Foodhoe’s Foraging

Duarte’s Tavern, Pescadero

January 6, 2009 – 8:56 am

202 Stage Road, Pescadero CA 94060 | 650.879.0464 | website

Hours 7:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Daily (Closed on New Years Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas)

Duarte’s (pronounced doo-arts) Tavern is a family run operation that has been around since 1894. We stopped off for lunch on the return trip from Monterey last month. Downtown Pescadero is pretty small, just a couple of blocks with a gas station, some stores selling knick knacks, the other location of note sells freshly baked breads that you can smell from down the street. Duarte’s is an old fashioned kind of restaurant that has been run by the same family for four generations. Their specialties include fresh fish dishes, cioppino, abalone sandwiches, home made soups and pies.

It’s very popular and there is often a line for a table. We had to wait about 10 minutes for seats at the counter, which has a more convivial atmosphere than sitting at one of the booths or even at a table.

Although it had only been a few hours since we had a big breakfast at Loulou’s, we ravenously fell upon the hot steaming loaf of sourdough bread that was served with butter as if we were starving. The butter just melts into the bread as you spread it on and it’s a good thing that you get a good chunk sized piece, especially if you order one of the soups.

They are famous for their Cream of Artichoke Soup, which we thought was rather bland and pasty (pictured below on the right). I often hear that people like to get a combination of the artichoke and green chile soup. I personally don’t see the point of mixing the two soups at all. The Cream of Green Chile Soup (on the left) was so much better. Why water it down? The texture is rich and creamy and the flavors were much more focused with a bit of heat from the chile.

The buttered bread dunked in the soup was way out of this world delicious!

Mr. K loves the Fish Sandwich with Fries, which is a well crafted sandwich made with everything in perfect proportions and the fries are usually hot from the fryer.

It is topped with slices of pickle and comes with a piquant tartar sauce and a lemon wedge to squeeze on too.

I finally tried their famous Olallieberry pie, served ala mode, which means it is heated and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I honestly liked the ice cream the best. The pie crust was nice and flaky but I’m really not a pie person, I’m a cake person. It’s funny how you usually are one or the other…

They go through a lot of bread, we saw this spectacle several times during our lunch where one of the servers pulled loaves out of the oven, stacked them up and rushed off to deliver them to the hungry hordes.

We usually seem to come here after a good hike or kayaking in the nearby estuary and it’s a warm bustling spot with hearty good fare. Here’s a link to a 10% coupon good for any meal Mon-Thurs. One of these days I am going to try the abalone sandwich AQ (I’m always scared of things with no price on the menu)…

By foodhoe | Posted in brilliant | Tagged artichoke soup, duarte's tavern, green chile soup, pescadero | Comments (2)

A Short Lesson in Sushi at Crystal Sushi, Monterey

January 4, 2009 – 12:43 pm

514 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey | 649-3474

We had such a great meal at Crystal Sushi last spring that we managed to squeeze in a quick stop during our trip to Monterey last month. This was more of a quest for knowledge kind of lesson rather than say, how to make an Exterminator roll, and my first sushi experience as Foodhoe, the sushi watch advocate…

The day before we left for Monterey, I received my Sushi Watch Advocate package from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but hadn’t had a chance to go over the material. There has been a lot of media attention recently about overfishing and I knew that most of my favorite fish (tuna, yellowtail, ankimo or monkfish liver, salmon, tako or octopus, and unagi or freshwater eel among many others) seemed to be on a list of things to avoid. I was interested in learning about making smart choices when ordering sushi and volunteered to help spread the word about ocean-friendly seafood. And so there I was, sitting at the sushi bar and the entire info packet left sitting on my desk at home… so I had to wing it and let’s see how I did compared to the official online list.

I saw Fresh Wasabi for an extra buck on the menu and don’t know whether this is a locally produced item, but the fresh stuff packs a good wallop so if you ever see this on the menu, it is very worth the extra dollar!

The sustainable sushi guide ranks selection as follows: Best Choices that are abundant, well-managed and caught or farmed in environmentally friendly ways; Good Alternatives are an option, but there are concerns with how they’re caught or farmed - or with the health of their habitat due to other human impacts; Avoid for now as these items are caught or farmed in ways that harm other marine life or the environment.

Ika with Shiso and a nice bit of freshly grated ginger on top. It was cut very thin so that it appeared translucent and scored with tiny lines, but there were still little stringy bits that caught in my teeth. Squid (Ika) while not on the list of Best Choices, is considered to be a Good Alternative. This was a delicious start and we ended up getting another order before we left.

Oops, Hirame also known as Flounder or Sole is on the list of fish to avoid. Okay we’ll consider that a last hurrah and enjoyed it immensely while we could… Hirame is a light fleshed fish that has an almost fluffy texture and is was one of Mr. K’s favorites.

Local Dungeness Crab Nigiri. This at least we know is local and boy was it good. I don’t think I’ve ever had just a bit chunk of crabmeat on rice like that before, and I’d highly recommend it!

While Uni or Sea Urchin is on the list of Best Choices, this was from Japan, so therefore not local. I’d never seen uni like that before, each piece resembled tiny tongues meticulously laid out in a row. The quality of the uni was incredibly fresh. It was rich and buttery and felt like it melted in your mouth, leaving just the taste of the ocean.

Amaebi is on the Best Choice list and I was glad that they didn’t serve it live like they did the last time! It tasted super fresh, the flesh was firm and sweet.

The heads were fried and served with a pile of tiny fried fish. Mr. K had to pass on these because shells and bones are now banned from his list of acceptable food stuffs, which means this plate was all mine! The sushi chef did not know exactly what the little fish were, and I kept thinking about my little blue damsels in the aquarium back home and felt a little creeped out while munching on these tidbits.

Comfortably full, we asked the sushi chef for the check, who was visibly disappointed as he could tell we were black-belt diners, but since it was just a few days since Mr. K was home from the hospital, we were playing it safe. Overall, we stayed on track with responsible choices, except for the Hirame, which we now know is on the list of fish to avoid. Thanks for listening to my sushi advocate soapbox rant, but making smart choices really can help make a difference to support healthy and abundant oceans. Here’s a link to a downloadable pocket guide, and for those of you who have mobile phones you can use your phone to log onto mobile.seafoodwatch.org for an online pocket guide.

By foodhoe | Posted in Monterey, foodhoe's favorite, incredible, japanese, northern california, sushi | Comments (3)

Lunch at Sandbar & Grill, Monterey

January 3, 2009 – 4:42 pm

Wharf #2, Monterey | 831.373.2818 | website | Hours: 11am-11pm daily

After a rather large breakfast at Loulous Griddle on the Middle, Mr K and I opted for a late, light lunch at the Sandbar & Grill, which I must again give credit to Ed from Yuma, a contributor to the wonderful mmm-yoso!!! foodblog, who posted about this restaurant here.

I noticed the sign for it earlier in the day, as it is next door to LouLous on the non-touristy municipal pier. It’s sort of below street level and can be reached by descending a short stairway.

The interior is lit with skylights and a long row of windows looking out over the harbor. You can barely see a man in the back with a cowboy hat and duster, I think he was one of the cowboy poets we had seen performing earlier… The service is amazingly warm and cordial for a restaurant on a pier, they seemed to be like family. As we were being seated, the hostess said that our server Amanda would be with us shortly, and right away Amanda walked up announcing that Amanda’s here! I don’t know, they just seemed to be enjoying themselves, maybe it was the beautiful weather…

We were seated by the window, which you can open. With the sun shining on us, we opened the window all the way so we could enjoy the sounds of the seals barking and watched some kayakers paddle by.

We both started with a cup of Clam Chowder (3.95), that was even better than the one we enjoyed at Cafe Fina the night before. I liked it better because it wasn’t quite so thick and rich where the spoon almost stood up on its own… I like lots of pepper and some hot sauce in it and munched the oyster crackers on the side.

It’s dungeness crab season, so I ordered the Crab Louie (15.95), which was topped with a huge pile of crabmeat along with slices of egg. The lettuce and veggies were of the standard variety but fresh and crisp, and the plate came with a couple of lemon wedges which I just love squeezed over the crab. The waitress enthusiastically crackled away with the black pepper grinder upon my request…

Mr. K had the Golden Beer Battered Fish and Chips (12.95), which was made from strips of cod. There’s something ambrosial about sprinkling malt vinegar on the fried batter, then dipping it into the rich creamy tartar sauce…. That was a very fine plate of fish and chips.

Flaky and tender and juicy.

As we were walking out I noticed a blackboard announcing that they serving Hog Island Oysters, that’s the good stuff! The table next to us was enjoying plates of cracked crab that looked good too. So if you’re looking for a reasonably priced restaurant near Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, this is a real find. We walked by later a little before sunset and it was very picturesque with all the harbor lights.

By foodhoe | Posted in Monterey, american, brilliant, fried, oysters, seafood, with views | Comments (2)

Bacon Peanut Caramels

January 2, 2009 – 8:50 pm

Might as well start the new year off on the right foot… I love the intersection of sweet and savory, and especially love the pairing of maple syrup with bacon or sausage. I got goosebumps reading about the Eaten Path’s Bacon Ice Cream with Home made Corn Dogs and have been pestering Mr. K to go on a roadtrip up north so that we can sample Voodoo Donuts’ Bacon Maple Donuts in Portland OR. There are entire blogs dedicated to the bacon lifestyle and a plethora of recipes online for Bacon Baklava, Bacon Cookies, Bacon and chocolate chip cookies, and David Lebovits’ Candied Bacon Ice Cream. Even the Vosge Bacon Chocolate bar no longer instills fear and loathing in people’s hearts and they even hint at expanding to include Bacon Toffee in the near future… I had been salivating over the Ethicurian’s recipe for bacon toffee, but I preferred the idea of peanut brittle over toffee. I found a recipe by Brian Ries for Bacon Peanut Brittle at Creative Loafing’s site and started things off by cooking the bacon in the oven.

The package of bacon had about 8 thick slices that made a good pile of chopped and meaty bacon bits.

Candy making is a science and definitely requires a candy thermometer. I know that I had one at some point, but for the life of me I couldn’t find it. I turned my odds and ends drawer inside out looking for it. Of course by that point I had the sugars and water merrily boiling away on the stove and foolishly was feeling confident that by following these directions, I would be able to do this without the thermometer. Wrong. When it is allover caramel sounds like something you could discern, but in reality, this description is rather vague even if you know what a caramel looks like. It had thickened up and was definitely caramel colored, and I even tried dripping it into a cup of water but I really don’t know the difference between the soft-ball and the hard crack stage. When I poured it out onto the silicon mat on the counter, it seemed thick enough and took some effort to spread out into an even layer. It had bubbles and looked promising, but it never ever hardened. It stayed soft like caramel. The only thing I do know about candy making is that the stages of cooking the sugar are scientific and you can’t fool it into hardening by say, putting it in the freezer.

So I ended up cutting it up into 1 inch squares and rolling it up in little squares of wax paper, like those marshmallows covered in caramel from See’s Candies and handed them out as post-prandial treats at my friend’s potluck. People kind of liked it, but as Kristina pointed out, after you finish the caramel you definitely had chunks of meat stuck in between your teeth…

By foodhoe | Posted in brilliant, candy, cooking, general food | Tagged bacon peanut brittle, bacon peanut caramels | Comments (3)

A Festive Dinner at the Eureka Restaurant and Lounge, San Francisco

December 30, 2008 – 1:15 pm

4063 18th Street, San Francisco, CA | 415.431.6000 | website

My friend Debbie organized a get together with the girls at the Eureka Restaurant and Lounge in the Castro. It’s the sister site of Chenery Park and was featured on a local tv show because of its festive holiday decor and more importantly was offering a 50% off coupon that is still available here. Deals abound on their site with Taxi Tuesdays, where they’ll take the price of the fare (up to $12) off your bill or a free glass of wine if you mention that Joe sent you from Chenery Park on a Monday (scroll down to the bottom of the news page). The night we dined we received a BOGO free entree coupon that is good Sun-Thurs through the end of January. The restaurant is definitely throwing out a lot of love to drum up business!

I took a trolley car that was dolled up for the holidays. We all arrived separately and met up at Cliff’s Variety for some last minute shopping before heading over to the restaurant, which was decked out with holiday cheer.

The front dining room had a sort of winter wonderland theme and the entry had a very festive display of shiny blue baubles on the mantel, which comes as no surprise as two of the partners also own Borage Floral Design in Glen Park (I’ve had their number in my address book for years). We were greeted by a very charming host who brought us upstairs and let us select our table.

The upstairs is split into two spaces, a bar and a cozy dining area with a fireplace festooned with shiny ornaments and twinkling holidays lights. Both of the chefs Richard Rosen and Gaines Dobbins have worked with Nancy Oakes, first at L’Avenue and then Boulevard Restaurant and their menu offers traditional American cuisine. They have some daily specials featuring southern touches with a special 4-course Taste of the South menu on Sundays, Buttermilk Battered Fried Chicken on Monday, Chicken Fried Steak on Tuesday and Pot Roast on Thursday. Our waiter was very charming and was so patient with us, coming back a few times before we were able to figure out what to order.

I was still having a carnivorous craving and ordered the Dry Cured Tri-Tip Steak (23) which was served with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes, and a handful of Brussel Sprouts & Red Wine Sauce. Mmmm the meat was very tender and marbled with fat, it definitely quelled the predatory beast that had been rumbling within. And the mashed potatoes were creamy and rich with veins of blue cheese mixed in. It was a fine classic combination of meat and potatoes.

Debbie had the Roasted Chicken (18) with Preserved Lemon & Pomegranate, that was tender and flavorful, but the Sumac Potatoes seemed dry and mealy and I think she didn’t love the Winter Salad of Sugar Snap Peas, Tangerine & Watermelon Radish much either. The sides were definitely a thumbs down for this plate.

Both DN and Libby had the Braised Pork Shoulder (19) with Butternut Squash, Sugar Snap Peas, Pickled Onions & Tamarind, Garlic, Ginger Sauce. That sauce was outstanding and if I hadn’t been craving rare meat,three of us would have had the same dish that evening. Instead, I only sampled a bit of the oh so tender meat which was braised until it fell apart when you just looked at it.

We had decided earlier that we would fore go the first course in order to leave room for dessert. DN had a Caramel Tapioca Pudding (8) with Whipped Cream and Hazelnut Brickle on the left, while Debbie had the Affogato (8), vanilla bean ice cream, Frangelico, Hazelnut Meringue and drenched in espresso. I love tapioca but this was more of a pudding with some tapioca pearls so it remained safe from my predatory spoon. The Affogato tasted overwhelmingly bitter and gritty from the espresso and everything eventually melted and disappeared into the morass.

I ordered the Persimmon Ginger Bundt Cake (8) with Pumpkin Ice Cream and Nutmeg Caramel Sauce, which was my favorite of the three. The bundt cake was dense and spicy and especially good with the sticky gooey caramel sauce and ice cream.

Just as our desserts arrived, one of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Sister Dinah Might I believe, was being seated nearby. I was so enthralled with the desserts that I barely registered the stark white face, elaborate headgear and full habit! As a small consolation, here is a picture of Libby’s ornaments that she picked up for a super duper sale price, along with her coffee.

We had a great time and really enjoyed the food and hanging out watching the scene. This is a great neighborhood restaurant, and with all of the deals they have going on, one that I’d be willing to travel back to. As we were leaving, we noticed that asides from Sister Dinah Might, we were the only women in the entire restaurant, yes we certainly were dining in the Castro…