Dish Spotlight: Hamachi Kama

This is something you do not see a lot on menus in Long Island. This is Hamachi Kama which is the collar bone of the Yellowtail Tuna. I ordered this as an appetizer at Izumi in Bethpage. For $10 you get a very generous cut of fish that is simply seasoned and grilled served with some ponzo sauce on the side. You have to pick the meat out with your chopsticks, sometimes navigating through some tiny bones. If I were home I would of picked this thing up like a chicken wing and gnaw at it. The meat from the collar and the cheek(any Hannibal fans out there?) are revered for their tenderness and flavor. Its nothing to weird for you picky eaters out there so do not be scared if you see it on the menu.

http://izumifood.com/index.php

Restaurant Review: The Orient, Bethpage NY

Sometimes places live up to their hype and sometimes they don't. The Orient in Bethpage is a pretty popular Chinese spot that offers all of the usual Chinese American dishes(General Tso,Chop Suey, etc) but they also have some more authentic dishes as well. In particular they serve Dim Sum.

Dim Sum literally means' a bit of heart'. They are small bites of food served during morning hours until early afternoon. Dim Sum is usually served with tea. Here are some dishes from a recent visit.


This dish may not be particularly attractive but it is very good. This is steamed spare ribs. The ribs are chopped into small pieces and are steamed in a sweet sauce. You have to get your hands dirty with these suckers but it is worth it.


These little guys are steamed pork buns. These are a very common chinese street food. The bread buns have chopped barbecue pork on the inside.

This dish is very basic but the texture is not for everyone. This are steamed rice noodles with scallions. The rice noodles are very slippery and slimy. I like them but they are not for everyone.

Dumplings of all kinds are served during at the Orient. My waiter recommended these. They are pan friend leek dumpling. Inside of them are leeks and shrimp.

Awesome dish right here. Bean curd meat roll. Seasoned pork wrapped in tofu skin.

This one is a favorite of mine as well. Green Pepper with shrimp stuffing. Lots of nice flavors and textures.

This orient also serves traditional Congee(rice porage) and a number of other great dishes you may not find at the usual take out place. Go with friends and family and share


Notes:

Fast Service
Simple Decor
Handicap accessible
Alcohol served
Good Parking Lot
Open 7 days a week

623 Hicksville Rd, Bethpage - (516) 822-1010

Product Spotlight: Yves Meatless Bologna

Had some family over yesterday for a quick get together. I made the usual antipasto that everyone seems to enjoy. To accommodate a vegetarian in the family I decided to add in some meat subsitute to my platter(I hope non of my Italian relatives read this or they will beat me with a wooden spoon). It was a meatless bologna produced by Yves.

If you have read my blog before than you already know that I have a strange fascination with fugazi meat products. Being an animal lover I'm always looking for a product to sway me to a vegetarian life style. This unfortunately is not the product.

The main problem with YMB(Yves Meatless Bologna..damn I had to spell it out anyway!!) is not the flavor but the TEXTURE. The grainy dry texture leaves a lot to be desired . I had the leftovers on a sandwich today and I was practically choking on it.

So for flavor its not bad but for texture purposes I cannot recommend.