Category Archives: Chefs

Where’s the Cumin?

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Fragrant and irresistible lamb pizza, made even better with cumin.
Fragrant and irresistible lamb pizza, made even better with cumin.

When I spied this recipe for “Xi’an Famous Pizza” that was inspired by the mouth-watering Chinese food served at the family-owned New York institution, Xi’an Famous Foods, one thought came to mind immediately:

Where’s the cumin?

This pizza was originally a collaboration between Paulie Gee’s pizzeria in Brooklyn, which created this popular lamb-topped pizza with Xi’an Famous Foods’ spicy, umami bomb chili crisp drizzled over the top.

But anyone like myself who’s ever dined at one of the locations of this casual, no-frills Chinese restaurant surely can’t forget the deep earthy warmth of the cumin-scented lamb that adorns its hand-ripped noodles or gets stuffed burger-style into tender flatbread.

So, when I made this pizza, there was no way I was going to leave out the cumin.

The recipe is from “Pizza From the Heart” (Union Square & Co.), of which I received a review copy. It was written by Paulie Gee and Mary Ann Giannone, founder’s of Paulie Gee’s, which now boasts locations in Chicago, Baltimore and Ohio, too. It was written with assistance from food writer, Sarah Zorn.

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A Taste of Eastern Europe at Dacha

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Lamb chops with eggplant, pita, and spicy chile condiment at Dacha.
Lamb chops with eggplant, pita, and spicy chile condiment at Dacha.

Even if you didn’t know that Dacha is an Eastern European term for a second house that’s all about gathering and relaxing, you would feel those sentiments the moment you walk in the doors of this San Francisco restaurant.

Co-founded by married couple, Katya Skye and Suki Skye, and friend Tanya Ivanovich, the Lower Nob Hill restaurant just celebrated its second anniversary in November.

Proudly queer-owned and female-empowered, it boasts a decidedly warm, welcoming, and feminine vibe, as I found when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant last week.

The inviting dining room.
The inviting dining room.
The back of the dining room.
The back of the dining room.

It’s all in the little touches: The bud vases and candles on each table. The faux fireplace that creates a cozy feel. The homey bookcase with shelves filled with plants, books, and framed photos. And the floral wallpaper, free feminine products, hand lotion, and sweetly etched mirrors in the bathrooms.

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Lighten the Load, Part II: Black Garlic Butter Branzino

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It tastes like a restaurant-worthy dish -- but takes only one pan and about 10 minutes to make.
It tastes like a restaurant-worthy dish — but takes only one pan and about 10 minutes to make.

When it comes to Italian cooking, Chef Joe Sasto doesn’t like to adhere rigidly to tradition.

Thus, the title of his new cookbook, “Breaking the Rules” (Simon Element), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by San Francisco-native and “Top Chef” alum Sasto, who graduated from the University of California at Davis before going to work for three years at Michelin three-starred Quince in San Francisco, where he was in charge of the hand-made pasta program. From there, he went on to become executive sous chef at Michelin two-starred Lazy Bear in San Francisco.

The book, written with assistance from cook and recipe developer Thea Baumann, is a collection of recipes that Sasto makes at home.

From the first page, his flair for bending or breaking so-called rules in on display.

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Happiness Is Getting A Table At Happy Crane

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Hand-pulled noodles with hedgehog and shiitake mushrooms at Happy Crane.
Hand-pulled noodles with hedgehog and shiitake mushrooms at Happy Crane.

After opening in August in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley neighborhood, Happy Crane has garnered acclaim far and wide.

So, it’s no wonder that landing a reservation to enjoy Chef James Yeun Leong Parry’s contemporary take on Cantonese cuisine is as hard as getting invited to Taylor Swift’s upcoming nuptials.

A tip to the wise: Reservations open up 30 days in advance at noon on OpenTable. So, set yourself up with your phone, laptop or desktop five minutes before, and keep refreshing the page over and over again. When the reservations finally so pop up, immediately pounce.

That’s how I managed to secure a reservation for four a few weeks ago. And it was absolutely worth jumping through those hoops.

The dining room.
The dining room.

Like with Mister Jiu’s and Four Kings, both in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Happy Crane has reinvigorated Chinese food with fresh, young energy with the use of top-quality ingredients, time-honored and modern techniques, and playful reinterpretations.

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