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 Dinner, Events, Food, Lunch, Shopping, Street Food, Travel

I Heart New York

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

It seems like ages since BlogHer ’10 came and went, but a lot has happened in that time, hence this extremely late post about my travels to NYC.  Man, I love that town.  Everytime I go I threaten to move there.

There are so many different ways to eat cheap, eat well, and find creative new things to try (this is also true when it comes to shopping and fashion there, too).  Because I was busy working BlogHer ’10 for about five days, I literally saw daylight Wednesday early evening when I arrived, and then Sunday morning once the conference was over.  Crazy, huh?

Fortunately, New York is one town that never sleeps, so I didn’t have a shortage of things to do or places to eat.  I also squeezed in a trip to the Top of the Rock, which I’ve been wanting to go to for a while.  So much cooler than the touristy Empire State Building, in my opinion.

I’m sorry, I was talking about food…   I apologize for the lack of photos since I lost my Blackberry in a cab.  Typical, I know.

The Famous Halal Cart
Had the chicken and white sauce and it’s something you really should try.  The chicken was super moist and the fabulous creamy sauce that is worth the raves.  There are several “imposters” across the street, but the one you want is closest to the Hilton Hotel’s front entrance (Midtown, not Times Square), just across the street (where we were lucky enough to be staying).

Limelight Marketplace
I am so happy I decided to make the trip down to Chelsea to visit this place. It is the cutest “mall”, for lack of a better term. It’s an old church that was then turned into a nightclub, and is now an adorable building that houses the cutest and most eclectic shops, boutiques, and artisan food shops! You can’t get a meal here but you can definitely walk away with snacks and hard-to-find food goodies.

Balthazar Cafe
Now, I didn’t have lunch in the bistro like I’d wanted, but I did make it to the cafe. Had a ham and cheese panini and it was a big “so what”. Next.

The Legendary Katz Deli
I think Katz has seen better days. Many food bloggers have commented that their pastrami and corned beef have been dry on recent visits, and I have to agree. Regardless, it was still a solid pastrami sandwich, just nothing to write home about. But “When Harry Met Sally” is one of my fave movies of all time, so it was nice just to go and check it off my list. The pickles are damn good and the service is quintessential NYC (know what you want and make it quick). It’s probably the most touristy thing I’ll ever do in the Big Apple.

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Truck
I was so excited when I happened to see this truck on my way back from Uniqlo in SoHo. (Someone please open a Uniqlo in Northern California! It’s like a Japanese H&M and I miss it!) I’d seen a piece on these guys on some food show and they had some very interesting flavors like Currents and Cream (which they were out of!), and Ginger. I decided to share the Cane Sugar special with my friend Monique. It was creamy, bordering on a gelato texture, but not as elastic and smooth. The ingredients were obviously quality (they apparently only use the finest milk, eggs, and cane sugar, no additives), and it had a lovely butterscotch aftertaste which was delightful. But it was overpriced, in my opinion. Again, something to cross off the list. No regrets.

After all those good eats, it was ironic that my last meal in town was at Panda Express at JFK. I guess not every meal in NYC can be a winner :).

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 Uncategorized

Sociale Redo

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

A repeat visit to Sociale is always a welcome opportunity. Getting there is easy, parking is a breeze, and walking down that hidden cobblestone corridor to find this gem of a restaurant at the end of it is nothing short of a pleasure. I sometimes feel sorry for the people who are dining across the street at the well-known Spruce Restaurant because they have no idea what they’re missing!

Their menus change with the seasons and they represent the essence of that time of year so well. The Foodinistas and I (@joanneisafoodie, @lickmyspoon, @istelleinad) shared a variety of appetizers, including their famous Fried Olives stuffed with fontina cheese, Seared Scallops with mango, hearts of palm, and a citrus reduction, and the Watermelon and Burrata Salad. They were all wildly different, wildly fresh, and wonderfully delicious.

I am a huge sucker for burrata, now. It’s like a creamier version of fresh mozzerella, liquid and all. So creamy soft that it’s perfect on a small slice of bread. Just heavenly. And the red and yellow watermelon slices with a touch of chili flakes were such a simple yet ingenious combo.

And the scallops were definitely worth mentioning since they were perfectly cooked, sweet, and tender. Hearts of palm usually reminds me of a cross between fennel and bamboo shoots, and here, they were the perfect textural contrast to the sweet mango slices. This dish was perfectly executed and beautiful as well.

For our entrees we ordered the Pici with Venison Bolognaise, Spinach Tagliatelle with corn and tomatoes, and the Duck Breast with a cherry sauce and potato torte. All of these dishes had wonderful character and flavor combinations.

I LOVED the tagliatelle and have always wanted to order this dish simply because the colors are beautiful! And I’m happy to say the dish itself is just as delightful to eat. I love how fresh the sweet corn and tomatoes were, and the housemade pasta was chewy and delicious. A generous shaving of cheese on top and I was loving every bite.

But it was the duck breast that really surprised me. The accompanying cherry sauce fortunately didn’t overpower the meat, like it can sometimes. It was merely an accent to the perfectly medium rare duck, which was perfectly prepared and seasoned. I would definitely order it on my next visit.

As always, sitting outside at this restaurant is the only way to go, which means you must request a table here beforehand. It’s so charming and adds to the whole experience of eating there. It’s at once romantic, intimate, special, and makes you feel like you’ve been transported to a quaint little elegant European restaurant. Yet the service is exceptionally friendly and comfortable. Eating here is always an experience I relish.

Sociale on Urbanspoon

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, Wine Country

Don’t Let This Shack Fool You!

Posted on by virgoinwonderland

After staying in Sonoma for the weekend, we wanted something low key for breakfast before heading back out on the road.  I had hoped to head to one of my favorite places in the area, Red Grape, but they weren’t open until 11:30.  The Girl and the Fig was a little too fancy for what we were looking for.  And the Black Bear Diner was a little too “chain restaurant.”  I was hoping for something different.

We’d passed by The Fremont Diner on Highway 121, and after reading some rave reviews online, that’s where we headed.

It’s a dinky old shack basically, with signs for “Whole Hog” and “Fried Pies” on the exterior, which would obviously make me and the Hubby take notice given our affinity for all things meat.  It’s a great place where you can stop in, order at the counter, and take a seat inside or out.  But don’t let its modest surroundings fool you.

The details are everywhere if you look carefully, from the wildflowers on the table, the homemade jams and condiments for sale, to the mason jar water glasses.

This place is known for their meats and brisket is the thing to have here.  So since it was breakfast, I got the Brisket Hash with carmelized onions, roasted potatoes and a perfectly runny fried egg on top.

Boy was I not only pleased with this dish, I was utterly floored!  These guys (and gals) were churning out some gourmet dishes secretly back there!  The hash was out of this world, peppery and smoky.  The onions and sage created a wonderful base for the dish, and those potatoes were perfectly soft and delicious.  The gravy from the hash made everything perfectly moist.  There was so much detail and depth to the elements in this dish and it all blended together wonderfully.

My Hubby ordered the traditional egg breakfast, but it came with some fantastic homemade fennel sausage that was, again, out of this world.  These people sure know their way around meat.  And the side order of bacon we got for the toddler was also fantastic.

Top that off with some perfectly toasted artisan french bread, and we were totally amazed at the level of skill and detail that this kitchen was able to produce.  I LOVE being surprised by a place and this was the best surprise surprise I’d eaten at in a very long time.

Fremont Diner 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