Bill's Place

Photo by Patrick

Bill's Place, Lunch, Outer Richmond
April 30, 2016

P&J:
We each ordered: Paul Kantner Burger - named for the world renowned rock guitarist - an American cheeseburger with grilled onions and thousand island dressing, with fries
Chocolate Malt to split


Notes:
Bill's Place is another neighborhood haunt, and not to be confused with Bill's Cafe, which we visited last weekend in San Jose.  (As an aside, if you consider that Bill is a common nickname of William, and William is "statistically the 6th most popular first name" in the US, it should be no surprise that at least two different Bills have restaurants, and we visited them both within a week's time.  But I digress.)

This is one of two places we generally go to in our 'hood for a burger.  Bill's burger isn't the best burger you'll ever have, but it's just a good, solid burger, and it definitely satisfies a craving.  The beef is fresh ground, the 1/3 pound patties are always cooked to order (meaning, when I order medium rare, I get medium rare), the soft sesame seed buns are your average, delightfully squishy store-bought, and the "burger set" (leaf lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced pickle) isn't fresh off the farm, but it's fresh.  I'll keep going: the American cheese is properly melted over the burger, the grilled onions are well caramelized, the thousand island dressing seems to be made in house.  These are all good things; like I said, a solid burger.

Now, the fries.  The fries are fresh cut.  This can be a bad thing according to some, and that would be the case here.  They don't do what you need to do to make them crispy and delicious.*  Lots of people give fresh fries a pass because they're fresh, and therefore inherently better.  I disagree entirely.  That said, with enough salt, I love all fries.  Even the soggy, sometimes styro-foamy, single-fried, fresh version at Bills.  I mean, potatoes!  They're the best, I said the best!  (Shout out to Philly Boy Jay.) Okay, yeah, but you don't come here for the fries.

But you do come here for the malts!  They make good, old-fashioned chocolate malts, complete with with whipped cream and a cherry on top, not to mention the side car of extra malted that wouldn't fit in the glass.  This might be one of the my favorites things about Bill's Place.


*There is great debate over what makes a superior fry.  These days, "fresh" is in important thing to many people, myself included.  BUT, I personally don't think "fresh" always wins; take frozen french fries (for purposes of this discussion, I am not talking about the frozen brands that add things to "improve" texture and flavor). If you've ever had those perfectly cut fries with that evenly crisp, golden exterior to which salt easily clings, and a piping hot, fluffy potato-y interior, then I assure you, you've had frozen fries.  (And I bet you liked them.)  Consider this: "Frozen French Fried Potatoes" (as the USDA calls them) start with fresh potatoes that are washed, sorted, peeled (maybe), and cut to uniform size.  The cut potatoes are sorted for defects, soaked and then blanched in water to stop enzyme activity for more consistent color, flavor and texture.  Next, the potatoes are briefly fried before being frozen and packed.  By the time you have them, they've been fried once more.  If you look at all the recipes for french fries, you'll notice they employ many of the same steps, most importantly the twice-fried bit.  The difference is, with the frozen ones someone else did the work for you, and it's a ton of work.  Delicious, well-executed, fresh fries do exist, but if it doesn't say hand-cut or fresh-cut or the like on the menu, you're probably enjoying the frozen variety.  Even at that fancy-pants bistro.  And there's not a thing wrong with that.

India Clay Oven

Photo by Patrick

India Clay Oven, Dinner, Outer Richmond
April 27, 2016

P&J:
Mattar Paneer - green peas and homemade cheese cooked with spicy gravy
Vegetable Korma - fresh-cut vegetables, cooked in creamy sauce with almonds, nuts and raisins
Chicken Tikka Masala - clay oven roasted chicken in spicy sauce
Raita - homemade yogurt with carrot and spices


Notes:
Here we are at another neighborhood spot.  It's a pretty sizable space, but almost always empty when we walk by.  I generally think of that sort of thing as a sign (and avoid), but we wanted Indian food, dammit!

So, I have a thing I always order (Mattar Paneer) and Patrick has a thing that he always orders (Chicken Tikka Masala).  We rounded the meal out with the Vegetable Korma, an unexpected favorite of Patrick's but something I hadn't tried before, and the Raita, a yogurt condiment of sorts that I consider a requirement with Indian food.

I'm going to get ahead of things and say that we don't know what good Indian food should be.  I say that because I'm pretty sure we've had good Indian food, and I'm pretty sure we've had much better Indian food than this, but I'm also pretty sure we didn't think the food here was that bad.

Sure, the tandoori chicken in the tikka masala was cooked to death, but we don't know much better, and Patrick enjoyed the sauce with his naan.  The paneer was rubbery, but not uncommonly so in my experience, though I can say with certainty the sauce was much less flavorful than I've had at other restaurants.  The korma tasted of over-reduced cream, but we still ate most of it.  And, the raita was too thin and not very flavorful, but it provided the cool tang I love so much.

Then again, I haven't yet mentioned the off-putting aroma of pine-scented cleaning products wafting throughout the restaurant.  And yes, afterwards (unfortunately) we learned of their low scores with the Health Department (which may have explained the pine products).  And no, I didn't want to eat the leftovers once I this found out, even though I was happy enough to take them home in the first place.


I guess all I can say is that this experience has inspired me to find good Indian food in the Bay Area, because I really do love the cuisine, and I know it's out there, somewhere.

Bill's Cafe

photo - Yelp, Danster L.

Bill's Cafe, Brunch, San Jose
April 24, 2016

P:
Chorizo Scramble - Chorizo, Avocado, Tomatoes and Onions topped with Cheddar Cheese.  Served with fresh salsa.
Sub buttermilk pancake for toast.

J:
Mexicano Omelette - Filled with Jalapeno Chilies, Avocado, Sour Cream, Jack Cheese, topped with fresh salsa.
Sub buttermilk pancake for toast.


Notes:
We found ourselves in San Jose on this bright and windy (late) morning for a little shopping and a bite to eat.  Bill's Cafe is a favorite of a close friend, so we figured that was a good enough reason to try it.

This is one of those places that I think would hold institution status if I knew anything at all about what's up with San Jose.  Why do I say that?  Well, the restaurant was packed, their parking lot full, and throngs of people were waiting outside for a table.  Across the street, at what seemed a perfectly fine place for brunch, if not a little fancier from what I could tell, sat a near empty restaurant.

Bill's Cafe is much like any classic diner: huge menu, quick food, bustling atmosphere.  And noisy.  OH, so noisy!  I had the pleasure of sitting next to the bus tub that day.  You know, that plastic bin where the plates and glasses are chucked after clearing a table (and before they make their way to the dish pit)?  Most often, this type of thing is cleverly stowed out of sight, but even then you can hear that unmistakable clash and clang emanating from its hiding place.  Not here.  This one was planted on the table top of the wait station right next to our table, and right next to my head.  Ear plugs would've been good.

Patrick seemed to be pretty pleased with his scramble, but most enamored with the uncommonly prepared hash browns.  They started with shredded potatoes, and appeared to have been cooked as a giant inch-thick slab, from which smaller sections were cut for plating.  "So what," you say?  Well, it's the interior that made these different.  The shredded potatoes must have first been cooked through by way of steaming or boiling, which resulted in an almost baked-potato-like fluffy interior with an evenly crisp, golden top and bottom crust.  These were quite good as far as hash browns go, and worth going back for.

I was equally hot for the hash browns, but much less so with my omelette.  The jalapenos were pickled, which I don't care for as much as fresh in this case, and it was not "filled with" avocado as I expected but instead topped with two slices (Patrick's scramble also suffered from the same affliction, but he didn't complain).  And aside from all of that, the eggs were terribly overcooked and dry.

The pancakes were a win, though - thick, fluffy, dark golden brown and not at all heavy.  The butter on the side was incredibly salty and whipped until light and airy, the sum of which equals perfect.  I couldn't eat a stack of these pancakes, but the one was just what I needed.


We're not in San Jose often, but if we were, and if our friend said "Hey, let's go to Bill's", we'd definitely go.  I'll just order something different, make sure to get the pancake, and try to avoid the bus tub.

Moss Beach Distillery

photo - Yelp, Don L.

Moss Beach Distillery, Dinner, Half Moon Bay
April 23, 2016

For the table:
Sweet Potato Fries - served with a spicy lime aioli
Coastside Crab Cakes - two pan seared crab cakes served atop a refreshing jicama-cucumber salad with a bay spice aioli and a drizzle of chimichurri sauce
Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip - topped with parmesan and baked until bubbly served with crispy flat bread chips

P:
Distillery Clam Chowder - creamy New England style chowder loaded with clams and potatoes
Pesto Stuffed Salmon - salmon filet stuffed with pesto, topped with a parmesan cheese and panko crumb crust, then finished in the broiler. Served with wild rice and sautéed seasonal vegetables
Distillery Decadence - warm brownie with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge & whipped cream

J:
Dos Fish Tacos - fresh cod, grilled, dusted with Creole seasoning and topped with spicy lime aioli and cabbage. Tucked into homemade Jalisco style corn tortillas with fresh pico de gallo on the side


Notes:
We ended up here with a group to celebrate a close friend's birthday - this is one of his favorite spots.  And if I had to guess, it could have something to do with the view.  In my opinion, the view is really the only reason to come here, but frankly I don't expect much else from any place occupying such an idyllic spot, where land meets the sea.

We ordered a few things for the table.  The Birthday Boy really wanted the crab cakes, and I really wanted the spinach and artichoke dip (because, duh).  I also ordered some sweet potato fries, otherwise known as the vehicle responsible for bringing spicy lime aioli (ahem, mayonnaise) to my mouth.  These were all surprisingly good.  The spinach and artichoke dip came with deep fried pita wedges which didn't do much for me, so I ate this straight off a spoon instead.  It was piping hot and bubbly, loaded with cooked spinach, quartered artichoke hearts, and some gooey, creamy cheesiness held it all together.  The crab cake was mostly crab (shocking, I know), nicely browned on top and bottom, moist and sweet with crab flavor throughout.  The accompanying "salad" was an odd plateful of jicama and cucumber hunks, but that didn't take away from what seemed to be the hit at the table.  I stuck to eating dip from a spoon.

Fish tacos were my choice for the main course.  The corn tortillas were soft and doughy (not in an unappealing way) and tasted fresh.  The fish (cod?) was moist, flaky and well seasoned - it may have even been fresh, but it was hard to tell under the generous drizzle of spicy aioli and shreds of raw, undressed green cabbage.  Adequately tasty, or to put it another way, not disappointing.

Patrick was pretty unimpressed by his meal.  The clam chowder was good, though it tasted just like any decent, ready-made clam chowder.  But, the main dish was particularly hopeless: overcooked, dry yet watery salmon was topped with a mess of breadcrumbs and pesto, served next to flavorless, waterlogged kale and broccolini.  The rice was the best part, apparently.  He tried to end things on a positive note with a brownie and ice cream dessert; possibly a success for Patrick, but I found the brownie dry, crumbly and unsalvageable by neither ice cream nor hot fudge.  The Birthday Boy's fudge cake was tons better, but it's all relative, I suppose.

We probably wouldn't visit this place again unless under similar circumstances as this particular occasion.  Though, situated on the lower level of the restaurant is a large patio, well suited for a cocktail and a sunset, with blankets provided.  So, there's always that.  They do have an amazing view.

Kin Khao

photo - Yelp, Faye L.

Kin Khao, Dinner, Tenderloin
April 17, 2016

P&J:
Mushroom Hor Mok Terrine - curry mousse in-a-jar with mushrooms, crisp rice cakes
Yaowaraj Noodle - Bangkok Chinatown stir-fried noodles with chicken, XO sauce (dried scallop + dried shrimp + dried ham), egg, green onions, cilantro
Black Cod Taypo Curry - Monterey black cod poached in taypo curry, coconut milk, Chinese morning glory
Black Rice Pudding - served with burnt coconut sugar caramel, salty coconut cream, puffed rice+peanut+sesame praline all on the side

Cocktails:
Hua Hin Beach -  skipper demerara rum, coconut cream, lime, chocolate stout, salt, kaffir lime
Phuket Punch - gran classico, old tom gin, turmeric, lime, seltzer
Tom Yum - tanqueray gin, imbue vermouth, lime, galangal, lemongrass, angostura bitters, kaffir leaf


Notes:
Our first date was at a Thai restaurant, two years ago.  It wasn't particularly good (not that we were paying much attention), but so far we've made a tradition out of having Thai food on this particular day.  This was Patrick's first time here, and I'd been to Kin Khao only once before, soon after they opened, also about two years ago.  I don't remember my first visit too well, only that it left me with memories of "just okay", but some food-loving friends of ours had gone within the past year and raved about it, so it was time to give Kin Khao another try.

This restaurant is the brainchild of once-food blogger Pim Techamuanvivit, aiming to take back the cuisine of her native Thailand.  If you are no stranger to Thai restaurants, you might know what she means.  Most menus at most Thai restaurants are remarkably similar; they contain multiple sections of choose-your-meat, choose-your-spice-level dishes and nearly all of them include the obligatory Pad Thai (noodles), Som Tum (green papaya salad), and Gang Keow Wan (green curry), to name just a few.  And, sure, you'll find noodles, green curry, and a cucumber version of Som Tum on Kin Khao's menu, but the similarities end there.

We started with a couple of cocktails, Patrick chose his by recommendation of the server, I just picked one that appealed.  His, the Hua Hin Beach, a pretty, pinkish snow cone complete with paper umbrella, tasted not at all as fun.  It was pretty terrible, actually.  What smacked of tropical flavors was oddly savory and acrid; we couldn't tell what we were tasting, or what would have made the drink taste that way.  I tried the power of positive thinking "I bet those flavors will pair well with the food," but that didn't work - this was a big fail.  My first go, the Phuket Punch, was so strong on the Gran Classico (a bitter liqueur infused with 25 aromatic herbs and roots), it was all I could taste.  I love me some bitters (Angostura, to be exact, and reminiscent of Gran Classico) and soda (club, to be exact, and reminiscent of bubbly water), but this just wasn't for me.  My second attempt was a score, though.  The Tom Yum was a well-balanced, sweet and sour, refreshing concoction.

Less than 5 minutes after ordering, our meal began with the Hor Mok Terrine with crisp rice cakes.  Served in a little Mason jar, this light and creamy mousse was packed with red curry flavor, a bit of heat, and garnished with a dollop of salty coconut cream topped with threads of kaffir lime leaf.  But here the rice cakes stole the show.  They somehow managed to compress individual grains of puffed white rice into a crispy, delicate but sturdy square cake.  Do not conjure in your mind anything related to what you know as a rice cake, this was nothing like that.  When we finished the meal with less than a single square, we had them pack it up along with that one last bite of curry mousse - it was that good.

Next, we had the Yaowaraj Noodle which reached the table shortly after the terrine.  This was SO, so delicious.  Perfectly cooked, well-blackened noodles (I love that charred, smoky flavor) were generously seasoned with the complex, meaty sauce, most of which the noodles absorb.  Hidden in the tangle of noodles were wok-seared bits of chicken breast and fried (scrambled) egg, with cilantro and green onion strewn across the top to brighten things up.  A small dish of white vinegar(?) with little slices of Thai chili was nestled inside the bowl to be used as a condiment.  It was so perfect with the noodles, yet the noodles alone were so good, I couldn't decide which way I preferred it: with or without.  Patrick couldn't choose, either.

Third came the black cod.  Patrick is a sucker for black cod, and with good reason, it's a luscious, buttery fish.  The proportions of this dish were a little off though, or so I thought at first.  Just a few ounces of fish and a dozen or so thin stalks of Chinese morning glory (think spinach with crispy stems) were floating in a sea of curry sauce.  It would have been more appropriate to call this soup by the looks of it, but once we tasted that curry, we were happy to have so much of it.  The curry was bright, fresh, citrusy-sour, spicy and rich with velvety coconut milk.  The beautifully cooked cod stood up well to the strong flavors, but even still, there wasn't enough of it.  We ordered sticky rice to have with our meal; in hind sight steamed Jasmine rice would have been the way to go - there just wasn't enough of anything to soak up all that curry!  And yes, I straight ate it with a spoon half the time.

We finished the meal with the Black Rice Pudding, their only dessert offering and a phenomenally good one.  The pudding alone, more like a porridge, was fine but didn't have a ton of flavor beyond mildly sweet rice.  But the three simple toppings served on the side are what transformed the dish.  The coconut sugar caramel was silky and complex without being too sweet, the coconut cream was surprisingly light in texture and very salty, and the crunchy bits had bold, toasted flavors.  None of these toppings alone were quite as magical as all of these toppings together (well, I suppose you could go without the crunchies, if you had to).  We were each provided our own bowl in which to experiment with different combinations and ratios.  It was so much fun, and so extraordinarily tasty; what a great way to end the meal.


I loved the food here, though the cocktails were a little too try-hard, which was disappointing.  But, would we come back?  It's hard to say.  I'd like to.  I mean, I'd love to, but the place is ridiculously expensive.  We were there, from start to finish, for little over and hour and the tab was much more than you'd expect for such a laid-back yet fast-paced experience.  The service is casual and not terribly attentive, though friendly.  A handful of silverware is kept at the table in an enameled blue mug, chopsticks in a tin can.  It's hard to believe, but the restaurant was once on Michelin's Bib Gourmand list (defined as a favorite for good value - two courses and a glass of wine or dessert can be had for $40, which is definitely not the case now).  In October 2015, however, the restaurant was elevated to a single Michelin star; our area food critic revisited the restaurant this past February, noting that a particular dish received a whopping 35% price increase "in the last year".  Coincidence?  Probably not.  In my experience, it's not at all uncommon for menu prices to change after receiving a significantly good rating, but it's an unsavory practice at best, in my view.  I'm just not sure Kin Khao is worth it.

Amphawa Thai Noodle House

photo - Yelp, Kob V.

Amphawa Thai Noodle House, Dinner, Inner Richmond
April 8, 2016

P:
Mango Tango
Thai Iced Tea

J: 
Pad Kee Mao with Chicken
Thai Iced Tea


Notes:
Before Patrick and I met, I lived in this neighborhood, our current neighborhood.  Yes, we probably even passed by each other a time or two back then, not knowing that we'd meet someday.  But that's a story for another time.

So, when I did live in this neighborhood, this place, Amphawa, was my favorite neighborhood Thai restaurant, then called Chiang Mai.  Shortly before I moved across the bay, Chiang Mai closed for a period of time, ostensibly for renovations, but reopened with a new name, a new look, and a new menu.  And a new chef, apparently; the food was not good.  This was no longer my favorite neighborhood Thai restaurant, never mind no longer my neighborhood.

Fast forward to a few years later: Patrick and I are dating, we were in his 'hood (my old and our current one, if you follow), and in the mood for Thai food.  We decided to give Amphawa a shot, and I'm glad we did, because it was delicious!

Enough with the back story.  Now I will tell you about our latest visit to this, our favorite neighborhood Thai restaurant.  Well, one of them.  Or, one of mine.  Though, that said, I was pretty disappointed with the noodles I ordered that night.  As soon as I saw those wide, wok-seared rice noodles hit the table, broken into a pile of little pieces in the bowl, I knew: they were overcooked.  Thankfully though, the flavors were still spot-on.  The noodles are tossed in a wok with slices of chicken breast and a smattering of veggies, all seasoned with a piquant and lightly sweet dark sauce, heavy on the umami and punched up by hot, spicy chilies and a generous handful of licorice-y Thai basil.  The hot, sour, salty, and sweet flavors synonymous with Thai cuisine are all at work in this dish, also one of my favorite comfort foods.

Patrick was quite happy with his dish.  Thin slices of fatty beef stir fried in a screaming hot wok (you could literally taste the flames) with pieces of slightly under-ripe mango, bell peppers and onions in a thin but savory sauce flavored with...red wine?  I'm not sure, but I think that's what I was tasting.  Odd, to be sure, but I kept going back for more; it just worked.  Most interestingly for Patrick, the beef and the mango took on similar textures; he often found himself biting into mango but expecting to taste beef, and vice versa.

We both had Thai iced tea.  This is one of Patrick's favorites, but I usually stick with the iced coffee instead, and probably will in the future.  Think ridiculously strong tea (or coffee), syrupy sweet with sugar, tempered by half and half and served over ice.  Yeah, it's good, but I would say average; no better or worse than most I've had.


We'll be back, but if they can't fix their noodle problem, we might need to move (and find ourselves a new favorite neighborhood Thai restaurant).

Kronnerburger

photo - Anna-Alexia Basile via lisasaysgah.com

Kronnerburger, Dinner, Piedmont Ave
April 6, 2106

P:
Kronnerburger, add Pimento Cheese - Dry Aged Grass Fed Beef, Cheddar Cheese Mayo, Pickle, Onion & Lettuce, served on a House Made Pan de Mie Bun (with Pimento Cheese)

J:
Kronnerburger, as is - Dry Aged Grass Fed Beef, Cheddar Cheese Mayo, Pickle, Onion & Lettuce, served on a House Made Pan de Mie Bun
Marin Sun Farms Beef Cheek and Shank Gravy w/ French Fries and White Cheddar Cheese Curds

Notes:
This was our third (or fourth?) visit to the restaurant that started as a pop-up* in San Francisco.  The brick-and-mortar opened in Oakland about a year ago, and I was thrilled that it landed just a few blocks from from where I lived (at the time); I had heard such fabulous things.

I absolutely love Kronnerburger, or, I should say the Kronnerburger.  I've tried a few other things on their frequently changing menu, including the poutine style fries on this particular visit, but nothing does it for me like that burger.  Every element of that burger has been carefully considered and perfected.  The dry aged beef patty is coarse-ground and loosely, but adequately, packed into a 1/2 inch- thick disc, well-seasoned and seared on the grill, imparting a nice char to the outside while keeping the inside cool and rare.  The patty rests on a well-buttered, golden-toasted pan de mie bun, and for those of you who have ever made a grilled cheese with "accidentally" too much butter, you know why this is a good thing.  Placed on top of the burger are a few singular rings of griddled onion, some pickles and a nice crisp lump of iceberg lettuce.  All of this crowned with the other half of toasty bun and a generous swath of white cheddar mayo.  AND, get this, when it hits the table, it looks like one of those burgers that is too tall to eat, but when you pick it up to take a bite (or, you cut it in half, whatever floats your boat), it magically smooshes into the perfect get-a-little-bit-of-everything-in-every-bite burger without losing anything along the way.  We're talking perfect engineering, here.

Patrick absolutely does not like Kronnerburger, the Kronnerburger.  It was on this night that he finally, confidently settled on that opinion, three (or four?) visits in the making.  For this last attempt, he ordered the burger medium and added the pimento cheese, hoping that would get him closer to something he liked.  It didn't work.  Generally, he doesn't care for the over-the-top richness or the absence of a vinegary punch which might temper it.  He also finds it messy; I'd argue that's not necessarily a negative, but clearly I'm gaga for this masterpiece (see?!).

We (well, more so I) enjoyed the poutine-style fries, but they were heavy on the clove and just heavy in general.  Not that I would expect any different, I knew what I was getting into.  The fries, hand cut (I'm guessing) and fried to super-crisp perfection were topped with a sticky-meaty gravy and crumbles of gooey white cheddar.  More to the point: delicious dish, but I'll stick to the burger alone next time.  Patrick might just have dessert.


*For those unfamiliar with the pop-up restaurant, it's a thing that gained popularity within the last 5 years or so.  In essence, existing restaurants or other establishments are "taken over" by an outside chef and crew for the day (typically when the existing spot is closed) and dinner is served.  It's a symbiotic relationship on multiple levels, and successful pop-ups often lead to brick-and-mortar establishments (which then host pop-us?  Eh, eh?  Please, talk amongst yourselves).

CatHead's BBQ

photo - catheadsbbq.com

CatHead's BBQ, SOMA, Lunch
April 3, 2016

P:
Slow Smoked Pork Shoulder with BBQ Baked Beans and Mustard Slaw
Cathead Biscuit with Honey Butter and Pepper Jelly (to share)
Sweet tea ("Good," says Patrick.)

J:
Coca-Cola Smoked Brisket with Pimento Mac & Cheese and Dandelion Green Potato Salad
Unsweetened Tea ("Bad," says Patrick.)


Notes:
CatHead's is another one of those places on that BBQ list I was telling you about.  The main attraction here, if not the barbecue, is the cathead biscuit, so named because it is as large as a cat's head.

This is one of the first barbecue places I've ever been to which didn't allow for a "plate" with more than one meat choice.  Not to suggest that I couldn't have done this, but I allowed the menu to be my guide, and decided to stick with the "BBQ Plate with two sides".  The plates come with a mini-cathead biscuit, but since I believed the biscuit to be the reason we were there, I insisted we get a "regular" cathead biscuit and forego the minis.  The guy at the counter kindly substituted extra pickles in place of the biscuits.

We ordered, collected our drinks and utensils and sat at the bar overlooking the smokers.  As we waited, I tasted the different sauces at the counter: the usual BBQ, a mustard sauce, and a habanero sauce.  The BBQ sauce was average, the mustard sauce good (though not as delicious as Black Bark's mustard sauce) and the habanero sauce - delicious - smooth and thick with a wonderfully sweet heat.  Very nice.  Several minutes later, we were served.  The sides, in all cases, were generous.  My brisket portion was average if not a little less than, and Patrick's pulled pork was an insane mound of shredded goodness, which we had to assume was a heavy-handed error - no way was that the usual serving size. 

Everything was good, but I think the biscuit and sides stood out more than the barbecue, which is probably not the best thing to say about a BBQ joint.  I liked the pork more than Patrick, he didn't care for the way in which it was doused in sauce.  He preferred my brisket, but I thought it was on the dry side and didn't have much flavor.  The BBQ Baked Beans were well balanced and super-tender; a thumbs up, and Patrick isn't easy.  The slaw he thought good, but not great, and I'd say the same.  The loose and mashy Dandelion Green Potato Salad wasn't pretty but it was damn tasty, though the strong vinegar flavor of this creamy concoction got to be a little much towards the end.  Finally, the mac and cheese was good but nothing extraordinary, though it did hit the spot.

The cathead biscuit was probably our favorite part of it all.  It was crispy and buttery on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside.  The butter was generously sweetened with honey and the pepper jelly was so, so good, but there wasn't enough of it for that giant biscuit.

Barbecue can have off days, so we're not ready to dismiss this place, but we're not ready to call it a favorite, either.

Stock in Trade

photo - stockintradesf.com

Stock in Trade, Marina, Brunch
April 2, 2016

P:
Biscuits n' Gravy
Buttermilk Biscuit, Bacon Gravy, Two Fried Eggs, Potatoes

J:
Wakin’ Bacon Sando
Crispy Bacon, American Cheese, Two Fried Eggs, House-Made Pain de Mie, Sriracha Aioli, Crispy Fries


Notes:
We ended up at Stock and Trade to meet a group of friends for a birthday brunch.  We hadn't heard of this restaurant before, but they have bottomless mimosas on the menu; there might have been a correlation.

The place was ridiculously loud with speakers blaring mediocre Top-40 rap from all directions.  Clearly, their intent was to create that "party" atmosphere by forcing us to yell at one another.  (Woo, party.)  So that plus bottomless mimosas equals not very high hopes for the food.  But I was wrong, in part.

My breakfast sandwich was pretty damn good.  Proper eggs (runny), perfect bacon (thin and crispy), on a well-made, toasted pain de mie bun (bravo!).  American cheese and Sriracha aioli (= spicy mayonnaise) sealed the deal on this winner.  Oh, and damn good french fries came with that damn good sammich.

Patrick was a little less fortunate.  When he ordered the Biscuits and Gravy, the server kindly proceeded to warn him of it; it was not a terribly successful take on the dish, in her view (which was, of course, guided mostly by the views of all those who ordered the dish before him).  I have mixed feelings about this approach.  While it's nice to be advised that a dish may not live up to expectations, it's not nice to know that the restaurant continues to serve something that everyone complains about, AND any chance of loving that [failure of a] dish has now been thwarted - the seeds of contempt have been planted!  So, yeah.  He thought it was just okay.  The biscuits were heavy and the gravy didn't have much flavor, save for a hint of bacon hidden under the taste of raw flour.  Crammed into the cast iron dish with everything else was a larger than necessary pile of mashy/chunky curry-spiced(?) potatoes.  I think I've commented before that you can't really ruin a potato, but these guys tried.

The bottomless bellinis (peach juice with sparking wine) and mimosas (orange juice with sparkling wine) were surprisingly good, until they turned into a giant headache, which came as no surprise.

We probably wouldn't go back unless it was once again chosen as a birthday brunch destination or some such thing - not really our kind of place.

Dirty Habit

photo - Yelp, Janelle Q.

Dirty Habit, SOMA, Drinks
April 1, 2016

P:
Oaxacan Express -
Espresso infused Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Pueblo Viejo Tequila, Suze, All Spice, Tempus Fugit Creme de Cacaco

J:
What I wanted: Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove -
Avua Cachaca, Barsol Quebranta Pisco, Lillet Rose, Velvet Falernum
What I got: Aloe Be Thy Name -
Banks 5 Island Rum, Chareau Aloe, Guava, Banana, Lime


Notes:
We came here for a drink after having some fabulous Vietnamese fare around the way.  Dirty Habit is on "our list" not only for the food, but for the cocktails, so we didn't argue for a second when it was suggested as our next stop.

I'm sad to say, I'm not sure we'll be able to humor this place a second time.  The bar/restaurant is located on the 5th floor (you're welcome - we searched 4 out of 9 floors before finding it) in the hip and trendy boutique Hotel Zelos.  This is one of those hotels where everyone, patrons and personnel alike, is young and attractive, and all have "that" look (you could interpret this many ways, and I'll let you).  The staff was not well trained, which resulted in the four of us doing a ridiculous dance just to get a seat.  (Make that three of us, I saw this coming and excused myself, finding respite in the toilet paper-less ladies' room.)  Then the drink menu was one of those 10-page deals, with a cute name and lengthy description for each cocktail, but with only one copy per four people, it took us a while to decide on what we wanted.  And when I ordered the Iron Fist in a Velvet glove, we learned it was one of the two cocktails being "phased out", and therefore unavailable.  Thankfully, I had a second choice in mind.

The drinks took 10 minutes, maybe more, maybe less; though, they were lovely.  But, at $13 each our bill turned out to be more for four drinks than dinner for five people, which might not have been so bad had the experience not been so lackluster.

So, here is the conundrum.  I'm too old (There, I said it!) to tolerate this sort of nonsense, but the food here is supposed to be HAYMAZING!  What to do, what to do?!  Maybe worth another shot?  I think so.  But on a Tuesday.  At 5 o'clock.  Early bird special.

Tu Lan

photo - insidescoopsf.sfgate.com

Tu Lan, SOMA, Dinner

April 1, 2016

P&J:

Imperial Rolls

Pork Shish Kebab & Rice Noodle

Beef Cubes VN Style

Fried Fish & Ginger Sauce

Notes:

This place is an institution.  It's also an institution that has been shut down by the health department on more than one occasion.  I found this out while perusing the interwebs for their menu prior to meeting up with some friends there, days later.  I didn't pay that much mind, though; the friend who recommended Tu Lan is no fool.

Five of us crowded around a table and ordered food to share.  The beef and fish were known favorites, and the Imperial Rolls and pork I read were "must try" dishes.

Everything was pretty incredible, flavors bright and fresh.  The saucy beef, doused in black pepper that somehow didn't overpower everything, shared the plate with a pile of sauteed onions and tomato.  The pork, caramelized on the grill, was sticky and succulent, served over plain rice noodles with cilantro leaves and grated carrot.  Thin fish filets, lightly breaded and flash-fried were accompanied by a punchy sauce of finely grated ginger and vinegar.  The Imperial Rolls were so-so; they seemed over-cooked and dried out, but tasty nonetheless, especially with the Nouc Cham (a sweet, vinegary dipping sauce) served on the side.

Apparently, Julia Child stopped here for a bite in 1985, her likeness emblazoned on the front of the laminated menus.  The near 30-year old newspaper snippet which made mention of her visit still hangs on the wall.

We'll be back.  At the very least we need to try Julia's favorite, the Lemon Beef Salad.