When East Meets West (4): Red Farm

概要

Red Farm 严格说起来不算中国菜，是个fusion餐馆。如果你吃腻了唐人街千篇一律的dim sum，到这里来尝试一下新口味还是不错的。

这家餐馆坐落在west village，装修成纯朴的乡村风格，价格却绝对是west village的价格，不便宜的，绝对的扮猪吃老虎。餐馆中间一张大木桌子很是显眼，顾客群年轻嬉皮，气氛轻松快活。这家用料相当讲究，是唐人街的便宜餐馆不能比的。至于菜么，既有比较地道的中国口味的，也有照顾美式西餐的，就不好说了。我倒是不反对中餐不断的创新和改良，老吃同样的菜也怪腻味的，对不对？我尝试过的菜有几个：

• Shu Mai Shooters 用料讲究，货真价实的鲜贝，比唐人街的假鲜贝做的烧卖要鲜美多了。
• Crab & Eggplant Bruschetta 是很不错的创新，蟹肉放在炸茄子上面，而不是面包片上面，口感上形成有趣的对比。
• Pork buns 外面的面皮蓬松，里面的红烧肉绵软，入口即化，非常好吃。
• Pastrami egg roll 和 Spicy Crispy Beef 都比较偏美国人的口味。.

I hesitated quite a bit before I wrote down the name of Red Farm. It’s not completely Chinese cuisine. It’s the so called fusion. However, if you are tired of those run-off-the-mill dim sums and want some creative experiments, this is THE place to go. Plus, the location and service is hard to beat.

As its name suggests, Red Farm is an unpretentious farmhouse that attempts to deliver green market sensibility. Its wooden communal table, boisterous young crowd, no-reservation policy and one-page menu all echo that long passed old age when every ingredient was fresh and organic. Fusion concepts are always filled with potential pitfalls, but Red Farm’s cooking style is playful and fresh. It serves both spicy crispy beef as an upgrade from the orange crispy beef you find in any Americanized Chinese chain, and pork buns that all real Chinese will die for. I’m a true believer of evolution. If we human beings have evolved in intelligence, knowledge, technology and life style, so should our culinary skills and recipes. I’m always open to new experience and ideas.

In Red Farm, any dish could be a miss or hit, depending on your own taste and acceptance to changes. I personally like the idea of the following:

Shu Mai Shooters win by its quality ingredient. You get a piece of real scallop in each shu mai, which is hard to find in Chinatown dim sum places. Besides, the delicate taste of mushroom and the warm broth reveals the sophisticated layers of flavor and the level of details you cannot find in traditional shu mai dishes.

Crab & Eggplant Bruschetta screams innovation. The buttery tender crab on top of the crispy tempura eggplant is an interesting play of texture. 

Pork buns? Oh, heavenly. The buns come as soft as a down pillow and the pork melts right in your mouth magically.  

Pastrami egg roll is a true fusion between the east and the west. Try it and let me know how you like it. It’s not really my thing, but my western friends went nuts about it. So did the Spicy Crispy Beef. These two signature dishes are too far reach for me. 

Finally, don’t get fooled by its rustic style. this cozy and intimate farmhouse is definitely on the pricey side. You pay for the west village experience and creative new recipe. I hope you will find the experiment worth the cost. J

Address: 529 Hudson St., New York, NY 10010
Telephone: 212 792 9700

When East Meets West (3): Red Egg

摘要

推荐一个吃早茶的地方：Red Egg。我带好多老外去吃过，他们都很喜欢。味道很传统，环境和服务都比一般的粤式茶餐厅要好。

Red Egg根其他粤式茶餐厅不一样，没有推着走来走去的小车。我特别不喜欢小车在本来就很拥挤的过道挤来挤去的，总怕弄脏了衣服，而且经常小车推来推去都是同样的东西，很是考验人的耐心。红蛋家不一样，你拿铅笔在早茶的菜单上勾出来自己想要的东西就可以了，省心多了。

老外都很喜欢他家的菊花茶，稍微加点点糖提个味就好了，没咖啡因，味道也不错。

红蛋的早茶和其他粤式茶餐厅差不多。不要吃他家的小笼包，不好吃，想吃就去鹿鸣春好了，没必要在粤菜馆吃，对吧？根本就是哄老外的。还有烧汁墨鱼仔，一盘小墨鱼浸在酱油味的卤汁里，我蜜最爱，每次必点，但是我发现老外没有一个爱吃的，都是尝了一个就罢手了，估计是太咸了。

红蛋有两个别的地方不容易吃到的菜，都是甜点。一个是原只椰青布丁，一个是榴莲酥。前者端上来是一整个椰子哦，很漂亮的。打开盖子，里面满满的白色椰子味的布丁，滑润爽口，也不会甜得让人腻味。吃完了布丁，就开始运动吧！使劲把椰子肉一点点刮下来吃，香香甜甜的。这个甜点特别受老外的欢迎。我每次带同事去吃，他们都会吃完以后每个人加点一个带回家去吃。榴莲酥就不好说了，毕竟榴莲这个东西爱得爱死恨得恨死，有的老外还挺爱吃的。酥酥的皮加软软的心儿，口感很好的。这东西刚上桌的时候心儿特别烫，吃的时候要小心。

红蛋不是象其他茶餐厅那样吵吵闹闹的，可以很轻松的聊天谈话。装饰也比较现代，不是那种大红大绿金光闪闪的，都是我喜欢它的原因。

I like taking westerners to dim sums. Just like Spanish tapas, dim sums serve in small plates, a hard-to-beat feature in a city that treasures experience and trashes commitment.

My go-to dim sum place is Red Egg, at the intersection of China town and Soho. I've been there numerous times with friends from all kinds of origins and they all fell in love with it. As a result, I became committed to this place that serves non-committing size of dishes.    

You won’t see dim sum carts in Red Egg. Some people find the carts exotic and intriguing, but I don’t like them weaving through tables, especially in peak hours. It makes me nervous that I have to watch my elbows and back constantly. Also I hate sticking my head over a cart just to find out that it carries something I don’t like or already have. Patience is a virtue that’s never flowed in my blood. In Red Egg, you get a list of dim sums and a pencil. Mark the ones you like and pass it to the waiter. Done. Perfecto!

Before we jump into the food, let me remind you that my western friends all love their chrysanthemum tea with just a pinch of sugar: caffeine-free, healthy, and tasty.

Most dim sums in Red Egg taste just as good as in other famous dim sum places like Golden Unicorn. No better, no worse. Dim sums are easy run-off-the-mill dishes anyway. What I will avoid is Shanghainese Soup Dumplings. I don’t know since when soup dumplings have become the symbol of Chinese food in NYC. Maybe it’s partially due to the huge popularity of Joe’s Shanghai. Well, if you are in the mood of soup dumplings, you are definitely in the wrong place. Get your a$$ out and walk to Joe’s Shanghai, please, which is only several blocks away. Soup dumplings are Shanghainese food. Not wise to order them in a Cantonese restaurant. Did I say Chinese cuisine varies a lot by region? Oh yes, dim sum is Cantonese just in case you don’t know yet. Some Cantonese restaurants, like Reg Egg, serve soup dumplings to cater Americans, but that doesn’t mean they are good at it. Another tricky dish is Octopus in Sweet Bean Sauce. Some of my Chinese friends love it, but it’s never got any nods from westerners. I guess they are overwhelmed by its saltiness.

So what is unique on Red Egg’s dim sum menu? There are two unusual desserts. I’m not sure whether they are unique, but they are definitely hard to find in China town. The first one is Young Coconut Pudding. It comes in a coconut shell. Pudding is soft, smooth and tender, with just the right amount of sweetness. After eating the pudding, make sure that you scrap off the white coconut meat. Its creamy texture and rich flavor is always a blast. My co-workers like it so much that they usually order an extra to take home. Another rare dessert is Durian Puff. Durian is a weird fruit that people either love or hate. So this dessert could be a miss or hit. Honestly, it’s less stinky and more sweet than the notorious fresh fruit. If you deem yourself an adventurous eater, give it a try. The crispy puff and creamy fillings make an interesting contrast of texture. It’s served in non-committing small portions anyway! Be aware that the filling is boiling hot when it is served. Let it sit for a while before taking the first bite.

Red Egg has a clean and modern decor with a small bar at the entrance. Even at its peak hour, you can easily carry a conversation without screaming at the top of your voice.

Address: 202 Centre Street, New York, NY 10013

Telephone: 347 871 1123