Looking for a one-stop shop for all your Asian cooking needs? Head down to Hong Kong Supermarket on Hester Street. Hong Kong Supermarket opened at its current location in 2008. The supermarket sells everything from Filipino banana ketchup to green tea-flavored soy milk. There are sauces, condiments and candy from all over Asia. Most items have English language labels so it is a lot easier to shop here than at the little stands in Chinatown.

There are two levels to the store. On the ground floor, where the entrance is, you’ll see fresh produce and sushi. Further in the store, aisles are neatly categorized by the food products’ country of origin. There is a Southeast Asian aisle where you can get jars of spicy sambal oelek (chilli sauce) and tubs of authentic curry pastes. On the Japanese/Korean aisle there is a wide selection of teriyaki and soy sauces. You’ll find mainstream Asian staples like soy sauce far cheaper here than at regular supermarkets! Downstairs, there is an amazing array of dried noodles in every flavor, shape and form. Just think of all the exotic dishes you can prepare after a shopping trip here!

For the really adventurous, there are sometimes whole durians sold at $1.29 a pound and durian popsicles in the back freezer section at $4.67 for a box of four. The pungent fruit, which is creamy and rich, is an acquired taste. But it is definitely worth trying!

There are so many fascinating Asian foods that without guidance, it can be overwhelming. That’s where New York Food Tours comes in. We’re here to help. You can choose the Freakiest and Funniest Food Tour that includes tastes of unusual foods like the durian. But we also have the Tastes of Chinatown Tour, the Exotic Southeast Asian and Chinese Food Tour and the Asian Vegetarian Food and Culture Tour. No matter what you pick, you’ll leave confident and able to enjoy all Chinatown has to offer!

Here at New York Food Tours, we’re always looking out for great deals to recommend to you! In the last few months, we’ve checked out some of the city’s top establishments. And based on food, ambiance, service and value-for-money, we’ve decided to tell you about high-end restaurant, Jean Georges.

We loved Jean Georges. With four stars from The New York Times, this place should be on everyone’s “to-eat” list. Jean Georges is almost a popular culture icon with characters from television shows like Friends, Gossip Girl and Sex and the City all vying for a coveted seat.

We went for the very affordable two-course prix fixe lunch. At $32, the meal is a steal. Dinner often costs at least three times as much.

To start, we had an amuse bouche including a crispy rice cake with smoked trout, and a candied beet with fresh grated wasabi and ricotta. The rice cake was crisp on the outside and soft within so the silky trout was a wonderful textural complement. The candied beet was intensely sweet. With the heat of the wasabi and mild ricotta, it was a perfectly balanced mouthful.

One of the first course options was a peekytoe crab salad with mango and chilli sabayon. With a 2:1 ratio of crab to ginger, the dish packed serious bite. But the ripe mangoes and creamy sabayon saved the spice from being overpowering.

Next, we sampled a dish of sweetbreads, pear and liquorice. Perfectly cooked and tender, the main was simple but thoughtfully prepared. The liquorice was mild enough to please even those who do not usually like anise flavors. We also tasted the slow cooked salmon with black truffle crust. We requested it medium rare and the fish arrived appropriately coral-colored and melting in the center. The smooth parsnip puree and crunchy parsnip crisps that came alongside were equally impressive.

Although desserts are not part of the lunch set, we decided to indulge. And we were glad we did. The sweets were just as well-executed as the items on the savory menu. Our standout favorite was the salted caramel and chocolate tart. The gooey confection was paired with an espresso and dark caramel ice-cream that was not at all cloying.

But even if you decide not to have dessert, don’t worry! The restaurant won’t let you leave without some petit fours. Fragrant lavender macaroons and plush marshmallows, sniped into squares right at the table, are delivered to all diners. Also, you get a plate of chocolates. You’ll have to share with your table so if you can only pick one, go for the piece with Jean-Georges’ initials, JG, printed on top. It is flavored with smoky souchong tea and is truly unique. The perfect way to end your meal at one of New York’s best dining establishments.

Join New York Food Tours on one of our guided expeditions, you will sample at least six different tastings while touring a historic neighborhood with a licensed tour guide at one low price. What better deal can you get? We’re always doing more research to update our programs. Once you’ve been on an outing with us, you’ll recognize the local haunts.

Source: thestar.com.my

Bored with the same old desserts? For many, they are the highlight of the meal but typical cakes, cookies and pies can leave the palate jaded.

Enter Ice Kacang, a uniquely Southeast Asian treat. The dish, which may be described as a Malaysian Snow Cone, boasts so many different colors, textures and flavors, you’ll never tired of it.

“Kacang” is a Malay word for bean. And the dessert is full of them. It comprises tender red beans, chewy attap chee (palm) seeds, yellow sweet corn and firm cubes of agar agar jelly. These ingredients are topped with a mound of crushed ice and drizzled with evaporated milk and red syrup. Sometimes, the dish is even topped with a scoop of ice-cream. The recipe is favored by Malaysian locals as a way to stay cool even in the country’s hot and humid climate.

But where should you go for the best version in New York? Try New Malaysia Restaurant, off Bowery, tucked away in the Chinatown Arcade alley. It was recommended by The New York Times food reviewer, Molly O’Neil.

Want more interesting desserts? Join New York Food Tours for the Gourmet and Fusion Dessert Tour. It includes some fascinating sweets with Asian flavors!