chinatown icecream factorizzle, a.k.a. respect hello kitty

ok, so there's a haagen daz across the street for the less adventurous. but those with bollocks of steel will venture off commercial mott street down less commercial bayard street and witness a retro sign that reads something like this:

THE ORIGINAL CHINATOWN
ICE CREAM FACTORY

well hello, kitty.















what distinguishes them is the following:
a. they speak english but don't seem too american
b. they are friendly
c. here's the clincher, their icecream is LIGHT and fresh. its truly a colliod. i can see the air molecules trapped in there with the pink fluffy cream and red bean.

the icecreams i've tried are lychee (hotness), green tea (best one yet), red bean (my first time eating redbean so i don't have a frame of reference but red bean experts talk about how good it is).

reasonably priced, around 7$ for a pint.

too bad they don't have fennel.

enjoy.

keko cafe.

Tea Time is often forgotten in this part of the world, but is still very much a celebration of midday refreshment in other regions. I’ve been seeing a comeback of tea shops and decorative kettles in the area as the ubiquitous Starbucks downsizes and diminishes. There is nothing more refreshing than a fresh cup of tea with honey in the afternoon. An oasis in the desert of New York, Keko Café provides shelter from the harsh elements of the city. Its unattractive exterior is met with an eclectic decorative scheme and a large variety of teas, mostly loose leaf. The focus on quality is immediately apparent from the airtight containers of a range of light to dark tea. The tea is served simply in a small silver kettle with a strainer that fits delicately onto the cup and saucer to avoid the consumption of the potent dregs.

My favorite is the hibiscus tea, partly due to its deep reddish purple color, and partly due to its exoticism. Actual flower petals are steeped in hot water to produce a slightly tart flavor that is complimented with honey. Keko also serves mini sandwiches and biscuits for a proper full-service teatime. Having also eaten a slightly heavier meal there, I suggest the couscous that is cooked with tomato and fresh vegetables. The friendly management that hail from Morocco are both friendly and helpful with suggestions. This is a great place to think, read a book, and grab a snack reminiscent of a relaxing afternoon abroad.

initial thoughts on babbo ristorante and enoteca

firstly, getting a reservation is a nightmare. managed to score one 30 days in advance, 11pm on a saturday night.

casual vibe, host elderly and a bit snobby

we decided to go with the traditional tasting menu.

i'm going to focus on the food for the rest of this posting

course 1 - culatello with fiddleheads and pecorino.. COLD MEAT with shaved cheese. drizzled with olive oil nuff said.

course 2 - the best one of the night. pappardelle with chanterelle mushrooms and thyme. i bet you think it was the chanterelle mushrooms that hit the spot. you are right, they did, but the 2 sticks of fresh thyme is what really added the nosh to the nibble.

course 3 - duck tortelli with "sugo finto". this didn't really sit well for me but i can see how it would be a favorite. the tomato sauce had a gentle texture.

course 4 - grilled hangar steak with royal trumpet mushrooms and cipolline agrodolce. still trying to figure out what cipolline agrodolce is. but the steak was good. what struck me was the presentation of the steak, 4 thinkly sliced pieces, piled one on top of hte other surrounded with the mushrooms. mmm

course 5 - goat cheese with fennel honey. moment of silence please

course 6 - creama con mosto - small dish with cream / chocolate and a long spoon. hard to describe but delicious. perfectly balanced the cheese. same texture as a soft boiled egg.

course 7 - chocolate tartufino, i was struggling at this point

course 8 - too full to eat but it was a coconut sabbiosa with blueberries and coconut gelato.

unpossessive blog for amateur food critics.

just a forum for food thoughts, restaurant reviews, upcoming events, new favorites, interesting flavors, and all other gustatory references pertaining to the metropolitan area. feel free to blog at your own convenience. this site is open to the public, so keep the forn language to a minimum. of course, i will start.