Gastronomie

MoNo, My Little Monkey

You know that cute little place around the corner? That neighborhood bistro where everyone knows your face, if not your name, and you have a favorite server, and a favorite table? Where the food might not be life-changing, but is consistently executed and delicious and never gets boring?

Until a couple of weeks ago, my neighborhood didn't have that place. But then, two lovely people with long histories in the San Francisco restaurant world decided to start their own dream place -- close to home. And so, MoNo (say "moe-no") was born.

Having now had three meals here, I can honestly say that MoNo is going to make it that much easier for me to stay in Oakland for dinner.

Standouts from the menu have included the Dayboat Scallop Crudo ($13), Asparagus with Prosciutto, Parmigiano, and a fried egg ($9), and the Meyer Lemon Risotto ($18). The risotto, while not overtly lemony, bears a sublimely floral fragrance, and is beautifully cooked -- just this side of al dente -- with several plump, juicy, caramelized prawns.

The Red Miso Grilled Lamb Chops ($21) had stellar flavor, though I wished there were two thicker chops rather than the four thinner chops on my plate; they were cooked a bit more than the medium rare I'd specified, and that's not uncommon with thin chops. Served with amazingly prepared baby bok choy, and tender spears of garnet yams, this is an already-great dish that will only benefit from a bit of fine-tuning in the kitchen.

Lunch portions are generous and reasonably priced: my Seared Tuna sandwich ($10) was big enough to share, and accompanied by a small green salad. (Admittedly, I thought the vinaigrette on the salad too acidic and under-salted. But I wasn't there for salad, so I just ignored it.)

Ms. Eggbeater herself has been consulting on the pastry menu, though I understanding she's just about winding down her gig there. Hopefully, the kitchen will be able to reproduce her Spicy Gingerbread ($6), because my GOD, it's incredible.

The wine list at MoNo is outrageous, giving them lots of credibility as a wine bar. From a section dedicated to artisanal sakes (including a sparkling sake!) to a selection of 15 wines available by the half-bottle, they make it very easy to try something new at each visit. The staff, as green as they are, do a nice job talking about the list, and rumor has it that there will be a sommelier on the floor on weekend nights.

MoNo is a wee little place (maybe 30 seats plus bar seating) and I can see it going the route of Wood Tavern pretty quickly -- packed to the gills every night with locals and regulars. Here's hoping!

MoNo Restaurant and Wine Bar
247 4th Street, Oakland
510.834.0260

Tags: Food, Food & Drink, Wine, Sake, Restaurant Review, Mono, Oakland, San Francisco

Beer + Monks + Oakland = The Trappist

I have started this post at least four times. Seriously, I'm not exaggerating - something about The Trappist, or Belgian beer, or Oakland, or some combination thereof makes my adorable little MacBook go "pffflt" and shut down Firefox.

But I'm a trooper, and I just have to give Brother Chuck and Brother Aaron some love. (No, silly, they are NOT really monks, though if monkhood were bestowed on the basis of how much joy one can bring to the unwashed masses, they'd definitely be in the running).

The Trappist opened in Old Oakland, and to little fanfare, in December by two guys who love Belgians and were over their day jobs. They offer 15 beers on tap, which rotate more often than I can keep up with, and another 100 or so selections by the bottle. The majority of beers are served in proper stemware (see here), and at the proper temperature. The bar and taps were imported from Belgium, and bring an incredible sense of character to this tiny space on 8th Street.

It's at The Trappist where I first tasted a Flemish Red Ale, which I now know to be a perfect friend to my palate -- I'm quite partial to Rodenbach, as it happens, though Monk's Cafe is lovely, too. These sour beers, somewhere between a Lambic and an Ale in character, are less up Colin's alley, though he too has found a flavor profile he really loves: Barrel-aged Cru beers, Allagash and Carollus in particular, are favorites of his.

There's no food service at The Trappist, but they do have two cheeses available for noshing -- an Aged Gouda and a Chimay -washed soft cheese -- with nuts and the best crackery-breadsticky things I've ever had. Either (or one of each) is more than enough to keep you upright on your barstool while you sample the next beer on your list.

Trappist is far more than you favorite local pub, though it has quickly struck that note with a handful of our neighbors. It's your favorite wine bar, redefined in an unexpected and refreshing way.  It's a place where novices and beer connoisseurs alike can compare notes without pretension or affectation. Maybe most importantly, it's a place where a couple of guys are seeing their dream realized, and are clearly thankful for it, every day.

The Trappist
460 8th Street
Oakland
510.238.8900

St. George Spirits Absinthe -- No Longer Green...

...with envy, that is.

You see, when the first batch of the the Absinthe Verte was released back in December, I missed the chance to get a first-release bottle. So I've been waiting with bated breath (since August, if you want to know the truth) to get my paws on my very own bottle.

Today, C and I made our way to the distillery right around noon, fortuitously bumping into a couple of friend who had gotten in line just before us. Fortuitous because the wait was a stultifying two-and-a-half hours. In icy cold weather. And biting wind. On an empty stomach. And no caffeine.

Like I say, fortuitous, because if the company hadn't been good, C and I would likely have killed each other!

In any case, the wait was more than worth it. I'm not a huge fan of licorice or anise, but the final product out of the labs at St. George is so unique, and so incredibly complex, that the the fennel-type flavors are but a single facet of the overall experience.

The first sip is almost cloyingly sweet, with a saccharine finish that keeps on giving. But each subsequent sip reveals a new flavor -- tarragon, lemon balm, star anise. The fragrance, too, develops depth before your eyes, as the melting ice awakens the volatile oils in the liquor.

Is it any wonder that this magical green elixir inspired such art and poetry?

At last check-in, the distillery still had some bottles of Absinthe Verte left (there were around 1,000 bottles available today). Failing that, you might try one of the handful of retailers who have the remaining allotment of the stuff: Hi-Time Wines, Jug Shop, K&L Wines, Wally Wines & Spirits or D&M Liquor.

St. George Spirits
2601 Monarch St
Alameda, CA
510.864.0635

Tags: Hangar One, St. George Spirits, Absinthe, Liquor, Lance Winters, San Francisco, Alameda, Oakland, Food & Drink

An update on Sketch!

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that a fierce ice-cream battle rages here in the Bay Area. East of the bridge, we have Ici and Sketch, while the city's Bi-Rite Creamery seems to be beating Mitchell's by a fine hair.

Having now eaten at all four on numerous occasions, I feel wholly equipped to say that Bi-Rite's salted caramel ice cream kicks some serious ass, but is (for me anyway) only consumable very rarely. It's just too rich. Mitchell's Macapuno ice cream, on the other hand, is one I could eat once a week and be happy.

On the East side, I still think Ici's ice creams are tooooo sweet, though I understand there are people who like that kind of thing. To be honest, I have rarely finished a whole cup of their confections, and I'm now more likely to get a single bon-bon if I don't take a pass altogether.

Then there's Sketch. My happy place. They recently closed their doors for a couple of months to redo the interior of the shop, and bring in new equipment. Gone are the Italian-style gelati bins; instead there are shiny new soft-serve machines -- three of them -- each serving two flavors.

Now, Ruthie told me that the machines do wonders for maintaining and consistent texture to the flavors, and that makes sense -- they produce a wide assortment of textures from granitas to gelati to heavier ice creams. And the flavors I tasted did have an even better mouthfeel than before.

BUT. The one major flaw in the system is that the only flavors that can be combined are the two flavors in each machine. I'm not sure why they can't do a pull from two different machines -- I understand that it won't be as aesthetically pleasing, but that essentially meant that I couldn't have my old favorite Strauss Yogurt with the Coconut I was so craving.

Instead, I went for the Coconut with Cocoa Nib combination. And don't get me wrong - it was superb. The Cocoa Nib was almost like a lightly chocolatey marshmallow, and the Coconut was so light it (and I freaking hate writing things like this) "danced" on the tongue, leaving behind a strong, rich flavor without a heavy butterfat coating. Pretty perfect, really. Still, I was sad to pass up my tangy favorite.

Next on my list to try at Sketch is the olive oil sundae -- basically the ice cream flavor of your choice (Ruthie or Eric will steer you to a complimentary flavor) drizzled with olive oil and sea salt. I have it on good authority that it's phenomenal.

Sketch Ice Cream
1809 4th Street
Berkeley, CA
510.665.5650

Summer's Long Departure

This is one of my favorite times of the year -- the days are getting shorter, but what we have of them bring sparkling-razor-focused sunshine. The haze is gone for a few weeks, and the weather gets a bit temperamental. Yesterday it was 75 degrees at 8pm; today, it's 67 at noon.

My favorite fruit in all the world (tomatoes) are at their apex, and some days warrant eating them out of hand. Other days, it seems cool enough to start canning and souping.

It's the last of the weekends at the lake, the last of the cookouts, the last of lazy mornings in the sun, reading a good book with a glass of iced tea. All these "lasts" remind me how lucky I am to live here, to BE here, and to have wonderful people (and dogs!) around me to share these moments with.

I've compiled a few of my favorite end-of-season recipes for you -- I know I'm looking forward to enjoying the last of the summer light streaming through my windows while I pull together these dishes.

Farmer's Market Penne
Chicken & Squash Risotto
Revelatory Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Bread Salad with Cannellini Beans

PS -- don't forget to come out tonight and celebrate the final days of summer in Old Oakland.

Tags: Food, Wine, Food & Drink, San Francisco, Oakland, French Bulldog, Lake Berryessa, Recipes

Thursday Night Live, Coming to Old Oakland This Week!

This, my friends, is the Oakland I'm talkin' about.

I'll be there on the early side. Wanna join me? Drop me a line.

But bring your dancing shoes, because with Fito Reinoso and his ten-piece band on-stage, I know I won't be able to keep my bum in a chair.

PS - Take BART to avoid the traffic; get off at the 12th Street Station, and walk to 9th street. Turn right, and you'll see us.

Tags: Food, Wine, Food & Drink, Oakland, Old Oakland, Cuban

Bar Cesar, How Do I Love Thee?

We East Bay DINKs are an odd lot. For example, I will happily drive across the bridge to hit Coco500, or Globe, but Bar Cesar on Shattuck? In BERKELEY? Nope, that's too far.

So I was ecstatic when they opened a second location on Piedmont Avenue, spitting distance from my house, and with a gorgeous patio that is the perfect place to spend a few hours on a Sunday (or Wednesday!) afternoon.

I've now been to Cesar four times, for both lunch and dinner, and I can call it an incredibly welcome addition to the 'hood. Service is generally stellar, the bar is exceptionally good, and the food is always solid. There are usually some standouts, and a few things that are just "ok" in my book, but nothing has ever fallen flat.

We generally start out with either a Dark & Stormy's ($8.00), made with uber-spicy Belvoir Ginger Beer or a Pimm's Cups ($6.75), made with Elderflower soda -- a lovely spin on a traditional cocktail. While both are standout drinks, you could order just about anything here and rest assured that it would be perfectly rendered. (I owe you guys a story about my new favorite cocktail, which I've dubbed "Manhattan, the Elder").

Cesar's charcuterie/salumi choices are plentiful and worth a try. The  Tocino de Pato ($5.75 for half portion - more than enough for even 3 people to share), or smoked duck breast is my personal favorite.  Toothsome, a bit gamey, a bit fatty, and very delicious.  The  Lomo Embuchado ($6.75)  is also great, and a unique treat -- dry-cured pork loin is not something I've seen on any other menus.

The rest of the menu is pretty seasonal, so some of the dishes I've loved have since been replaced. Generally speaking, though, anything with anchovies or sardines is worth a try -- we had a standout beet salad with boquerones that made a believer out of C.  More recently, I shared the  Grilled Sardines with Heirloom Tomato Salad ($11.75) with a friend, and we  couldn't believe the quality. While sardines can be a pain in the butt to eat, Cesar makes them more than worth the work. The tomato salad, too, was exceptional. And honestly, you'd pay that much just for the salad at most places of this caliber.

The bocadillos (sandwiches) have generally been my least-favorite things on the menu, although that may have more to do with the fact that i'm just not a "sandwich person". The open-faced Smoked Salmon with Queso Fresco, Dill & Capers ($8.25) could have packed a little more punch, though the accompanying lemon wedge helped. And the Spicy Tuna with Egg ($7.75) wasn't really all that spicy.

Frankly, I think that the already-mild sandwiches really suffer from being served with other, more flavorful dishes.

Two more things to note: First, if you see black rice/black noodles on the menu, order them. They knock B44's Arros Negra out of the water. And, while the Patatas Bravas ($6.75) are worth a try, these dense wedges of potato with spicy tomato sauce and aioli WILL fill you up, so nibble them sparingly while you still have other food coming.

Amazingly, I've never tried any of Bar Cesar's desserts (it's a cocktail or a sweet for me these days, lest my waistline continue its magical disappearing act), though I've watched plenty of other tables gobble theirs down happily. You'll have to give them a try and report back.

Bar Cesar
4039 Piedmont Avenue
Oakland, CA
510.883.0222

Tags: Food, Wine, Food & Drink, San Francisco, Oakland, Tapas, Spanish, Bar Cesar, Restaurant Review

Old Oakland scores another hit - Levende East

Miss Teri guessed it right. The restaurant I wrote about in my last post is, indeed, the Old Oakland location of Levende Lounge.

However, there are a few differences between this outpost. For one thing, it's got a much softer feel than the original Levende. Both are stunning in an uber-hip lofty way, but Levende East feels more elegant to me, a little more refined.

Also, where the menu at the Lounge is meant to be predominantly shared plates, Levende East takes a more traditional "course" approach. Oh, and that Bloody Mary Brunch they're so well-known for? Here you can enjoy it on Saturday instead of Sunday.

But other than that, you'll find the same quality of food coming out of Executive Chef Arren Caccamo's kitchen, a compact but well-chosen wine selection (with some 20+ wines by the glass), and cocktails to kill for.

Levende's Beet Salad ($9) is one of my new favorite things; in fact, I wish it was available in a slightly larger version with some form of protein at lunch. The goat cheese disks are coated in pecan crumbs and served warm for a heavenly contrast to the coolness of the beets and greens. The maple vinaigrette is an exceptional match to the other elements on the plate.

OK, let's talk ribs for a moment, shall we? You know those ribs that I raved about at Oola? Turns out, they're kind of chef Caccamo's invention (he was the chef de cuisine there, you see). And, well, he's made them... better. Guava-glazed-falling-off-the-bone-goodness. And then he sets them on top of mashed plantains which, while extremely tasty in their own right, are a bit too heavy for me to finish.

However, that will not stop me from ordering a Peanut Butter Pie for dessert. This is my new favorite feel-good dessert. Smooth, luscious peanut butter mousse, with just the right amount of salt, sits nestled in an Oreo-cookie crust. So perfect is this pairing that I usually end up scraping the whipped cream off my half, which C happily commandeers for his half of the dessert.

Speaking of C, he'd probably disown me if I didn't mention Levende's Mac 'n Cheese side dish, which he has been known to order at the bar for dinner if I'm on the road. Loaded with cheesy goodness, applewood smoked bacon and a crumb crust, it's a pretty damn satisfying version of this comfort food.

Now, in the interest of transparency, I'm going to mention that we're friends with two of the managing partners at Levende. But aside from a "Friends & Family" dinner where we guinea pigged ourselves out to them, we really do pay our own way. We've pretty much been there once a week (it's stumbling... 'scuse me,  walking distance from us) for a cocktail and a bite at the bar or communal table.

Old Oakland is finally turning into the destination spot I always hoped it would become. Welcome to the 'hood, kids!

Levende East
827 Washington Street
Oakland, CA
510.835.5585

Open for Lunch and Dinner M-F, Boogie Brunch & Dinner Saturday

Tags: Food, Wine, Food & Drink, San Francisco, Oakland, Levende, Restaurants

A Carnivorous Brunch - T-Rex BBQ

You guys are so patient with me - thank you!

The ingredients in the photo on the last post were most closely guessed by Brett, who got everything right except the focaccia. However, Miss Cathy actually names the whole dish as it was listed on the restaurant's menu. Problem is, Hangtown Fry is most often made with the oysters cooked INTO the omelet, as opposed to the way these were served, kinda loosey-goosey. Congratulations to Brett!

Still, though, no one guessed the restaurant, which I can't say say surprises me much.

This tasty brunch was had at T-Rex BBQ in Berkeley.

C's been wanting to hit T-Rex for quite some time, but I've struggled with the whole "cross-the-border-into-Berkeley" thing. Still, when some friends raved about it, and another pair of friends suggested it for our upcoming brunch, I was happy to have the chance to check it out.

T-Rex is a pretty, bright, airy space -- and it's big. Much bigger than I expected, in fact, with a 2nd story and lots of well-spaced tables. I could see the place getting really loud on a hopping Friday night, but on a Sunday afternoon, we were pleasantly surprised at how tolerable the noise level was.

We settled in to review a varied and nicely seasonal brunch menu, but as soon as my eye caught a glimpse of Maple Sugar Beignets, Espresso Custard ($9), my food-filter shut down and I practically hollered the order to our waitress before she'd even taken our drink orders. (Look, in my defense, it was 2pm and none of us had eaten a thing all day.)

We'd all heard stellar reviews of the cocktails here, with their whimsical and often literary names (but, you know, not in that gross pretentious way). Their spin on a champagne cocktail (Prosecco with a sugar cube and lemon bitters) was so delightful that I found myself ordering some of these heady bitters online. C ordered a Death in the Afternoon (bubbles and pastis -- kill me, indeed). He loved it, though I really don't care much for anise-flavored spirits, and am thus a crummy judge of said cocktail. J's cocktail was perhaps the most unique - something vodka-y and grapefruit-y, with rosemary simple syrup. Oh, and a rosemary sprig for visual interest. (See for yourselves, people - it was visually interesting! And only a wee bit affected.)

So, by this time, the beignets have arrived (thank god, 'cos I was about to eat my hand), and we've ordered our mains. But first. The beignets? Not really so much - more like really, really good donut holes. But no one cared - they were lovely and the espresso custard? It was only because there was a child in attendance that I didn't use four letter words and  eat more than my fair share.  But this child? He would have understood if I had.  (You'll see why shortly).

Moving on.

C, bless his heart, ordered Duck Confit Hash ($15). I love creative uses of stuff that wouldn't otherwise be sold -- including the best, crispy-brown bits of confit. Tasty dish. My Hangtown Fry ($14) was exceptional. Really. Thick-cut, chewy-crisp bacon? Check. Fluffy (and I do mean fluffy), delectable scrambled eggs? Yup. Battered and fried oysters, all plump and juicy-like? Uh-huh. The toast and potatoes, too, were really good. This is a dish I could order again and again.

A Carnivorous Dream (Or, "What Is It #10")

So, based on some emails y'all have sent, these "What Is It" challenges have been some of your favorite posts. And without getting all schmoopy-poopy-sappy on you, I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted one.

However, I'm back, so they're back, and I think that means all is good and well in this humble little corner of the blogging sandbox.

So. This time, to get things (re)started right, I'm issuing TWO challenges:

1. What exactly IS that food below? Tell me as much as (you think) you know! The person to correct identify the most "ingredients" wins a $10 eBay Gift Certificate.
   
2. There's a clue somewhere on the homepage of Gastronomie as to the actual restaurant where this meal was eaten. Guess it properly, and there's a $25 Amazon or eBay Gift Certificate in it for you, your choice!

So long as the correct answer hasn't been given yet, you can ask me "yes-or-no" questions, and I'll respond in the comments within an hour.