tablehopper

letter from the tablehopper: November 10, 2009

2009-11-10T14:47:00.000-08:00

"This is Ricky Machado, and I am reporting to you live from the scene. Ah, yes, Susan, that is correct, we have a three car pile-up on the tablehopper freeway. It appears there was a sherry party bus and a weekly restaurant delivery van both on their planned Tuesday route, and then an Alfa Romeo loaded with book manuscripts attempted to pull an Evel Knievel and jump over them as it was coming off an overpass, but the driver didn't clear it. It was quite a convergence.

"No one is hurt but the driver of the sports car is visibly fatigued. Looks like she was driving hard all weekend, trying to make her delivery on time. So now we have a mess of paper all over the freeway. The sherry party bus is still on target, claro, and the restaurant delivery van lost a little bit of produce in the spill, but is still gonna make its Tuesday scheduled delivery at 3pm.

"As for the driver of the Alfa, I'll have an interview with her shortly asking what the hell was she thinking driving that fast in lane one hauling that kind of a load, let alone trying to jump the van and the bus. Total kamikaze move. The CHP has never seen anything like it. Film at 11."

Honk.
~ Marcia

the chatterbox: November 10, 2009

2009-11-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

Some details have finally been released about the ~CREDO~ project due to open in the Financial District at the end of December/beginning of the New Year. Owner Clint Reilly is opening what they're calling an urban trattoria in an old Chinese bank. The name comes from the Italian and Latin phrase "I believe," which will be transformed into a design element in the space: large panels on the walls will feature quotes from famous people ranging (including John F. Kennedy and Howard Stern), who have all said sentences that begin with "I believe." There will be 79 seats, with a spacious private dining room below with room for 50, and an upstairs bar with eight seats. The design is modern, with treated cement floors, and special tables handmade from scrap wood by Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek. Richardson Architects of Mill Valley is behind the design.

Chef Mario Maggi, who hails from Florence but trained in Milan, has worked in 31 restaurants around the world, and this will be his first opening in San Francisco. His menu of rustic Italian fare will include a grilled Caesar salad and baked pastas, including a dish called sedanini al credo, a type of pasta that he bakes covered with a lid of pizza dough, almost like an Italian pot pie. And reportedly the Emperor of Japan is crazy for Maggi's tiramisu. Lunch and dinner will be served Mon–Fri, and dinner on Saturdays. 360 Pine St. at Montgomery.

Things are also in motion for the ~25 LUSK~ project (it's near Ritch Street in SoMa) that has been in a holding pattern for some time. Details are slim, but Chad Bourdon (formerly of Farallon) and executive chef Matthew Dolan (New York's Café des Artistes, Emeril's in New Orleans, and Garibaldi's in SF) are the managing partners on the project. The vague details I have about the dining style are these: it will be "sophisticated, contemporary, approachable fine dining." The opening timeframe is approximately early summer 2010, and construction is expected to begin soon. 25 Lusk St. at Townsend.

Opening today, ~URBAN PICNIC~ is the new concept launching in the former Chill dessert cafe in the Financial District. Owner Trang Nguyen hired Poleng Lounge's Tim Luym to develop a new menu of healthy and ethnically inspired salads, sandwiches, and soups, ranging from turkey with honey guacamole on a baguette, to a house salad with additions like lemongrass chicken, to a chicken coconut lime soup. Grab-and-go selections will be coming soon. The location's original dessert concept means there will be desserts and beverages as well, including all natural–frozen yogurt, frozen custard, gelato, and coffee. Open Mon–Fri 10:30am–4:30pm. 125 Kearny St. at Post, 415-413-1233.

Let's look at some meals on deals...

Want a delicious and homey three-course dinner for $25? ~IL CANE ROSSO~ has decided to extend their Sunday Supper $25 dinner to every night, serving it from 5:30pm–9pm. Check out their site for menu details, but last night's included kale and apple salad with pecorino ginepro, toasted hazelnuts, and thyme vinaigrette; Marin Sun Farms brisket with horseradish aioli; soft polenta with Pt. Reyes blue cheese; and snickerdoodle cookies with Straus Dairy vanilla soft serve. Yeah, awesome. One Ferry Building, # 41, 415-391-7599.

~ZARÉ AT FLY TRAP~ is now offering a half-pound beef burger with pickled sumac onions and one drink (anything from their well, draft beer, or wine) for only $15. This promotion is available Monday through Saturday after 8:30pm at the bar. 606 Folsom St. at 2nd St., 415-243-0580.

Looking for something to do?

Boy, do I have a lineup of events for you. First, a friendly reminder that this Wednesday November 11th is ~FOOD FOR THOUGHT~, a fundraising night for the Mission Graduates nonprofit organization. Dine out at select Mission District restaurants like Bar Bambino, Farina, Range, Regalito, Slow Club, and Front Porch, and they will generously donate a portion of their sales that evening to help pave the way to college for K–12 students in the Mission District. Click here for a list of participating restaurants and make your reservation.

Saturday the 14th is the next ~YBCA BIG IDEA NIGHT~, which is fantastically free to the public. This one's theme is "State of the Queer Nation/Bridging the Gap," focusing on cultural distance and how to close gaps of misunderstandings between people. There will be a "Soapbox Social" from 7pm–9pm with queer luminaries each delivering a five-minute State of the Union address (including the inimitable Anna Conda), followed by cocktails and conversation. Seats are limited, so please RSVP at ybcafree.org. At 9pm, the party kicks off with performance art, DJs, and the Diamond Daggers, a fabulous queer burlesque troupe. Orson/Citizen Cake's Elizabeth Falkner and partner/co-owner, Sabrina Riddle have graciously donated "Edible Indulgences" (made of Scharffen Berger chocolate with chili pepper and pop rocks) to be given out by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at the party for a suggested donation of $3 or more (proceeds go to YBCA and Tenderloin Tessie's Holiday Dinner). There will also be warm pork buns with kimchee ($5), cold noodle salad with mushrooms, herbs, and peanut vinaigrette ($5), and cupcakes and whoopie pies ($3). RSVP at www.YBCAFREE.org for guaranteed admittance. 7pm–2am. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Grand Lobby and Galleries, 701 Mission St., 415-978-2787.

Well, lame Daylight Savings Time is in full effect, and the weather is cooler, so we might as well celebrate what's great about autumn. On Sunday November 15th, ~PICCINO~ is hosting an Autumn Festival, serving a variety of special Far West Fungi mushroom dishes, roasting chestnuts, and grilling butterflied quails on their outdoor grilling box, plus pizzas, salads, and desserts will also be available. Ian Garrone of Far West Fungi will be setting up a mini outdoor mushroom booth, where you'll have the opportunity to purchase and take home a variety of fresh, wild, and cultivated mushrooms (chanterelle, porcini, cauliflower, black trumpet, shiitake, king trumpet, and, yes, truffle) as well as dried mushrooms and truffle salt, all at 10–15% off. 12pm–5pm. 801 22nd St. at Tennessee, 415-824-4224.

Feeling saucy? Sunday the 15th is also ~THE BOSS OF THE SAUCE~ competition, with 20 local restaurants competing over who makes the best tomato sauce. There will be food vendors, like Caffé Bao Necci Pizzeria, Caesar's Italian Restaurant, Palio d'Asti, Sicilianaire, and Guerra Quality Meats, plus wines from Dalla Terra, Jacuzzi Winery, Imagery Estate Winery, and Elizabeth Spencer Wines. Cent'Anni Cocktails will be premiering a special "Fall Apple Crisp" cocktail for the event, and Moretti will be pouring their Italian brew. For an opportunity to judge, tasters must be one of the first 100 people to volunteer upon arrival. Tickets for $20 are available here and at the door. Doors at noon; event from 1pm–5pm. Sts. Peter and Paul Church Event Center, 666 Filbert St. at Stockton.

Next Friday November 20th, ~THE WILD KITCHEN~, with special guest Boris Portnoy, is throwing a Spanish-inspired (but locally sourced) foraged food feast at SoCha Cafe in the Mission. The seven-course menu includes Mendocino porcini toasts with local sea salt, hen of the woods mushroom soup with Cowgirl crème fraîche, acorn bread with honey-infused raw milk, saffron-scented paella of wild foraged mussels and Boccalone sausage, feta cake of Mendocino ocean water with Berkeley foraged persimmons, black olive and foraged black walnut financier, and wild Mendocino huckleberry tapioca and wild rosemary chocolate mousse. Tickets are $50. There will be a $10 corkage fee for wine, as well as beer and wine available for purchase, which will go to SoCha. Space is very limited. If you have something you'd like to trade for dinner, they are up to hear it (like the use of a truck for Sat–Mon, or if you have restaurant experience and can help out). 7pm–9pm. SoCha Cafe, 3235 Mission St. at Valencia.

And now for some East Bay news: when Terrain, a hotly anticipated restaurant in Berkeley, learned that a little café in a garden center on the other side of the country trademarked the name, they decided to change their name to ~GATHER~. Expected to open for dinner on December 15th (with lunch to follow in January and full breakfast in February), there is a patio, rustic bar, and a casual café/to-go section in the East Bay's greenest of green buildings: the David Brower Center (it's right across from the University). The team includes Ari Derfel and Eric Fenster (Back to Earth Organic Catering), and brand-new GM Alex Desquiron (recently of Corso). Chef Sean Baker (formerly the sous at Millennium and the executive chef at Gabriela's in Santa Cruz) plans to offer fairly priced, "seasonal farm food" dishes, with humanely raised animals and sustainably caught seafood. Dishes include cinnamon braised–Sonoma lamb with chicory, apples and yogurt, and house-made salumi on a sausage pizza with torpedo onion and oregano. Half of the dishes will be vegetarian (like vegan chickpea-dusted cardoons with romesco and grilled scallion salsa). Christie Dufault of Gary Danko and Quince fame is crafting an all-California, entirely sustainable wine list, and the spirits will also be organic. The utilitarian chic design from Nicole Sillapere (SillaPere Design Lab) will emphasize reclaimed woods, artfully crafted metals, and local ceramic tile. 2200 Oxford St. at Allston, Berkeley, 510-859-9180.

Also in Berkeley, the 28-seat ~eVe RESTAURANT~ (site under construction) will open in mid to late November from the husband-and-wife chef team of executive chef Christopher Laramie (Blue Door in the Delano Hotel in Miami Beach, Everest in Chicago) and pastry chef Veronica Laramie (Charlie Trotter's)—they have moved to the Bay Area from Colorado. The seasonal menu will feature New American cuisine in a prix-fixe only format for $33, with choices of starters, main courses, and desserts. (Additional courses are available: five for $55, and seven for $77.) Examples of main dishes include quail with pancetta, chestnuts and star anise; seared black cod with miso, carrots and almonds; and cappelletti with pumpkin seeds, spaghetti squash, and blood orange. The wine list, compiled with help from Alex Bachman (Charlie Trotter's, Carmel Valley Ranch) will consist mostly of California vintages. 1960 University Ave. at Milvia.

the lush: November 10, 2009

2009-11-10T14:22:00.000-08:00

Beer drinkers may want to check out the Autumn Beer and Food Feast at the ~TORONADO~ on Sunday November 15th. Chefs Melissa Axelrod and Christian Spybrook will feature a six-course locally focused seasonal menu paired with 15 craft beers (you can see the list of beers on the event invite). There is one seating at 11:30am, and the event ends by 4pm with the bar opening to the public. The six-course menu will be paired with 15 beers and includes salad, a fish course, soup, entrée, cheese course, and dessert, with a few surprises thrown in. Vegetarian options are available upon request. Tickets are $95 (including all taxes and $10 gratuity) and can be purchased at the Toronado or online. 547 Haight St. at Steiner.

Also in the Haight, Giovanni Pagano will be conducting an Intro to Italian Wines class at ~UVA ENOTECA~ on Sunday November 15th from 2pm–3:30pm. Guests will learn basic tasting techniques as they become familiar with five unique Italian wines. $35. Call 415-829-2024 or email info [at] uvaenoteca [dot] com to sign up. 568 Haight St. at Steiner.

Monday November 16th is a cool winemaker dinner at ~COI~, featuring Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon, who will be reading from his new book, Been Doon So Long, in between courses. Guests will get a signed first edition of his book, and there will be a vertical tasting of Le Cigare Volant. You can peek at the special menu here. 6pm. $175 (inclusive of tax and gratuity). 373 Broadway at Montgomery, 415-393-9000.

Next Tuesday November 17th, you'll be able to learn all about the recent harvest season from ~PRESS CLUB'S~ collection of winemakers: Chateau Montelena, Fritz Winery, Hanna Winery and Vineyards, Miner Family Vineyards, Mount Eden Vineyards, and Saintsbury. The winemakers will be pouring behind their individual tables, chatting with guests about their various offerings, and will bring raw juice to taste. 6pm–9pm. Event link. 20 Yerba Buena Ln. at Mission, 415-744-5000.

~ARLEQUIN WINE MERCHANT~ is feeling feisty, and is hosting a "No More Nouveau" party next Thursday November 19th. From the event announcement: "Arlequin Wine Merchant will host an evening of more than ten wine tastings celebrating the "real" Beaujolais from award-winning Cru Beaujolais producers including Marcel Lapierre, Guy Breton, Pierre Chermette, Jean Paul Brun, Alain Coudert, John-Paul Thévenet and more. Cru Beaujolais wines from these featured producers are made the "old" way—fermented on natural yeasts and bottled unfiltered. These wines are richer, broader and denser reds than the Beaujolais Nouveau most wine drinkers are familiar with, which is light and sweet with raspberry notes." 6pm–8pm. $15; pay at the door. 384 Hayes St. at Gough.

the socialite: Thanksgiving

2009-11-10T14:13:00.000-08:00

photo by William Dalton

For those of you who have apartments that are too dang small to cook ~THANKSGIVING~ dinner, or just can't cook, here's a roundup of a few options around town. I also find the OpenTable list to be pretty extensive of what's open on turkey day.

Turkey and a View

EPIC Roasthouse is offering a multi-course dinner with Dungeness crab cocktail with avocado, pomelo, and cucumber salad and Meyer lemon aioli and radishes; caramelized butternut squash cannelloni with prosciutto, huckleberry relish, and blood orange vinaigrette; pan-roasted Maine scallops with ragout of sunchokes and cipollini onion, foie gras sauce, and fennel-pear salad; wood oven–roasted Branigan turkey with andouille stuffing, ginger sweet potato puree, black pepper cranberry sauce; and pumpkin gnocchi with chanterelle mushrooms, spinach, and chestnut sage–brown butter; desserts include warm apple tart with Tahitian vanilla whipped mascarpone; persimmon pudding and spiced pecans with Van Winkle bourbon ice cream and caramel sauce.

$85 per person (12 and under are $40), plus tax and gratuity. Supplemental wine pairing is $35. From 1:30pm–6:30pm. 415-369-9955.

Slow Food Thanksgiving

Americano is offering a three-course dinner with selections that include roasted butternut squash soup with toasted almonds, crème fraîche, and Dungeness crab; pear salad with little gem lettuce, arugula, gorgonzola cheese, and riesling vinaigrette; and Sausalito Springs watercress salad with Fuyu persimmon, ricotta salata cheese, and pomegranate vinaigrette. The main course includes a family-style Thanksgiving platter filled with all-natural heritage turkey, Brussels sprouts with lemon confit and chestnuts, Hog Island oyster and fennel sausage stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, and cranberry-orange relish. The sweet finish is a sampler of seasonal desserts.

Seatings at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm. $85 per adult and $35 per child (under 12). Wine pairings are an additional $25. 415-278-3777.

Mr. Miyagi's Thanksgiving

Ame will offer its regular menu in addition to a Thanksgiving Day tasting menu, featuring tuna tartare, roasted squash soup, seared Hokkaido scallops, turkey "porchetta," and pumpkin glacé with cranberry orange compote.

$85. 4pm–8pm. 415-284-4040.

I Don't Wanna Eat Turkey

Hate turkey? Want a steak instead? LarkCreekSteak is offering a prix-fixe three-course menu with multiple options. For starters, guests can choose from a little gem wedge, Sonoma Liberty duck terrine, or roasted pumpkin and hazelnut soup. Entrées include roast turkey with fennel sausage cornbread stuffing, certified Angus prime rib, or wood-grilled fresh fish. For dessert, there's old fashioned pumpkin pie, bread pudding, or apple-cranberry crisp.

$49 per person, $24 for children 10 and under, and there is no charge for children 3 and under. Seatings from 2:30pm–6:30pm. 415-593-4100.

Boozy Turkey

Palio d'Asti will be serving their third annual Italian-American Thanksgiving Feast, featuring chef Scherotter's famous bourbon and gin–braised turkey, grilled wild boar chops with sundried tomato tapenade, and a dessert buffet.

$59 per person, and children under 10 only pay their age. 415-395-9800.

510 Thanksgiving

Henry's at the Hotel Durant in Berkeley will be offering a Thanksgiving Day version of its popular "TV Dinners," with slow-roasted turkey with gravy, savory cornbread stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, house-made cranberry sauce, and sweet potato pie with cinnamon whipped cream, and a holiday mulled wine.

Only $19.95. 12pm–9pm. 510-809-4132.

(NOTE: Both Pican in Oakland and FIVE in Berkeley are doing Thanksgiving events, call to inquire about details.)

Turducken

You know you wanna try one. Chef/butcher Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats is offering specially prepared turduckens: a duck stuffed inside a chicken inside a turkey, all never frozen and free range. The birds will be stuffed with a chicken and duck sausage cornbread stuffing. The turduckens will be approximately 18–20 pounds and will feed 18–22 people, with some leftovers. Each bird is $250 and they require a 50% deposit via PayPal to process your order.

Each turducken comes with a electric thermometer and alarm probe in the center of the duck breast (the very center of the turducken); directions on how to cook it will also be provided. The turducken comes on a bed of root vegetables with assorted herbs in a roasting pan ready to cook.

The deadline for all orders is Sunday the 15th (act fast since they are only making a limited amount and they go quick). The birds are available for pick up only at their kitchen in Potrero Hill on Friday the 20th after 2pm, Tuesday the 24th after 2pm, or Wednesday the 25th after 2pm.

If you would like to order a turducken, email meat [at] 4505meats [dot] com to confirm and include the date that you would like to pick up. Once you have replied with the date, they will invoice you via PayPal for the deposit.

I Don't Want to Cook the Damned Bird

Here are a few Thanksgiving "please cook it for me" options I found:

Joanna Karlinsky's Sweet Jo's at the JCC will take pre-orders of holiday dishes to-go (the cafe will be open until 4pm on Thanksgiving). Sweet Jo's will allow you to pick and choose exactly what you want and how much of it you need.

Fine Foods at Home has a menu of side dishes available (available for pick up or delivery).

Debbie Does Dinner offers everything from potato chestnut soup to turkey and gravy; all available a la carte (the menu should be posted soon on her site).

Wondering what to pair with your turkey dinner?

Past tablehopper winos include Ian Becker and Carl Grubbs on what they like to pair with their Thanksgiving meals.

On Wednesday November 18th, Steve Sherman is hosting his 9th Annual "Wines for Turkey Day" at William Cross Wine Merchants (and there will be bird!). 6pm–9pm, $15 plus tax. 2253 Polk St. at Green, 415-346-1314.

Beau Timken has this piece about sake pairings.

Thanksgiving
Thurs. Nov. 26th, 2009

various locations

the sugar mama: November 10, 2009

2009-11-10T14:05:00.000-08:00

Looking for a unique read? Author Romney Steele creates a beautiful storybook with 85 recipes in My Nepenthe: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family, and Big Sur. This true tale of a famous restaurant, perched on the majestic cliffs of California's Big Sur, celebrates the magic and history of place through food and the Fassett family, who started Nepenthe. As Nepenthe celebrates its 60th anniversary, Romney—who grew up at Nepenthe as the granddaughter of the founders—delves into her own memories, those of family members, and the restaurant's archives to recreate Nepenthe's years of bringing writers, artists, dancers, travelers, actors, and cooks together around the table.

I will be giving away three copies of My Nepenthe. tablehopper readers can enter to win by forwarding this week's tablehopper newsletter to one friend, but even more would be so very fabulous. Just tell your friend(s) why they would dig a subscription to the tablehopper e-column (not a blog!), or point out an event or happening that you think your friend would like, or this book. Simply CC or BCC luckyme [at] tablehopper.com so I know you sent it—I promise I won't use anyone's email address.

Deadline to enter is midnight Sunday November 15th—I'll notify the winner next week!

Here are local events in November with Nani Steele:

November 12th
7pm, Omnivore Books on Food, 3885a Cesar Chavez St., SF, 415-282-4712

November 13th
7:30pm, Mrs. Dalloway's, 2904 College Ave. Berkeley, 510-704-8222

November 17th
6pm Book Passage, Ferry Building, SF, 415-835-1020

November 19th
7:30pm The Booksmith, 1644 Haight St., SF, 415-863-8688

November 21st
West Coast Live interview, Freight & Salvage Coffee House, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley Tickets: 415-664-9500

the starlet: November 10, 2009

2009-11-10T13:58:00.000-08:00

L.A. Times food writer Betty Hallock Tweeted on Saturday night: "Don Johnson is in attendance at friends & family tonight at Bouchon."

tablehopper reader Frances walked past Tartine and saw Kristen Schaal (Mel from Flight of the Conchords) sitting outside with a couple friends.

Steve Martin was in Napa for his performance with his band, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, on Thursday night at the Napa Valley Opera House. He checked in to the Napa River Inn in downtown Napa on Wednesday with his wife and dog Wally. (The hotel placed a VIP pet amenity in his room and arranged for a dog walker and sitter for him each day of his stay.) During their stay they had lunch at Angèle.

letter from the tablehopper: November 3, 2009

2009-11-03T14:23:00.000-08:00

You coming down off that Halloween candy sugar high? I didn't have one single trick or treater (yeah, a different kind of boo), so guess who has a dangerous amount of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in the house? Aw heck. A friend asked what my Halloween costume was going to be, and I said, "A writer at home in her slippers doing book edits." Yeah, it was a really rowdy Halloween, let me tell you. Although it would be an easy costume, complete with a coffee mug, sweatpants, a wrist brace, hair in a ponytail, and a bunch of take-out containers. Maybe a slight hunch in the shoulders. Filing that away for another year—too much reality at the moment.

But up until Friday, I had quite the week off-leash. Last Tuesday I went to Namu to finally experience the "KFC" (Korean Fried Chicken), which was stupidly delicious, and was totally scarfed, but the $32 for half a bird was getting too close to Zuni prices in the Inner Richmond for my taste. Wednesday I went to Omnivore Books to see William Grimes speak (can't wait to crack his book, Appetite City), and then I said, "Bridge be damned!" and caught a BART train for dinner at Commis. One hell of a meal, full of stunning flavors and presentations—and they do really good things to eggs over there, always a plus in my book. My dinner was rather similar to what the Bunrabs ate, check out pics of their meal here.

Thursday was the unofficial Porchetta Tour: 2009: my sis and I split sandwiches from RoliRoti at the Thursday market and Cane Rosso (in the end, RoliRoti's won—Cane Rosso's is more like a really good pork sandwich). But the sneaker fave hit of the day was Cane Rosso's egg salad sandwich. God damn, that sandwich is the best egg salad in the city, total perfection. Aged provolone on top, what a flourish. May they never change a thing.

Friday was quite a memorable evening: I was invited for a New Orleans dinner (click for pics) to celebrate the one-year anniversary of The Perish Trust, where they converted the space into the coolest dinner party set (they are going to start allowing people to host dinner parties there—it's quite atmospheric). We had bourbon, catfish-cornbread muffins, and some mighty tasty gumbo, followed by the chef's own Hooker's Sweet Treats. Maybe I need to do a tablehopper supper there, hmmmm...

And of course my family totally rocked my birthday dinner Sunday night, from the J brut rose, to the Moroccan lamb and carrots my mom made (so dang good), to my dad's fried peppers and homemade spicy coppa, to almond cake, all the way to the remarkable bottle of Naima from De Conciliis that my parents hand carried from their recent trip from Italy (wow, what an aglianico). I am so spoiled.

In the meantime, are you coming to the tablehopper sherry tasting event at Stable Cafe next week or what? Cast away the mental image you have of sherry being sweet or cloying, and get ready to embrace a new frontier of food and wine pairing, trust me. Our tasting leader César is the best guide you could hope for, and chef James Stolich of CookWithJames and I have quite a menu mapped out—it's shaping up to be rather feast-y, check it out in the lush. Since I turn my book edits in next Monday, I'll be ready to raise a glass with you (or two, or three, or four) next Tuesday, hope to see you!

This week I just have a quick bite for you since I have too much on my plate (literally). But thanks to Pete from Green Apple Books, I have a bookworm for you on the much-discussed David Chang's new Momofuku book, plus there are a couple very special out-of-town events in the socialite (hello, Laurent Gras is coming out here!). Since some of you have asked me about Thanksgiving dinner locations, expect a roundup next week.

Hope you get to enjoy this last gasp of Indian Summer,

~Marcia

the chatterbox: November 3, 2009

2009-11-03T14:10:00.000-08:00

Was interesting to learn that ~VERNON MORALES~, formerly of Winterland, is back in town (thanks Steven O. for the Twitter tip), and he's now the chef over at Town Hall. I know, not the first place you'd think this innovative and boundary-pushing chef would land, but he's excited to shift his refined molecular style toward the hearty and lively Town Hall style, and not the other way around (so no, you won't be finding any foams on the fried chicken). 342 Howard St. at Fremont, 415-908-3900.

Looks like yet another tenant is giving it a go in the ~MAYES OYSTER HOUSE~ location (recently the short-lived Midpoint, and prior to that, O'Reilly's Holy Grail). The menu is going to focus on San Francisco classics and seafood; since the restaurant's history dates back to 1867, lets hope returning to the original concept is what it takes to stick around. Late-night dining, happy hour, full bar. Open this Wednesday. 1233 Polk St. at Bush, 415-885-1233.

Now, this is definitely a soft opening, but I thought you should know that Ryan Ostler and Katharine Zacher of Broken Record fame are (quietly) ready to begin feeding folks at ~BRUNO'S~, starting this evening. They're going to be making adjustments to the menu, staffing, and more in the coming weeks, so remember, this is a soft opening—there are just two of them in the kitchen! Looking forward to their delicious and affordable Southern-American fare being back on our culinary scene. Bar opens at 5:30pm, and the kitchen will be open Tue–Sat from 6pm–10:30pm (perhaps later, to be determined). 2389 Mission St. at 20th St., 415-643-5200.

Thanks to my super sleuth-y intern, Erin, she noticed a sign about an upcoming ~INDOOR MARKETPLACE~ coming to Bernal Heights (name TBD). A group of six tenants will be taking over a former dry cleaner location, and hope to open before the holiday season wraps up, sometime in December. So far, confirmed tenants include Paulie's Pickling, which will be serving sandwiches, and salads incorporating their pickled vegetables; Bernal Cutlery, where you can get your knives sharpened by hand (check out the site for a peek at knives for sale—am loving this Laguiole wine key and the vintage pocket knives); organic produce from Della Terra Produce; plus a few other vendors. Amuse Bouche has a lease to be a tenant, but due to unfortunate recent immigration issues, that might not be happening (fingers crossed—you can follow updates here). Will keep you posted as this project evolves. I think this is such a clever solution to helping small businesses get a storefront—open in a space together! 331 Cortland Ave. at Bennington.

My other star intern Daisy investigated what was happening at the former J's Pots of Soul, now just ~SOUL~: one of the new chefs is Nigerian-born Chris Nwagwu. The menu features a combination of breakfast fare (omelets, egg dishes, blueberry pancakes—sorry, no more pumpkin), plus southern/soul food (like fried chicken wings, catfish) and African and Jamaican dishes (like melon soup and chicken pepper soup). Hours are 9am–8pm daily. They definitely win for the most inexpensive new signage solution (just paint over the "J's Pots of"). 203 Octavia St. at Page, 415-626-1844.

As previously mentioned, ~GREEN CHILE KITCHEN~, will be opening in its new digs just up the street from its original location this Wednesday. The access to a fryer means you'll be seeing sopapillas and chile rellenos, along with other additions to the menu, like green chile burgers. 1801 McAllister St. at Baker, 415-614-9411.

And just across the street, ~MATCHING HALF~ now has a beer and wine license, so hours have been extended to 9pm in the evenings. 1799 McAllister St. at Baker, 415-674-8699.

Moving west: lots of things are percolating in the Inner Sunset. Thanks to reader Karena for the tip, ~BEAUTIFULL~ is opening in the former Pasta Pomodoro space; I hear they are currently shooting for late November/early December. 816 Irving St. at 9th Ave.

According to Eater, ~TOASTIES~ (a sandwich shop) has moved up the block into the now-closed Cafe Gratitude space. 1336 9th Ave. at Irving, 415-682-9980.

For those who are wondering what's going on with the project from the ~FRESCA~ team that is opening in the PJ's Oyster Bed space, FYI, it's still going to be a few months out, so I'll have to keep you posted on the concept, menu, timing, and all that good stuff. 737 Irving St. at 9th Ave.

And lastly, according to permits (and reader Paul G.), there's a wine bar called ~INNER FOG~ opening in the old Crossroads Trading Co. corner space from owner John Nettesheim. Alas, I don't have any details on this one (yet!). 555 Irving St. at 7th Ave.

For those of you who couldn't get into 7x7's ~DAVID CHANG~ chef talk happening this Wednesday, here are some other places where you can find him signing books (thanks to Food Gal for the list): Thursday November 5th at Williams-Sonoma Union Square from 5pm–7pm; Saturday November 7th at 11am at Sur La Table in the San Francisco Ferry Building; also November 7th at 4pm at Kepler's in Menlo Park with David Kinch of Manresa; and noon on Sunday November 8th at Omnivore Books with Jeremy Fox of Napa's Ubuntu.

For a much less formal gathering (read: probably booze-soaked and packed with F-bombs), swing by ~SWEETIE'S~, a divey joint in North Point this Thursday starting at 7:30pm. Both David Chang and author Peter Meehan will be signing books while balancing drinks in hand. Should be a fun one. 475 Francisco St. at Mason.

Whoa, is ~LETICIA'S~ coming back from the dead to do further damage to every Castro District resident's liver? If permits are to be believed, it will be opening in the Thai Corner Express location. Stand by, fishbowl-sized margaritas may be imminent. 2200 Market St. at Sanchez.

Sally's Restaurant at the base of Potrero Hill, the place where World Gym folks go for egg white omelets after their workout, is now hosting dinner service, called ~SALLY'S AFTER DARK~. Created by Francisco Sanchez, the new dinner menu has some hearty dishes like sliders and braised short ribs, skillet chicken, and all-inclusive dinners for $24. Dinner service is Wed–Sat 5:30pm–11pm for now. 300 De Haro St. at 16th St., 415-626-6006.

As a warm-up to Martin Cate's upcoming move to Hayes Valley (Smuggler's Cove is getting close!), ~JARDINIÈRE~ is going "Tiki Bar" next Monday November 9th with a tiki bar theme. The prix-fixe dinner includes three courses (pu pu platter in effect!) and three wine pairings for $45, plus Cate will be behind the bar mixing up three vintage tropical cocktails for $10 each. Check out the menu here. Reservations are recommended. 300 Grove St. at Franklin, 415-861-5555.

White truffles are definitely on tour around town: ~AMERICANO~ (8 Mission St., 415-278-3777) is offering special dishes until November 6th (including breakfast eggs, available all day!—but they're $45 breakfast eggs, due to the five grams shaved on top); ~DELFINA~ (3621 18th St., 415-552-4055) has truffle dishes today Tuesday November 3rd and tomorrow the 4th (read more on their Facebook page); and ~POGGIO~ (777 Bridgeway Blvd., Sausalito, 415-332-7771) is running their series of truffle dishes during their third annual Festa di Tartufi from November 10th–15th.

More Italian feasting: ~LUCE~ is hosting a special Tuscan dinner on Wednesday November 11th to benefit CUESA, the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture. Michelin-starred Dominique Crenn of Luce and Donatella Zampoli from the wine estates of Marchesi de' Frescobaldi will come together to create a six-course dinner inspired by Tuscany, paired with award-winning wines from the Frescobaldi family, who have been making wines in Tuscany for more than 700 years. Chef Zampoli oversees the culinary programs and special events at the Frescobaldi estates, and also owns Donatella's Kitchen, an Italian restaurant in Budapest. $75 per person, and wine pairings will be offered for an additional $30 per person. $10 per person will be donated to CUESA. 888 Howard St. at 5th St., 415-616-6566.

Want a taste of the wild, like foraged acorn bread and wild boar? Check out the menu of this ~WILD GAME AND FORAGED FEAST~ at a private residence in Mill Valley—it's a fundraiser for the upcoming Swamp Cabbage film. It will be hosted on Sunday afternoon on November 15th from 3:30pm–6:30pm. Ticket info and more here.

~ARI WEINZWEIG~, co-founder of the famed Zingerman's Delicatessen, is visiting The Pasta Shop on Thursday November 12th for a book signing, conversation, and of course, a bacon tasting. The book is ZINGERMAN'S GUIDE TO BETTER BACON, Stories of Pork Bellies, Hush Puppies, Rock 'n' Roll and Bacon Fat Mayonnaise. 4:30pm–6:30pm. No cost except for purchases. The Pasta Shop Rockridge Market Hall, 5655 College Ave., Oakland, 510-250-6005.

the lush: November 3, 2009

2009-11-03T14:02:00.000-08:00

This Wednesday November 4th is a Sagatiba distiller dinner at ~SPRUCE~, who will be pouring their line of cachaças, including Pura, Velha, and their yet-to-be-released Preciosa. Bartender Brandon Clements will be concocting a variety of cocktails to pair with the five-course menu, which includes hors d'oeuvres during the reception. $125 (exclusive of tax and gratuity). 6:30pm. 3640 Sacramento St. at Spruce, 415-931-5100.

On Monday November 9th, ~AUTHOR KARA NEWMAN~ of Spice & Ice–70 Tongue-Tingling Cocktails, will be at Cantina for an evening of spicy cocktails from her new book. (Here's a recent review from Camper English of Alcademics.com.) You will be able to sample drinks made with jalapenos, hot sauce, and other fiery ingredients, and will have an opportunity to try your hand at making your own spicy cocktail. Light refreshments will be served. 5:30pm–7:30pm. 580 Sutter St. at Mason. (Note: Newman will also be at Omnivore Books on November 11th from 6pm–7pm.)

If you're extra-crafty, you can do a double play next Monday November 9th, and also try to get in to a special (and free!) event for the ~SECRET SHERRY SOCIETY~, which is just a few blocks away. (Well, it's more like "secret" since I'm telling you about it.) You and a guest are invited to enjoy a party with complimentary cocktails, "live collaborative art," and DJs at Swig from 6pm–9pm (view the invite). RSVP by emailing rsvp@secretsherrysociety.com. I can't guarantee there will be room, so act quickly if you're interested. 561 Geary St. at Taylor.

And just in case you get really excited about how delicious sherry is and you want more, more, more, you should come the next evening to the ~TABLEHOPPER SHERRY TASTING~ at the cool Stable Cafe (the event is Tuesday November 10th). As I mentioned last week, sherry educator supreme, César Salda ña, will lead us through all the different styles of sherry, like a palo cortado and manzanilla. And James Stolich of CookWithJames is preparing quite the meal for us; while these items are TBD, it's looking like during the reception we'll be sipping fino and manzanilla (and a sherry cocktail) while grazing on pimientos de Padrón, authentic Spanish artisan chorizo, aceitunas rellenas con anchoas (anchovy-stuffed olives), Marcona almonds, and a specialty of Jerez, salmorejo con pan, a wonderful smooth tomato sauce on bread. Once we sit down, the menu is currently slated to include a chicken dish (pollo casero with garlic and red Spanish pimentos is being discussed) and beef cheeks braised in red wine seasoned with smoked, sweet Spanish paprika (pimentón dulce). Plus a cheese course. And ice cream with Pedro Ximénez for dessert. AND cocktails to start (and finish) from Neyah White from nopa. I know, it's a total flavor fiesta. Tickets are just $59, all inclusive. The event runs from 6:30pm–9pm, and since there's always a great crowd (we're talking about faboo tablehopper readers, right?), it's sure to run over with more talking and drinking. Stable Cafe, 2128 Folsom St. at 17th St.

A couple beer dinners for your radar: don't forget this Wednesday November 4th is a ~DEVIL'S GULCH BELGIAN BEER DINNER~ at Magnolia. The three-course dinner ($45 with beer pairings) will feature pork, quail, and rabbit from farmer Mark Pasternak (who will be at the event). 1398 Haight St. at Masonic, 415-864-7468.

And then on Sunday November 8th, Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery are hosting a dinner at ~ANA MANDARA~ to debut the release of Life & Limb, their new beer collaboration. Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada, and Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head, will be on hand to answer questions, drink beers (hic), and tell stories throughout the evening. The five-course French-Vietnamese dinner will be paired with eight beers, including hand-pulled cask firkins of the two collaborations: Limb & Life and Life & Limb. The remaining courses will be paired with a mix of Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada specialty beers. Tickets are on sale now. $100. 891 Beach St. at Polk.

Anyone know about this new wine bar coming to the Castro? Permits call it ~CORK: A WINE BAR~. Bueller? 2111 Market St. at Church.

Over in the East Bay, ~DASHE CELLARS~ is hosting a Spanish-themed Fall Open House this Saturday November 7th from 4pm–8pm. There will be new release wines, giant paella pans by Gerard's Paella, and flamenco performances by Roberto Aguilar's trio. Online tickets are available for $25 ($20 for wine club or ZAP members); tickets at the door are $30 ($25 for wine club or ZAP members). Entry includes wine tastings, food, and a complimentary Riedel glass. 55 4th St., Oakland, 510-452-1800.

the socialite: The Twelve Days of Christmas

2009-11-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

I know, I can't believe the holidays are creeping up (extra unbelievable with this beach weather we're currently having). But for those of you who can afford it, I wanted to make sure you knew about these special dinners since some of them are filling up: ~THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS~ is a Meadowood signature event, when twelve renowned chefs from around the country collaborate with twelve of Napa Valley's preeminent vintners to present holiday feasts on twelve December evenings. Here's a two-minute short film about the event.

The event is a fundraiser for Share Our Strength, a national organization working to end childhood hunger in America by 2015. Share Our Strength receives a percentage of the dinner seating revenue throughout the event. Meadowood will also make a $2,000 donation to Share Our Strength in the name of each of the twelve chefs who have generously donated their time and talent.

The 2009 Twelve Days of Christmas line-up of guest chefs and partner vintners includes:

Day 1 ~ December 4th
Mark Sullivan, Spruce, San Francisco
Chuck & Ann McMinn, Vineyard 29

Day 2 ~ December 5th
Marcus Samuelsson, Aquavit, New York
Philip & Carol Norfleet, The Napa Valley Reserve

Day 3 ~ December 8th
Josiah Citrin, Melisse, Santa Monica, CA
Darioush Khaledi, Darioush

Day 4 ~ December 9th
Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook, Animal, Los Angeles
Hugh Davies, Schramsberg Vineyards and J. Davies Vineyards

Day 5 ~ December 10th
Gabriel Rucker (Le Pigeon), Jason Barwikowski (Clyde Common)
and Naomi Pomeroy, (Beast) in Portland
Susan Boswell, Chateau Boswell and Joshua & Jacquelynn Peeples, Jacquelynn Wines

Day 6 ~ December 11th
Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles
Michael Polenske, Blackbird Vineyards

Day 7~ December 12th
Nancy Oakes and Ravi Kapur, Boulevard, San Francisco
Kelly & Paul Fleming, Kelly Fleming Wines

Day 8 ~ December 15th
Paul Liebrandt, Corton, New York
John Conover, PlumpJack and CADE Wineries

Day 9 ~ December 16th
Laurent Gras, L20, Chicago
Bob & Stacy Bressler, Bressler Vineyards and Mia Klein, Selene Wines

Day 10: December 17th
Cat Cora, Bon Appetit Magazine
The Stephens Family, HUNNICUTT and D.R. Stephens Estate

Day 11~ December 18th
Nancy Silverton and Matt Molina, Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
Lindy, Mary and Beth Novak, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery

Day 12: December 19th
Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood
Bill and Deborah Harlan, Harlan Estate

There will only be one seating per evening and space for each dinner is very limited. A sparkling wine reception runs from 6pm–7pm, and dinner is 7pm–10pm. Pricing begins at $950 per couple per night, and includes one night's lodging at Meadowood and dinner seating for two.

The Twelve Days of Christmas
Dec. 4th–19th, 2009

Meadowood Napa Valley
900 Meadowood Ln.
St. Helena, CA 94574

website
800-458-8080

$950 per couple, per night, with lodging

the socialite: Chefs' Holidays at The Ahwahnee

2009-11-03T13:57:00.000-08:00

This year marks the 25th anniversary of ~YOSEMITE'S CHEFS' HOLIDAYS AT THE AHWAHNEE~, held each year in January and February, featuring many innovative and acclaimed chefs. Each session includes a "Meet the Chefs" reception, cooking classes and demonstrations, a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour, and a five-course Chefs' Holidays gala dinner that includes four paired wines. (Traci Des Jardins, guest chef in 2008, wrote this first-hand report of her experience cooking at Chefs' Holidays.) And winter is also a wonderful time to visit the park.

Here's the lineup o' talent for 2010:

Kickoff Session: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, January 10, 11, 12
A Cooperative Dinner featuring one course from each chef:

Percy Whatley—The Ahwahnee

Demonstrator: Cal Stamenov—Bernardus Lodge, Carmel Valley, CA

Demonstrator: Matt Bolton—Pacific's Edge at The Highlands Inn, Carmel, CA

Demonstrator: David Kinch—Manresa, Los Gatos, CA

Paul Padua—The Ahwahnee (pastry)

Session 2: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, January 13, 14, 15

Headliner: Bruce Sherman—North Pond, Chicago, IL

Demonstrators: Peg Smith & Sue Conley—Cowgirl Creamery-Pt. Reyes, CA

Demonstrator: Elizabeth Falkner—Citizen Cake & Orson, San Francisco

Session 3: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, January 17, 18, 19

Headliner: Christopher Lee—Aureole, New York, NY

Demonstrator: Hoss Zaré—Zaré at Flytrap, San Francisco

Demonstrator: Douglas Keane—Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA

Session 4: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, January 20, 21, 22

Headliner: Brad Farmerie—PUBLIC, New York, NY

Demonstrator: Chris Cosentino—Incanto & Boccalone, San Francisco

Demonstrator: Paul Virant—Vie, Western Springs, IL

Session 5: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, January 24, 25, 26

Headliner: Suzanne Goin—Lucques, Los Angeles

Demonstrators: Duskie Estes & John Stewart—Zazu & Bovolo, Sonoma County

Demonstrator: Jody Adams—Rialto, Boston, MA

Session 6: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, January 27, 28, 29

Theme: Bravo TV's Top Chefs

Headliner: Ariane Duarte—CulinAriane of Montclair, NJ

Demonstrator: Ryan Scott—San Francisco

Demonstrator: Carla Hall—Alchemy Caterers, Washington D.C.

Session 7: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, January 31, February 1, 2

Headliner: Ken Frank—La Toque, Napa Valley

Demonstrator: Michelle Mah—midi, San Francisco

Demonstrator: Loretta Keller—COCO500, San Francisco

Session 8: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, February 3, 4, 5

Headliners: Bernard Guillas & Ron Oliver—La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club

Demonstrator: Nancy Silverton—Osteria Mozza & Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles

Demonstrator: Annie Somerville—Greens, San Francisco

Odd-numbered sessions include three nights of lodging, even-numbered sessions include two nights of lodging. Call for pricing and reservations at 801-559-4884.

Chefs' Holidays at The Ahwahnee
Jan. 10th–Feb. 5th, 2010

The Ahwahnee Hotel
Yosemite, CA

website
801-559-4884

the bookworm: November 3, 2009

2009-11-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

Don't forget: the books mentioned below are available at 20% off for tablehopper readers for two weeks following this mention at Green Apple Books—simply use the code "tablehopper" at checkout (either at the store or online) for your discount.

Cookbooks consider several potential audiences, it seems to me: basic home cooks looking for some new dishes and inspiration, advanced home cooks refining technique and broadening their horizons, and the professional. The best have something for all three, like Alice Waters' Art of Simple Food. Momofuku is mostly for the latter two audiences, I think.

Momofuku (Japanese for "lucky peach") is a small restaurant group in New York's East Village started by David Chang (who already has three James Beard awards at a pretty young age). And their new book feels like an only-in-New-York kind of thing. Like the $85 tasting menu starting with a chicharron. Or standing room only at a ramen shop. And judging by the sheer number of F bombs in the introduction alone, there's some serious attitude.

But people swear by the places, and each restaurant evolved uniquely, so there's certainly much there beyond the hype. In fact, the stories of each space's evolution make for some interesting reading, like how the "Korean burrito" joint with no servers morphed into Ko, featuring "kaiseki cuisine through an American lens."

As for recipes, Momofuku offers many in variable degrees of complexity, from simple pickling recipes to a Fuji apple salad with kimchi, smoked jowl, and maple labne. Perhaps too much sourcing for the home cook or anyone too impatient to make their own kimchi, but inspiring, gorgeous, and mouthwateringly tempting.

Like any cookbook that demands $40, the production value is high, with lush photography, notes on sources, an index, etc. It's one of those cookbooks that you probably won't use day in and day out, but it'll inspire you when you have the time and it might teach you how NOT to open a restaurant.

The only other things I can say about Momofuku is that it was surprisingly challenging to review—it doesn't fit neatly into most cookbook categories. And that's probably a perfect match for the eclectic cuisine of Momofuku.

Thanks for reading.

the starlet: November 3, 2009

2009-11-03T13:54:00.000-08:00

Reader Joe K. found himself sitting next to Ron Livingston (Office Space, Sex and the City) at Beretta. (He's reportedly "much hotter in person than he is on Sex and the City.")

letter from the tablehopper: October 27, 2009

2009-10-27T15:21:00.000-07:00

Last week was a much-needed break in between rounds of book edits (am in the home stretch, woooo!), so I took advantage of my deadline-less state to drive to Napa for dinner (destination: the intimate Terra in St. Helena—still wishing I had leftovers of the spaghettini with tripe in my fridge), to play hooky and have lunch at Osteria Stellina in Pt. Reyes on that gorg fall Friday we just had last week (oysters are delicious on pizza, who knew?!), and to attend my second whole animal event in one week.

Not just any whole animal event: famed butcher Dario Cecchini (and his delightful wife, Kim) were in town for a variety of events, visiting from his family's famous butcher shop, Antica Macelleria Cecchini in Panzano in Chianti, Italy. For those of you who read Bill Buford's Heat, you know exactly whom I am talking about. Nopa hosted the intimate event on Saturday afternoon; it was an honor to watch this remarkable artisan so confidently and skillfully do his craft. Cecchini was full of character, quotes (see the title of this week's missive), and charisma. (Photo by Arthur Perley.)

He began the event butchering half of a pig from Devil's Gulch Ranch, and then moved on to half a cow from Marin Sun Farms (here's a photo album I took of the event). As he reverently and confidently broke down each animal, he'd drop proclamations like, "Wasting beef is the greatest sadness," and "Meat shouldn't be particularly tender—it's why we have teeth." Oh yes, and let's not leave out this gem: "I think the filet needs to be left with some fat on it, otherwise nature wouldn't have surrounded it with it." Amen.

Every chef and butcher and home cook in the room watched him so closely, with occasional moments of total breathlessness over his technique (to wit: the removal of the pork ribs, amazing, and the massive porchetta he rolled up looked astounding). I've wanted to see this man do his thing for a long time, and can't believe I only had to walk four blocks to do so (thank you nopa for hosting, thank you Marin Organics for getting him here!). It was a dream to be able to taste a succulent bite of bistecca alla fiorentina, cooked so perfectly by the nopa kitchen staff (here's a video I took of Dario cutting it up just after it was grilled, and here's a video of him butchering the thigh).

I also have a link to more pro pictures from Arthur Perley who was photographing the event—this one from the beginning with the half pig is particularly commanding, and for those of you with butchery skills (or trying to hone them), you'll want to take a closer look at all of them.

Okay, enough meat for a moment. How about sherry?! Be sure to take a look in today's socialite for all the details on the upcoming tablehopper sherry tasting on November 10th at Stable Cafe! It's shaping up to be a stellar one. See you there!

Have a swell Halloween; I have always particularly loved Halloween because it means my birthday is coming the next day (which I will be happily spending over a home-cooked meal with my darling family on Sunday). Last week was all about "there will be blood," but this Sunday, there will be bubbles.

Cheers from here,
~ Marcia

the chatterbox: October 27, 2009

2009-10-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

Things just keep getting interesting over at ~AQUA~: now the Bacchus Management Group (Spruce, Village Pub) is taking it over completely. They ended up having the winning bid for the lease, and hope to retain the Aqua name as well. As for next steps, the restaurant will remain open until the end of the year, and will then be closing for a little bit around the New Year. Bacchus will be bringing in a new chef, but maintaining the fine dining atmosphere that Aqua has always been known for since 1991. Here's hoping the name continues to live on. 252 California St. at Battery.

Things are brewing (heh) in the Inner Sunset at the ~FORMER SITE OF GOLDEN GATE BREWERY, ELDO'S GRILL AND BREWERY, AND WUNDER BREWING COMPANY~: a new group is taking it over and plan to reopen the brewery, and if all goes well with the ABC license, it will be serving beer and food in January. On the menu: you'll find American fare (although I can't reveal who the chef is), and things are also in final negotiations with the brewer, so that is under wraps as well. I spoke with one of the partners, Rex Tabora of Zebulon downtown, and he said he's especially excited about the project because he grew up just four blocks away. We'll know more in 45—60 days once the license (hopefully) goes through. 1326 9th Ave. at Irving.

Speaking of ~ZEBULON~, it looks like they will be able to remain in their space at 83 Natoma until the end of January (when the Transbay Terminal construction forces them out), and will then be reopening at 500 Howard Street at 1st St.

Was so excited to walk over for my afternoon shot o' espresso yesterday at the new ~MATCHING HALF~, a lovely cafe that just opened at the corner of McAllister and Baker. For those who may remember the dumpy One World Cafe, you won't believe how well the place has been transformed—it's now sunny and cheerful, with a natural modern look, including the original Douglas-fir floors, tall ceilings, white subway tile for the backsplash, and handmade tables of poplar (including a communal table), plus some outdoor seating. What really caught my eye (and immediate affection) was the gorgeous Slayer Espresso machine from Seattle with walnut paddles. My macchiato of Verve "The Sermon" espresso (from Santa Cruz) was heaven indeed. Once Sightglass Coffee (more on this in the hardhat) gets its roaster going, they'll switch to their coffee. There are also Chemex pots (perfect for two) and individual drip coffee. You can munch on breakfast treats from Bakers of Paris, plus there's a brioche bun with egg, cheese, and ham, and bagels. There will also be a couple sandwiches every day (yesterday's were ciabatta with a caprese salad, and salame with butter and cornichons on baguette). Once the beer and wine license kicks in, the hours will run later, and there will be small plates of food into the evening to nosh on while you enjoy a glass of wine or a beer. There's WiFi as well. Hours for now are 7am—6pm, opening at 8am on the weekends; once beer and wine arrive (any day now), hours will go until 9pm or later. 1799 McAllister St. at Baker, 415-674-8699.

I heard that Jane Tseng, the pastry chef of ~A16~, is moving on in mid-November—she is actually moving to NYC, and will be working with Nate Appleman at Pulino (although her move east was initially motivated by personal matters, she is very excited to be working with Nate again). Lori Rich, Jane's pastry assistant, will be promoted to pastry chef of A16 as of November 1st. Jane will stay on to help with the transition and the A16/SPQR team wishes her well in her future endeavors. At SPQR, new executive chef Matthew Accarrino will be doing his own desserts with the help of his team.

Things are getting close for ~REPUBLIC~, the project in the Marina in the former Jones space, brought to you by the Bin 38 crew (Shaw Amirghassemkhany, Don Davis, Peter Scully and David Sheridan). Executive chef Brian Beach (The Waterfront, Adagia) has put together a menu focused on updated bar and grill classics and comfort food made with local ingredients, like a burger made with sustainable, ground-to-order beef; grilled romaine salad and Parmesan flan; and Phillies (mini cheese steak bites). There will also be clever bar snacks, including local Dungeness crab jalapeno poppers. One thing that is sure to prick up a lot of ears around town is that the beverage program will have the largest all-American craft beer list in San Francisco (classic cocktails will also be available). Jim Maxwell of Architects II redid the interior to be more upscale, and the entrance has been moved to Scott Street. Game watchers: there will be TV/sports viewing, although the TVs can and will be covered by artwork or sliding panels based on game times (except for three TVs in the bar area, which will remain uncovered). Hours will include weekend brunch (starting at 9am, and open continuously until 2am on Sat and 12am on Sun), and snacks, drinks, and dinner Mon—Wed 4pm—12am and until 2am Thu—Fri. The opening is looking like Friday November 13th for now (mua hua huaaaaa). 2401 Lombard St. at Scott, 415-817-1337.

Just over the past weekend, ~SUSHI RAW 3~ opened in the now-closed Baghdad Nights location in the Lower Haight (if you live out in the Excelsior, you might be familiar with their original location—and there's another one is in San Bruno). The menu includes the usual sushi/sashimi suspects, along with ramen/udon. Hours are 11:30am—3pm, and 5pm—10pm daily. Oh, and there's delivery too. 682 Haight St. at Pierce, 415-863-6888.

Also in the neighborhood: if you are missing the tasty tikka masala from the former ~METRO KATHMANDU~ (now Metro Cafe), they are selling pre-packaged servings under the Metro Kathmandu label in the refrigerated food section at Falletti's. You can pick up chicken tikka masala ($8.99), lamb vindaloo ($7.99), saag paneer ($5.99), and basmati rice ($1.49). 308 Broderick St. at Fell.

More Indian cuisine news: ~URBAN CURRY~ (no relation to Urbun Burger or Urban Tavern, har) is now open in the former Little Joe's space, next door to the Vin Club on Broadway. On the menu: classic Indian and Pakistani dishes. One of the owners is also behind the House of Curries locations in Berkeley. Lunch is served from 11am—3pm, and dinner is from 5pm—11pm. 523 Broadway at Kearny, 415-677-9744.

Looking for a good deal for a business lunch? ~CHEZ PAPA RESTO~ is offering a two-course business lunch for $17.95, or three courses for $22.95. You can choose from apps like French onion soup or smoked trout with potato salad or Snake River Farms beef tartare; and entrées include a roasted eggplant and mozzarella tartine or a flatiron steak with béarnaise and frites. Want dessert? There are profiteroles, brandied cherry clafoutis, or apple tarte tatin. 4 Mint Plaza at 5th St., 415-546-4134.

Let's hear it for free, shall we?

~NAMU~ is offering free bar bites on Monday nights from 9:30pm—10:30pm. Just have a drink, and you'll be able to eat dishes like pickled quail egg salad, hot wings, fried somen noodles, and OB-battered onion rings. 439 Balboa St. at 5th Ave., 415-386-8332.

~BEAUTIFULL~ in Laurel Village is offering a free cup of Equator Estate coffee (just bring your own cup or to-go mug) with a breakfast purchase from 9am—11am daily, until November 16th. You can choose from a new menu of breakfast items, like a seasonal frittata or fresh-baked muffins. 3401 California St. at Laurel, 415-728-9080.

This Wednesday October 28th, former New York Times restaurant critic William Grimes will be at ~OMNIVORE BOOKS~ to talk about his new book, Appetite City: A Culinary History of New York, at 6pm. (Or come by on Sunday November 8th and bring some figs to David Chang (Momofuku) and Jeremy Fox (ubuntu), who will appear in conversation at noon. Because space is limited, anyone who calls/emails ahead to buy a copy of The Momofuku Cookbook will be guaranteed a seat.) 3885A Cesar Chavez St. at Church, 415-282-4712.

And on Thursday October 29th, you can listen in on a panel discussion about responsible meat eating and animal agriculture: ~IN SEARCH OF A RIGHTEOUS PORKCHOP~. This event is sponsored by the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA) and Book Passage. Here's more from the announcement: "The reality behind industrially produced meat—cramped confinement, routine use of antibiotics and growth hormones, E. coli epidemics, pollution of air and water, enormous carbon footprint, and so on—has made some eaters into staunch vegans. For others, however, all-or-nothing is a false choice. This panel will explore the middle ground: moderate consumption of meat from animals raised humanely and sustainably on family farms. Panelists will include Nicolette Hahn Niman, attorney, rancher, and author of Righteous Porkchop: Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms; David Evans, fourth generation rancher and owner of Marin Sun Farms; and Aaron French, chef at the Sunny Side Café, ecologist, and writer. Moderated by Elanor Starmer, researcher and policy analyst for the national consumer advocacy organization Food and Water Watch." The event is free and will be followed by a reception with farmers' market snacks. No RSVP needed. 6:30pm—8:30pm. For further information, contact Julie Cummins: 415-291-3276 x106. Port Commission Hearing Room, second floor of the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero at Market St.

As for some paid events, this Thursday October 29th is a ~COMMONWEALTH CLUB INFORUM EVENT~: The Street Food Movement: SF Hearts the Cart. There will be a panel with Anthony Myint, Mission Street Food; Brian Kimball, Magic Curry Kart; Steven Gdula, Gobba Gobba Hey; and Charles Phan, executive chef, Slanted Door, moderated by Tamara Palmer. After the discussion, everyone can head over to 111 Minna, where some street food carts will be offering limited samples and hawking their eats, including: Bacon Potato Chips, Bike Basket Pies, Creme Brulee Cart, Gobba Gobba Hey, Magic Curry Kart, Mission Street Food, Smitten Ice Cream, Soul Cocina, and Sweet Constructions. Tickets are $12 for members, $20 for non-members. 6:30pm, panel discussion; 7:30pm, Street Eats Party. Buy tickets here. 595 Market St. at 2nd St.

Next Tuesday November 3rd is ~PETTING ZOO~, another carve-and-eat event at Bloodhound from Ryan Farr from 4505 Meats and Taylor Boetticher from Fatted Calf. They'll be doing a carving demo of a goat and a lamb, and spit roasting a whole hog on an open fire. Rabbit crepinettes, chicken beer sausages, chicharrones, Taylor's salami, and bacon brownies will also be offered, plus a bacon-inspired cocktail from the bar. $40. Price of admission gets you the demonstration viewing, all the food you can eat, and one free cocktail of your choice at the bar. Buy tickets. 6pm—11pm (the organizers say, "food will be flowing steadily the entire event, so don't feel like you need to be the first through the door.") 1145 Folsom St. at 7th St.

Errata...

That'll teach me to put a politician in the starlet: last week I mistakenly wrote Senator instead of Speaker Pelosi. I'm just going to stick with MC Hammer sightings from now on.

the regular: Terzo

2009-10-27T15:03:00.000-07:00

Crispy onions

Hummus and pita

One of the unexpected pleasures of my book writing process was rediscovering places I hadn't visited in a while (and of course there were some places I wish I had left well alone, ah well). But in the delicious revisit category was ~TERZO~. I have always been drawn to the chic and intimate room by Cass Calder Smith, full of warm wood and dim lighting (and cool design details), the interesting wine list (with a rather extensive range available by the glass), and the friendly service. Why the hell did it take me so long to come back? Why did I act like one of those guys who take a week to call you after a good date? For some things in this world, there just aren't acceptable explanations.

It feels like chef/co-owner Mark Gordon's menu has really hit its stride with what regulars and the neighborhood want; and one of the things they wished for was larger plates. There are a now a few bigger dishes to choose from on the menu of (mostly) small plates; one night there were eggy hand-cut noodles ($13/$20) with truffle, butter, and pecorino; I saw a table of ladies scarfing the grilled skirt steak ($26); and there was a homey braised chicken ($22), all made with quality ingredients. But the small plates here are still the domain I like to play in.

The seasonal Cal-Med menu changes daily; when I went in June, my friend and I loved the trio of baked squash blossoms ($8) stuffed with fresh ricotta, salsa verde, and a drizzle of Umbrian olive oil, a nice break from the usual fried execution you see. I also got to enjoy my first apricots of the season in a salad ($9) with pistachios, sweet Walla Walla onions, mint, and a tangy honey dressing made with white balsamic. At first I thought the flavors were a little too disparate, but as I kept coming back to it, I liked it more and more (different often takes a little time to get used to).

Skewers of lamb keftas ($15) were succulent and an effortless match with the tangy counterpoints of pomegranate molasses and a base of lebne (the execution here was more like yogurt than the spreadable cheese). Truth be told, the plate of roasted carrots and turnips ($9) was my favorite of the evening, a beautiful and simple dish made with brown butter and a sweet and spiced gastrique with clove, allspice, cinnamon, and honey. The caramelized sugars in this dish were magic. I know, how Chez Panisse/platter of figs, but whatever, it was delicious. Since we're on vegetables, vegetarians will be happy with the number of choices to be found here.

The Cow Hollow ladies who come here to eat and drink wine are definitely fans of the house-made pita ($8) that's cooked to order, with a dusting of the house za'atar, a mix of oregano, thyme, sumac, allspice, and sesame. The warm pita is so delicious, paired with a thick hummus topped with a pool of glistening olive oil (you'll find a lot of olive oil here, don't be afraid). The crispy onions ($6) are another fave, strings of red onion from a buttermilk bath, coated with a dusting of cornstarch and fried. They're ridiculous—just watch them disappear.

Desserts are simple and homey, like strawberry shortcake with lemon curd, or a silky buttermilk and vanilla panna cotta with huckleberries. (All the desserts are $8, although I don't agree with the sorbet costing the same amount as the chocolate cake.) Or you can always go for some dessert wine—again, there's an impressive number of glasses to choose from.

There are all kinds of useful features here, notable for such a small space: there's a back room that's spot-on for private events (seats 16), there's a back corner table perfect for larger groups (ideally seven), and the front sidewalk seating is actually reserve-able! (Nice little trick for the next heat wave, eh? Shhhhh.) The communal table and bar inside also make it convenient for drop-ins or single diners. But folks, if you want a perfect place for a second date (or maybe you have kids and you're finally going out for date night!), well, this is it.

Terzo
3011 Steiner St.
Cross: Union St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-441-3200

website

Sun—Thu 5:30pm—10pm
Fri—Sat 5:30pm—11pm

Small plates $8—$15
Larger plates $16—$27
Desserts $8

NOTE: This is a shorter update; my original fresh meat review can be found here.

the lush: October 27, 2009

2009-10-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

Next Wednesday November 4th and 5th are ~DUBONNET APERITIF HAPPY HOURS~. Dubonnet will host complimentary happy hours at Eastside West (3154 Fillmore St. at Greenwich) on Wednesday November 4th, and at Orson (508 4th St. at Bryant) on Thursday November 5th. Guests will be presented with Dubonnet Dollars, which they can use to purchase classic and contemporary aperitifs such as the Dubonnet Cocktail, Dubonnet Fizz, and Dubonnet Royale for a single dollar. In addition to the cocktail special, each event will offer patrons (21 years and older) complimentary hors d'oeuvres. At the conclusion of each event, one lucky guest will leave with a gift certificate for dinner at the hosting restaurant! 6:30pm—8:30pm. Salud.

Here's an update on the ~HEAVEN'S DOG~ happy hour (sorry for any confusion, folks, things changed): the promotion is now $5 cocktails and well drinks are available Mon—Fri from 4pm—6:30pm (until December 1st). 1148 Mission St. at 7th St., 415-863-6008.

Attention bartenders: looking for a new lid? Goorin Hat Company is hosting their first ~BARTENDER APPRECIATION DAY~ on Sunday November 1st at the Haight Street store. All industry folks get 25% off their purchase that day, and there will also be an industry-only event from 7:30pm—9:30pm, with signature Bols Genever cocktails, PBR, and some nibbles while you get fitted for a hat (there will also be some giveaways). Bartenders, barbacks, and cocktail servers: please provide your bar/restaurant name with your RSVP at rsvp [at] goorin [dot] com. 1446 Haight St. at Masonic.

On Wednesday November 4th, join ~LUIGI MANCINI~ from Fattoria Mancini (the link is a PDF, FYI!) in the Marche for an Italian wine (and American cuisine) dining experience at CONDUIT. Mancini's wines, particularly his pinot noir, are sourced from acclaimed vines originally planted by the Napoleonic French on calcareous cliffs above the Adriatic, and exude a mineral-driven elegance (no, I didn't come up with that sentence). The meal is $75 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). 6pm—10pm. 280 Valencia St. at 14th St., 415-552-5200.

Luigi Mancini will also be at ~SPQR~ on Tuesday November 3rd to talk about his wines, and he will be hand carrying his acclaimed red wine 'Blu' made from the rare local grape, Ancellotta. Executive chef Matthew Accarrino will offer an additional menu (along with the daily menu) of a la carte dishes to pair with each of wines offered in three-ounce tastes, by the glass, half bottle carafe, or bottle. 1911 Fillmore St. at Bush, 415-771-7779.

the socialite: tablehopper tasting: sherry

2009-10-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

As you may remember, I took a weeklong trip to Jerez at the end of the summer this year, and fell madly in love with sherry. Touring the bodegas, I gained such an appreciation for the craftsmanship and years of tradition that go into making sherry; it's surprising to me how affordable sherry can be, considering all the work behind each bottle.

We're lucky to have industry folks at places like nopa and Gitane who have put together extensive sherry lists and cocktails for us to taste, but unless you've tried an oloroso before, you're not likely to take a leap of faith and just order it, right? Well, let's fix that, because personally speaking, I can't believe I wasn't drinking more sherry before I took my trip; the flexibility of sherry and food pairing was a big epiphany for me. And it's freaking delicious.

So it is with great excitement that I am announcing the ~SECOND TABLEHOPPER TASTING~ on Tuesday November 10th, with this one about sherry! And we're going to have quite the teacher: while in Jerez, I met César Saldaña, the director of the Consejo Regulador de Jerez (translation: the council that regulates sherry in Spain). He is one of the most passionate educators about sherry, and definitely one of the top experts. When I found out he was going to be in town for a few days, I simply had to put this event together.

We'll start with an opening reception in the kitchen at Stable Café (have you seen this place yet? It's so cool.), with some tastes of fino and manzanilla, along with Spanish-inspired bites from James Stolich of CookWithJames (you may know him from his CookWithJames Underground Supper Club dinners). Bartender Neyah White from nopa will also get things started with a sherry-based cocktail, the Pear Brown Sugar Shrub.

Once we sit down in the gallery for the education portion of the evening, we'll be tasting other sherry styles, like an amontillado, palo cortado, oloroso, and Pedro Ximénez and cream sherry to finish. Oh yes, and Neyah is going to have a cocktail for us to wrap up with, the Barrel to Barrel, made with single malt scotch, oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, and nocino. Please don't expect a full meal, but there will definitely be plenty of savory bites for you to enjoy throughout the evening.

César is going to give you an introduction to sherry like no one else could—even if you already know the difference between a palo cortado and an amontillado, you'll still come away with deeper sherry knowledge in this tasting. Suffice to say, this is going to be a rare and one-of-a-kind evening with the (very charming) César in the casa.

Seats are limited, so act quickly.

¡Hasta luego!

tablehopper tasting: sherry
Tue. Nov. 10th, 2009

Stable Cafe
2128 Folsom St.
Cross: 17th St.
San Francisco, CA 94110

6:30pm reception
7pm—9pm wine and food tasting

$59 (includes ticket processing fees)

buy tickets here

the hardhat: Sightglass Coffee

2009-10-27T14:52:00.000-07:00

This section is written by Erin Archuleta, half of the talent behind local outfit ICHI Catering (@ICHISUSHI). Outside of the foodie world she works full-time championing kid literacy at 826 National. Keep up with her on Twitter @erinarchuleta.

Coming from Flint, Michigan, my version of coffee well into adulthood involved blue tin Maxwell House coffee cans repurposed for snow fort brick-building, and sparkly Folgers flavor crystals that would soon make up the muddied contents of my dad's Aladdin thermos for his second or third shift commute to work on the assembly line. Meeting brothers and Sightglass Coffee (270 7th Street at Howard Street) business partners Jerad and Justin Morrison, it was obvious that they grew up with a different, more crafted version of the muddy brown liquid my own working-class hometown knew as a drip brew.

The Pacific Northwest's tradition of coffee-roaster craftsmanship has fostered these brothers' quest to emulate and surpass the coffees they roasted and served over the last ten years in Seattle, Washington (Jerad) and Eugene, Oregon (Justin). Now, combining what some may consider flannel-town forces, the brothers clearly have spent their time doing their artisan homework for us all to enjoy in the form of a "light industrial retail café space." What San Francisco zoning can't explain about the concept that Jerad and Justin have drafted up, along with architect partners Boor Bridges, is that you are in a coffee roastery from the moment you pass through the front.

Most roasteries are coffee houses first, with the roasting equipment in the back. Playing on the image of a "sight glass," or meter by which you can gauge how much liquid is contained inside, the brothers have allowed us a peek inside the process of creating their version of the perfect cup of coffee. Their antique mechanical (not computer-based) roasting equipment will be in the front of the space, taking up what's usually considered prime real estate in front of the tall warehouse windows. Guests will find themselves between beans, burlap bags, and baristas in this new take on a gathering spot.

Jerad and Justin were so hands-on that they repurposed the antique roasting machines themselves. It's one thing to know your craft well, it's another to understand the machinery on such a level that you can take it apart and put it back together in a new and improved way. The 1961 Probat roaster that they found in Germany was worth the shipping costs according to the brothers, because they would have more complete control over how the beans were roasted. They explained to me (a reformed Maxwell House girl), that when you allow a computerized mechanism to come into the process, you lose some of the ability to manipulate time and the depth of the roast. They are on a mission to get back to a more Old World way of doing coffee, based on the sensory experience of the roasting.

With the logistics worked out, the gentlemen have a way to go on their build-out. But, it seems that they have a strong timeline (and a current coffee cart in their space) to support them. In an unusual business model, the brothers are open for business before their main space is completed. Customers are welcomed in to peek at the construction between 8am—5pm seven days a week while grabbing a cup of coffee or a small sweet in their little Seventh Street coffee garage space. It's funny to consider that this little cart will soon take on the 4,000-square-foot warehouse that once housed a sign company in its South of Market digs.

The bulk of their work involved sandblasting the warehouse, and then jack hammering (themselves!) and trenching about 150 feet to lay new plumbing and run electrical conduit. They have been stoked with their partnership with MHC Engineers and are looking forward to breezing through their upcoming inspections. Erasing traces of the former sign company took eight dump trucks loaded full of debris. Sandblasting the remaining frame of their space to get down to the original old-growth Douglas-fir took three weeks, but was worth the effort to reuse the gorgeous resources already available to them.

Clearing out the space, a long skylight was revealed, and with advice from their architects, another eight skylights will be added. Local reuse lighting designer Kevin Randolph will be supporting the design vision with his custom fixtures for the space. (You can read more about Kevin's other projects in a previous hardhat on Bar Crudo here.)

Their bar is an unusual concept, which will be a central focus of the design. Instead of the domino rows of tables covered in laptops with no one talking, Jerad and Justin are encouraging community by having one huge central coffee bar with stools surrounding it. They are planning for some communal tables in the back where the laptop crew can click away in silence. Mindful of the existing warm Douglas-fir and cool concrete and steel bones of the building, they sourced furniture maker friend Earl Gonzales of EVG Design (and formerly of Linden Street Design) to create the bar and tables from local lumber. Earl will be relying on the brothers and their friend Mark Rogero from Concreteworks to pour the large bar, which will be a combination of concrete and the local bay laurel slabs he is sourcing. The bar will feature a couple of Slayer espresso machines (insert obvious heavy metal joke about Raining Blood here), which support the barista's ability to control more of the coffee experience.

They have found a boon in storage, as well. There's a loft that they will use for their administrative offices and extra storage space once their distribution business is up and running. They are taking advantage of a niche market by offering direct trade coffees instead of just fair trade, cultivating relations with individual growers, and hope to support these growers' fair business practices over time.

the sugar mama: Primal

2009-10-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

On Saturday November 7th in Napa, Taste Network presents ~PRIMAL~, an outdoor gathering of local butchers and chefs preparing a bounty of heritage meats from Hudson Ranch over hardwood fires from 3pm—7pm. (The only thing keeping me away from this event is I'll be busy hosting my annual birthday dinner party blowout that night!)

Held at Chase Cellars' Hayne Vineyard, guests will be able to explore local flavors from chefs and butchers and sample great California wines. Chefs include Chris Cosentino of Incanto/Boccalone, Staffan Terje of Perbacco, Taylor Boetticher of Fatted Calf, Avedano's Butchers SF, Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats, Star Meats Berkeley, and Jeremy Fox of Ubuntu.

I have one pair of VIP tickets to give away to one lucky winner! tablehopper readers can enter to win by forwarding this week's tablehopper newsletter to two buddies, but even more would be so very fabulous. Just tell your friends why they would dig a subscription to the tablehopper e-column (not a blog!), or point out an event or happening that you think your friend would like, like this one. Simply CC or BCC luckyme [at] tablehopper [dot] com so I know you sent it—I promise I won't use anyone's email address.

Deadline to enter is midnight Friday October 30th—I'll notify the winner over the weekend. Good luck!

In case you want to saddle up for tickets now, general admission tickets are $65; and VIP tickets are $100 and include reserve wines, wood-fired oysters, Benton's bacon, grilled artisan cheeses, and cocktails by Alembic's Daniel Hyatt. Visit artofthebutcher.com for additional information and tickets.

the starlet: October 27, 2009

2009-10-27T14:48:00.000-07:00

A tablehopper reader writes: "Tom Colicchio, wife, and child were at Bouchon Bakery in Yountville on Wednesday October 21st. He was incredibly nice and posed for a picture with me—I noticed earlier that his wife offered to take a picture for another group who was struggling with the self-timer. It totally made my wine country vacation."

the matchmaker: October 27, 2009

2009-10-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

Tyler Florence is seeking talented experienced Chefs de Cuisine and General Managers for new restaurants in San Francisco and Mill Valley. Please submit resumes and cover letters to jobs@tylerflorence.com.

letter from the tablehopper: October 20, 2009

2009-10-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

Mreow. Actually, pffff!. Am officially cranky from these annoying allergies I've had the past few weeks. I thought they were gone, but no, achoo, they're back. As one friend posited, maybe I'm allergic to mildew. Grrrrreat, I sure picked the right city to be in for the winter.

Now that my little rant is out of the way, let's talk about more interesting things. Like the mightily impressive dinner I had at COI last week (pictured here, an ethereal course of oysters, roasted beets, and glacier lettuce). And just as delicate and refined as that meal was, its exact opposite was the chaotic and brash banquet/spectacle by OPENrestaurant on Saturday at the SFMOMA—more on this in fresh meat (literally).

And somewhere in the middle of meat mayhem and fine dining was the Mini Cupcake Clash at Stable Cafe on Sunday, part of the ongoing SF Food Wars series. I ended up totally falling for some of the savory-sweet combos (my favorite was the pear cupcake frosted with whipped Brie cream by Sweetiecups). My faboo intern Daisy took this photo album of the event, and VidSF posted this chirpy video (with a somewhat sugar-high host). Coming up in December: Holiday Fixins.

This week I have some more culinary shenanigans planned, but we'll see how my last week of book edits goes—I'm not exactly in charge of my calendar at the moment.

Since we're on the topic of shenanigans, here's a link to a recent linecook podcast when I was a guest, along with HotFoodPorn's Eddie Lau, and Corey Nead, a nopa kitchen compatriot to our host, Richie Nakano. We feasted on cheese and Delfina pizza, we drank bubbly and Manhattans, we hung out, we chatted about all kinds of stuff, from cookbooks (how on earth did I forget Marcella Hazan?) to bars to female chefs. Have a listen.

Speaking of next week, I'll be announcing an upcoming tablehopper tasting event! Mark your calendar for Tuesday November 10th. A little teaser: it's going to feature a very special guest in town from... si, España!

Ciao for now,
~ Marcia

the chatterbox: October 20, 2009

2009-10-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a red-letter day in San Francisco. Actually, a red book one, since the ~MICHELIN GUIDE~ released its San Francisco ratings. Congrats to one-star newcomers Aziza, Commis, and Luce, and up in wine country, étoile, Santé, Solbar, Terra, and Ubuntu. More on the local scene: Quince also got its star back after the hocus pocus that surrounded their move to their new location. Michael Mina was bumped down to one star, while COI maintained its two stars. Congrats to all the winners, and to any disgruntled losers, I have a little bobble-head Michelin doll you are welcome to bash into tiny pieces if you want to take out some aggression, just drop me a line.

A couple new openings this Wednesday October 21st: in SoMa, say hello to ~THE IRON CACTUS~. This new casual cantina/taqueria from The Creamery folks is opening in... (surprise!) the old Gilt Edge Creamery location, across from the Caltrans station. A look at the menu reveals burritos (for $6.95, and the price includes sour cream), tacos, quesadillas, salads, and special plates like enchiladas or tacos, all made with hormone-free meats. Here are more details from the press release: "Much of the interior is recycled wood from the original Creamery and the tall barrel-shaped ceilings with exposed wood, left untouched from the time it was a depot stop back in the 1950s, create a very authentic cantina-style atmosphere. Above the barrel-shaped ceiling is a huge skylight that brings in lots of natural light and together with bright yellow faux finishes, wrought iron panels, and exposed concrete. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating for up to 100 people." You can also fax or call your order in. Hours are Mon–Wed 11am–9pm, Thu–Sat 11am–10pm. 683 4th St. at Townsend, 415-777-1010.

And as I mentioned last week, ~PANAM~, a new restaurant, bar, and lounge, is opening in the former Frisee space in the Castro this Wednesday. Open nightly for dinner and drinks 5pm–1am, plus there will be a weekend brunch from 10am–4pm. 2367 Market St. at Castro, 415-556-6200.

Got some details on the new restaurant opening in the Julie's Supper Club space, and no, the name will not be Julie's III (lame!). It's going to be called ~RADIUS~, and they will be serving farm-to-table California cuisine with a French influence. All the meats, produce, dairy, beer, and wine will be sourced from a 100-mile radius, hence the name. (It will be open nightly.) The plan is to open the restaurant by February, but in the meantime, they're converting the old dance floor section of Julie's into a cafe and takeaway area with a separate entrance, which will be open for lunch and dinner by the end of the year.

The executive chef will be Kelly Hughett, who has quite the background, but highlights include four years under Sylvain Portay at The Ritz Carlton San Francisco, Mix Restaurant in Las Vegas, Alain Ducasse's Plaza Athénée and Aux Lyonnais, the A.D.F. School for Professional Chefs, two years at Louis XV in Monaco, and sous chef at Adour Restaurant in New York. Mon dieu. She will be moving back to her native California from New York in the next couple of months. Radius is an owner-operated restaurant from partners Jon Whitehead, and Yong and Christian Baker (Christian has worked at Aqua and The Ritz Carlton, and has been working at an architecture firm for the last seven years). They are currently going through demo right now—Julie's bar will remain, but it will be beer and wine only, FYI. Seating will probably be 50 in the main restaurant and 25 in the cafe. You can follow their progress on Twitter at @radiussf. 1123 Folsom St. at Langton.

Ages ago I mentioned the organic vegan Mexican restaurant coming from the Cafe Gratitude folks, ~GRACIAS MADRE~. Well, it's getting close: the opening is slated for November. Tortillas and tamales will be handmade from organic heirloom corn grown on Matthew and Terces Englehart's Be Love Farm in Vacaville. The menu will also highlight beans, corn, squash, chiles, and spices, along with greens, vegetables, and nut-based "cheeses" (if you've eaten at Cafe Gratitude, you'll be familiar with these "cheeses"). The idea for the restaurant began when the Engleharts were inspired to visit some of their employees' hometowns in Mexico. If you imagine you'll be a regular customer at Gracias Madre, check their site for details on their immediate "Builders Card" offering. I'll share more details on the project as it gets closer. 2211 Mission St. at 18th St.

This may be in the old news category, but ~JAY'S DELI~ in Potrero Hill has closed after two years in business (it was the deli in the former Klein's location). 501 Connecticut St. at 20th St.

As a daughter of a former deli owner, I was hoping to be able to meet up with author David Sax of ~SAVE THE DELI: IN SEARCH OF PERFECT PASTRAMI, CRUSTY RYE AND THE HEART OF JEWISH DELICATESSEN~, his new book dedicated to the preservation of the Jewish delicatessen. The book's cover shot of a stacked pastrami sandwich keeps making me hungry. Alas, my schedule isn't allowing it, but I did want to mention a couple of his Bay Area appearances: on Saturday October 24th, Sax will be at Saul's Restaurant & Deli for a lecture, Q&A, and book signing at 4pm (1475 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley). There will be a tasting plate on the menu that day, comparing grass-fed Marin Sun Farms corned beef; grass-raised and corn-finished Niman Ranch pastrami; and top conventional/factory farmed suppliers for Katz's in NY and Langer's in NY, plus house-made sodas. On Monday October 26th, he'll be at Book Passage in San Francisco for a talk and Q&A at 6pm (1 Ferry Building, #42, San Francisco, 415-835-1020).

More meaty news: ~DARIO CECCHINI'S~ artisan butchery demo this weekend has been moved to nopa, which is generously underwriting the event. Which means the steep price has dropped significantly to $175. The demo is now from 1pm–4pm, when Cecchini will break down a steer (my second in a week) and a pig. Read more here for info about how to get tickets. Hope to see you there! 560 Divisadero St. at Hayes.

Starting Sunday November 1st, ~1300 ON FILLMORE~ will extend its gospel brunch to every Sunday, with house band Future Perfect alternating Sundays with other local musicians. Brunch is priced at $39 per person, and includes a Bellini or mimosa and coffee and tea, plus the performance and a three-course prix-fixe meal. Seatings are offered at 11am or 1pm. 1300 Fillmore St. at Eddy, 415-771-7100.

Since this event tends to fill up quickly, I thought you should know the 20th Wild Game Week will be held at the ~BIG 4~ from Tuesday November 3rd–7th. Highlights from chef Gloria Ciccarone-Nehls's menu include piranha, alligator, Himalayan yak Wellington, and wild paella with giant crispy frog legs, house made rabbit-rattlesnake sausage, Nigerian salt prawns, and mussels. Rawr. 1075 California St. at Taylor, 415-771-1140.

More special dinners are coming up (and these in particular help me cope with any sadness I have over tomato season ending): truffle dinners! ~DELFINA'S~ will be on Tuesday November 3rd and Wednesday the 4th, and they will be pouring Barolo (and possibly Barbaresco) flights. (They will have truffles and Barolo again for their 11-year anniversary dinners November 17th–19th.) Past dishes you could have truffle shaved over have included kuri squash sformatino with fonduta and chestnuts, and hand-cut tajarin in bianco (butter, cream, and Parmigiano). You can read more on their Facebook page. 3621 18th St. at Dolores, 415-552-4055.

And if you're in the South Bay/Peninsula, ~DONATO ENOTECA~ will have white truffles from November 11th–22nd (or while supplies last) shaved atop dishes in a special tartufi bianchi menu (the four-course truffle tasting menu is approximately $125), or you can choose from à la carte dishes and have the truffles shaved on top. 1041 Middlefield Rd., Redwood City, 650-701-1000.

In the East Bay, a couple new projects have opened this week: ~SUMMER KITCHEN BAKE SHOP~ from chef-owners Paul Arenstam (Americano) and wife Charlene Reis and chef Greer Nuttall. You can check out the menu of take-away fare, which contains soup, vegetable side dishes, main dishes for lunch and dinner, and sandwiches, plus baked goods, tarts, and more, all made with local and seasonal ingredients. Open daily from 9am–9pm. 2944 College Ave. at Ashby, Berkeley, 510-981-0538.

And ~BLUE BOTTLE~ has opened their new roastery, kitchen, and cafe location in the Jack London Square District of Oakland. Hours for now are Mon–Fri 8am–2pm; follow them on Twitter at @bluebottleroast. 300 Webster St. at 3rd St., Oakland, 510-653-3394. (Photo courtesy of Blue Bottle photostream.)

More Jack London Square news: Eric Tucker (executive chef at Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco), Lacey Sher (former owner of Down To Earth Restaurant in Red Bank, New Jersey) and Linda Braz will be opening ~ENCUENTRO CAFE AND WINE BAR~ early in November. It will be a neighborhood wine bar and café featuring enoteca-style organic and local vegetarian cuisine (think bocadillos, salads, cheeses, tapas, and chocolates). To drink, there will be organic/sustainable wines, small brewery beers, organic teas, coffee, and artisanal non-alcoholic beverages. There will be a combo of bar and table seating, and a simple look fashioned from recycled materials. Hours will be Mon–Fri 11am–2pm, Wed–Thu 5pm–10pm, and Fri–Sat 5pm–11pm. 202 2nd St. at Jackson, 510-832-9643.

Errata (I love this section)...

This isn't a really erratum, actually. More like a mailbag item. Anyway. A reader wrote in, "Just an F.Y.I. for you to pass down to Namu's restaurant owners to tweak this a bit: ‘Namu's loco moco gravy.' In Spanish, moco means ‘booger,' so any Latin, Hispanic, or Spanish person reading this on a menu may be completely turned off. A crazy booger gravy just isn't appetizing! Pretty funny though.
~A concerned reader, J."

Funny indeed, J. So I wrote back to her, explaining the Hawaiian origin of the loco moco dish, but of course had to share this hilarious moco fact with the owners of Namu, who had this to say, "So funny, we have encountered that misunderstanding from day one when one of my Mexican line cooks pointed it out... but he still loves to eat it!" So, there's our booger joke for the week.

Now, this is a true erratum. Last week, when I was copying the contents of the ~BURGER BAR~ menu into my column late at night, I failed to notice the mistake of this entry, the "Atlantic King Salmon Steak." Reader Gary writes: "I'm a little confused. I'm familier [stet] with Atlantic Salmon and King Salmon but not Atlantic King Salmon. Please tell me this was just a typo." Not quite a typo like that little misspelling of familiar, Gary, but check this out: Hubert Keller totally had a new hybrid species of salmon created just for Burger Bar, and it's only a paltry $8.50 to have it in a burger! Here's more from the menu: "This delicious omega 3 rich salmon comes from the icy waters of the North Atlantic. You will love its luxurious and velvety texture. Hand selected and filleted at Burger Bar." Sounds delicious, no? But alas, you were correct, hawk-eye Gary: they're just serving Atlantic salmon. Bon appétit!

fresh meat: OPENfuture: Spinning Marinetti's Wheels

2009-10-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. God. Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. OH. MY. GOD. That's what kept racing through my mind as I watched a 650-pound spit-roasted steer get lifted out of a bicycle-powered trailer and unwrapped on an equally massive butcher-block table at the latest OPENrestaurant event this past Saturday October 17th. The large shimmering tapestry that covered it was lifted away—I couldn't help but think of Jesus and the shroud, or weirdly, images of Aslan came to me, being brought to the stone table in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. The crowd of people surrounding the table pressed close, buzzing in a combination of excitement and discomfort, not knowing what was going to happen next. It was noisy, exhilarating, and strange.

The corporeality of the steer was surreal, its massive haunches gradually revealed after enough aluminum foil to create a small planet was peeled off its tremendous frame. The smell of meat and fennel started to permeate the atrium of the SFMOMA (the animal's entire cavity was filled with stalks of wild fennel). Yeah, we were in a museum, and there was a huge roasted steer in the middle of the room. Bizarre.

Members of the OPENrestaurant family (because that's really what it is) pedaled the beast through the city on a tricycle, pulling a trailer all the way from Alemany Farm at Alemany and Bayshore, where the steer had been roasting for 20 hours. The steer had two rods that crossed through its hulking frame so it could be properly suspended and maneuvered over a fire; one spit had to be tapped out with a sledgehammer in front of the crowd, it was so deeply embedded (yes, it was grotesque to watch). Morgan Maki of Bi-Rite told me about the elaborate fire pit and process—here are some pictures from Sasha Wizansky, taken over several days, of the transit to Avedano's Meats and then to the pit so you can see how the hell they roasted this thing.

After the foil was peeled away and the spits were extracted, a fleet of white-jacketed female chefs and butchers began to carve and disassemble the steer. It was like a barbaric surgery, a bit shocking in its carnality. Ohmygod, ohmygod. A live video projection on the wall above showing an aerial view of the proceedings looked almost Caravaggio-esque with its dramatic lighting.

As the steer was cut into smaller pieces, the chunks of meat were either slapped down on a long conveyor belt, or placed in metal containers, where the meat was eventually "processed" by chefs to make a variety of dishes. One plate featured slices of the beef topped with "crude oil" mole and "methane bean foam" over pieces of Tartine Bakery bread and wild arugula. I actually scraped the mole off so I could taste the meat, which was juicy and so flavorful, a bit feral tasting. An amazing feat to cook an animal of that size and have it come out so well. It fed an entire room (and I think it's still feeding the event organizers).

The room was full of controlled chaos and cacophony, with video projections on the walls by Chris Sollars, air raid sounds and live audio by sound artist Matt Volla and composer Luciano Chessa, dark and dramatic lighting, and a huge tapestry of the manifesto that originally covered the steer was eventually hung from the second story; I spoke with the artist who made the tapestry, Leslie Terzian Markoff—she didn't sleep the last three days in order to finish weaving the piece, the largest one she had ever done. It had words from the manifesto and even had pieces of tinfoil that she wove into it—an astounding accomplishment, so much texture.

The event was part of a larger series SFMOMA was hosting (Metal + Machine + Manifesto = Futurism's First 100 Years) to celebrate the anniversary of Futurism, an important movement that started Italy a century ago. This specific OPENrestaurant event used F. T. Marinetti's Futurist Cookbook from 1932 for inspiration, modernizing it and turning it on its ear. The room was full of mini installations of food and drink, each rife with symbolism and meaning. For example, "Saving Flavor Tomatoes" stuffed with ceviche were passed around the room to guests, a reference to Monsanto's genetic engineering attempt to splice a gene from a flounder into a tomato (FAIL). St. George Spirits made a grappa from the roasted heart and tongue of the steer (you could taste a little peppery funk to it). A model plane above the butcher-block table started spinning once the carving was done, "crop dusting" with orange blossom water made from oranges planted by the inventor of Agent Orange. There were "meat cones" from 4505 Meats in corn tortilla cones, topped with shaved beef tendon and "marrownaise," served on custom-made resin trays with corn embedded in them. Corn, beef, do the math...

I could go on. (You can view a pdf of the evening's "menu" designed by Sasha Wizansky for an idea of all the contributors.) There were so many details, a tremendous amount of elements and moving parts—it was like a Rube Goldberg machine, and it all magically came together. Well, not magically—there was an immeasurable amount of hours and hard work behind it all. As SFMOMA's curator of the event, Frank Smigiel, said to me, "We didn't want this to be about extreme catering." And it wasn't. It was too smart to be that.

I couldn't help but reflect on how the event felt so very uniquely San Franciscan, in so many ways. The event wasn't about what New York does, or Europe. It was about here, from the beef raised in California to the room full of Chez Panisse cooks to the local female butchers to the bread makers and beer makers and winemakers... Everything was hyper-local, artisanal, political, and edgy, in our own punk rock-culinary-farmer way.

The finale of the night featured propaganda parachutes holding packages of panforte made by Stacie Pierce cast off from the upper floor of the museum onto the crowd below. Each piece of panforte was so beautifully wrapped up in the Futurist manifesto, with manifesto language adhered to the chewy honey cakes with edible rice paper. We were eating Marinetti's words.

At the end of the night, the picked-over carcass was abandoned in the center of the room, left like a wildebeest on the Serengeti. The smell of meat and fennel continued to waft from it, the room heavy with the animal's pungency. Even as a devout meat eater, this particular spectacle was strong, and a lot to watch and process; kind of like the first time I saw Fellini's Satyricon.

Thank you to all the organizers, and especially to Sam White, Jerome Waag, and Stacie Pierce of OPENrestaurant, for putting on ever-more amazing and clever and important installations.

I posted some videos of the event here (start with this one), and images here since words can't describe it all accurately. Sadly my images and video don't either. Please note: some of the images and video are not for the faint of heart, or vegans.

OPENfuture: Spinning Marinetti's Wheels
Sat., Oct. 17th, 2009

SFMOMA
Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Atrium
San Francisco, CA