NYC's Momofuku Noodle Bar

Momofuku Ramen at NYC's Momofuku Noodle Bar

The East Village of Manhattan presents an astonishing array of worldly cuisines from which to choose.  Deciding where to eat a quick lunch in that part of Manhattan can be a chore in of itself.  Fortunately for me, I acted quickly in deciding where to dine on a recent trip to the Big Apple.  Momofuku Noodle Bar on 1st Avenue called out to me.  I'm not incredibly familiar with this type of Asian cuisine, though my curiosity certainly is.  I bellied up to the noodle bar itself to see what the James Beard award winning restaurant (and Chef David Chang) had to offer.  After looking over the daily-changing menu selections, I seconded guessed myself before deciding on the chilled asparagus soup and the Momofuku Ramen.  I narrowly missed out on the pork buns, which came highly recommended, but I really knew that I'd regret not getting noodles at the noodle bar.  If only I truly had a hollow leg.

Chilled Asparagus Soup with Jalapeno, Cucumber, and Sesame 

The chilled asparagus soup made me realize why I love cold soups.  The texture resonated on my tongue as the cool creaminess mildly transformed into a silky smoothness.  The fresh flavors intensified as the soup warmed up on my taste buds.  The jalapeno added a subtle spice that balanced well with the asparagus and cucumber.  I ate every drop, wondering if I could replicate this at home with any degree of accuracy.  Then I awaited my noodle bowl.

Momofuku Ramen, Pork Belly, Pork Shoulder, Poached Egg

I knew I needed to get my hands on the signature dish at the noodle bar.  The Momofuku Ramen carried the restaurant's name, so on my first and potentially only visit, I couldn't help but give it a try.  Plus, any dish that starts with pork belly usually gets my attention.  Momofuku Ramen contained noodles in a savory broth with braised pork belly, tender pork shoulder meat, and a poached egg.  Throw in some scallions and other fragrant goodies, and I had one heck of a meal in a bowl.  The rich egg yolk flowed from its surrounding whites upon a prick from my chopsticks.  It added even more depth to the artist's palate of flavors in the dish.  The pork belly melted effortlessly in my mouth as I shoveled noodles down the hatch as if they were a refreshing brew on a hot summer day.  Then I literally drank the broth.  I need more of this in my life.

Red Stick Red Sauce: Spaghetti and Meatballs in Baton Rouge

This article has been published in the October 2010 issue of Town Favorites Magazine. You can visit the Town Favorites website at http://www.townfavorites.com/, follow them on Twitter @TownFavorites, and find their magazines at over 150 restaurants and businesses around Baton Rouge! Pick up a copy today!

Red Stick Red Sauce: Spaghetti and Meatballs in Baton Rouge

by Jay D. Ducote

Baton Rouge may not be well known for its Italian food.  The capital city is more renowned for its Cajun influences, seafood, and its Greek and Lebanese scene than it is for true Italian.  Sure, you can find some great locally owned pizza joints, but they don’t quite do the trick when you are really after the perfect plate of Italian red sauce.  However, it doesn’t take too much searching around before you find some local chefs that really know their pastas.  Indeed, the quintessential Italian dish to try before all else is spaghetti and meatballs.  If you find an Italian restaurant that makes a satisfactory tomato sauce, or “red gravy”, and an equally delicious seasoned meatball, chances are you’ll like the rest of their menu as well.  If the spaghetti and meatballs fall short of your expectations, then heed the warning that you may not enjoy the lasagna or eggplant parmesan either.

Baton Rouge’s long standing icon of Italian cuisine is Gino’s Restaurant.  The establishment is hidden off of College Drive but everybody who knows food in Baton Rouge knows exactly where to find it.  They have often been voted by multiple polls and publications as the best Italian food in the city, so I thought it would be only natural to start there for some meatballs.

My trip to Gino’s involved a dinner to celebrate my birthday.  My brother Eric, sister Dana, father Jere, and his significant other Donna came along with me to indulge in the rich Italian sauces.  Everybody ordered their own thing, but I made certain to put in an order of spaghetti and meatballs as an appetizer for the table to share.  Gino Marino, the proprietor, chatted with me about the restaurant and the meatballs for a few minutes.  The meatballs themselves are the same recipe that dates back over 40 years and are still hand rolled by Grace “Mama” Marino.  Vincent and Grace Marino came to the United States from Sicily with their children in 1951.  The restaurant was first established on Perkins Road in 1966 but moved to its current Bennington Avenue location in 1975.  To this day, Gino’s is still 100% family owned and operated which is something that I really like when seeking out a restaurant.

Spaghetti and Meatballs at Gino's

The dimly lit dining room provided a lovely atmosphere for an evening of edible enjoyment.  We soon had salads, some wine, and a couple loaves of the famous Laurence Bread as we waited on the meatballs.  Gino’s red sauce is a slightly sweet marinara that tastes great while not overpowering the dish like some sweeter sauces can do.  The spaghetti had an ideal noodle texture for meatballs.  Sometimes I like an al dente noodle, but with meatballs thoroughly cooked pasta is preferable.  Finally, the meatball itself had excellent flavor and one could tell it had been crafted with love by Mama Marino.  All of the main ingredients combined masterfully on the plate to create a dish that made we want to sample more of Gino’s cuisine.  The spaghetti and meatballs easily passed my “first course at an Italian restaurant” test.

Maggio's Delicatessen and Catering

Switching gears from Gino’s, I tried to find a new Italian spot that also did things the right way.  Baton Rouge has a handful of good, local, established restaurants with Italian dishes such as Pinetta’s, DiGiulio Brothers, Monjuni’s, and Ruffino’s; but I wanted to get off the beaten path.  On Old Hammond Highway I found Chef and Restaurateur Mark Maggio at his newly opened Maggio’s Delicatessen and Catering.  Mark is no stranger to the Baton Rouge food scene.  He used to own and operate Maggio’s Restaurante downtown where Christina’s now serves breakfasts and lunches.  His new venture, which is only about 12-13 weeks old as of October 1, 2010, is a throwback to his family history.  Mark’s grandparents were born in Sicily and he learned his culinary ways from his mother as she made Sicilian “meatballs and gravy” during his formative years.

Mark and Jay at Maggio's

Maggio’s Delicatessen and Catering serves food out of a renovated house.  The entrance leads you into a room with a deli counter where you can get some Italian staples like lasagna, chicken parmesan, Italian sausages, and more to go.  If you’re eating in, Maggio’s has a few dining areas that are set up in rooms of the old house.  Space is limited, but that only adds to the atmosphere.  You can easily forget you are dining in restaurant and instead escape the hustle and bustle with the sensation that you are eating home-cooked authentic Italian food right there at someone’s home.  In fact, the kitchen is a far cry from most commercial kitchens in modern restaurants since they cook on residential ranges; but that certainly takes nothing way from the output quality. 

Jean prepares the red gravy at Maggio's

As Mark and I discussed his restaurant, he seemed excited that I chose to write this article on spaghetti and meatballs.  He commented, “Your first trip to an Italian restaurant should always include meatballs and gravy.”  He agreed with me on the notion that you can tell everything you need to know by the meatballs and red sauce, so I anxiously anticipated tasting Maggio’s version of the classic dish.  Mark went on to describe what sets his meatballs apart from others.  His all beef meatballs are actually made out of ground steak trimmings from the Ready Portion Meat Company right here in Baton Rouge.  The high-quality ground steak is in excess of the standard 80/20 ground beef to fat ratio.  Added to the ground steak are breadcrumbs, onions, a little cheese, and some other ingredients that Mark didn’t want to let me in on.  I can’t blame him!

Mark’s tomato gravy also uses superior products to deliver a delicious sauce.  His gravy begins with tomato paste that comes from Stanislaus Food Products.  Stanislaus uses fresh-packed California tomatoes that are canned on the line.  The paste distinctly differs from the tomato concentrate that most pastes use.  Once Mark gets the fresh packed tomato paste, he cooks it exactly the same way every time to create his red gravy in a consistent manner. 

Meatballs and Spaghetti at Maggio's Delicatessen and Catering

 The first bite of spaghetti and meatballs at Maggio’s Delicatessen and Catering made me extremely glad that I paid them a visit.  The gravy had an excellent balance between sweet and savory with enough spice to say hello to the tongue but nothing more.  The meatballs may have stolen the show though.  The flavor mixed excellently with the tomato sauce to present the combination which I had eagerly anticipated.  I literally couldn’t put my fork down between bites and could barely talk to Mark anymore once the plate was in front of me because I was too busy stuffing my face.  At only $6.99 for a plate of “Meatballs & Spaghetti” with a dinner salad and bread, this may be one of the better deals in town!     

Gino’s and Maggio’s both do spaghetti and meatballs right.  They start with quality ingredients and they take the time to carefully hand craft the meatballs.  Their tomato sauces differ, but both still reflect the Sicilian roots of their owner’s culinary heritage.  While Baton Rouge may not ever be known for Italian cuisine like other cities in America, citizens of the Red Stick can rest assured that they can find some delicious and authentic food from “the boot” across the pond if they know where to look!

Jay D. Ducote is the author of the blog Bite and Booze, which chronicles his culinary and indulgent cultural experiences around Baton Rouge, South Louisiana, and the world.  It can be found at www.biteandbooze.com.  You can also reach him by email at jay@biteandbooze.com, like the Bite and Booze fan page on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter @biteandbooze. Thanks to Eric Ducote of BRBeerScene.com for taking all the pictures for this article.

Things To Do
Baton Rouge

Thai Kitchen with Megan

Thai Kitchen stands tall on the list of Baton Rouge Thai restaurants, though there are several other places that I like equally well for different reasons.  Thai Kitchen is the larger, more corporate feeling Thai location that always has a crowd and serves what I thought was consistently good food.  They are not a hole-in-the-wall like Rama and they do not offer a buffet like Thai Pepper.  Instead, Thai Kitchen serves their sushi bar and Thai cuisine in the well-known Southdowns Shopping Center, right next to Spectrum Fitness and around the corner from a popular watering hole, The Bulldog.  The tables at Thai Kitchen are made from carved wood with an Asian flair that matches the rest of the decor, and they also feature karaoke bar which is prominately advertised around the building.  Megan accompanied me on a recent trip to Thai Kitchen to see what we could find to satisfy our appetite. 

Neau Nam Tok

For an appetizer, our knowledgable server recommended the Neau Nam Tok.  This marinated and charbroiled beef came out sliced thin and seasoned with Thai herbs, hot pepper, and fresh lime juice.  The beef and herbs were served with crispy cabbage to make "cabbage wraps" out of the dish.  I have to say that this was my favorite part of the dinner (It was almost better than the company, but not quite!).  Not to say that everything else tasted bad, but rather, this appetizer is one that I can see myself getting over and over again.  The tender slices of tasty beef oozed with juices that brilliantly blended hot, sweet, and sour all together into one outstanding bit.  The hint of lime, the spice of pepper, and the tang of the herbs mixed in a symphony of flavors that orchestrated my taste buds.  Yeah, I'm getting that again!

Singha, Thai Lager Beer

Naturally when I eat at a Thai restaurant, I like to get a Thai beer.  For the selection available around here, it doesn't get much better than Singha.  Singha is a light lager beer with a sweet, distinguishably Oriental taste that is common in many East Asian beers.  The head quickly disappears from the glass and it can easily be mistaken for cheap American swill with many of the same tendencies.  All in all, the beer is good, but I don't really drink it except for when I'm eating Thai food.

Panang Curry

One traditional dish in Thai cuisine is curry.  Megan and I shared the panang curry with shrimp.  The dish featured a panang curry paste with coconut milk, green beans, and Kaffir lime leaves served with steamed white rice.  The panang curry is rather mild and the coconut milk and lime flavors stood out and very much complemented the shrimp.  I thought it was pretty good and would certainly recommend it or eat it again.

Pad Thai

The other quintessential Thai dish that you find in America is Pad Thai.  The popular dish at Thai Kitchen has stir fried rice noodles with shrimp, bean sprouts, scallions, tofu, ground peanuts, and eggs.  This particular Pad Thai did not impress Megan and I much at all.  I like Pad Thai a lot, but the taste of Thai Kitchen's dish on this night seemed a little off.  It remained edible, but not the special, delightful dish that it usually is.  Oh well, I guess you can't win them all.  I'm sure that I'll still go back and when I do, you can bet that I'll order the Neau Nam Tok.