Shrimp, scallops, oysters, crabmeat. Small $16
The Elite Cafe, San Francisco CA
I’m not sure how they were able to pack SO much flavor into this gumbo, but it was delicious! The was a nice smokiness to it and the seafood were cooked perfectly. I could have devoured another bowl of this gumbo!
Decorative railing, Pacific-Union Club.
Baked spaghetti squash, braised Maui onions, sauteed Lollypod kale and orange peel amarena cherry sauce. $34
Lavender Bistro, La Quinta CA
I love duck, and when it’s cooked two ways, it’s even better! 🙂 This time around, I actually liked the seared duck breast better than the leg confit. I didn’t much care for the squash, but the sauce was delicious!
Breadsticks, butter and hummus. Complimentary
Shrimp, andouille sausage, smoked chicken, dirty rice. $25
The Elite Cafe, San Francisco CA
Wow, this jambalaya was super flavorful! It was smoky and the proteins were cooked perfectly and very succulent. More, please!
Westbound 152.
Beef tongue, malbec braise, chayote picadillo, salsa verde. $21
Lolinda, San Francisco CA
Lengua tastes SO good! I love it’s dark, rich flavor and the chayote was a nice and different accompaniment. More, please! 🙂
Rose of malbec, Belasco de Baquedano, NV Argentina. $13
Wood-fire grilled crosscut beef short ribs. $17
Lolinda, San Francisco CA
Mmm, this beef had a really nice grilled flavor, but it was bit tough and difficult to eat. There really wasn’t that much meat to them either. I liked the aji sauce that came with it though.
Giant squid graffiti mural, Market.
Braised belly, seared tenderloin, choucroute “strudel”, apple demi glace. $36
Sutro’s at The Cliff House, San Francisco CA
Ugh, I was disappointed by this plate. The tenderloin was dry, the choucroute (pork spring roll) was SUPER greasy, and the pork belly was ALL fat! I did like the flavor of the belly and the demi glace, but I really couldn’t eat much of the dish. Lame!
Ocean Beach.
Meyer lemon beurre blanc, brioche, artichoke chips. $33
Sutro’s at The Cliff House, San Francisco CA
A little of this went a long way! I liked the flavors at first, but after a few bites the beurre blanc dominated everything. It was so rich that it definitely overwhelmed the dungeness crab inside the ravioli. I wish this dish was a bit more balanced because it read so appetizingly.
Gloria Ferrer sparkling wine, brut, Somoma. $10
Endives, capers, parsley and lemon. $65
Cockscomb, San Francisco CA
Half a roasted pig’s head? Are you kidding me! This was SO amazing, and surprisingly more meaty than I thought it would be. The pork skin was SO crispy, fatty, and delicious and there was so much meat underneath. It was almost like Christmas and opening a present at the table. NOMS! Oooh, and thank goodness for the endives to help cut all that fatty deliciousness.
Sicilian meat balls with pine nuts and raisins, braised chard, spicy tomato sugo. $13
Barbacco, San Francisco CA
More, please! These meatballs were absolutely perfect. They had a great texture that wasn’t too dense. The tomato sauce was sublime and I just wanted more, lol! This dish definitely belongs on the 7×7 list (unlike some other dishes).
7×7 Magazine’s The Big Eat San Francisco: 100 Things to Eat + Drink Before You Die
Bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Complimentary
Fingerling potatoes, onion, bisque sauce. $31
Table, Washington DC
Yay for lobster! This was delicious and beautifully cooked. Some people hate having to extract their seafood from shells, but I think it’s part of the experience and actually very fun. The lobster bisque sauce was super yummy and I thought the plating was simple and classy.
Bread and olive oil. Complimentary
Pantry reconstruction, Mount Vernon.
Madras roasted duck breast, duck confit fried rice, duck egg, mandarin oolong reduction. $33
Morimoto, Philadelphia PA
I thought I would love this dish, but it actually kinda bored me. It was a lot of duck prepared different ways, but I wasn’t excited about any of the preparations. The fried rice was actually kinda dry and I wish that the duck egg was more runny. As it was, the egg was hard and lifeless. The roasted duck breast was pretty good, but I didn’t like the tea soaked lotus.
Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Lentil, carrot, prune. $24
Momofuku Ssam Bar, New York NY
I liked this dish, but I’m going to say that it was definitely on the salty side. The roasted duck tasted great (even though the skin was super chewy), but the duck egg rolls really didn’t have to be there. They were salty and the wrapper was oily. The lentil and duck combination was new to me and I liked it.
Brooklyn Bridge.
Vittle Monster 