Category Archives: Meals & Reviews

Meals & Reviews

Quick Review: 25 Lusk

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$13 meeellion dollars. For reals, yo. Pimp-ass fools spent $13m on a restaurant. So much for the recession.

Last night I had the opportunity to dine at the spanking new 25 Lusk. The restaurant is housed in a former brick-n-timber smokehouse and is tres sexy. I’ve read a lot about this place, mostly regarding the design and the team of partners that include an Emeril alumn and some seriously rich dudes.

25 Lusk Smokerooms

Photo: Jennifer Yin - Courtesy of Eater SF

First let me talk about the space. The place is clearly designed. To the hilt. Every detail is covered, with interesting sight lines and textural contrasts, insane lighting and nooks-n-crannies to get lost. There will definitely be a cocktail crowd here and they plan to serve the full menu in the smokehouse / bar area (which has low ceilings, a lot of exposed concrete, reinforced steel and conduit). There are various lounge settings with ski-house looking floating fireplaces. I wish that this place would attract the food obsessed and laid-back sorts, but I fear the douche factor could take over easily. This space has FIDI ‘play-ah’ written all over it.

25 Lusk Fireplace

Photo: Jennifer Yin - Courtesy of Eater SF

Upstairs the vibe is more open. There is an amazing private dining room encased in glass that will certainly attract celebs and the SF elite. The main dining area is lovely, but it didn’t give me a wow moment like downstairs. That’s a lot of money for ‘meh’. And, while the bathrooms are lovely, I think the material choices were based on form and not function. The stone floors show the drops of water as you reach for your towel and the sinks get trashed after a few washings. The men’s urinal seems to have some technology that creates an artistic pattern out the impact of your stream. I could have peed all night.

25 Lusk Interior

Photo: Jennifer Yin - Courtesy of Eater SF

The menu is currently limited to a dozen or so items and each thing we had was good to exceptional. Standout was a cauliflower creme brulée. It’s the real deal and surprisingly incorporated truffles with success. The arugula salad was salty and uninspired but the pork cheek terrine more than made up for it. It was a little crispy on the outside and moist in the middle with a hint of sweet. A lovely cube of well-handled animal flesh. The only main we tried was the braised short ribs. There was a nice fat ratio and the sauce was a sublime wine demi that brought me back for dipping. Other mains looked solid – not a lot of risks here.

Cocktails continue the trend of innovation, and outshining the food. A lineup of playful, yet well-crafted drinks should make for some happy houring. The dessert menu didn’t scream, so we passed. I’m wondering if they’ll step it up when the menu kicks in full gear. I think desserts could really shine in this environment.

In general I think 25 Lusk is destined to establish itself in our dining landscape. While they play it safe on the menu, the food plays well off the decor. My concern is how could they possibly live up to the money they invested. They opened on Saturday and I suppose word is still getting around, as the place was fairly empty on Monday night. I’m guessing nobody is in this to make money.

Artisan & Audiophile

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Una Pizza Napoletana is open. This is good news for San Francisco, bad news for New York City (you can have Nate Appleman, we’ll take Anthony). Yet, considering how many Neapolitan style places have popped up in the past few years you’d expect enthusiasm to be fairly low. We’ve got Flour + Water, Boot & Shoe, Zero Zero, Tony’s Pizza Neapolitana (please read my review) – not to mention the tried and true Pizette, Pizzaiolo, Delfina, Pico, Piccino, A16….Still, there was feverish anticipation of “the one” and I suspect there will continue to be a cult-like following for these pies.

Una Pizza Napoletana

Story goes… Anthony Mangieri had a coveted outpost in New York and decided to pull up the tent stakes and head west. He is lauded as a prodigy and obsesses over the details on a very simple line up of true Neapolitan pizza making (for details check out the wiki). His reputation is pretty pristine and I heard the term ‘artisan’ thrown around a few times last night.

Again, we hit wiki for clarification:

An artisan (from Italian: artigiano) is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewelry, household items, and tools. The term can also be used as an adjective to refer to the craft of hand making food products, such as bread, beverages and cheese.

That seems very appropriate for Anthony, as you will decipher from my experience.

Anthony Mangieri Una Pizza Napoletana

The corner of 11th and Howard has an appropriate amount of funk for a destination restaurant. People who eat here won’t live here. There is a line. It will create controversy, but who cares. Stand in the line and wait till a table opens. Talk to your date (but don’t read every yelp review of the place out loud to her like the phlegmy guy behind me). Yes, they should just have a list so you can go get a drink. I don’t think Anthony is stubborn enough to force this forever. There was an  attractive hostess greeting people, chatting about the pizza, the history, the process. Unfortunately, she’s just helping out temporarily (and she’s taken, boys). I suspect they’ll figure this out over time and get someone to manage the flow.

The design is very clean, very simple. Soaring high ceilings with beams as the sole contrast. Nothing to distract. A small collection of tables and a lot of open space. My guess is that the layout reflects the speed at which an artisanal product can be produced properly. He could have more tables in here, but he probably couldn’t keep up (or would he want to).

Anthony hovers over a simple station with a few bowls of his ingredients and  a stack of trays of his pillowy dough (Note that when the dough runs out so does your luck). It’s a clean station for a single-minded task. This guy makes pizzas. 4 kinds. All fairly similar. No meat – no veggies – no soup for you! I kept wanting to liken this guy to the Soup Nazi – but when you speak with Anthony he is so damn nice and smiley that the comparison ends at his work station and limited offerings.

 

Una Pizza Napoletana Oven

Photo Courtesy of Grub Street

 

So for two people we ordered three pies, expecting to take home leftovers (we didn’t). We tried the Marinara, the Margherita and the Bianca. Now here’s where I go off a little… For the past 7 years I owned a high-end audio, video and home automation business. As a result, I often come in contact with types deemed as “audiophiles”. Truthfully, I hate the fucking term. It’s so elitist and pretentious and almost always self-prescribed and inaccurate. But what it boils down to is someone who has a sensitive enough ear to be able to hear the subtle differences between way-too expensive equipment, with the ultimate goal of perfecting sound reproduction. What always impresses me about true audiophiles is their ability to do this, free from a side-by-side comparison. It’s as if there is a reference standard imprinted on their brain, which they can recall at any time to compare.

As a food critic and chef, I would say I have a fairly refined palate, trained over many years of tasting the things I love over and over and over. There are a few items where I actually may approach the reference standard. Pizza is one of them. What I am getting at here is that like an audiophile, I can recall the landscape of pizza I’ve tasted throughout my life and generate an opinion of the requisite components (dough, sauce, cheese). I sat down this morning to do a side-by-side comparison in my head. And then I realized how pretentious and elitist it was (the phlegmy guy behind me was doing it out loud, in line). Sure I could compare this pizza to all the others but I’ve decided to give that up. Here’s my take on UPN on its own:

The dough is the star. Anthony uses a process of natural leavening (you can actually see a video of his entire process here) which produces the perfect balance of crisp on the outside, chewy in the middle. He’s also not afraid of salt. This is simply the way dough should be. Combine it with the smoke, ash, burns from his obsessively-maintained oven and you have something exceptional. The cheese and sauce are also very spot-on – not too sweet, just the right fat content.

All three pies were great, though I’d probably pass on the Marinara in favor of the Filetti. Generally I like a Marinara pizza on its own or along with a salad. But standing next to the other pizzas, it was a little lost. The cherry tomatoes on the Filettis we saw looked fantastic. The bianca started out as the surprise shining star. Fresh out of the oven there were hints of garlic, salt. The richness of the buffalo mozzarella popped in combination.

Una Pizza Napoletana Pizza Margherita

Moreover, I had an epiphany while eating the Margherita. It came after the pizza had a few minutes to settle. I often dive in while it is hot from the oven – cheese sliding around – roof of my mouth on fire. Yet, I confirmed last night that when a great pizza has time to settle a little (not too much for the cheese to harden and congeal), it actually gets better. The sauce intrudes slightly on the dough. The cheese distributes its fat and oils, the salt permeates everything. Try your pizza (just Margherita) after 8 minutes or so and you’ll see what I mean.

Una Pizza is a great place if you want to worship at the temple of pizza. Italians do this all of the time. Pizza is often consumed in the evening, by itself, over wine and conversation. The big meal is at lunch and takes hours with many courses. At UPN you get pizza, wine, beer – basta. And the pizza is near-perfect. I would wait in line any day to share with my good friends something that clearly contains so much artisanal skill, devotion to traditions, process and (yes the zealot is going to get cheesy) love.

New Skool!

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For years I’ve driven up and down Potrero Hill, De Haro St. to be exact. Up to 22nd St. to my home. Down to Division St. for work. Back and forth, day after day. For the past two years there has been a curious sign on a showroom building at the corner of Alameda St. “restaurant space available”. It was an odd location, but seemed to have a patio and from what I know of this neighborhood, a lot of potential. We’ve got Adobe, Advent, Zynga and every designer worth his salt within 4 blocks. And, we’re dying for a real restaurant. I’ve dreamed often about selling my business and opening up something in that spot, who-knows-what, because I sensed this was a gem.

Skool Sign

Grand Pu Bah tried, but it proved to be niche rather than the next Slanted Door. Pizza Nostra, from the Chez Papa gang, was a step up, but still didn’t have the ‘it’ factor. There’s a ton of adequate places nearby, from Patisserie Phillipe, Chez Papa, Sunflower, Aperto, Umi Sushi – but nothing would turn the heads of your garden-variety foodie. They’re just neighborhood joints. Enter Skool.

The “space available” turns out to be a sexy spot for the next hot restaurant. I had lunch there today and got a lowdown from the owner. Apparently the landlord had a vision when he built the building years ago. He was willing to wait for the right people to come along to realize his vision. He built out the space with a designer’s eye and the attention to detail is clear. The place just feels good.

The people he chose were the couple behind Blowfish, Andy Mirabell and his fiancée Olia Kedik. Moreover, they teamed up with another couple, Toshihiro and Hiroko Nagano in the kitchen. There’s a definite young- entrepreneur vibe about the space, as the busy themselves to make your experience exceptional and to connect with their potential regulars.

Skool Aji Sandwich

Well, spank my ass and call me Sally, but I’m sold. The menu is loaded with healthy fish-forward options. There is a clear sophistication behind the cuisine and enough to keep me occupied enough to become a regular. I’ve only had the Aji sandwich with a side of fries and a cup of carrot-ginger soup, but I’m ready to go back for more. There’s a coffee-marinated steak sandwich, flatbreads and a bunch of creative fish mains. I’ll work my way through and offer a proper review top to bottom later.

What really has me sold is the idea of maximizing the sunshine of Potrero out on the patio, once they finalized their liquor license. Even on the rare foggy day the inside bar is a really appealing place to swill and they plan on some fab cocktails, designed by a Rye alum (I didn’t get her name). Can you sayz happy hour?

Currently only open for lunch. Opening for dinner on July 9 Phone 415-255-8800 | Address 1725 Alameda Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 | Skype SkoolSF | Twitter SkoolSF | Facebook SkoolSF

Quick Review: Thermidor

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Cool concept. Walking in to Thermidor, located in the ever-expanding culinary bastion of Mint Plaza, feels like stepping onto the set of Mad Men. The hostess was dolled up in a dress with a bow and could easily pass for a Don Draper conquest. The wood-panel decor nails the mid-century-modern vibe that has dominated the design world in recent years. This is the latest concept venture of Spork’s Bruce Binn and Neil Jorgenson.

The food continues the theme with unwavering dedication. Though I barely touched the 60′s, I still recall dishes like pommes Dauphine, celery Victor, scallops Newburg and sole amandine. I was excited to see chicken Keiv, one of my favorite indulgences from childhood, and Lobster Thermidor, the namesake and specialty of the house.

While the food was good, I think they are missing the boat at Thermidor. Most of the dishes we tried came out very traditional versus the modern interpretations I was expecting. It seems they are taking the theme somewhat too literally for my preference. I would have like to have seen them reinvent the form (perhaps unleash the Voltaggio Brothers on the menu?). Deconstruct!

The Pommes were fried potatoes, pretty straighforward. The Caesar salad was creamy, despite my inquiry and assurance that it was traditional style. The standout app was a potato chip with smoked fish, roe and créme fraiche. The mains didn’t go much further than advertised, though the Sole Almondine did have a nice gnocchi accompaniment. The Lobster Thermidor was tasty enough, but again, lacking innovation and a painfully small portion at $32.

The cocktail menu actually delivers on the concept. Brooke Arthur has updated classics in a way that should inspire the kitchen. I’d come here for a drink anytime, and maybe jump over to 54 Mint (the authentic Italian place across the plaza) for dinner.

Emelia’s Pizza – The Long Awaited Review

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I relish reviewing pizza. Any regular reader knows that this is probably my most common theme. Last year’s onslaught of Neapolitan joints doesn’t seem to be slowing in twenty-ten. Bring it on.

Emelia’s is a bit of an enigma. Yelpers just love it. Best they ever had. Gives Berkeley some serious bragging rites as a pizza powerhouse (adding to Arinelle and [uggh] Zachary’s). There’s a lot of mystery around the place. It’s got odd hours and a rigid ordering process. In fact, they suggest you call ahead to reserve your pizza, requiring you choose your toppings at that time. They seem like very nice people, yet I sense an underlying Soup Nazi vibe…Still, there’s a preciousness about it all.

The location is a little odd, a non-descript gas-station corner at Shattuck and Ashby. It’s the sort of corner I’ve driven past countless times, but never had cause to stop. There’s a gaggle of businesses that may or may not have included a laundromat, a taqueria, a cheesesteak place, a salon…The interior looks like a tiny East Coast slice joint (yet there are a couple of signs touting No Slices [For You]). One might say it’s a bit of a hole in the wall, but I suspect if the mojo keeps going, and the owner is able to figure out a business model, they might ride a wave to better digs.

Emelia's Pizza - Berkeley

But really we’re here for the pizza and Emelia’s is an interesting bird. The construct defies any traditional stereotypes. It’s not Neapolitan, though has influences. It’s not New York style, though clearly has similarities. In a subtle way, Emelia’s is defining it’s own category. This presents me with a bit of a quagmire, because I cannot review it based upon references and drop into any hierarchy.

The 18″ pie is the only choice with some straightforward toppings. The owner is very coy about his secrets, which I found a little unnecessary. I inquired about tomatoes and cheese and got nada. Even the best pizzaiolos are confident enough to share their ingredients. Hell, in Naples the law dictates the ingredients – it’s no secret. The size is much more akin to New York style, yet the crust, thickness and toppings are clearly closer to Neapolitan.

The sauce was my least favorite part, though it was not bad. To me it could have been a little sweeter – it reminded me of Flour + Water on my first visits, which they subsequently worked out well. The cheese was outstanding and the crust was spot on, bottom to edge. There were brilliant bubbles from the oven and a little bit of the chewy, crunchy balance I like. The cheese was a fresh mozzarella variety, not quite as runny as a typical burrata, but close. A smattering of basil leaves were scattered about.

So, how to rank this? I’m jaded because I love the Neapolitan and New York forms unto themselves. They provide a great reference point. I don’t think it stands up to the best of the best of the best. The owner spent time working for Pizzaiolo, but I think Charlie still takes top billing in the East Bay. Arinelle still nails the [inconsistent] title of proper NY slice in my book. But there is a solid place in the second tier for Emelia’s. I can see craving it, which surprises me. This would be a GREAT party pie, as you get the flavor of Naples but the size of New York. Order a few, but call early.

Lastly, I gained some insight into the owner’s strategy after happening upon a poetry slam at a dive bar up the street. He was packing up and I asked him about the name. His young daughter is Emelia. He’s working his butt off to keep the quality high and churn out as many pizzas as he can, without missing out too much on her developmental years. As a dad, I get that. It makes sense for the odd hours and limited quantity. I wish him the best to scale his idea, hire some solid staff and capitalize on some damn good pizza.

Lafitte is a Butter Face!

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Here we go again…it seems like I get a stick up my ass about a place and that’s the motivation I need to write. My last post was weeks ago and life was going along just fine. Not too much controversy, minding my own damn business, keeping my head above water, blah blah blah. Then I had two instances to try out newcomer restaurant, former underground dining, 19th century pirate – Lafitte. First was a dinner and then I mistakenly booked a business lunch later in the week. I decided I’d give them a Bauer treatment and visit multiple times. Man was it ugly.

Cincinnati Bengal

First, let’s get the Butter Face thing out of the way. According to the urban dictionary, a butter face is:

A girl with an exceptionally hot body but an exceptionally ugly face. “Everything but-her-face is attractive”

I don’t want to come off misogynistic, but “but-his-face” just doesn’t have the same panache. Personally, I always liked the term “Cincinnati Bengal” which boils down to “Nice Uniform, Shitty Helmet”.

So you enter Lafitte and realize someone spent some dough to make it look nice. Clean lines, pretty views – very much a part of the Embarcadero Renaissance that is happening right now. Not very underground. One could easily say that the ‘uniform’ is quite nice. Well done.

Lafitte Interior

Then there is the food. For clarification’s sake, if you haven’t picked up on where I’m heading with this you should be lobotomized I’ll spell it out – the food is the ‘face’ or ‘helmet’. And, fuck me, she’s an ugly bitch!

I don’t like to cast stones too easily well yes I do, and look how I’ve discovered this nifty stikethrough button woo hoo not only did I have two experiences to confirm this, but tonight I attended a food event where multiple trusted colleagues confirmed my assessment. Checking the Yelpasphere shows similar discontent. This dog has fleas.

Without getting into much detail, I’ll give you my basic impression.

For lunch there were several missteps. Little gems are a treasure to me and I’ve rarely seen them so beaten and battered and unkempt while dressed in a watered-down mess (served with a flavorless, mushy polenta ‘cake’). The pasta dish I ordered was billed as ‘Fusilli Pasta: lobster, pea shoots, & spring onions’. In the hands of a competent chef, that sounds rather tasty. One might expect some fresh, silky pasta in a pool of savory sauce and hunks of tender lobster for $18 at lunch. Rather, I received boxed dry fusilli (I ain’t kidding, like Barila) served with micro bits of chewy lobster-like substance and some manky greens on top. To their credit, the sauce was ok. But the crown jewel was a ‘dagwood’ sando that had 4 monster slices of bread, stuffed with rabbit terrine, bacon and black bass. Really? Really? Thank god I wasn’t paying.

Dinner was slightly better, but not that much so. A morel and asparagus quiche was served cold and flavorless. The squash blossom pasta was ‘meh’, as was the chicken with morels. The best thing of the night was Pan Roasted Padrons & Boquerones Vinagrette. But I could make that at home. Mine would be better. Seriously, I’ll give you a recipe.

This all leads me to a gripe. I’ll likely need to expand on this in another post. But just for argument’s sake, how is it possible that a restaurant can be so oblivious to their misgivings when your entire world is in food? It wasn’t hard for at dozen or so people with whom I’ve discussed Lafitte to uniformly identify multiple major problems. What’s going on there that makes them so blind? I’m guessing that sometimes a butter face actually doesn’t really know she’s a butter face. Hmmm.

I suppose the word is out, because on both occasions the place was barren. With lines down the block at La Mar, Slanted Door and The Plant Cafe, it’s not like the potential isn’t there. It might be time to hoist the sails, matey, and head back to the underground. This butter face needs some reconstructive plastic surgery, stat!

Khao Soi to Warm Your Bones

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Photo Courtesy of David Hagerman at Easting Asia (LINK)

It’s time again for that special soup that I wrote about [link] to make an appearance. Wednesday night from 5-8pm Grand Pu Bah will be dishing out the steamy elixir known as Khao Soi. I strongly suggest you call for a reservation (415.255.8188) and while you’re at it, sign up for a Thai Massage before or after your dinner. They are offering a special $1 per minute in conjunction with the soup thing. Get 2 hours. Trust me.

The Most Under-Appreciated Restaurant in Town

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Today I had a sick day. Awful upper resp nonsense. Sat in bed and tried to work all day. Watched a few crappy movies. When a friend called me at the end of the day to see if I wanted dinner, one place came to both of our minds – Universal Cafe.

I’ve said it before and have given them props in multiple posts, but UC is one of the best restaurants in San Francisco, and is completely under-appreciated. It troubles me how often you’ll find the place half-empty and the lack of adulation they get in food circles. To me, the consistent quality of food put out of their kitchen rivals the best in the Bay. I could easily mention Universal in the same breath as Nopa, Delfina, Pizzaiolo, Flour + Water, Beretta and the like. In some ways, many of the things they do at Universal, they do best.

Take chicken for example. Hoffman Farms has become the standard for a quality bird, but Leslie Carr Avalos has figured out a way to bring every bit of flavor from it, in multiple preparations. She’s no one-trick-pony! Under a brick, marinated with yogurt or with a truffle bread salad – she makes the best fowl in the city! And I typically don’t like chicken.

Her pasta dishes are heavier than F + W or Quince, but they are incredible well balanced and satisfying. Soups – check. Salads – check. Fish – oh yeah. Braised meats, like shorts ribs, pork belly, lamb – check, check, check. The flatbreads are better than most of the pizza in town. Not to mention the mainstay Hanger Steak. I can sincerely say that I’ve never had a dish that I didn’t find exceptional at UC. That’s just crazy.

Of course we’re all familiar with their brunch. I can’t imagine a better combination of sunshine, outdoor dining, quality food and atmosphere, except perhaps Foreign Cinema. House-made granola, soft scambled eggs with seasonal this and thats. You get the picture. Bring on the Bellinis and Mimosas and slap me a side of artisan bacon or a sweet bread.

So, as I just finished off my salad of little gems and radishes after my mini rigatoni with veal meatballs, I am compelled to do whatever I can to share the wealth. Get in on the secret. Universal Cafe. Y’all here me?

Best Dishes in San Francisco, Part Four

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Funny how sometimes things that you haven’t thought about in a long time come back around and are ever present? Nopa is back on my radar this week and it reminds me that I didn’t include anything of theirs in my list. Last night I was eating there, sharing in the wonder of Nopa (I’ll write a post about it fully later because it is my opinion that Nopa epitomizes everything that dining in San Francisco should be) and realized that there is a clear entry for my list, in addition to today’s others. With that, I give you……

Nopa Pork Chop: How you been there? Have you done that? It’s obvious that Nopa has mastered this signature piece of swine from the confidence exuded by the waitstaff when you order. These people are foodies, exhibited by the way our server and I bored the hell of our my dinner companions last night talking about the innovation of Mission Burger, the reopening of Quince and how he must try Wexler’s soon. The pork itself is delicately fatty, so you are not gnawing but rather melting. The overall flavor reminds me of a heritage product, like something you might have eaten a 100 years ago. Very earthy, very brined, very tasty. There is a slight glaze and only a little puddle of jus. That’s all they need to make this chop tops.

Nopa Pork Chop

Nopa Pork Chop

Grand Pu Bah Khao Soi: If you read my blog, you know that I love this [LINK]. I even hosted a special event for 50 of you to try it [LINK]. But don’t take my word. I am going to out my friend, David Steele, the owner of Flour + Water, who claims “this could be the best tasting thing I ever ate”. There are some detractors. One of my readers grabbed me at the event and said “this isn’t like Khao Soi in Thailand. It’s really good, but not authentic”. While I agree it isn’t an exact copy of the roadside fare in Thailand, I actually think it is better. The broth and braised meats are a pow pow punch. The pickled veggies, wet noodles, dry noodles and roasted chili paste give it a little boom boom. So take it away Black Eyed Peas……

Khao Soi

Khao Soi

Pizzaiolo Pizza Margherita: It’s official. I’ve said it. I am declaring Pizzaiolo’s margherita the best pizza in the bay. The competition is so freaking close that it’s hard to do this, but I have to have a pizza on the list. You won’t be disappointed by Pizzeria Delfina, Tony’s, Ideale, A16, Bistro Aix, Pizza Nostra and Picco which are the other serious contenders, but Charlie gets the prize. First, it’s the wood. I like-a me some smokey flavor. The sauce and cheese are spot on and the rest of the menu is orgasmic. He also does his non-margherita pizzas as good (Delfina, Picco) or better (all the rest) than anybody. If I had to choose one place, my friends, this is it.

Pizzaiolo Margherita

Pizzaiolo Margherita

Bakesale Betty’s Fried Chicken Sandwich: While we’re in the East Bay (on the same block, in fact) I’m throwing in a last minute nod to BB. There’s a reason the lines are so long every day for lunch. Part of it is the over-crammed assembly line folly that creates the energy of the spot. But most of it is because they are kicking out some tasty crispy-fried chicken breasts. Slapping them on an homemade roll, piling on a mass of awesome cole-slaw and doing it all messy. They’ll often throw you a treat while you are waiting and you just feel like you’re part of something good. Don’t miss the brisket sandwich either, that adds horseradish and potato chips to the pile.

Bakesale Batty Chicken Sandwich

Bakesale Batty Chicken Sandwich

French Laundry Mac and Cheese: One could easily find a dozen things to add to a best-of list from the FL. They are iconic. Every meal is an experience (though last time I went, it was a mixed one). But the thing that gets me each time, and has emerged as the signature dish, is chef Keller’s deconstruction of macaroni and cheese. The truth is that this deconstruction is actually butter-poached Maine lobster with a creamy lobster broth and mascarpone-enriched orzo pasta. I think we can all agree that pulling this off takes some serious chops. To me it is near perfection in flavor, texture and presentation.

Thomas Keller

Thomas Keller

737 Bridgeway Hamburgers: While we’re out of town, let’s jump over to Sausalito. I might be alone on an island with this one but my favorite hamburger in the Bay Area is at a little rotisserie grill in a narrow shack of a burger joint. 737 Bridgeway’s only sign says “Hamburger”. You can smell the cooking down the street and across the block. Tourists line up on their day trips from San Francisco. It seems they have heard about this place, but most of us haven’t. They used to have a sign that read: “How Not to Make a Hamburger” that would detail out the fast food process and then “How to Make a Hamburger” describing their process, which is ultra-fresh ground chuck, fresh sponge-bread roll, rotisserie fire grill, turning the meat once, salt and pepper seasoning on the outside, lappi cheese and the requisite toppings. They also serve crinkle-cut fries, which I think is a perfect foil to the meat. All I can say is that you should try it. Everyone has their own opinion about burgers and it’s likely only some of you will agree. But for me, this is the place.

737 Bridgeway Hamburgers Rotisserie Grill

737 Bridgeway Hamburgers Rotisserie Grill

Last one tomorrow…….

Best Dishes in San Francisco, Part Three

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Now we’re gaining some momentum. Site traffic today was back to peak levels. Blogging as a modern medium still follows some old-school rules: specifically, publish or perish. There is clearly a direct correlation to new, good posts and blog traffic. Duh. I know that y’all likes you some recommendations. It’s clear people want to be told what to eat.

Today, it’s a hodge podge. I’ve got a bunch of favorites that don’t fit a category. So, let’s just let em all hang out.

Yank Sing House Special Soup Dumplings: Say what you will about Dim Sum in San Francisco and the battle between Yank Sing and Ton Kiang, the soup dumpling at the former is one of the best dishes in our fair city. What a surprise to find a glorious, savory broth magically swishing about inside a tender dumpling, floating in a bath of a sweet sauce and sliced ginger. It is so well crafted that I laughed smugly at Heaven’s Dog far inferior interpretation. You don’t mess with the Zohan.

Yank Sing Soup Dumplings

Yank Sing Soup Dumplings

Hayes Street Grill Crab Cake Sandwich: I cannot speak to the quality of this restaurant because I haven’t been there in nearly 15 years. It’s just not on the radar of your average SF foodie. But they do something at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings that keeps me coming back again and again. The construct of the sandwich is perfect in many ways to my sensibilities. Let me deconstruct….. the bread is simple, white toasted on a fire to gain a lot of smokey flavor. This is critical. The crab cake is solid. Not the best crab cake I’ve ever had, but it’s a fine crab cake at that. It doesn’t need to be the best. Add to that a juicy, large slice of tomato. Sweet and cool meets crispy and savory. A little greens and tartar sauce round out the whole deal and man it just works. I get mine with a side of crispy bacon and it fuels me up for a market day.

Hayes Street Grill Crab Cake Sandwich

Hayes Street Grill Crab Cake Sandwich

Quince Ravioli: I’m not of the ilk that can afford to dine at Quince weekly. It’s a special occasion place. And it’s always special. I can confidently say that there is no pasta in our fair city that elevates the form like Quince (though Flour and Water is as close as close can get). Any pasta you eat at Quince could live on this list. There is simply too much care put into conceptualizing the preparations to not receive my praise. As I’ve said before, truly great pasta is about subtleties in textures and flavors that transcend the predispositions we hold. Ravioli is the purest example of how Quince can exceed any expectation. You’ll know it when you see it.

Quince

Quince

Nihon Tuna Carpaccio: Sushi is tough. Everyone has an opinion. The current darling, Sebo has everyone buzzing and I agree that they are pretty amazing. But I don’t want to get bogged down with identifying particular dishes in sushi joints. These seas are far too rough to navigate. Let’s leave them for my list of best restaurants. But……there is one dish that sticks in my mind as exemplary and worthy of joining this list. Nihon’s Tuna Carpaccio with white truffle oil, ponzu sauce & hawaiian sea salt is a crazy perfect blend of this and thats, these and those.

Gaspare’s Veal Milanese: This one is so out of place on any list, but what can I say – I love Gaspare’s. Everything is good and reminds me of my early years in New Jersey, eating late nights at Tony’s Baltimore Grill. The food is decidedly old-school AmerItalian. The lasagna is stunning. The pizza is greasy and flavorful. The chicken parmigiano is absolutely the real deal. But the dish that keeps calling me these days is the Veal Milanese. There is nothing particularly impressive about this except that it is exactly what it should be. A tender cutlet of veal, pounded thin and breaded (the breading is important and they get it right), fried and served with a little butter and lemon juice on top. I get it with a side of their spaghetti and meat sauce, which has a sweet, thick pile of sauce for sopping with bread when you’re done. Mamma mia.

I think I’ve got two or three more days in me of this. Frankly, it’s a hard exercise because I can barely narrow down the choices on some menus, let alone picking from the lineup of talent we have across the city.

Best Dishes in San Francisco, Part Two

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Ok, so admittedly yesterday’s post was kinda lame. If you’re a tourist and come to SF for the first time, they were the Mission-must-sees. There’s no doubt they are high on the list of best in the city, but the real foodies are looking for some more snobbish nods. I’m not going to get all private-dining-club on you here, but these require a little city knowledge to uncover. So, round two, in no particular order:

Salt House Poutine: If you read my post on this dish [LINK] you’ll know that this is WAY up on my list. In fact, if you don’t like it – I don’t like you. Because this has all the elements that a truly good person would like. Crispy, double-fried-fries – check. Artisan cheddar – check. Braised short ribs gravy – uh yeah. Can I has Poutine?

Salt House Poutine

Salt House Poutine

Meeting House Biscuits: Dropping old school on you. Apparently there used to be a Meetinghouse Restaurant of some sort. I don’t recall how I discovered them but it was an online thing and you can still order Joann’s un-fucking-believable flakey, buttery, crispy-yet-moist, airy biscuits here [LINK]. If you live in the city, I kid you not, Joann will hand deliver them to you. Elsewhere they are mailed. If you’re lazy, you can get them at the Elite Cafe on Fillmore. There is supposed to be a revival of the Meetinghouse in some food-court concept at the JCC, but I haven’t been. Needless, many a biscuits and gravy I’ve made with these lovely nuggets beneath.

Meetinghouse Biscuits

Meetinghouse Biscuits

Universal Cafe Chicken Under a Brick: What sucks about this town is that Universal Cafe doesn’t get it’s props. I’ll often mention it as one of my favorite restaurants and people will say “yeah, I love their brunch”. Yes, their brunch is probably the BEST in the city. There I said it. It rules. But, they also do one of the best lunch and DINNER services in the city. I’d put the place in my top 10 for all three. And the dish that gets me…. Chicken under a brick. Lot’s of restaurants try. Nobody else comes close (sorry Flour and Water and Pizzaiolo). Leslie Carr Avalos is genius in many ways, especially in her ability to brine a bird, crisp its skin and serve it with sauces and sides that bring out everything that is good.

Universal Cafe

Universal Cafe

B44 Paella: This one is about the entirety of the experience. The dish itself is, in my opinion, the best Paella in the city, when done properly (it can be very inconsistent). The flavor pops and the ingredients are spot on for most varieties. Where they often shine [and fail] is in creating the kick-ass crust that adds some smoke and sweet and takes it to another level. Ask them to make sure the Paella is well-done. But moreover, make the experience by eating a bunch of funky seafood starters and downing two bottles of Rosé (sparkling works great) on a sunny afternoon (a little late so the crowd dissipates) in the outdoor seats on Belden. Tony, are we ready for another??

B44 Paella

B44 Paella

Wexler’s 4505 Meats Mission Dog: Only on the lunch menu. I wrote a post about the entire meal [LINK], but this was the standout dish. How much can I say about a friggin hot dog? Well, I really like that this is treated with care and not a throwaway. 4505 has put a lot of though into creating a unique dog and this was the first (well, second, Pal’s Takeaway did a damn good job too) time it was treated with appropriate reverence. Get some.

4505 Meats Hot Dogs!

4505 Meats Hot Dogs!

More tomorrow……

Best Dishes in San Francisco, Part One

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Ok, I know you’re sick of the cleanse talk. Frankly, so am I. I’ve been saving up some posts that I know you will all love and revisit. I’m going to drop some of my favorite individual dishes in the city!

There was a survey going around facebook a while back that listed the 50 things you must eat in San Francisco. I had about 35 of them nailed. Some of them may overlap here, but for the most part, these are just the things I think you must eat. I’ll probably list about 20 or so over the course of the week, in no particular order.

Slanted Door Shaking Beef: I’ve heard mixed reviews from people about the consistency of SD these days. I’m drawing on my experiences from the early years, living down the street from the original on Valencia. I’ve had the dish in the Ferry Building and it held up as one of the finest pieces of meat I’ve put in my mouth. It even translates well in the Out the Door, prepare-at-home, variety. The meat they use is so tender, it nearly melts. The sauce of white onions, green onions, soy, a little butter – kissed with a salt, pepper and lime mixture – put a fork in me.

Slanted Door Shaking Beef

Slanted Door Shaking Beef

Slanted Door Half and Half Rolls: While we’re at SD, they capture another standout. If you’re dining with two and cannot decide on their exceptional fresh spring rolls or fried imperial rolls, use our trick and order half and half. I would say that both are equally tasty, but the fresh rolls are probably more of a standout versus other Vietnamese places. Tu Lan does a pretty damn good imperial roll. The peanut sauce is the kicker. Just enough spice and the perfect density to grab on to the yummy mint, pork, shrimp and rice noodles that fill the fresh roll. Of course the imperial rolls contrast a crispy fried treat with some cool fresh lettuce, noodles and a sweet sauce.

Delfina Spaghetti with Plum Tomatoes, Garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Peperoncini: Again, from the old neighborhood, Delfina has pleased me with this dish for years and years. It remains the best spaghetti in the city and the foundation for my perfect spaghetti recipe [LINK] which I have shared.

Delfina Spaghetti with Plum Tomatoes

Delfina Spaghetti with Plum Tomatoes

Delfina Panna Cotta: It’s two-for-Monday here. And Delfina takes the prize for my favorite dessert in the entire city. The flavors change seasonally, but their panna cotta is consistently one of the finest confections that will past your lips. It’s dense enough to hold it’s shape and coat the spoon, but so creamy that you’d be hard pressed to define what goes in it. Ethereal.

Delfina Grilled Fresh Calamari with Warm White Bean Salad: Ok, three-for. This isn’t for me – it was a favorite of Julie for years. I must admit, it’s pretty damn good. The squid is always fresh and tender – never chewy. The beans and herbs play so well off of the fruity olive oil – it is a perfect combination, often copied.

Tartine Morning Buns: Ok, we’ll round out the neighborhood. If Delfina’s panna cotta is one of the finest confections, Tartine’s morning bun is the finest confection. Words cannot describe the perfection achieved from the subtle combination of orange zest and a bready dough that retains it’s moisture on the inside and flakiness around the edges all day long. Though I strongly suggest getting some while they are hot. They will change your life, I promise.

Tartine Morning Buns

Tartine Morning Buns

Tartine Banana Cream Pie: Do I really need to give the details? Can you just trust me? Read and excerpt from my post about my birthday [LINK] this year:

The stand out of the evening was courtesy of my lovely wife……Banana Cream Tart from Tartine. This thing is off the charts. The texture of the cream reminds me of a merengue with the flavor of a custard. The bananas somehow remain fresh and crisp in all of the goop, the slivers of chocolate add even more pleasure and the crust is a tried and true winner (the same they use with their stellar quiche).

Admittedly this first list is nothing revelatory. If you’ve known me for any time or have been reading the blog these may have crossed your path. But what a start! Tomorrow we’ll start exploring the city a little deeper.

Wexler’s Is the Real Deal!

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Have you ever played a sport and entered ‘the zone’? I’ve had many moments in my life where, lost in a state between the physical and mental, my instincts and training take over and I am transported to another dimension. Body and mind are fuzed together and it is almost as if I was floating above the space, looking back at myself. All was perfect.

This might be a strong metaphor for my lunch experience at Wexler’s, but there are certainly hints of this realm. Everything was simply effortless, yet incredibly well-planned. From the moment I arrived, until stepping back out into the street, Wexler’s was a model of the dining experience, as I would expect it to be executed by professionals who are in ‘the zone’. I can honestly say that it was one of the best lunches I’ve had in San Francisco, ever.

I had heard about Wexler’s and frankly had the wrong impression. I thought it would be a bar, first and foremost. I knew it had modern interpretations of Texas BBQ. From the blogosphere, I knew of their 4505 Meats Hot Dog. I was shocked to enter into a modern-designed restaurant that felt like anything but Texas BBQ or a bar. Yes there was a bar and yes they focus on interpretations of some BBQ classics. But this is a San Francisco treasure, top to bottom – not akin to any predisposition I held.

The setting is very clean and modern, yet warm and sophisticated. You can see the humble shell of the facility behind the well-selected elements that make up the design. The ceiling soars with a wooden rib-cage pattern by Aidlin Darling Designs, who took great pains to bring life to the former Les Amis location.

Photo Courtesy of Tablehopper

Photo Courtesy of Tablehopper

The lunch menu bounces back and forth from the US South to Northern California with confidence.  Charlie Kleinman, formerly of Fish and Farm, wants us to believe that Monterey Bay Squid and Little Gems belong right next to Texas Chili and Smoked Chicken Wings. Call me a believer.

The Bowl ‘o’ Red Texas chili is simply perfect. House smoked short ribs are delicately spiced and complimented with pickled shallots and creme fraîche. There is just enough to get you started but left for wanted more. This is how appetizers should be.

The Chilled Heirloom Cucumber Soup started with a bowl containing a few towers of red pepper confit, topped with smoked ricotta. The soup was poured over top from a small tea pot. It was an elegant presentation to an equally elegant soup.

Even the little gems salad (you know I loves me some little gems, don’tcha?) blew me away with tasty cornbread croutons and sublime smoked cippolini onions. Pure inspiration.

The pulled lamb sandwich is amazing on it’s own, but throw in some watermelon vinegar (you heard me!) and a divine slaw of green peach and red cabbage. Well, you’ve got to just try it yourself.

But the piece due resistance (said with Texas accent please) was the 4505 Meats Mission Dog. I’ve had a few of these dogs lately (both 4505 and Mission style). Nothing I’ve tasted was able to bring all flavors together in such a complete package as this treat. In fact, the guys at Mission Burger might pop in here to see how a great foundation is accented by the proper accessories. The perfect bacon, pickled chilies and caramelized onions sat atop a light sauce, fresh baked bun and the 4505 foundation. I wanted to stand and applaud.

Banana Cream Pie

And there was still dessert. What can I say about a Bourbon Banana Cream Pie with dulce de leche and fleur de sel? Except that the graham crust gets no mention and deftly cradled all of this love without flaw.

Needless to say I give Wexler’s a hearty endorsement. I almost don’t want to return for fear that the ‘zone’ was just an ‘on’ day for the team. But something about Wexler’s tells me that these pros take this seriously and bring their ‘A’ game every day.

Wexler’s
568 Sacramento Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 983-0102

Mission Burger

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I finally had the opportunity to scoop something. Across the food-wire today, I learned about a new venture from the Mission Street Food guys, called Mission Burger. The story goes…..next door to the Mission Street Food space (which if you haven’t heard, is kinda cool – click on the [LINK] to learn more about their guest chef series on Thursdays and Saturdays) is a big-honking Asian supermarket called Duc Loi. Duc Loi happens to have this banging kitchen in the corner of the market. And it never gets used.

Mission Burger

The dudes from MSF are fans of this cultish style of burger preparation, cited as follows:

*granulation is our term for the process popularized by Heston Blumenthal, a michelin 3-star chef based in London. Blumenthal combines strands of ground meat to create a loosely grained “meat column” (not Blumenthal’s phrase), then slices the column into patties. The result is, well, a delicacy.

So, they work out a deal with the market, even get them to thrown in $1 to charity for every burger sold, and this Sunday they opened up Mission Burger. Simple concept. One burger, one veggie burger, fries. I got mine on Monday. Here’s more on their menu:

Beef Burger: 1/3 lb of aged harris ranch brisket, short rib and chuck, granulated* and seared in beef fat. Served with monterey jack, caramelized onion and caper aioli on a griddled acme bun – $8

Vegan Burger: maitake, shitake, roasted kale, edamame, scallion, sesame seed and fava-chickpea patty. Served with avocado and miso “mayo”** on a griddled acme bun – $7

Fries – $2

So, here’s the skinny. Mind you, I have a strong opinion on burgers. I’ve written about them [LINK]. I’ve eaten my weight in them many times over. I have a fascination with the form the same way I do for pizza, meatballs, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and other pure food forms (all links to blog posts).

This burger threw me a little. I love the concept, but was skeptical since I rarely find anything more satisfying than simple chuck, ground fresh. Period. But, they are definitely on to something here. The labor pays off in flavor and texture. It’s a really tasty burger and where you might expect a little gristle, fat globule or char, there is nothing but a consistent course texture. It’s close to my ultra-fresh ground, but a little more dense. Where it really hits you is with the flavor. Under each slightly greasy, aoli rich, oniony bite, is some pretty fucking tasty animal flesh. The brisket, short ribs thing works. Wow.

Mission Burger

The fries were too salty, but a solid compliment to the nummy nummy goodness of the meat. I could see a different set of accompaniments working well with this burger. Perhaps toned down a little and focused back on the beef, which really needs to be revered. I kept feeling like I was distracted by onion and aoli.

Is this a contender for best burger in town? I think they have a shot if they can remain consistent and pull the reigns on the access0ries. I rarely shower such praise on a newcomer in a realm that is so contentious, but there’s something about Mission Burger that is right in so many ways. Go for yourself and let me know what you think.

Friday Dish: Salt House Poutine

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Ask me for my top ten list of San Francisco foods – individual items – and you will find a curious and unique treat way at the tippy top of the list (hmmm, post idea). Salt House does a crazy good, French-Canadian, gut-wrenching, heart-stopping, I-dream-about-you-when-it’s-been-a-week-or-two-since-last-gazing-into-your-crispy-mounds………Poutine.

Salt House Poutine

Salt House Poutine

Let’s get some wiki on it:

Poutine (Quebec French pronunciation Pronunciation-of-Poutine.ogg ˈputsɪn (help·info)) is a dish consisting of French fries topped with fresh cheese curds, covered with brown gravy and sometimes additional ingredients. [1]

Poutine is a diner staple which originated in Quebec and can now be found across Canada. It is sold by both fast food chains (such as New York Fries,Harvey’s, Ed’s Subs[2]), in small “greasy spoon” type diners (commonly known as “casse-croûtes” in Quebec) and pubs, as well as by roadside chip wagons. International chains like McDonald’s,[3] A&W,[4] KFC and Burger King[5] also sell mass-produced poutine. Popular Quebec restaurants that serve poutine include Chez Ashton (Quebec City), La Banquise (Montreal), Louis (Sherbrooke), Lafleur Restaurants, Franx Supreme [6], La Belle Province, Le Petit Québec and Dic Ann’s Hamburgers. Along with fries and pizza, poutine is a very common dish sold and eaten in high school cafeterias in various parts of Canada.

Now you know that Salt House isn’t going to go pedestrian with this pedestrian dish. No, no, no sir [maam] we’re gittin’ gourmet with our poutine. Here’s what I know:

  • French fries – double fried so they’ll stay crispy under the cheese and gravy. Peanut oil, I’ve been told.
  • Bravo Farms cheddar – located in Traver, CA halfway between Fresno and Bakersfield. Must have some nice cows out there. Lovely melting goodness.
  • Short ribs gravy – long braised and savory, rich, luscious, silky.

Add it all up and you get a treat for the ages. Really, I’m not kidding. Here’s another street food idea. Make a poutine cart and park it in front of my showroom. I will get fat and won’t care. I’d die happy.

Get your poutine at Salt House [LINK]. Make a reservation for lunch just in case. Let me know what you think.