The Broke Baker

Category: Asian

  • Shilla Korean BBQ (A Review)

    Shilla Korean BBQ (A Review)

    Korean BBQ is a popular method of grilling meat in Korean cuisine.  It is very similar to Japanese yakiniku.  With both types of cuisine, meats are brought to your table, where you can cook them to your liking on a grill that is built into the table. The main differences are that Korean BBQ meats are usually marinated large pieces of meat, while yakiniku features small pieces of meat that have not been marinated.  Shilla Korean BBQ stands out as one of the few sources to enjoy Korean BBQ, because Miami doesn’t have very many Korean BBQ restaurants.

    All of the meals at Shilla come with some traditional banchan (side dishes).  The have kimchi, pickled vegetables, bean sprouts, and some sort of fermented fish.  I normally ignore the banchan, although the pickled vegetables are a good palate cleanser sometimes.

    Your proteins are brought out already prepped and ready for grilling.  We got bulgogi (marinated sirloin strips) and shrimp.  The orders include white rice and some raw veggies to grill along with your meats.

    Shilla uses infrared grills.  I’m not sure if this has any impact on the end result, but our meat was delicious.  It’s hard to judge a restaurant when you are technically cooking the meat yourself. The marinade that was used for the steak has a great flavor, but I wish that the grill had seared the steak a little better.

    If you’re not in the mood to cook your own food, Shilla Korean BBQ also has plenty of pre-made options available.  I ordered a dolsot bibimap (stone pot rice with beef and vegetables).  The bibimap is served in a hot stone pot that toasts the rice and makes it a little bit crunchy.  This means that it gets even better as it sits.  They also provide a side of spicy sauce to add to it.  I’m a wuss, so I don’t use it.

    Shlla Korean BBQ is a great place to enjoy some good Korean BBQ.  They don’t seem to have any large tables, so it’s best to come with a small group.

    For more information on Shilla Korean BBQ, please visit their web site at http://www.sushicafeshillakoreanbbq.com/

  • Miss Saigon (A Review)

    Miss Saigon (A Review)

    Vietnamese food is pretty hard to come by in South Florida.  In fact, it is rare enough that I had never actually tried any Vietnamese food until I was in my twenties.  There was this little hole in the wall around the corner from an office in North Miami Beach where I worked as a receptionist at the time.  I recall always getting the same thing, too.  I would get the Vietnamese crunchy noodles.  I’m pretty sure that I was addicted to them for a while.

    Since moving to the southern part of Miami Dade County, I had not seen Vietnamese food again until I found Miss Saigon.  Well, I didn’t find Miss Saigon as much as it was a regular lunch spot for several of my new coworkers, including a Vietnamese one.  It’s tucked away in a strip mall in Pinecrest, close to the Dadeland South Metrorail station.

    Thai iced tea is a must whenever I pay a visit.  I first thought it was strange to serve a popular Thai drink in a non-Thai restaurant.  I have since discovered that almost every Asian restaurant in the area does it, so it’s not that weird.  Some places don’t make it as strong as I’d like, but the one at Miss Saigon is bold and sweet.

    My entree of choice is almost always the lemongrass beef.  The lemongrass beef is these succulent stir fried strips of beef with spices and just a hint of curry.  It does come buried in onions, which aren’t my favorite thing, but I just move them to one side.  They have offered to make it for me without the onions. However, I feel like they play a big part in what gives this dish a great depth of flavor.  The dish does tend to be a little bit on the greasy side sometimes.  That aromatic oiliness is perfect for moistening your side of rice, though.

    Normally, I don’t get any dessert when I come here.  This day, we got the Thai donuts because we were there for a birthday.  For those that have never had a Thai donut, I think I would describe it as similar to an elephant ear in taste and texture.  They are typically enjoyed with condensed milk, either dipped or drizzled.  They’re a nice treat for after dinner, but a little heavy if you had a big dinner.

    I cannot vouch for the authenticity of Miss Saigon, but everything that I have tried on their menu has been tasty.  The services is friendly, and the food always tastes fresh.  It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something different.

  • Ichimi Ramen (A Review)

    Ichimi Ramen (A Review)

    Before a certain ramen place opened up in Brickell, my experiences with ramen were limited to the cheap kind that comes in packets.  You probably know the kind.  That stuff has kept many college kids from starving to death.  Hell, it even got me through a rough patch post-college.  For a few months, my diet consisted almost entirely of ramen noodles and oranges (this is Florida and you can get a bulk bag of oranges for a decent price).  My family lived about an hour away at the time, and they never had trouble convincing me to come to their house to help them with computer issues or my niece’s homework if there was the promise of a free meal and the chance to do my laundry for free.  I remember being at my absolute thinnest back then.  Poverty is truly the best weight loss plan, ha!  I certainly don’t regret it.  It gives me a very profound appreciation for everything that I get to eat as a mostly financially-stable adult.  It also means that overpaying for mediocre food is a big no-no.  When you’ve experienced a life where every penny counts, you just can’t justify throwing money away like that.

    But, I digress.  We were talking about ramen, and about how Brickell opened up my mind and my taste buds to the wonderful world of ACTUAL ramen.  Rich, complex broth.  Fresh noodles and vegetables.  A comforting aroma that wafts into your nostrils and brings a smile to your face.  Ah, real ramen is a wonderful thing.  Unfortunately, through the magic of inflation and supply and demand, the bowls that started at $18 are now $30.  While they are still worth the price when I’m in the right mood and can afford the splurge, I was definitely keeping my eyes and palate open for alternatives.  Plus, Brickell isn’t exactly around the corner, and I loathe driving.  When I found out about Ichimi Ramen in Coral Gables (closer to where I live than Brickell), I thought my ramen prayers had been answered.

    There aren’t really any signs on the street, so it’s hard to see if you are simply driving by.  I happened to find it by accident while I was walking to the parking garage from an appointment.

    20161117_115402The restaurant isn’t large, but it was cozy and the staff welcomed me in with a smile.  I arrived not long after the restaurant opened for the day, so I had my pick of seating.

    20161117_121122The other plus side of visiting during the day was finding out that they have a lunch special.  You get a bowl of ramen, 3 gyoza, a salad, and homemade Japanese pickles for $14.  Not a bad deal at all, especially not for Coral Gables.

    20161117_121135Aside from the presence of bean sprouts, which I am not a fan of, the salad was my favorite part of the meal.  Their Asian dressing was very refreshing.

    20161117_121145The gyoza looked delicious and had beautiful plating.  Unfortunately, I found them to be a bit bland and unremarkable when compared to gyoza that you can get elsewhere.  Still, they were not bad.  I ate them all, although I didn’t touch the pickles, so I can’t say if those were any good.

    20161117_121155The moment of truth came when it was time for me to try the actual ramen.  I forgot to ask them to hold the egg (don’t like eggs), but it was easy for me to scoop it out and set it to one side.  It’s still a shame, since I know that someone else would have greatly appreciated it.  For the price, I would say that the ramen was good.  However, the broth lacked the richness and depth of flavor that I have enjoyed from other ramens.  For some reason, it felt a little too watery. The pork belly in the ramen was great, so no complaints there.  I just wish the broth would have had that richness that feels like it’s enveloping your mouth.  Then again, for half the price of the other ramen, there had to be a trade-off.

    Ichimi Ramen is a nice little spot to have a good and filling lunch at a decent price.  I would go back if I wanted to satisfy my ramen fix on a tight budget.

  • Fujiya (A Review)

    Fujiya (A Review)

    In Miami, it’s sometimes hard to find a restaurant that specializes in one specific type of cuisine.  Being the melting pot that it is, a lot of restaurants end up being “fusion” restaurants, or restaurants that offer dishes that originated in different countries.  “Latin” restaurants will usually be a combination of Cuban cuisine and any other popular dishes from Latin American countries.  Colombian restaurants might offer Venezuelan dishes and vice-versa (although, given the similarities in the cuisine, this is fairly justifiable).  And, rarely do you find an Asian restaurant that isn’t a combination of at least two types of Asian cuisine (Japanese-Thai, Sushi and Korean, Vietnamese and Thai, etc.).  It’s not impossible, but it’s just not very common.

    So, after a bad experience with a sushi order from the local Sushi-Thai joint that I normally ordered from, I started looking around for alternatives.  I found Fujiya on Kendall Drive and 137th Avenue through a fairly brief search on Yelp, and was convinced by the high reviews to give them a shot.  That, and the fact that they were a straight Japanese restaurant and not mixed with something else.  So, the next time that a sushi craving struck, I made my way over there.  It’s in a tiny shopping center that’s kind of a pain to get into if you’re coming from the West, as it requires an awkward U-turn on Kendall Drive to reach the entrance.

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    Fujiya has the standard “diner” feel to it, despite the tables being covered with linen.  As soon as you walk in, you are greeted by someone on the staff and, when you’re seated, they bring you a hot towel to clean your hands with.  They also bring you a small dish of sunomono, Japanese cucumber salad.  In addition to cucumber, their version contains tomato, and sometimes mango or other fruits.  The tang of the vinegar in the dressing is cut by sugar and a drizzle of sesame oil.  A great way to get your palate ready for what’s to come.

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    The measure of a Japanese/sushi restaurant often comes from the quality of their fish.  Sashimi, therefore, is an ideal litmus test for whether or not a place is worth its salt.  In additional to the beautiful plating, all three types of fish in their sashimi appetizer (salmon, tuna, and hamachi) were exceptionally fresh and melted in your mouth.

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    With sushi, I like to keep it simple.  I don’t need a roll with 10 different ingredients to appease me, especially when the ingredients are well-prepared.  These salmon rolls were simple, yet satisfying.

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    The star of the meal, though, was the chicken katsu roll.  It is a roll that contains breaded and fried chicken, avocado, and cream cheese.  If you are a sushi purist that thinks that sushi should be seafood only, then I urge you to reconsider and try this roll.  The roll is intended to be served with a cilantro mayo and eel sauce, both of which I declined (we all know how I feel about mayo).  While I am sure that the sauces elevate it to new heights, the roll without the sauce is still strong enough to stand on its own.  The chicken is fried to a great crispness without drying it out, so each bite of the roll is an orchestra of creamy from the avocado and cream cheese, crunch from the chicken, and chewy from the rice and nori.

    Service is always warm and inviting at Fujiya, like a family-owned restaurant usually is.  I will definitely be a repeat customer!

  • Bombay Darbar (A Review)

    Bombay Darbar (A Review)

    Several years ago, I fully believed that I hated Indian food.  My only experiences with curry up until them were from Jamaican food, which I never liked and convinced me that I hated all kinds of curry.  When I tried actual, Indian curry, I found it to be nothing like Jamaican curry.   In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have been so hardheaded about refusing to try Indian food, but that’s water under the bridge now.  I have tried 3 different Indian restaurants since then, and finally decided to review one of them.

    Bombay Darbar is located in Coconut Grove, and recently underwent an expansion to accommodate more diners than their original tiny restaurant did.  It is still a good idea to make a reservation beforehand, though.

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    Each table gets a plate of papadum (crispy lentil wafers) served with two types of chutney.  The tomato chutney is like a slightly sweet pico de gallo, while the mint chutney is mellow and cooling.  I still can’t decide which one I like better.

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    As an appetizer, we ordered the samosas.  A samosa is like an Indian empanada, a pastry filled with a savory filling and then fried.  These were filled with seasoned potato and peas, and are slightly spicy.  The sweet tamarind dipping sauce makes a good contrast with the heat of the samosa filling.

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    While you can certainly order individual entrees, Indian food is great when enjoyed “family style.”  All entrees come with basmati rice, which they will gladly refill if you ask them to.  Watch out for cardamom pods in the rice.  I accidentally bit into one once.  That was not very pleasant.  It does give the rice a nice flavor and aroma, though.

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    My go-to dish is the chicken mushroom.  It’s basically chicken in curry gravy with coarsely chopped mushrooms.  Being the lightweight that I am, I always get mine mild.  The flavor profile of this dish is complex enough without the addition of spice.  The mushrooms are somehow always cooked tender, but not mushy.

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    One of the crowning achievements of Indian cuisine is Tandoori.  Tandoori refers to Indian barbecue, which is cooked in a tandoor (a device that looks like a cross between an oven and a barbecue pit).  Meats that are cooked in a tandoor are served on a sizzling platter with onions and green peppers, very reminiscent of fajitas.  We ordered the tandoori shrimp.  The yogurt marinade gives the shrimp a nice tang.

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    We ordered some naan to go with our meal.  Naan is a type of Indian flatbread, which can be served plain or with a variety of toppings.  My preference is plain naan, which is light, buttery, and perfect for sopping up gobs of leftover sauce.  My friends are partial to the garlic naan, which is too intense for me.

    Bombay Darbar is single-handedly responsible for opening my palate to the flavors of India, and is still my favorite Indian restaurant in Miami.  Service is always great, and the larger location now has a more comfortable ambiance.

    For more information on Bombay Darbar, visit their web site at http://bombaydarbar.com/

  • Gyu-Kaku (A Review)

    Gyu-Kaku (A Review)

    Typically, I avoid reviewing chain restaurants.  However, every now and then, one leaves such an impression that I must tell the world (or, at least my little corner of the universe) about it.  Gyu-Kaku is one of those times.

    Now, before I begin, I must disclose that I write this review having never experienced authentic Korean BBQ or Japanese Yakiniku (the Japanese version of Korean BBQ) in my entire life.  While this restaurant advertises itself as authentic Japanese Yakiniku, some of the reviews that I read beforehand indicate that this restaurant’s menu has been “Americanized” to appeal to Western palates.  Still, given the scarcity of this cuisine in South Florida, this place is worth mentioning. (more…)

  • Sushi Samba (A Review)

    Sushi Samba (A Review)

    Coral Gables Restaurant Week (CGRW), like Miami Spice, is something that I look forward to every year.  Restaurants will offer a  3-course menu at a fixed price per person, which is usually a decent discount from ordering the menu items a la carte.  Therefore, my usual strategy is to seek out the restaurants that I probably wouldn’t be able to afford on a regular day to try out.  This year brought me to SushiSamba, a nifty restaurant that offers food that is inspired by Peruvian, Japanese, and Brazilian cuisines. (more…)

  • Momi Ramen (A Review)

    Momi Ramen (A Review)

    Momi Ramen in Brickell is very easy to miss.  In fact, if I had not heard about it from word of mouth, then I would have never even known of its existence.  It’s tucked away in one of the little side streets in Brickell.  However, once you know what you’re looking for, you’ll know it when you see it.  Just don’t come expecting the salty water with cheap noodles from your college dorm days.  They serve the real deal here. (more…)