I suddenly had to go to Istanbul for a few days (long story). So, of course, I have to fit in some eating: People were drinking Turkish tea in small clear glasses with a lump of sugar everywhere I went. In the Grand Bazaar, I’d see delivery people running around with trays of 5 or 6 glasses of it. I finally happened on a tiny tea stand in the market where the runners were picking it up: ...
My favorite “tacos with lots of toppings” in SF. Moist clumps of grilled meat, pinto beans, mashed avocado (not guacamole), salsa. I was caught up in conversation with a friend and we accidentally stayed half an hour past closing (why didn’t they just kick us out?)
Sure, I may be predictable in what I like. But every time here it’s different, yet so good! smoked duck, really good parsnips, kale: a mint pasta, with tiny radishes and clams: Not shown, but my favorite: pepper-infused pasta, braised pork, meyer lemon! I like sitting right by the kitchen and watching the sous chef triage orders and yell “fire the ____!” every few minutes. This sort of pine-y vermouth was amazing (with a black pepper and pine nut shortbreadish dessert) ...
The food in Eastern Germany and the Czech Republic was heavy meat-and-potatoes fare that had me missing Northern California. Hütt’n in Nuremberg was a cozy little wood-lined pub with maybe eight tables, and is the one restaurant I’d strongly recommend (get there on the early side or make a reservation…). At Hütt’n, Nuremberger sausages with a mustard-y potato salad (Franconian-style, I believe) and some strong horseradish, washed down with a dark-by-Germany’s-standards beer: ...
If a few days of eating near Shanghai let me down, eating in Singapore blew me away– the food was so consistently good, and varied. And some of my best experiences were street food or other inexpensive food (I already posted some photos of my amazing chicken rice experience at 109 Bukit Batok, West Avenue 6). Some other photos: The Maxwell Road Hawker Center (near Chinatown), a combination indoor/outdoor bazaar of many independent food vendors. ...
Chicken rice tops chili crab as an informal national dish of Singapore, and locals have strong and differing opinions about whose is best (FD said he’s heard it rivals the “Best Mission Burrito” religious wars). Generally, it’s rice cooked in chicken fat and broth, giving a rich, meaty flavor on its own, topped with cooked chicken (typically bone-in dark meat with skin), along with some ginger and chili paste. Simple in concept, and yet so delicious! ...
I was briefly in China (in and near Shanghai), and tried to eat a little bit of everything… but nothing really stood out. Partly, I like the Shanghai style of food less (a lot of sweet sauces and heavy, oily food). Mostly, I think I just wasn’t eating at the right places, and was eating some meals at or near hotels and didn’t have much time to explore. Oh well, I’ll have to go back with some actual restaurant research. ...
Fish at the informal yet favorite sushi place* was in top form! The hamachi, albacore, and fresh scallop in particular. Sashimi plate (and the embarrassment of using one of those “retro camera filter” programs): Hamachi kama: Not shown: asparagus-shiitake stirfry, tsunomono (paper-thin cucumber slices, sliced octopus, vinegar, spicy sprouts), and one concession to rolls: crunchy fried salmon skin. \* I’ve vowed not to publish its name, because it doesn’t need any more customers (you have to get there 45+ minutes before it opens to get a seat, or tonight: 80 minutes)… but if you know me, I’m happy to take you there in person some time… ...
I’ve had a few decent meals out and at home recently, but the Hungarian-inspired brunch at Bar Tartine was really excellent. The Smørrebrød (smorgasbords?) on hearty rye bread were a great start, especially one with roe, avocado, and citrus. Also quite good was a blood sausage with sauerkraut, mushrooms (hen-of-the-woods?), apple, and a really great spicy broth (w/ bread to sop it up). We also got the escabeche pickles (spicy pickled hot peppers, carrots, and probably other vegetables), and the buckwheat spätzle with soft egg – both good. ...
For New Year’s Eve, I wanted to eat a series of delicious little dishes and drink some excellent beer with friends, without going out to a crowded restaurant. So four of us hung out at an apartment in the Mission and shared the Osechi (New Year’s Bento) made by Peko Peko Catering*, a mix of traditional Japanese foods and California interpretations with local ingredients. We also each brought some special beer, and spent plenty of time geeking out over what beer went well with each course (it wasn’t always what we expected, so at times we’d have three half-glasses of different beer, trying them with each new dish). It was a great evening. ...
A good Christmas Eve for food and beer. 4505 Meats duck confit plate with egg and pickles: San Tung “dry-fried” chicken wings for a crowd of 14. The shrimp-leek steamed dumplings were also worth it: Amsterdam Cafe, had an interesting beer selection. Highlights included Oskar Blues Ten Fidy and Stone Vertical Epic 11 on tap, a lot of unusual Mikkellers, and a long list of holiday beers. Their holiday beers (click through for a high-res image): ...
very good.
I’ve been to a few underwhelming restaurants in the past few months that I won’t bother to write about, but I went to Sol Food\* in San Rafael for the first time a while back, and it was quite good– especially the three types of plantains I had: Tostones (shown below): green plantain fried, smashed into a patty, fried again until slightly crispy, and served with olive oil and garlic. Mmm. Maduros: sweet fried yellow plantains, very soft. Mofongo: shredded green plantain, fried with some olive oil and garlic, but a texture much more like rice than the Tostones. ...
Freshly-made Boudin Blanc, the white pork sausage made with cream, twice in one week? Once by Christopher Lee at an outdoor wine event, and once by Russell Moore at Camino: The former was served with Acme bread and sauerkraut, and was a bit more meaty in flavor, while the latter was a chicken-pork Boudin Blanc (as praised by Bakesale Betty’s Alison Barakat) with an especially fine-grained texture, and an almost nutty flavor (caramelized onions? the taste of the fire pit?), served with duck fat potatoes, beets, red sauerkraut , and a kabocha-radish salad. Both were delicious. ...