cafe tiramisu

janel suggested attending a web 2.0 mixer at 111 minna gallery, last thursday. somehow she got ellie, gary (ellie's recently relocated boyfriend) and myself to go along. none of us been to this monthly after work mixer where random startups showoff their wares. at the event, hendricks gin gave away coupons for free gin cocktails which we, er, abused. after loading up on free gin cocktails, we all got a bit hungry. we definitely need to pad the stomach a bit since there wasn't any food left at the mixer... how cheap!

we brainstormed for dinner ideas and eventually wonder toward belden street, an alley street with a san francisco mix of cuisine — italian and french. the once top 100 restaurants, plouf resides in the middle of the alley. after looking at a series of menus (the ladies were picky)... we settled on tiramisu because their black olive gnoochi with shrimp caught both my eye and gary's (i'm guessing dorks like to eat the same things). the owner's brother runs another italian restaurant, belden tavern, just two doors away from tiramisu.

while the girls excused themselves, gary picked out a bottle of wine. i wasn't really paying attention to the wine selection but the restaurant was out of stock. right before the girls came back, a "similar and same price" wine bottle was delivered. i can't remember the wine but it was medium-bodied and had a dry finish. after taking awhile reviewing the menu, we ordered. yup, gary and i ordered the same dish, the black olive gnoochi with shrimp. ellie ordered the campanelle bell-shaped pasta with mushroom and ahi tuna while janel ordered eggplant mozzarella ravioli with garlic pesto chips.

everyone's plate arrived ten minutes later. and we quickly dug in since we were all hungry. the gnoochi dumplings were tinier than the tip of your thumb. your typical gnoochi is yellowish and potato-ey but these black olive ones were dark, spectacled and carried a hint of olives. the shrimp were tender and absorbed some of the tomato sauce. everything worked well together and was just perfect. if cooked a bit longer, the gnoochi would have been smooshie and the shrimp tough. i honestly can't give a review on janel and ellie's dish since i didn't eat enough of their plates to really taste, however they enjoyed their dishes.

sea breeze cafe

the outer sunset is the sleepy part of san francisco with neighborhood cafes, small markets and tiny restaurants. thanh long is the only recognizable restaurant. everything else is a local secret. my friend millie was over and we were seeking food.

i recommended a small place that was an easy walk from my place. sea breeze cafe is really the local favorite whether you want to take it easy and enjoy the weather or nurse a hangover. since the day was warm, we sat outside. the restaurant's menu is heavily-spanish/mexican influenced brunch. if you want eggs, you'll get eggs.

millie ordered eggs benedict with chipotle hollandaise sauce while i ordered a chorizo sausage with a cheese scramble and tortilla. both dishes came with home-styled potatoes. we were pretty sleepy so we both ordered coffee and lots of it. while we talked about newspapers and journalism, our brunch arrives. the smells were amazing. her eggs benedict was drenched in chipotle hollandaise sauce. drowning in sauce! my chorizo sausage were thinly sliced and topped on cheesy scrambled eggs. it didn't look as cool as millie's.

first bite of my dish inspired a "mmm... food good." i usually don't use the tortilla because it's just extra carbs. yes, i do think about my carbs intake. but today, i gave them a try. sadly, they were really dry and stiff. they didn't fold around the chorizo egg cheese stuffing very well. i exiled them to the dark side of the plate. the home-styled potatoes were crispy and well-seasoned. millie's eggs were well poached with a custardy interior. the chipotle hollandaise sauce was good. it soaked deeply into the bread, adding to the flavor. it was peppery, instant, smooth and buttery.

sea breeze cafe is really quaint. its menu hasn't changed since it opened. the food is consistent. the serve is great because the same tiny hispanic woman runs the place. as the world changes around very quickly, you can depend on sea breeze to deliver the comfort food you need in this sleepy side of san francisco.

roadside bbq

my pulled pork, brisket, mac & cheese and potato salad

for the past week, ellie and i were talking about bbq. gary, originally from florida, wanted some bbq in the san francisco area. as if the stars were aligned, my buddy jay and i talked about trying bbq around the city. after living in texas for two years and some time studying in florida, i kinda know something about bbq. jay travels around the states for business, knows his bbq food well and just needs to satisfy his desire for bbq meats. two places came to mind since the san francisco chronicle's 96hours had a brief review of few bbq places — roadside (in inner richmond) and memphis minnie (in lower haight).

this past friday (apirl 28th), ellie, gary, yumi and i headed out to an art opening at park life which is directly across the street from a great american comfort food restaurant, Q. after loading up on some beers at park life… and me spending a few hundred bones on a painting, we decided to walk over to the nearby roadside bbq.

roadside bbq is something you would miss as you drive down the busy geary street. there's nothing that shouts out bbq except for it's street sign. as you walk into the wooden panel interior, you smell bbq, see brisket and rolls of paper towels and drool. here's me being picky about the interior... it looks half-assed with cheesy texas license plates and southern-looking items with southern state names on them. the menu is a big billboard with their items on wooden blocks. as we were ordering, one of the cooks pulled out a brisket and started slicing. all of us pretty much dropped our jaws.

ellie's baby back ribs, corn on a cob and [yikes] cole slaw

for some random reason, gary and i order pretty much ordered the same thing again — the memphis pulled pork and texas brisket. [ellie, could you tell your boyfriend to stop copying me?! stop it!] ellie had the baby back ribs (in an obvious attempt to regain her eating championship belt) while yumi ordered the smoked bbq chicken. each plate comes with two sides and a corn bread muffin. the order came in five minutes with someone shouting out your name and order.

so how's the food? well, it's good but it doesn't knock your socks off good. the place claims it's "authentic bbq." authentic what? texas bbq? southern bbq? KC bbq? the word, authentic, sounds like a gimmick. everyone agreed the pulled pork was great. it's moist, juicy and flavorful. however, i wasn't too keen on the brisket. i ate one strip of the three or four. the smoke ring wasn't prominent which means it lacks the smoky flavor. and dry too! the brisket was probably sitting around in the smoker for too long. and the bbq sauce was pretty bottle standard. their brisket would have been better as a chopped brisket sandwich oozing with sauce... sadly they don't serve that. ellie's ribs and yumi's chicken weren't bad though but i didn't eat enough to judge. the baked mac and cheese was average since i like the gooey soul food version. the peppery potato salad was well done. the corn beard muffin could have used a bit more corn meal for that crunchy texture. i avoided ellie's cole slaw since cole slaw scares me. and yumi's french fries were sweet and crispy.

boy, was i stuffed. i haven't eaten so much meat in a long time. my diet is heavily seafood-based since returning to san francisco. so, should you go? well, i recommend checking the place out and sticking with the pulled pork. if you're not familiar with real southern bbq, then you'll enjoy it. however i'm still fixin' for damn good brisket in san francisco.

Choctal ice cream

This treat is worth it in a stranded-on-a-deserted-island way. (Or, more appropriately, dessert island.) Smooth and velvety, without seeming too rich. The Ghana chocolate is great, but the Madagascar vanilla bean, with the crunch of the seeds, is unrivaled. Makes me swoon.

The only catch? Choctal claims 1 pint holds 5 servings! Yeah, right.

Cooking with Artichokes

My latest food story: The artichoke exposed.

Lexington Eats

CabbageLover and I journeyed to Kentucky last weekend for LexingtonNative's wedding (gorgeous in every way: weather; cute, countryside church; reception site with a dynamite patio; the wedding dress and killer shoes!). On the Friday flight over, I salivated over Bon Appetit's special Travel issue, which featured Shanghai soup dumplings. Can't wait to try these in China next month.

When we arrived, we headed straight for Billy's Bar-B-Q.

I couldn't wait to try the dill-ickles (or frickles, depending on which menu you're reading), banana pepper rings, garlicky cheese grits, coleslaw, green beans, pork ribs and a pulled pork sandwich. My favorites were the banana pepper rings -- tart and thinly sliced -- and the airy white-cornbread that came with the ribs. (CabbageLover and I agreed Mardi Gras Grill fries a superior, crispier pickle.)

At the wedding, we feasted on tasty Southern staples including shrimp and grits, biscuits and ham and a delicious passed hors d'oeuvre that reminded me of a dressy Bagel Bite. I can't remember what the waitress called it, but it oozed cheese and bacon and tomato atop a crispy phyllo tartlet shell. I washed all that down with champagne, then bourbon and 7-Up. And ended with some yummy cupcakes.

On Saturday, it was off to Keeneland for the races. Of course I was more interested in the KY specialty called burgoo, a meaty stew, than betting. It was good, but I have to admit that the fat beef frank that CabbageLover ordered was even more satisfying.

Those were mere snacks, though. We left the races a bit early to make a pilgrimage to White Castle. It was my first time, and it was sooo worth it! For once I enjoyed onions on my cheeseburger (or, more accurately, slyder). Other slyders I also tried: chicken ring, bacon cheeseburger and fish. I couldn't be stopped. As we left, I checked out the breakfast options. Bologna! CabbageLover, I declared, we're coming back here tomorrow morning.

Amid all this eating I had developed some cold symptoms, so I skipped the post-wedding bar outing that night and took a nap. Then I consumed a midnight meal at Waffle House. It was my first time at the chain, though Houston does have locations. My chocolate chip waffle was not fully cooked and a little too chocolatey, but still, I could tell it had potential. CabbageLover's sweet cream version was near perfect.

The White Castle folks greeted us again for breakfast. The fried(!) bologna, egg and cheese was Oh.So.Good, and the sausage, egg and cheese worth the trip, too. Sadly, the bacon, egg and cheese was kinda dry. Hash browns were greasy but fabulous, crisp on the outside and moist on the inside.

Then it was off to Midway, a picturesque, small town with fun shops and casual/upscale-ish eateries that weren't open around noon. We wandered into Quirk, a charming cafe with a downstairs bookshop. Quirk had high, airy ceilings, great natural light and an appealing menu.

I asked for a mug of apricot tea and a bourbon chocolate chip scone while CabbageLover got some coffee and a cherry scone. This time, my chocolate chip-studded food was much better, though the chips dominated the pleasing bourbon flavor too much.

Next, we drove to Versailles to visit Woodford Reserve Distillery. Essentially old gray buildings smelling of alcohol, but much cooler than that sounds.

The Bible Belt law prevented us from an undoctored taste of the bourbon (it was Sunday), but the chocolate bourbon balls we were allowed were delightful. (So, too, the nonalcoholic peach tea.)

Before heading to the airport, we returned to Midway to Wallace Station for sandwiches -- meatloaf & cheddar and Aussie grilled cheese with tomatoes and pesto -- and vinegar coleslaw. The sandwich fillings were good, but I absolutely loved the light but thick, toasty bread, with its excellent sandwich-pressed crunch. We topped that meal off with a scoop of Valentine's chocolate bourbon ice cream. What a buzz!

French Toast stuffed with roasted pears and cream cheese

CabbageLover treated me to a fantastic Sunday brunch of French toast stuffed with roasted pears and cream cheese. I topped each slab with Frentel butter while he drizzled on a ginger-infused maple syrup with a touch of apple juice. We also gobbled up some bacon, cantaloupe and berries.

Oh, yum!

CabbageLover, I said, this is delicious! A dish I would order at a restaurant. Would you be interested in guestblogging about your creation?

Well, no, he said, because then you couldn’t rave about my creation. So humble, no?

Anyway, he woke early Sunday to roast Asian and Anjou pears with vanilla and spices including cinnamon (he really wanted fresh peaches, but they weren’t in season). He cut thick pieces of French(?) bread, then butterflied each portion so he could smear cream cheese and tuck in the pear slices. (In full journalistic disclosure, this account is a recreation based on noteless reporting, as I was not privy to any of it firsthand.)

CabbageLover arrived at my pad with the bread already stuffed. He soaked each piece in an egg wash that included milk and half and half, then fried the bread in an oiled nonstick skillet. A beautiful golden brown crust developed. I ate two pieces Sunday. And another Monday.


CabbageLover, I said, what’s on the menu next week?!