Carolyn Tillie

Anchor & Hope had been high on my must-try list and being a predominantly seafood-based establishment, it makes perfect sense that I had to arrange the trip with my buddy, Gabe, a professional fish-monger. I made reservations early and as I arrived first, saw the restaurant was filling up quickly. I was offered a table but the bar looked far more inviting and it was only the two of us. Wanting to taste as many courses as possible, we ordered mostly Appetizers and advised our server to send out anything he though we couldn't leave with out tasting. Gabe is sweet in letting me order the wine and I took a chance on an unknown Viognier from France, Domaine de Triennes, 2007. It ended up being the perfect wine for our multiple fish courses (as Rhone whites usually are); rich, complex, layered, with hints of lemon zest, dark integrated stone fruit, and an oily texture on the tongue. First Course: "Fries With Eyes" - Smelts with Remoulade Sauce. Light and crispy, the remoulade was a perfect combination of creamy and slightly spicy to accompany the fresh smelts. Second Course: Oysters on the Half Shell. I'm sorry I don't recall the exact varieties. We simply instructed them to bring us two of each that they had that day. Served with the standard Mignonette and cocktail sauce, I was happy with just a splash of lemon juice. Third Course: "Angels on Horseback" - Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Oysters with Remoulade Sauce. Of all our dishes, this was my least favorite. And not because it was bad by any means; I'm just realizing that 90% of the time, I prefer my oysters raw versus cooked, I had already tasted the remoulade, and -- not too surprisingly -- the fresh, applewood -smoked bacon's distinct and strong flavors overwhelms the oysters. Gabe loved these and I could see others who greatly enjoyed the dish, it is just too many strong, disparate flavors for me. Fourth Course: Warm Endive and Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Candied Walnuts. Okay, my bad... I had the delusion that we needed some form of a vegetable to counter all the fish we were about to eat. And it was not even that it was a bad salad or anything. It was a perfectly lovely beet and goat cheese salad and the twist of warming the greens and the lovely vinaigrette was a nice palate cleanser and all that, but the bottom line is that it took up valuable stomach space which is better suited to the great fish we were experiencing. Fifth Course: Lobster "Pot Pie". There was some debate on whether or not we were going to order anything off the entrée list but our server insisted that going through a self-made tasting menu would not be complete without trying this over-the-top dish. Presented like a soufflé, the server breaks open the top of the beautifully browned puff pastry to pour in a decadently rich brandy-lobster roe reduction. Once we broke through the crust, the interior was chock full of giant chunks of lobster, buttercup squash, and celery root. At $32, this is not an inexpensive dish, but is worth every damned penny. Sixth Course: Braised Fresh Bacon and Seared Prawn with Creamy Grits and Red Wine Sauce. If you glance through the pictures, you will have seen a LOT of fish courses with dark, rich sauces. This tends to be a dichotomy as many fishes can't hold up to the dark sauces. In this particular case, it is not an overstatement to say that the hunk of giant bacon could have easily been its very own course, sans prawn. But the sweetness of the GIANT prawn, coupled with the subtle, creamy grits and perfectly sautéed greens, brought the whole dish together in a very surprising fashion for me. Like the Angels on Horseback, I tend to think that the flavor of bacon is just plain too strong a flavor to pair with fish. In this case, I was way wrong. Seventh Course: Warm Sea Urchin in the Shell. Well, we were so overwhelmed with the complex and redolently rich pot pie that we were going to quit. But our server wasn't finished and the jewel of the crown arrived; a giant, whole, hollowed-out sea urchin. The interior provided one of the most amazing and memorable dishes I have ever tasted; the sea urchin coupled with potato purée, Dungeness crab, and a lemon beurre blanc. Truly astounding. Overall, the restaurant is a little on the crowded side with bright lights and close tables. Acoustically, it can get on the loud side but we had no problem, being at the bar. There are so many other dishes I would love to order and hope to be able to make it back soon. Pics on blog.

The return from India of my beloved friend, Lisa, was not only a reason to celebrate, but also very timely as she is one of the few friends who is more culinarily adventurous than I am. She had actually sent me an e-mail from India that Chef Cosentino would be recreating his Iron Chef meal at Incanto. I've been chatting with Lisa about eating at Incanto for over a year so this special offering was more than timely! The special menu is only being offered on specific days for a short time through December. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were brought back to the famous Dante Room. As it only holds a little more than a dozen people, I made the assumption that everyone in the room that evening would be dining on the special menu and was surprised to later that Lisa and I were the only ones that evening eating the special offering! I brought along a Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild, 1975 Bordeaux for the meal. We had a fabulous sommelier who had to muscle through a cork which was not easily extracted. Per his recommendation, the bottle was decanted, he cleaned out the original bottle with some house wine, and poured the decanted wine back into original bottle so that it would not open up too quickly. I offered tastes all around and it was agreed that it was a stunning bottle; redolent with molasses up front with subtle integrated spice. It was elegant and complex and we were not prepared for how stunning a pairing it would be for our meal. First Course - Lamb Heart Tartare. Hands-down, this was the winning dish with the wine; with a bit of capers and herbs, one of the richest, most satisfying tartares I have ever had. What a fabulous start. Second Course - Financziera Piedmontese - Cockscombs, Duck Bits, and Riso. Neither of us had ever eaten a cockscomb before and this was one of the ingredients we were both looking forward to. It was gelatinous and chewy without being tough. The duck bits included some testicles which were tender. The sauce was light and studded with lemon zest and thinly sliced garlic. Third Course - "Turf & Surf"; Tripe and Clam. For this course, the sommelier recommended a glass of white and we were served a 2007 Anthìlia Donnafugata. My knowledge of Italian wine is extremely limited but we found this offering clean and enticing without being strident. There was a richness in well-integrated fruit that complemented the dish; a delightful combination of long strips of tender tripe and bits of clams. I'm not sure if it was crudo or not, but it was served crudo style with an elegant, light dressing. Fourth Course - Country Fair Gut Fry. With a bit of whismy and wit, we were served a paper cone filled with deep-fried sweetbreads, chitterlins, and fresh chanetrelles with two sides, a spicy red sauce that was too spicy for me, and a creamy aïoli with herbs which was my preference. Not sure which bits we liked the best; my first taste was of a chitterlin but following it up with a fresh chanterelle was thrilling. Then to savor a crisp sweetbread and I was in fried bits heaven. Fifth Course - Pig's Trotter with Bacon and Tarragon. We were getting really full and worried with the realization that the two of us could easily have shared a single order of the bounty of food we were being offered. Then the pig's trotter arrived and we were floored. The trotter was mounted over a poached apple which sat atop some bread cubes, bacon, and fresh tarragon. The apple was an inspiration to add a crisp tonality to the intensely rich sauce-stoked bread. A truly stunning dish that was my stand-out of the evening. Sixth Course - Calves' Liver and Kidneys. We were definitely on the other side of being way too full at this point as our to-go packages were piling up. But a few bites were had as the two were offered with separate accompaniments; the calves' liver was served on a compote of spicy, shredded beets and the kidneys on yellow lentils. The two were a bit too disparate for my tastes and surprisingly, both meats were tougher than anticipated. It was my first calf kidney so I am unsure how "toothy" they can be, but I was surprised that the well-prepared liver was as hearty as it was. Dessert - Yuzu Sorbet. Finally, to cleanse our palate, a tangy, bright sorbet and an after-meal visit by the Chef to see how we liked the evening's menu. He was incredibly gracious and I expressed my surprise that Lisa and I were the only two eating the sumptious meal that evening. Throughout the evening, I had the bird's eye view in to the kitchen and was able to watch his attentiveness and determination. It was an amazing meal and is completely inspiring to me to gather a bunch of friends to order Fifth Quarter meals in the future. There is nothing more exciting than to revel in the genius of Chef Cosentino and we San Franciscans should be very proud of his endeavors. Lastly, apologies for the low-light iPhone photos. I didn't want to disturb the others in the Dante room with flashes. Pics on the blog.

My hairdresser, his boyfriend, and I stopped by Uva Enoteca after a haircut one Monday evening. This is of note as my hairdresser is in Lower Haight and there are only a few restaurants open on Mondays in that neighborhood (we usually go to RNM). The atmosphere in Uva is dark and subtle, warm and inviting. There is a bit of an oddity with the Zeppelin music in the background, but I kinda liked it. As it was my hairdresser's birthday, I brought a homemade cake and the waitstaff were more than gracious in holding the cake for us as well as cutting and serving it after our meal. When we sat, we were given a small bowl of green olives. They were gone so quickly and thankfully, the waitstaff offered more. What *are* those giant, bright green olives? The three of us started with three cocktails; ~ Prosecco Cocktail with peach bitters and a bit of sugar. ~ Miele Frizzante - Carpano antique, orange, peach bitters, and Heidrun buckwheat blossom mead. VERY odd cocktail; the mead made it seem like a light, fruity hefeweizen. Interesting, but not something I think I'd order again. ~ In Bocca Al Lupo - Lillet blanc, chilies, basil, prosecco and coconut salt. Too much chilies for me; spicy. They have a very extensive wine list and we let the owner(?) offer a suggestion. He came up with a Barbera d'Alba, "Gisep," Massolino from Piemont. Loving the nosh, we again put ourselves in the hands of the capable staff; bring on a bunch of meat, a bunch of cheese, and some appropriate side dishes. We started with the crudo of the day; on that day, Tuna with olive oil and salt. As my hairdresser's BF is a professional fish-monger, he confirmed my compliment that it was a great quality fish. Next the meats and cheeses arrived. They offer various assorted sized plates and offerings and so five of each seemed a good compromise; Prosciutto di Parma, Bresaola from Bernina Montevideo, Coppa di Testa from Boccalone, orange and fennel from Boccalone, and a hot Soppressata from the Bronx. Sorry I can't remember the five cheeses, but I can remember the accompaniments with the cheeses; truffled honey, a lemon/pepper condiment, and Marcona almonds. Also served was chunks of fresh bread, eggplant caponata (a bit on the spicy side for me but still enjoyable), roasted asparagus with lemon aioli and Parmigiano (very fresh and nicely crunchy with person aioli), and fresh beans with pancetta and onions (I ate most of these, but I am obviously the veggie eater in the group). We should have stopped, but we were intrigued with the Semolina gnocchi with speck. Of all the dishes we ordered, the gnocchi was the least successful. Perhaps I'm spoiled with Sean O'Brien's gnocchi but these were on the gummy side and with the speck and no sauce, way too dry. It needs SOMETHING moist on the plate and there was nothing. I have to admit that there were a number of desserts which looked intriguing and I wished I could have tried the pumpkin cake with vanilla gelato, apples, saba, and pinenut brittle, but we had this cake I made instead. Again, the waitstaff was amazing and I would go back in a heartbeat.

All evidence to the contrary! They have. A lot. It is quite mediocre now but I remember being quite enamored with it at one time as well...

I've never thought the music got in the way and the upstairs can be very elegant with fabulous service. Farallon is too limited for the steak eater, I think. And I have been a Boulevard detractor for some time as I have found it to be quite mediocre.

Bix - no question.

It is generally well known at late that the nearby bakery's quality has slid considerably. There is often news that it goes through bakers at an alarming rate (every three months or so) and has been wildly inconsistent for several years. It is not surprising that you didn't get very good bread.

Surprisingly, I haven't been to Aqua yet. But here is my current top ten in San Francisco (not necessarily in order - just in what I think of first): Aziza Bar Crudo Coi Ame Canteen Kappa Bix Incanto Piperade Kiss

In California, Manresa and Coi.

Russell, you are a man among men.... I know of no one else who has the stamina and fortitude to do this sort of thing (okay, maybe Tupac17616!)

The Michelin dudes have their heads WAY up their butts on that omission!

I am getting awfully jaded; every time I visit Ubuntu restaurant, with the exception of the signature cauliflower cast iron pot and the lavender almonds, I am served a varied assortment of new and breathtaking dishes. This weekend's adventure took place with two girlfriends, both of whom thought we were stopping at a vegetarian restaurant "for a light salad." I love blowing people's minds... We started with all of the "bites:" Castelvetrano olives marinated in mizuna pesto, chickpea fries with herbs and piquillo romesco, and marcona almonds with lavender sugar and sea salt. The chickpea fries were delicate and light - crisp and crunchy on the exterior and light and fluffy on the inside and the pesto concoction on the massive olives reeked of bright freshness. Thus began the onslaught of delight from Chef Jeremy Fox's kitchen... First up was a salad of fingerling potatoes, lightly smoked sauce gribiche, ficoide glaciale, black garlic, capers. The last potato salad I had at Ubuntu was almost a year ago and was made with purple potatoes and the progression of Chef Fox's skill depicted in a simple potato salad is impressive. I'm not sure if a year ago, their garden was producing the exciting offerings which now show up in the dishes like the bright and crunchy Ficoide Glaciale that is in this potato dish. Our next offering was a "soup" of winter squash and courgettes served with tomato consommeé (poured after the photo was taken) with avocado cream, miniature tomato "raisins", squash, and a few dots of concentrated balsamic. This was an elegant combination of so many flavors that melded together so serenely and expressively. I love the kitchen's offering of "Today's Leaves and Things (amaranth, figs, apples, plums, tomatillos, pansies) dressed lightly with regina olive oil, mustard and sea salt. This dish is the perfect example of opulent freshness; served on a paper-thin crisp of brik, the combination of fruits and vegetables juxtaposes the richness of the soup we just consumed by the raw experience of pure freshness. I don't have an exact description of the next offering other than it was a melange of carrots to astound the taste-buds... With a hint of vadouvan spices, there were a cluster of large, braised chunks of carrots, quenelles of carrot mousse, delicate spears of fresh carrots from the garden, a bit of carrot foam, and a sprinkling of flower petals. Stylistically, the colors and composition made this one of the most beautiful, Van Gogh-like displays of food I have ever seen. Flavor-wise, one cannot imagine that so many different taste components could be provided by a single ingredient. It was hard for me not to lick the stone tile it was presented on. The ubiquitous cauliflower in a cast iron pot arrived next and my friends were in a true state at this point. Both had tried to dismiss me ordering this dish as they claimed to "not care for cauliflower," but impressed as everyone else has ever been with this unctuous, creamy offering. What came next was beyond revolutionary and revelatory. One of my guests for this lunch was beloved friend, Leisl, whose Scottish heritage has her instilled with a deep and abiding love of lamb and potatoes and blood sausage. Health concerns have brought her to vegetarianism which was why I was so happy to share with her my favorite restaurant. What arrived next was Chef Jeremy's version of Boudin Noir and there are few words to describe the synchronicity of this particular dish being offered on this day when Leisl was visiting, nor the actual tears of joy she experienced in tasting a vegetarian version of something she had so desperate missed. In a cast iron skillet was a layered confit of root vegetables and onions on top of which sat the "boudin noir" of rice, apples, root vegetables, vinegar and black pepper. As opposed to fake meat masquerading as a sausage, here there was simply a combination of flavors prepared in such a way to give a transcendent offering which when tasted, if one closed their eyes, would not know it was NOT a true blood sausage. Garnished with a quenelle of mashed potato and a poached egg, Leisl had to actually stop the lunch and begged our indulgence while she called her husband to share in the joy. We were all blown away. Our next offering was a dish that my other guest, Kat, had specifically requested, local polenta finished with corn pudding, padrons, okra, green tomato relish, and amaranth. Creamy and rich, the polenta was studded with kernels of fresh corn and was brightened with the fresh roasted peppers and okra. Thinking the polenta was rich, we had no comprehension of just how decadent and rich could be until the homemade macaroni and silver mountain white cheddar cheese arrived. Creamy and rich, the pungency of the cheese juxtaposed the creamy goodness on the tongue. We were going to have them cancel our last course as we were getting beyond full, only to learn it was already fired and on its way; the homemade pizza with sauerkraut, emmental, purple mustard, with apples, garlic confit, and caraway all served with a poached egg in the middle. I have never had a sauerkraut pizza before and would never have thought it possible that something so seemingly innocuous could be such a mind-blowing experience. The addition of the poached egg provided a bright sauce to the deep, rich flavors of the kraut. For the first time, I really had to insist that we couldn't order dessert. As sad as I was to not have a smidgen of Deenie's scrumptious offerings, there was quite simply no room left. I have to say that the innovations and offerings coming out of Fox's kitchen are beyond comprehension to me. Every time I ask if there is a thought of a cookbook and then I wonder how he could possibly have the time; the menu seemingly changes so often that there must be several thousand of dishes in his arsenal now and how he could narrow down to a few hundred for a book would be quite an unenviable task. But, oh, am I ever hoping for one... Pix on the Blog.

For more wagyu, maybe try Totoraku (the "secret" Japanese beef place) next time? I've not been but maybe Carolyn Tillie can chime in about how it compares (or not) to Urasawa. ← Totoraku is a stunning restaurant and very much like Urasawa, the joy of the experience is the interaction with Chef Kaz. While Urasawa giggles and entices with his fish offerings in an austere and elegant setting, Chef Kaz beguiles and astounds with all matters of beef in a setting -- ahem -- less austere and more cozy. For a true die-hard Japanese food fan, if one had the money and stamina, I would eat about both restaurants on consecutive nights for what could be considered an insanely complete experience (if you can get into Totoraku).

I go up about twice a year for art intensives and I'm afraid there is nothing new or interesting. Have you tried 955 Ukiah? I prefer it to Cafe Beaujolais which is slightly more formal and upscale. I'd head to Sanford Inn for breakfast (vegetarian, but at least interesting).

Congrats, Tupac! You are really chipping away at "the list" and I'm glad you enjoyed your Urasawa experience!

If you are staying in Santa Rosa, I assume you are heading to Napa if you are considering Jeanty and/or Bouchon as the two cities are an hour drive apart... If so, discount Bouchon as recent reports have been less than stellar; Keller has been doing some renovations around the property and food quality and waitstaff has been shockingly mediocre. Instead, the hot restaurant in Napa right now is Ubuntu; vegetarian, yes, but one of the most sought-after tables in the country and one that even die-hard carnivores are impressed by. For dim-sum in San Francisco, it is generally believed that Koi Palace in Daly City (just outside the city) is still the best and worth the drive, but if you are city-bound, Ton Kiang and Yank Sing are the favorites.

I know a handful of other chefs who eat at The Fathers Office as well...

This is where I differ -- I find Boulevard to be the height of mediocrity and over-rated. For business reasons, I had to dine there no less than six or eight times last year and almost each time, something had to be returned to the kitchen, the waitstaff was distracted and non-attentive, and I was left wondering how this place got to be so beloved in this city.

TJ, I am really curious what your top choices are that are closed on Sundays... Most of the top spots in the city are closed Mondays or Tuesdays -- but rarely Sundays. Living here, I get jaded against the Cal-Italian restaurants like Pizzaiolo and those in the same ilk (Perbacco, A16, etc...) Instead, I would HEARTILY recommend Aziza which is unlike ANYTHING you could get in New York; Cal-Moroccan on an elegant and epic scale with prices that are far more affordable. After that, for haute cuisine, consider Coi or Ame or possibly the closest to Pizzaiolo would be Incanto.

Sven, sorry you didn't check in beforehand -- I would have HEARTILY recommended you stay away from Michael Mina... Oh well - glad you enjoyed the rest of your visit! Next time, consider Coi, Ame, or Aziza!

I have a similar complaint that there does not exist in this city a single Japanese Yakitori restaurant. You can't throw a dead cat and not hit a sushi restaurant, but nary a single yakitori...

Discussed at length (with comments by Chef Preston) in this thread.

That's just wrong.... One can enjoy a meal whilst writing, reading, or doing whatever makes a guest happy. I am often a solo diner who prefers the company of a good book with my meal. Or I will go and take a laptop to make notes about *other* things in my life. But if a guest wants to take notes FOR WHATEVER REASON, a server should never imply that a guest is not enjoying a meal. I do not need to "sit back" to just enjoy food. Many times it is an interactive experience for me along with other activities.

You might get more action for that on Yelp Talk, Chowhound, or Craigslist -- just having seen similar requests on those sites...