Dinner at Jack Falstaff Restaurant

I had a chef friend, Josh, in town from Denver, and we have been on a Taste of SF—Italian style. We’ve eaten at SPQR and Bar Bambino, and A16, Incanto Restaurant, and Delfina are also on his list. He’s one of the chefs at Denver’s Panzano restaurant and so was doing a bit of inspirational dining (sounds so much better than just plain old research). Well, when trying to think of where else we should go (that wasn’t necessarily Italian), I thought of my friend Jonny’s restaurant, Jack Falstaff. Wise choice. Definitely didn’t regret that decision! Josh and I met up with my friends Jason and Eric and we had our fearless foursome, ready for some serious dining.

Chef Jonnatan Levia was a 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Rising Star Chef, and was even just featured again in the paper today! In any case, Jonny spoiled us. We started off with bubbly, Friend Oysters with Corn Fritters, Grass-fed Bison Tartare, and a Chorizo and Cantaloupe salad. The bison tartare was my favorite, surprisingly tender given how lean that meat is.

Before our main courses arrived, Jonny treated us to fresh oysters as well as his Heirloom Tomato Salad which was served with fava beans and corn with a cresenza cheese. Oh my god. The corn was so sweet (as Josh said, especially for so early in the season!) I could have eaten everyone’s portion and would be perfectly happy eating that salad every day for the rest of my life.

We moved on to our main courses. The table ordered the Pacific Halibut with a Dungeness Crab and Corn ‘Chowder’, the Local Black Cod with Roasted Tomatoes and Zucchini, the Kobe Style Beef Sirloin served with Roasted Bone Marrow, Spinach and Piquillo Stuffed with Morels, and the Heritage Duroc Pork served with ramen and a sunnyside up Partridge egg. Everything was delicious, the crab and corn ‘chowder’ was very good—with a spicy kick! The fish were both prepared perfectly, the beef sirloin was awesome—the spinach was good too.

HOWEVER. The most amazing and perfect dish of the night was the pork ramen. The server poured the ginger-soy broth tableside, and the egg was perfectly cooked. The pork was super tender, the ramen perfectly cooked, and all of the flavors blended very well. I’m disappointed to say, that was not the dish I ordered, and only had a taste. I regret not being able to eat the whole thing for myself. (Reason to go back!)

As if all of that wasn’t enough…we splurged on dessert. As we were still salivating over the dessert menu, the kitchen sent out the Yellow Peach 'Muffin', which was literally like biting into a peach. It was a combination of a peach compote and peach sorbet. And then as I was chatting away with Jonny and not paying attention, the table also ordered the chocolate tasting dessert as well as the Frangelico Root Beer Float. All of it was so good. The chocolate was amazing…and the root beer float I could have finished by myself (and should have just grabbed it…it was a little challenging to share and everyone was being too polite!) I asked chef about the signature doughnut holes, and being the good man that he is, Jonny also had those sent out. Perfectly fried and dipped in cinnamon and sugar, the doughnut holes came with three dipping sauces, a berry one, caramel and crème anglaise. Amazing!! So good.

We literally had to be rolled out of the restaurant and couldn’t eat another bite. Thank you to Jonny and Jack Falstaff for such a memorable meal!

Photo of Jonny with his niece, borrowed from the San Francisco Chronicle

My Love for Books

When my friends and I went to Portland, we had a lot of things we wanted to do. See the Rose Gardens, Japanese Tea Gardens, hike and rent bikes and explore Forest Park, go wine tasting in wine country, check out some local brewery’s (including the all organic beer distilled by Hopworks), spend time with friends, go window shopping (and actual shopping) in the Pearl District and NW 23rd Street corridor, get massage treatments, have brunch, eat cupcakes…oh and the list goes on and on. Although we only got through about half the list (ok, maybe 1/3), one thing we did do, was go to Powell’s Bookstore.

It claims to be the largest independent bookstore in the world, and it is an amazing place. My friends Tarlan, Siobhan and I decided we could get sucked in and spend all day there, so we almost purposely didn’t give ourselves a ton of time. We walked in, looked at the clock and decided to spread out, and meet back in an hour.

It was the fastest hour that has ever passed. I explored a few of the rooms…the Rose Room, the Orange Room, and on and on. (My favorite section was the Cooking/Food section…you knew I’d hit that up, right?)

My love for books started when I was young. I remember being a toddler and flipping through my mom’s collection of Chinese novels. I also remember taking trips to the public library with my mom and sister, and how we’d pour into the books and bring stacks and stacks of them home and have them all over the living room floor. Even one of the first places I learned to drive to was the public library. It was always something our entire family appreciated and had a love for. We’d all go to the library and immediately go to our own sections and areas of the library. I felt like I was a world away.

Even now. I can’t throw away books, or even give them away when I’m done. I am all for sharing and lending books to friends, but then I want them back. And I love and cherish my book collection. Thanks mom for giving me this appreciation for books and the written word.

Mom in her early 20's, organizing her books in her apartment

More Questions Answered - And A Diagram!

In addition to being a fun dinner cohort, my friend John was also helpful in helping me further answer the age old question: "What is the difference between squid and cuttlefish".

Many of you saw my earlier posting. Although there weren't official comments about this topic posted, I'm sure it's resulted in many sleepless nights for you all. Fear not. John is here to save the day and to provide us with some answers.

To start, John drew me a picture. Being ill-prepared, I grabbed the only paper in my purse, a tourist map of Portland from Powell's Books. John appropriately drew the squid and cuttlefish in the blue water part of the map (“Where they belong” as he put it). Look hard...they're in there! Cuttlefish is the top one above the bridge, and the squid is the one below the bridge.

Note: diagram not drawn to scale

John explained that the 'hood' of the cuttlefish is bigger, and the squid tentacles tend to be longer. There are eyes on squid, I’m not sure why we didn’t talk about the eyes or lack of eyes on cuttlefish, but there aren’t any on this diagram. However after some researching online, I learned cuttlefish have eyes too. He also confirmed what I knew already, cuttlefish is much more popular in Asia and squid is much more popular in the U.S. And as he described it, the cuttlefish is almost a hybrid of or the perfect thing 'in-between' a squid and an octopus.

How is he so smart you ask? Well, doesn't hurt that he's a chef. Being the talented executive chef of Pazzo Ristorante in Portland, John is a very busy man. I was lucky enough to be able to spend time with John on one of his precious nights off. He talked about many of his cooking adventures and experiences (including cleaning out hundreds and hundreds of cuttlefish during some time when he was cooking in Italy).

The meal we had was great. More on that soon!

In terms of my squid vs cuttlefish debate, I think I’ve found enough answers and have done plenty of my own additional research online. At this point, what's most important? I like eating both of them. Onto the next food world unanswered question.

Follow-up to "Packing For A Trip"

My friend Liz always chimes in on the foodie posts. It's great to have friends respond, post comments, or email me their thoughts, comments, corrections, updates, etc.

She's corrected me, my 'knife pouch' should be properly referred to as a 'knife roll'. Thanks Liz.

I'll be sure to get on that purchase...and in addition to my knives, stock it with a good spatula, tongs, slotted spoon, and chopsticks.

Anyone want to invite me over for a dinner party? Long weekend in an exotic location? Me and my KNIFE ROLL will be ready.

Another Complaint About Traveling

So. I travel a fair amount. I don't mind it, and have found my rhythm. I know SFO pretty well, know what items I can and can't bring on. I know that yes, you still have to remove your shoes, and that your laptop needs it's own bin when you go through security. I know that when I do have to check a bag, if I very nicely ask them to give me a priority sticker for being a premier member, they'll do it and I do tend to get my bags just a little quicker. I've learned to spot the people that don't travel often, and to NOT wait in line behind them.

Now, I do typically travel one airline...just for the miles and status. It was never really my choice, but SFO is one of United's hubs, so there are typically a decent amount of flight options. And I had flown with them many years ago and started collecting points and miles. I have friends who travel frequently and prefer some of the discount carriers such as Southwest or JetBlue. My friend Siobhan just flew Southwest to Portland and mentioned that the flight attendants were bragging that they didn't have checked bag fees. Yea, must be nice.

Well. Today as I was waiting to board, the attendant announced that they were doing pre-boarding. That was anyone that needed extra assistance. I saw a guy hobble up in crutches. Then a family with 3 little kids, probably all under 4, approached the gate. They had the stroller, diaper bags, luggage, just a lot of stuff and their arms were full.

The attendent turned them down. Pushed 'em away and proceeded with an announcement that families didn't count as "needing extra assistance".

I was a little surprised. I'm not saying traveling with kids means that you necessarily "need assistance". But I don't doubt that the family probably appreciated the extra time to settle in. And on top of that, this was the only family to approach the gate, and the plane wasn't even full.

A overheard a few people make some comments...saying that it wasn't such a big deal...why not let them on...and how other airlines would have let them pre-board.

I was disappointed by United's service. Not that they're known to be customer service oriented, or great with their service, but this was disappointing to witness.

I don't have kids. I'm even the first to say I'd prefer a plane trip without kids on it! BUT. This is reality. People have kids. People need to travel with them. It's not always pleasant. I hope to have kids some day. And if I'm traveling with them, I'd like and appreciate the courtesy of a few extra minutes if I needed it. Guess we know who I'll be flying then.

Meal of the Month: June

My friend Lisa was talking about her favorite 'meal of the month' earlier today, and I thought that would be a fun column for my blog! At the start of each month, I'll recap a favorite 'Meal of the Month' from the month before. The meal would be chosen mainly because of the delicious food, but also because of the overall experience. Was it something unique? A once in a lifetime opportunity? The people I was with? What made it something special and standout in my memory so many meals later? Simply put, it was a meal to remember for a lifetime. So here goes...

JUNE

I was lucky, in June, I ate my way through Las Vegas, Aspen, Lake Tahoe, and of course, San Francisco. From restaurant parties, to extravagant meals in Vegas, to outdoor grill meals, to my favorite local hot spots in San Francisco with talented chef friends. Meals ranged from nibbling my way through a party, to home cooked meals, to meals outside in the perfect summer weather, to meals consisting mainly of cocktails. :) It was a hard task to choose just one meal. Well, folks, this is my blog, my rules. Here's the top two meals from June.

1. Dessert Tasting Menu, Payard Patisserie, Las Vegas
A five course dessert tasting menu with bubbly and port pairings? A good friend enjoying it with me? Perfect.

Coffee Eclair, Milk Chocolate Mouse and Flaky Sable

2. Head to Tail Dinner, Incanto Restaurant, San Francisco
Amazing meal. Very different meal than anything I've tasted before. A great group of friends. What could be better?

Boccalone sanguinaccio, duck egg and warm oysters

Let's hope July brings just as many good meals! Tune in!

Bit by Bit

Many of you know about my love for (even obsession with) the city of Portland. Yes, it's true. I do love it there.

The green trees, the arts and music scene, the coffee shops, the free spirit, the great proximity to farms (which means good food is never too far away), the many vineyards...the coast (unlike anything I have ever seen before in California.) And all so affordable!

It's a pretty neat place. Something like more brew pubs per capita than any other city. There's something like 12 bridges within city limits, and it was once referred to as Stumptown, because of the lodging industry--all of the trees were stumps. But that has since changed and Portland is a 'green', eco-friendly, and liberal place. The home of the creator of "The Simpson's", there's a quirkiness to Portland that I enjoy.

Why else do I love it so much? It was an escape for me after my mom passed away.

The city was a getaway for me. A place where I had the opportunity to grieve, to get away from life, and to spend some time with people that really took care of me. I know this sounds cheesy, but they helped me begin my healing process.

Mom passed away in March last year. And I think I was literally a blob all of April (ok, probably longer than just April...) I would sleep, cry, drink. Repeat. Oh, and some semblance of myself made it into work everyday.

I took a trip up to Portland in May. It was just a chance to get away, and to spend some time with some friends up there. It was perfect timing and just what I needed. I was lucky enough to spend time away from my daily life, my daily surroundings, even my daily friends. I was carefree, meeting new people, getting excited about things, and just taking time to let my heart, and body feel emotions other than sadness.

I have since returned a number of times to Portland...each time falling a little bit more in love with the city. I was just up there this last week and again left feeling refreshed and having had the chance to connect with friends, old and new.

I had dinner with my friend John one night I as up there. As we got to talking, I learned that he had lost his mom a few years ago. He told me, "The hole in your heart will go away a little bit...bit by bit..." His words spoke really true to me. There truly is a hole in your heart after the death of a loved one. I appreciated that he knew where I was coming from and that he didn't say the pain would go away. It never will. And although I don't necessarily believe him right now, I can only hope that it does go away a little bit...bit by bit.

A sign from one of the rose bushes at the Portland Rose Garden

Cephalopods...What's the Difference?

So. I see the term 'squid' and 'calamari' on menus a lot. And I see the term 'cuttlefish' in Asian markets. Dried Cuttlefish. I've always thought of it as just 'dried squid', and kind of wondered what the difference between squid and cuttlefish and calamari was.

Well, tonight, I was looking over a tasting menu with some friends from work. We saw cuttlefish on the menu, and it made me think of my unanswered question! Tonight I was motivated enough to look it up in my trusty Food Lover's Companion food dictionary. (Is it embarrassing to tell you that I have that book next to my bed??) Here's what my bible told me.

Squid: As a ten-armed member of the cephalopod class in the mollusk family, squid is related to both the octopus and cuttlefish. Squid meat has a firm, chewy texture and mild, somewhat sweet flavor. Also called calamari, squid can range in size from 1 inch to the seldom seen 80-foot behemoth...

Cuttlefish: Sometimes referred to as the 'chameleon of the sea' because it can quickly change its skin color and pattern, the cuttlefish, which resembles a rather large squid, has 10 appendages and can reach up to 16 inches in length. It can be prepared like its less tender relatives, the squid and octopus, but must still be tenderized before cooking in order not to be exceedingly chewy. Cuttlefish are most popular in Japan, India and many Mediterranean countries...

(For those of you that are curious, under 'calamari', it says "See Squid")

SO. Does that help? I mean, clears things up a little bit, they're similar, and in the same family...ok. But...what else is different? It just wasn't enough for me! I didn't feel satisfied with the answer. So I went online. Seems like the blog world has also tackled this topic before...check it out on Chowhound. Anyone else care to chime in about the difference?

Dinner During My Detox

I'm suppose to be on detox...you know, no drinking and only eating healthy and working out. The last few weeks have just been INSANE. Party after party. Excessive drinking and eating. Horrible work-out habits. And totally not enough sleep. (But boy oh boy, it sure was a fun week!)
In any case. I wanted to have a week of detox, but between SF Gay Pride (umm, saving those adventures--and photos-- for a different post!) and then July 4th long weekend (and a trip to one of my all time favorite cities), I was lucky to get 3 days of detox squeezed in there.

Well. How about 2 days and we call it all good? :)

The middle day of my detox was ruined by a sudden urge for a bourbon cocktail. Well. There is just no where else to go, but Alembic. They've got some of the best cocktails in San Francisco, and not to mention one of the best bourbon/whiskey lists in town.

Oh. And did I mention a good friend, just happens to be the very talented chef of the place? So I should have known that my urge for that one cocktail would turn into two (and I didn't even end up drinking my favorite, but going out on a limb to try a delicious new cocktail--Southern Exposure.) And that two cocktails would turn into some yummy items from the kitchen!

My friends Chris and Terry and I had our standard salumi and cheese plate and the lamb sliders...all classics. Beyond that? Everything was at the chef's whim. And we knew Jordan would take good care of us. We had bacon cracker jacks (complete with prize!!) They were so good!!! (Those of you that know me, know my love and obsession for all things pork...also save that for a future post!) The crispy pork belly was amazing (I didn't want to share...after all, another pork dish!) It was especially fun to taste this plate since I've heard my friend Jordan talking about the way they prepare it (he started with telling me that the way he learned to prepare it...something about sous vide...but then he kinda lost me on the rest. All I could concentrate on was the soft, tenderness of the meat, and the yummy crispness of the skin! I just kept on nodding as he was talking...)

In any case. The last two things were the most amazing (to my palate at least). He brought out a dish of these little peppers. Shisito peppers (often referred to as Japanese peppers) to be exact. They were blistered quickly in a fryer, then tossed with a house smoked maldon salt. I didn't think I'd like them (not the biggest pepper fan), but they were AMAZING. Not too hot at all (until that very last one I ate...tears were in my eyes because of the heat!) But overall, a perfect dish to satisfy that desire for something salty.

The last dish was the perfect end. A miso black cod. There was some sweetness to it and the fish practically melted in your mouth. They had marinated the piece in a shiro miso, and then broiled to order until caramelized. There was a bit of chili oil and a few sesame seeds on the top. So good!!

Yea. So. Not quite the detox I had intended. But I was home early. And I had fish. And there was celery juice in my cocktail (which is why I had two). There's always next week for detoxing...

Packing for a Trip

This is cute. There was a story in the LA Times on what chefs bring when they’re on vacation. It made me think…especially as I’m (suppose to be) packing for my upcoming trip, what are the essentials we all pack? What do you bring on vacation? Obviously it depends on where you’re going. And weather. And if it’s a trip for business or pleasure. But for me, some of the things that are always a ‘must have’. Here’s my top 5:

- Airborne

- A good book

- Sunglasses

- iPod

- My flip flops (I know I’m in the hotel industry and believe all of our hotels are clean, but still don’t love being barefooted in hotels)

My overall packing list is pretty long for each trip (you can never be too prepared!). In terms of kitchen/food stuff, I never really bring much. Maybe a granola bar or two. However, if I had the luxury of traveling to a rental house or vacation home, or something glamorous in Lake Tahoe, or Russian River, or Provence, or Tuscany or something…what would I bring then?

I think I’d keep it fairly simple. My knives! Well, right now I don’t have knives. But I've always wanted a knife pouch (I don't know the real name) and some day, I'd love to have my own set of nice knives to put in the pouch. And that’s what I’d bring. Not fancy ingredients or even some of the staples some of the chefs list in this story, but I’d find local ingredients and produce and cook to highlight those ingredients. But I’d have my trusty knives with me.