Michael Bauer's 2010 List of the 100 Best Bay Area Restaurants

The SF Chronicle's 2010 list of the Best Bay Area Restaurants was released this morning! If you are planning a trip to the Bay Area, or just looking for a great place to dine, this is an excellent resource. Currently, my only disagreement, is that Commis in Oakland was left off of the list. Commis has a Michelin Star, and the food speaks for itself. It's certainly of a higher quality than many of the places on the top 100 list. Of the others that I've tried, here are some of my personal favorites, or the ones I usually list when someone poses my favorite question, "Where should we eat?"

Cyrus in Healdsburg - The most memorable and enjoyable dinning experience I've ever had. A special occasion type place if there ever was one.

Pizzaiolo in Oakland - My favorite/go-to restaurant in the Bay Area. It beats almost every pizza place I've tried in San Francisco, including Beretta. I've never had a dish that missed here. It's just the best. The chef recently opened up Boot and Shoe Service in the Grand Lake neighborhood of Oakland. It's basically just a paired down menu of Pizzaiolo's offerings. Also great.

Adesso in Oakland - The salumi selection is mind blowing, they put out a free spread of several of their dishes twice every evening (around happy hour time, and then again late at night). The wine list is excellent and the cocktails are even better.

Bouchon in Napa - A Thomas Keller restaurant, need I say more?

Dopo in Oakland - Another Italian place in Oakland, but this happens to be the restaurant that really turned me on to Bay Area restaurants when I moved in 2004. It's a neighborhood place that's benefited from word of mouth, and yet, it still strives to be a neighborhood place. They've expanded recently, but have kept their integrity and intimate feel.

Flora in Oakland - California/New American cuisine in Downtown Oakland. This place is not to be missed. Best cocktail list I've ever seen, excellent service, great food and one of my favorite dining atmospheres.

Flour + Water in SF - Italian again. Are you sensing a pattern? I admit, I'm biased, I love my Italian places. Get here early and you'll be rewarded. One of the best meals I've had in the past few years. It's an absolute gem.

Foreign Cinema in SF - As the name implies, this place can best be described as cinematic. You'd think it was just a gimmick, but the food erases any trace of that notion. A stunningly romantic restaurant.

Nopa in SF - California/New American cuisine. If you can stand the wait and finally score a seat, you're in for a good meal. One of my San Francisco favorites. The owners are also responsible for Nopalito, just a few blocks away. Terrific Mexican food in SF.

Vik's Chaat Corner in Berkeley - A Berkeley secret that's not so secret. It's a favorite of just about everyone around here. Indian street food done right at a great price. I'd say it's the best we have to offer of ethnic cuisine around here.

Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa - My parents introduced me to this place, and I've been many times over the years. It's just such an enjoyable place to eat, especially after a hard day of wine tasting.

Rutherford Grill in Rutherford - If I don't go to Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa, it's because I'm here. Such a fun place to spend part of your day in the Napa Valley. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu, and their wine list is truly great. A wonderful place to bring friends for a more casual, outdoor meal.

So there you have it. My 2 cents.

Check out the full list of the Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area, here.

Knife Skills, Thoughts and Commis in Oakland

Awhile ago, I started getting more serious about cooking. I began to notice that this was what I turned to, to relax. It's where I was doing my best thinking, chopping onions and mulling over whatever happened to be going on in my life at the time. It's also where I was having the most fun, and it's what I wanted to share with the people I loved. It's where my thoughts were more frequently turning to during the day . . . What recipe to try next? Which new technique to experiment with, and to hone? Which restaurant to try?

I tracked my obsession: sitting at a bars, craning my neck, trying to catch a glimpse into various kitchens to see what was going on in there.

I made my first loaf of bread. I made cheese. I perfected a chicken dish that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I slugged my way through four different chocolate chip cookie recipes (which, for sanity's sake were then foisted upon friends) in effort to find the ultimate cookie. I fell asleep with cookbooks open across my chest, and Gourmet, Bon Appetit and Saveur magazines strewn across the floor. I poured over other food blogs, watched cooking demonstrations on youtube. I was more than a little thankful at that point not to have cable, as I'm sure if I did, the Food Network would have been on almost constantly, and I would have found Mario Batali's appearance on Iron Chef America a compelling reason to never leave the house.

(No cable for me!)

I toyed with the idea of culinary school, but at an easy 60k for 2-3 years, it didn't seem like the best option. I considered a smaller program in Berkeley, but when I sat in on a class there, I quickly realized it wasn't the kind of program I was looking for.

So I decided to start small. I took a cooking class at a company in Berkeley called Kitchen on Fire. I started with their Spanish Seafood cooking class, which offered 5 recipes. Seafood is something I love, but tend to be intimidated by when cooking it myself. The class was fantastic. It was so much fun, and I was so excited to be doing something really hands-on. After sitting at a desk and staring at a computer for most of the day, it was more than a welcome relief.

Last night I took their knife skills class. I figured I'd better be sure my fundamental skills were correct if cooking is something I'm going to pursue any further. Turns out, I have a lot to practice. Anyone need some onions chopped? I dove through about 10 of them last night, along with 7 carrots, 8 celery stalks, 10 cloves of garlic, half a bunch of parsley, cilantro, mint, basil, 3 bell peppers and 4 zucchini.

I've never been the front row student, you know, the one who turns in a paper a day early, or arrives a good 20 minutes before class to go over the lesson plan. The person whose hand shoots up at the request for a volunteer. I've never been that girl. Until now. I pounced on that bag of onions. I had no qualms about speaking up, asking questions, asking for advice or a demonstration when needed. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it, or how excited I was.

I wish I had some pictures for you. It completely slipped my mind. But I can say that I'll be taking more classes there. They have a 12 week "Boot Camp" course that covers just about everything, starting with the knife skills, moving on to sauces and stocks, braising, bread, grilling, etc. I can hardly wait.

So who knows where this will go? If I had my way, I'd somehow be making my living off of this sort of thing, though I have no idea how. At some point, I'd love to do an internship in a kitchen, becoming an unpaid chopper of onions, and segmenter of citrus.

But until then, I'll continue with the classes, and I'll continue to sit at the bar of some great restaurants, trying to sneak peeks.

On that note, I did remember to bring my camera to the newly Michelin-starred Commis on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. Unfortunately, the pictures didn't turn out so well (and also, I hate to be that person who takes pictures of all their dishes in a restaurant, and I try to avoid it as much as possible) so I only have a couple to indicate the quality and beauty of what we ate. If you get a chance, I can't recommend this place enough. It was truly a great experience. If you go, I recommend splurging for the wine pairings.

Duck cooked sous vide with sour cherries, mustard greens & parsnip puree

Panna Cotta with berry gelee & Muscat pairing

Whiskey Smash! - Whiskey Smash Cocktail

I don't know about you, but July nearly did me in. What we need here is a cocktail. Tonight, at 6pm, stop what you're doing. Stop everything, and make. this. drink. This, my friends, is the Whiskey Smash. I stumbled upon this drink at the Oakland restaurant Flora, and have since recreated it many times. If you like cocktails, you simply must make your way to Flora. I will stake my reputation on their drinks. Quite possibly the best in the Bay Area. I haven't found anything better in San Francisco. And the food at Flora is fantastic. I can think of nothing better than starting a Friday night with a proper cocktail and appetizer at their beautiful bar. In fact, I think I'll have to make that a plan this week.

This drink is best made for a catching up session for friends. Perfect on a warm summer night.

The maple syrup in place of simple syrup may sound a bit strange, but it's a complete revelation. Maple syrup + cocktails forever! Don't knock it till you try it. Also, I believe this might be called a Trailer Smash at Flora, not positive about that. It's a damn good name though. Since I lack the mixology skills (and perfect cubed and clear ice cubes (I am forever in search of perfect ice cubes and long to be able to recreate them in my own kitchen!)) of those who work their magic at the Flora Bar, I can't in good conscience use that drink name. Not until I've had a few bar lessons at the very least. For the record, I am an excellent student.

Whiskey Smash

serves 1

1 shot Maker's Mark (or whatever whiskey you prefer)
juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp maple syrup

6 mint leaves (reserve 2 for garnish)

Muddle the mint, lemon juice and maple syrup in your cocktail shaker. Add ice and liquor. Shake until cold. Serve on the rocks and garnish with mint.

Couldn't be simpler. Trust me. You'll love it.

Summer Days - Watermelon, Corn & Feta Salad with Mint

Summer has a way of being terribly distracting. It's so difficult to go about the day to day business of work, errands and chores when outside the temperature is above 85, the sun is shinning and there is a river nearby practically begging to be floated upon. Lately I live for the 5pm hour, and for those hours falling between Friday at 5pm and Sunday at midnight. I do my best to squeeze every possible spare minute into a summer activity. Last night was the outdoor movie night at Pizzaiolo in Oakland. Slices of summer squash, rapini and housemade sausage pizza with blackened and blistered crust and full glasses of red wine to accompany Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke. Now that is a mighty fine summer combination if I've ever seen one. Have I mentioned my affinity and undying love for Paul Newman? He is, in my mind, it.

Lucky for me, Pizzaiolo seems to agree. For the next several weeks they'll be showing a Paul Newman film on Wednesday nights at 8:30pm in their courtyard. Pizza slices, wine and housemade oreos are available while you watch. So many of my favorite things together! It's almost too good to be true.

Oh summer. You are so good to me.

Leah and I fired up her grill last week for an evening feast. We whipped together several summery salads, this being one of our favorites:

Watermelon, Corn & Feta Sald with Mint

Leah and I both agree that a mild feta with a firm texture works best here. Greek or American. Serves 4-6.

1 small watermelon
2 ears fresh corn

1/3 lb feta cheese

2 tbsp fresh mint

1 tbsp olive oil

juice of 1/2 lime

salt & pepper to taste

Cut the watermelon and the feta into cubes. Slice the corn off the cob. Finely chop the mint. Toss in a bowl with the olive oil, lime and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Urban Homesteading in Oakland

Scanning the New York Times this morning I came across this article about the home-cooked and grown food revolution currently going on in Home-Sweet-Oakland! Oakland is currently the place to be for thoughtful, delicious and local food. It's had a ton of press for the Forage Oakland Project (I love that idea) and other local culinary events. Check it out!

G & T

I have a confession to make. I haven't cooked in days. Last night's dinner consisted of a bowl of quinoa and popcorn for dessert. I hope to remedy this situation tonight.

I have some good excuses for my lack of kitchen time. One involving Neko Case at the Warfield, the other including theatre tickets with friends and finally, a dinner and cocktail paring at Camino in Oakland. Many thanks to Elisa for inviting me!

The event was co-hosted by Leopold Bros, a small batch distillery based in Colorado. The cocktails were flowing at the bar, by the time I arrived it was packed, but we managed to score tastes of the following:

*Moonraker Cocktail ~ Savoy Cocktail Book
Leopold's Peach Whiskey, Osocalis Brandy, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Leopold's Absinthe

*The Delicious Sour ~ Ted Haigh, Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails
Leopold's Peach whiskey, Lemorton Calvados, Lime, Small Hands Gum Syrup, Egg White

*Opalescence Cocktail ~ Boothby's Cocktail Book
Leopold's Gin, Lemon, Leopold's Cherry Liqueur, Mint, Cream

*Camino Gin Cocktail ~ Camino, Oakland
Leopold's Gin, Spatlese Riesling, House-made peach and hibiscus bitters

Onto dinner, served family style at the giant wooden communal tables:

*Paella cooked in the fireplace with chicken, peas, fava and romano beans

*Grilled spicy pork sausages

*Little Gem lettuces with lemon and herbs

*Walnut meringues with pluots and cream

*assorted cookie plates, candies and Leopold's Liqueurs (boysenberry, peach, cranberry, cherry, sour apple)

Rough right? It was delicious. I was especially partial to the Gin Cocktail and the meringues.

Lauren and I have been having an argument about gin. I bought a bottle of Hendrick's while she was here to try out a new recipe. She then asked me if my bones were starting to creak, as gin is an old person's drink. I don't think she could possibly hold to that statement after trying the above. Apparently gin has gone out of style in LA (just another reason I refuse to move South.) Personally, I prefer gin cocktails, but it does depend on the gin. I normally stick to Hendricks (Tanquerey in a pinch) but I was impressed with Leopold's. Not too grassy or piney, just very smooth. Perfect in a cocktail.

No gin. Now that's rough.

Leap!

This weekend brought a embarrassment of Bay Area riches. We ate our way through this county and several neighboring ones with oysters, wine and champagne, dinner at Pizzaiolo, Cowgirl Creamery cheese and homemade pickles, Pork Belly, dumplings and cocktails at Heaven's Dog, Zeitgeist burgers and beer, tamales from The Tamale Lady, eggs and toast at Rick and Ann's, Cole Coffee and of course, the best part, the guest of honor, Beth. Safely arrived from D.C. and, as of now, back in Oregon to prepare for her wedding on Sunday!

I picked her up from the airport where she was waiting, wedding dress in tow. With the dress safely secured in my apartment, we were off! Starting with cocktails at Pizzaiolo and sitting down to a dinner of grilled squid, fried fava beans and squash blossoms stuffed with fresh ricotta, lemon and basil, rigatoni with pork ragu and a pizza of nettles and Pecorino fresh out of the oven, blackened and blistered crust...oh so good! From there it was on to The Avenue for a few nostalgic games of Ms. Pacman, and I am happy to say, my skills at that game still reign supreme. I beat both Beth and a fellow bar patron who wanted in on the action. I am accepting all challenges, if you dare!

The next morning we headed up to Napa, stopping first at Mumm's to walk through the photography gallery there and have a flight of celebratory champagne. It was cold and cloudy in Berkeley, but the sun broke gloriously through the clouds in Napa. The vineyards were bright green and the yellow mustard was blooming everywhere. After Mumm's we went to one of my favorite's, Vincent Arroyo for Petite Sirah, barrel tastings of port and futures and a picture with Vince, the winemaker, who was graciously handling a tasting for customers himself. If you haven't tried their wine or been up there, it's truly one of the best wine tasting experiences I've ever had.

Our final stop was Frog's Leap. We did a tasting and a self-guided tour. Most of the pictures below are from that stop. This is one of the most beautiful wineries I have ever seen. Someday I'd like to do the guided tour, but we were happy to have a flight and then walk the organic garden's, exploring the beautiful grounds and gorgeous buildings.

There was so much more to the weekend, the oysters at Hog Island in the San Francisco Ferry Building being a true highlight, but I can't possibly recount it all. Suffice it to say, it was truly a perfect weekend. I love having visitors in the Bay Area, it helps me to explore and share everything I love about this little corner of the world. Every time I do, I fall more in love with this part of California. I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate Beth's last "single days".

I dropped her at the airport this morning, and tomorrow I'll fly up to Portland as well to begin the wedding festivities. I can't wait! Congratulations, Beth and Daniel, I love you both!

Beth at Mumm's

Final note, posting will be a bit sparse this week, as I'll be visiting with family and friends in Oregon. Hopefully I'll come back next week with tons of new recipes!

In Anticipation:

Last night found six girlfriends in the corner booth of the newly opened Burma Superstar, Oakland Edition! They're new to the neighborhood, but they're well known far and wide around here. We put ourselves to the arduous task of sampling what they had to offer. I plopped myself down at the bar a few minutes till 6:30, made friends with the bartender (I'm good that way) and asked for his recommendations. We can vouch for the following:

• Mango Mojitos, sangria and the mint/lime/beer concoction
• Coconut rice, indian rice with cardamom
• Vegetarian Noodles
• Spicy Shrimp Curry
• Pork Belly

If only we'd had room for more! The coconut fritters on the dessert menu looked very tempting as well. The place was packed when we left, and it's a welcome addition to the Temescal neighborhood, which just seems to get better and better week by week. I'm happy to add this one to my regular rotation over there.

And finally, things on the docket for this weekend:

• A Carmel Pear Trifle with Vanilla Bean Pound Cake (to be made with the Lovely Lesley on a quick weekend jaunt to Roseville)
• Swedish Cardamom Bread - I've had a craving for this. My favorite bakery in Sea Ranch makes the ultimate version, but it's so far away! This will be my first "bread" attempt...watch out.
• Rhubarb Almond Scones - I made baked rhubarb the other evening and ate it with a dollop of fresh ricotta. Heaven in a spoon. I've never seen rhubarb in scone form, so this will be another culinary experiment. Stay tuned!

Happy Friday!

Sunday Soup Supper at Pizzaiolo

My favorite East Bay restaurant is hosting an event this Sunday to benefit A Safe Place in Oakland. A Safe Place is a local shelter committed to ending and supporting victims of domestic violence. Many of Pizzaiolo's farming vendors have donated produce for the event, and the event itself is based on a sliding scale donation of 0-$10 for soup and bread. It's BYOB. It's for those in need of a hot meal without funds, and for those who want to support the shelter with a donation, and we're all encouraged to eat and share together. Come out and support this great event!

Sunday Soup Supper at Pizzaiolo

Sunday, April 26th, 4:30pm-7pm

BYOB

Adesso

Lovely evening out with Amber this weekend. It had been quite awhile, and we had some catching up to do. I suggested Adesso, the new Italian wine/cocktail/antipasti bar opened by the geniuses at Dopo, one of my favorite Bay Area restaurants.



This was my second time at Adesso, and I have a feeling it's going to be the kind of place where I'm never disappointed. I've tried several of their signature cocktails, including a grapefruit gimlet and an aperol spritz, but it seems as though the real prize on the menu is the long list of Italian wines (including two lovely lambrusco's). If you've never tried lambrusco, I highly suggest you run out at your earliest convenience and give it a taste. Lambrusco is a sparkling Italian red wine, to be drunk at room temperature or slightly chilled. It's not sweet, just surprisingly fizzy and complex.



The antipasti menu is extensive, including over 20 different kinds of salumi and pate (some of the pate's served right in their glass jars. I MUST come back to try the cheese's. We had a piece of heaven in buffalo mozzarella on our plate, along with an artichoke and fennel salad. They also have several pannini's, and oh! I've saved the best for last! They put out a seriously impressive FREE antipasti spread every evening from 5-7pm, and then again around 11pm! I wasn't aware than anything in the Bay Area was free, until now. This is my new Happy Hour spot!