One of the best things to come out of writing this website is the motivation to try new cuisines.  The huaraches and pupusas at the Red Hook Ball Fields were the first epiphany; then came dan-dan noodles and ma po tofu at Lan Sheng Szechuan Chinese food.  But one cuisine I never had was Malaysian.  So when my friend Michael mentioned catching up over dinner at Laut on 17th Street between Broadway and 5th Ave (off Union Sq.), I jumped at the opportunity.  What I didn’t realize was that Michael had some friends in the kitchen who were ready to give me a crash course in the cornerstones of Malaysian cooking.  Read on for an enlightening look at some serious deliciousness…

Why is Malaysian Food So Unique?

Stop trying to figure out what exactly to expect from Malaysian food. It’s a fusion of so many different cuisines – Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Thai, Portuguese, and Middle Eastern – so all you can do is go in and let the new flavors open your mind.  How did Malaysian food become so diverse? Malaysia was a major crossroads for the ancient Eastern spice trade route and in the 19th century the British colonized Malaysia and brought with them huge numbers of Chinese and Indian workers who in turn brought their rich food traditions.  Similarly, 16th century Portuguese colonists and neighboring Indonesia and Thailand brought their own preparations to Malaysia and further fueled the fusion of cuisines that is now quintessentially Malaysian.  It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise then that the Malaysian born owners of Laut owned the Japanese restaurant Mizu Sushi (20th St b/t Park Ave & Broadway) for ten years before they opened Laut in 2008.  I put myself in the capable hands of Laut’s proprietors and let them guide me.

Roti Canai

We started our meal with Roti Canai ($4), a dish so delicious I was ready for another plate before we finished our first.  Through the roti canai, an unleavened bread made of flour, water, eggs, and ghee (caramelized clarified butter) we feel the influence of the many unleavened breads found in Indian cuisine.  Served alongside a yellow curry and coconut milk-based dipping sauce infused with curry leaves for aroma, the bread was so tasty I greedily tore at each shard, dipping the greasy Indian pancake in the sweet and spicy sauce.

Click photo to enlarge

Making roti canai is an art in itself.  It starts with a hand-kneaded dough that is then flattened until paper thin by a technique called “tebar,” where the dough is flattened and tossed in the air several times before being folded into itself from all four sides to form a square.  The result is a steaming bread that’s slightly crisp on the outside and at once chewy and fluffy inside.  Roti canai would make another unlikely yet delicious appearance later in the meal so stay tuned…

Curry Laksa

Next came the mixed seafood Curry Laksa ($12) a steaming, faintly fishy, coconut milk-based noodle soup that is surprisingly a breakfast dish in Malaysia.  If this is breakfast, Americans are missing out; the laksa turned out to be my favorite dish of the night.  The word laksa derives from the Sanskrit lakhsa, which means “a lot,” and it’s an appropriate nomenclature considering the bevy of ingredients: Egg noodles and rice noodles (you can request one or both, I say go with both) float in a spicy, sinus-clearing broth alongside shrimp, scallop, squid, a fish ball, cucumber, curry leaves, string beans, daun kesum (Vietnamese mint) and a traditional tofu puff.  It’s hard to believe something with so many ingredients can be so good but you’ll find yourself hunkering down in front of bowl and inhaling the deliciousness before you realize it’s gone.

If you like your food spicy and salty, make sure to ask for some chili padi in fish sauce (above) to add to your laksa as you please.

Asam Pedas

Since I enjoyed the curry laksa so much, the kitchen sent out Asam Pedas ($11), another traditional Malaysian fish stew served in a clay pot and featuring myriad ingredients including whole red snapper, lemongrass, onion, cucumber, pineapple, duan kesam, tamarind juice, noodles, and belacan, a shrimp paste that gives the dish it’s funky odor.  Fortunately, asam pedas tastes better than it smells, offering hints of sweet, sour and savory all at once.  Definitely an acquired taste.  This rustic dish from the southwestern region of Malaysia will not be a part of my next meal.

Beef Rendang

The kitchen saved the most complex and eye-opening dish for last.  If you’ve been overwhelmed by the multitude of ingredients in the earlier dishes, brace yourself for the fact that traditional beef rendang ($15) preparations typically include up to thirty ingredients!  When you consider the complex flavor of the dish – at once sweet, savory and fragrant – it’s no wonder there is so much at play.  Coconut milk, toasted coconut and curry provide the top notes but the tender pieces of beef are simmered in cinnamon, cloves, star anise, lemongrass, sugar, galangal (an earthy, piney and less pungent cousin of ginger), ginger, kaffir lime leaves, and chilies.  Ask for a side of coconut rice and you’ll be wondering if you’re eating dinner or dessert.

Peanut Pancake

Speaking of dessert, once the kitchen found out how serious my sweet tooth was, they proudly sent out what they called “peanut pancake”, roti canai folded with salt, sugar and crushed peanuts.  Wow.  The greasy pancake returns in an even more addictive form.

Malaysian Food Resources

If you want to learn more about Malaysian cuisine and find the Malaysian restaurant closest to you, check out Malaysia Kitchen for the World at malaysiakitchennyc.com.

Laut

I’m a tingling taste bud.  Different directions of delicious flavor and texture are sending me into a frenzy.  Crispy-edge house made bow tie noodles fold around tender veal meatballs and crunchy toasted kasha, all dripping with the tart vinegary broth they’re floating in.  Wonderful!  Yet something’s missing.  The crown of house made sour cream! Mix it into the heart of this creation infusing the thin broth with a subtle richness that now coats every bite.  Harmony.

Related: City Bakery’s Pretzel Croissant Page

Related: Maffei Pizza (6th Ave & 22nd Street) Grandma Slice

It’s been a long time coming, but after a summer spent living in the city, it was time for my first post.  And what better food is there for me to review then my absolute favorite, burgers?  Last summer, my friend Evan worked at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill, and has been raving about their lunchtime burgers since.  We decided it was time to finally go check them out and give them a proper NYC Food Guy review.

Anyone who considers themselves a foodie has definitely heard of Bobby Flay.  He appears on various Food Network shows and has 5 restaurants across the country as well as a chain of burger joints.  Two things are evident in Bobby’s cooking: He loves burgers and he loves adding a southwestern twist to his food, as you’ll see with both lunchtime burgers being reviewed here.

But before we dive into the burgers, it’s important to talk about the fantastic bread basket that comes first.  Aside from the delicious fresh bread baked on site, the bread basket contains some of the most delicious corn muffins I’ve ever had. Half yellow corn and half blue corn, these rich bites are filled with real pieces of corn and pepper and are so buttery, they render the accompanying butter unnecessary.  They’re a delicious and unexpected start to the meal.

Pressed Cuban Burger with Adobo Fries ($15)

The arrangement of the plate is very simple and elegant.  Although this restaurant is considered more upscale then the ones I’m usually in, it didn’t have that overly fancy feel, which I thought was great. I also love that the burger comes served in wax paper, an homage to the “Cuban” side of the burger.

The cross-section of this burger is pretty overwhelming.  While the picture isn’t great, what you’re looking at below is a big mess of beef covered with thick slices of sweet, salty ham, a layer of pickles and melted Swiss cheese.  While it was definitely a bit sloppy, read on to see how each element came together to provide a crazy mixture of burger and Cuban sandwich that was certainly a tasty and interesting experience.

The Breakdown of the Pressed Cuban Burger:

• Ground Beef: As it says in the name, the Cuban burger is pressed, which naturally takes away some of the great juicy, fluffy texture I love in my burgers.  That being said, it was still a delicious patty of fatty ground beef.  And since fat is where the flavor comes from, it’s nice to see that Bobby’s not afraid to use it.
• Smoked Ham: Bacon is usually the pork on my burger so this was a nice change of pace.  The ham added a very sweet yet salty flavor to the burger mixing very nicely with the pickled vegetables.  My only problem with the ham was that it was slightly overpowering and in certain bites it was the only thing I tasted.  I’m going to stick to bacon from now on.
• Swiss Cheese: I can’t say I’ve ever had Swiss on a burger, but it is classic fare when talking of a Cuban sandwich.  Swiss is pretty mild cheese, therefore it didn’t add much to the actual burger.  It also didn’t take away much, adding a nice creaminess to the whole thing.
• Pickles: A little history about me: I used to be the pickiest eater out there.  I refused to try any new foods, and ate only French fries, pizza and bagels until I was 14.  As my tastes and food selection has expanded, so has my willingness to try new foods.  To this day, I still hate pickles.  I hate when their juice soaks into my French fries and I always make sure they’re not on my sandwich/burger.  With my new view on food, I’ve been very willing to try new things.  I trust Bobby and if he put something on his menu, I’m going to try it that way.  You can now appreciate how surprised I was to actually have liked the pickles on this burger.  They worked very well with the other ingredients and contained not only cucumbers, but jalapenos and peppers.  They didn’t have too overpowering of a pickled flavor as is the case with most deli pickles.
• Dijon & Garlic Mayonnaise: Also a recent mayo convert, this condiment worked very well with this burger.  As an accomplice to the King of Ketchup, I love dousing my burgers in a good amount of ketchup.  This time, I actually held off and used only this mayo that accompanied the burger.  It added a very nice, light flavor to the incredible combination of flavors already on this burger.
• Bun: The weakest part of the burger, the bottom bun just didn’t hold up very well to the plethora of ingredients on top of it.  While size-wise it was appropriate, it got a little too soggy from all of the juices on the burger and could have been toasted.
• Adobo Fries: These fries were seasoned with turmeric, garlic, and oregano to provide a very unique flavor.  They were very hearty French fries, the kind that you can actually taste the potato.  I think they could have also been a little more well-done.  While I preferred the Southwestern fries accompanying the Mesa Burger, my dining partner Evan liked the Adobo fries better.  Both were delicious but it’s obviously a matter of taste.

Bobby’s Mesa Burger with Southwestern Fries ($15)

This is a delicious and more traditional burger than the Pressed Cuban Burger.  With the exception of the wax papper wrapping, its presented in the same manner as the Cuban burger.  This is more along the lines of what you would expect from an upscale Bobby Flay burger.

The cross section on this burger, however, actually looks like a burger.  A nice, loosely packed patty surrounded by lettuce with a thick slice of tomato and two different kinds of melted cheddar on top.  While I’ve definitely had bigger burgers, this one was tasty and clean.

The Mesa Burger Breakdown:

• Ground Beef: While it tasted as if it was the same beef as the Pressed Cuban Burger, this is more the type of patty I love: a delicious blend of beef and fat packed loosely for a great juicy taste that oozes every time you bite in.  You could tell it was a very good quality meat, as it was a clean taste that isn’t going to leave you hurting hours later. It was also cooked to order perfectly and seasoned very well.
• Double Cheddar Cheese: The double cheddar blend is something every burger should have.  I first tasted this at Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridian and fell in love.  It always surprised me that I never saw this elsewhere, until I came to Mesa Grill.  Nothing compliments a burger better than the double blend of cheddar.  Neither were too sharp and overpowering, also something I love in a great cheeseburger.
• Grilled Vidalia Onion: Also another must-have on a burger for me, some fried or well grilled (crispy and sweet) onions need to be present.  These onions were grilled perfectly and provided a great sweet flavor complemeting the meat very well.
• Horseradish Mustard: Not a fan.  I don’t like horseradish sauce or mustard, and the combination certainly did not do it for me.  On the other hand, Evan, who loves both garnishes, enjoyed this condiment as a dipping sauce with the French Fries.
• House Roll: I had the same problems with this roll as I did with the Cuban Burger’s bun.  It got too soggy on the bottom and didn’t hold the big burger that well.  A good burger bun needs to be able to soak up the excess juices of the patty and at the same time hold up all the ingredients of the burger.
• Lettuce & Tomato: I don’t usually leave the healthy stuff on my burger, but again I trust Bobby.  Both ingredients added a crisp, delicious taste to the burger.  However, my first bite of the burger was very leafy, something I was not looking for.  I removed the superfluous lettuce from beneath the burger, which solved the problem.  I recommend you do the same.
• Southwestern Fries: These fries were seasoned well with cilantro, sea salt, oregano, and a touch of garlic and ancho-chili pepper.  As with the Adobo Fries, these were also hearty and delicious and could have used a little more crisp.  That didn’t stop me from finishing the entire bowl, I loved these and couldn’t stop eating them.

Conclusion

While both burgers were very tasty and flavorful, I don’t think I’d go back for either.  The Pressed Cuban Burger was unlike anything I’ve ever tried.  Since I’m not a big fan of pickles or ham, this burger was definitely a risk for me.  I did enjoy it though and would certainly recommend trying it (and its $15 price tag) if you like Cubans sandwiches and burgers.  The Mesa Burger was a very clean, juicy burger that I definitely liked as well.  The only reason I think it was worth $15 was the hearty helping of Southwestern Fries that accompany it.  If I had to put it in a similar league with another burger, it’d be Burger Joint, but I’d take the $7.50 cheeseburger and the $3.50 fries at the Joint any day over this.  The great service, great food and corn bread will certainly bring me back, but I don’t think it will be to have a burger.  Let me know if you feel the same way!

Mesa Grill

In attempting to “clean up” the real Primanti Bros. sandwich, Rye House abandoned the standard issue tomato and with it acidity that could really enhance the sandwich.  An upgrade to a more flavorful cheese and adjustments to the cole slaw’s mayo base would also improve what has the potential to be a great NYC sandwich.  Rye House has been open for less than one month and I look forward to returning to give the “Pittsburgh” another try.

Read on for the full menu plus NYC Food Guy’s take on some other items…

Pretension and an overwhelmed kitchen seemed to have got the best of the other food I tried.  Everything sounded intriguing and delicious but mainly fell flat.  I’ll give Rye House some more time to settle in, however, before I bestow my final judgment.

A flavorless, mushy “Beef Wellington” sandwich ($12) with tender, medium rare filet mignon, messy foie gras pate and mushrooms on a fluffy brioche bun served with a side of half soggy, half crispy, fully salted house made potato chips.

Shockingly ordinary pork belly and smoked gouda empanadas ($12).  One of my fellow diners likened the flaky exterior to “cocktail hour fare.”

An extremely greasy and flavorless (seeing a trend?) fried quesadilla filled with duck, foie gras and duck ham ($12).

Disappointingly gooey sweetbreads inside greasy, doughy casing coated in a barely spicy house made Buffalo Sauce ($12).

A tin bucket of steamy boiled peanuts ($6) redolent of cinnamon.  I found the flavor awkward but King of Ketchup thought these were the best part of the meal.

Click here for the Rye House menu complements of NYMag.com (PDF File)

Rye House

• What: While the beef is almost as delicious as Burger Joint’s, Goodburger offers all the toppings you wish the Burger Joint had. Thanks to Lil NYC Food Guy, I discovered the pleasure of a char-grilled cheeseburger (white & yellow cheddar standard), cooked to order, and covered in crisp bacon and sweet, crispy onions. The toasted bun and shoestring fries are standard, letting the burger take center stage.
• Cost: $9.00 (Cheeseburger $6.75, Bacon $1.75, Crispy Onions $.50)
• Where: 4 Locations in Manhattan
  
• Website: http://goodburgerny.com/
• Inside info: The bacon and onions were plentiful but tasted pre-cooked.