In addition to blogging, copywriting, editing and developing recipes for corporate clients, I am now writing a monthly roundup of top new restaurant and bar openings in San Francisco and the Bay Area for CitySearch. I'm also adding my "tips" for what to eat and where. It's giving me a great excuse to visit and revisit local restaurants. Here are some of the most delicious things I've eaten recently:
I'm crazy about pizza and I really liked the one I tried at a press preview of The Forge which is on the watefront at Jack London Square in Oakland, it was puffy and had those love crisp bits plus just the right amount of sauce.
The kitchen is also roasting entrees in their pizza ovens and serving some of the best salads around.
I went to Ssisso to try the fried chicken, but it was under seasoned and I didn't like the sauce. Thank goodness I ordered the seafood scallion pancake (Haemul pajeon). It was crispy, greasy and oniony and I loved every bite!
It was so good I forgot to order the "frozen khusterd" so I need to go back, also the dinner menu is somewhat different from the lunch menu.
Ok, I didn't actually eat at the Exploratorium, but it is opening in a new location at Pier 15 soon and in the meantime I got a preview of some of the menu items that will be featured at the Seaglass waterfront restaurant.
My favorite dish was this fantastic clam tortilla soup with briny clams and and creamy bits of avocado.
Butterscotch pudding at One MarketDid you know that One Market is celebrating it's 20th anniversary? I was at their anniversary party and enjoyed many favorites from the menu. A stalwart for business lunches, it's good to know the food is as good as ever and that their creamy butterscotch pudding is not coming off the menu anytime soon.
Bruschetta at Scala's Bistro
Scala's has launched a $9 after 9 (as in 9 pm) menu, offering cocktails, a carafe of wine, and a variety lot little bites like oysters and pizzettas for $9 each. My favorite bite? Hand's down the very seasonal bruschetta with winter squash caponata, black garlic aioli, La Quercia prosciutto, pignoli and mizuna. I loved biting into the soft squash with a zing of black garlic. This is as good a reason as ever to stay for a nightcap!
Grilled albacore tuna from St. Francis winery
St. Francis in Sonoma has a deluxe 5 course food and wine menu you can enjoy at the winery for $42. While I loved all the pairings, one of my favorites was this grilled albacore tuna with sweet potatoes, baby turnips, smoky bacon, garlic chips and ramen broth paired with their 2010 Sangiovese Caro Santo from Sonoma Valley. The bright acidity and red fruit in the wine really cut through the smoky, garlicky broth.
Now head over to CitySearch where you can check out more of my picks, and don't forget to vote for your favorite restaurants in categories like Burgers, Brunch and Burritos, you could win a "Dream Dinner" worth $250!
