Food – Page 5 – Virgo in Wonderland

Dinner, Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch, Peninsula, South Bay

Ramen Roundup

Posted on Tuesday, June 7, 2011Monday, June 6, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

Many Americans tend to associate instant ramen with college dorm life, poverty and hangovers. And who hasn’t had a meal of Cup-O-Noodles born out of desperation and lack of resources?

But in Japan, ramen is comfort food. It’s what many consider their national dish. And after the recent Earthquake and Tsunami, ramen served as a sign of normalcy and nourishment. Ramen houses are everywhere in Japan, and it’s one of the most affordable and filling meals you can get there.

These days, especially in the Bay Area, ramen is becoming somewhat of a “trend“. Recently, I’ve also noticed more places serving up different variations of the dish, all of which are fairly common in Japan.

Here are a few ramen houses outside San Francisco that serve three distinctly different versions of these tasty soup noodles.

Santa Ramen – 1944 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo, 650-344-5918

This place serves up the classic bowl of Japanese ramen with the typical three broths to choose from: miso (soybean paste), shoyu (soy sauce), and pork. It used to be THE place for Japanese natives to get an authentic bowl of ramen, but since moving to their newer location in a strip mall, the quality has declined.

Their broth and pork slices used to both taste like they took hours to make. However, on my most recent visit, the pork was actually cold. The noodles still had their classic chewy texture, but lacked depth and flavor. I was glad I had decided to add a little corn and kimchi for extra texture and kick. It’s still a decent bowl of noodles, but the joint’s lost some of its luster.

Maru Ichi Kuro Ramen — Kuro (black garlic) Ramen from Maru Ichi

Maru Ichi – 368 Castro St, Mountain View, 650-564-9931

I chose this place for two reasons: 1) they make their own noodles in house, 2) they’re known for a specific kind of ramen called “kuro” ramen, or “black” ramen. The black color comes from the browned garlic and was a kind of ramen developed in Japan in the 1960’s, as the menu describes. The black garlic oil sits on top of the pork broth like an oil spill. It looks more like a film of dirt and soot floating on top of the bowl, but thankfully it doesn’t taste that way. The rich garlic flavor is distinct but didn’t completely overwhelm. You do, however, have to be a fan of garlic to enjoy the rich, hearty broth.

Their housemade noodles are thinner than most, but you can taste their freshness. It’s something you don’t usually get at other ramen houses. It’s worth trying just to compare the difference in texture and flavor. Overall, Maru Ichi’s kuro ramen definitely wasn’t your usual bowl of ramen, and it was a nice change from the usual.

Dojo Ramen – 805 South B St, San Mateo, 650-401-6568

This place is actually in the spot where the old Santa Ramen used to be, and is owned by the same folks. But the differences are vast.

They specialize in something called “sutamina” ramen, which literally means “stamina” ramen. I’d call it “extreme” ramen because of the loads of garlic, spice and heat (which you can request to be even spicier), amount of fixings, and sheer fattiness of the broth. It’s like ramen on steroids. Everything is bolder and richer. And don’t come here if you don’t like spicy food.

The meat that comes with the Garlic Pork broth variation is impressive. There were two big thick slices of pork belly that could serve as an appetizer at a four-star restaurant. I was kicking myself for not ordering extra. It was simply wonderful; fatty and meaty, just like the broth.

And the noodles were the most impressive of any of the other places I visited. Their texture was perfectly chewy without being too firm or too soggy, and had great flavor.

So even without the “sutamina” label, Dojo’s was my favorite bowl of ramen simply based on the strength of its noodles and broth, which is really the sign of a superior bowl of ramen no matter where you are.

*This article is cross-posted on KQED’s Bay Area Bites.

Dinner, Events, Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch, Travel

Highlights from the BlogHer Food Conference’s “Food Blogging for Change” Panel

Posted on Friday, May 27, 2011Sunday, May 29, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

L to R: Me, Andrew Wilder, Bettina Luescher, Michelle Ferrier, Mrs. Q (anonymous)

I got the chance to moderate one of the most diverse panels of speakers I have ever encountered while I was at the BlogHer Food Conference in Atlanta, recently. The subject of the talk was “Food Blogging for Change”. It’s a lofty subject that can be slightly overwhelming.

I introduced Bettina Luescher, Chief Spokesperson for the United Nations’ World Food Programme, which distributes food to over 70 countries; Andrew Wilder of the blog Eating Rules in Southern California, which offers tips and information for eating healthier; Michelle Ferrier of Locally Grown News in North Carolina, who sees food as a pathway to community and social change; and anonymous blogger, Mrs. Q of the blog Fed Up With Lunch in Illinois, who gained fame by blogging about her year-long project eating the school lunches that were served to the kids at the school she works at (hence her anonymity).

They all work passionately in their chosen communities, be it globally, nationally or locally. What they have in common is that they’re all working to promote changes in food policy, food education and the way we see food. They’re also aware of the power of using your voice for change. Here are some highlights of what we discussed.

Elaine: I wanted to pose three words to the panel: budget, taste and health. Can all three values coexist? Can it be done and does it become overwhelming for the average person to achieve all three in their daily lives?

Andrew: Taste is the number one reason people choose something to eat. Folks know they need to eat healthy, but time is a factor for many of us. But change starts with knowledge and knowing what is healthy for you. With budget, a recent study showed that many local farmers markets can be cheaper than going to the big box grocery store. Good food is everybody’s right. And it’s important to focus on ‘better’, not ‘best’. There’s no such thing as a ‘superfood’.

Elaine: Is safe, healthy food hard to access for certain populations, and is it realistic to assume that everyone can get access to it? MF: The Food Environmental Atlas online now has information available to help people find safe, healthy food communities that are developing food hubs for gathering, processing and distribution of healthy foods, such as community gardens. And food trucks are now being used in different communities to deliver safe and healthy food to communities where they don’t have good access to it.

Bettina: On an international scale, we are using some of those same ideas and methods. As an aid organization, we have buying power to purchase from small scale farmers (generally women) and support the farmer to pool food from other farmers and produce larger scale distribution. And in Haiti, we are buying milk from local farmers so they have an income and then we give it to children in school meal programs, which keeps it local and makes a huge difference.

Elaine: We’ve heard over the Conference that change can start with a hashtag. Do you believe social media can have that big of an impact on the various food communities you work with?

Michelle: One person’s website or blog can lead to a Facebook page, which can then lead to a Twitter account. Social media can allow one person to communicate to different audiences with different content. Twitter can provide fast facts, Facebook can give more information, your website can give personal opinions.

Andrew: Change happens one person at a time.

Bettina: I appeal to everyone in this room to be a voice. It’s not a guilt trip, it’s a power trip. It starts with knowledge, how to share and tell stories and present solutions. There are simple tricks to use with huge rewards.

Michelle: We all have images of hunger that we get from television and the media. But we have to turn that story on its head and recognize that all of our children are starved for good food.

Elaine: If you could come up with a “wishlist” of three changes you could enact in this country’s food policy, what would they be?

Mrs. Q: There needs to be legislation changes to our school lunch programs. 1) I think French Fries should no longer be considered a vegetable (applause breaks out). 2) Chocolate milk needs to go. 3) We need to ban processed meats in schools.

Michelle: 1) Local governments need to recognize that food security and access to healthy food needs to be viewed as something just as important as every other issue. 2) We need to bring back Home Economics classes at the elementary school level. 3) We need to change school lunch policies to a “last child-first child” policy.

Andrew: 1) The ideas of “organic” and “conventional” labeling requirements need to be swapped (applause breaks out). 2) Take any marketing language off every food package. 3) Stop subsidizing corn and instead subsidize fresh fruits and vegetables.

Bettina: I have one big one: No funding cuts for child hunger programs…EVER.

*For notes from the entire session, please visit this link.

Dinner, Events, Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch, Peninsula, San Francisco, Street Food

Toasty Melts Food Truck is Grilled Cheese Goodness

Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2011Monday, August 15, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

The mere mention of a grilled cheese food truck tends to evoke one of two responses:

1) How hard can it be to make a grilled cheese at home? Why do you have to find a truck to go get it?
2) Damn, that sounds good.

Sure, you can make it yourself at home. But can it be easier, not to mention tastier, if you get it from the folks at Toasty Melts.

Business partners, Tiffany Lam and Alex Rando, started the Toasty Melts food cart in 2009 after being inspired by other popular carts like The Magic Curry Cart and The Creme Brulee Man. They also figured they could donate a portion of their earnings to the San Francisco Food Bank, where they were frequent volunteers.

So why switch from part-time food cart hobby to full-fledged food truck? “Matt Cohen wanted us to come to Off the Grid, but we weren’t that ambitious because we both had day jobs,” says Lam. She was a project manager for Marin company, Republic of Tea, and has since quit to devote herself completely to Toasty Melts. Rando is still at his day job. “We heard rumblings last year that the permit process was going to change. So last September, we finally started looking for a food truck to transition to,” says Lam.

Just this past March, they finally debuted their shiny new bright red food truck, ready to take on the already crowded food truck space.

But here’s the kicker: neither of them have any professional culinary experience. None! And that’s exactly how they came upon the decision to focus solely on the simplistic grilled cheese sandwich. “There’s no way we could do something fancier. It was definitely something we could execute. If we could do it, anyone could do it! It was the most realistic food avenue for us to take. But it’s also very versatile. We could be creative with the grilled cheese sandwiches and blend quality ingredients to make different variations.”

This simple sandwich requires no special equipment. They make the sandwiches on the truck’s grill, cooking up evenly and to a perfect golden brown.

I tried their two signature sandwiches: The ABC, which has thin apple slices, bacon from Zoe’s Meats and cheddar cheese; and the 3 Cheese, made up of smoked gouda, jack and cheddar cheeses. Both were served on Panorama bread, made locally in San Francisco. Most of the cheeses they use are from Kerrygold.

Both had the perfect amount of toastiness with the right amount of crunch. But the interior of the bread was also soft and pillowy with just enough buttery goodness.

The 3 Cheese stood out because it was amazing to me how distinctive all three cheeses were even when melted together. The jack cheese was smooth and creamy, the cheddar gave it the classic flavor, and the smoked gouda provided a wonderfully sharp punch that made it stand out. I absolutely loved it.

I have to admit, though, that I wanted more from the ABC. The best thing about it was the thinly sliced apples, which gave the sandwich additional texture and a subtly sweet contrast in flavor. The bacon, unfortunately, was a bit dry and rubbery. I would’ve loved if it were more crunchy. And I longed for a cheese with a tad more flavor. The jack cheese just couldn’t hold its own.

Regardless, their sandwiches are still worth going back for, especially if you’ve got a hankering for a good grilled cheese. It’s fresh, perfectly toasty and gooey, affordable at $4-$6 a pop, and easier than making it yourself. “Who would want to shred and blend three different cheeses for one grilled cheese at home? We also provide the novelty and the convenience,” says Lam.

For now, you can find them at Off the Grid on alternating Mondays at Civic Center Plaza and on alternating Tuesdays at UN Plaza, along with possible regular stops in San Mateo and Brisbane. Lam wants to have a firm presence in San Francisco, though, despite the food truck permit drama that seems to happen frequently these days.

“We’re going to continue to pursue all our permits for various locations in San Francisco. And Alex and I would love to expand our menu at some point. For now, it’s just the one truck. My Dad owned a restaurant and I don’t know if I really want to own a brick and mortar restaurant. This one truck takes every ounce of my energy!”

Toasty Melts
Off the Grid Mondays and Tuesdays & other various locations pending
www.toastymelts.com
@ToastyMelts
Facebook.com/ToastyMelts

*Cross-posted on Bay Area Bites.

Dinner, East Bay, Events, Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch, San Francisco, Shopping, Travel, Wine Country

Aida Mollenkamp’s Top 11 Spots for Bay Area Foodies

Posted on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

Aida Mollenkamp. Photo by Julie Michelle

Recently named one of the eight sexiest women on TV cooking shows, Aida Mollenkamp also happens to have a wealth of culinary expertise and knowledge in addition to being a hot TV food personality.

The host and co-creator of the television show “FoodCrafters” and “Ask Aida” she attended Cornell University and then the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu in Paris where she studied culinary AND pastry arts. She ended up in San Francisco when she became one of the editors of the online food magazine, CHOW. Currently, she’s working on her first cookbook, tentatively titled, “Keys to the Kitchen,” due out in 2012.

She recently took some time out of her hectic schedule to tell me about her love of food and the top spots in the Bay Area she’d recommend for food fiends like herself (that aren’t restaurants).

Elaine: You call yourself a “long-time food fiend.” Where does your love of food come from?

Aida: Oh, that’s a hard one. It’s like asking me why I like to dance (she’s a former classical dancer) — it’s just the way it is and always has been. My family showed me to respect food and through gardening and shopping with my mom, I also learned where my food came from. But, I guess there was this kismet moment in my teen years where I realized that food was like a cipher to understanding various cultures. From that moment on, I’ve looked at cooking as a means of traveling through my tastebuds.

Elaine: Where did the idea for your show “FoodCrafters” come from?

Aida: My friends would say the show is just an extension of how I naturally live as I’m constantly hunting down new tastes and food stories. The real story is that it is a creative collaboration with a producer I worked with on “Ask Aida.” We shared a passion for good quality food and would constantly trade stories about the latest tastes she hunted down in Brooklyn and those I had found in San Francisco. “FoodCrafters” became this natural fit of a show where my passions could be explored while giving the small guy the spotlight as we uncover foods, flavors, and stories from around the nation.

Elaine: You’ve lived in some of the best food areas in the world: Los Angeles, New York, Florence, Paris, and now San Francisco. How is the Bay Area different from all of them, food-wise?

Aida: Each city I’ve lived in has its own culture, and with it, its own food personality. San Francisco’s food scene is integrated into our daily lives in a way that I’ve only seen in Europe, but it’s also decidedly Californian as we’re simultaneously playful, respectful, and creative.

Aida Mollenkamp. Photo by Julie Michelle

Elaine: What are the Top Eleven places in the Bay Area that you’d recommend for food lovers?

Aida: Here’s my list:

The Pasta Shop — 1784 Fourth St., Berkeley
I don’t remember the first time I went to The Pasta Shop, but I do recall that I liked the selection so much I considered convincing them to let me live there. Everything from 4505 Meats‘ chicarrones to sodas I’ve never seen this side of the Atlantic, they do a marked job curating their food and everyone on the staff is highly knowledgeable.
Cheese Plus — 2001 Polk St., S.F.
When I first moved to SF, I lived in Pacific Heights and would walk to work and quickly got in the habit of making a detour to Cheese Plus. As the name suggests, there’s not just cheese and I’ve also discovered instant favorites like crackers from The Fine Cheese Co. I’d spend the majority of my meager start-up salary on all the treats in there and have my friends laughing that instead of buying designer shoes, I was splurging on rare cheeses.
Bi-Rite Market — 3639-18th St., S.F.
It’s a 5-minute walk from my place to Bi-Rite Market, so I have become a regular there. In fact, I credit my many trips to Bi-Rite — where I discovered new foods and their backstories — as the source of my idea for FoodCrafters.
Miette Confiserie — 449 Octavia St., S.F.
With décor right out of the pages of a Roald Dahl book, Miette is as aesthetically pleasing as it is tasty. I lived in Hayes Valley when the confiserie opened and was immediately drawn to the carefully selected sweets, including chocolates from all over the world.
City Beer Store — 1168 Folsom St., S.F.
I arrived in San Francisco a wine drinker, but have been versed in the world of cocktails and beer thanks to knowledgeable places like City Beer Store, where there are always new beers to discover.
Nest — 2300 Fillmore St., S.F.
When I first moved to the Bay Area, I was over in Pacific Heights and would longingly walk by the eclectic boutique, Nest, everyday. When CHOW went from print to online, I treated myself by buying a set of hobnail glasses that I’ve kept to this day.
Heritage Culinary Artifacts — Oxbow Market, 610 First St., Napa
The Ferry Plaza is unparalleled — except perhaps by downtown Napa’s Oxbow Market. There’s an antique store there, Heritage Artifacts, that I became addicted to when we filmed in the market for last fall’s FoodCrafters.
Heath Factory Store — 400 Gate 5 Rd., Sausalito
Heath has a cult following among the food and prop styling crowd, but it’s not all that affordable unless you go to the factory store. When I first found out about it, I headed over in an absurdly large van thinking there was no way I needed all that space. But a few dollars and a couple of hours later, I filled the van to the brim with boxes and boxes of discounted, yet still gorgeous plateware.
McEvoy Olive Oil Ranch — 5935 Red Hill Rd., Petaluma
There’s moments when you travel somewhere and the environment has just as much impact as the food. The McEvoy Olive Oil farm in Sonoma is one of those places. But be warned: by the end of their tour, you may be considering olive oil farming as a new career.
The Marshall Store — 19225 California 1, Marshall
Definitely the farthest I’ve ever driven for oysters, The Marshall Store is as out of the way as it comes but is worth the trek. Fresh oysters, tangy BBQ sauce, and cold beer — need I say more?
The Tourist Club — 30 Ridge Ave., Mill Valley
It’s the hidden gems of the Bay Area that make it ever more interesting and Tourist Club is one of those very places. A few miles deep into the Muir Woods, the Tourist Club is a century-old German brauhaus that is closed to the public, except for a few hours each weekend. After an exhausting hike of Mt. Tam, there’s nothing better than pitchers of draft beer with friends on the Tourist Club’s sunny deck.

*Cross posted on Bay Area Bites

Food, Shopping

Sheri’s Berries Review

Posted on Sunday, April 17, 2011Wednesday, April 20, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

*This is a sponsored post.

The folks at Sheri’s Berries were nice enough to offer me a box of their Berry Medley, which had several various chocolate dipped and yogurt strawberries. The company carries a wide variety of chocolate dipped strawberry gift ideas, cookies and other sweets that are great for gifting.

The box contained six yogurt covered strawberries that had lemon, orange, strawberry, peanut butter, coconut and chocolate flavored accents, along with six chocolate covered ones with nuts, chocolate chips and peanut butter and yogurt adornments.

The berries covered in chocolate were good, but not exceptional. I’d prefer if they were all covered in a higher quality dark chocolate, or a chocolate blend that didn’t have hydrogenated oils. It would both taste and look much better.

I will say, however, that their yogurt covered berries were delicious. I liked that it was something you wouldn’t normally think of and find. And the strawberries themselves were big, juicy and sweet. They were bright red and delicious.

Personally, I find flowers and fruit baskets a bit run-of-the-mill, so these are a great alternative.

*Sheri’s Berries – http://www.sherisberries.com

Dinner, East Bay, Food, Lunch, Peninsula, San Francisco, Shopping, South Bay

Foodies Have Their Pick of Online Coupon Sites

Posted on Friday, April 15, 2011Sunday, April 17, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

collage of online coupon websites

Courtesy of Bay Area Bites/Wendy Goodfriend

It’s no secret that online coupons are exploding in popularity, especially for foodies looking to spend less on a great meal. I’ve purchased more than my fair share. And a recent study released by BlogHer even states that 51% of all women online are using coupon sites like Groupon and LivingSocial.

However, a recent New York Times article discussed whether restaurants actually benefit from the online coupon trend. It seems to be a trade-off with some establishments finding them a positive marketing tool while others claiming the discounts do not boost profits.

Let’s breakdown the different types of online coupon sites recently popular with food lovers.

Sites like Scoutmob and Blackboard Eats offer users a discount passcode to various eateries that they can access on their mobile phones and use the next time they frequent that business. There’s no pre-purchasing a certificate or gift card, involved. Blackboard Eats, however, does charge $1 for each passcode you want, or a fee of $20 for unlimited access to their discounts for one year.

Restaurant.com allows you to purchase gift certificates to a large list of pre-determined restaurants affiliated with the site, at a huge discount. Many times, you can find a discount code online for up to 80% off the listed price, which can bring a $25 gift certificate down to $5. There are many restrictions, though, and they differ with each restaurant, so it pays to read the fine print before you confirm your order.

That brings us to sites like DealPulp, TownHog, LivingSocial and Groupon, which require you to pre-pay for a largely discounted deal at a variety of different merchants, including eateries. Deals are usually 50% off or more, and have less restrictions than a certificate from Restaurant.com. Deals change daily, so you have a limited amount of time to purchase it.

There have been horror stories of some merchants being overwhelmed by the popularity of their online coupon or discount, and not being able to handle the response. But the owner of Milkshake Werks, Leslie Widmann in Redwood Shores had a great experience working with one of these sites.

“Groupon helped us set up a structure that would be good for our business. It was a great experience for us. The result was almost instant increased awareness of our business. Even folks who didn’t purchase the offer came by because they didn’t know about us. Now many of them are regulars.”

But success in the world of online coupons for a merchant doesn’t necessarily translate into dollars. It’s more about marketing.

Widmann explains, “You have to look at it in terms of effective advertising and where you’re going to spend your ad and marketing dollars. We’ve done some print ads and the effect was very subtle. The urgency and instant name recognition of a site like Groupon sparks excitement and people feel like they have to take advantage of the deal right away.”

Scoutmob’s social media manager, Nicole Jayne, has a similar theory for why online coupon sites are so successful.

“In the past, for a local small business, the only advertising options they had were billboards, radio, television and print. There was no real way to measure the success of that type of marketing. Online coupon sites allow these businesses to measure the effectiveness of getting their name out there almost instantly and translate that into traffic and revenue.”

There’s also no doubt the popularity of these sites is due in part to the recession and unstable economy. However, couponing is no flash in the pan trend, says Denise Tanton, the senior community manager at BlogHer. She, herself, recently started writing a popular series of blog posts about extreme couponing. “I started noticing couponing blogs more and thought this was a new trend. But after researching, I realized it wasn’t new, it’s just that the media has caught on because of the recession. And now TLC has latched on to it with a new show.”

She says coupons have been popular since the seventies. Even with the slowly improving economy, coupons will never go away, just evolve.

“I think we’re going to see more e-coupons, texted and mobile coupons. As smartphones become more pervasive, we’ll see more companies offering digital and smartphone based coupons. Companies will get more control over their offers that way.”

As for the money-saving food lover like me, there are three rules I live by before I hit “purchase”:

Would I actually go to this eatery, even if I didn’t have this coupon? If I don’t answer yes, I’m out.
Did I read the fine print? Some of these places don’t allow you to use your offer on a Friday or Saturday, have restricted times, or have expiration dates that are sooner than you’d like.
It’s not a deal, unless you actually use it.

Dinner, East Bay, Events, Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch, Peninsula, San Francisco, South Bay, Street Food

Off the Grid is Making Street Food Mainstream

Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2011Sunday, April 17, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

Off the Grid at Fort Mason Center. Photo courtesy of Off the Grid

Almost every food craving you could ever think of could be satisfied by at least one of the food trucks at any given Off the Grid location in San Francisco. In just a couple of years, OtG in Fort Mason has become the single largest weekly block party for foodies in the Bay Area.

But with almost every food category being represented there, is there fear of street food being a trend that’s reaching oversaturation? Off the Grid’s man-in-charge, Matt Cohen, says absolutely not.

“I think of Asia and how prolific street food is and how it’s a part of people’s lives. Will all of them launching right now stay in business? Probably not. But there’s a long way to go before we hit the saturation point. The rest of the world has experience with street food and we were so far behind here in the Bay Area. People had to think of them not as roach coaches, so we just had to catch up.”

Cohen fell in love with street food while living in Japan as an English teacher. When he returned to the States, he tried to start his own food truck in 2007. His plans got halted after the recession hit, and he decided to turn his experience with getting a mobile food business started, permits, rules and all, into a food truck consultant business in 2008. Eventually, the idea of Off the Grid got off the ground.

“My clients were asking how we could find better locations and how trucks could group together at different locations. There was obviously a need and it was clear that no one truck could handle the task alone. Off the Grid is more of a curation of these food trucks.”

There are now six Off the Grid (OtG) events throughout the week in San Francisco, and possible OtGs in San Mateo, the South Bay and East Bay expected to be announced within the next six weeks. But is all this street food too much?

“What we’ve learned is that the only ‘destination’ OtG is Fort Mason in the city, where people from all over the Bay Area come to visit. Most of the other current locations are driven by locals and their needs in those areas. We like to create and attract community in the places we go, and those spots seem to have a need. And we try to make sure we switch out the trucks so it’s never the same experience every time.”

Cohen says they have 30-40 food trucks on their roster right now, but expect that number to DOUBLE by the end of the season! And there’s no threat of too much culinary overlap, either.

“No one would argue that we don’t need more fusion taco trucks and cupcake trucks. But there are a number of burger, sandwich, soup, pizza and salad food trucks coming soon.”

It’s only been about four years since food carts, trucks and the like hit the Bay Area, but the category has seen a lot of evolution since 2007.

“I think we’re sort of entering a third wave with the food truck scene here. There were guerrilla street food carts for a while with the Magic Curry and Crème Brulee Karts. They brought a lot of attention to the fun and whimsy of eating on the street. Plus, they really knew how to cook.”

“Then the second coming was when those guys, along with formal chefs, saw a demand for it but realized you couldn’t make a living with underground street food. It’s not a long term job, it’s a hobby. And experienced restauranteurs liked the simplicity of the truck.”

“Now, there’s a third wave happening, where people are taking that blueprint of the mobile food truck and going in all sorts of directions, like Rib Whip and Le Truc. There’s a ton of new trucks coming out now.”

Street food may still seem new to us, but there’s no reason why it can’t be here to stay, much like it is in other parts of the world. Of course, Cohen has a business stake in it all, but he’s attracted to this type of culinary experience for personal reasons too.

“I love eating outside! We can all try different foods and sit outside, have a great time, run into friends, and it’s affordable. Your kids can run around, you can bring your dog, and run into people you haven’t seen in a while. It’s a community space.”

As for the food truck he bought in 2007, he’s still got it, and just recently decided to start renting it out.

“We actually just started using the truck I bought back in 2007. We’re not serving food off of it, but it’s great for demos for chefs who are considering starting their own street food business, or for someone who wants to try it out before considering buying one for themselves. And it’s got televisions attached to it so it’s great for broadcasting Giants games.”

Off the Grid
Various locations throughout San Francisco. Check out their website for exact days and locations.
@sfcarts
facebook.com/offthegridsf

Dinner, Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch, Peninsula, South Bay

Pizza and Pasta Rule at Osteria Coppa

Posted on Tuesday, April 5, 2011Monday, April 4, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

Perfectly acceptable pasta and mediocre slices of pizza are easy to find. If you haven’t had a decent interpretation of either in a while, you can easily forget what a great version tastes like.

Let’s just say I’ve now been reminded.

Osteria Coppa in San Mateo is owned by the folks who run Sam’s Chowder House in Half Moon Bay; a Peninsula institution. Executive Chef Chanan Kamen takes pride in his handmade pastas and hand-stretched pizzas, and it shows. His resume includes Michelin-starred Quince and Jardinere in San Francisco, and Picholine and Tabla in New York City.

Osteria Coppa is a farm-to-table restaurant, meaning they use organic, locally sourced, artisanal ingredients. They cure their salumi in-house, fire up hand-made pizzas in their stone ovens, and artfully make their own pastas.

I paid two visits to the restaurant and each time focused solely on the pizzas and pastas, the latter of which has been getting some positive mentions in both the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News and The San Francisco Examiner, lately.

Braised Radicchio, Panchetta and Aged Balsamico Pizza

I tried both the house-made sausage, speck and crimini mushroom pizza, as well as the pancetta, braised radicchio and aged balsamico. Both thin-crust, Neapolitan-style pies were fantastic for this simple reason: the fresh, creative topping combinations worked perfectly on an exceptional crust.

The flavors on both pizzas were well conceived, but I was particularly impressed with the pancetta, braised radicchio and aged balsamico pie. It was one of the best pizzas I have had in a while. I fell in love with the wonderfully tangy sweetness of the balsamico. It made me wonder why I hadn’t tasted balsamic vinegar on a pizza before! It was the perfect match for the meaty, fatty goodness of the of pancetta bits. And the radicchio was an edgier stand-in for the typical red onions.

My dining companion at one point declared, “Even the crust is great on this pizza!” The crust was perfectly crisp and charred on the bottom, pillowy soft and sweet on the inside. If you order just one pie while you’re there, this is the one.

As far as Osteria Coppa’s pastas go, the San Jose Mercury News has called them “exquisite”, and even named the Tagliatelle Bolognese one of the Top Ten Dishes of 2010.

There are plenty of places that make their own pastas, but they either make the mistake of overcooking it so that it becomes mushy (fresh pasta should take no longer than a few minutes to cook), or the flavor is way too doughy and floury, without enough focus on fresh, quality ingredients.

There’s no risk of either here. Preparation, ingredients and technique all have equal importance. The Fettuccine Marinara with cauliflower and broccoli rabe was perfectly al dente, and the noodles were delicious with a wonderful eggy, almost buttery flavor. The freshness of the vegetables was obvious and actually made the dish seem light.

But I can confirm that the recent attention on the Tagliatelle Bolognese is well warranted. The dish was nothing short of fabulous with its smooth, rich pork and deliciously creamy sauce. And once again, the noodles themselves were the star in both texture and taste. But for all the richness of this dish, it never seemed overly heavy.

Aside from the pizzas and pastas, the house-made blood orange lemonade is more proof of the inventive items on the menu. It’s a fun twist on the typical lemonade and it shows how the restaurant takes full advantage of their access to great fruits and vegetables. They use unconventional ingredients and combine them in a way that makes you feel like every item is fully realized.

Service is casual but expert. There’s no pretentiousness from the staff, and families are welcome. In the Bay Area, that’s a welcome change for a restaurant of this caliber. They’ve done a successful job of creating a warm, sophisticated yet easy vibe here. Chef Kaman was an expert pasta maker while at Quince, and the peninsula is lucky he’s decided to bring his four-star talents to suburbia.

Food, San Francisco

Life After Gourmet is Good: A Chat with Ruth Reichl

Posted on Friday, April 1, 2011Monday, April 4, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

Ruth Reichl is one of the most influential names in food. Her storied career includes stints at the Los Angeles Times as a restaurant critic and food editor, as well as the restaurant critic for the New York Times. She is also the author of five bestselling books, the recipient of six James Beard Awards, and spent 10 years as the Editor-in-chief of the now defunct Gourmet magazine.

But as any resilient woman will tell you, when one door closes, a few other doors open. She’s now an editor-at-large for the mega-publisher, Random House, is currently writing three new books, and on April 6th, will make her debut as one of the new judges on Top Chef Masters.

She was kind enough to carve out some time to chat with me while on a recent trip to Palo Alto for a speaking engagement. I asked her about how life has changed since the closing of Gourmet magazine, how she feels about food bloggers, and what she really thinks about Ruth Bourdain.

ELAINE: What was life like after Gourmet magazine shut its doors?
RUTH: At first I thought, “Oh my God, I’ll never have another job!” and I immediately made a deal to write three books, which I’m working on, and that’s great. I’m finishing my first fiction novel, and I promised to write a cookbook and then a memoir about my time at Gourmet and its closing.

But then about eight months after the magazine closed, I was literally getting a job offer a day. The most interesting is one I can’t talk about. Let’s just say it’ll be the food magazine of my dreams. I’m very lucky. (NOTE: We know now that Ms. Reichl will be running the Gilt Groupe’s “Gilt Taste” website.)

ELAINE: And you’re going to be on Top Chef Masters! What made you want to take that offer?
RUTH: I just thought it would be fun! I was kind of curious about how reality shows worked and it seemed like a learning experience. But I had already agreed to be a fellow at Dartmouth, so I’m not in every single episode.

ELAINE: What was the experience like?
RUTH: Top Chef Masters was such a surprise. They could not have been more passionate and respectful of the chefs, judges, guests and I loved every minute of it. And they take it all very seriously. I thought the judges would surely have to lean on the producers to make the decisions about who gets cut, and the producer probably would’ve liked a different outcome in some cases, but I never heard it from them.

And Curtis Stone (the new host) is so good looking, you’d think he had to be an idiot. But he’s so smart and has a heart of gold. He’s honestly one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. He insisted on cooking for the entire crew a multi-course meal after the show wrapped. He’s totally for real. I was so sorry when it was all over. It felt like family. You really get to know everyone. It’s very intimate.

ELAINE: What are your thoughts on the new Gourmet Live app for the iPad?
RUTH: …I’m not going to say. It is what it is.

ELAINE: What do you think about the new generation of food bloggers? Are they changing the landscape of food writing in general?
RUTH: A lot of them are really, really good. I think it’s changed for restaurant critiquing in particular. You can read 30 reviews and make up your mind yourself. A professional restaurant critic’s word shouldn’t matter that much. People should bring their own intelligence to it. What real criticism should do is give you a better way to appreciate food and give you the tools you need to enhance your experience, good or bad. And food bloggers have put the burden back on the professionals to be good educators and good writers, and maybe even be a little bit more humble about their own opinions.

ELAINE: You’re fairly active on Twitter. Why do you use it?
RUTH: I just don’t have time to keep up with so many blogs. But if someone I follow on Twitter tells me to read something on a blog, I will! I love the social and political aspects. There are people I don’t see much but I keep up with them on Twitter. And as a writer, I feel like there’s a voice that I didn’t know I had using Twitter. There’s a real discipline to putting something into 140 characters. I’m trying to actually make a word picture in 140 characters and it’s been really fun for me. It turns out to be a very natural voice for me.

ELAINE: What do you think of Ruth Bourdain getting nominated for a James Beard Award this year for Humor?
RUTH: I think it’s great! I agree with Tony Bourdain! If we can’t have fun with food, what are we gonna have fun with? I hope he/she wins so they’ll have to get up and accept the award!

But I actually think it’s a “he,” and I don’t think it’s any of the people that have been talked about. I think all the theories about who this person is are all wrong.

ELAINE: As a former Bay Area resident, what do you miss about the area?
RUTH: At the moment, if you go to the farmers market in New York there’s not much. In the Bay Area you’re spoiled with fresh produce year round. I really miss that. And there’s an incredible energy with farmers and food producers here. There’s a great artisan food community here that you don’t get anywhere else.

Dinner, Food, Lunch, San Francisco

Bar Tartine Is Worth the Wait

Posted on Monday, March 28, 2011Monday, April 18, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

Brunch nirvana. That’s what this was.

First off, I’d like to say that it’s so nice to see a restaurant that’s totally deserving of all the hype it’s received.

Second, I feel like I’m the last foodie in the Bay Area to go to Bar Tartine. Regardless, this is now my favorite brunch place in San Francisco, despite it’s location in one of the most hated parking neighborhoods in town. Fortunately, there’s a parking lot on Hoff and 16th Street that you can take advantage of, or just arrive before 11am and park on Dolores. You’ll do just fine.

With places like Delfina, Bi-Rite Creamery, Delfina Pizzeria, Farina, Luna Park, and Andalu all within a four-block radius of both Tartine Bakery and Bar, it’s no wonder this part of the Mission/Valencia is swamped with cars.

Anyways…

It started with the welcoming and gracious host. He was so welcoming it felt like we’d just come to his house for brunch. Even our waiter, once we were seated, was genuinely and surprisingly friendly.

We debated for a while and then finally decided on the French Toast with Marinated Apples and Walnuts, the House Cured Bacon Tartine (like a panini) with Roasted Potatoes, and the Eggs Benedict on Brioche with Arugula and Ham.

Awesome. Just awesome.

When a place is this famous for its bread products, it’s really the cornerstone of all their dishes. Fortunately, it’s also what makes them phenomenal.

And the elements on the plate were deliciously simple, fresh and perfectly prepared. Nothing was overcooked even a smidge, undercooked even a second, carelessly plated even an inch. And what was truly amazing was that this was true from the service to the food.

But what’s even better is that it’s all served up casually, effortlessly, and without pretension. It feels like your neighborhood cafe, but the food, the ingredients and the styling all taste like they came out of a 4-star kitchen.

The poached eggs on my Eggs Benedict were wonderfully runny and a bright yellow, the arugula superior in freshness and the brioche was soft, fluffy and subtly sweet. It was prettiest, simplest and far and away, the best version of this dish I’ve ever had (and I order it A LOT).

I also got to try some of the French Toast, which was amazingly light and only subtly sweet, letting the excellent bread shine through. The accompanying apples were still firm, not mushy. A great way to highlight the beauty of the fruit.

And the Bacon Tartine was the perfect blend of smoky meatiness. I loved how it wasn’t too salty, which is how 80% of the bacon I’ve ever eaten tends to be. And a less than crispy, crunchy panini is always a disappointment. No problem here. And a little ripe avocado added the perfect creamy textural contrast and freshness.

And the dessert was literally the icing on the cake for our dining experience. I was almost afraid it wouldn’t live up to the rest of the meal. I also appreciated how honest our waiter was, telling us the sorbet with prosecco was a little on the sweeter side for a brunch dessert. We promptly decided on the Lemon Pudding Cake with Huckleberry Compote and Hazelnut Biscotti. Again, just divine. The texture of that cake was a cross between the creamiest cheesecake and a moist lemon cake. I don’t know why or how they do it, but it was “just” tart enough, “just” sweet enough, and “just” the right portion.

It was simply the best brunch I’ve had in years. Period.