Nouveau Japanese Cuisine @ Ame, Toronto

A joint venture between the Rubino Brothers and Thomas Khabouth, Ame replaced the Rubino Brother's critically acclaimed Rain. The menu focuses on Nouveau Japanese Cuisine with familiar foods such as Sashimi, Nigiri and Tempura that are interpreted with a modern twist.


Nigiri: Tempura Dungeness Crab

The Maki had a nice crispy exterior and the Dungeness Crab Meat went really well with the Aioli. The Sushi Rice however was very soggy.


Salmon Sashimi with Spring Melon

This was really good. Reminded me of Nobu's New Style Sashimi. The Salmon went really well with the meaty texture of the Watermelon. The chef also added some Coconut Cream Powder on top which surprisingly tasted really good.


Spicy Tuna Tartare

This was really good. The Spicy Tuna Tartare had no fishy flavor to it and the Spicy Mayo Dressing did not over power the Tuna.


Baby Mizuna, Watercress, Sudachi Lime

The Sudachi Lime helped cut the otherwise really Earthy Flavor of the Baby Mizuna and Watercress. I don't really like a Salad like this


Prawn Tempura

The Prawns were very fresh and had a lot of meat. The Tempura Batter however was a little dense in texture. I much prefer the lighter Tempura Texture.


Japanese Squash Tempura

The Squash had a very sweet flavor that was good. Presentation was a little gothic as they came skewered.


Miso Cod, Kochujan, Baby Bok Choy

Another typical Japanese Dish. It was well executed with the Cod Fish tender and the Miso Marinade not being overly too sweet.


Wagyu Short Ribs, Black Vinegar, Tomato Jam

The Short Ribs were fork tender and its natural flavor was heightened by the Tomato Jam and Black Vinegar which gave it a mild sweet and sour flavor.


Striploin (8 oz), Black Garlic, King Mushroom

The Striploin was cooked medium as ordered. It was very juicy and well seasoned.


Roasted Sweet Pork, Umeshu Glaze

This reminded me of Chinese BBQ Pork. The Pork Belly was very tender and had a mild Chinese BBQ Pork Flavor. It was also served with Kimchi and Potato Puree.


Liquid Chocolate

This was my Dessert. The it was pure Chocolate Indulgence as my plate contained a Chocolate Mousse Cake, Chocolate Crisp, Chocolate Ice Cream and Cocoa Beans. The combination of textures from the different Chocolate Ingredients was really good.


Cheese Cake

This was Katrina's Dessert


Raspberry Mousse with Vanilla Ice Cream

This was Calvin's Dessert. We're not really sure what it's called.

Overall I rea! lly enjo yed the food at Ame. Favorite Dishes of mine included their Wagyu Short Ribs, Roast Sweet Pork, Spicy Tuna Tartare and their Salmon Sashimi with Spring Melon. The interior's use of Wood, Kimono Fabrics, Murals all fuse together to make a space that reflects Ame's Modern Japanese Cuisine.


Food: 4.3/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4.5/5
Price: $$$$ (Approximately USD $55 per person)

Contact Information
Address: 19 Mercer Street, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6
Tel: +1 (416) 599-7246
Web:
Map:

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Bureau (Gastro Pub Pondok Indah)

Bureau is a bar and restaurant ("gastro-pub") located in Pondok Indah Plaza 2, next to PEPeNERO and De Hooi. In spite of its French name (meaning "office" or "desk"), it serves a mix of continental dishes. You have grilled steaks, ribs, lamb chops, served with french fries or pastas for instance. The only typical French dishes on the menu could be the Duck L'Orange (Rp87k++), the Mussels Marinara (Rp65k++), the snails (Rp35k++), the Foie Gras (Rp135k++) and for desserts, the Crpes (Rp27k).

It has two floors: The small bar downstairs, perfect for an after-work drink or a meal, and the bigger room upstairs, with a DJ booth an dancefloor space that may be used for bigger parties.

The design is very basic and looks unfinished (maybe similar to Koi in Kemang): Concrete floor, raw material used (steel, wood, stone), no dcoration, etc... It is no longer very original in Jakarta unfortunately.

The! service is very friendly and fast, and even during the afternoon on a Monday, there were a few clients inside. If you enjoy European beers, they have a few (Gauloise Blonde, Blanche de Namur, Beck, Erdinger, Leffe). Or you can stick to Bintang (Rp35k++).

Overall: A good addition to the nightlife scene in Pondok Indah. I guess that it will target Indonesians more than expats and that they should organize some happening events once in a while. I did not try the food, comments are welcomed.

Opening Hours:

Everyday, from 11am to 1am (2am on weekends)

Bureau

Pondok Indah Plaza 2, Bl BA Unit 27
Jl. Metro Pondok Indah, Jakarta

Phone number: +62-21 751 0412

Fax: +62-21 751 1895

Email: bureau.gastropub@yahoo.com
Facebook: Bureau Pondok Indah Plaza 2
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BureauGastroPub

Strawberry verrines for the Boston Globe

Strawberry verrines

If you are anything like me, you are going to feel sorry to see the last strawberries of the season at the market. Every year, I wait for the first ones to arrive. I always feel sad to see them go too.

This strawberry verrine recipe is one of the desserts I served when friends came over to celebrate July 4th with us. We love it, they tell me. I had baked my own ladyfingers (gluten free too), which was undeniably a plus. Its something I encourage you to do as well.

I thought youd be happy that I share this verrine recipe with you. I wrote it for this weeks food column in the Boston Globe.

Enjoy preparing the dessert with sweet strawberries from your local market. And if you cannot find seasonal strawberries anymore, do not worry, other berries like blueberries, raspberries or red currants would go inside the dessert just as perfectly. In summer, we never have a shortage of delicious berries.

Car la nature fait bien les choses. (Because Nature knows best.)

Right?

Share and Enjoy:

Yang Chow Fried Rice

Yang Chow Fried Rice is probably the most eminent fried rice recipe in the Philippines even in the whole Asian continent.

This fried rice recipe is of oriental origin and dates back to the mid 1700s. Until today, the popularity of Yang Chow Fried Rice never ceases. In fact, this fried rice recipe is also popular in most of the countries in the world.

The secret in making good Yang Chow Fried Rice lies in the completeness of the ingredients; the more ingredients are used, the better. Aside from the ingredient count, it is also important not to deviate with the original ingredients. This brings in good flavors that made this fried rice recipe stand out even until this time.

Among the necessary ingredients is Barbecued Pork. Also known as Char Siu, Barbecued Pork unleashes great flavors that make this fried rice recipe interesting. It also makes this fried rice complete making it a meal in itself.

Do you enjoy eating Yang Chow Fried Rice? What do you like most about it?

Try this Yang Chow Fried Rice recipe and let me know your thoughts.

Ingredients:

6 cups cooked white rice, refrigerated overnight

1 cup barbecued pork, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons salt

8 to 10 pieces shrimps, shelled and deveined

3/4 cup green peas

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

2 pieces raw eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

3 tablespoons cooking oil

Watch the cooking video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyywU8dou3E

Cooking procedure:

1. Heat cooking oil and saut ginger and garlic.

2. Add shrimps and cook for a minute. Remove the shrimps and set aside.

3. Pour-in the beaten egg mixture and cook.

4. When the egg is cooked, divide into small pieces. Add the rice and mix well.

5. Put-in the soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Mix with the other ingredients.

6. Add barbecued pork. Cook for 3 minutes.

7. Add green peas and shrimp. Cook for another 3 minutes.

8. Put-in the green onions. Cook for 2 minutes while mixing with the other ingredients.

9. Turn the heat off and then transfer to a serving plate.

10. Serve. Share and enjoy!Related Posts:

• Happy Fathers Day and Happy Birthday @ Ruby Tuesday

Ms. Jazz Reviews: PLOY @ Clearwater

Bangsar/Damansara has one of the wider ranges of cuisine offered in Klang Valley and too often youll see new eateries sprouting here and there as developers enhanced their luxury developments with the value added input like new F&B outlets- not that were complaining- for PLOY was indeed a welcome addition to the Clearwaterdevelopment and the brainchild of Jared Lim. The restaurant is located in the WORK@ Clearwater tower.

Seemingly undiscovered yet due to being open for operation only a week ago, PLOY (gem in thai) offers modern asian cuisine and youll find yourself spoilt between choices of sashimis from their raw bar section & a fair selection of sushis, to their varieties of thai-japanese influenced dishes. Also try their specialities like the mentaiko spaghetti, which by the way is the beautiful Dians favourite dish (MD of Clearwater group). The good news is, it is quite a budget friend menu- with their starters being in the range of RM10-RM20, and mains in the RM20s region.

The building has easy accessibility as I often tease my friend that they can practically ROLL home from my favourite hangout- The hill. (Having one drink too many) =P


We started off with some tidbits while waiting for the rest to arrive- Lotus Roots Chip(RM6) was deep fried to crisp and crispy fried baby squid(RM9)was a delight to munch on whilst sipping their house specialty cocktails with quirky names like pardon my pandan (RM25)and tomyamtini (RM24)(uh-huh, you heard right, either you like it or you dont as it has a unique taste of its own)

Lotus Roots

Crispy baby Squid

Pardon my pandan

Tomyamtini

Ploys Pomelo Salad (RM16) came in a puny portion mixed with roasted duck shred and a spicy touch of chopped chillis.

My friend liked the Avocado Salad (RM11), saying it was refreshing with the mildly citrusy dressings. Personally not much of a fan, but you all know Im a carnivorous.

Pink lady Sushi comes with a choice of 4pcs (RM16)/8pcs.

Obviously we were waiting in glee for our linguini mentaiko (RM21), mentaiko being marinated roe of a Pollock. (But unfortunately, my dear vegetarian friend decided to opt for a vegetarian version, which was filled with mushrooms, and what do you know? NO mentaiko so really- no comment for this) do try it and let us know

We thought the Ploys Black Fried Rice(RM25)was quite the visual charmer, raw egg presented on top was use to combine with the squid ink rice. A good marriage of flavours with hinge of spicy touch

For mains, it was the crispy salmon (RM29)and duck confit (RM27), both slightly bothering the sweet side, but fairly well executed.


Give them some time to work out minor hiccups here and there, but overall it was a pleasant dining experience.

Our bill came up to about RM60 each with cocktails

My girls- i look so jumbo size right? This picture is so corporate profile materials haha

PLOY @ Clearwater

Jalan Changkat Semantan

Damansara heights

Tel: 03-20950999

Bistro a Table

Returning to Bistro a Table to see what's cooking these days.

Earlier entries: June 9 & June 12.

If an idle kitchen is the Devil's workshop, then Bistro a Table is safely in heaven. Much of the menu has changed since last month, with chef Isadora keeping busy by creating new pleasures, like cute little escargot pies baked with Cafe de Paris butter.

Brilliance in a bowl: French onion soup featuring a scoop of vanilla ice cream (!!!). The ice cream was so dense, it scarcely seemed to melt, but when we stirred it up, little by little, breaking the parmesan cracker, it imbued the hot, beefy broth with breathtaking sumptuousness. Something to savor slowly, letting the components mingle and magically reveal the sum of their complexities.

Duck & raisin saucisson with lingonberry sauce. A harmonious blend of French and Scandinavian sensibilities; essentially dry-cured sau! sages, w ith a coarse, meaty mouthfeel that went very well with the faintly sweet, lightly jammy sauce.

Mushroom ravioles with goat's curd & pea mash. Another recipe that soared like a culinary symphony, with earthy, musky & sweet flavors playing off each other. Even the textures were a thrill; the mushrooms were gritty, the curd was creamy, and the pasta skin was like a soft, smooth blanket that held everything warmly together.

Stuffed quail with beetroot & orange salad. Tender roast meat that was really salty, but intentionally so. Once we mixed it with the potato mash & salad, it all made sense.

Pakistani mango pavlova with bitter lime rinds & white chocolate. One of 2011's most memorable desserts; Pakistani mangoes are much-coveted, thanks to their powerfully ripe flavor and rich fragrance. This combination of top-shelf ingredients was unparalleled, producing the best pavlova we've ever had.

Chateau Peyruchet Blanc 2010 & Chateau Peyruchet Rouge 2008.

Terrazas Malbec 2009.

Bistro a Table,

6, Jalan 17/54, Petaling Jaya.

Tel: 03-7931-2831

Real Life Dinner

I have a real life.

I know epic. You have a real life too. Im not trying to pat myself on the back or anything.

I just wanted to remind you that I totally have a real life. Its imperfect and blurry. Its messy and florescent. Its crooked and underexposed.

Its quiet with the occasional solo dance party. Its awkward. Its sometimes frustrating. Its often times blessed. Theres a lot of food in this life of mine and its not always in focus. Its just not.

For some reason, I think its important that you know this.

Can I show you dinner? Real life I made this at 7pm in my poorly lit kitchen and ate it off the coffee table dinner.

Before dinner can be made, dinner must be shopped for, dinner must be stood in line for.

Im the girl that answers emails in line at the grocery store. I just am.

I also wear sunglasses in the grocery store its LA, and thats totally allowed- if not encouraged.

Groceries home. Im going to make salad-y things, and tomato-y things with mussels, herbs, and wine.

Real life: I found an easy recipe on the internet. I read it. I bought the stuff, and I just want dinner (and wine time) to happen quickly.

Spicy Steamed Mussels with Garlic and Herbs.

Theres chopping to be done, so I chop. Leftover kielbasa, sliced garlic, and green onions.

Directly behind me, my cat is rummaging around in the cabinet under the sink.

Hes learned how to open cabinet doors by himself. Hes like that velociraptor in Jurassic Park. Yes that terrifying. Dont believe me? Come live with me for a day. Its actually scary.

Anyhow this animal opens my cabinet, rummages around, spills stuff onto the kitchen floor stuff for me to trip over, then he saunters away.

After chopping and slicing, these little bits get cooked in olive oil.

Heavy on the red pepper flakes. Spicy spicetown.

Fresh basil and thyme for the chopping.

I love to finish dinner with fresh herbs. It makes me feel like Ive turned my house into a restaurant mostly because herbs make food taste better.

Salad for dinner too!?

Im incredibly civilized. Dont be fooled I often have popcorn for dinner. I made a salad because I had company over. Casual company but still company.

When you have company over.. you have to make a salad, right?

Real life:I was too lazy to dig for my spatula so the sides of my pan are coated in tomato sauce. Also I totally burnt my first round of toast. Like, hardcore. Like, I almost set the house of fire burnt. Black as the day is long. And the day is long. really long.

Joy the Baker burns toast. This is a true fact.

Ive never made mussels before. They seem like the kind of food that you only eat in restaurants. Nope. These are so easy and delicious.

I tend to eat dinner alone and standing. I hear its great for digestion. Gravity and such. No I totally dont hear that. Whatevs.

This time around, because I have company, Im classing it up were eating hunched over my tiny coffee table.

Not ideal, but I totally have linen napkins.

Real life dinner d! one and delicious.

All thats left now are dishes, and leftovers and dessert to rummage through the freezer for.

Spicy Steamed Mussels with Garlic and Herbs. I love this recipe! It feels like Mario Batali cooked you dinner. And I made it in about 25 minutes. Major! Oh I added capers and kielbasa, and a bit of thyme instead of oregano.

ps. I wish I could make YOU dinner. pps. I love you. ppps. No biggie.