Harvard – Page 2

Shojo: Modern Asian Fusion from the Center of Chinatown

Published on April 17, 2016April 17, 2016 by br126Leave a comment

By Bovey Rao ‘19

It is obvious by now that I have a profound love of Asian food. While I am unfortunately underwhelmed by the Chinese food in Boston, I adore the prevalence of other Asian cuisines. Even more intriguing to me are Asian fusion restaurants. Given my glowing review of Asian fusion powerhouse, Mei Mei, it is only natural that I visit Shojo, another Asian fusion icon in Chinatown. As they prepare to expand with a ramen shop, Ruckus Noodles, Shojo is a dining destination worth a visit.

In the center of Chinatown, there are a plethora of delicious Asian dining options from Chinese and Japanese hot pot to dim sum to traditional Chinese dumplings. Why would anyone go to the hipster joint with rock music blaring and Ip Man 2 on the TV? I asked myself this questions as I walked into Shojo with a few companions. It had a small dining room but was packed with a young crowd. After being seated, I glossed over the menu and was overwhelmed the number of delicious options. A waitress offered her insights and informed us of the specials for the day.

Starting with an order of their famous suckling pig bao, I could scarcely hold myself back when they arrived. Whenever I see pork bao on the menu, I will tend to order them as one of my favorite dishes. Biting into these pork buns, I was simultaneously enthused and slightly underwhelmed. The tender pork meshed with the crisp cucumber and sweet steamed bun. However, the overtly smoky barbeque sauce was overpowering and prevented me from fully enjoying the bao.

Our Shadowless Duck Fat Fries came out next. This dish has stood out amongst the crowd of starches when it won Boston Magazine’s best potato course. Crunchy fries with a mildly spiced mapo tofu, thick cheese sauce, and light scallions. The decadence of this dish is truly laudable as we devoured it in a hurry. My single qualm was that I wished the mapo tofu spicier to balance with the creaminess of the cheese. However, I truly respect the creativity and depth to this Asian and American amalgamation.

The peanut sauce ramen and the daily special arrived concurrently. With an eclectic mix of peanut sauce, grapes, and cucumbers, the ramen was slightly convoluted. However, the flavors surprisingly meshed excellently and evoked a sense of childhood nostalgia. The daily special of seafood squid ink ramen was visually impactful with the jet-black noodles. With a light creamy sauce, the collection of scallops, mussels, clams, and calamari was elegantly and subtly flavored. I was quite upset that this dish is not a menu staple, as they elevated ramen to another level. To finish, I had the kimchi fried rice, a traditional rendition with aromatic jasmine rice. Topped with an expertly fried egg, it was a savory and spicy masterpiece.

During the course of the meal, I was enthralled with the exceptional bar service. With bartenders mixing and shaking complex cocktails, I lamented being underage. However, I strongly encourage visiting the bar as there was a constant stream of activity. Loud and hip, you must find your way to Shojo for exceptional Asian fusion cuisine. There are incredible restaurants in Chinatown, and Shojo stands out as the wild little brother.

Shojo

Location: 9 Tyler St, Boston, MA 02111

Reservation: Reserve or Call (617)-423-7888

Stand out dishes: Shadowless Duck Fat Fries, Seafood Squid Ink Ramen

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Food: 4/5

Service: 5/5

Atmosphere: 4/5 (Loud)

Feel free to contact the writer at boveyrao@college.harvard.edu with food musings, dining requests, or any restaurant advice!

Mei Mei Pops Up at Shepard: Shepard and Mei Mei Team Up for Dim Sum Brunch

Published on April 11, 2016 by br126Leave a comment

By Bovey Rao ‘19

What exactly is a pop-up restaurant? Most people do not know this terminology, as they are a relatively new development. Pop-up restaurants are when kitchens are lent out to other restaurants or chefs for temporary residence. While this seems like an extravagant venture, many great restaurants (Mission Chinese, NYC) have emerged from pop-ups, and many great restaurants (Aliena, Chicago) have hosted pop-up sessions. Usually, the menu is specially prepared for each individual session. Thus, when I heard that Mei Mei was hosting a pop-up at the nearby Shepard, I quickly booked a reservation.

Entering Shepard, we were greeted by the two teams and were seated after a brief wait. Glancing at the menu, I was immediately drawn to the unique fusion dishes. However, glancing at other tables, I noticed that the portions were a little small and ordered accordingly. After we ordered a long list of various dim sum dishes, I waited excitedly for our mix of buns, dumplings, and vegetables.

The dry aged lamb buns were a delicacy with complex savory notes of Chinese five-spice. While incredibly soft and moist, the order only came with three relatively small buns, which was unfortunate for my party of four individuals. Later, we would discover this applied to most dishes we ordered. The corned beef and xo dumplings similarly had rich, savory flavors, but texturally the shredded beef was not the most appealing. As the dishes continuously arrived, I enjoyed the mildly spicy beef tendon. The gelatinous texture melded perfectly with the crisp skin that garnished the dish.

Still insatiated, I salivated as stuffed chicken wings and Carolina gold rice were placed at the table. Chicken wings filled with a smooth chicken mousse with a sweet glaze proved to be one of the highlights of the brunch. While rice may seem to be a peculiar dish to order, Carolina gold rice is a specific breed that garners significant national attention for its flavor. Anson Mills, a seed restoration group, found and revived this heritage breed and distributes it to many of the United States best restaurants (notably, Husk). Thus, I was excited to see them on the menu with a soy butter. While it may not taste empirically different, I had a profound appreciation of the crop, which may have altered my perception of the dish.

After these courses, we added rounds of cabbage, leek, brined duck egg dumplings, lily shoots, and lo bok go, parsnip cakes. Dark green dumplings quickly reached the table, and we dived in. Freshly steamed, the dough was stickier than I was normally accustomed to but were appropriate to hold the looser filling. While the lo bok go were respectable, the accompanying fermented black beans were truly delicious. A light acidity complemented the natural creaminess, and I snacked on them thorough the meal. My favorite dish of the day was actually the lily shoots with fried shallots. Dark soy sauce provided the perfect salinity for the chewy but smooth shoots. I honestly was tempted to order more sets of lily shoots with rice but instead settled with the select dessert courses.

The fried sesame balls and egg custard tarts proved to be elevated versions, but nothing that truly affected me. Delicious and simple, we enjoyed them as a solid finish to the meal. Overall, I was slightly disappointed with the size of the dim sum and the unequal portions for the table. I expected that they could accommodate a table of 4, since that is a standard party number. Regardless, the dishes proved to be soundly delicious with a few notable standouts. Mei Mei is arguably one of the most important restaurants in Boston, and I am glad they decided to come nearby. Hopefully, they will return soon with yet another nuanced menu. Shepard is one of the newest restaurants in Cambridge, and I hope people will join them for dinner one day.

Shepard

Location: 1 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Reservation: OpenTable or Call (617)-714-5295

Mei Mei

Location: 506 Park Dr, Boston, MA 02215

Reservation: Reserve or Call (857)-250-4959

Stand-Out Dishes: Lily Shoots, Carolina Gold Rice, Stuffed Chicken Wings

Overall Rating: 4/5

Food: 4/5

Service: 3.5/5

Atmosphere (Shepard): 5/5

Feel free to contact the writer at boveyrao@college.harvard.edu with food musings, dining requests, or any restaurant advice!

When Hungry, Mix-it Up

Published on April 11, 2016April 11, 2016 by br126Leave a comment

by Hayoung Chang ‘18

Last Saturday, I decided I had had enough of HUDS food. Don’t get me wrong; HUDS is great. Especially if you employ some of our dhall hacks. But after a rough week of midterms and papers, I wanted to treat myself. My friend and I decided on Mix-It, an Asian fusion restaurant on Mass Ave near the Quad/Law School.

We arrived at noon, right when it opened. Although usually crowded during weeknights, we were able to enjoy a spacious and lengthy meal that Saturday afternoon. Craving some sushi, we each ordered a special roll – The Kiss of Fire roll and the namesake, The Mix It roll. One caveat, however, is that the special rolls were not accompanied by the staple miso soup and salad like the regular rolls were. When the sushi came out, we were disappointed by the portions. Initially, we thought they had only brought out one roll, when it was actually both rolls. The Kiss of Fire was also extremely spicy due to slabs of jalapeno. You might be thinking that I just have no spice tolerance. But just trust me on this one, I do.

Still hungry after the meager rolls, we decided to split the yaki soba with shrimp. Service was pretty quick, however, as the noodles were brought out promptly. Although not the most photogenic dish, the noodles were decent. The shrimp was tangy, and the noodles chewy. The sauce was a bit too greasy for me, though.

Overall, the lunch was satisfactory. If I had to recommend the place to fellow Quadlings, I would recommend dinner. Although more expensive, the atmosphere and food portions might be worth it.

Mix-it Restaurant

Location: 1678 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Reservation: Seatme or Call (617) 547-0212

Overall Rating: 3/5

Food: 2.5/5

Service: 4/5

Atmosphere: 3.5/5

Pizza Bagels

Published on April 11, 2016April 11, 2016 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

by Caroline Gentile ’17

On a night when there was no pizza to be found in the dining hall (a very sad night indeed), I struggled to put food on my plate that seemed appetizing. And then – genius struck. I could make my own pizza! I poached some marinara sauce from the spaghetti station while I waited for my bagels to toast, and asked the grille for two slices of cheese. Just a few minutes later, I was enjoying my pizza bagel while my blockmates drooled in jealousy. Soon, they too made their own pizza bagels, and together we marveled at how delicious they are, yet so easy to make. So the next time you are at a loss for what to eat for lunch or dinner, consider the pizza bagel. It won’t let you down!

You’ll need:

A bagel, cut into halves (use either plain or whole grain)
Marinara sauce
Cheese (either from the sandwich bar or from the grille)
Bacon or other toppings that you think would make your pizza bagel even better (optional)

Toast the bagel until it is well-toasted (a little more than golden brown). You want to ensure that it will not get soggy when you put the marinara sauce on it. Then, add the marinara sauce, about a spoonful for each half, or more depending on your preference. If you are adding toppings, place them on top of the marinara sauce. Place one slice of cheese on each half. Put the prepared pizza bagel into the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until the cheese is sufficiently melted. Wait for the pizza bagel to cool for as long as your self-control will allow you (no more than a few minutes though, thank god) and enjoy!

Cabot Culinaries: A Tasteful Treat

Published on April 10, 2016April 11, 2016 by richachatLeave a comment

by Richa Chaturvedi ’18

The number one thing I crave at school (besides sleep) is home-cooked food. Don’t get me wrong, HUDS has some clutch items on their menu. But nothing compares to a meal made from scratch with love.

You can find this simple delight at Cabot Culinaries, a student group in Cabot made up of people who really just want to cook and eat some good food. I usually fall in the category of people who show up just for dinner, after all of the cooking is already done. But I decided to take initiative and become an active player in my meals, rather than a passive eater. Cabot Culinaries met this past Saturday to cook an incredible meal: beet, arugula, and goat cheese salad, roasted spiced cauliflower and asparagus, home made gnocchi made two ways (I couldn’t make this up), rhubarb bars, and coconut mousse. Naturally, I was in charge of the easiest dish – the cauliflower and asparagus recipe that my mom texted me, then called to ensure that I understood, then texted again demanding updates because she has a reputation to uphold. I quickly realized that I was in the kitchen with some seriously experienced cooks. One whisked together an amazing balsamic vinaigrette while another actually made gnocchi starting from scratch. Meanwhile, I was struggling to break cauliflower into florets. It’s more physically exhausting than you would think.

Overall, we had about 12 people help cook the meal and over 20 eating. I was so stressed out at the thought of 20 people eating food that I made, but all of that stress fell away with my first bite of salad. Everything was so fresh and delicious and, not to brag, but I didn’t even burn the roasted vegetables. So I would call it a success.

Coming from California, it is sometimes hard to go for long stretches of time without any home-cooked food. Cabot Culinaries helped me get my home-cooked fix and get over my fear for cooking for a lot of people. That being said, it didn’t help me conquer my laziness. I think I’ll rest for now – at least until the next Culinaries comes around.

FLP Thai Cooking Class

Published on April 10, 2016April 11, 2016 by richachatLeave a comment

by Hayoung Chang ’18

Today, I ventured down to the depths of Northwest Labs to attend a Thai food cooking class. Led by a Thai chef, the class was filled with a diverse mix of people including hungry college students like me, grad students, as well as old people. After a swift safety briefing, we familiarized ourselves with the authentic Thai ingredients, utensils, and layout of the cooking lab, a neat and comfortable space.

Following the instructions of our instructor chef as well as the recipe, we got to work. Chopping vegetables and mixing sauces, I was glad to get my hands dirty with some Thai spices. My partners prepared the vermicelli noodles. Mixing it all together, the fresh peppers, hint of spice and succulent noodles combined to create a wonderful dish. I could hardly believe that I had cooked it myself!

Next, we started preparing the curry by warming some coconut milk. The fragrance bubbling up from the pot was enough to make my mouth water. With my stomach growling, we added dollops of spice and sauces, plopped in some tofu, tomatoes and pineapples, and brought the curry to a gentle boil. Once the consistency was just right, we sprinkled some basil to finish it off.

The taste was amazing, to say the least. Perhaps the fact that we had cooked it from scratch had heightened my senses. The curry was just the right amount of spicy, creamy and silky smoothness. The warm and soft tofu complemented the sharp sweetness of the pineapple. Drizzled over jasmine rice, the dish was a huge success.

Overall, I immensely enjoyed the experience. Not only did I learn how to make some great curry, I also learned to appreciate food, and real food. These days, we consume so many processed and pre-cooked foods, that we often forget where food comes from. By partaking in the process of transforming fruit, vegetables and grain to a delightful dish, my eyes were opened to the true nature of food. Perhaps that’s a little too cheesy, but hey, at least I got the best curry recipe under my belt.

Gluten Free Matzo

Published on April 4, 2016April 4, 2016 by danielleleavittLeave a comment

by Danielle Leavitt

Matzo, pronounced “mat-zah,” is a special type of bread made with no yeast or leavening. It is the traditional bread of the Jewish holiday Passover, which will be celebrated this year on April 22^nd, lasting for 8 days. The history of matzo goes back to when a Pharaoh governed Egypt and the Jewish people living in the land were his slaves. The Pharaoh decided at one point to exile the slaves. Story goes that they left to cross the Sinai desert to the land of Canaan in such haste, that they had no time for their bread to rise, and thus matzo was born! Flour is used as a main ingredient along with water, oil, and salt. Finally, there is now a gluten free counterpart to those that have this dietary restriction!

Ingredients in gluten free matzo are tapioca starch, water, potato starch, potato flakes, palm oil, natural vinegar, honey, egg yolks, and salt. These flat bread matzos can be used to make sandwiches, a matzo egg scramble, or just eaten plain. They are great tasting and only 125 calories per piece! A gluten free Passover is now possible!

matzah2

I’ll Have a Grande Vanilla Latte… With Three Scoops of Oatmeal

Published on April 4, 2016April 4, 2016 by mchiang1231 Comment

by Audrey Thorne ’19

There are a lot of reasons I wanted to try the new Oatmeal-Coffee craze – it solves the problem of not drinking coffee on an empty stomach, it might add flavour to otherwise dreary oatmeal, it is cheap, easy, and quick to make – but the number one reason why I wanted to try oatmeal-coffee is how absolutely strange it sounds. I am not an adventurous eater, but I am a curious one. I wonder what drew people to try replacing the water in oatmeal with coffee, and what led them to keep doing it. Here are the three D-Hall coffee substitutions of oatmeal.

1. Ingredients:

Seattle’s Best Coffee Signature Blend No 4 Decaf Medium-Dark Rich and Quaker Oats

Flavor:

Bitter from the first time the spoon touched my palate, decaffeinated Oatmeal – Coffee is definitely for people who enjoy the taste of coffee. Not my cup of tea (or coffee) but definitely the perfect oatmeal for a coffee lover.

Personal rating: B-

2. Ingredients:

Seattle’s Best Coffee Signature Blend No 4 Medium-Dark Rich and Quaker Oats

Flavor:

When swallowed quickly, it tastes like normal oatmeal. The longer it sits in my mouth, the more bitter it is. Still, every time I finish a spoonful I want another bite. I do not understand what the draw is, but I cannot stop eating it. I definitely had both more oatmeal and coffee together than I would have of either on their own.

Personal rating: B +

3. Ingredients:

Seattle’s Best Coffee Vanilla and Quaker Oats

Flavor:

Sweet with only slight undertones of coffee flavoring. Vanilla Oatmeal-Coffee tastes almost identical to lightly sweetened oatmeal.

Personal rating:

A+

Lessons for the D-Hall, Thanks to SLS19

Published on April 4, 2016 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

by Landy Erlick ’19

Global Health and Nutrition, or SLS19, is part of the Science of the Living Systems general education department. It’s also extremely interesting and edifying. I’ll be honest, I originally enrolled in the course purely to fulfill a requirement. Ever since the very first lecture, however, I have found the subject matter creeping into my daily life, and I think one topic is particularly relevant for your next d-hall venture: micronutrient deficiencies.

a great - and bright - source of vitamin c — A great – and bright – source of Vitamin C!

Each time you choose white rice over brown rice, cereal over vegetables, and glowing blue PowerAde over a glass of water, not only are you falling prey to “the freshman fifteen” – and every year after that – but you are also increasing your risk of developing micronutrient deficiencies. Though more common in developing countries where access to a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains is limited due to poverty or seasonality, micronutrient deficiencies are present in industrialized, rich nations, too. Most students don’t have the discipline to take multiple supplements every day, so it’s important to reach our necessary vitamin intake by filling those ceramic plates with an array of green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, animal protein, cheese, and even some grill-order eggs.

Admittedly, it’s unlikely that a college student in the Northeast will develop scurvy, but the disease is not just limited to pirates sailing the seas in the 1700s. Whether you are a vegetarian, vegan, or just prefer a daily sundae over a salad, it’s important to observe your eating habits and take notice of the categories in which you’re lacking. Even though it takes a severe micronutrient deficiency to express symptoms like night blindness or anemia, eating well from a young age boasts many benefits, especially in the battle against obesity. In fact, in recent years, over-nutrition has become more prevalent than under-nutrition. That is a daunting statement.

Cake might be filled with tasty sugar, but it's lacking in vitamins — Cake might be filled with tasty sugar, but it’s lacking in vitamins.

high in sugars and saturated fats, these spreads could use some micronutrients from a slice of whole wheat or multigrain toast — High in sugar and saturated fats, these spreads could use some micronutrients from a slice of whole wheat or multigrain toast.

It only takes a few minutes to look into food sources for important vitamins. Google is your friend. Of course, your diet is your choice, moderation is key, and a balanced life is a healthy life. So, eat the slice of pizza at 3 a.m. – you are in college, after all – just also keep in mind that an apple a day really might just keep the doctor away.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

Published on March 28, 2016March 28, 2016 by danielleleavittLeave a comment

by Danielle Leavitt

I’m getting my sweet tooth back after a winter of warm soups and comfort food. I’m craving something frozen, with whipped cream, cookies, and peanuts….like a hot fudge sundae! This Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake takes the traditional hot fudge sundae to the next level. It is easy, NO BAKE, all gluten-free, and I promise you will enjoy it. Have fun with this one! You can use many different toppings like peanuts, strawberries, M&M’s, chocolate chips, and caramel or hot fudge sauces.

Ingredients:

1 16oz container Cool Whip or other nondairy whipped topping

1 ½ cups peanut butter, crunchy or creamy (it is easiest to use a creamier based peanut butter for mixing and spreading purposes)

¾ cup fudge sauce

¼-1/3 cup crushed peanuts

2 boxes gluten free Oreo cookies (I use Glutino brand)

8 x 8 aluminum baking pan lined with non-stick tin foil

Preparation:

Create four rows of Oreos along the bottom of the aluminum pan

In a separate bowl, mix the Cool Whip and peanut butter until totally combined

Spread ½ of the peanut butter mixture over the Oreo’s, then top with another layer of Oreo’s

Drizzle ½ cup of the fudge sauce over top

Spread on the remaining peanut butter mixture and drizzle on top the remaining fudge sauce

Crumble all the remaining Oreo’s and sprinkle them, along with the peanuts or other toppings, over the top

7. Place in refrigerator 4-8 hours, or preferably in freezer for 3-4 hours

8. Slice and enjoy!

Spring has sprung, and it’s great to enjoy a gluten-free frozen treat that is so easy to make and tastes great!!!!!