alfredck's Profile
Chez Panisse 2012
Grass shrimp should be available live at local bait shops--try the North Bay, East Bay, or Delta. Leonard's bait in Petaluma (707-762-7818) has them for $20/#. Discount Mart in El Cerrito and Rodeo Sports Liquors have them at times. I think Leonard trawls their own; not sure about the others.
Hairy Crab Roe -- Available anywhere in the Bay Area?
Happy to talk--what is your contact info? Not sure what the best way to securely transmit this would be.
Hairy Crab Roe -- Available anywhere in the Bay Area?
Mitten crabs have actually established themselves in SF and San Pablo Bays, possibly from ballast or imported food specimens that were released. There used to be super high numbers of the crabs, but levels have moderated.
They are regarded as an invasive, pest species, so possession of live crabs is prohibited.
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/delta/mittencrab/
Never seen frozen mitten crabs, but you never know.
I would think you could catch some rather easily with the proper know-how (I've only caught one accidently--singularly unimpressive). If so inclined, I would call bait stores in the delta/Suisun Bay, maybe South Bay. They'll probably think you're a bit addled to target the crabs, but they might have helpful info. I think the peak of the season has passed. Bag limits are very generous (35 to unlimited), and it would seem to make more sense to spend $20 on bait and equipment to get your own rather than $$$$ to get some imported from half way around the world (do kill them after capture and don't spread them).
Local seafood, from redfish to choupique and gar?
I'm sorry about the extremely late reply, but I only now noticed this post. I called the Family Grill well ahead of time and explained that I wanted to try as many local fishes as possible. I even went to the nearby fish markets to pick up some of the catch. The very sweet owner went out of her way to prepare a feast. Funny, it seemed like some of the locals had no desire to eat these "trash fish". I hope the garfish was tasty.
Shad fish - where can I buy?
Coming from the quintessential traveling gourmet, I take your words as a compliment. I often live vicariously through your posts.
On to fishies: milkfish do have some of the same fatty "sweetness" (fishiness if you will) as ilish. They are also cultured in India (one local name being poomeen), so may already be familiar to ssaibal.
I believe that there are also large runs of shad in the Columbia River basin, so Washington state would make sense as a source.
Shad and smaller relatives (threadfin, gizzard, etc) are often used as bait, including for white sturgeon.
I'm amused at how some boney fish are much appreciated by other cultures/regions, yet generally looked down upon here (for instance, shad on the East Coast vs here on the West).
I think the blackfish in raw fish salad isn't necessarily completely deboned, but instead sliced thinnly enough that the bones can be eaten. When we had it at Kirin, there was a slightly gritty texture to the fish, which I attribute to bones. If you run your tongue over a slice, it almost feels like fine sandpaper.
Finally, I would greatly appreciate any tips or contacts on the regional, forgotten, obscure, unique, or underappreciated. For instance, cui-ui from the scientific harvest at Pyramid Lake, Sacramento suckers with the Ajumawi division of the Pit River Indians, hitch/chi with the Clear Lake Pomo, Sacramento splittail with Chinese in the Delta...
Shad fish - where can I buy?
Shad are indeed related to ilish. Not sure if they are as good as ilish. I believe shad are sport fish in California, but I have seen them in Asian markets (may have been from the East Coast where there is a commercial fishery). Best way of getting fresh shad would be to catch them yourself (or have fisherman friends)--they migrate from saltwater into fresh to spawn in May/June. The Sacramento, American, and Feather Rivers are all likely places.
Whereas blackfish are in the minnow family, shad are in the herring family. They both have lots of bones, but blackfish are softer with a more "freshwater" taste. Shad and ilish have a "fishier" flavor. I would call all the South Asian markets you can find to see if they have ilish; you'll probably find some in the South Bay. Good luck.
Masgouf in El Cajon
Which Iraqi restaurant in the area serves the best masgouf? I see the item listed on menus, but have not read any reviews on the dish.
Ideally, it would be a butterflied carp roasted leisurely next to a fire or coals like this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=09BBUvDm3u8
rather than a tilapia baked in an oven.
A recommendation on fried zubaidi (pomfret) would also be appreciated.
Grouse in Glasgow after the Glorious Twelfth?
Thanks for the replies. We ended up purchasing and roasting both grouse and wood pigeon. I also think that pigeon is tastier--red meat that was very meaty, almost like beef. The kids even enjoyed it. I would have pigeon again; not sure about grouse.
Seafood Curry Near Embarcadero Center ?
The Indonesian Jumbo Prawn Curry at Kam's has had a favorable review and is apparently quite spicy.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/401360
You can reach the restaurant in the Richmond district on the 38, 31, or 5 bus lines.
Seafood Curry Near Embarcadero Center ?
I would try New Woey Loy Goey in Chinatown.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/573124
They serve freshwater snails in a black bean sauce with jalapenos (probably pretty tame by your standards), as well as oysters, crabs, and lobsters seasonally. Prices are very reasonable, and it definitely is a hole in the wall (actually below street level). I've never seen these snails outside of Chinese restaurants.
I would also try a Vietnamese-Cajun crab shack. There are several of these restaurants, which serve crawfish, oysters, crabs, etc in your choice of sauces at your choice of spiciness. I've only been to Craw Station (9th Avenue between Irving and Judah in the Sunset district
www.crawstation.com
where the food was salty, buttery, spicy, and good. There are similar, closer restaurants such as Red Crawfish in the Tenderloin
redcrawfishsf.com
but I can't vouch for them.
Korean marinated seafood can also be quite exotic/spicy, with whole small crabs, whole small shrimp, raw swimmer crabs, raw oysters, raw sea cucumbers, and raw sea squirts among others. I haven't seen these in the usual array of banchan at most places in San Francisco; perhaps someone else will have a suggestion (you can get vats of these goodies at Korean markets in the Sunnyvale area).
(Actually, I would say the best place to eat shellfish in SF would be at my house at select times, where over the years we've had live geoduck, Pacific oysters, Olympia oysters, Virginia oysters (complete with pea crab), California spiny lobster, Atlantic and Pacific bay and deep sea scallops, Spot prawns, wild red abalone, cultured red abalone, Chilean abalone (locos), horseneck clams, signal crayfish, gaper clams, of course Dungeness crab, Stone crab, langoustine, rock shrimp, Royal red shrimp, brown shrimp, whole belly (soft shell) clams, freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium/chingri--filled with delicious fat/roe)...
My last two dinners have been pan fried walleye cheeks and pan fried Atlantic cod tongues. Still need to get through the lobster, shrimp, locos, and Pacific razor clams in the freezer.)
-----
New Woey Loy Goey Restaurant
699 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Red Crawfish
611 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA
Grouse in Glasgow after the Glorious Twelfth?
Suggestions on a restaurant that will serve grouse after the start of the season? Just realized that we will be in the area (from California), and it seems that these game birds are a very traditional Scottish food. I otherwise will book a self-catering apartment and roast one myself!
Also, advice on game dealers/butchers as well as other game birds to try (pheasant, mallard, teal, wood pigeons, partridges, snipe, woodcock) would be appreciated. (I know some may be out of season and therefore frozen). Would prefer to avoid anything that "tastes like chicken".
Peking duck in City or Peninsula
A Persian coworker is headed to graduate school. She has had Peking duck once, and thought it was incredible, but only had a bite or two. Suggestions on restaurants in the City/Peninsula to treat her to a duck dinner? I've had my share at banquets, and have tried Beijing on Irving and Five Happiness recently. Good, but not "Wow, this is amazing" good. And my wife doesn't like Beijing, so it's out anyway.
-----
Five Happiness
4142 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118
Traditional Scottish meal in Glasgow?
We'll (2 adults, 2 children ages 7 and 11) be in Glasgow in mid-August and would like to have a typical Scottish meal. Recommendations on a family-friendly restaurant, preferably near the airport, would be appreciated. What should we order? Steak pie? Haggis, neeps, and tatties? Anything vegetarian?
Miliki Restaurant--West African in Oakland
Had the egusi with bitter leaf at Miliki today. Third time having egusi, each at a different restaurant (also have some in the cupboard, but haven't gotten around to cooking it). A contrast in textures and flavors between the bland iyan (pounded yam or fufu--almost like slightly bitter, doughy mashed potatoes that dissolved and slid easily down) and the chewy, gamey, fishy, boney proteins in the stew (goat, stockfish, and cow leg/cow skin I think). The stockfish was like fish jerky that delaminated into chewy, translucent sheets. The food is supposed to be eaten with your hands, and I think the iyan is supposed to be dipped into sauce and swallowed without chewing. I cheated, using a spoon and chewing the iyan. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal, but it probably isn't for everyone. I also tried the amala (made from dried yam flour, it reminded me of poi--slightly sour, slightly bitter) and the pepper soup, which burned more going down the throat than on the tongue. The very nice proprietriss said that she has some specialities which aren't on the menu, including giant African land snail and a "village stew" of ox-tail, shrimp, and periwinkles. Been looking for giant snail for a long time and look forward to trying it next time...
Struggling with Cambodian food at Siem Reap
Having read Noah's review and favorable ones as well, we decided to give Siem Reap a try. Mixed group of people with Irish, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Taiwanese, and Japanese heritage. We have had minimal experience with Cambodian food. We found no strange, dark or musty flavors. I had warned everyone that the food might be challenging, but we found it different, yet familiar. I'm not sure if it's a reflection of our (predominantly) Asian backgrounds, but we enjoyed everything, including the ribeye with prahok dip (the chef warned us that it might be too strong for some). We also had fish soup (with chilis, pineapple, and tomato), fish with lemongrass (nice spice), amok, sweet and sour fish (more sour than Chinese preparations), beef salad, vegetables with a milder prahok dip, tofu, and a tapioca/coconut dessert. Perhaps the food has been toned down since 2008. The owner/chef and the waitresses were terrifically friendly, helpful, and attentive. (Almost like Asian aunties--piling rice onto our plates and insisting that we have more soup when we had finished our bowls). In a gritty neighborhood, far different from the Disneyland-like area around the convention center.
-----
Siem Reap Restaurant
1810 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90813
Chowdown Report: Hakka Restaurant in San Francisco
Is the arrowroot with pork a regular menu item or was it a New Year's special? I went last week and the waiter had no knowledge of this dish or arrowroot. I couldn't find it on the regular, specials, or banquet menus either.
Cocktails in the inner Richmond?
Looking for somewhere to have a cocktail before dinner on Saturday. Also, recommendations on a restaurant for a nice meal (without the kids!) would be much appreciated. Any cuisine is fine, atmosphere and quality are key. Bella Trattoria? The Richmond? My wife doesn't care for Chapeau, and neither of us is wild about Azziza (I know, it's not in the inner Richmond).
Will any restaurant cook the catch from a fishing trip?
I will visit NOLA in March and have booked a fishing trip. We are hoping for tuna, wahoo, and/or grouper if we can get offshore, and sheepshead, black drum, and possibly reds or trout if we are stuck inshore.
If I'm lucky enough to catch something, does anyone know of a restaurant that will prepare the fish? Any method of preparation would be fine. Do health regulations allow this?
Live in-shell scallops?
Hi Robert,
Any word on the scallops? Species, quality, quantity,price? I emailed ABS and they never replied. Who was your contact? Maybe I tried to contact the wrong person. Thanks.
Live in-shell scallops?
Hi Robert,
Please keep us updated about ABS. If they don't carry them, I'll be traveling to Seattle in late September and may be able to bring some live (or freshly dead) in shell Qualicum scallops (Japanese X weathervane hybrids) back to San Francisco.
September Seattle searching for seasonal, regional specialties
We'll be visiting the last weekend of September from San Francisco with no particular agenda other than sampling what the Northwest has to offer. Not sure what to expect, but chanterelles (and other mushrooms), geoducks, spiny and pink scallops, and Olympia oysters would be super. Anything local is of interest. Would much prefer to purchase from the forager/fisherman; for example, we plan on visiting oyster farms (any suggestions? Taylor? other?).
Scallops in the shell would be excellent--one of our coworkers just assumed that they came as little disks of flesh. We want to show her the real thing, eyes and all if possible (I know they are very perishable).
Farmers markets and Asian markets are welcome. Have car, willing to drive.
Salmon Candy
Creekside Smokehouse in El Granada, CA may have what you're looking for:
chowhound.chow.com/topics/615107
They call it "Rich Jerky Strips" rather than Squaw Candy or Malamute candy. They use brown sugar rather than honey. The strips are sticks of cold-smoked salmon that are slightly sweet and absolutely dripping in fat. Very intense and decadent.
I'm pretty sure they use wild Chinook--hard to come by given the closures in Northern California. They process for some Alaskan skippers as well. If I remember correctly, the price was ~$28/pound (I could be mistaken). I don't know what their shipping policy is. Give Teri a call--she is incredibly friendly and helpful.
Creekside Smokehouse in El Granada—smoked fish, cheese and BUTTER
I caught the paddlefish in Warsaw, Missouri during the spring snagging season. Very similar to our white sturgeon. (But that would be another story for another Board). The price to smoke fish (either cold or hot smoked) is $5/pound.
San Pablo: Mom's Cuisine - This weekend ... run, make a special trip ... don't miss the home made moronga
Nice to meet you Heidipie--those kids are really going to be 'hounds! I would echo your comments on the casing for the moronga. I would say that the intestines were as much of the dish as the blood, if not more. Very gamey, reminiscent of the tripe in menudo; chewy, with a distinctive innard taste. Overall, very strong, earthy flavors, from the lamb barbacoa, to the moronga, to the red mole. The mole itself was dark, bitter, and rich--coffee?chocolate?nuts? Definitely a new experience for me, one more appreciated after the tenth bite than after the first.
Creekside Smokehouse in El Granada—smoked fish, cheese and BUTTER
I'm very glad you enjoyed the fish and cheese. We're just about out of the smoked Parmesan--almost time to make another trip down south.
kaoneow cafe lao-thai re open today
Yummyrice, can you comment on Tod Pa Hang? I ordered it off of the specials board at Green Papaya
chowhound.chow.com/topics/590923?tag=boards;topic-590923
I still have some from January in the refrigerator, and it looks about the same. Any information on what kind of fish are used and how it's supposed to be eaten would be appreciated.
Creekside Smokehouse in El Granada—smoked fish, cheese and BUTTER
With ten pounds of paddlefish to smoke, I was quickly running out of options. The Sportsman’s Cannery in Emeryville closed long ago. The phone at Scandinavian Smokehouse in San Francisco has been disconnected. Red River Smoke House in Princeton-by-the-sea is no longer, although Blue Ocean may take its place. Which left Creekside Smokehouse in El Granada by Half Moon Bay.
Located next to a small creek with an inviting lawn, the smokehouse is run by Dave and Teri, who are extremely friendly and knowledgeable. In addition to custom smoking, they offer a variety of items. Cold smoked salmon is their most popular product. A sample of their “rich jerky strips”, made from boneless rib-meat that was brined and then cured with brown sugar, was decadently rich, and dripped with salmon oil. Teri called it “velvet fog” and Dave suggested dipping it in chocolate. As much as I enjoyed the jerky, I’m not sure I would enjoy that combination.
Besides salmon, they also offer sturgeon, yellowfin tuna, halibut, and albacore—Teri’s favorite, since she enjoys its meaty texture. Their sturgeon is another meaty choice. Teri said that smoked sturgeon is a favorite of their Russian customers. Another favorite is their crab dip, which is available only during the holidays. Nothing smoked, just quality ingredients highlighted by Dungeness crab. I can’t wait to try it. They also sell smoked trout and eel, but these are processed elsewhere. Flat bread and crackers are also available.
Besides seafood, they smoke a variety of dairy products, including cheese and butter. The butter is a new product, and I tried two varieties. One was intensely smokey, and would be perfect to finish a sauce or a dish. The other was milder, and could be used more liberally. Both were unique and delicious. I sampled a number of the cheeses, and decided on the Parmesan (DiGiorno). I grated the cheese over a plate of spaghetti, and enriched with a tab of smoked butter, the combination was simple and terrific.
The paddlefish, both cold and hot-smoked, was amazing. Alongside a Greek salad, Irish brown bread, Russian-style sour cream, and a glass of kvas, the fish was the star of a satisfying, multicultural meal. It’s good to live in the Richmond District.
Creekside Smokehouse
280 Ave. Alhambra
El Granada, CA 94018
650-712-8862
