Rue Saint Jacques: Date Night French Style

Saturday Date Night: September 25, 2010 @ 6:30 PM
(My apologies for the dark pictures. I do not use flash in restaurants as a courtesy to other diners.)

All I knew was Enrique and I  NEEDED a nice romantic dinner after a stressful week.  Being the date night planner in the relationship, I made my decision to try Rue Saint Jacques based on the 1000 Opentable points that they offer until 6:30 PM.

Left North Oakland at 5:55 PM, I thought we would not make it. We were able to cross the Bay  Bridge with no hint of traffic which was very rare on a beautiful hot Saturday in the Bay Area.  All I knew was Rue Saint Jacques is located on Nob Hill and that there will be no parking.

We made it at exactly 6:30 PM. I like what I saw as soon as we were able to identify the restaurant by its yellow awning.  Located on the corner of Jackson Street on top of the hill, the restaurant looked very quaint and charming.

While Enrique was looking for parking, I went to the restaurant to check-in.  To my dismay, they gave us a table in the back of the restaurant right by the entrance to the kitchen! The restaurant was half-empty and I asked for a better seating.  The hostess apologetically told me that the tables were reserved for a party of 10 that they were expecting.

I was fuming with disappointment but vowed to have a nice dinner in spite of.  I ordered a glass of champagne (Champagne Bernard $15/glass $80/bottle) and enjoyed the scenes of the restaurant while sipping it and waiting for Enrique. The champagne was crisp and dry  but I actually surprisingly enjoyed it.

The place was very cute, cozy and very Parisian.  The tables were mostly for intimate dining for 2 to 4 people.  The place was dark and lit with tea lights that it was hard to make out the decor.  You can see the passing cable car through the window that stops right in front of the restaurant.  It was like being in Paris in San Francisco!  It would have been a romantic dinner if I had not been facing the brick wall decorated with roosters!



Passing cable cars stop in front of Rue Saint Jacques

 Enrique was equally disappointed with our table after he came back from finding parking 4 blocks away. Despite the poor seating, we found ourselves being able to actually relax, catch up and have a nice dinner.  Our warm, crusty bread arrived right away along with the olive-garlic tapenade, aoili and butter as accompaniment.



Olive-garlic tapenade, aoili and butter

 For appetizer, we started off with the Catalan style Escargots, sautéed with garlic butter and served with cherry tomatoes, Catalan Chorizo, Harris Ranch smoked bacon $9.95 which came in a soup bowl. It was lighter than the tradionally served escargot drowning in butter. Our came in a delicious light broth with white wine sauce where we fished out at least 10 plump escargot meat, potatoes and chorizo  We dunked our warm crusty bread into the sauce after we finished all the escargot and cleaned out the bowl! Delicious!



Escargot

 I ordered the Sautéed Pacific Northwest Day boat Scallops, presented on a Cauliflower Velouté with boudin blanc $24. Although I enjoyed my dish of 3 big plump tender scallops on rich white sauce, the flavors were not complex enough. It was just salty. My last scallop had that metallic taste to it that I questioned its freshness. The roasted figs added a little pizzazz to the dish.



Scallops

 Enrique had   Blanquette of Veal, Humanely processed Veal from Québec, slowly cooked for a long time in a Calvados broth, served with mashed potatoes, mushrooms and sautéed Brussels sprouts $37. Not one to rave about his food, it is often hard to tell what he thinks about his meals.  I watched him devour this generously thick cut of bone-in veal, and his "desire" to clean out the bone which he did not despite my encouragement. He said the veal was tender but with hard parts to it but it was good.



Veal

 We were full and satisfied with our meal despite our initial disappointment.  The servers were very friendly and efficient that it dispelled the paranoia that we were put in the back of the bistro because we are Asian and Latino or maybe other not so nice reasons. An elegant-looking older couple were seated right next to us right by the bathroom. The only weird thing was the people who were seated at the tables I previously coveted did not seem to have anything to do with one another.  By the time we left after 2 leisurely hours of dining, the place was already packed.

Tab was $115 including a glass of champagne, Diet Coke, tax and 18% tip.

Overall:
Rue Saint Jacques is as San Francisco as you can get if you want to experience "Paris of the West"--one of SF's nicknames.  I would love to go back but I have to be reassured a nice table first. Seating at the back table took away from what could have been a great dining experience.

Recommend: 
- Rue Saint Jacques is a great place to take out of town guests to experience the "Most European of American Cities."
- A great romantic casual bistro.
- If I ever go back, I will not drive but will take the cable car that stops right in front of the restaurant.
- Printout the free champagne coupon on the restaurant's website. It would have saved me at least $12-$15 for a glass of wine!

Saturday Date Night continues........:
On our way back to the car parked four long blocks away, Enrique and I enjoyed the beautiful sights and sounds of San Francisco.  We admired the beautiful old-world architectures of affluent houses and apartments. From the top of the hill we looked down and saw the freeway lit up with car lights.  We passed by another neighborhood bistro that was very festive with diners.  We heard a group of merry-makers singing "Happy Birthday" from one of the apartments.  We found the car after climbing up 4 long uphill  blocks SF is known for.  It felt like we spent a couple of hours in Paris and also enjoyed a beautiful warm night in San Francisco.




One of the ornate apartments on Jackson Street



Cable car in front of our car

And the night did not end there. We had our ice cream at Fenton's in Oakland at past 10 at night. But that's for another review, followed by a silly but funny movie on DVD " Killers." Needless to say, we stretched out our Saturday Date Night until Sunday morning at 3 AM....A very fun weekend.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATINGS: 3.5 
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!)

Bahn Mi Wars: Saigon vs. Wrap Delight

sThere is a war currently going on in the TL (short for Tenderloin for those of you who are not in the know.) Not the kind of war that takes place in the TL after dark. 

I am talking about Banh Mi wars between the Vietnamese Sandwich Queens. These very cheap, filling and portable lunch options can ignite some lively foodie debate on who makes the best Vietnamese sandwiches in the TL. The major contenders are Saigon, Lee and Sing-Sing. At least a handful will chime in "Wrap Delight."

At this point, I can only talk eloquently about Saigon and Wrap Delight. And without further adieu, I cast my vote for Saigon! After devouring countless banh mi's both from Saigon and Wrap Delight,  I crown the two little old ladies at Saigon as the Banh Mi Queens of the TL. (Since I already found "THE banh mi" I am not interested to venture out to try Lee's or Sing-Sing.)

Let's do a comparison:

WRAP DELIGHT

A dark storefront much bigger than Saigon.  It was rumored that the solo sweet old Asian lady who makes the banh mi  was a protege of  Saigon  until she opened her own bahn mi business. She makes your banh mi in about two minutes which you can either eat at one of the folding tables inside the store or take home with you. She also sells shrimp or tofu  fresh rice rolls (pretty good unless you are unfortunate enough to get the day-old ones.) A refrigerator holds colorful Asian drinks and desserts. The counter is also loaded with Asian treats such as shrimp chips, ginger chews, rice cakes in banana leaves, steamed pork buns, etc.

Baguette: Soft and not crusty enough with almost a stale taste to it sometimes.
Picked veggies: Not pickled enough.  The carrots are still too crunchy. More tangy than sweet.
Meat:  I only had tofu bahn mi and fish cake bahn mi at wrap delight. I do not think that the fillings are marinated at WP. They were just warmed up and served straight up without much seasonings and less sauce.




Fish Cake Banh Mi

 Wait time:  Almost no wait.  Most people are lining up at Saigon that if you are crunched for time, go to Wrap Delight for a not as great bahn mi with one, two or nobody ahead of you.
Overall: The banh mi's at Wrap Delight are just okay and lacking in flavors. There are more veggies (shredded carrots and cilantro)  than meat.   Unless you've had great banh mi's such as the ones from Saigon, you will think that WD is not so bad at all. If you hate the sweetness of the marinade at Saigon, then Wrap Delight is your place.
Price: $3.25

FOODIE GIRL'S RATINGS: 3.5 
 Not my favorite banh mi in the TL but my go-to place when I am crunched for time.




SAIGON

You will have to traverse the pee-splashed streets of the Tenderloin, and dodge mentally-ill and high-on- crack folks to get to this tiny "mom and mom" sandwich store.  (The TL street folks are mostly harmless in the day time. The key is to NOT engage unless you have the time, have extra dollars and enjoy conversing with them.) The story is pretty much a very tiny walk-in hallway with one table to eat your meal.  This is a grab and go to the Civic Center Park kind of place. The store is so small that you will find yourself elbow-to-elbow with other foodies eagerly awaiting their banh-mi.  Not for the claustrophobic.  The store is packed with Asian goodies including pork loaf, shrimp chips, candies and cold Asian desserts in the refrigerator.  Two nice old Asian ladies operate the store in almost synchonized manner. One toasts the bread and the other fills them and takes orders.

French Baguette:  Crunchy, perfectly toasted and always fresh. They say the secret to a great banh mi is the bread. I almost agree!
Picked Veggies:  Picked well. Well-balanced sweet and tangy.
Meat:  Choices of beef, jambon, pork and pate or my favorite tofu. Marinated in sweet brown sauce and full of flavors.
Wait time: 20 to 30 minutes.  The line is horrendously almost half a block long sometimes even past lunch time.  The secret is to call in your order, walk up to the counter, have exact change ready and let them know. You will be in and out in less than 5 minutes.
Overall: Vietnamese sandwiches from Saigon for me are a symphony of flavors. The fresh crusty bread, the well-pickled veggies and the marinated meat perfectly compliment each other. The real test is, "Would I brave the pee-splashed streets of the TL just to have a bite of Saigon's Sandwiches?" The answer is a resounding YES!
Price: $3.25



Xui Mai Banh Mi

 SFoodie 92 claims that Xiu Mai Banh Mi from Saigon Sandwich is one of the the favorite things to eat in the Bay Area.  http://www.blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/02/sfoodies_92_xiu_mai_banh_mi_fr.php

Fancy Pork Banh Mi

 I was intrigued enough that I had to try the Xiu Mai. The meatballs were smaller than I expected. No crust on the outside and soft on the inside which I thought how proper meatballs should be. They're just tender all the way through and even started falling apart as I bit into them.

Although the meatball sandwich was very good, once again, the fresh bun and picked veggies made the sandwich. The fillings were just  part of the entire banh mi experience.

Bottomline is you can't go wrong with any of Saigon's sandwiches whatever you order. Now that I no longer eat meat, it will be tofu banh mi again for me next time. No regrets!
 



Tofu Banh Mi

  
FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 5
Most delicious banh mi in this part of SF.
 


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!)

Rocco's Cafe: As seen on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

Saturday Date Night: September 18, 2010 @ 6 PM

It was one of those days when I wanted --no--NEEDED comfort food in a bowl. With parmesan cheese. And noodles. Lots of noodles.

And I found Rocco's thru Opentable. Little did Enrique and I know that we were venturing into Food TV land.  Rocco's was featured on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-ins and Drives" on the Food Network.  Of course, we overheard this information from the diners next table.  They made a special trip from Danville to checkout Rocco's.

Rocco's is a 19 year old Italian-American restaurant located at SoMa where a diner is still not out of character in the neighborhood where newly built pricey lofts grudgingly co-exist with the hotels for "down and out."  Rocco's interior was designed to evoke nostalgia in a staged kind of way.  The walls were covered with memorabilias, posters and pictures including DD&D's host Guy Fieri's.  The place does not have the greasy smell of a true diner nor the floors sticky with spilled coffee. Overall it was a cool little modern candle-lit diner.

What set Rocco's from a "true' diner was the very attentive service we received. Our servers were very efficient and must have checked on us 6 times during dinner.

Our complimentary bread basket disappeared and was refilled as soon as we devoured the delicious crusty bread.  It was served with garlicky olive oil  for dipping which was pretty heavy for an olive oil.



Delicious crusty bread with garlic olive oil dipping sauce

 We started off with the Garlic Fries which were hot, garlicky and not greasy. Delicious. The portion was on the smallish side.



Garlic Fries

 I chose the Calamari Saute over Angel Hair $18.50  (instead of the fettucine noodles that was listed on the menu.) What I got was a pasta dish that was loaded with calamari rings in marinara wine sauce. I happily stuffed my face with calamari rings bite after chockful bite. Despite the generous portion of my pasta, the taste was "just okay."  Although I could taste the squid ink in the sauce, for the most part the whole dish was salty and lacking in flavors.



Sauteed Calamari over Angel Hair

 The saddest story of the night was Enrique's "14 Oz. Grilled USDA Choice All Natural Rib Eye Steak Topped w/ Sautéed Mushrooms" $23.00. Never before have I witnessed Enrique not finishing his steak and play with it after a couple of bites.  It was thin-sliced and buried under a pile of veggies.  "The used low-quality meat and was tough," according to the poor carnivore.




Grilled Ribeye Steak

 At the end of our dinner, Chef Don (Rocco's grandson), also known as Double D, came out to see how we were doing and went from table to table greeting diners. Chef Don's family tree in San Francisco go all the way back to the 1920's using recipes that traveled from Italy which were served in San Francisco restaurants for decades.

Knowing Rocco's was featured on the Food Channel was the thrill of the evening although we did not find out until we got there. It was a good thing because our hopes would have been severely crushed with the not-so-appetizing food that we had. I felt sorrier for the diners mentioned above who made the long trip from Danville to check out Rocco's. I don't think it was worth the gas.

Chef Don might not have been Tyler Florence but it was nice to meet the man in person before watching him on You-Tube later where I found the episode where Rocco's was featured on "Diner's, Drive-ins...."

Overall our dinner was cozy. I still enjoyed my dinner although Enrique did not. He really liked the garlic fries, though. Would I got back? Definitely! Despite the average food, there was something charming about Rocco's. Maybe the nostalgia, the tea light on the table, the efficient staff or the big bowl of comfort in noodle form.....Who knows? At least now I know what to expect.

Tab: $ 70 including a glass of Argentinian wine, soda, tax and 20% tip.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATINGS: 3 Average-tasting comfort food
Steak:                               1 Tough meat that should be taken off the menu
Decor/Ambiance:             4  Cute, cozy "staged" nostalgic diner
Service:                            6   For a diner, we were treated like honored guests!

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!)

Sura: 18 Ban Chans

Saturday Date Night: September 12, 2010 @  6PM

Enrique and I spent the whole Saturday watching "silly movie" marathon on DVD.  Among the movies we saw was a Korean dark comedy called "A Quiet Family."  It was corny and silly yet  funny and entertaining. It was a total laid-back movie. Of course, it got us hungry for Korean food after watching the family dip their chopsticks in ban chans (small dishes) during the movie.

Living not far from the new "Gourmet Ghetto" on Temescal, which is the proud home of Bakesale Betty's, Pizzaiolo and Burma Superstar, we have a choice of probably over a dozen Korean restaurants within the 3 mile radius.

Enrique suggested that we should try a new Korean restaurant eventhough we have our "tried and true" favorites (Casserole House and Sahn Maru).  Sura is spartan but adorned with few Korean artwork. The dining room was spacious but they separated the room and packed all the diners in one cramped smaller section of the restaurant.  



  We got our ban chans 20 minutes after we sat down.  The started us off with a complimentary Gaeran Jim (steamed egg) in a hot clay pot which  was soft and fluffy. Maybe it was an acquired taste since I found it bland and "fishy."


Steamed Egg Casserole

 18 ban chans were placed in front of us. What a feast! We got the usual assortments of seaweed, kimchi, sweet potatoes and tofu small dishes. Among our ban chans was about two bites of Jap Chae (Korean glass noodles) which was a nice touch. We even got a weird plate of mashed sweet potato with slices of apple. This threw me off. Quantity does not equal quality. Throughout the whole dinner the pattern of not enough flavor was consistent. 



18 Ban Chans

 Enrique ordered  Kalbi Pancake as an appetizer which were little pan-fried battered beef.  Since I am a seafood-tarian I did not taste it. He devoured and finished the whole thing so it must be good. The appetizer was served at the same time with our ban chans and main dishes which defeated the whole idea behind "appetizer."



Kalbi Pancakes

 And Enrique ordered a Bul Go Gi: marinated pieces of boneless beef  which according to him was well-seasoned and tender. He preferred this Bul Go Gi over our favorite place, Casserole House  and almost as good as our other's, Sahn Maru (all three restaurants are almost right next to each other.) However, we did not get the traditional hot sauce and lettuce that you eat your meat with. 



Bul Go Gi

 I had the Seafood Tofu Stew.  Somehow, there was "something" that was missing in the flavors that I cannot put my finger on.  It had more tofu than seafood. I got few unpeeled/uncleaned prawns and a couple of mussels.  I had to ask for hot sauce to make my dish "livelier."



Seafood Tofu Stew

 We are not experts on Korean food but Sura did not do the magic for us. I am still wondering if we did not get the "whole shabang," i.e., spicy Korean food and the accompaniments, because we are not Koreans. The fact that we were not asked how we want our food (mild, medium or spicy) was a total turn-off.  We still know the basics of eating a proper Korean meal.

Sura is lacking in the cozy and warm "mom and pop"  department  that we are used to at our favorite Korean restaurants in Temescal. The service was cold and absent all throughout dinner. We received our complimentary Green Tea Ice Cream after we paid the bill and when we were about to leave. Dinner was already concluded and we just left without eating the ice cream.



Green Tea Ice Cream

 We were glad that we tried Sura. Our dinner was not bad  but we will be returning to our favorite Casserole House and Sahn Maru where we know we will be welcomed with open arms.

Tab: $73 after tax and tip.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATINGS:  3   "Just Okay" Korean food.
Service:                                  3         Cold and absent


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!)

"Off the Grid" at Civic Center: Food Truck Sightings

Sightings have been reported at the Civic Center Plaza every Friday at lunchtime. Food truck sightings, that is.

They are parked in front of City Hall like aliens on trucks that just landed bearing street food offerings for SF foodies.  They tease you with promises of ethnic food adventures--brought to you right in your own backyard!  These food truck vendors are  "Off the Grid"  participants--a foodie event in which a collection of different street food trucks get together at a certain park or street  in SF to sell their goodies from different cultures.

They have locations all over the San Francisco Bay area but every Friday they are at the Civic Center Plaza. Different foodtrucks rotate every Friday.

So far I have spotted:

Curry Up Now (Indian)

Chairman Bao (Chinese)

Liba (Mediterranean)

Ebbett's Good to Go (Cuban, Vietnamese, Mexican Sandwiches)

CUPKATES: "First Cupcake Truck in the Bay Area"

CupKates

It's been few weeks since I've been spotting food trucks at the Civic Center Plaza every Friday from 11 am to 2:30 pm.  I still do not have any desire to get my lunch from any of them.  I am pretty aware of my own personal reservations: long lines, more expensive, not as convenient to eat, etc. 

However,  there's one that managed to penetrate my defenses--the cupcakes at Cupkates.  The Cupkate truck has partially turned me into a Pavlovian foodie. I see the truck, my mind starts imagining pastel icing on fluffy little cakes and I start to drool.  Even for $3 per little cupcake, it is almost worth it. 

My very first cupcake buy at Cupkate was the  Salted Caramel:  A moist chocolate cake topped with caramel buttercream and sprinkled with flaked sea salt. As described, the cake was moist and the seasalt added a nice texture of this pastry.  This is truly a sweet-savory experience.

I would eat half a dozen of these sweet little darlings in heartbeat but $3 per little cupcake is a bit steep. Not so pocketbook friendly but at least my waistline won't suffer! Cupkates offer many other decadent flavors but I am happy to stick with Salted Caramel, or maybe I will try Red Velvet next time.

Cupkates, just like almost every mobile food truck,  has been spotted both in the East Bay and various locations in San Francisco. Just check their website for their next location.


http://www.cupkatesbakery.com/

SEOUL ON WHEELS: Korean meets Mexican Burrito
Lunch Time: September 17, 2010 @ 11:15 AM

Seoul on Wheel Food Truck

Since "Off the Grid" first came to Civic Center on September 3, 2010, nothing really caught my fancy.  And to be fair, I am a new seafood-tarian so my options are quite limited. So, just to jump on the food truck bandwagon I tried "Seoul on Wheels."  I wanted to try a Tofu Korito ($6): Tofu Burrito with salsa, rice, cheese and crema.  Unfortunately, any tofu dishes need to be called in before 10 am.

I settled for Kimchee Rice ($5). What I got was a big blob of messy red rice heavily mixed in with kimchi sauce with a little kimchi on the side and steamed broccoli.  It was not a pretty sight!The rice was just too mushy and oily. I definitely had better kimchi rice in the past.

Kimchee Rice ($5)

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 2.5 Greasy food. Friendly service.

Having been born and raised in the Philippines, street foods are nothing exotic for me although it is a new food craze in the Bay Area. Food stands are surreal part of the Manila landscape as much as the colorful and loud jeepneys on the streets. A child in Manila will never escape the lure of eating a skewer of fishballs or drinking "sago" sold on food carts no matter how health-conscious their parents were.

However, the popularity of street food has steadily risen during the last 3 years in the Bay Area since the sightings of the Tamele Lady during after hours on Mission and ever-reliable Mexican taco trucks.

I know I only tried one food truck from "Off the Grid." And it might not be fair to say "Been there,done that" as far as food trucks are concerned. Let me just put it this way--I am glad the food street craze has caught on here in the Bay Area.  I am happy for the small business owners to have a roving venue to sell their ware (which is the real philosophy behind street food--to give the family members in poor countries chance to  contribute to the family fund by selling their  homecooked food right in front of their house, or peddle their wares on the streets.) However, after having great street food in Manila, Bangkok and Singapore; and I like the comfort of four walls while eating my meals,   I will probably not spend my lunch time at "Off the Grid."

Lunch spot under the trees (porta potties included)

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!)