I’ve always wanted to try chef David Chang’s Momofuku dinner menu when I was in NY (waaay too much good food but too little time) but never got to try anything beyond the pork buns. Now that Momofuku has expanded to Las Vegas, I decided to try it out for dinner.
I ordered the legendary pork belly buns and they were just as good as I remembered. The slow cooked tender pork belly is wrapped in the slightly sweet mantou bun with a dash of hoisin, sprinkling of scallion, and shreds of crunchy cucumber. I could eat these all night and be happy…..although I did get a whole order to myself. 🙂 Continue reading
Tag Archives: pork
Lost Heaven: An Unknown World
The first time I heard of Yunnan was at Lost Heaven. Here I was transported to a whole new culture by the food. The food reminded me of a Cantonese base with hints of Burmese; a delicious combination I never would have imagined.
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Salt Lick BBQ
BBQ was high on my list of food to try in Texas. When Austin City Limits (ACL) decided to cater their food from local eateries, I was stoked to be able to try the local food while enjoying the music festival. The lines were long but moved quickly. Salt Lick BBQ is a famous BBQ chain originated from Dallas. I tried the pork ribs and was very pleased. The ribs were meaty, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor from the dry rub. Finger lickin’ good BBQ.
RN74
The Michael Mina restaurant group is offering a three course #outtolunch special for $29 at all three restaurants: Michael Mina, Pabu, and RN74. For those who haven’t tried it yet, I highly suggest you hurry and make your reservations soon since this deal ends on August 31.
At RN74, the out to lunch options are:
- Appetizer- Butter Lettuce Salad or Sweet Corn Soup
- Main- Pork Schnitzel or Traditional Bouillabaise
- Dessert- Valhorna Chocolate Bouchon
The sweet corn soup was not as sweet as stated. The soup was sweet while the corn bits were sour. It was marinated in a vinegar-like flavor.
Everything about the pork schnitzel was perfect: the thinness, the breadcrumb layer, and the flavor bomb it left on taste buds. On top of the schnitzel was a light salad, roasted pecans, and pommes anna (Anna pototoes) topped with an apricot mustard.
When they took our order, the waiter asked if we would like the dessert to go. I loved that they offered this option, considering how difficult it is to enjoy your lunch in an hour time slot, I definitely wanted to savor my dessert. The Valhorna chocolate bouchon reminded me of a crumbly cookie brownie.
Now go taste Michael Mina’s work for a fraction of the price before it’s too late.
Torta Ahogada
Torta ahogada is a drowned sandwich, which is a typical dish of Guadalajara. The birote bread has a crunchy crust, which allows it to withstand the sauce, and a soft interior. This regional bread is filled with fried, chopped pork and then submerged in a chili pepper tomato sauce. Top it with raw onions and cabbage and enjoy! Tip: It’s messy so have napkins handy!
Pancho’s Takos
This place is a steal! 12 pesos for al pastor tacos. For those that don’t know, al pastor is pork marinated in spices and cooked in a rotisserie. The meat isn’t shaved off until you order.
Look at the beauty of the tacos fresh off the grill. They also come with a slice a pineapple (in the picture above it’s on the rotisserie above the pork). These were flavorful and delicious!
Don’t forget to add lime and salsa! They offer three different salsas. The one the top right was spiiiiiccccyy!
They also offer tacos with different types of meat and quesadillas but these ranged from 20-30 pesos. I just couldn’t pass up on the 12 pesos al pastor tacos.
This place is a bit difficult to find as the streets do not have signs and the restaurant doesn’t have it’s name out front.
The name is all the way in the back of the restaurant.
Below is a link to the google map. If you follow it, you should have no problems. To get here, I walked along the beach. Once you’ve reached Oscar’s restaurant, walk 5 blocks, turn left and three stores down on your right is Pancho’s Takos. Look for the popular taco spot and the staff with Pancho’s Takos t-shirt.
(Calle Basilio Badillo 162, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, JAL)
Yama’s Fish Market
When in Hawaii, kalua pork is a must try. Generally, they are served at a luau, where they unearth the pig from the ground. If you want to skip the expensive luau price but try kalua pork, visit Yama’s Fish Market to get a taste of the delicious pork.
Above is order #7 which comes with kalua pork, laulau, lomi lomi salmon, and rice. Kalua in Hawaiian means to cook in an underground oven (imu). The imu is created by digging a deep pit, lining it with hot rocks and a layer of veggies. Then te pig is placed on top of veggies, covered with a wet burlack sack, and another layer of hot rocks. After hours of smoking, the pig comes out super tender and smoky.
Laulau is pork wrapped in taro leaf that has been cooked for many hours. Today’s modern method steams them on a stovetop. The classical method cooks them in an imu. The laulau at Yama’s Fish Market is tender and juicy.
Lomi-lomi is raw salted, diced salmon, tomato, and onion salad that is mixed by massaging. It’s a side dish that is sold all around Hawaii. The name of this dish comes from the method of preparation. Lomi-lomi in Hawaiian means massage. Lomi-lomi salmon reminds me of salsa with salmon.
ad hoc + addendum
A summer favorite of mine is Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc Addendum. Open only in spring and summer from Thursday to Saturday 11 am to 2 pm, they serve boxed versions of Ad Hoc’s critically acclaimed fried chicken. It’s also a great alternative to try Ad Hoc if you can’t make it to their dinner only seating.
The BBQ pork ribs falls off the bone easily. I love their moist cornbread. You won’t find it anywhere else. Thomas Keller sure knows how to make southern comfort food.
When I came last summer, they only offered a boxed version of the fried chicken. They now offer a BUCKET of chicken. Fried chicken lovers, rejoice! Seasoned with salt and sprigs of fresh rosemary, this is the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. It’s moist and packed with flavor.
Look for Addendum at the picnic area behind Ad Hoc.
Ichiran
Like everything else in Japan, Ichiran is a chain restaurant. They specialize in ramen with tonkotsu broth. To order, buy your meal ticket at the vending machine. You have the option to add more pork, green onions or an egg for additional costs. Once you’ve purchased your meal ticket, the hosts will guide you to an open table. You have the option to sit at individual booth like eating area or at open tables. At the table, you fill out a form customizing your broth and noodle preferences. The broth was porky but not deep in flavor. The noodles were the perfect chewiness. One dislike was that they forgot our egg until I remembered at the end of meal. Overall, it was a satisfying bowl of ramen.
I went to this location Japan〒542-0084 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Chūō-ku, Souemonchō, 7中央区宗右衛門町７−１８, however they have lots of locations through out Japan.
Girl & The Goat
One of the best meals you’ll ever have. Make reservations in advance. If you go in a group, I suggest you share everything so you can taste it all.
goat carpaccio, smoked trout roe, olive-maple vinaigrette
goat liver mousse, blueberry mostarda, pickled rhubarb- the crumpets were delicious!
escargot ravioli, bacon, tamarind-miso sauce
duck tongues, tuna and black bean poke, crispy wontons, piri piri
crisp braised pork shank, buttermilk dressing, grilled spring onion kimchee, naan- highly recommend this. It’s tender and falls apart easily.
wood oven roasted pig face, sunny side egg, tamarind, cilantro, red wine-maple, potato stix
YUMTRAVELS 