For Kids/Parent – Page 5 – Virgo in Wonderland

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

With JapaCurry, It’s All About The Food

Posted on Monday, March 14, 2011Monday, March 7, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

From SF Weekly to the Wall Street Journal, the JapaCurry food truck has been getting a lot of press lately for ruffling feathers with San Francisco restaurants located in the areas where the truck is parked.

But one question hasn’t been asked much through it all…How’s the food?

Well, fortunately for owner Jay Hamada, it’s damn good.

Japanese curry is different from Indian or Southeast Asian curries. It is sweeter and has a deeper, richer, meatier flavor base and color than those from other cultures. It’s also one of the most common meals at dinner tables across Japan because it’s rather inexpensive to prepare.

Hamada’s recipe is purely his own. He starts from scratch with 80 pounds of onions a day as the basis for each day’s batch of curry, caramelizing them to give the sauce a rich depth of flavor and adding thickness. A day’s batch of curry can take 6-7 hours to make. Just like with a homemade soup or stew, Hamada says homemade Japanese curry is better the next day. Many of these restaurants in his native Japan, let their curries sit for up to a week before serving it so the flavors have time to meld and develop.

Some have talked about their Chicken Katsu Curry lately, but using chicken is a variation of the original and more traditional Pork Cutlet, or “Tonkatsu” Curry served in Japan, so that’s what I opted for. I was instantly impressed when I open the clamshell box.

The cutlet was breaded and fried to a perfect shade of golden brown and had streaks of brown katsu sauce over the top that not only added flavor, but made for a lovely presentation, especially considering the food came from a truck.

I was even more pleased once I bit into the pork. Despite a 10 minute drive back to my office, the breading was still crisp and never separated from the meat; a true sign of good tonkatsu. The meat itself was juicy and tender, not at all dry. It was obviously a good cut of pork because there was enough fat to ensure juicy meat, but not too much to seem greasy.

The curry was more of a sauce than a thick gloppy stew like you’d see at many Japanese restaurants around town. Hamada says that’s because many Japanese restaurants in America don’t make their curry from scratch. Many times they use curry stock cubes that you buy from an Asian supermarket.

The sauce had a definite kick, even though I ordered the “regular”, not that I’m complaining. The flavors were also much more robust and had a definite warmth that came from the variety of spices, including cumin, coriander, cardamom, mustard seed, turmeric, and a little bit of apple or peach, when in season, to add a touch of sweetness.

Hamada’s recipe is one he developed on his own, after stints at Tanpopo Restaurant in San Francisco and Wakuriya Restaurant in San Mateo. But his background is actually in technology. After getting laid off, he decided to give his passion for food another shot. He even returned to Tokyo to become a trained ramen maker.

But once he returned to the States, he noticed the food truck trend taking off. “I saw food trucks in downtown San Francisco and decided it was a better option because real estate was so expensive. And I used to work at an office, so I know that people want a quick lunch. I thought curry was better for that reason, and it’s easier to serve off a truck than ramen.”

The menu is extremely short with only pork or chicken cutlet, pork Kurobata sausage, veggie and veggie croquette curry options, plus the occasional bento box. But this curry is the real deal. The quality and flavor of my meal was excellent considering it came from a truck. And eight dollars will get you a healthy portion that’ll satisfy your lunch craving.

Hamada says he has no plans to expand outside of San Francisco, for now, but he does want to expand his menu to possibly include a seafood and beef curry. And he hasn’t abandoned his love of ramen, either. “I miss ramen! That’s still my goal. I’d love to have another truck, or maybe I’ll do a ramen restaurant.”

As for all this hoopla he’s been experiencing lately with the restaurants he’s offended downtown, he regrets not doing things differently in the beginning. “I would’ve introduced myself to the businesses in the neighborhood to explain what I do and let them know before I went out there. Overall, some restaurants are skeptical, but many want to try my food and are supportive.”

He admits, though, all this press attention has actually helped business. “My foot traffic has been great because people are curious. Customers have been very supportive and say good things to me like, ‘Keep it up!’”

Some brick and mortar restaurants may not want a food truck in their neighborhood. But the reality is if the food is good, people will come back, and the public will ultimately get to determine who stays and who goes.

JapaCurry Food Truck
Various locations in San Francisco, including Sansome and Pine, Howard and 1^st St., Mission and New Montgomery, and 8000 Marina Blvd. in Brisbane.
11:30am – 1:30pm
@JapaCurry
www.japacurry.com

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

Dinner, East Bay, Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch

Vegans, Vegetarians and Carnivores Dine Together at Gather

Posted on Thursday, March 3, 2011Wednesday, March 2, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

Can vegans, vegetarians and carnivores really share a foodie-worthy meal at the same table? They certainly can at Gather in Berkeley. And that’s just the way Esquire Magazine’s 2010 Chef of the Year, and Gather’s Executive Chef, Sean Baker, likes it.

“We want to show the same enthusiasm for every dietary preference, whether it’s lactose intolerance, gluten-free, or veganism. We want to make sure they all get to have the same experience.”

Chef Baker may be a classically trained chef who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, but he’s always been personally interested in being meat-free, even becoming vegan for a time, before he went to culinary school. Now with his fiancee being vegan, he’s even more personally invested in making dishes everyone can enjoy.

“It’s frustrating,” he says. “We eat out a lot and sometimes she can’t have the same experience that I can. Veganism is not an eating style that is embraced by a lot of culinary folks.” Fortunately, Chef Baker says that thinking of a 50/50 vegan/meat menu comes to him quite naturally these days. Must be from his previous stints at Millennium Restaurant, San Francisco’s premier high-end vegan restaurant, and Gabriella Café in Santa Cruz, where he oversaw a meat-heavy menu that sometimes offered offal options.

Chef Baker says, “I read obsessively, eat out obsessively, and I cook obsessively. I love what I do. It’s never a struggle to come up with menus that appeal to everyone.”

But that doesn’t mean it requires less work.

He says, “Vegan food is much more labor intensive in the kitchen, but you can do a lot of great culinary techniques when preparing it. We spend hours and hours doing vegetable stocks. We smoke our tomatoes and caramelize our onions until they can’t be caramelized anymore. We blanch our cardoons and then sous vide them for six hours until they come out perfect. We’re always messing around with things to improve the flavor of food and improve our craft.”

Chef Baker believes in offering comfort food in unpretentious surroundings that are not only beautiful, but eco-friendly. For example, they filter all of the water in the restaurant themselves, used recycled pickle barrels to create the back bar and cabinetry in the open kitchen, and even re-used old leather belts to make the seat cushions in the banquettes.

But this is no tree-hugging, alfalfa-loving hippy eatery. The menu here is inventive, surprising, and worthy of a four-star chef.

On a recent visit for brunch with some friends, we had the Egg Sandwich with bacon and mushrooms; the Acme Walnut French Toast with blood orange confit, cranberries and walnut sauce; and the Burrata salad with chicories, walnuts, anchovy and bruschetta.

We loved the Egg Sandwich with its fresh torpedo Acme roll, smoky salty bacon and those fabulous braised Portobello mushrooms! Apparently they’d been cooked with red onions, smoked chopped tomatoes, their own veggie stock and something they call “tomato condiment” which is like a housemade ketchup. It’s the basis for many dishes and the Chef was nice enough to offer up the recipe below.

We also ordered two pizzas for the table, including the vegan Spicy Tomato with capers, olives, cashew garlic puree and herbs; and the Farm Egg Pizza with bacon and caramelized onions.

The vegan Spicy Tomato pie was the highlight of our entire meal, and I say that surprisingly because we were a table of hearty meat-eaters. We were skeptical that any vegan dish could satisfy, let alone surprise us, the way this pizza did. The flavor combination of the salty capers and olives with the zesty sauce and creamy nut puree made for a winning combination. And texturally, the crust on both pizzas was stellar. It was thin and crispy on the bottom, and the dough around the edges was soft and tender, like the perfect breadstick.

Each and every plate was fresh, bright and alive with flavor, thanks to all the fresh produce from the folks at Lindencroft Farms. And it’s not just high quality ingredients we tasted, it’s the obvious care in preparation.

“I don’t want the vegetarians to know they’re eating vegetarian food. I want you to feel like you’re eating something that tastes like steak,” says Chef Baker. “My goal when cooking is for people to try a whole new array of flavors every time they come in and make it fun for everyone at the table.”

Tomato Condiment
(Yields 9 quarts so scale down!)

12 qts red onion (1/4 inch dice)
3 qt apple cider vinegar
6 cups tomato paste
5 cups Sucanat (or natural cane sugar)
2 Tbsp. dried thyme
3 Tbsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. ground clove
2 Tbsp. ground allspice
1 Tbsp. cayenne
6 oz pure olive oil
1.5 cups Tamari/Dark Soy Sauce
3 qts Water

Caramelize the onions and then fry the tomato paste. Add all other ingredients and reduce to slightly looser than ketchup consistency.

You can use this as a basis for braising vegetables and meats or as a condiment.

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

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

Going to Town

Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2011Tuesday, January 4, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

The peninsula has a shortage of higher-end, hip, sophisticated eateries. It’s just the nature of suburbia, and a trek to San Francisco is less than 30 minutes away.

That’s why Town Restaurant on Laurel Street in San Carlos is the hippest place to be on a Friday or Saturday night. They do a good job of combining family-friendly eatery (good kids menu and service) with hot nightspot and bar (after 8pm the noise level is overwhelming with all the crowding around the centralized bar). If you have kids, you’re only safe from 5:30-8pm.

That being said, I’ve never had a bad meal at Town. If you love a hearty meat and potatoes meal, this is the place for you. Portions are large, prices are equal to a joint in the city, and the cocktails are tasty. You should definitely go with one of their suggested martinis (love the pear flavored one w/Gray Goose vodka).

I’ve had the Chicken and Ribs, Meatloaf, and their Pork Chop on previous visits. But this time around, I had the newly added Bourbon Glazed Flank Steak. It was cooked a perfect medium rare and had a delicious sweet yet tangy glaze with bourbon and brown sugar. It was the best steak I’ve had in a long time. Juicy and tender, there was a great balance of flavors and it didn’t mask the flavor of a quality piece of beef. (My husband makes a MEAN steak so I don’t compare restaurant steaks to his :).)

If that wasn’t enough for you, the meal came with two hugely portioned sides. You can choose from a laundry list of enticing sides, which is half the dilemma when ordering, like heirloom tomatoes with bleu cheese, broccoli bernaise, garlic mashed potatoes or a fully loaded baked potato.

I went with the fresh buttered corn and the mac and cheese. Man, these sides were good! This is my kind of meal. The kind you’ll regret when you get home but it’s damn good going down. This is like “last meal on earth” good. I love how the corn was fresh off the cob, tender, still slightly crisp, and full of good buttery goodness. And the mac and cheese is now my favorite on the peninsula: creamy and gooey, but enough baked breadcrumbs on top to give it texture. LOVE IT!

It’s great to have a spot to go to where the food is always reliably fantastic and the scene is definitely hipper than the usual hole in the wall.

Sometimes suburbia needs a touch of the city life.

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

A Foodie Feast at Bruce Hill’s Zero Zero

Posted on Thursday, November 18, 2010Tuesday, January 4, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

Hopes were high for famous pizza master, Bruce Hill’s new San Francisco outpost, Zero Zero. He’s most known for his legendary pies at Larkspur’s Pizzeria Picco, and San Francisco Chronicle’s Michael Bauer recently declared Zero Zero the “French Laundry of pizza”.

I’m sorry Mr. Bauer, but I have to kindly disagree.

We’d notified the Zero Zero staff that our table of 15 food bloggers were planning on descending on his new restaurant for Saturday brunch, so there was full disclosure. We are a critical, fun-loving, pizza loving bunch and Bruce himself decided to come out and say hello. His only request?…That we get loud and have fun while we were there. Check!

Food bloggers @virgoblue @istelleinad @lickmyspoon @brittanypiehl @joanneisafoodie @bonni_bella @inuyaki @mrfredbriones

The space is perfect for large groups and beer loving, bar-hopping foodies. They’ve got two bars and plenty of space for large tables. The decor is very pub-like, but nothing particularly special or sophisticated. Just casual and comfortable.

So we ordered just about every pizza on the menu, including the Margherita, which is the standard by which all Neapolitan pizzas should be judged. This one had a good charred crust, fantastically flavorful yet mild and creamy mozzarella cheese and a fresh tomato sauce. I would’ve liked a little more zest or overall flavor from the sauce, though.

Zero Zero's Mission pizza w/broccoli rabe

We also ordered the Townsend (garlic, potato and prosciutto), Mission (broccoli rabe, garlic, olives) and Fillmore pies (Hen of the Woods mushrooms, leeks, fontina). All were somewhat unspectacular and not particularly memorable.

But I really enjoyed the Geary, which had clams, tomato sauce, garlic and bacon. The combo of flavors on this one popped and made for the most memorable pie on the table.

We also ordered some Fried Chicken Thighs with Semolina Waffles. The waffles were slightly grainy because of the semolina but had a great flavor. The chicken, however, had a strange flavor that just didn’t work. One of the plates was even so disturbingly flavored that we informed the kitchen. It could’ve been rancid oil, or a dirty skillet that had leftover bits of flavor from a previous night. The staff was kind enough to offer a second plate of chicken on the house (and comped our other plate as well). I wish I could say it was good but it wasn’t. The breading was too thick and oddly flavored. But the chicken thigh itself was super juicy, tender and delicious.

All in all, I’d highly recommend this place for large parties or as a place to kick back at the bar that’s a definite step up from Bucca di Beppo or your neighborhood dive bar. A good place for groups is a great thing to have in your back pocket.

However, as a food blogger, I can’t say I’d ever go back for the pizza itself.

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

The Best of San Francisco Street Food

Posted on Tuesday, November 9, 2010Tuesday, November 9, 2010 by virgoinwonderland

Street food is definitively proving that it’s no flash in the pan fad here in San Francisco. With both a trip to Off the Grid and the Foodbuzz Festival’s kickoff dinner at the Herbst Pavilion last week, here’s some of the best I had there.

Sisig Taco w/Chicharrone Topping from @adobohobo

I’ve gotta say, the Sisig Taco with crunchy chicharrones and creamy sauce from Adobo Hobo (@adobohobo) was the best damn thing I had that night. There was the tender, juicy meat with that distinctive vinegary flavor, along with the cool creamy sauce and the crunchy salty bite of the chicharrones. And like @inuyaki and I were discussing, their tortillas were warmed by a brief visit to the grill, which made all the difference. What a perfect, inventive, and unexpected combination and a true winner! Further proof that Filipino food is the new food trend to hit the scene.

This dish from BBQ Kalbi (@bbqkalbi) was either born out of laziness or sheer genius because it is so good (and so terribly bad for you, I know). How can you go wrong with a marriage of creamy processed nacho cheese and homemade, flavorful Korean shortribs? Answer: you can’t. Oh, and it’s not always on the menu so make sure you ask if they have it that day.

The boys from Namu (@namusf) do it again! I always love the tang of that fluffy flavored rice, the creamy sauce, the lovely marinated shortribs, and the cool zesty tomatoes and scallions. Some complain the nori it sits on makes it more of an open faced sushi roll, or that it may get too soggy, but I’ll always be a devoted fan.

Porchetta Sandwich & Roasted Potatoes from @roliroti

This is a CLASSIC! No one can touch the perfection that is this famous Porchetta Sandwich from Roli Roti (@roliroti). Succulent pork belly, garlic and spices, crunchy pork skin for texture, and the juices that seep into that roll. Pure perfection. But amazingly, it wasn’t the standout of the night (perhaps because it’s something that’s so reliably good).

Jalapeno Marinated Pork Loin Sandwich from @4505_Meats

Who the hell would think of taking the liquid from pickled jalapenos and using it to marinate a whole pork loin and then giving it a cornmeal crust, making it one of the most outrageously unusual and imaginative sandwiches you’ll ever eat? Ryan Farr, that’s who! He’s the genius from 4505 Meats (@4505_Meats) who makes the best damn chicharrones in the world (I’m not exaggerating, trust me. Pork rinds that are light, airy, crisp and spicy). Now he can say he’s made one of the moistest, most flavorful, inventive pieces of pork anyone’s ever put between two pieces of bread. Is this thing on his regular menu, because it damn well should be!

And special props to the guys at Curry Up Now (@curryupnow) who make their fabulous Chicken Tikka Masala Burrito a dish that I now have to eat at least once a week. Thankfully, I can find them all over the Bay Area and not just in San Francisco.

I’ve gotta make it out to Off the Grid again soon because there was SO MUCH I didn’t even get to try!

Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch, San Francisco

Comfort Food, Elevated

Posted on Monday, September 20, 2010Friday, January 21, 2011 by virgoinwonderland

Can a grilled cheese be…subtle? Can it become “artisan”? After a visit to The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in San Francisco, the answer is YES. And it can be damn tasty too.

Let me clarify and say that this is not a Kraft American Singles on Wonder Bread kinda grilled cheese, although I’d love one of those right about now. In other words, the grilled cheese has been elevated here to a higher status. The place is basically a takeout counter, so there’s no pretension here. Good thing because nothing goes worse with a grilled cheese than pretension.

My foodie pal Anne Marie and I ordered the Red, White and Blue Plate special, which gives you your choice of a nice sized sammie and small bowl of housemade roasted tomato soup with creme fraiche. Everything here is homemade with primo ingredients, right down to the lemonade and freshly baked sweets and breakfast breads.

We ordered the Mousetrap w/tomatoes, which is their traditional grilled cheese with sharp cheddar, havarti, and monterey jack on artisan sourdough, and the Mushroom Gruyere with fontina, gruyere, roasted wild mushrooms, sauteed onions, leeks and thyme butter on fresh country-style wheat.

The Mushroom Gruyere was my favorite. Despite having a lot of ingredients including leeks, mushrooms, potatoes, caramelized onions, and gruyere and fontina cheeses, the sandwich was the perfect texture and had amazing subtlety in its flavors. Everything just worked and was incredibly flavorful. And the country-style bread had the perfect crunch and texture. It was hearty but didn’t compete with all the flavors going on. I was amazed that it didn’t leave me feeling heavy or like I’d just eaten a pound of grease.

The Mousetrap was mighty tasty as well, though it was almost too much cheese. So much so that they all started to blend together and I begged for a different element to break up the cheesy party. The tomatoes, unfortunately, didn’t help and got a little lost, flavor-wise. I would, however, recommend it if you are a traditionalist and love your grilled cheese on sourdough. There’s definitely something to be said for that.

The soup was perfectly tangy and smoky, and ideal for dipping the sammies in. Throw in the big giant crunchy house-made croutons, and it could’ve been a meal in itself.

I think this place does a great job of showing how you can elevate something so seemingly one-dimensional, to new heights. The staff are helpful, friendly and work quickly to get the line moving during peak times.

This is not your mother’s grilled cheese, for sure, but it’s also not Sunday brunch, either. Regardless, you’ll definitely leave happy.

Dinner, Food, For Kids/Parent, San Francisco

Is Gialina’s the Best Pizza in San Francisco?

Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 by virgoinwonderland

The hubby, kid and I decided to head to the city for something fun, yet family friendly. Enter Gialina, which foodies in the area have described as one of, if not the best pizza in San Francisco. It’s also been named one of the Best Pizzas in the country by GQ magazine.

The place is TINY and is a neighborhood joint in the Glen Park area of the city, which means you don’t head there for atmosphere or decor. Parking is a breeze, but the wait can be torture. The only answer is to show up before 5:30pm, which we did. They only serve dinner, but they do it 7 nights a week.

Service is accommodating and friendly, but not warm or inviting. They’ve got a job to do and they do it well. However, with the space being so small and the amount of people who are waiting outside, they never make you feel rushed so they can turn the table. I greatly appreciated that.

We had the Little Meatballs w/tomato sauce & provolone, and the Pork Belly w/sauteed chard studded with currants. Both these appetizers are fantastic, which is why this restaurant is known not only for their pies but the small plates they put out. Surprisingly, I LOVED the chard because the bits of currants gave it tang and sweetness that contrasted the flavor of the bitter greens and pungent garlic so well.

Then the pies. We ordered two: the Wild Nettles pie w/panchetta, provolone and mushrooms was first. WOW! The combo of flavors is incredible and not one you would think of. The nettles give texture and fresh green flavor while the panchetta and provolone give heft and richness. But the biggest thing about their pies is the CRUST! It’s paper-thin, so much so that you can practically see through it. Yet it’s not annoyingly crackly and dry like a cracker. It had a nice soft texture on top and a thin crispness on the bottom. It was almost like a freshly baked baguette, but of course, not as thick or doughy. How do they do that? I mean, it’s paper thin! And the crust also had the slightest tang, almost like it was sourdough. Amazing and very impressive.

Our second pie was just as delicious, but in a totally different way. The Atomica had a tomato sauce with a little kick from chilies, mushrooms, thinly shaved red onions and mozzarella. Again, wow! Such simplicity and quality in its ingredients and preparation.

We were so impressed that my husband declared it the most memorable pizza he’s ever had. I declared it the best thin crust pizza you’ll ever find in San Francisco.

I’ve tried A16 (the restaurant, overall, is overrated IMHO), Pizzeria Delfina (great Neapolitan-style pies, but it’s a different crust that’s much more pillowy, and the pies can occassionally be soggy in the middle), Pizzeria Picco (a bit dry and boring), and Pizza Antica (can you say inconsistent?). But none compare to the innovation, simplicity, and sheer expertise of Gialina. It’s the little unassuming Italian neighborhood restaurant that blows most others like it, out of the water.

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

I’ve had BBQ from a truck…and it is good.

Posted on Monday, August 2, 2010 by virgoinwonderland

“People want good food for less than 10 bucks.”

And with that, brothers Brett (a classically trained chef) and Nate (“front of the house”) Neibergall closed up their San Francisco restaurant, Frisee, and set up culinary shop in a food truck. It’s less glamorous, yes, but the food is damn tasty and reaching much more of the masses.

These Texas born, Carolinas-raised boys know their BBQ. But getting Southern Sandwich Co. up and running, as all food truck vendors know, has been a challenge. The permits, repairs, and inspections to get their business going in San Francisco has been never-ending. Which is why they decided to drive down to Redwood City to give their business a test run.

Their BBQ is distinctive in that the preparation and ingredients are gourmet, indeed. The quality is evident and the flavors are very specific to their background.

The Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich is tangy, vinegary and distinctively spiced. I LOVE a tangy BBQ much more than a sweet sauce, so I was loving this. And just like they do in the Carolinas, they threw some coleslaw onto the sandwich. The added tang, freshness and crunch was perfect for this gourmet BBQ.

The Texas-style Beef Brisket had a lot going for it too. The meat was tender, juicy, perfectly pink and had a nice smoky blackened crust and melt in your mouth buttery fat. The meat-lover in me was in heaven. Smoky caramelized onions rounded out the sandwich perfectly.

Add to that some spicy, peppery macaroni salad and some pork and beans (serious meat is in these beans and they’re fantastic), and you’ve got a sandwich and two sides for 8 bucks. And trust me, you won’t be left hungry.

I know these guys have their sights set on San Francisco (they’re already at Off the Grid in Fort Mason every Friday), but I REALLY hope they stay true to Redwood City at least once a week. This is going to become an addiction, I can tell.

And by the way, the pork and beans are Brett’s favorite. “They’re made with love,” he says, and you can taste it.

Southern Sandwich Co. – @southrnsandwich for daily location updates – www.southernsandwich.com

Food, For Kids/Parent, Wine Country

Ad Hoc: Nobody Does It Better

Posted on Tuesday, June 1, 2010Wednesday, June 2, 2010 by virgoinwonderland

I’ll spare you the repeat history lesson on Ad Hoc in Yountville, Thomas Keller’s accidental restaurant. I’ve written about it in a previous post. Only this restaurant would warrant a write-up from me each time I pay them a visit.

Yes, it is that good.

So let’s get straight to the food. My Husband and I had planned carefully a trip to this restaurant on their famous “Buttermilk Fried Chicken” night, which happens only every other Monday. After all the hype from every foodie who has experienced it, I knew we were in for a treat.

We started with a Baby Iceberg Lettuce Wedge Salad with marinated cucumbers, paper-thin baby radishes, pickled red onion, crumbled bacon and green goddess dressing. Again, as with every other salad I’ve had here, I don’t know how the lettuce they serve can be so damn tender and sweet! The tart and sweet onion was the perfect foil for this salad. And the bacon adds heft. The fact that I’d even refer to a salad as “amazing” is amazing in itself.

Then it was time for Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Boy oh boy, this did NOT disappoint. The skin was deep-fried (not pan-fried) to perfect golden crispness. And the meat was oh so juicy, tender and moist. Pure perfection. And at the end of each bite was that little tang of buttermilk that’s so subtle yet so distinctive. It was fantastic.

It was served with a phenomenal sautéed corn dish with onions, red peppers, corn milk from the husk of the cob, paprika and cayenne pepper for a real kick. I loved it. It was bold yet comforting at the same time and the perfect partner for the chicken.

The other side was a Rancho Gordo black bean and rice dish with veggies and oyster mushrooms. I am not a huge beans and rice gal, but I could appreciate the dish. My Husband loved this one.

And the cheese plate…Oh that cheese plate. I would forgo all desserts for another one of these cheese plates. It was a Redwood Hill Farm Cameo sheep’s milk cheese that had the texture of a super soft brie, all goey and creamy. It was topped with red pepper berries and herbs, which gave it a soft kick. Alongside it was some perfectly toasted Palladin bread and a Cherry and Red Onion Marmalade. Oh…my…gawd. Crazy good. That’s all I can say…crazy good. This course was absolute perfection. Probably my favorite of the night. (Yes, even more than the chicken!)

We finished with what was our least favorite course of the night. I LOVE cupcakes, so I was a bit disappointed in how dry the Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting was. And the addition of Verona Chocolate Chips on top was just plain unnecessary. It actually competed with the frosting’s flavor and texture. The only highlight of it was the fresh strawberries that were baked right in. That part of it was delicious.

The other cupcake was a Banana with Caramel Center and Rum Vanilla Frosting. That one was better, but tasted more like bread than cupcake. Not the best execution, but still good nonetheless.

The highlight of this dessert, however, was the accompanying Lemon Buttermilk Sorbet. Again, oh…my…gawd. It was like lemon cheesecake in ice cream form, but light, delicate and sophisticated. I’d have that sorbet again in a heartbeat.

And once again, the staff is so professional they make it seem effortless. They aren’t stuffy or intimidating. I’ll admit, I was nervous about bringing the toddler to a Thomas Keller restaurant, but the staff couldn’t have been better. They were fun, didn’t take themselves too seriously, but took pride in their jobs and the food they were serving.

The best thing about Ad Hoc is that there is no element of the dinner that isn’t well thought out, executed to perfection, and given the highest quality ingredients. I love how the menu is so seemingly simple night after night, but so perfectly executed like a symphony. Each course adds something different and yet works with the other courses so perfectly to create a complete and perfect meal.

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

Street Food En Masse

Posted on Sunday, August 30, 2009Wednesday, July 14, 2010 by virgoinwonderland

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)

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

Liba Falafel Truck (Falafel ball w/Roasted Eggplant)

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

Gerard’s Paella (Seafood & Chicken)

Creme Brulee Man (Vanilla Bean & Lavender Flavors)

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.

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…