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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



 

April 10-20, 2010

 

go to next week's blogs

 

  Tuesday, April 20, 2010
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I worked up a good sweat at the Dojo today where I wrestled with a bowl of spicy and bitter pork flavored broth ($8.95):

...with slices of roasted pork, Napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and a boiled quail egg with a dash of sesame oil. I requested it extra spicy and they delivered this creamy concoction with a nice heat (but not enough to throw me to the mat.)

After sparring with this formidable feast with we bowed to the power of this noodley nosh.

If you believe in Santa (Ramen), this noodle house is of the same slurpable school.

Ramen Dojo
805 S. B St.
San Mateo, CA
650.401.6568





 

 

  Monday, April 19, 2010
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I placed my order and my request was immediately hollered to the grill guy at Town Hall's take away BBQ table (located behind their restaurant):

In less than 5 minutes I left this amplification station with a half rack of St. Louis ribs ($15.00):

These porkurments were smoky, tender fleshed, batons with crispy bits served with a slightly sweet, mildly spiced sauce to compliment these substantial swine sticks.

I would haul back to this hall of hollering for more of these delicious daggers but this smoldering setup is subject to seasonal setbacks so it's best to check their tweets before you get your meats.


Town Hall
342 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA
415.908.3900






 

 

  Sunday, April 18, 2010
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The second annual Festa di Primavera sprung up to nip hunger from guest’s taste buds with some of the Ferry Building’s notorious noshables:

We couldn’t resist Boccalone’s:

...cotechino with hard cooked egg and mint salsa:

Roli Roti rolled in with porchetta, but didn’t have a crew, so in a neighborly spirit, good Ferrys flew in to build luscious sandwiches with bits of cracklin mixed in to these porky pockets:

Il Cane Rosso stuck their pickled tongue out on croutons which went lickity split:

El Porteno formed a spore corps with Far West Fungi:

... by making shroomy, flakey pastry compartments:

This fungustatory collaboration was a cultivated culinary ‘complishment.

We sipped on wonderful wines:

...from Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant and others accompanied by The Hot Frittatas and by performers from Circus Finelli.

Humphrey Slocombe:

... churned together Ferry Building businesses in their scoops of Boccalone prosciutto, McEvoy olive oil, Blue Bottle coffee and candy cap mushroom.

This festa was a fabulous way to ring in Spring while cross pollinating with the popular populous of San Francisco’s grub hub.


Festa di Primavera

San Francisco Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA

 

 

From our Bunrab email bag, Anne writes:

Re: your visit to Arizmendi - I've never understood their appeal. Their goods all seem too heavy to me. Also, the layout of the San Rafael store is really annoying. The bins right by the door ensure that people will walk into you as they come in. One visit was one too many!

Anne


Gutenberg replies:


Dear Anne,

Now that you mention it, you do have to shui over to the corner to get a bag creating a qi-livery logjam in this feng-ky formation.

We’re going to try some of their other items to see if we are missing anything good (while trying not to take anyone out as we grab our purchases.)

-G






 

 

  Saturday, April 17, 2010
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We communed over Equator coffee at the new San Rafael branch of Arizmendi:

... where the cooperative staff rung up our corn scone ($2.50) and bran muffin ($2.00).

I can see how these sturdy stumps may appeal to breakfasters who like Purina Hippie chow, but the dense, dried fruit and walnutty muffin was a protest against subtlety and the scone (with its nice blips of of dried cherries) had an unrelenting, grainy texture from the coarse corn meal and was better suited for a smaller item that wouldn’t inspire grit fatigue.

We like some of Arizmendi’s other bread items, so we’ll chalk our breakfast up to selection error.

Arizmendi
1002 4th St.
San Rafael, CA
415.456.4093






 

 

  Friday, April 16, 2010
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Izzy’s sounds more like an inquiry than a destination, but we chose to answer our hunger at the bar with some calamari ($10.00):

... which came with chipoltle remoulade sauce to distract from the squid’s rubbery texture and oiliness. The blackened steak tacos ($10.00):

... weren’t our thing either. The meat was okay, but the cheddar cheese didn’t work for us in this guac tac with a dose of bland salsa.

Even though we aren’t the target audience for the grub here, Izzy’s appears to attract a following of those who don’t question their chow.


Izzy’s
55 Tamal Vista
Corte Madera, CA
415.924.3366






 

 

  Thursday, April 15, 2010
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Arizmendi has co-opted a corner on San Rafael’s 4th Street where you can now get hopped up on their hippie chow.

The offerings are in the loop with their other coops and they are peeling out pizza as takeaway or on paper for those who want to eat among their comrades.

They offer one expression of pie as their daily special and in keeping with their lineage, they give a bonus sliver. Red onions and greens were strewn on slices ($2.50 each) of feta finished bread:

Although I don’t prefer blondes, these un-blistered bites were more like an enjoyable, augmented, openfaced, mozzarella sandwich with a pleasant chewiness to this kibbutzy cuisine.

Their rolls:

... look as though they would come in handy as projectiles during a worker revolt, but the the only uprising at this co-op is yeast based since all the employees are the bosses.

We’ll come back for their Equator coffee and some rolls soon (but not on May 1st when they will be closed in honor of International Workers’ Day.)


Arizmendi

1002 4th St.
San Rafael, CA
415.456.4093






 

 

  Wednesday, April 14, 2010
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Marcia was hot doggedly signing her books:

... at the Ferry Building during Hop Dog Happy Hour this evening. This dog/’tail event was a bun-ifit for CUESA and was a fun way to feed on what you read (since the tipple and tastes were directly from her tablehopper of contents.)

Chefs and bartenders paired up their tubular treats and shakin’ sips including the inspired combo of Ryan Farr’s:

... spicy Thai sausage with shaved tendon, herbs, 4505 chicharrones and money sauce:

... with Daniel Hyatt’s “Barbie Doll” with bourbon, rhubarb and fennel aqua fresca, white cardamom, sassafras, turbinado sugar and beet juice.

Showdogs’:

... luscious lamb merguez:

... with Scott Baird’s:

... insane “Pamplona Sour” (with Spanish brandy, sherry, sloe berry liqueur, egg whites, lemon, cinnamon and angostura bitters) unleashed some serious flavor.

Jamie Lauren:

... (in the smoking section) was preparing her house made dogs with Guinness mustard and sauerkraut:

... which was paired with Carlos Yturria’s sea bean gimlet.

Brook Arthur had the crowd gobbling Wild Turkey with rhubarb syrup, strawberry puree, lemon juice and Belgian ale in her refreshing “Strange Brew #4” with Chicago style dogs from Da Beef:

Everyone had a full belly at this pup tented publication celebration for Marcia’s book, The Tablehopper’s Guide to Dining and Drinking in San Francisco. This dietary directory is the culinary compass to shepherd you to salivation. This text addresses the context of your outing to sate your date or snub over grub, but even if the occasion is distasteful, the destination won’t be.


The Tablehopper’s Guide to Dining and Drinking in San Francisco

$16.00






 

 

  Tuesday, April 13, 2010
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Although the fish was fine at Sushi to Dai For:

... the sushi rice wasn't our thing. The grains were tougher, colder and less vinegared than we prefer (and we like subtle vinegar). The hamachi sashimi ($6.25 for 2 slices) and uni ($8.95):

... were good, but the standout was the live hotate ($9.95):

... which was served with thin slices of lemon which were overpowering. We ended up placing the slivers of citrus on our sake ($5.75). We got some additional nigiri and maki ($5.75 - $10.75) and wondered if we might have done better with an order of sashimi and a donburi.

Sushi to Dai For
816 4th St.
San Rafael, CA
415.721.0392

 

 

Mark your Calendar

Cane Rosso, Recchiuti and Mijita will be among the Ferry Building residents celebrating Spring’s arrival during the second annual Festa di Primavera.

Last year we got to get a sneak peek at Boccalone's Nduja creating a history of an interesting spread at this wine and food festival.

Check out the line up of participating merchants here.


Festa di Primavera

Sunday, April 18th, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
tickets $35 advance, $40 door
San Francisco Ferry Building
The Grand Hall (on the second floor)
415.391.9400

 

 

Mark-co Polo your Calendar

Chinatown and North Beach have common threads which you can celebrate at Noodle Fest 2010. You can slurp and twirl strands from over thirty restaurants when you enter this dough-minion.

Chinatown Community Development Center and North Beach Merchants Association present:
Noodle Fest 2010
May 2nd, 3-7 p.m.
Tickets $15 advance, $20 day of event
Grant Avenue between Pacific and Vallejo
San Francisco, CA

 

Start the presses!

The cooks at Bix and Picco have something you don’t. Bruce Hill’s chef presses. These stainless steel, stackable, plates are instru-metal for evenly cooked chow. You can also use them to submerge your pickles or any weighty issue in the kitchen.

We’ve played around with them at the hutch and those Food Network/infomercial mantras of “pressing the juices out of your meat” were quickly dismissed since these aren’t about smooshing your food, they are about even, steady, pressure.

You can get 3 of them at Williams Sonoma for $24.95 and see if your sliders compare with Picco’s.

-G

 






 

 

  Monday, April 12, 2010
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We made a pit stop at Frantoio where a prosciutto salad ($12.95):

... with pucks of mozzarella and a handful of arugula were a rustic, balsamic welcome with a drizzle of peppery olive oil.

The pizza ($13.95):

... was a funghi mosaic of asparagus embedded in melty mozzarella. Although it didn't oust Picco as our preferred pie, it was good belly ballast as as we sipped our cocktails.

They need to rejigger the lighting scheme to backlight the bar shelves:

... to create a more enticing display of jewel-like bottles, but pickiness aside, the barman watered his regulars and welcomed us outsiders at this olive-grinding ristorante.



Frantoio Ristorante

152 Shoreline Highway
Mill Valley, CA
415.289.5777

p.s.
We stopped for coffee on the way back from Pebble Beach last night and happened upon the reason why print media is dying:


 

 

Mark your Calendar

The Chantenay carrot soup that Chef Mark Sullivan made for last year's Taste of the Nation event makes us curious to see if he hits it out of AT&T park again this year. He will be among the over 40 chefs participating in this outfield to table benefit for Share Our Strength.

Traci Des Jardins is chairwoman so you know that means Mijita masa balls will be pitched and I wouldn't be shocked to see Public House sliders into home as Chef Des Jardins leads the team in striking out childhood hunger.

Last year's drinking dugout was filled with an all-star line up of talent swinging their muddlers before sluggers savored their solutions while others rounded the bases to score hit tidbits.

Check out the deets here.


Taste of the Nation

April 29, 2010
VIP $140 - gets you across the plate at 5:30 with a tipple tutorial from the tenders and other surprises.
General $85 - 6:30 entry to the soiree.
AT&T Ballpark Club Level
24 Willie Mays Plaza
San Francisco, CA






 

 

  Sunday, April 11, 2010
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The wind tunnel test on Lexus products must include the Grand Tasting Tent since despite the intents weather, structural integrity was maintained during this afternoon's event.

Fortunately, the inside was far from dry with plenty of champagne to wash down caviar topped oysters in the Lexus Lounge.

Master, Top and Iron Chefs (as well as those who prefer their "reality" away from the camera) kept the crowd contented with bountiful bites of their edible expressions.

The CIA doesn't have a course in photo ops but we watched as chefs posed pleasantly:

... with the masticating mobs and were particularly impressed by how Michael Chiarello would handle his adoring fans.

Chef Mark Sullivan of Spruce:

... composed a Moroccan-influenced goat rillettes confit.

He dressed these elite bleats as haute goature with a turmeric date sauce draped with pickled Chartenay carrots with saffron and cardamom. We returned to ask the Chef if we could get his goat twice and he graciously welcomed us to seconds.

The teeny tacos filled with scallop ceviche and spicy crema:

... were the diminuative deliciouso dooings of Chef Richard Reddington of REDD.

He also braised pork belly:

... and burdock rooted it with apple in his bellyismo dish.

We pulled out of the Lexus nexus after this festive conclusion to another buttery and bubbly Pebble Beach Food & Wine.


Pebble Beach Food & Wine 2010







 

 

  Saturday, April 10, 2010
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The crowd of culinarati at Pebble Beach today was enough to send our salivary glands into a toqued up overdrive.

We had the privilege of sipping champagne with the cellar master of Veuve Clicquot, Dominique Damarville.

He led us through a tasting beginning with a gorgeous 1998 La Grande Dame as we discussed his role at this famous chateau.

His responsibilities aren't exactly a pagne and certainly not a cham. He oversees each step from the grape supply and purchase, to working with the winemakers and finally communicating with his audience. As we savored the last drops of our Grand Dame, he said that, "the best gift for a winemaker is to see glasses that are empty" at which time he graciously allowed us to repeat this complement (a few times...)

His historical knowledge of the Veuve Clicquot is encyclopedic and we asked him about his vision for the future and if he would strive to innovate or stick with tradition. He filled us in on the fact that the process of riddling originated at Veuve Clicquot, (so they have always been innovators with a respect for their history.)

We rounded out our visit with a sparkling glass of rosé and the realization that this Champagne house has existed 4 years longer than the United States.

The Lexus Grand Tasting tent teemed with media and meatia moguls. Andrew steered us towards Hosea's:

... buffalo which was a perfectly cooked hunk of range rover with huitlacoche.

We applauded his bold move of elegantly integrating corn smut in his dish.

Tyler Florence's:

... homage to the slow food movement:

... put off a few sluggish diners, but we sped through his trail fix before making our way out to the Inn.

We stirred, shook and strained our way through a series of stupor duper cocktails led by the spirited ambassadors for Belvedere and Patron.

Our table started out as the one the whole room had to wait for but quickly muddled our way to the head of the class as we made some seriously excellent elixirs.

Even if you aren't into interactivities, you can ingest demonstrations and meals at this momentous monopoly of megatalent at this annual affair.


2010 Pebble Beach Food and Wine






 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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