03/08/2017

City for the Senses…San Francisco

WHERE TO EAT IN SAN FRANCISCO

Few cities in the USA have the beating foodie heart of San Francisco, a city that fills your senses. From the moment you set foot on its hilly streets, it’s a rollercoaster of thrills from the visual sights of the bay, the bridges and the buildings, to the cornucopia of tastes just ready to be explored.

First stop, go directly to Fisherman’s Wharf or, in my case, Pier 39, for the touristy but oh so delicious, creamy and steaming clam chowder in a crusty sourdough bread bowl. The Crab Clam Chowder at Fog Harbour Fish House, is especially good and comes with a great view of the water. The combination of a warming soup on a crisp sunny day is a perfect antidote to any jet lag you might be feeling.

We settled into our vintage apartment in the latino Mission District, the place to go for all things Mexican and Cuban.  La Taqueria is worth the queues for authentic Mexican tacos, enchiladas, guacamole and quesadillas to die for – all prepared fresh on the spot, which is the essence of good Mexican cooking and really my favourite sort of fast food. Really, when they are mashing the avocado and chopping the cilantro (coriander) fresh in front of you, you know you are onto a good thing.

A trip to the hippy chic Haight Ashbury is not complete without a real diner experience at the Pork Store Cafe. This is not high end food, it’s ‘grub’…but hey, you have to try a Philly Cheese Steak some time, and this is the place to do it. Just do a little extra walking by vintage shopping your way along the strip and you’ll be fine…

But enough of the American fast food…there is only SO much a foodie can take. My advice, is get it out of your system early and then focus on the many excellent restaurants, cafes and emporiums that this city is bursting with.

At Bellota, you will find suave and sexy Spanish done to the max. This is a menu that is made for sharing and matching with a very food-loving wine list. Croquettas, octopus and their tapas tower were a great start, but, for me, the most sensational dish was a unique combination of smoky lamb served with roast eggplant and cherries. This came from a chef with confidence and understanding of how polar opposites can attract to form an electric partnership taste-wise. I want some more…

Seriously sophisticated Vietnamese awaits at The Slanted Door – a classy spot in the Ferry Building with a sparkling raw bar selection and delectable modern takes on Vietnamese favourites like short ribs, spring rolls and seafood dishes.

For true French immersion, Monsieur Benjamin is ‘en pointe’. After a well mixed Martini, we luxuriated in crab remoulade, foie gras, roast quail and rabbit followed by Îles Flottante with pistachio cream and strawberries. All were expertly cooked and transported us to Paris. A perfect pre-theatre dinner if you are going to a show nearby.  Ooh la la!

Americans love their ice cream, and the San Francisco temple of this frozen delight is most definitely the Bi Rite Creamery. This little shopfront near Dolores Park in the Mission district serves more than half a million scoops of handmade ice cream a year and boy, is it good. A giant scoop of their seasonal Peach Cobbler flavour was so jam packed full of fresh succulent peaches and spice, that it had me going back for seconds the next day.

I can also recommend Over The Moon Creamery on Chestnut Street for another super scoop.

No trip to San Francisco is complete without a visit to Chinatown. This time, we feasted on new age Chinese at the amazing China Live emporium, headed by celebrity executive chef, George Chen. This is a slick operation with a high energy vibe and a menu that ticks all the desirables. The Market Restaurant is dotted with exhibition kitchens where you can watch your handmade dumplings being pumped out, your stir fry being wok tossed or your roast duck being carved. It is food theatre that definitely whets the appetite. We had tender, plump water dumplings in chilli oil; very more-ish baby calamari tossed with a sticky blood orange dressing and asian basil; the ingenious peking duck in sesame pockets (it definitely looked like it was peeking out from inside the crisp little parcel it was nestled in) and flash fried salt and pepper crab whose flesh was so succulent, it practically screamed freshness. A couple of flashy cocktails on the side, and it really is one of the best places to eat in Chinatown.

If you are hankering for a pizza, head to Little Italy and if you find you can’t be bothered waiting the 2 hours it takes to get a table at the much hyped Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, then skip across the street to Acquolina for a perfectly good wood fired pizza Napoli- style…Italian sausage, mushrooms and truffle cream with a campari soda, all served up by friendly Italian waiters…I was happy.

Sorry, no pics of this, but Izakaya Rintaro is my pick for great Japanese in this city…sashimi, yakitori, udon and katsu to die for.

And on the last note, late evening cocktails and live jazz at the Ritz Carlton is a great way to end the day!

SIDE TRIPS
A couple of side trips worth a mention:

Sausalito

Just across the bay, the seaside town of Sausalito is the place to be at sunset, to watch the sun drop down over the city scape. We had pots of mussels at the French inspired Le Garage, and were so entrenched in food, wine and socialising we forgot to leave in time to get to a good vantage point to watch the complete sunset, but a good spot to go is Vista Point near Fort Baker for an awesome view.

Napa Valley

There is lots to choose from in the Napa Valley to keep you amused. Restaurants, cellar doors, specialist producers and guided wine tastings. We enjoyed an al fresco lunch at Rustic – the family style restaurant at the rather showy Francis Ford Coppola winery, a private wine tasting at the more boutique Inglenook and a batch of fresh oysters at the Hog Island Oyster Co to keep us going for the drive back to town.

Carmel By The Sea

This little hamlet is a storybook town filled with boutiques, cafes and restaurants and home of the picturesque 17 mile drive which is a must do. La Bicyclette is superb for the francophile … excellent Bouillabaise and french pastries.

Monterey

In Monterey, if you grab a hot chocolate at Ghirardelli in Cannery Row you can sit on the balcony overlooking the water and after visiting the world famous Monterey Aquarium, if you still feel like seafood, then the unassuming Crystal Fish really does make some of the best specialty sushi rolls ever.

Yosemite

Pack a deli picnic lunch and head to one of the ‘beaches’ in the Yosemite Valley for a breathtaking spot to have a bite!

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Dylan Colaci
Dylan Colaci
08:34 23 May 24
Naomi’s cooking class was inclusive and lots of fun. Brought everyone together and the food and wine were all amazing. Thanks Naomi!
Matt Torcasio
Matt Torcasio
07:41 23 May 24
Amazing experience with Naomi. We are had such a great cooking class and cooking experience. Everybody loved it lots of laughs, lots of drinks and lots of fun.
Mia Hara
Mia Hara
07:35 23 May 24
A group of six of us attended Naomi‘s in person cooking class. We had the opportunity to choose the menu and theme prior to the experience. Each of us were involved the whole time. Throughout the session we had a chance to learn tips and tricks in the kitchen and she made us feel comfortable to ask questions. Naomi was professional, insightful and so much fun to learn from! Will definitely be booking in again!! THANKYOU Naomi!
Melissa Matheson
Melissa Matheson
20:44 14 Sep 22
We organised a virtual cook-a-long for our team with Naomi which was absolutely fantastic. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the session, Naomi is very engaging and has an absolute zest for inspiring others to find their finesse is the kitchen.
Cate Tibbertsma
Cate Tibbertsma
14:07 10 Sep 21
I enjoy Naomi's online cooking classes immensely. The classes are well-organised with all relevant information sent in advance so that the cook-along runs smoothly. Naomi is an engaging teacher and generously shares her knowledge and skill with the class; her recipes are easy to master and . many of them have become family favourites in my home.
Lisa Anderson
Lisa Anderson
02:23 06 Sep 21
I was fortunate enough to enjoy a few hours cooking with Naomi and some friends (virtually) last Sunday. What a delightful way to spend a few hours pulling together a delicious meal. Naomi made the whole experience so easy from booking, organising ingredients right through to putting the meal on the table. I loved hearing about her experiences of both the food we were cooking (Moroccan chicken) but also the places she had been. Oh and my family- being the beneficiary of a new take on Sunday night dinner were happy too. I would highly recommend this experience.
Sharon Thomson
Sharon Thomson
03:34 05 Sep 21
Naomi’s Cook-Along sessions are always fun and extremely informative. Ask Naomi anything about ingredients, food and wine and she will impart a world of wisdom. Not to mention the dish made in just an hour - so delicious and such a breeze online in the session. Thanks Naomi 😊
Carol Benson
Carol Benson
04:44 17 Aug 21
Naomi’s cooking classes are such fun plus they are improving my cooking skills. All the meals I have prepared with the classes are so flavoursome and have appealed to all the family (including a fussy teenager). All are on my ‘will make again’ list. I particularly like the extra little tips we get from Naomi – these tips are what helps a good cook become a great cook. Thanks Naomi
Jan Matheson
Jan Matheson
04:05 17 Aug 21
I've completed several of Naomi's Cookalong sessions and always learn new tips. The sessions are fun and we accomplish a delicious meal in 1 1/2 hours. Looking forward to more sessions.
Lorraine Aspinall
Lorraine Aspinall
09:13 13 Aug 21
“A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness.” Naomi brings joy to the art of cooking and sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience. Looking forward to joining more cook along sessions. Thank you Naomi!
Andrea Wood
Andrea Wood
00:04 12 Aug 21
Hats off to Naomi, she has absolutely mastered the presentation of her easy and delicious recipes in her classes on zoom.This was our first zoom class and we were really impressed. Naomi gave an immersive experience, enthusiastically sharing her knowledge and tips along the way and at the end of the class, we had a finished impressive meal, ready to sit down and enjoy.Naomi’s classes are a fab way to prepare your evening meal in a social environment and all while increasing your confidence and prowess in the kitchen. Now that’s an absolute win in our book.Thank you Naomi. You’ll be seeing us again in your Zoom kitchen. :)
River P
River P
11:45 27 Oct 20
Who would have thought Thursday nights would become a highlight of the week! These cooking classes are great fun and set an easy pace. You start at 6pm, relax with a wine with a great group while things bubble away, and you'll have a fab dinner on the table by 7pm - and it really will look amazing as Naomi also shows how to present things beautifully. I thought I'd have to do a lot of prep before the classes as I'm a slow cook, but it's not the case. You really do cook along easily in the hour and can ask for tips and questions all along the way. I've loved learning everything from restaurant style duck to Persian rice pilaf. I also highly recommend the leisurely Sunday slow cooks - you'll have a beautiful Sunday lunch and pro tips for leftovers. Think slow roast Greek lamb, then souvlaki with the leftovers and you know you'll be happy!
Luke Todd
Luke Todd
02:28 26 Oct 20
Naomi's online cooking classes are so fun and the food is delicious. Can't recommend highly enough. Book yourself in for a class, you'll be glad you did!
Sharon Tein
Sharon Tein
02:51 11 Sep 20
Great fun classes full of tasty food and all within an hour! Try it. You won’t be disappointed.
Loredana De Simone-Rybka
Loredana De Simone-Rybka
08:53 20 Jul 20
Highly recommend doing Naomi’s online cook along, it was such a great experience. Loved learning new recipes and learning new cooking tips along the way. Enjoyed making a few meals together with a great group of people and the food was absolutely delicious. Look forward to doing more classes. Thank you for creating this wonderful experience bringing foodies together sharing knowledge in cooking good simple, wholesome and delicious food. It was so much fun.
Aliki Zouliou
Aliki Zouliou
10:13 26 Jun 20
Cooking can sometimes be a chore for me but Naomi's cook-along classes have been so much fun! With her guidance I was able to whip up delightful meals that I normally wouldn’t have attempted, ready right in time for dinner – AND enjoyed by all the family!I found it was easy to multi-task when listening to voice instructions during the classes and being able to glance over at the screen at any time allowed me to visually check that I was on track. It was also reassuring having Naomi there ‘live’ in my kitchen to answer any questions along the way.Looking forward to the next Thursday night cook-along!!!
Patricia Colaci
Patricia Colaci
08:35 26 Jun 20
Thanks Naomi for another great, fun Cook-Along session last night. We always look forward to our Thursday night Foodcentric Cook-Alongs. The Moroccan Lamb Tagine was absolutely scrumptious and even had leftovers for today 😋 Looking forward to next week session - Surprise Mozzarella Meatballs & Brie & Garlic Bread. 😊
Julie Hughes
Julie Hughes
00:00 24 Jun 20
Best $20 ever invested in myself. This was my first on line zoom class, I was not sure what to expect. I found myself completely immersed in the experience. Fantastic collegiate experience, lovely to meet others over zoom and such fun!. Really helpful to be cooking with an expert. I learnt simple ways of tweaking dishes, so helpful! The class was structured and very easy to follow and to be honest it made cooking this family meal effortless. I was sad when the hour was up but very proud of what I created. I am a convert now! Naomi was very generous and thoughtful in the way she provided a shopping list before hand and the menu. Perfect for people who love to cook, want to learn more skills. For those who can't get out this online format provides some great social engagement and something to look forward to. Just do it!
Ursula Czubala
Ursula Czubala
23:36 23 Jun 20
Cooking classes with Naomi are fun, relaxed and educational! My favourite part of these classes, is I'm cooking from my own kitchen (don't go anywhere!), and I get to eat dinner with my family straight after the 1 hour session is done at 7pm. They're affordable and something to look forward to each week. Thanks Naomi!
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