See Us Eat

The Omnivore's 100

2008-08-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

From www.verygoodtaste.co.uk comes the Omnivore's 100. Here’s what you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba Ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Supermarket Dim Sum Smorgasbord

2008-08-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

We made the grave mistake of going to the Sunset Super when we were on our way home from work and very hungry. So, we decided to make ourselves a big spread of supermarket, frozen dim sum.

Sui Mai
Not really like any sui mai we've ever had, but they were tender and tasty.

Dipping Sauce

-1/4 cup dark soy sauce
-2 tb rice vinegar
-2 tb hoisin
-2 tb chili garlic sauce
-1 bunch scallion, chopped

Mix all ingredients thoroughly for a nice, thick dipping sauce.

Instant Udon with Dipping Sauce
Carby and good.

Pork Dumplings
The skins of these had a nice, toothsome texture, but the meat inside was like a rock-hard pellet.

Pork and Cabbage Potstickers
Pretty tasty. No complaints.

Zuchinni Lasagna

2008-08-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Lasagna
Another one of our favorites, this time with turkey instead of beef.

Summer BBQ

2008-08-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

We had a housewarming party at our new place and took full advantage of the backyard and the grill it came with.

Sliders
Giao made these delicious sliders using a technique he learned from Alton Brown of the Food Network. Basically, he rolled out the meat in a large baking sheet until it was about 1/4 inch thick, then he seasoned the meat in a single layer with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Finally, he folded the meat over on itself. Then we cut the sheet of perfectly seasoned meat into even squares with a pizza cutter. The sliders were very, very good. They were juicy and they were perfectly seasoned in every bite. For buns, we simply used Costco dinner rolls.

Black Bean Salad
This was a nice side for our meaty sliders.

-2 cans corn, drained
-2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
-10 tomatos, diced
-4 large Armenian cucumbers, peeled and sliced
-olive oil
-lime juice
-salt and pepper

Combine the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper together to form a dressing in whatever proportions you like (if you have too much, just save it for another salad). Combine all of the ingredients and dress with the dressing. Give the salad and hour for 2 for the flavors to meld. This is best served at room temperature.

Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
A tasty, non-mayo-y, slaw.

-1 head red cabbage, shredded
-2 carrots, peeled and shredded
-3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
-1/4 cup agave nectar
-1 ts salt
-1 ts celery salt
-1 ts pepper

Combine all of the ingredients except the cabbage and carrots and stir to make a dressing. Pour the dressing over the other ingredients and let sit for an hour or two before serving. Best served at room temperature.

Homemade Burgers and Spicy Oven Baked Potato Wedges

2008-08-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

Spicy Oven-Baked Potato Wedges
Rarely do we cook, or even eat, potatoes, but they came in the CSA box, so we had to find a use for them. These were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

-6 red potatoes, cut into wedges, lengthwise
-1 ts garlic powder
-1 ts paprika
-1 ts cayenne
-2 ts salt
-a bit of olive oil

Drizzle the olive oil on the potatoes and toss to coat. Add the spices and toss again to coat. Spread the wedges on a large cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake on 350 for about 35-40 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.

Simple Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Grilled Cheese Burger with Tomato, Onion, Lettuce and Condiments
The meat was seasoned with only salt and pepper and the burgers were grilled outside. There's not much better than a big, juicy burger grilled in the backyard on a warm summer night.

Chicken with Pancetta and Cranberry Beans Over Cheesy Cauliflower Puree

2008-08-06T20:52:00.000-07:00

I had never used fresh cranberry beans before, but they came in the CSA box and so I had to find something to do with them. They ended up adding a nice texture to this dish.

-5 chicken thighs, diced
-1 cup pancetta, diced
-1/2 onion, diced

-1 lb cranberry beans, shelled
-3 sprigs fresh thyme
-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
-pepper

-1 recipe Cheesy Cauliflower Puree

Boil the shelled beans with the herbs and pepper for about 20 minutes, until the beans are tender. At the same time, in a wide pan, render the pancetta and caramelize the onions in the fat. Add the chicken and cook until done. Add the boiled, drained beans to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Serve over the cheesy cauliflower puree.

Ramen with Egg

2008-08-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

Giao likes his ramen still almost crunchy and with a poached egg on top.

Pasty from Gracie's Cafe, San Francisco, CA

2008-08-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

Breakfast Pasty $3
This contained eggs, and some other stuff Giao can't remember and it was not very good.

Ratings:
Food: 0
Decor: 0
Service: 1

Gracie's Cafe
241 Pine St
San Francisco, CA 94104

No Website
Health Code Violations

Oxtail Stew

2008-08-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

Hearty Oxtail Stew
This was meaty, not too gamey and very filling.

-3 lbs oxtails
-1 onion, diced
-6 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
-3 turnips, peeled and cut into chunks
-1 can chickpeas, drained
-1/2 cup brown rice
-1 bunch turnip greens, diced
-2 cans diced tomatoes
-water to cover
-1 tb turmeric
-1 tb fenugreek powder
-salt and pepper to taste

Brown the oxtail in a deep pot. Add the onions, carrots and turnips and cook for a few minutes. Add the spices and stir to combine. Add everything else. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours.

Ribs and Salad

2008-08-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

Another simple, summer, weeknight meal.

Chili Rubbed Baby Back Ribs
We make these in our beloved Ron Popiel "Set It and Forget It" Rotisserie Grill. Click here for the recipe.

Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad
This hearty, no-lettuce salad was dressed with the juice of 1 lime, a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper. It was a very good salad.

BBQ Short Ribs and Cucumber Salad

2008-08-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

Now that we live so close to the Sunset Super, and we have a big grill out back, we've been eating a lot of short ribs.

Korean-Style Short Ribs
Click above for our marinade recipe.

Simple Cucumber Salad
We used Armenian cucumbers, which are exceptionally crunchy and sweet, to make this simple salad. The dressing was an emulsion of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and whole grain mustard.

Roast Duck from Toon Kee, San Francisco, CA

2008-08-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

1/2 a Roast Duck $6
This is Giao's new favorite place for roast duck in our neighborhood. The skin is crispy and the meat is juicy.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 0

Toon Kee
2191 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122

No Website
Health Code Violations

Pad Thai from Chabaa Thai, San Francisco, CA

2008-08-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

We stopped by a Thai place we'd never been to on the way home and Alexis tried out the Pad Thai.

Chicken Pad Thai $8
Decent, but a bit too sweet.

Ratings:

Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1

Chabaa Thai
2123 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122

No Website
Health Code Violations

Best Breakfast Ever at the Pork Store, San Francisco, CA

2008-08-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

Oh, how we love the Pork Store. And now we live a whole lot closer to it, which could be dangerous.

Chicken Fried Steak, Hash Browns and Biscuits and Gravy $11
This actually comes with 2 eggs as well, but Alexis can never manage to eat them, so she just asked to leave them off this time.

A closer look at the biscuits and gravy.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 0
Service: 1

The Pork Store Cafe
1451 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

Steamed Sea Bass with Sauteed Summer Squash

2008-07-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

A quick summer meal:

Sauteed Zucchini
Simply slice the zucchini thinly and sautee over medium heat in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Steamed Sea Bass
Click above for Giao's recipe.

Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, CA

2008-07-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

Our friend wanted to go to Fisherman's wharf, and despite the fact that we knew the food would be sub-par and expensive, we went. It was what we expected and we can even remember the name of the place where we ate.

Clam Chowder with Crab Melt $15
Starchy, salty clam chowder and a not-quite-warm-enough melt.

Crab $30
Too expensive, and just OK.

Dinner at Passionfish, Pacific Grove, CA

2008-07-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

Near Monterey we found a really great seafood restaurant. It was not touristy, the decor was understated and sophisticated and the food was better than expected.

Sweet Corn Chowder with Thick Cut Bacon $8
It was a bit sweet (but I should have known that) and the texture was a bit too chunky for me. But, on the whole, this was a well executed, tasty and big bowl of soup.

Crab Cake with Lime Relish $12
This was one of the best crab cakes I've ever had. There was virtually no filler, the outside was extra crispy and the Asian-inspired sauce really cut through the richness of the crab.

Sablefish with Wasabi Slaw and Ginger Sauce $22
The fish was perfectly cooked and the portion was large. The slaw was crispy and interesting. A great dish.

Fresh Berries in a Red Wine Reduction with Vanilla Ice Cream $8
This dessert was fresh and light, but also had depth of flavor from the reduction.

Ratings:
Food: 2
Decor: 2
Service: 1 (We were always waiting for our water to be filled.)

Passionfish
701 Lighthouse Ave
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

Gianni's Pizzeria, Monterey, CA

2008-07-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

We were in Monterey for the weekend and we were looking for decent places to eat. We read in several sources that Gianni's was "the best pizza in Monterey" and "like New York pizza". While it may very well have been the best pizza in Monterey, it was really not that good, and it was so far from New York pizza that I can only believe that whoever said that must not have ever been to New York.

Small Pepperoni $10
Thick soggy crust and greasy toppings.

Chicken Wings $7
Decent, but nothing special.

Jalapeno Poppers $7
Crispy and gooey, pretty good actually.

Large Meat Combo Pizza $18
Same as above. It almost required a fork to eat it.

Ratings:
Food: 0
Decor: 0
Service: 0

Gianni's Pizza
725 Lighthouse Ave
Monterey, CA 93940

No Website

In N' Out, Daly City, CA

2008-07-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

You can really never go wrong with In n' Out. This entire meal cost us about $12.

Double Doubles (Animal and Protein Style)
Double meat, double cheese, with fried onions, wrapped in lettuce. This is a truly delicious burger.

Fries, Well Done
We didn't like the fries at In n' Out until we discovered we could get them "well done", in other words, extra crispy. They are just too starchy without the extra frying.

Chocolate Shake
Thick and chocolately, which is all you can hope for.

Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 1

In N' Out
260 Washington St
Daly City, CA 94015

Zucchini Bread

2008-07-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

Paula Deen's Zucchini Bread
I used Paula Deen's recipe for zucchini bread and it turned out delicious. The only difference I made was to include a bit more shredded zucchini and also to bake it in a bundt pan rather than 2 loaf pans. It cooked in the same amount of time as the recipe called for.

Fast Food Fiesta

2008-07-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

In the corner of our new block is a Taco Bell/KFC. We figured that we better get it out of our system quickly so that we are not tempted in the future. I think we did with this ridiculous meal. I'm not going to comment on every single image, because, I'm sure you can imagine exactly what Taco Bell and KFC tastes like--oh so bad for you, but oddly satisfying...at least everyone once in a blue moon.

Bean Burrito $1

3 Piece Dark Meat $5

Chicken Soft Taco $1.50

Popcorn Chicken $3

7 Layer Burrito $1.79

Ratings:
Food: 0
Decor: 0
Service: 0

Taco Bell / KFC
1900 Irving Street
San Francisco, CA 94122

Can't Find Health Code Violations

Egg Salad Sandwich with Creamy Butter Lettuce Salad

2008-07-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

Again, not very fancy, but certainly comfort food. Also, we got wonderful baby butter lettuce and lovely, super crunchy, super sweet Armenian cucumbers from the CSA that came together beautifully for this creamy salad.

Egg Salad Sandwich
-4 hard boiled eggs
-1/4 cup mayo
-1 ts garlic powder
-salt and pepper to taste
-4 pieces whole grain toast

Smash the eggs and mix in the salt, pepper, garlic powder and mayo. Spread between 2 pieces of hot toast. Makes 2 sandwiches.

Creamy Butter Lettuce Salad
-2 small heads butter lettuce, quartered
-1/2 Armenian cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
-15 cherry tomatoes, halved

-2 tb mayo
-2 tb apple cider vinegar
-1 tb whole grain mustard
-1 ts agave nectar

Mix the ingredients for the dressing until smooth. Add the tomatoes and cucumber to the dressing and then pour it all over the butter lettuce.

Wontons

2008-07-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

Wontons
These wontons are from our friend, F.'s, awesome repertoire.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Green Salad

2008-07-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

Not fancy, but definitely comfort food. We made the grilled cheese in the old sandwich maker (sort of like a waffle maker, but for bread). The salad was just romaine with a homemade vinaigrette.

Shrimp and BBQ Pork Fried Rice

2008-07-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

Tasty and hearty. This dish also reheats well.

-1 1/2 cup brown rice
-1/2 lb BBQ pork, diced
-1/2 lb shrimp
-1/2 cup diced scallions
-1 handful chopped cilantro
-2 eggs, scrambled
-1 head bok choy, thinly sliced
-3 tb soy sauce
-1 tb hoisin sauce
-2 tb oyster sauce
-1 tb chili garlic sauce
-1 tb fish sauce
-1 tb rice vinegar

Boil the rice as usual and set aside. Scramble the egg and mix into the rice. In a large, wide pan, sautee the bok choy in half the soy. Add the shrimp and sautee another couple of minutes, until shrimp are done. Add the rice and egg to this mixture along with all of the other ingredients and stir to combine.