Wong
When I first stepped into Wong on Cornelia Street, I was immediately filled with a
warm, cozy feeling. The softness of the candlelight coupled with the prominent use
of wood in the floors, tables, bar, and shelving- created a rustic breath of fresh air.
The open kitchen was another nice touch and as Chef Simpson would later mention,
was a key element in the creation of Wong’s deliciously imaginative menu. When
Chef was busy in his home kitchen on a Friday night, dreaming up the menu that
would become Wong, friends would come over, watch him cook, and sample his
latest creations.
As I took my seat facing the window to Cornelia Street, I briefly took note of the
school theme present in the elementary school chairs and worn, yellowed books
on social studies, arithmetic, and grammar on the shelves overhead. My partners
in foodie crime soon joined me- Chef Max, Easy Mac, Ramen, and our special guest,
Anna Kuchma. After surveying the menu, I knew we were in for a foodie night of
epic proportions.
We started off with an array of appetizers and with everything on the menu looking
so mouth- wateringly stellar, it was hard not to order all of it. My favorite of the
bunch was the Duck Bun. The succulent roasted duck was lovingly laid between two
halves of a deep fried roll. The celery and cucumber added a delicious crunch and
texture. I could have had two orders of this but knowing there was so much more
to try, I refrained. Next on my list of favorite appetizers was the Scallops with Crispy
Duck Tongue, Cucumber, and Jellyfish. I know some of you may be reading this with
slightly raised eyebrows, but the duck tongue complimented the scallops divinely,
and the flavor was so unique, it created a sensory memory I will never forget.
Actually, I can honestly say that about most of the dishes at Wong. Each and every
one of them has a character of its own and is completely one of a kind, unforgettable.
After sampling a few more appetizers and refilling my wine, it was time to move
onto the larger plates. I chose the Lobster Egg Foo Young. Chef mentioned to me that
it was his favorite dish because it blended high- brow and low- brow beautifully.
Egg Foo Young was a delicious but very inexpensive dish in China and as a child, he
dreamed of what it would be like to have something as expensive as lobster in his
Egg Foo Young. A few years later and voila! Dreams do come true. This was quite
apparent as I took my first bite of the Lobster Egg Foo Young. The first word that
came to my mind was “rich,” but in the most beautiful, buttery, someone- please-
rub- my- belly- after- this- meal, kind of way. This dish had me grinning like a
Cheshire cat.
Next it was onto dessert and I opted for Wong’s famous Duck a la Plum, which was
roast duck ice cream along with a dollop of star anise plums (think bubble tea balls
soaked in a plum syrup) and a five- spice cookie. This may have been the most
balanced dessert of my life. The duck fat added a rich, buttery element to the ice
cream and enhanced its vanilla flavor. The added bonus of sweet and soft textures
with the star anise plums alongside the crunchy, satiating spice of the cookie made
this dessert perfect.
Overall, my experience at Wong was extraordinary. If I were a school- teacher, I
would give this restaurant an A++ for serving food that is not only eye- roll worthy
delicious but imaginative at the same time. It would be impossible to recreate the
magic at Wong and I can’t wait to go back. – Jennifer Logue
SushiSamba
It was a long day at work and a cold night in New York City. My tummy needed sustenance and my soul longed for an escape somewhere exotic, someplace…warm! While a spontaneous trip to Latin America was out of the question, albeit tempting, an evening at Sushi Samba was within reach and provided just the escape I needed.
Upon walking through the doors at the Park Avenue South location, I was immediately immersed into a world of color and Latin rhythms. The crowd was polished, energetic, buzzing. Every order, every drink being prepared seemed to move along to the beat of the Bossa nova pumping through the sound system,