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| TOQUE
OF SAN FRANCISCO |
By
Carol and Joe Davis - Dining Detectives |
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Winter 2008
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Mosaic
Restaurant & Wine Lounge
We
took an overnight trip to Healdsburg and asked around to find
out where we should dine. Mosaic in nearby
Forestville, which has been open since 2005,
was the choice of almost everyone we spoke with. So, we were
sure that we were in for a great dining experience. Chef
/ Owner Tai Olesky is quietly becoming famous for his
Global Cuisine. He grew up in Sonoma County and learned Italian
cooking from his family and worked at local restaurants where
he learned about using local and sustainable ingredients. As
a child he dreamed of his future life as a chef and drew a picture
of himself which proudly hangs on the wall of Mosaic today.
We were warmly greeted upon our arrival and were seated by the
fireplace in the main dining room. The lovely décor included
antique distressed wooden tables and custom wooden chairs. Pumpkins
of all sizes from their garden were placed throughout the dining
room surrounded by many candles. The atmosphere was extremely
charming.
We
ordered a glass of Italian Prosecco to start and then opted
to have a Tasting Menu which was a great way to try many of
Mosaic's unique and fabulous creations. Our first course was
salads. We loved both the House Salad which consisted of Organic
Baby Lettuces, Fuji apples, toasted almonds, celery heart, Pt
Reyes Blue Cheese and Tamari Vinaigrette and the Mosaic Farm
Heirloom Tomato Salad made with Buffalo Mozzarella, pesto, balsamic
reduction, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Fleue de Sel. A Pinot
Champagne paired perfectly with the salads. Next, we tasted
the delicious sautéed Seasonal Mushroom appetizer made
with white alba, clam shell, golden chanterelles and trumpet
royale mushrooms. Our next course was the delicious Roasted
Prawns that were prepared with chili lime glaze and Macadamia
nuts and were accompanied by green papaya slaw. Then we enjoyed
the Pan Seared Day Boat Scallops with fennel pollen, fresh white
corn polenta, micro greens, truffle oil and oven roasted tomatoes
in Brandywine sauce which were excellent. It was paired with
a 2006 Morgan Chardonnay. You must try the soups. We loved the
Curry Cocoanut Lobster Bisque with lemon grass and chili threads.
It was quite refreshing. The Fish of the Day was a fabulous
Sesame Seed Crusted Walo which came with grilled bok choy. It
was prepared so perfectly that it was moist, juicy and flaked
when cut into. We also loved the Seared Liberty Farms Duck Breast
entrée served with lentils, fresh Bing cherries with
verjus and asparagus. Bar none this was the best sauce for duck
that we had ever tasted! The duck paired perfectly with the
2007 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel. The Mosaic signature
entrée is the Coffee Encrusted Filet Mignon with Madeira
Deglazed Mushrooms, Chocolate- Cabernet Demi-Glace, and Blue
Cheese Compound butter and truffle oil. This steak melts in
your mouth! The Ehret Knights Valley Cabernet from Santa Rosa
paired perfectly.
We
relaxed and took in the atmosphere and then could not resist
the "Hey Sweetie" dessert menu. We loved the Praline
cake which was a White cake en glace. Another fabulous dessert
was the Warm Flourless Chocolate Cake with chocolate sauce,
peanut brittle and vanilla ice cream. The Poached Pear which
came with ginger fig ice cream, chocolate sauce and a Tuile
cookie was also excellent.
Mosaic is a fabulous restaurant and a worthy destination from
anywhere for lunch, dinner or weekend brunch. The cuisine is
excellent and it is a favorite of locals, day trippers and those
like us.... on an overnight stay. We'll be back!
Mosaic
Restaurant & Wine Lounge
6675 Front Street
Forestville, CA. 95436
707-887-7503
www.mosaiceats.com
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Cortez
Restaurant
Executive
Chef Jenn Puccio, who graduated from The New England
Culinary Institute and has worked at some of the best restaurants
in San Francisco, has taken over the kitchen at Cortez
near Union Square. The restaurant's décor is warm and
inviting. There is a stylish bar area up front and a dining
area that overlooks the exhibition kitchen toward the back.
We sat in the dining room and enjoyed watching all the action
in the kitchen as Jenn monitor each dish as it was plated to
make sure it was up to her requirements. We ordered a bottle
of Lauretana Italian Sparkling water to start and perused the
menu. We were advised by our server that there were both small
plates and entrée sized meals to choose from and that
the cuisine was California- Mediterranean.
The
Soup Shots are a great way to begin. We loved the fabulous flavors
of the Turnip Soup which had crispy shallots and parsley. Next,
we enjoyed the Chef's Crudo which was an exquisite fresh Hamachi.
Our next small plate was a Crispy Kurubota Pork Belly, cranberry
moustarda, winter greens, and honey-mustard emulsion. We really
enjoyed both of our entrées as well. The Caramelized
Colorado Lamb Chops with roasted eggplant, Gypsy pepper romesco,
basil sprouts and shaved Spanish goat cheese was luscious. The
Crisp Skinned Filet of Wild Sea Bass with creamy artichoke gargoyle,
salsify, bacon, and thyme - rosemary broth was also delicious.
The Wine List is Global. We enjoyed the 2006 Spanish Verdejo,
Bodegasnaia, Rueda, Spain, the 2004 Riesling Dom, Bott-Geyl
Les Elements, Alsace and the 2005 Carol Shelton Zinfandel, Cucamonga
Valley, CA. For Dessert you must try the Cocoanut Frangipane
caramelized bananas which came with Techno ice cream and hazelnuts.
An Espresso served with cookies for dessert was the perfect
finish to a deliciously satisfying meal at Cortez!
Cortez
Restaurant
550 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA. 94102
415-292-6360
www.cortezrestaurant.com
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Ozumo
Restaurant - Oakland
Contemporary Japanese Cuisine
There is now a "There There" in Downtown Oakland and
it's a restaurant named Ozumo. We were pleased to be invited
the Grand Opening Party at Ozumo where they showcased their
Contemporary Japanese Cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Jennifer
Nguyen. Owner Jeremy Umland, who also opened the original Ozuma
in San Francisco on Steuart Street in 2001, has created a one
of a kind restaurant experience. The upscale décor which
includes a large waterfall in the Bar was created by Age Design
of Japan with the theme of water, air and earth .The Dining
Area has custom oak wooden tables and there is a separate Sake
Room which is walled by Glass Sake bottles. It is a shoes off
Japanese room with a 12 foot solid oak table surrounded by elevated
bench seats with tatami matt bench seating and large pillows.
There is also a Private Dining room that seats fifty.
The
Sushi Bar is topped with salt and pepper granite and the sunken
kitchen allows Diners and Sushi Chefs to see eye to eye. In
another area, is the exhibition Robata Grill where you can watch
the chefs cook the skewers of beef, chicken, lamb and prawns.
Ozumo has a full bar, serves 90 brands of Sake and has Kirin
and Sapporo beers on tap. At night there is a DJ in the bar....
making it quite a Hotspot. The Izakaya style small plate menu
allows you to taste as much or as little as you like. We loved
both Robata and Sushi which were both fresh and tasty. The sushi
we loved was the Maguro Tuna, Hotate Scallops, Hamachi Yellowtail
and the Sake Salmon. The Robata Grill items we enjoyed included
Niku Colorado lamb chops brushed with yuzu kosho and Skewers
of Prawns and Chicken. Ozumo is definitely the best thing that
happened to Oakland since the return of the Raiders!
Ozumo
Restaurant
2251 Broadway
Oakland, CA. 94612
510-286-9866
www.ozumo.com
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Bijou
Restaurant & Bar
California/ French
Cuisine
There's a new
restaurant in Hayward that serves California/ French Cuisine
called Bijou which means "A Little Gem"
in French. The restaurant owned by Benjamin Young
and Phillip Chan has a crisp, chic, modern
décor. The Bar area is separated from dining room by
a stylish wire mesh sheer drape and there are comfortable booths
in the dining room that are very popular. There is also outdoor
seating which overlooks the newly updated downtown movie theatre
and shops. Executive Chef Christian Nam-Hee
recently came to the U.S. from Paris France. He has worked at
a number of Two Star French restaurants and has a degree from
the Ecole de Paris des Metiers de la Table, so we knew we would
enjoy our dinner.
We started out
by ordering a cocktail called a PomTini which is made with Hangar
One Vodka and pure pomegranate juice, as we enjoyed up-tempo
music in the background. We really enjoyed the Leek Veloute
Soup which was made with onions and leaks and has a rich and
creamy texture. It was delicious and definitely a soup worth
coming back for! Next we had the Pan Seared Sea Scallops served
with a champagne reduction surrounded by a bed of steamed spinach.
It was terrific and paired well with the Clos du Bois Riesling
which was light and dry. The Entrée that we loved was
the Pan Seared Lamb Chops seasoned with herb de province and
pink peppercorn rub served with garlic mashed potatoes. The
Deloach Pinot Noir paired perfectly with the entrée.
For Dessert we enjoyed the Chocolate Mousse. Downtown Hayward
is enjoying an exciting renovation and Bijou is becoming a very
popular destination.
Bijou
Restaurant & Bar
1036 B Street
Hayward, CA. 94541
510-888-1092
www.bijouexperience.com
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Harris'
Steak House
We
attended a Holiday Party at Harris' Steakhouse
in their Private Dining Room. The restaurant was both elegant
and festive. Harris' has been open since 1984 and continues
to be one of the best Steak Houses in the Bay Area. Executive
Chef Michael Buhagiar, who has been there for eight
years, keeps the continuity. Getting started with a Martini
was an excellent way to loosen up and get ready for a great
dinner. The Harris Famous Martini is made shaken with Kettle
One Vodka and is very smooth. Our first course was a delicious
Mushroom Ragout in Puff Pastry with a brandy cream reduction.
Next, was the Maine Lobster Salad with tarragon apple cider
vinaigrette. The main course was the perfectly prepared Filet
Mignon Rossini which was "melt in your mouth" delicious
Mid Western corn fed 21 day dry aged Filet topped with Sonoma
Foie Gras and black truffle cabernet sauce. The Wine List is
extensive and pleases both wine aficionados with Epic Reds and
budget minded alike. Dessert was a delicious Old Fashioned Chocolate
Cake with white chocolate anglaise. Harris' is a great Steakhouse
where you are sure have a great dinner.
Harris'
Steak House
2100 Van Ness Avenue (at Pacific)
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-673-1888
www.HarrisRestaurant.com
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Espetus
Churrascaria - San Mateo
Brazilian Steakhouse
Dining
on the Peninsula just got better with the addition of the new
stylish Brazilian Steakhouse called Espetus Churrascaria
San Mateo. It was recently opened by Grill Master/ Owner
Paulo Klein who is a native of Novo Humburgo, Brazil,
his wife Maris Klein and their partners Eli
and Val Nascimento. The interior is expansive
and beautiful with high ceilings and an adjacent bar area which
on the evening we were there had a Brazilian Piano Player. We
liked that the tables were nicely spaced so you didn't feel
crowded and can truly enjoy the unique dining experience. The
Brazilian art on the walls adds to the theme.
We
were warmly greeted by Nivaldo Dafraga the Maitra d'who seated
us and explained that there is no menu. You pay a set price
for lunch or dinner for the salad/buffet bar and the Rodizio
which is all you can eat tableside service. We started by ordering
an Ultimate Caipirnha specialty cocktail made with Brazilian
Cachasa which is like rum and is known for helping to get your
appetite going and digesting your food. Brazilian cheese bread,
fried bananas and polenta were soon at our table. We then headed
over to the elegant Salad/ Buffet and we created a lovely plate
from the fresh couscous, hearts of palm, mango salad, Brazilian
potato salad, tropical fruit salad, guacamole, grilled eggplant,
cole slaw, asparagus, and green salad. There were also hot items
that we enjoyed particularly the Paella and Soup which were
great.
The
main courses are cooked on skewers over an open fire and immediately
brought tableside and carved directly onto diner's plates by
the well trained carvers who looked festive in their Gaucho
outfits. We loved the Roasted Pineapple, Flank Steak, Garlic
Prawns, Filet Mignon, Rare Roast Beef, Top Sirloin, Tri Tip
, Lamb and the Beef Ribs which were tender and spicy having
been slow cooked for eight hours. All the meats were lean and
had a fabulous roasted flavor. We found that by adding salt
the flavors were enhanced and that we could order meats rare
or more well done just by asking. The Carvers continue to visit
your table as long as the tabletop indicator is Green (Sim Por
Favor means Yes Please ) and Red (Nao Obrigado means No Thanx).
When we were totally finished we said A Cabei... which means
finished in Portuguese. The Wine List features wines from around
the world. We enjoyed the 2004 Catena Malbec 2004 from Argentina
with our dinner as well as the Albarinho White wine. We did
happily save room for dessert. We enjoyed the Mixed Berries
Pana Cotta vanilla custard smothered with a reduction of aged
balsamic vinegar and fresh berries. It had both great texture
and flavor. Our hosts brought us one more special drink. The
Weber Haus Cachasa was a great finish to an excellent dining
experience. We'll be back soon to Espetus San Mateo!
Espetus
Churrascaria
710 South B Street
San Mateo, Ca 94401
650-342-8700
www.espetus.com
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Events
"Dine
About Town" 2009 sponsored by The San Francisco
Convention & Visitors Bureau www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com
is from Jan 15-31 and June 15-30 this year. The successful promotion
which is in its Eighth year has over 100 local restaurants offering
prix-fixe menus with 3 course lunches for $21.95 and 3 course
dinners for $34.95.This is a great way to try new restaurants
and visit old favorites and this January we had a fabulous dinner
at Café Maritime. Reservations can be made by contacting
the restaurants or at www.opentable.com.
We
had the pleasure to attend the 34th Winter Fancy Food
Show www.fancyfoodshows.com
at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. Each year
we look for and try to find the food and beverage products that
stand out. This year we found some excellent new and tasty items.
We met Jeanne Scott 'The Waffle Lady"
www.wafflelady.com
who has created a fabulous naturally organic pancake and waffle
mix that you must try. We also enjoyed the very tasty and refreshing
all natural Apple Beer and Barrel Brothers
Root Beer www.applebeer.com
being poured by twin sisters Allison and Ashley who are from
Utah. Another tasty treat was Nita Bees Tastys
www.nitabees.com
down home sweet potato pie. We enjoyed the Teas from Sri Lanka
including the Ethical Dilmah teas www.dilmahtea.com.
Salem Baking presented by Vincent Pellegrino
www.salembaking.com
had some excellent thin cookies. And yes there were chocolates.
Lula's www.lulas.com
were especially delicious. We also had a nice chat with Dennis
Connally from Canyon Specialty Foods www.canyonfoods.com
who confirmed how hard it was for the new entrants into the
Fancy Food business.
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