Report on Heading to San Francisco

[pastrygirl]

Here you go Dave - Tout Sweet. Not as big as it looks in the pictures - but a very clean looking space - lots of white. Three or four flavours of pates de fruit - tasted a couple - not enough acid added I'd say - they needed a bit of punching up.

That's funny, I was there for a weekend just before Halloween and thought the PDFs were all very good but slightly too acidic, and a bit weepy. Different batches or different tastes, or both.

Also stumbled on a Japanese sweets store, all imported I believe, but interesting if you're into that sort of thing, at Market between 2nd & 3rd: http://www.kitchoan.com/

Craftsman & Wolves in the Mission a few block SE of Tartine was pretty good too - less mainstream flavors, more architectural - if you are back in that neighborhood. Tartine is the best though, LOVE those spicy pickled carrots!

Edited January 20, 2013 by pastrygirl (log)

[Kerry Beal]

These weren't weepy - so I wonder if they've fiddled the recipe a bit

Saw the Japanese Sweet store when I was passing on the streetcar this morning but didn't make it in there.

[Kerry Beal]

So many great places to eat - so little time! I've got to thank everyone for their great suggestions - I wanted to go to every single one of them. In fact in a search for someplace I could get a reservation on a Sunday night at the last minute - I looked at almost every one of them.

Tonight Chotto - Japanese pub grub.

Cucumber infused shochu.

Rice Ale.

Gyoza.

Saba - spanish mackerel with sweet sesame miso.

Yuzu ponzu calamari. This is the most tender calamari I have ever had the pleasure of eating.

Gyu kaku - rock sugar and light soy braised short ribs.

Kara-age - crispy ginger soy chicken thighs.

A little rice for good measure.

We ordered dessert - but we finished our tea and there was no sign of it. Waitress said she planned to comp it - but decided we'd rather head off than wait any longer.

[MelissaH]

250 ml? cost more than you thought? that one?

no whole foods in CAN? discerning country as Ive always known.

hope your bag doesn't get dropped !

Yup - 250 ml. They were $7.50 each at Sur la Table and under $6 at the other place. I don't think Whole Foods in Canada carries it. Although their online list of places that sell it is clearly a bit skint.

My bag will contain well padded and ziplocked bottles of all sorts - so indeed hope it makes it home safely. I've had a few leaks in trips past. There was the one of 21 bottles of single malt that leaked on the way back from Scotland - all carry on in those days. We smelled like classy rummies.

I picked up a 375 ml bottle of St George's Absinthe and a regular sized bottle of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao to protect too.

I long for the days of carry-on liquids, when buying a bottle of something wouldn't cost you an extra $35 for the checked bag it now needs to go in.

Did you get the 40 °N or the 50 °N Red Boat?

[Kerry Beal]

250 ml? cost more than you thought? that one?

no whole foods in CAN? discerning country as Ive always known.

hope your bag doesn't get dropped !

Yup - 250 ml. They were $7.50 each at Sur la Table and under $6 at the other place. I don't think Whole Foods in Canada carries it. Although their online list of places that sell it is clearly a bit skint.

My bag will contain well padded and ziplocked bottles of all sorts - so indeed hope it makes it home safely. I've had a few leaks in trips past. There was the one of 21 bottles of single malt that leaked on the way back from Scotland - all carry on in those days. We smelled like classy rummies.

I picked up a 375 ml bottle of St George's Absinthe and a regular sized bottle of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao to protect too.

I long for the days of carry-on liquids, when buying a bottle of something wouldn't cost you an extra $35 for the checked bag it now needs to go in.

Did you get the 40 °N or the 50 °N Red Boat?

Oh shit - there's two? 40º N I think.

[rotuts]

who knew? pricy stuff:

http://redboatfishsauce.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=53

[MRE]

250 ml? cost more than you thought? that one?

no whole foods in CAN? discerning country as Ive always known.

hope your bag doesn't get dropped !

Yup - 250 ml. They were $7.50 each at Sur la Table and under $6 at the other place. I don't think Whole Foods in Canada carries it. Although their online list of places that sell it is clearly a bit skint.

My bag will contain well padded and ziplocked bottles of all sorts - so indeed hope it makes it home safely. I've had a few leaks in trips past. There was the one of 21 bottles of single malt that leaked on the way back from Scotland - all carry on in those days. We smelled like classy rummies.

I picked up a 375 ml bottle of St George's Absinthe and a regular sized bottle of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao to protect too.

That really was expensive. Sur La Table and Ferry Terminal places are going to be like that. In San Jose today at Lion Market, I picked up a 500mL bottle of 40n for $7.49. I think that's going to be similar at any of the Bay Area's asian market chain stores like Ranch 99, Marina Foods, and Lion Market. The Japanese, Mitsuwa is usually higher, but not double like SLT.

Edited February 17, 2013 by MRE (log)