New York Bites: Xi'an Famous Foods

Hello there Nomsters,

Spicy Lamb Noodles

It's been a while since we last met, but I'm promising that from now on I won't wait two months+ to dish out the latest food porn, reviews and recipes. For many college students, summer is a time to relax, travel, or start that internship that we chased during the spring semester. Personally, I ended up in New York, which is the perfect place to be a foodie in my free time. So over the next few weeks I will be blogging about my fantastical foodie adventures in the boroughs! To kick the summer off I thought Xi'an Famous Foods would be a fun place to visit after a semester spent in Shanghai.

Spicy Lamb Burger

Xi'an Famous Foods was conceived in Flushing, NY, the place to be if you want authentic Chinese food. After gaining a firm following at their location in Flushing, the owner expanded to Manhattan, making it that much easier for those who sought out authentic Chinese food! The menu features mainly noodle dishes along with some "burger options." Xi'an Famous Foods keeps things simple by doing what they do best, noodles.





On my first visit, we went to their Chinatown location on Bayard street. The ambiance of the restaurant is really reminiscent of being in China. The limited seating, quick service, and menu board picturing each item all reminded me of the little hole in the wall food spots in Shanghai! One of the quirkiest aspects of the restaurant was the dumbwaiter in the middle of the room that sent up patrons' meals!


I ended up ordering the Spicy Lamb Noodles ($7.00), featured in the picture above, and we also ordered a lamb burger ($3.00) and a pork burger ($3.00). The noodles were delicious, very fresh and chewy as they would have been in China. There was a generous serving of tender cumin-spiced lamb meat atop my noodles with fresh herbs, but boy was it spicy! If you order any dish labeled "spicy" off the menu, be sure you can commit to it, because once you start, there's no going back. The burgers were also very tasty. Huge portions of both lamb and pork nestled between crispy pancake rolls, like the ones seen being sold in the streets of any Chinese city. The lamb in the burger was also super spicy, the pork on the other hand is a great option if you are not a fan of spice. The pork was tender in texture and had a sweet flavor that contrasted well with the savoriness of the bun.

Overall, Xi'an Famous Foods is a great option if you are looking for an authentic Chinese restaurant for some good take-out. Every one of Xi'an's locations is cash only, so make sure you're prepared. Additionally, psych yourself up for the spiciness!

Xi'an Famous Foods

67 Bayard Street
Manhattan, NY

(212) 608-4170

Keep Calm and Nom On,
GF

As Published by The Georgetown Guide-Cocoa for College Cooking

Cocoa for College Cooking

Culinary Quips

By Elizabeth A. Sabol-Jones

Published: Thursday, January 19, 2012

Updated: Friday, January 20, 2012 14:01

Scared of trying a new recipe? Not quite sure how to make a cake without a boxed mix? Unsure of what to do when you get halfway through a recipe and realize that you're missing two key ingredients? All of us have done something similar before, and we might as well admit to our mini-mistakes now. If you want any hope of getting comfortable with cooking and baking, you should consider throwing caution to the wind — or maybe some salt over your shoulder — and accept your previous kitchen mishaps so you can learn to use them to your advantage.
After testing and developing recipes for Nightly Noms over the past two years and cooking in a college environment where my mom's kitchen is not at my disposal, I've experienced plenty of miniature disasters. From not being able to melt chocolate without its seizing up to realizing that you need an 8x8 baking pan when you only have a 12x6 , you are bound to face both large and small cooking conundrums. Each small mishap that I have encountered since my college cooking days commenced, however, has forced me to become resourceful with what I have on hand. I'm not here to tell you how to bake; I'm here to give you some basic knowledge, random tips and fun recipes that will hopefully make you more comfortable in the kitchen and give you the ability to cook properly in a college environment with an improvisational flare.

Cake Poppers

If you're looking to impress your friends, have something delicious and a bit healthy to snack on, and if you don't want to spend a small fortune at Godiva, chocolate-covered fruit is a tasty option. The cool freshness of the fruit mixes with the smooth, rich chocolate to create a delicious substitute to plain fruit salad or a gigantic slice of chocolate cake. Still, chocolate-covered anything is easier said than done. While some may have luck with melting chocolate in the microwave, if you try melting large amounts of chocolate or become careless, you will soon open your microwave door to find that your chocolate has a grainy consistency, which means it has seized up.

Basically, there are two preferred ways to melt chocolate. If you're new to working with the substance, the microwave or a small pot with a bit of butter is your best option.



If you're using the microwave, make sure to start melting in 20-second intervals and then gradually microwave less as you see the chocolate melting. You really only need to melt until about 80 percent of the chips or chunks of chocolate are melted, since at that point the heat from the already-melted chocolate will take care of the rest.

If you're using your stovetop, make sure you keep the heat on low when you first place your pot on the stove.

Disclaimer: If there's one thing you need to know about melting chocolate, it's that water and too much heat are your enemies.

Remember, cooking and baking are as much about exact measurements and gaining control of kitchen chaos as being creative and taking risks. So push yourself to try something new!

Elizabeth Sabol-Jones is a junior in the College. She can be reached at saboljones@thehoya.com. Culinary Quips appears every other Friday in the guide.

How to: Melt Chocolate

1. Use either two pots, or a bowl and a pot, and place the smaller on top of the other. Fill the bottom pot with enough water to maintain a steady boil, but be cautious that the boiling water does not touch the bowl above it.
2. Turn on the flame to low/medium, add part of your chocolate and a bit of butter. The butter helps temper the chocolate while it melts; however, in most cases, butter is not necessary, so you can decide whether to add it.
3. Keep stirring to help distribute heat evenly and continue adding chocolate as the melting process continues.

4. Stir mixture on-and-off until chocolate melts,
remove from heat and either begin dipping fruit or combining with another mixture or batter.



 

Summer Restaurant Feature: Oysy Sushi for dinner (River North/Depaul & Columbia)

Hey Chicago & Co.

I’m back bringing you a review of the latest taste that has me saying “yum.” If you’re downtown in the River North area and looking for something tasty but that won’t completely obliterate your bank account, Oysy Sushi may be the answer to your food prayers. Chicago’s River North area boasts sultry steak and seafood restaurants, creamy Italian ristorantes, and the typical chain dining establishments; however, if you are looking for a lighter meal, but want that trendy ambiance, the Sushi and Japanese fare that Oysy delivers is near perfect. Georgetowners, if you like Chopsticks, you’ll love Oysy; and DePaul people, if you’re looking for a good date place, this is it.

I went to Oysy with a couple of friends last week and we were all impressed. We were looking for an upscale eatery with entrees options under $12, and we weren’t disappointed. Oysy offers a plethora of sushi options, from Maki rolls (the poster child of sushi in America), to typical Sashimi (piece of nicely cut fish atop rice), and of course Nigiri (for the raw-food junkies). Along with sushi, Oysy provides noodle, tempura, and teriyaki options for those who are looking for a plate of food rather than a roll. The restaurant’s appetizers were pretty reasonably priced too. My friend and I opted to split an order of edamame, which were lightly salted and simply presented in a bowl, tasted amazing fresh.

For my entrée, I ordered the rainbow roll from the regular Maki menu. The presentation was simple and delicate, with the roll nicely placed and the accompanying sauce lightly drizzled on the pristine white plate. Of course I managed to eat my roll and then realized I forgot to take a picture, so I nabbed a photo of a neighbor’s Rainbow Dragon Roll. The overall roll was delicious; the fish tasted fresh and the roll was properly assembled so that it did not fall apart once submerged in the soy sauce/wasabi mixture. Compared to other restaurants, for the price, Oysy’s sushi is a great choice. Along with their Special Maki Rolls, the restaurant offers the popular California Rolls ($4), Futo Maki ($4), Spicy Tuna Maki ($5), etc. Oysy Sushi is a good choice for a night out with the girls, an impromptu dinner downtown, and according to one of the friends who enjoyed Oysy’s with me, good enough for a two-year anniversary dinner with her boyfriend! (Congrats Nat & Krys :P)

Oysy literally means “delicious” in Japanese, so prepare to say it!

Name: Oysy Sushi
Meal: Lunch/Dinner
Location: River North (Downtown), Chicago

Address: 50 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago IL
Price: $7-$16 depending on the rolls
Ordered: Rainbow Maki Roll ($12) +Edamame ($3)

Best Option: Lunch Box Special ($12) Mon-Fri 11:30-5pm