This is one great lobster roll! Ever since I shared a lunch of a lobster roll with my grandmother in Boston, which was her last, I’ve always been on the search for a really good one. Up until now, the rolls at various San Fran Bay Area restaurants have let me down. Then Anchor & Hope’s roll ended the search. Maybe because it’s on a top loaded brioche bun. Maybe because the dressing is really light. Nah, it’s because the chunks of lobster just shine through. It’s so good, and so filling, I really didn’t need the Old Bay seasoned potato chips, or the coleslaw (although I recommend dipping some of the brioche roll into the slaw dressing…I’m just saying). Yeah it’s 24 bucks, but I promise you won’t go away disappointed or hungry. Pair with any number of crisp whites on the wine list, including an Albarino Grenache Blanc…
SHOP – Bonjour Fleurette warehouse sale
BJF flower slippers If you’re able to get to Novato, the Bonjour Fleurette warehouse sale is totally worth going to. Judi Flowers created flower slippers, and they’ve become all the rage, from Sex and the City to Oprah. Here’s a video from In Wine Country that we did on Judi and her slippers. Usually the slippers go for $50 and up! But at the sale, you pay $10, unless there are Swarvoski crystals, then it’s a little more. The luggage tags are fantastic! I have several — some are flowers, others are plaids. They make great gifts, and usually go for $12 but at the sale they’re $3-$6. BJF crystal flip flops
DRINK – Tasting the “new generation”
Now this is the way to hold a seminar…with wine tasting between and even during sessions. Three California wine organizations held this event at Cavallo Point (in Ft. Baker on the Marin side of the Golden Gate). The 40-something and younger winemakers were pouring their wines, and talking it up on subjects ranging from wine styles to the impact of social media. They’re a passionate, dedicated group and their wines are worth discovering, or trying again. Karl Wente’s wearing thong sandals, which pretty much sums up the casual laid back atmosphere for me. One vintner said he thinks the California style is going back to the basics, with natural yeasts and fermentations. Star Lane and Dierberg Estate Winery – winemaker Nick de Luca was pouring a ’08 Dierberg Chard that was crisp and fruity, with a kiss of barrel. I’ve been to the Star Lane ranch property, in the Santa Ynez…
SHOP EAT – Olive Oil and Olives
You’re at the grocery store, staring blankly at the shelves of olive oil. It’s almost like looking at shelves full of wine. Intimidating. Confusing. You just want a decent bottle of extra virgin olive oil. Do you choose by label, by country, by price? To make matters even worse, it’s highly likely that bottle of oil you just picked up contains an inferior olive oil that wouldn’t pass a test for extra virgin olive oil. And even though it is labeled “product of Italy” that oil probably came from Spain, Greece, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Morocco or Argentina. I went just took a tour of three California olive companies — one olive processor, two olive oil producers. Was organized by the fairly new UC Davis Olive Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science (hey I was at the ground breaking for that center years ago.) The…
SHOP – Vietri tableware
I subscribe to the theory that you can never have too many platters, bowls, cups and glasses. Lately I’ve been good about restraining myself from buying too many of each (of course that also has to do with my limited storage space). But a new collection from Vietri may just tempt me too much. I walked into a neighborhood home and gift store and there it was. Beautiful white pieces, with interesting details and shapes. For a moment I thought I was looking at some new pieces from Astier de Villatte, my favorite line of tableware from France. It has a similar distressed white glaze and styling. Vietri calls it the “Incanto Collection.” Here are a few of the pieces I’m coveting. The square platter is $124, the serving bowl is $88 and the large rectangular serving platter is $214. The price point is much less than Astier. This…
EAT – Lunch at RN74
You know how it is when you really really want to like a restaurant but come away a little disappointed after a meal? That’s what happened at RN74 in San Francisco. Had a lunch meeting there; and while it’s the first time I went for a meal, instead of for wine and munchies, I was expecting a good experience. Serivce was the biggest letdown. We were a party of 3 at a 4 top. The server didn’t take away the 4th place setting until we were halfway through our entries. Plates were cleared immediately and we felt rushed. They took the butter away before we were done with it. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s lots to like about RN74. First and foremost, it’s a great space. Industrial yet an air of an old-world French wine country restaurant. Love the train/airline schedule boards, and the prices even flip every so…
DRINK – The price is right
I’m always asked what’s a good wine at a good price? For me, good price is under $20 a bottle. Under $10 is even better. Somewhere in between is where Layer Cake falls. This wine is made by Jason Woodbridge. The crazy thing is he also makes Hundred Acre, an amazing Cab that sells for $300+ I’ve tried it and really liked it, almost enough to think about buying one bottle. But Layer Cake fits my budget. I bought a bottle of Shiraz at Trader Joe’s for $14.99. It was a deep, rich and opulent wine, especially for this price point. The Shiraz is grown and made in Australia, under Woodbridge’s supervision, and all the Layer Cake wines are made in a similar manner to Hundred Acre. Even the labels are top notch — great design, raised fonts. I have a bottle of Primitivo at home – also $14.99 at…
DRINK – Bonny Doon ’85 Muscat Canelli
Last night I opened a bottle of Bonny Doon Vineyard 1985 Muscat Canelli (California). Got this bottle from my friend Maurice. He had a case of the wine stored under his stairs, and just rediscovered it while cleaning the space out. He generously gave us a few bottles. You could already tell without opening the bottle that the wine had deepened in color. The cork broke coming out of the bottle, but it didn’t disintegrate, so that was a good sign. I strained the wine as I poured…for cork and sediment. The bottle had been standing upright for a good amount of time. The liquid is amber or caramel. It has a rich nose, a little bit oxidized. Tasting it, I find nuttiness and caramel and vanilla. Hardly any fruit left. Very strong, almost brandy or cognac like. Has a very nice mouthfeel, but it is too rich to drink…
EAT – Momofuku bad boy chef in town
David Chang, Momofuku’s colorful chef owner, had a book signing junket through the Bay Area. I saw him at Kepler’s, a great independent bookstore in Menlo Park. I got there extra early since I was sure the event would be packed. But at 10 minutes before his appearance, only a few people in chairs – so I got a great 2nd row seat. More people did eventually show, but it was not a sell-out crowd. David talked about starting up Momofuku Noodle Bar, and it is so unbelievable the restaurant even survived, let alone become such a success. It was a tiny, 600 sq ft space, and hardly any room to walk behind diners. In the summer the hoods sucked up all the air conditioning, so they had to figure out how to keep the diners from sweating to death. David said he stuck to his vision – creating great…
SHOP – by Kilian Fragrances
In San Francisco I had a few mintues before meeting a friend for drinks, so I popped into Saks Fifth Avenue. The have a really small perfume counter, but they carry a well-edited selection. Bond No. 9 is there, as well as Tom Ford’s line of exotic fragrances (I love his Velvet Gardenia and Black Violet scents). By Kilian is another line, and it is from Kilian Hennessy. His name may be familiar should you be a Cognac drinker – yes it is that same Hennessy. So it should be no surprise that this is a lux line. The juice is $225 for a 50 ml bottle. Why? Just like wine, by Kilian says they source the highest quality ingredients, from flowers to spices. While I’m not buying any time soon, I am intrigued by the scents. The first thing you notice is all the bottles are black. The second…