bird land

Having caught a sneaky glimpse of Bird Land on our visit to Jiro, I could not resist popping in for a pre-dinner snack at grill master Toshiro Wada’s famous yakitoriya. After all our hotel was only a short 10 minute walk away – it would have been rude not to. With a Michelin star under its belt, Bird Land is a more upscale and sanitised version of the grittier haunts you’d find along the atmospheric Shonben Yokocho (aka Memory Lane or Piss Alley) that the local salarymen frequent. Only the best free-range Shamo (gamecocks) raised in the lush river-lined environs of Okukuji are allowed here.

We rocked up just after 5pm to a completely empty restaurant, save for two chefs tending the binchō-tan (white charcoal). It was rather therapeutic watching them silently turn coals to the faint strains of jazz in the background, and I sat mesmerised until the waiter’s offer of sake broke my trance.

We ordered a skewer each of every chicken offering on the menu and a couple of cold starters to tide us over. The Marinated Chicken Skin was rubbery (in a pleasant, addictive way) and had an appetising tang – perfect with our brimming cups of house sake.

Jellied Chicken Gizzards were subtler in taste but I enjoyed the contrast of the crunchy offal against the soft-set jelly.

A short wait, and the skewers started to descend. Chicken Livers were rich, velvety and still pink in the centre.

Kawa and Seseri, two of my favourite chicken bits, was served together on one stick – a genius combination of crisp yet chewy skin and tender flavoursome neck meat.

Zuri (gizzards), simply salted, were enjoyable for mild taste and bouncy texture.

Negima (chicken leg with green onion) was wonderfully juicy and tasty, thanks to a generous slick of tare.

I wasn’t as fond of Bird Land’s tsukune. The balls for me were too soft as the chicken had been ground to an almost sausagemeat consistency. I prefer a slightly courser mince so that the meat retains its integrity – like the ones at Bincho (the fact that they’re served with an egg yolk and a splash of tare doesn’t hurt either!).

A whole chicken thigh was grilled on metal skewers, then removed and cut into portions to serve. A sight to behold with golden skin and rose-tinged meat, it tasted just as great.

As we got stuck into the chicken wings, the last item on our order, I wondered if perhaps there were some special off-menu items we were missing out on. I enquired with the chef and after a brief hesitation he opened one of the drawers under the prep table and placed four extra skewers on the coals for us. Score!

First up were succulent white chunks of what we believed to be sasami (breast fillet), although we weren’t sure as the chef pointed to his side when trying to describe the cut to us. Charred shishito peppers added a lovely smoky aroma to the meat.

Crunchy Nankotsu (cartilage), with plenty of the surrounding meat attached was a real treat despite the extra bit of jaw work needed to get through.

Plump rounded Sori (chicken oysters) looked slightly obscene but were great to sink our teeth into, being both moist and deep in chicken flavour.

Befittingly, the Bonjiri (tail) was the last of the chicken skewers to arrive. The flame-licked fatty morsels were hugely decadent – a true guilty pleasure.

We closed with a couple of the non-chicken options (of which, there were only four). Lightly charred Maitake mushrooms were meaty with a lovely mildy woody aroma.

Myoga (young Japanese ginger) with its gentle bite, countered nicely by the sweet miso topping, made an excellent end to a top-notch bird feast. A few more swigs of sake and we left happily sated, although wishing we were jumping in a cab back to the hotel rather than yet another meal…

Bird Land
Tsukamoto Sogyo Building, B1F
4-2-15, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

t. +81 (0)3 5250 1081

sukiyabashi jiro

Whittling down the mammoth eat list for our recent Tokyo trip was an arduous task – the staggering number of starred restaurants in the capital and our desire to cover all facets of Japanese cuisine in 9 days made it near impossible. Especially difficult was settling on which sushi restaurants to visit, but after watching the breathtaking trailer of David Gelb’s film “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” including Sukiyabashi Jiro was a no-brainer.

Declared as a national treasure, Jiro Ono has devoted most of his 86 years to perfecting the art of sushi and his 10-seater restaurant in Ginza was the first ever sushi-dedicated establishment to garner three Michelin stars. With such accolades to his name you can imagine the anticipation as we arrived at the small humble sushi-ya tucked in the basement of a non-descript office building (where incidently 1* yakitori restaurant Birdland also resides). We were ushered to a waiting area and served tea which we sipped while watching an existing trio at the counter finish their sushi flight.

A few minutes later the three diners were done and we took their vacated seats for our lunch which began almost immediately. First up was a translucent piece of Karei, a flatfish from the flounder family, which was mild in taste and firm against the tongue.

Next was the Sumi-Ika, a thick gleaming piece of squid that possessed a pleasing bite but was still tender, with a nice clean creaminess – B thought it one of the best pieces of squid he has ever eaten.

Inada (young yellowtail) was soft, verging on mushy. It was very subtle taste-wise and we both thought this and the Karei were overpowered by the rice – Jiro’s sushi-meshi has quite a high vinegar content in the seasoning, possibly a touch too much for our liking.

The Akami was fresh and clean – the epitome of a fine piece of lean tuna (akami translates to “red meat” but in sushi terminology always refers to tuna).

Chu-toro, a slightly fattier cut had a velvety texture but was considerably less marbled than your typical medium fatty tuna.

Oo-toro lived up to the name (toro means “to melt”) with its decadent melt-in-the-mouth unctuousness. It is really hard not to love a good specimen of this glorious cut.

Gleaming silvery Kohada was sharp from vinegar yet not so much that the full and strong flavoured fish failed to shine through. A poorly cured Japanese shad, no matter how fresh, can come across fishy but this wasn’t in the slightest. We did however find once again that the highly-vinegared rice threw things off kilter a little.

The peach-hued Akagai (ark shell, or red clam) was excellent, with a snappy crunch and subtle sweetness.

Tako, boiled and simply salted, had great depth of flavour but required a bit of chewing to get through – I had expected it to be more tender as Jiro’s apprentices famously massage the octopus for 45 minutes to soften it prior to cooking.

Aji, or horse mackerel, was soft with a delicate sea-fresh taste.

New to us was the Torigai, a Japanese beak-shaped cockle (hence the name of “chicken clam”) that had a pleasant mild flavour and was not at all rubbery or clammy.

Kuruma-Ebi was sweet and meaty, with a freshness only obtained from the prawn having just been killed and cooked mere minutes before eating.

My favourite of the molluscs was the Hamaguri (hard-shelled clam) which was perfectly accentuated by a slick of sweet sauce.

Saba is almost always salt-cured then rinsed with rice vinegar (mackerel deteriorates quickly so only just-caught specimens can be served raw) and the acid works well to cut through the oiliness of the fish. Jiro’s preparation however was more vinegary than I’m accustomed, and that coupled with his sushi meshi completely overwhelmed the natural taste of the fish.

In a different league was the Uni – possibly the best I’ve ever had. Cold, fresh, sweet and creamy it collapsed seductively onto the nori-wrapped rice. In this instance the vinegar in the rice was a perfect foil to the rich sea urchin.

Kobashira, also encircled with deep green nori (the seaweed was of excellent quality – crisp with a beautiful sheen and tasting faintly of the sea) didn’t enthrall as much as the cluster of small scallops weren’t as sweet as expected.

The nori unfurled from the Ikura nigiri while I was taking my shots and Ono senior told off his son (Yoshikazu was at his father’s side prepping fish for each piece of sushi and wrapping the gunkan) who quickly reached over to correct his work. It was a nice bite – the eye-catching orbs of salmon roe bursted pleasingly on the tongue.

Anago was meltingly tender but the sweet glaze overshadowed rather than complemented the delicate sea eel.

To finish, a golden rectangle of Tamago that was sweet, spongy and custard-like. Egg eaten, Jiro nodded at us, we in turn thanked him for the meal then were swiftly led by Yoshikazu to a side table to partake of dessert (an impossibly juicy slice of honeydew melon) as four well-groomed ladies arrived to perch themselves at the counter.

Jiro clearly likes to stagger the seatings so he can take care of groups individually which although commendable was a double-edged sword. Yes, it was good to have his dedicated attention but he works at lightning speed and we felt terribly rushed – as each piece of sushi met our lips, another was set on the lacquered slab before us. 25 minutes and our JPY30,000 (£230) a head lunch was done. Of course the fish was as fresh as they come, the sushi expertly made, and being served by such a legend was certainly awe-inspiring. But service was hurried and joyless, and aside from the spectacular uni the 18 pieces of nigiri alone weren’t life-changing enough to warrant the hefty price tag.

Two days later we lunched at Sawada in a ritzier part of Ginza. The private beautifully fitted 6-seater restaurant boasted a far lovelier atmosphere and we were served just as many pieces of equally fine nigiri as well as an array of exceptional sashimi for the same price. The meal was enjoyed at a much more leisurely pace (the husband and wife team take only one sitting for lunch, and turns over once at dinner) and Chef Koji Sawada took time to introduce each fish, even cracking a few jokes with his limited English. It was the best dining experience of our trip and my only regret was heeding the “no cameras” sign in the restaurant so I can’t share it visually with you all.

Sukiyabashi Jiro
Tsukamoto Sogyo Building, B1F
4-2-15, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

t. +81 (0)3 3535 3600

tom aikens

Many know Tom Aikens as the volatile head chef who allegedly pulled a knife on a member of his brigade in the kitchens of Pied à Terre, where he first made his name. Or more recently, for declaring bankruptcy leaving a trail of fuming unpaid suppliers (some of whom had to fold themselves as a result) in his wake. Regrettably for Aikens those incidents will forever be associated with his name, casting a shadow over his undeniable talent – he was after all the youngest British chef (at 23 years of age back in 1996) to attain 2 Michelin stars, which he held for the entire period of his 3 year stint as head chef and co-owner of the aforementioned Pied à Terre.

A decade ago, the London restaurant scene was nowhere near as exciting as it is now. And when Aikens opened the original incarnation of his eponymous restaurant in 2003 he was doing some of the most innovative cooking at the time. It was our go-to restaurant for out of town visitors (much like The Ledbury is for us now), and every meal we had there in the early days was an elaborate affair, with every course made up of numerous impeccably executed components.

The current Tom Aikens, reopened in January after a six-month refurb, fits right in with the new wave of low-key eateries. Gone are the pressed linens and chic monochrome colour scheme, replaced by concrete walls, bare wooden floorboards and Noma-esque furnishings. Aside from a few suited senior front of house, the young staff swan about in relaxed outdoor attire, in keeping with the casual feel. The food (prepared by head chef Lee Westcott, with Aikens overseeing most services) has also been scaled back, but retains the same level of detail and precision, and enough bells and whistles to keep the customers happy.

Breads arrive piping hot in a rustic sack filled with heated beans to keep the homemade rolls warm. All were delicious, especially the flaky onion brioche which I slathered with the marjoram and bacon butters.

An amuse bouche of Duck Cassonade was an excellent opener – silky savoury custard, fragrant from black truffle shavings. Canapés to share followed, and in the name of fairness we painstakingly split each tiny morsel to taste them all (how many canapés would a group of three receive I wonder).

Nibbles done, we moved onto the 8-course tasting menu proper. The Beetroot Fondant was a vibrant medley of raw and cooked jewel-hued beetroot interspersed with blackberries, goat’s curd and salad greens. It would have been a harmonious dish had it not been for a chunk of floral Regent’s Park honeycomb – the root vegetables had enough sweetness to them that made the extra hit of sugar superfluous.

Pigeon Consommé, poured table-side over a plate of seared pigeon, foie gras, pigeon cassonade, chocolate smears and several piles of mysterious powders (I think dehydrated tomato was one of them). It was very clever – the various elements came together as we ate, flavouring the consommé and saucing the game at the same time.

The Hand-dived Marinated Scallop in contrast, disappointed. Although bouncy raw cubes of squid, tart apple slivers and squishy tapioca added interest, the scallops lacked typical sweetness and were too finely sliced, leading to the supposed star of the dish being eclipsed by the ribbon of salty lardo crudo.

Presumably the kitchen intended to serve the Braised and Poached Leeks crunchy but we were hoping for a more soft silken texture, characteristic of braising. That said, the flavours did work and the garnish of shaved sauternes foie gras added depth and a certain richness, while keeping everything relatively light.

Chorizo Baked Cod was a great play on textures – moist fork-tender fish, softly elastic 24 hour cooked squid and a crunchy curl of crisped skin, all resting in a milky pool of cod soup.

Piglet, served with roasted gem lettuce, pineapple and sage, was a tale of two halves – the rack was pink and succulent with a beautiful crisp skin, but the porcine roll on the side was dry and stringy. The pineapple fondant was also too sweet to counter the fattiness of the meat – something with a little more acidity (like the more traditional pairing of apple) would have been a better match.

Portions were generous, and by the time our cheese course hit the table we were pretty much ready to burst. It was a good selection though, complimented well by a side of poached pear and various toasts and fruit preserves, and we found ourselves polishing it off with the remainder of our wine – an intriguing South African Chenin Blanc, Testalonga “El Bandito” which was beautifully complex and conjured an image of apple brandy barrels.

The Carrot Granité featuring sauternes jelly, carrot juice, pickled carrots, carrot cake and toasted seeds was very similar to a dessert I’ve eaten at Aikens in the past. All a bit too carroty for me and I’d imagine not everyone’s cup of tea – possibly not the best choice for the sole dessert in a tasting menu.

Defeated, we skipped coffee and asked for our petits four to go (the waiter happily obliged). Sipping a mug of tea and picking at the contents of our takeaway box the next day, we recounted our meal and noted how it felt like a diluted experience of the former restaurant, pre-financial woes. However it wasn’t a bad meal in itself, and for those new to Tom’s cooking, it would be worth a try.

Tom Aikens
43 Elystan Street
London SW3 3NT

t. 020 7584 2003

copita

Still reeling from the fabulous eats in New York I was feeling slightly down about being back. Thankfully all it took was a sunshine-soaked Saturday of eating – fat juicy Big Apple Hot Dog franks (heaps better than the dogs we ate in the actual Big Apple), bahn mi from the lovely Banhmi11 girls, the Ribman‘s HF-spiked baby back rolls (all at eat.st) and a stunning array of bijoux plates at Copita – to lift me back up, and remind me just how great we have it here in London.

The latter, a cosy tapas nook on one of the quieter streets of Soho, charmed me immediately with its weathered wooden counters, checkerboard floors and gleaming white brick tiles. The delicious food was as effortless as the surroundings – a duo of Boquerones featured fleshy vinegary sardines (instead of the customary white anchovies) bathed in fruity parsley and chilli-specked olive oil.

Warm lightly-crumbed Pea and Fresh Cheese Croquets broke open to reveal vibrant green mousse-like innards, sweet from the pea and subtly laced with truffle oil.

A small bowl of Ajo Blanco (a traditional almond and garlic white gazpacho) was velvety and studded with sweet beetroot cubes, sharp grapes and roughly-chopped almonds. Rich, but nicely balanced.

Chicken Kiev was a golden ballotine oozing warm butter onto a bed of creamy white beans and tender spinach. Admittedly not the best kiev I’ve sunk my teeth into, but a very respectable version.

Turbot isn’t usually found on small plate menus (and priced rather reasonably at that) so we felt compelled to order it. An excellent decision – the fish, laid on a luscious broad bean and pancetta sauce, was faultless – barely opaque and firm yet yielding.

Pork Cheek Kebab came cocooned in a gorgeous chewy duvet of wood-fired bread. Nicely accented with a cool dollop of yoghurt and refreshing matchsticks of apple and kohlrabi.

Quail, Morcilla and Chestnut was another winner – moist crisp-skinned bird, intense black pudding morsels and smooth purée all worked together like a dream.

Well-fed, satisfied and with no room for dessert, we asked for the bill only to be brought a forgotten plate of Smoked Wild Mushrooms topped with a quivering molten Egg Yolk. Incredible last dish to a fantastic meal. The perfect welcome home.

Copita
26 D’arblay Street
London W1F 8EP

t. 020 7287 7797

new york – last few tidbits.

You would be mistaken if you thought we didn’t splash out a little while in the Big Apple. We did eat at three Michelin-starred restaurants: Eleven Madison Park (3*), Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare (3*) and Momofuku Ko (2*), but unfortunately I won’t be blogging any of these as the latter two specifically forbade cameras at the table and my photos from the dimly-lit Eleven Madison Park were totally unusable. Quick verdict? Brooklyn Fare was up there with the best we have had as we were utterly blown away by the genius of Chef Cesar Ramirez, while the others, despite fleeting moments of brilliance left us disappointed overall.

Besides those meals, a dedicated eating trip to NYC would not have been complete without some stolen bites between meals…

Day one was a deep-fried poultry fiesta – not only did we have Hot Fried Chicken at The Dutch and half a Buttermilk Fried Rabbit at Fatty ‘Cue, we also chomped on spicy wings from not one, but two Korean Fried Chicken joints. At KyoChon we boldly went for the spicy Signature Wings – they were ridiculously tasty with a nice crunchy crust, but were so crazy hot that after a few bites the burn set in and we lost all sensation in our taste buds. After furious gulps of icy lager we popped next door to BonChon for more wings. Mouths still on fire, we opted for half soy garlic and half hot sauce – the texture of these weren’t as good as Kyochon’s and tasted a lot greasier. We found both just ok and were bummed that Mad for Chicken nearby (the place we had initially travelled to Koreatown for) was closed that day.

Next day, en route to Fatty Crab we passed a branch of Gray’s Papaya so we stopped for their “recession special” – two dogs and a drink for under $5. The snappy dogs, topped with sauerkraut and onions, were tasty and not bad considering the price but on the salty side. The papaya drink alongside however tasted completely artificial and just plain weird.

Later that same day we sampled another hot dog, this time at Madison Park’s Shake Shack. The bun was better, but the vienna beef dog, having been split and griddled, was a tad dry. We of course also had a ShackBurger which was good as far as fast food burgers go (fresh ingredients and a good toasted bun) but we thought the patties too soft and lacking deep beefy flavour.

We wanted to check out a few food trucks while in town but only managed one – Korilla, pitched near our hotel at Varick and Vandam. The burrito stuffed with bulgogi ribeye and bacon kimchi fried rice sounded awesome but yet again, we were headed to lunch, so settled for a trio of tacos – two bulgogi ribeye and a pulled pork (the chicken had just gone on the grill and wasn’t ready).

We had them with all the fixings: Korean hot sauce, shredded monterey jack, tomato salsa, and a selection of homemade kimchis – red kimchi on one beef, summer kimchi on the other, kimchi slaw on the pork, and cucumber kimchi on the side. Each tasted distinct from the next, but all had a great balance of spicy/salty/sweet/sharp and had us licking our fingers. Worth a try.

Given the magnificent weather, it wasn’t long before we were hankering for something frosty to cool down. A soft serve from Big Gay Ice Cream Shop (I had seen it featured on an episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate) seemed just the ticket, so we trotted on down after our lunch at Mary’s.

The Salty Pimp cone was a revelation – creamy vanilla soft serve sprinkled liberally with sea salt, piped with rows of dulce de leche, and dipped in chocolate that hardened to form a crisp shell. We happily devoured them in the park opposite until a drug-peddling Downton Abbey-loving bum scared us away.

And that’s all folks. To close, a shot of the Dou Fu Fa gleaned from the tofu lady in chinatown. Silky silky goodness.

Kyochon 319 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016
BonChon 325 5th Ave, New York NY 10016
Gray’s Papaya 2090 Broadway Ste 1, New York, NY 10023
Shake Shack various locations – check website.
Korilla BBQ various locations – check schedule.
Big Gay Ice Cream Shop 125 East 7th St (1st Aven & Ave A) NY 10009

xi’an famous foods

While picking up tips on where to snack in New York, I was persuaded by the ever reliable L to try Xi’an Famous Foods. Our timetable was already jam-packed, but she reasoned that the Chang-an Spicy Tofu (one of their specialities) was pretty small and I could squeeze that in if nothing else. That seemed logical to me, so I convinced B to partake in a post-Minetta nibble with me at their East Village branch. Of course once I was there I couldn’t resist ordering a few more dishes…

The small pot of tofu was indeed lovely – warm, silken and bathed in a zha cai (Sichuanese preserved vegetable) studded piquant chilli oil. The Liang Pi Cold Skin Noodles were also interesting both in texture (chewy hand-torn wheat noodles, crunchy cucumber, spongy gluten) and taste (tangy and hot). This is the cuisine of Western China, an intriguing hybrid of Chinese and Middle Eastern flavours.

The influences of the latter cuisine were pronounced in the Spicy Cumin Lamb Burger – a flatbread sandwich stuffed with cumin-spiced lamb, jalapenos and onions. Very tasty, but I would’ve liked some salad or pickles to freshen it up a bit.

The best dish was the Spicy and Tingly Lamb Face Salad, a taste bud-popping tangle of gelatinous lamb muscle and tendon, cooling cucumber and sprightly bean sprouts tossed in a fiery mouth-numbing sauce. Definitely worth stuffing my face for before our flight (the plane meal was rubbish anyway).

Xi’an Famous Foods
81 St. Mark’s Place
(at 1st Ave.)
New York, NY 10003

t. 212-786-2068

fatty crab

Intrigued by Zak Pelaccio’s brand of Malaysian cuisine at Fatty ‘Cue, we couldn’t leave New York without trying the flagship of his original franchise, Fatty Crab. Located on Hudson Street in the Meatpacking district, the small walk-in joint (a former Laundromat) with its shabby worn-in wooden tables, disposable chopsticks, cheap oriental plastic plates and sunlight streaming in from the swing out windows, immediately transported us to South East Asia.

We started lunch with crunchy Green Mango Dips – fat fingers of unripe mango served with a dip of sugar, salt and chilli powder; just as one would get from street carts in many cities in Asia.

Tea Sandwiches didn’t look very exciting, but tasted pretty great. I usually balk at the sight of white sandwich loaf but the simple soft bread worked well to complement the filling of slow-cooked lamb, fermented tofu and green chilli.

Quail Egg Shooters were a progression of virtually raw quail eggs capped with toppings of increasing heat – from a fiery pungent belachan to a sweet homemade sriracha. Fun to pop but difficult to share. Mark Hix loved these so much when he ate at Fatty Crab that he created a western version which graces the menu at several of his establishments.

The legendary Watermelon and Pork Belly Salad, now synonymous with Pelaccio, was a complete revelation – who would have thought that the unlikely combination of fresh watermelon, pickled watermelon rind, crisp pork belly (slow-braised for hours before being tossed in the deep-fryer) and addictive ginger dressing would mesh so splendidly?

Naturally we had to try the (other) signature dish of Chilli Crab, especially after our waitress raved about how fantastic it was. Fatty Crab’s rendition bore no resemblance to the sweet, egg-laced Singaporean Chilli Crab I know and love, leaning more towards a Malaysian sambal number. The intense gravy was extremely tasty and I had to stop myself from heaping it all on to the thick triangles of toasted white before even getting stuck into the shellfish. Annoyingly the crab wasn’t pre-cracked and we were given crackers to do the dirty work ourselves. It was no easy task and caused much anxiety (I was wearing a white tee) but the sweet soft meat within was worth the effort.

All in all we found the dishes at Fatty Crab a lot more balanced and coherent than those at its sister restaurant. I also preferred the more chilled out vibe and slightly rickety interiors. But really the only reason you need to eat here is that crispy pork belly and watermelon salad. End of.

Fatty Crab
643 Hudson Street
(between Horatio and Gansevoort)
New York, NY 10014

t. 212-352-3592