Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Dining at Café Serai in the Rubin Museum of Art

We are stopping by one of my favorite places, The Rubin Museum of Art. It really is a great retreat from the craziness that is New York City. I had wanted to try their restaurant for a long while, and finally had my chance when I stayed in the area in October. 


Café Serai  is a small but lovely space to grab a small, quick bite. I really love trying different cuisines, my Mom really showed me to be more daring with my food choices. She was a foodie before the word ever was invented! 

I had been hearing about Bao-Buns for some time. Mantou, the bread used for baos, is the perfect mixture of softness and sweetness. Mantou is made by steaming the yeast instead of baking it. This results in an extremely fluffy and soft texture. Another key dough ingredient is sugar, so when you bite into it, you get a wonderful hint of sweetness. 

According to Chinese legend, mantou was invented when an army general named Zhuge Liang had to lead his army across a dangerous river. The people on the other side of the river ordered Liang to sever the heads of 50 of his men if he wanted to safely cross. Not particularly fond of that idea, Liang created a pretty clever ruse: He made large steamed buns and floated them across the river in place of real human heads.

Chicken Bao-Bun 12 | Pickled seasonal vegetable, chili mayo

Okay, so I was a bit confused when they came out. Little puffs of clouds, and the chicken mixture was just out-of-this-world. 

I knew this wasn't the right way to eat them, and thank god for Google to give me some help. If you are ever in a restaurant with new cuisine, Google is so fantastic to give you that knowledge is power regarding what you are eating. 

Ahh, there we go. The opening is made with either a chopstick or ruler, and once I was doing this the correct way, I felt so much better! This bun was just unreal. I cannot wait to take some of my friends here to try this. I am anxious to try some of their other items :

Pan Seared Salmon | Roasted chili flavored black lentil stew
Chicken Tikka Masala | Marinated chicken, tomato based sauce, choice of white or red rice, or naan


This lovely light bite was $12.00 and worth every penny. I just cannot wait to go back, and enjoy them again! Bao Buns are something everyone must try at least once. You will not be disappointed! 


HIMALAYAN HAPPY HOUR
Every Wednesday night the Museum hosts Himalayan Happy Hour from 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Enjoy an artful after-work happy hour at Café Serai with live music and exceptional programming in the theater. During Himalayan Happy Hour, non-members enjoy a 10% discount on all items on the Café Serai menu while members enjoy a 15% discount. Unwind over a glass of wine or pot of tea while enjoying savories and sweets.


150 West 17th St.
New York, NY 10011

HOURS
Monday11:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday11:00 a.m.—9:00 p.m.
Thursday11:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.
Friday11:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m.
Saturday/Sunday11:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m.

The Museum is closed on Christmas,
Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day.

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