farm:table

"Me" Time: 02. 15. 12

farm:table would have been a coffee kiosk if not for the communal table that could sit about 10 people uncomfortably. It is very, very small.

The kitchen counter is about 3 steps from the door where you will place your order. Turn around, take one step and you may sit at the square country table if you do not mind sitting elbow to elbow with strangers. It was a little too close for comfort for me that I chose to sit at the sidewalk outdoor table on
Post.

CHARMING:
farm:table is an eatery housed in a historic apartment building that is full of SF character. A street plaque on Post says so. Despite the tiny space, it is rustic, full of charm and cute. Menu for the day is written on the chalkboard.

DELICIOUS:
farm:table's offerings are packed with big and mighty flavors. Menu is seasonal (clue: farm) and changes often. They offer more food than what is advertised daily on their website:

A mouth-watering array of sweet pastries are on the counter. This little place does make use of every space and cranny. These pastries are from other bakeshops, though.

POLENTA WITH KALE GRANA PADANO (Extra $1 for bacon or egg) ~$9+
* A well-made silky polenta with kale. The sharpness of grana padano highly compliments this dish. I ordered mine with an egg which came out to be hard-boiled. I would rather have had runny sunny-side up or overeasy which I thought would add a silkier texture to this dish. The hard-boiled egg was a wild-card item in this otherwise perfect bowl of polenta.

ALMOND MILK LATTE ~$5
*At first sip, my tastebuds woke up to this intense well-made coffee. The silkiness of the almond milk is a nice surpise and contrast to the strong coffee. Blue Bottle or Verve, this was one great cup o' joe!

PRICEY!:
CHECK: ~$19 for polenta & latte with tip

KUDOS:
1. I applaud the concept. farm:table is an epitome of big city/urban dining.

2. The food was delicious and the coffee was superb. farm:table is a simple joy that feeds the soul. The simplicity of every dish also equals delicious.

DEAL BREAKERS:
1. Too pricey for my budget. For ~$20 (with tip) for lunch, I can eat well and comfortably at many full-service restaurants in SF.

2. On the day I was at farm:table, the table was packed and there was not a chance of asking anybody to scoot over for me. Eating at the tiny "dining area" is part of the farm:table dining experience but I need comfort when I am eating and paying premuim for my food. Sharing a table in a stuffy box also threatens my personal space. Sitting and eating street side on a beautiful day is a delight but it is not guaranteed with the SF weather and taking a risk that a garbage truck might pass by.

With my long tirade about the space, one can tell that the uncomfortable dining is  the deal breaker for me. Price is secondary if at least the venue is pleasant enough.

Despite my gripes, it was a delightful streetside brunch on a beautiful day in SF.

CASH ONLY.  

BOXING ROOM

BIRTHDAY LUNCH: 03.05.12 @ 11:45 AM

Boxing Room is New Orleans in San Francisco.

For a mere lunch hour, Heather and I found ourselves dining on New Orleans' signature dishes without having to pay an airfare or deal with luggage hassles.

I have been to New Orleans just few months prior to Katrina on a week-long food adventure. I have found Boxing Room's classics to be on par with what I had feasted on the touristy Bourbon Street and beyond.

DECOR/AMBIANCE:
Boxing Room is housed in the former original Citizen Cake but transformed into a lovely breath-taking bright space. Floor to ceiling wall blackboard menu and high ceilings with exposed beams.  The dining room  was airy and spacious. It was elegant yet rustic  at the same time with plenty of leather-seated wood chairs, counter seatings and booths.

SERVICE:It was obvious that staff was trained to focus on professionalism and efficiency. Service was friendly but a little too rehearsed.

FOOD:
As soon as we sat down we were given the complimentary complimentary BUTTERY FLATBREAD and DIP. Our main entrees came soon after that we did not get to really indulge in the flatbread and dip.

Our eyes got big when the mouthwatering Po Boys were placed in front of us.

Ginormous mouthwatering OYSTER PO BOY $18 for Heather with plump cornmeal  battered fried oyster in soft roll  and more oysters on the plate for munching and popping in your mouth.

Ginormous SHRIMP PO BOY $15  for me, just like the Oyster Po Boy, plump prawns were piled high. Both were delicious!

Both Po-Boys came with  yummy savory-sweet light HUSHPUPPIES  (included).

For dessert, we had the  BEIGNETS W/ MAPLE CHOCOLATE SAUCE $7. An order comes with just 3 beignets but an extra beignet was  thrown-in for free so  Heather and I could have 2 each.  Nice gesture! They were the fluffiest cloud-like beignets I have had so far in the Bay Area but  they were unlike the ones I had at New Orlean's famed Cafe Du Monde. Cafe Du Monde's beignets are the best beignets that I have ever had and will have to compare every beignet thereafter to the ones I had at CDM.  Boxing Room's beignets were airy, light and fluffy like CDM's but  they did not come with the  3 inch thick powdered sugar in the bowl which is Cafe Du Monde's trademark.

CHECK:  $45 before tip (with plenty of leftovers)

VERDICT:
  * Portions are humungous. I recommend the share the po boys if you cannot finish one by yourself. Heather and I ate only half of our sandwiches each. The leftover got soggy right away. The Po Boys are lighter than the ones I have had even in New Orleans.

  *  Everything was good! Will definitely be back for date night!

Thanks, Heather, for the super-lovely and delicious lunch, beautiful company as always and pretty presents!And for being transformed to New Orleans for an hour of friendship in San Francisco. This Happy Birthday Girl truly felt special! X0X0

B-Dama (Oakland)

DINNER DATE: March 3, 2012 @ 7PM

Japan is one country in Asia I have not been to yet eventhough my Filipino-Japanese loveones have been calling Japan "home" for decades. For years they have been inviting me to come and visit. They have regaled me with stories of fun drunken nights at many izakaya in their hometown of Nagoya.

An izakaya is a type of Japanese drinking establishment  which also serves food to accompany the drinks. They are popular, casual places for after-work drinking.

Despite my very limited experience with authentic izakaya, B-Dama gave me a sense that it is the real thing. The chefs are Japanese.  Being housed in a newly built commercial building does not diminish its feel of authenticity. As soon as you walk in you will be facing a "messy" kitchen where the grilling is being done. A step down is a the tiny dining room with sushi counter that seats about 10. Dining tables are tightly packed. B-Dama is how I imagine the izakaya in Japan to be like--casual, unpretentious, homey and relaxed. Little hand-made cutout menus are pinned on the wall  in addition to separate grill, sushi, soup and drink menus at the table.  Even the sign was crudely spelled and pasted on the glass window.



Honestly, Enrique and I felt "lost" while perusing the menu.  This is not a typical sushi place which we can navigate without having to look at the menu.

I am more familiar with the concept of izakaya than Enrique so I took care of ordering the yakitori (grilled items). Most of these grilled items can be ordered  prepared with sauce or salted. He took care of the sushi/sashimi part.

We were welcomed with complimentary pickled cucumber and radishes which were very nice palate cleansers:

For the YAKITORI, we had the:

SHORT RIB AND QUAIL EGG $3.5
*Very nice and flavorful. Slightly chewy but tasty. The beef and quail complimented each other texture-wise.

CHICKEN HEART $2.5
*I tried one and it was fresh, not chewy and with just the right amount of gaminess. However, now I remember that I really do not like chicken heart even when I used to eat them as street food when I was a kid in the Philippines.

SOFT-SHELL SHRIMP $3.5
*3 fresh shrimp with shell and head still attached. You bet I ate the whole thing--head, shell and "feet" and all!

CHEF'S CHOICE 10 DEEP FRIED SKEWERS $10
*Enrique was slightly disappointed because he said it was mostly veggies with some seafood. I tasted what seemed to be "fake" crab leg. It was good but I was really there for the yakitori.

We also ordered nabemono (soup), sushi and sashimi:

TARA NABE  (Black Cod Soup)  $12: Arrived in a traditional cast iron pot, this soup was one of the best fish soups I have ever had in a while. The soup came with generous slices of very fresh black cod, tofu and veggies. The broth was not salty at all. I did not suffer from temporary dehydration whenever I eat MSG-laden Asian soups. This soup at B-Dama was so delicate and divine. The pot looked small compared to the big bowls of ramen we are used to but it was more than enough to truly satisfy me for the evening. A wonderful soup that I will definitely get again and again!

SASHIMI PLATE $17: Enrique was still slightly hungry (Surprise! Surprise!) and decided to order a sashimi plate. It came with about 10 pieces of assorted fish. We did not pay attention to what kind they were but we recognized tuna, salmon, halibut, etc. They were fresh but not melt in your mouth sashimi that I have experienced at other Japanese restaurants before. It came with a pile of grated radish which speaks to the authentic presentation of a traditional sashimi.

TAKO SUSHI $4.5: This is how we test the freshness of the sushi at a Japanese restaurant. We order tako or tuna sushi. The tako has to taste fresh, not rubbery or previously frozen.  B-Dama's was definitely the fresh kind!

CHECK: $65 including tax before tip and 1 Japanese soda.

VERDICT:
I love the casual, non-pretentious vibe of B-Dama while feasting on delicious small grilled dishes. It is a fun place to bring your friends and order everything on the menu.  Overall quality is remarkably high. The black cod soup was exceptional. Even the green tea (another factor I used in judging the quality of a Japanese restaurant) was very nice--not bitter and appropriately hot.

Service was friendly but hurried. We absolutely loved our server that Enrique tipped generously. She was nice and very attentive. Be ready to patiently wait for drink refills as the staff are very busy.

Now that we are familiar with the menu, we will have a better time navigating and enjoying the dishes. B-Dama is a neighborhood gem. Enrique and I took advantage of the beautiful evening to walk here from our home.  A sense of adventure is a big part of izakaya dining.

And lastly, izakaya are sometimes called akachōchin (red lantern) in daily conversation, because these paper lanterns are traditionally found in front of an izakaya. B-Dama has one which further convinced me of the authenticity and integrity of its owners:

GOOD TO KNOW:
1. B-Dama tends to get packed. Get a reservation.
2. Prices of yakitori are reasonable between $2.5 to $3.5 each small plate.
3. Fenton's is directly right across the street if you want ice cream for dessert after dinner. (Which you bet was what we did!)

Cotogna

DATE NIGHT: 02.24.12 @ 3:30 PM

I am not sure if our meal counted as late lunch or early dinner at Cotogna yesterday afternoon. Let's just call it European Lunch.

Cotogna is so popular I dare you to try to get a 7 pm  reservation on Opentable ANY DAY of the week up to 3 weeks from now. When I scored a 3:30 PM reservation, I took it. Not only I hardly dine in SF without reservations, Enrique and I also need to start getting out of the house early on Saturdays instead of living in our pjs until 5 in the afternoon.

Aside from the personal reasons I stated above, 3:30 PM is a great time to have a relaxing delightful meal with a glass of nice cocktail that makes you close your eyes  in ecstacy  while taking in the view of SF's rare brick archictecture in the historic Jackson Square District.

DECOR/AMBIANCE:
Cotogna is a cozy place to be in SF: brick walls, open kitchen with roaring fire in the brick oven, a classy casual bar right next to the open kitchen, stacks and stacks of firewood against the walls on your way to the bathroom. The place is attractive but not stuffy. Hence, a great place to sip your cocktail at 3:30 in the afternoon.  And Cotogna is L O U D!

DRINKS:
MIMOSA $11: There were only 3 cocktails on our mid-afternoon menu and I chose the Mimosa. The mimosa was okay and pricey for the tiny glass. But anything for mid-afternoon cocktail for me!

BUBBLY WATER $6/BOTTLE: Cotogna makes their own bubbly H20. Unlike many restaurants in SF who serve their bubbly water as complimentary, Cotogna charges $6 per bottle.  Enrique ordered 2! Yikes! He does not drink so its okay but charge $6, really?!

BREAD:
Cotogna's bread should belong to a new food group. It should come with a warning "Contains crack." The bread was loaf-style and generously seasoned with seasalt and spices. The bottom was soaking in EVOO but not greasy. It was focaccia that was melt in your mouth. I honestly have been good not touching restaurant bread but between me and Enrique, we had 2 loaves. Unlike their bubbly water, Cotogna was very generous with their bread.

Enrique hinted that I loved the bread so much our server packed us a box to go without charging us. Very nice!

FOOD:
   *TRIPE: Tender, spicy and very flavorful trip  tripe in chili oil. We really enjoyed this simple dish. I used the bread to soak up the juices. I have no shame when it comes to dining.

*#18 7 x 7 Big Eats:   $24 PRIX FIXE @ COTOGNA
1. SALAD: Citrus salad with grapefruit nicely seasoned with seasalt. Generous portions for 2.

2. ASPARAGUS TORTELLINI: Big fluffy tortellini, still slightly wet and tasted  light and good but not exceptional.

3. PINK LADY APPLE AND ALMOND CROSTATA: Dry and heavy with olive oil taste. For being part of the prix fixe this was okay. The ice cream was a nice accompaniment.

  *CORNISH GAME HEN WITH GRILLED POLENTA AND OLIVES $22: Whole juicy succulent hen. The breast was perfectly cooked but the drumsticks were bloody. Still good according to Enrique but he did not like the heavy EVOO taste. I ate the grilled polenta which was really good cooked crispy but still tender on the inside.

CHECK: $118 including tax, Healthy SF and generous tip for the nice gesture of giving us extra bread and very friendly service.

VERDICT:
I agree with 7 x7 that Cotogna's $24 Prix Fixe is  one of the best deals in town.  It was not the best taste in dining but the whole experience was delightful. Cotogna is a true SF gem.

GOOD TO KNOW:
 *Cotogna is the sister restaurant of the finer dining "Quince" next door.
 *Chef Michael Tusk was recenty the recipient of  the James Beard Foundation 2011 Beard award for "Best Chef - Pacific!" www.jbfawards.com
 *Once again the BUBBLY WATER IS NOT FREE! $6 per bottle
 *GO BETWEEN 4:30 PM AND BEFORE 5:30 PM. Last Saturday, Cotogna was still packed at 3:30 PM, By 4:30, crowd was thinning out. By 5:15, the place was practically empty. Cotogna is open all day

HOURS:
Mon - Thurs 11:30 AM  -  11 PM
Fri-Sat           11:30 AM  -  12 AM
Sun                 5PM - 9PM

La Rose Bistro (Berkeley)

DINNER DATE: 02.11.12 @ 6 PM

Not "Ooo-Laa-Laa!" great but  much better than okay.

La Rose is a lesser-known cute little bistro in Berkeley not far from more popular Berkeley eateries such as La Note, Venus and Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen. At close to 6PM,  these famous Berkeley restaurants had over an hour wait for dinner.

Enrique and I found ourselves wandering the streets of Berkeley looking for a restaurant that would feed us.

Enter La Rose--
La Rose is a small, unpretentious casual bistro with friendly warm and friendly staff.  Some of the staff are French and spoke French but far from th stereotype of the infamous French snootiness.

DECOR/AMBIANCE:
It was cozy and the signature red Parisian awning that was visible through the picture window makes one forget that they are in Berkeley. The decor was simple with French-themed faux prints that you will find sold at the Z Gallerie. La Rose is indeed a cute place to have a casual romantic dinner.
It seems to be popular among the older set.

DRINKS:
VUEVE DE VERNAY BRUT, LOIRE VALLEY (FRANCE) $7
*Bright with fine bubbles, fresh on the nose, vibrant floral and fruit driven with clean citrus finish.
- As described, it was a nice bubbly for the price.  It was cute that it was poured from the small bottle which was left on the table. I got 2 pours for $7.

APPETIZER:
FOIE GRAS WITH FRIED QUAIL EGG ON BRIOCHE AND APPLE $14
-Soon to be banned in CA and not willing to go into the politics of this delicacy, I took this opporutunity to eat it while I still can. I honestly had silkier and tastier foie gras. This was a little too firm for me but it was okay. The quail egg, apple and brioche complimented the foie gras.

SALADE DE CRAB $7
*Dungeness crab cake with lemon-caper tartar sauce & mixed green salad
-Enrique enjoyed his appetizer. There was a 50-50 crab and filler and he even got a little piece of crab shell. Good and reasonably priced.

MAINS:
MAGRET DE CANARD ROTI $22
*Duck Breast in honey-pepper sauce, asparagus, fried polenta & caramelized apple
-A very nice dish with well-structured sauce. The tender duck meats did not have even the slightest hint of gaminess and actually also very tasty. Overall a delicious meal except I wished the duck could have been "melt in your mouth" tender.

PETONCHLES POELES $23
*Pan seared Scallops with sherry wine sauce, parsnip puree & snap peas
-A simple dish but delicious perfectly seared scallops according to Enrique.

DESSERT:
APPLE AND BLUEBERRY ROSSOLE (?) W/ HONEY AND ICE CREAM $6
- Ooooo-Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
2 darling little pies with apple and blueberry fillings, drizzled with honey and a side of vanilla ice cream. I almost licked the plate clean that Enrique asked if I wanted another one. I was tempted but I declined.

CHECK: $99 including tax and tip with 1 bubbly and 1 soda

VERDICT:
La Rose is a hidden gem in Berkeley. Solidly good French food with warm unpretentious service in a cozy venue. Prices are very reasonable and portions are filling.

GOOD TO KNOW:
*BART-able (Berkeley BART).
*Call for reservations before you go.
*Service was friendly, attentive but very slow. This is a meal that is meant to be savored. Just load up on the complimentary warm bread with delicious cilantro dip.

Catch

 

 

DINNER DATE: 02.04.12 @ 5:45 PM

On a cold nippy night in San Francisco (which could possibly be almost year round) and you are finding yourself craving a hot bowl of liquid comfort; but you are not really feeling ramen or pho......

FOOD:
Let me tell you--Catch's SEAFOOD STEW $22 will warm them cold bones and fill thy belly.
*This ciopinno in tomato broth is loaded, I mean, loaded with mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops and fresh fish. The menu says it includes crab meat but I think I was too busy to notice since worse than a starving alley cat I licked this bowl clean. But unlike other cioppino that I had, this stew was not fishy but I remember the fish pieces being melt in my mouth.

 

It might be pricey at $22 but believe me, this bowl was huge! It came with 2 cheesey toasts but I gave them to my man, Instead I dunk the complimentary warm bread which was so good they could have been Acme or Acme's sister. I have been very good at not eating bread at restaurants but there are certain situations where you just have to welcome carbs at your dinner table like your long-lost friend. Paired with warm bread soaking up the broth doused in Tabasco (I did this on my own), every spicy bite was like heaven!

Enrique wanted the beef ribs but I told him that if a seafood restaurant, order seafood. He listened and ordered the FETTUCINE WITH MAINE LOBSTER MEAT IN GARLIC CREAM SAUCE $ 23.00. He truly enjoyed his dish and liked the chunks of lobster meat in his pasta.

 

APPETIZER:
My man ordered the FRIED MIX OF THE TIGER PRAWNS, CALAMARI, ROCK COD AND GREEN BEANS WITH TARTAR SAUCE 11.50
*A big platter of fried greasy seafood. Aside from the tiger prawns which was crispy battered in cornmeal I believe and were the only ones that were not greasy, I did not like this plate at all.

 

DRINK:
The POMEGRANATE MARGARITA $11 but so worth it since it was made with Patron Silver was like nectar and gave me the nice buzz that gave me a nice healthy appetite for dinner.

 

DESSERT:
BANANA SPLIT $7.50 is ever my man's favorite. A good choice since it was sweet way to end a sweet dinner.

AMBIANCE/DECOR:
Catch is spacious but cozy. It looks like it was decorated by Pottery Barn next door. Brick walls, high ceilings, oil lamps on every table and beautiful colorful contemporary art work. There are two sections--the enclosed patio and the main dining room that are separated by glass which gives a sense of continuity between rooms.

 

We were seated by the glass and metal gas fireplace with faux wood in the center of the patio. It was indeed very warm and cozy. This would be a nice spot to drink your cosmo or one of the signature drinks.

 

The long bar is also attractive as well as the dimmed dining area.

VERDICT:
A cozy classy casual place in the Castro to have a seafood dinner and enjoy a round of drinks. A nice place for romantic date nights or dinner with your friends, even family dinners. Service was very friendly and very attentive. A server was constantly filling our water glasses.

CHECK: $88 before tip
Thanks to Groupon, our final tab was only $64 including 20% tip. A great deal!

ADDICTIVE FACTOR: 5 Catch's Seafood Stew is freaking unforgettable! I want another bowl, pronto!

GOOD TO KNOW:
*Difficult parking in the Castro but possible.
*1000 points on Opentable are available at certain times.

 

Les Ros Thai on Larkin

January 20, 2012 @ 1PM

Now that a sparklier Les Ros Thai has opened in the more desirable Hayes Valley neighborhood, Les Ros Thai on Larkin is now the ugly older stepsister. In reality,  there is nothing ugly about Les Ros Thai on Larkin. I do not know how old she is but her clean contemporary interior does not show her age.

The trip to Les Ros on Larkin leaves indeed leaves one's stomach in a tight knot. It is by the way located in the Tenderloin--the home of the hardened and broken spirits with no access to bathrooms.
The real challenge is not losing your appetite before you get to the restaurant.

Once you make it, it is all worth the adventure--Tenderloin-style.

DECOR/AMBIANCE:
Les Ros is modern and contemporary. The plates are geometric and sparkling clean. It is not a huge restaurant but spacious enough.

SERVICE:
The servers are efficient and polite like the kind of local service you will get in Bangkok.

FOOD:

7x7 BIG EATS 2012 #45: DUCK LARB I am no stranger to larb since my Laotian bestfriend introduced me to this dish decades ago. Les Ros Thai's Duck Larb was good. Should you eat it before you die or is it worth dying for--cholesterol and all?

Yes, it was delicious with chopped pieces of flavorful boneless duck skin and meat in citrus-lime dressing. The duck was not gamey. It was tangy and a little overly salty. I even ate grains of MSG, I think. It was mixed in with mint, red onions, whole dried pieces of chili peppers and sprinkled with rice powder.

But NO, I'd rather tempt fate with Peking Duck with super-crispy paper thin skin and moist/juicy duck meat in bun with hoisin sauce and green onions.

My verdict for this 7x7 dish is it is a delicious salad but so was almost every dish that I had at Les Ros. It is worth ordering but it did not send me to foodie heaven.
#17 YUM KOH MOO YANG (Pork Shoulder Salad with Spicy Lime Dressing) $9.95

An appetizing dish of thinly sliced pork on top of basil, side of cabbage and generously drizzled with lime, chili peppers and herbs, this dish reminds me of LECHON (Filipino roasted pig.) It was not melt in your mouth like lechon which is slowly roasted over charcoal for at least 10 hours but the pork was tender and flavorful. There were little pieces of crunchy skin here and there. A good dish for pork lovers!

2 ORDERS OF LUNCH SPECIALS ($7.75 each)
Les Ros Thai's lunch specials are one of the best deals in town if not THE best deal in town! For $7.55 you get a salad, 2 choices of entrees and white or brown rice. The portions are generous and the entrees are very good!

I ordered YELLOW CURRY WITH TOFU and STIRFRIED EGGPLANT W/ BASIL.

The birthday girl, Edelmira, ordered the RED CURRY W/ BEEF and MARINATED BBQ CHICKEN W/ SWEET & SOUR SAUCE.



The curries were of the right consistency which should not be too thick or watered down. The flavors are lovely and complex and "come alive" in the palate. The dishes are on the spicy side, though, which we both loved but a caution to those who have low spicy threshold.

VERDICT:
Thai food that would not disappoint with great service. Les Ros Thai is the place to bring Thai food novice and purists. The dishes are guaranteed delicious and the flavors bold. The portions are generous and reasonably priced. We really enjoyed our lunch.
Les Ros offers over 110 dishes to choose from so I am sure you or your picky friend will find and enjoy something.

ALLIGATORS, FROGS, BOARS, RABBITS, ANYONE?I kid you not! If you find yourself telling yourself, I want me some "alligator at around 11PM, you can find it at Les Ros which stays open until midnight.

Me, I will wait until I go back to New Orleans but for solid Thai food, Les Ros is the place for me here in the the Bay Area.

CHECK: $36 including tip, Thai Iced Tea, app and 2 lunch specials with plenty of leftovers for the birthday girl to enjoy at home.

HAYES VALLEY LOCATION:For those who do not want to go to the TL (I do not blame you), there is a second and more palatable Ler Ros Thai located in the Hayes Valley. Probably safer to go to at night but lunch time at Les Ros on Larkin only requires a dose of courage but not necessarily pepper spray.