Author: virgoinwonderland

Lately, Chef Chris Costentino has been garnering attention as a contestant on the Food Network’s “The Next Iron Chef.”  But let’s not forget how he got there: his food. 

Incanto’s menu is not for the faint of heart.  Those who get squeamish at the thought of animal innards or organs you never knew existed, need to stay away.  Far, far away.  And the Chef is so in love with ALL parts of the pig that he even has his own “salumi club” of sorts, where he and his business partner produce their own salumi for its members and some restaurants.

Costentino’s restaurant, Incanto, is rustic yet sophisticated and comfortable.  But it borders on a cheesy hotel coffee shop theme if it weren’t for the lighting and the bar.  But the restaurant’s brilliance is in its details.  From the complimentary house filtered sparkling water to the house-made bread, everything is done with care and expertise.  This shows in the preparation of many of his dishes.

We started with the Salumi Platter for two.  It’s served with a variety of marinated roasted and fresh veggies along with a house-made mustard, all of which were delectable and really rounded out the dish.  Proof again of the details.  The platter included pig’s terrine, head cheese, a beautifully fatty panchetta, and others.  The meats were all distinctively different, rich, and full bodied.  However, having too much of the terrine would have been too much for even me.

J. ordered the fabulous Braised Shortribs.  It was served with some bright and fresh caramelized pear puree, brussel sprouts, and mustard.  And the meat was fabulously tender, moist, and juicy.  It was like butter!  But if it weren’t for the mustard and pear to accompany it, the meat itself would have lacked deep flavor.  A surprising disappointment.  It was technically perfect, but it lacked a bit of soul.

I had the Spaghettini with Cured Tuna Heart.  It was served with parsley and a raw egg yolk to toss while hot, making a sauce.  I enjoyed the dish immensely with the rich egg, freshness of the herbs, and strong flavor of the tuna.  But the tuna bordered on too fishy for my taste.  I know that’s the flavor the Chef was going for, but it was a little strong for me.  I would, however, order the dish again because it all married together so well.  And that pasta was cooked so perfectly al dente.  Just perfect.

For dessert, J. ordered the Chocolate Ganache Cake and I got the Apple Cobbler.  Both were, to our surprise, the highlights of the meal!  My cobbler was buttery, the flavor of the fruit fresh and strong, and the creme perfectly mild and sweet.  J’s chocolate was the perfect dessert for the chocoholic.  It was rich and full of dark sweet flavor.  She licked the plate clean.

I have to admit, I don’t know if I’ll be back for a while.  Some of the main ingredients were so strong that they were overwhelming my palate.  So much so that I have to say this place is for the truly sophisticated five-star establishment foodie.  Ironic because the decor, location, and overall atmosphere are not five-star material.  I hate to admit it, but Perbacco’s menu and preparations are much more my style.

Incanto – 1550 Church St. – San Francisco – 415.641.4500

Food trends.  You can’t avoid them if you enjoy eating at any white tablecloth restaurant. 

Long ago, it was pesto.  Pesto not just on pasta, but on chicken, mayo and aioli, bruschetta, you get the idea.  I’m so over it.

Then there were sun-dried tomatoes.  They were in salads, breads, pastas, pizzas, spreads, just about any and everything.  This trend hasn’t fully died, but it has died down.

Most recently, there has been the most annoying of all trends: foam.  What the hell is this all about?  Fancy foams that accompany a plate taste like nothing, look like nothing, and add absolutely nothing.  Enough said.

 Photo by J. Low

But now, there is a new trend on the horizon.  It’s called…fried chicken!  This is no new food innovation, of course.  It’s just our basic primal need for a big hunk of meat, fried.  I can get on board with this food trend!

Here are some places in San Francisco that have recently either helped start or jumped on the bandwagon of this trend.  Of course, there are so many other places to get some that I haven’t mentioned here, but feel free to place a comment and let me know about ones you’ve tried elsewhere.  I can’t vouch for the quality of each restaurant’s fried chicken since I haven’t tried them all, but I have visited a few of these places, and they make very tasty versions, indeed.

Town Hall (San Francisco)

Say what you will about the noise of this place, the inconsistant service, or the cavernous space.  Bottom line is the food here rocks!  There’s nothing like a plate of their expertly prepared fried chicken and finishing off your meal with an order of Butterscotch and Chocolate Pot de Creme.  It’s a heartattack of a meal but you’ll love every minute of it.

900 Grayson (Berkeley)

Their chicken and waffles (known as the “Demon Lover”) is the best version of the dish that I’ve ever tasted.  Perfectly crisp, perfectly flavored, hardly greasy, quality meat.  Simply mouth-watering.  Oh, and that homemade buttermilk waffle it’s served on ain’t so bad either.

Chez Panisse Cafe (Berkeley)

This legendary restaurant is known for it’s innovative use of local ingredients, perfectly prepared.  San Francisco Chronicle Food Editor, Michael Bauer’s recent blog entry touts the merits of their verson of this dish.  And apparently, it’s not to be missed.

PPQ (San Francisco)

Yes, I know this is a Vietnamese restaurant, but have you had their Five Spice Chicken?  To die for!  Once you try it, you’ll know why it’s on this list.  Just go.

Bakesale Betty’s (Oakland)

This place has gotten so much attention lately, but their lines out the door say it all.  They’re all waiting to get their hands on Betty’s now famous Fried Chicken Sandwich.  She makes the chicken in-house, places two breast pieces on each huge sandwich, and then piles on a vinegary, spicy cole slaw for a great flavor and texture contrast.  Not to be missed.

Man, why did I write this post without a good piece of fried chicken on hand?  What was I thinking?

I’ve been putting off a visit to Perbacco for numerous reasons for almost a year.  But J.Low and I wanted to celebrate a special occassion, and we finally decided to pay them a visit.

We got there early, but the place filled up fast.  The decor was sleek, modern, and full of brick walls, light hardwoods, white accents, and expansive spaces.  It was all very clean and sophisticated, but not stuffy.

Perbacco is known for their housemade cured meats, so we ordered the Salumi Misti.  It was a plate full of some of the Chef’s favorite preparations including some pork pate and five different kinds of cured meats.  Some had the sweetness of a rich red wine, some had a saltier bite, and others a buttery flavor and texture.  Just heaven and not to be missed.

We also ordered the Organic Peach and Arugula Salad with shaved ricotta salata and toasted marcona almonds, which were more buttery and lighter in taste and texture than a regular almond.  The peaches were the most beautiful shades of bright yellow and deep pinks and reds.  The colors showed how wonderfully juicy, sweet, and vibrant the fruit was.  As J.Low stated, the peppery fresh arugula was the perfect foil for the sweet sunny peaches.  And the almonds and light sprinkling of ricotta cheese added to the dish’s textural complexity.  It was the simplest dish, but also the best of the whole night because of the quality of ingredients and excellent execution.

For my entree I ordered the Shortrib Pappardelle with a light sprinkling of melted parmigiano reggiano.  The pasta had the wonderful flavor and texture of housemade pasta.  And like J.Low said, it was cooked perfectly al dente.  And the shortrib sauce was full of meat that was buttery, earthy, and delicious.  I could’ve had another plate!

J.Low ordered the Shortrib Straccato with chanterelle mushrooms, fresh peas, and mashed potatoes.  Earthy, woodsy, and perfectly cooked is how we described the dish.  All the flavors on the plate married together so well.

We finished the meal with a Peach and Berry Tortino, which I didn’t think I would have room for.  But once I took one bite of the accompanying Peach Caramel gelato, I MADE room!  The tortino looked as if it would be dry, but my first bite proved how perfectly prepared it was.  It was moist yet crumbly, and the outer crust was almost crisp.  Another textural and taste winner.  It was almost like a sweeter cornbread (which makes sense since it was of course cornmeal) with berries on the bottom and a sprinkling of those sweet organic peaches on top.  And that gelato was truly yummy.

The service here was some of the best I’ve ever experienced in San Francisco.  Everything was paced well (not too slow, not too fast), the busboys cleared our plates promptly and always politely with a smile, and the waiter was very friendly but never intruded in on our conversation.  The service made an already wonderful dinner over the top excellent.  My experience here made me believe that a great meal and truly excellent service can still co-exist.

Some “celebrity” restaurants could definitely learn a thing or two from the folks here ;-).

Perbacco – 230 California St. (near Front St.) – San Francisco – 415.955.0663