New York City: A Return Trip 12 Years In The Making

Travel, Food, & Dining Buzz

Recapturing the moments 12 year ago in NYC. Yes, it’s the same shirt I was wearing and can still fit into it.

Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighbourhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach
Or to Hollywood
But I’m taking a Greyhound
On the Hudson River Line
I’m in a New York state of mind

I didn’t know when I will be back in New York City since my first trip 12 years ago. But I have always been in a New York state of mind (which is also the title of one of my fave songs) ever since I left my heart in this city. So this year, I made plans to hop on a flight not to Miami Beach or to Hollywood (though both have always been on my bucket list) but to return to one of my top 5 fave cities in the world that I have already visited (along with Paris, Barcelona, Cape Town, and Sydney).

NYC in Autumn

It was no brainer to see NYC again now that I am much closer location wise (being based in Mexico City). Unlike before when I went during summer, this time I did NYC in autumn. My sister was right, NYC is lovely during this season. The weather is cool (3 to 8 degress celsius during day and night), the colors of autumn leaves are mesmerizing, and the Christmas feel is very evident thru decors and kioks that are starting to sprout. There is something in the air during this time of the year, and not to mention that you can dress up and make a fashion statement as you put on different layers of clothing to your heart’s desire without worrying about the sweat.

Christmas is in the air

I stayed at Romer Hell’s Kitchen after learning that Staybridge Suites Times Square, my NYC home 12 years ago, has already been shuttered. If I did a good choice back then, I made a better choice this time. Location is perfect (8th Avenue near 51st Street), which is at the heart of NYC. It’s a block away from 9th Avenue where the restaurant row is, and a block away from Broadway Avenue (other side between 7th and 8th) where the theater row and iconic Times Square is. In fact, during my whole stay, I didn’t use the subway. I did all the walking either going uptown or downtown Manhattan. That surely racked up record breaking steps in my Pacer (averaging 15k steps a day!) during the whole time I was there.

My home in NYC (Romer Hell’s Kitchen)

Unlike the previous trip, I didn’t really have any itinerary for this trip. Unlike the last one where it was structured, where I have to do this or that touristy stuff (what’s more touristy than hopping in and out of the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus, stepping into Empire State Building elevator to get to the viewing deck and buying “I heart NY” T-shirt?), this time it was more of living like the locals and savoring the city. One of the reasons why I also flew to NYC is because I started to crave for the type of food that I am used to back in Manila. Though Mexican food is great for most people, my palate has never developed a taste for Mexican food. This is one of my sister’s concerns when I told her that I will be moving to Mexico City (aside from my safety) coz though she and my brother-in-law are fond of Mexican food, she knows I’m not. As expected, I even flew back to the Philippines in May (or only 4 months since I got to Mexico City) partly because I was missing the food. Now I don’t have to spend a fortune on round trip plane ticket to Manila as NYC has all the goods that I have been longing for.

Manila comfort food in NYC (top from left): Jollibee, Ichiran, and Ippudo. (Bottom): Tim Ho Wan

First stop was Jollibee, the most popular Filipino fast food chain in the Philippines. I was surprised that it is also popular in NYC, judging from the long queues at the counter and the crowded resto both filled with diners and those waiting for their “to go’s”. I didn’t know that Spicy Chickenjoy with gravy would be a hit to both New Yorkers and visitors alike where I can see people leaving the resto with buckets of that crispy, tasty, and delicious fried chicken. Then I discovered Ichiran Ramen, a very popular and one of the best ramen houses in Japan. I was also surprised how popular this resto is in NYC, based on both occasions where I have to queue for a meal (went there twice since the first time was not as good as the one I had in Tokyo so I thought it was just a fluke, but then the second time proved that it wasn’t). I was also glad that there’s a branch of Ippudo just a few steps away from my hotel, which is one of my two fave ramen houses in Manila (the other one is Mendokoro). Unlike Ichiran, Ippudo was more consistent in terms of flavor with its counterpart in Manila. Not far from my hotel is Tim Ho Wan, my go-to lunch place when I was still working at Bonifacio Global City (one of the two financial centers in Manila), which traces its origin in Hong Kong and known globally as the “cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant.”

(Clockwise from top left): Szechuan shrimps and char siu (Chef Yu), beef and tripe in chili oil and soup dumplings (Kung Fu Kitchen), king crab legs and shrimps (Seafood Boil)

There were also a few good finds in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, known for endless food choices where one doesn’t need to go anywhere else to find good food, as well as along 8th Avenue which seems to be the avenue of choice for major international hotel chains (Intercon, Westin, Marriott, Hilton, etc.) which means that good restos won’t be far behind. There’s Kung Fu Kitchen, which is also a few steps from my hotel. Boy, was I not pleasantly surprised how good this Michelin-recommended and Zagat-rated Chinese restaurant is (I was planning to go to Chinatown to look for good Chinese restos but ended up dining here 3 or 4 times during my stay). Their soup dumplings are to die for. Then there’s Seafood Boil resto for cajun king crab legs and shrimps, complete with plastic gloves and bib to enjoy those tasty and spicy but messy shellfish. There’s also Chef Yu, a Chinese fine dining resto with good char siu, which I wasn’t able to finish (talk about saving the best for last) and decided to bring back to my hotel for midnight snack, but on my walk back, I passed by a homeless man and decided to leave that delicious char siu for probably his first decent meal in a while (I also previously left my peach mango pie that I got for free at Jollibee after filling up a survey to another homeless guy that I ran into on my way back to the hotel). NYC, for all its fab and glory, has a homeless problem, which is not uncommon in big and expensive cities.

(Left to right): Instagram post on my review of Spamalot, Taran Killam (@tarzannoz) liking the post, show’s playbill and ticket, me during intermission

Since I was in the theater capital in this side of the world, it was just organic that I have to see a Broadway show or two. The first show that I did was Spamalot, a revival of the 2004 Tony Best Musical. It was so hilarious that I really had a blast. It stars one of my fave ex-mainstays of Saturday Night Live (SNL), Taran Killam, and as expected, he slayed all the funny moments as well as the multiple roles that he played (my faves are the spitting frenchman and the silly shrub). I even made a post on this blog’s Instagram account about how much I enjoyed the show which he “liked”. Funny though, when I told my friends about it (that less than 48 hours in NYC, a celebrity is already liking my Instagram post), most of them asked “who is he?” Knowing not all may be fans of Broadway or SNL, all I could muster was to share that he is the hubby of Cobie Smulders (Avengers, How I Met Your Mother, Jack Reacher). Now everyone knows who he is.

(Left to right): theater marquee, show’s playbill and ticket, me before the start of the show

The second show that I watched was The Book Of Mormon. I vividly remember that it was a hit show when it first appeared on Broadway back in 2011 when I was in NYC that I then can’t afford to purchase a ticket (or at least pay that much for one show) in as much as I wanted to see it then. It went on to win the Tonys for Best Musical that year. Who knows that 12 years later, it is still running and packing up the theater. I also had a fun evening and filled with gratefulness that I was able to finally see the show after all these years. Only proves that great things happen to those who wait (hopefully it will hold true as well for my love life).

Me serving face instead after realizing my blooper (MET is closed every Wednesday)

Of course, I can’t leave NYC without visiting the MET (or Metropolitan Museum). So I went, but not without a blooper. I walked from 51st Street going uptown to 83rd Street only to find out it was closed. I forgot that MET is closed every Wednesday. So I went again the next day. In this visit, I did the old and the new. For the new, I did the galleries that showcased new artworks and collections while for the old, I still went for the ancient Greek and 19th century American. I didn’t have enough time for the ancient Egyptian (which I did the last time), coz same as the last time, two hours in the museum would barely scratch the surface. There’s just so much to see and savor that you have to allot at least 5 hours while you’re there (excluding any snack or meal break).

Having fun in the museum

But the highlight of the trip was able to reconnect with old friends that I haven’t seen in decades. So much have happened in our individual lives that it was such a delight to hear their stories, their journeys, the joys and the struggles, and living the American dream. Though I am not living that dream, I am just glad that these old friends of mine are doing very well in their personal and professional lives not to mention being amazing hosts while I was there. By extension, I feel that I am living (or at least visiting in) their dreams as well and no one could be more proud of their success and happiness than yours truly.

Catching up with old friends

So don’t be surprised if I will be back in NYC anytime soon (definitely not another 12 years in the making). Sooner than you would think (or before you could finish belting out New York State Of Mind).

Leaving NYC (for Mexico City) with memories to last a lifetime (but will be back soon).

The Contrasting Colors Of Tokyo And Kyoto – Part 1 of 2

Travel and Food Buzz

Neutral, metallic shades of Tokyo (Mori Tower Observation Deck) and vibrant, primary hues of Kyoto (Mt. Inari Foot Path)

My sister, brother-in-law, and I are planning to go to Japan in December so I thought why not write something about my last trip to the land of the rising sun. I went to Japan July last year and didn’t know that it was the peak of the summer season. Since it was my first time, I had no idea how hot and humid summers are in that country, which feels like summers in the Philippines. I don’t normally go to places when it’s too warm unless it’s a beach destination, so this is another first for me.

A lot of my friends were asking why it took so long before I finally decided to visit Japan. I don’t really have a ready answer to that, but probably because of its close proximity, I tend to see farther destinations as more desirable. My American ex-boss who’s based there even frowned on me when he learned that I keep going back to Europe almost every year yet I haven’t taken up his standing offer to visit him while he was still there. It was too late when I finally did, since he and his family left the country before the trip.

Urban jungle of Tokyo and bamboo jungle of Kyoto

Incidentally there was another fare promo that was very enticing and ultimately was the clincher. The business class fare of Eva Air to Tokyo via Taipei was a good buy (Manila-Taipei-Narita-Taipei-Manila was about $700) so I decided to book it before I changed my mind. Then I have to apply for a visa (which was quick, took only about 3 days processing time thru a travel agency) and bought a JR Pass (only offered to tourists and can only be bought in your home country since it’s not available in Japan). The pass can save you train fare big time especially if you are flying in Narita (it’s an almost 2-hour train ride to Tokyo) and have plans of taking the train to other big cities like Kyoto or Osaka. I got a 7-day pass, so it covered my return trips for Kyoto and Narita with most of my Tokyo subway rides as well. But it doesn’t come cheap (between $250-$400 depending on your choice of cabin class) just like everything else in Japan.

Tokyo

I stayed in Shinjuku area (known as the red light district or the “district that never sleeps”), where I booked a room at Ibis Tokyo Shinjuku. The room came with a mobile phone (called “Handy”) which you can use (for free) for navigating the city as well as knowing which subway line to take to reach certain stations. You can also make free international calls to certain countries (unfortunately, Philippines was not one of those select countries). I learned while I was there that Tokyo is like a cluster of districts (where an area also called Tokyo is one of these districts, along with Shinjuku). I used my Le Club Accor for this accommodation and it is in a very good location since it is accessible to the subway station (to reach the other districts) and most of the dining, shopping, and entertainment spots. As expected, the area was bustling with people day and night in spite of the summer heat. I was quite overwhelmed with the dining options that it took me a while to finally settle for a resto to have my first dinner.

My room (Ibis Tokyo Shinjuku). I got the twin coz it’s the biggest room (in a country where space is a luxury, this one is a good buy)

The first morning since I arrived in the hotel I had breakfast which consisted of typical buffet fare. It was a decent selection, but what really fascinated me was the miso soup machine that operates like a coffee maker. You insert your bowl and press a button and hot water and miso paste come out from separate dispensers. The paste mixes with the running hot water to make a bowl of miso soup. You thought it may just be another fancy invention that produces mediocre, plain, bland, copycat of a miso soup, but this one was delicious! I would have at least two helpings every morning while I was there. I was even wondering where I can buy the machine and the paste, but never cared to ask since I can’t bring home an equipment that is not so light to carry or check in my luggage. Speaking of technology, another thing that I love about Japan is the heated toilet seats and automated bidet. Both private and public restrooms would have these, and for that alone, I would come back to Japan in a heartbeat. If I could only collapse and carry it back home, I would.

Shinjuku After Dark

With always a full tummy every morning, I would start exploring the city just like any other tourist. It was difficult though to move around under that scorching summer heat but fortunately, there were shops that gave away free plastic hand fans. So imagine me walking around with a fan on one hand and a bottle of water on the other. It is important to get hydrated during this time of the year, when one can easily get a heat stroke (you could hear the sound of the ambulance siren not just once or twice a day, which probably were the ramifications of the heat wave). During nighttime, I would explore Shinjuku area which is known for its varied entertainment fare (arguably the entertainment capital of Tokyo) where some of the notable sights were the robot restaurants and the animal cafes. So during the day I would see other tourist spots like Roppongi Hills (with Mori Tower where you can get a good bird’s eye view of the whole city thru its observation deck as well as thru its sky deck/rooftop/helipad) where I spotted a branch of the popular New York burger resto Shake Shack, Imperial Palace (with its lush parks and gardens), Shibuya (popularly known for its jampacked pedestrian crossing at any given time of the day), Tokyo Skytree (where you can get another good view of the city after dark thru its viewing deck), temples and shrines (where you can write your wishes on an “Ema” and hang it up among the others fronting the statues of the temple gods), and shopping districts.

Sights of Tokyo: cute Doraemons (Roppongi Hills), temple/shrine, lush gardens (Imperial Palace), jampacked pedestrian crossing (Shibuya), towering heights (Tokyo Skytree), and “Ema” (wood tablet where locals write their wishes to the temple gods)

When it comes to shopping, Tokyo is shoppers paradise. They have this so-called “shotengai” which is similar to the grand bazaars of Istanbul or the medinas and souks of Casablanca and Marrakesh where shops line up in maze like fashion. If you are a fan of anime (which I’m not, sorry), then these are the places for you. Some of the popular ones are Nakano Broadway (for vintage watches) and Ameyoko Market (for street food and second hand or hand me downs luxury designer bags). Knock off luxury goods are illegal in Japan, so second hand items are very popular among shoppers who look for good buys. Not sure why there were a lot of those, either the Japanese elites just want to declog their closets to free up some precious space (space is a luxury in Japan) and fill them up with in-season (and I’m speaking fashion) items. Or maybe some fell on hard times that they have to let go and sell or pawn their luxury goods. But if you want a hassle free shopping, I’ve discovered (thanks to my cousin Jean who has been to Japan a few times) Don Quijote (yes, they spell it with a ‘j’ instead of an ‘x’) and Daikokuya, where you can find the same items (and more) from the shotengais all under one roof. Guess what? Both are just stone throw away from my hotel.

Shotengai or shopping havens where you can splurge on second hand designer bags and vintage watches among other good finds

Of course, the food is just to die for. In my short stay in Tokyo, I have appreciated Japanese food probably more than I could imagine. I never thought I would fall in love with the food. I’m not new to Japanese food, but I’ve never been fond of it until I’ve finally had a few in this food connoisseurs delight of a place. There’s the popular Tsukiji Market for street food, but because it was the peak of summer, I tried to avoid food in such places where it can easily get spoiled, particularly the raw ones. So I ended up having my sashimi fix in a neighborhood resto, which offers lunch specials that consist of a bowl of different seafood sashimi with rice and soup. Then there’s the mouth-watering wagyu beef sirloin that sort of melt in the mouth like butter. I had it in a classy teppanyaki resto in Kabuki-cho called Yasaiya Teppanyaki. You have to have it medium rare (as how steaks should be) and just be prepared to fork out at least $80 for a good meal. I had some firsts as well, like the unagi (Japanese eel) where I had what they call ‘hitsumabushi’ or Nagoya style unagi. I also tried this resto that specializes in beef tongue, where I had a combo of beef kalbi, pork loin, another kind of pork, and of course, beef tongue. The beef tongue was chewy, so good thing I had the other meat viands. My ultimate first though was the iconic Ichiran Ramen. Cousin Jean vibered me saying I can’t leave Tokyo without trying Ichiran Ramen. There’s a branch near my hotel so I went. Boy, am I glad I did. Just like the colors of Tokyo, it was muted, tempered, and yet overwhelming to the senses. This food journey was an experience bigger than the trip itself.

My Japanese food journey (clockwise from top left): bowl of seafood sashimi, unagi (japanese eel), combo of beef tongue and other meat viands, seafood tempura, Ichiran ramen, wagyu beef sirloin, and bento of sashimi, tempura, miso soup, and grilled fish. Did I say all are delish?

(Up next: Kyoto)

Mendokoro Ramenba: Arguably The Best Ramen in Manila

Food Buzz

On my last few days in Tokyo last year, my cousin Jean (who so love Japan that she’s my go-to when it comes to where to eat, shop, and sightsee) reminded me not to forget to eat at Ichiran Ramen. Piqued by what the fuss is all about, I went to their branch near my hotel in Shinjuku. Long story short, that was one of the best meals I had in Japan (believe me, I had a lot of really good meals during the whole Tokyo and Kyoto trips).

Back in Manila, my newfound love for Japanese food had brought me to different Japanese restaurants. There’s my all-time fave Inagiku for those who love all-Japanese buffet. There’s Kimpura for teppan (the prawn and oyster teppan are my faves). Zaifu and Akira are my go-to’s for sashimi (though there was one time where the salmon sashimi of the former wasn’t fresh that probably gave me the bugs and what comes with it). I’m not really a fan of sushi so nothing to suggest for that one. As for Kobe and Wagyu beef sirloins as well as unagi, I haven’t discovered any restos in the metro yet having these as specialties (any suggestions?). For ebi tempura, you won’t believe what I’m about to say: G Squared in Dampa is my choice (do I hear whaaa?). Then the iconic ramen. Ippudo was my initial No.1 ramen. I would go there for their tantanmen, gyoza and iced tea (very good and unlimited). Until that fateful evening when a staff sprayed some cleaning agent on the table next to mine where I got some of the mist. I’m not really fussy about being sprayed on, but what I find disgusting is that some of the mist may have landed on my food and drinks. That really ruined the whole dining experience (so note to resto staff, I understand that you are just doing your job, but do your job well: spray on the cleaning cloth and then wipe the table instead of spraying on the table followed with a wipe).

My friends know me as a loyal foodie. When I really like something, I keep coming back. This is true with restos where I go for my daily lunch. Tim Ho Wan was one of those where I would spend my lunchtime everyday having the same hakao, spareribs, and jasmine rice combination. Same goes for UCC for their meatballs spaghetti and iced tea plus ‘dessert of the day’ (50% off) until similar incident turned me off (different type of ‘spraying’ in UCC’s case). So that unfortunate event at Ippudo led me into exploring alternative ramen restos. Here comes Mendokoro to the rescue. It’s the only ramen I have discovered that comes close to Ichiran. Their ebi tonkutso (which is not in the menu and they only have a limited 25-serving a day) is my favorite (tantanmen is my second choice every time they ran out of ebi) and they have the best gyoza I had so far. What is tempting is that its proximity to where I live makes me crave and go there 2-3 times a week. Heavy on the pocket and the waiting time is horrendous (due to long queues every day up ’til midnight), but very worth the price and the wait.

(Note to customers: Mendokoro’s dining concept, just like any ramen house in Japan, is not your usual hang out place. It is more of an eat-and-run concept where after you are done, you have to give up your seat for the next customer without the attendants asking you if you’re done. That’s why in Japan, some ramen houses’ seating looks like mini cubicles with dividers not so much for privacy’s sake but more to minimize hanging out. It is just plain rude to hang on to your seat after you’ve finished your food, chatting, tinkering with your phone, and/or the never ending drinking of tap water coupled with any of the aforementioned when there are a lot of customers waiting, some already in line for 2 or more hours.)