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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
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La tesorito ($6.95):
... at Casita Chilanga is a fine swine sandwich with peppers, tomato, onion and avocado. This grande grouping was paninified to place a crusty armor around a hammy helping of pork leg kicked up with their Casita aioli. I enjoyed my tremendous torta in this mini, modest meating place.
This flag-toned eatery rests in a row of 'raunts but I'll come here to chilanga with another of their superguay sandwiches.
Casita Chilanga
2928 Middlefield Rd.
Redwood City, CA
650.568.0351
Mark your Calendar
The perennial pastry party known as Sugar Rush is sparking up for another sweet soiree on November 11th. This fete of superfine talent includes refined and raw pudding professionals syrup-titiously saucing, scooping or slicing for afters afficiantos.
Boulevard, Coi, Range and Recchiuti are a few of the establishments sweetening the deal in support of Spark's youth apprenticeship programs. Check out the goods from previous parties, and all the sweet deets here.
Sugar Rush
Thursday, November 11th 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. (7 p.m. entry with VIP or supporter ticket)
Tickets $50 - 150
111 Minna Gallery
San Francisco, CA
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Tuesday, October 19, 2010
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We did our homework before migrating back for a school at Sweet Breams where we netted a Batsu! and peanut butter along with the corn dog special ($5.50 total) in our perforated peche packet.
Our cautious bites into the filled fish were due not only to their just-off-the-griddle heat, but there was a wasabi loaded flapper flipped into the fold. We scaled our way through the azuki, vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter (as well as the corn batter cloaked cocktail dog chunk) to hit the horseradish as the fin-ale.
These mini molded morsels morphed from Asian aquaculture set in a pop shop make for a fun stop.
Sweet Breams
220 2nd Ave.
San Mateo, CA
650.347.3509
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Monday, October 18, 2010
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The popul-Asian of Kokko:
... skewed Japanese at this yakitorium where much of the yacking wasn't in English. We filled out our order card to program a parade of pierced products.
The tongue ($2.70):
... stuck out as a bud worthy bite and spoke to us of the smoky succession to come.
Pork cheek ($3.00) and belly ($2.40):
... were pleasing, poked pig portions seasoned with salt (you get a choice of sauce or salt with some of the selections.)
If you like the sensation of eating noses, you'll love the cartilage ($3.50):
We thought these were spot on, but there are those who might balk at the plasticy texture of these charred chicken support systems with pepper mayo.
Sadachi rice ($3.75) was a scallion showered bowl of glutenous grains puckered with lime juice. This ex-seeded our expectations and will become our serial cereal on future visits.
Fowl hearts ($2.40):
... were brushed with an aorta of sauce and gizzards ($2.20):
... got a squeeze of lemon before we gobbled down these organ-ic picks.
Enoki mushrooms ($2.40):
... were bandaged with bacon to add fun to this grilled gus.
Chicken skin ($2.40):
... added derm-ention to this bespoke supper spearheaded by cold beer and a bustling crowd.
We plan to dart back to this 'tori tank for serious sticklers.
Yakitori Kokko
509 2nd Ave.
San Mateo, CA
650.401.7008
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Sunday, October 17, 2010
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We have been sipping our way through a bottle of St. George Spirits Lot 9 Whisky:
... and we're bananas about this batch. This chocolaty chug of smoky savorability is a subset of seventeen barrels. The price point ($50.00) is sweeter than previous purchases since their decommissioned military base precision is getting the oak barrels rolling with greater efficiency.
St. George Spirits
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Saturday, October 16, 2010
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Bacar pulled over and has been replaced by Alexander's Steakhouse where Executive Chef Jeffrey Stout helms a new SF Stout-post of this Cupertino protein parlor.
The cocktail list reads differently than it drinks.
The Green Dragon ($13.00) with Square One cucumber vodka, apple liqueur, Granny Smith apple juice and wasabi oil sounded like it might verge on too fiery, but this black salt rimmed beverage had a refreshing bite with just a hint of heat while the Rio ($11.00) was an earthy, cilantro, celery and jalapeno potion with Leblon cachaca, agave and lime.
The bourbon-based Saturn ($14.00):
... had rings of rind in this orange-scented 'sation with gravitational force.
An amuse of filet, Asian pear and jalapeno hinted at flavors to follow.
Hamachi shots ($4.00 each, $22.00 for a six pack):
... arrived as tiny, tasty, terrariums of avocado, Serrano and ginger bound with a truffled ponzu sauce and brightened by lime. Black sesame seeds add a hint of nuttiness as we bottoms-uped these yellowtail grails.
The "surf and turf" ($16.00):
... roll of beef and crab was spiraled with avocado and cream cheese with a wave of wasabi cocktail sauce. Salsa cruda added a crunchy counterpoint to this meaty maki.
Chioggia beets over a Chardonnay huckleberry sauce offered an earthy intermezzo with the blue berries rooting out the sweet in the beets.
Binchotan roasted chicken ($28.00):
... roosted in a ceramic vessel with a leek-ginger-seaweed salad, disks of daikon and a shower of vinegar sauce. This sensational, smoky, bronzed, bird bonded beautifully with the 2007 Pey-Lucia Pinot Noir.
The Porterhouse ($58.00):
... was perfectly prepared. This 28 oz. blue ribbon beef bounty was served with a rosemary pistou and sweet cloves of roasted black garlic.
We savored this steak with a 2006 Kunde Cabernet Sauvignon and sides of crushed marble potatoes ($9.00):
... and a cravable kabocha squash ($14.00):
... haloed with fried onions and gilded with Blis maple syrup.
"Coffee and cigarettes" ($12.00):
... was a nice iced vice with espresso liqueur and a smoked salt and pepper rim around Knob Creek enriched with egg white.
Candied bacon and Blis maple syrup breakfastized the "Flap-jack" ($12.00):
... of OJ and Jack Daniel's which led us to the mix master melding these twisty 'tails - Jessamine McLellan:
The balanced blends in her lucious 'lixirs are seriously sippable.
Mango sorbet with a coconut rum sauce ($12.00):
... was a tropical triumph while the "chocolate dimensions" ($12.00):
... was a textural tour of white chocolate popcorn, cookies and cream crusted in a cocao orb, a quenelle and cake (all exercising an elegant restraint in sweetness).
Equator coffee service came with a chocolate truffle to conclude our meal on the perfect note.
The staff creates a friendly, unstuffy environment and are happy to walk you through the line up of protein perps so you can steak out your preferred portion.
Excellent preparation, sourcing and service (at what should be called "Alexander-san's") will have us coming back for more of Chef Stout's:
... exemplary, Asian-influenced eats.
Alexander's Steakhouse
448 Brannan St.
San Francisco, CA
415.495.1111
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Friday, October 15, 2010
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You can't fight City Hall:
... as far as party venues go.
This evening's event was catered by McCalls which dispensed a diverse foundation of foodstuffs:
... to sate the sizable swarm. We sampled our way through the culinary collage of sushi:
... dim sum, sandwiches and sides and found the cheese and carved meats:
... were the pros of this caloric con-glomeration.
Of course any good party is about the people and this soiree was saturated with swell souls.
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA
Mark your Calendar
Trotter over to Pork Happy Hour at the new Fell Street Fatted Calf on Wednesday October 20th from 5:30 - 7 p.m. and you will find a Magruder Ranch Wild Boar-Gloucestershire Old Spot Cross being dismantled in a demonstration at this laceration station. Customers can select their chops and roasts and have them marinated while enjoying some snackage and wine while watching their swine.
If you haven't been to this newborn calf, it's time to wean yourself away from a strict SF Saturday Farmers market approach and drop by this chop shop.
Fatted Calf Charcuterie
Pork Happy Hour
October 20th, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
320 Fell St.
San Francisco, CA
415.400.5614
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Thursday, October 14, 2010
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Okay, Jacques Pépin's birthday was in December, but Mumm's the word in this crowd toasting his seventy fifth:
... at Waterbar this evening.
Chef Pépin was socializing, signing:
... and snacking with the Jacqued up group.
The patio was the prime place to perch:
... as ceviche, truffled grilled cheeses and lobster bisque whisked through during this warm evening under the bridge.
Waterbar
399 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA
415.284.9922
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
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I munched on house made, spiced tortilla chips and salsa:
... while waiting for my order of mole pablano with poached chicken ($11.00):
... which was today's special at Huipil Cafe.
This choco-chili con cocktion was a leg and thigh lava'ed with pod-pepper potion beside refried beans and rice with peas. This darkened dark meat was a moist masticatable mass of sesame seeded satisfaction washed down by a sweet pineapple cider "tepache" ($2.50):
This counter service cafe is well off the beaten path in an industrial area that must manufacture most of the business for this 8 month old, Redwood City sapling. I'll have to lumber back for the whole fried fish and what ever else they are Oaxacan.
Huipil Cafe
2992 Spring St.
Redwood City, CA
650.369.1245
Mark your Calendar
The Red Tie Gala is looping around for another rougey rumpus at Neiman Marcus. This Little Sisters of the Poor benefit will transform each department into pret a party portal with top notch tunes, tucker, tipple and of course, tinted ties.
David Martin's House Party, Coco500, Hog & Rocks and Farina are only a few of the participants adding color to the festivities. This sensational soiree only makes its Marcus once every two years so don't miss this steamin Neiman night or you'll have to wait til 2012.
Check out our coverage of the 2008 event here.
Red Tie Gala
Friday, November 19th 2010
7-11 p.m.
Tickets $250 per person
Neiman Marcus
Union Square
San Francisco, CA
415.682.4608
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Tuesday, October 12, 2010
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"How is your Krug?" is the type of question we like to have directed our way:
Thin beady tendrils wove their way up our glasses as we puffed on gourgers followed by salmon cornets:
Sunchoke velouté shone over strawberries, cashews and red ribbon sorrel in an earthy, fruity soup-endous solution:
White sturgeon caviar nested in a tapioca and oyster bed of "oysters and pearls":
... which roe'd us on course to a spoon set of coconut geleé haloed in Spanish mackerel with radish and cilantro:
A spot on prawn with white polenta was sapped with Blis maple syrup. A 2006 Josef Leitz Rudesheimer Magdalenenkrueuz Spatlese Riesling went swimmingly with this sweet-fleshed feeder:
Périgord truffle flecked ragout filmed a hen egg custard impaled with a chive potato chip in a de r-egg-eur embryonic tonic:
A 2005 Huet Vouvray "Le Mont" demi-sec was the perfect potion partnered with a torchon of foie gras. This liver loaf was loaded with Tokyo turnips, Hosui pear relish, walnuts, komatsuna and white honey mustard. Toasted brioche was refreshed during the demolition of this offal offering:
Seared foie gras with pomegranate, pecans and Belgian endive with a 2000 OremusTokaji was just ducky:
The fragrance of our fungustatory future leapt from the box of white truffles before they were dealt over a deck of pasta shuffled with Caselmagno cheese cut with a Périgourdine sauce. This luxe lasagna drew to an inside straight with a final touch of beurre noisette to bind this veal jus-poked, winning hand raked in with a white Burgundy:
Spotted grouper was dotted with sultana raisins, cauliflower, eggplant and cilantro sprouts. Madras curry grouped these 'gredients with finesse:
Pulverized Hobbs' bacon capped a seared scallop in a vermouth emulsion with a base of black eyed peas, pole and cranberry beans. Tomato raisins added a sweet tang to this sea cushion cased in porky powder:
Poularde with Swiss chard starred in the spotlight of a 2001 Nuits-Saint-George Robert Chevillon 1er cru. This chickie roll flourished with artichoke and a black truffle emulsion:
A dumpling filled with veal heart pumped up the muscle on a veal, carrot, Brussels sprout, cipollini onion and mustard sauced melange married with a marvy Brunello di Montalcino:
Abbaye de Tamié was a craveable, creamy, cowcoction that surrendered its solidairy state to a potato mille feuille with sweet prunes:
Hosui pear sorbet sat on haute oat streusel with pins of candied orange peel stitched together with Andante yogurt:
We pulled over for coffee and doughnuts:
Hot brioche dough rolled in cinnamon sugar hit a cappuccino semifreddo for a dunk before the slamming Valrhona chocolate soufflé:
This cloud was seeded with cardamom sherbet and giandujas before a shower of caramel to precipitate our pleased palates. 20 year Dow port provided a caramel complement to this perfect puff.
Baklava tart with pistachios, cardamom and cinnamon had shattering shards of phyllo fringe. We expanded our equators with coffee and mignardises before thanking Chef Timothy Hollingsworth for the swell chow. Chef Hollingsworth continues to communicate Thomas Keller's vision (while folding in his own) with none of the color washing out in the laundry.
The French Laundry
6640 Washington St.
Yountville, CA
707.944.2380
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Monday, October 11, 2010
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We stopped by the new Hayes Valley cowtlet of Fatted Calf Charcuterie to stock up on saucisson sec:
... and chorizo:
This rotund ruminant redux stocks their marvy meats as well as poultry, pastas, pulses and preserves.
Their pork, beef and bacon blended meatloaf comes off the block or sandwiched with whole grain mustard, aioli, lettuce and pickled onions ($9.50):
We chomped on this pate on the back of a lamb-loaded tapenaded, torpedo ($10.00) of heirloom tomatoes, aioli and basil:
A tub of delicata squash salad ($2.50):
... was a gourdous grouping of walnuts and caramelized onions to complement our luscious lunch lounging on the ledge of this Fell Street foodtorium.
Fatted Calf Charcuterie
320 Fell St.
San Francisco, CA
415.400.5614
Mark your Calendar
You can get your drink neat or on the brocks during Brock Keeling's stint as Jardiniere guest bartender on Thursday October 14th. This two SFisted feat will include an elixir entitled "Brock 2010" of vodka, lillet, lemon and white creme de cocoa ($9.00) as well as Watson Farm lamb meatballs with preserved lemon and goat's milk yogurt ($9.00).
Mr. K. will be pouring his 2010's from 6-8 p.m. and who knows, if you drink these, maybe you'll see Spots...
Jardiniere Restaurant
Brock Keeling guest bartender
Thursday, October 14th, 6-8 p.m.
J Lounge
300 Grove St.
San Francisco, CA
415.861.5555
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Sunday, October 10, 2010
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Sardines ($10.00):
... were packed with green garbanzos with a pistou colis at Chez Papa.
These little fish had crispy fins of parsnip to abait our hunger.
Roasted figs with aged balsamic:
... were fringed with frisee and roasted peppers. This fabulous fruit formation had vegetal variance from shaved fennel and a palate punctuation of parmesan.
Rillettes of duck ($6.00):
... were served with crisp croutons and whole grain mustard with perky cornicions and a little salad. We savored this slatherable spread with a 2006 Chateau Lagarosse Bordeaux.
Sockeye salmon ($23.00):
... was perfectly cooked to a moist-middled, crispy-crusted migration-worthy main. Purslane, tapenade and marbles of heirloom tomatoes melded in a sweet, saline seafood support system that qualifies as required eating. Waves of 2009 Domaine Auchere Sancerre socked this salmon as well as the pan roasted branzino ($24.00):
Lobster nage surrounded rods of roasted salsify and poached artichokes under this zingy 'zino.
Seared foie gras ($16.00):
... sat on a toast cushion lined with a ginger blackberry compote over a streak of blackberry gastrique. We relished this fruit flattered filtration system with a sip of Sauterne before rolling back for more duck in the form of confit ($19.00):
A luscious leg perched over perigoudine sauce with a field of wild mushrooms and cipollini onions.
Lamb daube ($19.00):
... is a signature dish that sheepishly acquiesced at the suggestion of a knife. Rosemary rounded out the rich, red wine sauce with carrots and green beans in this comforting creation.
Flat iron steak ($23.00):
... was cooked to a pleasing pink with fab frites to ram in a kin of aioli. This protein and pommes platter paired with a 2004 Chateau Junayme Bordeaux hit our supper spot.
Chef Shawn Paul is the new papa at this chez where he is packing in the patrons for his Provencal provisions. Chef Paul has worked in the kitchens of notable nooks including Michael Mina, Foreign Cinema and the French Laundry so it's no surprise that he is turning out some tasty tucker.
Chez Papa Bistrot
1401 18th St.
San Francisco, CA
415.824.8205
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