Tonight marks the first adventure of a new "dining club." We've dubbed the group, F.A.T., or Feasting About Town. The groundrules:
1. Don't talk about F.A.T/E.A.T.
2. Ha ha. Just kidding. Ha. Wish that was funny.
3. We will be dining out together once a month.
4. Every month, we will alternate between fine dining and a dive. Definition of fine dining/dive is up to the people scheduling that month, but generally everyone should spend less than $15 total (or so) at a dive, and the fine dining probably doesn't want to be over $25-35ish/entree or so.
5. Every month a different couple will pick the spot (we'll pick a name out of a hat or somehow randomize the selection order).
6. The couple selecting the location is responsible for making a reservation (if necessary) or making sure the place can hold 8 of us, or making whatever arrangements necessary. They will not reveal the location to anyone else until the day of the event. On the day of the event, the "host" couple will send an e-mail with TIME and ADDRESS (with cross streets). They will not reveal the actual restaurant and everyone is on the honor system not to look it up.
7. We will split all bills evenly. Unless someone has a major problem with this and a simple solution.
8. It might be fun if we dress up (a little) when we go out.
9. Events will all be on a shared google calendar.
10. I just wanted to have 10 rules. Nice, even number. So... Uh, We have to have fun?
Yeah... I wrote those. Some of them are lame, but what you going to do. And looks like I already broke rule number one with this post. oh well.
So we'll see how this goes. Fine Dining tonight, dive next month... I'm not up to pick a restaurant until December, so I have time to think... I'll post again after our inaugural dinner!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Kasa
Kasa is a hip new-ish Indian joint in the Castro in the same space as my favorite Castro burrito joint use to be. I've walked by a couple times and been curious about their menu which basically gives you two major options with some variations. You can order either:
Kasi Rolls
Classic Indian street food: A flaky, buttery roti (handmade bread) wrapped around one of the dishes listed below with marinated onions and chutney. Served with raita (yogurt). Order 2 or 3 for a meal.
or
Thali (Plate)
A homestyle Indian platter with one or two of the dishes listed below, roti (handmade bread), slow-simmered daal (lentils), rice, veggie salad, chutneys and raita (yogurt).
You get a selection of meat with either order. Since I went with Julia, we took the easy way out and got one of each. For the Thali, we ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, and for the Kasi Roll we had Lamb Curry. The Tikka Masala had a slightly different preparation from your standard version- the sauce was a little thicker and richer and quite a bit spicier (in a good way- then again, I always tend to find that spicier is better). The roti was delicious, and all the components of the plate went well together.
The Kasi roll was good as well. The bread was different from the roti on the Thali plate- maybe a bit sweeter? The lamb curry was good too- I love the richness of lamb. I could have actually used a little more spice in this.
The Kasi roll is a good amount of food for lunch, but if it's dinner and/or you're hungry, go for the Thali for sure.
I'd definitely stop back at this place. The counter service was super friendly and helpful and the food was delicious and pretty reasonably priced (especially the rolls).
Kasi Rolls
Classic Indian street food: A flaky, buttery roti (handmade bread) wrapped around one of the dishes listed below with marinated onions and chutney. Served with raita (yogurt). Order 2 or 3 for a meal.
or
Thali (Plate)
A homestyle Indian platter with one or two of the dishes listed below, roti (handmade bread), slow-simmered daal (lentils), rice, veggie salad, chutneys and raita (yogurt).
You get a selection of meat with either order. Since I went with Julia, we took the easy way out and got one of each. For the Thali, we ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, and for the Kasi Roll we had Lamb Curry. The Tikka Masala had a slightly different preparation from your standard version- the sauce was a little thicker and richer and quite a bit spicier (in a good way- then again, I always tend to find that spicier is better). The roti was delicious, and all the components of the plate went well together.
The Kasi roll was good as well. The bread was different from the roti on the Thali plate- maybe a bit sweeter? The lamb curry was good too- I love the richness of lamb. I could have actually used a little more spice in this.
The Kasi roll is a good amount of food for lunch, but if it's dinner and/or you're hungry, go for the Thali for sure.
I'd definitely stop back at this place. The counter service was super friendly and helpful and the food was delicious and pretty reasonably priced (especially the rolls).
Monday, October 12, 2009
German Feast
On Saturday night, we watched an episode of Three Sheets where the host traveled to Munich for Oktoberfest. Something in Julia's German heritage was so inspired by the sight of sausages and pretzels, that we cooked up an Oktoberfest feast last night.
Julia baked pretzels, trying two slightly different preparations. One batch was dipped in boiling water and then baked, while the second was brushed with an egg wash and baked. There was a slight difference in texture, but not much else particularly different between them. The boiled ones were a little chewier. The egg brushed ones might have had a slightly different color on the outside... hard to tell. Apparently to make pretzels the dark color that people expect, real German pretzel makers use lye or something. Yeah. That was a little much. But Julia's pretzels came out great, especially when dipped in a spicy brown mustard.
We also braised some Bratwursts. Sliced up onions and browned them in some butter (margarine), then emptied a jar of sauerkraut on top of the onions in the saucepan. Next, we added some thinly sliced apples to bring some sweetness to the kraut. Finally, placed the sausages on top of the sauerkraut and added enough beer to submerge all the 'kraut and sausages (ended up being 2 bottles of Sam Adams Oktoberfest). Left the whole shebang simmering over medium heat for about 20 minutes or so (added some sugar near the end when a taste revealed that it was still a little too sour), before removing the sausages and pan frying them briefly to get a little color and texture on the outside. Drained most of the liquid from the 'kraut, served with a selection of mustards. Delish.
Julia baked pretzels, trying two slightly different preparations. One batch was dipped in boiling water and then baked, while the second was brushed with an egg wash and baked. There was a slight difference in texture, but not much else particularly different between them. The boiled ones were a little chewier. The egg brushed ones might have had a slightly different color on the outside... hard to tell. Apparently to make pretzels the dark color that people expect, real German pretzel makers use lye or something. Yeah. That was a little much. But Julia's pretzels came out great, especially when dipped in a spicy brown mustard.
We also braised some Bratwursts. Sliced up onions and browned them in some butter (margarine), then emptied a jar of sauerkraut on top of the onions in the saucepan. Next, we added some thinly sliced apples to bring some sweetness to the kraut. Finally, placed the sausages on top of the sauerkraut and added enough beer to submerge all the 'kraut and sausages (ended up being 2 bottles of Sam Adams Oktoberfest). Left the whole shebang simmering over medium heat for about 20 minutes or so (added some sugar near the end when a taste revealed that it was still a little too sour), before removing the sausages and pan frying them briefly to get a little color and texture on the outside. Drained most of the liquid from the 'kraut, served with a selection of mustards. Delish.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Starbelly
The lady and I ate at Starbelly last night in advance of a "Glee" watching date at a friend's house in the Castro. I'd been to the opening night party for the new restaurant, but that was more of a cocktail party and I didn't really have a sense of what to expect on the menu. I do like the interior of the restaurant- it's small and modestly decorated but comfortable and not as tremendously loud as I had expected.
The menu is New Californian (which is a catchall to say it combines a few different cuisines including some American standards as well as some French and Italian touches). We wanted to try some different stuff, but had a hard time deciding. In the end, we picked a starter, a salad, and a couple entrees to share. We skipped the pizza because I DID have that at the opening party and it was mediocre.
As a starter, we got mini corn dogs. Because how can you not order corndogs when they're on the menu at a nice restaurant? There were definitely mini, although yummy- looked to be brats (or another white sausage) in tasty batter. A little steep $-wise at 6.50 for 4 of the little bite size guys, but tasty.
Our salad was good if not a little overdressed- butter lettuce with white nectarines and a shaved cheese of some sort. My dining partner thought the nectarines weren't ripe enough and I'm inclined to agree.
There were a number of entrees we were interested in, but we ended up trying the Porchetta and the half rotisserie chicken. We both really enjoyed the chicken- it was brined so quite juicy and delicious. It was served on a bed of some kind of bitter greens which (we both thought) were too bitter. But chicken was quite good. I'd order it again. (Note to self: look into brining a little more. Brined things always taste good.)
The Porchetta had good flavor and was served with yummy crunchy skin, but Julia found it too fatty for her taste and it was a bit unattractive sitting in a pile of grease. It was quite rich and while it was good I probably wouldn't order again.
We decided to order dessert because they sounded delicious. They also feature my bro's ice cream (Humphrey Slocombe!). We ordered the salted caramel Pot du Creme. Um. Delicious. I love me some salted caramel.
Would I go back to Starbelly? Possibly. It is one of the better options in the Castro (a neighborhood that is somehow bereft of decent places to eat despite a population that loves to dine out). That said, I also noticed a few new spots in the Castro that weren't around last time I lived near there, so perhaps I'm due to check some of em out!
The menu is New Californian (which is a catchall to say it combines a few different cuisines including some American standards as well as some French and Italian touches). We wanted to try some different stuff, but had a hard time deciding. In the end, we picked a starter, a salad, and a couple entrees to share. We skipped the pizza because I DID have that at the opening party and it was mediocre.
As a starter, we got mini corn dogs. Because how can you not order corndogs when they're on the menu at a nice restaurant? There were definitely mini, although yummy- looked to be brats (or another white sausage) in tasty batter. A little steep $-wise at 6.50 for 4 of the little bite size guys, but tasty.
Our salad was good if not a little overdressed- butter lettuce with white nectarines and a shaved cheese of some sort. My dining partner thought the nectarines weren't ripe enough and I'm inclined to agree.
There were a number of entrees we were interested in, but we ended up trying the Porchetta and the half rotisserie chicken. We both really enjoyed the chicken- it was brined so quite juicy and delicious. It was served on a bed of some kind of bitter greens which (we both thought) were too bitter. But chicken was quite good. I'd order it again. (Note to self: look into brining a little more. Brined things always taste good.)
The Porchetta had good flavor and was served with yummy crunchy skin, but Julia found it too fatty for her taste and it was a bit unattractive sitting in a pile of grease. It was quite rich and while it was good I probably wouldn't order again.
We decided to order dessert because they sounded delicious. They also feature my bro's ice cream (Humphrey Slocombe!). We ordered the salted caramel Pot du Creme. Um. Delicious. I love me some salted caramel.
Would I go back to Starbelly? Possibly. It is one of the better options in the Castro (a neighborhood that is somehow bereft of decent places to eat despite a population that loves to dine out). That said, I also noticed a few new spots in the Castro that weren't around last time I lived near there, so perhaps I'm due to check some of em out!
Monday, September 28, 2009
San Tung part deux
Went to San Tung last night with a couple friends and had the luxury of trying a couple dishes that I don't usually order.
We got a peanut noodle chicken with prawns and scallops. It came out looking like a bowl of brown yuck. Turned out the noodles were buried underneath the sauce. That said, it tasted pretty good, although I would have liked the peanut sauce a little spicier.
We also had Garlic Chicken, which I really enjoyed- quite garlicky in a good way. Also had nice combination of textures by adding in some harder veggies like water chestnuts, etc.
Of course, we also ordered the crack chicken (Dry Fried Diced) and this time it certainly lived up to its crack-y goodness. So much so, that Julia scarfed the (meager) leftovers that I brought home despite the fact that it was after 10pm and she'd already eaten. That good. Or that addictive. Either way.
We got a peanut noodle chicken with prawns and scallops. It came out looking like a bowl of brown yuck. Turned out the noodles were buried underneath the sauce. That said, it tasted pretty good, although I would have liked the peanut sauce a little spicier.
We also had Garlic Chicken, which I really enjoyed- quite garlicky in a good way. Also had nice combination of textures by adding in some harder veggies like water chestnuts, etc.
Of course, we also ordered the crack chicken (Dry Fried Diced) and this time it certainly lived up to its crack-y goodness. So much so, that Julia scarfed the (meager) leftovers that I brought home despite the fact that it was after 10pm and she'd already eaten. That good. Or that addictive. Either way.
A Song of Ice and Fire
I think this may be my first post on here about a book. Which might imply that I don't read much. That implication would not be entirely true, nor would it be entirely false. What is true, is that when I'm enjoying a book, I rip through it. I think I recently proved to myself a fact that I've probably known for a very long time- I really enjoy reading fantasy novels. A good fantasy has me searching for time to read between other life events, waking up a bit earlier to read a chapter before work, lunching alone with my book...
After hearing some recommendations about George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, as well as learning that HBO plans to make a miniseries of the novels, I decided I should give them a shot. I read the first installment, "A Game of Thrones," in about a week. Maybe less. All 800+ pages of it. I'm already halfway through the second novel, "A Clash of Kings" and I've only had it for a few days.
Martin's series is a bit lighter on the magic side (at least so far) and heavier on machinations of humans vying for power. Martin piles intrigue upon intrigue and I could see some people having a hard time keeping track of who's who and what the various allegiances are. The other thing Martin seems to have mastered is the unexpected. These aren't your formulaic fantasy with clear protagonists and heroes. Characters that you expect to succeed fail, sometimes even die. Characters you cheer one moment turn out to be evil the next. In short, Martin seems to have a solid understanding of humankind and what the struggle for power does to people. Which leads to some awesomely entertaining reading.
After hearing some recommendations about George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, as well as learning that HBO plans to make a miniseries of the novels, I decided I should give them a shot. I read the first installment, "A Game of Thrones," in about a week. Maybe less. All 800+ pages of it. I'm already halfway through the second novel, "A Clash of Kings" and I've only had it for a few days.
Martin's series is a bit lighter on the magic side (at least so far) and heavier on machinations of humans vying for power. Martin piles intrigue upon intrigue and I could see some people having a hard time keeping track of who's who and what the various allegiances are. The other thing Martin seems to have mastered is the unexpected. These aren't your formulaic fantasy with clear protagonists and heroes. Characters that you expect to succeed fail, sometimes even die. Characters you cheer one moment turn out to be evil the next. In short, Martin seems to have a solid understanding of humankind and what the struggle for power does to people. Which leads to some awesomely entertaining reading.
I'm Back
I've decided I had no right to stop writing these brief pieces, not when I actually have time on my hands. So I'm back. Until I stop again, at least. Woot.
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