Daily Feed - January 11-20, 2011

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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 11-20, 2011

go to next week's blogs

Thursday, January 20, 2011
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My last visit to Rave did not create a feeling of ecstasy but somehow, I found myself dancing back to this burger bunker:

... for a "macho burger" ($9.45):

... (which was frillier than the name would suggest.) This corn chip crowned construction had a roasted jalapeño pepper to heat up the Niman Ranch beef patty bound with Cheddar cheese, guac (in addition to the expected vegetable vehicles.) The bun gave way to the machoness a little too easily, but this caliente, chippy, cowstruction made me reconsider my first hit on this patty palace.

Curly fries ($2.75):

... rounded out my meal with spuddy spirals that had me helixing my fingers.

This bovine dining den offers good grazing if you find yourself on their trance floor.

Rave Burger
144 E. 3rd St.
San Mateo, CA
650.342.6689

Wednesday, January 19, 2011
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We climbed a flight up to Attic where they toy around with Asian food to produce a progression of elevated eats.

Tombo poke ($11.00):

... with gyoza chips was a good seaweed and onion tuna tub, but it had more sesame oil than we prefer.

The chicken wings ($12.00 for 12):

... were more our thing with a sweet glaze fringing these im-peckable, poultry pops.

Short rib lettuce wraps ($13.00):

... were BBQ'ed beef batons to bundle with kimchee and bean sprouts and roll into sensational, smoky cigars.

Crab butter fried rice ($5.50 plus $5.00 for Dungeness meat):

... was our kind of grainy good with the yellow fat that lines the hat of this shielded seafood. We clawed our way through this Dungeness-dotted dish and eyed some of the items that warrant our return (like the sisig, bone marrow and lumpia.)

This casual and lofty place to chomp on some fine formulAsians is a worthy walk up.

Attic Restaurant
234 S. B St.
San Mateo, CA
650.342.4506

Tuesday, January 18, 2011
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We rolled with the rustic wheel of Achadinha's Capricious cheese:

This Petaluma aged goat cheese was a nifty, nutty, nugget to nudge our buds to a pleased place during the Fancy Food Show at Moscone Center.

A tasting of Giuseppe Giusti Aceto Balsamico:

... ranged from finessed and fruity to sweet and syrupy - a fun flight of must must haves.

B&R Farms' Blenheim apricots:

... were dried into malleable morsels of tangy fruit. These dehydrated, delectable discos and their perky preserves are holstered in Hollister.

We are big fans of Halen Mon and we finally got a chance to check out their celery salt:

These Celery-seeded, crunchy crystals were bloody (Mary) good.

Kamata's freezed-dried miso soup:

... is the soy-lution to instantaneous self-kelp. Spinach, tofu, leeks and seaweed are released in this awesome, astronauty amalgamation.

There were a field of foodstuffs competing for attention at this convention center chow collection.

Plenty of offerings weren't our thing, but it was great to see the expanding lines from brands we enjoy.

NASFT Fancy Food Show
January 16-18
Moscone Center
747 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA

Monday, January 17, 2011
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Le Sanctuaire publicized their petite portions of sensational spices at the Winter Fancy Food Show.

These sanctu-wares used to require a massive minimum measurement that (weren't ideal for the home cook). The mini and tall mini canisters allow contained consumers to cart away reasonable rations of excellent, enhancing elements.

Fermin's Jamon Ibérico were slices:

... of hoggy heaven. We loved the luscious leg of obscene porcine as well as their dry cured Ibérico pork loin.

Grapeseed oil was cold-pressed by on site by Salute Santé.

Samples of this seed solution coated our craws with buttery fluid. They plan to make flour from the smooshed husks as their business continues to flour-ish.

Decent Noodles:

... and indecent chicken Caesar salads (how retro) made the rounds in this tour de force of meats and treats. They should turn the escalators off:

... during this exhibition to allow for a bit of Stairmaster to offset the trillion tastes tomorrow.

NASFT Fancy Food Show
January 16-18
$60 registration fee
Moscone Center
747 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA

Sunday, January 16, 2011
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Moscone Center :

...had a cream filling during today's 36th Winter Fancy Food Show.

We traipsed around teas, sashayed through sauces and mingled with mascots:

... in this showcase of 'stuffs.

Popcorn:

... was an exploding trend while salts:

... crystalized in every cranny.

We came across a Sausalito roe-ing team - California Caviar:

It turns out that these seafood source-erors were the suppliers of the commendable caviar we had last week at Cyrus.

After a couple tastes of their white sturgeon beads of nuttiness:

... we strolled over to the McEvoy booth to ask about the progress of their wines. The vino won't be 'vailable for a while, but the body care line:

... can be used to relax in the vinterim.

After a quick sop of their ovation-worthy olive oils, we found another utilization of California olio in Poco Dolce's insanely savorable olive oil and sea salt bar:

...a balanced, bittersweet and sel gris sensation that melted mesmerizingly in our mouths. This tempered taste just hit the market last week and is virgin on a cult classic.

The crowds dug into big bites:

... and teeny 'tinis:

... before the game-changer of the television drew attention to the Jets.

This mastication aggregation continues through Tuesday with cheesy art:

... and arty cheeses:

NASFT Fancy Food Show
January 16-18
$60 registration fee
Moscone Center
747 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA

Saturday, January 15, 2011
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I was one of the un-yarmulked matzo munchers at Kitchen Table Restaurant:

... where a clear broth was fowled (in a good way) with chicken and a not-too-dense matzo mass ($6.00):

I slurped down this nicely seasoned, spherical soupy starter before digging into their house made pastrami ($12.00):

The salty meat wad needed redistribution to even out this small (for its category) sandwich. Russian dressing added a spicy kick to this pleasing 'wich, (but it didn't replace the Refuge as my locally preferred pastrami.) A crunchy coleslaw was a purple palate perk to balance this rye bread-bordered bundle.

This chandeliered and framed eatery was a nice noshing nook for kosher cuisine.

The Kitchen Table Restaurant
142 Castro St.
Mountain View, CA
650.390.9388

Friday, January 14, 2011
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Scratch Restaurant just added lunch to their list of Mountain View chews.

I warmed up with some Five Way Cincinnati Chili ($9.00):

Mega morsels of meat rested in a thin broth with eggy noodles lining the bowl. It was ramen-iscent without the bean and tomato dominant turn that the name "chili" might imply. I liked it, but it would probably perplex purists.

The turkey club ($12.00):

... wasn't my thing. I added much-needing seasoning, but this sandwich (and the side of un-crisp fries) didn't fulfill the flavorful promise of the chili.

The servers however, were well seasoned with a quick and courteous approach.

They just began serving this mid-day meal so I'll probably come back once they work out the kinks.

Scratch Restaurant
401 Castro St.
Mountain View, CA
650.237.3132

Thursday, January 13, 2011
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We 'bibed some bevs at the Burritt Room:

... in the Crescent Hotel:

... where the "Critical Mass" fixied me up by taking the brakes off with a milkshake-style tipple top up tank.

The barman said that plenty of patrons balk at this bike brew saying "that group keyed my car" or complaining about the annoying C.M. traffic snarls to which he ryely replies "it's just a drink."

Good old ice took up quarters in the Vieux Carre. They hint at more Peychauds and Angostura bitters than is the average V.C. to produce a confident concocting of this nice, Nwalins nectar.

The plan is to offer food at some point, but no nosh meant we accelerated towards our critical mass and wished for a bag of 4505s or some nuts so that another round of their swell sips wouldn't delectable derail us.

We'll definitely drop by this chandeliered chamber again for more of their excellent elixirs.

The Burritt Room
Crescent Hotel
417 Stockton St.
San Francisco, CA
415.400.0500

Wednesday, January 12, 2011
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Sachin Chopra's ode to his wife ($9.00):

... was an earthy, complex, sweet and creamy mosaic of red and yellow beets over pedals of lettuce surrounding a scoop of goat cheese ice cream. This plated poem displayed the imaginative, playful and savorable flavors of Chef Chopra's new restaurant, All Spice.

Shoshana (the ode-ee of the bleat, beet treat) circulated among the tables delivering fish fritter amuses:

... which primed palates for the Indian-inspired food to come.

Fennel confit chicken wings ($9.00):

... drummed up the drama with a chili sauce that mingled with star anise, lemongrass and yuzu.

Sturgeon ($21.00):

... went swimmingly with breadcrumbs, carrots, hummus and whole garbanzos with a seasoning that had us sopping up the last remnants with tomato-tinged rice.

Fork-tender shortribs vindaloo ($19.00):

... was ginger-jostled and capped with courgettes wound round a goat cheese baton. Baby bok choy and onions offered a vegetable bed for this meaty melange.

A neighboring table tenant tucked into a tempting tube that inspired our desire to split a third entree. This pumpkin dosa ($12.00):

... had crisp, lacy edges to tear off and dip into the mustard seeded, tomato chutney while the sweet squash meat was dotted with roasted garlic and goat cheese. This crafty crepe capped off our swell supper (but next time we'll try to save room for something off the dessert list.)

We enjoyed our visit to this Victorian venue with a friendly and efficient staff but were bummed that their liquor license is still pending approval. We were assured that it will happen soon so perhaps we can wash down Chef Chopra's vindaloo with vino next time.

"Great"	All Spice Bathroom Rating Small, but attractive, clean and well stocked. Nice and homey, like a bathroom in a real house. Which it actually is.

All Spice Restaurant
1602 S. El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA
650.627.4303

Tuesday, January 11, 2011
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Who should we spot behind the bar at Cotogna but Buffalo:

... (one of SF's top 'tenders.) He's the guy who first turned us onto the Vieux Carre (often our default drink.)

His hit on the Hudson was a Bourbon and bitter orange maple marvel chilled with Kold Draft cubes.

Cotogna isn't so much the Nordstrom Rack of Quince, but rather a translation into a caj casa fruited in Quince's core customs.

The notable noodlings of Quince have carried over to Cotogna with their famed farm egg raviolo ($16.00):

... which nestled in a noisette of churnings boosted with vinegar and caught up in ricotta. We loved this yolk-sauced saucer-shaped pasta packet which is worth a reorder.

The tagliolini ($16.00):

... was a tangle of dente dough crawling with dungeness crab. We devoured this lovable 'lini before tossing down a uni pizza ($15.00):

... with a thin, crisp crust blistered from the wood-burning oven. This round of Sicilian chili zipped 'za was arranged with florets of cauliflower and sacs of sea urchin roe to add a creamy ocean scape to this peeling pie.

Spit roasted pork ($24.00):

... was cooked to a pink perfection with a crispy bit thrown in (adding a fatty, salty accent) to this pig statin-worthy serving. Sips of 2009 Costaripa Garda Marzemino offered a cherried cheer to share the hog spotlight.

Creme fraiche panna cotta ($7.00):

... was a vanilla bean-speckled luscious lactose cushion with pomegranate seeds, slivers of persimmon and pinenut cookies to cone-clude our righteous repast along with a glass of Moscato before it was time to skedattle.

We loved this casual offshoot of Quince with excellent eats and an Italian wine list with all bottles ringing in at $40 ($10 by the glass.)

A smart setting and staff:

... proved that this Italian outlet is mythic.

Our pal Chubby from Yummy Chow is here with a new feature (for Daily Feed):

"Okay +"	Cotogna Bathroom Rating Attractive, basically clean and well stocked, but merely utilitarian and not as cool as the rest of the place. There was some water where there shouldn't have been.