I love eating in the summer. Hell, I love eating during each and every season, but the fresh produce and the warm air of summertime lend themselves to good eating weather. Last weekend I headed up to Inverness to spend the night at a beach house rented by my good friends, J. and E. The house was amazing and they didn't ask me to chip any money in for my stay, so I decided to repay them in fine food. I packed up the car with a cooler, some bags, and three bottles of wine, and headed for the ocean.
I decided to make my olive tapenade, which is actually Thomas Keller's tapenade, but it is the best one I have ever tasted. I love it because the flavors are so fresh, and if you use good quality olive oil it is so delicious. This is great as a sandwich spread, on crackers or veggies, or on fresh bread with cheese. I don't want to post the entire recipe here since I'm sure it is copyrighted - but if you want to shoot us an email at lawyereats@gmail.com I might be persuaded to send it to you ;). The big difference between this tapenade and others I have made is that he makes a garlic confit first - he boils garlic in canola oil for about 40 minutes, at just a tiny boil, until the garlic is soft and infused with the oil. Then he mixes a tablespoon of that, chopped up, in with pitted nicoise olives, some anchovy (I use paste), a little dijon, and olive oil, processes it, and then stirs in more olive oil along with fresh parsley and chives. I use less olive oil then he asks for. It is simple and OH so delicious.
Next I made one of my favorite appetizers, suggest to me by someone over on the Cooks Illustrated board (though it is not a CI recipe). The recipe is Spicy Shrimp Remoulade on Molasses-Buttered Toasts, from Epicurious. The key to this recipe is finding the westphalian style pumpernickel bread, not spreading too much butter on them, and not baking them too long. If you cook them too long they become SUPER toasted and they are inedible - I have made this mistake once. I made the toasts ahead of time, along with the sauce, and mixed fresh beautiful shrimp into the sauce day of before I left for the ocean. I just cooked my shrimp in a little hot water in skillet until it was pink. I think this recipe would taste almost better with lobster but I've never tried it......
Spicy Shrimp Remoulade on Molasses-Buttered Toasts
Bon Appétit July 2005
Molasses butter
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons light molasses
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Remoulade sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
2 1/2 teaspoons drained prepared white horseradish
2 teaspoons minced shallot2 teaspoons ketchup
2 teaspoons whole grain Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
24 1 1/2-inch rounds or squares cut from Westphalian-style pumpernickel bread slices
8 ounces cooked peeled medium shrimp, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
For molasses butter: Using fork, mix all ingredients in small bowl to blend.
For remoulade sauce: Mix first 12 ingredients in medium bowl.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread molasses butter lightly over bread; arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Bake until bread begins to firm up, about 10 minutes. Cool.
Mix shrimp into remoulade sauce. Top toasts with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with chives. Place toasts on platter.
-----
Next I made a family recipe, roasted peppers with olive oil and parmesan. I buy bags of small sweet peppers at Costco, though I've seen them as well (for an INSANE price) at whole foods. Basically they look like little red, orange, and yellow jalapenos but they aren't hot at all. The secret to this recipe is to buy as many orange/yellow peppers, and as few red peppers, as you possibly can. For some reason the orange/yellow peppers roast MUCH better than the red ones. I find that the red ones are almost impossible to peel. Get them home and spread them on a cookie sheet. Turn the oven up to 350/400 - and roast them until they are soft and the skin begins to blister. Then throw them all into a paper bag for about a half hour, with the top closed. This will help the skins to release and will make them easier to peel.
Peeling the peppers is really the most painful part of this recipe - but it is so worth it. I get a bowl and a spoon and pour the peppers back onto the baking sheet. I find the easiest way to peel them is to get your thumb inbetween the skin and the pepper in one area and work your way over the whole pepper, then pop the skin off in one piece. Getting the little peels off one at a time is too much of a pain. Use the spoon to scrape the seeds out of the inside of the pepper, as they are bitter. Once you have them all peeled, run a knife and fork through the bowl a few times to get them all into bite-sized pieces.
Next I mix in the tasty ingredients. I just guess on this until it tastes right, so these are estimates - I would say for one cereal bowl of peppers, add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, 1/4 a cup of olive oil, a tiny clove of garlic crushed or minced, three tablespoons of grated/shredded parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. You can add more olive oil if you think it needs it. You can also make this with your favorite jarred roasted peppers, but really nothing tastes as good as the freshly roasted sweet peppers.
To go along with all of this I made a quick crostini - a big loaf of Acme bread, sliced thin, with garlic infused olive oil, salt, pepper, and parmesan on top. I stuck them in the oven until crisp and then put them all in a big ziplock bag. I also brought along two hunks of good cheese - humbodlt fog goat (my favorite!) and a super-sharp gouda. Lastly, I threw in a salami and a bag of chocolate covered espresso beans into the mix.
Needeless to say we all ate and drank well that night, and I've been munching on the leftovers all week. Three cheers to summer time eating!!
Emilia
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Sushi 101 - What is Fresh Sushi?
As some of you may know from reading my posts, I am a sushi FIEND and aspiring sushi connoisseur. I have been a fan for a few years now, but my obsession was sealed by my trip to Japan last fall- ten days in Tokyo and Kyoto which included a visit to Daiwa at the Tsukiji fish market in the wee hours of the morning, the highlight of my sushi life (and even better than the $250-a-head omakase we had at a very fancy sushi place at the New Otani hotel in Tokyo, which I will write about at another time). As my Sasabune review shows, though, I have very little tolerance for bad sushi. I find it very depressing and sad that many sushi fans lavish praise on places (and therefore, lead me to go drop bank on these establishments) that have crappy, soft, unfresh, unyummy sushi that is way overpriced and way overrated. (When people say the sushi somewhere is awesome because it is buttery, soft, melts in your mouth, or similar descriptions, I get very suspicious that they are talking about such a place-- and very often, they are!)
A photo from my visit to Daiwa.
So, I am on a mission to spread the word on what makes sushi good, how you can tell when it's fresh and high quality or not, and where to go to find the best options in LA and wherever else I have occasion to eat my beloved sush. I don't have all the answers-- I am a student, not a master. But I hope that as I continue to learn and explore you can come along for the ride.
Part of the mission includes scouring Yelp to find promising options. Upon reading reviews of The Hump, a place in Santa Monica one of my Japanese sushi maven friends swears by and which I am filling my piggy bank for, I happened upon an incredibly knowledgeable review (excerpts of which are posted below) and immediately contacted the author to ask his permission to share it with all of you. His name is Michael, and by some strange coincidence he, too, is a lawyer. He became a fish expert when he used to work at the Tokyo Fish Market in Berkeley, California, where he cut, bought and sold fish professionally. He is also a fisherman.
A few weeks ago Michael and I got into an email conversation about fish that has continued to this day. Michael also went to Daiwa in the fish market in Tokyo in the early hours of the morning and agrees that it's the gold standard. He has also given me a tip-- tell sushi chefs at nice places you've been to Daiwa, and they give you a respectful nod (and extra attentive bites, perhaps?). Oh yeah, and he totally agrees with me about Sasabune- which was a relief since I thought I was the only nut who didn't like it. I hope to continue to ask his opinion, which is much more expert than mine, on sushi places I frequent and share his thoughts with all of you on an ongoing basis.
Educational Excerpts from Michael's Review of The Hump (from Yelp)
"So, I went to the Hump...Coincidentally, Brian, the owner, had just come back from Japan, bringing a huge purple chunk of Himalayan rock salt (Japanese chefs love weird salts) and would be sitting for dinner. We chatted briefly - because we were there by ourselves - and Melanie [the hostess] said that we would be sitting next to each other.Over the course of the evening, I discussed with Melanie and Brian the following:
1. Proper handling of fish is of paramount importance to fish
2. Fresh, unfortunately, does not equal properly handled
3. Live fish that is quickly killed is best
4. Fish that has not gone into rigor mortis is not firm, and thus gummy and rubbery
5. Tsukiji's Bluefin Tuna Auction (been there and it is an amazing thing to see)
6. Daiwa Sushi, considered by some to be one of the best places to eat sushi in Japan because it's IN Tsukiji, (and sushi in general in Japan) is not served with overly warm rice or loosely packed rice
7. There are a lot of mediocre sushi bars now
8. Most Bluefin Tuna is coming from Spain because they're harvesting spawning tuna in the Mediterranean Sea and pen raising them off the coast of Spain
9. The Hump pays for top quality, carefully handled fish
10. The Hump keeps a number of its fish live in tanks
While Brian disappeared for a bit, I was seated at the end of the bar. What followed next, I can only describe as a revelation. Most fish sold to sushi bars are sold dead. That's not news to most of the world. And all the talk of eating "live" sushi? It's straight BS unless the fish is still breathing (the Hump serves that here too - I saw a breathing okoze (sculpin) cleanly filleted for live sashimi).
What is news is how poorly fish is treated once it's caught (like the news about how Chinese fish oftentimes does not pass USDA standards because it's filthy). Fish, like all living animals, goes into rigor mortis soon after it's dead. As time passes, the meat will relax and become softer. However, when the fish is well taken care of, and not handled like junk, the meat will stay firm for several days. Handle it like crap, and it will become soft very quickly. (At almost all sushi bars, you're most likely not getting fish that's so fresh it hasn't gone into rigor mortis. So, if you're wondering why a piece of fish is soft, it's because it's OLD.)
The Hump's fish is REALLY fresh. It's rigor mortis fresh. It's so fresh, that the texture of some of the fish, I can almost describe as "crunchy." I primarily had Shiromi. I started off with Tai and Hirame, then had Sujiara, Nodoguro, Managatsuo, Konbujime Ayu, Sanma, Tairagai and Uni. The Tai (with lemon juice and salt) was very good. It was rich and fatty; very rich for a summer fish. The Hirame (with ponzu, momiji oroshi and green onions) was an indicator of things to come. The flesh was firm, much more firm, sweet and substantial. The Sujiara (aka Kue, or Coral Grouper), had a rich, strong, flavor. The flavor got stronger as you chewed on it and it was so firm, it felt so much more substantial than your ordinary white fish sushi. Some people would consider the flesh "hard." But it really is a sign of true freshness. And the flavor was tremendous. The Nodoguro (a perch), also had firm texture, mild sweetness and excellent flavor. The Sanma was rich and oily and firm. (Get the picture?) The Tairagai was simply the best ever. So firm, sweet, and rich. It was amazing.
These fish were so firm and meaty, they were completely different than any place that I've had sushi in LA. I wish I tried more. Brian came back, asked for one of the chefs to use the rock salt he brought back for something. Well, the chef served him up some usuzukuri sujiara, with the salt shaved onto it. It looked fantastic. I thanked him for a great meal and great fresh fish. Brian's a warm and charming owner, who takes real pride in what the restaurant is doing. This shows everywhere. The staff is well trained and very attentive. The chefs care about the work they do and take great care.
So F serious sushi bars. F anyone who claims to know what "truly fresh fish" or who is a "expert on sushi" who hasn't gone fishing, can't fillet, doesn't know that freshly caught fish that hasn't gone into rigor mortis is going to be like chewing something with only slightly better texture than rubber. Stop the BS. Stop the trendiness. Eat really fresh sushi. Eat at the Hump. (It'll be #1 on my list if it's this good all the time.)"
Thanks, Michael! :-P
A photo from my visit to Daiwa.
So, I am on a mission to spread the word on what makes sushi good, how you can tell when it's fresh and high quality or not, and where to go to find the best options in LA and wherever else I have occasion to eat my beloved sush. I don't have all the answers-- I am a student, not a master. But I hope that as I continue to learn and explore you can come along for the ride.
Part of the mission includes scouring Yelp to find promising options. Upon reading reviews of The Hump, a place in Santa Monica one of my Japanese sushi maven friends swears by and which I am filling my piggy bank for, I happened upon an incredibly knowledgeable review (excerpts of which are posted below) and immediately contacted the author to ask his permission to share it with all of you. His name is Michael, and by some strange coincidence he, too, is a lawyer. He became a fish expert when he used to work at the Tokyo Fish Market in Berkeley, California, where he cut, bought and sold fish professionally. He is also a fisherman.
A few weeks ago Michael and I got into an email conversation about fish that has continued to this day. Michael also went to Daiwa in the fish market in Tokyo in the early hours of the morning and agrees that it's the gold standard. He has also given me a tip-- tell sushi chefs at nice places you've been to Daiwa, and they give you a respectful nod (and extra attentive bites, perhaps?). Oh yeah, and he totally agrees with me about Sasabune- which was a relief since I thought I was the only nut who didn't like it. I hope to continue to ask his opinion, which is much more expert than mine, on sushi places I frequent and share his thoughts with all of you on an ongoing basis.
Educational Excerpts from Michael's Review of The Hump (from Yelp)
"So, I went to the Hump...Coincidentally, Brian, the owner, had just come back from Japan, bringing a huge purple chunk of Himalayan rock salt (Japanese chefs love weird salts) and would be sitting for dinner. We chatted briefly - because we were there by ourselves - and Melanie [the hostess] said that we would be sitting next to each other.Over the course of the evening, I discussed with Melanie and Brian the following:
1. Proper handling of fish is of paramount importance to fish
2. Fresh, unfortunately, does not equal properly handled
3. Live fish that is quickly killed is best
4. Fish that has not gone into rigor mortis is not firm, and thus gummy and rubbery
5. Tsukiji's Bluefin Tuna Auction (been there and it is an amazing thing to see)
6. Daiwa Sushi, considered by some to be one of the best places to eat sushi in Japan because it's IN Tsukiji, (and sushi in general in Japan) is not served with overly warm rice or loosely packed rice
7. There are a lot of mediocre sushi bars now
8. Most Bluefin Tuna is coming from Spain because they're harvesting spawning tuna in the Mediterranean Sea and pen raising them off the coast of Spain
9. The Hump pays for top quality, carefully handled fish
10. The Hump keeps a number of its fish live in tanks
While Brian disappeared for a bit, I was seated at the end of the bar. What followed next, I can only describe as a revelation. Most fish sold to sushi bars are sold dead. That's not news to most of the world. And all the talk of eating "live" sushi? It's straight BS unless the fish is still breathing (the Hump serves that here too - I saw a breathing okoze (sculpin) cleanly filleted for live sashimi).
What is news is how poorly fish is treated once it's caught (like the news about how Chinese fish oftentimes does not pass USDA standards because it's filthy). Fish, like all living animals, goes into rigor mortis soon after it's dead. As time passes, the meat will relax and become softer. However, when the fish is well taken care of, and not handled like junk, the meat will stay firm for several days. Handle it like crap, and it will become soft very quickly. (At almost all sushi bars, you're most likely not getting fish that's so fresh it hasn't gone into rigor mortis. So, if you're wondering why a piece of fish is soft, it's because it's OLD.)
The Hump's fish is REALLY fresh. It's rigor mortis fresh. It's so fresh, that the texture of some of the fish, I can almost describe as "crunchy." I primarily had Shiromi. I started off with Tai and Hirame, then had Sujiara, Nodoguro, Managatsuo, Konbujime Ayu, Sanma, Tairagai and Uni. The Tai (with lemon juice and salt) was very good. It was rich and fatty; very rich for a summer fish. The Hirame (with ponzu, momiji oroshi and green onions) was an indicator of things to come. The flesh was firm, much more firm, sweet and substantial. The Sujiara (aka Kue, or Coral Grouper), had a rich, strong, flavor. The flavor got stronger as you chewed on it and it was so firm, it felt so much more substantial than your ordinary white fish sushi. Some people would consider the flesh "hard." But it really is a sign of true freshness. And the flavor was tremendous. The Nodoguro (a perch), also had firm texture, mild sweetness and excellent flavor. The Sanma was rich and oily and firm. (Get the picture?) The Tairagai was simply the best ever. So firm, sweet, and rich. It was amazing.
These fish were so firm and meaty, they were completely different than any place that I've had sushi in LA. I wish I tried more. Brian came back, asked for one of the chefs to use the rock salt he brought back for something. Well, the chef served him up some usuzukuri sujiara, with the salt shaved onto it. It looked fantastic. I thanked him for a great meal and great fresh fish. Brian's a warm and charming owner, who takes real pride in what the restaurant is doing. This shows everywhere. The staff is well trained and very attentive. The chefs care about the work they do and take great care.
So F serious sushi bars. F anyone who claims to know what "truly fresh fish" or who is a "expert on sushi" who hasn't gone fishing, can't fillet, doesn't know that freshly caught fish that hasn't gone into rigor mortis is going to be like chewing something with only slightly better texture than rubber. Stop the BS. Stop the trendiness. Eat really fresh sushi. Eat at the Hump. (It'll be #1 on my list if it's this good all the time.)"
Thanks, Michael! :-P
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Goat Hill Pizza - Sourdough Crust and City Views!
Goat Hill Pizza is another great place in my neighborhood, but it is also somewhat of a San Francisco institution. Its been around for....a long time. The original location is near me on Potrero Hill, but there is also a newer location in SOMA, which delivers.
There are so so many things I love about Goat Hill. First off, the pizza is delicious. I am crazy about sourdough, and their crust is sourdough, so its a match made in sourdough heaven. The crust is not too thin but not too thick - just right, crispy, with lots of flavor. Second - the toppings are terrific. They have pretty much everything you expect from a pizza place, plus some varied meat toppings and different sausages. I love that they have red and green onions. My roommate and I also adore the pesto pizza, where they swirl regular marinara with pesto. I like mine with sausage, feta, sundried tomatoes, red onions, and olives - yum.
Goat Hill also has pasta and sandwiches and salads. I have sampled the salads and they are basic pizza-place salads, with antipasti on top - nothing wrong with that. My dad had a big baked sub once and he seemed to enjoy it. The garlic bread is good and soggy and crispy all at the same time. Also Goat Hill has great, slightly cinnamony, iced tea. And rootbeer!!
The thing I really really love about Goat Hill is Neighborhood Night. Every monday evening from 5 until close is all-you-can-eat neighborhood night. You come in and sit down, order a drink, and then head over to a make-shift salad bar for a big salad with all the fixings. Then you sit and eat while waiters bring around many many varieties of pizzas - maybe a new pizza every five minutes or so. You take a piece when you want one and don't take one when you don't, and you can take more than once piece of a favorite if you like. My roommate and I are big fans of neighborhood night and go often. One thing I love about it is that the pieces they bring around are really small, so you can try quite a few different things. Its only about 10 dollars per person and I think it is soooo worth it. Just expect to wait in line if you get there after 6 - by 7:30 there will be a huge crowd and a long wait.
All in all, Goat Hill is a great neighborhood pizza place. And as all good pizza should, it almost tastes better cold the next day.
Food - (3.25)
Experience - (3.25)
Overall - (3.25)
For an explanation or our ratings system, CLICK HERE!
For yelp reviews of Goat Hill - CLICK HERE!
Emilia
There are so so many things I love about Goat Hill. First off, the pizza is delicious. I am crazy about sourdough, and their crust is sourdough, so its a match made in sourdough heaven. The crust is not too thin but not too thick - just right, crispy, with lots of flavor. Second - the toppings are terrific. They have pretty much everything you expect from a pizza place, plus some varied meat toppings and different sausages. I love that they have red and green onions. My roommate and I also adore the pesto pizza, where they swirl regular marinara with pesto. I like mine with sausage, feta, sundried tomatoes, red onions, and olives - yum.
Goat Hill also has pasta and sandwiches and salads. I have sampled the salads and they are basic pizza-place salads, with antipasti on top - nothing wrong with that. My dad had a big baked sub once and he seemed to enjoy it. The garlic bread is good and soggy and crispy all at the same time. Also Goat Hill has great, slightly cinnamony, iced tea. And rootbeer!!
The thing I really really love about Goat Hill is Neighborhood Night. Every monday evening from 5 until close is all-you-can-eat neighborhood night. You come in and sit down, order a drink, and then head over to a make-shift salad bar for a big salad with all the fixings. Then you sit and eat while waiters bring around many many varieties of pizzas - maybe a new pizza every five minutes or so. You take a piece when you want one and don't take one when you don't, and you can take more than once piece of a favorite if you like. My roommate and I are big fans of neighborhood night and go often. One thing I love about it is that the pieces they bring around are really small, so you can try quite a few different things. Its only about 10 dollars per person and I think it is soooo worth it. Just expect to wait in line if you get there after 6 - by 7:30 there will be a huge crowd and a long wait.
All in all, Goat Hill is a great neighborhood pizza place. And as all good pizza should, it almost tastes better cold the next day.
Food - (3.25)
Experience - (3.25)
Overall - (3.25)
For an explanation or our ratings system, CLICK HERE!
For yelp reviews of Goat Hill - CLICK HERE!
Emilia
Monday, August 27, 2007
Badda Bing - Squid Vicious!!!
So two Fridays ago I went to the Badda Bing class at Hip Cooks. As usual, it was totally fun and I had a great time making conversation with my classmates and perfecting my knife skills. The menu was not my favorite, though. The first course, watermelon, feta, cilantro and olive salad, was fabulous. It's super easy too. Just cut watermelon into chunks, sprinkle on the feta (or just put chunks of it on top), add fresh cilantro, fresh mint and a few pitted olives on there in an artful fashion, and then put a bit of salt and a dash of olive oil and/or balsamic reduction which you can buy at TJ's. It was really delicious and very pretty.
The squid stuffed with squid ink risotto in roasted pepper marinara sauce was not as great, largely because it was a case of "too many cooks spoil the broth". Risotto takes a lot of patience, and by the time we started on it we all had a glass of wine and were chatting and making conversation, and three people took turns stirring the risotto over each pass of adding liquid, and I think the focus risotto requires just wasn't there. So it wasn't very creamy or dreamy like the risotto I had at Farfalla last week. The squid ink was interesting though and I am now not afraid to make squid. It's really easy if you buy it pre-cleaned and poach it in any sauce you like, and you can easily stuff it with rice or whatever, too. The reason I went to this class was to learn how to cook squid since I'm such a fan of it, so that mission was accomplished. And the main course was not unedible by any means-- it was tasty, I just think the texture of the risotto could have been better.
The dessert was also not my cup of tea- a chocolate polenta cake. I am not a big polenta person and the grittiness of the polenta was unappetizing to me.
For wine, we drank Pinot Grigio as I had predicted. It was nice and went well with all the food.
All in all, another great time at Hip Cooks and a great learning experience. I now feel empowered that I can easily go buy some squid at Fish King or Whole Foods, whip up a delicious marinara sauce, poach the heck out of those squids, and serve a delicious and impressive dish-- all without looking at a recipe. I love that feeling-- empowered to just use ingredients and make good food in a no-stress fashion. One of these days though I'll have to suck it up and buy a good knife. Sigh!
By the way, I heard that Hip Cooks is opening a new site on the Westside, so all of you West L.A. folks will be able to gain easier access to my favorite cooking school.
Really excited to hit up Thrill of the Grill 2 with Emilia in a couple of weeks!
:-P
The squid stuffed with squid ink risotto in roasted pepper marinara sauce was not as great, largely because it was a case of "too many cooks spoil the broth". Risotto takes a lot of patience, and by the time we started on it we all had a glass of wine and were chatting and making conversation, and three people took turns stirring the risotto over each pass of adding liquid, and I think the focus risotto requires just wasn't there. So it wasn't very creamy or dreamy like the risotto I had at Farfalla last week. The squid ink was interesting though and I am now not afraid to make squid. It's really easy if you buy it pre-cleaned and poach it in any sauce you like, and you can easily stuff it with rice or whatever, too. The reason I went to this class was to learn how to cook squid since I'm such a fan of it, so that mission was accomplished. And the main course was not unedible by any means-- it was tasty, I just think the texture of the risotto could have been better.
The dessert was also not my cup of tea- a chocolate polenta cake. I am not a big polenta person and the grittiness of the polenta was unappetizing to me.
For wine, we drank Pinot Grigio as I had predicted. It was nice and went well with all the food.
All in all, another great time at Hip Cooks and a great learning experience. I now feel empowered that I can easily go buy some squid at Fish King or Whole Foods, whip up a delicious marinara sauce, poach the heck out of those squids, and serve a delicious and impressive dish-- all without looking at a recipe. I love that feeling-- empowered to just use ingredients and make good food in a no-stress fashion. One of these days though I'll have to suck it up and buy a good knife. Sigh!
By the way, I heard that Hip Cooks is opening a new site on the Westside, so all of you West L.A. folks will be able to gain easier access to my favorite cooking school.
Really excited to hit up Thrill of the Grill 2 with Emilia in a couple of weeks!
:-P
Friday, August 24, 2007
Tips!
Indeed! And I must say, this little webspace was meant to be a wonderland of all things gourmet/foodie/etc. in Emilia and Patch world, a world which is abundant with aforementioned things gourmet/foodie/etc. Never was it meant to solely be a vastly superior version of Zagat! ;-) I know, I know that's what it seems like, but you have to trust me on this. Especially the vastly superior part. Just kidding. Zagat provides a fine service that I have utilized in the past.
On that token, I have a great tip, too, which my mother taught me. If you need to chop fresh spices up quickly, put them in a little cup or glass and use scissors to quickly mince them up. Then use your hand to scoop them out. Quick and easy. I do it on fresh basil leaves all the time. As always, your hands have to be clean.
:-P
On that token, I have a great tip, too, which my mother taught me. If you need to chop fresh spices up quickly, put them in a little cup or glass and use scissors to quickly mince them up. Then use your hand to scoop them out. Quick and easy. I do it on fresh basil leaves all the time. As always, your hands have to be clean.
:-P
Quick Tips
Patch and I thought that a post one of our favorite quick cooking/kitchen tips might be a fun break from the reviews....
If you have leftover wine, instead of just sticking it in your fridge, pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Then when it is frozen, pop the wine cubes out into a plastic bag and throw it back in the freezer. Then when you need a tablespoon of wine for a recipe, you can just grab one and toss it into your dish. This also works well with broth, tomato sauce, and pesto.
Now you won't waste the other half of that bottle you couldn't finish!
Emilia
If you have leftover wine, instead of just sticking it in your fridge, pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Then when it is frozen, pop the wine cubes out into a plastic bag and throw it back in the freezer. Then when you need a tablespoon of wine for a recipe, you can just grab one and toss it into your dish. This also works well with broth, tomato sauce, and pesto.
Now you won't waste the other half of that bottle you couldn't finish!
Emilia
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Bar Bambino - Mama Mia!
Stupid title, I know. I'm tired today!!!
Bar Bambino is a new wine bar/restaurant in the Mission district of SF. Many of you may know that the mission is my favorite place to wine and dine, so when I heard of this place opening I immediately scheduled a date with another lawyer galpal to hit it up.
Located at 16th and Mission, it is not really an ideal part of the neighborhood for an upscale wine bar. For example, it is across the street from burger king. However I am of the mind that one restaurant can change a neighborhood, and it is right next to the bart station, so bravo Bar Bambino for picking this location.
The inside is very european - tiny tables, lots of people smooshed together, but its a fun atmosphere. P. and I were seated shortly after arriving on a Tuesday, though I imagine it is a lot busier on weekends. It was still packed the whole time we were there.
I started off with a glass of La Braccesca Rosso di Montepulciano Sabazio2004 Toscana. I wish I could tell you what this is, but I have no idea. I got it because I liked the name. Turns out it was a great choice - very bright, fruity, but also smooth. It didn't have much of a bite to it, which I prefer. I had two glasses over the course of the night and put it on my list of things to buy a bottle of sometime soon.
Next we moved on to eats. We started with a little plate of delicious olives. Both green and black, they were marinated until soft and served warm, covered in herbs and really flavorful olive oil. They were absolutely delicious.
Next we had a bruschette - huge slices of grilled bread covered in more of that olive oil, and served with a fresh salad of chopped-up heirloom tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Oh man. This was so simple and SO good - the combo was just the perfect summer meal. It was so good that I went home and re-created it for dinner the next night using tomatoes from my garden. Seriously delicious.
We moved on to Polpette di melanzane - Small balls of eggplant, pine nut with a touch of raisin; finished in a light tomato sauce. This was a dish Michael Bauer raved about in the Chron, which was why we ordered it. It was really good but I didn't think it was served hot enough. The little balls were very tasty though; this is on my list of things to try and re-create at some point.
We finished off our meal with a cheese plate. Unfortunately I can't tell you what we had because we just let the cheese dude pick it out for us, but they have an extensive cheese list, and you can create your own plate of 2/3/4 cheeses for a pretty reasonable price. They served it with more grilled bread and a chutney - very good. We also split a dessert, which was unlike anything I have ever had. It was a strawberry shortcake - but it was actually a dense shortbread cookie, with strawberry glaze and fresh whipped cream. VERY good and the perfect end to this meal. We washed it down with a lovely glass of Moscato d'Asti - the best I've had outside of my monthly wine dinners.
All in all it was a really nice meal. I like the ambiance at this wine bar much better then the crowd at District, and they serve more substantial food than at Yield or Hotel Biron. I will definitely be back there soon.
Food - (3.25)
Experience - (3.25)
Total - (3.25)
To view an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!
To read yelp reviews of Bar Bambino, click here!
Cara mia, Bar Bambino!
- Emilia
Bar Bambino is a new wine bar/restaurant in the Mission district of SF. Many of you may know that the mission is my favorite place to wine and dine, so when I heard of this place opening I immediately scheduled a date with another lawyer galpal to hit it up.
Located at 16th and Mission, it is not really an ideal part of the neighborhood for an upscale wine bar. For example, it is across the street from burger king. However I am of the mind that one restaurant can change a neighborhood, and it is right next to the bart station, so bravo Bar Bambino for picking this location.
The inside is very european - tiny tables, lots of people smooshed together, but its a fun atmosphere. P. and I were seated shortly after arriving on a Tuesday, though I imagine it is a lot busier on weekends. It was still packed the whole time we were there.
I started off with a glass of La Braccesca Rosso di Montepulciano Sabazio2004 Toscana. I wish I could tell you what this is, but I have no idea. I got it because I liked the name. Turns out it was a great choice - very bright, fruity, but also smooth. It didn't have much of a bite to it, which I prefer. I had two glasses over the course of the night and put it on my list of things to buy a bottle of sometime soon.
Next we moved on to eats. We started with a little plate of delicious olives. Both green and black, they were marinated until soft and served warm, covered in herbs and really flavorful olive oil. They were absolutely delicious.
Next we had a bruschette - huge slices of grilled bread covered in more of that olive oil, and served with a fresh salad of chopped-up heirloom tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Oh man. This was so simple and SO good - the combo was just the perfect summer meal. It was so good that I went home and re-created it for dinner the next night using tomatoes from my garden. Seriously delicious.
We moved on to Polpette di melanzane - Small balls of eggplant, pine nut with a touch of raisin; finished in a light tomato sauce. This was a dish Michael Bauer raved about in the Chron, which was why we ordered it. It was really good but I didn't think it was served hot enough. The little balls were very tasty though; this is on my list of things to try and re-create at some point.
We finished off our meal with a cheese plate. Unfortunately I can't tell you what we had because we just let the cheese dude pick it out for us, but they have an extensive cheese list, and you can create your own plate of 2/3/4 cheeses for a pretty reasonable price. They served it with more grilled bread and a chutney - very good. We also split a dessert, which was unlike anything I have ever had. It was a strawberry shortcake - but it was actually a dense shortbread cookie, with strawberry glaze and fresh whipped cream. VERY good and the perfect end to this meal. We washed it down with a lovely glass of Moscato d'Asti - the best I've had outside of my monthly wine dinners.
All in all it was a really nice meal. I like the ambiance at this wine bar much better then the crowd at District, and they serve more substantial food than at Yield or Hotel Biron. I will definitely be back there soon.
Food - (3.25)
Experience - (3.25)
Total - (3.25)
To view an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!
To read yelp reviews of Bar Bambino, click here!
Cara mia, Bar Bambino!
- Emilia
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
There's No Place Like HOME
I. Love. HOME! How shall I count the ways?
The Great Outdoors
Located on Hillhurst in the Los Feliz Village a short walk from my house, Home has become my home away from home. The main eating area, heralded by a wrought iron gate that proclaims in green neon lighting, "There's No Place Like Home", consists of a tree-canopied courtyard centered around a fountain filled with koi and plastic dinosaur figurines. There is some indoor seating as well which doesn't interest me. The place's tiny tables and booths are almost always packed, especially for brunch and dinner. The crowd consists mostly of hipsters wearing funky sunglasses and chain smoking, and also some scene/industry types which is always interesting. The service varies wildly depending on who you get but there are some nice waiters, and many of them have bad haircuts and tight stovepipe jeans which amuses, welcome to Los Feliz. They have a rainy day special, too,where if it's really raining and you order one entree, you get the second one for 50% off. Interesting. I myself have not taken advantage of this offer.
Food, Folks & Fun
Home has a huge menu, but this ain't no Cheesecake Factory (AAAAAAAH I DETEST!!! IT PUTS THE LOTION ON!!!) -- at Home, I have never had a miss. The food is simple and quite good -- very what you see is what you get, and something for everyone. (This place is more of an outdoor diner than a gourmet restaurant.) Prices are very reasonable, too, especially for the value and portions. Home's brunch is simple and satisfying. All kinds of eggs, pancakes, waffles. I have enjoyed the eggs benedict with smoked salmon (yum), breakfast burrito (yum), and montecristo (french toast egg sandwich with ham and cheese, heaven on a plate).
Their sandwiches are also good. Turkey ruben, grilled cheese, chicken pomodoro sandwich and grilled chicken avocado club have all been hits and come with tasty waffle fries or greasy-good huge onion rings. I've had a burger which was decent. The sloppy joe was AWESOME, just like I remembered from childhood and very sloppy. I had the pizza once, and it was just okay- the crust was lacking. I have enjoyed some of the salads, lately the caramelized apple salad which was just what I wanted (greens, caramelized walnuts and apples, tomatoes, goat cheese, balsamic vinagrette, chicken). Portions are huge so I always take half home for leftovers, which is great because I loooove leftovers.
Cool Cocktails
The best part, though, is that Home has a notably comprehensive and fun cocktail menu. The drinks are STRONG and the variety and creativity is Lola's-esque. My favorites are: the vanilla martini (Absolut vanilla, Absolut mandarin, lemon-lime soda), passionfruit martini (Effen black cherry vodka, X-Rated Fusion liqueur), and the fabulous, fabulous Grand Margarita (Patron Silver, citronge, fresh sweetened lime juice, oranges) on the rocks with a salt rim. Be careful, all the drinks are STRONG. I must plead ignorance on the beer and wine selections because I have never gotten past the cocktails!
To me, there is nothing better than having a good bite, some delicious cocktails, and a long leisurely hang out with friends in an open-air courtyard full of interesting hipster-watching. Plus, in walking distance. This combo, for me, is the main selling point of Home! As you might imagine, the outdoors setup attracts a good number of smokers-- so be aware of that if smoke bothers you. Being outdoors and spacious with a good breeze, though, it doesn't seem to be a big problem.
Brits Love It - And We All Know They Are the Smartest Since They Have English Accents
Largely because of the cocktail menu, fun L.A. hipster element, outdoors setting (the better to appreciate L.A. weather which is a foreign miracle to the English) and huge variety of food, my English cousin is obsessed, and I mean obsessed, with Home. In fact, he requested Home four times in a five day visit a couple of months ago. This past Saturday, when he arrived again with his twin brother in tow, he couldn't wait to go to Home, and I was happy to oblige.
We felt for fried so we ordered the fried chicken wings, fried jalapeno poppers, and fried Southwestern spring rolls. All were mediocre as far as these types of appetizers go but very fried. We also had margaritas galore and they were fabulous. As always, it was glorious to sit outdoors and people watch.
The Great Outdoors
Located on Hillhurst in the Los Feliz Village a short walk from my house, Home has become my home away from home. The main eating area, heralded by a wrought iron gate that proclaims in green neon lighting, "There's No Place Like Home", consists of a tree-canopied courtyard centered around a fountain filled with koi and plastic dinosaur figurines. There is some indoor seating as well which doesn't interest me. The place's tiny tables and booths are almost always packed, especially for brunch and dinner. The crowd consists mostly of hipsters wearing funky sunglasses and chain smoking, and also some scene/industry types which is always interesting. The service varies wildly depending on who you get but there are some nice waiters, and many of them have bad haircuts and tight stovepipe jeans which amuses, welcome to Los Feliz. They have a rainy day special, too,where if it's really raining and you order one entree, you get the second one for 50% off. Interesting. I myself have not taken advantage of this offer.
Food, Folks & Fun
Home has a huge menu, but this ain't no Cheesecake Factory (AAAAAAAH I DETEST!!! IT PUTS THE LOTION ON!!!) -- at Home, I have never had a miss. The food is simple and quite good -- very what you see is what you get, and something for everyone. (This place is more of an outdoor diner than a gourmet restaurant.) Prices are very reasonable, too, especially for the value and portions. Home's brunch is simple and satisfying. All kinds of eggs, pancakes, waffles. I have enjoyed the eggs benedict with smoked salmon (yum), breakfast burrito (yum), and montecristo (french toast egg sandwich with ham and cheese, heaven on a plate).
Their sandwiches are also good. Turkey ruben, grilled cheese, chicken pomodoro sandwich and grilled chicken avocado club have all been hits and come with tasty waffle fries or greasy-good huge onion rings. I've had a burger which was decent. The sloppy joe was AWESOME, just like I remembered from childhood and very sloppy. I had the pizza once, and it was just okay- the crust was lacking. I have enjoyed some of the salads, lately the caramelized apple salad which was just what I wanted (greens, caramelized walnuts and apples, tomatoes, goat cheese, balsamic vinagrette, chicken). Portions are huge so I always take half home for leftovers, which is great because I loooove leftovers.
Cool Cocktails
The best part, though, is that Home has a notably comprehensive and fun cocktail menu. The drinks are STRONG and the variety and creativity is Lola's-esque. My favorites are: the vanilla martini (Absolut vanilla, Absolut mandarin, lemon-lime soda), passionfruit martini (Effen black cherry vodka, X-Rated Fusion liqueur), and the fabulous, fabulous Grand Margarita (Patron Silver, citronge, fresh sweetened lime juice, oranges) on the rocks with a salt rim. Be careful, all the drinks are STRONG. I must plead ignorance on the beer and wine selections because I have never gotten past the cocktails!
To me, there is nothing better than having a good bite, some delicious cocktails, and a long leisurely hang out with friends in an open-air courtyard full of interesting hipster-watching. Plus, in walking distance. This combo, for me, is the main selling point of Home! As you might imagine, the outdoors setup attracts a good number of smokers-- so be aware of that if smoke bothers you. Being outdoors and spacious with a good breeze, though, it doesn't seem to be a big problem.
Brits Love It - And We All Know They Are the Smartest Since They Have English Accents
Largely because of the cocktail menu, fun L.A. hipster element, outdoors setting (the better to appreciate L.A. weather which is a foreign miracle to the English) and huge variety of food, my English cousin is obsessed, and I mean obsessed, with Home. In fact, he requested Home four times in a five day visit a couple of months ago. This past Saturday, when he arrived again with his twin brother in tow, he couldn't wait to go to Home, and I was happy to oblige.
We felt for fried so we ordered the fried chicken wings, fried jalapeno poppers, and fried Southwestern spring rolls. All were mediocre as far as these types of appetizers go but very fried. We also had margaritas galore and they were fabulous. As always, it was glorious to sit outdoors and people watch.
Click those ruby heels together, Dorothy, cause there's no place like Home!
Food: (2.5)
Experience: (3.5)
Overall: (3)
For an explanation of our rating system, go here!
Catch some Home reviews on Citysearch and Yelp.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Out the Door - how I aDOOR thee!
The Slanted Door is sort of an institution in San Francisco foodie paradise. The Phan family opened the first location of this upscale Vietnamese restaurant in the Mission district in 1995. Twelve years later the restaurant has moved to the Ferry building, and the Phan family has opened two smaller versions of the restaurant - dubbed Out the Door. One branch was opened in the ferry building next to the restaurant, and another in the basement of the brand new mall downtown, below Bloomingdales. The Bloomies location is the one I review here.
Out the Door is one of my favorite places to grab a quick bite to eat in San Fran. The menu is varied with the seasons, and is often a slightly simpler (and less expensive) version of the menu over at the mother ship of Slanted Door. You can be in and out of there in under an hour, and I have never waited more than 10 minutes for a table, even on a busy Friday or Saturday night. Yes, it is in the mall food court, but the restaurant is tucked into a corner and you don't feel like you are in the mall until you step outside again, full of deliciously tasty and fresh vietnamese food.
Some of my favorite items on the menu:
The springrolls here are amazing. They have two types - fresh and crispy. I love the fresh spring rolls with pork, noodles, and shrimp, wrapped in rice paper and spiced with mint and cilantro. Served with a delicious peanut sauce, these are a hit with everyone, always. They offer a veggie version as well.
I think the crispy spring rolls are my favorite. The version I adore is also filled with pork, along with mushrooms and glass noodles. They are perfectly fried, and served with more noodles, lettuce, mint, and a vinegar sweet-and-sour sauce. You wrap a crispy spring roll in the lettuce with some mint and dip in the sauce and HEAVEN. Heaven in spring roll form, for sure.
One of the salads on the menu is so good that my mom is dead set on recreating it at home. It is julliened purple cabbage, jicama, and carrots, tossed with mint and cilantro and slices of grapefruit. The salad is served with a tangy sweet vinaigrette that never overpowers the veggies, and the top is sprinkled with candied walnuts - just enough to add a little crunch.
Tonight we tried delicious egg noodles, stir-fried with chicken and egg and mushrooms and other yummy things. The noodles were perfectly cooked and served extremely hot - they may have been the tastiest noodles I have ever consumed. YUM.
We also tried the heirloom tomato salad. It was pretty par for the course as tomato salads go. Fresh slices of heirloom with marinated thinly-sliced zucchini, and then some cherry tomatoes and crispy-fried shallots. Yummy though not the best thing we ate by far.
Next we moved on to a beef bavette dish - thinly sliced beef, perfectly cooked, and stir-fried with leeks and hot red peppers in a delicious broth. This was served with vermicelli rice, which I love - so fine and perfectly cooked. We ate every bite of this except for those hot little peppers.
A few other things I love when they are on the menu - the eggplant, which is spicy and delicious and perfectly prepared with green onions and coconut milk. The bok choy is also great, stir-fried with shitake mushrooms. The caramelized tiger prawns, sauteed in garlic, onion and chili sauce, are DIVINE. The sauce is so good on more of that rice.
I also love the chrysanthemum iced tea and organic sodas. Out the Door is a great place to eat. The service is generally very good, and I always leave there satisfied and happy and feeling like I had a special, nice meal. Tonight, my brother and his girlfriend and I ate there - 2 salads, 2 spring rolls, noodles, rice, a beef dish, and beverages - for 60 dollars. For as satisfied as I was after, it was a great deal.
Food - (3.5)
Experience - (3.25)
Total - (3.5)
For an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!
For yelp reviews of Out the Door, CLICK HERE!
Out the Door - go there!
Emilia
Out the Door is one of my favorite places to grab a quick bite to eat in San Fran. The menu is varied with the seasons, and is often a slightly simpler (and less expensive) version of the menu over at the mother ship of Slanted Door. You can be in and out of there in under an hour, and I have never waited more than 10 minutes for a table, even on a busy Friday or Saturday night. Yes, it is in the mall food court, but the restaurant is tucked into a corner and you don't feel like you are in the mall until you step outside again, full of deliciously tasty and fresh vietnamese food.
Some of my favorite items on the menu:
The springrolls here are amazing. They have two types - fresh and crispy. I love the fresh spring rolls with pork, noodles, and shrimp, wrapped in rice paper and spiced with mint and cilantro. Served with a delicious peanut sauce, these are a hit with everyone, always. They offer a veggie version as well.
I think the crispy spring rolls are my favorite. The version I adore is also filled with pork, along with mushrooms and glass noodles. They are perfectly fried, and served with more noodles, lettuce, mint, and a vinegar sweet-and-sour sauce. You wrap a crispy spring roll in the lettuce with some mint and dip in the sauce and HEAVEN. Heaven in spring roll form, for sure.
One of the salads on the menu is so good that my mom is dead set on recreating it at home. It is julliened purple cabbage, jicama, and carrots, tossed with mint and cilantro and slices of grapefruit. The salad is served with a tangy sweet vinaigrette that never overpowers the veggies, and the top is sprinkled with candied walnuts - just enough to add a little crunch.
Tonight we tried delicious egg noodles, stir-fried with chicken and egg and mushrooms and other yummy things. The noodles were perfectly cooked and served extremely hot - they may have been the tastiest noodles I have ever consumed. YUM.
We also tried the heirloom tomato salad. It was pretty par for the course as tomato salads go. Fresh slices of heirloom with marinated thinly-sliced zucchini, and then some cherry tomatoes and crispy-fried shallots. Yummy though not the best thing we ate by far.
Next we moved on to a beef bavette dish - thinly sliced beef, perfectly cooked, and stir-fried with leeks and hot red peppers in a delicious broth. This was served with vermicelli rice, which I love - so fine and perfectly cooked. We ate every bite of this except for those hot little peppers.
A few other things I love when they are on the menu - the eggplant, which is spicy and delicious and perfectly prepared with green onions and coconut milk. The bok choy is also great, stir-fried with shitake mushrooms. The caramelized tiger prawns, sauteed in garlic, onion and chili sauce, are DIVINE. The sauce is so good on more of that rice.
I also love the chrysanthemum iced tea and organic sodas. Out the Door is a great place to eat. The service is generally very good, and I always leave there satisfied and happy and feeling like I had a special, nice meal. Tonight, my brother and his girlfriend and I ate there - 2 salads, 2 spring rolls, noodles, rice, a beef dish, and beverages - for 60 dollars. For as satisfied as I was after, it was a great deal.
Food - (3.5)
Experience - (3.25)
Total - (3.5)
For an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!
For yelp reviews of Out the Door, CLICK HERE!
Out the Door - go there!
Emilia
Friday, August 17, 2007
hipcooks: Cooking from the Hip
When I first moved to L.A. last fall to start my real adult life as a real adult lawyer (eeeek!) one of the things on my to-do list, along with practicing fastidious car maintenance and making my new apartment a haven of comfort and style, was to learn how to cook. Loving food so much, I have always been intrigued by the mystery of cooking. I figured it's about time I demystified it and learned how to do it myself. I had only cooked a couple of real things before (not counting eggs and sandwiches) and really enjoyed it, but I wanted to learn to cook without recipes, to cook from the heart and with whatever is in the fridge, to know how to cook a piece of fish or whip up an impressive dinner on the fly. I also love having people over, and therefore I fancy myself one of those people who say they just loooove entertaining (doesn't it sound glamorous?). Coming to L.A., I decided I was ready to become that woman who has her friends over for raucous dinner parties and exciting cocktail soirees.
I'm still working on these goals, but I have made great strides in learning to be a real cook thanks to HipCooks. Run by the entrepreneurial Monika and her small team out of a loft in the Brewery District by downtown L.A., HipCooks offers a variety of themed classes (everything from sushi to Persian) seven days a week and twice a day on weekends. You show up to the loft for the class you sign up for online (they fill up really fast...oh man, why, why am I giving them publicity?!) and the classes have anywhere from five to twenty people, usually with a wide range of cooking experience. You all gather around a giant round wooden counter and whoever is teaching that day goes through the menu of the class. Usually there are a few starters, a main dish, and dessert. The proper booze for the meal is also discussed and opened.
Then we get to cooking. The class is taught with a combination of demonstration and participation, and usually there is a knife skills segment. The class mantra is stress-free cooking with healthy, non-processed (but not low cal or low fat, hallelujah) ingredients and using your creativity in the kitchen to make food to your taste to share with friends. There is also an emphasis on entertaining, having a dinner party, etc. After the meal is all done, we pour the wine or whatever we are drinking and sit around a large dining table and eat the meal we have just prepared- which every time has been delicious. Conversation is had, and a couple of days later the recipes are emailed to you, although you are encouraged to use them more for ingredients and refreshing your memory and cook from memory if possible to really "get" the recipe in your repetoire. All the food, drinks and instruction cost $55 per class, which you pay in advance on their website.
It's FUN FUN FUN! And I have learned sooo much. I love it.
Tonight, I am going to the Badda Bing class, which is a follow up to Veni Vidi Vici. Both of these are Italian-inspired classes. The menu for tonight is watermelon salad with feta, cilantro and olives; squid stuffed with squid ink risotto in a tomato-pepper sauce; and chocolate polenta cake for dessert. "A light Italian, white wine" will be served (dollars to donuts it's Pinot Grigio, my beloved!). I will definitely write about it.
The other classes I have been to are:
My First Class: Bastille Day - Summer in Paris
Their description: "Ooooh la la! Strolling along the Seine, smelling the flowers. Time to duck into a warm French bistro for a hearty meal? Here is a French menu that is as easy as a breeze that whispers Louise Moulle! Or mussels, in wine, parsley, garlic and lemon The most wonderful hearty Coq au Vin, with a new twist - with tarrgon, wine, grapes and bok choy Pots de creme au chocolat for dessert, and Chateauneuf de Pape to drink, mais oui!"
The coq au vin was absolutely wonderful. It was served with crusty bread. The chicken was tender and delicious. The recipe was fun and a great introduction to cooking with booze. I still haven't had a chance to make it for anyone, but I hope to very soon, especially since I have a wounded soldier red wine bottle in my fridge that is begging to be cooked (it was a very old Burgundy and when I opened it it had gone bad...now it shall be reincarnated as tasty food!!!). The pot de creme au chocolat was also delicious.
My Favorite: A Cocktail Party
Their description: "Attention Hipsters! Let's get together for an evening of creative and fun nibbles perfect to effortlessly throw an outrageous cocktail party. Learn to whip up the Perfect Martini Vanilla Martini, Hipcooks Mojito, Caiprinhas, Lemon drops, with fresh ginger, and a dessert drink, if you behave. Nibbles: Candied nuts Warm crab dip Leek and goat cheese tartlets Crisp potato cakes with goat cheese and thyme Endive gorgonzola and roast pear Cups with caviar, crème fraiche and chive Warm goat cheese & nut-stuffed, proscuitto-wrapped dates Polenta slices with asparagus Tuna tartar on cucumber strips with wasabi roe Dark Chocolate Hearts with Raspberry cream"
This class was FABULOUS. Not only did I learn how to perfect my cocktail skills and discover the UNIVERSAL SECRET TO ALL COCKTAILS (if you're really nice, I'll tell you sometime), but also I learned to make fabulous and surprisingly easy little appetizers which I actually made, with smashing success, for my wine tasting party a few weeks back- namely the tartlet (which I made with whie wine sauteed mushrooms) and the tuna tartar appetizer. Loved it.
Latest Class: The Thrill of the Grill
Their description: "Are you intimidated by everyone’s favorite summertime stove? No need! Let's cook a delightful and delicious meal as yummy and flavorful as summer itself. It's a snap! Gazpacho Andaluz with garlicky croutons Grilled pork loin with a pomegranate glaze / grilled stuffed chicken with pomegranate sauce Fruited and herbed tabbouleh Grilled peaches stuffed with amaretto marscapone Pinot Noir to drink.... or should we make Sangria? OK, both!"
This was a great class and it was really fun to learn some grilling fundamentals and spend half the class outside. Like the other classes, this one took all the mystery and intimidation out of the cooking situation, here the grill. The food was delicious. The gazpacho was amazingly simple and super tasty, I will definitely do it for myself sometime. I also hope to make the grilled peaches as a treat next time a friend invites me to a grillfest, as they were very easy and absolutely delicious. We also learned a quick and dirty sangria that I would definitely throw together for friends in a pinch.
Stay tuned for posts about my lovely HipCooks cooking classes as time goes on. Emilia can write what she thinks, too, as she is joining me in September for Thrill of the Grill 2 at Hipcooks: "Andalusian garlic & almond soup with green grapes - the soup you MUST try; Grilled marinated ribeye with tapenade and chimichurri (an Argentinian sauce); Zuchini parcels stuffed with portobello mushrooms; Apple and peach crumble with vanilla ice cream". Hurray!
:-P
I'm still working on these goals, but I have made great strides in learning to be a real cook thanks to HipCooks. Run by the entrepreneurial Monika and her small team out of a loft in the Brewery District by downtown L.A., HipCooks offers a variety of themed classes (everything from sushi to Persian) seven days a week and twice a day on weekends. You show up to the loft for the class you sign up for online (they fill up really fast...oh man, why, why am I giving them publicity?!) and the classes have anywhere from five to twenty people, usually with a wide range of cooking experience. You all gather around a giant round wooden counter and whoever is teaching that day goes through the menu of the class. Usually there are a few starters, a main dish, and dessert. The proper booze for the meal is also discussed and opened.
Then we get to cooking. The class is taught with a combination of demonstration and participation, and usually there is a knife skills segment. The class mantra is stress-free cooking with healthy, non-processed (but not low cal or low fat, hallelujah) ingredients and using your creativity in the kitchen to make food to your taste to share with friends. There is also an emphasis on entertaining, having a dinner party, etc. After the meal is all done, we pour the wine or whatever we are drinking and sit around a large dining table and eat the meal we have just prepared- which every time has been delicious. Conversation is had, and a couple of days later the recipes are emailed to you, although you are encouraged to use them more for ingredients and refreshing your memory and cook from memory if possible to really "get" the recipe in your repetoire. All the food, drinks and instruction cost $55 per class, which you pay in advance on their website.
It's FUN FUN FUN! And I have learned sooo much. I love it.
Tonight, I am going to the Badda Bing class, which is a follow up to Veni Vidi Vici. Both of these are Italian-inspired classes. The menu for tonight is watermelon salad with feta, cilantro and olives; squid stuffed with squid ink risotto in a tomato-pepper sauce; and chocolate polenta cake for dessert. "A light Italian, white wine" will be served (dollars to donuts it's Pinot Grigio, my beloved!). I will definitely write about it.
The other classes I have been to are:
My First Class: Bastille Day - Summer in Paris
Their description: "Ooooh la la! Strolling along the Seine, smelling the flowers. Time to duck into a warm French bistro for a hearty meal? Here is a French menu that is as easy as a breeze that whispers Louise Moulle! Or mussels, in wine, parsley, garlic and lemon The most wonderful hearty Coq au Vin, with a new twist - with tarrgon, wine, grapes and bok choy Pots de creme au chocolat for dessert, and Chateauneuf de Pape to drink, mais oui!"
The coq au vin was absolutely wonderful. It was served with crusty bread. The chicken was tender and delicious. The recipe was fun and a great introduction to cooking with booze. I still haven't had a chance to make it for anyone, but I hope to very soon, especially since I have a wounded soldier red wine bottle in my fridge that is begging to be cooked (it was a very old Burgundy and when I opened it it had gone bad...now it shall be reincarnated as tasty food!!!). The pot de creme au chocolat was also delicious.
My Favorite: A Cocktail Party
Their description: "Attention Hipsters! Let's get together for an evening of creative and fun nibbles perfect to effortlessly throw an outrageous cocktail party. Learn to whip up the Perfect Martini Vanilla Martini, Hipcooks Mojito, Caiprinhas, Lemon drops, with fresh ginger, and a dessert drink, if you behave. Nibbles: Candied nuts Warm crab dip Leek and goat cheese tartlets Crisp potato cakes with goat cheese and thyme Endive gorgonzola and roast pear Cups with caviar, crème fraiche and chive Warm goat cheese & nut-stuffed, proscuitto-wrapped dates Polenta slices with asparagus Tuna tartar on cucumber strips with wasabi roe Dark Chocolate Hearts with Raspberry cream"
This class was FABULOUS. Not only did I learn how to perfect my cocktail skills and discover the UNIVERSAL SECRET TO ALL COCKTAILS (if you're really nice, I'll tell you sometime), but also I learned to make fabulous and surprisingly easy little appetizers which I actually made, with smashing success, for my wine tasting party a few weeks back- namely the tartlet (which I made with whie wine sauteed mushrooms) and the tuna tartar appetizer. Loved it.
Latest Class: The Thrill of the Grill
Their description: "Are you intimidated by everyone’s favorite summertime stove? No need! Let's cook a delightful and delicious meal as yummy and flavorful as summer itself. It's a snap! Gazpacho Andaluz with garlicky croutons Grilled pork loin with a pomegranate glaze / grilled stuffed chicken with pomegranate sauce Fruited and herbed tabbouleh Grilled peaches stuffed with amaretto marscapone Pinot Noir to drink.... or should we make Sangria? OK, both!"
This was a great class and it was really fun to learn some grilling fundamentals and spend half the class outside. Like the other classes, this one took all the mystery and intimidation out of the cooking situation, here the grill. The food was delicious. The gazpacho was amazingly simple and super tasty, I will definitely do it for myself sometime. I also hope to make the grilled peaches as a treat next time a friend invites me to a grillfest, as they were very easy and absolutely delicious. We also learned a quick and dirty sangria that I would definitely throw together for friends in a pinch.
Stay tuned for posts about my lovely HipCooks cooking classes as time goes on. Emilia can write what she thinks, too, as she is joining me in September for Thrill of the Grill 2 at Hipcooks: "Andalusian garlic & almond soup with green grapes - the soup you MUST try; Grilled marinated ribeye with tapenade and chimichurri (an Argentinian sauce); Zuchini parcels stuffed with portobello mushrooms; Apple and peach crumble with vanilla ice cream". Hurray!
:-P
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Farfalla in La La Land
Trattoria Farfalla on Hillhurst and Clarissa in Los Feliz is my go-to spot when I have guests in town. It's a short walk from my house, is a cozy and cute neighborhood joint, doesn't take reservations, and presents solid and homey, rustic Italian food that is consistently pleasing. I have been a number of times, but last night I took the lovely M (who is half Italian and knows how to eat) there for her birthday and decided it's high time I spread the word about this marvelous little place, even though I know the word has already been spreaden. They also do take-out, which I have not yet tried.
The trattoria, which is often crowded and has a long line out the door, is small, dark and cozy, with many tiny tables inside and a simple Tuscany-evoking decor, at least as I imagine it since I have not yet been to Tuscany. When you walk in, you see the kitchen and the cooks busy at work over a giant steel range. Inside, it's loud but not too loud. The crowd is a mix of Los Feliz locals, Beverly Hills types, industry people, and more, very mixed. The moment you sit a basket of crusty French bread and my favorite, a little soup cup full of olive-oil-marinated whole garlic cloves, tomatoes and sundried tomatoes drifting in their oil is placed in the center of the table. Try the garlic cloves on bread - soft and tender, with a delicate garlic flavor. Yum!
The menu is large and has a variety of appetizers, soups, pizzas and calzones, meat and fish, and pasta. I love the pasta here as it is well-cooked and the combinations are always very flavorful and zingy, so I usually order it. Some of my favorite past dishes were Ravoli di Zucca Alla Crema di Nocci (pumpkin ravioli in walnut and cream sauce), Tagliolini Cozze e Vongole (thin pasta with mussels, clams and tomato broth) and the absolutely fabulous and rich Fusilli Tartufati con Carciofi, Porri e Shitake (corkscrew pasta with shitake, leeks, artichokes, white truffle oil and aged ricotta). I have also had the Osso Bucco when it was on special, and it was delicious. The pizza I have had was the Pomodori Secchi e Pollo (tomato sauce, mozzarella, chicken and sundried tomatoes). It was yummy but not spectacular as far as pizza goes. I would definitely stick to pasta or the specials at Farfalla.
Farfalla also has fabulous wine and many of the waiters I've had, particularly a young, thin blonde woman whose name escapes me, have made excellent wine suggestions, as has the owner who is a very friendly guy and used to recognize me when I came frequently for a little stretch and give me the star treatment. My absolute favorite wine has been the Barbera "Trevigne" Clerico (2001) which is a delicious, medium-bodied and subtly rich red wine that goes with just about everything at this restaurant, in my opinion. With the Clerico you cannot go wrong! They have only a few options by the glass but all have been great that I have tried. Not surprising considering my favorite wine bar in L.A. (and one worth visiting, if you can get in - it's always freaking overflowing!), Vinoteca Farfalla, is the sister of this restaurant and lives two doors down. God, I love that place. But that is another post for another time.
Last night, one of the special appetizers was this special kind of fresh cheese made from fresh mozzarella and cream, called Burrata. When the waitress named it, M got really excited and insisted we share it. Boy, was it delicious! They served it with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic with fresh tomatoes and a simple spinach salad with roasted red peppers. The tomatoes were underripe but the cheese was perfect and sooo creamy and mild.
For main courses, M ordered the special which was thin pasta with a lobster ragout. I tasted it, and it was flavorful and creamy, with little chunks of lobster throughout. In fact, the lovely M, who is probably 105 pounds soaking wet, devoured her entire bowl. Just as I was about to say that the portions at Farfalla are quite large and every time I go I can eat just about half and eat the rest the next day as a very exciting leftover. But anyway. I ordered another special based entirely on the recommendation of the waitress, a risotto with artichoke hearts, fresh tomato, calamari, squid and fish in a tomato sauce. I have always felt cheated by risotto- isn't it just rice?- although M has tried to entice me to give it a try. When the waitress suggested this particular dish, M gave me a hopeful look, and how could I let down the birthday girl? Well, I'm a convert now (and not just because of the good mood the excellent Super Toscana wine put me in). This risotto had texture and intense, buttery rich flavor. The fish and super tender calamari was a perfect compliment. The artichoke hearts and tomato added color and interest, and the tomatoes were cooked just enough to bring out intense tomatoey flavor with every bite. Putting down a big mouthful of this stuff was like eating a giant bite of rich, salty rice-like heaven. I am a fan.
For dessert, we shared a slice of chocolate pear tart. It was a tart shell with chocolate creamy goodness, slices of fresh pear, and chocolate ganache on top. It was very good. I love the chocolate and pear combo, and the texture was just really airy and light, like chocolate cream pie. We also had dessert wine, since it was a special occasion after all. M had a glass of Moscato Nivole which was golden with a hint of little tiny bubbles in the flavor and redolent of peaches. I had a Brachetto D'Aqui, the first sparkling red dessert wine I have ever had, which was deep garnet in color and was absolutely delicious. It smelled like roses and lavender and tasted like berries and toffee but was not overpoweringly sweet. I am in love with it and henceforth shall search it out. It would be the PERFECT dessert wine for a dinner party as its medium-sweetness and slight fizz would probably please a wide variety of palates. And the color is just to die for. SO LOVELY!
All in all, last night was emblematic of my typical night at Farfalla- something old, something new, something drenched in olive oil, not cheap but reasonable bill. Okay, I know it doesn't rhyme, so sue me. This is not the most incredible Italian food you'll ever have, but it is very, very good and solid and you know you will eat and drink something really yummy every time, which makes it a pretty fantastic spot if you ask me! So it is always a pleasure to go. It is also a great romantic spot if you go with a love interest (or so I've heard...) In any event, I plan on returning many more times.
Food: (3.25)
Experience: (3.25)
Overall: (3.25)
The trattoria, which is often crowded and has a long line out the door, is small, dark and cozy, with many tiny tables inside and a simple Tuscany-evoking decor, at least as I imagine it since I have not yet been to Tuscany. When you walk in, you see the kitchen and the cooks busy at work over a giant steel range. Inside, it's loud but not too loud. The crowd is a mix of Los Feliz locals, Beverly Hills types, industry people, and more, very mixed. The moment you sit a basket of crusty French bread and my favorite, a little soup cup full of olive-oil-marinated whole garlic cloves, tomatoes and sundried tomatoes drifting in their oil is placed in the center of the table. Try the garlic cloves on bread - soft and tender, with a delicate garlic flavor. Yum!
The menu is large and has a variety of appetizers, soups, pizzas and calzones, meat and fish, and pasta. I love the pasta here as it is well-cooked and the combinations are always very flavorful and zingy, so I usually order it. Some of my favorite past dishes were Ravoli di Zucca Alla Crema di Nocci (pumpkin ravioli in walnut and cream sauce), Tagliolini Cozze e Vongole (thin pasta with mussels, clams and tomato broth) and the absolutely fabulous and rich Fusilli Tartufati con Carciofi, Porri e Shitake (corkscrew pasta with shitake, leeks, artichokes, white truffle oil and aged ricotta). I have also had the Osso Bucco when it was on special, and it was delicious. The pizza I have had was the Pomodori Secchi e Pollo (tomato sauce, mozzarella, chicken and sundried tomatoes). It was yummy but not spectacular as far as pizza goes. I would definitely stick to pasta or the specials at Farfalla.
Farfalla also has fabulous wine and many of the waiters I've had, particularly a young, thin blonde woman whose name escapes me, have made excellent wine suggestions, as has the owner who is a very friendly guy and used to recognize me when I came frequently for a little stretch and give me the star treatment. My absolute favorite wine has been the Barbera "Trevigne" Clerico (2001) which is a delicious, medium-bodied and subtly rich red wine that goes with just about everything at this restaurant, in my opinion. With the Clerico you cannot go wrong! They have only a few options by the glass but all have been great that I have tried. Not surprising considering my favorite wine bar in L.A. (and one worth visiting, if you can get in - it's always freaking overflowing!), Vinoteca Farfalla, is the sister of this restaurant and lives two doors down. God, I love that place. But that is another post for another time.
Last night, one of the special appetizers was this special kind of fresh cheese made from fresh mozzarella and cream, called Burrata. When the waitress named it, M got really excited and insisted we share it. Boy, was it delicious! They served it with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic with fresh tomatoes and a simple spinach salad with roasted red peppers. The tomatoes were underripe but the cheese was perfect and sooo creamy and mild.
For main courses, M ordered the special which was thin pasta with a lobster ragout. I tasted it, and it was flavorful and creamy, with little chunks of lobster throughout. In fact, the lovely M, who is probably 105 pounds soaking wet, devoured her entire bowl. Just as I was about to say that the portions at Farfalla are quite large and every time I go I can eat just about half and eat the rest the next day as a very exciting leftover. But anyway. I ordered another special based entirely on the recommendation of the waitress, a risotto with artichoke hearts, fresh tomato, calamari, squid and fish in a tomato sauce. I have always felt cheated by risotto- isn't it just rice?- although M has tried to entice me to give it a try. When the waitress suggested this particular dish, M gave me a hopeful look, and how could I let down the birthday girl? Well, I'm a convert now (and not just because of the good mood the excellent Super Toscana wine put me in). This risotto had texture and intense, buttery rich flavor. The fish and super tender calamari was a perfect compliment. The artichoke hearts and tomato added color and interest, and the tomatoes were cooked just enough to bring out intense tomatoey flavor with every bite. Putting down a big mouthful of this stuff was like eating a giant bite of rich, salty rice-like heaven. I am a fan.
For dessert, we shared a slice of chocolate pear tart. It was a tart shell with chocolate creamy goodness, slices of fresh pear, and chocolate ganache on top. It was very good. I love the chocolate and pear combo, and the texture was just really airy and light, like chocolate cream pie. We also had dessert wine, since it was a special occasion after all. M had a glass of Moscato Nivole which was golden with a hint of little tiny bubbles in the flavor and redolent of peaches. I had a Brachetto D'Aqui, the first sparkling red dessert wine I have ever had, which was deep garnet in color and was absolutely delicious. It smelled like roses and lavender and tasted like berries and toffee but was not overpoweringly sweet. I am in love with it and henceforth shall search it out. It would be the PERFECT dessert wine for a dinner party as its medium-sweetness and slight fizz would probably please a wide variety of palates. And the color is just to die for. SO LOVELY!
All in all, last night was emblematic of my typical night at Farfalla- something old, something new, something drenched in olive oil, not cheap but reasonable bill. Okay, I know it doesn't rhyme, so sue me. This is not the most incredible Italian food you'll ever have, but it is very, very good and solid and you know you will eat and drink something really yummy every time, which makes it a pretty fantastic spot if you ask me! So it is always a pleasure to go. It is also a great romantic spot if you go with a love interest (or so I've heard...) In any event, I plan on returning many more times.
Food: (3.25)
Experience: (3.25)
Overall: (3.25)
For an explanation of our rating system, click HERE!
Farfalla reviews on Yelp and Citysearch.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Dosa-y hooray!
So I went on a date a few weeks ago, and he suggested we try Dosa, a semi-upscale Indian restaurant in the mission district of San Francisco. I had heard great things about it and was totally down to go. I must preface this review by saying that I do not eat a lot of indian food. I like it and I'm always happy to go out for it, but it isn't a cuisine that I sit around craving all the time, like Mexican. Or french fries. Which should be their own cuisine if they aren't already.
Anyways.....Dosa. I loved it. The only indian joints I have been to are sort of mom-and-pop diner-esque places in the silicon valley where I work. The food has always been good but they aren't really good date places, needless to say. Dosa was totally different. It is a really pretty space, well-decorated with earthy colors and bright pillows. The dining room is a little cramped and there was a long wait, but my date got there early so once I was there we just sat down. Also they accept reservations for parties of 6 or more.
We sat down and started off with some beverages. He had a glass of wine, but I was in the mood for something carbonated, and chose Lindemans Framboise LambicVlezenbeek, Belgium – Delicate palate of raspberries, brisk, tart, deep opaque garnet. It was a big beer, lasting me the whole meal. Very fruity and delicious, and it cut the spice on all the foods we chose very well. They have a great list of beers from all over the world.
Next we moved onto the food. Dosa serves a small plate of spicy chips as an appetizer. Personally I thought it looked a little lackluster, this sad plate of chips, but they were decent tasting. Date and I ordered the calamari to start: Calamari, sauteed with a sumptuous, spicy coconut milk sauce, served with mixed greens. It was REALLY good. I think it was the most tender calamari I have ever had, and the sauce was spicy and delicious. Really good starter.
Next we shared a dosa and a curry. The dosa we chose was the rava masala: A wispy dosa crepe made with semolina and wheat, served with spiced Indian potatoes, onions and cashew nuts. It was REALLY BIG and really delicious - the dosa had herbs in it, and the filling was super tasty. Creamy and spicy with good chunks of potato in it. The dosa was crunchy and it was all just very very good.
The dish that really wowed me the most was the lamb curry we ordered: Niman Ranch natural lamb steeped in a sauce of fennel, tomatoes, poppy seeds, caramelized onions and a blend of other spices, served with Basmati (Indian long-grained) rice. It was incredibly delicious. Very spicy, but the lamb was tender and melted in your mouth, and the spices were terrific. My mouth was on fire in a good way!!! I would go back there just for this, as I have been craving it pretty much ever since.
Lastly we split a dessert, which I wasn't crazy about. The Gulab JamoonTwo was described as soft, lightly- fried milk balls served in a warm, cardamom flavored sugar syrup. Well, sugar syrup was right. Basically it was two donut holes sitting in simple syrup - just too sweet for me. Literally, I had one bite and I was done. I think this is more pleasing to the palate of other people, but it wasn't for me.
I didn't pay for dinner but the prices seem reasonable to me. The service was decent, though they were obviously in a hurry for us to leave. Still, I will be back to Dosa for sure. Now I'm finding myself trying to figure out a way to get back there soon....so much for not craving Indian food!
Food - (3.5)
Atmosphere - (3.25)
Overall - (3.5)
For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!
For yelp reviews of Dosa, CLICK HERE!
Dosa please!
Emilia
Anyways.....Dosa. I loved it. The only indian joints I have been to are sort of mom-and-pop diner-esque places in the silicon valley where I work. The food has always been good but they aren't really good date places, needless to say. Dosa was totally different. It is a really pretty space, well-decorated with earthy colors and bright pillows. The dining room is a little cramped and there was a long wait, but my date got there early so once I was there we just sat down. Also they accept reservations for parties of 6 or more.
We sat down and started off with some beverages. He had a glass of wine, but I was in the mood for something carbonated, and chose Lindemans Framboise LambicVlezenbeek, Belgium – Delicate palate of raspberries, brisk, tart, deep opaque garnet. It was a big beer, lasting me the whole meal. Very fruity and delicious, and it cut the spice on all the foods we chose very well. They have a great list of beers from all over the world.
Next we moved onto the food. Dosa serves a small plate of spicy chips as an appetizer. Personally I thought it looked a little lackluster, this sad plate of chips, but they were decent tasting. Date and I ordered the calamari to start: Calamari, sauteed with a sumptuous, spicy coconut milk sauce, served with mixed greens. It was REALLY good. I think it was the most tender calamari I have ever had, and the sauce was spicy and delicious. Really good starter.
Next we shared a dosa and a curry. The dosa we chose was the rava masala: A wispy dosa crepe made with semolina and wheat, served with spiced Indian potatoes, onions and cashew nuts. It was REALLY BIG and really delicious - the dosa had herbs in it, and the filling was super tasty. Creamy and spicy with good chunks of potato in it. The dosa was crunchy and it was all just very very good.
The dish that really wowed me the most was the lamb curry we ordered: Niman Ranch natural lamb steeped in a sauce of fennel, tomatoes, poppy seeds, caramelized onions and a blend of other spices, served with Basmati (Indian long-grained) rice. It was incredibly delicious. Very spicy, but the lamb was tender and melted in your mouth, and the spices were terrific. My mouth was on fire in a good way!!! I would go back there just for this, as I have been craving it pretty much ever since.
Lastly we split a dessert, which I wasn't crazy about. The Gulab JamoonTwo was described as soft, lightly- fried milk balls served in a warm, cardamom flavored sugar syrup. Well, sugar syrup was right. Basically it was two donut holes sitting in simple syrup - just too sweet for me. Literally, I had one bite and I was done. I think this is more pleasing to the palate of other people, but it wasn't for me.
I didn't pay for dinner but the prices seem reasonable to me. The service was decent, though they were obviously in a hurry for us to leave. Still, I will be back to Dosa for sure. Now I'm finding myself trying to figure out a way to get back there soon....so much for not craving Indian food!
Food - (3.5)
Atmosphere - (3.25)
Overall - (3.5)
For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!
For yelp reviews of Dosa, CLICK HERE!
Dosa please!
Emilia
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Bodega Wine Bar - Not a Star
Last Friday I ventured out to Santa Monica to join some coworkers at Bodega Wine Bar. There is also a location in Pasadena. From what I heard about it, the wine was all the same price (good) and there was amazing grilled cheese (great!). The place is really cute inside with lots of little tables to sit at, which is nice, as well as a good sized bar area with lots of wine bottles on the wall for decoration.
We got a little corner table which was cute but very impractical, what with the huge plates for the appetizers we got and the wines in wine-coolers which take up a lot of room-- not to mention everybody's glasses. The cheese plates basically sat on our laps for most of the night, and glasses piled up so quickly that we had to stack them and put them on the floor-- where are the table bussers in this place? So that was a bit annoying though I liked the hip yet cozy decor. The crowd was pretty yuppie, as you would expect, and the place was well filled but not overflowing by the end of the night.
For wine, I sampled a few different whites, which the group was in the mood for. All were decent and refreshing, nothing amazing but good prices at $8 a glass, $20 a carafe and $30 a bottle for everything, which is a little sketchy but whatever, just drink and don't think about it too much. We were a big group and got all bottles.
The wine menu has very lengthy and detailed descriptions of the different flavors and characteristics of each wine. This often sort of bothers me because it takes all the fun and individuality out of tasting different wines. Also, some of the descriptions were pretty off. For example, there was a Pinot Grigio I chose based largely on its description which included the words "dry" and "crisp", but the wine was actually quite sweet and even apple juice-esque. I did not enjoy that and it was not what I wanted or expected. We also had a prosecco which I liked very much. For non-winos, there is beer, sake and soju cocktails, but no hard liquor, which makes me shed a silent tear deep in my heart.
For food, we ordered a cheese plate which had a good variety of six different cheeses, dried apricots, almonds, and little wafer crackers that reminded me of communion wafers. We also ordered that famous grilled cheese. It consisted of sliced green apples and okay-tasting melted brie on very soft and yummy dried-fig challah bread. It was tasty although I thought it could have been improved if it were grilled longer or if the brie were nicer. All this cheese, though, made me happy in general. Nothing goes better with drinking in my opinion.
All in all, not a bad little place. But nowhere near the best wine bars I've been to (even though it won best wine bar on Citysearch three years in a row- weirded out?). I would probably look for another wine bar to sample before heading back.
:-P
Drinks and Appetizers: (2.5)
Experience: (2.5)
Overall: (2.5)
For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!
We got a little corner table which was cute but very impractical, what with the huge plates for the appetizers we got and the wines in wine-coolers which take up a lot of room-- not to mention everybody's glasses. The cheese plates basically sat on our laps for most of the night, and glasses piled up so quickly that we had to stack them and put them on the floor-- where are the table bussers in this place? So that was a bit annoying though I liked the hip yet cozy decor. The crowd was pretty yuppie, as you would expect, and the place was well filled but not overflowing by the end of the night.
For wine, I sampled a few different whites, which the group was in the mood for. All were decent and refreshing, nothing amazing but good prices at $8 a glass, $20 a carafe and $30 a bottle for everything, which is a little sketchy but whatever, just drink and don't think about it too much. We were a big group and got all bottles.
The wine menu has very lengthy and detailed descriptions of the different flavors and characteristics of each wine. This often sort of bothers me because it takes all the fun and individuality out of tasting different wines. Also, some of the descriptions were pretty off. For example, there was a Pinot Grigio I chose based largely on its description which included the words "dry" and "crisp", but the wine was actually quite sweet and even apple juice-esque. I did not enjoy that and it was not what I wanted or expected. We also had a prosecco which I liked very much. For non-winos, there is beer, sake and soju cocktails, but no hard liquor, which makes me shed a silent tear deep in my heart.
For food, we ordered a cheese plate which had a good variety of six different cheeses, dried apricots, almonds, and little wafer crackers that reminded me of communion wafers. We also ordered that famous grilled cheese. It consisted of sliced green apples and okay-tasting melted brie on very soft and yummy dried-fig challah bread. It was tasty although I thought it could have been improved if it were grilled longer or if the brie were nicer. All this cheese, though, made me happy in general. Nothing goes better with drinking in my opinion.
All in all, not a bad little place. But nowhere near the best wine bars I've been to (even though it won best wine bar on Citysearch three years in a row- weirded out?). I would probably look for another wine bar to sample before heading back.
:-P
Drinks and Appetizers: (2.5)
Experience: (2.5)
Overall: (2.5)
For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Just for You Cafe - JUST FOR ME!
When I moved into my neighborhood a year and a half ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I love the house but hadn't explored the small surrounding business area. No clue whether there would be decent food/drinking/grocery/entertainment options within walking distance.
It turns out that I got lucky. My neighborhood of Potrero Hill/Dogpatch is not at the top of the list of fun places to hang out, but it provides a good local grocery store, great mani/pedi stop, and lots of food options - nice french, quick french, north african, thai, chinese, (bad) sushi, several pizza options, a deli......
And breakfast. At Just for You. Maybe the number one thing about the restaurant is breakfast at Just for You Cafe.
Just for You is sort of a local institution. Its been around forever and there are many reasons why. It has a great little atmosphere - cool concert posters on the walls, lots of new orleans stuff hanging around, friendly service, no cell-phone possibility, cash only policy. Its easy and fun, and though it can get crowded after 9 on the weekends, its not so crowded that you can't get in.
The food is also really and truly delicious. Great diner breakfasts with a new orleans flair. First of all, they have beignets - pillowy little donuts of goodness, hot and covered with melting powdered sugar. Absolutely delicious. The donuts themselves aren't sweet - so the contrast is excellent.
Just for You also served great coffee, big glasses of Odwalla OJ, and huge mimosas - giant juice glasses with a LOT of champagne.
On weekends Just for You always has a few specials for brunch, which lasts from 8-3. But their menu is chock full of good things to eat as it is. Two eggs any way, with a long list of sides, including deliciously thick and fatty bacon, several kinds of sausage (hot louisiana style, chicken apple, breakfast); biscuits and gravy; ground beef patty; porkchop; catfish; or crab cake). This is all served with the delicious homefries - thick wedges of red potatoes, crispy on the outside and perfectly seasoned. Last it comes with one of several bread options. Just for You bakes its own breads - sourdough, white, wheat, or cinnamon/raisin. You can also get cornbread or a biscuit.
Another one of my favorite menu items is the frittata of the decade - A slow-pan-fried Italian omelet with zucchini, mushrooms, onion, garlic, spinach & tomato, topped with cheddar cheese. Delicious, gooey, great with the homefries. I get it with a side of the hot hot sausage.
Lately my meal of choice has been the cowgirl - two eggs sunnyside up with bacon, and two of the best cornmeal pancakes I have EVER had, drowned in maple syrup and butter. Usually, no matter what I order, I get one pancake on the side, because I crave them oh so much.
Last time I was there with patch, she had the chili scramble - 3 scrambled eggs, topped with chili con carne, cheddar cheese, and diced onions. This was all served over cornbread. She remarked that she wanted more chili, so if you like yours extra saucy, ask for an extra scoop!!
Lastly, I do love their fried egg sandwich. Can't go wrong with that. I have never tried any of the many lunch options (Salads, sandwiches, burgets, etc) because the breakfast is so freakin good. Basically, Just for You is a sure thing. I go twice a month on average and I've never had a bad meal. I like heading down there alone and reading the paper while dining at the bar. Its delicious, greasy, friendly - and best of all, just three blocks away.
edited to add - I forgot about their Mexican breakfasts! Juevos rancheros and delicious breakfast burritos. Patch mentions in a comment that she wanted more spice in the chili - order a side of their hot hot chili sauce if you like spicy stuff and pour it on, that should do the trick!!
Food - (3.25)
Experience - (3.25)
Total - (3.25)
For an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!
For yelp reviews of Just for You, CLICK HERE!
Go there. Eat beignets.
yum,
Emilia
It turns out that I got lucky. My neighborhood of Potrero Hill/Dogpatch is not at the top of the list of fun places to hang out, but it provides a good local grocery store, great mani/pedi stop, and lots of food options - nice french, quick french, north african, thai, chinese, (bad) sushi, several pizza options, a deli......
And breakfast. At Just for You. Maybe the number one thing about the restaurant is breakfast at Just for You Cafe.
Just for You is sort of a local institution. Its been around forever and there are many reasons why. It has a great little atmosphere - cool concert posters on the walls, lots of new orleans stuff hanging around, friendly service, no cell-phone possibility, cash only policy. Its easy and fun, and though it can get crowded after 9 on the weekends, its not so crowded that you can't get in.
The food is also really and truly delicious. Great diner breakfasts with a new orleans flair. First of all, they have beignets - pillowy little donuts of goodness, hot and covered with melting powdered sugar. Absolutely delicious. The donuts themselves aren't sweet - so the contrast is excellent.
Just for You also served great coffee, big glasses of Odwalla OJ, and huge mimosas - giant juice glasses with a LOT of champagne.
On weekends Just for You always has a few specials for brunch, which lasts from 8-3. But their menu is chock full of good things to eat as it is. Two eggs any way, with a long list of sides, including deliciously thick and fatty bacon, several kinds of sausage (hot louisiana style, chicken apple, breakfast); biscuits and gravy; ground beef patty; porkchop; catfish; or crab cake). This is all served with the delicious homefries - thick wedges of red potatoes, crispy on the outside and perfectly seasoned. Last it comes with one of several bread options. Just for You bakes its own breads - sourdough, white, wheat, or cinnamon/raisin. You can also get cornbread or a biscuit.
Another one of my favorite menu items is the frittata of the decade - A slow-pan-fried Italian omelet with zucchini, mushrooms, onion, garlic, spinach & tomato, topped with cheddar cheese. Delicious, gooey, great with the homefries. I get it with a side of the hot hot sausage.
Lately my meal of choice has been the cowgirl - two eggs sunnyside up with bacon, and two of the best cornmeal pancakes I have EVER had, drowned in maple syrup and butter. Usually, no matter what I order, I get one pancake on the side, because I crave them oh so much.
Last time I was there with patch, she had the chili scramble - 3 scrambled eggs, topped with chili con carne, cheddar cheese, and diced onions. This was all served over cornbread. She remarked that she wanted more chili, so if you like yours extra saucy, ask for an extra scoop!!
Lastly, I do love their fried egg sandwich. Can't go wrong with that. I have never tried any of the many lunch options (Salads, sandwiches, burgets, etc) because the breakfast is so freakin good. Basically, Just for You is a sure thing. I go twice a month on average and I've never had a bad meal. I like heading down there alone and reading the paper while dining at the bar. Its delicious, greasy, friendly - and best of all, just three blocks away.
edited to add - I forgot about their Mexican breakfasts! Juevos rancheros and delicious breakfast burritos. Patch mentions in a comment that she wanted more spice in the chili - order a side of their hot hot chili sauce if you like spicy stuff and pour it on, that should do the trick!!
Food - (3.25)
Experience - (3.25)
Total - (3.25)
For an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!
For yelp reviews of Just for You, CLICK HERE!
Go there. Eat beignets.
yum,
Emilia
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Miraval: Putting the "Eat" back in Spa Retreat
Miraval Life in Balance, about one hour outside of Tuscon, is a very special place. The philosophy of the spa is mindfulness and learning how to live in the present moment. The grounds are beautiful and surrounded by desert. There are many lovely spa treatments you can get (Mom and I got one each daily, including a prickly pear sugar scrub, ayurvedic massage, dreamy creamsicle massage with vanilla oil and orange water, and manicures and pedicures, though there were many more on offer) and pools to bliss out by. There are also fabulous activities from seminars on bringing mindfulness into different areas of your life, to hiking, mountain biking (which I learned to do-- scary but so much fun!), all kinds of aerobics and conditioning classes, yoga, guided meditation, photography, trail riding, and more.
There are also the challenges, which are basically these wild outdoors challenge courses. I didn't think I would partake being a huge fraidy cat, but I ended up completing three of them-- the one where you climb up a 25 foot pole and jump off, the one where you traverse a wire 30 feet up, and the one where you are hoisted 40 feet up on a rope and have to let go and swing like a human pendulum, and it looks a little something like this:
Patch flies through the air with the greatest of ease!
All three challenges were crazy and taught me so much about myself and the way I approach other challenges in life, plus they left me with a new image of myself as this powerful, fearless woman. ROAR!
But, the point of this blog and therefore the topic of discussion today is the cuisine at Miraval. Unlike many other spas, Miraval does not make its guests diet or starve, two things in which I have no interest. In fact, this is one of the reasons I chose this particular spa while doing my research (and also, they are not dry). I did joke that we would all waste away, though, because the food, while delicious, is super healthy and shockingly low-calorie. How do I know? By every dish there is a little card giving you the calories, fat, protein, carbs and fiber along with the suggested serving size. The chefs do a fantastic job of making things that are colorful and tasty using little tricks to make them healthy. And deprivation is NOT on the menu.
Breakfast
There is a set breakfast menu at Miraval with about 6 entree choices each morning. My mom and I fell in love with the smoked salmon on a potato cake. It came with fresh tomatoes, capers and onion, and featured delicious salmon piled on a salty and hot potato hash-brown patty. All this at, if I recall correctly, under 200 calories. I also like the huevos rancheros, which came in under 100 calories. (Crazy, I know.) There is also a breakfast buffet which always has steel cut oatmeal (45 calories for half a cup, according to the card) and fresh fruit, along with egg entrees including a fabulous 150 calorie breakfast burrito in spinach wrap and buckwheat pancakes that were similarly non-fattening. Basically you could eat to your heart's content knowing it was nearly impossible to overdo it. A diet-conscious person's dream come true.
There was also strong, good coffee and other drinks you could order from the coffee/smoothie/juice bar, which also had delicious frozen yogurt. This bar stays open all day from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M., and all the coffee, wheat grass shots, juices and smoothies you could ever want are included in your stay.
Lunch
At lunch, two different entrees were on offer every day. One was usually a fish, and the other a vegetarian dish or a salad. On the first day, I had a chicken tostada that was FIFTY CALORIES (crazy low) and was actually delicious. From then on I often ordered the fish which included escarole, halibut and more. It was usually great. There was also the buffet which was always available. It usually had a different hot and a cold soup daily (the mango jalapeno cold soup was a favorite), baked sweet potatoes, bean salads, hot entrees such as turkey burgers, a sandwich bar, and a well-equipped salad bar, along with fruit and many tasty and disturbingly low-calorie desserts such as little brownies, tarts, and cookies (which, due to their healthy nature, were hit or miss). Also on offer was iced tea in mango green, china black, raspberry, or prickly pear. We tried them all and loved them. My favorite was mango green.
Dinner
Dinner was the best part of the cuisine, in my opinion. You sign up outside the smoothie bar every day for your time slot. Like the other meals, this could be taken in Miraval's air conditioned dining room or outside on a patio with a beautiful view of the desert mountains (where my mom and I literally sat every day of the trip, even with the periodic and stunning torrential thunderstorms-- Arizona has a monsoon season, who knew?). The dinner menu had around 5 First Plates including appetizers, soups and salads, and 5 Second Plates which featured a variety of entrees including one or two vegetarian options per night.
Many of these spas don't have alcohol, but Miraval does, which is wonderful. Before dinner, my mom and I would have some of the cheese and veggies that were put out each evening and sit at the bar with the sommelier, Warner Forth. Warner, who has been with Miraval basically since it opened over ten years ago, is incredibly knowledgeable about wine with passion to match, and a fantastic conversationalist. While we chatted, he would recommend one of Miraval's many very good wines by the glass depending on our mood. He also made a killer martini and a lemon drop to die for, his own special recipe, which he gave me permission to post here and is below. This was my favorite part of each evening.
Then we'd move on to our table where we might order a second glass of wine while we ate. Some of my favorite first plates included snow crab claws served with cocktail sauce in a martini glass, and prosciutto and goat cheese salad. The best entrees I had (though all were great) were pistachio-crusted lamb chops and a delicious venison with wine demi-glaze. As always, the calorie and nutrition stats for each dish appeared on the menu and as usual, they were shockingly low.
There was a set dessert list each night along with excellent herbal teas served in a beautiful personal-size cast iron kettle tea set. The desserts included a decent creme brulee, coconut sorbet, hazelnut roulade, and more, and occasional specials. Like some of the other things I ate at Miraval, I found these desserts just too healthy for me to really enjoy. For people who want something sweet and a large-ish portion, the dessert was perfect. I would rather have one bite of something "real" (a.k.a. bad for you) than a huge only-okay dessert any day, so I was not much impressed. (There were a couple of other dishes, too, that couldn't be made healthy without losing their goodness, such as the lobster bisque.) However, I was impressed by the commitment to keep things healthy.
Conclusion: Healthy Gourmet Achieved!
All in all, we were well-fed and well-fueled for each day's adventures. Lovely, leisurely and healthy meals were one of the many pleasures of being at Miraval. I can't wait to go back!!!
Warner's Lemon Drop
2 parts lemon vodka (i.e., Stoli Limon)
1 part Limoncello (an Italian lemon liqueur)
1 part fresh lemonade (fresh lemon juice and simple syrup)
Shake all ingredients together until very cold. Serve in sugar-rimmed martini glass with lemon twist garnish. Enjoy and be happy. (Thanks, Warner!)
:-P
PS: Another cool feature is that at every meal, you can ask for little cards to request recipes. The spa will mail them to you or email them, your choice. I have some recipes coming!
There are also the challenges, which are basically these wild outdoors challenge courses. I didn't think I would partake being a huge fraidy cat, but I ended up completing three of them-- the one where you climb up a 25 foot pole and jump off, the one where you traverse a wire 30 feet up, and the one where you are hoisted 40 feet up on a rope and have to let go and swing like a human pendulum, and it looks a little something like this:
Patch flies through the air with the greatest of ease!
All three challenges were crazy and taught me so much about myself and the way I approach other challenges in life, plus they left me with a new image of myself as this powerful, fearless woman. ROAR!
But, the point of this blog and therefore the topic of discussion today is the cuisine at Miraval. Unlike many other spas, Miraval does not make its guests diet or starve, two things in which I have no interest. In fact, this is one of the reasons I chose this particular spa while doing my research (and also, they are not dry). I did joke that we would all waste away, though, because the food, while delicious, is super healthy and shockingly low-calorie. How do I know? By every dish there is a little card giving you the calories, fat, protein, carbs and fiber along with the suggested serving size. The chefs do a fantastic job of making things that are colorful and tasty using little tricks to make them healthy. And deprivation is NOT on the menu.
Breakfast
There is a set breakfast menu at Miraval with about 6 entree choices each morning. My mom and I fell in love with the smoked salmon on a potato cake. It came with fresh tomatoes, capers and onion, and featured delicious salmon piled on a salty and hot potato hash-brown patty. All this at, if I recall correctly, under 200 calories. I also like the huevos rancheros, which came in under 100 calories. (Crazy, I know.) There is also a breakfast buffet which always has steel cut oatmeal (45 calories for half a cup, according to the card) and fresh fruit, along with egg entrees including a fabulous 150 calorie breakfast burrito in spinach wrap and buckwheat pancakes that were similarly non-fattening. Basically you could eat to your heart's content knowing it was nearly impossible to overdo it. A diet-conscious person's dream come true.
There was also strong, good coffee and other drinks you could order from the coffee/smoothie/juice bar, which also had delicious frozen yogurt. This bar stays open all day from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M., and all the coffee, wheat grass shots, juices and smoothies you could ever want are included in your stay.
Lunch
At lunch, two different entrees were on offer every day. One was usually a fish, and the other a vegetarian dish or a salad. On the first day, I had a chicken tostada that was FIFTY CALORIES (crazy low) and was actually delicious. From then on I often ordered the fish which included escarole, halibut and more. It was usually great. There was also the buffet which was always available. It usually had a different hot and a cold soup daily (the mango jalapeno cold soup was a favorite), baked sweet potatoes, bean salads, hot entrees such as turkey burgers, a sandwich bar, and a well-equipped salad bar, along with fruit and many tasty and disturbingly low-calorie desserts such as little brownies, tarts, and cookies (which, due to their healthy nature, were hit or miss). Also on offer was iced tea in mango green, china black, raspberry, or prickly pear. We tried them all and loved them. My favorite was mango green.
Dinner
Dinner was the best part of the cuisine, in my opinion. You sign up outside the smoothie bar every day for your time slot. Like the other meals, this could be taken in Miraval's air conditioned dining room or outside on a patio with a beautiful view of the desert mountains (where my mom and I literally sat every day of the trip, even with the periodic and stunning torrential thunderstorms-- Arizona has a monsoon season, who knew?). The dinner menu had around 5 First Plates including appetizers, soups and salads, and 5 Second Plates which featured a variety of entrees including one or two vegetarian options per night.
Many of these spas don't have alcohol, but Miraval does, which is wonderful. Before dinner, my mom and I would have some of the cheese and veggies that were put out each evening and sit at the bar with the sommelier, Warner Forth. Warner, who has been with Miraval basically since it opened over ten years ago, is incredibly knowledgeable about wine with passion to match, and a fantastic conversationalist. While we chatted, he would recommend one of Miraval's many very good wines by the glass depending on our mood. He also made a killer martini and a lemon drop to die for, his own special recipe, which he gave me permission to post here and is below. This was my favorite part of each evening.
Then we'd move on to our table where we might order a second glass of wine while we ate. Some of my favorite first plates included snow crab claws served with cocktail sauce in a martini glass, and prosciutto and goat cheese salad. The best entrees I had (though all were great) were pistachio-crusted lamb chops and a delicious venison with wine demi-glaze. As always, the calorie and nutrition stats for each dish appeared on the menu and as usual, they were shockingly low.
There was a set dessert list each night along with excellent herbal teas served in a beautiful personal-size cast iron kettle tea set. The desserts included a decent creme brulee, coconut sorbet, hazelnut roulade, and more, and occasional specials. Like some of the other things I ate at Miraval, I found these desserts just too healthy for me to really enjoy. For people who want something sweet and a large-ish portion, the dessert was perfect. I would rather have one bite of something "real" (a.k.a. bad for you) than a huge only-okay dessert any day, so I was not much impressed. (There were a couple of other dishes, too, that couldn't be made healthy without losing their goodness, such as the lobster bisque.) However, I was impressed by the commitment to keep things healthy.
Conclusion: Healthy Gourmet Achieved!
All in all, we were well-fed and well-fueled for each day's adventures. Lovely, leisurely and healthy meals were one of the many pleasures of being at Miraval. I can't wait to go back!!!
Warner's Lemon Drop
2 parts lemon vodka (i.e., Stoli Limon)
1 part Limoncello (an Italian lemon liqueur)
1 part fresh lemonade (fresh lemon juice and simple syrup)
Shake all ingredients together until very cold. Serve in sugar-rimmed martini glass with lemon twist garnish. Enjoy and be happy. (Thanks, Warner!)
:-P
PS: Another cool feature is that at every meal, you can ask for little cards to request recipes. The spa will mail them to you or email them, your choice. I have some recipes coming!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Back from Vacay- to El Maguey!
I'm back from vacay! It was wonderful and restorative, and I'm ready to get back to work and to posting on the lovely blog with new vim and vigor.
After our amazing spa trip at Miraval (whose scarily healthful and tasty food I will write about soon), my mom and I decided to use our time in L.A. for a day trip to Mission San Juan Capistrano, South of L.A. The mission was wonderful and the little town was adorable, too. Lots of little shops and fun historic buildings. I would highly recommend visiting this beautiful and peaceful place.
For lunch, we felt for Mexican, and one of the ladies at the mission recommended that we skip the impressive-looking but touristy place we had found in the AAA guide and go to El Maguey instead.
El Maguey is in a little white building with a patio in front and has a separate take-out section. The inside has cozy booths and cute but simple Mexican decor, plus Latin music videos playing silently on a TV. The menu had a mix of combo platters (combinations of tamales, chile relleno, enchilada, taco, etc.) and house specialties. I ordered the enchiladas en mole, since I love mole and having slaved away to make it a couple of times really appreciate a good one. My mom ordered Mary's tacos, which are tacos al pastor (pork) and with beef, with some green peppers and mushrooms, in corn tortillas. Both dishes were served with Spanish rice and refried beans. We also ordered two of their margaritas, which are made with wine.
Chips and salsa came first. The chips seemed homemade and were really greasy, crunchy and good. The tomato salsa was hot and really tasty. The wine margaritas were also really refreshing and nice. I asked for the recipe but the waitress said they get it pre-made. I imagine it had cheap white wine and lemonade, something like that. With a salt rim of course, on the rocks. It was really good, I will probably try to recreate it sometime.
The dishes were HUGE. (Next time, we will share.) My enchiladas, one chicken one cheese, were delicious. The cheese one had tons of stringy cheese that choked me in a good way. The chicken was well seasoned and tender. The mole sauce was very good and flavorful, though it was a bit sweet for my taste. My mom's dish was very good also, though it was not spicy in the least which the waitress had warned her it was.
The rice and beans were fabulous. FABULOUS! I would bet dollars to donuts they use manteca in the beans and it tastes just right. The rice was fluffy and pleasing. I would go back just for these. These are a few of my favorite thiiiiings.
They also had churros which looked yummy, but we had no room left, alas! And a shockingly large selection of La Michoacana popsicles and ice cream bars, too. Next time I am in SJC perhaps when I have other visitors in town, I would definitely return to El Maguey. It was homey, simple food, no tricks, and not touristy or Tex-Mexy. My dad is Mexican and I grew up traveling and eating homemade food all over Mexico, so I have had some good stuff, but I am not an expert and can't say authoritatively how "authentic" the food was. However, my opinion is that it was quite authentic indeed. All in all, the service was warm and friendly and the food yummy in my tummy, making El Maguey a solid choice I would recommend.
Food: (3)
Experience: (3)
Overall: (3)
For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!
:-P
After our amazing spa trip at Miraval (whose scarily healthful and tasty food I will write about soon), my mom and I decided to use our time in L.A. for a day trip to Mission San Juan Capistrano, South of L.A. The mission was wonderful and the little town was adorable, too. Lots of little shops and fun historic buildings. I would highly recommend visiting this beautiful and peaceful place.
For lunch, we felt for Mexican, and one of the ladies at the mission recommended that we skip the impressive-looking but touristy place we had found in the AAA guide and go to El Maguey instead.
El Maguey is in a little white building with a patio in front and has a separate take-out section. The inside has cozy booths and cute but simple Mexican decor, plus Latin music videos playing silently on a TV. The menu had a mix of combo platters (combinations of tamales, chile relleno, enchilada, taco, etc.) and house specialties. I ordered the enchiladas en mole, since I love mole and having slaved away to make it a couple of times really appreciate a good one. My mom ordered Mary's tacos, which are tacos al pastor (pork) and with beef, with some green peppers and mushrooms, in corn tortillas. Both dishes were served with Spanish rice and refried beans. We also ordered two of their margaritas, which are made with wine.
Chips and salsa came first. The chips seemed homemade and were really greasy, crunchy and good. The tomato salsa was hot and really tasty. The wine margaritas were also really refreshing and nice. I asked for the recipe but the waitress said they get it pre-made. I imagine it had cheap white wine and lemonade, something like that. With a salt rim of course, on the rocks. It was really good, I will probably try to recreate it sometime.
The dishes were HUGE. (Next time, we will share.) My enchiladas, one chicken one cheese, were delicious. The cheese one had tons of stringy cheese that choked me in a good way. The chicken was well seasoned and tender. The mole sauce was very good and flavorful, though it was a bit sweet for my taste. My mom's dish was very good also, though it was not spicy in the least which the waitress had warned her it was.
The rice and beans were fabulous. FABULOUS! I would bet dollars to donuts they use manteca in the beans and it tastes just right. The rice was fluffy and pleasing. I would go back just for these. These are a few of my favorite thiiiiings.
They also had churros which looked yummy, but we had no room left, alas! And a shockingly large selection of La Michoacana popsicles and ice cream bars, too. Next time I am in SJC perhaps when I have other visitors in town, I would definitely return to El Maguey. It was homey, simple food, no tricks, and not touristy or Tex-Mexy. My dad is Mexican and I grew up traveling and eating homemade food all over Mexico, so I have had some good stuff, but I am not an expert and can't say authoritatively how "authentic" the food was. However, my opinion is that it was quite authentic indeed. All in all, the service was warm and friendly and the food yummy in my tummy, making El Maguey a solid choice I would recommend.
Food: (3)
Experience: (3)
Overall: (3)
For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!
:-P
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Nuts about Betelnut
Recently, a girlfriend of mine took the California bar exam. Remembering how that felt for me last summer (and because of a computer error, again in March!!) I decided I would take her out for a nice celebrator dinner. I thought long and hard about the kind of restaurant that would be perfect for a celebration....and came up with Betelnut.
Betelnut is in the Marina district of SF. This is an area I don't frequent as often as, say, the Mission. This is partly because it is so far away, and partly because the scene there isn't so much my style. But there are a couple of good restaurants there, and Betelnut is one of them.
The theme of the place is sort of polynesian/asian fusion. They have a long bar menu of very fruity drinks with umbrellas in them. I started withe a Sake Colada - which tasted like a pina colada, only lighter. It was surprisingly refreshing and REALLY tasty. My friend L. had a Mai Tai, which came in a little barrel. I tasted it and it was very fruity and fit the CELEBRATION theme of the evening.
Then we moved on to food - SO much food, and it was really good. We started off with the pork springrolls with wood ear mushrooms, glass noodles, and szechuan mustard. The dipping sauce was nice and spicy, and the springrolls were hot, crispy, with delicious hearty filling. They were a great way to start the meal.
Next we moved on to a green salad with oranges and nuts, and an asian dressing. Simple but good, a nice contrast to the spicy spring rolls.
For our main course, we had ribeye steak, which was served sizzling hot on an iron plate with spring onions and roasted garlic. The sauce on top of the steak was REALLY good - lots of flavor, and it caramelized into the hot place. With that we ordered a side of jasmine rice, which was a little undercooked, and the delicious szechuan green beans served with fried garlic and soy sauce and all sorts of delicious things. The steak was tender and REALLY delicious, though I wish they had brought us a spoon to help us with the sauce.
Other times at Betelenut I remember having the korean charbroiled pork with scallion pepper sauce. It was sort of a misnomer, because it was actually shredded/cubed and served in lettuce cups, which it doesn't say anything about on the menu. There is another chicken lettuce cup dish on the appetizer menu, but that is clearly marked.
In general the food at betelnut is REALLY good. I do find it a bit on the salty side, and I really like salt, so I always have to drink about a gallon of water when I get home. The one other complaint I have about the place is that both times I've made a reservation there I had to wait even though I got there right on time. Then this last time, though we had a reservation, we were seated at a tiny table near the bar and the door, and right next to a couple with a baby. The tables are REALLY close together and the baby was just crawling around on the benches so it was slightly unpleasant (I have nothing against babies, but we were trying to celebrate here!). When I asked about another table they said it would be at least a 15 minute wait - go figure. Also the bar area is poorly laid out and you end up constantly standing in someones way.
All in all its a great place for some asiany fusiony food. If you are relaxed and carefree about the semi-annoying service issues, then it is the perfect place for a mai tai in celebration of....whatever!!!
Food: (3.5)3.5 -
Experience: (3)3 -
Total: (3.25)3.25 -
For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!
For yelp reviews of Betelnut, CLICK HERE!
I'm nuts about it!
Emilia
Betelnut is in the Marina district of SF. This is an area I don't frequent as often as, say, the Mission. This is partly because it is so far away, and partly because the scene there isn't so much my style. But there are a couple of good restaurants there, and Betelnut is one of them.
The theme of the place is sort of polynesian/asian fusion. They have a long bar menu of very fruity drinks with umbrellas in them. I started withe a Sake Colada - which tasted like a pina colada, only lighter. It was surprisingly refreshing and REALLY tasty. My friend L. had a Mai Tai, which came in a little barrel. I tasted it and it was very fruity and fit the CELEBRATION theme of the evening.
Then we moved on to food - SO much food, and it was really good. We started off with the pork springrolls with wood ear mushrooms, glass noodles, and szechuan mustard. The dipping sauce was nice and spicy, and the springrolls were hot, crispy, with delicious hearty filling. They were a great way to start the meal.
Next we moved on to a green salad with oranges and nuts, and an asian dressing. Simple but good, a nice contrast to the spicy spring rolls.
For our main course, we had ribeye steak, which was served sizzling hot on an iron plate with spring onions and roasted garlic. The sauce on top of the steak was REALLY good - lots of flavor, and it caramelized into the hot place. With that we ordered a side of jasmine rice, which was a little undercooked, and the delicious szechuan green beans served with fried garlic and soy sauce and all sorts of delicious things. The steak was tender and REALLY delicious, though I wish they had brought us a spoon to help us with the sauce.
Other times at Betelenut I remember having the korean charbroiled pork with scallion pepper sauce. It was sort of a misnomer, because it was actually shredded/cubed and served in lettuce cups, which it doesn't say anything about on the menu. There is another chicken lettuce cup dish on the appetizer menu, but that is clearly marked.
In general the food at betelnut is REALLY good. I do find it a bit on the salty side, and I really like salt, so I always have to drink about a gallon of water when I get home. The one other complaint I have about the place is that both times I've made a reservation there I had to wait even though I got there right on time. Then this last time, though we had a reservation, we were seated at a tiny table near the bar and the door, and right next to a couple with a baby. The tables are REALLY close together and the baby was just crawling around on the benches so it was slightly unpleasant (I have nothing against babies, but we were trying to celebrate here!). When I asked about another table they said it would be at least a 15 minute wait - go figure. Also the bar area is poorly laid out and you end up constantly standing in someones way.
All in all its a great place for some asiany fusiony food. If you are relaxed and carefree about the semi-annoying service issues, then it is the perfect place for a mai tai in celebration of....whatever!!!
Food: (3.5)3.5 -
Experience: (3)3 -
Total: (3.25)3.25 -
For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!
For yelp reviews of Betelnut, CLICK HERE!
I'm nuts about it!
Emilia
Monday, August 6, 2007
Longboard Lager, by Kona Brewing Co.
I am a beer lover. Have been ever since I snuck my first sip of Coors Light at the age of God knows but I was still speaking French so you do the math.
One of my favorite things is beer tasting. Whenever I go to a brewpub that has a beer sampler, I'm there! While in Palo Alto, I often partook in the flight at Gordon Biersch. These things are great because they are both enjoyable (like channel surfing for the taste buds) and educational. See, America, this is what our schools need! Kidding, kidding.
But seriously, folks, whenever I see an interesting beer that I haven't tried at the market, I grab a six pack and put my highly scientific beer palate to work. It's very hard work, I know, but somebody has to do it.
Image: www.maletis.com/products.html
One of my clients is Hawaiian, so lately I've lately been on a Hawaii kick which has included trying to learn all the islands and capitals of Hawai'i (the map is on my PC desktop, as I am employing the world-map-shower-curtain theory of geography memorization) and also writing it properly with an apostrophe. So of course when I saw Kona Longboard Island Lager on the shelf at Albertson's while shopping for tomatoes, I decided to give it a gander.
The friendly people at Kona Brewing Company, which by the way, totally sounds like my kind of place, say: "Longboard Lager is a smooth refreshing lager fermented and aged for five weeks at cold temperatures to yield its exceptionally smooth flavor. A delicate, slightly spicy hop aroma complements the malty body of this beer."
I agree that this is a very smooth and easy to drink lager, with a nice golden-yellow color. It is mildly hoppy in a pleasant way and has a slightly sweet, nutty and light flavor. The beer is really nice poured cold in a glass with a snack of cheese or just on its own. It is both yummy and refreshing, and also has a cool label with a Hawaiian beach scene on it. This would be a good choice for when you feel for a more mellow beer, as drinking it is not such an event.
All in all, I recommend the beer. If you see it and are intrigued, and in the market for a really easy drinking brew with some distinctive flavor going on, too, say Aloha to Kona Longboard Lager! I will definitely keep my eyes out for Kona Brew Co.'s other varieties, which look intriguing. If you have tried them, leave us a comment!
:-P Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
One of my favorite things is beer tasting. Whenever I go to a brewpub that has a beer sampler, I'm there! While in Palo Alto, I often partook in the flight at Gordon Biersch. These things are great because they are both enjoyable (like channel surfing for the taste buds) and educational. See, America, this is what our schools need! Kidding, kidding.
But seriously, folks, whenever I see an interesting beer that I haven't tried at the market, I grab a six pack and put my highly scientific beer palate to work. It's very hard work, I know, but somebody has to do it.
Image: www.maletis.com/products.html
One of my clients is Hawaiian, so lately I've lately been on a Hawaii kick which has included trying to learn all the islands and capitals of Hawai'i (the map is on my PC desktop, as I am employing the world-map-shower-curtain theory of geography memorization) and also writing it properly with an apostrophe. So of course when I saw Kona Longboard Island Lager on the shelf at Albertson's while shopping for tomatoes, I decided to give it a gander.
The friendly people at Kona Brewing Company, which by the way, totally sounds like my kind of place, say: "Longboard Lager is a smooth refreshing lager fermented and aged for five weeks at cold temperatures to yield its exceptionally smooth flavor. A delicate, slightly spicy hop aroma complements the malty body of this beer."
I agree that this is a very smooth and easy to drink lager, with a nice golden-yellow color. It is mildly hoppy in a pleasant way and has a slightly sweet, nutty and light flavor. The beer is really nice poured cold in a glass with a snack of cheese or just on its own. It is both yummy and refreshing, and also has a cool label with a Hawaiian beach scene on it. This would be a good choice for when you feel for a more mellow beer, as drinking it is not such an event.
All in all, I recommend the beer. If you see it and are intrigued, and in the market for a really easy drinking brew with some distinctive flavor going on, too, say Aloha to Kona Longboard Lager! I will definitely keep my eyes out for Kona Brew Co.'s other varieties, which look intriguing. If you have tried them, leave us a comment!
:-P Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Ici, Uci, We Allci.......Great ice cream in Berkeley, at ICI.
A few weeks ago I was in Berkeley having dinner with my mother, aunt, and cousin. After dinner my aunt insisted that we head over to Ici, a relatively new ice cream shop right on college ave. My cousin and I were hesitant, as we both wanted to get back to the city, and there was a line out the freakin door for this place. LONG LINE. But, ice cream did sound good, and I had read about this place in daily candy, so we waited.
It was definitely worth the wait. Ici is housed in a small but stylish shop - the line was long because there was nowhere to stand inside. The service was good - people came from behind the counters to take orders and make the line go faster. You could also see people making ice cream in the back, which was fun. They had a great display case showing a few scoops of each ice cream, plus their ice cream sandwiches and cakes (they call them bombs). They also sell some cookies and things on the counter.
Ici prides themselves on using local ingredients to create their flavors. On the day that I was there, they had orange creamsicle, malted chocolate chip, basil, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, and a couple of other strange flavors that I can't remember at this time. Oh, cherry - some really good cherry ice cream. I had a little taste of each of those and they were all good, but I settled on the malted chocolate chip. It was served in one of their hand rolled waffle cones - the smell of these things wafts out onto the street outside the restaurant. The cones have a little bit of melty chocolate in the bottom - yum, yum, yum. I thought the servings were good sized - I just had a kids scoop, which is one scoop. A small is two scoops, and so on. It was a nice sized scoop, much more and I wouldn't have finished it. The ice cream itself was deeeelicious - creamy, rich tasting, with these little chunks of malted chocolate all throughout it. The orange creamsicle was also really refreshing - that is one delicious flavor combination. If I had brought a cooler I would have taken home some ice cream, and I definitely want to go back and try a sandwich (they were pretty much out by the time we got there).
I'm not going to rate ici like we do our regular restaurants - but I will say that it was great ice cream, and not too expensive. Perfect to eat as you stroll past the shops on college. Go there, get ici-ed.
For yelp reviews of Ici, CLICK HERE!
Emilia
It was definitely worth the wait. Ici is housed in a small but stylish shop - the line was long because there was nowhere to stand inside. The service was good - people came from behind the counters to take orders and make the line go faster. You could also see people making ice cream in the back, which was fun. They had a great display case showing a few scoops of each ice cream, plus their ice cream sandwiches and cakes (they call them bombs). They also sell some cookies and things on the counter.
Ici prides themselves on using local ingredients to create their flavors. On the day that I was there, they had orange creamsicle, malted chocolate chip, basil, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, and a couple of other strange flavors that I can't remember at this time. Oh, cherry - some really good cherry ice cream. I had a little taste of each of those and they were all good, but I settled on the malted chocolate chip. It was served in one of their hand rolled waffle cones - the smell of these things wafts out onto the street outside the restaurant. The cones have a little bit of melty chocolate in the bottom - yum, yum, yum. I thought the servings were good sized - I just had a kids scoop, which is one scoop. A small is two scoops, and so on. It was a nice sized scoop, much more and I wouldn't have finished it. The ice cream itself was deeeelicious - creamy, rich tasting, with these little chunks of malted chocolate all throughout it. The orange creamsicle was also really refreshing - that is one delicious flavor combination. If I had brought a cooler I would have taken home some ice cream, and I definitely want to go back and try a sandwich (they were pretty much out by the time we got there).
I'm not going to rate ici like we do our regular restaurants - but I will say that it was great ice cream, and not too expensive. Perfect to eat as you stroll past the shops on college. Go there, get ici-ed.
For yelp reviews of Ici, CLICK HERE!
Emilia
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Starbucks Sandwiches
I like Starbucks, I'm not afraid to say it. That's right, you too-cool-for-school Starbucks haters, hear me roar! So that being said, I shall soldier onward...
"RAAAAAAAR!"
Image: Wikipedia.com
When it comes to most of the food at Starbucks, my motto is "Look, but don't touch." The pastries are notoriously high calorie and full of sugar and/or fat. Sure, I'll have the occasional treat (like the other day when Emilia and I indulged in their delicious chocolate cake doughnut. We had to get our energy up for a 4 mile hike!) but for an everyday snack, I usually look elsewhere.
However, Em and I recently noticed that Starbucks has started carrying a whole new line of fresher and healthier snack alternatives, including fresh fruit, various little salads, and SANDWICHES.
I must preface this by saying that for years I would answer the "What is your favorite food?" question with "Anything between two pieces of bread." I loooove me some sandwiches. Emilia does, too. They're my snack of choice and I'll eat them for any meal, though they have become first runner up to Miss Sushi since my recent trip to Japan. But rather than wax poetic about sandwiches here, I would like to spread the good word about two very decent and quite healthy sandwiches Emilia and I have been enjoying at the Bucks. (By the way, they don't talk about these sandwiches on their website, so we're not bothering to link to it, although you can check your Starbucks Card balance and stuff on there which is cool.)
In this corner...TURKEY FOCACCIA*: This sandwich, which features turkey, aioli, and roasted red peppers on focaccia bread, weighs in at 330 calories, which makes it perfect for a light lunch. It's great if you are craving a mayo-ey, basic turkey sandwich. The cheese is missed, but that's the price you pay for so few calories. I found the sandwich tasty and simple. The size is a bit on the small side, but it was filling enough. *: might not be its real name. Witness protection program?
And in this corner...LOW FAT TURKEY & ARTICHOKE. This sandwich, which is a bit larger than the previous one, contains "Hickory-smoked turkey breast with our mild tapenade of artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and herbs, topped with red bell pepper and spinach on Ciabatta." What you get is a dry-ish flour dusted Ciabatta, a decent sized stack of salty turkey cold cuts, and a very little bit of the other ingredients, making it a fair, plain turkey sandwich. However, at 190 calories, it is a real fast food find for those of us consciously looking out for our girlish figures, and makes a great snack. I just had one after running around on a busy day at the office and realizing I was starving and, oh look, 3 P.M. already! It filled me right up, did the job, and did not break the calorie bank.
For taste, I prefer the Turkey Focaccia because the aioli makes the sandwich moister and more flavorful. The Low Fat Turkey & Artichoke's advantage is clearly its low calorie content. Either one is a perfectly acceptable option for mid-day hunger. Neither is the best sandwich you've ever had, but as far as grabbing a quick bite to go, these humble fighters are pretty darn good. You can grab one on your coffee run and feel good that you made a good, healthy choice in the same three minutes that you grabbed your daily Jones.
E pluribus sandwich!
:-P
"RAAAAAAAR!"Image: Wikipedia.com
When it comes to most of the food at Starbucks, my motto is "Look, but don't touch." The pastries are notoriously high calorie and full of sugar and/or fat. Sure, I'll have the occasional treat (like the other day when Emilia and I indulged in their delicious chocolate cake doughnut. We had to get our energy up for a 4 mile hike!) but for an everyday snack, I usually look elsewhere.
However, Em and I recently noticed that Starbucks has started carrying a whole new line of fresher and healthier snack alternatives, including fresh fruit, various little salads, and SANDWICHES.
I must preface this by saying that for years I would answer the "What is your favorite food?" question with "Anything between two pieces of bread." I loooove me some sandwiches. Emilia does, too. They're my snack of choice and I'll eat them for any meal, though they have become first runner up to Miss Sushi since my recent trip to Japan. But rather than wax poetic about sandwiches here, I would like to spread the good word about two very decent and quite healthy sandwiches Emilia and I have been enjoying at the Bucks. (By the way, they don't talk about these sandwiches on their website, so we're not bothering to link to it, although you can check your Starbucks Card balance and stuff on there which is cool.)
In this corner...TURKEY FOCACCIA*: This sandwich, which features turkey, aioli, and roasted red peppers on focaccia bread, weighs in at 330 calories, which makes it perfect for a light lunch. It's great if you are craving a mayo-ey, basic turkey sandwich. The cheese is missed, but that's the price you pay for so few calories. I found the sandwich tasty and simple. The size is a bit on the small side, but it was filling enough. *: might not be its real name. Witness protection program?
And in this corner...LOW FAT TURKEY & ARTICHOKE. This sandwich, which is a bit larger than the previous one, contains "Hickory-smoked turkey breast with our mild tapenade of artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and herbs, topped with red bell pepper and spinach on Ciabatta." What you get is a dry-ish flour dusted Ciabatta, a decent sized stack of salty turkey cold cuts, and a very little bit of the other ingredients, making it a fair, plain turkey sandwich. However, at 190 calories, it is a real fast food find for those of us consciously looking out for our girlish figures, and makes a great snack. I just had one after running around on a busy day at the office and realizing I was starving and, oh look, 3 P.M. already! It filled me right up, did the job, and did not break the calorie bank.
For taste, I prefer the Turkey Focaccia because the aioli makes the sandwich moister and more flavorful. The Low Fat Turkey & Artichoke's advantage is clearly its low calorie content. Either one is a perfectly acceptable option for mid-day hunger. Neither is the best sandwich you've ever had, but as far as grabbing a quick bite to go, these humble fighters are pretty darn good. You can grab one on your coffee run and feel good that you made a good, healthy choice in the same three minutes that you grabbed your daily Jones.
E pluribus sandwich!
:-P
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Play Ball! Food at AT&T Park
Anyone who knows me at all knows that I am a huge, huge baseball fan. Specifically, I am an SF Giants Fan. I'm a season ticket holder and I've been going to games at AT&T Park (formerly known as SBC park, formerly known as PacBell Park) since it opened. Being a foodie, I have also had the pleasure of sampling every type of food offered in the park over the years, except for the sushi because that just seems ridiculous, and any fake meat products, because why eat fake meat when there is perfectly good real meat to consume. Here are some of my favorite foods in the ballpark.
Club Level
I'll write about this first to get it out of the way. The food in club level seating is much better than the food elsewhere in the park. However the tickets are also more expensive. If you get a chance to sit here, definitely come hungry. The burgers and hotdogs and sausages are better quality, hotter, and more nicely prepared up here. Fries are fresher. All of that stuff. Some of the highlights of club level that you can't find elsewhere are fancy pizzas, really good panninis, corned beef sandwiches, DELICIOUS strawberry shortcakes, and sometimes they have really yummy perfect little sliders at the main grill area. When my parents are in town we generally get club seats. However my seats are with the real fans, in view reserve....
Third Level - View Reserve
I sit in section 310, which is really prime location for food. Right outside of my seats is a stand with the amazing gilroy garlic fries. These are thick-cut french fries, smothered in chopped garlic, salt, and parsley. In my case, also ketchup. These babies are so, so good. Sometimes all I eat are garlic fries. Because they also sort of make you feel sick....but its worth it, believe me. If you like garlic, you will love these. I'm obsessed with french fries, so these are perfect for me.
Outside of my seats are also various hot dog stands. I usually go for a normal polish sausage, which are really good here - more flavorful than your average dog. Sometimes, especially when my dad is around, we get a Sheboygan bratwurst - really delicious, HUGE in a giant bun, with tons of grilled peppers, onions, and sauerkraut. These are sold in a stand, not at one of the normal food locations. They are GOOD! You can also get grilled homerun dogs at this stand.
Close by is a Compadres mexican food stand, another one of my favorites. You can get a burrito, taco salad, or two huge tacos full of yummy spicy beef, cheese, cabbage, and salsa, in crispy shells. These are great on days when I've been to a few games in a row and I'm sick of hot dogs (it is possible to get sick of hot dogs). Speaking of hot dogs, there are also stands that sell various other kinds of sausages - italian, lemon chicken, etc.
Also on the third level, you can get your average nachos, pizza, pretzels, and normal ballgame snacks. At the other end from my seats is a fry bread stand, another one of my favorites. They have various funnel cakes and indian fry breads with toppings - SO delicious. Lastly, on the third level you can get the delicious Ghirrardelli ice cream sundaes. It used to be these were only sold on the third level, though now you can find them at field level also. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream are topped with a ladle of chocolate sauce, whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry of course. View reserve has some good food.
Field Level
There are a few things at field level that you cannot get at view reserve - just stop there on your way up to the top. One is the emerald roasted cinnamon nuts - I think you can get these upstairs at view now, but they are fresher down here. Almonds or walnuts, roasted and toasted with cinnamon and sugar. Nuts are good for you, right?
Also there are a few specialty stands down here. There is a fish and chips place, which is actually pretty good. Also North Beach Restaurant has a stand with 40 cloves of garlic chicken sandwiches, and some other yummy italian goodies. I believe there are also a few safeway deli sandwich locations down here - there might be one upstairs as well. Just sort of a normal deli sandwich, but tasty. Another thing down here (and I believe there is one of these upstairs too) is a stand that sells chili and clam chowder in big bread bowl. This is hard to eat at baseball games, I wouldn't exactly recommend it. But if you are in the mood go for it!
Center Field Pavillion
Out behind center field is a plethora of different food options. One of my favorites is the Orlando Cepeda Cha Cha Bowl. Yummy rice served with jerk chicken and a really good mango salsa. Another good option if you are sick of the basic ballpark food. Up here there is also stand that sells crab and shrimp cocktail, crab and shrimp poboys, fried fish, and calamari. There are some nice tables up here too, you can sit and relax and look out at the boats.
Below the Pavilion
Down below the pavilion used to be the only place to get the indian fry bread - now that is all over the park. But it IS the only place for one of my favorite foods - slow cooked bbq pulled pork and brisket sandwiches, with extra sauce on the side. Sometimes its hard to find your way down here, but if you are in the mood I would suggest it. These are great!
Other food and drink finds
Other foods that you can find randomly all over the park that I really enjoy - the fresh squeezed lemonade, huge delicious bags of kettlecorn, big bags of popcorn with real butter, peanuts/crackerjacks, small pink bags of cotton candy (not the multicolored stuff), and beers of course! If you come up to a counter and they have a beer you aren't fond of, don't despair. Basically, every single food counter sells a different beer. In addition there are liquor carts with different beers, margaritas, and wine all over the place. I've seen everything from pabst, to coors light, to Stella (yum!). Just walk around for a minute and you will find something you like.
Things to Avoid
The churros are atrocious. Don't waste your money. They are cold and just not worth eating. Really, that is the only bad thing I have ever consumed at this ball park.
All in all, AT&T is a great place to eat. There are tons of food options, the weather is great, the park is gorgeous, and you can see Barry Bonds hit some home runs (love him or hate him, he is fun to watch.) Come on out to the park and enjoy some.....food. And baseball too.
bye bye baby!
Emilia
Club Level
I'll write about this first to get it out of the way. The food in club level seating is much better than the food elsewhere in the park. However the tickets are also more expensive. If you get a chance to sit here, definitely come hungry. The burgers and hotdogs and sausages are better quality, hotter, and more nicely prepared up here. Fries are fresher. All of that stuff. Some of the highlights of club level that you can't find elsewhere are fancy pizzas, really good panninis, corned beef sandwiches, DELICIOUS strawberry shortcakes, and sometimes they have really yummy perfect little sliders at the main grill area. When my parents are in town we generally get club seats. However my seats are with the real fans, in view reserve....
Third Level - View Reserve
I sit in section 310, which is really prime location for food. Right outside of my seats is a stand with the amazing gilroy garlic fries. These are thick-cut french fries, smothered in chopped garlic, salt, and parsley. In my case, also ketchup. These babies are so, so good. Sometimes all I eat are garlic fries. Because they also sort of make you feel sick....but its worth it, believe me. If you like garlic, you will love these. I'm obsessed with french fries, so these are perfect for me.
Outside of my seats are also various hot dog stands. I usually go for a normal polish sausage, which are really good here - more flavorful than your average dog. Sometimes, especially when my dad is around, we get a Sheboygan bratwurst - really delicious, HUGE in a giant bun, with tons of grilled peppers, onions, and sauerkraut. These are sold in a stand, not at one of the normal food locations. They are GOOD! You can also get grilled homerun dogs at this stand.
Close by is a Compadres mexican food stand, another one of my favorites. You can get a burrito, taco salad, or two huge tacos full of yummy spicy beef, cheese, cabbage, and salsa, in crispy shells. These are great on days when I've been to a few games in a row and I'm sick of hot dogs (it is possible to get sick of hot dogs). Speaking of hot dogs, there are also stands that sell various other kinds of sausages - italian, lemon chicken, etc.
Also on the third level, you can get your average nachos, pizza, pretzels, and normal ballgame snacks. At the other end from my seats is a fry bread stand, another one of my favorites. They have various funnel cakes and indian fry breads with toppings - SO delicious. Lastly, on the third level you can get the delicious Ghirrardelli ice cream sundaes. It used to be these were only sold on the third level, though now you can find them at field level also. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream are topped with a ladle of chocolate sauce, whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry of course. View reserve has some good food.
Field Level
There are a few things at field level that you cannot get at view reserve - just stop there on your way up to the top. One is the emerald roasted cinnamon nuts - I think you can get these upstairs at view now, but they are fresher down here. Almonds or walnuts, roasted and toasted with cinnamon and sugar. Nuts are good for you, right?
Also there are a few specialty stands down here. There is a fish and chips place, which is actually pretty good. Also North Beach Restaurant has a stand with 40 cloves of garlic chicken sandwiches, and some other yummy italian goodies. I believe there are also a few safeway deli sandwich locations down here - there might be one upstairs as well. Just sort of a normal deli sandwich, but tasty. Another thing down here (and I believe there is one of these upstairs too) is a stand that sells chili and clam chowder in big bread bowl. This is hard to eat at baseball games, I wouldn't exactly recommend it. But if you are in the mood go for it!
Center Field Pavillion
Out behind center field is a plethora of different food options. One of my favorites is the Orlando Cepeda Cha Cha Bowl. Yummy rice served with jerk chicken and a really good mango salsa. Another good option if you are sick of the basic ballpark food. Up here there is also stand that sells crab and shrimp cocktail, crab and shrimp poboys, fried fish, and calamari. There are some nice tables up here too, you can sit and relax and look out at the boats.
Below the Pavilion
Down below the pavilion used to be the only place to get the indian fry bread - now that is all over the park. But it IS the only place for one of my favorite foods - slow cooked bbq pulled pork and brisket sandwiches, with extra sauce on the side. Sometimes its hard to find your way down here, but if you are in the mood I would suggest it. These are great!
Other food and drink finds
Other foods that you can find randomly all over the park that I really enjoy - the fresh squeezed lemonade, huge delicious bags of kettlecorn, big bags of popcorn with real butter, peanuts/crackerjacks, small pink bags of cotton candy (not the multicolored stuff), and beers of course! If you come up to a counter and they have a beer you aren't fond of, don't despair. Basically, every single food counter sells a different beer. In addition there are liquor carts with different beers, margaritas, and wine all over the place. I've seen everything from pabst, to coors light, to Stella (yum!). Just walk around for a minute and you will find something you like.
Things to Avoid
The churros are atrocious. Don't waste your money. They are cold and just not worth eating. Really, that is the only bad thing I have ever consumed at this ball park.
All in all, AT&T is a great place to eat. There are tons of food options, the weather is great, the park is gorgeous, and you can see Barry Bonds hit some home runs (love him or hate him, he is fun to watch.) Come on out to the park and enjoy some.....food. And baseball too.
bye bye baby!
Emilia
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