Gary Danko Revisited

Curiosity and uncertainty usually drive me a little nuts. This is why I don't like knowing about surprises coming my way, because then I'll undoubtedly be thinking 24/7 trying to figure out what it is. I'm the kind of person who shakes gifts under the Christmas tree to guess the contents inside - maybe that's why no one gets me fragile items? The kind of person who loves knowing exactly what songs will be on the next episode of Glee, and will have listened to them several times prior to the episode airing. And the kind of person who always wants clues about where her surprise birthday dinner will be.

This, of course, has caused my boyfriend to get sneakier about his clues over the years. So even after a lot of pestering, I had no idea where we would end up this year. I was beyond excited when it turned out to be Gary Danko (or what I prefer to call GOD), where we went for my birthday two years ago. It was amazing then, it was amazing again, and I'm fully confident that it will be amazing the next time. In fact, after trying some new dishes in addition to some of the ones we ordered last time, I already have a rough menu in mind for our next visit.

Lobster Salad with Melons, Cucumbers, Roasted Eggplant and Thai Mango Dressing 

Striped Bass with Arugula Pesto, Basil Gnocchi, Tomato and Cucumbers

 Herb Crusted Lamb Loin with Tian of Summer Vegetables and Polenta

 Lemon Pepper Duck Breast with Duck Hash, Bacon Braised Endive and Port Glazed Figs

 All good things: Silver Oak cabernet, petit desserts, and a nearly-empty chocolate souffle cup

And my awesome boyfriend also got me an iPad which I now use to edit photos on the go. All the photos in this post were tweaked using Snapseed, which is surprisingly good for a mobile app. Pretty soon I'll be too lazy to use Photoshop on my desktop!

Again, the meal was so good that all food tasted pretty bland for the next week or so. But that's what happens when you taste perfection!

Gary Danko
800 North Point Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
www.garydanko.com

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, since you can eat, shop like mad on Black Friday, and look forward to Christmas fast approaching. And it's a great time to get into the habit of counting your blessings, instead of focusing on what you might be missing.

My family tried combining Asian and American dishes for Thanksgiving dinner this year and left the table happily stuffed. On the menu:

• Butternut squash with basil (It was my first time cutting and peeling butternut squash, and it was terribly unwieldy. I'll have to research some techniques next time so I don't have to throw my weight onto the cutting board or risk losing any fingers.)
• Brussels sprouts with garlic and prosciutto
• Soy sauce chicken, courtesy of our local Chinese BBQ store
• And of course, pumpkin pie!

And adding to my list of blessings – plenty of leftovers. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Committed

I attended my good friend's wedding at the UCLA Faculty Center last weekend, which was beautiful, romantic, and had surprisingly good food catered by the university. By that, I don't mean the "decent for a wedding and the open bar helped" sort of food, but food that I actually remembered and inquired about afterwards. I may also have dived after some caterers to get to a plate of lamb chop appetizers. But you can't be shy about running after good food!

This was also my first wedding hustling around behind the scenes to help out with random things (this is probably common knowledge, but there should definitely be waterproof makeup, champagne, and flip flops for the bride on her big day) and giving a toast, which should've been easy given how often I write. But truthfully, it took several hours and multiple drafts before I had something that I (and luckily, the bride) thought sounded acceptable, and a couple glasses of liquid courage on the big day before giving the toast so that I wouldn't totally freak out.

So like most weddings, it was somewhat hectic, but everything worked out in the end for a lovely time. Maybe that's a reflection of marriage too?

People always fall in love with the most perfect aspects of each other's personalities. Who wouldn't? Anybody can love the most wonderful parts of another person. But that's not the clever trick. The really clever trick is this: Can you accept the flaws? Can you look at your partner's faults honestly and say, "I can work around that. I can make something out of that."? Because the good stuff is always going to be there, and it's always going to be pretty and sparkly, but the crap underneath can ruin you. **

** Book credit – Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace With Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert. A tip for toast-writers: If you ever need inspiration, use book quotes.

Napa Trip Part 1: Bistro Jeanty, Etc.

As part of my birthday / anniversary this year, the boyfriend and I headed up to Napa for a lovely day trip. We went on the tour at Jarvis Winery at my co-worker's recommendation, and it was an amazing experience! They were the first guys to place all their wine-making operations -- with the exception of growing and harvesting the grapes -- completely underground, in a 45,000 square foot mountain cave that keeps a constant temperature of 61 degrees. Not only was the tour fascinating and the cave hauntingly beautiful, but their wines were pretty damn good! I fell in love with their merlot, and I don't even remember the last time a merlot had me swooning. Such luscious fruit and great balance. 

 Photo courtesy of WongCo Food

Other wineries visited -- V. Sattui  (always a pit stop for me in the area!) and Alpha Omega Winery (first and probably last time there).

And no Napa trip would be complete without some stellar meals! We had lunch at Bistro Jeanty, a casual French bistro that does all the classics right.

Roasted Bone Marrow

 Photo courtesy of WongCo Food

My first time trying bone marrow, and now I see what all the fuss is about. If you're into super rich and savory stuff (raises hand), this is for you! Though it's probably a good idea to split a dish like this so you're not loading up on all that fat...

 French Onion Soup

One of my fave versions of this soup, coming in close behind the one at Chapeau. Bistro Jeanty's version features a broth that is less meaty, allowing more of the sweet, fragrant flavors of the onions to come through. Both are delicious, but it just depends on what you're in the mood for.

Steamed Mussels

Big, juicy bivalves in a hearty broth. Perfect. 

Coming up next -- photos from our yummy dinner at REDD! Stay tuned!

Bistro Jeanty

6510 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599

www.bistrojeanty.com

Macarons from Lavish Berry

I wanted to pick up something special for Mother's Day, so I hit up my friend Linda who runs a baking business on the side (lavishberry.com). She's one of the most talented bakers I know personally, and she seems like kind of a perfectionist, which is a great quality to have in culinary circles. Anyway, even with her super busy schedule, she graciously accommodated my order of 2 dozen French macarons.

 

The whole thing turned out even better than I expected. The cookies were tucked into a box with pink tissue paper and decorated with a cute tag, which my mom liked so much that it's now dangling from one of our cabinet doors.

The macarons were both pretty and yummy! Slightly crisp on the outside, delightfully soft on the inside, with an airy, meringue-like consistency. The fillings - strawberry mascarpone and pistachio - were delicious and not overly sweet.

These little beauties are so light and airy that I could unwittingly eat a dozen of them in one sitting ... good for the taste buds but bad for the waistline!

And they were damn good with some vanilla ice cream too! (Did I mention waistline?)

I love supporting local bakers, especially the really promising ones, so if you're in the Silicon Valley area and need to order some baked goodies, please keep Lavish Berry in mind! And I hope everyone had a good Mother's Day!

Happy Lunar New Year!

Lunar New Year for my family is pretty simple. As long as there's chicken, mushrooms, and some kind of soup, we're happy. And the best part is eating at home. Happy Rabbit Year!

Michael Mina

After a mind-blowing experience at Gary Danko for my birthday earlier this year, I decided to take the boyfriend to try another iconic chef for his birthday last weekend. Michael Mina, with his 40+ years of experience, has long been heralded as one of the pinnacles of fine dining in San Francisco, right alongside Danko. His food is interesting and often adventurous, infused with Japanese, French, and Mediterranean sensibilities. And the new space on California Street is gorgeous.

But let me just jump the gun and say it -- I was slightly underwhelmed. I was expecting cuisine that could give Danko a run for his money, but it was nowhere near the same level. If I had never been to Danko, I think I would've enjoyed Mina a lot more. But hey, being in the A-/B+ class is still pretty good!

Amuse bouche - cheese/prosciutto sandwich and lentil soup
The cutest little sandwich!

I know this little cup of spread doesn't look too impressive, but it was so. damn. good! Lush, softened ricotta cheese with a dash of honey - talk about getting spoiled! I usually pass on pre-dinner carbs to save space in my tummy, but I was pretty much dunking the bread in this spread and inhaling it. Mmm.

Crispy Wolfe Ranch Quail

Our favorite dish of the night. The sauce reduction was on the sweet side with just a hint of heat (the menu said harissa, which is a Tunisian chili sauce, so that would probably explain it). The plate's yogurt garnish was a hats off to Mediterranean flavors, while the medley of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers reminded me of Italy. Excellent dish all around!

Pork Belly and Geoduck Clam Salad

The boyfriend's appetizer, which wasn't as great as we'd expected. Personally I think the dish was trying to do too much (like some of the contestants on Chopped) with two flavorful "delicacies" plus a funky curry sauce and random greenery for the "salad." The pork belly itself was not tender enough ... not sure if it's because it was in a cold dish or because it was slightly undercooked. Loved the presentation though.

Braised Pork Short Ribs

For my entree, our hostess first put a plate before me with just the quince, polenta, and greens, sans short ribs. She then pulled out a small saucepot with the short ribs inside and spooned the steaming meat onto the center of my plate. Necessary? Not at all. But really cool? Yeah! The short ribs were well cooked, and the sauce (hock jus) was rich and savory. The quince and polenta were good accompaniments, and I even had a few of the fried pig ears (those cute little triangles in the photo).

Prather Ranch Lamb Chop

Solid and well-seasoned, although I think they should have used a sauce that could cut the gamey taste a bit more. You could very well find a better lamb chop elsewhere for about the same price, though.

And finally -- dessert. Those of you who personally know me or who read this blog enough know that dessert is my favorite part of a meal. Unfortunately, the desserts at Michael Mina were the least impressive course. They do a dessert tasting for $15 per person at the restaurant, so you do get to try a lot for the money, but nothing really floored me. Unlike the creme brulee and chocolate souffle and passionfruit mousse at Danko. (Yes, I can still taste them ... and that makes me a little hungry. And sad. But mostly just hungry.)

Overall though, I think Mina is definitely worth visiting if you're a foodie. I just wouldn't go there with any recent memories of Danko. And the service at Mina is definitely stellar -- they make you feel welcome, always check in, explain everything served on your plate, and even leave you with handwritten birthday cards from the manager!

Happy holidays! Be safe and eat well!

Michael Mina
252 California St
San Francisco, CA 94111
www.michaelmina.net

Happy Holidays!

In preparation for the holidays ...


Barney's New York SF store window

Spook-tacular Cupcakes!

What's even better than trick-or-treating? Making your own treats for the occasion! For Halloween, the boyfriend and I baked up some red devil cupcakes and decorated them with festive frosting.

For the cupcakes

Ingredients (makes 20 cupcakes)

• 15-ounce can of sliced beets
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions

1. Drain the beets, reserving 1/2 cup of the juice. In a blender, puree the beets with the reserve juice to make about 1 1/4 cups of puree. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs well. Thoroughly whisk in the sugar, oil, vanilla, salt, and beet puree until very smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time, whisking until smooth.
5. Pour the batter into the cupcake tin and bake for 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
   

For the frosting

I was actually inspired to decorate these cupcakes from a Food Network photo, http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_36613.html, and used their recipe for a fluffy meringue frosting. Beware - we ended up with way too much frosting, so if you're not making a ton of cupcakes, you might want to cut the ingredients down proportionally (starting with 4 or 5 egg whites instead of 8). Or you could improvise like we did and use the leftover meringue to make cookies!

All that fluffy goodness!

It was our first time piping, and it was surprisingly fun ... and harder than it looks on tv. I tried making blobs to simulate ghosts, but I don't think I used enough frosting. We used a supermarket tube of black-colored icing to add the eyes and other design touches. I think some themed candy would've been awesome too!

BOO!!!

Gary Danko

I've been alternately lazy and busy the past few months, but now that I have some downtime and more scrumptious food photos, I am tending to this neglected little blog. I celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago, and what better way to enter a new year of life than dinner at...

That's right - Gary Danko! Restaurants like this are similar to a summer blockbuster movie or a pricey French wine - even if you've never experienced it, you should nod your head enthusiastically and muse, "Oh yes, I've heard that was good..." Needless to say, I was stoked to finally be able to try a restaurant that has long been considered an epitome of fine dining.

Amuse Bouche: Fennel, Prosciutto, and Blue Cheese
A taste of good things to come...

The wine for the night - Silver Oak 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. One of my fave cabs, full-bodied with bold cherry and blackberry flavors, a velvety texture, and a smooth finish. Yum!

Don't mind the bear. He was just tagging along!

Decanting...

Seared Foie Gras with Caramelized Onions and Peaches

One of the best foie gras I've ever had! It was seared to perfection, sinfully rich and enhanced by the sweetness of the onions and peaches. I don't know what they did to the onions, but I certainly can't get mine to caramelize like this!

Risotto with Lobster, Rock Shrimp, Shimeji Mushrooms, Roasted Tomatoes, Corn and Peas

Amazing risotto - not too thick or watery, just spoonfuls of creaminess packed with sweet seafood and veggies. As a testament to how good the food is here, my boyfriend who normally can't wait to flick mushrooms off his plate ended up devouring every bite of this dish!

Seared Sea Scallops with Zucchini-Basil Paste, Tomato Fondue, Red Peppers, Haricot Verts and Shimeji Mushrooms

Cheese Assortment - Delish with the wine!

Roasted Pork Belly and Tenderloin with Frisee Salad, Bacon, Pickled Jalapenos and Maple Glaze

I don't even know how to begin describing the flavor of this pork belly. Let's just say that if I had to have my last meal tomorrow, I'd want this on my plate. Juicy, savory, indulgently fatty meat laced with smoky and maple-y flavors ... just orgasmic! The tenderloin was also good, but of course it was overshadowed by the belly.

Braised Lamb Shoulder

Creme Brulee Trio

Thanks to the generous portion sizes, I was starting to feel full after the main courses. But as the desserts started rolling out, I immediately pushed away all feelings of satiation. There's always a separate stomach for dessert, right? My trio of creme brulee made me feel like I was eating three desserts for the price of one! My favorite - chocolate (on left). But it couldn't compare to what my boyfriend ordered...

Chocolate Souffle

It was like "eating a chocolate cloud," complete with two decadent syrupy sauces swirled right in! Mmm. However, my favorite dessert of the night ended up being the cute little passionfruit mousse they gave us for my birthday. I have never tasted mousse this good. The silky texture was not quite solid nor liquid, just some fluffy, heavenly state in between, packed with a surprisingly tart and tangy punch.

And the verdict for Gary Danko?

I think this expression pretty much says it all.

A little takeaway treat for breakfast the next morning - banana bread cake!

Overall, it was easy to see (or actually, to taste) why this restaurant is so famous and why Gary Danko is such a renowned chef. The flavor and presentation of the food was impeccable, balancing French and American elements in an elegant but accessible way. The seating area was beautiful. And the servers were upbeat and down to earth. They knew the menu items like the back of their hand, didn't make us feel silly for ogling over the food and taking so many damn pictures, and made sure our wine glasses were never empty.

The only downside to this restaurant? I couldn't really eat for the entire week after this meal because nothing tasted right! Guess that just means I'll have to go back again soon!

A super extra thanks to a wonderful boyfriend for this fantastic meal (and some of these photos)! Cheers!

Gary Danko
800 North Point Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
www.garydanko.com

Farewell 2009; Hello 2010!

Overall, 2009 was a pretty good year - I started my legal career, met someone special, and adjusted to balancing the best of suburbia and city living. I wish my health had been better (I'm staying in for New Years Eve because I caught another cold), but I'm crossing my fingers for next year!

I also started getting into the mentality of simplifying my life, omitting the inconsequential and unnecessary so I get more time with the good stuff. As a student, I had the time, means, and desire to juggle too many things and people at the same time, but perhaps part of "growing up" and being in "the real world" means learning to focus on the important things.

2009 foodie collage [click for larger view]

And one of the important things to me is still FOOD! My top five foodie moments from 2009:
1. Foodbuzz-sponsored food tour in SF
2. Foodbuzz 1st Annual Food Blogger Festival in SF
3. My birthday dinner at Chapeau
4. Foodbuzz Community Table at Bushi-Tei
5. Watching Julie & Julia

My resolutions for 2010 - (1) reduce computer use (beware of carpal tunnel!), and (2) bake more. Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and yummy new year!

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

For the recent holidays, the boyfriend and I tried our hands at making a pumpkin bundt cake, which actually turned out pretty well! Thanks to http://whippedtheblog.com for the recipe.

Pumpkin Buttermilk Bundt Cake

For cake:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-oz can; not pie filling)
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs

For glaze: (or substitute your own glaze recipe!)
2 T butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1-3 T cream or milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour bundt pan. Combine together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla in another bowl.

Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.

Spoon batter into pan. Shake a few times to be sure to remove any bumps, then bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then invert rack over cake and re-invert cake onto rack. Cool 10 minutes more.

To make glaze, heat butter until melted. Stir in sifted powdered sugar. Mix in cream or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Drizzle over cake while it is on a wire rack so excess falls through.

That's it! Happy holidays to all!

Thanksgiving

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! I joined the boyfriend's family for an American-style meal, complete with the big bird and sweet potato pie. I'm still recovering from eating way too much!

Time to get in the mood for the next holiday! Jingle bells!