Category Archives: Enticing Events

Jack Falstaff Restaurant Celebrates Local Producers

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Tasty things grow at Hamada Farms. (Photo courtesy of Leo Gong)

Chefs routinely chant, “It’s all about the ingredients.”

When it comes to a series of special dinners at Jack Falstaff in San Francisco, truer words were never spoken.

At the restaurant’s 2009 Growers Dinners, Executive Chef Jonnatan Leiva showcases the wonderful ingredients he sources regularly from growers he’s worked with for years. At the monthly dinners, guests get to mingle with the farmers whose seasonal ingredients are the star attraction of the four-course dinner. At each dinner, a San Francisco executive chef acts as guest chef to cook at least one course of the meal. Special beers or wines are specifically paired to the dishes, too.

This year’s series of dinners kicks off Feb. 24 with Hamada Farms in Kingsbury, CA. The family-owned farm, which was established in 1921, grows everything from persimmons and avocados to exotic citrus such as Oro Blanco, cocktail grapefruits, Tahitian pumelos, and African shaddock. The guest chef that night will be Staffan Terje, chef-owner of Perbacco.

The dinner is $85, including wine pairings. For reservations, call (415) 836-9239.

If you miss this dinner, you can still catch others in the future:

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Tyler Florence and “Top Chef” Contests

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Win a chance to cook with Tyler Florence. (Photo courtesy of Macy's)In these dire economic times, who couldn’t use a $2,500 shopping spree at Macy’s for new kitchen products?

Especially if your personal culinary guide is Tyler Florence, a member of Macy’s Culinary Council.

Through April 3, Macy’s and Food Network star Tyler Florence are hosting a contest, in which you can enter your own video showing how to prepare an original recipe. The “Macy’s Keeps America Cooking” contest was launched in conjunction with Florence’s 12-series podcasts highlighting his own favorite recipes.

Each video submitted should be 2 minutes or less, and demonstrate “What gets you cooking?”

In addition to the shopping spree, the grand prize winner will receive a trip for two to San Francisco to cook with Florence, and a feature spot on a Macy’s podcast. Nine runners-up will win a $1,000 gift card from Macy’s.

For a complete list of contest rules, click here.

For “Top Chef” fanatics, there are just three days left to enter the ”Quaker Oats Quick Fire Challenge.”

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Awesome Abalone

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"Super'' red abalone. (Photo courtesy of Steve Lonhart, SIMoN/NOAA)

Face it, not many of us can sport six-pack abs.

But the Highlands Inn in Carmel can give you “Super Abs” — for a price.

That’s short for abalone that’s farm-raised in a sustainable manner by the Monterey Abalone Company. And these particular ones are ”super” because the red abalone (the most common type raised off California waters) are being cultivated wtih a new method that results in faster growth, a brighter color, and apparently more flavor. (Yours truly has only tasted the “regular” Monterey Abalone Company abalones. And those are mighty fantastic already.)

Abalone ceviche. (Photo courtesy of Steve Lonhart, SIMoN/NOAA)

The abalone company is working in conjunction with Moss Landing Marine Laboratories to do this. Highlands Inn has exclusive rights to all of the “Super Abs” now available to be harvested.

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A Celebration of Dungeness

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Bistro Boudin Executive Chef James Chan gets crabby. (Photo courtesy of Boudin Bistro)

Would you buy a Dungeness crab from this man?

Well, you should, because Executive Chef James Chan of Bistro Boudin, 160 Jefferson St., 160 Jefferson St. near Pier 43 1/2 in San Francisco, has got a deal for you.

Through March, the restaurant will serve a once-a-week Crab Feast on Thursdays. You get one crab per person, linguine with slow-cooked tomato sauce, Caesar salad, and of course, Boudin’s sourdough bread.

Prices for the feast are $25 for one person; $49.50 for two; and $89.95 for four.

Bistro Boudin's crab extravaganza. (Photo courtesy of Bistro Boudin)

OK, the Niners might not have made it to the Super Bowl. ‘Nuf said.

But you can catch 49ers team members in another competition, the 7th annual Celebrity Crab Festival. They’ll be digging into bowls of Dungeness crab, noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 28 at San Francisco’s Union Square, to demonstrate the fine art of cracking the Bay Area’s premier crustacean. That will be followed by a timed crab cracking contest to see who can crack the most crab.

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Restaurant Specials and Food From the Heart

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Enjoy stuffed squash for half price, if you eat late and in a big party. (Photo courtesy of John Benson)

If you’re a night owl, gather your nocturnal friends for a dining deal at Zare at Fly Trap restaurant in San Francisco.

Its new “Ten After Ten” promotion lets parties of 10 or more who make a dinner reservation for 10 p.m. or later get 50 percent off the cost of food. It’s good Monday through Saturday. Just mention what special occasion you’re celebrating — birthday, anniversary, bachelorette party or something else — when you book.

Meatballs with harissa at Zare at Fly Trap. (Photo courtesy of the National Honey Board)

If you prefer eating earlier, Chez Papa Resto in San Francisco has introduced a monthly changing themed four-course prix fixe dinner menu (with amuse bouche) nightly for $50. Wine pairing is available for an additional $35.

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