IHOT: International House of Tofu* - Review of BCD Tofu House

BCD Tofu House Menu.

This article originally appeared on The Gotham Palate.

J, my friend from Boston, came to visit New York City. He, DY and I set off to embark on a Manhattan tour, stomping from Soho to midtown, in search of interesting sights and sounds. Mesmerized by the lights of Broadway, we continued on to Koreatown for a little something to fill our bellies.

J: "Do you like tofu?"
Me: "Uh...YEAH."
J (points to the red, green and white logo): "Let's go here!"

And so were were whisked away into BCD Tofu House. Tofu, also known as bean curd, can best be described as a soft "cheese-like food made of curdled soybean milk."

A pleasant waitress directed us to our seats. There, we stared at our menu of options, specializing in the art of tofu soups: seafood, vegetarian, beef, pork, fish and more. You choose from four levels of spiciness: very spicy, spicy, mild or not spicy. I had mine spicy, DY had 'not spicy' and J's was mild. All the lunch menu soups are the same price ($9.95).

Banchan.

BCD Tofu House is an international chain of tofu restaurants with more than 13 locations in the USA, Korea and Japan. Most are found in Southern California. BCD's Premium Tofu soups are made with carefully culled, silken tofu and high quality ingredients. A tasty blend of Korean seasonings (red pepper, soy sauce, garlic, etc.) enhances the flavor. Each meal comes with a bowl of hot rice in an individual hot stone pot, along with banchan appetizers: squid slathered in red pepper sauce, macaroni salad, kimchi and other pickled vegetables.

Kimchi Tofu Soup.

I love my kimchi any way I can get it. Maybe it's the fermentation. Maybe it's the red hot chili peppers. Or the play of textures and flavors - crunchy, spicy, sour - with a dash o' sweet. BCD's kimchi, however, is a little too soft and doesn't shine a light compared to Gahm Mi Oak's. However, I'll take daikon any day!

Our waitress delivered a small tray filled with three delicate-looking white eggs. My friends and I exchanged glances. Were these eggs to be eaten before or after the soup arrived? Raw or cooked? And would we look like totally uninitiated newbies if we asked?

Turns out we didn't have to. In the name of (you guessed it...) adventure, I took one of the eggs and gently tapped it against the table. When I felt a slight shake of liquid movement, it instantly dawned on me what these were for.

To be crakced into the boiling bowl of tofu soup, of course! Next, scoop up some white rice with the soup. Eat it while it's hot! Cold tofu soup will put a sour expression on your face.

Now, I'm not a big rice eater. The consistency has to be just right - soft and firm, sticky and chewy at the same time. BCD's rice manages to appease my selective nature. I found the portions more than adequate.

Curry Tofu Soup.

J rather enjoyed his Curry Tofu Soup, but this is no surprise. DY isn't as big a fan of spicy foods, so he went with the Plain Tofu Soup. Both soups came with meat.

Noorooji.

At the end of the meal, our waitress ladled water over our leftover rice, which is called noorooji in Korean. Drink the mixture like a soup. At first glance, it may seem like you're guzzling bland water and rice, but rest assured this concoction aids the digestive tract after a spicy meal.

I think I'll try one of the Combos next time, which pairs tofu soup with one of the following: BBQ rib, beef bulgolgi (barbecued beef), pork bulgolgi, chicken teriyaki, bibimbap, yellow Covina or spicy pickled crab. For vegetarians, there's a Tofu Vegetable Salad Combo. The seafood, ox tripe, and beef & octopus look fun too. Kids might enjoy the ham & sausage tofu soup.

What are you waiting for? Go get your tofu fix!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Tofu is something I enjoy, but I don't consider it one of my all-time favorites. However, I would gladly eat at BCD next time I'm struck with a tofu craving.

Location:
BCD Tofu House
17 W. 32nd St.
New York, NY 10079
212.967.1900
www.bcdtofuhouse.com/bcd_eng.php

*Thanks to J for coming up with the snazzy title when I was down with a severe case of headline writer's block.

Hungry for Hiroko's

Sis and I enjoyed a relaxed meal at Hiroko's Place, which I reviewed earlier for The Gotham Palate. I love this restaurant for its Japanized take on American classics.

Omu Curry.

For me, nothing screams "comfort food" like omelets or curry. And when they're together...well, you better watch it because your senses will be knocked out! This dish tastes so homey and good you'll almost forget how you're already full two-thirds of the way in.

Omu Curry.

Omu Curry ($13) comes with tender slices of beef drizzled on top and chopped up ham in the omelet. It's a lot more filling than I anticipated. The sauce, though, is the best part of all. Bursting with flavor, but not in an overpowering my-mouth-is-so-hot kind of way. Subtle.

Beef Curry.

Sis dug into the Beef Curry ($11) with aplomb. Look at that hulking mountain of rice! Hiroko's carrots are very soft and sweet.

Beef Curry.

I could eat this every day. Well, maybe for a week.

PINTO: Would the Real Pad Thai Please Stand Up

Pinto Place Setting.

This review originally appeared on The Gotham Palate.

I've had my share of good pad thai before - from Boston's Brown Sugar to Penang Grill in Stamford, Conn., and Soho's Peep. But the best so far would have to be Pinto.

I picked this spot to celebrate my friend's 22nd birthday because of good reviews from friends over the summer. It was just the three of us. For first-timers, the West Village can be disorienting and you can get lost even with a map. After sufficiently walking in enough triangles to make our heads spin, we finally made it.

Pinto was darkly lit, like a demure, mysterious lover trying to play coy. Small candles throughout illuminated the small L-shaped bar. Our bartender clinked glasses as she deftly blended liquors in the cocktail shakers. Our two male waiters, both lanky and tall, looked like they had popped out of a GQ magazine, or maybe just hipster Williamsburg - one in wavy, messy curls and the other in an asymmetric faux Mohawk that curled into a mini bouffant on top. They were men of few words but were very accommodating, especially when I asked one of them to bring out the cheesecake at the end and surprise my friend.

PCU Noodle.

The guys scarfed down the food fast...especially D. D ordered the PCU Noodle ($10), rice noodle sauteed with sweet dark soy sauce, baby bok choy and egg. I couldn't wrest a complaint from him as he was silent most of the time, forking down to the last bite.

Pad Thai.

A had a very solid Pad Thai ($10), or sauteed rice noodle with tangy tamarind sauce, smoked tofu, Chinese chive, egg and peanut. Maybe not the softest noodles ever, but Pinto's got its flavors down pat. This version is everything that pad thai is supposed to taste like: tangy, peanut-y, slightly sweet, with a spicy finish.

Curry A La Penang.

My eye was immediately drawn to the Curry A La Penang ($12), a red and sweet homemade curry with rice on the side. The tender beef and fresh bok choy were pleasantly pared with a complex medley of milky coconut and sharp, rich spices. That's one lip-smacking sauce, perfect poured over sticky Asian rice. Even better since Pinto uses local, organic ingredients.

Drinks.

Pinto's imaginative creations extend to their specialty drinks. D ordered a cold Guinness and I had a Strawberry Mojito, which I highly recommend. Real crushed strawberries, mint sprigs, rum and other ingredients floated around this leafy concoction (trust me: it tasted better than it sounds). Another signature cocktail is the "Ginger Zinger" (citrus vodka, banana liqueur and fresh ginger).

The cozy, modern decor and subdued atmosphere is low-key enough for a first date and the perfect antidote to a harried work week in the office (or, in my case, the selling floor). Plus, Pinto gets extra points for classy food presentation.

I still don't understand the meaning behind the restaurant's name, as it conjures images of beans and Mexico...and not anything related to Thailand. I grant this is an attempt to be "different" and set itself apart from its peers, which it does skillfully.

Affordable prices, homey Thai food and non-snobby service = relaxing evening spent with friends. Celebratory night achieved!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. OK, so the noodles may not have the most ideal give and the tofu could be softer, but for the sheer "magical" feeling of this place, I give it 4 stars.

Location:
Pinto
118 Christopher St.
New York, NY 10014
www.pintonyc.com

Taste Test

Dddukboki.

Dddukboki. Chewy rice cakes slathered in spicy gochujang = love at first bite.
Location: Dokebi Bar & Grill. 199 Grand St. Brooklyn, NY. (718.782.1424) www.korean-bbq-brooklyn.com/

Baklava.

Baklava. Layers of wispy-fine phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweet syrup or honey. A vestige of the Ottoman Empire.
Location: Pizza Palace. 2929 Ditmars Blvd. Astoria, NY. (718.728.1060)

Gyro Platter, sans Pita Bread.

Gyros. Meat, tomato, onion, tzatziki sauce and pita bread. A Greek favorite. The Gyros Platter comes with a salad and inch-thick house fries, much like the ones I used to have with my Fish 'n Chips.
Location: Pizza Palace.

Pork Katsu Curry.

Pork Katsu Curry. Panko bread crumb-battered, deep-fried slab of pork ("tonkatsu") drenched in Japanese curry sauce and fortified with sticky Asian rice. GoGoCurry does it right with their mouthwatering version.
Location: GoGoCurry. 273 W 38th St. New York, NY. (212.730.5555) www.gogocurryusa.com

Akamaru Modern.

Akamaru Modern Ramen. Previously featured on this blog. I don't need to reiterate: It's heaven in a bowl.
Location: Ippudo. 65 Fourth Ave. New York, NY. (212.388.008) www.ippudo.com/ny

Curry in a Can

Photo by WIRED.

Canned Japanese curry. I'm not sure what to think about this.

Sure, Japan has vending machines for almost anything you can think of - from batteries to booze. At one vending machine in Shibuya, actual humans dispense umbrellas (that's right - a live jack-in-the-box).

But back to the curry: WIRED's Daniel Feit reports that the liquid concoction is little more than bland soup. Everything tastes the same, and the fake rice is especially disappointing. This is one curry-in-a-hurry not worth trying.

Recipe Teaser

1. Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

2. Omurice (Omelet Rice).

3. Japanese Beef Curry.

4. Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew).

5. Autostrada Sandwich.

Go!Go!Curry takes over Japan

This Wired article isn't new, but apparently the enormous popularity of New York's Go!Go!Curry is taking over Japan as well. I'm so ready to jump planes right now. Ah, the taste of curry.

The Little Kumquat That Could

Kumquat Lime Boba.

Our dear friend Kristal came to visit the New York crew from Boston. After a zigzagging escapade that resulted in my late arrival to our designated meet-up time, we finally convened in Chinatown close to 2 p.m. Our ravenous stomachs garbled and groaned. I led my buddies to Green Tea Cafe.

Curry Chicken...

Since I've been in a curry kind of mood lately, I ordered the curry chicken. (Chicken, after all, must be safer than beef...right?)

...Caught a Case of Chicken Pox.

Jumping jellybeans! I couldn't have been more wrong. The yellow curry was good enough with a fine aroma of coconut milk. Not the spicy kind of curry, but I was OK with that. However, halfway through the meal, something started to taste off.

I take it red chicken can't be a good sign, huh? The chef must have neglected to notice that the chicken should have been cooked thoroughly in all areas before serving it on my plate. When I brought the pinkness to the attention of our waiter, he stared at it blankly for a full two seconds before commanding the attention of his higher-up. After a quick consultation, he then told me that it was "fine" to eat and that the chicken had come from the freezer.

Uhhh....did you really think I was going to buy that? (No pun intended.) I asked the waiter to heat up the chicken a little longer. I believe my exact words were to "pop it" in the microwave.

Rachel's brother Ricky (not pictured) had some sound words of advice for me:

-In case anything goes wrong, the bathroom's back there (He pointed).

-Thanks for noticing.

-No problem.

When the waiter reemerged from the kitchen with my dish, I picked around the chicken with some hesitation and finally decided not to risk it. Kristal graciously offered me some of her Portuguese Chicken, slathered with nutty peanut sauce. That kind of made up for it.

Rachel's Ribs and Rice.

Rachel was too engrossed in her peppered ribs to notice my possible salmonella poisoning (just kidding about the salmonella bit).

Kristal's Portuguese Chicken.

Ricky: Why is your kumquat green?

Me: That would be called syrup.

Ricky: (pause) Oh.

I've made it my unofficial mission to sample the kumquat boba from every teahouse in the New York City area. I don't know why or when I decided this, but at one point I must have thought it would be a fun challenge. That and curry. Some people do the same with frozen yogurt (I know you Californians are nodding your head to this).

After I'd slurped down the rest of my drink, Ricky decided to play forensics expert with the remaining lone kumquat. Armed with a fork and knife, he sliced through the pit in one precise stroke. He then proceeded to mash the kumquat, along with all its seeds, and mask it in the remains of his Portuguese chicken sauce. It turns out the kumquat and the sauce were the same color and blended seamlessly into each other. I'm not sure whether to be amazed or saddened by this.

Although half my dish was edible, the near-salmonella incident will be forever imprinted in my mind. Talk about leaving a bad impression. Sorry, Green Tea Cafe! I will not be patronising you for awhile. Need to get over my chicken fright first.

NEW Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars. The boba was decent, even considering the :ahem: generous allotment of sweet simple syrups that went into it. I generally prefer more of a natural flavor - emphasis on the tea rather than on the syrup. It's the chicken that did me in.

Location:
Green Tea Cafe
45 Mott St
Ste A
New York, NY 10013
212.693.2888

Go!Go!Curry

Guerilla guards the GoGoCurry.

Attack! Attack! Go!

To Go!Go!Curry, at once! If only all lunches could be like this...

Colorful menu board.

My friends and I arrived there around 12:15 p.m. to a relatively empty store. Not more than ten minutes later, a nattily-dressed Japanese couple entered (they were speaking Japanese - I hope I'm not making a false assumption here), along with polo shirt-clad Asian guys in their 20s and 30s who were sitting all by their lonesome. Curry seems to be a popular choice among the younger set.

One of the first things I noticed about Go!Go!Curry was how friendly the two waitstaff were. Clad in their yellow uniform shirts, the ladies giggled when I requested a picture with just the two of them. The one with plump cheeks tried to hide her face, claiming her cheeks were too fat. Too kawaii.

The left-hand wall was transformed into a vortex of curry and Japanese regalia pasted collage-style, hiding almost every inch of the original white paint. A veritable shrine to the Yankees' Hideki Matsui (well, in a place that harps the Grand Slam and Hideki Matsui chips, it's to be expected, neh?).

Oh, FYI in Japanese, "Go" means five. So, put together, "GoGo" stands for 55, or Matsui's number. Total coincidence? I think not.

Katsu Curry (mine).

I made a beeline for the Katsu Curry, which is what I came for. Go!Go!Curry serves three sizes: Walk (S), Single (M), Double (L) and Triple (XL). For $8, I had a good-sized portion of pork cutlet over rice, with some shredded lettuce on the side. But seeing how oishii the curry was, I could have used seconds on the rice to savor the curry. Bring on the sauce!

The "Grand Slam" consists of two fried shrimps, a breaded and fried chicken cutlet, a breaded and fried pork cutlet, two fried sausages, a hard-boiled egg, lettuce, a large mound of white rice and thick curry drizzled over it. I'll definitely come back for that when I have a bigger appetite.

Side dishes include Natto (fermented soy beans), Fukuzinzuke (pickled daikon) and Rakkyo (pickled shallots). Every 5th of the month, enjoy a free topping of your choice!

L-R: Katsu Curry and Chicken Curry.

Just so you can see the size difference...

"The only thing she thinks is about Grand Slam Curry!!"

Handwritten customer feedback notes lined the wall, crammed in next to copies of Matsui's smiling face. One note in particular, written in black marker, stood out to me:

"To GoGoCurry

Thanks for letting me USE your place as a shelter from the big bad city.

(Scribbled signature: R----- L----)"


Exactly my sentiments.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Location:
Go!Go!Curry
273 W. 38th St
New York, NY 10018
212.730.5555
www.gogocurryusa.com