Category Archives: Restaurants

March 17, 2012 · 9:40 am

SANTA FE RESTAURANTS 4: REAL FOOD NATION SUPPER CLUB

We have been going to the Real Food Nation Café for years. The casual atmosphere and the creative food have always hit the spot for lunch or Sunday brunch. I have even been on a photo shoot in a workshop with Francesca Yorke, making images of the wonderful and beautiful herbs and vegetables they grow in their extensive on-site garden. But even though we have talked about it many times, we have never made it to their culinary other-half, the Supper Club. Last night we were able to fill that gap in our Santa Fe experience, and it was well worth the effort.

Maturing eggplant in the Real Food garden

Squash blossoms

Eggplant blossoms in the Real Food Nation garden

Travel to the restaurant is a scenic 2o-minute drive north on I-25 or on the crowded Old Pecos Trail. The café is in a converted gas station, and you might miss seeing the compact square building across the parking lot. That is the Supper Club with its own parking area and a welcoming front door. Inside you will find a small, well-appointed dining room and a friendly staff. It is small – only 22 seats including several at the bar overlooking the open kitchen – so reservations are highly recommended. The problem with that is that the Supper Club does not have its own number in the phone book, so when you call the café they have to transfer your call, sometimes to the consternation of the person answering the phone. During our visit we were granted our own key, so to speak. The direct line is 505-466-2440 and the email address is info@realfoodnation.biz. They’re not on Open Table, either, so a direct call for reservations is needed. The other little idiosyncrasy you need to be aware of is that they are open only Wednesday through Saturday from 5:30 pm to 9 pm. All of that says plan ahead, but if you do, you won’t be disappointed

Dining room in the Supper Club

Water glasses

The dining room was pleasant, mostly two-tops with a couple of four-tops, comfortable leather chairs, and sunny windows with Roman shades if the sun gets in your eyes during Daylight Saving Time. The music would not be my choice – some Frank Sinatra and light jazz/pops – but it was not intrusive and certainly not so loud as to drown out your dinner companion’s conversation. The service was friendly and attentive. The wine list was small but well-chosen and well-priced with full-bottle, half-bottle, and by-the-glass selections. There was a good selection of beers, coffee and tea, soft drinks, and bottled waters as well.

All of that put us at ease in anticipation of a good meal. The bread got a mixed vote from me. The little ciabatta rolls were crisp on the outside with a flaky crumb and extremely tasty. The sliced French bread was dense and ok, not great. But we didn’t come for the bread, anyway.

Menu

Right now the restaurant has a prix fixe menu, three courses for $35. The menu changes frequently, so call ahead or check the web site. Last night there were two choices of appetizer, three choices of entrée, and two choices of dessert. Even at that, chosing was difficult because everything sounded delicious.

Carrot parsnip soup

Susan chose the carrot parsnip soup. The golden bowl came to the table laced with a pool of green-hued extra virgin olive oil.

Frisée salad with balsamic vinaigrette and guanciale

I chose the frisée salad which came with guanciale – little lardons of pork jowl lightly crisped

Sweetbreads

We both chose veal sweetbreads which, when well-prepared, is one of our favorite dishes and not commonly available. We were not disappointed. The sweetbreads were perfectly cooked and seasoned. They were complemented by tender Swiss chard and a “hash” of turnips, leeks, and carrots. The sweetbreads were sauced with a fragrant, flavorful mushroom demi-glace.

Hazelnut forestier with three chocolates

Profiteroles

Both desserts were beautifully presented, and a fitting end to the evening. The hazelnut financier came with three different kinds of chocolate. The profiteroles were classically done, and fortunately not too big as I could have eaten more than my diet allows.

Leave a comment

Filed under Food, Photography, Restaurants

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

March 3, 2012 · 3:20 pm

EATING OUR WAY THROUGH DEATH VALLEY

This last week we were visiting our daughter in Los Angeles. For some time, we had wanted to see Death Valley, so it turned out to be a pleasant turn of events when we learned that Carol and her children had already made plans to go there over the weekend.

Susan collected a whole stack of guide books before the trip and had plotted out an itinerary. Unfortunately we could not leave before school got out on Friday, so we steered across LA in the midst of early rush hour traffic (When isn’t it rush hour traffic in LA?) and got out to the desert just as it was turning dark.  Clearly it is better to stay in the park at Furnace Creek, but that would have been another two hours of travel at night so we wound up staying in the little town of Lone Pine.

We arrived after 8 o’clock, and the already limited choices for dinner became even more limited as most closed at 9 PM. We chose the Mt. Whitney Restaurant even though there were no other customers. That was our first clue that this would not be a transcendent dining experience, but with two very tired, hungry kids that seemed secondary.

Mt Whitney Restaurant green chile buffalo cheeseburger

Mt Whitney Restaurant green chile buffalo cheeseburger

The menu was extensive, including meatloaf, open-faced meatloaf sandwich, clam chowder (in the desert?!) and regular, ostrich, or buffalo hamburgers. In my misguided quest for the perfect green chile cheeseburger, I ordered the buffalo version. The server, with some heavy ink and dressed in his cut-offs, high school T-shirt, and Converse low-tops, strongly recommended that the burger should be cooked at least medium. I complied with his suggestion, although since then I have wondered whether there might have been some motive to his advice. The adults ordered wine, and soon enough we were all brought a mini-screw-top bottle and an empty wine glass. The meals arrived, and although the French fries were good, we saw that our overall expectations had been realized.

The next morning we loaded up and headed to Death Valley. The drive was long and dusty, and although the map showed stops at Panamint Springs and Stovepipe Wells, there was not much until we arrived at Furnace Creek. There, crowds milled around the restaurants, bars and gift shops at the Furnace Creek Ranch. We had a pleasant lunch in the busy but not crowded café. Service was fast, efficient, and friendly. The food was surprisingly good, plentiful, and not too expensive. I got the curry chicken salad wrap, and it hit the spot.

Furnace Creek curried chicken salad wrap

Furnace Creek curry chicken salad wrap

The real pleasure palace at Furnace Creek, though, is the Furnace Creek Inn. The elegant inn sits up on a hillside surrounded by an oasis of palm trees, flowers, and green lawns. After an afternoon of sight-seeing, we stopped in for cocktails for the adults and ice cream for the children. We sat in the beautiful lounge with amazing vistas of the desert floor. The staff was very pleasant to us even though we looked like desert rats. However, we also learned that shorts and T-shirts are not permitted in the dining room for dinner. The Inn is clearly the place to stay, just make sure your credit card is paid up before you book a room.

We drove back to Lone Pine in the twilight, cleaned up, and then went out to dinner. Our first choice, Seasons, clearly had the best menu along with white linens and a good wine selection, but reservations would have helped. After a long wait with two impatient kids, we left for the restaurant next door – the Merry-Go-Round.

Merry Go Round won ton soup

Merry Go Round won ton soup

That turned out to be a good choice. Otherwise we would not have gotten some of the laughs we enjoyed over the next couple of days. We walked into the circular dining room covered in mirrored tiles to be ushered by the young server to a too-small booth. Suddenly a stout, grey-haired older man with an apron appeared from the kitchen and announced that the booth would not do. He sent us to two tables in the middle of the room. We pushed them together only to have the old man declare loudly that we needed to pull them apart again so that he could cover them with two white tablecloths. After that, he plopped a stack of menus on the middle of the tables and announced that one menu was for Chinese while the other was for American, depending upon our wishes – and for that matter, we could order from both.

The young server then finished the table with paper placemats depicting the Chinese zodiac and promptly disappeared into a small room where he got into a loud discussion with another person accompanied by startling crashes. He reappeared but no longer had any interest in us until Susan called him over and asked him to take drink orders. I ordered some Chilean wines. He then asked, “Are you familiar with that wine? I would not recommend it.” He suggested another wine, but I chose a red from Paso Robles. Obviously, he was convinced that I had still made a bad decision, because when he brought out the wines – filled completely to the brim, he set a second glass at my place with just a swallow of the wine he had recommended. He pointed out to Susan that there was a bit of cork in her glass, but that the extra protein would do her good.  After a bit of a skirmish with the young waiter about the menu (Carol asked what vegetables were in a particular dish, and he asked in reply, “Do you really want me to have to go back into the kitchen to find out?”) – we ordered Chinese, which turned out to be surprisingly good. It was prepared by the mother in the kitchen. The gray-haired man was the boss, and the reluctant server was their son.

Throughout the entire evening, Susan kept saying, “I feel like I am in ‘The Twilight Zone'”. At one point I even thought I saw Rod Serling sitting in one of the booths. Since he died in 1975, that seemed unlikely. On the other hand, everything seemed possible by then. We finished our meal just as a couple in a nearby booth were getting ready to leave. The asked for a carry-out box for a huge plate of unfinished food. The waiter brought a tiny box which didn’t work, so he tossed it from about 10 feet onto a towering pile just behind the hapless couple.  Our bill was paid, and we returned to the motel marveling at our experience.

Still Life Café

Still Life Café

The next day we toured the Alabama Hills where all of the western movies of my childhood were made. I think I even recognized a rock where Gene Autrey hid from the bad guys. Then we drove as far as we could up the road to Mount Whitney. A tour of the National Historical Monument devoted to the Japanese internment during World War II completed the morning. The exhibit was worthwhile, and even the children got a lot out of the visit. But everyone was hungry so we stopped at a recommended restaurant in the tiny town of Independence. The Still Life Café is run by a French couple, and the menu is definitely French but also definitely good. My croque monsieur was outstanding, and the pommes frites were a cut above McDonald’s.

Still Life Café croque monsieur

Croque monsieur

With all of this food, I have failed to mention our itinerary:

First stop was the Mesquite Sand Hills. Although they are not as big as either the White Sands or the Great Sand Dunes, they are still impressive and quite beautiful in the desert setting.

Mesquite Sand Dunes

Mesquite Sand Hills

Next stop was Salt Creek where we strolled along a boardwalk, watched the pup fish swimming in the salty stream, and enjoyed the desert scenery.

Salt Creek

Salt Creek

Badwater is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere (-282 feet) so we had to go there, along with tourists from all over the world. The formations of mineral crystals on the surface of the water were impressive and beautiful.

Badwater (282 feet below sea level)

Badwater (282 feet below sea level)

We drove through the narrow, colorful canyon of Artists Drive and made it to Zabriskie Point just as the sun was reaching a good angle for photos. Zabriskie Point may be the most famous place in Death Valley because of the movie, but it is also one of the must-see stops.

Zabriskie Point

Zabriskie Point

Our visit to Mount Whitney (highest point in the contiguous 48 states – 14,505 feet above sea level) was our final photo-op before we headed back to LA.

Mount Whitney

Mount Whitney

But we definitely plan to visit Death Valley again.

2 Comments

Filed under Food, Photography, Restaurants

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

February 20, 2012 · 2:39 pm

SANTA FE RESTAURANTS 3: TERRA AT ENCANTADO RESORT

This has become one of our favorite restaurants in Santa Fe. We also like it for special occasions and celebrations. In an earlier post, I mentioned that our younger daughter was visiting with her 10-month-old from San Francisco. During her visit, she and her husband completed the negotiations on space for their new restaurant. That of course called for a celebration, so we made reservations at Terra.

Part of the charm of Terra is that it is several miles north of town, and the drive is beautiful. Another part of its charm is the beautiful view of the Jémez Mountains from the deck and huge picture windows of the bar and restaurant.

We chose the earliest seating so that we could arrive before the sunset to enjoy one of New Mexico’s incomparable evening displays.

We arrived at the front door of the resort and were immediately greeted by the friendly valet. The traditional Santa Fé scent of piñon smoke hung in the air as we passed the blazing fire in the huge fireplace on the deck.

As we entered the bar, we were greeted by the bartender and welcomed into a beautiful room flanked by another fireplace – this time modern and chrome – and huge windows looking over the distant mountains. We tried to sit outside in the cool early evening, but the heaters failed to work, even with the attention of the bartender and the manager, so we came back in. That was ok, because it was warm and we still got to enjoy the beautiful sunset along with flutes of New Mexico Gruet sparkling wine and some tasty truffle French fries.

Lights in the bar at Terra

Dinner kept up the excellent experience. The room was spacious, beautifully decorated, and blessedly quiet. Another breathtaking fireplace anchored the room with a glass-enclosed wine cellar on either side.  Our server was attentive and knowledgeable but not intrusive. The wine selection was enormous. Many of choices were well beyond our budget, but there were enough modestly priced bottles that we easily found an excellent option.

The menu presented a lot of hard choices, but eventually we made our decisions, and we were not disappointed.

Diver scallop and crispy pork belly with edamame purée was beautifully presented, the flavors blended.

Crispy sweetbread salad had its high and low points: the sweetbreads were crisp yet delicate, just as sweetbreads are supposed to be, and the “potato wheel” was amazing – a single spaghetti-sized strand of potato coiled into a perfect circle and fried to a delicate golden brown. The sauce was bland and needed salt (no chef ever wants to hear that).

Crispy sweetbread salad with potato wheel

The mains, though, were flawless. The venison two ways included a creative red chile venison tamal and a perfectly roasted venison lin with Cumberland sauce.

Venison two ways

The duck cassoulet was complete with a crispy duck leg and green chile sausage along with the traditional bread crumb crust. The big surprise was that New Mexico chicos substituted for the beans.

Duck cassoulet

The hot smoked salmon was topped with a crisp “chicharrón” of salmon skin and served with a delicate cauliflower mousse flavored with almond along with roasted kale.

Hot smoked salmon

Dessert included the traditional street food, churros, but raised to a new level and accompanied by rich cajeta.

This last week, we went back with our older daughter, Carol, and her two children. The scene was just as magical, and we now had an opportunity to try more things on the imaginative menu. I had the “West of the Pecos Winter Posole”, which was unlike any posole I have ever had. A big bowl was brought to the table with a nest of shredded ham hocks, posole, and micro cilantro nestled in the middle. The server then poured a steaming pitcher of fragrant broth into the bowl. The seasoning is not for the faint-of-heart, but it was a beautiful and flavorful start.

West of the Pecos winter posole

Carol had the warm chicory salad with crispy prosciutto and topped with a glistening, perfectly poached farm egg just begging to be opened so that the yolk could flavor the whole dish.

Warm chicory salad

She also chose the Guajillo prawns with – white chocolate molé! What’s not to like about that?!

The venison from the week before looked so good, that I chose that. As before, it was well-prepared with interesting seasonings. There was a delicate “cloud” of fois gras foam as an accompaniment.

Susan chose the wild mushroom ravioli with rabbit ragu. She pronounced it delicious.

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Food, Photography, Restaurants

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

February 15, 2012 · 10:59 am

SAND HILL CRANES AND MANNY’S BUCKHORN TAVERN

Bosque del Apache

Bosque del Apache sits nearly in the center of New Mexico and it is one of our favorite places to visit, especially this time of year. It is a major bird refuge for winter water fowl. Even if you are not a birder, it is worth a three-hour drive from just about any place in the state. For that matter, serious bird watchers come from all over the United States. Snow geese and Sand Hill cranes number in the thousands, and there are many Canada geese, ducks, grebes, coots, golden eagles, and bald eagles as well.

Sand Hill crane feeding

If you plan a visit, you should do it soon, as the birds will be leaving in the next few weeks to start their northern migration to the plains and tundra of Canada. You should also plan your visit so that you arrive just before sunset or before sunrise. During the day, the cranes and geese have been feeding in nearby grain fields. When evening comes, the birds fly into the many lakes and ponds to spend a cold night safe from predators. The evening arrivals are spectacular, as large flocks fly in, making loud noises and silhouetting themselves against the mountains and the sunset. The morning flights are also beautiful, but you need to be in place well before dawn to catch the show.

Sand Hill cranes against the sunset

To get there, travel on I-25 to the little town of San Antonio. Directions from there will be clear. When you arrive, your first stop should be at the visitors’ center where friendly volunteers will tell you the current viewing sites – they tend to change over time.

In flight and ready to land

Then plan a leisurely drive around the loop to see raptors, smaller birds, dabbling ducks, geese, and cranes feeding in the fields. There is a small fee for the trip because even though this is a federal reserve, it is not well-funded. The fee is worth it. Time your tour so that before the sun has begun to set you are in place for the main event. Have your camera and binoculars at the ready because gradually the cranes will begin to come in, first by ones and twos, and eventually in great noisy flocks that continue to land in the shallow lakes even as the light fades into night.

Getting ready for the night

In the morning, the flights may be even more amazing. Usually, as if by some signal, the birds will depart in one great cloud and with noisy chatter. But they are early risers, so you will miss the even if you are not in place well before dawn.

Night time and the show is almost over

If you want to catch both the evening and morning performances, there is a small RV park nearby. Otherwise you will need to plan on staying in Socorro, a half hour or so toward the north.

Manny's Buckhorn decor

San Antonio has another claim to fame: it is home to two of the great stops on the Quest for the Best Green Chile Cheeseburger. The Owl Café is an institution, and for many years we stopped there on our trips between Santa Fé and El Paso. We always drove by a little bar on the other side of the road. It looked like a honky-tonk, and its glowing beer signs  and its name, “Manny’s Buckhorn Tavern”, seemed only to confirm that.

Buckhorn Burger - green chile cheeseburger

One night, though, we ventured in. It was not very crowded, and the crowd was clearly made up of locals. Bob Olguin, the owner and son of the founder, was behind the grill, cooking and chatting with everyone – us included. We ordered the Buckhorn burger – green chile cheeseburger – and thought we had finished the Quest.

French fries

Fried onion rings

For years, we stopped at the Buckhorn; the crowds got bigger; but Bob kept his place at the grill. Then he wound up on national TV in a throw down with Bobby Flay. Since then, the crowds have become huge, especially during tourist season, and now there is a sign directing you to wait until seated. Bob no longer works the grill, but he visits each table as customers wait for their burgers. Still, the atmosphere has not changed, and the Buckhorn burgers are as good as ever. The experience is one you shouldn’t miss.  Just be sure to get fries or onion rings with your order.

2 Comments

Filed under Food, Photography, Restaurants

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

January 27, 2012 · 8:48 am

SANTA FE RESTAURANTS 2: THE RANCH HOUSE

Santa Fe is viewed by many as at the epicenter of red or green chile – chile stews of both colors and made with chicken, pork, beef, or whatever – along with posole, and carne adobado. There is also the ubiquitous green chile cheeseburger which causes big disagreements about who cooks the best.  At the same time good barbecue is hard to find. Texan tourists certainly agree with that! Josh’s Barbecue was one of the few oases in the desert even though it was tucked away in a hard-to-find strip mall.

The bad news is that Josh’s has closed. The good news is that the Ranch House has opened. This is Josh’s new venue located at 2571 Cristos Road in a beautiful new building complete with great views of the mountains and spacious courtyards for outside dining in warmer weather. The old-time favorites are still on the menu, but there are some new and interesting additions. There are several dining rooms inside, so don’t be put off by a full parking lot, because you will probably be seated quickly and served by one of the attentive staff.

Baby back ribs with greens and cornbread

The day we visited for lunch, the place was busy but not crowded. Susan chose the baby back rib plate, and I chose the green chile chopped brisket sandwich – a new experience for me.  The ribs came with real Southern greens and cornbread with just enough sugar to compromise between Yankees who like sugar and Southerners who don’t.  The sandwich was good, too, although I think I prefer either a classic chopped brisket sandwich or an authentic green chile cheeseburger. For me, the highlight of the meal was the little fry basket filled with crispy sweet potato fries.

Green chile chopped brisket sandwich with sweet potato fries

The drink selection was good though limited. Lots of beers of course, and wine (who drinks wine with barbecue?) The specialty drinks sounded good, and the pineapple margarita was a hit.

Pineapple margarita

The Ranch House is definitely worth checking out if you are a barbecue fan. And who isn’t?

1 Comment

Filed under Food, Photography, Restaurants

Tagged as , , , , ,

January 7, 2012 · 11:23 am

SANTA FE RESTAURANTS I: MUSEUM HILL CAFÉ

Santa Fe is fortunate to have many excellent restaurants in all price ranges and with varied cuisines.  Santa Fe is also lucky to have a great number of outstanding museums. The museum within the Governor’s Palace, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, the Museum of New Mexico History, and the Museum of Art all cluster near the Plaza, and they are popular with both tourists and locals. Of course, you can make a day of it and take a lunch and/or dinner break in one of the many excellent restaurants nearby.

Less well-known is the collection of museums on Museum Hill surrounding a central plaza with a spectacular view. These include the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, the Museum of International Folk Art, and the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art.  They are all extremely well done with fascinating collections and frequent travelling exhibits. There is so much to see that you cannot possibly see everything in a single day.  If you can, though, you should plan at least a full day. If you do, you will also want a nearby place for either a quick or leisurely lunch. The Museum Hill Café is the perfect place, because it is right on the central plaza with the same spectacular view.

View from Café

On a recent visit, we arrived around one in the afternoon, a little after the lunch rush. That may have been a mistake because they were out of our top choices: grilled salmon with mango salsa and smoked duck flautas with mango purée. Still, there were a lot of other excellent choices including several specials, a variety of soups and salads, as well as hot and cold sandwiches.

Even before we ordered they knew that we wanted an order of sweet potato fries served with chipotle sauce. How they knew that, I’m not sure, but they were right – and the fries were exceptionally tasty. In general I am not a big fan of sweet potato fries because they usually come from the kitchen soggy and greasy. Not so with these; they were fresh, crisp, and without a hint of grease.

Sweet potato French fires

My substitute choice was their special Asian shrimp taco plate. It was served as a beautiful array of three small soft corn tortillas loaded with shrimp, small chunks of clementine, and a spicy Asian sauce. On the side was some finely shredded Napa cabbage to heap on the tacos along with a tasty pico de gallo. I must say I soon forgot the duck flautas though I plan to return  for another try at those.

Susan ordered the vegetarian plate, which our daughter-in-law had ordered on a visit the previous week. The plate consisted of a beautiful presentation of a savory lentil dal, orzo, edamame, and a lightly dressed green salad.

The wine selection, though small, is well-chosen and excellent for lunch. We both ordered a glass of New Zealand Sauvignon blanc – light and just right with our food – and also non-filling so that there was still room for dessert.

That meant sharing a big slice of eggnog pie – a sweet and mellow ending to a relaxing lunch.

Eggnog Pie

Did I mention the view? Did I mention that the café is also very kid-friendly? There were several families enjoying themselves in a modern but tastefully decorated room with well-chosen art and the bright sun pouring in through the glass walls.

Leave a comment

Filed under Food, Photography, Restaurants

Tagged as , , , , , ,

December 16, 2011 · 12:51 pm

CHEFS’ NIGHT OFF

I just got back from San Francisco where Susan and I took care of our grandson so that my daughter and son-in-law could prepare and serve their latest pop-up dinner. During the dinner Susan took care of the baby, so I got to enjoy the meal.

 This time the dinner was held at Coi, the Michelin two-star restaurant where Evan is the chef de cuisine and where Sarah worked for a short while early in her recent pregnancy. The dinner turned out to be a big success with a waiting list for reservations.  The kitchen crew was experienced, so the food came out on time and with a beautiful presentation. Most of the servers were recruited from the regular staff of Coi, so service was unobtrusively attentive. The wine and beer selections were small but very well-chosen to complement the meal.

Wild-Fennel-Pollen-Dusted Kettle Corn

Popcorn is the classic American snack food for movies and with drinks. Kettle corn raises it to a new level with a light sugary accent to the salty tang. This version, dusted with wild fennel pollen raises the bar one notch. In Northern California, wild fennel grows everywhere, so it is easy for foragers to gather the pollen from the golden flowers when they are in full bloom. The aroma and taste are subtle reflections of the stronger accents of fennel seed or cooked fennel. This is rapidly becoming a standard dish for the Chefs’ Night Off pop-ups because it is so popular and so perfect with cocktails, beer, or wine before dinner. One group of guests worked their way through six bowls.

Sun-Dried Tomato Fritter with Shiso

Fritters may be one of the signature dishes for Chefs’ Night Off. This version showed off sun-dried tomatoes folded into a stiff béchamel, crusted with cornmeal, and fried. Shiso, also called perilla or Japanese basil, is an aromatic leafy green.

Dungeness Crab Louie with Little Gems and “Saltine Crackers”

This is the season for Dungeness crab in San Francisco, and it is found on many menus prepared in many different ways. This version called for the pink, sweet morsels of crab to be combined with apples, celery, and house-preserved pickles, seasoned with a light, siphoned sauce Louis, garnished with a chiffonade of little gem lettuce, and hidden beneath a tuile made of saltine crackers in the style of an Italian frico.

Avocado, Little Gems, and “Saltine Crackers”

For vegetarians, this dish imitated the Dungeness crab Louie, substituting avocado ribbons and avocado balls stuffed with avocado mousse.

Plancha Bread with Roasted Squash, Smoked Pancetta, and Burrata

This complex dish used rectangles of flat bread baked on a plancha (iron griddle) and topped with roasted squash purée, crisp smoked pancetta, a siphon of burrata ( the creamy, earthy cousin of mozzarella) and herbs. For the vegetarians, the pancetta was replaced by smoked onions.

Chicory Salad with Date Vinaigrette and Persimmons

A beautiful and interesting break from the main courses, a leaf of chicory was dressed with a date vinaigrette siphon, grilled chicory chiffonade, and diced persimmons.

Roasted Chicken with Chestnuts, Pomegranate,  and Pine

Chicken legs were deboned and prepared pressée, stuffed with truffle and seaweed mousse. Chicken breast was stuffed, under the skin, with truffles and seaweed. The dish was served with chestnut purée, seaweed salad, frisée, pomegranate seeds, and seaweed chips.

Gnocchi with Chestnuts, Pomegranate, and Pine

For vegetarians, gnocchi poached and seared in brown butter were substituted for the chicken with the addition of shaved white truffles.

Chocolate Cremeaux with Coconut Whipped Cream, Rice Ice Cream, Fried Puffed Rice, and Yuba Strips

Not quite mousse and not quite ganache, the chocolate cremeaux anchored dessert, but there were lots of flavor surprises. Who would have thought of fried puffed rice? But it definitely fit in. Yuba, the skin that forms when tofu is heated, finished the dish.

Black Pepper and Blood Orange Marshmallows

These were definitely not the marshmallows you put in s’mores. The spiciness of the black pepper played off the blood orange and made this a fine end to a special meal.

2 Comments

Filed under Food, Photography, Restaurants

Tagged as , , , ,

September 15, 2011 · 7:55 am

BIG SUR (Continued)

In a previous post, I wrote about some of the good family food and eating experiences that we enjoyed during our recent family rendezvous in Big Sur. This time, I want to describe some of our favorite restaurants. There is no lack in Big Sur of good eating choices for every budget and for every time of day. We certainly haven’t tried them all. So often we are on our way to something else and the time is not right. But we have also become creatures of habit, so we come back to our old standbys.

Fresh berry strudel at Big Sur Bakery

Without doubt, the place we visit the most is the Big Sur Bakery. We used to make elaborate home-made breakfasts in the cabin – pancakes, omelets, scrambled eggs and bacon – but no more. Every morning we head to the Big Sur Bakery, often with the younger ones chanting in the background what has almost become a mantra, “Big Sur Bakery! Big Sur Bakery!” The obvious reasons for this change of allegiance are first there is nothing to clean up except for busing your table when you are finished and second the pastries and breakfast dishes are unbelievably delicious. My very favorite is the ham and cheese croissant, but the daily fritatta runs a close second. For those with a sweet tooth, the berry strudel is a pleaser. The pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) is a popular choice for kids. The citrus bun is also popular with everyone. Beverages are also varied and creative. The barista spends as much effort with the kids’ hot chocolates as he or she (depending on the day) does with the lattes. There is a whole wall full of choices for hot tea, or you can get iced tea or fresh fruit juice. When we first started going to Big Sur, the bakery was popular, but now it has clearly been discovered. If you arrive at 8 AM there is likely to be a line waiting for the doors to open. If you arrive too late – say around 11 – there is a good chance that they will have run out of your favorite. If that happens, hang around for lunch or dinner because their offerings for those meals are creative and delicious.

Cooling off before lunch at the Big Sur River Inn

The Big Sur River Inn is a popular family gathering place for lunch. By noon, the fog has almost always burned off so that the deck is warm and sunny. The choices are all pretty much American – burgers, sandwiches, interesting soups, and salads filled with just about whatever you might want – but they are well prepared, tasty, and generously sized for the price. For the kids (as well as their parents) an unusual advantage of the River Inn is that you can choose to sit in the river. That’s right! There are Adirondack chairs in the middle of the river running behind the restaurant where you can sit and cool your feet in the rushing water while you are waiting for your lunch. The place serves dinner, too, and often has live entertainment later in the evening. The River Inn is at or near the nerve center of the Big Sur because it has one of the best grocery stores with a selection of wine, beer, and liquor and it also is nearby several motels and campgrounds as well as Big Sur’s version of a shopping mall: three or four little shops with clothing, curios, and other odds and ends.

The outside deck at Nepenthe

Nepenthe is quintessential Big Sur. It has been in place for a long time, and to prove it there are pictures around of customers relaxing during the days of Jack Kerouac and before. That means that a lot of today’s older visitors remember the place from their “Hippie Days”. The big attraction is the view, and it is at its best after the fog has gone and before the sun has set, so clearly lunch is a popular time. Arrive when they open, and you will probably be able to get a table outside with a view. Things fill up fast, so you may need to wait, but there are some comfortable waiting areas outside. The food is good but not amazing. The “signature dish”, if there is one, is the Ambrosiaburger topped with a special sauce. The French dip sandwich is straight out of the sixties and reminiscent of the one my mother always prepared for my kids during their visits. The bean salad is much more complex than the three-bean salad you have probably had a hundred times before. It has an herbal taste that complements whatever you have with it.  The soup of the day is always unique. One of my favorites is the curried apple. The name may not sound too exciting, but the soup is outstanding.

There are other very special places including the Post Ranch and Ventana. Those have spectacular views, elegant dining rooms, and amazingly sophisticated foods for being so far from the big cities. For them, you might consider dressing a little better than the usual Big Sur casual, and you should definitely be prepared when the check arrives. Still, the experience makes it seem very much worth it.

French dip sandwich and bean salad at Nepenthe

This list has only scratched the surface of the restaurant experiences that are available to you in Big Sur. Much of the fun is exploring the possibilities on your own.

Leave a comment

Filed under Food, Photography, Restaurants

Tagged as , , , ,

September 2, 2011 · 8:57 am

POP-UP DINNERS REVISITED

While I was in California the last two weeks, I got to see my daughter and son-in-law’s pop-up dinners first-hand. Not only did I get to give them a little help prepping (We just need to humor poor old Dad.) but also my wife and I got to enjoy the meal that they had prepared. Once again, the dinner was held on Monday night at the restaurant, Radius – a night when the restaurant was usually closed. The space is modern and sparely furnished and located in SoMa, so it attracts a younger crowd, and there were plenty in attendance at the pop-up. The waitstaff were all very capable and friendly. Most of them had known my kids from other venues around town and had volunteered to help on their nights off.

Dad prepping

Evan and Sarah Rich in the kitchen

Of course, as parents of the chef, we were welcomed warmly, but to my eye, everyone was receiving the same attentive service as we were.
The warm-up was a flute of California sparkling wine, Roederer Estate Brut, Anderson Valley, to go with a plate of nearly transparent rice crackers sprinkled with crunchy poppy seeds. Then along came a beautiful amuse bouche of bite-sized corn fritters, nested on a creamy smooth red pepper coulis. The fritters were filled with fresh corn kernels and a creamy filling. They were crispy on the outside because of their coats of artisanal heirloom cornmeal.

Corn fritter and red pepper sauce

Next came a bright salad of tender beets topped with little clouds of goat cheese that had been whipped to an incredible lightness. Flame grapes were displayed along the edges, and snippets of fresh dill fronds made the classic combination of beets and dill.

The palate cleanser then made its appearance: a tiny little bowl of gazpacho which had been gelled and infused with air to practically float on the spoon. An icy granite topped the gazpacho, and garlic flowers on top provided the extra bite that made this dish memorable.

Beet and goat cheese salad

Gazpacho with granite and garlic flowers

The fish course was composed of perfectly sautéed bites of squid in a black olive vinaigrette and accompanied by the sweetness of red and yellow watermelon and the savor of crispy onions.

The meat course picked up the theme of black with tender, aromatic slices of roasted pork shoulder set in a pool of black garlic puree and covered with a bouquet of edible flowers. Bites of white cauliflower and tiny little heads of Roman broccoli completed the dish. It came with a tray of fennel-pollen-scented baguette. The bread was clearly intended to sop up any extra black garlic. One of the guests at the next table asked for extra bread to make sure his plate was completely clean.

Squid with black olive vinaigrette and watermelon

Dessert was labelled as “peach cobbler” on the menu, just to let you know it wouldn’t be your mother’s peach cobbler, and it wasn’t: a delicate panna cotta flavored with baked pie crust, laced with bits of fresh peaches, topped with a streudel that included crunchy bits of corn to return to the theme that started the whole evening.

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, we finished with two beautiful red curls that combined the earthiness of red pepper with the sweetness of candy. It reminded me of the fruit leather of my childhood, but with a sophisticated taste and texture that left those memories far behind.  All in all, it was a wonderful restaurant experience.

I also need to give special credit to two of Sarah and Evan’s friends: Daniel Brooks made these beautiful images while I was busy eating.  Danny is also a private chef in the San Francisco area. Jamie Law has been a constant friend who continues to provide amazing help in publicizing these pop-up events.

"Peach cobbler"

Sarah and Evan will be doing more pop-ups in the near future. If you would like to see the menus or reserve a place, you can check out their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ChefsNightOff or you can email them at chefsnightoff@gmail.com to be put on their mailing list for upcoming events and menus.

2 Comments

Filed under Food, Photography, Restaurants

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

July 27, 2011 · 2:28 pm

MOTHER’S NIGHT OUT – OR IN – AS THE CASE MAY BE

Goat cheese semifreddo with figs and walnut nougatine

It seems as though I have spent a fair amount of this summer cooking for myself or eating out or making do with popcorn. The reason is that my wife has been very busy on the baby-sitting circuit, a task that she enjoys. I am glad that our children and grandchildren, too, enjoy the visits. We are a conventional modern American family spread out all over the map. In times past, when parents needed a helping hand for whatever reason, Grandma lived just next door or even in the same house. That was certainly true when I grew up, and I spent many a day in my grandmother’s kitchen watching her cook or helping her with the bread making.

Chilled corn soup with padron peppers and nasturtium flowers

No more; and with two breadwinners in all of our family households, the emergencies seem to be frequent and without a local resolution. The good thing is that all of our children live just a short distance from a good-sized airport, and so do we.
So far this summer, one baby-sitting job occurred because Mom had to go on a business trip while Dad had some major work responsibilities. Another time, Mom had some responsibilities at work, and the kids were out of school with no place to go. Yet another time, one of our daughters became a first-time mom, so of course that required some grandmotherly help. That daughter is a professional chef who worked nearly up until her delivery. Now she is anxious to get back to work, but restaurant and baby schedules are in direct conflict because so much of both occur late at night.
A couple of weeks ago, my wife went to take care of our 3 month-old grandson while my daughter did the pop-up dinner I wrote about recently. It was a very successful event, so my daughter and her husband scheduled another dinner. Big problem – Grandma had already scheduled a baby-sitting date with my other daughter, who had a major project to complete at her work with no reliable childcare backup. Fortunately, she and my wife had built in a little slack in their schedules, so she [Daughter1] was able to fly up from Los Angeles to San Francisco for a day to help Daughter 2 with baby care.
It was a long day and night as Daughter 2 cooked and cleaned up until 2 AM. Baby managed to keep Auntie awake most of that time, and then the return flight to LA was so early in the morning that Daughter 1 got virtually no sleep. She also got no leftovers, so she didn’t get to enjoy what turned out to be another great meal. Still, she didn’t complain because she got to enjoy her young nephew.

Pappardelle with Douglas fir-roasted chicken and preserved lemon

     Thus is the life of modern mothers and grandmothers. It is hard to see how they manage to squeeze everything into a busy life and do it with love and patience. My hat is off to all the women in my family, including my busy daughter-in-law. They all deserve the love and support of their spouses. Fortunately, I think they all get that {Though secretly they probably all wish it could be more.)
Images this time are from the preparation and presentation of the most recent pop-up dinner.

Leave a comment

Filed under Food, Restaurants

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,