Category Archives: Restaurant

Gambas al ajillo – Esperpento

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Garlic shrimp Esperpento
Shrimp sauteed in olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes.
Esperpento, San Francisco

When you order gambas al ajillo at any Spanish restaurant, make sure they bring you plenty of bread to soak up that delicious, garlicky oil. I actually used the lemon this time around and it freshened up the olive oil in a wonderful way. This dish acts as my equalizer to compare tapas restaurants, and Esperpento did a pretty good job.  The quality of the shrimp wasn’t the best, but the flavors were great! I always like when the shrimp tails are still attached because it adds flavor and it’s fun to use my hands – so good job Esperpento.

Sangria Esperpento
Sangria is mandatory when eating tapas! Ok, maybe not but I’m never gonna turn down the opportunity to order some. Esperpento’s wasn’t overly sweet, very drinkable.

Ropa vieja – Esperpento

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Beef chicken chorizo stew Esperpento
Beef, chicken and chorizo stew with onions, green and red bell peppers, chick peas, garlic, and garnished with chopped parsley.
Esperpento, San Francisco

The combination of all 3 proteins makes this a very hearty stew, but not too heavy.  Spanish chorizo tends to enough saltiness to a dish so be light handed on the salt when preparing something like this at home.  The parsley was a nice touch to add brightness and a fresh flavor. Great comforting dish and bursting with flavor.

Chinese BBQ platter – Mission Chinese Food

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Chinese BBQ Mission Chinese Food
Smoked beef brisket, pork trotter and hot link with smoked cola BBQ sauce. Side of pickled cucumbers, onions and jalapenos.
Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco

I randomly read on Eater.com that Danny Bowien, the chef at Mission Chinese Food, had acquired a smoker and was going to start having bbq on the menu.  So I HAD to order the Chinese bbq platter when I finally saw it on the menu.  I must say that the brisket tastes pretty amazing with a great smoky flavor and oh so tender.  The hot link was ok, didn’t taste very different from others I’ve tried.  I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked the pork trotters – very flavorful.  I was afraid that I wouldn’t like the texture of the skin, but I hardly noticed it from the rest of the meat. And of course, the homemade pickles were great!

Slow-cooked pork belly – Eos Restaurant

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Pork belly Eos Restaurant
Sweet, tender pork belly atop creamy grits and a stone fruit chutney. Garnished with cilantro, flat leaf parsley, fennel and mint leaves and sliced nectarines.
Eos Restaurant & Wine Bar, San Francisco

This dish was very clean and delicious! I loved the combination of the creamy grits, slightly sweet fruit chutney, and the sweet and salty pork belly.  I’m not sure what they braised the pork in, but I’m guessing they used some soy and sugar.  The effect was fabulous and the pork just melted in your mouth. The fruit and herb salad on top were bright and contrasted perfectly with the rich pork belly.

Shiitake mushroom dumplings – Eos Restaurant

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Shiitake mushroom dumplings Eos Restaurant
Earthy shiitake mushroom dumplings with cherry tomatoes, garnished with scallions.
Eos Restaurnt & Wine Bar, San Francisco

Umami has to be my favorite flavor, and this dish delivers plenty of it! There is a lot of hype about these dumplings, particularly the sauce, and I must join in. You can’t go wrong with a sauce full of soy, butter, and MORE butter! We tried scooping up as much of it with eat bite. The dumplings themselves were cooked perfectly – not too mushy, with a bit of a bite to the pasta. Count me in on the bandwagon!

Kung pao pastrami – Mission Chinese Food

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Kung pao pastrami Mission Chinese Food
Tender pastrami with explosive chilies, celery, potato, green onions, roasted peanuts, and garnished with sesame seeds. $11
Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco

This dish is even hotter than their Ma Po Tofu!  Perhaps it’s all the dried chili flakes that practically coat every piece in the dish.  But it is VERY delicious.  It has a wonderful smokiness and the variety in textures is absolutely fabulous.  Another go-to dish of mine from Mission Chinese Food.

7×7 Magazine’s The Big Eat San Francisco: 100 Things to Eat + Drink Before You Die – 2014

Kung pao pastrami - Mission Chinese Food
February 1, 2014
You can really see how this dish has changed since my original post. Personally, I liked the original.

Ma po tofu – Mission Chinese Food

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Ma Po Tofu Mission Chinese Food
Ground Kurobuta pork shoulder, fresh tofu, Szechuan peppercorns, jalapenos, dried red chili pepper, chili oil, green onions, cloves, garnished with chopped cilantro.
Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco CA

This has to be one of my favorite Chinese delivery dishes of all time!  It’s super spicy with all the jalapenos, dried red chilies, and even more chili oil but the pain in my mouth is worth every delicious bite.  I’m thankful that it comes with steamed rice, not only for the cooling effect but also to soak up all that mouth watering sauce.

7×7 Magazine’s The Big Eat San Francisco: 100 Things to Eat + Drink Before You Die – 2011

Ma po tofu - Mission Chinese Food
February 1, 2014

Chorizo stuffed calamari – Eos Restaurant

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Chorizo stuffed calamari Eos Restaurant

Savory squid with a delicous chorizo filling, Allstar Organics wax beans, yuzu vinaigrette and lemon.
Eos Restaurant & Wine Bar, San Francisco

Whenever I see chorizo on a menu, I immediately assume that the dish will be heavy and greasy.  Not so! This dish was so light and refreshing from the yuzu vinaigrette and lemon.  The bicolored wax beans also added brightness, and the chorizo filling wasn’t at all dense or heavy.  This dish is a winner in my book!