Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ | Brookline, MA Boston

ive been waiting for gyu-kaku boston to open since last june. the highly highly anticipated japanese bbq joint finally opened couple weeks ago. if you are not familiar with gyu kaku, its a japanese bbq chain that has locations all throughout the country as well as overseas. an interative bbq concept which you get to cook your own food at your own pace and however you’d like it.

gyu-kaku is still in their soft opening period. the reservation was hard to get. they dont accept reservations online at this moment; you ll have to call in to make a reservation. BUT there’s a perk to it during the soft opening period: you get a discount thats roughly 18% off.

pork belly and i got there an hour early so we waited for our friends at the bar.

Kirin Ichiban on tap

altho each meat they have a recommended sauce, but you can also choose a different sauce if you prefer.
here is a menu in pdf form: http://www.gyu-kaku.com/menu/ma_bs/bs_alacarte.pdf

we got a Kirin Ichiban pitcher for the whole group

we ordered 11 different kinds of meat, pretty much all the meat on the menu, ill try my best to match the names with the pix. i cant promise they are all correct tho

Beef Tongue
Thinly sliced beef tongue with delicious scallion sauce, salt & Pepper, and Lemon

Premium Sirloin- Lean & tender Sirloin Flap Steak with: Tare Sweet Soy

Kobe Style Flap Steak with: Ponzu

only grill your meat for 30-60 seconds depending on your preference. this is crucial because overcooked meat will not be as tender.

Bistro Hanger Steak with: Miso

Prime New York Steak with: Ponzu

they have four diff dipping sauces: sweet & spicy, tsuke, ponzu, and lemon.

i believe this one was my fave: Kobe Style Kalbi Short Rib: World renowned for its delicious flavor & remarkable tenderness

Kobe Style Kalbi Chuck with Garlic

Lamb Chop with: Miso Basil

Harami Skirt Steak with: Miso

Kalbi Short Rib
King of BBQ; juicy boneless short rib with: Tare Sweet Soy

Mushroom Medley

Toro Beef
Beef bacon in their special BBQ sauce with: Tare Sweet Soy

oops. i think i jus totally misplaced the names.

steak model: Jay Liu
i heard he got quite famous for modeling the banana in my yume wo katare post

here comes the bill. really cheap for the amount of food and drinks we ordered. even better, we got the soft opening discount!!!!!!!!
awesome deal!!!!!! i think all throughout april we probably can get roughly 18% off. they dont advertise it anywhere so im not sure how long the promo lasts

super satisfied with our meal. i cant remember specifically how each meat tasted, but I do like the meat with garlic sauce the best. Kobe Style Kalbi Short Rib was def my fave. Gyu kaku easily tops any of the Asian bbq places. Yes! Any Korean bbq joint in town. I have been to all of them unless there is an underground bbq place that im not aware of. Sitting by the hot grill and sipping on cold beer eating the best Asian bbq in town with friends, nothing can beat this. remember DO NOT overcook your meat!

Gyu-Kaku
Categories: Restaurants Japanese bbq
1002 Beacon St
Brookline, MA 02446
(617) 264-6190

http://gyu-kaku.com/index.htm

Blue Ribbon BBQ @ Arlington Center Boston, MA

blue ribbon bbq is a small bbq joint in arlington. they have another location in newton.

food is very decent; great for a quick lunch if you are in town!

Categories: Barbeque, Caterers
908 Massachusetts Ave
Arlington, MA 02476
Neighborhood: Arlington Center
(781) 648-7427

http://blueribbonbbq.com

Yakitori Totto @ Midtown West New York, NY

after those chuan’er that we had in flushing, we headed to yakitori totto to have more chuan’ers. ive been looking for good yakitori place because yakitori taisho was kinda disappointing. wanted to go to this place forever and we actually made a trip there before but it wasnt open.

they open at 5:30pm on sundays. we got there around 5:15 and were the first in line. all the staffs were smoking outside the restaurant. by the time they opened the line was already 10 deep.

this guy was really entertaining to watch. he sang along with the old school hip hop songs they played and bounced.

tuna – fresh, yum

chicken skin – i didnt really like that they dont marinate stuff. seasoning is lacking, you basically have to put salt/pepper/spicy stuff on by yourself.

hiza- soft knee bones

teba saki

juicy mushrooms.

kalbi – liked the sweet sauce

seseri- chicken neck

i wasn’t a huge fan of this place because
1. altho everything was perfectly grilled and very tender, but i think the meat wasn’t too fresh.
2. the yakitori was kinda bland. i would like it with more flavors other than just salt and pepers. the taste of chicken gets boring after a while. everything tasted pretty much the same. i wish they were marinated to give it more flavors.

the good: yakitori totto is relatively cheap comparing to other places.

man i really wish Shin Sen Gumi Yakitori is on the east coast, id go there everyday! the search for good yakitori continues…

Category: Japanese
251 W 55th St
2nd Fl
(between Broadway & 8th Ave)
New York, NY 10019
Neighborhood: Midtown West
(212) 245-4555

http://www.tottonyc.com

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Day Trip to NYC Flushing, Queens XinJiang BBQ Carts

last sunday, pork belly and i made a day trip to nyc. we were craving for ‘chuan’er’, the lamb skewers, lamb on sticks, lamb bbq, whatever you call it. i ll call it ‘chuan’er’ cuz thats what we call it back home in beijing.

so let’s go.

when we got to flushing, we were so thirsty. stopped by this bubble tea joint. didnt like it. very artificial tasting. in fact, i’ve never had good bubble tea in flushing and ive tried plenty.

so on the way here, we were so worried that the ‘chuan’er’ guy wasn’t out because it was raining outside. it’s a food cart/stand. luckily the rain stopped after we arrived to flushing and the chuan’er guy was there!!!!!!! w0000tttt
yes, we drove all the way to here just to get some chuan’er. crazy no? i grew up eating chuan’er and mcdonalds. that’s pretty much all i was willing to eat when i was a kid. both of my fave food were conveniently located right outside of my elementary school and my parents were too busy to give a shit about me. well they still don’t. i could eat 3 cheese burgers + large fries + sundae + a large milkshake and countless chuan’ers for one meal.
result of that ->

i literally looked like this kid except i wasnt as famous. anyways, i stopped eating mcdonalds except their ice cream cones (sooo goood). im still addicted to chuan’ers. i love it maybe because it makes me feel like home or it’s jus soooo good.

chuan’er guy no.1

dont be fooled by the hat he’s wearing. it’s just a prop. i bet he is not muslim. from his accent i can tell he isnt from xinjiang, but dong bei (very north of china). BUT WHO CARES.

oh man these chuan’ers! sooooooo gooood!!! i’d give 3 michelin stars if i could. the most simple things – meat, seasoning, charcoal can make me the happiest person alive. this is even better than the chuan’er you can get in china. the meat is really juicy, tender, dripping fat oil good, mouth-watering satisfaction. and better quality meat than what you can get in china. although it’s lamb, its not gamey at all. very well marinated so it’s not strong if you can even taste it at all. make sure you get it spicy. $1 each. best $1 you can ever spend besides delish mcdonald’s ice cream cone.

it’s kinda gross that how they store the meat, especially in the summer, but in china, we say the dirtier the tastier. as long as i don’t die from it, im willing to eat whatever that tastes good.

chuan’er guy no. 2

chuan’er guy no. 2 is not as good as chuan’er guy no. 1. it tasted way better last time i had it, but this time was disappointing.

i don’t know their exact address. chuan’er guy no.1 is located right in front of the chase bank. 39th & Main St i believe, but i could be wrong.

Categories: Food Stands, Barbeque, Chinese
i believe this is chuan’er guy no. 2 -> 41st Ave & Kissena Blvd
Flushing, NY 11355
Neighborhoods: Downtown Flushing, Flushing

Sichuan Village @ Chantilly, VA and random pix from the weekend

we rarely eat chinese food in VA because the selection is so limited. pork belly wanted to try sichuan village because he was craving for spicy chinese food, so why not write a review and support my own people !!!

hey dont hate on my chopsticks pic

they offer buffet or you can order your own. we skipped the buffet of course and you should too. the menu looks pretty authentic to me. they have tons stuff on the back of the menu as well.

hot shot pork belly <3

pork belly’s mom made me this dress yay!! feel so loved!! his mom is awesome. if you need wedding dresses or need ur dress altered go visit http://www.leesburg-bridal.com/ best in the area!!

夫妻肺片

spicy fish. 水煮鱼

shredded potato. this is what i loved to eat when i was young, potatoes, i love it in any way. fried, stir fried, mashed, steamed, you name it. you cannot usually find this in restaurant especially in the states.

although it is not the nicest chinese restaurant, the food here is very decent. more authentic than a lot of places around the area. very reasonable priced and fast friendly service. i would def come back for more!!!

Category: Chinese
14005 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy
Chantilly, VA 20151
(703) 631-5888

http://www.sichuanvillage.com

______________________________________________________________________________________

hey guess what else i got this weekend from pork belly’s mom besides that beautiful dress that his mom made for me.
taaa-daa

omggggg ive been wanting this purse forrrrrrevevevevevveverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and his mom was generous enough to give me as a gift !!!!!!!!!! i was gonna save up my entire life for it since the price goes up like everyday. ive been wanting it ever since it was 2k and now it’s 4k. im so luckyyyy jejejejejejejeeee. i still cant believe i got it! as a gift too! omgggg! feel so lovvvvvveeeed!!!!!! this is what exactly i wanted! the reissue flap !! although sliver/black would be more perfect but i cant complain. now i got my camera and my purse, there is really nothing else i want in my life right now. next thing -> a house for me and pork belly!

ok enough showing off, the rest is some random pix from this weekend. pork belly and i wanted to see ai weiwei’s exhibit in dc museum, but ended up it isnt til this fall. we still went around and took a few pix of other stuff they had.

look at this fcker

honey pig korean bbq

some more pix from baltimore

hope everyone had a great weekend.

Recent Random Good Eats and Recipe to Marinate Honey Chicken Wings

i ll start with recent lunch routine.

my biggest decision of a work day would be deciding where to eat. i work close to chinatown so i have plenty of choices other than sandwich store and fast food.

recently i am addicted to this Vietnamese joint. i have been going to this place 3 days a week for 2-3 weeks now. it’s a vietnamese sandwich shop, but i rarely get the viet sandwich because too many crumbs i dont wanna make my office a mess.

i always get the summer rolls. three for $3.25!! (yea i ate one already.) it’s light, fresh, delish, refreshing, perfect for summertime. it’s filled with cooked shrimp, rice noodles, fresh herbs, and veggies.

bbq chicken with rice. chicken is very tender with a bit of sweetness. i like the fish sauce too! this is only $3.5!!! can you beat this!?!?!

163 Vietnamese Sandwiches & Bubble Tea
66 Harrison Ave
(between Oxford Pl & Beach St)
Boston, MA 02111
Neighborhood: Chinatown
(617) 542-7903

for lunch, i also like the spicy fish from Gourmet Dumpling House. there is always a huge line outside during dinner time, so lunch is the perfect time to go. go there as early as 11:30 because it will also be packed after that.
beef appetizer. eat it with vinegar.

bitter melon

wasnt a big fan of these soup dumplings. too big and oily.

spicy fish. ive written a review before. this is super good. spicy and numbing! one of the best in boston!

Gourmet Dumpling House
52 Beach St
(between Harrison Ave & Tyler St)
Boston, MA 02111
Neighborhood: Chinatown
(617) 338-6223

http://www.gourmetdumpling.com/

i work from home 2 days a week. i love guacamole and salsa and mexican food. i saw this taco place in medford so i drove there during my lunch hours. their sandwiches look pretty yum too maybe next time i ll try that.
i got the chicken plate. not the best ive had, but decent. only $6.9 with guacamole.

Tenoch Mexican
24 Riverside Ave
Medford, MA 02155
(781) 395-2221

http://www.tenochmexican.com

speaking of medford, my friend took me to a brazilian restaurant called Oasis Brazilian Restaurant. basically they serve all kinds of brazilian bbq. you can either choose all you can buffet or you can order your own. i was running late, so i didnt take my camera. i loved their chicken, so tender and perfectly seasoned. the drinks were awesome too! best part about this place was their DESSERTS! omg i saw they had passion fruit mousse, i immediately knew i had to get it since i absolutely love love passion fruit everything!
it turned out to be so much better than i expected. loved the creamy passion fruit flavor, loved the texture. my friend and i both took one to go as well.

we also got flan. very good as well. biggest portion of flan ive had.

Oasis Brazilian Restaurant
373 Main St
Medford, MA 02155
(781) 396-8337

http://www.newoasisrestaurant.com/

speaking of passion fruit, today i went to stop and shop to get some yogurt and apples. i saw passion fruit flavored chobani!!!! holy sht!!!!!!!!!!!! i love chobani and now they have my passion fruit!!!!!!! cant love this more. i ate one as soon as i get home. holy moly! its soooo goood!!!!!!!!!!!!! i encourage anyone to try it out!!!!!! im addicted!!!!!!

moving on to dinner. if you are asian and have been living in boston for a while i bet you know a sushi buffet called Minado. i have been going to this place ever since high school. i dont usually eat buffet especially sushi buffet, but this place is an exception. i personally think it is better than the famous todai which has so many locations across US. the food here is pretty fresh. huge selection of all kinds sushi and japanese food. dinners and lunchs are different. dinner they offer sashimi, oysters, and crabs that they dont serve during lunch.

but guess what i love the most out of all the yum yums?! their STRAWBERRY CAKE! (not pictured)out of all these years, im talking about 6-7 years or even more of coming here, this was the ONLY time they did not have the strawberry cake. bummerrrr omg! their strawberry cake is the best strawberry cake ive ever had, so smooth, creamy, light, not overly sweet.

i love this place. def worth to check out if you havent.

Minado
Categories: Japanese, Buffets, Seafood
1282 Worcester Rd
Natick, MA 01760
(508) 647-0495

http://www.minado.com

after a full meal, it’s perfect time to grab a drink. one of my fave spots in boston to drink is the top of the hub.
i love the scenery; you could see entire boston. they do have live bands on thursday night or maybe other night as well. it is not expensive either although they do have a minimum spending of $25 each person if you wanna sit by the window. ive had dinner here before, it was average. i do love to grab a drink and desserts here. looking over entire boston and sipping a glass of wine and have a great conversation with your soulmate/BFF, can life get any better?

Top of the Hub
800 Boylston St
Ste 52
(between Fairfield St & Gloucester St)
Boston, MA 02199
Neighborhood: Back Bay
(617) 536-1775

http://www.topofthehub.net

now it’s summertime everybody brought their grill out and ready to have some bbq. we had a small bbq at my friend’s new apt last weekend. i would like to share my recipe to marinate my honey chicken wings.
i bought chicken wings from stop and shop. the smaller the better. you ll need soy sauce (both dark and light), salt, ginger, scallions, pepper, and cooking wine.
when i cook, i dont use measurements, i just dump everything in. oh before you dump everything in, make sure you use a knife to poke the chicken first so the sauce can actually get inside the wing. let it sit in the fridge over night.

when you grill it, right before they were cooked, brush a coat of honey or two. this makes the wings super delish. dont do it too early because the skin will burn quickly.

have a great summer grilling yum yums everyone!

*all pix taken by iphone 4 except the mexican plate.

Honey Pig Gooldaegee Korean BBQ @ Centreville, VA

boston does not have any good korean food. i usually get my korean bbq fix in VA. with a larger korean population in virginia, you can find way better korean food in VA. honey pig is our to go korean bbq place. honey pigs have three locations in VA. the centreville one is the closest to pork belly’s house. this was actually the very first restaurant pork belly took me to in VA. it opens 24/7 and i love the atmosphere here.

it reminds me exactly like korea. they even use the same table in korea.

we order LA galbi and ribs. so yummmmm

they sell their tees. two pigs and one wears bunny ears awww.

this place gets 4/5 bunny belly.

13818-B Braddock Rd
Centreville, VA 20121

(703) 830-5959

http://www.eathoneypig.com

7220 Columbia Pike
Annandale, VA 22003

(703) 256-5229

Mitsuwa Marketplace NJ + Golden Shopping Mall + New World Mall Food Court @ Flushing Queens, NY

Saturday, i went to new york to pick up my ‘new’ car and meet up with pork belly.

every time we are in new york or new jersey we have to stop by mitsuwa. it’s the largest japanese supermarket in the U.S. we love this place. good and cheap food. JDM groceries, cosmetics, magazines, toys!!

food from the food court:

curry beef + rice

cold udon

this is best green latte ive had in the US!!

every saturday they have something different that they sell in the food court. this time they were selling these mochi stuff.

not bad

bun i got from the bakery inside mitsuwa

jdm chocolate candies, cosmetics, hair products, vivi magazine, and pork belly’s sexy leg!

i love hada labo products, so cheap and so good! hada labo masks are probably the best masks ive ever used besides sk-II. ya but sk-ii is 10 times the price.

two cool toys

next top we went to flushing aka my fave spot on this land! driving to flushing is so much easier than taking the subway! plenty of parking garages. we stayed about 3 hrs and it was only 10 bux.

right after we parked our cart. we spotted this chuan er place!!! chuan ers from flushing are even better than the ones from beijing. the meat is super juicy!! i guess they use better meat here. i freakin love love this bbq lamb/beef/chicken cart!!!!

this is a diff cart than we had last time.

located @ 39th ave + main st.

pork belly managed to talk to them in chinese. so impressive!

next stop, we went to the xi’an famous foods @ golden shopping mall which Anthony Bourdain went to.
the golden shopping mall food court is in the basement. pretty ghetto and smelly, but i ll suck it up for the good food.

we got the famous lamb burger which they made on the spot.

me + lamb burger. the lamb burger is different than what i had in china. it is very oily but super flavorful. the meat is super juicy and tender! like x 10000

we wanted to try their noodles, but we were getting too full after mitsuwa and lamb chuan ers. we still wanted to go to the new world mall for more food.

on the way to new world mall food court, i saw a shop that sold chestnuts! my fave snack in beijing! i love chestnuts!!!!

considering it is not in season for chestnuts, these are pretty sweet!!!

we arrived to the new world mall food court with a full stomach. it is much cleaner than the golden shopping mall. much more pleasant dinning environment.

we saw a lady was making soup dumplings, so we decided to try some. we ordered the crab meat flavored soup dumplings.

FAIL. too big, too greasy. no good.

last time we had kong fu cha, i didnt like it so we decided to try a new place this time. i got the regular milk tea to be safe. they were buy one get one free, but too good to be true. it tasted pretty bad. super sweet and artificial flavored. FAIL

we also got the hand-pull noodles. hand-pull noodles with lamb soup. meh i dont know if we were too full so it didnt taste good or it’s just not so good. the soup was rather bland and the noodles did not taste as chew considering its hand pulled.

the most horrifying thing was i saw hair on a piece of lamb or pork skin. that totally freaked me out and killed my entire appetite. ive never seen hair on meat skin in my food before. that was disgusting.

lastly, i got my fave mango dessert from my fave dessert spot, man ji desserts! sooo goood!

pork belly and i both got diarrhea after our trip. we wonder which food we ate that made us sick.

Mitsuwa Marketplace
595 River Road, Edgewater, NJ 07020
(201) 941-9113

Golden Mall
41-28 Main St
Flushing, NY 11355

New World Mall Food Court
4021 Main St
Flushing, NY 11354

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