Snippets

I've lived in SF for a long time, but here are some overdue firsts that I've had within the last month or so:

Sanddabs and cioppino at Tadich

Cap + NYT at farm:table, popovers and afternoon tea at Nieman's

Chicken pho at Turtle Tower, $45 porchetta prix fixe + wine pairing at Jardiniere (ok meal, incredible value)

Nopalito
Primo Patio
Liang Mama's House
Chinese banquet at Kirin
Drinks at Trad'r Sam
Emmy's Spaghetti Shack
Sandbox Bakery
Sightglass

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Thoughts on Coffee

While there's a burgeoning coffee culture in other cities like Portland and New York, SF's is pretty much unrivaled (as of now). I've never known much about coffee or even liked it very much, but living here has taught me a lot. Just a few years ago I was still adding cream and sugar, likening my cup to that of melted ice cream. I remember my first revelatory experience - that $20,000 cup of Blue Bottle siphon brew that was so sweet and smooth on its own. I'm still no expert, but I've learned to appreciate the seemingly pretentious latte/cap art as a good indication of the quality of microfoam, and can better understand the reasons behind increasing prices.

Who makes your coffee also makes such a big difference, which is why I think I'm drawn to Blue Bottle. My friend, who has biases of his own, admitted that they have really great technique, while other roasters might do more research on their beans and farms. Even within Blue Bottle though, some people are markedly more skilled than others (I for sure have a favorite barista), so I feel like discussions about the "best" coffee shops are a bit pointless. What does it even mean to be the best?

I've also realized what a snob I've become, ugh! The other day I had to meet a friend at some random cafe, and I seriously considered not getting anything so I wouldn't have to waste my money on burnt mediocrity or spongy foam. Good coffee is a treat for me, and I don't drink it out of habit, addiction, or for a caffeine fix. While I sound super elitist right now, I think it's justifiable to save my money for something I deem worthy of indulging in.

I don't have a point or message I'm trying to make, except that coffee can be something to be savored, and it's a real privilege to delight in the work of so many hands that strive to make it something special. Anyway, I'm excited to see how this community grows and where it's going!

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Here and There

Apple galette with almond frangipane and really great homemade puff pastry (I didn't peel the apples so there would be some color - the reds are from pink ladies); chicken adobo burrito with garlic fried rice from papalote's annual mexi-pino menu mmm

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Dynamoooo

I woke up early last Saturday, and since I currently have an empty fridge without even milk for cereal, I decided to drive down to Potrero/Mission (I really don't consider this area the mission, although a lot of people do... it's very borderline) since my schedule for the day was flexible. There's been a buzz going around about Dynamo Donuts since its summer 2008 opening, and I decided to spend my morning finally checking it out. It was really the perfect day to do it, too! The city is so great when the weather is warm(er), especially on a lazy and quiet morning when there isn't any traffic. I had never actually been by it, so I was really surprised when I got there because it's really just a kiosk. A very big kiosk, much like the Blue Bottle in Hayes.

It's called "Dynamo Donut + Coffee," but it really should've been the other way around. If I had been just a passer by, I wouldn't have even guessed they were known for their fried treats since their coffee machines and such take up almost the entire counter space. Their donuts seem almost like an afterthought displayed in domed cake stands. All that aside, let's talk about the donuts.

One of their most popular flavors is a maple bacon donut, which isn't exactly a particularly new flavor combination, but I wanted to try it nonetheless. Apparently they only make those "usually Fridays or Sundays." Shouldn't they make that information available? Blah. Instead, I opted for the meyer lemon huckleberry, and the banana dulce de leche filled one. I also specifically went fairly early in the morning, too, so I could get a good, fresh selection, but the ones I ended up getting still felt cold and as if they'd been sitting for awhile. I was hoping to avoid what happened with Doughnut Plant, but I guess it didn't matter in the long run.

The dough was nice and light, not greasy. However, I really feel that "gourmet" donut shops should either fry batches to order, or throughout the day. They would really taste ten times better, and wouldn't be susceptible to the chewy-ness that starts to happen after sitting for awhile. I think they are made off-site, possibly because of lack of permits or something, and that's really a shame. As for the flavors? The dulce de leche was very nice and creamy, but only one side had the filling, while the other side had a few mashed banana pieces. Are they adding the fillings separately? Doesn't make sense to me. It was nice that the huckleberry one wasn't just about the glaze, since it had actual pieces embedded in the dough. The meyer lemon, however, did not come out.

While I appreciated their flavors, I left feeling like I had wasted my morning. I would consider returning if I was in the area and they had the maple-glazed apple bacon donut available. Otherwise, I wouldn't trek back over there unless they started making fresh batches to order.

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Eye on the Pies: The Ultimate SF yuppie power lunch.

2901 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94110

Kathy and I took a break from our job in the FIDI (that’s Financial District for those of you not in the know) to grab some pies in the Mission. I donned my North Face Fleece and converses (typical SF yuppie) and Kathy wore her tapered pants and flats (typical SF hipster) and we hopped on the BART.

Located a few blocks from the 24^th and Mission stop is Mission Pie. This place is hippie heaven. The pies are made from local ingredients by local underprivileged youth. Every piece of furniture in the establishment is made from recycled materials, including the compostable bag I was given for my to-go order.

Mission Pie offers a limited selection of pies that are sold whole or by the slice. Kathy and I tried the Pear Ginger pie and Banana Cream pie. The PG pie was excellent, light and refreshing. Kathy is usually a ginger-hater, but this pie managed to win her over. The BC pie met all the expectations of the traditional BC pie, but not worth writing home about (as opposed to the BC pie at Liberty Café…which is bomb-diggity).

We also went to a local taqueria (La Taqueria) for tacos. I was skeptical at first, as the tables were dirty but I guess that’s how they roll. Def. another place I’d go back to. They had this white milky looking drink that was cinnamon flavored, it looked delicious.*

And of course, we went to Philz coffee. My #1 favorite coffee place (#2 is Blue Bottle). I won’t go on about Philz, as I came off like a crack addict in a previous coffee review. But y’all should try it if you can!

* Please refer to the recent episode of Check Please

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$20,000 cup of coffee x 2

Note: I wrote this the day the cafe opened (23Jan08), but I had to wait for the pictures to post. These were taken from Alice's camera phone! Such good quality for a phone. And here's a chat from today:

[13:34] alice: i went to blue bottle again
[13:34] alice: and had the kyoto iced coffee
[13:34] alice: I'M AN ADDICT
[13:34] katwork: are you serious??
[13:34] katwork: with who?
[13:34] alice: my friend
[13:34] alice: lalalalalalal
[13:34] alice: i love coffee

Spoken like a true crack fiend.

So today was the opening of the new Blue Bottle Cafe at the Mint Plaza. I normally wouldn't care that much, but there was a NYTimes article about their new machine, the "siphon," and it dramatically described their brewed coffee as the greatest thing next to sliced bread. I am not a coffee connoisseur whatsoever, so I was fully expecting to not even be able to tell the difference.

Alice and I trekked over to the shady Mint Plaza, and after a good 5 minutes of being confused, we finally found our way to the happenin new space that is no longer a kiosk. There were 3 roasts from the siphon bar that we could choose from, and each was served with a different treat. At roughly $10 each, I went for the $11 Nicaraguan brew, and Alice the Ethiopian. I really just chose mine based on the snack that was served with it (Miette toffee). Not until later did we realize that each pot can serve 3 cups. Whoops! But $20+ worth of coffee? We might as well try more than one. Also to our surprise, we HAD to drink it there - you can't take it to go. There wasn't an explanation as to why, but I can make up my own: drinking it 30 seconds after brewed in a glass cup enhances your experience, as opposed to drinking it all out of a paper cup. Am I right???



Since the siphon can only make 5 "pots" at a time, we had a little while to wait and take pictures. There was also a taller and more ostentatious display of a machine that made slow-drip [iced?] coffee that took about an 8-hr process according to one guy. I won't really go into detail about the machine itself since the article is pretty thorough. But yeah, those Japanese. "They must have nothing better to do," says Alice.

Iced coffee machine

So my pot was exactly as the article described - juicy and sweet. "Juicy" is probably the best description I can think of for this coffee experience. I'm also the type of person who adds a ton of cream and sugar to my coffee (I like to drink coffee as if it's melted coffee ice cream from Haagen Daz), but I was able to sip this brew black without making a face as if something died in my mouth. It also tasted pretty much the same after I added cream and sugar... and I don't know if it's because there might have been residual undissolved sugar at the bottom of the cup, but towards the end it lost its "juiciness" and felt more on the creamy side.

Alice's Ethiopian brew, on the other hand, was distinctly different in taste - very fruity with hints of blueberry, according to the menu. Unlike the Nicaraguan roast, this one lost its flavor once we added cream and sugar. Alice preferred this one, and ended up drinking more even after she started feeling dizzy. Anything with caffeine (e.g. coffee, soda, red bull, etc) usually has no effect whatsoever on me, but after 2 cups, I started feeling light-headed, and even as I'm writing this 4 hours and one bathroom visit later, my head still hurts. That must be some potent stuff!

Despite having to drink the coffee there, we were able to take the rest back with us. Now I'm not really sure what to do with it, since it gave me a headache... but it's $11 coffee! Sacrifices will have to made this time. My health (sanity??) is more important! You win this round, Blue Bottle!

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