Sushirrito (Sushi and Burrito)

Sushirrito has been on the top of my list since I first heard about this Mexican-Japanese fusion almost a year ago.  This is definitely a new, intriguing concept. For a self-proclaimed foodie, I just cannot pass this up. Except I do NOT do lines. I do not wait in line for my food. My philosophy is San Francisco has a plethora of delicious food options that no food is worth the 1 hour wait. And just like any newly opened, highly-raved food in San Francisco, the record wait for Sushirrito has been close to an hour.

Today, I finally tempted fate by going to Sushirrito at 1:15 in the afternoon--and NO line!!! Either the novelty of "sushi-burrito-in-one" lunch option has worn off or after 1pm is just the perfect time. I went back twice both on weekdays around 1:15 pm and the average wait time was 3 to 5 minutes.

Somehow I imagined Sushirrito to be a food truck or a food stall. (Maybe too many visits to "Off the Grid.") I was pleasantly surprised to find a spartan modern deli with about 3-4 men behind the counter making sushirritos as you order them. A simple menu on flatscreen above the counter is easy to decipher.

EL TIGRE:

El Tigre was made with ahi tuna, shredded veggies, rice cracker, avocado and green onion, sushi rice wrapped in nori. The menu warns "It is very spicy!" It tasted okay and not spicy at all. The ahi tuna tasted fresh and fairly portioned. The crunchy veggies made up most of the sushi, not a lot of sushi rice and a crunch added by the rice cracker. It was like eating salad wrapped in seaweed.

El Tigre

SUMO CRUNCH:

Shredded crab, avocado, cucumber, cabbage and red tempura flakes. This sushi was "too busy." It was like a kitchen sink of ingredients but the flavors did not come together. Despite all of the ingredients the sushi tasted bland. And my biggest complain, the rice crackers made both sushi greasy to the point I felt nauseous.

Sumo Roll

SO, WHAT IS A SUSHIRRITO?


According to the website, "Sushirrito offers made-to-order, hand-held sushi burritos stuffed with savory Asian and Latin-infused ingredients and flavors."

In my opinion, Sushirrito is really nothing but a ginormous and uncut American sushi. It looked and tasted like the giant sushi. I did not find any Latin influence on mine unless the chef considers putting avocado and green onion in the sushi will make it "Latin." It was not spicy at all except for a little hint of wasabi--still Japanese. Something crunchy and greasy hit me which gave me a brief nauseated feeling. I later on found it out it was the rice chips.

The rice was sushi rice. I wonder what would have happened it they put tomato-flavored Mexican rice instead, or mix chorizo or carnitas with the raw tuna?

In the end, Sushirrito is just sushi. A good-tasting, filling and healthy lunch. It is portable and convenient to eat on the go although the sushi does not really hold up that well.

VALUE: I paid $10.50 for El Tigre and I though it was reasonable. A sushi roll will cost you that much. El Tigre is probably equivalent to 2-3 sushi rolls. However, Sumo Crunch set me back $13 (including tax)! Originally priced at $8.50 but the 2 extra tempura shrimp costs $3.50. I barely tasted the shrimps. This pricey lunch was not worth it!

DISAPPOINTMENT:

I just wished it had been more Japanese-Mexican fused like chorizo with ahi, Mexican rice, tortilla and seaweed together, etc. It was a disappointment in that respect. Sushirrito did not really live up to its name. But otherwise, I am glad I tried Sushirrito but I do not think I will be returning anytime soon.

Foodie Girl's Rating: 2 Stars


Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Bouchon

I was not thinking of Thomas Keller or French Laundry when I went to have lunch at Bouchon. 

All I wanted was a delicously satisfying lunch to match the perfectly beautiful sunny day in Yountville where my girlfriends and I went for our twice a year wine-tasting day trip.

It is so easy to romanticize Bouchon's decor. This French Bistro is classy and definitely Parisian. Red leather booths, handsome brass/heavy wood bar filled with crushed ice for seafood. The color combination is pale and earthy with a shock of burgundy.

Service was impeccable, very attentive, polite yet relaxed. Our server was very knowledgeable and did  not falter in his recitations of that day's specials which were quite lenghty. We felt adequately taken care of while dining at Bouchon.

We started off our lunch with a glass of wine and cocktails. I chose the NACIONALE: A fruity refreshing cocktail that is slightly sweet.

We ordered a couple of starters which my girlfriends and I shared. We had the:

SALADE D' HOMARD ET MELON: Maine lobster, garden melons,
pickled shallots, mustard greens & piquillo pepper vinaigrette $14.50

This is more of an appetizer than a leafy salad. Very fresh sweet lobster meat on melons. A tiny dessert that has a big punch of flavors. This dish was almost too beautiful to eat. It is also great as an amuse bouche to cleanse your palate.

MOULES: Cold mussels deliciously served with mustard and cocktail sauce $7.00 / 1 doz

I chose the TARTINE DU JOUR: open-faced sandwich on toasted levain
served with French fries $17.95

I am not a sandwich person but somehow I was craving a hearty sandwich that day for lunch. The open-faced sandwich of the day  was grilled lamb sausage sliced crosswise in half. It was topped with onions and capers. A great combination of salty and tangy flavors. It came with  generous servings of fries and side of cornichons.  The lamb sausage was very juicy with nice flavors of the lamb but not gamey. Delicious with Bouchon's mustard!

For dessert, we shared THE BOUCHON: 3 small squares of brownies, which peach compote and ice cream. There was nothing spectacular about our dessert but it was a sweet way to end a beautiful lunch.

My girlfriends' orders included CRABE à CARAPACE MOLLE: crispy soft shell crab, wild mushrooms à la grecque  mâche with sauce grenobloise $14.00 and a FULL VEGAN COURSE.
I did not taste the above but just like me they really enjoyed their meals. My gf ordered the soft-shell as a main course instead of an appetizer. My vegan friend called in advance and told them to suprise her with a full vegan meal and she was very happy with what the chef has prepared for her.

Our tab was $159 including tax and 20 % tip ($53 pp)

I found Bouchon to be reasonably priced considering the ambiance, the well-executed dishes and being a Thomas Keller establisment. It deserves it Michelin star and its place as one of Bay Area's Top 100 Restaurants.

My lunch at Bouchon might not have been "soul-satisfying" but it was definitely very enjoyable. Everything we had was delicious and comforting.  What stood out were the details--a light, fresh-tasting mustard packed with flavors. I never thought I will ever rave about a mustard but I could have eaten Bouchon's out of the crockpot!  Our braided bread was also crusty and freshly baked. The french fries were perfectly fried and not greasy.

Bouchon is a great place to spend a have an "almost perfect" lunch on a perfect day in the Wine Country. We were full, happy and ready for more wine tastings! An hour of champagne tasting at Chandon before lunch at Bouchon. V Sattui, Castello di Amorosa--next!!!!

Foodie Girl's Rating: 4.5 Stars

Key:

0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Limon

Saturday Date: July 23, 2011

I have had the pleasure of meeting the culinary family who introduced Limon's Peruvian cuisine to SF, and  their rise to success. I doubt that they will ever remember me but I met the brothers and their mother through a mutual friend almost 10 years ago while they were trying to make a name in the SF food world.

And how far they have come! I used to dine at their former restaurant also in the Mission District. I barely have any recollections of the old place but still remember the lomo saltado that was my favorite. Years later, thanks to Groupon, Limon was back in my radar again. The "new" Limon is very chic and contemporary with modern art and clean lines. At 2 pm, the place was not packed and is actually a pleasant place to have a late lunch in the Mission.

I did not order lomo saltado this time and wanted to try other Peruvian dishes. Enrique and I shared all the dishes family-style:

Ensalada Rusa: Classic Peruvian salad of beets, potatoes, peas and green beans in creamy mustard dressing. A salad that is on the heavy side because of the dairy dressing but filling and good.

Seco de Costillas: Braised boneless beef short-ribs with cilantro, potatoes and peas. This is really a very simple dish. Enrique mentioned that I made something very similar at home. However, the short-ribs were very tender and full of flavors.

Arroz con Mariscos: Peruvian-style paella with saffron rice, calamari rings, mussels, prawns, and pimiento. Not the best paella I've had but good as well with the spices with the saffron giving the rice and seafood good flavors.

Carne Empanadas: Crispy pastry dough filled with beef, veggies, hard-boiled eggs and raisins. Enrique was not quite full and ordered these empanadas which finally hit the spot. Delicous fried dumplings with generous beef fillings. I did not taste the raisins but it was there. I always compare empanadas from other countries to the Filipino empanadas. Filipino empanadas are baked and tends to be sweeter because of the raisins compared to the Peruvian ones. We enjoyed these little treats!

Instead of Sangria, I ordered a non-alcoholic mango lemonade. Very refreshing and paired well with the dishes we ordered.

OVERALL:
Well-executed dishes in a modern setting with lively vibes. Limon states their dishes are meant to be shared "family-style." However, their portions are more of tapas than big platters. Pricey for the portions but the taste of the food is worth the price.

TAB: $80 including 2 non-alc drinks, tax and tip.

Foodie Girl's Rating: 3.5 Stars

Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Bossa Nova

If you blink, you will literally miss Bossa Nova. Bossa Nova is a tiny Brazilian restaurant located in SF's South of Market (SoMa) Neighborhood. About three blocks from the Civic Center BART station, the location is perfect for access to public transportation which will come in handy after a glass or two of Bossa Nova's well-made mojitos and caipirinhas. It is also very important to get your street smarts out of the bag when traversing this part of SF--sketchy, sordid and surrounded by social services agencies including homeless shelters.

Is Bossa Nova worth the trip?  Definitely. If you are looking for delicious, well-made drinks, decent tapas and a little Brazilian live jazz, Bossa Nova is the place. Bossa Nova is a also cute and cozy. The decor celebrates both Brazilian culture with a cross and altar hanging on the brick wall, a well as SF's culture--a pair of red erotic high heels suspended above the bar. In the evening the tealight candles make Bossa Nova a romantic place to grab a light dinner or Happy Hour with your friends.

I have been to Bossa Nova for close to half a dozen times already over the last two years.  One thing I can say, the fruit mojitos were consistently strong and good. The food were hit or miss. They could be the same dishes but sometimes they came out good, othertimes, disappointing.

I can say, though, that my last visit in July 2011, our dishes were executed better than the last time I was at Bossa Nova. We celebrated my friend Russell's birthday. I made a reservation through Opentable and mentioned the occasion.

We started with a round of Mojitos, Caipirinhas and a fruit juice for me.  I've had Bossa Nova's mojitos and caipirinhas many times before. They were always well-made, strong and delicious. Even my non-alc strawberry lemonade this time was yummy.

A tableful  of tapas followed. We thought the Organic Fresh Hearts of Palm Salad w/ Fresh Peas, Black Olives, Cherry Tomatoes, Chives & Red Wine Vinaigrette  $12.75 was superb. The salad was so full of flavors, light and refreshing.

All of our tapas were delicious and came to us at the right temperature. (My least appetizing dinner at Bossa Nova in the past was due to hot/fried dishes coming to us lukewarm but not this time.)

Brazilian Cheese Bread "Pão de queijo" $5.50: Delicious bite-size morsels of cheesy bread.

I personally loved the Steamed Mussels w/ Spicy Tomato, Cilantro, Coconut Milk Broth $15.75. I could not leave the broth alone even after all the mussels were gone.

The Fried Plaintains $4.75 when done right, i.e., delivered to the table hot off the fryer were actually nice, crunchy and savory. The spicy sauce that accompanied the chips complimented the salty-tangy taste of the chips.

The Steak Fries $4.75 were beautifully piled high on the plate. These thickly cut fries would have been great if they were not overfried to the point of being burnt. Since we were rounding up dinner we decided to not send them back.

We have had a few more tapas including Saltcod Croquettes which were hot and good with plenty of fish instead of being doughy with flour.

The most disappointing part of our dinner at Bossa Nova was the lackadaisical, luke-warm service that we received. In the past, Bossa Nova's friendly and warm service was its saving grace when dinner was less than satisfying.  This time, although our server was not mean or unkind, she appeared stressed out and uncaring. When it was time to order dessert for the birthday boy, we pointed to our friend and informed our server that it was his birthday. (I also mentioned during during my reservation through OpenTable.) We asked if she could put a candle on his cake. She half-smiled and told us "we do not have candles." She made a brief attempt to look in the drawers.

Needless to say, our birthday celebrant was deprived of a birthday candle and a round of embarrassing "Happy Birthday" song.

He truly loved and enjoyed his Chocolate Cake ($7.25), though, which was a hot molten lava cake--sans birthday candle. Oh, well...Happy Birthday, Russell!!!!

Tab: $120 after tax before tip for 5 people (5 alcoholic drinks and 1 fruit-juice)

Foodie Girl's Rating: 3 Stars

A great place for Happy Hour, well-made fruit mojitos and tapas. Live Brazilian music sets the mood for fun times with friends or solo R&R!

Key:

0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Doobu

Saturday Dinner and Movie Date Night: July 9, 2011 @ 6PM

A "Play-It-By-Ear" Saturday lead us to Doobu in Japantown. Still slightly jetlagged from my trip from Manila a week ago (yes, it took me that long to recover!)--Enrique and I did not plan anything for this Saturday except dinner.

Movie at the Sundance Kabuki is always our favorite way to spend a lazy Saturday evening after dinner.  And this time, no restaurants in mind, no Yelping, no Opentable. Just anything goes.

We took a stroll at J-Town and after a quick browse at the Aloha Warehouse for cute Hawaiian merchandise, I spotted Doobu right next to it. I found out that Doobu is a Korean restaurant. Perfect! I was not in the mood for Japanese food.

Doobu is tiny but the decor is surprisingly hip. It is a mixture of traditional and contemporary.  The "sushi" bar was at one side of the restaurant. The rest was mostly comfortable booths for seatings. The place was almost empty when we first sat down before 6pm. Minutes later, people stated coming in. And I was glad to see that many Koreans patronize this restaurant. A good sign!

As soon as I saw Bibimbap on the menu, my heart (tummy) was set on this dish.  Enrique went for his usual Kalbi.

We were given a whole fried fish as a complimentary appetizer. The fish was battered and crispy. I loved it but Enrique did not like the bones so I ended up eating his and really enjoyed this nice treat.

5 ban chan were also provided to us: a kimchi, seaweed, chewy fish cake strips, pickled sprouts and daikon.  The kimchi was on the bland side and lacking in heat and spices.  My favorite was the marinated seaweed but the rest of the ban chan was actually pretty good!

Enrique did not have much to say about his Kalbi except "it was good." He commented, though, that it had a lot of fat.

I was disappointed with my Bibimbap as soon as the pot was placed in front of me.  The very hot stone pot and a raw egg on top held the promise of a great bibimbap. It was also tasty with the right spices. A jar of red hot pepper sauce arrived with my dish. However, instead of bulgogi (thinly-sliced beef), my dish came with ground beef. Eating ground beef with my bibimbap just felt strange to me texture-wise. I prefer the more traditional bibimbap.



Doobu is a good option if you are craving Korean food in Japantown where you will most likely end up dining on sushi and bento boxes. Service was friendly but not very efficient given there were only two servers who functioned as hosts, food preparers and servers at the same time. It is also more expensive than the Korean restaurants we frequent both in the City and the East Bay.

Doobu might not have made it to my fave Korean list but I will have no qualms returning if I were craving Korean food in J-Town.  I will just skip the Bibimbap and try a different hot stone pot next time.

Tab: $60 including a Diet Coke, tax and 18 tip.

Foodie Girl's Rating: 3 Stars

Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Chenery Park

Chenery Park is a neighborhood gem that is located at Glen Park-- a cute little SF neighborhood where you will find houses at the bottom of sloping hills. Chenery Park was a charming house converted into a 3 level restaurant. The staff are friendly and efficient. The ambiance is cozy, romantic and dark.



Chenery Park has the right ingredients for a nice casual dinner. The dishes were comforting and creative, however, sadly, we found them to be underwhelming.

Before I left for my trip to the Philippines in June 2011, my fiance and I had my pre-trip date night at Chenery Park. I looked at the menu prior to dinner and I already knew that I really wanted to try the beignets and the gnocchi:

CAMBAZOLA BEIGNETS  with Apples, Endive, and Poached Figs $9: The beignets were not the traditional beignets. They were more of dark fried dough as compared to the more traditional fried donuts. However, they were light, hot, savory and oozing with creamy melted cheese. I imagined them to be stuffed with apples and figs. However, the apples, figs and endive were the salad that came with the beignets. This would have been a perfectly executed  dish if not for the dressing that came with the salad. The sweet-sour dressing tasted like the bottled Asian version that overpowered the whole dish.

HOUSEMADE WILD MUSHROOM GNOCCHI $9: I chose the half-order ($17 for a full-order). The gnocchi were like soft delicate pillows. It would have a been a delicious and  exquisite dish if not for overpowering creamy mushroom sauce that tasted like Campbell's mushroom soup. Chenery Park takes pride in using fresh and organic ingredients. While the sauce was not definitely canned, it did lacked the unique homemade taste that I was expecting.

DRY-AGED NY STEAK with French Fries $22: Enrique's dinner. He thought it was okay and on the smallish side.  Unremarkable.

AFFOGATO, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Espresso and Hazelnut Meringue Cookies $7: This dessert was divine!!! Hot coffee, cold i, sweet. An explosion of sweetness on the palate!

CHOCOLATE VEGAN ANGEL-FOOD CAKE with Blackberry-Cabernet Sorbet & Chocolate Sauce $7:   I don't think my fiance knew he was ordering vegan. We both tried it and it was very dry and tasteless like cardboard. Definitely a very disappointing dessert to end your meal.

TAB: About $60 before tip and before Groupon.

Chenery Park is delicious enough but tends to overexaggerate some of the flavors of their dishes.

Foodie Girl's Rating: 2   Stars

Key:

0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

One Market

One Market is classy in its simplicity.  Huge windows looking into Market Street made One Market feel spacious.  The earth tones and white linen covered tables gave this restaurant  a formal business feel without feeling stuffy.  The open kitchen added a cozy ambiance to the place. Serious business suit seemed to be the preferred attire at One Market.

It was my beautiful friend Heather's birthday and I wanted her to feel special. We also wanted to check out Dine About Town's lunch menu. And we also wanted to sneak in our monthly gal-bonding lunch before we go on our trips separately.

Heather chose to try the DAT lunch menu. For $17.99, she got a FARMER'S SALAD: A simple salad of seasonal greens. Very fresh and generously portioned that we had enough to share between the two of us.

STEAMED MUSSELS (chili flakes, pesto and grilled bread): Heather loved her dish! The portion was also generous. I tried the mussels with the sauce and it tasted like curry instead of pesto but I thought it was good!

I was about to try the DAT menu as well until I saw two dishes on the main menu that I could not resist:

STEAMED GULF FLOUNDER (soy sauce, shitake and bokchoy) $22 The fish was sooooo tender, sooooo flavorful, sooo delicious! Yes, you can tell I loved it! I wish they gave me a little bit more fish but it was really good in its simplicity.

CHICKPEA FRIES ($5): Heather and I were intrigued that we had to have these. We thought they were deep-fried chickpeas but they were chickpeas that were mashed, formed into sticks then deep fried. They came with aioli type sauce but they were good even without. Light, not greasy and seasoned-well. Best to eat while hot off the fryer.



SERVICE:
Service was efficient and friendly. We opted for tap water but our server somehow insisted with a bit of pressure for us to try the flavored lemonades. We declined twice and the 3rd time, we just went, "What the heck. We'll have one each." They were refreshing but we just really wanted tap water.

LOWDOWN:
One Market's DAT is one of the best DAT we have tried so far. Heather and I have tried quite a few DATs over the last couple of years and somehow we oftentimes thought they were just okay.
At One Market the DAT dishes were executed well, priced right and generously portioned.

And I also found out after our meal that One Market is a 1 Michelin Star awardee. As good as our meal was, no stars fell from the skies for me. It was very, very good but I had better Michelin star meals in the past.

Tab: $70 including tax and 20% tip

Foodie Girl's Rating: 4.25 Stars

Key:

0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)