Category: Events

Posted in Events, Food, San Francisco, Street Food, Travel

Street Food Night for Foodbuzz Foodies

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

IMG_4248I was lucky enough to attend the inaugural Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco this past weekend. What a crazy 48 hours! Free artisanal gourmet meals, the freshest ingredients, superior wines, specialty food purveyors, endless freebies, and most of all, amazing people!

After getting an over five pound free gift bag to start off the event, the weekend’s food festivities started with the Street Food “Fare” they arranged for us just outside the Ferry Building Marketplace. This was nothing ordinary being served out of a taco truck (no offense to some superior taco trucks). We had some of the most expertly prepared food you could have in the city, and that’s saying a lot.

IMG_4277We feasted and grazed from so many vendors, including chicharrones from 4505 Meats, neapolitan-style pies being made on the spot from Pizza Politana’s mobile wood-fire oven, cupcakes from Mission Minis, and fresh-shucked oysters from Hog Island Oyster Company.

IMG_4285But two vendors stood out from the crowd. I mean REALLY stood out.

First, the Beef and Gruyere pie from The Pie Truck. Since it’s like a mini pot pie, I figured I’d get some ground beef in a pastry shell and be done with it. Oh, how wrong I was! This was quality beef that was sauced wonderfully, moist, rich and so flavorful. And that pastry was light, flaky, buttery, and not at all too thick. I was kicking myself for not taking a few more to stuff in my purse!

But as good as The Pie Truck’s edibles were, it can’t compare to what was believed by most to be the best thing we had all night, by a mile! Frankly, I think it’s one of the best damn sandwiches I’ll ever have in my whole life. Seriously, it IS that good.

IMG_4262The folks at Roli Roti are genius. Their porchetta sandwich is just culinary genius! Now I know why people line up at the Ferry Building Farmers Market on Thursdays for 30-45 minutes just for one of these babies. It’s a rotisserie pork loin stuffed with pork belly (!) and herbs. Decadent, right? But it’s also got pieces of the pork’s crispy skin for texture. Wait, there’s more! They take the bread and use it to sop up the meat’s juices on their cutting board! They top it off with a wonderful onion marmalade and curly watercress. This is not a greasy, sloppy mess. It’s about as perfect as a delectable sandwich can get.

This event made me appreciate the artisan foodies, both consumers and producers, that make San Francisco’s culinary scene so exciting. We are spoiled. Truly.

Stay tuned for the memorable dinner we had to cap off the weekend.

Posted in Events, Food, San Francisco, Travel

Foodbuzz Last Supper: A Communal Table Like No Other

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

So what’s it like to share a family-style dinner with over 200 food bloggers in a produce warehouse? Well, it was cold. But not enough to dampen the mood ;).

So this was our big dinner event to cap off the Foodbuzz Bloggers Festival in San Francisco, and it was definitely a night to remember.

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It was big. Very big. The table was connected. Seriously. It twisted and curved around the warehouse to accommodate all of us. All 250 of us. An ingenious way of planning a dinner, courtesy of the folks at Outstanding in the Field. And plates of food went around (albeit slowly). Plates of wonderfully prepared and devised Asian dishes from the crew at Namu Restaurant in San Francisco.

And the warehouse? The famous Greenleaf Produce. These guys have known organic, locally grown, sustainable produce before the phrases were even in vogue in foodie circles. They are the trailblazers of the movement.

Here was the menu:

Various wild mushroom dashi
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Udon w/grilled calamari in browned butter ponzu, cucumber, tomato and chojan & sesame vinaigrette
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Salmon baked with dashikombu, fried garlic, and Japanese curry powder (this was my FAVE of the night)
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Mushroom risotto with Japanese rice and crispy mushrooms
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Soy braised beef cheeks and oxtails, baby carrots and fingerling potatoes
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Roasted brussels sprouts with ponzu fried garlic, guanciale (a Spanish “bacon”), bonito flakes
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Japanese rice pudding w/cookie crumble and warren pears from Frog Hollow Farm
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The meal was subtle yet deliberate in its conception and it’s execution. An inventive and ambitious menu to pull of for such a large group. However, it was the experience itself that made it a memorable night. It’s something I will never see again. The best food experiences are when they’re shared with great people. This was definitely something to remember.

And a shoutout to the wonderful foodies and food purveyors I had the pleasure of meeting:

Frog Hollow Farm
479 Popcorn
Black Stallion Winery
Recchiuti Confections
Neo Cocoa
Jimmy (The Thirsty Pig)
Arnold (Inuyaki)
Dan Lee (Namu Restaurant)
Danielle (Bon Vivant)
Marc (Chefectomy)
Loren (Foodbuzz)
Gudren (Kitchen Gadget Girl)
Stephanie (Lick My Spoon)
Jo (Taking Over the World One Bite at a Time)
Bonnie (Cocochanelella/Chrysanthemum)
Kathleen (Katz9Lives)
Elizabeth (Ms. Lin Guide)
Fanny (YummySF)

See you all next year!

Posted in Events, Food, San Francisco

Deals Lately…

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

FOR FOODIES…

Yelp Eats! – San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and East Bay
October 5-11
This is the first year for this nationwide event.  Basically it’s 7 days, 15 restaurants (per region), and a 3 course meal for $35 at eateries throughout the Bay Area. Some of the hottest restaurants around are on the list so it’s a great excuse to go out for a good deal on a good prix fixe meal.

Open Table – Log Off and Eat! (Silicon Valley Restaurant Week)
October 14-21
Again, prix fixe meals for $35 at this large list of restaurants in the South Bay. And again, no shabby list.

RNM Restaurant – Prix Fixe 3-Course Meal $28
You can’t beat this price for a restaurant that is modern yet casual. The food, from what I’ve been told, is pure comfort with an element of French influence for sophistication. The portions are also quite generous. I can’t wait to try this place out! (Haight @ Steiner in San Francisco)

Pasta Pomodoro – Buy One Pizza, Get One Free Thursdays
Every Thursday at ONLY their San Mateo, Novato, El Cerrito, and San Francisco-Cow Hollow locations, order one thin crust pizza and get another free! Plus, there’s no limit! Make sure you mention this promotion when you order.

FOR SHOPPERS…

Kate Spade Friends and Family Sale
October 1-4
Enter code FALLFF09 for 30% off everything online (including sale merchandise). They’re also offering free shipping on all orders.

LORAC Cosmetics
Head to their website and click “VIP Discounts” on the bottom of the homepage to see discontinued merchandise that’s up to 70% off! Some lipsticks are only $4.99! Shipping is free with any $50 order.

Gap Card Style Event
October 1-4
Use your Old Navy, Gap, or Banana Republic credit card and get 30% off all regular priced merchandise or 15% off all sale merchandise with code GAPSTYLE4, online.

H&M $5 Sale
For a limited time, select merchandise at all participating H&M stores is on sale for $5. Check stores for more info.

Posted in Events, Food, San Francisco

Good Conversation Over a Naked Lunch

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

NAKED LUNCH IMAGE

Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be an X-rated post. I’m referring to the lunch I had today, catered by a little place that’s been getting big buzz lately: Naked Lunch.

The Foodbuzz folks were nice enough to host an open house for food bloggers today, serving a catered breakfast, lunch, and happy hour at their offices.  Since lunch was to be catered by Naked Lunch and I had wanted to try their food for a while, I headed over.

The “Grilled” Cheese w/Tomatoes surprised me because of it’s wonderful tang that came from creamy goat cheese and sweetness from fresh and roasted heirloom tomatoes. It was topped off with a tangy pesto spread and some baby spinach. I loved this sandwich. Really tasty.

I also tried a bit of the Chorizo Sandwich which had chorizo, pears, pickled onions, and garlic aioli. The picked onions did a good job of contrasting with the meat in both taste and texture. It was a strong sandwich that would satisfy a meat lover and was a favorite of everyone in the room. It was definitely different and surprising.

I’ve been truly impressed with the sandwiches I’ve had lately. Not just your boring old neighborhood sandwich shop fare, but noteworthy spots like Kitchenette, Bakesale Betty’s and Naked Lunch who are making innovative, fresh, gourmet sandwiches that worth talking about.

And a shoutout to the food bloggers I had the pleasure of meeting at the event: Chrysanthemum, The Food Librarian, Kat’s 9 Lives, Lick My Spoon, Ms. Lin Guide, Streaming Gourmet, Taking Over the World One Bite at a Time, and Yummy SF to name just a few. Let’s hope we can plan a foodie get together to swap stories and review some good food!

Naked Lunch on Urbanspoon

Posted in Events, Food, San Francisco, Travel

A Meat Lover’s Dream

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

IMG_3714 A birthday celebration calls for meat, that’s what I say. Screw the sugary treats (cakes and ice cream do nothing for me), let’s move on to the savory stuff.

So it was the Hubby’s birthday and I decided to forgo the prim and proper and go straight for the tried and true. So I made reservations at the House of Prime Rib in San Francisco.

I know what you’re thinking. It’s a tourist trap. It’s boring. There’s only one thing on the menu. But the question is, do they do that one thing right?

Absolutely.

I had the English Cut, which was two large yet super thin slices of prime rib, no seasoned crust. It was perfect. Easily one of the best slices of meat I’ve ever had. It was a perfect medium rare and the flavor of the meat was flavorful, well seasoned, juicy and tender, almost buttery. You could tell this was high quality beef.

My Hubby had the King Cut, which was the largest one on the menu. It was huge but he finished it with no problem and raved about the flavor. In fact, he toyed with the idea of getting another helping (if you finish the King Cut they apparently give you another for free if you ask). I advised against it since he said he thought his arteries couldn’t take it :).

The sides were mixed, though. Baked potato and creamed corn were both out of this world, but the mashed potatoes were totally boring and the brown gravy tasted artificial. A big disappointment. The creamed spinach was good, not great. The spinach tasted frozen, not fresh. And yorkshire pudding is something I’ve never cared for, though some say it’s the perfect vehicle for sopping up meat juices.

Service is supposed to be legendary here, but I found it lackluster. The waitstaff and host were only artificially friendly, which was a disappointment. But service was prompt and professional. Maybe I hit them on an off day.

Regardless, it was a fabulous experience with it’s old school charm and ambiance, and exceptional food. It may be a tourist trap and they may only have one thing on the menu, but they’re a Bay Area institution for a reason. You can’t do much better for a special occasion dinner.

House of Prime Rib on Urbanspoon

Posted in East Bay, Events, Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch, Street Food

Street Food En Masse

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

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The Bay Area’s first Eat Real Festival happened this past weekend in Oakland’s Jack London Square. An estimated 30,000 foodies from all over the Bay Area came to enjoy live music, support local farmers and food purveyors, and sample food from over 50 different street food vendors. I couldn’t wait!

Jen and I arrived at around 10:30 am, which was about 30 minutes before showtime, so we could avoid what would be the inevitable long lines later in the day. We came on the last day of the event to avoid the heat from the past two days and avoid the mistakes of others who had ventured there before us. It was nice being there that early. The area had a distinct energy but it was quiet with just the right trickle of people milling about. Vendors were smiling, friendly, and getting their food and selling areas ready for the day’s crowds.

Although there were some other vendors I didn’t get to try, simply because there just isn’t that much room in this tummy, I did try the following vendors:

Urban Nectar (Lemonade & Strawberry fresh juices)

Adobo Hobo (Chicken Wings Over Rice)

Seoul on Wheels BBQ (Spicy Korean BBQ Pork Tacos)

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SLRP Street Ramen (Pork Broth Ramen w/Sweet corn & Homemade Kimchee)

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Liba Falafel Truck (Falafel ball w/Roasted Eggplant)

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Kika’s Treats (Chocolate Covered Graham Cracker S’mores)

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Gerard’s Paella (Seafood & Chicken)

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Creme Brulee Man (Vanilla Bean & Lavender Flavors)

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Unfortunately, I was severely disappointed with Liba’s Falafels. The accompanying roasted eggplant mixture was delightful, but the falafel balls themselves, were so overfried that their outer shells had been become dark brown and were more hard and crunchy than thin and crisp. And the accompanying flatbread was stale, doughy, and flavorless.

The three dishes that had notable elements were Seoul on Wheel’s Spicy Pork Taco (warmed tortillas that didn’t taste store-bought would’ve GREATLY helped), SLRP’s Pork Ramen (the noodles were soggy and flavorless, but the pork belly and homemade kimchee were delicious), and Gerard’s Paella (fresher shrimp and non-burnt ends would’ve made it great).

The one thing that DID live up to the cult following was the Creme Brulee Man’s vanilla bean dessert. It had the perfect crunch from the torched top and the flavor was rich and creamy like an ice cream and smooth and luxurious like a pudding. Pure heaven.

I wish I could’ve tried Roli Roti’s porchetta sandwich, Gobba Gobba Hey’s sweet treats, Jim n Nick’s BBQ (they drove all the way up from the South), roasted pig from Chop Bar, 4505 Meats, Wholesome Bakery’s doughnut bites, and Pizza Politana’s margherita pizza slices.

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I have to admit that nothing I had blew me away. It was all good, but nothing was extremely noteworthy. Amazingly, though, I wasn’t disappointed. I was just happy to be there and share in the positive energy of the day from both purveyors and consumers.  I enjoyed the company, the weather, the variety of food, the environment overall. And I can’t wait to try more next year…

Posted in Events, Food

I’m Back…Now Vote!

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

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Hi Folks!

I know it’s been months since my last entry, but being pregnant has definitely altered my sense of smell, taste, and my ability to fit into the same size I used to wear :).  So I’ve been on a long break.

But leave it to a historic election and some choice freebies to pull me out of hibernation. 🙂

So I’ll say this: VOTE!  It doesn’t even matter who, just go out there and be a part of history.  Make your voice heard.

Still need some incentive?  Okay, to prove how historical this election is, if you vote, you’ll get FREE STUFF!

Starbucks – Just show your “I Voted” sticker and get a free tall 12-oz. cup of brewed coffee. Limit one per customer. Participating stores only.  Update: Some news outlets are now reporting that Starbucks is suspending this free offer.  Check with your local Starbucks for confirmation.

Krispy Kreme – Again, show your “I Voted” sticker to get a free star-shaped donut with patriotic sprinkles.  Participating stores only.

Ben & Jerry’s – Get a free scoop of ice cream from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. when you show your “I Voted” sticker.  Limit one per customer at participating stores only.

So go forth and vote!  And then do the truly patriotic thing: fill up on free food :).

Posted in Events, Food, San Francisco, Shopping, Travel

No Ordinary Food Court

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

about_photo_grid.jpg Courtesy of www.wichcraftnyc.com

You’re probably wondering why on earth I would write about a food court, but the term “food court” really doesn’t do this place justice. It’s not like any other stereotypical one you’ve seen in the standard American mall. Thankfully, there’s no Sbarro, Panda Express, or Hot Dog on a Stick anywhere in sight.

A couple of weeks ago I stayed at the Hotel Palomar in San Francisco for a few days (great boutique hotel with exceptional service, btw). That meant being right next door to the San Francisco Shopping Centre (!) and an endless source of meal options in their famous food court and supermarket, Whole Foods knockoff, Bristol Farms.

I’ll list out only the places I tried.

WICHCRAFT – Fans of Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” are familiar with this restaurant chain’s owner, Tom Coliccio. Unfortunately, this place falls into the typical celebrity chef trap: all style, no substance and overpriced. It bugs the crap outta me that the food here was fresh, conceptually inventive, the elements were individually good, but the result was less than memorable. Head to this next joint for a better soup and sandwich…

SAN FRANCISCO SOUP COMPANY – This chain makes delicious homemade soups that are consistantly good and made with top notch ingredients. It’s the best soup you’ll have, and I’ve been to four of their locations in the Bay Area. The Tomato Bisque, Turkey Chili, Tortilla Soup, and New England Clam Chowder are all exceptionally good, along with their Spinach Salad. They have about five regular soups, but also have quite a good selection of specials that change daily.

CATCH ISLE – I loved my first dish here so much that I went for a return visit. I tried the Linguini and Clams (I know, at a food court!) and was wonderfully surprised. It was comperable to a higher end joint and I’d definitely have it again. The flavors were clean, fresh, and came together nicely. Service was consistantly nice too, which helps. I had the Fish and Chips on another visit and a mixed green salad. It was good, but not great. My search for decent fish and chips in the Bay Area continues…

BUCKHORN GRILL – I love this place because they know how to treat a good piece of angus beef! It’s always cooked perfectly, marinated and flavored well, and surprisingly juicy. Order anything with the tri tip beef and you’ll be good to go.

PASTA MOTO – They had a real pizza oven and some tasty roasted veggies. And the Margherita Pizza was pretty tasty for a food court (but it’s no Pizzeria Delfina, of course). But on average…it was average. The weakest meal next to Wichcraft I had here.

ANDALE – There are various locations of this small Mexican chain in the Bay Area. They do a cross between Mexican street food items with a more Californian spin on preparation. I love the Shrimp Fajitas.

BEARD PAPA – You know how I feel about this place… Go!

There are many other restaurants here, including “Out the Door,” by the owner of “Slanted Door” (again, overpriced and overhyped), and some other more standard choices. But all in all, this food court has better options than some higher end restaurants I can think of. All this variety, affordability, and you get some good food to boot.

The Food Court @ The Westfield San Francisco Shopping Centre – 805 Market Street, S.F. – 415.512.6776

Posted in Events, San Francisco, Travel

It’s That Time of Year Again…

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

castro_marquee.jpg Courtesy of CAAM

Well, this year the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) is celebrating the 26th year of the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. I’ve been coming to this shindig for 12 years now, and it never ceases to amaze me how much talent there is in the Asian indie film circuit. It also makes it painfully obvious how Hollywood has no idea how much talent they’re passing up in the Asian American community…

But I digress…

This year’s lineup is in my opinion, the strongest it’s been in over five years, which really excites me. There are many great films to check out and shows that still have tickets available. Here are some that are generating buzz…

“Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” – I hate even mentioning this one, but I guess I gotta. The damn show’s already sold out! Your only hope is additional screenings that may be added or the rush line for last minute tickets.

“A Battle of Wits” – This one stars Hong Kong’s Tom Cruise, Mr. Andy Lau. He’s a real dynamo when it comes to Cantopop and badly dubbed over Cantonese movies. This one, however, is an epic drama and looks pretty good.

Spotlight on Filmmaker Wayne Wang – I had the pleasure of meeting Wayne a few years ago, and I’m glad to finally see him being celebrated at the Festival. He will be giving a talk and they’ll have screenings of a few of his films including “Joy Luck Club,” “Life is Cheap But Toilet Paper is Expensive,” “Princess of Nebraska,” and his new film, “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers.” He may have gone mainstream, but he’ll always be the king of indie Asian American cinema to me 🙂 .

“The Killing of a Chinese Cookie” – I had to mention the documentary about food! This film takes an interesting and funny look at the origins and evolution of the beloved (and very American) fortune cookie.

There are tons more documentaries, films from America and abroad, short films, lectures, and even celebrities! Check out the schedule of films and find out how you can be a part of this fantastic event.

The Festival runs from Thursday, March 13th through Sunday, March 23rd in San Francisco (two locations), Berkeley, and San Jose. www.asianamericanmedia.org

Posted in Events, Shopping, Travel

I Heart Paris: Fave Districts & Shopping

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

There’s almost no other city in the world that is spoken about with as much love as Paris. And after experiencing it for myself for a week, I finally understand why.

There is a certain charm, sophistication and class that can’t be replicated anywhere else. Add to that their fabulous food, fashion, art and history, and you’ve got an unbeatable combination!

There are so many different sights to see and places to go in Paris. The city’s many different districts all offer a different vibe, which is remarkable in itself. Here’s a list of four that J.Low and I enjoyed most and would recommend for shopping and just getting lost in.

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MARAIS

There’s a wealth of fabulous boutiques here on Rue des Francs Bourgeois (between Rue Payenne and Rue Vielle du Temple), like Mellow Yellow for the cutest shoes without totally breaking the bank. They’ve got beautiful patent leather flats in adorable shapes and funky bright colors. Then on the same street, head to La Chaise Lounge for the most fun gifts you’ll find (I got a pair of movable robot cufflinks for my husband there), Les Petits for the most stylish in wearable current fashion, and nearby Muji for sleek Japanese housewares.

Nearby on Clos des Blancs-Manteaux there’s also Les Touristes for drapes, table runners, and cosmetic bags (J. found a large cosmetic bag for only 8 euros in an adorable French provencal fabric), as well as Romane, a boutique that carries chic sophisticated women’s fashions. This was my favorite district in Paris. Great food, shopping and interesting people.

SAINT GERMAIN

Besides Le Bon Marche (the department store real Parisians shop at) and its Le Grande Epicerie (the king of all gourmet food stores), there’s one street for bargain hunters that can’t be missed: Rue Sainte-Placide.

J had a great time finding a pair of ballet flats for 29 euros, boots for 75 euros, and a lined trench coat for 20 euros. Great prices, especially for this part of the world. Stores like Rudy’s and Mode offer good deals on cool shoes, both designer and not. And Le Generale Pharmacie sells European skin and haircare brands like Phyto, La Roche Posay, Roger & Gallet, Klorane, Weleda, Biotherm and Rene Furterer for as much as half off U.S. prices, and slightly less than other Parisian pharmacies, which made me happy. 🙂

Rue Sainte-Placide is not a long street so browse around and you’ll find some bargains.

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LATIN QUARTER

Alleyways to get lost in, pubs to chat in, and bistros to linger in. Plus, a great array of little boutiques in those alleyways and larger chain stores near the main roads like Promod (similar to H&M) and Minelli for shoes and handbags (where I got a lovely “leather-esque” metallic silver handbag for 49 euros).

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RUE de FAUBOURG SAINT HONORE

If you’ve got the cash, you can plunk it down here. This famous street right behind the Louvre has a storefront for every name brand European designer you can think of. A little rich for my blood, but if you’re into window shopping, it’s worth the trip.

As for the usual department store suspects like Galleries Lafayette and Printemps, I wouldn’t suggest it for most shoppers. It is such a madhouse in there that it’s enough to make you run for the hills. I’m an expert shopper and it made me run for cover. And there are much more interesting items to be found in the boutiques around town anyway.

It’s easy to love Paris. But by the time I left, I felt like it could love me back. And that was the best part.