Feed on Cooking With The Single Guy

Five Years and a New Chapter (and Blog)

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 02:08:00 +0000

It all started with my first post featuring my pork and peaches stir-fry recipe. It was my attempt to impress readers to this blog that I could be creative, marrying my Chinese cooking techniques with seasonal California influences (that would be the peach). And of course, the servings were just right for The Single Guy.

So that’s how Cooking With the Single Guy was born.

Five years later, I still post recipes, but not as often because I’ve pretty much gone through my repertoire of recipes. My blog has grown to include more dining reviews, food shopping and events (and maybe the occasional cupcake or frozen yogurt).

But you know what it’s like when you reach a milestone – like the seven-year itch, or a mid-life crisis. You reflect. You go down memory lane and get all emotional about a pork and peaches recipe. And you wonder about whether you still want this.

I’ve seen a lot of food bloggers who actually slowly disappeared, with no new updates. And you figure they probably just went on with their lives, leaving us behind with just the memories.

I just realized that I’ve now written myself into this hole where it sounds like I’m about to announce some bad news. But it’s actually good news. Really.

I will be moving on from this blog, and will no longer be updating it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still single. And I’m still cooking. It’s just I felt like I needed a change, something fresher, and something that focused more on my love of food photography. I'm not giving up food blogging. Just moving to a new address.

So I’m happy to announce that I’ve launched an entirely new food blog, one that showcases my photos better. I’m still writing about eating out, food shopping, events, and the occasional recipes. I’m just doing it now at Focus:Snap:Eat.

I’ve spent the last two months setting up this site, so I really hope that you’ll follow me over there. You’ll continue to see my photos and read about my food adventures. If you go there this week, for example, you’ll find photos of this weekend’s Eat Real Festival in Oakland, along with reviews of Nojo in San Francisco, a look at orange wines, and even a chicken recipe from my childhood.

I want to thank everyone who’ve taken the time to stop by and read my blog. I’m always amazed at how people find me, from all over the world. This blog will remain as an archive of my reviews and recipes. And I hope to read your comments at Focus:Snap:Eat as I begin the next chapter in my food blogging life.

Ben aka The Single Guy

Tyler Florence’s Angry Lobster with Tomato-Chile Butter Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 07:15:00 +0000

For this month’s Test Kitchen, I get to eat lobster thanks to your votes. Some 47 percent of you wanted me to try the “angry lobster” recipe from Tyler Florence’s “Tyler’s Ultimate” Cookbook that I got awhile back.

That far exceeded the other three choices: Ultimate chicken wings (23%), hunter’s minestrone (16%), and lemon ricotta crepes (12%).

The recipe keeps things simple, with minimal ingredients. I think when cooking lobster, the simpler the better because the lobster meat is just so great by itself.

The trick is finding the live lobster. Most places sell just frozen lobster tails, but whenever I need live seafood, I can always count on the seafood markets in Chinatown. So that’s where I went, and found the above huge lobster that weighed more than 2 lbs. (Florence’s recipe really only called for a 1.5 lb. lobster.)

The recipe gets its name from the fact that you have to kill the live lobster, which would make anyone angry. But in Chinese households, a quick chop to a lobster (or crab) between the eyes is a quicker death than boiling. And Florence agrees with me as he instructs you to first pierce a chef’s knife between the lobster’s eyes, then twisting off the claws, followed by cutting through the back and finally chopping the lobster tail into four sections.

I’m not going to photograph the cutting process, mostly because I have yet to figure out a way to shoot photos of myself while wielding a knife. So instead, here’s the end result with the lobster all chopped up. (One thing, though, is I didn’t really keep the body section, which really had just the gills and very little meat. Florence’s instructions made it sound like you should cook them too.)

Once I got my lobster ready, I prepped the other ingredients, which was a pint of cherry tomatoes, two handfuls of fresh basil, a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced.

To prepare the dish, I started by warming a little less than a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Then adding the garlic and red pepper flakes to infuse the oil (over medium high heat). With some flour that’s been seasoned in salt and pepper, I dredged the lobster pieces and tossed them into the pan. I cooked the lobster in two batches because it’s important not to crowded the skillet. Florence says to brown the lobster pieces for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

When the lobsters are all browned, then they all get combined in the skillet along with the cherry tomatoes, cooking for another five minutes to soften the tomatoes. Then add half the basil along with the juice of half a lemon.

To finish everything, I added in two tablespoon of unsalted butter, which creates a sauce for the butter. And then I just plated everything up and garnished with the remaining basil leaves. Looks pretty good huh?

My tips and warnings about this recipe:

I don’t know if this is true for all lobsters, but mine had sooo much water in him (or her, I didn’t check) that when I chopped into it, a lot of liquid came out. Be very close to your sink to not mess up your counter top.
Try not to use a lot of flour on your lobster pieces, dust them off a bit. The reason is the flour residue in the skillet will turn the butter you add later into a nice thick sauce. But too much flour can mean a super thick sauce. So use less flour or add more liquid or lemon juice at the end to thin out the butter sauce.
Definitely serve this with bread to fill you up but also to soak up the chile butter sauce.

Ease of cooking: Although I’ve done it before with Dungeness crabs, it was a bit tougher killing a lobster, especially the one I got which was huuuge from Boston. The killing part is probably the toughest part of the recipe, and then after that it’s pretty easy.

Taste: Keeping it simple, the taste was pretty nice, with the butter and slight heat from the red pepper flakes. I really enjoyed it.

Overall grade: A, because this was a simple preparation, tasty, and really looks vibrant in the red and green when presented. I’m definitely going to try another recipe from this cookbook. (Maybe the lemon ricotta crepes!)

Joong Demo by Chef Alex Ong

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 01:48:00 +0000

This past weekend was the Dragon Boat races in the San Francisco Bay Area. It's a great outdoor event to watch teams maneuver dragon boats near Treasure Island.

The event is actually tied to the ancient Chinese folk festival celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon on the lunar calendar (which is roughly around the summer). The festival honors a Chinese poet who jumped into a river, and people raced in dragon boats to save him. So that's how the races came about.

One of the signature food associated with the festival is joong, a sticky rice delicacy that's wrapped in bamboo leaves into a nice package. The story goes that when the racers reached the poet's body, they found that he was already dead and to keep the fish and other sea animals from eating away at his body, they threw the joong into the river to give the fish something else to eat.

OK, so that's a lot of Chinese folk history. All this is to introduce a chef's demo at Macy's that I went to this weekend featuring Chef Alex Ong of Betelnut restaurant in San Francisco. The demo featured the making of joong in honor of the dragon boat races this weekend. (Even though the festival traditionally takes place around June, the Bay Area holds its races later in the summer when the weather is nicer as we can attest to after having a foggy and cold summer.)

The demo was also hosted by my friend Carolyn Jung, who pens the popular Food Gal blog. Carolyn did a great job telling the audience about the Dragon Boat festival and about Ong's restaurant. And did you know Carolyn used to be on a dragon boat team? I can believe it. I mean, she must have strong arms from all the batter she makes when baking. ;-)

Joong is made with glutinous rice, which makes it more than just sticky, it is almost creamy like risotto, but still firm enough to keep its shape. My mom made these a lot when I was growing up, and she was an expert joong wrapper, with the bamboo leaves and rice in one hand and the twine in another that she'd used to tie up her joong. She'd add the traditional ingredients like fatty salted pork, a salted duck egg, and black eye beans.

Ong made a healthier version, using portabella mushrooms instead of pork belly. The marinated portabella is roasted to make the texture meaty, and then they're added to the glutinous rice and duck egg and wrapped in the bamboo leaves before being boiled at a low temperature for about two hours.

Joong, which Carolyn describes as a Chinese "tamale," is one of those traditional Chinese food that's very comforting, and fewer and fewer people are making them in the United States. Hopefully demos like these will encourage people to make them. (Like Ong said, throw yourself a joong party.)

A Return to Flour + Water in San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 07:00:00 +0000

This is an occasional report on return visits to restaurants that I’ve already reviewed.

Perfecting Pasta for Dinner
2401 Harrison St. (at 20th), San Francisco
Mission District
PH: 415.826.7000
Dinner daily from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. (till midnight Thursday to Saturday)
Reservations, major credit cards accepted
flourandwater.com

Original visit: July 2009

When I first visited the popular Flour + Water soon after it opened in the outskirts of the Mission District, I fell in love with its pasta even though more people went for the pizza. But now the pasta dishes have been getting their due, and the restaurant’s chef Thomas McNaughton goes around town leading pasta-making classes.

So when my friend David mentioned he had reservations (still pretty hard to come by) and was interested in its pasta tasting menu, I said yes faster than the shutter snaps in my camera.

We arrived for our early reservations at the restaurant, which looked pretty much the same since my last visit with its wooden furnishings and eclectic artwork. There was a steady crowd arriving soon after the doors open, which says a lot considering that we were eating on Monday night.

McNaughton’s summer pasta tasting menu is a six-course menu for $60 (wine pairing available for an additional $40). Everyone at the table has to order the tasting menu, which is brought out family style.

Dinner started off with an amuse that was both delectable and mesmerizing in appearance. This roasted candy striped fig was just slightly sweet from a glaze, but was flavored more by pickled mustard seeds and horseradish cream.

Our first pasta course was an eggplant and ricotta triangoli with cherry tomatoes and basil – classic flavors for the summer. I couldn’t really detect the eggplant flavor in the triangoli (which seemed like ravioli to me but I guess is named for its triangular shape). Still, I enjoyed the bright and bold flavors of the cherry tomatoes.

Next up was a squid ink chitarra with sea urchin (or uni) with cherry tomatoes, chili and mint. I like the dramatic black pasta from the squid ink, but both David and I commented on the distinctive smell of squid ink pasta. To me, it’s almost slightly funky, and it was clearly evident in Flour + Water’s version. David could barely detect the mint, and I commented on how odd it was to have back to back dishes featuring cherry tomatoes. I mean, I know it’s the summer ingredient, but mixing it up a bit makes a tasting menu more interesting.

Then we moved to some of the meatier courses, like this rabbit francobolli with chanterelles and fried sage. The pasta was another filled pasta but the shape was supposed to resemble a postage stamp. The filling was tasty although I’m not sure if anyone could identify the meat as rabbit. Both David and I agreed that the start of the dish was the beautifully prepared chanterelles.

This rigatoni with goat sausage, rabe, roasted peppers and oregano increased in flavor from the previous pasta dish, but I was starting to feel that the pasta dishes started to look the same, with family similar color and sauce.

Our final pasta dish turned out to be my favorite of the night. It was the sweetbread cannelloni with spigarello, savory and cippolinis. The baked cheese that created the cannelloni smelled wonderful, and I loved the bold flavors of the sweetbread filling. David thought it leaned toward the salty side, but I’m used to Italian dishes being a bit more salty.

We ended dinner with a nocciolata semifreddo, which actually looked like a pate when it arrived. Semifreddo is like an ice cream cake, although not as frozen. Flour + Water’s version was made from gelato and served with a grape and terragon granita with candied fennel puree. The semifreddo was nice and creamy, but I thought the hazelnuts inside were a bit too big with each bite. It probably would have been better as just a hint of hazelnut as opposed to the huge crunch of them inside. David felt this (and the fig, both non-pasta dishes) was his favorite dish of the night.

David needed to bring some dinner back to the wife (his trade-off for coming out to dinner with me) so he ordered a basic margherita pizza. I mentioned to David how I wasn’t that thrilled by the pizza the first time I dined here because the crust was soggy or chewy. So he lit me try a bit of the pizza, and the thin crust was way better than I remembered. It might be because a margherita has less topping, making it easier to crisp up the crust, but it definitely made me realize that when ordering pizzas at Flour + Water, the simpler the better.

I had a fun time seeing the progression of the pasta tasting menu, although I thought the progression was steady highs as opposed to creative leaps. David thought the place was a great neighborhood spot, but not much different than the many pasta and pizza spots opening around the Bay Area.

The people behind Flour + Water are actually planning a new restaurant nearby called Central Kitchen (which will also feature a salumeria), but I wonder if some of the new innovations should be tested at Flour + Water before branching out because it seems like while everything was great, there hasn’t been much change since the start.

Update experience (previously 3.75 stars): Bumped up to 4 stars with the perfected pizza making

Happy Moon Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:01:00 +0000

Today is the Chinese Moon Festival, which is a folk celebration that coincides with the fall harvest. So sometimes it’s known as a harvest festival and families typically put on a feast. But in the United States, most Chinese-Americans know it as “moon cake day.”

One of the signature dish eaten on this day is the moon cake, a pastry-shelled cake with a creamy filling. The cakes are traditionally round in shape to mirror the moon, but over the years people have been redesigning the moon cake, making them in various shapes and colors.

Over the weekend, San Francisco Chinatown put on its annual Moon Festival Street Fair. And this year there were, thankfully, lots of imported moon cakes for sale (I just find the Asian bakeries a bit more creative than in the United States). I even saw one booth selling durian ice cream moon cakes (it’s actually not that fun to eat).

I got a box of traditional moon cakes, but in miniature size since I’m the Single Guy. These cakes, from the famous Kee Wah Bakery in Hong Kong, were square shaped and have an interesting mold design (all moon cakes are made in a mold with intricate designs).

The filling was the traditional (and my favorite) lotus paste, which was creamy and sweet, but not too sweet. Other moon cakes can come in various fillings like black sesame and one that looks almost like a fruitcake. And of course, it’s always special when you have a salted egg in the center, again to represent the moon.

You’re probably wondering what are the pink and green pastries in the photo above. They’re known as “Teochow” moon cakes and are popular in other parts of Asia, such as Singapore and Malaysia. They’re made with a spiraling technique that creates that interesting layered appearance. (My friend Annie in Kuching makes it all look simple on her blog post.)

The box of teochow moon cakes came from a Taiwan bakery called Emperor. The pink colored ones are made from taro and the green ones are, doh, green tea.

Both the taro and green tea were a little too sweet for me, and the pastry wasn’t as flakey as I imagined they would, but that’s probably because they had to be shipped. I’m sure they probably would taste great freshly made.

One thing about moon cakes is that they are not at all light. With the filling and the pastry shell, they pack a lot of calories. So I’m glad I got the miniature ones. Hope you’re enjoying some moon cakes today too!

Chez Papa Bistrot in San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 07:02:00 +0000

Paris Charm in Potrero Hill
1401 18th St. (at Missouri), San Francisco
Potrero Hill neighborhood
PH: 415.824.8205
Open lunch, Mon.–Sat., 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; dinner daily, 5:30–10 p.m. (till 11 p.m. on Fri.–Sat.)
Reservations, major credit cards accepted
www.chezpapasf.com

Chez Papa Bistrot is like a first love who charmed you and made you feel special. Over the years your eyes wander and then you start taking your lover for granted. Then you realize over the years that things aren’t exactly the same, but that special “it” factor that made you fall in love in the first place is still there, ready to be rekindled.

Such was my return to Chez Papa Bistrot.

I ate at this Potrero Hill neighborhood bistro when I first arrived in San Francisco a decade ago, and would return whenever I wanted a special dining experience because the tiny space – cozy in red with friendly French-accented service – never failed to deliver in food and ambiance.

But after I moved out of the city it was harder getting to Potrero. Last weekend when I went to a food event with the adventurous Foodhoe, we decided to get Sunday dinner at Chez Papa since we were already in that part of the city.

Chez Papa is still bustling with customers squeezing into the tiny space, which has always been able to bring a little bit of the South of France to San Francisco. Foodhoe ordered off the menu while I decided to go with the 3-course prix fixe menu for $34.95.

With the prix fixe, I could choose from three to four options for each course. For my appetizer, I chose the Grilled Local Sardines, which came out on top of a chick pea salad with a brilliant green pistou coulis. The beautiful plate of fresh sardine was grilled perfectly and brightened by the pesto.

Foodhoe started with the Baby Golden and Red Beets Salad ($10) served with the classic combination of goat cheese and watercress.

Foodhoe wanted a light dinner, so following her salad she ordered Chez Papa’s signature mussels ($14). The mussels can be prepared with four types of broth, and I believe Foodhoe went with the Mariniere style, which is simply garlic, parsley and white wine. Foodhoe said she definitely could taste the garlic, and of course she had the mussels with a side of French fries (or frites for $5).

My entrée was the Pan-roasted Red Trout served with braised cabbage, smoked bacon, pearl onions and lemon-tarragon beurre blanc. The trout was nicely cooked, tender and slightly flakey while the cabbage and broth were full of flavor.

My final and third course was dessert, and I chose the Lavender crème brulee. I’m a big fan of lavender, and the essence was definitely prominent in the custard cream. I really enjoyed it although the sugar top (the brulee) was a bit thick, but not that thick that it prevented me from getting to all of the cream.

The food brought back many good memories of dinners past, and reminded me how I need to make an effort to come back again. Even though the setting does sometimes show the wear and tear of age, the food is still quality stuff, showing that Chez Papa Bistrot still has heart.

Single guy rating: 3.75 stars (French travels without a passport)

Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner

Food Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 07:01:00 +0000

Hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day weekend. If you were like me, you probably roasted or grilled some vegetables. When I cut into this red bell pepper, I got a surprise with all the little -- and colorful -- things growing inside.

I've never had a pepper like this. It looked like it was a mom pepper with lots of babies inside. Unfortunately, I just dug them out and threw them away. But not before I took a picture of them.

Leopold's in San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:50:00 +0000

Alpine Dining with Beer Hall Fun
2400 Polk St. (at Union), San Francisco
Russian Hill neighborhood
PH: 415.474.2000
Open daily, 5:30 to 10 p.m. (till 11 p.m. on Friday, Saturday)
No reservations, major credit cards accepted
www.leopoldssf.com

Walking into Leopold's gasthaus (German tavern), you definitely feel like there's going to be a party. The place is packed and everyone seems to be having a good time. Who wouldn't with free-flowing beer and Alpine-style comfort food?

Leopold's opened in the past year, replacing a longtime Italian restaurant. The new place focuses on Bavarian food, which was explained to me as an area that encompasses Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Northern Italy. I haven't really eaten this type of food (unless you count the Ikea cafeteria), so was willing to explore and learn.

My friend David actually suggested this place, so I met up with him recently for dinner. Because Leopold's doesn't take reservations, we waited briefly at the back bar before being seated at our table. While at the bar, David pointed out the boot-sized glass that some parties would order for their beer. When empty, the boot glass didn't look that big, but I didn't want to push it and just got a normal size mug of Spaten.

The menu was an interesting mix of sausages, traditional Bavarian dishes, and some offal like pig trotters. David and I started off our dinner by sharing the Grilled Duck Crepinettes ($10.25). In learning about crepinettes, I found out they are not mini crepes but instead is similar to a sausage.

Leopold's makes its crepinettes with duck, and serves it wrapped in white cabbage and placed on a mound of mashed potatoes and duck prosciutto. The duck crepinette had a lot of flavor, although it wasn't densely pack but more loose meat inside. The cabbage, nicely tender but not over cooked, totally matched my impressions of the food of this region.

For our entrees, David ordered the house specialty and one of the more traditional foods for this type of cuisine -- the Wiener Schnitzel ($15.25). Of course, David had to order it not just because it's the specialty, but because it's deep-fried so I knew I wouldn't get it. The wiener schnitzel is a pounded piece of meat (I think it was veal or pork?) and then breaded and deep fried, just like a cutlet.

I tried a bit and it tasted OK, but nothing spectacular. David felt the same, but that wasn't the case with the warm potato salad that came with it. The salad had slices of cucumber, which transformed the simple potato salad to a new dining experience for both of us. I especially love the freshness of cucumbers, and wouldn't have thought of adding them to a potato salad. But trust me, it's an amazing combination.

I ordered something different on the menu, the Braised Pork Cheek ($17.25). My plate arrived with a huge mound of potato gnocchi, fennel sausage, mustard greens, cherry tomatoes and corn. But the braised pork cheek was just a little chunk sitting on top.

Still, the pork cheek was tender and richly flavored with the deep, intense flavor of red wine. I enjoyed mixing the pork cheek with the rest of the ingredients. David said he liked my plate better than his, which is a first for me because typically when we eat out, he usually orders the better dish. (Ha! I win this time, David!)

Continuing our culinary lesson, I felt we needed to order dessert because one of the items had the word strudel in it and that seemed so traditional. It was an Apfelstrudel ($6.25), which is an apple strudel. It looked pretty with a dollop of warm vanilla cream. The strudel was nice thin layers of apple and pastry, and I thought it was expertly done. I did wish it was a bit more warm though, like the comfort of a warm apple pie.

Throughout dinner, people kept coming in (and this was a weeknight) checking on availability, and the hosts up front were always friendly and accommodating. In fact, the service was friendly all around. The only downside about the restaurant is the high din of noise, making it really hard to hear each other talk. It really had the acoustics of a beer hall.

The noise, however, just adds to the festive environment, and Leopold's is a welcoming neighborly spot with food that holds up to the noise.

Single guy rating: 3.75 stars (heavy but worth it)

Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner

Strawberry Tomato Farro Salad Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:25:00 +0000

First there were cherry tomatoes, then the cute and tiny grape tomatoes. Now, they've got strawberry tomatoes.

I found these so-called strawberry tomatoes (maybe they should be called "strawmatoes"?) at Trader Joe's, so I decided to check them out. They don't have a strawberry flavor. They get their name simply because the shape supposedly looks like a strawberry. I guess, if you squint really close. They do have a brilliant red color.

Since it's summer, I ended up using these tomatoes in a simple salad using one of my favorite ingredients, farro. They taste like cherry tomatoes, and really when you cut them up, nobody sees the strawberry shape any more. Well, cute name. Got me to buy a packet.

Copyright 2011 by Cooking With the Single Guy

Ingredients
1.5 cups farro
9 oz strawberry tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), about 1.5 cups
1 can of pinto beans, cooked (15 oz.), drain and rinse
1 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Dressing
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add some salt, then add the farro and simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked. Add the pinto beans and let cook to warm through, about 2 minutes. Then drain all the ingredients. Pour everything into a large bowl, then add tomatoes and basil.

In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together and then add to farro salad and toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Summer Colors at the Farmers Markets

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 17:20:00 +0000

California is known for its agriculture, and its shining moment is definitely in the summer when the farmers markets are packed with all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with tons of people out and about on a sunny weekend day.

Of course, heirloom tomatoes just scream summer. They're at their peak right now, and they look so juicy and ripe.

Summer squash can really turn into some beautiful gems with its marbling patterns. Plus, it's like sunshine on a plate.

I'm not a fan of eggplant, but I do love the purple color. At Chue's booth, they had four different kinds of eggplants, from Japanese to Chinese to Italian. Oops, I forgot the fourth one. Maybe it was Korean?

Grapes definitely say California to me, and although I'm more a fan of red flame seedless grapes, these black grapes look pretty classic.

I just enjoy wandering the farmers markets and just seeing bursts of color. This weekend the summer weather finally arrived, and just in time to spotlight all the amazing food here.

Feeding on Art: No. 4

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 05:17:00 +0000

I caught a glimpse of this artwork while I was passing a cafe while walking from the sidewalk. So I went inside and snapped this photo. I like realist pop art of eating utensils. It's the obviousness of it all that I find fascinating for some reason. I probably would get excited if someone framed a napkin. It kind of looks like how I organize my utensil drawer. Anywho, got any guesses on where this piece can be seen? Have you seen it at your neighborhood coffee shop before? I'll give you a hint. If you live in Berkeley, you may have seen it.

Locanda Osteria and Bar in San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:31:00 +0000

Casual Italian from the People Behind Delfina
557 Valencia St. (between 16th and 17th), San Francisco
Mission neighborhood
PH: 415.863.6800
Open daily from 5:30 p.m. to midnight
Reservations, major credit cards accepted
$1.50 service charged added per person for Healthy SF
www.locandasf.com

Craig Stoll, the man behind the award-winning Delfina in the Mission, has spread his empire to two Delfina Pizzerias and now a wine bar on Valencia Street called Locanda.

Opened just a few months ago, Locanda is a handsome room with a huge bar and open kitchen that serves as a showcase for Chef Anthony Strong, who recently headed Delfina Pizzeria for Stoll. A wine bar would traditionally be heavy on the drinking with just a nod to delicious small bites, but when in California, the food sometimes outshine the wine.

Stoll's pedigree (the dude's a James Beard Award-winner, folks) guarantees that Locanda gathers a good-size crowd every night, and the restaurant was nearly full when I arrived Friday night just a few minutes after the doors opened at 5:30 p.m. (I heard from people eating next to me that there was a line waiting for the restaurant to open before I arrived.)

Since I was eating solo, I sat at the communal table, which I happened to share on this night with several people who definitely was focused on the drinking rather than the food (read: shots). Along with the tables in the front area by the bar, there are also tables in the back facing the open kitchen.

The menu is broken into antipasti, a special section on offal items such as tripe and sweetbreads, pasta, charcoal-grilled items, and side dishes like beans and greens.

The service was professional, smart, and friendly. Everyone I encountered was helpful and welcoming, and my main server offered an excellent recommendation for a red wine, a glass of 2007 Cantina Damiano "Silene" ($11), which is a wine variety known as Cesanese from Lazio, Italy. I loved the medium body of this wine with just a slight smokey taste. It was easy to pair with the food I ordered.

Locanda has several items in the antipasti section known as "pizza bianca" and I thought maybe these were slices of pizzas. But instead, they're flatbreads that are similar to foccacia. Some of the choices are served up almost as a sandwich, but I got one that was served open face like a bruschetta.

The Pizza Bianca with Egg and Salmon Caviar ($9) was colorful and beautiful with the bright intense orange of the salmon caviar offset by the yellow of the egg yolk. The pizza bianco was airy and crusty, and the egg salad and salmon caviar were actually mild in flavor than what I expected. I thought the salmon caviar would be more salty, but they weren't. Another beautiful pizza bianca I saw heading to other tables was a classic fig and prosciutto version.

Always making sure I get my greens, I ordered the Little Gem Salad ($11), which was more than just a salad as it was served with albacore conserva, padron peppers, and thinly sliced fennel. It was so beautiful on the plate, with the crispness from the fresh little gem holding up nicely against the meaty tuna. I loved the addition of the peppers, which were slightly blistered to soften them. (Typically on the menu this salad is made with broccoli rabe, but it looks like Chef Strong was taking advantage of the seasonal availability of the padron peppers, and I'm glad he did.)

I really wanted to try a pasta but also wanted a meat dish. And if I were in Italy with a big group of diners, I probably would have had the pasta as a first course followed my the meat. But eating alone, I wasn't sure if I could eat two big plates. When I asked my server if I could get a half order of the pasta, he said it wouldn't be a problem, so I was happy because that would allow me to try another entree.

So for my pasta, I went with a simple dish, which was the Whole Wheat Spaghetti ($9.50 for half an order/$17 regular price), with nettle, gaeta olive, and pecorino. I've had whole wheat spaghetti with nettle at other restaurants and they were always done so hearty and refreshing. Unfortunately, I have to say that this particular night's spaghetti fell short. The pasta tasted bland and slightly gummy, almost like someone added too much pasta water so all the other ingredients like the cheese didn't seem to cling to the pasta or give the overall dish much flavor or punch.

Side note: The pacing at Locanda is actually very Italian, which means a bit of time between courses allowing the patrons to dine slowly, enjoying the food and the company. When you're dining alone like me, that just means bring a book to kill time between courses.

My main dish from the grilled section of the menu was the Guinea Hen Leg ($21) stuffed with pancetta and served with cicoria, an Italian dandelion. The slices of the leg lay on what tasted like lentils.

I really loved this dish, mostly because the guinea hen was cooked perfectly with the thin skin beautiful crispy and golden. I generally avoid eating poultry skin, which has a lot of fat, but I couldn't resist this skin because of how expertly it was prepared. The jus on the side had a nice flavor and the circoria added a slight bitterness to balance the overall dish.

Locanda has an extensive dessert menu, but I couldn't eat any more after the pasta and guinea hen. But I left pretty satisfied with the variety of foods I ordered, and my nice glass of wine. There was a steady stream of customers coming for a Friday night, but I never felt crowded or overwhelmed. It was a nice dining environment (well, except for the Friday night shooters) with excellent service. The food has a few slight misses, generally sliding toward the milder flavors, but overall it's a quality stream of dishes coming out from the kitchen.

Single guy rating: 4 stars (more than just small bites)

Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner

Dijon Must'art Tasting and Cooking Demo

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 05:20:00 +0000

How Dijon mustard and tomb sculptures from the Court of Burgundy have anything in common is beyond me. But this past Saturday several Michelin-star chefs from France came to promote the culinary styles of that country as part of a promotion of a special exhibit now at San Francisco's Legion of Honor.

Dijon Must'art set up at tent at the Saturday farmers' market at the Ferry Building to give out free tasting of dishes by chefs Stephane Derbord, William Frachot, Yves Rebsamen (pictured above), and Jean-Pierre and Alexis Billoux. As mentioned, the tour of French chefs coincides with the start of "The Mourners," now at the Legion.

Many of the free mini tastes had very fancy names, just like this Tartare de Crabe "Dungeness" au Basillic, Chevre, Pignons by Chef Rebsamen.

Chef Derbord created this substantial Supreme de Volaille bio Farci aux Escargots de Burgogne, Gelee a la Moutarde de Dijon, or chicken breast stuffed with escargot and mustard and jelly.

This is a Gelee de Mangues Lait de Coco Noix de Saint Jacques Marinee's, or sweet royal scallop in coconut milk and mango jelly.

If you're regretting that you didn't get a chance to check out these French stars, then you have one more chance on Tuesday, Aug. 23, when Chefs Jean-Pierre and Alexis Billoux do a cooking demonstration at the CUESA kitchen at the Ferry Building from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. I'm pretty sure there'll be tastes of what they make.

San Francisco Street Food Festival 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 17:03:00 +0000

So yesterday was the "food event of the year in San Francisco," or at least that's what several blogs were saying leading up to the 3rd Annual San Francisco Street Food Festival.

This food event dedicated to the celebration of street food -- from established food trucks and local restaurants to newcomers working under the festival sponsor LaCocina -- takes place in the Mission neighborhood, on Folsom Street. This year the block party atmosphere extended two blocks, running from 22nd to 26th Streets.

The promotional wheels for the festival were in full gear prior to the one-day event, with the promise of more vendors and more space. So you know what that means? Major clusterfuck.

It's like the tradition of the street festival as people created lines from the booths on the residential-sized streets and curving onto the sidewalks. (As an added treat, several spots along the new areas of Folsom between 22nd and 24th stank of urine, making standing in line in those areas a real test of my foodie reserve.)

Despite the crowds, unorganized lines, and Mission street smells (I'm not talking about the grilling), the festival is a wonderful way to celebrate the city's love affair with street food. (I just agree with a few people who I chatted in line as some suggested that the crowds allowed into the blocked off areas be limited to avoid overcrowding.)

So I got there early when the festival began at 11 a.m. and made a beeline to Azalina's Malayasian because I bought into the early promos, with many raving about the Penang Curry Bomb, a chicken curry bun that's deep-fried to make the bun crispy. And while I don't eat deep-fried foods, I couldn't resist everyone's description. This actually was the furthest from the bomb, mostly because the bun was leaking oil. Just touching it got my fingers glistening with oil. I ate one of these two buns and had to pass on the other. The curry itself was a complex spice, a bit on the spicy side.

Wandering around checking out the other booths, I landed at Commonwealth, which served up a delicious and refreshing watermelon gazpacho and this lamb cheeks skewers over quinoa salad. Both items were perfectly done, and really raised the definition of street food.

There were several visiting food trucks from other parts of the country, including the famous Nom Nom food struck from Los Angeles, which was featured in the first season of the Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race." Because I was early, there wasn't much of a line, but I had just had that Penang Curry Bomb so wasn't ready for Nom Nom's pork banh mi. Big mistake, because just an hour later, this is what the line looked like...

Hands down this had to be the longest line for any vendor at the event. So I didn't bother getting something from Nom Nom. Luckily, Nom Nom opened a food truck in San Francisco a few weeks ago, so I knew I could try Nom Nom's banh mi on another day without the crowds.

Saw this sign with such sage advice.

Last year the food festival had a few streets south of Folsom set aside for a line of food trucks and a dedicated dessert area. I actually liked that concept, but they didn't repeat that this year. But they did take over the courtyard of a nearby school and I did like checking out the food booths set up there along with the cool murals. What a fun setting.

One of the booths in that special section was A16, the popular Marina-area restaurant. I got its duroc pork meatball (nice texture, good sauce) and its miniature cannoli with chocolate and pistachio (crunchy but the cream inside seemed a bit too thick).

As I continued to wander amongst the crowd, I bumped into my food blogging buddy Foodhoe, who had just stood in line for 25 minutes for this plate of arepa from The Arepa Lady. Foodhoe saw the Arepa Lady (who's from New York) featured on the Food Network and wanted to try her arepa, but it turned out to taste like a big pancake and Foodhoe was a bit disappointed, especially after standing in line for 25 minutes.

I asked Foodhoe if she had any interesting food items so far, and she took me to the Don Bugito booth where she said she had this sweet toffee crisped mealworms. The mealworms were sold as toppings on vanilla ice cream in some kind of weird dessert. I did try one mealworm, which tasted like toasted nuts because they were so smokey and crispy, but I didn't feel like standing in line for a vanilla mealworm sundae. Still, it was the most interesting food item so far.

Foodhoe and I ate a few other items and were nearing our full factor, so we decided to split the porchetta sandwich from Flour + Water, another Mission restaurant. I enjoyed the sandwich, which had some nice crispy skin bits along with the tender porchetta meat. If I included Flour + Water's version in my recent porchetta taste off, it probably would have ranked No. 3.

There were several booths with colorful uniforms, but I have to give the award to most creative costumes to the guys at the Seoul Sausage Co. who dressed up in T-shirts with the words "Fear the Sausage," a play on the San Francisco Giants' motto "Fear the Beard" (for closer Brian Wilson and his famous beard).

There were several deep-fried foods that I avoided, including this platter of Scotch eggs, which is a whole hard boiled egg encased in beef (or was it pork?) and then deep-fried.

Another popular item that sounded unusual was this Elote corn from Los Cilantros. Foodhoe was more adventurous to try this grilled corn that's brushed with butter and then dipped in cheese. The cheese smelled like parmesan, so the saltiness actually seemed like a nice accent to sweet corn.

I stuck with safer fare, like this scrumptious Thai iced tea from Lers Ros.

Since I was winding down, I went looking for dessert and wanted to check out these jello creations from Sweets Collection. Owner Rosa Rodriguez uses traditional Mexican techniques to create these extraordinary gelatin cups. They were almost too pretty to eat.

This year's Street Food Festival didn't seem to have as much pop as last year. I think it was because, now in its third year, I'm starting to see the same booths, offering the same things. (How many steamed buns can Slanted Door sell every year?) I know there were some new booths, but they offered usual fare or lots of fried stuffs. Still, it was perfect weather for a street fair, with some moments of bright sun to warm us up, but moments of San Francisco overcast skies to give us a break and keep us cool. So in other words, a little bit of everything for everyone.

Xolo Taqueria in Oakland

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:26:00 +0000

Creative But Soggy Burritos
1916 Telegraph Ave. (at 19th), Oakland
Uptown neighborhood
PH: 510.986.0151
Open Mon.–Sat., 11 a.m.–11 p.m. (till midnight on Friday and Saturday)
No reservations, major credit cards accepted
www.xolotaqueria.com

So I mentioned how there were some new restaurants near my workplace. One of them is the second taqueria serving up fancy burritos from the people behind Dona Tomas.

Xolo, which in the Mexican culture is a kind of “hairless dog,” is just a few yards up from Dona Tomas’ American bistro Flora across from Oakland’s Fox Theater. But the narrow restaurant painted in a distinctive aqua blue is more like Tacubaya, Dona Tomas’ first taqueria in Berkeley.

But Xolo has a more limited menu, and it also seats fewer people since the bulk of the restaurant is taken up by the open kitchen in the center. Still, a line starts up soon after the lunch hour.

The décor could be describe as Chic Mexican Religious, with a variety of religious paintings around the walls. And every table has a religious figurine on top of the napkin dispenser. It has the two things you need for lunch: a saint to watch over you and hot sauce.

The casual spot works on a number system, so you order at the counter and find a seat in the front or in the tiny alcove above and wait for your food to be delivered by the friendly staff.

I dropped in a few times for lunch, and here are some of the items I tried:

This is the Surf ‘n Turf burrito ($8.95), filled with grilled carne asada, pinto beans, rice, cheese and shrimp. This is actually the second burrito I ordered here. (The first I tried was the Chile Verde for $8.50 but I didn’t take a photo of it.) Both burritos had the same annoying characteristic – they were too wet. The chile verde and the carne asada were in so much sauce that on the first bite the ingredients oozed out, making it really difficult to hold the burrito and eat.

Despite the soggy structure, the ingredients were fresh and tasty. There were a lot of the carne asada, but just a bit of the shrimp, which were tiny (don’t think jumbo). After two tries of the burritos, I learned that I either have to eat them with a fork and knife or keep the aluminum around it and slowly slurp my way down.

The bulk of the menu is made of up burritos (eight versions) and tacos (six types), but there are a few specials, including this Ensalada de Tacubaya ($7.75), a mixed green salad with shredded red cabbage, carrots, and avocado topped with roasted pumpkin seeds and dressed in a very light lemon vinaigrette. (The salad also comes with red onions, but I ordered mine without them.)

The salad is quite big but, of course, tastes really light because of the lemon vinaigrette. This is definitely a healthy item on the menu, although I wished they gave more than just two slices of avocado.

Another unusual item on the menu is the Danger Dog ($6.50), a bacon-wrapped hot dog that’s buried under a pile of pinto beans, cheese, pickled jalapenos, and avocado cubes all in a bolillo roll. You can see in the photo that the dog is totally buried, and I had to eat this with a fork and knife because there was no way I could lift it up.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed this hot dog. I think it was the comforting baked beans blending with the saltiness of the hot dog. The ingredients buried the flavor of the bacon, so I hardly noticed it was surrounding the dog, but I liked how all the ingredients seemed to blend together even though I’m sure it wasn’t healthy for me to eat all of this.

Speaking of unhealthy, the same time I tried the Danger Dog I ordered a bowl of churritos ($3.95), Xolo’s mini version of churros, which is the traditional fried dough stick eaten as a snack or dessert. I know I always say I don’t eat deep-fried foods, but I really wanted to see what the miniature churros would be like.

They actually weren’t as mini as I thought they would be, just short churros, each maybe two inches in length. They were freshly fried from the kitchen because they were hot. Even though they were freshly made, they didn’t have the lightness or bounce that I expected from a good churro. And they were covered with a lot of sugar. One order of churritos actually is a lot for one person as you can see in the photo.

Even though I’m not a big fan of Mexican food, I do like a good burrito for lunch because it hits the spot and is often a value buy. But the soggy burritos at Xolo doesn’t really excite me, despite the cool décor of the place and the fresh, quality ingredients used in the dishes. The menu might be different than your typical taqueria, but the execution is pretty standard.

Single guy rating: 2.25 stars (fancified burrito spot)

Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner

Test Kitchen: Oxtails Braised in Red Wine Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:53:00 +0000

In this month's Test Kitchen I tackle one of the biggies -- the Zuni Cafe Cookbook, one of the most lauded cookbooks of its time, written by Judy Rodgers, chef and owner of the San Francisco institution of the same name.

I got this cookbook as a gift, and for years it's mainly been a paperweight because of its hefty weight. The recipes are a mix of simple California-style salads to complicated roasts. The reason why Rodgers garnered a lot of accolades is because she really delves into every recipe and technique of cooking, which means a lot of reading.

So finally I busted open the book to test the braised oxtails recipe, which 48 percent of you voted for me to try. It was a clear winner over the shrimp in romesco sauce (20 percent), summer onion pancake (17 percent) and asparagus and rice soup (13 percent). I've been eating a lot of oxtails recently from this food truck parked near my work, so I've been interested in trying them out myself at home.

Full disclosure: I am lazy, so I didn't do everything from scratch, as is the expectations of Rodgers in the cookbook. For example, she expects you to make your own beef stock to be used in the recipe. I used store-bought stock. I am not that patient to make stock while also looking at 5 hours of cooking time for the oxtails. So sue me. Here's how it all went down in my kitchen:

Just like how Rodgers recommends pre-salting for her famous roast chicken recipe, she does the same for the oxtails, suggesting salting the oxtails two to three days before you plan to cook them. I got about 2 pounds (cutting in half the recipe), and didn't really have to worry about trimming any excess fat because my oxtails were beautifully presented when I bought them at the Piedmont Grocery. I used about half a tablespoon of salt, and kept the oxtails in the refrigerator.

On the day I cooked the oxtails, I began by reducing the beef stock. The recipe calls for four cups of beef stock that needs to be simmered until it's reduced by half. The recipe says it'll take about 30 minutes but it took longer for me, maybe because my stock was thin with little body since it's store bought.

After awhile, the stock reduced and it just needs to look syrupy, not necessarily thick. It kind of looks like chocolate sauce, huh?

In a skillet, I warmed some olive oil over medium heat and then added the oxtails to brown. Rodgers made sure to say that every side should be brown, and to be patient to make sure it's done correctly. (About 3-4 minutes for each side.)

Here's how the oxtails looked after browning. I removed them and placed them in the dutch oven that I'm going to use to braise them. Rodgers actually suggests a flameproof roasting pan but I wanted to use the dutch oven with the cover.

Then more reduction, this time the wine. The recipe calls for 1 -3/4 cup of red wine, either Cabernet, Syrah or Zinfandel. Something heavy to live up to the oxtails. I used my go-to Malbec from Argentina, where people revere red meat.

In the same skillet I used to brown the oxtails, I simmered the wine over medium high heat and scraped any bits that were left from the oxtails. The recipe also called for a "splash" of brandy, but I don't have brandy in my kitchen and wasn't about to buy a whole bottle just to use a splash.

After the wine reduced, I poured in the beef stock, blending the two and then set the pan aside. This is the braising liquid.

Now I had to assemble the braise. The first items to go into the dutch oven with the oxtails were a clove of garlic (cut in half), a bay leaf, several peppercorns (slightly cracked) and a twig of thyme.

Then went a small yellow onion, roughly diced, a few stalks of celery cut into 2-inch length, a carrot (also 2-inch length) and a cup of chopped tomatoes from a can. (The recipe actually calls for tomatoes from a can.)

Here's my dutch oven with all the ingredients snuggled around the oxtails. Once they were all in, I added the liquid so that it was one-third the depth of the oxtails. Then I covered the pot with parchment paper and put on the lid, placing everything in a pre-heated oven at 300 degrees. Now the braising, where I just sit and let this cook slowly and perfume my apartment with the wonderful smell of oxtail meat.

The recipe says it should take 3.5 to 4 hours, but Rodgers suggest you check the oxtails after 2.5 hours. The meat should be tender. If not, it goes back in the oven and she suggests checking every 30 minutes afterwards till done. After 2.5 hours, I checked and it was still tough, so I cooked for another 30 minutes and then it was tender. Rodgers also suggest to leave the lid slightly ajar to let some of the braising liquid evaporate, but there really wasn't much liquid in my pot so I didn't have to worry about letting the liquid evaporate.

And here's my oxtails after being cooked for roughly 3 hours. The recipe says to tip the pot so that the oil could settle to one side. As you let the oxtails cool, you can then begin to skim off some of the oil. But you know me. Lazy. So after awhile, I skimmed any oil I could see (not much) and just got ready to eat because I was hungry after nearly 5 hours of prep and cooking.

The recipe says that if you taste the vegetables and it has a weird texture, then you should run it through a food mill. But mine tasted fine, tender and keeping up its shape. So I left them as is.

And below is how it all turned out. You can serve the oxtails over polenta or mashed potatoes. I went with grits because I had some in my pantry. What do you think?

My tips and warnings about this recipe:

Plan ahead. With the pre-salting, the beef stock making (if you're not lazy like me), you actually have to spend days, maybe weeks, getting ready for this recipe. And I dedicated a whole Sunday afternoon to make the braise.
Make your vegetables pretty. If I knew I would plate my vegetables as is, I would have cut them more nicely and not as rough or coarse. I've seen places that use baby vegetables which probably would look beautiful on the plate.
Be careful not to let the braising liquid dry out. Mine almost did. If it looks like it's running low when you're checking the oxtails' doneness, then I would add either a bit more wine or beef stock. Just add a little at a time though so you don't make it too wet.

Ease of cooking: The braising part was a cinch, just sitting there waiting. And really, the rest of the recipe is simple, in terms of assembling your braise. I would say the toughest part (or laborious part) was reducing the stock and wine, and maybe skimming the oxtail fat.

Taste: I don't know if you can go wrong with oxtails, which are such a rich cut of meat with that glutinous fat with lots of flavor. So the overall dish tasted great. The wine makes the dish taste a bit richer and not just like another beef/vegetable stew recipe. I could have made my oxtails a bit more tender, maybe a half an hour longer, but it was still good and tasty.

Overall grade: A. Not surprisingly, I loved the recipe, partly because I love oxtails. While it was time consuming and laboriously, it all tasted great at the end. I would make this again for a dinner because it has that "wow" factor.

Don't forget to vote for this month's Test Kitchen poll on the upper right hand column. I'm featuring one of celebrity Chef Tyler Florence's many cookbooks. I have a couple of his cookbooks, and he's constantly releasing a new one. But this is a classic, "Tyler's Ultimate" partly inspired by his old Food Network show of the same name. Now he's busy chasing food trucks.

Off the Grid: Gourmet Ghetto in Berkeley

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:44:00 +0000

The bulk of the food truck movement has been happening in San Francisco, and I and many other East Bay foodies have been waiting for the food trucks to roll into our neighborhoods. While there are a few sporadic sightings, none have taken the shape of the various Off the Grid gatherings in the city.

But earlier this summer, OTG made it to the East Bay, fittingly parking in Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto. This being Berkeley, OTG arrived only after negotiating with nearby businesses (which includes Saul's Deli, the Cheeseboard, Gregoire, and all the food places in Epicurious Garden). OTG, the Berkeley version, runs every Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m. on a block of Shattuck Avenue between Rose and Vine Streets.

I dropped by last Wednesday to check out the crowds and the food trucks. It was actually smaller than I expected, but still gathered about seven or eight food trucks. As you can expect, the crowd was a mix of families and UC Berkeley students.

I like to check out food trucks I've never heard before and while there were a few familiar faces, there were a few I haven't tried like this one called Fins on the Hoof. They had a few fish dishes, some fried, some not. But I wasn't in a fishy mood.

I love the grassroots signs of 510Burgers. But a lot of the items looked, of course, like a lot of red meat for me, so I kept on searching.

In a way to keep the area businesses in people's minds, this guy from Saul's Deli was passing out free pickles that were quite popular, especially for those waiting in the long lines.

I ended up getting food at 3-Sum Eats, a food truck I've never tried and which happened to have one of the longest lines at OTG. This truck is by Chef Ryan Scott, who once cooked at Myth Cafe and Mission Beach Cafe and is probably more known for being a cheftestant on Top Chef. Along with catering and a new brunch pop up, Chef Scott rolls out this food truck. But he wasn't manning the truck on this night.

I got the pulled pork Cubana, which was incredible. Here's why: it was PACKED with tender pulled pork. This Cubana was huge. The sliver of ham was almost ridiculous on top of the pile of pulled pork. The oddly pale yellow sauce was a poblano aioli, and I just enjoyed the nicely toasted bun and combination of the pork, aioli, and pickled peppers. The sandwich, only $8, really filled me up.

Which makes this photo look odd, considering how full I was from the Cubana. But 3-Sum Eats also makes home-made Twinkies, and I had to try them because Twinkies were my favorite growing up until I realized how much saturated fat they had. But since these were home-made, they didn't need any preservatives. It's sold two for $3, and it tasted great but I felt the texture was more cake-like than Twinkie-like. I remember Twinkies being lighter, almost like sponge cake. Still, these were good, especially the vanilla buttercream filling.

Despite being full, I felt I had to try one more thing, and that's how I ended up at the Taco Guys' truck. Even though I'm not a fan of soft tacos, I was intrigued by its special taco made with lamb with a Moroccan twist.

The taco had amazingly tender lamb with cucumber, yogurt and red onions. It worked well together although a bit difficult to eat. Still, this is street food at its finest so I made do.

North Berkeley is still a bit of a trek for me from Oakland, but it was worth checking out. As I walked to BART, I noticed that many of the nearby restaurants in the Gourmet Ghetto was bustling for a Wednesday night, so it didn't look like the food trucks were stealing away business. Everyone seemed to be living happily side by side. Can I get a round of cumbaya, everybody?

Chotto in San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Izakaya that’s Casual but Stylish
3317 Steiner St. (between Lombard and Chestnut), San Francisco
Marina neighborhood
PH: 415.441.2223
Open Sun.–Thu., 5:30–11 p.m.; Fri.–Sat., 5:30 p.m.–midnight
Reservations, major credit cards accepted
www.chottosf.com

Chotto opened last December, riding the current wave of Japanese-style izakayas opening up around town. Izakayas are casual bars specializing in small bites, especially if they’re grilled or skewered, and Chotto takes it to a premium level with its contemporary settings and innovative dishes.

This all fits in perfectly with the Marina neighborhood, where Chotto took over the spot previously housing a fancy Vietnamese restaurant. I dropped by for dinner with my friend Ken on a recent Friday night, and while the restaurant décor is definitely stylish, it also felt cozy and fun.

The layout, which features a large bar section, does seem smaller than when the space was Three Seasons. And it’s especially evident by the two-tops lined up along the wall. The tables are so close you feel like you’re sitting in one long communal table.

Izakayas are like the place for happy hour in Japan, so there’s a lot of eating and drinking. So we started with some cocktails. I ordered the Sochu Cocktail ($7), made with the Japanese distilled alcohol (made from rice or wheat) known as sochu and cucumber juice. (I’m a big fan of cucumber juice, and love it in any kind of cocktail.)

As for the menu, Ken and I ordered separately because Ken’s a vegetarian who eats seafood while I was going to hit the meats. But of course like a lot of places that sell small plates around the city, our server must have thought we were sharing because the plates came in random order and it turned out that much of the first few plates were for me while Ken was left just drinking.

So here’s what we ate in the order they arrived:

First up was my order of uni hotate ($12), a beautifully plated dish of raw Hokkaido scallops, with uni or sea urchin sandwiched between the scallops and dressed with shiso, olive oil and tamari soy. While the uni was creamy and luscious, the scallops did have an odd off taste to it, almost metallic. So maybe it wasn’t the day’s freshest scallops, but the overall dish was saved by its presentation and the lovely tamari soy sauce.

Just as beautiful was Ken’s order of kanisu ($8) or salad of rock crab meat, ginger, and cucumber served in a champagne glass. Ken enjoyed the salad, which was light and fresh with a lot of crab meat.

This was my meat heaven, which was the kushiyaki sampler ($14), four skewers that showcase some of Chotto’s popular charcoal-grilled skewers. On this night, my sampler included a skewer of kamo (duck breast), gyu (beef ribeye), tontoro (pork jowl) and negima (chicken thighs).

All the skewers were cooked slightly on the rare side, even the chicken thighs (although it wasn’t raw). But that meant the meat was tender and juicy, and it was salty from the searing but not super salty. My favorite probably was the pork jowl (with its slight charred fat) and the chicken.

Then came my final order, which was a salad that I actually thought should have come before my sampler. This is the hatake sarada ($8), a warm salad of frisee and Japanese mushrooms, crispy bacon and topped with a poached organic egg. The salad was dressed in a garlic-ponzu dressing.

The salad was beautiful with lots of frisee that was a bit difficult to eat because of the size, and while the egg was perfectly oozing when I released the yolk, I didn’t really get why it was needed on the salad. There were also a lot of bacon chunks that settled to the bottom of the bowl.

Here’s an order Ken and I did share: the yaki onigiri ($6). Onigiri is the Japanese rice ball and Chotto’s version is grilled rice dressed lightly with soy sauce and stuffed with a bit of umeboshi, or plum. The rice ball is served with nori that you use to wrap the ball and then eat. (Keeping the nori or seaweed separate allows it to remain crispy.)

The onigiri was both our favorites. It had the perfect char from the grill that made it also slightly crunchy but still soft inside and filling.

While I was pretty much done with my dishes after the onigiri arrived, Ken was just starting. So after the long wait from his salad, he finally got his order of yasai ($6.50) or seasonal vegetables served with three different sauces. Ken especially loved the charred Brussel sprouts. He wasn’t sure what the other green was.

Ken’s last order was the ebi tempura ($7.50). Tempura are deep-fried foods, and Chotto makes its shrimp tempura with black tiger shrimp and serves it with an unagi sauce. Ken said it was fried perfectly, making it taste light and crunchy.

We decided to end our dinner with a dessert, tempted by the ginger crème brulee. The brulee had a nice caramelized top to crack into, but the custard inside was on the liquid side, and not really thick. It was almost like soup, even though it had a nice ginger flavor. It was topped by some candied ginger that was a bit soft and odd to me.

Despite a few minor misses with the scallops and crème brulee, overall both Ken and I enjoyed our orders. And it’s surprising that Chotto’s menu is under the helm of a native from Madrid, Spain – Chef Armando Justo, who got his Japanese culinary chops working at some of the city’s best Japanese restaurants like Ozumo and Yoshi’s.

I’m impressed by the plating of dishes coming out of Justo’s kitchen, but the food does seem to be on par with some other good izakayas closer to me. So while I won’t necessarily go all the way to the Marina for my izakaya fix, Chotto is a beautiful spot and has staked the claim for its izakaya territory in that part of town.

Single guy rating: 3.75 stars (stylish skewers)

Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner

Fro-Yo Rankings: Blush in San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 07:04:00 +0000

Frozen yogurt doesn’t seem as popular as it was a couple of years ago, and in fact a few stores have dropped off my list because they’ve closed. But I still find a good cup of fro-yo refreshing and a nice healthy option during warm weather.

This weekend I was sitting in the sun all day watching a Giants game, so even though the fog was rolling in during the late afternoon, I had a craving for something cold. So I walked over to Blush, a fro-yo shop that opened a block from AT&T Park awhile back.

In fact, when you walk in there’s two big flat-screen TVs mounted on the wall showing the baseball game (or in my case the post-game show). What’s interesting about Blush is that along with selling four to five flavors of fro-yo, it also sells Hawaiian shaved ice. (I really wanted to try the shaved ice to see how they stack up to what I grew up with in Hawaii, but I had to check out the fro-yo first.)

Blush also promotes the fact that its yogurt is made with organic ingredients, and instead of being made from powder it actually includes live cultures.

The flavors included original tart, signature Blush (which was pomegranate, but not sure if the flavor changes), guava, pineapple, peanut butter, and cookies n’ cream. I ended up getting a small guava ($3.50) and added the optional toppings for $1. (Blush has an odd policy of selling toppings as an four for $1 set price, so even if you don’t want to top it with four kinds of things, there’s no flexibility. You have to choose four things.)

Luckily, Blush has a nice assortment of toppings, and I’m all for the fresh fruits so my cup looked really colorful with the fresh fruits I chose.

The guava flavor actually has a sweet tart taste similar to original fro-yo flavor, but with a pink-purplish color. I liked the flavor but I felt the texture lacked any body or creaminess. It leaned more on the light side, which probably is OK to most people, but I’ve had creamy fro-yo that I really love. Blush does the trick for post-game convenience, but I wouldn’t make the effort to go all the way down to China Basin.

Single Guy’s Fro-yo Rankings:

1. Red Mango, Palo Alto
2. Pinkberry, Southern California and San Jose
3. Fraiche, Palo Alto and San Francisco
4. Mr. Green Bubble, Oakland
5. Tuttimelon, San Francisco
6. YoCup, San Francisco
7. Icebee, San Francisco
8. Yoppi, San Francisco
9. Jubili, San Francisco
10. Tutti Frutti, Oakland
11. SoGreen, San Francisco
12. Yogurt Harmony, Berkeley
13. Blush, San Francisco
14. Creations, Berkeley
15. Cultivé Frozen Yogurt, San Francisco
16. The Loving Cup, San Francisco
17. Yogen Früz, San Francisco

Blush, 219 King St., San Francisco. PH: 415.882.9889. Open daily from 11 a.m. www.blushyogurt.com

Macaroni Soup Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 06:07:00 +0000

So earlier this year when I was in Hong Kong, I spent mornings slurping up a classic breakfast dish -- the macaroni soup.

My Mom used to make this for us for lunch, but in Hong Kong it's popular among westernized cafes for breakfast. It's typically made simply with macaroni pasta in chicken broth with strips of cooked ham. Recently I decided to make a fancier version of the macaroni soup by doctoring up my chicken broth ala Sandra Lee, and then adding peas like what my Mom used to do.

I noticed my challenge was finding the right size of macaroni. Seems like not many stores carry traditional macaroni, and instead sell elbow pasta that seems a bit smaller than the macaroni I remember. I ended up buying a Mac n' Cheese box, dumping the cheese, and just using the macaroni. And the result is the recipe below. Enjoy!

Copyright 2011 by Cooking With The Single Guy

Ingredients
2 cups macaroni pasta
1.5 cup chopped cooked ham
2 cup frozen peas
1 can chicken broth
4 cups water
1 fennel, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 carrot sticks, roughly chopped
1 tomato, halved
5 to 7 Szechuan peppercorns
2 T Canola oil
Salt for seasoning

Start by making the broth. In a pot, warm the oil over medium high heat and add the onion and fennel, cooking for about two minutes to soften. Then add broth, water, carrot, tomato, and peppercorns and bring to boil. Then reduce to a simmer and let cook for about 1 hour.

When done, pour broth through a strainer or fine mesh sieve. Reserve broth for when you're ready to eat.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni per box instructions. Drain and set aside when done.

When making your macaroni soup, warm up enough broth you need for how many bowls you'll be serving up. Add enough ham and peas and let the broth warm them up, about one to two minutes. Season with salt for more flavor. Then add cooked macaroni, loosening it up in the broth, and laddle into soup bowls to serve.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Hawker Fare in Oakland

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:14:00 +0000

Sophisticated Rice Bowls as Street Food
2300 Webster St. (at 23rd), Oakland
Uptown neighborhood
PH: 510.832.8896
Open lunch, Mon.–Fri., 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; dinner, Thu.–Sat., 5–9:30 p.m. Closed Sunday
No reservations, major credit cards accepted
hawkerfare.com

The culinary scene has been blooming in Oakland, and lucky for me some of it has happened right in front of me -- either in my neighborhood near Rockridge or Piedmont Avenue or around my Oakland offices in the Uptown area.

I've complained about my lunch options in the past, but now my complaint is that I'm spending too much for lunch with all these fancy sit-down places. One of the latest openings garnering a lot of attention and long lines is Hawker Fare.

It's no wonder this Southeast Asian casual restaurant has gotten instant attention. Its owner is Chef James Syhabout, the homegrown boy who created the sublime Commis restaurant in Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. While Commis is a Michelin-star establishment with innovative fine-dining creations, Hawker Fare is Syhabout's homage to the street food of the Southeast Asian region.

Everyone's also probably heard the story of how his new casual restaurant is in the same spot that was once the Thai restaurant of his mom. The torch has officially been passed.

Because Hawker Fare is right near my office, I've visited it a few times for lunch and then recently for dinner after it extended its hours at the end of the week. In the beginning, there were a lot of people checking out the place, with crowds hovering outside. But thankfully, the wait isn't very long for one person because of the many two-tops, and because most people are just ordering one course from the simple menu, so they don't take that long to eat.

Even as some of the early opening crowds have died down, it's still packed, especially on a Friday night. And with a no reservations policy, it's smart to get there early.

The restaurant has a simple decor, but plays up the street vibe with a huge graffiti mural along one wall. Just for fun, there's even a disco ball that sparkles at night. Most of the servers are young and friendly, but it does seem like they don't talk very much about the food. Maybe that's because the food speaks for itself.

As mentioned earlier, the menu is pretty simple with a few snack items like roasted peanuts and green papaya salad. (At dinner they sometimes have specials like mussels.) Then the rice bowls are the main offerings, which currently lists six types and one kao pak, or rice congee.

Here's what I ate over the last few visits:

I started simply with the first rice dish on the menu, called the Kao Mun Gai ($9), or poached chicken served with fresh cucumbers and herbs. This classic chicken rice dish is served with a salted mung bean sauce. I should note that the servers don't really explain how you should eat the dish with the sauce, whether the sauce is for dipping or if you should pour it all over? A bit of educating would be helpful.

Still, the chicken is amazingly tender and clean in flavors. The fresh herbs with the cucumber, makes the dish refreshing but slightly on the bland side. That's until I tried the sauce, a pungent thick sauce that was a unique Asian flavor yet undiscovered by my palate. It was a little like a combination of hoisin sauce and fish sauce. I really liked the sauce, and would definitely pour it all over the chicken to give it that oomph and bring the overall dish to life.

Side note: The chicken is cooked with some bone bits still attached, indicating the freshness of the chicken. Because some bones are attached, the meat looks a bit pink near the bone. I actually overheard some people telling their servers that they worried that the chicken was undercooked, but they were told that's how it should be prepared. I wasn't worried too much about it because it didn't look raw as much as it looked like fresh chicken meat my mom used to make for dinner.

The Lemongrass Chicken rice bowl ($9) was actually my least favorite of the rice bowls. The chicken has a yellow tint because it's marinated with tumeric. The chicken was cooked nicely and the rice is always done well, but I guess I wasn't that excited by the accompany sauce for this rice bowl. The mixture of macerated chiles with lime, garlic and fish sauce was a bit average and not transforming of the dish when mixed with the chicken.

The Tom Khem-style rice dish ($9) highlighted by three pieces of 24-hour braised pork belly was thoroughly enjoyable, from the rich fatty pork pieces with slight five-spice flavor to the pickled vegetables underneath. The sauce was a sweet soy with mustard that had an underlining kick like horseradish. All of the accompaniments in this dish to the pork belly were all designed to cut into the richness so that you didn't feel like you pigged out.

An interesting note: the kitchen at Hawker Fare is run by Chef Justin Yu, who also has worked in the kitchen of Momofuku Ssam Bar -- the New York restaurant of David Chang that's famous for its pork belly buns.

A couple of times I ordered (for the first time in my life) the Thai iced tea ($2.50), which is a deeply brewed tea served with lots of ice cubes and beautifully marbled by the pouring of sweetened condensed milk on the top. I just loved the caramel color of the tea created by the milk, and the flavor leaned more toward the sweet side. It was like drinking ice cream because of the milky flavor.

Between Hawker Fare's Thai iced tea and the Hong Kong milk tea (also made with sweetened condensed milk) that I've been drinking at Out the Door, I'm worried that I'm gaining weight from all the sugar.

During my visit for dinner, I decided to order a starter since I had more time to eat than my lunch breaks. So I tried Hawker Fare's version of the Green Papaya Salad ($6.50). The salad is not like your typical Vietnamese green papaya salad. There's the julienned strips of green papaya for crunch, but there's a pungent flavor from the som tum muddled with dried shrimp, fish sauce, tamarind and lime juice. The added string beans and cherry tomatoes created a more colorful presentation. I don't know if all the added ingredients complicated the dish. In some ways I find the brilliant nature of a green papaya salad is the clean simple flavors. This version had a slightly sweeter taste with more hints of the dried shrimp.

I forgot to mention that all the rice bowl comes with the option of adding a fried farm egg for an extra $1.50. The servers ask you if you want to add one every time you order. So finally for my dinner, when I ordered my Issan Sausage rice bowl ($9.50), I decided to top it with the egg.

The Issan sausage is a pork meatball sausage made into square patties and then served with a mixture of fresh herbs. This is the only rice bowl that wasn't served with an accompanying sauce because the sausages are glazed and grilled. The sauce comes from the light glaze. As for the egg, I don't know if I can say it really added anything to the dish.

I really loved the savory flavor of the sausage mixed with the sweetness of the glaze, making this my favorite rice bowl at Hawker Fare, I believe.

Most of the desserts are based on the soft serve ice cream from Straus Dairy, like a cone or sundae. But I'm always a sucker for affogato, which is the Italian dessert made with ice cream and espresso. I don't drink coffee, but I love coffee ice cream and affogatto is like the origins of coffee ice cream. At Hawker Fare, a big serving of the Straus Dairy soft serve is brought to your table with a tiny pour of espresso ($4).

I actually felt that the coffee was weak because it didn't seem to hold up to the strong vanilla and sweet flavor of the ice cream. I wanted more of a balance between the coffee and the ice cream.

As you can see, I've been eating well lately since Hawker Fare opened up. The early buzz was mixed because I think people expected more from Chef Syhabout, especially after eating at Commis. But Hawker Fare isn't supposed to be an extension of Commis, but more an interpretation of Syhabout's childhood favorites executed in a highly technical way to show off the ingredients. It might be a lot more than what you'd pay for rice bowls in Chinatown, but you'll leave appreciating the perfectly cooked meats with the freshness of the herbs.

Single guy rating: 3.25 stars (Simply Dressed Rice Bowls)

Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner

Bloem 'n Sugar in San Francisco--CLOSED

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:35:00 +0000

UPDATE (11/30/11): Noticed this place has closed up after a short run. Not sure what happened. Too bad.

Since I rely on BART to get me into the city, I'm quite familiar with the Powell Street station. Recently when I was in San Francisco, I got off at the station and noticed a waffle shop in a tiny corner shop at the entrance of the Westfield San Francisco Centre.

The spot used to be a magazine shop, so it's not a very big space. But when making waffles, all you need is room for the waffle irons and the topping station. This new waffle store is called Bloem 'n Sugar, and it touts that it's the only people selling Brussels and Liege waffles. I can't tell you what's the difference between these two types of Belgian waffles, but I can tell you Bloem has a lot of waffle dishes to choose from (think of them as sundaes).

It was a bit overwhelming trying to decide which waffle dish to choose, so I just went with the "classic," which was described on the menu as waffles topped with strawberries, bananas, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and Belgian-style chocolate sauce ($7).

This isn't the kind of treat that I typically have (I'm not a big sundae person), so you know I'm doing this just for the blog. I was a bit scared when I got my waffles, because anything with all that whipped cream looked larger than it was. But I can't lie, I totally scarfed this baby down. The waffles were freshly made and warm, and tasted light and airy. The whipped cream was just as light, so I didn't feel like I was eating a lot of calories. And the strawberries and bananas were fresh, not like strawberries that's soaking in sugar sauce like some yogurt shops.

I got the Brussels waffles on this first visit, so now I'm tempted to go back to see what the Liege waffles are like. And to maybe try the "Bananutella" (bananas with Nutella). I just have to wait till I've jogged a few more miles.

Bloem 'n Sugar, Westfield San Francisco Centre (Concourse Level near Abercrombie & Fitch), 865 Market St., San Francisco. PH: 415.615.0064. Open daily. www.bloemnsugar.com

If You're in Virginia, Say Hi to Cafe Stella

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 02:20:00 +0000

One of my best friends in the world is Stella, who used to live in the Bay Area and we'd bake together sometimes. But when she moved a few years ago to Virginia, it was a sad, sad day.

But she and her husband, Mariusz, had a dream, and that was to own their own place. And when they landed in Norfolk, Virginia, they knew right away they had to bring a little bit of California to the area. And that has now percolated into their own cafe, where Mariusz roasts fresh coffee beans every morning and Stella wakes up early to make her baked goods.

Cafe Stella just opened in a neighborhood called Ghent Norfolk. So if you're reading this and live nearby, you should drop by. Stella has amazing taste (it's kind of shabby chic) so you'll probably find a comfortable spot that's bohemian and fun. I still have to plan my trip to check it out myself, but until then, drop on in and tell them The Single Guy sent you. (Who knows? Maybe you'll get a free scone. :)

Cafe Stella, 1907 Colonial Ave., Norfolk, Virginia. Open weekdays, 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PH: 757.625.0461. Visit them on Facebook.

Photos courtesy of Cafe Stella

Casserole House in Oakland

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 02:26:00 +0000

Korean Soup for a Chilly Night
4301 Telegraph Ave. (at 43rd), Oakland
Temescal neighborhood
PH: 510.601.6001
Open Mon.-–Sat., 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sun., 4–10 p.m.
Reservations, major credit cards accepted

So I’ve mentioned how I live near a lot of Korean restaurants, and I’ve been slowly educating myself about Korean cuisine.

One restaurant in my neighborhood is simply called Casserole House, which doesn’t really sound Korean but I’m sure the Korean characters in the sign probably calls it something else. And Casserole House is on the same block as the popular Sahn Maru, which I reviewed earlier this year.

I remember walking past Casserole House on my way to Sahn Maru and noticing how it was more busy. But when I visited Casserole House, I realized it was because it’s half the size of Sahn Maru. Still, it has a cozier feel with décor that’s more homey and stylish than the open utilitarian feel of Sahn Maru.

Casserole House also seems like it’s run by only two women because they’re the only two I see when I’ve dined there. I mention it only because that means the service can sometimes feel lacking when the restaurant fills up. The women aren’t as engaging because they’re just busy bussing the tables.

As for the menu, you definitely find more casseroles than any other place, along with a nice variety of hot and cold dishes, noodles dishes, and Korean BBQ. Because this is called the Casserole House, I wanted to order a casserole. But my waitress wouldn’t let me, discouraging me from ordering from the dozen of choices because she said they’re designed for two. Drats! Discrimination against the Single Guy once again.

The waitress recommended I try the tofu soups, or soon, which she says is the same as the casseroles except more suitable for one. So basically the “casseroles” are just the Korean soups.

Disappointed, I defaulted to my typical Korean food choice, which is BBQ. So I ordered the daeji bulgogi ($14.95), which is thinly sliced pork but it’s actually broiled instead of barbequed.

Before my bulgogi arrived, the parade of panchan of Korean side dishes started to arrive. What I find unique about Casserole House is they start with an egg pancake that totally blew my mind. It was the texture of this simple pancake that I totally enjoyed, a crispy edge that made me ignore the slight shimmer of oil. I think the ingredients included potatoes and scallions, but I can’t say for sure. Anyone know what it’s called? Because this is my favorite Korean food to eat.

Then came other small dishes, but I felt the other panchan at Casserole House was pretty pedestrian. They were the typical bean sprouts, kim chee, steamed broccoli, marinated potatoes, and dried tiny fish. There were a lot of plates, just nothing exciting like the pancake.

When my daeji bulgogi arrived, it was a large platter of thinly sliced pork, but the texture looked weird, like it was covered with powder. But it was just the house spicy sauce. The flavor was just OK, nothing spectacular, but I appreciated how the pork was so thinly sliced. I just wish the sauce was more juicy than fuzzy. (Hey, that’s a new word for dining reviews, fuzzy food!)

Because this is called Casserole House, I still felt like I needed to try the casseroles, even if they’re just like soon soup. So I recruited my friends Vera and Ray to come with me for dinner, especially since they also live in the neighborhood.

We arrived for dinner and ended up ordering the black goat casserole ($29). They had a lot of other interesting casseroles, like octopus and beef, and pig’s feet. There’s even a vegetarian options. All casseroles, however, do start with the base of a lot of vegetables that’s stewed together with the other specialty items.

(Note: We got the same type of panchan that I got when I came on my own, and the Korean pancake was still amazing even though the shape wasn’t as pretty as my first time. I guess things can never live up to your first love.)

Our waitress set up the tableside hot plate, which will keep our casserole hot as we eat. Then a few minutes later she brought out the huge casserole (I can see why you can’t eat it by yourself) in a large metal casserole pan. The soup was still bubbling.

The casserole also came with this sauce, but the waitress didn’t say how we were supposed to use it. It looked like a mixture of hot mustard and ketchup with some kind of black sauce that had a lot of grain. I just mixed them all up and poured a little into my individual bowl of black goat stew.

The sauce was actually light and slightly sweet and tart, not spicy at all. In a way, it helped cut into the richness of the goat meat.

I had black goat meat at Sahn Maru and didn’t enjoy it, but Casserole House’s version was way better because of the tenderness of the strips of goat meat. The soup flavor was also nice and full-bodied, and all the other ingredients were nicely cooked, not overcooked at all. Eating the casserole with a side of rice was a very complete and satisfying dinner.

Korean casseroles are really just huge soups with lots of ingredients in them to add depth of flavor. With the chilly summer we’ve been having in the Bay Area, I’m sure I’ll be back to try them again at Casserole House.

Single guy rating: 3 stars (enjoy the pancake)

Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner

Porchetta Sandwich Taste Off

noreply@blogger.com (Single Guy Ben) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:16:00 +0000

Awhile back I started seeing restaurants offering porchetta sandwiches as a lunch option, so I thought it would be a good time to do a taste comparison to see who offered the best porky goodness on a roll.

Porchetta (I only recently learned that it’s pronounced por-KET-ta) is an Italian delicacy, often found sold from food carts on the streets of Italy. It’s made from a whole pig that’s been deboned and then stuffed with offal parts and herbs and then slowly roasted, traditionally over a wood oven. It’s then sliced up and served as is or as a sandwich.

I feel the signs of good porchetta (and granted, I’m not a porchetta expert) are moist, tender meat with a bit of fat and crispy, crackling skin. The flavor also should have a nice saltiness and flavor of herbs.

When I started looking for porchetta sandwiches, I was surprised to find many of them right around my Oakland neighborhood. And places that I would expect to find a porchetta sandwich, such as Il Cane Russo at the San Francisco Ferry Building, actually stopped offering porchetta. So it turned out harder to find this fatty pork sandwich than I thought. (If you know of a place I missed, be sure to let me know in the comments section.)

So here’s the results of my recent tour of porchetta sandwiches in San Francisco and Oakland. I start with the bottom and end with my favorite.

Plum Restaurant’s Porky Food Cart, Oakland

The sandwich: Porchetta with arugula and shaved fennel, pickled radish, and garlic aioli. ($9)

How to get it: Sold outside the Plum restaurant at 2214 Broadway (near Grand) for weekday lunch. Also available: lemonade and cookies

The popular Plum Restaurant, opened by Oakland resident and Chef Daniel Patterson, who also owns San Francisco’s COI restaurant, started selling porchetta sandwiches from a cart outside the restaurant. Since I work in the area, it was easy for me to pick up sandwich and bring it back to my office.

Because it’s pre-made, the sandwich suffers from the fact that it’s served cold (or at least room temperature). The meat looked almost shredded, and looked primarily white with not much fat. I wasn’t a fan of the bun (maybe ciabatta?) because it was chewy and difficult to eat. The sandwich was filled with baby arugula and thinly sliced fennel (which seems to be the classic accompaniment for porchetta sandwiches) and some pickled radish. I didn’t taste much of the garlic aioli until maybe near the end of the sandwich. It’s a fancier sandwich than what I’d typically get at other nearby sandwich shops, but it didn’t make me crave to go back to get one. It was good but not spectacular.

Barbacco Eno Trattoria, San Francisco

The sandwich: Slow-roasted shoulder porchetta with roasted peach rucola and red onion alla piastra, served with arugula and fennel salad and pickled vegetables. ($11)

How to get it: Served for lunch at the San Francisco restaurant at 220 California St. You can order it online so it’s ready for pick up as early as 11:30 a.m.

Barbacco is the wine bar next door to Perbacco, and it has this convenient service where you can order food online for pick up. That worked out for me because I wanted to try its porchetta sandwich but it’s only offered during weekday lunch. Since I work in Oakland, I had to catch BART to pick up the sandwich and bring it back to work within my lunch hour. So having the ability to pre-order online helped a lot because my sandwich was waiting for me when I arrived at 11:30 a.m. to pick it up.

The sandwich is the most expensive one around, and the fanciest, definitely a sign of a restaurant sandwich. Along with the tender shoulder pork, there was the red onion alla piastra, which is basically caramelized onions. The peach rucola offers bits of sweetness to counter the savory pork. It was like an accent to the eating experience. But the peach and onion seemed to be the only thing offering moisture in the sandwich because there wasn’t any type of aioli or spread. The bread was also a bit chewy to eat (starting to think Italian bread is always chewy) and because it sat in the container on the BART ride back, it was a bit wet around the edges, probably from the red onion alla piastra. The huge side salad filled out the lunch, and I’m always a fan of Barbacco’s pickled vegetables, which helps to cut into the richness of the porchetta. I liked the added ingredients to the classic porchetta sandwich, but the high price doesn’t make it much of a value.

Adesso, Oakland

The sandwich: Porchetta served up in a toasted baguette with wilted arugula. ($9)

How to get it: Served at the butcher counter for lunch at Adesso, the wine bar at 4395 Piedmont Ave. (at Pleasant Valley).

I literally can walk down the street to Adesso, and while this is often a place to hang out for happy hour, it also serves up a porchetta sandwich for lunch. Living so close, I can pick up a sandwich and bring it back home and still eat it warm.

While the earlier sandwiches I tried were served cold or room temperature, Adesso’s porchetta sandwich has the advantage of being made-to-order on toasted bread. I love any sandwich that’s grilled or toasted, so that gave the edge to Adesso’s porchetta sandwich even though the porchetta meat, while tender, seemed a bit shredded instead of being thick. There was a bit of oil from the fat, which helped moisten the meat and the arugula. I don’t think there were any additional sauce, so it was mostly just the natural flavors of the porchetta. It was simple but satisfying.

Marin Sun Farms Butcher Shop, Rockridge Market Hall, Oakland

The sandwich: Thinly sliced porchetta served with arugula and fennel and crispy skin bits. ($9.50)

How to get it: Served for lunch, typically on Saturdays in front of the butcher counter in Rockridge’s Market Hall in Oakland.

Marin Sun sets up a table on Saturdays to sell its porchetta sandwiches. I can’t say for sure if it’s sold any other time because I once dropped by on a Sunday and I didn’t see any porchetta sandwiches. The sandwich itself is huge. When I bought mine, I had to take it back home so I could get a knife to cut it in half.

The thin slices of the porchetta makes me feel like I’m eating a roast beef sandwich, and because the sandwiches are pre-made, it also is served cold or room temperature. The bun was the typical chewy Italian bread that I’m not a fan of, and the sandwich tastes a bit dry at times because there doesn’t seem to be any type of spread to moisten it. But what makes this sandwich a winner in my eyes, along with the huge size of it all, are all the crispy skin bits mixed in to give you a surprising crunch now and then when eating. A lot of other porchetta sandwiches shy on giving the crispy skin, but not Marin Sun’s version, which definitely has a lot of it for an amazing crunch.

Roli Roti Gourmet Rotisserie, San Francisco

The sandwich: Thick slices of porchetta with caramelized onions, fresh arugula and relish. ($8.50)

How to get it: Served up from the food stand parked every Saturday for lunch at the farmers market in San Francisco’s Ferry Building.

There’s a reason why there’s always a line forming from the Roli Roti truck at the Ferry Plaza farmers market. The porchetta sandwich is legendary here, and it’s no surprise that it’s my No. 1 pick.

I’ve eaten the sandwich several times before, and it definitely benefits from the fact that it’s made-to-order, so the porchetta is nice and warm. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also tasty, and comes with tender caramelized onions and some kind of relish that adds a nice contrasting flavor to cut into the richness of the porchetta. Again, not a big fan of the Italian bread, but the shape makes it easier to eat than other porchetta sandwiches I ate elsewhere. Along with the bits of salt that you sometimes bite into when eating the pork, you also get some bits of the crispy skin (not as much as Marin Sun’s but still definitely present). The only hassle about Roli Roti’s prochetta sandwich is the sometimes long wait, but I typically go early and my wait sometimes is only 15 minutes. Either way, this sandwich is definitely worth the wait and is the standard I compare all porchetta sandwiches to.