Hi, I’m Alice. I grew up in Seattle, studied at UC Berkeley, and am now working in finance in NYC! My favorite foods are noodles (any type) and dumplings. When I’m not working or eating, I’m probably either running in Central Park or in a group fitness class (current favorite is Form50). I also love dogs and aspire to have my own Shiba Inu one day.
Food means a few things to me:
One, it sparks joy. Food that tastes awesome evokes a certain feeling in people. Call it a mouthgasm, if you will. Whatever it is, it makes me pretty damn happy. Like, Marie Kondo when she sees an organized closet kind of happy.
Two, it’s deeply personal. Arguably, one of the most defining features of any culture is its cuisine. Being Chinese, I grew up eating foods from my hometown of Chongqing that few people in the U.S. have even heard of: dàndàn noodles, huíguō ròu (twice-cooked pork), yā bó (duck neck), é cháng (goose intestine), fūqī fèipiàn (literally: “husband and wife lung slices”— don’t worry, the actual dish isn’t as scary as it sounds), etc. These foods have shaped my palate as well as my identity. I truly believe that by being open and eating the foods of other cultures, we can come to understand each other a little better.
Three, it’s nature’s vitamin. Our diet has a tremendous impact on both our emotions and our short-term and long-term health. Although I believe in indulging in great dining experiences, I also believe eating consciously and purposefully. That means eating food that will fuel our bodies and help us lead longer, healthier lives. To that end, I’ve been trying to eat more plant-based meals (yes, I know it’s controversial, but I think that most of us can agree that eating more fruits and vegetables is generally a good thing), but I also love me a good KBBQ, so I will likely never become 100% vegan or vegetarian. I will, however, be trying and reviewing a bunch of plant-based restaurants in the future for my vegan / vegetarian / health-conscious readers.
And finally, it’s a right. I believe that everyone should have access to healthy, delicious, wholesome food. Personally, I am very privileged to be able to try new restaurants so often. Unfortunately, millions of people in the U.S. alone suffer from food insecurity. Healthy foods, such as fresh produce, are particularly expensive and difficult to obtain for many families. Most healthy eats are advertised towards high-income individuals (think: $6* chia seed puddings, $12* spirulina smoothies, $16* farro salads). As a result, entire populations are glossed over as influencers race to publicize the latest “superfood”. There are many organizations, both national and local, that are working to solve this problem and democratize healthy food. I encourage all of my fellow food-lovers to take initiative and join one of these organizations to spread the joy of having access to delicious, nutritious meals. A few organizations that operate in NYC include:
Slow Food NYC (they have chapters all over the world)
Read my first post here!
*Prices reflect typical NYC prices as of 2020