Hand Drawn Noodles
June 21st, 2011 § Leave a Comment
It ain't a pretty scene, but it was damn good eating. Thank you Israel for Michael Solomonov.
Last week was all about Philadelphia, and its last impressions — a new taste of Israel and Chinatown’s hand drawn noodles. I was there with Chef for two events, and true to form, we followed our noses to eat good food off the clock. In early May, we had booked dinner at Zahav (‘gold’ in Hebrew) immediately after Michael Solomonov won Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. After meeting him on his home turf, he insisted we change our reservation for later Thursday evening so he could be there. So at 9:30 we arrived to Society Hill in a light drizzle to drink Israeli sauvignon blanc and feast on salatim (a rainbow of small salads and pickled vegetables,) mina (beef brisket with crisp matzoh and coffee,) and the chef’s fall-off-the-bone lamb shoulder. The meat was tender and juicy, lacquered with pomegranate glaze and slow roasted whole for three days until it was rested atop crispy Lebanese rice dotted with nutty chick peas for us to devour. And then Solomonov really did it. I’m not speaking of the other dishes paraded out of the kitchen nor of the genuine hospitality that had Arak (an anise flavored aperitif not unlike ouzo) flowing over ice-filled glasses in front of us. Though these gestures were beyond generous and appreciated, it was his recommendation for lunch before leaving the following day that really did us in, in the best of possible ways. With hot chili oil, pig ears, and hand drawn noodles! We were to head to 9th and Race to find it, although he couldn’t remember the name of the noodle shop. So the next morning, luggage safely in hotel storage, we set out due northeast following Solomonov’s trail of crumbs. They led to Zan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House and this awesome, humble lunch.
Palacio De Los Jugos in Pictures
June 28th, 2009 § 2 Comments
Exotic tropical fruits, slightly sweet and tangy chilled coconut water from a straw, hot Cuban dishes of every variety, a sandwich station, and of course its namesake juices… Part fruit market, part cafeteria, Palacio de Los Jugos on Flagler and Red Road was a zoo yesterday and oh so much fun. Here are some of the special things you’ll encounter on a visit.
Chilcano a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
June 21st, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Good to the last drop!
They say chicken soup is Jewish medicine, but I think I slurped down the next best thing for lunch last week, a Peruvian fish soup called chilcano.
I know. Fish sounds more stinky than comforting. But at Sabor a Peru, just a hop, skip and a jump across from the New Times office, not even a hint of fishyness exists in its fish broth – steamy hot and light with a hint of garlic, and slices of cooked red onion and cubes of corvina that settle to the bottom and beg for you to scoop them up. Just remember to catch the melted parsley leaves and scallions, and cancha (fried corn kernels) with your spoon on the way up.
When you go, the ceviche de mariscos is also really yummy and features limey leche de tigre-cured seafood with a slab of cooked sweet potato and nub of a hominy cob to cool your tongue down if you ask for it to come picante. The mussles, squid and shrimp are perfectly cooked by the citrus liquid. The octopus is a little tough.
Both come with a delictable green chile sauce on the side, aji verde. It’s a creamy emulsification of jalapenos and cilantro with a heat that sneaks up on you only after several seconds. It’s addictive. So a good thing that they give you as much as you want free of charge: It’s a table condiment and also available to go in little plastic containers.
2923 Biscayne Blvd
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