Another Hyde Street Gem: Stone's Throw

Russian Hill's Hyde Street stretch is one of my favorite parts of the city. Aesthetically, it's a beautiful street lined with trees and San Francisco Victorian-style building, with the cable car chugging down the main strip. Even though it's only a couple blocks up from Polk Street, it's avoids the Marina spill-over bar scene by sticking with wine bars, cozy brunch spots and steadfast restaurants that avoid becoming over-hyped. It's home to some of my favorites in the city, including Elephant Sushi and Zarzuela. Continuing it's trend of working it's way into my heart (and stomach), Stone's Throw opened in November on Hyde and Green.

The restaurant is smaller in terms of available seating. We had a 6:45 reservation but tables weren't leaving at the rate expected, so we ended up standing at the bar for 35 minutes. However, the host was extremely cognizant of the situation. After 10-15 minutes he brought over some complimentary sparkling wine. After 20 minutes, we were starving so we put in a small plate order, which was also comped. Issues like this happen in restaurants all the time, so to know that they cared and were working on a solution put us in a good mood on what could have otherwise lessened our entire meal experience. While we were waiting, I did order the Tai One On cocktail, which was reminiscent of a French 75, tart with just the right about of bubbly. For the small plate we ordered the puffed potato & eggs, served atop cauliflower puree, chives and crispy chicken skin. The chicken skin almost tastes like bacon, so it's no surprise this dish also appears on the brunch menu.

When we got seated we order some wine after requesting recommendations from the server, who was very helpful. We ordered pretty much every small plate on the menu. My favorite after the potatoes was the salt roasted beets with burrata, lemon and crackers. I hadn't had beets served with a citrus twist before and it really complemented the sweetness of the beets. The Dungeness crab salad with artichoke chips, garlic cream and anchovies was surprisingly flavorful. The duck pate and mousse was a pleasant surprised. The pate and mousse were layer and it was server with warm pretzel balls, so the pate melted right on like butter. The starter plate we ordered (not to be confused with the "small" plates) was the squid ink pasta and was my favorite dish of the night. It was well balanced and even though the dish included calamari, clams and capers it wasn't overwhelmingly seafood tasting. My second favorite dish of the night was actually their burger. It comes with all the fixings and thick layer of cheddar cheese. The end result is that it basically melts in your mouth the second you bite in. If you're a burger fan, this is not one to miss. I wouldn't be surprised if it starts popping up on "Best Burger in SF" lists in the future (along with the totally under the radar burger from Bistro AIX). The burger comes with stuffed tater tots, which are amazing. We also ordered a ravioli main dish which looks like it's not longer featured on the menu, which is fine because it was under-whelming and forgettable (I think it was pumpkin or chestnut maybe?). We didn't end up ordering any dessert as we were way too full by this point but I adore their concept behind the dessert menu. All patrons are asked to fill out a piece of paper at the end of the meal with their favorite childhood dessert. If the chef feels inspired by your suggestion, an upscale, modernized version could appear on the menu. Current desserts include chocolate bananas foster, apple pie and peanut butter and jelly donuts.

Overall the meal was pretty affordable if you're following the "sharing is caring" philosophy. We ordered about half the menu plus several glasses of wine and didn't feel bad when we say the check. I'm adding Stone's Throw to my list of favorite neighborhood spots and can't wait to go back any see what kind of spin they take on brunch.

For Ham Fans and Oyster Eaters

I have an ever-growing list of San Francisco restaurants I want to try chicken-scratched on notebook paper, taped to my fridge. Even though I'm always adding (it seems like a new hot place pops up every week in this city), I'm also able to cross off quite a few. One that's been on my list for almost two years is Hog & Rocks. The San Francisco Chronicle had named it one of the "Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants" in 2013, so it was time to give it a try. It's advertised as a place for "oyster eaters, ham fans and whiskey lovers." While not on-board with the whiskey, the food combo sounds pretty unbeatable, so we finally went to check it out last weekend.

Exterior on 19th!

Interior Art

The restaurant is located on 19th in the Mission. It's the typical smaller size of a Mission gastropub but not impossible to get into. We made dinner reservations earlier the same day (OpenTable said they were full but a call to the hostess proved otherwise). The ambiance is dim lighting but highlighting wall art of what else but pigs, oysters and whiskey. While the restaurant was almost totally full and felt like an energetic Friday night, it wasn't hard to hear across the table (which I appreciate the older I get). For a whiskey bar, it still had a good wine list with some reasonably priced options, so that was a nice discovery. In terms of the menu, we first tackled the "rocks" portion. There were 6 different fresh oyster options, so we tried one of each. It was a wide selection from various regions, so you could actually tell the difference between them which was fun. We also ordered the BBQ oysters, which were tasty but didn't hold a candle to Hog Island's chipotle bourbon BBQ oysters. From the "snacks" menu, we got the artisan pretzels (one is not big enough to spit unless you only want 2-3 bites) and the pimento cheese dip (which  you have to order separately). For a smaller sized pretzel, they give you a giant bowl of cheese, so they should either give you more things to put the cheese on or a smaller bowl and drop the price. We also ordered the deviled eggs and as a huge fan of deviled eggs I feel completely comfortable saying they were possibly the best deviled eggs I've ever had. What really elevates them above other deviled eggs is that ham is involved, plus they're topped with deep fried oysters. Lastly we tried the trotter tots, which are basically deep-fried tater tots infused with pig's feet to give it a fatty pork flavor. They were served with a smoked garlic ranch dipping sauce and fennel bulbs. They definitely elevated plain old tater tots to a whole new level. In summary, their menu is pretty inventive and they stay within theme, so if you like pork products or oysters you'd be satisfied. My main point of contention with them is the price point. 4 glasses of middle of the price-range wine, plus all the food mentioned above came to $150 and frankly we probably could have eaten even more.

Deviled Eggs

Trotter Tots

A Night Out in Japantown

Last Sunday was the Golden Globes and amidst the flurry of sequins and champagne, we saw the top contenders of this awards season come through. Notable winners (that I’m all very happy about) included “American Hustle,” “12 Years as a Slave,” Amy Adams, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Lawrence, Jared Leto and “Breaking Bad” (going out in a blaze of glory).

I've been able to see most of this season's nominated movies but one I was missing was “Her,” so I went to check it out Friday night. For Golden Globes it was up for “Best Picture- Comedy or Musical” but lost to “American Hustle.” Joaquin Phoenix was nominated for “Best Actor- Comedy or Musical” but lost to Leo DiCaprio. Spike Jonze did end up winning one for “Best Screenplay.” I went in with relatively low expectations. Despite the nominations, personal reviews from friends described it as strange and awkward. However, a few who’d seen it had proclaimed it to be one of the best they’d seen all year. The premise of the movie is definitely original and a tale for our time (or the not-so-distant future). When a man going through divorce is burned out on human relationships he turns to his operating system (OS) for emotional connection and love. While there are some awkward “sex” scenes, the rest is pretty relatable to human relationships. Phoenix does a good job playing downtrodden yet hopelessly romantic. Scarlett Johansson does the voice of Samantha, the OS. That woman does have a pretty sexy voice! Amy Adams had a great smaller role which I think could have been expanded on a little more, as it seemed like she had more of past with Phoenix’s character but that was glazed over.  There were also good cameos by Olivia Wilde and Rooney Mara. I love Spike Jonze movies (“Adaptation,” “Being John Malkovich”) so I was glad he won for screenplay but surprised he wasn't even nominated for director. I thought there were some very visually stunning scenes and shots that really conveyed the emotional turmoil of Phoenix’s character. I always forget that Jonze got his start in directing by making music videos for the likes of Beastie Boys and Bjork. I do have to say, no one makes music videos like that anymore! Anyway, I digress. I would definitely recommend making “Her” one of the movies to see this season. It’s a timely and relevant love story that’s both charming and sad.

On another side note, we went to see “Her” at the Sundance Kabuki Theater in Japantown. Beforehand, instead of patroning one of the many authentic and delicious ramen shops nearby (I recommend Tanpopo) we decided to hit up Benihana. I love Benihana. Perhaps in a city filled with amazing Asian options, this could be considered a travesty but there are no other hibachi options. First off, in a city filled with waitlists, getting a reservation at Benihana is extremely easy. I even saw them take some walk-ins. At Benihana you not only get 5 courses of food but a showmanship of knives and flames right in front of you. Their fried rice is fantastic, as are their dipping sauces. So we got a soup, salad, shrimp appetizer, bowl of fried rice, chicken and steak entrée, plus had to duck out before we could get the green tea ice cream. All that food, plus a large sake ran me $35. I’m sorry, but in San Francisco I can rarely get out a restaurant for under $50 if I get a drink, appetizer and main course. People kept asking what my friend and I were celebrating. Can we just be celebrating a love of Benihana??

I mean, even Don Draper likes Benihana!

Friendsgiving SF-Style

Last Sunday night a few of us got together for a "Friendsgiving" dinner, only instead of turkey and pot luck dishes we hit one of the hottest new Mexican restaurants in San Francisco. I mean, I like turkey but I'd really rather just have some nice ceviche and a margarita. The place I'm referring to is La Urbana, which opened about 3-4 months ago and while it's been labeled as one of the trendy new spots to go, it's not insane yet. However, based on the amazing food, fancy cocktails, cool ambiance and fun location (Alamo Square on Divisadero), I'd go now and try to get in while you can. Eater SF just nominated it as one of five "So Hot Right Now" restaurants although Stones Throw won. It was also nominated for "Stone Cold Stunner" but honestly I'm not really sure what that means...

The inside of the restaurant is mostly modern with Mexico City influences, with brightly painted wood, neon lights, skeletons and cacti succulent arrangements. We ended up getting seated at the communal table, which I was a little nervous about (especially when the other half was initially comprised of mostly small children when we first got there- what were they even eating there?!), but it really wasn't bad. There's a tinted glass partial wall that separates it from the restaurant and cuts down on the noise a bit. Usually when I sit at a communal table I find myself saying what or just politely nodding out of deafness, but the glass wall plus the table size may for reasonable noise level.

Even if you're not particularly hungry, this is a great place to go for drinks. The cocktail menu boasts one of the largest mezcal collections in SF of 40+ bottles. All of the females at the table ordered the violet flower margarita, because who in their right mind would pass up a tequila drink with orange blossom water, violet flower liqueur, rose cava and actual flower petals! For some reason none of the men ordered this drink though. The La Urbana margarita is pretty potent but delicious as well.

Onto the food. The cuisine is upscale Mexican, with authentic dishes spiced up with molecular gastronomy. Although tempted to do the grandiose "We'll take one of everything," we practiced self restraint and picked out a couple dishes to share. I'll go through them in order of favorite to least. I thought the best was the ceviche de pescado, which came in a capped mason jar. After being opening in theatrical fashion, mesquitesmoke billowed out. The fish retained the smokey taste but also had a good balance of citrus and avocado.

I also really like the corn side dish. Although it's usually better on the cob, they took the esquites and made it into a tasty bowl of corn, lemon aioli, garlic butter and epazote (a common Mexican spice). The only thing is could have used is a little queso fresco. The oysters had that cool gastronomic flair, with the shell being filled with a cucumber serrano foam that had a spicy after-kick. Our starter (after the complementary amuse bouche) was the huarache de carnitas on brioche, which is a great appetizer for those who can handle their spice.

My favorite entree was the braised short rib with potato puree and grilled squash. The meat was incredibly tender and wasn't drenched in sauce, allowing the quality of the meat to shine.

The other entree we tried was the pollo con mole negro. I'm not a huge fan of mole sauce but this one was particularly pungent. It almost tasted like it had espresso or something in the sauce. Lastly we had the ensalada verde, which was thinly slice cacti, fava beans, frisee, avocado and cilantro dressing. They were able to make the cacti non-slimy but it was overall a forgettable dish. We didn't order the pozole but I heard it is really good, so I'd definitely give that a try next time I go back (although now the great Divisadero debate will be do I eat at Little Chihuahua, Bar Crudo or La Urbana.... so many good choices!).

*Food photo credit to SF Gate.  I clearly was too busy eating to play food paparazzi. 

A Foodie Ode to Oakland

I don’t know if I’ve ever written an Oakland restaurant review and for that I am sorry. I’m working on getting over my bias of Oakland that most Bay Area-ites tend to have (although believe me, there are parts of the city that fit the stereotype). Most of my Oakland eating has taken place within an immediate radius of the Fox, but I have trekked as far as Beer Revolution for drink before. Make Westing has strong drinks and awesome sandwiches. Hutch Bar & Kitchen was bourgeois for the area, overpriced Southern food, super slow service, mediocre drinks and an overall disappointment.  A favorite standby of mine is Rudy’s Can’t Fail Café. Yes, it is typical diner food but it’s delicious and exactly what you need before a show sometimes. Plus they have a jalapeno cucumber margarita that’s to die for and outside seating right on Telegraph next to the Fox so you can laugh at all the under-agers who thought waiting in line for 2 hours prior to doors opening was worth it. If you’re sticking to a couple blocks of the Fox, Xolo Taqueria is my top recommendation. There’s a breakfast burrito that almost makes me wish there were morning concerts, but the surf-n-turf burrito’s a good dinner alternative. The tacos are comparable to those you would find at a more upscale Mexican joint in the Mission. If it’s not too sweet for you, get the horchata. Yes, there’s no alcohol in it but you’re going to drink enough at the show anyway and this beverage is worth the wait.

 

Anyway, I’m dedicating this post to my new favorite restaurant in Oakland, Mua Lounge. It’s semi-tucked away on Broadway, but the small patio area is buzzing on nice days. The inside of the restaurant is unexpectedly large, at two floors that span pretty far back. We were seated upstairs and quickly assessed the cocktail menu. I started with the strawberry ginger lemonade, which was so delicious it was hard to tell it was alcoholic at all. It’s a little sweet though, so later in the meal I switched to the Joe Smash, which is Belvedere vodka (it’s always nice when a place uses top shelf), Cointreau, mint, red grape and lemon. This was the favorite cocktail of the table, so I highly recommend it. For the food, we took a look at the starter salads and they all sounded so tasty that we ordered 3 different ones. And they were all worth it. The pressed watermelon with feat, pine nuts, mint and olive oil was light and refreshing. I want to try and recreate this salad on a hot summer day. The kale salad (you know my obsession with kale) was mixed with pine nut, currant, kohlrabi, onion and manchego shredded cheese. It was pretty good as kale salads go, I always like when pine nut is added and currant was a new flavor. Lastly we tried the beet salad, with mache (sweet, nutty and leafy- the newest rage in the lettuce world), goat cheese and pecan. I’m all for mache becoming the hottest new leafy green (behind kale of course) and I liked the pecans pairing with the beats in place of walnuts. We ordered the brussel sprouts, which were sautéed in a brown butter sauce so they weren’t greasy. The mac n’ cheese is a must order. The catch is, there’s no cheese in the dish! The pseudo-cheese is made with butternut squash and cream, yet tastes like a light and healthy version of mac n’ cheese. If I was a better cook, I would try to recreate this as well. The grilled artichoke was fine but not the best I’ve add. The tarragon aioli is was topped with needed citrus zest or something a little more punchy. There also wasn’t enough aioli on the dish and they were hard to cut up and share. The burrata cheese plate, with Portobello, red pepper, squash and balsamic was good, but you really can’t mess up burrata. The fried calamari was a nice warm addition to the meal. The chili and shallot mixed in helped bring it a step above your standard restaurant calamari dish. Lastly, the lamb cheeks are a must order. They were daube braised (a French style way usually reserved for making stew with wine, vegetables, garlic, and herbes de Provence) and served with parsnip. The meat was so tender and flavorful. They came in a plate filled with the sauce, which I then wanted to dunk my brussel sprouts in, it was so good. These may be easy to miss when scanning the menu but I definitely recommend them! 

Aliment (noun): Food, Nourishment

For the last couple years I've been living in Nob Hill, directly above Union Square. Like every neighborhood, it has its pros and cons. Most of the cons have slowly grown on me and are a source of comfort now. I don’t know if I could sleep as soundly without the dinging of the trolley and hum of the tracks. The tourists that I zoom by every day while jetting up the hill now offer words of encouragement and envy, as only a local could manage that steep of an incline like a pro. And even in a city of amazing restaurants, sometimes you just need a slice from the Cheesecake Factory.

This brings me to my point. The one con that I still struggle with is the lack of good restaurants in my area. It’s either chain restaurants or kitschy SF tourist traps that charge too much. I've got my hole-in-the-wall favorites that are always good for takeout (Sushi Toni tops that list!) but the closest decent restaurant is probably the Nob Hill Café. I found my neighborhood bar (Tunnel Top, a must visit for any SF resident) but I've been yearning for a good place to have a glass of wine and enjoy some quality food. Well, finally I have found such a place! Aliment, a new American/California restaurant just opened on Bush between Mason and Powell. The 49-seat restaurant feels small but open. Giant windows that slide open face the street and there’s bar seating along it for those who like to people watch. Every day I walk by there’s little vases filled with fresh flowers sitting out on it. The rest of the interior is minimalist outside of the wine wall behind the bar. 

We sat by the window and checked out the wine list. They featured a good selection of local and world wines. I just read that the managing partner comes from Nob Hill Grille and shares the chef duties with a guy coming from Blue Plate. This makes sense as the food is classic California, simple and seasonal. We started by tasting the Churchpoint oysters, which were topped with fresno chile vinegar and fennel. It had a spicy after-kick that really livened up a standard oyster. I then continued my kale obsession with their chopped kale salad, diced with toasted pepitas (squash seed), radish and pecorino. The dressing was a thick avocado and anchovy dressing, which didn't taste fishy at all. We also split the fried brussel sprouts, which were crispy but a little on the greasy side (they’d be perfect if strained a tad bit more). The sauce they’re served in tasted like a mix of soy and something a little sweet/syrupy, which combined made a delicious tangy combo. Just in case we were getting a little too healthy, we also got an order of the French fries, which were standard but served with a garlic chive ranch. I’d recommend also requesting ketchup as they make their own smoky ketchup in-house that I really enjoyed and I usually hate ketchup. We stopped after appetizers and wine but their entrees were in the same genre (think hanger steak, diver scallops, fried chicken and braised short rib). 

This place offers a little something for everyone. I’d be fine dining there solo, with friends or on a date. They’re also open for brunch so I’ll be checking that out next! 

Sneak Peek Leaked!

Last night I had the opportunity to go see the sneak peak of "The Fifth Estate," the movie all about the rise and fall of WikiLeaks and it's charismatic leader Julian Assange. The movie is slated to come out in November 2013, so the cut I saw wasn't final. However, based on what I saw I would say they don't have much more to do. I thought the movie was fascinating and objective. The controversy going on with Assange and Manning right now is a polarizing topic. The movie does it's best to present the situation, showing the idealism of Assange but also the ego. It's up to the viewer to decide whether they buy into the message or fell he's a hypocrite. The current end frame is Assange saying just this. 

Benedict Cumberbatch does an amazing job starring as Assange. His career has been heating up in the last couple years with roles in Atonement, Star Trek: Into the Darkness, War Horse and The Hobbit. He is already a well established actor on the British television. I wouldn't be surprised is he starts getting Hollywood recognition and award nominations for his portrayal of Assange. On top of looking like him, he embodies his mannerisms, is likable at times, haunted in others and an egomaniac in most. I also really enjoyed the performance of Daniel Bruhl, who played Assange's early idealistic, loyal cohort, Daniel Domscheit-Berg. Laura Linney was her ever fabulous self as U.S. government's Sarah Shaw, although I have issues with her character. While the film showed Assangein a way that showed all facets of him, the film seemed more biased to side with Shaw. After working in government and getting as high up as she did, I'm sure her hands were not completely clean either. And if this movie couldn't get any better, Stanley Tucci is in it! Everything is always made better with a little Tucci in it.

Outside of the amazing acting and mostly unbiased views, the movie was visually stunning. Assange had a lot of allies in Iceland, lending itself for visually beautiful backdrops that fit with the mood. The scenes of WikiLeak's "office" were also really well done. Director Bill Condon ("Dreamgirls," "Kinsey") gets back on track after doing "Twilight: Breaking Dawn." Overall, I hope they don't change too much of the movie before it makes it to wide release. 

Foggy Summers in SF Mean More Movies

Last Sunday was another dreary, foggy day (of course, because it’s summer in San Francisco) so the perfect day to go see a movie. We wanted to go see the new Woody Allen movie, “Blue Jasmine,” but it’s only limited release right now and all showings were sold out. As a second option we ended up seeing “Fruitvale Station,” which I’m glad I ended up checking out. It’s a portrayal of the 2008 shooting of 22-year-old black man at a BART station in Oakland that sparked a lot of riots in the Bay Area. While I was worried the movie would be a little slow, it was such an interesting look into someone else’s’ life that it didn’t drag at all for me. I felt that the filmmakers did a good job not making Oscar Grant (the man who got shot) out to be some kind of perfect person. It showed all of his flaws and the time he spent in prison, but also showed that he was a good person, amicable, friendly and trying to be a good father. The release of this movie could not be more perfectly timed, because while different it had a lot of similar parallels to what’s going on with Trayvon Martin and the rally movement the verdict sparked. The lead actor who plays Oscar, Michael B. Jordan, is starting to get a lot of buzz for his work on this and may be a contender next award season.

The weekend before we went to “The Wolverine,” not to be confused with 2009’s “X-Men Originals: Wolverine.” The 2009 movie was just awful. But I was with a friend and we both love all the other X-Men movies in a completely nerdy way so we decided to go check it out.  While this one was not as good as the overall X-Men movies, it was much better than the 2009 version.  This one got a little deeper into Wolverine’s psyche and provided more background into what would have otherwise been a lot of random, violent, action sequences. However, the plot did continually hop around and try to throw numerous bad guys Wolverine’s way without a clear nemesis for the film. Hugh Jackman did a good job as always. For an actor who can sing and dance, he shows he’s truly versatile by being able to become the rugged Wolverine in a believable way. No need to rush out to the theater for this one though, and if you’re not an X-Men fan I wouldn’t even worry about the rental. This one has cable rerun written all over it.

Last night I was feeling under the weather so I went to see “Elysium” with a friend. I’m normally not into sci-fi/alien/space movies but its Matt Damon and the same writer/director who did “District 9” (Neill Blomkamp). “District 9” pleasantly surprised me with its heartfelt story of loner turned alien and underlying political commentary on slums, so I was hoping this one would have the same kind of layers. The movie is set in the year 2154, where the quality of life on Earth has deteriorated. The wealthy 1% has fled earth to live on a space habitat named Elysium. On Elysium they have the technology to heal the ill and stay young, so the sick and injured on Earth keep trying to illegally flee to Elysium. As with most sci-fi movies, there’s that underlying yet never too subtle political theme of not only the elite 1% and the difference in quality of life, but also of the reaction and treatment of illegal aliens. But the actual plot was kind of all over the place and outside of Matt Damon’s character, there wasn't any character development. Jodie Foster played a domineering defense secretary that we never learned anything about. There was also a very pathological hitman working for her that could have been interesting to learn more about as well. They threw in a lot of gory, turn-your-head moments for show. In general I liked it more than I thought I would but I don’t really like sci-fi. And I didn't think it was as good as “District 9.”

Not too many rentals of note. I had heard a lot of hype about “The Place beyond the Pines,” and was sorely disappointed.  Ryan Gosling’s performance was magnetic but he was a part of the plot for much less time than expected. Overall, the movie was 2.5 hours long and dragged on and was depressing. The only rental of note was a nice surprise. I had never heard of this movie but ended up watching it with the parents while visiting Minnesota. The film is called “I Give It A Year,” and is a witty look at modern relationships. So many people rush into marriage but don’t end up staying married. This was a humorous look at one couple who really tried to make it work. Plus it took place in London and the British have that lovely cheeky humor that was infused into the movie.  There were three recognizable actresses, Rose Bryne, Minnie Driver (where has she been??) and Anna Faris. The only male lead I recognized by name was Simon Baker from “The Mentalist,” but a lot of the English men look familiar. Anyway, I recommend checking this one out when you’re in the mood for something light and silly. Definitely a good pick for any fans of “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” 

There's Something in the Presidio Besides Trees and Raccoons.

And yes, there is the Walt Disney Museum as well, which is a small but enjoyable place to wander on a casual afternoon. I recommend checking it out on a Sunday, when Off the Grid is happening on the lawn outside. But what I'm really referring to is the Presidio Social Club. Located in the east part of the Presidio, this under-the-radar establishment is nestled and nearly blends into the Presidio-style white military housing. This one level restaurant doesn't look like much when you’re walking up, but the moment you’re inside there’s a warm, homey but still classy ambiance. If you have to wait for a table, saddle up to the long bar and grab one of their classic cocktails. We stuck with the wine last time, which isn't the longest list of options but has some good West Coast choices.

After being seated, we started with a variety of the small plates. One of their best offerings is the deviled eggs, topped with caviar. Nothing makes one feel more decadent than a little caviar! We also got a half order of the oysters, which vary by week. The island style tuna poke doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the menu, but is pretty good. Unfortunately it’s took many chips and not enough poke. Outside of the eggs, my top recommendation would be the grilled cheese, made with gruyere and buttered. It comes with a little soup cup of warm tomato fondue to dip. While this sounds simple, it’s hard to hate a classic comfort dish prepared by professional chefs. Before the meal we also tried the chopped kale salad (we’re in California, it’s not a meal without some kale). With carrots, radish, golden beets, toasted sunflower seeds and topped with sherry vinaigrette, it was far more flavorful than it sounds.

For dinner, I split the oven-roasted bone-in ribeye, which specifically says it’s for two people on the menu. Now, being from the Midwest I can take down my fair share of meat. However, I feel I can safely recommend that this dish be easily split by 3 people. They come present the ribeye to the table before taking it back to the kitchen. Bone-in, it looks like something they toss the T-Rex over the fence in “Jurassic Park.” Sliced up and served with roasted potatoes and glazed sweet onions, it fills up a large serving platter.  The quality of the ribeye is superb and the seasoning rub on it protects that quality while adding flavor. I highly recommend this for any meat lovers. I actually found it to be much better than the meat I had at the famed House of Prime Rib. We ordered some sides for the meal, as we clearly did not already have more than enough food. The French fries are good but nothing to write home about. The mac and cheese, topped with bread crumbs is a much better option. As far as vegetables go (have to be a little healthy), the whole carrots done in sherry and honey are sweet but not overly so. Because when it comes to sweet, you have to save room for a bit of dessert. We finished up with the blackout sundae, which feels like a deconstructed s’more platter with ice cream and homemade marshmallows.

For diners on the lookout for a more affordable meal, they offer weeknight supper specials, which is 3 courses for $29 but you have to go with the entrée of the evening. Right now I recommend Tuesday, as it is simply described as “small fried things.”

Mid-Summer Movies

I'll kick this off with "Now You See Me," which is quite possibly already out of theaters (so much "no one saw it" pun potential). This movie centers around a group of illusionists/magicians who pull of major crime heists while performing. It seems pretty unbelievable. Even when the movie explains how they did it, it still seems unbelievable. The movie spent all of it's time focusing on theatrics and not on the plot. I'm not a huge fan of the lead, Jesse Eisenberg, who I'll admit it was fantastic in "The Social Network" but mainly because he looks freakishly like Mark Zukerberg and got all the mannerisms down. I want to know how people like Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson and Michael Caine read this script and thought it sounded like a good idea. Honestly, if I didn't write a blog I would have forgot about this movie immediately after leaving the theater. It might not even make it to cable as it dies in the vault of no-network-even-wanted-to-pay for it films. Woody, I expected better from you.

I also went to see "Man of Steel." In the past I haven't been a huge Superman fan (does anyone remember the 2006 remake?) but I love Henry Cavill from "The Tudors." Unfortunately I still didn't really like it. It's superhero meets aliens meets big summer blockbuster budget (i.e. let's see how much shit we can blow up just because we can). The movie is stacked with good acting talent (Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Diane Lane) but the plot just seems to drag. All the fight scenes and explosions take up what could have been used as plot and character development. The only development is at the beginning and it seems like a lot of setup with little payoff. The ending seems to come abruptly and makes it clear they plan on continuing this franchise (it grossed $398.3MM worldwide through 6/23). But get excited, the big news coming out of Comic Con is that Warner Bros. is making a Superman/Batman movie involving collaboration from Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan, so that has to be good. At least it will be better than "Man of Steel."

A couple weeks ago I went to see "The Heat," the cop comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. The previews looked hilarious and the movie did not disappoint. Bullock and McCarthy had a good on-screen chemistry as a dynamic duo. It's like you can picture them being friends and getting into mischief in real life. McCarthy's performance was the better one to me. Bullock was good but it was almost the exact same character she played in all the "Miss Congeniality" movies. Also of note is Demian Bichir, who plays Bullock's FBI boss. He's been appearing in a lot of stuff lately and doesn't get the recognition he deserves (plus he's a very attractive older man, loved him in "Weeds"). The movie plot is pretty basic. The FBI and local Boston police are reluctantly forced to work together to catch a drug lord. I was actually slightly surprised by the plot twist of the movie, which you don't really expect from a fluff comedy. I liked this movie overall but would say it's fine to wait until DVD release.

Last weekend I went to see "Bling Ring," the new Sophia Coppola flick based on a true story. The "Bling Ring" is a group of 5 over-privileged, fame-obsessed teenagers living in Calabasas (near LA). In order to afford the lifestyle they felt they deserved of partying, drugs and high fashion, they used the Internet to track when celebrities were out of town and then would subsequently burglarize their homes. Celebrities victims include Paris Hilton (multiple times, they refer to it as "going to Paris"), Lindsey Lohan, Rachel Bilson, Audrina Patridge, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr and Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green. What's kind of hilarious is that Sophia Coppola got Paris Hilton to not only make a cameo in the movie, but she also allowed them to film the heist scenes in her actual house (yes, the disco room is real). My mom also brought up an interesting point. This movie is a commentary on materialistic, over-privileged rich kids feeling entitled to the wealth playboy lifestyles they'd see around LA. With Coppola's famous last name, these are probably the type of kids she grew around (albeit she grew up in NYC). The movie's got a fun soundtrack as well. Definitely recommend checking out this flick before it disappears from theaters (it was a limited release as-is).

It's the End of the World As We Know It

If you were hoping for an REM concert review, you will be sorely disappointed. I did not get to see Michael Stripe, I got to see "This Is the End," a humorous/apocalyptic movie. It wasn't heavily promoted at all but has been relying on word-of-mouth to keep it going. Seth Rogen wrote, directed and stars in the film. The premise sounds pretty humorous. A bunch of comedians/celebrities are at James Franco's house party when the apocalypse happens. Everyone in the movie is playing themselves, which makes it extra hilarious. The main case is Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Jay Bauchel (you'll recognize him from all the Judd Apatow movies), Danny McBride and Craig Robinson.

I though the first half of the movie, which is when the party is raging on before the end of the world, was hysterical. On top of the main characters, Emma Watson, Michael Cera, Mindy Kaling, Rihanna, Paul Rudd and a host of other B, C and D list celebrities are also in attendance. Michael Cera's coked-out version of himself was probably the highlight for me. Paul Rudd deserved more than his two minutes. And Emma Watson gets to be bad ass (go Hermoine!). But then the apocalypse starts and things get weird. Really weird. Like demons with giant penises weird. So then that part drags on for about 30-45 minutes but the ending brings it back to the hilarious realm. SPOILER ALERT: In the last scene they get the full Backstreet Boys crew to reunite and preform, which is so random but so awesome for anyone who remembers the 90s. I wouldn't say rush out to theaters to catch this flick, but it's about to become a late night cable favorite for stoners everywhere so catch it when you can.

Just Keepin' It Classy

A couple weeks ago we went to Bix for a work dinner and were totally unprepared. Yes, it's in the Financial District but it's only three $$$ on Yelp and San Francisco restaurants tend to be a little more laid back. This smaller, alleyway restaurant however is definitely working hard to keep it's classic feel (think piano and jazz singer in the corner, fluted columns and a whole lot of mahogany). I'll be honest, while most of the restaurant customers were in suits, we were rocking a collection of ripped jeans, fleece jackets and plaid. Great apparel for SF, not for Bix. Thankfully the bar area is right near the entrance and their martinis are quite superb.

However, it was hard to feel uncomfortable for long as the friendly hosts and servers chatted us up. We slipped into a comfy half booth, half table situation and assess the wine list, which is quite lengthy. After ordering a pinot noir we had a go at the starters menu. First must have on the list, potato pillows. How can you go wrong with something called potato pillows? These bite sized morsels were almost like gnocchi but a little more mashed potato-like. Topped with creme fraiche and caviar, they were decadent but strangely homey in a way. If you're going with a second appetizer (or you have no desire to try something called potato pillows which is just silly), go with the steak tartare. It's prepared table-side, so you get to watch them break up the running egg yoke into the steak, along with shallots, capers (a great addition to any tartare!), parsley and mustard. I also tried the pork belly banh mi (a Vietnamese style sandwich), which comes out in little bite-sized sandwiches and was surprisingly good for an American restaurant with no clear ties to anything Vietnamese. The deviled eggs were good (aren't they always?) but I think you can get better ones elsewhere. I can't recall what the oyster selection was that day but they were pretty gritty and I got a piece of shell in my mouth, so I'd pass on those.

After the little banh mi sandwich bites, I was in the mood for pork belly so I went with the pork loin and belly entree. The pork is served atop a warm potato salad with a mustard seed aioli, which gives the dish a punch of flavor. The pork was cooked perfectly. The belly was a good balance of soft and crisp and loin was moist. In retrospect though I wish I had ordered the Bix Club Burger, a black truffle cheeseburger. A couple people at the table ordered it and it looked amazing. It has a thick grilled onion on it that's almost as thich as the burger itself. I found out afterward's it's on 7x7's "2013 Big Eats" list.  I did manage to snag a couple truffle fries from their places, which were of course delicious.

After that you'd think we'd be ridiculously full, but what sane minded person passes on dessert? Especially when you have the opportunity to say "I'll have one of everything." After trying a bite of everything and it all being amazing, I can still recommend without hesitation the  bananas foster with dark rum and vanilla ice cream. While it didn't have the fancy flambe presentation, it melted into this creamy soup substance that we were literally trying to scrap the bowl for. To summarize, I'd recommend Bix just don't wear jeans. It's listed on Zagat as a top place for a date, so get dressed up and go with someone special.

As an appendix of sorts (it seems fitting for this review), I have to address this perfect article that I was recently told about. I live in a studio apartment and on nights when I'm not out at dinners like this I'm at home making scrambled eggs. People read my blog and incredulously ask me exactly how much I spend eating out. As I recently found out, being in advertising (and especially media), I'm lucky enough to be included in a special category called the "poverty elite." While I'm far enough in my career now where poverty might be extreme, I fondly remember the days as an assistant planner in Chicago, making $25,000 annually, living above a drug addicted landlord, buying all my clothes from Target yet having martinis at the newest, hottest restaurants in town. There's nothing more surreal. 

Oops I Did It Again (For the 3rd and 6th Time)!

No, this blog post will not be a nostalgic look back into Britney Spear's career. Although perhaps that would be less embarrassing than what I'm about to admit. Over Memorial Day weekend, I went to the movies alone. Twice. Because I didn't want to tell anyone what I wanted to see. And this is why.

Last Sunday I went to see "The Hangover Part III." I liked the first one a lot. It was hilarious, there weren't any other movies quite like it. Then the second came along with pretty much the exact same plot line, except in Bangkok instead of Vegas. I wanted to see the 3rd as they promised it would be the last one (please keep this promise!), so I wanted to see how it all ended. You could tell they were applying learnings from the first two. Zach Galifianakas and Ken Jeong are clearly the best characters. Jeong as Mr. Chow got a pretty substantial amount of time in this one, as Justin Bartha (boring) got about 10 minutes. Ed Helms as Stu is a fun guy to beat up on. Bradley Cooper is there to be pretty. Funny female roles have been lacking in the first two, although I didn't mind Heather Graham as the happy-go-lucky stripper (who get a cameo in this final installment, as does baby Carlos). This one brought in Melissa McCarthy, the perfect love interest for Alan. And the Wolfpack is back in Vegas, which is how it should be. There's an extra scene that plays shortly into the credits, so don't leave your seats too fast because it is pretty stellar. 

It gets more awkward. And honestly I was more excited for this one. Monday I went to see "Fast & Furious 6" and it was awesome. I can't explain it but I really like these movies. I'd say I was a street racer in a previous life but it would have to be horse and buggy racing. Rowdy. Anyway, outside of the original one, this one was by far my favorite. These movies are so purposefully absurd that it had the audience laughing at multiple times. The one complaint I have about this one is that The Rock (aka Dwayne Johnson because he's a "serious" actor now) has a larger role. As special agent Hobbs, he gets the gang back together to catch a gang of mercenaries in exchange for full pardons. He gets them to do this not out of the goodness of their hearts but because he also shows Dom proof that Letty is alive and rolling with this group. I'm so glad they brought Michelle Rodriguez (Letty) back. The movie needs that female badass that provides us women with someone to root for and provides girl fight opportunities for the male viewers. And guess what? There is going to be a seventh!! I know you were concerned, I definitely was. Stay through the credits for a teaser. Spoiler alert: Jason Statham is in the 7th!! I am so excited. And no I'm not being sarcastic.

Let the Summer Blockbusters Begin

The season for summer movies is upon us! While I no longer live in a place where I need to retreat to movie theaters to escape the blistering summer heat and hair curling humidity, I still think there's nothing better than ducking into a cold and dark theater when you need to unwind for a bit.

The first big blockbuster to check out on my list was "42," the biopic of Jackie Robinson. Now, I'm not of fan of sappy, inspirational things and I don't really like sports but I have a huge, unexplainable love of inspiration sports movies. I went in with high hopes and was unfortunately a little let down. Robinson was played the relatively unknown Chadwick Boseman (right? who?). I'm not sure if they just picked him because he looked like Robinson but he lacked the charisma and intensity you need for a lead role like that. He was easily eclipsed by Harrison Ford, looking old but still amazing as raspy owner Branch Rickey. Outside of Ford, the cast was B-list and below. For a movie willing to spend so much on advertising, they should have shelled out a little more for casting. The story of Robinson's success in the game of baseball, which was hailed as the white man's sport in the late 1940s after WWII, is of course a great tale. But the movie lacked an exciting climax and left me wanting some kind of emotion when the credits started rolling. You know these rights are going to be gobbled up by some cable network, so I would just wait until then to see it.

The next big blockbuster on my queue was "Iron Man 3." I loved the first two movies and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man brought some comic relief to "The Avengers." If you're expecting anything different than the first two, don't. Blur the details and it's the exact same story line (or same story line as any comic book turned action movie). But if you enjoy the genre, then you'll like it. My one warning is to make sure you not only see the first two Iron Man movies, but also "The Avengers." Stark is haunted by the giant wormhole and aliens from that movie, so if you haven't seen it you'll just think he's cracking up all together. Don Cheadle and Jon Favreau get more screen time in this one as Stark's unintentional sidekicks. The amazing Ben Kingsley brings intensity and steals any scene he's in. Spoiler alert: Guy Pearce plays the bad guy role perfectly. Even since "The Count of Monte Cristo," I think he's destined to join the bad guys hall of fame with the like of Javier Bordem in "No Country for Old Men" or "Skyfall" or Joaquin Phoenix in "Gladiator." It's hard to forget a bad guy that act gives you chills. And since it's Marvel, there is a clip at the end of the credits if you want to stick around. It's nothing pivotal  just a humorous moment with another favorite character from "The Avengers." If you enjoy comic book movies, I say go see this one but if you have to wait until rental it's not the end of the world.

A couple weeks ago I went to see Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of "The Great Gatsby." It seems to be getting bad reviews across the board but I really liked it. First off, it's a Luhrmann movie so you have to expect the ridiculous, the flair, the sparkle. Of course the movie is going to be raucous and absurd, but isn't that why we love Baz Luhrmann? It's a gorgeous and flashy spectacle. I also read several complaints that the soundtrack was too modern and that it changed the feel. Personally, I think a highway cruise in a couple 1920s cars set to Jay-Z is awesome juxtaposition of the times, but some people don't. As a side note for all you music lovers out there, check out the soundtrack. It features Florence + the Machine, Jay Z, the xx, Lana del Rey, Jack White, Sia, Nero and many more. Definitely an eclectic mix but a lot of fun for any music lover. The one negative in the reviews that I do agree with (and I wish I didn't) was that Carey Mulligan's performance as Daisy Buchanan feel flat. She was too wispy for a Daisy and lacked chemistry with Leo. And how does one lack chemistry with Leo? His blue eyes were piercing in every scene as the intense, elusive Gatsby. I didn't think I'd like Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway but he had a certain naiveness that fit with the role. And no, the movie doesn't hit all the plot points of the book but it gets damn close so give them some credit for adapting a novel that has been tried time and time again. I would definitely recommend going to see this in theaters, although maybe avoid the 3D headache that should only be meant for movies like "Avatar."

Even Artichokes Have Hearts

Earlier this week I went to dinner at Locanda, a restaurant that despite its high profile location (16^th and Valencia) I hadn't heard much about. It opened in April 2011 and is run by the same owners as Delfina. I knew I’d like it right off the bat since its logo is an artichoke. I had decided to go there for dinner after scanning 7X7’s list of “100 Things to Eat Before You Die” and the Jewish style artichokes at Locanda popped out to me. How does one make Jewish style artichokes? And why had I not heard of this before?

Turns out they’re fried, herb-seasoned and delicious. But let me start from the beginning. Walking into Locanda, it has the similar atmosphere of its neighbors in the Mission.  It was darker, primarily candlelit and had bar and open kitchen spanning the length of the restaurant. After assessing the menu, we settled on calling it an Italian Roman fusion. Pretty much every antipasti on the menu looked delicious so we went for a wide variety. On top of the Jewish style artichokes, which were an obvious must, we also went with the king salmon crudo, shaved artichoke salad, egg and asparagus, grilled pizza bianca and peas and shoots. Let’s start with the last. We ordered the peas and shoots as we’d heard the owner requires the wait staff to say one of his favorite jokes, “peas shoot, peas score” whenever serving the pea shoots. Sadly our server did not, but with the spring onion and straus yogurt mixed in, they were still the most flavorful pea side dish I've ever had. My least favorite starter (and let me caveat that this just means it was the least amazing) was the king salmon crudo. I liked that it was topped with salted capers and kept simple with a little xvoo. Unfortunately it lacked the acidity that really makes a crudo sing. The asparagus was not lacking in flavor, as it was topped with a poached egg, bottarga (cured fish roe) and burro nero (butter), finished off with crunchy breadcrumbs. Outside of the Jewish style artichoke, my favorite was the pizza Bianca, while was charred bread topped with an amazing amount of burrata, herbs and oil. It sounds so simple on paper but if you saw it in person you would understand. Even the basic bread brought for the table was anything but basic. It was fresh out of the grill, doused in olive oil and topped with sea salt.

But back to the artichokes. The shaved artichoke salad was mixed with arugula and avocado but what really brought it a step above other shaved salads I've had was the grilled ricotta. Usually when I have ricotta it’s in its softer form but this was the hard cheese. And grilling it added this great smoky flavor to the cheese. It turns out Jewish style artichokes (carciofi all giudia) are a delicacy from the olden Roman days. The artichokes are fried in oil with their leaves out-turned, making them look like sunflower. The whole, fried artichokes is seasoned with herbs, lemon, salt and pepper. They're crunchy, flavorful and another fun way to enjoy artichokes.

For my main dish I ordered the chicken, which could be perceived as boring, but it was wrapped in pancetta and stuffed with some form of herbs. It was some of the most perfectly cooked chicken I've ever had and the pancetta really held in the flavor and moistness. After checking out everyone else’s dishes, I’d also recommend the pork spareribs based off looks and that that person’s satisfaction level. I ducked out before dessert but was more than satisfied. I highly recommend this spot and plan to go back soon.