Chinese food

Chinese New Year Miami Roundup 2019

February 3, 2019 By Eleanor Hoh 1 Comment

Kung Hei Fat Choy! Pick from 5 of my fav restaurants to celebrate Year of the Pig, some with Special Menus and Lion Dance. ENJOY!!
The Year of the Pig starts TUESDAY, February 5 and festivities last 2 weeks. Since I’m not organizing a Chinese New Year gathering this year, I’ve put together a list of Chinese/Asian restaurants celebrating Year of the Pig so you can experience it.

You can catch me on Facebook Live talking Chinese New Year with Linda Gassenheimer on Food News & Views and get tips for a Simple Skirt Stir Fry! We continued with a radio interview on 880thebiz, hear it as a podcast!

So, what’s the significance of Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year is a time to spend with family and friends and celebrate LIFE! My mom used to cook for days, there was one of everything, so duck, beef, pork, shrimp, you get the drift. The whole table would be filled, it was our favorite time of the year, what a feast for the eyes and tummy. And we got red packets filled with money when we visited our cousins or friends.

Chinese New Year gives you another chance to wipe the slate clean and start over if you’ve fallen off the wagon with your New Year resolution. It’s an opportunity to kick old habits and start new ways of doing things that bring you happiness.

If you’re superstitious like me and don’t want to chance it, here are a few things I do…
• No sweeping on New Year’s Day or you’ll sweep away good luck, great excuse for no housework.
• Wear red or gold or both and eat things like Dumplings, wontons or gyozas resemble gold ingots. They signify Prosperity, Longevity, Good Luck and Happiness.

Find out Pig traits, compatibility, predictions of fame and fortune and celebrities who are Pigs.

And now for the roundup of 5 of my fav Miami restaurants celebrating Chinese New Year, contact them to find out about menus etc. and order some of those good luck foods. Do call them PRIOR to going to reserve and check for Lion Dance appearances to avoid disappointment, I’m just the messenger.

Hakkasan
February 5- February 24, 7:30PM
$108pp
Reserve here.

I took my Wok Star Supper Club for Chinese New Year Yum Cha a few years’ ago and it’s been the talk of the town ever since! Check it out here, you’ll understand why! It’s elegant, the food is exquisite and you get treated like royalty.

Hakkasan celebrates the Year of the Pig with a limited edition menu created by International Chef de Cuisine, Jian Loo alongside an exclusive cocktail and dessert. There’ll be a special lion dance on February 5 at 7:30PM only. Known for its modern take on authentic Cantonese cuisine, you’ll enjoy New Year dishes like Peking duck with crispy bean curd and mango, Fortune Macaron and Liáo liáo cocktail. Every dish features ingredients believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the New Year.

No Name Chinese
February 5, 5:30-10pm
$45pp + $30 wine tasting
Call 786-577-0734 or on OpenTable

I have really enjoyed No Name Chinese for its interesting fusion and modern takes, check my review and video here.

One-night-only 4-course tasting menu. Chef Pablo Zitzmann will be serving dishes like “the Crudo Yusheng that is a really celebratory dish. We got a red braised pork belly that is eaten during Chinese New Year for wealth, long Lo Mein Noodles for longevity and whole roasted fish for a good start and end of the year.”

OG Supper Club and 1-800-Lucky
February 6, 6:30-9:30pm
$55/pp
Tickets here.

1-800-Lucky is the only hip, Asian food hall in Miami with outdoor garden lounge and offers everyone’s favorite dishes like Dim Sum, Chinese roast duck, Thai, ramen, you get the drift.

A Chinese New Year filled with Good Fortune and Good Food…
Upon arrival, each guest will receive his or her own map to present to each of Lucky’s vendors to receive one of their signature dishes.

Throughout the evening, indulge on specialty, holiday cocktails, snap pics at the event’s pop-up photo booth, enjoy live entertainment and partake in a live karaoke competition held one night ONLY in the venue’s outdoor patio with special prizes for three selects winners and much more!

Sugar at East
February 5, 8pm
Lion Dance and Chinese drummers
Check here.
This is a fabulous rooftop garden bar lounge with exquisite Asian accents. Small bites and amazing panoramic skyline views make this one of the best venues.
It doesn’t look like there’s an extra charge for the Lion Dance, so just pay for drinks and eats.

Tanuki
Monday, February 4 to Saturday, February 9
$45pp

This modern, zen Japanese restaurant also offers Chinese Dim Sum and South Asian cuisine. What a clever idea their Chinese New Year menu…

Tanuki is ringing in the Year of the Pig by offering a special 4-course menu (full of pig). Pork Belly Fuku Buns, Pork Gyoza, Pork Fried Rice ending with Miso Chocolate Mousse with Pork Crackling Crumble and Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream.

Other specials include: A whole Roasted Pig Porchetta for $26 (limited availability) and Korobuta Double Chop for $35.

Restaurants not celebrating with special Chinese New Year menu but you can still enjoy without the fuss?…
Black Brick
They’ll be celebrating Spring Lantern Festival, Feb.19. Check menu here.
Komodo
They didn’t post anything special for Chinese New Year. Check their menu here. I went when they first opened, ambience, food and execution was excellent.
Novikov
I must say for a Russian owned Chinese restaurant, it was one of the best dining experience I’ve ever had, see my post here.

If you want to experience a Chinese New Year Festival with a Lion and Dragon Dance, Chinese food, with lots of activities for kids, The Chinese Foundation puts on an annual event at the Miami Dade Campus.

KUNG HEI FAT CHOY everyone!
May your year bring you much happiness, good health and prosperity!

Easy to Make Singapore Noodles!

November 4, 2018 By Eleanor Hoh 2 Comments

You’re going to LOVE this easy Singapore Noodle dish, so simple a novice can make it! It’s so delicious and addictive with curry flavors, colorful, crunchy veggies and two different meats, an irresistible one-dish meal. I discovered this popular dish is not from Singapore, what a shocker. I don’t care, my mom who was born in Singapore used to make it for us and that’s all that matters.

How I decided to make Singapore Noodles was because a journalism student, Lei Huang is producing a documentary for her thesis and wanted to videotape me cooking a dish that reminded me of my family and the stories behind it.

The KEY to Singapore Noodles is to fry everything separately, it’s the same concept to a stir fry dish. Once you’re in the flow, it goes really fast. You can apply this technique to ANY noodle dish. Remember, put your personal spin on, that’s what being a Wok Star is all about!

My short Singapore Noodle video gives you an idea of the steps.

Lei’s beautiful version of my Easy, Yummy, Singapore Noodles . Behind the scenes of Lei’s shoot.

Noodles – start by soaking 3 bundles of rice vermicelli in hot water in a pot and cover for about 5 minutes, test if done. Drain in colander and run under cold water, drain well. Add a few swirls of sesame oil and use chopsticks to separate the noodles. Cover with kitchen towel so they don’t dry out. When anything is wet, it’ll stick to the wok and becomes mushy and messy.

Vegetables – typically, onions, green, red bell peppers and bean sprouts, use only a handful and literally flash fry them, otherwise they get watery. I’ve used shredded savoy cabbage (Napa tends to give out water), rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms (don’t use fresh ones, too watery).

Protein – typically, shrimp and Char Siu (Chinese Roast Pork) are used but feel free to try different meats. Use tofu or seitan for vegetarian or vegan version.

Stir Fry in sequence as with any stir fry dish…Vegetables, Eggs, Protein, Noodles and combine.

If you’re a noodle lover, I found this great article all about different types of noodles.

As a Wok Star, I don’t use recipes or measure but I’ve given some guidelines below. This quantity is for 4 people, there was leftovers after 3 of us had 2 servings each. I also got some roast duck and Char Siu as a side dish.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. shrimp
1/2 lb. Char Siu
2 eggs beaten

1/4 each green, red, orange, yellow bell peppers, julienne
Handful rehydrated dry shiitake mushrooms squeezed dry and thinly sliced
2 scallions cut diagonally
3 cloves of garlic diced
thumb size ginger shredded
cilantro chopped

3 bundles of rice vermicelli

Grapeseed oil for frying
Toasted sesame oil for noodles

Curry powder (either from myspicesage.com or Babas curry powder)
TSPC: San-J tamari, medium sherry, white Pepper, cornstarch

Wok Stars, you know the drill…

Soak, drain, add sesame oil to noodles, cover as directed above.
Leave all cut veggies on chopping board as shown in photo
Beat eggs
Pat shrimp dry, marinade with TSPC. Slice Char Siu into thin slices.
Heat wok till piping hot, squeeze 3 rounds of grapeseed oil, add 1/2 G&G (garlic & ginger), immediately add all the veggies and fry till how you like it, sprinkle Tamari and curry powder till all gets covered, taste and adjust, plate them on serving platter.
Heat wok till piping hot, squeeze 3 rounds of grapeseed oil, add egg and swirl to make omelet. Once it sets, chop into small chunks with spatula, add to plate of veggies.
Wipe out wok, repeat: heat wok, this time swirl in 4 rounds of oil, add G&G, add shrimp in one layer and let fry till golden before flipping and frying. Just as they’re near ready, add in Char Siu to warm through. Sprinkle curry powder till all gets covered, add to plate of veggies and egg.
Wipe out wok, repeat: heat wok, swirl in 4-6 rounds of oil, add in vermicelli, sprinkle curry powder and move quickly with spatula to toss the noodles. Keep adding curry powder to noodles till all covered. If you keep moving noodles, they won’t stick. Now, add in veggies, eggs, meats and toss to combine well. Plate and garnish with cilantro and serve at once! ENJOY!

Do share your version of Singapore Noodles in comments and let us know how yours turn out?

Good Chinese Food in Miami at No Name Chinese

May 31, 2018 By Eleanor Hoh 2 Comments

Starved for good Chinese food in Miami? Starve no more, welcome No Name Chinese. Opened by Asian food lovers, business partners of Uvaggio Bar & Restaurant fame, Heath Porter and Craig DeWald and helmed by Executive Chef Pablo Zitzmann Sicard and his wife and pastry chef, Natalia Atuesta. Be prepared for a refreshing take using Chinese techniques with a modern twist borrowing from Vietnam, Thailand and Japan.

Please don’t miss my guest post on Miami Curated for another perspective of No Name Chinese especially if you enjoy good wines, hint, there’s a video!

About the decor…
You’ve guessed it, No Name Chinese not only has no name but doesn’t have a sign at their entrance. However, when you enter, you’re immediately struck by the serene ambience. It’s bright and zen with wood floors and exposed brick walls with little decoration so you focus on the food, smart! They succeeded in creating a feeling that you’re here to EAT!

For food lovers: a huge, gorgeous marble counter with blue velvet high chairs gives you front row seat to gawk at chefs chasing high flames while they wok up tantalizing dishes.

An intimate corner flanked by a beautiful fig plant and tile mural showcasing Chinese junks and pagodas. Opposite the counter is a wall lined yellow leather banquette with mirrors above so you can catch the wok chefs in action, neato.

The main dining area has floor to ceiling glass panes with modern wood chairs and industrial looking tables.

The rear bar lounge is a lovely cozy space with green velvet high chairs and a smaller dining area.

About the Food…
No Name Chinese clearly has my vote, hats off to Chef Pablo who’s worked with Michelle Bernstein, Nobu and Jean-George Vongerighten as well as worked in Asia and Japan, learning many of the techniques he’s put into practice at No Name Chinese. I’m all for non-Asian chefs putting their twists on Asian flavors and techniques. It reflects the way I teach which is to base your dishes on technique and driven by ingredients rather than following recipes.

You’ll notice he adds seasonal fruit and citrus components to many of his dishes which is a very refreshing element instead of goopy sauces that you find in many Chinese restaurants.

His small menus for lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch showcase popular Asian dishes. I’d rather have less choice and GOOD food, rather than a bunch of bad food. I got a chance to chat with Chef Pablo to find out his cooking style and his love of music. If you enjoy this video, give it a thumbs UP and subscribe to my Youtube channel to get notifications of new videos!…

There are still so many dishes to try at No Name Chinese like Salt & Pepper Shrimp or Angus “au poivre.” For Brunch, I spy Braised Brisket in Beef Broth topped with a slow poached egg and Cajun seasoning I’m dreaming about.

PLAN OF ATTACK…
When eating at Chinese restaurants, you must have a Plan of Attack…

Gather as many family and friends so you can share “family style” instead of just ordering your own dish, this way you get to experience a variety of flavors.
Check menu and discuss with your server who is happy to guide you with how many dishes you’ll need. Try a dish from each section of the menu from Fresh & Light to Bowl if you love carbs or Sung for low carb but you MUST have DIM SUM because that’s Pablo’s specialty. Forget low carb for this visit.
Busy and need to get back to work? Have the Sum Sum Box!

After visiting four times with friends, I have a pretty good handle of my favorites and will mark it
WA (WokStar Approved) in photo captions.

I met Cheryl Tiu on Instagram @chertiu She is an international lifestyle, food and drink journalist and fellow Asian food lover.We both love promoting Asian Cuisine and Culture. She uses @cross.cultures an “events platform promoting the exchange of cultures through food!” and I do it through Wok Star Supper Club! I gather people and visit good Asian fusion restaurants, so if you’re interested, subscribe to my newsletter in right sidebar. I hope to visit No Name Chinese this fall, these gatherings get filled up and I give first dibs to subscribers. —->>

Here’s my foodie buddy, Brenda Benoit Dudley, on Instagram @masalacha She’s a food writer, an amazing photographer and she calls herself “A Grenadian Soul living in Miami.” We like to visit restaurants and take photos and blog about them! It’s so interesting how we sometimes have totally different perspectives of the same restaurant, so check out her take on No Name Chinese and subscribe to her blog for her latest restaurant hops!
A Few Notes about the food…
Turnip cake
The consistency and flavor is definitely unusual, I am SO SO SURPRISED Americans like this dish. Pablo says it’s one of their most requested dish, beware, only available for dinner. I love that Dim Sum dishes usually only available in Asia during lunch time are also available for dinner at No Name Chinese, very smart.

Turnip cake has a special meaning for me, my mom’s Malaysian spin was to pan fry in the wok with pounded red chillies and scallions with crispy edges and dip in chili sambal and rice vinegar, oh my, so good. Just writing this brings back such fond, fond childhood memories and now I’m going to have to hunt down some to fry!

Smashed Cucumber Salad, Jiaozi and Shiu Mai
I learned how to make these 3 dishes at Pablo’s cooking class in Wynwood, video and blog coming soon! One of my colleagues at the class used the Smashed sauce for steak, who’d have thunk?

Love this article, “What’s the difference between Gyoza and PotStickers”

Chinese food

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