Ristorante Ideale

August 24, 2004

Sheesh, I'm jet lagged pretty bad. Here is a meal with my mom at Ristorante Ideale, an Italian place across the street from Mo's. I've got 3 or 4 more SF entries then it's on to Asia (I swear!).

zucchine tartufate - zucchini julienne tossed in truffle oil with parmigiano with wild black truffle pate crostini - $9.75

carpaccio di manzo - beef carpaccio topped with parmigiano, capers and arugola - $8.50

spaghetti alla carbonara - spaghetti with homemade pancetta, eggs, pecorino and parmigiano - $11.75

fettucine ai funghi The fettucine was a special so I don't have a better description. Anyway, this place bills itself as a Roman-style trattoria. It turns out to be a solid Italian option... very close to the new place (but crappy parking in North Beach). The zucchini salad was excellent - probably the best dish of the night, surprisingly enough. It's similar to a zucchini salad from Jackson Fillmore which was also great. I guess julienne + truffle just make zucchini awesome. Carpaccio was average - good but unspectacular. The carbonara was very very eggy as you can see - it's almost like it was a pasta topped with scrambled eggs. The eggs were great but I like it a little more sauce-like. The pancetta was very good, but made the dish slightly too salty. The fettucine was homemade - great texture. I'd probably order a fresh pasta next time.

Galette

August 22, 2004

Just got back to San Francisco. Trip to Asia was great and there is a lot of food coming... I promise. Still going through some SF entries though - here's one of my SF staples, Galette.

galette with potatoes, onions, and brie - $9

galette with ham, cheese, and egg - $8

galette with salted butter and vanilla sugar - $4 The brie one usually has pancetta too but my mom ordered it without. I almost always order the ham/cheese/egg one, but after trying my mom's I may go with the brie one (pancetta included) next time. It was really tasty. I also prefer the simple butter/sugar one to the sweeter and more complicated ones with more toppings. Galette is really a great place, and I urge everyone to try it. Even the side salads are yummy.

Kyo-ya

August 15, 2004

Here is a lunch with my dad at Kyo-ya in SF, still a reliable (if pricey) Japanese option.

ko-donburi special - tai donburi & katsu soba - $23 Each day they have a bento box and a ko-donburi special - basically 2 entrees served together that change daily. It's always pretty good. The tai (red snapper) donburi was nice... lots of different seaweed and other stuff mixed in there too. The soba was alright. The tonkatsu was tasty and noodles were not bad.

Slanted Door cont.

August 15, 2004

I forgot to mention something interesting about the Slanted Door. They used an interesting short grain white rice which I thought was very good. Watch out for it if you go.

The Slanted Door

August 14, 2004

A reader gave the great suggestion of putting up prices along with all the food, so I'll do this whenever I have the right prices. Food in HK has been great, but still got lots to go from SF. I'll catch up eventually... My mom and I ate at the new Slanted Door for lunch a while ago at the Ferry Building.

crispy imperial rolls with shrimp, pork and glass noodles - $7.25

organic sweet corn with green onions and golden chanterelle mushrooms - $9

meyer ranch shaking beef - cubed filet mignon with garlic and organic red onions - $18.50

cellophane noodles with fresh dungeness crab meat - $13.50 I went to the original Slanted Door years ago in the mission, but I never went to the middle location between that one and this one. The new place is absolutely packed... We ate at 1:45 or 2pm and the place was still full. They were also filming some kind of interview with the chef. Anyway, the food is still good. Great imperial rolls. The corn was very sweet. Shaking beef was as good as I remember it, as were the noodles. I think the crab noodles are a very interesting dish... great combination. The place is pretty expensive for what is normally considered cheap food, but I have to admit it's pretty good. The view is absolutely fantastic.

Town Hall

August 12, 2004

Sorry about the lack of updates... Mike doesn't have a router so I couldn't hook my computer up. I just got to Hong Kong, and we got the connection working here. Here is Town Hall, which recently won awards in San Francisco Magazine.

tuna tartare with fried tomatoes and green onion tabasco vinaigrette

faith's warm smithfield ham and cheese toast with poached egg and jalapeno cream

sauteed dayboat scallops with smoked andouille sausage jambalaya, basmati rice and crab butter

slow-roasted duck with toasted wild rice, pecans, spiced dates and gingersnap gravy

warm peach johnnycake cobbler a la mode Overall, pretty good. Everything was really nice except for the duck which was totally dissappointing. The tuna tartare and fried tomatoes were great. My dad really liked the jambalaya. More to come later...

Kokkari Estiatorio

August 6, 2004

Updating now from Beijing. The weather is surprisingly good... not too hot. Anyway, here's a meal from SF at Kokkari Estiatorio, a Greek restaurant. I went with my mom, Winston and Roger, Auntie Raphaela and Uncle Terence, Auntie Cathy, and Auntie Margie. Thanks for taking me!

kolokithokeftethes - crispy zucchini cakes with cucumber & mint-yogurt dressing

soutzoukakia - grilled meatballs with oregano and orange, tomato-pepper compote

kalamata pita - flatbread of caramelized onion, kalamata olives, myzithra & parmesan cheese

kalamari - grilled calamari with roasted leeks, white corn & pickled onions

mosharisia brizola - charcoal-grilled, dry-aged ribeye with braised greens & kokkari potatoes

arnisia paldakia - grilled lamb chops with a lemon-oregano vinaigrette & kokkari potatoes

blueberry shortcake We shared the appetizers around the table, and they were all good. I liked the zucchini cake and the flatbread a lot. The meatball kinda tasted like good hamburger. The calamari was very tender. The main dishes were massive - they said the ribeye was 22 oz (with bone). My lamb chops were great - this place is apparently known for its lamb dishes and this one delivered. I'll keep trying to update... Takes longer here cuz I have to transfer files to a different computer, and a few other extra things. Either way it looks like I'll be backlogged all the way til school starts up again. The Beijing stuff will probably start coming up in a week, maybe a bit more.

Lüx

August 2, 2004

My dad and I went to L�x, the new offshoot of Isa that supposedly puts out Asian-influenced small plates. The place was pretty packed, but we got a couple of seats at the bar.

vietnamese red snapper ceviche with cilantro, mango, tomato & onion

tartare of grassfed steak with lemon, shallots, chili & taro crackers

green onion pancake stuffed with local king salmon and zucchini, dill creme fraiche

salt & pepper black tiger prawn tempura with lobster oil & seaweed salad

hama hama oyster beignets with sambal aioli, green onion & cilantro

grilled rack of lamb with baby artichokes, balsamic & sour cherry

blueberry & blood orange semifreddo Overall, not bad. The place is a bit cramped and pretty noisy. The food was alright though. Ceviche was nothing special. Tartare was pretty interesting - had a bit of kick from the chili oil. The green onion pancakes with salmon were very good I thought. A little bit more like a quesadilla than a cong you bang though. Tempura wasn't very good. The oysters were alright, but I'm not a big fan of oysters. Oyster lovers would think they're great I'm sure. The rack of lamb was great... Lamb was cooked very nicely. The sides weren't too good though. The dessert was a special, and described as a semifreddo, but was sort of more like a zabaglione type of dish... which is good, since zabaglione is probably my favorite of the Italian desserts. This thing was REALLY GOOD... great mix of berries, definite influence from the blood orange. Too bad it's not on the regular menu.

Chez Nous

August 1, 2004

Despite our apartment move, my mom and I still hit a lot of the places back by our old house. Here's a lunch from Chez Nous, a French-Mediterranean small plates place affiliated with the Bay Bread Boulangerie around the corner.

pommes frites with harissa aioli

heirloom tomato salad with manouri cheese and basil oil

peynirli borek-phyllo turnovers with feta, leek, and spinach

sauteed haricots verts with cashews and lemon

pan-seared scallops, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, chorizo The place seems to be doing less business than in the past (it was impossible to get a table for a while), but the food is still great. Pommes frites are addictive and the accompanying aioli is delicious. Heirloom tomatoes were simple but also great - I guess every restaurant is doing them now. Phyllo turnovers were nothing special but still good. Haricots verts were so-so, due I think more to the quality of the beans than anything about the preparation. The scallop dish was awesome. Scallops were cooked perfectly, and the pile of corn/tomato/chorizo was delicious.

El Tonayense

July 31, 2004

Got a chance to hit up El Tonayense, the taco truck on 16th and Harrison. Still a lot to go on though on the SF list.

carne asada tacos Business as usual. Sorry about the weird glare, big tree + bright sun + no seats/tables = bad picture. Still good stuff though. I've noticed a few other taco trucks around - one just down the street in front of the Best Buy parking lot, and another across the street from the court house on Bryant. Hopefully they will keep popping up. Taco trucks rule.

Houston's

July 29, 2004

I finally tried Houston's with my mom. It's really close to the new apartment, so I've been wanting to check it out.

chicago style spinach dip

crab cakes with fries and cole slaw

vegetarian plate with heirloom tomatoes, cous cous, sweet corn, spinach, and peppers The spinach dip was good, but nothing too spectacular... The dip at CPK isn't much different. The crab cakes were a special that night and turned out fabulous. Big chunks of crab, with no overdose of breadcrumbs/filling/whatever. Almost couldn't finish it. My mom's veggie plate wasn't bad either. Usually veggie plates are pretty plain and nasty, but pretty much everything in this one was alright. Tomatoes and corn were both tasty. Only thing is that the crab cakes turned out to be a whopping $28. Most of the stuff on the menu is more reasonable than that, but I guess it was a special. Damn good crab cakes though.

Veal Chops

July 28, 2004

Here's some home cooking from my mom.

arugula salad with cherry tomatoes and radishes

veal chops with butter and sage Yummy... The salad was really good. All the stuff was from the Ferry Building (though not on a market day). Tomatoes right now taste really good. The radishes were great too.

Delica rf-1

July 27, 2004

Back to San Francisco at last! I now live by the Embarcadero, near the Ferry Building. Here is a quick lunch from Delica rf-1, a "Japanese deli" of sorts in there.

lunch bento - fried scallops, string bean salad, tofu salad Not bad. The bean salad was pretty nice. I'll probably go back to try more of the other fried offerings they have. They have a few different kinds of croquettes there that look pretty good.

Butterfly

July 5, 2004

I was only in SF for one night, and got in this one meal with my mom. Went to a newish fusion-y place called Butterfly near our new apartment.

ahi brothers tempura roll, tobiko caviar with thai black rice, cucumber salad and wasabi sauce

bowl of gnocchi and spring pea stir fry, chilled hearts of palm and asparagus salad with grated parmesan and white truffle oil

ponzu grilled niman ranch hanger steak, portobello mushroom and sweet pea stir fry with cabernet jus de veau and a potato gratin Good food. The ahi roll was nice, but nothing too different from the crazy rolls you get at sushi places nowadays. The gnocchi was nice... good texture, but the dish as a whole was a bit bland. Hanger steak was good. Overall it was a nice meal. Place was a bit loud; there was a DJ and a lot of talking. Great view of the waterfront though.

Big Shanghai

January 25, 2004

My last meal in SF was at home before my flight... My mom steamed some siu long bao from Big Shanghai in the Sunset.

siu long bao Good stuff... wrapper tasted good, and a nice amount of soup inside.

LuLu

January 24, 2004

Here is a dinner from SF with my mom, Auntie Daisy, and Auntie Katie. We went to LuLu, which I maintain still has one of the best mussel dishes anywhere. Sadly, the picture I took of it is out of focus...

salmon crostini, beet salad, potato/leek/bacon tart

iron skillet-roasted mussels

portabello mushrooms, gorgonzola, polenta

pear and prosciutto pizza

rex sole

rotisserie roasted duck We were in a new section of the restaurant. Before, they had already expanded to one side... now they've taken over another room on the other side, which was actually quite nice. A lot quieter than the huge main dining room. The food was all really good too. Again, the mussels there are awesome. They whip out a good pizza too. We were worried about getting a Chinese-style cheap roasted duck. It turned out different and was pretty good, but nothing spectacular.

A Few Pastas

January 22, 2004

Happy Chinese New Year all. Another post of food from SF - I'm almost done, I swear. I had lunch with my dad, and he made a couple of pastas using some jarred stuff he got in Italy.

tagliarini with sugo al cinghiale

tagliarini with crema di porcini e tartufo bianchetto and chopped black truffles He used some fresh tagliarini from AG Ferrari in Laurel Village. "Sugo al cinghiale" means boar sauce. I actually liked it a lot... a little tangy with some small bites of boar meat. The truffle one used a cream thing from a jar and also some chopped truffles from a jar (albeit small jars... not sure what to call em). It actually tasted better than the whole truffles in water that my dad got off the shelf.

Milano

January 20, 2004

Wow, I'm so far behind. Still got a few things from SF. Haven't been eating anything interesting in Boston though, so I should get caught up soon. Here are pics from Milano in SF... always a reliable Italian place. Went with my mom, the Chus, Auntie Margie, and Auntie Cathy. Forgive the flash... couldn't get a picture without it.

hawaiian bigeye tuna carpaccio

tonnarelli with porcini mushroom and sausage The tuna carpaccio was really good. The serving was unexpectedly large for a "carpaccio" - it was almost like pieces of sashimi. The black stuff is chopped olives and added some great flavor. The tonnarelli is the same as it's always been... I don't go to Milano enough to order anything else nowadays. Gotta get the tonnarelli when I can.

Philly Cheesesteak Shop

January 16, 2004

While I was at home, I had to of course hit up the Philly Cheesesteak Shop on Divisadero. More high school memories.

deluxe with onion rings It was yummmmy. Greasy loveliness!

Charles Nob Hill

January 15, 2004

I had a great meal at Charles Nob Hill. It was a sort of early birthday thing with my mom, dad, Auntie Maggie, and Uncle King. We had a 7 course chef's tasting, served in "dual preparations" which meant that half the people got one dish for a course and the others would get something different. It's times like these that I wish I had a PDA to write everything down, because I just can't remember. Most of the pictures weren't very good, but I tried to touch some up in Photoshop. Here are a few of them:

pan roasted seabass

sauteed foie gras

roasted (I think) squab

lamb tenderloin

apple tart I wish I could go more in-depth with the descriptions. Maybe I should get a PDA. Not everything was pictured of course... we all started with an amuse bouche of porcini and lobster bisque, which was excellent. Then we had probably the most unique dish of the night - an uni custard with osetra caviar and cucumber, served in an eggshell. This was just great, and very unexpected. We then had salads in 2 ways. One was a beet salad and the other was a pear salad, which were pretty good. I liked the beet one better, and I think in general I'm liking beets more. Next we had a fish course. I can't for the life of me remember what the other fish was... one was a seabass. Both were very tasty though. I liked the sea bass better. Next was a foie gras course. Both were served sauteed, but one was sweeter and was one more savory. They were both great. We then had a poultry course - one was a duck breast, and the other was the squab. Again, both were excellent. The main course consisted of a lamb tenderloin, and also a veal medallion dish. I think the lamb was the better of the two. The desserts were the apple tart and a warm chocolate cake. The apple tart was AWESOME, the chocolate cake just mediocre. Overall, this is one of the better meals I've had in a long time... pretty much everything was good. Oh yeah - my mom got a vegetarian version so everything was different... Highlights of hers that I remember were a truffle gnocchi dish, and also a mushroom risotto. Good stuff. I really wish I had the full descriptions.