and a fish taco (delish, loved it). I would love to try more dishes the next time I go. I really loved how we were able to get a bit of everything and the people there were all nice and friendly.

I highly highly recommend everyone going, remember to bring cash! I think T also bought a jar of pickles and he seems to enjoy it! The one thing that I am upset about was that I did not get to have my ice cream sandwich. I was saving it for last and when I happily went over to the stall to get it they were closed....

We also took the subway over which was fine but I hear that you get to enjoy the Manhattan skyline if you take the ferry. I will try that next time. I will definitely be returning so I know I will get that ice cream sandwich sooner or later!

Cute little anime thing I saw before heading to the subway

Smorgasburg 

East River State Park

90 Kent Ave

27 N 6th Street

Williamsburg

Brooklyn

NY11211

San Marino Seafood

After recovering from our pork belly extravaganza, J and I decided to go to Hungtington Library and grab lunch at San Marino Seafood beforehand. The restaurant is known for its fresh seafood and I was not disappointed! We got a bunch of things to share and everything was delicious! The restaurant is very homey and cosy, nothing fancy but fits in well with the simple and fresh seafood. You feel very welcomed and the service is also extremely friendly.

Corn Chowder
This was incredibly rich, creamy, and bursting with flavor. The amount of clams were also very generous and each clam was meaty and plump. A must order! Also, a cup is quite sufficient for a girl I believe, it is very rich! Gotta save your tummy for upcoming goodies.

Freshly Shucked Oysters
Super fresh and sweet. Just perfect!

Bucket of Mussels and Clams
Mussels and clams were both full of flavor and very meaty. The broth went perfectly with the natural sweetness of the seafood and the bread was grilled perfectly and was ideal for dipping up all the juices.

Shrimp Sandwich
The little shrimps were oh so good. They were super sweet and had such a great bite to them. They were lightly dressed in mayonnaise and the tomatoes and lettuce were also crisp and fresh. The only thing that would make this better was if we toasted the bread. 

Overall the food was so good and you can tell that they really take pride in the quality of their food and customer service. Such a lovely start to our day! Below are some pictures of the gardens at Hungtington Library (yes I am partial to roses hehe)

If you're in LA and want to have a short getaway you really should visit Hungtington Library! It's so beautiful and you can also indulge in some delicious seafood beforehand!

San Marino Seafood 

2150 Huntington Dr
San Marino
CA 91108
USA

The Hungtington Library 

1151 Oxford Rd
San Marino
CA 91108
USA

Press Room

To continue with the feasting on our happy hiking day, we decided to treat ourselves to a gluttonous meal after our physical exertion. L and I decided to dress up just for the fun of it even though the place we went to was not particularly formal. I’ve always known about Press Room and have been here a few times, but for some reason I never come as much as I would expect myself to. The food is really good and I love the atmosphere, its location is also very convenient for me so I am always a bit perplexed with my low frequency of visits! Press Room’s goal is to serve simple and delicious food made from the finest ingredients. The menu is mostly French Bistro yet contains other European comfort favorites. The atmosphere at Press Room is cozy and casual yet retains a sophisticated air.

Hmm... the photo quality is not as good as I expected, I've been using my iphone to take photos recently but I suppose I will go back to my camera for dimmer settings!

Oyster Platter
The oysters were very fresh and was very sweet and flavorful! A great start to the meal.
 

Onion Soup Gratineé
I only had a small spoonful of this but I remember it was well flavored and the amount of cheese was also very decadent :) The amount of onions was very generous which resulted in a very rich soup. 

Grilled Flatbread - Caramelized Onions, Goat's Cheese, Bacon, and Rocket
This dish was decent but was not particularly memorable. The bread was nice and crunchy and went well with the hearty bacon and onions, but I would prefer to order other dishes over this next time!

Louisiana Chili Crab Cakes
The crab cakes were just ok. They were not bad, but I would have preferred them to be a bit denser and crispier!

Dressed Crab - with Gazpacho Dressing
This dish was absolutely delicious! Every delightful morsel was gobbled down in a blink of an eye. The amount of crab was generous and was fresh and sweet. The avocado was creamy and went perfectly with the crab. The gazpacho dressing was refreshing and just took the dish to the next level. We enjoyed it so much that we did not hesitate for a second to order a second serving! Yum!

Slow Braised Lamb Shank - Parmesan Polenta
The lamb was incredibly tender and drenched with a decadent and rich sauce. The meat was infused with the hearty flavors and melted in your mouth. The polenta was a little bit lumpy and I would have preferred it to be smoother and creamier. The vegetables were cooked perfectly, slightly seasoned as to not mask the natural sweetness. Overall a lovely dish. 

Lobster Risotto
I was getting rather stuffed at this point, so only had a small spoonful of this. The risotto was perfectly al dente full of rich lobster flavor. I would like to have more of this next time when I am not filled to my eyeballs with food. Presentation was also very appealing as you can see. 

Cedar River U.S.D.A Natural Prime Ribeye - Peppercorn Sauce
Ok so I had a bite of this even though I was on the verge of explosion. Or at least I am quite sure I did as we also had a lot of wine... oops. But if I do recall correctly this was definitely a solid steak. 

These were the sides that came with the steak. Can you guess what that huge white puff is? Cauliflower! 

Pistachio Crème brûlée and Biscotti
There is always room for dessert! I had a spoonful of this. I don't remember a distinct pistachio flavor but it was nice and sweet. Will have to pay more attention next time! 

Winter Spiced Bread and Butter Pudding - Armagnac Crème Anglais 
This is the final dish of the meal I promise. Bread pudding can always put me in a good mood. And this version was quite good but I think it was a bit too dense. The shaved chocolate and excessive amount of sauce was lovely though. And I must admit I was quite overcome with the previous dishes and wine that I may not be giving this dish a justified review. 

The Press Room is definitely worth a visit! The food is overall very good and the atmosphere is also enjoyable!

Press Room

108 Hollywood Road

Sheung Wan

Hong Kong

Okaki Oyster Bar

So usually I would never have a post without pictures, but unfortunate my stupid USB port messed up my camera memory card and erased all my most recent photos! Ugh! The good news is, this dining experience was TERRIBLE and even though the pictures were decent, this is not a review where you should be drooling over the dishes. Therefore here is a gif to express my feelings towards this place:

This could easily be one of the worst meals of 2012! V and I are both oyster fanatics and decided to try out this new oyster place in Tai Hang. There were not a lot of reviews on this place but there was a decent review from a food blog and therefore we decided to just give it a go. What a mistake!

First of all, the food took FOREVER. I almost felt like they were harvesting the oysters from the sea with how long it took to get out that stupid platter of terrible oysters. Even I can shuck oysters faster than that schmuck behind the counter! The waiting time would be forgivable if the oysters were good, and obviously that was not the case. Every single one of the oysters left a nasty fishy aftertaste in our mouths. The oyster were not fresh at all and to add insult to injury one of the oyster had actually GONE BAD. Imagine slurping up this slimy wet glob of oyster and being hit with this foul rotten taste. That was how bad it was. I instantly spat out this mess and was desperately trying to wash this taste out of my mouth. Thankfully we ordered 2 skewers of ox tongue and I was able to stick a piece in my mouth after gargling away with water.

Then there was the service. The waitress we had was decent. But then there was this lump of wood of a waiter who was absolutely clueless. After I told him that our oyster had gone bad, he just stared blankly at me. Are you kidding me? You just served your customer rotten seafood!! He just glanced at the waitress who instantly apologized and said she would replace it right away. Ok so replacing it was obviously the least you could do, but I felt that they should not even charge us for the replacement! The waiter continued to impress us with his incompetence when V went to the restroom and notified him that there was no more toilet paper. He just stared at her and did nothing to resolve this issue. Do you expect your customers to go to the storeroom and change the roll herself? Once again the waitress came to the rescue and instantly changed the toilet paper for us. How do people like this get hired?

After the disastrous oysters, the rest of the meal was subpar to say the least. The ox tongue was decent. We also ordered a foie gras pasta which was edible but not great at all. The pasta was overcooked and was just drenched in a thick cream sauce.

AVOID this restaurant. Do NOT come here. This terrible meal came to around 600+ per person and we were both incredibly dissatisfied.

Mark One

I was completely ecstatic when I discovered Oyster C, a place with delicious oysters and BYOB? Yes please! So just imagine my glee when someone introduced me to Mark One, whose prices seem even more competitive than Oyster C AND they have a scallop and crab roe risotto with truffle. I’m salivating just thinking about that rice. Mark One is also located in Tin Hau (where Oyster C is) and is a little less grungey than Oyster C. Service is decent but we did have to wait a while before our server emerged to take our order.

Scampi Sashimi

The scampi was of very decent size and was very fresh. The meat was bouncy, juicy, and had a nice bite to it. Although this was quite good, I thought the scampi at Oyster C was sweeter!

Uni

The uni portion was very generous and it came with a cup of nori for you to wrap it up with and devour. The uni was very fresh and sweet and had a strong flavor. This was definitely a crowd pleaser and was destroyed in seconds. I usually don’t like uni on its own as it lacks texture but the piece of crunchy nori was a perfect accompaniment to the creamy and flavorful uni. 

Oyster Platter

The oyster prices were some of the most affordable I’ve seen! Unfortunately they had run out of a number of oysters that night but the ones we had were still very juicy and fresh. 

Deep Fried Scampi Heads

These were the heads and claws of the scampi that we had as sashimi earlier. The heads were lightly battered and deep fried, resulting in a delectably crispy morsel. One complaint is that the claws were definitely way too hard to be eaten and I almost broke my tooth trying to test this. It would be better if they just ripped off the claws and only served the heads with the thinner legs. 

Beef Carpaccio 

The beef Carpaccio had great presentation and was well made. The slices of beef were of the right thickness and the arugula and parmesan were a great balance of textures and flavors. I did not care for the onions as it was slightly overpowering.

Scallop and Crab Roe Risotto with Truffle

Ta-da! The infamous scallop and crab roe risotto with truffle. The rice is served in the crab shell which ups its presentation and you can instantly smell the truffle once it is put in front of you. The risotto is perfectly al dente and the sauce to rice ratio is perfect, not too dry, not too runny. The crab roe taste is very rich but not over powering, the truffle also doesn’t mask the richness of the crab roe as both are quite heavy flavors. This dish is decadent, creamy, and oh so good. Despite how delicious it is, it would be a good idea to share this with some people as it is quite heavy and you don’t want to be too greedy and end up feeling like you ate a village. A must order! 

Mark One serves up some drool worthy food at very reasonable prices in a comfortable atmosphere. It is also BYOB so bring your bottles of wine and be ready for a very solid meal! 

Mark One

Shop 3 and 5

Jupiter Tower

9 Jupiter Street

Tin Hau

Hong Kong

Oyster C

Oyster C is definitely one of my new favorites in Hong Kong. This is the second time I've been here with Y and each time the food is good and I leave full and tipsy. I took photos the first time I came as well but that was when I got too intoxicated thanks to the BYOB policy and lost my bag after at the club. The atmosphere is really laid back and the staff are all very friendly. The walls are covered with writings and signatures of customers and naturally I took the biggest marker and left my mark there as well. The restaurant is always bustling with customers so make sure to make a reservation. It is also opened til 2 am so keep Oyster C in mind next time you want a midnight munch excursion!

Selection of oysters
The owner came over and asked us what type of oysters we liked: salty sea water, creamy, or sweet. We decided to have a selection of all three. All the oysters were of high quality but our favorite was definitely the Walvis Bay oyster (bottom right). It was incredibly creamy and sweet - just heavenly. It was as if all the best things the ocean had to offer were condensed into one oyster shell. I could definitely eat a dozen of these glorious oysters any day. 

Our selection of oysters

Shrimp scampi
The scampi was very fresh and sweet, it had a great crunch and bite to it but I felt that I would rather eat this at a japanese restaurant as ebi sashimi. It was good, but it wasn't something I would specifically get here because they make other dishes better. 

Deep fried shrimps heads from our shrimp scampi
The shrimp heads were flavored very well and it was fried to a crispy perfection. Shrimp heads are one of my favorite little snacks to munch on and this did not disappoint. 

Obviously the biggest writing there :)

Clams in a sake parsley sauce
The clams were very juicy and meaty, the sake sauce was not my favorite and I usually hate parsley but this was acceptable. It was a good dish but I think I will try the cream sauce next time. 

Crab meat and black truffle linguine
The pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente and the sauce was very creamy and infused with the incredibly aromatic truffle flavor. There was also a very generous amount of crab meat throughout the pasta. The servings are very big and we were very very stuffed. I was not the biggest fan of the salad on the top but overall the pasta was very good and scrumptious.

Oyster C

98-104 Hing Fat Street

Tin Hau

Hong Kong