"The biggest problem I have with this "foodie"-ism is the lack of a sense of humor. You know? Those foodies who don't have a sense of humor and who are angry or proprietary about their choices. That's less fun. People who collect dining experiences like butterfly collectors rather than enthusiasts. But I think anyone who's genuinely taking pleasure in food -- and not just food in a vacuum -- is something that a lot of foodies miss. If you're using food to fill up an empty spot in your soul or your social life [laughs] and you're collecting these experiences so you can bludgeon people with them online, then clearly there's something distorted there."
If I go out, I'm just tryin to wild out and have a four loko night. Its funny that people go to restaurants to test them for yelp or their blogs. You're not even getting paid for this! I enjoy eating at popeye's just as much as I do eating chicken at blue ribbon. I'm not at popeye's with an abacus trying to figure out whether popeye's is penny for penny the better chicken. I mean, I'll compromise.... bring the camera, leave the abacus... It's a lot like backpack rap fans in the 90s. I know I compared the food scene in general to streetwear a few months back, but some of these more militant foodies are def like bootcamp click fans lol.
BCC is the shit. I still listen to Hurricane Starang on the regular. But every one knew that one militant white kid in school, who's parents were hippies, and he ended up in fatigues listenin to OGC tellin people Shawty Lo funds Terrorism. Full disclosure, at one point I tried to convince my Social Studies teacher to do a week on Dead Prez cause shit is "bigger than hip hop", but come on son....just bounce, bounce, bounce!
Drafted my first fantasy squad of the year yesterday.... Cytherea's Ark
QB: Donovan McNabb WR: Greg Jennings WR: Santana Moss RB: Rashard Mendenhall RB: Steven Jackson TE: Zach Miller WR/RB: Beanie Wells BN: C.J. Spiller BN: Braylon Edwards BN: Clinton Portis BN: Steve Breaston BN: Chad Henne BN: Jason Campbell
K: David Akers DEF: Washington
Yes, the kid is a Skins/Wolverines fan so I had to get all my homies. But I took em at the right spots. I think Beanie Wells as UTIL is a big get. Jennings is value, TDs are flukey for receivers so to get him with the last pick of the 3rd round was dope. I had 12th pick. Zach Miller, he's going to be a top 5 tight end now that someone can actually get him the ball. Campbell is no miracle worker, but he found Cooley for years. I have the best 1-2 punch at RB in our league so as long as one of my bench WRs comes through, I got this sewed up..... I think between the 3 QBs I got, one is gonna put up numbers. Henne is gonna get a big bump with Marshall and Campbell is gonna get to throw a lot downfield with a line that can finally protect him.
Can a brother show a lil independent blog some love? haha. In my post 2 days ago, I was sayin that the blog which got my mind right was that goofy Han and Diana jumpoff but if you read Grubstreet they make like its all about the name critic (all good, misunderstanding). The Han and Diana blog is mad half baked and cracked me up. 2 shawties with cameras lettin off stray shots. But, I thought of all the reviews, they hit it dead on.
The problem with Xiao Ye in my mind isn't that the food wasn't good. If you read Gael's blog, she is mad "insatiable" as the blog says so no one's getting perfect reviews. She's hilarious. I just started reading it over the weekend after poontang gate lol. I was happy with her review as well as metromix. But the reason I changed isn't because some people like or didn't like the fried chicken. Its a philosophical change.
I did my takes on Taiwanese classics and my mom's homemade dishes at Xiao Ye the last few weeks. For instance, I tuck minced mushrooms into my pork on rice, I use sichuan peppercorns and agave nectar in the General Poke-Her-Face Head on Shrimp, Peanut Butter in the beef noodle soup. But my innovations aren't meant to change the taste of the classics. The goal was to keep a lot of the original flavors intact but to get there by different means and have a slight twist on the accent flavors. At a certain point though, you gotta listen to the people. Our customers came wanting an original expericne, they want that Aladdin "whole new world" shit LOL. I think our drinks, music, and space fulfill that expectation but the menu.... needed work.
I've never been the type to let customers run me over just cause they pay the bills. But when enough genuine people who care about what I'm doing tell me they're underwhelmed, I listen. My mom came and loved the food too but just like bron's mom told him to get his in Miami, my mom said no need to sit around making 100 year old recipes and adding peanut butter to it. The reason baohaus is dope is because there's a unique flavor profile and consistency while still maintaining the integrity of a Taiwanese Gua Bao. At Dericious, I'm gonna create an original flavor profile as well. I'm not really thinking about it, I"m just cooking what I like and it'll happen. Most of the menu is the result of getting dumb toasted and shopping at my corner bodega for groceries. If I can figure out a way to braise meat with Four Loko I should win Player of the Year. I'm just sayin......
What it is? We started serving the new items tonight. Above: Gochujang Grilled Cheese - pullman toast, gochujang remixed, carmelized scallions, ham (like mo-fuckin bodega ham, no crazy shit from a butcher wearing jorts), and mozarella cheese.
Dad's Ketchup Fried Rice - ground beef, ketchup, oil poached chilis/onions/garlic, sunny side up egg
You already know... Cheeto Fried Chicken - brined in buttermilk, fried with cheeto crumbs, served with chili orange marmalade. SALUTE. Anything else would be uncivilized.
Cheeto Fried Chicken, Gochujang Grilled Cheese, and Ketchup Fried Rice available tomorrow at Xiao Ye.... get some. We'll have specials all week.
Why are we doing it? Well, I really liked this blog post. The criticism was helpful and spot on. Gael Greene and Metromix also gave really fair reviews. I think I just handcuffed myself with the concept and menu at xiao ye. I mean, let's be real "xiao ye" who the hell can pronounce that? And instead of blaming people for having the wrong expectations coming in, I feel like I am in no-man's land and that's my bad. I tried too hard to stay true to original flavors while adding my innovations and tweaks, but they weren't loud enough nor refined enough. If I wanted to be nuanced, I should have taken a more fine dining approach with isolated flavors, but if I was going to be innovative and over the top, I shouldn't pussy foot around. I gotta go hard in the paint WAKA... "caitlin that's my mother fuckin n*kka!" lol
So the kid is back... Starting tomorrow, I will be doing a special each night. We are underfunded at XY, but what's new? I can't shut the place down and institute a new menu, but I will add new items each week and by the middle of september, the menu will be revamped and we'll re-launch. It's not Taiwanese, it's not American, it's mother fucking Dericious. Here's a taste of what we have on deck the next few days.
The theme for Fall is ABC Diner food (american born chinese). It ain't fine dining, but I like foam parties so don't hurt me Wiley haha. I love that video of Dufresne defending foam, he's dead on. I hate when people attack one aspect without understanding the whole. Anyway, this is what's coming up ....
Cheeto Fried Chicken Grilled Cheese with mozarella and gochujang Ketchup Fried Rice w/ ground beef and Sunny Side Up Egg Fried Tofu and Honey Ham Hock Toasted Mantou Sandwich Scotch Bonnet Sloppy Joe's Griddled Corn with Unagi Sauce Chopped Broccoli and Cheddar w/ Peppercorn Oil Soy Caramel Mantou Bread Pudding
I hear you. Thank you. You know what.... a lot of you were right. The greens were a little salty. The rice was a little dry. My air max 90s are too fucking fresh. I'm sorry. I've been working with Chef Shlomi and by tuesday the food will be bulletproof. You just gonna have to get over the shoes. Pretty chink swag. Act like you know.
For all the people with feedback on food, honestly, thank you. I need it. We want to be the best and it starts with feedback. The people I won't listen to are the ones who keep saying "you can't have a night market without oyster pancake". Let me break this down for you... $1/oyster in NY. I'm not making anything with canned shit. If I do oyster pancakes, it's gonna be fresh. 8 oysters a pancake to do it right. 20% food cost... That's a $40 oyster pancake. I'm not gonna do it to you. Make it at home. I can't win with that dish like Lebron can't win with Delonte fucking his mom.
As for the other dishes you guys are requesting, I don't owe you shit. No one is forcing you to come here. Why would you look at a menu, go to the restaurant, and then complain we don't have something that a Taiwan night market has. Do I go to Bar Americain and ask Bobby for Hot Dogs and Apple Pie? You American son! Where my hot dogs at? Does it make any sense? ITS TAIWAN, this is the Lower East Fucking Side. You want $1 pork buns? Buy a $900 plane ticket. Or you could buy a $4 pork bun, an $8 cab ride, and 2.5 oz of melt your face off diesel.... Its math.
Just cause I'm Taiwanese, doesn't mean I'm a bootlegger. If you thought the goal with xiao ye was to bootleg Shilin Night Market, you got me all wrong. Even my gua baos were MY creation. So are my renditions of night market fare at Xiao Ye. I mean, some idiot even told me I needed more MSG in the dumplings. I DON'T USE MSG! It makes shawties swell up and look all lopsided and shit. Me and Situation tryin to build a grenade free america, it starts by banning MSG!
With the food at baohaus and dericious, the genre is Taiwan's but the recipe is mine. The President of TECO (taiwan economic and cultural office) told me once, "Taiwan is the water and you are the fish. The water needs the fish and the fish needs the water." Word to mother fucking Confucius, Sun Tzu, and RZA. That's some OG cryptic Asian proverb steez, but I see you. Thank you, Mr. President, the rest of you can call me Uncle...
Flo Fab says we open, so we open. I like this Flofab chick. I'll holla at you next time I go to Wo Hop wit ur boy Sam. The entire menu available starting tomorrow at Xiao Ye aka Dericious (for those that speak Chingrish). Peep what people have been sayin!
"Everybody loves XiaoYe: babies, dogs, hot girls... cougars. They got mass appeal." - The Situation
"If loving XiaoYe is Huang, you don't wanna be right." - Luther Ingram
"XiaoYe: a greatplace to crushambientandbagtrash."-TigerTigerWoodsYall
"If you goin to XiaoYe, you know what's happenin next...." - Jamie Foxx
"Xiao Ye stays futuristic on that Jetsons tip. I seen these Huang kids put hos in spaceships. Shawties be callin them Captain Kirk and shit!" - Spacely Sprockets "I aint on it tonight, I need head for cheese. I don't care if you Japanese, Lebanese, Chinese, Siamese, just be from Xiao Yeeee... go get your wet wipes" - Cam'ron "Out in the L.E.S. Chillin on the steps Drinkin Apple Sidra He gotta be the best Orchard St. bully Pigeons on the text Yall should be afraid what he gonna do next"
I was just chillin with the homies, you know Bill and RZA... mindin my own bidness..... It was tea time no less.... And I get sent this link from the homies at Eater.
Some nice words from the lovely, Molly Yeh. The professional, Joe D. Then there were stray shots and little people I aint never seen. I'm tryin not to step on em.... but I hear em....
Xiao Ye aka Dericious Soft Opening is over... I guess this means we're boner (hard) opening now. Thursday, we'll have the entire menu so def come thru! We are already doing a la carte 18 items, but starting thursday we'll have General Poke-her-face Prawns, Help You Poo Poo Greens, Shaved Ice, etc.
But... before all that, shout outs are in order. Its finally sunk in that we did it. This is just the start, we still need to go through the reviews, the official opening, etc. but it feels good. We've been doing 3 turns a night with a full house and things have gone well. I'm definitely happy with the squad we have and I hope you guys do too.
First off, brother #2, Emery... He's really the rock behind the operation. He watches the money, he reminds me that there are things called budgets, he deals with legal, he deals with purveyors, anything and everything besides recipes, press, and tomfoolery is Emery's department and I really couldn't have pulled this off without him. He killed it.
Pat!!!! Pat White, Grandaddy Dericious haha. There isn't much "reason" at Dericious, but when there is, its usually coming from Pat. He has slept at the restaurant the last 10 days, worked his ass off, and when things fall apart, he's always there with his chipper british accent haha. We love Pat and he's really made it a dope spot to work at. If you haven't met him, just look for the brother with a glass of red wine!
Shlomi!!! I love this guy. He's cooler than Zohan: silky smooths. Haha. In less than a week, Shlomi is cooking like a Taiwanese Grandma and nailed 80% of the menu. The last installment, we'll release Thursday. It's really dope to work with a Chef who truly wants to learn about Taiwanese food and brings an intensity to the kitchen. Shlomi always wants to hear the negative because he's always looking for a "perfect service". I like that attitude. Sometimes, its hard to find people who have that same goal, but when you find them, they're keepers! John + Coco = undefeated.
To Everyone at Baohaus! Thanks for holdin it down! I was there this morning filming Foodography for Cooking Channel but my bad I didn't see everyone. I've been MIA but Pork Fat is Forever.... yall already know. I had the buns for the first time in two weeks and the shit is still blue magic good.
To all the homies that came thru to support, I got mad love for you! We gonna keep it movin in 2010. Kickin' trash to the curb and puttin banners in the rafters. Thats how we do. Evan/Ning thanks for always pickin up the slack, designing the menus, photos, etc. Shouts to Baer, ur money is definitely green kid. Haha. I'ma make sure it come back thrice! Raf, watch for that hot trash. Uncle Jesse stayin fresh on the wall. Steve, school is for suckers. Serwer, stay reppin patrick all day erryday. Im not tryin to miss anyone but I know I did. Sparkz... u already on the wall twice!
Last but not least.... Hyun! Uncle Kim aka The Caddyshack Killa (peep his hat) aka Kimsigliary. He's the Tom Hagen of the family. He's Korean, so, naturally, he's limited, but we work around his "problems". We'll send him to Vegas when we go to war. Haha. Just playin! Yall know I stay in Koreatown in the winter! Real talk, its been dope workin with Hyun. We're pretty much opposites. He runs 5 minute miles, I eat 5 minute meals; he likes arcade fire, I like chinatown arcades; he has a receding hairline, i push mother fuckin wigs back. He's been handling our press, events, interviews, collaborations, tv projects, birds, etc. My money got heavy starch now.... Its a laundry mat trap.
Mr. Big Stuff- Biz Markie Sleepytime in the Western World - Blitzen Trapper Italian Leather Sofa - Cake For Your Sorrows - Big Boift. Too Short Cookies-N-Apple Juice - Cam'ron No Wheaties - Big K.R.I.T., DZA and Currensy Watermelon Sundae - Dom Kennedy ft. Jskillz Camay- Ghostface Killah Recognize - The Lox Invincible - CNN Harlem- Bill Withers Vapors- Biz Markie Fire & Fast Bullets- Blitzen Trapper Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ft. Junior Jazz- Easy Star All-Stars L.A, L.A - CNN That Brooklyn Shit- Danger Mouse & Jemini Hummingbird- Born Ruffians Let Me Roll It - Brendan Benson Make You Mine - Breakbot Swing -Camp Lo Four Little Diamonds - Electric Light Orchestra Sickos - The Harlem Shakes Summa of 88- G5 Clive Cuffin - Cam'ron ft. Gucci Mane & Vado Verbal Intercouse- Raekwon Candyman -Cornershop Lady Justice-Seasunz + J.Bless Callin' Me - Consequence Come On Baby -Saigon ft. Swizz Beats and Jay-Z Tip Drill - St. Lunatics Roc-A-Fella Billionaires - Freeway ft. Jay-Z Shakey Dog-Ghostface Killah Bottom Girl-G-Unit Shine Blockaz-Big Boi Chunk up a Duece-Paul Wall Let Me Ride-Dr. Dre For All My Niggaz & Bitches - Snoop Dogg Bitch - E-40 ft. 50-Cent and Too Short I'm A Player-Too Short Sho' Nuff - Freeway ft. Bun B and Jake One Don't Bring Me Down- Electric Light Orchestra Don't Do Drugs - Danger Mouse & Jemini Amazin'-Young Jeezy So Ghetto - Jay-Z Fried Chicken - Nas ft. Busta Rhymes B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)- Rick Ross Hip Hop Drunkies- Alkaholiks Feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard Top Down - Swizz Beatz Throw It In the Bag - Fabolous ft. The Dream Pretty Girls - Wale ft. Gucci Mane Summer Madness (Longer Mix)- Kool & The Gang Me and My Crazy World -Lost Boyz Hip Hop Junkies-Nice & Smooth Still On The Grind - UGK Back Then - Mike Jones Break Em Off - Paul Wall ft. Lil Keke Mirrors -Wale ft. Bun B Up North Trip - Mobb Deep
