Caesar's

Caesar's is an old institution that opened its doors to San Franciscans in 1956. If it is traditional Italian cuisine you want and the famed San Francisco dish, Cioppino, Caesar's is the place to go.

I was finally able to try Caesar's when Enrique's sister, Chris and her husband, Russell took us to dinner here for Enrique birthday. Russell is second generation Italian. Caesar's is his Italian parents and "nonna's" (Italian for grandmother) restaurant of choice for family get togethers.

Chris whispered as we were sitting down, "you come here for the food and ambiance, not for the service." Sure enough, Caesar's is packed and loud with multi-generational families--mostly Italians but diverse enough with Asians and other non-Italian families. "Godfather "would have been happy to bring his la famiglia here.

If you want to practice your Italian, this is the place to do it. The place was loud with Italian dialects spoken all around us. Fiance's sis pointed out the staff who are from the old country who barely speak English but has been working at Caesar's for decades.

Caesar's is indeed old-school from the decor, immigrant restaurant staff and traditional Italian cuisine. The waiters wear black and white tux.

As much as I wanted to try the Cioppino, they were not serving it that night. Chris and Russell suggested that we go for the $35 Seven Course dinner. And for $35 per person, you will get plenty of delicious fare to get you stuffed:

1st Course: SALAD of lettuce, tomato and onionwith Italian dressing.

2nd Course: ANTIPASTI of calamari salad, garbanzo bean salad, grilled eggplant (caponata), cured ham, etc.
*The dishes were fresh and delicious. Future bro-in-law's told us his nonna made these dishes for the family every Sunday. I could dine on these small dishes alone! I could not stop eating the garbanzo bean salad, caponata and calamari salad.

3rd Course: A small dish of PASTA WITH MEAT SAUCE.
*I ate around the meat sauce since I am a pescetarian. I would say that the sauce was very flavorful and definitely NOT Chef Boyardee's!

4th Course: A delicious bowl of lite MINESTRONE SOUP.

5th Course: Choice of main dish.
*Enrique chose GRILLED LAMB CHOPS which he requested as well-done. It came to him medium rare. He said it was still delicious, not gamey and very tender.

*I had the GRILLED SEAFOOD PLATTER. My meal came with a skewer of plump prawns and very tender scallops with spinach and potatoes. As simple as my meal was, it was surprisingly very good! I had to take half of it home since I got stuffed from eating the antipasti,salad and soup.

6th Course: SPUMONI.
*You get to choose from their dessert menu but the spumoni ice cream was a great way to end this nice Italian dinner.

7th Course: COFFEE

OVERALL:
Service was polite and not so bad. This was a leisurely dinner and you might have to flag your server down once in a while. They leave you alone but not forget about you. You will still get your water refilled and your dishes on time.

They even gave Enrique an amaretti flavored cheesecake with a candle in it for his birthday dessert. Rich and delish! The whole restaurant joined in when we sang "Happy Birthday."

I have traveled to Italy and have had the pleasure to eat well in Rome and the Umbrian region. Caesar's is indeed authentic, traditional and old school. The dishes are not as delicious as what I had in Italy but at Caesar's it is about tradition. The dishes were simple, fresh and light--not the heavy, cheesy, Italian-American that is standard in the US.

On our way out, Enrique's sister spotted BUGIE COOKIES for sale at the counter. She said their nonna made these Italian sweets. I grabbed a couple of boxes for $6 each and gave one to her as a thank you present for the nice dinner treat. Bugies I found out later are fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar. Delicious but not diet food!

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: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Wayfare Tavern: Chef Tyler Delivers

Holiday Dinner with Girlfriends: December 17, 2010 @ 6PM

It was raining cats and dogs last night but the storm did not deter us 4 girls from having a delicious and enjoyable Holiday dinner at Wayfare Tavern.

DECOR/AMBIANCE:
The best description I can give WFT is it looked like a sophisticated saloon with heavy dark wood furniture, oriental rugs and hardwood floors. One of my gf's commented that it was like dining at one's elegant ("but not stuffy" another gf chimes in) dining room. The restaurant was dark, narrow and divided into different sections. Main level is where the open kitchen is located where you might see Chef Tyler Florence in action if you are lucky like us. Upstairs dining has its own bar.

SERVICE: Professional, efficient but slightly stoic.

SOCIAL SCENE:
The place was packed with mature nicely dressed holiday merry-makers.

DRINKS:
Um, we had quite a few. We had 10 between 4 of us. I wouldn't say who had how much but the drinks were nicely crafted and strong! We pretty much tried almost every mixed drink on the menu of about 5 drinks including MAPLE SIDECAR, LIEDESDORFF and dessert wines.

I had the OCCIDENTAL which probably could also function as a horse tranquilizer. :) Tangy and too strong for me but well-made, then another glass of a nice Chardonnay. I was still intoxicated 5 hours later! (I took the BART train home.)

STARTERS:
POPOVERS: Complimentary hot, custardy pastries instead of traditional baked loaf. The server generously offered us more before our main dishes arrived.



LOCAL FORAGED MUSHROOMS $8
Olive oil & garlic. Oh, so simple yet so delicious! The mushrooms tasted earthy and fresh.

GRILLED MONTEREY BAY CALAMARI $9
Toasted garlic, squid ink vinaigrette, smoked chili oil, breadcrumbs & celery. Another OMG! I didn't want to order this at first because I thought it was the greasy deep-fried kind. This dish was a delicious of fresh tender octopus with tentacles sauteed with of garlic and spices. The crunchy breadcumbs were a very nice addition. We really enjoyed this one!

MAIN DISHES:
HANGTOWN FRY $23-
A dying man’s last meal: fluffy Petaluma eggs, crispy oysters, smoked bacon, Jack cheese, Sausalito watercress; potato hash. I've had this few times before at different places. This was the best I've had with the fluffiest egg omelette topped with tender oysters sans bacon. Heather and I ordered this same dish except she had hers with bacon.

GRILLED SANTA MARIA TRI-TIP STEAK $26 -
Slow roasted heirloom onions, truffle butter, crisp Kennebec potatoes.
My picky carnivore friend Jannette loved her dish!

VEGAN "CUSTOM MADE" DISH
Our friend Alexis is vegan. She asked the server if the chef could make a custom made vegan dish for her. She told them to just surprise her. And she was surpised with a nice dish of polenta with mixture of fresh veggies. Maybe Chef Tyler made this dish for her.

DESSERT:
FRIED APPLE PIE $9 Orange caramel, sage ice cream. We liked the apple filling but not fans of the crusty thick pie crust. The sage ice cream with fried sage leaves were exotic and nice.

COMPLIMENTARY GINBERBREAD COOKIES: Yummy and sweet touch!

OVERALL:
Chef Florence creates dishes that are traditional, comforting and familiar but taken to the next level. They were delightful and not overwhelming ambitious. The potions were generous that despite our hefty tab we had leftovers to take home. A definite must return for me!

TAB: $360 including 10 drinks, tax and 20% tip. ($90 per gal.)

CHEF TYLER FLORENCE:
I didn't expect to see him but he was working last evening. I had the biggest crush on Tyler when I used to watch his food shows when he was still hot and single. He is still cute as I imagined. It was pleasure to see him in action.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: Solid 5 Stars even pushing 6!

Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)





Ozumo: Uber-Hip Sushi

Saturday Date Night: November 27, 2010

Want to eat sushi at ultra-chic, uber-hip and trendy bar/lounge/sushi restaurant? Ozumo fits the bill.

It was senses overload for me as soon as I walked in. The place is "warehouse huge" with exposed pipes on high ceilings. Different colored lights in contemporary shapes lit up the dark modern lounge. It had the glamous LA feel to it than the usual more "subtle but cool" Bay Area ambiance.

The place is divided into two parts: a swanky bar and a fun but more formal sushi dining area.

Enrique and I went straight to the main dining area for dinner while I was doing a mental note to come back and have a drink at the swanky bar and seat right next to the wall fountain.

The huge lighted sushi kitchen was in the middle of the huge dining room where chefs prepare your dish. The rest of the place was dimly and dramatically lit.

We ordered few starters which arrived immediately. We were impressed with the deliciousness of these dishes:

a. Futago $13: Grilled washu beef flatiron, sauteed spinach, eggplant wtih goma-miso sauce. My fiance reported that the beef was melt in your mouth. I only ate the veggie parts and they were very tasty.

b. Nasu $5: Another grilled eggplant appetizer without the beef. It was very similar to Futago but also very tasty.

While waiting for our sushi, we enjoyed a complimentary amuse bouch, small hot sake for me ($8) and Voss Sparkling water for my guy. We were enjoying the ambiance, admiring the architecture, people-watching, talking, sipping......and waiting and waiting.....

Our sushi finally came 40 minutes after our drinks and starters were served. We had:
a. Spider Roll ($9)
b. Dynamite Roll ($15)
c. Uni Nigiri ($10)
d. Tako Nigiri ($6)

Our sushi were fresh but forgettable. I could have gone to a mom and pop sushi joint down the street and probably have gotten the same quality. The sushi rice was even on the hard side and fell apart.

Our Saturday Date Night dinner started out fun enough but waiting for almost an hour for run of the mill sushi was not fun even at a cool place like Ozumo. Service was very friendly and our server was taking care of almost every table at this huge place. Ozumo needs to hire more servers. She apologized for the delay.

$90 later (after tax and 20% tip) Enrique drove into a Burger King drive-in for french fries and shake. He was still hungry but we did not want to wait another hour for a sushi roll.

(You may also try Ozumo San Francisco on Steuart Street.)

FOODIE GIRL'S OVERALL RATING: 3.5
Food: 2
Decor/Ambiance: 4.5
Service: 2

Key:


0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Oyster Rockefeller

SONOMA WEEKEND GETAWAY: November 20, 2010

Chilled Drake's Bay oyster on the half shell served with our Lemon-Honey-Jalapeno Mignonette, OR

Rocker Oysterfeller: Wilted arugula, cream cheese, crispy bacon and cornbread crumbs with a hint of Pernod liquor and garlic butter,  OR

BBQ, Louisiana Hots, Garlic Butter on Tomales Bay oysters.

Are you not not convinced yet?
I found out about Oyster Rockefeller's Kitchen and Saloon's while browsing a copy of 7x7 magazine. And the food writer had me at BBQ oysters.

So Enrique and I packed our overnight bags and headed to Valley Ford despite the forecast of heavy rain. Valley Ford is located in Sonoma county. And the Rocker Oysterfeller is nestled among the green pastures and rolling hills off of Highway 1.  This is truly backroads dining at its finest.

And it couldn't get any better than this: the promise of a wonderful weekend was sweetened by the fact that Oyster Rockefeller is housed at Valley Ford Hotel where we also decided to stay.

EAT + DRINK + SLEEP= Perfect weekend getaway!

DECOR/AMBIANCE:
Oyster Rockefeller is a casual dining restaurant that is full of country charm. It is located among rolling hills, ranches, grazing cows. It is the perfect setting for a bucolic and quiet mini-getaway. The crowd consisted of couples trying to have a romantic dinner (including us) despite familes who had kids who kept on staring and pointing at our crab! And mixed age group of 20 something friends to more mature ones. The decor is shabby-chic country with cozy wooden provincial furniture.

SERVICE:
Service was very friendly. It is being run by a husband and wife team. The wife is the bartender, server and hotel manager. The husband is the chef.

DRINKS:
Since we didn't have to drive after dinner, Enrique and I had a glorious evening with Oyster Rockefeller's strong but yummy cocktails:
1. Strong MOJITO for my him.
2. BLOODY MARY for me: Generously served in a mason jar with a olives and celery stick. Strong and good.

BISCUITS: Complimentary, fluffy and delicious!

OYSTERS;
We were here for the oysters and we chose:
1. Six CHILLED DRAKE BAY'S OYSTERS ON HALF-SHELL with Lemon-Honey-Jalapeno Mignonette ($12)

Six LOUISIANA HOTS BBQ TOMALES BAY OYSTERS ($14)
1. Both were delicious! The fresh and BBQ oysters were a great combination. The fresh oysters were plump, sweet and fresh. The BBQ oysters tasted like eating BBQ chicken wings except they were oysters.

MAIN:
We wanted to eat more oysters but we wanted room for the main entrees. Although Rocker Oysterfeller boasts of the creative ways they can dress they oysters, the main dishes were not overlooked. They were fresh and full of flavors. The ingredients are locally-grown and harvested, thus, the Southern-inspired dishes tasted fresh and lighter than their authentic Southern counterparts.

1. FLASH FRIED DUNGENESS CRAB with Cajun seasoning, potatoes and toast ($29): Since it is the beginning of the crab season, my guy chose this. He got down and dirty and enjoyed this sweet and meaty crab. He gave me a quarter of the crab and it was spicy delish!

2. GULF SHRIMP PO-BOY with Applewood Smoked Bacon, White Cheddar and Fries ($18): This po-boy is so ginormous and oozing with countless plump tender prawns in hot melted cheese (and bacon that I took out.)! I could not finish it and longingly looked at my wasted delicious leftover. This sandwich might be a misnomer because it is pricey but it is so worth it!

OVERALL:
We really enjoyed our dinner at Oyster Rockefeller along with the well-mixed drinks, cozy dining room and warm service.

TAB: $110 including tax and 22 % tip. Worth every dollar!

AT THE BAR:
Our dinner did not end here. We were too full to go back to our room upstairs (along with the fact that the room had no TV and weak wi-fi connection.) Enrique and I decided to hangout at the cozy bar for a night cap. It was pouring outside and I was feeling cold that I decided to have a HOT TODDY. It was sweet with cinnamon and cloves. Well-made and warmed up my freezing bones. Enrique had another mojito. We chatted with the owner, watched football and went people-watching.

The evening was perfect. And the best part, we just climbed a flight of stairs and slept like babies while it was storming. It couldn't have been more perfect!

For details on Valley Ford Hotel:  http://www.vfordhotel.com/

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 5 Stars all the way through!

Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Wild Flour Bread: Divine Artisan Pastries

WEEKEND GETAWAY IN SONOMA: November 20, 2010




Enrique and I walked into this bakery from the pouring rain after wine-tasting across the street. The folks at Freestone Vineyard insisted that we not miss this place during our visit. And I am so grateful that they pointed us to this cute little bakery.

We were greeted by a wood-fire oven, the smell of freshly made bread and loaves of artisan bread piled high on a country table.



This place is rustic, cozy and full of country charm. And packed with the freshest wood-fire baked bread right out of the oven.



We just had a big brunch at Howard's Station Cafe and about to have dinner in 3 hours at Rocker Oysterfeller  but we could not resist the aroma of fresh pastries and newly brewed coffee.

We missed out on the pumpkin bread but we settled for a warm STICKY BUN. When we were told it was $6.50, my immediate thought was "Oh-oh! This better be really good!"

But I was handed a ginormous dense fragrant-smelling bun that was very delicious with sticky molasses, cinnamon, cloves and a hint of orange! This bun could easily feed 4 people!

I fell in love with this country bakeshop with the fresh artisan breads. I really would like to go back!

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 6  STARS--I found PERFECTION!

Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Starbelly

Foodie Lunch Date:  November 18, 2010 @ Noon

Starbelly is my foodie buddy Heather's choice. I didn't know much about Starbelly except that if Heather  had chosen it, then I am in good hands.

Walking in, I was immediately impressed. Starbelly is a cute, bright and airy neighborhood restaurant in the Castro.  A long wooden bar that also serves as the communal table is the focal point of this eatery; along with the display of wine bottles neatly stocked up in the contemporary wooden cabinets on the wall by the bar.

I caught a glimpse of al fresco dining at the pretty wooden patio in the back.  Heather and I opted to seat at the casual 2-4 seater table with metal chairs in the main dining area.

The whole place has a casual and cheery feel to it.  Service was friendly and very efficient. As soon as we sat down we were given a choice between regular or complimentary bubbly water. We chose the bubbly, nice touch!

Once again, Heather and I ordered family-style to be able to enjoy and "critique" each dish.

1. CRAB LOUIE SALAD:  Since it is the very beginning of the crab season in San Francisco, we thought it was best to try this dish. And we were rewarded with big chunks of sweet  Dungeness crab meat on fresh lettuce wedge and not overpowering dressing. Divine!

2.SQUASH THIN CRUST PIZZA WITH GOAT CHEESE AND PEPITAS: I love pumpkins and squash but I was not so sure about them on pizza. At first bite this pizza put away all my worries. I thought that squash, goat cheese and pepitas on pizza would be a brave culinary attempt that could easily fail but this was a well executed dish. The result was a harmony of earthy fall flavors on a thin crust. The pizza was nicely grilled and slightly charred (but not burnt) in the  wood-fire oven. A delicious autumn dish!

3. FRIES WITH 3 DIPS: Uneven cut fries. Nicely salted. Nice fillers.

The dishes at Starbelly are seasonal. The chef makes use of fresh ingredients. They are most delicious in their simplicity but combinations of flavors are amazing and refreshing on the palate.

Once again, Heather and I had a wonderful "girl-bonding" lunch in the City in the midst of our very busy work day. Starbelly is highly recommended for such diversions.

Tab: $42.00 including tax, $1.99 Health SF Fee and 20% tip. ($21 per girl)

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 4.5 Stars for simple, seasonal yet delicious food.


Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Vesu: Swanky But Lacks Harmony

Saturday Date Night, November 13, 2010 @ 9:05 PM

Enrique and I found ourselves in Walnut Creek after attending our nephew's party in Livermore. Thanks to Enrique's evo 4G, we found our way in WC and ended up at Vesu for our date night. In a nutshell, here is our dining experience:

Vesu is SWANKY.

It is loungey with dark wooden tables, dramatically dimmed lights and a contemporary bar. It seems like Vesu is the place to see and be seen in Walnut Creek. The women were decked out in shiny little black dresses.

And check out the modern communal bathroom:

Our table at Vesu was DISAPPOINTING.

Vesu is beautiful and spacious. It was packed on the night we were there. In Vesu's attempt to fill each nook and cranny with $$$ dropping patrons, we were seated right next to a wall despite our Opentable VIP reservation. I understand that real estate in the Bay Area is premium but here is my note for Vesu's owners: "Do you enjoy being seated right next to a wall when you go to dinner?"  A poor seating is a prelude to a poor dining experience. Period.

The dishes at Vesu were LACKING IN FLAVORS.

1. Hampshire pork chop with creamy potatoes, broccolini and coriander chimichurri ($21).  Enrique had to drown his pork chop with the sauce because according to him, it was bland and had no flavors. He made me taste the mashed potato and he was right, it was weirdly sweet!

2. Halibut ceviche black pepper water cracker, avocado, cilantro ($8).
I lacked the complex spices of a good ceviche. I tasted nothing but the lime. It did not have enough salt.

3. Heirloom squash "scallops" plantain mofongo, cilantro-lime sofrito ($9). This small plate dish did not have any "rhyme or reason." The slice of green squash was perched on top of a flavorless fried plantain chip sitting on sofrito that lasted like the Hawaiian poi. It was like a culinary experiment whose flavors did not come together.  I am very sorry to say that this dish was terrible!

4. Except for the Crab cakes ($14) which were actually delicious. Crusty on the outside and creamy on the inside.

5. Salad with the Crab cakes were overly salted with plenty of salt grains with every bite.

6. Hot Lips ($10) Tequila, ginger, lime, cilantro, fresno chili. This drink was not chilled enough. It is okay.

SUMMARY:
Vesu is swanky. The service was friendly. I applaud the chef's attempt to create fusion dishes with Latin influences that are innovative . The presentation of each dish was pleasing to the eyes but the dishes did not come together. The combination of flavors lacked harmony just like an orchestra whose conductor is tone deaf.

Sadly, I really did have better somewhere else........

Tab: $86 including Diet Coke, tax and 20% tip.

FOODIE GIRL'S OVERALL RATING: 2
Food: 1.5
Decor/Ambiance: 4
Service: 4

Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)