Bar Bambino

Bar Bambino adopted a rather curious concept for a fine restaurant. Besides the furniture being mismatched and the atmosphere being very casual with no linens on the tables, the wait staff looked  like they walked in off the street and were difficult to differentiate from the patrons of the restaurant. Attentive at first, they wandered off and made themselves scarce towards the end of our meal. Bar Bambino’s location is truly ironic considering the excellent and elegant food they serve. It is located a few doors down from a street notorious for down at heel and overly worn out ladies of the night, and a closed theater where the homeless squat on inclement evenings. It was a zoo out there and that may have been just enough to keep me from ever going back, were it not for the food.

 

My first encounter with the restaurant was during the day, when I stopped by for a bruschetta of fava and pecorino on rustic, toasted bread. I was on a mission and had the zeal of a missionary in my quest. I had just joined Foodspotting.com and decided to enter a contest whereby I could win a dinner with the Chronicle food critic, Michael Bauer. He selected 100 food items he had tried while on assignment, writing reviews, and anyone who tried them all and finished first won the prize. It was a foolish quest on two fronts, one I never even read his column, and two, I soon realized it would cost me a king’s ransom and the prize would not be worth my investment in either time or money. As it turned out, no one won the dinner because the contest had a deadline. I think the best prize was being introduced to several Bay Area restaurants I surely never would have discovered on my own. Bar Bambino was one such restaurant.

The bruschetta was remarkable in it’s simplicity and flavor. I was determined to come back and finally did on a damp and cold February evening. I knew before I entered the dining room that I would finally try the egg and truffle bruschetta, which I had earlier been forced to choose against when the fava bruschetta was on the menu. I’m a big fan of fava beans and even grow them on occasion. The truffle and egg bruschetta was just as enchanting as the fava and pecorino combination and used a bit of truffle oil to boost the flavor. It was a delicious starter.

      

My dining companion opted for one of several very small starters on offer, a miniscule plate of fried artichoke hearts. I say miniscule because what you see was a small baby artichoke presented on a plate suitable for use as a small ashtray. Still, it was delicious and tender at its heart, that had been filled with an artichoke puree. We split the bruschetta and went next to a pasta course. The reason I’m so confused by the atmosphere and location of Bar Bambino is that their pasta is world class. It could be served in any elegant dining room in this country or Italy for that matter.

 

My dinner partner selected the pork shoulder ragu served over a house made egg pasta. Garganelli look like the tube pasta called penne that is extruded, but are in reality a thinner flat square of pasta rolled over onto itself. This dish was exquisite and subtle, but bursting with flavor. The golden raisins elevated the taste of the fork tender pork shoulder that melted in your mouth. It was a small portion that proved very satisfying. The nuttiness of the Parmigiano was a perfect finish to the flavors of this “sauce”.

My pasta course consisted of four little pasta purses filled with red wine braised oxtail. They were called Oxtail Cestini after the Italian word "cestino", which means basket. Again, a subtlety of flavor that was inappropriately nuanced and upscale for such a casual dining experience.  I found myself cutting each small bundle into several pieces, so I could savor it as long as possible. This was a dish that could compare favorably with any pasta I have ever tasted and I have a lifetime of experience tasting pasta. I’m sorry it is not on the Spring menu. That would have served to broaden my description of this impressive pasta choice.

 

The Brussel Sprouts were at their peak of flavor, and the roasting brought out a sweetness through caramelization that was just right to play off of the smoked lardons, used to add an additional element to the sprouts. The braised Lamb shoulder was another meat that was perfectly prepared by the chef. It was, like the pork, fork tender and succulent. The pumpkin was a good choice for this stew, adding needed color as well as flavor.

The fresh pomegranate  and pumpkin seeds were the textural elements that enhanced the dish with small bursts of sweetness and richness when eaten with the lamb. They were like small jewels added for style, but intrinsically valuable in their own right. The confetti of seeds and mint made the dish visually exciting and the color palette was sumptuous. They knocked this dish out of the park; another home run. It was especially good with their Grasso Nebbiolo wine.

The artisan ice cream was decent, but the flavor selection was too limited. I ended up selecting 2 scoops of salted chocolate malt and one of pomegranate sorbet, for lack of anything more interesting. This was not the reason to come back to Bar Bambino; it was everything else. I need to return, but have decided to arrive while it’s still light outside and finish before dark. Since it’s on 16th St, it should be relatively safe, considering the large numbers of commuters who will be around at that time, coming from BART or lining up for the buses. I can appreciate edgy, but Bar Bambino’s location is really rock bottom and has been since long before their doors opened for business.

Bar Bambino Website

2931 16th Street San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 701-8466

Hang Ah

You can hang ME, better yet shoot me, if I ever go back to this Chinatown institution. My niece was in town and wanted dim sum on a Sunday night. I racked my brain trying to think of a place that served dim sum in the evenings. Perhaps I would have been better served to use the Yellow Pages. In any case, my all time favorite, Canton Teahouse has been closed for years, so I remembered a small hole in the wall, off the beaten path type place and once I figured out the name, gave them a call and they confirmed that they served dim sum all day. I asked if a reservation would be necessary and the woman on the other end of the line seemed amused as she said “no problem”. There were five people there when we arrived.

 

My heart sank as I looked at the dim sum menu (it was already beating irregularly from the garish and bright paint on the walls), with not more that ten items on it. There were some standards like the Siu Mai pictured above, and Ha Gow, my favorite dim sum dumpling made of shrimp steamed in a rice wrapper, but the selection was dismal. Still we went ahead and ordered some, supplementing it with an order of steamed rice and Chicken in Black Bean Sauce. The only condiments were chili oil and an inky black soy sauce. They did not look right. The pepper flakes looked black and gummy in the oil and there were no black beans, nor was there the scent of garlic. The opacity of the soy sauce immediately put me off of using it at all. The Ha Gow was bad and tasted as though it had been washed in some kind of disinfectant. I didn’t bother with a photo. The Sui Mai was okay, but nothing without some condiments on it.

 

There were no baked pork buns, only Char Siu Bao. Okay, I can live with that, but the dough was a bit off in flavor and my niece wouldn’t even touch them based on looks alone. The filling was actually good, but the dough made the whole item sub par. I was wondering if things could get worse.

  

I was hoping the one bright spot would be their foil wrapped chicken, a delicacy I remembered loving as a child. I haven’t seen it on a menu in many years. After trying one, I carefully thought about what might make this item appeal to a child. Oh yes, it came to me. It would be similar to opening a box of Cracker Jack and looking for the small prize, tearing open the paper envelope and finding something wonderful inside. The expectation was where the thrill came. The chicken was a thigh joint with bone, that had been marinated in Chinese 5 Spice and that inky soy sauce. Come to think of it, I never found a great prize in Cracker Jack either.

That leaves us with the Chicken in black Bean Sauce. I used the photo to fill the spot where I would normally place a shot of the restaurant itself, but it was hard enough to sit there and eat, so I wasn’t about to remind myself of it later with a photograph. The chicken was okay and had every ingredient required of that dish, but it had an uncharacteristic sweetness and was too salty. I now have to wonder not only why I thought it was a good restaurant at one time, but also how it could possibly remain in business for 80 years. I now have a renewed respect for Yank Sing in San Francisco and Golden Unicorn in New York City.

1 Pagoda Place San Francisco, CA 94108 (415) 982-5686

My Father’s Kitchen

Clean, modern and spare can sum up the atmosphere at My Father’s Kitchen, a small Vietnamese restaurant that opened over a year ago on Divisadero St. We arrived early and even though the place was not even half full, we found the service slow. That can be good if you want an unrushed dinner, but if lingering is not your main aim when dining out, it can be a point of frustration. We had time to kill, so it was not an issue, but I got the impression that this may have been typical at this restaurant. Pricing was good, food was adequate, but we will probably not return anytime soon. We really need the wow factor to be enticed to come back to any restaurant in San Francisco, or very personalized service.

They may have had Vietnamese Coffee on the menu, but we ordered Thai Iced Tea instead, and were puzzled, but happy to see that it was even available. Spring Rolls were next on our agenda for this evening. If the rolls are good we know what to expect during the rest of the meal. They were classically made with rice wrappers, shrimp, mint, carrots, cilantro, lettuce and rice noodles; also served with an exceptionally creamy and thick peanut sauce. It was one of the best versions of peanut sauce I have ever tasted, and there were no worries about it dripping off the roll. This dish set our expectations higher than the restaurant could meet. But it shows potential in the kitchen.

Although the Imperial Rolls tasted fine, they had no eye appeal and looked a bit anemic, since they were not the expected golden brown color. I have to face the fact that we have been spoiled by Tu Lan, because they have superior Vietnamese food, but a restaurant facility and location that would bring my mother to tears, if she ever saw me walk through the door, or heaven forbid, sit down there. In fact, we are still looking for a Vietnamese restaurant replacement, because I just cannot sit down at Tu Lan any longer… I’m always afraid I will find vermin in my purse when I return home. But, back to My Father’s Kitchen. A for effort and pricing, but this restaurant is just not hitting the mark for us, and I really wish it would. Admittedly, we did not order anything extraordinary, so the restaurant could really shine, but it was a small menu with modest menu items to select from; nothing seemed inventive or unique to this restaurant.

 

For that very reason, we ordered what we generally like, since we were familiar with practically all the menu items. In fairness, I have heard that they serve a really good Pho, but we didn’t order it. Instead the Yellow Curry Chicken arrived with a good flavor and generous portion. The peanut sauce showed up as a condiment and it worked very well with the curry. The Pork With Rice Noodle in rice vinegar and sweet chili sauce was also good, but nothing we haven’t eaten elsewhere. All in all, it was decent but ho hum for someone familiar with Vietnamese food. The selection of items on the menu is particularly small.

http://www.myfatherskitchensf.com/menu.pdf

1655 Divisadero Street San Francisco, CA 94115 (415) 829-2610

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana

San Francisco has been attracting better and better pizza parlors over the last decade and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in North Beach just may be the best. Admittedly, we have not yet been to Flour & Water, nor Delfina, but those restaurants have so many other tantalizing items to offer, especially pasta, I’m not certain we’d ever get around to the pizze. Not so with Tony’s as the pizze are as prominent on the menu as the name of the restaurant. There may be side acts such as salads, pastas, and desserts, but pizza is the headliner that plays the center ring at this circus. The restaurant is lively, with a wait staff quick on their feet, but it is comfortable for conversation. The fast pace is more a product of the numbers of patrons, rather than the staff encouraging a quick turnover. We took our time and were not rushed.

The all too familiar bread and butter served at almost every restaurant in town is not familiar at all when you go into Tony’s. With all those pizza ovens, someone was bound to make focaccia on site. Since focaccia was developed in the Liguria region of Italy simply as a means to test the temperature of the communal bread ovens, it seems a fitting start to our meal. While the olive oil and fresh garlic was a nice fit for the focaccia, I preferred the plain olive oil. The tomato paste and olive oil mix may have been a good idea in terms of flavor, but visually it was unappealing. It needed to be blended to work.

Tony’s bakes it’s pizze in several different ways, depending on different temperatures to achieve different results. They also use specific flours for each of the ovens. They have this down to a science. The next time we go, I’m interested in discovering in greater detail the differences between each method. One only cooks the pizza for a minute in 1000 degrees and that may be the coal burning oven with the hottest temperature for very thin, crisp crust pizze. This one was baked in a domed, gas fueled, brick oven for a chewier texture on the dough. It was called the Cal Italia and is made with premium Italian imports and resides on the menu under the “Classic Italian” recipes. All the classic Italian pizze are made using vine ripened tomato sauce, with this being the exception.

 

Instead of tomato sauce, the Cal Italia, which by the way is an award winning pizza, utilizes fig jam from Croatia. This sweet preserve sets the foundation for a very savory pizza with the bite of imported Italian Gorgonzola, that also imparts a saltiness that the Mozzarella lacks. Asiago and the nuttier tasting Parmigiano help to add another layer of flavor and depth to this beautifully balanced pizza. Prosciutto di Parma and Balsamic vinegar add more salty sweetness to the mix. From these photos it is clear to see that the prosciutto, and well as one or more of the cheeses are not cooked, but layered on top after the pizza comes out of the oven. I’m certain the syrupy vinegar is also added after plating. They all get just enough residual heat to perk up their flavors. This pizza is a spectacular success and needs to be tried, then reordered. As original as the flavor combination seems to be, it is very similar to a pizza we tried many years ago in Boston at Todd English’s pizza parlor called Fig’s on Beacon Hill. A photo of that pizza can be found in a separate review. However, there’s no contest when it comes to the crust; Tony’s is superior.

From the 900 degree wood fired oven comes the Truffle – Less Pizza; the Cal Italia has the same medium rustic dough but is hand tossed. The Truffle – Less Pizza is not listed as being hand tossed, but interestingly enough the dough looked less uniform than that on the Cal Italia. Even more interesting is the fact that it was a bit less chewy. The ovens must really make a greater difference than one imagines on the outcome of the dough. Odd name, but only because I opted out of shaved truffle for this pizza. Black truffles were what was available; I prefer the heady perfume of white truffles. Since white truffle infused oil was available I decided to go with that, instead of fresh black truffle. It was a great call in terms of price. Truffle – Less was $19, Black Truffle Pizza is $39, and in season, White Truffle Pizza is $89. Now I long for the white truffle pizza I ate in Gubbio Italy for all of 9 euros!

  

The Truffle Pizza is made up primarily of cheeses; Mozzarella, Burrata, Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam triple cream cheese, and Parmigiano, with wild mushrooms, arugula and shaved truffles, or in this case truffle oil. It sounds creamy, milky and earthy and it was all three. The Parmigiano provided the much needed salty element. Once again, some ingredients were added after the pizza was baked, most notably the Parmigiano, arugula, and truffle oil. The residual heat helped the truffle scent travel upwards through the air above the table, like a bird gliding on an updraft. I can’t wait to go back and try another one of these sensational combination of flavors. While reading over the antipasti section of the menu, I found some other worthwhile items to try. A small plate dinner may be the direction I take next time.

http://www.tonyspizzanapoletana.com/includes/menu/Tony's%20pizza%20Menu_inside%202010.pdf

1570 Stockton St San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 835-9888

Taqueria Pancho Villa

Pancho Villa has been in business for over twenty years to my recollection. Always dependable for a good burrito, it has been a standard for our household as a “go to” restaurant for a quick meal. It is perpetually packed every time we stop by, so for years we have enjoyed it as a take out operation. When Groupon had a promotion recently, I purchased the discount coupon, knowing full well that I would use it. In fact, I purchased two. I went in with a friend and decided to actually sit down for a meal other than a burrito. I chose the Carne Asada dinner. In truth, I was not impressed. It was good, but not very different than their burritos, as it came with rice and beans and a small side of guacamole. There were seafood options that I didn’t have time to look at as I stood in line at the counter. I think they will be worth a try some other time. But as take out, because the restaurant is chaotic at best and does not provide a relaxing setting for a meal. One cannot hold a conversation there due to the excessively loud noise level. My dining companion literally had to shoo away other patrons as they attempted to share our postage stamp table.

  

Here’s a photo (to the left) of the Carne Asada Burrito that I found much more satisfying than the dinner version. It held less meat, but the dinner was a hearty portion and probably too large, even for someone who was really hungry. You cannot fault Pancho Villa for serving generous portions. Of the two burritos shown I must say that the Carnitas Burrito (on the right) was more to my liking for one simple reason. The meat was more tender and flavorful.  I selected pinto beans instead of black beans, but that difference was imperceptible; it was the meat that made all the difference. Grilled beef will never be as tender as braised pork. Pancho Villa uses a lean cut of beef for grilling and pork shoulder for the carnitas. Cooking any meat until it falls off the bone will result in a more tender product, and the fat didn’t hurt the flavor either.

http://panchovillasf.com/

3071 16th St San Francisco, CA 94103

Tel: (415) 864-8840

Bar Crudo….Revisited

 

Word must have gotten out about the $1 oysters at Bar Crudo because the counter was on its way to being full at 5:15 p.m., just a few minutes after they opened their doors. This restaurant is responsible for our new progressive dinner plan around the North Panhandle neighborhood. Bar Crudo is our first stop for a shellfish appetizer, then it’s off to Tsunami for half off sushi as a first course, and down to Bistro Central Park for our entree of beef or duck. Candy Bar is our choice for dessert. We won’t do that too often, but when we do it will be a real event and celebration.

  

 

On this particular visit, mussels as well as oysters were on the block for $1 each. A poor man could comfortably order shellfish in this restaurant during “happy hour”. I no longer think of this term as describing the emotional state of the inebriated at a cocktail lounge. It makes me happy just telling friends about this wonderful opportunity for fresh shellfish at rock bottom prices.

Humor me, just one more look, because I truly love this deal and think it is a great idea on the part of the restaurant to attract new customers and use up some of the smaller oysters that surely come in every large bag of oysters they purchase from their purveyor.  Although, these were not so small and I would have not been disappointed with the size, no matter what the price. These particular oysters were Pickering Passage from Washington state, an oyster listed on the regular menu. Each time we have ordered the oysters, they have been a different variety. It might be too much to hope that one day Kumamoto would be offered, but since they too appear on the regularly priced menu, my hopes are up, and my fingers crossed.

 

We tried two very different beers for this meal, Old Rasputin Stout, black as coal and just as tasty, as far as we were concerned. When we asked for one that might be like a Belgian ale, we discovered Gulden Draak, a full bodied and slightly sweet ale that was a perfect compliment to the oysters. On a previous visit we had ordered the Ahi and as I recall, I was disappointed with the 4 chunks of sashimi presented on a platter. At $3 per piece it seemed overpriced.  That experience did not deter me from trying the Spicy Yellowfin Tuna. A little lighter in color, but the Yellowfin  at the same price was just as disappointing. We detected no heat in this order and had to ask about it. The tuna was marinated in soy sauce and “Siracha HOT Chili Sauce” (I quote this directly from the bottle we have at home). In all our experience with Siracha, this was not typical, so I must surmise that very little was used. The waitress brought over a small bowl of the marinade in which the chef had added more Siracha. A great save; this made all the difference in our perception of the value of the Yellowfin and we savored each piece.

The item that took the longest time to prepare was the Bone Marrow Crostini with a Citrus Gremolata. That stands to reason, since the bones had to be roasted in order to release the rich, fatty, marrow flavors, and cannot compete with raw fish for timing. The orange rind was a complete surprise because I generally associate lemon with gremolata, but in this case, it proved to be a sweet flavor note to add to this little symphony of lemon rind, red pepper flakes, mint, and sage. In truth, I’m guessing about the mint, I seem to remember it on the menu description, but I cannot verify it at this time. This was and item I hope they keep on the menu, but as the menu changes with the seasons, I hope to see it again sometime in the future.

 

Ever since I recently tried fresh sea urchin, purely by accident, and realized it was not the Devil’s sputum as I had previously thought (long story), I try to order it when it’s offered. What better place to feel comfortable eating it, than at a raw bar where the fish is freshest? The Uni Toast was a great call and a wonderfully unique combination of flavors that worked for a variety of reasons, on a very memorable dish. The similarly textured avocado combined with the sea urchin made it  decadently creamy and the chicory salad was a good contrast in texture, but more importantly, it brought a slight bitterness that bounced off of the sweetness of the uni and avocado. Someone had their culinary thinking cap on when they developed this combination, a budding genius in my view.

Another indulgence, please. The flaked sea salt you see in this photo, that easily could have been Maldon from England or Murray River from Australia, was the icing on the cake, since it made the flavors sing. I was so inspired by this dish that I’d like to try it at home with a few tweaks. A drizzle of buttery Jalapeno olive oil would make it taste even richer and that faint heat would brighten the flavor. I just may have to bring a sample as a gift to the chef on our next visit.

 

Since I'm inclined to eat early at Bar Crudo, to take advantage of their reduced prices, I discovered a fish taco offering on my last visit. It was every bit as good as any fish taco I have tired to date. I'm beginning to wonder how they turn a profit between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.

Bar Crudo Menu

 

655 Divisadero St

San Francisco CA 94117

(415) 409-0679

Tsunami

I have no idea why, but I have been craving the fresh, clean taste of sushi lately. It’s a food that can be complex in it’s execution, but the flavors are never muddled and always identifiable; that’s why I describe it as a clean taste. Tsunami is a neighborhood restaurant that makes enjoying sushi as simple as taking a short walk. Their “happy hour” is just the right time to stop in for something new, since each night they serve half off sushi and the menu rotates; a detail that sometimes lets the menu dictate the choices for me. That was the case with several of the selections on this review. Unfortunately the half off Oyster Shooter wasn’t available this time, but it’s on my list to try; it’s made with sake and an oyster.

The Cajun Ahi sounded interesting and at $6 it was a steal, so I tried it. The ahi was excellent and the searing was beautifully minimal, but I found the chili to be fairly one dimensional and gritty next to the silky texture of the ahi. The creamy white ponzu wasn’t contributing successfully to the taste of the dish. The slaw was mostly red onion and out of balance in my opinion. Still, I would definitely order ahi at Tsunami when I go back.

 

The Hamachi Stuffed Shitake mushrooms are regularly priced at $13 and I’d pay that for them gladly, however, I lucked out and only paid $6.60 this time around. The earthy mushrooms had been stemmed,  with Hamachi serving to fill the void, then battered and fried. They were served with a wasabi aioli and sweet chili sauce, then garnished with green onion. This was a satisfying combination of flavors and textures, but the plating deserved some credit too.

However, if I were to award a prize for plating, the Hamachi Jalapeno Sashimi would have certainly won. Unfortunately the taste was too timid. I’ve eaten this combination before and had a much better experience with definite heat coming from the jalapeno pepper. The reason I selected this particular dish  was that it came with white truffle ponzu. There was no discernible truffle taste. I’m a big truffle fan and my experience with it is extensive, so when I say the truffle taste was not discernible, I mean it just wasn’t there at all. Upon questioning, the waitress said that truffle oil was not used. I had suspected that someone in the kitchen had sent it out without that key ingredient. She said the ponzu itself was infused with white truffle and seemed to think that it would taste more like truffle if I used more ponzu. I had to disagree. When the menu stated that it came with avocado, that seemed an ingenious way to cut the heat from the Jalapeno, but as it turned out, there was no heat. The avocado was so small I could barely see it on the plate, so it would not have served well in that capacity. Too bad, this menu item had such great potential. I hope that the kitchen staff starts tasting ingredients to make certain they have the characteristics they were selected for in each dish. Still, look at how beautiful that piece of Hamachi is. Someone certainly knows how to select the fish and to make it look visually appealing. At least this plate was a feast for the eyes if not for the palate.

What’s in a name? Well, it’s the first introduction we have to a particular person place or thing, so it sets the tone. Let me introduce Radio Crunchy. I hope the chef decides not to have children, or defers to his spouse when it comes to naming any progeny. Still, “a rose is a rose…” and this sushi tasted very good. It was composed of crab meat, Maguro, and cucumber, then wrapped in sushi rice that was in turn rolled in fried Tempura flakes. It worked as a cohesive whole and I’ll be going back for seconds at $12 per order.

I’ve saved the best for last and it wasn’t dessert, but it certainly was rich enough to be. Here’s a mouthful… the name on the menu is Snake River Wagyu Beef Tataki Nigiri. I’ve wanted to try Wagyu beef for a long while, but the price has always been the choke point for me; I’d choke if I had to cough up the money to pay for it! I’m finally sold on the idea of forking over the cash for a full steak, but it had better be small, because this meat is so very fatty. Look at the marbling in these pieces, or should I say layering? The sear served the beef well by imparting a slightly smoked flavor. This order of nigiri was $10 for the two pieces and well worth it to try this remarkable beef. I highly recommend this dish as nothing more could have made it any better than it was. Why gild the lily?

Tsunami Website

1306 Fulton Street San Francisco  CA    94117 (415) 567-7664