Danny Trejo’s Pollo Asado a la Brasa

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Grilled chicken in a flavorful marinade gets served with addictive aji sauce.
Grilled chicken in a flavorful marinade gets served with addictive aji sauce.

There’s no denying that Danny Trejo is a big, big presence on the screen.

So, it’s no surprise then that when it comes to cooking, he’s all about flavors as punchy and gutsy as they get.

In the ultimate transformative story, the former drug addict and criminal became not only a Hollywood star, but maverick entrepreneur who launched a record label, as well as five Los Angeles locations of his Trejo’s Tacos, plus his Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts shop, and Trejo’s Cerveza Mexican-style beer.

This year, he also debuted “Trejo’s Cantina” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy, which is his second cookbook.

While his first cookbook, “Trejo’s Tacos” (Clarkson Potter, 2020), focused on recipes from his restaurants, this one, he writes, is centered on Mexican classics as seen through the lens of Los Angeles.

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Michelin-Starred Madcap Turns 6 Years Old

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A trio of snacks, which includes these juicy pork belly buns, opens the meal at Madcap.
A trio of snacks, which includes these juicy pork belly buns, opens the meal at Madcap.

When Madcap opened in 2017 in San Anselmo, I considered its then eight-course $80 tasting menu a bargain.

Fast forward to six years later when I dined a few weeks ago, and that opinion still holds. The price tag may have risen to $140, but it’s still quite reasonable in the world of lofty tasting menus.

Especially when you consider that the restaurant’s owner and executive chef is Ron Siegel, who was not only on the opening team of the French Laundry, but went on to head the kitchens at San Francisco landmarks Charles Nob Hill, Masa’s, Michael Mina, and the Ritz-Carlton. Not to mention that he triumphed as the first American chef to trounce an “Iron Chef” on the original Japanese cooking competition show.

The Michelin one-starred restaurant.
The Michelin one-starred restaurant.
The dining room.
The dining room.

Madcap is a warm and welcoming family affair with Siegel’s wife Kimberly running the front of the house, and son Dillon now director of wine and beverages.

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Shekoh Confections Adds Second Location — Plus Lunch and Dinner

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Owner Shekoh Moossavi at her new downtown Palo Alto confectionary shop.
Owner Shekoh Moossavi at her new downtown Palo Alto confectionary shop.

It’s been a banner time for chef and chocolatier, Shekoh Moossavi, who not only opened her Shekoh Confections, 2305 El Camino Real near California Avenue in Palo Alto last March, but added a second location in downtown Palo Alto last month.

Now, starting this Thursday at the downtown outpost, 444 University Ave., she’s upping her offerings to include lunch (11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and dinner (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.) six nights a week (except Mondays, when the shop is closed).

At lunch, look for salads, sandwiches, and her heartfelt wild mushroom soup with mint — her mom’s recipe that she has featured at every restaurant she’s ever opened. At dinner, the fare will be simple yet satisfying with the likes of risotto, polenta, and lamb shanks. With a liquor license recently approved, look for wines coming soon to complement the meals.

Handmade chocolates.
Handmade chocolates.

Like all the chocolate bonbons, marshmallows, nougats, madeleines, and other confections, Moossavi will be making all of the savory items, too.

When she sleeps is anyone’s guess.

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Anytime Is Right For This Sandwich

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A winning combination of ingredients make up this incredibly simple sandwich.
A winning combination of ingredients make up this incredibly simple sandwich.

This inspired sandwich recipe may come from the cookbook, “Noon.”

But it’s so dead-simple and utterly delicious that you might just want to eat it morning, noon, and night.

“Ciabatta with Balsamic Blackberries, Coppa di Parma, and Mustard” is from that cookbook (Chronicle Books), of which I received a review copy.

It’s from the talented, James Beard Award-winning cookbook writer, Meike Peters, who lives in Berlin.

She has a natural knack for combining a few ingredients in novel ways to come up with dishes you can’t help but crave.

This book is all about relishing and re-imagining the noon-day meal. As Peters so rightly notes in her book, “Lunchtime can easily be as exciting as dinner; we just need to keep pour recipe choices realistic.”

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Dining Outside at Nick’s Cove

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A splendid rendition of a Louie salad at Nick's Cove.
A splendid rendition of a Louie salad at Nick’s Cove.

On a clear day along the shimmering blue waters of Tomales Bay, nothing makes you appreciate even more how lucky you are to live in this region than an al fresco lunch at Nick’s Cove in Marshall.

If it’s been a while — or if you’ve never visited — now’s the perfect time to spend some time at this 92-year-old coastal landmark. Not only have its charming cottages been newly refurbished, but celebrated San Francisco chef Chris Cosentino was brought in to refresh the menu.

On a recent trek along the coast, my husband and I took a seat outside on a weekday, after placing our orders at the bar and receiving a pager. When your order is ready, the pager vibrates, signaling it’s time to pick up your tray.

The entrance to Nick's Cove.
The entrance to Nick’s Cove.
The view.
The view.

We indulged in a half dozen Nick’s BBQ’D oysters ($25), which arrived on a hot cast-iron pan, tasting sweet, smoky, and plenty garlicky.

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