“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

After five long hours of driving, we arrived in Provincetown with aching legs and growling stomachs and made our way to the nearest wharf-side food shack, John’s Footlong, to refuel before we boarded the boat for our whale watching tour.

Lobster roll busting at the seams

Just look at the toasty sides of the J. J. Nissen roll

It was at John’s Footlong that I had my very first lobster roll ever.  Judging by the hunkering mound of lobster in this roll, it was probably the sad fate of 2 or 3 lobsters.  The roll is a fine specimen itself–a signature J.J. Nissen roll, top-split New England bun, which was buttered and toasted to produce a nice golden crust that soaks in just enough mayonnaise, but doesn’t easily get soggy.

On the whale watching tour, we encountered a few friendly Humpbacks–a mom and its calf, as well as a pair of  young whales who were taking a midday nap, or “logging”, as our guide called it.  A curious whale came up right next to our boat and sneezed some plankton-scented air at us.

A friendly Humpback waving hello

Kazumtite!

Whale face speckled with barnacle scars

Red Inn

Back in Provincetown after the tour, we headed to the Red Inn for dinner.  Little did we know, this place was booked solid until 10:30 pm.  We struck a deal with the hostess, who agreed to let us eat dinner in one hour, before the guests who reserved the table would arrive.

My mom ordered the fresh local sea scallops with orzo and a citrus Cuerre Blanc; atop a bed of orzo lay four sumptuously fat and juicy scallops.  I thought the scallops were slightly under seasoned, aside from the golden brown sear on the top and bottom.

I ordered the grilled Long Island duck breast, which was blackened and grilled and a savory bread pudding drizzled with a passion fruit maple glaze.  The passion fruit glaze cut the fattiness of the duck, while the dense and cheesy bread pudding soaked up the remaining sticky glaze.

My dad ordered the daily special, a flaky and moist pan-fried cod with crispy haricot vert.  My sister ordered a gazpacho that isn’t really worth mentioning–tasted more like a watery salsa.  After our hour was up, we were thoroughly full and satisfied as we drove back to our hotel in Hyannis to rest up after a long day in Provincetown.

John’s Footlong
309 Commercial Street
Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-7434

Red Inn
15 Commercial Street
Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-red Inn (508.487.7334)
http://www.theredinn.com