Foodtruck Fun

The foodtruck phenomenon has long taken hold on San Francisco and keeps on growing. Below are some of my favorite meals on wheels:

Roli Roti – I’ve already written about Roli Roti, but I can’t do a food truck/stand themed without mentioning their unbelievably amazing porchetta sandwich. Thick slabs of oh-so-juicy roasted pork, seasoned to perfection with rock salt and rosemary, topped with bits of crunchy pork cracklings, caramelized onions, and fresh arugula…all in a big, crispy roll. No other place comes close its quality and price. (Tip: The short line is for their rotisserie chicken only. There’s a reason why it’s short, stick with the pork.)

Chairman Bao – Next to Roli Roti, Chairman Bao is my favorite food truck in San Francisco. Just the thought of their pillowy steamed buns filled with fatty, savory pork belly and crunchy slices of pickled daikon makes me salivate. Their duck confit and mango salad bun should also not be missed. After waiting in line (this truck usually has the longest line), you should get your fill on both.

Cupkates – I have a weakness for red velvet cupcakes, and these are one of the best around! Super moist and rich with the perfect hint of chocolate, while the cream cheese frosting is light and tangy. DELISH! However, I would not recommend the s’mores cupcake. It tasted bitter and oily, while the marshmallow frosting was overly sweet.

JapaCurry – Mmmmm, their pork katsu curry will warm your soul. Tender breaded pork cutlets smothered with a savory Japanese curry, all over a heaping serving of rice. Great to eat on a cold day.

Hapa SF – the adobo chicken banh mi is a tasty Filipino take on the Vietnamese sandwich. The chicken was flavorful and moist, while the pickled veggies kept it light.

Curry Up Now – I’ve only had the chicken tikka masala burrito. The chicken was slightly dry, but well dressed by the creamy and spicy tikka masala. Overall pretty good, but I prefer the fresh-out-of-the-tandoori-oven chicken tikka masala naan rolls served at Jack London Square Farmers’ Market on Sundays.

Food trucks that didn’t make the cut:

• Kung Fu Tacos – chicken was dry and the tacos were not particularly memorable.

• The Crème Brûlée Cart – the vanilla bean crème brûlée was bland, and served warmer than room temperature, like it’d been sitting out all day. Bleh.

• Senor Sisig – their tacos were waaaaaaaaaaaay too salty

BITE METER:

Roli Roti – 4.5 bites (out of 5.0)

Chairman Bao – 4.5 bites

JapaCurry – 3.5 bites

Cupkates – 3.5 bites

Hapa SF - 3.5 bites

Curry Up Now – 3.0 bites

Ramen Dojo – Sans Slurp

Why do I always find myself driving down to San Mateo for good ramen? With gas prices so high, I wish there were better options in the city.

Ramen Dojo is a tiny place with about 7 tables and a few seats along the counter. Thus, there is inevitably always a line. And the service is inefficient, so the line tends to move slowly. The same person takes the orders, handles the bills, and calls the names on the lists…and often not in the most practical sequence. I try not to get too annoyed as I watch empty tables waiting to be filled while she does other stuff, then slams the kitchen when she seats everyone all at once.

Fortunately, I forget about the wait as soon as my big beautiful bowl of spicy miso ramen arrives. The noodles have the perfect amount of chewiness, and the tender slices of pork just fall apart in my mouth. The quail egg, garlic cloves, and green chives enhance the rich ramen…and I always add a helping of their crunchy, sweet bamboo to round out the flavors. My only wish is that they put more broth in the bowl. The broth is so thick and served in such a small quantity, that it’s more like a stew than a soup you can slurp your noodles with. And slurping your ramen is proper Japanese etiquette! BITE METER: Ramen Dojo – 4.0 bites (out of 5.0)

Bistro Vis à Vis – Cupid Misfires

I’m surprised by the high ratings received by Bistro Vis à Vis on Yelp. There were some creative ideas, but overall the food was just average…not deserving the ~$100/person bill. Maybe it was because their regular menu wasn’t available when I ate here (it was the same week as Valentine’s so they required everyone to have the set menu). Regardless, the service was clumsy and needs work. Our waiter was forgetful and would literally just drop food and wine off at the table without saying anything (he could have at least told us what kind of wine was being paired with each course!). The restaurant also lacks personality. I knew something was awry when I pulled up and found out it was located in a strip mall (it’s hard to overcome the cheesiness of a strip mall even if you are in Marin).

Abalone with Blood Oranges – the fresh abalone from Santa Cruz was coated and pan-fried, giving a unique savoriness and succulence, while the blood oranges added sweetness and acidity.
Mushroom and Shaved Truffle Salad – way overdressed. The tartness of vinaigrette overwhelmed the delicate truffle flavor. And the parmesan crisp was more rubbery than crispy.
Octopus Paperdelle – I forgot to take a photo, but you’re not missing much. I was expecting a rich paperdelle dish, but got pasta in a light broth instead. While the broth developed a good seafood flavor, the octopus was bland and chewy. The table next to me sent this dish back; I was too nice to do the same.

Pork Loin with Potatoes – best dish of the night. The pork was flavorful and juicy. I liked the use of different potatoes (gold, purple, and sweet) and serving them two ways, roasted and fried chips. The roasted potatoes were especially delightful…left ever so slightly raw in the middle to give them a bit of a crunch without tasting undercooked.
Chocolate Cake with Raspberries – dense, sweet chocolate. Nothing more, nothing less.
Okay food. Clumsy service. Weird ambience. Go someplace else.

BITE METER: Bistro Vis à Vis – 2.0 bites (out of 5.0)

Morimoto Napa – A Pearl in the Heart of Napa

Sushi in the middle of Napa Valley?! Seems like an unlikely place to be able to get fresh fish flown in regularly from Japan, but if anyone has the connections and financial backing to make it happen, it’s celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto (known best for his culinary skills and creativity on Iron Chef). And he definitely delivers at his newest restaurant Morimoto Napa…the seafood was excellent.

Uni (sea urchin), Chu-toro (medium fatty tuna), Hotate (scallop), Tamago (egg cake) – Nothing makes me more happy than *really* good sushi. The uni was creamy goodness, the chu-toro melted in my mouth like soft butter, and the scallop was crisp and sweet. I was tempted to order more, but also wanted to try the cooked items. Only the tamago was average; I was hoping it’d be light and fluffy like Urasawa’s.
Foie Gras Chawan Mushi – Intoxicating!! The silky foie gras custard was topped with a sweet soy broth and thin slivers of duck breast…so rich and luscious. I also appreciated the dollop of fresh grated wasabi to give it a bite on the finish. This dish was seriously addicting…I couldn’t stop until I had scraped every single bit from the bowl. Our waitress rightfully called this dish “Morimoto’s crack”…I’m hooked and coming back for more!
Spicy King Crab – I was delighted to see the huge portion of crab. It was sweet, succulent, and elevated by the spicy tobanjan aioli and crunchy tobiko toppings…finger lickin’ good! This dish was even better than I had remembered it from my dinner at Morimoto NY several years ago. My only request for next time would be to use a little less aioli.
Sea Urchin Carbonara – I had been wanting to try this ever since I first visited the restaurant’s website. I was thrilled how the distinct uni flavor and creaminess came through in the sauce as it coated the perfectly al dente noodles (even more so than my uni pasta at Le Bernardin), but unfortunately the dish was a tad too salty. It would’ve been phenomenal without the smoked bacon (did I really just say that?!)
Seafood Toban Yaki – a claypot of lobster, king crab, shrimp, scallop, mussels and clams in a spicy red miso sake broth. To my surprise, the broth lacked depth and a developed seafood flavor…all I got was spice. My least favorite dish of the evening.

Chocolate Banana Dessert – a tasty trio comprised of a banana shake (cold and refreshing), chocolate pot de crème (sweet decadence), and ginger-banana bread with miso caramel (wonderfully light, while the miso rounded out the caramel’s sweetness and gave it an extra dimension)
I really enjoyed my dinner at Morimoto Napa. The food is anchored by Japanese cuisine while also successfully infusing Western flavors and fun. The restaurant’s décor is a little too modern and flashy for Napa, but at least it tries to incorporate the wine country with vine branches along the slate gray walls and using an exposed trunk for the sushi bar.

BITE METER: Morimoto Napa – 4.2 bites (out of 5.0)

Wood Tavern – Already Wanting to Return

During a spontaneous visit to Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood, I randomly decided to have lunch at Wood Tavern. What a wonderful surprise it turned out to be! I thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant’s scrumptious food and warm Californian bistro/bar atmosphere.

Peach & Burratta with Prosciutto di Parma – I loved the soft and luscious burratta cheese with the sweet peaches and salty prosciutto. Everything tasted so fresh, and the flavors of each component shined. The dish didn’t even need the balsamic vinegar.

“Surf N’ Turf” Sandwich (Oregon sweet shrimp, prosciutto di parma, English cucumber, garlic aioli) – the flavors were great with the interplay of sweet shrimp with cool, crisp cucumber and rich prosciutto. However, the bread was too thick and was too hard to get through, overpowering the delicate components inside. The bread had a nice crunchy texture and would have been better served as an open-faced sandwich. I was surprised by how much I liked their bright and zesty Tavern slaw (I usually detest coleslaw!)
Fresh Pappardelle with Okra, Sweet Corn, Zucchini – absolutely delightful! The pasta was PERFECTION. Everything was beautifully cooked. The vegetables tasted fresh and light, while the sauce also felt hearty. I couldn’t get enough of this dish.
Wood Tavern is a fantastic neighborhood restaurant, and I’ll definitely be back even though it’s not my neighborhood. Heck, I was already talking about what I wanted to eat next time before I even left the restaurant! Now that’s a sign of a quality place with an enticing menu.

BITE METER: Wood Tavern – 4.0 bites (out of 5.0)

Himawari – Stick with the Classics

I haven’t found any great ramen places in San Francisco, so I usually head south of the city when I’m jonesing for a large, warm bowl of ramen. Not in the mood to wait in a long line at Santa Ramen, I decided to check out Himawari which I had recently noticed on my way to Sushi Sam’s. Similar to most ramen joints, Himawari is a small restaurant with poor ventilation. The décor is a bit strange, but I was just happy I only had to wait 10 minutes for a table.

I love clam miso soup, so I thought the Asari (Clam) Shio Butter Ramen would be interesting. Sadly, the broth didn’t have any of that rich clam flavor. It was drowned in butter, and I quickly became bored of its one-note taste. The noodles were good, but didn’t have that chewy hand-made texture of those at Santa Ramen.
Lucky for me, B got a bowl of the Chasu Ramen which was MUCH better. And being the generous hubby that he is, he switched bowls with me so I could enjoy the other half of his ramen. The chasu pork was tender and meaty without being too fatty, and the broth was full of flavor and depth but didn’t feel too greasy. I also appreciated the contrast of flavors and textures provided by the strips of crunchy seaweed and pickled ginger. A well-balanced bowl of ramen!
Lesson learned - Stick with the classic pork ramen at Himawari and you’re golden.

BITE METER: Himawari – 3.5 bites (out of 5)

Sushi Sam’s Edomata – My Favorite Sushi Place in the Bay Area

Every time I eat at Sushi Sam’s Edomata, I am filled with happiness…it’s like coming home. Their sushi is so damn good, and the people there are like family. I’ve been frequenting Sushi Sam’s for years, and am amazed that they still have new kinds of fish I haven't eaten before. Sam has contacts with top fish purveyors around the world and always has an impressive selection of high quality fish.

The restaurant doesn’t try to be fancy or trendy; it’s a laidback, family-run establishment that purely focuses on serving fresh fish in its best form. The preparation is more creative than traditional sushi, but still very much in harmony with the fish. The toppings and sauces accentuate the seafood without competing with it…and whatever you do, do not dip your sushi in the soy sauce! The chef has prepared it in the exact manner it should be eaten. Also, you MUST sit at the bar and order the omakase if you dine here. I repeat, DO NOT ORDER OFF THE STANDARD MENU! Put yourself in their skillful hands and enjoy as they wow your tastebuds with incredible sushi (the special sushi is listed on the board behind them).

Koichi and Sam - the sushi masters

I never want my meal to end when I’m here. So many tasty seafood morsels, so I just keep eating and eating…and eating...

Blue Shrimp – Firmer and more savory than amaebi. Perfect with the dash of citrus and special salt
Bonito – Super fresh with beautiful ruby color. Tastes similar to tuna, but soooo much better

Fried Blue Shrimp Heads – Like eating crispy shrimp chips!
Needle Fish – Firm texture with slight metallic finish, but not as oily as other silver fish (e.g. mackerel)
Amberjack – Clean flavor, yet meaty texture
Black Cod – Smoky char, buttery flesh, and sweet kiwi slices…love it!
Baby Lobster – Succulent lobster tail with sweet Japanese mayo and crunchy almond slivers
Baby Shrimp – Sweet little pearls of shrimp with a touch of soy and a creamy sauce
Unagi - Now this is how unagi should taste! Savory and peppery with a hot, crispy skin

Alfonsino – Firm with clean flavors, similar to other white fish but much more colorful (like plump strawberries!)

Saiwara – Cross between butterfish and tuna with slight smokiness
Baby squid – Soooo tender and scrumptious, brightened by the tangy and sweet sauce
Bonito – I couldn’t resist getting another piece :-)
Copper River Salmon – the MOST INCREDIBLE SALMON…rich and intense flavors. CRS is only in season during the summer, and Sushi Sam’s serves the best I’ve had anywhere.
Seared Toro – Always a mouth-watering delight! Slightly seared so the fish just melts in your mouth, while the salt and lemon juice helps to cut the fat
Crab – Sweet crab meat topped with rich, unctuous crab butter
And unlike many sushi places, Sushi Sam’s has their own pastry chef who always whips up new and delicious desserts. I was treated with THREE of her delectable sweets! Miso & Sesame Cake, Pina Colada Parfait, and Almond Tofu - all had a great balance of flavors and textures. What I appreciate most is that the desserts completely satisfy my sweet tooth without feeling too heavy. (I already feel heavy enough from indulging in all that sushi!)
Despite the fact that Sushi Sam’s is located in San Mateo (~30 minutes south of San Francisco), it’s usually packed with a crowd of people waiting outside (yes, it is *that* good). So I’d recommend coming on an off night if you can. The fish will still be just as fresh and mind-blowing…especially their bonito, seared toro, and of course, the Copper River salmon when it’s in season!

BITE METER: Sushi Sam’s Edomata – 4.5 bites (out of 5)

Masse’s Pastries – A Berkeley Treat

After pigging out at the farmers’ market, B and I were craving something sweet and wanted to check out one of the East Bay’s dessert shops…which brought us to Masse’s Pastries in Berkeley (one of the few open on Sundays).

The woman behind the counter was super friendly and helpful. Because it was our first time there and the display of beautiful desserts weren’t labeled, she actually walked us through each of the pastries. What nice service! It was difficult to choose with so many alluring pastries calling out to us, but we finally decided on:

Passion Fruit Mousse Torte – totally hit the spot. I wanted something *relatively* light, but substantial enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. The passion fruit was bright (but not too tart) and tickled my taste buds among the layers of creamy mousse and moist cake, while the white chocolate wrapping provided a decadent element. That amount of white chocolate was too sweet for me, but I appreciated the pretty packaging and peeled part of it off…like opening a present! B also thoughtfully reminded me that this dessert tasted a lot like our wedding cake (awww, I was so touched that he remembered when I didn’t!)…oooh, we could get one of these when celebrating each anniversary!

Salted Caramel and Pistachio Macaroons - I love practically anything salted caramel (especially the Bi-Rite’s salted caramel ice cream and Starbelly’s salted caramel pot de crème), so I was thrilled to see it in macaroon form. However, these macaroons tasted a little flat and didn’t capture the depth of the salted caramel flavor. The pistachio macaroon actually tasted better. Overall, not the best macaroons I’ve had, but pretty good.

I look forward to trying more of Masse's Pastries the next time I'm in the area.

BITE METER: Masse’s Pastries – 3.8 bites (out of 5)

Jack London Square Farmers’ Market

It was a beautiful Sunday morning, so B and I decided to check out the Jack London Square Farmers’ Market in Oakland (Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market in SF is closed on Sundays). Similar to the Ferry Plaza, this farmers' market has tents set up along a waterfront, giving it a beautiful backdrop. There’s also a soon-to-open plaza/building for permanent local vendors.
What I liked about this market:
- Has more of a festive vibe and family-oriented atmosphere than the one in San Francisco
- The prepared food stands were excellent! My favorites were the Indian food stand (forget name, but not Sukhi’s), East & West Gourmet Afghan Food stand, and Cholita Linda’s taco stand.
- Tons of seating on the lawn and along the water with gorgeous views
- Parking was surprisingly easy

What I didn’t like about this market:
- There were only a few produce stands and the selection was slim. (Keep in mind, that I’ve been spoiled by the size and number of vendors at the Ferry Plaza for several years)
- It's relatively small and doesn't take long to cover the whole market
- They don’t proactively give out of free samples and let you try the fresh produce/food

Chicken Tikka Masala Naan Roll – my favorite eat of the day! You must come to the Indian food stand and get one. I forget their name, but make sure it’s the one with a portable tandoori oven. I was really impressed that they actually had a tandoori oven at a food stand to ensure the quality of their naan…and you can definitely taste the difference! It’s warm, soft, and a little bit crispy on the outside, but not too doughy on the inside - basically, awesome. There were many different types of naan rolls, but I chose the one filled with savory and spicy chicken tikka masala…DELISH!! [Tip: the naan rolls are large and quite filling, so I recommend sharing one if you want to eat at more than one food stand]

East & West Gourmet Afghan Food – I was smitten as soon as I tasted a sample of their spinach bolani (thin, stuffed flat-bread) topped with their garlic mint cheese spread and sweet jalapeno jelly. YUM!! I loved the interplay of the cool mint and creamy cheese with the sweet spice of the jelly, and the bolani was the perfect canvas. Of course, I had to buy some!
Cholita Linda – their mint limeade is a must! Refreshing and thirst-quenching. I also liked their spit-roasted chicken taco (the fish taco was just ok), and appreciated the side of tortilla chips with oxacan cotija cheese.
Golden Nugget Mandarins – I’ve never seen such wrinkly and bumpy oranges before. Fortunately, they taste better than they look.
Organic Strawberries – Beware of this stand! The strawberries looked beautiful when we purchased them, but went bad and molded the very next day...grrr.
BITE METER: Jack London Square Farmers’ Market – 3.5 bites (out of 5)

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Being the ever thoughtful husband, B prepared a wonderful picnic for us in Tiburon. He woke up early in the morning and made a tangy shrimp salad with capers and fresh dill, a scrumptious chicken curry salad with grapes and almond slivers, and bought some St. George cheese and Acme Bread to round out our meal. We washed it all down with a bottle of 2005 Red Car Syrah, which we purchased from a trip to Sonoma a few years back (we fell in love with the wine during a dinner at Cyrus).
Eating food prepared from the heart and looking out onto the beautiful bay – I couldn’t ask for more.

Redd - Go for the Gianduja

To kick off 2010, B and I had lunch with friends at Redd during our wine country weekend. Redd’s décor is modern and incorporates a lot of natural elements – the dining room is filled with open windows and sunlight, while the dark grains from the wood floors and ceiling accentuate long, clean lines and contrast the white walls.

Yellowfin tuna and hamachi tartare, avocado, chili oil, fried rice – well balanced appetizer. Everything was working in harmony…the fish was fresh, the avocado was creamy, the fried rice puffs had a light crunchy texture, and the chili oil added just the right amount of heat.

Caramelized diver scallops, cauliflower purée, almonds, balsamic reduction – surprisingly, the cauliflower outshined the scallops in this dish. The cauliflower purée was light and flavorful, while the sautéed cauliflower and almonds had a lot of depth. The scallops were peppery with a good sear, but not exceptional.
Prosciutto pizza, fontina, arugula and shaved parmesan – Since the cheese wasn’t melted, they should have used larger shavings of parmesan. The pizza was messy and hard to eat as these tiny, feathery parmesan shavings went flying everywhere. Fortunately, the scrumptious prosciutto and thin, crispy crust made up for it.
Crisp duck confit, lentils, foie gras meatballs, sherry vinaigrette – my least favorite dish. The duck confit was dry and lacked that savory duck flavor. The foie gras meatballs were disappointing – the foie gras could not be tasted nor did it add any richness to the meatballs. Frankly, they tasted like Jimmy Dean sausages in meatball form. Only the lentils were flavored well.
Peanut butter & milk chocolate gianduja, peanut honeycomb parfait, malted chocolate ice cream – the highlight of the meal. Each component was incredible and perfectly executed. The gianduja was like a Kit-Kat, only a million times better! The honeycomb parfait was light with a decadent chocolate ganache at bottom. And I’m usually not a fan of chocolate ice cream, but this malted chocolate ice cream was like no other with fleur de sel and roasted peanuts. This dessert was full of complex flavors and textures, but they were all cohesive and complemented one another. I would come here again just to have this dessert.
Overall, I’d say dessert was Redd’s strong point. While the food was beautifully presented, the dishes were hit or miss and not particularly unique. And even with the reasonable prices, there are just too many other amazing restaurants in Napa for me to come back here for anything other than the gianduja dessert.


BITE METER: Redd – 3.5 bites (out of 5)