Sunhee's Farm and Kitchen

Troy's Sunhee's Farm and Kitchen is a charming mix of fast-casual Korean eats and mini-mart all in one. It's hard to pay attention to the menu while a wall of unique Korean snacks is staring at you. Step away from all the temptations and pay attention to the bevy of dishes waiting to be devoured. From bulgogi to bibimbap and japchae, one of each of these classic Korean dishes is a good start to exploring the menu. 

My love of Korean food began with bbq and quickly grew with each bite of bibimbap. It's a comforting bowl of rice mixed with a delicious blend of sauteed vegetables, sweet and savory bulgogi beef, and the signature gochuchang pepper paste for added kick. At Sunhee's, this Korean classic gets a fresh makeover with a swap of black rice, turning my love of this dish into an obsession. The dark purple color not only adds a pop of color to this rainbow of flavors but an added texture that is pleasantly chewy and nutty. Aside from the black rice, my favorite component of the bibimbap is the addition of gosari, a wild fern/fiddlehead that adds an amazing earthy flavor. The rice bowl is also refreshingly chockfull of veggies.

Although lacking the usual spread of free banchan side dishes, you'll find a complimentary side of kimchi with the rice bowls. The quintessential Korean pickled cabbage had the perfect balance of spice to fermented funk. Plus my favorite banchan of japchae was available as an appetizer. It's a dish of sweet potato glass noodles with stir-fried veggies tossed in soy sauce.

My only disappointment was the pajeon. The flavors of this seafood pancake were there but it lacked the satisfying crisp texture that I enjoy the most from this dish. As for the mochiko cake, I liked that it wasn't too sweet and the chewy texture reminds me of some of my favorite Vietnamese desserts but alas, I've never liked walnuts in my dessert. 

I'm looking forward to returning to Sunhee's and adding the kimbap rolls and tofu stew to my lists of things to try. Hopefully the bar area will soon be opened too; the "coming soon" sign had me intrigued.

Spring Bites 2016

This spring was a hectic one. A family emergency took me out of the country for a good month and before I knew it, summer was here. Bangkok was a journey in and of itself but here's a look back at our favorite spring bites from this side of the world:

All Over Albany: An AOA Birthday party wouldn't be complete without these iconic cupcakes! Congrats on 8 awesome years Mary and Greg! Thanks for letting us be part of the online neighborhood. 

Restaurant Nanova: [Parmesan Gnocchi: pork belly, brown butter white beans, charred tomato & broccolini rabe pesto] I was convinced that the addition of beans would make this dish too heavy but one bite proved me wrong. The homemade, pillowy soft gnocchi was enrobed in a bevy of flavors from the bright pops of pesto to the rich pork belly and creamy beans. Not to mention that brown butter makes everything better. 

Restaurant Phuong Thao: Of course mom's cooking will always be the best but when momma was away, dad took us out for the next best thing. For a homecooked-styled meal, we went to this Montreal shop for three classic Vietnamese dishes: caramelized braised fish in claypot (ca kho to); canh chua ca (sour fish soup); and tom rang muoi tieu (salt and pepper shrimp). It was a melting pot of sweet, sour, and salty bites. These are the flavors that I grew up and I loved being able to savor and share these moments with my husband. 

Rob and Deb's Frozen Dreams: It wouldn't be spring without the first ice cream cone of the season, or in this case the first sundae! An impromptu stop in Glens Falls led us to an insanely addictive hot maple fudge concoction. It's a family recipe exclusive to Rob and Deb's and boy is it worth the stop! The cherry on top really isn't the red glop but the generous gob of sweet maple sauce. If you were sad about the end of maple season, here's another reason to cheer up. 

Sushi Makio: We celebrated our first year wedding anniversary with a trip to our favorite sushi shop in Kingston. The omakase is always a treat and fun to watch Chef Makio prepare each dish with care and detail. A particular gem on this visit were these sweet Japanese whelks steamed with sake and soy. Unlike the texture of clams and oysters, these sea snails were pleasantly chewy and its flavor much more agreeable than its earthy escargot counterparts. What a lovely new experience. Cheers to making it to one year of wedded bliss and here's to many more happy bites together!