John Doe's Profile
La Ciccia report
We have been to La Ciccia at least a half dozen times over the last several years and have found their dishes to be well balanced, flavorful, and carefully seasoned. It has been one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants for all the reasons people have stated.
However, during our last visit (several months ago), we noticed that 2 of the 4 dishes were a bit too salty. This was a surprise, since they had always been so balanced and careful with their seasoning. We thought maybe it was just a fluke, but it did leave us wondering/worried whether this was a new trend.
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La Ciccia
291 30th Street, San Francisco, CA 94131
ISO Ice Cream Stabilizer in the Bay Area
I also recommend Rainbow Grocery. But look in their bulk foods section, and you can get very small quantities of xanthan gum as well as guar gum (look for them in the big glass jars). Two very popular stabilizers for ice cream / gelato.
Whole Foods also sells xanthan gum from Bob's Mill in 8 oz packages, which should last a lifetime for the home ice cream maker.
Products sold as "ice cream stabilizer" as well as commercial gelato base powder usually contain one and/or the other gums mixed with sugar.
A little bit goes a very long way. Experiment based on what flavor and what ratio of cream and milk you're using. As a general guideline, I'd say about 1/8 tsp is similar to about 1 large egg yolk, so use very sparingly or else you'll end up with a big gummy plasticy blob that will jam up your ice cream maker.
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Rainbow Grocery
1745 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Sichuan dried chilies and pickled chilies
I first purchased a bag those dried Sichuan chilies a few years ago at the Daly City 99 Ranch Market. Since then, I've noticed that they are not stocked on a regular basis, so you have to keep looking for them every time. They're located in the section with the Asian spices and dried red chilies, and it's always a bit of a treasure hunt. Since they only cost something like $0.80 a bag, make sure to stock up when you do find them.
Scream Sorbet at Marin Farmer's Market
I believe it was several years ago when the owner was discussing some of his various recipes and techniques on another food board. But even though the recipes and ingredients are very basic, one of the primary reasons why it's difficult to reproduce their sorbet at home is because of the machine they use, which is called a Pacojet.
You can search for "Pacojet" and get a lot better info on how it works. But basically, the sorbet mixture is frozen in a special container, which is then put into the Pacojet and spun at a high speed. A blade then shaves very thin layers from the frozen mixture which then results in a very smooth textured (not icy) product.
Japanese noodles - not ramen - on peninsula, south bay?
I'm about 3 months late to reply, and somewhat out of scope with regards to geography, but there's a new udon restaurant in San Francisco's Japantown that makes their own hand made udon noodles.
The restaurant is called Sanuki Udon, and I'm not sure when it opened (although it felt like it was relatively recent). Since I'm far from an udon connoisseur, I can't really say how it stacks up to other offerings in the Bay Area.
I saw visual confirmation that the noodles were hand made, and they certainly had the nice texture you usually get from something freshly made. The regular sized tempura bowls averaged around $8ish.
Would be interested in hearing how others think of their udon. It's located in the eastern part of Japantown, across the way from Seoul Garden.
Sanuki Udon
22 Peace Plaza Suite 530
San Francisco, CA 94115
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Sanuki Udon
22 Peace Plz, San Francisco, CA 94115
Finally: Tu Lan
It has been about a year since I was last at Tu Lan, but here are some comments that I think are still relevant, although I realize I'm late to the game on this thread:
* DIVEY TU LAN INTERIOR <> LOW HEATH SCORE: Tu Lan currently has a score of 86 from the Department of Public Health, so it's not terrible:
http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/eh/Violations/Loc_CurrentViol.asp?LocationID=4659
* CLEAN KITCHEN = GOOD SCORES? Cleanscores.com pulls data from the DPH site above, and you'd be surprised (or maybe not) to see some restaurants on the list lower than Tu Lan. Just because you can see the kitchen and it looks clean doesn't mean they can't score low based on other inspection criteria.
* BREATH OF THE WOK: It was mentioned that their food doesn't have the "breath of the wok" or "wok hay." Well, last few time I was there and sat at the counter around the stove, they don't use woks. Tu Lan uses those restaurant supply aluminum type skillets, and fill it up until it's spilling over the top. I'd hate to be the one that has to clean the stove top.
* MSG: Just sit at the counter and watch them cook. They use one end of their cooking tongs like a spoon to scoop up various powered spices (I believe curry was one), sugar, salt, etc. And I couldn't figure out one power for a while since it flowed and dispersed so differently compared to sugar and salt. Ahhh, yes, the crystalline structure of MSG explains that. So to those that don't get a reaction to MSG when you eat at Tu Lan...maybe it's not MSG you're allergic to?
Mi Lindo Yucatan, 24th Street
In the beginning, their somewhat unique food was good, and prices very reasonable. But as time went on, their prices crept up to a point now where it's well above the range of the usual taqueria, and even more than the average solid Pasta Pomodoro meal a few doors down. Unfortunately (as of a few months ago), I believe their quality nor service has NOT followed their price trend.
Santa is Moving
Back in early September, the waitress said they were going to move sometime in October. But since they've already missed their target a few times, I wouldn't be surprised if they slipped again.
On another note, in the last two times I have been there over the past 3 months, I've been surprised at how quickly they have turned the orders. Since they are essentially going to double in size, I'm sure the chef/owner realized that he couldn't do it all himself like he has in the past.
As I walked through the cramped kitchen on the way to the restroom, I saw that the chef/owner was basically standing around supervising 2 other cooks and the rest of the kitchen staff. I hope this doesn't change the overall quality, especially in the new location. Most of the ingredients are essentially prepped or created before the service, including the all important broth. So as long as the owner is hands on during that process, things should be fine.
But the last two times I've been there, I had the soy sauce (shoyu) broth, which I consider the best shoyu broth for ramen in the Bay Area. And although it seemed very imperceptible, it felt like it was missing a touch of the magic from the past, during both visits. Overall, it was still very good, but it left me slightly worried. Maybe his focus is on the move?
best roti prata?
I second Lime Tree on Iriving and 5th Ave in SF. The roti is under $3, and they serve it with a curry type dipping sauce. A really great deal for the quality, highly recommended.
Here's one off the radar: Rin's Thai on 24th and Douglass (Noe Valley) also has a nice roti prata, but the twist is that it's grilled. That gives it a light smokey essence, but yet still produces a crisp exterior and chewy layered interior. A bit on the expensive side at around $6, but they also serve it with a side of delicious peanut dipping sauce which you can also use with your rice.
Craving Mangosteen
Fresh mangosteen are not currently approved for import. But there is an outstanding USDA "Proposed Rule" which, if approved, will allow the importation of irradiated tropical fruit from Thailand.
However, there are many fruit farmers, in particular those in Hawaii, that are fighting that rule, since the decision could impact their business significantly. There is also a limited number of mangosteens grown in Hawaii, but they are not currently allowed to be exported to the mainland. What a shame.
Nopa (pictures)
hhc -> Thank you. The meal, including 1 drink, was just under $70 before tip. With a 20%+ tip, total bill was in the low $80's.
singleguychef -> Thank you. We happen to have good lighting at our table, so we were lucky. But here are some other tips for getting good pictures in restaurants:
1) Lighting is most important. Sit at a table with good lighting, if you can. Or, move the dish to a spot on the table with good lighting
2) Use "macro mode" on your camera. And make sure you hold the camera very still since slow shutter speeds are likely used in the darker restaurant environment (resulting in blury pictures if you move the camera)
3) Use Photoshop to fix pictures. It can't fix everything, but using "Levels" is one good way of improving the overall picture quickly
4) See rule #1
Robert -> Thanks for the advise, I will use that next time
Nopa (pictures)
Our experience in December 2006 was very good and memorable. There has been much conversation about Nopa and their various wonderful dishes and service, so there is no need for me to repeat the same message.
However, here are some pictures of the great dishes we had. The only "average" dish we had was the seasonal "Yule Log" dessert.
http://www.flickr.com/gp/17831842@N00/QQ88oV
It is a place worth returning to, and we will.
Nopa
560 Divisadero Street @ Hayes
San Francisco, CA 94117
Phone (415) 864-8643
Sub Shop on 24th & Castro
Was there at Subs Inc. this past weekend, and thought it was a pretty good deal (most subs are $5.50-7.00) and quality. I like the meats at Mastrelli's in the Ferry Building a bit better, but I really like the bread Subs Inc. uses, which seems to be a slightly flatter version of the typical soft French roll. At first glance, I thought they were using a ciabatta roll, but I knew it wasn't after the first bite since it didn't have the typical chewey texture.
Since the sub is toasted, it doesn't have as long of a "shelf life" as the untoasted variety, so eat it ASAP out of the oven when it's at its peak.
I've attached an excerpt below from the Noe Valley Voice regarding Subs Inc.
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http://www.noevalleyvoice.com/2006/July-August/Rumo.html
SUB-PRIZE: It looks like the corner of 24th and Castro made famous by Bud's Ice Cream in the 1960s (and more recently by Isabella's Dessert Café) will soon be transformed into a submarine sandwich shop serving Mitchell's Ice Cream for dessert.
New owner Rami Balat is opening Subs Inc., which he claims will serve "the best subs in town, with all the right breads, fixings, and meats. We are creating a new layout for the space which should make it very clean."
Balat has worked with his dad Karim at Noe Valley Deli for the past 15 years. "Yeah," he smiles, "I started working at my dad's deli when I was 10 years old, and so this will be a change for me." He says he is planning a grand opening in the middle of July, but hopes for a "soft opening" sooner. "We will just open the doors as soon as we can," he promises.
By the way, Balat is looking for a picture of Bud's on that corner, to put up on the wall of the new café.
Sonoma - Shiso "A Modern Asian and Sushi Bar"
A little over a month ago, we were looking for dinner around the square in downtown Sonoma. Some of the regularly recommended places were surprisingly packed for a Wednesday evening. So we walked by Shiso, saw that there were a few tables open, and decided to give it a shot.
Looking around, we could tell it wasn't run by the typical Japanese (or Asian) proprietors, so our expectations were not that high. However, the place was nearly full with people generating good vibes, so that was a good sign.
PICTURES:
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We tried various dishes, ranging from sashimi, miso glazed butterfish, hamachi ceviche (special), and green tea ice cream.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jd_chowhound/183782215/in/set-72157594190255943/
THE BOTTOM LINE:
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We left impressed. Service was a bit slow and inconsistent, but the meal we had either met or exceeded the usual sushi restaurants around the Bay Area.
Of particular note -- the hamachi ceviche was a home run. I believe they used habanero chilies (sounds scary) but the minor amount they used was beautifully offset with the sweet citrus segments.
