Team Perbacco: Photo poached and cropped from Eater SF
While I was down in Los Angeles visiting my old haunts, chef Staffan Terje of Perbacco Ristorante walked away with first prize at San Francisco’s Cochon 555 competition. I’ve had some great meals at Perbacco, though I’ve never reviewed the restaurant officially, since I have some personal ties to the kitchen. Two of my ex-Martini House colleagues (and Pancha’s co-conspirators) are sous chefs at Perbacco (Jimmy Serlin and Karl Holl are pictured left to right, behind chef Terje, and also wearing blue aprons). As a matter of fact, I [... read more ...]
In New Orleans, po-boys are very serious business, and while I was cooking professionally in the Crescent City a few years back, I had the envious opportunity of sampling sandwiches from all of the city’s most legendary spots, from Mandina’s down on Canal Street to Gene’s over on Elysian Fields Avenue. I tasted them all, and then I revisited these restaurants many times over, especially as out-of-town guests would stop through to visit. As most New Orleans locals will tell you, the foundation of any authentic po-boy is a signature Leidenheimer Baking Company roll. Founded in 1896, the Leidenheimer [... read more ...]
Don't get me wrong, I'll take a little more.
Ever since the San Francisco Giants found a new home outside of Candlestick Park, I haven’t had much reason to journey down to Hunters Point anymore. But chicken and waffles is motivation enough to make the trek, and I was interested to follow up on a tip that I had heard about Auntie April’s Chicken n’ Waffles on 3rd Street. The waffle, compared to the one I most recently tasted at the Brown Sugar Kitchen, didn’t have the same character or panache, but that said, it did arrive hot [... read more ...]
The #16 at La Morenita Taqueria in Napa. Aside from the rice and beans pictured, this whole fried fish comes with a side of corn tortillas. Deconstructing the pescado might require some effort and patience, especially from those who may not be used to dealing with whole fish (and the presence of pin bones). You really have to want it, I suppose.
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My springtime gardening project has occupied much of my free time lately, as I’ve slowly reclaimed the backyard from a winter’s worth of weeds. I’ve purchased five or six [... read more ...]
Could it get any more Southern?
Earlier this week, I had planned to visit Brenda’s French Soul Food for a bowl of grillades and grits, having recently emailed a friend about a memorable version of this dish that I once tasted at Cafe Degas in New Orleans. That email awakened a latent craving, and naturally, I thought of Brenda’s as the best and only choice for authentic Cajun cuisine in the Bay Area. Fast forward to yesterday: I left Napa shortly after the morning rush hour, and 50 miles later, I was standing on Polk Street, waiting for [... read more ...]
