Num Pang Sandwich Shop

Last night, a friend and I were searching for a cheap and delicious dinner. We were thrilled to discover that Kampuchea's amazing sandwiches can be found for $5 less at Num Pang Sandwich Shop (its sister restaurant). Why this is, I don't know... maybe it's because the menu is much less extensive. At any rate, I sunk my teeth into a special grilled Spanish mackerel sandwich ($7.75). The substantial, meaty fillet spilled out of the spicy-mayo-slathered, toasted roll, which was layered with the customary cilantro sprigs, shredded carrots and sliced cucumbers. My friend devoured his pulled duroc pork with spiced honey. "Good call!" he said. (And then, our wallets emptied of less than $10, we made our way over to Momofuku Milk Bar for some chocolate-mint soft serve.)

Num Pang Sandwich Shop: 21 East 12th St., (212) 255.3271.

Around The World in Seven Days, Part I: A Week in Astoria

My companion and I haven't lived in Astoria for very long, but we've already eaten our way around the globe! Here are some preliminary impressions, organized by country. (Of course, our journey is not over; there are many countries left to visit!)

1. Afghanistan: Balkh Shish Kabab House. The fried scallion turnovers (bolanee gandana) at Balkh will neutralize any craving for those leaden scallion pancakes found at Chinese restaurants. But my companion was disappointed in the tough lamb kebab; the salmon was much better. The rice was nondescript but the basket of thick, dense bread was satisfying. (23-10 31st St., 718-721-5020.)

2. Colombia: Botero's Cafe. The walls of this small cafe are decorated with prints of the painter's famous Rubenesque muses. After spending a little time here, I might become a muse myself. Arepas, or grilled corn pancakes, are served with melted tropical cheese, or avocados and shrimp, or "ahogado" (drowned in sauce), and the tostones are perfectly fried. (45-01 Ditmars Blvd., I can't find the number!)

3. Greece: Taverna Kyclades (also, see Elias Corner). An appetizer at Kyclades is enough for around 47 people (I'm exaggerating, but you get the drift). The fried calamari, the skordalia, and the grilled salmon steak are enough to send me over the moon, and I think I've never eaten better fried fish. (33-07 Ditmars Blvd., 718-545-8666.)

4. Italy: Michael Angelo's II Pizzeria & Restaurant (also, see Trattoria L'Incontro). I like my pizza with a thin crust, so someone recommended that I order the "Sofia Loren" pie. It was loaded with pools of melted fresh mozzarella and sliced fresh tomatoes, I only wish I'd eaten it in-house instead of having it delivered, because I think the crisp crust got a little steamed inside the pizza box. (29-11 23rd Ave., 718-932-2096).

5. Japan: Linn Restaurant. What a pleasant surprise: sparkling sushi on Broadway! It's certainly not cheap, but if you're craving Alaskan salmon roe, Japanese striped yellowtail, or even something like a fried oyster roll with wasabi mayo, you've got it all right here. A wall has been erected inside to obscure the C-Town across the street and to show Japanese movies. (29-13 Broadway, 718-204-0060.)

6. Morocco (well, Moroccan-influenced): Cafe Soleil. Every neighborhood should have one of these cozy hangouts with mismatched chairs and free Wi-Fi. Authentic Moroccan mint tea is served from beautiful silver teapots, and did I detect a bit of harissa in the potato pancake that came with my "classic French" omelette? (37-14 Astoria Blvd., 718-777-1015.)

7. Thailand: WAVEThai. I'm not going to enter the fray that is the apparent rivalry between WAVEThai and Thai Elephant, but suffice it to say that WAVEThai's "street noodles" (pad see ew) are addictive. You can order them with chicken or veggie chicken, beef, roast duck or veggie duck, squid, shrimp, tofu, scallop, or mixed seafood. The vegetarian duck's texture is meaty, chewy and substantial instead of thin and flimsy. Curries are nice and spicy. (21-37 31st St., 718-777-6789.)

Colson Patisserie

It hasn't taken long for the subway platforms to heat up, even though the weather has warmed only recently. The other day, I stepped off of the Park Slope F train, craving refreshment. Fortunately, a cool drink and a cup of gelato were only a block away. Colson Patisserie, which is known for scones and muffins which are wholesaled to cafes around the city (Cafe Grumpy is one), also makes its own gelato, sorbet and iced tea. The iced tea comes in mint, blood orange, pear, ceylon, chai, and pineapple papaya varieties, and the other day there was a special lemon-myrtle mint. As for gelato and sorbet, there are flavors like balsamic strawberry and brownie; the delicious Italian espresso dessert known as affogato is offered with a scoop of vanilla.

Colson Patisserie: 374 9th St., Brooklyn, (718) 965-6400.

The Perfect Coffeemaker for New Yorkers, Part 2

Back in 2004, I traded in my Saeco Vienna Deluxe grinder/coffeemaker for the Nespresso D290, which is a convenient, capsule-based machine. A month ago, my Nespresso went on the fritz. My companion and I were in the middle of moving five years' worth of belongings to our new apartment, and we didn't have time to send in the old machine for repairs.

We settled into the new place, but the kitchen counter was bare and forlorn without a coffeemaker. I called Nespresso and was told that a repair would cost $135. I wondered if the money might not be better spent on an upgrade, and I started browsing Amazon.com. Somehow I happened upon the Lattissima: a one-touch DeLonghi machine that uses Nespresso capsules to make latte macchiatos, espressos, lungos and cappuccinos. Strangely, the red version was $300 less than the chrome model, and over $200 less than the black one. The chrome model featured a cup warmer, but the black model was identical to the red one. Was this too good to be true?

I had to find out, so I cancelled my D290 repair and splurged on the red model, for which Amazon provided free shipping. I received the machine today, and was instantly enthralled by it. After a brief rinsing, I filled the milk container (the pamphlet recommended part-skim or skim, but whole milk worked just as well), set it to produce the maximum amount of foam, placed a coffee capsule up top, put a tall glass underneath the spout, and pushed "latte macchiato." Soon, a beautiful, foamy beverage was prepared with the least amount of human effort. (I've never been able to produce satisfactory foam except with my Aeroccino, and I always worry about getting its electric base wet). Some of the Amazon customer reviews were critical about the temperature of the coffee, but I definitely found it hot enough.

Now, our new apartment feels like home.

May 2009 Foodie Events

Here are a couple delicious tidbits from the Salli Vates inbox:

• On May 18 from 3-6 p.m., Grand Central Market will celebrate the beginning of grilling season at Grand Central Market. The special tastings will feature all of the hall's delights, including Murray's Cheese, Wild Edibles and Ceriello Fine Foods. (Grand Central Market: Lexington Ave at 42nd St.) (ETA: If you missed this event, with all of its samples - Murray's halloumi cheese grilled with olive oil and lemon, Pescatore's grilled shrimp, Ceriello's spicy sopressata, and Murray's Salami Farmer's Diner hot dogs served with ketchup and jalapeno sauerkraut - the fun is still not over. Through the 24th, many picnic and grill products are on sale at the market. Buy two filet mignon kebabs at Ceriello and get one free (the same goes for swordfish kebabs at Pescatore), pick up some of that halloumi ($2 off), and finish your meal with a pound of Li-Lac Chocolate's smores bars ($4 off).)
  

• May 18 is also the first day of "Riesling Week 2009." coming to New York from May 18 -24. Riesling tastings, flights and pairings can be enjoyed at restaurants all over the city; some participants are 15 East, Aquavit and Hearth. You can find a full list of restaurants here. (There's a fun interactive food-and-wine pairer on the Website.)

• On the following day, May 19, Dish du Jour Magazine will hold its 8th Annual Food & Wine Tasting Event at Astoria World Manor (25-22 Astoria Blvd.). Highlights will include a "best meatballs showdown." To purchase tickets, call (718) 777-7918.
  

Elias Corner

My companion and finally heeded the siren call of Astoria and all of its culinary riches - we moved there. I spent the past few days stocking up the fridge with taramosalata and tzatziki from Mediterranean Foods (23-18 31st St., 718-721-0221), skordalia from Angelo's Food Emporium (31-27 Ditmars Blvd., 718-278-0705), and still-warm, freshly made mozzarella from Rosario's Deli (22-55 31st St., 718-728-2920). Then, it was time to celebrate our move in an appropriately bacchanalian way; we headed over to the legendary Elias Corner.

Were it not for the elevated train, one would think this was a seaside restaurant. A display of glistening fish and shellfish is the focal point of the entrance, and the dining room is painted a nautical blue. We sat down to a giant loaf of sesame bread and a plate of olive oil, and listened to our waitress rattle off the menu (there is no printed menu). Did we want jumbo shrimp, porgy, red snapper, Chilean sea bass, striped sea bass, branzini, wild salmon, soft-shell crabs? Grilled or fried? Oh, and appetizers? Saganaki, fried calamari, Greek salad? How about sides? Fried potatoes, broccoli, lemon potatoes...

To start, we ordered the saganaki, a large brick of slightly melted, firm cheese enveloped in a thin, crispy crust. We liberally squeezed it with lemon and soon there was none left. We also devoured a tomato-heavy Greek salad, which was sprinkled with plenty of feta. Then it was time for the main event: the fish.

"I think this is the best fish I've ever had," said my companion. digging into an herb-sprinkled Chilean sea bass steak. Wordlessly, I agreed, my mouth full of sweet, mild branzini (I'd ordered it whole so I could enjoy the grilled skin). There was no way we could even attempt to eat the lemon potatoes in their bath of warm olive oil, and we had to have them wrapped up.

Sighing with satisfaction, we paid the check - and then walked over to Artopolis Bakery (but that's a subject for another post).

Elias Corner: 24-02 31st St., Astoria, (718) 932-1510.

Kambi Ramen House

If I'd known about the sheer volume of noodles in a Kambi ramen bowl, I would've foregone the shredded pork and chive dumplings with gingery dipping sauce, the whole shrimp in glutinous rice wrappers, the perfectly chilled tofu topped with heaps of bonito flakes and scallions, and the refreshing julienned daikon flavored with sesame and soy. Well, now that I think about it, I'm glad I ordered all of the above, in addition to my basic pork ramen. But the thin yellow noodles (you can also order thick, wavy, whole wheat or bean) in a garlicky golden broth were definitely the highlight of the meal. Two rounds of sake-stewed pork, so tender that they fell apart at their swirls of succulent fat when I just touched them with a chopstick, lay atop the mound of noodles. The bowl also contained thinly sliced bamboo shoots and a bit of seaweed. This might not be a popular opinion, but I enjoyed the ramen more than at Ippudo; Kambi was more generous with the noodles, and the pork slices were more substantial.

(If you visit Kambi and somehow have an appetite for dessert, the hottest bakery in the East Village is the nearby Momofuku Milk Bar. I wish this place weren't so darn tempting - last night I came away with a glass of wild strawberry milk, a chocolate donut soft serve ice cream cone, corn cookies, blueberry cream cookies, and an incredible slice of banana cake layered with salty hazelnut crunch and banana cream. Why, oh why.)

Kambi Ramen House: 351 East 14th St., (212) 228-1266.