Sociale - Duuuuuck, Duuuuuck, CHICKEN!

Restaurant: Sociale
Address: 3665 Sacramento St., Presidio Heights, SF
Cuisine: Italian
Date Last Visited: February 4, 2008
Dining Partner: Star

The first time we heard of this restaurant was on “Check Please, Bay Area!” Yes, Star and I owe a lot to that show. Ever since then, Star always yearned to come eat here. Since it was just a ten minute drive from my workplace, it was a perfect venue to have one of our dinners.


I liked how it is tucked away from the busy street. You have to find the entrance to a sketchy-looking alleyway and then walk down past the flower shop and tenant mailboxes until you see the twinkling lights. It was so cute. I can totally see couples coming here for a romantic, candlelit dinner underneath the stars. Since people were inside and no one outside, we decided to join them.


Once inside, I saw how it was romantic it was indoors as well. Each table had white napkins, shiny silverware, wine glasses and a single candle. The space was not particularly big, which I think was appealing because it felt very “homey” (how Star put it). It was very comfortable and relaxing.


Star and I love our bread. No, seriously. We love bread. The bread here is awesome. Still slightly warm. Nice and crusty but soft and chewy interior. We slathered on the butter like no tomorrow. Now THAT explains why my cholesterol levels are through the roof. We had thirds on the bread. It was good. =)


Abbazia Di Novacella 2006 - A wine out of Alto Adige, Italy made with the Müller Thurgau grape ($4.5 for half-glass/$9 glass). This is the first glass (or half, I should say) of wine that Star and I have had during one of our dinners. We both are wine novices, so we relied on our server to give us the best wine to accompany our food. It was also very nice of our server to write the name of the wine for us. She gave us a little sample of it before we decided whether to have a glass or not. I think this was one of the easiest wines I have ever drank. “Easy” meaning it was very attractive, not harsh wine with an almost syrupy feel. I enjoyed it.


Chicken Liver Crostini with Seared Chanterelle Mushrooms and Balsamic Reduction ($10). Star decided on this starter only because bone marrow was no longer on the menu. It MUST be a seasonal thing, so she went for this. Now if you have read my blog for a while now, you should know that I do not do liver; however, Star loves soft foods, so pate, liverwurst, foie gras, are always welcome in her diet. For some reason, she always has a way to convince me to try her food, even if I detest it. I took a bite of one of her crostini, and it was okaaaaay. I DID have to wash it down with a big gulp of water, but that’s only because I do not do liver. I do have to add that the texture contrast between the spread and the mushrooms was interesting. Star looked like she was in Heaven while she was eating it, stating that her S.O. Herbmeister would be jealous if he ever found out she had such a dish. So if you like the whole liver thing, this might be just the appetizer for you!


Duck Meatballs with Dried Cherry Sugo ($11). This was my appetizer. From the flavors, it almost seemed like a dessert also. Well, let me tell you first that these were HUGE meatballs. They were the size of tennis balls. No seriously, they were huge. I thought I was going to get ping-pong sized balls, but these were big balls. =) They were moist and very meaty. What I could complain about them is that they almost didn’t seem like duck. If someone did not imply that these were duck at all, I would have thought they were made with veal or pork. They were still very tasty. What looks like a tomato/marinara sauce is really a cherry sauce. This is the third preparation I have had that duck and cherries were paired up. The tart of the cherries went well with the richness of the meatballs. I enjoyed this very much, and I would have to say that the portion size is exceptional.


Pappardelle with Braised Duck - Rustic-Style Braised Duck, Porcini Mushrooms and Peas ($18). Now this would have been my entrée if Star hadn’t chosen it. See, I’m a good cousin. I always give my cousin the first choice. =) We were talking during dinner and she said that she was almost too scared to order this because she thought that the sauced would be too strong. Duck is a very rich bird compared to your mundane chicken, but it was the complete opposite. The sauce was milder than we had anticipated. We are used to having tomato-based or white sauce on our pasta, so having a duck preparation with the pasta was a nice step out of our box that lives under a rock. Don’t get me wrong, there were rich tones to it, but it was not overbearing at all. The braising made the duck meat very tender. The freshly-shaved cheese added a salty bite and the peas added little doses of sweetness. I think I should order this when I come back.


“Brick” Chicken with Eggplant Involtini, Pine Nuts, and Parmigiano-Reggiano ($20). The brick refers to the method the chicken was cooked. A heavy weight was put on top of the chicken to ensure fast cooking while keeping it juicy. This chicken was so scrumptious. The skin was crisp and so tasty. I regret not taking a picture of the eggplant and tomatoes underneath. So let me describe it. I liked how the chicken was not covered with the diced-tomato sauce to ensure that the skin remained crispy. It was not a marinara-like sauce, just a simple tomato sauté with the eggplant involtini in it. The “involtini” are thin, length-wise, sheets of eggplant rolled around a “stuffing” of the parmigiano-reggiano and pine nuts. When I read about the pine nuts, I was afraid they would be roasted too much and perhaps topped on the chicken. But they were actually inside the involtini and were very tender. As huge as the portion was, there was the right amount of everything. Not too much sauce, just enough involtini and cheese. Overall, it was a very light dish, and I loved it.


Coffee and Doughnuts - House Made Fresh Doughnuts Served with an Espresso Milkshake ($8). This was the dessert that made Star want to come here. We did have doughnuts at CIRCA (they came on the dessert platter), but IMHO, these were better. Sorry, CIRCA. They were so light. Love love love the cinnamon sugar. I didn’t try the chocolate, but I did try the espresso milkshake. For my taste, the milkshake was a bit too strong, but then again, I’m a white-chocolate-mocha-frap-double-blended-with-whip-and-caramel-on-top-type of a girl, so I favor the sweet over the bitter tones. Star, on the other hand, didn’t think it was strong for her taste. If you like strong coffee, this is for you.


Profiteroles - Pastry Puffs Filled with Hazelnut Gelato and Goat’s Milk Butterscotch ($8). While we were ordering dessert, Star said that she did not want the puffs because she was afraid that the pastry would be too heavy and tough. I thought they would be like Beard Papa’s which are heavenly and light, so I went ahead and got them, even with the many “Are you SURE’s?” from Star. Ugh. Should have listened to her. Though I liked the nutty hazelnut gelato, the pastry was just leaden. The butterscotch was okay, though it was grainy. Not my favorite dessert, so I do not think I will order this again. The table to my left ordered them as well and did not approve either. I think these were the only disappointment of the night.


Aside from the one setback during dessert, I would have to say that this was a very successful and splendid dinner with my cousin Star. You can just see from the pictures that it is very romantic and the food is delectable. The service was very attentive. Our glasses were never empty. I swear, the staff is always watching our water glasses, making sure it never gets half-empty. Getting in our orders was a bit slow (slow maybe because I was starving); therefore, being rushed is never an issue. Be sure to get in your reservations because it fills up fast. Remarkable place. I WILL be back.

Hey Star: I Ain’t Sayin’ She’s a GOLDIGGER, But She Ain’t No Messin’ With No Broke Broke…=P

Houston’s - Give Me My Meat!

Restaurant: Houston’s
Address: 1800 Montgomery Street, The Embarcadero, SF
Cuisine: Traditional and New American
Date Last Visited: November 12, 2007
Dining Partners: Ate Di, BanYo, and Miko


I love my friends. No, seriously. FRIENDS. How many of us have them? I am so lucky to have friends who like to eat good food like me. And they are Ate Di, BanYo and Miko. You probably know their names very well by now because they are in many of my posts, but I just wanted to pay homage to them because they are so great. I love dining out with them. Okay, onto the restaurant. It was Veteran’s Day Monday and we planned to go out and eat because, well, for no particular occasion really. We chose Houston’s because BanYo wanted to go somewhere close to the Embarcadero. I know I know. Houston’s is a chain restaurant, but there is only one in San Francisco, so it’s okay.


We didn’t have reservations and even though we got there at around 6, the place was still pretty quiet and we were seated quickly. I think most of the action was at the bar. I just loved the woodsy feeling of this place.


Everything was made of wood and the lighting was just dim enough and it created a romantic, yet rugged and outdoorsy ambiance, like you were dining at a cabin restaurant that sat on the banks of the Colorado River. The lighting fixtures resembled pinecones and figures of river otters and other animal and plant life rounded out the décor.


These were the Special Pork and Veggie Spring Rolls ($14). The ones on the left are the ones filled with pork, noodles, carrots, and julienne peppers. The ones on the right are the strictly veggie ones that were filled with everything in the other roll but without the pork. Three dips came with them: a mango chutney-like sauce, creamy ranch-like sauce, and the last one was like a thousand island/Russian dressing. Overall, I was not very impressed with these. Come on! 14 bucks for two spring rolls? If they were a buck each, then we’ll talk, but they weren’t unique and just too damned overpriced. I was very disappointed. I thought we would get at least four of each variety, but no. I wouldn’t recommend them just because of the price. I mean, would YOU pay $14 for what you see above? If money came out of you like sweat, I’d understand, but no. Not me. I’m sorry for rambling. I just can’t believe what a gyp these were. I was pretty upset. GAH! Okay, I’ll move on now.


Miko’s Ruebenesque Corned Beef, Baby Swiss on Griddled Rye ($16). Growing up, corned beef to me was that stuff that came out of the can. But real corned beef is sliced and totally different from what I ate as a kid with rice and ketchup. I LOOOOVED this sandwich. The meat was tender and I loved the cheese all melted over it. The rye bread was buttery and crispy from sitting on the griddle. The potatoes were bomb as well. Nice and crispy like those In-N-Out fries I love so much. So good!


BanYo’s Rutheirford Ribeye with Mashed Potatoes ($32). The regular menu said it came with thick slice tomato and bleu cheese, but BanYo substituted for the mashed taters. The meat was tender and had a nice sweet glaze on it which was very tasty.


Ate Di’s Special Swordfish with Herb Butter and Dirty Rice (A.Q.). The restaurant does a fish of the day and this day’s was swordfish. I never really had swordfish (from what remember), so I was excited. Man, I never knew swordfish was so meaty. It ate like a steak. Nice herbed butter on the top which added some richness. The dirty rice had corn and carrots in it. It looks like Chinese fried rice, but it was richer in flavor.


My Prime Rib Roasted on the Bone and Thick Cut with Dirty Rice ($27). Now let me tell you about MY dish. Doesn’t it look irresistible? If you had this sitting in front of you, you would probably swoon like I did. Coming into the restaurant, I was planning on the double-cut pork chops, but they were out on this night. (BOO!) So I ordered this instead. I was disappointed at first, but all that went away when I took my first bite.


I also substituted my side dish from a baked potato to the dirty rice (hey, I’m Pinay!). It comes with creamy horseradish sauce and au jus for dipping. Good Lord have mercy. The first bite was HEAVEN. Just the right amount of juiciness, fat and roasted flavor. Perfectly medium rare in the middle and the sauces were just perfect. Probably the best prime rib I’ve had. I think I had to stop myself from looking like a barbarian because I was about to gnaw on that bone like a dog, and we all know the bone is best part. That’s where all the fat is hiding. I liked how they let the meat shine. No goopy sauces or marinades. Damn. Good meat.

So happy I came here. I would always pass by here and wonder what was served. That outdoor fire pit and the smoke coming from the chimney intrigued me. They sure do know their meats here. I know that it’s a chain and all, but I hope that doesn’t scare you away because they serve some good entrees. I would get away from those spring rolls though because they are a friggin’ rip off if you ask me. Other than that, go for the meat. It’s worth it.

Crustacean - “Are You SURE You Don’t Want a Crab?”

Restaurant: Crustacean
Cuisine: Vietnamese/Asian Fusion
Address: 1475 Polk Street @ California St., Nob Hill, SF
Date Last Visited: January 16, 2008
Dining Partner: Star

It was the second day of Dining About Town and it was about time that my cousin Star and I had a dinner date. Crustacean is known for its whole crabs and garlic noodles, and people who have eaten there RAVE about it. However, since we were going for Dining About Town, we weren’t anticipating to buy a crab. Boo…


The ambiance of the restaurant is almost mysterious to me. The lights are a tad dim and the Asian relics displayed add a sense of exoticism. I’m speaking for myself here, but I loved the “King and I” feeling. I know I am in the wrong country (The King and I is in Siam/Thailand and Crustacean is mainly Vietnamese-focused, but same region of Asia), but that’s how I felt and I liked it.


For the starter, we had a choice of the Rice Paper Shrimp Roll - filled with poached shrimp, rice noodles, “rau ram” and green mango wrapped in a soft rice paper, served with a spicy peanut sauce OR Mixed Greens - frisee, mache, watercress and pear in a lemongrass vinaigrette, OR the Skewered Chicken - tender slices of chicken breast marinated with lemongrass, sesame and Asian herbs then grilled. The rolls and salad sounded good, but I wanted something meaty, so the chicken skewers it was.


The skewers of chicken came with pickles of cucumbers and carrots. I really liked this appetizer because skewered meat reminds me of the BBQ sticks I make myself. The pickled vegetables also reminds me of “atchara,” a Filipino version of pickled vegetables that we eat with BBQ. The chicken was perfectly tender and the marinade was sweet yet savory. The pickles were juicy, refreshing, but not as sour as a dill pickle. With all this meat though, I would have appreciated some rice or something starchy. Yeah, it’s the Asian in me. That is why we ordered these:


Crustacean’s Shrimp Toasts - Freshly minced shrimp on French baguette, lightly glazed and broiled ($9.95). We thought this would be good because it had the restaurant’s name in it. Eh, they were just okay. They were sweet because of the nice shrimp, but I found it rubbery and kind of bland. We were deciding whether to get these or the Crispy Wonton Duck Confit. Let’s just say that we should have gotten the duck confit.


Shaken Beef with Jasmine Rice - flambéed in Chardonnay, served with green beans, cherry tomatoes, and red onions. I didn’t see any flambéing or the Chardonnay. All I saw was a huge plate of meat. Forgive the blurriness of the photo, by the way. It was good, I mean, it was not particularly exciting. I was very familiar with the flavors and the pairing of the beef and the green beans, but it was good. Not as tender as I would have liked, (maybe sampling the shaking beef at the Slanted Door just a week earlier did not help in this equation), but it was tasty. It was a bit more garlicky than the version at the Slanted Door which I liked. It was good, but like I said, nothing too different than what I usually eat at home.


Prawn “Stir Fry” - prawns stir-fried served on a bed of An’s Garlic Noodles. I swear to God, people RAVE about these noodles like they are the best food in the world. I do give them a little credit because DAMN, they WERE good. I’m getting full just looking at the picture above. I mean, it’s just starch and garlic. Starch + garlic = Jo with a happy face. The name is somewhat misleading because it’s called Prawn Stir Fry, so shouldn’t there be MORE prawns? There’s only four of those little critters on there. I think that’s the only thing I would complain about, but these were yum. I should try replicating them at home.


Fried Banana a la Mode - I L-O-V-E fried bananas. Let me tell you the truth. I HATE eating raw bananas. I only like them cooked, and is my ideal way of having them. Actually the preparation above is the PERFECT way I would like them. Again, this is nothing new to me. I love fried bananas, so if there is a chance to have them, I would most likely jump on that chance. I even make them at home and serve them a la mode too. My secret: pancake batter with a sprinkling of sugar. Ohh, now that I think about it, sprinkling in “Sugar in the Raw” into the batter would be awesome because there would be big crystals of sugar with every bite. ^_^ But that is another story all together.


Orange Cream Sorbet. I was a bit disappointed with this because the sorbet was very crystallized. Star asked if it was supposed to be like that and I replied with, “Yes, because they made this in-house and the crystals are there because it was made from scratch.” Now that I think about it, I didn’t like the crystals. I like my sorbet icy without about shards of ice in it. I do applaud the presentation. Isn’t it just darling? HOWEVER, I would grab a half-gallon of Dryer’s Orange Cream over this. I’m sorry. =( The fresh flavor of orange was in there all the way, and though I am a citrus lover, this was not a winner.

Throughout dinner, crab after crab after crab came out to the diners. We watched the servers put on the bibs on the eaters and Star and I were envious. I asked her if she wanted to buy one (they were $35 each, by the way), but she didn’t want to. *sigh* STAR! We should have. Ha! Next time! Something that bugged us, particularly Star, was how the server was almost pushy and rushing. This was at the beginning of the meal and we kind of got the vibe that he did not want to serve us because we are young, like we were not the type would spend money at a restaurant. Homey, we threw down 300 bucks to eat at Michael Mina, so don’t you dare think we don’t eat good. As the meal progressed, he became nicer, but a first impression leaves a lasting effect on us and we did not forget that weird vibe. Boo on him. Overall, this meal was okay. I would have loved to try a crab, but this was not the day to do it. Besides, I wasn’t in the mood to smell like crab all night. Eh, not something I would rave about. I heard their sister restaurant Thanh Long is better (I don’t know how because their menus are almost the same), so I want to try them out. Eh, we’ll see. In conclusion, just okay.

Sanraku - My First Date with Rox

Restaurant: Sanraku
Address: 101 4th Street and Mission St., SOMA, SF
Cuisine: Japanese
Dining Partner: Rox

I started this thing where I have “dates” with my cousins where we go to different restaurants and eat and talk and just enjoy ourselves. This date was dedicated to Cousin Rox and we went to a place really close to my then-school. Sanraku is in the Metreon, a place I chilled at a lot while I was still studying. I always would watch people stop into Sanraku during their lunch breaks, including faculty from campus, and I always wondered how the food was here. This was our chance to find out.


It does have that “food court-y” feeling to it because it doesn’t have real walls that totally close it from the rest of the center. We were seated close to the sushi bar and were given our menus. What I remember is that it took us a long time to even get our orders in. Maybe because it was in the middle of lunchtime, but STILL. I’m the type who gets real impatient if I’m not being acknowledged AND hungry. Anyway, we both ordered our food and we got a bowl of miso soup. Nothing too special about miso soup to my anymore since I have it a lot, but it sure does feel good going down.


Sesame chicken - deep fried chicken breast with sesame seeds dipped in teriyaki sauce ($8.95). Rox ordered the sesame chicken and it was a huge plate of food. I did not take a picture of the bowl of rice that came with this, btw. So the chicken came with steamed broccoli and carrots and a pretty substantial salad tossed in a vinaigrette. I had a sampling of the chicken, and it was very tasty. Since it was chicken breast, there is always the fear of it being too dry, but it was coated in a crispy batter and the sauce was sweet and yummy.


Combination Lunch - Beef Teriyaki with Tempura ($13.95). I ordered the combination lunch so that I would be able to taste two different items. My plate also came with the same steamed vegetables, tossed salad and rice. I really liked the dressing on the salad. Usually at Japanese places, their greens are usually iceberg lettuce with carrots, radish, etc. with a sesame dressing, but here they used more of a spring mix and a tangy vinaigrette. I can’t really say much about the carrots and broccoli because they were simply steamed.


My beef came out and it was very good. I LOVE BEEF. This is a good version of beef teriyaki, though I noticed their sauce for it was a bit runnier than the usual thick goop I get. The vinaigrette from the salad mixed with the juices from the beef, which in turn dressed the steamed veggies. Very good.


The tempura was pretty much predictable: crispy, hot, and delicious. I got two ebi (shrimp), a squash, a zucchini, and the others I forgot. I didn’t eat all of the pieces because I started to get full after a few bites. Though my meal was about 15 bucks, it do give you a considerable amount of food.

Sanraku is pretty good. It is by no means a destination spot for me because I go to Japanese places all the time and they all seem to serve similar things - teriyaki, udon, sushi, tempura, etc. I haven’t tried their sushi, so I can’t say anything about that, but they do get a steady stream of people who want to get away from the adjacent food court and sit in a semi-private space to have some good Japanese food. Overall, tasty. =)