The Eater (wannabe) Blog

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]

Healthy, easy, peanut-free lunches for your preschooler

From time to time, I will write about my passion for cooking, using fresh, healthy, seasonal ingredients. Some of you have expressed an interest in seeing recipes on my blog, and your wish is my command! I hope you will find some of these food-related posts inspirational in your day to day cooking.

As the mother of two school-age kids, I am constantly trying to make lunch a meal that the children enjoy and that I can feel good about giving them. By spending just a few more minutes each week, planning, grocery shopping and preparing meals in advance, kids can have a healthy meal everyday. All of my meals are peanut-free since one of us has a life-threatening allergy to all peanut products. We make it a rule to not stock items in the house that have peanuts outright or may be cross-contaminated. My older son attends a peanut free elementary school so these menus which were originally created for my three-year old daughter have come in handy on days when my son opts to bring a lunch rather than eat cafeteria food.

Here are some of my kids' favorites which can be easily mixed and matched, and swapped for seasonal ingredients. I always pack either milk or 100% fruit juice slightly diluted with water. They love apple, white grape, cranberry and pomegranate sweetened with a little stevia, acai, and strawberry-banana. Be sure to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold in appropriately insulated containers.

In future posts, I will share my recipes for several of the items listed below. I often cook with gluten-free products so you will see these indicated accordingly.

1. -soy nut butter sandwich, (jam or thin banana slices optional)
-fresh fruit cup using your child's favorites e.g., grapes, oranges,nectarines,
strawberries, peaches, blueberries
-string cheese

2. -ham and spinach pinwheel with onion and chive cream cheese spread, cut into thirds
-small container of barley soup
-a couple of strawberries with chocolate chips

3. -broiled salmon teriyaki atop brown rice
-steamed broccoli florettes
-dried fruit such as craisins, pineapple, prunes

4. -grilled cheese sandwich, (thin slice turkey or ham optional)
-baked sweet potato chips
-apple slices, (caramel sauce optional)

5. -turkey and Swiss slices with crackers
-boiled egg
-applesauce

6. -Chinese chicken pasta salad
-trail mix using peanut-free items such as almonds or walnuts, cereal (Rice Chex
and Cheerios work well),raisins, dried mango, banana chips,chocolate covered
sunflower seeds, flax seeds

7. -fried rice loaded with your kid's favorite vegetables
-cherries
-yogurt

8. -homemade macaroni and cheese with cauliflower florettes
-zucchini and blueberry bread

9. -baked pasta with turkey meatballs
-small container of black olives and Gherkin pickles
-blueberries

10.-bagel with your child's favorite cream cheese flavor
-apricot

11.-sliced ham and pineapple lightly tossed with your favorite BBQ sauce and broiled for 5 minutes, atop rice - carrot and jicama sticks, (Ranch dressing or hummus
optional

12.-sliced, roasted chicken (my kids love rosemary-garlic-lemon) with orzo pasta or
better yet, quinoa (add vegetables such as corn, diced red bell pepper)
-cottage cheese with fresh fruit

13.-homemade chicken noodle soup with crackers
-banana
-popcorn

14.-veggie sushi rolls - try cucumber, takuwan, avocado
-small slice carrot-raisin bread
-nectarine

Darla's - kids eat free on Tuesdays

Darla's is a traditional American eatery in the Inner Sunset that offers burgers - 'possibly one of the best in SF' - sandwiches, salads, soups, and breakfast items like omelettes, pancakes and breakfast burritos served all day. For dinner, they have comforting plates of prime rib, pork chops, chicken fried steak and fish and chips which all come with salad, fresh vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes and are priced between $10 and $16. They make homemade milkshakes and rootbeer floats, too.

Every Tuesday past 5:00 p.m., Darla's serves up to two kids under the age of 12 free off the kids' menu with the purchase of an adult entree. If your child brings in a colored picture from their web site, he or she gets a free kids' meal any day of the week with the purchase of one adult entree. Youngsters can enjoy classic kiddie fare such as corn dogs with french fries, grilled cheese sandwiches, and mini burgers. They can have milk, apple juice or lemonade to wash it all down.

There's a patio in the back which is nice when it's good weather. And, how about that little signature chocolate chip brownie that comes with your bill? How cute.

For more info: Darla's, open 7 days a week. 822 Irving Street at 9th Avenue. 415.753.3275.

Foreign Cinema: A year-round favorite in the Mission

For years, my husband and I have loved the unique Cal-Med style food, professional service and "industrial chic" environs at Foreign Cinema. We've enjoyed romantic champagne brunches - they carry one of my favorite bubbles, Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé - many a dinner with friends, and a few family meals with the kids. After 10 years in business, this place still impresses.

It was around 1:00 p.m. when we arrived last weekend and both the dining room and courtyard were packed. Good thing we had reservations. The hostess, coffee server and waiter were all friendly and performed their jobs seamlessly. The food was great, as always. I like that they change their menu everyday, it keeps each visit interesting and fun. Our three-year-old daughter seemed to enjoy our brunch as much as we did. And, she had a good time drawing with crayons on the white butcher paper they conscientiously placed over our white tablecloth.

During the day, the patio is a bright, cheery space and after sunset, a flicker and glow emanate from nightly films they project onto the brick wall. The dining room has a warm yet urban feel and casual elegance that makes dining here feel like a treat. Whether you sit inside or out, it is a hip place to hang out and break bread with friends any time.

This Mission District destination is also a cool setting for private parties. There are several options, including a spacious art gallery adjacent to the patio, a mezzanine and a small Director’s Table. Lazlo bar located in front of the restaurant is also available for buyouts. My friends and I have often boogied to the grooves of the DJ and enjoyed late night drinks there.

Here is the line up of food we ordered:

Baked eggs in chicken hash ($15) - Oooh, my kind of dish! Two eggs sat atop chicken hash, kale, tomatoes, onions, and chickpeas in a spicy red sauce. I loved all the ingredients and especially liked that it packed some heat. The grilled papad, or thin Indian flatbread, was nice although a hunk of French bread would have soaked up that sauce better.

Madras curry roast chicken ($16) - Another delightfully spicy dish. There was a perfectly roasted half chicken with crispy skin and juicy, tender meat. It was accompanied by basmati rice with golden raisins, red onion raita and broccoli rabe. Mmmmmmm.

Fruit "pop tarts" ($6.75) - There was a choice of apple and strawberry that day and we opted for apple. It looked kind of like a pop tart dusted with confectioner's sugar but tasted much better. Unlike the sickeningly sweet kiddie version, this was like a warm apple turnover.

Kids' portion of French toast with a side of slow-cooked brown sugar smoked bacon - Our daughter had two pieces of baguette French toast with maple syrup and an order of delectable, chewy, slightly sweet bacon. Mommy had no self control and ate half of the bacon, oops! The kids' menu ($10) consists of a three course meal starting with fresh fruit and ending with two scoops of homemade ice cream with whipped cream. Besides French toast, entree choices included scrambled eggs and a grilled cheese sandwich.

I also give them thumbs up for serving delicious decaf coffee from Caffé Roma in North Beach.

Foreign Cinema is always worth the trip to the Mission District.

For more info: Foreign Cinema. 2534 Mission Street, between 21st and 22nd Streets. 415.648.7600.

Crazy for Koo

No doubt about it, Koo excels at serving wonderfully fresh sushi and sashimi. Chef/owner Kiyoshi Hayakawa (Sushi Ran, Ace Wasabi’s, Tokyo GoGo) turns out impressive quality fish with daily specials from his simple, clean Irving Street sushi bar and restaurant. There are also fusion dishes like shrimp and scallop dumplings with a drizzle of chili oil and mango puree, grilled artichokes, and duck breast salad with a mustard-ginger-pineapple sauce. The latter is our favorite, but overall, the sushi bar items are really their forte. Servers are always courteous and efficient. Koo has a nice selection of sake and my husband likes the fact that they serve Asahi Black which he can't find at many restaurants in town.

One unique and fun dish to eat is appropriately named A Spoonful of Happiness. You actually receive two delicious spoonfuls: one with uni (sea urchin), quail egg, tobiko and ponzu sauce; the other with ankimo (monkfish liver) wrapped with whitefish, ponzu and truffle oil. A shot of dry sake accompanies them. The first bite is smooth and creamy and the second bursts with flavor. Wow, my tastebuds do cartwheels.

A few of our favorite types of sushi here are the wild aji (mackerel) garnished with green onions, the otoro or indulgently fatty blue fin tuna, wild King salmon, and nasu or Japanese eggplant. Rather than rattle off a long list, let's just say that my husband and I haven't met a fish here that we didn't like.

We recently discovered that they don’t like to do substitutions which created a minor hiccup when we took our kids there for dinner last week. My son wanted to have white rice instead of mashed potatoes (they call it potato salad) with his chicken teriyaki, but they said they couldn’t do a swap. So, we ordered a bowl of rice on the side. And, their chicken comes with a sweet chutney rather than classic teriyaki sauce which my son wasn't too keen about. He and my daughter were both happier with the tempura.

Again, if you focus on goodies from the sushi bar, you are bound to go home happy. This is a nice place to go with a group of friends for dinner. Just note that parking can be difficult in the neighborhood, especially on weekend nights, and it can be tough to get a table if you don’t plan ahead. Be sure to make reservations and give yourself extra time to park.

Koo. 408 Irving Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues), San Francisco, CA 94122. 451.731.7077. Closed Mondays.

Social networking sites => burgeoning street food phenomenon

Thanks largely to Web 2.0 technology, street food is the hot new trend here. Savvy entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the benefits of pavement fare over the traditional restaurant model, including ever-important factors such as lower overhead and labor costs. They are stocking carts, trucks and even bicycles and creating buzz for free by using tools like Twitter and Facebook. And, these social networking sites enable mobile businesses to instantly shed light on their whereabouts for their loyal following everyday. What's so exciting about this breed of purveyors is that they are not just serving tacos - and don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with tacos - but unique and diverse food can be found, from frog legs and artisan salumi to pho and curry. Here are some street beat eats you can follow on Twitter around the Bay Area.

Amuse Bouche SF - muffins and chai tea

Bike Basket Pies - mini rustic pies

Boccalone Salumi Cycle - panini sandwiches filled with artisan salumi

Cookie Wag SF - homemade cookies and ice cream sandwiches

Creme Brulee Cart - various flavors of creme brûlée

Gobba Gobba Hey - various flavors of round cakes with cream filling

Left Coast Smoke - BBQ

Magic Curry Cart - chicken and tofu curries

Mobile Pho Truck - Vietnamese noodle soup

Roli Roti - rotisserie meats

Sexy Soup Cart - organic soups

SF Moo Moo Cakes - organic ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, ice cream

Spencer on the Go - upscale French (Chez Spencer)

Thai Shaved Ice - shaved ice

Urban Nectar - juices

Tuesday tidbits: Bar Crudo reopens, Absinthe features Top Chef soup, adieu to Jeanty at Jack's

Since yesterday was a holiday, I didn't post my usual "Monday morsels" article, but in case you were missing your weekly scoop, here are your Tuesday Tidbits...

Bar Crudo has reopened in its new Divisadero digs for dinner. Look for lunch service in the near future. They tell me they will start taking reservations on Monday. 655 Divisadero between Hayes and Grove. 415.409.0679.

Chef Jamie Lauren sent a Tweet that the chilled corn soup with mint and chili oil you saw on "Top Chef" is now on the menu at Absinthe! 398 Hayes at Gough. 415.551.1590.

Sadly, we have to bid adieu to Jeanty at Jack's. Philippe Jeanty closed the doors of his unique Downtown locale on Friday, after a seven year stint. The good news is that you can still get his amazing tomato soup in puff pastry, coq au vin and cassoulet at Bistro Jeanty in Napa. And, if you go to the Bistro Jeanty web site, you can download the tomato soup recipe and make it at home!