Eating my way through San Francisco

Just got back from San Francisco. FC, here is what I have to report:

Foreign Cinema

This is where we went for New Year's Eve. It was pretty darn amazing. The concept of the restaurant is that you watch a film projected on the wall of the building as you eat in the courtyard or by the fireplace. That night's showing was Eyes Wide Shut. Little creepy, but we focused on the each other and the food at hand:



Appetizer: Cheese puff pastry with anchovy crisps.



Premier: Duck breast salad with chickory and black currants, and a toast with foie gras.



Main: Seared ahi tuna with white beans, avacado purée.



Dessert: Mango, chocolate & vanilla bean bombe.



Crème brûlée with lavender and cardamom.



Warm chocolate soufflé with lemon crème anglaise.

I can't describe how utterly wonderful dinner was. Such a treat.


Left Bank



On Thursday afternoon we drove to San Jose and went to a I ordered a burger with avocado and portabello mushrooms. The bun was fuckin' amazing. The frites - unlike any others I've tasted. I actually asked the waiter about them. He said, all I know is that they are double fried - but they actually guard the fries back there with their life, so it's hard to tell what exactly the secret is. Secret fries! How hot. Oh, and a side of brussel sprouts with bacon.


Houston's



Houston's is sort of Keg-like, but in a fancier, more delicious way. I had a gigantic portion of ribs with fries. The appetizer is really what tickled my fancy - grilled artichokes served with a creamy dip. We pulled off the leaves and ate their soft meat and tasty stems (choke removed). They seem pretty easy to prepare, so I might get a little adventurous one day and attempt to make them myself.


One thing I did notice in San Francisco - people call mayo, aioli. One waiter even corrected me when I asked for mayonaise, saying "You mean aioli.". Aren't they the same thing?

Of course, there were many more memorable meals - I've only mentionned the ones that I actually took pictures of. There were others including duck fried rice and tiramisu to die for. Will fill you all in during the next FC meeting.