Postcards from Bunny: Bento Box Treats with Takashi at Macy's

Seeing as how several dozen presidents and monarchs have finished their reigns since the last time Brandy was in any sort of school classroom, its understandable that the "Back to School" season is always somewhat confusing for her.  "What do they mean by back to school?" she often wonders, "The children don't leave school until they are 18 or 22 or 30 even these days, they're constantly in school!  Seems to me, its more the 'End of the Break that's Slightly Longer than All the Other Breaks We Take Throughout the Year Season.'"

To help Brandy be a little more empathetic with the parents of the world, Bunny sent her to another one of Macy's on State Street's amazing cooking demos from a member of the Culinary Council, as it was to be a Back to School themed afternoon with snacks meant for a busy student's lunchbox.  Brandy was a little hesitant at first, but once she learned the star of the day was none other than Takashi Yagihashi, famed for his namesake restaurant in Bucktown and Slurping Turtle in the Loop, she decided to make an exception.  "Normally I don't pay any mind to the young and their goings on, but I suppose this one time, I can stand to learn something."

The afternoon started off with a refreshing carbonated cranberry lemonade, garnished with a sprig of mint.  Brandy was three cups into the day before she realized the beverage was non alcoholic.  "I suppose a wine spritzer after school would be a bit of a faux pas," she mused.

Chef Takashi started off with Shrimp Shumai, a steamed dumpling filled with chopped shrimp, water chestnuts and mushrooms and topped with a soy sauce/mustard dressing.  These perfect little pockets had the a delightfully chewy outside and a tender, salty filling.  Chef paired them with a little bit of steamed bok choy and said that if someone wanted to make a larger batch of them, that they freeze extremely well and could even be deep fried for a more crunchy shell.

Next Chef Takashi demonstrated Chicken Yakitori, a sort of Japanese shish kebob with juicy chunks of boneless chicken breast, thigh, and leg meat skewered with onions, green peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and fresh scallions.  "These make perfect snacks for a BBQ or picnic too!" Chef Takashi proudly proclaimed.  The secret to these tasty bites was definitely the marinade, a traditional Japanese concoction called Tukedare, which consisted of soy sauce, sugar, fresh ginger juice, sesame oil, lemon juice, kombu (a type of seaweed), and a Japanese spice blend called Togarashi.

Finally Chef Takashi prepared his famous Chicken Tatsuta-Age, a Japanese style fried chicken served with a spicy Asian Slaw.  Again, the secret to juicy, flavorful chicken was down to the marinade, flavored with garlic, ginger, mirin, and sesame oil.  Chef Takashi advised using potato starch to coat the chicken, as it lent a better crunch and flavor than corn starch once fried.

As one last flourish, the chef gave the audience some tips on how to properly steam rice, then assembled a few pieces of all of the goodies he'd prepared into a lovely bento style lunch box, which he said would be sure to make everyone's children "Never want to leave their parents homes!"

At the end of it all, Brandy actually found herself slightly wishing she had some classes to attend just so that she could take with her a fabulous lunch like this one (all of the items Chef Takashi prepared we meant to be eaten at room temperature so no ice packs of microwave were necessary).  But instead, she compromised by buying a brand new rice cooker, a floral backpack ("This will be perfect for carrying my darning supplies to Quilting Club!"), and enjoying a bowl of noodles from Takashi's own Noodles on the seventh floor of Macy's on State Street.  She may not be going back to school any time soon, but Brandy was now happy enough to welcome in the season with the rest of the world.

The writers of this blog have been compensated by Everywhere Society for the information contained in this post, but the opinions stated were not influenced.

Postcards from Bunny

Greetings dear readers!  We have a very special post indeed for you today.  Recently, Bunny, who was preparing for a journey to visit the Yoshinogari excavation site in Japan, had just enough time to stop over in Chicago for a little sit down chat with world famous chef and Chicago treasure, Takashi Yagihashi. 

Bunny met with Chef Takashi on a lovely Saturday afternoon before he did a cooking demo at Macy's on State Street as part of their Pacific Asian Heritage Month celebrations.  Firstly, Bunny gushed over the brunch she and Brandy once shared at Chef Takashi's flagship restaurant in Bucktown.  Interestingly, the Chef told Bunny that his signature Sunday Noodle Lunch was first conceived by one of his servers.  "We noticed diner service on Sundays was slowing down a bit," Takashi explained, "So to make up for it, we decided to start doing a sort of brunch.  But there are also a lot of other really good restaurants in the Bucktown area doing really good brunches, and I didn't want to do it unless I had something different to offer.  One of my servers suggested we do the big bowls of ramen and the noodles, because I loved them so much.  So we started doing that and it turned out really good.  I think people like it."  The chef flashed Bunny a smile that made her dainty heart flutter a bit.

Next, Bunny asked Chef Takashi what he liked to eat for breakfast.  He described an occasion when he and his family were staying in a very nice hotel in Japan and had ordered a room service breakfast.  The family were presented with a tray laden down with bowls: bowls with rice, bowls with smoked salmon, bowls of pickled vegetables and dried seaweed, pickled prawns, miso soup, and many other condiments.  Chef Takashi described his children's reaction to this bounty as being one of surprise.  "They didn't know where to start," he laughed.

Chef Takashi also gave Bunny the inside scoop on his newest venture, Slurping Turtle, a sort of Japanese styled gastro-pub/tapas bar, designed to sucker in hungry Downtown workers who want a little something before they go home for dinner.  He mentioned a bevy of small plates like sashimi, dumplings, and other cold appetizers, along with delectable sounding desserts like macaroons and cream puffs with Japanese flavors like green tea, red bean, and raspberry wasabi.

After their little chat, Bunny had the privilege to sit in on a cooking demo that Chef Takashi did for an eager crowd at Macy's. As a member of Macy's Culinary Council, along with other famed chefs such as Wolfgang Puck, Cat Cora, and Chicago's own Rick Bayless among others, Chef Takashi has contributed not only to the brilliant Seven on State food court, but also to a holiday themed cook book sold exclusively at Macy's. The dishes he prepared that day included a Grilled Salmon and Cold Noodle Salad, Japanese style Fried Chicken with Spicy Asian Slaw, and a ramen dish with Seafood and Crispy Noodles (some of these recipes can be found in Chef Takashi's own cookbook, Noodles). She promised us that every one of these dishes was simply marvelous.

And so, Bunny set off on yet another one of her adventures into a far away land, but this time with a very helpful culinary heads up from the wonderful, humble, funny, and quite handsome Chef Takashi.

Where to enjoy Chef Takashi's Food:
Takashi- Bucktown
Seven on State- Macy's on State Street
Slurping Turtle- the Loop
*The writers of this blog have been compensated by Everywhere Society for the information contained in this post, but the opinions stated were not influenced.

Postcards from Bunny

Greetings friends!  Bunny just dropped us a quick note from her current station in Myanmar to make sure we told you all about an exciting event!  In celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage month, Macy's on State Street is hosting an cooking demo with Culinary Council member (and Bunny and Brandy favorite) Chef Takashi Yagihashi  Here's all the info you need to attend:

Where:
Macy's on State Street
Chicago, IL
Lower Level Culinary Kitchen
When:
May 12, 2012 at 1PM
For More Info Click Here

Postcard from Bunny: Macy's Seven on State Edition

Greetings Dearies and happy 2012!  While Brandy was away at the International Clogging Convention, Bunny thought she would provide you all with a light bit of holiday entertainment.  As she spent Christmas this year in Mongolia, Bunny found herself longing for the traditional trappings and wrappings of a Western Christmas, especially one in Chicago. 

Like all of us Bunny has a long list of traditions that must be completed in order for things to feel appropriately Christmasy, and one of those things is spending a day at Macy's on State Street, wondering at the windows, browsing for winter wear, and such.  A long day of shopping can definitely give one an appetite, and luckily part of Bunny's tradition is a good hearty lunch at the very same store.  A lot of casual shoppers my not realize that there are some pretty tasty and unusual food choices to be found at this particular Macy's, some of which go back to the days of Marshall Fields.

The most famous and popular of these foodie favorites is probably The Walnut Room, a stunning rotunda sit down restaurant that serves American classics, like their century old recipe for Chicken Pot Pie.  For many Chicago families, a Christmas lunch at The Walnut Room is an absolute must, meaning long waits and over crowding, which is why Bunny opts for the often over looked Seven on State, a sort of upscale food court (for those looking for a simple snack, the more traditional food court can be found on the lower level).

Along with plane Jane choices such as soups, sandwiches, and salads, more adventurous eaters will find gourmet picks from some of the finest chefs of today, such as Frontera Fresco (Rick Bayless), Noodles (Takashi Yagiahashi), and Marc Burger (Marcus Samuelsson)

Noodles by Takashi offers an abbreviated version of one of Bunny and Brandy's favorite restaurants with crowd pleasing munchies like spring rolls as well as huge bowls of warm and filling ramen noodles.  Bunny's particular favorite is the Mushroom and Tofu, an earthy bowl of veggies and tender noodles that will give you the energy to keep on shopping without feeling heavy.  She also loves the pot stickers, a pork filled dumpling served beautifully crisp with a small salad of butter lettuce and pickled cabbage.  Getting these little bites is a wonderful idea if you're sharing with other hungry shoppers.

There's also Marc Burger, the perfect choice for someone looking for something both comforting and familiar, yet exotic.  Traditional burgers, fries, shakes, and other such fast food fair is given a nice little gourmet twist, such as the Grilled Chicken Sandwich with spicy avocado mayo, the Garlic Fries with cracked black pepper, or the ever popular Chocolate Shake with real whipped cream.

Just towards the end of her shopping excursion, Bunny always makes sure to stop by the downstairs candy counter; a sweet wonderland filled with everything from the penny candies of Bunny's youth to gourmet truffles.  The newest addition to this palace of sugar is the Fudge Counter; unique flavors of fresh fudge, made daily right at the store.  Huge blocks of the sweet stuff can be found in the case, or pre-cut and packaged little chunks can be purchased quickly for those who can't wait to try one of the exciting flavors.  Upon hearing of this newest bauble on Macy's candy tree, Bunny expressed a desire to sample the Cookies and Cream, Red Velvet, and Chocolate Raspberry flavors.

We hope that Bunny's insights into the food at Macy's on State Street will help many a weary shopper looking for after Christmas sales this year.  From all of us at Bunny and Brandy's Brunchtime Blog, we wish you the happiest of New Year's!  Next week, Brandy will resume her normal duties and take us all with her to the first fabulous brunch of 2012!

Takashi or Noodle Oggling

The Slow and Savory Review

Variety is the spice of life is how the old saying goes, and it is one of the tenants Bunny and Brandy live their lives by.  Brunch is still by far their favorite meal, but even Our Ladies occasionally tire of the same old Eggs Benedict and French Toast, no matter how dressed up with caramelized pears or crab cakes they come.  So after seeing an article proclaiming to have the "Cure for the Average Brunch" Our Ladies suited up in their Sunday finest and headed out to Bucktown to sample the Noodle Lunch at Takashi.

Tastefully decorated in modern greys and pops of orange, Takashi is a very welcoming space with a lovely small patio out front and a cozy upstairs dining room.  Reservations were encouraged, but from what Bunny and Brandy observed (they were there at the first ring of the lunch bell at 11:30) it took just under an hour before the restaurant was filled with buzzing patrons.

The menu was definitely quite a change from their usual choices; a cornucopia of smaller tasting plates were joined by a myriad of noodle bowls, listed by the different types of noodles such as ramen, udon, and soba.  Their helpful server suggested they order a few of the smaller plates, and then share a noodle bowl, which was more than enough to feed two (he obviously was not aware of Brandy's past as a noodle eating champion). 

Our Ladies did start with a few of the smaller dishes; Duck Fat Fried Chicken, Pork Gyoza, and Eggplant Salad.  The chicken was amazingly moist and flavorful, rich from the duck fat with just a hint of spice, and an outer crust that crunched audibly when bitten into. 

The Eggplant salad was like a tour for the taste buds; sweet marinated eggplant, salty broth and mushrooms, slightly bitter Chinese broccoli, crunchy fried onions, and again just a little bit of heat. 

The Gyoza were very light, with a crispness from being pan fried.  The filling was soft and well balanced.

Next came the noodle bowls.  Bunny ordered the Miso Ramen, which came with assorted veggies and braised pork.  She seemed to think the broth was a bit salty, which Brandy scoffed at.  "Dear, it's miso, it's supposed to be salty," Brandy scolded her. Bunny wrinkled her nose and rolled her eyes.  Bunny reported the noodles were lovely, the broth very flavorful, and the pork very tender, though maybe a little on the fatty side.  Brandy, ever the know-it-all, suspected Bunny was mistaking the silky texture of high quality meat for fattiness.

Brandy went for the Rice Noodles, with slices of Rib Eye, bean sprouts, and baby bok choy.  At the behest of the waiter, Brandy also ordered a side of Tempura to dip into the broth.  The beef was mouth meltingly tender and the sprouts fresh and crisp.  The broth, she mentioned, had a slight liquorishy taste to it which made it unusual, and was greatly enhanced by the Japaneses spice mixture that was provided to the table.  The noodles were very tender and easily slipped from her chop sticks as she tried to raise them to her mouth.  Eventually the waiter took pity on Brandy and brought her a fork.  The tempura was wonderfully light and crispy, and did indeed taste delightful when dipped into the broth of her noodle bowl.  Brandy's only complaint was that she accidentally bit into a tempuraed jalapeno, thinking it to be fried okra.  After a minute of crying and coughing (and giggling from Bunny) all was well.

Since no decision could be made between the three delectable sounding desserts, Our Ladies decided to go for them all.  First came the Coconut Panacotta, which came served in a pool of passion fruit syrup.  Though the panacotta was nice and creamy, it didn't taste much of coconut, and the syrup was so strong and tangy that it overpowered everything else.

Next came the Green Tea Shortbread, which sandwiched a white chocolate mousse and came served with mango sorbet.  While the cookies had a nice texture, they didn't actually taste much of green tea, but the mango sorbet was flavorful enough to make up for it. 

Lastly, the Salted Caramel Cheesecake with shaved Mandarin Ice.  This was the obvious winner of the three for Our Ladies.  The Mandarin ice was perfect in its brightness and flavor, and the cheesecake, which came served with sweet red bean paste on top, was soft, creamy, and had just the right amount of sweetness.

Two starters, a noodle bowl, and a dessert for each of Our Ladies came out to about $35 a person before tip, a pretty good bargain for such a feast.  With their palates and their minds thoroughly refreshed, Bunny and Brandy are ready to once again venture into the land of savories and sweets that is Chicago's best brunch destinations.

The Short and Sweet Review