NYC FOODIE CHINATOWN RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK: XE LUA

There are plenty of Vietnamese joints in Chinatown, and one you MUST check out is Xe Lua on Mulberry Street. It is one of the best around!

I stopped in last week with two Chinatown foodie companions and we had a fabulous lunch. The decor of this place is very tropical/Hawaiian. Cute and kitschy, a tad humorous, like you are on a honeymoon. I was waiting for someone to lei me.

Anywhoosies, the food here is great, and some of the best in town! Start with an order of the crunchy and delicious spring rolls ($4), you won't be disappointed.

Crispy squid ($10) with a side of a special avocado dipping sauce was splendid and tasty.

The house special pho ($6.50) that my companions ordered was excellent. They both raved about the wonderful broth flavor. The "pho aficionado" at my table said it was one of the best he has had!

The NYC FOODIE, who loves to try new things, ordered frog legs with chili lemongrass sauce ($12). Now, I have had frog legs before, and these were fantastic! The meat was tender and juicy, the sauce was sweet and spicy. It was just a perfect and wonderful dish. Frog legs is definitely an underutilized meat, and I think it is great. Tastes like a mix between chicken and fish, try some at Xe Lua, and you'll thank me later!

So for some of the best Vietnamese in Chinatown, and all of NYC, Xe Lua is the spot. You might not get lei'd, but you'll be smiling throughout your meal, for sure.

Xe Lua
86 Mulberry Street (bet. Canal and Bayard)
New York, NY 10013
212-577-8887
www.xeluanewyork.com

NYC FOODIE FREE LUNCH OF THE WEEK: ENERGY KITCHEN

Hey all you fans of free lunches, check out this press release from Energry Kitchen! And they say there is no such thing as a free lunch!

"There is one day of the year many Americans dread, April 15, also known as Tax Day. In order to provide a bit of stress-relief on this taxing day, Energy Kitchen, a healthy, fast-casual restaurant offering low-fat menu of 500 calorie or less, will celebrate saving money & calories by offering free lunch to New Yorkers. 

Purchase any beverage and receive a free meal at all Energy Kitchen locations from 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM on April 15. Customers will be able to choose from a Bison Cheesesteak Wrap, California Wrap or Buffalo Chicken Burger for their complimentary meal. Energy Kitchen's partners, glacéau vitaminwater zero®, Pirate’s Booty® and GETfit by FITTERWITH will have brand ambassadors present at each Energy Kitchen location offering beverages, free samples, raffle prizes and free fitness advice."

NYC FOODIE COFFEE SPOT OF THE WEEK: ABRACO ESPRESSO

Gourmet coffee spots are all the rage in NYC now. Say sayonara to Starbucks and hello to your new neighborhood joint. I have heard a lot about the tiny Abraco in the East Village, and stopped by on Saturday afternoon. I ordered an iced coffee as well as an olive cookie. The iced coffee was refreshing and superb, and the olive cookie was mind-blowing! East Villagers are lucky to have this tiny coffee spot in their neighborhood. I think the place is so cool and great though, that no matter where in NYC you are, it is definitely worth the trek!

Abraco Espresso
86 East 7th St. (at 1st Ave)
New York, NY 10003
www.abraconyc.com

NYC FOODIE BITE OF THE WEEK: RUSS AND DAUGHTERS

Saturday afternoon I stopped by the landmark specialty shop Russ and Daughters for a bagel with whitefish salad. The place is a NYC institution and I actually waited around 30 minutes to order, which I would never do usually, but I must say, it was worth the wait. I ordered the Super Heebster-Whitefish & Baked Salmon Salad with Horseradish Dill Cream Cheese and Wasabi Flying Fish Roe on a Bagel ($10.45). I had mine on an everything bagel, and will tell you that the bagel itself is not mind-blowing, and just okay. But, everything on the bagel was sooo amazing, it made up for it. Each bite was fantastic! I was in whitefish heaven! So, wherever you are in NYC, head down to 179 Houston Street, in the Lower East side, for some mind-blowing bagel toppings!

Russ & Daughters
179 East Houston St. (bet. Allen and Orchard)
New York, NY 10002
212-475-4880
www.russanddaughters.com

NYC FOODIE CHINATOWN RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK: GRAND BO KY

Stopped into Grand Bo Ky for lunch last week, and need to tell you that it is great! There noodle soups are perfect, expecially for around 5 bucks each, we are talking a great bang for your buck! An appetizer of shrimp rolls was excellent too! So for great Vietnamese/Chinese cuisine Grand Bo Ky does Chinatown proud!

Grand Bo Ky
216 Grand St. (Bet. Mott & Elizabeth St)
New York, NY 10013 
212-219-9228

NYC FOODIE CASTING OF THE WEEK

Hey Foodies!

Check out this casting call!

"The Search is on for the New Faces of Food!
Three Rolls, Two Sides, One Taste...

Doron Ofir Casting is currently seeking food stars for 2 new
network series. Calling all food professionals, executive-level
chefs, sous chefs, cooks, grill masters, bakers, professional
food bloggers, critics, competitive cooking winners, caterers.
The ideal hosts would have expertise and a broad knowledge of
food and the ability to speak intelligently and enthusiastically
about food, ingredients and flavors. A passion for new
adventures is a MUST.

Now casting ultimate foodies who are at least the age of 21 and
comfortable on camera to host 1 of 2 brand new, non-competition
traveling food series:

SEEKING: Dynamic duos who are a cut above all the rest in
personality and talent. Can be cousins, friends, rivals,
whatever! Above all else the two of you need to be charismatic
on the ultimate buddy road trip for food.

ALSO SEEKING: Bold individuals who have all the right
ingredients! We are looking for funny, adventurous,
larger-than-life personalities with a passion for food,
especially eating who are always up for the challenge to try
the newest, the biggest, the spiciest and the weirdest culinary
curiosities on the planet.

Both shows require larger than life, outgoing personalities
with a sizzling passion for all things food and a smoking food
vocabulary to host, star and represent the network

Fire it up!

To apply as a DUO or an INDIVIDUAL for either show,
visit: http://www.FoodHostCasting.com

follow me on twitter @DoronOfirCast

Join my facebook group: http://tinyurl.com/ykh78yh"

NYC FOODIE BOOK OF THE WEEK: EAT & BEAT DIABETES WITH PICURE PERFECT WEGHT LOSS

The NYC FOODIE book of the week is Eat & Beat Diabetes with Picture Perfect Weight Loss by Dr. Howard M. Shapiro and Chef Franklin Becker. I was lucky enough to be at this book launch lunch at Abe & Arthur's where Chef Becker is the chef, and try some of these great dishes straight from the book. You can really eat healthy food that tastes great! Check it out:

Delicious Italian styled pickled vegetables and marinated mushroom antipasto.

Three bean salad with ginger lemon vinaigrette and grilled shrimp with a cucumber-mango salad would make anyone smile!

Roasted free range chicken with field mushrooms and asparagus. A perfectly cooked and tasty bird!

Finished off with a sugar free panna cotta and citrus granita. A sweet and great ending to a healthy and fabulous meal!

You can purchase the book here:

http://www.amazon.com/Diabetes-Picture- ... amp;sr=1-1

Bon Appetit!

NYC FOODIE EVENT OF THE WEEK: COCHON 555

Sunday afternoon I stopped by Cochon 555, a great event if you love pig! Cochon 555 is a competition featuring five chefs, five pigs and five winemakers. The event serves as a link to preserving heritage breed pigs by promoting breed diversity in the national community, raises awareness for Farms for City Kids, and family owned farms.

The NYC event featured chefs Corwin Kave (Fatty 'Cue), Mark Ladner (Del Posto), Marco Canora (Hearth), Gavin Kaysen (Cafe Boulud), and Adam Kaye (Blue Hill at Stone Barns). These great chefs served up some fabulous pig dishes! Here are some highlights:

Mark Ladner's "100 Layer Lasagna" was tasty, if not a tad boring.

A Berkshire pig. A real cutie.

Gavin Kaysen's braised pig cannelloni was amazing!

Corwin Kaye's pig and lobster in a smoked lobster curry was probably my favorite dish of the day. Truly flavorful!

Adam Kaye's trio of sausages with curried lentils was delectable.

Marco Canora's porchetta was absolutely amazing!

For more information check out www.cochon555.com. Bon Appetit!

NYC FOODIE ANNIVERSARY OF THE WEEK: TWO BOOTS PIZZA IN GRAND CENTRAL

Hey Foodies,

Congrats to Two Boots Pizza-here is the press release (I had a slice of this delicious pizza!):

Pecorino, Provolone, Capicola, Sopressata, Peperoncini and Roasted Peppers 

Nothing Says Happy Anniversary like a Six Ingredient New Pizza!!!!

Two Boots Pizza – Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of its Grand Central Terminal Location

Two Boots - A New York Institution- Celebrates it tenth anniversary in Grand Central Terminal with a six ingredient Number 6 Pizza - Named for the subway line that takes owner Phil Hartman from his flagship restaurant in the East Village to his Dining Concourse restaurant in Grand Central Terminal.

Also named for a favorite TV character of Phil’s – played by Patrick McGoohan -on The Prisoner –a series that aired in the late 1960’s.

Two Boots was named for the shoe shaped lands of Italy and Louisiana, which inspired its Creole-tinged slices. The first restaurant opened in 1987 on Avenue A and now there are 10 locations – seven in Manhattan and one each in Brooklyn, Bridgeport and L.A. 

The Number 6 is $4 a slice

Small pie - $10.95

Medium pie -$18.95

Large pie -$23.50

Only available in the Grand Central Terminal location in the dining concourse (lower level) 42nd Street and Lexington Ave.

Go to www.twoboots.com for more information 

NYC FOODIE CHINATOWN RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK: NYONYA

Sunday night I stopped by the Malaysian restaurant Nyonya in Chinatown. It's a popular spot and the food is good. 

I usually order roti canai when I eat Malaysian food, because it is so darn great! I decided to try the roti telur ($4.50) here, which is similar, but is filled with egg and onion, and served with the usual delicious curry chicken dipping sauce. It was definitely a tasty snack, although I prefer the regular roti canai.

A noodle soup called "curry mee with young tau foo" ($6.50) came with egg noodles served in a spicy lemon grass coconut curry with tofu and vegetable stuffed with fish. It was flavoful, with many complex flavors, delicious, and great.

So if you are craving Malaysian cuisine in Chinatown, Nyonya hits the spot.

Nyonya
199 Grand St.
New York, NY 10013
212-334-3669

www.penangusa.com