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Wednesday, March 31, 2010
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Traci Des Jardins’ Acme Chophouse has been chopped into two houses - Public House and Mijita. Tonight’s bifurcation celebration allowed us to preview some of the pub grub and casa masa of these related restaurants.
This second Mijita is a more grown up version of the Ferry Building outpost with a tilework bar supporting some serious margarita traffic. We talked over guac and house made tortilla chips before rounding the corner to the adjoining restaurant.
Public House will be the number one draft choice at the ballpark with a cask-ade of cask ales and draft beers across from the full bar.
The cuisine is sports-comfort with tasty goat cheese stuffed jalapeno poppers and a roster of sliders:
...artisanal dogs, Anthony’s cookies and Humphry Slocombe ice creams. They even kept their classic Kracker Jax and butterscotch pudding as vittle vestiges of the chophouse.
They officially open on April 9th when you can slider into home with Thom’s cheesesteak sandwich or a plate of pork cracklins with lime and chili. The most expensive food item is $13 and drinks are also well priced.
This evenings revelers were digging the new dining dugouts of both winning teams.
Public House and Mijita
AT&T Park
24 Willie Mays Plaza
San Francisco, CA
Mark your Calendar
Barefoot and Gnarly Head in the dress circle of the War Memorial Opera House? Yes, it's time for the annual Wine Enthusiast's Toast of the Town event.
Strolling ovations will be evoked between sips of wineries' wares while a chorus of local restaurants will balance out the act with bites such as Champagne poached oysters en gelee from Farallon, ahi crudo with shaved baby artichokes from Rose Pisola and steak tartare from Press.
Check out the libretto of libations here.
Wine Enthusiast
Toast of the Town
April 22, 2010
5 - 7 p.m. VIP Tasting
7 - 10 p.m. Grand Tasting
Tickets $79.00 - $149.00
War Memorial Opera House
401 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010
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Futbol on Fox Sports en Espanol accompanied my lunch at Mexcal Taqueria:
... where they kicked me a couple pollo asada and a carnitas tacos ($1.25 each):
...with the requeria-site salsa, cilantro, lime and radish. They swapped my carne asada order with a pollo sadatution, so I decided to wing it since the chicken was good, I was hungry and it cost about a buck.
This mini muraled taco-teria was worth pulling over for a few truck-style, meat-covered corn flaps.
Mexcal Taqueria
3215 Middlefield Rd.
Redwood City, CA
650.366.3922
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Monday, March 29, 2010
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The combination of unaged brandy and cold brewed Blue Bottle Yemen San'ani coffee sounded like spirited seesaw for the nervous system so we teetered to K&L to check out this new hit on cafe correcto called "Firelit."
We uncorked David Smith's small batch caffeination distillation to discover a coffee liqueur that bears little resemblance to the popular, ubiquitous, Mexican, coffee-flavored fluid - Firelit is for people who are into adulterating their coffee in the best sense of the word. It's the perfume of morning mingling with the excess of the evening in a palatedrome that plays well early or late.
Layers of caramel, vanilla and almond accent this bean-efficent brew. We're anxious to see what local bartenders concocktail from this excellent elixir.
Firelit Coffee Liqueur 750ml ($44.99 at K&L )
K&L Wine Merchant
Mark your Calendar
Thomas Keller, Roland Passot and Emily Luchetti are just a sampling of the serious cheffage participating in this year's Pebble Beach Food & Wine.
Whether you attend a tasting of Paul Roberts' Bond wines, watch Michael Chiarello demonstrate his Napa-inspired cooking, or pay tribute to Jacques Pépin, there will be hedonism heading your way.
The Lexus Grand Tasting is a great opportunity to amuse your bouche with an array of impressive eats from the all star line up of culinary craftspeople.
Check out the list of events and ticket prices here.
Pebble Beach Food & Wine
April 8-11
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Sunday, March 28, 2010
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House pickled asparagus and carrots were planted in Oola’s Bloody Mary ($6.00):
... which was an eyeopening caliente kick off to brunch.
The mushroom stuffed potato pancake ($12.00):
... had a pocket of thyme honored mushrooms in this crispy edged, rooty round.
Chicken and waffles ($12.00):
... were sweetened with a pitcher of maple syrup soaked up by the light, delicate, bread with fried, moist, greaseless, chicken bits.
A runny yolk sauced Oola’s steak and potato hash ($16.00):
The tender cubes of beef and potato with earthy chunks of red and gold beets were more red velvet than red flannel.
Baby back ribs ($16.00):
... are the bona fides of Oola (these signature bonas are what we like to fides on). Gingerly cooked with a hit of soy, the meat yielded with a rich, tender, sweetness that got a crunchy counterpart with a red cabbage, apple, carrot, pepper and cilantro slaw.
A fruit flourished French toast ($12.00):
... had a hidden hazelnut chocolate center capped with whipped creme fraiche. This Nutella nucleused nosh was a creamy conclusion to this weekend feast.
Next time we’ll try the Oola combo ($12.00) of 2 eggs, 2 pancakes, biscuit, potato pancake, with a choice of bacon or chicken apple sausage. We were also intrigued by the beverage selection listed as “Mission Statement” which is a succession of a shot of tequila, Bloody Mary and a Pabst Beer.
Oola has only been serving Sunday brunch for a few weeks, but they have already found their footing with their early eats.
Oola Restaurant & Bar
860 Folsom St.
San Francisco, CA
415.995.2061
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The Wine Road is an association of over 200 vintners and lodgings in Sonoma County. Their “Art at the Wineries” event is an annual adornment of tasting rooms with local artwork leading up to an open-studio tour so you can take in the visual terroir. Check out the deets here.
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Saturday, March 27, 2010
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We got our bourb-on at this evening’s Whiskies of the World Expo:
... at Hotel Nikko where we nosed our way through dram-atic drinks and listened to spirited discussion.
We attended one of the masterclasses:
... in which Bernie Lubbers of Jim Beam taught us the “Kentucky chew” tasting method for his Knob Creek bourbon (which gets its white pepper characteristics from rye.) Canadian Club’s Matt Purpura offered proof of Canada’s contribution to the cause, Laphroaig’s Simon Brooking had us bypass the tip our tongues to dispense our Scotch on the center of our lickers to access his liquor (so that the “alcohol sensors” at the front wouldn’t impair our appreciation peat-ential of this craveable, quarter cask creation.)
A walk through Johnny’s blue, green and gold labels:
... was followed by a stroll around the room where movers and shakers were negotiating the nuances of the succulent solutions.
Our pal Lou steered us towards the Sheep Dip where we savored the 1990 “Old Hebridean” combo of a 19 year old Dalmore, 21 year old Fettercairn and 25 year old Ardbeg.
The Old Potrero 18th century style spirit is made by the Anchor Steam crew.
They use rye exclusively to produce this small batch, single malt which is a tasty tip of the vat to tradition.
Bagpipes and drums gave way to a mellow trio:
... which layered complex notes over this libation occasion.
We whisked our way out a little wiser (as we catcher on to the rye) and ready to “Kentucky chew” with the best of them.
Whiskies of the World Expo
Hotel Nikko
San Francisco, CA
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Friday, March 26, 2010
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I hold high expectations of specialists, but I often misinterpret their narrowed focus for passion. My mistaken belief that miopicly-minded meals prime the business pump for success has lead me to International houses of disappointment but has also netted some hogworthy oysters and passable prime rib.
The Omelette House didn't crack the code on noshable namesake establishments. My egg fold-over with avocado, bacon, spinach, mushrooms and onions ($9.95):
... was okay, but didn't deliver anything beyond the expectations dictated by the old school decor.
Having a firm named for a foodstuff may not produce results that differ from a placebo, but they continue to hold magnetic properties during dining deliberations.
Omelette House
66 El Camino Real
San Carlos, CA
650.593.4773
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Thursday, March 25, 2010
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The refreshing of "Taylor's" to "Gott's":
... the overthrow of Tsar Nicolai to Heath Ceramics:
... and the paper covered windows of outgoing Mastrelli's:
... and Lulu Petite gave the Ferry Building an extreme makeover vibe. I nipped outside for some tucker and lifted my spirits in the bustling midday meal mania where butchers chewed the fat:
... and customers got their share as well.
The Roli Roti crew:
... chopped up crispy bits of skin to insure good distribution of the crackly cargo in their porchetta roll ($8.00):
... from their rotisserie truck.. I scraped off some of the caramelized onions and jettisoned a bit of the rocket to tailor the balance of flavors to my taste. I tirelessly cruised through this sumptuous swinewich before shifting to 4505:
... for an egg topped, cheeseburger.($7.00 + $2.00 for the egg):
It could easily be argued that egg-topping is a culinary steroid - but 4505 goods are so anabolically, diabolically, delicious that this roost boost was a success in eggcess over dry-aged, grass fed Magruder Ranch beef herded into a merry round of grilled goodness in an Omega bun.
The Thursday market ferry fare fares favorably while the evolution of the interior enterprises offers some dining diversion.
San Francisco Ferry Buliding
San Francisco, CA
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Wednesday, March 24, 2010
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The live cam at Fish. has a local news, bank robbery footage vibe, but the video documents the netting of (cash only) transactions that tip the scales towards thoughtfully sourced, brain food.
We ebbentually made our way under the sea-veiliance camera to order cups of their creamy, white chowder ($5.00):
... with a balance of bacon, clam, potato, onion and celery to tide us over.
Their take on a croque Monsieur($20.00) had house smoked sturgeon (standing in for the traditional ham) between slices of pain de mie with melted white cheddar and gouda. This closed my hunger circuit during our al fresco fish foray.
Fish.
350 Harbor Dr.
Sausalito, CA
415.331.FISH
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Tuesday, March 23, 2010
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I was the only person sitting at Tenka’s friendly and attentive sushi bar:
... so I didn’t have to wait for my nigiri or maki ($2.00 to $6.95):
... which were quite good but made with rice that verged on warm (which I suppose is a tradeoff for spending so little.)
This B Street business was a cheap and cheerful protein pitstop.
Tenka
246 South B St.
San Mateo, CA
650.579.7107
Mark your Calendar
Traci Des Jardin’s Public House and Mijita open on April 9th, but you can catch a preview of the Public House’s Marin Sun Farms burger with avocado, bacon and Cheddar at Jardiniere. There are also recommended beer and wine pairings to quench a Kennebec fry generated thirst.
Jardiniere Restaurant
300 Grove St.
San Francisco, CA
415.861.5555
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Monday, March 22, 2010
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We bellied up to the bar at Piazza D’Angelo:
... where we sipped on cocktails while munching on bundles of asparagus wrapped with speck ($10.25):
The flesh-wrapped spears headed in the right direction accented with aged ricotta cheese, but a dose of truffle oil dominated to a distracting degree.
The calamari ($10.25):
... was more to our liking. These simple, light, tender, deep fried squid bits were just the snack to pedal through as we watched The Bicycle Thief projected on the wall of this Rome-antic ristorante.
Piazza D’Angelo Ristorante
22 Miller Ave.
Mill Valley, CA
415.388.2000
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