How many restaurants do you know of that have a "food philosophy" that they can clearly articulate? PRESS's is posted on their mouth-watering web site:
“There’s nothing more civilized than good friends, good food, good
wine, and the time to enjoy them,” says [Leslie] Rudd [owner of PRESS, Dean & DeLuca, Rudd Winery, and as of just recently, Oakville Grocery]. I want to capture that
feeling at PRESS, with the best food, great Napa Valley wines, and a
warm, comfortable space for friends and family to share a meal—where
time seems to slow down for a while.”
Amen, I say, and PRESS delivers on this philosophy to the letter! The food and wine are delicious, the space sublime and the service is congenial albeit a bit slow.
First of all, the place is huge, but divided into a few rooms -- a main space with other rooms off to its sides. The building's structure, the color palette of brown and cream, and the wooden details all make it feels more like a very well-appointed lodge than a restaurant. The ceilings are high, the illumination is light but not too bright, the seating is comfortable and you feel like uttering a very satisfied sigh every twenty minutes or so.
In addition to the decor, the food can be held largely responsible for all that sighing. While we waited for our appetizers, we dipped biscuits, thin, cheesy breadsticks and rolls stuffed with sautéed onions into Edge Hill Field Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
For my appetizer, I had the Tuna Tartare with Crispy Fennel and Gaufrettes. (For those of you like me who had to ask, gaufrettes are thin, crispy waffle-cut fried potatoes. The idea is you use them like crackers -- top them with the tuna and pop 'em in your mouth.) Being a raw fish-lover, I've had my share of Tuna Tartare. I've yet to find any that I like better than what they serve at La Goulue in New York, but the PRESS version was still excellent.
Then it was time for the main event. PRESS's speciality is dry-aged beef, so I went with the 8 oz Hand-Cut Tenderloin. Mine was cooked to absolute perfection; my friend Jacquie said hers was one of the best steaks she's ever had.
The menu includes a slew of sides designed for sharing family-style. They all looked great so it was hard to decide -- our group of four enjoyed the following immensely: Grilled Asparagus, Sautéed Wild Mushrooms, Kennebec Hand-Cut Fries (not too thick, not too thin...the Goldilocks of fries) and of course, Truffled Macaroni and Cheese.
For dessert, Rebecca and I shared a Chocolate Soufflé for Two with Vanilla Ice Cream. It's made with 70% Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate, and upon delivering it to the table, the waiter cuts a hole in the middle and pours in a little pitcher's worth of crème anglaise. Jacquie and Jill shared some Banana Profiteroles that looked really good but I didn't try them. (I was 100% focused on the soufflé!)
In short, if you're heading to Napa Valley, PRESS is not to be missed. In fact, Jacquie already booked her next reservation before we got out the door!
This morning I decided to make oatmeal and and have breakfast with Martha. Her May issue just arrived, and it's particularly gorgeous this month.
But first, the oatmeal. It's about as simple and old-fashioned as you can get, and I love it when it's prepared as follows:
Fro Fro's Basic Oatmeal 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup water Dash of kosher salt 3/4 cup Quaker Oatmeal (the regular kind, not the quick-cooking kind) 1 heaping Tbs. brown sugar (preferably Hain's Organic) 2 tsp. Wheat Germ Optional toppings: bananas, strawberries, raisins, etc.
1. Heat the milk, water and salt over med-hi heat until it's just boiling. Keep an eye on it because it can overflow all of a sudden if you don't watch it. 2. Add the oatmeal and simmer, stirring occasionally until it's the consistency you like. I personally like my oatmeal "well done," meaning the overall consistency is creamy but the oatmeal itself is ever so slightly al dente. (Not cold and soupy like it was at JoVino the other day, btw.) 3. Stir in the brown sugar and wheat germ, and optionally top with fruit.
As I enjoyed my oatmeal, here's what I found of interest from Martha this month:
Special delivery for jewelry "Giving Mom earrings on her big day? For an unusual presentation, pin them through a beautiful, fresh green leaf that can double as your gift card. Choose a large, dark variety -- one from a hosta, a lily of the valley, or an iris, for example -- and write your note with a thin-tipped paint pen in a light color." You know, Martha gets a bad rap for doing things that are too impractical for normal, busy people. This is such a simple idea and if I can remember to do it next time, it'll make my gift that much more special.
Natural plant markers "Unsightly sticks and flags look like tresspassers in your herbs. Instead, make them tags that appear as though they belong in your landscape. Find several flat, smooth stones, and label each one with the name of a plant using alphabet stamps and dye-based (permanent) ink, both available at craft stores. Then nestle each stone near its corresponding plant."
Spectrum of sweetness I adore bright colors, and this was Martha's "Color Issue." The entire issue was gorgeous, and this feature in particular. It's pages and pages of desserts in bright hues like red, yellow, blue, green and purple. You have to see it to appreciate it. As much as I adore the Web, in this case, nothing beats the gorgeously printed page.
Coming up oranges All about plants in one of my very favorite hues. There's a two-page spread of flowers with an accompanying glossary which will be very helpful when I want to tell my gardener what I want. (Yes, I have a gardener. I love Martha. I don't want to be her.) My favorites are the Ace Summer Sunset Dahlia, the Summer Trumpet Creeper, the Rosa Austamora and the Impatiens Fusion Sunset.
Now that I've finished my breakfast I'm off to pack for a weekend in Napa. Come back on Monday to read all about it!
There's been a lot of buzz about Salt House lately, and everyone I know who's been has raved. I was a bit skeptical, since it's run by the Town Hall folks. (Though Town Hall is also quite popular, it's just not one of my faves.) Speaking of popularity, when you show up at Salt House, you really feel as if you've "arrived." It's quite the scene (especially at the bar, which is right across from many of the dining tables) and you know you're in "the place to be." Salt House is billed as a "contemporary tavern," and that's reflected in the exposed brick and hardwood floors, but there's also a light and airy feeling thanks to the 12-foot windows.
Once we got to our table, though, we were off to a slow start -- it took forever for our waitress to arrive at our table to greet us, and the rest of the night wasn't much of an improvement. Luckily, the food compensated.
Their web site and an article I'd read said they do the dish with fontina, so I was a bit disappointed by the cheddar substitution. Nonetheless, I understand why this is one of their signature dishes. You can actually feel your arteries clogging as you eat. ROASTED FULTON VALLEY CHICKEN chorizo roasted fingerling potatoes / asparagus / preserved lemon and garlic
Unfortunately, I filled up on Poutine, so I couldn't fully savor this dish as much as I otherwise would. I can still report that the chicken was incredibly moist and flavorful, and everything else on the plate complemented it, and each other, beautifully.
CHOCOLATE FUDGE BAR caramelized peanuts / fleur de sel
You'd think after being so full that I could barely eat my entree that I wouldn't have dessert. You would be wrong. I was going to resist, but I was convinced to share the chocolate fudge bar. Twist my rubber arm, for God's sake! I'm glad I didn't miss it, because it was one of the best desserts I've ever had.
Salt House 545 Mission Street (between 1st and 2nd) (415) 543-8900 www.salthousesf.com
Everyone I know that had ever been to Meetinghouse was sad when it closed. Their biscuits were the stuff of legends. Thankfully, we're not pining away too much, since 1701 Octavia now houses Quince.
You look at the menu and you're almost overwhelmed -- everything looks so interesting, delicious and super-fresh. I finally settled on:
Tagliatelle tre sughi -- house-made pasta cooked to perfection with three sauces: tomato, pea and chicken livers. The plate arrives with the tre sughi in separate mounds around the pasta -- you can either keep them separate or mix them all together. I've always found it interesting that certain people like to keep foods separate on their plate and others are mixers. I'm sure someone's done a psychology study on this, no?
Venetian-style cuttlefish in ink sauce with Mulino Marino white & yellow polenta -- Cuttlefish is a member of the same fish family that includes squid and octopus. The way it was prepared gave it an appearance and mouth-feel similar to portobello mushroom. The dish had terrific depth of flavor, and the combo of the fish with the slightly crunchy pieces of polenta was exquisite. Another interesting factoid about cuttlefish is that it has three hearts. Very apropos, since I was there tonight with two very dear friends!
Gianduja & espresso torta with hazelnut gelato -- I love hazelnut, and this was very good. But it paled in comparison to one of the other desserts at the table, the Dark chocolate pudding with tuile & bourbon chantilly.
Don't count on being able to order any of these things when you visit, though. This seems like the kind of place that bases their menu on the freshest things they can get on any given day. The atmosphere was lovely and the service gracious, albeit a bit slow -- it took over half an hour to get our first course. Luckily the rolls and breadsticks were good and plentiful. My only other gripes are that the room was quite cold, even though our table was the furthest one from the door, and they're not on Open Table (you must call for reservations, and they accept them up to one month in advance). But the food makes you forget all that. Also on the plus side, we had a celebrity sighting of Leonard Nimoy!
4) A hot water bottle. I'd forgotten how comforting these things are, especially when they've got the cute little hot water bottle sweater on them. The one I got from Church Street Apothecary is my new best friend. While you're there, you might as well pick up some Bach Rescue Remedy and New Tree Tranquility Chocolate, or any of the other gazillion wonderful things they've got in that place.
5) Gourmet prepared food delivered to your doorstep. If you're lucky, those folks in #1 might even get it for you! I enjoyed both Jessie et Laurent and Wally's Food Company. Both offer delicious, easy-to-reheat, easy-to-freeze items including soups, salads, sides, mains and desserts.
6) Amy's Kitchen Frozen Meals. Not just when you're sick, but any time you want an all-natural, healthful meal in under 5 minutes. Everything is made with fresh ingredients -- organic, no preservatives, additives or GMOs. I keep a stash in the freezer at work and pop them in the microwave at lunchtime. You can buy them in most markets in SF: I've bought them at Safeway and Whole Foods, but Real Foods tends to have the largest selection. In NY, they're harder to come by, so when I'm there I order from FreshDirect. My favorites are Pesto Tortellini, Cheese Ravioli, and Macaroni & Soy Cheeze (Try it. Seriously.)
7) Whole Foods' Dark Chocolate Raisins. Whole Foods specificially because theirs are made with molasses. My friend Yvonne brought them to me and as soon as I regained my appetite I was inhaling them. When I ran out, I bought some from Real Foods and they were not the same. The molasses is magic. Accept no substitutes!
8) Medicine. Yes, that kind. But did you also know that "medicine" is another word for ice cream? It's true. Ask my dad, who always brought it home whenever I was sick growing up. This time I tried Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream, the new Stephen Colbert-inspired flavor. Vanilla ice cream with caramel and chocolate-covered waffle cones. It was good, but even better with a few grains of kosher salt.
9) Nice delivery people, 'cause those #1s are going to be sending you lots of stuff. DHL has the nicest, followed closely by UPS.
10) Flowers. Not only do they cheer you up, but they make the place you're now spending every waking minute in look nice and smell pretty. If you're the one sending the flowers and you're in SF, Piñon Design and Michael Daigian do a wonderful job. If you're sending flowers across the country, FTD.com is a great option. The bouquet I received was well-packed: each gerbera daisy even had its own little protective sleeve. Most amazing was the fact that the beautiful arrangement lasted over a week.
If you've got other suggestions, please share them!
Ever had the strong desire to try something new and delicious? I thought so. Would you wait in line for almost two hours for it? If it's Burma Super Star, you should.
I know, two hours seems excessive. Fortunately, they'll call you on your cell when your table is ready, and in the meantime you can roam the neighborhood doing fun stuff like exploring the shelves of Green Apple Books, or the tanks of the aquarium store. (Not sure of the name, but it's right there on Clement between Green Apple and the restaurant. Don't miss the adorable Box Fish!)
When your table is finally ready, prepare your taste buds for deliciousness. (Ignore the fact that your eardrums may be attacked by the noisy group at the next table, which is literally inches away from yours.) Here's what we had:
Rainbow Salad Salad made with 22 different ingredients. Four types of noodles, green papaya, tofu, onions, dried shrimp, and a tamarind dressing. (Apparently this dish was featured on a Food Network show - so of course I had to try it.)
Spicy Calamari with Fresh Basil Calamari prepared with lemongrass, garlic, ginger and peppers.
Classic Burmese Chicken Casserole with Cardamom Cinnamon Rice Braised chicken and shrimp buried in a clay pot and baked with biryani rice, raisins and nuts
Wok-Tossed Broccoliin a garlic sauce, topped with fried onions
The menu in the restaurant is even more extensive than the one you'll find on their Web site. I wish we could have ordered more, because I loved everything we ate, and every other dish I saw come out of the kitchen also looked amazing. Since this was my first experience eating Burmese food, I have no basis for comparison, but from the reviews I've read, Burma Super Star is authentic and probably the best in the city. I don't doubt it for a minute (or 120).
Burma Super Star 309 Clement Street (between 4th and 5th Avenues) (415) 387-2147 - no reservations www.burmasuperstar.com
Today I participated in the Embarcadero 5K. I say "participated" rather than "ran" because due to recent surgery I was on doctor's orders not to run anywhere for at least another week. But since I've committed to 12 events in 12 months, this little race was just the ticket for April. Big thanks to my friend Francesca who came out to walk with me.
The race was put on by the Dolphin South End Running Club, which I found via Active.com. Having never heard of DSE before, I had no idea what to expect when we showed up, but was pleased to see that the race was extremely well-organized for a member-run club. The course was well-marked and there were volunteers guiding the way. They timed the race and there was even a chute at the finish line. Although there weren't bibs, per se, they did give us bookmark-like tags to pin on that they collected at the finish (this caused a bit of confusion as Francesca and I walked through Fisherman's Wharf and were stopped by tourists looking for the boat to Alcatraz. Since we obviously weren't looking to make personal bests, of course it was OK.) Our time was 42:45, and even as walkers, we received finisher ribbons!
Today's course wound around the vicinity of Aquatic Park and Pier 39 (very flat). Luckily, the weather cooperated and it was a sunny day with a nice breeze. At first I wasn't accustomed to race walking -- it actually felt harder than running! But I got used to it after a bit. One foot in front of the other!
DSE holds races throughout San Francisco 42 weeks of the year, and their entry fees are quite reasonable ($3 for most races). The club fosters a community-like atmosphere and everyone was very friendly and supportive. They welcome runners of all ages and abilities, "from 5-minute milers to 20-minute walkers -- from ages 1 to 100 plus." Heck, they even have a turtle as their mascot and and their motto is "Start Slowly and Taper Off!"
Of course, no Fro Fro Race Report would be complete without the after-race meal! Francesca and I headed over to one of our favorite breakfast haunts, Rose's Cafe on Union & Steiner, and I had their always-delicious Breakfast Pizza (with fontina and fried egg).
What's up for next month's race? Depending on how fast I can gear up once I start running again, I might do the Bay to Breakers for the first time in my 16 years in San Francisco, and I'll definitely be at the Girls on the Run Lollipop 5K on May 19th. Stay tuned!
Sorry it's been so long since my last post. I've been recovering from surgery and hadn't felt up to writing until now. Nothing to worry about, darlings -- and nothing plastic either, btw. My dear friend Candace came to San Francisco to take care of me, and the night before I went under the knife we had dinner at Coi. I figured that just in case this was my last dinner on Earth, I wanted it to be a great one.
"Coi" is derived from a medieval French word meaning "tranquil," and that it was. Definitely put me in a relaxed frame of mind. The place is decorated in warm tones of beige and brown, but it's anything but dull. I felt like I'd stepped into one of the creations on Top Design. Come to think of it, the place is like the best of Top Chef and Top Design all rolled into one. Coi's owner, chef Daniel Patterson, would probably fume at the comparison if he ever stumbled upon my humble little blog, but I think we can all agree that, in reality tv parlance, I'm "safe."
Danny Boy sure can knock out a great menu. Since this was my possibly last night on Earth meal, we went all out with the 11-course tasting. Lots of local produce, and many items I'd never heard of before. Here's what we had (where there's an either/or, the asterisk denotes my choice):
Amuse: Spoon of roasted cauliflower, shot of cauliflower soup, dab of Coi Perfume
PINK GRAPEFRUIT ginger, tarragon, black pepper
ROASTED BEET TARTARE fresh andante dairy goat cheese, citrus sorbet or (*) CALIFORNIA OSETRA CAVIAR sautéed bone marrow, beet gelée
ZUCKERMAN'S ASPARAGUS meyer lemon sabayon, mcevoy olive oil or (*)WILD KAMPACHI SASHIMI blood orange, sel gris, chives
FULL BELLY ARTICHOKES BRAISED IN OUR BUTTER preserved lemon, ras el hanout, cilantro
YUBA 'PAPARDELLE' soy milk, fava beans
(*)SLOW COOKED FARM EGG farro stew, garden rosemary, parmesan or JAPANESE MEDAI chantenais carrots, cumin, mint
'RAVIOLI' OF LOCAL NETTLES AND BELLWETHER RICOTTA wild mushrooms, spring onions, oxalis flowers or (*)BELLWETHER FARM SPRING LAMB seville orange, braised greens, pan toasted turnip
AGED GUFFANTI PECORINO LUCANO pink pearl apple, rooibos
Palate cleanser: Something that tasted like carbonated orange sorbet - like an upscale version of the orange Fanta of my youth!
WARM VANILLA CAKE rhubarb, olive oil
BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE PARFAIT foie gras ice cream, five spice
It's been a couple of weeks, and what I remember most are the Yuba Papardelle (yuba is tofu skin - but incredibly it really did have the mouth-feel of pasta), the Slow-Cooked Farm Egg with farro stew (farro is a barley-like grain) and the Aged Pecorino with apples (the apples were just the right dice, sweetness and firmness). The dab of Coi perfume was a unique touch, and if you really enjoy it, they have bottles available for purchase. I contemplated it, but decided to forgo because I kept having visions of Violet Beauregarde.
Bottom line, Coi has what every great restaurant should aspire to: fresh, innovative, delicious food; a tranquil setting that lives up to its name; and friendly, attentive (but not too attentive) service.
FYI, in addition to the main restaurant, Coi has a lounge area with an abbreviated menu. They also have valet parking, which is key in this neighborhood.
Coi Restaurant 373 Broadway (between Montgomery and Sansome)
(415) 393-9000
www.coirestaurant.com
6:18 pm Touch down at ATL, rent car, check into the Westin Peachtree Plaza. Highly recommend this hotel for the race – it’s a block away from the Expo and walking distance to the start/finish line.
Pancakes with caramelized bananas were delish, and the service was super nice. If I had it to do over again, though, I’d ask for the syrup on the side instead of having my pancakes swimming in it. Go early – when I got there at 8:20 there was already a line.
Conveniently right around the corner from Ria’s. Beautiful historic site where both the famous and infamous of the South are buried. Luminaries include golfer Bobby Jones, Gone With the Wind author Margaret Mitchell, and the guy who owned the drug store in which the first glass of what would become known as Coke was served (a customer asked for his headache syrup to be mixed with carbonated water). I highly recommend taking one of the tours – they have a general tour as well as specialized ones like the Symbolism tour, the Jewish tour, the African-American tour, etc.
Renzo Piano’s expansion of Richard Meier’s original space is an architectural masterpiece. The three buildings on the High “campus” are as beautiful as their contents. The museum has partnered with the Musée du Louvre, and is bringing masterpieces across the pond for the next three years for the Louvre Atlanta exhibit. They’re currently showing works from the royal collections of the Kings of France – Louis XIV, XV and XVI. Especially loved seeing La Infanta Margarita by Diego Velazquez.
Table 1280 is next door to the High in the Woodruff Arts Center. The lunch and dinner menus looked great, but since I arrived between the two services, I was limited to the very limited “lounge menu.” Nonetheless, the crab cake I ordered was probably the best I’ve ever had – big chunks of fresh crab – and light, rather than heavily deep-fried.
4:00 pm ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon Expo
Oh yeah, I’m here for a race! As soon as I arrived at the Expo site (AmericasMart 3 – 1 block from the Westin) I realized I should have come first thing in the morning. Not only was there a line to pick up bib numbers, but they were also all out of goodie bags. How does that happen? Don’t they know how many people are registered? Unfortunately it was a bit of a foreshadowing of the race. (This was the first year of this race, and they had a few beginners’ kinks to work out.)
8:00 pm Dinner at a totally forgettable Italian restaurant near the Westin. Wanted a quick, convenient carbo-load – and that ‘s what I got, but at a place that doesn’t even offer Parmesan cheese grated on top of the spaghetti marinara.
Sunday
6:45 am Run out the door of the Westin and make it to the starting line just in time. I immediately noticed how much warmer it was here than in Phoenix, or even Austin. During the race I realized I was almost the only person wearing long running pants instead of shorts. I was also sporting hot orange shoelaces courtesy of my $10 donation to Run for Something Better, an organization that fights childhood obesity. (Get your laces at www.ingrunforsomethingbetter.com)
7:00 am We’re off! The course took 13,730 runners through Atlanta’s beautiful neighborhoods. The weather was lovely, the sun was shining, and the crowds were out to cheer us on. The race also started on time, which is rare. Unfortunately since this was the inaugural race, as I mentioned earlier, they still have some other kinks to work out. First, even on wide streets, the race lanes were too narrow. I was crowded by other runners for the entire race, which is rare – usually I can shake ‘em by Mile 3 at the latest. Second, they didn’t have enough volunteers at the water stations and they placed them right next to the port-a-johns, so every two miles or so there was a huge crowd you had to maneuver through or around. The finish line area was super-crowded, but they did have a good supply of water, food and post-race photo-booths. The medal was also quite nice! My chip time of 2:26:42 was my slowest so far this year, so I look forward to improving in the months to come.
12:30 pm Brunch at the Sun Dial Restaurant in the Westin Hotel. Located atop of the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere, the Sun Dial is a rotating restaurant that gives you a 360 degree view of Atlanta as you dine. The 72-story elevator ride is not for the faint of heart! I had Bananas Foster French Toast with Sweet Mascarpone … very well-deserved after running 13.1 miles!
I had planned to go to Phipps Plaza Shopping Center, the MLK museum, the Aquarium or one of a myriad of other Atlanta attractions, but those will have to wait for my next trip. After the race and brunch, Sunday was all about relaxing, including my favorite Sunday ritual, coffee and the New York Times.
6:45 pm Dinner at Restaurant Eugene (see separate post).
Monday
6:40 am My [insert favorite obscenity here] Treo alarm clock didn’t go off – so I woke up at 6:40with an 8am flight to catch. By a stroke of luck or an act of God (or both) somehow I drop off my rental car and make it to the airport lobby by 7:20. This is in spite of the fact that the Westin bellhop gave me the wrong directions to the airport! So I’m feeling great until the United E-Z Check-in touch screen tells me my flight departs at 7:50, not 8:00. I dash to the security line to find a gazillion people (think Vegas CES). I weave my way towards the front and ask a security guard if I may go through in order to make my flight….he obliges and I think I’m home free, until I realize it’s a huge trek from there to the gate. OK, enough of the suspense…I make the flight and arrive in SF with great memories of a wonderful trip.
All things considered, I’d definitely recommend doing this race next year!
Rand McNally – I’m so geographically challenged that one of my best friends calls me Alice (as in Alice in Wonderland, down the rabbit hole…) I was also warned that almost every street in the city is called some variation of Peachtree. So I ordered a laminated fold-up Atlanta map from RandMcNally.com and plotted out my activities, pasting tiny cut-out Post-Its along the route. It may sound a tad obsessive-compulsive, but I’m proud to say that on this trip, Alice didn’t get lost once!
Google Map -- I've created one for the places you've just read about, in case you want to do this trip yourself.
UPDATE: My photos and finish line video are now available! (Click on the photo to view them on Webshots)
