Maybe it’s because I didn’t really have that time in college for me to acquire the taste but alcoholic drinks don’t really appeal to me. The foul bitter taste has done most to deter me. But, again, in the past couple of years I have timidly tried out some drinks. I think the social aspects like how most people like to drink, people will turn to alcohol to soothe away a bad day, and how it’s kinda expected that you do when you’re an adult fascinate me. It’s that and curiosity that’s got me trying different drinks. And interestingly there are a few drinks that I’ve found that I do like: Stella Artois, Guinness, and wine. Stella I’m not sure why I like but just that it tastes better than other beers I’ve had. Guinness I like because of the rich chocolate-like taste. Wine I mostly like white wines. For wine, I became interested in it because I watched this Japanese TV series called Kami no Shizuku about wine. It was what the show was about and was practically one of the characters. Before this I had written it off because I thought it was really bitter. But having learned about some of the background behind wine I decided to give it another chance and be more open minded.

I also don’t like soda nor coffee. Again, two drinks practically everyone drinks. But both I was brought up that it wasn’t good for you.

So what do I drink? Water, juices, milk (not as often as I used to), and (iced) tea.

For most of my life I’ve been a picky eater sticking to mostly to Chinese food related items. There have been times on vacation when I was a little kid where my parents have driven around looking for a Chinese restaurant. Fortunately, over the years I’ve become more open to new foods or foods I did not like, though little by little. It’s only in the past three or four years that I’ve started to really try new foods and food I previously didn’t like. The cause was mostly curiosity and peer pressure. I had started exploring the city and my sense of wonder at these new foods I found helped me overcome my stubborn, “yeah I don’t like it.” That was also the case working at Serious Eats pushed me to try new foods. But in addition to that I didn’t want to seem like I didn’t like or was close minded to food.

But still like everyone there are foods I generally don’t like. It’s not at the level where I hate these foods but just a general dislike. There are exceptions and derivatives, so it’s not like I dislike with a broad brush.

Seafood
This is fish and shellfish. I actually dislike shellfish more. In general it’s the taste that gets me. Then it’s the texture. I’d also say its the tiny bones and shells. I wonder though maybe that’s a symptom of me being lazy. There are fish I do like: salmon and flounder. I really like the baked version of salmon steak and the salmon fat parts. Flounder I like it both steamed and deep fried (so that you can eat some of the bones) Chinese style. Another fish I really like is Chilean Sea Bass. It’s melt in your mouth goodness but  I refrain from eating it because I don’t want mercury poisoning or contribute to it’s extinction.

Cheese
Again it’s the taste that I don’t like.  I know there’s cheese in a lot of things. Which is why I prefer a Sicilian or square slice to the regular NYC style. It’s also why I usually get a hamburger and not a cheeseburger. But the thing is, is that I like mozzarella sticks and I really really like cheesecakes. I also really like cream cheese and spam(?) spread for crackers.

Cherries
Reminds me too much of cough medicine.

Broccoli Rabe and Bittermelon
I don’t like the bitter taste.

Durian and Truffles
The smell.

Yogurt
Its the smell and consistency.

That’s pretty much most of the bigger dislikes. Again I’m still open to them depending on the way it’s prepared. But for the most part I’ll do without.

I know it’s been nearly two months ago since my last update. Once you stop regularly updating it’s a really slippery slope to falling way behind. I’m setting myself on a schedule. Mondays and Thursday! There!

So I did check out Inoteca Di Palo. But before that I went to Rainbow Cafe (where they have sticky rice stuffed chicken wings) with my friend Joey.

I decided get something more breakfast-y and get a the breakfast meat (Spam) and eggs on rice. There’s also lettuce underneath there. It wasn’t too bad but then again it’s hard to get this wrong. We also got an order of the chicken wings and I was stuffed. Those wings are really filling. Next time I’ll have to try something I haven’t had there before. I’m thinking the curry fishballs.

Afterwards we went into the Inoteca. It’s a really nice and small shop. I didn’t get any wine though. I know even less about Italian wines and I can’t afford any.

Then wandering around a bit we dropped by Papabubble, one of my favorite candy stores, to watch them make some candy and get some sweets.

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In Chinatown you’re always bound to find something you haven’t noticed or strange nearly every time. Take this coffee shop on Baxter between Canal and Hester streets.

From the looks of it it’s been around for a while but of all the years I’ve been going to Chinatown it’s only this March I came across it. But in somewhat imaginative wonder I was expecting something more than what I found inside. They don’t sell much besides random bags of chips and candy, sponge cake pastries, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Nearly everything is only 65 cents from what I remember. How are they still in business???

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I went back to Pho Bang on Mott Street after a long time. I usually get the pork chop on rice but decided to get a bowl of pho since I haven’t had it in a while.  I don’t remember which one this was exactly but it was good!

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Part 2 coming soon!

Well new to me. Friday afternoon, on the way to meet up with some friends, I couldn’t help but notice Enoteca Di Palo on Grand street between Mott and Mulberry streets. I think it was how different it looked compared to the stores around it and the colors and hue of the interior that stopped me on a cloudy gray day. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to go in because I was running late. Also I felt a bit weird that I had no intention of buying anything but just wanted to take photos.

It seems to be at the end of an extension of Di Palo’s with the middle still under construction. I couldn’t really discern anything peaking in so I’m wondering what that middle part will be.

I will check it out again and probably go into the enotica tomorrow.

[Update] Hmm it’s been open since Nov. Why haven’t I noticed it???

Friday night I went to a birthday celebration for a friend of mine at Onieals (warning: music on site) in Little Italy. There, I decided to try a glass of Stella Artois ($6). I wasn’t really expecting much but I liked it. It didn’t have a bitter alcohol taste and was quite pleasant to drink. I would’ve finished it if I wasn’t stuff from dinner right before. Also if it wasn’t getting late (I got home at 2:45 am). So, I’ve added it on my very short list of alcoholic drinks I actually like (Guinness is the only other drink on the list). I also tried my friends Samuel Adams which had some spices in it which made it taste quite tasty. I would also add it to my list if I could remember what exactly the drink was called.

On to last night with a glass of red wine.

I didn’t spill the wine.

Sunday dinner turning into my wine night. Though I need to get some proper food to go with the wine. I don’t think any wine goes the food from the guy on Chrystie street.

Take out container and forks in the background.

This red wine had (I’m going to use me poor skills of description here) a smoky taste. I’m not sure if that’s correct since the back label doesn’t really give too much info. I tried to find more info online and only came up with a description for a 2005 vintage:

“100% Cabernet Franc. Great herbal nose touched with cigar leaf. Medium bodied and elegant, with fresh blackberry, silky tannins, good acidity. Blood orange and rosemary round out the finish.” via [Amazing Grapes Wine Store]

I didn’t really like it. I don’t think it was bad but I didn’t think it was too good either.

I think one thing that still difficult for me to do is to get over the smell and bitterness of alcohol. At the same time I’m trying to sort out the different smells and tastes.

I don’t have any other drinks planned nor any other parties to go to soon so I’m not sure what I’ll be drinking next. But till then!

I’m into Asian dramas and some new ones I’ve been watching are Kami no Shizuku (Japanese) and Terroir (Korean). Both have to do with wine and have peaked my interest in wine and, to a more general extent, my casual interest in alcoholic drinks. Those shows, especially Kami no Shizuku, have shown me that like many things there’s a deeper level to wine and other alcoholic drinks.

So I’ve decided give wine another chance and to be more discerning when drinking alcoholic drinks. This won’t be a hardcore study and I’m not studying to be a sommelier but I’ll be thinking and analyzing what I drink and learning from dramas, the internet, and friends. I think I should also note that I don’t really like alcoholic drinks (the bitterness of the alcohol and burning sensation in my throat) and I don’t really know much about wine or tasting wine.

Anyway, Sunday night I had the above wine. My dad got it because he likes it and it’s cheap.

It wasn’t too bad. I was able to over look the smell and taste of alcohol to note the flavor. However I wasn’t able to sort what what that flavor was (pineapple and citrus, notes the back label).

The back label also says that it goes well with salads, fish, and light meats. Yeah – that wasn’t what I was eating – roast pork on rice from the guy on Chrystie Street. They totally did not go together.

Another thing, I’m not sure how exactly you drink wine but I think you sip it more than gulping it down like beer. It helped me taste it more.

The first of this excursion went well. I look forward to drinking more!

Yeah sorry again for the lack of updates. 8( But hey here’s looking forward to 2009! I’ll hopefully have something new “soon.”

Anyway here’s a list of somethings I want to try, eat, drink, etc.:

• Try Filipino cuisine – I seem to be missing out.
• Try Soju – I keep seeing it on Korean shows so I’m pretty interested in how it tastes.
• Try more Sake – Similar to Soju in that I’ve seen it on Japanese shows but I want to try the different kinds.
• Eat more burgers – I want to expand my burger palate.
• Eat more Korean – I feel like there’s more that I haven’t eaten.
• Continue to eat healthily – More fruits and vegetables and less fat and sweets. A balanced diet.
• Try to cook and bake – I should learn.
• Eat less alone – Because it’s lonely and not as fun.

That’s it for now. I might come back to add some more.