Saturday, November 04, 2006
Dinner at Home
After our appetizers at B Restaurant we came home and cooked some nice little lamb chops.
Pan Fried Lamb Chops with Caper Butter and Green Salad
For the lamb chops simply season with salt and pepper, then cook in a bit of butter and olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes on all sides for medium rare. Top with a compound butter or sauce of your choice. This time I had some caper butter left over from some fish and used that. I was a bit skeptical about the flavor combo of capers and lamb, but I think that the capers cut the gaminess of the lamb quite well.
Pan Fried Lamb Chops with Caper Butter and Green Salad
For the lamb chops simply season with salt and pepper, then cook in a bit of butter and olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes on all sides for medium rare. Top with a compound butter or sauce of your choice. This time I had some caper butter left over from some fish and used that. I was a bit skeptical about the flavor combo of capers and lamb, but I think that the capers cut the gaminess of the lamb quite well.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, lamb, salad
Appetizers at B Restaurant, San Francisco, CA
We were invited to the opening party for B Restaurant, the San Fransisco outlet of an Oakland restaurant that is just around the corner from our house. Because the company who owns these restaurants is called Boxed Foods Company, we assumed this would be a casual dining type of place with salads and sandwiches and the like. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the many appetizers being passed around were well executed, very tasty and innovative. And the menu has rattlesnake on it, so we WILL be coming back for a proper dinner.
Boar Slider
This was an interesting take on a mini-burger. The boar meat was gamey and juicy, in a good way.
Oyster with Fig Sauce
Interesting and fresh.
Coq au Vin and Frisee on a Potato Chip
Classic French meets middle America in a surprisingly good little bite.
Filet Tartare with Fried Turnips
The meat was very fresh and flavored with cumin, an interested twist on the classic mustard.
Ceviche with Watermelon
Watermelon, as we've said before, seems to be the "it" ingredient at restaurants this season. This dish was refreshing and simple.
Fried Risotto Ball with Fig Sauce
Usually are not too fond of rice, but this was quite tasty and had a nice texture profile.
Shrimp, Tomato and Fennel Skewer
This was the worst of the appetizers. The shrimp were of bad quality and it was underseasoned.
Oyser with Persimmon Sauce
They really seemed to like to pair oysters with fruit, which was a refreshing take.
Scallop Sashimi
This was fresh and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Curried Mussel with Potato
I could have done without the potato, but curry is an unexpectedly good flavor for a mussel.
Boar Slider
This was an interesting take on a mini-burger. The boar meat was gamey and juicy, in a good way.
Oyster with Fig Sauce
Interesting and fresh.
Coq au Vin and Frisee on a Potato ChipClassic French meets middle America in a surprisingly good little bite.
Filet Tartare with Fried Turnips
The meat was very fresh and flavored with cumin, an interested twist on the classic mustard.
Ceviche with Watermelon
Watermelon, as we've said before, seems to be the "it" ingredient at restaurants this season. This dish was refreshing and simple.
Fried Risotto Ball with Fig Sauce
Usually are not too fond of rice, but this was quite tasty and had a nice texture profile.
Shrimp, Tomato and Fennel Skewer
This was the worst of the appetizers. The shrimp were of bad quality and it was underseasoned.
Oyser with Persimmon Sauce
They really seemed to like to pair oysters with fruit, which was a refreshing take.
Scallop Sashimi
This was fresh and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Curried Mussel with Potato
I could have done without the potato, but curry is an unexpectedly good flavor for a mussel.
Labels: Decor: 2, Food: 2, restaurant, Service: 1
Snack at Costco, San Francisco, CA
Alexis was feeling a little under the weather from the previous night's debauchery and thus succombed to the carby goodness available for very cheap at Costco.
Pizza $1.50
Costco used to have ok pizza with a crunchy crust. This time it was soggy and not very appealing.
Chicken Bake $2.79
Alexis had high hopes for the chicken bake, but the result fell flat. It was a rather bland concoction of dry chicken and cheese wrapped in pizza dough.
Pizza $1.50
Costco used to have ok pizza with a crunchy crust. This time it was soggy and not very appealing.
Chicken Bake $2.79
Alexis had high hopes for the chicken bake, but the result fell flat. It was a rather bland concoction of dry chicken and cheese wrapped in pizza dough.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Breakfast at Home
Dinner at Thai Stick 4.0, San Francisco, CA
We went out to eat with about 1/2 of our office after an office event to see the Borat movie. We'd never heard of this place, but apparently it is a mini-chain, having 4 locations in the Bay Area. It wasn't bad and the priced were reasonable.
Green Papaya Salad with Salty Crab $10
The salty crab was a bit too fishy for Alexis.
Garlic Shrimp $12
These shrimp were smothered in a toasted garlic sauce much like at Osha, only Osha uses better quality shrimp for the same price.
Half of a Roasted Duck $12
This was really good. They deboned it, which was a nice surprise and the meat was both juicy and flavorful.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1
Website
Health Code Violations
Green Papaya Salad with Salty Crab $10
The salty crab was a bit too fishy for Alexis.
Garlic Shrimp $12
These shrimp were smothered in a toasted garlic sauce much like at Osha, only Osha uses better quality shrimp for the same price.
Half of a Roasted Duck $12
This was really good. They deboned it, which was a nice surprise and the meat was both juicy and flavorful.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1
Health Code Violations
Labels: Decor: 0, Food: 1, restaurant, Service: 1, thai
Lunch at Carl's Jr., San Francisco, CA
Rarely do we eat fast food when not in an airport. However, Carl's Jr. actually uses real beef and chicken. It is still greasy, fried food, but it makes us feel a little bit better about it.
Chicken Tenders $4
Too much breading--we had to remove most of it. But real chicken, and moist too.
$6 Bacon Cheeseburger $4.50
Large, messy and delicious.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 0
Chicken Tenders $4
Too much breading--we had to remove most of it. But real chicken, and moist too.
$6 Bacon Cheeseburger $4.50
Large, messy and delicious.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 0
Labels: Decor: 0, fast food, Food: 1, restaurant, Service: 0
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Dinner at Norton's Vault, San Francisco, CA
We went to Norton's for the second time this week and ended up playing Liar's dice for a couple of hours. We also ended up only eating fried appetizers for dinner. Not very healthy.
Jalapeno Poppers $4
Not very spicy, but tasty.
Jalapeno Poppers $4
Not very spicy, but tasty.
Labels: Decor: 0, Food: 0, Service: 1
Lunch at Shroeder's, San Francisco, CA
Alexis went to this cavernous, fairly authentic German place with some ofther coworkers. Ther service was abysmal--we waited at least 20 minutes to order and I think there was only 1 waiter for the enormous dining room.
German Sausage Platter $12
4 different kinds of sausage served with sourkraut and red cabbage. A hearty meal on a rainy day. And a lot of food for the price.
Potato Salad and Cole Slaw (gratuit)
The German versions of these two dishes are much better then the American versions because they lack mayonaisse.
German Sausage Platter $12
4 different kinds of sausage served with sourkraut and red cabbage. A hearty meal on a rainy day. And a lot of food for the price.
Potato Salad and Cole Slaw (gratuit)
The German versions of these two dishes are much better then the American versions because they lack mayonaisse.
Labels: Decor: 0, Food: 1, German, restaurant, Service: 0
Lunch at The Slanted Door, San Francisco, CA
On Giao's second to last day at work, he had lunch with some colleagues at The Slanted Door, a popular (good but expensive) upscales Vietnamese place in the Ferry Building.
Spring Rolls $7
Very fresh ingredients, good sauce.
Lemongrass Chicken $12
Tender and full flavored.
Shaking Beef $14
The beef is always tender and the dipping sauce cuts right through the fat.
Catfish Clay Pot $12
Tender fish in a sweet, rich sauce.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Service: 1
Decor: 2
Website
Health Code Violations
Spring Rolls $7
Very fresh ingredients, good sauce.
Lemongrass Chicken $12
Tender and full flavored.
Shaking Beef $14
The beef is always tender and the dipping sauce cuts right through the fat.
Catfish Clay Pot $12
Tender fish in a sweet, rich sauce.
Food: 1
Service: 1
Decor: 2
Website
Health Code Violations
Labels: Decor: 2, Food: 1, restaurant, Service: 1, Vietnamese
Breakfast at Home
Leftover Ancho Chili Braised Pork and Fried Egg
For a quick, tasty breakfast, we simply topped some leftover pork with a fried egg. Yum.
For a quick, tasty breakfast, we simply topped some leftover pork with a fried egg. Yum.
Labels: breakfast recipe, eggs, homemade, pork
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Dinner at Cafe Kati, San Francisco, CA
Cafe Kati is a place that we'd never been to, but kept hearing about from friends. Overall, we aren't really sure what the fuss is all about. The food was good, for sure. The portions were huge. The service was fine. The menu was pleasantly eclectic. But in the end, there was nothing about this place that would make me suggest it to someone, or eat there again, unless invited.
Cornbread (gratuit)
Hearty and flavorful, but it would have been a lot better if served warm.
Seafood Curry $9
This enormous soup of the day was full of a variety of sea creatures suspended in a creamy, curry broth. This could have been a meal in and of itself.
Ancho Chili Braised Pork $25
This was actually quite good. The pork was tender and the accompaniments of avocado, pico de gaillo cut through the meatiness.
Whole Striped Bass $28
Another enormous dish, this fish was tender and well flavored.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1
Website
Health Code Violations
Cornbread (gratuit)Hearty and flavorful, but it would have been a lot better if served warm.
Seafood Curry $9
This enormous soup of the day was full of a variety of sea creatures suspended in a creamy, curry broth. This could have been a meal in and of itself.
Peanut Crusted Shrimp with a Green Papaya Salad $11
The shrimp were ok but the salad was quite good, dressed in Thai sweet chili sauce.
The shrimp were ok but the salad was quite good, dressed in Thai sweet chili sauce.
Ancho Chili Braised Pork $25
This was actually quite good. The pork was tender and the accompaniments of avocado, pico de gaillo cut through the meatiness.
Whole Striped Bass $28
Another enormous dish, this fish was tender and well flavored.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1
Website
Health Code Violations
Labels: Decor: 1, Food: 1, restaurant, Service: 1
Lunch at Sushi Bune, San Francisco, CA
We decided to give this sushi place a few blocks from our work a try. It was OK, but in general, the financial district is lacking in decent sushi. Therefore, the mediocrity of this place didn't surprise us.
Kim Chi Snails $6
This cold appetizer came with mixed reviews. Alexis found the texture a bit too chewy, but Giao liked it.
Sashimi Lunch Plate $9
Too cold, but fresh enough.
Tempura Appetizer $5
Huge portion and a good mix of shrimp and vegetalbes, but the tempura batter was far too heavy and greasy.
Miso Soup (served with the sashimi plate)
Standard.
Edamame $2
Decent.
Kim Chi Snails $6
This cold appetizer came with mixed reviews. Alexis found the texture a bit too chewy, but Giao liked it.
Sashimi Lunch Plate $9
Too cold, but fresh enough.
Tempura Appetizer $5
Huge portion and a good mix of shrimp and vegetalbes, but the tempura batter was far too heavy and greasy.
Miso Soup (served with the sashimi plate)
Standard.
Edamame $2
Decent.
Ratings:
Food: 0
Decor: 1 (the piping was all painted to resemble bamboo and actually looked good)
Service: 1
No Website
Health Code Violations
Food: 0
Decor: 1 (the piping was all painted to resemble bamboo and actually looked good)
Service: 1
No Website
Health Code Violations
Labels: Japanese, restaurant
Breakfast at Home
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Dinner at Home
We had to grab some quick leftovers as we had only about 30 minutes to get our costumes on and eat before going out for Halloween. We ate leftover Indian food and leftover Tofu with Meat Sauce.
Lunch from Mehfil Indian, San Francisco, CA
Chicken Mahkni, Saag Paneer and Mefhil Herbed Naan
This is our favorite Indian delivery place and we are very happy that our office is not close enough that it gets ordered about once a week. This was as good as always.
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Breakfast at Home
Monday, October 30, 2006
Dinner at Home
Coconut Noodles with Brocolli and Shrimp
A quick meal made rich with the addition of coconut milk.
A quick meal made rich with the addition of coconut milk.
-2 packages shirataki noodles
-12-15 smallish shrimp, peeled
-1 head brocolli, cut into flowerettes
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 onion, thinly sliced
-2 tb soy sauce
-1 can coconut milk
-2 tb chili garlic sauce
-1 ts fish sauce
-1 tb hoisin
Sautee the onions and garlic in the soy and chili garlic sauce for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk, the noodles and the rest of the seasonings and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the brocolli and simmer until tender. Add the shrimp and remove from heat when shrimp are almost cooked through.
Serves 2 big eaters.
-12-15 smallish shrimp, peeled
-1 head brocolli, cut into flowerettes
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 onion, thinly sliced
-2 tb soy sauce
-1 can coconut milk
-2 tb chili garlic sauce
-1 ts fish sauce
-1 tb hoisin
Sautee the onions and garlic in the soy and chili garlic sauce for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk, the noodles and the rest of the seasonings and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the brocolli and simmer until tender. Add the shrimp and remove from heat when shrimp are almost cooked through.
Serves 2 big eaters.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, seafood, shirataki noodles
Pre-Dinner Snack at Norton's Vault, San Francisco, CA
Hot Wings $4
Previous Post
Labels: chicken, restaurant, snack
Lunch at Work
Breakfast at Home
Cheese and Salami Scramble
Simple to prepare and requires no extra salt due to the saltiness of both the cheese and the salami.
Simple to prepare and requires no extra salt due to the saltiness of both the cheese and the salami.
Labels: breakfast recipe, eggs, homemade
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Dinner at Home
Tofu with Meat Sauce and Green Beans
The meat sauce is made with ground turkey and this recipe barely contains any fat, but is full of flavor.
The meat sauce is made with ground turkey and this recipe barely contains any fat, but is full of flavor.
Labels: dinner recipes, green beans, homemade, poultry, tofu
Breakfast at Home
Breakfast Burrito
Bacon, cheese, and eggs in a low carb tortilla, topped with homemade guacamole, greek yogurt and hot sauce.
Labels: breakfast recipe, eggs, homemade, Mexican
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