Oenotri

It seems silly that it would be so hard to find a good restaurant that is dog friendly and can accommodate a party of ten, but that was the challenge I accepted when trying to plan a small surprise dinner party for Chu-Toro's birthday. Actually, Oenotri didn't cross my mind because when I dined there nine months ago, I didn't know they had patio seating. But it worked out great because their service was excellent, the staff was prepared, friendly and ran a fun filled night with very good food and wine.

Chef's selection Charcuterie

I requested that the charcuterie and prosecco (a Bele Casel) be ready upon arrival and sure enough, the sparkling wine was sitting on ice, shortly followed by the charcuterie while everyone was getting seated. We were all in conversation and missed the step by step run down of each of the salamis but everyone seemed to enjoy it thoroughly.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Summer Squash, Cream and Bagna Cauda Pizza

Margherita Pizza: Mozzarela Di Bufala, San Marzano Tomato Sauce and Basil

Peppers, Pancetta, Red Onion, Aglio Rosso, and Wild Arugula

We then ordered three out of four of the pizzas offered on the menu to share as our next course. The pizzas didn't resonate with me in the same fashion as they did during my first visit (when i called them Mozza lite), mainly because my focus was on chatting instead of eating and obviously the pizzas cooled. But they were still good pizzas, light chewy crust with simple fresh ingredients, and everyone found at least one or more slice they liked. 

Bucatini Alla Carbonara: Pancettam Tully Dolci Egg, Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano

Torchio with Pork Sausage, Preserved Lemon, Roasted Fennel and Wild Nettles

Wild Nettle Fidei with Wood Oven Roasted San Marzano Tomatoes, Eggplant,
Jimmy Nardello Peppers and Genovese  Pesto

Fresh Central Mills Polenta with Parmigiano-Reggiano

Tagliatelle with Pacific Coho Salmon, Sea Urchin Butter, Garlic, Dill and Cherry Tomatoes

The next wave of food were individual pasta orders. Since we were all having such a good time instead of looking at the menu for our next course, our server Ryan put us on the spot by surprising us and whispering "What pasta do you want?" into our ears to take our order. We all got a good laugh out of that and he returned with four unique beautiful pastas, an order of polenta and a bottle of 2009 Tami' Nero D'Avalo from Sicily. My dish was the tagliatelle which i thought came with sea urchin, but actually was centered around salmon. Probably the only time in my life I've ever ordered a salmon pasta. It was pleasant, but I much preferred the two bites I had of Chu-Toro's Torchio with pork sausage. I'm convinced that any pork dish here is a winner. It packed a flavorful punch and left me wanting more.

Willis Farm Porchetta Alla Diavolo: Fried Potatoes, Arugula, Endive, Fennel, Black Tomatoes

Fried Quails

Coho Salmon with Summer Squash, Corn, Marin Roots Amaranth, and Tropea Tondo Onions

In typical  fashion, I over ordered and asked for one of each of the secondi entrees for the table to share. Although we probably didn't need it, we definitely needed the food to go with our next bottle of wine, a Damilano Nebbiolo D'Alba from Piedmont, right? It ended up being another successful round of food, in particular the Willis Farms Porchetta Alla Diavolo. "Alla diavolo" meaning devil in Italian, the porchetta was kicked up by peppers, spices and garlic. It was probably one of the tastiest pieces of pork I've ever had, really, really good. It was definitely well spiced, flavorful while still being juicy and naturally "porky." The accompanying fried potatoes were the perfect match for this dish while the salad of endive, fennel and arugula helped tone down and balance it all out. The fried quail and salmon dish were perfectly good dishes too, but we agreed the pork was the best. Shaddy finished off most of the salmon on her own under the table since we were all stuffed.

Birthday Cake

Of course we couldn't finish without a big slice of birthday cake. The staff kindly brought it out with the five candles they could scrounge up and we all sang for Chu-Toro. After everyone received a slice, we gave the rest of the cake to our servers for being so attentive, professional yet fun throughout the meal.  The final verdict is that Oenotri is a great place to have a party on the outside patio on a warm summer evening in Napa. Although the food wasn't as earth shattering as our first visit, it was still pretty damn good and we all had a wonderful time. 

Rating 8/10

August 27, 2011

Shaddy Approved

Hog Island Oyster Co. Napa

Napa, CA

Although we had dinner reservations only a couple hours later, it's always hard to pass up an opportunity to grab a quick dozen oysters at Hog Island. We actually had never been to the Napa location, preferring to frequent the farm in Tomales Bay or the Ferry Building. We were happy to learn that the Oxbow market, while not dog friendly inside, has a ton of outdoor seating allowing you to dine at many of the restaurants with your pooch. Hog Island's outdoor setting is nice, quiet and allowed us to slurp oysters in peace.

Oysters

Part of the reason for our visit was to try Split Rock oysters from Discovery Bay in Washington, delivered and shuck by the hands of the proprietors for the day. They were pretty similar to the sweetwaters of Tomales Bay, creamy and delicious.  We also had a half dozen of Sand Isle Kumamoto's from Humboldt Bay to go along with our lemonade and my Chau Tien Pale Ale from Modesto. It was a perfect appetizer before Chu-Toro's surprised birthday dinner. We also found out that if you visit all three locations by the end of the year, you can get a SF Giants Championship Hog Island hat. Challenge accepted! We will be visiting the other two locations in the coming months and enjoying some more delectable oysters. Perfection is found in simplicity at Hog Island, one of our favorite spots.

Rating 8.5/10

August 27, 2011

Shaddy Approved

Addendum

Yountville, CA

Basically everyone who has experienced the Ad Hoc fried chicken falls in love with it, so when Thomas Kellar announced he would be offering it three days a week in an even more casual setting, everyone went crazy. In the back of Ad Hoc stands a small house where you can order the infamous fried chicken or ad hoc style bbq with accompanying sides.

Addendum lawn

The garden area has a large lawn, tall trees, plenty of picnic tables and fresh vegetables used in their daily cooking. 

Garden and Picnic seating

After you order, you're given a name tag and your drinks and in about ten minutes somebody brings you out your goodies.

Ginger ale and Root Beer

We ordered an overly sweet root beer and a very good ginger ale.

Buttermilk Friend Chicken and honey cornbread

My first bite of fried chicken made me think that they had changed their recipe since the last time I had it a on Monday evening a couple years back. And while it was good, I wasn't sure it was as earth shattering as it was the first time around. But regardless, as I kept biting through the crispy, rosemary flavor crust and licking my fingers, I truly enjoyed having it again. It is not classic fried chicken, but its a refined version that nobody can complain about.

Sweet corn succotash, Brentwood corn, zucchini, red bell peppers

The corn succotash was Chu-Toro's favorite bite during the meal because it just so simple, sweet and addictive. 

Ad Hoc style BBQ pork ribs and pulled pork and honey cornbread

The other half of the menu features Ad Hoc style bbq, again non classical, but a tasty, satisfying version. The pork ribs fell off the bone, with an excellent smoky flavor and a great spicy kick to their sauce. The pulled pork sat atop a honey cornbread. In that bite, it was the honey cornbread that really stood out, a sweet, moist, delectable bread.

Classic potato salad, mayo mustard dressing

The classic potato salad was definitively the most boring pedestrian dish of the meal. Nothing too special about it. But overall, we enjoyed sitting outside with Shaddy while dining on refined classic American fare envisioned through the eyes of chef Kellar. With drinks, it's a bit pricey at $40 bucks for two people but you'll enjoy yourself and appreciate dining in the casual, comfortable setting in beautiful wine country.

Rating 7.5/10

August 27, 2011

Shaddy Approved

Ella

Sacramento, CA

On Chu-Toro's actual birthday night, we dined at Ella, somewhere that we've been meaning to dine for years. For a Tuesday night, the place was packed. They fulfilled my request to seat us in the corner of the room in a booth which gave us a great view of the interesting designed restaurant which was mostly modern and causal elegant with a twist. Midway up on the walls and atop the ceiling were small, old, colorful window shutters all aligned to form an original design.  

Estrella Damm

We started with a couple of drinks, Chu-Toro with a peach mojito and I was recommended an Estrella Damm, a smooth, crisp Belgium style food beer from Spain. It was an excellent selection that I would've never come across had they not run out off the beer on tap I originally ordered. We finished the entire bottle and both enjoyed it tremendously. 

Watermelon Salad

Chu-Toro started with a watermelon salad, a dish that sounded pretty pedestrian but actually was my favorite of the night. The salad consisted of watermelon chunks, rock shrimp, pickled bean sprouts, roasted peanuts and chili-lime vinaigrette. It was extremely fresh, light with thai inspired flavors that really tied together well. A surprising winner.

Wood fire oven Meatballs

In typical fashion, Chu-Toro starts with a light fresh first course, so of course I select the heaviest, heartiest, most filling dish possible. Wood fire meatballs with cherry tomatoes, candied garlic, basil and sheep's milk ricotta. The meatballs were extremely moist and tasty, reminding me of little meatloaf bites. A simple concept that was well executed and tasty.

Pan Roasted Scottish Salmon

Chu-Toro selected the pan roasted Scottish Salmon, with smoked corn succotash, porcini, mustard beurre blanc, piqullo peppers, and green chickpeas. The salmon was well cooked, just slightly medium, making it tender and delicate. Corn is one of Chu-Toro's top five ingredients and she loved the succotash which was flavorful with a little kick. 

Roasted Berkshire Pork T-Bone

My roasted Berkshire pork T-bone was a thick generous cut of meat that was very well seasoned, tasty with a nice crispy crust but I wished it was just bit juicier inside. Underneath was a panzanella salad, green garlic, braised peal onions, piperade, bacon lardons. Another good offering.

Honey Poached Crepes

We were very full and boxed up half of each of our entrees, so we decided to share a "light" dessert. The honey poached crepes sweet corn ice cream, summer berry compote and caramel corn hit the spot perfectly. They staff wished Chu-Toro a happy birthday at least a half dozen times throughout the night and topped it off with a candle on the dessert. Chu-Toro also ordered a coffee which came with warmed milk, bumping up her total score by a half point. It's just one of those service touches that Chu-Toro really appreciates.


Even though our favorite meal in Sacramento was at The Kitchen, another restaurant from the same owners, I think we were extremely surprised that our experience here was at the same level of success. It's a place that I would recommend in Sacramento, which is an extremely short list. It is a little pricey, but we found that the service and food were very good and we will be back.


Rating 8/10
August 23, 2011

Koi Palace

Many bay area folks will tell you that Koi Palace is the best Chinese restaurant in the area. I know that will raise a ruckus amongst those who hate it because they don't think its worth the long wait or high prices. We've visited once before for dim sum a few years ago which was quite pricey but always wanted to come back to sample their dinner menu. We ended up surprising Chu-Toro for her birthday with a banquet style meal with both of our families. 

Suckling Pig BBQ combination appetizers

Although it took a little bit of time to get seated (30 minutes despite having a reservation), we got stuck in a smaller table and didn't get our food for a good thirty minutes after ordering, when we finally get our first plate, it was worth it. The char-siu was the best we had since being in Hong Kong. The crispy suckling pig skin was superb and roast duck delicious. There was nothing to complaint about other than I wish we had more of it.

Rice Paper Fresh Shrimp Roll

The next dish reminded me of fancy dim sum with a light airy crispy shell that wasn't too oily with a tasty shrimp interior. Pretty darn good and unique.

Shrimp ball stuffed with scallop

We were all wondering what the next dish was, appearing like a small crab cake. After the first bite, we learned that a shrimp meat ball with a scallop inside. Very interesting and another new unique bite.

Peking Roasted Duck

Peking Roasted Duck and Bun

The crispy skin hid the thick layer of fatty goodness on the roast duck. The bau was strangely a little too buttery but beautifully formed in visually appealing layers. This dish is always a fav of mine.

Abalone and Mustards Greens

Up to this point, every dish we had was different and unique in some way from the "normal" Chinese banquet dishes until we received the classic abalone and mustard greens. Nothing to complain about on this well cooked, good classic dish.

Golden fried crab

The golden fried crab was probably one off the most creative, distinctive Chinese dishes we'd ever had. We saw another table receive it twenty minutes before us and thought it looked a whole like potato salad topped with a raw egg. When it arrived at our table, everyone was curious and excited. The pile was actually egg whites and crab meat, a light fluffy, airy interesting dish. It reminded us of the contents of a crab fried rice without the rice. Visually appealing and picaresque.

Oven roasted chicken

The crispy chicken was boring and dry, really the only lackluster dish of the night.

Seafood imperial braised rice

We were all pretty stuffed at this point and most of us didn't finish our fried rice. The couple bites I had were pretty flavorful.

Steamed catch of the day

We barely touched the steamed catch of the day, two small carps because everyone was so full but the few bites I did have were excellent.

Mango and Almond jello

Everyone was very satisfied with all the dishes throughout the evening apart of the $488 set meal. Given that 11 people were stuffed and we had four boxes of leftovers, it turned out being a pretty reasonable dining experience for a large party. Its definitively not a weekly dining destination, but if you're looking for authentic Chinese flavors for a special occasion meal, this is a great choice if you live in the bay.

Overall 8.5/10

August 20, 2011

Swan Oyster Depot

San Francisco, CA

Chu-Toro and I have been meaning to check out Swan Oyster depot for years. We are oyster and seafood lovers and as a San Francisco institution, everyone says there's no better place for fresh seafood. Swan Oyster is only open for lunch and there's always a line. We knew there was something wrong when we attempted to come last time and they were closed. Thankfully on this visit, our wait was only about 15-20 minutes before we were designated two cramped seats at the bar. 

Bar

The space is small but they squeeze everything they need to into the tight knit quarters. We started off with a Stella (on tap) and an iced tea.

Clam Chowder and Sourdough

The clam chowder is simple and watery. Perfectly fine flavors, but not what we're used too. We both agreed that we'd skip this on the next visit.

Crab Cocktail and Calamari Salad

The star of the meal was the crab cocktail. We debated whether we wanted a salad or not, but decided just to go with straight up crab meat with sauce on the top. The cocktail sauce was perfection, not too acidic, not too sweet, just perfect. The crab was super fresh having been cracked in the back, naturally sweet and wonderful. When you have crab like that, without doing all the work, you could eat another three cocktails on your own. The calamari salad was less successful in my mind. There was just a little too much celery and we weren't crazy about the flavor. We'd skip this next time as well.

Mixed dozen

Next up was the mixed dozen oysters which included Miyagi's, Cleveland Cove's, Blue Points and Steamboat island's. Chu-Toro was partial to the Blue Points while I enjoyed the Steamboat island's. There are a variety of sauces to add to your raw oysters and we tried each of them. The house mignonette was good but the spicy thai took away too much from the natural oyster flavor. Same goes for using cocktail sauce, although its awesome on everything else. In the end, we're classical and a little lemon wedge was perfect.

Cherry Stone Clams, Kumomtos and Steamboat Islands

We followed up our order with another half dozen oysters (steamboat islands and kumomotos) and six cherry stone clams. Chu-toro really liked the kumomotos, little sweet gems of perfection, although I prefer a little more bite to my oysters. The cherry stone clams were intriguing because we had never had raw clams out of the shell before. The first one I had was a bit too oceany for me, but after a little lemon and a touch of cocktail sauce, they ended up being really good. 

We debated if we wanted to have the fresh sea urchin (there was only one left if we wanted it), but were pretty full and already spend $100 bucks. Fresh seafood ain't cheap. But we really enjoyed ourselves and are already excited for a return trip back. 

Overall 7.5/10

August 20, 2011