San Francisco Part II: Rich Table

I have found a new favorite restaurant! While in San Francisco, I was lucky enough to snag a reservation at Rich Table.  Husband wife duo Evan and Sarah Rich opened this spot in 2012 in Hayes Valley. In  only one year, they were finalists for the James Beard Award for best new restaurant. The space is warm and inviting as well as unassuming. They pride themselves on being a place where you can casually get an amazing meal without the pretense of a fancy restaurant. We were given a great window seat near the bar and I got excited as we planned our menu choices with some help from the waiter. The menu features several sizes of dishes from bites to mid size plate to large more entree size offerings. We took the opportunity to try several things from each category. Each dish that arrived became my new favorite.

To start we sampled the dried porcini doughnuts. They were light and fluffy savory and doughy with a creamy dipping sauce that I couldn't get enough of.

 

This was quickly followed with sardines served inside of crispy house made potato chips. I learned to love all things little fish while in France and Spain and this was no exception. This was an amazing flavor with the salty and the softness of the fish paired with the crunch of the chip. It was visually interesting as well, definitely not something you would try at home. 

 

 

We marched ahead to the more entree like offerings including the chicken cannelloni. This was such a fresh take on what I often think of as a heavy dish. The flavors were offset by the crisp sweet peas and the salty crunchy chicken skin bits topping the plate. 

 

Our final entree was a lighter take on the popular pork belly. This dish featured asparagus (the monster flavorful kind that you can only seem to find in Northern CA) and mushrooms. The asparagus balanced the richness of the pork and made an irresistible bite.

 

We finished our dinner with the coconut pana cotta. This was served with a fresh lime meringue and coconut crumbles. The perfect ending to a perfect meal.

 

 

Short Trip to San Francisco Part I

Last month I had the opportunity to tag along for a trip to one of my favorite cities, San Francisco. I love when I have traveled to a city enough times to no longer feel obligated to see any tourist attractions. Its a nice release to give myself permission to just wander and do or eat whatever I want!

We started our weekend at Cavallo Point the location of our wedding in 2011. It was so nice to be there and relax, have some wine on the porch and look at the view of the Golden Gate Bridge. We had a light lunch at the Farley Bar and our dinner at the Murry Circle restaurant who catered our wedding dinner as we reminisced about that great day.

Saturday we headed into the city and started off the night with an amazing dinner at Canteen. Canteen is almost like an incorporated supper club. The chef has two seatings each night at 6 and 8. The menu is 4-5 courses pre-fix with wine a la carte. When we arrived I was thrilled to see the restaurant was located in what used to be the diner like breakfast space of the old art deco Commodore Hotel. This was the first hotel that I ever stayed in when I visited SF. It had been about 16 years since I had been in the space. It is now a dorm for the San Francisco Institute of Art. It was so interesting to see the transformation. The lobby is now the dorm lobby and common area and the bar is currently closed.


Commodore Breakfast Space as I knew it!

Stepping inside we were one of about 20 people lucky enough to have a seat for the night. The chef prepped our food behind the diner style counter. Smells of the warm dinner rolls (which I heard were legendary) wafted through the air.

Our dinner was amazing. Such care and detail was taken with each dish. We had an appetizer of smoked lamb with butter beans. The lamb melted in your mouth and was balanced in richness by the beans. The second course was an English pea soup filled with lump dungeness crab. This was light and fresh and tasted like spring. The entree was halibut crusted in hazelnuts and mustard. To finish was my favorite a rhubarb shortcake with homemade cakes and tart and tangy rhubarb, perfect for the nice spring night.

To extend our evening, we walked up Nob Hill to the Fairmont Hotel. In the basement is the classic and kitchy Tonga Room. It was packed with tourists, locals, wedding parties and bachelorettes. This was so entertaining. For about $20 you can position yourself in this Tiki paradise to people watch, dance, and drink something with rum out of a whole pineapple. I had not been here in over 10 years and its still as entertaining as ever!



http://tongaroom.com/

My To Try List

Every week it seems another amazing restaurant opens in Atlanta. I feel the urge to try them all and often have a hard time keeping up with where I want to go on any given night. I also struggle with revisiting old favorites or neighborhood spots. To remedy this,  I recently started a "to try" list so I have go to ideas for nights out. Here are a few places I plan to go in the coming months:

• Chai Pani Decatur
• Seven Lamps in Buckhead (Shops Around Lenox)
• Gio's Chicken Amalfitano near Georgia Tech
• KR Steak Bar in Peachtree Hills
• The General Muir near Emory

What is on your list?

Inaugural Wine Dinner at the Colonnade

Yes you read the title correctly. The Colonnade hosted a wine dinner and they did it with style. As soon as I saw this event come through my inbox, I jumped at a chance to see their kitchen swing into full scale gourmet action. Chef Ryan Cobb often sticks to the tried and true favorites that have been drawing folks to the restaurant for decades but he also offers specials that showcase his culinary skill on a regular basis. This dinner was a chance for him to pull out all the stops. As I entered the back dining room, a favorite regular waitress handed me a glass of champagne and showed me to my seat. The tables were graced with white linens and fresh flowers (yes this is the Colonnade, it was surreal). I enjoyed my drink and introduced myself to others at the table. Mostly regulars also looking to see what they were up to. They have promised that this will become a more regular thing at the restaurant and also mentioned they are ramping up the cocktail and craft beer selection at the restaurant. We were in for a treat!

 Duck Salad with Oranges

Champagne Sorbet

Tenderloin with Truffle Potatoes

 Apple Panna Cotta

2012 Travel Food Photo Update

Again at the end of 2012 I fell off the blogging wagon. I had many excellent food experiences I would love to share with you. Here is a quick and colorful recap of some of the great places and tastes I have was lucky enough to indulge in last year.

Feb 2012 A special Mexican dinner with family at Zapatas in Norcross, GA

 POLLO TABASQUENO

Steak ARRACHERA

CAMARONES AL AJILLO

March 2012: Several great meals at The Old Edwards Inn, Highlands, NC

We had the pleasure of having an amazing dinner at Madisons as well as a cozy lunch on the next day. 

Fantastic pulled pork sandwich!

April 2012: A fun weekend in Chicago!

Although I have been there a few times, this time I made sure to have some great food experiences. Dinners at Sepia and Blackbird (so nice I couldn't take pictures), as well as Gilt Bar and a fun foodie tour with Tastebud Tours Chicago! 

June 2013: Denver Dining and Sizzling in St. Maarten

June brought alot of travel! I attended a conference in Denver having the luck to taste some great beer as well as to experience the The Kitchen! Later that month I celebrated an anniversary with a trip to the French side of St. Maarten/ St. Martin. The experience was a food paradise. We had the pleasure of small side of the road stores serving perfect baguette sandwiches to five star dining and everything in between. 

Merguez sausage and lentils

Oskar Blues Tasting!

 Guavaberry Colada 

 Curry Shrimp and Rice at Talk of the Town Lolo 

 Smoked Salmon at Holland House Beachfront Hotel

 Fresh Pan Aux Rasin (finally)

 Incredible Lagoon Front Escargot at La Cigale

 Scallops at La Cigale

 Grand Raspberry Macaron!

July 2012: Refreshing July 4th at the Grove Park Inn

We were back to Asheville for what is now a favorite tradition of watching the fireworks on the 4th while eating at the Sunset Terrace restaurant at the GPI. We also had a chance to sample some unique and delicious olive oils and vinegars at Tree and Vine in Biltmore Village. 

August 2013: Birthday Celebrations!

For my birthday at the end of August, I chose to have dinner at my go to favorite Sotto Sotto as well as to take the day wine tasting at Frog Town Winery in North GA. 

Ravioli Michelangelo 

Frog Town Patio View

September 2013: Post Football Find

After one of the Tech football games we chose to try out Cardamom Hill. Since then it has, of course, earned the praise of everyone in Atlanta and beyond. Congratulations to Asha Gomez for her James Beard nomination for 2013!

Spicy Fish Curry

October 2012: New Orleans Adventure!

Read more about it in the individual posts.

November 2012: Thankful for Family

For an early Thanksgiving celebration I met my grandmother at Monteluce Winery in Dawsonville, GA for an amazing lunch.

 Mushroom Soup

 Smoked Salmon Appetizer

 Amazing Short Rib

 Not so ordinary roast chicken

 Super Rich Chocolate Cake

Apple Walnut Pastry

December 2012: Holiday Date

Each year for holidays rather than big gifts we sometimes choose an experience, usually a meal, to have together. This year we chose well by enjoying the chef's tasting with wine pairing at the Woodfire Grill. 

 Tuna Crudo

Roasted Quail 

 Pork Tenderloin

 Caramel Ice Cream, Chocolate Gnache and Marshmallow

Addition to Asheville

Over Thanksgiving, my parents celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary. We were together in Asheville for the holiday and chose to explore a restaurant new to town. Chestnut, from the same great folks who bring us the Corner Kitchen in Biltmore Village is another great culinary addition to downtown.

When we visited they had been open for only 1 month but they were already full of interested diners. The atmosphere is a hip, casual rustic modern look making the most of the great old building where they are housed. We were sure to make a reservation and were seated right away, although I would not have minded waiting at the bar!

We started with two great cocktails, a dirty martini featuring olives stuffed with Three Graces Dairy goat cheese (we tried to bribe the server for more) and the house version of an Old Fashioned. Both were well made and unique in flavor.

For starters we shared the lobster bisque, the beet salad, and the lobster risotto cakes. The bisque was creamy with generous amounts of lobster meat and the lobster risotto cakes where lightly fried shaped into cute pears. Each delivered in flavor and portions. We complemented our choices with the bread basket a not to be missed treat of (mostly) house made breads.

 For entrees we were lucky enough to have several people at the table, so I had the joy of sampling much of the menu. The entrees proved to be substantial and flavorful. Two of my favorites were the filet and a halibut special. The halibut was light with a smooth butter sauce to complement its delicate flavor.

 Although we could not hold another bite, we made room for the chocolate souffle. It was well worth loosening our top buttons.

I cannot wait to cozy up again in Chestnut's space. It is a worthy addition to downtown Asheville's restaurant scene.