tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9983121833899517082024-03-04T20:53:13.788-08:00Cupcakes and KimchiKimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.comBlogger404125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-84627904538832514742014-09-21T18:14:00.000-07:002014-09-21T18:14:22.369-07:00Chalkboard for Some Super Tasty Small Plates<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So far, since coming back from NY, I make it up to wine country about once a year. Don't get me wrong </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I love it up there, and though I have great ambitions to go more often, city living (work and the rat race) gets in the way. Best-laid plans aside, this summer included a little jaunt to Cloverdale and the surrounding area, including dinner at </span><a href="http://chalkboardhealdsburg.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Chalkboard</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in Healdsburg.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow. The restaurant's website says its food is "a celebration of the best ingredients Sonoma has to offer." I'll say. A lot of the produce showcased in Chalkboard's small plates come from a dedicated 3-acre garden. And it was obvious once the dishes start parading out to our table. See for yourself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This night, Chalkboard's bruschetta were flavor bombs </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> featuring heirloom tomatoes drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and topped with a crumble of smoked egg yolks; summer squash caponata with ricotta and basil; and hickory smoked salmon with smashed avocado, creme fraiche and pickled onions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Summer isn't complete without corn. Chalkboard's grilled Brentwood corn was incredibly sweet and juicy, and dressed to perfection with queso fresco, chipotle crema and cilantro. Loved the addition of grilled lime to balance sweet with tart and tangy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Creamy luscious goodness in the guise of uni butter injected this bucatini dish with all kinds of umami. Oh, and the additions of gulf shrimp and roasted garlic were pretty awesome too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chalkboard's savory meat pasta </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> jalapeno cresta di gallo (aka rooster crest-shaped pasta) with corn, bacon, creme fraiche and a pork shoulder ragu </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> served as the ideal counterpart to the seafood pasta. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only dish we didn't absolutely love was this one: the San Marzano tomato braised meatballs with Pecorino and mint leaves. It was good, but just didn't pull off the richly complex flavor of the meatballs and spicy sauce at <a href="http://cupcakesandkimchi.blogspot.com/2009/04/beretta-does-it-again.html">Beretta</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No matter. Overall, Chalkboard delivered. Happy to come back any time.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But lately I've been jonesing for (a lot) more vegetables to accompany my noodles. And I've come on the perfect solution: to ask the Ken Ken Ramen folks for the miso veggie ramen with the pork stock (in lieu of the vegan broth).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Best laid plans ... the veggie substitution keeps slipping my mind when I get to the Ken Ken Ramen table, and I invariably request the porkiest option available.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eh, no regrets. Pork is after all the best of all proteins </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> versatile, flavorful and ever so satisfying.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I leave Ken Ken Ramen a happy camper every time.</span></div>
Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com13378 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA37.7621032 -122.41874412.240068699999998 -163.727338 63.2841377 -81.11015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-10970048268148267392014-09-09T22:06:00.000-07:002014-09-09T22:06:18.140-07:00Fresh Figs for Breakfast<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's summer in California like? Let me see ... oh yeah, it's about feasting on fresh-picked figs, juicy peaches and the sweetest tomatoes. A simple and yet glorious breakfast in the great outdoors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These figs were plucked at their perfect ripeness just that morning. They're not something I grew up eating, but have happily added to my favorite things over the past decade.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the rest of our farmer's market finds </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> including a hearty and wholesome bread (the loaf must've weighed 5 pounds) from a local bakery </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> made this a meal to remember. </span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-87848787065875152052014-05-02T18:39:00.000-07:002014-05-02T18:39:13.314-07:00The Abbot's Cellar Surpasses Expectations<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd heard mixed reviews about <a href="http://www.abbotscellar.com/" target="_blank">The Abbot's Cellar</a>, sister to <a href="http://monkskettle.com/" target="_blank">Monk's Kettle</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">—</span>both known for their wide selection of craft beers, but curiosity got the better of me<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">—</span>and frankly, the food dotting the daily changing menu sounded pretty damn delightful. So I decided it was time to try Abbot's Cellar for myself. With cousin MC as my willing accomplice, I made a visit to the Mission restaurant on a night not too long ago, and this is what I found:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A gorgeous presentation of California's bounty with flavors that backed up the stunning display. Big stalks of crisp tender asparagus came bathed in creamy burrata and a healthy helping of sauteed maitake and other mushrooms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beautifully bronzed bacon of the sea (aka scallops) came paired with the crispiest fried sunchokes and wisps of green leaves. I'd say of the two appetizers, this one was my fave.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then there was the home-made strozzapreti ("priest stranglers" in Italian) in a creamy carbonara with peas, both whole and smashed, and an egg to add even more richness to the pasta. Artery-clogging? Yes. Worth every bite? Hell, yes.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lmdOBIdj_FJSj42dAr2kxEwqllMMkMJ595ExHg_Jmve6Ro67a59awxghkZLcJBxw1Zuqu00HhU6nHka5uKl9gD_IEGYKqEICKDb0psf_BPNxRRldMOcFPDNyWaH_avqa31xi70XcS_WA/s1600/Abbots-Cellar-pork-chop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lmdOBIdj_FJSj42dAr2kxEwqllMMkMJ595ExHg_Jmve6Ro67a59awxghkZLcJBxw1Zuqu00HhU6nHka5uKl9gD_IEGYKqEICKDb0psf_BPNxRRldMOcFPDNyWaH_avqa31xi70XcS_WA/s1600/Abbots-Cellar-pork-chop.jpg" height="400" width="373" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Did we really need to order the pork chop with honey-glazed bacon? Of course, we did. After all, a girl needs her protein and those baby carrots were the sweetest little things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We even managed to save room for dessert (not pictured): a lovely chevre cheesecake topped with a dusting of pistachio nuts and drizzled with a sweet-tangy verjus reduction. Oh man, was that good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Abbot's Cellar, you're alright in my book<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">—</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and MC's as well.</span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-12385739272115761092014-02-26T10:32:00.000-08:002014-09-12T22:58:28.259-07:00Craftsman and Wolves' Crafty Creation<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How best to describe the desserts at <a href="http://www.craftsman-wolves.com/" target="_blank">Craftsman and Wolves</a>? Well, besides the fact that they are truly eye candy, they're also packed with complementary and contrasting flavors that set the Valencia patisserie apart from any other in the city. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This cool creation was a vanilla bomb of creamy goodness, filled with an apple puree, sitting atop a springy graham crust.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmj41gHNno3okuKvbOsmtYXcqxrUGMxWv9EAohSkuEtwuSDAnhk24hqRXK97z2iXSwmdQdF22_HONFW51CmoACdRZVUePt1k5jVvf0aaMJJEdOmzFl15zbw6j1Zw1aYOv41laxfqIxvMX/s1600/Craftsman-and-Wolves-dessert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmj41gHNno3okuKvbOsmtYXcqxrUGMxWv9EAohSkuEtwuSDAnhk24hqRXK97z2iXSwmdQdF22_HONFW51CmoACdRZVUePt1k5jVvf0aaMJJEdOmzFl15zbw6j1Zw1aYOv41laxfqIxvMX/s1600/Craftsman-and-Wolves-dessert.jpg" height="640" width="564" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The coconut slivers, fennel fronds, kumquat and apple slices added personality to the diminutive dish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And how fun that when you cut into the white sphere, it was like you were tucking into a soft-boiled egg. Craftsman and Wolves gets bonus points for finding humor in their creativity.</span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0746 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA37.7608706 -122.4215332999999637.7608216 -122.42161229999996 37.760919599999994 -122.42145429999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-48029908771568562982014-02-24T20:21:00.000-08:002014-02-24T20:24:04.680-08:00Bratwurst on a Bun at Pig & Pie<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pigandpiesf.com/" target="_blank">Pig & Pie</a> in the outer Mission has two of my favorite things though I have yet to try the latter. Maybe next time I'll make room for a slice of one of their daily specials (Wow, today's line-up includes Mississippi Mud, Pear Blueberry, Chocolate Cheesecake, Lemon Shaker and Apple ... mouth is salivating).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On this visit, I settled on the bratwurst on a bun, which came with a healthy helping of crunchy sauerkraut and a tasty squeeze of spicy beer mustard.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7R_d87etZsWbem4C75REhz45nGTVeHVsSxzOtRjElawKmA8TDyjsKclAyZpJ13EIxipJnygKwqJXdaMpgtM8PA5DHP7UkC4sZNsu4cDcyIjCWCXbNS4QcQWPqdCFwYLACKnhu4OwWFXlL/s1600/Pig-and-Pie-Bratwurst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7R_d87etZsWbem4C75REhz45nGTVeHVsSxzOtRjElawKmA8TDyjsKclAyZpJ13EIxipJnygKwqJXdaMpgtM8PA5DHP7UkC4sZNsu4cDcyIjCWCXbNS4QcQWPqdCFwYLACKnhu4OwWFXlL/s1600/Pig-and-Pie-Bratwurst.jpg" height="255" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A bit on the pricy side at $8.50 (Really? For a hot dog?). But considering everything's made from scratch, and all of their porky pig comes from a "consortium of small family farms in Texas, hormone and antibiotic free," I figured it was worth the "splurge."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indeed it was. After all, who doesn't love a good brat? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And now for that pie ... </span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com02962 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA37.75299 -122.411490212.230955499999997 -163.7200842 63.2750245 -81.1028962tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-35412251720378101062013-09-26T14:40:00.000-07:002013-09-26T14:43:24.763-07:00Dinner in Provence at Chez Papa Bistrot<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The French mafia continues to establish its stronghold on San Francisco, what with multiple Chez Papas and Mamans, La Boulanges (which recently got snapped up by Starbucks) and so on opening up in the city by the bay. I think the <a href="http://www.chezpapasf.com/" target="_blank">Chez Papa Bistrot</a> in Potrero Hill is the original in the "chez" group and though I've dined at all the others, I'd never had a chance to try the original. Until now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remembering that mussels were Chez Papa's specialty, JP and I started out with a heaping bowl of 'em Basquaise style. The bivalves had been simmered in white wine spiked with roasted bell pepper, parsley and spicy Spanish chorizo. We plowed through the entire bowl along with the accompanying pile of crispy fries.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUKQwdPKVP2GuXACxmg9rUk3oL2ZUWX7iRgVdAlKRE6AB6zYyeyaKYjey_Xizc3VFN4qUCKjvcokIdP5Fyz0c56aR8399LPsQzda1XK3AUCouWadxY2hLB9jvnf9zBxczr7n39Q8Fe2TG/s1600/Chez-Papa-Bistrot-bouillabaisse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUKQwdPKVP2GuXACxmg9rUk3oL2ZUWX7iRgVdAlKRE6AB6zYyeyaKYjey_Xizc3VFN4qUCKjvcokIdP5Fyz0c56aR8399LPsQzda1XK3AUCouWadxY2hLB9jvnf9zBxczr7n39Q8Fe2TG/s400/Chez-Papa-Bistrot-bouillabaisse.jpg" width="366" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For my main, I chose a quintessential Provencal dish, the bouillabaisse or fish stew, which came with a ton of lovely goodies including black cod, clams, mussels, prawns, bay scallops, fingerling potatoes, plus some crusty bread with rouille (basically, mayo flavored with garlic, cayenne, saffron, olive and pepper). Which reminds me, I've got a slammin' recipe for bouillabaisse that I need to dust off and bring back into my repertoire ...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6G_g60B-nEGW4aHeyd-Wor6-4Q4ijo3nIrJCpkkLqxPvbbsic_FTGMuCSWlv5CHcjX7auxgWkcqQOyVULmVZDVVIf14Lf7tw1K4_nksVCZGvy2Dh5f5AM46KkFdYqpwkhpUJ7tBJ06fr/s1600/Chez-Papa-Bistrot-beef-short-rib.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6G_g60B-nEGW4aHeyd-Wor6-4Q4ijo3nIrJCpkkLqxPvbbsic_FTGMuCSWlv5CHcjX7auxgWkcqQOyVULmVZDVVIf14Lf7tw1K4_nksVCZGvy2Dh5f5AM46KkFdYqpwkhpUJ7tBJ06fr/s400/Chez-Papa-Bistrot-beef-short-rib.jpg" width="385" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, JP went for the braised beef short rib sitting atop mashed potato and a red wine demi-glace, accompanied by a bit of veg and a tangle of watercress. Not enough vegetables, was JP's complaint, though the moules frites app had filled him up so much, he left his plate unfinished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No matter. We took the tender short rib home and made a hearty meat sauce to go with our pasta the next day. Yay for good leftovers. </span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com01401 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA37.7625273 -122.396741412.240492800000002 -163.7053354 63.284561800000006 -81.0881474tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-75620368976709187042013-09-18T13:40:00.000-07:002013-09-18T20:51:18.118-07:00Big, Bodacious Beignets at Brenda's French Soul Food<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Donuts are a pretty wonderful invention. I remember when I was just a wee thing, my mom making them from scratch—not for any special occasion per se, just for the heck of it. I'd stand by her side at the stove, watching her fry up these fluffy cakes with holes punched out of their middles. Peering over the side of the pot as the donut holes (my faves, of course) bobbed around in the bubbling oil. Ever since then, I've always favored these fried sweet treats, though I do try to avoid eating them on a regular basis. (Daily donut consumption will most certainly lead to a big belly. No thanks!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, if I'm having breakfast at <a href="http://cupcakesandkimchi.blogspot.com/2007/12/brendas-french-soul-food.html" target="_blank">Brenda's French Soul Food</a>, I can't say no to "New Orleans' favorite doughnut," the beignet. Brenda's beignets come with a tasty little twist ... and then some.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cPSxjdNdbtF2MqIFWUicosBbOA9YTEAVXbYzrajdAWJ7js_BYrfny2Ws9X_iYedKAfxmUay0BcSJBkq8auN-4tf2eCbiT5KXtzoNqG1buuYReplUD3AL6yby-OrAMMciMWVu30uIpF4z/s1600/Brendas-French-Soul-Food-beignets-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cPSxjdNdbtF2MqIFWUicosBbOA9YTEAVXbYzrajdAWJ7js_BYrfny2Ws9X_iYedKAfxmUay0BcSJBkq8auN-4tf2eCbiT5KXtzoNqG1buuYReplUD3AL6yby-OrAMMciMWVu30uIpF4z/s400/Brendas-French-Soul-Food-beignets-2.jpg" width="361" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For one, Brenda's beignets are enormous. The fluffiest, bounciest fritters I've ever had. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_rESzws3QIaoAYmiQDAPhASG-8zTZQOydUPK8cjhyeJJ01Ncb3f0ovzisAqE771SJtj0-bIsKZpCXQccO_gbAAisH4-IWRXI_2brXIA_xSgLVzOlWZTNGK2wU63A3CAZfnjEY4SI42gR/s1600/Brendas-French-Soul-Food-beignets-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_rESzws3QIaoAYmiQDAPhASG-8zTZQOydUPK8cjhyeJJ01Ncb3f0ovzisAqE771SJtj0-bIsKZpCXQccO_gbAAisH4-IWRXI_2brXIA_xSgLVzOlWZTNGK2wU63A3CAZfnjEY4SI42gR/s400/Brendas-French-Soul-Food-beignets-3.jpg" width="366" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And since they're hot out of the fryer, as soon as you cut into them, the stuffing inside comes oozing out, with the most tantalizing aromas floating up to your face.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnVSfZc23Bn30mcLFxbvERWhcZEyafCmZrrLHz1DCUlzmAJWrMF5s714N2-AwdqlB3d-fFZQDYB8mTfXrZHhyphenhyphen0n3Uyyyb2qqbkOptVGtZVSM6D4Eh7crBQnTSW9wB8sK41krmuG6t2zTw/s1600/Brendas-French-Soul-Food-crawfish-beignet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnVSfZc23Bn30mcLFxbvERWhcZEyafCmZrrLHz1DCUlzmAJWrMF5s714N2-AwdqlB3d-fFZQDYB8mTfXrZHhyphenhyphen0n3Uyyyb2qqbkOptVGtZVSM6D4Eh7crBQnTSW9wB8sK41krmuG6t2zTw/s400/Brendas-French-Soul-Food-crawfish-beignet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The crawfish beignet has a generous hit of cayenne to turn up the heat, with plenty of melted cheddar to boot.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gKI9EcmnVEJPXs8Xh2NVp7IDDx5PBQdwIKIjCSaQ06RuLZ1tiwO8SqR9ZTFi0tFF27XPxoBdOmW-aYSA8QnSWyKJQ89_UACwRb1CX7sAVM6rNPfFzhEtVRqLzuep8I8ajPoNpCMdxu6K/s1600/Brendas-French-Soul-Food-apple-beignet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gKI9EcmnVEJPXs8Xh2NVp7IDDx5PBQdwIKIjCSaQ06RuLZ1tiwO8SqR9ZTFi0tFF27XPxoBdOmW-aYSA8QnSWyKJQ89_UACwRb1CX7sAVM6rNPfFzhEtVRqLzuep8I8ajPoNpCMdxu6K/s400/Brendas-French-Soul-Food-apple-beignet.jpg" width="390" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While the Granny Smith apple beignet has the right amount of sweetness and spice with its shroud of powdered sugar and the addition of cinnamon, honey butter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The beignets served as the warm-up for what became a breakfast blowout at <a href="http://frenchsoulfood.com/" target="_blank">Brenda's French Soul Food</a>, when in fact, JP and I realized too late that those beignets were so filling, we really could have done with half the food we'd ordered. Food comas quickly ensued and pretty much kept hold of us for the entire day. Ah well, lesson learned. And no regrets anyway—I heart BFSF.</span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0652 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA37.7828912 -122.4190297000000112.260856700000001 -163.7276237 63.3049257 -81.110435700000011tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-10470276924273454342013-09-16T14:06:00.000-07:002013-09-16T14:09:07.295-07:00Loving Every Bite of Our Park Tavern Pig-Out <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"This is the best meal I've had all year," raved PH during and after our meal at <a href="http://www.parktavernsf.com/" target="_blank">Park Tavern</a>. I have to say, the food was mighty fine. And I was pleased PH enjoyed every bite since we were celebrating her birthday. We found the spacious North Beach restaurant comfortable and inviting, seated as we were in the corner of a plush row of black leather banquettes, right off Park Tavern's massive kitchen.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE66i6mgTKAxdDpYv9zwjHL7EgFg7nE9BOzg5tfGoRO0xk97Lbe0UG2gMTDod7uu5PvTtK_lQ-JY7sffQ3zunh3Ix7IY50RICwWX30F_PfkVvz2fTHBfH8CJEr1Bv17V2ZbCRJnBrsER7D/s1600/Park-Tavern-smoked-deviled-eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE66i6mgTKAxdDpYv9zwjHL7EgFg7nE9BOzg5tfGoRO0xk97Lbe0UG2gMTDod7uu5PvTtK_lQ-JY7sffQ3zunh3Ix7IY50RICwWX30F_PfkVvz2fTHBfH8CJEr1Bv17V2ZbCRJnBrsER7D/s400/Park-Tavern-smoked-deviled-eggs.jpg" width="376" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since it was her birthday, I was happy to oblige PH's choice of appetizers, which included the smoked deviled eggs capped with slabs of bacon, pickled jalapenos, chives and shallots. And who doesn't love a good deviled egg anyway? These are just about the best rendition I've had. <a href="http://cupcakesandkimchi.blogspot.com/2010/03/spqr-best-italian-in-sf.html" target="_blank">SPQR's deviled eggs</a> rate pretty highly, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also devoured Park Tavern's crispy, airy wafers of deep-fried lemon that came with a nicely seasoned fava bean hummus, spiked with nigella seeds and nasturtium.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I couldn't get over how amazingly perfect my main was: caramelized sea scallops that were fresh and juicy with a hint of the sea. They came with a joyous medley of crispy tempura maitake mushrooms, roasted sweet peppers and thin shavings of zucchini, all tempered by an earthy porcini cream and then brought back up with the tang of a grilled spring onion vinaigrettte. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">I got to nibble on PH's grilled pork chop. Holy bonanza. Served with morcilla sausage, brussels sprouts, wilted greens, tiny new potatoes, pickled onions and a savory mustard jus, this was the ultimate in indulgence. Of the very best kind.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
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We were on such a roll, we even managed to fit dessert into our greedy bellies before calling it quits. Who says gluttony is a bad thing?</span></span></span></div>
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Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com01652 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA37.8010905 -122.409087512.279056 -163.7176815 63.323125000000005 -81.1004935tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-80099315464206888742013-09-12T11:51:00.000-07:002013-09-12T13:30:02.577-07:00Hearty and Full of Heart at 54 Mint<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.54mint.com/" target="_blank">54 Mint</a> had been on my list of places to try for quite some time. When I asked cousin MC whether we should go here or to Park Tavern instead (yet another place I've sadly skipped in my food forays 'round town—though I've since filled that hole; blog post to come), she left the choice to me. MC said both were good, just in different ways. Ah well, since I was in the mood for some pasta, and comfort food to boot, I chose 54 Mint.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQZPGg9FsH8ekJcoB6DkW1ZkZ_CKjUedSY08cok4eTKF2CsclOS2jnQaSRaI2UJHYc6Zc8SQ7mBe0V9c1K04vhEN97za4s-HBl6PfbVCGYO4pg06GSEDpJYGDIKtM9X3eU33pQRXug_b7/s1600/54-Mint-burrata-sea-urchin-and-bottarga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQZPGg9FsH8ekJcoB6DkW1ZkZ_CKjUedSY08cok4eTKF2CsclOS2jnQaSRaI2UJHYc6Zc8SQ7mBe0V9c1K04vhEN97za4s-HBl6PfbVCGYO4pg06GSEDpJYGDIKtM9X3eU33pQRXug_b7/s400/54-Mint-burrata-sea-urchin-and-bottarga.jpg" width="370" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MC was game for trying the bruschetta served with a creamy spread of burrata, luscious sea urchin, shavings of bottarga (aka salted, cured fish roe) and a chiffonade of basil. Mmmm, a really good marriage of the subtle dairy and sea urchin flavors with the more intense, briney bite of the bottarga.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brand new on the menu that night was the paccheri (tube-shaped pasta) in an uber-garlicky (maybe a tick too garlicky, though MC didn't think so) zucchini sauce with a generous helping of calamari that was so tender, we barely had to chew the delicate little rings as we polished off this lovely bowl of bouncy goodness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whoa. When we spied this mountain of meat at another table just over and yonder, we knew we had to have it: the Roman-style oxtail stewed for hours so that the beef was really only just barely draped over the bone—and came tumbling off as soon as we gently laid our forks on it. Tomatoes, pancetta, carrots, onions, and celery along with a medley of Italian spices kicked up the flavor quotient several notches. This is the kind of thing that spells comfort food with a capital C, and something I'll cook on occasion (mostly special ones and when I have time) at home.</span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com016 Mint Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA37.7826449 -122.407725437.782595900000004 -122.4078044 37.7826939 -122.4076464tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-54779073327724002912013-09-10T18:12:00.002-07:002013-09-11T20:34:49.323-07:00Rich Table, Wonder of Wonders<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://richtablesf.com/" target="_blank">Rich Table</a> is my new favorite restaurant. Thank you, SS for suggesting we hit the bar, reserved for walk-ins, at this most delightful eatery celebrating California's bounty. And thank god for catching a break when we snagged 2 seats within 10 minutes of our arrival—the place was packed to the rafters with ravenous diners, most with reservations made weeks in advance. The place has been getting a great deal of attention, all good. Needless to say, my expectations for Rich Table were high as we took our spots at the end of the bar, right next to the postage stamp-sized kitchen.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmARN55QU_KwJvy4adDofK1bqI_2zCaKgwPl2G7uH0AgwaHRxbwrxpZ51J0lVRVUFf11i6X7KgYj6mRiwhx-HX8I8bZkEufJADemn3dnBnJu0pldkNoHCbWu-qIwDDvAFYDFTk7O7YvAHY/s1600/Rich-Table-padron-peppers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmARN55QU_KwJvy4adDofK1bqI_2zCaKgwPl2G7uH0AgwaHRxbwrxpZ51J0lVRVUFf11i6X7KgYj6mRiwhx-HX8I8bZkEufJADemn3dnBnJu0pldkNoHCbWu-qIwDDvAFYDFTk7O7YvAHY/s400/Rich-Table-padron-peppers.jpg" width="337" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow. We set off on the right foot when Rich Table's server slid the bowl of blistered padron peppers and popped corn towards us. And those hefty slices of wild fennel levain bread with honkin' nob of butter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things continued to improve as we helped ourselves to the oh-so-fresh slivers of cured hamachi.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also savored every bite of the juicy, sweet peach salad, which screamed of the last days of summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a perfect dish this was: the trout in a green tomato broth with thin sheets of nori, corn, fig slices and a smattering of toasted almond.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I loved how the lightly dressed, citrusy shrimp and pea garganelli gave a good little kick with its pickled serrano peppers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And more summer goodness in the form of a springy, blue corn cake with honey roasted plums and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy happy. Good times. Rinse. Repeat.</span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0199 Gough Street, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA37.7748461 -122.4228094999999712.252811599999998 -163.73140349999997 63.296880599999994 -81.114215499999972tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-76138055403470890582013-08-27T17:22:00.000-07:002014-09-12T23:05:19.688-07:00Bar Agricole Is Still Going Strong 2 Years Later<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Actually, it's been almost two-and-a-half years since I first visited the spacious and modern <a href="http://cupcakesandkimchi.blogspot.com/2011/04/good-line-up-at-bar-agricole.html">Bar Agricole</a>, which back then put out some really outstanding food. Another visit a year later proved just as rewarding. So when I was looking for a place that might please a friend with high culinary standards, I figured why not give <a href="http://www.baragricole.com/" target="_blank">Bar Agricole</a> a third go 'round.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bar Agricole didn't let me down</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Said friend and I</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">along with another pal</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;">—</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tucked into the buoyantly tender mussels, which came swimming in the most fragrant, lip-smacking white wine-cum-broth laced with fennel, green coriander and pancetta. We soaked the big, buttery hunk of toast that came alongside the bivalves into the broth and wished we had more bread to sop up the addictive liquid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other goodies included the fried green tomatoes and squash with tonnato<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;">—</span>which came out molten hot and crispy on the outside, juicy and sweet on the inside, accompanied by a tangy aioli; diminutive miso-pickled anchovies with horseradish and a swab of egg yolk cream below with a whisper of purslane on top; and jumbo rabbit meatballs sitting on a bed of creamy, buttery polenta with a kind of tomato pepper salsa that proved the perfect foil to the rich meat and corn side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On that night, Bar Agricole was sporting an $85 pork chop on its daily changing menu. Say what? I asked the server if that was a typo. No, no. Not a typo at all. The meat weighs in at more than 2 pounds and takes more than an hour to cook, he told us. We decided to take a pass, though our curiosity was slightly piqued. ... Not enough to blow it all on one dish though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And in the end, we didn't feel like we'd missed out. Not in the least.</span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0355 11th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA37.771467 -122.41287212.249432500000001 -163.721466 63.293501500000005 -81.104278tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-1375538759692449582013-08-25T16:11:00.001-07:002014-09-12T23:07:52.868-07:0020 Spot for Some Tasty Nibbles<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met AB at <a href="http://20spot.com/" target="_blank">20 Spot</a> in the Mission and found the punk-record-store-tranformed-into-a-no-frills-wine-bar the perfect place for a long overdue catchup. With two seats snagged at the end of the wood bar, we got some thoughtful advice from the folks behind the counter on the wines we eventually selected and quick service on the couple of appetizers we sampled from the short list of menu items 20 Spot had to offer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One appetizer in particular deserves an honorable mention—5 raw slices of yellowfin tuna topped with slivers of fruit, microgreens, salmon roe, and Aleppo pepper. We tucked into those velvety medallions with great gusto. They look as good as they tasted. A happy and harmonious medley of flavors and textures.</span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com03565 20th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA37.7585333 -122.4204566999999937.758484300000006 -122.42053569999999 37.7585823 -122.42037769999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-68826645059707507512013-02-28T22:37:00.001-08:002013-02-28T22:38:52.380-08:00Point Reyes Oysters<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2vuuYLxeKw-j_BPeTQSn5o88IC7p6SiAmvCI7NTVGySqVL_Nl6p1I1FJxLWqLv1PvmuYFH88NYMQPCBqYibvtZXAH5S-5eZmFq4Z8YSYUSkkfDOzYbukltMm2W1P1Nnsh1E-4Ufe0mbG/s1600/Point-Reyes-oysters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2vuuYLxeKw-j_BPeTQSn5o88IC7p6SiAmvCI7NTVGySqVL_Nl6p1I1FJxLWqLv1PvmuYFH88NYMQPCBqYibvtZXAH5S-5eZmFq4Z8YSYUSkkfDOzYbukltMm2W1P1Nnsh1E-4Ufe0mbG/s640/Point-Reyes-oysters.jpg" width="499" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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 <a href="http://hogislandoysters.com/node/120" target="_blank">Hog Island Oyster Co.</a>), we decided to practice a bit of self-restraint and pick some up later when we got back into town.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hmmm, famous last words? Nah. I think oysters are on order this weekend ...</span><br />
<br />Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-36983309708594173702013-02-20T21:40:00.005-08:002013-02-20T22:11:04.246-08:00Kimchi on Kimchee at Namu Gaji<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"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 <a href="http://www.namusf.com/html/namu.html" target="_blank">Namu Gaji</a>'s kimchee fried rice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EoCDIgyVJI-0giSCrDNZFVa2rPCILCJM40Pb98bHZF-c3jWNDLHoDRXGI5IKBRyhbBcyqr6Vrh_v7onQVkHcw1s7xP3z4BMutn6FOqCxRw5DFJivXQOTMsayhLnB6jS4IdpQz1j9BnWk/s1600/Namu-Gaji-kimchee-fried-rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EoCDIgyVJI-0giSCrDNZFVa2rPCILCJM40Pb98bHZF-c3jWNDLHoDRXGI5IKBRyhbBcyqr6Vrh_v7onQVkHcw1s7xP3z4BMutn6FOqCxRw5DFJivXQOTMsayhLnB6jS4IdpQz1j9BnWk/s400/Namu-Gaji-kimchee-fried-rice.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*</span>Kimchi or kimchee ... no matter how you want to spell it, it's all good.</span></i></span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com2499 Dolores Street, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA37.7615401 -122.4259890999999812.239505599999998 -163.73458309999998 63.283574599999994 -81.117395099999982tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-36535222843721548442013-02-19T22:16:00.003-08:002013-02-19T22:20:12.951-08:00Best Fried Chicken at San Tung<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chinese restaurant <a href="http://www.santungrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">San Tung</a> 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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vdie8FuHCR7DraXHmUCjU5X34qnyYpS0KEmeFvBy8H3WFZKhKId3P0I7GT07-wzMbXfMuxwb64AnJ_p_fR4-vWzA_Fi51DL2P_XkquBagtRzExw5H5hI4PsH6c60AIExGHVeMpdBpkUs/s1600/San-Tung-dry-fried-chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vdie8FuHCR7DraXHmUCjU5X34qnyYpS0KEmeFvBy8H3WFZKhKId3P0I7GT07-wzMbXfMuxwb64AnJ_p_fR4-vWzA_Fi51DL2P_XkquBagtRzExw5H5hI4PsH6c60AIExGHVeMpdBpkUs/s400/San-Tung-dry-fried-chicken.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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) <i>sans</i> 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.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0FijU1e9bz6TvB7Otb548G35tQWz5KDKyio6HEQH_gR3gDuucUsVFRAXegE9XVaEV0ndlCKJyceOhE3SLWt4Jgog4pqViodqvfD5KKPXeGqO-r7foseK_p2mklHslsolEwg-JYvUF7RW/s1600/San-Tung-dry-fried-chicken-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0FijU1e9bz6TvB7Otb548G35tQWz5KDKyio6HEQH_gR3gDuucUsVFRAXegE9XVaEV0ndlCKJyceOhE3SLWt4Jgog4pqViodqvfD5KKPXeGqO-r7foseK_p2mklHslsolEwg-JYvUF7RW/s640/San-Tung-dry-fried-chicken-2.jpg" width="536" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mmmmmmm. Finger-lickin' good. </span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com01031 Irving Street, San Francisco, CA 94122, USA37.7638007 -122.4689680000000237.362381199999994 -123.11441500000002 38.1652202 -121.82352100000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-47512886403814623592012-11-30T08:37:00.003-08:002012-11-30T08:38:34.521-08:00DIY: Pear Crostata<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Just a little something I made last weekend.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyyxgi21haCiq8p9pYlFQVrf-MWASSN7LUBBFCbtiYXZRyFqE8RPOYmRp3AtDgVSHtVMRIeQn05FJuRZwxp5GNG89tHiqTNFZ-2eaa0e2Dza-IOuZMe0cNxBfq7SoXPBBJ93VBvtjoWz3/s1600/Pear-crostata.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyyxgi21haCiq8p9pYlFQVrf-MWASSN7LUBBFCbtiYXZRyFqE8RPOYmRp3AtDgVSHtVMRIeQn05FJuRZwxp5GNG89tHiqTNFZ-2eaa0e2Dza-IOuZMe0cNxBfq7SoXPBBJ93VBvtjoWz3/s400/Pear-crostata.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Subbing pears in place of rhubarb and raspberries, I made a crostata compliments of <a href="http://locandaverdenyc.com/" target="_blank">Locanda Verde</a>'s Karen DeMasco. This is my second go 'round with this slammin' recipe. My first successful attempt featured <a href="http://www.breadtastic.com/desserts/peach-and-raspberry-crostata-from-locanda-verde/" target="_blank">peaches and raspberries</a> ... mmmmm.</span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-37562845268400413902012-11-29T21:49:00.002-08:002013-02-20T22:12:43.365-08:00Offal Good at Incanto<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's not just offal that's good at <a href="http://cupcakesandkimchi.blogspot.com/2010/04/incanto-is-aptly-named.html" target="_blank">Incanto</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef-masters" target="_blank">Top Chef Masters</a>. 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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here are (most of) the treats that came our way:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHaGBAfmIjNOf6n0clLoM1C2jWfO27UuE6jG2J92YtjsMaiRkke048JDijz2AoicvxKexH2zzO0LtUCk7zOA0gnldIz6DQER6zACBVD4EQOHwkywStjweElnv_W-xYj3gSBK2NDscefEv/s1600/Incanto-lamb-liver-pate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHaGBAfmIjNOf6n0clLoM1C2jWfO27UuE6jG2J92YtjsMaiRkke048JDijz2AoicvxKexH2zzO0LtUCk7zOA0gnldIz6DQER6zACBVD4EQOHwkywStjweElnv_W-xYj3gSBK2NDscefEv/s640/Incanto-lamb-liver-pate.jpg" width="507" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZCxh-LhhAEyt7ZPKz_lgTz1GVihy2Hme2ZTj_1E-GQpI3mCnzSZF11ie2hZs4dm7k4tdJE9jQXuWSVbrvOO-9KtfGU-B93YKa5O5zWa61NtP4FMCOYmJKuZHF7QCJZlanL-ELHvJcs3q/s1600/Incanto-sea-urchin-with-lardo-and-radish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZCxh-LhhAEyt7ZPKz_lgTz1GVihy2Hme2ZTj_1E-GQpI3mCnzSZF11ie2hZs4dm7k4tdJE9jQXuWSVbrvOO-9KtfGU-B93YKa5O5zWa61NtP4FMCOYmJKuZHF7QCJZlanL-ELHvJcs3q/s640/Incanto-sea-urchin-with-lardo-and-radish.jpg" width="504" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbvbAOI3wIVaQBsnsS8zD5Qt0EYVaPzxfrO6KfPe6STs8veh86LaRIumtPU0niBy84J0KYb_dPxFeACVDP0C6LUk49owKJ7E1HcahMvMpfNiYknGwRMqHDCEXbivjEU1jJJ1iWyxje34o/s1600/Incanto-spaghettini-with-cured-tuna-heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbvbAOI3wIVaQBsnsS8zD5Qt0EYVaPzxfrO6KfPe6STs8veh86LaRIumtPU0niBy84J0KYb_dPxFeACVDP0C6LUk49owKJ7E1HcahMvMpfNiYknGwRMqHDCEXbivjEU1jJJ1iWyxje34o/s640/Incanto-spaghettini-with-cured-tuna-heart.jpg" width="513" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A truly inspired dish, and overall a wonderful experience at <a href="http://incanto.biz/" target="_blank">Incanto</a>.</span><br />
<br />Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-8881465274339488782012-11-17T20:35:00.000-08:002013-02-20T22:11:47.376-08:00Bibimbap: Korean Comfort Food<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There's nothing terribly remarkable about <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/miyabi-sushi-san-francisco" target="_blank">Miyabi Sushi</a> 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.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-kzdAvNveLcySX8ODIfPG-3TnZ_kqoGdfigCpvcKKPAn-M376Y20HkYDwkTP1en7TsKvOGfFh69zia-OrYy2J9bBPkAOlm0fUSlKDz9a2oy0pM1jfOkEAs1qSPBUujQCeaIwUBQtjQMK/s1600/Miyabi-Sushi-bibimbap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-kzdAvNveLcySX8ODIfPG-3TnZ_kqoGdfigCpvcKKPAn-M376Y20HkYDwkTP1en7TsKvOGfFh69zia-OrYy2J9bBPkAOlm0fUSlKDz9a2oy0pM1jfOkEAs1qSPBUujQCeaIwUBQtjQMK/s640/Miyabi-Sushi-bibimbap.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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. </span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-1247268455266140732012-11-07T21:20:00.005-08:002013-09-12T16:00:10.532-07:00Post-Camping Pig-Out at Shanghai Dumpling King<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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 <a href="http://cupcakesandkimchi.blogspot.com/2012/06/hankering-for-shanghai-dumpling-king.html" target="_blank">Shanghai Dumpling King</a> in the outer Richmond to load up on the ethereal soup dumplings plus a couple other fave dishes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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. </span></div>
Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-83544585840727896362012-09-26T19:22:00.000-07:002013-09-12T15:58:04.835-07:00Straw Does Grits Right<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When AB suggested we meet at new-kid-on-the-Hayes-Valley-block <a href="http://strawsf.com/" target="_blank">Straw</a>, 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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Having scored what we thought was the best seat in the house</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">—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).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQT6QAUT0K5J6Fn9JjfNHhbRVlnqproWNkmRq0Tc0sX1aFX2XeSXewjhMuN5wBM3bfFXvxL_3h-7UMOt4WV7PV0eyXl0AVDIbqO85pPlknmGP-IGUE1ejs-bsJqw2R8idJfbhhv3603rW/s1600/Straw-pork-hash-and-creamy-grits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQT6QAUT0K5J6Fn9JjfNHhbRVlnqproWNkmRq0Tc0sX1aFX2XeSXewjhMuN5wBM3bfFXvxL_3h-7UMOt4WV7PV0eyXl0AVDIbqO85pPlknmGP-IGUE1ejs-bsJqw2R8idJfbhhv3603rW/s640/Straw-pork-hash-and-creamy-grits.jpg" width="540" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Though the Hanky Panky was nice</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">—</span>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</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">—</span>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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">P.S. We were wrong about the metal canopy 2-seater. It has the most incredible reverb</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">—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. </span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-35577842844162886342012-08-31T17:52:00.000-07:002013-02-20T22:00:27.354-08:00Welcome Nopalito<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">PH and I enjoyed a leisurely lunch at newly opened </span><a href="http://nopalitosf.com/" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" target="_blank">Nopalito</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 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.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpxo7nK71QuxT7Tex8d7YoZTTzpgbbvIltyFy2N8klHlRvYSeUI5yM1hecgvYak3ItjjXniW_ltcM2RSFXOasOkSVacxp1VsGBHnHr11M_7l77kc8Ig7Vvbctr6fuqWpNFl8-31lNvmNL/s1600/Nopalito-ceviche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpxo7nK71QuxT7Tex8d7YoZTTzpgbbvIltyFy2N8klHlRvYSeUI5yM1hecgvYak3ItjjXniW_ltcM2RSFXOasOkSVacxp1VsGBHnHr11M_7l77kc8Ig7Vvbctr6fuqWpNFl8-31lNvmNL/s400/Nopalito-ceviche.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEFkvxXfi63vI092exLPB9MbGAokYtrgrh67IUvZiLgpBaLZO0nFoFkEGJVhijDIyRJYqs3jrmhFnObmCYX55ybPd1wqCV3iunAgBDTOz24Te6E27Eeh6QH_YuuNxmVmAobIhvvFEa6Kc/s1600/Nopalito-enchiladas-de-mole-con-pollo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEFkvxXfi63vI092exLPB9MbGAokYtrgrh67IUvZiLgpBaLZO0nFoFkEGJVhijDIyRJYqs3jrmhFnObmCYX55ybPd1wqCV3iunAgBDTOz24Te6E27Eeh6QH_YuuNxmVmAobIhvvFEa6Kc/s400/Nopalito-enchiladas-de-mole-con-pollo.jpg" width="400" /> </a>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.</div>
<br />Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-36108011531277814922012-08-30T20:20:00.002-07:002013-09-12T15:58:30.337-07:00Best Find This Month: El Sur's Empanadas<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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 <a href="http://www.elsursf.com/" target="_blank">El Sur</a> at the pre-party to the <a href="http://www.sfstreetfoodfest.com/" target="_blank">SF Street Food Festival</a> 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.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigg9s9obPk6Ipif9EL-z0G7dABdHo_zWIP0e1qXYgGx47CWp281ySFmib2QXR3dFz9dNgtzUDRf8HJBSwb3nNaZSZDkFK_G4wOMCgCWOOe6QiNotf1GKJj4XWj68YR55Z-qBRSjg3Sy-d7/s1600/El-Sur-empanadas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigg9s9obPk6Ipif9EL-z0G7dABdHo_zWIP0e1qXYgGx47CWp281ySFmib2QXR3dFz9dNgtzUDRf8HJBSwb3nNaZSZDkFK_G4wOMCgCWOOe6QiNotf1GKJj4XWj68YR55Z-qBRSjg3Sy-d7/s400/El-Sur-empanadas.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The pretty round pastry pockets, which sport the most perfect buttery, flaky exterior, boasted a beautifully moist interior comprising </span><span id="ctl00_ctl00_mainContent_mainContent_dlEmpanadas_ctl02_lblDescription" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">chopped Prosciutto and country ham swimming in a melting pot of five cheeses and spiked with the sharp bite of scallions and chives. </span><span id="ctl00_ctl00_mainContent_mainContent_dlEmpanadas_ctl02_lblDescription"></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6tFe2VuspLHLgwqyjgZm89ZKso-6Ccp4I4gq_JYDNrilQBvI9yk7NHQEnvopBtfe7pZfsK_XA3HNH65EG0JZNCPgUVKXk5tqdH0ogh2LDyYBLqHQJkBiKKsRVzbtnW309qphEG9ZQqwx/s1600/El-Sur-Parisien.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6tFe2VuspLHLgwqyjgZm89ZKso-6Ccp4I4gq_JYDNrilQBvI9yk7NHQEnvopBtfe7pZfsK_XA3HNH65EG0JZNCPgUVKXk5tqdH0ogh2LDyYBLqHQJkBiKKsRVzbtnW309qphEG9ZQqwx/s640/El-Sur-Parisien.jpg" width="459" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The chef Marianne Depres' Cordon Bleu and French Laundry training clearly shines through.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pzHzfMeRLTlJf3NEgAk7Ms5tIXw4ROaLJvwer8ha9YRAbeVbmEjv6fD2D64MX4oGSQwzSZqTfvrk9J3nob5aigv7hik9Uwo9oPx8Hhtnbmjrz-HB5qEqhsHS8Z7giH_YQ6-pGYkpTqDT/s1600/El-Sur-traditional-empanadas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pzHzfMeRLTlJf3NEgAk7Ms5tIXw4ROaLJvwer8ha9YRAbeVbmEjv6fD2D64MX4oGSQwzSZqTfvrk9J3nob5aigv7hik9Uwo9oPx8Hhtnbmjrz-HB5qEqhsHS8Z7giH_YQ6-pGYkpTqDT/s400/El-Sur-traditional-empanadas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Besides the Parisien, she's got a
few other empanadas on her menu, including a traditional beef version
and a chicken one as well. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Though I didn't get to try those, I hope to soon.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuuCuC7ztW4fVrDPs2k4RUQIlm0IawlSYbJUBRzvhDHGgxaFIDIGMaftnAhYtDwyrM2mLU7W-KD_kxk2n0FlYYm9JF5R4R8VuwbXD1fPkrda8kQv6hpMeIE20Ue4wawSuKfxCRtE63xR_/s1600/El-Sur-empanada-van.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuuCuC7ztW4fVrDPs2k4RUQIlm0IawlSYbJUBRzvhDHGgxaFIDIGMaftnAhYtDwyrM2mLU7W-KD_kxk2n0FlYYm9JF5R4R8VuwbXD1fPkrda8kQv6hpMeIE20Ue4wawSuKfxCRtE63xR_/s400/El-Sur-empanada-van.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bonus points for the enchanting </span><a href="http://www.elsursf.com/Van.aspx" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" target="_blank">vintage Citroen van</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, 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.</span></div>
Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-87537941765955021612012-08-29T18:13:00.000-07:002013-02-20T22:02:59.318-08:00Me love you long time, Locavore<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
To celebrate JA's birthday, I decided we should take a trip back to <a href="http://locavoreca.com/" target="_blank">Locavore</a>—after all, <a href="http://cupcakesandkimchi.blogspot.com/2011/12/lovely-locavore.html" target="_blank">our first visit</a> last year to the cozy Bernal Heights eatery had left such a good impression.</div>
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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.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZy520w2hbYG2nF4fTWCVUy5sYn8ATnRNfbIrePMdOjT2fnu9LOiz9_0tu20Y8mysHS3cd0lIy1wfxGM-EIVAKQEB0FH4WS1c03UK5NPVA2cLiv9Ba3HUeZ4IthCXKHoiPMTdXGt1z2AqQ/s1600/Locavore-tomato-salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZy520w2hbYG2nF4fTWCVUy5sYn8ATnRNfbIrePMdOjT2fnu9LOiz9_0tu20Y8mysHS3cd0lIy1wfxGM-EIVAKQEB0FH4WS1c03UK5NPVA2cLiv9Ba3HUeZ4IthCXKHoiPMTdXGt1z2AqQ/s640/Locavore-tomato-salad.jpg" width="508" /> </a></div>
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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.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5rnOS9zAqYeaBT1iQpnpEoJPbsNgJFNc3zr-0OfASgIg9sylsES79hepCh1eH2dk9XZnzQRS43NzeRq-U1gtBUbhFWzrtIMEHphNRa_9O4GD2vgSw99Kel7Yzis0gj39GaZEn-90OYbV/s1600/Locavore-pork-osso-bucco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5rnOS9zAqYeaBT1iQpnpEoJPbsNgJFNc3zr-0OfASgIg9sylsES79hepCh1eH2dk9XZnzQRS43NzeRq-U1gtBUbhFWzrtIMEHphNRa_9O4GD2vgSw99Kel7Yzis0gj39GaZEn-90OYbV/s640/Locavore-pork-osso-bucco.jpg" width="504" /></a></div>
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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.</div>
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LOVE.</div>
Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-998312183389951708.post-88353755098005821842012-08-24T22:37:00.000-07:002013-02-20T22:03:55.231-08:00In Season: Stone Fruit<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Peaches and plums are in their prime this month, so what better way to showcase these sweet, juicy fruits than in a crumble.</div>
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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.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvFYmUSJ6AiGgyx6eboU_MeqRbL303QcWV8q8UUpCbq5jT6LhsY8ERg8aBc4t-Na8CT4i053fnxm199Jvc_gJhjdd9k2D3TP2DgavKjALfzLgmDKpW4vi_NVJJZLHqOHthddXMVTmN4Tf/s1600/Food-and-wine-peach-and-plum-crumble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvFYmUSJ6AiGgyx6eboU_MeqRbL303QcWV8q8UUpCbq5jT6LhsY8ERg8aBc4t-Na8CT4i053fnxm199Jvc_gJhjdd9k2D3TP2DgavKjALfzLgmDKpW4vi_NVJJZLHqOHthddXMVTmN4Tf/s640/Food-and-wine-peach-and-plum-crumble.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This particular </span><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/peaches-and-plums-with-sesame-crumble" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" target="_blank">recipe comes out of <i>Food and Wine</i></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 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.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMD3G58L7z6hBwTypHQ0cXpzjn-R7HUY5W7s13U3HJHJK3jC2Z95tvep23yYpRT19T5k3-cpyMp1UqmDALERpwKSk9wqS-ZU-qO8YukNJltHeY7ceQ4kEB5SjoSK7cbbC8EcqKHn3vV4I/s1600/Food-and-wine-peach-and-plum-crumble-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMD3G58L7z6hBwTypHQ0cXpzjn-R7HUY5W7s13U3HJHJK3jC2Z95tvep23yYpRT19T5k3-cpyMp1UqmDALERpwKSk9wqS-ZU-qO8YukNJltHeY7ceQ4kEB5SjoSK7cbbC8EcqKHn3vV4I/s640/Food-and-wine-peach-and-plum-crumble-2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span>Kimchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01217297377471563698noreply@blogger.com0