All things Japan!

A massive celebration of all things Japan took place earlier this month along Central Park West (CPW). The Japan Parade, an event intended to “celebrate, express, and bring awareness to the friendship between New York City and Japan” brought together cultural performances, food, and so much more.

The day began by taking the train to Columbus Circle and walking up CPW. As the blocks brought me further uptown, it was hard to miss the Japan Street Fair and Japan Fes set up along 72nd Street.

Obviously, we will be revisiting this later in the blog.

I continued walking up the street, which, at this point, was closed off to traffic, and spotted the parade preparations from afar. I realized I should have been on the side closer to the park as there were less people waiting and a lot of the benches were unoccupied.

After settling on a spot to watch the event, it was also apparent that the parade was on the move and getting closer.

One of the first sights was four-time Paralympic gold medalist Shingo Kunieda, this year’s grand marshal.

Considered to be “the greatest wheelchair player of all time,” he has won four Paralympic gold medals and 42 Grand Slam titles.

A spinal tumor left Kunieda in a wheelchair at the age of nine. In an interview last year, he told the International Paralympic Committee that it was his mother that introduced him to tennis.

“My mother forced me to go to the tennis club,” he said. “When I went to the place for wheelchair tennis, I saw that the rallies were more intense than I thought and my first impression of wheelchair tennis was that I wanted to try it.”

Another feature that caught my eye was the Japan Village portable shrine, or mikoshi.

Japan Village, a “premier destination for Japanese culture and gastronomy” located within Brooklyn’s Industry City, is a place I visit often and it was exciting to see them represented. Reading up about the traditions of these mini shrines, they are said to contain a deity and used as transport between temples. When presented to the community, such as during festivals, the mikoshi are believed to ward off evil spirit and misfortune.

There were also a wide variety of performers along the parade route.

Meanwhile, there was a VIP that I was looking forward to and soon enough, I saw them rolling up in a their pink convertible…

Hello Kitty!

After the parade, it was time to tackle the street fair!

One of the first items to catch my eye was a Japanese delicacy that I have been curious about for a long time: dango. These are so iconic, they even have their own emoji.

Oh! DanGo serves these skewered mochi dumplings three different ways and I had to try each one.

The balls were soft with with an addictive chewy texture.

The dango with savory soy sauce and seaweed was, as the name suggests, deliciously savory; and the sweet soy sauce and caramel made for a delicious confectionary treat. Despite enjoying all of them, the brown sugar syrup and soy flour was my personal favorite. The soy flour added a welcome texture to the soft and sweet mochi balls.

Next was a stop by Tsukiji Gindaco for takoyaki.

These were a little different from the typical octopus balls as they had more of a firm exterior, which offered a pleasant crunch.

Additionally, the sauce on top, which was a little sweet and tangy, was fantastic!

There was no way of avoiding the green signage for Matcha n’ More and got an iced matcha latte.

Made with oat milk and agave, this was one of the best matcha lattes. That distinct grassy bitterness from the matcha is still there but, once all mixed together, balances perfectly with the agave.

Next time, I’m trying their soft serve!

My time at the fair came to a close with the grilled scallops by Hotate Master.

The line was long but moved quickly. After paying, you wait for your number to be called while gazing at a flat top griddle covered with tons of sizable scallops. You could have shoveled it all on one plate and I would devour them so quickly!

Served in pairs, each one was very tender and the tasty marinade only elevated the flavor.

The Japan Parade and street fair is a fun and delicious event worth going to every year, and is definitely worth a trek up to the Upper West Side.

Bacon, egg, and cheese in Gravesend

While training for a new job, I have found myself in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn every morning for the last couple weeks. Whether exiting at the Avenue U station on the N or walking from the 86th Street/Avenue U bus stop, I’ve taken some of those days to stop by local spots to grab something to eat.

The first instance was at U Gourmet Deli & Grill, which you will spot once you are out of the Avenue U station; just cross the street at the corner with W. 7th Street.

Stepping inside, it’s your typical deli, all kinds of packaged goods on sale and a deli counter. I got a “Good morning, boss!” from the cook and put in an order for a bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll. It didn’t take very long and, after the cook called out “bacon, egg, and cheese,” I paid the cashier and headed out.

Once outside, I cracked open the freshly-made sandwich from its foil wrapping.

Packed right off the griddle, the cheese was beautifully melted and stretching between the two sides of the sandwich. Now, this is a very typical order but I’ve never actually chomped down on one so quickly after receiving it—it was HOT!

However, still very delicious.

As I continued to make my way down Avenue U, the next stop was Grizzly Coffee, which is on W. 6th Street. This place is very cute. Cozy with ample seating, along with various breakfast selections (there was a coconut brownie I was eyeing on one of my visits that I still haven’t tried yet).

While trying to scarf down the sandwich, I got an iced americano.

With the days getting warmer, this was the perfect refresher and pick-me-up for the morning.

On another morning, located a block from the train station is Vinny’s Lunchbox, situated right on Avenue U, between W. 6th and W. 7th Streets. It’s your typical diner, lots of seating and a big counter. The staff are very welcoming and they have a fantastic deal for lovers of that aforementioned sandwich: Bacon, egg, and cheese with a small coffee for $4!

Plus, the coffee is served in one of those classic “Greek-inspired” cups.

The first time I was there, they handed me a menu and everything. By the third time, they already knew my order—they are pros!

What beats breakfast at a lively diner counter? Starting the day off right with some local banter going on all around and Rosanna Scotto on the TV. Vinny’s definitely felt like a neighborhood establishment with a laidback feel and staff members recognizing customers by name. It’s a great vibe.

My most recent breakfast was at Avenue U Bagels, which is right next to the Avenue U station on the F, at the corner with McDonald Avenue. This place ran just like your typical bagel joint: multiple people taking orders simultaneously, line moving quickly, and (somehow) keeping the orders organized.

Here, I started with a large iced coffee.

As usual, I ordered mine black—simple—and it was good. Then, the bacon, egg, and cheese, but this time, on an everything bagel.

It must be said, this place piles on the bacon!

The bagel is delicious and probably one of the best vehicles for this quintessential New York City breakfast sandwich. One of the best and I got to savor it under the morning sun at a nearby park.

With at least one more week of mornings here, while breakfasts have been an overall good experience so far, I should try something other than another bacon, egg, and cheese, right?

A Korean restaurant in Brooklyn’s Chinatown

It was a triumphant day. Dropped by a local Sunset Park pub to catch a soccer game and, after my side came out victorious, I was on a high. The bartender offered a congratulatory pint…

…and I was on my way to find somewhere to eat.

Headed a couple blocks over, near the corner of 7th Avenue and 59th Street, and there is Han Feng Ge, which promises “an authentic Korean BBQ dining experience.” Considering my familiarity with the neighborhood, before being seated, I made sure they accepted credit cards—and they do!

The restaurant is very clean and modern and, for an early midweek afternoon, there were a good number of diners seated.

They have a number of dining options, including BBQ sets for larger parties. While they do have an a la carte menu, I opted for BBQ another day and went with a standard entree.

After putting in my order, the banchan arrived.

Next to the kimchi were steamed vegetables, kongnamul muchim (bean sprout side dish), and sweet potatoes. As usual, I had a little sampling of everything to start and this was a good selection of sides.

Soon after, my starter (something I order on a regular basis) arrived: haemul pajean (seafood pancake).

The pancake was served hot and crispy, and it was delicious—extending my streak of tasty haemul pajeon.

In addition to BBQ, they also serve rice and noodle dishes, casseroles, and chef’s specials. My main dish came from the third category: jeyuk bokkeum, or spicy pork bulgogi.

I spotted it from across the room as it arrived to the table. Served alongside onions and scallions, and dusted with sesame seeds, the dish looked great and smelled amazing.

Needless to say, I also ordered a side of rice.

The pork was tender and flavorful, with a delicious kick from the sauce. I’ve had this at other places and, I must say, this is easily becoming a favorite dish.

Now, I have to do BBQ next time.

First night market of the year

The Brooklyn Night Market is back, recently kicking off its third season at Industry City. The annual event takes place on the last Monday of every month until October. It was my first time (there were plans to go during a previous season but, unfortunately, they didn’t work out) and the number of vendors—especially food sellers—was impressive.

Needless to say, it was a night for a feast!

The market occupies an entire alley between two of the buildings and, anybody familiar with Industry City knows, these buildings are long! I made my way down the entire strip to catch a glimpse of everything and the first spot to draw me in was BarrelHouse NY, a vendor specializing in Colombian barrel-style barbecue.

Calling themselves a “BBQ revolution,” the chicharron is a must!

I got a half-pound helping, which is served alongside potatoes and grilled pineapple. The chicharron had the most incredible crunch! It had a great smoky and savory flavor, which was incredible with the pineapple.

There was a small area to enjoy this first taste and, while eating, I noticed, just across the way was So Sarap, which was selling a variety of inihaw, or Filipino-style grilled meat. There was a sign that said they were offering three sticks for $10, I got pork, chicken, and longganisa.

They state their mission as “[giving] you a taste of what Filipino street food is about” and they delivered. The marinade on the meat was so addicting, I was done with those in an instant. Then, the longganisa—my favorite sausage—was delicious!

Making my way back, I could not help but notice the familiar bright orange hue of Thai tea. Considered “the first Thai Tea Haven in the USA,” Cha Thai is looking forward to setting up their first brick and mortar establishment and, after trying their Triple Thai Tea, I cannot wait to become one of their regulars.

Thai tea, Thai tea cold foam, and Thai tea jelly—this was amazing! If you aren’t familiar with Thai tea, this will make you a believer.

I told a friend about it, who said it sounded “really sweet.” However, the flavor was spot on! The people behind the company had a goal to “create a perfect Thai tea for everyone” and formulated the recipe in their own kitchen. For me, it’s true when they say, “We craft a unique Thai tea like never before.”

The last stop was the Yumbro food truck.

Based out of Yonkers, they specialize in Filipino/Hawaiian fusion.

They were situated right by the entrance and, upon arrival, I knew this was going to be my last meal—the finale of the night. Now, at this point of the evening, they were busy! Orders were being taken at the window and a kiosk, and they were already running out of product!

I knew I wanted sisig and, when my order was ready and they handed me the box from the window, I was surprised at the weight—it was pretty heavy! 

It smelled amazing and, opening it up, seeing the flavorful pork bits served atop rice with a fried egg, alongside a salad; this was definitely going to be a great dinner.

I moved away from the crowds and found a spot to sit at the Industry City food hall, and I tucked in!

The sisig was fantastic!

I must note, while sisig is typically served on a sizzling plate, given the circumstances of a food truck, that wasn’t happening. Although, without the sizzling plate, the sisig at a lot of places end up with a weird coagulated and mushy texture—NOT Yumbro! Every bite was great and there was a subtle sweetness to the pork, and I could not get enough.

I left the night market very full and satisfied. See you next month!