NYE tasting menu $175
Californios, San Francisco CA
This was a madarin orange sorbet with jicama, chia seeds a bunch of other things. It was very tasty without being too sweet.
Refreshing palette cleansing drink.
Mandarino – Californios
5
Traditional egg hopper – 1601 Bar & Kitchen
Jidori egg, sambols. $9
1601 Bar & Kitchen, San Francisco CA
I really liked this because it was something I’d never tried before. It came with all these condiments and seasonings, and was really fun to eat.
7×7 Magazine’s Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die
Crispy coronation chicken sandwich – The Cavalier
Spiced curry aioli, gem lettuce and coriander sprouts, served with salad of seasonal greens. $15
The Cavalier, San Francisco CA
This sandwich was pretty good, but I was so appalled by the horrible service that I could not enjoy my lunch. I literally ate about half of this sandwich and left. Bad service doesn’t deserve a return visit. Way to go, Cavalier! 😦
Arnold Palmer.
“Tarte flambee” flatbread – Willi’s Wine Bar
Scallions, smoked bacon, creme fraiche. $12
Willi’s Wine Bar, Santa Rosa CA
This tasted wonderful! It was simple and packed with flavor. I thought that it was a bit wet and limp though; maybe too much butter brushed on top which I don’t know why I’m complaining about, hehe.
Pate en croute – Les Clos
Toasted baguette, membrillo, coarse mustard, frisee. Lunch tasting $15
Les Clos, San Francisco CA
This made for a wonderful lunch starter. The pate was delicious and the flaky pastry shell was wonderfully buttery. Yum!
Sebastien Dampt, Chablis ler cru, 2013.
Eggs Tchoupitoulas – The Parish Cafe
Poached eggs, fried shrimp, smoked tasso ham, house made hollandaise. $15
The Parish Cafe, Healdsburg CA
I really loved the tasty fried shrimp in this dish. They were SO flavorful. I thought that the tasso ham was a bit over-fried though. They were a kinda hard and tough.
Duck liver mousse – Flour + Water
Roasted carrot, carrot puree, celery. Pasta tasting $70
Flour + Water, San Francisco CA
Mmm, I love duck liver and this mousse was a great preparation. I don’t think I’ve ever had it paired with carrot, but it tasted great.
Breakfast buffet – Hilton Sonoma Wine Country
Cheese blintz, breakfast potatoes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, goat cheese. Complimentary
Hilton Sonoma Wine Country, Santa Rosa CA
Ugh, this wasn’t very good. Everything was dry and not very warm. The blintz was especially lifeless.
Campechano – Californios
Lightly poached Kusshi oyster. NYE tasting menu $175
Californios, San Francisco CA
Campechano is a Mexican seafood soup, and this was definitely a fancy version! There was even a dollop of caviar on top. Yay!
Local halal goat stew – 1601 Bar & Kitchen
Red basmati. $34
1601 Bar & Kitchen, San Francisco CA
This was delicious! There’s not a lot of restaurant where you can order goat, and it’s even better when it’s as great as this dish! I wasn’t sure how to eat it with the beetroot so I just ended up combining everything and eating it together. The horrible servers certainly weren’t going to help.
Beetroot, chevre mousse.
Char cheeseburger – The Habit Burger Grill
American cheese, mayonnaise, pickle, fresh tomato, lettuce and caramelized onions on a toasted bun. $4.35
The Habit Burger Grill, Rohnert Park CA
I liked this burger. I thought that the beef patty was nicely cooked and not too dry. It also felt hefty and substantial. Mmm…
Curried crab tacos – Willi’s Wine Bar
Apple, cucumber, mint. $13
Willi’s Wine Bar, Santa Rosa CA
I thought that the curried crab tasted good, but it was almost too wet. The taco shells were also soft and almost squishy, not crispy as they should be.
Pinot Noir Staff Picks. Flight $18
Romililly, Russian River, 2013. Wild Ridge, Annapolis, Sonoma Coast, 2012. Black Kite, “Kite’s Rest”, Anderson Valley, 2013.
Vittle Monster 