Monthly Archives: November 2010

Decadent Bourbon Steak

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Medai snapper (foreground) and Tasmanian sea trout (background) cooked to perfection at Bourbon Steak.

Dining at a Michael Mina restaurant is always an exercise in excess.

In the best of ways, of course.

After all, this is the chef who popularized the idea of trios, where it’s not simply enough to present just one rendition of a dish, but three different ones simultaneously on one plate.

It takes skill, timing and sophistication to do that well.

And that’s just what’s on display at Mina’s new Bourbon Steak in the Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square. Bourbon Steak takes the place of the former Michael Mina flagship restaurant there, which has moved to the old Aqua restaurant space on California Street.

The once chic white and eggshell blue 102-seat dining room has been transformed with a more masculine atmosphere with dark charcoal floor-to-ceiling columns and hues of deep cognac and sand. The logo of a steer can be found subtly echoed on the Mondrian-like window treatments and water is brought to the tables in whimsical glass milk bottles.

This marks Mina’s fifth Bourbon Steak nationwide. And he has the formula down pat.

Executive Chef Omri Aflalo, who did an externship with Mina while at the Culinary Institute of America, is at the helm of the San Francisco locale.

The broad menu includes some of Mina’s greatest hits, including his addicting lobster corn dogs ($16), black truffle popcorn ($15), and lobster pot pie (market price). Since it is a steak house, you’ll also find the likes of a 28-ounce Porterhouse for $68, an 18-ounce bone-in rib-eye for $42, and a 6-ounce Australian Wagyu strip (market price).

Recently, I was invited to dine as a guest of the restaurant to enjoy a special tasting menu.

Duck fat fries with three dipping sauces.

You know you’re in for something when the first thing that arrives at the table is a trio of duck-fat fries with a sour cherry ketchup, a smoked onion aioli that tasted almost of bacon, and a zingy yuzu sauce. You tell yourself you’re going to eat just a couple, but then you finish every one. Every restaurant should take a lesson in fries from Mina, as these are as perfect as they come.

A tiny and rich bite of foie gras.

The decadence continued with a small rectangle of foie gras terrine with huckleberry glaze that just melted on the tongue.

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Sunny Side Up a la Tyler Florence and Food Gal Giveaway

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This is one of those great breakfast dishes that is really perfect most anytime of day or night.

Need to feed a crowd at brunch? You bet.

Want a simple, yet satisfying lunch? This is it.

Need a late-night nosh after an evening of carousing? This will hit the spot.

“Gallina de Madre” (‘Mother Hen’ Toast) is from the new Tyler Florence cookbook, “Tyler Florence Family Meal” (Rodale).

Marin County resident and chef-owner of Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco, Florence learned how to make this dish on a visit to Barcelona.

It takes ham and eggs to a whole ‘nother level. Imagine biting into a toasted, thick slice of country bread topped with slices of sweet-salty Serrano ham,  a sunny side up egg and a drizzle of thick, creamy Manchego cheese bechamel sauce spiked with horseradish and nutmeg.

If that doesn’t perk you up, I don’t know what will.

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Come Meet the Food Gal and Four Cookbook Authors in Palo Alto

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Yours truly is proud to be moderating a fun and timely panel, “Rethinking Your Holiday Meal,” at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at Books, Inc. in Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village.

I hope you’ll join me and four wonderful, local cookbook authors as we talk about ways to make your holiday feasts less stressful, more enjoyable and downright fool-proof.

The panelists:

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A Cookbook About Speedy Cooking from A Man Who Knows Speedy Writing

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Tonight's dinner of "Lemon Grass and White Bean Turkey Chili'' can be on the table in about half an hour.

When the food editor of the Associated Press writes a cookbook, you know it’s got to be all about getting food on the table fast.

After all, J.M. Hirsch’s job at the wire service is all about disseminating information timely and quickly.

His new book, “High Flavor, Low Labor” (Ballentine Books) features nearly 150 recipes designed for busy, working families who want to put creative dishes on the table, but don’t want to be slaving over a hot stove for hours to do it.

His “Lemon Grass and White Bean Turkey Chili” is an example of that. It’s sort of a cross between the classic Thai soup, tom kha gai, and American white chili. Made with ground turkey, coconut milk and jalapenos, it takes only about half an hour to make.

Since lemon grass isn’t always available at every corner store, I’ve taken to keeping a few stalks growing at all times in my back yard. That way, I always have a supply when I need it.

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Fleming’s Breaks the Mold

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Shrimp cocktail reinvented at Fleming's.

I admit to some skepticism when it comes to big-chain steakhouses. So many of them seem to just phone it in when it comes to the food.

That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I tried Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar for the first time.

Fleming’s has more than 50 locations nationwide. Recently, I was invited to dine as a guest at the Palo Alto restaurant in Stanford Shopping Center.

Even on a Tuesday night, the restaurant was packed, with patrons vying for seats at both the bar and the dimly lit dining room with its deep red leather booths that overlook a bustling kitchen line.

As with most steakhouses, the prices here are not necessarily cheap. But the quality of the cooking and the generous portion sizes make you feel that you’ve gotten your money’s worth.

It’s also a good place to go if not everyone in your party is a steak fanatic, as there are plenty of seafood choices, as well as a double-thick pork rib chop with apple cider and Creole mustard glaze, and a double breast of chicken baked in a white wine-mushroom-shallot sauce.

I also like how Fleming’s takes the effort to put a modern spin on steakhouse classics.

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