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

December 8, 2010

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

December 5, 2010

Refining a Wild Idea: The Emergence of the Foraging Chef

It's been a couple of months since my last Culinary Trends article on eggs was published, and at long last my newest article is out in print so I can finally share it with my readers! It's on the subject of foraging - why it's become popular among many chefs, and some tips for those looking to get started. I was able to speak to some pretty amazing chefs for this one, including expert foragers David Kinch of Manresa and Matthew Accarrino of SPQR. Chef Accarrino's Roasted Carrot Salad dish was actually chosen for the cover (seen above)! The latest issue and edited version of my article can be found on the Culinary Trends website.

Below is the full, unedited version. Enjoy!...Continue Reading

December 2, 2010

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

November 29, 2010

Benu Part 2: The Chefs Tasting Menu is Kind of a Big Deal

[rating: 5]

I really wasn’t expecting much the first time I walked into Benu for dinner. I mean, really what would there be to expect? Sure Corey Lee spent eight years at the French Laundry, four of which were spent as chef de cuisine, and yeah maybe he won a James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef of the Year. But I guess I’m just not really impressed by, you know, things like experience and public recognition. And c’mon, only fifteen courses on the tasting menu? I’m sorry but if there aren’t at least 19 courses, I’m generally not satisfied...Continue Reading

November 21, 2010

Benu Part 1: Creating its Own Identity in San Francisco Fine Dining

When asking fellow foodies how they would describe the dining experience at Benu, a friend of mine, well-versed in the art of fine dining, described it simply as, “The Asian Laundry.” However, after dining there on several occasions, I found this label to be a bit unfair as I wasn’t drawing parallels, but rather, I was noticing the glaring differences: the atmosphere and table settings at Benu are stark and more austere than the welcoming, cottage feel of the Laundry; the tasting menu is made of 15 courses which express Chef Lee’s Korean heritage, rather than 9 courses that communicate the restaurant’s sense of place; a feeling of grandeur is created by openly displaying Benu’s impressive, imposing kitchen, versus the quaint mystery hidden behind the closed doors at the Laundry...Continue Reading

November 16, 2010

Dish of the Month - November

The Dish:
Roasted White Chocolate Parfait with Huckleberry and Tarragon

The Time and Place:
November 7th, 2010, Dinner at Plum

The Description:
When was the last time you dined at a restaurant where ordering dessert was an absolute must? In a city obsessed with every aspect of the dining experience, it seems that dessert is one aspect often overlooked. And understandably so! After a couple of appetizers, a sizeable entrée, and a few glasses of wine it’s nearly impossible to walk, never mind find the room for another dish. And while most restaurants boast signature savory dishes, few have reputations for serving desserts so good that skipping them could be considered a crime, reinforcing dessert’s status as an afterthought. Enter: Plum...Continue Reading

November 10, 2010

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

November 7, 2010

Dish of the Month - October

The Dish:
Slow Roasted Carrot Salad, Lentils, Medjool Date, Lardo & Foraged Leaves & Flowers

The Time and Place:
October 22nd, 2010, Dinner at SPQR

The Description:
I have two, dominant childhood memories of carrots. The first is of seeing my dad snack on, what I thought to be, tasteless baby carrots almost every day, and never understanding how someone could stomach them without first applying an ample coating of blue cheese dressing. The second is of eating all of the cold, dry, sliced carrots out of my salad before touching anything else so that they couldn’t ruin the rest of it – a sort of “save the best for last” strategy. Therefore, it’s easy to understand why my associated feelings towards carrots have not all been strictly positive...Continue Reading

November 3, 2010

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