Adventures in San Fran: Cafes, Bakeries and Ice Cream

While running from the Full House house to the Mrs. Doubtfire house and delivering sick hummingbirds (OK... hummingbird) to the animal hospital, we needed caffeine and a lot of fast snacks. Luckily there are tons of great spots all over the city, and Rob mapped a few of them out so we could visit quickly as we shuttled along.I had the first iced coffee of 2010 at Cafe Murano, a cute neighborhood wifi spot on Steiner Street. Tasted like good high-quality coffee, but with too much ice it was a little watered down too fast. It was definitely refreshing after a hike up the hill to Alta Plaza, a quiet little park with a great view of the city.

Cafe Murano
1777 Steiner Street (between Post St & Sutter St)
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 771-0888

That afternoon we were stuck in touristy Fisherman's Wharf, with no viable food options beyond a Bubba Gump Shrimp. I did a quick search on Yelp and found a highly rated Argentinean truck called Tanguito with quiet off-strip outdoor seating. Score! We shared a fresh, flaky ham and cheese empanada, then we each had two huge sandwiches on French bread. My steak sandwich had peppers, onions, mushrooms and a fantastic homemade chimichurri sauce; Rob had a sausage sandwich with similar toppings. We were only looking for a late afternoon snack, but it was so much food we were good for the rest of the day... until we made our way to Ghirardelli Square.

I know it sounds gimmicky and touristy but I really think this was the best hot fudge sundae I've ever had. The homemade chocolate chip ice cream was thick, creamy, actual good vanilla with lots of chips, topped with melted dark Ghirardelli chocolate, heavy whipped cream and walnuts. I could have sat by the fountain people watching with this sundae all night.

Rob had the sea salt caramel hot chocolate. I didn't find it all that salty or caramelly but then again I was pretty engrossed in the sundae.

Ghirardelli Square
900 N Point St
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 775-5500

The next day, after an afternoon at the Botanical Gardens, we headed over to Arizmendi Bakery for a coffee and snack. Every day they have a special pizza (this particular day it was artichokes, tomatoes, basil and rosemary oil) that people seem to go crazy for; they actually ran out while we were visiting and a lot of disappointed customers ensued. They also specialize in pastries and breads, all of which looked fresh and enticing. We finally decided on a cheddar scone. Wow. Hard, crunchy sections of cheddar melted along the sides, contrasted well with the softer insides, ended with a nice spice from red pepper. I wish we had time to try more here... but we had places to go.


Arizmendi Bakery
1331 9th Ave (between Irving St & Judah St)
San Francisco, CA
94122 (415) 566-3117

One day we got up ridiculously early to rent a car and head up to Oakland and eventually Napa. A block down the street from our hotel was a little cafe called Em's Place with very decent coffee and fairly awesome breakfast sandwiches. I had an egg and cheese on a cheese bagel, it was too cheesy to even take a picture. Rob's ham, bacon and egg sandwich held up much better under the poppyseed bagel and made a great Bay Bridge car breakfast.


Em's Place
154 McAllister St (at Hyde St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 552-8379

While driving through Napa we looped around through Yountville so I could see the French Laundry in the flesh (er.. stone?). Just down the street is Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery, which also exists in New York at Columbus Circle. They have a few good sandwiches here, like the turkey with cranberry. They don't stuff the sandwiches all that much -- it was only about a single slice of turkey -- but the bread is so freshly baked that it doesn't really matter that it makes up 85% of the whole sandwich. They'll even toast it for you too if you aren't in a rush.



The most impressive part of this bakery though, is the macarons. I'm embarrassed to say that I was a macaron virgin before Yountville, and this place has turned me into a full-fledged believer. Or have I just been ruined for macarons? Damn you Thomas Keller.

I guess I can't compare them to other macarons, but I think they were everything they were supposed to be -- crusty on the outside, chewy beneath the crust, creamy and flavorful on the inside. The sweet buttercream gave me tiny sugar rush headaches, but they were worth it.

We tried just about every kind there was. We came back after visiting a few wineries to bring more home. We ate them one at a time the next day at different benches in the Marin Headlands. We tried to savor them as much as possible.

I think my favorite one was the seasonal -- orange cream. Then the espresso and hazelnut. The vanilla, chocolate and caramel weren't so shabby, either.

I'll definitely be back here next time I go to Napa. Maybe then I'll give the regular Bouchon a try -- or (do I dare to dream?) the French Laundry!

Bouchon Bakery

6528 Washington St
Yountville, CA 94599

(707) 944-2253

French Laundry
6640 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599

(707) 944-2380

Adventures in San Fran: Breakfasts

Rob and I just got back from a 6-day trip to San Francisco! Believe it or not, this was the first vacation we've ever taken just the two of us. It was also the most fun we've ever packed into a single week. We ran around the city to see a few key sights for the first few days (Alcatraz, Mission Dolores, Fisherman's Wharf, the Painted Ladies, Ghirardelli Square, etc.), then rented a car to explore Oakland, Napa and Sausalito. Oh yeah -- and we had TONS of fantastic food.

We tried to keep things light, choosing fast on-the-go meals over long, extravagant ones. As much in the name of saving time as saving money. But breakfast was the one meal of the day we didn't skimp on. The first three days we went to popular places that came highly recommended from a few different people -- Brenda's, Dottie's and Stacks'.

Brenda's French Soul Food was our favorite by a long shot. We got there before nine on Saturday, but there was still about a 20 minute wait. There must be a lot of early risers in this city!

I started with their specialty drink, a sweet watermelon iced tea (very refreshing) and a coffee and chicory. I don't think I've ever had chicory blended coffee before; it gives it a bitter, earthy kick.

We started with a chicken gumbo. It was loaded with lots of rice and scallions. We were starving when we sat down, so this was a great, hearty start to the meal.


The beignets are a specialty here, so I ordered the flight of four different kinds. -- plain, apple, chocolate and crawfish. I don't think I've ever had real beignets like these before, and they were fantastic. They're a lot like donuts, but lighter, less greasy, and filled with something other than Boston creme.The first was plain, not much to be said about it. The next was my favorite -- granny smith apple with cinnamon honey butter. Kind of like a half-baked apple pie -- deeelish. Next was the molten Ghirardelli chocolate; I saved that one for last. The crawfish (which we lovingly renamed "crawdaddy") was Rob's favorite; it was loaded with scallions and cheddar and rolled in cayenne pepper. The sweet-savory combo was a bit strange to me, so I let Rob have most of this one.Rob had the shrimp and goat cheese omelette with caramelized onions and a fantastic tomato-bacon relish (take a second and put all those flavors together in your head... it is heavenly). It came with the best, flakiest biscuit we've ever had and by far the best bowl of buttery grits I've ever tasted. The day we left I came back here to get an order of grits, a biscuit and crawdaddies to enjoy on our hotel bed until the shuttle bus came. It actually made watching old reruns of the Beverly Hillbillies on our crappy hotel bed quite enjoyable.


Brenda's
652 Polk Street (at Eddy Street)
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-345-8100
Brendas@FrenchSoulFood.com

The next day we dropped the ball and didn't make it to Dottie's until around 9:30. We waited in an hour long line with a bunch of other tourists as sleepy locals ran in and out with their takeout orders.
We thought the sign of quoted accolades outside the establishment was pretty funny. They didn't actually mention anything specific other than "Food... in a coffee shop... where breakfast is prepared." Thanks for telling us what to expect, experts.

We started with grilled jalapeno cornbread with a sweet jalapeno jelly. This was probably the highlight of the meal. The bread was super thick and held together really well, unlike normal cornbread. The sweet-spicy combo was very addicting.


I had one of the specials -- a sweet potato caramelized red onion & gruyere tart. It was sort of like a sweet potato pie with a flaky crust -- I definitely didn't taste the cheese. It came with two biscuits that were forgettable in light of Brenda's, two poached eggs (watery and not done well) and fresh fruit. It was nice to see kiwi, blackberries and strawberries in the mix; anywhere in Brooklyn this time of year you'll only be seeing melon and maybe grapes (if you're lucky).

Rob had another special -- the lamb fennel sausage omelette with roasted garlic, tomato, spinach and goat cheese. All the tomato and garlic made me think of an Italian dinner -- the flavors were almost too sophisticated for early morning taste buds. The side of hash browns were slightly burned on one side to add good crisp. They were a bit over-peppered though.
Dottie's wasn't worth the hour long wait, but I'm glad we did it for the grilled cornbread.


Dottie's True Blue Cafe
522 Jones St (between Geary St & O'farrell St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 885-2767

The next day we headed over to Stacks' for a less touristy breakfast. This place was a lot bigger than the tiny cafes we visited the past few days, and was great for people watching. Especially since they sat us outside in the warm Californian sun... ahhh.


I don't usually get sweet breakfasts, but seeing that we're at a place called Stacks' I couldn't really justify getting the huevos rancheros. Instead, I had the banana macadamia nut coconut pancakes. OH JESUS these pancakes were good. You know how Ben n Jerry's are always really addicting because every bite is different? Same with these pancakes. I kept getting different ratios of banana pieces, macadamia nuts and clusters of shaved coconut. It barely needed any syrup. And oh, they were huuuuge. I could only get through half the short stack. Heartbreaking.

Rob had the crab crepe with chives, jack cheese and avocado with hollandaise sauce. The outer part of the crepe was a little browned, but the inside was stuffed with fresh, not canned, crab. I don't think I've ever had hollandaise on anything with cheese before, but it seemed to work. It was served with (oddly) a bagel and some hash browns.


One of the nice things they do here is leave the whole pitcher of water and coffee on your table. We never had to flag anyone down for refills, but we ran out of table space so fast the waiter had to shovethe carafes into the bushes next to where we sat. Now that's service.

Stacks'
501 Hayes St (between Octavia St & Laguna St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 241-9011

Faux V-Day at Nougatine

Valentine's Day has always been sort of a pain in the ass in the city. Every mediocre restaurant in Manhattan and Brooklyn suddenly only offers $100 pre fixe menus that night, and because of poor planning on my part, we wound up eating the worst potato pancakes ever one year (and they insisted I take it home with me!). This year, we decided to skip the hassle and have V-day early. But where to go for a nice but moderately priced meal?

It's nice that New York's best acclaimed chefs have already thought of that, providing restaurants that us normal people can visit without breaking the bank. Daniel Boulud has DBGB Kitchen & Bar, Danny Meyer has Shake Shack, and Jean Georges has (among many other lesser priced places) Nougatine. Since we're not going to eat cheeseburgers in the park in the middle of February (well, at least not in the name of love), Nougatine it was.

Nougatine is only separated from Jean Georges by two 15-foot high doorways, and they share the same kitchen. While Jean Georges looks very formal, Nougatine has more of a relaxed atmosphere. We arrived a bit early and started with drinks at the bar: a bubbly champagne for me and an off-dry Reisling for him.

Most restaurants offer at least some sort of options in their tasting menus, but Nougatine's is very set; it includes two pre-chosen appetizers, two entrees and a dessert tasting menu. It didn't make sense for both of us to get the same thing (it'd be way too much food anyway), so Rob got the tasting menu and I got the lobster to maximize our tasting experience.

The amuse-bouche was a scallop with julienned (and pickled?) green apples and a lime leaf on top. The scallop was tender and soft, contrasted in texture by the apple. The taste of the mint shined on. It was served with a warm shot of celery root and apple soup. Believe it or not, this was maybe my favorite part of the entire meal. Maybe next time I can get a plate of 20 scallop-spoons and soup shots?


First appetizer: tuna tartare with avocado, spicy radish and ginger marinade. Probably one of the best tuna tartares I've ever had, and pretty unusual too. Rob's discerning taste buds caught on to a flavor normally experienced in pumpkin pies. Nutmeg, maybe? The layers of radish slices on top gave texture to the dish that otherwise just melts in your mouth. (Sorry for the bad picture and the poor ones to come. There was a man sitting next to us with a huge lip from many years of pouting. He was staring at me strangely. It flustered me.)

Next appetizer: the foie gras brulee. It seems like they pureed the foie gras, since it was super creamy, and positioned it on top of a biscuit-type thing before blasting it with heat to make the brulee crust everyone loves. Served with a tart bowl of pineapple meyer-lemon jam.


Now the entrees... none of which were as good as anything that came before it. Especially the lobster, which was super disappointing for me. The lobster was deep fried, which, it turns out, sucks out all the flavor. The topping -- butter cabbage, ginger and lots of jalapeno peppers-- masked any flavor I could have tried to get otherwise. And there was a lot of it, too -- three tails, two claws maybe? By the end I was hoping never to see cabbage again. Let's leave the fried food with jalepeno peppers to the bars and strip malls.

Somewhere around this point in the meal I was out of champagne and decided to make a smart move and get something non-alcoholic. In this case it was a black cherry yuzu soda that they make at the bar. It was a bit syrupy, but it kicked ass over any other cherry soda I've ever had. If you like the Japanese citrus, I'd recommend this fizzy drink.

The red snapper with broccoli raab was topped at the table with a sweet garlic-lemon broth -- reminded me of Le Bernadin. This was very tasty with a good, crunchy top -- I only had a bite or two as I was too busy hacking away at my spicy cabbagey lobster.

Next, the pan seared beef tenderloin with miso butter and roasted baby brussel sprouts. This dish was really rich, and the beef almost tasted a bit gamey (maybe it was the odd paring with miso?). Served with some kind of pureed squash (we think), which was really light and soaked up the flavors of the beefy miso butter well.

The tasting dessert plate included a small warm chocolate cake with a creamy chocolate middle, vanilla ice cream, some kind of banana tart (which was actually my favorite, despite the fact I'm not a big banana-flavored desserts fan) and chestnut-flavored ice cream. This made me smile; I only taste the distinct flavor of chestnuts very briefly only twice a year (after meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas).

We also got the creme caramel, served with some kind of unique citrus and sacristan, a light twisted pastry. I only took a few bites of the pastry. Overall, it was good, but not terribly impressive.

Well, since Nougatine is (literally) a gateway to Jean Georges, I expected it to pique my interest of one of the highest rated restaurants in the city. But since we weren't absolutely blown away, it's not on any immediate to-do list. I can think of quite a few places I'd like to hit first: Convivio, Gramercy Tavern, Minetta Tavern, The Spotted Pig, Maialino, maybe even Eleven Madison Park and Per Se. Or maybe I'll try another one of JG's lesser restaurants. There are plenty to choose from, after all.

Nougatine at Jean Georges

1 Central Park W
New York, NY 10023

(212) 299-3900

16 Wines, 8 Cheeses, 1 Night

A few weeks ago, I went back to the NYC Wine Class to build upon my 101 knowledge from August. This time I took Rob with me, since the focus on this wine class weighed a little bit more heavily on the cheese (and who likes cheese more than Rob?). While I didn't think the wines were necessarily better than the 101 class (actually, I'd say it was the opposite) we got to try quite a variety of red, white and sparkling wines from all over the world.

I didn't really note this in my Wine 101 post earlier, but this class is really excellent in a lot of ways. First, they really take care of you here. If you like a particular wine, they'll bring you more. If you finish your water or fresh bread, they'll bring you more before you even have a chance to ask. If it's obvious that you're enjoying the cheeses, they'll bring you a second plate. And Andrew, the instructor, is so nice, so knowledgeable and so accommodating. He clearly knows his stuff but never appears to be even slightly condescending to anyone's questions (and people do ask some weird ones). AND it's only $90 for three hours of educational pampering! You can't beat it.

And now, without any further ado, here's the class breakdown:

Going clockwise from the top:

1) A dense, chalky goat cheese from France (Chabichou du Poutou) paired with a champagne and prosecco. I really liked the subtle, round taste of the "Spago Nero" from Veneto, Italy. The cheese was maybe one of my favorites, definitely among the most memorable.

2) Another goat cheese, this one milder and creamer, with rosemary. Paired with two mineral whites. I preferred the Chenin Blanc from South Africa; Rob liked the Palacio de Vivero from Spain.

3) "Triple creme" cow's milk from France. This tasted like a super buttery brie -- obviously no complaints here! Paired with two wines merely labeled "Oak." One turned out to be a sav. blanc, the other a chablis. We both preferred the chablis (Les Deux Pivex from Burgundy).

4) This cheeese was a crumbly, chalky cow's milk from Piedmont (Red Cow) that the instructor suitably described as one that sneaks up on you. Paired most notably with a Gernot Heinrich from Austria. Acidic, not a lot of body. Rob said it tasted like the ocean. A hint of seaweed, maybe?

5) Raw cow's milk from Switzerland, this cheese was sharp, bitter and a little gritty. Paired with a two wines by a small supplier called Limerick Lane.

6) This crunchy, butterscotchy, caramel-like "cheese candy"reminded me a lot of one of the cheeses we had in the 101 class. Maybe it was the same; they were both from the Netherlands. Paired with two Bodegas Lan wines (from Rioja, Spain), most notably the Gran Reserva. We tasted vanilla, dill, and oak in this sweet wine, although it was "flashy" without any real lingering taste.

7) Cow's milk from France (Tarentaise), paired with two wines, also from France. Unfortunately, I stopped writing notes at this point because I hadn't dumped anything out and did you know that sixteen wines is a LOT?

8) Bleu d'Auvergne, cow's milk from France, very strong bleu cheese with two wines from Australia. A this point I was both done drinking AND done eating, so I only got to try this one briefly (and dizzily).

.

NYC Wine Class

212-647-1875

167 West 23rd Street (Between 6th and 7th Aves, above Landmark Wines)

Andrew@NYCwineclass.com

Brunch, Snacks and Dinner in Park Slope/Prospect Heights

It's not too often that we go to the Prospect Heights area of Brooklyn, but when we do, it's usually pretty awesome. It always helps to have the right neighborhood-aware foodie friends take you to the right places.

We started the day yesterday at Flatbush Farm, which I guess is technically Park Slope. Great atmosphere with high ceilings and modern decor, though we got seated in an adjoining room that was practically empty and fairly cold. Luckily, their "local seasonal fare" was pretty spot on.

I had the Farmer's Breakfast. I usually don't go for the simple eggs any style/bacon/potato breakfast combos, but I figured it would be a good test of the restaurant's commitment to simple, fresh ingredients. The eggs were poached perfectly, and the bacon was a huge, meaty, fatty slab. The potatoes were really interesting too -- cut small and fried with jalepenos and plantains, topped with some kind of spicy aioli.

Rob got the crispy duck confit topped with warm lentils and two sunny side up eggs. The meat was tender and went really well with the substituted crunchy grains, whatever they were (they were out of the lentils).

I also got to try a few bites of the omelette (with talleggio, herbs and yogurt), and the burger (which everyone else in the restaurant seemed to be having). Both were excellent.

Flatbush Farm

76 St Marks Ave @ 6th Ave and Flatbush

Brooklyn, NY 11217

(718) 622-3276

We stopped at BKLYN Larder, a small cheese and organic grocery store owned by the Franny's folks (and no, I still haven't been to Franny's... yet). I tried a sample of their duck pate... fantasic. We took almond and pistachio gelato to go. It's never too cold for ice cream, even if it is seventeen degrees out.

BKLYN Larder

228 Flatbush Ave (between Dean St & Bergen St)

Brooklyn, NY 11217

(718) 783-1250

I was really excited to have dinner at The Vanderbilt. I was drooling over the menu when they first opened a few months ago. I've never been to Saul, but since its one of only three places in Brooklyn to earn a Michelin star, I (and probably many other Brooklynites) figured Saul Bolton's newest establishment was worth a visit. 8pm on a bonechillingly cold Saturday night and the 90 seats were packed to the brim.

The New American menu is all small plates, too big to be tapas but too small for individual portions. Six of us tried as many items as we possibly could and were really impressed with most of what we sampled:

Pickled eggs -- served over some kind of tomato chili sauce with a pleasant kick.

Brussel sprouts -- one of the standouts. Not sure how they got the combination of Sriracha, lime and honey so deep into these little guys. Each bite was crazy juicy with both a sweet and spicy flavor. I bet people who say they don't like brussel sprouts could be coverted by these.

Lamb sausage -- A standard greasy coil, served with chickpeas.

Mussels -- These gigantic and perfectly cooked little guys came in a very Thai currylike broth of coconut, basil and chili. Topped with a kaffir lime leaf (at least, that's what we thought it was).

Serrano ham and cheese croquettes -- Came out piping hot, that didn't stop Rob and I from gobbling them up. Topped with saffron aioli. Definitely comparable to Tia Pol's fantastic croquettes.

Artichokes -- with mushrooms and carrots. Wasn't my favorite -- tasted kind of like an incomplete stew to me. Was this my punishment for trying to add some healthiness to dinner?

Beef shortrib -- The meat fell apart as soon as your fork touched it. Reminded me of a pot roast with carrots, onions and some kind of gravylike sauce.

Chicken wings -- More sweet than spicy, topped with lots of sesame seeds. Cripsy on the outside, juicy on the inside, but was very hard to finish seeing as how full we were getting (and did I mention we had two orders of most everything?)

Hanger steak -- Charred on the outside, medium rare perfection on the inside. I love hanger steak, and these had a meatiness to them far deeper and richer than most other places I've had it. The side of romaine with a light white sauce and pepper was the perfect accompaniment.

I'm not sure why we ordered dessert, since we were literally putting food on each other's plates trying to get rid of everything. Luckily I think most people save room for dessert as a kind of instinct.

Chocolate cake -- with buttermilk ice cream, which had a surprisingly great flavor that went with the chocolate well. Concord grape gelee on the bottom and popcorn on top.

Panna cotta -- with elderflower gelee and fresh citrus. Way better than Alta's version. A great light, sweet end to a meal.

The Vanderbilt did not disappoint. I guess now I should move Saul (and Franny's?) to the top of my Brooklyn to-do list.

The Vanderbilt

570 Vanderbilt Ave (between Pacific St & Dean St)

Brooklyn, NY 11238

(718) 623-0570

Notable Dishes of 2009

Well, since New York Magazine and Sam Sifton of the New York Times both did similar round-ups, I thought I'd make my own list of the best meals I had in the city this year. I'm only naming one item per restaurant in two separate categories: dinner and dessert. I'm listing the items in order as best I can, with both general awesomeness and surprise factors (aka, those much sought after "it looked like a normal bite of X, but it blew me away" moments) in mind:

Dinner
Goat cheese and Concord grape crostini at Marlow and Sons
Seared salmon at Le Bernadin
Burger at Prune
Pea soup at Nougatine*
Porterhouse at Peter Luger
Uni at Kanoyama
Sirloin and short rib at Dressler
Pork Betty with pickled egg at Bozu
Hot sopressata sub with mozzerella and artichokes at Faicco's
Spicy chicken wings at Bon Chon
Pulled pork shoulder at Fette Sau*
Lamb skewers at Tia Pol
Fried chicken at The Redhead
Mac 'n' cheese at Dumont Burger

Dessert
Panna Cotta at Le Bernadin
Sea salt and caramel chocolate tart at Marlow and Sons
Caramello gelato at Grom
Grasshopper cupcake at Crumbs
Vanilla cone at Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory
Creme Brulee donut at The Donut Plant
Oreo sundae at Fornino*
Bavarian cream soft serve at Momofuku Bakery/Milk Bar
Donut ice cream sandwich at Peter Pan's Bakery

What was YOUR favorite meal of 2009?

** Starred items represent places I haven't blogged about yet. Awaiting future visits to verify awesomeness.