The food at Num Pang is delicious. No wait... it's f@
cking delicious! I met Ben Daitz years ago at the Washington Square Park dog run, and he told me that he was gonna open a sandwich place. I bumped into him a couple years later and had no idea that his place was the same place I go to for ... Read morethe most delicious sandwiches in NYC. We eventually collaborated on the most tastiest pastrami sandwich to be tasted. EVER! The sauce that Ben and co-owner Ratha invented should be made into a lip balm so you can just savor and savor and savor. Ben and Ratha's book is like a collection of magic tricks being revealed. Delicious magic tricks that I can make and eat in my apartment.
Adam Ad-Rock Horovitz, musician Ratha and Ben are masters of delicious composition. They are virtuosos because they make perfectly balanced sandwiches: no alterations, no additions, no substitutions (less a little extra Sriracha). But each individual element of a num pang is an artwork in and of itself, which makes this quirky and crafty book so delicious and the sandwiches actually simple to replicate at home in my own kitchen. Num Pang is the true and definitive #yumbang!!!
Mario Batali, chef, entrepreneur Num Pang is one of those places that opened in NYC and immediately harvested a cult following. There are only two reasons how this is made possible in New York, the most competitive restaurant market in the world: 1) delicious food and 2) amazing culture. The food is delicious, made with care and passion, and comes from two of the best guys around. From the humble descriptions and step-by-step recipes to the awesome narrative and incredible photography, I am stoked to add this book to my collection, and I promise Ben and Ratha, I will COOK THIS BOOK!!!
Michael Chernow, owner of Seamore's and co-owner of The Meatball Shop Cambodia-born Chaupoly and native New Yorker Daitz were both building impressive restaurant industry resumes when they met, one day, at the bar of the Blue Water Grill. They quickly became friends and business partners, opening the Num Pang sandwich shop in Greenwich Village in 2009. Seven years and five additional locations later, the two are spilling their secrets of success in this collection of tangy recipes. They begin by revealing the holy trinity (of four), the ingredients that go into every sort of num pang (spoiler alert: cucumber, cilantro, chili mayo, and pickled carrots). Then, rather than focusing on sandwich building, they deconstruct, exploring the many ways of turning fowl, meat, fish, and vegetables into succulent centerpieces that can either be stuffed into a baguette, or served as a main or side dish. Highlights include a chile-basil fried chicken made with buttermilk; glazed five-spice pork belly with a hint of maple syrup; hoisin meatballs; and peppercorn catfish. Dotted throughout are helpful know this tip boxes, offering sage advice on skills such as flame-roasting ginger and judging the thickness of coconut milk. There is also a chapter of meals in a bowl with predictable entries such as oxtail stew, surprising options such as oatmeal flavored with tamarind, mango, and papaya, and, just for the heck of it, a traditional matzo ball soup.
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