Bits and Bites Blog

Best-O-Burger Opens

Andres Barreto — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:58:01 GMT

The newest lunchtime rage downtown is Best-O-Burger, a kind of little urban version of In-N-Out on none other than Belden Lane: Angus beef, cast-iron skillets, fresh-baked buns, housemade fries (and onion rings), plus a few extras like daily-made gelato and gelato shakes. The tidy red and yellow space opened on the corner of Pine and Belden on Monday, and by Thursday the line was snaking out the door for four hours straight, from 10:30 a.m. till 2:30 p.m.

The burgers are cute li'l sliders—in orders of one, two or three—and are done just right: slightly pink inside and perfectly proportioned to their little fluffy bun. The fries are delicious, crunchy and perfectly salted like McDonald's but a tiny bit fatter and fresher-tasting (Best-O uses rice oil, by the way). We can't speak to the onion rings as they were flat out by the time we made it over. Next time we'll try them along with the Romaine-O Fingers Salad, hearts of Romaine intended to be dipped into ranch or Italian dressing. And, thanks to Eater SF we already know that there's a whole other "secret" menu online where you can find daily specials, meatball-and-mozzarella sliders, gelato-cookie sandwiches, and something called a Fat Bob (two burgers, one bun).

So, to sum up: Next week we try the meatball slider, onion rings, Romaine salad and a gelato ice cream sandwich to finish. Bad news for our waistlines, but good news for our American souls and wallets.

Books for cooks: Required summer reading

Jessica Battilana — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:00:00 GMT

I read food books more than I read anything else. Whether I'm deep in a new cookbook—I just bought James Oseland's (editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine) divine Cradle of Flavor—or eating up one of Diane Mott Davidson's food-centered murder mysteries, food and good writing seem to go together like beaches and barbecues, or popsicles and summer days. Here are some of the books lying next to my bed right now—some other time, we'll have to talk food films.

Everyday Drinking by Kingsley Amis. This just-released collection of essays sees the master of British wit contemplating the whys, hows and wherefores of enjoying alcohol. SF's cocktail-swilling hordes will enjoy Amis' encyclopedic knowledge (and experience) of booze in all of its intoxicating forms.

John Thorne's newsletter Simple Cooking has had a cult following for almost 25 years. Mouth Wide Open, the latest in a series of essay collections came out this year; I love Thorne's quirky and unconventional approach to eating and cooking, and as a fellow hater of breakfast cereals, have signed on to his zealous crusade for savory breakfasts. Eggs baked in cream, anybody?

Food historian Laura Shapiro short biography of Julia Child recently won the IACP's 2008 book award for literary food writing. Who doesn't want to spend 200 pages with the dulcet-voiced mother of American gastronomy?

The Taste of Place is a must-read for the serious-minded foodie. In it, Amy Trubek takes up the story of terroir, the idea that the taste of food and wine comes from the place where it was grown. An important next chapter in the conversation started last year by Michael Pollan.

The Debt to Pleasure by John Lancaster is completely evil and totally irresistible, if you like your food writing with a side dish of murder. Or maybe you just hate food critics! This novel about a horribly unkind but wickedly funny food critic is delicious reading with a bittersweet aftertaste.

Although he died ten years ago, James Beard's imprint on American food culture has yet to be erased. Some of his books are out of print, but they can easily be found in used bookstores and online. Lately I've been reading his very wonderful 1960 book, The Complete Book of Outdoor Cooking. I'm taking it on a camping trip in a few weeks. It's that good.

Greenleaf Produce gets fresh

Jessica Battilana — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Sometimes it seems as though if we get any closer to our food that soon we might be buying it a drink and inviting it to spend the night. Not that this is a bad thing, per se, just that we food-obsessed San Franciscans are always looking to get closer to the source of our meal, to be more in touch with local farms, the seasons, the hardships. Enter Greenleaf Produce. One of the first organic produce companies to open in San Francisco, Greenleaf got its start in 1975, founded by Jameson Patten, and was purchased after his death in 1993 by Bill Wilkinson, the (formerly) retired GM of the Campton Place Hotel. 33 years later it’s still going strong, with a client list that includes most of the finest restaurants in San Francisco and many of the most respected farms in California.

For chefs and food writers, Greenleaf is an invaluable resource—these people really know their stuff. Curious consumers can now get in on the action, too—on the Greenleaf website you can take advantage of their collective expertise by sneaking a peek at both their weekly bulletin and their monthly newsletter. The weekly bulletin is a newsy update about what you’ll be seeing (or not seeing) in the market during the coming week, along with some bonus info—this week, under the heading “Grapes” the report is: “Stored Chilean, the only grape game in town, and these are all but over; as a result, prices are up.” Wondering about potatoes this week? Prognosis negative: “Every year around now we’re scraping the bottom of the storage barrel and the tired Kennebecs’ starch has converted to sugar, which makes them fry up dark.” Somehow, armed with that information, grocery shopping—even at the corner store—makes more sense. Oh, you suddenly think to yourself, that’s why I’m not seeing any Meyer lemons.

The monthly newsletter goes even further into detail—each month you can read profiles of farmers along with a page called “Farm Direct Crops—What are local farms picking this month” so you know to be on the lookout for the first local organic strawberries, zucchini and fennel. There’s even a page titled “Seasonal Menu Planning” that is one you’ll want to clip and stick to the fridge, so you can know what’s new, “done” and best of the season. Armed with so much knowledge, there’s no excuse for selecting an out-of-season pear again.

The Eat + Drink List: This Week's Top 7

Jessica Battilana — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:00:00 GMT

1. To-Do: Todd English
On May 8 at 6 p.m., celebrity chef Todd English will be demonstrating recipes inspired by his interest in Slow Food, the movement to reclaim our meals from the culinary-industrial complex. English is the owner of the Olives restaurant family, coauthor of The Olives Table and, naturally, stars in his own show on PBS, Food Trip with Todd English. The event takes place in Macy’s Union Square Cellar, and the $20 admission will go toward supporting the San Francisco Symphony.

2. Fire meets water
Get front-row seats to KFOG’s annual KaBoom fireworks show on Saturday, May 10, with an all-the-appetizers-you-can-eat event at Waterbar. Tickets are $65 per person and include artichoke-crab crostini, risotto fritters and mini meatballs. Drinks are on you. The waterfront event starts at 7 p.m. and runs until the fireworks are over. What better way to beat the Marina’s madding crowds?

3. Straight from the hip
Hip Tastes, the only enologists we want to spend our Saturdays with, invite you to explore Spanish wines on May 10 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the spanking new San Francisco Wine Center in SOMA. Emphasizing happening varietals from hot new wine regions, and led by certified sommelier Courtney Cochran, the class is open to anyone who wants to learn about wines in a laid-back environment.

4. Bottoms up!
Or is it “Down the hatch”? Get your toasts down by May 13, when the second annual San Francisco Cocktail Week launches with a gala at Harry Denton's Starlight Room at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. Locavores and mixologists can find their bliss on May 14, when CUESA hosts an evening of farmers-market-inspired cocktails at the Ferry Building. For $15, you can enjoy cocktail demos by renowned mixologists, two signature drinks and unlimited appetizers. Check out the week’s complete schedule at sfcocktailweek.com

5. Political palates
Savor the flavor of the 11th annual United States of Asian America Festival with the comic and culinary stylings of chefs Mero Cocinero Karimi and Comrade Cocinero Castro. Fresh off an international tour, the two chef-cum-performance-artists cook up revolutionary recipes onstage, serving stories and healthy political discussion with samples of Iranian-Guatemalan-Filipino food. The show runs from May 8 to16 at SomArts Cultural Center, and tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets. For further info, call 415-864-4126.

6. Earth mother
Make Mom and Mother Earth happy on May 11th, when Marin Organic celebrates its second annual Mother’s Day Tea Party. Hosted by All Star Organics farm, the event includes afternoon tea, a bouquet for Mom and a tour of the farm, along with tips for making essential oils. The cost is $25 for members of Marin Organic or $35 for nonmembers, and reservations are suggested. For more information, call 415-663-9667.

7. Green goodies
On May 14th, vegetarian goddesses Sara Tashker of Green Gulch Farms and Annie Somerville of Greens Restaurant will be demonstrating farm-fresh cooking and talking about the collaboration between chefs and farmers. The event starts at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Cellar kitchen at Macy’s. Seating is first-come, first-serve, and the $10 admission includes a sample of the featured dish, a glass of wine from Benziger Family Winery and assorted goodies.

Fresh Ricotta: You Know You Want It

Andres Barreto — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:00:00 GMT

We all think we’re the master (mistress?) of our own universe, but the truth is, we’re not. You think you’re drawn to that fuchsia top because you like it? Sorry. Most likely, a highly-paid fashion forecaster set the palette for Summer '08 way back, stores have placed it strategically and, voila: You’re suddenly overwhelmed with the need for a closet-full of hot pink.

Similarly, if you have fresh ricotta on the mind, the versatile cheese has, in fact, been subliminally wiggling its way into your collective craving conscious for most of spring. And there’s more than one chef to blame (or in this case, thank).

Craving? The ricotta at Laïola is housemade.

My own ricotta revelation came the other night at Pizzeria Delfina (a restaurant which I’ll swear by again and again). A mild scoop of it came out with marinated and grilled artichokes and crostini made with Tartine bread. Simple but so delicious: Delfina’s specialty. I asked chef Anthony Strong about it and got an email back that was more of a dissertation/101-things-to-do-with ricotta cookbook. (“It’s really cool in the nettle and pinenut calzone. In the summer, we do a version of the Spanish pane e tomate drenched in olive oil, with just a little fresh ricotta spooned on top. And of course we use it in cannoli! We stuff squash blossoms with it. Koa, our pastry chef does this insanely old school ricotta and wheatberry crostata. It is the filling for our shells ... we use the hell out of it.”)

Delfina doesn’t make it in-house. Rather, they get their ricotta from the same people that make their mozzarella: Belfiore in Berkeley (why mess with success, was basically Strong’s rationale). Breaking news: The pizzeria has recently made the bold move not to salt it! “It just sort of makes sense, though we can't really explain it. It's like fresh ricotta is pure and clean, and salt seems to actually take away from that,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, last week at SPQR, I had a big bowl of fresh ricotta with crostini and at Laïola, chef Mark Denham has been crafting his own ricotta since he was at 42 Degrees. Today, he makes it with organic milk and cream, salt and Meyer lemon. The sweetness is countered with a lightly-dressed, handful of slightly bitter baby arugula and—of course—some rustic, toasted Acme bread. Laïola just started serving lunch on weekends, and now offers outdoor seating, which is perfect if you find yourself coming out of Dylan across the street with a new, spendy fuchsia get-up and a craving for ricotta. In cases like this, it can be a relief to know you had nothing to do with it.

What to Drink This Summer

Jessica Battilana — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Rosé: Because summer is just around the corner.

It’s been a long couple of weeks, as we’ve worked to put the finishing touches on our annual best of the city issue. We’re all exhausted. A low-grade sickness has spread around the office. We’re not eating that well, and some of us are having a hard time getting a good night’s sleep. You see, dear readers, what we do for you?

I’ve finally recovered from my own bout with illness, just in time to share with you my favorite spring food ritual—something I love more than the season’s first strawberries, fava beans, and asparagus—the day when I decide the season has arrived and uncork my first (of many) bottles of Domaine de Fontsainte Gris de Gris. This brilliant rosé, imported by Kermit Lynch in Berkeley, is everything you want in a Sunday afternoon wine. It’s got bright acidity, has a refreshing, thirst-quenching quality, and is only $12 at most Whole Foods. This wine, plus a wedge of goat cheese, some bread and a dish of black olive tapenade, will make most afternoons better. And, since we all know that the best offense is a good defense, I’d suggest you buy a case. After all, it’s a long way until Labor Day, and you want to be prepared.

Bosom Buddies: Where Dinner and Drinks Meet

Andres Barreto — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:00:00 GMT

The Lone Palm, perfect for a pre-dinner Scotch

Dinner and drinks go together like movies and popcorn, milk and cookies, olives and caramel. It’s good idea to have some standby combos, ideally a bar and a restaurant located a stone’s-throw away from each other.

The best way to get the most out of it is, of course, kill two birds with that stone: Put your name on a waiting list at a busy restaurant, give your phone number to the host and sweetly ask them to call you when your table’s ready. Then, go get your drink. Waiting while drinking a negroni is fun. Waiting while completely sober and standing out in the fog is not.

Here are some of my favorite (and my friends' favorites) twosomes. Keep this list in your back pocket and you’ll never go wrong. You’ve got a date for every day of the week, plus two.

The Mission: Lone Palm and Kiji

The Mission(ish): Nihon and Chez Spencer

The Mission: Casanova and Puerto Alegre

The Mission: 500 Club and Delfina Pizzeria

Pac Heights: Florio and SPQR

NoPa: Bar 821 and Little Star

Hayes Valley: Hotel Biron and Zuni Café

The Richmond: Blue Danube and Burma Superstar

Russian Hill: Bacchus and Sushi Groove

Planting a Victory Garden

Jessica Battilana — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Sure, there are plenty of questionable projects funded by the City of San Francisco, but here’s one worth taking note of (and action on): The SF Victory Gardens program, a pilot program aimed to support the transition of backyard, front yard, window boxes, rooftops and unused land into organic food production areas. In other words, city-dwellers, here is your opportunity to turn your underutilized space into a green oasis, with support from a team of talented professionals.

This could be your backyard.
Photograph by Chris Beddoe.

This idea—turning crummy backyards and roofs into mean, lean, self-sufficient producers of greens—is one that’s picking up speed around San Francisco (and actually a very old idea, as the heyday of Victory Gardens was at the start of World War 1, when Americans were encouraged to plant gardens to support the war effort). This recent article (written by our brilliant former editorial assistant, Roxanne Webber), describes how people across the country are turning their front lawns—yes, the same front lawns that were the crab-grass free pride of ’50’s homeowners—into verdant vegetable gardens. What’s more, as part of the inaugural Slow Food Nation bonanza (running over Labor Day weekend) Alice Waters has designs on turning the lawn outside City Hall into a giant vegetable garden.

This year, the project is choosing 15 households to participate, and are looking for a diverse mix—everything from experienced gardeners to newbies, those with a quarter-acre or a few containers. You can download the application here. Let the greening begin!

The Eat + Drink List: This Week's Top 7

Jessica Battilana — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:00:00 GMT

1. Got game?
From tonight through May 3, chef Peter McNee of Poggio will be showcasing one of his favorite cooking techniques: allo spiedo, or roasting on a spit. For a very reasonable $19, diners can sample featured roasts, ranging from partridge and pheasant to goat and suckling pig. McNee has also designed a separate menu inspired by spring in Italy.

2. Get the edge on veggies
Just in time for spring’s vegetable bounty, Williams-Sonoma editor Jennifer Newens will be holding a class for foodie technophiles at Purcell Murray in Brisbane. Using the recent Williams-Sonoma book Tools and Techniques, Newens will be teaching five ways to prepare vegetables: braising, stir-frying, creaming, roasting and grilling. Class is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and lunch is included. The cost is $45 per person. For more information, call 415-330-5557.

3. Just cause
The San Francisco Food Bank and the California Culinary Academy are holding a series of fundraising cooking classes with top chefs from across the city. May 3 is your chance to cook with chef Laurence Jossel of Nopa fame. Each class starts with a demo and ends with students preparing the dishes themselves. To purchase your $150 ticket, send in the enrollment form at sffoodbank.org or email event coordinator Amy Gac at amygac@gmail.com.

4. ABC
ABC stands for Anything But Chardonnay during this afternoon tasting of white summer wines. Put on by the audacious Aussies at that Oz hangout South, this Sunday-afternoon event will feature Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Riesling and other summer faves. Tickets are $35 and include nibbles. RSVP for ABC at events@southfwb.com.

5. Once upon a time
If you like fiction with your food, this is the event for you. Sociale is hosting Epicuriosity, an “enchanting evening of fine dining and curious diversions,” in which storytellers will perform magical tales while you enjoy a three-course meal with wine pairings designed by chef Tia Harrison. A mere $135 gets you an earful to go with your mouthful. Tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets.

6. Batali battalions
Expect a crowd of fans at the San Francisco launch of Mario Batali’s latest book, Italian Grill, on May 5 at Il Fornaio in San Francisco. For $125, you get lunch, a copy of the book and the chance to hear Mr. Ponytail talk about his latest adventures in the kitchen. Call 415-927-0960, ext. 1 for more information, or visit bookpassage.com

7. Take BART to Napa
Any complaints that Napa and Sonoma are too far away must now be put to rest. It's not too often that we see an entirely new concept in the restaurant world, but Press Club, an urban wine tasting center located in the heart of the city, promises to be just that. Opening this week, Press Club features the wines of eight small-production artisan wineries from around Northern California. Each vintner will host his or her own "tasting environment," where urban wine lovers will be able to sample current releases, attend wine release parties, join wine clubs and attend gourmet food events.

Kid-Friendly Dining: The Dilemma

Andres Barreto — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:14:30 GMT

Here’s my dilemma: As a parent, I want my kids to experience all sorts of food at all sorts of restaurants—taquerias to ramen joints to the likes of Zuni. Sure, it would be easier to stay at home and eat Annie’s, but what’s the point of living in SF if they don’t get a taste of it? (Admittedly, I have visions of them growing up worldly and cool, telling tales of their groovy, urban mom who took them out on the town and now they appreciate everything from kim chee to menudo to croquettes because of it. Thanks, Mom. We’re forever indebted to you.)

My vision is somewhat ambitious. Although I hear stories of Parisian children sitting still, patiently sipping their chocolat chaud while the adults drink wine, smoke and chat amongst themselves, my boys are not French and neither am I. They are ages 3 and 6, American, and they think it’s great fun to run, scream, throw paper airplanes, sit on the floor, lick things off the table and blow bubbles in their milk. I like to think they have a joie de vivre.

But unless you’re dining at Cable Car Joe’s—or the zoo—this behavior, understandably, isn’t considered socially acceptable. So, we have rules—rules they have to repeat back to me when we enter a restaurant: No running, no screaming, no crawling on the floor, no pig impressions. I’m not saying these rules are always followed without some serious threats, but they’re getting better the more we practice. We also go as early as possible: Say, the family-hour of 5:30 when the restaurant is just opening.

Moss and Silas get a taste of the East Coast at Anchor & Hope.

And when a restaurateur or host greets us as if they’re actually happy to see us coming, it makes me want to embrace them. This happened the other night when I took them to Anchor & Hope, the latest from the Town Hall guys. Admittedly it was a restaurant opening, but co-owner and front-of-the-house man Doug Washington, has three kids himself, so he was beyond accommodating. It was apple juice all around, Moss got tours of the kitchen and Silas, my six-year-old, wolfed down a bunch of fried clams, which was adventurous for him. My boys were so thrilled by it all too. They felt very grown-up.

Emboldened, last night I took them to Sebo (517 Hayes St., 415-864-2122) for their Sunday “family night” (a fantastic izakaya menu, with rustic Japanese dishes versus their usual sushi). Co-owner Michael Black has kids too, so beginner chopsticks were offered, the food came quickly and no one seemed to mind that the boys played in the entryway while I finished up my delicious dinner with my neighbor George who had graciously accompanied me. (As a single parent, I only bring my kids out by myself to taquerias where the food is served immediately. I’m only so bold.)

This made me realize that it takes a parent to know a parent and it might be best to attempt fine(er) dining with children at places where the owners and chefs have little kids themselves. For this, I recommend Luella, Dosa, Bocadillos, Jardinière, Delfina, Kokkari, Slanted Door and Laiola. As long as you’re respectful of the fact that the diners around you might not love your kids as much as you do—maybe help sweep up some of the inevitable rubble on the floor—I think you can trust that you’ll be welcome there. And hopefully, you’ll be on your way to raising little gourmands who’ll thank you when they’re all grown up.