Naked Lunch

504 Broadway
San Francisco, CA 94133

Occasion: Lunch on a Wednesday afternoon. 02.29.12

I've heard so much about this place through my sister and friends and have been dying to find the perfect excuse to come here during lunch.  I've heard great things about their chicken sandwich, which we were unfortunately unable to try, as it is a special on their Tuesdays lunch menu. But what I've been dying to try is their foie gras prosciutto sandwich they have on their menu. Ingredients were fresh, except everything was overpriced for the amount we got.

Avocado salad

with arugula, orange and a citrus vinaigrette

Loved the tangy flavors of the vinaigrette mixed with the smokey taste of the arugula and the juicy orange slices with the buttery rich avocado slices. Good, but not enough!

Foie gras and duck prosciutto sandwich with sprinkled truffle salt
Creamy, rich and decadent foie gras with thin slices of flavorful duck prosciutto. Minimal greens, thin slices of tomato on what seemed like a french roll.  Each bite was full of great flavors, though I would have liked a little bit more lettuce and slightly thicker tomato slices.  It was delicious, but with a $16 per sandwich price tag.

Potato leek soup 

Disappointed that the portion was so small. Not even 10 ounces. It was flavorful though and good on a cold gloomy day.

Custom Birthday Cake

By AngrybakerSF
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Occasion: Custom made birthday cake after dinner at Alexander's steakhouse! 02.25.12

This is the second year I've come to Matt for a custom cake.  Both times I've been satisfied.  Last year, he created an LV briefcase carrot cake that blew everyone away at Henry's birthday party. He still talks about how amazing it was til this day.

After some brainstorming, I decided to create a cake replicating Henry's football fantasy player, Tomy Brady.  If only they had won the superbowl, it would have been that much better.  As far as the flavor, I wanted him to make something different.  There are certain restrictions, due to food allergies, but we decided on a snickerdoodle cake.  Matt had never made a snickerdoodle cake before, so it was definitely something out of his comfort zone.  In the end, his work surpassed my expectations and I was very satisfied with our end result; presentation and flavor. I could not thank you enough again, for creating another memorable birthday.

Snickerdoodle cake with buttercream filling and frosting topped with fondant

Alexander's Steakhouse

448 Brannan St
San Francisco, CA 94107

Occasion: Close intimate birthday dinner with close family and friends for Henry's birthday. 02.25.12

I had just visited this restaurant about a month prior for a friend's birthday and had a great experience, so I was looking forward to another dining experience here. Attentive service, edgy decor with lights that weren't too bright nor too dim.  This time we sat downstairs in a round table, which was better than the table seating we got last time (a table for 10 near the bathroom, which got annoying when people kept on coming up to use the restroom).

Amuse Bouche

I don't remember what exactly it was. Perhaps some kind of seaweed salad.

Hamachi Shots

with truffled ponzu, frizzled ginger, chili and avocado

One of my favorite things to order here. I love how the ponzu sauce complements the fresh fish so well and the crunchy rice crispies that pop in your mouth with a hint of spice from the jalepeno. Delightful little appetizer to tease the palate before the real meal.

Raw  Trio

hamachi tartare / tako tiradito / tuna tataki

I don't know which was which, but each was prepared differently with different textures.  Loved each one of it and would suggest getting this trio if you're a big fish person.  The textures and flavors of each are worth trying.

Charred Octopus

fluffy tamago / wakamomo / arima sansyo / pickled shallot / truffle

Portion is kind of small, but I love the crunchy texture of octopus.  Reminds me of squid. The charred octopus had a nice smokey taste to it.

Hot seared foie gras

hudson valley / grilled eryngi / chanterelle / yuzu buttermilk / noble no 5

Enjoying it as much as we can before it gets banned in California.  So rich and buttery soft that it melts in your mouth.  Some love it, some others not so much.

Truffle French Fries

sundried tomato - tonkatsu aïoli / schichimi

The whole table loved it.  How can you go wrong with such a staple snack food.  The seasoning definitely added a special kick to it...and the aioli...addicting! I kept on reaching for more.

Stout Cesar Salad

62.5 degree onsen egg / romaine / traditional flavors

This was so refreshingly good. I'm not a big fan of meat, so it's nice to have some greens with such a rich and heavy meal.  The flavors were simple, but so good.  The egg definitely made it more enjoyable.

Some refreshing jelly palate cleanser before we start our meal off.

The Perfect Porterhouse

wet-aged prime strip steak / petite filet mignon / bone marrow /black garlic persillade

It came in a generous portion, big enough to be shared and even then, we both didn't finish our share. Prime strip steak was a lot more fatty and tasty, while the filet mignon was tender and leaner.  The bone marrow was loaded with a bunch of bread crumbs, which I thought was a little over done, and was too dry for my liking.  It was delicious, but there were a few people in our party who ordered higher end WAGYU meat and that was AMAZING!

Sides: Potatoes, brussel sprouts, mushrooms

All of which were absolutely flavorful.  Mushrooms were my favorite though.  How can you have meat without some delicious sides to go with it? You can't!

Sher Australian Wagyu

simply served / veal glace / truffled beurre fondue

Buttery soft, decadent flavors, huge portion.  It was absolutely one flavorful and delicious tasting slab of meat, but I think one small piece of it was good enough for me, as I found it way too rich for my liking. The most expensive piece of meat they sold there.

Complimentary cotton candy

Cultive Frozen Yogurt

1998 Union St
San Francisco, CA 94123

Occasion: Friday night snack! 02.25.12

This place brings back college memories.  They started in Davis, CA, where I went to college.  I remember it used to be called Swirls, but due to law suits had to change their name.  Anyhow, I remember coming here at least a few times a week. I'd find any reason to come here. It was hot; this was the solution. I had a bad day; this was the solution.  I was hungry; this was the solution.  Basically any excuse I could find, I'd make my way to this frozen yogurt spot.  They've changed a lot since their younger years, when things used to be a bit more simple.  I love the plain vanilla yogurt they served, but now they have way too many flavors.

I had to stay true and loyal to the plain frozen yogurt, but also got the peach flavor.  Added strawberries, mochi, captain crunch cereal and granola.  I love the chewiness of the mochi, sweetness of the strawberries and the crunch of the granola and the captain crunch.  My kind of snack to wind down on a Friday evening. Oh TGIF!

Piccino

1001 Minnesota St
San Francisco, CA 94107

Occasion: Dinner to celebrate GHT's birthday 02.23.12.

The Dogpatch is not the same as it used to be.  It's definitely a thriving neighborhood, growing, with many great foodie spots. Amongst them all, Piccino's menu offers a great variety of great eats.  I would consider it a hidden gem in the Dogpatch. If you haven't ventured out to this part of town, this is one spot you want to experience before it gets way too popular. Thank you chef Rachel Silcocks for an amazing meal!

Special thanks to our server, Hana, who picked out all our dishes for us. She knew our tastes too well.

Marinated Olives

I've never been crazy about olives, but I'll still eat it.  However, I really liked these olives.  Perhaps it was because there were garlic cloves, or the fact that I was super hungry. Either way, they were a great little snack to start us off with.

Fried brussels sprouts, lemon, garum and roasted garlic 

The tangy accent of lemon complemented the fried brussel sprouts perfectly, as the roasted garlic added a delicious flavor to the dish.  Soft, but each bushel still had a great crunch.

Roasted cauliflower, farro and almond gremolata

I've never been a big fan of cauliflower, probably because my parents always overcooked it, giving it an extra mushy and soft texture. I feel differently now about cauliflower, perhaps it was due to the fact that it was roasted. It left a smokey taste with a great crunch.  To add to the crunch texture the almonds were a great addition to the dish. I loved the flavors and the play in textures. I was such a fan of this dish.

Kale and butternutsquash, pomegranate, toasted pecan and celery root puree

Healthy and delicious. How could you resist a dish that is not only high in nutritional value, but so delicious? Love the crunch that the toasted pecan adds to the dish.

Pork and beef polpette, crushed tomatoes and parmesan

I love the combination of a pork and beef meatball.  I think it beats the classic meatball with it's flavor and it's softer texture. The crushed tomato sauce loaded on top of the meatballs were divine.  We all agreed on how simple, but delicious this dish was.

Baked semolina gnocchi, poached egg, root vegetable caponata, black olive and dried plum

Such a unique and innovative dish. I loved not only the presentation, but also the flavors in this dish.  The marriage of all the flavors worked real well together. When I see poached eggs, I think breakfast, but this dish was so much more hearty than your typical poached egg that you get served at breakfast. Definitely a must try dish.

House made fettuccine, hedgehog mushrooms, pecorino, monteporo and rosemary

Fettuccine in a delicious light creamy mushroom sauce.  The rosemary adds a distinctive fragrant taste to the dish.

Roasted young carrots with cumin and herbed creme fraiche

Delicious.  It had the texture of potato.  This was reminiscent of sweet potatoes with the sweetness of cumin along with the texture.  It was so good especially dipped in the cool herbed creme fraiche, which complemented the dish very well.

Pan seared black cod, sorrel fumetto, green garlic and meyer lemon

Crispy skin, soft buttery meat with a hint of acidity all combined together= delicious. Another great dish presented in front of us.

Rosmarino Pizza

with dumpling squash, gorgonzola, fennel, chili and pickled onion

Have I ever mentioned that pizza is my favorite junk food? Anyhow, this was definitely not your average pizza.  This gourmet pizza definitely had a great twist to it. The gorgonzola added a creamy texture and a rich flavor.  The pickled onion was another highlighted ingredient on the pizza.

Margherita Pizza

I love the simplicity of a Margherita pizza. Tomato sauce, basil and mozzarella cheese. Not the best I've had, but I still enjoyed it! Try it yourself to see how it compares to your favorite margherita pizza.

Zeppole with cardomom cream and candied orange

Reminded me of little sugared donut holes with cardamom cream. Oh so delicious.

Bittersweet chocolate cake with bergamot and buttermilk ice cream

There's something about chocolate cake that goes really well with ice cream.  Too bad, the cake was a bit to dry for my liking.

Spiced persimmon creme brulee with gingersnap cookies

Persimmon creme brulee was definitely unique. The spiced persimmon flavor definitely tones down the sweet taste of a regular vanilla creme brulee.  Gingersnap cookies were took crunchy for my liking.

Affogotto: Espresso and seven spice or jivara milk chocolate ice cream

There's something about the marriage of espresso and chocolate that makes a dessert taste so good.