So, last weekend, Chad and I journeyed up to Napa for a wedding… and well, to eat.

First, we rushed off from the Oakland airport to have lunch at Canteen in SF. We paid $3 worth in quarters for the privilege of an hour’s parking, only to arrive at 2:02pm… and be told that they were closed. We’d once had a wonderful lunch there, watching the chef and his assistant cook from our perch at the counter. I remember that teasingly moist skate sandwich well, and still do… b/c my memory remains unclouded by any new dishes there. Sure, I could have mentioned that we’d just flown up from LA, loved the restaurant, and were dying to eat there again (along with their rmg guests)… but the stove was empty and I felt like it was right to accept that their shift was over. I hope someone used up the 53 rmg minutes on the meter, so that I can stop regretting my wasted laundry quarters.

In any case… to Tartine! Where parking was free and there was practically no line at 2:30 in the afternoon!

Their Croque Monsieur is one of the better consolations you could come across. They’re displayed unassumingly on the counter, but once their heated up and cut into…

…they’re beacons of comfort and deliciousness. The secret is in the bechamel sauce, which soaks into the bread to provide a silky canvas upon which the Niman ranch ham, gruyere cheese, thyme, and pepper play. The bread is also just soft enough, even though it looks like it’d be hard to cut into.

Unfortunately, Chad’s Ham and Gruyere Sandwich was rather soaked through with mustard, and he only felt fortunate that the nasal passages behind his nose hadn’t caught fire by the end of the sandwich.

And my pickled carrot was shockingly spicy… which I liked.

The chocolate eclair was also a little funky. The pastry cream was very runny and the glaze very thick. I made a mess of myself trying to eat it, and turning it upside-down helped only until the pastry cream started spurting out the sides. The glaze was also a little too harsh with cocoa flavor for the rest of the eclair.

We also had the Lemon Meringue Cake again, but the chiffon cake was too dry for it to do its magic.

And then to Emeryville, to catch up with the good people at Charles Chocolates, where I worked with the chocolatiers during the holiday season. They now have a retail store which has a seating area that overlooks the chocolatiers at work, and where tours are given.

I was lucky enough to be lavished with the peanut butterflies and lemon-pistachio clusters that I once daily rationed to myself… 12+ hr days were never so much fun before. I also got a jar of their newly offered Meyer Lemon Marmalade. It’s made with just organic meyer lemons and sugar — no commercial pectin, so it has a slightly more delicate set and the lemon flavor is bright and delicious. It’s nice on bread… or just on a spoon, if you’re me.

By the time we got to Napa later that night, I was too excited to laze into the hotel room, so Chad and I went to have dessert at Redd, where Nicole Plue is the pastry chef (formerly of Julia’s Kitchen). We shared Sweet Corn Fritters with Cherries and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. I loved how creamy the fritters were inside, and everything was good on its own but I wasn’t totally in love with everything on the plate together — even though the subtle yet brilliant apricot sauce did its best to tie it together. I do like corn as a dessert, but I think it’s hard to match its flavor and intensity with other components. I also really liked the corn pop-like puffed corn kernels. I wonder if they do that themselves… and how.

It was cool to have microgreens on a dessert dish, and actually, they probably fit in best with the corn according to my taste buds. And the texture of the leaves was something novel and nice in a dessert. When we inquired, we were told that they were baby cilantro, which was interesting b/c they neither looked nor tasted like mature cilantro.

The next day, we set out on an exploratory mission to Wild Flour Bread, committed to basking in the scenery, turning onto mysterious roads, and otherwise finding pleasure in getting lost.

We happened upon the historical Kenwood Depot this way.

A walk around back brought me under a canopy of what I thought were possibly long-lingering apricots, blushing orange in the sun.

So, when I reached out to touch them, I was surprised by their smooth texture… and the fact that they were plums. I’m not sure which variety. Rather small and yellow, with a smooth honeyed taste, a bit like greengages. If anyone cares to guess what they were, please let me know.

There were also thorny blackberry bushes rambling here and there around the tree and fence. If only we’d also come across some puff pastry and an oven, I think we would have had the galettes of our lives.

As a city dweller, even this little bit of wild fruit chase was enough to give a glow to the morning. Even when I lived in Napa, I realized that for all the lush landscape, it’s hard to feel truly outdoorsy without some effort. Driving through it or walking past it on the way inside a winery is far more common, unfortunately, if you live in an apartment.

Once we made it to Wild Flour Bread, we got three loaves for our lunch. All were still hot from the oven, including this gloriously chunk-laden fougasse. We also got a goat flat and the egyptian, with a cinnamon bun-like form flavored with fig, ginger, and pear. All wonderful.

And this was the first time that we wandered into the beautiful garden behind the bakery, and next to the pile of wood used in the oven. It’s full of vegetables, berries, and flowers… and just enough wildness.

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Our little traipse in the garden must have given us time to digest, b/c we went to Patisserie Angelica in Sebastopol for dessert. On the left was the cleverly-designed Peanut Envy, with peanut butter, caramel and nuts in a cylinder of chocolate, and on the right was the key lime tart. Both were flavorful and fresh, and miraculously, completely consumed.

Pulled Pork Sandwich

I’ve been back in LA for quite a few days now, and despite having great intentions of blogging about every wonderful minute of being in Napa, something has held me back. I think I’ve been trying to come up with an interesting way of talking about BarBersQ, and it’s not happening. I may as well just get on with it, and offer the best that I can come up with: IT WAS AMAZING. GO THERE AND EAT ALL YOU CAN MANAGE.

Just look at the picture above.

That unctuous pile of pulled pork… coleslaw… and barbecue sauce… in a soft bun… sums it all up. BarbersQ offers traditional BBQ with a bit of flourish and a whole lot of flavor. The space is warm and inviting. I get similar feelings at Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen and Ad Hoc. It’s less fancy than those two (and cheaper, esp than the latter), but it has that same clean sort of hospitality that makes me feel good just sitting at one of their tables, awaiting delicious dishes. BarBersQ is relatively new, but if I still lived in Napa, something tells me that I would know the menu very well by now. I used to live down the street from it. I probably would have walked there and back to feel good about burning off some of the calories and saving gas money that could go to, say, a side of cheese-strong macaroni and cheese instead.

Or the Texas Toast Open-Faced Brisket Sandwich (a special), which was so much more fabulous than it looks here. And Chad, ever anti-coleslaw, was even pleased with their creamy/crispy version, with just a bit of tang — the way it should be.

And meats and mayo aside, I’d also like to call attention to the butter lettuce and pear salad that came with my sandwich. I believe it was the only time that I’ve taken a bite of a piece of lettuce — albeit, a perfectly dressed one — and blurted out, “you have to try this” to Chad. It was just so crisp and well-seasoned, and the sort of refreshment that should be shared.

So, there it is, my decidedly un-nuanced impression of BarBersQ. It’s been added to our pantheon of craveworthy Napa destinations. It’s relatively casual — more of a lunch spot for most, I’m guessing, and located in a plaza across from Target and Trader Joe’s, but the food is so good that I’d recommend it over most other places in the valley for dinner anyway. I hope that it’s as good next time we go.

I’m giving Santa Barbara Spot Prawns co-billing b/c they deserve at least as much attention as Osteria Mozza, and I consider this post something of a PSA — I have to spread the word about Santa Barbara Spot Prawns. I hadn’t known about them before yesterday afternoon, when I happened upon them in Suzanne Goin’s cookbook. Happily, two hours laters, I found them offered “al diavolo” during an impromptu first trip to Osteria Mozza. In short, they’re wildly delicious. Very sweet with a strikingly soft texture. The flavor has notes of lobster, but I’m inclined to claim that, in terms of pungency, they out-lobster lobster. Look out for them. And read more about them here.

Combined with a spicy tomato sauce and fresh cranberry beans (I believe), it was the dish to beat last night. And that’s saying a lot. Chad’s Beef Brasato with Polenta and Horseradish Gremolata was a wonderful rendition of braised beef short ribs. It may be more of a winter dish, but who would be foolish enough to turn down meltingly soft meat just because it’s a little warm outside? Once my fork sank into the meat, I could tell it was in a league of its own. And sure, braised short ribs seem to be everywhere in restaurants these days, but this dish was full of life, bolstered by a richly flavored sauce and sprightly garnishing vegetables, such as porcini mushrooms and caperberries. And the polenta was creamy without being bland or gloppy.

Chad thought that the Burrata with Escarole, Bacon, and Caramelized Shallots from the cheese bar was “amazing,” but I thought that flavors aside, the greens and bread were too oily. I still ate it all.

I was smitten by the Bombolini with Lemon Mascarpone and “Fruit of the Woods” Sorbet (mixed berry). Well-orchestrated classic flavors. The sorbet was silky.  I liked that you could dip bits of fried dough into the mascarpone at will, so that every bite was like a custom-made stuffed donut. And there was a ricotta fritter amidst the bombolini, which was a clever touch.

As for the restaurant itself, it’s a bit fancier than Pizzeria Mozza, but nowhere near the operatic pretensions of Del Posto. It’s comfortable and stylish, with a rock ‘n roll soundtrack. We showed up at 7pm last night (Friday) and had a 10 minute wait for two seats at the marble cheese bar, manned by Nancy Silverton. I couldn’t imagine a better seat in the house. In fact, I’m sure that a satisfying meal could be cobbled together by the cheese-focused small plates. I ordered the burrata b/c I’d first had it served to me by Silverton herself at a Mozzarella Monday at Jar a couple years ago and I was feeling sentimental, but there were many cheeses that I was unfamiliar with that I would have loved to try. I would also be tempted by the starters, such as crispy pig’s trotter and testa (head cheese). Frankly, the main courses are a little staid in comparison, but as our’s showed, they do deliver nicely.

My main criticism of Osteria Mozza would be the profusion of Italian words on the menu. I can understand using the original Italian words for un-translatable proper nouns, but too many dishes had at least one wild-card word. And since it was so busy, no matter how friendly and helpful our waiter was, it took a long time before we could order — he suddenly stepped away halfway through our first  round of simple questions to tend to get grappa for other guests. Then we waited… and waited… for him to come back. And then we had to quickly make our decision based on what we learned during the second round so that we wouldn’t have to wait yet again to order. We’re reasonably well-informed and low-maintenance diners, so I think it’s an unnecessary flourish on their part. They could keep the phrases if they also print a description in the menu. Perhaps they want to encourage a dialogue btw the diners and the wait staff, but administering pop quiz is hardly my idea of a meaningful relationship or a perfect night out.

Anyway, I’d go back to Osteria Mozza, but the real question is, would I rather go to Pizzeria Mozza or Osteria Mozza? A craving for pizza aside, it would be a hard choice, since their sensibility is so similar. I guess I’ll have to visit them more — much more — to decide that.

I went home to the New Jersey to surprise my Mom for her birthday last week, and in between wiffle ball games with my brothers, I scavenged for food in the area, including a brief trip to New York. So, here are the food highlights… and then some.

At Momofuku in NYC, the Fried Green Tomatoes with Anchovies, Chervil, and Kimchi was one of the most boldly delicious plates of food that I’ve had in a long time. The perfect bite involved the cold and spicy kimchi hitting your tongue first, followed closely by a piping hot wedge of green tomato that crunches open to let loose its almost molten interior, and then finished with the sharp salty tang of the slightly chewy anchovies and chervil. It reminds you how much flavor food can have. Even though most dishes contain elements of crunch/chew/salt/hot/cold, this was one of the few that made it seem special, like an elaborate balancing act. And now I much prefer the wedges of fried green tomatoes to slices; there’s more room for flavor and texture that way.

Unfortunately, my Momofuku Ramen, which ironically came out in better focus than the FGT’s, was insipid at best. Everything in it seemed over-cooked and tired. During last year’s visit, my bowl had been perfect, bordering on transcendental.

And I got to sit at the counter directly in front of the cooks, which was great entertainment.

The caramel ice cream sandwich from ‘Wichcraft in Bryant Park was boring and very sweet… though there was a ballerina for entertainment.

I went to Columbus Circle to get something from Bouchon Bakery at 5pm on Sunday, but the prices stood out more than the small variety of food remaining ($4.75 for a donut, $3.75 for a linzer cookie??). I didn’t get anything.

I was amused that Per Se had ratatouille on the menu, echoing Thomas Keller’s involvement in the Pixar movie.

Back in NJ, Umberto Pizzeria in Fair Haven is my pizza of choice. It’s a mom & pop pizza shop with a Sicilian pizza that has a gooey top, pillowy middle, and crunchy bottom. They don’t deliver, but we’ve been taking it out for years. Their NY-style is also quite nice.

The Steak au Poivre at Avenue in Long Branch was velvety and juicy, and satisfied my steak craving.

The restaurant is on the water above the beach that now has palm trees (!).

I also wandered into my parents’ garden and yard, in search of any and all things edible among the beguiling greenery and flowers.

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I was delighted to discover that the cherry tree that I used to be only vaguely aware of is actually a sour cherry tree.

My parents had already picked most of them for liqueurs, but I had plans to make a pie, or compote if need be, the next day with the rmg few… but they disappeared overnight! Either by the birds or spoilage, I guess.

At least this one will be forever in mid-bite…

Then there were the black raspberries…

And the wild black raspberries. The immediate gratification of impromptu berry-picking is one of the greatest pleasures I know of.

There were blueberries in the making.

And apples.

And pears.

And there are always more flowers…

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Please enjoy this shameless plug for my boyfriend’s new website, Socialverse!

You may already know that Chad’s good at thinking up dreamy birthday cake ideas, but you should also know that his true area of expertise is software engineering. With Socialverse, I like to think that his company has developed a way for people to walk the world from the comfort of their computers.**

When you sign up, you get your own little doppelganger who can stroll around a map of the US. While you can explore cities and states that you dream of visiting, the site is mostly geared towards local search and social networking. So, you can chat up locals and friends near and far as well as browse businesses. Of course, people like us would probably first think to check out and add our thoughts to the restaurants and markets, but even I sometimes need to go to the hardware store or see a dentist. Socialverse lets you put your favorites on the map and find new places to go.

I suppose that it’s like citysearch and yelp, but Socialverse is cooler because it’s in real time (using Web 2.0 in clever ways) and you can actually see where these places in the country are b/c “you” are there, too.

In a typical move, Chad has thoughtfully provided lots of goodies that go above and beyond basics. So, here’s a cheat sheet to my favorite things that you can do that might not be obvious right away:

• Click on the “online” line on the upper right of the screen to see who else is online. Click on someone’s name to move closer to them.
• Place your blog (as an object) in an area where people will find it useful. You’ll find Sweet Napa already on the map somewhere in LA.
• Find the nearest ATM.
• If a location isn’t on the map yet, add it and talk about it.
• Use additional motions — such as sleeping, meditating, dancing, and acting scared.
• Adjust your appearance — clothing, size, hairstyle.
• If you are a business owner, you can promote your business online.
• Check the weather.
• You can’t zoom in or out on the main map, but if you click on “Self” then “Mini Map” in the “Navigate” menu, you can see where you on a zoomable mini map.
• Share photos.
• Search local classifieds and post your own.

Please keep in mind that this is, as Chad says, “the early public beta.” There are still bugs, but he’ll happily be the victim of anyone’s criticism… or suggestions… or insouciant banter. When the basics are ironed out, the long-term goals are to make it a nexus of local search for any type of person, business, or organization you may be interested in, and in turn, a way to build relationships and become closer with your community. More features will be added — such as perhaps coupons and ads for shops around the corner being implemented, trees being planted, menus being posted, icons being customizable, and whatever people want that the world can support.

So, feel free to sign up, check it out, and tell everyone you know about it. The world is wide open.**

**Right now, the map only functions in the US, but there are plans to make it international down the line. Also, the faster your internet connection is, the faster you’ll be able to do things. Broadband is recommended. It is also only compatible with Firefox and IE for now.