The Helmand - 430 Broadway - San Francisco - CA

Looking for the answer to yesterday's mystery fruit or vegetable question? Then jump straight here

The Helmand 430 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133, Phone (415)362-0641

This is a copy of my latest article for SFist in which I eat my way around the Bay Area in alphabetical order and then write about it in SFist style using the 'royal we. This week we are on the letter H.'
First of all we thought it would be really, really funny to review Hooters for our restaurant beginning with an H. The idea amused our friends, male acquaintances started heckling for an invitation and we quietly congratulated ourselves on the brilliance of our own imagination. But when we checked the Hooters web page for directions and stumbled across a photographic depiction of their menu, our sense of humour took an abrupt and irretrievable nosedive. The images of enormous plates stacked with hefty sandwiches and buckets brimming with unpalatable-looking food was more than we could handle. At that point we knew funny-ha-ha just wouldn't be good enough for our food-loving public and so we resolved to highlight an H restaurant we were confident would serve up decent food, instead.

So, in alliterative mood, we hopped off to the The Helmand, to meet fellow food blogger Mr Haddock and his missus. One of the most surprising but satisfying side effects of blogging about what we eat, is that has led to us meeting all kinds of interesting and food-obsessed people residing in the Bay Area. Haddock, the Chef behind Knife's Edge and his lovely wife, aka the GM, own a restaurant in a more remote corner of California, over 3 hours North of San Francisco. Haddock's blog is a vehicle for him to let off steam, a link with the outside world, where he can rant and rave, almost anonymously, about the experience of trying to be a small town restauranteur with high ideals. Because he writes so candidly about a side of the restaurant business that customers rarely get to see, Haddock has gained a small but loyal following of food blogging fans in the Bay area, several of whom he has already met.

Haddock spends a few days each month soaking up the culture and looking for inspiration in San Francisco and so we were delighted when he asked us if, this time, we would join him for dinner. Although he really likes to try new places Haddock kindly agreed to pay a return visit, to what is generally regarded as the best Afghan restaurant in town, for the sake of this report.

Situated on a lively strip in North Beach, nestled between strip joints, bars and restaurants, it is easy to miss the small entrance to what might be one of the most satisfying and fairly priced meals in the area. The decor is traditional and old fashioned. Carpeted floor, tables set with crisp white cloths and large, comfortable, blue velveteen chairs set the stage for the tasty feast ahead.

A basket of flat bread is brought to the table with three little glass bowls of sauce. The first, with a spicy little kick, is a bright red tomato-based dip that can be cooled down by creamy white yoghurt blend sitting next in line. This, in turn, can be enlivened by a piquant green mix made from fresh cilantro. The portions are generous enough that when enough bread has been broken and it is time to eat the entrees, these condiments can be used to further enhance the flavours of the main dishes.

To start, we share a selection of appetizers. Helmand do a great job of catering for vegetarians so many of their appetizers are available in both meat and meatless versions. Aushak - raviolis filled with leeks and scallions served on a a yoghurt, mint and garlic sauce are gloriously healthy and fresh-tasting. The vegetable filling is perfectly cooked so that the greens still have structure and are bright and vibrant in colour. The thin pasta shell is soft and smooth. Whilst both versions are delectable, we find the vegetarian option, topped with yellow split-peas and carrot sauce to have a slight edge over the carnivourous version smothered in ground beef and mint.

Another Helmand speciality is the famous Kaddo made of pumpkin that is fried before it is baked and then seasoned with sugar. We don't even like pumpkin much, let alone savoury food that has been purposely sweetened, but somehow, once the sunny-looking orange vegetable has been decorated with an ample spoonful of rich, reddish-brown ground beef sauce and more of the house yoghurt, this appetizer takes on a satisfying unique flavour that is almost impossible to stop picking at.

For our main dish, we never can resist the Chowpan described on the menu as a Half Rack of lamb marinated, grilled and served on a bed of Afghan bread with sauteed eggplant and pallow rice. The rack is divided into three, huge, juicy lamb chops, as flavoursome and as tender as can be. Afghan bread turns out to be a very thin, flat, unrisen bread something like a tortilla or a roti. The aubergine on the side is rich with tomato and, like the rice which has been seasoned with several spices, is less complex tasting than you imagine it would be. Despite the fact it is fairly plain we still like this dish, especially once we have perked it up with the sauces described earlier.

We regret always going for the same thing and not being more adventurous sometimes when we steal a taste from another plate. The Kofta Kabab, fashioned from ground beef, green onion, fresh cilantro, garlic and hot pepper, before being grilled, packs a welcome punch on our tastebuds. Fantastic stuff. A must-have for us on another visit.

A side dish of Bendi - okra sauteed with onion, fresh tomatoes, black pepper and garlic is a little bit similar to the flavour of the eggplant. The okra themselves, however, are well cooked, a perfect example of how okra should be prepared. Neither too dry or too slimy, Helmand showcases this sometimes unpopular vegetable to its advantage.

Meeting strangers for the first time over dinner could be a recipe for a disaster, but Mr and Mrs Haddock were so agreeable and easy to get along with we had no problem drawing out our meal over a period of almost three hours. There was never any embarassed slicence, we didn't run out of things to talk about and it was a lot of fun. Reluctant to leave when conversation had not been exhausted, we dawdled even further over some delicious cups of cardamom-infused tea. Helmand on a Sunday night was a well-suited location for good food, excellent company and interesting conversation with a bill that was reasonable too, coming in at just under $100 for the four of us before a tip.

Helmand is suitable for other occasions as well. A short while back, I organised a meal for a dozen lively friends in a party mood and on that occasion we chose Helmand too. We made a reservation for late (9.15pm) calling a few minutes before from a bar down the street to make sure our table was actually ready. (This is an excellent tip - there is no bar at Helmand so waiting for a table inside the tiny entrance area can be miserable). We had an excellent time on that occasion too, a varied selection of appetizers, half a dozen bottles of wine and an entree each and still the damage was only $32 each, tip and tax included.

Helmand - we can't really fault it - solid, central, well-priced, tasty, consistent and a friend to meat eaters and vegetarians alike.


PS. This review was Tried & Tested

Other bloggers review Bay Area restaurants beginning with the letter H: Hahn's Hibachi - Halu Ramen - Harbor Village - Hawthorne Lane - Hayes Street Grill -Haystack Pizza - Hayward Ranch - Helmand - Hog Island Oysters - more Hog Island - and even more Hog Oysters - Home Plate - a Hornblower Brunch Cruise - Hukilau

Other local views of Helmand can be found on Yelp, Citysearch, Dine.com and Chowhound.

It is Utensibility Week here on Becks & Posh. All bloggers are invited to join me in creating a dream list of favourite kitchen utensils. You have until the end of play tomorrow to post your utensibility entry.

Tagged in Food Restaurants Review San Francisco Tried+Tested

The Helmand - 430 Broadway - San Francisco - CA

That Mystery Vegetable was...

As several readers guessed correctly, the answer to yesterday's question was, indeed, a Lemon Cucumber. It tastes nothing like a lemon and everything like cucumber, but isn't it pretty?

Thank you for entering.

It is Utensibility Week here on Becks & Posh. All bloggers are invited to join me in creating a dream list of favourite kitchen utensils.

posted in Food and Blogging and Quiz

That Mystery Vegetable was...

A mystery fruit or vegetable?

Can you guess what this is?

The answer will be revealed tomorrow.

It is Utensibility Week here on Becks & Posh. All bloggers are invited to join me in creating a dream list of favourite kitchen utensils.

posted in Food and Blogging and Quiz

A mystery fruit or vegetable?

Cafe 222 - Marina District - San Diego - CA

Cafe 222 222 Island Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, (619) 236-9902



Below is a picture of the line of people waiting to eat brunch af San Diego's hottest brunch spot, Cafe 222. Reservations are not possible and the wait for a table is well over an hour. We investigate to see if the hype surrounding this popular Cafe is to be believed.


Cafe 222, opened in 1991 by Terryl Garve has won several gold medallion awards for Best breakfast.


We are finally seated inside, although we would have preferred a sunny sidewalk table. The decor displays some cute quirky touches that bring a smile to my face.


I ask for a bowl of fruit. Sorry, they tell me, we don't have any left. This strikes me as slightly peculiar since I am seated opposite a glass cabinet packed with fresh oranges, melons and bananas.


The cup of Earl Grey tea I ordered arrives. It's served with a bag in a glass mug. Nothing so refined as a teapot can be found here. Once it has cooled down enough for me to taste it, I am perplexed yet again. It doesn't display the slightest hint of bergamot. Thinking that maybe they made a mistake and gave me the wrong tea, I ask for a replacement. This time my server brings me the box to show me. The tea is awful. Hmmm. I wonder how come, if Cafe 222 allegedly serves the best breakfast in San Diego, they can't even source an Earl Grey tea that tastes like Earl Grey should?


Normally an Eggs benedict kind of girl, on this occasion I am foolishly tempted by the sweet sound of the orange pecan pancakes instead. A stack of three arrive at the table. They are just ok. For me, one would have been enough, particularly as the overpowering flavour is cinnamon, a fact not cited on the menu and a spice I don't particularly care for. Although I can see they have use flecks of rind in the batter, I can't actually taste any orange flavour, unless that little quarter slice of fruit on the edge of the plate is supposed to be it. You would think that the best breakfast place in town might include real maple syrup as a matter of fact. But no. You have to pay extra if you want the real stuff.


Fred asks for some sparkling water but they don't have that either so he goes without a drink. His order of scrambled eggs with toast and griddle potatoes is perfectly competent. The potatoes are good and crispy. But after a 90 minute wait he had expected an experience that was perhaps a little more memorable.

Cafe 222's Pumpkin Waffles were featured in Gourmet magazine, a fact that appears to have intesified its popularity. Me? I am just not buying it. It is nothing more than an adequate little breakfast place that doesn't quite live up to its grand reputation.




PS. This review was a First Impression

All My San Diego Reviews: Rice at the W Hotel Cafe Bassam, Gas Lamp Chive, Gas Lamp Tartine, Coronado Cafe 222, Marina District Soleil @ the K The Living Room & The Beach at the W

Other San Diego Food Bloggers: mmm-yoso!!! The local's guide to San Diego eats

It is Utensibility Week here on Becks & Posh. All bloggers are invited to join me in creating a dream list of favourite kitchen utensils.

tagged with Restaurants and San Diego and Food and First+Impressions

Cafe 222 - Marina District - San Diego - CA

It's here! It's Utensibility Week.

This week I am hosting an online event for all bloggers who wish to join in called Utensibility.
Some time between now and Friday, post about your favourite kitchen utensils, the items you couldn't live with out. Choose your favourite 'money no object' splurge kitchen gadget and, if you like, a smaller, cheaper stalwart item too. For more details about Utensibility, look at the original announcement post and the entry guidelines. Sometime after the deadline of July 1st, I will do and roundup of all the posts, thereby creating a food blogger's dream shopping list.



If you were to ask me which of my kitchen utensils I love the most, the answer would most definitely be my beautiful orange Kitchen Aid, you know, the one that Fred used to make me cry. But the truth is, I could live without my Kitchen Aid. I wouldn't want, of course, but I could.

One thing it would be more difficult to get by without, would be my Salter Digital Scales which you can buy for $49 ior $69 from Williams Sonoma. The cheaper version can weigh up to 5lbs, whilst the more expensive set can cope with 11lbs (which I recommend).

If you enjoy trying a variety of recipes out from around the world, you will know how difficult it can be coping with the multitude of measurements that different countries use. The beauty of this scale is that not only can you switch between kilograms and pounds, it also copes with measuring liquids in fluid ounces or millilitres.

Another advantage is that you can measure everything in one bowl. Simply set your bowl on the scale and then hit the zero button to remove the bowl's weight from the calculation. The scales are super sensitive, allowing you to measure to the closest quarter of an ounce which is great for recipes that require just a tiny amount of a particular item such as yeast for bread making.


One of my second favourite kitchen appliances is my pestle and mortar. It might actually be a little above the budget priceline, I don't know, I've owned for around 20 years. I just love the way it feels, the way it looks and the way it crushes spices and batters cloves of garlic. It's certainly not light, so the fact that I carried it across the Atlantic Ocean in my luggage is a testament to my fondness for it.


PS. The gorgeous, pink melamine bowl shown on the scales is one of a set of three, each in slightly different rosy hues, that was part of a Birthday present given to me by Del and Presd. More than just pretty, these bowls have a rubber ring on the bottom to prevent slippage plus a handy little handle and pouring spout. I am fairly certain they were from Williams Sonoma but the website doesn't currently list pink as an option.

Check out other blogger's thoughts on Salter Digital Scales: Seattle Bon Vivant takes pleasure in a new purchase. The Bacheolor Gourmet explains why measuring by weight is important. MetaGrrrl considers buying an electronic scale to be a prority purchase.

tagged with Food and Blogging and Meme and Kitchen and Utensils and Utensibility

It's here! It's Utensibility Week.

Simple Egg Sandwiches with Crisps

Simple? Do you really think a food blogger would simply be able to make an egg sandwich? Oh, no, no, no. At the very least she'd bake the bread, make the mayonnaise and rustle up a batch of homemade crisps (potato chips). If it was somehow possible, I think she'd go ahead and lay the eggs too...



You might think she would have learned her lesson last time. Guess how many hours and how many eggs were wasted during Sam's vain attempts at making mayonnaise? Guess how many tears were shed? Guess how big the blister on her hand from all the whisking is? Guess how few minutes it then took Fred, once Pasta King, now Mayonnaise Master, to show her how quickly and successfully it can be done.



Recipe for a simply perfect egg sandwich

You will need:
Freshly baked, white crusty bread, slightly warm.
Almost-Hard Boiled eggs, still slightly warm too.
Preferably, Mustard Cress. In CA Daikon Cress has to suffice.
Mayonnaise.
Plain Salted crisps.[US potato chips]
Butter.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method:
Thinly spread two slices of bread with some butter. In a bowl, use a fork to mash the warm, almost-hard boiled eggs with plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix in mayonnaise until desired consistency is reached. Thickly spread the egg mayonnaise mixture onto the buttered bread and sprinkle with the cress. Serve with crisps and be careful not trip and fall in your rush to eat such a delicious lunch. You might end up with egg on your face.



PS. Thanks to everyone for the bread making tips last week. My skills as a breadmaker have improved three fold since I bought some fresh yeast and took on some of your other suggestions.

This Post Entry is part of IMBB 16 on the theme of Eggs Head over to hostess, Viv, of Seattle Bon Vivant to check out the other eggscellent entries from all over the world.

Archive Alert! From May 2004 on Becks & Posh: Egg Sandwiches and Mustard Cress

For top quality we used delicious Marin Sun Farm Eggs. $6 a dozen from The SF Ferry Building Farmers' Market. Visit their website here

tagged with Food and Blogging and Eggs and IMBB and Recipes

Simple Egg Sandwiches with Crisps

Bay Area Blogger of the Week #12

This week's featured Bay Area Blogger, Rae, is a 'swegan'. Apparently, a Swegan is mostly a vegan who sometimes loses control of all-vegetable principles when it comes to dessert, oh, and pizza. Unlike the majority of food bloggers who have one blog for everything they write, Rae has made what might be a smart move by creating two separate blogs. Bunny Foot is the mostly vegan blog which specializes in home cooking. I love the look of Rae's most recent recipe for Agedashi Tofu pictured here and am in two minds to try it soon. I used to be a vegan myself, in the late 80s, and I've had a soft spot for tofu ever since.

Rae's other blog is simply titled SF City Eats and is all about dining out. Rae's restaurant reviews span beyond the confines of the City bringing us information about places in the South Bay too. And if you are a vegan, have more vegetarian tendancies, or are entertaining guests who don't eat meat, Rae's new blog specializing in animal-free fodder should be high on your list of websites to check out for Bay Area information.

Previously Featured Bay Area Food & Drink Bloggers: Sweet & Savory - I'm Mad and I Eat - Yummy Chow - Nosheteria - Vivi's Wine Journal - Epicuran Debauchery - Food Musings - Pfiff -Marga's Food Blog - Where the Wild Things Are - Eggbeater

posted in Food and Blogging and Bay Area and San Francisco

Bay Area Blogger of the Week #12

Zuni Cafe - Market - San Francisco - CA

Zuni Cafe 1658 Market St San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 552-2522



Two and a half years ago I visited Zuni for the first time, to meet my British friends Kevin and P for Sunday brunch. P didn't live in the USA back then. She had been flown out from the UK that weekend for an interview with a South Bay company and so, as two of her oldest friends who hadn't seen her in way too long, Kevin and I met up and spent the day with her. We all liked Zuni so much that I even bought P The Zuni Cookbook as a gift for her following Birthday, her first living in San Francisco. Yes - she got the job. Unfortunately, Kevin since lost his job and work visa forcing him to return to the UK, which is why the three of us gathered for the last time together in San Francisco at Cafe Gratitude a few weeks ago. After more recently reminding myself how much I like Zuni, I can't help feeling we should have thought about the full circle and given Kevin a send off from this classic San Francisco eaterie instead.

The other Saturday, after spending well over an hour in a traffic snarl up on the way home from work too late on a Saturday evening, I arrived home to find no food in my pantry. Longing for a little fun after a day of toiling infront of a computer, I weighed out the options. It was aready 10.30pm and San Francisco is not a late night town. The choices for dining after 11 are far and few beween. Oola was out because we'd been there so recently. I had fancied trying Globe one day but reread Fatemeh's review and decided it was just a little too much of a risk. The Brazen Head was too far away and I simply didn't feel like Absinthe. I said to Fred, I suppose we could go to Zuni and he totally jumped on the idea, so off we went.

After 11pm, Zuni don't take reservations and when we arrived there was plenty of room for walk-ins. Zuni is an odd shape, with nooks, crannies and multi levels. We were seated opposite an internal window which gave us a view right into the busy kitchen. Our first waiter wasn't really on the ball but when he, presumably, finished his shift he was replaced by a wonderful waitress who guided us superbly through the rest of our meal.

I have been going through a little oyster craze recently, so I started with half a dozen. Beautifully presented and perfectly shucked, out of the two varities I'd chosen, I preferred the Hog Island humamoto over the brinier Sweetwaters.

Next we shared a braesola salad with beets, fromage frais and hazelnuts. The cured meat was too thickly cut and near impossible to chew. This was a shame as the rest of the salad was good, especially the nuts which tasted far superior than any nut I have ever tried. It was quite a revelation. I had no idea a simple nut could taste that good. (And I like nuts.) When she came to clear our plates, the waitress asked what we thought. Often I just nod inanely and mutter 'fine' even when I am less than impressed. But on this occasion I felt a little braver. I meekly told her about the chewiness of the meat. She was really apologetic, surmising that it couldn't have been sliced thinly enough assuring us she would inform the kitchen.

For my main course I chose duck with morello cherries and almonds. Wow-wee. The sharp cherries, a slight hint of cinnamon, tender breast and another sprinkling of the most incredible nuts, I would have declared this dish absolutely perfect if the duck hadn't been almost stone cold. The jus was so delicious I had to request a spoon, to slurp up every last drop. Fred was trying to persuade me to lick it off the plate and although it was certainly deserving of such a greedy act, I am a lady who has her reputation to consider, so i politely declined.

Fred didn't fair so well with his spaghetti carbonara. The pasta was undercooked and he didn't want to make a fuss. Next time we visit I am betting he will be back on the famous Zuni burger once again.


A picture of someone who knows when the time is right to enjoy their dessert.

It seems that I have been using the excuse that I had no cake on my recent birthday one too many times since. I wasn't planning to have dessert but when the waitress mentioned the Caramel Pot de Creme I suddenly felt weak at the knees as my willpower made a running jump for the exit. Exquisite, smooth, silky heaven in a pot. The burnt caramel blended seamlessly with the heavy cream to create my own idea of total dessert nirvana. This totally blows away the Townhall's Butterscotch and Chocolate Pot de Creme, believe me. Eat it and weep. The waitress comped our dessert as an apology for the braesola which was a nice touch, byt really, I think I would have happily paid through the nose for this stuff.

Online, I have witnessed local food lovers argue infinitum over whether Zuni is one of the best restaurants in town or overhyped rubbish. As someone who rarely, if ever, finds perfection in any one single restaurant, I forgive Zuni its foibles. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it, especially as a place that ecapsulates the spirit of the Bay Area. Neither would I hesitate, not even for a nanosecond, to return for another sinful helping of Caramel Pot de Creme.

Other Bloggers on Zuni Cafe: Confessions of a Restaurant Whore Chez Pim Fur Lined Tea Cup Arthur Hungry On My Plate 101 Cookbooks Where the Wild Things Are

More Reviews of Zuni Cafe: Yelp Citysearch Gayot About Bay Guardian

This Day in 2004 on Becks & Posh: Cooking Dinner For Children

Tagged in Food Restaurants Review San Francisco Tried+Tested

Zuni Cafe - Market - San Francisco - CA

with apologies...

Due to technical problems with Blogger, Becks & Posh is unable to bring you a post as planned today. Please check back tomorrow for a post about Zuni Cafe when, hopefully, the problems will have been resolved. It will be worth the wait to hear about the best dessert I have eaten all year.
Thank you for your patience.

with apologies...

Tartine - Coronado - San Diego - CA

Tartine 1106 First Street, Coronado, CA 92118 619-435-4323





When you disembark from the ferry that takes you from Downtown San Diego to Coronado you are immediately confronted a mass of restaurants and cafes. Despite our hunger, Fred and I chose to ignore their easy charms and bide our time before deciding where to eat. We sauntered along the Bayside and then up Orange Avenue. We didn't get very far before we spotted a little cafe called Tartine tucked away to the left, with awnings and outdoor seating. It is not difficult to explain the appeal of the word Tartine to a Frenchman, or me for that matter, so our decision about where to eat lunch was made.

Tartine was created in the fall of 2001 by three local women whose dream was to bring a taste of Europe to the Island Community. The setting and presentation is certainly full of charm. When the mimosa I had asked for arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the delivery. My own dinky little bottle of sparkling wine was accompanied by a generous carafe of freshly squeezed orange juice so that I could mix my drinks (there was enough for at least two glasses) to my own specification. This was a fun distraction that put me in a good mood for the rest of the meal.

From the All Day Menu Fred could not resist the Tartine Charcuterie Plate, proscuitto, duck liver pâté, brie, saucisson sec, cornichons, olives and grain mustard served with baguette $14.95. There was really enough meaty goodness on this plate to serve two people. The portions were generous, especially the pate which could almost have been a meal in itself. Fred described his lunch as average American charcuterie meaning (with the exception of The Fatted Calf) it's about as good as he has experienced in the US. He emphasises, that although Amercian-made charcuterie tastes nowhere near the same as it does in France, he has grown accustomed to what is available here and Fred was therefore satisfied with his plate. Accompanying bread, served with a cool pat of creamy butter was good.

I don't know about you, but I love grilled eggplant. The thought of oily, skin-blackened aubergine is fairly irresistable so I chose Tartine's Grilled Eggplant Panini grilled eggplant, roasted red peppers and goat cheese grilled in a panini roll $7.75. Unfortunately, the kind of sandwich I'd envisioned did not materialize. It was just ok. The panini looked great on the outside, but on the inside it was mushy. They had chosen to use the mildest, blandest goat cheese possible. The vegetables were all watery instead of rich and grilled-tasting. This sandwich needed a hefty dose of salt and pepper to make it even palatable.

I hesitate to make such a negative judgement about Tartine. It was, afterall, a one time visit. Customers on a neighbouring table were raving about the soup they had chosen. The staff are really thoughtful and friendly. The ambience is perfect for a little neighbourhood spot. The cakes on display looked very pretty. The menu had a lot of appeal. Maybe I just chose the wrong thing. Judging by the other, tacky-looking places to eat we encountered on our afternoon walk across the Island of Coronado, we imagine that Tartine is truly a haven in this touristy part of town where an aroma of stinky fried-food is more the norm as you saunter through the more populated areas.

Do you love Tartine? Have you had a different experience to us there? Do you favour a different panini? How do you like Tartine's cakes? Please let us know what you think in the comments section.


After lunch we wandered across the island to the beach. This is the view from the terrace of the famous Hotel Coronado, a great place to sit and people-watch.

This review was a First Impression

All My San Diego Reviews: Rice at the W Hotel Cafe Bassam, Gas Lamp Chive, Gas Lamp Tartine, Coronado Cafe 222, Marina District Soleil @ the K The Living Room & The Beach at the W

Other San Diego Food Bloggers: mmm-yoso!!! The local's guide to San Diego eats

posted in Restaurants and San Diego and Food and First+Impressions

Tartine - Coronado - San Diego - CA

Bread from the Avoca Cafe Cook Book

(click on the picture to enlarge)
Not too long ago, I wrote about my most recent visit to Avoca, my favourite retail/cafe experience in Ireland. My sister, Beccy, usually does her Christmas shopping there which is behaviour I wholeheartedly encourage. After a conversation we had recently had on the phone I think she, her husband Jools and my nephews and niece, Dillon, Ben and Mollie were inspired to send me the Avoca Café Cookbook as a birthday present. Thank you guys and gals!


(click on the picture to enlarge)
The recipe that most grabbed my attention was the White Yeast Bread. It just looked so delicious and light and crumbly and crusty. My mouth watering because of the vision in front of me, I felt utterly compelled to make a couple of loaves as soon as I had a few hours to spare. Years and years had passed since I last made bread by hand. The result, unfortunately, attested to my lack of experience. I have to practice a little more, methinks, before I entertain any ideas of opening Boulangerie de Breach.

(click on the picture to enlarge)
I was already at the kneeding stage (with a little assistance from the Kitchen Aid) when I realised what I kneeded most was a loaf tin. Luckily my recipe informed me I could make a plaited loaf instead. So I did that, as well as forming the other half into a crusty Bloomer. On the outside, my bread looked good. It was not lacking any salt, and the crust was superb. (How can a crust that requires the glaze to be made from a mixture of egg yolk and cream possibly fail?) The only thing wrong with my bread was its density. I dreamt of light and fluffy but what I created was almost as dense as a brick.

Dearest breadmakers amongst my readers, if you have any tips on how to make my next loaf of bread have more feather-like qualities, please do let me know. And if you are going to scold me for having used a packet of dry yeast 8 months past the sell-by-date, instead of the recommended fresh yeast, then so be it...

PS Anyone know of a good source for fresh yeast in the Bay Area?

posted in Food and Recipes and Baking and Bread

Bread from the Avoca Cafe Cook Book

Chive - Gas Lamp - San Diego - CA

Chive 558 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101 in the Gas Lamp District, (619) 232-4483



Because I was working so hard prior to my Memorial Weekend trip to San Diego, I didn't do too much research into where the best places to eat might be. A quick google on the internet brought up a few good mentions of a place called Chive, in the Gas Lamp District, not too far from our hotel.



I used Opentable to make a reservation at Chive for 8pm on Saturday night. The day before we left San Francisco there was a message from the restaurant on my cell phone telling me that the street outside Chive would be completely shut down on Saturday for a huge Jazz Festival and the only way we would be able to gain access would be with a free wrist band that would be waiting or us at the Festival's will call tent.

I guess we lucked out. We arrived an hour before we were due to eat, so we got to enjoy the Festival's closing act, Brian Culbertson (an energetic, funky, young musician) over a glass of Chive's Elder Fizz. The audience was having a great time, and it made for a lively start to our evening.


As the Jazz came to an end, it was time to sit down and eat. Inside Chive the liveliness continued with jazz revellers spilling into the cool orange bar to pick up a post festival cocktail and listen to another band who had burst into tune at the front of the restaurant as soon as the Festival's final stage act had ended.


Inside, the restaurant is stylish and modern. Banquette seating piled with comfy cushions, back lit glass shelves dividing the kitchen from the dining area at the same time as emitting a mysterious glow and white washed exposed brick walls all add up to a modern, cool space. An equally stylish waiter quickly brought us the menus, a bowl of warm, salted edamame beans and a well chilled bottle of tap water. It is obvious that presentation is important at Chive. I cross my fingers that the meal will not suffer from style taking precedence over substance like it did at Rice.

My chosen appetizer, house cured salmon, herbed ciabatta crostini, goat cheese, caper berry, tomato jam $14 made a dramatic entrance on a large wooden serving board with each listed ingredient playing out its own small part around the edge of the main stage where little piles of pepper and salts, including a pretty pink one took the central position. I wanted to love this dish as much as I appreciated its presentation but unfortunately some of the performers were lacking. The cured salmon itself was very good, but the neighbouring plump juicy red roe were too strongly fishy thereby overpowering the delicacy of the fish. The crostini were not herbed, as suggested on the menu and the ciabatta had apparently been toasted too far in advance causing them to taste slightly stale. The herb element came to play in the mild goat cheese instead. I would have preferred a cheese with more picquancy. On a high note, the capers were fat and delicious making a great partner for the tasty tomato jam.

Fred started with a braised pork spring roll, apple and watercress salad, creme fraiche and sweet chili drizzle $9 that he would have raved about profusely if only the meat had been more seasoned. I tried it and thought it was pretty tasty. The pork was deliciously succulent and tender with a great flavour being imparted from the meat's fat.


If I go to a restaurant and find duck on the menu, it is hard for me to resist it. Chive's tempting sounding duck two ways, leg and breast, black pepper spaetzle, spaghetti squash, vanilla, sage, cinnamon gastrique $23 therefore grabbed my attention. The leg meat, mixed up with the spaghetti squash was truly delicious, the duck's fat rendering it into something that tasted far more sinful than a simple vegetable. The breast, too, was good and I didn't mind the spatzle either which, although they were a little bland, made a solid base for the other ingredients. What didn't work for me was the gastrique which, because of the overpowering cinnamon, tasted too much like Christmas had descended early upon my plate. This didn't bother me a great deal as I was able to avoid the sauce and the sprinking of decorative seeds, pumpkin I think, which, like the crostini in my starter, had a tinge of staleness about them, and still enjoy the dish.

Surprise, surprise, Fred chose the beef tenderloin c.a.b. potato and white cheddar gratin, mustard green, red port reduction $32. The meat was incredible. One of the best steaks we have tried this year. It was juicy and tender, everything a good steak should be. This time they got the sauce right too, causing Fred to describe it, and the partnering soft greens, as a perfect combination. Unfortunately the same could not be said of the gratin which was totally ovepowered by truffle oil (why, oh why, do so - many restaurants insist on drowning their creations in truffle flavour?)

We concluded our meal with a spicy basque pot de creme, chocolate, espellete pepper, sea salt sable cookie $8. Based on our experience, our advice would be not to bother with this particular dessert. Despite the fiery sounding description, this pudding is probably not going to kindle your tastebuds into any kind of salivation. I think the Peter Pepper got lost on its way to the kitchen. Maybe he eloped with Salty Sal, cos she was nowhere to be found cookie-side either.

Conclusion. Ok - it wasn't perfect, but when they were good, they were very, very good. Service was superb, the atmosphere was lively, and the food had great potential. There were some great ideas and some superb tastes to be found on the menu. Unfortunately they let themselves down in some areas which shouldn't be too difficult to get right. (No excuse for stale toast). If I ever was in San Diego again, I wouldn't hesitate to give Chive at least one more chance because on our first visit they helped give us an amazing fun evening. One to remember.

This review was a First Impression

Newsflash: Hangar One Raspberry made from fresh, ripe Meeker raspberries from the Fraser River Valley, is back on the shelves again. We spotted some yesterday at K & L Wines in San Francisco. Hangar One's website tells us it is the first release of an annual bottling, in season, with limited availability.

All My San Diego Reviews: Rice at the W Hotel Cafe Bassam, Gas Lamp Chive, Gas Lamp Tartine, Coronado Cafe 222, Marina District Soleil @ the K The Living Room & The Beach at the W

Other San Diego Food Bloggers: mmm-yoso!!! The local's guide to San Diego eats

This Day in 2004 on Becks & Posh: Suppenkuche, San Francisco

posted in Restaurants and San Diego and Food and First+Impressions

Chive - Gas Lamp - San Diego - CA