(Northern) California Dreamin'...

Always look forward to my cross-country trips to California... and this time I would introduced to a new city -- Sacramento (more on that later), which immediately followed a whirlwind jaunt to San Francisco, my culinary home away from home...
Thanks to a growing network of well-connected friends, I had a good working list of new spots to visit when I arrived in SF. As much as I like the idea of developing favorites to frequent...I just can't resist the temptation and exhilaration of trying new places, especially when they're recommended by people in the know.
It was armed with a list from my new friend Korina (who is Guy Fieri's partner in cooking crime) that I planned to light out to a few varied spots in one night -- an improvised Restaurant Crawl, if you will. My plans got a bit sidetracked when I ran into none other culinary giant Roy Yamaguchi. Wouldn't ya know it -- we were working out in the fitness center at the same time! Gotta love this town!! I've known Roy for a few years now, and I openly credit him with being a major inspiration in my love of cooking and fine food. Roy invited me to his eponymous establishment on 2nd and Mission, and really, how can you turn down an invite like that?! This made me call an audible on my game plan, before the night even started. Regardless, it went a little bit like this:
5:30pm -- I made the 10-minute stroll down Market St. to what could very well be my favorite foodie haunt in the country: The Ferry Building. It was here that I bellied up to the stainless steel bar in a cramped corner of real estate known as Hog Island Oysters . I wasted no time ordering a half-dozen of their signature oysters -- the Sweetwaters, farmed out of Tomales Bay. Herewith, a Hog Island description: Sweetwaters are farmed in the traditional French rack and bag method, and take from 12-18 months to develop their deeply fluted shells and sweet, tender meat. Plump and briny with a smokey-sweet finish. Top 'em with a squeeze of lemon juice, and some homemade herb vinaigrette, and you are in Hog Heaven! I paired it with a really nice Chenin Blanc, and my happy hour was made. Looking out at the SF Bay didn't suck either. The real estate may be postage stamp-small, but the views can't be beat...
6:15pm -- next stop -- Roy's. As usual, the architecture and decor were astonishing. Roy may take some heat for over-extending his brand (but, really, most chefs would kill to have his empire), but I have never been less than impressed at any Roy's I've ever been to. This one was typical of Roy's Hawaiian-Fusion Aloha spirit, with a nod to the avant garde NoCal sensibilities (they love their warm colors and muted lighting!). I ordered up Lobster Pot Stickers with a glass of Roy's signature "Poi Dog" Sangria. The dumplings arrive atop a dreamy miso butter sauce, and are impossibly crispy on the outside, and still succulent on the inside. The sangria is a mix of Cab, Pinot, and Port, infused with pineapple, pear, orange, and cognac. Resounding thumbs up to both. I devoured every bit of both, thanked Roy for his hospitality, and was off yet again... he had a private party to host, while I had one more stop to make...
7:00pm -- Town Hall is a bit out of the way from the San Francisco food "scene" ... and that's just the way they like it. This is the place the locals frequent, and they're not in a rush to publicize it. If you eat here, you know where to find good food in this city. A gorgeous set up, inside and out: brick facade, original wood planked flooring, high ceilings, exposed duct work, huge windows, all with an open kitchen tucked in the corner. The menu is seasonal, with a distinct Southern cuisine bent. I ordered the Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin. It came atop gorgeously creamy polenta and was highlighted by some luscious, bright, peach chutney. The side was baked wax beans in a tomato-ey mix, topped with bread crumbs, and served in a tiny kettle. Lord willin' the creek don't rise! Comfort cuisine rules the day again!!

This was a gastronomical night for the ages for me. One I will not soon forget, and can only hope to duplicate someday... possibly with three new places!...


I had absolutely NO expectations for my one-day stay in Sacramento. In and out; hope to find a decent dinner near my hotel, etc. Then I checked in to The Citizen, and got a glimpse of the restaurant's menu. No need to leave -- Grange was where I wanted to be...
Once again, I must dole out my praise for the setting first. As I am not an interior designer, I have no idea how to describe it, only to tell you it was chic and cozy at the same time. Definitely a place you knew to expect a good meal. What I got, instead, was a great one...
Chef Michael Tuohy has a Farm-to-Table philosophy, and his menu and wine list celebrate all that is Norther and Central California. I was at a loss, the options were so tempting. Guided by my waitress, I ordered the app portion of the homemade Tagliatelle, with Porcini Mushrooms. The long, ribbon pasta arrived perfectly al dente, lovingly entangled with the firm, in-season porcinis. Infused with truffle oil and shavings of Fiscalini cheese (from Modesto, CA), it all came together in harmony once you mixed it with the organic farm egg yolk that hid coyly and tantalizingly underneath it all. This dish sang to me. So rich, so balanced, so flavorful. After much debate, my main course ended up being Roasted Alaskan Halibut. The fish was firm and satisfying, if not spectacular (not really on knock on how it tasted). It was accompanied by baby squash, potato and gypsy pepper, all of which sat in a well-seasoned broth. But the scene-stealer was the chef's inspired addition of substantial chunks of chorizo that turned this innocent broth into a full-on stew to compliment -- even elevate -- the fish, and the meal itself. Outstanding blending of flavors.
Dessert was another hand-wringer, but I committed to the cheesecake, which was heavenly. Made with marscapone, so it was lighter than most cheesecakes I was accustomed to, and accented with a strawberry-elderflower compote. The graham cracker crust was clearly from scratch, and you could taste the difference. A delicious dessert that somehow, despite it's considerable merits, didn't feel quite decadent. At least not decadent enough for me to have buyer's remorse later on, which is saying a lot! Everything was so...fresh. The strawberry ribbon atop the slice added a bit of whimsy, and had the taste and texture of a homemade fruit rollup. Cute, but unnecessary, in my opinion.

I will never think of Sacramento the same after this stay...even though I really didn't know what to think of it in the first place. All I do know is I welcome another visit sooner than later...

I Heart San Francisco

Always the most highly anticipated part of a media tour, coming to my wannabe adopted home of San Francisco. My mind hums and buzzes upon arrival, concocting a culinary game plan for my abbreviated stay. Thanks to my 'local' friend, and co-host of "View From the Bay," Janelle Wang (the show I am to appear on), my first night's dinner is spent at Hubert Keller's Burger Bar. It is a growing trend, this 'comfort-food-cum-haute-cusine' movement (if you can call it a movement), but it is right in my stomach's wheelhouse. http://www.hubertkeller.com/
My meal consisted of an Abita Amber beer, and Abita has now vaulted to the upper echelon of boutique beer labels for me. Native to Louisiana, it was so well-balanced, the somewhat contradictory way I'd describe it is "simply complex." Didn't want to push it with another one, but it goes without saying I will be seeking out their top-seller, Purple Haze, stat. http://www.abita.com/
Now for the eats: I went with the eponymous Hubert Keller Burger: a buffalo burger with sauteed spinach, caramelized onions, and bleu cheese on a toasted (and more importantly, lightly buttered) ciabatta. A side of perfectly crispy-outside/tender-inside sweet potato fries with aioli complemented the burger to perfection. I left off the top half of the bun; there simply was no need for it. I dove in with a fork and knife and gusto to spare.
Let me tell you, if you haven't yet tried a buffalo burger, you are missing out. Slightly different (crumblier) texture than your standard fare; a bit gamier to the taste. There's also a slight hint of sweetness to the meat. Something about a quality bison burger leaves me with an undeniable feeling that I just ingested something more... authentic.
I indulged myself (shock of shocks) with an order from Keller's inspired milkshake menu of desserts: the Twinkie Milkshake...
NEED I SAY MORE?!?! A freakin' half a Twinkie perched tantalizingly atop a lofty mount of thick whipped cream, which gives way to the shake itself, all vanilla and cream and big bits of (the remaining half of) Twinkie, the further you slurp.
As far as "Last Meal" requests go, this one, in it's totality, has to rank right up there for me...

Sunlight comes, and thankfully, the "View From the Bay" airs at 3pm local time, giving me the morning to a) work off my meal from the night before, and b) rev up the engines for a great SF breakfast...
Gotta love the internet (esp. on a Smart Phone), because, concierge be damned, all I do is type in 'San Francisco Breakfast' into my BlackBerry, and the restaurant that jumps off the screen and calls to me is Dottie's True Blue Cafe.
A real hole in the wall (in the most endearing sense of the term), there is little or no elbow room at the counter, what with all the patrons and the bricabrac on the counter. The place is just starting to buzz at 7am, and I count myself as fortunate to have gotten there and staked out my postage stamp of real estate when I did, because almost immediately after, a line snaked out the door and onto Jones St. (off Geary).
I ordered 2 scrambled eggs with chicken-apple sausage and their homemade toasted wheat bread, forgoing the breakfast potatoes in lieu of fresh fruit (see... even I can show restraint sometimes!). OK, so I can't break my arm patting myself on the back -- I had to order a stand-alone blueberry cornmeal pancake on the side... chalk it up (read: rationalize it) to research.
I marveled at the man working the griddle and burners so fluidly, like a musician, really. A scrape of the spatula here; a shake and jiggle of the fry pan there... needless to say, my eggs were tender and buttery soft, the sausage was sweet and fragrant, and the bread was hearty and oh so fresh. But it was the pancake that stole the spotlight. I fell hard for cornmeal pancakes in Albuquerque (where they favor blue corn), but this was next-level stuff. The cornmeal batter gives a pancake a denser texture, but this one still managed to be light-tasting, and the blueberries were perfectly nestled inside and all over... what a great way to start a day!

My TV segment went swimmingly. I love coming to this station: live audience, dedicated set, real pros in front of and behind the camera. Today was a special treat, because I got to meet the HOFF. Yes, Mr. Baywatch Knight Rider was in the house, spreading joy to all who came into his view. He was pimping his upcoming reality series as well as a concert (!) at a nearby casino.

Lucky for me Postrio was just a couple of turns away from the station. http://www.postrio.com/
I've always wanted to try it, mostly because I remain an unabashed fan of Wolfgang Puck, but also because it still has a solid rep in a cutthroat-competitive food city, and has remained staunchly ingrained in this town since 1989.
They only offered up their Cafe Menu, because the main dining room is under renovation, but that was no loss for me. I ordered the Pork Belly Yakitori, which was small (as I suspected), with only 3 cubes on a skewer, but the taste more than made up for it. If you've never tasted pork belly, think: the very best, most succulent part of your favorite spare ribs at a Chinese restaurant, and you're almost there. The semi-thick sauce/glaze and a wedge of orange were a nice touch, adding both sweetness and some citrus to each bite.
My entree was Wolfgang's Prosciutto-Fig Pizza. Simply otherwordly. No matter what else he puts on a menu, I can't escape the pull of a Puck Pizza! The dough is crispy throughout, yet chewy at the outer ring of crust. Layered with marscapone, generous slices of prosciutto, chunks of fig, together with slivers of red onion, a tangy balsamic glaze, a touch of truffle oil, and topped with fresh shards of Parmigiana-Reggiano. Heaven on Post Street...

I leave San Francisco post haste tomorrow, dreaming and planning for my next visit...