Last night, CAF and I ate at Zengo and sampled their current “Test Kitchen,” Hong Kong to San Juan. I will give Richard Sandoval Restaurants credit because although “fusion” often seems like a dirty word in the restaurant world,  Zengo has embraced the challenge and produced some compelling Asian/Latin dishes. This meal was so good that I jumped on Living Social and ordered their Zengo deal ($15 for $30) with the 20% off discount code (JULY20) which expires tomorrow evening. (Please use the Living Social link I just provided.)

I have eaten at two of Zengo’s Test Kitchen events previously, and while both of those menus had some good dishes, every dish on the current Test Kitchen menu was outstanding. Yes, I would have made a couple of minor adjustments plating the Whole Crispy Fried Fish, but it was still a great dish and we were very happy that the fish of the day was red snapper. The red snapper was de-boned and left head on, which was an elegant way to present the whole fried fish. The Hong Kong Roast Chicken (prepared as an airline cut) was also a great dish, with the flavors of the Shaoxing wine, smoky rice and beans, and Chinese broccoli working well together. I enjoyed both the small plates, Adobo Sweet & Sour BBQ Pork Ribs and Foie Gras-Plantain Mofongo Shumai. The papa rellena (stuffed with cheese and bacon) from the rib dish should be served on the regular menu (if they are not already), possibly as happy hour bites. I was a bit worried about the foie gras dish since I am not a fan of that particular ingredient, but the shumai were delicious, with the black vinegar and ground pork topping adding to the success of the dumplings. The Coconut Tapioca Pudding (dessert) was served with lemon sorbet and guanabana espuma (foam).

I have enjoyed some of the 3 cocktails served at these Test Kitchen events, but the current three offerings are spot on. The Lychee Bellini was a good drink  but subtle/girly for me, but CAF was greedy with it (and she isn’t even much of a drinker). I was all about the Gingered Bourbon cocktail, and we both were very happy with the Strawberry-Lemon Mojito (strong but good).

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Disclaimer: I’m sipping PitoRico Zangria and eating Loiza chocolates while writing this, so the following part of this article may be a bit happy and loopy. 🙂

While visiting New York City for the Fancy Food Show, I attended one of the show’s after events. The event was held at the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’s Manhattan office and showcased the talents of Chef Jose Enrique (named 2013 Food & Wine Magazine Best New Chefs) and some of the Puerto Rican products that were being promoted at the Fancy Food Show.

Chef Jose Enrique, named one of 2013 Food & Wine Magazine Best New Chefs, prepared a few small dishes for us, and took the time to socialize a bit. The potato salad and the flan foam were standout dishes of Enriques.

It was a pleasure to sample 7 Deadly Zings, a series of artisan tropical hot sauces, each equipped with its own ethnic ingredients and increasing heat index. PitoRico Cruz Distillery’s Puerto Rican Moonshines in island flavors such as coconut, tamarind, passion fruit and anise were flavorful and smooth, but because of negative American associations with the word “moonshine,” they should be called something else such as flavored liqueurs. Pitorro rums are very good, and I enjoyed having Mr. Cruz (owner/creator) walk us through the tasting so much that I kept ferrying people over to him.

They did not have a tasting of Loiza chocolates at the Puerto Rican event, so I was lucky enough to snag a couple of pieces (and some PitoRico Zangria) in a sample bag at the Fancy Food Show. I’m trying the chocolate as I write this article. The 65% is very flavorful and has a nice texture, although I enjoyed the 72% better because it is a little stronger and is also less sweet; both are good products.

-JAY