Celebrity Chef(s) Sighting

On Saturday, February 23, the night before Kent Rathbun goes tong-to-tong with Bobby Flay on Iron Chef, he joins Top Chef contender (and his wife’s superstar executive chef at Shinsei) Casey Thompson at the Limb Ball. The two will be auctioning off a catered meal for 10-20 at Rathbun’s home at the fundraiser for Limbs for Life. I hope someone will let me know how much this item fetches at the live auction. Something tells me I couldn’t afford it.

Foodie On A Mission, Dinner

Nopa. I don’t have words. One of the best meals of my life: warm marinated olives, a salad of smoked bacon, chicories, roasted walnuts topped with a poached egg, and a grilled pork chop served over sautéed greens and cannelloni beans. I’m off to North Beach. Tra la.

Foodie On A Mission, Part 8

A tamale and a cappuccino? Yes, please.

Foodie On A Mission, Part 7

Ohmigod. Broccolini rabe, ricotta, oven-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella pie at Pizzaria Delfina. Sadly, due to the unique atmospheric conditions in San Francisco, this crust can not be made in Dallas. Like bagels in NYC, the chemical reactions involved in baking just can’t be replicated.

Sweet Deal at Sweet Tomatoes

I haven’t gotten to eat at Sweet Tomatoes yet, but I might have to make the trek to Addison next month. I like salad. Also, during the month of March, donating $2 to the Muscular Dystrophy Association gets you a bag of free chocolate chip cookies, and a coupon for a free meal. I’m thinking of taking them up on that somewhere around March 14…

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Foodie On A Mission, Part 6

Big buzz on this new spot, Farina. However the locals I encountered at Slow Club, told me the atmosphere was better than the food. Got there too late to taste, but the interior was stunning. Owner wouldn’t let me take pictures but told me that her husband was involved in the design of the Nasher in Dallas. Developing.

Foodie On A Mission, Part 5

Tartine Bakery. Great cookbook and greater pressed sandwiches. Shook their heads “NO” when they saw my camera. All of those James Beard nominations must have gone to their heads.

Foodie On A Mission, Part 4

Totally fell into this local haunt which was jammed packed at 2:00 p.m. Pete’s BBQ

Foodie On A Mission, Part 3

Then I hit a totally funky new spot called Spork for a “neighborhood-made” hot dog with sliced cornichons, grainy mustard, relish, and a scoop of the lightest potato salad I’ve ever tasted. (Check out that perfectly toasted bun. I mean, really.)

Foodie On A Mission, Part 2

I started at the Slow Club, a hip and cool spot in the Mission neighborhood. (Fabulous flatbread.)

Leapin’ Dinner, Reprise

Fans of Oregon wines (love those Pinot Noirs) can enjoy a five-course wine dinner courtesy of executive chef Matthew Melton at Lawry’s The Prime Rib on February 29, 7 pm. Read on for dishes and pairings.
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I’m a Certified Wino Now

This week I received the information I have been waiting for since 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 27. After months of studying and the grueling task of tasting delicious wine, I found out that I passed the International Sommelier Guild’s Wine Fundamentals Level 2 course. You remember the class I’ve been telling you about. Well, the test was broken up into three parts: 100 multiple choice questions, six essay questions, and four blind tastings. I knew I would do well on the multiple choice, but thought I’d squeak by on the essay. I got 90 percent on both. But it was the blind tasting that I’m most proud of–100 percent. That’s right, baby. Before my head gets too big, I should admit that the wines were a Fino sherry, which is unmistakable, a California oaky Chardonnay, again, can’t miss it, a Pedro Ximenez sherry, and an Asti Spumante sparkling. Each one of those wines display classic characteristics, which made the blind tasting approachable. Want to know what else was on the test? Follow the jump.

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Foodie On A Mission

Hi Dishers. I’ve just completed one full day of grazing my way across the great city of San Francisco. Yesterday I ate my way across the Mission area. I tried to hit them all during lunch hours, but missed a few. Here are the highlights in pictures.

Amarone Equals Amore

Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting and sharing a meal at Capital Grille (and a few glasses of wine) with Raffaele Boscaini, a seventh generation family member of the famed Masi winery in the Venetian wine region of Italy. Masi is known for its cherished Amarone wine, which is made from grapes that have been dried on racks in farmhouses for about four months before being pressed. You might think that because the grapes are concentrated that the resulting wine would be cloyingly sweet. Amarone is not. It is dry, but packed with fruit flavors including bright cherry. If you’ve never tried Amarone, you are hear by fined and sentenced to a trip to Central Market on Lovers where you can pick up Costasera Amarone Della Valpolcella Classico for $53.99. Also worth a sip is the Masianco ($14.99), a blend of 75 percent Pinot Grigio and 25 percent Verduzzo grapes. The Verduzzo grapes are aged three weeks in the same style as Amarone. Boscaini said this offsets the flatness of the Pinot Grigio and gives the wine structure and a thicker mouth feel. The result is an easy to drink wine that is perfect with salads and light appetizers.

Ward Off the Winter Sniffles

So there’s this groovy place in Addison (near Midway and Marsh) called Radiant Tea Lounge—but it offers more than just tea leaves. You can visit with an herbalist on site, who can, among other things, teach you about Chinese herbal formulas that can boost immunity and relieve cold and flu symptoms. There you’ll also find products such as raw organic manuka honey from New Zealand, which can help soothe your sore throat. I don’t know about you, but this weather makes me want to curl up with a cuppa tea and honey.