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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



 

January 24-31, 2010

 

go to next week's blogs

 

  Sunday, January 31, 2010
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Dave the Butcher:

...and Chef Jeff Rosen:

... took over 83 Proof for their Pig & Swig event this evening.

The crowd converged for cocktails:

... while nibbling on bacon confit filled blue cheese biscuits, carnitas in blue corn masa cakes and luscious pork rilletes croutons with quince jam.

The Jugtown Pirates:

 

... provided the perfect accompaniment for the ship shape braised pork belly with seared divers scallops:

... craklin’ crowned salad with Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam cheese and candied walnuts:

... butter beans with pig cheek crepinette and ham hock:

... roasted Marin Sun Farms hog with a heap of almond accented Brussels Sprouts with corn spoon pudding:

... and a candied bacon and praline creme brulée:

We worked our way through the innovative cocktail list and particularly enjoyed their spicy margarita with jalapeno pepper and cucumber:

... as well as their bourbon, lemon, egg white and peach bitter concocktail-tion.

The organizers plan to put on dinners like this every month so check their site for future fetes.

Pig & Swig
83 Proof
83 1st St.
San Francisco, CA

 

Mark your Calendar

Dave will be holding one of his butchery demo and dinner events on Valentines Day at La Trappe Cafe. He will be joined by Chris Arentz and Josh Kleinsmith as they break down a whole pig in both an Italian and American fashion.

Belgian beer pairings will accompany their menu in a fitting end to SF Beer Week.


A Porcine Valentine

Belgian Beer & Butchery
Sunday, February 14th
3 p.m. - demo begins at 4 p.m.
Tickets $95 each
La Trappe Cafe
800 Greenwich St.
San Francisco, CA
415.440.8727







 

 

  Saturday, January 30, 2010
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For some strange reason, the mall was Christmas-level busy today. After our Container Store run, we contained our hunger at The Counter.

They have fixed their ventilation problem and are no longer trying to turn their restaurant and parking lot into a human meat smoker.

We learned from previous experience that their fries and onion rings aren’t our thing, so we went with the sweet potato fries ($4.50):

... which had crisp crusts and sweet, soft bellies stuccatoed with salty grains.

Mini cheeseburgers ($7.95):

... had soft, toasted, buns that would normally buckle when challenged by the moisture of tomatoes, but these sliders were only adorned with chopped red onion, cheese and pickle slices. We enjoyed these simple, smoky sandwiches with our beer while watching football at this burger chain with the added bonus of a liquor license.


The Counter

201 Corte Madera Town Center
Corte Madera, CA
415.924.7000






 

 

  Friday, January 29, 2010
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The unintentional, trampoline-like effect of the bouncy floor at R’noh Thai Restaurant put extra spring in their rolls as they bobbed by our table.

We warmed up with the clean, light chicken broth of the gang juhd soup ($4.50):

... with chicken, tofu, noodles and vegetables before tucking into our tofu and vegetable yellow curry ($10.50):

... and basil chicken ($10.95):

... which were both good, but we just get entrees here to justify our order of their brown rice. There is something about the chewy grains of the reddish-brown assortment of flavorful seeds that keep us bounding back.


R’noh Thai
1000 Magnolia Ave.
Larkspur, CA
415.925.0599






 

 

  Thursday, January 28, 2010
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We padded over to Savory Orient for some Thai style noodles with chicken and prawns ($8.95):

This Pad Thai with bean sprouts and peanuts was on the bland side while there was some flavor to be found in the red curry cod ($11.95):

... with carrots, onion, peppers, peas and basil, but it didn't outshine our starter.

The mieng kum ($7.95):

... came preassembled (unlike the little pots of ingredients and pile of leaves that is a more common presentation.) These were flavorful bites of prawns, lime, peanuts, ginger, coconut and onion with a palm sugar and pepper dipping sauce.

The service was friendly and efficient in this pan-Asian, former site of Mezzo Mezzo.


Savory Orient

1025 C St.
San Rafael, CA
415.459.4593

 

 

Mark your Calendar

Roland Passot, Richard Reddington and Emily Luchetti are just a few of the stellar chefs preparing the winemaker dinner during this year's Wine and Wishes benefit for the Make a Wish Foundation.

There will also be a food and wine tasting featuring wonderful wares including those of Il Cane Rosso, Waterbar, Landera Vineyards and Hangar One. This Treasure Island trove is worth the trek (or you can book a seat on the shuttle from the Embaradero BART for a tenner.

Wine and Wishes
February 6th 5-7:30 p.m. tasting, 7:30-11 p.m. dinner
Treasure Island, CA
Tickets $150-$350
21 years+






 

 

  Tuesday, January 26, 2010
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As tempting as the idea of Carne Asada Cheese Fries:

... was, I stuck to my order of 3 tacos ($2.29 each):

... at Chavez Supermarket. This Redwood City recco from a Bunrab reader is taqueria inside of a bustling grocery store.

I grabbed a drink from the shop's fridge to go with my nicely spiced barbacoa, slightly bland goat (perked up with some salsa) and the praiseworthy pastor all sprinkled with onions, cilantro and that kicky salsa.

Five of the six Chavez Supermarkets have taquerias and the San Jose branch is home to their tortilla machine which produced the marvelous masa mats that I enjoyed.


Taqueria Chavez
Chavez Supermarket
46 5th Ave
Redwood City, CA 94061
(650) 701-1801

 

 

Mark your Calendar

The Zinfandel Festival is back with its annual array of tooth-darkening fun. There will be food and wine pairings, flights, a dinner with the winemakers as well as the Grand tasting to cap of this 4 day event.

ZAP’s 19th Annual Zinfandel Festival
January 28-30th


 




 

 

  Monday, January 25, 2010
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The Refuge’s Cheesesteak caught my attention during previous visits as I rib-eyed this beefsplosion on an Amoroso bun being inhaled by neighboring diners.

I got the version with mushrooms, bell peppers and cheese ($12.00):

... which augmented the thinly sliced beef plastered together with melted Provolone. Although I enjoyed this philly-ing meal, it didn’t trump their pastrami.

Not matter which ‘wich one orders, the fries are required eating. Crisp shells, starchy bellies and saline seasoning seal the deal.

In a vague gesture towards sensible eating, I got a “beautiful bowl of vegetables”($8.00):

... which is what heath food is to cheesesteak enthusiasts. There was lots of butter and cheese over this potato, carrot, broccoli and mushroom melange. It was perfectly fine, but my nod to nutrition was negated - lesson learned.

Pastrami, beer and fries are the tried and true trinity at this San Carlos sanctuary.


The Refuge

963 Laurel St.
San Carlos, CA
650.598.9813

 

 

Mark your Calendar

Jesse at Beer & Nosh is putting on another of his famous dinners on February 10th. This one features a menu by Chef Jen Biesty of Scala’s Bistro with barrel aged beer pairings. Check out the enticing combos here.


Beer & Nosh
Mostly Barrel Aged Beer Dinner
February 10th, 6:30 p.m.
$103 including tax and tip, advance purchase required
Scala’s Bistro Renaissance Room
432 Powell St.
San Francisco, CA






 

 

  Sunday, January 24, 2010
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We made a beefy dinner for friends and topped it off with Lindsey Shere’s Meyer Lemon Mousse from the Chez Panisse Desserts Cookbook.

Even though we were all full, this fluffy, not-too-sweet citrusy cloud was just the thing (and a perfect opportunity to use the bounty from our newly producing plant.)

 

 

Mark your Calendar

The Opening Gala for SF Beer Week spotlights the suds of Magnolia, 21st Amendment and other local lager heads. Ryan Farr’s 4505 Meats and Tacolicious will balance out the brew with their hop-worthy chow with live entertainment to tap into beerthusiasts’ toes.

There will be an IPO of a new IPA from Speakeasy as well as other effervescent unveilings at this debutap ball. Events continue throughout the Bay Area from February 5th thru the 14th.


San Francisco Beer week
Opening Gala
February 5th, 5 - 9 p.m. (4 p.m. VIP)
Tickets $45 - $65
ages 21 and over
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
701 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA
415.642.3371







 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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