Tag Archives: pear

Pear and chocolate bread puddin’ – Arizmendi Bakery

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Project 365: Day 29

I think I drank too much last night, lol! I was hurting this morning, but thank god I didn’t have to work until noon.

Last night we went to the Foodspotting Ball Ball held at their San Francisco office near the ballpark. We arrived a little early so we ducked into District to relax and grab a quick glass of wine. Brooklyn who I know from Cheer SF was working and took great care of us! We were only there quickly but he sat us at a reserved table and gave us great service. Thanks, Brooklyn! I’ve always liked that guy!

The Ball was ok. We talked to a few people and everyone seemed nice and were having a good time. There was free wine and beer and a few food items. I thought there would be more food though. They encouraged people to bring food items in the shape of balls but I only noticed I person who brought chocolate rice krispy balls. There may have been more people who brought stuff but I didn’t see them. Everybody seemed to be gathered around the Beretta table because they were serving their delicious dungeness crab arancinis with a calabrese aioli. Noms! Every time they would bring out a freshly fried batch, the crowd with greedily swoop in and leave the table barren once again. I’ll admit I had a couple of them. They were the only thing substantial to eat anyway.

Afterward, under the influence of wine, I had the great idea of going to Badlands for another drink. Bad move! We followed that with another drink at The Edge, then headed home and crawled into bed. Ahhh…

Pear chocolate bread pudding Arizmendi Bakery

Bread pudding with pear, chocolate, bread flour, eggs, buttermilk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, dried fruit, yeast, sea salt, and pecans. $2.75
Arizmendi Bakery, San Francisco

Noms! SO good, Arizmendi and getting back on my nommy list! I think there is coconut in this bread pudding too. I skipped the gym this morning because I wasn’t feeling so hot, and of course I ate crap all morning. On my way to Bart I went to Arizmendi and grabbed this bread pudding. Never had it before but it’s pretty darn tasty!

Pear chocolate bread pudding Arizmendi Bakery

Large chunks of chocolate and pear cover the top of the bread pudding.

Pear chocolate bread pudding Arizmendi Bakery

Probably not the healthiest thing for you, but it’s worth the calories (and fat, lol)!

Bone marrow canoe – The Monk’s Kettle

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Bone marrow canoe Monk's Kettle

Served with diced pears(?), toast and mixed greens. $9
The Monk’s Kettle, San Francisco

Such a rich and decadent treat! This hit the spot and it tasted great with the Duvel beer. I loved the simple and cute presentation. The menu said that this was served with lemon, but I think it was actually diced pears on top. It was definitely a soft, sweet fruit. Regardless, everything tasted great together!

Unfortunate Helen Keller dinner – Johannes Restaurant

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Johannes Restaurant, Palm Springs CA

Ok, the title of this blog entry is a little unfair, but I wanted to vent a little bit. I actually had a very good experience at Johannes. The service was excellent as was the food.

But I’m just gonna go out and say it – I hate super dark restaurants!

For me, part of an amazing dining experience is being able to actually see what I’m eating. For instance, my duck appetizer tasted great and I’m sure it looked amazing – BUT I COULDN’T SEE IT! I really wanted to see the amazing roasted duck against the dark lentils and the beautifully drizzled raspberry vinaigrette. BUT everything looked just like a dark lump. I tried positioning the candle to get better shots to no avail. What you see on this blog is WAY better than what I actually saw in person!

How does a dimly lit room improve my dining experience!? I can’t see my food. I can’t see my dining my guest. I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING!!!

This is becoming such a pet peeve for me that I’m tempted to decline my next reservation if I enter a restaurant and see that it’s lit like a Paleozoic cave! Just wait, I’m gonna do it! This is ridiculous!

So in conclusion, I enjoyed my dinner but it was a little overpriced considering that I couldn’t FULLY enjoy my meal.

Lillet blonde Johannes Restaurant

Lillet blonde. Over ice, orange zest. $9

Vodka martini Johannes Restaurant

Grey Goose vodka martini up with olives. $11

Pimm's cup Johannes Restaurant

Pimm’s cup, lemon juice, over ice. $9

Brussels sprouts salad Johannes Restaurant

Brussels sprouts salad (special). Lemon juice, olive oil, pecorino cheese and walnuts. $12
Very bright and refreshing. This was a simple salad that you can easily make at home. I think the hardest part would be leafing the brussels sprouts, probably very labor intensive.

Honey and soy glazed duck breast Johannes Restaurant

Honey and soy glazed duck breast. Sliced roasted duck breast, Beluga lentil salad, tiny greens and raspberry vinaigrette. $11
My favorite dish of the night. It was served cold and tasted amazing. I’m sure it was beautifully composed, but I really couldn’t see much of it. The dark duck on the dark lentils looked like a black blob in the restaurant. The flavor were great and the textures were fun.

Australian grass fed kangaroo loin Johannes Restaurant

Australian grass fed kangaroo loin. Glazed bosc pear, veal bacon, walnuts, orange, cranberries, broccolini, juniper merlot reduction. $29
The kangaroo didn’t taste as crazy as I thought it would. I guess the chef recommends it served medium rare, but this came out pretty rare. I wish I would have ordered it medium instead. It was very tender and the reduction tasted great. The bosc pear came out super hot and delicious, and I loved the mixed topping.

New Zealand grass fed young lamb rack Johannes Restaurant

New Zealand grass fed young lamb rack. White beans, zucchini, tomatoes, grilled green onions, triple Dijon mustard sauce. $36
Wow, you get a LOT of lamb – 6 ribs of it! This was very delicious and super tender. I wish the grilled green onions weren’t on the plate though. They seemed too clunky for an otherwise beautiful plate.

Bread and butter Johannes Restaurant

Baguette and pesto butter.

Jamon serrano – Contigo

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Jamon serrano Contigo

Cured Spanish ham with Warren pears, Valdeon blue cheese, arugula and honey. $13
Contigo, San Francisco

So simple, so delicious! This was such a bright and refreshing starter. There’s not a lot on the plate but every ingredient counts. I love the beautiful pink color of the Spanish ham and the sweet Warren pears paired wonderfully with the salty meat. The arugula and honey drizzle were yummy additions.