No Surprise: The Steaks Are The Thing at Osso Steakhouse

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A whole Dungeness in garlic sauce at Osso Steakhouse.

A whole Dungeness in garlic sauce at Osso Steakhouse.

 

Osso Steakhouse opened earlier this summer in a most storied location: the site of the former Vanessi’s, the venerable San Francisco restaurant high atop Nob Hill that fed generations during a time when eating out was really an occasion.

Situated at the bottom of the stately high-rise condo building, the Grammercy Towers, the restaurant is very much a throwback. It’s done up in striking Art Deco black and green, with sleek silver sconces illuminating the room. Tuxedo-attired servers carry the food to the cozy booths from the exhibition kitchen.

Osso is the latest venture by Dante Serafini, and Jennifer and Jerry Dal Bozzo, the same team behind the Franciscan Crab Restaurant, The Stinking Rose, Calzone’s Pizza Cucina and the Old Clam House, all in San Francisco. Recently, I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant to sample the new menu.

The Art Deco-inspired dining room.

The Art Deco-inspired dining room.

We started with the octopus crostini ($15.95), which brought thinly shaved octopus slices piled high on crisp rounds of bread. The octopus was nicely tender, but the liberal amount of chili used totally obliterated it.

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“Top Chef” Alum Edward Lee’s Miso-Smothered Chicken

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Miso-smothered chicken with tangy, crunchy jicama pickles.

Miso-smothered chicken with tangy, crunchy jicama pickles.

If you’re a fan of “Top Chef’‘ like I am, then you’re sure to remember Chef Edward Lee, who is Korean, cooks with French techniques and makes his home in the South.

Those three cultural heritages come together deliciously in his new cookbook, “”Smoke & Pickles” (Artisan), of which I received a review copy.

Lee may be chef-owner of two acclaimed restaurants, 610 Magnolia and Milkwood, both in Louisville, KY. But the food he presents on these pages is the rustic, bold-flavored type he makes for friends, family and even for staff meals.

“Miso-Smothered Chicken” exemplifies that. It’s bowl-food at its best: A mound of fluffy rice  with tender, braised chicken seasoned with garlic, cayenne, orange juice, chicken stock, soy sauce and miso. It’s chicken stew — Japanese-style.

smoke-and-pickles

What really makes the dish is the accompanying pickles. Yes, they take a little more work, and have to be made at least a day ahead of the chicken. But one crunchy bite later, you’ll be so glad you made that extra effort. Read more


New Chocolate Shop at Valley Fair, Daniel Boulud at the JCC in San Francisco & More

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Valentino-Caprice truffle. (Photo courtesy of Cocoabella)

Valentino-Caprice truffle. (Photo courtesy of Cocoabella)

Cocoabella Chocolates Opens in the South Bay

Cocoabella Chocolates, which already has two stores in San Francisco, has just opened its first South Bay location at Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara.

Located in the Luxury Wing on the first level of the mall, the store sources small-batch, artisan chocolates from around the world.

It’s also the only retailer in the United States authorized to carry Thomas Haas truffles from British Columbia and Pierre Marcolini bars from Belgium.

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Pomegranate in What? Hot Sauce, Of Course

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A Menlo Park couple's new hot sauce creation with pomegranate

A Menlo Park couple’s new hot sauce creation with pomegranate.

By day, Menlo Park’s Bobby Marhamat is a branding and mobile marketing expert who guides companies on ways to gain greater exposure and prominence.

In his off hours, he continues his creative tinkering — but in the kitchen, cooking alongside his wife, Shima.

In fact, one of his experiments led to his newest creation this year: Bah Bah Hot Sauce.

Kind of like the chocolate and peanut butter moment with Reese’s, Marhamat wondered what would happen if he added pomegranate, a staple ingredient from his Persian heritage, to hot sauce?

As he discovered, something quite delicious, indeed.

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An Elegant Taste of Sri Lankan Food in San Francisco

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The squab is not to be missed at 1601 Bar & Kitchen.

The squab is not to be missed at 1601 Bar & Kitchen.

1601 Bar & Kitchen resides in a transitional part of San Francisco.

It’s right near a major freeway on-ramp to Highway 101. And as you sit at a table by the window, you might spy a homeless person or two rifling through nearby dumpsters.

But none of that should dissuade you from trying Executive Chef-Owner Brian Fernando’s captivating take on Sri Lankan food.

Fernando is of Sri Lankan heritage, so he knows the warm, earthy, sometimes fiery flavors of this Indian Ocean island well. His French training shows through, too, as the presentations are beautiful, from what I evidenced on a recent visit when I was invited in a guest of the restaurant. Fernandez honed his skills in tapas bars in Spain, followed by a stint at Chez Panisse in Berkeley before going on to Le Papillon in San Jose.

The bright space with soaring ceilings is done up in shabby-chic with weathered bar stools and a large, striking mixed-media art piece of Abraham Lincoln hanging on one wall.

The dining room.

The dining room.

The restaurant offers up small plates to share, with lighter ones listed at the top of the menu and heavier ones at the bottom.

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