Rock of Gibraltar
by Foodysseus on Dec.07, 2010, under 7x7 Big Eat SF 2010, Reviews
- What: A Gibraltar
- Where: Blue Bottle Cafe
- Which: #28
- When: Saturday, May 8, 2010
How the hell they make that crazy design in the foam of a Gibraltar is beyond me, one of those purely unknowable things like God or the composition of McRib meat. In any case, it’s a sight to behold (again like God or a McRib [Shiva, forgive me]) and after a little uncooked salty crab I was prepared to venture back to known territory and continue with the second item of The Foodyssey Marathon (we had 5 items that day).
28. Gibraltar at Blue Bottle
Truth be told, I’m not a big coffee drinker: it keeps me awake at night, it gives me the runs, and the smell lingers on my breath for days. Also, I have witnessed first-hand the unaesthetic effects of chronic coffee-drinking on the teeth of my high school physics teacher, and the condition is one I would not wish upon my worst enemy (Mr. Todak, if only YOU could have had a normal force in your life…). So prepare yourself, dear reader, for a review from an uninitiate.
If I were forced to drink coffee, I’d probably want to have it in Gibraltar form. It’s half milk, so that takes quite a bit of the edge off, in addition to making it creamier. Aside from milk, the only other ingredient is a double-shot of espresso, which might as well be a double-shot of bullets to the part of my brain that lets me sleep. I will say that the coffee Blue Bottle uses has a great roasty aroma and deep flavor, so I was particularly happy with this drink. At the end of the day, though, it’s just a cup of coffee with a fancy foam design. But you can’t criticize it’s San Francisconess, so it certainly occupies a deserved spot on The Big Eat SF.
Next, The Foodyssey gets all classy and shit at Bix.
Crabtacular
by Foodysseus on Sep.03, 2010, under 7x7 Big Eat SF 2010, Reviews
- What: Papaya salad with salty crab
- Where: Sai Jai Thai
- When: Saturday, May 8, 2010
- Which: #27
The Foodyssey Marathon (the day we sampled 5 items from The Big Eat SF 2010, a record that has yet to be broken) began mid-morning with a trip to the Tenderloin’s Sai Jai Thai, one of San Francisco’s more authentic Thai restaurants. Don’t let the cracked-out trannies outside Sai Jai Thai scare you. They are mostly harmless and tend to leave you alone if you pay them an off-hand compliment about their breasts and/or penis.
You can gauge the authenticity of a restaurant in two ways:
- Patron ethnicity – if the majority of customers ethnically match a restaurant’s cuisine, you’re in the right place; look at the table next to you and order whatever you see
- Server incomprehensibility – if you can’t understand a damn word because your server’s accent is too thick, you’re in the right place; don’t panic, just let him/her order for you and like whatever you eat
Sai Jai Thai satisfied both these requirements with absurd ease. Luckily, there are pictures on the menu, so I was able to order the papaya salad with salty crab without issue.
27. Papaya salad with salty crab
The salad was tangy and sweet, rife with shredded papaya and fresh tomatoes. It was also dotted with raw crab legs that added a briny, seawater flavor. I wasn’t sure if you were supposed to eat them, or if they were just there to impart a certain characteristic to the whole dish. I ate one anyway. Let’s just say I prefer my Asian food highly Americanized (i.e. cooked).
Overall, the papaya salad with salty crab was interesting, but not one of the better culinary experiences I’ve had plodding through The Big Eat. However, the quality of items was bound to improve with time during the Foodyssey Marathon, and the day had just begun. Up next, a demitasse before the appetizer and two dinners. Yes, the night was that good.
Wine? Wine not?
by Foodysseus on Aug.27, 2010, under 7x7 Big Eat SF 2010, Reviews
- What: A bottle of burgundy
- Where: RN74
- When: Wednesday, May 5, 2010
- Which: #26
Every now and again, The Foodyssey allows me to feel a little fancier than usual. Of course, this is all relative as “fancy” can mean eating SpaghettiOs with a metal spoon (I’m fresh out of sporks). Yet the pretender in me grows giddy at the thought of hobnobbing with society’s upper crust even if just for the briefest of moments.
Such was the case with our visit to RN74, Michael Mina‘s most excellent restaurant cum wine bar. I’m fairly certain I was the youngest person there as these sorts of places tend to cater to an older clientele. Regardless, I had no qualms about sauntering to the bar and pretending like I knew what I was doing.
I have a bit of familiarity with California wines, but those across the pond are somewhat foreign to me. I’ve had a few good Bordeauxs, but Burgundy remained an entirely unexplored region. I authoritatively selected a Domaine Roulot 2007 based on its semi-reasonable price ($82) and its easily pronounceable name.
26. A bottle of Burgundy at RN74
What struck me about this Burgundy was its subtle earthy quality. Most earthy wines tend to have an overwhelming soil taste, but the Domaine Roulot had a mild leathery characteristic, which is something I can get behind. It was low on tannins, another high mark on my report card, and was quite smooth. There was a light fruity sensation on the tongue at the finish, which was instantly washed away by the root-ish taste of the next sip. In fact, I was reminded of the circle of life while drinking this wine: from soil to plant to fruit and back again. While Bordeauxs have more overt traits (big, strong flavors), I found everything about this Burgundy to be subtle and complex, more about smells and textures. I’m looking forward to exploring this varietal in more depth when The Foodyssey’s adventure through The Big Eat SF 2010 draws to its inevitable conclusion.
Next up, The Foodyssey embarks on a mini-marathon and samples 5 items in one day, starting with a healthy salad and ending with a chocolate taco. I’m not kidding.
Pinch A Loaf
by Foodysseus on Aug.26, 2010, under 7x7 Big Eat SF 2010, Reviews
- What: Loaf of bread straight out the oven
- Where: Tartine Bakery
- When: Saturday, May 1, 2010
- Which: #25
If a restaurant appears on The Big Eat, you know it’s a winner. If it shows up twice in the first 25 items, that’s gold, Jerry. Gold.
Such was the case with Tartine Bakery, which had prompted an earlier visit for the inestimable morning bun. Needless to say, I had high hopes after my previous venture here. The bread comes out of the oven starting at 5 p.m. The bulk of them are reserved for those sagacious enough to call ahead, but if you hang out long enough you might be able pinch an unclaimed loaf for yourself. I’ve never really been a part of that exclusive club of folks who like to “prepare” and “plan ahead”, so I opted for the latter strategy.
25. Loaf of Bread Straight Out of the Oven at Tartine
Along with newly cut grass, the smell of freshly baked bread holds a special place in my heart. Truth be told, it would be very difficult to disappoint when the aroma was so pleasing. It was overwhelming when I cracked the shell of the loaf. The innards were warm, white and fluffy, much like a sheep. The bread tasted even better than it looked/smelled. It had a nice, airy consistency that dissolved on the tongue. It had the right combination of sour and grainy that marks a good loaf of bread. A loaf will last you for at least 10 days of consistent bread-consumption, and at $7 it’s fairly economical considering Wonder Bread will run you about $4 at Safeway and last you half as long.
Overall, I was greatly impressed with the bread at Tartine. Along with the morning bun, my experiences here have been excellent and I look forward to future visits.
Next up, wine? Wine not?
Bittersweet
by Foodysseus on Aug.25, 2010, under 7x7 Big Eat SF 2010, Reviews
- What: Blue Bell Bitter from the cask
- Where: Magnolia Pub
- When: Thursday, April 29, 2010
- Which: #24
I always appreciate when a drink shows up on The Big Eat SF 2010. It’s generally cheaper, allows for a faster dining experience so I can move on to the next item (time is of the essence, people), and I like being drunk. That being said, I was anxious to try the highly-vaunted Blue Bell Bitter from Magnolia. I knew virtually nothing about cask ales, but was excited to learn.
Magnolia bills itself as a gastropub: fine dining to accompany the fine drinking. I look forward to another visit where I might sample the food, but I was there for the Blue Bell Bitter and nothing more.
24. Blue Bell Bitter from the cask at Magnolia Pub
I loved it. The Blue Bell Bitter is dark and chocolatey with distinct coffee notes and the slightest hint of citrus. The finish is sharp and woody, much like I imagine the taste of the bar upon which it sat. This beer became an instant favorite and I’m sure it will finish in the top quarter of all the items in my imaginary ranking.
Next up, we complete our hearty Mesopotamian breakfast with a loaf of bread.