Fancy and Fresh: Tacos at C CASA

A few Saturdays ago (yes, I've been a bad blogger) I skipped Oakland’s first battle of the taco trucks because, aside from my general aversion to anything screaming Cinco de Mayo cheesiness, I already had the best tacos I could have possibly tried that day, at C CASA.

C CASA is one of about twenty gourmet stalls at the Oxbow market in Napa, where you can start your morning with Ritual Coffee, have an oyster snack at Hog Island, make a top hat with the amount of frosting on Kara’s Cupcakes, and even get your fruits and veggies at the farmers market on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

The prices at C CASA are a bit jolting at first. You'll look at the chalkboard, you'll grimace softly, and you'll whisper to the person next to you, "do you think that's $6 for just one taco?"
But then you'll look a little closer at the menu and notice that the meat is grass fed or free range, the seafood is sustainable, the produce is local, and ingredients are being combined in unusual ways, in unusually big forms.

Each taco we had came piled with a mountain of some kind of greens. There was a carnitas taco with pineapple, avocado, and coleslaw. A duck taco with goat cheese, tangerines, and baby spinach. Spiced lamb with aioli, mint, and microgreens that tasted like Istanbul and Mexico City had a baby taco. I was completely satisfied with one, although I did think about getting a roasted duck to nibble on during the ride home. 

The tortillas were fresh, the mango agua fresca was of not-too-sweet perfection, and the outside seating was adorable. Good Mexican food with a twist of bougie, you know you like it!


Got the travel bug?
 C CASA

A Taste of Tequila & Tamales by The Bay

The first significant experience I had with a tamal was in a small town outside of Merida, Yucatan in the sweltering heat, sitting next to a chicken, a tub of habanero chiles too near for comfort, watching banana leaf packages emerge from an underground fire pit. It was the weekend before Hanal Pixan, meaning Day of the Dead in gringo and "soul food" in Mayan, and my host family wanted me to see the traditional mucbil chicken tamales (called pibs for short) emerge from "mother earth's womb." I had feasted on and made tamales before, but the ceremony behind this, from the careful unwrapping of each one to the tiny corner alter of a picture of la virgin, two coke bottles and two pibs is one of my favorite food related memories.

Fast forward to Sunday, April 17th for the 2011 Taste of Tequila & Tamales by the Bay, where top tequila producers boast their spirits and local tamale makers compete for the People's Choice award. There's no sacred ceremony here, and no chickens, but the event was a tribute to one of Mexico's oldest and greatest culinary gifts, wrapped in golden corn husks and ready for opening. The runners up (according to Ferronlandia), followed by the winner (according to the voters):

Tina Tamale. The minute I walked up to the stand of La Boriqueña Mex-icatessen, Tina's energy reminded me of the love, community and labor that goes into making tamales. 

Chatty, warm, and charming, Tina had already made friends with my parents who came by the booth earlier and I wouldn't be suprised to find her at their dining room table with a tamale assembly line by this weekend. Tina reps tamales as hard as she reps Oakland- Started by her grandmother, La Boriqueña has been in the Old Oakland neighborhood since the 1940's. Her website, filled with articles and links dedicated to Old Oakland, is testament to her community connection that runs three generations deep. She also makes a good green chile and cheese tamal. 
Chef Steve. Fast-talking Chef Steve is made for TV. Which makes sense because he specializes in coooking demonstrations. 

I was taken away by his wild gestures and enthusiastic demeanor and then softly released into my own thoughts of discovery as he smiled while I savored his filipino tamales. Covered with banana leaf and made with coconut, rice, and pork filling. 
El Huarache Loco. I believe that at their weekly Alemany Farmers Market stand, Veronica Salazar's Mexico City influenced menu is presented a little nicer than my messy plate. That half tamal was turned inside out. 

However, in Ferronlandia flavor rules, and the untidiness on my plate was due to an unusual ratio of spicy, chocolaty, nutty, delicious mole to tamal, which made me wonder if anyone in the polished SF Design Center Galleria would notice an otherwise well-mannered girl licking a corn husk and paper plate dry. El Huarache Loco is a La Cocina business.

And the winner is... The Whole Tortilla. Because doing things differently pays off. Ricardo and Vanessa make a no-husk tamal with New Mexican red and green chile incorporated into their pork, chicken and veggie fillings. Their philosohpy centers around using the whole fruit, vegetable, and chile pepper to incorporate full flavors and nutritional value. The result was the moistest tamale I've ever tasted. Find them at the Jack London Square Farmers Market. 

Got the travel bug?
http://www.tamalesbythebay.org/
La Boriqueña Mex-icatessen
Chef Steve
El Huarache Loco
The Whole Tortilla

San Francisco International Chocolate Salon

Ahh 50,000 square feet of chocolate, my kind of breakfast. The San Francisco International Chocolate Salon was a bazaar of fifty chocolate vendors, wineries and genuine chocolate-loving freaks. I was pushed over by an old lady with a notepad, cut in line by a hipster (pause, that happens everywhere), and rubbed elbows with some seriously demanding Napoleon Dynamite look-alikes who greeted reps with a fast paced, "Hi, I'd like to try each variety and please explain to me what I should be tasting while I'm chewing, thank you." It was all a cacao hazed blur by the end, but I did manage to decide on a few favorites:
Amano's Sidr Honey Truffle

Had I known this truffle was made with the most expensive honey in the world I would've pocketed a few for my e-bay store. Sidr honey is made from bees who feed on the sacred Sidr tree in the Hadramaut region of Yemen. It's harvested twice a year, when farmers go into the highlands as they've been doing for 7,000 years. It's believed to be rich with healing properties, and I'm going to pretend that they still take effect when combined with an entire morning of chocolate tasting.
Nicole Lee's French Macarons

With flavors like lychee rose, passion fruit and vanilla olive, Nicole Lee's colorful plate of macarons was a burst of color and texture. Find her in San Jose.
Sexual Chocolate, by SLO down Wines

I could have a lot of fun with this. Instead I'm going to refer you to these guys, who are a barrel of laughs and breezy arrogance, and make one spicy syrah-zinfandel blend. SLO down Wines is Brandon and Chip's college hobby brought to fruition just this year, and if you can't tell from the photo below you're not going to have to make small talk about raspberry notes or altitudes to hang out with these winemakers.

Sexual Chocolate 2009 costs $16 a bottle, order here (and then invite someone special over). 

Missed the chocolate salon this year? Bookmark it for next year (psst, remember to bring a tupperware).

Got the travel bug?
SF Chocolate Salon
Amano Chocolate
Nicole Lee
SLO Down Wines

East Oakland Thai: Old Weang Ping (don't blow it up)

Old Weang Ping is overgrown with ivy and tropical plastic flowers. Wood birds suspend from the ceiling, mismatched string lights adorn the walls, and a cascading alter to an orange-cloaked meditation guru greets you at the doorway. But here my normal gag reaction to clutter doesn't kick in. In fact, the palm thatch booths, the tiny window that peaks into the kitchen, the easy, beachside paced service and yes, the chachki exude the feeling that somewhere along I-580 E we exited and ended up at a Phuket hideaway.

This tiny restaurant sits next to an apartment building on MacArthur and 62nd, it's both out of place and yet completely at home in its quirkiness. A husband and wife tag team the kitchen and floor, and for the duration of your stay in what feels like their converted home you submit to their pace and their rules. Survive the hurdles- a locked front door, a timely wait to order, flavorless tea (in glasses that cater to your play-pretend pimp desires) and you'll make it to what's anything but quirky, their seriously good food.

The menu is a black and white photocopy underneath the glass top of our table. Half of it is handwritten, the subheads are in old English (pimp cups, pimp font!), and the prices are all under $7.25. Specials up on the chalkboard range a little more. Aside from your standard appetizers and sides like satay and papaya salad, you'll also find a  barbarian soup, seafood cucumber salad, three different kind of cakes, and a fruit drink (it's not a juice, it's a fruit drink).  But for the most part the menu works as so: pick a protein ranging from duck to catfish and pick a sauce (curry, peanut, sweet basil, etc.) Or for the vegetarians, pick three veggies and pick a sauce. If there's a chili pepper next to the sauce believe it means you'll get a little sweat on the brow. 

Our dishes appeared one by one, the pad see ew with more flavor than normal, the green curry with major bite, and the heaping basket of sticky rice provoking an urge to ask for a lifetime supply to go. Fire-loving friends don't neglect the salsa. 

For those of you who don't have a copy of the Berkeley High Slang Dictionary, the term referenced in the title of this post, "don't blow it up" means don't go running and tell all your hipster friends about this place. As we bid goodbye and promises of good reviews the owner called out, "noooo, no more yelp! Too many good reviews!" with a weary smile on his face. Which I can only interpret as, this is a family restaurant with happy regulars and a slow flow of new customers, and we don't want to overwhelm the service (which is also the kitchen and the management). Come here quietly and come with an appetite. 


Got the travel bug?
Old Weang Ping, 6217 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland
They do take out! 
Phone: (510) 430-8771

Made in SF: Brew, Chocolate, Coffee and More!

The Anchor Brewery sits tall on the foot of Potrero Hill. The exterior has the appeal of a post office, off-white and navy blue and rectangular. Inside sun shines in through the windows, the copper kettles glow, and there's an earthy smell somewhere between burnt toast and barley soup. The tasting room is shades of brown, from the mahogany bar to the leather seats and coffee carpet to the amber ale being poured into tasting glasses. I want to say that my grandpa's parlor is like this but Grandpa Jack drinks Trader Joe's version of corona and Grandpa Dick sticks to vodka on the rocks, and neither of them have parlors. I'm here at 12:10 pm on Monday and someone has already placed a beer in one of my hands and a salami cone in the other. Gonna be hard to finish the week.

Monday's event was a journalist retreat including a tour, lunch and panel aimed to introduce writers to San Francisco food and brew, hosted by Anchor Brewing as part of the Craft Brewers Conference. So how did a potty-mouthed blogger like me get in? I work for SFMade, a non-profit that supports, promotes and celebrates San Francisco manufacturers. While I'm trying to hold off on committing shameless promotion, I will say that part of the fun of working at SFMade is getting to know crafters, chefs, brewers, bakers, candlestick-makers that rock whatever it is they're passionate about, push consumers to try new things, and believe in building community. Lucky us, who have them in our backyard.
Anchor Brewing 

Anchor has got a host of good beers (there's more than Steam, which is what we typically see at local bars), a friendly, knowledgeable staff, and a distillery that produces small batch whiskeys and gins. They offer free tours twice a day by reservation. Unfortunately you'll have to book months in advance.

Chris Cosentino, Incanto & Boccalone
Chef Cosentino prepared a three course food and beer pairing, and is entirely responsible for my long afternoon nap which I awoke from five minutes before I was being picked up for a date, during which I was not hungry, nor thirsty and mostly just bored my date to death talking about the amazing lunch I had. This is the second course, steam beer cured local sardines, radish and calçots, which seemed to convert most of the "oh I'm not really a sardine person" people at my table.

During the panel, when Chef Cosentino was asked about his experience doing business in San Francisco, he called it "the land of misfit toys." And while yes, in his case, specializing in turkey lungs and pig head is not exactly of the ken barbie doll make, he was also referring to this city and its culinary culture allowing all sorts of passionate chefs and food producers the opportunity to shine. "This is a place where if you stand up for what you believe in, in the end you win, " he said.

Ritual Coffee

Brewed in SoMa, sold here and other cafes around the Bay (like Remedy). The Bay's OG of "third wave" coffee making (along with Blue Bottle). Freshness, quality, and technique rule here. During the panel Eileen Hassi, owner, mentioned a disloyalty card Ritual has with other coffee bars- a neat way (yes, I said neat) to promote the greater coffee community. Buy seven drinks at any of the participating coffee bars and get the 8th free (hint: you may have to ask for the card if you don't see it on the counter).

Recchiuti Confections

Fancy (pricey), tiny labors of love. Remember those simple yet delicious sesame candies? The truffle on the left is toasted sesame seeds and caramel topped with a blend of pure milk chocolate and caramel, and enrobed in pure bittersweet chocolate. How juiced would you be to get THAT in your trick-o-treat bag?

Leadbetter's Bake Shop
Jamieson Leadbetter is pretty much a one man show, carrying on a five-generation family baking tradition. His English muffins are fluffy and giant. Find them here. 


Got the travel bug?
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/
http://incanto.biz/
http://www.boccalone.com/
http://ritualcoffeeroasters.com/
http://www.recchiuti.com/index.html
http://www.leadbettersbakeshop.com

Revisiting downtown Berkeley: Japanese food at Ippuku

Being in downtown Berkeley has always made me feel like I'm in high school again. Those days of scrambling for crappy off-campus lunches, impatiently waiting for the hourly 65 bus, and being called a godless parasite by angry, angry bums. Enduring the mix of cal students, frumpy entitled hippies, sad empty storefronts, and bad drivers has never seemed worth it just to get to that one nice brunch. But recently a few places have popped up, creating a strip of destinations that are (dare I say it) hip, interesting, and in true Berkeley style, a little weird. Here's one:
Ippuku

Walk through the mysterious wooden doors and you're immediately greeted by an upside down Shochu bar, a hallway of cool concrete walls and natural wood tables, and the gleeful suspicion that you're about to remove your shoes and sit on heather blue cushions for this meal. The decor, down to the pepper shaker and sake cups, alternates between stone colored ceramic and rustic wood, it feels like a spa, then it feels like New York. There's a sleek, comfortable, and thoughtful vibe.

I required a little bit of help navigating this menu, but a few things were instantly clear- there's no shortage of chicken parts, mochi, or sake here. The menu is a maze of small plates ranging from $6 to $15, making Ippuku a great place for a quick quail egg fix and a drink (sake and beer), or a relaxing place to chill and eat a ten course dinner. My top picks? The gyoza to start, the negima (chicken thigh with leeks) to devour, yaki onigiri (rice balls) to fight over, the krobuta bara (pork belly) to make you smile, and the kuro goma sundae to finish. For those of you who like liver, my friend in the chicken-liver-lover-camp was highly pleased. Skip the ramen.

 Chicken liver

Pork belly

Sundae (with crispy tempura bits, mochi, and a type of bean paste)

Sake

Unless you're familiar with Japanese food (not just sushi) be prepared to walk away having learned something from Ippuku, whether it be a taste for chicken tartare or the idea that downtown Berkeley can surprise you. 

Got the travel bug?
http://www.ippukuberkeley.com/

Strollerless in Rockridge

I know most of us strollerless folks tend to avoid Rockridge for fear of getting a toe crushed or being attacked by the dirty hands of a cute blond toddler, but here are a few places to drink, eat, and indulge that are 20-something friendly. 
Happy Hour at Hudson

What once was Garibaldis (and then Garibaldis and Marzano) is now Hudson: strong drinks, good pizza, weird Tahoe hotel lounge carpet situation, and a bartender that looks like a hyperactive Chirstian Bale (that's a plus, ladies!) Their happy hour is from 5 to 6  with deals on well-done classics like a margarita, negroni, French 75, pizza and cesar salad.
Sandwiches at Southie

The "Pulled Piggie" is a juicy, giant bite of pulled pork, aioli, pickles and slaw on an acme bun. Wood Tavern's new "Pantry" is a cute, airy, bougie sandwich joint with great College Ave. window seating for people watching. We also liked "The Standby" (a cup of soup with a pressed levain grilled cheese).
Candy at Powell's Sweet Shoppe

I realize it's hypocritical to include a candy store in this post, but any parent that takes their kid into this store is asking for a sugar high from hell. Walking in is like diving into the inside of a piñata. Here lives every color of the M&M rainbow, a party of Pez figures, an endless pay by the pound gummy and jelly bean selection, a disturbing array of lollipops (pie lollipops, toolbox lollipops, tie-die peace sign lollipops, watermelon popsicle lollipops), and shelves and cases of childhood candy favorites whether you grew up on 5¢ Baby Ruths or 25¢ Cry Babys.
Hot Chocolate at Bittersweet

This is my suggestion for a gloomy day: Do and eat whatever relieves your winter doldrums, then come to this cozy cafe to top it off with a classic hot chocolate. While Bittersweet has a range of alluring chocolate drinks and treats, splitting a cup of the classic is a perfectly satisfying shot of chocolaty heaven. It's so rich if you put it in the fridge I'd bet it would come out a flawless milk chocolate bar. 

Got the travel bug?
Hudson: http://www.hudsonoakland.com/ Happy hour 5-6 daily.
Southie: http://southieoakland.com/
Powell's Sweet Shoppe: http://www.powellsss.com/go/
Bittersweet: http://www.bittersweetcafe.com/index.html

What makes homey food homey, homies?

One chilly night last week, my friend and I sat down to a bowl of soup and a bottle of wine and in between our sipping we began to ponder the characteristics of "homey" food. Comfort food. What makes it comforting?

Did you come home to it when you were a kid? The simple snacks and desserts after dinner that rocked your sixth grade world? Like a brownie or root beer float? Mac and cheese and carrots or broccoli dipped in some kind of sauce that makes the vegetables less vegetably? (ranch if you're normal, mayonnaise mixed with soy sauce if you're Ferron). And while the food is important, is it more about the memories surrounding the food than the food itself?

If that's it then Homeroom, the new mac and cheese joint around the corner from me is the recess bell, the sleepover, the under-the-desk passed note of our food nostalgia. Only now the options of mac and cheese (artisinal Californian cheese) are many and worldly, the oreos are salted, the root beer is home-brewed, and there's beer on tap.

But what if your Jewish mother (my dad) didn't make you macaroni and cheese? Or Cambodian soup? Why would three people from different upbringings be able to go into a Cambodian restaurant and label a dish they never had as comfort food?

Maybe it's witnessing and participating in someone else's comfort food, and adopting it as your own. When we walked into Phnom Penh House there were three families, grandmas, babies, teenagers abound, having family meal. Find it on the dim corner of 8th and Alice Streets. The pink awning outside has faded into an awkwardly charming Easter-egg hue, there's chintzy wall paneling and scuffed tables, but on a rainy night it's the place you want to be: small, tucked away,  family-owned and family friendly, where wafts of coconut milk, BBQ chicken, and cilantro wander around you.

The coconut milk soup (#218) has tomatoes, pineapple, and catfish and tastes like a spoonful of the tropics.

What about flavors? Deep flavors we find in soups and dishes that have been stewing for hours. Homemade dishes with ingredients that we can identify as real food. When my friend Danny Perales makes a soup we all come running and it doesn't matter how cold it is outside, we just know we can count on it to taste delicious and make us feel better. That's why when Danny was guest chef at Guerilla Cafe earlier this month, there was a line out the door of people waiting to try the special menu dubbed "Like Water for Chocolate" after a Mexican novel whose protagonist best expresses herself through cooking. Building off his mom's recipes from Chiapas, my favorites were Guisado, a stewed chicken dish with prunes and olives, and Pozole, a Mexican stew that makes Raul (Danny's brother) come into the kitchen and without fail say, "mmmm it smells like Mexico up in here!" every time it's on the stove.

If comfort food is made up of flavors we can count on, then we should all count on coming to the next Perales guest chef night at Guerilla (email me to get word on when it's happening). I'll be helping out on the floor, so stop me (not when I'm carrying food, people) and let me know if it's comfort food to you:  Does it strike a chord in your food memory? Make you feel like part of the family? Taste like something homemade and authentic?
Did I mention the flan made by Danny's mom? Tastes like sex on the Mayan riviera with caramel on top. And now I'm thinking my next post should be on aphrodisiacs.

 

Got the travel bug?

Homeroom

Phnom Penh House

Get on Perales Pop-up Kitchen email list

FiDi Sandwich Round Up

I got bread, turkey and cheese at home but I couldn't wake my sleepy-ass up five minutes early to throw them together. Good thing these places are right around the corner:
1. Ebbett's Good to Go

This friendly arugula monster is a BLT made with niman ranch bacon, heirloom tomatoes, and chipotle aioli. I've also had their spicy Cuban sandwich, which was riquisimo. Ebbett's is a woman-owned food truck specializing in sandwiches made with sustainable and local ingredients.  Find them at Civic Center and other spots by following them on Twiiter.
2. Boudin

This place gets a mention for its fresh bread and balcony seating. Simple, in the $7 range, and there are lots of soup/salad/chips/soda combo options (but who drinks soda?)
3. The Sentinel

The first time I came here I waited in a line around the corner with a group of regulars who seemed to know the routine all to well: gal with the black pen comes around and one by one scratches popular items off the menu, then the crowd collectively sighs and curses about not getting the sandwich they wanted. But they stick around anyway, because the whole menu is delicious. Word of advice to my fellow fidi powersuits,  the "waste my lunch break away hoping to get the sandwich I want" game is pretty wack. Call in or go early because that spicy pork ain't worth missing. Same Chef as Golden West.
4. Cafe Algiers

This gets the best sandwich for the best price award. Don't be fooled by the unassuming storefront, their spicy turkey sandwich with avocado was fresh, big, and cheap ($5-something in the FiDi is unheard of). While there are lines it's got nothing to do with trendiness, it's just a good deal -- and that's what a sandwich should be.

Got any good sandwich spots downtown? Let me know. Also, don't forget to check out an earlier post on Chez Carla.

Got the travel bug?
Ebbett's Good to Go
Boudin 619 Market St
The Sentinel 37 New Montgomery St
Cafe Algiers 50 Beale St

SF Underground Market...Shhh

There are very few things I'll wait in a line around the block for. Primarily a concert, a James Franco kissing booth, and a building full of food vendors. The latter happened last weekend at the SF Underground Market, a nighttime food festival and farmers market hybrid organized by ForageSF. The market allows budding food businesses to sell and show off their products, even if they aren't working out of a commercial kitchen yet. For vendors ForageSF has created an awesome market opportunity, and for eaters it's an extravaganza of home cooking, at your fingertips and in your backyard for a $5 entrance fee. My favorites:

Banh Mi Burger by Kitchen Sidecar- Tender pork belly, fancy mayo, and a perfectly crispy bun.

Pulled pork sandwich by Bay Area Urban BBQ- Weirdest picture of Essence, but the sandwich was certainly radiant. We stood in a dark staircase and inhaled this.

Chicken and Waffles from Angry Man Eats- I'm not sure if this was the best venue for chicken and waffles, but it does add a sick twist of indulgence to eat two sandwiches and macaroni and cheese, and then remember that your chicken and waffles will be ready in five minutes. Dessert?

Wood- fired pizza. 

 

On a grill?! Pizza Hacker modified a weber grill into a mobile traditional pizza oven. I actually didn't try the pizza (you can't go to pizza after chicken and waffles, you might just die) but I plan on tracking it down soon.

Got the travel bug?
http://foragesf.com/ Sign up to find out when the next market is.

Head East... To Oakland!

America getting you down? It's been a year since I left the country, so you know I'm getting anxious and I have a feeling a few of you are feeling the same way. But, if you can't drop everything and head overseas here are two spots to alleviate your red, white and blues:
Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant

I'm gonna call myself out right now and admit that I don't know much about Ethiopian food nor do I consider it one of my favorite cuisines. The spongy bread injera has never done it for me and I can't say I've had a dish that's been memorable. But this week I went to Ensarro, and it accomplished what few restaurants can do- it opened my snobby little mind. A huge, family style platter arrived at our table, the yellow of the pigeon peas matched the wall to my right, the turmeric set off the amber drapes on the ceiling, and I noticed that there's something special when the hues of your food and your environment combine harmoniously. I enjoyed every flavor of the Yetsome Beyaynetu (veggie combo) and the Bozena Shirow (finely grounded splot peas, and chickpeas simmered in minced beef). Look at me knowing the names. 

Oasis Market 

One of my favorite things to do when I lived in Istanbul was take the tram to the spice bazaar and walk through the piles of turkish delight and saffron, past the coffee roaster, and up through the districts of fabric stores and electronics as they twisted and evolved into the Grand Bazaar full of antiques, carpets, and hookahs. My other favorite thing to do was stumble out of bars at 3 a.m. and follow the scent of döner, a rotating spit of lamb sliced off and served to order- especially good after a long night out. Oasis Market fills those two gaps in my life as best as any market could. Call it what you like, shawarma, gyro, al pastor, rotating roasts hit the spot and you can get a good one there with freshly baked pita and all the fixings (tahini, humus, onions, etc.) for $8. There's also an entire selection of pistachio and date-filled pastries, savory pies, feta cheese, and mezzes. And, in case you wanna get freaky, there's the classic freak-eh soup:)

They also have fresh veggies (yay for more fresh veggies in Oakland!), a huge selection of middle eastern staples, and hookah supplies. Afiyet olsun!
Got the travel bug?
Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant
Oasis