6.30.10

This evening I got a very special treat - a little Spruce 'take home.' I got a "double" appetizer portion (I happily could have eaten at least a quad) of their gnocchi with wild mushrooms, zucchini and some sort of glorious creamy sherry-y sauce. I have not had a bad Spruce experience and this meal upheld the record. I must say that in the privacy of my own home I, slightly ashamedly, took a quick lick of the plate so as not to miss out on any of the saucy-goodness.

6.27.10

Dinner at SPQR (thanks to BlackboardEats). Started off with creamy burrata, pepperonata, anchocress, and a drizzle of balsamic and we also tried the spring vegetable 'vignarola' - interesting salad with fresh lettuces, herbs, and lightly sauteed fresh veggies (peas, artichokes, etc.). The salad was good but I don't always love the wilty-sauteed texture in my salads - maybe I'm too much of a traditionalist. The burrata was scrumptious and a very generous serving of cheese.

We had three pasta dishes - the standout was the buckwheat spaghetti with a suckling pig ragu, broccoli rabe, and golden raisins.

For dessert I couldn't resist the brown sugar torte with lemon curd and candied kumquats. The torte was delicious and similar in flavor to sticky toffee pudding.

View from the chef's counter.

6.26.10

Love CUESA's "Iron-Chef" competitions, almost as much as a bag of tasty chicken heads.

Homemade Saturday night dinner: seared ono with avocado, mango, and corn salsa served with 'forbidden' rice.

6.25.10

iPhone madness . . .

6.24.10

RN74

Seafood Curry

Sea Bass (or Loup de Mer) with english peas and morels.

Soft-shell crab sandwich with roasted tomatoes and chips with celery salt.

6.23.10

The Jewish Museum Cafe, SOMA.

6.21.10

6.20.10

Ikea magic.

6.19.10

One of my favorite places in the bay area - Bakesale Betty in Oakland. Amazingly nice people accompanied by FANTASTIC food. I would like to keep it a secret because they don't seem to write it on the butcher paper menu (and everyone is busy ordering the fried chicken sandwich, which is also yummy), but . . . I adore the beef brisket sandwich with horseradish, potato chips, caramelized onions and arugula.

6.18.10

Schroeder's Restaurant