takuhead's Profile
Palo Alto Food truck spots
It seems there are several places that host food trucks each week - but I can't find a place where you can see them organized by location
perhaps we need to start a thread to pull it together -
AOL on Page Mill has a truck there practically every week day - saw Sam's Chowder there yesterday - Speedy Panni was there today - We Sushi is there tomorrow...
High Wire Press in Palo Alto also hosts trucks
Oaxacan Kitchen was there today - saw some others going through there as well
3rd Door in Downtown Palo Alto has a regular showing of several at a time each Friday night
Anywhere else?
Any ideas on how to keep track by location rather than having to look up or know a specific truck business?
Kallari at the Chocolate Garage in Palo Alto
A fun event - I have no affiliation with either the Chocolate Garage, Kallari or Transitions Palo Alto - but thought some fellow chowhounds would appreciate this chance for a lecture on chocolate from the the producer - plus tasting....(the best part for some of us)
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/249219
Very limited seating - small venue in downtown Palo Alto = next Sunday
Restaurant Mitsunobu in Menlo Park
I have been to Kaygetsu - only once though - 5 years ago - got the extended menu that time - most amazing Japanese meal I've ever had. The quality was as good - just not quite as remarkable as that earlier meal.
The presentation alone was the most beautiful food I had ever seen....the plates, the colors, textures, etc...
But the service was similarly good and informative - and we felt that we had a memorable and well spent money-wise dinner = this was one of our more expensive outings for just two - can't wait to go again :)
Restaurant Mitsunobu in Menlo Park
DH and I dined here last night. A very good meal.
We didn't choose the prix fixe although we had a few items off that list.
We ordered:
Seafood Clay Pot Rice (Saffron, Rice Angel Shrimp, Clam, Kinki, Ailoi) - This was very creamy and decadent.
Hon Maguro & Sweet Shrimp Tartar Hokkai Uni, Quail Egg, Wasabi, Chive - good but I think you can taste the components better when served separately - small portion
Uni & Maitake Jidori Egg Chawanmushi - good but not as special as I expected - a much looser custard than the one at Fuki sushi
Chef Aoki’s Sampler (Japanese Vegetable Sampler) - this visit had carrots/burdock root served warm, spinach with sesame served cold, and hijiki with lotus root (I think it was lotus root)
Tasmanian Ocean Trout Pepper Sauce, Asparagus, Shimeji Mushroom, Burdock - a beautiful presentation of petite carved veggies over a delicious mound of dried bonito ground up a bit - looked like a mini forest over a small hill. trout was good - but the flavor is much stronger when served raw I think....DH liked it - he's not much for raw seafood.
Sake - we ordered the sake that was paired from the Prix fix menu - don't remember the name of it - but it was quite good - I have never liked sake before having this one - I am not a convert to good sake...what a difference!
Desserts:
Jidori Tamago Flan served with Japanese Molasses - best flan I have ever had - creamy - perfect flavor and texture - the molasses was incredible deep in flavor
Yuzo Sorbet with ginger and jalapeno - you should go for no other reason than to get this dessert - we loved it. Very unusual and great on a hot day
Total bill was $150 out the door - they do add a 18% tip automatically. Very attentive and knowledgeable service.Our server was able to answer all our questions and teach us a few new things as well.
Help with Diet Restrictions
Calafia in Palo Alto could be a good fit - we like the filet steak there - grass-fed - we ask for no sauce or mushrooms on the kids order - they split it and love it! It comes with braised kale w/vinegar (we ask for plain with salt) and cauliflower mash (kids prefer extra kale no other veggies) - but they are super at substituting - happy to do it - good service - delicious steak
They also have cooked non gluten grains on the menu...she could pick and choose what fits -
Fresh local (maybe organic?) restaurants in Sunnyvale/ Mountain View area
Don't forget Calafia in Palo Alto - they actually tell you where a lot of the menu is sourced from and they also a CSA there as well - I think it's Copay Valley - not sure - there is a poster in the lobby...
Lyfe is not all that organic - they don't even get real eggs there - just an egg white batter (but it's supposed to be organic...)
Fork in the Road sustainably-raised beef uncured pastrami
Whole foods in Los Alltos and Palo Alto carry it - also some of the other products - the black forest ham is good - according to kids and dh - I find them too salty. No one particularly cared for the mini hot dogs - unless you dip them in a lot of ketchup...not any worse or better than the other similar products for hot dogs...
I think the kobe pastrami at Draegers is tastier - but it is not sourced as carefully...sigh...
marrow bones - price and defrosting?
no need to defrost before roasting - and I think that's a fair price for better raised beef marrow...
you could get cheaper factory farmed marrow bones at safeway.....not sure I would eat marrow from those bones....
Most pastured or grassfed marrow bones are going to cost at least that much in the bay area...
enjoy and know that you are getting some good stuff!
Does Kombucha necessarily have to have tea in it?
Yes it does need tea - that's a critical component of what feed the kombucha starter.
you can find all sorts of information on fermentation and kombucha at the Wildfermentation.com website - even classes on how to make your own...Classes all over the country....
Pig trotters?
I'm guessing that it has gluten?I can't seem to eat that stuff anymore without spending days in bed paying for it...
Thanks for the lead!
Sumo citrus - enormously good to eat
I saw them at Nijiya in Mountain View on Sunday = $2.50 each - box price was offered as well - but I don't recall what it was
They were large in size..
-----
Nijiya Market
143 E El Camino Real Mountain, View, CA
Pig trotters?
Looking for a place to go this weekend - lunch or dinner to try Pig trotters...any suggestions?
Prefer south bay but SF is ok too.
Or any other must try places of offal.
Thanks for your advice!
ISO Veal or Beef Brains
Brains that are not from Harris Ranch or other feedlot cattle?
I'm having a hard time finding a sustainable grass-fed source...any tips?
Local half sour pickles?
Happy girl kitchen does when cucumbers are in season
I could teach you to make ferment them - really easy - just have to locate some fresh pickling cucumbers that are nice and firm....hard to find any this time of year around here...
La Tur is back at Costco
I just bought some today at the Mountain View Costco - they had about 10 on the shelf.
One of our favorite treats - had paid double a day earlier at Whole Foods.
Where to find tongue near Palo Alto?
Old Creek Ranch at the California Ave Farmer's Market in Palo Alto has it - all year market on Sunday - frozen - grassfed - they also usually have lamb and goat tongue as well.
Sometime I also see it at El Pueblo market near IKEA in East Palo Alto - don't know where that beef comes from
You can also order it from Whole Foods in Los Altos - I have done that before.
Where to buy sauerkraut juice in the bay area
fresh sauerkraut juice from Farmhouse Culture - they are at many farmer's market throughout the week
www.farmhouseculture.com
I sometimes take my fresh kraut and run it through the juicer - you could do the same - buy some of farmhouse culture sauerkraut - they are stocked in most Whole Foods Stores in the frigerated section...and than juice it your self...
Their kraut juice is only available at the market - get there early - it sells out quickly!
Found at New May Wah Market-- Red Boat Fish Sauce made in Vietnam
I agree - this is the best product out here - I just restocked my supply with 10 cases for future fermentation workshops
lisa
Asafoetida Powder - Gluten Free
Country Sun in Palo Alto had it in bulk - gluten free and blended with fenugreek. Quite odorous.
-----
Country Sun Natural Foods
440 S California Ave, Palo Alto, CA
Chalateco Palo Alto now open
We did our part today to keep the more unusual things on the menu - Had several lengua and seso tacos - they were quite good - not sure if the sesos here are good compared to somewhere else since this was the first time we tried them.
Chalateco Palo Alto now open
excellent idea - we should meet up there Melanie :)
I live right around the corner.
Pastured jersey milk and pastured eggs?
You could heat it yourself if that makes you more comfortable. Personally I feel much safer drinking their milk - the testing and regulations for commercial raw milk in California is extremely strict. and they get tested all the time - been drinking their milk for years - never gotten sick.
Chalateco Palo Alto now open
They took over a Taco Bell location - we've tried several items on the menu - pretty good - not great - but certainly a nice addition to our neighborhood.
Tried the Chicken consomme, all the pupusas, chicken tamale, chicken mole and chicken verde...they have seso taco (brain) - need to try that - I don't see that offered very often.
Asafoetida Powder - Gluten Free
Thanks - I have seen it at many Indian shops - all with wheat gluten in it...tried Whole Foods in Redwood City - they carry Frontier Spices but not Asafoetida - if you see it somewhere with gluten - no wheat - rice flour is fine...please post!
Birthday Dinner in Palo Alto
a fun place to celebrate - although a bit pricey - is Pampas - all you can eat meat fest
we like to go there for birthdays - kids love it - lots of variety...somewhat fancier than our normal outings...
Brazilian churrasco - lots of skewers of meat and pineapple!
-----
Pampas
529 Alma Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Kabocha (very) near Palo Alto?
Saw them all over the Sunnyvale farmer's market today - many of those vendors will be in Palo Alto tomorrow - California ave - at least 4 of those will have it - Happy Boy was one of them
And I know at least 4 vendors will have it at the Mountain View market - I even saw two different varieties of them - I had thought there was only one...
Happy eating!
Kabocha (very) near Palo Alto?
Ranch 99 and Nijiya both had them in Mountain View today - much cheaper at Ranch 99 - only 99 cents a pound.
Cooking Classes in San Francisco/Bay Area
You might check Sur La Table - they do classes in Palo Alto and elsewhere and also Whole Foods Los Altos - their calendar is online. Lots of variety offered at reasonable prices. Draegers also offers classes in both the San Mateo and Menlo Park locations
