Most of these pictures have never appeared on this site, although a couple did appear a few years ago, long before I sharpened my photo-editing skills. Many readers have emailed me about my [... read more ...]]]>

Gateway Market, Emeryville: Adorned with a fantastic mural alongside its parking lot, the Gateway Market is tough to miss on San Pablo Blvd. The artwork has a definite graffiti vibe, but the details are fantastic. Luckily, it hasn't been tagged over. The "W" in Gateway is pictured above (each letter has its own theme). Click on the photo to reveal all of the great flourishes.

Most of these pictures have never appeared on this site, although a couple did appear a few years ago, long before I sharpened my photo-editing skills. Many readers have emailed me about my approach to photography, and I must confess, my only real secret is to simply seek the best lighting possible. Truthfully, I’ve never had any formal photography training, but I did develop an eye for proper lighting while I was working (briefly, almost 15 years ago) as a grip in Los Angeles. Any moviegoer who has bothered to sit through the credits may have wondered what function a grip serves. In a nut shell, the grips help to manipulate the film set’s lighting, based upon the director of photography’s instructions. The “key” grip is the lead grip, while the “best boy” grip is second in command (I was never either of those, obviously). Much like cooking, gripping is long, laborious work with odd hours. However, if you pay attention on the job, you can also learn a few things along the way. Who knew that a summer of gripping would’ve ever become useful?

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Uni with Caul Fat on Crostini @ Marea, NYC: Long before Anthony Bourdain developed his upcoming show, The Layover, which premieres November 21st, I used a four-hour window at JFK to jump onto the subway and eat a seven-course lunch at Marea (top that, Tony). David Koon, my old CIA roommate, was in the kitchen at the time, so I received the VIP treatment, and fast. Coincidentally, Dave opened up his own restaurant, Chuko Ramen, just two days ago in Brooklyn. He said the 35-seat dining room turned out more than 200 covers on its first day, which is an insane number.

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Highway One, Near Salt Point State Park: I was driving up California's North Coast to forage porcinis when I spotted this old fellow gazing out over the Pacific Ocean. He was laying near the edge of the grassy cliff, apparently in total zen mode. Unfortunately, he stood up when I approached to snap a picture. After a two-minute stand-off, I gave up and left him to his meditations. Sorry, buddy.

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Philo Apple Farm, Philo: This large painting adorns the small shopping area at Philo Apple Farm, which is owned by Don and Sally Schmidt, the original owners and founders of Yountville's French Laundry. All purchases are based upon the honor system (at least every time I've visited), and the farm itself is Demeter-certified.

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Nopalito Restaurant, San Francisco: I really like the artwork on this ice-cream freezer outside of Nopalito.

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Five-spice Pork Belly over Rice: This is one of the very first pictures I published on this blog, back at a time when I was publishing recipes. My format has evolved over the years, and at this point, I save all my recipes for the annual Project Food Blog competition, which is coming up again this year (I finished in the Top 12 out of almost 2,000 contestants last year -- just saying).

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Mandina's Restaurant, New Orleans: My sentimental favorite in the Crescent City.

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The Strip District, Pittsburgh, PA: This mural was a work-in-progress during my visit to Pennsylvania a couple years back. I'm sure it's completed by now. I liked where it was headed.

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Boonfly Cafe, Napa Carneros: I spotted this little VW in the parking lot of the Boonfly Cafe one morning. I'm not sure if it belonged to a purveyor or to a guest. Pretty cool whip, regardless.

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Cookie Fortune @ China Village Restaurant, Albany: I think.

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The best things in life are fried: I learned this simple mantra very early on, when I used to work the fryer station at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans. We fried lots of delicious foods at K-Paul’s, including oysters, shrimp, soft-shelled crab, green tomatoes, duck skins, and of course, plenty of potatoes (K-Paul’s didn’t serve french fries, however. Instead, our potatoes were baked, halved, and then scooped. Once prepped, the skins and the “meat” were fried separately, with the [... read more ...]]]>

Always mustard, never ketchup: The Cajun Corn Dog @ Uncle Bill's Gourmet Corn Dogs, Sonoma Square Farmers Market.

The best things in life are fried: I learned this simple mantra very early on, when I used to work the fryer station at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans. We fried lots of delicious foods at K-Paul’s, including oysters, shrimp, soft-shelled crab, green tomatoes, duck skins, and of course, plenty of potatoes (K-Paul’s didn’t serve french fries, however. Instead, our potatoes were baked, halved, and then scooped. Once prepped, the skins and the “meat” were fried separately, with the little nuggets of fried potato “meat” being tossed into a rich cheese sauce, then spooned back into the fried skins. And in case you didn’t think it could get any better, this enemy of the arteries was the standard side item for the cheese-stuffed pork chop, which was blackened to perfection). Okay, where was I again?

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Today, a couple deep-fried items highlighted another perfect summer afternoon at the Sonoma Square Farmers Market. On the savory side, there was the Cajun-style corn dog, pictured above, from Uncle Bill’s Gourmet Corn Dogs. In this era of turkey dogs and, even worse, tofu dogs, someone’s got to fight the good fight on the corn dog front, and Uncle Bill’s offers up a substantial, top-heavy corn dog, fried to order, with a batter that’s remarkably light and fluffy. Highly recommended.

Dogs dipped in grease.

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Cinnamon and Sugar Donuts @ Harvey's Gourmet Donuts, Sonoma Square Farmers Market.

The first time I ever had a fresh donut, I was in high school. My best friend worked at a mom-and-pop donut shop in Lodi, which I would frequent quite a bit for some free donuts. One day, I happened to stop by when the baker was working, and I was blown away by the character of a truly fresh-from-the-grease donut. For me, the difference between and fresh donut and an hours-old donut is analogous to the difference between a garden-fresh tomato and a supermarket tomato (in fact, I’d probably rather eat an hours-old donut than a supermarket tomato). Freshness, of course, is the key selling point at the Harvey’s Gourmet Donuts booth, where mini donuts are offered by the dozen and topped with anything from powdered sugar to maple glaze with bacon bits. I actually prefer these donuts in a more simplified format, with cinnamon and sugar, pictured above.

Harvey: Master of Donuts.

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At the turn.

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I just finished up Mother’s Day lunch and dinner service, which makes for a long but rewarding weekend in the kitchen. Before that, I found a few good things to eat, and they’re pictured here for your perusal.

The Bear Burger @ Jodie's Diner, Albany Village. I think that's the name of this burger. Jodie's has dozens of off-menu items to choose from, and this burger is one of them. Regardless of its proper name, it's the cheeseburger at Jodie's that comes with a fried egg, and it can definitely compete with the Bay Area's best.

I just finished up Mother’s Day lunch and dinner service, which makes for a long but rewarding weekend in the kitchen. Before that, I found a few good things to eat, and they’re pictured here for your perusal.

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The Bear Burger @ Jodie's Diner. Like any good burger, the Bear Burger warrants several napkins. Also, it's one of those burgers that's too risky to put down once you've picked it up, since you may only get one chance to gather all the parts at once. As you can see, I damaged the top bun just trying to prop this beast up for a closer look. It's equal parts unwieldy and delicious.

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The Monte Cristo @ Jodie's Diner. File under: Hangover cure. Although this "Monte Cristo" is actually more of a French toast triple-decker sandwich, it delivers the calories nonetheless. That's French vanilla ice cream in the background (just kidding, it's a pitch-perfect potato salad).

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The Charcuterie Plate @ Healdsburg Charcuterie. Had this app after a trip to Unti VIneyards, where I picked up their excellent 2007 Syrah (Unti's 2007 Benchlands Syrah is also a winner). As for the charcuterie plate, that's duck rillette in the middle and some nice pork products underneath the cheese.

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Pork Shoga Yaki @ Norikonoko, Berkeley. This dish was one of the restaurant's specials. The pork was marinated in the classic soy-mirin-sake trio, but with an addition of ginger, as well.

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Accoutrements @ Norikonoko, Berkeley.

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If you’re like me, then you’ve seen “Pulp Fiction” dozens of times, and you may have wondered, at some point, where the set designer sourced the film’s infamous Big Kahuna burger. As far as I know, having lived in Los Angeles for years and years, there is no actual Big Kahuna Burger. Too bad, because the burger does look mighty tasty on film. And so the question remains: if, in fact, Big Kahuna is fictitious, then [... read more ...]]]>

The Cheeseburger @ Super Burger, Santa Rosa. I snapped this picture at sunset, and the burger itself looks like the setting sun.

If you’re like me, then you’ve seen “Pulp Fiction” dozens of times, and you may have wondered, at some point, where the set designer sourced the film’s infamous Big Kahuna burger. As far as I know, having lived in Los Angeles for years and years, there is no actual Big Kahuna Burger. Too bad, because the burger does look mighty tasty on film. And so the question remains: if, in fact, Big Kahuna is fictitious, then what real-life restaurant provided that delicious-looking cheeseburger? I still have no idea, but I’ve pondered it plenty, enough to have given the burger its own back-story: In my own private mind-garden, Big Kahuna Burger is an old mom-and-pop-style joint in the San Fernando Valley, one of many post-war businesses to capitalize on the American tiki fad of the 1950s. Other than its once-hip name, Big Kahuna Burger has no actual ties to Hawaii, but the restaurant itself — practically unchanged in 50 years — does have longevity. You can bet that if Big Kahuna Burger did exist, it wouldn’t offer any burgers with blue cheese crumbles, or anything else so superfluous. And the place would probably be cash-only.

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Over the years, I’ve come to accept the “Pulp Fiction” Big Kahuna burger as a culinary archetype of sorts: It exudes The Look — you see it, and you want it. Naturally, I’m always on the lookout for something similar. At Super Burger in Santa Rosa, you can find a pretty close cousin of the Big Kahuna Burger, or at least in my mind you can. Based upon appearance alone, the Super Burger building itself is historic, most likely constructed during America’s post-war boom, and boasting a fantastic horseshoe counter inside. It’s a wonderful time capsule. And as for the burgers, they feature the same old-fashioned charm that belies good taste. All of the key elements are provided: a hand-formed, charbroiled patty, grilled to medium; an artisan bun, just sturdy enough; and all the fixings, as needed. Fortunately, Super Burger isn’t so old-fashioned that they don’t accept credit cards. However, they are closed on Sundays.

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Working nights in the kitchen can have its perks, such as being able to go out for breakfast any day of the week. With an old college buddy visiting the Napa Valley recently, a morning session at the Fremont Diner presented the obvious choice. Personally, I’ve already covered most of the Fremont Diner’s menu over the past couple of years, but it’s always fun to see someone marvel at all of the restaurant’s great, down-home selections. Besides that, I hadn’t been to the Fremont Diner in a while, so I was actually [... read more ...]]]>

Breakfast Sandwich @ The Fremont Diner.

Working nights in the kitchen can have its perks, such as being able to go out for breakfast any day of the week. With an old college buddy visiting the Napa Valley recently, a morning session at the Fremont Diner presented the obvious choice. Personally, I’ve already covered most of the Fremont Diner’s menu over the past couple of years, but it’s always fun to see someone marvel at all of the restaurant’s great, down-home selections. Besides that, I hadn’t been to the Fremont Diner in a while, so I was actually long overdue. Here are a few snapshots from Saturday (click photos for super-sized images).

Grits with Bacon @ The Fremont Diner.

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Sausage Biscuit @ The Fremont Diner.

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Salted Caramel Milkshake @ The Fremont Diner.

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Crispy shrimp with ginger and onions @ Huong Tra, Richmond.

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Flounder special @ Yuet Lee, San Francisco.

End-of-the-year recaps present a great opportunity to “re-purpose” some old content (I learned this valuable euphemism during the dot-com era). Here are 10 dishes that I really enjoyed this year, in no particular order. I’m not saying this list comprises my top 10 dishes for the year, but some of them could definitely qualify. Clicking the photos will transport you back to the original article — and perhaps, a much simpler time and place.

Crispy shrimp with ginger and onions @ Huong Tra, Richmond.

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Flounder special @ Yuet Lee, San Francisco.

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The #6 Banh Mi @ Viet Nam, San Francisco.

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Black pepper brisket hash @ Fremont Diner, Sonoma Carneros.

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Chilaquiles @ Miguel's, Calistoga.

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Señorita bread @ Star Bread Bakery, Vallejo.

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Sake-marinated black cod @ Terra, St. Helena.

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Oyster po-boy with macaroni and cheese @ Brown Sugar Kitchen, West Oakland

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Pad See Iew @ Sa Wad Dee, Richmond.

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Garlic pork broth ramen @ Ramen Dojo, San Mateo.

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I’ve been an early adopter of the Fremont Diner, having made my first visit there sometime in the summer of 2009, on the way out to a wine-tasting excursion in the Russian River Valley. Since then, I’ve covered their menu extensively within these pages, and my favorite dish remains the black-pepper brisket hash. My recent lunch of chicken and dumplings, pictured above, ranks somewhere in the middle of the pack, which is good indication of the Fremont Diner’s overall consistency. It’s a nice [... read more ...]]]>

Up front: Chicken and nettle dumplings; In back: Biscuit with ham, mustard, and blueberry preserves.

I’ve been an early adopter of the Fremont Diner, having made my first visit there sometime in the summer of 2009, on the way out to a wine-tasting excursion in the Russian River Valley. Since then, I’ve covered their menu extensively within these pages, and my favorite dish remains the black-pepper brisket hash. My recent lunch of chicken and dumplings, pictured above, ranks somewhere in the middle of the pack, which is good indication of the Fremont Diner’s overall consistency. It’s a nice dish for winter — plenty of chicken, well-seasoned broth, with nettle dumplings that are dense and slightly herbaceous. Still, I must admit that I was secretly hoping for light and pillowy dumplings, something more ethereal than earth-bound. Given the circumstances, I assume that any true Southerner would probably feel the same way.

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Though I had been to Pica Pica Maize Kitchen before, I hadn’t actually tasted the cachapas pernil (#7) until I attended the Napa Valley Chefs’ Market a few weeks ago. The yellow corn pancake is just sturdy enough to provide the exterior, with a flavor profile that’s slightly sweet. The cachapas pabellon (#3), which is shredded skirt steak with plantains, is also a tasty alternative.

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Market Burger, Market Restaurant, St. Helena

As far as cheeseburgers are concerned, the Market Burger is [... read more ...]]]>

Cachapas Pernil, Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, Oxbow Market, Napa

Though I had been to Pica Pica Maize Kitchen before, I hadn’t actually tasted the cachapas pernil (#7) until I attended the Napa Valley Chefs’ Market a few weeks ago. The yellow corn pancake is just sturdy enough to provide the exterior, with a flavor profile that’s slightly sweet. The cachapas pabellon (#3), which is shredded skirt steak with plantains, is also a tasty alternative.

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Market Burger, Market Restaurant, St. Helena

As far as cheeseburgers are concerned, the Market Burger is an adequate choice, although the shredded Fiscalini cheese in the photo above reminds me of McDonald’s diced onions. This shredded cheese aesthetic has never really appealed to me, especially since a well-melted slice of cheese features so much more panache.

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Chicken and Waffles, Fremont Diner, Sonoma Carneros

I had assumed that the chicken and waffles at the Fremont Diner would be based upon their Nashville spicy fried chicken, which they offer at lunch. As it is, I’m not a big fan of the boneless chicken paillard; these pieces typically lack character, and they seem to dry out easily. The buttermilk waffle, which easily out-shined the fried chicken, was airy and light, yet delicately crisp.

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One of my favorite breakfasts in wine country is the black-pepper brisket hash at the Fremont Diner in Sonoma Carneros. Earlier this week, I made a specific point of ordering this dish on my way out to Mendocino County, a road trip that usually pushes lunch back to the late afternoon. This brisket hash is a 100-mile breakfast if there ever was one. The potatoes are crispy, yet tender, and cooked with fresh herbs, while the brisket features a smoke-and-black-pepper pungency that I would best describe as addictive. Of [... read more ...]]]>

Yolk so shiny, it picks up the ceiling fan.

One of my favorite breakfasts in wine country is the black-pepper brisket hash at the Fremont Diner in Sonoma Carneros. Earlier this week, I made a specific point of ordering this dish on my way out to Mendocino County, a road trip that usually pushes lunch back to the late afternoon. This brisket hash is a 100-mile breakfast if there ever was one. The potatoes are crispy, yet tender, and cooked with fresh herbs, while the brisket features a smoke-and-black-pepper pungency that I would best describe as addictive. Of course, the simple sunny-side up egg is the crowning garnish of any great breakfast dish. I have to admit that, for many years, I was not a proponent of sunny-side up eggs, but the croque madame at RN74 really encouraged me to reconsider this opinion. I have now seen the light.

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