Saturday, December 30, 2006
Party Snacks at a Friend's House, San Francisco, CA
A good friend of ours held a pre-new years party with lots of tasty snacks...
Crudites
Fresh and good for dipping.
Creamy Spinach Dip
Creamy and delicious.
Hot Parmasean Artichoke Dip
This was also creamy and good.
Mmm...Cheese
Crudites
Fresh and good for dipping.
Creamy Spinach Dip
Creamy and delicious.
Hot Parmasean Artichoke Dip
This was also creamy and good.
Mmm...Cheese
Dinner at Straits Cafe, Burlingame, CA
We met up with some friends for dinner at Straits Cafe in Burlingame. Straits is a Singaporean place that we've been to before, but this time it was particularly tasty. The meal, including drinks, tax and tip came to $73 per couple.
Whole Fish
This whole fish was fried and then slathered in a tasty sauce. The flesh was moist and the skin was crispy.
Chicken Rice
This is one of Singapore's signature dishes and I have to say it was a bit better in Singapore. I think it may have been the sauces, as rice and boiled chicken are gonna taste the same anywhere. The chili sauce in Singapore was a bit sweeter and a lot spicier and better all around. This version was a bit bland, but still tasty.
Garlic Noodles
These sounds exactly like what they tasted like. Very garlicky.
Roti Prata
Although Straits was the place we first had roti prata, I think we were spoiled by Singapore and even Borobudor in San Francisco, where the roti prata is thinner and flakier instead of the sort of pancake like version served tonight. However, the curry sauce at Straits was amazing, and we did end up going through 4 orders of the stuff (as a group), so it was still very tasty.
Beef Skewer with Chili Sauce
Very tasty. The meat was tender and juicy and the chili sauce was hot-sweet.
Chili Prawns
Well cooked prawns in a nice chili sauce with tomatos for a bit of tang.
Apple Carrot Prawn Salad
The prawns were sort of beside the point as this salad was refreshing and delicious on it's own. Not sure what the dressing was, but it was a bit creamy and very tasty.
Whole Fish
This whole fish was fried and then slathered in a tasty sauce. The flesh was moist and the skin was crispy.
Chicken Rice
This is one of Singapore's signature dishes and I have to say it was a bit better in Singapore. I think it may have been the sauces, as rice and boiled chicken are gonna taste the same anywhere. The chili sauce in Singapore was a bit sweeter and a lot spicier and better all around. This version was a bit bland, but still tasty.
Garlic Noodles
These sounds exactly like what they tasted like. Very garlicky.
Roti Prata
Although Straits was the place we first had roti prata, I think we were spoiled by Singapore and even Borobudor in San Francisco, where the roti prata is thinner and flakier instead of the sort of pancake like version served tonight. However, the curry sauce at Straits was amazing, and we did end up going through 4 orders of the stuff (as a group), so it was still very tasty.
Beef Skewer with Chili Sauce
Very tasty. The meat was tender and juicy and the chili sauce was hot-sweet.
Chili Prawns
Well cooked prawns in a nice chili sauce with tomatos for a bit of tang.
Apple Carrot Prawn Salad
The prawns were sort of beside the point as this salad was refreshing and delicious on it's own. Not sure what the dressing was, but it was a bit creamy and very tasty.
Labels: Decor: 0, Food: 2, restaurant, Service: 1, Singaporean
Snack at Home
BBQ Pork
We discovered that our Costco now carried BBQ pork, one of Alexis' favorite foods.
Breakfast at Costco, San Francisco, CA
We were feeling the effects of one too many drinks the previous night and succumbed to pizza. It did make us feel a bit better.
Polish Sausage $1.50
It didn't taste that good this morning, but perhaps that was because of the state we were in.
Pepperoni Pizza $1.50
Cheesy, greasy, carby goodness.
Polish Sausage $1.50
It didn't taste that good this morning, but perhaps that was because of the state we were in.
Pepperoni Pizza $1.50
Cheesy, greasy, carby goodness.
Labels: pizza, regional American
Friday, December 29, 2006
Dinner at Perbacco, San Francisco, CA
After having some drinks after work with coworkers, we decided to try Perbacco, a place we've been hearing about and that is one of the most reserved restaurants on OpenTable.com. This place is simply not worthy of the hype. It was overpriced for what it was, which wasn't that much anyway. We can neither recommend this place, not would we go back. The service was fine, but the food was lacking in flavor and simple execution.
Breadsticks and Pesto (gratuit)
Oily pesto.
Salumi Platter (small size) $18
This was actually pretty good, but you can't really complement the chef on his slicing abilities.
Sirloin Steak with Herb Marrow Crust $29
Alexis asked for medium rare on the rarer side and got a solid medium right. The taste barely matters when they can't get the temperature right.
Brussel Sprouts $5
A bit burnt, but the overall flavor was there.
Short Rib with Celery Root Puree $21
The puree was tasty, but the short rib was lackluster.
Ratings:
Food: 0
Decor: 1
Service: 1
Website
Health Code Violations
Breadsticks and Pesto (gratuit)
Oily pesto.
Salumi Platter (small size) $18
This was actually pretty good, but you can't really complement the chef on his slicing abilities.
Sirloin Steak with Herb Marrow Crust $29
Alexis asked for medium rare on the rarer side and got a solid medium right. The taste barely matters when they can't get the temperature right.
Brussel Sprouts $5
A bit burnt, but the overall flavor was there.
Short Rib with Celery Root Puree $21
The puree was tasty, but the short rib was lackluster.
Nougat and Truffle (gratuit)
A bit too sweet for our tastes.
A bit too sweet for our tastes.
Ratings:
Food: 0
Decor: 1
Service: 1
Website
Health Code Violations
Labels: Decor: 1, Food: 0, Italian, restaurant, Service: 1
After-work Snack at Harrington's, San Francisco, CA
Chicken Tenders $7
Juicy, crunchy and served with a spicy sauce.
Mozzerella Sticks $6
You can never go wrong with fried cheese.
Lunch from Fatt Dogg and Boudin Bakery, San Francisco, CA
Giao had some hot dogs from Fatt Dogg...
Dog with Sourkraut $3
A decent dog.
Chili Dog $4.50
Cheesy and good.
Alexis had a salad from Boudin Bakery...
Dog with Sourkraut $3
A decent dog.
Chili Dog $4.50
Cheesy and good.
Chopped Cobb Salad $10
This salad was large and very good. All of the ingredients were fresh. The dressing was a bit too sweet though.
This salad was large and very good. All of the ingredients were fresh. The dressing was a bit too sweet though.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Dinner at Home
Chili-Rubbed Baby Back Ribs
This is our standard recipe and a nice, hand-off, week night meal.
Sage Lemon Cabbage
An easy side of sauteed, sliced napa cabbage with salt, pepper, fresh sage and a spritz of lemon juice.
Labels: cabbage, dinner recipes, homemade, pork, ribs
Lunch at Work
Breakfast at Home
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Dinner at Circa, San Francisco, CA
For Giao's office holiday dinner we went to Circa, a place partially owned by one of Giao's bosses (full disclosure). It was actually pretty good and the prices (although we didn't pay) were very reasonable. The large plates were all under $20. There were several hits and a couple of misses on the food front, but overall it was a very solid meal with good service. They even passed our water test (which is rare) with flying colors, even after we switched seats, serving Alexis still and Giao sparkling.
Dungeonesse Crab Tater Tots
We had assumed that these would be mostly crab and were wrong, as they were mostly potato, so the texture and flavor were not what we were expecting. The outside could have been crispier as well.
Seared Foie Gras
A playful take on PB&J. The foie was oddly cold, although seared. Better than torchon, worse than if served hot. Also, the PB&J aspect could have been more pronounced.
Garlic Prawns
Simple, flavorful and well cooked.
Scallops
A fairly standard preparation, but the scallops were well cooked and by that, we mean almost rare.
Sliders with Onion Rings
The rings were mostly batter, but the sliders were respectable.
Lobster and Truffle Mac n' Cheese
Utterly amazing. Rich, dense, super flavorful. Whoever said cheese and fish don't go together, well, they were wrong.
Derby Salad
A decadent cobb. Very tasty.
Spicy Chicken Strips with Mango Cucumber Salsa/Salad
The chicken was surprisingly moist and certainly flavorful. It went well with the bright flavors of the crisp salad.
Salad with Beets and Fried Goat Cheese
Not sure what the beets added, but you certainly can't go wrong with fried cheese.
Riblets
If these had been a bit less saucy, they would have been stellar. Still, the flavor was great.
Stuffed Chicken
Not our favorite. The chicken was a bit dry. We usually don't order chicken in restaurants, so maybe our own aversion is tainting our review of this dish.
Grilled Cheese Bites
Served with the soup below.
Tomato Soup
Great flavor, although it I had made it I would have strained the soup for a smoother texture.
Iceberg Salad Stuffed with Crutons and Blue Cheese
A tasty take on the classic wedge.
"Lollichops"
These were melt-in-your-mouth delicious and the pomegranite was a perfect contrast of color and bright, tart flavor.
Flat Iron Steak and Onion Rings
The steak was cooked to perfection and very flavorful. The onion rings were, well, onion rings.
Halibut with Wasabi Mashed Potatos
This dish had a lot of potential, but no follow-through. The fish was overdone and the potatos were bland.
Duck with Oranges
A clean, modern derivative of duck a l'orange, this was one of the best dishes of the night.
Assortment of Fruit Flavored Creme Brulee
Although I am partial to plain, unflavored creme brulee, the texture was spot on.
Apple Crisp
Warm, sweet-tart goodness. This felt like eating at grandma's.
Caramel Corn (too much caramel and too hard), Assorted Homemade Chocolate Desserts (too sweet) and Bread Pudding (others seemed to love it, we didn't try it, the dish was clean at the end of the meal).
Dungeonesse Crab Tater Tots
We had assumed that these would be mostly crab and were wrong, as they were mostly potato, so the texture and flavor were not what we were expecting. The outside could have been crispier as well.
Seared Foie Gras
A playful take on PB&J. The foie was oddly cold, although seared. Better than torchon, worse than if served hot. Also, the PB&J aspect could have been more pronounced.
Garlic Prawns
Simple, flavorful and well cooked.
Scallops
A fairly standard preparation, but the scallops were well cooked and by that, we mean almost rare.
Sliders with Onion Rings
The rings were mostly batter, but the sliders were respectable.
Lobster and Truffle Mac n' Cheese
Utterly amazing. Rich, dense, super flavorful. Whoever said cheese and fish don't go together, well, they were wrong.
Derby Salad
A decadent cobb. Very tasty.
Spicy Chicken Strips with Mango Cucumber Salsa/Salad
The chicken was surprisingly moist and certainly flavorful. It went well with the bright flavors of the crisp salad.
Salad with Beets and Fried Goat Cheese
Not sure what the beets added, but you certainly can't go wrong with fried cheese.
Riblets
If these had been a bit less saucy, they would have been stellar. Still, the flavor was great.
Stuffed Chicken
Not our favorite. The chicken was a bit dry. We usually don't order chicken in restaurants, so maybe our own aversion is tainting our review of this dish.
Grilled Cheese Bites
Served with the soup below.
Tomato Soup
Great flavor, although it I had made it I would have strained the soup for a smoother texture.
Iceberg Salad Stuffed with Crutons and Blue Cheese
A tasty take on the classic wedge.
"Lollichops"
These were melt-in-your-mouth delicious and the pomegranite was a perfect contrast of color and bright, tart flavor.
Flat Iron Steak and Onion Rings
The steak was cooked to perfection and very flavorful. The onion rings were, well, onion rings.
Halibut with Wasabi Mashed Potatos
This dish had a lot of potential, but no follow-through. The fish was overdone and the potatos were bland.
Duck with Oranges
A clean, modern derivative of duck a l'orange, this was one of the best dishes of the night.
Assortment of Fruit Flavored Creme Brulee
Although I am partial to plain, unflavored creme brulee, the texture was spot on.
Apple Crisp
Warm, sweet-tart goodness. This felt like eating at grandma's.
Caramel Corn (too much caramel and too hard), Assorted Homemade Chocolate Desserts (too sweet) and Bread Pudding (others seemed to love it, we didn't try it, the dish was clean at the end of the meal).
Labels: Decor: 1, Food: 1, regional American, restaurant, review, Service: 2
Lunch from Zante's Indian Pizza, San Francisco, CA
Catered in lunch from work...
Lamb Samosa, Chicken Pakora and Veggie Fritters
The samosa was good, but the pakoras were dry. The fritters were ok.
Indian Pizza
A little slice of Indian pizza, topped with tandoori chicken, cauliflour, spinach, etc.
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Lamb Samosa, Chicken Pakora and Veggie Fritters
The samosa was good, but the pakoras were dry. The fritters were ok.
Indian Pizza
A little slice of Indian pizza, topped with tandoori chicken, cauliflour, spinach, etc.
Labels: Indian, pizza, restaurant, review
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