Taqueria Vallarta (Mission)

LUNCH DATE: 4th of July 2012 @ 11:30 AM

You only have $1.75 in your pocket?

Taqueria Vallarta's TACO BAR will feed you for mere change. And you don't need to wait for Happy Hour.

On  July 4th, Enrique and I decided to drive to the Mission for a spontaneous Mexican food adventure. We did not even have a particular place in mind. It was Divine Intervention in the form of an empty parking spot across the street from Taqueria Vallarta that decided our lunch destination that day.

Taqueria Vallarta is colorful and full of murals of cultural Mexico and San Francisco. Eating at this taqueria was a feast not only for the palate but for the eyes as well. It was well-patronized by Latin families drinking traditional Mexican sodas in bottles.

The TACO BAR will greet you as soon as you enter TV. It can be more appropriately described as a TACO KIOSK manned by Taco Dude.  You tell him what you want and he will make the taco for you. In less than 5 minutes you can be holding a taco loaded with meat which you can garnish according to your heart's desire.

1. Choose your meat: Tripita or tripe, Carnitas,  Lengua or tongue,  Beef neck, etc.
2. Garnish it with:  Red or green salsa,  onions, cilantro, radish, lemon
3. Proceed to the counter to pay or if you want to order other dishes aside from tacos.

The best part -- each taco only costs $1.75!!!!

Tripita Taco

Enrique and I went a tad crazy once again. We kept on adding to our orders. He started off with CHILE RELLENO then before paying added an order of MENUDO.



Chile Relleno

I ordered POZOLE.

While waiting for our food, I could not resist the call of the Taco Bar, got up and got me a TRIPITA TACO. Chips and salsa were provided for us while waiting. Sinful and a quick snack. The meat was flavorful although slightly dry.

~ POZOLE : Last time I had menudo was probably about 5 years ago. I love offal, pig's feet, snout, you name it. Eventhough my doctor pronounced me as being in excellent health,  my  determination to live a healthy, low-blood pressure and cholesterol-free life sometimes turns me into an irrational health nut.
Sadly all I could do was stare at the gelatinous pig's feet in front of me. I was salivating but I ate the broth which was very flavorful and finished the pozole. I tried a little bit of the meat but I left most of it untouched. All dishes came with about 5 piping hot corn tortillas each. It was a nice try, though, but I just really cannot ingest fat because of this paranoia that it might just attach itself to my heart.

~ MENUDO and CHILE RELLENO: Enrique who is a 3rd generation Latino finished and enjoyed his order. He complained that his menudo did not have a lot of meat but came mostly with fat. He also pointed out that my pozole should have been lighter in color and flavor than the menudo. I do not know any better. It just tasted good to me.

~ TACO: I loved and enjoyed my tripe taco. It was packed with meat which was tender and nicely seasoned. Next time I will order me a 12 tacos at Taqueria Vallarta. LOL!

Service was very slow if ordering other dishes. One person cooking and one woman handling the cash register, delivering food and answering phones. Order some tacos as appetizers if waiting for other food. The place got packed at around noon.

We had a very enjoyable spontaneous Mexican food adventure in the Mish. The Taco Bar at Taqueria Vallarta  was fun and one of the best deals in town.  Taqueria Vallarta is a great place to grab authentic Mexican food in the Mission.

TOTAL: ~ $32 including water and soda before tip (the dishes were about $8.75 each)

Chop Bar (Oakland)

Dinner Date: 08.11.12 @ 4:45 PM

CHOP BAR resembles  a converted garage (or at least made to look like one) at Oakland's Jack London Square District. 

On this gorgeous warm weekend, Chop Bar was the place to be.  The restaurant was very open and airy, with the  open street side patio area flowing into the dining area.  Chop Bar is more industrial-rustic than industrial chic.

We arrived at the Chop Bar during Happy Hour (daily from 3pm to 5:30 pm)   Since they would not serve dinner until 5:30 PM, we decided to get an appetizer and drinks.
BRAISED PORK RIBS WITH APPLES $12

*This appetizer was on the small side but packed with flavors!  It is savory sweet because of the apples but the ribs were juicy inside and had a crispy caramelization on the outside. Delish!

I ordered a GINGER GREYHOUND $5 which was a  Happy Hour drink made with rain organic vodka, grapefruit juice topped with ginger beer.  It was refreshing but weak.

It as funny because we waited for the dinner menu but ended ordering burgers which were also available during Happy Hour.

I judge the yummy-ness of my burger by how many crumpled paper napkins are left at the table by the time I finished it.   I used 4. That means it was good!
And not only because I only ate half of the bun. (TIP: That's a low-carb diet technique. You still get to taste the bread that way without eating lots of carbs.)

The burger at Chop Bar was finger-lickin' good. I asked mine to be sans bacon but asked for a side of Cowboys Onions $1 which were caramelized, sweet and delish! The burger was dressed in aioli and topped with heirloom tomatoes and avocado.  Instead of fries we got fresh greens which was perfect for this "low carb eating" gal.
The burger patty was so juicy and flavorful! A really good burger bordering on great!
Enrique also ordered a burger with bacon and extra cheese on his.

*He wanted some french fries so we put in an order for Jo Jos  after we already received our burgers.  They arrived within 5 minutes and were piping hot. These are not french fries but steak cut potatoes which were surprisingly crispy on the outside.  It was more of a side dish than "finger food" like french fries. The flavors were "different" because of the chimichurri sauce but nice.

TOTAL: $56 before tip

Chop Bar is the place to eat burgers and have a drink or two while soaking in the warm Oakland sun.  Lively and casual venue surrounded by JLS's contemporary loft. Very urban with neighborhood vibe. The staff were very friendly and efficient.
Another gorgeous Saturday date night!

Cinnaholic (Berkeley)

"GOURMET VEGAN ROLLS WITH ATTITUDE"
I have always known about Cinnaholic because my vegan friend Alexis showed me this place. She makes a special trip from the City just to get her fill of these cinnamon buns.

Cinnanolic is located right across from the  UC Berkeley campus. It is one of the many eclectic stores on Oxford St:  chic boutique, Starbucks, Afghan buffet restaurant, print shop, etc.

The store is spartan like a small ice cream shop with nothing but white walls and a counter. There is a huge menu board that features the frostings and the toppings. 3 garden tables are outside if you want to devour your rolls before leaving the store.

http://www.viewmenu.com/cinnaholic/menu?ref=google
The choices and combination were too daunting that I was staring at the board like Bambi caught in front of headlights.  They can customize the rolls according to your heart's desire like Elvis with his PB and Banana, Rocky Road, Pina Colada and Coconut, etc.

After ~ 3 minutes of being in catatonic state, I finally chose:
1. PUMPKIN SPICE WITH GINGERSNAP COOKIES for me.

2. BUTTERSCOTCH WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS for Enrique.

TOTAL: $10.50 for two cinnamon rolls

Cinnaholic rolls are gourmet VEGAN cinnamon rolls that are slightly different from the ones grandma bakes unless your granny is hip,  vegan and from Berkeley. The roll itself was a little bit denser than the melt in your mouth rolls like hot Pillsbury that's right out of the oven. (How dare I make such scandalous comparison?!!) It did taste like something was missing.

I did not tell Enrique that they were vegan. He devoured his butterscotch cinnamon rolls and told me that he they were good and rich. He liked them. I did reveal that they were vegan after he finished the roll. We both agree that the frostings were the best part while the bread itself was dry. However, Cinnaholics rolls were good nonetheless.

Despite the above observations and being on the pricey side of ~$5 a piece, I enjoyed my cinnamon roll so much that I licked the plate clean. Well, only my cat was my sole witness to such barbaric act.

Although I would have liked the bread to have been softer, the frosting was  bursting with the pumpkin and spices flavors of Fall although it was a blazing hot summer day in the Bay Area. The flavors were just plain lovely. The fact that they were vegan just sweeten the deal for me eventhough I devour animal products.

I usually wait until I have made at least a couple of visits before I write a review but since I have changed my lifestyle to eating "angel (good) carbs" only, it will be awhile before I would have the pleasure of enjoying a Cinnaholic again.

Not the best cinnamon rolls ever but on a beautiful quiet sunny day like today, over a hot cup of coffee, Cinnaholic is one of life's simple pleasures.
(And the staff were as equally lovely.)

*Dreaming of my next Cinnaholic........*

Christopher Elbow Artisinal Chocolates (Hayes Valley)

I am in trouble once again. I found another addiction. This time it is an obsession with HOT CHOCOLATES. My supplier? He goes by the name Christopher Elbow.

Christopher Elbow is a chocolate boutique. Instead of pretty clothes or shoes, you will find pretty chocolates: milk or dark, truffles or bars, nuts, fruits, edible (candies) or drinkable (hot chocolate)...

At Christopher Elbow, life turns into a box of chocolates for an hour or so.

And like the chocolates it sells, Christopher Elbow's venue is fabulous, sleek and contemporary. You will drink and eat your chocolate in a classy venue with dark wood seats and lighted tables. If you are lucky, you might be the only person at CE and you can sip your hot chocolate in bliss.

CE's is becoming my rendezvouz with my sanity. A place away from work. A place before calling it a day and hitting that commute.


HOT CHOCOLATES
The attraction for me really was the lure of hot cup of exotic flavored chocolates. These two are my faves so far:

*COCONUT CURRY HOT CHOCOLATE
I saw the server open a whole can of Chaokoh Coconut Milk and do her magic. What I got was a deliciously hot cup of spiced coconut chocolate. The curry was mild and complimented the bittersweet-sweet cocoa. It was topped with 2 squares of marshmallows that slowly melted as I sipped my hot chocolate.

 *5 SPICE HOT CHOCOLATE
No, it does not taste like Chinese food. This Asian-inspired hot cocoa has a deep sophisticated taste for mature audiences. I do not think kids would love this but I do!

CHOCOLATES:
The chocolates are equally awesome. If they promise you the taste of sweet unicorn breath, you will get it. Their flavors are subtle yet distinct and balanced:

I put together a care package for a friend who needs cheering up. I picked up a box of 4 chocolates for her. I chose them because they were colorful and pretty--with the hopes that they will bring a smile to her face.

-Balsamic Strawberry
-Citrus Tea
-Hazelnut Praline
-Spiced Mango

Of course, I had to grab some for myself:

Spiced Mango, Venezuelan Spice Turtle, Balsamic Strawberry

*The BALSAMIC STRAWBERRY was exquisite while the SPICED MANGO tasted like freshly harvested tropical mangoes and sunshine. 

VENEZUELAN SPICE TURTLE $3
Wowza! Sweet, spicy and salty. Powdered outside then a gooey deliciousness inside. ! I am glad that they are selling this for $3 a pop because otherwise, I will make a meal out of these!

PEANUT BUTTER PATTIES $3
Sadly, I would rather eat Reese's PB cups instead which are my all time faves.

PRICES:

-CHOCOLATES: $2 each ($1+ more if boxed.) They will break the bank if you make a meal out of them. As treats, I think it's a fair value for artisinal high-end chocolates.

-HOT CHOCOLATES: $4.50 each which are cheaper than Ghirardelli's but CE's hot cocoas are a lot yummier.

**************************
CHOCOLATES MENU: http://www.elbowchocolat

Mochica: Peruvian Fusion

DATE NIGHT: 07.21.2012 @ 6 PM

FRIED CHICKPEAS @ PIQUEO'S: # 82 on SFs 7x7  Big Eats 2010: 100 Things to Try Before You Die

 Mochica and Piqueo are sister restaurants.

Since I do not foresee going to Piqueo's anytime soon, this will do for now.

Mochica's FRIED CHICKPEAS, if they were as good as Piqueo's, deserve the special mention in the much-followed "7x7 SF Big Eat." 

These complimentary  fried chickpeas were crunchy and tasty. The crunchy peanut like texture is contrasted by tomatoes and red onions. 

Armed with an expired Groupon, Enrique and I made it to Mochica for our date night.
Mochica is a tiny restaurant located at South of Market. Just like SoMa's signature loft-style architecture, Mochica has high ceiling and exposed beams. A big chalkboard  on the wall is functional as a menu display and piece of art.

 Bottles of wine on the walls were also used as art pieces. The place was cramped and loud.

I had the CHICHAMOSA $8 which is a combination champagne and chicha morada (Peruvian non-alcoholic sweet drink made from purple corn). I have not had this before but I found it very nice and very refreshing!

Enrique and I shared BEEF HEART (Anticuchose de Corazon) $12 as our appetizer It was served with potatoes and huacatay sauce

Avocado Stuffed with Chicken Salad and Beef Heart with Huacatay Sauce

Since heart is a muscular organ, I was expecting tough meat. Our beef heart tapa was actually pretty tender. However, the sauce that came with it was just one dimensional in flavor and quite salty.

We also also shared an AVOCADO STUFFED WITH CHICKEN $9 which is another appetizer. It was served with a very fresh avocado with simple chicken salad.  Lovely and great as a palate cleanser.

Enrique had the BRAISED LAMD (Seco de Cordero) $21 as his main entree. Leg of lamb slowly braised in cilantro-peruvian dark beer sauce with white beans.

I had a taste and this dish was very flavorful and the meat was very tender. The beans were also nicely seasoned.

I had the BRAISED HALIBUT AND SEAFOOD STEW (Pescado a lo Macho) $22

This bowl of seafood reminded me cioppino but in lighter tomato-based sauce.

Our check was came up to $81 including tip before Groupon.

Mochica serves tasty Peruvian-Fusion dishes.  We liked everything we had. Every single dish was delicious.  Despite the middle of the road, friendly service, our dinner at Mochica was satisfying.

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.

Pa'ina Lounge

DINNER AND MOVIE NIGHT: 07.14.12

Pa'ina Lounge replaced the former Sundance Kitchen. When Enrique saw that a new Hawaiian-fusion was reincarnated right next to our favorite theatre, Sundance Kabuki, he literally did a happy dance!

Walking in, it was like going to a club with purple and blue lights illuminating the white walls. The place is bi-leveled, open and spacious: bar is on upper section then it drops to the lower section which is the dining area. Pa'ina is sleek, modern and loud. The stage is ready to receive entertainers that the managers talked to us about when they finally get the license and paperwork done. There will be performers on a nightly basis-- DRAG SHOWS, REGGAE, HAWAIIAN, BLUES, etc.

Sadly, Pa'ina was not what at all we anticipated.  This has not been the most horrible experience we'd ever had but the most annoying!

We go to dinner to chill and relax. This place was so disorganized that it actually stressed me out!

Service was lacking and disorganized. Although the managers and servers were friendly, it did not make up for the fact that we did not get our drinks until 40 minutes after we sat down -- despite hounding any servers we could find to remind them about my Mango Kamikaze. Our dishes were delivered to our tables about 20 minutes apart.

1. $5 Happy Hour Clam and Mussel Combo.

2. Spicy Hawaiian Poke $12 with a side of rice $3

3. Short Ribs with Macaroni Salad for Enrique $10

4. Mango Kamikaze $10

The poke and rice arrived first after about 20 minutes. Another ~ 20 minutes and then the short ribs and appetizer of clam and mussel combo arrived. Our drinks were nowhere to be seen.

Our server was literally running -- no, make that sprinting back and forth across the dining room looking very stressed.

Until Enrique verbally expressed his disatisfaction that I have not received my drink and that his Diet Coke has never been refilled,  then that was when things ran a little bit smoothly.

We took a chance of placing our second order for more food. This time I guess because they knew we were upset, that the service became more efficient. However, my glass was never taken away nor was I offered another drink.

We placed another order for ISLAND POKE $12 for me and KALUA PIG FRIES  for Enrique. 

VERDICT:~Sleek cool place to chill.
~Very disorganized service.
~Reasonable prices and adequate portions.
~Strong drink. (Mango Kamikaze was at least strong and good.)
~ Decent food: Spicy poke was seasoned enough but the Island Poke was bland. According to my guy, the ribs were tender but very sweet. The Kalua Pig Fries were tender, flavorful and came with lots of pig.

FINAL THOUGHTS:We are frequent flyers at the Sundance Kabuki. In fact this theatre is where we watch our movies 98% of the time. Enrique is such a movie buff  that  we go to the movies quite a bit. We would often grab a quick bite at the Sundance Kitchen in the past and liked it for the convenience.

However, we will wait until Pa'ina iron out the kinks and hoping they would before we go back again.

TOTAL: $81 with generous tip despite the poor service.