Top Ten Tastes - 2007
I wasn't sure if anyone has done this yet for the year, but here are my top ten “new” (at least for me) tastes of 2007:
1. Pastrami sandwich (Wood Tavern). Available only at lunch, simply the best sandwich period.
2. Abalone and foie gras with yuza (Manresa): a surprising and perfect combination
3, Pork (Outstanding in the Field): The wood-roasted pork at this dinner, held at Devil’s Gulch Farm and prepared Nate Appleman of A16, was probably the best pork I have ever eaten. Just the fat alone, all crusty from the fire, was sublime.
4. Squid pizza with aioli (Pizzaiolo): again, an unlikely combination that works really well.
5. Barbequed Shrimp (Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen): Possible better than the NOLA original. Prefer the appetizer size, with bread, to the entrée over rice.
6. Chicken wings (Fonda): one of those dishes that you can’t stop thinking about. Only served after 9 p.m.
7. Eel banh mi (Sea Salt): Sea Salt does great sandwiches, but this tops the list.
8. Grilled lamb chops (Oliveto): This deceptively simple dish was the best lamb I ever had. Served with long ribs still attached, which you must eat with your hands to get off all of the fatty crusty bits.
9. Tie: Whole Black Bass Stuffed with Morel Mushrooms / Spelt fettuccine with Salted and Dried Swordfish Belly (Oliveto): Despite doing meat amazingly well (see above), Oliveto’s Oceanic Dinners always supply something amazing for my yearly list (last year it was the pasta dish with sea robin and dried octopus)…I can’t decide between the two.
10. Fried Chicken (Luka’s): I am a fried chicken fanatic and this find (served only at lunch) is near-perfect. Dark brown crust, slightly salty and sweet, surrounding the juiciest meat. Huge serving.
11. Bonus: Beef short ribs with Guinness film and peanuts (Alinea): okay, not in the Bay Area, but I had to add it in. The entire meal was mind-blowing.
The Dive
Dec 10, 2007 05:45PM
Fried chicken at Luka's? for some reason I've missed that on the menu. Going to have to go for lunch very soon!
but alas, Angeline's was out of bbq shrimp when I ate there....
this was good inspiration. Will have to think about my top tastes. Thanks!
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My friends and I were at Angeline's on Friday and we were kinda disappointed with the BBQ shrimp. There were 5 shrimps in a bowl of BBQ sauce. The barbecue flavor was good, but the sauce was slightly oversalted even when eaten with the bread. Unfortunately, the pieces of bread that came with the dish was cold and chewy. The dish definitely wasn't worth the $10.95 price tag. Here's a picture of it on the right.
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I believe Luka's only serves fried chicken on the brunch/lunch menu on Sundays. But it is fantastic.
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Okay, I'll play. No guarantee these were the top 10, just 10 new and memorable bites:
1. Tiny alfajores from Sabores del Sur (Alemany Market; big ones available at Canyon Market)
2. Ollalieberry jam from Swanton Berry Farm (Ferry Plaza farmers' market or Rainbow Grocery)
3. Baochong Oolong tea (Teance)
4. poached lobster in carrot broth and seared foie gras (La Folie)
5. grits, fried oysters, biscuits (Brenda's)
6. escarole, dandelion greens, Erbette chard, pimentos de padron (the magical mystery box from Mariquita Farms)
7. Hokkaido uni (Sebo)
8. Irish brown bread (John Campbell's Irish bakery), especially good with ollalieberry jam
9. roti prata with dipping sauce (Lime Tree)
10. apricot sorbet (Delfina); cherries with mascarpone (Pizzeria Delfina)
out of town bonus bites: sausage pizza at Santarpio's, East Boston; fried clams, razor back clams, and lobster roll, Neptune Oyster House, Boston; tartare de cheval at Batifole, Toronto
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Mariquita mystery box! I agree.
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Top 10 Tastes so far…we still have a few weeks left!
1. Burrata from Cowgirl Creamery eaten at home w/ Acme bread, olive oil, sea salt, and sometimes with heirloom tomato slices.
2. The seafood chowder at Bar Crudo, I’m plotting my secret meals there so I don’t have to share the bowl with anyone.
3. Thai House Express Kao ka moo, special pork leg, a la carte. Try as I might, I have to order this every single time I go there, it’s that good!
4. Chocolate budino tart with sea salt and olive oil at A16, I can’t get enough of the salty sweet, rich trifecta.
5. More than one visit to Hog Island Oyster Bar for kumamotos and sweet waters accompanied by sparkling wine or a crisp, cold white.
6. Fresh Rigatoni Pasta with Foie Gras Cream, Maitake Mushrooms and Marsala at Myth. Decadent, the small portion is plenty.
7. Santa Ramen Tonkotsu ramen-the ultimate bowl in the Bay Area.
8. Pollo asado, al pastor, and carnitas tacos from El Tonayense taco truck, a perennial favorite of mine.
9. Salsa verde from Cancun near 29th and Mission. It’s in my hood and I often stop by and buy a soda cup of salsa to take home and eat the whole thing! It’s a favorite lazy meal.
10. Produce from the farmer’s market or my csa box. Sometimes nothing beats cold sweet satsumas, fresh heirloom tomatoes, or roasted beets, etc.
11. Bonuses-Abroad:The giant slab of foie that I was served in Bilbao, the only serving of foie that I’ve met that was too much for me (almost!) and giant bowls of fresh salmon caviar in a Russian fishing camp. Home-countless meals of carnitas, Bitman’s no knead bread, and lots of home-made gazpacho. Local-Chichen Itza/Popol Vuh for fresh and reasonably priced meals.
12.To try-Bakesale Betty's, Pizzaiolo, Fatted Calf
Edited: Forgot to add the pork rib roast section from Roli Roti at the farmer's market, super juicy and delicious, a great value for the price (around $7?).
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Niiiice list. With particular-ness and heart at the same time.
IRT #12 -- Whoa Nellie, are you in for some new list additions! Please add and amend
your list as you're able.
M.
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This year was a blur of great food - here were my standouts (things tasted for the first time this year):
Spaghettini with cured tuna heart, egg yolk (Incanto, SF)
Wild nettle tagliolini wtih geoduck (Oliveto, Oakland)
Fried chicken, candied yams (Declancey's Welcome Table, Oakland)
Prahuk kthis (Battambang, Oakland)
Fried rabbit (Chez Panisse, Berkeley)
(tie) Pork belly with poached egg on frisee (Wood Tavern, Oakland), Open-faced pork belly sandwich with poached egg (Bar Tartine, SF)
Chiuchow-style rice cake with scrambled eggs, preserved vegetable (BC Deli, Oakland)
West-style fish soup (China Village, Albany)
Nan Gyi Dok (Mandalay, SF)
Pear charlotte with black truffle (Oliveto, Oakland)
Salted caramel ice cream (Bi-Rite, SF)
Warren pear from Frog Hollow Farm
Bonus: rice-cracker encrusted asparagus with slow-poached egg, smoked cheese foam, and chorizo gel (Degustation, NYC), fried brussel sprouts with fish sauce, chilis, and mint (Momofuku Ssam Bar, NYC), Kama toro (Sushi Yasuda, NYC), Cavatelli with long-cooked broccoli, caciocavallo (B+B, Vegas).
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I went to Bar Tartine for brunch this Sunday, and realized I'd spoken too soon on my 2007 top 10. Daveeena is right: the pork belly sandwich is exceptional. Mine was served with egg salad and pickled cauliflower. Amazing.
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Thanks, daveena and pane, for talking about this pork belly sandwich -- I went there for brunch on Saturday, and it was really amazing. My friend said WOW when she had a taste of mine (which, like pane's was with egg salad and picked cauliflower). Another point is that it's a very large serving for not that much money, I didn't expect that much food to arrive on my plate!
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That pork belly sandwich is a thing of beauty - after recently having had a much inferior pork belly dish at an expensive restaurant in LA, I think it's time for me to go back to Bar Tartine...
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In no particular order, but numbered so I won't lose track:
1)BLC (Bacon, Lettuce & Soft Shell Crab) sandwich at Wood Tavern. With remoulade. Like an oyster po'boy w/ soft shell crab. The best of many great dishes I've had at Wood Tavern this year.
2)Pancetta Piana from Boccalone. Sliced super thin. I was going to fry it up for PLTs, but made the mistake of trying a bite of the first practically transparent slice of crispy goodness. It shattered like glass and tasted like heaven. No way it was ever going to be hidden between slices of bread. We ate it straight.
3)As always, the Nam Kao Tod at Champa Garden. It varies from satisfying to mind bending (though it never quite matches my favorite at Lotus of Siam in Vegas).
4)Trotters with tomato jam at Oliveto's Whole Hog. I can feel my arteries harden as I eat this, but it doesn't stop me. FYI, reservations are open for the Whole Hog this February.
5)Oh Sam Bulgogi at Sura. Korean bacon and squid w/ lots of chili. I pretend it's good for me because of the squid. The carrots and onions help keep the delusion alive.
6)Peas w/ Maitake Mushrooms at Sea Salt. Bet you thought I'd never get off the pork theme.
7)Water Boiled Beef at China Village. Wait, no...West Style Fish Soup at China Village. Or possibly the spicy fish and soft tofu soup at China Village...let's just say "a lot of dishes at China Village."
8)Riso Gelato at Gelato Firenze near the Grand Lake Theatre. So refreshing and clean tasting.
9)Early in the season, those super tiny strawberries from Lucero. Damn.
10)An unbelievable Armenian cucumber from Full Belly. So heady I just ate it as is (or was).
Cheating on my beloved Bay Area: Bacon & Egg Ice Cream on French Toast at the Fat Duck (UK), Faggots & Mash at St. John Bread & Wine (UK), L’Epeautre du pays de Sault mitonné et doré à l’or fin at Joel Robuchon (Las Vegas), Crispy Catfish Salad at Lotus of Siam (Las Vegas), a gorgeous sashimi plate at Shinsei (Dallas).
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thank you for the mention of the riso gelato...have to try that one!
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Is the riso gelato plain (like one would find in Italy?) or flavored with cinnamon? I've been searching for a nice plain riso gelato for the longest time....
By the way, FABULOUS thread!!
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In no particular order, and I did cheat a bit on the parameters:
1.) charred cabbage at China Village. love it when a simple vegetable is that great. but yes, as lexdevil says, well, a lot of dishes at China Village (though this one was new this year, including some of the others may be cheating since they are old favorites to me.)
2.) ditto on kumamotos at Hog Island, the Ferry Building. AND the clam chowder.
3. ) Can't call it a 'taste' but our Chowdown banquet at Asia Pearl Millbrae: it was the delight of the taste of the entire meal, not one particular bite...well, ok, if you force me to choose I guess I could choose the pork belly...
4.) the shrimp and fish ahmok at Angkor Borei: great comfort food, and finally I found a dish at this restaurant worthy of the positive reports the place gets on the board (an important discovery for me, since Angkor Borei is one of the closest restaurants to my house...)
5.) burrata at La Ciccia, imported from Sardinia.
6.) house made tortillas and the salsa de habanero at Chichen Itza.
7.) lemon basil ice cream at Aziza.
8.) yeah, that bacon and squid at Sura. Better than the (very good) much raved about black goat stew. Better yet that this was the year I really started to appreciate Korean food.....
9.) Takiawase (slow cooked dish) at Kaygetsu, of eggplant in broth with shrimp, maple leaf wheat gluten, broccoli, shitake, daikon (and thanks rwcfoodie for writing it up, never did add to her post how much I loved it, but I think about that meal often...)
10.) oh, and speaking of eggplant dishes at dinners that rwcfoodie arranged: the eggplant at Jai Yun. and the crispy beef with orange peel at the same dinner. Thanks Karen.....
and finally, my first taste of dungeness this year: enjoyed at home following Alice Water's recipe from the CP Cafe cookbook: nothing like the threat of losing something to make you appreciate the obvious....
Out of town bonus: I got to the other side of the world this year and did a fair amount of eating, but the best out of town bonus wasn't that far from home: everything I've tried at Sabor a Mexico in LA, most notably the quesadilla estilo DF.
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adding some links...
5800 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA
291 30th St, San Francisco, CA 94131, USA
1335 Solano Ave, Albany, CA 94706, USA
680 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA
Ferry Slip, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA
325 Sharon Park Dr, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
4869 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609, USA
3471 Mission St San Francisco CA
2886 16th St San Francisco, CA 94199
8940 National Blvd Los Angeles CA
1671 El Camino Real Millbrae CA
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Susan, thanks for shaking the cobwebs loose in what passes for my brain! I had forgotten about the Jai Yun dinner: I'd add the crab meat with egg white dish - I could have eaten a whole plate of just that! The crispy rice thing at Champa Garden is on the list for me too - easier to get to than Lotus of Siam and almost as good as theirs... Plus, switching cuisines: The house-made salumi at La Ciccia and that suckling pig too!
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yes, the salumi almost made the cut for me too, even though for me technically I think I probably first tasted it last year! (2006)...but how could I have forgotten the egg white dish!
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Nice topic!
In no particular order:
-#153 stir-fried rice cakes at Shanghai Dumpling Shop in Millbrae
-Lobster and burrata salad at Bar Crudo in San Francisco
-Age dofu fried tofu "box" at Minako Organic in San Francisco
-Braised ribs and green salad with duck leg at Ad Hoc in Yountville
-White grapefruit gummi candies from Miette Confiserie in San Francisco
-Carmelized cabbage at China Village in Albany
-Candied cock's comb with rice pudding at Incanto's Head to Tail dinner
-Chocolate croissant at Patisserie DeLanghe in San Francisco
-Sufganyot donuts made for Hanukkah at a friends house: this included Straus milk and butter plus jam made from blackberries from the Alemany market
-Out of town picks are xlb at Jia Jia Tang Bao in Shanghai; clam pie and Foxon Park root beer at Pepe's in New Haven, CT; and the Polish platter at Staropolska in New Britain, CT.
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Oooh - I wanna play
#1) Standing Rib Roast from the Prather Ranch Meat Company with all the trimmings (cooked by the incredibly talented Mrs. Mousse)
#2) Braised Lamb's Neck with gremolata at Incanto
#3) Fried Chicken at Ad Hoc
#4) Seared Paine Farm Pigeon at Dopo
#5) Poached Smoked Salmon with Pickled Cucumbers and Sour Cream at Maritime East
#6) Seafood Chowder at Bar Crudo
#7) Soft Shell Crab Fritto Misto at 900 Grayson
#8) Pumpkin Soft Serve with Candied Almonds and Salted Caramel Sauce at Sketch Ice Cream
#9) Bard Rock Hen Terrine from Fatted Calf
#10) Blue Cheese Burger at Gregoire (guaranteed to make my list every year)
Bonus:
Chicken Livers and House Made Pasta at Osteria (Philly)
Smoked Turkey Soup at Topolobampo - part of the best Mexican meal I have ever had in my life by far (Chicago)
Kurobuta Pork Belly at Nook Bistro (Los Angeles)
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In no order
- sweet potato pie from It's All Good Bakery Oakland
- white sapote from Berkeley Bowl
- atole from Guatamalan tamale lady in front of La Colmena market in Oakland
- mango aqua fresca from Oro de Agua truck in Oakland (thanks Ruth)
- feijoada from 25 West in Point Richmond
- Cherry gelato from Gelateria Firenze in Oakland
- Combo pumpkin soft-serve/gingerbread from Sketch in Berkeley
- pumpkin beer from Wunder Brewery in SF
- Serra da Estrela from Cheeseboard
- pumpkin shake from Ice Cream Mania in Pinole
- grated dry jack cheese from Vella Cheese in Sonoma
- olive baguette from Phoenix Pastifico
Ok ... 12 ... one for each month ... baker's dozen ... ginger ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery SF
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I skimmed through all my posts since January, and I was unable to narrow it down to 10 tastes. So instead, I present 25 of my favorite tastes – there are probably dozens more that I could add, especially dishes made by my friends, many of whom are excellent cooks. But here we go, in no particular order:
1) Pork leg noodle soup – Thai House Express, Tenderloin
2) Tea leaf salad – Larkin Express Deli, Tenderloin
3) Onion Slab – Acme Bakery, Ferry Building
4) Frozen Pork Potstickers – Kingdom of Dumpling, Sunset District
5) Jasmine green milk tea w/ tapioca – Wonderful Foods – Sunset District
6) Vegetarian dumplings – Shanghai House – Richmond District
7) Banana cream pie – Mission Pie – Mission
8) Buche tacos – Taqueria Vallarta – Mission
9) Fresh-made churro – Churro stand at Day of the Dead Festival in Fruitvale
10) Steak w/ truffle butter – Suppenkuche – Hayes Valley
11) Sweet arepas with cheese – Mr. Pollo – Mission
12) Salumi platter – Incanto – Noe Valley
13) Marlon’s Garlic Noodles – Chowing with the Hounds Picnic 2007
14) The special wontons at dim sum – Hong Kong Flower Lounge – Millbrae
15) Mediterranean speads appetizer – Aziza – Richmond District
16) Mint ice cream sandwich – Bi-Rite Creamery – Mission
17) Chicken/Imperial Roll Combo – Cordon Bleu – Nob Hill
18) Chilean Empanadas at Alemany Farmer’s Market
19) Duck Leg Noodle Soup – Hai Ky Mi Gia – Tenderloin
20) The candied kumquats garnishing my dessert – Chez Panisse – Berkeley
21) Banh khot – Lotus Garden – Mission/Bernal
22) Tea Leaf Salad – Burma Superstar – Richmond District
23) Shrimp wontons – Ming Tai – Sunset District
24) Pork chops – Lucky River – Sunnyside
25) #106 - Soy Bean and Bean Curd Sheet w/ Preserved Vegetables – Shanghai Dumpling Shop - Millbrae
100 Alemany Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
1550 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94131, USA
3692 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
3216 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
1517 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709, USA
1574 California St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA
525 Laguna St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
455 Broadway, Millbrae, CA 94030, USA
2823 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
452 Larkin St San Francisco CA
707 Ellis St San Francisco CA
2455 Noriega St San Francisco CA
3641 Balboa St San Francisco CA
700 Monterey Blvd San Francisco CA
1426 Noriega St San Francisco CA
309 Clement St San Francisco CA
3033 24th St San Francisco CA
901 Larkin St San Francisco CA
1 Ferry Building San Francisco CA
2035 Irving St San Francisco CA
2901 Mission St San Francisco CA
3401 E 12th St Oakland CA
5800 Geary Blvd San Francisco CA
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hi dave! i'm wanting to tell you how very generous you are to provide all these links/addresses/etc. in your already wonderful post. You make it so much
easier for everyone. With your info, i can then go the next step of googling menus,maps etc. I hope to be trying some of your favs later this month. thank you again.
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If you search the places database (or follow the links) you don't need to google. The maps are there as well as many websites and menus. Unfortunately the current Places database has a bug. If you don't match the city/state exactly including punctuation, it creates a duplicate record.
Sometimes I think that all the links do is give people the address.
Here are the links to the duplicates. My own personal preference is not to directly link unless there is a report. If you click on the URL it will take you the same place.
Burma Super Star
http://www.chow.com/places/396
Thai House Experss Larkin
http://www.chow.com/places/1126
Acme Bread
http://www.chow.com/places/1480
Wonderful Foods
http://www.chow.com/places/6337
Mission Pie
http://www.chow.com/places/1023
Aziza
http://www.chow.com/places/23
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Didn't see your reply until today - I'm glad the linking paid off.
As rworange points out, the linking sometimes gets messed up, so it's a good idea to double check that the address provided is the correct one. Thanks also to rworange for pasting the proper links for the duplicates.
I am excited to hear where you end up eating!
Dave MP
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Unless I'm mistaken that churro stand is across the street from the Fruitvale BART station every day. My girlfriend used to work near there and when I dropped by to see her I have to agree it was one of the best churros I've had.
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1) Barking Pumpkin Cask Ale - Magnolia Brewery - Haight
2) Spaghettini w cured tuna heart - Incanto - Noe Valley
3) Quince-style raviolo - made by a friend and former Quince pasta chef in her home
4) Sesame Sourdough bread - Tartine - Mission
5) Roast Chicken with Panzanella - Zuni Cafe - Upper Market
6) Duck Leg Ho Fun Noodle Soup - Hai Ky Mi Gia - Tenderloin
7) Shrimp and Mango Tacos - Mariachi's Taqueria - Mission
8) Blackberry Creme Brulee with Oatmeal Cookies - Zin - Healdsburg
9) Gibraltar - Blue Bottle Coffee Co. - Hayes Valley
10) Meatloaf - Suppenkuche - Hayes Valley
11) Biscuits and Gravy with Sage and Fried Eggs - Absinthe - Hayes Valley
12) Any crostata from Split Pea Seduction - SOMA
13) Pappardelle with Duck sugo - Pesce - Russian Hill
BONUS:
Zingerman's roadhouse rye (Ann Arbor MI)
Zingerman's Gingerbread Cake (Ann Arbor MI)
prefectly fried eggs at the Corner Grill (Bowling Green OH)
Vacio at any number of parrillas in Buenos Aires
Locro Norteño at La Peña del Colorado, Buenos Aires
Pulpo a la gallega (Spanish Octopus) - Amada - Philadelphia, PA
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Good call with the blackberry creme brulee at Zin....make that my #26
Also ditto the bread from Tartine - I like this even better than the onion slab I mentioned.
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I love this game. It makes you look back on your notes and brings such wonderful memories.
1. Pork belly with squid and egg salad (Bar Tartine). Damn genius dish. Sounds absurd but it's an instant classic pairing.
2. Smoked foie gras with a cognac fortified white wine - NV Pineau des Charentes, Billet, Cognac (Manresa). The combination of the two is simply unforgettable.
3. Rack of lamb with coconut and yam puree with crushed cauliflower and Indian spices (Manresa). May be the best meat entree I've had in 5 years.
4. Liquid vegetable croquettes (Manresa)
5. Triangole of "pork cooked around the clock" (Oliveto Whole Hog)
6. Pork belly with honey and shaved fennel (Oliveto Whole Hog)
7. Chestnut Polenta (Oliveto Whole Hog)
8. Chocolate souffle with frozen thai tea (Redd). Mostly it was the frozen thai tea that wowed.
9. Shio ramen (Kahoo)
10. Pork Chop (Nopa)
Bonus
1. Pierre Gagnaie (Paris). Redefined fine dining for me. Everything from the "mousse of smoked cream and bread topped with kanten, beef consommé, and daikon" (aka mock bone marrow) to the classic poulet mousse with spring vegetables to the parade of desserts that included a marvelous violet ice cream with violet caramelized sugar. Pretty much each of the 20-25 tastes was something new and intriguing
2. Soufflé aux pomme at La Bonbonniere de Buci in St. Germain (Paris)
3. Croissants at Maison Poujauran (Paris)
4. Madai at Sushi Yasuda (NYC)
5. Pig Foot “Milanese" at Babbo (NYC). Deboned pork trotter, flattened, and fried until crispy. Literally, a heart-stopper.
6. Steak tartare at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (NYC)
7. Chestnut soup with foie gras and bacon oil at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (NYC)
8. Steak for two at Peter Luger (NYC). I had forgotten how wonderful, tender, and flavorful this steak was. It's always nice to be reunited with old friends.
9. Dry rub ribs at Central BBQ (Memphis)
10. Pastrami and pork jowl sandwich at Cochon (NO)
11. Pickled pork tongue & crispy pig ear salad at Cochon (NO)
12. Chicharones de pollo at Puerto Sagua (Miami Beach)
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Ravioli from Quince
Caramel Roasted Apple from Spruce
Tomato Soup from Bistro Jeanty
Salmon in its own roe from Manresa
Pork prime rib from Canteen
Pizza with Egg from Pizzetta 211
Italian Meatball Sandwich from Birley's
Burrata at Pizzeria Delfina
Flat Iron Steak from A Cote
Lavender Honey Ice Cream from Ici
Hamburger from Zuni
Masa Boats from Primavera
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Great thread! I was wracking my brain to recall all of my SF Bay Area meals/bites this past year when it dawned on me that I could just look at all of my food photos to jog my memory. I didn't get up to SF/East Bay or eat out as much as I would have liked in 2007, so I sorta cheated and included more than one dish at a couple of places. Photo journal of each dish is linked at the bottom.
I am sad to not include one Viet dish below, as nothing eaten at a restaurant stood out as top ten material. I apologize to my SJ Viet lunch companions for not having organized a lunch in a LONG time mainly due to increased work load. I resolve to at least have quarterly lunches in the new year, so don't lose hope! I hear there are a couple of new places at Grand Century Mall so it may be time for a visit. Holiday Wishes and Happy New Year to all!
My Top Ten Tastes of 2007 in chronological order of consumption:
1. Pan-fried Onigiri stuffed w/ salmon at Tanto, Sunnyvale
2. Falafel Sandwich at Falafel Drive-In, San Jose
3. Crab Dumpling at Koi Palace, Daly City
4. Suckling Pig at Koi Palace, Daly City
5. Maine Bouchot Mussels w/ saffron-mustard broth & frites at Bouchon, Yountville
6. Bacon Cheeseburger at Taylor's Refresher, St. Helena
7. Assorted Chocolates at Woodhouse Chocolate, St. Helena
8. Ollalieberry Pie a la mode at Duarte's Tavern, Pescadero
9. Kaiso Salad w/ 3 types of seaweed, watercress, mizuna & plum dressing at Kaygetsu, Menlo Park
10. Mushi Gamo: sliced duck suspended in aspic served w/ Japanese mustard & pickled vegetables at Kaygetsu, Menlo Park--if I had to choose the most outstanding taste of the year, this would be it!
Bonuses:
Cedar-planked Local Wild Salmon made at home
Chawan Mushi at Miyuki, Watsonville
Minced sour sausage & crispy rice at Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas
Tomato Paella (recipe from Mark Bittman) made at home using Mariquita Farm tomatoes
First-of-the-season Local Dungeness Crab steamed at home
Burnt Ends & Baked Beans at LC's BBQ, Kansas City, Missouri
Photo Journal:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow...
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"I resolve to at least have quarterly lunches in the new year, so don't lose hope! I hear there are a couple of new places at Grand Century Mall so it may be time for a visit." Dear CL: I hope you are able to do this; I really miss our lunches! Happy Holidays to you too!
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5. Maine Bouchot Mussels w/ saffron-mustard broth & frites at Bouchon, Yountville
I made these at home, it's incredibly easy. I would highly recommend giving it a shot if you like it even a little bit.
http://cookingbouchon.blogspot.com
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1. The Kim Chee Jun at Jong Ga House on Grand in Oakland
2. The Fig Ice Cream at Naia Gelato on Shattuck, Berkeley
3. Chile Relleno at Tacubaa, Oakland (deep fried crisp, stuffed with cheese and vegetables, sauced and topped with pepitos)
4. Freebie salsa and Chile Relleno at Dona Tomas, Oakland - note chile relleno not battered or fried just lovingly sauced - fillings and sauces vary.
5. Rice paper wraps at Binh Minh Quan, Oakland
6. Guava agua fresca at el Ojode Agua Taco Truck, Fruitvale/E.12th., Oakland
7. Chicken Pot Pie at Bakesale Betty (or the chicken sandwich, or the scones...)
8. Real (raw) chicken from the purveyor at the Ferry Building Farmers' Market - really expensive but the best chicken we've ever eaten.
9. The pan au chocolat (they call it a choclatine) from La Farine Bakery, Fruitvale, Oakland and College, Berkeley.
10. Bread pudding at Citizen Cake, S.F. closest thing to the Cuban Pudin Pan that I've found outside of Florida. Heartbreaking rumor that they may not still make it...
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Ooh, I've been wondering about Jong Ga House but haven't made it there yet. What else have you tried and would recommend? Would you mind posting a mini-review as a new thread? Thanks!
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Thanks all...this list will come in handy for when I travel to SF & vicinity. Since I'll be in SJC next week, I'll definitely have to try the Falafel Drive In.
Esp, thanks to all who provided the city location...VERY helpful!
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Check out Falafel Drive In and let us know what you think. The banana shake is also their signature, so many people get the falafel sandwich/banana shake combo. Here's a link to my old report: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/390480
2301 Stevens Creek Blvd San Jose CA
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In my search for SJC eats, it was *your* post combined w/this list & a tv spot that compels me to try Falafel Drive In. So thank you!
Thanks to all the chowhounds here for steering me in the right direction. In the past, I've tried Krung Thai, Halu Ramen, Tlaquepaque and the Google Cafeteria and provided quick feedbacks on most. I'll report next week.
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fun! In no particular order, the tastes I discovered this year and crave whenever I think about them...
1. Fried chicken sandwich from Bakesale Betty
2. “the Egg” at Manresa
3. Sweet potato fries at the Counter
4. Pumpkin mochi at Gochi
5. Korean Fried Chicken from 99 Chicken
6. Salad of Haricots Verts, Tomato Tartare, and Chive Oil – made from French Laundry cookbook
7. Carmel bars with bittersweet chocolate and sea salt - Tante Marie's Cooking School
8. Kumamoto oysters, from Hog Island or (in a pinch) at the Los Gatos farmer’s market
9. Beard Papa cream puffs – in the US! (still not as good as in Japan, but whatever)
10. Irish brown bread from John Campbell's Irish bakery
Out of town tastes: hot tres leches donut from Donut Plant in NYC, bacon ice cream at Blackbird in Chicago, squash flan with beet sauce at Ditirambo in Milan, first time trying fugu in Tokyo, ice cream float from Milk in Los Angeles
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Great lists everyone. Lots of stuff to try on this thread.
My top 10 without thinking about it all that much. Not in any order.
1. Sobrisada Bocadillo with Alioli and Boquerones at Café Madrid (Oakland)
2. Koh Sumui (Lemongrass Coconut milk Chicken curry) and Otsu (sesame buckwheat noodles with seared tofu) at Pomelo (SF)
3. Sweatbreads at El Raigon (SF)
4. Spicy Tomato Soup at Udupi Palace (Berkeley)
5. Tofu Jerky and Spicy Braised Tofu from stall at Temescal Farmers Market (North Oakland)
6. Slow Roasted Pork at Memphis Minnie's (SF – Lower Haight)
7. Shaved Fennel Lemon Oil Parmesan salad and White Bean/Tuna /Augala salad at Café Oly (Oakland)
8. Dopo Pizza (w anchovies) at Dopo (North Oakland)
9. Musseld in Pernod at A Cote (North Oakland)
10. Lao Sausages (Lemongrass sauages) at Champa Garden (Oakland)
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1. Meyer Lemon marmalade from Frog Hollow Farm served with goat cheese and basil at home
2. House cured duck ham thinly sliced and served with creamy, horseradish deviled eggs and bitter radiccio slaw from Blue Plate
3. Green Curry chicken at Thai House Express -- possibly the best I've had
4. 5-spice chicken at Lotus Garden. The chicken is perfectly carmelized and crispy on the edges and served with rice and fish sauce.
5. The California Breakfast at Betty's Oceanview Diner (Berkeley) Perfectly poached eggs served atop thinly sliced ham and with a lemon herb butter sauce
6. Carne Asada taco from Taqueria Guadalajara
7. Walnut Tartlett from Mission Pie-- kind of reminiscent of pecan pie only not to sweet and some of the walnuts are ground into a kind of paste. Served with a dollop