Point Reyes Oysters

The first time I tried oysters and actually liked them was 15-some-odd years ago at a company retreat in Bodega Bay, not too far from where we enjoyed this lovely little trough of Point Reyes oysters (below). The oysters that got me thinking that bivalves were worthy of consumption were lightly grilled and served with a squeeze of lemon. The ones here also came with lemon wedges plus a tangy mignonette, though these were shucked and slurped down raw.

Bottoms up. The half dozen slippery suckers went down way too fast, making us tempted to order another round. But since oysters are available pretty much all year round (so says Hog Island Oyster Co.), we decided to practice a bit of self-restraint and pick some up later when we got back into town.

Hmmm, famous last words? Nah. I think oysters are on order this weekend ...

Kimchi on Kimchee at Namu Gaji

"Our mom made the best kimchee fried rice growing up. Chef Ryan Farr makes SF's best hot dog. Need we say more." So reads the emphatic description for Mission eatery Namu Gaji's kimchee fried rice.

And here I'd always thought my mom made the best kimchi* fried rice. So of course I had to give this dish a try ... just to see if Namu Gaji's version came close to what nostalgia had immortalized as the most comforting of comfort foods.

Made with sticky white rice, kimchee, 4505 hot dog slivers, bacon bits and kochujang (aka Korean chile paste), then topped with a fried egg, green onions plus a chiffonade of nori, NG's fried rice sure did make a good go at my mom's #1 position.

But dear ol' mom's fried rice still reigns supreme. Since she lives in AZ though, I'm sure she won't mind if I let Namu Gaji pinch hit in her stead every now and again.

*Kimchi or kimchee ... no matter how you want to spell it, it's all good.

Best Fried Chicken at San Tung

Chinese restaurant San Tung in the Inner Sunset is often impossible to get into—unless you're willing to scribble your name on the white-board just inside and resign yourself to a long(ish) wait. And yet, you'll see throngs of people huddling outside on the sidewalk, more than willing to cool their heels until their name is called.

That's because they know what to expect: San Tung's cooks dish out lip-smacking goodies on a near daily basis. Addicting stuff like the dry sauteed string beans, dry black bean sauce noodles, hot braised bean curd ... and let's not forget the original dry fried chicken wings.

Fortunately, San Tung's got a newish cafe-cum-to-go spot right next door to its more traditional restaurant where you can pretty much get all of the same in-demand items (along with ice cream and bubble tea) sans the long wait. So, one night not too long ago, we strolled on in and ordered some of the black bean noodles along with a plate piled high with the best fried chicken in town.

Deep-fried to crispety perfection, the well-seasoned original dry fried chicken wings come spiked with a tongue-tingling dose of garlic, ginger and roasted chile peppers. 

Mmmmmmm. Finger-lickin' good.

DIY: Pear Crostata

Just a little something I made last weekend.

Subbing pears in place of rhubarb and raspberries, I made a crostata compliments of Locanda Verde's Karen DeMasco. This is my second go 'round with this slammin' recipe. My first successful attempt featured peaches and raspberries ... mmmmm.

Offal Good at Incanto

It's not just offal that's good at Incanto, but it's certainly what chef Chris Cosentino is known for, having showcased a variety of organ meats on his way to winning the most recent cycle of Top Chef Masters. That said, it's clear he's still pushing himself and the boundaries to create inventive and harmonious flavor combinations. When we decided to forego our 7:45 reservations last week so that we could fill our empty bellies an hour and a half earlier (Incanto was fully booked for the evening), we got to sit at the bar—and enjoy hearing Cosentino himself regaling a few VIP diners perched beside us with the intricate details behind the new dishes dotting the Fall menu.

Here are (most of) the treats that came our way:

An Incanto special: the most unctuous lamb liver pate set off nicely by a generous embellishment of piquant pepperoncini and shreddings of minty, sweet basil.

Another special: Creamy sea urchin carrying the barest hint of the ocean, partnered with thin shavings of melt-like-buttah lardo, a tiny helping of tangy pesto and crunchy, sharp radish. All of it piled atop a toasted and slightly bitter piece of brown bread. I savored every bite.

Spaghettini tossed with Sardinian cured tuna heart, egg yolk, chili flakes (this dish had a nice kick to it) and a big handful of fresh, grassy parsley. We got a half order, which was plenty—partly because the tuna heart curled our tongues, it was so salty. But we didn't mind. It was right for the amount we had. And we paired it with another primi: the handkerchief pasta and rustic pork ragu topped with a big ol' duck egg (not pictured, but ever so delightful).

Rounding out the meal was the bollito misto, which made its debut that very night. The broth had been enriched with bone marrow, flavored with star anise and strained through hay. Pork belly, bone marrow, lamb tongue, lamb thigh and shoulder, along with some lovely veg filled the enticing bowl. We were told to throw in the cilantro and other garnishes before digging in, but to save the pickled and fresh radish as a palate cleanser post-meal. We were more than happy to oblige.

A truly inspired dish, and overall a wonderful experience at Incanto.

Bibimbap: Korean Comfort Food

There's nothing terribly remarkable about Miyabi Sushi near Fisherman's Wharf, except for this: the bibimbap with spicy pork that comes out sizzling hot, the rice all crispety crunchety, in an oven-heated stone pot.

The bibimbap comes chock full of veggies, both pickled and fresh. And with a generous dousing of kochujang, the Korean version of Sriracha, it's all about comfort and goodness.

Post-Camping Pig-Out at Shanghai Dumpling King

Something about spending time in the great outdoors really works up a big appetite. So on our way back from an overnight camping trip in Marin, we decided to make a detour to Shanghai Dumpling King in the outer Richmond to load up on the ethereal soup dumplings plus a couple other fave dishes.

 

A worthy detour indeed. Piping hot and juicy with the most perfect, near-transparent skins, these dainty little soldiers disappeared down our gullets in no time at all.

Straw Does Grits Right

When AB suggested we meet at new-kid-on-the-Hayes-Valley-block Straw, I was more than happy to oblige. At the very least, the carnival-themed eatery would surely provide us with a modicum of amusement and hopefully some tasty bites as well.

Having scored what we thought was the best seat in the house—the metal canopy in the corner (a 2-seater salvaged from some amusement park from god know's where), we scanned Straw's brunch menu dotted with dishes adorned with festive names such as the Hanky Panky (Belgian waffle with fried egg, hickory smoked bacon and cheddar potato croquettes) and Wilber's Revival (pork hash with sauteed onion and sweet potato, a fried egg, grits, fried onions and bechamel).

Though the Hanky Panky was nice—the highlight being the molten, oozing cheddar potato croquettes lightly breaded in panko, it was Wilber's Revival that knocked our socks off. We loved the uber creamy consistency of the buttery grits (I'd just had a disappointingly leaden and lumpy version at The Corner Store—OK, the flavor was good, but the texture was all wrong). We also loved the generous mountain of well-seasoned pork and the crispety-crunchety fried onion strings. My only tiny criticism: The egg was medium-hard ... I was hoping to have all that sunshiney goodness spill out when I cut into it.

Oh well, I'll still go back ... and next time, I'll try the cheesy grits with linguisa and prawns in Cajun butter sauce on Straw's dinner menu.

P.S. We were wrong about the metal canopy 2-seater. It has the most incredible reverb—so much so that at times I could hear the 2 boisterous bros sitting 20 feet away better than I could AB who was sitting right beside me.

Welcome Nopalito

PH and I enjoyed a leisurely lunch at newly opened Nopalito in the Inner Sunset. The blustery grey day could do nothing to dampen our spirits as we celebrated PH's birthday with the bright flavors of lime, cilantro and tomatillo in the scrummy ceviche appetizer, not to mention the other well-made Mexican dishes we ordered today.

 

The ceviche: tender morsels of marinated fish and squiggles of calamari tossed in lime, tomatillo, jalapeño and cilantro with a generous fan of avocado on top and a pile of tortilla chips by its side.

The chicken enchiladas came doused in a richly satisfying sauce of chiles, chocolate and nuts topped with a tangle of onions and a crumble of queso fresco, plus a mound of refried pinquito beans.

Best Find This Month: El Sur's Empanadas

I've gotta say, I've had some really fancy food, Korean BBQ, tacos off a food truck, you name it, this past month, but what I'm most excited about is discovering El Sur at the pre-party to the SF Street Food Festival put on by La Cocina. Thank you, AB, for getting me in as your plus-one. I'm much obliged. Especially since we got to enjoy El Sur's heavenly Parisien empanadas.

 

The pretty round pastry pockets, which sport the most perfect buttery, flaky exterior, boasted a beautifully moist interior comprising chopped Prosciutto and country ham swimming in a melting pot of five cheeses and spiked with the sharp bite of scallions and chives.

 

The chef Marianne Depres' Cordon Bleu and French Laundry training clearly shines through.

Besides the Parisien, she's got a few other empanadas on her menu, including a traditional beef version and a chicken one as well. Though I didn't get to try those, I hope to soon.

 

Bonus points for the enchanting vintage Citroen van, which carries El Sur's precious cargo. I'll be sure to seek it out when I finally get over to SOMA Streatfood Park or Off the Grid.

Me love you long time, Locavore

To celebrate JA's birthday, I decided we should take a trip back to Locavore—after all, our first visit last year to the cozy Bernal Heights eatery had left such a good impression.

What we found was a brand new line-up tailored against the season's bounty and an enthusiastic server who steered us through the menu with great aplomb.

 

I inhaled the insanely sweet and juicy cherry and heirloom tomato salad with mellow pickled red onion, grassy cilantro leaves, fresh cucumber rounds and crunchy home-made chicharon in about 90 seconds flat.

Since I'm a sucker for the savory-sweet combo, I pounced on the pork osso buco, which was an especially honkin' big portion, said our server (woohoo), and came on a bed of honeyed apple sauce, with a healthy helping of grilled broccoli rabe and scallions.

LOVE.

In Season: Stone Fruit

Peaches and plums are in their prime this month, so what better way to showcase these sweet, juicy fruits than in a crumble.

Give me a crisp, crumble, betty, buckle or plain old piece of pie served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream any day of the week. I'll take that over chocolate every time.

This particular recipe comes out of Food and Wine and calls for both tahini and black sesame seeds. I had regular roasted sesame seeds so opted to use that instead, throwing in a healthy couple of tablespoons into the crumble. The substitution worked just fine and added a really nice almost-savory dimension to the dessert.

A pound of plums plus a pound-and-a-half of peaches, and what you've got is a whole heckuvalot of summery goodness that you can scoop out and then promptly smother with some really good ice cream or a large helping of whipped cream.