SF Restaurants go all Lean Startup-y: Chubby Noodle Pop-up [SF Food]
Pop-Up restaurants seem all the rage right now here in San Francisco. There is the famous Chinese-cum-hipster pop-up in the Mission (Mission Chinese Food) and the Vietnamese pop-up, Rice Paper Scissors.
Last night we took a party of seven to check out Chubby Noodle, an Asian Fusion pop-up located within Amante (an Italian restaurant) in North Beach. I think its a bit interesting that like NY, the Asians are taking over Italian areas, it was a great night. My hope is that the place will get popular enough for the chefs to open their own venue. A side project of Pete Mrabe of Don Pisto’s, the menu includes Asian-themed items that range from $2 sides of Jasmine rice to $11 plates of Hawaiian Tuna Poke.
I recommend that you go with a large party so that you can try everything. My personal faves:
- Kimchi Hot Dog ($6): Kobe beef hot dog, house made kimchi, mayo. It's not too spicey, but just enough flavor to give your dog that firey bark.
- Fried Chicken ($9): Mary's Organic Chicken wings are brined in buttermilk and come with a creamy sambal dipping sauce.
- Korean Pork Tacos ($9): Niman ranch rib chop, korean pickles, yogurt sauce, and arbol chile vinegar. It's the pickle that makes these tacos so awesome.
I've always wondered how these pop-ups work. Do the chefs rent out the kitchen? Is it fixed? or do the owners of the establishments take a cut of the revenue/profits?
Nonetheless, I love the idea of them as it allows chefs to experiment without going all in. Some would say it's like following Eric Ries's Lean startup for the kitchen.
Learn how to pronounce Scotch whiskey terms with Evernote Peak
If you're just beginning to learn how to drink scotch, one of the pain points I get when I order is the fear of completely butchering the name of the Scotch. Like ordering at an ethnic restaurant, I usually succumb to my inner demons and point to the Scotch I want to try.
While you'll most likely get the courage to order by name after the second or third drink, here's a little digital flashcard tool to give you necessary courage at drink number one.
You'll need an iPad2, free evernote peak app, and a smart cover.
Download the shared evernote notebook from this link and import it into evernote peak: https://www.evernote.com/pub/somaroovin/scotchpronounciations
Sláinte (pronounced: slán-jah)
Sources: Esquire.com, Scotchdoc, Maltmadness
Eating guide for Dim Sum virgins [visualization]
An old, but fun decision tree for navigating Saturday morning dim sum:
Things to do in Montevideo #1: Asado, Perfection in Simplicity [Uruguay]
Things to do in Montevideo, Uruguay
Typically, when I travel, I don't get the chance to really soak in the culture. For 21 days, I'll be in Montevideo, Uruguay thanks to the IBD project. I've been staying in Pocitos, which is a nice part of town within walking distance to the beach. A couple things I definitely recommend if you come to Montevideo:
- Go watch a proper football game. We saw an exhibition game of Uruguay v. Israel.
- Go out at night. The night starts at 2AM. Most people take a nap after work on Friday before they head out.
- Eat a Chorizo. Just not at the stadium. They say that there is a reason there are no stray dogs around the stadium. I made this mistake and spent 4 days in the hotel.
- Try a Milanesa. So much is fried here, just give it a shot. It's a cross between a Tonkatsu and a Chicken friend steak.
- Try Mate, the original wing-maker. It's a complicated process to get some caffeine. But when in Montevideo, you'll see people walking around with a thermos of hot water and a mate at all times of the day.
Venue Discovery with Location Awareness
Foursquare, a mobile social networking game that gets users to "check in" at places they visit in the real world, has experienced explosive growth. While people are acquiring mayorships in droves in the US and the UK, bold users in other countries are marking their territory as well.
While we're all in search of those elusive badges or fighting to retain those mayorships, the real value of Foursquare may be much, much more. For people traveling abroad, it's been a brilliant source of current advice and tips.
Having travelled a good amount, I'm always cautious of my research before getting into the country. Some sites and listings haven't been updated for years, and its not when you get there that a) the place no longer exists, b) the venue isn't what it was like in 2008, c) the crowd is vastly different.
I always check my check-out list with locals just to make sure.
With Foursquare, I have easy access to local tour guides. The desire to recommend and be "in the know" knows no boundaries. Each mayor is potential guide. Here are a few new mayors in Montevideo, where I'm currently traveling.
Surfing through their postings, I can quickly find where I need to be on Thursday Nights. Looks like Francisco V thinks I should head to Lou Bizzarro Bar on Thursday night.
3 Days in Basque Country
It's been three days since I flew from SFO to the Basque region in Spain. Thus far:
- Spent a day in Bilbao
- Took naps on benches in Bilbao
- Went Pinxto hopping in San Sebastián
- Had dinner at a Cider House
From the Streets [Food]
Street food is all the rage--bulgogi @ L Street Vending cart in DC, Goat Cheese cake from the dessert truck in NYC, to papusa's @ the Brooklyn flea. It's exciting to see San Francisco with a growing and vibrant street food culture.
When I went to Laiola last week, I learned about the taco menu making its grand entrance today at the Ferry Building. So that's where I decided to grab lunch this Thursday. Tacolicious is simply that--tacos that are delicious. They offer three different types of tacos: steak, chicken and pork. My favorite is by far the chipotle-braised pork shoulder taco. (Confession, I love pork). When ordering, don't forget to help yourself to a generous squirt of one of three sauces. Sweet tomato is my fave.
Dripping with sauce and flavor, be careful when you eat it!
You also HAVE to try the grilled corn with an ancho-chili rub with lime. The lime offsets the super sweet corn. I know you're concerned; corn for lunch? What if I get corn stuck between my teeth? It's not going to go well with my 2 o'clock meeting. Maybe they'll offer toothpicks next Thursday. If not, I'm packing some floss just in case.
I'm so glad to welcome another fine addition to the Ferry Building. I can't wait to get myself a tacolicious Tshirt to show my support!
Tacolicious
1 Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA 94111
Crabtastic [Thanh Long]
I came here for the first time because my friend had a cousin in town. Instead of taking him to Fisherman's wharf, we decided to do something different. We are so glad we came here. There's nothing like the bone breaking sound of crab while wearing a plastic bib.
Furthermore, the service is impeccable. I shall return!
Things to get:
- The Roast Crab is absolutely delectable. I'm not sure what the "secret spices" are, but mixed with the garlic, I was tempted to eat everything down to the shell.
- Garlic Noodles. There is a reason why everybody talks about it.
- Shaken Beef. Yummy.
- Soft Shell Crab. Yes, we couldn't get enough crab
Tip: We had a good ole time ordering drinks. Let me tell you, they are VERY heavy handed with their vodka.
Thanh Long
4101 Judah St
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 665-1146
Before and After the Course [A16]
Having recently learned that Nate Appleman won this year's James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef, I decided to visit a second time. With an open kitchen and a remarkable staff, this is an ideal place for a date.
To the restaurants credit, there are some lean-forward dishes--burrata, salumi, and chocolate tart. With such great appetizers, I found that the main course had a hard time competing for my attention. I found myself looking forward to the beginning and ends of the meal.
Overall, A16 is a solid and dependable restaurant, but not a place that will blow your mind. My advice is to drop by for the bookends of your meal.
Things to order:
- Mozzarella Burrata. If you like cheese, you'll love these bite size pieces of heaven. Burrata is basically a mozzarella inside a mozzarella. It's fluffy, light, and absolutely delicious
- Salumi Sampler. Get a taste of Italy with a sample of their salumi.
- Chocolate tart with olive oil and sea salt. It's amazing what salt can do to a dish. A little bit of salt serves to reinforce and accentuate the flavor. The sea salt brings out the sweetness and flavor. As one who doesn't have a sweet tooth, I was amazed how much I ate of the shared dessert.
A-16 Restaurant
2355 Chestnut St
San Francisco, CA 94101
(415) 771-2216