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Mark Your Calendars For My Upcoming “East Bay Cooks” Cookbook Events

Posted on August 7, 2019 by foodgal Leave a comment

Drum roll please: In just about a month, my new cookbook, “East Bay Cooks: Signature Recipes from the Best Restaurants, Bars, and Bakeries” (Figure 1), will debut.

The book is a salute to 41 top establishments in the East Bay, with a spotlight on their intriguing stories and delectable recipes. I hope you’ll join me in the celebration of this cool new cookbook at one of the many fun events planned, including signings, lunches, dinners, and a whole lot more.

You may have noticed a new link at the top of my Food Gal site, “Personal Appearances.”

Sustainable Seafood Watch Food Truck, A Call to Action, and More

Posted on July 29, 2019 by foodgal Leave a comment

The Monterey Bay Aquarium rolls out its new Seafood Watch food truck. (photo courtesy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium)

Seafood Watch Food Truck Takes To The Road

“Eat. Drink. Save the Ocean.”

That’s the philosophy behind the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s new Seafood Watch Food Truck.

Like other food trucks, it serves up delicious fare. But it goes beyond that to offer three items that use either vegan ingredients or U.S. West Coast rockfish that garners a “Best Choice” ranking for sustainability in the Seafood Watch Guide.

The aquarium has teamed with San Francisco’s Little Green Cyclo to create the menu. You have your choice of taco ($5), butter lettuce wrap ($5) or banh mi sandwich ($8.75) filled with rockfish cooked with chili lime, tamarind or Cajun seasonings. The taco and lettuce wrap also can be filled with the vegan option of butternut squash with kale and candied walnuts.

A sustainable rockfish taco. (Photo courtesy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium)

The truck will be out and about in the Bay Area through September. Look for it at Presidio Twilight in San Francisco, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 1; at the Shuck Yeah! National Oyster Day event in San Francisco, noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 3; at the Stern Grove Festival in San Francisco, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 4; and at Noise Pop’s 20th Street Block Party in San Francisco, noon to 6 p.m. Aug. 17.

Free Scoops of Humphry Slocombe in Cupertino, Plus More

Posted on July 15, 2019 by foodgal Leave a comment

Betty the Truck will be doling out free scoops this Wednesday in Cupertino. (photo courtesy of Humphry Slocombe)

Humphry Slocombe Truck Rolls Into Cupertino With Free Scoops

From now on, you might want to time your shopping trips to Whole Foods Cupertino to take advantage of the fact that Betty the Truck, aka the Humphry Slocombe ice cream mobile, will be in the parking lot regularly.

In fact, this Wednesday, noon to 9 p.m., marks the start of this new attraction. For this inaugural date only, the truck will be doling out free scoops. Yes, free scoops of such creative, iconic flavors as Secret Breakfast (bourbon ice cream with house-made corn flakes), and Queer Eye Cookies & Graham (chocolate cookies and graham crackers in olive oil ice cream).

Secret Breakfast cones. (photo courtesy of Humphry Slocombe)

You can also buy pints, including the newest Whole Foods exclusive flavor, Mango Mojito (mango ice cream with mint, lime and rum). It was created in collaboration with “Top Chef” competitor Chef Melissa King.

After this Wednesday free day, look for the truck in the parking lot at 20955 Stevens Creek Blvd. in Cupertino every day, noon to 9 p.m., unless it has prior commitments elsewhere. Just bring your wallet, though, as you’ll have to pay for those scoops from then on out.

Rev Up the Appetite for “Dine Downtown San Jose”

From July 19-28, you’ll find a host of special prix fixe menus, chef specials and other limited-time creations at 22 top San Jose restaurants.

It’s all part of the 11th annual “Dine Downtown San Jose.”

Sushi Sundays at The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse

Posted on July 12, 2019 by foodgal 2 comments

The Sunday Sushi platter made for two at The Sea by Alexander's Steakhouse.

The Sunday Sushi platter (doubled in size here to serve two) at The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse.

After Meatless Mondays and Taco Tuesdays, now comes Sushi Sundays.

At least now at The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse in Palo Alto.

The upscale seafood-focused restaurant with the chic, Tiffany-like blue dining room can be a spendy experience, often more suited to a special occasion or a business account meal.

But on Sunday nights from now through Sept. 1, the restaurant is featuring a chef’s choice sushi platter for a reasonable $35 per person. Recently, I had a chance to try the new sushi special when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant.

Sunday evenings are definitely a quieter time for the restaurant. Only a few people nursed drinks at the bar, while in the dining room, a few tables definitely seemed like they were celebrating a noteworthy moment.

The swank bar.

The seafood theme carries over into the decor.

We left ourselves in the hands of the kitchen and Executive Chef Yu Min Lin, who created a truncated tasting menu for us with the sushi platter included.

Abstract Table’s Edible Art

Posted on June 28, 2019 by foodgal One comment

Buttery tasting, raw hamachi served in the “Kelp Forest” dinner.

Andrew Greene and Duncan Kwitkor know full well that folks eat with their eyes first.

After all, they are both painters who met as painting students at the San Francisco Art Institute.

Since starving artists may be a cliche yet also unfortunately a truism, Greene and Duncan soon turned their attention to their love of cooking in hopes of pursuing a more economically stable profession.

The result was Abstract Table, a pop-up dinner series that now has a home base after hours at The Gastropig, the fun brunch-lunch spot in Oakland, where Greene used to cook.

A week ago, though, Abstract Table returned to its roots, hosting a pop-up at the Naked Kitchen private events space in the Mission District of San Francisco. Typically, the five-course menu is $50; the seven-course one is $70.

Prepping for Abstract Table’s pop-up at the Naked Kitchen in San Francisco.

Chef Andrew Greene (far left) and chef Duncan Kwitkor (in green apron), along with their assistants.

What’s fun about this space is that it’s essentially the main floor of a Victorian house, in which the kitchen has been outfitted with professional-grade appliances and the living room and dining room get set with tables for dinner guests. You’re free to wander around, too, to sneak peeks at all the action in the kitchen.

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