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KelsEats’ Top 10 Dishes of 2010 – #10

10) Dungeness Crab Salad, One Market

At long last, we’ve come to the end of this captivating culinary journey. And what a better way to end this best-of list than with the last dish that wowed me in 2010: One Market’s Dungeness Crab Salad. What I love about One Market is how the menu reads fairly plain: Hand-picked Dungeness Crab, fuyu persimmon, pomegranate, hearts of palm. At first glance, there’s not much about this description that’s particularly exciting, but what’s placed in front of you is nothing short of a beautifully presented, technically advanced dish indicative of a one star Michelin-rated restaurant. It’s a classic shock and awe maneuver, and it works...Continue Reading

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KelsEats’ Top 10 Dishes of 2010 – #2

2) Big Daddy Bowl, Hapa Ramen

This dish opened my eyes not only to how delicious real ramen is, but also to how thoughtful and complex it can be. Hapa Ramen’s Big Daddy Bowl goes beyond flavorful broth and perfectly-cooked noodles – it brings in a variety of ingredients that add subtle nuances, richness, and seasonality. Of all of the dishes on this list, this is the one that I have gone back to eat the most. There’s just something about the combination of the warmth, the spice, creamy slow-cooked egg, sweet squash, and fried fatty meat that keeps me coming back for more. You can read all of the details in my review of Hapa Ramen.

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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

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Market Bar. Market Epic Fail.

[rating: 1]

If this place was not one of the only places with outdoor seating over at the Embarcadero, there would be pretty much no reason to go here.

I'm pretty sure I could've swam to Alcatraz and back in the time it took to get our food, the attention of the waiter to get more food, and finally, the check. That's 3 trips to Alcatraz and back! Lets put it this way: I had absolutely nothing better to do but sit there for hours and hours, in fact I was trying to pass the time, and I was still freakishly annoyed with how long it took to perform every single service-oriented task, no matter how simple (i.e. fill up my water)...

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One Market: So Much More Than a Power Lunch

Dungeness Crab Salad One Market

One Market. One Michelin star. One hell of a good lunch.

From the outside, One Market resembles many of its Embarcadero neighbors – a conspicuous, sprawling, posh space dotted with white tablecloths and men in suits. But don’t let the exterior fool you. Unlike many waterfront restaurants, which exude a Power Lunch confidence but have little substance, the quality of the food being served inside far surpasses its nearby competitors...Continue Reading

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Waterbar - Fun to Look at, Not as Fun to Eat at.

[rating: 2.5]

In an era when restaurants are getting cozier and street food is the emerging city-wide trend (read: the economy took a hit), waterbar is a bit out of place.

Let's not kid ourselves here - much like any other restaurant on the Embarcadero, when you come here you're paying for the atmosphere. Kuleto's vision was grand indeed and deserves 4 stars, so, if you don't care much about how the food tastes and prefer to be surrounded by white tablecloths, glitzy railings, and aquariums, then this is the place for you. This place screams power lunch, and if setting the right mood and landing the deal was more important to me than how the food tastes, then this would be a solid choice. However, as we all know, my bottom line is the food, which is 2 stars tops...Continue Reading

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Tis the Season to be Captivated by Boulevard

[rating: 4]

As soon as I walked through the revolving doors, I knew it was going to be a special night. To describe the holiday decor as "festive" would not be doing this restaurant justice - garlands, wreaths, and glistening ornaments decorating the ceilings, walls, and walkways make the already beautiful interior nothing short of breathtaking. The whole dining room sparkled like there was magic in the air. I know, I know that's totally cheesy but hey, I know magic when I see it...Continue Reading

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