See Us Eat

Oakland "Streets Eats" Street Food Festival

2009-08-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

We decided to head over to the Oakland "Street Eats" street food festival yesterday, not sure what we'd find. It was way better than we anticipated. We'd never been to Jack London Square, and it was a very pleasant spot; right on the water, sunny, live band playing.

But the food was the star. We tried Gerard's Paella, which we have been wanting to try for a long time. It was truly delicious. Although we thought it would have been even better with a little spice added, we recognize that when you are cooking in a pan that easily feeds 100 people, you have to season to the lowest common denominator.

My great find of the day was LaLoo's Goat Milk Ice Cream. Since Ronin is allergic to dairy from cow's and I am breastfeeding, I haven't had any ice cream in about 7 month. I was so happy to see this stand! I didn't even know that goat milk ice cream existed. Also, it was surprisingly un-goaty. I was expecting a little tang, based on my experience with goat cheese. What I got was a lovely, deep chocolate, not-tangy-at-all, super creamy ice cream. Yum.

Another great moment was when we happened upon a tasting stand for Little Bug, a locally grown, organic, baby food company. Even Ronin got to taste something at this festival: peaches! Giao and I also tasted the fig baby food and it was tasty. Since I find it much more economical (and easy) to make my own baby food, I probably won't be purchasing any in the near future. However, if I were going to purchase baby food, this would be on the top of my list.

I think Giao took some pictures and we'll try to get those posted later.

Pineapple Jerky!?!

2009-07-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

We love jerky--any kind of jerky. But we'd never heard of fruit jerky before. We recently tried a product called "pineapple jerky". We weren't sure what to expect since we've only ever had jerky that was derived from an animal, not a plant. Essentially, it turned out to be dried pineapple, but without all of the added sugar and crap you find in most commercial dried fruit. This pineapple jerky was more like the essence of pineapple, but without the mess of a fresh pineapple. It was nice and tart and not cloying at all. And delightfully chewy. It was pretty darn tasty. I'd eat it again. In fact, I demolished all the samples in about 5 minutes.

Jerky.com also sells regular beef and turkey jerky. But what I really want to try next are their more interesting jerkys, like venison, elk, buffalo, ostrich and...wait for it...BACON jerky. Man, bacon jerky just sounds amazing.

(Full disclosure: we were sent free samples from jerky.com.)

Baby Hiatus

2009-02-12T19:52:00.000-08:00

We had a baby and the blog has been taking a backseat, and probably will for a while. But we'll be back at some point.

Fabulous Meal at Chez Panisse Cafe, Berkeley, CA

2009-01-17T17:27:00.000-08:00

My family was in town for the holidays and we thought it would be fun to go to Chez Panisse. Although I called a month in advance (and they only take reservations one month in advance), by the time I called they were all booked on the days we could come for the restaurant, so we made a reservation in the cafe instead. The cafe was still delicious and everyone really enjoyed their meals. When all was said and done, including drinks, the bill was about 15 per person.

Blood Orange, Fennel and Olive Salad
This was simple and delicious. The sweetness of the oranges truly complemented the anise notes of the fennel and the bright, dill infused, dressing was an inspired addition.

Serrano Ham and Cheese Pizzeta
Not sure why this was labeled in the diminutive form, because it was quite large for an appetizer. Anyhow, it was very good. Chez Panisse has some of the best pizza outside of New York, complete with a crispy thin crust.

Stuffed Squid in Ink Sauce with Artichoke Salad and Beets
The squid were very tender and the sides were interesting and tasty.

Stinging Nettle and Ricotta Pizza
This was another tasty pizza, with a super crispy crust. For some reason, despite falling into a nettle patch as a child, I'm always drawn to eating nettles.

Chocolate Ganache Tart with Whipped Cream and Pistachio
This was super chocolately and very rich. It should have been served with more whipped cream.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 3
Service: 2

Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, California 94709

Miso Udon with Beef

2009-01-17T17:26:00.000-08:00

Thirty-nine cent packages of instant udon are a great thing to have around. For this quick meal, I simply made a quick miso soup, then added the instant udon and sliced of leftover grilled tri-tip. This week I seem to be reinventing leftovers all over the place.

Upscale Mexican at Maya, San Francisco, CA

2009-01-16T17:24:00.000-08:00

I'd been to Maya once before and hadn't been tempted to go back. But it's close to my work and I went with a coworker. It was a bit better than I remembered, but still quite expensive for Mexican food.

Guacamole $9
The guacamole was tasty, if a bit salty. It didn't stop us from eating it all, though.

Skirt Steak Torta $13
Once I took 1/2 the bread off, this was a tasty sandwich, although, it necessitated being eaten with a knife and fork. The fried potatoes were surprisingly tasty.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1

Maya
303 2nd Street
San Francisco, CA 94107

Pretty Good Thai at Osha, San Francisco, CA

2009-01-16T17:23:00.000-08:00

After some football watching at the bar, we headed to Osha next door for a quick meal before going home.

Spring Rolls $9
These were just ok. The wrapper was a bit thick.

Spicy Catfish $16
This was a tad sweet, but overall, very tasty.

Shrimp Paste Fried Rice $12
This is better at the Tenderloin location. For some reason at this location they add frozen peas and carrots, which is just weird.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 2
Service: 1

Osha Thai
149 2nd St.
San Francisco, CA 94105

Pasta with Lamb Ragu and Cucumber-Tomato Salad

2009-01-15T17:25:00.000-08:00

This was a quick meal that reinvented some leftover lamb stew. Alexis simply reheated the lamb stew and tossed it with some pasta. The salad was simply cucumbers and tomatoes, tossed with a homemade vinaigrette.

Peach-Dijon Lamb Chops with Parmasan Green Beans

2009-01-14T17:22:00.000-08:00

Use of the George Foreman makes this meal super-quick to get on the table.

Peach-Dijon Lamb Chops
-8 lamb chops (cut from a rack)
-2 tb dijon
-3 tb peach nectar
-salt and pepper to taste

Marinate the lamb chops in a mixture of the other ingredients. Then cook on the George Foreman for about 5 minutes.

Parmasan Green Beans
-1 lb green beans, trimmed
-salt and pepper to taste
-handful of grated parmasan

Sautee the beans in a bit of olive oil over medium high heat until tender. Season with salt and pepper. When tender, plate and sprinkle on the cheese.

Bagels, and Whitefish, Too! at House of Bagels, San Francisco, CA

2009-01-14T16:57:00.000-08:00

We were craving some bagels and we heard House of Bagels had whitefish salad, so we decided to give it a shot. It was very satisfying.

Toasted Everything Bagel with Sundried Tomato Cream Cheese $3
Chewy, warm and tasty. The cream cheese was a little thin, strangely.

Toasted Everything Bagel with Whitefish, Tomato and Onion $5
You really can't get whitefish salad very many places in San Francisco, and this was a pleasant surprise.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

House of Bagels
5030 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94118

Health Code Violations

Simple and Delicious at Range, San Francisco, CA

2009-01-03T16:53:00.000-08:00

Although we hadn't been here in a while, we were happy to find that Range is still holding on in the crappy economy and serving up delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere. Also, although the waitress accidentally placed the wrong order for Giao (and he ate 1/2 of it before realizing), she graciously took it off the bill AND brought us a free dessert. This was a fabulous way to fix a service mistake.

Raw Yellowtail $12.50

The yellowtail was seasoned with pickled beets, Meyer lemon and tarragon and it was a nice, fresh way to start a meal

Duck with Spaetzle $25
Tender, juicy dusk and slightly crispy, yet yielding, spaetzle made this dish incredibly satisfying.

Fish with Beans, Baby Turnips and Baby Carrots $18, but gratuit
This was the dish that Giao didn't order, but he ate it and liked it anyway.

Butterscotch Pudding ($8, but gratuit)
Not a dessert I would have ordered, but it was quite delicious and opened my eyes to how great a well executed pudding can be.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 2
Service: 2

Range
842 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

Winter Prix Fixe at Bar Bambino, San Francisco, CA

2009-01-03T16:42:00.000-08:00

Bar Bambino, in cahoots with Zagat, put together a beautiful winter prix frixe. Bar Bambino is definitely one of our new favorites. I think the 4 course meal was $55 per person.

Arancini
Perfect, tasty fried rice balls.

Pickled Trout with Greens
The fish was fresh and light.

Christmas Salad
This was an interesting combo of oranges, fennel, capers and pomegranate that worked really well and was quite beautiful.

Meat Ravioli in Broth
The pasta is freshly made and the filling was dense and hearty.

Lobster Ravioli with Red Sauce
These tasted less like seafood than I would have imagined, but they were still delicious.

Beef Stuffed with Pork
Meat stuffed with meat sounded like a bit much, but the flavors really melded and this was much lighter than imagined.

Stuffed Halibut
The fish was well cooked and the stuffing was flavorful.

Trio of Gratins
These gratins, brocolli, fennel and potato, were all equally delicious. They were tender and creamy and well seasoned.

Chocolate-Chestnut Pudding with Whipped Cream
This was a nice, not-too-sweet, way to end the meal. My only complaint would be that there should have been more pudding and less chestnut puree.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 2
Service: 2

Bar Bambino
2931 16th St
San Francisco, CA

Pig Soup

2008-12-04T22:37:00.001-08:00

We had some leftover pork, so I chopped it up and added it to a simple veggie/bean soup.

-1 onion, diced
-4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
-8 stalks celery, diced
-5 cans chicken broth
-1 lb leftover roasted pork

-1 cup mixed dry beans and lentils
-pepper to taste

Sautee the veggies in some olive oil in a deep pot until beginning to color. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add all the other ingredients. Simmer for about an hour, until the beans are tender.

Lamb Chops and Brussel Sprouts

2008-12-04T22:36:00.000-08:00

Quick and easy, with leftover brussel sprouts.

Lamb Chops
-8 lamb chops
-2 tb dijon
-1/4 cup peach nectar
-salt and pepper to taste

Marinate the lamb chops in the other ingredients for about an hour. Then grill for about 5 minutes in the George Foreman.

Thankgiving at Home

2008-12-04T22:29:00.000-08:00

Another delicious Thanksgiving at home.

We kind of got carried away and forgot to photograph the pies before we dug into them...

Super Smooth Pumpkin Pie
I don't like pumpkin pie, but this one seemed like a hit last year, so I used it again this year.

-1 recipe pie crust (below)
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract

In a sauce pot, combine the pumpkin and spices over low heat, stirring for a couple of minutes. This mellows the spices a bit. Dump the mixture into the food processor and puree for a minute. Add the half and half while pureeing, then the vanilla, then the eggs, one by one. Pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Crust:
-1 cup plus 2 tb flour
-1 stick cold butter, diced

Mix flour and butter with your fingers until it resembles the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form a cohesive ball of dough. Roll or press into a greased pie pan.

Pear Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
A friend brought this, so I don't have the recipe, but I should ask her for it because it was absolutely delicious.

Classic Apple Pie

Apple Pie

-2 crust recipes (below)
-6 apples, peeled and cored
-1 ts cinnamon
-1/4 cup sugar
-squeeze of lemon

Toss the apples with the lemon, sugar and cinnamon and set aside while you pre-bake the crust. Bake bottom crust on 350, pressed into a pie pan for 10-15 minutes, until just beginning to color. Remove from oven and add the apple mixture. Roll out the other batch of dough and place over the top of the apples, pressing into the edges. Trim excess dough. Poke in several places with a knife or fork to allow for steam to escape. If you do not do this, your pie may explode in the oven. Bake on 35 for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

Crust:
-1 cup plus 2 tb flour
-1 stick cold butter, diced

Mix flour and butter with your fingers until it resembles the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form a cohesive ball of dough. Roll or press into a greased pie pan.

Chocolate Pecan Pie
Super decadent and always a crowd pleaser.

Chocolate Pecan Pie
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt

Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Apples
This was a new recipe and the tartness of the apples really took the starchy edge off the sweet potatoes.

-5 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in large chunks
-4 apples, peeled and cubed
-1/2 stick butter
-1 cup cream
-salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes until fork tender. In the baking dish, bake the apples for about 40 minutes on 350, until tender. Drain the potatoes and mash them. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.

Brussel Sprouts with Pine Nuts and Parmesan
Brussel sprouts are a favorite veggie of mine for the holidays, although I hated them as a child. This was a tasty, bright rendition.

-3 lbs brussel sprouts, trimmed and quartered
-1/2 cup pine nuts
-juice of 1 lemon
-1 cup grated parmesan
-salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan, sautee the brussel sprouts on medium. When brussel sprouts are tender and slightly caramelized, season with the rest of the ingredients and serve.

Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing

-1 loaf sourdough, cubed
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-1 onion, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-several sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only

Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, thyme and veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.

Roasted Root Veggies with Pomegranite
A friend made a root veggie salad with pomegranite last year and I decided to riff on that for this year. The brightness of the pomegranite really contrasts nicely with the earthiness of the root veggies.

-seeds of 1 pomegranite
-5 medium beets, peeled and diced
-4 parsnips, peeled and diced
-4 turnips, peeled and diced
-salt and pepper to taste

Spread the diced veggies on a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast on 375 for about and hour, or until tender. Toss with pomegranite seeds and serve.

Dinner Rolls
This is Alexis' mom's recipe and these rolls are always a hit.

-1 pint milk
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)

Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cheddar Chive Biscuits
We decided to call these "biscuits" this year instead of "scones". I think that did the trick, although we've always liked these, no matter what they are called.

-3 cups flour
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream

Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Green Beans with Bacon and Garlic
You really can't go wrong with bacon.

-1 lb green beans, trimmed and chopped
-6 slices bacon, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-pepper to taste

Sautee the bacon until crispy. Drain out some of the fat. Add in the garlic and green beans and sautee until tender. Season with pepper.

Whole Roasted Pig
We decided to have another Thanksgiving sans turkey because, really, no one likes turkey. This was the smalled pig we could order from Toon Kee, at about 20 lbs and $140. The meat was very moist, tender and flavorful and there was a lot of it. The skin was crispy and perfectWe sent people home with bags of pork and we ate it for days. It was also really nice to order the pig and just pick it up down the street right before we were ready to serve dinner. This allowed us full use of the oven for the rest of the food.

Lettuce Cups

2008-12-04T22:27:00.000-08:00

We hadn't had lettuce cups in a while and they were quite tasty. Click here for the basic recipe I use, but lettuce cups are a really great meal for using up odds and ends in the fridge. I always include some type of ground meat, chopped nuts of some sort, water chestnuts and/or bean sprouts for crunch, and whatever veggies or greens I happen to have lying around.

Chupaqueso Taco Salad at Home

2008-11-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

It had been a while since we had made use of the chupaqueso, so we decided to make some chupaqueso taco salads. We only had mozzerella, however, instead of the Mexican blend cheese we usually use, and it did not crisp up as well as the blend does. It was still tasty, however.

Go Go Cafe and Restaurant, San Francisco, CA

2008-11-28T20:43:00.000-08:00

We were lured into this Chinese place around the corner by the big sign for a crab special for $11.99. It turned out to be a quite tasty place.

Sauteed Crab $11.99
The crab was fresh and sweet, but the sauce was slightly gelatinous.

Fried Udon with Black Pepper and Beef $8
The noodles were more sauteed than fried, which was a good thing. This was a satisfying, simple dish.

Hot and Sour Soup $8
This enormous bowl of soup was really very tasty. The sour came from actual pickled veggies, and while I don't really know if it was authentic, it seemed that way.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

Go Go Cafe
1830 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122

No Website
Health Code Violations

Spicy Shrimp and Mustard Greens with Noodles

2008-11-28T19:15:00.000-08:00

Spicy and satisfying when served with ramen noodles.

-1 bunch mustard greens, chopped
-5 fresh peppers, seeded and chopped
-1/2 onion, chopped
-5 cloves garlic
-2 ts thai chili paste
-salt to taste
-1 lb shrimp, peeled
-6 tomatoes

-noodles, boiled

Puree the peppers, onion, tomatoes and garlic in a food processor. Sautee the puree over medium heat in a large pan in a bit of oil. After a few minutes, add the salt, chili paste and mustard greens and sautee until a thick sauce has formed. Add the shrimp and sautee a few more minutes, until shrimp is just cooked through. Serve over cooked noodles.

Lunch at The Butler and Chef, San Francisco, CA

2008-11-28T19:14:00.000-08:00

Although I work very close to South Park, I had never been to the Butler and Chef, a French cafe on the park. There were not that many things on the menu that both sounded good to me, and that I could eat, given the restrictions of pregnancy. The service was fast and pleasant and the food was decent.

Croque Monsieur $10
I decided on a classic, the croque monsieur, a hot ham sandwich. It was pretty good, but a bit soggy.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1

The Butler and Chef
155A South Park St
San Francisco, CA 94107

Health Code Violations

Steak, Salad and Stuffed Tomatoes

2008-11-28T19:13:00.000-08:00

A simple, weeknight dinner.

The steak is simply marinated in worcestershire and steak seasoning, then pan fried in a bit of butter and oil for approx 4 minutes on each side (for med-rare).

The salad is just some lettuce simply dressed in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

The stuffed tomatoes are a new favorite of mine.

Crab!

2008-11-23T19:38:00.002-08:00

A crab steamed in beer with garlic butter and lemon. I think this may be Giao's perfect meal.

Crepes with Nutella and Strawberries

2008-11-23T19:38:00.001-08:00

I used to make crepes all the time in college; sweet crepes, savory crepes, all sorts. I haven't made them in a while because we try to not eat too much in the way of refined carbs. However, we were having our neighbors over for brunch, and I've sort of thrown all eating restrictions out the window during this pregnancy, so I decided that crepes would be the perfect bunch food. These were as good as I remembered, and I am still very good at making perfectly round crepes.

-2 tb melted butter
-1 egg
-1 cup flour
-1 1/2 cups milk
-pinch salt

Whisk all the ingredients together and let sit for about 20 minutes. You want a really thin batter, but one that still stays together. I usually start out with 1 cup of milk and then keep adding a little at a time until I get the right consistency. In a large frying pan, melt a bit of butter over medium high. Place about 1/2 a ladel's worth of batter in the center of the hot, buttered pan and quickly smooth out the batter in outward concentric circles starting at the center until you have a thin, perfectly round crepe. When you can see that the edges are beginning to brown in the slightest (about 30 seconds), flip the crepe. After about 15 seconds flip the crepe out onto a plate and continue the process until all of the batter is gone. Spread with nutella, fold in half and then in half again and top with fresh strawberries.

Vietnamese Sandwich at Irving Cafe and Deli, San Francisco, CA

2008-11-23T19:35:00.000-08:00

Irving Cafe and Deli is just a few blocks away from us and while it's hours are a little strange (it closes daily at 6), the food is delicious and it is very cheap. The entire space is about 200 square feet and even so, they do have a few seats at a counter. The ambiance is not great, but the food and prices can't be beat.

Thit Nuong (BBQ Pork) Bahn Mi $4
This is the most expensive sandwich at Irving Cafe and Deli and it is delicious and packed with meat. The other sandwiches range in price starting at about $2.50. This is one of the best deals around.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

Irving Cafe and Deli
2146 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122

Health Code Violations
No Website

Dinner at Tu Lan, San Francisco, CA

2008-11-23T19:17:00.000-08:00

Not only do we love Tu Lan for it's delicious food, we also love Tu Lan because it is so cheap. Our total bill, including a few beers and tax, was $40. That means that the 4 of us were all stuffed with a delicious feast for under $10 per person.

Grilled Pork
This is my favorite dish. The pork is juicy and flavorful and perfect when dipped in the sweet-sour fish sauce.

Beef Salad
Cabbage, beef and svaory sauce. Yum.

Fried Whole Fish
This fish is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside and the fresh ginger sauce is quite delicious.

Crab Asparagus Soup
This soup is one of our favorite dishes. It was a little more gelatinous than usual, but it was still amazing.

Shrimp Rolls
A tasty way to start a meal.

Fried Rolls
These are bigger than usual and were served without the lettuce for wrapping, which was a little weird, but they were very good.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

Tu Lan
8 Sixth Street

San Francisco, CA 94103

Lunch from Asqew Grill, San Francisco, Ca

2008-11-23T19:16:00.000-08:00

Ribs and Rice
Although we previously have not had good experiences with Asqew, I found that the ribs were actually pretty good. They were juicy and they fell off the bone.

Ratings:
Food: 1

Asqew Grill
1607 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

Dinner at Tofu Village, San Francisco, CA

2008-11-23T19:11:00.000-08:00

The batteries in our camera died before we got most of our food, so you only get a couple pictures. Tofu Village is a Korean place in our neighborhood that we've been meaning to try. It was tasty, but a bit expensive for what it was.

Assorted Small Dishes
These dishes are served free with the meal. There was kim chee, noodles, seaweed, potatoes, tofu and bean sprouts.

Salad
Also served free with the meal. Simple and the dressing was a bit too sweet for my liking.

Pork Bulgogi $15
The pork was tasty and juicy, but rather expensive, for pork.

Soft Tofu and Noodle Soup $10
The soup was served with sticky rice and was spicy and satisfying.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1

Tofu Village

1920 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122

No Website
Health Code Violations

Halloween Prix Fixe at Canteen, San Francisco, CA

2008-11-14T21:18:00.000-08:00

We had a fairly low-key Halloween this year and ended up, last minute, at Canteen for their special Halloween prix fixe. They graciously made some accomodations for my pregnant self's easting restriction and the menu, at $60 per person, was pretty good all around, although there were a couple of stinkers.

Blue Cheese, Green Apple and Honey
This was a substitution for me since the standard amuse bouche was raw. However, I can't eat blue-veined cheese either right now, so I just ate the apples, which were especially tasty, seeing as I can't seem to get enough apples these days.

Raw Scallop
A tasty first bite for Giao.

Fresh, Hot Dinner Rolls
Pillowy, buttery and delicious.

Tuna, Cauliflower Salad and Deep Fried Olive Butter
For me, the tuna was cooked, for Giao it was raw. The tuna held up well to the very flavorful olive butter. The cauliflower salad was a nice, more bland, accompaniment. You rarely are served raw cauliflower, and it tasted quite good.

Chestnut Soup with Chantarelles
This was so smooth and really delicious. The meatiness of the chantarelles matched the earthy sweetness of the soup. The whole thing tasted of the forest.

Pheasant Terrine with Cranberries
This was not our favorite dish. The warm pheasant terrine was a bit bland and strange. The cranberry sauce was nice and tart, however.

Flank Steak, Fried Potatoes, Spinach and Cippolini Onions
This was a perfect dish. The rather ordinary ingredients were executed perfectly. It felt homey and restaurant-y at the same time. Yum.

Pears and Walnut Cake with Caramel Sauce
The pears and sauce were good, but there was nothing much going on with the cake. This dish could have benefited from a bit of acid. All that being said, we are not really dessert people.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 2
Service: 1

Canteen

817 Sutter St
San Francisco, CA 94109

Artichoke Pizza at Arizmendi Bakery, San Francisco, CA

2008-11-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

1/2 Bake, 1/2 Pizza $9
This artichoke pizza, with no red sauce, was very tasty. The sourdough crust was nice and crispy as well.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 1
Service: 1

Arizmendi Bakery
1331 9th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94122

Wontons and Noodles at B&M Mei sing Restaurant, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

Giao and I met a friend for lunch at a cheap wonton and steam table place that is centrally located. The whole meal came to about $15.

Noodles, Pork Wontons and BBQ Pork
The BBQ pork really makes this dish.

Congee
A rice porridge that Giao loves.

Pork and Shrimp Wontons

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 0

B&M Mei Sing Restaurant
62 2nd St
San Francisco, CA 94105

No Website
Health Code Violations

Roasted Pork Loin with Chard and Leek Gratin

2008-10-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

Roasts are so simple for weeknights because they are hands-off. The fact that the side dish can also be baked in the same oven at the same time makes this dish perfect.

-1 pork loin
-2 ts ground caraway seeds
-1 ts celery salt
-1 ts pepper

Mix the spices together and rub all over the pork loin. Bake on 375 until the internal temp is about 120. Let rest until the internal temp reaches about 140, then slice and serve.

-2 leeks, thinly sliced
-1 bunch chard, chopped
-1 and 1/2 cups grated cheese
-salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

Sautee the leeks until caramelized. Blanch the chard and squeeze out as much water as possible. Then mix everything together and place in a glass baking dish. Bake for about 20 minutes while the roast is in the oven.

French Toast with Lingonberry Sauce and Bacon

2008-10-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

I had a crazy craving for french toast and lingonberry sauce, and I had some leftover challah, so I made some breakfast for dinner. It was everything I had hoped it would be. The bacon added a nice salty counterpoint.

Mix a bit of milk and some eggs together. Dip the bread, both sides, in the milk and eggs and pan fry in butter on both sides until golden. Service with warm lingonberry sauce and bacon for a delicious meal any time of day.

Garlic Prawn Salad

2008-10-25T20:04:00.000-07:00

Simple, tasty and healthy.

-1 lb shrimp
-5 cloves garlic, minced
-4 scallions, chopped
-lemon juice
-salt and pepper to taste

Sautee the garlic and scallions in a bit of olive oil until beginning to brown. Add the shrimp and cook until just done (only a couple of minutes).

-greens
-balsamic vinaigrette

Dress the salad and place some prawns on top. Devour.

Wings from San Tung, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-25T19:59:00.000-07:00

Whenever we are at Yummy Yummy we notice a huge line outside the restaurant next door. We did a little research and learned at apparently, everyone goes to San Tung for the wings. So, we decided to check it out.

Wings $9
They were a little sweet for our taste, but plump and crispy and our friend loved them.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

San Tung Chinese Restaurant
1031 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122

No Website
Health Code Violations

Dinner at The French Laundry, Yountville, CA

2008-10-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

Giao had been to the French Laundry a couple times before, and we've been to Per Se together, but Alexis had yet to experience the French Laundry, so this was her first time. Perhaps this wasn't the most economical restaurant choice for a recession, but if the economy gets any worse, perhaps all the nice restaurants will go out of business, so, we thought we'd better go now. Also, in 3 months our baby will be born, so we figured we don't really have a lot of time left to drive up to Napa without extensive childcare preparation. The tasting menu was $240 per person and Giao opted for the $30 supplement for the foie gras as well as a glass of Sauterne to go with it. Alexis was offered a selection of house made sodas and opted for the meyer lemon soda. The sodas were free of charge, when we got the bill.

While the French Laundry is certainly an experience worth having, we did find the menu to be rather tame. Per Se was much more interesting. Also, there are places of the same caliber in the city (like Coi and The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton) that are cheaper and have more dynamic menus. None of this is to say that the meal was not amazing, but having experienced it, I no longer hold the French Laundry on the pedastle that I once did.

Cheesy Gougere
A nice, tasty way to start the meal. Perfectly executed.

Salmon Tartare and Artichoke Coronettes with Creme Fraiche
This is a classic Keller dish and because I can't eat raw fish right now, due to the pregnancy, I was given an equally tasty artichoke version.

Oysters and Pearls
This is a signature dish at the French Laundry. Giao found it to be totally amazing. Oysters and caviar are very decadent.

Radish, Cauliflower and Radish Salad
A subtle, pleasant beginning to a meal. The super-thin slices of the veggies were also beautiful.

Foie Gras Terrine with Quince Relish, Frisee and Spice Bread Puree
The only time we had ever previously seen a bread puree was at Alinea in Chicago. In this preparation, it worked very well as a sauce.

Brioche (served with the foie gras)

3 Types of Salt (served with the foie gras)

Hearts of Peach Palm Salad with Cucumber, Radish and Yuzu-Apple Coulis
Refreshing.

Tuna Tartare with Charred Persimmons and Chestnut Puree
A beautiful dish whose flavors melded together beautifully.

Kahala Filet, Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, Broccolini, Lily Bulbs and Ginger Emulsion
The fish was perfectly cooked and the simple flavors of each element created an oddly cohesive dish.

Lobster Tail with Melted Leeks and Beet Sauce
The butter poached lobster was perfectly cooked and very sweet. The sweetness of the beets really complemented the lobster in an unexpected pairing. The leeks provided a nice savory element. This was probably our favorite dish of the night.

Rabbit with Onions, Carrots, Artichoke Puree and Dijon Sauce
The rabbit was tender and not at all gamey. The artichoke puree was so amazingly smooth and really went well with the rabbit.

Lamb with Black Rice, Cauliflower, Golden Raisins, Cilantro Shoots and Curry Sauce
The curry was subtle and let the tender lamb shine. Usually I'm not a fan of fruit with meat, but this was not at all offensive. Black rice is always a nutty, earthy surprise.

Tomme de Berger Cheese with Beans, Chorizo, Piquillo Peppers and Arugula
This was a tasty dish, for sure, but the accompaniments did seem a bit superfluous.

French Toast with Buttermilk Sorbet and Huckleberry Sauce
The buttermilk sorbet was tangy and delicious and I wish it were served without the french toast and with more of the awesome huckleberry sauce.

Sesame Seed and Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Tahini Ganache and Shiso Sorbet
The shiso sorbet was unexpectedly delicious and really rounded out the strong chocolate flavors.

Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts
Decadent in every way.

A variety of petit-fours, above and below. Some hits, some misses, but lots of variety.

More petit-fours...

Ratings:
Food: 3
Decor: 2
Service: 3

The French Laundry
6640 Washington St
Yountville, CA 94599

Light, But Satisfying Dinner at The Slow Club, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-23T20:20:00.000-07:00

The Slow Club has a small, simple, changing menu. There are never a ton of surprises, but the food is always solid and we've not been disappointed.

Caesar Salad $9
Big and classic.

Flatbread with Bacon, Apples and Fontina $13
This pizza-esque dish was tasty and satisfying in a comfort food sort of way.

The Slow Club

2501 Mariposa St
San Francisco, CA 94110

Lunch Special at Mehfil Indian, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

This is pretty much the best deal around for lunch: tasty and cheap.

Meatballs and Chana Masala $5
Lots of food and you can mix and match the specials to get a variety.

Mehfil Indian

600 Folsom Street

San Francisco, CA, 94107

Caramelized Leek, Sundried Tomato and Bacon Quiche

2008-10-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

This is a great lunch that is quick and easy to reheat at work.

-4 cups 1/2 and 1/2
-2 cups grated cheese
-8 eggs
-2 leeks, thinly sliced
-1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced
-5 slices bacon, diced
-salt and pepper to taste

Cook bacon until crispy and then remove from the pan, reserving the grease. Caramelize the leeks over low heat in teh bacon grease until soft. Mix everything together and ladle into greased muffin tins. Bake on 350 for about 15 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Fajitas at Home

2008-10-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

Fajitas are a great weeknight meal. They are simple to prepare and everyone can customize.

-tortillas
-grated cheese
-homemade guacamole
-salsa

-tri-tip rubbed with cumin, salt and cayenne

Grill, use the George Foreman, or pan fry until medium rare. Let rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly.

-1 onion, thinly sliced
-2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee in a bit of olive oil over low heat, stirring frequently, until caramelized, approx 1/2 hour.

-1/2 cup cream
-1 can corn, drained
-1 ts cayenne
Sautee over low heat until the cream is evaporated.

-1 can refried beans
-1/2 onion, thinly sliced
-2 cloves garlic, minced
Sautee the onions and garlic until beginning to color and then add the beans and heat through.

Taco Tuesday at The Underdogs, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

The Underdogs, a sports bar around the corner from us, offers an amazing deal of very tasty food: Taco Tuesdays where tacos are only a dollar, Tecate is $2 and margaritas are $5. The tacos are only meat, cilantro, onions and lime, but they are very tasty and we can eat an entire meal for two for less than $10.

Carnitas Tacos $1 each
Juicy, flavorful carnitas.

Carne Asada Tacos $1 each
Same as above, but for beef.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 0
Service: 1

The Taco Shop at Underdogs
1824 Irving Street
San Francisco, CA 94122

Queso Fundido at Jillian's, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

Baked Cheese Dip $9
The amount of chips seemed a little piddly and the cheesy chorizo was fine, but not great by any means.

Jillian's
101 4th St # 170
San Francisco, CA 94103

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

2008-10-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

It's rare that a vegetarian dish can really satisfy us, but this one did and I think it will become a new favorite in our repertoire.

-10 medium tomatoes, halved and gutted
-2 cups grated cheese
-1 cup cooked barley
-1/4 cup pine nuts
-1/3 cup pureed, roasted peppers
-1 handful of fresh parsley, minced
-3 cloves garlic, minced

Mix everything except the tomatoes together and then fill the tomatoes with the mixture. Bake on 375 for about 25 minutes, then finish under the broiler for a few minutes, until the tops are browned.

Roasted Leg of Lamb with Orange-Basil Beets

2008-10-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

A nice Friday night meal at home, with friends:

Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
I made this vinaigrette with whole grain mustard and sweet-hot mustard.

Challah from Arizmendi Bakery

Beets with Orange Juice and Basil
This was a simple side dish that can be served warm, cold, or room temperature.

-8 beets, trimmed
-1 handful basil, minced
-juice of 1 orange
-salt and pepper to taste

Boil the beets whole until you can insert and remove a knife point easily. Then drain and run under cold water while slipping off the skins with your hands. Dice the beets, then toss with the basil and orange juice and season with salt and pepper.

Roasted Leg of Lamb
A leg of lamb is a great main that takes very little hands-on time. Marinating the lamb over night really helps it become fully infused with flavor, and then when you get home from work Friday night, you can just pop it in the oven.

-1 leg of lamb
-3 tb dijon
-2 tb olive oil
-3 tb balsamic
-1 tb salt
-1 ts pepper
-10 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients except lamb into a paste and then rub all over the lamb and place the lamb in a covered bowl overnight. Then roast the lamb on 375 until the internal temp reads 118. Then let the lamb rest for about 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temp reads about 135. Slice and serve.

Steaks, Salad and Mini Pumpkins

2008-10-15T20:59:00.000-07:00

I received these little pumpkins in our CSA box and was surprised to learn that you can actually cook them. I'd always assumed they were bred for decoration and were not flavorful, but I was wrong. They are sweet and tasty and bake in no time.

-1 mini pumpkin per person
-nutmeg, sumac, salt, pepper and honey to taste

Cut the top off the pumpkins and scrape out the seeds. Sprinkle in some spices, put the tops back on and bake on a cookie sheet, on 375 for about 30 minutes (until a knife goes in easily).

Mediocre Lunch at Paragon, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

I'd never been to Paragon, and I doubt I'd go again. They seemed ill-prepared to handle a large (14 person) group. The food arrived slowly, and cold. The servers didn't seem to know where the plates were headed. Perhaps the food would have been better if it were served hot, but it was not.

The oil and vinegar for the bread was very pretty--almost like a mosaic.

Paragon Burger $12
The fries and the burger were cold. The bun tasted a bit stale and was not toasted. Not good.

Mushroom Cigars $8.50
These pastry sticks filled with duxelles were ok, but were I didn't want more than one.

Ratings:
Food: 0
Decor: 1
Service: 1

Paragon Restaurant and Bar
701 2nd St
San Francisco, CA 94107

Health Code Violations

Ramen, Salmon and Bok Choy

2008-10-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

A quick, weeknight meal.
This meal consisted of steamed bok choy, ramen from a package (yes, the Top Ramen of your youth), and rockfish slathered with rooster sauce and miso, and baked for about 15 minutes on 350, until flaky.

Caprese Sandwich at Cento, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

Cento is basically a window in an alley that serves a small list of lunch specials.

Caprese Sandwich $8.50
While this sandwich was tasty, it was very pricy for what it was. It contained very little mozzerella, and it left me hungry an hour later. However, the addition of roasted garlic was very tasty.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

Cento
360 Ritch St
San Francisco, CA 94107

No Website
Can't find Health Code Violations

Fantastic Italian at Bar Bambino, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-10T20:24:00.000-07:00

Our friend E, who doesn't like the best tomato soup ever at Jeanty at Jack's, steered us right this time by suggesting Bar Bambino. We got a table without a reservation, pretty much immediately. But I think we were lucky, since the couple who walked in after us were told there'd be an hour and a half wait. The staff was friendly. The food was delicious and while not cheap, certainly not too expensive either. The atmosphere was so lively for a Thursday night you almost forgot we are in the middle of a recession.

Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Fresh Ricotta and Parmasan $9.50
These were incredible. They were light and crispy and opened up to a plentiful and lush filling. The lemon introduced the perfect amount of acidity.

Small Salumi Plate $13
5 types of house-cured salumi, all of which were delicious.

Pappardelle with Braised Rabbit $14.50
The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce had a lot of the tender rabbit in it, which was a pleasant surprise.

Potato Croquettes $5
These were billed as Italian "tater-tots" and they were the only stinker of the night. Although the flavor was nice, they should have been smaller, crispier and served with a dipping sauce of some sort. Still, we ate them all.

Linguini with Clams $14.50
Again, the pasta was cooked perfectly and the dish contained an abundance of clams that were plump and tender.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 2
Service: 1

Bar Bambino
2931 16th St
San Francisco, CA

Health Code Violations

Mmm. The Pork Store. San Francisco, CA

2008-10-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

We met a friend at the Pork Store. He had, horror of horrors, never been there before. Despite the fact that he is currently a vegetarian, he found lots of options and thoroughly enjoyed his food.

Chicken Fried Steak $12
This is usually also served with 2 eggs, but I haven't been eating eggs lately and that's just too much food anyway. The steak was crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. The gravy was every-so-slightly peppery and the hash browns were nice and crispy.

2 Pork Chops, Eggs, Bacon, Hash Browns and Biscuits $12
Giao's pork chops, were, sadly, not as good as usual today. Everything else was delicious.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 0
Service: 1

The Pork Store Cafe
1451 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

Meatball Soup

2008-10-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

A hearty meal that reheats well for lunch.

-4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
-2 bell peppers, seeded and diced
-1/2 onion, diced
-3 turnips, peeled and diced

-1 lb ground beef
-1 egg
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan
-salt and pepper to taste
-5 cans chicken broth

Mix the beef, egg, parm, salt and pepper with your hands and form into meatballs about 1" in diameter. Set aside. Sautee the veggies with a bit of olive oil in a large stock pot. When they are starting to color, add the broth. Bring to a boil. Drop in the meatballs one by one and cook until done.
-

Lobsters!

2008-10-06T18:21:00.000-07:00

Giao's mom made us some delicious lobsters.

Lobsters
She roasted these lobsters on cookie sheets on 400 for about 45 minutes, or until totally red.

Garlic Butter and Lemon Slices
The perfect accompaniments for lobster.

Lettuce-less Salad
A tasty, autumn salad, dressed in homemade, whole grain mustard and balsamic vinaigrette.

-4 small squash, thinly sliced
-3 heirloom tomatoes, diced
-6 radishes, thinly sliced

-1 tb whole grain mustard
-2 tb balsamic
-2 tb olive oil

Whisk together the mustard, vinegar and oil to form a vinaigrette. Then pour the vinaigrette over the sliced veggies, toss and serve.

Dinner at Yummy Yummy, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

Giao's family was in town and we decided to go to Yummy Yummy again, a great Vietnamese place in our neighborhood. Again, it was delicious, and cheap.

Shrimp Salad $8
This is a cold salad of shrimp and lettuce, topped with fish sauce. It was a refreshing start to the meal.

Hot Rolls Stuffed with Ground Beef and Cold Cured Meat $8
Not my favorite. This was just a little bland.

BBQ Pork a la Carte $12
A heaping portion of tender, charred pork. This is my absolute favorite.

Catfish Clay Pot $10
This was an absolutely enormous portion of a classic dish. The caramely-sauce is so rich, and delicious when poured on rice.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

Yummy Yummy
1015 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122

No Website
Health Code Violations

Breakfast at the Kezar, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

We went to watch football at the Kezar, a bar that is very loud and packed, and full of Eagles fans. We got a seat at the bar, which is about all that I can say that is good about this place, seeing as I'm not a fan of loud and crowded venues. The food was ok, but, you don't really go here for the food.

Cheeseburger and Fries $9
Decent, but not at all memorable.

Large Chicken Wings $14
This was a lot of chicken wings for the money.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

The Kezar Pub
770 Stanyan St
San Francisco, CA 94117

No Website
Health Code Violations

Lunch at The Moss Room, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

We wanted to try The Moss Room, Loretta Keller's new restaurant at the newly opened California Academy of Sciences. The decor, including a 2 story moss wall, was impressive. The food, on the other hand, was decidedly not. Also, although the menu listed both appetizers and entrees, the portions were exactly the same, it was just the prices that were different. The service was also still trying to work out the kinks. We had to check in while still in the Academy of Sciences, in front of the elevator. Then we had to wait with several other people and another hostess in an elevator that other people were trying to get into to go other places. It was a bit of a mess. Also, it took forever to get our food.

Leek Soup $8
It is rare that we send something back but this soup was so salty it was completely inedible. And even if it had been decent the portion was alarmingly small.

Squid Salad with Chickpeas $13
This was small, but it was tasty, although there were too many chickpeas and not enough squid.

Ricotta Ravioli $18
These were ok, but not great, and seriously, I've never felt more ripped off. It was about $4.50 per ravioli--ridiculous.

Oyster Fritters $12
Somehow we forgot to take a picture of these, which is a shame, since they were the best thing that we ordered.

Ratings:
Food: 0
Decor: 2
Service: 1

The Moss Room

55 Music Concourse Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118

Too New for Health Code Violations

Chinese Wedding Banquet at Yank Sing, San Francisco, CA

2008-10-03T20:07:00.000-07:00

We went to a friend's wedding at Yank Sing. We'd only ever been here for dim sum, and the dim sum is quite good, so we expected that the banquet would be good as well. It was.

Peking Duck
Succulent duck (above) tucked into pillowy rolls (below) slathered with hoisin and topped with scallions.

Lobster
Sweet and tender.

Beef with Snap Peas
The snap peas were crunchy and tasty, but the beef had a strange texture that didn't make us want to eat more.

Cold Platter of BBQ Pork, Cured Duck, Jelly Fish and Roast Pork
The BBQ pork was excellent, as was the roast pork (although it would have been better hot). Everything else was fine, but not amazing.

Shanghai Soup Dumplings
These are the house special at Yank Sing. They are filled with a hot soup that bursts in your mouth when you bite it. They get the soup in the dumpling by mixing it with gelatin, then cooling it until it is a solid. They then place cubes of the gelatin-soup into the dumpling wrapper, seal and steam.

Shark Fin Soup
Giao says this was really good, but I don't like the gelatinous texture.

Shrimp with Walnuts
The candied walnuts were really good, but we aren't really fans of the sweet Chinese mayo these shrimp are coated in.

Chicken with Shrimp Chips
Giao LOVED this chicken. It was apparently juicy and the skin was very crispy. Unfortunately, chicken is one of my pregnancy aversions.

Cupcakes
These cupcakes were surprisingly moist and the buttercream frosting was very tasty, but ratio of frosting to cake was way off--too much frosting.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 0

Yank Sing
49 Stevenson St.
San Francisco, CA

Prawns with Fenugreek Cream Sauce

2008-10-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

This sounded better than it was. For some reason the sauce and the shrimp just didn't mesh that well. I simply sauteed some prawns in the fenugreek cream sauce that I usually use for lamb chops, and then poured it over some leftover bulgar pilaf.

Lamb Chops with Fenugreek Cream Sauce and Bulgar Pilaf with Carmelized Fennel, Chard and Chickpeas

2008-09-28T23:27:00.000-07:00

These lamb chops are a favorite, every since I got the Vij's Restaurant cookbook. I've finally perfected the sauce, in that it no longer breaks. This time we paired it with a pilaf of bulgar wheat, garbonzo beans, chard and caramelized fennel and onions. The sauce worked well with both the lamb and the pilaf.

Bulgar Pilaf
-1 cup bulgar wheat
-1 can garbonzo beans, drained
-1 bunch chard, chopped
-1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
-1/2 onion, thinly sliced
-salt and pepper to taste

Sautee the onions and fennel over low heat for a long time, in a large pan. In a sauce pot, boil water and cook the bulgar as you would pasta, for about 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain off excess water and set aside. When the onion/fennel mixture is carmelized, add the chard and sautee until tender. Then add the cooked bulgar and the garbonzo beans and stir to combine. Serve as a side.

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

2008-09-27T20:26:00.000-07:00

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Tonight was a night for comfort food. Since I'm sure everyone knows how to make a grilled cheese, I'm not going to go into that.

Roasted Tomato Soup
-15 San Marzano tomatoes
-2 tb balsamic
-1/2 cup cream
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste

Halve the tomatoes and place, cut side up, in the large baking dish. Season with balsamic, salt and pepper and roast on 375 for about 35-40 minutes, or until soft and bubbly. Pour into a soup pot, add the chicken broth and puree with an immersion blender. Add the cream and season to taste. Dip your grilled cheese and eat.

King of Wonton and Noodles is not King

2008-09-24T19:43:00.000-07:00

I tried to warn that this place was bad, but he didn't believe me since it is always packed. We ordered both noodles and wontons and they were gross. I don't get how think place does the amount of business they do.

Wontons with Noodles $6
Everything tasted old and stale.

Noodles $3
Tough and not flavorful.

Ratings:
Food: 0
Decor: 0
Service: 1

King of Wonton and Noodles
1936 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122

Health Code Violations

Very Tasty Pizza from Arizmendi Bakery, San Francisco, CA

2008-09-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

I wasn't feeling well so Giao brought home some pizza for dinner. Arizmendi seems to be the San Francisco arm of the Cheese Board Collective in Berkeley. (We're not actually sure how they are related, but we are pretty sure they are.) They bake bread, sell cheese and make the best pizza we've had on the west coast. Somehow, while no other pizza place outside of NYC can seem to get the thin crust super crispy (and never soggy), the the Cheese Board and Arizmendi both deliver. They only make one type of pizza per day, and it is always delicious.

Tomato, Spinach and Cheese Pizza on Sourdough Crust $9
This half of a half-baked pizza was very good. We simply baked for another 8 minutes once we got it home.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 1
Service: 1

Arizmendi Bakery
1331 9th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94122

Health Code Violations

Anniversary Fondue

2008-09-23T22:44:00.000-07:00

It was our anniversary and for whatever reason, we are fans of fondue on romantic nights. We ended up going to a movie and not getting home until after 10, so we cobbled together a tasty cheese fondue, in which we indulged right before bed.

Pickled Onions, Avocado, Tomato and Radish

Whole Wheat Sour Dough

Beer-Spiked Cheddar and Goat Cheese Fondue
We didn't have white wine, but we did have some heffeweisen. It worked quite well, in a pinch, and gave the fondue and earthier flavor than the wine would have imparted.

-1/2 a good quality beer
-3 oz goat cheese
-8 oz shredded white cheddar
-2 tb cornstarch
-1 clove garlic
-1 ts lemon juice

Rub the bottom of the pot with the garlic and toss. Add the beer and simmer. Coat the cheddar in the cornstarch. Add the goat cheese to the beer, then add the cheddar, slowly, stirring to incorporate each added batch. When smooth, start dipping in the veggies and bread.

An Eclectic Dinner at Home

2008-09-21T20:41:00.000-07:00

Green Bean Salad with Sesame
This was a riff on a recipe from the New York Times Magazine.

-1 lb of green beans, trim and cut into 1" long lengths
-juice of 1 lime
-2 tb sesame seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
-2 hot peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
-salt and pepper to taste

Boil the green beans until tender/crisp (about 5 minutes), then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside. In a small pan, fry the peppers in a bit of oil for about a minute, then pour over the beans. Add the lime juice and the sesame seeds and stir to combine. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Hearty Veggie, Bean and Barley Soup
This is truly a winter soup, which we enjoyed despite the current season.

-1 cup mixed dried beans and lentils
-1 cup barley
-1 bulb fennel, diced
-2 bell peppers, diced
-4 baby turnips, diced
-3 carrots, diced
-1 onion, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-6 cans chicken broth
-pepper to taste

Sautee all the veggies in a little oil in a deep pot for a few minutes, until beginning to color. Then add the broth and bring to a boil. Add everything else and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about an hour. Serve when the desired consistency has been reached.

No-Fail Chili Rubbed Baby Back Ribs
An old standard around our house.

The (surprisingly good) Taco Shop at Underdogs Sports Bar, San Francisco, CA

2008-09-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

The sports bar around the corner from us opened up a slow-food taco shop recently. The food was reasonably priced and quite good. As far as sports bars go, this is a pretty good one by my standard. There are lots of seats and lots of bar tenders and they label the TVs with which games will be on so you don't have to wonder, or ask people.

Carne Asada Quesodilla
This was the biggest quesodilla I have ever had. The meat was tender. It was super cheesy. And it was all contained within a pleasantly crunchy flour tortilla.

Carnitas Burrito Con Todo $8.50
This burrito was huge and it was packed with tasty goodies (and no rice...yay).

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

The Taco Shop at Underdogs
1824 Irving Street
San Francisco, CA 94122

Health Code Violations

Amazing Food and Service at Coi, San Francisco, CA

2008-09-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

For our anniversary, we chose to go to Coi, one of our favorite newish places in the city. We had originally made the reservation for our actual anniversary, but Coi called to move the reservation because they had a private party booked for that night. We agreed to move the reservation and when they found out it was our anniversary, they thanked us for being willing to move it and told us they would "take very good care of us". And, take very good care of us they did. When we arrived, they offered us a bottle of champagne, on the house. And since I'm pregnant, I was offered a variety of interesting, non-alcoholic drinks. Then, throughout the meal, we received many free courses. The meal was delicious and we felt very well taken care of. We love this place. The dining room is modern, yet feels like a warm cocoon and the service was immaculate. I think the tasting menu is about $125 per person, and well worth it.

Milk and Honey
This first taste is a molecular gastronomical concoction that pops in your mouth when you eat it, exploding liquid all over your tongue. It did taste very much of warm milk and honey, a flavor combo that made me retreat into childhood.

Grapefruit and Tarragon Foam
This was a simple and very tasty little dish.

Chilled Squash Soup
This soup was so smooth and incredibly flavorful. I usually am not a fan of chilled soups, but this one was delicious. It was subtley flavored with curry-like spices.

Chilled Tomatoes with Cheese Stuffed Puff Pastry
This was a play on tomato soup with grilled cheese, a classic combo. It was tasty, but not special.

Decomposed Gazpacho
This was a very strange dish. The falvors were delicious, but the textures were odd. The black cylinder was gelatin stuffed with was tasted like rice flavored with squid ink.

Bone Marrow
This flavor of this dish was rivaled only by it's beauty. The bone marrow was so utterly smooth and paired so well with the grapes.

Carrot and Artichoke Salad with Carrot Puree
This was simple and full-flavored. I almost forgot it was an entirely vegetarian dish.

Tofu Skin-Spinach Ravioli with Turnip
The chef really likes to use the tofu skins like a pasta, which is innovative and delicious. I was also excited to see pink turnips, which I had never seen before.

Corn Pudding with Chantarelles
This was one of the complimentary courses we received. While neither of us had ordered it, it was better than we thought it would be. Very corny, in a good way.

Fish and Oyster with Apple, Potato and Radish
The fish was well cooked, if a little on the rare side. The apple were and inspired and delicious accompaniment.

Bison with Onion Relish
The bison was rich tasting, despite it's lack of fat content.

Slow Cooked Egg with Farro, Chard and Brown Butter
This was totally delicious. A slow cooked egg is essentially an egg cooked sous-vide, but without the bag. From our own sous-vide experiences, I'd bet the egg was cooked at 150 for about 45 minutes.

Fresh Goat Cheese with Figs
This dish was simple and satisfying. The goat cheese was smooth and firm, but not hard, and less tangy than you would expect.

Melon Soup with White Chocolate Powder (above and below)
This dessert was too cloyingly sweet for us, but it was very pretty.

Chocolate Ganache, Violet Ice Cream, Cocoa Nibs and Macerated Strawberries
This dessert, on the other hand, was oh-so-decadent. The violet ice cream was innovative and was a nice match for the tartness of the strawberries and the bitterness of the chocolate.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Truffles
Whoever's idea it was to toll truffles in crumbled chocolate chip cookies was brilliant. I can't say any more.

Vanilla and Olive Oil Milkshake
This was not bad, but unnecessary. We would have been more than happy to end the meal on the truffles.

Ratings:
Food: 3
Decor: 3
Service: 2

Coi
373 Broadway Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

Korean Food and Hash Browns at Irving St. Cafe, San Francisco, CA

2008-09-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

We were in the area at Arizmendi Bakery, so we hopped around the corner for the best hash browns around.

BBQ Beef Lunch Special $6
Served with house cured kim chee and rice, this meat was tasty, especially with the subtly sweet Korean chili paste. This was a very hearty, simple dish.

Hash Browns $2
These are the best hash browns ever because they are essentially all crisp. They are so thin that only the good, crispy part exists. Yum.

Beef Bulgogi $5
This classic Korean dish of rice, veggies, and beef with a fried egg is oddly comforting, despite the fact that we didn't eat it as children.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

Irving Street Cafe
716 Irving St.
San Francisco, CA 94122

No Website
Health Code Violations

Steak with Roasted Cauliflower

2008-09-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

A quick and simple weeknight meal. Also, our baby isn't born yet, but I can imagine that serving purple and yellow cauliflower might be a great way to get kids to eat veggies.

-ribeye steaks, trimmed
-worcestershire sauce
-steak seasoning

Season the steaks with worcestershire and steak seasoning on both sides. Then pan fry over medium heat in a little butter and olive oil for about 4 minutes on each side, for medium rare.

-2 heads cauliflower
-olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the cauliflower into florets and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in a 9x13 baking dish, cover and place in the over at 400 for about 30 minutes. Uncover, stir and continue making until the cauliflower is caramelized and tender.

Dinner at Osha Thai, San Francisco, CA

2008-09-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

We went to Osha with some friends and ordered quite a smorgasboard. I think in the end it was approx. $30 per person.

Pineapple Fried Rice
This was a bit sweet for us and the raisins seemed really out of place.

Whole Fried Fish
We were expecting something a bit more savory and the sauce served with this fish was just too sweet.

Beef Wasabi Rolls
There was nothing particularly wrong with this dish, but it was nothing special. Basically, beef was wrapped around veggies.

Green Curry with Beef
A tasty version, if a bit mild.

Pad See Ew
The wide egg noodles make this savory dish feel a bit more homey.

Red Curry
This was tasty, although I always wish that dark meat were used instead of white, which tends to dry out.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 2
Service: 1

Osha Thai
149 2nd St.
San Francisco, CA 94105

Have you noticed anything?

2008-09-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

Depending on how closely you follow our blog, you may have noticed the following:
1) Our eating habits seem to have drastically changed in the past few months. We are eating far more carbs and I have been cooking less.
2) We have been really bad about posting regularly.

Well, there are a couple of reasons for this;
1) I'm pregnant (which I can finally say out in the open, since both my and Giao's bosses have been informed of the news).
2) We've moved houses.

So, what I'm trying to say is, we know that we haven't been keeping up with the blog as much as usual, and that's because we've been very busy, and I've been dog-tired and honestly, for several weeks in there I could barely look at anything more interesting than a plain bagel or some mac 'n cheese without feeling like (or actually) puking. It was sad for me, as I derive so much pleasure from food and from cooking.

While I can't claim that our lives will become any less busy in the foreseeable future, I can say that we plan to post a bit more regularly, especially as I am able to cook more regularly.

Dinner at Zare at Flytrap, San Francisco, CA

2008-09-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

We met a friend for dinner and he suggested Zare. The Flytrap restaurant was taken over, and renamed, by chef Zare earlier this year. I hadn't actually heard of it, even though it is quite close to my office and to where we used to live. The atmosphere was actually quite nice. It was very homey, yet elegant. Strangely, it was very warm in the restaurant. However, the food was really nothing special. some of it was actually bad, but most of it was just not great. I wouldn't eat here again. But maybe I'd stop in for dessert. The dessert was very good.

Fried Burrata $10
This was good, but I think that frying is perhaps not the best technique for burrata. You sort of lose the tenderness once it is fried, and he could have just as easily gone with regular mozzerella and we would not have known the difference.

Pistachio Meatballs with Pomegranite Glaze $12
When these first arrived, they were raw in the middle, which I can't have right now due to the pregnancy. The waiter graciously returned them to be cooked a bit more, and then the chef himself brought them out to us. However, they were just rubbery and bad. The glaze was too sweet and we could not eat them. The waiter/chef did take them off our bill, however, even though we did not ask for that, which I thought was very nice.

Bone Marrow with Bergamot Preserve $12
This sounded good, but the marrow was a weird texture, sort of grainy and rubbery at the same time, instead of smooth and spreadable.

Ménage a foie $18
Foie gras with grilled peach.
Sheep liver with pickled jalapeño and roasted Roma tomatoes.
Chicken liver with onion marmalade, aged balsamic.
Giao thought that the foie was good, and the others were ok.

Pasta with Lamb Cheek Bolognese $12
This was actually quite delicious. The sauce was tender and the flavors robust.

Fried Milk Torrijas with Cinnamon Sugar and Rosewater Hot Chocolate $9
This was a mouth-watering dessert. The "torrijas" were basically brioche, soaked in sweet milk and then deep fried and they were so good when dipped in the thick hot chocolate.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 2
Service: 1

Zare at the Flytrap
606 Folsom St
San Francisco, CA 94107

Can't find health code violations.

Appetizers at Bong Su, San Francisco, CA

2008-09-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

We stopped off at Bong Su to grab a drink before dinner and also decided to have a little snack.

Duck Rolls $7

Inside these lettuce wraps was duck confit, mango and cucumber. The sauce was a bit sweet, but quite good.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 2
Service: 1

Bong Su

311 3rd Street

San Francisco, CA, 94107

Italian Homestyle Meal (at home)

2008-09-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

Clams with Garlic and White Wine
We saw live clams at Costco and had to pick some up. Oddly, I've never cooked clams before but a quick call to my mom proved that it would be quite easy, and it was.

-5 lbs live clams
-10 scallions, chopped
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-1 cup white wine
-5 tomatoes, diced
-1 handful, chopped cilantro

Sautee the scallions, garlic and tomatoes in a bit of olive oil in a deep pot. When soft, add in the wine and bring to a boil. Add the clams and reduce to a simmer. Cover and steam for about 10 minutes, or until the clams open. Season with pepper and toss in the cilantro. Stir and serve.

Lasagna with Summer Squash Salad
Easy and tasty.

Lasagna
-1 lb ground beef
-1 onion, diced
-12 lasagna noodles
-2 cups ricotta
-2 handfuls basil
-10 cloves garlic
-1 cup artichoke hearts, diced
-2 cups mozzerella, shredded
-1/2 cup grated parmasan
-4 cans diced tomatoes
-2 tb Italian seasoning
-salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pot, sautee 1/2 the garlic (whole cloves) and 1/2 the diced onion until beginning to color. Add the diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cover. Simmer for about 40 minutes, until the garlic is soft, then puree. Set aside.

Boil the lasagna noodles and set aside.

Brown the beef and the rest of the diced onion together. Drain and set aside.

In the food processor place the basil and the rest of the garlic to mince. Mix this garlic and basil mixture into the ricotta and set aside.

In a lasagna pan, place 1 layer of noodles. Then spoon on some sauce and sprinkle on 1/2 of the meat mixture. Sprinkle on 1/3 of the mozzerella on top and add another layer of the noodles. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles, then evenly spread the diced artichoke hearts. Add the next layer of noodle and repeat layer 1. Then cover with the last layer of noodles, spread sauce over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the mozzerella and the parmasan. Bake, covered, for about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top is bubby and browned.

Summer Squash Salad
-4 summer squash, quartered and thinlly sliced
-1 large bell pepper, thinly sliced
-5 heirloom tomatoes, cut in bite size chunks
-2 tb balsamic vinegar
-1 tb whole grain mustard
-1 tb olive oil

Mix the vinegar, mustard and oil together to form a vinaigrette. Toss the other ingredients in the vinaigrette.

Mollases Bread with Vanilla Custard and Fresh Strawberries
I loved this mollases bread as a kid. This is my mom's recipe and the earthy flavor of the mollases bread matched really well with the subtlety of the vanilla custard and the freshness of the strawberries.

Molasses Bread

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup molasses
¾ cup buttermilk
1 egg

1. Sift together all dry ingredients.
2. Add the butter, molasses, buttermilk, and egg.
3. Mix well and pour into loaf pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
5. Let cool before slicing.

Vanilla Custard
-4 cups heavy cream
-3/4 cup sugar
-3 tb cornstarch
-pinch salt
-10 eggs yolks

In a heavy sauce pot whisk 1/4 cup of the cream, salt, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the cornstarch together until smooth. Add the remaining cream and heat until bubbles are beginning to form around the edges of the pot. In a bowl, combine the rest of the sugar and the egg yolks. Temper the yolk mixture with the hot cream, then combine the rest of the cream and egg yolk mixtures. Heat until the mixture reaches 170 F, stirring constantly. Pour the custard into into a bowl set in a bowl of ice water, and stir frequently until cool. Then refrigerate overnight.

Wontons! (with turkey this time)

2008-09-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

This is our standard recipe for wontons, only this time we used ground turkey instead of ground pork in the filling. We did this not because it is better, but because we had ground turkey in the freezer. Still, they were pretty good.

Hot Pot Soup

2008-09-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

We made our standard hot pot for dinner, and then we made a soup by adding the rest of the broccolli, some rainbow chard, some thin noodles and an egg.

Dim Sum at Yank Sing, San Francisco, CA

2008-09-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

We went to meet an old friend of Giao's at Yank Sing for lunch. We're not totally sure how much it came to, because our friend graciously paid for lunch.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Tasty and light.

Shrimp Dumplings
A bit more refined than har gow.

Sticky Rice with Chicken
This savory sticky rice was satisfying in a comfort food kind of way.

Pork Potstickers
These were a tad undercooked, unfortunately.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
How can you go wrong?

Siu Mai
Good siu mai, crappy photo.

Har Gow
Fresh tasting with lots of big shrimp chunks.

Peking Duck
Always good.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 0

Yank Sing
49 Stevenson St.
San Francisco, CA

An All American Meal, With a Twist

2008-09-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

This meal was our riff on meat and potatoes with salad.

Fennel Salad
Fresh and unexpected.

-1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
-1/2 onion, thinly sliced
-2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
-homemade vinaigrette

Stir all ingredients to combine.

Roasted Garlic and Horseradish Crusted Ribeye Roast
We basically used a ribeye roast and gave it the same treatment as our standing prime rib roast. The main difference was that it took a lot less time to cook because there was no bone.

Roasted Beets and Carrots
Sweet, filling and so easy.

-6 beets, peeled and cut in chunks
-4 carrots, peeled and cut in chunks
-salt and pepper to taste
-a bit of olive oil

Toss the beets and carrots with the olive oil and the salt and pepper. Spread in a 9x13 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake on 400 for about 45 mins. Uncover and continue to bake, turning occasionally until caramelized.

Plum Pie
I'm not sure why plums are not used more frequently in pies. Plums are sweet and tart and hold up well to baking.

-2 1/4 cups flour
-2 stick butter
-20 Italian plums, pitted and quartered
-1/3 cup sugar

Cut the butter into cubes and work it into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembled cornmeal. Add water 1tb at a time until you can form the dough into a ball. Split the ball in two. Press one ball into a pie pan for the bottom crust. Pre-bake on 375 for about 10 minutes. While the crust is pre-baking, toss the quartered plums with the sugar. Roll out the other dough ball fo rthe top crust. When the bottom crust has been in the oven for about 10 minutes, take it out and pour in the plum/sugar mixture. Then place the rolled out top crust over the top and pinch the edges to secure it to the bottom crust. Poke a bunch of holes in the top crust to release steam while the pie is baking. Bake at 375 for about an hour, or until the crust is golden brown.

Serve with freshly whipped cream.

Another Fabulous Meal at Spruce, San Francisco, CA

2008-08-31T19:42:00.000-07:00

We went for a nice meal with Giao's family, who were in town for labor day weekend. We'd been to Spruce once before, in it's first month, and we were quite impressed. This time, we were impressed again. Everything we had was delicious. The decor is understated, yet warm and elegant. The staff were incredibly gracious, making accommodations for Giao's 9 month old nephew with smiles on their faces.

Cheese Gougeres (gratuit)
These tasty little morsels were brought to the table to whet our appetites.

Burrata and Heirloom Tomato Salad $12
This salad was the special and it was both simple and delicious. Whenever we see burrata, we always order it. Fresh mozzerella packed in cream is just so decadent. The only small problem with this dish is that there were way too many tomatoes, compared to the burrata.

Salumi Platter $18
All of the salumi at Spruce is house-cured and it was all very good. I don't remember what everything was, but the foie gras mousse with a port gelee and the headcheese were both standouts.

Lobster with Gnocchi and Braised Fennel $40
The lobster was incredibly well cooked--it was sweet and just melted in our mouths. The gnocchi were tender and not at all gluey. This was an all around great dish.

Bavette Steak with Duck Fat Fried Potatoes and Bordelais Sauce $30
One of the things that we love about Spruce is that not only is the food amazing, it comes in large portions. This was way too much food for me, but it was very good. The steak was tender and the duck fat fried potatoes were out of this world. They were crispy and salty on the outside and creamy on the inside. Giao's 9 month old nephew couldn't stop eating them. He's a gourmet at a young age.

Carrot Cake with Marcapone Filling and Ginger Ice Cream $10
The ginger ice cream was amazing and the carrot cake was pretty good too, but almost too refined.

Selection of European Cheeses $16
Although this was a pricy cheese place, it was large and good.

Petit Fours (gratuit)
A few tasty cakes to send us on our way in good spirits.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Service: 2
Decor: 2

Spruce
3640 Sacramento St
San Francisco, CA 94118

Slow Food Festival, San Francisco, CA

2008-08-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day so we decided to check out the Slow Food Festival. There were so many things to choose from, but we settled on this tasty mufaletta sandwich from Armandino's Salumi in Seattle. Armandio is Mario Batali's dad and his home cured salumi is quite delicious. This sandwich was $7 and contained about 3 kinds of salumi, along with a pesto and mozzerella cheese.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Service: NA
Decor: NA

Armandino's Salumi
309 3rd Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104

Dim Sum at Mayflower Seafood Restaurant in San Francisco, CA

2008-08-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

Giao's family was in town and we always like to go to dim sum when they are. Dim sum is a great option for a big family with lots of different palates, since there are so many options. I think the meal came to about $15 per person.

Stuffed Eggplant
Not our favorite, but others seemed to like it.

Tripe
Giao loves it, I don't.

Beef Brisket
The tender, long-simmered beef and boiled turnips in this dish make is a simple comfort food for us. We always get this, even if we have to order it off the menu because it is not coming around in a cart.

Fried Shrimp
A bit too breaded.

Fried Noodles
Rather bland, but good when dipped in chili sauce.

Tripe
Not my favorite, but Giao likes it.

Chicken Feet
Giao thinks these are a particularly good version.

Shrimp Noodles
A bit bland, but not bad.

Fried Tofu
Simple and tasty.

Sticky Rice
Studded with savory meat bits, this dish is was very comforting.

Siu Mai
These little pork dumplings are always our favorite. This version has large chunks of both pork and shrimp.

Har Gow
These tender shrimp dumplings are also quite good.

Garlic Chicken Wings
Standard chicken wings with a garlic kick.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 0

Mayflower Seafood Restaurant
6255 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94121

Yummy Yummy in San Francisco, CA

2008-08-29T19:32:00.000-07:00

Our new neighborhood has lots of Vietnamese places, but Yummy, Yummy, aptly named, is one of the best.

Fried Spring Rolls $5
A solid rendition.

Crab with Scallions and Garlic
The crab was sweet and the sauce was savory and plentiful.

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup
The noodles in this soup are oddly like spaghetti, rather than the standard rice noodles. The broth was nicely full flavored.

BBQ Pork
For some reason, this is always my favorite Vietnamese dish. The char-grilled pork is always juicy and slightly charred in flavor and topped with fried garlic and sauteed scallions. This version was particularly good.

Fish Hot Pot
The sweet/sour broth held up well to the fish.

Yummy Yummy

1015 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122

No Website
Health Code Violations

Ariake: Our Favorite Sushi Place in SF

2008-08-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

Giao's family was in town and we went to lunch at our favorite sushi place in the city, Ariake. As always, it did not disappoint. I'm not sure how much everything was, because we didn't pay, but whatever it was, it was worth it.

Dragon Roll
Due to my current, pregnant state, I can't eat sushi. However, this dragon roll with shrimp tempura and cooked eel was very tasty.

Hamachi Kama
This tuna collar was tender and delicious, even though I could only eat a little bit due to the mercury in tuna.

Softshell Crab Roll and Mango Tuna Roll
I only had the softshell crab roll, as it was cooked and it was quite good.

Uni and Salmon
Fresh and tasty, according to Giao.

Seafood Salad
Again, I couldn't eat about it, and I was sad about that, as Ariake's makes the best seafood salad we've ever had.

Seaweed Salad
Yum. What more can I say.

Tuna Tataki
The lunch chef makes the cuts of tuna a bit thicker than we like, so I wasn't that sad that I couldn't eat it.

Oysters
Giao said they were fresh and good.

Live Scallop
Giao also approved.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Service: 1
Decor: 1

Ariake
5041 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94118

Dinner at San Mateo Prime Rib, San Francisco, CA

2008-08-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

After Giao's fantasy football draft, we headed to San Mateo Prime Rib. Unfortunately, our camera crapped out so we only got pictures of 1/2 the meal. Overall San Mateo Prime was OK, but I wouldn't eat there again on purpose. It doesn't even compare to House of Prime Rib. Depending on the size of the cut, the meal ranges from about $27 to $38 per person. This include salad, 2 sides and meat.

House Salad
I'm not sure how prime rib places make the combo of canned beets, iceberg lettuce and chopped hardboiled egg, dressed with thousand island work, but somehow, it does.

Crispy Fries
These were a sad disappointment and were not crispy at all.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1

San Mateo Prime

174 E 3rd Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401

Take Out Lunch Feast From Mehfil Indian and Hon's

2008-08-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

I picked up some Indian food from Mehfil, near my office...

Meatball Lunch Special $5
A tasty meal, and a steal.

And Giao picked up wontons from Hon's, near his office...

Won Tons $6
A huge amount of won tons in a nice, rich broth.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 0

Hon's Wun Tun House
648 Kearny Street
San Francisco, CA 94108

No Website
Can't Find Health Code Violations

And we met in the middle to eat outside on a lovely, warm, SF Indian summer day.

Quick Chicken and Zucchini Curry

2008-08-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

A quick, simple, on-pot meal.

-1 can diced tomatoes
-3 zucchini, sliced
-1 can chickpeas
-1 can coconut milk
-8 chicken thighs, diced
-1 tb Thai red curry paste
-1/2 onion, thinly sliced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-salt to taste

Sautee the onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil until beginning to color. Add the chicken and brown. Add everything else and simmer until a thick sauce has formed.

Short Ribs and Garlic String Beans

2008-08-24T19:43:00.000-07:00

We grilled up some of our Korean-style short ribs and also sauteed some string beans in garlic and seasoned with salt and pepper. This was a very quick and very nutritious meal.

A Quick Dinner at PPQ in San Francisco, CA

2008-08-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

We were so hungry on the way home that we stopped off for a quick bite at PPQ, which is just down the block from us and always packed. Since it is always so busy, we assumed that it would be very good. It was good, however, there are plenty of Vietnamese places within a 5 block radius that are better.

Beef Pho $7
The meat was good, but the broth was not full flavored.

Pho with Everything (beef, meatballs, tripe, tendon) $8
Same as above.

Spring Rolls $5
Their sauce was too sweet with not enough savory depth.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1

PPQ
1816 Irving Street
San Francisco, CA 94122

No Website
Can't Find Health Code Violations

Chinese Stuffed Eggplant

2008-08-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

Armenian Cucumber and Tomato Salad
This salad was simply dressed with balsamic vinegar and salt. There really is something to be said for letting the true flavor of these organic, farm-fresh tomatoes shine through.

Stuffed Eggplant
This is a recipe I learned from our friend, F. My version was not exactly the same as his, but it was tasty.

Meat Mixture:
-1/2 lb ground turkey
-1 egg
-1 tb cornstarch
-salt, to taste
-4 scallions, finely chopped
-1 inch nub ginger, grated

-4 Japanese eggplant

Sauce:
-1/4 cup soy
-2 tb rice vinegar
-2 tb chili garlic sauce
-1 inch nub ginger, grated
-4 scallions, chopped

Mix together all the ingredients in the meat mixture and set aside. Cut the eggplant in coin shapes, alternating 1 cut all the way through the eggplant with 1 cut about 90% through the eggplant. This will leave you with little "coins" about 1/4 inch thick that open like a book. Fill the middle of the coins with the meat mixture to create a sandwich. Fry the meat filled coins in a single layer on both sides until browned. Fry in batches. Set aside. Add all of the fried coins back into the pan. Mix all of the sauce ingredients and pour over the coins. Cover and steam in the sauce for a few minutes. Serve.

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwich

2008-08-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

This was our rendition of an East Coast deli (or breakfast truck) classic. On a toasted Kaiser roll, it was just as we remembered from our pasts, only a little less greasy.

The Omnivore's 100

2008-08-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

From www.verygoodtaste.co.uk comes the Omnivore's 100. Here’s what you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba Ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Dinner at Straits Cafe, Burlingame, CA

2008-08-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

After watching (and betting on) some horse races on the last weekend of Bay Meadows, we headed to Straits for some Indonesian/Singaporean food. Really, it's all about the roti prata, however. The service was off tonight. They were slow to bring us menus, slow to take our order, slow to bring food. Also, in the entire restaurant, which is very large, they did not have enough high chairs to bring for our friend's kids.

Roti Prata $7
In the past we have said that the roti pata at Straits is a bit too thick, but today it was very good. And really, roti prata is never bad.

Mussels with Cracked Pepper and Garlic $15
Good, but nothing special.

Hainan Chicken Rice $12
This is comfort food for Singaporeans, and it was for me to tonight for some reason. This is nowhere near the most exciting dish, but there is something oddly satisfying about boiled chicken, rice, and condiments.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 0

Straits Cafe
1100 Burlingame Ave
Burlingame, CA 94010

Lunch at Little Szechuan, San Mateo, CA

2008-08-17T12:21:00.000-07:00

We stopped off at Little Szechuan on our way to Bay Meadows for a quick, and very spicy, meal. I'm not sure how much each dish was individually, but I think the meal was around $20 total.

Tendon with Garlic Sauce
This tendon is sliced so thin that even I like it. Somehow, when sliced thin, the super-gelatinous, chewy texture, seems to fade away. The sauce was very tasty too.

Cold Noodles with Pork
Although we ordered these noodles with chicken, they came with pork. The waiter did not apologize, but simply told us that he put the wrong order in and then plunked the dish on the table. In any case, these spicy noodles were quite tasty and the julienne of cucumber was provided a welcome, cooling effect.

Dry Cooked Szechuan Pepper Shrimp
These were so spicy and so delicious. The shrimp were super crispy on the outside, with a very light batter. And the szechuan peppercorn left our mouths numb rather than on fire, which is preferable.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 0

Little Szechuan
168 E 4th Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401

No Website

Upscale Indian: Good, But Not Worth The Price

2008-08-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

We'd noticed that Amber India, a rather upscale place, had opened up near our old house. Although we are generally skeptical of high priced Indian (and Mexican and Chinese) food, Bauer gave it a good review, and we thought we'd give it a shot. It turns out the food was pretty good, but not worth 2.5 times what you pay at our favorite Indian take-out joint.

Lamb Shank with Baby Turnips $24
This was a huge portion and quite good. The meat was tender, and only slightly gamey. The turnips could have been a bit more cooked, but were quite good.

Butter Chicken $22
This is our favorite Indian dish and this version was tasty and sophisticated.

Plain Naan $3.25
Good, but not great.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 2
Service: 1

Amber India
25 Yerba Buena Lane
San Francisco, 94103

Health Code Violations

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Cumin Spiced Quinoa

2008-08-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

This was a pretty hands-off meal, which is nice for a weeknight.

-8 chicken thighs
-3 carrots, diced
-4 zucchini, diced
-1 cup quinoa
-salt and pepper to taste
-2 ts cumin
-1 ts paprika

Layer diced veggies in a 9x13 pan and then nestle the chicken thighs in the veggies. Season with salt and pepper. Bake on 375 for about 4 minutes, until chicken is done and veggies are tender. While the chicken and veggies are cooking, boil the quinoa until tender, then drain. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and cumin, then stir in the cooked veggies.

Traditional and Tasty Meal at Acquerello, San Francisco, CA

2008-08-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

Acquerello, a Michelin starred restaurant has been on our list for a while. We finally made a reservation. The place tended towards an older crowd and definitely skewed towards romantic date nights. The decor was not my style, but nice enough. The service was very good. The service staff was gracious and friendly without being in-your-face. I ordered 4 courses, while Giao ordered the 7 course tasting menu, and for all but one course, I was sent out a complementary dish to match Giao's. At $72 for 4 (large) courses and a tasting menu for around $90, we got a lot of food for the money.

Apperitif
Blood orange and some sort of licqour, this gift from the chef was quite good.

Chilled Melon Soup
Giao quite liked this amuse-bouche, but Alexis is not a fan of canteloupe.

Beet Carapaccio with Fresh Ricotta
A subtle, but tasty, beginning of the meal.

Burrata Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes and Parmasan Crostini
This salad was absolutely delicious. Now, we do have quite a fondness to burrata in all forms, but the herbacious sauce served with this dish really made the creaminess of the burrata pop.

Lemon Gnocchi with Zucchini Puree and Fried Zucchini Blossom
These were also delicious. The gnocchi, while huge, were tender in texture and flavor and the puree was flavorful.

Lobster Ravioli
The pasta could have been thinner, but the flavor was great. The sauce was much like awell-executed lobster bisque.

Pappardelle with Sweetbreads and Chanterelles
While the components of this dish were all good by themselves, it somehow didn't come together. The sauce didn't have quite enough viscosity to hold everything together.

Stuffed Quail with Plum Sauce
The quail was tender, and the plums, while sweet, were a good match.

Short Rib with Roasted Root Vegetables
This was good, but not great.

Pan Fried Black Bass with Lentils and Shaved Artichoke Salad
The fish was perfectly cooked and the skin was very crispy. The lentils and the shaved artichokes rounded out the meal in both flavor and texture.

Cheeses (above and below)
We found this selection of Italian cheeses to be good, but we still like French cheeses better. The braised grapes with rosemary were a novel condiment.

Selection of Sorbets
Peach, grape and mango sorbet. They were all quite tasty.

Bourbon Caramel Semi-Freddo
This was an enormous dessert that was brought to Alexis, on the house, since she did not order dessert. She was so full that she could not eat it all, despite the fact that it was creamy and cold and good.

Almond Biscotti
These were the best biscotti we've ever had. They were light and incredibly crispy. The waiter packed them up for us to take with us.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 1
Service: 3

Acquerello
1722 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94109

Health Code Violations

Supermarket Dim Sum Smorgasbord

2008-08-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

We made the grave mistake of going to the Sunset Super when we were on our way home from work and very hungry. So, we decided to make ourselves a big spread of supermarket, frozen dim sum.

Sui Mai
Not really like any sui mai we've ever had, but they were tender and tasty.

Dipping Sauce

-1/4 cup dark soy sauce
-2 tb rice vinegar
-2 tb hoisin
-2 tb chili garlic sauce
-1 bunch scallion, chopped

Mix all ingredients thoroughly for a nice, thick dipping sauce.

Instant Udon with Dipping Sauce
Carby and good.

Pork Dumplings
The skins of these had a nice, toothsome texture, but the meat inside was like a rock-hard pellet.

Pork and Cabbage Potstickers
Pretty tasty. No complaints.

Zuchinni Lasagna

2008-08-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Lasagna
Another one of our favorites, this time with turkey instead of beef.

Summer BBQ

2008-08-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

We had a housewarming party at our new place and took full advantage of the backyard and the grill it came with.

Sliders
Giao made these delicious sliders using a technique he learned from Alton Brown of the Food Network. Basically, he rolled out the meat in a large baking sheet until it was about 1/4 inch thick, then he seasoned the meat in a single layer with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Finally, he folded the meat over on itself. Then we cut the sheet of perfectly seasoned meat into even squares with a pizza cutter. The sliders were very, very good. They were juicy and they were perfectly seasoned in every bite. For buns, we simply used Costco dinner rolls.

Black Bean Salad
This was a nice side for our meaty sliders.

-2 cans corn, drained
-2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
-10 tomatos, diced
-4 large Armenian cucumbers, peeled and sliced
-olive oil
-lime juice
-salt and pepper

Combine the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper together to form a dressing in whatever proportions you like (if you have too much, just save it for another salad). Combine all of the ingredients and dress with the dressing. Give the salad and hour for 2 for the flavors to meld. This is best served at room temperature.

Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
A tasty, non-mayo-y, slaw.

-1 head red cabbage, shredded
-2 carrots, peeled and shredded
-3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
-1/4 cup agave nectar
-1 ts salt
-1 ts celery salt
-1 ts pepper

Combine all of the ingredients except the cabbage and carrots and stir to make a dressing. Pour the dressing over the other ingredients and let sit for an hour or two before serving. Best served at room temperature.

Homemade Burgers and Spicy Oven Baked Potato Wedges

2008-08-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

Spicy Oven-Baked Potato Wedges
Rarely do we cook, or even eat, potatoes, but they came in the CSA box, so we had to find a use for them. These were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

-6 red potatoes, cut into wedges, lengthwise
-1 ts garlic powder
-1 ts paprika
-1 ts cayenne
-2 ts salt
-a bit of olive oil

Drizzle the olive oil on the potatoes and toss to coat. Add the spices and toss again to coat. Spread the wedges on a large cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake on 350 for about 35-40 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.

Simple Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Grilled Cheese Burger with Tomato, Onion, Lettuce and Condiments
The meat was seasoned with only salt and pepper and the burgers were grilled outside. There's not much better than a big, juicy burger grilled in the backyard on a warm summer night.

Lunch from Long Life Noodle Company, San Francisco, CA

2008-08-07T20:45:00.000-07:00

Garlic Noodles $9
Aptly named. These were super-garlicky.

Wontons $10
Good, but not great.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

Long Life Noodle Company
101 4th St
San Francisco, CA 94103

Chicken with Pancetta and Cranberry Beans Over Cheesy Cauliflower Puree

2008-08-06T20:52:00.000-07:00

I had never used fresh cranberry beans before, but they came in the CSA box and so I had to find something to do with them. They ended up adding a nice texture to this dish.

-5 chicken thighs, diced
-1 cup pancetta, diced
-1/2 onion, diced

-1 lb cranberry beans, shelled
-3 sprigs fresh thyme
-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
-pepper

-1 recipe Cheesy Cauliflower Puree

Boil the shelled beans with the herbs and pepper for about 20 minutes, until the beans are tender. At the same time, in a wide pan, render the pancetta and caramelize the onions in the fat. Add the chicken and cook until done. Add the boiled, drained beans to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Serve over the cheesy cauliflower puree.

Ramen with Egg

2008-08-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

Giao likes his ramen still almost crunchy and with a poached egg on top.