Spanish and Catalan Tapas at Contigo

Coca (Flatbread) of Wild Nettles, Bacon, Onions and Manchego

In my quest for eating as much as possible during my last few weeks in San Francisco, I decided to venture outside my normal “comfort zone” all the way to Noe Valley. I can’t believe I’ve lived in this city for over two years and have never been to Noe Valley. My supervisor had high praise for the restaurant  (she’s also a foodie), plus it was another chance to check something off the 7X7  100 Things to Eat Before You Die list.

Jamon Iberico de Bellota

Calamars a la Planxa

Albondigas

Churros with Hot Chocolate

Asian Fusion Goodness at The House

Miso Cod Special

A couple of weeks ago, my friends and I celebrated Sarabeth’s birthday and I finally got to check out one of the restaurants on my list, The House. The House is a small restaurant nestled in North Beach. In a district full of cheesy and over-the-top Italian restaurants, it’s a little funny to find a Asian fusion restaurant tucked in the corner of Grant Avenue and Broadway Street. But, it was absolutely delicious and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Hamachi Special

Crab Cake

Salmon

Sea Bass with Noodles

Pork Chop with Pomegranate Sauce

A Basque Feast at Piperade

Dungeness Crab Txangurro

My friend Tina celebrated her birthday recently and I was part of the task force to find a restaurant that could handle a table for 12. Finding a restaurant that’s open on a Monday and that can hold such a large group without charging a fixed price is almost impossible. I finally found the perfect restaurant, Piperade. Piperade gets MAJOR props for being so incredibly nice and accommodating. When I first made reservations, it was only going to be a group of 10. When I had to change the reservation to 12 people last minute, they were incredibly flexible. I even asked for a “nicer” table since we were celebrating Tina’s birthday and they made sure to give us a gorgeous, round table at the center of the restaurant. Piperade is a smaller, intimate restaurant that serves Basque food, influenced by Spanish and French regions.

Calamari "a la plancha"

Garlic Soup with Shrimp and Bacon

Piperade

Duck Filet with Huckleberry

Black Cod with Broccolini

Orange Blossom Beignets

Apple Tart

Chocolate Cake with Creme Fraiche

The Best Thing I Ever Ate: La Folie

Poached Lobster on Ravioli

La Folie is honestly one of the best restaurants in San Francisco. It is without a doubt better than Michael Mina and at the same level as Gary Danko (La Folie is way easier to get a reservation). If you’re looking for a way to spend your annual bonus or wanting to celebrate a special occasion, you should go to La Folie. The restaurant serves classic French food and you can choose a tasting menu or pick and choose your own 3, 4 or 5-course meal. Chef Roland Passot is a genius in the kitchen. I met him briefly and acted like a 12-year old girl meeting Justin Bieber (OK, let’s be real. I’d hyperventilate even at my age if I met Justin Bieber).

My family and I ate here last month for a family holiday dinner and to also celebrate my brother’s return from six months in China. The meal started with two lovely amuse bouches, salmon lollipops and a delicately poached egg yolk in a potato leek soup (served inside an eggshell). We tried a variety of dishes but my favorites are the seared foie gras, poached lobster on a ravioli, sauteed snails and the rack of lamb.

Salmon Lollipops

Poached Egg Yolk in Leek Soup

Snails With Bone Marrow

Seared Foie Gras

Kusshi Oyster, Scallop Ceviche, and Yellowtail Sashimi

Rack of Lamb

Duck Breast

Cheese Souffle

Tarte Tatin

24-Hour Layover in San Francisco

So you have 24 hours in San Francisco and your mission is to eat. This is the exact predicament I faced last week when one of my closest and dearest friends, Tricia, came to visit me in San Francisco. I usually see Tricia once a year (maybe twice a year if I’m really lucky) because she’s getting her PhD at Johns Hopkins. It’s difficult when one of your best friends is located on the other coast of the country (Geez, Tricia. Selfish much?). Even though her family is based in the South Bay, she rarely comes up to San Francisco. On this trip home, I convinced her to take Caltrain and spend a whole day with me.

Since Caltrain is in SoMA, I wanted to explore lunch options that I had never had the opportunity to even fantasize about (SoMA is a little too far from the Financial District for a 1-hour lunch break). As soon as Tricia arrived in SF at 11:40 am, I asked, “What are your thoughts about getting fried chicken first and then getting grilled cheese sandwiches afterward?” She gleefully agreed (I consider this to be the true definition of friendship) and I whisked her away to Little Skillet. I had been DYING to try the fried chicken and waffles at Little Skillet ever since they were listed on 7×7’s “100 Things to Try Before You Die” in 2010, but they were only open for lunch and the lines were too long to be conducive for a lunch excursion.

Tricia and Little Skillet

For $6, we got 1 piece of fried chicken and 2 waffles. The fried chicken was DELICIOUS! The skin was so crispy and piping hot, but the breading wasn’t too thick. The chicken actually had taste and you could tell that it had been at least marinated in salt. I’ve eaten Tyler Florence’s fried chicken at Wayfare Tavern for $22 and it was a total letdown (I’m sorry, Tyler. Your chicken doesn’t hold a candle to Little Skillet’s chicken). I’m not a huge waffle fan and those didn’t impress me terribly. I actually thought they could have been cooked a little bit longer and been a little more crispy. I did find it interesting that the waffles actually weren’t too sweet, which I liked.

The next stop was The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen. In the eloquent and poetic words of Drew Hoolhurst from Rocket Shoes, San Francisco is home to a “f*cking artisan grilled cheese store.” I know. The man can say so much in so few words.

A view into the kitchen

Mushroom Gruyère (Left) , Smoky Tomato Soup (Middle), Mousetrap (Right)

Our Food Finally Came!

Let Them Eat Cheese!

In heaven-- Cowgirl Creamery in SF

December is underway, which only means one thing– holiday gatherings! With all the festivities and merriment, I’m sure you’ll be attending many potlucks and parties. What food could brighten up these events other than CHEESE? I figured that I would share a few of my favorites cheeses so that you could bring something delicious to your next holiday shindig.

Mount Tam

Mount Tam is one of my all-time favorite cheeses. It’s a Cowgirl Creamery classic. How can you really go wrong with a triple cream? It is a mild cheese, reminiscent of brie, but with a more complex flavor. When you let it come to room temperature, it becomes rich, creamy and smooth like butter (like butta). Mount Tam goes well with apples, Marcona almonds, grapes and quince (or really anything). My favorite is to eat Mount Tam with warm, slightly toasted raisin walnut bread (I’m drooling as I type this sentence).

Humboldt Fog

Humboldt Fog is a goat cheese with ash. The very first time I ever had it was at Gary Danko, a magical San Francisco restaurant with an amazing cheese cart. I used to not be a fan of goat cheese, but all of that changed after I had Humboldt Fog. This goat cheese’s rind is lined with ash and the middle had a little bit of ash too. It’s not smoky ash (it’s actually a vegetable ash) and I love to eat it with Carr’s water crackers. Since it’s a stronger cheese, you should pair it with a simple cracker or bread.

Barely Buzzed

Barely Buzzed cheese is a hard cheese and the rind is rubbed with coffee grinds and lavender. I’m normally not a fan of floral things in my food (yes, I find rosewater disgusting), but the lavender taste is not that strong. I love coffee and the coffee grinds on this cheese have a rich, bold flavor. I’m in love with these cheese and it tastes great paired with some prosciutto or salami.

O'Bannon Cheese

O’Bannon cheese was just introduced to me by one of the nice cheese ladies at Cowgirl Creamery. I asked for a goat cheese recommendation and told her that I always get Humboldt Fog. O’Bannon comes vacuum packed in plastic and it’s a goat cheese wrapped in date leaves that have been soaking in Bourbon whiskey. Wow, this cheese was delicious. It was actual more mild that Humboldt Fog and the Bourbon taste wasn’t overwhelming. The presentation was gorgeous too because you can unwrap it and serve it on a plate on top of the date leaves.

Mahon Cheese

Mahon cheese is a cows milk cheese from Spain. This picture doesn’t really do the cheese justice. It has a nice cheddar taste and the Mahon that I tried had paprika rubbed in the rind. I’m guessing that there are different varieties. These cheese is also milder (clearly, I’m not a fan of stinky, strong cheese) and also pairs really well with a charcuterie plate and some cornichons (mini pickles). You could also pair it with honey or some honeycomb for a savory/sweet combination.

And, there you have it! May your holidays be blessed with love, laughter and plenty of cheese! Feel free to share your favorites too!

My Cheese Plate at Thanksgiving