| Riverbank's new Thai infusion
With the opening of Siam Fine Thai Cuisine in September, Wayne Luong completed a perfect Asian trifecta. Luong is a strong advocate for city business and dining, and this hip, upscale Thai venue on the west bank of the Genesee is a fine complement to his already successful tandem East End sushi and dim sum complex. Tucked into the left rear corner of the new Corn Hill Landing complex, it takes a bit of digging to unearth this gem. What you will find is three levels of bright but minimalist dining, with a bright but minimalist menu.
THE FOOD The menu here is not as extensive as some Thai restaurants. There are about a dozen entres, but each can be varied by the additions of beef, chicken, shrimp, squid or tofu. While the selection may be limited, quality is not. As an example, jumbo shrimp were used in our entre as opposed to the medium variety used in many places.
Health Ministry Puts Fast Food Under Close Scrutiny
BATU PAHAT, Feb 20 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry will meet non-governmental organisation (NGO) representatives to work on a campaign to educate the public on the pros and cons of fast food. Its Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the meeting will be held immediately after the Chinese New Year holiday as the ministry was concerned with the current lifestyle of Malaysians and their fast food eating habits. He said the ministry welcomed the call made by the NGOs, particularly the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association and the Penang Consumers Association, to stop fast food advertisements in the local media. "A meeting will be held to find the best method to educate the public to avoid fast food consumption at the early age," he told reporters after a Chinese New Year Celebration, organised by Batu Pahat MCA, here last night.
Talk of the day: In rat reaction, Yum closes more outlets
The parent company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut said it had temporarily closed several New York City restaurants owned by the franchisee that operated a Manhattan outlet overrun last week by rats. In a statement issued late Wednesday, Yum Brands Inc. said the restaurants would remain closed until they underwent new inspections by the city's health department. The company's actions were aimed at the ADF Cos., a Fairfield, N.J., group that owns more than 350 fast-food restaurants in several states including the KFC-Taco Bell closed last week. It is among the nation's largest operators of Pizza Huts. The video of the rats roaming the grounds of the Manhattan restaurant, still circulating on the Internet, also brought shame on the city for giving a passing grade to the restaurant during a health inspection one day earlier.
HOMEFRONT: Pasta come in all shapes and sizes
Pasta is simply a dried dough product that is reconstituted and cooked by boiling or soaking in water. The Chinese, Arabs and Italians all lay claim to having been the first to create this stringlike food but if you depend on written records and archeology, it looks like the Chinese get credit for being the first. Noodles made from foxtail millet and broomcorn millet were discovered in 4000-year-old digs along the Yellow River in China. Legend has it that Marco Polo brought noodles back to Italy from China, but there is no way to verify that. The dough is made of water, possibly eggs, and a flour & wheat or rice is most common here, but other flours are also used in some cultures. Pastas can be made from potato flour (gnocchi), rice (soba and other Japanese noodles), bean starch (Cellophane noodles), arrowroot (very thin Chinese Vermicelli) and others.
Barbacoa grows with fresh spin
Even though a large Mexican fast-food chain is advertising barbacoa-style beef as a new item, Barbacoa is an old favorite for many diners in the Salt Lake Valley.
The word "barbacoa" is used to describe slowly cooked meat. It is also the origin of the word barbecue. At Barbacoa Mexican Grill, a restaurant soon to have five locations in the valley, it is a recipe for fresh, healthy food with a kick.
"We are a little bit different, and we're proud to be different," said Tyson Cichos, president of the restaurant chain. "We have an active clientele who like their food fresh with lots of variety."
Since starting out in Holladay in 1998, the restaurant has attracted a loyal fan base. Company officials' commitment to thoroughly marinated and slow-cooked meats has allowed it to expand.
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