Coi - San Francisco, CA

Let me start out by saying that I did not enjoy my meal at Coi. And as such, I am a barbarian. If you do not like reading words from a Neanderthal, it would behoove you to stop reading, NOW!

Good, you're still here. I enjoy experimental cuisine, and understand that, although not mutually exclusive, tastiness and interestingness are often a tradeoff. But while not everything strikes me as delicious, I do appreciate all the intellectual thoughtfulness (and whimsical rigmarole) that goes into a meal. I enjoyed Alinea greatly; wd-50, not so much. There is just something - perhaps ambition, restlessness - about the genre that keeps me coming back.

Coi is probably as close to that as you'll get in San Francisco. There is just so much fresh produce and happy cows and ambling chickens that the local restaurant scene would rather focus on ingredients; and for good reason. But Coi is very different from the alchemists in Chicago, NY, and Barcelona. Conversely, it takes more of an Ubuntu approach: exploring the full potential of ingredients and their context with some modern techniques. It's more an appreciation for seasonality and locality than a show to turn things into gelees and frozen orbs. Ok; I would say that I get it. Coi had been on my list since I moved to SF, so I was excited about this meal with I and H. However, our meal left much to be desired (say, sustenance).


Caramelized pear and root beer


Frozen Mandarin Sour - satsuma ice, angostura bitters

Satusuma shaved ice with accents of bitter. Nothing very interesting to note, except maybe, whoa! Flavored shaved ice.


Geoduck Clam - black radish, bean sprouts, yuzu, shiso

Comparable to a good omakase first course. Ok.


Beet and Goat Cheese Tart (broken, inverted) - rye, dill

A variation of the classic beet and goat cheese combination; good. It is deconstructed! Come on, even Bix was more creative with their beet and goat cheese than this.


Sunchoke-Buttermilk Soup, Hot/Cold - Asian pear, cocoa nib, mint

While the soup was actually really good - the pear worked extremely well with the sunchoke - the temperature (the focal point here) was just unpleasant. Cold soup was poured tableside over the hot ingredients, but the combination was unpalatably lukewarm with absolutely no temperature differentiation between the broth and contents. The "hot/cold" was meaningless since we could not detect either.


Fall, Pastoral - young carrots roasted in hay, radish powder, soyoung's pecorino

It is indeed a lovely fall evening in San Francisco. The local carrots, per description and taste, are nubile. They were roasted on "a bed of hay", which our server really emphasized, so they taste smoky. Flavorwise, they're not all that different from lowbrow carrots; not sweeter or more complex or anything. But I think I get it. I am eating fresh, local ingredients that are questionably well prepared; all of Fall is embodied in these carrots.

No, I actually don't get it. As non-delusional young adults, we were laughing because this was just silly. Daniel Patterson argues that elite kitchens should challenge the antiquated customs of fine dining; that gilded luxury ingredients do not a good meal make. He believes that chefs should instead revalue and start using previously thought to be lowly ingredients, and subsequently transform them with creative and often deeply personal forms of expression.

This course is what I consider the epitome of a rarefied and inaccessible food movement. This is a $120 tasting menu. It is much more pretentious serving roasted carrots than foie gras at this price point; and to validate it with some preachy food philosophy is downright offensive. Carrots are the new caviar? Give me a break.


Monterey Bay Abalone Grilled on the Plancha - nettle-dandelion salsa verde, spicy breadcrumbs, lemon zest

This was the course that we anticipated most. Sweet and crunchy, the abalone was very simply prepared: grilled, sliced, and dressed with lemon zest and breadcrumbs; it was elegant, extremely flavorful, and a great showcase of high-quality ingredients. The course was very good (we each ordered another near the end of our meal because we were still hungry).


Savory Chanterelle Porridge - pig's feet, garlic confit, wood sorrel

At this point in the meal, we're still pretty hungry (I apologize again, I'm a barbarian). You can imagine how excited we were when we saw pig's feet as the next course. We started digging in; cutting a piece of the woodsy chanterelle transparent film (inventive) and wrapping it around each mound of porridge. Texturally, the collagenic porridge and slippery film were mush. We hungrily wondered where the pig's feet was; and it turned out they were minced finely into the porridge. Only subtly flavorful, the porridge was extremely restrained.


Chicken/Egg - slow-cooked farm egg, crisp chicken skin, chard, green farro

This was really good, and reminded me of the egg I had at Arzak. Texturally similar, both slow-cooked eggs were topped with crunchy bits; Coi's chicken skin version was more interesting and flavorful, though too agressively salted.


Camembert (Herve Mons) - sweet and spicy greens

I was tickled by the meticulous and exacting effort that went into arranging the leaves on the plate.


Steamed Kabocha Squash Cake - apple, pomegranate, vadouvan


Caramelized White Chocolate Parfait, Semi-Frozen - huckleberries, anise

We left feeling flummoxed, not to mention hungry. Not only is it celebrated by the critics (two-stars), but locally, Coi is surrounded by a lot of hype. We went in expecting to be impressed, if not by taste then by inventiveness; instead, we were confused, even slightly guilty, we did not enjoy our meal. I ultimately concluded that my palate is not refined enough to enjoy this food because I'm a barbarian. This was a caustic comment that someone left on my Alinea post: "Ridiculous - a perfect example of people with more money than sense". I beg to differ on the Alinea experience, but it is awfully fitting and damning here.

$120 - 11 course tasting menu (Nov 2009). 18% service charge automatically added per party.

Coi
373 Broadway
San Francisco, CA 94133-4512
(415) 393-9000

I eat at Plant Cafe because I'm Gen Y

I really like Plant Cafe and eat there quite often. I'd eat there even more if it were closer to my office and if my immediate coworkers shared my affinity for lighter takeout fare. When the collective decision is Patxi's or CPK for the 3rd night in a row, I choose to Go Rogue.

- This point appeals to all generations: the food is consistent and actually very good. The Plant Burger (patty made of lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews and bulgur wheat) will deceive you. The description sounds gnarly and the patty looks alarmingly like raw meat (coloration from the beets), but you will be pleasantly surprised by the textures and the palatably nutty resemblance to meat. The soups change daily, and are consistently good (not too thick, never watered down, not too salty). I've also enjoyed all the seasonal made-in-house pastas (cooked delightfully al dente). They offer a decent dessert selection (I am a fan of the lemon meringue and seasonal fruit tarts, in that order) as well as Blue Bottle Coffee.

- We Gen-Yers like to maintain some sort of work-life balance. After working long hours in the office because we were conditioned to attempt responsibility beyond our years, we really don't feel like cooking (not that I ever really do, but bear with me). The job usually doesn't allow me to make long sit-down dinner plans in advance during the week, so when I get out earlier than expected, Plant is the default. This is the type of stuff I could eat every day, sort of like the Whole Foods self-serve section. It's reasonably priced, healthy, and not an easy-to-get-sick-of zesty. It's also refreshing to be at the median age in an eating establishment in San Francisco, for once.

- We Gen-Yers like to challenge the status quo. When we're not tweeting or musing over our next start-up ideas, we are advocating some sort of cause. In Plant's case, it's two birds with one stone: green tech and sustainable local food movements. Plant claims to "use the power of the sun to cook your food!" which sounds pretty dandy to me. 

Plant Cafe and Restaurant 
Pier 3, The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94111

ame - San Francisco, CA

I don't even know where to begin. I am back at school, after my incredible summer in New York. Soon after finals, I embarked to the city, and spent the following ten weeks at my investment banking internship. It was one of the most intense experiences of my life, but I could not have asked for a more rewarding and amazing summer. I even found time to try all the restaurants on my list (mainly by eating late and being spontaneous). Thanks to those who left comments and kept checking back - I'm excited to post frequently again.

I have a huge backlog of NYC restaurants, but I will start off by ending a San Francisco post I had meant to post at the beginning of the summer.

Ame, owned and operated by chefs Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani of Terra in St. Helena, was one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in late 2005. Featuring a sleek interior and a Japanese - French menu similar to Terra, it had a lot to live up to, and has since garnered mixed reviews. For the last day of my internship last year, several of us came to ame for a last hurrah.


Tempura “Poke” with Ogo Seaweed, Hawaiian Sea Salt and Green Onions 15

Maguro is wrapped in seaweed, lightly battered, and flash-deep fried in this simple but well-executed appetizer. The tuna was fresh and melt-in-your mouth, while the seaweed remained crispy in its delicately crunchy tempura batter.


“Ceviche” with Radish, Sea Salt and Candied Jalapeños 14.50

While the ceviche was masterfully constructed, it looked better than it tasted. White fish is wrapped in a paper-thin radish wrap, topped off with parsley, sea salt, and candied jalapenos. The ceviche itself was a bit bland, but I really enjoyed the jalapenos, which were slightly sweet and crunchy. I just wish that the ceviche would have been more seasoned.

A closeup:



Chopped Salad with Feta Cheese and Fried Green Tomatoes 13.50

A standard but solid salad. I enjoyed the fresh mesclun greens and cheese, and the green tomatoes were juicy and only lightly deep-fried.


Beef cheeks with zucchini blossoms

I had only tried a bit of this from K, but I found it to be a pretty standard braised meat entree. The beef was tender, but a bit over-seasoned. I also found the polenta to be too watery and overcooked.


Ricotta and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Cipollini Onion and Braised Cavolo Nero 18

The ravioli was good - pasta al dente and the cheese not overpowering. I found the accompaniments (basil seeds, crunchy haricots verts) more interesting than the actual ravioli.


Broiled Sake Marinated Alaskan Black Cod and Shrimp Dumplings in Shiso Broth 25

I ordered the signature entree. With the oversupply of fusion restaurants in the past years, the broiled cod with miso thing has been done time and time again; and with this abundance, it has become ironically difficult to find a restaurant that does it well. Having tried the signature cod at Nobu as well, I decided that ame's version wins hands down. While ame's was slightly overseasoned, the texture of the fish compensated. Perfectly cooked, it was nearly flaky, with the flesh being delicate and smooth.


I was not too blown away by the dumplings, however. They were well-accented by the shisho broth, but the dumpling filler was lacking in depth of flavor.


Blueberry Pie 9.50

A solid blueberry pie, but I would have preferred a flakier crust. The crust here resembled the texture of shortbread, and was too dense for my liking. The blueberry filling was good - not artificially sweetened in any way.


Pear Tart 9.50

The glazed pear tart was also good, but nothing standout. Ames strengths are in its appetizers, with the exception of the cod. It is an extremely elegant fusion restaurant: nothing over the top in what I would consider "subtle fusion" (no eel sauce drizzled over everything). The French and Japanese influences are well-executed in its dishes, and everything works well together. I would have just preferred more flavor in certain appetizers and more innovative desserts.

Ame
689 Mission St (St. Regis Hotel)
San Francisco, CA
415.284.4040

Kara's Cupcakes

I couldn't come home during Spring Break without having a cupcake. I don't even particularly like them, but I felt compelled to visit Kara's Cupcakes that had recently opened a store in the Marina. Now that they have a retail shop, I don't have to order the cupcakes by the dozen.


The space fits the perception of a cupcake shop. Pink, small, and dainty, the store houses a glass case of the variety of cupcakes. Flavors include: Ghiradelli chocolate, sweet vanilla, vanilla chocolate, buttery buttermilk vanilla, chocolate velvet, coconut, Kara's karrot, banana, raspberry dazzle, java, passion fruit, meyer lemon, banana caramel, and fleur del sel.


Being the insomniac coffee fan I am, of course I opt for Java, which is a chocolate cake with espresso buttercream. It's good, but not as good as Sugar Sweet Sunshine, which had the moistest cake and smoothest buttercream. I guess I still don't really understand the cupcake craze, but I will keep trying them until I do.

Kara's Cupcakes
3249 Scott Street (at Chestnut)
San Francisco, CA

Bar Crudo

Ithaca has been uncharacteristically hot, but alas, I only get to enjoy the nice weather from indoors. Being a student is a 24 hr job, especially during finals. That said, school ends in about a week or so, but I don't get to head back to California at all the entire summer. I'm sure Manhattan can handle my ravenous appetite, though a good portion of those meals will be takeout in the office. I guess that's "living the dream."


Seafood platter - 6 oysters, 3 shrimp, 3 mussels, 3 clams, 1/2 lobster 35

During spring break, my coworkers from my summer internship and I rendezvoused at Bar Crudo. I had wanted to try it for a while, being a fan of raw bars and all raw things in general. I also knew that A's humor and M's wine expertise would make for a night of fun. We started off with the seafood platter, which consisted of a variety of oysters, shrimp, clams, mussels, and lobster. I really liked the oysters and clams, but I wasn't so enamored by the lobster. The platter usually comes with 1/2 crab, but they were out that evening. I don't really dig lobster unless it's sous vide, and the lobster that night was way overcooked to the point of rubbery.


Crudo Sampler 30
Rhode Island Fluke - golden beet, horseradish creme fraiche, caviar, chives
Tombo tuna - lobster oil, pineapple vanilla vinaigrette, chervil, Himalayan pepper
Dayboat Scallops - chickpea puree, wild arugula, lemon oil
Spicy Yellowfin tuna cubes - ginger, soy, wriracha, green onions

I always get very excited with crudo samplers. I reminisce about the fluke tasting I had at Le Bernardin, which thoroughly blew me away. The sampler at Bar Crudo was a hit or miss. The fish was fresh, but the flavor combinations make or break it. I really liked the spicy yellowfin tuna cubes; slightly sour and spicy with a hint of ginger, it was definitely very refreshing. The scallops and fluke were good also, and I really liked the golden beets in the fluke. The tombo tuna was quite offensive, however. The vanilla vinagrette was way overpowering and artificial-tasting, and with the slippery lobster oil, the fish came to taste like a limp piece of plastic.


Arctic char - creamy horseradish, wasabi tobiko, dill 11

Our server mentioned the arctic char, which wasn't on the sampler. This actually turned out to be my favorite crudo of the night. I haven't had char much before, but with its red hue and fat content, I had assumed it to be related to salmon and steelhead. The char had a great creamy texture, without the pronounced taste of salmon. The light horseradish and wasabi tobiko also added a refreshing accent to the char. Next time I would only get this and the yellowfin tuna cubes instead of a sampler.


Lobster salad - baby beets, pistachio, burrata cheese, mache, banyuls vinaigrette 14

The salad was pretty standard but good nonetheless. I celebrated the return of the baby beets, but I was not so fond of seeing the lobster. This time it was ever-so-slightly overcooked, but the rest of the salad was good.


San Sebastian - tuna confit, asparagus, roasted red peppers, arbequins olives, caper berries, manchego, tomato bread 13

I read that the San Sebastian is the thing to order at Bar Crudo. Ironically, it turned out to be my least favorite dish of the night. The ingredients resembled a salade Niçoise, sans the lettuce. I suppose I don't like cooked tuna at all, but this tuna was just really overcooked. Since the highlight of the dish was ruined, I lost interest quickly.


Steamed Manila clams and sweet main shrimp - troubadour blonde ale, fava leaves, pea shoots, beech mushrooms, green garlic 12

We ordered one hot dish that evening. The clams and shrimp were fresh and the pea shoots delicately cooked, but the broth was too salty.


Truffles - earl grey, hazelnut, berry

Bar Crudo only offers truffles for dessert, and I believe they were from XO. Overall, our meal was a hit or miss. I would probably only stick with the crudos next time, specifically the arctic char and yellowfin tuna. Cute restaurant and nice staff though.

Bar Crudo
603 Bush Street (at Stockton)
San Francisco, CA 94108

Greens

After my night of Bloc Partying and burgers, I decided it was due time for some detoxing. As my healthful mother is a major fan of Greens at Fort Mason, we headed over there for a wholesome brunch. Good thing I made reservations, or else I would have been waiting for a good while. Though, they do have Greens to Go, featuring grab-n-go sandwiches, pastries, and smoothies. Here, you will find the East Coast stereotype of San Franciscans come to life: REI/Birkenstock-types on their zero-emission bikes and sporting their uber organic attitude. But, we are talking about a vegetarian restaurant in the Marina.


Curried cauliflower soup

Greens has a limited but ever changing menu. That sunday, they had a curried cauliflower soup, which consists of 2 of some of my favorite things. The soup had a wonderfully smooth consistency, similar to a cream soup, but without the cream. Topped with fresh coconut shavings and peppers, this soup was delightfully light way to start the lunch. It was also not the least bit salty.


Provencal tartlet with Japanese eggplant, roasted tomatoes, peppers, fennel, onions, fontina and pesto. Served with garden lettuces, endigia, picholine olives, sun dried tomatoes, marcona almonds, and lemon mustard vinaigrette 15

Next up was the tartlet with vegetables and pesto. The tartlet was deliciously flaky and buttery, but could have been on the heavy side if it were not balanced with the lightly sauteed eggplants and tomatoes. So far, I was quite impressed by how fresh all the vegetables were. The salad was impeccably crunchy and refreshing, tossed lightly with the lemon vinaigrette.


Mesquite Grilled Brochettes of mushrooms, peppers, yellow finn potatoes, red onions, yams, fennel, cherry tomatoes, and marinated tofu with charmoula. Served with pistachio-cherry pearl couscous, or garden lettuces. 13

These brochettes were great, marinated and grilled such that each vegetable component still retained their flavor. I was especially impressed with the cherry tomatoes, which were some of the juiciest, sweet tomatoes I've had in a long time. The couscous, however, was a bit too soft for my taste, though it redeemed itself with the pistachios and dried berries.


Grilled portobello sandwich on acme focaccia with roasted peppers and onion, asiago, arugula and chive mayonnaise. Served with roasted German butterball and all blue potatoes with green beans, capers, pickled red onions, Italian parsley, frisee and sherry vinaigrette 12.50

The grilled portobello was good, and it pretty much hit the ceiling of how great a portobello sandwich can be. The part of this dish that really appealed to me was the cold potatoes with green beans tossed in vinagirette. The potatoes were small and delicate, and the green beans tasted like they were just picked from the garden. This was the palate cleanser I needed that morning.


Bowl of pink lady apples, pineapple, bananas and mangoes 5.50

Instead of going for a dessert, we opted for a healthful bowl of fruits to end our meal. This is probably the only part of the meal I can replicate with good results.

Although I tend to frown upon vegetarian restaurants because of selection issues, I loved Greens. Everything was flavored just right, and the preparation of fresh ingredients was simple, prestine, and well-executed.

Greens Restaurant
Building A, Fort Mason Center
San Francisco, CA 94123

Bocadillos, Clown Alley & St. Patrick's Tomfoolery

After my delightful brunch at Canteen, it was due time to catch up with my wine country afficionado and partner in crime, J-Anne. We also knew that this commemorative day would bring about much needed recognition for the bishop and patron saint who converted many a pagan to Christianity. Indeed, it is also a day to celebrate Bobby Flay, Frank McCourt, The Corrs, hurling, James Joyce, and Enya. We decided to visit the Church of Scientology, after an evening at Monaghan's in the Marina. Oh, how I look forward to the roaring 20s years.

As per our last encounter, church employees draw you in and never really allow you to leave. They will redirect you to another part of the church, or offer you refreshments, but you will never just freely amble out the door. Being the masochists we are, we ventured in right into the lair of the devil himself. This time, however, we were quite successful at bypassing all the workers with glazed-over eyes dressed in gaudy suits. After we examined the strategically placed exhibits, we somehow ended up at a platter of grapes and cheese in the back of the church. Since it was a pungent block of gouda, our favorite, we could care less if it were laced with scientology drugs. While this was satisfying, it only whet our appetite for more.

Thankfully, Bocadillos was right across the street. "Do they have desserts?", I wondered aloud. Indeed, they had dulce and frutas, which we supposed meant just that.


Warm coconut bread pudding with raisins and pineapple 6

The bread pudding had a great texture, interspersed with raisins and fresh coconut shavings. I also enjoyed the pineapple gelee, which supplemented the coconut in making this a nicely "exotique" bread pudding.


Macaroon "luzien" with pistachio ice cream 6

We were not nearly as successful with the macaroon, however. Although we were sitting at the bar next to the kitchen, the dessert had been sitting out and the ice cream arrived melted, though, the bigger problem lay in the macaroon itself. The bottom was so hard to cut apart that it reminded me of King Arthur's stubborn sword in the stone. The top was more managable, but the macaroon was just plain dense and hard.


By the time we finished our desserts, it approached 9. We promptly headed over to the SF Design Center, where Bloc Party was playing. Even more incomprehensible than the band's pronunciation of words was the diversity of the crowd. Present were people of all ages, sizes, and shapes. Unlike suppose, a Radiohead concert where one would find 99% "Seattle" types, the Bloc Party concert had middle aged LLBean types in a crowd along with the hs-aged Forever 21s. It makes you wonder--are they here for Bloc Party, or did they really think there was a block party (albeit mispelled)?

In any case, we stayed til the end, and got up close and personal with the band at 330 Bitch Street. By then, we had also grown quite hungry. We thought of Clown Alley, the quirky burger joint open until 3 on weekends. The magenta & turquoise colored paintjob is hard to miss in the surrounding locale of grey sterile buildings.




The workers here are really great at multitasking. While taking your order, they will be alternating Spanish with someone on the phone, while taking down another 10 to go orders from someone who cut from the side. Genius, I tell you.


Note to self: when visiting Clown Alley on St. Patrick's day, do not expect to use the establishment's bathroom. You might just catch an STD breathing in the air.




Chili Fries 3.50


Cheeseburger 5.20

I enjoyed my cheeseburger, though I would've preferred my meat more rare. Other than that, it was a tasty morsel of food, complete with toasted bread, melted cheese, and even some vegetables. It was a delightful way to end an evening chockfull of tomfoolery.

Monaghan's
3259 Pierce St.

Bocadillos
710 Montgomery St.

Clown Alley
42 Columbus Ave.

Canteen

I am back from my weeklong spring break in the SF Bay Area that consisted primarily of food and contributing my part in stimulating the economy. I will probably be posting about bay area restaurants for a while to alleviate some of my backlog. The Friday consisted of a long day of flying that included me eating a barely edible turkey & swiss in the Dallas airport, while waiting for another delayed flight. I decided to reward myself with a trip to my brunch staple, Canteen in the Commodore Hotel. I've posted about it before, so I won't bore you with a similar review.


Eggs Benedict

I absolutely adore Canteen's eggs benedict. The eggs are poached perfectly, but most of all, I enjoy their hollandaise, which is light and smooth.


Strawberry French Toast

Their French toast is also excellent, with the softest, juiciest pieces of bread that soaks up every last bit of the strawberry juice. I also like how the "syrup" isn't starchy and overly sweet.


Apple Pancake

While the pancake itself is perfectly smooth and fluffy, I found the apples a bit undercooked and hard in contrast. I also wish that the entire thing were evenly browned, since I found myself gravitating toward the westerly hemisphere.


Roast Beef Sandwich

The real star of the meal turned out to be the roast beef sandwich that rarely appears on the menu. Thinly sliced pieces of warm, tender, juicy, medium rare beef comes sandwiched between two slices pieces of toasted, seedy bread. With a crunchy exterior and soft textury interior, the bread comes topped with sesame and poppyseed. This also comes with a homemade mayonnaise-ish type condiment. Subtely hearty is how I would describe this brilliant beefy gift to man.

Canteen
817 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 928-8870

El Tonayense Taco Truck

Ok, I admit it. Prior to this summer, I'd never eaten a taco truck taco, no less consume anything out of a parked vehicle. Timing was always an issue; everytime I drove by one of these I was just too full to eat. So one day, I made it a point to be hungry in the late afternoon to finally try the offerings of these culinary destinations on wheels (some others prefer to call them, "roach coaches").


El Tonayense parked near Best Buy


Carne asada taco ~1.30

Without nearby tables and chairs, I ate this on the trunk of my car, which I enjoyed since it actually felt like summer in San Francisco. My taco was overflowing with meat, to the point I had to brush some off and eat it separately. The beef was a bit less tender than I expected, but it was well-seasoned and hearty. Combined with the salsa and a squeeze of lime, the whole taco was a refreshingly zesty.


And then I grabbed another to go.

Taco trucks are a great asset to San Francisco. Tasty, cheap, and convenient, these trucks could very well reduce hunger for the masses (which I'm sure they already do). Now, if only I could just hunt down that fabled sushi truck.

El Tonayense
14th and Harrison
San Francisco, CA