The Cheese School

In case you hadn’t already figured it out, I will say it once again. I love cheese! So, Reid, being the best boyfriend in the whole world, bought us tickets to The Cheese School, a school dedicated to teaching students about all things cheese. Wednesday night we attended the class Locavore: Cheeses of Marin, Sonoma and Napa. For two hours, we sampled a plate of locally made cheeses, learned about each cheese, the cheese makers and drank some vino. Obviously, I was in heaven. Our instructor was insanely knowledgeable, as she just recently finished writing the book, Cheese for Dummies.

A few takeaways from Wednesday’s class:

If you like to peruse the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market, I recommend searching for Andante Dairy and sampling their Cavatina, a pasteurized goat’s milk cheese. It was, by far, my favorite cheese of the night.

Both wines were great picks and reasonably priced around $20/bottle so they are worth checking out:

·       2011 Waterstone Winery Rose of Cabernet Sauvignon

·       2009 Twenty Rows Cabernet Sauvignon

Cheese needs accoutrements! The Panevino breadsticks and the Panforte, a Tuscan honey nut candy (purchase at these locations), were quite a hit.

This class is a great way to mix up your traditional wine and cheese night. It’s a unique date idea or a fun girls night out. The Cheese School offers a variety of cheese classes, instructed by different cheese enthusiasts, multiple times a week, at their cute, homey nook in North Beach. Sign up for a class soon!  

The Cheese School, 2155 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.

The American Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is quite trendy in San Francisco right now. With restaurants like The American Grilled Cheese and The Melt, popping up left and right, it is apparent that others enjoy grilled cheese as much as I do. Turn this simple comfort food into quite the culinary experience by adding flavorful cheeses and crème fraiche (to the tomato soup) and you’ll soon have a cult following. Reid and I visit The American Grilled Cheese, located in SOMA, quite often; (1) because it’s conveniently located walking distance from our apartment (score!) and (2) it is simply delicious!

The majority of the seating is located outside (a pitfall for chilly SF days), but there are plenty of bar seats indoors, in case you forget your Patagonia. This cheese heaven offers seven types of grilled cheeses and two soups so you can vary your order a little bit each time. They also have a breakfast menu, mimosas and a few beers on tap…not too shabby for a grilled cheese restaurant.

I've sampled three American Grilled Cheeses: the Mousetrap (Tillamook sharp cheddar, creamy havarti, Monterey jack, on sourdough), the Mushroom Gruyere (fontina, gruyère, roasted wild mushrooms + gold potatoes, melted leeks, caramelized onions, thyme butter on levain) and the Jalapeno Popper (chèvre, Monterey jack, applewood-smoked bacon, apricot-jalapeño relish on levain). All are phenomenal but my go-top is the Mousetrap.  If you like spice, order the Jalapeno Popper. It is sure to leave your mouth burning.

Reid always orders the Club Turkey (Tillamook sharp cheddar, creamy havarti, Willie Bird smoked turkey, applewood-smoked bacon, Sierra Nevada stout mustard, roasted tomatoes, arugula) but last weekend he ventured out and tried the Foghorn Leghorn (Point Reyes blue cheese, creamy havarti, Zoe's Roasted Chicken, arugula, dill-dijon mustard on whole wheat). Although you can't go wrong with either, he's definitely more of a Club Turkey kind-of-guy.

Definitely take advantage of The Red, White & Blue Plate Special, which offers you a cup of soup and half of any of their grilled cheeses - allowing you to sample a little bit of each. We always order the tomato soup to accompany our sandwich; with crème fraiche and croutons, this tomato soup has won a place in our hearts.

The Mousetrap with tomato soup

The Foghorn Leghorn with tomato soup

The American Grilled Cheese, 1 South Park Avenue, Suite 103A, San Francisco, CA 94107.

Lucky Strike

  

The art of bowling may strike you as somewhat less than glamorous. Visions of bowling alleys smelling of stale cigarettes, dated 60’s décor, men in short-sleeved polyester shirts with embroidered name tags and clown shoes might flood your mind. But, my friends, bowling can, in fact, be very glamorous. Welcome to Lucky Strike, the new, very trendy, bowling alley/bar/restaurant that opened up in the old Borders space across from AT&T ballpark in SOMA. 

I was blown away with the old bookstore’s transformation. As we walked into Lucky Strike on Friday night, the place with swarming with young twenty-somethings, either perched at the expansive bar or dining at the surrounding tables. We proceeded past the restaurant/bar area, into the new era of bowling; where projector screens flank the end of each alley,  playing NCAA games (in the spirit of March Madness) and groups of people are lounging on couches, cheering their teammates to knock those pins down, as waiters serve cocktails, beer, wine and all that really unhealthy bar food that always tastes so good after you’ve been drinking. 

Along with fourteen others, we overtook two lanes at Lucky Strike and for a mere $60/person, we drank to our hearts content and bowled till we could bowl no more (for two hours). If only they offered the option of bumpers, as a high score of 26 proves I am no bowling champion. 

Lucky Strike, 200 King Street, San Francisco, CA 94107.

La Boulange Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Who doesn’t love homemade chocolate chip cookies? As a kid, I loved eating the raw cookie dough in spoonfuls. I loved how the house smelled of cookies while they were baking in the oven. And most of all, I loved eating the cookies, fresh out of the oven, still warm and gooey, with a glass of milk. Oh, the simple pleasures of life…

Fast forward to my “adult” years and well, I don’t even own a bag of flour or sugar. And, given my challenges in the kitchen, we all know if I attempted to bake cookies from scratch, it would be an epic fail. So, I go to Whole Foods and I buy this:

I follow these instructions, very, very carefully :)

Success! Warm, gooey & delicious.

 More on La Boulange coming soon.  

Piccino

Oh Piccino, I heart you so much. I remember before you moved and you were a mere hole in the wall, hidden in Potrero Hill. Now you have blossomed into a beautiful new space, with an expanded menu, maturing ever so graciously.

After multiple recommendations from Potrero Hill locals, Reid and I tried Piccino, a small, crowded, no frills pizza spot. The pizza was awesome. The space could have used some work. The next time we went, they had moved into a bright yellow building on Minnesota. With high ceilings, loft-like beams, lots of pine, bright lights, an open kitchen and spacious bar, the restaurant had done a complete 180. Now I adore this place even more because I am a stickler for great ambiance. It makes the dining experience just that much more fabulous.  

Reid and I visit this restaurant, at the very least, once a month. The menu does not change very often and each time we can’t help but order the same things and then rave about how delicious the roasted cauliflower with farro and almond gremolata is or how brussel sprouts can actually taste good if made by Piccino and cooked with lemon, garum and roasted garlic. Recently we added a third app into the mix; toma della rocca (Cheese! In case anyone was wondering…), hen of the woods mushroom and caramelized onion bruschetta. Yes, we devour all three apps and still have room for the two pizzas that won us over many moons ago; the funghi: roasted mushrooms, stracchino and shaved garlic and the salsiccia: house made sausage, mozzarella and red onion.

Last night we shared this special gem with Reid’s dad, Rick. Rick took cues from the veterans and let us chose the appetizers and he ordered a salsiccia himself. Wash the meal down with a Scrimshaw or a glass of Nebbiolo and you’re set. Taste buds are alive and satisfied. If you aren’t happy with their wines, walk next door to the very conveniently located, Dig, and pick out a bottle. Corkage is $20.  

Piccino, 1001 Minnesota Street, San Francisco, CA 94107.

Don’t forget to try their coffee bar, which adjoins the restaurant. Start that morning off right with a warm cup-o-Joe and a fresh pastry. The coffee bar is open daily from 7:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Kokkari

Kokkari is a San Francisco staple. Located in the Financial District, this restaurant dishes up phenomenal Greek, Mediterranean fare. It’s a tad more on the expensive side but worth every penny. I've never heard anyone speak poorly about this restaurant. Locals and out-of-towners all rave about the food, the ambiance, the staff…everything about this place makes for a memorable dining experience. I’ve organized business dinners, wined and dined the parentals and we’ve had date night here…it works for every occasion.

Why not celebrate a birthday, as well? That's exactly what we did. Reid and I treated his Uncle to a delicious birthday dinner at Kokkari. Even though it was a Sunday night, at 5:30 pm (yes, we dined at senior citizen hour), the restaurant was filled, making me feel less guilty about the early evening dinner resis. Score of the night; we were seated in the main dining room (a first for me). Try to request seating in this area, as it is the best view in the house. Not only is it prime for people watching, but you can also view the huge fire pit, where Kokkari roasts the house meat of the night (vegetarians: you might not love this room so maybe stick to the back dining area).

Now for the best part, the food! Of course, we ordered appetizers; some zucchini cakes with cucumber & mint yogurt dressing and Tiropitakia, which is a filo pie filled with melted feta cheese. Everyone always raves about the zucchini cakes and I had never tried them. They were lightly fried; I added a dollop of yogurt and sprinkled a couple baby cucumber slices on top...heaven! And, we all know I have an obsession with cheesy anything, so the pies could hardly disappoint. The flaky filo dough was still warm with the gooey cheese in the middle. Are you hungry now?

Tried-and-trues I also recommend:

The baked Feta - wood oven baked Greek feta with tomato, capers & Metaxa brandy and the Melitzanosalata, Taramosalata, Tzatziki, Favosalata or Tirosalata with housemade grilled pita.

For entrees, we ordered the following:

Me: Galeos - Pacific halibut steak pan roasted with lemon braised baby carrots & Amphesa olives.

Reid: Arnisio Souvlaki - spiced lamb skewer grilled with onion, bay leaf & tomatoes with tzatziki & potatoes

Uncle Dane: Arnisia Paidakia - lamb chops grilled with a lemon-oregano vinaigrette & Kokkari potatoes

Yum, yum and yum! We even had the waiter bring birthday dessert: a bowl of baklava ice cream with a candle, of course. We didn't embarrass him with the happy birthday serenade but still brought the spotlight on the birthday boy...Happy Birthday,  Uncle Dane!

Kokkari Estiatorio, 200 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94111.

FYI: Uncle Dane informed us Kokkari has a sister restaurant in Palo Alto, Evvia, 420 Emerson Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301. I’ve never been but I’m sure it’s fantastic.

Hotei

Although it is officially Spring, it sure doesn’t feel like it. The past few days have felt colder than ever. So what tastes best on a cold winter day? Udon! We’ve been on the hunt for our go-to udon spot; trying places all over the city. Saturday we might have found the one. Hotei, in the Inner Sunset, is an authentic Japanese restaurant with 15 types of noodle dishes. You choose the dish, the noodles and viola…a bowl of steaming broth filled with deliciousness arrives to warm you up before you venture out into the cold, again. If you aren’t in the mood for noodles, don’t worry, there are plenty of other Japanese dishes to sample.

Luckily we snagged the last 2 seater table upon arrival so no wait on a Saturday night…fabulous! We sat down in this no-frills, quaint little restaurant, sipping our green tea, contemplating all the options on the menu. I chose the Sansai with soba noodles, a variety of mushrooms and carrots. Reid chose the Niku with udon noodles, sliced beef and fresh vegetables. And since we were there, we might as well try a roll, right? We picked the 49er: salmon, lemon, avocado, tobiko and shiso. Everything was so yummy. I slurped my way to the bottom of the bowl. Needless to say, Reid did the same. He can’t wait to go back. He loves udon more than me so he was in heaven. He even perused the menu again Sunday morning, preparing for our next visit. I think Hotei just found some new regulars.

Hotei, 1290 Ninth Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122.

Luella

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I love, love, love Luella! It’s definitely one of my top 10 favorite restaurants in the city. I feel like it’s an untapped gem in the San Francisco restaurant scene. I constantly recommend this restaurant to people looking for a low-key evening with good food and good wine because every time I dine here, I’m never disappointed. Reid had never eaten at Luella so I was dying to take him - my treat! We walked into Luella and instantly Reid said, “I like this place.” It just has a warm vibe and just like Bacchus, not ostentatious at all. We wanted to try almost every appetizer on the menu but settled for two: the ahi tuna tartate tacos with lime vinaigrette and mango salsa (I’ve never not ordered these…they are amazing!) and the burrata with wildflower honey, toasted hazelnuts and grilled bread (who can pass up fresh burrata?).  

Ahi Tuna Tartare Tacos via Luella

Polenta Fries via Luella

Lasagna via Luella

Entrée choice for me: Roasted polenta cakes with wild mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan, arugula and champagne vinaigrette. If you love polenta, I also recommend the crispy polenta fries with spicy tomato vinaigrette - pure polenta deliciousness. Entrée choice for Reid: Short rib lasagna with Parmesan béchamel and tomato puree. Reid will never pass up lasagna. It’s one of his favorite dishes (of all time) and we all know I’m not whipping up any gourmet lasagna at home so he had to take advantage of the option.  No dessert for us, we were way too full.

Luella, 1896 Hyde Street, San Francisco, CA 94109.

Bacchus Wine & Sake Bar

Friday night we decided to have a real date; one of those nights where we actually get dressed up to go out. These don’t happen very often anymore so I was pretty excited, despite the down pouring rain. I planned a lovely evening in the quaint little neighborhood of Russian Hill. First, we stopped at Bacchus Wine & Sake Bar for a pre-dinner glass of wine. We were newbies to the bar. The only thing I factored into choosing this spot - it was a block away from dinner, which eliminated time walking/running in the rain. 

The focal point of the bar: the wine wall

The minute I stepped into the Bacchus, I was surprised by the tiny (I mean itty bitty) space. The bar is composed of two love seats, facing each other, crammed into a minuscule opening, overlooking the window at the entrance, a J-shaped bar with maybe 7 or 8 bar stools and a wood ledge mounted to the left wall creating just enough space to cram a couple more bar stools in for some additional seating. It’s not the place to bring a crowd, that’s for sure. As I looked around, there were pairs everywhere, deep in conversation with one another. It was the perfect spot to grab a drink; just the two of us. It’s not loud or ostentatious. You can order by the bottle, by the glass or even by the sip. We posted at the bar; Reid ordered a Malbec, I ordered a Pinot Noir and we relaxed, slowly decompressing after a long week. Dinner to follow....

Bacchus Wine & Sake Bar, 1954 Hyde Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

Double-Date Dinners

Friends quite frequently ask me random restaurant questions and I love the challenge of finding the perfect place to fit their criteria.

Question of the day: What are your top 5 “fun” restaurants in San Francisco?

Of course, there are a multitude of “fun” restaurants in the city but you definitely need to cater this answer to the crowd dining out. This particular person was looking for a lively ambiance for two young couples visiting from out of town.

My solution would be one of the following:

1. nopa

Walking into nopa for the first time a couple years ago, I was so impressed with vastness of the space. Most restaurants in San Francisco are itty bitty; to the point where you can always hear conversations of neighboring tables, but not at nopa. The open, bi-level restaurant offers so much space. It’s a great double-date spot and a hit if you need to wine and dine the parents (spoken through experience). It’s always crowded, the menu never changes, but it always pleases the taste buds. They are open late night so you can dine whenever the hunger strikes. Reservations are recommended.

Image via nopa

2. Beretta

Although this place doesn’t take reservations for parties less than 6, there is a secret to avoiding the (sometimes) multiple hour wait. Call 45 minutes before arrival and they will put your name on a waiting list. As long as you check-in with the host/hostess in-person, within 45 minutes of calling, you secure your place on the waitlist. While you wait, you can elbow your way to the bar and grab a signature cocktail, glass of vino or beer. The place is always crowded, even late night (they are open until 1:00 am) with an eclectic Mission crowd, all ready to sample the small plates and pizzas. Don’t forget to save room for dessert; try their panna gelato with extra virgin olive oil & sea salt. I know it might sound weird, but it’s heaven. I swear.

Image via Beretta

3. Mamacita

It’s not like your typical hole-in-the-wall Mexican food joint, i.e. don’t expect to find a gigante burrito, served ranchero style on this menu, it's more of what I like to call "trendy, gourmet" Mexican food. Choose from dishes like shrimp ceviche or duck "carnitas" tacos. Think more along the lines of small plates. Order a few things and share. Don’t forget to order guacamole and your meal will not be complete without a margarita or some sangria! They take reservations but if you didn't plan ahead, post at the bar, grab a drink and nibble on some chips and salsa while you wait.

Image via Mamacita

4. A16

I know this is the second pizzeria on my list of “fun” restaurants, but there’s something about pizza that is easy and exudes casual fun. A16 was one of the first popular pizza spots in the city before a swarm of them were introduced (Delarosa, Beretta, Flour+Water, Zero Zero, Ragazza…just to name a few). Although the service can be dicey at times, the wood-fired pizzas are phenomenal. If pizza isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of other delicious Italian dishes to try. It’s wine and beer only at this place but with such an expansive wine list, there is something to suit everyone. And who doesn’t enjoy a glass of vino with hearty Italian fare? Reservations are suggested but they save the bar seating for walk-ins.

Image via Zagat for A16

5. Foreign Cinema

For a first date, double date or dinner party, this place is a great option. Picture a brick enclosed courtyard screening old black and white movies, table scattered throughout the courtyard, spilling into their open, loft-like building that adjoins the courtyard. It’s one of those rare San Francisco evenings when it isn’t actually freezing cold so you and your date are sitting outside (under the heat lamps because who are we kidding, it’s never that warm in the city) casually sipping vino and dining on delicious Cal-med fare. What a great night. Oh and they have valet. Enough said.

Image via Foreign Cinema

Pasta Salad

Obviously I can’t eat out every night of the week so I need to learn a few tricks in the kitchen. The following recipe is so incredibly simple that I frequently add it into the weekly dinner mix (p.s. leftovers are perfect for lunch). I must give credit where it is well deserved; my dear friend Ashley, a fabulous cook herself, introduced me to this recipe in college. It has since saved me from many dull dinner nights. Reid raves of this dish every time I make it and that makes me proud of my “cooking” skills, despite the simplicity of the recipe. As you can see, even in the dead of winter, this brightly colored pasta salad is reminiscent of mid-afternoon BBQ’s during the summer months, which is always a mood boost in the dead of winter (FYI: It is currently down pouring outside my window). Another great thing about this recipe - no need to measure or bake a single thing! You can add or subtract as much as you want, for each and every ingredient. So go ahead and give it a shot. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Shred a carrot

Chop a couple bell peppers (green, red, yellow, orange...you choose!)

Finely chop some fresh cilantro

Boil some whole-wheat penne (tri-colored fusilli is another great option)

Shred chicken from a pre-made Whole Foods roasted chicken

 Toss with Chinese Chicken Salad dressing

Mix it all in a big bowl and dish it up!