EAT: ASIAN FLAVOR AT FIELD TRIP

Harlem Bespoke:  We have been returning to Field Trip on Lenox just south of 116th Street quite a bit these past few months since the price is right and the food is always an exciting new global discovery.  Chef Joseph Johnson is known for the flavors of the diaspora mixed in with some asian flare and this more eastern side of the menu was a point of reflection upon our past visit.

One of the healthy fish options included is the green curry grilled shrimp over sticky coconut rice alongside mixed greens and the colorful bowl might just be one of the prettiest presentation to be had at the fast-casual spot.  Every time we try out one of these main menu items our first reaction is that the sauce is really super exceptional.  Chef JJ put The Cecil on the map previously as a fine dining destination and the quality of these crafted bowls are really a reflection of his years working at some of the best kitchens in the city

One surprisingly good vegetarian options also ordered during this particular outing was the quinoa bao buns with a creamy whipped mozzarella and cilantro spiced avocado sauce.  We are so use to having pork or shrimp for our bao bun order that having quinoa did not sound like a something we needed in life but that opinion has since changed.  Through some sort of culinary magic, the earthy grain has been transformed into something savory with an incredible amount of flavor that will make one not miss have meat with the meal.  We never thought we would say it, but the quinoa is really forth going out of the way to try out.

Some might wonder what are Crab Rangoon puffs?  Just like California Rolls, the ubiquitous stuffed fried wantons are an American invention but somehow is served up in a lot asian spots especially at Thai restaurants. Traditional recipes use fake crab meat but the sensational Field Trip version has an upgrade of real blue crab and a specially blended herbed cream cheese.  This popular side dish is served up in a convenient waxed paper bag and is something we plan to order for takeout as a snack on any given day.

Those who are curious about cold sake should grab one of the Lucky Dog boxes in the refrigerated section and enjoy this high quality drink.  Most cheaper sake have a sweeter,  heavy yeasty flavor but the Lucky Dog box has the good stuff which is notably drier and finishes off more like a light white wine.  There's also excellent sparking wines in a can such as the Lil Fiz or the Gotham Project rose to try out along with a more traditional non-alcoholic drinks.  More on Field Trip can be found in our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2020