Author: kjohnston22

Serundang is an Indonesian spice and coconut mixture, often used as a side dish or garnish to accompany rice. This version is my favorite iteration, using sliced almonds for extra crunch. I use it on salads, with chicken, or eat it plain as a snack. SERUNDANG Yield: 15 portions Ingredients                         Amounts Butter                                  … Continue reading Serundaaaang

Nestled between The Standard, Whitney, and The Highline, Santina boasts a rather prime location and some seriously tasty Mediterranean fare. The interior is quite lovely, with a high ceiling boxed over low, cozy tables making for a very bright environment. Think Apple Store meets Park Avenue Spring. And even on a chilly evening, the surprisingly… Continue reading Santina

(By way of Chelsea, that is.) In looking for a middle ground to meet a visiting friend, and somewhere new and novel to us both, Mac and I landed on Lupulo. Located on the ground floor of the Eventi hotel, and connected to the kitchen at L’Amico, Lupulo boasts a casual, cool and informal scene… Continue reading A Quick Visit to Portugal

Doyers Street is a funny little corner (literally) of this ever-so-intricate city we call home. With all of maybe eight doorways – including a beauty salon, employment agency and Chase Bank — it’s certainly not a street I’d choose to duck down, especially late at night. Or lone. Or ever, really, if it weren’t for… Continue reading Doyers Delight

Lucky Bee cracked their doors on the LES just a month and a half ago, and the opening menu is absolutely bangin’. Another incredible example of Asian-inspiration (see Bar Goto post below), these salt and pepper wings are fried to perfection (almost fluffy!) and come with tamarind prik nam pla, a traditional Thai sauce with… Continue reading The Wing Addiction Continues: Lucky Bee

Tucked away on Ainslie Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is a 12 seat restaurant called Okonomi // Yuji Ramen.  This Japanese breakfast spot transforms on weekend nights into a ramen omakase spot where there is only one seating per night. Here the attention to Japanese culinary philosophy is unmatched, the creativity is thoughtful and detail-oriented, and… Continue reading Okonomi // Yuji Ramen ::: A Ramen Omakase Experience

Pegu Club is a staple when it comes to New York City cocktail bars. It is and will remain a mixology bar that allows you plenty of space, wondrous concoctions and a setting that suits just about any occasion or company.  It’s no wonder, then, that Kenta Goto’s first solo project, Bar Goto, embodies yet… Continue reading Bar Goto

In our house Mounds bars are a crowd favorite, particularly in the fun size variety. So as a holiday treat we turned that dark chocolate and coconut combo into a decadent dessert.  The result was moist center sandwiched between two layers of dark chocolate cake, glazed in mocha and best served with vanilla ice cream.… Continue reading Christmas Treats

After eating our way through northern India, somehow I’ve returned home with a favorite food more typical of the south: masala dosa. Masala dosa is a giant, thin crepe typically made from rice flour that is rolled around a small amount of curried potatoes, called potato bhaaji. The pancake is crisp and slightly sweet and… Continue reading Masala Dosa

Julie and I had a list of old and new things we wanted to consume over our six days back in Italy. Things like the classic aperitivi “Spritz” (Julie takes Aperol, while I prefer the slightly more bitter Campari) – As much mozzarella di bufala as humanly possible – Barolo, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Pelaverga, Nascetta… Continue reading Carne Cruda 7x in Seven Days