Monthly Archives: September 2010

Five Fabulous Foodie Events

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Oyster shooters at Chaya in San Francisco. (Photo courtesy of Chaya)

In San Francisco:

Chaya Brasserie San Francisco celebrates its 10th anniversary with a “10-10-10”  promotion that runs Oct. 1-10.

Now’s the time to kick back with Japanese-French creations as you take a load off at this beautiful restaurant with its Bay Bridge views.  Each day, enjoy a different price cut on some of the restaurant’s most popular items in the bar and lounge. For instance, on Day 1 (Oct. 1), enjoy a $14 regularly priced Red Dragon Roll for only $10. On Day 2, sip a Takara Nigori Unfiltered sake for $9 (regularly $15). Day 10 will feature oysters for $1 each (regularly $3 each).

A special $20.10 three-course lunch also will be offered during the promotion. Options will include the likes of herbed Monterey calamari salad; King salmon with grilled fennel, white corn, and Swiss chard; and blueberry custard torte.

The restaurant also will be launching a new menu, which will include new items such as a selection of crudo; a starter of sauteed foie gras with pear compote ($18); and entrees such as an artichoke and pearl barley ragout with spinach, edamame, tomato, wild mushrooms and Parmigiano-Reggiano ($20).

Tonight, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., SF Weekly hosts its third annual DISH event on the fourth floor of the San Francisco Metreon.

Sample gourmet eats from more than 30 of the city’s celebrated eateries, including the Hard Knox Cafe, New Delhi and Pica Pica Maize Kitchen.

Proceeds will benefit StreetSmart4Kids, a non-profit that works in partnership with San Francisco restaurants to help homeless children.

Tickets are $50 at the door.

The event tonight kicks off a six-week “Dine Out & Donate” program, Oct. 1 through Nov. 15, with more than 50 San Francisco restaurants participating. When dining  at one of those restaurants during that time, you’ll be asked to leave $3 or more per table in a StreetSmart4Kids envelope.  The funds will go to local youth programs supported by StreetSmart4Kids. Among the restaurants participating are Acquerello, Fleur de Lys, Betelnut, and Piperade.

Oct. 9, noon to 4 p.m., San Francisco magazine hosts its annual FallFest, a celebration of the best in Bay Area food and wine at Justin Herman Plaza.

The theme is “Eat Local,” with participants asked to use ingredients grown or produced within three hours of their final destination. The plaza will be transformed into an open-air marketplace with chef demos and panel discussions.

Tickets are $95 in advance or $110 a the door. Food Gal readers, though, get a special $15 savings on advance tickets. Pay only $80 when using the discount code: FOODGAL.

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Wine Cocktails — Not an Oxymoron

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Pretty in Pink -- my own take on a wine cocktail.

Are you so over chocolate martinis and Cosmos?

Then, take a sip of the newest in cocktail creations — ones made with wine.

Scan the bar menu of some of the hottest restaurants in the Bay Area, and you’ll find more and more cocktails incorporating white or red still wines such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Gamay.

Far from old-school sangria or the wine coolers of your youth, these new wine cocktails are a mix of seasonal fruit, fresh herbs, and house-made bitters and syrups — all designed to complement the inherent flavors of various varietals.

Take a taste of them at Camino in Oakland, Flora in Oakland, Frances in San Francisco, Bar Tartine in San Francisco and Starbelly in San Francisco, among others.

Read all about how and why mixologists are mixing it up with wine in my story in today’s East Bay Express.

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Lunch at Lucasfilm in San Francisco

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In the immortal words of Yoda, "Eat we must, first.''

Last week, I dined with Yoda, ET and a Storm Trooper.

They and other iconic characters from mega-director George Lucas’ films were on hand in the form of models, statues and bobble heads when I was lucky enough to step foot inside the Lucasfilm Letterman Digital Arts Center in the magnificent Presidio in San Francisco to enjoy an al fresco lunch.

I say, fortunate, because the sprawling center — home to the special effects powerhouse, Industrial Light & Magic, and the video game producer, LucasArts — is not open for public tours.

Oh, sure, you can snap photos of the Yoda fountain at the entrance, and walk inside the lobby to see a life-size Darth Vader. But that’s as far as you can get unless you get an invitation to the Friday “Friends & Family” day each week. Yup, you have to know someone who works there to get an “in.”

That’s how I managed to get a peek inside last Friday, thanks to my friend Tami of the stylish blog, Fête à Fête, and her fiance, Gio, who is a model builder for Lucasfilm. How cool a job is that? Gio took time out from his busy schedule to show me around.

A model used in the immortal scene in "ET.''

Like many Silicon Valley tech campuses, Lucasfilm has a gourmet cafe on site. But hands down, this one has got to have the most breathtaking view around. Replete with heavy-duty wood chairs and tables on open-air terraces, the Lucasfilm cafe is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. On one side looms the landmark Golden Gate Bridge; on the other, the grand ornate dome of the Palace of Fine Arts that looks so enormous and near, you’d swear it must be a painting. Oh, but it’s not.

Serving up fresh baked pizzas at Lucasfilms cafe.

The roaring pizza oven.

A stir-fry made to order.

While Silicon Valley tech employees often get the perk of subsidized or free meals (Yes, Google, I’m talkin’ about you), at Lucasfilm, employees pay full price. But the quality is so high, not many seem to mind.

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100 Smackeroos to Give Away in the Latest Food Gal Contest

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How'd you like to win a gift card worth $100? Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about.

On the menu today, we’re serving up a tasty special of $100.

A deliciously satisfying $100 gift card from CSN to be exact.

Are you salivating yet?

The gift card is good at any CSN online store, where you can shop till you drop for everything from a glam new end table to an ice cream maker to a chic new purse to a super sharp chef’s knife.

How to win?

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Modern Sweets at Masa’s in San Francisco

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A sophisticated chocolate tart at Masa's. (Photo courtesy of the restaurant)

Hong Kong-born and San Francisco-raised, Maggie Leung is turning out irresistible modern interpretations of classic desserts at the elegant Masa’s in San Francisco, a short stroll from the Campton Place Taj Hotel.

Leung, who became executive pastry chef there this summer, has given sophisticated spins to a chocolate walnut tart, made dainty and memorable with a fleur de sel flourish and a scoop of Earl Grey ice cream; strawberry pain perdu with a distinctive rose-geranium creme anglaise; and s’mores with housemade graham cracker ice cream, hot fudge, toasted marshmallows, candied hazelnuts and hazelnut powder between two chocolate cookies.

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