Your Last Meal on Death Row

There was a citywide indie arts festival when I was in Singapore. In one hallway leading to the Metro station were rows of American convicted killers' portraits paired with stark images of their last meal request.

Initiated by American photographer Jonathon Kambouris, the project made me feel unsettled and eerie. Kambouris asked the question, "How is society really served by the death penalty?"

Personally, I've always seen capital punishment as an archaic relic of societies past, forgetting that it is still legal in several United States. And after reading The New Yorker's haunting piece on whether Texas executed an innocent man earlier that fall, it's a question that sits in the back of my mind, waiting for a reasonable answer that may never come.

To see all the photos, visit www.lastmealsproject.com.

La-La-Land: Arda's Cafe

... Woke up early and found a random family-run downtown breakfast eatery called Arda's Cafe, and had this delicious monstrosity -- candied bacon eggs Benedict (US$7.99). Perfectly soft poached egg, crispy sweet and salty bacon that wasn't too much of either, toasty chewy cheese bagel, and fried potatoes.

Great stumble-upon on Day 2 of random L.A. vacation.

Singaporean Mickey Dee's

I am strongly against supporting fast food companies, especially McDonald's (forget watching Food Inc. or Fast Food Nation documentary; read the Fast Food Nation book by Eric Schlosser).

BUT I have a weak spot for McDonald's ice cream cones -- especially when it's only S$1 and has cool add-on flavours such as green apple (above), raspberry and beloved chocolate.

I tried all three eventually, but plain vanilla is probably still my favourite. :)

Lawry's The Prime Rib: Singapore

It's been over six months since I travelled to Singapore so my memory is a little hazy. But I do believe the day after arriving and eating at the Newton Hawker Centre (my first hawker experience ever!), my uncle took me, his son Augustus, and Agus's girlfriend to lunch at Lawry's The Prime Rib fine dining restaurant that originated in Beverly Hills in 1938.

My uncle isn't a very wealthy man but him and his family are on the "richer" side of Singapore's population. In any case, I wouldn't have eaten here if it wasn't for his generosity and excellent food taste.

The experience starts off much like any other a la carte restaurant. You order what kind of prime rib cut you would like first from a menu. Though they are called by many different names, the options essentially range from a thick slab to a very thick slab to a very, very thick slab.

Then the experience takes a small (or maybe big) turn. A little while after everyone orders, this huge steel cart is wheeled out by a chef, decked out in the white suit yards, and slices your cut for you right in front of the table.
 

You're also given creamy mashed potatoes with a hefty dose of gravy, and a vegetable side option. I chose creamed spinach. I can't quite remember but I believe I finished my entire plate.

Plus we had a traditional Lawry's salad, some kind of soup, and Yorkshire pudding (pictured above). If you didn't know, turns out Yorkshire pudding isn't "pudding" at all — at least not the J-E-L-L-O kind I'm most familiar with from growing up with those Bill Cosby commercials. Yorkshire pudding is a very flaky bread that's kind of laid out like a pie. If you don't know, I love flaky pastries of all varieties so this was a welcomed surprise for me.

Lawry's was easily the most classiest lunch I've ever been served but what I love about Singaporean style (or maybe just my Singaporean family?) is that we showed up in shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops with no problems or looks at all.

Deep Fried Butter at The Ex

...photo courtesy of my cousin Bryan.

It tasted like fried butter, really. I didn't get the funnel cake flavour and when you bite into it, it's mostly hollow with melted butter coating the inside batter. Selling at $5 for four pieces, it's a great gimmick to attract a constant long line-up.

The very friendly vendor also had other similar wonderful delights available, such as deep fried Mars bar, chocolate-covered bacon, and some crazy chocolate- and nut-coated Twinkie creation.

Throwndown at Mesa Grill: Winner?

Sunday Brunch: Mesa Grill (102 5th Avenue, www.mesagrill.com/newyorkcity)



I love Bobby Flay. I really do. I get that some people aren't over the standing-on-cutting-board Iron Chef original fiasco, and some never see him ever lose on Throwdown, but he cooks so damn well. Every time one of his Food Network shows ends with the black screen and writing of him owning Mesa Grill, I always think to myself or say out loud, "I want to eat at Mesa Grill." And so I did.

Here's the thing: Even though I hyped it in my head from television, reading scores and scores of New York Times dining reviews, made me realize I was going there for the food, yes, but for the star power as well. Just as I did at Morimoto in Philadelphia. But whereas Morimoto lived up to his name (I met him there after all!), Mesa Grill did not.

The decor seemed strange. Kind of cheap and tacky actually with the fake flames overhead to ... do what ... ? Give a southwestern theme? I felt like I was in Calgary. Service was pleasant but oddly hurried for a relatively non-busy Sunday brunch/lunch hour.



We ordered fresh juice to start. It was great. Very fresh. For $4.50 (all prices in USD). Is that really how much fresh juice costs?

The bread basket was an interesting mix of sweet raisin breads, which were really more like cakes, and little jalapeno scones. For entree, I saw a server carrying Bobby's version of eggs benedict, which I had to have -- two poached eggs on top of cajun chicken with sweet potatoes in an ancho chile hollandaise sauce ($14). It was very filling. And everything was cooked nicely -- egg perfect consistency of runniess; chicken & sweet potatoes tender; hollandaise sauce velvety. But midway through, everything started coming out too sweet, which I thought was weird for a dish that really, seems like it should be more spicy.

It was nice to go, and the meal did it job, and the prices were not too bad, but I couldn't help feel I missed an opportunity to discover a local New York gem of a Sunday brunch place.

NY Labour Day Weekend Saga: DBGB Kitchen & Bar

Friday Dinner: DBGB Kitchen & Bar (299 Bowery, www.danielnyc.com/dbgb.html)
The latest gem in Daniel Boulud's crown that opened this past May, DBGB Kitchen & Bar is the casual eatery with mains in the $17-25 (all prices listed in US) range, lots of French offal for sharing, and fancy-pants burgers prominently featured. I considered blowing my New York food budget on a single meal at the flagship Daniel, one of only six restaurants with four stars from The New York Times critic Frank Bruni, and sustaining myself on bagels for the rest of the time but I couldn't ask Steph to do the same.

Our friend Kayla, who was also visiting New York that weekend with her sister and aunt, met us at DBGB. The place was packed. Every table in dining and bar room filled. Sleek, cool, dark, metallic with an exposed wrap-around kitchen; copper pots, jar preserves sitting on shelves; black booths and tables; loud but somehow could still hear my friends across the table; a French-accented waiter.

When we sat, before we even glanced at the menu, I promptly told them they were both going to try the bone marrow ($11) I would order. They looked at me skeptically but I insisted. If it was good enough for Top Chef Masters winner Rick Bayless (@Rick_Bayless), it was good enough for me. (I saw him Twitpic the dish the weekend before when he helped his daughter move into the NYU residence from their homebase, Chicago.)

I never had bone marrow before. I don't think I liked it. It had a gelatinous texture I wasn't very crazy about. I suppose you're essentially eating fat, which I'm normally all for, but I couldn't convince my taste buds to think "yummy" for this first time around.

Taking somewhat of a foodie 180, I opted for the Frenchie burger ($17) as main. Pork belly came with it. Do I need to say anything else? My burger was cooked to medium-rare as specified. I don't know what possessed me to ask for such a thing, but it turned out to be a good choice. Slightly bloody, tender meat ( Meatless Mondays have helped me love my carnivorous days that much more). I liked peppery arugula as the green choice; brioche bun was nice and toasty; accompanying fries were crisp, and not those super thin frites crap I've come to dislike. Unfortunately, I don't think I really tasted the pork belly. Yet overall, I think I actually liked the Harbord Room burger more... Or maybe I should stop trying to find the perfect gourmet burger, and just stick to the Johnny's I know and love!

L: Us in the reflection of the DBGB window sign; R: The instructional wallpaper of the washrooms, excuse me, I meant restrooms

Steph got the lemon&rosemary roasted chicken with ratatouille and baked garlic head ($17), while Kayla ate a huge plate of curry mussels ($18), which was completely authentically Thai rather than French. Both were very good. Nothing mind-blowing but comfort food done right.

I'm not sure if I would recommend this place. The bone marrow came quickly but our entrees took a very long time, and I think it's simply because our waiter forget. Another server had to point out to him that we were still waiting. A solid meal, sure, but I'm sure there were lots of other solid meals I could've got out of SoHo, New York.

Rating (out of five stars): *

Fanfreakintastic Momofuku Meal

Momofuku Noodle Bar
171 1st Ave

New York, NY

Get Directions

(212) 777-7773
www.momofuku.com
Proprietor, Head Chef & Mini-Resto Empire Mogul: David Chang
Date visited: Saturday September 5, 2009
Small plates $9-15; large $11-20 (all prices in USD)

If you haven't heard about Momofuku before, well, you just suck. It's chef David Chang's mini New York restaurant empire that includes a noodle bar, a ssam bar, a slightly more "upscale" tasting menu restaurant Ko, and a dessert/pastry "milk" bar. In 2007, Chang won the James Beard Foundation rising star award for best new chef.

But enough about accolades. This blog is about me.

We were on a budget for New York, so I decided on the noodle bar as the most cost-effective way to experience Momofuku. The casual eateries have no-reservation policies, and we waited nearly an hour for a table but it was worth it. We ended up being seated at the open-kitchen bar, and I know because of this chance seating, this meal will go down as one of my most memorable.

From top left, clockwise: Prepping steamed buns; getting Momofuku ramen noodles ready; cracking perfectly poached eggs; plating roasted corn with potatoes

We were right in front of the action, and I was giddy with delight. Watching the chefs prep and cook, learning the processes of the kitchen, seeing the efficiencies and the behaviours... and smelling the smells... A meal at its coolest point.

Steph and I started with Momofuku Soju Slushies ($5 each for a small) -- hers watermelon, mine spicy ginger. Soju is a strong, clear Korean liquor made primarily from rice. I'm not a huge soju fan but these slushies were delightful. The alcohol content was wicked strong and I was glowing beet red (as usual) in no time, but I loved drinking something spicy and cold.

I don't know if it's because I ordered the prix-fixe (probably), but we got a surprise amuse of grilled peach, salty ham and mint. And I just read on the website that "momofuku" means "lucky peach." Lucky indeed. A cleverly themed amuse with the added advantage that it is just at the end of peach season. The amuse was a great contrast and fun burst of flavours in my mouth. I was deliriously happy already.

The prix-fixe was four courses for $30. All Momofuku restaurants change the menu daily according to what looks good in the market that day. They have a very close relationship with the farmers they source from. So how could I not do the prix-fixe? I didn't even really understand the descriptions I was reading - tataki, bibim, skate. I've never heard of tataki before; Chantal (@chantalbraganza) just introduced me to bibim rice this past year; and sadly I didn't know skate was a type of fish. Anyway, the website says the food is American, but who are we kidding here? This food is better characterized as Korean and Japanese with American-style sensibilities.

So here's the breakdown of my meal:

1st course: beef tataki - a rare steak salad with roasted chilis

I'm starting to fall in love with rare beef. Tasting all the strands and fibres of the meat... That's all I can say. I love it.

2nd course: bibim spicy noodles with pork shoulder and a soy-marinated soft-boiled egg (Chang is infamous for his love of eggs)

I'm not super keen on the ubiquitous Korean "red sauce." I don't know why but I just know it's not my favourite. I still really liked this dish though. I think because the pork shoulder meat was nice and tender, and the egg yolk had been cooked to this cool almost jello-like consistency.

3rd course: roasted skate on a bed of heirloom cherry tomatoes
The skate was a little oversalted but a fine piece of fish on fresh veggies. I can't complain.

4th course: house-made angel food cake and strawberry soft serve ice cream with graham crumbs

This tasted like a reverse cheesecake. Which was a great thing.

The meal may not have been the most glamourous, but everything was fresh (after all, I watched them prepare every single dish), innovative and cooked consistently. I loved my meal and am very happy I ordered it; but I also loved that Steph opted for the Momofuku Ramen Noodle, which includes pork belly, pork shoulder and a poached egg. I love this concept of having a soft egg served to you in a super aromatic broth, so that you have the pleasure of breaking it and mixing it in yourself.

And so you can also enjoy this pleasure, I videotaped it and did a play-by-play commentary because I was pretty tipsy off the soju by this point. I only wish you could smell it too:

I want to try Ssam Bar next time I'm in town. I would move to the East Village just so I could eat Momofuku every week.

By the way, all together the entire meal cost us $70, including tax and tip. Service was spot on and we were very full by the end of it.

Rating (out of five stars): *****

Bofinger Barbecue Smokehouse

1250 University Street

Montreal, QC

(514) 750-9095

www.bofinger.ca

Number of times visited: 1

Mains $8-14

Very friendly staff. Had the pulled pork sandwich with Memphis sauce. Pork was very dry. Bun soggy with Memphis sauce. Sauce was okay - vinegar tang with a bit of a spicy kick. Fries good. Better places I've had pulled pork: gourmet style at beerbistro in downtown Toronto financial district, and Memphis Style Smokehouse in North York (a Toronto suburb).

Rating out of five stars: *