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 mentioned in one of my past entries that there are a few restaurants that i have tried months ago but have yet to write about. it's  been so long ago that these experiences are considered obsolete since a lot of restaurants update their menu to match the seasonal ingredients or just to switch things up a little.

i blame me and my slacking with updates. i've looked it up and this list includes dinner at hopleaf and brunches at sola and sable kitchen&bar. in view of this, i've decided to write a concise compilation of these three restaurants (which i hate doing hence i promise to try to not do this again) since it's been months i've eaten at these restaurants, take these reviews with a grain of salt.

to jump to these specific restaurants sections in this entry, these are the links you could click on::
{dinner at hopleaf}
{brunch at sola restaurant}
{sunday brunch at sable kitchen}

ONE | hopleaf

when :: thanksgiving 2011

meal :: dinner

ambience :: loud bar scene up front. in contrast, it is quieter in the dimly lit dining area out back where its decor is simple with a touch of vintage. there is a semi open kitchen where you can watch the chef prepare your food. there is limited seating so be prepared to wait if you are planning to go there during dinner rush.

note :: must be 21 with valid id to enter the restaurant.

food :: defines gastrotavern at its best, serving great new american with their personal twist and influence from different cultures. their specialty is mussels.



mussels for one ($13) or mussel for two ($22) | served with frites and aioli. it comes in two ways :

o1| belgian style :: steamed with witterkerke white ale with sliced shallots, celery, thyme and bayleaf
o2| white wine :: steamed in white wine and pork broth with white beans and tasso ham



since there were four of us, we ordered both styles. belgian style is reminiscent of the publican mussels are made out of. the mussels were delicious but it is a bit salty for my liking. R thinks it's normal level of saltiness for american food. great for dunking the chunks of french baguette. the frites were crispy and seasoned well, pairs well with the mild, creamy aioli. personally, i like publican mussels better over these.

the entrees (no longer available on their current menu as of the time this was posted) | i shared black earth farms lamb stew with moroccan spices, carrots, parsnips; cous cous with slivered almonds and golden raisins ($18) with R while R's sister and her friend shared the gunthrop farms duck leg confit :: crispy skinned with beluga lentils, braised cabbage, glazed baby carrots. ($18)


the lamb stew was hearty with the tender chunks of lamb, seasoned with the right balance of warm spices. the unexpected crunch of the almond slivers and sweetness from the raisins made this surprisingly delicious. the duck leg confit was as described - crispy with succulent, gamey dark meat with great flavors. even though they are no longer part of the menu, the excellent execution of these dishes probably reflects what hopleaf can do with their current offerings.



hopleaf was one of my co-workers' favorite hang outs and they've always recommended the mussels, cb&j sandwich and the reuben. definitely a place worth trying for their yummy interpretation of pub food with great selection of beers to boot.




{return to list}



TWO | sola restaurant



when :: end of fall 2011
meal :: brunch



ambience :: not quite sure what i think of the place in terms of decor which was simple and with hues of warm colors such as orange and beige.. i thought the open bar counter was a bit out of place. i love at the fireplace at the front of the dining area which makes the place a lil cozier.

food :: asian fusion cuisine with hawaiian influence and new american fare.



entrees we ordered were short rib benedict :: prize-winning short ribs, eggs, cheddar biscuits, pesto, hollandaise sauce ($12) and breakfast wrap :: flour tortilla, beans, kalua pork, eggs, spinach and avocado mango ($9)


from what i remember which is vaguely was that i enjoyed the short ribs which was tender and the eggs were poached beautifully. always a great plus when the yolks oozes its richness on the tender meat and savory cheddar biscuits. this is the dish to get if you tried sola for brunch. xy was disappointed with his selection of breakfast wrap and thought it lacked seasoning. i gave him almost half of my entree (since i was full) which was what he wanted to order in the first place but passed on it since i decided on it first and he was late to brunch.

{return to list}


THREE | sable kitchen&bar



when :: summer 2011
meal :: sunday brunch



ambience :: loved the modern contemporary decor with deep green, black, and silver being the main hues - definitely my cup of tea. natural light streaming through the ceiling high windows - sucker for both the modern contemporary and natural lighting.


food :: new american cuisine.



savory entrees that kf and i selected were smoked bacon omelet with asparagus, chives, brie, home fries and choice of toast ($14) and wild mushroom-spinach eggs benedict with home fries ($14) respectively. i was terribly underwhelmed by the flavors. my eggs benedict was missing seasoning and the only good thing was the poached eggs were done correctly. kf's dish was better probably due to the bacon to provide the smoky and saltiness to the dish and he was kind enough to offer half his dish to trade with half of mine since he noticed how miserable i was with my dish.


i would definitely love to give sable kitchen and bar another try but not for brunch. i have read great things about their lunch/dinner menu and would love to see if it could redeem itself in terms of flavors.




{return to list}

there you have it, three reviews in one.

p.s. there might be a couple more compilation entries to make up for more-than-postponed-for-too-long entries . however, this is definitely not my style since i prefer to dedicate an entry each to a restaurant experience but i gotta do what i gotta do :p

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

i posted {the list} a couple of months back (refer to top right of the page for link as well). i first discovered the list of {1oo things to eat before you die} via facebook and was intrigued to see how many i have checked off - my number is 78, if you were wondering. 

one of which was #18. the unlikely pairing of chicken&waffles. i've heard about it before and have always wanted to try it. the first time i've heard of this marriage of sweet + salty in breakfast + fried chicken meal was from food network's throwdown with bobby flay where melba's chicken and waffles which is a big hit in new york city. there wasn't any melba's here in chi-town so xy and i made our way to chicago's home of chicken & waffles instead.

located south of the loop, i was starving for some good southern comfort. the place was packed and there was almost a line our the door when we got there about noon. xy and i felt a tad awkward/left out cos we were the few rare asians at the restaurant. its decor exuded a traditional southern diner style with a hint of tropical feel. the atmosphere was a bustling and a lil loud with jazz music playing in the background. what more can you ask for? southern fried chicken and jazz music goes hand in hand :)

there were so much that i wanted to try but i just can't get it all in my belly. i had to settle with my entree and i had to convince xy to share a side with me.

 


to make this meal as what i would call a complete southern comfort meal, i ordered a glass of miss kisha's southern iced tea ($2.80). sadly the tea was too sweet for my liking :/




entree :: the saint | a quarter of dark fried chicken with 2 waffles ($9.95)



i know that the best way to determine how skillful a chef is at cooking fried chicken is how moist they can keep the white meat cuts but gosh dang it, i wasn't going to settle for second best! (in my book, dark meat trumps white meat!). as two waffles topped with scoops of butter accompanied by two pieces of dark meat fried chicken with syrup on the side served was in front of me, i was a tad upset that i had to wait a few minutes before i could dig in for pictures (the sacrifices i go through for blog entries ;) hahah)


i'll start with the not-so-good aspect of the dish: i was disappointed with the waffles. it didn't have the crispy exterior with fluffy insides which is usually how i love waffles to be. this was definitely compensated by the very very yummy fried chicken - moist and succulent, seasoned perfectly with the awesome crispy skin (oh how i love the crunch but oh so bad for you ><). what i'd classify as perfectly done southern fried chicken. now if you put them all together, the chicken, the crispy skin, the waffle and the syrup - LOVE! you get that textural differences of the skin with the waffles then you get the moistness of the chicken. the flavors of slight sweetness of the waffles echoed by the syrup is counter balanced by the savoriness and saltiness of the chicken. beginning to understand the reason behind the success of this unexpected marriage. but overall, i have to say the fried chicken outshone the waffles. regardless, definitely a must try combination!

entree :: carol's treat | a quarter of dark fried chicken smothered in gravy and onions with 2 waffles ($10.45)
 

xy's pick of the day. the same as the saint only instead of syrup it comes with a gravy ladled over the chicken. i think he had the same sentiments as i did :  chicken > waffles.  the gravy was delicious too and he really enjoyed the dish he ordered despite our disappointment with the waffles.

sides :: mac&cheese ($3.50)


nothing i was too crazy about. it wasn't the type of mac and cheese i was thinking of - if you are looking for creamy, oozing cheese kind of mac and cheese, you might want to skip this one.

if you think that fried chicken, waffles and syrup do not belong together, try your first chicken&waffles here before writing it off completely. history has shown sweet and savory pairings work heavenly together and this dish is no different. if not for chicken and waffles, try this restaurantout for the fried chicken and who knows, you could change our mind and be checking off one of the items from the list of 100 things to try before you die when you get here :)

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