When I think of pastry chefs, I think precision; a bright white, wrinkle-free, double-breasted chef jacket that seems to never get dirty, fondant cut into floral shapes and carefully spray painted to depict Orchids and Lilies, an oval shaped spoon of freshly churned ice cream served with pretty pâtisseries. Hardcore perfectionists, that’s what I think of.

This weekend was my very dear friend’s birthday, so instead of buying a cake, I wanted to make something special for her; I wanted to make her a cake myself. Having never done this before, I have to give a big shout out to my homie Duncan Hines for making this happen, couldn’t do it without you man.

I learned a lot of things the hard way with this dessert- it was supposed to be covered in roses but ended up in ruffles. In the end, I am really proud of my creation and collaboration with Duncan Hines. More importantly, my friend loved it so that took the cake. ZING! (…)

I will gladly share with you my failures and provide shortcuts and pointers to all the newbies like me out there. But before you even think about starting, you need to plan what kind of colors/decorations you will need and have the proper tools for them: Mixer (doing this by hand will take you forever- I borrowed an electric mixer from my sister), decorating bags (I bought disposable ones), cake turntable, food coloring (I used gel coloring, you can use any other ones), angled spatula, three decorating tips (I used a rose/petal tip, small round tip and a closed star tip), three coupler and screws for the pastry bag, a cardboard cake circle, and cake pans (i used 3, 8.25 inch circle pans). I know, it’s a lot but it will be worth it if you plan on decorating cakes in the future. This all cost me around $60 from Michael’s arts and crafts store. (Ignore the white flower nail, my flower decorations melted with sadness and despair).

Second, ingredients:

Cake:
Cake mix of your choice and its ingredients (Duncan Hines’ Fudge Marble, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 3 eggs, 1.25 cups water)

Buttercream Frosting:
4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
4 tbs shortening (Crisco)
8-10 tbs heavy cream, cream or milk
2 bags confectioners sugar (64 oz)
1 tbs vanilla extract
Nutella, small container
Flour (to flour your cake pans)

Preheat oven to temperature on cake mix direction and prep your cake pans by greasing it with shortening and dust it with flour.

Fill them up with your prepared cake mix and put them in your preheated oven to bake.

While you are waiting for the cakes to bake, start making your Buttercream Frosting by mixing all of the softened butter until it is whipped and airy. It takes about 3 minutes.

When your butter is whipped, add shortening and then add confectioners sugar slowly. If it is dry, add some heavy cream slowly, spoon by spoon, until you have a stiff but smooth consistency.

When your icing is all finished except for the color, you can start prepping your pastry bags (this picture shows you from the bottom up for how to do this: 1) cut tip of bag large enough to place coupler inside  2) put tip over the bag that is over the coupler  3) use the screw to hold it all together):

Before adding color to the icing, I knew I would want a white border of some sort so I filled my prepared round tip pastry bag first. Lesson learned: Do not fill your pastry bag so full like I did, fill it half way or less or else you will have to use a lot of force to get the icing out.

Now, you can add your color! I used a sky blue gel color. You can use a toothpick and just dip it in the gel once, the color will spread throughout your icing with just a tiny dollop. (I only had a chopstick. Ha)

Dip your toothpick (or chopstick!) into the icing and blend it together with the electric mixer. This is what mine looked like:

Now fill your other pastry bags- not as full as I did! Fill them half way and they will be much easier to handle.

Now that your decoration icing and tools are prepared, set up your decoration station. Place the cardboard cake circle on top of the cake turntable and spread some icing on it, it glues your cake right on.

Place one of your cakes (bottom side down) onto the center of the cardboard and make a border with your icing, I used the closed star tip. This will indicate how far to spread out your filling.

Take a heaping amount of Nutella and spread a thin layer over the cake. Lesson learned: Always use a heaping amount of icing and filling before spreading, there will be less crumbs and cake breakage.

Do the same thing with the second layer of cake, except put the flattest side face up.

After, put your last layer of cake on top with the flattest part facing up.

Now, “crumb coat” your cake by putting an appalling amount of icing on top. Spread the top first, try your best not to break the cake. When you spread the icing, it will start to fall over to the sides- that’s good! You will use this extra icing to ice the sides too.

Now wrap it in love!

And voila! We just “crumb coated” our cake!

Now we are ready to decorate and drape this cake in pretty ruffles.

How to Make Ruffles with a Rose/Petal Tip:
With your rose/petal tip pastry bag, start by having your tip in a horizontal direction. We will start making ruffles on the sides first, then we will worry about the top of the cake.

Squeeze the icing out (keep your tip horizontal so the line comes out as a ribbon), and wiggle the pastry bag left to right. Make one vertical line at a time until all of your sides are covered with ruffles.

To decorate the top of your cake, start with the perimeter of the cake and turn your cake turntable as you keep making one long wiggly ribbon. Don’t worry if it breaks a bit, just cover it up with more icing and continue until the center is covered.

For the border, I wanted to do little pearls so I used the round tip to pipe out dots. I dotted the bottom of the cake like this:

You now have a ruffle cake!

I’m not going to lie. This took a lot of patience and I wanted to choke my pastry bag at times, but squiggly ribbon after squiggly ribbon, ruffle after ruffle, it all came together and I am quite proud.

Pastry chefs, bakers, cake decorators… I do not know how you do it. My hat goes off to you.

Clean, refined, fresh, delicate… It is a subtle, luscious-melt-in-your-mouth feeling that can  be created with years of hard work and dedication, only to be presented in a tiny, bite-sized, modest piece of art. The simplicity of Oishii‘s artwork is commendable and will leave every patron with a happy belly while they linger delightfully in sushi bliss.

Sashimi, chirashi, inari, maki, nare, nigiri, oshi…

Oishii has a way with presenting sushi dishes in such a pretty way. It reminds me of the joyous feeling when you are surprised with a large bouquet of flowers- except in this case, this is much, much better. Is it possible to convince Edible Arrangements to make sashimi bouquets too?

Much like their dish presentations, the restaurant exuberates serenity and sophistication  that is fitting for intimate occasions such as special family dinners and romantic dates. In my case, my sister generously took my family to a spectacular lunch to celebrate some of our birthdays (she knows what we like).

We had an exciting array of food; sashimi and sushi appetizers, lunch combos that consisted of playfully petite plates that created a diverse and satisfying meal. And of course, it all concluded with a few scrumptious desserts.

We started with a colorful assortment of sashimi and sushi. The types of fish we ordered were Albacore (Tuna), Hamachi (Yellowtail), White Salmon (I know- I did a double take too), Botan Ebi (Shrimp), Ama Ebi (Shrimp), and Foie Gras with Truffle sushi.

The Hamachi was the best I’ve ever had. It was extremely smooth, buttery and did not have the fishy taste and smell most Yellowtail tends to have. Oishii is great at keeping the pieces of fish fresh. I had a piece of Yellowtail stored in the refrigerator just a few hours after and it did not even taste close to what I had when it was served.

White Salmon was an interesting choice as well. It was similar to the traditional Sake Salmon that people usually order but the taste of Salmon was more delicate. Other notable sashimi and sushi we had were Albacore and Foie Gras with Truffle (duh). The piece of foie gras served was immaculate. It was a ridiculously plump bite of guilty, juicy, fatty pleasures, and the luxurious truffle oil lingered until the indescribable sad, sad end. Dramatic? Yes. Truthful? Very. It was outrageously delicious!

The only negative criticism I have was that the Ama Ebi was especially disappointing. Ama Ebi is a small shrimp that has a sweet flavor; it’s like the candy of the ocean. The Ama Ebi served was very bland and did not have the plump texture and vibrant burst of sweetness I expected. For $3 a pop that’s size resembled a few strands of string tied together, I wouldn’t recommend ordering this. The Botan Ebi (the sushi picture with the fried shrimp heads) were something I regretfully did not try but heard was delectable.

Some things that I appreciated:
The soy sauce they provide is very light so you can never over-season your sushi. It always tasted perfect no matter how much you put on. I also really appreciated the size of the fish and foie gras served. Let’s just say that the little nugget of rice accompanied with it is completely hidden and you do not miss it when you have all that happiness going on on top. Overall, Oishii has excellent quality fish and I would be afraid for any sushi establishments in the vicinity. Really!

The lunch combinations we had were affordable and great for any day. Luckily, you do not have to wait for that special dinner or romantic date if you want to have a reason to try Oishii. For $30 (other lunch options are $20), we each ordered Choice D, Kaiseki Lunch. Most lunches are served with miso soup and salad. Our lunch comprised of: Salad with Sesame Dressing, Fresh Lobster Wild Mushroom Risotto, Seared Wild King Salmon Sweet Soy, Crispy Rock Shrimp with Lemon Aioli, Oishii Crab Cake, Spicy Tuna Salad Handroll, Grilled Miso Black Cod, Rocky Sushi, Sake Sushi, Maguro Sashimi and Hamachi Sashimi. I am exhausted typing… What a list! Mind you, these are very small portions but you will feel full.

My favorites were the lobster risotto, crab cake and spicy tuna handroll.

Next up was something I was anxious for since the first minute we sat down; Sautéed Uni with Homemade Pasta, served with fresh shaved truffles, topped with a poached egg. Oh lawd, lawd, sing to me!

Oh, hello there.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but although the site of it was so satisfying and scrumptious, the taste fell unbelievably short. Dare I even say, it tasted like chicken flavored ramen. For shame. My sister and I would have been disappointed if we did not order this at all, but because of the amount of salt in this dish, the truffle flavor was completely compromised. The poached egg and uni served as a great creamy sauce but the salt was overwhelming so you could not enjoy it. The homemade pasta was more of a ramen noodle, although that is fine, it was just unexpected. Sadly, I wouldn’t recommend this dish along with the Ama Ebi, especially for the hefty prices.

Lastly, we finally reached the end of the meal with dessert. Below is the Red Bean Crème Brûlée and Green Tea Tiramisu. 

Out of the two, I’d say the Green Tea Tiramisu was a smidge better. The green tea liquid at the base was sweet and light and complimented the rich and heavy Marscapone nicely. The Red Bean Crème Brûlée was delicious too. The red bean mixture was on the bottom (it’d be pretty unique if it was mixed in with the custard) and provided a nice twist to the classic French dessert (or British, but we’ll save that for another time).

Overall, my experience at Oishii has been very memorable because of the fresh fish, calming atmosphere and my wonderful family. For people that want to experience Oishii without the splurging, stick with the lunch combinations that range from $20-30. You will not be disappointed. In fact, I will probably only be coming here for lunch combos from now on (times are tough)!

You da bomb, Oishii. Keep that ridiculously fresh sashimi coming.
Total Meal: ~$400 (not including gratuity)
Servings: 5 people

One day, I’d like to discover a huge trust fund that’s been hidden from me my whole life. I will bathe in black and white truffles, brush my teeth with foie gras, exfoliate my face with Caspian Osetra Caviar… maybe I’ll take a casual weekend trip to The Fat Duck or something. I’ll bring friends and family with me and at the end of the meal say, “nah, nah, I got it.” But for now… truffle oil will have to suffice. I’ll buy the dried version of Chantrelles and eat tobiko off of the California rolls my friend usually pushes aside. Life is so hard.

Truffle oil makes me feel like I’m rich without greedily taking away from my wallet. I love how a few drops can go such a long way. One of my favorite things to do on a lazy night is boil pasta, mince a few cloves of garlic, grate up some Parmesan and drizzle with the oil. Quick, easy, elegant, and scrumptious. A great tip that I picked up is that there is a big difference between pasta and egg noodles when using truffles. Egg noodles have a very silky texture, compared to pasta where it is much more starchy and chewy. Silky textures and truffles are truly a match made in heaven.

And getting into heaven is not hard at all. You only need a few ingredients:

Ingredients:
8 ounces Egg Noodles
3/4 pint Heavy Cream
3 tbs White Truffle Oil*
3 tbs Butter

Top with:
Grated Parmesan
Chopped Chives
Salt and Pepper

*I found this truffle oil in TJ Maxx’s homegoods sections. Most food specialty stores will have it, sometimes Stop & Shop has it too.

Directions:

1) Boil a pot of salted water for pasta

2) Mix butter with white truffle oil

3) In a saucepan, bring heavy cream to a simmer. Add truffle oil and butter mixture and let it melt. Season with salt and pepper and mix.
( I sauteed garlic and ham first, but optional)

3) Add egg noodles to boiling water. Cook until tender. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and add noodles to cream sauce.

4) Coat the noodles with cream sauce to absorb the flavor. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the pasta water to have desired amount of thickness.

5) Plate pasta.

6) Sprinkle grated Parmesan on top and garnish with chopped chives.

Bon appétit!

Prep time: 25 minutes
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 people
Total Cost of Recipe Amount: $11
$13 white truffle oil bottle
$5 Parmesan
$3 butter
$3 chives
$3 heavy cream
$5 egg noodles (16 oz) 

The Chocolate Truffle is my guilty pleasure when I walk around Winchester center. After picking up some goods at CVS or a fresh cup of coffee at Starbucks, there’s nothing that ends the day better than a beautifully handcrafted morsel.

Started in Woburn, Massachusetts in 1990, Bacci Chocolate Design created this lovely boutique which can be found in two locations, Reading and Winchester. Owners Erin Calvo-Bacci and Carlo Bacci have done a wonderful job with all their products. Not only are they delicious, but they are also great ideas for gifts! Of course your friend will be happy if you buy a box of truffles for them, but what about chocolate dipped twinkies, chocolate bark, chocolate bars with bacon, chocolate pizza, chocolate buffalo wings, chocolate shoes- I had you at “bacon,” didn’t I? Many of these products are purchased locally as well, which is another reason why I love this little shop.

I believe each truffle is about $2, which is a bit on the pricey side- but I’d much rather pay an extra dollar for a memorable morsel than a dollar for something I feel indifferent about. Experiencing fig seeds popping inside of your mouth while you satisfy your sweet tooth is something everyone should be entitled to!

The Chocolate Truffle… is it really a guilty pleasure if I feel absolutely no shame?

A pot of boiling, steamy broth waiting to be flavored with various meats, vegetables, seafood and so many other things… that is the type of comfort food no tomato soup and grilled cheese could ever replace. Accompanied with a bowl of rice or noodles, you can taste your uniquely flavored soup at the final stage of the meal with a feeling of accomplishment; you made that broth, top chef!

If you are a “hot pot” or “shabu” first timer, here’s a quick run down of what you’re missing out on. This style of cooking comes from either Mongolia or China (still unknown) where you have a pot of simmering water or stock and an assortment of raw vegetables, meats and seafood. You cook them by dipping the foods in the hot water or broth and dab on some soy dipping sauce and other yummy condiments after; minced garlic, chilies, soybean paste, green scallions, and more. Life is all about enjoying simple pleasures, and there is nothing easier than dipping raw food in hot broth. Really!

I went to Swish Shabu in Fenway for lunch with some lovely Yelpers: Nicole V. and Alex B. (They have some great recommendations if you’re looking for good eats) As always, they picked a fantastic place for lunch. Although I usually go to the buffets because it’s $20 per person, all-you-can-eat, the quality is mediocre and the quantity is the only thing it has going for it. Over time, I learned with the right amount of people and a couple orders of high quality ingredients, you pay the same price or less compared to a buffet.

Vegetarian Combo - $12.50

Seafood Combo - $10.95

Meyers Organic Prime Rib Eye Combo - $20

Ostrich Combo - $15.95

Beef Tongue - $6

Vibrant and fresh greens, beautifully marbled red meat, and you know- other stuff, like ostrich meat and cow tongue. Can you do me a favor before you start to feel squeamish and freaked out though? Give it a shot. The cow tongue was one of my favorite plates and you won’t even think about feeling taste buds against yours at all. I’m sure that didn’t help, but that was for my personal amusement. Anyways, all the dishes were not portioned to fill you quickly, but sized in a great way that allows you to enjoy a variety of foods. For us, we were very happy with every dish and the massive amount of vegetables accompanying them. As for the ostrich meat, it was delightfully game-y and incredibly lean. It’s always fun to try something new.

When I looked at each dish’s price, I was ready to spend some money- $20 for a beef plate? Eek! But no, not that bad at all. Somehow, our table of four was very content and completely satisfied, all with a $66 bill. Not too shabby!

On top of the great food and surprisingly great price, our waitress was wonderful. She always had a smile on her face, filled our waters when they were half way through, and asked if we were enjoying our meal without being overbearing. It seems like the staff at Swish Shabu are all sweet, friendly, and accommodating while being efficient. Perfect.

All in all, I really enjoyed having hot pot here. Thanks to Nicole V. and Alex B., I now have another restaurant that I can happily recommend to others!

I double dare you to try beef tongue at Swish Shabu.
Total Meal: $66
Servings: 4 people

I was happily invited to the first Zagat Present dinner, “An Evening in Alsace at L’Espalier,” where chefs and sommeliers thoroughly explained five courses and wine pairings with expertise with interesting facts and entertaining humor. Before starting the dinner, we were treated with a delightful amuse-bouche with incredible flavor; salmon, roe, creme fraiche, and dill foam. On the side was a crispy chip with foie gras mousse. I love how the bright flavors of such a small bite can jolt your taste buds to life.

First was an hors d’oeuvre of Tarte Flambée with Caviar paired with Lucien Albrecht, Brut Rosé, Cremant d’Alsace. The subtle savoriness of the tarte with a hint of saltiness from the caviar was a great way to segue into the array of flavors that were soon to be experienced.

First course was a Hudson Valley foie gras terrine with ash-roasted duck, pickled rhubarb and consommé. Served with a fruit and nut bread, this was a fabulous variety of textures; smooth and chewy, rich and gamey. The diverse components made for a unique and interesting dish where the forethought of it is much appreciated. The foie gras terrine was paired with a 2008 Schoenheitz, “Linsenberg” Riesling. 

The second course was Georges Bank Cod with Lobster and Maine Crab Emulsion, served with White Asparagus and paired with a 2006 Zind Humbrecht, “Clos Hausere” Riesling. With a beautifully crispy sear, the cod was amazingly moist and tender and the lobster was very sweet. The light flavors of this seafood dish were balanced perfectly, matching the wonderfully soft and refined presentation. The visual appeal was just as lovely as the taste.

The third course was Hay Roasted Rabbit with House Sausage, Black Pepper Spaetzle, Foraged Mushrooms and Charred Ramps. This was paired with a 2005 F.E. Trimbach, “Reserve Personelle” Pinor Noir. The tenderness of the rabbit was out of this world and the chewiness of the spaetzle was absolutely scrumptious. With the earthiness of the mushrooms? Forget about it! This hearty dish was definitely one of my favorites. I would love to have this meal again on a cold evening with the same glass of Pinot Noir.

And here is where we started the painful transition towards the end of the meal, with a very pungent and sharp Muenster that was paired with a 2009 Weinbach, Reserve Personnelle” Gewurztraminer. Served with a sweet bread and thinly sliced green apples, this is a cheese all stinky cheese lovers dream about. Against the soft texture is a rind that crackles upon biting. Yum!

And last was the dessert; Kugelhopf Pain Perdu with Vanilla Ice Cream. De-li-cious. Fantastic! It is part cake part bread with a slight crunch on the outside and raisins soaked in various alcohols. With the simple and complex taste of smooth vanilla ice cream, the components of the dish complimented each other very well.

It is safe to say that Zagat Present’s “An Evening in Alsace” was a successful dinner that showcased unforgettably elegant Alsatian food and wine. Thank you Zagat for this wonderful treat! It was lovely getting to know Alsace, France bite by delectable bite.

Disclosure: Meal was paid for by other party

There’s something special about Marliave. You feel like you’ve been transported to a chic and casual bistro in France where dining without a glass of wine between your fingertips almost feels uncomfortable. Tastefully simple, dimly lit lights heighten the ambiance for romantic dinners and gatherings of close friends. As for the food… Well, let me tell you about the food.

Everyday, from 4-6pm and 9-11pm, Marliave has a variety of $1 oysters and Little Neck Clams. Oysters usually include Wellfleet, Peter’s Point, Duxbury and Rocky Nook. How can you beat that? Restaurants that serve $1 oysters once a week usually serve you the ones that are about to rot. Trust me, you can taste the difference. This is the perfect after-work spot to relax and slurp on some perfectly briny bites. Squeeze a little lemon juice to bring that baby alive, plop a small dollop of zesty cocktail sauce and then drizzle a little mignonette on it. Yum!

Macaroni & Cheese - $14

Instead of ordering entrees, my table split three appetizers. One of these appetizers is my absolute favorite macaroni and cheese. No fancy descriptions are necessary, I’ll just share the main ingredients: house cut ziti, black truffle cream and farmhouse cheeses. If you had each of those ingredients alone, they would already be good! Firstly, I don’t know how they make the pasta but the texture is unlike any other typical pastas you’ve had. It is very chewy, but starchy and soft at the same time. It is almost like gnocchi made al dente- except it comes with a decadent truffle cheese sauce and tells you to never stop eating it. This is a must-try at Marliave. I’ve never had anything like it!

Beef Carpaccio - $12

Looking at these pictures make me reminisce while salivating over the beef carpaccio. It was good. Damn good. It was prepared with thinly sliced ribeye, topped with peppery arugula, nutty Reggiano cheese, garlicky aioli, sea salt and fruity and flavorful extra olive oil. Here’s the thing… maybe you’ve had steak carpaccios before and they all have same, exact ingredients, but a good quality carpaccio goes a long way. At Marliave, you won’t have to feel unsure about ordering this dish or not. If you aren’t afraid to eat raw meat, this is something I highly recommend.

Duck Confit - $15

Last was the duck confit; “crispy leg, coarsely ground duck sausage, broccoli rabe, cassoulet of white beans.” It was warm, hearty, savory and delicious. The duck meat was cooked to juicy and succulent perfection, and the skin gave it a nice crispy crunch. It was a wonderful dish due to the lovely variety of textures and flavorful components in this hot cast iron dish.

Of course, these are only a handful of great dishes you can order at this cozy establishment. I recommend the Beef Wellington and escargot. I’ve also seen many patrons order the risotto- wild mushroom, Reggiano and truffle butter, and Henry’s Soup- french onion, Gruyere, short ribs and crouton. (Hint: Boston Restaurant week is here and the Beef Wellington is usually $32, so now’s a good time to go!) Cheeses and charcuterie are a good option as well. The Fish-n-Chips has been the only dish I felt indifferent about. I’m not sure if it was only that one time, but the fried batter and french fries were a bit soggy and oily. Even though there’s one single dish I didn’t thoroughly love here, it never alters my wonderful impression of Marliave.

You always ease the pain of my intangible trip to France, Marliave
Total Meal: $65
Servings: 2 people

What’s the difference between China Sky and the typical Chinese restaurant in Chinatown? Here’s one: open space. Here’s another: it is contemporary while being comfortable. Although you can’t see it in the pictures, there is plenty of street parking so you don’t have to deal with pesky meters, Boston traffic or the road rage associated with it. Also, the service here is very inviting and attentive- your menus aren’t just carelessly plopped in front of you.

But wait- there’s a catch! A street full of parking, no road rage, open spaced dining area… this may be too good to be true. And in this case, it kind of is. You pay for what you get. China Sky is an absolutely lovely place, but their food comes with a hefty price tag. Surprisingly the more expensive dishes are the dinner plates, as opposed to the sushi. Who knew!

Crab Rangoon (6 pcs) - $6.95

Spicy Salmon Roll - $5.45, Eel and Avocado Roll - $5.45

What’s a better appetizer than a fried appetizer? One of my fatty favorites is the crab rangoon; cream cheese, imitation crab, savory onions…perfect. The only way you can get this wrong is if the portions of filling are excruciatingly tiny or your cream cheese has already expired and spoiled. Unfortunately, portions were tiny and they were scantily filled. Oh, woe is my mouth and happy are my arteries.

But here’s the good news- their sushi? Bomb. I’ve seen a couple of reviews for China Sky that say “all the dishes here are fantastic- but we will not be ordering the sushi next time.” I am a bit dumbfounded with this reoccurring statement. The sushi here is the best bang for your buck! They are generously portioned and they also do little things I appreciate, like for the Spicy Salmon Roll. Inside the roll is a large piece of salmon and the rest is the chopped, spicy salmon mixture, so you are really eating two different textures together in one. Simple, unique, scrumptious. I haven’t met a roll I didn’t like!

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce - $12.95

General Tso's Chicken - $14.95

Crispy Sesame Shrimp - $17.95

The thing is… I feel absolutely terrible for saying that I did not fully enjoy my dinners here because I genuinely think China Sky is a wonderful staple to Winchester. I am just disappointed with how such popular Chinese dishes can be prepared so differently here. For example, the General Tso’s Chicken- a very, very popular dish everyone loves to order; sweet, tangy, crunchy, moist chicken- yum, right? Instead it was on the stale side and the chicken was dry and tough. For $10 at most Chinese restaurants, I was hoping $15 would get me at least the same quality or more. As for the shrimp, not bad at all. The shrimp itself was very fresh and the sauce accompanying it was perfectly light, there were no overpowering salty flavors to my surprise- but “crispy” in the Crispy Sesame Shrimp was missing. Once again, portions were on the small side and I will probably be ordering something else next time. Lastly, the Eggplant and Garlic Sauce dish. Of the three plates we had, this one was my favorite. With a colorful assortment of fresh and crispy vegetables, the meaty eggplant and my rice bowl became the perfect couple that night. Be prepared to finish it when you take your first bite.

Overall, maybe China Sky isn’t my favorite Chinese restaurant in the Boston area, but it is one of the better restaurants in Winchester. For the locals, it is a staple where you can hear old friends reunite over the buzz of cheerful conversations in the air. They are happy to see one another and dine in such a beautiful setting with friendly service. There’s something very “warm” about this place.

If you are in the area, this may not be a bad place to have lunch or dinner, but above all, this is definitely the best sushi in Winchester.

Looking forward to your delectable Spicy Salmon Roll, China Sky!
Total Meal: $70
Servings: 3 people

Although I’m blown away by the food and seafood shows each year, there were some very memorable exhibits, specifically this year.

Behold! The highlights of the 2012 New England Food Show and the International Boston Seafood Show.

Meet Francisco Carrasco, aka Franco, the president of Ham-Cheese-Wine. He has been cutting cured hams like these beauties from Cinco Jotas for over 15 years. Saul Sola, the VP of Sales from Osborne, explained exactly why one pound of this cured ham costs a retail price of $150. The ham comes from pure-bread Iberian pigs, black pigs, from the woodlands of Spain which allows them to be in an open range. Their unbeatable flavor comes from an acorn diet during their fattening period. Depending on which part of the pig is used, the curing process takes an astonishing 24-36 months.

Cinco Jotas is pretty expensive and takes a very long time to cure, but flavors never lie. It is worth every dollar and second.

The art of cutting ham is something I have not conquered yet. Franco looked pretty disappointed with my monstrously, uneven, severed piece of meat. Look how happy my expression is and then look at his appalled face. I will be better next year, I promise!

Have you ever had an unforgettable apple salsa? Or a confusingly sweet, unsweetened apple butter? Meet Rick Card and C. Waite Maclin. Waite is the founder of Pastor Chuck Orchards in Portland, Maine. In 2009, Waite was awarded Maine’s “Food Producer of the Year” for his phenomenal involvement with the Maine Food Producers Alliance who work together to better their state’s food production and manufacturing industry. With plenty of natural, gluten-free and sugar-free products, Pastor Chuck Orchards has worked hard to successfully make its way to Whole Foods Markets.

The apple butter was one of my favorites at the show. It is for the health conscious, naturally delicious loving and folks that enjoy simply great tasting food. It was an absolute pleasure meeting you, Waite and Rick!

High protein gelato? That’s a first. One serving of Forte has 15 grams of protein with only 2.5 grams of fat. And to top it off, it is all-natural. By Figo Brands, I was very surprised with the smooth, thick and creamy texture of their chocolate gelato. This is a delicious source of nutrition for children, seniors, athletes, and many others. You don’t even have to be health-conscious driven to enjoy this.

There is nothing more sad than a soufflé struggling to rise. Fortunately, Chef Yves Bainier has the recipe to an authentic soufflé that comes in sweet and savory flavors like dulce de leche and cheese with broccoli and onions. I’m not sure if the secret ingredient is his French accent or his impressive culinary expertise, but if it means that I only have to go to a Whole Foods Market and put a few frozen soufflés in the oven for 20 minutes, count me in. Who can debate with a beautifully cooked soufflé with such impressive height? Most of all, less work for me. Thanks, Chef Y Bainier!

And this is some darn good Bixby Bar. By an up-and-coming company, Bixby & Co., some very creative ideas are brought to real, tasty life. How would you like to try To The Nines? It’s a bar dipped in white chocolate, filled with Goji Berries, pistachios, almonds and cardamom. A very interesting combination of ingredients that somehow work together in a harmoniously balanced way. Other bars include intriguing ingredients like chipotle and Telicherry black pepper. I can’t wait to get my hands on those! I think they would be great gifts for people that appreciate unique eats.

And ending all of this with the Black Cherry ice cream, one of the 24 flavors extracted from one machine…

The 2012 New England Food Show and the International Boston Seafood Show were a big hit once again. Plenty of parking lots overflowed with cars, valet parking was full, and people even had to take shuttles to get to an available lot from far away (that took forever!) So next year, I will come early and prepared - so should you, exhibitors! Like the Chairman of Iron Chef always says, “a la cuisine!”

See everyone again in 2013!

Shrimp Bags - $5.95

Steamed Mussels - $5.95

Chicken Satay - $5.95

Beef Satay - $6.50

Thai Pancake $5.95

Firstly, Thai Moon has quick, inviting and friendly service. You’ll notice that your water glass is always filled, waiters and waitresses ask how your meal is without being overbearing, and the night I dined here, there were only two waitresses running the whole restaurant all night smoothly and gracefully, all with a smile on their faces.

Secondly, the food is absolutely scrumptious and affordable. There has been a poor pattern of tasting an absurd amount of sugar and MSG in Asian cuisine for a long time, but no, not here. All the dishes were seasoned nicely without being overwhelmed with sweet and salty sensations. The portions were sized nicely as well. For $5.95 – $6.50 each, we ordered five appetizers: Shrimp Bags, Steamed Mussels, Chicken Satay, Beef Satay, and Thai Pancakes. The pancakes and shrimp bags were both cooked to crispy perfection. Made with rice flour and stuffed with scallions, the pancakes were unlike Korean pancakes or Chinese scallion pancakes because inside the crunchy exterior is a soft and savory consistency. Great combination of textures. The shrimp and mussels were plump, juicy and tender. For $5.95, a hot pot of steamed mussels? Score!

Crispy Duck - $15.95

Chili Fish - $14.95

Pad C-U with Vegetables - $9.50

Lemongrass Chicken - $10.95

Pad Thai with Seafood - $10.95

Pineapple Fried Rice - $9.50

Before you assume anything negative about me, the dinner was for 8 people. Now that’s out the way, onto my favorite part- the entrees! I’ve been a long time fan of Brown Sugar Cafe’s Country Style Pad Thai, but now I can add another one onto my noodle list. The pad thai here is so good! The spicy pad thai is even better! It’s delightfully chewy, with just the right amount of the sour tamarind sauce and peanut flavor. I’m also happy that they added a good amount of seafood, squid, shrimp and mussels, which is only about $1 more than the price without seafood. What a steal! The Lemongrass Chicken was also a great dish; tender, bursting with lovely lemongrass flavor with a nice hint of sweetness. All of the other dishes were delicious as well, but the most memorable ones were the pad thai and lemongrass chicken. The duck entree was nice with the yummy slices of gamy meat laying on a bed of fried yellow noodles. Good, but I didn’t experience much of a wow factor when I took my first bite, so I’ll be trying another duck dish the next time. The Pad C-U was seasoned with the perfect amount of sauce and would be a dish I would order again as well. The fish entree was slightly overdone, but the smooth, sweet and sour-like chili sauce made up for its dryness.

Fried Ice Cream with Raspberry Wine Sauce - $5.95

Sweet Sticky Rice with Thai Custard - $5.95

Fried Banana - $3.95

And ending the dinner were desserts that could happily satisfy any sweet tooth. We ordered 2 fried ice creams, 2 fried bananas and 1 sweet sticky rice with custard. Da-da-damn! I personally loved the sweet sticky rice and custard, however, other diners said that rice for dessert was a bit strange to them. Very understandable. The fried ice cream dish was refreshing because it was served with an interesting sauce instead of red bean or honey like usual. Raspberries and wine… tangy, sweet, a bit sour and a really nice contrast to the vanilla ice cream. The fried bananas were simple and tasty too. Wrapped and fried in phyllo dough, topped with light, sugary syrup and sesame seeds, I could pop these little things in my mouth like chips. Danger!

This was my future brother-in-law’s birthday dinner, and the food definitely made him a happy camper. Great restaurant call, Quan! We all hope you had a very happy birthday and a wonderful time as we celebrate you being another year younger!

Be ready for a massive amount of take-out orders from me, Thai Moon. May God speed.
Total Meal: $135.00
Servings: 8 people