Lawyer.Eats

Long Time, No Lawyer.Eats

2008-07-31T14:31:00.001-07:00

Hello out there-- if there is anyone still out there! And thanks to the many of you who ask, even now, when a new post is coming.

Em and I were just discussing Lawyer.Eats and how its hibernation period for the past several months has unfolded. Lawyer eats, but lawyer also works, and as time has gone by, free time, for both Em and I, has been at a premium. Thus, any morsels of off-time have been used to immediately dash to social gatherings with friends, dates (woo!), family visits, short and long vacations, etc.

But through it all, though not posting, we have had the discipline to keep eating out. I know, tough life. While I have been more of a shrinking violet on the food scene, more and more opting to cook at home rather than go out, Em's restaurant gourmand tendencies have continued to go strong. This is why today she mentioned to me that she's been thinking about Lawyer.Eats and wants to start posting again. However, she wants to do things a little differently this time. For example, she told me today about an online review she read about a restaurant she loves, that the reviewing blogger panned. She said it made her think about how she wouldn't want someone to read a bad review based on one or two visits and then not go there -- that she could appreciate that maybe the person's taste and style would be totally different. Em said she thought it might be more fun to post only about meals she liked.

I think this is a great idea, and I agree that it's time to get this thing rolling now before the hiatus reaches the one-year mark.

So, we're back! Bon appetit.

Yours in good taste,
Patch

Bourbon & Branch: Speakeasy and drink easy!

2007-10-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to share my experience at Bourbon & Branch for a long time...especially since they have my favorite black Ann Taylor shrug and have been impossible to reach. But that's all part of the allure of the place. To get in, you make a reservation (not an easy feat to get a good time) and then knock on a plain wooden door in the middle of a not-so-nice downtown area of SF. You say the password (ours was 20's inspired) and then they let you in.

It's like stepping into the Prohibition Era. Gorgeous cast iron ceilings, candeliers, soft candelight, cozy booths, and ornate pink velvet wallpaper adorn the place. It smells like a dusty, musty, wonderfully old attic, and is smaller than I expected. The bartenders are clearly pros, shaking and mixing like well-choreographed modern dancers. The crowd is mixed-- some young, some older, all hip and relaxed looking as they turn to look at the incomers.

The menu, to my delight, matched the stumbled-into-a-time-machine ambiance. It is lengthy and is LOADED with cocktails, almost all of them antique recipes. Also an amazing list of bourbons, whiskeys, and other spirits. The cocktails all have the list of ingredients, plus a comment on its historical context or origins (i.e., for the White Lady I had, below, "A favorite at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, 1929"). In other words, my perfect heaven-- a combination of history and cocktails, what bliss!!! What better way to see through the lens of a past era that many have pointed out is so similar to ours, as to sit in this jewel box of a bar and drink the same cocktails that were drunk nearly 100 years ago?! I ordered two of the cocktails over the course of our visit, and they were FABULOUS.

The first was the White Lady. It came shaken up hard in a sugared martini glass, frothy and foamy, light as a feather and with delicious, lemony cocktail flavor. It went down super-smoothly and was totally refreshing. It had only a simple few ingredients: gin, cointreau, sugar (I think), fresh lemon juice, and egg white. Yes, egg white, which lent it that fabulous foaminess. I looked it up later and it goes by other names such as the Delilah, Chelsea Side-Car, and Lillian Forever. It is basically a sidecar made with gin instead of brandy. So good I vowed to make it at home and pray the gin kills any potential salmonella.

The second I had was a Widow's Kiss, a favorite in the 1890's (for real!!!). It was wonderful and reminiscent of a crisp fall day by the fire-- golden in color, warm in flavor and effect. It contained calvados brandy, Yellow Chartreuse, Benedictine and angostura bitters, and I believe it was stirred. Not a cocktail I would ever think of making myself, although now I would. Yellow chartreuse is a liquor originally made by monks in France, and is a bright yellow true to its name. Benedictine is also monk-y. It's a type of cognac with many herbs and spices in it, believed to be the oldest liquor ever made according to Wikipedia. I did a little research and found some interesting articles on the drink. Here's a good one. Fabulous, fabulous.

B&B was a wonderful experience and the drinks and ambiance were both absolutely charming. I can't wait to go back. In the meantime, I am excited to explore some of the old-time cocktails that I saw on the menu there for a little taste of the past.

:-P

The Little Door opens to me again, yay!

2007-10-15T12:05:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of returning to The Little Door again last week. It was wonderful as always, and this time packed with clientele including some celebs, judging by the Pap who we found waiting outside after our meal. (I gave him my best angle.) I could not resist once again having the seared foie gras...just the thought of it was irresistible. I also had a glass of a wonderful Torri Mor Willamette Valley 2005 Pinot Noir. Man, was that good. Thought I'd try it since I recognized the label as one of my favorite Pinot Gris choices from my wine tasting party. It did not disappoint-- jammy, smooth, fruity yet dry goodness that I always come to look for in Oregon wines.

I also had a deliciously simple arugula salad which was on special. In a lovely nod to the season, it had "wonderful pomegranate seeds" on it. It also had a light, zingy champagne vinagrette and tasty, shaved Onetik cheese on top. I learned on the internets that this is a Pyrenean sheep blue cheese which comes from Basque country and goes particularly well with red wines. (I can confirm that allegation.) The salad was awesome, crunchy, and refreshing. I would try to recreate it at home in a second.

My companions all loved their dishes, which included the intriguing pistachio crusted goat cheese tart appetizer. In the end we split two of the flourless chocolate cakes. I was lucky enough to take the remains of one of them home.

Another fabulous meal at Little Door-- cheers to that!

:-P

Vermont on Vermont

2007-10-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

L.A. is so gorgeous right now, I can hardly stand it. The cool breeze/sunshine thing that I adore is in full swing.

As I've been walking through my lovely Los Feliz neighborhood today running errands, it definitely strikes me to write about my dinner at Vermont (on Vermont Ave. in Los Feliz) last week.

The first thing I noticed as I met my fellow diners was that this place has a great, cozy little bar attached. Good to know, especially since it has an intriguing cocktail list and a wine list with lots of good ones by the glass.

The ambiance in the restaurant is grown-up, elegant, and far more subdued than in the bar, which has a red-light hipster vibe to it. I was amused that the two entities co-exist in their little state of Vermont. The menu had yummy looking appetizers. I had the mussels, which were delicious. The gentlemen both ordered a tempura spicy shrimp roll which they loved.

The entree focus is definitely on protein at this place. I had a crispy white fish that was fantastic. Others at the table ordered a steak which was also very nice and halibut. Everybody was pleased with their choices. I was excited that the portion size, though a bit on the large side, was manageable and the plate was beautifully arranged. The fish was simply done but served piping hot and saltily delicious with its crispy outside and flaky inside. YUM!

To drink, I had a superb Edelweiss martini, which was essentially a vodka martini with elderflower essence. We also had Chimay beer, one of my favorite belgian brews, and some blanc de blanc bubbly that was light and delicious. For dessert, I ordered the only down-point of the meal-- a flourless chocolate cake that was heavy but not rich enough for my taste. Then again, I had just had The Little Door's flourless chocolate cake previously, which was incredible, so I couldn't help but compare the two. Next time I'll probably skip dessert and go for another Edelweiss.

All in all, a lovely setting to bring parents, clients, or others you wish to impress for a solidly good protein-centered meal with nice drinks to match, for reasonable-leaning-towards-pricey prices. I will definitely go back, and I for sure want to check out that intriguing little bar attached. (I hear they have an open mic night on Mondays, too...interesting...)

Food: (3)

Ambiance: (3.75)

Overall: (3.5)

To read Yelp! reviews, click here.

For an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!

The Little Door - and apologies for being MIA!

2007-10-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

So, so sorry, dear readers/eaters, for being MIA. The ebb and flow of work-life hit a bit of a riptide for me (and I know Emilia has had a similar spell)...but now I'm back and I hope to continue to add delicious tidbits to this long-neglected little journal in the near future.

The past month has not been a big eating out month for me, but I did have a wonderful dinner at The Little Door at 3rd and Crescent Heights in Hollywood recently.

The place is gorgeous-- a truly romantic spot. It's got a French-Mediterranean vibe with lots of soft lighting, chandeliers, and a massive outdoor dining spot draped in the canopy of a tree. When you walk in, true to its name, you go through a charming little door. When I went on a weeknight, the place was packed. The tables are big and rustic, but the food is very gourmet and elegant.

I started with the marvelous roquefort-stuffed grilled figs wrapped in prosciutto, which came with a perfect mesclun green salad and port wine reduction drizzled around the plate. Truly rich and delicious. I then had another appetizer (since they looked sooo good I couldn't resist having two for my meal, a thing I do often). This one was a fabulous, fabulous seared duck foie gras with poached peaches, on top of a light and fluffy, slightly sweet pistachio pancake. I tasted other dishes such as seared scallops, pork with North African spices (which I found kind of ironic), and a beet salad. All were yummy and my companions seemed to enjoy them.

The wine list was exhaustive and we drank a nice Pinot Noir and finished with some bubbly. I also had a super-rich but seriously great flourless chocolate cake, which was tough to pick over the cheese plate but so good. I ate a bit and was in heaven. I took the rest home and proceeded to eat a couple of bites every night after work for a few days, and was in heaven. Really, really good. They don't mess around.

All in all, a wonderful place that I hope to return to soon. Word of warning, it is sort of silly expensive. But even so, I was not disappointed!

For reviews of The Little Door, click here.

Food:(3.75)

Ambience: (4)

Overall:(4)

For an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!

Oh Wine Bar My Wine Bar!

2007-09-11T23:48:00.000-07:00

No clue why I ran with a Dead Poet's Society theme tonight - but I'm just gonna go with it.

Today was my first day of work at a new job. Formerly I was commuting far far away every day, away from my lovely town of SF and all of the culinary delights it has to offer. Today I stopped the commute and started a new job just a 20 minute train ride from my house.

After work, to celebrate, my friend L. and I stopped at one of my absolute favorite wine bars in SF - The Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant. Patch's mom mentioned the ferry building in her email - it is truly the foodie highlight of this amazing city. Some day I will devote an entire post to the ferry building, and its amazing farmers market, and the oyster bar, and the store full of mushrooms, and cowgirl creamery.....some day. Today we focus on the wine bar at the Wine Merchant.

The wine bar always has a flight, and goodness knows I LOVE a flight. Tonight they were sauvignon blancs, and I wasn't in the mood for that, so I passed. But I have had a lovely rose flight there before, and I have to admit that my friend L. and I have been known to order a taste of one of every red on the menu. The menu isn't THAT big....but. Its a lot of wine, lets leave it at that. The Ferry Plaza wine bar has a great selection of really interesting stuff. Tonight we had a glass of french rose champagne that was to die for - very slightly sweet, a little dry, and the nicest little bubbles I've ever seen. We moved on to a glass of Spanish red, and I really need to take better notes when i'm out drinking wine. I have no idea what this was, but the servers here are really nice and knowledgeable and can help you find something you will be sure to like. Plus they sell all of the wines in the shop behind the bar. The shop is great with a terrific variety of stuff.

Finally, I love this wine bar because it takes full advantage of the many delicious food options in the building, and serves them as nibbles with the wine. Tonight L. and I shared a big hunk of gruyere from cowgirl creamery, a twisted loaf of french bread from ACME, and some amazing heirloom tomato and garlic olive tapenade. That plus two glasses of wine is a perfect dinner for me.

This is not a rating review - but this is a fabulous wine bar. If you are in town I recommend you go there for a delicious taste of San Francisco. I don't think I ever feel quite as "at home" anywhere as I do at this little place. Now that I am working so close to it, I have a feeling I'm going to be there a lot........

drink up!

Emilia

Patch's Mom Takes SF By Storm!

2007-09-11T11:23:00.001-07:00

The apple does not fall far from the tree, and I was reminded of this when my mom went to San Francisco this past long weekend for dad's business conference. She didn't have to attend the seminars and such, so she and some of the other ladies in attendance decided to go Emilia-and-Patch style and eat their way through the city.

Mom had rave reviews about the places she ate and sent Emilia the following excited email after she returned to the East Coast (slightly edited for privacy) which I share because my mom has impeccable taste in food and as I have learned growing up, her reviews and recommendations are as flawless as her criticisms at sub-par food or service are merciless:

From: Patch's Mom
To: Emilia
CC: Patch
Subject: Restaurants

Hello Emilia,
That ferry building is amazing. I was telling Patch about breakfast at the communal table at Boulettes Larder and how I walked around the market on Saturday and bought the most amazing "almond square" at the Heidelberg Bakery stand. Petite Lulu also has very good goat cheese and spinach croissants that they will heat up for you. I shared one with my friend. I went to Sausalito and ate at Sushi Ran which is next door to the movie theater in town, away from the tourist crowd. That was a great find.
In San Francisco, I ate at Colibri, a mexican restaurant on Geary I think and the food was very good and interesting, not mentioning their amazing range of top shelf margaritas. I also had a great lunch at Cafe de la Presse right near the doors to China Town. I had a tarte flambee which was a lavash bread with smoked salmon and horseradish cream on top. Yummie and just the right size. The Chimay beer on tap reminded me of Belgium.
We also had dinner at Bacar and it was good but too hyped up. I think that I would have liked to try Jack Falstaff instead. We had a very nice dinner at Fringale where the head waiter/manager, Andre is a French Canadian guy. The food was delicious.
-Patch's Mom

This weekend I am headed up to SF where Emilia and I have exciting things planned, including a glorious ocean-view hike, the legendary Middle East Feast at G.M.'s house, and a trip to Bourbon & Branch, an old fashioned speakeasy where you need a password to get in. And of course, a BBQ which we are throwing for many friends at Em's house, and will undoubtedly include Emilia's fabulous BBQ fixings. I can't wait!

:-P

Diet Hansen's - It's Diet, But Try It!

2007-09-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

I am an anti-diet soda (and anti-diet any food, really) person, so I avoid Diet Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, WHATEVER like the plague. All those weird chemicals, especially aspartame, scare me. More scary is the appetite-stimulation effect which I believe comes from aspartame, from my personal experience only. I'm sure science will confirm soon. I think there are some articles out there that back up the idea that this could be true. Anyway, all I know is that when I used to drink diet stuff, I was always thinking about eating and constantly craving snacks, and once I stopped a few years ago I had a lot more control.

Also, diet soda tastes gross, no matter what you tell yourself. There is nothing like the real thing. I feel the same way about low-fat or no-fat stuff. I'd much rather have a real piece of cheese or a real little dollop of sour cream than fake stuff.

However, one "diet" product I do like is Diet Hansen's soda. It uses Splenda, which while not nearly as tasty as sugar, doesn't give me that same drinking-liquid-metal feeling as aspartame. And the flavors are lovely. I usually stock up on the Black Cherry, Tangerine Lime, Ginger Ale, and Creamy Root Beer.

For photos, go to: www.hansens.com

The Black Cherry is very sweet but with lots of good cherry flavor (plus that overly fake sugary taste, but what can you do.) It's a really nice mixer. I have used a splash of it in my pomegranate martinis to great success. (That's vodka, pomegranate juice, a sugar rim, and a splash of the Hansen's.)

The Creamy Root Beer is actually the most normal tasting of them all. It doesn't have the bite of real root beer (though all of these sodas have a distinct sharpness to them because of the way they're carbonated) but the root beer flavor is right on with plenty of vanilla.

Tangerine Lime is basically a poor man's Sprite. Still, it's tart and yummy.

My absolute favorite though, is the Ginger Ale. Not only because I'm obsessed with gingerale, but because it is a particularly piquant one. Must be the ingredients they use to flavor it, and I quote: "African ginger, Mexican limes, Californian Lemons and Madascan Vanilla". Damn, that's like the United Nations of gingerale flavor! It is a bit lemony, but it works, and allows me to drink gingerale without having that teeth-going-soft-from-sugar feeling.

There are also Grapefruit, Kiwi Strawberry and Peach flavors. I bet the Peach has a lot of cocktail potential, too. Comment if you've tried 'em. Keep up the great work, Hansen's! (PS: I get mine at Trader Joe's but I have also seen it at Albertson's.)

:-P

Mamacita - un estomago muy feliz.

2007-09-05T23:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, my stomach IS feliz after a truly delicious dinner at Mamacita. Two of my friends from Minnesota are in town, and they both love Mexican food, so I decided to take them to a high-end Mexican restaurant in the loud and fun marina district of SF. I have been to Mamacita a few times before, but overall this was my best experience!

The restaurant itself is in a cozy spot on Chestnut. It is a small but warm place, with Moroccan-esque lanterns and photos of Mexico everywhere. The one down-side to the layout of the place is that the bar is right in the middle of the restaurant. Sometimes when you are eating, especially on weekends, it feels like you are eating while a bunch of people drink around you.

Luckily the food and drinks are good enough to make up for the strange layout......

We started with some truly delicious margaritas. Limey and salty, we had a frosty pitcher (on the rocks of course!). This wet our taste buds for the oh-so-delicious meal that was to come.

Our first appetizer was fresh, creamy guacamole. This is one of the best guacamoles I have ever had - and that includes my own, which I think is pretty damn good. Mamacita uses the creamiest, most butter-like avocados. they are smooth but with the right amount of chunks, and a mild garlic flavor. I prefer mine with a little more heat but the flavors in this guac are first rate. It is served with perfect, fresh chips, and a smaller container of salsa. The salsa made the most of the great summer tomatoes - really delicious and fresh tasting. We had to ask for more chips to mop up that yummy stuff!

Our second appetizer was the best thing we had all night. Mamacita's chilaquiles are BY FAR the best I have ever had. More fresh tortilla chips are tossed with chipotle crema, roasted shredded chicken, gypsy pepper rajas and queso fresco. Here was the heat!!! The chips become soggy but still a bit crisp under the extremely tasty creamy sauce. These things were ridiculously good. I could eat these for dinner every night of the week - they were THAT good. If you go here, get these. You will not regret it!

For our entree we split two dishes - the carnitas tacos with grilled corn, salsa verde, crema latina (I think they made this up, but its just crema, which is basically watery sour cream), avocado, and questo cotija. These were good, very good. However I thought the meat itself could have had more flavor and fat. I have had the carne asada tacos here and the meat was VERY flavorful, I would get those next time. But the toppings on the carnitas tacos were great and all in all the taste was really good.

The second dish we split was my second favorite of the night - chicken enchiladas with guajillo chile sauce, crema, cheese, and more of that delicious guac. These were hot hot hot. The sauce was delicious, the chicken tender, the cheese melty and tasty, and the enchiladas were good-sized. Really freaking good. I am looking forward to trying the beef enchiladas next time I am there.

The last thing we had is something I always get here - a side dish of sweet yellow corn sauteed with red mole. Tonight there were fresh tomatoes in the dish as well. It was really good - the corn is never overcooked, and always has a nice crunch to it. The mole sauce is sweet. It is really tasty and every time I eat this I think, I should try making this because I could eat it every day.

I know I have an extreme love for Mexican food, but honestly this is one of the few restaurants of any cuisine where I want to order absolutely everything on the menu. I have tried the fish tacos and ceviche on other trips and they were also great. All of the salads and appetizers look fabulous. It is always hard for me to decide what to get here, so I love the family-style sharing aspect of the restaurant. I could eat everything on this menu. Nothing looks bad to me.

Some things to remember about Mamacita - make a reservation! They keep some tables open for walk-ins but the wait is LONG and the restaurant is small and it is not worth it. Call ahead. Also I would avoid going here on the weekends if you can, because it is literally the loudest restaurant I have ever been in. It is hard to hear yourself think in here on a Wednesday - on a Friday or Saturday it is nearly unbearable. Another thing to remember is that this place, while family style, is ideal for groups of two or in multiples of three. All of their entrees are served in threes - three tacos, three enchiladas, etc. If you have four people you end up cutting things up into little pieces which is annoying. Or you end up having to order way too much food. Maybe this is a marketing tactic - I don't know. But for two or three people, or even five or six where you can get away with ordering more food, it works out ok.

I really love this restaurant. I think the food is excellent. I know I need to try Maya and Mexico-DF to compare the other high-end Mexican options in SF, but for now, for Mexican food made with the highest quality of ingredients, Mamacita takes the.....pastel. Or the torta. Lo que sea!

Food - (4)
Experience - (3.5)
Overall - (3.75)

For an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!

For yelp reviews of Mamacita, CLICK HERE!

Now I am going to bed with a food coma.....the only thing that puts me to sleep more than a giant meal at mamacita is a giant meal at mamacita followed up by cupcakes from citizen cake!

adios mis amigos!

Emilia

Lack of Posts from your Hosts

2007-09-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hello all. Em and I have been quite busy in the last couple of days, so we have not had a chance to post. For this we apologize. Rest assured that we are still eating (not wasting away yet!) and delighting in things that will soon make their way onto these virtual pages. Emilia has many excellent forthcoming reviews on delectable restaurants in the Bay Area, and I am planning a super not secret dinner party extraordinaire with my Bittman-chosen dishes. (First step is finding out which of my friends like squid. So far, so good!)

Thinking of you,
Patch

Summertime Food

2007-08-31T11:29:00.000-07:00

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

Sushi 101 - What is Fresh Sushi?

2007-08-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

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

Goat Hill Pizza - Sourdough Crust and City Views!

2007-08-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

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

Badda Bing - Squid Vicious!!!

2007-08-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

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

Tips!

2007-08-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

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

Quick Tips

2007-08-24T15:20:00.001-07:00

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

Bar Bambino - Mama Mia!

2007-08-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

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

There's No Place Like HOME

2007-08-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

Out the Door - how I aDOOR thee!

2007-08-20T22:41:00.000-07:00

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

hipcooks: Cooking from the Hip

2007-08-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

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

Farfalla in La La Land

2007-08-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

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)

For an explanation of our rating system, click HERE!

Farfalla reviews on Yelp and Citysearch.

Dosa-y hooray!

2007-08-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

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

Bodega Wine Bar - Not a Star

2007-08-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

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!

Just for You Cafe - JUST FOR ME!

2007-08-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

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

Miraval: Putting the "Eat" back in Spa Retreat

2007-08-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

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!

Back from Vacay- to El Maguey!

2007-08-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

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

Nuts about Betelnut

2007-08-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

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

Longboard Lager, by Kona Brewing Co.

2007-08-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

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.

Ici, Uci, We Allci.......Great ice cream in Berkeley, at ICI.

2007-08-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

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

Starbucks Sandwiches

2007-08-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

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

Play Ball! Food at AT&T Park

2007-08-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

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

Pinot Gris Blind Tasting Party

2007-07-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Since I moved to my humble but cozy abode in Los Feliz, I have wanted to have a housewarming party. I love my new place. It's on an adorable tree-filled street of cute little houses right in the middle of the action of Hillhurst and Vermont. The building is from the 1950s and the majority of my neighbors are older Armenian couples who are lovely and kind. (One lady just came to my door five minutes ago with a shy knock, holding out a plate of cookies and apologizing that she does not speak English, but smiling and motioning for me to take them. What a sweetheart. By the way, the cookies, little butter/sugar cookie rounds, each filled with a date and chopped walnuts and sprinkled with powdered sugar, are from scratch and are amazing. Another one of my neighbors has fixed my screen door, which had fallen off its hinge, while I was at work, without even saying anything to me.) I love my location because I can walk to whatever I need- groceries, cute restaurants, dive bars, coffee, dry cleaning, tailor, yoga, pilates, etc.!-, it's great for walks and runs, and it's always quiet and relaxing on weeknights when I get home from work ready to unwind.

The Plan

A few weeks ago, once I had enough furniture that I was happy with (though I am in sore need of artwork!), and could count my L.A. friends on more than two hands, I decided to go for it and plan a great party. Since most of my friends don't know each other, I wanted to do something that would create topics of conversation and make it easy for people to chat and get to know each other. I decided to do a blind wine tasting based on one I went to with my friend M.J. a few years back. It was in the Hollywood Hills at a beautiful home. The host had a bunch of different wines covered with brown paper bags marked with numbers in marker. The game was guess the price. The cheapest of the 8 wines was $6 (this was just before the rise in popularity of 2 Buck Chuck) and the most expensive was $600, with every price in between. It was fun to taste each wine together one at a time, and hilarious when even the most snooty wine snobs who were so sure they were right picked a $16 wine above a $200 wine. The moral of the game was in line with the wine mantra I have learned from the most knowledgeable and fancy wine experts I have ever met: a good wine is a wine you like. Period! Wine is very personal. Learning the characteristics of different grapes and regions enhances your enjoyment of wine, and learning how to describe a wine's qualities make wine tasting and drinking much more fun and social. But if you love that 2 Buck Chuck Sauvignon Blanc, which coincidentally I am enjoying right now cut with some lime seltzer to accompany a bowl of edamame, then it's a good wine.

Anyway, I thought this would be the perfect party theme, and most importantly give us all an excuse to drink lots of wine.

The Wines

I decided to do the price game and stick to one grape, Pinot Gris (a.k.a. Pinot Grigio) because it is one of my favorite refreshing summer whites and gets a bad rap from some wine snobs, which makes me more adamant about liking it because darn it, it's yummy! I went to Silverlake Wine (which is awesome, by the way) and with their help got my three nicest wines. I went to Trader Joe's for the rest, which were considerably cheaper.

These were my picks and the order I served them in:

#1: Barefoot Pinot Grigio - California (Trader Joe's, $4.99)

#2: Prima Terra Pinot Grigio - Italy 2005 (Silver Lake Wine, $14.39)

#3: Pavi Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie - Napa Valley 2005 (Silver Lake Wine, $10)
#4: Villa Cerrina Chardonnay Pinot Grigio (yes, it was a blend!) - Italy 2006 (Trader Joe's, $3.99)

#5: Torri Mor Pinot Gris - Oregon 2005 (Silver Lake Wine, $22)

Party Prep

I went to Bevmo and bought a little prize for the winner who could guess the order by price (little "wine glass name tags" which go around the stem of a wine glass, to identify your glass at parties, for $2.99) and wrote up a cute Evite. Then I decided what food to make. I had just taken the "Cocktail Party" class at my favorite cooking class, Hip Cooks, and decided to make two appetizers from that class- cucumber rounds with ahi tuna sashimi seasoned with soy, sesame, hot chili oil and green onions, and feta and white-wine-sauteed mushroom quiche tarteletts. (Both came out perfect and were delicious!) I also put out green grapes and chopped veggies, and a friend brought over a beautiful loaf of crusty bread and some Rondele garlic cheese spread. Another friend brought a case of San Pellegrino which he helped me serve to people in between tastes (Thanks, J!). I moved furniture around to make "social clusters" and read up on Pinot Gris so I'd be able to explain the background of the grape (arose from a freak genetic mutation in Pinot Noir in medieval times. Who knew!) and answer questions. Put together a chill iPod playlist, and I was ready to go.

As people arrived, my butterflies about nobody showing up and me being left to eat ahi tuna and drink ten bottles of wine alone -- which I must admit was not the worst alternative scenario ever -- flew away. Soon, the place was packed! A couple of my nice elderly neighbors even stopped by (I had invited them, too), and were finally able to communicate since my friend K. speaks Armenian.

Hostess Strategy

Hosting the party was such a blast. I would hit a fork to a glass to get everyone's attention, and announce the next wine by number. I had two bottles of each, and the 25 people who showed up all got good tastes of the wines. (Next time, I will probably do 3 of each if I have so many people again!) I got to chat with everyone as I walked around making sure they had each wine. They all got along spendidly, having lots to talk about by asking each other what they thought of the different wines. The conversation was flowing faster than the vino. The food was devoured (next time, I'll make more!) and my place got really hot from all the bodies. The smokers all bonded on my back patio, and I went out to say hello periodically. I had index cards and pens by the front door which everybody took and wrote their guesses on. At the end, I looked at all of them and found one person who had gotten them all right - the lovely C.!- who then won the prize, which I had wrapped up with paper and a tiny bow. Everybody applauded her. People were amazed to find that they loved some of the cheaper wines far more than the more expensive ones. (I personally never drink wine above $10 on a daily basis at home, so I considered the $14 and $22 wines pretty schmancy!)

One wine that most everybody loved and I thought was tasty, crisp, juicy and delicious like a green apple, was the Prima Terra Pinot Grigio (#2 on the list above). I would definitely buy a couple more bottles of that to keep in my "wine cellar" (a 16-bottle one I bought on sale at Target which is fantastic). The Villa Cerinna blend (#4) was also a winner with the crowd. It is refreshing and very easy to drink, and at $3.99 it's a an everyday wine worth checking out.

Conclusion: Good Times!

In sum, the party was a smashing success. Many of my friends told me it was one of the best parties they have been to in a long time. I had a fabulous time, too. It was under control and, well, adult, but it was also a great time! Also, cleanup was a snap-- a couple of friends stuck around after and helped me clean, and I swear the next morning my place looked even neater than it had before the party. The next day, I emailed out the wine list with prices and where I bought them so people could pick up their favorites to drink again.

I highly recommend having a party following this model if you are nervous about showing everyone a good time, because the wine game does the entertaining for you. Other games I have thought of are guess the grape, guess the region, or "one of these things does not belong" using any characteristic you choose. You can do as few as three wines, or as many as you wish. You can also spend however much you want to spend. Overall, the whole party did not cost me very much at all, and I felt that it was money well-spent because it was so wonderful and so fabulous to see my friends all getting along and enjoying themselves. I can't wait to have another wine tasting party!

If you have any suggestions for hosting a great wine party, please share in a comment.

:-p Cheers!

Pesce - What a Catch!

2007-07-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

Pesce is a neighborhood seafood restaurant in Russian Hill. I had never been there, but after an evening of shopping for wedding dresses (for my friend) and work clothes (for myself), she suggested it as a place to grab some dinner. I am always up for good seafood, and Pesce didn't disapoint.

It is a really cute and cozy place - sort of rustic, but still nice. Daily specials are on the walls, including oysters they have that day. There is a nice bar and a good number of people were sitting there having dinner. We had a reservation and got a table, and were seated right away even though we were early.

We started off with a bottle of something I can't remember - and since they don't have a website, I can't tell you what it was. It was a red wine and I hadn't had it before - some sort of mix of grapes that I hadn't heard of. The waitress suggested it though and it was really good.

Next we moved on to oysters. This friend and I both adore them (as does Patch), so we had a half dozen - two of each oyster they had that day. They were REALLY good - creamy, very fresh, so briny and delicious, and huge. Pesce serves them with a mignonette, and a little cocktail sauce, which I ignored because I just love the vinegar/shallot/oyster combo too much to screw with it.

Pesce is small plates meant to be shared, and that is exactly what friend and I did. Keep in mind that we are big eaters - the waitress was obviously surprised by how much we ordered. We started off with two dishes. First was a really delicious caesar salad, one of the best I've had in the city. It was heavy on the anchovies, and came with a big garlic crouton covered in an anchovy paste - yum. It was probably over-dressed, but I am a big salad dressing fan, so that was ok with me. Especially considering how good the dressing was. The other starter was not fabulous but it was solid - tuna marinated in olive oil and served with white beans and mint.

For our entrees we had two dishes as well. One was a lingiuni with fresh crabmeat. It was good - not spectacular, but very flavorful, and the pasta was cooked well. It was sort of a light dish - not too creamy. Our other entree was halibut poached in a white wine tomato sauce. That was really good, but it needed to be served with rice or pasta or polenta or something to soak up the yummy sauce. They did serve it with a big bread thing, and we made do with that.

We also ordered a side of the potatoes au gratin - one of my favorite dishes on earth. It didn't disappoint - creamy, cheesy, with a little singed crust on top. I basically polished that off myself.

The dessert was also really good, but sort of simple - basically a big brownie sundae, with vanilla gelato and whipped cream, in a tall sundae glass. It was sort of nice not to be eating fruit tarts, which is the dessert of choice in the summer time.

All in all, Pesce was good. The price was right too - for all that food and the bottle of wine, the bill was 100 dollars, which I think is pretty reasonable for a big meal AND wine AND oysters. It was nice to be somewhere with a pretty good variety of carefully prepared seafood. Its no Aqua - but thats ok. Neighborhood joint should be more casual. If I was in the area, I would go back there for sure.

Food - (3.25)
Experience -(3.25)
Overall - (3.25)

For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!

For yelp reviews of Pesce, CLICK HERE!!

Nothing fishy about it! Go to Pesce.

Emilia

sacramento ahoy!

2007-07-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

Emilia here! I'm in sactown for the weekend, visiting my best friend and her hubby. We are going to a great restaurant, banderas, which I will review when I get back. Patch is out of town this week, but she saved some posts and I have lots of good reviews ready to go. Have a great weekend everyone!

emilia

Garden Box Service: Didn't Bowl Me Over!

2007-07-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

Last night, I had a wonderful evening watching Sarah Chang play with the L.A. Phil at the Hollywood Bowl. I LOVE the Hollywood Bowl. I have been once before, with Emilia, to see Ben Folds open for John Mayer. It's amazing to be outside, especially at dusk, enjoying beautiful music in a beautiful setting. Last night, during the first piece by Brahms, the birds twittered during a pastoral-y part and it was just heartbreakingly beautiful. I often see the L.A. Phil at the Disney Concert Hall, and I always go alone because there are usually no takers for a classical show on a Saturday night. After seeing this beautiful concert, though (the other parts were Bruch and Schumann) my companions were eager to come with to the next DCH concert!!! The Bowl really is an ideal setting for the Phil.

We had the pleasure of using the firm's garden box, which is excellently located (I could see Sarah Chang's hair clip!) and fun and fancy feeling. We decided to order the three course meals offered by the Hollywood Bowl box service, catered by Patina. I also pre-ordered the Red Rock merlot and Korbel sparkling wine (for some reason, they were really lacking in quality champagne) for the table to drink in addition to a couple of bottles of Barefoot Cab and Chardonnay (both really decent for $5.99) that I brought in my bag.

The service was really good- these guys know what they are doing as far as getting three courses in and out of your box in an hour. They cleverly use good quality plastic plates along with real utensils and sweep through with plastic bags to clear each course. They also had handy ice buckets for our wines and plastic wine glasses and champagne flutes.

The food was just ordinary, though. I was expecting for the price (expensive) that it would be really good, like restaurant food or really nice catering. It was pretty good, but it was nothing special. I ordered the "Lento": "Belgian endive salad with baby arugula, Roquefort, grilled Asian pear, walnuts and aged sherry vinaigrette; Choice of citrus mojo-marinated pork loin chop with roasted plantain mash and grilled BBQ onions; Or oven-roasted salmon filet with lobster mashed potatoes, grilled white corn cobbette and chive oil; Sweet peach cobbler with vanilla creme anglaise". I got it with the salmon.

Sounds really fancy, right? But in fact, it was quite ordinary. The salad was okay but not great (the greens weren't super fresh). The salmon was huge and unremarkable. The hearty serving of mashed potatoes had no relationship to lobster except that they were pink- no lobster flavor or meat was discernible. The corn was just a little piece of corn on the cob, and reminded me of a school cafeteria for some reason. The dessert was sort of plain, canned-tasting peaches with oatmealy topping. Overall, okay, but for $39 and with the description on the menu, I expected more.

My companions got the other meals, "Adagio" and "Andante". (Cute names, no?) They also sounded a lot better on the menu than they looked and were probably not worth the mark-up. I noticed that many of the box "regulars" around us brought all of their own stuff. Some people in a box two down from us had a cardboard box with a handle that had a gourmet picnic in it, pre-made, which looked really good. Even though they were incredibly rude and ate it during Sarah Chang's performance (wait until intermission, fools!). I decided that all being said and done, if I had to use my own money, I would rather find or make a simple but lovely gourmet picnic and bring my own booze-- remembering to ask for one of their ice buckets for the white if possible. I am glad I tried the box dining though, just because I wanted to see what it was like and firm things are a great opportunity for such exploratory ventures.

Last time, for John Mayer, Emilia made some simple but delicious picnic dishes in her trademark style to go with sandwiches I picked up from Alcove on Hillhurst and brought to-go. She made a fabulous pasta salad with sundried tomatoes and fennel and caramelized onions, and a delicious fruit salad that I hope for your sake she someday posts the recipe for, both in little glad containers, one for each of us, with plastic cutlery (all very easy). She also brought a bag of delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert, and a bag of chips. Yes, all that AND a bag of chips! We were not allowed to bring our own wine*, but at least we had the fun of drinking a bottle from the Bowl's food shop out of a giant plastic cup. Classy. Em and I are going to see Rufus Wainwright sings Judy Garland (I know, it doesn't get much more fabulous than that) in September, and we plan to bring sushi and take the Red Line so we can wine to our hearts' content.

So, the three-course box experience was fun, but next time, I would definitely do the picnic thing. Besides, it's fun to plan and bring yummy picnic food. Of course, I hope I get to use the firm box again, because it was wonderful. But even without the box, the Bowl is too awesome to miss. If you are in L.A. and haven't gone in a while, get your butt over there! It's definitely part of the icing on living in this crazy town.

If you have picnic tips for the Bowl, please comment.

:-P

Hollywood Bowl box service:

Food: (2)

Experience: (3)

Overall: (2.5)

For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!

*- Correction! Earlier I thought that wine was allowed at the Mayer show, but it was not. You have to check the Hollywood Bowl site for specifics on what is allowed at which shows. I guess fans of this new fangled rock and roll music make b.y.o.b. a riskier proposition than for us sophisticated classical music fans ;-) Everybody knows how CARAZY those Mayer fans get. Woooo.

Trattoria La Siciliana - Brava!

2007-07-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

Do they say brave in Italy? I have no idea. But "hell yes" didn't seem right for this title. For "hell yes" is what I say when someone asks me if I want to go to Trattoria La Siciliana ("TLS"). I don't go there very often, because it is in Berkeley, and I live in San Francisco. And for some reason the bay bridge is a barrier over which I rarely cross, even for a great meal. But my aunt and uncle live in Oakland, and we we meet for dinner, this is one of the places we go. On this occasion my mom was visiting my aunt, so my cousin and I trekked across the bridge in anticipation for a great meal.

I should disclose that my cousin used to be a hostess at TLS, and I think we got even better service because of that. But I have been there many times without her and it has always been really fabulous.

The first thing that I love about TLS is the bread dipping oil. The bread itself is not spectacular - I wish they would start using ACME or even Grace. But it is decent normal bread. The dipping oil is what makes it fabulous. It is olive oil loaded with spices, garlic, and salt - no vinegar. It is GOOD. So good that we usually stuff ourselves with bread sopping in it before our food even comes. They sell it by the bottle, and I always mean to by some, but I think I might eat it all in a week, so I have yet to bring dipping oil home. I should probably just try to make it. But I digress......

After the bread we had an appetizer - Aspagargi e Prosciutto. Fresh perfectly grilled asparagus spears are wrapped in prosciutto, and served with a balsamic vinaigrette glaze and fresh shaved grana padana cheese on top. This stuff is so good my family has started copying the recipe and serving it at parties. The cheese is really pungent and the asparagus is still a little crunchy. We mopped up every bit of the sauce and cheese.

TLS serves family style for groups of three or more, and we opted to share two entrees. The first was a special which they have often - Linguini alla siciliana - linguini sauteed with fresh tomato sauce, caramelized eggplant and red peppers, sicilian olives, aeolian capers, imported anchovies, and basil. This is SO good. So flavorful - the eggplant and peppers are like candy. Like Patch I love salt, and this is very well seasoned. We almost always order it - and it is really really delicious.

Next we shared the fish of the day, which was salmon, marinated and grilled, served with a lemon/olive oil sauce on top of spinach sauteed in garlic, with a few roasted peppers on the side. This was crazy good. We had to send it back at first because my aunt thought it was a little undercooked, but they brought it right back and it was perfect. I think I've mentioned that I don't really like cooked greens, but I seriously ate almost all of the spinach. It was so good! I need to start making spinach like that - so flavorful, I just loved it. We were all lapping up the lemony sauce, pouring it onto our portions of salmon. The salmon was really delicious, cooked perfectly (in the end).

We skipped dessert because we had plans to hit up an ice cream shop down the street, but the chef sent us each a shot of homemade strawberrycello - like limoncello but with strawberries. It was icy-cold and so delicious - I could have guzzled a big glass, though I might not have made it back home over the bridge afterwards.

All in all it was a really great meal. We split a bottle of sangiovese, which was really perfect with the meal, even though a white might have been better (we were all in the mood for red). I would and will go back there when I'm in Berkeley (and not in the mood for chinese, because I also love King Yen next door!). A warning though - make a freaking reservation. I don't know why but Berkeley people don't seem to understand the idea of making a reservation. There is ALWAYS a line out the door at this place - but if you have a reservation, you don't have to worry about it! The yelp reviews complain on and on about the long wait - pick up the phone and CALL THEM. Also, go early. Its worth the wait!!!!!

Food - (3.75)
Experience - (3.75)
Overall -(3.75)

For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!

For yelp reviews of Trattoria la Siciliana, CLICK HERE!

mama mia - I'll be back!

Emilia

Sushi Sasabune: Omakase It Ain't So!

2007-07-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

I hate writing poor reviews about places since I understand that the restaurant business is tough. But after hearing so many raves about Sushi Sasabune in Brentwood (on Wilshire), I was really looking forward to enjoying some great, super-fresh fish. I had been warned that the setting, reminiscent of a cafeteria, was less than enticing, but that the delicious food made it all worthwhile.

Sadly, this was some of the worst sushi I have had in a long time. And sushi is not like pizza, which is good even when it's bad (in my opinion, anyway!). Sushi is BAD when it's bad. Horribly bad, and hard to get down even. Unfortunately, last night, Sasabune was like that.

I started the meal with one of the restaurant's two Chardonnays, which was sweet but fine. Five out of six at our table ordered the omakase.

Omakase: Oh my goodness this is bad.

Now, omakase, in my experience, is supposed to be a delightful and thoughtful conversation between the sushi chef and the diner. The chef is supposed to pick the choicest items of the day, and present them in a deliberate procession of tastes and textures that create a delicious food narrative for the diner. The omakase is not supposed to be a set sequence of the same dishes every time. At the best places, I have seen the chef sneaking a peek at my reaction to what I ate, or the chef taking his time to think about what to present next.

At Sasabune, "omakase" is a euphemism for routine dinner for the masses. Its primary purpose seems to be to make life easier for SASABUNE. Every time the next dish would come, the waitress would arrive with a huge tray of little plastic plates which reminded me of soy sauce platters with a couple of pieces of nigiri on each one. Now remember, we had five people having omakase. On the tray would be probably 10 teetering plates. I felt like I was buying peanuts from a vendor at a ball game. Very, very expensive peanuts (thank goodness we were on an expense account!).

Albacore appetizer: no lifeguard on duty.

Before the nigiri conveyor belt even started rolling, the opening dish made me very suspicious because it literally grossed me out. It was a very cold, like, straight-from-the-fridge cold plate with ten or so little slices of albacore, literally DROWNING in a puddle of sickly sweet ponzu sauce. My dining companion A. noted that her plate even had a plate mark on it- the plates of fish had not only been in the fridge, but they had been STACKED. Shudder. I know just from making a basic tuna sashimi appetizer that you don't leave raw fish sitting in sauce because the sauce will cook it. This albacore was so mushy, it made me ill. It disintegrated in my mouth on the first bite. I couldn't take it. I ate two bites. The first was exploratory. The second was incredulous, "just checking" to see if the first bite was for reals. And it was. Some of my tablemates liked this dish, praising the fish for being so "soft". There is a difference between sushi that melts in your mouth, though, and sushi that disintegrates and dissolves in your mouth. This sushi was without question the latter. It was unpalatable. I have to also say that the wasabi was very odd. I have no idea what was up with it. It seemed whipped.

No sauce, no thank you.

Then the nigiri came. The fish included halibut, salmon, yellowtail, more albacore, and an uninspiring medium toro, among others. For some of the nigiri, the waitress would say "No sauce!". I usually hear this when eating something really flavorful and delicate, sometimes a light fish which the chef has already seasoned with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of sea salt, or maybe a touch of soy dabbed on top like a kiss. Last night though, "No sauce!" became a warning of mediocre things to come. Every piece of fish that got a "No sauce!" at Sasabune was painted with what seemed to be that same sticky-sweet ponzu sauce from the dreaded albacore appetizer, totally masking the taste, but unfortunately not the sub-par texture. Mushy, mushy, mushy. How many times had these poor little fishes been frozen and thawed to get like this? Or sat in fridges?

The cuts of the fish were also some of the worst and most inconsiderate I have ever seen. Usually, one of the delights of excellent sushi is that the chef skillfully makes the fish into a little, perfect piece, that sort of tapers on each end and sits delicately and attractively on the ball of rice. Every piece at Sasabune looked like it had been hacked off by an amateur with a sharp knife. They were rectangular, offered no benefit to the mouth whatsoever, and looked unprofessional and unappetizing. Also, nothing was cut to order, it appeared. Everything was done ahead of time. Frown.

The rice was also a downer. It was warm-- really warm-- and tasted like vinegar. It was so crumbly that you couldn't pick up a single piece of nigiri, with hands OR chopsticks, without having the rice ball completely fall apart. This sushi rice was horrifying. Oh the indignity!

Crab roll: does anybody know the heimlich?

But the last straw was the "grand finale" that the hoardes of Sasabune lovers I had spoken to prior to the dinner lavished with much praise: the crab hand roll. It looked innocuous enough, but at the first bite I suddenly stopped mid-chew to ask if anyone at the table knew the Heimlich. I was serious-- I had giant pieces of crab shell in my roll. One of my dining companions who had enjoyed the meal thus far commented that it must mean the crab was really fresh. But still, my table mates encouraged me to be completely disgusting and spit out the crab-- because I couldn't swallow the shells. I didn't eat any more. The worst part: as we were leaving the restaurant, we saw on a counter a huge, teetering stack of crappy-looking little plastic containers labeled "Crab Meat", just sitting there. Shudder.

Conclusion: a sad day for sushi.

I didn't even see the bill, but I know it was very expensive. Maybe Sasabune was good once, or maybe it's just horribly inconsistent, but I could not in good conscience ever recommend to anyone to go after my experience last night. I must assume that this place is simply riding on its reputation to keep it in the top ranks of sushi restaurants in L.A. I will not be going back.

:-P

I hate doing this but like a young George Washington, I cannot tell a lie:

Food: (1)

Experience: (1)

Overall: (1)

For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!!

For Yelp reviews of Sushi Sasabune, CLICK HERE!!

Vernors - An Oldie but a Goodie!

2007-07-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore ginger ale, because it always reminds me of the comfort of being home sick as a child and being brought peanut butter and butter toast and glasses of ginger ale in bed by my loving mom. I drink it always when I'm nauseated for whatever reason (it works!) and often on the plane. Sometimes when I'm feeling saucy, I drink it with gin. Canada Dry is the brand my mom gave us, so it still holds a special place in my heart (and taste memory!). A couple of years ago, while with an ex and now friend from Michigan, I tried a ginger soda that really packed a punch: Vernors. (That's not a typo, there really is no apostrophe.)

Image from: www.wikipedia.com

I recently found Diet Vernors at my local grocery store and I couldn't resist buying it. I hate diet soda and refuse to drink it as a matter of policy, but they were out of regular Vernors and I just had to taste it again to see if it was how I remembered from when I drank it from a glass bottle in dingy yet not-without-its-charm Detroit: bitingly gingery, tongue-tingling and yummy!
And it was! The diet was very similar to the original and was actually really good. Refreshing, zingy. It also has hints of sweet vanilla along with the strong ginger flavor, which makes it taste really distinctive. It's like one of those fancy gourmet ginger beers, but without the attitude.

According to Wikipedia, Vernors was actually invented in Detroit in 1866. Its slogan is "Barrel Aged, Bold Taste!". Apparently, with vanilla ice cream in a float it is a "Boston cooler". That sounds fabulous to me, I can't wait to try it. It is also the first American-born soda (supposedly) and is popular in Florida because lots of retired Detroit folks live there. Cool!

So, ginger ale fans, if you see Vernors at a store near you, don't hesitate to give it a try. It'll cure whatever ails you! I warn you that it is very sweet, but if you're in the mood for a strong and BOLD, sweet ginger soda, it'll really hit the spot.

:-P

Foreign Cinema - oui, si, yes!

2007-07-23T22:35:00.000-07:00

I must preface this post by saying that I have only ever been to Foreign Cinema for brunch. I've heard dinner is good but not as good as brunch. I've just never been. So all ratings in this review are for brunch and brunch only.

With that said, FC is my favorite fancy brunch in San Francisco. There are other places that I really love - Mabels and Absinthe, to start. But Foreign Cinema as a total experience - food + the best atmosphere + the best coffee ever = great amazing delicious brunch. I go there two or three times a year and it has never, ever disappointed me.

This past Sunday was no exception. My group of SF galpals gathered to celebrate my roommate's birthday, and the whole morning was really great. I started out with a giant cup of coffee with cream and sugar, and a mimosa. The mimosa was the perfect balance of sweet oj and bubbly - tasted alcoholic but still refreshing. And the coffee - oh man. The coffee there is like crack, but not as bad for you. Or something. It's good, that's all I can say. One of our friends had a big bloody mary which I took a sip of and it was very tasty. Water glasses were constantly refilled. Drinks were good! The bread and butter, plus little pinch bowls of sea salt and fresh-ground pepper, helped to keep us satiated.....until the pop tarts arrived.

Oh, the homemade pop tarts - the flavors on Sunday were apricot and mixed berry. SO good. They look like pop tarts, and they taste like the most delicious flaky fruity pop tart you have ever had. The four of us split two and it was a nice way to start the meal.

For my entree I had two fried eggs deglazed with balsamic, and served over a bed of wilted greens and roasted rosemary garlic potato hash. It was really awesome - my first time trying it but it was delicious. I'm not a huge fan of wilted greens (this was broccoli rabe) but these were good, and the potatoes were great. My roommate had the french toast, which was battered and served with this amazing orange marmalade. Yum, yum, yum. We all split a plate of french fries, as we are on a quest to find the best french fries in SF. These didn't place, but the waiter read our minds and brought plenty of ketchup, so we were happy - and the fries were really good. No luna park or absinthe or zuni.....but good. Another friend had a great frittata with a ton of goat cheese and crispy rosemary potatoes, and the last of us had seared tuna served with orange watermelon, which I had never seen before. She said it was great and cleaned her plate.

I ate about a loaf of bread and was SO full....but their dessert menu could not be ignored, especially since we were celebrating a birthday. We split a lavender strawberry shortcake, with orange-marscapone and whipped cream. It was heaven - the flavors were so gentle, nothing too sweet, nothing too strong. Absolutely delicious, even if I could only force down a few bites.

All in all it was a lovely brunch - per usual. And the atmosphere really pushed it over the top. FC has a beautiful outdoor patio, with some sunny and some shady spots. Inside is very quaint with lots of brick and foreign films on the back wall during dinner. The waiters are very knowledgeable and attentive - our coffee cups were never empty. And the price wasn't bad either - with tip it was about 180 dollars for four people, and one of us had two drinks (everyone else had one and coffee). If you are looking for a nice brunch spot in the city - for family, for a date, or a girls morning out - look no further. The only thing foreign about the place, besides the name and the films, is that I have nothing bad to say about it!!!

Food - (for brunch only)(4.0)
Experience - (4.0)
Overall - (4.0)

For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!!

For yelp reviews of Foreign Cinema, CLICK HERE!!

ciao!

Emilia

Alegrias - Food From Spain

2007-07-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

Last summer I spent a month travelling through southern Spain - Barcelona, Alicante, Granada, Sevilla, and Madrid. And I ate a LOT of tapas. Tapas everywhere, along with a ton of rioja and tinto verano, and delicious cold Alhambra beer. Spanish tapas aren't the fanciest foods - they are generally hearty, rustic, but very tasty small bites that people share along with a big pitcher of sangria. They are eaten in the middle of the day and late in the night. In spain they were delicious almost everywhere - from the big famous tapas bars in Madrid, where you pay a euro or two per dish, to the tiny themed bars of Granada, where they come free with you drinks - and the more you drink, the tastier and heartier the tapas get. I loved the food there - I'm crazy about small plates. But I have not had an eating experience here that matched those tapas in Spain. That is, until Saturday night.

Alegrias is one of those restaurants I've passed a dozen times. Its in the Marina district of SF - a neighborhood I generally don't go to, and if I do, its to drink -- not so much to dine. But this weekend I had guests in town - my cousin A., her husband Y., and their baby, I. A. and Y. met in Granada when she was teaching there and he was studying there. They fell in love, got married, and then he moved back home to the U.S. with her where they had their gorgeous son. They live in my hometown, which REALLY lacks in yummy or interesting food choices - especially for two people who have lived in Europe. I really wanted to take them somewhere fun and reminiscent of their time in Spain, and Alegrias REALLY fit the bill.

We all started with a drink - sangria for me, a glass of Rioja for A., an Alhambra for Y., and milk for the baby. And then we ordered the tapas. We started with the tortilla of the day, which had cheese, spanish chorizo, and caramelized onions. It was really delicious - tortillas can be very dry, like any egg dish, if not made properly. This one was moist, the chorizo was smoky, and it was served with a dollop of really delicious aioli on top - not too strong, but creamy and perfect with the tortilla.

We moved on to the croquetas, which were my favorite tapa of the night. They were perfect - the filling of potatoes, ham, and cheese, was creamy and smooth. They were lightly fried. They melted in your mouth, and were served with more of that great aioli.

We also had the patatas bravas - fried potatoes covered in a spicy tomato sauce. The potatoes were very finely diced, I probably would have liked them bigger. But the sauce was good. The gambas al ajillo - shrimp with olive oil and garlic - were just as I remember them in Spain. The prawns were cooked perfectly and the garlicky oil was great for bread dipping. The pinchos morunos (pork loin skewers in a spicy moorish sauce) were also great. The pork was moist and juicy and they were well-seasoned. Lastly we had the palpos fritos - little fried octopus - which were crispy and delicious with lemon juice squeezed on them.

All in all it was a very good Spanish tapas experience. I've been to a ton of other tapas places in the city, and while I enjoyed them all, this was the most authentic spanish experience I've had in the city. The restaurant was romantic and cozy, not pretentious at all. It was refreshing not to be somewhere where I constantly feel underdressed. The waitstaff was amazing - they immediately appeared with a highchair for the kiddo, along with a baby book which kept him entertained for most of the evening. Best of all, the bill for all of that food and drinks was 80 dollars.

I would definitely head to Alegrias again. In a month or so my brother and his girlfriend, who is Spanish, will be in town, and I will take them there!!! While I've had better food in the city, this is the only restaurant that has made me feel like when I step outside, I will be in a cobble stoned plaza full of spaniards and funny dogs, with some impressive cathedral in the background.

Food - (3.25)
Experience - (3.5)
Overall - (3.5)

For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!

Check out Alegrias yelp reviews here!

Me gusta Alegrias!

Emilia (comida es mi vida!)

Lola's - Martini Heaven!

2007-07-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

I had an absolute blast at LOLA's.

The place, which is on Fairfax in West Hollywood, is sort of unremarkable inside, looking kind of like an average, loud neighborhood bar with a pool table and the football game playing on a flat screen TV. It was too dark to read the menu without tipping the tall candles on each table dangerously close (get some little table lamps, Lola's! Or at least better candles). The place was packed with people when we arrived. It was a good, diverse crowd, which I appreciate. I talked to actors, a bunch of awesome Aussie and Kiwi dancers who are stopped over in L.A. to rehearse for a show on a cruise ship, marketing guys, industry types galore, locals. It was a friendly and fun crowd, not too crazy or too cool for school as many L.A. crowds are and I detest.

To eat, I ordered the macaroni and cheese, and I asked if they could put bacon in it. (P.S.: It's not on the menu, but they'll add bacon, chicken, broccoli, or whatever else you ask for in the mac and cheese...I was just really craving some grease!). I have to say, this was a fantastically awesome mac and cheese-- all the rave reviews I have heard were totally accurate. It was creamy and dreamy and ooey and gooey. It was not just creamy like some mac and cheeses, it also had lots of gooey mozzarella cheese in it that connects your fork to your plate like a little bungie cord as you raise a bite to your mouth. It was salty, but not too salty in my opinion (though I do love salt in an unhealthy way). It was topped off with a parmesany-bready, thin little crumbly crust on top. Man, it was amazingly good. It was so comforting, too. I highly recommend it. It's definitely one of the top 3 I have ever had. It also provided a great soak-up base for the ensuing boozing.

The cookies are supposed to be awesome, too, but we forgot to order them because we got distracted by...MARTINIS!

The menu is 50+ strong as you can see here. They have the classics, plus so many funky ones. The best thing about them is that none of the ones I tasted (and I tasted many...tasted, I said! Geez, don't judge me! Hehehe...) were too sweet. They typically had a splash of the various ingredients, just enough to give a hint of flavor. The drinks, which are overwhelmingly vodka-centered, are fun largely because of the creative monikers they are given in the menu, and the interesting combo of ingredients that evoke the theme of the name. Just reading the menu (which at the place, lists the ingredients) gave me all sorts of ideas for fun martinis I could make at home or for a party.

Here are the martinis I tasted, big ups to my lovely girlfriends who eagerly passed theirs around for all to try and our great waitress who helped us choose in moments of uncertainty:

-Pickle Martini. I am a pickle and vinegar freak so I ordered this to start. It had sweet gherkin juice in it with vodka and a little gherkin floating in it. It was tasty, but after drinking half, all the pickle juice seemed to pool and I felt like I was drinking straight pickle juice. That type of practice will put hair on your chest! So I sent it back. The concept was great but the execution needs a little work. It is new on the menu so hopefully they will keep working on it.

-Canteloupe Martini. This was delicious. Melon vodka, canteloupe puree, garnished with juicy canteloupe balls on a skewer. The drink was a lovely canteloupe color. It was not too sweet, but was delicious and refreshing. Loved it.

-Ocean's 11 Martini. Beautiful and elegant, this was again vodka, plus parfait amour (an amazing violet/rose petal/orange liquer which I had to look up on the internet, but I am so going to buy now) and edible flowers floating on top. This was one of my favorites. It was just so glamorous, strong and simple with essence of flowers. Lovely.

-Key Lime Pie Martini. Way less sweet than your typical key lime pie martini, and really refreshing. It was lime, vanilla vodka, and a splash of cream if I remember correctly. Notice as the list of what I tasted progresses, the ingredients become a bit fuzzier...!

-Clockwork Orange Martini. This was really tasty although I am usually a bit disturbed by cream and alcohol together (unless it's Kahlua, Amaretto, Bailey's or other dessert liquer). Vanilla vodka, a splash of orange juice, and a splash of cream. Creamsicle goodness. I think a vanilla vodka and orange juice mix is a great idea for a cocktail.

-Chin Tok Martini. This was basically a lychee martini. It was delicious, lighly sweet, and refreshing, garnished of course with lychees!

By the way, the "Garlic Mashed Potatoes" martini is not at all scary, as I noticed the Yelp reviews implied. It's just a regular martini with a garlic-stuffed olive. I've had this before at home and it's delicious. Same with the "The Big Cheese" one, it's just got a blue cheese stuffed olive which I have also done, it's really yummy. So never fear.

I have heard the dessert martinis are amazing, but I shall have to go back to try them. And I will go back. I had a fabulous time. Varied and creative cocktails are the drink menu's promises, and Lola's totally delivered.

Macaroni and Cheese (I can't speak to the overall food): (3.75)

Drinks: (3.75)

Total: (3.75)

For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!!

Piccino: Food - 10, Service - 3

2007-07-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

Anyone who catches the musical lyric reference in the title gets a virtual gold star (or diamond, or whatever it is we do around here).

Last night was my second visit to Piccino, a new tiny pizza bistro in my neighborhood of Potrero Hill/Dogpatch. Both times I've been the food has been really strong, but last night the service was....weird. It was weird. I will definitely want to update this review after going a third time and also trying a main course since I've only had the pizza, but I'll tell you my impressions thus far.

Piccino is tiny little place - 3 small tables inside, counter space, and then maybe 5 or 6 small tables outside. In creating the place, the owners got the look and feel right on. Little copper tables, clean easy ikea silverware and plates, nice colors - it feels right in there (unlike my impression of another neighborhood spot, Jay's Deli, but that review will have to wait for another day).

As Patch has mentioned before, a restaurant can have great ambiance and the food can still suck. Luckily that is not the case with Piccino - the ambiance is good and cozy, and the food is better than good. The menu is small, local, and seasonal. I have only been for dinner, when it features a few starters, 4 or 5 pizzas including one daily special, three or four main dishes, and a small section of desserts - along with a wine list, local beers, and coffee and espresso drinks.

The first time at Piccino my roommate and I tried two pizzas - she had the Margherita (tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella with basil), and I had the daily special, which was garlic sausage and meyer lemon and parmesan, and some other goodies that I can't quite recall. Last night she had the Margherita again (vegetarian) and I tried the pepperoni. All three of these pizzas were very, very good. The crust is thin and perfectly crispy - one problem I have with the crust at A-16 (to be reviewed one day) is that it tends to get soggy. Not so at Piccino. The pizzas are a little on the small side, but with a starter and dessert it is the perfect dinner portion for me (and I'm a good eater. I've been known to eat disgusting amounts of lesser-grade pizza in one sitting. I swear I have a separate stomach for the stuff, like a cow. Except I don't eat grass. Whatever.). The toppings are really delicious -the garlic sausage was spicy without being too greasy, and the garlic wasn't overpowering. On my pepperoni there was a perfect slice on each quarter of the pizza, along with deliciously fresh mozarella, which also graced the roommate's pizza. The tomato sauce is well-balanced, sweet but not too sweet, and nothing needs salt or is too salty. The pizzas here are really, really good. I honestly think they (the pizzas, not the mains or starters) rival A-16 and Delfina Pizzeria for best roman-style pizza in the city; just remember that the size of the pizza at Piccinos is smaller. While I would share a starter and a pizza at the other two places, at Piccino I definitely want a pizza to myself.

Speaking of starters, they were great last night as well. I had the gazpacho, which I was so excited to see on their menu, because I had been craving it all day and planning to make it this weekend if I can drag myself to the Ferry Bldg early enough tomorrow morning for tomatoes. The gazpacho was delicious - tasted of all the great summer tomatoes that are out right now, and had a drizzle of really fruity olive oil on top. My only complaint would be that I prefer gazpacho with some chunks of chopped veggies, and this one was processed smooth, but that's just me - the taste was spot on. Roommate had a salad of greens and strawberries with a balsamic dressing - simple but tasty. I also had a glass of chainti, which was perfect with the pizza and REALLY hit the spot.

Piccino has great, yet simple desserts. Last night we tried the Plout Tart and the cookie plate (roommate thinks heaven is a place filled with cookies, she loves them, and they are great here). The tart was REALLY good - the filling was fresh tasting but not too sweet, the crust was light and buttery, and it was served with just the right amount of fresh whipped cream. The cookies were also delicious, especially the jam-filled ones. All in all it was a really good food experience.

The service, however, was sort of lacking. I feel weird even writing about it, because the server was totally nice - but odd. First of all he didn't write down our order - fine, I know people are all into memorizing orders these days. But after bringing me my wine, he came back and said "yeah, dude, I totally want to make sure I got your order right because as you were telling it to me I was like, there is no WAY I'm gonna remember this." And he had gotten it wrong. Gazpacho, one of the two salads you have on your menu, and the two most basic pizzas on the menu every day - is that so hard? And if it is, just write it down! This kid continued his antics all night; roommate and I both felt like he was high on something. He would bring us our food or pepper or a napkin and then sort of hover there awkwardly. When I asked him which tart he prefered (there was also a lemon raspberry on the menu), he told me that he hadn't tried either of them, but that pluots were "totally in season," but also that pluots "might not be sweet," and he didn't know which one would be more sweet. I almost suggested that he go ask someone who did know since that seemed the obvious thing to do, and something he should have come up with on his own, but I just went with my gut and ordered the Plout. He also forgot to bring out our cookies. The pizzas were also brought out WAY too hot - they needed at least 60 seconds to cool before they got to us, and we were not warned, and my mouth IS burned. Lastly, when I ordered a latte, he informed me that they were out of espresso drinks. But the way he said it was just odd. He kept apologizing for it over and over (and for the fact that they didn't have decaf for the roommate), and wouldn't just drop it and bring me my regular drip already (by the way, they serve Blue Bottle Coffee, which is great). Either apologize and offer me my regular coffee for free, bring me a cookie, or just leave me alone if you don't have my latte. Its hard to explain, but it was odd. I felt uncomfortable the whole night and I'm really easy going.

So - in sum, I would definitely go back there again. I'm sure I will, and often. Its 2 blocks from my house and the food rocks. Simple, tasty, nicely presented. However I hope I don't get that server again.

Food - (3.25)

Experience -(2.75)

Total - (3)

For an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!!

SF Chronicle Review of Piccino
Yelp Reviews of Piccino

also mentioned in this month's Gourmet mag, but I couldn't find a link online....

Cheers!
Emilia

100 Easy Summer Meals - Thank you Mark Bittman

2007-07-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

I came across this fabulous article in the New York Times today - Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less. It sparked my creative juices for cooking, and Patch's too! So we each went through and picked out three recipes, which we are committed to trying before Sep. 1. We will report back our results and our favorites.

Patch's choices are:

- 3 Cut eight sea scallops into four horizontal slices each. Arrange on plates. Sprinkle with lime juice, salt and crushed chilies; serve after five minutes.

- 65 Sauté squid rings and tentacles in olive oil with salt and pepper and garlic; add chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes break down. Serve over pasta.

- 81 Combine crab meat with mayo, Dijon mustard, chives and tarragon. Serve in a sandwich, with potato chips.

She plans to serve them all at a dinner party - first course of mini crab sandwiches, second course of scallops, third course the pasta, with Chardonnay.

My choices are:

- 53 Put a tablespoon of cream and a slice of tomato in each of several small ramekins. Top with an egg, then salt, pepper and grated Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees until the eggs set. Serve with toast.

- 37 Frisée aux lardons: Cook chunks of bacon in a skillet. Meanwhile, make six-minute or poached eggs and a frisée salad. Put eggs on top of salad along with bacon; deglaze pan with sherry vinegar and pour pan juices over all.

- 11 Warm olive oil in a skillet with at least three cloves sliced garlic. When the garlic colors, add at least a teaspoon each of cumin and pimentón. A minute later, add a dozen or so shrimp, salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley, serve with lemon and bread.

I will probably just make these for myself for dinner - maybe I will make the top one next week for my roommate and I, as she is a vegetarian.

Stay tuned for updates on our adventures in easy summer cooking ;) After reading this article, I am officially starving......good thing I am going to Piccino tonight!

Emilia

Say Cheese! The Laughing Cow

2007-07-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

We. Love. CHEESE!

Emilia and I have a shared love of all things cheese that dare not speak its name. And so, since cheese is a) the only thing in my fridge 80% of the time (though it prefers to have at least a couple of beers in there for company), b) the only thing I eat everyday without fail and c) irresistible to me when accompanied by the word "plate" or "cart", I'd like to make a practice of sharing my favorite cheeses with the LawyerEats crowd on a regular basis. If you are lactose intolerant or vegan or for some other reason cannot eat cheese, then I cry for you, Argentina. Try soy cheese, it's just as good. (LIE.)

I always loved cheese, as did my sister who would literally melt it over every food she consumed between the ages of 5 and ah, how old are you now Vigi? (Hehehe no but I'm serious.) But I first started to develop a real respect for it when I spent a summer in Paris at age 18. I lived with a cousin of my mother's (the French Canadian side) in a flower-filled Parisian suburb called Thiais. Every night after dinner, with great flourish, the lovely lady of the house would bring out the cheese plate. The couple were neo-hippies (in the best way) and ate practically a macrobiotic vegetarian type diet the rest of the time, but cheese was never rejected.

So, with that background, I present to you one of my favorite snacking cheeses, which I knew in my French Canadian childhood as "La Vache qui Rit" (literally, "the cow that laughs")...

THE LAUGHING COW.

The Laughing Cow, which is French-owned, makes a variety of delicious, light cheese products that are just so handy for throwing on any number of cheese delivery devices. My fridge at home and at work is always stocked with one variety or other. (Right now, at home, it's all of them!)

Mini Babybel - this is the one that I ate most as a child. There is nothing like holding that firm, smooth little wax round in your hand and pulling the tab to reveal Pacman-esque, firm but mild cheese goudaness. I also love how the cheeses are in a little fishnet, that is so fun. The regular variety in the red wax is tasty and perfect sized for a packed lunch (I bring them on the plane) or little hungers (petits faims, in French...doesn't work as well in English but you know what I'm saying.) I also love the yellow-wax one called "Bonbel" which tastes a little milder, and the "Light" one when I want a more airy Babybel. I haven't tried the "Gouda" variety yet-- if you have, please comment!

My favorite way to eat it: on its own, with a glass of nice brown ale to accompany. For photo, go to: http://www.thelaughingcow.com/lc/lc.nsf/ProductsL2-MiniBabyBel?openpage

Wedges - I looove the wedges. They are by far the most versatile and easy to eat Laughing Cow, in my opinion. I also love how they are wedge shaped in their little round cardboard pie box. I have tried all of the varieties except Light French Onion, which I have never seen except in legend. If you have had it, please comment! I have tried: Original Creamy Swiss (very creamy, mild, and slightly tart, awesome on toast with berry jam); Light Swiss Original (35-calorie version, a bit lighter in texture and great on green apple slices); Light Garlic & Herb (I'm a sucker for it, I just eat it out of the foil like a ne'er-do-well). All of the wedges in this family are soft, easy to spread, and light in flavor. You can also do really fun things with them as far as creating appetizers for friends or putting them in sandwiches.

My favorite way to eat it: one Light Swiss Original spread in the center of a cooking omelette with caramelized onions, sprinkled with fleur de sel (a really nice sea salt) and topped with salmon roe.
For photo, go to: http://www.thelaughingcow.com/lc/lc.nsf/ProductsL2-Wedges?openpage

Light Gourmet Cheese Bites - I only recently started getting into these, though I remember eating them often when I was little. I love the ingenious foil wrapping on these tiny little cubes. These are essentially the same as the Light Creamy Swiss but in different format. The size makes it perfect to spread onto a cracker when you just want a bite or two. I also like to pop them in my mouth and eat them that way.

My favorite way to eat it: on a "TLC - Original 7 Grain" cracker. The sweet, nutty taste of the cracker really complements the mildly tart flavor of the cheese.
For photo, go to: http://www.thelaughingcow.com/lc/lc.nsf/ProductsL2-CheeseBites?openpage

I buy my Laughing Cow cheeses at Trader Joe's, but you can get them at most grocery stores. And no, they did not pay me to write this post...but if they want to pay me in cheese, OUI OUI!
;-P

G.M.'s Wine Dinner - July, 2007

2007-07-18T23:53:00.000-07:00

When I first started my job several years ago, I made friends with a fellow attorney. She and I spent a lot of time shopping and going out to eat together, and she told me about a monthly dinner party that she attended with her husband in the East Bay. She would tell me about these legendary dinners - the food, the wine, the casual atmosphere, the quirky crowd. And then one day she invited me to go along.....

And seriously - my culinary life in the Bay Area has NEVER been the same!

The brilliant man behind these monthly parties shall remain nameless, at least on this blog - I will refer to him as G.M. He is not a professional chef - he has a normal job in finance. But he is an amazing home chef and wine connoisseur. Twenty-five years ago he started these dinners as a wine tasting party - 25 bottles of merlot in brown paper bags. Decades later the party has evolved to include some of the most amazing food I have ever consumed, accompanied by perfectly paired wines. G.M takes a set amount of donations from the friends he invites to cover the cost of the food and wine, but no more - this is not an underground restaurant. It is simply the most amazing dinner party I have ever attended, donations accepted. Once you come a few times you get on the email list for the parties, and can bring others. I have brought many friends, including Patch, over the years.

G.M hosts these dinners almost every month - usually taking June off for vacation. The dinner parties are held twice per month, so that everyone on the guest list can attend, and the size of the dinners range from 12-30 people. Most months are themed - December is standing rib roast, January is cassoulet, March is Italian feast, etc. There are two middle eastern dinners per year, and August is Heirloom Tomato month. The provencal feast comes in the spring - imagine perfect fresh homemade aoili, served with tons of fresh and slightly cooked spring vegetables, seafood, roast chicken, acme bread - divine. And then of course, there is a leg of lamb and potatoes, and then fruit and moscato d'Asti or an amazing cheese course from the cheese board in Berkeley.

Speaking of Acme and the cheese board - one of the best things about this dinner is that G.M. has access to ingredients that very few home chefs ever touch. He has truck privileges at the farmers market in Berkeley, and therefore picks his fruit and vegetables before they ever get to the stands. He has his meat specially ordered and sausage ground fresh at Cafe Rouge. His bread is from Acme, his cheese from the Cheese Board, and his wines are direct from his good friend Kermit Lynch - the premier wine importer in the bay area.

One of the best things about the dinners in general is that, while the food is perfect and the wine divine, the dinner itself is so casual. Real silverware and wine glasses are used, but the plates and napkins and bowls are all paper. Saves G.M. a lot of time cleaning up for such a crowd. In addition, he somehow manages to make everything with a small arsenal of equipment - an oven, a giant bbq, a stove, a few pots, several giant clay casserole dishes, and a variety of large silver bowls (plus a food processor and some great knives).

I look forward to this dinner every month. But this past month, the July 2007 dinner, was especially fun. July is one of the few months without a theme, and therefore the whole menu was a surprise.

We started with an apertif - Petillant de Savoie, Quenard. A soft bubbly wine, from the foot of the Alps, it was the perfect pre-meal champagne-esque drink. Very fresh, extremely delicious, and now on my list of things to buy soon.

People at the dinner help set up, clean up, and serve and prep courses. I had the pleasure of helping with the first course. G.M. seasoned and marinated shrimp in olive oil and spices, then dusted it with corn starch and quickly fried it, 30 seconds tops. We then ladled a puree of cannelini beans processed with some pastis, garlic, and various other spices, right onto the middle of a plate. In the middle of the puree went a fresh salad of amazing red heirloom tomatoes mixed with onion, olive oil, plenty of salt, and mint. Three of the fried shrimp went on the puree surrounding the salad. The whole thing was served with acme rustic baguette - oh. my. The puree itself was amazing, I could eat a bowl of that every day. The course was fresh-tasting, and the shrimp was slightly crunchy without being greasy or heavy. The tails were completely edible. People were scraping their plates.

The shrimp was served with a lovely rose - a 2006 Saint Chinian, Mas Champart. This is G.M.'s favorite rose of the 2006 vintage, and is very reasonably priced. It was tasty, fresh, and juicy - everything a good rose should be. Rose is one of my absolute favorite wines in the summer time - so fresh and refreshing, so far from the bad bad rose's of the 80s. If you aren't drinking them this summer, shame on you - go buy this one!

The next course was a crostini. A large slice of oven-toasted acme bread was spread with a thick layer of cheese - goat cheese mixed with a little blue, so sharp and pungent and creamy and delicious. On top of the cheese was a perfect slice of red heirloom tomato, and the whole thing was drizzled with olive oil. Oh my. Some people tried to slice their crostini with a fork and a knife, but I just picked that thing up and started eating, olive oil dripping down my wrists. I'm not touching something like that with a knife, I don't care how bad it looks. Food like that is meant to be eaten with your hands, preferably outside. It was SO good.

The wine served with the crostini was a 2005 Cotes du Rohne, Trignon. It was delicious, but sadly the winery has been sold, and Kermit reports that the new owner is a weasel and has ruined the wines. This was the last taste of wine from the former owner - and it was good, but sad to say goodbye.

Sadly, the next wine (a waiting wine) was corked. Sort of a funny story, actually. The wine was a 2004 Paesan, Guido Porro. I was helping G.M. with the main course, but came to have a taste of the wine. Patch was talking about how she thought the wine had a nose of brie cheese, and wasn't THAT weird. I took a whiff and smelled oysters - briny, salty oysters with mignonette. I reported this to the table, and people started nodding in agreement, and wasn't it weird for a wine to have a nose of oysters. G.M. arrived at the table, and we told him that we thought the wine had a nose of brie and oysters. He took one whiff, made a sour face, and said "only if those things smell like a newspaper that has been watered and left to mold in a car. It is corked." A giant "ah, this makes sense" went up amongst the populace. There is a lesson here - wine should never have a nose of stinky cheese or briny sea creatures. It was funny to watch people sipping it and saying "oh yes, brie, its quite delicious." CORKED!

G.M. took a few of us down to his cellar to pick out some replacement wines. One was a special wine of his - a 1990 Burgundy by Robert Chevillon, Nuits Saint George, Los Perrieres. It was a really bold wine - smoky and woody tasting, with a great nose. It almost had the color of a port. It was like nothing I've ever had - not exactly my absolute favorite wine, but really delicious and interesting.

Next G.M. served the main course. It was supposed to be divine skirt steaks from cafe rouge, but when he got there he saw a giant cut of pork, rubbed in spices and rolled, and he couldn't resist. He slow-roasted it in the oven, topped with the crackling skin, fat soaking into the meat. Amazing. Everyone was served a cut of the pork with some of the skin on top - it was seriously delicious. I had a little bite of the buttery fat with each piece of pork, and it was just perfect. On the side G.M. made one of my favorite dishes - red potatoes roasted with tomatoes, green peppers, garlic, onions, and tons of olive oil. The tomatoes caramelize and become incredibly sweet, as do the peppers. It is a really simple dish but tasted amazing with the pork.

There were two wines with the pork. One was another special bottle - a cab, and sadly I forgot to write down what it was. Really sad because it was my favorite wine of the night (besides the moscato) - I will email G.M. and see if I can find out what it was.

The other wine served with the pig was a 2000 Chianti Classico Riserva - and it was perfect with the pig. The wine is from Villa di Ceggiano. A really bright tart wine, with a long finish - yum. I love a nice chianti (name that film!).

To finish off this perfect meal, G.M. served my favorite dessert. I love a cheese course, but in the summer nothing can beat peaches and nectarines from Frog Hollow Farms - especially with a glass of Moscato d'Asti. On Saturday it was nectarines - one of the most perfect, delicious pieces of fruit I've ever had. It was perfect just by itself.

And the moscato - ohhh the moscato. G.M. serves it at almost every dinner, because it is that good. It is the best sweet wine I have ever had - it isn't too sweet, but it pairs perfectly with fruit. I know G.M. gets this particular Moscato d'asti from Kermit - all I know is that it has a tree on the label. And is heaven in a sparkly, sweet, delicious wine.

This was the perfect dinner for me - I left full and happy without feeling sick from consuming too much delicious food. Some of the dinners are so good that I can't resist the impulse to keep eating, but this was a very well organized and deliciously prepared dinner. It set me up for next month - heirloom tomatoes. Labne sandwiches with perfect tomatoes, blt's where the bun is dipped in the bacon fat before serving, gazpacho.....I can taste it now...

Is it August yet?

cheers ;)

Emilia

A postscript from Patch:

Amen, Emilia, Amen. I have to mention that the crostini course seems deceptive in its simplicity. The thing was so incredibly delicious that I declared to the whole table, "If I were on death row, this could be my last meal." And I stand by that statement. When is a tomato not a tomato? When it is incredibly fresh, perfectly ripe, and hand-picked by G.M. And tastes like the essence of a thousand of the subpar tomatoes that you and I normally get to eat on a regular basis. It's really another creature entirely.

Also, the pork with the crackling skin and potatoes was so good that I took it home in a tupperware I smuggled in for leftovers (which G.M. found amusing) and had at it again later that night, cold. It was still so good. I was going to bring it on the plane next day but forgot. There was much gnashing of teeth.

Finally, the nectarine was the best I have ever had. The. Best. Ever. I rarely say things like that when it comes to food, because I've had so much great stuff. But this was just...it made me want to cry. Emilia can verify if you don't believe me. Also, G.M. has great taste in cigars, a part of the denoument of the meal that I was happy to enjoy.

I planned my trip to SF for that particular weekend because of this feast. And I shall do it again. Heirloom tomatoes, do your worst! Beautiful meal, beautifully captured by Emilia.

:-P

Tres Agaves = Tres Malas Experiencias

2007-07-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

So.....Tres Agaves. Before this past weekend I had only been there for margaritas and chips and salsa at the bar - which were fine. However an experience I had there previously should have set me up for the disappointment of this past weekend. A couple of months ago I was sitting there at the bar having a nice cold margarita on the rocks with a galpal from work. I remarked to her that the margarita, while good, was not the best I have ever had. Because I had margaritas with Patch when I visited her one summer in Chicago, at Rick Bayless' restaurant, Topolobampo, and it was the freaking best thing I have ever had in my life. We GUZZLED them all night - something I have never done with margaritas. It was like drinking lime-flavored heaven in a glass. And while the margarita at Tres Agaves was good....heaven it was not. I was speaking quietly about this to my friend, and the bartender overheard and came over and gave me a lecture about how Rick Bayless does x thing wrong, and the bartender did it right, yadda yadda yadda - picking a fight with me about this stupid cocktail!! And it WASN'T as good! I'm sorry! Maybe I was being a little rude, but I paid for the drink and was planning on paying for more of them until the little argument. I told him I thought his drink was quite good and I would tell him I liked it best if that would make him feel better. He left us alone and we went on to District.

So anyways, maybe after that little experience, I should have known I would be disappointed with Tres Agaves once I actually got the chance to eat there. But I had high hopes. The restaurant has been on Michael Bauer's Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants List for years. I am generally a little wary of upscale Mexican, but experiences at Topolobampo in Chicago, and Mamacita in SF (which I will write about at some point) lead me to believe that this might be a good thing.

I was wrong. Wrong wrong wrong.

I will start with the good though. We had a reservation and they seated us immediately, even without our entire party there, which I thought was great. They immediately brought us two big bowls of chips and two kinds of salsa - a chopped pico de gallo, and a cooked tomato salsa. The pico de gallo was sort of watery and lame in my opinion - especially considering the great tomatoes available right now. But I really thought the cooked salsa was excellent. Very very tasty, would give my Latina mother's salsa a run for its money (it would lose, but it would be a close race).

Another good thing - some of my friends had a special margarita made with jalapeno, which they all loved - the Sweet Heat. So I would recommend that. We ordered a couple of pitchers of regular margaritas, and they were ok. Not great. They were fine. Too expensive in my opinion - 36 dollars for a pitcher with 4 sub par margaritas. But we enjoyed them.

The food, besides the salsa, was not impressive. I wasn't super hungry, so I ordered one of the $12 ceviches - ceviche being one of my most favorite foods in the history of the world. I had the bacalao - rock cod with chile de arbol, avocado, onion, cilantro, and tomato. It was ok. It was tiny, first of all. And it was served in a tall shot glass basically - which made it hard to eat. The fish was ok. The brine was too limey and watery at the same time - needed more salt, more avocado. Patch had the Durado ceviche - albacore with lemon juice, preserved lemons, cucumbers, and habanero. I had a taste and it was better than mine, but the same tiny glass. My friend R. ordered the chicken sopes, which were absolutely pitiful looking - three tiny (maybe 2 inches in diameter) sopes with pathetically dry chicken and a little chile on top. She remarked that it looked and tasted like it had been under a broiler. Another girl ordered the queso fundido, which also did not look particularly appetizing. The server brought us a bunch of sides to the table - refried beans with chorizo, vegetarian pinto beans, cabbage salad, and tortillas. They were all just ok. I sure didn't taste any chorizo in the refried beans.

The servers also seemed in a hurry to clear our table. Once we ordered the food was out way, way too quickly - we had little time to sit and chat. Once we were mostly done the food was whisked away quickly. But then the check. never. came. Finally after about 45 minutes of sitting there we flagged down our server and made it out of there.

Part of the problem with Tres Agaves is its location. It is a block from the ballpark home of my beloved San Francisco Giants. The before and post game crowds can be very annoying, and are generally looking for their food to be quick and easy. But if that is the kind of place Tres Agaves wants to be, and the crowd they want to cater to in general, they need to lower their prices.

All in all, I was not pleased. I would stop in for a drink and some chips and salsa before a game at the bar, but I will not eat another meal there if I have any control over it. Mamacita across town is just too good - not to mention the deliciously cheap and authentic Los Jarritos.

Food - (2)(1.5 for food, but it gets a boost because of the yummy Sweet Heat cocktail)
Experience - (2)
Total - (2)
* For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!

Yelp Reviews for Tres Agaves
SF Chronicle Review for Tres Agaves

Upcoming Venue: Lola's

2007-07-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

This Friday two of my girlfriends, the indomnitable and adorable Michelle and Kris, are taking me out to Lola's, one of their favorite bar/restaurants in West Hollywood. The place is famous for its martini list, which consists of over 50 creatively named concoctions. As a martini aficionado, I am slightly suspicious of anything that calls itself "martini" and isn't 99% cold-shaken gin with a bottle of dry vermouth waved in its direction for 3 seconds or less and a couple of olives hanging out poolside. But in an attempt to not be the snob we all know I want to be, I'm ready to explore these cocktails for what they are-- not martini martinis, but funky cocktails in a martini glass. Can I accept that? You bet I can.

Lola's is also known for its comfort food including mac and cheese and fried hush puppy things. I'm all for that! So, I am looking forward to diving into Lola's offerings, and as always, you all will be the first to hear about it.

:-P

Sebo: Sidenote

2007-07-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

Just a sidenote from me on sebo - while patch has been lucky enough to enjoy sushi in japan, I myself have (Sadly) only consumed it here in the good old u.s.of.a.....in NYC, Seattle, LA, and San Fran. And I will say that it was probably the nicest fish I've had ever. Definitely by FAR and away the best sushi I have had in San Francisco. So please, if you are in SF, go there, eat fish, be merry. And if you have a favorite sushi place in the bay area, comment and let us know!!!!

Em

Sebo: A Bastion of Unilicious Serenity

2007-07-14T14:33:00.001-07:00

SEBO.

It was wonderful! We had such a great, fun time and the sushi was very good.

The physical place is serene and simply decorated, with green tea ice cream colored walls, lots of shiny wood and dramatic lights glowing behind white screens along the wall. The outside is very simple and understated. We came in and easily sat at the sushi bar, which is thoughtfully designed with the fish storage recessed so you can watch the preparation of the sushi up close and without obstruction. We asked one of the chef/owners, Dan, to serve up whatever he thought we might like until we cried uncle, and ordered a bottle of cloudy Kizakura sake. (A little sweet for my taste, but still refreshing.)

Dan served us up a couple of different sushi and sashimi combinations, including wild big eye tuna (ruby red, lean and delicious), sardine (looked like little Lexuses on our plate, so shiny and pretty!), blue banded sprat which was also lovely, amberjack, horse mackerel, super fresh sea urchin (a.k.a. uni), wild scallops that were tender and tasty, big fin reef squid that was a bit chewy, monkfish liver (a first for me!) and perfectly fine ikura (I am an ikura freak, as I told Dan...I'll put salmon roe on anything...but that is another tale for another time.) Noticeably quality pickled ginger and wasabi was served on the side. Dan also served each of us a delicious charred-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside piece of Neiman Ranch beef in a bowl on top of garden-fresh sliced golden tomatoes and perfectly ripe avocado, with a tiny bit of some kind of ponzue-esque balsamic drizzle on it. I liked that the little piece of beef was sliced up in the style of a piece of fatty sushi, like toro. It was really different and very delicious. Em couldn't stop raving about it.

The sushi was very good. It was not the best sushi I've ever had, but it was up there and very respectable. It passed the have again test: I would definitely go back. Standouts were the uni and the monkfish liver (a.k.a. ankimo, as my native Tokyoite friend Mari recognized it when I was telling her about the meal). The uni was from Hokkaido and Dan told us they get it maybe a dozen times a year, and it is really special. It was smaller and browner than any uni I've ever eaten. However, the texture was perfect, like eating a creamy feather, and the flavor was really intense and wonderful. It was probably the best uni I have ever had, and I have had some serious uni in my time! And apparently uni is not even in top season right now. Lucky us. I ordered another piece at the end of the meal, it was so good, even when I was nearing my stomach capacity limit. Em was an uni virgin until last night (chicka-woh-woh) and now has set a high bar for other uni to hit, which gratifies me greatly. She was fascinated by its flavor, which is so unique the only thing I can compare it to, when it's good, is canteloupe and oysters have a musky baby. When it's bad, uni is BAD: unpalatable, mushy, and tastes like vaguely sweet, slimy dirt. This one was perfect and put me in a state of urchin-induced bliss.

The ankimo looked like a liver from high school bio class, which I found simultaneously exciting and sketchy. I made Em eat her piece first, even though I am not usually intimidated by eating viscera. Dan sliced it up really thinly, placed it gently on the little pad of rice, and wrapped it with a strip of nori (the seaweed wrap on sushi). It was sooo good. It was incredibly creamy, melt-in-your-mouthy, and had a really meaty, light flavor. Loved it. Sort of like a foie gras's Japanese cousin.

We finished up with a big bottle of Orion beer and a small bowl of cherries they gave us. (And later, hit up Citizen Cake for a rocky road cupcake to split later over a very nice Taz 2004 Zin, whose remainder glass I am now sipping on post-hike. That's how we roll!)

Dan made the experience for us, we both agreed. He was so charming and witty, and he gave us lots of great information about the various dishes we ate. He was just super nice and lovely. If you go, he is the one who looks a lot like Paul Rudd-- just add some hipster black square-frame glasses, beautiful Japanese countryside arm tattoos, and impressive knife-yielding skills. He got into sushi when he became friends with sushi chefs while working in fish wholesale on the East Coast. He also is a culinary school and Cornell grad. He was very welcoming and knowledgeable. Clearly, he and his business partner, Michael, have worked really hard on making Sebo work-- and it has definitely paid off.

Overall, Sebo was a delightful experience. I would definitely recommend checking it out. The icing on the cake: the bill was very, very reasonable for all the nice things we ate.

Food: (3.5)
Experience: (4)
Overall: (3.75)

For an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!

Reviews:
Yelp Review
SF Chron Review

:-P

Stay Tuned...Fabulous Food Weekend Ahead!

2007-07-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

This evening I am flying up to SF to hang with Emilia. In addition to some lovely spa time at our favorite spa in Japan town and a hearty hike in the Muir Woods with friends, we have two very exciting foodie items planned. The first is dinner at Sebo, which supposedly has a rocking omakase. Cross your fingers for us that we make it to the sushi bar! They have no website that I know of but you can get some info here:
Yelp Reviews
Bill Addison SF Chron Review

Second is dinner at one of Em's friends' houses. He's a really amazing guy with tons of friends and a passion for gourmet food. Once a month he hosts dinners and those lucky enough to get invited are welcomed into his beautiful Berkeley home and enticed with a multi-course themed menu and incredible wine. (One of the more memorable dinners I attended was AIOLI themed. There was an entire course of tasty things to dunk in the creamiest, most ridiculous homemade aioli ever. Wow.)

Everybody crowds into his living room, which he packs with big tables. I went a couple of times in law school. For anyone who has ever aspired to throw a dinner party, this lovely man and his fabulous feasts are inspiration! He also predicates each dinner with an incredible email that describes, in excruciating detail, each of the courses including notes on the various super-fresh ingredients he is incorporating based on what he finds at the market, as well as different cooking methods. The emails are as vivid as they are drool-inducing.

So, stay tuned!

:-P

Fiber Finds

2007-07-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

Em and I have both resolved in the past months to include more fiber in our diets, aiming for 25-30 grams per day-- which my doctor father has been advising me to do for years. Fiber is fantastic. It helps your digestion, keeps you free and clear of old debris and toxins (if you know what I mean), and fills you up so you don't get hungry quickly after eating. Fiberful foods like grains, cereals, fruits and veggies also have lots of other great qualities, like lots of vitamins and nutrients, plus delicious flavor, satisfying textures and color. Since I started conciously eating more fiber, my stomach has felt flatter, my digestion has felt better, and I have just been happier overall. Yay, fiber!

In our quest to find high fiber yet tasty foods, Em and I have found a few great gems.

Gem #1: Gnu foods bars. They are delicious (my favorite is banana walnut) and have an amazing amount of fiber- 12g per 140 calorie bar. You can find them online at www.gnufoods.com. They are moist, chewy, surprisingly filling, and perfect for breakfast or a snack. I keep a bunch in my office.

Gem #2: Whole grain crisps. There are many varieties. I have tried and liked Akmak, Wasa, and Rykrisp. All are great with soft cheese, peanut butter, jam, dipped in hummus, or with cream cheese and smoked salmon as Em loves to have them for breakfast. Most have 3g of fiber and about 60 calories for two crackers.

I recently found the holy grail of crisps though, at Whole Foods: Kavli, Golden Rye variety. I was so excited when I found these babies in the Union Square Whole Foods in New York, I bought a box and brought them back with me to LA on the plane! 7g of fiber and 60 calories for two crackers. There are other flavors, but only Golden Rye packs this much punch fiber-wise. It's also very tasty. The crackers are light and don't have an overpowering rye taste, but rather just a hint of rye tartness to them. Crispy and cardboard like in a good way, and quite dusty, with a solid crunch. They are quite dry, which makes them great for really soft and moist toppings. I had them with a superb Hudson Valley camembert I bought at Whole Foods, and also with garlicy Rondele spread left over from a party I threw a couple of weeks ago.

Gem #3: Berries. Berries are one of the best low-calorie and high-flavor (and high pleasure) sources of fiber out there. For example, 16 medium sized strawberries have 6g of fiber. And only 100 calories. That's a lot of strawberries! Blueberries and blackberries are also excellent sources.

It is best to get your fiber in natural form (i.e., not through supplements) and with so many tasty options out there, searching for fiber can be a great way to experience yummy and interesting new foods to add to your diet. Remember to drink lots of water to help the fiber work its magic. Trust me, your body will thank you!

Moroccan Food is Rockin'!

2007-07-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

While in NYC, my boyfriend and I had a long discussion about Moroccan restaurants. The reality about Moroccan food seems to be that it's made best at home. Most restaurants, with very few exceptions, can't get it right. I think there are a couple of factors that add to that. First, what I just mentioned-- the whole home-based nature of the cuisine. Second is the lack of familiarity with real Moroccan cuisine. Hint: it does not involve hummus or pitas! Thus, most people can't really say "Hmm, I feel for Moroccan today," the way I feel for sushi on every day that ends with a "y". Moroccan food as I have experienced it traveling in Morocco (Casablanca, Fez, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Essaouria, and more) is more Mediterranean than I ever expected. The food I ate at homes in Fez and North Coast was unbelievably delicious and more akin to the types of things I have eaten in Nice or even Croatia than the type of Middle Eastern, Lebanese-style food most people assume you would get in a place with a strong Arabic culture. Just look at where Morocco sits on the map, though, and the truth about the food makes perfect sense.

And how's this for truth: it's freaking AMAZING FOOD. Once you get comfortable with the idea that there is one huge, artfully arranged plate in the center of the table which everyone reaches into (usually with the help of a chunk torn off the traditional round wheat bread) and eats from, usually unveiled with panache from underneath a giant clay tajin, you can really appreciate both the presentation and the fantastic, intense flavors and perfectly cooked meats and vegetables.

Some of the stuff I remember (because I'm an elephant when it comes to crazy good meals): turkey in the tajin with some kind of delicious, sizzling ginger sauce; all kinds of lamb so tender and flavorful that it felt like some kind of meat I had never had before, in all kinds of savory sauces like an amazing quince sauce I remember; fish in tomato-based sauce that was literally the best fish I've ever eaten, and probably the best tomato sauce, too. Every other bite had a chunk of the most intense tomatoey goodness you could imagine, yet somehow it didn't overpower the delicate and tender white fish. And of course there were lots of fresh and delicious vegetable salads, fresh mint everywhere stuffed in the super-sweet green verbena tea and mingling with veggies and sauces, fresh figs that break your heart they are so delicious and do wonders for your digestion, delicious flaky little cookies that taste like almonds.

Sipping mint-stuffed hot tea on a Fez rooftop.

And the couscous. Oh, the couscous! It is divine. Bright yellow, crumbly, flavorful, full of the most delicious broiled tomatoes and other veggies that you've ever tasted. At the ports we wandered through in a fishing area on the coast-- now THAT was an experience-- we sat at plastic tables and ate piles of fresh grilled sardines. You could look them in the eye as you ate, but it didn't stop me from devouring the little guys-- salty, crusty, flaky and not in the least bit fishy or greasy.

I was a complete mess at the end as we ate with our hands, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.

And of course, the beautiful Coke cans in Arabic were pretty sweet. I'm a sucker, I took a photo.

I am a big believer in traveling to places just for gastronomic experiences. Someday I'll write about my road trip through Belgium, brewery and monastery hopping all for the love of beer-- another tale for another time. There are some quite fine Moroccan wines, though many of the locals don't drink them for obvious reasons. Even without a glass at dinner, though, the meals I had could not have been more divine. They're on my mind now as I'll be visiting again the first week of August. I will be sure to share all the delectable finds this time around with all of you readers!

:-p

Perfect Pasta Salad (thanks Pam Smart!)

2007-07-10T01:15:00.000-07:00

The pasta salad I made for our family bbq is from a cookbook by Pam Smart, called CookSmart: Perfect Recipes for Every Day. Its a GREAT cookbook. She is a former editor of Cooks Illustrated, which is one of my favorite resources, and her books read and work like a more gentle, less scientific version of the CI books. This particular book gives you a basic recipe for something - say, waffles - and then gives you easy variations on the basic recipe. Her waffle variations include cornmeal, blueberry, chocolate chip, etc etc.

She does the same thing for pasta salad, and her method has become my pasta salad bible, if you will. I'm not sure if one NEEDS a bible for pasta salad but it can't hurt, right?

Here is her method:

Cook 1 pound of pasta - small shapes like penne, fusilli, ziti, rotelle, etc.
Prepare 2 pounds of key ingredients - cooked and raw veggies, beans, seafood, mild cheeses
Add intense flavors - cured meats, stronger cheeses, nuts, olives
Add onions and herbs
Add dressing - she offers several different variations for use in italian, asian, and greek pasta salads, amongst others

The salad I made for the bbq on Sunday used tri-color rotini. The key ingredients were celery, garbanzos, roasted red peppers, bell pepper, artichoke hearts, and mozarella. For intense flavors, I added pepperoni, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. I used a half of a red onion, parsley, and oregano. For the dressing I used her creamy vinaigrette - Sartini olive oil from Trader Joe's (my favorite cheap oo), fresh garlic, dijon, lemon juice, sea salt and fresh-ground pepper. It was DELICIOUS.

The only thing that I disagree with P. Smart on is when to dress the salad. She says to put the dressing on no sooner than 15 minutes before you serve. I find that putting it on an hour or two before, and chilling the salad, then bringing it closer to room temperature before serving really melds all the flavors together. In fact, I like it almost better the next day.

The book gives specific recipes for 7 or so different pasta salads, and then a list of possible ingredients so that you can design your own. The book has terrific recipes for waffles, chocolate cake, and brownies, but I think it is worth it just for the section on pasta salad. Her recipes are fresh, full of great ingredients, and they come out right every time, because her instructions are SO easy to follow.

Click Here for a USA Today article by Pam Smart, describing her pasta salad method. It includes some free recipes for a few of her dressings.

Cheers!

Em

Sorry for the reposts!

2007-07-08T16:27:00.000-07:00

For those of you using bloglines, I apologize for the constant reposts today. We are still working out the kinks of the blog, and have been editing labels etc, which may cause the blog to show up as "new" numerous times even if there are no new posts. Hopefully things will be running smoother asap ;)

cheers!

Em

Chocolate Bar: Sending Me to Chocolate Rehab!

2007-07-08T14:46:00.001-07:00

That barbecue sounds fabulous, Em!

I'm in NYC for the weekend, which presents many fun food opportunities. Today my boyfriend and I wandered around to the West Village and found ourselves at Chocolate Bar on 8th Ave. and 4th street. It's a cute, tidy little shop with funky decor including squares of fake grass sitting under the various chocolate products, and an orange and brown color scheme. They're known for their "Liquid Chocolate". It's basically an iced hot chocolate. Super rich. The first sip conjured up images of Augustus Gloop slurping on the chocolate river. It was divine. So rich that I almost fell into a chocolate coma after drinking a few big sips. Luckily we shared it, along with an "Elvis" chocolate-- a fluffy, painfully sweet homemade marshmallow laced with banana flavor, with a chunk of peanut butter in the center, all draped in delicious dark chocolate. It was ridiculously good. It was about three inches in diameter but even splitting it, I could only get a couple of bites down before I started feeling like I might have a chocolate overdose and be headed straight to chocolate rehab-- that and the Liquid Chocolate was just too much! Definitely a case where too much is just enough. I think the word I am looking for is decadent.

I was chatting with the ladies behind the counter about the Liquid Chocolate-- my suggestion to them was that they serve it in a shot glass. Less intimidating, and a smaller portion would really highlight the rich intensity of the stuff. I am a big fan of small portions in general because I find I savor the food much more that way. The ladies showed us a huge bucket of bittersweet chocolate slivers which they scoop into hot whole milk and allow to melt and mix. They then put that over ice, and there you have it, liquid chocolate.

Check it out at www.chocolatebarnyc.com. You can get a feel for it, but you'll have to come out to the city if you want a taste. It's a great alternative to the famous Magnolia Bakery when the line there is too long to bear.

;-p

BBQ on Sunday Afternoon

2007-07-08T13:11:00.000-07:00

I headed home to my parent's house in the central valley this weekend, to do a little shopping with my mom, and to plan/cook for/host/attend a family bbq, which will happen later this afternoon. Menu is as follows:

To Start:

Thomas Keller's olive tapenade - by far my favorite recipe
Cooks Illustrated Herbed Spinach Dip with feta, oregano, and lemon juice (need membership to view)
various cheeses, crackers, veggies, and bread

On the grill:

Hotdogs and polish sausage
babyback ribs
bbq chicken wings for my grandmother, who loves them
big burgers
a few veggie burgers for the vegetarian cousin
a couple of steaks

On the side:

Antipasti pasta salad from Pam Smart's CookSmart book (will blog about this later)
Grilled corn on the cob
Green salad with sunflower seeds and feta
Delicious bread (thank you ACME)
Jello salad for the grandparents
Fruit salad

For Dessert:

Cooks Illustrated Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie, 1 made with splenda for the 3 diabetics (need membership to view)
Aroz con Leche

To Drink:

Turn Bull Sauvignon Blanc
A couple of Napa Roses

I love a summertime bbq. The best part will be watching my cousin's 1 year old splash around in the pool.

Happy Sunday everyone!

Em

Gracias, Emilia.

2007-07-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks Emilia! I'm excited to make my real-life blog debut. This lawyer definitely eats. I am also a huge connoisseur of cocktails, wine and beer, so I will be piping up on those aspects of our gastronomic adventures. Eating fabulous meals with fabulous people is what I live for. Seriously. I'll have it with the wine pairings. I'm picky on quality but I'll try anything once. Most exciting food experience of late? It was last fall- staying up all night and heading to the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo at 5:00 A.M. to check out the wares and dodge speeding carts full of styrofoam boxes of fish headed out to be eaten by the world.

The real purpose of the visit though? To wait in a long line (yes, a line at the crack of dawn!) to sit next to fishermen with big rubber boots in a tiny, crowded sushi bar, eating gem-like omakase and drinking cold Japanese beer. They ladled the miso soup out of a huge bucket in the back.

I'll never forget the ikura. Here's looking at you, Ikura...we'll always have Tokyo!

:-p YUM!

Please welcome Patch!

2007-07-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

Please welcome Patch to Lawyer.eats. She is also a lawyer and one of my premier foodie friends. She will be reporting on Los Angeles restaurants, some in NYC, and also here in SF, because we do a lot of eating when she comes to visit.

Stay tuned for the following highlights over the next two weeks:

Sebo in San Francisco
District in San Francisco
a blog about the private wine dinner I go to
a report on the food at MLB all-star week

Cheers!

Em

Los Jarritos

2007-07-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

I was blessed to be born into a family of Mexican heritage. My mother is Mexican, and she's an amazing cook. My brothers and I grew up eating her delicious tacos, tostadas, burritos, enchiladas, tamales - the works. She's a healthy cook - she didn't cook anything especially greasy. But it was fresh, well-seasoned, and delicious.

Growing up in Los Angeles and central California, I was also blessed to be surrounded by tons of amazing Mexican food. The population in my hometown in the central valley is mostly Mexican/Latin American. There are tons of great places to get a delicious taco. My test of a good Mexican restaurant is whether they have good beans and good carnitas. The beans have to be fresh, not too heavy, not too salty. The carnitas have to be greasy enough but not too greasy, not too salty. Carnitas are basically porked braised in pork fat. So they should taste bad for you, but without making you feel ill.

When I moved to Los Angeles for college, I was once again surrounded by tons of terrific Mexican food. My favorite place there was called Los Jarritos II. I went there all the time and took family and friends there. Great delicious carnitas, great chips, hot salsa, quick, cheap, great. I hoped when I moved to Palo Alto for grad school that I would be able to find a place as good. But no dice. There is NO good mexican food in Palo Alto. Nothing. Not even worth trying.

San Francisco however.....San Francisco is another story. There is an entire neighborhood in San Francisco that has a heavy latin influence - lots of Mexican, Central and South Americans with great restaurants. I knew it wouldn't take me long to find "my place" for Mexican food in SF - and I was not disappointed. But I was surprised to find that its name, as well, was Los Jarritos.

The mission is full of taquerias and little crowded places where you can grab a quick bite. But the thing I really like about Los Jarritos is that you can sit down, have a relaxing dinner, and its still delicious and inexpensive.

The chips and salsa at Los Jarritos are pretty good. The salsa they serve before you eat is a cooked salsa - tomatoes, onions, and spices and lots of jalapeno blended until smooth and cooked before its served. The chips are always fresh, made from the corn tortillas that the restaurant makes and uses in all its recipes. My favorite things to order are the tacos - you can get them crispy or soft (I go for crispy). They put a little beans, and then your choice of delicious chicken, spicy beef, carnitas, or just rice if you are a vegetarian. The guacamole is fresh and super tasty, and made spicier if you ask them. The beans - oh man. They are pure heaven. And they are vegetarian, which means no lard - but they are so freakin good you would never know it. And the carnitas are perfect - greasy but not gross, tender, tasty, YUM.

I go to Los Jarritos once a month or so. I like to take people there. My parents have gone with me and my mom gave it her true Latina stamp of approval. I took my friend from high school, L., there for 4th of July dinner. She had the carne asada and said it was amazing. I believe her - but the carnitas are so good that I'm not sure I'll ever be able to try anything else.

So if you are in town and want good authentic Mexican food, in a cozy atmosphere, in the heart of SF - Los Jarritos is it!!

Food - (3)
Experience - (3)
Total - (3)

For an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!

Check out Los Jarritos Yelp! reviews HERE.

I dig it!

Em

Our Rating System:

2007-07-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Our rating system consists of a highly subjective "diamonds" scale (birthstone for both of us, and just puts us in a good mood). For each of our reviews, you get two ratings-- one for food alone (we both agree that is just the bottom line, no amount of ambience will make bad food good!) and one for overall experience which includes the service and atmosphere. We use fractions of rocks as we see fit. Sometimes we disagree on the number for a place we've eaten at together. When that happens, we discuss until we can reach a compromise.

When we rate bars, we might rate a little differently. We do a rating just for drinks, while normal restaurant scores include drinks in the "Experience" category.

We make no guarantees and do not claim to be experts as far as our opinions being spot-on and irrefutable. However, we think we have good taste, so we would listen to us!

A couple of clarifying notes:

Fool's gold.......we are not happy. We understand that pyrite is not diamond-related. It's just that so many of the places we would give 1 diamond to are raved about by some people, which makes it particularly aggravating. We pity those fools!

Lackluster (2 diamonds): average, nothing special.

Semi-precious (3 diamonds): we were quite happy/happy about some things though not others, and would probably recommend to others.

A true gem (4 diamonds): wonderful. We were very happy and would definitely recommend to others.

Brilliant (5 diamonds): we'll be telling our grandchildren about this meal. Bliss.

Please let us know if you have any comments or questions on our rating system - we can be reached at lawyereats@gmail.com!

About Us!

2007-06-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

Patch and Emilia were both law students when we met and became friends over their love of great edibles and potables. Living together one summer and discovering our shared adoration for all (good) things edible, we started taking bi and sometimes tri-weekly trips to different restaurants around the Bay Area of California, tasting cuisine and sampling libations. Four years later we have dined together in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Cabo San Lucas, Playa del Carmen, Los Angeles, and more. We always order the wine pairings.

In addition, our separate travel experiences have led us to many places around the world, where we make wining and dining a top priority. Emilia came up with the idea of a food blog where the two of us could review restaurants and various eating/drinking experiences and share them with you, in the hopes of promoting quality food experiences everywhere and sharing our passion for living in the moment through excellent food and drink. Posting ensued, until the demands of our lawyerly lives took over back in fall 2008. We took a hiatus for a while, but now we're back. Reviews and ridigity are out. Write ups of meals we enjoyed and a more relaxed approach are in!

Emilia comes from a family that knows how to cook...and how to eat. Her mother's family being from Mexico, she has a particular fondness for all things with a side of frijoles, and learned how to make salsa and guacamole for her friends at a very young age. Emilia's father's side hails from Hungary and Spain, which leaves her with a varied and delicious culinary heritage. Every event in her family calls for an elaborate spread, and these days she does a lot of the cooking. She has travelled throughout Mexico, Italy, and Spain, and ate her way through all three countries. She collects cookbooks (her favorite is the Zuni Cookbook from her all-time favorite restaurant in San Francisco), cooking gadgets (her silvery-green industrial-sized kitchenaide is displayed proudly on the kitchen counter for all to see), and napa wines. Emilia practices law in San Francisco, and was raised in the central valley of California. She is the world's biggest SF Giants fan, and had sampled every single food offered in the ballpark, except those made of fake meat, which she refuses to consume. She has a cat named Lucy, who is the envy of all other cats in the neighborhood, as she gets to eat her mother's leftovers.

Patch has been a foodie since she could eat food. She is a litigator at a firm in L.A., though she is from the East Coast.

Welcome to our blog! Any questions, feel free to email us at lawyereats@gmail.com!

Welcome to Lawyer.Eats

2007-06-29T11:24:00.000-07:00

Hi friends, family, and anyone who is visiting my new blog. Since I spend about 80 percent of my time eating food, thinking about food, or cooking food, I thought I might as well tack on writing about food while I'm at it. I have no ambitious plans for this blog to rival some of the really truly amazing SF foodie blogs (which I will link to and highlight on occasion). I want this to be a place with a variety of food-related things. I hope to include reviews of meals that I have in SF and elsewhere, reviews of recipes I try from various sources, tips and tricks I come across, products I especially like, and whatever else catches my fancy. Though I will focus on a lot of stuff that is local to SF, there will also be plenty of posts that are more general to people all over the country. And, for those of you who don't live in SF, you can start compiling a list of places to eat when you get here.

So with that - I am off to do some eating. As usual.

Welcome and CHEERS!

Emily