Archive
for November, 2013
Travel Food Guide: 24 Hours of Eating in San Francisco’s Mission (Plus a Donut Detour)
Nov 25 2013
I was pretty despondent when my best friend moved from Los Angeles to the Bay Area a couple years ago, but it’s been great visiting her and getting to know San Francisco, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite cities. She’s a culinary school graduate and an extremely talented baker, so of course, she knows some of the best spots to eat and drink in the city. Here are some of the places she introduced me to on my last visit:
Loqui 3609 18th Street. Friday and/or Saturday (7:30ish-11:00 p.m. or sold out)
The food adventures started at Loqui, a Mexican street food pop-up that opens on Friday and Saturday evenings in the back of Tartine Bakery. Each weekend brings one type of antojito, and on the night I was there, there were two carne asada taco options—regular and primo. After consulting with the chef, I got the primo, which is the standard taco (meat, onions, cilantro, salsa, guacamole), plus a layer of beans and cheese. So many good things about this taco, starting with the incredible homemade flour tortilla with its charred blisters and soft, flaky layers. The meat is grilled then braised, making it tender and flavorful, and the thin layer of beans and cheese gave the taco the perfect amount of creaminess and saltiness. Adding some dry salsa—ground chilis and seeds—took it to a whole new flavor and texture level.
Linea Caffe 3417 18th Street
Newly-opened Linea Caffe combines several concepts in its compact 300-square-foot space. The shop is a collaboration between Andrew Barnett, founder of Ecco Coffee, and Anthony Myint of Mission Chinese Food, Mission Bowling Club, and Commonwealth. The coffee menu consists only of espresso-based drinks, and food options include sweet and savory waffles as well as substantial salads. My macchiato was excellent, sweet and balanced, and aesthetically enhanced by the gorgeous Heath Ceramics demitasse and saucer. Intrigued by the savory waffle choices, I ordered the egg soufflé waffle topped with chèvre and fines herbes. The waffle was light and airy, and the fresh, bright combination of herbs was especially wonderful paired with the pungent, melted chèvre. I’m not sure how well salad goes with espresso, but they sound pretty delicious, and as an added bonus, $1 from each salad goes to 350.org, a grassroots movement devoted to solving the climate crisis.
Craftsman & Wolves 746 Valencia Street at 18th Street
Peering at the pastries in Craftsman & Wolves is like looking into a jewelry counter—everything is so beautiful and artfully executed. I ordered the chocolate croissant stack, mostly because it was so pretty. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a disappointment. The dough seemed tough, like it had been overworked or over baked, and there wasn’t nearly enough chocolate in each bite. The passion fruit poppy seed madeleine was much more successful, with the sweet tartness of the cake and crunch of the seeds making it a perfect companion to my coffee. My friend decided on the B-A-N-A-N-A-S (brown butter, blond chocolate, vanilla, marshmallow, banana shortbread), which turned out to be the absolute winner of our combined order. It was a study in textures and tastes with the sweetness and softness of the banana mousse and delicate layer of blond chocolate, the slight saltiness of the banana-infused shortbread crust, and the chewiness of the toasted marshmallow garnish.
Bi-Rite Creamery and Bakeshop 18th Street soft serve window, next to 3692 18th Street
Adjacent to the perpetually long lines of Bi-Rite Creamery is their much calmer soft serve window, which offers two flavors of soft serve every day AND (previously unknown to me) cookie ice cream sandwiches! I was tempted by the dark chocolate cookies with mint chip ice cream, but my all-knowing friend steered me toward the sugar cookie balsamic strawberry sandwich. It was an unseasonably warm day in the Bay Area, so we walked across the street to Dolores Park, where we could sit and enjoy our treats. Immediately after finding an unoccupied patch of grass at the park, I tore open the wrapper and promptly entered ice cream heaven. The soft cookies would have been a tad too sweet on their own, but the tang of the balsamic complemented them perfectly.
Tartine Bakery 600 Guerrero Street
Any trip to the Mission would not be complete without a stop at Tartine. Having just gorged on my cookie ice cream sandwich, I didn’t get any pastries, but I had to stop in for a freshly baked loaf of bread. Tartine bread occupies a league all of its own—deep, rich brown loaves with crackling crusts and moist, chewy interiors. My favorite is their sesame bread, the basic country loaf encrusted with toasted sesame seeds. The sweet, nutty seeds work so well with the complex, earthy, slightly sour dough. Fresh loaves come out around 4:30 p.m. daily, expect to wait in line for them.
Mission Chinese Food Inside Lung Shan Restaurant, 2234 Mission Street
The nondescript exterior of Mission Chinese Food gives no hint of the inventiveness happening inside. But once you enter, you know you’re in for some excitement. There’s a party atmosphere, with loud music blaring from the speakers and a brightly lit, red paper dragon hanging from the ceiling. My friend is vegetarian, so we stuck to the meatless options. Two of our dishes—Ma Po Tofu and Egg-Egg Noodle—were lackluster, but the Tiger Salad was fantastic. In simplest terms, it’s a minty green salad wrapped in thick rice paper and drizzled with spicy chili oil. The flavors were diverse with the nuttiness of the white and black sesame seed garnish, slight bitterness of the greens and herbs, savory saltiness of the roasted seaweed, tang of the turnip vinegar, and sweetness of the rice wrapper. The restaurant was packed, so we shared a four-top with a couple who was awesome enough to let me try their squid ink noodles, and I am so glad they did. This dish was absolutely incredible! The noodles were stir-fried in lamb fat, with chickpeas, fennel, cumin, and mint, and served with lamb broth for dipping. I wanted to be polite and only had one bite (it was a struggle), so I can’t make too many comments on the dish, but let’s just say, if this is on the menu when I go back, I’m ordering a whole plate for myself.
Bob’s Donut & Pastry Shop 621 Polk Street (open 24 hours, cash only)
Several hours later, close to 1:00 a.m., we turned up at Bob’s Donuts in Nob Hill, where a line had formed for fresh, hot donuts. Bob’s is the place to go for quality, classic donuts, made entirely from scratch. It’s also the place to go if you want to participate in their donut challenge, which entails consuming a donut that’s around a foot in diameter in under three minutes. (Someone attempted it while we were in line. The donut won.) I settled on a raised crumb donut that I’d seen coming out of the fryer. I was excited about having a different texture alongside the basic glazed, but the flavors of the yeast donut and the cakey crumbs didn’t mesh well for me. Fortunately, my friend ordered a few more donuts for us to try: a glazed, a maple glazed, and a buttermilk bar. The glazed was one of the best I’ve ever had—light, fluffy, with just the right amount of sweetness. The maple glazed was also great, a touch light on maple flavor, but not overpoweringly sweet. I’ve never been much of a buttermilk bar girl, but Bob’s version is amazing—dense and moist inside and covered with a thick layer of glaze. We put the leftover half in the refrigerator when we got home, and it was just as good—maybe even better—having it cold the next morning.
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Outerlands
Outerlands remains one of my favorite spots in the city. The interior with its wood walls and organic decorations is so cozy, and blankets are provided for those sitting at the outdoor tables. It was my first time at the restaurant for brunch, and my friend recommended that I get their popular Dutch pancake. I ordered the savory version with bacon, maple syrup, and housemade ricotta cheese, and she chose the sweet one with fresh strawberries. We also ordered hot ginger lemon apple cider with bourbon. I’ve since replicated the sweet, spicy beverage at home; it’s a perfect remedy for colds and chilly autumn nights. Baked in a cast iron pan, the pancakes looked like pieces of art, perfectly browned and impressively puffy. The dough was slightly sweet, and paired equally well with the salty, thick chunks of bacon and the jewel-like strawberries. The ricotta was absolutely elegant—so smooth, so creamy, so subtly sweet and salty. Absolutely dreamlike, just like the restaurant as a whole, and a perfect way to close out the weekend.
Tip: if you don’t have a reservation, kill some waiting time at tiny Trouble Coffee with a brew and their delectable cinnamon toast, or next door at Celia’s with a margarita.
-Jessica Raymond
Jessica is staff writer for Eastside Food Bites. Read more about her on our Contributors page.
This Saturday: Buy Baked Goods, Support Typhoon Haiyan Relief
Nov 21 2013
This Saturday (tomorrow!), head over to Coolhaus in Pasadena, and buy some baked goods. Proceeds benefit the Philippine Red Cross. On the menu are Salted Caramel Ginger Snap Sandwiches, Arkansas Black Apple Hand Pies, Bacon Caramel Popcorn, Lemon Shortbread Bars, Ube Cupcakes, gluten-free treats, and even pre-made pie dough (hello, Thanksgiving shortcut). I made the Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies with Dark Chocolate & Cherry Chunks you see above, and they’re totally good.
Hope to see you there! Here’s the flyer:
-Valentina
Atwater Village & Highland Park: A Tale of Two Nachos
Nov 19 2013
Nachos are one of life’s little luxuries and maybe the guiltiest of food pleasures since some people won’t even admit to liking them. But these people are liars because tortilla chips and melted cheese are an undeniably delicious union—though not a perfect one. Bad nachos do exist (just go to the movies if you don’t believe me), yet the beauty of nacho nirvana is that there’s no exact formula to reach it. Some work with guacamole, some don’t; sour cream is essential for some but terrible on others. This food truth is proven by two recent nacho experiences, different as night and day, but both so so so good.
Hugo’s Tacos in Atwater Village (pictured left)
Hugo’s Nachos Grandes don’t go overboard with any one ingredient, allowing the warm, crispy chips to stand out. Mild white beans are used instead of pinto or black, and the salsa (pico de gallo here, but there are many choices) is fresh and plentiful. We chose smokey-sweet al pastor for our meat, but you can get anything from mixed veggies and soyrizo to grilled fish and carnitas. The cheese, melted to bubbling perfection, is a mixture of Oaxacan and Cotija, resulting in rather refined nachos. 3300 Glendale Boulevard
Tacos Savannah (pictured right)
A group of mothers at my Catholic grammar school used to make and sell nachos every Friday at morning recess. They took great care, mixing two types of cheese sauce to create the holy mother of all cheese sauces-I would push other kids out of the way to get in line for them. Since then, though, I’ve rarely enjoyed saucy nachos, which are generally flavorless and soggy. However, Tacos Savannah, a truck that parks at York Boulevard and Avenue 64 most nights, has won me over because somehow their cheese sauce-laden nachos work. It’s probably because the meat, carne asada in this case, is so flavorful. It also helps that they throw in pico de gallo, onions, and cilantro. These might get soggy, too, but you’ll probably eat them too fast for that to ever be an issue. 6305 York Boulevard (in front of Rite Aid).
-Valentina
Boyle Heights: Arranged Chaos on the Tacos de Cecina at Cemitas Poblanas Elvirita #1
Nov 14 2013
Having never been inclined toward ivory tablecloths and soft focus candle lighting, I subscribe to the philosophy that a good restaurant is, simply, one capable of churning out palatable food. While Michelin is unlikely to take notice of this modest establishment in Boyle Heights, on the taste front, at least, Cemitas Poblanas Elvirita #1 satisfies.
On your way in, you’ll have to skirt by a squat metal shelf housing a tower of plastic cups, a collection of silverware, and a coffee machine. Other curiosities line the walls (whose blaring orange hue can come off strong), including a lone cash register squatting on a glass case full of Mexican sweets, homemade paper signage mandating things like “Debit Credit $1,” and multiple toy dispensers (how often are they patronized, one wonders?). On the overhead TV screens, Spanish-language soap operas unfold with campy flair.
But that’s not what you’re here for. Focus on food instead. Specifically, I’d like to draw your attention to the taco de cecina, starring, well, cecina: a thinly sliced cured beef. The taco comes mutant proportioned, its mountainous form splayed impressively across the plate. Start by peeling back the curtain of grilled cactus, then brush aside strings of Oaxacan cheese,nudge over the onion bulblet, and finally, clear away the heaps of potatoes, black beans, and pliant green onion strewn artfully across the whole splendid piece. Your excavatory efforts will be rewarded when you hit the base: an endless field of cecina-salted and dried, gently curled at the edges-blanketing a thick swathe of tortilla.
To a roving eye, the taco de cecina may seem unfashioned and graceless, not unlike the eclectic jumble of the restaurant space. What force determined the placement of each tangle of cheese, each cut of avocado and strand of green onion? Whether the chef’s neurotic hand or gravity is to thank, the payoff is the same. And besides, ultimately, you are the master of your own fate. Tear, pair, and spear to your own tastes. You might even witness the unveiling of a scandalous affair while you’re at it.
-Iris Jong
Iris is a staff writer for Eastside Food Bites. Check out her fantastic food photos at irispjong on Instagram.
Cemitas Poblanas Elvirita #1
3010 E 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90063
Silver Lake: A Thai Meal & Creme Brulée at Wat Dong Moon Lek
Nov 06 2013
Tucked away in a shopping center on the corner of Fountain and Santa Monica is your typical Los Angeles Thai food outpost, but with a very sweet twist. The difference between this Thai restaurant and the many others lining any given Los Angeles city block? The food comes with a decent ambience and house-made, Western-style desserts. Wat Dong Moon Lek offers a dependable menu of Thai fundamentals, including pan-fried noodles and curries, as well as more adventurous dishes, like Jungle Rice—perhaps named after the animalistic sounds one makes while attempting to breathe through and choke down the peppery, fiery dish. Since its opening in 2009, Wat Dong Moon Lek has steadily become a Silver Lake institution for eat-in and take-out.
We started our dine-in meal with Crispy Vegetable Egg Rolls and Fresh Rolls. The fried veggie egg rolls were no better than the frozen variety, but the fresh rolls were just as advertised, with bright green veggies and a chewy, translucent rice noodle skin. The dips that came with the rolls were a perfect balance of all the best taste groups: sweet, salty, spicy, umami. I drowned every bite with sauce. The fried shredded taro is another good appetizer choice, and it also comes with an addictively viscous nectar of a dipping sauce.
Moving on to mains, the Pad See Ew (thick rice noodles with broccoli, meat and scrambled egg) is one of the better ones I’ve had, though slightly sweeter than most recipes. And, instead of the usual imperceptible egg scrambled into the dish, it is served up over-easy, taking center stage and allowing the runny yolk to dribble over the pan-fried rice noodles like golden gravy. I wasn’t wild about the Goye See Me (fried noodles with veggies and gravy), as the fried noodles quickly became sodden with the watery sauce. The Garlic Green Beans were good, but basic.
My favorite dish here is the Jungle Rice. If you read my SQIRL post, you know that I find rice boring, but this fiery concoction is anything but! Jungle Rice is basically a fried rice, teeming with tofu (or whatever protein you choose), red bell pepper, green beans and thai basil, then pushed to the edge with a couple layers of spiciness to cover all the heat-bases. The black peppercorn is intense, rushing up your nostrils with its smoky heat. The red chili paste slowly spreads throughout the rest of your mouth, tingling with heat. My nose usually runs when I eat this dish, and my mouth kind of wants to run and hide too, but it’s too delicious to pass up. For those that I’ve already scared off, no worries, you can customize your spice level.
To finish off our meal and reward my tastebuds for what they just went through, we ordered the pumpkin creme brulée, a seasonal offering, and the carrot cake. The wife of the proprietor is a formerly trained pastry chef, and all the cakes, souffles and puddings are her creations. The creme brulée was completely surprising. It was just slightly sweet, and instead of being baked in a traditional ramekin, it came in an actual mini pumpkin. We scooped out the soft, baked pumpkin with spoonfuls of the creme brulee, like you would with clam chowder in a bread bowl. The carrot cake was also impressive with its three layers and perfectly applied cream cheese frosting. Like the creme brulée, it wasn’t too sweet, but hit just the right note to cap off another great meal at Wat Dong Moon Lek.
-Jennifer Li
Jennifer Li is a staff writer for Eastside Food Bites. You can read more from her and her boyfriend on their new blog Corned Beef and Rice. Also, see more of what she does at Jenli.me.
