I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) Adelita, located in Concord, serves organic Mexican cuisine and is now open for both lunch and dinner. From the team behind Woods Hill Table, Adelita is the culmination of operating owner Kristin Canty’s passions for food, family farms and sustainable sourcing. The menu – developed and overseen by Woods Hill Table’s Executive Chef Charlie Foster – showcases Foster’s love and appreciation for the cuisine of his wife’s native Mexico.
The name of the restaurant, Adelita, was inspired by the name given to the female soldiers who fought in the Mexican Revolution. Adelita also represents Canty’s fight and advocacy work on behalf of small-scale farmers and the food sovereignty movement.
“Living and working in Concord, Charlie and I noticed a lack of heartfelt, quality Mexican food in the area,” says Canty. “By continuing our tradition of sourcing from my Bath, New Hampshire, farm – The Farm at Woods Hill – and taking inspiration from Charlie’s regular trips to Mexico, we can offer guests flavorful, nutrient dense Mexican food that we’d be proud to serve our own families."
Composed of Chef Foster’s take on Mexican street food, the Adelita menu celebrates high quality ingredients, careful sourcing and scratch-made dishes such as tacos, ceviche and composed plates. Sourcing primarily from The Farm at Woods Hill, Foster uses grass-fed proteins throughout the menu, with dishes such as Housemade Pork Chorizo & Carnitas, Lamb Barbacoa, and Chicken Tinga. Canty and Foster also look to other small-scale purveyors for fresh ground masa, seafood, and organic (a mix of practicing and USDA-certified) produce to create flavorful, close-to-authentic Mexican dishes that are as ecologically viable as they are delicious.
Adelita’s bar program emphasizes quality ingredients and carefully selected products. The star of the drink program, the Adelita Margarita is made entirely from small batch reposado tequila, housemade triple sec, fresh organic lime juice and organic aqave syrup. Unique iterations of this Mexican staple include beet and guava. Additional cocktails range from the refreshing Paloma to the smoky Mezcal Old Fashioned.
There are twelve Mezcals on their beverage list, from three different producers, and Canty stated, “All three of the producers that we have are on because they highlight single village styles of Mezcal, and single varietal agave. They are truly unique products and a wonderful experience to try them all side by side. The Leyenda, which is not on the menu yet but will be on next week, is the only certified organic mezcal on the menu. This is important to the owner’s concept of supporting smaller organic farmers and distillers.”
Whether USDA certified or “practicing,” all wines featured at Adelita are organic, focusing on Spanish varietals. Adelita’s wine menu of minimally processed labels highlights Tempranillo and Viura’s diverse food-pairing abilities.
Adelita is open Monday – Saturday, from 11am – 10pm, with Lunch from 11am – 2pm and Dinner from 5pm – 10pm
I'm looking forward to checking out this restaurant, and enjoying a fine Mezcal with dinner.
2) On Sunday, March 18th, at 6pm, Brassica Kitchen + Cafe will host a Sunday "Pop Up." Brassica's Chef de Cuisine Matt Hummel will partner with Chef Yesid Areiza of Shepard, and cocktail virtuoso Moe Isaza of Pammy's for a dining experience inspired by the flavors of Colombia and Peru they’re calling, "Cajita Para Llevar".
A colloquial phrase heard in many Latin American restaurants,'Cajita Para Llevar” means "for here or to go "— a sentimental shoutout to both the Colombian roots of Areiza and Isaza as well as the gastronomic diversity and bounty of South American countries like Colombia and neighboring Peru. The menu is highly personal, including the arepas Areiza used to make with his Mom, or Hummel's take on Pollo a Parrilla, that he discovered in a tiny restaurant in Cuzco.
Bacardi Legacy Finalist Moe Isaza will craft signature libations and curate pairings that riff on classic South American flavors and popular spirits, similar to the rum and mezcal-heavy beverages he crafts at Pammy's.
THE MENU
Tiradito al Pargo Rojo con Erizo de Mar y Leche de Tigre y Coco (red snapper sashimi, uni and coconut leche de tigre, rocoto chili jam, corn crunch)
Remolacha con Nueces de Macadamia y Queso de Mano (marinated beets, hand made cheese, cape berries, macadamia nuts)
Arepa con Pulpo, Aguate y Cebolla Escabeche (blue corn arepas, spanish octopus, avocado mousse, fermented onions, culantro)
Filete al Trapo, Hinojo Dorado, Sauco Jus de Carne (smoked beef tenderloin, caramelized fennel, quinoa, elderberry jus)
Maracuyá y Chocolate (Passionfruit parfait, dark chocolate cake)
Tickets for this 5-course meal begin at $65 with an optional $30 beverage pairing and are available via Eventbrite.
3) Sumiao Hunan Kitchen is pulling the (bar) curtain back on a secret cocktail program that will make it’s downlow debut, this month. Designed by Bar Manager, Vinicius Stein, the 25 drink repertoire can be accessed via invite only or by spilling the secret yourself at the bar. The program, which Stein has dubbed, “Walk Up The Wall of China,” is a multi-part challenge to cocktail enthusiasts beginning with a shot of Baijiu, the best selling spirit in the world yet uncommon among the Boston beverage scene.
The ancient Asian spirit is a staple in Stein’s cocktail program alongside a carefully curated selection of spirits, taste profiles and other unique accoutrements. Following the Baijiu initiation, guests will be invited to ring a Chinese bell at which point they will receive a personalized membership card to the program. Once initiated, guests will have the opportunity to extend invitations to fellow cocktail enthusiasts and challenge them to walk the wall and discover over two dozen off-menu, Asian and Hunanese influenced cocktail creations.
One of Sumiao’s standout secret cocktails includes The Emperor ($14), created with muddled fresh ginger and lime, Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal, Don Julio tequila, Crème Yvette, hibiscus liqueur, agave nectar and lime reduction that is delicately garnished with a mint leaf.
Available exclusively during the month of March, the beverage team has also created a $5.00 Hong Kong Mule ginger cocktail, inspired by Sumiao Hunan’s Kitchen’s dedicated support of Joslin Diabetes Center’s Asian American Diabetes Initiative (AADI). The Hong-Kong Mule further spotlights the beverage team’s celebration of Baijiu as an unsung hero in the cocktail world. A recreation of a Moscow mule, SHK’s Hong-Kong Mule marries HKB Hong-Kong baijiu and hibiscus liqueur that is topped off with ginger beer and a splash of fresh lime, garnished with fresh mint springs and a lime wedge.
4) Best Burger Bar brings Wild Game fare to Brookline. For the months of March and April, Best Burger Bar will be offering an array of wild game burgers. These burgers will be available in limited quantities, and once sold out they will move onto the next wild game special.
First up is the Wild Boar Burger, a Wild Boar Patty with Honey Crispy Apple Bacon Jam and Umami Aioli all on a Brioche bun. The Wild Boar meat tastes like a cross between pork and beef, with a unique rich and nutty flavor that adds to the depth of flavor in this burger. If you’re really feeling adventurous, Best Burger Bar is also offering the option to add dried scorpions to your burger! Other assorted bugs will be available as new wild game specials are released.
Best Burger Bar will also be offering three new cocktails in honor of the warmer weather that is upon us. These limited-edition cocktails will be available for the month of March only. The Concord Grape Fizz features Brockmans Gin, Pear Syrup, Lemon Juice, Egg White, and a Champagne Floater. The Violet Blue Margarita, a mix of Tequila, Lime Juice, Orange Curacao, Sesame Syrup, and Blue Curacao will be available by the glass, or in a fish bowl for sharing. The Violet Blue Fish Bowl will be available through the end of summer, the perfect beverage to share with friends on Best Burger Bar’s patio.
Wild game burgers are available from March 6 to April 30, 2018.
Cocktail specials are available for the month of March with an exception to the Fish Bowl which is available through Summer.
5) Sumiao Hunan Kitchen is gearing up for a one-time Sunday brunch event dubbed “A Pinch of Ginger.” The event will take place on March 25, from 11:30am-2pm, and will unite the Boston-area foodie and medical communities while supporting Joslin Diabetes Center’s Asian American Diabetes Initiative (AADI).
Sumiao Chen – the restaurateur behind Sumiao, the city’s first Hunanese restaurant – is a pharmaceutical researcher at Novartis by-day whose passion for food and science inspired her to get involved with Joslin’s signature spring fundraising event, “A Taste of Ginger.” This brunch will serve as a preview to “A Taste of Ginger” happening in April at the Museum of Fine Arts which will feature cuisine from more than 30 restaurants.
Joining forces with SHK for this buffet-style brunch will be Chen’s second restaurant, Fengshui, as well as China Pearl and BLR by Shojo under the leadership of Brian Moy, whose family will be honored at this year’s “A Taste of Ginger” event.
The restaurants will showcase dozens of creative “diabetes-friendly” brunch dishes such as Lava Fish with swai filet and duo jiao and String Beans with Eggplant while brunch-goers enjoy live entertainment from Receita de Samba and SHK’s ginger-themed cocktail specials: the Hong-King Mule (Hong-Kong baiju, hibiscus liqueur, ginger beer, fresh lime, garnished with mint sprigs - $5) and The Emperor (muddled fresh ginger and lime, Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal, Don Julio tequila, Crème Yvette, hibiscus liqueur, agave nectar and lime reduction garnished with a mint leaf - $14).
Proceeds from both Sumiao’s “A Pinch of Ginger” and Joslin’s “A Taste of Ginger” will benefit the Asian American Diabetes Initiative (AADI) at Joslin Diabetes Center which works to enhance the quality of life and health outcomes for Asian Americans living with diabetes, and collaborates with Joslin as they work to find a cure.
TICKETS: Tickets cost $35 per person and can be purchased online or in-person on a first come, first serve basis: www.giving.joslin.org/pinchofginger
6) On Monday, April 9, from 6:30pm-9:30pm, Joslin Diabetes Center’s will host the 14th annual “A Taste of Ginger” at the Museum of Fine Arts to benefit Joslin’s Asian American Diabetes Initiative (AADI) which works to enhance the quality of life and health outcomes for the rising number of Asian Americans living with diabetes, and collaborates with Joslin as they work to find a cure. Each year, hundreds of supporters and foodies gather to enjoy a lively evening full of cultural and musical performances and the opportunity to meet and taste the cuisine of more than 30 of Boston’s chefs such as Jasper White, Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery + Café, Andy Husbands of the Smoke Shop, Tracy Chang of Pagu, Karen Akunowicz of Myers + Chang, Sumiao Chen of Sumiao Hunan Kitchen and Avi Shemtov of the Chubby Chickpea, amidst the beauty of the MFA.
Emceed by NBC 10 Boston anchor and health reporter Kristy Lee, the event will honor the Moy family, restaurateurs and owners of China Pearl, Shojo, Rukus and BLR by Shojo. Longtime Joslin supporter and “A Taste of Ginger” founder Leverett Wing, whose parents helped to establish the AADI at Joslin, will serve as event chair.
Tickets to “A Taste of Ginger” are $250 and can be purchased at www.joslin.org/ginger. (Business casual attire required)
7) The Greeks have been making wine for more than 6000 years – from the age of Dionysus and Homer to the present day. But their wines have remained a mystery to many – until now. Winemakers from all over Greece are coming to Boston for Odyssey, a Greek wine tasting adventure. Expand your palate as you taste wines made from indigenous grapes found only in Greece; sip on international blends; and marvel at rare vintages uncorked just for Odyssey. Take the opportunity to support a great cause and experience the sights, sounds and tastes of Greece.
Attendees at the tasting will tour the three main wine producing regions: The Islands, The Peloponnese and Northern Greece each with characteristic terroirs, indigenous grapes and 6000 years of winemaking history; meet the winemakers and learn about their vinification techniques, terroir philosophies and personal stories; and of course, taste indigenous, international and rare varieties and vintages from the Cava Spiliadis portfolio. Odyssey is hosted by George Spiliadis, son of noted Milos restaurateur Costas Spiliadis.
The Odyssey event is being held on Friday, March 30, from 5pm-8pm at Post 390, at 406 Stuart St, Boston.
Cost: $50 per person with 100% of the ticket sales being donated to Boys and Girls Club of Boston
Details and Tickets https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wine-tasting-for-a-cause-boys-and-girls-clubs-of-boston-boston-tickets-43371024903
I'll be attending this event as I love Greek wines and always want to expand my palate and try more wines from this compelling country. I've previously several wines from the producer that will be at this event and I was impressed with what I tasted. This is going to be a killer wine event and highly recommended.
8) Chef Rick Araujo and his team at Civic Kitchen & Drink welcome Chef William Nemeroff of B.T.’s Smokehouse as the featured guest at Civic’s Guest Chef Collaboration Series. The special event takes place March 21, at 6pm, at Civic Kitchen and Drink.
“We are all about local product and the community, so we love taking this opportunity to showcase our local heroes in the culinary landscape” shares Araujo. “Bill is respected throughout the region for his fantastic BBQ dishes, and we can’t wait to welcome him to our kitchen on March 21. We’re going to be cooking up some amazing BBQ – I can’t wait to learn some of his secrets!”
The Menu:
BT’s 3 Year Aged Prosciutto with Assorted Sausages and Civic Accompaniments
Paired with Wormtown Helles Lager
Cold Smoked Faroe Island Salmon with house-made Crème Fraiche, Dill Pearls, Rye Crisp, Cured Spring Ridge Egg Yolk
Paired with Wormtown Irish Red Ale
Double Smoked Pork Jowl with Civic’s Four Star Farms Cheddar Grits and Vermont Plum Rumtopf and Local Pea Tendrils
Paired with Wormtown African Queen Be Hoppy IPA
BT’s 26 Hour Smoked Beef Brisket with Civic’s Roasted Carrot and Habanero Puree, Pickled Local Garlic Scapes and Two Potato Hash Browns
Paired with Wormtown Buddha Juice X2IPA
Banana Pudding with Civic Bourbon Roasted Banana Puree and Smoked Nuts
Paired with Wormtown Spies Like Us Imperial Stout
Cost: $59 per person
Reservations are highly recommend and can be made by calling 508-3429-5179 or visiting www.civickitchenanddrink.com and click the ‘order online’ button.
9) Matadora, the Spanish tapas restaurant located at the newly-renovated Hilton Boston/Woburn, will open for brunch on Easter Sunday, April 1, from 11am-2:30pm, offering a buffet brunch with a dash of Spanish flare.
The Menu includes:
Scrambled Eggs | Cage Free, Espelette
Home Fries | Pimenton, Peppers, Onion
Breakfast Meats | Sausage, Bacon
Torrijas | Traditional Spanish Grilled Breakfast Bread, Cinnamon, Honey
Spanish Chicken & Kale | Red Mojo
Hornazo | Traditional Spanish Meat Pie, Chorizo, Eggs, Manchego
Spanish Baked Salmon | Lemon, Pimenton, Dill
Assorted Breakfast Breads | Muffins, Danish, Bagels, Croissants, Breads
Waffle Bar | Whipped Cream, Strawberries, Salted Caramel, Maple Syrup, Chocolate Sauce
Oysters & Shrimp Cocktail | Pimenton Cocktail Sauce, Aleppo Sherry Mignonette
Parfait Bar | Yogurt, Granola, Fresh Fruit Selection
Caesar Salad | Romaine, Crouton, Pecorino
Strawberry Fields Salad | Field Greens, Caramelized Pecans, Strawberries, Balsamic
DESSERT
Almond Cake | Whipped Cream, Strawberry Compote
Mona de Pascua | Traditional Spanish Easter Cake
Mini Desserts | Chef Selection
Cost: Adult $34.95; Children $17
Reservations encouraged so please call 781-904-0658
Showing posts with label insects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label insects. Show all posts
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Monday, December 14, 2015
Miya's Sush & Chef Bun Lai: The Haiku Deepens
A look back in time. In the Spring of 2014, after taking a ferry to New London, Connecticut, I took a detour for dinner before heading home. I had a reservation in New Haven, at Miya's Sushi, and that evening I had a superb dinner, which I detailed in Miya's Sushi & Chef Bun Lai: Like A Haiku.
Miya's Sushi ended up with several entries in my 2014 Year-End Favorite lists. It earned my Favorite Unusual Food of 2014, for the insect dishes I enjoyed, from Cricket Maki to Crispy Black Soldier Fly Larvae. It also earned my Favorite New Seafood for their Cannonball Jellyfish. In addition, it had my Favorite Infused Sake, several intriguing infused Sakes such as the Chinese Firecracker Sake. Most importantly, it was my Top Restaurant Experience of 2014.
About three weeks ago, I returned to Miya's Sushi with my good friends Adam Japko and Andrew Witter, neither who had been to the restaurant before. This was my first visit since my initial visit to New Haven. I knew the restaurant had recently changed their menu and I was very curious to see whether my experience would be equally as good as my first visit. Would it meet my highest expectations?
Since my first visit, Chef Bun Lai has continued to garner great praise from the media, gaining even more national attention. He now has a book deal, is working on a television show and is planning to open a second restaurant in Miami, Florida. In my prior review, I noted Chef Lai's humility, and despite his growing fame, he still seems very grounded and humble. Though he could easily transform Miya's Sushi into a more prestigious and expensive restaurant, he refuses to do so, wanting his original restaurant to remain casual and affordable, to ensure the people that live in the neighborhood can still afford to dine there. In addition, the restaurant continues to be true to his philosophy, offering sustainable seafood as well as healthy and nutritious dishes.
On this visit, I took few pictures and few notes, wanting to simply enjoy the evening, to savor the cuisine, and to spend quality time with my friends. Overall, it was another excellent experience at Miya's and both Adam and Andrew thoroughly enjoyed the dinner. It's casual and funky ambiance remains the same, the cuisine was as delicious as before, and plenty of the menu is very affordable. Miya's Sushi continues to earn my highest recommendation.
My only minor quibble is that the new menu has eliminated most of their infused Sakes, possibly as they didn't sell too well. However, they retained my favorite, the Chinese Firecracker Sake, which I previously stated was "a blend of home grown hot chili peppers, lemons, limes, citron, lemongrass, and honey. It was a complex and intriguing blend of citrus and underlying heat. The mild sweetness helped to balance the spiciness, and the citrus provided some nice acidity." They had a few other Sakes too, and we enjoyed a bottle of Kikusui Organic Junmai Ginjo.
As for food, we initially began with the Subtidal Salad ($11), a heaping mound of sesame-seasoned wild local seaweed and organic greens from their partner farms. This tasty salad is large enough for at least two people, or one person could make a meal out of it. It was fresh and tasty, with a hint of brininess. The Pumpkin Miso Soup ($4) is made from slow roasted pumpkins, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, and organic soy bean miso enriched with locally foraged, invasive, codium fragile seaweed. Savory with a mild sweetness, this is a rich and tasty soup which is perfect for the winter.
I'm usually not a fan of fake meat but Chef Lai has created a compelling dish that even the most ardent carnivore would enjoy. The Karma Virtue Chickenots ($8) uses his mother's fried chicken recipe, but without any chicken. Instead, the "chicken" is composed of soybeans, amaranth, and peas, with a side of curry sauce. If you didn't know it, you would likely think you were eating actual chicken, and the chicken "nuggets" were crisp and flavorful, with nice spicy accents. You must try these if you visit Miya's Sushi.
The restaurant continues to produce some very inventive Sushi dishes, using sustainable seafood, invasive species, insects, and vegetarian options. Though a few options are pricier, the majority are affordable choices for most any budget. And the pricier options are worth it as they are basically generous portions of fresh seafood, easily able to be shared. So, if the cost of those dishes are shared between a few people, they become affordable as well.
The Kiribati Sashimi ($20), which is pictured at the top of this post, is Lionfish sashimi (an invasive species) with mineral-rich Kiribati sea salt, and a dozen mouth-numbing spices. The silky fish is complemented by the salt and spices and there are plenty of slices of the lionfish. Another invasive species dish is the Nine-Spice Asian Carp ($18), which is thinly sliced carp with a spicy citrus tamari sauce, green onions and roasted black soldier fly larvae. The carp is also silky in your mouth, enhanced by the citrus flavors and the crunchy fly larvae.
In a simpler vein, there was the Tuna Roll ($6), five pieces of pole-caught Washington state albacore and the Baked Sweet Potato Roll ($4), also with five pieces. Usually, you find Fried Sweet Potato at most Sushi spots, but Chef Lai wants to make the dish healthier, staying away from frying. The Bad-Tempered Geisha Boy ($5), for 5 pieces, has plump spicy mussels and avocado while the Tres Sushi Mariachis ($8) for 5 pieces, is made of wild salmon, capers, burdock root, avocado, and organic olive oil. Finally, the Wabisabi ($10), for five pieces, is made of kimchee-seared wild Alaskan coho salmon wrapped in pickled grape leaves. Miya's Maki rolls provide plenty of fresh taste in each small bite. There are plenty of other choices too and you won't go wrong with whatever you order.
Maybe you have a hankering for noodles instead and Miya's also has you covered. Their Udon Noodles ($6) are plump Japanese wheat noodles in a light & savory broth made from wild-foraged Maine kelp. The broth was amazing, savory and rich in flavor, and the thick noodles were just the right texture, and made for slurping. At $6, this is a hearty dish for those on a budget as well as anyone who wants a delicious bowl of udon. Their Miso Ramen ($6), with freshly made ramen noodles in a rich and spicy sesame miso broth is another hearty and affordable dish. The broth is a bit lighter than the udon broth but just as flavorful. And the thinner ramen noodles are also quite good. Either dish would warm your belly and heart this winter.
Though everyone was fairly full, I convinced them to go for dessert, because it would only be a single bite! The Seven Deadly Sushi ($5) is basically a single piece maki roll, made from fermented sundried banana, cashew butter, strawberries, cacao nibs, and homemade hand-pounded mochi, topped with a tiny scoop of coconut olive oil ice cream. It is also recommended that you dip it into a little bit of soy sauce. What a way to end your meal, a single bite that bursts with so much flavor, and the salty soy sauce is a nice balance to the sweetness of the roll. It is a complex bite and you can clearly differentiate so many of the different flavors. No matter how full you think you are, you should have room for one more bite of such a killer dessert.
Miya's Sushi remains one of my Favorite restaurants and if you are anywhere near New Haven, you must dine there. You can feel good about the food, which is both sustainable and nutritious. You won't be disappointed with all the tastes and flavors within each compelling dish. It remains a very affordable restaurant and will continue to be so. Chef Bun Lai deserves every accolade and rave he has received and I look forward to when his book and TV show are released.
Kanpai to Chef Bun Lai!
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Miya's Sushi & Chef Bun Lai: Like A Haiku
These are all important topics which have brought national attention to Miya's Sushi and Chef Bun Lai. That attention is well deserved, though Bun suspects that some of the news articles, such as about invasive species and insects, may not actually bring people to the restaurant. Or if they do, it is a very small section of consumers who care about such matters.
After dining and chatting with the personable and humble Bun, I think a more basic and compelling story exists, one that should be inspirational to all of us and make everyone want to support Bun and his restaurant. I believe the main takeaway is that this is a story about one man doing his part to make the world a better place. Like a Japanese haiku, this story is both simple and profound, thought provoking and fascinating.
When I was planning my recent trip to Long Island, I knew that I would be taking the ferry from New London, Connecticut. On my return trip, I planned on returning to New London on a Friday afternoon. I realized that Miya's Sushi, which is located in New Haven close to Yale University, was only about an hour drive from New London so I made reservations to dine there that Friday evening. Iy sounded much better than fighting rush hour traffic all the way home. I had chatted before with Bun on Twitter, and knew that his restaurant was known for sustainable sushi as well as creating dishes with insects. I had seen many positive reviews for Miya's and the menu & concept intrigued me. It turned out to be the right choice, a memorable dinner that fully lived up to my expectations.
About halfway through our dinner at Miya's, Bun arrived at the restaurant and sat down to join us. We talked about the restaurant, his philosophy, and some of the activities in which he participates. I found him to be a genuine person, down-to-earth, and extremely passionate. You can't help but like him. He truly is concerned with doing his part to make the world a better place, from helping those in his community to setting an example for others. Yet he remains humble, and that humility is definitely sincere.
Miya's Sushi reflects Bun's philosophy, his concern for sustainability, nutrition, and community. He seeks to operate the restaurant in an "ecologically responsible manner." As such, he tries to ensure the food they serve is sustainable, though he made it clear that the restaurant is not 100% sustainable, which he believes is an impossible goal. As such, he simply tries to be as sustainable as possible. This has caused some issues with certain customers who think all sushi places should serve seafood such as tuna, salmon and eel.
You currently won't find any of those three items at Miya's as Bun has issue with their sustainability, but there is plenty of excellent sushi available at the restaurant that you won't miss those few items. And Bun is realistic, knowing that you cannot please everyone. In the newest issue of Lucky Peach, there is an article discussing the commonality of certain seafood at sushi restaurants in the U.S. For example, 95% carry Tuna and 93% carry Salmon, placing Miyas's into a tiny minority. Yet only 2% of sushi restaurants carry Tilapia, making Miya's one of those rare few.
Most of the restaurant's cuisine is sushi and their menu notes: "We use the technique of sushi as a medium to explore what it means to be human." For example, they like combining ingredients from disparate cultures "symbolizing what is possible when people of the world live in harmony with one another." I would also say that to Bun, being human entails being concerned about the health of the world, which is why sustainability is so important to him and the restaurant. The sushi is often intended to be nutritious and healthy, promoting a better quality of life for people. As for the staff at Miya's, diversity is very important to Bun and most of his cooks have been there for at least six years.
Bun mentioned that one of the biggest challenges of sustainability is making it affordable, which is an important aspect to him. It is certainly true that sustainable food products often are more expensive, and that those with lower incomes are subsequently less likely to purchase such items. Bun wants Miya's Sushi to be affordable for most anyone and doesn't want it to become some high-end sushi place where only the wealthy can dine. Based on my experience there, I believe it is a very affordable destination and Bun is succeeding in this objective.
With a mother who is a nutritionist and a father who is a doctor, Bun is also concerned about health and nutrition. He is physically fit, and is careful of what he eats. In addition, he also takes time out to help others, to provide them information to make their lives healthier and better. For example, he teaches about 60 nutrition and cooking classes each year to low income, diabetics, holding those classes in a parking lot in the neighborhood where those people live. He also provides deliveries, over a 20 week period, of fresh vegetables to low income families. He gives back to the community, promoting better health and nutrition, constantly considering how to make this education more effective.
Bun owns some land on the shore, where he can forage and fish, and also owns a boat which he takes out for fishing trips. On his farmland, most everything is wild growth which Bun can collect and use at the restaurant. Bun sometimes also goes on foraging trips across the country, gathering whatever is available. Some of the restaurant ingredients couldn't be any fresher. And it all helps to keep costs down at the restaurant.
Despite the importance of all of these matters, there is one final test that must be passed. Does the food at Miya's Sushi taste good? For if the food fails, then everything else is for naught. I am pleased to report that the food excels and that it is a worthy culinary destination.
The menu is broken down in several categories, including Appetizers (9 choices at $3-$10), Nigiri (9 choices at $2-$4 a piece), Sashimi (6 choices at $5-$15), Main Course (4 choices, essentially tasting menus, at $22-$65), Rolls Of A Lifetime (34 choices at $5-$12), Sushi For The Masses (8 choices at $3-$5), and Dessert (2 choices at $5-$8).
The Main Course choices provide some excellent values, such as the Blue Plate Especial, which delivers a 10 piece sample of Miya's classics, along with soup and salad, for only $22. Some of the more expensive Main Courses include Sake pairings. The Rolls Of A Lifetime entail a diverse and creative list of maki rolls, including many items you have probably never seen at any other sushi restaurant. And the Sushi For The Masses provides inexpensive sushi, though still good quality, which almost anyone can afford. Bun wants to ensure that Miya's remains affordable no matter the size of your wallet or pocketbook.
They carry 3 Beers ($4-$6/glass, $9-$14/pitcher), including Pabst Blue Ribbon, which they describe as "classic swill", and two Connecticut brews, from Half Full Brewery and Thimble Island Brewery. They also stock 6 Wines ($8/glass, $18-$24/bottle), from California, France, Portugal and Chile. You can also BYOB for a corkage fee of $10 per 375ml bottle (so $20 for the usual sized wine bottle).
To my delight, they have 7 Sake selections ($10/glass, $22/small bottle, $44/large bottle), and once again these reflect Bun's creativity streak. Apparently using Ozeki sake as the base, they create infused Sakes and are always experimenting with new flavors. I'll be discussing most of those infused Sake later in this post. I ordered the Sake Sampler ($44), which provides an ample selection of the various Sakes for 2 people. The Sampler is an excellent way, at a reasonable price, to try the Sake bounty at Miya's.
To my dismay, they carry a Sake Bomb ($5), which is a glass of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a shot of their Chinese Firecracker Sake, though the shot glass is not placed above the tall glass of beer on a pair of chopsticks. It is more just a pairing of beer and Sake, though they suggest pouring the Sake into the glass of beer. The menu is amusing though, stating that "The brilliance in the original sake bomb is that it brings people together. The problem is that it tastes so bad."
Though they do not carry spirits, they create 5 Cocktails ($7-$10/glass, $15-$24/pitcher) which are made with Sake and beer. I tasted a couple of these cocktails and will also discuss them later in this review.
We also began with our first Sake, the Emerald Witches' Lips, which is flavored with hand picked white pine needles. With a mild sweetness, the pine taste was noticeable, though mild, and appealing, reminding me of an herbal digestif. A nice start to our Sake sampler.
The Chinese Firecracker Sake is a blend of home grown hot chili peppers, lemons, limes, citron, lemongrass, and honey. It was one of my favorite Sakes, a complex and intriguing blend of citrus and underlying heat. The mild sweetness helped to balance the spiciness, and the citrus provided some nice acidity. I brought a bottle of this Sake home with me and shared it with some of my wine loving friends, and it was a big hit. We also got to try one of their new experiments, a Pineapple & Sumac Berry Sake, which I thought was a winner. Pineapple and Sake made for an excellent combination.
--Kimchi pepper seared Arctic Char (Iceland), $2 a piece
--Smelt with ginger garlic sauvignon sauce, $3 a piece
--Raw Alaskan Spot Prawn, topped with roe, $4 a piece
--Mackerel with fresh ginger and chives, $3 a piece
--Scallop, $3 a piece
They also serve Buffalo nigiri, which I would have ordered, but it was not available that evening. The rice they use is an intriguing brown rice-centered mixture with quinoa, amaranth, oat grains and flax seed. In addition, it does not contain any sugar, which is commonly used in sushi rice in most other restaurants. I think this rice mixture added some nuttiness to the nigiri, and it will appeal to almost any sushi lover. Don't worry about it being too grainy or tough. It has a pleasant taste and texture.
All of the nigiri seemed fresh, and it was all tender and tasty. The Smelt was enhanced by its flavorful sauce and the Scallop nearly melted in my mouth. I would recommend all of the different nigiri I tried and I don't think you will miss the fact that they don't serve tuna or salmon. The nigiri is also served with homemade pickled ginger that is made with maple syrup, giving some sweetness to the usual pungent ginger.
Our next Sake was one which our server stated was one of their least popular, the Ultraviolet Kisses Sake. It is made to be ocean-salty, with homegrown red aged shiso and sour plum. The idea of this Sake is to reflect the problem that the oceans have seen a 30% increase in acidity due to the activity of man. This Sake has a ph of 8.179, the same the oceans had before the increase, and it also has the same salinity content of the South China Sea. I enjoyed this Sake, thinking that it was like an oyster in a glass, a briny burst of flavor with a mild sweetness underlying the salinity. I understand why many don't like this Sake as much, as the brininess can be off putting, but others like me will love the taste.
We received a couple of Cocktails, including the Kama Sutra (made from fresh pureed berries, Sake and beer) and the Korean Hong Kee Punch (made with fresh watermelon Sake, beer and splash of Chinese Firecracker Sake). The beer is noticeable in both cocktails, and I preferred the Hong Kee as I like the watermelon and hint of spiciness. If you enjoy beer, these cocktails will probably appeal to you.
I was willing to taste the insect dishes, starting with the Nine Spice Sashimi ($10), which is made with a sustainable fish and is topped by a spicy citrus soy sauce with green onions. Our dish contained Mozambique Tilapia grown by students of the Bridgeport Aquaculture School. Bun uses Tilapia, in part, because it is an ancient fish of African origin, and may be the oldest farm raised fish in the world, having been farmed by the Egyptians. One caveat is that you need to eat this dish in a timely fashion, or it will tend to become ceviche due to the citrus.
For an additional $5, you can top this dish with spicy, crispy, black soldier fly larvae, which I chose to do. They raise the larvae themselves and all it does is add a crunchy texture, and maybe a little nuttiness, to the dish. Unless you knew what was on the dish, you wouldn't suspect the small, black items were larvae. There is also plenty of thin sliced, and silky smooth, tilapia, with an appealing blend of citrus and spices, with a mild heat. Another highly recommended dish, and you definitely should go with the larvae.
Another Sake came to our table, the Water of Life, which is made with honey sweetened ginseng that was wild foraged in West Virginia. This was one of the sweetest of the Sakes, but balanced with an intriguing herbal component.
The Kanibaba ($12) uses another invasive species, the Asian shore crab, which was gathered on the Connecticut shore. The dish also is made with Maryland blue crab meat, stuffed in potato skin infused with Asian shore crab stock, and topped with Jersey cow's milk cheese and a lemon dill sauce. This is another of Bun's well balanced dishes, a nice blend of crunchiness and creaminess, with tasty spices. I like the presentation of this dish too, as it does seem to resemble a cool sea scene.
The final couple of items we ate included the Wabisabi (4 pieces/$10), a roll of kimchee seared arctic char wrapped in wild foraged pickled grape leaves. The grape leaves provided a leafy texture to the arctic char, which had an intriguing fermented taste. Lots of umami there. The Voompa (4 pieces/$10) is made from spicy crunchy eggplant, vegan cheese, avocado, home grown chilis, and Iranian ghormeh sabze. Another maki roll balancing crunchiness and creaminess. It seems that Bun likes creating rolls with different textures, and he succeeds in balancing them well.
After all of this food, I didn't have any room remaining for dessert so I will have to try it on my next visit.
(Disclaimer: Though I paid for a portion of my dinner, Chef Bun Lai also provided us a number of complimentary dishes.)
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