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Food & Wine Food Wine 2005 GREAT REASONS TO GET ACROSS TOWN AND OUTTA TOWN
Food & Wine Food Wine 2005 GREAT REASONS TO GET ACROSS TOWN AND OUTTA TOWN | GREAT REASONS TO GET ACROSS TOWN AND OUTTA TOWN |
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| Written by Susan Dyer Reynolds | |
| Wednesday, 31 August 2005 | |
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 10 GREAT REASONS TO GET OUTTA TOWN... SOUTH BAY STYLE When most San Franciscans want to Get Outta Town for a day or two, they usually head north – Napa, Sonoma, Calistoga ... But the much-maligned South Bay has a number of culinary jewels that are worth the jaunt. At least once a month I do the parental pilgrimage to San Jose – or what I like to call my “suburban retreat.” Just as my father planned our summer road trips back east, I plan my monthly sojourns down south around the dishes I love. Here are some of my favorite stops from San Mateo to Monterey: Sushi Sam’s 218 3rd Ave., San Mateo (650) 344-0888 One of the best kept sushi secrets in the Bay Area, this unassuming spot in quaint downtown San Mateo is a favorite with such revered chefs as Thomas Keller, Laurent Manrique, and Ron Seigel. Named for owner Osamu (“Sam”) Sugiyama, the casual ambiance and reasonable prices are the polar opposite from the dining experience — not only does Sam get sparklingly fresh seafood, he features some of the most unusual and hard-to-find fish around. I particularly like the arctic char, which resembles salmon but has a milder taste like its cousin trout. While most unagi comes vacuum-packed from China, Sam gets his fresh from a retired eel farmer in Japan who sells only to friends. The eel is grilled over coals prior to shipping, lending a subtle smoky flavor to the uncommonly delicate flesh. Incredibly fresh tuna belly arrives with one slice optionally seared, creating a beautiful presentation atop the petite mounds of rice. Other highlights include bittersweet crab butter, white king and Alaskan Yukon salmon, rarely seen long shell scallop and live scallop, and baby lobster tail topped with homemade tobiko-mayo. Stanford Roll at Miyake Two locations: 140 University Ave., Palo Alto (650) 323-9449, 10650 S. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino (408) 253-2668 Miyake was the first sushi bar I ever went to – a friend in high school lured me to University Avenue in Palo Alto one afternoon and made me eat things before she would tell me what they were. (“Do you like it?” “Yes! What is it?” “Barbecued eel …”). Curing summers while I was in college I worked at Apple Computer in Cupertino and, fortuitously, Miyake opened a second location. It’s not the caliber of Sushi Sam’s or Sushi Ran, but it’s good and it’s cheap – prices have barely risen in more than 10 years. I still love the Stanford Roll: real snow crab salad, tomato, and asparagus, and you get six pieces for around $5. Fried zucchini at TGI Friday’s 10344 N. Wolfe Rd., Cupertino (408) 257-2050 Yes, TGI Friday’s. It may be a chain, but they make the best fried zucchini I’ve ever eaten – a basket of crisply coated tender slices dusted with Parmesan cheese and served with cool, creamy ranch dressing for dunking. You won’t find it listed currently on the ever-changing merry-go-round of a menu at Friday’s, but you can still get it by asking for “fried mozzarella, sub zucchini.”  378 Santana Row, Suite 1100, San Jose (408) 244-1244 Even my dad from East Providence approved of this little taste of New England, sucking down fried clams like he was at the Lobster Pot in Provincetown. There’s not another place I know of in the Bay Area besides Yankee Pier that serves Ipswich full belly clams, plump and juicy with a mineraly, briny flavor that blows away the chewy, tasteless frozen clam strips most places serve. Mr. East Providence also gave his seal of authenticity to the scrumptious lobster roll – four and a half ounces of fresh Maine lobster meat — claw and tail — mixed with just enough mayonnaise to bind it and flecked with dill pickle and celery. The celery, a traditional touch, brings some crunch, while the not-so-traditional vinegar of the dill pickle adds a tasty tartness. It’s even served on the proper roll — a soft, sweet hot dog bun with flat sides to slather with butter and griddle until golden brown. Baby back ribs at Henry’s Hi-life 301 W. St. John, San Jose (408) 295-5414 Henry’s is one of those great old barbecue and brew kind of places where you place your order when you walk in the door and your salad is waiting for you when you’re seated. It’s a historic landmark and it’s right around the corner from where the Sharks play, so if you’re heading down for a game, stop in for a pile of sweet, tangy, gooey baby back ribs cooked in the old brick oven. Manresa 320 Village Ln., Los Gatos (408) 354-4330 Executive Chef David Kinch is quite possibly the brightest new star in the Bay Area culinary sky. In an era where chefs would rather cook for the cameras than their guests, Kinch stands out as a true chef’s chef – he doesn’t care about being a household name, and the only thing he might like doing as much as he likes cooking is riding the waves in Santa Cruz. Baked potato at The Cats Barbecue Restaurant 17533 Santa Cruz Hwy, Los Gatos (408) 354-4020 The Cats is a South Bay institution – you can’t miss the “Saloon” sign and two giant white cat pillars at the base of the mountain as you head over Highway 17. They serve steaks, chicken and ribs, and the best baked potato in the world – cooked slowly up in the wood-burning brick oven until the flesh is perfectly soft and served buried beneath a mountain of chive butter and sour cream. Chile relleno at Las Palmas Taco Bar 55 Front Street, Santa Cruz (831) 429-1220 Most taquerias prepare their rellenos ahead of time and reheat them in the microwave, leaving the pepper tough, the coating soggy and the cheese cold and coagulated. Las Palmas, family-owned for over 50 years, makes them to order – a poblano pepper filled with Mexican cheese, egg-dipped and fried until the pepper is so tender you can cut it with a fork, causing the white molten cheese to ooze into the pool of rich, red sauce. The Shadowbrook 1750 Wharf Road, Capitola (800) 975-1511 Ride the glass-enclosed cable car up a hill surrounded by multiple level gardens and a babbling brook to one of the most romantic and charming restaurants in the Bay Area. It also happens that the food is as welcoming as the setting, especially the fried artichokes and artichoke soup. Fish and Chips at London Bridge Pub 2 Wharf II, Monterey (831) 655-2879 Not only is this pub charming and run by a superfriendly staff, they serve what I consider to be the Bay Area’s best fish and chips. Firm, snowy white cod dipped in beer batter and served with properly limp, thick, English-style chips and a side of peas. Wash it down with one of more than 60 international beers. Like their sign says, “Cheap food, cheap beer.” And the waterfront view is a nice bonus. 10 GREAT REASONS TO GET ACROSS TOWN Pork belly at Jack Falstaff 598 Second St. (415) 836-9239 Executive chef James Ormsby’s unctuous pork belly with a crackling exterior (think gourmet pork rind) is slow cooked to the point it nearly melts into the plate. Tip: This is such a popular appetizer that they often run out. For your entrée, order the fried chicken – it’s so fabulous that ex-Duh Mayor Willie Brown comes in for it twice a week. Green garlic broth at Americano In the Hotel Vitale, 8 Mission St. (415) 278-3700 Simply spectacular green garlic broth with grilled peasant bread, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a perfectly runny poached egg. Shanghai dumplings at Yank Sing Two locations: In the Rincon Center,101 Spear St. (415) 957-9300, 49 Stevenson St. (415) 541-4949 Yank Sing is San Francisco’s premiere house of dim sum, founded by the Chan family in 1958. A stellar staff creates nearly 100 items to roll out on the trolleys, offering a vast array of both traditional and modern dim sum, known as “the creative collection,” for which the chefs create two new dishes per month. The signature Shanghai dumpling is the stuff of epicurean dreams – pick up a soup spoon cradling one delicate dumpling filled with ground Berkshire pork and eat it in one bite for a surprising burst of rich, hot broth. How do they get the broth into the dumpling? Third-generation proprietors Vera Chan-Waller and her husband Nathan refuse to give away the family secret. Bersin at Massawa 1538 Haight Street (415) 621-4129 Order a combination of the brown whole pea and red peeled lentils and scoop it up with injera – spongy, slightly tangy crepes about the size of a Frisbee. Clam chowder at Hog Island Oyster Bar 1 Ferry Plaza (415) 391-7117 Everyone knows about the oysters – they are beautiful, briny, and as fresh as can be. The Monday and Thursday happy hour is a fabulous deal, attracting the after-work crowd in droves for $1 oysters and $2.50 beers. But as much as I love the oysters, the big draw for me is the clam chowder. Not that stand-your-spoon-up-in-it floury paste you find at many places, this is the real deal: Authentic New England style like my mom used to make, with a creamy milk broth, bacon, soft hunks of potato, and a huge pile of Hog Island manila clams to top it off. Feed Your Inner Child Mondays at Luna Park 649 Valencia St. (415) 553-8584 I know the outer adult in you doesn’t want the weekend to be over, but heading to Luna Park for Inner Child Monday is a great way to take your mind off the week ahead. Dive into slightly grown-up versions of favorites like Spaghetti-O’s, fried chicken, and macaroni and cheese. You can wash it down with spiked lemonade and decidedly adult Hawaiian Punch if you need more help escaping your over-21 reality. Each table also gets crayons and place mats to create a masterpiece to enter in the weekly art contest for a chance to win dinner for two. Sizzling fish platters at Okazu Ya Three locations: 2447 Noriega St. Ste. 32 (415) 661-5783, 1735 Taraval St. (415) 759-6850, 914 Clement St. (415) 668-1638 I started going to Okazu Ya’s Taravel Street location when it was still a tiny spot with 10 tables. It’s been remodeled since, as well as the once divey room on Noriega, but one thing hasn’t changed – steaming, sizzling cast-iron skillets with generous portions of lightly breaded fish filets (the selection changes depending on what’s available) atop a tower of bean sprouts, peas, and carrots, and a bed of caramelized onions. The platters come with miso soup and ice cream, and most are under $15. Let’s Be Frank hot dog cart Patio of Acme Chophouse, SBC Park On game days two hours before the first pitch until somewhere around the second inning, you’ll find a steady stream of happy customers lined up for a griddled hot dog topped with caramelized onions and tucked into a warm bun fresh from Lafeyette’s Cakebox Bakery. Chez Panisse meat forager Sue Moore and her partner, Acme director of operations Larry Bain, don’t serve any old dogs – these are all-natural grass-fed 100% beef links with a snappy casing. Even better, they contain no nitrites, fillers, and less saturated fat and calories than their store-bought brethren. Moore and Bain plan to use the cart to provide employment to victims of domestic violence. And this fall they will open a Northside outlet inside Crissy Field’s Warming Hut, so Northsiders won’t have to get across town to get a dog, just across the street. Spicy angel wings at Marnee Thai Two locations: 2225 Irving St. (415) 665-9500, 1243 9th Ave. (415) 731-9999 If you’re like me, once you try Marnee Thai’s award-winning angel wings – deep-fried chicken wings sautéed with fresh chili, garlic, and topped with crispy sweet basil – you’ll never be able to eat them anywhere else. Chicken croquettes at Esperpento 3295 22nd St. (415) 282-8867 Esperpento is Spanish for “absurdity,” and the chicken croquettes at this tiny out-of-the-way bistro are certainly absurdly good. Esperpento has been around over a decade and was doing tapas before tapas were trendy. These croquettes are almost as good as my mom’s – oblongs of minced chicken in thick béchamel sauce, chilled to set, rolled in bread crumbs and fried until golden brown. BEST NIGHTLY SPECIALS Monday: Fried chicken at Washington Square Bar & Grill 1707 Powell St. (415) 982-8123 Executive Chef Matt Reilly, who cooked in Louisiana prior to his post at the Washbag, does the only version of “soft crust,” a Southern-fried style that entails frying the chicken golden brown, letting it rest, and finishing it in the oven to partially crisp the crust. I love soft crust chicken, but the oven finish adds an extra step, so you don’t see it in restaurants often. Tuesday: Sydney’s half-price wine by the bottle 415 Presidio Ave. (415) 409-0400 Sydney’s has a very nice wine list, and now you can afford to work your way through it on Tuesday nights when bottles are half price (excluding the pricier cellar list). The food at Sydney’s is worth a visit, too, and the tasty buttermilk fried chicken salad will pair beautifully with that $14.50 bottle of St. Amant 2002 Viognier. Wednesday: Chicken potpie at Washington Square Bar & Grill 1707 Powell St. (415) 982-8123 The Washbag has specials seven nights a week, and the chicken potpie, like the fried chicken, is definitely worth a trip. Tender chunks of white meat and fresh vegetables in a creamy gravy hide beneath a golden, flaky crust that would make your grandmother proud. Thursday: Clambake for two at Yabbies Coastal Kitchen 2237 Polk St. (415) 474-4088 The friendly staff atYabbies serves the Thursday night clambake in a wire basket that looks like a golf ball container overflowing with jumbo shrimp, clams, mussels, red potatoes, and corn on the cob plus a one-and-a-half-pound lobster, big red claws dangling over the top. It’s pretty close to what you’d get back east (minus the sausage and steamers), but if you want to go San Francisco-style you can order it with Dungeness crab. Tip: If you order it with lobster, you get the crab, too. Friday: Cioppino at Caesar’s 2299 Powell St. (415) 989-6000 Cioppino is a San Francisco original, our version of the Italian fish stew known as cacciuco with clams, mussels, jumbo shrimp, and fresh fish in a hearty marinara sauce. It’s usually served with garlic toast, but we add our native Dungeness crab. But most cioppinos these days have a lot of white fish and mussels and you have to dig deep into that messy sauce to come up with a piece of crab. Not at Caesar’s – it’s a whole Dungeness crab accompanied by a few clams, mussels, and large shrimp, and Italian bread at the bottom of the bowl to soak up the thick, tangy tomato broth. Don’t dig for the white fish, however, because you won’t find any. The good news – the Friday cioppino night was so popular that Caesar’s now serves it Tuesday through Friday nights. Saturday: Lobster Madness at Perry’s 1944 Union St. (415) 922-9022 Lobster, lobster, and more lobster – Perry’s has been doing Lobster Madness for years, but it’s still a bit of a neighborhood secret. You get a one-and-a-quarter pound steamed Maine lobster with traditional fixings for $18.95. Tip: Perry’s serves lobster dinners from 5 p.m. “until they’re gone” and they go quick, so when you call for a reservation ask the hostess to reserve a lobster for you, too. Sunday: Fried chicken at Street 2141 Polk St. (415) 775-1055 That’s right, in my perfect world we start the week and end the week with fried chicken! Street’s version narrowly missed making my list in July’s Fried Chicken Frenzy, but I know people who swear by it. Let’s face it, you just can’t go wrong with serious comfort food like this on a blustery Sunday night. COMFORT FOOD MAKES A COMEBACK: FIVE COMFORTING DISHES Angel hair lasagna at The Crab House Pier 39 (415) 434-2722 Positively addictive wedges of baked angel hair, Dungeness crab, and rich béchamel sauce topped with cheese – how can you go wrong? Mashed potatoes and gravy at The House of Prime Rib 1906 Van Ness Ave. (415) 885-4605 They may be resting on their laurels in the prime rib department, but the mashed potatoes are still perfect: creamy with rich brown gravy that’s just salty enough. Macaroni salad at the Marina Real Foods Deli 3060 Fillmore St. (415) 567-6900 I usually choose potato over macaroni, but I actually crave this stuff. (You may have seen me pacing in front of the glass case mumbling to myself on the days they run out.) Crunchy green onions, black olives, red bell pepper, and a liberal sprinkling of ground black pepper tangle in the hollows of the macaroni pasta – they throw in some Dijon for zip and only use enough mayonnaise to bind all the ingredients together. “Coo-coo” clams at Tomasso’s 1042 Kearny St. (415) 398-9696 What Italian girl can resist baked clams? Besides the pizza, the “coo coos” are the specialty of the house – clams in a bath of oil, spices, balsamic vinegar, and a dash of oregano come out of the wood-fired oven piping-hot with the plump clams popping from their shells. Fried chicken at Powell’s Place 1521 Eddy St. (415) 863-1404 Powell’s Place would have made my Favorite Tried and True Restaurants were it not for the lackadaisical service, but that’s half the charm. They rated high in July’s Fried Chicken Frenzy Breastalyzer test – the chickens are huge, but they’re tender, with juicy meat inside and a crunchy, crumbly flour coating outside. Jennifer’s been frying up chicken at Powell’s nearly 20 years, and she’s got it down pat (and as the Kitchenless Cook found out for his July column, frying chicken just right isn’t as easy as it looks). Best four blocks for neighborhood gems: Hyde, Green, Larkin, and Union Streets in Russian Hill These are the places you walk down to from your house on a rainy Sunday, or take your family for a quiet meal when they first step off the plane for a week’s visit. The owner greets you by name, the chef knows your favorite dish, the staff may join you for a glass of wine, and little things you didn’t order magically appear. Every neighborhood has its gems, but these four blocks have the Crown Jewels – Amarena, Frascati, Luella, Za Pizza, Okaze, Bacchus Wine Bar, and Swenson’s Ice Cream are all just seconds away. Five Tourist Favorites Locals Shouldn’t Avoid The Boudin Museum and Bakery Tour, Fisherman’s Wharf 160 Jefferson St. (415) 928-1849 Take the tour with docent Terry Hamburg, a veritable fountain of knowledge about the history of the famous bread as well as the history of San Francisco. (It’s the only S.F. history museum until the new one opens in the old Mint next year.) Check out the wall of S.F. Originals – famous food and drink invented in our fair city, from cioppino to martinis. See the Mother Dough (locked in a vault at night) and watch the bakers work their magic. After the tour, hit the bread tasting room – dip everything from olive loaf to chocolate and raisin baguettes in a variety of olive oils, jams, and vinegars. The Stinking Rose 325 Columbus Ave. (415) 781-7673 Owner and North Beach native Jerry Dal Bozzo is a stickler for quality ingredients. If you look past the kitschy garlic ice cream, you’ll find scrumptious 40-clove garlic chicken roasted on the bone, Dungeness crab (weighing two-plus pounds) whole-roasted in secret garlic sauce, and some of the best (100% USDA certified Midwestern corn fed) prime rib around. Fisherman’s Grotto #9 9 Fisherman’s Wharf, Jefferson at Taylor (415) 673-7025 Check out the view of the Golden Gate Bridge over comforting classics like petrale sole dore, Dungeness crab Louis, lobster Thermidor, excellent Manhattan and New England clam chowder, and pan-fried calamari steak. The Cliff House Bistro 1090 Point Lobos Ave. (415) 386-3330 Although it went through a remodel, the menu still features fabulous cioppino, fish and chips, crab sandwiches, New England clam chowder, and the ever-popular crab Louie surrounded by a bevy of fresh fruit. McCormick’s & Kuleto 900 North Point St. (415) 929-1730 Choose from a wide array of fresh fish daily or indulge in a great selection of some of the freshest oysters in town at this beautiful Ghirardelli Square restaurant … and again, more great views. But then, I believe every San Franciscan should stop and smell the Bay (or at least look at it over clam chowder and a martini) as a reminder of how lucky we are to live in one of the most beautiful cities, brimming with some of the best food, in the entire world. Five Sweet Ways to End a Meal
Chris Wong’s fritters at Luella |
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