Whenever we visit the Bay Area, we usually seek out new
restaurants to sample since the Bay Area probably has the most restaurants per
capita of any large city in the US. Though we previously would make our Bay
Area trek annually or at least every other year, over the past decade we’ve
hardly made any trips to the upper 48 partly due to family emergencies. So on
our recent trek to attend the 8th annual Soy and Tofu Festival, most
of our dining were repeat visits to establishments we previously patronized.
Poggio
Since I did all of my prep work for my soy milk custard
in my brother’s kitchen in Mill Valley, we had an early dinner the Friday
before the Soy and Tofu Festival at Poggio in Sausalito. After all, we’ve
experienced several food epiphanies in the past from their grilled lamb’s
tongue salad to their cauliflower custard to their seasonal porchetta. It also
doesn’t hurt that their regular cocktail menu always features about six
variations of my favorite libation; the Negroni. And we’ll continue to return
as we’ve never sampled their pizza and the Mrs. also wants to sample their
Bistecca Alla Fiorentina or thick cut Porterhouse steak meant to serve two or
three diners. Plus we do have to visit sometime in November when they highlight
those exquisite white Alba truffles during the short truffle season.
Dosa on Fillmore
We first visited Dosa on Fillmore about 4 years ago
almost as an afterthought as back then, I was simply looking for a place to
dine within the confines of Japantown. But after that first visit, we knew we
had to make a return visit at some point because of the flavor explosion each
bite provided. Because the night of the Soy and Tofu Festival was the only time
we could “break bread” with the staffers of the Nichi Bei Weekly and a
convenient location was needed, it was the perfect time for that Dosa re-visit.
And since there were six of us which makes it a little
difficult to order just the right amount of food (and single bites are rarely
plated in sixes) we decided to sample the Summer Family Style Tasting Menu
which included a little bit of everything including a new epiphany, Smoked Arctic
Char which was like the fattiest cut of salmon and their dosa was as crisp and
chewy as I remember it several years ago. Their cocktail list was also as
eclectic as I remember including the “Steph Curry” with Four Roses bourbon,
curried nectar, lime and tempranillo.
Bouchon Bistro
Though we’ve dined at both the Bouchon locations in
Yountville and Las Vegas, our last meal was in Las Vegas which was well over 10
years ago. So I knew we had to visit Bouchon to re-visit our original dining
memories. And as I remember, they still provide a superb dining experience from
the great cocktails (our roles reversed for lunch as the Mrs. sampled two
cocktails while I simply had wine as I’m the lush of the family), superb
seafood platters, great starters and appetizers and great service. And I
experienced another epiphany. Bouchon’s Fried Pigs Ears! Not the pig ears
themselves as I’ve sampled several variations of fried pig ears in the 50th but
at home, they simply taste like crunchier pork rinds with just a hint of pork
flavor. Bouchon’s rendition had the thicker cut pig ears first sous vide cooked
(cooked under vacuum low and slow) to break down all of the connective tissue
then they were fried to crisp the outer surface and served with sauce gribiche (like a tartar sauce with
chopped boiled eggs). Almost like consuming a crisp and chewy strip of bacon!
And the crouton in the Salade Lyonnaise weren’t just little morsels of toasted
bread cubes but had a flavor all on its own and added a whole new flavor
dimension to this classic salad.
Oenotri
Oenotri was first recommended to us by the concierge at
1801 First, a Bed & Breakfast just off of 1st Street in downtown
Napa several years ago as she stated that they served the best pasta courses.
Of course what piqued my interest were the 19 different varieties of house
cured salumi including a chef’s
selection of 10 different varieties on one butcher’s block. Since that first
meal several years ago, I’ve always dreamed of returning to sample their
artisanal crafted cured meats. And though we were still a little stuffed from
lunch at Bouchon, we managed to indulge in not just delicioso salumi but also delicious craft cocktails and a tasty
Cacio e Pepe or pasta created simply with butter, cracked black pepper, perfect
pasta and Parmigiano and pecorino cheese. And it was a simple walk across the
street from our accommodations at Andaz Napa.
Ca’ Momi Osteria
On our initial visit to Ca’ Momi Osteria several years
ago when they were still located in the Oxbow Market, I loved the fact that
they cooked traditional Italian cuisine in the old world style letting fresh
ingredients speak for themselves. It also didn’t hurt that they always had some
type of offal on the menu, cuts of the animal usually not favored by the
general public but very flavorful when cooked properly.
So not only did we make a return visit to Ca’ Momi but
once again I ordered a plate of the Trippa alla Veneta or tripe prepared in the
Venetian style simply with a mirepoix (celery,
carrots and onions), white wine and rosemary topped with grated Parmigiano
Reggiano cheese. THE. BEST. TRIPE. EVER. Perfectly cooked so it had the
consistency of rehydrated shiitake
mushrooms and as flavorful as any cut of beef. We also sampled the Animelle
Fritte or fried sweetbreads served simply with a lemon wedge and we finally
sampled their Margherita Pizza Napoletana which carries the DOP designation or Denominazione di Origine Protetta or
“protected designation of origin” and specifies exactly what type of flour,
cheese and tomatoes must be used along with exactly how the pizza must be
cooked (wood fired oven for exactly 90 seconds).
Bistro Jeanty
We concluded our gluttony with a return visit to Bistro
Jeanty which apparently changed locations since our last visit about 7 years
ago. I’ve always loved bistros that serve authentic, rustic French cuisine
including wines that can ordered in 150ml, 250ml, 500ml and 750ml portions. And
as a bonus, our lunch menu included two specials, a truffled deviled egg (for
the Mrs.) and a fried trotter cake (for me) along with a protein not commonly
seen in the 50th, lapin
(rabbit) with a pancetta wrapped loin and braised leg on truffled pappardelle
pasta along with a 2nd lamb’s tongue epiphany, a warm potato salad
with braised tongue that was unlike my initial epiphany as the tongue was
reminiscent of a great mortadella. And I’m always a sucker for a runny egg yolk
or freshly chopped raw beef, put them together as Jeanty’s steak tartare and
I’m in double heaven…
Sometimes the Past
is as Glorious as the Future
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