Thanks to all the food critics, Mimi is no longer a hidden secret in Noho. The pint size French bistro on Sullivan is jammed packed when we visited. The place hold only 10 tables with a bar that sits about 7, it is smaller than your average corner Starbucks. When I heard the chef is only 25 of age, I was utterly surprise. Because her resume is too impressive for a 25 years old. Already did a tour in Europe including the now closed but former world number 1 Noma, and also a stint in Japan. Chef Johnson really wasted no time and still got a full life ahead of her. What were we doing when we were 25???
Category: <span>neighborhood gem</span>
We visited Jewel Bako after Chef Kousaka’s departure, sadly, we were not impressed. May be the year-new chef still need time to break in, or other things still need to gel. But we can say with a definitive tone that, we like Jewel Bako better when Chef Kousaka was behind the counter. That is not a fair statement, I know, but we miss Chef Kousaka. So late last month, we headed west to Kosaka.
Marumi, the first sushi place in New York I fall in love with. It begins when I was a fresh grad who have no money, bold enough to sold my car and move to New York City with no job prospect in sight. I would work 20 hours a day, have only a plain bagel with no cream cheese for lunch (well, cream cheese cost extra $0.50 at the time). Drowning myself in cheap coffee and smoke way too much to keep myself awake and not feel the hunger.
It wasn’t until my second Christmas in New York that I felt I can live here, not only survive. It was that winter, a friend invited me to a birthday dinner at Marumi. Right there, it was love at first bite. A favorite was discovered. That was 2002. It’s been almost 15 years now, and I consider myself a loyal regular at Marumi.
Facebook, snap chat, Instagram, Pinterest, twitter…. How many does one need? Social media certainly change the way we live. Not only has it changed the way we communicate (or not communicating) to each other, also change the way we view the world. Nowadays, we get our latest news from twitter; express (or stalk) our concern to our love ones on Facebook; share everything from vacation pictures, cats video to what we had for lunch on yelp, Instagram and snap chat. I admit, I am one of these people, other than all the articles that I can read from authoritative “food” news outlets, I occasionally read reviews from yelp, but definitely check out the pictures from Instagram. Yes, they are not all trustworthy, and sometime the pictures can be deceiving or it doesn’t do the place any justice. Either way, I found myself checking out other people’s food journeys more than I should. But sometimes, it pays off. We would found places off the hidden path, and sometimes, I would got lured in by the pictures. Sushi DaiZen is one of the places I’m got drawn in by the power of social media.