RN74: Chic in style, solid food

Dine About was back on in October after a brief respite in September. Unfortunately, in September, due to births, impending births, travel and other excuses, for the first time in it's history, Dine About did not take place. But, a core group of diners made up for it in October dining at RN74 - a restaurant in Michael Mina's empire. This was a "make-up" after a water main break in August closed the restaurant on the night of our reservation (see Aug09 write up below).

In attendance this month were the Phan's, including a first appearance from Reina, 3 weeks old - perhaps our youngest member to make dinner; the Cho's with baby still in utero; Peter - his first DASF appearance; and the Carter's, including 10 week old Zoë making her 2nd Dine About appearance.

Expectations were high for RN74, given that it is a Michael Mina restaurant. On style and hippness, RN74 knocked it out of the park. The service was also particularly good. Appetizers and desserts shined, but main dishes, as we often find, were lackluster. Value was on par - not a bargain, but not over the top. All in all, we had a very enjoyable dinner, we felt like we were part of a fun scene, and all the food was solid. I would recommend RN74 to anyone looking for a hip night out with some very fine food.

On to the scores. . .

Food: 83. Appetizers were fantastic. Agnolotti pasta with inspiring shitake mushrooms, tempura mushrooms, and the blue prawns were favorites. Hamachi got mixed reviews. None of the main courses surprised us, but all were well done. Halibut was perfectly cooked, but a little bland. Chicken was also on the bland side. Duck was enjoyed by some, but not others. Green beans seemed to be everyone's favorite. We ended on a high note with excellent sweets: pumpkin beignets, bread pudding, and a cool and delicate panna cotta (still not as good as Zuppa, though.) The coffee served with french press service was outstanding - felt like I really was in France! We also chose on of the wines on their "train schedule board" which lists their wines that only have limited supply left. After we ordered the Launois champagne, it was removed from the board. I nice gimick.

Service: 92 Started off with a hitch, but a quick recovery and flawless for the rest of the evening. The hitch was no plates for our 1st course - we used our bread plates until the manager noticed their mistake. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable telling us about the founding of the restaurant and it's decor (inspired by the RN74 thorough way in France - with subtle references to the old train stations in France).

Atmosphere: 93 Very chic style. Creative lighting, music was on the loud side but we were still able to converse with ease. The baby's liked all the noise and both slept like, well, babies!

See you in November!

Zinnia - a very belated review!

In June, we had the pleasure of holding the 5-year anniversary of Dine About a Zinnia's, the new restaurant situated in the former Scott Howard space. In attendance were the Phans, Lehman Koo, Avis Klinke, and the Minns, while two other scheduled attendees were MIA due to back injuries and lack of babysitters.

We sat in the Chef's table area closest to the kitchen with a specially prepared menu for our group. I've scanned a copy of the menut and it is available here. As it's been a while I can't recall all the details, so please feel free to add to this blog.

Food = 88

The bread they started us off with was warm, delicious and crusty, with a perfect olive oil and balsamic vinegar mix for dipping. The Ahi Tuna poke was very refreshing with the cucumber and shiso sauce, while the Asparagus salad was well complimented with capers. However, my favorite of the three appetizers was the chilled Thai Coconut Soup with Dungeness crab - a little on the salty side, but with a nice touch of ginger.

The second course was solid overall. Rigatoni pasta with foie gras cream; seared scallops in lobster sauce with crispy potatoes, and the creamy risotto with English peas were all cooked well.

The main course included poached Alaskan halibut with heirloom carrots and saffron sauce, grilled hanger steak with green peppercorn sauce and fries, and a seared organic chicken roulade with bacon jus. The halibut was the favorite, followed by the tender and juicy organic chicken. The main disappointment of the night was the Hanger steak - while the green peppercorn sauce and the fries were delicious, they couldn't save an over-cooked and tough steak.

For dessert we sampled warm chocolate mousse over an eclair with cocoa fruit parfait - a chocolate lovers dream dessert, while the thyme scone with champagne, strawberries, and balsamic sorbet was a fruity and light contrast.

Ambiance = 90
While the restaurant was not very crowded, and there wasn't much updating of the decor from the Scott Howard incarnation, it was still a warm and inviting space. The new light fixtures were quite pleasant and welcoming.

Service = 87
My memory of the service is that it could have been a somewhat better - our waiter took quite a long time to bring out water and the first courses.

Phan's Save the Day with Chez Spencer

We were originally scheduled to dine at Michael Mina's RN74. However, an hour before our reservation the restaurant called to say there was a leak in the Millenium Tower where they are located and they had been forced to shut down for the night.

What's a committed (with babysitters in place) group to do???? Phu and Winnie to the rescue! The Phan's were quick to act and found us a suitable alternate restaurant - Chez Spencer near the Mission. A great big extra thank you to our fearless leaders for finding us a fun alternate home for the evening!!

In attendance - many of our usuals. . .the Phan's (last prego DASF for Winnie!), the Minn's (both Ken and Mo!), Lehmann (announcing a new home purchase - congrats!!), and the Carter's including our newest member, Zoë (who did very well sleeping to all the white noise and I think will be invited back!)

Overall, Chez Spencer was a pleasurable dining experience. The cozy atmosphere is where they out shined, while the food was quite good, but service lacking (maybe that was to be expected given the French theme!) I would recommend this restaurant as a quaint neighborhood establishment, with above average food.

The ratings (disclaimer - I again have mostly forgotten the exact ratings. . .so diners, please feel free to correct me!)

1. Food = 88
We chose the chef's tasting menu at $60/person - a good value (before you add drinks in of course!) They were flexible enough to substitute one of the dishes for those not eating shell fish or fois gras. The bouillabaisse soup started us off with a bang. A bit spicy and creamy. The 2nd course was a choice between Fois Gras - rich, with a nice blackberry accompaniment - and scallops - cooked perfectly with a nice green sauce (not sure what this sauce was, but very tasty!). The main courses were either the filet mignon (tender, tasty) and sturgeon - both served with tasty mushroom morsels. Finally, for dessert we had a strawberry granita (good, but average - not up to the lemon/mint granita served by the Carters a few weeks ago) and a chocolate cake/pudding - perfect for those needing a chocolate fix!

2. Atmosphere = 92
Small, a cozy romantic feel, a nice buzz without being too loud, subtle mood lighting - perfect!

3. Service = 82
The pace of the courses was extremely slow, which would have been ok if we hadn't started dinner after 9pm and then been hovered over to leave when we finally finished the meal around midnight. Staff lacked much personality, and a switch to the closing staff late in our meal felt very abrupt.

See you in September!

Luce - Innovation Delivers!

This month we dined on the 2nd Friday of the month due to the July 4th holiday. A very small, but committed group of diners - Phu, Winnie, and me - carried on the tradition this month. We dined at Luce, located inside the 1 yr old Interncontinental Hotel in Soma. Phu led us here to experience the "perfect marriage of local flavors and global inspiration of the New American cuisine" of Dominique Crenn, Esquire's chef of the year in 2008. And, this chef's reputation did not disappoint.

The dishes were extremely original, while maintaining a certain simplicity that made for easy enjoyment. While the economy seems to be having a big impact (there were very few other diners in this beautiful, large open space) - it was to our benefit. . . we received helpful, attentive service and thoroughly enjoyed our whole experience! On to the ratings. . .

Food = 92
All 3 of us felt the food was fantastic. A large baby greens salad satisfied all. The one dish that failed was the raw surf and turf. Ordered for Phu only, it was an interesting idea - a roll cut into thin slices of beef and seafood, it was mushy with muddled flavors. The pasta dishes were excellent - very rich and perfectly cooked. The stand out of the night was the parpadelle with short ribs. The entrees were excellent as well. The flat iron steak was tasty and tender, especially the ox tail it came with. The dory fish was very good - especially the potatoes and mushrooms it came with. Finally, we were all full given the large portion sizes, but we managed to try the rhubarb napoleon highly recommended by our waiter. Again, a very unique dish, with very thin wafers with pieces of jellied like rhubarb and refreshing basil ice cream.

Service = 90
Very attentive and friendly. Nothing was missing (water always full, new place settings after each course), and they actually brought the entrees out with 3 portions on each plate for easy sharing. The waiter got a little overexcited with the water early on in the meal, but we think he was actually the maitre'd filling in given the low volume of clientele.

Ambiance = 90
A very comfortable, interesting space. A large room, modern decorations, easy to talk since we had a small table and there were very few other diners. Phu liked the comfy chairs with arms.

Overall - I would definitely recommend Luce. Very original, excellent food, a pleasing atmosphere for a sophisticated meal, and not too bad on the value scale!

Happy Dining,
Mollie

Field Trip to Yountville for Ad Hoc: Enjoyable Details but Main Course Misses

SF Dine About hit the trail in May and with 6 adventurous-babysitters in place-members of our group we journeyed up to Yountville for a night away! We were all excited for what awaited us at Ad Hoc. This is Thomas Keller's "locals joint". This was a temporary dining room Mr. Keller set up while renovating the French Laundry. But the locals liked it so much, Mr. Keller kept it open. It's a simple set up - 1 menu each night. Everyone in the restaurant has the same menu and food is served family style at your table.

Expectations were high - this may be a locals joint, but it is Thomas Keller after all. The problem, I believe, was that our expectations may have been too high. Overall it was a very enjoyable evening and the attention to detail was not missed. But, when the main course fails to impress, there's not much you can do to recover. I would still recommend it to others. It's a fun way to dine (no big decisions, lots of sharing), all the little details are right on, the service is strong, and who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and have a great main course!

On to the ratings. A note from management. . .these ratings reflect the somewhat obscure recollection of one member of our group. It's been a month since our dinner and I'm having trouble recalling my own ratings, let alone those of the entire group. If you were at Ad Hoc and feel I am off in my memory - please add a note and let us all know!

Food: mid 80s

Great salads (though some thought a little salty). Great butter. It's a little thing, but the butter for the bread was a local variety and was smooth and rich. Then the trouble began - the pork tenderloins. They were perfectly cooked, very moist, but no flavor. Really, very bland. We all agreed we'd had better pork from Messr. Phan. Desserts were delightful and the real stand out was the special course of local cheeses, nuts, and a wonderful honey. The perfect combination.

Phu - To add to Mollie's comment on the Pork Tenderloin, they were cooked sous vide method, a new trendy form of poaching that I feel is overdone these days (some thanks to Top Chef Season 3 Winner Hung Huynh). The result was the most perfectly cooked pork tenderloin I have ever sink my teeth into, tender, moist and juicy. However, without the seared mark or sizzle, the pork just lacks flavor.

Atmosphere: 90

Casual, but modern. We had a nice table of 6 where we could all easily converse. And, getting away for the night, all of us parents were in a state of bliss.

Service: 92

I remember the waiter was very helpful to the 3 pregnant ladies - making sure we knew what was pasteurized and what wasn't. New plates and settings were all perfectly timed with each course.

Value: this would have been good value, but we opted as we usually do for a quite expensive bottle of bubbly that put us over the top! Salud!

Next up. . . .SF Dine About hits 5 years!!

Midi - Excellent food and service but will it survice in this tough economy?

For the April 2009 DASF - we had a very nice dinner at Midi. In attendance are the Phans, the Minns, Lehman, Jason, Tim and his date (Dani's aunt from Brazil). The Executive Chef at Midi was a Chronicle Rising Star Chefs in 2006 and formerly the head chef at Ponzu. The cuisine is Cal-Med and focuses on using local, sustainable, and organic ingredients whenever possible.

Midi or "mid-district" is adjacent to the Galleria Park Hotel and has a modern feel to it. We were seated in the cozy, upper section of the restaurant.

Food = 88
Excellent appetizers all around, especially the salads (mixed mesclun salad with shaved green apples, fennel in a red wine vinaigrette dressing and the warn seafood salad with fava beans). The Hawaiian Kampachi crudo was clean tasting and nicely flavor. For entrees, we had the pan-fried skate wings, pan-roasted local rock cod, roasted chicken and pappardelle with fine herbes. All dishes had good flavor and cook perfectly. The only minor complaint was that some thought the pappardelle was a little too salty. I can tell Dani's aunt really enjoyed the food.

Atmosphere = 85
The space at Midi is modern and stylish. It is a small space but with the right amount of mirrors, it has the feel of a much larger restaurant.

Service = 90
The service was solid overall. The waitress was very friendly and attentive. The rest of the dining room staff were also very pleasant.

Side note - of the San Francisco restaurants in T&L's list of 50 best new US restaurants that are not casual, take-out or breakfast/lunch joints, we managed to dined at all that are listed (The Moss Room, Spruce and La Mar).

http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/50-best-new-us-restaurants-2009

La Mar Cebicheria Peruana – a beautiful waterfront restaurant that specializes in Ceviche

On March 6th, DASF dined at the highly popular restaurant of Latin America’s celebrity chef Gastón Acurio, who has plans to introduced his concept of Peruvian Cebicheria to the Americas. Acurio has elevated Peruvian food to white-table cloth status. In attendance were the Phans’, Tim and his mom from Portland, Terry, Jen and Errol, Lehman and Jason and my neighbor Peter.

Food = 87
Due to the size of our group, they requested us to go with the set menu (see image).

Para Comenzar
The Cebiche Clasico was very good and on par with Limon’s. The Tiradito Clasico (similar to Japanese Sashimi but with marinate) was rather bland. The Ensalada Nikei (green papaya and jicama salad with rocoto dressing) was solid. Everyone loved the Causa Casera (purple potato puree), the toppings were especially delicious.

Especiales
As for the two main course seafood specials, both the Chorillana (roasted striped sea bass filet) and Atun (seared Peruvian spiced Ahi tuna) were cooked perfectly and has good flavor. Although some thought the sea bass filet was a little too salty.

The Lomo Saltado (traditional Peruvian style beef tenderloin stir-fry top with fries) was a solid and hearty dish and the Piqueo was a disappointment – perhaps it is because they left out a few items (Peruvian corn and the Chalaca salsa) and the servers failed to tell us.

Postres
For dessert, the two chef’s choice dessert we got were the Picarones (traditional warm pumpkin and sweet potato fritters with spiced Chancaca honey) and the Tiramisu de lúcuma. The Picarones were pretty good but the Tiramisu tasted just like those from the frozen section of your local Safeway.

All in all, the food at La Mar was pretty good but for the price we paid, it was not a good value. We can get just as good Peruvian food at Limon or Fresca for half the price. Lehmann did us right again with her wine selection – a Rioja from Allende.

Atmosphere = 90
La Mar is a swanky restaurant with beautiful views of the San Francisco Bay. The dining room is highlighted by a huge open kitchen and an impressive Ceviche bar that glow blue at the bottom (like the sea) and show cases pristine pieces of fresh fishes. The only complaint we had was that the sound travels and the space is very loud. We could hardly hear each other at our own table.

Service = 75
Lackadaisical service. All our waiter did was took our order and was rarely seen again. The food runners did a good job of explaining some of the courses. The worse offense was when they brought us a dish that was missing two key items. We had to ask another waitress about it and she corrected the mistake by bringing us the missing items but only for one of our two dishes. Definitely room for improvement here.

Joey & Eddie's - Maggianos or Buca di Beppo for the Yuppies??

Joey & Eddie's - Maggianos or Buca di Beppo for the Yuppies??

On February 5th, DASF returned to San Francisco after Pampas didn’t live up to expectation of a Brazilian Churrascaria. DASF dined at Joey and Eddie', which took over the space that Moose’s occupied for the previous 16 years. Moose’s served very good food and was a fun place to go for brunches and dinners. The space/location has great energy and is in a great location overlooking Washington Square in North Beach. I was very excited to hear that Joey Manzare (Exec chef of Zuppa and Globe) is going to serve Italian classic dishes family-style in an upscale setting. Moving here from Philly (and nearby Jersey and NYC) with many great Italian restaurants, I felt that SF is missing this type of Italian restaurant. In attendance were the Phans’, the Currys’, Lehman and Jason.

Food = 85
The menu has many Italian classics like Spaghetti and Meatballs, Caesar Salad, Fried Calamari, Linguini and Clams. In addition, J&E has a nightly special and on Friday, it was Market Fish. To start, we had the J&E salad - your basic Italian-style mix of iceberg and romaine lettuce with salami, Parmesan shavings and tomato bits awash in oil and vinegar, decent but nothing special. We also had the Baked Clams Oreganatta that was nicely season and delicious. Jason specially requested the Sweet Italian Sausage in Iron Skillet. The sausage has excellent flavors and would have been a big hit but it was over salted.

For the main courses, we ordered two pastas, a meat and a fish to share. The Spaghetti and Meatballs arrived with 3 large tennis ball size meatballs, the pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauce was very good. Perfect with the Garlic Bread we ordered. The second pasta, Spaghetti with Chubby Crab, has very little crab and didn’t taste very good. It was a disappointing dish! For the fish, we ordered the evening special – Oven roasted Arctic Char. It was a large piece of Char – perfectly cooked with crispy skin and moist and tender flesh. The accompany gnocchi was light and pillowy with a thin crust on the outside – very tasty. Finally, we had the Pork Braciole, Pork Ribs, Meatballs and Sausage in a Tomato Gravy. It was a huge platter of meat. The sauce was excellent and the meat tender.

For dessert, we ordered the Cannoli per the waitress’s recommendation and of course, we must have the Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta (since Joey Manzare’s Zuppa had one of the best Panna Cottas). Both desserts were quite good but the Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta was not quite as good as the Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta we had at Zuppa.

Overall, with the exception of the flavor-less Spaghetti with Chubby Crab and the over-salt Sweat Sausage, the food at J&E were pretty good and the portions were huge! The menu is a little too limited. With a brick over, they could have featured it more and have more dishes come from it.

Atmosphere = 83
J&E didn’t altered the space much. We had a booth table by the open kitchen. The table was comfortable and the conversation flows but something was missing – it lacked the energy that Moose’s had. Our reservation was at 8pm on a rainy Friday night and the place was two third empty. Even with the rain, this place should be pack with a great location like that.

Service = 70
Lackadaisical service. Our waitress was friendly and nice but only checked on us maybe twice. We waited for a long time before our orders we taken and there was a long wait between courses. When we had leftovers from our main courses, the busboy dropped two bags right in the middle of our table before we even had desserts and coffee/tea.

Joey & Eddies has potential to be something like Moose’s. The service needs to be improved and the menu expanded to highlight their wood burning oven more.

Lastly – the “Jon” at J&E is not worth a haiku.

Pampas in Palo Alto - a far cry from Brazil

On January 16, DASF ventured beyond the SF city limits to Palo Alto for what was expected to be a Brazilian culinary explosion. Unfortunately, our high hopes were drowned in mounds of non distinct meat. However, beyond the disappointing food, we once again had a great group in high spirits. 9 total diners gathered, including the Phans, Currys, Carters, Lehmann and Jason, and Avis.

It's been more than 2 weeks since we dined, so I apologize if some of the scores are different than what you all remember :) Feel free to add your own comments to my somewhat hazy recollections.

Food: 70
While the salad bar was top notch and offered probably 50 different fresh and intersting salads, the main attraction left us yearning for the real Brazilian churrasco in Rio. We tasted over 10 different types of meats, but while the beef should have been the most impressive, it fell flat with only the roasted chicken really impressing. Perhaps we've become too demanding in our tastes. . . but, our resident Brazilian, Dani, said it best when she rated the food a 7! (a record low!)

Atmoshpere: 92
Pampas is lively and modern and allowed for a good flow of conversation.

Service: 85
The pacing was off - men offering sticks of meat showed up at the table too often. We had hardly taken a bite of one dish when the next waiter came hovering. And, waiters seemed hesitent to move around the table and diners were forced to reach across each other to grab onto the meat on a stick.

All in all, we enjoyed each other's company and a new experience, but we will be glad to return to San Francisco next month!