Saigon in Brooklyn

bun-ker, my translation to this is noodle headquarter. Haha.

Restaurant Name: Bun-Ker

Location: 46-63 Metropolitan Ave, New York, NY, 11378

Website: http://bunkervietnamese.com/

Price Range: 30$/per person

JCL Rating: 8/10

JCL's Choice: Crab spring roll; Grilled angus short ribs; Banh xeo (Vietnamese crepe)

Who would ever open up a small "shack" in the middle of nowhere? 

Jimmy Tu and his associates would, and they did. Jimmy Tu, alum from Eleven Madison Park along with his brother runs the kitchen of this small Vietnamese restaurant call Bun-Ker. The word bun means noodle in Vietnamese. And bunker as head quarter. So I guess it means noodle headquarter? 

House made limeade with basil seed and shiso

Just by chance I met someone that told me about Bun-ker (way before it was featured in Guy Fieri's show). She told me I have to try it and here I am, months later. It has a very simple menu that consists of Vietnam street food. My friend and I started our meal with the house made limeade with basil seed and shiso. It is a delicious and refreshing drink that freshens up your palate; get you ready for some heavy flavor food!

Crab meat spring roll w/ dipping sauce

The first appetizer we order was the crab spring roll. Crab meat, glass noodles, pickled carrots wrapped in egg roll paper. Accompanied by a sour and spicy dipping sauce (chili flakes, fish sauce, rice vinegar). The egg roll paper gives it an extra crunch that rice papers wouldn't give. And the Vermicelli would absorb the dipping sauce so nicely it flavors the whole bite. Super delicious!

Papaya salad

Next up is the papaya salad. A spicy salad mixed with pickled carrots, dried shrimps, basil and mint. Topped with crispy shallots, crab chips and crushed peanuts. The dried shrimp acts as the savory element of the salad. The pickled carrots and dressing (I think it is fish sauce, cane sugar, lime juice) keeps the shrimps on line so it is not too overwhelming. Then you get punched in the face by the heat. If you like a nice crunch, this is the salad for you. Very crunchy and spicy.

Banh xeo

My favorite dish, the Banh Xeo which is a traditional Vietnamese crepe was the highlight of the meal. A rice flour crepe that is mixed with eggs, shrimp and bacon that is seared to crispy skin. Then it is stuffed with beansprouts. Lettuce and basil/mint on the side. The way to devour this is to cut it to manageable portions and wrap it with the lettuce. Then dip it in the oh so delicious dipping sauce. I would drink that sauce if I could. Recommend anyone to order this! This is a must have if you come to Bun-ker.

Lemongrass grilled Angus short ribs

Bo luc lac

As for entrees, I had the lemongrass grilled Angus short ribs (left) and my friend had the bo luc lac (seared Angus beef cubes, right). The short ribs were very flavorful. Under it is vermicelli. On top of it is crispy shallot and peanut. On the side is the same dipping sauce as the Banh Xeo. So do me a favor, pour the whole bowl of the sauce over the short ribs; give it a good mix. Bon appetit! It becomes flavor heaven once everything is mixed. Only if my ribs were less salty, it would have been divine! I still enjoyed it very much though! The bo luc lac was super tender. Great marinate but nothing out of the ordinary. 

Coconut tapioca pudding

We finished our meal with their one and only dessert, tapioca pudding. It is coconut flavored, mixed with jackfruit (cousin of durian minus the smell), palm seeds (also known as toddy fruit) and a few slices of pineapple as garnish. Wasn't extraordinary, but a refreshing finish. 

This place is really really small. It fills up quick, so if you plan on paying this place a visit, come early! I would love to come back for their banh mi! Maybe when it gets warmer. The wait isn't as fun in this freezing weather. 

And Then There was a Tasting Menu

Rosemary flat bread with whipped ricotta

Restaurant Name: Battersby

Location: 255 Smith St., Brooklyn, NY, 11231

Website:  http://battersbybrooklyn.com/

Price Range: $65/per person

JCL Rating: 9/10

JCL's Choice: Tasting Menu

Brooklyn is transforming itself on the notes in culinary world. Slowly but surely many great restaurants are emerging. This is the first Brooklyn restaurant that we dined in that is serving food of superior caliber. Battersby, that's the name. Introduced to me by Matt Brill (AKA Mr. Grill). Both of us being cooks, we were on a mission to dissect and fabricate whatever Battersby throws at us. And of course enjoy and savor every last bite of each dish!

Chef and owners Joseph Ogrodnek and Walker Stern were the founders of Battersby. Located in the heart of Carroll Garden, this tiny 20-ish seat restaurant resides in a calm neighborhood. We were greeted warmly as we entered. Without a reservation, the hostess guesstimated a 30 minute wait. She took down my number and informed us that I will receive a text when seating is almost ready. We hangout around the area until we were notified.

As we were seated, menus were delivered to us immediately. Our server, Laren explained that aside from the a la carte menu, there is also a simultaneous tasting menu. Of course we chose the tasting menu. Expecting great food we paired our meal with a German Riesling, 2011, Kabinett (German term for 'Reserved' wine). It was a really soft and light fruity white. A wine that can be enjoyed with any meal. A safer choice.

Chef Joe began our meal with 2 amuse bouche, a shot of hot asparagus soup and a chicken liver mousse on crostini. That opened our palates. The restaurant serves a board of rosemary flat bread and a whipped ricotta with olive oil and pepper replaced butter. Super creamy and light.

Marianted artichoke salad

And our first course arrives, marinated artichoke with olives and feta cheese. It was garnished with cucumber and radish. It was such a harmonious dish. Each of the ingredients, including the garnishes, sings along each other. So many flavor profiles but yet all worked extremely well. The sweetness of the cucumber, the spiciness from the radish, the saltiness from the olives and feta cheese, the marinated artichoke calms the level of flavors that each of the ingredients offers. Everything together is truly a symphonic bite.

Toasted spaetzle

Our second course was the toasted spaetzle with bacon, farm egg and sauteed whole ramp. The first bite I took was the spaetzle and bacon only. The chewiness of the cubed smoked bacon contrasting the tender and soft texture of the spaetzle was awesome. Once you break the egg yolk and mix it with the spaetzle, the creaminess and richness brings the bacon and spaetzle to a whole other level. Take a bite of the ramp and the rest of the spaetzle. You will find yourself hungry for more of this delicious spaetzle.

Black bass with Spring vegetables and broccoli puree

The fish course was next. A black bass served with a loose creamy puree of broccoli with specs of basil, chili, and spring vegetables. The fish was cooked perfectly. The savoriness from the seasonings, the sweetness from the spring vegetables, a tad of creaminess and spiciness from the puree. Oh, flavor heaven, we are back. The balance of the dish was incredible. But I do wish the proportion from the puree/vegetables and fish would even out a bit more.

Braised wagyu short rips with crispy kale and papaya salad

Braised wagyu short ribs was our last savory course. It is served on a bed of papaya salad. On top and around the wagyu were crispy kale. Garnished with whole leaves of Thai basil, mint, fried shallot and peanut. The short ribs were braised to fork tender. The crunchy element were from the delicious and umami crispy kale in addition to the nutty peanuts. The vinaigrette of lime, fish sauce and cane sugar (similar to a tam som dressing) penetrates the heavy flavors of the braised short ribs. The expensive wagyu was the star of the dish... until you take a bite of everything with it. You will realize that each ingredient enhances the natural flavors of each other.

And now we are on to our last course, the dessert course. Chef Joe started us with an intermezzo of Pimm's (the liquor) granita with a cucumber sorbet. Super refreshing. The cucumbers sweetness refreshes your palate almost immediately.

Keylime pie

Chocolate and caramel mousse with meyer lemon curd and marcona almonds

For dessert, we had a chocolate caramel mousse with meyer lemon curd and marcona almond; and a keylime pie. The chocolate caramel mousse was really sweet, but the saltiness of the marcona almonds ease it down. The tartness of the meyer lemon curd and segments brings in the other element to the dish. Beautifully done. The keylime pie was bruleed on top to give it a touch of rustic feel. It was very light, and the crust was thick and firm. Very creamy. Simply perfected.

To finish off our meal, we had two pieces of maple brown butter madaleine. Light and delicious. Chef Joe and Walker has demonstrated the essence of flavor profiles. Each dish had contrasting flavors and textures that will make you want to have one more bite. Each dish's ingredients works in harmony with each other.

This was such an amazing experience. By experience I don't mean just the food, the service and ambiance included. Our server Laren was extremely professional and friendly. Our water glass was never empty. I would recommend anyone to give this place a visit. ORDER THE TASTING MENU! This is one of the best meals I have had in a long time. Absolutely phenomenal.

Put the 'IN' in Puddin'

Restaurant Name: Puddin' By Clio

Location: 102 St. Marks Place, New York, NY

Website:  http://www.puddinnyc.com/ 

Price Range: $10 and under (depending on size)

JCL Rating: 7.5/10

JCL's Choice: Banana Cream Dream

As I was wandering in the city aimlessly, I suddenly remembered there were a few spots in St. Marks I saw last time but didn't try yet. Puddin' wasn't one of them. But when I walked by, from the corner of my eyes I caught the name "Puddin'." I had to walk in and see what that is all about. I was just going to look around, but the warm welcome by the cashier/pastry cook caught me off guard. It would feel awkward if I just walk out empty handed. Their puddings are separated into two types; puddings and Clio's signatures. The signatures are already pre-plated. As for the puddings, you can add any toppings to it. 

Puddin' is a very tiny spot with 3 stools. The pastry chef Clio Goodman thought of the idea of having a pudding shop when a friend requested a childhood treat, butterscotch pudding. Everything is order to go. I asked which one is their best seller, and the cashier said the banana cream dream. So I ordered that and one more to confirm its consistency. I picked lemon pudding and a salted caramel sauce as topping.

Banana pudding on top and bottom sandwiching the crumbs, fruit cake and whipped cream

The Banana Cream Dream consists of real banana pudding, graham cracker crumbs, banana fruit cake, and dollop of whipped cream. Dollop of anything just means a lump/small amount of it. A super strong banana flavor. I guess all the other ingredients in this pudding was just for the texture since I couldn't taste any of it. The mouth feel was very rich but gentle. Extremely creamy. I had a regular size banana cream dream. That was a bit too heavy for me. I had to force finish the last few bites. But If I had ordered a mini, it would have been perfect. 

Top layer is lemon pudding, bottom is salted caramel

Lemon is one of my favorite ingredients of all time; regardless if it was savory or dessert. The refreshing smell cleanses your senses. The acidity with a touch of tender sweetness pulls all the underlying flavors of the ingredients. It is truly an amazing ingredient. Anyways, when I saw lemon pudding I automatically relate it to savory. They just happened to have salted caramel sauce, so I had to get it. The pudding itself is very light with a medium touch of lemon flavors. No tartness at all. The salted caramel acts like a bridge that intensifies the sweet and lemony tastes. I just wish it had a deeper acidic taste to it instead of being all sweet. 

Oh, Puddin' also has cookies, cakes and drinks. 

It was certainly a treat to have walked in here. I would come back next time to try some other flavors... maybe the coconut or butterscotch. The roots of this pudding centric shop grew from the thought of butterscotch after all...

On a side note, the post title's "in" refers to trendy. Inspired by the "In" tab in their website. 

Munch away, Cambodian style

All photo credit goes to Cathy Lam

Restaurant Name: Num Pang

Location: 21 E12th St, New York, NY

Website:  http://www.numpangnyc.com/ 

Price Range: $30 (for 2) - Cash only

JCL Rating: 8/10

JCL's Choice: Peppercorn catfish, pulled Duroc pork, corn on a cob

My first Cambodian food experience is in Num Pang, a gourmet sandwich shop opened by Chef Ratha Chaupoly and Ben Daitz. Accompanied by Cathy, we traveled all the way to Union Square to look for this unique sandwich shop. All of the gourmet sandwiches are served on a freshly toasted semolina flour baguette and are made a la minute. You pick up your order and have the choice of take out or go up stairs for the first-come-first-serve seating. 

What exactly is "num pang?" Num pang is the Cambodian term for bread or sandwich. Aside from exceptional food, they have a very interesting concept going on. Every month they will feature a chef in the "Guest Chefs Give Back" program to design their signature sandwich. 6$ of each of the featured sandwiches sold will be donated to charities. For the month of June 12 - July 12, the guest chefs are Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Dan Kluger (Chef de cuisine of ABC Kitchen) creating the ABC Num Pang (poached chicken salad with crispy chicken skin).

All their sandwiches are served with cucumber, pickled carrots, cilantro and chili mayo (which we think is spicy mayonnaise). This set up is extremely similar to Vietnamese sandwiches. Anyways, I had the peppercorn catfish, Cathy had the pulled Duroc pork, and we both got the corn on a cob. 

Catfish sandwich

Aside from the perfect combination of the sandwich foundations in Num Pang, the peppercorn catfish was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The house made sweet soy sauce on the catfish brings out the natural sweet flavors of the catfish and at the same time it hides the earthy taste. This is a fish sandwich to the finest. Every bite is succulent. A must try in my books!

Pulled pork w/ blood orange lemonade

Duroc is a breed of American pig. This pulled Duroc pork sandwich that is dressed in the spiced honey gives the pulled pork the moistness that it needs. A touch of the chili mayo combined with the spiced honey forms an incredible duet of flavors after flavors in your mouth. The cucumber, pickled carrots and cilantro then acts as a refreshing agent to get your mouth for the next bite! The balance of flavors profiles is pure genius.

corn on cob w/ coconut flakes

Their signature side dish, corn on a cob that is drenched in chili mayo and topped with sweet coconut flakes is as good as it gets. With this grilled corn, you are expected to get dirty with it. The chili mayo will be smeared all around your lips and you won't want to stop and wipe your mouth until you have completely devoured this poor corn. 

All in all, this sandwich shop is amazing. I highly recommend it. This has got to be some of the best sandwiches I have ever tasted. 

Organic to the Max!

Picture adopted from bareburger.com (forgot to take one)

Restaurant Name: BareBurger

Location: 85 2nd Ave, NY, NY

Website:  http://www.bareburger.com/

Price Range: 25$ a person

JCL Rating: 7/10

JCL's Choice: The Ruby (Wild boar meat), Big Blue Bacon (Ostrich), The Western (Bison)

As the three musketeers (lol) were wandering around the city thinking of what to eat for dinner, this burger joint came to our minds. We remembered walking by this place plenty of times in the road to St. Marks, but never got the chance to try it out and so we decided to check it out. For all the wild game lovers or exotic meat eaters, this place is for you! It sucks that it only serves it as burger but nonetheless, it is worth the trip. They have bison, elk, wild boar, ostrich, free range chicken. The bun selection includes brioche (personal favorite), multi-grain roll, wheat flour wrap, lettuce wrap, and tapioca rice bun (gluten free!!!). 

The atmosphere was calm and relaxed. The hostess seated us as soon as she found out how many people we had. One funny thing about this was we say this girl wearing a pikachu suit with a pikachu backpack and pikachu stuffed animal, then when we walked in to Bare Burger, they were playing Pokemon. 

This place basically sells everything organic and free range. All the animals were pasture raised, antibiotic and hormone free. Their sodas are natural sodas from Maine. They even have organic wines and beers now! This place is on top of the organic trends that have been going around the food industry. They take orders with a portable device, so no need for that MICROS system (I can see this system being popular in the future since it saves time from walking back and forth to the MICROS). 

We get to pick what type of burger we want (all the other stuff except for the bun and meat), we pick the type of meat and the bun. I ordered "The western" with bison meat and tapioca rice buns. Frankie had the "big blue bacon" with ostrich meat and brioche bun. Ray ordered "the ruby" with wild boar and brioche bun as well. We also ordered a basket of fries (comes with BBQ, spicy chipotle, and ranch dressings) and the Maine hand crafted sodas. 

The memorable part of The Western was the bison meat and the peppercorn steak sauce. The coleslaw adds crunchiness to the burger. The bison meat was extremely tender (I ordered it medium rare). The only thing not so great about my burger was the tapioca bun. It was a bit dry. I knew I should have paired it with the brioche bun!!!

The ruby was probably my favorite out of the 3 that we had. The wild boar was extremely tender. It had a hint of smoked bacon. It had havarti cheese (never heard of it till now) which was very milky and buttery.  

AND IT HAD PASTRAMI AS WELL!!! Double the meat. But I did not taste much of the horseradish mayonnaise at all.

My second favorite was the big blue bacon. The ostrich meat was succulent and flavorful. The apple chutney adds sweetness to the burger. The bourbon sauteed mushrooms adds moisture. And the smoked onion adds smokiness. Too bad the Danish blue cheese wasn't as represented as I thought it would have been. 

Although each of the burgers had its imperfections, it was definitely enjoyable. This is a really cool place for friends to hang out and just talk about random stuff. The servers were very attentive and always had a smile on their faces. The presence of their professionalism makes this a comfortable place. I recommend all the readers to try this place out!

Asian Elegance

Picture taken from the web because I forgot to take one.

Restaurant Name: Le Colonial

Location: 149 E 57th St, New York, NY

Website:  http://www.lecolonialnyc.com/menu.html 

Price Range: 40$ a person

JCL Rating: 7.5/10

JCL's Choice: Cha Gio Vit (roasted duck roll); Vit Quay (lacquered roast duck w/ tamarind ginger sauce)

This is the first time that I have heard of a Vietnamese French restaurant, so I had to try it. This restaurant has two floors. Dining area is on the first floor and bar/lounge on the second floor. The interior decor is very traditional with the black and white paintings. The dining room is very evenly spaced. The menu is traditional Vietnamese food but with a touch of French influence. 

The host was extremely welcoming and professional. We arrived at the restaurant at 5:30, so it was a bit empty. He gave us the option of which table we want to settle down on and asked if we would like to leave our coats at the coat check. The front servers and back servers were extremely attentive. Our water glasses were never empty. This quality service is fine dining service for sure, but at a much cheaper price. 

I had the Cha Gio Vit, which is the crispy 5 spice roast duck roll with taro, shiitake mushroom, and scallions. It is served with fresh lettuce leaves, cilantro and mint. You roll the spring roll with a piece of mint/cilantro on the lettuce leave and dip it in a sweet sour sauce. The freshness from the lettuce and herbs takes away the grease from the fried spring roll. What a perfect balance. 

Rigo had the Pho Soup which consists of oxtail broth, rice noodles, beef tenderloin, bean sprout and fresh herbs. The broth needed a bit more seasoning. But it was really flavorful. The rice noodles were al dente. It also comes with a spicy and savory dipping sauce for the beef. 

For entrees, I had the Bun So Diep. It is grilled lemongrass scallop and shrimp on top of a vermicelli salad, mint, lettuce and toasted peanuts in a ginger dressing. The scallops and shrimps were seasoned really well and cooked to the perfect tenderness. The ginger dressing that is on the cold vermicelli salad was a bit sweet with a hint of spiciness. I wasn't too crazy about this entree though.  

Rigo had the Vit Quay which is the lacquered duck with a tamarind ginger sauce. What does it mean by lacquered? Lacquer means the food is glazed with a condensed sauce that will give it a nice shine. Balsamic vinegar, sugar or honey is usually used as food lacquers. This duck was oven roasted. Honey was probably used to glaze the skin. The skin was so crispy. Underneath the crispy skin was a thin layer of fat. Ducks are usually very fatty, but it isn’t the case here. The sweet and sour ginger sauce takes away all the greasiness from the duck. Another combo that demonstrates the power of sweet and sour sauces!

This visit was definitely worth it. Great ambiance, very professional staff, excellent food. The plating is much more elegant than regular Vietnamese food. Oh, this restaurant was also rated two stars by New York Times. If you happen to be by 57th street, and you happen to be hungry, give this place a go! There aren't that many Vietnamese French fusion restaurants around!

Hit the "Spot"

Picture taken from the website

Restaurant Name: Spot Dessert Bar

Location: 13 St. Marks Place, New York

Website: http://www.spotdessertbar.com/

Price Range: Tapas are like $8.50 each (15% off with college I.D.)

JCL Rating: 9/10
JCL's Choice: Chocolate Green Tea Lava; Green Tea-ramisu


My friend had to review a dessert bar/bakery for his term paper. Spot was on the list, so here we were. The new pastry chef is Ian Chalermkittichai (Kittichai for short). Chef Ian Kittichai is a renowned chef that brought Thai cuisine to a new height. Spot is one of the few places in America that offers Classic American/French desserts with Asian twist. It is also a very "green" place. Most of their decors and packaging were made with recycled materials (Spot's Story, website). Spot offers a wide range of dessert tapas to ice creams/sorbets to pastries, brunch and beverages.


Spot is a small place, with maybe less than 25 seats, I have been here two times. As we enter, we were greeted warmly by the waitress. She was very professional and has an extensive knowledge about the menu. I asked her for recommendations on which desserts to order since it was my first time here. She asked if I liked more sweet or tart. I was never a fan of sweet stuff, so I said more tart than sweet. She recommended the Yuzu Eskimo. My friend had the Green tea-ramisu (tiramisu get it?). For drinks I had the black rose tea and he had a spicy hot chocolate. The second time I had the Chocolate Green Tea Lava cake and Jasmine green tea. 

The Yuzu Eskimo had the sweet and sour contrast. This dessert consisted of a very unique raspberry foam, fresh blackberries, chocolate pearls, oreo crumbs, yuzu ice cream with oreo crust and chocolate ganache. Yuzu is an Asian citrus fruit that is very similar to mandarin, very sour. But the oreo crust balanced out the tartness of the yuzu, it was a perfect marriage. The crunchiness from the oreo crumbs and chocolate pearls adds the extra texture to the dessert. As for the raspberry foam, it had a very interesting texture to the tongue. It goes great with the chocolate ganache. And the fresh blackberries adds on that extra refreshing feeling if you are not awaken by the yuzu ice cream yet. The plating was very contemporary as well. Perfectly executed. 

The Green Tea-ramisu was amazing. It also had a very interesting plating. It comes in a wooden cube with a small jug of green tea anglaise, matcha (green tea powder), and a wooden spoon. When they present you the dish, they will pour the green tea anglaise over the wooden cube then sift the matcha powder over it. I had a few spoons of it and I was amazed at how balanced the flavors were. This dessert consisted of the matcha, green tea anglaise, green tea madeleine (mini sponge cake), and white chocolate chunks. The green tea anglaise takes away the dryness of the sponge cake, and the powder adds a nice texture to the bite. The chunks of white chocolate gives you the crunchiness. There is a very strong of green tea flavor here but it was not bitter like the actual tea. Excellent dessert!

The black rose tea had a very nice floral scent. It is not your regular day tea, a very mild bitterness tea. Perfect tea to warm you up in a cold winter day! It goes great with the Yuzu Eskimo. 

As for the spicy hot chocolate, my friend said it was too overwhelming. The spices overpowered the chocolate. It was sweeter than the Green Tea-ramisu. I say he should have ordered the jasmine or green tea. He did say this spicy hot chocolate is great for a cold day though. 

The Chocolate Green Tea Lava cake was one of the most outstanding dessert I have ever tasted. It is accompanied by green tea ice cream, chocolate pearls, matcha powder and a thin cookie served on a black plate. The matcha powder high lights the lava cake on a black plate. Lava cake is a brownie with a runny inside. In this case, it is a mixture of green tea and chocolate ganache. What a perfect combo that is! Once you break the crust, the green tea and chocolate ganache pours out! It was so flavorful. It's like heaven in your mouth. A bite of the green tea ice cream cools you down  from the hot lava! What an incredible dessert. A sip of the jasmine tea sooth your palates and you will be ready for another bite of heaven!


What a wonderful place Spot is... and I am not even a dessert guy. Damn, this is such an amazing dessert bar. I highly recommend any person with a sweet tooth to go to Spot! From plating to flavors, they are on top of their game. Props to Chef Kittichai! This will be one dessert bar that I will repeatedly come back. Definitely. 

"Game" On

Restaurant Name: Henry's End

Location: 44 Henry Street, Brooklyn Heights, New York

Website: http://www.henrysend.com/

Price Range: Apps: $13 and under; Entrees: $20-40; Desserts: $8.50

JCL Rating: 9/10
JCL's Choice: Elk chop; stuffed quail; pomegranate lacquered duck; mixed game grill


Henry's End has got to be one of the best places I have ever dined in.  When we first walked in, we were greeted warmly by the servers. We even had a choice of which table we want to settle in since it was not busy at the time of our arrival (around 6PM). The ambiance was really mellow and comfortable. The lighting was very dim with a candle on each table. It was not a big place, maybe around 50 seats at most. As we were seated, menus were handed to us. Water followed shortly. We came to this restaurant with anticipation of trying the kangaroo dish, but according to the waiter they do not have it until maybe next month.


As disappointing as it was, we stayed. We looked at the other wild game menu items. We spent quiet some time examining the menu and deciding who gets what. As we read the menu, many questions came up regarding the dishes. Our server was there whenever we had any questions. And he answered everything thoroughly. He was extremely professional and knowledgeable. He can explain every dish from the cooking method to the sauces and sides. 

After a long debate we finally decided to order. Bread and butter were brought to our table immediately after the orders were taken. The bread basket consisted of white bread with raisins, bread stick, and whole wheat bread with poppy seed. The bread was very soft and the bread stick was hard and crunchy. So we started our meal with one appetizer, the buffalo ribs ravioli. It was topped with grated Parmesan cheese. The sauce must have been a demi glaze (liquid gold as we call it since it is so precious).  The waiter warned us that it only comes with 3 pieces as appetizers and suggested to us if we wanted one more since we have four people. The buffalo was tender and it was a perfect match with the demi glaze. The buffalo tasted like veal though. The pasta dough was not that great. It was a bit too thick and tough. Only down side of this dish.

As for entree, Eddie and I had the mixed game grill. This dish consisted of an elk chop, a piece of wild boar belly, and rabbit sausage. The presentation was really nice and elegant. The elk chop was "banging." It was cooked to rare. It was crusted with herbs, bread crumbs and Dijon mustard. The meat was extremely tender. The mustard and the meat was completely flawless. The wild boar belly was amazing. It was sprinkled by crushed pistachio and raisin. The fat melted in my mouth and the meat was cooked to perfection. Tastes very similar to regular pork. As for the rabbit sausage, it was good. But in comparison to the elk chop and boar belly, it was off. The fennel was overpowering the rabbit meat. So all I basically tasted was the fennel. With two such incredible meats, it makes the rabbit taste below par. 

Next up is the quail stuffed with andouille (grainy smoked pork sausage. For this dish's purpose it was grounded) and spinach with mushroom wild rice as the side that Frankie got. This dish comes with two stuffed quails. The andouille has a slight spice from the cayenne pepper which balanced out the semi sweet mushroom wild rice. The quail was tender and juicy. Eating the quail with the stuffing was marvelous. This dish is the perfect example of how each item on the dish relates to each other. This is cuisine to the finest. The flavor profile was perfect.

As for Sean, he had the pomegranate lacquered duck. Food lacquered gives the food a shine. The duck itself was probably roasted for the crunchy skin. This half of a duck was completely boneless. It was cooked to perfection. Really tender. The sauce was almost like a citrus gastrique (combine sugar, wine vinegar, citrus juice and zest. Reduce until thick). Orange flavor to be exact. A citrus gastrique's sweetness is one of the best sauces for duck to balance out the gamy flavor. A bite with the pomegranate's burst of juice was fantastic. This dish was excellent!

Go ahead and count the layers. Haha

After our entree plates were cleared, they handed us the dessert menu. A simple menu with dessert wine list. All the desserts are $8.50. I had the 21 layer crepe with a cream custard inside. Damn, that was some fantastic crepe. A bite of the crepe with the raspberry sauce is heaven. The fluffy custard with 21 different layers just splits in your mouth. 

Sean had the mud pie. I assume the name came from the components which is coffee and chocolate ice cream. Underneath the ice cream is an oreo cookie crust laid on top of a hot fudge espresso sauce. The chocolate and coffee ice cream was a wonderful combination. The crust added a nice crunch to the bite. The sauce was well balanced, not too sweet and a hit of coffee flavor. 

Eddie ordered the chocolate confusion. The name is indeed a good name for this dessert. Why is that? Well this dessert is both hot and cold. The cold vanilla ice cream was placed on top of the hot fudge chocolate brownie. A bite of hot and cold in your mouth, confusing combination, no? But that contrast was what really sells.

Crappy quality due to the dim lighting and flash

As for Frankie, he had the Persian lime pie. It taste... just like a regular lime pie. It was not bad, but it definitely was not that great. The presentation was interesting though. It was in a pudding bowl with a huge rosette of whipped cream on top. This was probably the worse dessert out of the four.

Each entree comes with string beans and rice. Except for Frankie's since he got the wild rice

Henry's End. People, if you have a big desire for great cuisine and fine dining service, this place is a must visit! This restaurant has been open for over 37 years and is still standing. The surrounding restaurants were empty, except for this restaurant and this sushi restaurant call Iron Chef House. That tells a lot. After the meal my curiosity came in. I asked the server who the chef was and found out that there are two main chefs. The one cooking tonight was Rob. The menu was designed by the Executive chef, Mark. I have yet to research more on these chefs. This menu was truly top notch cuisine with utmost complexity. It definitely takes a great chef to come up with this type of menu. I WILL DEFINITELY GO BACK, MAYBE IN A MONTH, TO TRY THE KANGAROO!!!!