Sushi Nakazawa: The Apprentice Becomes a Master

Sushi Nakazawa
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My first meal of 2014 was at Sushi Nakazawa, a restaurant that I couldn't get a reservation for last year.

The early buzz was due in part to the fact that its head chef was Daisuke Nakazawa, the hard-working apprentice seeking perfection in the documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi.  In the film, he made over 200 tamagoyaki before getting a nod of approval by Jiro. That tireless commitment to exacting standards would translate well when Nakazawa made his American debut in 2011 at Shiro’s, a restaurant owned by a fellow Jiro apprentice. My friend Kevin recounted a positive experience and said that a flight to Seattle was warranted just to try the omakase.

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Noodle Village: Best soup dumpling in Chinatown.

Noodle Village
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The best soup dumplings in manhattan are at Noodle Village, a nondescript restaurant tucked away from the epicenter from Chinatown. The soup dumplings at many establishments are marred by a lack of broth and a thick, doughy skin that ends up being dry. Noodle Village’s version has a great balanced ratio of thin, translucent exterior and ample juice.  After trying them for the first time 2 weeks ago with Vince and Jon, I needed to go back immediately. The opportunity presented itself last Saturday.

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The NoMad: White Truffle Tagliatelle

The NoMad
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Here’s the thing about white truffles. They are very scarce since they are only available for a few months in the fall. Pounce if you have the chance. Back in October, The NoMad decided to offer white truffle over tagliatelle or risotto at cost so when I called, tables for the following week were already booked. The only day they had left was a Sunday so I greedily decided to book two reservations so I could enjoy risotto for lunch and tagliatelle over dinner.

When I met up with Rob and Jessica in the beautifully appointed lobby, we were beyond excited. We have all experienced burgundy and black truffles but it was our first time trying white truffles and we were curious in seeing how it compared. As we sat down and examined the menu, we noticed that the tagliatelle and risotto with truffles were missing. My heart stopped. Did they already run out?

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Scrumphsus Bites: Skyline Chili - Disgustingly Delicious?

Skyline Chili
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Happy Thanksgiving from Cincinnati!

Rather than post the ubiquitous pictures of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, etc., I wanted to focus on something more local from one of Cincinnati’s finest institutions, Skyline Chili. This classic eatery serves a famous Cincinnati-style chili that is both revered and scorned by locals. Polarizing dishes always pique my curiosity, so a visit there was absolutely necessary.

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