Southern Cookin'

The title of this post is a little misleading because the food we made involved very little actual cooking. After perusing the Saturday morning Rittenhouse farmer's market a few weekends ago, we saw a few items that inspired us: green tomatoes and cucumber pickles. Fried green tomatoes are considered somewhat of a "Southern delicacy" and it's relatively hard to find them in this city- our best success with them was actually in DC.

As you know, when A & I were growing up, our Dad was the cook in the family. However, there were certain times of the year when he would get home late and making dinner would fall into the hands of our Mom. She also worked late into the day, so she would sometimes pick up "dinner" at a produce stand near the interstate. But this wasn't just any produce stand... they also sold boiled peanuts, another purely Southern treat. A giant Styrofoam cup full of the salty, softened peanuts (still in the shell) paired with perfectly ripened red tomatoes and a banana, and we were happy campers.

Another kind of food we (OK, mostly me...) are obsessed with is pickles. I've loved pickles ever since I was a little kid and have a lot of memories associated with them from my childhood. And it's not just pickled cucumbers- pickled okra? Pickled beets? Pickled banana peppers? That last one has my mouth watering... Unfortunately, pickles are a little on the expensive side, and as a non-necessity, we rarely buy them. But seeing a quart of pickled cucumbers at the market for $3 got us thinking... why can't we try to make our own?

The long holiday weekend gave us a little extra time to spend in the kitchen, so we decided to tackle all three of these items at once. The farmer's market had perfect green tomatoes (picked that morning!) for $2.50/lb, and I was instructed to store them in the fridge to keep them from ripening- a helpful hint considering you should NEVER refrigerate ripened tomatoes. I also picked up a pound of raw peanuts in the shell ($1.50 at Nuts to You on 13th and Walnut) and an oversize quart of the cukes- lots of food for less than $10.

A took charge of the peanuts: Place peanuts in pot. Add 1/2 cup kosher salt and enough water to cover the peanuts. Turn on the heat until the water begins to boil, then let them simmer/slight boil for a long time. Not hard. Keep an eye on the level of the water as it can boil off pretty quickly- keep adding water as necessary. The recipe A used suggested boiling for three hours, but we probably would have liked them to go for longer- this really depends on your softness preference. We're more on the mushy side of the spectrum, while these turned out firm (but still delicious!). They are definitely on the salty side so perhaps next time we'll tone that down a bit. These are a great summertime snack and can be eaten either hot or cold. Add some spices to the water to make a Cajun version (a crab boil spice packet would work well). You can store them in the refrigerator for a few days as well (a pound of in-the-shell-peanuts is more than you might think...).







Eat the peanuts just like you would a roasted one at a ball game. Crack open the shell (though this is more of a mushing/prying type maneuver), and pluck out the nuts. They have a consistency similar to that of a cooked bean.

Because pickles are more my forte, I was responsible for making them. Wash the cukes well and place them in a large jar or sealable container. Add a few pinches of dill, some sliced garlic, and a white vinegar to water ratio of 3:2 until the pickles are covered. For each 1.5 cups of vinegar, add 2 T of sugar and 1.5 T of salt (I know that requires some math... sorry...). Seal the jar and shake everything well. Pop them in the fridge for at least 24 hours, though again, I think they require more time. We're going on two days now and the pickles are at "half-sour" status. Very crunchy, totally fresh, garlic-y and dill-y.. and homemade! Again, a super easy snack that can keep in your fridge for awhile, I think a couple of weeks, but only time will tell. Until then, you know what they say: A pickle a day keeps.. me very happy!





The fried green tomatoes took a little more effort. We like the slices to be super thick to get some good crunch action- green tomatoes have a totally different texture than ripened tomatoes (duh). We rubbed our tomato slices in a little whole-wheat flour then dredged them in egg-whites and a cornmeal/panko mixture. Heat a good bit of canola oil in a frying pan (enough to cover the pan well) and cook the slices for about 5 minutes on each side. A made an accompanying "dip" made from plain Greek Yogurt and some red pepper spread from Trader Joe's. The tomatoes were unbelievably good- crispy, crunchy, cornmealy, a little bit of fried flavor yet still maintaining the tangy, almost-sour taste of the tomato. The cool and creamy yogurt spread was the perfect addition.









With a big bowl of fresh fruit salad, these made a rather eclectic yet delicious Southern meal- a good way to celebrate the 4th of July. Although some of it took awhile, none of it was difficult- and we certainly have enough peanuts and pickles to last us awhile.

Sampan

A decade ago, Philly's renowned "Restaurant Row" was situated on Walnut Street, not far from where we currently live. Hugely successful restaurants with famous chefs at their helms lined the street- Le Bec Fin, Brasserie Perrier, and Susanna Foo's among the highlights. In the past few years, the restaurant scene here has begun to shift. Brasserie Perrier closed, Susanna Foo moved out to the suburbs, and Le Bec Fin has become a much more casual spot. Restaurants no longer require jackets; you can get away with jeans practically everywhere. This shift has been accompanied by a location shift for "Restaurant Row"- the city now sports several areas where critically acclaimed restaurants take precedence over retail stores.

One of these is 13th street- an area we've discussed before in our post about Zavino. There are literally too many good restaurants here to list, so I won't. A relative newcomer, Sampan, has been on our "list" for a few months, and the return of one of our fellow foodie friends sparked our desire to try it out. We're not sure why we waited quite so long.

Sampan (pronounced literally how it looks: SAM-pan, not SAM-pon as we jokingly called it) is touted as specializing in "Asian street flavors," offering a good variety of small plates that span a number of different Asian cultures. The chef and owner, Michael Schulson, is a fantastic young chef- he headed the kitchen at Pod when it first opened, and had been around the block prior to opening Izakaya in Atlantic City (in the Borgata, not an easy feat) and now Sampan. The Sampan website claims that it "cater(s) to a new generation of diners who go for lusty flavors in relaxed surroundings," again emphasizing the shift in the dining culture here in Philly. We want great food, but we don't want to be all uptight about it.

The restaurant space has been put together in an extremely interesting way- the exterior is one of the most eye catching designs in the city (I wish I had taken a picture!). Table centerpieces are created by filling metallic boxes with chopsticks ("real" silverware also provided) which is all fun and games until someone knocks over the box... This happened at the table behind us, and the quick congregation of waitstaff on the spilled sticks made me think it may have happened a few times before. It was surprisingly extremely busy for a mid-week summer dinner, but this speaks for the quality of the food served. The general service was quick, efficient, and fairly personable; our waitress helped us navigate the menu and was always somewhere nearby.



The menu is broken down into several categories: hot and cold "small plates", salads, satays (meats on a stick), wok dishes, and meats and fish (priced more as entrees). The price points average $11 for everything except the entrees, which are all in the $20's. The plates are made to share, but we decided not to do this, as three people attacking a plate can get a little awkward. Two to four dishes per person is a good range, although some of them are quite large.

J and I both selected two dishes and then chose a "side" to share between us. The waitress coursed out our meals, allowing us plenty of time between our first and second dishes. J's starter was among my favorite: the crispy calamari salad ($12). I completely overlooked this on the menu because the name makes me want to yawn. How many calamari salads have I had in my life? None of which are memorable. However, I think this is the wrong way to think about the food at Sampan- Schulson has taken a range of well-known Asian dishes and made them spectacular. The calamari salad was extremely heavy handed with the calamari- no complaints here (although J kept dishing out pieces to us as she claimed it was too much). The octopus was thick, sliced into inch long pieces, and then given a good tempura-type coating and lightly fried. It was like a juicy, chewy, fried calamari pillow. I have never experienced fried calamari in this way, and might never enjoy it again elsewhere after being spoiled by these. The calamari was accompanied by a pile of frisee- a light lettuce that perfectly complimented the large heavy calamari bites- and thin slices of fresh apple, all tossed in a spicy citrus dressing. It was all generously portioned and overall a great start to the meal.



My first course consisted of one of the satay options- the Korean BBQ Beef ($9). My few encounters with Korean barbeque leave me with memories of juicy, tender steak, and Sampan did not let me down. Two skewers of beef were accompanied by a small pile of kimchi, a great accompaniment that provides another taste of Korea. The meat tasted slightly of soy sauce and smoke, and all but melted in my mouth. The price seemed a little high for what arrived on my plate, but each skewer had 3-4 generous pieces on it, allowing for many savory bites- a perfect amount, even when giving my dining mates a taste.



My second course was even more substantial- the Korean Rice Cakes (yep, I was on a Korean kick) ($11). Again, rice cakes. I can't turn them down. Round squishy discs of rice substance (looks, feels, and tastes nothing like rice), probably devoid of any nutritional value, but so amazingly fun to eat. These came tossed with sausage, chili sauce, and yu choy- an Asian vegetable that is something like broccoli rabe but smaller. The sausage was on the greasy side, but forgivable as that is the nature of sausage. A good portion of meat, crumbled throughout the patties- I tried to grab a bit of meat in each rice cake, mini-taco-style. The sauce gave a good spicy kick, although the green onions sprinkled on top were a bit on the sharp side (not a good compliment to spice). Overall, delicious, although not something I would put on my "must-order-again" list.



J's main course option was the Pork Bahn Mi ($9). Perhaps the most ridiculous deal on the menu- you could literally order this alone and call it a night. A bahn mi is a popular Vietnamese sandwich, which has taken over Philly in recent months (years?). It is basically a hoagie, with an Asian twist- usually topped with pickled onions and carrot, daikon, cilantro and mint, and filled with a variety of different meats. Sampan's version is stuffed with thin threads of pork belly- sliced so fine that you don't feel your mouth gush with fat in each bite (as pork belly tends to do). The sandwich fillings were numerous, but not voluminous- each bite of the sandwich flattened the bread and made it easy to eat (but perhaps not as filling as it appeared). The bread seemed like a classic, crusty Italian loaf, carbs much appreciated. The flavors stuffed inside- vinegary, sweet, spicy, herby- all held their own. The meat almost seemed like an afterthought.



On the side we ordered the crispy brussel sprouts ($7), trying to sneak some veggies into our meal. While I'm glad we ordered them, I wouldn't count them in the healthy column for my day's eats. Fried in the wok until they were almost black, the brussels took on an entirely different character. They tasted nothing like brussel sprouts, but instead like crispy, salty chips- somewhat reminiscent of a very decadent kale chip. Tossed with chili sauce and topped with fish sauce and crunchy puffed rice, they were extremely addicting.



We also sampled a number of other dishes ordered by the third member of our party, all of which brought rave reviews across the board. Some may criticize Schulson for being uninspired, unoriginal, etc, etc, but honestly, that type of criticism comes from a lack of any other negative aspects. The food is great- I left the restaurant almost relieved that Sampan exists. I honestly have not been so impressed and excited by a meal in quite some time. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone and everyone, and will probably be raving about it for quite awhile.

Sampan
124 S. 13th Street

Tweed

A few years ago, when we were still youngin's in college, our dad came up for a visit (Yes, our parents like Philly. A lot.) and we chose to check out the brand-new-at-the-time New Orleans style Cajun restaurant Les Bon Temps. It was a gorgeous place with lots of fleur de lis, stained glass, and a set of grandly sprawling marble stairs showcased in the center of the restaurant. The food was terrific- I can still remember the eggplant beignets, delicious in their unique sweet-yet-spicy way. We liked it so much, we even made a reservation there for our graduation dinner, though we later canceled it due to its slightly inconvenient location. Unfortunately, about a year after we dined on fried oyster po boys' and jambalaya, Les Bon Temps was closed.

Fast forward a couple years to now. We have kept an eye on what the space was destined for, and as soon as the menu for the replacement restaurant was released, we knew we would eventually check it out. It just so happened we were due for yet another visit from the folks, so it seemed like the perfect occasion to return to one of the newest spots in Philly, now called Tweed. Considering the new ownership (a Philly native turned French hotelier) and the choice of chef (previous experience with Eric Ripert), we had pretty high expectations.

Upon entering the restaurant, the complete gutting and renovation of the space was appreciated. Everything is very modern with clean lines, simple color schemes, and a good use of glass and dark wood combinations. We were seated at a table right up the new (and much narrower) staircase; I loved the rose velvet on the chairs but did take note of the seeming lack of actual tweed patterns. The service was good if not a bit awkward- our waiter seemed very eager and checked on us periodically throughout the dinner with lots of "How is everything?" and "Can I get you anything at all?". These might seem like normal questions, but he asked them in a way that seemed borderline obsessive.

The first thing we were served was the bread- before drink orders were even taken. There was a choice of a nutty-raisin-wheaty bread (obviously my choice) and a rosemary foccacia (obviously A's choice- she hates raisins), both of which were good. The water they serve is cucumber-infused, which some like and some do not, primarily based on whether or not you enjoy vegetables. I thought it was an upscale touch but certainly understand that not all diners appreciate it. Our waiter provided a rather short list of specials (one appetizer and one entree), which A & I ended up taking advantage of. The menu is considered "classical food with a modern twist" and makes a concerted effort to utilize locally produced ingredients (yay freshness). With this in mind, the heirloom tomato appetizer making an appearance as a special sounded like just the right start for a hot summer evening.

Although I don't know how much this cost (thanks Mom and Dad!) the salads and appetizers hit right around $10 so I'd think it was probably priced pretty equivalently. A & I were really looking forward to thick slices of sweet and firm tomato... and that is not quite what we were served. Six thin slices of slightly mushy tomato were completely soaked in a basil infused oil with lots of chopped shallots, salt, and of course the requisite drizzle of balsamic. I couldn't even taste the tomato, though I am not sure whether this is because the taste was completely masked or because it simply was not too flavorful; I'm sad to say I think it was the latter. In our opinion, if the tomato is no good (whether that be taste/texture/etc), you should certainly not feature it as a special. Common sense? Apparently not.



For the entree, A & I both chose meat that we love- mine in the form of grilled mahi-mahi, and her's in the form of a duck burger. The mahi dish ($24) was a complete 180 degree turnaround from the tomato disappointment. The large-ish piece of grilled fish was perfectly cooked, creating flaky flavorful mouthfuls. Served on a proportionate pile of sauteed spinach and covered in a sweet red pepper and onion concoction... let's just say the combination neared perfection. Lots of fresh herbs helped round out the flavors. I'm not sure if this was a seasonal addition to the menu (aka they had some good mahi come in that day) but I don't see this dish on the PDF menu on Tweed's website. If it was, I feel very lucky to have eaten this dish. If not, I feel equally lucky because I can go back and order it again!



A enjoys duck, so the duck burger ($12) which includes a choice of fries or salad, was an easy choice. The menu notes the addition of caramelized onion and cherry chutney- sounds like two good accompaniments to me. However, they fail to note that the duck is heavily accented with orange peel and Grand Marnier- two very distinct flavors that completely overwhelmed the meat. The ground duck was pressed thin and overcooked (A ordered her burger medium), making for a mealy dry orange-flavored patty. The addition of the somewhat sparse toppings within the almost-stale onion-flecked bun completed the overall very unenjoyable sandwich. The lightly dressed lemony pile of spring greens was good, but didn't make up for such a disappointment.



The dessert menu had a few intriguing options (birchbeer float? peanut and chocolate ganache bar?) so we decided to split the carrot cake ($7). This dish lived up to Tweed's promise of a twist on a classic, as it was served up roulade style with a goat cheese cream spread. The goaty-ness of the cream could have used a little more sugar to balance that flavor, and the actual cake seemed a little on the dry side (an unfortunately common theme here...) and tasted more like a simple spice cake. A scoop of butter pecan ice cream provided the nuttiness you usually find within the cake while a carrot juice drizzle was the only real form of carrot we could see. This rendition of carrot cake made us wish for the regular old kind with the orange frosting carrot on top. This was absolutely one of those "good in theory, bad in practice" type dishes. Though I didn't try it, the dense lemon-hinted cheesecake with fresh blueberries was proclaimed a much better option off the dessert menu.



Overall the dinner leaned toward the negative (with one shining star of a grilled fish). We really wanted to like it, but everything just seemed a little too over-thought. The tomatoes might have been good with less basil, the duck may have been good with less orange (and less cooking), and the dessert would probably improve with the addition of carrot and nuts back into the cake. Seemingly simple fixes that take out the "twists" and move back toward the "classics". Pricing was fair for the city, the environment was slick, service was certainly adequate, but the real misses in execution will probably deter us from visiting again, at least until we give the kitchen some more time to work out the kinks in the menu.

Tweed
114 S. 12th Street

Giant Veggie Potstickers

As spring moves on into summer, our CSA box is getting more substantial (and quite heavy. I'm glad the pick-up spot is two blocks away!). This past week, we received:

1 head broccoli
1 bunch red beets
1 head curly endive
1 head Napa cabbage
1 head Romaine lettuce
1 head radicchio
1 head white cauliflower
2 yellow squash
1 bunch green shallots
1 head green Bibb lettuce

(No pictures were acquired- sorry!)

Yes, I had to somehow squeeze seven "heads" into our fridge- the produce drawers were stuffed to the max, and several items couldn't quite fit in (leading to some wilted green onions, but oh well. Is there some way to make the entire fridge humid?) Spring is definitely lettuce season, and so we have been eating what seems like endless amounts of salad. J swears she would never get tired of salad, but frankly, I think I might be reaching my limit.

All of this week's items are quite familiar to us, but not necessarily ones we would buy on a regular basis. I wasn't really quite sure what to do with the Napa cabbage- for those of you who don't know, it is sort of a cross between crisp lettuce, white cabbage, and bok choy. It originates in China, and therefore is often used in Asian style dishes. Last week, I created a cabbage stir fry with a soy sauce based dressing, but this week I wanted to more deeply explore my Napa options.



First stop: TasteSpotting. Yes, you've heard it here before, but seriously, I'm not sure what I would do without this website. A search for Napa cabbage spit out a handful of options, and I decided to run with the vegetarian potstickers. A little bit random, something I would never think to make myself, and a good first "trial" use for a vegetarian protein J and I have never tried before-- tempeh. We like tofu, but we've never branched out into the realms of tempeh and seitan, other forms of vegetarian protein that can be used in ways that tofu can't. Tempeh, like tofu, is made from soybeans, but is more naturally processed and uses the whole beans in its creation. There may or may not be a fermentation stage. Sounds kind of strange, looks kind of strange, but hey, we're always interested in trying out new foods.

Vegetarian Potstickers (adapted from this recipe):

1 package LightLife TempehTations, Ginger Teriyaki Flavor
2 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage (about half of a large head)
3-4 green onions, sliced
6-8 baby Portabella mushrooms (halved, and then sliced)
2 T white cooking wine
1 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
8-9 Nasoya Egg Roll Wrappers

When browsing the options at our grocery store, we realized that we couldn't use plain tempeh-- they simply did not sell it. However, they did sell a tempeh-based product that was conveniently already flavored with Asian-y spices and sauces. A little disappointed I wouldn't be able to follow the original recipe, but less work for me. I also had the option of wonton wrappers and egg roll wrappers- basically the same thing in two different sizes. Technically, I should have gone with the wonton wrappers, as potstickers are usually on the small side. I had planned the potstickers as the base of our meal, so I went with the larger egg roll wraps instead.

The first step is browning the tempeh. I opened up the package and was greeted with some brownish cubes in a bit of sauce. As I dumped them into the pan, they started to fall apart pretty quickly. This product is a mix of soy and brown rice (which is common in tempeh making), and more closely resembled the latter. After a few minutes in the pan, it started to brown up (alright, it was already brown. It began to get a bit crispy). I gave it a quick chop and transferred it to a bowl, and then added the cabbage to the hot pan.



A very thin slice is critical here- the cabbage will cook down quite a bit, but you don't want a lot of chunks in your potstickers. After five minutes of steaming and stir frying, the cabbage was very wilted and turning a bit brown. Into the bowl it went, and sliced mushrooms took its place in the pan. Another few minutes and the mushrooms were on their way to softening up. To hasten their progress, I added the white cooking wine which evaporated quickly but allowed a bit of steaming action for the 'shrooms. In the last minute or two of their time in the pan, I added the chopped green onions to remove some of their onion-y bite. All of this made it into the same bowl with the tempeh and cabbage. I sauced up the mix with a tiny bit of soy sauce and sesame oil- the tempeh came with its own ginger sauce and I knew it wouldn't need a lot more flavor (or sodium. Yikes!)



Then, potsticker creation. The egg rolls are very easy to work with- pliable and soft. I laid each wrapper onto a "plate"- a very classy piece of tin foil- sprayed with cooking spray, and spooned 2-3 tablespoons of filling into the center. Then, I used my finger to smear some water onto two adjacent edges. Fold over into a triangle, press (somewhat rigorously), and then create ridges by pinching the connected edges together. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. I was able to make eight (extremely large) potstickers- each about the size of a small calzone! The dough is raw and the filling is a little cold at this point, so back into the pan they must go.





I like my dumplings a little bit crisp, and the recipe was informative on how to go about doing this. Heat your pan, spray with cooking spray, and then place each potsticker face down into the pan (it got a bit crowded). After 2-3 minutes, flip over, and resume the crisping process on the other side. Then, add 1/2 cup of water to the pan and place a lid on top. I checked after a minute or two and all of the water was gone, so I ended up using more water than the recipe called for. This step allows the parts of the potstickers that are not actually sticking to the pot to be cooked via steaming. I allowed them to steam for 3-4 minutes total and then removed them from the pan.



You can serve these with a simple teriyaki or soy sauce... sauce, but I thought they were delicious on their own. Although it's on the thin side, the egg roll wrapper provides a very doughy bite. The flavor of the filling was really good- I felt like I was eating at a Chinese restaurant. The soy sauce and sesame oil definitely boosted what sauce the tempeh came with, providing tons of salty, savory goodness. The tempeh and mushrooms together had a nutty, earthy flavor which was balanced by the cabbage- still slightly crisp and fresh, even with all that cooking time. The potstickers were also extremely filling- I could only eat two before calling it quits.



Supplemented by the rest of the head of Napa (stir fried the "usual" way) and some roasted broccoli, the dinner was quick (about half an hour?), easy, and a bit of an adventure. They didn't end up exactly like a classic potsticker, but they were delicious nonetheless. I'd love to try these using plain tempeh and adding my own flavors, but the tempeh product we picked up was a great substitution. I also think you could use the same filling and wrappers to produce excellent egg rolls, which could then be baked, pan-fried, or deep fried. Forget Chinese takeout- make your own healthier version at home!

Doma

In a city chock full of restaurants, it's fairly easy to find whatever it is you're craving. Restaurants featuring food from all corners of the earth abound (although some require a bit more seeking out than others). However, I do have to say that sometimes it's the basics that are more difficult to find here. Looking for an affordable steak? I'm not sure it exists. A high quality red gravy Italian place in Center City? Can't think of one. Creative sushi in a more upscale environment that provides creative options beyond raw fish? (I mean really, I am not interested in a seaweed salad or chicken katsu). I've been on the search for this last one for quite some time. I can't give a good sushi recommendation for any restaurant in Philly- and no, I have not tried many of them, so if you want to throw out your suggestions, I'd be happy to take them. Recently, two new sushi restaurants have opened, both with more of an emphasis on presentation and decor than the typical sushi spot around town.

Looking for a dining destination to take a visiting friend, I decided on Doma (one of these two new options). Boosted by a fairly good review from Craig LaBan, I knew it had to be several steps up from the other sushi places I've tried (some of which I'm not sure would even receive a single bell). I made reservations just two days in advance- I wasn't sure what the walk-in status would be as it is a fairly small place. However, our dining mate was running late and I called last minute to change the reservation. Extremely accommodating, thankfully- although we later noted that the restaurant never reached full capacity even at the height of dinner service. Still, some restaurants may have been a little less cheerful about our last minute switch.

Doma's location perhaps contributes to its seeming lack of booming business. Located on the edge of Center City civilization (ie Callowhill Street) on the same little strip as Sabrina's Cafe and King of Tandoor, it's not exactly prime real estate. However, we appreciated the walk, and found the quiet street a bit of a sanctuary away from the rest of the city. Doma sports two outdoor tables (small parties only), which seems unnecessary: dining outdoors can be great, but you usually want to have some sort of a view or at least a steady stream of pedestrians for people-watching. The diners seated outside had a great view of an empty grassy lot. Inside, the dining room is long and narrow, but well-lit and with appropriate decor- certainly Japanese influenced but not to the point of annoying stereotypes. The hostess double checked that we were alright with sitting at a bar height table (not sure why this would be a problem?) and showed us handy hooks under the table for our purses. Hey, it's the little things.

The menu is split into several parts, which can be problematic for people who can't seem to make decisions (that would be me). Cold appetizers, hot appetizers, entrees (which include a mix of Japanese and Korean dishes), Bento boxes, and a variety of sushi, sashimi, and rolls. Craig LaBan raved about the Korean food- bibimbop and chargrilled shortrib for example, but we were there for the sushi. We decided to tackle specific areas of the menu, creating a tapas style appetizer session and each choosing a specialty roll.

The appetizer options are quite varied, and each sounds as delicious as the last. We struggled to choose only three but decided on a single cold appetizer along with two from the hot options. The waiter asked if we wanted them all at once, but we chose to have them arrive as they were prepared- better for enjoying each dish on its own. The first up was the octopus ceviche ($9). Several thin slices of cold octopus were topped with a fresh mango salsa. The presentation was beautiful (and very photogenic), something we would comment on throughout the meal. However, the serving was on the small side- only 5 or 6 slices, not easily split among three people. The meat had an excellent chewy texture and was well complemented by the somewhat spicy but sweet fruit, but the flavor of the octopus failed to present itself. I know it is not supposed to have a heavy flavor, but a hint of seafood would have been appreciated. Fortunately, this was our least favorite part of the meal and it was over and done with quickly.



The second dish to arrive was the steamed buns. As you know from our Nashville trip/Chinatown adventures, we're interested in bao buns. We weren't expecting to find these at a sushi restaurant, but were thankful that the menu held enough breadth to cover these delicious little items. Doma's version did not disappoint. Instead of a thick chewy breading, the bun was flat and openfaced, allowing the filling to be placed on top and then wrapped up. There are three options for filling, and we chose the meatiest of them all- pork belly ($12 for 3 buns). Thick slices of the fatty meat were piled with pickled cucumber slices and a rich sauce. No real assembly required, just pull one side of the "bun" over the meat and devour. The meat itself was perfectly cooked, and extremely well complemented by the pickles-very thinly sliced, sweet and sour with much remaining crunch. Bao buns tend to stick to your teeth, and the crunch was really key to breaking up this soft texture. The sauce was also spot on- It had me wiping my plate of the remaining drips with the last few bites of bun.


Minus five for non-uniform plating.



Our last appetizer was also the most unpronounceable- okonomiyaki. The menu describes this dish as a Japanese-style seafood pancake, but a bit of Wikipedia research was required to really decipher what it was that we had eaten. The base of the dish is a thick "pancake", similar in thickness and serving style to pizza. It is formed from flour, grated yam, eggs, shredded cabbage, bacon, green onion, and a variety of seafood- I believe ours had squid and shrimp at the very least. All of this is broken into small pieces, mixed together, and then grilled up like a pancake. It almost resembles a very large potato pancake. This is then drizzled with spicy, creamy dressing, and topped with "vegetables" (pretty much just finely shredded red bell pepper) and bonito- yes, those annoying woodsy flakes that creep and crawl with the slightest movement of air. It appears as if it would be a bit difficult to eat with chop sticks, but is surprisingly sticky. The combination of flavors and textures (even with a sparse covering of bonito) was really a delight, and it was a very shareable dish.



We had a good view of the sushi chefs throughout the night- two men working sporadically to construct and plate a huge variety of possible rolls. Watching the plating was fun- many of the rolls require a very artistic presentation. The three rolls that we ordered were not of this variety, but were still beautiful to look at and well presented side by side. The Hamachi Verde roll ($9) consisted of avocado, jalapeno, scallions, kanpyo (apparently dried squash?), and roe, and is topped with hamachi (yellowtail) and kiwi. A fairly simple roll in relation to the other specialty rolls, but simplicity worked in this case. It was somewhat strange to have the fish on top of the roll, but it worked in its favor- allowing the flavor to be more accessible. The kiwi added a sweet, tangy finish.



The Dragon roll ($12) is a classic found at many sushi restaurants- but a popular dish can often be used to gauge the overall quality of a restaurant. Eel, cucumber, and tempura crunch are wrapped and topped with avocado, roe, and a thin, sweet sauce. Again, Doma did a great job- the roll was well constructed, the avocado was perfectly sliced (I'm not sure how they do that), and the flavors fresh. The only necessary addition was a dab of wasabi- it needed some heat. The wasabi at Doma is definitely on the weak side- at least to the point that I could consume little bits of it alone without wanting to cry. I like my sushi spicy, so this was a bit of a downside.



Finally, the Triple Spicy Double Tuna roll ($13)- long name, but relatively few ingredients (for sushi anyways). The spice is provided by spicy sauce and sriracha inside, and a sichimi pepper ground on top (probably the spiciest of the three). The roll contains tuna, tempura crunch, and scallions- the short ingredient list forced this roll to be chock full of fresh tuna, which we fully appreciated. It is also topped with seared albacore tuna (a lighter, less smooth version of the fish), hence the "double" part of its name. It was a bit pricier, but well worth the money considering the quantity of fish involved. It also lived up to its name- very spicy in an unexpected way. The ground pepper powder hits you like quality Mexican food- a type of spice that is not usually found in sushi (spicy sauce and wasabi are more of the nose-burning kind of heat).

At this point, the meal had been very satisfactory- many small portions spaced out throughout almost two hours. We were hesitant to order dessert, but figured that splitting a single dish couldn't hurt. We settled on the Japanese sundae ($6), a base of green tea ice cream blended with red beans and tiny chunks of mochi, all topped with fresh berries, and green tea infused whipped cream. The dish successfully combined many typical Japanese flavors, allowing them to meld together without losing each of them individually. The whipped cream seemed a little off to me- I was sure that it was actually "fish" flavored, but I think that it was solely because of the seeming lack of sweetness. Try drinking strong green tea with no sweetener- the harshness of it can become almost savory. Thankfully, the whipped cream slowly melted into the ice cream, and at that point added a little extra flavor burst. The ice cream and bean mixture was interesting- red beans are considered dessert in Japan, but are not terribly sweet. Here, the beans were whole, providing a creative textural addition. The berries were perfectly fresh- altogether, the dessert was a good ending to the rest of the meal- not too rich, allowing everything to be enjoyed in moderation.


Strategically positioned to hide semi-consumed status.

Our final bill didn't break the bank- solid, creative, fresh sushi with a variety of interesting sides and appetizers, as well as a bit of dessert all for a very reasonable price. This will definitely become our go-to sushi spot (unless we're just loafing around and want some takeout to eat in the park), particularly during good weather, as it allows for an enjoyable walk through a part of the city we don't often see. Our dinner here was more of an eating adventure as opposed to an "eat and go" meal, providing both the food and the entertainment for the evening. It would be a superb date spot (if my boyfriend was remotely interested in sushi), and fun for small groups as well. Finally, a sushi success!

Doma Japanese Restaurant
1822 Callowhill Street