Menu:
*Kimchi Omelette
*Brioche French Toast with Maple Syrup, Berries and Bacon
*Savory Tart with Caramelized Onions, Gruyere, and Roasted Tomatoes
*Wild Blueberry Scones with Clotted Cream and an Assortment of Jams
*Tea & Coffee with Buttermilk Rusks

Plates & Records is a nomadic and themed supper club organized by Joann, Ram and Andrzej, a writer, a human rights lawyer and an artist respectively.  To attend, all you need is a plate, a record, an empty stomach, and an Andrew Jackson ($20).  The original P&R trifecta includes Andrzej, but in his place at the stove that morning was their friend Georgie.

Joann and Ram

Talisa and I arrived at Joann’s apartment to a friendly “Hello hello! Come in!” through the intercom.  Dashing into the hallway to greet us, Mellow, Joann’s Daschund, led us into the apartment, where we found a bustling kitchen and joyously inhaled the aroma of freshly baked savory tarts. We then climbed up the stairs and into the backyard, where a long communal table for 20 was set up, and a few people had already settled down.

Joann’s botanical kitchen / living room

Luckily, what started as a wet and dreary morning turned into a sunny afternoon.  It wasn’t long before we started passing around an aluminum tray of blueberry scones and assorted jams and began sipping on Mombucha and mimosas, all while I got a head start on my summer tan.

Joann’s dog, Mellow, scoping out the brunch scene

Ingredients for the kimchi omelettes

Ram’s Savory Tart with Caramelized Onions, Gruyere, and Roasted Tomatoes

My plate, after I took a few bites and before I grabbed a scone and piled on the berries and lemon curd.

Joann collected our plates and returned them with piping hot omelettes filled with a savory spicy mix of finely diced Soppressata, carrots, cheddar cheese, and of course kimchi.  This was all topped with a zig-zag of ketchup and Sriracha hot sauce.  Who needs a Bloody Mary when there are kimchi omelettes?  Kimchi omelettes aside, Ram’s savory tarts were a culinary feat —a total of 18 onions were cut, cooked and caramelized for these two tarts, some real blood, sweat and tears!  So what exactly is a savory tart?  Imagine if a quiche and a Chinese egg custard tart (“dan tat”) had a lovechild.  A very delicious lovechild.  Tucked within a buttery crust was a silken, custard-like, otherworldly egg filling.  The delicate filling coaxed out the complimentary flavors of sweet, golden brown threads of caramelized onion and robust gruyere cheese.  Throw in some cherry tomatoes and chives, and I was eating one killer savory tart.  For those who preferred a sweeter brunch option, Georgie helmed the stove and whipped up a delicious made-to-order french toast.  Made with fresh brioche, each slice was lightly washed with egg, browned in a cast iron pan, and sent off with a dusting of powdered sugar.  Unlike the hefty, dense french toast served at some brunch venues, this toast had a crispy, crunchy exterior with a light and ethereal interior.

Thanks to the Plates and Records crew, brunch is no longer a distant college memory.  Alright, so I’m not old enough to miss college yet, but I am susceptible to occasional bouts of nostalgia.  Find updates on the next supper club gathering and a recipe for Ram’s savory tart at the Plates and Records blog.  And if you’re in the hood, swing by and visit Joann and 50+ vendors at the monthly Greenpoint Food Market this Saturday, May 22, for some sweet treats and good eats.  Cheers to a warm spring and summer with backyard bbqs and park picnics aplenty!

“Duck Balut tonight @ umi nom!!!”

And just like that, I was headed to Brooklyn.

Despite the rain and wind, I made it alive to Fort Greene, Brooklyn that night. My eating companion Gary and I sat down at a table and prepared ourselves. Half expecting to see an alien-like entree, I was pleasantly surprised when out came two unassuming eggs, snugly tucked in a makeshift double egg holder made from a folded white napkin.  The eggs were accompanied by four different sauces — fish sauce speckled with flecks of chili, sea salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

Chef King instructed us to crack open the top of the egg and pour in a few small spoonfuls of each sauce. We were told to eat everything…except the rubbery disk at the bottom.  (“You don’t want to eat that.”)

Following directions, Gary and I carefully pried of the top of each egg to reveal a thin, translucent grayish film, which veiled the mysteriously dark and murky liquid underneath.

With great precision, I poured a spoonful of fish sauce and soy sauce, sprinkled a dash of salt, and drizzled just a few drops of vinegar, carefully as to not overpower the flavor of the balut.

Right as I was about to begin eating, I peered into the murky waters of the balut, barely making out a little chick fetus embracing the yolk. “Now or never”, I thought to myself.  Without further hesitation, I spooned my first few sips of the watery balut liquid.

Not knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my first sip wasn’t strange at all.  Rather, it evoked a familiar taste reminiscent of an earthy duck soup. It took more courage to get myself to try the embryo, which more closely resembled a science experiment gone awry than a baby chick. Helplessly clinging to the yolk, it was almost begging not to be eaten.  But that didn’t stop me.  I managed to break off a small piece with my spoon and take my first bite.  The smooth and delicately gelatinous embryo melted in my mouth, leaving a rich and robust taste, like a smooth pate, that lingered on after it was already on its way down into my stomach.

Mixed in with the correct ratio of condiments, you’ll hit the fundamental flavors of Filipino cuisine — salty, robust, with a kick of sourness at the end; the result is a pungent yet poetic combination of flavors that is uniquely Filipino.

Looking back, eating balut is really not as intimidating as it seems.  Eating bird embryos may not be for everyone, but it was an experience I certainly don’t regret having.  As a matter of fact, I’m looking forward to returning for a second helping.

**Balut is not regularly on the menu at Umi Nom, so if you are daring enough to try it for yourself, check in with the Umi Nom Twitter to see when Chef King is cooking some up.

umiNOM
433 DeKalb Ave., Brooklyn, New York 11205
tel. 718.789.8806
www.uminom.com
info@uminom.com

Umi Nom is a long, narrow restaurant, with a dark wood bar, exposed brick walls, and Edison light bulbs hanging from the ceiling.  Some of the Asian-themed design accents in the restaurant include the funky bamboo lighting above the bar and white ceramic wall decorations with small dotted lights running through what resembled the cross-section of bamboo.

There’s a lot of soul in every bite of each flavorful small plate.  Drawing inspiration from his Filipino and Thai roots, King’s food celebrates the notion of family, which he shares with us through his cooking.  Our table was near the back of the restaurant, giving us a premium location to sneak a peek into the kitchen, where I could catch a glimpse of King’s family hanging out beside him and tasting some of the dishes themselves, looking on as the chefs with bandannas prepped and cooked away.

Here’s a preview of what’s cooking at Umi Nom:

asian market greens sauteed greens & garlic were cooked in a wok under extreme heat for a short amount of time, so they were not oily, but rather crispy, garlicky, and smoky

wok prawns chili glazed were saucy and slightly piquant from the birds eye chili.  Be sure not to waste the shrimp head, slurp up those shrimp brain juices!

grilled mackerel toasted rice, cherry tomato, jicama, garlic-chili lime dressing had a crispy, charred skin and that delicious fishy mackerel taste.  Overall the dish could have used a bit more tartness, although I did enjoy the crunchy jicama.  Perhaps the mysteriously missing toasted rice would have added more to the dish.

bahay kubo fried rice stir fried rice, egg, soy, garlic was one of my favorites. I’m not sure which ingredient gave the fried rice a sucker punch of umami, but I would gladly eat it again.  The fried rice was salty, shrimpy, and had pieces of Chinese sausage which added a sweet component to the dish.

charred beef rice vermicelli cold rice sticks, herbs, cucumbers are a nice combo of medium rare steak and rice noodles, with crunchy mung beans and herbs.  This lighter dish counterbalanced the heavier meaty dishes.

sauteed chinese sausage thai chili-lime sauce is King’s specialty and is the only dish served at both Kuma Inn and Umi Nom..because it’s SO GOOD.  Unlike the Chinese sausage usually found in Chinatown, which is skinnier, sweeter, and more dense, this meaty sausage has a more subtle sweetness.  Stir fried with shallots and garlic, then dipped in the Thai chili-lime sauce, the sweet, salty, and tart come together beautifully.  The sticky rice on the right is really sticky and really good.

grilled pork chops pickled vegetables were exquisitely juicy and tender.  The dish had a good ratio of meat to pickle.

crimini mushroom tofu skewers scallions lacked a little something, but it was still pretty good.  I’m a bit partial since I’m a big meatlover.

shitake mushrooms soy mirin glaze consisted of sweet and meaty mushrooms swimming in soy mirin sauce.

(sorry, this photo came out really dark and unrecognizable!) bbq ribs garlic, ginger, lemongrass, oyster sauce marinade were cut into small easy-to-manage riblettes.  Nice and juicy with a crispy, charred crust.

chilled summer fruit soup consisted of watermelon and canteloupe balls, lychee, and plums in a sweet, chilled lemongrass soup.  A light and sweet conclusion to my dinner at Umi Nom.

Umi Nom
433 DeKalb Ave between Classon Ave and Taaffe Place
Brooklyn, NY
718-789-8806

In the heart of Little Poland– what most of us know as Greenpoint, Brooklyn– is Bakery Rzeszowska, a neighborhood Polish bakery. Large pastries pregnant with fruit and poppy seed filling await beneath a glass case. Plump loaves of babka glow with yellow-brown goodness, ready to fly off their racks as waves of neighborhood regulars quickly come and go.

During my first visit, I asked the woman behind the counter, “What is something quintessentially Polish?”.  She responded with a confused expression. “Everything is Polish”, she said in a thick accent. I decided to point to a few pastries and ask her if they were especially good. Since she replied with “yes” to all of them, it was up to me to choose from the rows of nondescript sugar-topped buns and bulbous egg-washed twists. I ultimately decided to sample their twisted pastry with poppy seed filling and what she described as a donut filled with cherry plum jelly.

Cherry and Plum jelly filled pączek

Pączek, akin to the jelly donut, is fried dough made with eggs, butter, lard, sugar, and cream.  Authentic paczki (plural) have fruity fillings such as prunes or rosebud marmalade, but can come in different flavor variations, like cherry plum. The outside of the pączek is sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar and a touch of orange zest. Since their basic ingredients are forbidden during Lent, paczki are traditionally eaten on Fat Thursday, the last Thursday before Lent. However, many Polish Americans reserve this treat for Fat Tuesday. I quickly saw that devouring this fried wonder is a perfect way to celebrate Mardi Gras. Forget the parties, give me some paczki and a napkin, I’ve gone forty whole days without them. The pączek from Bakery Rzeszowska was a heavenly balance of spongy, soft, sweet and tart.  I was expecting the dough to be slightly dry and dense, thinking back to some disappointing encounters with Czech pastries in Prague. But the pączek was spongy and moist, with subtly tart bits of cherry plum filling encased in the sweet, pillowy dough.

Twist with poppy seed filling

After I POLISHed off the pączek, I moved onto the long twist with the poppy seed filling. The twisted pastry can be more accurately described as a bread. Polish baked goods tend to all share an egg-heavy dough, which creates a yellow-tinged appearance and a texture that is dense yet soft and buoyant, a bit like Challah. My twist was filled with a traditional paste made with poppy seeds ground in a special grinder. The black paste was sweet and nutty, teasing my taste buds with flavors hinting almonds and coconut.  Each slice of this pastry presented a small, concentrated wad of poppy seed paste wrapped in eggy bread, ready to deliver one delicious big bite.

Try your hand at making your own paczki !

Bakery Rzeskowzka
948 Manhattan Ave
(between India St & Java St)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 383-8142