More Hot Sauce

   A few posts back I ranted a bit about hot sauces, none of it too flattering. I'd like to balance that vitriol with some positive palaver here about the sauce pictured. My benefactor, the fabulous Johnny Davis of Bender's notoriety, brought this back from NOLA and presented it to me at Finnegans yesterday, and along with some fresh, very ripe Mendocino strawberries driven in at great expense by Hank Hammond, just made my day!
   This sauce is not new on the market. It is made by the venerable Panola Co. in Louisiana and has been around for at least ten years, if not longer. It contains predominately habanero peppers, along with tabasco and cayenne peppers. It contains no oleoresin capsicum to make it hot because it DOESN'T NEED IT! It's got vinegar, garlic, onion, salt, etc. and some Red Dye #40 to give it its bloody color - for those of you concerned about dyes, #40 is generally made from, of all things, mild red peppers.
   I'm sure this is available online, and I would definitely try substituting it for Tabasco in that next Bloody Mary

Wild Kitchen Dinner No. 2

   I'll be blunt and say I don't think this dinner was quite as satisfying as the first one. For starters, it began an hour earlier and went almost an hour longer - five hours all total. The noise level was a good deal higher, making it almost impossible to talk to anyone, other than the person on either side of you, without rasing your voice considerably. And most important, the food, while adequate, just didn't show the imagination displayed by its predecessor.
   Due to my amateurish photog skills, some pics are a little blurry and will not be posted here - c'est le vie.
At the top is Black Sea Bass with Pickled Daikon and Greens. This was a great to start the meal, the buttery fattiness of the bass countered by the slight bitterness of the greens and the sweet pungency of the daikon. Next came the Cream of Wild Nettle Soup, full of flavors that everybody guessing. And then the high point of the meal (for me), the Sonoma Duck Breast Risotto with Huckleberries - just outstanding! A nice salad of Mixed Greens with Red and Gold Beets ensued, and then the only real disappointing course, Wild Artichokes with Garlic Aioli. These were a lot of work for very little edible content, and the flavor wasn't captivating.
   Not pictured are the Wild Mushroom with Chevre Gallette, another outstanding course; the Wild Albacore with Jalapeno and Ponzu and everybody's favorite course, dessert, which in this case was a Lavender Cheesecake with Lavender Honey.
   If your interested in future Wild Kitchen Dinners, go to: www.foragesf.com and get on their mailing list.

Kitchen Kounsel

   I like fresh spinach, even if it has no nutritional value, other than roughage, unless it's cooked. To make washing it a little easier, add some salt to the water you use. This helps to keep grit from adhering to the spinach, and you save some time and water.

The Tee Off, 3129 Clement St., at 32nd Ave.

   If I had known that Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives had just re-run the episode that included this place, I would have gone elsewhere yesterday. Harold Wong, a member of my Bible Studies group at the Lucky 13, was raving about the double cut pork chop on Wednesday, so Tobias and I decided to hit it. Well naturally all the lemmings that watch Triple D had come and wiped the supply of chops. Tobias said the Fish And Chips (12) was pretty good, and I said, yeah I need more fried food in my diet.
  They also were out of chicken wings but offered to fix the Chicken Tenders in Apricot and Achiote Sauce (14) pictured at the top. This is the sauce that normally comes with the pork chop, which made me even more desirous of coming back and getting it. Tobias said it was pretty darn good, and again, a lot of it.

   The emphasis here at the Tee Off is 'the bigger the better'. The piece of fish pictured here had to weigh at least a pound, with another half pound of chips. While the batter was nice and crispy, the fish was under-cooked. This was surprising, due to the fact that we were the only people there and it took twenty minutes to get our food. Two people could share this dish and the 'small' house salad pictured at left and be happy.
   Overall, this is the kind of place that should be saved for SF people, and not for tourists, unless they are truly sincere and they promise not tell their friends at home. Nor does it belong in tourist guides, like Swan's Oyster Depot, where you now wait in line, unless you're there when they open door.
  

Eatin' In The 'Hood - Rosenberg's Market, 276 Noe St. at Market

   While it may not have the variety and hipster appeal of Ike's, the Rosenberg Market makes a decent sandwich for your buck. I needed something convenient on my way to Bible Studies at the Lucky 13, so I popped in and got a Ham and Swiss with Garlic and Sage Aioli (4.95). Unfortunately, they were out of Dutch Crunch, but they did have a nice soft sweet roll. They have a number of house specials, or you can 'build your own', and there are a few toasted sammy's as well. In addition to sandwich fare, there are six kinds of turnovers, five piroshki flavors, a couple of knishes and some big triangular-shaped 'pies'. There are some good-looking side dishes and dips available, the usual deli supplies on the shelves, and of course, cold beer, bottled wine, soft drinks and water.
   And the best part - no waiting in line! I say support this little family-owned business. Oh, and you can get a card that they'll stamp with every sandwich purchase. Buy nine and get one free!

Pine Nut Problem

   I now know why I recently had a problem with food and drinks tasting bitter for about five days. There has been an upsurge in what is known as 'pine nut mouth'. This apparently stems from eating imported pine nuts such as those sold by Trader Joe's and other retailers. Scientists are not quite sure what causes this, but the reassuring fact is that it doesn't occur with American pine nuts. So, caveat emptor!

On The Trail - La Torta Sabrosa, 2859 Mission St., bet. 24th & 25th

   We're narrowing down the competition for the best Torta Cubana in SF. Entrant #2 is La Torta Sabrosa. While the torta weighed in at only 1 lb., 2 oz., it had substantially better flavor and composition than the cubana at Los Picudos. It also cost $8.21 with tax, about a dollar fifty more. Price is no object where quality is concerned, however.
   Apparently, they do quite the business at lunch time, so if you go, be prepared.

A Fond Adieu

   I found myself on Fisherman's Wharf yesterday in search of a place that I thought served Chinese food, but it turned out to be Thai and sushi (?). Since I'd suffered an hour long trek by Muni to get there and I was hungry with a capital H, I decided to try the ol' In-N-Out. My first time in quite a while, and sadly enough, my last. It just doesn't do it for me anymore. Bad enough it's on the Wharf with way too many people, but the quality has slipped in my opinion. They still haven't learned how to make decent fries - even Mickey D's cooked in vegetable oil are better. The meat tasted bland and, in spite of the fact that I ordered it animal style, it just didn't have the zing. I'll probably still go to BK now and then for that Double Whopper with Cheese, but never McD's, Wendy's or Carl's Jr. I even emailed Carl's Jr. and told them I'd never eat there until they changed their ad content so that all men don't appear to be lazy and incompetent. And I'd told them to edit out that phony crunching sound effect they add when someone takes a bite of a burger.
   Now that burgers are the thing, along with pizza and truffle oil, there's too many better quality options and many that feature great sides and BEER, and some even have bourbon for that Three-B combo!

Barbacco, 220 California St., SFCA

www.barbaccosf.com

   The owners describe Barbacco as the "little sister" of Perbacco, next door. Lunch and dinner menus are different, with lunch featuring sandwiches and dinner comprised of more entrees.
   Starters for our party of three included Marinated Olives (3), Chef's Selection of Salumi (11) and Quick Braised Squid (8) in a tomato, chili and garlic sauce with pan grattato (toasted bread). The salumi platter consisted of four house made meats including a beautiful prosciutto, plus a meat-based spread called cioccino that utilizes offal. The squid was all head and no tentacles and cooked to perfect tenderness.
   For our large plates, Janet ordered the large Tuna Conserva Salad (10) with tuna, celery, potato and roasted tomato - it was pretty good-sized with a wonderful mix of flavors. Doug ordered the Paccheri (11), a tubular pasta with pork ragu and Parmigiano Reggiano, and I had to have the Spinach Lasagna (12) with ragu Bolognese and balsamella sauce. Again, the portions were ample and the ragus were excellent in both. To make sure we got some of those required vegetables that everyone should have in their diet, Fried Brussels Sprouts (4) were requested and arrived in a fantastic blend of capers, anchovy and shallot-red wine vinaigrette. To help ease everything into our gullets, a nice 2008 Cantine Nero D'Avola Barbera (43). Perbacco supposedly has their wine inventory on twenty IPads, but we got a plain old paper type list. Doug said it was because we weren't wearing suits.
   It's hard to say no to Gelato (2 per scoop), especially when you see Butter Scotch-Chocolate Crunch, Torrone and Spiced Chocolate. Janet added the Seasonal Berry Tart (5) which featured blueberries, blackberries and strawbs with an English cream sauce. A somewhat bitter espresso, perhaps due to over-extraction, cut the sweetness of it all just a little bit.
   If you want to skip the large plates, you can partake of eight different kinds of cheese that all come with some form of flavor enhancer like chestnut honey or fruit mustard. With a salad and the salumi platter, you've got a nice little lunch.
   It seems a bit ironic that with a name like Barbacco, there is no bar. There is a long marble-top counter, but no hard liquor. No biggie as far as I'm concerned. This place lives up to the rep created by Perbacco, and I highly recommend both. To see the menus, got to the link above. For some blurry food pics, got to:
www.flickr.com/photos/8256207@N08
 

Chairman Bao Bun Truck

   On the food truck trail again, I caught up with Chairman Bao. They sell buns. You can get a Steamed Bun (2.95) or a Baked Bun (5.75) with your choice of about six different fillings. I chose two steamed buns, one with red sesame chicken and one with lion's head meatballs and kimchi. These are more like a Chinese taco than your usual char siu bao from Chinatown. The dough is roughly the same, but not as sweet. I wasn't knocked out by either filling. The meatballs weren't fluffy like a genuine lion's head variety, and the kimchi was third-rate - how hard can it be to go to Costco nearby and buy a couple of big jars of decent kimchi?  The chicken was bit dry and I didn't get that much of a sesame taste either. The main redeeming factor of this outing was the Ginger Lychee Shaved Ice (3.50) with tapioca balls. When you finish the liquid part, there are all these lychee flavored gummy bits at the bottom.

   You can follow the truck on Twitter and FaceBook. They were at Economy Kitchen Supply yesterday, located at 7th & Irwin, near 16th St. I will have to give the baked buns a chance next time...

Hot Sauce

   Back in the 90's when hot, spicy food suddenly became the newest fad, I formulated a nice little sauce called Hell In A Bottle. It was unique in the fact that the base was apple sauce, and I sold a fair amount of it but never got rich. To do that you need someone like Kraft Foods to buy your recipe and do all the dirty work for you. This happened to my friend Jimmy Tsang and his family - you see House of Tsang products in the Oriental food section of major grocery stores. But alas I wasn't that lucky. When everybody and his cousin got on the bandwagon by taking out that second mortgage and putting out their own sauce, the market became flooded. It's hard to choose a single sauce out of a catalog of two or three hundred different brands.
   What really burns my bacon is that most of these sauces are NOT individual creations of the seller. It's easy to run down to Belize or Costa Rica, buy the same identical sauce as fifty others on the market and slap your fancy label on it. If you're somewhere that has a lot of hot sauce in the same 5oz. bottle as pictured here and they're all the same orange-colored habanero style, check the label for place of manufacture. And buy the cheapest one! Melinda's is the one  that pops up most frequently.
   My other beef is with people who continue to put out sauces like the one pictured here. The granddaddy of these jokes is Dave's Instant Insanity. Since he couldn't come up with a sauce that had any flavor appeal, he just made it impossibly hot by adding pure oleoresin capsicum. Again, check the ingredients before you buy, and if you see 'oleoresin' skip it. These bottles of crap can truly do damage internally, like rupturing a blood vessel in your stomach. I'd personally like to do a Temperance League number by sweeping them off the shelf and smashing them on the floor.
   In closing this tirade, I'll mention again the great little Oriental Lucky Market on 8th St. near Washington in downtown Oakland. A nice selection of habanero and Scotch Bonnet based sauces, including the Matouk's line and Ocho Rios. They also occasionally carry red hothouse habaneros from Denmark, of all places.

The Wild Kitchen Dinner

   The folks at Forage SF are planning two upcoming dinners on June 24th and 25th. If you haven't already subscribed to their email list, go to: www.foragesf.com
Once you're on the list, you'll receive notifications for all events.

Mas Sake, 2030 Lombard St., SFCA

   Another Groupon-inspired outing, this time with a coupon for $50. This place seems to be the other Marina sushi spot to 'see and be seen'. If food is your primary interest, go early - we were there at opening time, 6pm. They certainly outdistance Ace Wasabi in atmosphere and server appeal - the hostess was displaying just about all the cleavage this ol' boy could handle. But I digress...
   Mas Sake strives to fuse Mex and Japanese by serving such items as guacamole and chips, chicken tortilla soup and seared Ahi tacos in addition to traditional nigiri, sashimi and maki. They also have a selection of 'no raw fish' rolls, NY steak and a few salads.
   We began with a Cucumber Salad (4) in a light marinade with sesame seeds, and the Garlic Beef (9), seared beef slices in a garlic/soy marinade. I could've used a bit more rice vinegar flavor in the cukes, just the way I make 'em at home. The beef was tender, moist and just garlicky enough to wake up the taste buds. For our first (and I think, best) roll we chose the Ecstasy Roll (12) with maguro, albacore, avocado, jalapeno, Sriracha sauce and scallions, fried tempura style. Yummy nums! The Jalapeno Yellowtail Sashimi (13) was calling my name, and it proved to be worthwhile. Beautifully presented in a jalapeno-infused ponzu sauce, I would eat three of these by myself!
   In the pic at right are the finishing rolls, from left to right: the Nikki Boom Boom Roll (15), with crab, mango, avocado, jalapeno and ponzu, topped with hamachi; the Hotate Maki (8), marinated scallops, cucumber, scallion, tobiko, santaka pepper and spicy chile sauce; and the Philly Cheesesteak Roll, which Gabe ordered and I neglected to get the price. Let's just say it was an interesting experiment that I'm not totally convinced I liked; it may bear repeating on a future visit.
   Our total with one large Asahi and one hot sake plus tax was $93 before the $50 coupon. I would come back to try some more of the fusion type rolls. They also feature an all-you-can-eat deal from 6-7pm Monday thru Friday and 6-10pm on Sunday. This applys to selected nigiri and maki, and a charge of $2.50 for every piece of un-eaten sushi, so don't let your eyes get bigger than your stomach! This costs $25.
   If you come late like we did the first time, it's a total scene with DJs and a two-hour wait, so once again, go early!!
For all pics go to: www.flickr.com/photos/8256207@N08

Tortas Los Picudos, 2969 - 24th St., SFCA

   For those of you not familiar with the Torta Cubana (7.67), it's the Latin gut bomb of all sandwiches. This bad boy pictured at right weighed in at 1 1/2 lbs. and measured 7"x5"x3". It has queso fresco, a cheap hot dog, sliced picnic shoulder style ham, a piece of chewy, gristly milanesa steak, lettuce, tomato and sliced jalapeno. I'd had one here a couple of years ago and thought it was pretty good, but this time around, uh-uh. I'm going to see who has the biggest and the best - the place Anthony Bourdain went to is claiming that title currently, and Los Picudos is out of the running. Some of the other food I saw being consumed didn't look bad, so I won't rule out this little hole-in-the-wall completely.
   BTW, that concoction on the right is a vampiro, a juice made from beets, carrots, pineapple, celery and oranges (3.50)

Farmer Brown, 25 Mason St., SFCA

   Getting a twofer coupon gave me the inducement to finally go here, plus the fact that they now serve lunch. I met the fabulous Miz Quinn for lunch yesterday, and we concur that this little spot rules!
   I've heard their fried chicken is good, but I'm putting off trying it until I find one place here that fries to order- they say The Front Porch does. I opted for the Meat Loaf (13.95) with mashed potatoes and fresh peas. This is some of the best meat loaf I've had in SF. Just the right size portion, with a piece of bacon wrapped around it the way Mom did. The mashed potatoes were smooth - none of that lumpy nonsense - and the peas tasted good even if a little undercooked. If you order this, ask for a little extra gravy on the side!
   La Quinn likes the shrimp, so a Shrimp Po'Boy (12.95) with Kennebec fries appeared in front of her. She said the cornmeal coating gave the juicy shrimp a nice crunch, and there was more than eight of them, like some places offer here. As usual with SF, there were way too many fries, but they tasted good with a little malt vinegar (you have to ask for that). From now on I'm personally going to start asking for half-sized portions wherever I go.

   To balance all that protein and carbs, we had more protein and carbs by sharing a piece of Bourbon Pecan Pie (5). I'm sure there was a half pound of butter in that crust! The online menu says it's served with whipped cream - ours came with a mini scoop of vanilla ice cream. No matter, this pie was fantasticly rich and I think it's the first time I've had a dessert that cost less than $8 in this town.

   Farmer Brown has a full bar, with some interesting house specialties including the Thyme Traveller. Don't ask what's in it, just order one. At night there is music provided by DJ's and/or live bands. For a look at the sample menu go to www.farmerbrownsf.com

Ace Wasabi Rock 'n' Roll Sushi, 3339 Steiner St., SFCA

   After 2 1/2 hours of wine tasting, I needed solids. I've been to this joint before and it doesn't knock me out, but I had $55 Groupon and it was handy. All I can say is, if you do go, go early before the 'locusts' arrive. Stick to nigiri sushi and maki and the specialty rolls. The sashimi I had was second rate quality fish, and the hamachi no kama (yellowtail cheek) had been cooked and reheated on the grill. I like the guys at the sushi bar, but this doesn't make up for quality. Of course, if there's another Groupon ever available, I'll probably snatch it up because I'll be paying about what the food's worth.

How To Attend A Wine Tasting...

   Consider this a brief rant. Yesterday (6-6-10) I attended the TAPAS wine tasting at Herbst Pavillion in Ft. Mason. This was an interesting tasting as it featured Spanish-style wines produced in the US and primarily in California. I stuck with Tempranillos, which I equate with being somewhere between a Pinot and a Zin, and Bodega del Sur and Bodega Paso Robles stuck in my mind as favorites, with Longoria in third.
   The basic problem with tastings is that age-old syndrome, 'I'm the only person here'. Individual vintners' tables are short and placed cheek-by-jowl, and it doesn't take a lot of people to create a logjam. Here's how it works: Step up to the table. Get your sample. Step away from the table a reasonable distance. Do the swirl-and-sniff, 'whistling in' and all that other wine connoisseur business while looking deeply thoughtful. If you have questions about the wine, step up to the end of the table where the bottles aren't displayed to speak to the vintner. It's just amazing how many times I see two or three people standing right in front the wines, chatting away while others are waiting patiently (and impatiently) to get a taste.
   It's nice to see a lot of young folks at these events, but remember, you're there to taste wine, not get hammered!

La Mar Cebicheria, Pier 1 1/2, The Embarcadero, SFCA

www.lamarcebicheria.com

   Wow, Peruvian twice in five days. Should I go to Limon today and make it three? Nah. I'll save that for next week.
   My friend Janet Clyde suggested La Mar and I'd heard a lot about it, so I said let's hit and git it. This is part of a chain, with locations in Lima, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Santiago de Chile and Panama city. It's a huge space, with outdoor seating and a large waitstaff, which means you're going to pay more.
   All tables receive complimentary House Made Chips, consisting of potato, sweet potato and plantain. Three sauces are served, including a wonderful aji amarillo (yellow chile) and cheese puree. We elected to have the Cebiche Sampler (29), which allows you to try four 1/2 half-sized portions of the mixto, chifa (Peruvian Chinese), nikei and clasico. Although the preparation of each was quite elegant (see the ingredients of each style on the menu at the website above), there was about half as much fish as you would get on a sashimi platter of comparable price.
   The outstanding dish of this meal was the Ensalada Limena (12), organic spinach, arugula, cherry tomatoes, choclo (Peruvian corn), hearts of palm and queso fresco with an aji amarillo vinaigrette. I think this salad along with the chips and a glass of vino would make a nice lunch for one.
   One of the specials of the day was the Trigotto de Camarones (24), a farro (Italian wheat grain) risotto in chupe sauce with fava bean and cheese, topped with seared shrimp and a huacatay (Peruvian black mint) foam (yippee, my first foam ever!). While this provided some interesting taste contrasts, there were only four shrimp, which I think is scant for $24.
   We tried a single Grilled Octopus skewer, which I don't know if it was free or not - 3 for $16 on the menu - and it was bathed in a chile oil that accounted for all the flavor, there being no note of grilled, slightly charred taste.
   All in all, I'd say save this place for that next expense account lunch with clients. Lunch for two, exclusive of drinks and with $15 tip, was $95.
For those fabulous food pics go to: www.flickr.com/photos/8256207@N08

Alaturca, 869 Geary Blvd., between Hyde and Larkin St.

   Tobias was in the mood for Middle Eastern and this place immediately popped into my head. It's been about a year since I last ate here, but the quality doesn't seem to have diminished in the least.
   The Baba Ghanouj (4.95) isn't your usual smooth puree, but has a nice chunky consistency, with the right amount of garlic and tahini. The bread it comes with is house made and served warm. If you're going to have a cold app you might as well have a warm one. The Havuc Kizartmasi (4.50) is fried sliced carrots with garlic yogurt sauce, and it goes on the Permanent Will-Eat-Anytime List. The carrots aren't crispy and that doesn't bother me, they still tasted great.
   When you walk in there is a display case full of kebabs and other items. If you can get past that and look at the menu, you'll see From The Oven, that lists pides, which greatly resemble the murtaba (Indian pizza) you see in Singapore, except they're baked and not grilled. We chose the Ground Meat and Egg (8.50) which looked good but was actually kinda bland. Tobias said dipping it in the baba ghanouj might be interesting, but the leftover dip was already in a bag. If you want something from the griddle, there is gozleme, the turkish equivalent of a quesadilla. The Chicken and Cheese (6.75) features feta and mozzarella with thin sliced chicken, and was quite savory.
   The menu features several hot and cold apps besides the ones mentioned, lentil soup, three salads, sandwiches and 'platters', where those aforementioned kebabs come into play, along with meatballs, chicken, etc. There are domestic and imported beers, including Efes Pilsener (turkish beer), domestic and imported wine (including a red and a white from turkey), Turkish coffee, tea and soda, herbal teas and soft drinks. Hours are listed above, and for food pics, go to: www.flickr.com/photos/8256207@N08

Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, 401 Valencia St. at 15th

   Things are bustin' out all over the Mission. In the former Mi Lindo Yucatan restaurant we now have a taste of Venezuela. As the name implies, the emphasis here is on corn. You have a choice of arepas, cachapas or the Maize'wich, a kind of in-between creation. I was fortunate enough to get a coupon from City Dish that entitled me to a free arepa (7.99). There are ten different fillings that can be applied to any of the three forms of corn 'bread'. At right is the arepa  with pel'ua, shredded skirt steak and cheddar cheese. To keep it company is yucca frita (3.25) with some garlic aioli and a Diet Coke (1.75) to make it a low cal meal. Empanadas, soup and salad are also available as sides, and a small selection of beer and wine is on hand.
   I went at 3:30 and the place was empty - I guess everyone was down at the new American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, which has sold out four days in a row. I'm hoping this little place makes it. Even though it's only one block away from Hipster Junction, that can sometimes make a difference!
   Please got to: www.picapicakitchen.com to check out their well-designed page and see pics of the food. You can also download a printable PDF of the menu.

Eatin' In The 'Hood - King Foot Subs, 258 Divisadero St. (at Haight),SFCA

   Well, it was laundry time again and empty stomach time again, so I decided to see if this joint was a legitimate sub shop or a front for a slavery ring. It's been there since 1975, and I remember when it was called "Bigfoot Subs" - probably got sued for copyright infringement.
   I wanted something light and uncomplicated and Ham and Jack Cheese sounded good (it was actually the mayonnaise I wanted most. You've had that craving, I'm sure). A 7-inch Regular was $5.45 with tax and came heated if desired. There's also chips and Doritos for sale and they have herbal teas along with the usual soft drinks, juices and bottled water. And you can add jalapenos for a quarter.

   I wouldn't say it was an extraordinary sub but it sure hit the spot. I noticed there's a Kalbi and Kimchi sub on the menu and that's definitely where I'm headed next time. BTW, this place has an interesting collection of 'thrift store chic' decorations, an Elvis poster adjacent to an M.C. Escher print, for instance. The Korean owners are pleasant and anxious to please and for a handy neighborhood spot, I recommend it.

Destino, 1815 Market St., SFCA (near Octavia)

  There have been Peruvian restaurants in SF for over 40 years, a lot of them just funky little Mom and Pop operations (Don Quixote's was the best). Today there has been a resurgence in popularity with places like Fresca, Limon and Destino. My lovely friend Moira's cousin James is the chef/owner of Destino and the recently opened Pisco Lounge next door. I got a nice Groupon coupon and we decided it was time to go last night.
   The menu is basically Tapas Frias y Calientes and Entradas, with a small dessert menu as well. We started with the Ceviche Mixto (10), a nice mix of mahi mahi, tiger shrimp and baby calamari in a marinade containing choclo (ground corn) and aji ricoto (red pepper). This is some of the freshest best-tasting ceviche I've had in a while, the seasoning just perfect. Next came the Peruvian Chicken Empanadas (6), containing grilled chicken, queso fresco and Andean black mint with an aji amarillo (yellow pepper) sauce. While the crust was light and flaky, I didn't find the filling to be overly exciting until mixed with the dipping sauce. Yucca Fries (6) came with a refreshing mint mojo sauce. I could have used a little more salt and perhaps some garlic on the exterior and bit more crunch (Los Panchos still has the best yucca frita). Pork Belly con Mofongo (10) pairs cardamom-encrusted belly with sweet plantain puree and aji ricoto/ cranberry chutney. Megan thought it a little fatty, but that's where the flavor is and this was nicely prepared. If you like scallops, don't miss the Conchitas a la Parmesana (10) tender Hokkaido day boat scallops in a butter and Parmesan sauce, displayed on the shell. Yesterday's menu featured four entradas (large plates) including the classic Lomo Saltado (21), Estancia top sirloin with Roma tomatoes, French fries and white rice. While the meat was flavorful, I don't think there was enough of it to warrant $21.
   Moira and Megan both agree that there's always room for dessert, and Destino allows you to order a la carte or choose a sampler plate. We chose the Double Chocolate Bunuelos with Lucuma Ice Cream, Guanabana (soursop) Lime Granita and Coconut Milk Panna Cotta (I didn't get the price for this, but who cares?). It was ALL good!
   Destino offers a 3-course prix fixe for $34.95. If you like a cocktail before dinner, there are house specialties like Pisco Punch and Coconut Mojitos to indulge in. This dinner was extra special because my dining companions treated me. It's good to be the King! I definitely recommend this place.
for those food pics go to: www.flickr.com/photos/8256207@N08