Ok, so I've been a bit negligent in my postings here. I've had a few noteworthy food experiences in the last few weeks that have not been properly documented.
First and foremost, Frances.
Everything aboaut this relatively young restaurant is a win. Its a small place on a quiet street in the Castro. As such, it has a neighborhood-y feel that it might not have in another location. Especially not when the restaurant is practically bursting with popularity. It took us 3 weeks to get a Wednesday night reservation (and that was at 8:45). True, we had a party of 5 and the restaurant isn't really set up to accomodate very many larger parties, but we also went on the tail of a couple sterling reviews in various food publications.
I'm happy to say that all the hype is absolutely worth it. The evening started off right as we were greeted by Patrick, the effervescent and supremely friendly host. The food that followed did not disappoint. We started with a "Market Shot" - a fun idea where they take whatever fresh fruit they can buy that day, spike it with some alcohol, and make a shot out of. On the night we were there, it was a citrus based drink with a whole bunch of fruits that I can't remember. It was GOOD.
We shared Bacon Beignets (because really, what's wrong with fried dough and bacon put together), the Spring Onion and Nettle soup, and the Dungeness Crab Salad to start. The beignets were good, and had a nice smokey bacon flavor. The soup was delicious and rich. The crab salad had large, fresh chunks of crab meat with some citrus- easily enough to share without fighting over the delectable crab pieces. Yum.
The menu is small-ish for entrees, but everything we tasted was executed well. I had the Sonoma Duck Breast, one of us got the steak, and the rest had the scallops. I have a hard time NOT ordering duck when its on the menu at a nice restaurant. This duck was worth it. Perfectly sliced, nicely pink in the center, with a layer of fat and crispy skin on each piece. Furthermore, the duck was served over Butter Beans. I don't think I've ever had butter beans before, but I can tell you now that I'm a fan. It might have had something to do with the fact that they were sitting in duck juice as well, but they were DELICIOUS. Yum.
Scallops were cooked perfectly and had a really nice sweetness to them. The other fun thing about Frances, is that they serve their house wine in a pitcher and charge by how much you drink (by the ounce). The price is relatively reasonable, and you have complete control over how much you want to drink! Fun!
So yes, highly recommended and totally reasonably priced for what you get. Go if you can manage to get a reservation.
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In a semi-unfortunate (depending on how you look at it) collision of dates, we ended up going out again the next night to The Elite Cafe on Fillmore. This place is an upscale southern/creole restaurant. Everything we ate was good, but probably a little pricey for what it was. The biscuits were a highlight, and the ribs looked pretty delicious (although I didn't try them). The gumbo, while it was served in a HUGE portion, was just decent, as was the Jambalaya. They had a decent cocktail menu with some fun spins on classic drinks. All in all, I'm glad I went but wouldn't necessarily rush back. While I love southern food, I think you can do better for cheaper in the Bay Area.
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Finally, had dinner with some friends who used to live in SF but have since moved back to the East Coast. We went to one of their old favorite neighborhood spots, the Nanking Road Bistro. I haven't been since these friends left, even though it's pretty close to our house. Now, the Bistro might not have the best food, technically speaking, but everything there is decent and they have one of those dishes that you feel must be made with some kind of addictive substance added. The "Honey Sesame Chicken," while maybe not one of the most authentic dishes, is delicious pieces of breaded, fried chicken in a sweet and spicy sauce. This is one of those dishes I could eat and eat and eat. On top of that, the Duck Biscuits (tender slices of duck in a little taco-like thing made of the same stuff as pork bun outsides) are quite tasty and the Chow Fun we ordered was also good.
When I'm in the mood for some saucy, americanized, yet quite satisfying chinese food, I need to remember that the Bistro is only a few blocks away.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Alice in Wonderland
I saw Alice in Wonderland at Pixar on Friday. I did not have high hopes, which is why I was happy to see it for free. Remarkably, it made somewhere over $115million over the weekend. Wow. This movie is not good. Don't rush out to see it, or, if you must, go in with low expecations. Also, don't see it in 3D (especially not if it costs you more). Unlike Avatar, this movie did not do a good job with the 3D technology.
I've always liked Tim Burton's style, but there are times when style trumps substance in his films. This was one of those times. The story was weak for me- scattered at times and utterly predictable at other times. The design was fun, but possibly a little bit on the dark side for the property. Usually I appreciate Burton's dark twist, but in this case it didn't feel quite right to me.
Furthermore (and perhaps most damning), I didn't care about any of the characters and didn't really ever feel any sense of danger. That's one of the problems with prophecy playing a major role in the storytelling- you already know what's going to happen. On top of that, the CG (Computer Graphics, for those of you who aren't in the "industry") was often jarring and took me out of the movie.
And the dance. Don't get me started on the dance. Ugh.
I've always liked Tim Burton's style, but there are times when style trumps substance in his films. This was one of those times. The story was weak for me- scattered at times and utterly predictable at other times. The design was fun, but possibly a little bit on the dark side for the property. Usually I appreciate Burton's dark twist, but in this case it didn't feel quite right to me.
Furthermore (and perhaps most damning), I didn't care about any of the characters and didn't really ever feel any sense of danger. That's one of the problems with prophecy playing a major role in the storytelling- you already know what's going to happen. On top of that, the CG (Computer Graphics, for those of you who aren't in the "industry") was often jarring and took me out of the movie.
And the dance. Don't get me started on the dance. Ugh.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Moon
Moon is a classy sci-fi flick closer to the 2001 vein than the increasingly popular sci-fi action hybrid (Star Trek, Avatar, etc). In fact, at first I was a little concerned that Moon was going to be too similar to 2001. Fortunately, at pretty much every step of the way, Moon defied expectations by taking the road less traveled by at every turn.
I don't want to say too much about the plot, since the movie is better if you don't know much going into it. I will say that the tone is strong throughout, and everything is well supported by the visuals. Sam Rockwell turns in an excellent performance and Duncan Jones did a great job in what I believe is his first time directing.
While I love some good old sci-fi action, I'm also a huge fan of movies that can tell stories without super-complex action sequences, and this one does it quite well. Go check it out!
I don't want to say too much about the plot, since the movie is better if you don't know much going into it. I will say that the tone is strong throughout, and everything is well supported by the visuals. Sam Rockwell turns in an excellent performance and Duncan Jones did a great job in what I believe is his first time directing.
While I love some good old sci-fi action, I'm also a huge fan of movies that can tell stories without super-complex action sequences, and this one does it quite well. Go check it out!
Friday, February 5, 2010
An Education
Had a chance to see another of the Best Picture contenders. An Education is a school girl in 1960s England who jumps at the chance to escape from her relatively humdrum existence to live a bohemian lifestyle with an older man. It's well written (Nick Hornby, adapted from someone's memoirs), well acted (especially the young Carey Mulligan and Alfred Molina), and generally well put together.
Structurally, I had a few problems. The big "problem" or hurdle that the main character has to overcome doesn't actually occur until towards the very end of the movie. This is problematic, in that the beginning of the film drags a bit without much tension. Throughout, there's the obvious discomfort that most viewers will experience with the youth of the main character and her relationship with an older man. In fact, its almost unbelievable to the audience that main character is so comfortable with the relationship since she's portrayed as someone with a pretty level head and not one to take crazy risks.
When it comes down to it, the message of the film is a little muddled as well. Choose the boring life? There are no shortcuts? Don't trust anyone?
In reading what I've written, I feel I may have been a little harsh. The movie was actually pretty good and I wasn't bothered by many of these things while watching. It's just after thinking about it for a little bit that some of the structural issues jumped out at me... I'd still recommend this one, if for nothing else than Mulligan's sensitive and ranged performance. Best picture? I'd say no. But they nominated ten films in a so-so year. What can you expect?
Structurally, I had a few problems. The big "problem" or hurdle that the main character has to overcome doesn't actually occur until towards the very end of the movie. This is problematic, in that the beginning of the film drags a bit without much tension. Throughout, there's the obvious discomfort that most viewers will experience with the youth of the main character and her relationship with an older man. In fact, its almost unbelievable to the audience that main character is so comfortable with the relationship since she's portrayed as someone with a pretty level head and not one to take crazy risks.
When it comes down to it, the message of the film is a little muddled as well. Choose the boring life? There are no shortcuts? Don't trust anyone?
In reading what I've written, I feel I may have been a little harsh. The movie was actually pretty good and I wasn't bothered by many of these things while watching. It's just after thinking about it for a little bit that some of the structural issues jumped out at me... I'd still recommend this one, if for nothing else than Mulligan's sensitive and ranged performance. Best picture? I'd say no. But they nominated ten films in a so-so year. What can you expect?
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Risotto
On a whim (ok, that's a lie, it was basically because the only things we had in the house was Arborio Rice, half an onion, and some parmesan) I decided to take my first stab at making a Risotto last night. I didn't want to go to the store, so I ended up using what we had lying around and combining two Marcella Hazan recipes (from this fantastic book). I combined a recipe for Sausage Risotto (that's why I keep those frozen sausages) and your standard "white risotto." In a move that I'm sure would make Marcella cringe, I used beef broth instead of chicken (didn't have beef broth on hand).
For those who haven't made it, Risotto is a little tricky because its easy to mis-cook. It involves regularly adding cooking liquid (broth and/or water) to a pot of rice that must be stirred constantly. The recipe instructs you to add water when the cooking liquid in the pot "runs out." Unfortunately, "runs out" isn't the most descriptive of terms. So it's a bit of a guessing game, although I imagine it doesn't matter all that much. Either way, you keep adding liquid and stirring until the rice is "done," another vague and possibly subjective description. It's relatively easy to either undercook the rice or have a finished product that ends up a little too soupy.
Mine turned out fairly well- perhaps could have cooked a little longer with a little more liquid. But the texture was close to what I was going for if not a tiny tiny bit underdone. I was happy I added the (real) parmesan cheese as that added some nice flavor to the sausage base, although next time I think I'll add more to make it even cheesier. I like that the rich flavor of the starches in the rice come through so well in this dish. The constant stirring is a bit of a pain, but the limited number of ingredients make this a relatively easy dish to prepare otherwise. I'll do it again for sure, maybe with some tips from my father who is a bit of a risotto specialist.
For those who haven't made it, Risotto is a little tricky because its easy to mis-cook. It involves regularly adding cooking liquid (broth and/or water) to a pot of rice that must be stirred constantly. The recipe instructs you to add water when the cooking liquid in the pot "runs out." Unfortunately, "runs out" isn't the most descriptive of terms. So it's a bit of a guessing game, although I imagine it doesn't matter all that much. Either way, you keep adding liquid and stirring until the rice is "done," another vague and possibly subjective description. It's relatively easy to either undercook the rice or have a finished product that ends up a little too soupy.
Mine turned out fairly well- perhaps could have cooked a little longer with a little more liquid. But the texture was close to what I was going for if not a tiny tiny bit underdone. I was happy I added the (real) parmesan cheese as that added some nice flavor to the sausage base, although next time I think I'll add more to make it even cheesier. I like that the rich flavor of the starches in the rice come through so well in this dish. The constant stirring is a bit of a pain, but the limited number of ingredients make this a relatively easy dish to prepare otherwise. I'll do it again for sure, maybe with some tips from my father who is a bit of a risotto specialist.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Lahore Karahi
Revisited what is considered to be one of the best Indian/Pakistani restaurants in San Francisco last night. As with most of the best Indian places, Lahore Karahi is a little divey. It's in the Tenderloin (one of the less nice parts of San Francisco) but it's worth the trip. Prices are reasonable verging on cheap for Indian food.
The thing that sets this place apart from your standard Indian spot, is that the food has much deeper more complex flavors and also feels less greasy. I tried a bunch of stuff including Tikka Masala and Vindaloo (standards), a few types of Naan, and a vegeterian spinach dish. The Vindaloo was my favorite dish of the evening with an earthy spiciness that maintained a lot of flavor with a lot of spice. The biryanis were also quite good and spicier than I'm used to- which, of course, I love.
Definitely going back here next time I want good Indian food and don't mind goiing out of my way to get it.
The thing that sets this place apart from your standard Indian spot, is that the food has much deeper more complex flavors and also feels less greasy. I tried a bunch of stuff including Tikka Masala and Vindaloo (standards), a few types of Naan, and a vegeterian spinach dish. The Vindaloo was my favorite dish of the evening with an earthy spiciness that maintained a lot of flavor with a lot of spice. The biryanis were also quite good and spicier than I'm used to- which, of course, I love.
Definitely going back here next time I want good Indian food and don't mind goiing out of my way to get it.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Adventures in Crock-Potting #2
The recipe for my second crock pot adventure came as a recommendation from a co-worker. It could not have come at a more opportune moment, as I found myself relishing some good, spicy, southern cooking. I used this recipe to make crock-pot Jambalaya with relatively successful results.
I didn't go shopping specifically for this dish, which meant I had to improvise a little bit with a couple ingredients. Most notably, I left out the celery (didn't have any, none at my little crummy corner store). Celery is generally used as an aromatic- a way to add a little flavor to stocks, broths, stews, etc. So I figured this dish would survive without it. I also didn't really like the idea of chunks of celery in my Jambalaya. Just didn't seem right to me. So that was out.
I also didn't have any pre-mixed Cajun/Creole Seasoning, but that was easily overcome by mixing up a batch of my own with spices I already had around (mostly Cayenne, Salt, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Red Pepper Flakes). In fact, this ended up working out better for me in a lot of ways, as I was able to add a little extra spice to suit my need for heat.
The one substitution that was a slight bummer was that I didn't have any andouille sausage. I thought there was some in the freezer, but I was wrong. Instead, I used spicy italian sausages. They worked fine, and had enough heat (spice-wise) to serve the function of the sausage, but definitely added a bit different spice flavor, whereas the andouille would have matched pretty well with the Cajun Seasoning. So not a huge loss, and I'd do it again if I needed to, but probably slightly less than ideal.
The other question was what to do with the rice. I didn't like the idea of serving my Jambalaya over rice. For me, the rice is an integral part of the dish and needs to spend at least some time stewing with the other ingredients and spices. I was too unsure to fully cook the rice in the crock pot with everything else, so I ended up taking the middle road and cooking the rice separately and then adding it to the crock pot for the last 20min (or so) of cooking. When I cooked the rice, I used half chicken brothe (I had extra) and half water for a little extra flavor. This ended up working out great and also helped absorb some of the extra liquid from the crock pot. Next time, I might try taking some of the liquid from the crockpot and cooking the rice in that (with some water). We'll see.
These last points highlight the main issue with this recipe- I ended up with a bit too much liquid in the crock pot. This isn't a huge deal, as I just scooped the good chunkies out with a slotted spoon. That said, if I try using some of the Jambalaya liquid to cook the rice it might help both add flavor to the rice and reduce some of the liquid in the pot.
I like this recipe and I would definitely make it again. For any of you who try this at home, if you like spice (like me) make sure you double (or more!) the amount of cajun seasoning or have some louisiana hot sauce (Crystal, Tabasco) on hand to add later.
I didn't go shopping specifically for this dish, which meant I had to improvise a little bit with a couple ingredients. Most notably, I left out the celery (didn't have any, none at my little crummy corner store). Celery is generally used as an aromatic- a way to add a little flavor to stocks, broths, stews, etc. So I figured this dish would survive without it. I also didn't really like the idea of chunks of celery in my Jambalaya. Just didn't seem right to me. So that was out.
I also didn't have any pre-mixed Cajun/Creole Seasoning, but that was easily overcome by mixing up a batch of my own with spices I already had around (mostly Cayenne, Salt, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Red Pepper Flakes). In fact, this ended up working out better for me in a lot of ways, as I was able to add a little extra spice to suit my need for heat.
The one substitution that was a slight bummer was that I didn't have any andouille sausage. I thought there was some in the freezer, but I was wrong. Instead, I used spicy italian sausages. They worked fine, and had enough heat (spice-wise) to serve the function of the sausage, but definitely added a bit different spice flavor, whereas the andouille would have matched pretty well with the Cajun Seasoning. So not a huge loss, and I'd do it again if I needed to, but probably slightly less than ideal.
The other question was what to do with the rice. I didn't like the idea of serving my Jambalaya over rice. For me, the rice is an integral part of the dish and needs to spend at least some time stewing with the other ingredients and spices. I was too unsure to fully cook the rice in the crock pot with everything else, so I ended up taking the middle road and cooking the rice separately and then adding it to the crock pot for the last 20min (or so) of cooking. When I cooked the rice, I used half chicken brothe (I had extra) and half water for a little extra flavor. This ended up working out great and also helped absorb some of the extra liquid from the crock pot. Next time, I might try taking some of the liquid from the crockpot and cooking the rice in that (with some water). We'll see.
These last points highlight the main issue with this recipe- I ended up with a bit too much liquid in the crock pot. This isn't a huge deal, as I just scooped the good chunkies out with a slotted spoon. That said, if I try using some of the Jambalaya liquid to cook the rice it might help both add flavor to the rice and reduce some of the liquid in the pot.
I like this recipe and I would definitely make it again. For any of you who try this at home, if you like spice (like me) make sure you double (or more!) the amount of cajun seasoning or have some louisiana hot sauce (Crystal, Tabasco) on hand to add later.
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