Momofuku Ssam Bar, New York, USA

We randomly walked in and got a table.

I was trying to go to Booker & Dax, but accidentally made a reservation for the wrong the day. We wandered into Ssam Bar first, though, and they just happened to have some seats for three! Matthias's awesome luck as always.

Seven Spice Sour - Sake, Yuzu, Lime, Shichimi 
I think this was possibly my favorite cocktail through my stay in New York. The shichimi was sneaky, and I did not realise for some time that the kick was setting in. But the balance of yuzu and shichimi was exceptionally on point.

Green Pal - Japanese Whiskey, Manzanilla Sherry, Dry Vermouth, Shiso 
Matthias's cocktail. Pretty good, but on the sweeter side still for him, even though I asked for less vermouth.

Spicy Shrimp Roll - Daikon, Green Mango, Peanut
I do not actually remember this one being spicy, but it was a pretty good take on a Vietnamese rice roll. The sauce was pretty good.

Diver Scallop - Ham Dashi, Radish, Thai Basil 
The dashi was jelled, and it covered the entire dish. Nice texture, but it and the radish kinda overwhelmed the scallops.

Pig Ear Ssam 
Not on the menu any more, it seems. But it was delicious -- Matthias ate half of it. The pig ears were fried, and they came already pre-made into ssam.

Grilled Flat Iron Steak - Ramp, Parsnip, Nettle 
Matthias ordered this because steak and nettle. It came with what looked and tasted like tendon puffs to me (is this a trend? I have had this in a few other places recently too). He overwhelmingly approved of this dish.

Passion Fruit Pie - Coffee, Cilantro
Surprisingly delicious. I ordered just to try, since we were there, and was not particularly keen on either offering. But the pairing of passion fruit and what tasted like a coffee crumb or coffee cookie works deliciously well. The cilantro was rather lost, however.

Overall
Pretty good. I think Matthias liked the food more than I did.

Momofuku Ko, East Village, New York, New York, USA

Cocktails
I ordered one that had fig balsamic, gin, and orgeat. Very sippable.

Quartet Cocktail 
Delicious, and served very cold, as it should be. I cannot remember the ingredients, but it had a bunch of Matthias's favorite things, like bitters, and the new-to-us ingredient was Cappelletti, which turns out to be something like Campari.

Pommes Soufflees
A potato puff with caramelised onions inside.

Lobster Palois
We were told that it was a take on a lobster roll. It was a cylinder, with an open bottom, with the lobster meat inside.

Tartlet 
Delightful! I'd love to know how they make the 'tart' shells. It looked like it was akin to a thin pancake batter, baked in the shape of a rectangular tart case until crisp, and then topped with pumpkin and shredded cheese.

Vegetable Roll 
I remember tasting bright basil, but that is it.

Millefeuille 
Thin layers of rye puff pastry sandwiched with ikura.

Madai - Consomme, Shiso
I mostly remember they spraying the top of the bowl with a shiso spray.

Razor Clam - Pineapple, Basil 
Interesting. I expected this to be hot, but it was actually cold. The clams in the dashi were perfectly done, tender and sweet, and it was topped with little basil seeds too.

Sunchoke - Dry Aged Beef, Tarragon

Starchy and satisfying. If I remember correctly, the beef was actually just beef fat.

Uni - Chickpea, Hozon 
I never particularly like uni, but this is definitely my favorite uni dish ever. The slightly salty creaminess of the chickpea puree enhanced the flavor of the uni for me.

Mackerel Sawarazushi - Wasabi, Dashi Ponzu 
Amazing. I always love aburi sushi when done well, and this definitely ranks as one of the best things I have ever put into my mouth. This one alone would have been worth staying up until 1am for a few nights to get a reservation at Ko.

Mackerel Dashi - King Oyster, Asian Pear 
A nice touch to make the broth with the same mackerel bones. The Asian pear provided just the right amounts of sweetness and crunch.

Soft Scramble - Potato, Caviar, Herbs 
So full of potato flavor, and so so good. I cannot say the egg portion of the dish was very memorable, but the potato puree at the bottom of the bowl and the crunchy bits of potato on the top? Very, very good. The accent of sweet potato vinegar was just right.

Bread and Butter 
They offered bread with the Soft Scramble. Too white for Matthias, but otherwise pretty good. It came with some radish butter that I did not like.

Orecchiette - Octopus, Olive 
It was served as 'Octopus Bolognese'. It came across more as a chilli paste with underpinnings of tomato. I think it would have been better served over hot rice than with pasta.

Branzino - Artichoke, Yogurt, Sumac 
The fish was perfectly done, but it could have used more punch from the sumac.

Pork - Kimchi, Onion 
I liked the kimchi topping, though it could have been spicier, but the meat itself was too fatty for me.

Foie Gras - Lychee, Pine Nut, Riesling Jelly 
I do not usually appreciate foie gras, but it was more akin to a shaved ice in presentation and form, or a melting shaved cheese that is slightly funky. Eat each bite with all three components, and you have something that is not quite a dessert, and not quite a savory either.

Clementine - Campari 
At this point in the degustation, this was the perfect refresher course -- indeed, we were told that this was the pre-dessert. It was served very very cold, and the Campari was just enough to cleanse the palate.

Chocolate - Mint 
One soft and one crisp chocolate cookie-like base, topped with a quenelle of Fernet Branca pudding (or ice cream, I cannot remember which). It is quite light for a chocolate dessert, and pretty good.

Mignardises
It was one macaron with a fermented-something (I cannot remember what it is) filling that was rather savory, and a dulce de leche shortbread cookie. The macaron is definitely better.

Overall: 
Fantastic, in a word. Worth every penny.
We can often rate a degustation by how many dishes I ate a few bites, and then handed to Matthias. This was 2 out of 17, and one of them was primarily because I asked for extra bread and was worried that if I finished the pasta too, I would not be able to eat any of the later courses.

Chikalicious, East Village, New York, USA

Amuse 
Tea panna cotta and grapefruit sorbet. I am usually not a fan of panna cotta, but that was so good that I would be excited to have an entire bowlful for dessert. The tea flavor came in strongly, balancing out the creaminess of the panna cotta.

Warm Chocolate Tart with Peppercorn Ice Cream and Red Wine Sauce 
This was more like a molten chocolate cake in a tart case. Delicious, though also not particularly interesting. The peppercorn ice cream was a nice touch, but the red wine sauce got a little lost. This paired well with the suggested port.

Fromage Blanc Island "Cheese Cake" 
Not a cheesecake, per Matthias. To me, it was more of a frozen mousse than a cheesecake. I cannot say I liked it very much.

Petit Fours 
The Coconut marshmallows did not have any of the chew that I normally associate with marshmallows. I disdain the dessicated coconut dusted around the marshmallow too -- go fresh (maybe steamed with a pinch of salt) or go bust.
The orange cookie dough was interesting. It was soft, like a piece of fudge, dusted with what tasted like feuilletine on the outside, and perfumed with orange.
The cinnamon chocolate truffle was pleasantly bitter on the outside, before the aroma of cinnamon hits the nose.

Overall
Pretty good. I would definitely go back. I just wish they would put up the menu when they change it.

EN Japanese Brasserie, West Village, New York City, USA

We had the Aozora menu. (Note: I am writing this nearly a week after we ate there. I can no longer remember everything I ate, in particular the elements of the Zensai, of which there were at least seven.) 

Ginger Cocktail & Green Tea Hi 
We arrived early, and were directed to the bar. 
The Ginger cocktail was bright and refreshing, and eminently drinkable. There was just enough lime in there to be a counterpoint to the ginger. 
The Green Tea Hi was rather a disappointment, especially since they used bottled tea for it. 

Zensai 
Anago Tempura: Sweet fish flesh encased in crunchy tempura batter 
Cauliflower Shira Ae: The cauliflower was perfectly cooked, but the sauce was not 
Ikura: Fresh ikura atop perfect rice 
Kumamoto Oyster: Delicious, as fresh oysters are wont to be, but not special otherwise.
Glazed chestnut: Sweet and creamy 

Aburi Sashimi Salad 
It came beautifully presented, and a tangy sauce (plum?) was poured over it. I personally think it could have done without the sauce, but I normally prefer my salads without dressing anyway. 

Kinmedai To Kinoko
Essentially, fish in mushroom broth. The fish was good, and the skin still crispy despite sitting in the soup, but I am personally not a fan of mushrooms. 

Uni Mousse
I do not like uni very much, but Matthias really liked it, and ate my portion too. It was served atop a cold dashi gelee. 

Washugyu Steak
The apple, garlic and ginger sauce was very tasty, and the meat juicy and tender. Matthias ate most of mine because I was already quite full. 

Snow Crab Rice Pot 
Prior to the steak, this was placed in front of us, a stone pot on top of something resembling an essential oil diffuser (the kind that you put a tea light under), and an hourglass. They lit a small fire underneath, and once the fire goes out, which takes quite awhile, you turn the hourglass. This is to let the rice finish cooking and also to let it cool a little. 
Inside, there was crab leg meat and mushrooms on top of rice. The rice was perfectly cooked, and the crab meat sweet. 

Mixed Berry Panna Cotta 
This was rather excellent. The berry sauce on top of the delicate and creamy panna cotta was on point, and it came with a delicious strawberry ice cream and a little tea (probably hojicha) cookie. 

Overall 
Pretty good. The Zensai set the tone for the meal, and everything on that plate was absolutely delicious. Out of 7 courses, Matthias finished 3 of mine for me. 
The service was also excellent. The only down note was that the limited tea selection. 
Matthias did have the sake pairing, and he concluded that it was kind of wasted on him since he does not know enough about sake to really enjoy it. 

Stinking Bishops, Newtown, Sydney, Australia

This was their special 1-year anniversary degustation menu

Amuse Bouche 
A lovely little cup of a smoked fish soup, with apple. It was very savory, and just the thing to kick of a cold and wet evening.

Autumn Vegetables
Vegetable medley, consisting of golden beetroot, artichoke and radish, atop a delicious puree (no idea what it was, but it might be parsnip). Nicely done, but the crispy flakes of garlic were completely out of tune with the dish, and did not add to the flavor. If they wanted to add a crispy texture, toasted flaked almonds would have been the thing.

Confit Ocean Trout, Black Olive Crumb, Marinated Goats Feta 
Nicely done on all counts, even the black olive crumb -- I do not like olives. The only problem was that together, they were too salty.

Rabbit Cigar, Seared Scallop, Scotch Quail Egg, Dutch Carrot, Pea
I am sad to say that they did not serve an individual, perfect pea with this dish. It came with a vibrant but grainy pea puree instead.
The rabbit cigar was minced rabbit piped diagonally along a spring roll wrapper, and deep fried. It was like Australian lor bak, but overly gamy. Very disappointing, as was the scotch quail egg.
The highlight of the dish were the Dutch carrots. They came dusted in cocoa, which is a surprisingly terrific pairing.
Overall, this was not a great dish. The individual components were not great, and I cannot see how they were meant to go together.

Cheese
They served a Comte and a soft, sheep and cow's milk cheese. As usual for the Stinking Bishops, the cheeses were delicious and served at the perfect temperature.

Hot X Bun Ice Cream Sandwich 
Essentially what it says on the title: they split a hot cross bun, stuffed some cinnamon ice cream, blood orange jam and a half Cadbury creme egg in there.
And terrible. Seriously terrible.
The hot cross bun on its own was not bad. But the combination just did not work. The jam overpowered the ice cream -- you could not taste the cinnamon, just something cold and creamy -- and why on earth was there a Cadbury creme egg in there?

Overall
Very disappointing. I adore the Stinking Bishops, and maybe my expectations were too high. Matthias and I often go there in the mid-afternoon on the weekend and he likes to try whatever hot plates they have, and we have always loved the food.
If you go, stick to the cheeses (tell them what you like and let them steer you), the charcuterie (they do an awesome smoked Wagyu beef, amongst other things), and the regular menu.

Chai Chiffon Cake

Adapted from Kitchen Tigress

Ingredients: 

180g egg white 

1/4 tsp cream of tartar 

55g sugar

60g egg yolk 

55g sugar 

95g strongly brewed chai -- see notes 

60g oil 

100g flour 

1tsp baking powder 

1/4tsp salt 

Sieve the flour + baking powder. Then whisk in the salt, and set aside. 

Whip egg whites + cream of tartar + sugar to soft peaks at medium speed over a pan of hot, freshly boiled water. Then whisk for an extra 45 seconds at top speed. Remove from pan, and set aside. 

Whip the egg yolks + sugar until thick and creamy. Then whisk in the chai, followed by the oil. Whisk in the flour mixture in 3 - 4 parts, each time dusting the flour over the top of the batter. Stir in a third of the whipped-up egg whites. 

Pour the egg yolk mixture over the remaining egg whites and fold. 

Pour into a 22cm 2-piece chiffon cake tin. Bake at 180C. 

Notes: 

This chai should be brewed straight up in milk, not water, and without sugar. I suggest at least 2-3 teabags worth, and squeeze out the liquid. 

Alternatively, I have been experimenting with a triple-brewed chai extract of my own making -- this time, I used some left over chai and a tablespoon of the extract. I will report back.

I did not actually taste the cake as it was a gift for someone. But the texture etc looked perfect. 

Duck Confit

Ingredients: 

8 duck legs -- about 2kg
24g fine salt
8 juniper berries
6g whole black pepper
8 dried curry leaves
6g yellow mustard seeds
240g duck fat -- see notes
4 fat garlic cloves -- see notes

Pull the curry leaves apart into bits with your hands. Put all of the spices into a *mortar and pestle and crush roughly. Stir in the salt.

Rub all of the cure over the duck legs.

Let sit for 24-48 hours.

Rinse off all the cure, and pat dry.

Vacuum seal 2 of the duck legs at a time, with 60g duck fat and a clove of garlic.

Sous vide at 75C for 10 hours, and chill down. Stash in fridge for at least a week before eating.

Notes: 

Duck Fat: Hank Shaw suggests 1tbsp per two legs. I was trying to use up the rest of the duck fat I had already open from the can, so I added more. I also suspect that using more duck fat may lend the resulting confit a more unctuous flavor.

Garlic Cloves: For each bag of confit, use either two small cloves or a single fat one.

I use Michael Ruhlman's estimate of 6g salt per 500g duck. I often cure it for the full 48 hours, and do not find my duck to be too salty. If I am reusing duck fat, I generally adjust the salt downwards.

While Hank Shaw suggests 65C-75C, I saw lots of places suggesting 75C-82.5C. As I made a double batch (usually, I only do 4 at a time), and didn't have any curing salt on hand, I did it at a higher temperature this time as I expect that it will be kept for longer.

I have made a previous batch of sous vide duck confit, cooked at 65C, and then kept in the fridge for 2 weeks. The meat was deliciously tender, and the fat meltingly soft.

Prior to this, I had only ever made duck confit with olive oil. If you do not have a sous vide machine, I highly recommend the slow cooker or oven method with olive oil. Still superbly tasty. It is, however, messier.

I would actually not have bothered to use duck fat except Matthias bought me a can of duck fat some time back, and my vacuum sealer does not deal well with liquids.

Tasting Notes to come in a few weeks