Category Archives: Enticing Events

Delicious Doings Around the Region

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The South Bay and Peninsula:

Sonoma Chicken Coop is famous for chicken, of course. But the Campbell locale has added a new item that will have you moo-ing instead.

That’s right — a burger made of grass-fed beef from Estancia ranches. It’s the only one of the franchises serving the grass-fed burger. And it’s flying out of the coop — at 75 orders a day, according to owner Jeff Starbeck. Surprisingly — or not — about 40 percent of the customers chowing down on the burger are women. Starbeck surmises that might be because grass-fed beef is lower in fat and contains more good-for-you omega-3s than corn-fed beef.

The 1/3-pound patty is hand-formed, then charbroiled, and served on a housemade bun. Choose from six different topping preparations, including avocado and mushrooms. The $9.99 burger comes with your choice of onion strings, regular fries or sweet potato fries.

Caltrain commuters at the Hillsdale station just got a tasty new option — a commuter “market” located in the former ticket office, where you can pick up fresh produce like apples, squash and avocados; as well as prepared dinner meals such as chicken pot pies and Dungeness crab mac ‘n’ cheese. How’s that for convenience?

Luke’s Local was opened by Luke Chappell, who started his own bagel business in Maine at the ripe old age of 11. His entrepreneurial spirit runs in his family. His parents founded Tom’s of Maine, a personal care products company that pioneered the use of all natural ingredients.

The commuter market is open Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday.  Purchase items there or phone in your order to take home. And yes, food and beverages are allowed on the trains.

Fans of Chef Michael Miller may be wondering what he’s been up to after he closed his well-regarded Trevese in Los Gatos last year. The good news is he’s now executive chef at the Silicon Valley Capital Club in San Jose.

If you’re not a member, find a friend who is to enjoy his wonderful cooking again.

Around the Region:

Thursday, Feb. 25 is National Clam Chowder Day. (Who comes up with these things?) Get your chowder fix at any Boudin SF or Boudin Cafe, where if you buy one clam chowder in a bowl that day, and receive a second one for free.

You have to present a coupon to get that deal. Print one out here.

If you’re a Parmigiano Reggiano fan (yes, the real stuff), you’ll want to head to Whole Foods at noon (PST) Feb. 27, when all of its markets will be demonstrating the proper way to break into huge, 24-month-aged wheels using five different knives.

In 2008, Whole Foods set a Guinness World Record for opening the most wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano simultaneously with nearly 300 wheels in 176 stores. This year, Whole Foods hopes to break that record.

You’ll get a chance to taste samples of the cheese, too. For more info or to see a video of a wheel of cheese being cracked open, click here.

If all that cheese is making you think of pasta, you’ll be glad to know that Pasta Pomodoro locations throughout Northern California are now letting kids (ages 12 and under) eat free all day on Tuesdays.

The “Kid’ Menu” includes items such as cheesy pasta or mini chicken Parmigiana pizza with a choice of milk, apple juice or soda. A chocolate sundae completes the meal.

Cinnabon — maker of those monster-sized cinnamon rolls whose sugary aroma fills the air of every mall around — has joined the cupcake craze.

The new cupcakes retail for about $2.50 each depending upon the city. San Francisco is the launch point for the cupcakes, which will be rolled out nationally to other cities throughout February.

Four cupcake flavors are available: Cinnacake Classic, Chocolate Passion, Vanilla Bliss, and 24-Carrot Cake.

Wine Country and Beyond:

Congratulations to Yountville’s Bardessono Hotel, Restaurant and Spa for garnering a LEED Platinum certification, the top designation established by the U.S. Green Building Council for environmental  and energy design.

It is the only hotel in California to achieve that designation, and only one of three hotels in the world to do so.

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Global Knife Give-Away — Yeah, That’s What I’m Talkin’ About

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There are moments in cooking that are truly life-changing.

My first time using a really sharp, really well-made knife was such an instance.

I had grown up using my parents’ mishmash of knives that were piled in a kitchen drawer and sharpened only in a blue moon.

In my 20s, though, I purchased my first high-end carbon steel chef’s knife on sale at a department store. I brought it home, unwrapped it from its box, and set a yellow onion on a cutting board to give it a try.

With my first slice through the onion, I nearly shrieked. The knife glided through the dense layers of  the hard onion as easily as a puck whooshes around an air hockey table. I cut another slice, and nearly yelped again. What a joy this was! To be able to cut such thin slivers or chop so evenly — all completely effortlessly — was truly a revelation.

A good knife is absolutely one of the best investments any cook can make.

Of course, it’s not always easy to shell out that kind of money, especially in these challenging times. That’s why I’m thrilled to be able to give one lucky Food Gal reader a “Global 7-inch Oriental Chef’s Knife.” Global knives are beloved by serious cooks worldwide for their sharp, precise, thin blades. These elegant Japanese knives sell for a pretty penny, too.

I have the folks at CSN stores to thank for allowing me to give away such a coveted prize. CSN has more than 200 online stores that sell everything from cookware to yoga accessories to bamboo flooring to barstools.

Contest: The contest is open to anyone in North America. Deadline to enter is the close of Feb. 27. The winner of the Global knife will be announced March 1.

How do you enter? It’s simple as this:

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“Around the World in 80 Sips” Without Leaving San Francisco — And A Deal For Food Gal Readers

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Imagine sipping more than 80 different wines — from powerhouses France, Italy and Spain to lesser known viticulture areas like Thailand — all in one spot.

You can, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 25, at Crushpad in San Francisco, 2573 — 3rd St.. The urban winery, a short drive from the W Hotel, is hosting the second annual “Around the World in 80 Sips” tasting event, which is being organized by Bottlenotes, a wine education platform geared to the — ahem– Millennial Generation (20- and 30-somethings). Those who are a little more mature in years are sure to be welcomed, too.

In case you get hungry while enjoying all that wine, a wide variety of artisan cheeses also will be available for nibbling.

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The Pig Stops Here

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I made a pig of myself.

But when I got invited to try the 11th annual “Whole Hog” event at Oliveto in Oakland, that’s just what I had to do in the line of duty when confronted with an entire menu featuring pig parts of every kind imaginable.

And what a gloriously filling experience it was.

Yes, for a week earlier this month, the restaurant abandoned its regular menu to feature one spotlighting only porky goodness. Twenty-five pigs and hogs from family farms were used to create an amazing range of à la carte dishes from boudin blanc “Wellington” tart with sticky Barhi dates to smoked ham with kumquat-clove gravy to terrina of pork ears with horseradish to Valhrona chocolate-caramel tart with candy-coated pancetta. Yes, pig even in the desserts.

The dining room was packed the Saturday evening that my hubby, aka Meat Boy, and I were there. Diners eagerly eyed every dish that was carried out of the kitchen, pondering just which dishes to order, themselves. You could see diners unabashedly quizzing others nearby about the merits of particularly intriguing dishes on their table.

I don’t think I’ve ever had so much meat at one sitting. We started with Sardinian pork cheeks ($14). The second the dish was set down, you could smell the sweet, earthy perfume of saffron in it. Bite-size, incredibly tender slivers of pork had been braised with that pricey spice, as well as mint, aged provolone and a tad of polenta to give the sauce depth and body. We used crusty bread to happily sop up all that remained on the plate.

Next up, a dish that honestly doesn’t photograph well and might make a few people squeamish. But it was my favorite one of the night: Pappardelle nere with pork heart and wild mushroom ragu ($19.50).

Reddish-brown on reddish-brown, it was. And absolutely extraordinary, it tasted.

Pork blood goes into the pasta dough rather than water, giving it a much deeper color. Still with me? The super silky, tender fat noodles are coated with a thick, rich, ragu of mushrooms and finely chopped pork heart.

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Dungeness Crab Fest

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Through February, the Bay Area’s Lark Creek Restaurant Group spotlights the sweet, fluffy, delicate deliciousness of crab in its 21st annual “Dungeness Crab Festival.”

Get your fill of this irresistible and sustainable seafood as chefs at each restaurant showcase distinctive and creative dishes all about crab.

At LarkCreekSteak in San Francisco, steps from the Hotel Palomar, Chef John Ledbetter is offering the likes of Dungeness crab and chorizo gumbo.

At One Market Restaurant in San Francisco, not far from the Hyatt Regency, Chef Mark Dommen is whipping up house-made cavatelli with Dungeness crab, artichokes, basil and Meyer lemon.

At Yankee Pier in Santana Row in San Jose, Chef Gary Rust is turning out Dungeness crab tacos with tomatillo salsa, cumin sour cream and handmade tortillas.

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