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!)

Barlata: Small Plates in Temescal

North Oakland and Berkeley have their own share of drool worthy cuisine per square feet.  (Bakesale Betty, Pizzaiolo, Commis, Chez Pannise, etc. among many.)

But if it's Spanish tapas that you are craving for while on this side of the bay, the choices are very suprisingly limited. That's why I am so grateful that Barlata is around and thriving.

Barlata is a tiny neighborhood tapas bar in the new Gourmet Ghetto --Temescal. It is across the street from Bakesale Betty and Pizzaiolo, and few doors away from Burma Superstar.

Inside is cozy, dark and charming. The decor is rustic and makes use of Spanish food like a leg of ham and Spanish canned goods to adorn the limited space, and big chalkboard as a menu board. This place is a cute date place. (The place was too dark for photos so I don't have much for show and tell for this review.)

It was a dark and rainy night. Enrique was really craving tapas. It was way too rainy to drive to SF. I thought it was time time to patronize the neighborhood tapas bar which is Barlata.

For tapas we ordered the basic:

a) PATATAS BRAVAS $6: Fried potatoes and aioli. It is hard to mess up fried potatoes. And this small dish came out perfect! The steaming hot big chunks of potatoes were really good but the aioli did not have kick in it.

b) BABY MONTEREY SQUID $8: Pretty much fried calamari with aioli. The squid was soggy and greasy. Once again the aioli was lacking in flavor.

And the exotic:
c) MORCILLA: Grilled blood sausage in chickpea stew. This came with one whole sausage which fiance described as "it's okay." Since I am a seafoodtarian,  I could only eat the chickpea stew which I thought was good. tender and flavorful.

As a main dish we had the large SEAFOOD PAELLA $20. This dish came in a paellera pan. I thought this rice dish was very good in terms of flavors and texture. The rice was still firm and not sticky. Nicely spiced with saffron and very flavorful. The mussels and shrimp were did not taste bad but definitely did not taste fresh. It was still a good dish.

What stood out for me was the SANGRIA $8. Almost everytime I see sangria on the menu, I order it. Barlata's sangria is the best I've had so far. The fruit juice and the wine were nicely mixed together. It was sweet enough to my liking and the fruit pieces were not soggy. It was so refreshing that I had 2 glasses! This sangria was a perfect accompaniment to the spicy tapas and paella.

Service was very friendly and efficient. We had two complimentary basket of bread and dipping oil. We ordered a large paella but they mistakenly gave us the small one at first. They apologized profusely, they gave us the large paella but only charge us for the small one. ($15 instead of $20).

Overall, Barlata is not the best tapas around but the food is decent. Since our tapa selections are so limited in North Oakland, I am grateful that we have this "small plates" place in our hood.

Tab: $80 including 2 Pellegrino water ($4 each), tax and 19.5 % tip.

FOODIE GIRL'S OVERALL RATING: 3.5
Food: 3.25
Decor/Ambiance: 4
Service: 4.5


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!)