Category: San Francisco

Posted in Food, For Kids/Parent, Lunch, San Francisco

Comfort Food, Elevated

Posted on 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.

The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen on Urbanspoon

Posted in Dinner, Food, For Kids/Parent, San Francisco

Is Gialina’s the Best Pizza in San Francisco?

Posted on 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.

Gialina on Urbanspoon

Posted in Events, Food, San Francisco, Travel

A Chat With Top Chef Season 6 Finalist, Kevin Gillespie

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

*This entry is also cross-posted on BlogHer.com.

I recently had the chance to interview Top Chef Season 6 finalist, Kevin Gillespie. On the show, he was known for his dedication to the craft of cooking and lack of dramatics, which also won him the title of “Fan Favorite.” As a food blogger and personal fan of Kevin’s, I was delighted to chat with him and was glad to find out that he was as friendly and personable as I’d hoped.

He’s currently working with the Purina Beggin Bacon Bash to celebrate International Bacon Day on September 4th. Kevin has made it publically known that his favorite ingredient to cook with is pork, so it’s the perfect fit.

I spent a lovely 10 minutes talking to him about his various new projects, whether or not he’s watching the current season of Top Chef, and what sort of comfort foods he turns to when he’s had a hard day (apparently, we share a love of fried pickles).

He was also nice enough to share with me a story that involved the other two Season 6 finalists, Michael and Bryan, that never made it to air. It’s a hoot!

Here’s the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjav-_aaoQQ

Posted in 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 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

Posted in Dinner, San Francisco

High-end Meatless Fare

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

Meat and potatoes: that’s the kind of girl I am.  I am NOT a granola-loving, nuts and twigs eating, prissy little salad ordering princess.  I want my savory rich meaty goodness with a side of cheese or earthy potatoes, though the older I get the more I’m paying for that indulgence.  But I can certainly respect one’s beliefs and causes.

Now, that said, I was still curious about vegan food.  Would I enjoy it just as much as a meat-filled meal?  I’d never had a vegan meal and I was excited about visiting Millennium in San Francisco with a group of co-workers.

This is high-end meatlessness.  We ordered a variety of appetizers to start for the entire table to share, including a Black Bean Torte, Green Beans with an amazing dill aioli, and others.  There were a lot of citrus, beans, and different textures but it was all brightly flavored and expertly prepared.

Then we got to our entrees.  I’d ordered the Portobello Mushroom with Smashed Potatoes.  It was a dish full of color and the mushroom was meaty and substantive.  It was topped with a wonderful balsamic and fresh apricot glaze that and gave it a nice sweet and zesty flavor that surprised me.  It was delightful.  And the accompanying shaved fennel salad and mix of beans, peas, corn and carrots were bright and wonderfully fresh.

We finished the meal with the Green Tea Cheesecake which was made with a variety of nuts (no real cheese of course) and an ice cream that was made from almond milk.  Again, a delightful alternative to the “original”, and again, substantive.

I loved realizing how different ingredients could be used to create alternate versions of some typical non-vegan dishes.  It was fascinating to see how you could use nuts, fruits, and other ingredients to season, accent, and flavor things in different ways.  And surprisingly, I didn’t miss the meat.

Service was a little spotty and the decor could definitely use a more modern touch, especially with the type of food they serve.  I would definitely return if given the chance.  It’s a nice change from your typical meat and potatoes. 🙂

Millennium on Urbanspoon

Posted in Dinner, Food, Lunch, San Francisco, Wine Country

Taylor’s New Name

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

Taylor’s Refresher in St. Helena has been a Wine Country staple for years. It’s THE place to grab a stellar burger and shake, and more recently, their San Francisco location in the Ferry Building, as well.

Recently, they changed their name to “Gott’s Roadside Tray Gourmet.”  Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.  Fortunately, the food hasn’t changed.

I visited the Ferry Building location for some greasy goodness and a side of fries.  For whatever reason, I wasn’t in the mood for a cheeseburger.  These days, I consider the In N Out Double Double the standard, so nothing’s been living up to it.  Why disappoint myself?

I went for the Wisconsin Sourdough Burger, which had BBQ sauce, sauteed mushrooms, Wisconsin cheddar and bacon, all on toasty sourdough.  No way I could pass that up!  I decided to go for broke and add to that an order of Garlic Fries, too.  Mmmmm, Garlic Fries…

And they didn’t disappoint!  They were thin and perfectly crispy.  And I love when they pile on the garlic and herbs.  This was a total winner.

And the burger?  Fortunately, it was no slouch either.  I’m not usually a fan of bacon, but I left it on there.  The combination of all those elements was total overkill but oh so good.  I am a sucker for a burger on sourdough, and add to that mushrooms?  I was in greasy, toasty, heart attack heaven.

My only complaint is that it’s a tad bit pricer than most casual burger joints.  Again, I think I’m spoiled by the value that In N Out delivers.  Other than that, if you’re in the city and are craving a casual burger on a nice warm day/night, you could do a LOT worse.

Gott's Roadside on Urbanspoon

Posted in Food, Lunch, Peninsula, San Francisco, Street Food

All Hail the Chairman!

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

A new food truck has hit the now popular peninsula street food scene run by the folks at @MobiMunch.  Chairman Bao specializes in Chinese “buns”, meaning steamed white buns or glossy baked buns, both with various tasty Asian fusion fillings.

I chose the steamed versions, purely based on volume and cost.  They’re both cheaper and smaller than the baked variety and I could try more of them out.

I’ve tried the Chinese Spiced Duck Confit with Fresh Mango Salad with a gingery, oniony orange sauce (that looks like it belongs on a Big Mac), Crispy Tofu with Miso Greens and a wasabi-like green sauce, Lionshead Meatballs with Kimchee, Red Sesame Chicken with Scallions and Bokchoi, and Pork Belly with Pickled Daikon Radish.

All in all, I was impressed.  The quality of ingredients was definitely top-notch.  And eventhough these combinations were rather unconventional, all their elements were fairly authentic, which is surprising.  The flavors were extremely bold though, meaning they were heavy handed in their spices and saucing.  That’s alright, since they’re trying to pack a lot of flavor into a little bun.

Surprisingly, my favorite of all of them was the Crispy Tofu with Miso Greens.  The crispness of the greens and the nice soft silken tofu patty (love how it was perfectly browned) were a great contrast.  And the flavor of that wasabi sauce was fantastic.  It was all very fresh tasting yet flavorful and different.

The Meatball and Kimchee came in second with the tangy, saucy kimchee giving it a lot of texture and flavor.  And fortunately the meatball was flavored well and cooked perfectly, though it didn’t taste like the traditional Lionshead meatball you’d get at a Chinese restaurant.

I was NOT a fan of the Pork Belly and Daikon, though.  Disappointing really, because pork belly is one of my favorite things to eat.  It was horribly dry and boring.

The guys running the truck were super nice and even gave me a Lychee Ginger Shaved Ice with Boba to try.  It was yummy and I loved the fresh lychee pieces on the bottom.  But if they’d made it just a tad less sweet, it would be truly awesome.

I hear they’re hoping to add Brisbane and Redwood City to their weekly rotation, along with the usual San Francisco stops.  Let’s hope so!

Chairman Bao  – Mobile truck parks at various locations – www.facebook.com/chairmanbao

Posted in Food, Peninsula, San Francisco, South Bay

Japanese Curry to Try Before You Die

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

The name “Muracci’s” sounds awfully Italian to me.  Supposedly, it’s the nickname of the owners’ son.

Instead, this restaurant serves up what is arguably one of the best Japanese curries outside of Japan…so I’ve been told.  7×7 Magazine even included it on their 100 Things to Try Before You Die list for 2010.  But with its San Francisco Financial District location and weekday only hours, I’d never make it down there.

So when they opened their second location in Los Altos (“Muracci’s 2 Japanese Curry and Grill“), I was thrilled.  Finally I’d get to see if it was worth the hype.

Some friends who tried it declared it was the best curry they’d had since visiting Japan.  I’ve never stayed in Japan long enough to try any curry, so I’d have to base my review solely on the dish’s individual merits.

The menu is very basic.  So instead of getting too adventurous, I decided to stick with what they’re known for and get the Katsu Curry w/Veggies (breaded pork chop).

The verdict?…It may well have been one of the best Japanese curries I’ve tried.  And I got it to go, so imagine if it had been fresh from the kitchen!

Muracci’s curry had many layers of flavor and a much more warm spicy flavor profile.  It’s not thick and pasty like the usual stuff served Stateside, but more of a gravy or sauce consistency.  And it’s not as sweet (other Japanese curries will typically add more apple to give it a fruitier sweet flavor and less heat).

The husband-wife team that owns these two restaurants make their curries from scratch.  It apparently takes two days to make and simmers for 20 hours.  The result is a curry that is rich, warm, and has a lot more depth in its flavor profile than most (think five spice or cloves).  I wimped out and ordered the “mild” version (there are three levels of heat to chose from), but I didn’t regret it since it had just a hint of real heat.  And the homemade soup stock base gave it a wonderfully meaty, robust flavor.

You also get some pickled veggies to start, which is a nice touch (they include some of it in your to go order, as well).  I hear it gets super crowded during the lunch rush, so come early or late.  It’s a tiny, yet clean restaurant, so it’s not exactly great for large groups.  I was also impressed at how genuinely friendly the staff was.

Muracci’s curry was different…a very GOOD different.  I will most definitely be back to try their other dishes as well as their curry noodle bowls.

It’s the perfect Japanese comfort food.  Just don’t come here expecting sushi!

Muracci's 2 on Urbanspoon

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

More Ferry Building Fare

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

Yes, yes, another trip to the San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace.  I know many of you may recall my endless affection for this foodie destination, but I can’t help it.  I don’t get to go as often as I like, but when I do, I visit both my faves as well as manage to find new items to swoon over.

So on this trip, I was determined to try a DIFFERENT porchetta sandwich.  One that WASN’T Roli Roti’s (gasp)!  I’ve heard much chatter about the pork sammie at Il Cane Rosso, and that it was just as good (which I find impossible).

First, yes it is VERY good.  The crunchy fresh French bread and the pickled cabbage gave a wonderful flavor and texture contrast to the moist, well-seasoned, obviously fresh and quality pork.  It seemed to have been cooked for hours with a variety of herbs that I don’t even have in my pantry.  Delicious, indeed.  BUT, it’s still second place to Roli Roti’s.

Second, the family and I headed to Miette to give their macaroons a shot.  I’ve tried many macaroons here and there around the Bay Area, and none have impressed me much, especially since I have a ridiculous standard to live up to having had them in Paris.

To my surprise, they weren’t bad at all!  Many may disagree, but for me, it came down to the texture of the cookie, itself.  Yes, I love the flavor infusions of the macaroons I had in Paris, but the chewy center of the two cookies and the crisp outer shell are what always impressed me most.  Miette delivered on this.  And it had that light yet distinct almond flavor.  I agree with many that the fillings are a bit too sweet and lack any delicate essence, but the texture and flavor of the cookie, itself, made it a winner for me.  (By the way, the grapefruit was not a good choice, but I’d go for the pistachio again in a heartbeat.)

And no trip to the Ferry Building would be complete without a trip to Delica.  Their Japanese deli fare is so delicious and prepared so well.  The ingredients are so damn fresh and tasty.  I always get the potato croquette (still the best one I’ve ever had) and this time I got the fried shrimp cake.  Oh…my…gawd.  I’ve always had great affection for all things fried, and these two snacks certainly fit the bill.  Just order them if you ever go.  You won’t be sorry.

So I add more items to my “must haves” list for next time.  This list, by the way, is getting too big.

Posted in East Bay, Events, Food, Peninsula, San Francisco, South Bay, Travel

THE List is Out. Let’s Discuss.

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

The San Francisco Chronicle’s food editor, Michael Bauer’s much hyped, much anticipated, much revered, much loathed, much debated Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants list is officially out.

We all have our faves and question many of the ones that stay on the list year after year, compared to the ones that are glaringly missing, but instead of going into that endless debate (it really boils down to the fact that everyone has a right to their own opinions), here are the ones that I AGREE with on the list, the ones I DON’T agree with, along with the ones I would LOVE to someday soon.

A RESOUNDING YES!
AD HOC – This place defies explanation. Just go, already.
HOUSE OF PRIME RIB – In the words of Carly Simon, nobody does it better.
PERBACCO – Exceptional service, sleek design, impeccable food.
TOWN HALL – Noisy as all hell, but I’ve never had a bad meal here…ever.

Who Cares?
A16 – Overrated.
CHOW – Very good, but not worthy of this list.
BETELNUT – So what? Asian tapas. Boring.
BAR BAMBINO – This was sooooo uninteresting to me.
FOREIGN CINEMA – Again, uninteresting and getting outdated.
SLANTED DOOR – Ugh, not again! There are so many other Vietnamese joints serving the same food for half the price!
LIMON – The food and service are SO subpar and have no place on this list.
ONE MARKET – Boring.
YANK SING – Seriously, this is the best Chinese the city has to offer? Look a little harder, Bauer.

When Can We Go?
GIALINA
COCO 500
DELFINA
FLOUR + WATER
FRANCES
REDD
SPRUCE
QUINCE

Why, Bauer, Why?
GITANE – What a shame that this restaurant had to get cut from the list at the last minute. This is a beautifully decorated restaurant with a creative and distinctive menu. Others on this list should’ve been sacrificed for this one.

So Foodies, feel free to let me know your thoughts…