It's Martini Time!!

   There may be a return of the three-martini lunch, if Palio D'Asti has anything to say about it. For the entire month of April, they will be serving $1 martinis during lunch, 11:30 to 2pm, and dinner 5:30 to 9pm, Monday through Friday. I don't know what's in their well, but for a dollar I don't think you can go wrong! Bottoms up!

Ike's Redux

   It seems that the bureaucratic red tape that typifies doing business, or trying to do business in SF, has once again reared its ugly head. Ike's Sandwiches has had all the requisite paperwork, concerning the re-opening of his famed shop, filed since last December. The new location is across from the old one on 16th St. For now, you can still get your sammie at Lime, 2247 Market St. between Noe and Sanchez. They've been nice enough to allow Ike to operate as a pop-up while awaiting The City to get it together.

Happy Hour Pizza!

   Patxi's Pizza now has a Happy Hour special Monday through Friday from 4-6pm. Snack pizzas are $3.00 and PBR's are $1.00!! Half off on all other appetizers and drinks. This is at their Marina location only - 3318 Fillmore, near Lombard St.

#399 - Lee's Deli, 119 New Montgomery, SFCA

   This is the second place in SF where I've had Chinese food by the pound (6.49). My tab for this array was $8, with stir-fried cabbage, green beans, beef and broccoli, egg roll, fried shrimp, tofu with chile sauce and steamed fish. Most of the food was just barely warm, but edible. It's the kind of place that has soups, a salad bar, sandwiches and desserts, etc.

Rainy Day Rant

   Those who know me know I have somewhat of a disdain for the hackneyed and the trite and the unnecessary. Food reviewers who are forever using adjectives like 'tart', 'tangy', 'zesty', 'silky', etc. and the bane of my existence, the word 'veggie', which should be stricken from the English language, or at least described etymologically as 'Archaic Hippie'.
   My latest peeve is the description 'Hand Crafted' I see on some restaurant windows. "We Have Hand Crafted Salads". Really? Instead of the usual machine made salads that everyone else has? This ranks right up there with some gourmet tortilla chips I once saw that were described as using 'hand cut tortillas'. Just exactly how does that affect the taste of the chips? Does anyone really give a damn about how the tortillas are cut?
   The unnecessary use of the term 'cholesterol-free' should be prohibited from food labeling for foods that are naturally cholesterol free by dint of the fact that they aren't made from animals. "Try The New Pepsi. It's Cholesterol-Free!!"
   Well, that's enough for today...

#398 - Broadway Cafe, 670 Broadway, SFCA

  Yup, #398. Just two more to go. This used to be the D&A Cafe, which also has a location in the Inner Richmond. This key words here are 'cheap and fast'. We're looking at the Kung Pao Chicken Rice Plate (4.95). You won't see a lot of lo fan (Caucasians) in this joint. They serve that odd mix of Chinese food and stuff like pork chops and spaghetti. If you're two steps away from the soup kitchen, this is the place for you. One word of caution: if you're a little overweight like myself, the booths can be a bit snug. Oh, and speaking of soup, you get a bowl of what appears to be watered down ketchup with some vegetables to accompany your rice plate.

Yabbie's Coastal Kitchen - 2237 Polk St.., near Green, SFCA

   Another Groupon meal - $20 for $40 worth of food and drinks. We dedicate this review to Brian and Alex, who just happened to be finishing their own coupon-discounted dinner when I walked in the door. The first thing they mentioned was how slow the service had been. I didn't have this problem since the place was pretty well cleared out.
   The Calamari (8) was standard issue, cooked to the right doneness with good crunch in the batter. The Fanny Bay Oysters (15) are one of my favorite shellfish, and as I've said before, no West Coast oyster is worth more than $1.50, which is what Sotto Mare sells them for when they have them. I ordered them because I needed to spend $40 just for myself.
   On Brian's recommendation I chose the Linguine and Clams (18) with garlic, pancetta and chile. This was done quite well, the fresh clams not overcooked, the pasta al dente and the garlic and pancetta giving it a nice kick.
   Yabbie's has something for everybody in terms of seafood and they can cater to large parties with various platters. Lunch is available as well. To see the menu, go to www.yabbiesrestaurant.com

La Parrilla Grill - 1760 Polk St., at Washington, SFCA

   Yet another coupon visit - $20 for $40 worth of food and drinks. At the top, Gambas (7). Yes, they are wrapped in bacon, and yes they were good. Five jumbo prawns served with chipotle aioli. This would be one reason to return here. Sorry I can't say the same for the Queso Fundido (7). Instead of the usual soft, easy-to-dip-into cheese, this was just a glob of melted cheddar. We're talking stringy, pain-in-the-ass to eat cheddar. The chips were house made and not thin and crisp.
   Tobias had the Cubano Burger (8), with black Angus beef, ham, Swiss cheese and pickled onions on a potato bread bun, which he seemed very pleased with. I ordered the Chimichurri Steak (17), a decent sized strip steak cooked medium rare. Chimichurri is a South American sauce with disputed origin, usually associated with Argentina and Uruguay. It is ordinarily green and made from a combination of herbs, spices and oil/vinegar. It is used as a marinade as well. What I got here appeared to be a red wine sauce with mushrooms. I also ordered yucca fries and got regular French fries instead. It shouldn't have been too confusing that day, since there were two other customers beside us.
   I'm not sure I would return just on the strength of the jumbo prawns.
To see the menu, go to: www.parrillapolk.com

Pan Dulce

   In my youth in KC, I spent a lot of time with my 'second family', the Quinteros. There was Mama Quintero, Tony, Tommy and Carmen, one of my high school sweethearts. Often we would all come back to the house after a big wedding dance and I would spend the night. The next morning Tony, the older brother, would drive down to the local panaderia and come home with a grocery bag full of pan dulce, or sweet rolls. All different sizes, shapes and colors. After bacon, eggs and tortillas, there would be coffee and hot Mexican chocolate and all those rolls. We'd just sit around talking and dunking and satisfying that sweet tooth.
   Fortunately for we SFers, there's plenty of pan dulce within our reach in the Mission. I will list all your options, and then you can go to Flickr to see a gallery of goodies.
1. Pan Lido - 3147 - 22nd St., at Capp
2. La Mexicana - 2804 - 24th St., near Bryant
3. La Victoria - 2937 - 24th St., at Alabama
4. Dominguez Bakery - 2951 24th St., at Alabama
5. La Reyna - 3114 - 24th St., at Folsom
6. La Mejor - 3329 -24th St., between Mission and Bartlett
   To see pics, go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8256207@N08 and choose the 'Pan Dulce' set

Hog & Rocks - 3431 19th St., between Mission and Valencia, SFCA

    I'd heard a lot of good press about this place, and when my friends John and Rachel offered to treat me for my birthday I just couldn't say no. The specialty here, implied by the name, is ham and oysters. I love my oysters, but I think these days people make too much of a fuss over them, which of course makes them more precious and expensive. As far as I'm concerned, any oyster from the West Coast of North America isn't worth more than a $1.50, which is what we paid for these Reach Island Oysters (18). Also, it's kinda silly to describe oysters like you're talking about wine, with terms like 'kiwi-like finish', 'crisp melon' or 'hint of seaweed'. Really? What kind of seaweed? Kelp? Hijiki? Irish Moss"? At any rate, these oysters filled the bill, although I could've used some cocktail sauce instead of mignonette.
   Next we see the Delta Asparagus Salad (12), which combines peeled asparagus with crispy pork belly, boiled egg, watercress and a caper vinaigrette. This was quite good - it just needed more asparagus for $12!
    The 'hog' part of the equation involves your choice of five different cured hams. All but one are $12, the fifth one $11 per serving. We opted for the Ham Tasting Plate (18, small). Our choices were the Father's (Kentucky) aged 12 months; the La Quercia Picante (Iowa) aged 9 months; and the Monte Nevado Jamon Serrano (Spain) aged 15 months. I'd have trouble picking a favorite, because these were all quite tasty.
   Next on the agenda was the Steelhead Trout Jar (8), basically a sandwich spread. This was a big hit, requiring some extra bread because we damn near licked that jar out. They also have a pimento cheese jar, a chicken liver jar and a pickle jar. These all make for good bar snacks if you're not dining whole hog (so to speak).
   Hush Puppies (5) are near and dear to my heart, and after having eaten a million of them on our North Carolina BBQ tour in 2009, I've set a standard. I'm afraid these are not quite up to snuff. They were heavy and I couldn't detect any onion, which you need unless you're making the jalapeno/cheddar variety. The sauce was a novel approach, being a sweet honey and hot pepper concoction.
   All of us at table love our Brussels Sprouts (6) and while these were well-cooked, they were not particularly distinguishable from the sprouts you get in a lot of restos these days.
   We decided one dessert would be enough, and it's a good thing we did. That glass you see the Chocolate Brownie Parfait (8) in is the size of a regular ice cream soda glass. Boy, was it good! I could eat one right now.
   Overall, I like this place and I'm intrigued by some of the other dishes on the menu, such as the Beef Tongue Potato Skins and the Chicken and Cheddar Pie. They have a full bar, with eight draft beers available in 12oz, 20oz and pitchers, as well as 16oz cans of Red Stripe and Pilsner Urquell. There is a small but adequate wine list, and some of the non-alcoholic drinks include lemon ginger soda, vanilla cream soda and Abita root beer.
   To see the menu, go to www.hogandrocks.com

Sandwich Time at Molly Stone's, 18th & Collingwood, SFCA

   I had time to kill and a bit of hunger to sate before dinner time and I just happened to be at the Castro Post Office so I said to myself, 'hey here's the new Molly Stone's, let's get a sandwich.' The deli carries a number of Boar's Head meats, including the smoked turkey you can just barely see here. I should've asked how much the portion weighed because I'm betting it wasn't more than about two ounces. I mean, this is just pitiful. I had everything on it but onion and I could taste everything but the turkey. I guess if you left off the mustard and pepperoncini you maybe could taste it. At $5.99 this is no bargain.

Free Beer and Donuts!!

That's right, FREE donuts and beer, while they last, this Friday at Dynamo Donuts, 2760 - 24th St. from 4-6pm. Open Hand and Dynamo are launching a new donut combining peanut butter and a banana honey glaze. Enter the contest to name said donut and win a prize. To attend this event you must be on the guest list, and this can be easily done by going to www.dailydishout.com and signing up.

Craw Station - 1336 Ninth Ave., between Irving and Judah, SFCA

   I was looking forward to this outing simply because I'm nuts about crawfish. I'm still nuts about them but not necessarily about this place. I mean, who serves food in a plastic bag? This is just wrong. If you're like me you're used to having your mudbugs thrown on a sheet of paper, along with some corn and spuds, depending on where you eat. And it's nice when they've just come out of the boil and there's some garlic aioli or remoulade to dip 'em in. Well here they come in a variety of ways, including the House Cajun Sauce, with three degrees of heat. Brian and I chose the Dynamite style and the ladies went with the medium. Don't get me wrong, I liked this sauce because it had the makings of a good cioppino base. It managed to permeate the heads so you suck it right out before pulling that meat out of the tail. Besides the matter of the bag, these cost $10.95 a lb., a might dear even these parts, and they were mostly small.
   We also had some jumbo prawns, again in the bag, with the same sauce, and they were pretty good. Also you see some Fried Oysters (6 for 8.99) and they were perfectly cooked without oiliness. It's interesting to see that six oysters on the shell are $10.95 - perhaps the fried are cheaper, bottled oysters.
   I would go back to this place to try some of the other items on the menu but only if I can forgo the bag business. Oh, and think about the resto's name in terms of a clever play on words.
   To see the full menu, go to: www.crawstation.com

New Country Sky - 3321 Steiner St. between Lombard and Chestnut, SFCA

   Well alright, this is #397! We're closing in on the magic 400 mark, and when we get there, Charles Hardy is going to ask the SF Comicle to do an exclusive interview. I can't wait.
   Steiner St. is sorta the mini-gourmet ghetto of the Marina, and this little hole-in-the-wall surprised me by not only being cozy, but serving some fine food as well. At the top here we see the Sunflower Beef (9.95), basically stir-fried beef with scallions and sunflower seeds on a bed of fried cellophane noodles. A good amount of thin tender slices of beef in a light sauce, a decent dish but not spectacular.
   The star of this show is the Eggplant in Garlic Sauce (7.95). I've been eating this dish for 30+ years and this was one of the best renditions I've had in a long time. I asked for very little cooking oil, which results in a firmer, less soggy eggplant. They use the Japanese variety that I prefer over the regular large dark purple type, and the chunks are larger than the average slices most restos give you. The sauce was perfect, with just enough sweetness and garlic to let you enjoy the subtle flavor of the eggplant.
   I plan to come back for more of the Chef's Specialties. My host, Amy, assured me that the same chef is there for lunch and dinner, so hopefully the consistency of quality will endure. There are lunch specials M-F from 11am to 3pm. You can also order online at: www.countryskychinese.com
 

The Corner - 2199 Mission at 18th St., SFCA

   Here's a great new (sorta) concept - rotating pop-up restos in one location. This month they're featuring Pizza Hacker, Ken Ken Ramen, Parrada 22, Catheads BBQ and others. To see the calendar, go to:www.thecornersf.com

#396 - Hakka Restaurant, 4401 Cabrillo at 45th Ave., SFCA

    This was not only my 396th Chinese food find, it was also my 65th birthday banquet. I came here on the blind, relying on favorable reviews from friends, and I wasn't disappointed. There were ups and downs, starting with the fact that when I made the res, they thought I wanted it on the 6th, not the fifth, even though I repeated the word 'Saturday' about fifty times on the phone. At any rate we only had to wait about 15 minutes for our table.
   Starting at the top we see Shredded Chicken, Fish Maw and Dried Scallop Soup. 'Fish maw' is actually the air bladder in a fish, not the stomach. This soup was simple and flavorful. When you see 'XO sauce' on a menu, this is usually made with dried scallop, those little brown nuggets you see in giant bins in the supermarkets in Chinatown.
    Next up, Minced Seafood in Lettuce Wraps. This was a nice change from the squab or chicken wraps you usually see on the menu, and the addition of hoisin sauce brought out the flavor of the seafood.
    As a freebie, and because it was my birthday, the chef threw in some Long Life Noodles. These were the not longest noodles I've seen, so what were they suggesting, haha. They were good, and I took about half of them home, since they came near the end of the meal and people were getting stuffed.
   The Steamed Fish was purported to be sea bass, but my taste buds told me it was a freshwater fish, with a flavor akin to catfish. I suspect it was a carp of some variety. No matter, it got eaten, cheeks and all.
   Who doesn't like lobster? Here we got Double Baked Lobster in Supreme Broth, the 'broth' being a thick rich sauce coating, messy eating but oh so good. This was a hit with everyone at the table.
   Salt Baked Chicken is a staple of Hakka cuisine, and here they don't vary far from the norm. A whole chicken with crispy skin and tender meat, bone-in to get maximum flavor. They even saved it's little head for show.
   Beef Short Ribs in Sweet and Sour Sauce is a dish I had not encountered before, and I hope it's available on the regular menu, because it was fantastic. This was not your typical bright red cornstarch glop that you get in Cantonese restaurants, this was darker and thinner, with what seemed like a hint of plum sauce. I will definitely get details on this in my next visit.
   The Sauteed Scallops and Squid were described in the online menu as having pine nuts, but those weren't present. This didn't detract from the dish, the seafood was perfectly cooked, tender and balanced by the crunch of the vegetables. Another solid hit with the folks.
   The Bok Choy and Bamboo Pith was probably the least impressive dish of the meal. This was due in part to fact that it was supposed be pea shoots instead of the bok choy. I do loves me some pea shoots, especially the small fresh actual shoots - siu dao miu in Cantonese, shao doh miao in Mandarin -  as opposed to the large leaves which are also served in many restaurants, usually sauteed with garlic.
   And our finisher, the Baked Chinese Sausage and Rice in Lotus Leaf. Why they brought this out last, God only knows. It should been served earlier, but perhaps because we were a day early, it took a while longer to prepare. I ended up having the majority of it for dinner on Sunday, and it was quite good, the lotus leaf definitely imparting a certain flavor, and I love lap cheung, the sausage.
   The online menu denotes that there is a dessert or fruit option, and while I was in the restroom, someone opted for the tapioca soup, a nice little sweetness to cap the meal.
   I think, along with the rest of the group, that this was one of the better banquets we've had in the last few years. I'm moving this place into the A-list of Chinese restos that I need to frequent more often. Check it out!!

 

Z&Y - 655 Jackson St., SFCA

    Yesterday was my monthly allotted visit to Z&Y, with a very dear friend whom I hadn't seen in about 25 years, Ms. Maria Guerra Parrish. In between catching up on each others lives, we managed to do a little eating. Now, the Braised Crispy Chicken with Jalapeno - Jiao La Zi Ji (9.95) isn't a dish we had - I hadn't had a chance to post it before, so I'm sneaking it in now. It definitely needs more peppers for my taste.
   The star of the show is the Kung Pao Scallops - Kong Bao Dai Zi (15.95). You know how many of the restos here give you three or four precious day boat scallops for $12 or more? Here you have a dozen sweet, who-cares-where-they-come-from tender plump morsels of goodness for a coupla dollars more. You can't beat Asian places on value for your seafood dollar. I'm going to suggest to Michelle (the owner) to add maybe just a tad more red bell pepper and onion; there's enough peanuts to satisfy me.
   Not everything on the menu is hot and spicy. If you want something to balance hot dishes with, try the Vegetable Delight - Tsai Shi Jin (8.95). The flavor here comes mainly from the ingredients themselves - bok choy, broccoli, snow peas, green beans, sprouts and mushrooms.

Mission Produce

  As of today, the Mi Tierra Market, 2023 Mission, has oranges at 4 lbs. for $1, and Mi Ranchito, 2169 Mission, has bananas at 39 cents a lb., if you're in the 'hood.

Burger Wars - The Sycamore, Mission & Sycamore, between 17th & 18th, SFCA

   The Sycamore, which we've reviewed favorably in the past, has started daily specials and Thursday it's the Giant Burger (12). Included in the price is your choice of a PBR or a soda. You can choose a different beverage and they'll deduct $2 from the price - they have a decent selection of draft and bottled beers.
   We're looking at a 1/2 lb. of Painted Hills beef, topped with a square of good ol' American cheddar and a house made chili containing shredded short rib, fresh tomato sauce and spicy seasonings. It all sits on a bun from the Chestnut Street Bakery, and they provide ketchup and Sriracha sauce as well as malt vinegar for your fries, if you're so inclined. We giving this puppy a 7.5 on the Burgerometer.

Ta-Ra, 123 - 2nd St. between Mission and Howard, SFCA

   Running out of time before the expiration date and not being able to find a lunch date, I had to go into the trenches alone on this one. The coupon was for $40, and this being a Southeast Asia/Thai resto, I thought I might be in trouble. Not to worry, I pulled it off. At the top you see what's called Banana Blossom Cakes (10), a mixture of banana blossoms, pork and shrimp, fried and served with your all-purpose sweet/hot sauce. I can't say I was impressed with these. The texture was dense and chewy and flavor was lacking without the sauce.
   The Fried Calamari (10) was light and tender, barely dredged in flour and quickly fried. It's listed as being 'chile encrusted', but this amounted to what looked like black pepper. There were some sliced peppers in the mix to give it a little kick. I think this was the best of the dishes I had.
   The Satay Salmon (10) was a bit of a disappointment. Whatever surface it was cooked on left the taste of old oil, and there wasn't much of a grilled flavor at all. The ginger-cilantro sauce helped to kill the off taste to an extent.
   This is another place that probably does most of its business at lunch time with specially priced plates like any other Asian resto. I can't see coming here for dinner, but some of the entrees do look interesting. They have Happy hour from 3-8 and soju cocktails are available. They also do catering and banquets.
  To see more, go to:www.tara-restaurant.com