Gastronavigation: Carneros & Sonoma Townsite Wine Wandering

We visited the wine country most recently with a medium-sized group, and as part of the Carneros wine region, Cline Cellars is a welcoming entry point. Although some of us were only interested in sweeter, aromatic whites while others looked for full-bodied reds, Ron, who poured for us at Cline's patio tasting bar, was excellent at ensuring everyone found something they enjoyed. He recommended wines at the edge of our comfort zones, from less common varietals like Carignane, to a smooth red blend even the white-wine-only drinkers might enjoy, but was never pushy. Tastings are complimentary, the atmosphere is gregarious, and the staff members are knowledgeable.

With lunch in our sights, VJB Vineyard & Cellars was an excellent next stop. The central plaza is large and airy - the perfect place to take a glass of wine, a scoop of gelato, or a wood-fired pizza (from the on-site gelato shop or pizza oven.) The pizzas are prepared on demand, but the wait is worth it. The winery itself focuses primarily on Italian varietals, and a glass of their Nero d'Avola paired beautifully with a prosciutto and mozzarella panini. At the tasting bar, $10 will snag you five tastes, which range from a medium-dry and citrusy Prosecco to a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. The Chardonnay Port was also delicious.

After the sommelier at VJB recommended St. Francis Winery, particularly its Zinfandels, we were thrilled to try a horizontal sampling of three different Zinfandels at the St. Francis tasting bar as part of our overall tasting. (The Dry Creek Zinfandel was my favorite, but they were all delicious.) The newly released Petite Sirah is also worth looking up, and if you can, wander with your glass to the patio behind the tasting room to take in a positively gorgeous view. St. Francis' staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and will work with you to tailor your tasting to your tastes: we visited as a group of six very different wine fans, and each found – and left with – something we enjoyed.

For our last stop, we headed to Sonoma's townsite, where a number of tasting rooms circle the charming Town Square. M wanted to show off Bump Wine Cellars, one of our favorites, to the red wine enthusiasts in our party, but as we were traveling with a couple of Niagara ex-pats who were missing icewine, we continued up past the Square to Roche. The Californian and Ontarian wine regions differ considerably in terms of climate and terroir, so while we knew icewine was out of the question, we'd heard good things about their Late Harvest options. It was a fun way to end the day; just off of the Town Square, Roche is a casual and welcoming tasting spot. After sampling six different wines, we enjoyed a bottle of the Late Harvest Merlot while tucked in to a table on their large, sunny patio.

Review: Miller's East Coast Deli

...even though I think I'm still full from the Astro hoagie (a towering, savoury combination of pastrami, sweet-hot mustard, melty Swiss, red onion, and tomato), I find myself craving Miller's East Coast Deli's latkes. I scored a bite or two of K's when we ate there, and they were delicious: crispy on the outside and perfect when paired with applesauce.

Miller's was her recommendation: seeing it featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives piqued her curiosity, so the four of us met early on a Sunday evening to check it out.  The deli has a simple frontage, but once through the door, we looked from the deli fridge to our right where all of the meats, fish, and cheeses are displayed, to each other and smiled: we knew we were in good hands.

Although delis have cultural cache as fast-paced places where service is effective if not friendly, I'm happy to report that the folks at Miller's were both friendly and knowledgeable, even for diners like us, who took a minute or two to weigh the considerable menu options. Although it was hard to look past anything with pastrami, the Day After sandwich (hot turkey, stuffing, Swiss, gravy, and cranberry sauce on rye) also looked tempting, as it's unlikely I'll roast a Thanksgiving turkey this year.

Growing up on the Canadian prairies meant that I learned about East Coast deli food later than most, and viewed knishes as a larger, baked version of a perogy* - but am happy to be making up for lost time. Woefully, there were no knishes left at the time we visited, though in retrospect, the considerable size of my Astro and M's pastrami Philly meant that we both took part of our sandwiches home, and might have barely dented them at all had we started with a knish or two. (For those with smaller appetites, plate sharing is easy to request, with a small $1.75 charge.)

The dessert menu looked delicious, but with take-out boxes in hand, we agreed to return another time to try out the babka, kugel, or cheesecake. Maybe next time, we'll make like a souvenir-store magnet and eat dessert first.

(Or maybe not; that pastrami is a pretty compelling argument in and of itself.)




*Cultural/Spelling Note: "perogy" is how I grew up spelling pierogi/pyrohy (it appears to be a regional choice most commonly used in Alberta), where they're an immensely popular food (and mascot at occasional sporting events.)

Review: Brenda's French Soul Food

Be prepared for a line at any time of day, but know that the folks in front of you are on to something good. Brenda's serves delicious soul food at a great value - definitely a solid choice for big appetites!

I was thoroughly delighted (and defeated) by an order of the BFC (Brenda's Fried Chicken), especially having ordered the gumbo as a starter, so while the leftover chicken made the best lunch the next day, next time I'll order the chicken by the piece and customize my side, as I saw savvy diners do at the table next to ours.  Conversely, the catfish po'boy was joyfully devoured by M - I think I may have had a bite, but it disappeared in a flash.  The beer/wine list is on the shorter side, but carefully chosen, and there are a couple of selections from Dixie Brewing Company from New Orleans that work well with the food.

Review: The Plant Cafe Organic (SF Embarcadero)

The Plant Cafe Organic has become one of my go-to restaurants when friends who are vegetarian are visiting SF. It has a great view from the patio looking out over the water, the staff have always been approachable and knowledgeable, and the food is tasty (I've a soft spot for the Plant burger, made in part with beets and thus a brilliant pink hue.)  The menu changes seasonally, showcasing different foods every time I've visited, though a couple of standbys, like the Plant Burger, remain on the list year-round.

Moreover, while it doesn't bill itself as a vegetarian restaurant, focusing on its commitment to using organic produce and free-range/sustainable meats, it balances a solid array of vegetarian dishes with a couple of carnivore options, which is handy when eating with a larger group. I admire their experimental spirit, and admit to Googling cocktail ingredients I'd never heard of before when looking at the drinks list - Snap or Dimmi, anyone? - but being very happy with the results, particularly the Ginger Snap.

Review - Nob Hill Cafe

A craving for pasta and a fiance out rock climbing turned my feet to Nob Hill Cafe on a windy Tuesday evening. It's a neighbourhood institution that's hard to walk past; often bustling with an interesting mixture of visitors and regulars, their heads bowed happily over bowls of pasta or seasonal pizzas. The scents of garlic and Parmesan, inevitably, follow you for half a block if you have the strength - or an already full stomach - to keep walking.

This time around, I ordered the Insalata Caprese for my starter, followed up with the Spaghetti alla Carbonara. I was sad to see that the Cafe hadn't quite finished baking their in-house foccacia when my bread basket arrived, as historically, the basket contains a blend of crusty sourdough and herbed foccacia (the latter of which is one of my favorite breads found to date in SF), but I was dining earlier in the evening, and the sourdough was perfect for dipping in the vinaigrette served with my Caprese.

The Caprese turned out to be more elaborate than the menu indicates; beyond the traditional basil, fresh mozzarella, and tomatoes, the dish was served over baby greens with thinly sliced red onions and an admirable quantity of olives, topped by a balsamic vinaigrette. At times, the vinaigrette cloaked the fresh flavours of the cheese and tomato, so I wouldn't recommend the salad for Caprese purists, but it remained an enjoyable start to my meal.

I have a guilty not-quite-secret; when it comes to pasta, I tend to lean towards the unconventional or the elaborate. NHC's Carbonara is a delicious reminder that sometimes, classic dishes keep their popularity for good reason. It arrived at my table piping hot, in a bowl with tall sides (the better for swirling and mixing in the fresh ground pepper and Parmesan; key ingredients, my server and I agreed, for making this dish an ultimate comfort food.) From the texture of the noodles to the creamy sauce highlighted by garlic and pancetta, the Carbonara was easy to love. It's a rich, filling dish, so I packed some away for my lunch, and thanked the staff for taking good care of me. 

I find it telling how restaurants treat solitary diners, and am happy to report that NHC is a solid choice, whether you're on your own, in a pair, or in a larger group. That said, it's a popular place, and they do not take reservations, so would recommend coming early or later for dinner if you have a large group.

Salute!

Wandering: Boccalone Salumeria

Boccalone sells, as it says above the door, "tasty salted pig parts" - which may be enough to convince you to visit in and of itself! It definitely piqued my curiosity, but moreover, whether stopping by for a fantastic sandwich (the Mess Piggy and Italian sausage are favorites) or picking up ingredients, their team is always welcoming and helpful, so I've been loyally returning every couple of weeks to their storefront in the Ferry Building to try something new.

The refridgerated wall of in-house salumi can be daunting, but every time I've visited, one of the staff have been able to answer all of my questions and suggest recipe ideas to match each of their products. It's dangerous shopping to do on an empty stomach (I never leave empty-handed), but for the opportunity to learn about and try delicious treats like guanciale and nduja, it's worth it.

Guanciale, I learned, has been largely usurped by pancetta or bacon in carbonara pastas, but was the original cut of meat paired with that dish.  I've always steered away from making carbonara, a little nervous that the raw egg in the sauce wouldn't cook well enough when mixed with the cooked noodles, but am happy to report that my first foray was successful.  Conversely, the nduja, a soft, cured salami was crumbled on to a homemade pizza at the last minute to great effect. My only caution (as I learned two nights later when making pasta) is that a little nduja goes a long way! Its flavour is intense, and can overwhelm other elements in the dish if too much is used.

Review - Pasion

After taking in the permanent exhibits at the de Young Museum during its lively First Tuesday, A and I wandered up to Sunset, and on the recommendation of a friendly shopclerk, found ourselves at Pasion for its 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. happy hour.

 The space itself is bright and chic; the servers & bar staff friendly, though always moving! We visited the bar side of Pasion before the rest of the restaurant opened for dinner, and it was fun to catch glimpses of the ongoing preparation for that evening.

That said, the food did much to distract us! Lured in by promises of half-priced "bar bites" and sangria pitchers, we were quick to claim a pitcher for our table, along with a crispy-meaty-wonderful Cubano sandwich, some delicious fried plantains with an aji verde aioli, and a large plate of mejillones (mussels.) The mussels were plentiful, and a little taste of Canada (sourced from PEI) with a savoury tomato sofrito sauce and chorizo sausage to accompany them. Both the aji verde and sofrito were new to me, having not been exposed to much in the way of Latin American cuisine in the past, but I know they'll be tastes I'll wake up craving one day soon. We enjoyed the sofrito that accompanied the mussels so much that we ordered extra garlic bread to enjoy the last of it. (Extra bread, our helpful server advised us, would cost $1 for the two pieces we requested, but it was a small price to pay to enjoy the dish to its fullest.)

 It was easy to see that a lot of care went into the preparation of the dishes and their components; everything was plated beautifully and tasted fresh and delicious. Our sangria was a lovely accompaniment to our appetizers of choice, as well, though the cocktails that the bar staff were preparing also looked tempting. Next time!


 

Wandering - Tartine (SF)

I found Tartine just before noon on a Wednesday morning; like so many popular places in SF, it eschews notable signage, displaying a plain black sign with no lettering over tall windows. It was by chance I found it (well, chance and a nearby bus stop, en route to yet another apartment viewing) but I'm very glad I did.

Though the pastries were tempting, reminding me a little of the jewel-toned and rich chocolate desserts I first became acquainted with at Edmonton's Duchess Bake Shop, I snapped up a slice of the ham and cheese quiche, and was very happy with my choice. The quiche was delicious. Balanced, texture and flavour-wise, the ham added a salty undertone that fit, but which didn't overwhelm the other flavours. When I make quiche at home, it's often too soft (my baking curse continues!) but Tartine's doesn't suffer a similar fate. It's fluffy but not inconsequential, and made for a tasty, light lunch as I sat outside at one of their patio tables and watched the world slip past Guerrero and 18th.

Even mid-week, there were lines to contend with, but the staff were friendly and helpful, and the line moved pretty quickly. I'll be happy to return, and maybe indulge my sweet tooth the next time around!

Gastronavigation: Northern Sonoma County (Dry Creek/Russian River Valley)

A new home, a new wine region!

Last month, M's changing work situation saw us packing up our things*, throwing a most excellent shindig with great friends, and moving to San Francisco.

* = most of our things. International wine law is a complicated manner, and even with help from M's employer/relocation team, figuring out what to do with our wine was one of the most headache-inducing parts of the journey.  Next time, would I just drink my cellar?  I'd like to say no, but we'll see where life takes us!

Once we got our feet under us in the City, one of our first stops was Sonoma County.  Armed with a map and recommendations, we aimed our sights at the Dry Creek Valley.

We didn't make it up to Dry Creek until later that day; it grew too difficult to ignore all of the winery signs at the side of the road. One of the things that surprised us the most about California wine regions was simply how many wineries there were. With many more years as an established wine region, and hundreds of wineries in Sonoma alone, our journeying seems cut out for us - if I can persuade M to split our time between the vines and the mountains!

These futuristic, egg-like vessels were on the production floor at Thomas George Estates; while tasting some of their delicious Pinot Noirs, the sommelier working with us first showed us a picture  and then walked M and I over to the floor to check them out in person. He shared that the casks are primarily used to age Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, but that the winemaker was also planning to experiment with other varietals.

I'd never heard about wine being stored in concrete before, but heard later from a friend that Tawse in Niagara also uses this method to age their wines without imparting any distinct flavours like oak, vanilla, toast, or toffee, like oak aging would.  Concrete-aged wine doesn't sound particularly romantic, but it's a fascinating innovation, and definitely something I'd like to return to try!

Here's the last sip of the last wine we tried at Thomas George Estates: a 2010 Zinfandel, which we took home with us.  I enjoyed the Pinot Noirs very much, but will have to return once I've found employment on this side of the 49th.  Handcrafted wines, while wonderful, reflect the care that goes into them in their pricetag.

Zinfandel isn't nearly as widely grown in Niagara, so with the mindset of "while in Sonoma, drink as the Californians do," I'm looking forward to learning more about this varietal. It's one that I hadn't put much stock in before, knowing it primarily as a sweet, berry-happy patio sipper in its White Zinfandel form.  I'd be happy to drink this Zinfandel on a patio (M and I sure eyed the garden area just outside the wine cave where we were completing our tasting with a wistful eye; unfortunately, the wine must be consumed inside designated tasting areas) but this delicious medium-bodied red would be even happier paired with a steak on a patio.

Our next stop was Hop Kiln Winery.  The historic building was constructed in 1905, and had a visually striking appeal only helped by its view of the mountains across the valley.  As we started our tasting, we learned that before Sonoma County became a wine region, this part of it was one of the largest producers of hops in the western USA.

The transition from beer-adjacent production to wine serves them well; the team at Hop Kiln serve tasty and approachable wines, and are friendly (if busy!)  The winery seems very popular with large groups thanks to both its wines and large picnic facilities, and there was a large group that looked like a family reunion spending the afternoon in the picnic area as we arrived. I know I'd have found trouble if I were a child at a winery (whether by asking tons of questions or finding my way into the library section) but it was great to see that some wineries are family-friendly.  I considered finding the library, but chose instead to sprawl with M on the winery's large front lawn and snap an absurd number of pictures. (It's a very cool building. Lots of neat details.)

Of the HK wines that we tried, I enjoyed the Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and their red blend the best, and as the red blend changes yearly, and has a loyal fan base, I look forward to trying another year's vintage to see how it changes.

Our last wine stop of the day was, at the recommendation of Craig from Thomas George Estates, Bella Vineyards.  Bella is perched at the very end of West Dry Creek Road, and the journey there is gorgeous if mildly adventurous (narrow, winding roads with not really any shoulder to speak of, a decent amount of car traffic, and a more than decent amount of bicycle traffic!)

That said, is the journey worth it? Absolutely.

Bella feels carved carefully out of its surroundings; tucked into tall, winding hills covered alternately with vines or bee-magnet lavender near the entrance.

Its wine cave is built into the hill in the picture above, and on the day we visited, was candle-lit for the "Pink Out" event to celebrate the release of their 2012 rose (paired with Hog Island Oyster Co. oysters, which were amazing. I've never been one for oysters but the team at Hog Island might have changed my mind.)  The rose was a good match; refreshing, and with enough body to compliment but not overwhelm the oysters.

Once in the cave (french fries and 10 Acre Russian River Pinot Noir in hand), we wandered past barrels and old presses, all candle-lit, which was at once beautiful and worrying (fire hazard? anyone?) but it sounds like the winery has a good deal of experience in placing the candles so that they're safely out of elbow reach.

Our next two tastings were Zinfandels that the sommelier nicknamed Tuesday Evening and Friday Night, and while I smiled at the nicknames initially, they fit. The first of the two, the Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, was Tuesday - approachable, fruit-forward, with berry notes and softer tannins. I enjoyed it, but the Friday version, Block 10 (as seen below) was a little fuller-bodied and compelling.  Both were delicious introductions to the variety of Zinfandels available in California, and a great indication of the variety Bella's winemakers (and terroir) are capable of expressing.

It was also a blast to talk icewines and late harvest wines over our last tasting, a Late Harvest Zinfandel paired with a dark chocolate peanut butter cup.  After a day of learning, it was fun to be able to bring something new to the table, and perhaps inspire someone to check out a new wine region.

Gastronavigation: Four Days in San Francisco (part 1)

Still adjusting to being back on Eastern Standard Time - California was a welcome change of scenery (though not particularly pace) and after spending a great weekend in Yosemite Park, M and I hopped across the Bay to San Francisco. He'd put a lot of thought and time into the Yosemite leg of our trip, and basically left the "city" part of the trip up to me. Which meant...

On our first day, we hopped on a bike tour out of Hayes Valley with a company called Streets of San Francisco - it was a blast, and although a lot of companies try for the "cruise the city with a cool friend who lives there already" vibe, these guys pull it off completely. We had a blast, and due to an ingenious route called the Wiggle (would I kid?) we did dodge the worst of the hills. Post Half Dome, my legs were very grateful for this reprieve.  It helped that our tour guide, Josh, was as savvy about food trucks as he was about the copious amounts of street art around the city's downtown.  

Lunch on our bike tour day found us darting under the San Francisco Chronicle's building for a small Off The Grid event - in the alleyway beneath the building, five or six food trucks waited. Food trucks, from what I could glean, have been booming in SF for the past two years, and as the trend is fairly new to Waterloo Region, it's inspiring to see what two years of ingenuity looks (and tastes) like.

It was tough to choose what to order, so Mike waited in line at The Chairman for steamed and baked bao, and I headed over to The Taco Guys' truck (right) for a summer squash taco and a Maui fish taco.  The summer squash taco and the pork belly bao (Chinese baked bun) with pickled daikon were standouts - summer-bright and packed with flavours that were at once comforting and unique.  ...mmm, pickled daikon.  We ate them too quickly to take pictures!

That said, both of these food trucks have a pretty serious food enthusiast following - we were glad to have the chance to try them at a smaller event. We found these food trucks again at the larger food truck gathering on Friday evening, and the lineup for the Chairman looked like it might be twenty to thirty minutes of waiting in line, easy!

At the end of the tour, we found ourselves back in Hayes Valley and wandering over to Smitten Ice Cream and its Kelvin machines that turn fresh cream and locally sourced ingredients into ice cream by using liquid nitrogen.  M was intrigued by the science, I by the sweet corn with berries ice cream. Though sweet corn was a flavour I chose for its quirky factor, bypassing salted caramel, which would normally be my YES PLEASE, NOW? choice, it was a worthy experiment. (And the blackberry sauce was perfect.) The texture of the ice cream, which the shop notes is less 'icy' than most ice creams as ice crystals don't have a chance to form in the flash-curing from the liquid nitrogen, is very smooth, allowing the delicate flavour of the sweet corn to shine through. Unusual, but yummy.

Day two, and M and I were en route to the Ferry Building's Farmer's Market... until, as we chilled out on a streetcar (we'd figured we'd take the scenic route) a bright green truck in the Financial District caught our eye.

"It's called the 'Nom Nom Truck," I explained as we waited at a stoplight. "If I don't get off this streetcar and check it out, my foodie friends back in KW (and some of our climbing buddies) will disown me."

M only laughed, following me across the road.



We split a lemongrass-chili banh mi (Vietnamese submarine sandwich; right) - the guy who took our order was great and split it in half for us. These are one of my favorite kinds of sandwiches, as I enjoy the collision of tastes, from the fresh, crunchy cucumber and carrot matchsticks to the sweet heat of the lemongrass chili chicken - the add-on of their vegan vegetable pate was brilliant. It added a savoury, earthy quality to the sandwich in the best of ways, and was completely different from anything I'd tried on a banh mi before.  (Now, to start talking with KW's own Givral Deli to see if they'd make something similar...)

 The Ferry Building's market is definitely a fantastic experience - not least because I was able to track down one of my favorite Japanese foods, okonomiyaki - with a Korean twist at Street Food Namu, Namu Gaji's traveling booth. (M has a picture of me smiling with said second breakfast in the minute before devouring it, but he's notorious for never uploading his pictures.)



Kimchi made for a satisfying twist on the pancake-like treat I'd enjoyed in Japan, and while I still think that Osaka-style okonomiyaki is my favorite, I floated around the Ferry Building somewhere around Cloud Nine.  M & I marveled at the wide variety of specialty mushrooms and their colours; my photo doesn't do the brilliant, burnt-orange-crimson colour of the lobster mushrooms justice!


I also got a kick out of the grow-your-own-mushrooms on display under massive bell (?) jars, and there were kits for sale, but I can't imagine Customs taking too well to my bringing one home as a souvenir!


At left is the inside of the Ferry Building. It reminded me of Chelsea Market in NYC on a variety of levels, and it was fun to have a fellow wanderer (M) with me, this time around.

We snacked on everything from airy vanilla bean marshmallows to a tall glass of Cowgirl Creamery milk - the latter of which was simple perfection, and probably a wiser treat than the home-made donuts in every shade and flavour just down the hall. (Another trip!)


Part Two will come; I'll leave you with a fun piece of chalkboard art: