Sweet and Sour Spectator

The big super foodie news of the day is that James' Syhabout's new restaurant, Commis opened last night, not "next month" as today's Chronicle Inside Scoop had it.

Commis has been one of the most anticipated restaurants of 2009, as executive chef Syhabout had been named one of the Chronicle's Rising Chefs in 2007, was Chef de Cuisine at the Michelin two-starred Manresa Restaurant, and earned an astounding three and one-half stars from the Chron's Michael Bauer for his executive chef stint at Plumpjack Cafe.

The East Bay seems to be exploding with new places, but many of them are just the most recent incarnation of the Chez Panisse ethos (for instance, Camino). Commis, however, has the potential to bring some real creativity and some of that despised "cooking" close to the borders of the People's Republic of Berkeley. I'm cheering for success here, and will be visiting very soon to see what is on the menu ($49 three-course prix fixe, plus $29 for paired wines!!).

The photo of Chef Syhabout in the kitchen last night at Commis is by the lovely and talented Pim, from Chez Pim.

Commis
3859 Piedmont Ave
Oakland, CA 94611
510.653.3902

Summer must be here... STONEFRUIT!

Showing real class, Palm commissioned UCLA composer Roger Bourland to compose the seven default ringtones that come "pre"-installed on the new Palm Pre smartphone. In addition to the one entitled "PRE" which has leaked and which you can listen to below, there are ringtones titled "Flurry", "Raindance", "Scamper", "Discreet", "Triangle", "Dulcimer", and "Anticipation".

Personally, I'm anticipating hearing them all, but I'll have to wait until I have my new Pre (whenever that might happen).

Update: I stopped by my local Palm store this morning and had a look at the Pre. As everyone says, it has a beautiful screen, and an almost erogenous feel as it nestles in your hand. I tried the browser and it was snappy and clear & the grow and shrink guestures worked great. The store was all sold out. They had about 100 units in stock which they sold in the first hour of business today.

Bacar is experimenting with brunch and is offering their first example Easter Sunday. I'd leave a link to the PDF, except that it uses Flash, and the link is not obvious. Here is the menu for this Sunday....

As I previously reported, Manresa will be celebrating the Iron Chef America victory by offering the winning dishes with a six-course Iron Chef menu for $135 per person. The menu will be available on three consecutive Sundays, May 10, 17, and 24. This is a special menu, so if you want it, please request it when you make your reservation.

More information is available here on the Manresa blog.

Manresa
320 Village Lane
Los Gatos, CA 95030
+1 (408) 354-4330

An occasional feature:

Food scientist works alongside chefs to dream up new ideas [LA Times]
Peet's attempts to eliminate weak coffee from the world [Atlantic Food Blog]
How I learned to love goat meat [NYT] [Ed: not me!]
California Spice Firm Recalls (Salmonella) [Chron]
SF Weekly Foodie Blog Pans San Francisco Foie Gras resolution [SFoodie]
Mr. Know-it-All mistakes Copain Syrah for a Pinot Noir [NYT]

This restaurant is another proverbial jewel hidden in plain sight on a really yucky street (5th about 1/4 block from Folsom towards Harrison). Le Charm is notable for having a charming trellised patio, solid French Bistro food, and a continual Prix Fixe $25 dinner menu that has to be one of the great bargains in San Francisco. The menu has exactly what you would expect: French Onion Soup, Seamed Mussels, Duck Confit, Cassoulet, Grilled Steak with Pommes Frites, & etc. Recommended
Le Charm Website Original post 2005-01-18

Update: The Prix Fixe menu is now $30 and they feature live jazz every Thursday evening on the patio. A recent visit found the food adequate, not as good as I remember from my last visit, but that was at least six years ago.

Gerald Hiragoyen had a book release party Saturday, March 15, for his new book, Pintxos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition at his Bocadillos restaurant. The event was held as a fund raiser with book sale proceeds going to Food Runners, a San Francisco charity that picks up excess perishable food from businesses and delivers it to shelters and neighborhood programs that feed the hungry.

All of the tables had been removed and guests were treated to wine and an endless supply of fresh tapas, presumably from recipes in the book.

Since Bocadillos is my favorite Basque place in the city I bought a copy of the book and had it autographed. (Note: do not call Bocadillos a "Spanish" restaurant within earshot of Chef Hiragoyen. You will be corrected!). I've been going through it and trying things out. This is my favorite recipe so far...

Wine quizzes are fun and, besides that, are easy to blog. So here is your first one:

In the state of Washington, which grape has the highest production?

A. Chardonnay
B. Cabernet Sauvignon
C. Syrah
D. White Riesling
E. Merlot

Answer after the continuation...

Congratulations to Chef David Kinch as well as his chefs de cuisine, John Paul Carmona, and James Shyabout for their resounding victory over Iron Chef Bobby Flay in last night's Battle Cabbage episode. At 52 vs. 42 points, it wasn't even close. At times the judges seemed stunned and almost speechless over the quality and creativity of Kinch's food.

I have heard that Manresa will be taking advantage of the victory by offering these dishes as part of upcoming Iron Chef Dinners.

Remember, you heard it here first.

I grew up with Lipton tea bags and percolator coffee. For some reason, my parents thought tea was okay for a child, but coffee was not. I'm not sure if they were more concerned with a threat to my moral well being or to my health. As soon as I got a taste of the two beverages, I thought their choice was the correct one, though I think my conclusion might have been influenced by the quality of that 1950's cup of coffee.

It wasn't until many years later, when I started collecting Chinese oolongs and practicing traditional brewing techniques, that I finally learned what fine tea was. Former tea bag users are always delighted to learn that fine tea is given multiple infusions and carefully noting the changes in the beverage for three or four steepings with the same leaves. Of course, you use more tea than you would for a single cup, and you steep for a shorter time.

Finally not being able to take the nonsense any longer, Incanto owner Mark Pastore has published a thoughtful and reasoned essay on why Incanto, an Italian restaurant with no obvious reason to serve foie gras, decided to offer it on the menu. They did so to weigh in on "whether or not as a society we will permit the views of a vocal minority to trample our personal right to choose what we will and will not eat."

He also makes that point that the campaign against foie gras is an opportunistic and cynical ploy using anti-elitist and demagogic populist rhetoric to allow folks to feel they are morally superior and helping to make the world a better place, when they aren't doing any thing of the kind.

He also provides a link to the recent Village Voice article: "Is Foie Gras Torture?" where the initially morally superior reporter, after doing some research isn't so sure any more.

Pastore also makes the argument that passing foie gras legislation while the State of California hurtles towards insolvency is the height of stupidity and arrogance.

Human beings are at the top of the food chain. They got there by eating protein. You need to kill things to harvest protein. There is no way the current human population can be supported without a food industry. The anti foie gras movement and its cynical followers would enslave us and lead us back to the dark ages.

The papered-up storefront depicted in the image to the right will soon be the newest restaurant to open in SoMA's 4th Street restaurant ghetto. It will be an as-yet-unnamed Taqueria, a sister to the newest coffee shop in SoMA: The Creamery.

It is a sister restaurant, because it will be in the same building as The Creamery Coffee Shop, which not too long ago housed the "Gilt Edge Creamery" which, strangely enough, having passed from the business world, still lives in the virtual one at this website.

The coffee shop occupies the odd-shaped end of the building, with tables situated at the big and bright windows. In front of the building is a bright and open patio for sipping on those warm days we know will be here eventually. They serve coffee, espresso drinks, and some rudimentary food, including the de rigeuer pastries, salads, juices, and breakfast sandwiches. Rumor has it that crepes might be next!

I've visited twice. On the first visit, I ordered a double (medium) cappuccino and got a Latte. I thew it away. The second visit, I ordered a single (small) cappuccino and really got a cappuccino. The second visit was at 6 in the morning, and I think one of the owners made the drink. The espresso drinks are named and labeled appropriately (single, double, and triple shots for small, medium, and large) so someone there understands the correct proportions for espresso drinks. Since one poor experience, and one good experience is a tie, I'm going to give it another try and hope they have the staff trained before my next visit.

As for the Taqueria, what is "The Creamery," in Spanish? I'll bet we'll see a sign like that in no time.

Update:#2 The Creamery has now posted an application for a license to sell beer and wine. They clearly have ambitions that go beyond latte and scones. Watch this space.

Update: Eater SF reports that the working name for the Taqueria is "Iron Cactus."

The Creamery
685 4th Street (at Townsend)
San Francisco, CA 94017
(+1 415.896.1445)

POULARD MADO (Roast Chicken Mado)

Madame Marie-Louise Point, whom her husband affectionately called "Mado," is the inspiration for this recipe. When Fernand Point wrote it out in his notebook, he also wrote the following in a corner of the page: "I dedicate this dish to the most beautiful woman in the world, my wife."

Stuff a fat young roasting chicken from Bresse with truffles and roast it slowly. Make a little bit of sauce from the pan juices. Arrange the bird on a heated platter surrounded by ortolans and some slices of foie gras quickly heated in butter. Pour over the pan juices and serve with a bottle of Romanée-Conti from a happy year.

From: Ma Gastromonie by Fernand Point

The notion of terroir, which originated in France and was first applied mostly to wine, is that the special qualities of the land and climate in any given location affect and distinguish the taste and quality of the food grown on it. Potatoes can be spoken of in terms of terroir, too. A specific variety will not taste or cook up the same if it is grown in Lyon instead of the island of Norimoutier. The island's sandy soil and muck impart a special flavor. The ratte from Touquet has its devoted disciples, as does the ratte of Lyon, which is also called a "quenelle."

From The Complete Robuchon.