Eating My Way Out of San Francisco: The Final Week

My Final Week...
I can hardly believe it.
Realization sets in...
I won't be able to hit every place on my list!
Ah well...  It's not like I'm not gonna be back, right?
So here goes...


Brothers II Korean BBQ with Cris.
Don't be jealous...  
View actual photo below and weep.

I heart Panchan...



We decided to wrap our Brothers II Lunch at Genki with a Nutella and Banana Crepe.  
Me Raptor.  
Me SO happy.




Baby Blues BBQ with G and Billy

Original one in Venice, CA and the brothers who own them are originally from Philly.  Woot!
Anyhow, see spread below.



 

 

Pulled Pork, Corn Bread and Mac&Cheese

Memphis Ribs and Baby Back Ribs with Corn Bread and Sweet Potatoes

Sushi Groove with Nee

Needed something a little on the lighter side to break up my final week...


The Slanted Door

Here were the highlights...

Hamachi with Crispy Shallots and Thai Basil

 

Niman Ranch Shaking Beef with Cubed Filet Mignon, Sausalito Springs Watercress, Red Onion and Lime

 

Oven Roasted Sonoma Liberty Duck Breast with Cherries, mint and Sausalito Spring Watercress

Delfina
My Last Supper with Nad & Murph and Kuya Mel & Tim.
We came.
We ate.
It was Aweseme.

Some highlights below...  
Full review to follow soon. 

Green Garlic Sformatino with Mussels and Fiorelli

Prosciutto-Mascarpone Ravioli with Lemon Herb Burro Fuso

Pancetta-Wrapped Rabbit Saddle with Farm Carrots and Fava Beans

Tartine
Murph was adamant, that I could not leave SF without having the Morning Bun.
He hunted.
He gathered.
We ate.

Morning Bun on the right and Gougere to the left

Croques Monsieur

And so...

In Sinatra's word more or less..

The End is Here.

And I'm glad to say
I did it 'My Way'....

Thank You San Francisco for all of your Gastronomic Bounty!
I Came.
I Ate.
And I Loved it All...

So Long San Francisco

 and
       Hello New York!

As you can see, UrbanFoodMaven.com up & running now...

Eating My Way Out of San Francisco: Week Two...

Eating San Francisco continued...

Mango Cafe in Palo Alto



Hot Curried Goat Roti at the Mango Cafe in Palo Alto.


Pho at Turtle Tower in the 'Loin



Pho with Rare Beek & Well Done Flank.


Sushi Groove South



A Selection of Nigiri.


Quince



Above is their selection of Breads - Bread Sticks, Bread with Star Anise and the wheel-shaped one with Olives and soaked in Olive Oil, which was a Favorite at the table...



A surprisingly good Paine Farms Smoked Squab with Black Cabbage-Porcini Mushroom Strudel and Sunchoke Crema.


Beretta



Eggplant Caponatina with Burrata.



Margarita Pizza with Burrata Cheese and Sausage

Last but not Least,





the Infamous Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dog from one of the Bacon Dog Carts in the Mission...

Eating My Way Out of San Francisco: The First Week

Since I made the decision to move to NY, my time has been dominated by packing up, selling and donating my stuff, as well as farewell and birthday Lunches and Dinners, leaving little time for writing anything elaborate or extensive. So all I can do is just do what I can, right?

It is now mid-May and the plan is to chronicle my Meals as I eat my way out of San Francisco during the last 30 days before I leave in mid-June. Since we're a week into it, I'll get right to it...

My first Meal was at Postrio and although the majority of the Meal was nothing to write home about, one Dish stood out enough to make the blog.



Postrio - Poached Egg atop Angel Hair Pasta, Wild Mushroom and Frisee Appetizer.
Ok, now that I look at it, the Dish was a bit of a hodge podge and perhaps the best part of the Dish was the perfectly Poached Egg...



Next was a Medium Rare Prime Rib at Houston's...
That's the way, uh huh uh huh.. i like it.



I had Ryoko Sushi, of course, and was getting down with the Jumping Tuna and some serious Hamachi - both Sashimi- and Kama-styles...



Then I had Pho at Golden Star on Walter U. Lum Place with my friend Billy, who's eyes have always been WAY bigger than his stomach. hahaha...



Crustacean was next on the list and I had yummy Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodles...
It got messy..
It was worth it.

First week down, 3 more to go.
So who's next and where?

Ch-ch-ch- Changes...

Ok.
It is Time.
Time for what you ask?
Time to make that move back east to the NYC.

This move has been on my mind for a year and a half now and I almost made the move exactly a year ago. But the timing was not right. A year later, I still feel the same way and it is time for this Food Maven to move on after 11 years in San Francisco.

So what does that mean? Obviously, I cannot be the 'SF' Food Maven any more and naturally, I had been toying around with changing my name to be something broader. My new name will soon be the Urban Food Maven and the site will change over to UrbanFoodMaven.com. Nice, eh?

So, I will keep you posted on the changes as they come...

As Always, I really do appreciated your continued support!

Yours In Food,

The SFFoodMaven, soon to be
The Urban Food Maven

Lulu's

This is just a quickie...
Went to Restaurant Lulu for dinner with friends last week and I just had to share a few pics and the SFFM Fave of the Evening...

Sardines atop a Fennel Salad.
How Beautiful is the Dish?

And the Winner is...
The Roasted Duck.
Crisp Skin.
Juicy, Tender and Falling Off the Bone kinda Delish.
Although, I have to say that it has not surpassed the Roasted Duck that I had at Osteria Mozza.
Still good nonetheless...

Ryoko-Oh-oh-Oh!

I had the best sushi experience last night at Ryoko. This sushi place is literally a hop, skip & jump from where I live and I frequent the joint on a regular.. It's a little neighborhood gem that serves great sushi, is open til 2am and is popular with the industry crowd. The place itself is underground, quite literally as you have to go downstairs to the restaurant upon entering. The decor is what one would call eclectic with it's electric blue walls accented with black vinyl, Asian kitsch and a shiny black Baby Grande in the center of the restaurant, where a dj spins atop it on Friday and Saturday nights.

Simply put, this place is best described as badass.

So last night I went with my friend Maria and it was awesome. So much so that I felt compelled to write about it here.

Naturally we ordered up some Sake and opted for a bottle of Nigori (Unfiltered making it Milky and a Mildly Sweet for those that are unfamiliar). Now I've had a lot of Nigori in my life and I thought that this Nigori was especially good. I have to say that it went really well with everything we ate.

A Perfect Sushi & Sake Pairing if you will..

It was Maria's first time here, so I ordered the Jumping Tuna which is one of my favorite rolls here. It is a roll that is made with Fresh Tuna, Cucumber and Shiso wrapped in Sushi Rice and then dipped in Tempura Batter and flash-fried. Together with the Sweet & Spicy Sauce, it makes for a great combination. My friends and I always order this whenever we go. You gotta try it..

We also had Hamachi Toro, Hamachi, Sake and Uni Nigiri that were all great, although we found the Hamachi to be much better than the Hamachi Toro. Again, all went extremely well with the Nigori..

The Hamachi, Sake and Uni were all great, but the Hamachi was Damn Good!!

So Fresh and So Buttery! Like all Sushi experiences should be...
This one is still imprinted in my mind, it was just that good.

The last roll that we had was another fave of mine, called the Pokemon, which is Salmon, Mango, Avocado, Fresh Lettuce and Rice wrapped in Soy Paper.

We topped off the night with Tempura Fried Ice Cream garnished with Chocolate Sauce and Toffee bits.

Yep, that's right..

A Very Happy Ending.

The End...

The Big Eat SF: 100 Things To Try Before You Die on 7x7

The Big Eat SF: 100 Things To Try Before You Die on 7x7 is now on Facebook.

Now you can track just how many things on the list that you have tried.
Click here for the link.

Ben & Jerry's Ameri-Cone Dream by Stephen Colbert

I have a new crush right now...
And it is Ben & Jerry's Ameri-Cone Dream by Stephen Colbert which is A-W-E-S-O-M-E!
Vanilla Ice Cream with Fudge Covered Waffle Cone Pieces and a Caramel Swirl.
The combination is intoxicating...

Be forewarned. Can be Addicting..

Michael Bauer's Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants

Michael Bauer of the Chronicle has come out with his annual Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants list...
Click here for the full list.

Taste of the Nation - San Francisco

Taste of the Nation - San Francisco

* DATE: Thursday, April 23, 2009
* TIME: 6:00 PM - VIP Reception Entry at 5:30 PM
* LOCATION: The Field Club Lounge at AT&T Park (Tasting Reception) and Traci Des Jardin's Acme Chophouse (VIP Dinner & Auction)
* TICKETS: VIP Dinner + Tasting Reception- $250, Tasting Reception - $75

We are very excited to announce the amazing line-up of chefs for this year’s Gala Dinner. They include Michael Symon (Cleveland's Lola/Lolita), SF’s own Traci Des Jardins (Acme Chophouse/Jardinière/Mijita), Chris Cosentino (Incanto), Gavin Kaysen (NYC's Café Boulud), and Koren Grieveson (Chicago's Avec).

Chef Elizabeth Falkner will once again provide the dessert course, and Host Chef Thom Fox has graciously opened his Acme Chophouse kitchen again to host.

Kicking off the event will be a Tasting Reception featuring an array of the Bay Area's best chefs & restaurants, including:

*
Honorary Tasting Event Chair Jamie Lauren - Absinthe
*
Liza Shaw - A16
*
Jordan Grosser - The Alembic
*
Percy Whatley - The Awhanee Hotel
*
Jason Fox - Bar Tartine
*
Loretta Keller & Michael Morrison- Coco500 & The Moss Room
*
Robbie Lewis – Oracle
*
Jenn Puccio - Cortez
*
Cal Stamenov - Marinus at the Bernardus Lodge
*
Scott Youkilis - Maverick
*
Michelle Mah - Midi
*
Staffan Terje & Sarah Ballard - Perbacco
*
Tim Luym - Poleng Lounge
*
Seis Kamimura - Postrio
*
Jennifer Biesty & Tim Nugent - Scala's Bistro
*
Charles Phan - Slanted Door
*
Chris Behr - SPQR
*
Mark Sullivan - Spruce
*
Parke Ulrich - Waterbar
*
Hoss Zare - Zaré at Flytrap

JUST ADDED:

An incredible Mixology Program celebrating the upcoming SF Cocktail Week in May. Sample signature cocktails from the City's best bartenders at the Tasting event.

Participating Bars Include:

* Elixir
* 15 Romolo
* Beretta
* Bourbon & Ranch
* Conduit
* Heaven's Dog

Taste the best of San Francisco's original cocktail culture and sample some new inspirations from the country's best mixologists.

Bid on unmatched food and wine experiences in exciting silent and live auctions at the gala dinner, or buy raffle tickets for a variety of fun packages at the tasting event. Best of all, Fight Hunger in San Francisco and throughout the US with your generous contribution. 100% of your ticket purchase goes directly to Share Our Strength.

Beneficiaries:

Ticket sales will benefit Foodrunners, Children of Shelters, and Sports 4 Kids, San Francisco.

Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® is the nation’s premier culinary benefit dedicated to making sure no kid in America grows up hungry. Each spring, the nation's hottest chefs and mixologists donate their time, talent and passion at more than 45 events across the United States and Canada, with one goal in mind: to raise the critical funds needed to end childhood hunger. Since 1988, Taste of the Nation has raised more than $70 million.

Osteria Mozza in LA...

I had THE Best Meal, and am even proclaiming it as the SFFoodMaven Favorite Meal of 2008 at Osteria Mozza in LA. This is what I was talking about in my previous post about 'Italian as the new French' as one of the latest Food Trends and I'm excited for you to read about my experience here.

This past December, I traveled down to LA on an impromptu trip with my girlfriend. We stayed at the London which was awesome. I had stayed there many times, many years ago when it was the Belage and was completely amazed at the transformation. The rooms were spacious and gorgeous and the bathroom was an absolute spa dream! Not to mention that The London is a perfect location nestled between Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards and we absolutely loved it there!
But what was even more Memorable of course was what I ate while I was there... The concierge scored us a rezzie at Osteria Mozza, a Restaurant by three Veritable Virtuosos of the Food World - Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and Nancy Silverton of La Brea Bakery.

The Meal literally blew me away and it was my idea of the Perfect Trifecta of any Memorable Dining Experience that I so often look for - Great Food, Great Atmosphere/Decor and Great Service.

From the moment that I walked in I felt the warmth of the decor, a classic yet contemporary space, which enveloped me as if to welcome me within its embrace, and at the same time, I felt a frisson of excitement by the energy buzzing in the room. I had been wanting to eat here for quite some time and thus far it was living up to my expectations even though I haven't even tried the Food yet! Perhaps it was just me and the fact that I live for and obsess over all things Food, but I was absolutely beside myself and the Food did not disappoint...

Here is the Breakdown...
Bear with me on some of the photos as it was a bit dark in there and I hate using a flash when it comes to Food..



We were given an Amuse of Creamy Ricotta on Toasted Crostini topped with an Olive Tapenade and Basil Chiffonade. The simplicity of it tickled our Palates and was a sound start to our Meal...



Osteria Mozza is known for its Mozzarella Bar, so naturally we opted to start with the Mozzarella Tasting, which offered 3 kinds of Mozzarella from the Bar - Burrata, Fior di Latte & Bufala Mozzarella. All three were Rich, Creamy and Light versions of Mozzarella that were nothing short of Dreamy. The Fior di Latte being our favorite of all, because it was just Divine...

Ever since first trying Agnolotti pasta at Quince long ago, I have been a devotee. Agnolotti is very similar to a Ravioli or Tortellini, but it is made with one thin sheet of Pasta which is essentially folded over and made into tiny little pockets filled with Meat or Cheese. So whenever I see it on a Pasta or Secondi Menu, I always have to order it. Perbacco here in San Francisco usually has a couple versions of it, one made with Roasted Veal and Savoy Cabbage and the other with Roasted Rabbit and a Truffled Sugo D'Arrosto. Can you say YUM?




But Osteria Mozza's Agnolotti, Burro e Salvia filled with Veal, Chicken, Capiccola and Pancetta far transcended any other Agnolotti that I have ever had! They were Silken, Little Pockets of Heaven in a Sage Butter Sauce. I mean, I had one of those SFFoodMaven 'Moments' while eating it, where my eyes rolled back and I just didn't want the Dish to ever end! It was THE BEST thing that I have consumed, devoured and indulged in all year! And I STILL salivate at the just the thought of it. This is the kind of Moment that I LIVE for...
Exquisite.
Ambrosial.
Divine.
Transcendent.
The socks are not just off, they're gone!
Outta the Park!
See Ya!
Believe me, I am still recovering... And the only remedy, may be to go back for more.
Gimme a moment to get myself together...
*sigh*



Grilled Quail wrapped in Pancetta with sage & honey...




I had the Crisp Duck al Mattone with Pear Mostarda & Brussels sprouts which was pretty amazing! It was served on a huge cutting board so it felt like it was a hedonistic sacrifice fit for a goddess... Yes that would be me... The Skin was Beautifully Crisp yet the Meat was unbelievably Tender and Juicy, so much so that the Meat just fell off the Bone...



For Dessert we had the Bombolini, very Light, Round Fritters served with Vanilla Gelato and a Mountain Huckleberry Compote, which I thought were Unique and Happy Ending to a Truly Memorable Meal...

2008 Food Trends & 2009 Predictions

Every year, many different publications such as, Epicurious, Time Magazine and SFWeekly, write about the Top Food Trends and Predictions for the New Year...

Not surprisingly, one of the Top Trends this year is Recession Dining. Many restaurants in San Francisco are offering recession deals such as Prix Fixe options and the like. Some good money-saving examples are - Laiola in the Marina was offering a deal called Pink Slip Sundays where if you brought in a friend who was recently laid off, they comped their Meal. Not sure if it is still ongoing, but considering the vast amount of layoffs that are happening, it may not be the best idea in spite of how generous an offer it may be. Epic Roasthouse offers a lunch deal called the 3 B's - Burger, Beer and Brownie for $20. Dine About Town seemed to be more popular than ever this year which was also a big indicator of the state of the economy. So much so that a lot of restaurants extended their DAT Prix Fixe deals through the following weeks and months.

One trend that I am loving and have been dying to tell you about is the 'Italian as the new French' trend. I got to thinking this after assessing my Top Meals of the past years and realizing that a lot of my Favorite Meals were Italian, more specifically Regional Italian where the Pasta is made fresh on the premises. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I am a big fan of Rustic Food which you will see below is one of the Epicurious predictions for 2009. My Favorite Meal of 2008 was my Meal at Osteria Mozza in LA, which I will be posting very soon. But I was pumped to read something to the same effect in an article by Alan Richman in this past December's GQ magazine where he pretty much proved my sentiments to be correct and proclaimed 'Italian as the new French'. In that same issue, GQ named Vetri restaurant in Philly as the current best Italian Restaurant in America. Next time I am in Philly, I have to go...

The following links discuss the Past Trends of 2008:
Top Ten Food Trends Time by Meredith Brody, SFWeekly - which references the following trend list in Time magazine, the Top Ten Food Trends by John Cloud
Top 10 Hottest Food Trends of 2008 by Doug DuCap - Pretty accurate, I thought..


Epicurious.com did a write up of Future Predictions for 2009, which I thought I would share.

1. "Value" is the new "Sustainable"

2. The Compost Pile is the new Flower Garden

3. Peruvian is the new Thai

4. Noodle Bars are the new Sushi Joints

5. Ginger is the new Mint

6. Smoking is the new Frying

7. Regional Roasters are the new Starbucks

8. Portland (Maine) is the new Portland (Oregon)

9. Rustic Food is the new Molecular Gastronomy

10. "Top-Rated" is the new "Critic's Pick"

Here is a link to the above list with further details - Epicurious Predicts Top 10 Food Trends by James Oliver Curry

One last thing before you go and probably a good way to wrap this up...
The SF Chronicle did a great article called The Food-Obsessed Wish List for 2009 by Stacy Finz and Tara Duggan, which I loved! Check it out at the link here and make sure you read all the way to the end with what they would like to Ring In for 2009.

Some of my personal faves and things that I would like to see more of are:

Affordable Cocktails. This would go hand-in-hand with the Recession Dining trend.

Good Regional Food. I love this trend and definitely want to see more of it.

Jewish Deli. Oy Vey! We can count on only 1 hand how many of these we have in the City? That's SO wrong-ge!

Late-Night Dining. Haven't we been cryin' about this one for years now?

Sustainable Sushi. Goes without saying...

Reservations. Yeah! What's with not taking rezzies anyways? Lame.

Affordable Wine Lists. Like this one and would like to see lower corkage fees too.

I am leaving you with these thoughts and articles for now because I have to go finish my Osteria Mozza write up now...

Happy Readin' and Eatin'...

Yours, As Always, In Food..

The SFFoodMaven

The Big Eat SF: 100 Things To Try Before You Die on 7x7

How about some 'Literal' Food for Thought, People?



So the 7x7 magazine editors did an article called, The Big Eat SF: 100 Things To Try Before You Die. A little morbid in its choice of title, but I suppose it is not too far off from the idea of that book called 1000 Places To See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz. This article came out in 7x7 magazine's January '09 issue last month and was brought to my attention by several SFFoodMaven friends & readers. I thought it would be interesting to share with those of you that have lived here for some time and also for any visitors or newcomers to the City...

I myself have tried about 40 out of the 100 and I definitely have my work cut out for me. Probably a good idea in lieu of the life of leisure that I am living at the moment, but also a bad idea after the binge of last month's Dine About Town. Not a problem, I suppose, I just need to get myself to the gym.

I will say that I don't wholly agree with all 100 things, so there may be a few SFFoodMaven side notes for some of them.

Here we go...

1. Roast Chicken and Bread Salad at Zuni. Done. As much as I love Zuni, it's not my all time Fave Roast Chicken.

2. Coffee-Rubbed Pork Shoulder at Range. Done. LOVE it.

3. Carnitas Taco at La Taqueria. Done. Good Stuff.

4. Spicy Crab and Grits at the Front Porch. Been to FP but have not had this. Need to go back...

5. Chasu Ramen at Katana-Ya. Done. Yum.. Goin back for the Kimchee Ramen

6. Burger with Fries at Slow Club. Done. It's pretty good, but not my Fave. I would ask them to go easy on the Mustard because it overpowered the Meat which is important to me...

7. Shaking Beef at the Slanted Door. Done. My Fave. LOVE it..

8. Morning Bun at Tartine Bakery.

9. Tofu Soup with Kimchi at My Tofu House. Done. OMG, SO GOOD!

10. Baja-style Fish Tacos at Nick’s Crispy Tacos

11. Pork Sugo with Pappardelle at Delfina. On List.

12. Salt-and-Pepper Squid at Yuet Lee. Done. Good, but I hear they are not like they used to be.

13. Soup Dumplings at Shanghai House. On List.

14. Beef Brisket at Memphis Minnie’s. Done. Not my Favorite though...

15. Oysters on the Half Shell at Swan Oyster Depot. Done. Like Hog Island better..

16. Katsu Curry from Muracci’s Japanese Curry & Grill

17. Tea-leaf Salad at Burma Superstar. Done. Awesome and different for most. A Must-Try for sure..

18. Salumi Misti Plate at Perbacco. Done. Good Stuff.

19. Tuna Tartare at Michael Mina. Haven't tried it here, but I definitely love Aqua's - the slated Original.

20. Chicken Pot Pie at Liberty Café. Never tried, but sadly, Liberty Cafe is now closed..

21. Pizza Margherita at Pizzeria Delfina. Done. Don't do take out, must eat there or it is not the same...

22. Vietnamese Roasted Pork Sandwich at Saigon Sandwich

23. Beer Sausage with Sauerkraut and Grilled Onions at Rosamunde Sausage Grill

24. Blue Bell Bitter from the Cask at Magnolia Pub

25. Loaf of Bread straight out of the oven at Tartine (bonus: sliced while still warm and slathered with Brillat-Savarin Cheese from Bi-Rite, down the block) On My List...

26. A Classic Gin Martini at Bourbon & Branch

27. Papaya salad with salty crab at Sai Jai Thai

28. A Gibraltar at Blue Bottle Café

29. Spaetzle at Suppenküche. Done.

30. Laughing Buddha Cocktail at Cantina. Right in my 'Hood.. On My List...

31. Pan Con Chocolate with Sea Salt and Olive Oil at Laïola. Done. Chocolate with Sea Salt - My kind of Dessert...

32. Pupusas at Balompie Café #3

33. Prime rib at House of Prime Rib. Done. MEAT! Oh Yeah, Baby!

34. Yellowtail Collar at Oyaji. Love Hamachi Kama. Totally on My List...

35. Salted-Caramel ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery

36. Dry-Fried Chicken Wings at San Tung. Done.

37. Rotisserie Chicken at Limón Rotisserie

38. French Fries at Hayes Street Grill

39. Pierna Enchilada Torta at La Torta Gorda

40. Cheeseburger at Taylor’s Automatic Refresher. Done. Good Stuff.

41. Pho Ga at Turtle Tower. On My List..

42. Fried-Shrimp Po’Boy at Brenda’s French Soul Food

43. Mint Julep at Alembic

44. Cannelé at Boulangerie Bay Bread

45. Galapagos Cocktail at Absinthe

46. Chips and Salsa at Papalote. Done.

47. Ceviche at La Mar Cebichería Peruana. Done. Having been to Peru, I liked Limon's better...

48. Angels on Horseback at Anchor & Hope. On My List... Oysters wrapped in Bacon. 'nuff said.

49. Ginger Snaps at Miette

50. Giant Pretzel with Mustard at The Monk’s Kettle. On List. I just love a good Pretzel and Mustard.

51. Maccaronara with Ricotta Salata at A16

52. Fried Brussels Sprouts at SPQR. Done. Pretty damn good..

53. Garlic Soup at Piperade. Ooooh Yum! SO on My List...

54. Spiced-Chocolate Doughnut at Dynamo Donut with a Four Barrel coffee

55. Milk-Roasted Pork at L’Osteria del Forno

56. Caponatina with Burrata at Beretta. On My List.

57. Goat Stew at Kokkari Estiatorio. On My List.

58. Absinthe Daiquiri at Jardinière. Sounds interesting... and could make for a very interesting night as well...

59. Huarache with Cactus Salad at El Huarache Loco (Saturdays at the Alemany farmers market)

60. The Brass Monkey at Little Star Pizza

61. Crab Soufflé at Café Jacqueline. OMG! Definitely on My List...

62. Shrimp-and-Chive Dumplings at Ton Kiang. Done. Good Stuff, but I love their Shanghai Meat Dumplings way better...

63. Meatballs with Grapes at Aziza. Vaguely recall having this when I ate there once...

64. Paper Masala Dosa at Dosa. Done.

65. Crispy Eggplant at Jai Yun

66. Pig parts at Incanto. On My List.

67. Sand Dabs at Tadich Grill. A San Francisco institution... After 11 years, STILL on List.

68. Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista Cafe. Done. The Golden Nugget at Union Square does a pretty mean one too...

69. Licorice Parfait at South

70. Omakase menu at Sebo. On My List.

71. A Fernet at R Bar

72. Arancini at Ducca

73. Popovers with Strawberry Butter at the Rotunda

74. Corned-Beef Sandwich with Gruyère at the Sentinel. SO on My List...

75. Fried Green Beans at Coco500. On List.

76. Chicken Hash at Ella’s

77. Eggs Benedict on the back patio at Zazie. On List. Sounds Lovely. Current Benedict fave is Curbside Too on California by Fillmore streets.

78. Chilaquiles with a Fried Egg at Pastores

79. Onion Strings at Alfred’s Steakhouse

80. Apple Fritter at Bob’s Donuts

81. Chicken Curry at Punjab Kabab House. Done. Not my Fave though. Like Aslam's better...

82. Fried Chickpeas at Piqueo’s

83. Sweet-Potato Fries with Canana Catsup at Poleng Lounge

84. A Margarita at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant. Done.

85. Pulled-Pork Sandwich at Roadside BBQ

86. A Cheese Slice at Arinell Pizza. On My List.

87. Fresh Spring Rolls at Out the Door. Done.

88. Buckwheat Crepe and a French Cider at Ti Couz. Done.

89. Lamb Schawerma at Truly Mediterranean. Done. Like Yumma's on Irving better though..

90. Slow-cooked Egg at Coi. Done. Delicious!

91. Albondigas Soup at Mijita

92. Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dog from a cart in the Mission (preferably when you’re drunk). Done many, Many times... Once had 3 in one night.. No joke.

93. Seven Courses of Beef at Pagolac. Done.

94. Mango with Chile, Lemon and Salt at Doña Tere’s cart (At the corner of 21st and Treat Streets, no phone)

95. 3 a.m. Bowl of Caldo Verde Soup at Grubstake

96. Baby-Coconut Ice Cream from Mitchell’s. Done. But of course...

97. Sesame Balls at Yank Sing. Done.

98. Basil Gimlet at Rye. Done.

99. Clam Chowder at Hog Island Oyster Co.

100. Cheese Course at Gary Danko. Done. Who wouldn't love it?

There you have it People...
So, what have You done?
And what would You do different?

You can click here for the 7x7 full article.

David Fishman, 12 Year Old Food Critic...

Check out this impressive young man. He is no ordinary young boy. His name is David Fishman and he is slowly making it big in the food circles as a 12 year old aspiring food critic.

Now why couldn't I have thought of this when I was 12 years old???

Click here for a YouTube video of this this junior food critic in action on the CBS Early Show.

Click here for the New York Times article on him.

Just thought I would share...

Photo courtesy of Michael Applleton - NYTimes