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a place with the most intersting "not traditional" cupcakes ?
Thanks LG, Kathryn and Roze, i may need to try and do a crawl of some of Chinatown bakeries, so that might be a good idea to try also special cupcakes..
Kathrin thx for the notice on Kee - my last visit was a couple of years ago and i understand that now she also sells macarons, which also is not my "cup of tea" when the wonderful chocolates are around. But if they still do there cupcakes - for sure i will have a couple to try.
a place with the most intersting "not traditional" cupcakes ?
Thanks, i liked their "past flavors" section, a lot of interesting stuff that i may even "steal" for ice cream flavor combinations at home "-) If i will be in the area, will check the place.. Thx !
a place with the most intersting "not traditional" cupcakes ?
I don't like cupcakes, but i would like to add one special place to the list for next visit -
are there places that has outrageously good and especially "out of the box combinations"
but not too sugary flavours ? Maybe places that lean more towards the use of dark chocolate, citrus (like any good yuzu or mayer lemon "infused" cupcakes?), berries, fruits cremes, yougurt etc? Not interested in cupcakes that use the more sugary chocolates, peanut creme etc..
Splurging lunch places - my "halfway" itinerary checkup
I have in my list at this point for the "fancy"/tasting lunches EMP, Yasuda and Momofuku KO.
Regarding Yasuda - not sure yet, maybe i will decide for lunch Omakasa at another place if i may think that VFM might be not far at a more "modest" place.
EMP and MKO - i understand reserving is very hard for MKO lunch.. Are there other places that may be contenders in this category for a very special tasting lunch, maybe even on a "cheaper scale" and easier to reserve?
For early dinners, i will also go for Kyo Ya full tasting menu and maybe Kajitsu. Again will be glad to know on other options, maybe options for other kitchens and less on the Kaiseki/JP side?
preffered places for chinese style roasts and deep fried soft shell crabs
Thanks, have been a couple of times in the past to GNYN so maybe it's time to sample one of the others you mentiond :-)
Really good meyer lemon based products
Thanks a lot to both of you, looking for the seeds may be an interesting idea, and i will check all the other information.
preffered places for chinese style roasts and deep fried soft shell crabs
I have been some years ago to great NY noodletown, is it still a good place for that combo of roasts and crab ? It was good then, not truly exceptional, are there better options today, even if higher priced?
Really good meyer lemon based products
Are there very good Meyer lemon based preserves, jams etc., preffering from artisanel brands/small producers, available to get at NYC or SF araes or by internet order? Maybe quality concrete paste? Looking to take back home after visiting the USA, for use mainly in desserts, ice cream.. And actual lemons may be a bit of a problem to carry and customs issue etc.
good ideas for "streetfood tour de san francisco" ?
Thanks a lot, i will add those places to my notes.. The idea of looking for gatherings "off the grid events" is excellent, probably the way to try many options at once. Those trucks are a "food culture" that our small "foodie community" here founds interesting and yet to "hit the street" around, we do have something like that in much smaller scales and not sure that it involves actual cooking "in truck", mainly selling arab/turkish/north african oriented "snacks" and pastries, tunisian sandwitches, falafel etc. Much more like NYC carts scene of course.
good ideas for "streetfood tour de san francisco" ?
So that may explain, it was just so overcrowded with people waiting, that i took 2 go and sat to eat nearby. I was quite surprised to find out that it wasn't a contest to some of Manhattan's "dim sum temples" i tried a couple of days before, but indeed i should not have judged the 2go against eating in house..
good ideas for "streetfood tour de san francisco" ?
Pork Belly or Duck taco, now that sounds like fun :-) I might be saying nonsense, but "from far" and from food related shows in TV, it seems like most savory "hip" food trucks sell pretty much the same meat cuts either inside a Taco, asian bun or pita bread etc.. I'm sure there are trucks with more diverse cooking offerings, but i guess those are a bit harder to find..
good ideas for "streetfood tour de san francisco" ?
Thanks, i remebered wondering around in the wharf area and not "feeling connection" to the place, was hoping that there might be interesting places i may know about here, but seems that it is not the right direction.. Thanks for the info, also "what to avoid" is very useful "-)
I'm not a big taco fan, but there are plenty of other more interesting mexican dishes and cooking i will be happy to find, it may be the most difficult cuisine to have at my country.
Maybe i should try Rick Bayless place ? Altough i might prefer a more casual and less "chef centered" place, time to run best mexican in the search box..
good ideas for "streetfood tour de san francisco" ?
Sure, don't know why i mentioned clam chowder, the New England speciallity. Maybe because i don't have it available and like the dish in general, when prepared good. I'm coming from Israel, so middle east cuisine is not particularly something im looking for :-) Altough close in theme, i want to try Aziza which sounded interesting on board reviews.. Will be second time to SF and will be coming to the city after a week in NYC with plan for some "upscale" places, so thought that street food scene might be interesting to explore, but it seems that maybe i should aim for more "diverse list" with some nice restaurants thrown in. Actually i'm not limited to SF only, i will have almost a week in the area and might travel to other cities in closeby areas for markets,"foodie places" and whatever good restaurants i will find..
I don't remember much related to food from last visit to SF about 6 years ago, but did limited search that time.. Had some dim sum takeaway from Yank Sing, was quite good but not "exceptional", at least in my opinion. Strange, but don't remember other places i ate at..
good ideas for "streetfood tour de san francisco" ?
Those are excellent leads, thanks. What about seafood, are there informal window or "hole in the wall" places, maybe at the different wharf areas or anywhere else, that serve good clam chowder, fried or boiled fresh sea stuff, maybe worth trying lobster rolls ?
Will do also extensive searches on the board, thanks :-)
good ideas for "streetfood tour de san francisco" ?
Toying with the idea of of spending a couple of days in the city and trying the "best of" carts, stools, small take out and maybe "no sitting places" etc, which i will "complete" along the way with the best of chocolate/ice cream/bakeries etc. Is SF a good place to do so, and i can find good places for ethnic food, informal but very fresh seafood, dim sum, local specialities and whatever other places you may like under this "street category" ? What are your goto places for this? Going slowly through the archive, will appriciate any help, maybe such tours are a good idea..
Kyo Ya... anyone tried it?
Can you please share more info on their Kaiseki options and their prices ? Are they open at lunch and serve also Kaisei tasting options ? I'm trying to find more info, but not much success yet.
And any other interesting Kaiseki options ? I have currently both Kyo Ya and Kujitsa in my list, one of course is vegetarian, but should i leave both to try or maybe save place for different options?
A day in Frankfurt
Would appriciate suggestions on a "food centered" plan in the city - a very nice lunch regardless of cuisine, pastry shops, chocolate, ice cream if something special, speciality sores and the best supermarket in the city for buying interesting stuff before heading back to the airport for the connection flight.. Thx
10 days of lunches and best "foodie places" this days
Thanks for the great suggestions, i will check them. JG had lunch in the past, lovely place and for the lunch price it was quite a bargain.
Grom and Arte de Gelato tried, didn't like them but will give another try this time. Van L. sounds interesting.. Cones tried in the past, their Zabiglione was great, other flavors did not match but weren't bad at all.. Amazing to hear that Kee is still "the place", altough quality and creativity wise, it was great from the start. I tried other places in the past like Torres (was great for bars), Voges (interesting bars but very expensive), Marie Belle (didn't like) and some more.. But Kee was the top and good to know that level is still good there.
Brenardin is great suggestion that i didn't try yet, all other names seem interesting also, and will start reading about them and checking the menus... Thanks a lot for the info !
10 days of lunches and best "foodie places" this days
Hello :-) Coming back to the city in mid August, have made several "foodie centered" visits
in the past, the last was 3-4 years ago.
Will go over archive to do some "catch up", i'm looking mainly for exceptional lunches, regardless of cuisine. EMP is on the list for lunch tasting menu and i guess that this is the pricing limit i would like to stay at (no Per Se at 300$ although very tempting). What other special places should i mark and read about ? Not only "fancier" but also excellent food of all kitchen types that you always "starve" for at lunch but not always have the time to "invest in" :-) Also on the "Sushi front", exceptional lunche tasting possibilities?
Apart from that, in the chocolate and ice cream categories, anything that i should consider apart from my old time favourites like Kee chocolates on Thompson and il laboratorio del gelato, my 2 all time best in the city ? Something new that i missed from last couple of years?
And last question on the foodie speciality stores/markets etc - i will visit again Kalustyns (still "a bit too expensive"?) and some other places, but what are the really best big foodie heavens today in Manhattan/Long Island/New Jersey that worth the "special" travel?
Thanks a lot in advance :-)
Paris report - chez lami jean, septime and foodie related places
About 15 years ago, i "lost my ice cream verginity" at berthillon "-) It was mandarin, apricot and dark chocolate, we set inside the cafe. It is the moment that sparked the real love for ice cream,. As i mentioned i do ice creams at home, multiple extra fine vanilla pods, with home liquors and wonderful Amarena cherries and crazy add ons. Berthillon does not have much to suggest on those more interesting aspects of ice creams, and when the basic "core" quality that was the trademark is not there - things aren't good :-(
Paris report - chez lami jean, septime and foodie related places
Sorry, forgot a picture from the battle field..
Paris report - chez lami jean, septime and foodie related places
Chocolate and sweets -
This time it was a head to head tasting battle between Patrick Roger and Pascal Legac - decision was a draw with the smallest edge to Roger on creative flavoring.
Whoever suggested visitng Legac shop and combine market day, thanks a lot. It was rainy day, but i had fun and well worth 4X2 E on RER ride:-) Legac prices should be around 88 p K, 15 E for 18 pralins which is not bad. Can't remember all flavours but everything is well made and taste is strong and long enough, yet delicate just as i like.
P Roger has several branches selling pralins at around 93 E per K (hope i remember correctly, but in that area). I found his work surprisingly good for a place that is "branched", highlights were the oatmeal that "blew me away", all fruity flavours and divine coffee pralins.
Ice cream at berthillon - the worst i remember for a long time, the naugat with something and the prune armaniac were close to bad, flat taste, medicore texture and unpleasent cream feeling that stay in mouth which is a big no no for me in ice creams.. Shame - had there great expiriences in the past.
Paris report - chez lami jean, septime and foodie related places
Patisserie -
The good - Jacques Genin
I like his way of "thinking/extracting flavour", good textures and keeping it pretty simple (not much options at shop), the interior of the place is totally far from my preferences, but the nice girls there made the expirience relaxed and not "too fancy". The lemon tart worth high praise, a bit small but concentrated. The chocolate eclair and milfay were probablt very good for the genre, but i don't like too much pastry in my deserts (that's why i make only ice creams and choco bonbons "-)). The best thing in that shop - the thin layers of apple pastry with caramel, when this stuff is fresh and not going through a fridge like i did once, it is divine.. Take all the mango passion caramels u want and leave me with those pomes.. prices for pastries not bad for quality but a bit high for sizes' around 4-5 for the "simpler" stuff and 6-7 for Milfay..
Caramels - tasted a couple from all available, mastery indeed, especially chocolate was good and macadamia, passion not bad. At 110 per K, well i be damned that is expensive stuff. Pralins btw - 120 per kilo which is also insane, even if you play with more "exotic" choco beans origins.
The bad - Cafe Pushkin
The best thing there was the seller, maybe the cutest and nicest "approachable" sales person i met this time. Tries the Muscito i think, which is apple with spices, too much pastry and no apples. Looks like a model on a runway, yet.. The Napoleon looked promising but was again too "pastriesh" and flat flavours.. Only the Lemon Marengue cake was very tasty, moist and enjoyable. Looks aren't everything.. Prices up there 6-8 E per..
The surprise - I read somewhere here about the escargot pastries of du pain at des idees, being very close to apartment like Genin and a "house shop" for this visit, i found the pistachio chocolate addictive, the raisin and pralin/pralin citron very nice. Banana choco pain can be avoided, the pain de amis was just too "crusty" to my liking, but it is an interesting "hardcore" bread. 2 E per escargot, it is not cheap but OK. There was another very nice patisserie closeby on rue de fauborg du temple with some AB green organic name which was very nice also and excellent prices.
Paris report - chez lami jean, septime and foodie related places
Asian food -
Tricotin dim sums pretty good, and i guess that in Paris standarts it means very good, of course it is not "up there with the best" i had, but the shrimp "raviolis", fried peckinese ones (or so) and some other stuff from the special part of the menu were good and satisfying, while the shreded barbecue pork buns were the only item i regretted ordering. Judging from what i saw in my repeat visits to Tang Freres and other market on Port Divry (Tang seemed a bit less interesting this time, i missed some past items there), i'm not sure all those dim sum "speciallity" items are "house made", but they were good anyway. Service was very "straightforward" and good, abit cold attitude but i couldn't care less about this.
Lao Siam - nice place close to apartment, and i had some rough times with the crab vermichellie cassole :-) Not an expert in pulling out the meat from those "we are not homards" bastards.. but it was an interesting dish.. Canard Laque was average, for some strange reason most canard laque in the city tasted the same for me "-) Full of five spice, not crunchy enough skin. This was one of those usual "nice dishes on other tables" visit, i liked how many plates going around looked, and unfourtanatly missed the desserts, cause nice sample of Genin's creations were waiting in the fridge..
If we are talking about canard laque - i loved the chinese barbercue deli called Lang on Port Divry, very nice overall stuff (half duck 9 whole 18 which i thing is very reasonable).. bought a couple of times from them duck and barb pork, nice people and they have other options there. Missed on Likafo this time..
Paris report - chez lami jean, septime and foodie related places
And one small addition - regardless of food level and portions, in my opinion there is no excuse to the "games" between a tasting menu and the lunch menu, it may sound extreme but i felt some "insult" for that, like being a bit "stupid" for ordering that.
Paris report - chez lami jean, septime and foodie related places
You know, it is a bit tricky. Portions is of course very relative, what left me hungry could have been perfect for many others with lower capacities. And near tables, all tourists, nice cameras and taking photos seemed enthusiased, so don't know, in those cases and when it is obvious someone putting true efforts in the kitchen, i preffer to finish with "everybody may try to get personal opinion".. And i totally appriciate every good review on Septime, i'm sure 100% was honest, but people are "different" especially in this playground we love, and for sure all of us must take this into consideration when browsing and obtaining info. The "internet persona" of Septime was much more appealing to me then CLJ, to the point that i wasn't sure about visiting CLJ, while Septime was "no question".. And boy i'm glad i didn't pass on CLJ, it indeed was a big correction for the previous day lunch at Septime..
Paris report - chez lami jean, septime and foodie related places
VFM - value for money. Leaving Septime, i felt a bit sad, like when "home cooking people" that pretty much know values of ingridients feel after a not impressive meal, "bummer what could i do with 60 euro..". Leaving CLJ, i felt happy and privileged, altough almost 100 euro short in pocket :-) In Le Cinq in the past - also felt happy after higher lunch amount, so maybe next trip will be tasting or two at CLJ and similar, another 2-3 stars splurging and "se tu" "-) I think it suits me the best when a kitchen is around..
Paris report - chez lami jean, septime and foodie related places
You have every premission to do that :-) And i usually review the free styl versions and make at least some corrections especially for the "gastronomic" terms.. But i'm after very long and detailed summery earlier today at my "home forums" in native language, so quite tired of writing now :-) But will continue later..
Paris report - chez lami jean, septime and foodie related places
Thanks to everyone who are sharing information on this board, there are many people who read
for every little piece of information, so please know your efforts are highly appriciated. Please excuse any syntax errors in advance :-)
Regarding restaurants:
CLJ was faboulus, exceptional.. Mr. Jago is charming, and i felt like my carte blanch lunch was the most important thing for him in the world, and i "fell in love" with that side of him even before first dish arrived.
I had in the 80 euro CB menu :
1) most wonderful Asparagus soup, dices vegies, bacon and fried lardo for taste, croutons etc..
2) some modern take on terin, where outside is chicken and inside is cooked vegis and canard foie gra mouse, topped with a very nice meaty gealardo oyster with some vinigerie sauce.
3) Barley rissoto with wild salmon and several cookie saint jacques, topped with parsly foam - exceptional, maybe best of them all.
4) A very generous plate of the most small and delicate frog legs i ever ate - light coating, fried shallots and a bit of balsamic, what a party it was.
5) poached fish (Marlen?) on top of lightly poached egg, in fish broth, with milk foam. As good as it sounds, a most interesting combination.
6) A piece of beef fillet, topped with the most enormous ris de veu(?) piece i every seen, coated with beef stock and between plate and meats, the most thin pieces of cooked geen apple (i think) and choriso, very interesting idea for flavouring and of course nice pot of mashed potatos to accompany.
7) A couple of pieces of Tom De Brebis, red plum confiture. Cute..
8) Chestnut mouse with dark choco mouse and merengue, good have eaten rice pouding ball size of this.. A glass with mango and citrus fruits was also nice.
9) The un questionable rice pudding which i finished almost half of it after all that food !! It is very good for the genre but a bit far from being "my type of dessert".
Maybe i forgot a dish for the start, nevermind.. for 80 Euros, a glass of not so impressing white at 8 E, most memorable 2 hours well spent there, and money well worth the saving on other "less interesting" possible meals.
The big dissappointment of the visit:
Lunch at Septime - had high expectations but the place didn't deliver. It wasnt that bad, but it was far from impressive or satisfying, and i left very hungry (late afternoon dim sum at Tricotin closed that corner) -
1) 2 chard baby leeks with broiler (ok, not impressed), 2 very tiny mussels, vinigery onion and some tiny leaves, small suspicious raised here..
2) A "too small" ball of really excellent and quite lemony jerusalem artichoke puree with very small slice of great black pudding. It was the best dish, counted as the second first course, so it was unfourtanatly small but enjoyed a lot.. Tension started to melt a bit.
3) "Fish" course - a couple of a bit undercooked CSJ oysters (maybe first su vid and then chared, nothing special to write), with some parsly foam and maybe some smal foie gra pieces, i just can't remeber. No party for the taste buds..
4) "Meat" course - the most petit piece of duck breat cut cube from some village in France (that felt exactly like the pieces i bought and cooked from the markets and come probably also from some "village in france")' surprise there were the most tiny vegis i ever seen, they tasted great but had no filling effect for the stomach.. gone like the wind..
5) Poire williams poached in red wine, vanilla fromage blanc and red fruits paste - where oh where should i start, poached pear is not a special enough desert to serve in tasting menu, in my opinion, i don't get the trend of using fromage blanc in desserts and the red fruits jam.. i think point clear, very dissappointing stuf.
55 euro for lunch tasting menu where almost 3 of 5 dishes i think, were inside the daily market lunch menu ! That was very odd for me, i paid 55 for 5 dishes with questionable sizes and close similarity to lunch menu, when i could have ordered 2 full 3 course lunch menus at 26 E per one, get cheaper and eat 6 dishes (altough twice same pear dessert that was anyway the lunch dessert of the day). Good thing that the glass of white was very fruity and refreshing at about 6 euro, glass of house red was some sicilian wine in about 8 euro or so, nice but could have skipped that one.
Felt that VFM was for me very low, but the place was packed and friends that tried to order for some nights before were let down (but happy for that after my report..), i guess everybody should probably try and make his on mind on this place.
Will continue with more "foodie" centered info later..
