eat as heaven

One of my favorite local restaurants is closing the end of June.  So sad.  Overseas Taste Restaurant located on 49 Canal Street is a Malaysian restaurant that you can depend on.  We had to get out “last” meal there last week before they close, but I might go there two of three times more this week.  The reason for closing is unclear, the boss might want to take some time off and relax…. Sorry I don’t have many photos, was too busy eating.  Everything we had was pretty darn good, especially the curry fish head bowl.

we ordered:

1. achat – a malaysian pickle vegetable with peanut sauce

2. sarang burong – fried taro stuffed with shirmp, chicken, corn, snow peas and black mushroom, cashew nuts

3. princess bean curd – the softest tofu ever fried and stirred fried with soy sauce and veggies

4. curry fish head bowl

No reservations???

On a recent Saturday night, I wanted check out a supposed cool bar, Apotheke, on Doyers Street.  This street is known as the bloody angle because of its history of gang violence in the past.  A few doors down, there is an underground tunnel that was used as an escape route, leading you to the Bowery.  But this night I just wanted to have a drink in Chinatown.  OH NO!  I was denied by a small man holding a clip board and standing on a step to make himself seem taller.  He was literally looking down on me.  I was told that you need to make a “reservation.”  Bull shit!  The crowd arrived in taxis and iPhones in hand.  Ladies were dressed in short skirts and heels.  I was not.  The neighboring bar, Pulqueria, also needed “reservations.”  Since when did Chinatown  need “reservations”???  I was pissed off.  I had to walk away.  The thought of going to Winnie’s Bar came naturally, a bar that my family has connections to and a karaoke favorite in Chinatown.

All time favorite for karoake in Chinatown.

But my father might very well be there and that would be weird.   We instead headed to the Whiskey Tarvern on Baxter Street and was greeted warmly by the bouncer.  What a difference!  Smiles and beer!  Not overly expensive cocktails at Apotheke!  I am all for new shops, restaurants, and bars in Chinatown but when its own residents are not welcomed at these establishments, it is a shame!

Met with smiles.

it is not magic but hard labor to make turnip cakes.  my grandma taught me how to make this and i make it for special occasions such as chinese new year.

grating turnips is hard work but well worth it

on a heated wok, mix grated turnips with chinese sausages and dried shrimp and rice flour.

after mixing, steam for 45 mins and let cool. best served day after.

brown both sides of cake until crispy and warm in the inside.

voila! after multiple processes and many hours, turnip cakes is ready to serve... wait, add a little bit of oyster sauce first!

Jeremy Lin can be spotted everywhere today in Chinatown.  He was on the front covers of newspapers and of course today’s game against the defending champs Dallas Mavericks.  I happened to go into Hong Kong Station, a noodle shop, on Bayard Street and it was a spectacular showing of LINsanity.  There were loud cheers from the patrons and the ABC News had a camera set up to see our reactions.

I still remember watching Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Derek Harper, Anthony Mason, Charles Oakley as a kid, now I can experience Knick fever all over again. Thanks Lin!

The crowd goes wild!

Happy New Year!! Chinese New Year is just around the corner too, well, in about three weeks, on Jan 23, 2012.  But we take it seriously and decorations are already beginning!  The Year of the Dragon is ON!

Oh and there is gambling of course!  This lady is gansta!  Probably me in about 40 to 50 years.

What’s with all these people at Columbus Park last Sunday?!  Well it was the unveiling of the statue of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen.   He is now in good company with Lin Zexu and Confucius serving as reminders of important Chinese historical figures.

Just found this photo of old chinatown dated around 1930′s.  Can you guess where this is?  It’s easy, there is a church to the left of the photo.

UPDATE: Yao’s Dragon Beard Candy moved to the NW corner of Grand and Chrystie Street next to the subway station!

Thank goodness for a reminder and tip from ourchinatown.org that Yao’s Dragon Beard Candy is still in business.  I was on the look out for this and was lucky enough to spot the dragon beard candy cart today!   He even made a fresh batch for me!  The candy is made with sugar, peanut and coconut shreds. He pulls the already melted sugar and repeatedly throws it in the flour for it to separate into fine threads.  It is very much like watching someone make noodles by hand.  Then he adds clumps of peanuts and coconut bits in the middle and folds it.

Watch this:    See how dragon beard candy is made all by hand!
He is so clean and mindful that he clamped the dollar bills from me instead of using his hands.  That is a FIRST in Chinatown.  The candy is $3 a box (6 in each).

By the end of this month, he said he can no longer park on Canal Street.  He told me that he is in talks to rent a small store front on Grand Street!  Hopefully that would be his permanent home.  He said he was also harassed by the NYPD for parking his cart on the southside of Canal Street where they park their vehicles as well (yes on the curb!).  He is now on the northside of Canal Street (intersection is Bowery).

It was a perfect fall afternoon to have an inaugural tour today!  The sun was shining and there was a slight chill in the air.  Thanks Anita of Brooklyn by Bike, for organizing the bike tour to join us.  Hopefully, we can get egg custards next time!  Please leave a review of tour and also make suggestions!  It is greatly appreciated.

Stay tuned for the next upcoming tour!