Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Banana Curry

In the hopes of not completely succumbing to my lull in medical school news, I have decided to share some of my budget-conscious cooking. You'll notice I haven't posted in a while. Though partially due to laziness, I also just haven't been eating out. With the exception being my once-a-week trips to either Gold Medal or Pho Ao Sen, neither of which really count. But, I've decided that just because we are saving money doesn't mean we can't eat delicious food. Stepping away from some of my stand-bys, I'll share new recipes that I find to work well and are easy to do in a reasonable amount of time.

One of my new favorite recipes is taken from www.yorkshireatheart.com. It's a Thai-style curry that I've found works really well over Chinese rice, and can be done on a tiny budget. It also freezes well. I'm including the recipe itself along with any changes I made.

1 onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, crushed (I preferred grating it)
2.5 cm (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, finely grated
1⁄2tsp fenugreek seeds
1 stick lemongrass, finely chopped (Mince this, otherwise it will be too crunchy, or leave it in big pieces that you can pull out in the end)
4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1⁄2 tsp turmeric
350g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut in large cubes (about 1 1/4 C, 1in. by 1in. increases cooking time!)
300g sweet potato, peeled and cut in large cubes (about 1 C, 1in. by 1in. increases cooking time!)
300ml vegetable stock (chicken stock also is okay)
300ml coconut milk
2 bananas, peeled and sliced thinly
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion, garlic, ginger and fenugreek over a low heat for about 5 minutes until the onion is softened. Stir in the lemongrass, curry paste and turmeric. Add the pumpkin and sweet potato and stir to coat them in the spices. Leave to cook over a low heat for 2-3 minutes to allow the vegetables to absorb the flavors of the spices. Pour in the vegetable stock and coconut milk. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Season, remove from the heat and add the diced bananas.

The first mistake I made was doubling the recipe. I tend to double recipes when cooking for David and me because we pack leftovers, but good lord do we still have a lot of curry. Both of us had it for lunch and dinner today, and freezer-packed at least 8 more meals worth. Also, I'd recommend not picking your squash/pumpkin based on what the name sounds like. Whatever you do, pick the one that looks easiest to peel. I ended up going with a Gold Nugget Squash and Carnival Squash, both of which took me a good hour to finish peeling (one was roasted in a different recipe). Instead of using sweet potatoes, I went for the cheaper Garnet Yams. Though not as moist in texture as my favorite Beauregard Yams, they actually contrasted much more nicely with the banana and squash.

I also ended up using chicken broth (thanks to buying an entire flat at Costco), which didn't seem to compromise the recipe at all, and cooking the curry for about 45 minutes, not 20. I'm not sure what she means by large chunks, but for me, my 1x1 inch cubes took forEVER to cook.

And now for the numbers (costs don't include staples and are for the doubled recipe)...

2 onions, $1.00
2 sticks lemongrass, $0.15
8 tbsp Thai red curry paste $2.13
1 small Gold Nugget Squash, $1.22
3 small Garnet Yams, $0.69
2 cans coconut milk, $2.10
3 bananas, $0.35

Total: $7.64, plus $4 for staples = $11.64 for 12 servings

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Biryani House, Berkeley

This is hands-down my favorite Indian/Pakistani restaurant in the area. Not only is the food very cheap ($6 entrees) and filling, but it's flavorful and delicious. I had walked by this restaurant a bunch on my way to MCAT class and one day finally ventured in when I grew sick of eating sandwiches.

I was not disappointed. Biryani House is cheaper than House of Curries, and my Chicken Vindaloo was much more tender (cooked on the bone) and flavorful yet spicy rather than simply spicy. I noticed that the sauces at Biryani House also lack that kind of fake neon-yellow hue that some of the dishes at House of Curry contain, which led me to believe that the food's healthier and maybe (?) more authentic. Who knows though, I still don't know a thing about Indian food except what I think tastes good. And this certainly does.

On subsequent visits, I have tried the eggplant curry, Tikka Masala (for those of us with inauthentic palates), the samosas and the Tandoori Chicken. My tandoori chicken was so flavorful and tender. The eggplant curry was also spicy and delicious, and the naan is really fluffy yet chewy. Despite the soundtrack skipping/playing the exact same song over and over again, I started studying at Biryani House just so I could eat the food more often.

Biryani House is located at 2011 Shattuck Avenue at University in Berkeley.
They are open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and until 10:30 Friday through Sunday.

Currylicious, Oakland

I really wanted to like Currylicious. They're cheaper than going across the street to the grossly overpriced Khana Peena; and considering I know very little about Indian food, I figured I'd probably like Currylicious just as much as any other of the Indian places I've reviewed.

Not. So. Much.

Maybe my standards for Indian food have improved. I ordered the Chicken Vindaloo and Baigan Bharta (eggplant) with plain naan. It was nice that I was able to tell them how spicy I wanted the food (though on what scale?), but the flavors overall were lacking.

The Baigan Bharta, while visually appealing, had no spice whatsoever, and was very bland. I ordered the Chicken Vindaloo spicy, but it was not even remotely so. In addition, despite being cooked on the bone, the chicken was dry. The consistency of the sauce was a bit off as well. It was very runny and greasy, tasting mostly of tomato water and oil, so not even really worth trying to sop up with naan.

I couldn't believe I found myself missing the fake neon-yellow hue of the Chicken Vindaloo at House of Curries. At least theirs is delicious and in the exact same price range for more food. I could believe that I was missing the absolute perfection of everything served at Biryani House (also the exact same price range). Sadly even the naan was disappointing at Currylicious. It was fluffy but very greasy. Though the parking is terrible in downtown Berkeley, the next time I have a craving for Indian/Pakistani food I'm making my way to Biryani House. Every time.

Currylicious is located at 5299 College Avenue in Oakland.
They are open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 02, 2009

Cafe 15 (Part II), Oakland

I'm having a love affair with Downtown Oakland and Cafe 15 is what started it. This is my new favorite lunch spot--so much so that I've gone back 3 times in the past 4 days and still want to go back again tomorrow.

Every time the food has been consistently fresh, tasty, creative, affordable, and filling. I'm usually hesitant to give out rave reviews to any restaurant, so it's the service that truly puts Cafe 15 over the top. Everyone who works there is so nice despite how crowded it gets, and they seem to truly appreciate their customers.

So far the best things on the menu in my opinion are the oyster po' boy and the rustic potato hash with eggs. The spicy pulled pork sandwich with a green tangy salsa served with a fresh slaw and Cafe 15 burger (with mixed in bacon and onions!), though, are also delicious, as is the fried chicken sandwich. The fried chicken sandwich is *different* from Bette's, so I'm not even going to compare them.

I'm always too full to order dessert, but today I was offered a free sample of their chocolate eclairs. I'll make room for dessert tomorrow.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Cafe 15, Oakland

Wow, what a find!

I haven't been so excited about a new restaurant in a while. Cafe 15 is a super cute little spot behind the courthouse in downtown Oakland. There is very limited seating but the space is cozy and gets plenty of sunlight. Despite it being crowded, we were immediately greeted by the woman at the register who was happy to chat and answer any questions we had. She also offered us a frequent buyer card. They give you a stamp for every $5 you spend, and after 15 stamps you get a free meal.

In addition to a very tempting menu (think Bakesale Betty type food with a lot more options--yes, I just made that comparison), there are a bunch of daily specials written on the board. I went with the blood orange lemonade and the oyster po' boy with cabbage slaw. My friend had the eggs and potato/fennel sausage hash with toast. While the lemonade was a little too tart for our taste, the food was spectacular.

The potatoes in the hash were soft and perfectly cooked. The fennel sausage was flavorful and melded everything together into a filling, delicious meal. My oyster po-boy had three gigantic fried oysters on a soft, buttery roll and came with a crunchy, fresh cabbage slaw.

It's obvious that the people at Cafe 15 truly care about the food they are serving. The service is impeccable, and when you dine in the cooks will actually bring you your food. I loved everything about my dining experience here and cannot wait to go back.

Cafe 15 is located at 597 15th Street in Downtown Oakland, between Clay and Jefferson.

They are open Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Brown Sugar Kitchen, Oakland

Have you ever gotten to a restaurant and instantly loved it the second you entered? That's what happened to Greg and me when we got to Brown Sugar Kitchen. The space is friendly, gets plenty of light, and has a very sleek yet homey decor. While I do feel like ultimately the service can be improved upon, I was overall very happy with my experience and cannot wait to go back to try more of the delicious California-inspired Soul Food menu.

We started with coffee and a sticky bun, which was not my favorite, though it made waiting for the main attractions a little easier. Maybe I just have a misconception as to how sticky buns should be but I keep imagining and getting excited for a soft, chewy, sweet pastry and am constantly disappointed (this time was no different) when it's dry and crunchy.

Our main dishes, however, were phenomenal. I had the cheesy grits with poached eggs and a side of bacon. The grits were deliciously creamy, very nicely seasoned, and my poached eggs were cooked perfectly. Greg's egg tart was stuffed with fresh asparagus and a wonderful mix of flavorful cheeses; the accompanying potatoes were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and had great flavor.

My only negative was the service. I don't mind slow service, because all of the dishes are made to order, but I thought that the waitstaff was rather inattentive. They were friendly when we could wave them over, but it was difficult to track down the hostess to get our names on the wait list, and our server never checked in with us during our meal except to bring the check. Just a lesson, don't stand in between two pre-health students and a refill on their morning coffee.

When it comes down to it, though, the blips in service were completely overshadowed by the food. Both Greg and I were very impressed and already have plans to go back.

Brown Sugar Kitchen is located at 2534 Mandela Parkway (yes, you read that correctly, it's in the middle of a bunch of warehouses behind the Home Depot strip mall in Emeryville), between 26th Street and Campbell Street.

They are open Tuesday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m, Friday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Sundays 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Website: www.brownsugarkitchen.com

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Bi-Rite Creamery, San Francisco

I'd had a gift card for Bi-Rite burning a hole in my pocket since our WCC volunteer appreciation party last year. Being an East Bay kid brought up on Fenton's I had yet to experience what San Francisco had to offer ice cream wise. Bi-Rite did not disappoint.

Despite the long line, the service was impeccable. The employees were completely focused on helping me with my order instead of just rushing me out the door to get to the next. They also use metal spoons for tasting, which I really appreciated--go green! Before making my decision, I tried the honey lavender and coffee toffee. The honey lavender tasted exactly as it sounds, and I think I'm just not that into lavender. Coffee toffee was good, but the salted caramel rocked my world.

I ended up getting a banana split with salted caramel ice cream. Loved it! It came with fresh whipped cream, toasted walnuts, hot fudge and caramelized-to-order bananas. The ice cream was so good though that the sundae wasn't totally necessary. Though their hot fudge has nothing on Fenton's, the ice cream at Bi-Rite hit a home run.

A few other interesting things on their menu that I'd like to try are the toasted banana flavor, and the sundae with olive oil and sea salt (what?!).

Bi-Rite Creamery is located at 3692 18th Street in San Francisco (close to the 16th/Mission BART Station).
They are open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m, Friday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Website: www.biritecreamery.com

Friday, March 13, 2009

International House Cafe, Berkeley

In addition to being a crazed foodie, I on occasion do my fair share of schoolwork/studying. The plan is to incorporate some cafe reviews into my food blog as well. While most of the places I recommend will not have stellar food, I'm basing my final judgment on these places on a study-friendly scale. But, staying true to my blog the food will be evaluated too. Hopefully this will be useful to all four of my readers. Here it goes...

Internet: Yes, with a UC Berkeley log-in.
Prices: Moderate for the quality.
Noise/Music: Loud, usually playing 94.9 FM.
Parking: 2-hour street parking or UC Berkeley lots.

I'm really not.that.cool. Yet I've known the words to every single from Rihanna, Chris Brown, Akon, Lady Gaga, Usher, and Kanye that has come out in the past year, all thanks to the I-House Cafe.

There's something soothing about listening to hip-hop in a loud room where tree-sitters bathed, international students drink beer, the creepy guy gives you dirty looks for taking "his" table, and the smelly chess corner gets overly animated. Plus, taking a study break to look up and see my friend Greg (photo of Greg's ipod here: http://george.hotelling.net/90percent/pics/npr_podcast.png) awkwardly bouncing his head to rap never gets old.

The coffee's terrible and the food mostly comes out of a microwave, but the nachos are a huge guilty pleasure of mine, and the lasagne isn't half bad if they re-heat it all the way through. I also really like the Italian Salad (topped with artichoke hearts, olives, tomato, red bell pepper, garbanzo beans, and mozzarella that I substitute with chicken). Skip the pastries (they're never as good as they look) and any espresso drinks. Also, skip the pasta salads. They always have a weird acidic taste that I can't quite put my finger on. That said, over all if you know what to order and appreciate a place that stays open late, this is one of my favorite study venues.

I'll keep studying here until the university realizes I've stolen my sister's wireless password.

Santa Ramen, San Mateo

On a quest to do Michael Bauer's job for him, Scott and I drove down to San Mateo to check out Santa Ramen, which was the most highly recommended ramen joint from the sfgate.com reader comments. It being a Saturday morning, the traffic wasn't bad at all, and we were ready to eat--Santa sweater and all:


As we walked in, we noticed that there were in fact tons of actual Japanese people patronizing the place, and we were immediately hit with the delicious, salty/meaty smell that can only come from a fresh bowl of ramen. Service? Not so much. After walking inside, we stood awkwardly at the door for about five minutes and were just stared at by the waitstaff. Eventually, we just walked in and sat at the bar. Whatever, I could care less about service if the food's off the hook. It was.

One of my favorite things about Japan was that the restaurants would specialize at certain dishes instead of trying to encompass every aspect of the cuisine. Santa Ramen does just that. They only serve ramen, and they do it well. The menu:

Santa Ramen had me at "not vegetarian." Considering my utter lack of love for vegetarians, I was already sold on the place before trying anything. The menu is set up so you have a choice between three different broths, and then can add toppings. I chose the traditional pork broth made spicy and since they were already out of the highly recommended miso broth, Scott got the soy sauce flavor made spicy.

Then we went to town with toppings. I got green onions, roasted pork, kikurage mushrooms, fried garlic, bean sprouts, and bamboo shoots:

Scott got green onions, bamboo shoots, roasted seaweed, roasted pork, cod roe, "special" stewed pork and kimchee on the side:

O Chame can really take a lesson on pork making from Santa Ramen. Both the roast pork and stewed pork were delicious. My roast pork was juicy, flavorful, and had the perfect amount of fat on it. But the stewed pork on Scott's was out of this world. If I hadn't been so full from everything else I would have ordered just a piece of the special pork on the side. It's made with a somewhat sweet marinade and is tender beyond belief.

The pork broth was just what I remembered from Japan. This is the only place where I'd say that something salty, white, and murky could be delicious. The only way to get a broth that opaque is to boil pork bones until they no longer exist. Scott's soy sauce broth was decent too, but it reminded me more of the broth that you get from packaged ramen. A great salty wonder (though not as oily), but not as fulfilling. My noodles didn't quite have the bite I was hoping for but it could be because I spent so much time ogling Scott's pork that they got soggy. The flavor, however, was there.

As for the toppings, order however you want but I'll give my take. Especially because they can add up and get pretty expensive. Definitely get the stewed pork if you didn't pick up on my recommendation earlier, and if you like spice, it's worth the $1.50 to make the broth spicy. I'd pass on the fried garlic next time. Though it sounds amazing, I think the overall flavor of the soup was compromised because the garlic was so pungent. You also can't really go wrong with bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and green onion. Santa Ramen should leave the kimchee making up to the Koreans, though. Not worth it. I could give or take the cod roe. I did discover that I just hate cooked cod roe that is still in its sac (see Japan sushi entry) because I was a fan of the roe Scott had. However, next time I go to Santa Ramen (yes, there will be another time), I probably won't order the roe with everything else on the menu.

This is the first in what I hope to be an ongoing series on finding the best Japanese noodles in the Bay. Please weigh in on any other recommendations or opinions!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Updates!

My goal to stay sane while studying for the MCAT is to update this blog once a week, no more, no less.

You'll notice I made it a little easier to navigate. On the right hand side I've grouped entries based on cuisine and meal types. You can also subscribe or follow the blog (and make me very happy) by showing your love and commenting or becoming a "fan."

Any suggestions for how to make this site more accessible will actually be considered.

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Tamarindo Antojeria, Oakland

While usually boasting about my own food writing skills, I do believe that Carol Ness wrote everything I ever wanted to say about Tamarindo. We'll call this review an "update" that just happens to echo every single one of her sentiments. I was so stoked to eat at Tamarindo Antojeria. It's been touted as the big rival to Dona Tomas' stronghold on upscale Mexican cuisine in the Bay Area, but I rate it with a big 'ol MEH.

The service was friendly, and the restaurant is cute but the food was very disappointing. As I look over the menu now, I realize that we weren't even offered whatever the special dinner/large plate was that night (the menu is mostly small plates), which is frustrating because some of the descriptions of the bigger plates sound like they could bump Tamarindo up a star. The service did do a great job of pacing the courses and not overloading our tiny bar table, but that's about where the fun ended.

We started with the Queso Fundido, Tamal Oaxaqueño, and Empanadas de Hongos Y Queso. The Queso Fundido ($10) sounded oily, gooey and delicious but only succeeded in acheiving my first two adjectives. It was a bowl of melted cheese with a few tiny pieces of chorizo served with tortillas. It needed a lot more meat, texture, and flavor. Maybe a veg to garnish or if it had been served with chips we'd have liked it a lot more. The tamales ($7) were incredibly dry and disappointing. I covered mine in salsa which still didn't help the stringy, overcooked meat. The empanadas ($8) were decent; I like mushrooms, I like fried things, but I could get the same thing for half the price at Picante and for even cheaper at some place on International that I haven't been brave enough to try yet.

Next, we had the Sopes Surtidos, and Frijoles Charros. The Sopes Surtidos ($9) are crispy masa "boats" topped with meat and/or vegetables. The "boats" were very tasty little corn tart-like shells that had great texture and flavor. One was topped with roasted peppers and cheese, another with carnitas and red onion and the last with carne asada and potatoes. The beef one was very good--the meat was tender and flavorful, but again the pork was dry. While I hate to toot the horns of Picante or Tacubaya too much because I think they're overrated as well, the food's just as good and way cheaper at both. The pinto beans ($7) were served almost as if they were in a soup with bacon slices and jalapeno. The flavor was definitely there but the dish lacked texture, which we quickly remedied by dumping our leftover Queso Fundido into it. Delicioso.

For dessert, we tried the Crepa con Cajeta ($7), which was a crepe covered in caramel sauce, sprinkled with walnuts and garnished with a strawberry and vanilla ice cream. The vanilla ice cream was icy, creamy and delicious but I had major beef with the fact that they garnished it with a strawberry. It's March, people, strawberries are totally out of season. Why serve one even as a garnish when there are so many great seasonal alternatives? The crepe was not very good either. The caramel sauce tasted like the stuff you can buy at Safeway in the plastic tub and the walnuts weren't even toasted so they blended in with the chewiness of the crepe.

It's too bad, I really wanted to like Tamarindo but at this point I'm not even tempted to go back and try anything else on the menu. Plus, you can get most of the small plates on their menu at their sister restaurant, La Calle, for a fraction of the price.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Procrastinate Much?

I spend a lot of time surfing the interwebs. Sorry, Mom and Dad, but in-between studying my butt off and over-spending on eating out, I waste a ton of time. All is not lost; I feel as though I've been able to come up with a pretty reliable list of go-to's on the internet.

Bored? Tired of pressing reload and waiting for me to update my blog (all...three...of you...)? So I won't stress so much about posting new blogs all the time for my wide readership, I'm linking to some of my friends' sites that are getting up and running:

Erik is a science writer and has some fun articles posted on his new webpage: www.erikvance.com.

My friend Anna is getting her fictional blog up and running at: lezcity.blogspot.com.

Nnekay has a great thing going with her stories about being a librarian: www.nnekay.com.

Adventures in news photography written by the always hilarious Chris: photocalypse.blogspot.com.

The entertaining musings of a foodie dieter are posted by fellow Bourdain-lover Leanne at: mshappysteak.blogspot.com.


And of course, a few mainstays that aren't written by my friends that I think everyone should take a look at:

Dissing Food Network: www.foodnetworkhumor.com
Best of Craigslist: www.craigslist.org/about/best/all/
Passive Aggressive Notes: www.passiveaggressivenotes.com
Most Delicious/Worst Looking Food Ever: www.thisiswhyyourefat.com
My Favorite Comic Strip: www.nataliedee.com

Monday, March 02, 2009

Get it together, Michael Bauer!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=26&entry_id=36319

For those of you who didn't receive or read my overly enthusiastic email, my letter to Michael Bauer made it into the Chronicle the other day!

I'm currently on a search for authentic Japanese noodles. I want real ramen in a murky, white pork broth that's been simmered for days, served with chili oil, bamboo shoots and pork. I want fresh cold soba and cold udon served with hot, salty, concentrated broth to dip the noodles into.

I don't want the bland, dry pork tenderloin that's served over the non-house-made noodles from O Chame that come in a fusiony yet bland seafood broth. I want real Japanese comfort food.

When I first dissed O Chame some angry peruser wrote that I just have no taste in food and want something laced with MSG. I deleted it because like so many things in the world, this blog is NOT a democracy and I only post the comments I like. That said, I'll address their issue. Sure, I've been known to love many terrible restaurants that probably allow their meat to swim in MSG. But, I also know what good, flavorful, authentic broth can taste like without it. I want authentic Japanese noodle soup. O Chame doesn't cut it. While they do have some good qualities to their food, M. Bauer needs to stop referring to them as a noodle house.

I'm looking forward to trying some of the places that these readers suggested. Anyone out there aside from my family reading this? Got anything to weigh in on? I miiiiiiiight just publish your response.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Sidebar, Oakland

Margaret was a huge fan of Zax Tavern, so she was really excited to hear that Sidebar opened. Excited from all the rave reviews we ate dinner at Sidebar this evening.

I instantly liked the atmosphere, and the prominently displayed bar is going to be amazing when they get their hard liquor license. Our server was nice, didn't rush us, and was overly willing to make recommendations. Overall, though, I wasn't wowed.

We started with the grilled calamari salad with bacon vinaigrette ($9) and duck liver crostini ($7.50). While the duck liver crostini was fatty, rich, and delicious, the accompanying salad and calamari salad were overdressed. The squid, which was grilled, was undercooked and kind of slimy. I'm not sure we were given enough it also to justify the $9 price tag.

That said, I really appreciated the portion sizes and prices for the mains. While a fair amount smaller than the entrees at my "boyfriend's" (Wood Tavern), all mains at Sidebar are around $5-10 cheaper but still filling.

Margaret had the brined/grilled double cut pork chop ($17). While nicely cooked, the butchering wasn't superb and she got a bunch of funky bony bites. The cannelloni bean ragout was good but unevenly cooked and could have used some form of veg or color. My heavily recommended atlantic cod stew ($19) was very flavorful and my fish was cooked perfectly. The clams, however, weren't cleaned properly and I got a lot of grit. Overall that issue was trumped by the fact that I ate all of our bread just to mop up the delicious sauce.

For dessert, Margaret had the "Almond Joy" ($6.50) which is basically a fudge brownie with ice cream, caramel sauce and whipped cream. I had the angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream ($6.50). Both were very simple yet good, and my latte reminded me of how much I dearly miss having good coffee.

I had a good time here, I just think they need to work out some kinks, especially in the prep kitchen. I'm looking forward to going back in a few months to see what happens. While the menu was nicely sized, it seemed like it suffered from a little imagination. Sidebar has a ton of potential but I'm not sure it's quite there yet. Seeing as they just opened, I hope other people give it a try; I'm wishing this place the best.

Sidebar is located at 542 Grand Avenue in Oakland.
For reservations, call (510) 452-9500.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Los Cantaros Restaurant and Taqueria, Oakland

There are certain places that I patronize for just...one...thing. Los Cantaros is one of those places...Well maybe they're the place I go for just...two...things.

The free chips and salsa are really, really good here. I don't know what it is, but they always have the perfect amount of salt on them and the chips themselves are thick and crunchy without being too oily. The salsa is tangy and spicy, and so good that I could almost drink a bowl of it.

In order to get the chips, I learned that you have to buy something. It being a rainy week, I ordered the Caldo Tlalpeno ($5.50). It's a spicy chicken broth soup with vegetables and tons of chicken served with a lime and tortillas. I know, it doesn't sound like anything fancy but this soup is so addicting that I've gone back to get it three times in one week. Plus, it's incredibly filling (the bowl is HUGE), pretty healthy and very affordable. I leave stuffed every time, even when I go there after the gym.

Since I know my readership consists solely of family members I will mention that most of the meat they give you are giant chunks of tender dark meat. Did I win you over yet? The soup is so flavorful and satisfying--especially with the added depth from the lime juice, and has just the right amount of heat to bring a healthy pore-clearing sweat to your face.

I've had a burrito and the enchiladas from Los Cantaros as well, but I don't think I'll ever be able to go and not order the Caldo Tlalpeno. Oh, and their water is really good too because they put cucumbers and lemon in it. I always wait to fill up my water bottle until I get to the restaurant.

Los Cantaros is located at 336 Grand Avenue in Oakland.
They are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and until 10:00 p.m. on Fridays.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Cafe Panini, Berkeley

I'm instantly annoyed and judgmental about places that have the word "panini" in their menu or restaurant name because 99% of the time they're butchering the Italian language. It's an issue I'm not planning to come to terms with anytime soon. If you're going to use a word from another language, use it properly.

For the record, "panini" means sandwiches (yes, plural) in Italian. It doesn't necessarily mean "meat and cheese squished in a grill-mark toaster with bread" and to say "paninis" is just plain wrong. While we're at it, "bruschetta" is pronounced with a hard "c" sound, not "sh" (take that, Jamie Lauren from Top Chef). Rant aside, Cafe Panini manages to not butcher the language on their menu and has great food.

Who knew?! I always walked by this place but never thought to actually try it. Thank you Aimee for the suggestion!!

I got the special roast beef sandwich which was delicious. It came on a seeded baguette with roasted onions, tomato, lettuce, and a horseradish sauce. For a sandwich, it was a little pricey, but I thought worth it for the quality bread and meat. The roast beef was really juicy, hot, and cooked medium rare (which I LOVE).

Service was also very friendly. I was pretty decided on my sandwich but Aimee was having trouble deciding between the chickpea soup and a salmon salad sandwich. The cashier ended up recommending that she get the sandwich but gave us a small cup of soup to split so we could try it.

The soup wasn't our favorite (it needed some seasoning), but it was a really nice gesture, especially given the cold rainy weather. I imagine on a sunny day that this place is also a great study destination. A lot of the other things on the menu looked fabulous, so I'm very excited to go back.

Cafe Panini is tucked behind Jupiter in Berkeley at 2115 Allston Way at Shattuck.
Website: www.cafe-panini.net

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Suppenkuche, San Francisco

I learned the hard way to never make a bet with my man Mikey D. Yet I think paying him back by taking him to Suppenkuche ended up being pretty win-win.

On a cold drizzly SF night like we had the other day, Suppenkuche truly hit the spot with an ice cold beer, friendly service, and, in all its glory, the bread ball smothered in a rich, thick mushroom gravy. Since I don't want to gain 50 pounds I won't plan on next time just ordering three of these as my appetizer, main, and dessert, but I'll be tempted. God that thing was so good.

I don't know anything about beer except that I like what's cheap, so Mikey ordered for me. Fortunately what I lack in beer snobbery/knowledge Mike makes up for and then some. Whatever it was, it was crisp, somewhat light, and had a little spice to it. Very tasty.

I was also obsessed with the bread and butter. The butter they serve the bread with is smooth, whipped, salty, and seasoned. Despite only having four slices of bread we slopped up the entire butter crock.

For mains, I had the braised beef with cranberries and Mikey had the venison (sauteed in red wine plum sauce). I wasn't crazy thrilled with either, but they were both very good. The meat was super tender (I could pretty much cut it with a spoon) and seasoned to perfection. It *almost* made me crave some veg, but Mikey was thrilled: http://www.myspacebrand.com/funny_pictures/quote-images/_img/quoteimage28.gif

The dishes did come with gravy, spatzle and pickled red cabbage, though, which were delicious. I'm usually not one to leave meat behind, but when it came down to it I scarfed up as much as the spatzle as I could stomach and let Mikey eat about half of my meat.

From reading reviews, I think I'm going to go with chicken or pork next time--seems like those tend to be a bigger hit than the red meat at Suppenkuche. And I'm definitely getting a bread ball all to myself. Fatty alert!

Our dessert was an apple strudel with ice cream, which was also very tasty. Even Mike could barely finish it, which is an indication that I got my money's worth at this place. Trust me, if this guy was full (http://www.summitpost.org/image/470993/155422/ice-step.html), they did an amazing job.

My main complaint was probably the wait and the noise. For two, we had to wait 45 minutes to be seated. We ended up going down the street to Place Pigalle (really chill bar with a decent beer selection when they're not sold out) for a few beers before having dinner. Then, when we did get seated, we had to practically yell in each others' ears to have a conversation. Don't get intimidated by the crowd, and just don't try to have a romantic date here--the food is worth it!

Suppenkuche is located on the corner of Hayes and Laguna in San Francisco. They have valet, but it's a really quick walk from Civic Center BART for you East Bayers. No reservations for fewer than 6, so show up early, or show up ready to wait.

Bellanico, Oakland

I initially went here because one Scott's cook buddies works in the kitchen. Bellanico is a relatively new Italian restaurant that opened up in the up and coming part of Park Boulevard. I ended up rounding out a group of three cooks with my amateur food critic (or just professional eater) status. If shoveling food at record pace into one's mouth while discussing food and cussing up a storm means fitting in, I think I can hang hardcore with cooks. Hear that, Bourdain?

The menu here seemed to be kind of hit-and-miss. Reviewing just what I ordered, I'd give them four and a half stars out of five, but from tasting everyone else's food I'd give them three.

I started with the farro salad, which was really simple but fresh and delicious. It was served with fresh cherry tomatoes, cucumber, toasted pistachios and plenty of olive oil with lemon. The cheffies had minor issues with it just because it was so simple, but I'm a sucker for farro anytime, anywhere. Scott had the soft shell crab salad with watermelon, purslane and tomatoes that Carol Ness had been raving like mad about. We all didn't understand it. The crab wasn't as crispy as it should have been, and it seriously lacked seasoning. His buddies split the salumi plate (decent but nothing to write home about) and cicchetti (another dish Ness was freaking out about). For those of you who don't know, cicchetti are little fried meat balls; these were served with a basil and walnut pesto. Meh. They were kind of dry and too grainy.

For mains, I had the pork chop served with chard stems marinated in vinegar. The pork chop was massive and beyond perfectly cooked, down to the grill marks and tender juiciness on the inside. Definitely one of the best pork chops I've ever had, and I loved the chard stems. The other dishes were not so memorable. So unmemorable that since it's been a while that we went I only remember what one other person got. The tagliolini pepati with fresh jalapenos, bacon, and tomatoes was only so-so. The flavors didn't seem to meld as much as I'd hoped. The fresh pasta was very tasty, though. It had a great bite to it and was obviously made that day.

My favorite part aside from the pork chop was the dessert. I had an almond pound cake with fresh peaches and whipped cream. I actually still dream about eating this cake--it was really moist on the inside and crunchy on the crust.

All in all, if you order like me this place is solid, especially for the price. Considering where Scotty and I have been eating recently, this place cost easily about half of what we've been paying at Wood Tavern, Corso (forget this place!), and Camino. They deserve a lot of points for service, too. Our waitress was beyond cool and amazingly tolerant of our raucous table.

I'm going to go back at some point later on when I'm not studying to see if the consistency has improved over the past few months. Update to follow!

Bellanico is located at 4238 Park Boulevard in Oakland. Reservations can be made by calling (510) 336-1180. They also have a website: www.bellanico.net.

Round Table Pizza, Oakland

Sorry, foodie fans, but I'm back in school! Yep, that means my standards for food just got tossed out the window. Actually, I kid. I really like Round Table. Sorry if you just lost all respect for me after reading the last few sentences but I really suggest you give it a try sometime. It's a lot better than most locally owned pizza places I've been to recently, especially if you order correctly. They also deliver to my house, have quick service, and I'm more than satisfied every time.

Humor me by reading my (what I think) is a slightly entertaining story about how I came to love Round Table Pizza so much...

I remember the first time I ever tried Round Table Pizza. On December 17, 2004, I was a Junior at Cal and procrastinating by surfing the internet (pre-food blogging days, obviously) instead of reading Moby Dick for the 8th time. Bored, I went to one of my usual interweb playgrounds, http://ESPN.com and came upon the blasphemous news that Billy Beane had traded my husband (what?), Tim Hudson, to Atlanta.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I compensated for my devastating loss by eating everything in sight. My dear 90-pound roommate Mia had ordered an 8-slice Italian Garlic Supreme and left it sitting out earlier that day after only eating only two dainty slices. Peering into the hallway to see if she was around and would notice, I cut a half slice for myself and quietly chewed. I'd never really had chain-restaurant pizza while growing up, so I was amazed to find that the toppings were actually fresh and that the pizza was truly tasty.

The garlic cream sauce was nice and potent, and the crust had that perfect balance between chewy and crunchy. That tiny half-slice turned into a whole slice as I tried to fill the void in my heart.

Next thing I knew I had eaten the entire pizza. So embarrassing, right? Well it gets worse. I got a call from Mia saying that she and her boyfriend were coming back to our apartment soon. I panicked. Not only is eating an entire pizza embarrassing in general, but to have it not be my pizza to begin with and to have eaten it over a baseball player being traded moves past the point of mortification.

I ended up ordering a new pizza, hiding two slices, and pretending like nothing had happened. No joke.

I'm not one to usually advocate for chains, but the Italian Garlic Supreme really is delicious. The delivery guy at the location on Grand Avenue is also adorably awkward. I expect we'll be seeing a lot of each other this semester as comfort food is definitely in order whilst MCAT studying (Hey Paw Paw, did you read that?! COMFORT FOOD.).

Round Tables are everywhere, just look 'em up online: http://www.roundtablepizza.com.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Camino, Oakland

Wow. To begin with, Camino has one of the most beautiful kitchens I've ever seen. The gorgeous wood burning oven is open to the entire dining room, and they hang herbs from all of the chandeliers so there is always a really nice aroma floating around.

There have been a few complaints that the menu is too limited, but I think it's perfect. There's just enough to cover most palates, yet still just a few dishes so each can be perfected and be comprised of the freshest, most seasonal ingredients.

Cocktails were nothing to write home about (bitters overload!); then again Scotty and I are coming off dinner at Flora. But everything else? Wow.

We started with the crab toast and frisee salad with goose confit/persimmons. The toast was covered in a lump crab meat salad that put Flora's to shame. It was obvious that the crab was fresh and picked from a crab that day because it was so sweet and tender. No canned crab here! The goose confit had great flavor, and melded really well with the bitterness of the frisee and sweet, crunchy persimmons. The salad was also put together nicely...the frisee was already cut into manageable bites and everything was dressed perfectly.

Next we had the wood oven-roasted black trumpet and hedgehog mushrooms with leeks and garlic toast. I loved everything about this course. The broth was delectable, the toast crunchy and chewy, and the mushrooms were packed with flavor.

For mains, we split the grilled rockfish with tepary beans/wild nettles (pea sprouts)/chiles/saffron broth and the grilled/braised pork with sauerkraut, potatoes and mustard. I made the mistake of digging into the pork first. Everything about it was wonderful. The meat practically fell apart on my fork it was so tender and juicy. The potatoes were soft and perfectly cooked (lightly pan fried), and the sauerkraut added a great punch to the flavors. One thing that this kitchen seems to have mastered is seasoning the food. Everything is really nicely salted, almost to the brink of saltiness but never goes overboard. I couldn't stop eating it.

Unfortunately, the strong flavors from the pork made it hard for me to love the fish as much as Scott did. Everything in the fish dish was so delicate that no matter how many swigs of my wine I took, I just didn't get it. I can say though that the fish was really nicely cooked--it flaked apart and practically melted in my mouth. Just take Scott's word for it that the fish was awesome.

Dessert was also impeccable. Scotty couldn't stop eating the persimmon pudding with fresh whip, which is a true accomplishment because he is never a dessert person. It was nicely spiced without being too sweet, and had a rich, thick texture. My favorite dessert was the penko covered ricotta that was then deep fried and drizzled with honey. I don't even really like cheese that much, but these were little bites of heaven. The outside had a really great crunch to it, and the inside was sweet, almost molten ricotta.

Our server was friendly, prompt, and seemed to know a lot about the dishes, which we appreciated. The only thing I'd nitpick about is that the long benches that run down the center of the restaurant are slanted in a way that make it a little uncomfortable to eat. The grand total was also a little higher than I'm used to (about $35 higher than at Wood Tavern, Flora and Corso but maybe we were ultra fattys last night). But, I was distracted from the discomfort pretty quickly due to my amazement at the bathroom hand dryers (no seriously, they are awesome!), and an Elizabeth Falkner sighting that left me pretty star-struck!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Sunnyside Cafe, Albany

I really didn't understand the hype of this place for the longest time. A friend of mine convinced me to go a few times and it was always 2-3 stars. Until I had the Alameda. Gawd that thing is good.

I don't know who thought to make a savory french toast with a balsamic reduction but whoever did deserves a special place in foodie heaven. Sandwiched between two gigantic slices of french toast is some thinly sliced ham, portabello mushroom, and tomato. It's then topped with two sunnyside-up eggs, hollandaise and a balsamic reduction. Every bite is a delight for my mouth.

Everything else on the menu is pretty underwhelming. I have sometimes gotten swayed by the specials and the fancy mimosas but they've never been worth it.

The Sunnyside Cafe is located at 1499 Solano Avenue in Albany.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Yume, Alameda

If you are the type who enjoys ordering California Rolls, etc., please read no further and go down the street to Sushi House.

When I was in Japan, my dad's buddy took me out to eat at every fancy pantsy foodie place in Tokyo that we could fit into our schedule. This whirlwind tour included trips for teppanyaki, yakitori, soba with eel tempura, and of course sushi. Since that trip, I'd been unable to eat octopus or eel in the US because I learned in Japan what it's really supposed to taste like.

At Yume, it tastes like my vacation. The unagi truly melts in your mouth and doesn't have the sticky gross consistency of that stuff from the bottle that they use at even the high-end restaurants around here.

My friend Nnekay is right, though, Yume is a terrifying place to eat. But, I've found that it's not too bad if you just accept that you're joining a cult and follow the rules. It's worth it.

A few tips:
-Arrive early, with no more than one other person in tow
-Allow him to order for you; you won't regret it!
-Make sure you're facing his wife when you speak to her, and speak clearly (she's hearing impaired, not rude)
-Don't use soy sauce...The fish is so fresh that it should be eaten unadulterated.

And if anyone knows of a place where you can get REAL soba I will gladly trade that information for my soul.

Yume is located at 1428 Park Street in Alameda (above Three Wishes gift shop).

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Flora, Oakland

"You're scared you're going to cheat on your boyfriend and love it, aren't you?" --Scotty

I came close to loving Flora and ditching my BF Wood Tavern but unfortunately the entrees fell way short. Aside from the entrees, though, eating at Flora was one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in a while.

The cocktails, as everyone has said, are great. There's an extensive menu with lots of classics and new drinks, all of which are delicious. Scotty's a huge fan of the Trailer Smash but I preferred the Salt and Pepper (gin, fresh grapefruit juice, black salted rim). Service, also, was fabulous--friendly, prompt, and helpful. Plus, how can I find any fault in a bartender wearing suspenders? The suspenders go along with the very cool Art-Deco facade and homage to classic Americana vibe.

Scott had the crab salad over arugula to start and I had seared scallops over braised oxtail and risotto. The crab salad had a nice big portion of crab and was very tasty. My scallops were perfectly cooked and the flavors melded nicely. It was one of my favorite dishes of the evening.

The entrees were a different story. Scott had the chicken pot pie with seasonal lettuce. Sorry Flora, but even Marie Calendars makes a flakey bottom crust. The sauce was decent, but the chicken was dry and the crust didn't have enough butter to make fatty happy. The salad was also very unappealing. The lettuce was gorgeous but the dressing was underwhelming and relied too much on the parm grated on top.

I had the steak with kale, potatoes gratin, house made Worcestershire Sauce and horseradish cream. For $30, my steak was way too small (only about 3/4 of an inch thick!) and not properly cooked. I ordered medium rare but half of it was well-done, the other half was medium. Also the house made Worcestershire Sauce tasted like...the stuff from the bottle. Awesome. The potatoes were good, so was the kale, but nothing to really rave about.

Flora's saving grace (I was really unhappy with my steak) was the dessert. Unfortunately for me, Flora is located within a block of my new gym. I already know that I'll be canceling out every single work out with one of their caramel pudding desserts. It's basically a caramel creme brulee but instead of burnt sugar on top there is a thin layer of sea salt, topped with fresh whipped cream. Definitely one of my top five desserts of all time.

Overall, the menu seemed to lack some focus, but I'm definitely going back, and will most likely skip the entrees.

Flora is located at 1900 Telegraph Avenue at 19th Street in Oakland. Reservations can be made by calling (510) 286-0100.

They don't have a website, so here's a link to their Yelp! page: www.yelp.com/biz/flora-oakland

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Water Lounge and Raw Bar, Oakland

Margaret and I went here for a drink before our table at Wood Tavern was ready. I mostly wanted to scout out the place after Scotty stopped working there. Trust me, you don't need to see this place for yourself.

It was totally overpriced, had stingy pours, and unfriendly service. The food we did have wasn't fresh and had no depth of flavor. The ceviche was rubbery and needed salt. It was obvious it had been sitting around for a while because the avocados had all oxidized.

Plus, we've all heard that the owner is super shady. I'm not going back.

Care to spite me? Water Lounge is located at 5634 College Avenue in Oakland.

Wood Tavern, Oakland

I think the only people who read this are family members but I'm going to tell you for the thousandth time: GO HERE! It's the best restaurant EVER!

This is by far the best restaurant in the East Bay, and it's my favorite restaurant of all time. Real talk. Every time I have gone, the service has been friendly, helpful, and attentive. They pace the courses properly, don't rush the patrons, and the bartender gives generous pours. I can highly recommend any of the cocktails on the menu (they change daily but are always delicious and strong).

The food is always perfectly prepared (I can't stress enough how much I care about properly cooked meat), flavorful, and has lots of depth. Despite the fact that I don't have a paycheck I continue to come back for more. My personal favorites on the menu:

-Butcher Block Sampler: Acme toast with a variety of terrines or smoked meats; the chicken liver pate is to die for, as is the prosciutto-wrapped beer-infused pork terrine.
-Roasted Balsamic Beef Marrow: "meat butter" --Scotty
-Tuna and Fennel Salad with Lemon: refreshing, tasty, with the perfect amount of acid
-Roasted Pork Belly Salad: crispy, melt-in-your-mouth tender
-Chocolate Cake: enough to split between two but you won't want to
-Southie Affogatto: Jameson with espresso ice cream and a shot of espresso
-Polenta Encrusted Halibut: it was served on a bed of sweet white corn cooked with bacon; if it's still on the menu, you must order this

Things that are great but not as good as most things on the menu:

-Seafood stew
-Salmon with leeks
-Get the burger and I will punch you in the face--I'm not kidding, I know where all of my blog readers live. This restaurant has so much to offer; don't insult it by getting a freaking burger.

I've eaten here 5 times now and each time the service has been impeccable; friendly, not intrusive, polite, and attentive with a great sense of humor. The room can get a little loud, but the ambiance is nice and the food has been consistently mind-blowingly good.

Wood Tavern is located at 6317 College Avenue in Oakland, across from the Safeway on College and Claremont.

They are open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. They take reservations but are very accommodating to parties of two on a walk-in basis.

Phone: (510) 654-6607
Website: www.woodtavern.net

Corso, Berkeley

It's Winter Vacation and thank you family I now have some spending money, so it's time to EAT!

I really really really wanted to like this place more. I'll preface this review with the fact that I went to Corso with Scott S., my chef friend and fellow food snob, but unfortunately nothing really impressed us at Corso.

The hostess was very prompt with seating us (thank you, OpenTable!) and the waitress, who was incredibly friendly and laughed at our jokes in a relatively believable manner, recommended a great bottle of wine to go with our eclectic orders. Maybe we had too high of expectations...

We started out with the crostini trio, one of my favorite dishes of the night. One had mascarpone with tomato, another chicken liver, and the third a lobster puree. All were delicious, but a forewarning--if you order this, eat the liver one last, the flavor will linger in your mouth forever. It's great, but not when you're trying out the delicately flavored but wonderful lobster crostino.

Next we split the tripe with cannellini beans/spicy tomato broth and the papardelle with duck/olives. The papardelle was probably the best dish of the evening. The pasta was beautifully rolled and cut, and tasted very fresh. The duck sauce was also very flavorful, with extremely tender meat. The tripe was a total let-down. There were too many beans, not enough tripe, and the "broth" was more of a sauce and had no spice. Scotty has the most delicate, adorable palate when it comes to spice and even he thought it needed pepper. Post parmesean snow storm it tasted okay, but I wouldn't recommend this dish.

Then we had the pizza with funghi that everyone on Yelp has been freaking out about. This better have been an off night otherwise I am just reviewing the wrong restaurant. It's a pizza with a decent crust, but it's covered in sauteed button mushrooms. It is winter...mushroom season...and you give me BUTTON mushrooms?! For $13?!?! Please. Plus, Scotty pointed out that the center of the pizza had gotten a bit soggy; most likely because the mushrooms weren't cooked enough before being added to the pizza, so the water from them got soaked into what had been a decent crust. Ugh.

Last, we had sauteed baby spinach (still had some sand in it--not washed properly, but other than that it was obviously very fresh, good quality spinach) as well as romano beans with pancetta/hazelnuts/mint. The bean dish was actually a very unique, tasty combination, but the beans were totally over-cooked.

For dessert, Scotty had the olive oil cake and I had the poached pear with fresh whipped cream. The olive oil cake left something to be desired. It was a little muted on texture and could have used some rosemary. The poached pear was very visually appealing. They left the skin on, though. While my friend Margaret highly recommended the dish and thought it made it more rustic (I guess...), I guess I just don't really care about rustic when the skin peels off like slimey I-don't-know-what. The sauce had enough brandy for me to get wasted alone, though, so at least that was tasty. So was the pear after I peeled off the skin.

Service overall was very good--they sometimes seemed a little antsy to take our plates away which is a constant annoyance factor of mine, but other than that they paced our dishes relatively well considering how bizarre our ordering was.

At some point I might give this place another shot, but mostly the disappointment in Corso reminded me that I was cheating on my BF, Wood Tavern.

Dear Wood Tavern: I am very sorry that I went out on a date with one of your SF Chronicle food section rivals. It's just that I feel like I have to do all the work in our relationship. You're always busy, I have to take the initiative to call you, and I always have to pay. And what's with us needing to stay at your place every time? That said, I realized how well you treat me when I do call. Please take me back? Love, Kara.

Corso is located at 1788 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley.

They now take reservations on OpenTable.com, which can be accessed via their website at www.trattoriacorso.com or by phone at (510) 704-8004.