Mitzie Mee Blog

New York City: Cod Roe Soondubu at DubuHaus

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Steve and I had originally planned to have dinner at Hangawi, but it was restaurant week, and we hadn’t made a reservation. The staff told us the wait would be about 45 minutes which was too long on empty stomachs, so we decided to try DubuHaus, which is right next door. DubuHaus is known for soondubu (or soondobu/soontofu) jjigae, a Korean stew with silky tofu in a steaming hot, spicy broth. When I’m craving soondubu, I usually go straight to BCD Tofu House. I love their soondubu and I’ve never felt the need to try anywhere else. But BCD always has a line, and we were hungry, so that wasn’t an option either, and thus we ended up at DubuHaus.

Before our food arrived, they served a small glass of tofu drink on the house. Steve wasn’t a fan, but I found it ok tasty. I ordered the Cod Roe Soondubu, which arrived to the table piping hot. The roe still had the membrane around it, which wasn’t the most appetizing look, but it tasted great. Steve went for the Dubu Vegetable Bibimbap, which was served as a salad with rice on the side, so you could decide on the rice-to-veggie ratio yourself.

I had upgraded my rice to the Nutritious Kettle Pot Rice with ginkgo, edamame, and shiitake. That was a very good call and something I’d definitely recommend.

After the meal, we got another surprise: a small cup of tofu soft serve. Smooth, creamy, and with a subtle hint of tofu, almost as good as regular soft serve, and a perfect cold treat if you’re lactose intolerant.

I’m really glad we gave DubuHaus a try. The space is sleek and stylish, the service is friendly and efficient, their banchan is good, and to be honest, their soondubu is every bit as good as BCD’s.

My Guide to Korean Restaurants in New York City

DubuHaus, 6 E 32nd St, New York, NY 10016

August 9, 2025 0 comments

NYC: Plantshed East Village – Matcha, Portraits, and a Green Escape

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

NYC: Plantshed - Matcha, Portraits and a Green Escape

It had been way too long since I last saw Ehsan, so I sent him a quick message on WhatsApp to see how he was doing. He replied that he was on his way to meet some friends at PlantShed and asked if Steve and I wanted to swing by. Of course we did, so we headed over to East Village.

PlantShed started out as a flower shop back in the 1950s. The café side of the business is a relatively new addition, but it works brilliantly, and today, there are several PlantShed locations across the city that combine plants and coffee in the best possible way. The space is filled with lush greenery and fresh flowers, so stepping inside feels like walking into a greenhouse right in the middle of all the noise and chaos of the city. A quiet little jungle in Manhattan.

I think their matcha is better than their coffee, and this summer they have seasonal drink called Dragonfly that I really like. It’s made with ceremonial grade matcha, raspberry purée and milk, and it’s honestly so good, so that’s what I had, along with an almond croissant. The croissant was fine, though I wouldn’t have minded a little more almond paste filling.

One of Ehsan’s friends, Dana Nehdaran, is a well known artist, especially for his portraits. His work has been exhibited in the US and internationally. At some point, he looked up and asked if he could do a quick sketch of me. Of course I said yes. There’s something fascinating about seeing yourself through someone else’s eyes, especially when that someone is an artist like Dana.

It turned into a really cozy couple of hours, surrounded by plants, good matcha, and interesting company. If you’re in New York and need a break, or just want to drink matcha surrounded by greenery, stop by PlantShed. They have several cafés around the city.

PlantShed East Village, 193 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003, United States

July 31, 2025 0 comments

New York City: Back at Atoboy – Still Good, Just Not as Great as It Used to Be

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Steve and I stopped by Atoboy, which has been one of my longtime NYC favorites, though it had been quite some time since my last visit. Back then, it felt like a steal: three dishes and rice for just $42. It almost seemed too good to be true—and it was. Prices climbed quickly after that.

When we went back in April this year, the menu was $75 for four dishes and rice. Still decent value, especially now that tip is included—but here’s the catch: they don’t really make that clear. Our server casually mentioned that the included tip only covered the kitchen staff, and there was still a tip line on the receipt, which of course left us wondering. I ended up emailing the restaurant afterward and got confirmation that the tip covers all staff. So no, you don’t need to add anything extra, even if the setup makes you second-guess.

The food? Just as tasty as I remembered. The menu and format haven’t changed much, which can be both a good and a not-so-good thing. Good, because everything still tastes great. But also a little underwhelming, because it doesn’t feel like there’s been much progress or evolution since last time.

The first dish has always been something with uni and egg, as far as I recall. Not sure if it’s the exact same one each time, but it looks pretty similar in my old photos. Either way, it’s delicious, so I’m not complaining.

We had bluefin tuna and fluke, followed by squid and sweet shrimp, and then oxtail sooyuk and cod. Nicely prepared, well balanced, but the portions are small, more like elevated bites than full-on dishes.

And then there’s the chicken. Atoboy is NYC-famous for its fried chicken, and for good reason. It’s crispy, juicy, and pretty much perfect. I honestly can’t think of a single way it could be better. It’s a $28 add-on to the menu, but it’s a generous portion and definitely shareable. To me, it’s not really an add-on, it’s the main event. Skip it, and you’re missing the best thing on the menu. You might also leave a little hungry if you don’t order the chicken.

Expect to spend $100+ per person, including chicken and drinks. Still reasonable for a New York City dinner out, but it’s not the crazy bargain it once was.

My guide to Korean restaurants in New York City

Atoboy, 43 E 28th St, New York, NY 10016, United States

July 29, 2025 0 comments

New York: Pumpkin Shopping at Fishkill Farms

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Instead of taking the easy route and picking up a pumpkin at Whole Foods, Steve and I decided to make an outing of it. We got in the car and drove up to Fishkill Farms in Hudson Valley, a beautiful, family-owned farm just over an hour north of New York City. The farm is known for its scenic surroundings, apple orchards, and organic produce.

Fishkill Farms has been around for more than 100 years and is still owned by the same family, the Morgenthaus, who founded it back in 1913. These days, they grow most of their crops following organic principles, and the farm is especially popular in the fall when visitors come to pick apples, shop for pumpkins, and enjoy freshly pressed cider and donuts straight from the farm store.

We visited the weekend before Halloween, which is probably one of the busiest weekends of the year, and it was packed. We had planned to sit down with warm apple cider and a couple of cider donuts, but the line was so long that we gave up after a few minutes. Instead, we took a quick walk around, found a beautiful pumpkin, and headed back home. Fishkill Farms is a wonderful place, but if you really want to take it all in, I’d recommend going on a weekday or during a quieter weekend when it’s not quite as crowded.

We carved a nice pumpkin and made a delicious snack, Harissa Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

Recipe: Harissa Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

October 28, 2025 0 comments

San Francisco: Lands End – Where the City Meets the Sea

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

It was one of Steve’s friends who suggested that we visit Lands End, and it turned out to be a great tip. Lands End is tucked away at the northwestern edge of San Francisco, where the cliffs drop steeply into the Pacific Ocean and the city suddenly gives way to wild coastal nature.

We started at Lands End Lookout, where there’s parking, restrooms, and a small visitor center. Below the cliffs lie the ruins of Sutro Baths, which were once the world’s largest indoor bathhouse. They were built in 1896 by Adolph Sutro, a former mayor of San Francisco, who wanted to create a public bathing complex where everyone could swim in seawater from the Pacific. The massive structure had six pools, slides, and diving towers, with water pumped directly from the ocean and heated to different temperatures. It was hugely popular around the turn of the century but fell into decay and eventually burned down in 1966 during demolition. Today, only the concrete foundations remain, but the site is still fascinating and gives a sense of how grand it must once have been.

From there, we followed the Coastal Trail, which winds along the shoreline with sweeping views of the ocean and the rugged cliffs. The path passes through a grove of old Monterey cypresses whose twisted trunks and dense canopies give the area an almost otherworldly feel. It’s like walking through a windswept fairytale forest, and together with the crashing waves below, it creates a truly special atmosphere.

We didn’t walk the entire trail, but far enough north to glimpse the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, half-shrouded in fog. It wasn’t the classic postcard view, but still beautiful in its own moody, San Francisco kind of way.

If you have a couple of hours to spare in the city, Lands End is definitely worth a visit. The Coastal Trail is an easy hike that you can do at your own pace. Stop by the Sutro Baths ruins, enjoy the quiet among the cypresses, and take in the stunning views of the Pacific.

October 21, 2025 0 comments

Cambodia: Fresh lotus seeds – A tasty snack from the market

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

One day, Linda brought a bag of fresh lotus seeds from the market. She showed me how to peel off the thin, rubbery skin to reveal the firm, white core inside. In the middle sits a small green sprout, which tastes bitter, so you remove it, but it’s actually used to make lotus tea. The rest of the seed has a mild, mealy flavor, a bit like a mix between a nut, a pea, and a chestnut.

In much of Southeast Asia, fresh lotus seeds are a seasonal snack that shows up at markets when the seed pods are ripe. You’ll find them in Cambodia and Vietnam, but also in Thailand and China. In Cambodia, people often buy the entire seed pod to take home, then sit and pop the seeds out of the little holes, one by one.

Lotus seeds come from Nelumbo nucifera, the sacred lotus, which grows in shallow, still water. You can eat the seeds fresh straight from the plant, boil them lightly, or dry them for later use. Dried lotus seeds are often used to make lotus paste, which is a smooth, sweet filling for pastries such as mooncakes and steamed buns. The seeds are boiled until soft, blended into a purée, and slowly cooked with sugar and oil until they turn glossy and thick. The flavor is mild and slightly nutty, and when done right, the texture becomes luxuriously creamy.

Whenever I’m in Cambodia I always make sure to visit Linda and her family at Meas Family Homestay. It’s such a wonderful, peaceful place.

Read my blog post about Meas Family Homestay