Pigeon takes flight - San Francisco, CA Pt. 2

Z. Cioccolato - Russian Hill, SF

After my seafood blow-out at Sotto Mare,  I wandered up the street and the most HEAVENLY sweet smell began to waft my way. It was coming from a fudge and sweet shop called Z. Cioccolato. The large Tuscan-looking candy store stocked every flavour Salt Water Taffy, some house made ice cream and the most decadent layered fudge flavours I'd ever seen. The jolly guy behind the counter spoiled me with free samples, so much that I was too sickened to buy any. The Peanut Butter Pie Fudge was the king among deluxe fudges - A strata of Oreo cookie pie crust, with peanut butter and chocolate fudge, sticky caramel, and fluffy marshmallow (!!)

Peanut Butter Pie Fudge

 Just when I thought customer service could not impress me any more, the clerk scooped me a bag of hot caramel popcorn, gratis! Unbelievably good. Impossible to stop eating!

Free caramel popcorn

Z. Cioccolato
474 Columbus Avenue San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 395-9116

The Plant Cafe Organic - Marina, SF

To balance out all the fudge feeding, the following day I made a beeline for The Plant Cafe Organic in Marina. The Plant are the heart and home of organic, sustainable and free range food. The menu is heavily skewed in the way of vegetarians and so healthy and delicious. There are a few around town but this one at Marina/Fort Mason is the best. Its more relaxed than the other branch in the hectic Financial District, and the food is just that little bit more carefully prepared. I lunched on their signature PLANT veggie burger, $10.25 and asked for it bun-less. The veggie pattie was moist and flavoursome, made from lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews & bulgur wheat. Served with a side salad and house-made pickles, tomato, grilled onions, lettuce and vegan aioli.

PLANT burger, house made pickles, onions, relish and salad, without bun, $10.25

Pigeon takes flight - San Francisco, CA Pt. 1

Since late November I have been eating my way through the U-S of A. If you've been following my Facebook page, you would already know I'm going to be travelling around for three months and you will have already had a (vicarious) taste of what i've been noshing on. 

First stop was San Francisco, which is arguably one of the foodie capitals of the world. SF are spoilt for quality eateries, especially in the way of Mexican. Californians are passionate about organic and whole food produce too. It's hard to walk into a cafe or restaurant without finding the word 'organic', 'natural' or 'local'.  So without further ado, here's the best of my eats and treats in my favourite American city so far...

Gracias Madre - Mission, SF

The lowdown: a hip bar/restaurant with festive drinks and fresh tasting Cal-Mex that focuses on organic seasonal vegetarian produce.

Butternut pumpkin, black beans, kale, rice

Yoppi Yogurt - multiple locations

The lowdown: Voluptuous, creamy self-serve frozen yogurt sold by weight, that boasts zero fat and luxurious flavour. The cake batter flavour was the business. Classic chocolate was dreamy too.

Lots of naughty toppings!

Cake batter, chocolate, vanilla and peanut butter fro yo with Reese's bits and mini m&m's

Sotto Mare -  North Beach, SF

The low-down: Tucked away just of the main drag in Little Italy is this old school Italian Seafood eatery. The walls are clustered with nautical bits and bobs and nostalgic photos of the family who run the place. The seafood is SO fresh and SO generous. Dining alone, sadly I could not take on one of their famous Crab Cioppinos so I went for the grilled Sand Dabs, $19. At least eleven pieces of perfectly grilled fish fillets were plated in front of me. I managed to stop myself at eat five, and still felt stuffed.

Grilled Sand Dabs, $19

I surrender!

Until next time....TSP

Cantina 663, 6050

Cantina constantly turns out wonderful rustic Mediterranean suppers (and amazing scrambled eggs, but that’s another post). I dined here the very first night they opened (hell yes I just claimed that), and the food was as sumptuous back then, as it is now. The menu changes almost fortnightly, but three favourites stay. Gnocchi, duck liver parfait and gnocchi. 

Pan fried gnocchi, tomato sugo, roast carrot, olives, buffalo mozzarella, $25.5

The gnocchi at Cantina is worshipped by just about anyone who has tasted it. Little clouds of soft potato dumpling, lightly pan-fried, and arranged with the season’s best ingredients.  The delicate gnocchi pillows are so soft you don’t even have to chew them. Last week the kitchen paired the gnocchi with tomato sugo, roast carrot, olives and buffalo mozzarella, $25.5. A lovely rustic presentation of full flavours and supple textures. I have ventured outside of ordering gnocchi for dinner at Cantina many a time, and whilst I’ve never been disappointed with my choices, I’ve also never been quite as satisfied. Forget the meat, order the gnocchi. Have I mentioned the gnocchi yet? #gnocchi. 

The Holy Grail

Oh “I don’t like gnocchi”, I hear you exclaim? "Stodgy and gluggy", you say? Even if you despise this so often butchered Italian staple, I can promise you will enjoy Cantina’s creation. This gnocchi will erase all previous memories of starchy gnocchi. 

Oh and we also dined on...

Smooth and creamy duck liver parfait, onion jam, $15; a tin of the Ortiz anchovies, lemon, charred bread, shallots, parsley, $19.50; some of Rosa’s famous chorizo, house pickles, $14; and dunsborough whitebait fritters, tomato orange relish, aioli, $15. The parfait is the stand out of the entrees. The whitebait fritters were a bit doughy and not light and crisp as one imagined.  For mains we enjoyed the sweet and allspice'd jerk chicken, charred corn, sweet potato, spiced dates, $31.5 - a scrumptious nod to Creole cuisine. And also baked veal loin, mustard, crumbs, eggplant caponata, pine nuts, $33.5

Clockwise top left; duck liver parfait, whitebait fritters, baked veal loin and jerk chicken

Dessert time called for chocolate fondant and banana caramel tart with peanut butter ice cream. The tart pastry and melted centre was nothing spectacular, but the mild peanut ice cream was a treat!

Chocolate fondant and banana caramel tart

Food: 4.5/5 (Never been disappointed. Cannot get enough of the rustic Italian and Spanish eats here!)

Coffee: 4/5 (Fiori, always delicious)
Ambience: 5/5 (A little bit Tuscan, a little bit rustic and a little bit Melbourne, great location that soaks up the energy on Beaufort St.)
Service: 4/5 (snappy and knowledgeable, wait staff well versed on the menu and wine list)
Value: 3.5/5

Cafe Müeller, 6056

Where are we? A restaurant? Really?

Willkommen

All time-warped and toasty, Café Müeller is a wonderful suburban hideaway. The cottage-cum-café is a warren of cosy lampshade-lit rooms crowded with old-world paintings, funny baubles, retro pin-ups, and other pre-loved collectibles.

Dining rooms are crowded with nostalgic ornaments and documents

So. Much. Character

As the charm of the décor evolves from its quirkiness, so does the menu, or there lack of. Each evening hosts a set entrée, main and dessert, according to the whim of the chef. Soft spoken and well humoured owner, Karl Müeller runs the floor, and his partner heads up the kitchen. Do not come here if you want quick service and haute cuisine. Café Müeller is a place for mulling and lulling over warming home-cooked fodder.  Mains are about $15 and with dessert and entrée, the whole weird and wonderful experience will set you back about $30.

Mismatched glassware and table lampshades, add wit and whimsy

The cuisine at Müeller is hearty German staples. Uncomplicated food that comforts and reassures; a refreshing departure from the zeitgeist of “smears”, “foams” and “reductions”. My night at Café Müeller saw us tuck into buttery brothy soup of mixed veg and stringed chicken, to start.

Mixed vegetable and chicken soup

Accompanying the soup was the house’s gorgeous baked bread, still hot from the oven. Crunchy crust and soft dough dotted with surprising fennel seeds. Don’t resist, this bread is just too delightful to turn down.

House baked fennel seed bread

For main was a Pork Schnitzel - the quintessential cold weather comfort food. A tender schnitty was encrusted in tasty golden crumb. On the side was German potato salad, and crisp iceberg in a vinegar and mayonnaise dressing. Simple, yet zingy partners to the schnitz.

Pork schnitzel, potato salad, ice burg lettuce

Dessert of the day was homemade baked cheesecake. The cake was unpredictably light a fluffy, resembling the flavours and textures of a mild Lemon Delicious pudding. Scrumptious!

Beautiful baked souffle cheesecake

Café Müeller is a memorable and lovable place. A destination for an unhurried dinner with (free!) BYO wine, a group of your nearest and dearest and free-flowing conversation.

 Cheesecake comforts

Food: 3.5/5 (Gratifying comfort food, tastes like Nan used to make)
Ambience: 5/5 (Warm, quirky, laid-back. So much warmth.)
Service: 3/5 (Karl is very lovely but the service requires patience…or a bottle of wine!)
Value: 5/5 (Three courses and an enjoyably odd experience comes to about $30/head - bargain!)

Bistro des Artistes, 6008

When I heard French chef extraordinaire, Alain Fabregues and pastry magician, Emmanuel Mollois were opening a French bistro together, I knew it was going to be a match made in French culinary heaven.

The restaurant located on Hay St, is an airy light-filled room with polished floors, wooden bistro chairs and floor-to-ceiling mirrored wall. The room is dotted with Alain’s own whimsical artworks, mostly of which are food. The place is charming, light, and softly elegant.

You order from a set menu – two courses for $45 or three for $50, including unlimited supply of crunchy French baguette. This is superb value for the quality of food. 

For entrée I ordered Salade Nicoise my way, with Tuna, Anchovies, tomato, eggs, cos lettuce, potato salad, herbs. Every element was cooked to perfection and arranged meticulously on the plate. Potatoes blanched, tuna seared, and eggs poached, with precision. Even the little crunchy herbed crouton set off praise. Attention to detail is Alain's and Emmanuel’s strong suit. 

Tuna Nicoise

I have been to Bistro des Artistes twice, and after trying the Salmon Sausage aux Aromates with mash potato the first time, I couldn’t go past it today. Delicate salmon sausage rests on creamy garlic mash and a pool of tarragon herbed butter sauce. So good! The dish is crowned with a sweet little pastry crescent. Emmanuel takes charge of the sweet stuff, but traces of his pastry artistry are speckled throughout the savoury menu. Cute. 

Salmon sausage

The Duck confit with Sauté potatoes and pepper sauce didn’t disappoint either. The tender duck meat just about rolled off the cutlery, and the sauce had a unique flavour.

Duck confit

For desserts we shared a Floating Island and Caramel walnut tart with coffee brulée. My favourite was the tart. The coffee mousse was gooey-caramel and fluffy-whip-divine. And the pastry base? Emmanuelle’s marvelous work with pastry is unmatched. 

Floating Island and Caramel walnut tart with coffee brulee

So the food received rave reviews and the ambience was lovely, but the service does need a bit of polishing. Cutlery was forgotten, bread crumbs left  uncleared, and menu items not clearly explained. The positives definitely outweigh those negatives though.

Food: 4/5 (Delicious authentic French cuisine, thoughtful plating, careful details)
Ambience: 4/5 (Light, airy, comfortably classy)
Service: 2.5/5 (Friendly but a bit away with the fairies)
Value: 4/5 ($50 for three courses of first class French cuisine is fantastic value)

Burgers With @tt!tude, 6157

Burger joints in Perth are in abundance, so I'll get straight to the point on this one. The difference? Pretty much everything at Burgers With @tt!tude is made on-site, from scratch. Relishes, mayos, pickles, sourdough bread buns and even the meat is minced here. And the flavour truly shows.

A favourite i'm told of the owner, and now of mine, is the Mushroom burger, $14. Grilled Portobello, avocado, cheddar, coriander, lime, onion and tomato, melded with creamy whole egg mayo and zingy house pickled corn and jalapenos. Zing! The Mexican twist was an unlikely match for the rich portobello mushroom, and somehow worked wonders. The spright coriander and fresh crisp lettuce, sealed the deal.

Mushroom Burger, $14

What I couldn't get over was the lightness of the buns. Homemade sourdough which let the fillings take centre stage. The buns weren't too bread-y or bulky, just perfect. Someone knows how to bake! This burger was the best I've had in a long time. Fresh and light, yet indulgent at the same time.

The service matches up to the substance - fast, friendly and passionate. The girl at front of house is SO nice. All my niggly questions were met with enthusiastic answers and recommendations.

Burgers: 4.5/5 (Fresh fillings, unique ingredients, good vego options and classic beef burgers too, made-from-scratch condiments)
Service: 5/5 (A pleasure)
Ambience: 3.5/5 (a simple take-away or quick stop joint, few seating, clean space)
Value: 4/5

Subi Sunset Markets, 6008

For the Summer season, Subiaco Square will host twilight hawkers markets each Thursday evening. I went down on the opening night and I wasn't overly impressed with the selection to be honest. Most of food stalls I recognised from other weekly markets, and I was hoping for something new. I set my radar on the Turkish stand (forget the name, sorry!) and ordered the sort of mixed meze - an appetising array of Turkish tastes on the most gorgeous hand made dough. My plate was a rainbow of fresh salad, stuffed vine leaves, marinated eggplant, Greek yoghurt, tomato couscous and juicy flavoursome Kofte (Turkish beef meat balls), $12. My heart sank a little when I saw the lady slug some Kraft packaged dressing over my greens. The beautiful bread and  perfect kofte, went a long way in making up for this short-cut, though.

Hits: Turkish stand, Japanese savoury pastries

Misses: Packaged dressing, limited selection, not enough seating

Subi Sunset Markets
15 Nov 2012 - 13 Dec 2012
Subiaco Square Road (next to Subi train station)

Gaya, Roving

Have you witnessed the Mad Hatters Markets in Freo? They pop up at King’s Square, Wednesday – Sunday. Not quite as extensive as neighbouring markets, there are a few snack lunch options including an organic hot donut truck, Thai street snacks and Pho, among folk selling fresh produce.

I love any meal where you get to mix and play, and so my top pick from Mad Hatters, is Gaya – dishing out the Bibimbap, a Korean meal staple with a modern twist. Gaya is run by a guy whose passion for the Bibimbap is evident in his thoughtful assembly of this multi-faceted bowl of goodness. Every ingredient, as Gaya guy will explain, has a nutritional benefit. A wonderfully varietal and colourful lunch! 

Each day Mr. Gaya will vary the toppings slightly. My Bibimbap was a kaleidoscope of mixed fresh and home-pickled veggies - purple cabbage, lightly tendered zucchini, fresh broad beans, crunchy walnuts, bee pollen, bean shoots, pickled radish, wilted spinach, sesame seeds, cooked carrots and a squirt of Korean hot sauce, all atop wholesome brown rice.

Nothing originates from a jar at Gaya, all components are made lovingly from scratch at the Gaya's home. Even his Miso is the real deal.

Catch Gaya now at the City Twilight Hawkers Markets, every Friday from 5 through Summer.

Sweet Java, 6050

So long as you can accept that service from the front of house is going to be a little lax, then I think you can really fall in love with Sweet Java. Customers are divided over the owners "rude" demeanour and "laid-back service", but if you take it with a grain of salt, and are feeling relaxed, you'll find amusement in his eccentric personality and even relish in the mellow mood.

  

  

The cooking here, by the truly lovely lady chef who's smile could light up Times Square on New Years Eve, is divine. Honest Indonesian cuisine, in generous servings, presented simply. Gratifying comfort food when you want it to be. Many of the delicious dishes can be tailored to vegetarians too.

The Nasi Goreng Special, $16 is a Sweet Java staple. It comes with two achingly tender chicken skewers smothered in house satay - order it and tell me its not the best you've ever had outside of Bali. 

Nasi Goreng, $16

The Gado Gado, $14- chunky tofu, steamed potato, hard boiled egg and lettuce, dressed in a sweet and salty peanut sauce, is a killer dish for vegetarians. Even if you aren't, actually. 

Gado Gado, $14

The Rendang Sapi, $17 (Beef Rendang curry) is bundled with flavour - fragrant kaffir lime and lemongrass, sweet coconut milk, met with salty melt-off-your-fork beef.  A hard number not to stuff away in your gob!

Steaming Rendang Sapi, $17

The Sweet Java establishment is a raffish hardly-coverted-old home, with adoringly kitsch quasi-Indo decoration. Dusky lighting and the oasis location on a residential street, make it a casual, yet romantic place to dine. Alternatively, this is the perfect equation for boozey dinners among well known and neighbours. I speak from personal experience. On that note, Sweet Java have a very liberal BYO policy (bring a carton of beer if you like) and even a self-serve bar fridge to keep your grog cool :D

     This humble spot is a sanctuary for lovingly made food and peaceful nights. Sweet Java has "hidden gem" written all over it.   

Food: 4.5/5 (Delightful!)

Service: 3/5 (Leisurely, but no complaints if you're not in a rush, 'cos these guys aren't either)

Ambience: 4/5 (Casual, quaint and lovingly mis-matched)

Value: 4.5/5 (Decent servings and quality cooking for the price plus FREE corkage)