Make a Wish Foundation's Wine & Wishes Event

Make a Wish Foundation's Wine & Wishes Event

Sat., Feb. 2, 2008
Treasure Island ~ San Francisco, CA

Hello Friends & Fellow Foodies!

Great Food & Wine for a Good Cause? The Raptor is so there...

Anyone else care to join in the Food & Fun?

Just wanted to put it out there for anyone that may be interested in going as well. You can get a $15 off discount with the Tablehopper discount code. Tablehopper readers can get discounted tickets for $135: just click on "Buy Tasting Tickets," fill out the registration form, and enter "dream" under the discount code. The event is one of the organization's signature fundraisers, generating over $500,000 for the greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Thanks Marcia!

The Wine and Wishes Gourmet Food & Wine Tasting has proven to be one of the most acclaimed culinary events in the Bay Area. Great chefs, impeccable wines, a magical cause and YOU…a perfect equation for an unforgettable event.
During the Gourmet Food and Wine Tasting you will be able to sample amazing wines and exquisite dishes from any foodie's dream list! And all for a Great Cause!

Hope to see you there!

2008: To A Wondeful New Year...

So here we are in a New Year and the Year holds many adventures and exciting changes in store for the Raptor, which I cannot divulge as of yet... I know, the suspense is killing you, right? Well, soon enough, Grasshopper, soon enough...
All I can say is, Stay Tuned...



At the end of a year and with the start of a new, people often reminisce and look back at the year that had passed and recall one's 'Bests' or 'Faves' of the year.
I found myself asking the following question in a conversation I had the other day,
'What was or were Your All-time Best or Most Memorable Meals of 2007?'
The month of January alone brings many a food article about the writer's 'Best Restaurants/Eats of 200_', which, of course, prompts us to think about what our own answers would be. I suppose my question has 2 parts - What were your Most Memorable Meals and Overall, What was the Best?
I really would love to hear some of your replies. Don't be shy now. You know I'm not.
And with no further ado - here I go...
.
The Raptor's Favorite & Most Memorable Meals of 2007...

1. Absinthe was my Most Memorable this year. Grilled Steak with Bone Marrow. One Word. Unbelievable.
2. Universal Cafe is my Favorite Brunch/Lunch spot. All of it is just so incredibly good.
   
3. Farina the time I went with my Boys, Raz & Mark C. The Veal Chop is still on my Mind.
4. Les Amis Revisited for Ally K's birthday - the entire Dining Experience was one of the best...

And so...
A Challenge To My Readers in the Spirit of the New Year....
I wanted to put forth a challenge to you to offer suggestions of Food or Places that you think I absolutely need to try this year.
Let's start with ones that are already on my List...

1. Gary Danko. Check.
2. French Laundry. Check. (in February)
3. SPQR
4. Tinderbox
   
5. Lolo
   
6. Zuni for their Wood-Fired Chicken, Caesar & the Zuni Burger
7. Canteen
8. Chez Panisse
   
9. Manresa, if there's time...
   
10. ??? Your suggestion here, Reader... C'mon now, what do you got?
    

Ah, the Holidays in All of its Splendor & Many Blessings...

Hello Readers and Fellow Foodheads! It is 2008 and it is bound to be a really exciting year for the Raptor and hopefully for You as well... I hope you all had a great holiday! I know that I sure did...
I flew to my old hometown, Philly and celebrated the holidays with my family there, and then I found myself on a plane that Sunday going to Phoenix and then back to San Francisco on Christmas evening. It was quite a trip going back and forth, coast to coast, but well worth it when family and friends are involved...

During my travels, I ate quite A LOT, as is expected during the holidays, and along the way, I had a few interesting observations that I thought I would share with you...

Whilst in Philly, I of course, had my daily Raptor doses of Cheesesteaks. In a 48 hour period, I had my current all-time favorite, Steve's Steaks, care of my cousin Joy. (Thanks Joy!) As I've mentioned in my Philly Cheesesteak post awhile back, I love Steve's for their awesome Bread and also because they are the only place I know that keeps their thinly sliced Ribeye whole. Most places chop it up fine, which I don't have a problem with either, but I kinda like it this way.

My second steak came from D'Alessandro's in Manayunk/Roxborough, care of my other cousin, Vince. (Thanks Vin!) I thought it was pretty damn good, although I didn't get to eat it fresh, it was still good heated up. Will need to revisit that one once I get back to the East Coast...

Another thing that I wanted to write about is the Wawa Food Stores. Most people from the west coast would not recognize this convenience store because it is mostly regional to the east coast, specifically in PA, MD, NJ, DE & VA. Out here in the west coast, they mostly have Circle K's, we have 7/11's and Wawa's. I really loved this convenience store, because it has an in-house deli and produce section and more variety than most others. My favorite thing to get there was their Roast Beef Shorti, which is a 6" Roast Beef Sub (or Hoagie, which is what I'm used to calling it).

Yeah, that's right, a Roast Beef Shorti and a bag of chips was the best snack. I missed it. Which is why I went to get myself one while I was in Philly to relive old times...

It was interesting to see that they had electronic screens for ordering at the Deli with these easy to use touchscreens. I found it a little strange though, because it wasn't that crowded and the Deli is so small that it seemed superfluous to have it there when the the person making your sandwich is standing right there. I suppose it is whimsical and definitely adds to the image of 'convenience'.

So I order myself a R.B. Shorti on the the touchscreen and order it as I used to back inthe day and I anxiously await my sam'ich. Once i have it in my hands, I bite into it and realize that it was not the same as I remember it. I am disappointed... I found myself asking myself, 'Where's the Beef?!?' I mean, I remember it being so much Meatier. Since when did Wawa's get chintzy with the Meat? This just burst my childhood bubble... I suppose I will have to use the Extra Meat option in the future. Let's hope it was just that particular Wawa...

So where were we? I'm in Philly for a Family Holiday Dinner at my uncle's house and he has this huge spread of Filipino Foods. They had the best Dinuguan (if you don't know what this is, perhaps you can try it first one day with out knowing what your eating and then I will tell you...)
I was shocked to discover that my little 'Raptor Niece', Alexis (see pic of little 2 year old with the devoured spare rib bone in hand, in the right hand column) actually eats Dinuguan, as well as Lumpia dipped in Vinegar, Longanisa and Whole Deep Fried Sardines. She's only 2 and she eats just about anything, even if it is exotic or unfamiliar. I am a very proud Auntie Ninang!

One dish that I had at the family dinner was Arroz Caldo with Chicken that I thought to be exceptionally good and made for a pretty photograph which I wanted to share below.

So on the Sunday before Christmas Eve, my family & I fly back to Phoenix for Christmas. And as we are driving around Phoenix, I spot this bizarre and unusual fast food joint that I had to photograph and share with you as well.

This place was called the Heart Attack Grill and it is an actual fast food establishment! I can't believe it! They even have a website, which proudly states, 'We're Dumb & Proud!'. What the hell?!? It's just weird, I tell you...

Their Menu, which they refer to on their site as 'Medication', includes items such as the Double, Triple or Quadruple Bypass Burgers^®, Flatliner Fried Deep Fried in Pure Lard ^{® (Are you kidding me?!)} The Quadruple Bypass Burger® features 2 lbs of Beef, 12 Slices of Bacon and 4 Layers of Cheese adding up to a walloping 8,000 calories. What!?! And all of this is served up with PBR's, Coca Cola's and if you're hankering for a smoke afterwards, they also sell Lucky Strikes. How nuts is that?! As Serious as a Heart Attack I guess...

And it gets stranger even.
The Food is served up by servers dressed up as doctors and sexy nurses! This is almost comical if it weren't so wrong! The website has a number of articles justifying their food and Cigarattes, and toting a Heart Attack Grill Diet, PBR's, and and article on whether or not the AZ Attorney General should shut this joint down. Unbelievable. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I just wouldn't believe that such a place could exist.

So moving on to a better topic, we had a great Christmas Meal. I prepared a Ribeye Roast and Lobster with Mashed Potatoes and Salad. A nice spread and a nice meal to celebrate how fortunate we are as a family...

I hope you had as wonderful and memorable a holiday as well and I look forward to writing more for you in 2008...

French Laundry in February...

Oh...

My...

GOD...

I feel like I just won the Epicurean Lottery... I just scored reservations for the French Laundry in February! I can barely contain my excitement! I have been dying to go there... Not just because it is the ultimate dining experience next to El Bulli in Spain, but because I am so fascinated with Thomas Keller after reading Michael Ruhlman's book, The Soul of A Chef. And also, now that I am leaving the Bay Area next Spring it is all about doing or rather, eating at all of the places that have been on my most coveted list.

Here's how it went down:

I had heard all of these tips about how to get a reservation, you know, like calling 2 months to the date, booking on OpenTable.com at 12 midnight, etc. etc...

I tried calling for a reservation at 10am this morning and could not get through... Then after lunch, I started doing the old redial and connected... After being on hold for five minutes or so, I got a live person/reservationist and was able to make a rez for the weekend after Valentine's Day week. It is exactly 2 months to the date...

Unbelievable. But I got it!

I will now be counting down the days...

Please pardon me in the meantime while I go do some cartwheels...

South Food + Wine Bar

South Food + Wine Bar
Categories: Wine Bars, Restaurants

Neighborhood: SOMA

Wow. Two new Restaurants two nights in a row (Laiola the night before...) and Another great hit for me tonight. Nice, I love when that happens... And by 'Hit' I mean, Good Food, Great & Friendly Service and Great Atmosphere that will have me coming back...

So we finally went here at the prompting of my girlfriend Jen, who had been wanting to come here for quite some time, but a rez had been difficult to get up to this point. Surprisingly, I actually scored a table for 6 on OpenTable that same morning... Must've been the Thanksgiving weekend... Whatever the case, I am so glad that we got in for Dinner.

First of all, it is a Beautiful Space... The Place is very Modern Oz/Kiwi with Warm Brown Woods, Maori inspired Floors and my Favorite Part is the Molded Australian Wood Lighting Fixtures hanging from the Ceiling which cast Intricate Curvillinnear Shadows onto the Entire Space.. The Effect is Gorgeous.

We were greeted warmly and our group was sat in front of the window. Our Server was extremely friendly and introduced herself, and although it was busy in the Restaurant what she lacked in attentiveness at times, the Bartender picked up, so we were never left hanging. Our Bartender was very knowledgable about Australian & New Zealand Wines and very easy on the eyes too. The Wine was really flowing that night and the one Wine that he suggested that stood out for us was the Arlewood, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, 2003 which went really well with the Food.

So here's the Raptor Food Breakdown:

For Starters we shared the Bushman's Plate - a Combination Plate of Olives, Salami, Marinated Veggies, Lamb Sausage, Shrimp in Herbs, Hummus and Such... A nice start...

We also had a dozen Oysters with Buttery Leek and a Wasabi Vinaigrette to start and the Coconut Broth with New Zealand Green Lip Mussel Dumplings which were both lovely. One last Starter Dish that we had was the Salmon Sashimi in Curry & Lime, which I thought made for a really nice Flavor combination which my Dining Companions would more than likely agree with...

For our Mains, we had the Pan Roasted Barramundi with Crispy Skin rubbed with Rozelle Spices and paired with Cauliflower Puree and Sunchokes. I really liked the combination of Flavors in this Dish as well...



We also had the New Zealand Lamb Cutlets with Mint Chimichurri and a Snow Pea and Almond Salad. I liked the Lamb with the Chimichurri, but the Salad, I just didn't get. It was a bit bland and didn't really add anything to the Dish for me.



Lastly, we had the BBQ Australian Beef Fillet with Mushrooms, Salsify and Truffled Verjus which was really great. Very Flavorful and a definite hit amongst all 6 of us.

I did not know what to expect from an Australian Food & Wine Bar and this place exceeded my expections. And the Food, the Food was all pretty spot-on. No misses here and the Staff is incredibly friendly. Try this place...

Laiola got me thinking...

Rather than trying to take on the enormous task of just reviewing restaurants,
and honestly, let's face it, I'm no food critic by any means, I got to thinking that perhaps I should expand my writing horizons a bit. Although there are restaurants that I have reviewed on here and probably will do so again in the future, please know that I do my best to be as fair and objective as possible and I typically try to go or have gone to these restaurants several times before I write about them. I just have been thinking lately that it would be a better idea to keep writing as I have been and continue to write about what I know in a broader aspect...

With that said, what do I know about? Well, my friends & family can vouch for this - I know Food.
I think everyone does to an extent. One thing for sure is that we at least know what we like and don't like, right? Of course it is also very subjective...
I, on the other hand, am extremely Passionate about and admittedly, somewhat Obsessed about Food...
What we're talking about here is not just about any old Food, but Good Food...

Great Food...

Memorable Dining Experiences
from both high-end places to hole-in-the-wall joints
that linger in your mind long after you've eaten...

Yes, that's right...

Food or Experiences that you find yourself telling others about
for weeks, months, even years after you've had it...

Food that essentially becomes an Experience and Vivid Memory in your Mind and has you wanting, yearning to go back for more...

If you read my blog, then you know what I'm talking about.

So here I am, intent upon broadening my writing horizons by penning down anything and everything Food-Related from Random Thoughts & Musings on Food to Individual Dishes that really Stand Out and Memorable Dining Experiences that are Visually and Sensually Extraordinary in My Book.
You with me? Well, alright then! Let's get this started...

I got to thinking about all of this after the Meal I had at Laiola the other night... I was really excited to try this new place after reading several reviews that, although were mixed, were mostly glowing and positive. I wanted to go there and see for myself. After our Meal there, I found that I really liked this place a lot in spite of the fact that some Dishes were a little bit hit & miss as I had read.
Let me tell you what did do it for me though. It was the Great Service and also two Dishes in particular that just knocked it out of the park. Food that was memorable enough to make me want to write about and share with you. And this was how I came to the conclusion in this instance, that I need to be writing about Individual Dishes that are remarkable and stand out in my mind.



Let me give you the Raptor Breakdown...
We walked in and were immediately struck by the warmth of the space & the lively atmosphere created by the backdrop of burnt orange walls, pressed copper ceiling and a copper food & wine bar spanning the length of the room. The place was seriously buzzin' and it was a Tuesday night. We walked in without a rez, and although it was packed we only had to wait 20 minutes for our table. The time went by quickly because the server/host kept us occupied with choosing & trying different Spanish wines of which we were unfamiliar. He was very accommodating and pretty knowledgable, which was really great. Before we knew it we were seated with our Menus and we were instantaneously on a first name basis with our server & host. I love that...

We opted to get a number of Starters versus Entrees so that we could try more Dishes and really get a feel for the Food. Although some of the Dishes were not worth mentioning here at this point, there were two Dishes that I found to be truly memorable and actually quite exceptional.

The First Dish that we fell in love with was the Grilled Young Octopus prepared with Fresh Shelling & Romano Bean Salad. One bite made us quickly forget what we were talking about and a heady silence ensued. I was reeling...
The Octopus was Grilled to Perfection, Incredibly Tender with Amazing Flavor... The Combined Flavors of the Grilled Octopus with the Bean Salad, which included Nuances of Celery, Capers and Tomatoes tossed together with a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a Beautiful Vinegar was perfectly balanced. It was Exquisite. We loved this dish... A definite Must-Try.

But it was the Next that was our Favorite Dish of All...
This was a Grilled Quail that was prepared with a Moroccan-Spiced Rub with Roasted Sunchokes and what I believe was an Artichoke Puree, and I can hardly express it better than - this Dish was Awesome!
The Skin was Perfectly Crisp and So Flavorful in Contrast to the Quail Meat which was Incredibly Tender, Substantial and Juicy...
It was Unbelievably Good and gave us both that 'Eyes-rolled back kind of reaction'...
Our reactions were so impassioned that the girls having dinner next to us couldn't help but notice and asked what we could possibly be eating that would cause such a fervent response. We breathlessly went on to tell them about the Grilled Quail and how Unbelievably Good it was. Before we knew it we actually shared a bite with each of them. Now that was some 'Food Bonding Love'...
Yes People, our socks were definitely knocked off with this Dish...
You gotta try it.

Trust me, I'm still reeling...

To get the Visual, here is the Quail Photo Shoot from that Evening...



Also, a Nice Little Tip for you - Rather than the typical serving of a Glass of Wine, they serve their Wine in Carafinas, mini carafes, that hold 250ml of Wine which is equal to 1/3 Bottle of Wine. Bonus.

UPDATE 12/17/07: Went back for the Quail and was extremely disappointed. It was nothing like the last time, unfortunately. Like I said, this place is totally hit or miss...

The Raptor Does New York...

ah New York... I just love that City... I love the Energy of that place.
Being from Philly, we used to go there when we were feelin' bored and itchin' for a lil' excitement. New York never failed to disappoint.
In actuality, I had not been back to NYC since 2002, one year after 9/11 happened.
That is a long time... What was I thinking?

Well, my NYC drought ended and I found myself running through the City like a Wild Woman (Yes, Rick Dare, the hands were up in the air... haha..)... Like a Woman starved, I lost all abandon and...

ahem. yeah, and so uh...

Needless to say, I had a fantastic time...

So here's how it went...

I met my old college roommate from from my Freshman year at St. Joe's for dinner at Babbo, Mario Batali's restaurant in Waverly Place. I hadn't seen her in 14 years and it was great to be able to catch up. I had tried to make a reservation a few days prior, but was unable, so the restaurant told me that if there was just the two of us, then we could try for a walk-in. This worked out great because we made it to the upstairs Dining Room. Score.

I was really excited to go here and I really wanted to like this place, but sadly I was a little disappointed. Perhaps my expectations were too high, or maybe it was an off night. Who knows? Once seated, we chatted with the Sommelier and she suggested rather than getting a full bottle, that we should get a Vino al Quartino, which are Wines by the Litre (250 ml). Very nice. We got the Morellino diScansano I Perazzi La Mozza 2005 Toscana for $11. It was great! Score again...

To start us off, we were given a complimentary Bruschetta topped with Garbanzo Beans and Olives, which was just ok. The rest of the Meal went as follows:
Appetizer/Anitpasti - Prosciutto San Daniele "Riserva" with Black Pepper "Fett'unta" - This was great. The Prosciutto was fresh and buttery. You really can't go wrong.
As for our Mains, I'm not gonna get into it in detail, but we had the Mint Love Letters, the Lamb & the Guinea Hen and were disappointed unfortunately. I will have to give the place another try... Sorry Mario...

We wandered down the streets and the next place we went was Sushi Samba on 7th Ave. When I initially walked in, I was a little wary that it would be too cheesy, but after drinks and apps at the bar, my mind changed on that. The Decor was very trendy with glowing orb lights on the ceiling which cast an orangish-red glow in the room with linear partitions, bamboo and glass... I guess you could say it had a similar vibe to one of my fave sushi joints in SF called Tokyo Go Go, but in a much larger scale... The people who work there are gorgeous and accommodating... The people who went there were beautiful and the drinks were tasty.


My New Love...

But it was there that I found a new Love... And found it in the Seared Otoro Kobe Beef with Warm Shiitake Mushroom, Ponzu gelee & a Truffled Tofu Sauce which was DIVINE! It was so good, it made me have one of my 'moment's. You gotta try it to know what I'm talking about! After our huge dinner at Babbo's a few blocks away and watching the Food that went around and were being served to the people around us made me want to try more. What little I had was surprisingly good...
Note to Self: Must come back and get more Seared Otoro Beef...

The next day I met a friend at the Blue Water Grill at Union Square. This is a great sprawling space, traditional in decor with beautiful vaulted ceilings and crown molding and it seemed to be a great place for lunch meetings - from business & power lunches and just to meet with friends...

The Menu is eclectic, but consisted mainly of Seafood and a somewhat New England/Asian fare. They had such things as Lobster Bisque, Maryland Crabcakes to Thai Calamari, Lobster Spring Rolls & Lettuce Wraps and even Sushi.
A little tip: they have a very reasonably priced Prix Fixe Lunch Menu for $24.07 which my friend had. She started out with a refreshingly good Red Snapper Ceviche with Passion Fruit & Malagueta Pepper, and for her Main she had the Wild Striped Bass with Edamame, Pea Shoot Salad & a Sesame Miso Vinaigrette which was delicious. I, on the other hand, opted for something from the Simply Grilled section which featured different Fish & Seafood items that are marinated with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lemon, Garlic & Capers and then Grilled. Each of these are then served with a Side that you choose and a Sauce, which is cool because it's kinda served A la Carte style like a Steakhouse, but for Seafood. What a good concept! I chose the Organic Salmon with Rapini and Chimichurri Sauce. All Good...

We finished off our Meal by sharing the dessert that came with my friend's prix fixe which was a Chocolate Ganache Tart with Butterscotch Crunch Ice Cream & Caramelized Bananas. YUM! Overall, the Service was great and I had a great lunch experience... Good Times.



Now, I can go on and on about all of my Food & Dining Experiences in NY, but NY and its 5 boroughs are massive as you know. I stayed with my cousin in Brooklyn in Bay Ridge and this was my first time there. Y'know, I was really digging Brooklyn and its great little towns - like Bay Ridge, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Park Slope and D.U.M.B.O.
Brooklyn kind of reminded me of Philly. I liked it.

One thing that I miss in SF is Turkish & Greek Food. I learned to love Turkish Kebabs, when I lived in Europe and there they called them Doner Kebabs. They were great when I was hankerin for a little somethin' somethin' in the middle of the day shopping, walking to school or in the middle of the night after drinkin at the bars. Those were the days... *sigh*.

So I asked my cousin where to get me some good Turkish Kebab. We ordered from Bay Kebab on 3rd Ave. and I loved it! This place does some seriously good Kebab! No joke...
I got me a Lamb Kebab from here and it rocked! I mean I'm still thinkin 'bout it... We also got the Lentil Soup/Ezogolin which is a Savory Soup consisting of Red Lentils in Tomato Sauce and some special Turkish Bread to dip it in. SO good, especially on a rainy day... I might just hafta move my ass to Brooklyn so that I can get it on a daily... Fo Real..

That night, my cousin and her friends took me on a driving tour of Brooklyn & Manhattan. We ended up in a nice little spot in the Meat Packing District called Revel. This was a Cool Space in the same block as Tenjune and Buddha Bar. I really liked the exposed brick walls, tree-lined open back patio and the overall openness of the space.
We had a bunch of drinks there and I found myself really digging the space and overall vibe of the place. And after taking a look at the Menu and other reviews, I will definitely be back to give the Food a try...
Before I knew it, it was 5am and we were stuffing our faces with a Slice from Joe's. Awesome.



Saturday morning I was hungover and hankerin' for more Bay Kebab. But I had to meet my other cousins and goddaughter who came up from Philly in Soho for some shopping and eventually Dinner for my godchild's 16th birthday at a cute place on Prince Street called Zoe Restaurant.



At our table, we started with a Zoe Salad and French Fries with a Side of Truffled Cheese. Fancy Cheese Fries, who knew? I had the Duck Two-ways - Pan-Roasted Duck Breast & Leg Confit paired with Rice, Sauteed Chard & and Fig Jam. Good stuff... My cousins had the Pan-Seared Arctic Char with Marinated Vegetables, Pearl Onions, Fingerling Potatoes, Dijon Vinaigrette & Chive Oil which I thought was really good and also The Lemon-Thyme Marinated Whole Roasted Red Snapper with Spring Vegetables and a citrus-shallot Vinaigrette. That one was just ok for me. The Server was attentive and the Raspberry Cosmos were delicious and they kept coming, which was nice...

For Dessert we had the S'Mores - Toasted Marshmallow on top of a Fudge Brownie & Graham Cracker and Malted Milk Chocolate Ice Cream on the Side. This dessert was awesome! All in all, we had a great meal and friendly drinks and would recommend going again...

Eventually Sunday came too soon and it was time to leave. Between you & me, I actually missed my flight because I wasn't ready to leave just yet. My cousin & I ended up exploring Brooklyn a little more and having Brunch at this great little place called Bar Tabac in Cobble Hill.

I really liked this place. I loved the rustic French country setup and friendly atmosphere from the moment I walked in... I had my Egg's Benedict with Bacon instead of ham and I loved it! (I know, Bacon instead of Ham? It's a Raptor thing, I'm not a fan of Ham, but trust me, it's a great substitution that adds a little crispy texture. You oughtta try it some time...) The Hollandaise was flavorful, the Eggs poached just right and the Bacon perfectly crisp. The Dish definitely passed the Raptor Brunch test...
Great place for Brunch and a Great way to send me back on my way to SF...

All in all, I had a fantastic time in New York and cannot wait to go back for more...