cannes, france

June 10, 2014 sarah lee

You know when you try a type of food for the first time, and it’s so good there’s so much involved? Not just the texture, or the color, or the size. It becomes emotional. It becomes a memory that will stay on the tip of your tongue. Probably for a really long time.

That’s what happened here. At Cannes, France. The local strawberries…yeah, I could just start and finish with this. Everyday.

I just got back from Cannes (located in the French Riviera) a few weeks ago, had a great opportunity to attend the Cannes Film Festival as a guest. Checking this off my bucket list now! The city, the beaches, the food, the shopping...just not enough time to see and do everything really. Oh, and I over packed. Just a little. My wardrobe was ambitious, because you just never know how many outfits a lady would need per day due to the weather right? I mean it's Cannes! Uh, hopefully I’m not the only one that thought this way.

busan once again

April 22, 2014 sarah lee

부산 횟집

On our way to Vietnam in January, I spent a few days in Seoul + a quick overnight trip to Busan. For those who haven't checked out Busan yet, it's the 2nd largest city & the largest port in South Korea located in the Southeastern tip. Even with limited time, we were able to make room for one proper meal. We were all business when it came down to deciding on where we would dine for our only evening in Busan. So we went to the expert. Busan Hwejip-부산 횟집, was recommended by Busan resident and amazing blogger Sally Shim (who hails from Portland). This just had to be one of the best, if not the most memorable dining experience for me in Busan. I've been to this city a handful of times, and was never thoroughly impressed with their seafood in the past. As they are really known for that. This time around, I think I underestimated what this city has to offer. Although the selection of food options in general are less than Seoul, I have to give it to them when it comes to shellfish.

vietnam

February 10, 2014 sarah lee

Place with no name (hörnet Nguyen Trung Troc/Le Loi): best bun thit nuong in town

When I lived in Seoul for 3 years, the one thing I regretted the most was not traveling around Asia as much as I should have. Yeah, I visited a few cities here and there. Well, I guess you can say it's all about timing. Perhaps I would not have enjoyed it as much traveling alone then. Finding the right travel partner does make all the difference! It wasn’t until after I left Korea did I finally visit Vietnam. So here we go. Prior to this trip, I had a long list of expectations. Mainly food. Okay, Vietnam has exceeded my expectations by miles. After picking the brains of 2 amazing bloggers/writers- Jen Yi from ‘Sites and Bites’ and Jan Ekholm who live in Vietnam, their list of favorites not only made our trip worthwhile, it made me anticipate my return trip. Hopefully sooner than later~

When I travel to different countries, I have to 'reset' my mind, body, emotions, habits, and attitude so that I can 'just be present'. Upon arrival, I wasn’t anxious to know what was going to happen the next day. Everyday felt like I was really given ‘just that day’ to live and eat, and wanted to take advantage of every moment. If I didn’t, it would pass by under a blink.

the back kitchen-brooklyn

December 26, 2013 sarah lee

For one night only...

Traditional Korean fare meets modern flavors and styling. A Gluten-Free Menu meets a Brooklyn Pop Up. Acclaimed Seoul Chef Wonil Lee meets Seoul in the City’s Sarah Lee.

This collaboration promises an innovative, beautiful, and flavorful dining experience. Don’t miss out on this truly unique interpretation of Korean cuisine!

Come with friends, bring your favorite bottle of wine or spirits, and grab a seat by purchasing tickets in advance! Tickets can be purchased via pay pal or credit card (see link below). Please inquire about dietary restrictions or general questions to sarah.lee25@gmail.com

An all gluten-free Korean menu:

'Pyogo Juk'

Shiitake mushroom cream porridge, topped with dates, perilla seeds, chili oil

'Gochori'

Korean salad made with fresh seasonal greens, tossed with perilla seed dressing, silk tofu, crispy rice bits

'Saewoo Nangchae'

Steamed shrimp tossed in creamy mustard, brown rice, ketnip (Korean sesame leaf) & coriander pesto

'Samhap'

Combination of three: bulgogi beef + two variations of tofu + washed kimchi; tofu cream infused with black sesame and garlic

'Bibim Bop'

Quinoa, stir fried dried anchovy, spinach, butternut squash, watercress, red cabbage, quail egg, red pepper paste

'Gokam mari & Dduk gochi'

Walnut wrapped in dried persimmon, fried rice cakes with yuzu glaze

Saturday, January 11th 2014

There will be 3 seatings, 20 seats/per seating.

Brunch-12:30-2:30pm ($25/person)-SOLD OUT!!!

Dinner 1st seating-5:30-7:30pm ($45/person)-SOLD OUT!!!

Dinner 2nd seating-8:30-11pm ($45/person)-SOLD OUT!!!

Location:

Nha Toi Restaurant in Williamsburg

160 Havemeyer St. (between 2nd and 3rd street)

Brooklyn, NY 11211

*street parking available, nearest metro is L train 'Bedford Ave stop' or J/M ‘Marcy Ave Stop'

Please click here to purchase tickets throughBrown Paper Tickets

the still life-hudson valley new york

December 6, 2013 sarah lee

Cows at Sprout Creek Farm-Poughkeepsie, NY

“Memory lives in the body. Just like taste does. Food is not simply about finding ingredients-it’s something that runs parallel to life, politics, gossip and histories…it’s something that we re-create every time we gather with our friends to grow and eat our foods. And we create new memories.”

-Aruna D’Souza

The quote above pretty much sums up my life vision…my everyday vision. Some of you may remember my previous posts about my farm experiences: Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Bean Table, salt farms in Korea, and visiting any farm for that matter. So today I'll be sharing about the Hudson River Valley.

going back to the roots-let's start again...

October 27, 2013 sarah lee

My sweet addiction: shaved milk+fresh house made red bean paste+house made rice cakes.

Okrumong 오루몽 was among some my favorites.

So I was thinking about writing a serious post on all of the places I went to during my 2 month stay in Korea. Oh what the heck, I just had to start this post off with a large image of my favorite Korean dessert-Red Bean Bingsoo (aka 'Pat bingsoo'). Growing up in a Korean home, you just knew that it was the best treat when your mom busts out the ice shaver that takes like 30 minutes to shave a cup of ice, pours milk and bean powder, throws some fruit and rice cakes, and of course the glorious red bean paste. Then when you have 2 younger brothers, forget it. Game over. You can barely get spoon of this down without a battle. I wasn't a huge fan of red bean paste during the early years, as I just couldn't figure out why it tasted the way it did. Definitely an acquired taste. Did you know that a persons taste buds changes every 7 years??? Is what a teacher friend told me once...which I can definitely relate to because I hated fish growing up, and now it's my first choice of protein. Random story. But true. Anyhow-I love how simplicity of this dish, and the key is to have shaved milk, house made red bean paste, and house made Korean rice cakes. Definitely tempting to make my own version of this in Brooklyn. Next summer that is :)

So my favorite part of this trip was the red bean bingsoo. There were some amazing things that I tried for the first time, or new discoveries. However, the *winner* was definitely this dessert. I think I ate it uh...every week? haha. This explains the extra kilos my body picked up along the way.

the untold story of south korea's salt farms

September 26, 2013 sarah lee

The most eye opening experience that I had recently was a 2-day road trip in South Korea's beautiful Jeollanam-do (절라남도) province towards the tail end of my trip this month. What I have learned, tasted, uncovered, and felt was truly an experience that stands alone.

Through this journey, I hope to be more truthful in my work and in what I share moving forward. This was the first time visiting Korea's salt farms, and what I have discovered was both beautiful and sad. What I'm about to share may come to a shock to most of you. Perhaps this story will encourage you to rethink about the salt we intake, especially if you reside in Korea. If it doesn't, I have no other comments. This story really, really hit home for me.

So it begins here…

Kim Mak-dong (김막동) has been farming salt for over 40 years in Hae-nam, Jeollanam-do province (해남 절라남도). What encouraged him to start clay farming was a visit from a Buddhist monk early on during his career, which recognized that his salt farm is located in very special grounds near the South Sea (which is bounded by the southwestern part of the Sea of Japan, and by the southeastern part of the Yellow Sea). Just to give you a brief description of how sea salt is formed: the sun evaporates the dilute seawater brine. In general, there are 3 main methods used to produce salt: solar, evaporation, & rock mining. For the evaporation process, it takes 7-10 consecutive sunny days to produce sea salt.

Most of the sea salt farms in Korea use black PVC tarps for the evaporation process. Why? Well, this material expedites the evaporation due to the color and material, in which this process is considered a modern way of farming salt. You can see this method used in many salt farms around the world. Today, there is literally just one clay salt farm left in all of South Korea (to my knowledge) that produces natural sea salt-Kim Mak-dong's clay salt farm 'Topanyum (토판염).'

seoul for a moment

August 26, 2013 sarah lee

Photo taken at O Kitchen 3 in Gwanghwamun Seoul, artist Oh Jeong-Mi

Dear fellow readers-just want to leave a note to share that I'm currently in Seoul for a few months working on a project. Been a bit tied up so will be sharing my adventures with all of you soon~ Thanks for your patience and see you all soon^^

countlan magazine feature-korean salted mackerel

July 22, 2013 sarah lee

Thanks to Sarah Lambersky & staff at Countlan Magazine for the recent feature on my Korean Salted Mackerel Recipe! Countlan based in Denmark, is a quarterly online magazine that explores how people entertain at home all over the world. Captured with gorgeous photos, Countlan really helps you see the beauty of individual stories through their lens.

Perfect recipe for summer if you love fish, hope you all enjoy this as much as I do~

take 31 new york

July 8, 2013 sarah lee

Fried + Stuffed Anaheim Peppers (고추 튀김)

Confession. This is my first post on a Korean restaurant in New York since I moved here. Definitely not the first Korean spot I've hit, but I realized I would be too selfish NOT to share~

I was originally introduced to this cafe/bunshik/restaurant/bar (ok wait, what exactly is it???) by chef friend Jung Sik Yim from Jung Sik Dang. It was supposed to be a quick stop over to say hello to staff/owners, and we were just coming from dinner prior. I was beyond stuffed & sad that I wasn't able to dive into the food that they served right before my eyes. Yes, this girl sometimes cannot fit more food in her tummy after packing in a 10-course meal. So I made it a point that I had to return. Return I did. Uh, like 3-4 more times. Each time with different friends so that I could see their reaction. Is this weird? Actually, I just wanted to come here like every week. Most of these friends were foodies and hard-core critics, but guess what? It ended up being on their list of favorites in New York by the end of the evening!

So honestly guys-this is no fancy restaurant or a romantic date spot. It's your comfort zone. The place you definitely want to be when you need a drink, and eat food that will give you some serious pleasure. The interior is great (for New York) and you will feel like you're in some cafe in Korea. Strange. You'll end up craving some of the dishes the very next day. Is this a good thing? Hell yes. I'm just thrilled that there is place in NY where the bar/bunshik food resembles a lot of my favorites from Seoul. Except this is all under one roof.

Take 31 offers a pretty extensive menu, and could be confusing at first glance. However, asking the staff to recommend their faves is usually the way to go. Or just look at my list below! Plus, this is not on the main 32nd street in Koreatown (which is great) so you don't see the crazy foot traffic of tourists. Maybe a bit hard to spot with all the construction around it, but well worth the effort to navigate if you are looking for a good find.

By the way-if you're bilingual (Korean/English), just note the whole staff speaks English! I keep embarrassing myself sometimes speaking full on Korean at these Korean restaurants, and they respond in English. Haha...but I'm sure they'll appreciate the attempt^^

hello prospect park

June 18, 2013 sarah lee

Setting things up...

As most of you know, I moved to New York early January of this year. After temporary residency at my friends place, to staying with family when I first arrived, I finally settled in my own home in Prospect Park Brooklyn just a few months ago. I was caught up with a busy schedule when I first moved in for months, but now finally exploring my neighborhood. I'm thrlled to have a kitchen space where I can test recipes again, and throw random dinner parties + just going to the park to have picnis with friends. Yes, this is why I am here. This is why I need to be here. Prospect Park. My new home.

So I have some extra time on my hands at the moment, and will be taking advantage of 'Sarah's Holiday+Food Research' to a different level. Time to get my hands dirty again in the kitchen, outside, and at restaurants...seriously.

singapore food and travel magazine

April 3, 2013 sarah lee

I was recently interviewed by Muriel Amable, writer for Singapore's Food and Travel Magazinefor their April 2013 issue. They picked my brain on my favorite eats in Seoul for their readers...these places bring back such sweet memories, and I cannot wait to visit real soon!

It's an honor to be featured! Thanks Muriel~

Photo credits:

Photos of Sarah: Christine Han Photography

Jungdeunjip photos: Thomas Walsh

blue hill at stone barns

March 25, 2013 sarah lee

I’ve been in New York for close to 3 months now. I can’t love the food enough, and the hustle & bustle really puts you in your place. How can you not love this city? However, as much as I’m an urban girl and love to be out and about…the times that I thoroughly enjoy the most is when I get a moment to breathe. You’ll hear many New Yorkers say they like to leave the city for a quick weekend trip, just to get away from the madness. It didn’t occur to me that I desired to partake in this as well. Something that most people may not know about me is that my ultimate dream is to have a small farm of my own. A girl from Chicago, who loved living in Seoul, love city lights, and now a member of the daily grind in New York is still planning on making this dream happen. So when I stepped foot into Blue Hill, I instantly felt a connection. Almost like I was home. I seriously didn’t want to leave.

Words are limitless to describe my recent experience at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. A few of my co-workers introduced me to this place on our drive back to the city, after some long meetings in Connecticut late January.

If you’re fortunate to take a break and leave town, even if it’s for a one-day trip, it’s so well worth it if you want to get recharged. It definitely doesn’t take long for me to be ‘whole’ again. I just need to squeeze in a little ‘Sarah time’ here and there and I’m in a happy place:)

just a little teaser of what new york food is all about...

February 10, 2013 sarah lee

Ok folks, this post is simply a teaser. Not a 'full' post featuring one particular restaurant of any kind, but wanted to share some photos of oh maybe 40% of what I've eaten so far in a month? Yes, I've went up a size in pants I think (thank goodness for leggings!), can feel the double chin forming, and having a hard time zipping up my winter coat. Let me tell you, even with all the walking that I do here in NY, I think I need to add another form of exercise to maintain my eating habits, haha. No joke. Well, a girls gotta do her 'due diligence' with food research right?

I've had some amazing meals with good friends showing me around town so far. Trying to figure out if it's a good thing that I have friends that love food more than me, or if this will only increase the sensitivity of my palate so that I will have zero tolerance to anything bad. Well, I'm blessed either way~

Note-no Korean restaurants are featured on this post as I would like to feature them one by one...I won't let you wait too long~

and so it begins...

January 19, 2013 sarah lee

"Open your eyes…there's no time to waste anymore. The answer is right in front of you."

-Excerpt from 'My Berlin Kitchen.'

I think this quote sums it up. Fellow readers, you may have noticed that I'm no longer in Seoul. I know I've been somewhat vague about my travels, where my next 'big city of settlement' will be…but I wanted to share this important moment in my life with all of you. You have been so faithful in following my food journal, travels, and have been truly supportive over the years. Thank you, thank you~

farm to table goodness

January 3, 2013 sarah lee

Fresh picked baby carrots from the garden

I guess I can't stop talking about this farm-to-table spot a little ways from Seoul. Bean Table. It's time for a revisit. Need to keep sharing the love...

I had an opportunity to stage for Bean Table my last month in Korea before taking off to the states. Good friend and chef Wonil Lee welcomed me as part of his staff, after some serious convincing. Let's just say, this restaurant is on the top of my list for folks visiting Seoul!

The real deal...

*Authentic Korean flavors + modern presentation.

*Non-GMO soybeans (for those who care about this like me).

*Homemade tofu made with natural sea salt coagulants (this part could get pretty technical if you break it down).

*Fresh and organic produce.

*No MSG or preservatives.

I had a real difficult time finding Korean restaurants in Korea that didn't use preservatives. Dining at Bean Table to me is like eating in my moms kitchen-you can feel and taste the love with each dish. Every bite is well balanced, and the variations of the banchan (side dishes) are seriously endless...

chef beverly kim

December 16, 2012 sarah lee

Beverly, Johnny & Matty

The initial contact...

Summer of 2006, I caught up with my ex-college roommate Paula, and had a quick chat about food.

Paula gave me the lowdown about her sister Beverly, and mentioned that she was in Seoul for a few months. So what do I do? The usual crazy Sarah move. Called up Beverly in Seoul (please note that I have I only seen her once before at this point, and we barely knew each other), and asked her if she would like to possibly partner up with me on a restaurant project in Chicago!

So the story began…

hong kong in less than 24 hours

November 11, 2012 sarah lee

When I travel, I act like I've never traveled before. I know this sounds funny, but every other day whether I'm working or hanging with friends, I plan plan plan...organize, try to be on top of things, and sometimes wear the 'know it all, everything is under control' hat, haha. Then you hand me a suitcase and a plane ticket, throw a map of whichever city, I have this blank face and seriously start breaking sweats...especially if I'm traveling alone.

Hong Kong was one of those cities.

exit strategy: leaving korea painlessly

October 22, 2012 sarah lee

'I am just leaving the country, not the people'
a little bird told me when I was leaving...

Friends, family, and readers-I have left Korea recently to pursue some amazing opportunites in the U.S. Although I have left the country that I dearly love, I hope that all of you will continue this food journey with me as I eat my way around the U.S. and other countries. My experience in Seoul cannot be put into words, and the memories and stories will always remain with me. Thank you, thank you, thank you for walking with me all these years!

Everything starts again...

the dirty dirty about the secret love sauce: linus exposed

September 17, 2012 sarah lee

Before you even start reading this, your curiosity may have peaked just at the title of the post. So what's this 'dirty dirty' about Linus Kim? Well, the story starts from Alabama where he grew up in the 70's-80's. This guy probably loves barbeque more than anyone I know. We've been friends since 1997. Ok, that sounds so ancient. I've seen Linus through thick and thin, we drove each other crazy over the years, but maintained our strong friendship. I think it was our jjimjilbang moments that saved our friendship as it was the 'neutral zone', where we would pig out on Korean snacks and watch Korean dramas. A man of many talents, but one thing that stands out with the most gusto: his skills and knowledge about pork. He really does have a refined palate that you can't even be sneaky when you cook, because he'll call you out on all your secrets! haha.