san francisco – Page 2

Indie Chefs Week 2014

October 23, 2014October 23, 2014Leave a comment

Pastrami Sweetbreads, Duck-Fat Doughnuts, and Rabbit Liver Mousse? These sound like typical courses at an Indie Chefs Week dinner series. I was lucky enough to attend the SoCal edition last weekend at Taco Maria in Costa Mesa, and it was nothing short of extraordinary! Foreign & Domestic’s chef and owner, Ned Elliott, wanted to provide an outlet for the country’s up-and-coming indie chefs to showcase their innovative work, and that is where Indie Chefs Week was born. Up until now, the exclusive dinner series was based in Austin. I feel so lucky to have been at the first Southern California Indie Chefs Week dinner series. Now, take a deep breath. I’m about to take you on my 13-course journey…are you ready?

First Course: Lamb with Fermented Lentils, Tomato Jam, Fennel and Harissa by Chef Jason Greene – The Grove Cafe & Market in Albuquerque, NM

The Lamb and Lentils were cooked perfectly. The combination of Tomato Jam, Fennel, and Harissa provided a Mediterranean flavor that complimented the lamb perfectly. Also, his legitimacy is further confirmed because his restaurant appeared in a Breaking Bad episode.

Second Course: Umi Masu Iridashi which is Ocean Trout in a Dashi Soy Broth, with Grated Daikon, Fresh Ginger and Scallions by Chef Tim Archuleta – Ichi Sushi + Ni Bar in San Francisco, CA

His restaurant was on my long list of restaurants to try, that I wasn’t able to check off during my time in the city, so I was so excited he was a featured chef during the Friday night dinner. Chef Archuleta puts a lot of value in cooking with sustainable ingredients, most importantly, the fish. This was my first bout with pink Ocean Trout due to how it was raised, and I must say that flavor was not sacrificed. The Soy Broth provided a great flavor without being overly salty. I can’t wait to go back up to his restaurant to see what else he has to offer!

Third Course: Squash Salad with Hamachi, Fermented Vinaigrette, Herbs, and Tempura Seaweed by Chef David Santos – Louro in New York City

This dish was definitely in my top 5 of the night, if not top 3. The Squash and Hamachi was a wonderful combination. This course was extremely light and refreshing.

Fourth Course: Smoked Red Curry with Cured Beef Tongue and Octopus by Chef Adam Kaplan – Bang Bang PDX in Portland, OR

This was also a favorite of mine because I LOVE curry and I LOVE lengua! The curry had a subtle smokey flavor and I never would have thought to put tongue and octopus together, but the combo was sensational! I will purposely plan a future trip up to Portland AFTER Chef Kaplan opens his new venture! I can’t wait!

Fifth Course: Curried Cauliflower with Raisins, Capers, Fenugreek, Ghee, and Black Mustard from Chef Michael Thiemann and Chef Matt Masera – Mother in Sacramento, CA
This course made me completely rethink my view on cauliflower. The Raisins and Capers furthered the earthy flavor, but provided a level of depth that made me want to try more of the transformative veggies from these chefs. I only wish that this restaurant was open while I lived in Northern California. These guys are definitely changing the food scene in Sacramento.

Sixth Course: Farro Verde with Rabbit Mousse, Local Onions, and Brassica by Chef Justin Holt – Lucia in Dallas, TX

Scooping up some of the Mousse, then scooping up the Farro, made a party in my mouth. I have never tried Rabbit Liver Mousse, and I was reluctant don’t get me wrong, but after tasting this dish, I am much more open-minded. I almost licked the plate. The Farro was cooked perfectly and the Mousse was a great salty protein to match.

Seventh Course: Caramelized Sunchokes with Smoked Egg Yolk, Chicken Skin, Apple, Sorrel, and Fermented Chili by Chef Brett Cooper – San Francisco, CA

Chef Brett Cooper’s creation is another reason I can’t wait to visit SF! He will soon be opening a restaurant in the Mission District, and if this dish is any indication of what is to come, I am very impressed! The chicken skin was crispy and the perfect protein to the Egg Yolk that lined the bottom of the bowl. The finely chopped Apple provided a nice crispness and sweetness to the dish.

Eighth Course: Broccoli with Petite Burgundy Snails by Chef Matthew Gaudet – West Bridge in Boston, MA
I’m not the biggest fan of escargot due to it’s consistency, but I am more than willing to give it a try. Every time I do, I find that the chef finds new and innovative ways to prepare and serve the dish in order to set his/hers apart from the rest. Chef Matthew Gaudet’s preparation was different than what I have had before. The sauce and Broccoli provided a nice break between the consistency of the Snails.

Ninth Course: Pastrami Sweetbreads with Yellow Mustard, Beet & Horseradish Hush Puppy Chip, and Golden Beet Dill Pickles by Chef Ian Boden – The Shack in Staunton, VA

This wins the MVP award for the evening. Why? It surprised and satisfied me the most. Just in case, you don’t know what Sweetbreads are, let me help. I ate veal brains. Yes. Veal Brains. The combination or Sweetbreads with the Pastrami Dusting, Mustard, and the Hush Puppy Chip, this tasted like a deconstructed Pastrami Sandwich. No joke. I licked my plate and took a bite from my dining companion’s.

Tenth Course: Potato Gnocchi with Cauliflower, Bottarga, and Fresh Herbs by Chef Anthony Fusco – New York, NY
This Gnocchi was so rich and creamy, I didn’t know what to do with myself. Easily, the best Gnocchi I have ever had. If only I lived closer to NYC!

Eleventh Course: Ramen Braised & Glazed Pork Jowls with Egg Yolk, Nori Crumble, Black Garlic Sriracha, Alkaline Cavatelli, and Scallions by Chef Jason Neroni – Culver City, CA

I am so glad this was the last savory course. For one thing, I was stuffed, but I can confidently say that this was my favorite course. He braised the Pork Jowl in Ramen for hours on end, and you could tell. The Ramen flavors were the heart and soul of the Pork pieces while the Egg Yolk and Cavatelli served as understated garnishes. Even though he omitted a heavy noodle component, the Ramen flavor and feel was not at all lost.

Twelfth Course: Salt N’ Pepper Doughnut with Duck Fat Apples, Roasted Grapes, Sweet-Pickled Cherry by Chef Brooke Mosley – Outerlands in San Francisco, CA

Duck Fat Doughnuts. Are you kidding me? Excuse me while I go on a brief tirade. I spent a couple of years in San Francisco wanting to go to this restaurant for brunch every weekend. If you don’t get there early, you won’t be seated. It is THAT popular. And, let’s just say that my boyfriend is NOT a morning person, so we never went. I am glad he was with me to experience this course and realize the error of his ways. Almost everything on the plate was cooked in Duck Fat, and yet it didn’t at all overpower any of their natural flavors. That Doughnut though. I don’t get excited about doughnuts. That Doughnut was beyond words!

Thirteenth Course: Milk Chocolate Cremeux with Passion Fruit, Hazelnut, and White Fungus by Chef Rebecca Masson – Fluff Bake Bar in Houston, TX
Cremeux is my new favorite dessert. Word on the street is that it is the new obsession for American chefs. This French classic is dense, but creamy like pudding. Chef Rebecca Masson procured the chocolate from the Dominican Republic and immediately found the perfect marriage with Passion Fruit. While I will say that the dessert courses were a tie, this one was equally amazing and unique. I ate all of my Cremeux, in addition to my boyfriend’s share. He claimed it was “too rich.” His palate is still developing, obviously. The chunks on the side were condensed hazelnut, nutmeg, and coconut. What? The closest thing I can compare it to was granola, but just so much better.

I can’t rave enough about my experience at the Friday night dinner for SoCal’s Indie Chefs Week. The service at the host restaurant, Taco Maria, was impeccable, and seeing all of these artists in one place was astounding. I hope to attend more events like these in the future. If you made it through this whole post, I commend you.
For more information on Indie Chefs Week, visit http://indiechefsweek.com/
For more information on Foreign & Domestic, visit http://fndaustin.com/
For more information on the amazing event photographer, visit http://annewatsonphoto.com/

*photos from the amazing Anne Watson Photography*

Modern Izakaya with Michael Mina at Pabu

September 11, 2014September 8, 2014Leave a comment

After reading about Pabu, Michael Mina’s newest San Francisco venture with Chef Ken Tominaga back in April, I couldn’t wait to try it! It just so happened that I was able to score a reservation for my (then) upcoming August trip through OpenTable before they opened on July 1st. Just in that month, I had heard such great things about the location, service, ambience, and cuisine. It was probably a little risky choosing a new and hyped restaurant for my birthday dinner, instead of an old favorite, but I’m sure glad I did!

We started out with their classic Kaiso Seaweed Salad served with hand-ground sweet sesame dressing. Sometimes, an Izakaya-take on seaweed salad means that they serve several kinds of seaweed. While I like the variety, I was glad that they chose to stick to the classic seaweed and sesame flavors.

Fortunately for us, there was room at the sushi bar, so we got to enjoy seeing the sushi chefs prepare the Tasting Menu for others. We didn’t do this because I wanted to try other options, but I have heard rave reviews and witnessed the artistry that goes into crafting each and every course. It was an experience in it of itself to witness. To get our sashimi fix, we ordered the 10 Fish Sashimi Platter. The presentation was gorgeous and the selection was delectable. From Tuna to Amberjack to Mackerel, we had a nice balance of flavors and consistencies.

Next, and my favorite dish of the evening, we enjoyed the Monterey Squid Okonomiyaki. This was one of the Hot Small Plates on the Dinner menu. The pork belly and squid patty was topped with a sunny-side up egg and bonito. If I could eat this day, I would be one happy gal. The combination of flavors was absolutely amazing and the best example of “everything is better with an egg on it.”

Steven and I don’t usually get sushi rolls that have any “cooked” or “baked” aspect to them. We made an exception at the urging of our waitress and ordered the Crispy Spicy Roll. Filled with yellowtail, amberjack, scallions, and tobiko, the warmth of the roll and the spiciness of the sauce was a great combination.

Lastly, we finished off our meal with a classic Spider Roll. Filled with soft shell crab, kaiware, tobiko, and spicy mayo, this was the best Spider Roll I have ever had. The crab was cooked to perfection and provided the perfect crunch in each oversized bite.

I can’t wait to visit SF again, so I can try their luxurious Tasting Menu and more of their Izakaya options. With mentions on Zagat.com and Eater.com, Michael Mina has another winner on his hands. Pabu is quickly becoming FiDi staple and the praises will continue to roll in! Be sure to visit Mina’s The Ramen Bar directly next door to check out Chef Ken’s signature Tokyo-style ramen recipes.
For more information on Pabu, visit http://www.pabuizakaya.com/.

Nopalito: So Much More Than a “Little Cactus”

August 28, 2014Leave a comment

Since it’s Thursday, I wanted to do a “throwback” post highlighting a restaurant I visited a couple weeks ago when I was in San Francisco. This post has nothing to do with the fact that I miss San Francisco desperately and want to go back every second of every day.

My boyfriend lived in San Francisco for two years, so we were no strangers to the amazing food scene, but it takes a lifetime to try all of the amazing dining options. It’s hard not to stick to the favorites, but we try and explore our options when we go back up to visit. I’m so glad we finally tried Nopalito. With two locations, it just so happens we were staying within walking distance to the Inner Sunset location. We ventured out on one of our last nights in the city and were able to be seated right away. It is a medium size space with a fresh green color scheme and light wood tables. The wall between the kitchen and dining room is low and has a glass display, so you can look in on the chefs preparing the colorful meals from scratch, including the tortillas. Their website boasts that they are a “vibrant neighborhood Mexican kitchen celebrating the traditional cookery of Mexico with the philosophy of purchasing local, organic and sustainable ingredients.” This description could not be any more true. From the decor, to the service, to the food, everything was very clean and fresh with a locals only feel.

To start, they bring complimentary roasted garbanzo beans to the table. I love garbanzo beans, but have never had them so roasted or so spicy. The combination was addicting and definitely more fun than starting off with bread or chips.

We both indulged in their housemade horchata. Steven got the traditional Almond Horchata while I opted for the Strawberry-Almond Horchata. I won. Steven’s was delicious, but mine was colorful, beautiful, and a bit sweeter because of the fresh strawberry puree-like juice on top.

We chose the Quesadilla Roja con Chicharron as one of our appetizers to share. We had seen photos of this amazing dish on Instagram and, although drool-worty, did not do the dish justice. The chile-corn tortilla was filled with crispy pork belly, salsa, jack cheese, queso fresco, onions and cilantro. The chicharrones were light and added the perfect crunch to every bite. This is easily the best quesadilla I have ever had.

Our next shared plate was the Empanada con Deshebrada de Res. We had seen at least 20 of them come out to the other tables, so we knew it was a must-try. We were not disappointed. The fried masa pastry was filled with grass-fed beef, tomato, jalapeno, and cabbage. It was topped with avocado, queso fresco and salsa frita de guajillo. We ate it too quickly for a picture, so I snagged this one from Nopalito’s Instagram. Between this and the quesadilla, we could’ve been done with our meal and left completely satisfied. Both were filling and perfect to share.

I ordered the Pescado a la Veracruzana, a seared white fish with tomato, jalapeno, green olives, capers, pickled chile guero, cilantro and saffron rice. I love fish Veracruz style, and this didn’t disappoint. The tomato sauce wasn’t spicy enough for Steven’s liking, but if you took a bite of jalapeno with it, it was the perfect spice level for me. The fish was fresh and juicy, not at all dry, and the saffron rice paired well with the sauce.

I loved my dish, but I will be completely honest: Steven won for best entree. I have had a lot of carnitas in my day, Nopalito had to be the best. He got the Carnitas entree which consisted of the braised pork, orange bay leaf, milk, cinnamon, beer Cabbage salad, pickled jalapeno and salsa de tomatillo. The carnitas were perfectly cooked and not oily, but so tender and juicy. We took some carnitas, cabbage, and the heavenly green sauce and put it all in a small tortilla. The combination was a party in my mouth.

The best part is that this restaurant is an offshoot of Nopa, an urban rustic restaurant that specializes in organic wood-fired cuisine, located north of the Panhandle. This place is always bustling and I was lucky enough to celebrate my 21st birthday there two years ago. Once we found out that owners Allyson and Laurence Jossel opened another restaurant, and that restaurant would be serving traditional Mexican fare, we were intrigued. I’m so glad we were finally able to go.
The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. The only complaint I have is that I was too full for dessert! If you are ever in the Inner Sunset or Lower Haight areas, I highly recommend popping in to either of their locations. You won’t regret it.