The Fro Fro Blog

Waterbar (San Francisco)

It's always a real treat to see Aunt Dede and Uncle Billy, and they really know how to treat a girl.  This weekend they escaped the heat of Los Angeles to visit the oh-so-much-cooler San Francisco -- and last night we dined at Waterbar. 

With Dede and Billy, the pressure to provide the right restaurant recommendations is particularly intense, since they've been to some of the very best more than a few times.   On this trip they'd already been to The Slanted Door (which Billy gave 5/10 -- "not real Vietnamese") and Quince (which earned raves from both and a 10/10 from Dr. M.).  Needless to say, my fingers were crossed as we entered the fishy next-door neighbor to Epic Roasthouse.   Pat Kuleto and his group spent multi-millions opening both in late January.   Though I hadn't thought Epic lived up to its moniker (click here to read my Epic tale), word on the Wharf was that Waterbar was a winner (whew!) so I was looking forward to trying it.

We had prime seating next to the massive window overlooking the Bay and its bridge, and next to a massive aquarium.  I've always found having an aquarium in a restaurant beautiful and at the same time a bit strange.  Every so often a massive eel would snake around the tank, grimacing at all the people eating his friends.

The Waterbar menu opens with a quote from Julia Child: "You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces -- just good food from fresh ingredients."  While there are certainly some very interesting ingredients and combinations, the menu lives up to this mantra.  Nothing is complicated, other than choosing what to order.  When I attempted to ask our waiter whether I should get the Sea Scallop Ceviche with sweet potato, smoked salt and paprika oil or the... I was nicely interrupted and told that was his favorite dish.  It trumps all the others?  Yes.  Alrighty then!  The Kampachi Sashimi will have to wait for next time. 

The ceviche was indeed a great choice.  I was thinking the sweet potato flavor should have been a bit more pronounced, but perhaps that would have toppled the delicate balance of the other ingredients, especially the ridiculously fresh and perfectly textured scallops.  Meanwhile, Billy had bristled at the thought of ordering something as pedestrian as Gulf Shrimp Cocktail, but turns out simpler can be better.  Dede thoroughly enjoyed Emma's Favorite Salad of endive and fuji apple, accompanied by aged gouda grilled cheese sandwiches (not pictured, devoured).

Had a similar experience ordering my main course -- should I have the Wreckfish - grilled - potato gnocchi, english peas cured ham, red wine, or the Tombo Tuna - seared - maitake mushrooms, pea tendrils, saffron?  Well, since I didn't even know what wreckfish was before last night, the waiter not only explained that it was a medium-firm, slightly fatty whitefish, but also helped me make the connection that if I didn't know what it was, all the more reason to try it.  Once again, great choice.  The fish, gnocchi and peas were all the right degree of firm, and the sauce was super-flavorful but didn't drown the other ingredients.  The dish was like a seasoned ensemble cast, each ingredient supporting the other to produce a great show.  As you can see, some baby carrots even made a cameo.

If my dish was the Emmy winner for best ensemble drama, Billy's was the one that so deserved but didn't win one for best comedy: the Rock Cod "Colbert" - Waterbar's version of fish and chips.  As with Stephen, I couldn't even look at this guy without giggling.  Those were some serious fries, though.  A tiny bit thick for my taste, but otherwise just right.

Dede had the White Gulf Shrimp, grilled.  N.B. they come with the shells on, which seemed like a whole lotta messy work for six little fish.

Dessert time! Dede and Billy immediately locked in on the Ice Cream Sandwiches.  I required further deliberation.  Chocolate Peanut Butter Silk, or Warm Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding Cake?  Though I was leaning toward the former, I surrendered to the latter on our waiter's advice, since he'd already gone 2-0 for me.  The ice cream sandwiches came in two flavors -- hazelnut and ginger -- each sandwiched between freshly baked brownies with chocolate sauce available for dipping, drizzling or dousing.  The chocolate pudding cake was like buttery chocolate french toast with chocolate pudding inside and coffee ice cream (my fave) on top.

So if I go missing for several days, check for castaways at Waterbar.  As for Billy, he gave it a 7/10.  Not bad!

Waterbar | 399 The Embarcadero |415-284-9922 | www.waterbarsf.com

What the F!

This past week was a tough one for me.  And you know my mantra: When the going gets tough, the tough make reservations!  So instead of saying you-know-what, I said Fish & Farm, Farina and 1300 on Fillmore. Unfortunately,  there's no photographic evidence.  I know...What the F!  I won't get into the technicalities here.  Steve J. and I like to keep our lovers' quarrels private.

First, there was Fish & Farm for Francesca's birthday.  There's a new crew in the kitchen, formerly of the Fifth Floor (What did I tell you, it's all about the F.)  Same basic principles are upheld:  local, sustainable, organic.  Though this seems to be all the rage everywhere these days, Fish & Farm is a standout.  Most memorable were the Vanilla Turnip Milkshake amuse, the flavorful broth that enveloped Francesca's fish, my farm choice of pork chop with potato and apple galette, and the chocolate covered peanut butter "icebox" cookie on the cookie plate.  Lovely atmosphere in the main room -- with country decor in my new favorite color combo, light blue and brown.  The 42-table place was packed on a Tuesday night.  A little tip: the floors are reclaimed bamboo -- lovely and admirable -- but try to sit in a booth. Every time anyone walked by, the floor would shake beneath my chair. 

Andiamo!  Wednesday night found me at Farina with friends, eating the most amazing focaccia I've ever had.  The large round or savory Italian bread was covered in delectable prosciutto, with a mound of creamy burrata in the center.  Best appetizer of '08 to date.  The homemade pastas were all molto bene, which didn't surprise me given the raves from native Italians on Menupages.

Finished out the week on Friday at 1300 on Fillmore.  This week's People magazine reveals that Beyonce's slim-down secret is to say no to Southern cooking.  Well, don't tell her about this place, because her willpower will fly straight out the window.   It's the kind of food you imagine the Top Cheftestants are making when they're asked to reinvent comfort foods ... like the Macaroni and Cheese, which the folks at Epic Roasthouse need to come here and try. I'm just saying.  Thank goodness we skipped the apps, because my main course, Beef tenderloin with Gorgonzola hominy, balsamic sweet onions and brandy sauce, was so freakin' amazing I devoured the entire thing.  If this weren't a white-tablecloth-soul-food place, you might have caught me licking the plate.  Just kidding.  Sort of.

So, the next time you get the urge to say the F word, check out one of these:

Fish & Farm | 339 Taylor St., San Francisco| (415) 474-3474 | fishandfarmsf.com

Farina | 3560 18th St., San Francisco | (415) 565-0360 | farinafoods.com

1300 on Fillmore | 1300 Fillmore St. (natch), San Francisco | 1300fillmore.com

All three accept reservations on OpenTable.

Orson, Anyone? RSVP by Monday!

In San Francisco, even if you're not a foodie, you probably know who Elizabeth Faulkner is.  Or at the very least, you're familiar with her place, Citizen Cake.  But what you may not know is that Elizabeth has just opened a new restaurant called Orson.  Of course, I'm on the case, Rosebud. 

I made a reservation for four at 7 pm on Wednesday, March 19.  Why am I telling you this?  Because you're invited, darlings!   If you'd like to join me, send me an email or submit a comment on this post.  On Monday, March 17 at 6 pm Pacific Time, I'll randomly choose my three dining companions, and notify you via email.   

All I ask is that you arrive on time, pay one-fourth of the tab, and be prepared to adhere to the following tips for enjoying our dinner, courtesy of fab food blog Becks & Posh:

12 Tips for Enjoying Dinner at Orson:
1) Don't complain that the one dish you ordered didn't fill you up after the waiter recommended you should order at least two or three per person.
2) Don't go to Orson if quantity is your benchmark.
3) Don't go to to Orson if you are not open-minded about food.
4) Don't take a fussy eater to Orson.
5) Don't go to Orson if you think molecular gastronomy is totally stupid before you've even tried it.
7) Don't hold back - over the course of the evening we ordered no less than 12 dishes between the two of us and we weren't the slightest bit stuffed.
6) Do go to Orson with someone who has the same level of passion and interest and intrigue about food as you do.
7) Do make sure you order the light smoked fish, black rice, keffir lime, bacon which was the star dish of our evening.
8) Do have fun - it can be found in the Parmegiano Pudding. (Think grown-up pop rocks.) The Pigwich and Pork Buns are fun dishes too.
9) Don't miss out on the cocktails - we tasted no less than 5 different ones and they were all absolutely superb. (I'm no wimp so the catch 22 was my personal favorite)
10) Don't go to Orson if you are on a tight budget. To do Orson right, it's going to cost you some. If you are worried about the size of the bill, head somewhere cheaper, fretting about money will only serve to dampen the pleasure of dinner.
11) Only go to Orson with people who are happy to share their food.
12) Don't be embarrassed about ordering several desserts: After all, the owner is a famous pastry chef! (Cheesecake crema is very good.)
13) What are you waiting for?

Yes, indeed -- what are you waiting for?  Even if we don't know each other in the real world, don't let that stop you from responding.  I'm sure you're fabulous -- you must be if you're reading this -- and I'd love to meet you! 

RSVP, darlings.  Can't wait!

Brenda's French Soul Food (San Francisco)

Psssst...can you keep a secret?

There's a new brunch place in town, and after eating there today, I'm banking on Brenda to give Rose, Dottie and Mama a run for their money. 

Brenda is Brenda Buenviaje, who parlayed experiences growing up in a Filipino-Creole household, four years at LSU and experiences as a chef in Denver and San Francisco, into a wonderful Cajun diner of her own on Polk Street near Eddy in the Civic Center area.  She's serving traditional French and Cajun dishes plus a few other unique items for breakfast and lunch, 8am - 3pm Monday through Saturday.  Saturday brunch was recently added to their repertoire.

Greg met me there today, and we thoroughly enjoyed catching up over Brenda's signature beignets and a Banana French Toast with Chocolate Chips special du jour.

Brenda, how did you know I love chocolate chip banana French toast so?  Please please please put this on your permanent menu!

The beignets (French fried doughnuts) come in four varieties and there's a sampler plate available "for the undecided."  The plain version is heavenly deep fried air, dusted with powdered sugar.  Or fill 'er up with Granny Smith apples and cinnamon honey butter, or thick creamy Ghirardelli chocolate, or Cheddar cheesy crawfish and scallions, the latter dusted with cayenne for kick.

Check, please!

Brenda's doesn't take reservations and the lines are already forming, but if we keep this little gem our little secret, hopefully we'll still be able to get in, K?

Brenda's French Soul Food | 652 Polk St. at Eddy | 415-345-8100 | frenchsoulfood.com

P.S.  The French Toast portion of this post is in honor of Deeeahne.   Cheers!

Epic Roasthouse (San Francisco)

According to Merriam-Webster's 10th Collegiate Dictionary, epic is defined as "extending beyond the usual or ordinary, especially in size or scope."  Not sure if Pat Kuleto, et. al. had that definition in mind when opening Epic Roasthouse along the waterfront on January 29th.  But FFF Francesca and I were there that very night to find out. 

With a name like Epic, a restaurant has lot to live up to. Though we enjoyed our meal overall and there were definitely some highlights, the place has some work to do before it really earns its moniker.

Remember this was the restaurant's first night open to the public, so take all my comments with a grain of salt.  Perhaps one of the three varieties offered at Epic's well-appointed tables.

Things that were truly epic:
- Presentation -- lovely
- The steak knife -- cut like butta
- The brussels sprouts that came with my steak (Yes, you read that right.  Epic brussels sprouts!)
- The Epic Chocolate Souffle.  I thought for sure calling it that was the height of arrogance, but the souffle was outrageous.  Decadent chocolate fudge, with salted caramel ice cream. 
- The Cookie Plate with Vanilla Milkshake.  Frankie sure did love that milkshake.  No problem - more souffle for moi!

Things that still need work:
- The "bread" and unsalted butter.  Maybe the intent was to sprinkle the aforementioned salts on our tiny popovers and corn madeleines? 
- The side dishes.  The Potatoes au Gratin were loaded with oozy cheese (yay) but the potatoes undercooked (boo).  The waiter immediately removed the dish from our check, and offered to do the same (though we declined) for the Macaroni and Cheese, which he astutely observed we'd barely touched. Passing on mac 'n' cheese is almost as rare as Halley's Comet in Fro Fro land.

I'm sure you're all wondering, since Epic is a steakhouse...how was the steak??  The requested medium rare filet came out rare, but that was fine by me truth be told.  But I'd say it was just that -- fine.  I wasn't closing my eyes and moaning a little with each bite, which I have no problem doing for food that's worthy.  But it was good enough to save leftovers for a steak sandwich the next day.

Here's a pic of it cold on Day 2, for those of you interested in examining the marbling:

Stay tuned for the next chapter of this Epic... next time I'll be in the upstairs bar, seeing if their burger merits its epic $25 price tag.

Check, please!

Epic Roasthouse | 369 The Embarcadero | 415-369-9955 | epicroasthousesf.com

South food + wine bar (San Francisco)

After reading that two of Bits and Bites' Top 7 in '07 were on South's menu, I was excited to head down.  South features cuisine from Australia and New Zealand. Don't be a snob, dear, of course they have "cuisine" Down Under!  Aussie foodies even dubbed Chef/Owner Luke Mangan's signature style "ModOz,"  meaning he marries bold, fresh flavors with his homeland's staples. 

The two aforementioned dishes, the Bushman's Plate (an ever-changing array of apps) and the Pan-Roasted Barramundi (an Australian white fish) with Rozelle Spices, Crushed Harissa Potatoes and Salsa Verde exemplified this style, as did the super-fresh Salmon Sashimi with Curry Spice and Lime ...

...the New Zealand Lamb, and the Australian Beef.

In an uncharacteristic move, I decided to go veggie for my main (probably because I know my  girlfriends are generous sharers).  The Wild Mushroom, Sunchoke and Pecorino Pie crust was flaky, and the treasure inside was a sumptuous mix of the unique sunchoke, mushrooms, tangy cheese, and more than a few pats of butter, I suspect.

We were a bit miffed that there was no chocolate on the dessert menu, but the beautiful Pavlova with Fresh Fruit and Vanilla Cream made us feel somewhat virtuous.

Check, please!

South food + wine bar | 330 Townsend St. #101 | (415) 974-5599 | www.southfwb.com

Florio (San Francisco)

On Friday night, Stu, Rebecca and I headed out to Fillmore Street to try the nuovo Italiano from the A16 folks, S.P.Q.R.  Unfortunately, S.P.Q.R. no longer stands for Senatus Populusque Romanus (the Senate and Roman people). It stands for "Sorry People, Quit Rushing."  Thanks to the the no-reservations policy, when we arrived at 7:30 on a rainy night (a strategy that had worked brilliantly at Bar Jules) we were told the wait would be two hours.  When did everyone get back into town?  The city had been so nice with everyone gone on holiday.

So we headed up the street to Florio, where we were told the wait would be a mere hour. Sheesh!  But as we stood by the hosts' stand contemplating our next move, all of a sudden a table became available and we were escorted to through the bustling bistro. 

It had been ages since I'd been to Florio, and my memory and the reviews of the place were both decidedly mixed.  But on Friday, Florio was mighty fine.

Ever since my visit to Centolire in New York I've been craving chicken liver, and Florio's pate with candied fruits was savory-sweet satisfaction.

I also tried some of Stu's toasted almonds -- skinned, oiled and seasoned, they were crunchy, scrumptious temptations. 

You could rationalize that they're the "good fat" and eat so many you'd ruin your meal. 
But we had steak frites coming, and nothing gets between me and my frites...

...except maybe one bite of Rebecca's Pappardelle Bolognese.

The Creekstone Farm hanger steak was expertly seasoned and grilled.  It didn't even need the pat of maitre d' butter, so that went by the wayside (stomach real estate-wise) in favor of perfectly shaped, just-the-right-amount-of crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside french fries.  The chopped parsley on touch was a nice visual garnish, but I kept worrying it was getting stuck in my teeth.  That's never a good look, right darlings?

Then we enjoyed Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies with Vanilla Ice Cream and Florio's famous (according to them) Creme Caramel. 

A sweet finish, but not the stuff of dreams.  I'm reserving that title for the steak frites.

Check, please!

Florio | 1915 Fillmore between Pine and Bush | 415-775-4300 | www.floriosf.com

Homemade Vacation

Normally at this time of year I'm taking off to hither and yon with Backroads, a Berkeley-based outfit that runs active travel trips around the world.  You're biking your butt off by day, then putting it right back on with delicious food at night and staying in lovely Conde Nast-worthy accommodations.  I've logged seven trips with Backroads to date, and frankly can't imagine traveling with any other company since they do such an amazing job.  The guides really know the local areas and make sure everyone has unforgettable experience -- from the Type A's who have to make it to the hotel first each day, to those who meander along stopping for every photo opp and tchotchke shop, to everyone in between.  I'll leave it to you to guess which one I am...

Backroads trips cost a decent chunk of change and unfortunately my car was in the shop several times this year -- literally robbing me of my annual adventure.  But I decided that since you could do much worse than vacationing in San Francisco, I'd take a little mini-Backroads vacation right here at home today.   

I strapped on my helmet and Camelbak and pedaled out toward the gorgeous Golden Gate Bridge for a 30-mile spin.  Who needs international travel?  I've got International Orange!

Just like on Backroads, there was local wildlife...

...beautiful vistas like this view from the bridge on my return....

...and a yummy dinner. Rebecca, Rob and I dined at the Sundance Kabuki Kitchen (before seeing the fantastic flick "Juno").  First there was Mac and Cheese -- no you're not seeing a reflection Rebecca and I both had the skillet of gooey, cheesy, breadcrumb-topped goodness.

Then Churros con Chocolate and Pumpkin Bread Pudding which the three of us devoured before I could photograph the evidence. 

All in all, a great vacation day that if I'm lucky I'll be able to repeat often.

Bar Jules (San Francisco)

One of the hazards of being a foodie, at least among my friends, is that they often expect me to know the latest and greatest places to go.  I'll admit, my Google Reader subscription list of food blogs has grown exponentially lately, but I'm still often at a loss when asked, "Where should we go?"   My brain scans its archives, remembering bits and pieces of various reviews, which are all starting to sound alike: "The chef hails from Chez Blah Blah Blah," or "Located in hip, up-and-coming, Convenient Heights," or "Menu consists of only local, sustainable ingredients from an X-mile radius."  The above scene played out almost verbatim recently with my friend Greg, and I ended up recommending Bar Jules.  Chef-owner Jessica Boncutter did stints at Zuni and Hog Island, and she sources her produce from  small local farmers for her new spot on Hayes and Laguna in Hayes Valley.

Bar Jules' menu is posted on the restaurant's web site and changes daily based on availability  ingredients.  So on the one hand, if you become a regular, you can't count on having a favorite dish.  On the other hand, if you're like me and like to try different places more often than repeats, Bar Jules becomes a different restaurant every night.  A tricky proposition but I'll tell you this much: if the food is as good every night as it was last week, I'll definitely be coming back again and again.

After shaking off the thunderstorm outside (a key element of our strategy to outwit a wait, since Bar Jules has a no reservations policy) and settling into the warm, votive-lit atmosphere inside, we checked out the menu on the chalkboard.  Only two to three choices for each course made ordering easy. 

We started with apps:  I the Crab Crostini and he the Piquillo Peppers.  The huge lumps of crab (untouched by the recent oil debacle, the waitress assured us) rested on lightly toasted bread drizzled with olive oil. I thought I'd had crab before, but this was something else!  The peppers were roasted just enough to be soft but ever-so-slightly crisp, and they, too, were enhanced by a pool of the good oil.

For mains, we had Skirt Steak and Roast Chicken.  I used to think that skirt steak was slightly more and dry than, say, its filet neighbors in Cowtown.  But the skirt steak at Bar Jules redefined my perceptions.  The meat was incredibly tender and juicy, and accompanied by a buttery potato celery gratin topped with breadcrumbs.  Greg's chicken was well-cooked, and the chicken flavor infused the rice and sauteed greens quite nicely.

We topped it all off with a Flourless Chocolate Cake, which satisfied my sweet tooth, but wasn't a cut above the crowd like the rest of the meal.

In the "room for improvement" section, I'll say that the service is still getting up to speed, so to speak.  Slow service usually drives me crazy, but the food was so good that this time I didn't care.  Also note that Bar Jules is not yet technically a bar -- liquor license is pending so BYOB, baby. 

Check please!

Bar Jules |609 Hayes Street | 415-621-5482 | www.barjules.com

Open Tuesday - Saturday for dinner, Sunday for brunch.  Lunch in the works for January 2008.

TWO-GO (San Francisco)

TWO is conveniently located just two blocks from my office.  I've known for some time that they offer gourmet to-go boxed lunches that you can even order online.  For some reason, I never got around to trying them.  Until today.  I read Bunrab's lunch review, and to my surprise, those two hadn't yet sampled the TWO-GO offerings.  Well, those of you who have been reading the old FFB for a while know how much I love to be first on the block.  And in the spirit of healthy foodie competition, I thought it would be nice to scoop them.  Game on, bunny rabbits!  Just so you know how serious I am, I had the Rabbit Trio at Les Amis last night!  (Just kidding - I love you guys.)

Back to lunch.  The menu includes a variety of sandwiches on different breads, a choice between two salads, and one of two desserts -- all for $12. I placed my order online, and though they promise it'll be ready in under 30 mins, I requested 10 and it was ready when I arrived.  In a flash, I was back in my office, opening my TWO-GO box:

I tried the Quinoa Salad first, and let out a "Mmm!" that must've made my co-workers wonder what had gotten into me. (As much of a foodie as I am, my lunches aren't typically moan-inducing.)  The fluffy quinoa had a wonderful lemony dressing, so the salad was the perfect complement to the Poached Salmon Salad Sandwich with lemon creme fraiche, dill and shallots on foccacia.  The foccacia was soft and fresh, and tasted like it had just been made.  I enjoyed it so much that I was willing to forgive the fact that the salmon salad was extremely salty.  Crunchy cukes were a refreshing touch.  For dessert, I rounded out the lemon theme with a luscious Lemon Bar, which was not too sweet, not too tart.

The meal was so filling that I was only able to eat half.  So I put the rest in the office fridge, so I can enjoy it tomorrow.  Two lunches in one!

TWO Restaurant, 22 Hawthorne Lane, San Francisco, CA 94105

TWO-GO:  http://order.two-sf.com/ (11:30 - 2:00, Mon-Fri)