Cheeseboard

Roma tomatoes, basil, olives

Our last few times at Cheeseboard have been good but not amazing like usual (due to overcooked crust), but its a nostalgic treat that we always enjoy.

Potatoes, gruyere, rosemary olive oil

Rating 8/10
April 2, 2011
April 23, 2011

Kirala

Berkeley, CA

My favorite part of Berkeley is down Shattuck where Cheeseboard, Chez Panisse, Gregoire and Holistic hound reside. You have great food, but one thing that is missing in the area is good sushi. Well apparently, they have that too I just never knew. Kirala, a popular sushi joint down the other side of Shattuck, is often considered to have some of the freshest fish in Berkeley. Little did I know they have an outpost Kirala 2 go which also has fresh cut nigiri/sashimi to order along with a variety of pre-made sushi boxes. We've been two times in the past month, once for a custom nigiri order, and once for a assorted variety. The two visits had different results, one very solid, one less than stellar, but in both cases, its great to have pretty good quality fish easily and readily available in our favorite part of the town. The best part for us is that there's an outdoor table for us to enjoy with Shadow, a rarity for sushi restaurants.

Kanpachi, Hamachi, Tako, Sake

Our first visit we ordered five different nigiri; Kanpachi, Hamachi, Tako, Sake and Hotate. The standout was the Kanpachi, which was a special of the day. All of the nigiri was pretty good quality, better than anything we have in the Sacramento area, so I enjoyed it immensely. It was pretty pricy though, about $30 for the ten pieces. 

Spicy tuna roll, tuna, red snapper, sake, hamachi 

Our second visit we bought the pre-made assortment filled with a spicy tuna roll, tuna, red snapper, sake and hamachi nigiri. At $12, it was a good deal, and with a purchase of $10 or more, they give you a free day old item, so we ended up getting another of the same. The fish quality was still good for the pre-sliced, pre-boxed items but the rice was cold from being refrigerated and wasn't enjoyable. We ate the fish as sashimi and although it wasn't as good as our first visit, it was a good deal. All in all, its nice to have a sushi option with good quality fish and outdoor seating right in our favorite part of the city and I'm sure we'll be back. 

Rating 6.5/10

April 2, 2011

April 23, 2011

Gregoire

Berkeley, CA

It seems crazy that we hadn't been to this Berkeley institution before, but we're glad we finally got our chance. On a Saturday afternoon, the place was packed with about 25 people lined up, waiting for their premium box lunches.

Fried buttermilk chicken filet with spicy cole slaw on sweet roll

Chu-Toro got the fried chicken sandwich which had a nice spicy kick to it and she liked the chicken filet better than Bakesale Betty's. Although Betty's slaw was far superior. The side of lentils had a refreshing citrus flavor to it and was an interesting side dish.  

Crispy potato puffs

Everyone is nuts for the crispy potato puffs and I can see why, they're like creamy thick tater tots, a nice alternative to fries.

Sautéed local rock cod & chorizo with garlic aioli & fried capers on pantofolina

As much as I like fried chicken sandwiches, I think I liked my rock cod and chorizo sandwich even more. The only thing I wish was that there was more contents in the sandwich, because it was really tasty. The garlic aioli really brought everything together, really fresh with a surprising bold, deep flavor profile. It was one of the most unique sandwiches I've ever had.

I can see why this place is so revered, because of its amazing flavors, fresh ingredients and cheap prices. It's become an instant classic for us and we can't wait to come back

Rating 7/10

April 2, 2011

Shaddy Approved

Orenchi

Santa Clara, CA

It's taken us a while to make it over to Orenchi Ramen, even though its only 10 minutes away from my parents house. And whenever we're with BroCo, we know he really likes the mini dombori accompaniment at Santouka so we usually go there. But on this Saturday afternoon, we decided to branch out and try Orenchi's ramen, who in their own right have a large loyal base of customers who claim this is the best ramen in the bay. We were surprised to have a long list of patrons ahead of us when we arrived, but the wait ended up being only about twenty minutes. We were all hungry so we started off with a pair of appetizers, fried calamari legs and karaage fried chicken.

Fried calamari legs

The fried calamari legs were good, a bit chewy and a pretty sparse (4 pieces) for $6. 

Karaage fried chicken

The karaage fried chicken was superb, maybe some of the best fried chicken I've ever had in my life. The batter was crisp, crunchy while the interior was extremely moist. It was the best dish of the meal and the one thing Orenchi has that a leg up on its local ramen competition.

Orenchi Tonkotsu Ramen, soft boiled seasoned egg, pork, green onion,
bamboo shoots, mushrooms,sesame, nori seaweed

I started with the Tonkotsu Ramen, which was the closest ramen they have to a classic ramen, with a deep pork brothy flavor. I liked it, most of all the perfect runny soft boil egg. 

Shoyu (soy sauce base) Ramen, pork, bamboo shoots, wakame seaweed,
Tokyo leak, fish cake, spinach, and nori seaweed

The Shoyu Ramen, soy sauce base, was the most boring of the bunch. It didn't taste like a ramen, but a basic Chinese noodle soup.

Shio (Salt) Ramen, pork, bamboo shoots, wakame seaweed, Tokyo leak, nori seaweed,

tororo seaweed, yuzu Japanese citrus

The Shio Ramen, like the Shoyu was boring. The most interesting part of their version was the slimy seaweed which added an interesting texture to the soup. Overall, the Tonkotsu ramen was the only one worth the trip and it didn't meet up to par with other ramen joints in the area. We're glad we crossed this one off the list, but probably won't be back unless we want some awesome karaage.

Rating 5.5/10
April 9, 2011

Saigon Sandwich

San Francisco, CA

Its funny that in the past few years Banh Mi has become such a beloved item because its been around forever.  One of the most highly regarded Vietnamese sandwich shops in the city is Saigon sandwiches. They have an interesting ordering system, where it is done in bunches and if you're not in that bunch, you have to wait until all the sandwiches are made and you can put in your order. Luckily, I only waited about five minutes to put in my order and since I was first on the new bunch, my two sandwiches were done fairly quickly.

Pork Meatball Banh Mi 

We ordered one roast pork Banh Mi and one port meatball Banh Mi. The verdict? Well, it was a perfectly fine Banh Mi, but not sure its worth the extra wait or inconvenient location in the Tenderloin to go to. There was nothing quite spectacular or unique about it, and honestly I prefer Huong Lan Sandwiches in South Sacramento for a superior specimen.

Rating 6/10

April 15, 2011

Cotogna

San Francisco, CA

It can be argued that Cotogna is one of the hottest tickets in town. Chu-toro and I were not impressed with our meal at Quince last year, but there must be a dozen local and national food articles talking about how Michael Tusk has done it again with his new casual homey restaurant next door. I finally was able to make it there on a Saturday afternoon for lunch with LoKo. Cotogna is known for its homemade pastas, pizzas and spit fire grilled pork. Although there are brunch items on the weekend, we decided to stick with the popular items, picking two pastas and sharing the roasted pork as the main. 

Wild nettle tortelloni with black olive and pine nuts

The first pasta dish we received was the wild nettle totelloni. I enjoyed the creamy nettle stuffing, but I felt the pasta was just a little undercooked along the edges. There's al dente and there's undercooked.

Gnocchi with dungeness crab and English peas

The best dish of the meal was the gnocchi, served with crab and peas. A generous portion of the surprisingly light and airy gnocchi combined well with sweet crab meat and crunchy peas. 

Spit roasted pork loin with wild fennel and chili

Their most popular dish, the spit roasted pork, had a decent flavor profile, but I didn't like how thinly sliced the pork was. Because of the way it was cut, I felt the meat was not that juicy or tender. If this was the best entree that Cotogna had to offer, I guess there's no real reason to come back. You might think because of the added expectations I had raised from all media hype, I was a little too critical but I think I'm just not that big a fan of Michael Tusk's restaurants. Despite the reviews I've read on yelp, the service was fine and overall the pasta was solid, but not earth shattering. And for these three dishes and tip, the meal was a steep $75. If you live in the area, its probably worth a try (they also have a $25 fixed price meal on the weeknights) but I wouldn't go out of your way to dine here. 

Rating 6/10

April 15, 2011

Golden Gate Bakery

San Francisco, CA

For decades Golden Gate Bakery has been considered the best egg custard tart in San Francisco. You can tell by the lines out the door despite the fact they can charge a ridiculous $1.15 per tart (a normal one is about 70 cents). I only probably make it here once or twice a year, but its always a nice treat to have a perfect fresh, warm tart. 

Egg Custard Tart

During my latest visit, Shadow and I beat the crowd and avoided any lines on a early Saturday morning. We then walked to a park to enjoy the freshly made treat. The verdict? Good, but not amazing. I think there was something different with the crust, which was not as flaky as it once was. The crust is really what made theirs stand out above all others. I just felt like I was missing some of the layers it previously had. I've heard rumors that since the head baker passed away it hasn't been the same. The custard itself was still excellent and overall a good product. However, it did not evoke the same nostalgia it had in years past and at nearly 50% the cost than other egg custards, I'm not sure its worth it the trip and the cost. If we're in the Chinatown area I'm sure we'll stop by, but only to grab two, instead of the normal dozen. 


Rating 7/10
April 16, 2011

farm:table

San Francisco, CA

We just need a quick breakfast before Chu-toro's work engagement, so we walked a few blocks from Union Square to farm:table, a local breakfast hole in the wall featuring a daily changing menu based of fresh local ingredients. 

Daily toast, mascarpone, strawberries and oatmeal crumble

There's nothing too fancy about anything at this place, its just centered around simplicity. I guess you can't get more simplistic than two pieces of toast with a thin layer of mascarpone and cut strawberried and oatmeal crumble. It tasted like a haute version of yogurt.

Hard boiled egg, sourdough bread, chutney, cheese

My savory hard boiled egg was covered with a very tasty curry like chutney. I honestly don't recall which leafy green topped the dish or the accompanying soft cheese, but I enjoyed it. Shaddy sat with us at one of the two outdoor tables and they were nice enough to give her a complimentary little breakfast bread treat.

Rating 6/10

April 16, 2011

Shaddy Approved

Wayfare Tavern

San Francisco, CA

The thing about TV chefs is that they're really about the personality more than the food right? Well Tyler Florence has been on a rampage this past year opening restaurants from Napa to SFO in attempts to dispel that theory. And for the most part, he has convinced San Franciscans that he's the real deal in the kitchen. People were saying the fried chicken and the Wayfare burger were amongst the best in the city. So that's exactly what we went to get. Joined by our friend P'licious, we entered the noisy, packed restaurant on a Thursday night seeking some good fried chicken and drinks. Tempted by the savory menu, we started with the bone marrow and poutine.

Roasted bone marrow, grilled sourdough, onions, parsley. sea salt, smoked olive oil

Since having bone marrow at CUT in Beverly Hills, I've been looking for one just as good. And the search continues, because although Wayfare's is fine, it is not special. The dish was predominately onions and parsley, but a minimal amount of actual marrow. 

Poutine - French fried potatoes, mozzerella curd, briased short rib, truffle gravy

Chu-toro loves poutine, as should all people. What's there not to like? Messy fries in gravy and cheese. YUM. Wayfare's version is HEAVY. There is a good amount of tasty braised short rib and gravy on every surface area, so you definitely get your money's worth out of this filling starter.

Organic Fried Chicken buttermilk brine, roasted garlic, crisp woody herbs, lemon

Both Chu-toro and P'licious ordered the infamous fried chicken and despite the gorgeous presentation with fried herbs atop the pile of chicken, we were all underwhelmed. I did enjoy the heavily infused herb flavor, but the skin lacked the crispiness I expect in fried chicken. In fact, the skin was soggy on most pieces. The meat was tender, but not juicy and for $22 I was hoping for something more memorable.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese, Jack Cheese, garlic bread crumbs,
chives, smoked olive oil

The $22 order of fried chicken does not come with sides, so we order some mac and cheese to go with it. This was the creamiest, thickest, richest mac and cheese I've ever had. I liked it but could only have about four bites of it.

WAYFARE BURGER “LE GRAND” - grass-fed proprietary grind, Mt. Tam cheese,
roasted onion, smoked bacon, brioche, sunny side Petaluma egg

There seems to be a trend of gourmet burgers the past couple years and I'm glad to say that I tried Wayfare's. I'm a sucker for gooey eggs in my burgers (blame Thomas Keller recipes) and like that addition to this burger. The burger was flavorful, better than the one I had a Marlowe the week before. The creamy Mt. Tam cheese is always welcomed as is a brioche bun. I liked all the ingredients on paper but I think there needs to be some modifications to the execution of the dish. It could be really great if they modified the patty to incorporate a little more fat and juiciness. 

I really had high hopes for Wayfare tavern, which may be why I didn't like it as much as I had hoped. I'm not sure the burger was good enough to be something I'd crave in the future and the chicken was definitely a letdown. It was a split in appetizers also, since we liked the poutine, but were lukewarm on the marrow. It's a loud, trendy dining hot spot right now, and probably will stay that way for the next few years so in that respect Tyler Florence has succeeded. But from a culinary perspective, the cost to quality ratio doesn't stand up to the bill and I probably won't be back anytime soon.

Rating 6.5/10

April 14, 2011

Marlowe

San Francisco, CA

To say there has been a lot of hype behind the Marlow burger is an understatement. People rave about it and reviews on the rest of the menu are just as positive. So following the opening night at AT&T park watching the Giants receive their 2010 Championship Rings, Chu-Toro and I made the short walk over to Marlowe for a late 10 PM dinner. I started with a nice mild Hopf Helle Weisse while we looked through the menu.

Hopf Helle Weisse

We shared a couple appetizers, the addictive, crispy, salty brussel sprout chips and two baked oysters.

Crispy Brussels sprout chips Meyer lemon, sea salt

We really enjoyed the brussel spouts, an original, successful idea but a costly $6 for what was probably four brussel sprouts.

Baked oysters, New England chowder in a shell

The baked oysters were touted in reviews and a supposed must have item on the menu, but we found them overly salty and could not taste anything but bacon bits.

Stuffed Sole dungeness crab, glazed celery root & baby fennel, meyer lemon & caper

We both enjoyed the stuffed sole, which was perfectly cooked, well seasoned and filled with fennel, lemon and crab. Chu-toro was looking for a light entree and I appreciate the depth of flavors of this course. 

Marlowe burger caramelized onions, cheddar, bacon, horseradish aioli & fries

I think part of the problem with the burger is the hype behind it. In actuality, it is a solid burger, nothing wrong with it, other than the patty was thin, small, and lacked juiciness. But it tasted good with the cheese, sweet onions and salty bacon. The accompanying horseradish aioli has a nice creamy kick and the fries were light and crispy. Overall, a nice burger, but no way one of the best in the city.

Overall, Marlowe is a solid restaurant and probably one of the better choices given the location. I would come back before or after a Giants game, but I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here.

Rating 6/10

April 9, 2011