i miss being in san francisco. heck, soon i'll be missing chicago which i would probably consider my second home, wherever i end up being in the future. well, if that is the case, then SF is my third home >.<  since it has to be my most visited city in the US and as a plus, a foodie town at that.

if you're in the city and you're not savoring the fresh seafood it has to offer, you're doing it wrong. especially a dish where its birthplace is san francisco - an italian-american fusion, the cioppino. i've read time and time again, the place to get your fill of this hearty seafood stew is at gigi's sotto mare who boasts to be "the best damn cioppino" in the city. crab cioppino, to be exact.

well, this i have to try. i've had a couple of ciopinnos before and i have to say they were pretty good. so during my last visit earlier this year, i had to see how does this one measure up to its counterparts. searching for the restaurant didn't take too long as long as you have the address and a gps. getting a parking spot might be a harder task than finding sotto mare. 

sotto mare's decor is reminiscent of a cozy seafood shack embellished with a ton fishing/fish related memorabilia and photos to give the place its own personality. on top of that, oddly i could tell it was a family owned joint - probably because we were so warmed by the friendliness of the hostess and staff. the dining area was narrow and tight but bustling with hungry diners.

it was busy when we arrived but thank goodness we only had to wait for about 5-10 minutes for our table. and i'd say we had the best seats (or worst.. take your pick - i'd still say it's the best and R thinks so too) in the restaurant - we were seated at the counter where we could see the chef doing what they do best and we were next to the server's station so we could drool over what other diners ordered.

seafood is my weakness so it was quite a challenge to pick what else i wanted to order besides ciopinno. usually when i come to SF, there is another item on my food wishlist besides cioppino - the clam chowder.

boston clam chowder | with entree ($5/cup or $6.50/bowl)

a bowl of creamy, hearty clam chowder. a generous amount of fresh clams were cut up into good sizes so you can still taste the clam instead of chopped up to non-existence like how a few other places i've tried before. definitely one of the better clam chowders i've had, if not the best. seasoned well and very good with the bread that they serve on the side. 

the "best damn crab cioppino" with seafood | enough for two! ($38)

the main reason why were were here in the first place. i am not gonna lie - it took a while before we got our dish that i was on the verge of starving. and i think it didn't help that i saw the chef cooking up multiple orders of cioppino as we were waiting and each time i'd think one of them was ours.

first and foremost, it is definitely enough for two (at least for me and R). we weren't sure at first but we were both stuffed at the end of the meal. before you dig into the piping warm stew, the staff bibbed us up cos it's gonna get messy! we both kinda laughed at each other when we had our bib on. lol.




it was an abundant amount of fresh seafood - mussels, clams, crab, shrimp (there were both big and tiny) and squid with penne pasta all swimming in a lovely savory tomato sauce. the sweetness of the fresh shellfish imparted a ton of seafood flavor through the extended stewing time (which explains the waiting...i watched the chef do that - perhaps drooling while at it) that complimented the tart, savory tomato stew so well. even though it was extra work to break out the crab meat from its shell - oh... it was sooo worth it. the messiness involved? well, that's what the bib is for! and the roll of paper towel at the table.

we added a dash of salt to intensify the layers of flavor (it wasn't bland just thought it needed a touch of salt) but i'd say that it is the best cioppino we've had so far. the only one thing that R wasn't too crazy about with the dish was the tiny shrimps that they used in the cioppino - which he never really likes tiny shrimp in any dish just because he thinks that it doesn't add anything to the dish. i had no issues with it but i understand where he is coming from.

sotto mare not only serves great food, it was also a really enjoyable place to eat. it was fun watching the chefs doing working their magic in the kitchen and even more fun that you could tell how close the staffs were, listening to them teasing each other. now i can vouch that sotto mare serves the best damn cioppino in town - but you'd have to either come with a friend or a really HUGEEEE appetite to try this big bowl of deliciousness.

disclaimer this is written based on my personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.

i know i've promised a few entries during the holidays but between trying out korean inspired recipes,  eating out at new restaurants and christmas vacation, i've slacked quite a bit. but now i'm back with new material :: a couple of recipes and some restaurants i've tried last year that i was supposed to blog about.

but firstly, happy new year!

to be honest, i am a lil overwhelmed by 2012 since there is gonna be some major changes this year but let's not get into that for now. spent the christmas and new year's in louisiana with tons of good food, fantastic weather, fun company and adorable cat + dogs. { i miss them already :( btw i forgot to take a picture with sadie, meagan's cute beagle! >.< }

meet paws, the adorable but highly moody + independent cat and...

...happy, who is a spoiled shitzu but so cute she is able to get away with almost anything.

oh i almost forgot. we managed to find some almost elusive boiled crawfish since it was still too early for crawfish season but they were delicious! ryan and i consumed probably a combined amount of 10-12 lbs of boiled crawfish >.<

since it's the new year, i'm gonna reminiscent and try to narrow down top 11 items i've had in 2011. it was originally supposed to be top 10 but i think 11 is quite fitting since it's 2011 ^^

the top 11 list :: this isn't in any particular order since they are all so different plus it was so difficult to narrow it down. these are probably the dishes that i talk about again and again even months after we've eaten these plates of deliciousness.

one | longman&eagle's chanterelle agnolotti

it's so delicious that ryan and i still talk about it.....a lot. it was from the small plates menu, which we weren't so sure at the beginning because of the veal heart but we were so glad that we decided to be adventurous and tried it anyway. it was fantastic in terms of balance of earthiness from black truffle and chanterelle with sweetness of the huckleberries which makes even something like brussel sprouts taste amazing. 

two | longman&eagle's gruyere donuts

yes, L&E gets two mentions this year. what makes it so special imo is the fact that it's a cheese based dessert and it was just as awesome as it was different. the testament to how delicious it was was that ryan and i were both stuffed after our meal but i insisted on trying this - just could not resist. we were surprised by how light this was since these babies were fried and filled with cheese. the play of savory and sweet as well as crispy and creamy textures made the dish! :)

three | arami's double sake roll

arami has established itself as my most favorite japanese restaurant in the states, at least so far. its sophisticated simplicity with the freshest ingredients is displayed in this special maki roll. the lightness and delicacy in terms of flavors and the restraint of the lemon mayo drizzle amplified the flavors of fresh salmon itself allowing it to shine.

four | boka's ginger kulfi

my friend, andy warrants the greatness of this dessert.  i believe his exact words were 'the dessert will blow your faces off' so i think it would be an injustice to not include this on this list. not because of what he said but that he took the words out of my mouth when i tasted this at the michelin one star restaurant. the ginger kulfi is still the best dessert i've tried in a restaurant. i still stand true to my description ~ their interpretation of a deconstructed smores for grown ups - a harmonious symphony for the taste buds.

five |  avec's chorizo stuffed medjool dates

avec's most popular dish on their menu and with good reason. charles caleb colton once coined the phrase imitation is the best form of flattery and that was what i tried cooking a few months back. bacon always make everything better with its smokiness and saltiness, wrapped around a sweet medjool date that is stuffed with spicy and flavorful chorizo and all these rounded out by the sauce. one of the best things i've ever had so far.

six | shanghai terrace's  peking duck salad

peking duck was the main highlight of the meal that night but what stood out more i thought was the salad which they used the rest of the duck meat in dishes. i fell in love with the salad when i first tasted the flavor of truffle coating the bitterness of greens which is contrasted with its sweet vinaigrette mixed in with the succulent duck which is contained in a crispy wonton cup.

seven | next restaurant's caneton rouennais a la presse & gratin de pommes de terre a la dauphinoise

those french words simply translates to roasted & pressed duck with a side of scalloped potatoes with gruyere. i consider this as one dish since it came together. when next restaurant's first menu, paris 1906 debuted, the pressed duck took main stage and was anticipated as the dish to try which lived up to its tasty expectation. what took people by surprised was the scalloped potatoes gratin and its execution was perfection. the initial thought would be the duck would shadow the "side dish", instead these two dishes stood side by side on the same pedestal, commanding equal love and respect. there was one more dish from next that almost made it to the list certainly deserves a brief mention : brioche with foie gras with apricot jam.

eight | incanto's clams in country ham brodo


this comes across as a very simple dish but it ended up as a yummy rendition that combines clams and the pig - what i guess is chris cosentino's area of expertise. refreshing burst of tomatoes with the taste of the sea from the clams swimming in a savory and smoky broth. just yum! :)

nine | davanti enoteca's mascarpone polenta + pork shoulder with san marzano tomatoes and porcini mushroom

one of the times i had a huge dish envy. i went to davanti enoteca for their sea urchin and crab linguine - while it was delicious but it was outshone by this hearty dish that my friend ordered. creamy polenta paired with melt-in-your-mouth pork shoulder braised in a earthy and well seasoned ragu is quite hard to beat. it was pretty amazing to the point that i was staring at my friend's dish while savoring my entree. hehe. 

ten | blackbird's wood-grilled sturgeon


as much as i was not too pleased with the service at blackbird (it felt awkward and uncomfortable, to say the least), this was one dish that stayed in my mind. succulent with complicated layers of flavor to boot. the fish was cooked beautifully with a hint of smokiness from the grill. again, a case of dish envy and although ryan was willing to exchange his dish with mine, i couldn't bring myself to do it even though i was really tempted to. one complain was that the dish was too small. 

eleven | juban's veal chop oscar


this is a very late addition to the list since i only had this just last week during my vacation in louisiana. ryan's sister, meagan made reservations for us at this fine dining restaurant for our christmas present. huge love for this dish - tender and succulent veal rib chop (veal is lean so getting it done right requires precision) resting atop earthy truffled potato mash, topped with sweet and fresh louisiana lump crab. the bearnaise and the glace de veau completes this well thought out and delicious dish. i was smiling with every bite because it was so very good. yummy! await an entry on juban's in the very near future.

there you have it :: eleven dishes that topped my tasted, eaten & loved list. i'd say it was a pretty delicious year last year and i look forward to what food 2012 will bring. ^^

more entries very soon - probably updating you what i've been up to in the month of december in terms of cooking :)

disclaimer this is written based on my personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others

google 'incanto in english' and this would be what you would find:

what a suitable name for chris cosentino's italian restaurant in noe valley, san francisco. i was on my food network chef restaurant hunt in san francisco, beginning with wayfare tavern planned for lunch and then incanto for dinner. i first watched chris cosentino on a food network show called 'chefs vs city' where he paired with aaron sanchez to compete with local foodies/chefs in various US cities. i've also seen him on the 'best thing i ever ate' several where i've also tried two of his recommendations - the maple glazed bacon apple donut from dynamo donut and the chorizo-stuffed dates from avec, both of which i enjoyed tremendously. 

a chef who can recommend such awesome food, i was convinced that his food would be equally amazing. chris cosentino also had a hand at creating boccalone in the ferry building where you can find various good quality salumi, a place i would always return to whenever i visit sf for their salumi cone. <3 i was also secretly hoping that i could come across the chef himself while dining at his restaurant. (and no, didn't see him either)

the restaurant boasts its italian heritage in its tasteful decor as well as chef's love for all things pork with some mock up of cooking utensils displayed above the stretch of glass doors lining the front of the restaurant. there was a bar to the left as you enter the dining space with a display of boccalone salumi on the front.

i hate to admit it but the service here started out shaky and it wasn't a good way to start because i have such high expectations for this place and that set the tone for the whole evening. it was slow and it took more than a few minutes before our server came by to take our order. i understand that the place was bustling and busy but they should be prepared for such a situation especially a reputable restaurant of great caliber such as incanto. it gradually improved over the night but we both agreed it was slow and the food came out with extended pauses in between. (/end rant)

they started us out with a bread basket and olive tapenade. that bread was soft and lovely and the olive flavor came through quite prominently in a good way if you like olives. :)

if you ever came by to try incanto, it's a good idea to check what their specials are for the night before looking at their regular menu. we actually ended up ordering two dishes from their specials menu.

appetizer (specials) :: clams |  cherry tomatoes . pickled chilli . country ham brodo ($13)

hands down: best dish of the night. when we looked at the list of ingredients, we formed an idea how this was going to be prepared. but we were pleasantly surprised when we saw the dish served at our table. the fresh clams were nestled comfortably within the visibly different types of cherry tomatoes and the pickled chilli which gave a burst of bright colors, all swimming in this savory and excellent broth. 

the cherry tomatoes were roasted through but intact. biting into each tomatoes with a fresh clam in a spoonful of the smoky broth gives you a burst of fresh tartness and sweetness tomato essences while savoring all the other flavors. this is a wonderful rendition of clam dish with the freshest ingredients. love it. in fact, even though we said no more bread because we wanted to save room for the rest of the meal, but we went ahead ate the rest of the bread to sop up all the goodness. LOVE!

pasta (specials) :: sweetbread ravioli | capers . lemon . parsley ($11)

this was a half order from the specials menu. we were going to order their signature ragu dish but then i saw sweetbread ravioli which i wanted to try very much since i've never had sweetbread before. everyone raves about sweetbread and i wanted to see what the hype is all about.



sadly, we were both a tad disappointed after such an outstanding showing of the clams. there wasn't any textural difference but overall the dish was an underwhelming display of flavor combination. i loved the fresh pasta that was cooked just right - soft but still had a bite to it - but the filling was just okay and ryan thought it could have easily been something else. i thought perhaps some lemon zest would have given a surprise pop of freshness that the dish was missing although the capers was actually a great touch. maybe my next sweetbread experience would have me jumping off my chair, just not in a ravioli which was muted by everything else.


entree :: duck breast | corn . figs. hazelnuts ($26)



duck breast and figs just sounded awesome and plus i wanted to try fresh figs for the first time (i know there are a lot of firsts at this restaurant) which i loveee! the duck breast had awesome crispy skin but the meat was borderline dry and needed a touch more salt. the corn and the figs were amazing and they both gave the game-y meat the softness and moistness to make up for it. the two streaks of sauce/pesto provided layers of great flavors as accompaniment. it was a good dish but wasn't amazing.


dessert :: milk-chocolate espresso budino ($8.50)



we ended on a high note with this selection because i loved this dessert. it was a rich creamy pudding, chocolate-y but with a bitter undertone from the espresso. the smoothness of the pudding is contrasted by the crunch of cookie crumbles and chocolate pieces which amplified the flavors even more. to top it off, there is the light whipped cream to make the dessert a little airy. this hit the right sweet note :)



incanto displayed a flash of brilliance in a few dishes that we tried. i have to say my dining experience was more of a rollercoaster ride, with a couple of highs and lows but i would like to return sometime  in the future to try some of the other signature dishes they have to offer namely the leg of beast and their ragu.

disclaimer this is written based on my personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others