San Francisco Treats

So sorry for the delay. Life has been a little crazy! After returning from San Francisco I promptly celebrated my birthday and then this past weekend unexpectedly went to Atlantic City. Let's get right to it. Where did I go, what did I eat, how much weight did I gain?

Blowfish Sushi

After going out for Burmese food the previous evening we wanted to try sushi for our next meal. We attempted to go to Sushi Zone first. I walk in as the elected representative of our group to sign out name on the board and see a long list of names. When I look around there are maybe 4 people waiting. I inquire with the hostess/waitress. 

"Oh there is a list with names on it, it will be a wait, maybe an hour"

I return to my hungry herd of two and explain. We are all confused and we enter, yet again to gain more information. We realize, no, we are not in NYC but in San Francisco. People wear Birkenstocks here, and walk slow, and have nice weather. They are not concerned with the ridged, militarized, world-clock-synchornized wait list system we have in the city. So we head to Blowfish. We are offered a bar seat and immediately take it. The restaurant is loud but the interesting people make up for it. Here is what we shared:

Ritsu Roll - maguro, bincyo, avocado, masago fl ash fried & served with citrus ponzu. Our signature roll! tempura shrimp, cucumber topped with unagi & avocado

Dragon Roll

Crunchy California Maki (my favorite)

Greedy Girl
Avacado Roll - eel, asparagus tempura, avocado
Scallop w/truffle Oil

3 out of 5

25 Lusk

I step out of the taxi. Heaven opens up and angels emerge singing praise and glory. Peter, is there to greet me at the pearly gates that is the hostess stand. OK it was a woman, but you get the idea. We were back. Back to the location of what my co-worker likes to call "The Cauliflower Incident". We are lead to the same table we sat at last year. I order the same cocktail and sip with delight. Then the waitress arrives and I tell her with the most certainty that I have ever in my soul that yes, I would like the Cauliflower Creme Brulee. 

Emotions flood my mind and heart. Will it be the same as last year? Will the truffle oil seep into my nostrils and set off an alarm of utter joy? Will the chef torch the top enough for that sweet/savory crunch leaving a layer of creaming cauliflower underneath? I begin sweating and shaking. I ignore all conversations swirling around me. What did I just say in response to my table mates? It matters not.Only that after I eat my gnocchi the pork belly and creme brulee will arrive simultaneously to take me on a culinary journey I have thought about every week, NAY every day since last year. What's that coming toward me? Could it be? It is! Both plates are placed in front of me. I take my spoon hesitantly, then with more courage and break the shell that so lovingly protects the delicious inside. 

Yes. It is the same. And yet...so...much...better.

SF Yacht Club vodka, grapefruit, cucumber, lemon, lime, mint
Malbec cedrus 2008 cahors france 

Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchi - grilled artichoke, parmesan, sunchoke, olive, lemon butter

Pork Belly Confit - kuri squash puree, thai basil, key lime, bitter chocolate reduction

Cauliflower Creme Brulee - sunchoke escabeche, white truffle oil

5 out of 5


Wayfare Tavern
Our group met a past co-worker here. It was nice to add a different dynamic to our very stale group. We sat in the booths across from the kitchen and I, as a 5'7" person felt very low to the table having to prop myself up with my foot under me to feel like I could reach my wine glass. Our goofy, San Francisco waiter was genuine and helpful. This doesn't happen often but I experience "Food Envy" or "Orderers Remorse" when I got my burger. I hate saying this but, I should have ordered the ravioli which if I can remember correctly had either butternut squash or pumpkin in it. My burger was good, but I felt uncomfortably full especially after I had to send it back because it was not medium rare but more medium done. I like it juicy! My favorite part was the deviled eggs, light and delicious.

Deviled Petaluma Eggs -  mustard yolks, capers, celery, crisp shallots

Baked Macaroni & Cheese - Vella dry jack, smoked olive oil

Wayfare Burger "Le Grand"- grass-fed proprietary grind, Marin brie, roasted onion, smoked bacon, brioche with sunny side up Petaluma egg 

2 out of 5

Commonwealth
This was everyone's favorite restaurant. Except mine. I think from reading an earlier restaurant review you can see where I wanted to be (see 25Lusk, if you needed the help). It was a hip restaurant with a very open kitchen. Literally. I drank a lot of water that evening attempting to rehydrate and balance myself so let's just say I had to visit the loo a few times. But I didn't mind because you literally walk right through the kitchen to get there. And as you sit on the pot you are faced with the most interesting art and narration accompanying it. Please do use the loo and check it out.

For a drink I elected to not have alcohol and have a house made soda of lemon and tarragon. Very, very interesting. Refreshing.
 Arancini - truffle cheese, lettuce cream
Pumpkin salad - asian pear, chicory, idiazabal cheese, almond tuile, cocoa nib
Petrale sole - wrapped in feuille de brik, nicoise olive, celery root, grape, spinach, verjus
Peanut butter semifreddo - chocolate ganache, frozen popcorn (my favorite)


3 out of 5

Flour & Water 
Our last evening we went to a no-frills, comfy place in the Mission district. 

Pasta
Radiatore with roasted hen, speck & parsnip --> literally tasted like chicken soup. But REALLY good chicken soup.
Rosemary pappardelle with wood over braised veal
Cirtrus & ricotta triangoli with olive & blood orange
Whole wheat paccheri with whey braised pork, meyer lemon & sage

Pizza
Prosciutto - garlic sausage, tomato, caper, olives, chili & smoked caciocavallo
Funghi - yellow foot & hedgehog mushroom, sunchokes, fior di latte & sage cream

Side
Root vegetable gratin with Parmesan & thyme


4 out of 5


Every meal was amazing regardless of the location. Good conversation and new experiences were had. I am so thankful to be able to try all of these amazing things. If you think you don't like something please, try everything at least once. You could be missing out on the next cauliflower creme brulee. Go outside your comfort zone and experiment with a mysterious combination as I did with the homemade soda at Commonwealth or the Ritsu Roll at Blowfish. San Francisco, thank you for having amazing food.

Pret Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

I just have to do a quick shout out to Pret A Manger for their Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. It is delicious and perfect with the little bun they give to you. At my location they only serve it on Tuesdays so call ahead and find out what day it's served. Enjoy!

Burma Superstar!

Welcome to San Francisco!
Last evening was the first of many dinners out this week. Let's hope my waistline can handle this. My best friend recommended a place that she likes here where I wrote to her panicked that I had to find a place for two of us to go. She excitedly suggest Burma Superstar! Here is what we had:

Lemon Mint Tea to drink

Tea Leaf Salad*
Featured on Food Network
Yes, we really do go to Burma to get the tea for this salad, and it's worth the trip. With textures from fried garlic, peanuts

Lettuce Cups
Crisp lettuce cups with a cured pork, pickled radish, carrots, and water chestnut stuffing

Pumpkin Shrimp*
Tender shrimp stew slow cooked with kabocha squash and ginger

Nan Gyi Dok*
(mild coconut chicken rice noodle curry, not available vegetarian)
Burmese rice noodles with a mild chicken coconut curry sauce, eggs, split yellow pea, and fried onion

Coconut Rice (per person)*
Aromatic jasmine rice cooked with coconut milk and topped with fried onions

Everything was very delicious. The Tea Leaf Salad was prepared table-side for us by a gentleman who explained each component that was in the dish. The textures of each ingredient was great. The lemon he squeezed on top added a refreshing element to it. This dish and the Coconut Rice were pushed strongly by my friend so I was sure to get both of those. I got the Nan Gyi Dok as my main and my dining partner shared the sauce from his dish which I put on the rice. I'm salivating just thinking about this. I left satisfied and full. This local place in a residential area is off the beaten path and is a must do if in the SF area.

4 out of 5

Pachenga Patterson

Last evening my friend and I had a date night at Pachanga Patterson in Astoria. Oh so delicious. Our gracious host greeted us and invited us to sit at the bar while we waited a few minutes for our table. With a rustic feel, lights webbed across the ceiling, and tables close I felt like I was in a little nook with friends and family. J and I settled on the half litre of Pachanga sangria (apples, oranges, mango juice, rum). Then after much more deliberation we decided to share the Cheese Quesadilla with oyster mushroom, roasted corn, and Monterey jack cheese. And after discovering that the Cider Braised Pork, ancho chili pork filled tamale was in fact not spicy we both picked that. Oh heavens. The pork fell right off into the pool of sauce sitting on the plate waiting to be absorbed into the tamales. The little salad made me feel super healthy. Of course we had so much room left in us that we needed dessert.  We decided on the El Diablito Cake which the blog We Heart Astoria describes so perfectly. I then proceeded to run 5 miles in an attempt to ever feel hungry again.

4 out of 5

Starbucks

I am very happy to report two things:

1. I have officially become a gold card member at Starbucks.

2. Regarding my previous post about becoming a 'regular' at a restaurant...today I walked in and the guy taking orders looked at me and said 'Ah, I can't remember it...'. Which means there was a spark of recognition. And I'm not that memorable. Sigh. So close!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Barbuto & Sugarfreak

Barbuto
Last minute I was invited to Barbuto in the West Village and am very glad I said yes. Not because of the food. Ok well, partly because of the food. I'll get to why in a minute. As I sat at the bar waiting for my dining partners to arrive I chatted away with a woman who was a 'regular'. Oh how I dream of becoming a 'regular' at an establishment. But therein lies some problems.
- One, I am financially unable to frequent a restaurant enough for the staff to recognize me.
- Next, There are waaaaay to many people in the city for my infrequent trips into a place to establish my presence
- Lastly, the turnover. There is high turnover in restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. Just when I'm starting to make friends with someone, they are bound to leave me and find another 'regular' elsewhere.
Recently I was bestowed a Starbucks gift card. This delighted me because I love my chai latte's and also it allows to me to visit my Starbucks at work a lot more then normal. Every time I go in I wait .4 seconds to say my name when they ask in the hopes that they will look at me and say, 'oh hey! tall chai latte AND it's on the house.' Sigh, one can only hope.
So my new lady friend was and remains regular. I mean, A regular at Barbuto. She is financially stable, goes enough to this place to be recognized and a nice restaurant like this does not have high turnover. Rather it is bustling with staff that is highly knowledgeable of the menu and comfortably welcomes you to sit down and spend a few hours amongst friends. And let me tell you about these friends. A man walks by and I say to my to cohorts, my, that looks like Bobby Flay. Indeed, it was. Then his wife was recognized by us followed by Michael Symon. Apparently, Gabrielle Hamilton and another female chef were present along with the two chefs of the night, Jonathan Waxman and Marc Vetri. Whew! After I had my panic attack, then realized I am now a New Yorker and must follow the cardinal rule of being a New Yorker and celebrity spotting: do nothing, be subtle in your gawking, but again, DO NOTHING. Let the tourists look like morons.
Here is what we had (tasting menu/beverage pairing):
On the table - Wild Mushroom Bruschetta w/ Modelet Brut Rose, Angrois, NY
First course - raw shaved brussels sprouts w/pecorino & toasted walnuts
- celery puntarelle salad with anchovy dressing w/Sorachi Ace, Brooklyn Brewery
Second Course - Rigatoni w/Spicy Duck Ragu w/Pinot noir rose, Copain 2010
- Robiola francobolli w/chanterelle mushrooms & thyme w/Savuto odoardi, 2006
Third Course - Lombardia style pork ribs
- Veal breast "al Latte" w/fried sage
- Braised greens w/caramelized onions & ricotta salata
- Fennel Gratin w/'Soffumbergo' Comelli, 2008
Dessert - Olive oil cake
- Caramel Panna Cotta

I was pleasantly full and drunk at the conclusion of the meal.

3 out of 5

Sugarfreak
Located in the heart of Astoria Sugarfreak is not a bakery. Yes, this is what I thought until I was told otherwise. It is the home of Louisiana Homestyle Cooking. If you like the style design of 'shabby chic' (See Rachel Ashwell and you'll know what I'm talking about) then this is the cutest, most comfy place to go. Cut out snow flakes sat behind the bar while mismatch curtains filled space between booths. Adorable. After speaking with the bartender while I waited for my dining partner to arrive I was told his top 3 favorite menu items. I'm telling you, if you want to talk to the interesting people and get the gossip on the restaurant, get to the place early, sit at the bar and talk with the bartender or the 'regular' who happens to be sitting right next to you.
I decided on the Blackened Catfish with a side of macaroni and cheese. And it came with a salad to make things a little healthy. I sipped on Stella Artois. My partner ordered the fried catfish with sweet potato fries. It was at my urging that the fries were ordered because they had never had them before. Gasp! For dessert we shared bread pudding soaked in Bailey's.  Yes, you heard right. Delicious.
And yes, I did visit the bathroom. And I did not want to leave. I felt like I was in the most quaint outhouse of my life. With a radio perched above my head playing old timey music, a chain to flush the toilet and a metal pail as the sink I was in bathroom heaven. I cannot wait to go back and try some jambalaya!

3 out of 5

Insomnia Cookies

Back in college my friend, J, who went to Syracuse would rave about this magical cookie place that one could go and fetch warm, just out of the oven at Grandma's house cookies. Take a moment to let your mouth begin to salivate. Whilst J's sister and I were out at Amber last week we, as normal sweet seeking women were in search of dessert after our sushi filled dinner. As we ambled up through Murray Hill we suddenly both stopped, looked up at the sign and without a word to each other raced to beat each other into Insomnia Cookies. K had the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie and I indulged in the s'more cookie. Both the deluxe edition of the cookies. Let's just say people gave us looks as we attempted to land the cookie from the wax bag, all warm and gooey, into our mouths.
A few months ago a co-worker was lucky enough to get Insomnia Cookies for their birthday and Ronnybrook Farm Milk. A divine combination if you ever pick up a bottle at Chelsea Market and make your way to Murray Hill for a cookie.

5 out of 5