fiddlr40's Profile
Best Bottle for EXTENDED cellaring
SIerra Nevada released a 30th anniversary ale with Fritz Maytag as guest brewer. They are touting its ageability, so I'm going to get some to drink now and some to lay down for a while.
Smoking a Kosher Brisket
Baste it with kosher suet (or schmaltz if that's easier to find).
WHere to go in Santa Rosa with 10 hungry teens?
Thanks for the tip! Superburger was a hit, both for the food and the ambience. We got lucky (or the food gods smiled on us) and we only had to wait about 5 minutes for a party to leave so we could get enough seats.
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Superburger
1501 4th St, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Yes We Can
Maui Brewing does a lager, IPA, and a coconut porter in cans. The coconut porter is outstanding! I haven't tried the others. I'm in California, so I don't know how widely distributed it is but definitely worth it if you can find it.
WHere to go in Santa Rosa with 10 hungry teens?
I've searched but can't find anything yet that seems to fit the bill. I'm accompanying a debate team to Santa Rosa and need a place to feed them. Most of them are, unfortunately, not very adventurous. Something like a Casa Orinda or a Taylor's Automatic Refresher would be great.
thanks
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Casa Orinda
20 Bryant Way, Orinda, CA 94563
Gott's Roadside
933 Main St, Saint Helena, CA 94574
Larchmont to Storm King: What to Eat?
We're picking up m-in-law in Larchmont and going to Storm King Art Center in New Windsor on a Sunday. Any great brunches or other great eats some where between those two spots? We're open to anything.
Thanks in advance!
looking for a great torta
El Jarro in Lafayette has very good Oaxacan tortas. So good I almost never get anything else though their seafood preparations are also very good. Here's an old thread:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/316049
Carnitas Tijuana is a new place in Pittsburg with great carnitas. They make a Tijuana style torta. They also make fresh corn tortillas for tacos if you're in the mood.
Cuisine: Mexican
2193 Railroad Ave
Pittsburg, CA 94565
925-439-3663
Anyone ever order beer to be shipped?
Not to be a wet blanket, but microbrews are meant to be enjoyed close to where they are brewed. Perhaps shipping is better now (but still expensive) but I tried some shipped beers a couple of times, and the beers were basically undrinkable by the time they got to me.
Pork Chops and Hatch Chiles
Pork and green chile are made for each other. Hatch green chiles, tomatillos, garlic and cilantro make a great and simple sauce.
Mexican in Walnut Creek?
My favorites near WC are
Mercado Del Valle
1651 Monument Blvd, Concord, CA 94520
(925) 687-7032
This place is a market with a great carniceria and taqueria inside. They cook the al pastor on a vertical spit, and IMHO, it's the best al pastor in Contra Costa, and rivals Fruitvale and the Mission. Good agua fresca too, plus you can pick up Mexican ingredients if you need them.
My other favorite is El Jarro in Lafayette, see thread here:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/316049
Really good, fresh food, including some great seafood dishes, and they have Oaxacan-style tortas. Oaxaca is supposedly the birthplace of the torta. They are a bit different than what I think of as the typical torta.
Looking for restaurant suggestion near Concord Pavilion
Here's a thread that's still pretty relevant:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/46311?query=concord%20pavilion
Also, in Concord, the Park 'n Shop Center has some very good restaurants, including The Mediterranean (falafel, shawarma, etc.), a good pho/Vietnamese place, good Korean, and Las Montanas, which is a pretty good sit down Mexican.
Microbreweries/brewpubs in Northern CA (North Coast)?
Two of the best in the country are in that area:
Mendocino Brewing Company
13351 S. Hwy 101
Hopland
707-744-1361
Beers include Red Tail Ale, Black Hawk Stout
North Coast Brewing Company
444 N. Main St.
Fort Bragg
707-964-3400
Beers include Old Rasputin, Red Seal
Hopland is not on the coast, but it's a pretty drive inland. Besides, how can you resist a town named Hopland?
Oops, sorry, I forgot that Hopland is south of Mendocino. Well, it's still worth the drive if you have the time. Also south a bit is Anderson Valley Brewing, another very good one.
Albuquerque to Santa Fe -- Navajo Tacos?
I've had Navajo tacos in Tuba City and the Four Corners area, but I won't be heading that far west on this trip. Are there any good ones in the Abq to SF area? Thanks.
Holding Ranch - grassfed beef from Lafayette
Holding Ranch is a very small operation that grazes its cattle in the hills above Lafayette. If you've hiked in Briones Regional Park, you've probably seen some of their cattle.
They are now selling their 100% grassfed beef at at the Walnut Creek and Concord farmers' markets. I bought a couple of rib-eyes from them last Sunday and grilled them over hardwood charcoal tonight. The rancher suggested about 3 minutes per side for the steaks. I did 4 minutes per side and it came out great. Warm pink most of the way through with an excellent char on the outside. Wow, what great beef! It had a great texture and mouth feel and a wonderfully beefy flavor. The juices that came out while it rested after cooking were mouthwatering too. I'm definitely going to be a regular customer. They also sell at the ranch on Deer Hill Road if you can't make it to the market. Call ahead and see what they have. They only butcher a few at a time, so their selection is limited. Hmm, maybe short-ribs to braise next week.
www.holdingranch.com
Huynh Vietnamese opening this week in Walnut Creek
Here's a thread on R&J. Good place:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/346203?query=r&j
I haven't tried Huynh yet. Maybe today.
Recommendations for early dinner in Walnut Creek?
What price range? Do you have any preferences? Here's a thread on a new Central American place:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/359788?query=pupusas%20walnut%20creek
I've been back twice since my first post, and I still like it a lot. There's some very good Chinese: Shanghai Village and Dragon 2000 are a couple of favorites. Ephesus Kebab Lounge is very nice and has good Turkish cuisine. Breads of India is probably the best Indian. Lark Creek is a good solid place for Ogden cuisine. Prima has very good Italian and a great wine selection.
Good places to buy Chocolate Bars?
I agree that Whole Foods has a very good selection. A place that deserves another mention is Bittersweet, the cafe on College in Oakland. Very good hot chocolate, but also a wide array of chocolate bars on the wall.
Pupusas in Walnut Creek
R&J Noodle at Newell and Main
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/346203?query=banh+mi&user_name=
Pupusas in Walnut Creek
A few weeks ago I was excited to find that banh mi had finally arrived in the Creek. Now, just opened this week, is a place with pupusas. Yippee!
The new restaurant is at the corner of N. Broadway & Pine (near the Toyota dealer and Miraku). The building was an old style French restaurant for many years. After it closed, it has been successively Indian, then Thai, neither of which lasted very long. Now it has become Mi Casa,advertising Mexican and Central AMerican cuisine. Hoping to find pupusas, I tried it for lunch today.
Sure enough, they have pupusas on the menu -- chicharon, queso, loroco, and combo. The pupusas were freshly made and served with a decent curtido and thin red salsa with a little bite to it. Although not the best pupusas I've had, they were quite good and I don't have to drive through the Caldecott to get them. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area.
Help? Friends for dinner in SF this wknd...Atkins & vegetarian needs! Opposites attract?!
I agree that Lulu's is the place. I was just there with a vegetarian who was made very happy by numerous great dishes, and the grilled meats -- particularly a pork loin and a duck -- were delicious and satisfying. We went at 5:30 on a Saturday evening; it was a bit loud but not too noisy for conversation. And service was good.
Banh Mi in Walnut Creek
So there used to be a place in Concord where I could get a banh mi fix without going to Oakland, but it closed a while ago. As far as I've looked, there were no other places east of the Caldecott until now. R&J Noodle Place opened recently at 1479 Newell (Newell @ Main) and I tried it today.
Small menu that includes:
Banh Mi with BBQ Pork, Grilled Pork, BBQ Chicken, Vege, and Combo (Pork & Pate)
Pho - Beef, Veggie, and special of the day
Bun - Grilled pork w/ egg roll
A variety of spring rolls and egg rolls, and some things already packaged to go like fried rice.
I had a grilled pork banh mi, and my friend had the veggie pho. The good news is that they were both quite tasty. Fresh ingredients, good grilled pork. The bread to filling ratio was a bit high for my tastes, but the bread was good. Crusty and light so it didn't overwhelm the filling with breadiness.
Price is high compared to Chinatown -- Grand Opening special has the banh mi at $3.75 and the pho (a smallish medium bowl) at $7. Oh well, rents are higher out here, and at least I'll save on gasoline.
Recommendations for dinner for 8 in Walnut Creek area just before Christmas
I'd suggest checking out Postino in Lafayette. Very good food, and they have several private rooms you can reserve that will ensure privacy and an atmosphere for conversation.
www.postinorestaurant.com
Prime Smoked Meats = crispy bacony goodness (isn't about time for a bacon throwdown?)
Darn, I used to work in that area a lot and I don't remember seeing them. Their product list has "beef bacon". I've never seen that. Is it any good? I may just have to try some.
Pumpkin ice cream & gelato
I love pumpkin ice cream. In the past week I've had it from:
1) Rite Aid (nostalgic for the days of the nickel scoop, or a triple scoop for 15 cents when I was wee) but still pretty good
2) Pints of Double Rainbow -- heavy on the spice but still good
3) Naia - a cup with 1/2 pumpkin 1/2 maple. Definitely my favorite so far.
Beer Geography
Brewpubs in Austin:
AUSTIN
Bitter End Brewery - Brewpub Map
311 Colorado St.
Austin TX 78701
Ph 512.478.2337
www.bitterendaustin.com
Copper Tank Brewing - Brewpub Map
504 Trinity St.
Austin TX 78701
Ph 512.478.8444
Draught Horse Brewery - Brewpub Map
4112 Medical Parkway
Austin TX 78756
Ph 512.452.6258
Live Oak Brewing - Brewpub Map
3301-B East Fifth St.
Austin TX 78702
Ph 512.385.2299
Lovejoy's Brewpub - Brewpub Map
604 Neches St.
Austin TX 78701
Ph 512.477.1268
North by Northwest Brewing - Brewpub Map
10010 N. Capital of Texas Highway
Austin TX 78759
Ph 512.231.8157
Bitter End has very good beers, but I haven't tried the other places.
Beer Geography
This site has a pretty good guide to brewpubs if you're traveling and crave a local beer:
http://www.beer100.com/brewpubguide.htm
Over 100 in Texas now. Atlanta has some good ones too.
Beer Geography
No sympathy from me. Although the styles in the area often emphasize hoppiness, there are more and better choices of beer in the Bay Area than anywhere else. You need to get to Toronado or Pacific Coast Brewing (or any of the other good beer pubs) and start sampling. Ask the bartender for help. I've found most to be very knowledgeable about what they are making and pouring. Also, if you want some Oregon beers, there are plenty of good ones available at BevMo.
Broklyn Lager?
Good, craft-brewed beers do not travel well without a lot of expense for keeping them refrigerated and away from light. That's why you can get Bud or Michelob anywhere, but microbrews are regional. There are plenty of good lagers brewed locally. Enjoy those while you're here, and drink Brooklyn when you visit NY.
You might also try posting your query to the Beer Board.
Best al pastor: Redwood City to mountain view
I'm a big fan of:
Three Brothers Tacos
(650) 324-8801
2220 University Ave
East Palo Alto, CA
Great meats, and great agua fresca to wash it down with.
ISO lunch near Walnut Creek Marriott
There's not a lot right near the Marriott. I would advise against driving downtown because parking can be a real pain during lunch hour.
If I had to choose one meal near there, I'd probably go to Shanghai Gourment, 1291 Parkside Dr. It's always been pretty good, but I was there Saturday and they seem to have taken a step up in quality. We had clay pot beef with silver noodles that has now become a family favorite. Also there was a great lamb and tofu in spicy sauce, and great scallion pancakes.
Another possibility is Sun Mei, 2932 N. Main Street. They have some very good noodle dishes. They have told me they hand pull the noodles, but there is some disagreement here on Chowhound whether that's true. Good noodles, hand pulled or not, though.
There are a couple of Indian buffets near there, Sargam Indian Cuisine, 140 N Civic Dr, and Saroor Indian Cuisine, 2580 N Main St. Good but not great.
A good Thai place is Kinari Thai Cuisine, 2195 N Broadway. And just down the street is Miraku, 2131 N Broadway, a pretty good Japanese restaurant with, I believe, the only ramen shop on this side of the hills. Good, not great, and they have the cold ramen in the summer that I like.
