Bluestem Brasserie

Dinner Date: July 14, 2012

Because of its proximity to hotels, Bluestem Brasserie caters to a certain type of clientele -- it is  frequented by conference attendees and tourists in "I Love SF" sweatshirts.

Despite our experience with one particular group of loud and obnoxious conference attendees, we had an enjoyable dinner at Bluestem Brasserie prior to seeing Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter at the Century Theatre. Bluestem is a great pre-movie dinner venue being just a five minute walk to the Century Theatre at Bloomingdale's.

Bluestem is sleek and contemporary with floor to ceiling glass walls, wood and dark leather.

For my drink I had the BLUEBERRY GIMLET ($10).   A little too tangy for me. I was not so happy with my drink but I never send my drink back. The prize of the blueberry  soaking in blueberry syrup in the bottom of the cocktail glass gave me the sweetness that I was craving for in my drinks.

We had LAMB SAUSAGE WITH YOGURT-MINT AND ROASTED EGGPLANT ($11.50) for our appetizer. It was a simple appetizer but the lamb sausage was surprisingly mellow yet flavorful. The freshness was very apparent which was not surprising because the sausage was made in house. The mint-yogurt and eggplant were equally tasty.

As my main meal, I ordered the DUCK CONFIT SALAD WITH POACHED DUCK EGG ($23). Not only this salad delicious, it was also very filling.  This salad was loaded with tender duck meat with perfectly poached duck egg on top that ran and mixed in with the greens and duck. The richness of this meal really satisfied me!

Enrique had the 12 OZ RIBEYE  $35 WITH BOURBON ESPRESSO SAUCE $3.75. Enrique reported that this was a disappointing steak. The steak was full of veins which made it chewy.

Our check was $104 with Iced Tea and tip

A delightful meal pre-movie date night dinner.  Service started out slow but turned out to be efficient. Our servers were friendly.  If given the chance I want that duck confit salad for lunch again one of these days.

Chenery Park

Chenery Park is a neighborhood gem that is located at Glen Park-- a cute little SF neighborhood where you will find houses at the bottom of sloping hills. Chenery Park was a charming house converted into a 3 level restaurant. The staff are friendly and efficient. The ambiance is cozy, romantic and dark.



Chenery Park has the right ingredients for a nice casual dinner. The dishes were comforting and creative, however, sadly, we found them to be underwhelming.

Before I left for my trip to the Philippines in June 2011, my fiance and I had my pre-trip date night at Chenery Park. I looked at the menu prior to dinner and I already knew that I really wanted to try the beignets and the gnocchi:

CAMBAZOLA BEIGNETS  with Apples, Endive, and Poached Figs $9: The beignets were not the traditional beignets. They were more of dark fried dough as compared to the more traditional fried donuts. However, they were light, hot, savory and oozing with creamy melted cheese. I imagined them to be stuffed with apples and figs. However, the apples, figs and endive were the salad that came with the beignets. This would have been a perfectly executed  dish if not for the dressing that came with the salad. The sweet-sour dressing tasted like the bottled Asian version that overpowered the whole dish.

HOUSEMADE WILD MUSHROOM GNOCCHI $9: I chose the half-order ($17 for a full-order). The gnocchi were like soft delicate pillows. It would have a been a delicious and  exquisite dish if not for overpowering creamy mushroom sauce that tasted like Campbell's mushroom soup. Chenery Park takes pride in using fresh and organic ingredients. While the sauce was not definitely canned, it did lacked the unique homemade taste that I was expecting.

DRY-AGED NY STEAK with French Fries $22: Enrique's dinner. He thought it was okay and on the smallish side.  Unremarkable.

AFFOGATO, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Espresso and Hazelnut Meringue Cookies $7: This dessert was divine!!! Hot coffee, cold i, sweet. An explosion of sweetness on the palate!

CHOCOLATE VEGAN ANGEL-FOOD CAKE with Blackberry-Cabernet Sorbet & Chocolate Sauce $7:   I don't think my fiance knew he was ordering vegan. We both tried it and it was very dry and tasteless like cardboard. Definitely a very disappointing dessert to end your meal.

TAB: About $60 before tip and before Groupon.

Chenery Park is delicious enough but tends to overexaggerate some of the flavors of their dishes.

Foodie Girl's Rating: 2   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: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Camino

SATURDAY DATE NIGHT: May 7, 2011 @ 8PM

Imagine tumbleweeds rolling in front of Camino and it could easily be a venue for the wild, wild West.

However, instead of cowboys slinging pistols and sitting at a rowdy bar where a misunderstandings were often settled by a duel, and women of ill-repute serving the above, Camino is a fine-dining restaurant.

On the list for Top 100 Bay Area Restaurant..........Camino's decor is meant to trick you that you are not having dinner in Oakland anymore but you have been transported to New Mexico. Heavy cast-iron chandeliers are suspended on the high-ceilings. The place is dimmed and lit by Nacho Libre candles lining the brick walls.

The heavy dark wood tables are long and communal-each comfortably sits about 24. Even the chairs were the heavy, mission-style ones. The open brick kitchen with big open fire added to the allure of the place. In other words, Camino is attractive, rugged yet elegant.

A tip-off that you did not time-travel to the 1800s or took a flight to the Southwest in fugue state is Camino's cuisine. Camino (from the Spanish word camino meaning "path"), which by just looking at the name, made me think that I will be feasting on Latin, Tex-Mex or Spanish cuisine but it is anything but. Camino boasts of the fresh and organic New American fare. The menu was the shortest one I have seen: just 3 main entree selections. Our server explained to us that their aim is to magnify the flavors of the food, therefore, focusing all their energies on ingredients that are available at the moment.

After seducing our sense of sight, what came next was shocking our sense of taste and smell with the wonderful dishes placed before us:

DRINKS:
FREEDOM $6: A cold non-alcoholic oolong tea with lemon, sorrel and gum syrup: Tangy, light and refreshing.

APPLE BRANDY $9: Sweet, strong but still feminine. No hairgrowth on my back after sipping on this drink. :)

APPS:

RICOTTA & ANCHOVY TOASTS $4: 2 generous slices of crispy toasts. The ricotta was light but complimented the nicely salty anchovies. I will try to copy this at home.

OYSTERS ON 1/2 SHELL W/ CHILI AND LIME ($6.50): Refreshing, multi-flavored and fresh.

BLOOD ORANGE SALAD W/ PUREED WHITE BEANS AND CRISP $10: A tiny plate but packed with multi-dimensional flavors and textures. Meant to refresh your palate for the main meal.

MAIN:
GRILLED PORK LOIN AND SHOULDER braised with milk, sage and lemon; with peas and polenta $26: My fiance described this like eating carnitas--very tender and moist. I tasted the polenta. The freshness of the corn just wowed my palate. Def freshly house-made!

WOOD-ROASTED ARTICHOKES & TRUMPET MUSHROOMS
with Belgian endive and an egg cooked by the fire $ 22; One bite and the flavors exploded in my mouth! The earthiness of the mushrooms were magnified a 100 times! The salt brought out the flavors of the veggies and the perfectly cooked runny egg.

DESSERT:
HAZELNUT TORTE W/ ORANGE & WHIPPED CREAM: I was comfortably happy and full, and wanting to continue to savor my meal but my fiance insisted. The torte was a nice choice to end the meal on a sweet note. Not too sweet, not dry, just right.

VALUE:
What prevented me from giving Camino 5 stars despite the almost amazing dining experience was the value. Somehow Camio's cuisine reminds me of Wayfare Tavern in SF in terms of the cuisine and ambiance. However, price-wise the two are competitive but Wayfare Tavern's portions are a lot bigger than Camino's. Case in point, I had the mushrooms at WF for $8 as a side dish. At Camino, as a main dish and almost exact portion, $22! And not to mention on that evening Chef Tyler Florence cooked my mushrooms at Wayfare Tavern!

BOTTOMLINE:
Dining at Camino is a feast for the eyes and the palate. It will awaken your senses. The attention to details was evident from the crusty bread with butter and seasalt to the friendly attentive service. The portions were small but adequate enough and delicious! Definitely a sexy dinner!

TAB: $122 including tax and 20% tip

Foodie Girl's Rating: 4.5 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: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Cafe Biere (Emeryville)

Saturday Date Night: March 19, 2011 @ 6:30 PM

Cafe Biere can be best described a sweet neighborhood gastropub.

The stormy weather and plan to see a movie down the street at Emery Bay brought us to Cafe Biere.

Faced with the possibility that our Saturday Date Night might be at one of the chain restaurants like PF Chang, Elephant Bar and California Pizza Kitchen, I consulted Yelp and found Cafe Biere.

DECOR:
And what a sweet find! The outside was charming and looked like a cute little French bistro. When we walked in, I went "Oh!" The interior was very small, probably 500 sq ft small. Dark with low ceilings. 3 bar type high tables and booth and few more battered tables for seating. On a beautiful day, you can dine al fresco under the heatlamps.

SERVICE:
I was expecting a classy French bistro but there was nothing fancy about Cafe Biere but instead it was cozy, homey and relaxed. Our server was probably the owner. He was very friendly and joked with me, "No beer, no food" when I told him no beer for us. We had a friendly banter when I told him, "Okay, give me San Miguel, then." He was confused for a little bit until I told him that San Miguel is a Filipino beer. They have a huge beer selection on tap but no San Miguel which I will be very surprised if they have it.

SOCIAL SCENE:
The place was packed with groups of beer-drinking friends, couples and even family with a small kid. It was bustling for being a small place. Most people were drinking beer, having fun and playing board games which were provided by the restaurant. The people were planted on the spot imbibing and playing board games without ever being rushed.

APPETIZER:
For starters, Enrique and I shared the FRITO MISTO (Fried calamari with house made beer butter, bell pepper, fennel, and red onions) $10
* Well-seasoned and yummy but very greasy! It came with deep-fried veggies, spinach and battered calamari.

MAINS:
OYSTER PO BOY (Fried oyster, coleslaw and fries) $13
* I was afraid that my po boy would be as greasy and thinking about it made feel sick. Surprisingly, it was not. It was very flavorful with nice-tasting coleslaw.

HAMBURGER for Enrique with extra order of mozzarella on ciabatta.
* And surprisingly, he loved this non-traditional hamburger in a non-traditional bun. He said his hamburger was actually juicy and very good!

Our orders came with REGULAR FRIES/SWEET POTATO FRIES.
* Enrique who is a big carnivore hates fried food but he told me "I can just eat these fries all day!" That's a huge compliment. The fries were not greasy at all, perfectly seasoned without being salty and crispy without being dry. Very nice! I could not stop eating mine either.

Tab: $49 including 1 Diet Coke and 20% tip.

OVERALL;
1. Great friendly unpretentious service.
2. Good selection of bar bites (fish and chips, burgers, potato cheese balls, etc.) and big plates like Chilaquiles Rojas, Fish Stew, Steak and Eggs, etc.
3. GINORMOUS PORTIONS! I ordered sweet potato fries as apps but the server told me not to and gave them to me as sides to my po boy. He was not kidding! The portions were huge and a doggy bag was inevitable!
4. GOOD FOOD! For a tiny bar, this place serves amazingly good food that can compete with the fancier restaurants in the Bay Area

Cafe Biere is going to be our pre-movie dinner spot in Emeryville. And I wil definitely order beer or mimosa next time.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 3 Stars
Definitely worth checking out again.
                                                                          

 Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Luna Park

Saturday Date Night: March 12, 2011 @ 5:30 PM

How to describe Luna Park:

CUISINE: American Comfort Food

MUSIC: Loud alternative rock/hip hop "Gorrilaz"

AMBIANCE:
* Hip, chic and dark
* Date night or gal-bonding worthy

DECOR:
* Red Burgundy Walls
* Cute teardrop chandeliers
* Long contemporary bar
* Dark hardwood tables and bences
* Soft comfy booths

SERVICE: Friendly, relaxed and efficient server and busboy

VALUE:
* One of the most affordable dinners in town
* $20 or less per plate

We had the following:

Anchor Steam MUSSELS with Kielbasa, Fresno Chiles, Basil, and French Fries $13.50:
* The mussels were okay. It could have been more garlicky. The chilies added a layer of extra flavors. The broth were too salty even when I tried to eat it with bread. (Crusty bread would have been the perfect match but theirs is more of the soft kind.)

BRAISED SHORT RIBS with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, Pearl Onions, and Horseradish Sauce 19.50:
* Enrique really liked his short ribs. He said it was good although not as good as my braised short ribs. (I slow-cook my short ribs for 10 hours or more.) He said his were tender and flavorful.

FRESH PARPADELLE, House-Made Pomodoro, Buffalo Mozzarella, Cherry Tomatoes, Basil, and Grilled Bread $13.50 ($4 more for prawns).
* For a simple dish, it was not bad! The house-made pomodoro stood apart from its canned version. Fresh and tasty but once again on the salty side. The prawns were overly-charred to the point they were dry and burnt. It ruined the taste of what could have been a nice pasta.

Chocolate Chip BREAD PUDDING with Chocolate Chip Ice Cream $7.95
* Generous portion of gooey and dense comfort goodness. Yummy!

TAB: $80 including tax, 20% tip and an iced tea.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 3.5 Stars


A sweet neighborhood spot for dinner and drinks. Luna Park serves dishes that are familiar and comforting but on the more gourmet level. But just like many restaurants, they committed the mortal sin of being too heavy-handed with the salt grinder. Salt does not equal flavors, guys.

Luna Park still offers one of the best values in town in a chic, hip and classy atmosphere. It has been around for over a decade and I am sending Luna Park my best wishes for few decades more.

I would not hesitate to go back in a heartbeat.

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!)

Anchor and Hope: "Angels on Horseback"

Girl-bonding Lunch Date with Heather: September 3, 2010 @ 12:30 PM

Do not underestimate the power of girlfriendship. Mix it up with good food and you will feel like "SuperGirl" -- ready to tackle any relationship and/or work issues, or annoying inconviences that life dishes out your way.

My beautiful "foodie buddy" Heather and I had another fantastic lunch at Anchor and Hope.  Those two short but very enjoyable hours of eating and talking are so full of girl-wisdom that they are better than hours on the therapist's couch.

Anchor and Hope is located in an alley in the FiDi. At a glance it is easy to brush it off as just another old warehouse in San Francisco.  It has a weathered look on the outside.

 Inside is a bustling restaurant with high ceilings, conspicuous big pipes from the original architecture and thick nautical ropes hanging from the ceiling.

We were seated just right by the entrance to the very busy open kitchen. I felt a little cramped but it was fun to watched the choreographed actions of the cooks, servers and behind the scene staff.

Since it's a work day I had to forgo imbibing.Water, however, was plentiful in the brown jug left on our table.

We had "Angels on Horseback" for starters. They were bacon-wrapped oysters served on half-shell nestled on a green salad. Even for a not a big bacon fan like me, it was fantastic! The crispiness of the bacon complimented the tender oyster meat. The flavors were great together! And the creative presentation was really appreciated.

"Angels on Horseback" (Bacon-wrapped oysters)

Heather asked for bread and we were given a whole Acme baguette in brown paper bag, as if it was just purchased from the store. Bread was complimentary.

Complimentary Acme Baguette

Heather and I shared an Heirloom Tomato Salad-- a mound of organic greens with  tomatoes, croutons and Burrata. A very simple salad but the ingredients were noticeably fresh and the tomatoes were sweet. Very refreshing.

Heirloon Tomato Salad with Burrata

We also shared the Ahi Tuna Melt with Fontina Cheese and Oven Dried Tomatoes. We were expecting a seared ahi tuna type sandwich but we got a traditional tuna salad instead. We were not disappointed because it was actually quite tasty.

Ahi Tuna Melt with Fontina Cheese

Service was friendly and professional. However, we requested for no cheese on the sandwich but it still came with cheese. I decided to take a chance since I am allergic to dairy but thank God I did not get sick this time. 

It was a very enjoyable lunch. Tab was $50 including tax and 18% tip. ($25 per person.) This has been our cheapest girl-bonding lunch ever. I think it was because we shared everything. We were comfortably full and satisfied with our meal.

Until our next "foodie lunch," Heather!

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 4 Stars
Food:       4        Fresh ingredients but very tasty.
Service:    3.5     Friendly, professional but our server disappeared after we got our food.
Decor:      4.5    Unique and fun place for lunch.
Value:       $$$   Average prices for dishes are $13 to $24 each for lunch.

Recommend:  "Angel on Horseback." Any salad for their freshness.

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!)