What was your single favorite thing that your parents cooked when you were growing up? Was it some kind of special pasta? Or maybe your mom cooked chicken a way that no one else has ever been able to replicate? Because my parents happen to be quite adept in the kitchen, I could probably list 20 different dishes that are deeply ingrained in my memory. However, if I had to name just one, there's a particular dish that has always stood out: I grew up eating the best eggs benedict most people have ever tasted...Continue Reading
Category: San Francisco Food
Panna Cotta Pandemonium in San Francisco
Although panna cotta has been making appearances on dessert menus in San Francisco for years, it seemed like in early 2010 there was an absolute explosion across the entire city. Not only did it seem like panna cotta was listed on just about every menu that I came in contact with, but suddenly dozens of different, interesting variations were popping up. Now in early 2011, everyone seems to have their own unique version to proudly display on their menu. While many variations are interesting, there are only a few that stand out from the panna cotta chaos and deserve special recognition...Continue Reading
A Damn Good Sandwich is Always in Season
If you hadn’t heard, it’s the holiday season - a season synonymous with the word “indulgence.” Oh, and the word “drinking,” of course. For frequent diners and homebodies alike, ‘tis the season to throw down hundreds of dollars for that one special meal that just wouldn’t seem sane at any other time of the year. And, having recently indulged in things like foie gras, pink champagne, and extravagant chef’s tasting menus, there’s no denying that fine dining holds a very special place in my heart. But you know what also holds a special place in my heart? A damn good sandwich...Continue Reading
Local Bites: B3 for Scoutmob San Francisco
Below is my latest article for ScoutMob SF!
PBR, we can never get enough of it, right? I mean, there’s a reason it has an award ribbon on the can. We’re used to gulping them down three, I mean, one at a time, but the Mission’s B3 has found a way to use one of our favorite refreshments to make one of our favorite foods: onion rings. But there’s way more to the menu than just Pabst Blue Ribbon beer-battered onion rings. As Local Scout Kelsey Elliott explains, before you go anywhere else, go to B3.
Let's talk onion rings. I think we all know what we don't like: super greasy batter covering scalding hot onions that come out whole as soon as you take a tiny bite. Unfortunately, for the most part, this is the world of onion rings we live in...Continue Reading
A Class on Wisconsin Cheese From the Cheese School of San Francisco: Awesome
It's obviously no surprise that I'm kinda, maybe, sorta, totally obsessed with cheese. I'm pretty sure that what we've labeled "cheese" in modern times was actually called "ambrosia" way back when Greek Gods ruled the land and had to eat something worthy of their status as, you know, gods.
So you can imagine my excitement when I was invited by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board to attend a Wisconsin cheese class at the Cheese School of San Francisco, hosted by non-other than the infamous Laura Werlin. Not only does she have a killer haircut, she's also kind of a big deal when it comes to cheese, and someone I've been following for some time. So, it didn't take more than a millisecond for me to gratefully accept their invitation...Continue Reading
Hey Phil. Good Coffee.
Philz has completely ruined me. I used to be happy with a regular grande coffee from Starbucks. I used to pay $2, $2.50 max for a cup of coffee. I used to be ignorant and happy. But now that I know how incredibly delicious coffee can be, now that I know its true potential, there's no going back to the naive bliss I once had.
Now if I don't start every single morning with Philz coffee I'm a bitter, angry person. It sounds arrogant, but it's honestly become difficult to drink anything else. It's just too. damn. good....Continue Reading
Ramen Done Right: Hapa Ramen Serves Big Bowls with Big Flavor
[rating: 5]
After my first time experiencing what a real bowl of ramen is supposed to taste like, I was left feeling utterly perplexed. How in the world did Nissan foods take something so rich and complex in flavor, and create a replica that is totally overloaded with sodium and tastes like absolutely nothing? Who did a side by side comparison and decided, “Hey! Our instant Cup of Noodles can totally pass as ramen! It’s close enough to the real thing, I bet hardly anyone will be able to tell the difference!” It would be like saying an M&M could pass as a fresh cream truffle from Jean-Charles Rochoux, one of the best chocolatiers in Paris. It simply makes no sense...Continue Reading
Humphry Slocombe Gets It Done
It all began one cold January night at Frances. I ordered a dessert featuring Humphry Slocombe's olive oil ice cream, which was so shockingly good I set out to discover what other treats this little ice cream parlor had to offer. Little did I know that only 4 months later I'd be calling to ask about their flavors 4 times per week, have their phone number into my contacts, and eventually find myself living a mere 4 blocks from their front door...Continue Reading
A Tribute to the Men Who Arepa'ed Me - Part 2
Following Jonathan Kauffman's footsteps, my quest to find San Francisco's best arepa led me to Pica Pica Maize, a relatively new Mission eatery located at 15th and Valencia. Although Kauffman was rather critical of many of Pica Pica Maize's menu selections, his description of his arepa led me to believe that I would have a similarly satisfying arepa experience. I was wrong. Comparing Mr. Pollo to Pica Pica is like comparing McDonald's to In&Out - the menu selection may be similar, but the quality of food is radically different...Continue Reading
Why I Want to Start Every Morning at Knead Patisserie
[rating: 5]
Nine weeks, three extra pounds, and 21 check-ins later, I think it's just about time to write an update to my first glowing review. If you follow me on Twitter (KelsEats), you've likely seen my daily morning tweet, which serves 2 purposes. First it says to the world, "Guess what!? I'm at Knead!" in case anyone wanted to stalk me. Secondly, that little tweet illustrates my full-blown, uncontrollable addiction to those evil little pastries better than any words could describe...Continue Reading