Category Archives: Chefs

Betelnut — An Oldie But Goodie That Tantalizes and Surprises

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Chef Alex Ong tells an amusing story about just how much he missed Chinese food when he was living in Florida, working for the Ritz-Carlton, way back when.

On his rare days off then, he and his wife would hop into the car to drive to the only Chinese restaurant in sight — Panda Express.

“There was no other Chinese food around,” Ong says in almost disbelief. “I told my wife, ‘We gotta get out of here!’ ”

Fortunately for all of us, the Malaysia-born Ong did get out of there and ended up here — at the venerable Betelnut in San Francisco, a short drive from the Fairmont Heritage Place at Ghirardelli Square. At the popular restaurant, which was turning out Asian street food before that turned into a mega new trend, Ong has been in the kitchen 10 of its 14 years.

Sure, you’ll find the likes of everyone’s favorite minced chicken lettuce cups, Shanghai soup dumplings, fried cauliflower with curry leaves, and green papaya-shrimp salad.

But Ong and his chef de cuisine, Michael Siegel, like to push the envelope, too. Their more daring takes on street food are not always an easy sell to their upper-crust Union Street clientele. If you go, though, you should definitely seek them out.

One of Siegel’s favorite dishes of late is his grilled venison with maitake mushrooms and butternut squash. I had a chance to enjoy this dish of tender, juicy meat when Ong and Siegel invited me to come in with my buddy,  local cookbook author, Andrea Nguyen. The servers often tell hesitant customers that if they order the venison and don’t like it, they won’t have to pay for it. So far, none has been inclined to send back this amazing dish.

Each night, the restaurant also makes a dish that’s not on the official menu: Beggar’s Chicken. Few restaurants dare to offer this classic dish because of all the work involved. A soy-marinated whole chicken is stuffed with mushrooms, pork belly and Chinese sausages, then the whole thing is first wrapped in lotus leaves, then inside a mass of soft, gray clay. It cooks in the oven for one and a half hours, then rests for an equal amount of time.

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Celebrate Persian New Year at Zaré at Flytrap in San Francisco

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Persian New Year begins March 20, the first day of spring. And Zaré at Flytrap restaurant in San Francisco is gearing up to celebrate in a big way.

Chef-owner Hoss Zaré, a native of Iran, will be hosting his first Persian New Year’s Celebration at his restaurant, a short hop from the W Hotel.

Think communal tables, where you can mingle and make new friends over a family-style spread of traditional dishes such as frog legs with pomegranate walnut sauce; and Thai snapper with fennel, winter vegetables and Persian pickle tartar.

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Celebrate Spring at San Francisco’s Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

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As if you needed any more reasons to visit one of the best farmers markets in the country, March is full of delicious events at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco.

The bustling market at the historic Ferry Building, just steps from the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, welcomes spring’s mother lode of fava beans, peas and asparagus with a series of cooking demos by local chefs.

Come watch, taste and learn at these free cooking events at the outdoor teaching kitchen under the north arcade:

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Take Five With Chef Bruno Chemel, On Life Post-Chez TJ With His New Baume Restaurant

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Parting is never easy — especially when it’s done publicly with stinging words and bitter emotions.

Such was the case when Chef Bruno Chemel departed Mountain View’s venerable Chez TJ in December. In a battle played out in the press, Chez TJ Proprietor George Aviet expressed his displeasure that Chemel had not brought Michelin two-star fame to his establishment like his predecessor Chef Christopher Kostow, now at the Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena, had. During his less than two years at Chez TJ, Chemel had garnered one Michelin star.

When they couldn’t see eye to eye on that chase for the star (s), Chemel left to open his own restaurant, Baume in Palo Alto, in January. Meantime, Aviet hired Scott Nishiyama, who worked at Daniel Boulud in New York and at the French Laundry in Yountville.

Named after 18th century French chemist, Antoine Baume, Chemel’s new restaurant is a Zen-like oasis for his brand of elegant molecular gastronomy cooking. The intimate 22-seat restaurant is done up in warm dark chocolate and burnt orange hues, and accented with artsy glass panes covered in Japanese dried seaweed. It serves only tasting menus — five courses ($78), 10 courses ($108), and 15 courses for ($148) at dinner; and a three-course lunch for $48 offered on Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Last week when I visited, the 41-year-old Chemel proudly showed off his new freeze-drying machine that had just been delivered. It can freeze anything — from a sauce to any vegetable — in a flash. Inside his kitchen, you’ll find such molecular gastronomy staples as a dehydrator and canisters of liquid nitrogen, as well as more personal touches such as a framed cotton dish towel from his days working with the legendary Joel Robuchon.

I sat down to chat with Chemel about the Chez TJ incident, and the hopes he has for his new restaurant.

Q: Of course, I have to ask about Chez TJ. Are you satisfied with the way things ended?

A: I did my job for two years. I did my best. All the dirty laundry — I let him (Aviet) do. It’s out of my memory now.

Q: Your pastry chef at Chez TJ, Ryan Shelton, followed you here. Did all of the Chez TJ staff leave with you?

A: When I gave notice, the staff gave notice. I told them that they shouldn’t, but they wanted to come with me. So, most of the staff did leave with me.

Q: Is your cooking different here than at Chez TJ?

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San Francisco’s A16 Still Going Strong

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When the very talented Chef Nate Appleman departed San Francisco’s beloved A16 last year for the glitz of Manhattan, Bay Area foodies gasped, fell into a deep funk and believed the world had come to an end.

I exaggerate — but not by much.

But A16 did a very smart thing. For his replacement, the restaurant looked within. It promoted Liza Shaw to top toque. Shaw not only helped open A16 in 2004, but worked her way up through every station, and contributed to the recipe development and food styling of the award-winning “A16 Food + Wine” (Ten Speed Press). In her hands, the restaurant has remained every bit as strong and consistent.

On a blustery night when I was invited to dine as a guest, the long, narrow restaurant a short drive from the Laurel Inn, was as crowded and boisterous as always.

It was my first time dining on a Monday night. And you know what that means — “Meatball Mondays” was in full swing. The juicy, tender meatballs are served as a special every Monday night as either an appetizer or entree. The meatballs, braised in wine, are a mixture of pork, beef and 40 percent breadcrumbs, which is what makes them so wonderfully light in texture. One bite and you’ll know why regulars caused a ruckus when the restaurant once tried to discontinue the meatball tradition.

A starter of roasted Monterey sardines ($11) was surprisingly mild tasting for this oft-strong oily fish.  A hit of citrus, fennel and plump green olives gave the sardines even more character.

The pizza, which I’ve made at home many times, remains one of the best in the city. The funghi pizza ($16.50) was strewn with roasted mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, Grana, garlic, oregano and wild peppery arugula. The crust was crisp, with developed flavor and nice, airy edges.

Pastas comes in your choice of full or half portions. We opted for the latter for two pastas.

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