Marlowe: Hamburger and Brussel Sprout Chips

Saturday Date Night:  August 28, 2010 @ 6 PM

Saturday means Saturday Dinner Date Night!!!  Enrique and I went on a trip to the City for an early dinner and a movie afterwards.  He is happy to sit back and enjoy, and lets me do the planning for our date nights. And I am more than happy to accept the role.  So for this Saturday I wanted a casual yet classy venue. Marlowe's decor and ambiance perfectly fit the bill. Housed in a converted loft which is the norm at South of Market where Marlowe is located,  it is sleek and cozy. 

It has red brick exterior with funny quotes on the glass windows. 

Marlowe is tiny yet charming.  It can probably sit a maximum of 50 diners. The  wooden tables are set up for 2-4 people and has one long communal table for 6.

A nice long sleek bar:

On the wall was the signature chalkboard sketches of farm animals that seems to be Marlowe's trademark.

I bet the phrase "I don't even like Brussel Sprouts but" has been uttered time and again  in describing Marlowe's Brussel Sprout Chips ($6).  Personally, I love veggies but I don't even like Brussel Sprouts but these crunchy delicate chips were addicting!! A little too generous with sea salt but nothing that a nice cold drink could not take care off. (Enrique thought they were greasy but still liked them.)

Brussel Sprout Chips

And my Sangria did just that. A carafe that set us back $13, this apple fiiled sangria, although refreshing,  was very not good.  The diner next to us pretty much verbalized my disappointment:  "Watered down. Hardly any alcohol." It was not worth it.

Apple Sangria

As a second appetizer, Enrique ordered the Spiced Prawns ($12).  I slapped my forehead because I forgot to order Marlowe's famous Bone Marrow but the regrets disappeared as soon as we bit into the prawns.  The head-on prawns were nicely grilled and sweet. The accompanying spicy horseradish cocktail sauce perfectly complimented the salty prawns.  Delicious!

Spiced Prawns

Enrique and I could not pass up Marlowe's famed hamburgers ($13). Regular-sized burger and not the super-sized version, each order came with one patty, cheese, 3 crispy bacon slices, caramelized onions, shredded lettuce and horseradish aioli.  To be fair, I asked for no cheese which they also omitted the caramelized onions. Enrique got "all the works." We found the burgers to be juicy--good but just okay.  It did not live up to the hype.

Marlowe's Famous Hamburger

The fries were golden brown, crispy outside yet tender inside. Seasoned with salt and parsley. Nice compliment to the burgers although I ate more of the Brussel Sprout Chips as an accompaniment.

Hamburger, Bacon, Fries and Horseradish Aioli

Service was friendly and very efficient. Enrique hardly had to lift his fingers to pour his Boylan Soda in his glass. The server did it for him few times. The tables were cleared on a timely manner.

The bill was $83 including tax, Healthy SF fee of $2.75 and 19% tip. 

A delicious pre-movie dinner at the Metreon where we saw "Lottery Ticket." Very funny with Ice Cube's usual "moral lessons" "preached" in an entertaining way.

Parking: Marlowe's is a great dining option for pre-baseball at AT&T Park. However, if you are not going to catch the game, be prepared to pay $20 for parking or walk 8 blocks just like we did where we parked at one of the metered spaces.  On a beautiful afternoon in SF, strolling just added to the fun of our Saturday Night Date!!!!

FOODIE GIRL'S RATINGS: 4.5 Innovative and delicious
The Famous Hamburger:     3.5   Good but did not live up to the hype
Decor and Ambiance:           4.5    Classy casual Saturday Date place
Service:                                 4.0    Efficient, friendly but also slightly aloof


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 might 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!)

Delicious Chilean Empanadas at Chile Lindo

I grew up eating Filipino empanadas as a little girl in the Philippines.  When I heard about the Chilean empanadas at Chile Lindo, I was really excited to try them.  I wanted to compare the two empanadas from two different countries who share the same history of being conquered by Spain.   Two countries apart-- one in Asia and one in Latin America but share similar dishes including paellas and empanadas.

Chile Lindo is a cozy little kitchen on 16th Street and Mission.  You will find the owner and her chef working hard at making pastry disks filled with meat, cheese, eggs and raisins.  (I just described the contents of a Beef Empanada which is my favorite.)

You can purchase the pre-baked empanadas  for you to take home and bake for 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes. You can also buy the still "hot off the oven" empanadas that you can eat on the sidewalk.

I have been to Chile Lindo twice so far and found the  Beef Empanadas to be addicting. My friend bought the cheese empanada during our first visit but she was not impressed.  I am happy to just eat the Beef Empanadas.  The pastry was neither thin nor thick except when you get to the "folds" which are understandbly doughy.

So how do they compare?  They are almost the same except Filipino empanadas are filled ground beef instead of Chilean's which were little chunks of beef.  Filipinos empanadas also don't have olives in them and tend to be sweeter because of the raisins. 

At first glance, an empanada from Chile Lindo is not enough to satisfy one's appetite but I found that my eyes are bigger than my stomach. I was full after eating one of those savory snacks. In my case, paired with a nice glass of Shiraz, I had the perfect dinner last night! (In the Philippines, empanadas are eaten as "meriendas" or afternoon snacks.)

$5.50 per empanada.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATINGS: 4.5 Delicious, filling and addicting!

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 might 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!)

Brunching at Somerset

The future-in-laws called to say that they wanted to spend a little time with me and their son on a Saturday morning. 

I needed a place in the hood with good food and a nice ambiance to impress the in-laws who themselves have been generously feeding us delicious home-cooked meals or taking us out to eat all these years.

Somerset came to mind because of its cozy patio that I have read about more than once. On a sunny day in Rockridge, I can almost imagine the future mom-in-law enjoying her mimosa.

All four of us arrived at Somerset at a little before noon one sunny Saturday.  We walked into a classy restaurant with heavy dark wood furniture. Somerset's decor is  handsome and masculine like an "old boys' club."  I was almost expecting to smell cigar.  The dining room was empty but we went straight to the patio where few brunchers (mostly seniors) were waiting for their food.

We stood for few awkward minutes before we were finally acknowleged and seated.  The pattern of inattentive service continued with the long wait to place our order for our drinks and  food. And few more long minutes to get our drinks. 

Luckily, the future-in-laws are patient and jovial people who had a lot of stories to tell.  The sunny and cozy patio with overhanging branches made the waiting a little bit less painful. 

I ended up getting the PASSION FRUIT MIMOSA while mom-in-law ordered BLOODY MARY.  Let me just say that their delicious and strong drinks definitely softened the mood a little that was already being ruined by the ridiculously long wait.

Passion Fruit Mimosa

And the food when they finally arrived almost an hour after we placed our orders were definitely Somerset's saving grace. 

Both in-laws had the CHILAQUILES:  Tor­tilla chips sauteed in gua­jillo chile sauce, shred­ded chicken, cilantro, sweet onions, queso fresco, crema. ($14)

Chilaquiles

Fiance had the CLUB SANDWICH:  On house­made sour­dough, with roasted fresh turkey, Hobb’s bacon, let­tuce, tomato and French fries. ($14)

I had the COBB SALAD:   Pt Reyes blue cheese, cooked egg, chicken, bacon, toy­box toma­toes, avo­cado, mustard-champagne dressing ($13)

Cobb Salad

Somerset redeemed itself despite the disappointing service because the in-laws who are Latinos liked their Chilaquiles.  I was afraid that they might write it off as "American-Mexican" but the mom-in-law gave her stamp of approval. (Whew!)

My cobb salad was simple yet delicious and generously layered with fresh veggies and meat!  It came in a huge soup bowl that could feed up to 3 people with normal appetites.  The mustard-champagned dressing was fresh and did not taste of the store-bought kind.

The in-laws thanked us and said they really enjoyed their brunch. I am sure that they were not just being polite.  Our dishes were truly delicious and we left this pretty neighborhood restaurant full and content. 

TAB: $115 including tax, 18% tip, 2 alcoholic drinks and one iced tea. Definitely very pricey for brunch.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATINGS: 2.5 Stars
The slow service was a big turn-off. It ruined what could have a been a great brunch experience.  Despite the good food, I am not so eager to return.
Food:       4 Stars  Delicious with generous portions.
Service:   2 Stars  Ridicously slow. Somerset needs to hire more than the two servers who were in-charge during the busy brunch weekend.

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!)

You'll Go Apes Over Gorilla Barbecue

Saturday Date Night

As seen on DINERS, DRIVE-INS AND DIVES........

At 4:00 PM on a Saturday, we rushed to Pacifica on Highway 1 only to be told by Rich "Mr. Gorilla Barbecue" that he's out of barbecue for the day --until he added after a pause--"EXCEPT for a rack of pork ribs that will be ready in 15 minutes and that's about it." Whew!

Should we blame Diner, Drive-ins and Dives' Guy Fieri for putting this train car turned barbecue house on the map or should we admit that Gorilla Barbecue is the bomb?!

THE RACK OF PORK: I say YES! to both. Our barbecue ribs were most tender, fall off the bones, juiciest and flavored all the way through dry-rubbed barbecue I've ever had. (They'll give you barbecue sauce on the side.) We saw firewood being hauled for the next day's barbecue.

Whole Rack of Pork

SIDES: We also had sides of potato salad (very creamy), corn on the cob and barbecued zucchini.

Barbecued Zucchinis

BARBECUE SAUCE: The barbecue sauce that came with it was not sweet enough to my liking. Actually it was more on the vinegary-savory side but it's still good and smokey. I like mine maple-y sweet.

RICH THE "GORILLA GUY": Rich was very friendly and told the disappointed folks "sorry" with such niceness that will make you want to come back again. (One woman said that was her third failed attempt already to get Gorilla Barbecue.) Not only is Rich a genuis barbecuer and a local celebrity but a ham as well. He happily posed for pictures with his fans!

TAB: $23 for a full rack of ribs and a Diet Coke +  $8 for the sides
TOTAL: $31 with plenty of leftovers for the next day's lunch.

PLUS: $20 for the autographed recipe booked signed by both Guy Fieri and Mr. Rich "Gorilla Barbecue" guy himself.

We drove into the sunset , parked our car by the ocean in Pacifica and happily devoured our ribs like two hungry Neanderthals.

SURVIVAL TIP: Get there before 12 PM. Barbecues are sold out by 4 PM! A little after and "better luck next time!"

FOODIE GIRL'S RATINGS: 4  STARS for very tender,  juicy, and well-flavored barbecue as well as  very friendly service.

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!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to)!!!!!


 

Roli Roti Chicken at Civic Center

For close to two years every Wednesday, I passed by Roli Roti Chicken Truck at the Civic Center Plaza without giving it a second glance. Within my peripheral vision, I see dozens of golden brown chicken rotating round and round. The fat dripping down from the top chicken to the roasting potatoes in the bottom. The nice smell of rosemary mixed in with roasting chicken meat were enticing but I just always walked on to the tamales truck.

Until today, during another Wednesday Farmer's Market at Civic Center, I was too  famished at 1 PM to ignore the delicous scent. I broke down and bought a Roli Combo and scampered to my office to eat my lunch.

Oh, boy! Like a neanderthal in a business outfit, I just finished attacking those babies and my fingers are still covered with chicken fat and potato grease while I am typing this review.

It does not matter. I am so excited to talk about how good my lunch of Roli Combo was that I could not wait until I wash my hands.  For $6, you get a quarter of a chicken (thigh and drumstick) and about 8 good sized roated rosemary potatoes.

For someone who is not a big chicken fan, Roti-Roti's won this bovine girl's heart. When I got my Roli Combo from the Chicken Truck at Civic Center's Farmer's Market, it was still very hot when I got back to my office.

The chicken was surprisingly very flavorful with herbs. The optional sea salt brought out the flavors more and added texture to the skin. The piece of lime on the side complimented the chicken. The skin was not crispy but it was so full of flavors. The flavors were trapped in the meat while the skin sealed all the juices. The chicken was very tender and so juicy that I stripped and sucked the chicken all the way to the bones in the privacy of my own office with the doors locked. Whew!

Now let's talk about the potatoes. The potatoes were nicely caramelized on the outside with the inside was very tender. The rosemary was very nice but not overpowering.

This is one of the most flavorful, tender and delicious rotisserie chickens I have ever had. 

For comparison's sake,  Whole Food's whole rotisserie chicken is almost always dry at $9.99 each while Costco's whole chicken is very cheap for a mere $4.99 for a whole salty and moist chicken.  And I thought Costco's was okay until I had Roli Roti's! Roli Roti's chickens are sold for $12 each. Expensive but you get what you pay for. They are free of hormones and antibiotics. 

Next time I get my next craving of rotisserie chicken, Roli Roti's will be my first choice.

(Roli Roti's Chicken Truck can be found at the Civic Center Plaza every Wednesday and at the Ferry Building every Thusday. For their every famous porcheta sandwiches, you have catch them at the Ferry Building.)

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING:  4 Stars for juicy, succulent chicken and potatoes

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!)

I Squared

Saturday Date Night: August 14, 2010 @ 7:15 PM

I remember reading a very harsh review on Yelp in 2008 citing "This restaurant is not going to make it."  The more I wanted to make it to this place (pun intended) to check out this restaurant, form my own opinion and support this neighborhood place.  Two years later, I Squared has prevailed and proven the critic wrong.
(Congratulations, I Squared!)

Last night, my fiance and I finally made it to I Squared. This cute, small, contemporary-designed, minimalist Iranian-Italian restaurant has added more diversity to the plethora of international cuisines on College Avenue in North Oakland.  Thai, Japaneses, Italian, Californian, etc. are within a "skip and hop" away from each other.

We started off with GRILLED EGGPLANT DIP:  grilled eggplant served with warm pita triangles drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with black sesame seeds. As soon as we bit into a pita bread piled high with egglant, the flavors just exploded in our mouths! There was nothing bland with this dish but surprisingly pleasing to the palate! Delicious!

I never had Iranian food before. Although there is a choice between Iranian or Italian at I Squared, I opted for FESENJOON:  a traditional Iranian stew of blended walnuts with pomegranate paste, Iranian seasoning, with chicken and served with saffron over basmati rice.  It was very, very sweet but I liked it!  Not the dish for my guy, though.

He chose BARG KABAAB:  one skewer of tender beef fillet also served with basmati rice and grilled tomatoes. I had a bite of this tender beef and it was also surprisingly very flavorful with strong beef flavors.  Very good!

I Squared offers a pleasing menu of choices that are easy to decipher.  My guy described the food as good "but not enough."  The portions seem small but left us full and satisfied.  The prices are among the most reasonable I've ever encountered for dinner with main dishes priced at mostly $12!

Our server was very nice and friendly. She made our dining experience relaxed and enjoyable.  I  am planning to go back to try more of their offerings.

Tab:  $51 including tax, tip and a Diet Coke

FOODIE GIRL'S RATINGS:  4.5 Stars (Flavor Explosion!)

Decor/Ambiance: 4 Stars
Service:                5.5 Stars
Portions:               3  Stars
Value:                    4 Stars (Very affordable at $12 per dinner entree.)

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!)

Bottega: A Lunch to Remember in the Wine Country

Every year four girls who mean business drive to the Wine Country with only 3 things in mind: the business of drinking as much wine as liver can allow, business of eating well and business of shopping as long as it does not get in the way of drinking and eating.

The imbibing part is a no brainer when you are in the wine country. It is hard to go wrong with Napa Valley crafted wines. Having lunch at Bottega is another no brainer since you are guaranteed a great gastronomic experience.

DECOR/AMBIANCE: At 2:30 PM last Friday, we walked into Bottega half-tipsy from wine tasting. A classy restaurant with a casual and laid-back vibe. The thoughtfulness of the decorator with the clientele's pleasure in mind is very evident. High ceilings and big windows. The covered patio is perfect for dining while enjoying a beautiful sunny Wine Country's afternoon. Or choose to sit at the thick and heavy tables with bottles of bigger than magnum wine bottles that adorn the table.

CELEBRITY CHEF: We did not have a reservation but we were seated right away at the communal table that remained ours alone during our entire meal. Chef Mark Chiarello was talking to some diners when we walked in but went back to the kitchen right away. Celebrity sighting was good and all but we were there for some serious eating.

DRINKS: We were still buzzed from some fine wines from our tasting but when our server mentioned STRAWBERRY BELLINI, our response was "four. please!" Freshly pureed strawberries mixed with prosecco. So simple but so refreshing.

We were served with a complimentary warm bread with olive oil, garlic and parsley for dipping. We devoured it right away.

APPETIZERS: We went all out for appetizers. We shared:

CALAMARI: Tender and not greasy. Served in its own black ink for dipping.

TRUFFLE FRIES: We had to order these when we saw it delivered at another table piled high on a plate. And no regrets! Delicious guilt-laden deep-fried served with aoili. I don't think it was even on the menu.

INSALATA DE BOSCO: Organic greens, balsamic vinaigrette, sliced pear, candied hazelnuts, Pecorino. Getting this salad actually provided as a catalyst for the fried stuff we were having. Just so light, so earthy, so refreshing.

MAIN: There were four of us and although I did not get to try my girlfiriends' dishes, we were all impressed with our choices. Just like how H put it, "It is hard to get everything to taste right at one place."

It was a great lunch. Very enjoyable. A very pleasurable dining experience.

ADRIATIC SEAFOOD BRODETTO: Monkfish, mussels, rock cod & fresh Monterey calamari, forno-confit tomato broth, olive oil-crouton in paprika-saffron broth: This is what I ordered. The broth was not heavy which I sometimes find with any tomato based dishes. Teeming with generously cut seafood. Soooo good! I was already so full but I could not stop eating it.

CRISPY POTATO GNOCCHIi with english pea & tallegio fonduta, early spring vegetables, prosciutto crisp.

RAVIOLO: One giant ravioli with eggyolk and sage browned butter parmigiano. Looked like for big comfort food!

RISOTTO WITH CHICKEN.

DESSERT: I don't know where we found the space but we shared:

CHOCOLATE BOURBON TORTINO: Creme Brulee, Banana Gelato and milk chocolate peanut butter bar. This was good but on the heavy side. I preferred the Zeppole.

ZEPPOLE: Meyer Lemon Curd, Black and Blueberry Earl Grey. I found these mini beignets with accompanying sauces to be a great way to end a splendid lunch.

SERVICE: What made our lunch truly remarkable was not just the food but the great team of staff who catered to us during lunch from the server to the busboy who cleared our table. Our brass goblet (nice touch!) of water was never empty.

TAB: $240 for four girls including 4 drinks, 3 appetizers, 4 entrees, 2 desserts and beautiful sunny day full of wine and flowers that wil be remembered for years to come!

FOODIE GIRL'S RANKINGS: 5 Stars

Ambiance and Decor: 5.5 Stars
Service:                       5.5 Stars Stellar!
Food:                            5.0 Stars All dishes were well-executed. Mostly above average. Some were exceptional!

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!)