San Francisco Snapshot: Auberge du Soleil + Benu

This is extremely delayed, but.... visited San Francisco for the first time (that I can remember) this past Labor Day weekend! All I can say is, super jealous of the amazing weather all year round, but we're having a pretty warm winter season here in NYC this year so thanks El Niño! Anyway, a brief photo summary of this past vacation:

Auberge Du Soleil

I can't imagine a more perfect way to end a day of wine tasting in Napa Valley than dinner with a few of your closest friends on the terrace of Auberge Du Soleil, overlooking an amazing view as the sun sets. The service and food was decent, though I feel a large contributor to their one-Michelin star award would probably be its location / view.

Amuse + Palette cleanser:Tomato + Ricotta, Corn soup (I think) and
Appetizer: Sauteed Foie Gras
Second Course: Seared Ahi Tuna
Main: Prime Beef Pave
Dessert: Chocolate Devil's Food Cake, Mint Ice Cream

If only every day could end like this...

Benu

No words (that I could come up with, at least) could ever perfectly describe just how good Benu is. It has been called Asian fusion, but comparing it to those "Fusion"-style restaurants so many of us are familiar with is like saying Babbo, Batali's pasta haven in New York's West Village, tastes just like Olive Garden. I know, blasphemy, right? Having been awarded its third Michelin star only a year ago, Corey Lee's Benu is both classic and innovative. Being Asian, our group was very familiar with many of the flavors and concepts presented to us, but each dish still managed to surprise and impress us with its execution. That being said, culinary perfection does not come cheap - tasting menu without wine, tip or tax is currently priced at $248 per person.

Here and There

Just a few random posts from past meals out around the city:

Maialino

Proschiutto + Mozzarella; Bread Basket; Fritto Misto (with soft shell crab!!!)

Seafood Stew; Sucking Pig; Trio of pastas (vongole, cacio e pepe, ragu)

L'Artusi

Roasted mushroom with pancetta and fried egg, Crispy potatoes

Potato Gnocchi + Rabbit Cacciatore, Olive Oil Cake
Rhubarb Crostata, Cavatelli + Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Nakazawa

Dreams do come true! After multiple failed attempts, I was finally able to reserve two seats at the bar at Sushi Nakazawa. Daisuke Nakazawa, who most people recognize as the Jiro apprentice who labored over his egg tamago for months and cried when Jiro finally approved of it, personally serves each piece of his omakase menu to his customers, which made getting a week night reservation top priority for me (he doesn't work on the weekends). Sitting at the bar is a completely different experience compared to the dining room, and though it serves the same menu for $30 more, it is without a doubt worth the extra money to watch the sushi chefs cut, prepare and season each piece of nigiri. Sushi Nakazawa is not super traditional as each piece of fish is enhanced in some way through salt, smoke or shiso leaves, but I felt that made the entire meal more exciting. Final verdict? Worth it!

Ivory King Salmon, Japanese salt

Copper River Salmon, Hay Smoked

Scallop, Yuzu

Cuttlefish, Shiso Leaf, Ume Plum Jelly

Japanese Flounder, Dried Cherry Blossom

Rosy Seabass

Mackerel three ways: Spanish, Horse, Mackerel

Spotted Prawn, Ossetra Caviar

Snow Crab, Innards

Farewell to Sugiyama

It's been over 15 years since Sugiyama was first given three stars by Ruth Reichl during her last year as a food critic for the New York Times. Since then, countless restaurants have come and go, but Sugiyama has remained a stationary institution, continuously opening the eyes of weary, critical New Yorkers to the traditional kaiseki cuisine of Japan.

All good things must come to an end, and it was a bittersweet dinner as we visited the restaurant before its closing at the end of May.

We trusted our waiter with a sake recommendation and he did not fail us!
Sakizuke: Seasonal appetizer (monkfish liver)
Zensai: Delicate arrangement of seasonal Japanese fish and vegetable

Tukuri: Assorted sashimi
Suimono: Seasonal clear soup
Nimono: Seasonal vegetables cooked in light sauce

Ishiyaki: Tenderloin served on hot stone
Oshinogi: Oshisushi

Shokuji: Home made rice with various vegetables, miso soup, and Japanese pickles
Dessert: Grape fruit wine jelly with cream

If you have the chance, visit soon and say your own goodbyes!

Lucky Peach

Ever since watching The Mind of a Chef, I've been dying to try David Chang's Momofuku Ko, his chef's table, tasting menu-format restaurant in the East Village. Thanks to the best boyfriend, I had the opportunity to finally try it out during my birthday weekend. What followed was three hours of culinary innovation and an open-kitchen experience.

lobster paloise, tartlet

vegetable roll 

millefeuille

madal - consomme, shiso

razor clam - pineapple, basil

sunchoke - dry aged beef, tarragon

uni - chickpea, hozon

Skewers + Plates

Slowly making my way through my most recent food experiences... Had the extreme luxury of dining at a few more Michelin-starred restaurants over the past few months. From Japanese to French to Modern American, the prix-fixe / tasting menu format really allowed us to experience the most of what the places had to offer.

Torishin

Torishin offers probably one of the best tasting menus for the value - $65 per person for an appetizer, a few small plates, 8 skewers (6 meat, 2 vegetable), a rice dish and dessert. I'm usually not a huge fan of chicken (which this place specializes in), but every skewer I tried was different in texture and taste, while still bursting with flavor. I was unbelievably stuffed by the end and would probably opt for a la carte next time I visit, but for those who have a big appetite, this is the perfect dinner spot.

A few skewers (I think these two are chicken thigh and heart), grated daikon and an appetizer of grilled uni that we ordered on the side

Yam, radish, tobiko, quail egg and seaweed; chicken breast with plum and shiso; chicken meatball; chicken oysters; shishito peppers; chicken cartilage

Potatoes; another appetizer ordered on the side (scallops and mushrooms); oyako don (chicken and egg over rice); green tea ice cream

Dovetail

At $88 a person, the four-course menu at Dovetail is not a bad deal and the portions are definitely sufficient. For an even more affordable multi-course meal, I would recommend going on Sunday nights for their "Sunday Suppa" menu, which offers an appetizer, entree and ice cream sundae dessert for under $60. Overall, the food and presentation was executed very well, but there was nothing extremely special about the cuisine that would bring me back anytime soon. However, definitely a solid option for those looking for a fancy / romantic date night or dinner out with the parents!

Great bread selection (truffle arancini, cornbread and multigrain cracker); Potato soup (I think) and a tiny lettuce wrap; Steak tartare, chayote, pumpkin seeds, masa

Venison, saucisson poivre, salsify, trumpet mushrooms; Tuna crudo, baby beets, watercress, pumpernickel; Baked cauliflower, caramelized onion quinoa, dandelions 

Popcorn sorbet; Mignardises; Bittersweet chocolate souffle, cardamom, earl grey ice cream; Brie creme brulee, pecan financier, pineapple, sherbet

The Modern at MoMA

My friend was super excited about visiting The Modern, mainly because it was located in the Museum of Modern Art, and was known for its supposedly artful presentation and ambience. The dining room itself is beautiful with floor to ceiling glass windows that showcase the outdoor sculpture garden (unfortunately we had a later dinner so were unable to enjoy the views outside). Right outside is the Bar Room, an open area with a more casual dining atmosphere with smaller tables and a bar.

Going Global: California to Stockholm

Sharing a few more of my recent restaurant visits...

Upland

Upland is honestly one of my favorite places I've been to over the past few months. The layout of the venue is open and casual and the vibe was very lively and energetic the night we went. I usually don't comment on the service (prefer to focus on the food...) but our waiter was extremely personable and engaging throughout our entire meal without approaching the line of being too overbearing. The food and wine was also on point - not sure what all this "California-inspired" cuisine really means, but it was a great balance between "the classics" and innovation. Best part of the night? The bread. May or may not have polished off two whole loaves...

Unfortunately this was one of those prototypical NYC restaurants that loves dim / candle-lit lighting..
Warm and crusty potato bread; Beef Tartare, black trumpet mushroom, puffed farro, anchovy + egg yolk

Roasted Short Rib (for two), castelvetrano olives, walnuts, celery + horseradish
Whole Crispy Mushroom; Estrella pasta, chicken liver, sherry, rosemary + sage; Chocolate tart

Aquavit

I also had the opportunity to visit Aquavit, the modern Nordic establishment that just earned its second Michelin star this year. Good food, good wine and good conversation made it the perfect reunion for the Senior Eating Club. It was my first experience with the suddenly popular "New Nordic" cuisine, and I found that it involved a lot of smoke and seafood, which was more or less what I expected but was still executed very well. We opted for the Chef's Tasting to get a true experience of what Aquavit had to offer, and though I have to honestly say that it wasn't exciting enough to warrant a return visit anytime soon, the food was all very good and the dessert was definitely something to remember (and the only thing that I would strongly consider going back for).