Toque of San Francisco September 2013
By Carol & Joe Davis
Dining Detectives

Pebble Beach Food & Wine 2013.

	Chef Susan Spicer Bayona in New Orleans	Rocky Mountain Elk Carpaccio

One of our favorite annual Food Events now in its sixth year is Pebble Beach Food & Wine which was held April 4-7, 2013. This year featured 300+ Wineries, 75+ Celebrity Chefs, Cooking Demonstrations, Dinners, Celebrity Golf as well as Wine and Spirits Tastings. The weather is always spectacular in April and the coastal views are magnificent at Pebble Beach as well as on our drive from San Francisco. This year we again attended the Grand Tasting Tent with other Foodies from around the world who all came to enjoy international culinary delights, mingle, mix, sip and taste.  We make a habit of always tasting the food first then on a second trip around try the spirits and wines. The Chefs who we spoke with were all thrilled to be there and we found the quality of the cuisine to be outstanding.  The food tastings were nicely spread out and each station had both pictures and name of the chefs and a sign that described the taste that they had created.

Tyler Florence	Patron Tequila Bartender	Chef Abram Bissell from TheNoMad NYC	Taste Description

Our overall favorite was the Dominican Beef made by Culinary Director Michael Romano  from Union Square Café in NYC. A close second was the Coriander-Crusted Big Eye Tuna, Avocado-Pickled Vegetable Salad, Kumquat Vinaigrette created by Chef Adam Keough from Absinthe in San Francisco. We also loved the Crayfish Beignets/ Smoked Duck, Cashew butter & Pepper on Sweet Potato Brioche made by Chef Susan Spicer from Bayona in New Orleans. The Pork Terrine, Glazed Eel, Pickled Mustard Seed made by Chef Angie Berry from  Asiate NYC was also outstanding. Another fabulous taste was the Sea Urchin Panna Cotta with Green Apple & King Crab made by Chef Abram Bissell from The NoMad NYC.  The Rocky Mountain Elk Carpaccio Bulgur Taboulleh Salad, Stone Ground Mustard Aioli created by Chef Kelly Liken from Vail was also delicious.  Our favorite desserts were the Assorted Tout Sweet Macaroons and Belgium Chocolate Extravaganza from Madame Chocolate Hasty Torres.

Tout Sweet Macaroons	Coquerel Napa Valley Wines	Lexus Lounge Bartenders

Now it was time to enjoy some Wines and Spirits. Our first stop was the Patron Tequila lounge. We loved the 18th Hole Cocktail which was made with 2oz. Patron Silver Tequila, pineapple juice, lime, simple syrup and cilantro leaves. It went down easy. Next we took a break and relaxed in the Lexus lounge where the friendly bartenders were offering Moscow Mules. We also enjoyed cocktails with the folks from The Cosmopolitan Hotel Las Vegas.

Chef Adam Keough from Absinthe in San Francisco	Chef Miguel Garcia-Aruba	Chef Kelly Liken-Vail

We were now ready to enjoy some wine. We were particular and only tasted a few. We loved the Tyler Florence Pinot Noir, Jordan Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, Kuleto Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon and the Coquerel Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

We had an excellent time again at the Pebble Beach Food & Wine Grand Tasting Tent. We enjoyed chatting with the chefs and with other PLUs (People Like Us) who have a love of food. We look forward to returning again next year to this world class event.

http://www.pbfw.com/

 

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La Mar -Weekend Brunch-PeruvianCuisine

	Sorbet	Pisco Cocktails

We have always loved dining at La Mar which serves fabulous Peruvian Cuisine and has a beautiful location right on the San Francisco Bay near the Ferry Plaza on Pier 1.5. We learned that they recently added seven additional items to their Weekend Brunch Menu and decided we’d better check it out.  It was a beautiful sunny Saturday and we were seated on the all-weather outdoor dockside Patio overlooking the Bay and soon were enjoying their habit forming Sweet Potato and Plantain Chips and excellent Pisco Cocktails. The Pisco Sour made with PiscoQuebranta Brandy, lime juice, simple syrup, and dash of egg white and a drop of bitters was quite unique and the Pisco Punch topped with pineapple was excellent as well! Both the chips and the Pisco drinks go down easy…. so make sure you don’t fill up as the cuisine is excellent.

Grilled Salmon	Chicharrón	MontaditoBurrata

Our first course was the Cebiches which are the national dish of Peru made here with 100% sustainably caught fish and shellfish then marinated in “leche de tigre”. We loved both the CebicheClasico made with California Halibut in a classic leche de tigre with red onion habanero and Peruvian corn and yam and the CebicheNikei which was Tuna, red onion, Japanese cucumber, daikon avocado, nori, and sesame in tamarind leche de tigre. The portions are perfect and not only isCebiche very flavorful it’s quite healthy.  Next, we enjoyed another Peruvian specialty, CausaLimena, which was whipped yellow potatoes topped with fresh Dungeness Crab, avocado puree, quail egg, cherry tomatoes, aji Amarillo huancaina sauce and basil cilantro oil. The texture of the potatoes and the freshness of Crab made this an amazing starter.

The new Brunch Main Courses were all wonderful and quite unique. We loved the perfectly prepared Grilled Salmon Fillet which was served over a bed of red chard, fried choclo and marbled potatoes sautéed with butter and garlic crowned with a perfectly Poached Egg in an ajiamarillo hollandaise and Hawaiian Smoked Salt. Then we enjoyed the MontaditoBurrata served over grilled artisan Acme bread topped with fresh burrata cheese, pisco, ajiamarillo sautéed mushrooms and a quail egg. The creamy texture of the burrata along with the other ingredients paired perfectly on the crunchy Acme Bread. This would also make a great starter.  A very unique and excellent brunch choice was the Chicharrón (for two) which was a traditional Peruvian pan con chicharrón, Pork Belly sous vide served with sweet potato and yucca fries, huancaina, criolla, tartar sauces and slider Acme rolls. The Chicharron was not rich at all…. as it is cooked for 17 hours which enhances the flavor of the pork.  This is quite fun to share!

La Mar has an extensive International Wine List. We enjoyed the The 2010 Vevi La Mar Rueda Spain Verdejo which paired perfectly with the Cebiches ,the 2011 AlbarinoLagar de CereraRiasBaix , Spain which paired perfectly with the Salmon and the 2009 TempranilloVinaVallarin Ribera del Duero, Spain which paired perfectly with the Pork Belly.

We saved room for Pastry Chef Astrid Gutsche’s desserts. We loved the Alfajorzon which was homemade Vanilla Ice Cream marbled with manjarblanco and alfajor cookie served in a tulie bowl. The presentation was lovely and it was actually a light desert that went down very easily! We also enjoyed the Passion Fruit and Colchagua Sorbets. A Hand Tied Organic Jasmine Green Tea and an Espresso were a great ending to our brunch.

La Mar serves a fantastic brunch! They feature Peruvian Cuisine made with local and organic ingredients, Peruvian spices, fresh seafood and meats prepared with Peruvian, Japanese, California and Chinese influences. The atmosphere and décor are upbeat, colorful and comfortable. There is a separate bar area in the front, large dining room and counter seating which is great for watching preparation and plating in the exhibition kitchen. The menu developed by International Restaurateur /Chef Gaston Acurio, the execution by Chef de Cuisine Diego Oka , the excellent service, the spectacular San Francisco Bay setting all contributed to making our dining experience outstanding. We also enjoyed chatting with a friendly neighboring foursome who had come via boat and used the private boat dock to tie up while dining.

 

La Mar CebicheriaPeruana
Pier 1.5 Suite 100 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA. 94111
415.397.8880
www.LaMarCebicheria.com

 

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Rosa Mexicano
Authentic Mexican Cuisine in San Francisco

We have always enjoyed Mexican Cuisine and of course Tequila. So, we were very interested when we learned that Rosa Mexicano had opened a new location in San Francisco. Rosa Mexicanofirst opened in New York in 1984 and they now have locations around the globe serving farm fresh traditional and contemporary Mexican food, using seasonal fresh ingredients from local purveyors. Here in San Francisco they source from Green String Farms, 4505 Meats, Cowgirl Creamery, Niman Ranch, Mary’s Chicken, Bellwether Farms, Coke Farm, Redwood Hill Farm, Masami Foods and others.

Rosa Mexicano	Guacamole en Molcajete	Cocktails

As you enter this very stylish restaurant and bar, you can see their signature pink colors “rosa” everywhere. The inviting bar features custom tiles, a red glazed lava stone top and comfortable leather bar stools. We were seated in a booth in the dining room and admired the decor which included local art and a wall featuring a very interesting water fall. The dining room is fairly large and includes a walnut slab communal table, individual tables and very comfortable booths. The room is well designed and the seating is nicely spaced for privacy.

Chamorro Masami Ranch Pork Shank	Vanilla  Flan	Maestro Tequilero  Jose Valdez

The upbeat music got us in the proper mood for cocktails from their full bar which of course features an extensive list of premium tequilas. We were very impressed by their Signature Frozen Pomegranate Margarita made with Silver Tequila, pomegranate and lime juices which had a perfect balance of sweet and tart. We also loved the La Suprema made with PartidaReposado Tequila, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, fresh lime and organic agave. We recently had the pleasure of meeting Maestro Tequilero Jose Valdez from Tequila Partida. We learned that all Tequila Partida was 100% Agave from the Tequila Valley in Mexico and that PartidaReposado was aged for six months giving it more body and a smoother and softer taste. We also enjoyed their PartidaElegante straight up which has a more intense flavor, as it is aged for 40 months in Jack Daniel’s Barrels. It was amazing!

Our first taste of the evening was their Guacamole en Molcajete, which is freshly, prepared Tableside using avocado, jalapeno, tomato, onion and cilantro. It was really fun to watch and we learned how to make a paste from some of the ingredients then gently fold it into the fresh avocado. It is seasoned to your preference and we like spicy, so plenty of jalapenos were added. House made Tortilla chips, salsa pasilla de Oaxaca and salsa de tomatillo y habanero accompanied the guacamole. Next, we had the Cervices Atun which was delicious Ahi Tuna with chile de Arbol, orange supremes and watermelon. This was such a refreshing combination and very visually appealing too. You must also try their Sopa de Tortilla which had a rich pasilla broth, grilled chicken, tortillas and cheese. You can spice it up using the specialty salsas.

Our favorite entrée was the Crispy Chamorro Masami Ranch Pork Shank which was slow braised “Carnitas Style” and accompanied with chipotle-creamed spinach and red bean chorizo chili. This was quite amazing and a real treat!! We also enjoyed the Carne Asada all Natural skillet style marinated and sliced Skirt Steak with Chihuahua cheese, grilled Mexican street corn, chorizo chili and warm corn tortillas.

Our second round of drinks was the La Pera Noble made with Casa Noble organic silver tequila, bianco vermouth, pear brandy and cinnamon. It was quite smooth and went down very easy! We look forward to having this again.

The Desserts were fabulous! We loved both the Flan de Rosa which was  a Vanilla Flan infused with  Espresso served on a warm anchochile brownie topped with Mexican cinnamon whipped cream and the amazing Churros en Bolsa which were Hot Mexican Doughnuts served with three dipping sauces chocolate, caramel and raspberry guajillo. An espresso and an Aguila after dinner drink made with Real Hennessy VS, Kahlua, Licor 43, cream and chocolate bitters were the perfect finish to our excellent Mexican dinner.

We had a terrific time at Rosa Mexicano which is quickly approaching their one year anniversary in San Francisco. They serve Mexican Breakfast, as well as Lunch and Dinner. The fresh Mexican Cuisine was delicious, the drinks were TOO good and the staff was friendly, well trained and knowledgeable. There were quite a few large parties including what we thought was an America’s Cup team....but the noise level remained low. We look forward to returning soon to Rosa Mexicano, as it is the new “place to be” in San Francisco for Mexican Cuisine. (We still miss the Cadillac Bar and poppers) Make sure you check out their monthly Special Events as coming up in August is their Tableside Ice Cream Festival.

Rosa Mexicano
30 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA. 94105
415-874-4300
www.RosaMexicano.com

 

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Bocadillos Tapas and Wine Bar
Small Plates---- Great Wines

We love dining in San Francisco as there are so many excellent restaurants. We were in the mood for a light dinner and wine and had always wanted to try Bocadillos Tapas and Wine Bar which features a Spanish inspired Tapas Menu using predominantly organic and sustainable ingredients. Bocadillos is owned by Chef Gerald Hirigoyen who is also known for his popular Basque Restaurant Piperade. Chef Hirigoyen is very accomplished and has authored several cookbooks and received numerous awards including the James Beard Award for Best California Chef in 2006. Bocadillos will be celebrating their 10th Anniversary in 2014 and is located on the corner of Montgomery and Columbus and features a casual atmosphere with an upbeat City vibe. The décor features bold colors and custom lighting with multiple seating options including bar seating, a communal table, high top tables along the wall and window seating. In June, Bocadillos introduced their new Chef James LaLonde who is very experienced and has added his creative touch to the focused menu.

	Bocadillos	Pork Belly

We arrived just before 6:00 PM and were able to take advantage of their Happy Hour Wine Tasting Flights created by Sommelier Brian Burke from their California, French, Basque and Spanish wine list. We enjoy flights as they are a great way to find new wines to enjoy. The White Wine Tasting Flight consisted of the 2011 Monopole Vuira Rioja, the 2011 Do FerreiroAlbarino, RiasBaixas Spain and the sparkling, and our favorite of the three the 2011 AmeztoiHondarrabiZuri, GetariakoTxakolina Spain which was very lively! The Red Wine Tasting Flight consisted of the 2006 La Rioja Alta “Vin AlberdiTempranillo Rioja, Spain, the 2010 Cyan Tempranillo Toro Spain and our favorite the 2007 ArrelsGaranchaMontsant Spain.

We sipped our wines and ordered from the interesting focused Tapas menu. Our first delight was the Chilled Prawns Huevos Diablo with Guindillas and pimento. It was a single Prawn on Deviled Egg which was beautifully presented and perfectly spiced.  Next, we really enjoyed the Padron Peppers with sea salt and lemon which were really luscious. The Bocadillos are also a must! Bocadillo means a snack or small sandwich in Spanish and we loved the 24 month Serrano Ham pan con tomate and the Braised Short Rib with arugula and sherry caramelized onion. They are served with a small side salad. We were told that they are also the favorites on the lunch menu! Another excellent choice is the Chicken Liver Mousse with sherry, strawberry and peppercress. It was so light and creamy. The Pork Belly served in a pan with watermelon, scallions and mint was an interesting combination and fun. The Corn Fritters with manchego, chorizo and tomatillo salsa were also delicious and very popular. A glass of the 2008 ArrelsGarnachaMontsant Spain paired perfectly with our meal.

Chicken Liver Mousse	Desserts

As always, we saved room for Desserts and Double Espressos. We loved both the decadent not too sweet Warm Chocolate Cake with Banana Ice Cream and the Caramel Flan with Maldon Salt. They were both perfect and reminded us of how important great desserts are to the lasting impression of the meal! A Jorge Ordonez “ Victoria” Moscatel and a Castellroig Cava Brut Pendes Spain were the perfect finish to our wonderful dining experience.

Bocadillos Tapas and Wine Bar met and even exceeded our expectations! We loved the fabulous small plates, the wines and the variety you can enjoy. Everyone was having such a good time and it was fun seeing other diners ordering and enjoying their “favorites”. The service was excellent and we will surely be back soon for lunch, dinner or their Spanish Breakfast which starts at 7:00 AM weekdays.

Bocadillos Tapas and Wine Bar
710 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-982-2622
www.BocaSF.com

 

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Siena Restaurant at TheMeritage Resort and Spa
Napa Valley Cuisine at its Finest

We love the Napa Valley. The Vineyards are beautiful, the Cuisine and Wines are World Class and it is only an hour drive from San Francisco. We recently learned that The Meritage Resort and Spa had just hired Hungarian born and raised Executive Chef, KrisztianKarkus, who brings a wealth of experience having worked at resorts around the world and decided that we needed to dine at their Siena Restaurant which features seasonal farm to table Tuscan and California Cuisine.

	Kobe Beef Short Rib Sliders	Seafood Soup

Traffic was light so we had time to view the property before dinner. It has a vineyard, 322 rooms and suites, bars, Siena Restaurant, conference rooms, wine tasting in the Estate Cave which features Trintas Cellars wines , Spa Terra , exercise room, lovely swimming pool, Bocce Ball court and the Crush Ultra Lounge with full bar, sports entertainment and six bowling lanes which are backlit at night!

Siena has a very comfortable dining room with well-spaced tables, a semi exhibition kitchen, large equestrian art and an adjacent outdoor dining area. As we perused the menu, we enjoyed Valdo Prosecco, Valdobbiadene, Italy and a basket of delicious warm bread and flat bread.

We loved our appetizers! The Fanny Bay Oysters on the Half Shell with Siena Mignonette and House Cocktail Sauce were cold, extremely fresh, sweet and were an excellent way to begin our dinner. The Cinnamon & Star Anise Braised and slow cooked Kobe Beef Short Rib Sliders on Polenta Brioche with Horseradish mayo and Vine Ripened Tomatoes was another terrific appetizer. The sliders were delicious, lean and lighter than we had anticipated and could easily be a meal by itself. Can’t wait to have them again! The Pan Seared Curry Crusted Jumbo Scallops with Organic Sweet Apple Relish and Apple Butter were very delicate and we appreciated that the relish did not overpower the luscious scallops.

Prime Rib	Grilled Barramundi	Sorbet

Our next course was soup and salad. We loved the nurturing Soup of the Day which was Seafood Stew made with clams, mussels, prawns and ling cod. The broth was amazing and perfectly seasoned. We also enjoyed the Little Gems Lettuce and White Anchovies Salad made with Baby Romaine Lettuce, creamy garlic dressing, excellent white anchovies and fresh croutons. We loved both of our entrees. The Daily Special served every Thursday and Friday was a Niman Ranch 10 oz. Prime Rib, served rare as ordered, with mashed fingerling potatoes, and sautéed broccoli. Shaved horseradish was a perfect complement to this tasty cut of beef. The Grilled Barramundi which is a mild buttery Australian fish was prepared perfectly and we loved the unique Fried Corn Polenta, Peperonata and Sautéed Brussels Sprouts which accompanied the fish. We really enjoyed everything we tried this evening and we were pretty full….so opted for refreshing Sorbet with blueberries and raspberries for dessert. Espresso and a Prager “Tomas” Port were the perfect finish to our excellent dinner.

The Wine List features Napa Valley wines as well as wines from around the world by the glass, half bottle and bottle. Our knowledgeable and professional server Jack, was very helpful and quite accommodating, serving us half glasses….so we could try a variety of different wines. With our starters we enjoyed the light and lively 2011 Sterling Central Coast, CA. Pinot Gregio, the light, aromatic, oaky yet not too buttery 2011 TrintasCarneros Busch Family Chardonnay, the crisp 2010 Uppercut North Coast Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc and the lively 2010 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Fume Blanc. The 2009 TrintasMysterium Old Vine Blend Mendocino, the 2010 MacMurray Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and the 2010 Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon paired perfectly with our entrees.

Trinitas Wines

Siena Restaurant is open for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Sunday Brunch. The cuisine was delicious and the presentation was lovely. The service was professional, comfortable and very friendly. We look forward to returning soon…. to try some of Siena’s more casual menu items like Pizza, Pastas, and Burgers and Cocktails plus Bowling in the Crush Ultra Lounge!

Siena Restaurant at TheMeritage Resort and Spa
875 Bordeaux Way
Napa, CA. 94558
707-251-1950
www.TheMeritageResort.com

 

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Puerto 27 Peruvian Kitchen &Pisco Bar -  Pacifica’s new Gem

Pacifica is just south of San Francisco on Highway One. It boasts beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and the San Bruno Mountains but we have never found great dining over the years and just kept driving to other beach towns to eat. Now Executive Chef/ Restaurateur Jose Calvo-Perez who with his family also owns Pasion www.PasionSF.com and Fresca www.FrescaSF.com in San Francisco have opened Puerto 27 Peruvian Kitchen &Pisco Bar which features Authentic Peruvian cuisine and has given us a reason to come to Pacifica. The décor is fabulous with an exhibition kitchen, a Peruvian Amazon themed mural created by Michael Brennen, an Inca Head Sculpture, a large communal table, raised lovely Bar Area in the center of the restaurant with a White Caesar Stone Bar and a fantastic ocean view!

	Pisco Cocktail	Ceviche Sampler

As we sipped on our Pisco cocktails, created by Mixologist Enrique Sanchez, we enjoyed Plantain Chips. We loved the ClassicoPisco Sour made with PiscoQuebranta, key lime juice, simple syrup, egg whites and angostura bitters and the Punta Hermosa made with pisco infused hibiscus, lime juice, fresh ginger ale and old fashioned bitters. These cocktails were perfect!

Our first course was the Ceviche Sampler which is excellent for sharing and a great way to enjoy many tastes. We loved the Ceviche Puerto 27 made with White Fish, Shrimp, Calamari, Scallop, Cilantro, red onion, and lime juice  ajirocoto , the Ceviche Crocante  made with White Fish, aji Amarillo  leche de tigre, cilantro, red onion and crispy calamari, the Ceviche Chifa made with Bigeye Tuna, peanuts, wonton, scallions, sesame, avocado and aji limo ponzuleche de tigre  and the Ceviche TraditoPucusana made with Peruvian Style Sashimi ahi tuna, passion fruit leche de tigre, avocado mousse, black sea salt and sweet potato. All four of the Ceviches demonstrated Peruvian flavors which have made ceviche so popular. Leche de tiger is the traditional Peruvian citrus based marinade which cures the seafood and is also known as Tiger’s Milk.

Causa Masaki and CausaGravlox	Arroz Con Mariscos	Flan

Next, we enjoyed Causa’s a traditional favorite in Peru which are a made with yellow potatoes similar to yukon gold. The Causa Masaki made with Crispy Shrimp, Dungeness Crab, Avocado, crispy yam, and Nikkei aioli and the CausaGravlox made with Pisco cured salmon gravlox, Japanese cucumber, hijiki, crispy squid and lime honey sauce were both delicious. They were formed into a roll and sliced for beautiful presentation and excellent to share.

The Entrees are all very reasonably priced. Our favorite was the Arroz Con Mariscos Mixed Seafood and Shellfish Paella made with ajipanca spiced rice, crispy calamari, salsa criolla. It was moist, perfectly sized portion and just amazing! We also enjoyed the traditional comfort food Aji De Gallina which was tasty Pulled Chicken Stew with aji Amarillo cream, botija olives, boiled egg and spiced roasted walnuts. We added some hot sauce, as we prefer our dishes spicier and it is perfect served over rice. The YucaFrita fried yucca with huancaina sauce was a great side dish as well....because it is different!

The Wine List is International and has a Latin Flair. We enjoyed the 2010 Casnati Pinot Grigio Mendoza, Argentina, which was crisp and well chilled with our entrees. The Desserts are made by Pastry Chef Masaki Uyema. We enjoyed both the traditional Flan with the blueberries and raspberries and the more modern interpretation of the TresLeches Cake. However, the Flan was our favorite because it was perfect, which is difficult to find.

Puerto 27 Peruvian Kitchen &Pisco Bar is a great addition to the Bay Area dining scene. You can enjoy fabulous cocktails, fresh healthy reasonable priced cuisine and the spectacular Pacific Ocean view. They are open nightly, have Happy Hour from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM and offer weekend brunch. Puerto 27 Peruvian Kitchen &Pisco Bar is fabulous and lots of fun!

Puerto 27 Peruvian Kitchen &Pisco Bar
525 Crespi Drive
(On Highway 1 adjacent to the Pacifica Beach Hotel))
Pacifica, CA. 94044
650-733-7343
www.puerto27.com

 

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Hyatt Regency Eclipse Restaurant
Featured Alcatraz Prison Menu

The Eclipse Restaurant which is located in the Atrium of the Hyatt Regency San Francisco is now offering an Alcatraz Prison Commemorative Dinner Menu for ($28.00) which includes a starter, entrée with side dishes and dessert.  It is an interpretation by Executive Chef Victor Litkewycz of a modern day version of what might be served today if Alcatraz was still open using modern cooking styles, locally sourced mostly organic ingredients and modern presentation.

Alcatraz Life on the Rock Exhibit	Inmate Al Capone	Executive Chef Victor Litkewycz

The new Alcatraz Prison Menu is the perfect complement to the Hyatt Culture Club’s “Alcatraz Life onThe Rock” Exhibit in the lobby near the restaurant which commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the 1963 closing of Alcatraz. The Free 3000 square foot exhibit includes an authentic replica of a prison cell, fascinating history, information on infamous inmates like Al Capone and the Birdman, as well as Life Magazine’s Leigh Wiener’s “Last Day on Alcatraz” pictorial display. We were fascinated by the exhibit and learned that Alcatraz was known for the best prison food in the U.S. Wardens Johnson and Madigan promoted quality and freshness, as they felt that most trouble in prison was caused by bad food. Former Inmate William Baker thought the meals tasted home cooked and that they were excellent.

Short Ribs	Meat Loaf

After viewing the exhibit, we started out in the comfortable lounge and enjoyed a Grey Goose on the rocks and a Kettle One Cosmopolitan from their full bar. We then went into the adjacent dining room to taste the “Prison” Cuisine. The new Alcatraz Prison Menu has a number of choices and since we were with a larger party we were able to taste most of what was offered. We enjoyed Talbot Pinot Noir from their extensive wine list with our dinner.  We knew we were going to be pleased when we tried the Mulligatawny Soup. It was spicy, like we like it and just delicious! Our next course was the Beet and Onion Salad which was beautiful, fresh and tasty. The entrees were all true “Comfort Food” and we could see why the prisoners were not complaining. We really enjoyed the Stuffed Cabbage with Meat tomato sauce , the Boiled Short Ribs with Horseradish sauce which melted in your mouth, the Baked Meat Loaf with Pan Gravy and the prisoners favorite Spaghetti Italienne. The sides were all terrific and included Summer Squash Sauté, Fresh Green Beans, Baked Macaroni and Mashed Potatoes which were especially fabulous! We ordered espressos and enjoyed the Bread Pudding and Layer Cake Desserts which was the perfect finish to great dinner!

History is fascinating and this is a great opportunity to experience “Alcatraz Life onThe Rock” which can be viewed for free through October 25, 2013 in the Atrium Lobby. To complete the Alcatraz experience, be sure to enjoy the reasonably priced “comfort food” Dinner from the Alcatraz Prison Cuisine, which was perfectly executed by Executive Chef Victor Litkewycz in the EclipseRestaurant. We felt like we were welcomed tourists at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco and are looking forward returning soon for cocktails and dinner and to visiting Alcatraz http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/ in the coming weeks to learn more about its fascinating history.

Eclipse Restaurant and Lounge                                                               
Five Embarcadero Center
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-788-1234
http://www.sanfranciscoregency.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/EclipseRestaurant.html

 

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Social Club Restaurant & Bar
Petaluma Relaxed Fine Dining

We have been writing about Petaluma restaurants for quite some time now and the only constant is that the restaurant scene continues to change and grow to accommodate the ever changing population. Social Club Restaurant & Bar which features sophisticated American Cuisine, a Full Bar with over 100 options including rare Whiskey and Scotch and Local Craft Beers on tap and by the bottle is quickly approaching the celebration of their one year anniversary! They serve dinner nightly, offer Sunday Brunch, have a DJ and Dancing on Saturdays after 9:30 PM, and on Sunday Live Music starts at 6:30 PM featuring local singer and songwriter and “America’s Got Talent” Semi-Finalist Tim Hockenberry. In addition, they just got approval for outdoor dining and are in the process of creating a nice landscaped patio.

Crisp Pork Belly	Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese	Grilled Asparagus with Fried Egg

The open Square Bar is the centerpiece of the restaurant. There are tables on the side, high tables and booths in the rear and the distressed wood which gives it a country feel. There is also a banquet room that can be rented for your special events and private dining. Big screen high resolution TVs and upbeat music add to the fun and relaxed atmosphere. We were seated in one of the back booths and were very comfortable, as we looked at the small focused menu. We ordered a few of the Tuttle’s Elixirs Dinner Craft Cocktails to start. The Maple Leaf made with Tap 357 Maple Rye Whiskey, Mint, Fresh Lime Juice and Ginger Beer and the Polynesian Parasol made with Citrus Vodka, lemongrass infused vermouth, fresh ginger syrup, fresh lemon juice and a splash of soda water were both terrific. The Maple Leaf was lively and slightly spicy which we love and the Polynesian Parasol was light and refreshing.

Braised Short Rib	Grilled Hanger Steak	Desserts

The Starters and Social Plates are perfect for sharing. We loved the Crisp Pork Belly with cider maple glaze, roasted garlic white bean puree and apple celery salad. The consistency was fabulous, the crust was perfect and it was leaner than you would expect…just amazing! The Smoked Trout with fried green tomatoes and kohlrabi remoulade was also delicious. Salad lovers will enjoy the Marinated Red Beets with red wine vinaigrette, toasted walnuts and local Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese. You must try the unique Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese with Applewood smoked bacon, herbed sourdough breadcrumbs. It was light, not too rich and al dente which really set it apart from your typical Mac & Cheese. Can’t wait to have this again! The Grilled Asparagus with fried egg, herbed Bellwether Farms ricotta, lemon and basil was beautifully presented and how can you miss with a fried egg! The English Pea and Green Garlic Risotto with parmesan, chives and guancialewas also lighter than expected, mildly seasoned and delicious.

The Entrees were all right sized but definitely healthy portions. Our favorite was the Braised Short Rib with grilled stone fruit, fingerling potatoes and cumin tomato relish. It was slow cooked for many hours which made it very tender and so flavorful. The best short rib we have had in years! Fish lovers will enjoy the Local Rock Cod with sugar snap peas, roasted cauliflower and preserved Meyer lemon aioli. It was prepared perfectly and tasted great. Another excellent choice is the Grilled Hanger Steak with spring vegetables, marble potatoes and salsa verde. This “Butcher’s Cut” was cooked perfectly, medium rare as ordered and held up well for lunch the next day.

The Wine List is International but features mostly Northern California wines. We enjoyed the 2011 Sheldon Sonoma Coast Grenache Blanc/Voignier/ Rousanne with our starters, the 2012 Fort Ross Sonoma County Rose of Pinot Noir with our Social Plates and the 2009 Keller Estate Sonoma Coast “Casa de la Cruz” Pinot Noir with our entrees. As ever, we saved room for Desserts and we are hard pressed to say which one was the best, as they were all delicious! The hot and chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies are baked fresh to order and are served with a wonderfully refreshing Vanilla Malted Milk Shake. The Salted Caramel Pot De Crème with brown butter crumble was creamy but not too rich and excellent. The House Brioche Pain Perdu topped with Strawberries and Cream was lovely and unique. A round of Espressos was perfect with our delightful desserts.

Social Club Restaurant & Bar is a welcome addition to Petaluma with its friendliness, charm and a bit of S.F. sophistication. The service is friendly and professional and the Specialty Cocktails are fabulous! Chef Joseph Zobel executes the focused menu to absolute perfection and the front of the house runs smoothly with General Manager Damion Wallace, who was very happy to have moved to Petaluma from San Francisco. We look forward to future visits as Social Club Restaurant & Bar!

Social Club Restaurant & Bar
132 Keller Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-238-0158
www.SocialClubRestaurant.com

 

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Ajanta Indian Restaurant-Berkeley 2013
New Chef’s Tasting Menu

We have dined at and enjoyed the Distinctive Indian Cuisine at Ajanta Restaurant on Solano Avenue in Berkeley many times over the past twenty years and were interested when we heard that they were initiating a nightly Chef’s Tasting Menu. We always enjoy the décor that features large bold Indian Art inspired by the Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra India. Indian background music and lovely flowers on every table also adds to the experience. The cuisine is healthier and lighter than most Indian Cuisine, as they use locally sourced and mostly organic seasonally fresh and natural ingredients including organic chicken, natural seafood, as well as hormone and antibiotic-free meats. We ordered wine and looked at the very reasonably priced Chef's Tasting Menu which is served from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. every night and is priced at $27.00 ($24.00 for the vegetarian offering). It is served family style and features three appetizers, four main dishes, sides of rice, naan bread, chutneys , pickles and a choice of dessert.

Ajanta	Indian Art	Lamb Chops

We enjoyed all of our Appetizers from the tasting menu. The delicious Tandoori Fresh Scallops were marinated in yogurt and spices then roasted in the Tandoor Oven and served with yogurt-cashew-tamarind sauce. The marinated and grilled Tandoori Portobello Mushrooms tasted fabulous because of the cloves and spices. We also loved the Tandoori Chicken Chaat which was chicken pieces marinated then grilled in the tandoor oven, shredded then tossed with oil, lime juice, red onions, ginger and spices.

The main dishes which were accompanied with Basmati Rice, Naan, Mango Chutney, and Carrot and hot Pickles were all delicious. We ordered them Medium Spice which was definitely hot enough for us. We were pleased to see that the Lamb Rib Chops which are marinated in yogurt and spices then grilled in tandoor was one of the main dishes as they were as fantastic as on past visits! We also enjoyed the Chicken Mulligatawney which is a chicken curry dish from the south of India. The boneless organic chicken was cooked in a sauce made with onions, ginger, garlic, coconut milk, lime juice and spices. The Green Fish Curry made with Ling Cod is simmered in a sauce made with cilantro, mint, onions, garlic, green chills, coconut milk, cashew powder, lime juice and spices was excellent! The Vegan AchariBaingan is a delicious sautéed Eggplant cooked in a sauce with tomatoes, ginger, garlic, lime juice and Indian Picking spices.

Main Dishes	Desserts

The wine list features wines from India, California and around the world. We enjoyed the 2010 Villa Maria Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which was light and lively with our appetizers and the 2010 Double Decker California Red Blend with was full bodied and paired well with the main dishes. Our favorite Dessert was the Kulfi which is a frozen dessert made with thickened milk, cream, pistachios and flavored cardamon and keora. We finished our dinner with Numi Earl Grey Black Tea.

Chef / Owner LachuMoorjani’s new nightly Chef’s Tasting Menu is a True Indian Feast from The Best of The Best of Ajanta. We overheard one diner say as she was leaving, “This is the Food of the Gods” and we agree! We left happy and satisfied and look forward to returning again as Ajanta continues to be the Best Indian Restaurant in the Bay Area.

Ajanta Restaurant
1888 Solano Ave
Berkeley, CA. 94707
510-526-4373
www.AjantaRestaurant.com

 

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BUILD Pizzeria Roma-Berkeley

We love Pizza and the thought of customizing our own gourmet Roman Style thin crust pizza led us to the new Build Pizzeria Roma. It is located in a Circa 1904 Landmark building on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley near BART. Inspired by Italian Pizzerias with their sense of community Restaurateurs Lisa Holt and DavidShapiro have created a lively, friendly and unique environment where you can “Find Your Inner Pizza” by combining fresh local farm to table ingredients, Italian olive oil, cheeses and meats with your choice of crust and sauce.

	Restaurateurs Lisa Holt and David Shapiro	Chef Brian Langevin and Building Department

The open fun contemporary dining room seats 120. It has a large dining area on one side with the “Building Department” where you choose your toppings and crust foundation in the center. There are wood fired ovens in the back where your Pizza bakes in 3 minutes and a fabulous bar area that has black chesterfield sofa booths and three giant TV screens strategically mounted.

We sat near the bar and started out with some excellent Cocktails. The AmaroVecchio (Bitter Old Man) made with Bourbon, Rye, a blend of Vermouths and bitters was served over a crystal-clear hand cut slow melting ice cube. The Mulo Russo Arrabbiato (Angry Russian Mule) was made with Vodka, fresh lime, ginger, juices, allspice, clove, bitters and fizz.

We ordered Italian Tapas while we enjoyed our Cocktails and planned our Pizzas. The Truffle Arancini Risotto with smoked mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes and pesto was a great starter! Next, we ordered full salads. We loved both the Caesar Salad made with baby gem greens, shaved parmesan cheese, white anchovy fillets and house made Caesar dressing and the InsalataMista made with organic local baby lettuce, golden beets, fennel, orange and house vinaigrette. The InsalataMista was also very colorful and beautifully presented.

Italian Tapas	Pizza	Soft Serve Vanilla & Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream

We had a good idea of the toppings we wanted on our Pizza so we headed for the “Building Department”. We chose our Foundations from the options of Rosso, Bianca, Pesto or Gluten Free and toppings from over 30 choices and went back to enjoy another cocktail. For our first Pizza we chose the Rosso base which had sun marzano tomatoes, cold pressed olive oil, wild dried oregano, sea salt, and hand pulled mozzarella. Our topping additions were 100 hour Hickory Smoked Mozzarella, Roasted Mixed Mushrooms, Calabrese Spicy Peppers, Roasted Garlic and Italian 18 month aged Prosciutto Di Parma. For our second Pizza we chose the Bianca white base which had no tomato just cold pressed olive oil, wild dried oregano, sea salt, and hand pulled mozzarella. Our topping additions were Fire Roasted Fontanini Italian Sausage, Baby Arugula, Organic Sonoma County Egg, and Italian shaved Truffles.

The Pizzas that we designed were delicious! The flavors and aromas created by the Wood Fired Oven were terrific. We congratulated ourselves for our creativity. For those not inclined to build your own Pizza they offer a Top Ten List with excellent combinations that you can order from the menu or you can even have a hamburger and fries. Chefs Brian Langevin and Chef Clara Yun are also happy to advise you on creating your own pizza and how to avoid bad combinations.

Build’s libations include Beer, Wine and Spirits. The Craft Beers in kegs chosen by Brandon Borgel have fun names like Moose Drool, Buzzerkeley, St. Bernardus and Pranqster. There is an Italian focused wine list by the bottle and glass as well as Northern California Kegged Wines. We enjoyed the light and lively 2011 Tangent Sauvignon Blanc, the full bodied 2011 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon and the rich and bold 2010 Roth Estate Heritage Blend.

The desserts were worthy as well. Both the Strauss Family Organic Soft Serve Vanilla & Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream with a House topping of Valrhoma Fudge and the Budino house made Butterscotch with sea salt and mascarpone cream were perfect. It was really fun to have soft serve ice cream! Illy Double Espressos which had excellent crema were the perfect finish to our fun and flavorful dinner.

Build Pizzeria Roma brings Artisan Pizza to a new level. You will find a fun, creative, healthy, flavorful and reasonably priced dining experience. It is a great addition to Berkeley and we look forward to our next creation!

Build Pizzeria Roma
2286 Shattuck Ave. (at Bancroft)
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-898-1839
www.BuildPizzeria.com

 

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Market & Rye

Casual Dining and a New Early Dinner Menu

	Sweet Corn Soup and Cornflake Crusted Fried Chicken Sandwich

Market & Rye opened in 2012 and quickly became known as a great casual San Francisco Potrero Hill neighborhood restaurant, which serves tasty and reasonably priced Breakfast, Lunch and Weekend Brunch. They recently expanded their dining room adding a large communal table, big screen TV and additional individual tables. Now they are serving early dinner Monday-Friday until 7:00 P.M. with a nightly Dinner Special for each weekday, along with selections from their Lunch Menu. Beer and Wine are also available all day at very reasonable prices, as well. As you enter, you see that you order at the Register. We ordered soup, sides, entrees, wine and dessert then sat in the new dining room.

Sergio’s Dr. Pepper Grilled Pork Ribs	Strawberry Pie

We were quite pleased with the Sweet Corn Soup garnished with truffle oil which was served in a big cup. The flavor and the creamy texture were perfect! Next, we enjoyed the Mission Salad with mixed greens, marinated jicama, black beans, pickled jalapenos, charred avocado, queso fresco, crispy tortilla and chipotle vinaigrette. The Thursday Dinner Special was Sergio’s Dr. Pepper Grilled Pork Ribs with poppy seed cole slaw, molasses black beans and jalapeno cornbread. It was really a hearty serving, the ribs were very tender and meaty and we loved the cornbread. The Cornflake Crusted Fried Chicken Sandwich with Old Bay Aioli, pickles, poppy seed cole slaw on a Brioche bun from the Lunch Menu was delicious, light and healthy. Since we like our food spicier, we added some pickled jalapenos from our Mission Salad. We also enjoyed some tasty side salads including the Corn & Quinoa Salad with red radish, feta, herbs and white balsamic dressing, the Brussels Sprouts Salad with Fresno chiles and parmesan dressing and the Roasted Apricot & Couscous Salad with cheese, arugula and pistachio dressing. The 2011 Split Creek Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and the2011 InzoliaGrillo Sicilia Italian White wine went well with our meal. For dessert we enjoyed Strawberry Pie and coffee. The Strawberry Pie was an individual tart which was baked and.....just wonderful!  It would also be great for breakfast.

Market & Rye is a perfect casual restaurant for breakfast, lunch, brunch or their new Early Dinner. Chef Ryan Scott and Chef de Cuisine Sergio Medina prepare very tasty comfort food using locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. We look forward to trying their very popular weekend brunch.

Market & Rye
300 De Haro Street (at 16th Street)
San Francisco, CA. 94103
415-252-7455
www.MarketandRye.com

 

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Anaheim Restaurants 2013… Better than Ever

Roy's Chef Partner Ron Plata	Roy's Canoe Appetizer

There is always a good reason to visit Anaheim. Most go to Disneyland, a convention or to see the Angels play baseball. For years the dining scene was quite limited. Of course there was Mr. Stox , which unfortunately will be closing soon, but there was never much else that we were aware of. Now, there are enough excellent choices to enjoy during the average stay. We dined at high end favorites that are “chain restaurants” and were impressed by all of them.

Our first dinner was at Roy’s, founded by Roy Yamaguchi, which has locations around the world featuring Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine made with fresh, local and seasonal ingredients using Asian spices and European sauces. Anaheim Roy’s is led by accomplished Chef Partner Ron Plata who adds his own inspired flair to the seasonal menu. http://www.roysrestaurant.com/locations/ca/anaheim.asp . We started out with a classic Roy’s Island Mai Tai then enjoyed the Roy’s Canoe Appetizer which had an excellent assortment including Szechuan Pork Ribs, Seared Tiger Shrimp, Lobster Potstickers, Duck Dim Sum and Crispy Spicy Tuna Roll. The entrée that we loved was the Teppanyaki Tiger Shrimp with faro, edamame, pepper, soy braised pearl onion and ginger miso cream.

McCormick and Schmick’s  Ribeye	McCormick and Schmick’s Chocolate Molton Cake	Ruth’s Chris Glass Art

Our choice on the second night for dinner was McCormick and Schmick’s Grille http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/Locations/southern-california-los-angeles/anaheim-california/KatellaAve.aspx  which has locations nationwide and was recently acquired by Landry’s. They offer Seafood and Steaks and are led here by Executive Chef Ever Flores. We started with their clam chowder which was excellent! For our entrée we loved the Dry Rubbed Black Angus Center Cut Ribeye Steak which was prepared rare as ordered. We saved room for dessert and enjoyed the Chocolate Molton Cake which was topped with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, chocolate and caramel sauce.

Ruth’s Chris U S Prime	Disneyland

The third night we were pleased to dine at Ruth’s Chris Steak House which was founded by Ruth Fertel http://www.ruthschris.com/ and also has locations nationwide . They are famous for their USDA Prime Steaks. The Anaheim location had the nicest décor of any we had been to. There was a beautiful glass art sculpture as well as a prominent metal sculpture. We ordered a bottle of the Acacia Napa Valley Pinot Noir and relaxed while our entrees were prepared. We loved the Corn Fed Midwestern U S Prime Filet Mignon which was served rare and sizzling on a 500 degree plate. Our favorite side was the Potatoes au Gratin made with Idaho potatoes and three cheeses.

We were very impressed by all of our dinners in Anaheim!

Future Events:

Flavor Napa Valley 2013 – A Celebration of Food and Wine-- November 20-24, 2013-Taste Wine Country Cuisine, Meet Celebrity Chefs, Drink Fine Napa Wines.
Tickets for the individual demos, tastings and the Flavor! Napa Valley® packages are limited and available first come, first served, at www.flavornapavalley.com.

Until we eat again…….

 

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