Raduno

Photo by Jasmine

Raduno Brick Oven & Barroom, Brunch, Little Rock
July 30, 2016

P:
BISCUITS AND GRAVY - Housemade fennel sausage gravy over a fluffy buttermilk biscuit topped with two sunny-side up eggs
Honey rosemary iced tea

J:
TOMATO MAYO - Two pieces of Boulevard Bread Co. sourdough, a garlic aioli spread topped with heirloom tomato slices, two sunny-side eggs and goat cheese crumbles; served open face


Notes:
Our original destination, a restaurant with a reputation for some of my favorite buzzwords (local, sustainable, community, biscuits and gravy), turned out to be a nonstarter.  The line to order didn't budge in 20 minutes and most of the seating was outdoor, which normally I'd love except we're talking high noon in Arkansas, in July.  Uh-uh.  By this time, however, Patrick had his mind set on biscuits and gravy - thankfully there was a place nearby that could help with that.

The Little Chihuahua

photo - Yelp, Frank K.

The Little Chihuahua, Brunch, Lower Haight

June 26, 2016

P:

Breakfast Burrito

A toasted flour tortilla stuffed with scrambled eggs, chorizo, jack cheese, refried beans, fresh chopped cilantro & onions, Mexican potatoes, sautéed poblano chiles and onions and smoky chile salsa

J:

Stacked Enchiladas

Corn tortillas stacked and filled with jack cheese, sautéed poblano chiles and onions, Mexican potatoes, black beans and braised pork. Smothered in red guajillo sauce and topped with two over easy eggs, chopped avocado and cotija cheese

Notes:

We wanted Mexican food on this beautiful Sunday afternoon, and we pass by this place every so often, so it was time to give it a try (and their brunch menu looked fabulous).

The restaurant is small and a bit crowded; it's one of those places where you order at the counter and the food is brought out to you.  It's also a happy meat place (meaning, the meats and seafood used are raised/caught sustainably), so it's more expensive than average [Mexican food], but not overly so.

They have a self-serve salsa bar, so we got a bowl of chips because you can't sample all of those salsas without a bowl of chips.  Some of the salsas were better than others, we found the smokey chipotle salsa to be the most flavorful.

Patrick was expecting a burrito of the handheld variety, but it arrived plated with sauce drizzled across the top.  He was happy with it, though.  That flour tortilla was packed with all kinds of Mexican breakfasty goodness: scrambled eggs, chorizo, refried beans, cheese, salsa, yum. 

Mine, also pretty satisfying, consisted of corn tortillas layered with deliciousness (tender, roasted red potatoes, chiles, black beans and bits of tender pork), and smothered in smooth, earthy red sauce. Melted cheese and two fried eggs with runny yolks crowned that lovely monstrosity (it was huge).


We'll go back, though we'll try something off the regular menu next time.

House of Bagels

photo - Yelp, Hui U.

House of Bagels, Lunch, Inner Richmond
June 11, 2016

P:
Jalapeno cheddar bagel, toasted with cream cheese
Raisin bagel, toasted with cream cheese

J:
New York Bagel - Everything bagel with cream cheese, nova lox, tomatoes, capers, red onion, not toasted


Notes:
This is our neighborhood bagel place.  It's a homegrown place that's been in operation since 1962, and at this very location since 1964.  I'm no bagel connoisseur, but they make a good bagel here, and it's a nice stroll from our apartment, so win-win.

Usually, I just get an Everything bagel toasted with cream cheese.  This time, I got bold and decided to try the New York Bagel, one of my favorite combos.  And, speaking of bold, I went also went untoasted; I haven't had a bagel since reading all about the virtues of untoasted bagels while writing about our visit to Beauty's Bagel Shop in Oakland.  I was happy with the toppings; the cream cheese is a little thin, but has a nice flavor, the lox is average but good, and the capers, red onion and tomato were in proper proportion.  I'm not sure I liked the untoasted bagel.  I felt it was harder to eat, and whatever it is I'm supposed to appreciate about the untoasted bagel, I couldn't here - there were just too many things going on.  I haven't given up, though; next time, I'll go back to plain ol' cream cheese on my Everything bagel, and I'll try it untoasted.

Patrick often gets two bagels, and when he does, one of the two of them is always raisin.  He's definitely a fan.


We hit this place up about once every month or so.  It's good for a fix, especially now that I know I can get a decent bagel with lox and cream cheese, toasted or not.

The Corner Store

Photo by Patrick

The Corner Store, Brunch, Lone Mountain
May 1, 2016

P:
Classic Benny
Cheddar Grits
Fresh OJ

J:
Cambridge House Smoked Salmon - potato pancake, tartar sauce, red onion, poached egg
Sophia Loren (cocktail) - Espolon tequila, Campari, grapefruit, lime, agave, ginger beer


Notes:
The Corner Store is a cute little spot that opened up a few years ago; we've been there a handful of times, and only for brunch, if I'm not mistaken.  It's usually pretty busy on the weekends, but we happened in late that day, so the place was quiet.  We sat in the tented patio area on that beautiful, sunny, not-too-cold San Francisco afternoon, and it was one of those moments you wish could last forever.

Patrick's biggest complaint about this place is that they over complicate things; he thinks the food is good, but he often finds himself wishing there was 1 less ingredient in every dish.  This time he went with the Classic Benny: toasted English muffin served open faced and topped with ham, poached eggs and hollandaise.  The hollandaise looked a little thin and the eggs were maybe a touch overcooked, which meant more of a jelly-like yolk than an oozy one, but it was a satisfying, uncomplicated dish.  Served on the side were new potatoes that had been lightly crushed before pan-frying, resulting in home fries with a thick, craggy, golden brown crust - damn good and hard to resist - perhaps it's a good thing the portion wasn't generous.  Sadly, the cheddar grits were a bit of a disappointment.  They were very good, cooked to the proper texture and consistency, rich with the savor of a hearty chicken broth, but no cheddar cheese flavor to speak of, and that is what got me excited about them in the first place.  Ahem, CHEDDAR grits.  Sigh.

Now, I love their Cambridge House smoked salmon dish, and may never need or want to order anything else here.  It's a well-composed mix of flavors, textures, and temperatures.  The flat, shredded potato pancake is a little oily and not crispy but for a bit of the edges, but if you've been keeping up with me, you know I don't discriminate much when it comes to the potato.  Draped over the warm pancake are thin slices of buttery, textured, lightly smoked salmon that just melts in your mouth.  A pile of peppery arugula sits over the salmon; the dressing on the arugula smacks more of herbed creme fraiche than it does tartar sauce, and that's not a complaint, but an improvement.  And when you cut into that poached egg nestled on top of everything, and warm egg yolk oozes everywhere, it becomes this mess of loveliness.  Everything in this dish just works for me.


We like this place.  I have a particular fondness for places with (somewhat, in this case) outdoor seating.  It's hard to say if we'll ever give dinner a shot, but at the very least well come back for brunch.  Preferably on one of those beautiful San Francisco spring days.

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.

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.

Réveille Coffee Co.

photo - www.reveillecoffee.com

Réveille Coffee Co., Mission Bay, Brunch

March 26, 2016

P:

Homestyle Breaky, 2 Cage Free Eggs Scrambled, Fingerling Potato, Bacon, Toast with Housemade Jam

Latte

Fizzy Izzy cocktail

J:

Potato Pancake, Sunny Up Egg, Bacon Jam, Applesauce, Creme Fraiche

Kenya pour over, black

Mimosa

Notes:

One beautiful Saturday, we found ourselves at this uber modern space after a quick visit to a restaurant supply store close by.  It occupies a sizable corner among a sea of "luxury" condos on the bay side of the city; adorable pink and gold tables lead the way into the otherwise nondescript storefront.

There was not a line of any sort when we walked in, and confusion took over.  The sleek interior does not allow for "Order Here"-type direction, and if the place was too cool for signs, maybe it was too cool for us.  I became panicked and annoyed all at once.  Thankfully, we were quietly directed into single file once several other similarly confused groups filled the open space around the counter.  (Funny, how we need lines.  Talk amongst yourselves.)

We ordered.  Coffee drinks you pickup at the counter; food is brought to you at the table.  Patrick's latte was ready long before my pour over; he collected it and scored us place to sit.  I found him at the bar on the other side of the cafe, where mimosas and pink sparkly drinks were being made.  At that moment, I wished we had ordered one - they looked fun and refreshing.  Several minutes later, the bartender set both a mimosa and a pink sparkly drink down in front of us, and smiled.  Patrick reads minds, you should know.

After a few sips of our cocktails, the food arrived.  Patrick's Breaky* was a full plate of goodness.  Tender scrambled eggs were piled high next to a heap of fingerling potatoes, sliced into flat ovals and fried - a new take on home fries - with a thick slice of toasted pain de mie and two little ramekins of what looked like softened butter and fruit compote.  Patrick likened the potatoes to chips, and I got the sense that he didn't love them as a breakfast potato; I thought they were delicious, but frankly it's hard to screw up a potato as far as I'm concerned.  The butter turned out not to be butter, but more of a (honey?) sweetened overly-whipped cream.  It was very good, but maybe more appropriate for a croissant on its own, rather than with toast and eggs.  But let's not pretend he didn't finish it off.

My dish: a pancake of thinly shredded potato topped with two picture-perfect sunny side up eggs and dollops of applesauce and creme fraiche on the side; a really nice breakfast.  Sweet and savory bacon jam hid beneath the runny eggs, and the accompaniments were just right.  Except for the unnecessary microgreen garnish, which served only to plant sticky yolk on my face with every bite.  Or maybe I just don't know how to eat.

The coffee was tasty, though not hot (for either of us).  I'm no aficionado, so I don't know if that's in service to the coffee itself, or simply not correct.  That didn't stop Patrick from considering a second latte, though.

We're pretty much never in this neighborhood, but if we were, we'd come back.  There are two other locations, also not convenient to us, so there's that.


*If you've never heard/seen "breaky" before, it is said thusly: /brˈākē/, as in, "wakey, wakey, eggs and breaky."  Except, it's actually "wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey", which I would guess is a reference to eggs and bacon, but I have no idea.  My culinary school roommate said this to me on so many occasions, and either she said it wrong every time, "breaky", or I'm just remembering it that way.  AND, full disclosure, I have NO idea if the person who used "breaky" on this menu truly wants it pronounced that way, but if s/he wants it pronounced differently, s/he is also mistaken.

Cassava, and How it Started

We've been to so many places since Patrick and I met, nearly two years ago.  Many, if not most of them, special.  All worth remembering.  And after brunch at Cassava one beautiful Sunday afternoon, we decided this would be a nice way to do that.

We don't yet know what this is or what this will be, but here it is.

photo - cassavasf.com

Cassava, Outer Richmond, Brunch
February 21, 2016

P:
Meatballs in curry with rice + fried egg
beef & tofu meatballs, paneer, tomato cream curry gravy
Liége waffle

J:
Japanese breakfast
koshihikari rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables, wakame with mushroom, house cured market fish, soft shell-­poached egg in broth (natto available by request, which I did not)
Lemon verbena milk jam pot de crème


Notes:
The Japanese Breakfast made me impossibly happy. It was light and comforting at the same time. Little dishes of this and that; I was so excited I didn't know where to start. My first bite of rice was met with a surprise crunch of tiny salt crystals; almost startling at first (I didn't see them! And neither did Patrick, he was equally surprised.), but I was quick to appreciate their contribution (and so was he). The three small slices of lightly salt-cured fish sparkled like gems. The miso soup was full of sliced daikon and mushrooms, and the pickled veggies and wakame were an inspiration (seriously, I've decided I MUST learn how to make these things). But, the egg. That egg was amazing. The white, cooked somehow just enough to hold itself together, lazily surrounded a warm, jelled yolk. Hay-mazing.

I also had a pot of tea, which turned out to be a POT of tea. It was probably more suited to two, but it was a nice compliment. And, since I always insist on more(!), there was dessert. The pot de crème was lovely. Barely-there lemon verbena in a lightly set custard topped with little kisses of whipped cream and a few chocolate-covered rice crispies. Usually I would eschew toppings on my pot de crème (I have texture hang-ups, which you'll come to know and love), but this was altogether a nice little finish to the meal.

I would definitely like to return for the Japanese Breakfast. I'm hooked.

Patrick was perhaps not as enamored with the experience (this statement and all others to follow are likely to spark controversy). I sensed this and teased that I might need to bring myself here often and alone, as I would not ever wish to force him to endure something so terrible (I'm exaggerating, of course); this notion was immediately rejected.

He had two coffee drinks, because more(!). First was the honey spiced latte. Honey, I've been told, goes great with coffee, and here it provided just the right amount of sweetness. The spice was redolent of gingerbread, and though too just right, the very gingerbready-ness of the drink disappointed, it was not what he had in mind. For him, maybe worth another try sometime, with the honey but without the spice. The other coffee drink was something with "bourbon vanilla" and it actually tasted of bourbon (Patrick dislikes the taste of alcohol, generally). There was great debate over whether the bourbon was in fact bourbon, or if it was the Bourbon vanilla. Upon further investigation of Bourbon vanilla, I can say it's likely the former, but I'll leave it at that before this becomes a dissertation on Bourbon vanilla and coffee drinks.

 The meatballs arrived at the table in a screaming hot dish, curry bubbling up the side and crowned with a few leaves of arugula under a perfectly fried egg. It looked like something I wanted; I considered for a moment whether I had made the right choice. But Patrick shared, so crisis averted. The meatballs were tender and so juicy. The flavorful curry sauce was of the Indian persuasion, much to Patrick's surprise (not Japanese as he had thought/hoped - I think the paneer should have been a tip-off to the Indian flavors, but when you really want something, reason is sometimes not on your side). The egg topper kept the dish from cooling down, so it had to go (in his mouth). Ultimately, though, the temperature was a little off-putting - it was simply too hot to eat. That said, it was delicious once you could get into it.

The liége waffle, offered on the menu with eggs and bacon, or not on the menu as a stand-alone dessert as we had it, was the only thing I was disappointed in.  It was under-waffled (as in, not properly browned and undercooked) and since it contains pearl sugar (which *should* turn into little pockets of sweetness inside the waffle), it was not served with syrup.  Being served without syrup is no crime of course, but not a single bite I had contained any pearl sugar, and I kept trying in an effort to find it - the sweetness was sorely missed.  Sadly, this just wasn't what it should have been.  Whether Patrick liked or disliked this still remains a mystery.

Overall, Patrick wasn't unhappy with what he had, but he would try something else the next time we visit.

And there will be a next time.  (Hopefully.)

You likely won't see any food photos here, but I happened to stumble across this one from a local style blogger and had to share it.  This is almost exactly what we had for brunch (minus the desserts)...she's got great taste, wouldn't you say?!