Café Rouge: Rouge Burger

Café Rouge is located on 4th street in Berkeley, where boutique stores and gourmet shops thrive in a span of two blocks among an industrial area of the city. 

It's a sustainable, organic-inspired restaurant like many you would find in the Bay Area -- especially Berkeley, with many gourmet establishments carrying on the tradition of California cuisine by following the footsteps of Chez Panisse owner Alice Waters. 

Café Rouge blends Mediterranean and American dishes, focusing on fresh meat and house-made charcuterie. Next door is a gourmet grocery, which seems to spill over onto the restaurant as you can see the butcher's counter towards the back with their glistening, succulent rotisserie chickens in constant rotation. 

I've only ever ordered the Rouge Burger in all the times that I've been here. Why?

Rouge Burger, $13. An extra $.50 for the grilled red onion.

First off, the burger itself is a thick mound of freshly ground beef. The first bite is startling as it's literally "hot off the press." The scalding hot juices ooze out with your first attempt to bite and you'll have to hold back, which makes it even more enticing. I had mine with a generous slice of grilled red onion -- the burger itself comes plain, but you can add toppings for an extra $0.50-$1.50. 

All the elements of the dish, from the touch of pickled onion to the perfectly toasted roll to the tasty natural-cut fries, came together nicely.

Location: 

1782 Fourth Street

Berkeley 

Ravenous for Ribs: Everett and Jones

You know that you've embarked upon a real ribs establishment when you can already smell the smoky goodness the moment you open your car door in the parking lot of Everett and Jones. This place has always been my family's go-to for ribs, and this past weekend we took them up for a picnic at Tilden Park.

Slabs of ribs waiting to be had...

The place is no-frills and pretty straightforward. You can have a two-way, three-way, or four-way combination plate where you can choose between ribs, links, chicken, or beef with a side of your choice (baked beans, collard greens, potato salad, macaroni salad, cornbread, or coleslaw). As a family, we always order the Slab of Ribs, which is just that -- ribs enough for 4 people with a side of potato salad and slices of bread -- all for about $30. We also add a side of baked beans for $1.50.

The ribs are slathered in sauce and go hand-in-hand perfectly with the mashed potatoes and baked beans. The incredibly tender and perfectly marinated meat fell off the bone nicely. It was perfect picnic fare, but be sure to have tons of napkins handy.

Everett and Jones

1955 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley

Mon - Thursday, 11 am - 9 pm
Fri and Sat, 12pm - 12am
Sun, 12pm - 9 pm

Birthday Dinner at Alegrias Spanish Restaurant: Arroz Negro and Tapas

Lately, I've been inspired by Spanish and Latin American culture due to some nostalgia about my trip to Barcelona about a year ago and interest in Argentine film (well, more like an Argentine actor).

For my 25th birthday dinner, I wanted to go to a Spanish restaurant -- specifically, one that serves arroz negro -- a paella blackened with squid ink. It was my favorite part of my culinary adventure in Spain. It's hard to find Spanish restaurants that serve this, especially in the size and price that Alegrias Spanish Restaurant. The place is family-owned and have been around for about 16 years. The ambiance is very homey, dimly lit, and intimate. They have a nice wine selection that focuses on Spain and Latin America, and also feature Spanish beers.

We started off the meal with a pitcher of decent sangria, which perfectly filled up glasses for 4 people. It was well-balanced, fruity but not so much to deter you from the taste of the wine.

Sangria Pitcher, $20

We then ordered 4 hot tapas plates: Callos a la Madrileña, Patatas Alioli, Calamares 
 Fritos con Alioli, and Gambas al Ajillo.

Right: Calamares Fritos con Alioli ($9.95), Back: Patatas Alioli ($6.95), Callos a la Madrileña ($8.95)

Gambas al Ajillo ($9.95)

The tapas are served first as it takes 30 minutes to prepare, so might as well curb the hunger with these amazingly flavorful small plates. The callos is filled with rich and flavorful tripe derived from slices of chorizo and hints of saffron sizzling in tomato sauce. Gambas al ajillo is chockful of jumbo shrimp that is slightly spicy in a sauce with bits of roasted garlic. The calamares fritos con alioli are perfectly crisped rings served with an orange garlic aioli sauce. This same sauce is used to slather the fried cubes of potato in the patatas alioli, which makes it all the more addictive. I presumed that this same sauce would be served alongside the arroz negro, as it is practically the "cherry on top" of the dish. 

Arroz Negro ($18.50) and Paella a la Valenciana con Chorizo Español ($22.95)

Lo and behold, there was a mound of that garlic aioli sitting in the middle of the arroz negro. You can either mix it all in or dollop it on to your serving -- I prefer to do the latter. The paella valenciana with Spanish chorizo was filled to the brim with seafood, chicken, and slices of succulent chorizo. I was amazed at the size of both paellas, as they each are good enough for 3 people. Having two of them just means more wealth to be shared. Compared to what I had in Spain, the paellas were both drier (more to my liking) and I couldn't resist the crispy burnt edges. I was very impressed with both of them and will definitely be ordering them on my next visit. 

Free flan for my birthday and Panqueque de Manzanas ($7)

I failed to take a picture of the Panqueque de Manzanas, as it was flambéed with rum. It's a crepe-like pancake that's filled with sweet slices of apples and topped with vanilla ice cream and a lot of rum. The flan was incredibly creamy and sweet in its sugary sauce. Both were a great way to end such a savory dinner. I left the restaurant feeling full but not TOO full. I still had enough room to have some birthday cake later in the night.

Location: 

2018 Lombard Street  

San Francisco

Open nightly at 5:30pm for dinner

Off the Bucket List: Steak Frites at L'Ardoise

Upon entering the corner restaurant L'Ardoise Bistro at Noe and Henry in the quiet residential area of the Castro, you are immediately greeted with a sense of suspense. Before you is a heavy black curtain that, when opened, seemingly transports you from a sunny San Franciscan neighborhood to a dimly lit Parisian bistro, in all its antique flair. 

You almost feel like you've embarked on some best-kept secret. 

The French waitstaff is incredibly accommodating, addressing you as "Madame" or "Monsieur." Of course I took this opportunity to converse with them, and they were really warm and responsive to it, which added a special touch to the whole ambiance. You can see chef Thierry Clement through the kitchen's hand-off window. Occasionally he'll look out and you might exchange a smile with him. Admittedly, you almost never get this such personable service and demeanor in Paris because, well, it's Paris. 

The bread served here is warm, crusty and incredibly moist. You never see the bottom of your bread basket, nor the halfway point of your water glass, as they're both constantly filled. These were points commonly emphasized on Yelp, including the fact that they fold your napkin into a neat triangular prism shape while you're in the bathroom. It's their attention to detail which translates remarkably into the way they cook their food...

Black Angus Hangar Steak w/ Pommes Frites in St. Emilion wine sauce, $19

This dish was listed on 7x7 magazine's 2012 foodie bucket list. For good reason of course, as the hanger steak is incredibly succulent and unabashedly decadent. The pommes frites are shoestrings at their best, and when drenched in the rich wine sauce, are addictive. Garlic aioli is served to accompany the pommes frites but you can pretty much put it on anything. The proportion of it all was just right and everything flavor-wise was well-balanced. 

Bistro Coq au Vin in Rich Red Wine Sauce, $19

The coq au vin was smoky and properly prepared, as the meat was literally falling off the bone. Swimming in the hearty sauce is spinach, mushrooms, and potatoes so that every bite you take is just as good, if not better, than the last. 


I'd definitely come back to try their duck confit or pan roasted rack of lamb, and to just experience a truly unique joyau français in the heart of the Castro again.

Location:

151 Noe Street

San Francisco

Tuesday - Thursday 5:30pm-10pm 

Friday - Saturday 5:00pm-11:00pm

Off the bucket list...Duck Larb at Lers Ros Thai

Hayes Valley, or "yuppie central" as I'd like to call it, is home to Lers Ros Thai -- I've written about this place previously.

This time around, though, I had their Larb Phed Yang (duck larb) -- chunks of roasted duck mixed with rice powder, chili powder and lime based salad dressing, served alongside pieces of lettuce. 

Duck larb, $9.95

You wrap the fatty, vinegary, ducky bits into the lettuce like a mini wrap. It cuts the greasiness and has a clean finish. The standard level of spiciness of the meat is "medium-spicy" but you can ask for it to be mild. 

This appetizer is just enough for four people, which will leave you wanting more...

Location: 

307 Hayes Street 

San Francisco

415-874-9661 

10:30am-11pm

Off the bucket list...Mitchell's Ice Cream; Ube Ice Cream

With warm weather creeping up on us – while we hold our breath of course, this is San Francisco after all – ice cream joints become increasingly busier.

One place that has been busy regardless of rain or shine has been Mitchell's Ice Cream, which has been a praised local establishment since 1953.

Their ube ice cream is the most notable flavor, as it has found a place in 7x7's Big Eat list. Ube is the Philippine term for purple yam. Philippine bakeries serve ube in all forms – cakes, rolls, and rice muffins. It's sweet and somewhat chalky, but in Mitchell's ice cream-form it's incredibly creamy without being too decadent. 

Other Philippine flavors pepper their menu such as buko (baby coconut), halo halo (buko, langka, ube, pineapple, mongo, and sweet beans), lankgka (jackfruit, relative of the fig), and macapuno (sweet coconut).

The traffic is controlled pretty well via a “please take a number” system, so don't be too intimidated, as turnover is fast.

A single scoop is pretty hefty for $3.25.

Location:
688 San Jose Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94110


Open daily 11am-11pm

Off the bucket list...Balompie Cafe 3: Pupusas

The list known as Big Eat 2012, featured in the March issue of San Francisco's lifestyle magazine, 7x7: http://www.7x7.com/eat-drink/big-eat-2012-list...

quite aptly called, 100 Things To Eat Before You Die. It's a mix of the old faithfuls and new faithfuls: Prime Rib at the historic House of Prime Rib to the Salted Cod Rice at a more recent hotspot Mission Chinese Food.

Being the ambitious foodie that I am, I aim to tackle this list before the year's end. So far, I've made it through 11, 9 of which I had before knowing of the list's existence.

I've known about pupusas. For some reason, I never had and them. Which was stupid. Because they're simply amazing.

At Balompie Cafe 3 in Bernal Heights, on the corner of Mission and Richland, I ordered out two pupusas – Queso, and Chicharrón y Queso ($1.95 each if taken out, $2.50 if dined in). My car was bathed with a pancakey tortilla scent that made me salivate all the way home...

My order, totaling $4.23, came with a side of curtido – a Salvadoran pickled cabbage mix with onions, carrots, and a hint of lemon juice with a dash of cilantro. It also was accompanied by a mild, watery tomato salsa.

The pupusa itself is a thick, hand-made corn tortilla made with masa de maiz (maize flour dough), giving it its density. The cheese is quesillo, a soft white cheese found in South America and can be ordered with ground, paste-like pork, or spinach or zucchini – although Queso and Chicharrón y Queso are the most popular.

One thing I know for sure is that I'll definitely be coming back for more..

Location:

Balompie #3

3801 Mission Street, San Francisco

11am-10pm

Closed Tuesdays

Saturday / Sunday: 9am-10pm

Balompie Cafe

3349 18^th Street, San Francisco

8am-9:30pm Everyday

Burrito, Sweat, and Tears: Chicken Tikka Masala Burrito at Curry Up Now

Chicken tikka masala in a burrito. What a genius concept. I credit my wonderful coworker Margaux for introducing me to Curry Up Now, a restaurant (and food truck) based in San Mateo. 

Chicken Tikka Masala Burrito, as big as your face = $8

They have a convenient online ordering service that lets you pay and know exactly what time it will be ready, which is what I did, and it turned out great. This is a good option especially around the worker bee lunch hour. The place was bustling when we picked up our order! 

 The above picture was taken at my desk, after a couple of bites into it. It is PACKED with rice, chickpeas, onion, and delectable bits of chicken slathered in spicy sauce. Oh it is SPICY. And I chose to get their medium heat sauce too. I can only imagine what the two higher levels are like. I was literally sweating, sniffling, and tearing up...to the point of which I only consumed 1/3 of it. It was intense. I shoved the rest in a UPS shipping label bag as that was the closest and best resource, wrote my name on a post-it, stuck it on there and put it in the fridge -- as if anyone else in the office would even want to know what it is -- but I did not want to risk the theft of such amazingness. 

My coworker later said, "I'm glad you didn't accidentally ship it with your book swaps to Pearson." 

I bet they'd be thankful. 

So I finished it off for dinner... and after the last, amazing bite that I savored -- I was honestly looking forward to the next time I'd have another.


I'd like try their Deconstructed Samosa, which is exactly what it is. A huge samosa smashed and taken apart, topped with a spicy sauce and sprinkled with mini samosas.

Location:

129 South B Street 

San Mateo

11am-9pm Mon-Thurs

11am-10pm Fri/Sat

11:30am-9pm Sun

Back to Back, A Perfect Combo: Lers Ros Thai and Smitten Ice Cream – Gems of the Hayes Valley

And the never-ending foodie adventures continue with my family. This weekend in particular we checked out the Hayes Valley – a district of the city I had never hung around – but now have every excuse to do so. The perfect weather this past weekend definitely helped the cause. It's a part of town filled with twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings, and families alike. Hayes Street is lined with cute boutiques A tiny, grassy square off is bordered by a biergarten (what!), a confisserie with dainty candy treats on display, and...Smitten Ice Cream. More on that later, as I want to walk you through the decadent day as it occurred.

We went to Lers Ros Thai for lunch. It's not your average Thai restaurant by looking at its facade – it's modern, sleek, and seems to be furnished by Ikea – you sit on clear plastic chairs. I know what you might be thinking: From these aesthetics alone, how could this somewhat pretentious setting bear amazing, authentic food? 

 

Well, quite simply, it does.

Don't get me wrong, the prices exceed say, King of Thai, by a couple dollars – not a bad thing.

The service is prompt and quick, as most experiences I've had at Thai restaurants have been.

Everything blew me away: 

Pad Thai ($8.95)

 

 

 

A usual, predictable choice – but I don't care. I love it. Here, it's perfect. The texture is where it should be – I've had some before where the noodles were just too soggy and it was like I was eating Pad Thai spaghetti. 

Kang Daeng ($10.95)

 

This is a wonderfully spicy Thai curry with Thai eggplant, Bamboo shoot, bell peppers, and sliced meat of your choice – we had chicken. The bowl that it's served in can be rather deceiving, but it was able to perfectly fill 4 people. The sauce is addictive and I couldn't help but slather it on my rice, as I did so many times when I made green curry during my days as an expat in France. It's well-balanced and incredibly satisfying. 

Pad Kra Prow Moo Krob

($10.95)

This is where the Filipino in me salivates. For those of you who are familiar with Philippine cuisine, one of our star players is Lechon Kawali – chopped stir-fried or broiled pork belly. In this Thai dish, it's mixed with basil leaves and in that “Pad Kra” kind of way. I typically have this with minced beef but who knew it would be great with a dish that I've had all my life? Pretty awesome, I must say.

Nuer Yang ($10.95)

This is broiled top-sirloin beef, sliced and served with lime juice. As simple as it sounds, it actually tastes quite unique – I don't know how else to describe it – but there must be something in the marinade that makes it taste so magical. There's definitely some citrus action going on, as it tastes very tangy and fresh.

Of course with our mouths inflamed, we were in the mood for some ice cream. Luckily, down a couple blocks from Lers Ros after a sharp turn to the left next to the aforementioned park, sits Smitten Ice Cream. A modern-day ice cream stand. It's ice cream made to order and instantly frozen with liquid nitrogen. 

The result of this method is creamier ice cream: 

 

All the flavors are great, but my favorite would have to chocolate as chocolate is my favorite thing ever.

Locations:

 

Lers Ros Thai

307 Hayes Street, San Francisco

between Franklin and Gough

Open Daily 10am-11pm

Smitten Ice Cream

432 Octavia Street, San Francisco

Open Everyday from 12pm-9pm, until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays

Fremont Diner: Slow down for slow food...

If you're ever on a road trip through the Napa/Sonoma area, and have a hankering for some American classics with locally-grown flair, The Fremont Diner might very well be your place. 

Located off the Carneros Highway, the revamped diner looks and feels incredibly down-home and local. You can take a seat up front on a bar stool, sit on tables alongside in their lawn area, or dine indoors surrounded by an air of nostalgia. This place does have an edge as it attracts a broad demographic, from foodies to people who've just happened to stumble across a curiously bustling place. There are no frills here, just honest good food.

Upon being seated, we're served glasses of water in mason jars with handles -- pretty cute. The menu is aesthetically pleasing too.

Grapefruit Avocado Salad, $8.25

The Grapefruit Avocado Salad is incredibly refreshing -- grapefruit, avocados, smoked bacon, and Point Reyes bleu cheese dressing on top of a wealthy bed of county line greens. I'm not normally a big fan of bleu cheese, but as part of this combination, it has won me over. Perhaps it could have been the fact that we were sitting in a sunny part of the diner, which made this salad so quenchable. 

Fremont Burger, $9.50

I had such a craving for a burger and french fries at the time (well, that's pretty much all the time anyway), so I went ahead and ordered the Fremont Burger. A Five Dot Ranch beef patty dripping in fantastic grease simply garnished with lettuce, cheddar cheese, and pickle on a potato bun along with hand-cut fries...what more can you ask for? The burger tastes quite freshly ground, giving it a unique taste. 

Oyster Po' Boy, $11.99

Po' Boy anything and I'm there. Here,  their Oyster Po' Boy is a must: Drake's Bay oysters, remoulade, lettuce, and Fremont bacon on an artisan roll. It's served with a side salad and pickled onions. The oysters are fried to perfection and it makes you want to savor every bite. It's a good idea that they serve a side salad as opposed to fries, as I think having both would just be overboard -- there needs to be something to cut the bad stuff, if you can handle it. 








Location: 

2660 Fremont Drive, Sonoma 

Open Monday to Friday, 8am-3-pm
Saturday and Sunday: 8am-4pm


In other words, open for Breakfast/Early lunch/Late Lunch/Really Early Dinner.

The Chairman's Pork Belly Baked Bun...Finally

I've been going to Off the Grid at their various Bay Area locations since last summer and every time is anything but a disappointment. I've always heard high praise about The Chairman and their Pork Belly buns but had never gotten around to trying it because they always have massive lines that my grumbling stomach had zero tolerance for. 

The Chairman Food Truck at Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos

But yesterday was finally the day that I would try the hyped sandwich (and all this time I thought it was a meat filled bun!). Pork belly = tons of fat. Upon picking it up, drips of grease fell upon my biodegradable take-out box...a sign that a marvelous thing is about to happen. My salivary glands kicked in at full gear. That first bite, as is with most things, is always the best. I found myself scarfing it down and not wanting it to end at the same time...

Pork Belly Baked Bun ($6.75) 

The truck offers other meat options: Red Sesame Chicken with Scallion and Bok Choy, Spiced Duck Confit with Fresh Mango Salad, Braised Pork with Savoy Cabbage and Preserved Mustard Seeds, as well as a vegetarian option: Crispy Garlic Tofu with Miso Greens. You can either get these in a baked bun (pictured above) or a small (3-bite size) steamed bun for $3.75. But you may as well go all the way with a baked bun if your passionate about one item over the others.

This line was probably the longest among all the trucks, as it always, and now I can say that is for a good and obvious reason.

You can follow The Chairman's weekly whereabouts on their Twitter and Facebook page...so stalk away.

Capacity:24, yet serving bottomless stomachs: Loi's Vietnamese Restaurant

I can't believe that in the 5 1/2 months I have been writing in the blog, I haven't shed light on what I think to be the best Vietnamese restaurant in the Sunset District. 

My family and I have been going to Loi's Vietnamese Restaurant for as long as we've lived here -- 15 years. Whenever the mood for Vietnamese rice noodle soup, Phở, strikes and we're in San Francisco, this is the place to be. You'll notice right away that it's a local favorite from the crowd that forms under its red awning, eagerly peeking through the windows to see if a table opens up because the hunger pains/salivation are too much to handle. The restaurant is tiny in size, but the portions and incredibly cheap prices are more than enough to compensate. You're here for the food, anyway. 

#1, Loi's Special Beef Noodle Soup, size XL ($5.75)

The picture of the soup above doesn't do it justice. Typically my family of 4 and I split this if we're going to order a couple dishes of BBQ Pork over rice. The soup practically arrives a couple minutes after you order it, steaming hot and fresh. The bits of beef are a bit raw but dipping and swishing it will cook it in an instant. The broth is rich and incredibly comforting that you'd want to slurp it all up (guilty!). And you can't go wrong with adding bits of Sriracha hot sauce, and I tend to do so to a point that I am sniffling and crying from how amazing the world is now that I am reveling in this soup. 

#16, Vietnamese Beef over rice noodle with egg roll ($5.50)

Pictured above is a noodle dish sans the soup, but instead topped with BBQ beef, egg roll, cabbage, carrots, and cucumber. I had this for the first time in Paris (where the best Asian food there would have to be Vietnamese, hands down). It's a refreshing combination, almost a bit like a form of Filipino pancit but with a tangy bite from the sweet chili sauce that is meant to be poured over. This is easily a dish that can be split between two people as well, but good luck even wanting to share. 

#26, BBQ Pork over rice with egg roll ($5.50)

I've always loved to order BBQ Pork over rice, because what's there not to love? You have perfectly cooked pieces of BBQ Pork topped with savory peanuts, a side of egg roll (or a fried egg for an extra buck), and that heavenly sweet chili sauce. 


How can food so good and authentic cost so little? Well that's the beauty and endless satisfaction of Vietnamese food.

Location: 

2228 Irving Street 

San Francisco

Weekdays: 11am-9pm

Weekends: 11am-9:30pm

Closed on Wednesdays

Lucky River Restaurant is my "New Lim's Garden" in SF

A couple blocks down from my place is a corner Chinese restaurant called Lucky River, it's a small, hidden gem in this area, and you'll come out of their feeling beyond satisfied...and for me, I'm always going to take advantage of my walks to and from the place.

They have a really good prefix menu for a minimum party of 2 people. My sister and I had the #2, which is $8.95 per person and gives you all this:

Fried Wontons

 

Hot and Sour Soup

Almond Chicken

 Sweet and Sour Pork

Yung Chow Fried Rice

Above all, the fried rice was the best. There's nothing like a hot-off-the-press plate of Yang Chow fried rice that really pulls together this combination of dishes. The almond chicken isn't normally something I'd order but it was a good balance against my all-time favorite dish, sweet and sour pork. The hot and sour soup was a perfect start, especially given the chilly night. 

They also have roast duck (Quarter: $6.95// Half $8.95) hanging in the window -- something I'll definitely have to try next!

Location: 
700 Monterey Boulevard, San Francisco, 94112
Open Daily from 11am to 9:30pm 
Free Delivery (415) 587-1826 
To-Go and Pickup (415) 587-1819