Niu Sushi

Niu Sushi is in River North, and a decent joint for interesting maki rolls. It's a tad pricey, but it turns out because their rolls have twice as many pieces as any self-respecting sushi joint should rightly serve. I'll forgive them for their faults though because at least they have interesting menu items.

One wouldn't think it would be good as there are the typical warning signs of other Asian dishes on the menu, such as Tom Yum soup. Generally, if you see Pad Thai or wonton soup on the menu of an establishment that purports to serve sushi, one should find a way to extricate oneself from what is likely to be a disappointing experience.

And even so, despite the fact that I've forgiven Niu for its faults, one still needs to tread carefully. We started with a soft shell crab spring roll that was a messy experience. My fried crab got soggy in the dressing and mayonnaise in the roll, and it isn't something that I'd order again. It was a large roll and difficult to get all the flavors together in one bite.

We got suckered into ordering a new roll, which does not yet have a name, that has fried oyster. The Pesky Pescatarian and I love the fried oyster roll at the now defunct Ota-Ya and in the still going strong Tenzan. Niu's roll had too little fried oyster per bite, and the flavor of some broiled eel, seaweed salad, and cream cheese overwhelmed the experience.

There was a roll with uni and ikura that was crazy good, and for that roll alone I remain fond of the joint.

Niu Sushi, 332 East Illinois St., Chicago, IL

Butterfly Sushi

I am obsessed with Crab Rangoon. Ever since downing several of them, chased by slurps from a giant Scorpion Bowl, accompanied by some rather drunk Harvard kids, I have felt a special affinity for these cream cheese/imitation crab meat stuffed in wonton fried wonders. So when I saw them on the menu at Butterfly Sushi, I jumped on the opportunity to scarf them down.

Let's just say that scarfing did not happen, and those warm fuzzy memories of swaying in a vinyl-covered booth slurping down blue alcohol and dipping fried goodness into sweet and sour sauce, these rangoons did not elicit.


Butterfly Sushi helped assuage a deep and demanding sushi craving, but it was only because of that craving that it was adequate. It's fine only if you don't know the wonders of sushi, even American-bastardized maki-sushi, that are available to the diner willing to do a bit of research.

I will say this about them, in keeping with my theme that those folks in the mid-west are very nice, they did send us this plate of cheesecake for no apparent reason.

Butterfly Sushi, 1156 Grand Ave., Chicago, IL

The Mother of All Food Crawls

I was going to write about dinner at Uva with a high school friend visiting with her husband from California, but then I remembered that back in 2005, pre-engagement, the two of them visited and embarked upon the Mother of All Food Crawls.

We're talking fourteen food stops in 48 hours.

View The Mother of All Food Crawls in a larger map

Some were planned, some spontaneous. Myself and two high school friends (G and K) living in New York took around S and A from the Bay Area for a whirlwhind eating tour. I stole these pictures from my friend, and here we go

Day 1, ~10:30 p.m. Sushi Samba, planned
A complimentary appetizer of flash-fried Japanese river crabs because we had to wait a really long time for our table despite making 9:45 p.m. reservations.

Not pictured: edamame, blistered Shishito peppers, fried calamari.

Neo Tokyo Roll (yellowfin tuna, tempura flakes, and aji panca); Green Envy Roll (wasabi pea crust, tuna, salmon, asparagus, and aji); Pacific Roll (king crab, avocado, Asian pear, soy paper, and wasabi-avocado cream).

Two orders of Kampachi (Japanese yellowtail) Sashimi Tiradito with yuzu, black truffle oil, and sea salt.

Yellowtail Ceviche with ginger, garlic and soy.

Miso-marinated Chilean Sea Bass.

Day 1: ~12:00 a.m., Flute Bar, unplanned

Foie gras platter, smoked salmon platter, and bubbly obviously.

Day 1: ~1:00 a.m., L'Express, unplanned

Somehow we decided we needed Dinner #2.

Steak tartare with mesclun greens, moules frites, chocolate mousse cake, tarte tatin.

Day 2: 8:00 a.m., Norma's, planned

We ate family style modified for individual orders, while sitting around a circular table. Five people, five dishes, eat one-fifth, pass to left.

Seared rock lobster and asparagus omelette with home fries.

Crab cakes spice with Habanero peppers with dill yogurt mustard sauce.

Mandarin Orange French Toast.

Artichoke Benedict

Day 2, ~10:00 a.m., nap

Four friends passed out on my bed.

Day 2, ~12:30 p.m., Rice to Riches, unplanned

Marscapone rice pudding.

Pear rice pudding.

Day 2: ~1:30 p.m., Cafe Habana, planned

Mexican grilled corn with this delicious mayonnaise slathered all over; chicken diablo sandwich with fries; avocado and white cheese sandwich with fries; Cuban sandwich with fries, chicken dish with beans.

Someone couldn't wait for the food-paparazzi picture.

Day 2: ~3:30 p.m., il laboratorio del gelato, planned

Twelve flavors available, five people, 2 flavors per small serving, the solution seemed obvious.

Which two flavors did we not want to try?

Chocolate gelato, rum raisin gelato, vanilla rum gelato, peanut butter gelato, papaya sorbet, tangerine sorbet, coffee gelato, green tea gelato, raspberry gelato, lemon sorbet.

Day 2: ~6:30 p.m., Joe Shanghai, planned

Three orders of crab and pork soup dumplings, one order of pork soup dumplings, one order of string beans with pickles.

Day 2, ~9:00 p.m., A Salt & Battery, planned

It's so sad, the Second Avenue location has closed. You'll have to go to the west side for your fish 'n chips fix now.

One large order of cod bites, one small order of chips.

Gone in no time. End of a long day, but we've still got it!

Day 3: ~8:00 a.m., Le Pain Quotidien, planned

I like the 19th street location best because they bake the bread there.

One Tuscan Platter of Parmesan, ham, tapenade, the some amazing ricotta, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, olives and greens.

Mesclun greens salad.

Two orders of baguette with jam and praline spread.

Day 3: ~10:30 a.m., Artisanal, unplanned

Large basket of gougeres.

Sinful Experience Flight: Humboldt Fog (goat, California, airy yet rich, tangy finish); Brillat Savarin (cow, French, velvety, neutral to pronounced; Robiolo Due Latte (cow, Italy: yielding, lactic subtle).

Sampled of cheese condiments and some Langres to the left (cow, France, salty but not too aggressive, smoky)

Great Iberian Peninsula Flight: Serra de Estrella (sheep, Portugal, rich, intense, subtle toffee finish); Pau (goat, Spain, creamy, slightly sweet and nutty); Cabrales (3-milk, Spain, complex, buttery, numbingly intense)

Day 3: ~1:30 p.m. Alice's Tea Cup, planned

We went to the UWS location, but they've got the east side covered now too.

Scones: pumpkin, orange walnut, strawberry chocolate, banana butterscotch.

Clotted cream and jam.

Carrot-Cumin Sandwich.

Alice's tea and Rooibus Bourbon tea.

Day 3: ~6:00 p.m., Ota-Ya, planned

Sadly, this place has closed down. They had the best tempura. Now the next best option in the neighborhood is Tenzan for fantastic rolls.

Shrimp tempura.

Black Draft Roll, Crispy Salmon Roll, Mexican Roll, Volcano Roll, three orders of "white tuna" sashimi.

Day 3: ~8:30 p.m., Chola Eclectic, planned

Uttapam (rice and lentil vegetable pancake)

Chicken chutneywalla (curried mango chicken, mint, coriander, fresh ginger); Goa fish curry (spiced Chilean Sea Bass, fresh coconut, tamarind, chili-tomato sauce); Murli's chingri malai (spiced shrimp, raisins, ginger, fennel infused, tomatoes-coconut sauce); Bhindi masala (sauteed okra, onions, bell peppers, ginger, fresh tomatoes.)

Almost the perfect date

Healthy Roll, Spicy Scallop Roll, Yellowtail and Scallion Roll

Last night I had all the makings for a perfect date -- almost.

Special Dragon Roll, Oyster Roll

Sushi and Demetri Martin. What more could a girl want?

Green River Roll, Spicy Girl Roll

Sadly Demetri Martin was stuck in a box called a T.V.

*sigh*

So it really wasn't a perfect date at all.

(P.S. No, I did not eat seven rolls all by myself! Hung out with two high school friends, stuffed our face with sushi, and shouted at the television whenever anyone said anything stupid. Obvoiusly, the shouting happened after we finished watching "Important Things with Demetri Martin.")

Tenzan, 1714 2nd Avenue, b/n 88th and 89th, 212-369-3600

I'm Having Sushi Tonight!

I'm having sushi tonight, and so I have seafood on the brain.

Here's a video from a diving trip in Hawaii in the summer of 2008. I don't think I'll have octopus.

And maybe we won't try any puffer fish.

This eel in Belize was exceptionally friendly. Maybe I'll stick to fish tonight -- still so excited!

Lobster Sashimi

Have you ever had lobster sashimi? It's not gross like the scene when Tom Hanks finally manages to spear a crab in Cast Away.


Hello big fella. Claw looks big eh? Not sure how big?


Look at the size of that slugger! It's bigger than your head.


He's somewhat comical looking with only one claw. One day I want to go to the Florida Keys and grab me some Caribbean lobster. The sport lobster season is only two days long and you had better start right when it opens because pretty soon the divers will have bagged all of the easily accessible crustaceans. My mom really wants to go, her only problem is that she still hasn't quite managed the easy and gentle rhythms of scuba diving and gets into something of a panic when she goes down under, with the water slipping underneath her mask because she forgot to wipe away her hair, whereupon the sea water mingles with the sunblock she stupidly smeared over her eyes, at which point the ocular burning begins, and that's when I see my ole' ma flailing her limbs in a beautiful tropical underwater landscape.

But I digress. the restaurant used the tail meat to prepare lobster sashimi. Having tried this at home, it is very difficult to get the meat out of an uncooked lobster, but its worthwhile to try at least once in your life.

When raw, lobster meat is translucent and has a completely different texture and flavor profile from cooked lobster. Whereas cooked lobster has a rich mouth feel and a buttery taste, lobster sashimi has a much cleaner flavor not unlike amaebi (raw sweet Japanese shrimp). This sashimi was a bit too cold from sitting on the ice, but it tasted better after I let it warm up a bit. The waiter had squeezed lemon all over the sashimi slices, but its good all ways: plain, with lemon, with soy, with soy and wasabi.

Give it a try!