Caracas Arepas Bar

Straight from Venezuela, Caracas Arepas Bar has become the destination for those reminiscing on the summer days of the latin trucks at the Red Hook Ball Fields. Arepas, a staple in Venezuelan food, are fried or baked corn pancakes filled with various combinations of meats and sauces. At Caracas Arepas Bar, you can get them to go at the pick-up joint next door to the restaurant, similar to Cafe Habana's setup. The restaurant itself is tiny as well, but full of the hip, Latin flavor emanating from the streets of Caracas.

Restaurant: Caracas Arepas Bar
Rating: ♔♔♔



To start, we ordered the Guasacaca and Chips, which are essentially Venezuelan style guacamole with fried taro chips. As expected, the combination of the crisp taro chips, which have a thicker consistency, with the creamy guacamole tasted muy delicioso.

This next appetizer, the Tostones Mochimeros, is a must-order item for all. The green plantains are fried and topped with a mojito mayo sauce, a squeeze of lemon, and Venezuelan style fluffy white cheese. The crumbly rich cheese tasted wonderful with the zesty mayo and crisp plaintain chips.

Now to the arepas! The one below is La de Pernil, which consisted of roasted pork shoulder with tomato slices in a spicy mango sauce. The arepa was bursting with flavor, as the tender pork slices melted in my mouth. The mango sauce gave a nice kick to the dish.

Then there's La Mulata, with grilled white cheese, jalapenos (warning: ultra spicy), sauteed red peppers, fried sweet plantains, and black beans. This combination was very interesting. The creamy white cheese melted into the extremely hot jalapenos, but balanced by the sweetness of the fried plantains. I highly recommend La Mulata for the adventurous!

There are over a dozen flavors of arepas at Caracas Arepas Bar, so you might have to come a few more times to try them all. It certainly might be worth the trip, and it doesn't hurt that they are all under $7.50 each. Ole ole arepas!

Caracas Arepas Bar
93 1/2 E 7th St
New York, NY 10009
(212) 529-2314
www.caracasarepabar.com

Ippudo

Although ramen has been around for quite some time, a recent renewed interest has given rise to an explosion of new ramen spots popping up around the city. Many have been widely received, with one in particular that has consistently attracted long lines of ramen lovers craving some uber-rich pork broth. Though the buzz around Ippudo has held up fairly well, unfortunately, my experience can only be described at best, lackluster.

Restaurant: Ippudo
Rating: ♔


Although the open kitchen allowed the experience of observing the chefs work the noodle stations, it seemed to be obscured by the dim lighting that permeated the interior of the restaurant.

We started off with the Shishito, or Fried Green Peppers. Although the plate was a bit much to share for two, the peppers were crisp and surprisingly refreshing.

The Oden was quite honestly the best dish of the night. The soft fish cake, turnip, and pork skewer were cooked in a rich, flavorful broth that preserved the essence of the pork. Umami!

We ordered two ramen - the Akamaru and the special, which consisted of a broth made from pork and chicken. The red miso paste in the Akamaru was a bit salty, especially in combination with the fatty pork broth. Ramen is usually cooked in a rich broth, but the soup in the Akamaru was almost too overbearing, leaving a greasy aftertaste. The noodles were also overcooked, losing the trademark chewiness of great ramen.

The ramen special, in comparison, was much more balanced in flavor. Though the broth was also on the greasier side, the pork and chicken stock complemented the noodles well, and really was much more focused and less complicated than the Akamaru.

All in all, I found the Oden at Ippudo to be excellent, and there are certainly many Ippudo fans out there. Nevertheless, when it comes to whether the ramen alone is worth the sometimes incredibly long lines, I remain on the sidelines.

Ippudo
65 4th Ave
New York, NY 10003

(212) 388-0088

Urubamba

For those of you in search of authentic Peruvian food, look no further. Urubamba (say "ooh-lu-bahm-ba"!) is easily one of the best Peruvian restaurants in town. Many of my Manhattanite friends seem averse to the idea of traveling to Queens "just for food," but a trip to Jackson Heights is an eyeopening adventure for any true foodie. I first tried the amazing food at Inti Raymi, which merged with Urubamba last year.

Restaurant: Urubamba
Rating: ♔♔♔♔

There isn't much about the decor, other than the huge sombrero sign in the back with "URUBAMBA" written out in big letters. But as you will discover, the food makes up for nearly everything else. Since dinner was just the two of us, we had to limit our orders to the must-have dishes, which consisted of a huge seafood platter and a traditional chicken dish.

Piqueo del Mar is a large platter of fried calamari, tostones, ceviche of shrimp and fish, mussels, yucca fries, and the irresistible Tiradito, slices of raw white fish, marinated in lime juice, aji amarillo paste, and cilantro.

There is really no other way to describe the tiradito other than divine. The tanginess of the lime juice gives a perfect kick to the tenderness of the fish. Along the left side of the dish are extremely large kernels of corn, which are native to Peru. Peruvian cuisine is based heavily on corn and potatoes, and there are apparently hundreds of varieties in different regions.



For the entree, we had the Aji de Gallina. Tender chicken strips and potato cubes are cooked in a creamy, bright-orange aji sauce with aromatic spices. A hardboiled egg, cut into halves, rests on the dish. The entree looks simple, but the rich, flavorful sauce undoubtedly requires several hours of concocting.



Urubamba is one of those places that I would take friends from out of town, not only to show them the Jackson Heights neigborhood, but also to take them on a culinary adventure. You can follow this lady's adventures here at http://queens.about.com/od/eatingout/a/latinoeats.htm

Or, if you're up to it, you can always write your own.

Urubamba
86-20 37th Ave
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
(718) 672-2224

Rice

Located on a short block on 28th street, Curry Hill is home to several Indian restaurants, one of which is not entirely so but rather, a hodgepodge of different ethnicities united by one common theme. That is, rice. The concept of the restaurant is very interesting, as entrees are served with a choice of rice among 10 different types. Lebanese, Jasmine, Bhutanese, Green/Parsley, just to name a few. All are quite tasty, and exude a specific aroma. For the penny pinchers, price points are more than reasonable. The space is also timingly reminiscent of scenes in Slumdog Millionaire, with the straw rice bags as light covers hanging above the small wooden tables.

Restaurant: Rice
Rating: ♔


We started off with a pitcher of mojito for the table. Many restaurants typically add too much sugar in their drinks, and I was pleasantly surprised by a slight hint of sweetness in Rice's mojito.

For starters, we ordered the Lotus root chips with spicy mayo sauce, which were delightfully crunchy. The spicy mayo warmed up our palates, preparing us for our next dish, Spinach riceballs.The riceballs were lightly fried and served with salsa. The rice balls were cooked well, but the combination with the salsa didn't seem like the best choice.

Next, we shared a large order of the Vegetarian meatballs, my absolute favorite dish, on a side of green rice. The "meatballs" are essentially creamy tofu balls served with a hot sauce that might burn your tongue if you're not careful. The green rice was infused in spinach and parsley to get its beautiful forest green color. I highly recommend this dish.

My friend ordered the Jerk chicken wings on a bed of Lebanese rice, which is so deliciously buttery. The rice is cooked in butter, along with crunchy bits of vermicelli tossed into the combination.

Rice has a large variety of entrees, ranging from ratatouille and baked chili beans to Indian curry and jerk chicken wings. The restaurant certainly introduces a very interesting concept, and would be a great place for friends to catch up over a casual, cozy dinner. One last of piece of advice: Gobble up the rice crispies, but stay away from the affogato :)



Rice
115 Lexington Avenue
NY, NY 10016
(212) 686-5400
www.riceny.com

Naya Mezze & Grill

One of the best things about living in New York is having the luxury of choosing among a plethora of authentic cuisines. A friend recently introduced me to what he claimed as "one of the best" Lebanese restaurants in the city. Though I have not been to many Lebanese restaurants, this little Midtown gem certainly caught my eye (and stomach, of course).

Featured Restaurant: Naya Mezze & Grill

Rating: ♔♔♔

Hidden among the construction and furniture stores on a fairly busy avenue lies Naya Mezze & Grill, a chic, 6-month old establishment specializing in authentic Lebanese cuisine. The space is illuminated with bright lights peering through the symmetrical, mini-triangular carve-outs in the walls. White, square booths line neatly against both walls, and as my friend so aptly described, there is a certain "gloss" to this place. The narrow hallway leads to a private party room in the back, which is cleverly played up with two beautiful chandeliers.

Our dinner started off with the house appetizer, freshly toasted pita chips with a side of green olives and a sesame, black olive paste.

We ordered a series of appetizers or "mezze" in Lebanese. The first was the Tabboule, with fresh parsley tossed in mint, bulgur, tomatoes, onions, and olive oil. The Tabboule was an extremely refreshing dish, as it cleansed our palates and prepared us for the richer dishes ahead.

Next, we had the Fried Kibbe, beef dumplings stuffed with minced meat and pignoli. The texture of the kibbe was similar to falafels, but softer and more moist, and the yogurt sauce added an interesting element to the flavor combination.

According to my friend, most of the restaurants in the city that serve grape leaves get them in cans from the Middle East. The Grape Leaves at Naya are freshly rolled in house and stuffed with parsley, onion, tomato, and rice. Though the grape leaves tasted fresh and tender, the flavor was a bit too salty to my liking.

This next dish was my absolute favorite! Batata Harra, which are spicy potato cubes fried and sauteed in vinegar, Tabasco sauce, and coriander. The tanginess of the vinegar and Tabasco did wonders for me, and I suppose one could essentially call these Lebanese fries?

For our entree, we ordered the Chicken Shish Taouk, which I strongly recommend for the garlic lovers out there. The tender chicken kebab cubes (served without the sticks) are accompanied by roasted vegetables, tabboule, Lebanese rice, and a beautifully white, buttery garlic sauce. The Lebanese rice is also cooked in butter with flaky vermicelli pieces. The dish was very flavorful and vibrant, and was all in all, a fabulous choice.

If you've never had Lebanese cuisine and are curious to try, I would definitely recommend Naya Mezze & Grill. A special thanks to Said for introducing me to this place!

Naya Mezze & Grill

1057 Second Avenue

New York, NY 10022

(212) 319-7777