Ippudo in NYC; an Exciting Ramen Experience



Shishito Peppers With Yuzu Salt, and Japanese Cucumbers with Red Pepper Flakes, Salt, and Yuzu Sauce



While in NYC, we ate at a few restaurants, including Ippudo. The flash-fried peppers weren't guaranteed to be non-spicy and, of course, I got the singled spicy pepper. However, the peppers were still delicious because of their fragrance and texture. The sliced cucumber had a very crunchy and clean feel when I bit into it, but was also very flavorful with its garnish and sauce.





We also had pork buns as an appetizer at Ippudo. The pork was so tender and had so much flavor to it, but the bun itself was so light.



Agedashi



This tofu soup was so delicious because of its tender inside and crisp skin. The soup, mushrooms, scallions, and garnish really helped bring the whole dish together. I ate most of the whole table's servings!

Overall, I really enjoyed my second trip to Ippudo. The restaurant is on 65 Fourth Avenue, NYC.

Tea & Cookies

PG Tips' English Breakfast tea, condensed milk, and Private Selection's Belgian Waffle Butter Crisp.

After I finished making PG tips' English Breakfast tea, sweetened with condensed milk, I decided to pair a belgian waffle butter crisp with it. I put it across the top of the cup to let the steam soften the delicious cookie. It was the perfect snack to start my day!

Duck & Bamboo Shoot Soup

A very traditional soup, with the earthy flavor of the bamboo shoots (both fresh and dried kinds) and the gamey taste of the duck meat brought together in a soup bowl, spiced a little with ground chile if you like it hot, a little wedge of lime, some chopped cilantro.  And there, a sort of Vietnamese chicken soup.



Crème Brulée

The crème was buttery, nicely balanced by the crunch of caramelized sugar, yet the poached pear added a different dimension to the palate while not interfering the classic brulée.  Beautiful.

Best crème brulée ever, hands down.

From Masraff's with love...

Banana Bread Pudding

The Vietnamese version, which calls for coconut milk, gives the pudding a lighter summer taste.  I like to add some tart cherries betweens the layers.  And with some brandy sauce, it can go from breakfast, midday snack to after dinner treat.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Those cute little mushrooms have a very meaty taste.  Baked with a little sautée bread crumb, topped with fresh crabmeat, dusted with paprika and garnished with chopped cilantro, and voilà, a nice hors d’oeuvre.

Vietnamese Crepe

It's always a treat to make these turmeric fragrant crunchy crepes, but seriously, it has to be eaten right off the pan. 
Break it up, roll it in a leaf of green lettuce, with some mint, shiso, cilantro, Vietnamese coriander (rau ram), and dip it in a bowl of sweetened fish sauce with red hot chili pepper.
Try it...