FiDi Radar
Credo – Chef Mario Maggi’s Milanese-inspired menu goes beyond run of the mill pizza and pasta. TastingTable recently cited the 14-oz. whopper of a bone-in pork chop as particularly noteworthy, as is Maggi’s risotto which “needs no fleshly assistance (a reference to osso bucco). His is suffused with the musky edge of saffron and fortified with the unconventional addition of asparagus. If you've always equated risotto with rice gruel, Maggi will explode your preconceptions.” For those looking for the lighter side, rest assured that Maggi loves you, too, offering items such as: Paper thin ahi tuna carpaccio encrusted in aromatic herbs and topped with shaved cucumber; lightly dressed grilled salmon salad with crisp green beans, tomato, Kalamata olives and hard-boiled egg; and spinach salad with pancetta, goat cheese, pine nuts and tomatoes with either shrimp or chicken as add ons. Service, albeit a tad forgetful – as in, the spinach salad with shrimp arrived at the table sans shrimp during a recent lunch visit – is not lackluster enough to warrant skimping on the tip. Speaking of which, take a look at this story about a woman who was banned for bad tipping. [TT]
The Dish
1)Oakland: GrubStreet has a copy of the menu at SR24 which opened in Oakland yesterday. If you're feeling a little forelorn after rocker Tyler Grady got booted off of American Idol this week, then perhaps a bowl of chowder, buttermilk fried chicken with mashers and gravy, and Nana's chocolate cake might provide some comfort. [GS]
2)Palo Alto: It’s the Baume- Michelin-starred chef Bruno Chemel has opened Baume, named after the French chemist Antoine Baume, bringing molecular gastronomy and modern French fare to Palo Alto. The 41-year old Frenchie whose most recent stint was as exec chef at Chez TJ now serves lunch and dinner in a prix fixe format in his intimate 22-seat resto. [EaterWire]
The Downside of Success
According to the NYT, there's a bit of a brouhaha over Ike’s and Bi-Rite Creamery. Residents in the Castro and Dolores Park, respectively, are tired of the congestion and noise caused by patrons clamoring for their Fat Basturds with extra dirty sauce and salted caramel cones, compelling both establishments to respond. Ike’s now closes at 7:00 p.m. and Bi-Rite is expanding and adding seating. Ike's and Bi-Rite have Yelpers largely to thank for the boom in business, and in this economy, bursting at the seams is a pretty nice problem to have. But it's probably not the last they'll hear from the neighbors about that. [NYT]
Eaterwire - A16 Salutes Women, Nombe Demystifies Sake and Incanto Goes Head to Tail
MARINA - A16 will celebrate International Women's Day, or Festa Della Donna on Monday, March 8. Exec chef Liza Shaw and pastry chef Lori Rich will prepare specials in addition to their regular menu that wine director Shelley Lindgren will pair with wines produced by female winemakers. Sunny yellow mimosa flowers will be plentiful to commemorate the occasion. Profits will go to La Cocina and the Red Cross for Haiti. [EaterWire]
MISSION – Nombe, which recently earned 2 1/2 stars from Michael Bauer, has announced that its inaugural monthly Sake Tasting and Food Pairing Event will take place on Thursday, March 18. It will explore the world of Namazake, "one of the most straight-forward, clean and refreshing types of sake available, and therefore a good place to begin one's sake journey," says chef and co-owner Nicolaus Balla. He will prepare four dishes to be paired with sake hand-picked by Nombe co-owner and sake sommelier, Gil Payne. Payne just might be able to demystify sake for the average Joe, one sip at a time. Kanpai! [EaterWire]
NOE VALLEY—Incanto's 7th Annual Head to Tail dinners are confirmed to take place on Monday, March 22 and Wednesday, March 24. Lamb mincemeat pie with lavender-hay ice cream, anyone? The rest of the preliminary menu is up now. [EaterWire]
Week in Reviews
The Chron gives two stars to Mythos in San Carlos, saying that its Greek-Cali menu offers "blessedly straighforward" food in cozy environs covered in "dusky lemon walls," with "dark wood accents and black marble bar." Good to know for all those Silicon Valley-ites who are always looking for new places to send visiting clients north of Palo Alto. [SFChronicle]
The Examiner recently dined at the two-week-old Ristobar (Emporio Rulli reborn) in the Marina and had good things to say about the food and service. [Examiner] (Note to Editor: Just to be clear, I would never engage in this type of self-promotion if given the job).
The Junior Set
SusieCakes bakery is treating young athletes to complimentary treats starting Monday, April 5th through the end of the month. Every child under 12 who shows up clad in their school or community team uniform will receive a free, personalized "Frosting-Filled" cupcake in favorite flavors such as peanut butter and chocolate mint. Sounds like a potentially enticing post-game destination if you're in or around Greenbrae. [EaterWire]
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