Regalito by Chef Thomas Peña

www.regalitosf.com

Visit date: December 30

Regalito is Spanish for “little gift”.

These gifts are NOT little – good portions and delicious!! It’s been a long time since I’ve had Mexican food this memorable. I’m already looking at my calendar to go back. It makes perfect sense why Regalito is ranked as the best Mexican joint in the city. Don’t come here looking for a late night greasy burrito or the Jack-in-the-Box $0.99 taco that we all waited for in college (smashed shut like a giant empanada with little filling, then deep fried, I’m sure). Even our 6 year-old friend tonight happily eats her chicken taquitos plain, sans salsa fresca and crema. No complaints at all! (And kids can be pretty picky. I once had a co-worker tell me her son wouldn’t eat his sandwich because he saw Mommy wipe off the mayonnaise that he didn’t like. They were the last two slices of bread and there was nothing she could do. One day he liked something and the next he hated it.)

The open kitchen is five feet from the front door and extends the length of the small and narrow restaurant. A simple wood counter with glass shelving is all that separates us from Chef Peña and his crew. Walking in, the first person we see behind the counter is a woman making tortillas. There is a world of difference between fresh tortillas and store bought. Fresh tortillas are a little thicker since they’re not pressed in some factory machine with 10 tons of weight. They have more bite, are soft and moist, and don’t crack when bent. The consistency and taste just doesn’t compare.

Simply put, everything tastes homemade and reminds me of growing up with my Mexican neighbors who made the best food. Seeing the woman tonight make tortillas from scratch says it all.

***Most importantly, big bang for our buck.
We did use a coupon, but I’d happily go back without one.

Regalito’s menu is small and simple, but I’m sure it offers some competition to celebrity Chef Rick Bayless. (I’ll have definitive results after my Chicago trip in March; we’ll be eating at his flagship, Frontera Grill.)

Things to try next time:
1. Tuesday night’s Pigalito – roasting a half Niman Ranch hog
2. Dinner – a dish with mole, churros and Mexican hot chocolate for dessert

No dessert at Regalito tonight. Our ecstatic 6 year-old friend wants ice cream from Bi-Rite Creamery after I tell her we are two blocks away. (Our flavors: Lavender honey, roasted banana, mint & chip, butter pecan. And yes, another post later for artisanal ice cream.)

3. Brunch – pozole, huevos rancheros

Pozole is a must try on most menus I see. Unfortunately, I’m still seeking the perfect pozole like the one my neighbors made growing up.

Regalito’s description of huevos rancheros is exactly how the locals made it during our honeymoon to Zihuatenejo, Mexico. As with most dishes, it’s traditionally served with a side of rice and beans. But the dish itself is amazingly simple: fried tortilla and two fried eggs covered with red sauce. No onions, peppers, corn, whatever else the Americanized version adds.

taquitos de pollo o de papas y queso

rolled tortillas filled with chicken or potato and cheese (or 2 of each),
fried crisp and topped with salsa fresca, queso fresco, crema and cilantro

chicharrones

pork belly cut into 1" thick slices, cooked and deep-fried,

served with pickled vegetables

enchiladas verdes

handmade corn tortillas dipped in green chile sauce,
filled with roast chicken,
garnished with queso fresco, crema, onions and cilantro,
served with whole pintos
(I love salsa verde, especially when roasted first to bring
out the sweetness of the tomatillos.
I try to eat it all but only eat 2/3.)

tinga de pollo

shredded free-range chicken in chipotle sauce,
served with rice and avocado salsa

Syd

Benu by Chef Corey Lee

www.benusf.com

Visit date: December 18

Dinner at the much anticipated Benu by Corey Lee (previously at French Laundry by Thomas Keller) tonight lasts 3.5 hours. We order the chef’s 11 course tasting menu. What can I say? The food is good… but… being a 4-month old restaurant, there is definitely some growing and refining to do. I understand Chef Lee is trying to bring Asian flavors into a more upscale point of view, but some of it still seems/tastes scattered.

On the one hand, Lee offers dishes with clean flavors and classic techniques, while on the other, some dishes are deep fried and heavy. The deep fried abalone is reminiscent of Italian food. One general trouble I have with upscale Asian food is that, often times, the food lacks “Asian-ness”. I suppose this is part of upscaling Asian to a wider audience. I suppose using Asian ingredients is enough.

Some low points – The second course offering is oysters with apple ice and horseradish. The apple ice is a tad too cold such that I couldn’t taste the flavor of the oysters. Had the waiter not told me, I wouldn’t have dug down deep enough to taste the horseradish underneath.

Speaking of, the waiters do a great job of reciting the menu verbatim (a copy is kept at the table), but unless you ask about a particular dish or what an ingredient is, you have no idea. Luckily, I have an Asian background, but still, I have some questions. What is “chicken Cecilia”?

Chicken Cecilia is inspired by Cecilia Chang, owner of a small empire in SF Chinatown and also mother to the owner of PF Chang’s. Apparently, she saw the abundance of yellow chives this time of year and suggested to Chef Lee to incorporate them into a dish. The chicken is shaped into a roulade, but unfortunately doesn't taste much of yellow chive.

Some high points – Sesame tofu with marinated salmon roe is surprising. The tofu arrives in the shape of a tiny bbq pork bun. Once you cut it in half, the salmon roe is nestled inside, perfectly unharmed. The starter of thousand-year-old quail egg, and dessert of persimmon pudding and burnt acorn ice cream are great openers and finishers. I do very much enjoy dessert with fruit – light and happy ending.

One last thing to mention – all the dishware is specifically made for Benu by Korean porcelain manufacture KwangJuYo. I wonder what happens if Lee wants to make a dish that doesn’t fit his current plating designs…

At this point, I may or may not take pictures of the food because mine never come out as good as the printed press that has all the good lighting. So for this post, the pictures you see are copies of stuff I found on the web.

Our meal. It might seem like alot, but when you have this many courses,

many of the dishes are 1-2 bites. I left feeling just right, not too full.

I've learned not to order the dish-by-dish wine pairings because it can

be over the top for so many courses, and extremely filling.

Chef Corey Lee

unleavened bread with sesame seeds and fennel

sesame tofu with marinated salmon roe

eel, feuille de brick, creme fraiche

trio:

1) eel, feuille de brick, creme fraiche

2) caramelized anchovy, peanut, lily bulb (was hoping for more anchovy flavor)

3) mountain yam and shrimp souffle

monkfish liver torchon - ours was slightly different
with accompaniments of cucmber, turnip, salted plum.

not shown was the amaaaazing brioche - buttery goodness!

crispy cod milt, pickles, mustard

"shark's fin" soup, dungeness crab, Jinhua ham, black truffle custard

chicken Cecilia

chocolates

(check out the special container they're served in)

Just another sample of the special porcelain dishware.

The rectangular shaped handle is for coffee, while the other is for tea.

Bar Agricole by Chef Brandon Jew

www.baragricole.com

Visit date: December 08

Bar Agricole – an urban tavern. As to tavern form, cocktails of the moment include lots of whiskey, bourbon, brandy, you get the picture. But don't worry if you’re like me and dislike the stuff, they have a full bar (vodka please!) and wine list too. On the other hand, when in Rome... give it a try and you might be pleasantly surprised. No matter your drink preference, very cool hangout spot after work, plenty of room.

The food very much reflects an urban lifestyle, comforting yet unfamiliar, not the greasy spoons and typical pub food. The best dish of the night is the burdock, celery root and fuyu persimmon slaw. Persimmon cuts through the dressing perfectly (reminiscent of ranch). Another crowd pleaser is the kohlrabi and turnip gratin. Grilled squid with farro and komatsuna is a little too salty especially with olives added in. Gingerbread for dessert equals warm goodness and a surprising lightness similar to cake rather than the expected dense brownie texture. (Sorry, no food pictures tonight.)

I should also mention the restaurant is LEED gold certified. Another point for green and sustainability. Bar Agricole is great for an indoor winter holiday party or an outdoor summer soiree in the front patio. Some pictures I found below give you an idea of what the space looks like, very fitting of an urban tavern.

Grub

www.grubsf.com

Visit date: December 06

While I appreciate Yelp, I highly recommend everyone go to restaurants and form their own opinions. If you really need to use Yelp, don't go any further than googling the restaurant to see the overall number of stars users have given.

For example, I had dinner at Grub. Since they're new and the website is not 100% working, meaning the menus are not yet posted, I browsed Yelp for an idea of menu items. One person said the mac & cheese was not very good – didn't use elbow pasta, too saucy, etc. In fact, there was better at some Irish pub close by.

Apparently, we have very different viewpoints on mac & cheese. Grub used fusili pasta but this does not equal bad mac & cheese. If anything, each groove in the pasta retains more cheese! There wasn't that much excess sauce, but since when is extra cheesey goodness not a good thing? Perhaps her template is the famous blue box and neon orange powder... perhaps she doesn't realize we've stepped up our mac & cheese game a bit.

Grub is comfort food done pretty well. Glad to have it in the neighborhood after a few hours of drinking in the Mission.

The menu is divided into Bites, Earth, Surf, Turf,
Burger Bar, Mac & Cheese Bar.

Earth - semolina crusted tofu frites with sauteed brussel sprouts,
spanish onions, dried apricots, applewood bacon

(Delicious! If you don’t like tofu, you will now.)

Surf - pan roasted U10 scallops with spanish chorizo,
yellow corn, chino farms watercress
(scallops were slightly over salted)

Burger Bar - buffalo patty with aged gruyere on pan de mie buns

Mac & Cheese Bar - white & sharp cheddar topped with
grana padana parmesan breadcrumbs,
addition of carmelized onions and rock lobster

Ad Hoc by Chef Thomas Keller

www.adhocrestaurant.com

Visit date: November 21

Ad Hoc is family style, homey comfort food. Very different from Chef Keller’s delicate creations at French Laundry up the street. The menu is drawn daily on two chalkboards behind the bar – a simple 3 course meal for Sunday brunch (4 course dinner). Warning: be prepared to eat! The meal feels like a holiday feast. Very happy feeling! Now I need a nap...

Story of Ad Hoc:
“While we were designing it we thought we'd experiment by opening a temporary restaurant and calling it Ad Hoc, which literally means, "for this purpose." The idea for Ad Hoc was simple - 5 days a week we'd offer a 4 course family style menu that changed each day, accompanied by a small, accessible wine list in a casual setting reminiscent of home. We wanted a place to dine for our community and ourselves. The decision to change over the restaurant, however, was taken out of our hands by our guests. The response was so positive, we simply couldn't close.”

smoked turkey and bibb lettuce

chicken fried steak with potatoes, broccoli rabe, fried egg

(tender flank steak, medium rare)

apple crisp with vanilla ice cream

Morimoto Napa by Chef Masaharu Morimoto

www.morimotonapa.com

Visit date: November 20

It’s Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto!
I wish I can brag and say I met him tonight, but he was out. Maybe next time, if he hasn’t already moved to Hawaii to open his next restaurant.

Chef Morimoto dates back to the original Japanese series of Iron Chef with Chairman Kaga at the helm. He is always shown with composure, reverence and a tendency towards tradition. Remember the re-match episode with Bobby Flay? Flay finishes the competition despite all the difficulties from cutting his finger and equipment “sabatoge”. In his excitement, he jumps onto the counter and onto his cutting board holding his arms out. Morimoto shakes his head disapprovingly, saying Flay is “not a chef… knives and cutting boards are sacred to us…” Instant respect for Chef Morimoto. (Don’t get me wrong, I like Flay, but he shouldn’t have been so cocky at the time.)

Morimoto Napa is what downtown Napa needs to revive itself. Up to now, vacationers and wine tasters stick to Highway 29, eating at places like Mustard’s Grill, Gott’s Roadside, Bistro Jeanty, one of Thomas Keller’s many places in Yountville, etc. For all of Morimoto’s traditionalism, the restaurant is chic and trendy. Two dining rooms are separated by an expansive kitchen. The connecting hallway displays floor to ceiling artwork of fish (red snapper?) on one side, and glass shelves holding antique kitchenware on the other. The main dining room in the back allows intimate parties, but also has communal tables for larger groups. Next to the communal tables is the bar with plush yellow chairs and stools for lounging.

Being so new, kinks still need to be ironed out. For example, we have a reservation, but still wait 45 minutes at the bar before being seated. Unfortunately, the bar is packed with people waiting, drinking, eating – especially unappealing when filled with people who had one drink too many from a day of wine tasting. Perhaps the bar and lounge area should have been designed in the smaller dining room in front. It would definitely help with noise control. I wouldn’t mind eating in the front dining room either, where it’s empty.

On the other hand, the food is as it should be coming from an Iron Chef – great attention to detail and weaving flavors together. The highlight of the evening is tableside tofu. It arrives as traditional flavored Chinese soy milk (not the sweet stuff coffee drinkers use in place of milk) and with one magical ingredient and 30 min of steaming... voila! instant tofu! Other must mentions include foie gras chawan mushi, duck meatball soup and chicken noodle soup.

The menu has a lot to offer and I wish we can try more dishes. For tonight, we try the more traditional Asian dishes. We’ll have to go again after the buzz wears off a little.

appetizer special – squid stuffed with spinach and herbs,

squid ink gnocchi, mozzarella cheese, house made xo sauce

kakuni – ten hour pork belly, rice congee, soy scallion jus

foie gras chawan mushi with duck breast, wasabi, sweet soy sauce
(“Chawan mushi” means tea cup steam, traditionally
a steamed egg custard dish with flavorings of the chef’s choice.)

yose dofu – fresh soy milk, nigari powder served tableside

(liquid form, add secret ingredient and let steam for 30 minutes)

toppings for the tofu – scallion, ginger wasabi, dried onion,
lightly sweetened homemade soy sauce and something
along the lines of chicken base slightly thickened with miso

duck meatball soup
(So much more complicated than your average soup –
duck, pork, chicken flavorings and more.)

Morimoto chicken noodle soup with udon noodles

(Way better than Campbells chicken noodle –

I could eat this all day!)

sea urchin carbonara with
smoked bacon, udon noodle, crispy shallot
(A little salty with the bacon and richness of sea urchin and egg.)

house polished rice pudding with mango

(Wow! turning brown rice into white.)

doughnuts – condiments include Japanese style molasses,

ginger syrup, soy bean powder, green tea powder, and..

ice cream sandwiches
peanut butter, chocolate, vanilla with ginger crust