No Kitchen = FRESH

Back late today from an all-day conference in San Fran on marketing, in which I learned many new things, including, IMHO, the two keys things to moving from surviving to thriving in life and in biz, when, on the way home, I (of course--come on!) stopped at one of my fav San Fran haunts: Swan Oyster Depot. Now let me say this: you just GOTTA love a restaurant that doesn't advertise, doesn't have a web site, and doesn't even have a kitchen! No kitchen, man, that seafood BETTER be fresh!

Much more on The Swan later, but suffice to say: awesome, colorful, homey, and full of that word you know I love -- character.

Ciao for now.

Swan Oyster Depot

1517 Polk Street, at California

San Francisco, CA 94109

M-Sat 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

MAD About Chocolate

O.K., so during our recent visit to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, I talked about two of the wharf's four core staples, seafood and bread (I must admit, I neglected--this time -- to talk about Anchor Steam Brewing Co beer). Now it's time for the fourth and final part of what makes the Wharf so special from a food standpoint: chocolate! And chocolate and Fisherman's wharf means a visit to Ghirardelli Square, home of the Ghirardelli Chocolate company, which has been making chocolate in San Fran since 1852. Of course they have scores of types of chocolate...along with the other candy "goodies" such as taffy, etc.

Anyway, this was/is Mad's favorite part of Fisherman's Wharf. Enjoy!

Rows of Goodness

Laffy Taffy

Decisions, Decisions

That's All, Folks

Ghirardelli Square

Ghirardelli Chocolate

900 North Point Street, San Francisco 94109

Tel: 415-775-5500

Sourdough Heaven

So where did we eat at Fisherman's Wharf during our recent visit there? We went old-school (surprise, surprise!) and camped out at the Boudin Cafe, which is part of the Boudin Bakery empire, where we dined on that San Francisco classic: clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. Man, I love how the bread bowl soaks up the chowder...and the clams...and the potatoes. Awesome.

And then with about an hour to kill before our run to SFO, and with it beginning to rain, we decided to head upstairs and visit the Boudin Museum and Bakery Tour. It was very cool. Not only did we get to watch the baker's doing their thing, we learned some interesting facts and history about both Boudin and San Francisco. For example:

~ Boudin began in 1849, and is the oldest continuously operating business in San Fran

~ The bakery began by a French family who came to serve the miners looking for gold

~ There is a specific reason why San Francisco sourdough can only be made in San Francisco (I won't spoil the surprise, in case you visit the museum someday)

~ During the 1906 earthquake, "Grandma" Boudin saved the company by rescuing some of the "mother dough" used as a starter to create all the other bread dough

Teddy Bears

At Work

View from Above
Anyway, we all thought it was cool, the ticket doubles as a bookmark, and finally, I took a quick online test and learned that my personality type matches that of an "Olive Bread":

Too cool for school, huh? The next time you're at the wharf, a visit to the Boudin Museum and Bakery Tour is, in my opinion, a must. And if you can't make it to the wharf anytime soon and are getting a hunkering for some chowder (or chili, or crab bisque, or potato corn chowder, or...) in a bread bowl, check out their web site for info on their Bread Bowl Club. San Francisco sourdough, an original...since 1849. (Hmmmm...tradition and passion: maybe there IS something to that Olive Bread personality thing!)

Boudin Cafe, Museum, and Bakery Tour

160 Jefferson Street, at Fisherman's Wharf

San Francisco, CA 94133

Tel: (415) 351-5561

Fisherman's Wharf: Food Extravaganza

Our 100th post. Thanks for visiting!

As I mentioned in my previous post, we had a ton of fun at Fisherman's Wharf this past Monday. It's a mecca for seafood, of course, but also all kinds of other goodies, as these pics show. Enjoy!

A next-time "must"--garlic pizza!


Classic Crab


Bread and Bread


Authentic Kitsch

Now THAT'S a Seafood Platter!

Following our day at Point Reyes National Seashore with T. and H. (visiting us from Texas), on MLK day we decided to hit San Francisco. And no matter how many times I've been there now, I still love Fisherman's Wharf. A big reason, of course, is the seafood--fresh and plentiful. But fun as well: all the sights and sounds and smells. We spent a few delightful hours shopping, snacking, and eating! Enjoy a few of the pics I took...

Now THAT'S a Seafood Platter!

Controlled chaos:

Cannonball!

A typical menu:

Tony Comes to San Fran

Thanks to EMAF FROTB ckd for this note: Tony Bourdain will be doing a San Francisco event on Saturday, Nov. 17 from 7-10 p.m. to promote his new book No Reservations. The event will be held at the E&O Trading Company, 314 Sutter Street. The event is sponsored by the American Institute for Wine and Food, with tickets on sale at Green Apple Books. I've got a poker tourney that evening: ah, dilemmas, dilemmas!

We Meet the 'Meat Monkey'

Well, the first Every Meal A Feast "Gathering" was a resounding success. Fantastic atmosphere, unusual food, great wines, a talk with the chef, and friendships new and re-newed. All in all, it was a night I probably won't ever forget.

Above: Inside the special room where we ate; the mural is from Dante's Inferno

Our excursion, of course, was to Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco for their Il Quarto Quinto (Fifth Quarter) tasting menu. This special menu, prepared by Incanto Chef Chris Consentino, features "offal" or those "lost cuts" of meat that peasants and everyday people used to eat (because they couldn't afford the pricey cuts of meat). The meal was fascinating. Several things the EMAF gang didn't really go for... But others: WOW!

We started out with rabbit ears and carrot chips with aioli. The rabbit ears (deep fried, of course) had a strong, gamey taste. I could eat five or six...and that was it. The carrot chips were awesome: light, not oily, and full of flavor. Next we had Chef Chris's version of Turf and Surf: a soup with tuna and beef tripe. WOW! Awesome! Along with the tripe, which we thinly sliced and had the consistency and texture of pasta were heirloom cherry tomatoes, parsley, and ZING: Fresno chilies. The burst of sweetness from the cherry tomatoes was offset by the burning-on-the-back-of-the-throat (not the tongue) from the chilies. I LOVED this dish.

Next, calf's brains with white chanterelles, capers and lemon. I was expecting a consistency sort of like cauliflower. Instead, the brains were mushy, almost custard-like. I could only eat one bit of what-must-certainly-be-an-acquired-taste thing. Then we had "Trotter Cakes"--pigs' feet in a crab cake-type format. Again, a bit fatty for me. Finally, we ended the evening with a wonderful dessert: Chocolate blood panna cotta. This had a pudding like consistency, and was awesome, especially with the accompanying fresh strawberries.

For wine, we polished off a bottle of Geyser Peak Winery 2005 Alexandra Valley Walking Tree Vineyard cab, and a the bottle of 1987 cab I brought from Kathryn Kennedy Winery. I'm happy to say that the KKW cab was awesome: great bouquet, and smooth with no tannins and a real peppery, long finish.

At the end of the meal, Chef Chris came out and we had a great talk about the Fifth Quarter menu, along with his new "tasty salted pig parts" venture: Boccalone. Chris definitely loves all things hog-related; the self-proclaimed "meat monkey" had just gotten in four sides of hogs, with each side being about 210lbs. That's a lotta pig!!!!

Anyway, the meal was exceptional. It's always nice to have expectations for something---that anticipation---and have those expectations exceeded. It just reaffirms to me that every meal can be a feast, no matter how small or, in this case, no matter how much uncertainty is involved (from the "different" foods, the 20-year-old cab, from gathering people together who don't know each other, etc.), because with great food, and great wine, and with especially with people who enjoy both:

Silly Wabbit!

Deep fried rabbit ear and carrot chips with aioli. Fresno chilies that burned the back of the throat (not the tongue). The KKW 87 cab held up remarkably well. And a chat with Chef Chris. Details to follow (when the spinning in my head/mind slows) but quickly, the Il Quinto Quarto menu at Incanto was superb. Best of all: seeing MS and DC hit it off so well. Oh, and wait till you hear about THIS version of "surf and turf."

The Incanto Countdown Continues...

Just a friendly reminder that September 13 is the deadline to reserve your spot at our first EMAF "Gathering" on September 20 at Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco. (For more info, see the side panel or my post of September 3: Join EMAF for an "Enchanted" Evening.) If you'd like more info or want to join our group for this special feast, give me a call or send an email to bignightfan@gmail.com.

P.S. I've had several of my female friends express, shall I say, mild concern at joining the group sans husband, boyfriend, or date. Strange men (and at least one woman), eating strange meats and drinking copious amounts of red wine, a post-midnight dash across the Golden Gate Bridge and then down the fog-slicked hills into Marin County and then home.... I mean, come on folks: What could possibly go wrong?!?! Trust me on this: I'll have your back. No worries. You'll be in good hands. And so on.

P.P.S. The pic for this post has nothing to do with the evening. I just happen to really like it.

Yummmmm: Tasty Salted Pig Parts!

In my previous post (September 3; Join EMAF for an "Enchanted" Evening), I described how Every Meal A Feast will be holding its first "Gathering" at Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco on September 20. While perusing the Incanto web site, I of course (hey, the marketing guy in me is TOO curious) signed up for their newsletter. Well, just yesterday Mark Pastore of Incanto sent a note announcing the launch of he and Incanto Chef Chris Cosentino's latest project: Boccalone. Boccalone will focus on "artisan cured meats"... which is of course a fancy way of saying Tasty Salted Pig Parts!

Anyway, as an fyi to FROTB, Pastore and Cosentino will be hosting an open house on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Incanto to launch Boccalone. If you can't make the open house but want to be part of this new Boccalone Salumi Society (with me), check out their web site. Ciao.

Join EMAF for an "Enchanted" Evening

Of the many unexpected pleasures I've received from this blog since I began it several months ago, perhaps the most gratifying have been the positive comments and well-wishes not only of friends, but also from quasi-friends, those people I know but haven't really spent much time with, for whatever reason. I've discovered that food and wine (or, at least in this case, sharing experiences about food and wine) really does help bring people together. So when my poker buddy Mike S., who has become a Frequent Reader of This Blog, asked me if I'd be up to go to a restaurant with him for a special meal, I not only jumped at the chance, but Mike and I discussed, and now we're inviting you, FROTB, to join us in this, the first Every Meal A Feast "Gathering".

And what a special meal it's going to be! We're off to Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco for Chef Chris Cosentino's special Il Quinto Quarto, or Fifth Quarter, tasting menu. Consentino, who has a special love of "offal" meats (he even has his own web site, OffalGood.com), prepares a special menu using those "lost cuts" which traditionally mainstream American has forgotten (or never eaten in the first place). A sample menu might include pig's feet, fish maw, lamb liver and kidney, and chocolate blood panna cotta. It's going to be a feast not only for the senses, but also sharing among friends. (Hey, it might just be Mike and I, and you know what, that's O.K.). So if you're interested, here are the details:

Date: Thursday Sept 20, 2007

Time: Reservations are at 7:30 p.m.

Location: Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco

Cost: $65 plus tax, tip and drinks. (NOTE: I am going to budget $100. Also, Every Meal A Feast will be providing at least one bottle of wine for the dinner.)

Carpooling: Will be available from Sonoma County

Reservations: You must reserve a spot by Sept. 13 by contacting me at my phone number or by email at bignightfan@gmail.com

We're throwing a party...and you're invited. Contact me if you want to join us for an enchanted evening!