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ABOUT ME:

Name: Gutenberg

Location: Somewhere near the Golden Gate Bridge.

Occupation: BRPR (Bunrab public relations.)

 
the BUNRAB blog spot
 

Do you need to answer back? You can send me comments if you want to.

If I want to, I'll post 'em in this very blog.

-Gutenberg



 

June 16-23, 2007

 

go to next week's blogs

 

 

Saturday, June 23, 2007
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There are those who are serious enough about their food to wake up at the crack of  8 on a Saturday morning to head over to the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmers' Market for the best of the local bounty.

Us Bunrabs on the other hand are too slothful and we have no one to blame but ourselves for missing out on the sold out items and enduring the mosh pit of a sunny San Francisco day.

Despite our hedonism, we got some great produce and Fatted Calf:

... meats as well as a tasty  breakfast including wild salmon ($10.00):

... from the Rose Pistola stand.

I requested the fish extra rare, but it arrived cooked through (still tasty though) over a bean, fennel and arugula nest. It was still tender and delicious and I would order it again (but with a “seriously” before my doneness request.)

When we saw Taylor we asked when the Fatted Calf Shop is going to open. In September we will be able to cruise over to Napa for savory reinforcemeats at the source. We can’t wait.

San Francisco Ferry Building Farmers’ Market
One Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA
415.693.0996




 

 

 

Friday, June 22, 2007
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Cupcakes had their trendy surge
and are now showing their staying power. They jumped the shark in the time of Narnia but are now enjoying a rock star popularity with the tourists at the new Kara’s Cupcakes in Ghirardelli Square.

You may be familiar with their original branch on Scott Street (where they do all the baking for both shops.)

The people who work at the Ghirardelli outpost do a good job of dealing with wacked out tourists on sugar overdoses from having a gigantic sundae across the courtyard.

We selected a few jewel like desserts:

... from the case.

Fleur de sel ($3.25):

... was filled with caramel and topped with a chocolate toupee with some salty dandruff. This tender, moist dough gob had a little too much frosting for my taste, but I still enjoyed this craveable treat.

The lemon ($3.25) stump was filled with a tangy Meyer lemon curd with a whirl of lemon butter cream that was also in excess of what the vanilla cake warranted (but it was still good.)

The java ($3.00) was a quarter less because it wasn’t a filled cupcake. This espresso buttercream capped chocolate cake had the same frosting to cake issues as the rest, but was still fine.

They use organic, premium ingredients in these fat bombs and the quality and care are obvious. Sure, they are girly and frou frou, but who kara’s?

Kara’s Cupcakes
Ghirardelli Square
900 Northpoint
San Francisco, CA
415.351.2253




 

 

 

Thursday, June 21, 2007
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We hopped off the J Church Muni to grab some chow at Incanto.

We went nuts for the duck fries ($9.50):

No, these aren’t potatoes fried in bird fat, they are duck testicles (and they pasticled with flying colors.) A crisp rasher of bacon and some freshly shelled green peas were cast upon this highly rated dish.

The Hamada farms turkey and conundrum figs ($10.00):

... were served with mascarpone and baby basil leaves. These well sourced ingredients were a delectable combo of perfectly ripe fruit anchored by an earthy herbaceousness, bound together with a creamy richness.

Next came an order of their classic handkerchief pasta with pork ragu ($15.00):

The perfectly al dente carbo sheets were enveloped with a rich tomato based pig sauce.

We sopped up every drop utilizing their superior bread and grissini plate that comes with an anchovy enhanced tapenade.

Roasted lamb neck ($22.00):

...cannot be missed. This gremolata collared head stand was not only succulent vampire practice material, it had cravable crispy edges, little pockets of melty fat and rich and plentiful meaty goodness that make you want to scrape every bit off the bone. I’m glad we split all of our dishes so that we did not suffer from meat fatigue with this generous cut of fennel and potato necklaced comfort food.

In addition to bottles, a wonderful selection of Italian wines are offered by the glass, 2.5 ml. taste, half litre as well as flights constructed to tour you through Italy.

It was one of those meals that was so good that it escalated the property values of their neighborhood. We really need to make this a regular bus stop.

Check out some of our other meals at Incanto:

on March 6, 2006
or April 16, 2006
and Chubby's review

Incanto Restaurant
1550 Church St.
San Francisco, CA
415.641.4500

 




 

 

 

Wednesday, June 20, 2007
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The P.C. scoop

Fairfax Scoop has finally gotten politically correct. Oh, I know they had you fooled with those eco-friendly potato starch spoons and their organic, cage-free employees. But we knew it was only a façade of concern for their community and environment. Because these ice cold cooks were churning up a batch of non-lactose intolerance. They were openly anti-rabbit. Did you see that shameful abuse of lagamorphs that used to greet you as you entered into their cone of silence?

Who could blame you for listening to the scream of the ice rather than pawsing to evaluate their policy on innocent furry creatures?

If it were a cigar store native American statue turned on it’s side would you sit on it while enjoying your frozen treat? I think not.

Was it Michael Richards’ or Mel Gibson’s recent displays that had turned them to self examination?

Perhaps we will never know. The only important thing is that we had some tasty cones ($2.35 each):

... of their chocolate and vanilla fudge atop their crisp, fresh and delish housemade waffle cones.

Fairfax Scoop, you are forgiven.


Fairfax Scoop
63 Broadway Blvd.
Fairfax, CA
415.453.3130




 

 

 

Tuesday, June 19, 2007
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Look what we found on the door of Simmer restaurant:

... this evening:

Simmer has boiled over. This Corte Madera restaurant has closed and the owners have shifted their focus to their new business. Chefables is a way to feed your kids without stuffing them with KFC or fish sticks every night. They prepare and deliver hot, balanced chow that will absolve Marin parents of guilt:

What a good idea (but we’ll miss Simmer.)

Chefables
415.299.2800

 



 

 

 

Monday, June 18, 2007
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Today I saw a couple in the seafood section of Ranch 99:

... who were picking out occupants for their aquarium – that’s a new one on me. I confess that I will walk around the tanks even when I have no intention of purchasing brain food just to see the long neck clams, big spiky uni balls, the hyperactive shrimp and the grumpy catfish.

The meat section has all the offal:

... you would ever want as well as the less challenging cuts being butchered continually behind the counter. There is always the necessity to confirm the number of pounds you want of your selection with the matching number of fingers in the air to spackle over any English-as-a-second-language issues, but you always leave with what you want:

... and for a good price too.

99 Ranch Market
3288 Pierce St.
Richmond, CA
510.769.8899

 



 

 

 

Sunday, June 17, 2007
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After the vow of (post French Laundry) mastication abstinence begins to wear off the next day - it’s time to bust open the ribboned take away bag.

 

Chubby has been a lotus eater lately but he has finally put aside his “je ne c’est” to write about Coi. Check out his latest review.

-G



 

 

 

Saturday, June 16, 2007
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The French Laundry is in the unenviable position of being enviable. There are plenty of people who want to tear them down since they are at the top of their game, but the truth of the matter is that they kick ass.

They don’t just kick ass, they kick it harder and better than asses have ever been or will be kicked and in ways that asses have not been kicked in the history of ass kicking.

They could easily serve their signature dishes for the rest of eternity and have happy customers, but  instead they keep evolving. There were some of the old faves in tonight’s meal as well as lots of brand new creations that were jawdropping like the crazy seafood jello combos.

Thomas Keller’s restaurant has held firm as the Bunrab’s favorite of all time and chef Corey Lee has the mind of a mad genius.

French Laundry list:

Champagne kicked off the parade of amuses

Gougeres

Red onion crème fraiche filled, salmon tartare capped,  black sesame cornets

Cold almond soup with Bing cherries

Cold corn soup with red onion and cilantro

Sautéed abalone with green bean tempura and white sturgeon caviar:

Oysters and pearls -  Beau soleil oysters with pearl tapioca and sturgeon caviar

2004 Stags’ Leap Arcadia Chardonnay

Ginger gelée with softshell crab and ginger foam:

Trumpet fish gelée with salmon roe and gold 

Coddled hen’s egg with maple syrup and brioche soldiers

White truffle custard with black truffle ragout and a potato chive chip

Asparagus, garlic and frisee salad

Sautéed Belgian endive, cilantro shoots, diced banana and Banyuls salad

Cuddlefish capellini with haricot vert, chorizo and squid ink

Yukon gold potato and mascarpone filled agnolotti with grated black truffle

Bass shank with Yukon gold potatoes and littleneck clams

Butter poached Maine lobster tail with chocolate hazelnut sauce, cipolini onions and onion sauce:

Butter poached Maine lobster tail with corn emulsion, celery branch and truffle sauce

2005 Marcel Lapierre, Morgon Beaujolais

Foie Gras wrapped in fig leaves and roasted in salt served with watercress, peaches and turnips
with a salt selection:

Chicken cooked in a pig’s bladder with globe artichokes and glazed carrots

2000 Domaine Duffens “Clos de la Truffiere” Coteaux varios

Wagyu beef with daikon, cepes,  rice and sauce Japonaise:

Mondegueiro (sheep’s milk) cheese was paired with strawbs, maple syrup and housemade granola

Couronne Lochoise (goat) cheese was given a beeting and rhubarbing

Pluot sorbet with pluot gelée, yogurt snow, and hazelnuts

Red ver jus sorbet with candied orange, raisin jus and housemade granola

Hot  brioche donuts rolled in cinnamon sugar with cappuccino semi-freddo

1997 Domaine Fontanel Rivesaltes Ambré Solera

Chocolate pudding with malt ice cream, malt foam and a banana tuille

Mascarpone parfait with candied kumquat, chocolate sauce and chocolate snow.

Apricot trifle

Crème brulée with Tahitian vanilla

Chocolate coated macadamia nuts

Orange and bergamot lace cookies

Assorted truffles

 

One way that they are able to keep up this level of kick-ass-ness is to limit the number tables to 19 (and of those, only 5 were turned tonight.)

The plans for their Inn continue to move ahead so those unable to walk more than a few paces after a five hour dinner will have a crash pad where they will be able to sober up with Bouchon baked goods and coffee in the morning.

Us Bunrabs need the dim gentle light of the computer screen to ease us back into a digestive readiness that seems incomprehensible now. We will never need to eat again. Oooof.


-G



 

 

 


back to last week - June 9-15, 2007

 




 

 
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